A synchronization detection method for new radio (NR) sidelink. In some embodiments, the method includes calculating a first delay compensated input signal, calculating a first correlation value, calculating a first correlation power, calculating a first weighted correlation power, and detecting a synchronization signal. The first delay compensated input signal may be based on an input signal, and an index of a first tap value. The first correlation value may be based on a first candidate sequence and the first delay compensated input signal. The first correlation power may be based on the first correlation value. The first weighted correlation power may be based on a first weighting factor, and the first correlation power. The detecting of the synchronization signal may include using the first weighted correlation power.

In new radio sidelink communications, synchronization signals consisting of sidelink primary and secondary synchronization signals (S-PSS and S-SSS) are transmitted periodically from the transmitting user device (UE) to the receiving UE(s). The receiving UE may detect the synchronization signal and synchronize to the side link channel. Performing synchronization in a manner that is both robust and low-cost (i.e., feasible using the processing capability of a UE) may be challenging.
Thus, there is a need for an improved system and method for new radio sidelink synchronization symbol detection.

Synchronization detection method for NR sidelink


A memory module includes a substrate having a common substrate body, a plurality of first memory chips located over a surface of the common substrate body, a conductive pattern which electrically connects at least some of the plurality of first memory chips, and an external terminal which is electrically connected to the conductive pattern. The memory module further includes at least one second memory chip mounted over a respective one of the plurality of first memory chips and electrically connected to the conductive pattern, where each one of the plurality of first memory chips mounted below the at least one second memory chip is disabled.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a memory module, and more particularly, to a memory module having memory chips formed on a common substrate.
2. Description of the Related Art
Efforts have been ongoing to integrate different types of memories, such as dynamic random access memories (DRAMs), static random access memories (SRAMs) and/or flash memories, in parallel into a single memory module. See, for example, German patent publication DE 19626337A1, which suggests concurrent usage of chips containing volatile and nonvolatile memories.
Also, the so-called "Fusion Memory" has recently been suggested in which high density memory and logic circuits are integrated on a single chip. The memory circuits may include different types of memories on the single chip, such as DRAM, SRAM and flash memories. Attributes of the Fusion Memory may thus include the large storage capacity of a DRAM, the high speed data processing of an SRAM, and the nonvolatile storage of a flash memory. These attributes, coupled with on-chip logic circuits, allow for customization of the chip to meet desired specifications.
In the meantime, research has been conducted to fabricate a wafer-scale memory module in which a plurality of memory devices of the same type are formed and interconnected at the wafer level. See, for example, Japanese Patent Laid Open Publication No. 3-250662. According to this publication, in the event a defective device exists among the plurality of memory devices, a non-defective device is mounted on the defective device.
Wafer-scale memory modules are highly integrated and can be formed with smaller dimensions and lighter weights when compared with more conventional memory modules having memory chips mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB).
There exists a desire for a memory module which exhibits the attributes of wafer-scale technologies, while also allowing for a variety of memory functions to be integrated onto a common substrate.


A bank server allows a user of one ATM to reserve cash at another, nearby ATM when the first ATM has an inadequate cash inventory to serve the user's requested transaction. The user attempts to withdraw cash from the first ATM, but the first ATM has insufficient cash to perform the withdrawal transaction. Through the first ATM, the bank server offers the user a cash reservation at the other ATM. The bank server causes the other ATM to reserve a requested amount of cash for the user, possibly refusing to dispense cash to other users if doing so would leave the other ATM with insufficient cash to dispense the reserved cash. The user travels a short distance to the other ATM and withdraws the reserved cash. In effect, the other ATM can now perform the withdrawal transaction requested of the first ATM when the first ATM couldn't.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to automatic teller machines (ATMs) and, more particularly, methods of and systems for improving cash availability at ATMs.
Description of the Related Art
Prior to the introduction of ATM technology, bank customers physically visited any branch of their bank and withdrew cash from a human teller. With very few exceptions in times of financial catastrophe, the bank branches always had plenty of cash on hand to meet their customers' needs.
Since the introduction of ATMs, cash availability has become nearly ubiquitous. And bank customers have come to expect cash to be available nearly everywhere. However, this wide distribution of cash in numerous ATMs represents a risk of loss. While a bank can fortify a brick and mortar bank branch, ATMs can be found in many places that banks can't fortify, such as gas stations, restaurants, hotels, amusement parks, grocery stores, etc. operated by others, who also provide for whatever security there is. While the ATMs themselves can provide their own security by making it extremely difficult to extract cash without proper authorization and access, ATMs can be small enough to be driven off in a standard pick-up truck or station wagon.
Accordingly, it is preferred to stock ATMs with just enough cash to meet the expected demand. Any excess cash stocked in an ATM represents a risk of loss.
At the same time, it is important that ATMs do not run out of cash to dispense. For the customer, this represents a significant inconvenience, particularly if the customer is unfamiliar with the area and doesn't know the location of nearby ATMs. In addition, the business providing the ATM for its customers loses income when the ATM is unable to dispense cash—both in terms of fees paid by the customer for cash access and in terms of incidental business with the customer, such as impulse purchases while the customer is visit the business.
What is needed is a way to increase cash availability while avoiding overstocking ATMs with cash.

Automatic teller machine inventory and distribution system


A method an apparatus for testing shear strain response of a test specimen having a thick adhesive bond line is disclosed. Method and apparatus permit the use of readily available clip-on extensometers. The apparatus and method may include the use of knife edges secured to each of two adherend components on a standard ASTM D 5656 thick adherent test specimen.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention is related to systems and methods for measuring shear stress-strain response, and more specifically, to systems and methods for measuring shear stress-strain response for structures that include thick adhesive bondlines.
2. Description of the Related Art
The standard method (ASTM D5656) that is typically used to measure the shear stress-strain response for thin adhesive bondlines (e.g., having bondline thicknesses of 0.005 to 0.020 in or 0.127 to 0.508 mm) employs the American Cyanamid KGR-1 gage. One improvement to ASTM D5656 has been proposed in Yang et al., "Evaluation and Adjustments for ASTM D5656 Standard Test Method for Thick-Adherend Metal Lap-Shear Joints for Determination of the Stress-Strain Behavior of Adhesives in Shear by Tension Loading," Journal of Testing and Evaluation, JTEVA, volume 29, no. 1, January 2001, pp. 36-43. In this article, the authors set forth an arrangement that uses four pins and mounting holes to mount a KGR-1 device to a test specimen, to reduce errors due to slippage of the mounting pins. However, the KGR-1 gage has limited deflection travel (d=0.020 in., see FIG. 1a) and was designed for use in testing of bondline thicknesses (ta) less than 0.040 in. and therefore cannot be used for testing of thick bondlines.
This disclosure is directed toward overcoming one or more problems or disadvantages associated with the prior art.

Apparatus and method of measuring shear strain of thick adhesive bondlines


A Sun-tracking Chair is disclosed. The disclosed chair comprises inclinable back and and leg rests. Further disclosed is a sun-tracking means for tracking the sun's position with relation to said chair. Still further disclosed are a back rest and leg rest that automatically incline responsive to the sun's azimuth, as detected by said sun-tracking means. The disclosed chair further comprises rotating means for rotating said chair, and in particular, said chair is automatically rotatable responsive to the angle of the sun in a horizontal plane with relation to said chair, as detected by said sun-tracking means. Said disclosed chair further comprises control means for controlling the functions of said chair, including incline and rotation angle. The disclosed chair further comprises a canopy, said canopy configured to cooperate with said back and leg rests and the rotation of said chair. Also disclosed is a system to position adjacent chairs in close proximity to one another simultaneously and synchronously to avoid their coming into contact with each other.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to seating apparatus and, more specifically, to a Sun-tracking Chair.
2. Description of Related Art
There are many shapes, sizes and configurations of outdoor lounge chairs. The typical prior outdoor lounge chair comprises a leg rest, a center section and a back rest. Generally, the leg rest and back rest can be angularly adjusted to provide the maximum comfort to the user in a variety of situations. In particular, where the user desires to sunbathe on the prior chair, he or she will set the incline of the backrest such that when lying on the chair, his or her torso is perpendicular to the azimuth of the sun. It is in such a configuration that the user will receive the maximum incident sun rays and, therefore the best tanning potential.
The problem with these prior chairs is that the sun's azimuth is constantly changing during the day. Since the typical backrest on the prior chairs is only adjustable manually, the user typically adjusts the incline of the backrest to match the sun's azimuth at that particular point in time. He or she then sunbathes until the azimuth has changed a substantial amount at which time, the user manually readjusts the backrest incline to match the sun's azimuth once again. As can be seen, the user's torso is only in the optimum sunbathing position for a short time after each incline adjustment. If better precision is desired, the user must manually readjust the incline more frequently--this can rapidly become a nuisance to the user. What is needed is a system that automatically adjusts the incline of the backrest of outdoor lounge chairs to track the azimuth of the sun.
Many times sunbather must make more adjustment to the chair than simply the backrest incline. If the sun is particularly low in the sky, the horizontal angle to the sun changes during the day, in addition to the azimuth changing. In order for the user to maintain perpendicularity with the sun rays in such cases, he or she must actually turn the chair to face the sun. Again, it becomes a nuisance "chasing" the sun across the sky. It would be very beneficial if the outdoor lounge chair would automatically rotate to track the sun's changes in horizontal angle.
The chair rotation problem becomes particularly troublesome where there is a dense concentration of chairs, such as around a swimming pool, where one chair cannot be easily rotated without disturbing the adjacent chairs. This phenomena is particularly bothersome on cruise ships, where many chairs are set close together and defined walkways must be left open for safety egress, the rotation space for chairs is thus severely limited. This situation is further exacerbated when the ship makes a turn, and the sun's angle is radically changed very quickly. It becomes a mass scramble for the sunbathers to jump up and readjust the configuration of their chairs, typically bumping into each other and generally causing significant frustration. It Would be very helpful if a row of chairs would automatically rotate in a synchronized fashion, so that they can be placed in close proximity to each other, yet afford the sunbather with consistent, optimum exposure to the sun without the need for any action on their part.
It would be further beneficial if the sun-tracking chair included a canopy thereover that cooperated with the chair backrest incline and rotation adjustments. In such a manner, users that don't desire sun, but simply want to lay outside along with their sunbathing friends will be protected by the sun, but will not interfere with the movements of the sunbathers.


Hardware and software techniques for interrupt detection and response in a scalable pipelined array processor environment are described. Utilizing these techniques, a sequential program execution model with interrupts can be maintained in a highly parallel scalable pipelined array processing containing multiple processing elements and distributed memories and register files. When an interrupt occurs, interface signals are provided to all PEs to support independent interrupt operations in each PE dependent upon the local PE instruction sequence prior to the interrupt. Processing/element exception interrupts are supported and low latency interrupt processing is also provided for embedded systems where real time signal processing is required. Further, a hierarchical interrupt structure is used allowing a generalized debug approach using debut interrupts and a dynamic debut monitor mechanism.

The typical architecture of a digital signal processor is based upon a sequential model of instruction execution that keeps track of program instruction execution with a program counter. When an interrupt is acknowledged in this model, the normal program flow is interrupted and a branch to an interrupt handler typically occurs. After the interrupt is handled, a return from the interrupt handler occurs and the normal program flow is restarted. This sequential model must be maintained in pipelined processors even when interrupts occur that modify the normal sequential instruction flow. The sequential model of instruction execution is used in the advanced indirect very long instruction word (iVLIW) scalable ManArray processor even though multiple processor elements (PEs) operate in parallel each executing up to five packed data instructions. The ManArray family of core processors provides multiple cores 1×1, 1×2, 2×2, 2×4, 4×4, and so on that provide different performance characteristics depending upon the number of and type of PEs used in the cores.
Each PE typically contains its own register file and local PE memory, resulting in a distributed memory and distributed register file model. Each PE, if not masked off, executes instructions in synchronism and in a sequential flow as dictated by the instruction sequence fetched by a sequence processor (SP) array controller. The SP controls the fetching of the instructions that are sent to all the PEs. This sequential instruction flow must be maintained across all the PEs even when interrupts are detected in the SP that modify the instruction sequence. The sequence of operations and machine state must be the same whether an interrupt occurs or not. In addition, individual PEs can cause errors which can be detected and reported by a distributed interrupt mechanism. In a pipelined array processor, determining which instruction, which PE, and which data element in a packed data operation may have caused an exception type of interrupt is a difficult task.
In developing complex systems and debugging of complex programs, it is important to provide mechanisms that control instruction fetching, provide single-step operation, monitor for internal core and external core events, provide the ability to modify registers, instruction memory, VLIW memory (VIM), and data memory, and provide instruction address and data address eventpoints. There are two standard approaches to achieving the desired observability and controllability of hardware for debug purposes.
One approach involves the use of scan chains and clock-stepping, along with a suitable hardware interface, possibly via a joint test action group (JTAG) interface, to a debug control module that supports basic debug commands. This approach allows access on a cycle by cycle basis to any resources included in the scan chains, usually registers and memory. It relies on the library/process technology to support the scan chain insertion and may change with each implementation.
The second approach uses a resident debug monitor program, which may be linked with an application or reside in on-chip read only memory ROM. Debug interrupts may be triggered by internal or external events, and the monitor program then interacts with an external debugger to provide access to internal resources using the instruction set of the processor.
It is important to note that the use of scan chains is a hardware intensive approach which relies on supporting hardware external to the core processor to be available for testing and debug. In a system-on-chip (SOC) environment where processing cores from one company are mixed with other hardware functions, such as peripheral interfaces possibly from other companies, requiring specialized external hardware support for debug and development reasons is a difficult approach. In the second approach described above, requiring the supporting debug monitor program be resident with an application or in an on-chip ROM is also not desirable due to the reduction in the application program space.
Thus, it is recognized that it will be highly advantageous to have a multiple-PE synchronized interrupt control and a dynamic debug monitor mechanism provided in a scalable processor family of embedded cores based on a single architecture model that uses common tools to support software configurable processor designs optimized for performance, power, and price across multiple types of applications using standard application specific integral circuit (ASIC) processes as discussed further below.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Methods and apparatus for scalable array processor interrupt detection and response


A developing device includes a developer carrier capable of carrying a developer, and a thickness regulating member having a resistance of 103 Ω or less and regulating a thickness of a layer of a developer carried by the developer carrier.

Various attempts for suppressing longitudinal streaks from occurring in images have been conventionally made in a developing device having a developing roller and a thickness regulating blade for regulating the thickness of a toner layer carried on the developing roller.
For example, JP-A-10-063095 discloses such a technique relating to a developing device that a rigid material is used as a surface of a developing roller, and an elastic foamed material is used as a toner regulating blade, whereby surface flaws on the developing roller are prevented from occurring to suppress image deterioration, such as longitudinal streaks, from occurring.

Developing device and image forming apparatus


A skin adhesive hydrogel formed by mixing in aqueous medium: (A) major proportion of a high molecular weight water-soluble polyvinylpyrrolidone having ring opened pyrrolidone groups and (B) a minor proportion of a water-soluble multifunctional amine-containing polymer to form a water insoluble, water swellable cross-linked salt between carboxyl groups of the ring opened pyrrolidone groups and basic amine groups of the polyfunctional amine-containing polymer. The reaction is advantageously carried out in the presence of a plasticizer.

The use of a cross-linked polyvinylpyrrolidone hydrogel as an adhesive in one or more of the foregoing applications is known. The principal means of cross-linking the polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) has been by ionizing radiation. Typical U.S. Pat. Nos. directed to this are: 4,646,730 to Schonfeld et al; 4,750,482 to Sleverding, and 3,545,230 to Morse. Chemically cross-linked PVP and copolymers of PVP and other materials are also disclosed for one or more of the aforementioned applications in, for example, the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 3,759,880 to Hoffmann et al.; 3,878,175 to Steckler; 3,336,129 to Herrett et al.; 4,094,822 to Kater; 3,993,049 to Kater, and 4,498,896 to Heinecke.
It is the principal object of the present invention to provide an improved skin adhesive hydrogel composition based on polyvinylpyrrolidone.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a skin adhesive hydrogel based on cross-linked polyvinylpyrrolidone but not requiring the use of ionizing radiation in its preparation.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a skin adhesive hydrogel composition based on cross-linked polyvinylpyrrolidone but having certain advantages over prior such hydrogel compositions.
These and other objects, including the provision of a method for preparing the improved hydrogel composition and the provision of improved medical and cosmetic systems comprising the hydrogel will become apparent from a consideration of the following specification and claims.

Skin adhesive hydrogel, its preparation and uses


A method of fabricating a composite part, includes forming a fiber preform for the part that is to be obtained by depositing a plurality of fiber structures impregnated with a thermoplastic polymer onto a surface, with deposition being performed by automated fiber placement; eliminating the thermoplastic polymer present in the preform by dissolution with a solvent; and injecting a liquid impregnation composition into the pores of the fiber preform after eliminating the thermoplastic polymer in order to form a matrix in the pores of the fiber preform.

The invention relates to a method of fabricating a composite material part using a technique of automated fiber placement (AFP).
It is known to make composite material parts by draping pre-impregnated fiber reinforcement in the form of plies. In certain present techniques, the draping is performed manually by an operator. Those techniques can give rise to production costs for parts that are relatively high and to risks of error in the positioning of the plies. That leads to a degree of variability in the mechanical performance of the parts that are obtained, and also to parts having mechanical properties that could be improved.
Other solutions have been developed, such as the automated fiber placement technique. That mechanical technique presents an advantage of reducing the cost of producing parts made of composite material. In the prior art, fiber plies impregnated with an aqueous suspension containing ceramic particles are draped on a surface in order to obtain a preform for the part that is to be obtained. The resulting preform is then dried, and then the ceramic particles are sintered so as to form the matrix in the pores of the preform. The mechanical performance of parts obtained by prior art automated fiber placement techniques could nevertheless be improved, in particular because of the presence of residual pores within the matrix.
Also known is U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,782, which discloses producing preforms from ceramic or metal fibers; FR 3 033 729, which discloses a fiber applicator head with an infrared heater system; EP 1 472 060, which discloses a carbon strip with a fugitive binder and an associated method of use; U.S. Pat. No. 5,439,627, which discloses a method of fabricating reinforced composites; and US 2013/0149491, which discloses a composite article fabricated from a fiber strip.
There thus exists a need for a method that makes it possible, at low production cost, to obtain composite material parts having improved mechanical properties.

Method for the production of a part made from a composite material


A hazardous condition detector is provided. The hazardous condition detector comprises a body, a hazardous condition sensor, and at least one corona discharge apparatus. The body defines a passage therethrough. The passage extends between an inlet and an outlet. The hazardous condition sensor is positioned within the passage. The at least one corona discharge apparatus is positioned within the passage to draw a fluid into the passage through the inlet and to expel the fluid through the outlet.

A traditional hazardous condition detector such as a smoke alarm, as illustrated in FIG. 1, is typically mounted on a wall or ceiling in an environment (e.g., a living space) within a structure. Should a fire or environmentally unsafe condition occur within the structure, any harmful substance (e.g., smoke, carbon monoxide, and the like) generated by the hazardous condition will usually ascend toward the ceiling due to natural or free rise convection. Eventually, the harmful substance will begin to flow along the wall or up to the ceiling such that the harmful substance enters the hazardous condition detector. After entering the hazardous condition detector, the harmful substance encounters a hazardous condition sensor capable of detecting the substance and activating an alarm. If the hazardous condition sensor senses a presence of the harmful substance or that the harmful substance has reached a sufficient level or amount, the sensor activates the alarm.
Unfortunately, the conventional hazardous condition detector is forced to rely upon free rise convection to move the hazardous substance past or proximity to the sensor. If circulation in the living space is poor, if the harmful substance rises slowly, if the free rise convection in the environment is somehow hampered or if the detector is placed in a non-suggested position, the harmful substance may be prevented from reaching the hazardous condition sensor even though dangerous levels of the hazardous substance are present. This could result in a loss of property, an infliction of a personal injury, and an even unnecessary loss of life.
Moreover, since the conventional hazardous condition detector requires free rise convection to move air past the hazardous condition sensor, the conventional hazardous condition detector must extend away from the wall or ceiling and project into the environment. Such an arrangement is not aesthetically pleasing to many people.
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional hazardous condition detector 10 as known in the art is illustrated. The conventional hazardous condition detector 10 is generally mounted to a ceiling 12 or wall 13 of a structure 14 (e.g., residential dwelling, business office, and the like). As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional hazardous condition detector 10 projects outwardly and intrudes into an environment (e.g., living space) within the structure 14. The hazardous condition detector 10 may be operatively coupled to an external alarm system such that an alarm can be sounded throughout the dwelling should a harmful and/or undesirable amount or level or a harmful substance be sensed. As noted above, the hazardous condition detector 10 relies, at least in part, upon free rise convention to ensure that the harmful substance is circulated by the harmful condition sensor.
Therefore, a hazardous condition detector that can quickly and reliably sense smoke and/or other hazardous substances within the living space and can be mounted in an aesthetically pleasing manner would be desirable. The invention provides such a hazardous condition detector. These and other advantages of the invention, as well as additional inventive features, will be apparent from the description of the invention provided herein.

Surface mount or low profile hazardous condition detector


A series regulator with fold-back over current protection has a high ratio current mirror circuit located between a sense transistor and its voltage output terminal. The series regulator receives an input voltage at an input terminal and generates a stable output voltage at an output terminal. A first amplifier receives a reference voltage. An output transistor is connected between the input terminal and the output terminal and has a gate connected to an output of the first amplifier. A current limiting transistor and the current sense transistor are connected to the input terminal, the output terminal of the first amplifier, and the gate of the output transistor. A voltage divider, connected between the output terminal and ground, generates first and second voltage signals. The first voltage signal is provided to a non-inverting input of the first amplifier. A first current source is connected to the voltage divider and receives the second voltage signal. The current mirror circuit is connected to the current sense transistor, the first current source, and the output terminal. The current mirror circuit returns the sense current to the output terminal and controls the drain-source voltage of the sense transistor.

Voltage regulator circuits are used in semiconductor devices to provide a stable DC (Direct Current) output voltage with little fluctuation to a load. Such regulators are also known as Low Drop Out (LDO) regulators. Typically, LDO regulators rely on feedback voltage to maintain a constant output voltage. That is, an error signal whose value is a function of the difference between the actual output voltage and a nominal value is amplified and used to control current flow through a pass device such as a power transistor, from the power supply to the load. The drop-out voltage is the value of the difference between the power supply voltage and the desired regulated voltage. The low drop out nature of the regulator makes it useful in portable devices such as cameras, which have a battery power supply.
Over-current protection is typically required when a short-circuit condition occurs in the output of a regulator circuit. Over-current protection can be achieved by monitoring the current delivered to a load and then clamping the current when it exceeds a predetermined maximum level. Such circuits may require a reference current that is greater than the bias current of the rest of the regulator, or have floating currents.
For small, battery-powered devices, it is important to conserve the charge in the battery. Thus, there is a need for a series regulator that does not require large reference currents or have floating current, and can be readily implemented on a semiconductor integrated circuit.

Series regulator with fold-back over current protection circuit


A seat mounting structure is disclosed for reducing injury to vehicle occupants in side impact collisions. The seat mounting structure may include an inflation module, a linkage system, a sensor system, and a side airbag. The inflation module may include an inflatable structure and inflator or a piston device. The linkage system attaches the seat mounting structure to a seat and may help guide the movement of the seat. The sensor system may include a radar sensor and an optical sensor to help the sensor system anticipate an impending side impact. The seat mounting structure mitigates injury to the occupant by moving the occupant vertically up and laterally toward a centerline of the vehicle, thus increasing the space between the sidewall of the vehicle and the occupant. Additionally, the inflation module may comprise an inflatable structure that stiffens a floor structure of the vehicle upon inflation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to systems and methods for reducing injury to occupants during a side impact collision. More specifically, the present invention relates to displacing vehicle occupants away from and reinforcing the vehicle against intrusion in side impacts.
2. Description of Related Art
The inclusion of inflatable safety restraint devices, or airbags, is now a legal requirement for many new vehicles. Airbags are typically installed in the steering wheel and in the dashboard on the passenger side of a car. Additionally, airbags may be installed to inflate beside the passenger to provide side impact protection, in front of the knees to protect the knees from impact, or at other strategic locations.
Despite the development of side airbags, problems still remain in the area of side impact protection. For instance, insufficient space for side airbags to decelerate and cushion vehicle occupants is a continuing problem. Additional problems with side impact protection include the lack of strength in the vehicle sidewall, the close proximity of an occupant to the impact zone, and the higher likelihood of intrusion by the impacting vehicle into the occupant compartment of the vehicle.
These problems are compounded by differences in vehicle characteristics between the impacting vehicle and the target vehicle. Some of these characteristics include weight differences, geometry differences, differences in stiffness, and particularly differences in height off the ground. Vehicle compatibility becomes a concern when the impacting vehicle and the target vehicle are mismatched, for instance, when a larger SUV (sport utility vehicle, light truck, or van) impacts a smaller compact car.
In a mismatched collision, the smaller target vehicle undergoes a higher velocity change, and has less structure to absorb the impact energy. In a mismatched side impact, the larger striking vehicle is elevated with respect to the smaller target vehicle causing the brunt of the impact to be absorbed by the passenger compartment of the target vehicle, rather than striking the target vehicle's horizontal base member, or sill.
Since the side of the passenger compartment is often less stiff than the striking car's front, the side of the target vehicle is deformed into the passenger compartment. The smaller target vehicle potentially has less interior space to mitigate this effect of intrusion into the passenger compartment and the impact of the striking vehicle can hit the occupant of the target vehicle at speeds approximating the initial speed of the striking vehicle. The occupants of the target vehicle are severely endangered thereby.
A recent analysis of crash data reveals that larger SUV-to-car collisions produce a significantly higher rate of fatalities than car-to-car collisions. For example, when SUVs strike passenger cars on the left side, the risk of death to the car driver is five times higher than the risk associated with a car-to-car left side impact collision. The recent increase in the percentage and number of larger vehicles, such as SUVs, currently operating has exacerbated this problem.
To counteract these problems, some vehicle protection systems have been developed to move the occupant and increase the distance between the occupant and the vehicle sidewall. These systems include moving the occupant laterally or tilting the seat away from the impact area.
However, these methods have not fully solved the problems described above. For instance, many vehicles have a hump in the middle of the vehicle that prohibits lateral motion. Tilting the seat accelerates the occupant's head toward the middle of the vehicle, which acceleration may injure the occupant. In addition, neither method protects the occupant against intrusion into the occupant compartment of the vehicle. Neither method provides an answer to the increased risks associated with a high profile vehicle impacting a low profile vehicle.

Seat mounting structure for mitigating injury in side impacts


A seatback assembly includes a pair of lateral seatback assembly frame members and a moveable thoracic back support defining a support surface operably coupled with an upper thoracic support bracket. An attachment assembly operably couples the thoracic back support to the upper thoracic support bracket, and includes a pair of mounting lugs disposed on either of one of the upper thoracic support bracket or the moveable thoracic back support, and a pair of mounting bosses disposed on the other of the upper thoracic support bracket or the thoracic back support. The seatback assembly is assembled by aligning the pair of mounting lugs with the pair of mounting bosses as the moveable thoracic back support is horizontally positioned above the lower seatback insert, whereby the pair of mounting lugs are received within the pair of mounting bosses, and vertically lowering the moveable thoracic back support relative the lower seatback insert.

Seating assemblies provided in motor vehicles are designed to provide a support platform designed to accommodate an occupant in a sitting position. When the vehicle is parked and the seating assembly is reclined into a resting/sleeping position, it is also desired to design the seating assembly to support the occupant in this position.

Upper thoracic support paddle attachment assembly


A disk substrate for use in manufacturing a recording disk therefrom has an outer non-recording area, recording area, inner non-recording area and a central opening. The inner non-recording area includes a small thickness region having a thickness 70 to 90% of the thickness of the recording area and occupying an area 3 to 30% of the entire disk area including the central opening. The outer non-recording area has a large thickness region having a thickness larger than the thickness of the recording area. The disk substrate is free from warp and improves optical characteristics of the resultant disk.

(a). Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a coated disk substrate having a small thickness region and, more particularly, to an improved disk substrate capable of improving optical characteristics of optical storage medium.
(b). Description of the Related Art
Disk substrates for use in fabrication of optical storage media or optical disk are generally made by injecting a synthesized resin into a molding die assembly such as shown in FIG. 10 to have an annular shape.
The molding die assembly of FIG. 10 comprises a stationary die 5 and a movable die 6 coupled or clamped together to form therebetween a disk-shaped cavity 9. The stationary die 5 comprises a substantially cylindrical mirror plate 50 (first mirror plate) mounted on a die body not shown in the figure, and a sprue bush 54 inserted in the central cavity of the cylindrical mirror plate 50 and locked therein by way of a locking bush 52. The movable die 6 comprises a substantially cylindrical mirror plate (second mirror plate) 60 mounted on a movable die body not shown, a cylindrical inner stamper holder 65 disposed in the central cavity of the mirror plate 60 for holding the inner edge of a stamper, and a cut-out punch 64 inserted in the central cavity of the inner stamper holder 65 and locked therein by way of a locking bush 62.
In operation of the molding die assembly, an annular stamper 7 is disposed on the inner surface of the second mirror plate 60, and is fixed at the inner edge thereof by the inner stamper holder 65 and fixed at the outer edge thereof by a cavity outer ring 8 disposed on the outer surface of the first mirror plate 50.
Molten resin is injected into the cavity 9 through a resin path 55 formed in the sprue bush 54, and compression-molded in the cavity 9 to form a disk substrate. In the molding step, the stamper 7 provides the geometry of the recording area of the disk substrate having a pattern for pits and grooves, whereas the cut-out punch 64 provides a central opening of the disk substrate.
FIG. 11 shows the cross-section of a disk substrate manufactured by the molding die assembly of FIG. 10. The annular disk substrate has a recording area 2 and a non-recording area 3 disposed consecutively from the outer periphery toward the central opening of the disk substrate on one side (recording side) of the disk substrate. Another non-recording area 1 may be also disposed in the vicinity of the outer periphery, as shown in the figure.
In FIG. 11, a dent 3c is formed adjacent to the outer periphery of the inner non-recording area 3, the dent 3c having a cross-section either trapezoid, oblong, semicircle or semi-ellipse depending on the geometry of the molding die. The dent 3c is formed by the rim 6c of the inner stamper holder 65 protruding therefrom for holding the stamper 7. The dent 3c is subjected to a stress concentration due to an external force during a sputtering process for depositing a recording layer or protective layer or after mounting the disk on a driving hub, the stress concentration causing a warp in the disk substrate. The warp may reduce the servo characteristics of the resultant optical disk due to a local optical strain or inclination of the recording surface of the disk.

Coated disk substrate having a small thickness region


A fuel system for an engine is provided herein. According to one embodiment, the fuel system includes a fuel supply coupled to a low pressure fuel pump, the low pressure fuel pump coupled to a high pressure fuel pump to provide fuel to a fuel rail. Further, the fuel system includes a plurality of injectors coupled to the fuel rail to provide fuel to a plurality of engine cylinders. Further still, the fuel system includes a first fuel return line coupling the fuel rail to the fuel supply and a thermal recirculation valve, the thermal recirculation valve further coupled to a low pressure pump intake line; a second fuel return line coupling the high pressure fuel pump to the first fuel return line; and a third fuel return line coupling the plurality of injectors to a high pressure pump intake line.

Many diesel engines require both a higher pressure fuel system and a lower pressure fuel system to supply fuel for engine operation and return it back to the fuel tank. The lower pressure fuel system supplies fuel to the higher pressure fuel system, at the desired pressure, temperature, quantity and quality (cleanliness and water free), which in turn pressurizes that fuel and supplies that fuel to the engine. The lower pressure fuel system has another function; it returns unused fuel from the high pressure fuel system back into the low pressure fuel system and tank. In a higher pressure fuel system, the majority of fuel is used by the engine for combustion; however, portions of the fuel are used to cool and lubricate the high pressure pump, to actuate the high pressure engine fuel injectors, and to regulate the rail pressure via opening and closing of a control valve that is hydraulically connected to the high pressure fuel in the fuel rail. The fuel that is used for these purposes is not consumed and must be returned back into the lower pressure fuel system via a return fuel system, including return lines and ducts coupled to the lower pressure fuel system.
Several problems may arise in such a system. For example, if the injector return fuel pressure (back pressure) is not maintained, (i.e. falls below a minimum pressure) the hydraulic actuators in the injectors may collapse, keeping the injectors from actuating. The loss of the ability to inject can result in a no start or long extended cranks during cold start of the engine or poor to no operation on an already running engine. Further, return fuel may include engine debris from manufacturing and other sources, which can block the fuel lines and damage fuel pumps. Furthermore, gelling or waxing of cold fuel may block fuel lines, especially at fuel filters and fuel pumps, thus decreasing fuel supply pressure and quantity which can degrade engine performance and damage the high pressure fuel pump due to lack of lubrication. Further still, if the return pressure is too high (i.e. rises above a maximum pressure) because of blockage in the return line, the seals on the high pressure pump and/or the low pressure pump may be destroyed. Other problems that may arise include, a lack of prompt draining of a water in fuel (WIF) reservoir and changing of one piece fuel filters, which include the housing, may cause contamination of the fuel system, and the fuel system may run-dry or have air ingestion during plant priming.
One approach to address the above described problems is a multi-staged fuel return system. A multi-staged fuel return system may comprise: a fuel supply; a low pressure fuel pump coupled to the fuel supply; a first fuel filter disposed between the low pressure fuel pump and the fuel supply, the first fuel filter having a first filtration size (e.g., pore size) and being disposed a WIF reservoir with a WIF sensor; a high pressure fuel pump; a second fuel filter disposed between the high pressure fuel pump and the low pressure fuel pump, the second fuel filter having a second filtration size, the second filtration size finer than the first filtration size (e.g., pore size); a common fuel rail downstream of the high pressure fuel pump; a pressure control valve coupling the common fuel rail to a first fuel return line, the first fuel return line directing return fuel to either of the fuel supply, and a region of a low pressure fuel pump intake line, which is upstream of the first fuel filter; a second fuel return line, the second fuel return line directing return fuel from the high pressure pump to the first fuel return line; a plurality of injectors coupled to a third fuel return line, the third fuel return line directing return fuel to a region of a high pressure pump intake line between the low pressure fuel pump and the high pressure fuel pump, which is upstream of the second fuel filter.
Using the system described above, return fuel may be directed to multiple locations in a lower pressure fuel system (region upstream of the high pressure fuel pump), the fuel supply, and to the high pressure pump. In this way, fuel pressure at the various locations within the system may be more tightly regulated. Further, the system takes advantage of the heat of the return fuel to decrease gelling/waxing of fuel in fuel lines, fuel filters, and fuel pumps, and excessively hot fuel may also be diverted back to the fuel supply to mix with colder bulk fuel to prevent fuel over-temperature from damaging fuel system components. Furthermore, when cold starting the engine, initiating the pressure supplied by the low pressure fuel pump to the injector return line improves cold start performance and operation of the vehicle by providing stable pressurized fuel to the return side of the fuel injector, quickly inflating the hydraulic actuators allowing them to run quickly and consistently. Further still, the described system improves protection against contamination of the fuel system from engine debris, which could potentially cause pump failures. Additionally, high pressure that may prevent damage to pump seals can be relieved by having multiple return paths, the WIF sensor indicates when the WIF reservoir need to be drained and protects fuel from contamination during changing of the filter, and imparting low pressure pump fuel pressure on injectors enables faster air bleed during plant priming.
In another example, a multi-staged fuel return system may comprise: a fuel supply; a low pressure fuel pump coupled to the fuel supply; a first fuel filter disposed between the low pressure fuel pump and the fuel supply; a high pressure fuel pump; a second fuel filter disposed between the high pressure fuel pump and the low pressure fuel pump; a common fuel rail downstream of the high pressure fuel pump; a pressure control valve coupling the common fuel rail to a first fuel return line, the first fuel return line directing return fuel to either of the fuel supply and a low pressure fuel pump intake line at a location upstream of the first fuel filter; a plurality of injectors coupled to a second fuel return line, the second fuel return line directing return fuel to a high pressure pump intake line at a location upstream of the second fuel filter.
It should be understood that the summary above is provided to introduce, in simplified form, a selection of concepts that are further described in the detailed description. It is not meant to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is defined uniquely by the claims that follow the detailed description. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages noted above or in any part of this disclosure.


A method of quantitatively measuring fidelity of a reproduced image reconstructed from a compressed data representation of an original image is disclosed. The method comprises, responsive to user selection, for establishing a global assessment mode or a local assessment mode. In the global assessment mode changes in luminance of the reproduced image from the original image and changes in color in first and second color difference values of the reproduced image from the original image are used score fidelity. Changes in luminance are measured using a dynamic range, nonlinear transform equation. In the local assessment mode, and responsive to user selection, the reproduced image and the original image are segmented and corresponding pairs of segments from the reproduced image and the original image are identified. Scoring of fidelity of the reproduced image to the original image is done by comparing corresponding pairs of segments in color, luminance, shape, displacement and texture.

1. Technical Field
The invention relates to the storage and playback of still images and video segments on a display device for a digital computer, and more particularly relates to a system and a method of measuring fidelity to an original image of an image reconstructed after compression and decompression of a digital video carrying the original image.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image is reproduced on a display device such as a color monitor for a computer by the selective assignment of color and luminance to each of a matrix of picture elements or "pixels" on the display surface of the monitor. A typical matrix of pixels may have 320 columns and 240 rows for a total of 78,800 pixels. A pixel is the minimum unit which is assigned a luminance intensity, and on color monitors, a color, for the image. Video, akin to television, may be produced on a monitor by the rapid replacement or update of image frames to simulate the appearance of motion to a human observer.
As suggested by the large number of pixels on a display surface, and the need qo assign a color and luminance intensity to each pixel to make an image, the storage and transmission of digitized video data requires large capacity storage devices and large bandwidth data transmission channels. To reduce the required storage capacity of storage devices and to reduce the required bandwidth of transmission channels, various data compression techniques are routinely applied to digitized video data.
Data compression can be based on eliminating redundant information from frame to frame in a digitized video segment, on eliminating redundant information from pixel to pixel in one frame, or by exploiting superior human perception of luminance intensity detail over color detail. The International Radio Consultative Committee (CCIR) in its Recommendation 601 called for digital coding or color images based on use of an explicit luminance intensity component (Y) and two color difference components (e.g. C.sub.R and C.sub.B for the red and blue difference signals, respectively). For compression, the coding methodology applies a four to one spatial subsampling of each of the color components. Non-overlapping two by two pixel regions of a digitized frame are encoded using an individual luminance value for each pixel and two color difference values representative of the four pixel region. The methodology results in representation of four pixels with six pieces of information, or an average of one and one half pieces per pixel. In common three color coding schemes three pieces of information have been required for each pixel. Using the technique recommended by the CCIR results in compression of up to 50%. Such a technique is called "lossy" since it does not fully preserve all of the information originally captured from a scene. The CCIR 601 Recommendation is one of several known lossy methods for the compression of video data.
Different compression techniques can exhibit superior results for given images. A preferred choice is one for which most people find the reconstructed image closest to the original image. For example one technique may work better for a high textured image while another is good for a video segment including moving objects. Objective evaluation of compression methods has been hampered by lack of scoring systems which weight features that human observers tend to notice. Most untrained human observers will look more closely at the center of a picture, rather than its edges, will respond more to changes in luminance intensity than to changes in color, and will be drawn to foreground rather than background aspects of a scene. A tunable scoring system for reconstructed images which provides tools to reflect human responses is thus a desirable development.
Previously, the root mean square pixel error between values for pixel locations given by the original and reconstructed frames was used to quantify fidelity. This approach does not account for spatial errors and context, nor does it incorporate any aspect of human perception which should ideally influence how pixel differences should be penalized.

System and method of measuring fidelity of decompressed video signals and images

International Business Machines Corporation


An economic supply optimization system is provided whereby an optimal machine dismantling configuration of a machine supply is determined to meet a parts demand at a lowest cost. The parts supply is calculated and it is determined what portions of the demand cannot be met from the machine supply and what portions of the demand it is not economically justifiable to meet from the machine supply. A parts supply is then determined from the machine supply. The remaining parts demand is matched to the parts supply to create a list of parts covered by the parts supply and a list of parts not covered by the parts supply, if there are any. The optimal dismantling configuration of the machine supply is calculated for the covered parts list and an optimal harvesting configuration is calculated for the not-covered parts list.

Typically, businesses lease high cost equipment rather than purchasing the equipment outright. Leasing may be obtained from a financial institution that has purchased the equipment or from the original equipment manufacturer. When equipment is leased from a financial institution, it is typically sold off at the end of a lease (EOL) for the fair market value of the equipment. When equipment is leased from a manufacturer, however, it may be more profitable for the manufacturer to break down, or de-manufacture, EOL machinery and sell the individual parts of the machine separately. Selling the equipment as a whole, however, may be more profitable. As a third alternative, some combination of both options may yield the highest profit, which is typically the case. The exact combination of machine sales to parts sales to maximize profit, however, is difficult to calculate.
Thus, it is desirable to provide a system for determining the most profitable solution for EOL equipment disposal and thereby use returned EOL equipment to maximize value to the leasing entity.

Method and system for determining an economically optimal dismantling of machines

International Business Machines Corporation


A vascular access system for preventing needle sticks includes a needle, a tip shield, and a housing. The needle may be a hypodermic needle or other conventional needle having a needle shaft terminating at a needle tip. The tip shield provides an enclosure defining a chamber. The enclosure includes a closed distal end and a proximal end that slidably engages the needle shaft. The enclosure further includes at least one side wall configured to slidably engage the needle shaft. The housing defines a passageway with respective proximal and distal openings through which the needle extends. The tip shield is also disposed in the passageway and is releasably retained therein. The needle and/or the tip shield is adapted to prevent the needle shaft from being completely withdrawn from the tip shield. The tip shield further secures the needle tip in the chamber upon withdrawal of the needle tip into the chamber.

This disclosure relates generally to vascular access systems and methods, including hypodermic needles, needle assemblies, catheter assemblies, and devices used with catheter assemblies. Generally, vascular access systems are used for communicating fluid with the vascular system of patients and may include one or more vascular access devices. For example, catheters are used for infusing fluid, such as saline solution, various medicaments, and/or total parenteral nutrition, into a patient, withdrawing blood from a patient, and/or monitoring various parameters of the patient's vascular system.
Intravenous (IV) catheter assemblies are among the various types of vascular access systems, and over-the-needle peripheral IV catheters are a common IV catheter configuration. As its name implies, an over-the-needle catheter is mounted over an introducer needle having a sharp distal tip. The introducer needle is generally a hypodermic needle forming a part of a needle assembly to help guide the needle and to facilitate its cooperation with the catheter. At least the inner surface of the distal portion of the catheter tightly engages the outer surface of the needle to prevent peelback of the catheter and thus facilitates insertion of the catheter into the blood vessel. The catheter and the introducer needle are assembled so that the distal tip of the introducer needle extends beyond the distal tip of the catheter with the bevel of the needle facing up away from the patient's skin. The catheter and introducer needle are generally inserted at a shallow angle through the patient's skin into a blood vessel.
In order to verify proper placement of the needle and/or catheter in the blood vessel, the clinician generally confirms that there is "flashback" of blood in a flashback chamber, which is generally associated with a needle assembly. Once proper placement of the distal tip of the catheter into the blood vessel is confirmed, the clinician may apply pressure to the blood vessel by pressing down on the patient's skin over the blood vessel distal of the introducer needle and the catheter. This finger pressure occludes the vessel, minimizing further blood flow through the introducer needle and the catheter.
The clinician may then withdraw the introducer needle from the catheter. The introducer needle may be withdrawn into a needle tip shield or needle shield that covers the needle tip and prevents accidental needle sticks. In general, a needle tip shield includes a housing, a sleeve, or other similar device that is designed such that when the needle is withdrawn from the patient, the needle tip will be trapped/captured within the needle tip shield. The purpose of the needle tip shield is to house the tip of the needle in a secure location, thereby reducing the possibility of needle sticks when the needle and needle tip shield are separated properly from the catheter, which is left in place to provide intravenous access to the patient.
The separation of the needle assembly from the catheter portions of the catheter assembly presents numerous potential hazards to the clinicians and others in the area. As indicated above, there is a risk of accidental needle sticks if the needle tip is not secured properly in a needle tip shield. Additionally, because the needle has been in contact with blood in the patient's vasculature, blood is often present on the exterior of the needle and is often present inside the lumen of the needle. As the needle is withdrawn, there is a risk that this blood will drip from the needle tip or come into contact with other surfaces to expose clinicians and equipment to blood. The present disclosure presents systems and methods to significantly limit and/or prevent needle sticks, and in some implementations, blood exposure.


A device for measuring a transmission velocity of a pulse wave includes sensors for sensing heart sounds, and pulse wave signals at upstream and downstream sides of a blood flow. Analog to digital conversion circuitry, coupled to the sensors, converts signals from the sensors from analog to digital form. A data processor, coupled to the analog to digital conversion circuitry processes data received from the analog to digital conversion circuitry. A display device, coupled to the data processor, displays waveforms and numerical data received from the data processor. The data processor includes seven processing units. A first processing unit, coupled to the analog to digital conversion circuitry, detects a first heart sound and generates a marker signal. Second and third processing units, coupled to the analog to digital conversion circuitry, transform digital signals received from the analog to digital conversion circuitry into data for display. A fourth processing unit, coupled to the first, second, and third processing units, detects the marker signal from the first processing unit and obtains predetermined data from the data received from the second and third processing units. A fifth processing unit, coupled to the second and third processing units, temporarily stores data received from the second and third processing units. A sixth processing unit, coupled to the fourth processing unit, determines a transmission time of a pulse wave to derive a transmission velocity of the pulse wave. A seventh processing unit, coupled to the sixth processing unit, transforms signals from the sixth processing unit for display.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method of measuring the transmission velocity of a pulse wave. The method and apparatus according to the present invention are used for detecting the transmission velocity of a pulse wave in relation to the detection of the blood pressure and the elasticity of the tube wall of the artery of a human being.
2. Description of the Related Arts
In a report based on an investigation into the relationship between the degree of sclerosis of an artery and the pulse wave velocity (PWV), it was assumed that C.sub.o is the value of the pulse wave velocity, V is the volume of the artery, P is the internal pressure of the artery, .rho. is the density of the blood (regularly 1.055 g/cm.sup.3), and V dP/dV is the bulk modulus (volumetric elasticity), the value of C.sub.o is represented by the formula ##EQU1## As a result it was found that, if the density of the blood is constant, the harder the tube wall of the artery, the higher the pulse wave velocity.
Also, it is known that the pulse wave velocity (PWV) in the aorta can be calculated based on detections of the pulse wave in the carotid artery, the pulse wave in the femoral artery, and the heart sound, using the formula EQU PWV=1.3L/(T+T.sub.c).
In this equation, L represents the straight distance from the valve opening of the aorta to the femoral artery, T the time difference between the rising point of the pulse wave in the carotid artery and the rising point of the pulse wave in the femoral artery, and T.sub.c the time difference between the generation of the second sound, i.e., the sound of the closing of the aortic valve, of the heart sounds to the generation of the dip of the pulse wave, which is generated when the aortic valve is closed, in the carotid artery Accordingly, "T+T.sub.c " is the time of a transmission of the pulse wave from the opening of the aortic valve to the femoral artery. The coefficient "1.3" is the correction coefficient of the actual length of the artery.
Recently, a demand has arisen for a precise measurement of the PWV over a relatively short distance, as the degree of the sclerosis of the tube wall of an artery in a relatively localized range can be detected by such a precise measurement of the PWV over a relatively short distance The detection of the localized existence of the sclerosis in the artery system, in association with the detection of the sclerosis in the entire artery system, is useful for the medical diagnosis and treatment of the vascular diseases accompanying sclerosis of the artery.
Since the carotid artery is located at the entrance of the cerebral blood vessel system, the degree of sclerosis of the tube wall of the carotid artery is considered to be as medically important as the heart artery system.
To achieve a precise measurement of the PWV over a relatively short distance, a measurement with a high time resolution is needed, since a very short transmission time on the order of milli-seconds through tens of milli-seconds of the PWV is estimated as the transmission time of the PWV over a short distance on the order of 5 cm.
In a prior art method of measuring the PWV, in which the PWV is obtained from a measurement of the time difference between 1/10 points or 1/5 points of the amplitudes of the rising parts of two pulse waves having a relatively stable pulse waveform, a problem arises in that the time difference is measured for only a single point, and if noise components are superposed on the pulse wave signal, tho amount of error in the time measurement is increased. Such an error cannot be neglected, particularly in the measurement of the PWV over a short distance on the order of 5 cm.
In another prior art method of measuring the PWV, in which the waveforms of the rising parts of two pulse waves are overlapped by using an analog delay element and the delay time therebetween is measured, a problem arises in that the process of the decision based on the overlap of the waveforms is carried out only by a visual fine adjustment of an oscilloscope by the operator, an automatic measurement of PWV for each heart beat cannot be made, only an averaged value is measured because the pulse wave signals for several heart beats are required for the overlapping of the waveforms, and the dynamic response characteristic for a load test, such as the test of an increase in pressure under cold temperature conditions, cannot be detected.
To obtain information on the background of the invention, refer to an article by F. J. Callaghan et al., "Relationship Between Pulse-Wave Velocity and Arterial Elasticity", Medical & Biological Engineering & Computing, May 1986, Pages 248 to 254.

Measurement of transmission velocity of pulse wave


A device for clamping a sleeve placed onto a tube for winding and/or unwinding a two-dimensional web, which, due to the clamping effect of at least one of the clamping elements to be engaged with the sleeve, is effectively connected with the tube which is rotated and driven around a longitudinal axis. The device has a hollow cylindrical tube, the inside space of which is developed as a pressure chamber to be charged with a medium, while the tube is provided with several clamping elements distributed to one another both in the axial and in the circumferential direction, while the clamping elements each are provided with a pressurized thrust carrying piece which can be moved radially and slid toward the outside to engage the sleeve, which, upon corresponding depressurization, releases the sleeve and returns said thrust carrying piece to the starting position.

The present invention deals with the problem of winding and/or unwinding two-dimensional web materials onto or from a corresponding sleeve designed for this purpose, for example, webs made from paper, plastic, metal foil or similar material. In this case, it is necessary that the sleeve is slid in the axial direction onto shaft means, for example, either a mandrel or a clamping shaft, and is effectively connected by means of a suitable clamping means in such a way that the sleeve together with the mandrel or the clamping shaft are effectively connected around a common longitudinal axis.
For the purpose of clamping means for winding and/or unwinding a two-dimensional web onto a shaft or the like, clamping devices are generally known. For example, in a first variant at the outer shell of a bracing tube, which is rotatable around the longitudinal axis of said tube, are provided several grooves which are distributed in the circumferential direction and run in the longitudinal direction, said grooves being designed to accommodate hoses. Alternately, in a second variant, a single hose is placed in the axial direction into the inside space of the bracing tube, while the hoses are so changed in their outside diameter as a result of being filled with suitable medium, that the pressure elements, which are connected with the outside hoses or the hose located inside the bracing tube, are pressed radially toward the outside and as a result can be engaged by way of clamping with the inside wall of the sleeve.
Taking into consideration the limited clamping force which can be achieved with these known clamping devices, they have a limited field of application. Also, the designs of the bracing tubes, which are provided with outer grooves or with individual openings for the pressure elements, are relatively costly. Furthermore, hoses used in these devices, in particular the hoses provided at the outer diameter, are relatively susceptible to defects.
With a clamping device according to European Patent A 0 413 890 the sleeve is engaged with a supporting body by means of a number of axially and radially adjustable sliding elements, which rotates around its own axis, while the sliding elements in each case are placed in a guideway of a cylinder core, said guideway being developed as an inclined plane, which is movable by a piston/cylinder unit in the axial direction relative to the supporting body and, as a function of the direction of motion, in each case said sliding elements are adjusted radially toward the outside or inside together with a clamping element placed thereon.
In view of the foregoing, the present invention provides an improvement of devices for clamping a sleeve placed onto a tube for winding and/or unwinding a two-dimensional web in that, while maintaining a secure clamping, the structural design of the individual elements is considerably simplified and the clamping elements provided at the tube are easily accessible and, if required, can be replaced without incurring special expenditure.

Device for clamping a sleeve onto a rotatable driven tube


Packet scheduling apparatus schedules packets of data for transmission from a transmitter such as a Note B to a plurality of receivers such as a plurality of UEs via at least one channel, for example in a high-speed downlink packet access system (HSDPA). A first measures producing unit produces first measures of scheduling performance in at least two different aspects. A decision unit employs a weighted combination of the first measures to decide the receiver(s) to which packets are to be transmitted. The weighted combination is produced by combining the first measures according to respective corresponding weights. A second measures producing unit produces at least one second measure of scheduling performance. A classifying unit classifies the weights for the or each second measure into at least two different classes of weights according to a probable influence the weight is expected to have on the second measure concerned. A weight adapting unit employs the or each second measure, together with the classification of the weights for the or each second measure, to adapt the weights.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to packet scheduling methods and apparatus for use, for example, in wireless communication systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 shows parts of a wireless communication system 1. The system includes a plurality of base stations 2, only one of which is shown in FIG. 1. The base station 2 serves a cell in which a plurality of individual users may be located. Each user has an individual user equipment (UE). Only the user equipments UE2, UE11 and UE50 are shown in FIG. 1. Each UE is, for example, a portable terminal (handset) or portable computer.
As is well known, in a code-division multiple access (CDMA) system the signals transmitted to different UEs from the base station (also known as "node B") are distinguished by using different channelisation codes. In so-called third generation wireless communication systems a high speed downlink packet access (HSDPA) technique has been proposed for transmitting data in the downlink direction (from the base station to the UEs). In this technique a plurality of channels are available for transmitting the data. These channels have different channelisation codes. For example, there may be ten different channels C1 to C10 available for HSDPA in a given cell or sector of a cell. In HSDPA, downlink transmissions are divided up into a series of transmission time intervals (TTI), and a packet of data is transmitted on each different available channel to a selected UE. A new choice of which UE is served by which channel can be made in each TTI.
FIG. 2 shows an example of the operation of the HSDPA technique over a series of transmission time intervals TTI1 to TTI9. As shown in FIG. 2, in TTI1 it is determined that two packets will be sent to UE50, four packets will be sent to UE11 and four packets will be sent to UE2. Accordingly, two channels are allocated to UE50 and four channels each are allocated to UE11 and UE2. Thus, as shown in FIG. 1, UE50 is allocated channels C1 and C2, UE11 is allocated channels C3 to C6, and UE2 is allocated channels C7 to C10.
In the next transmission time interval TTI2 a new user equipment UE1 is sent one packet, and the remaining UEs specified in TTI1 continue to receive packets.
Thus, effectively the HSDPA system employs a number of parallel shared channels to transmit data in packet form from the base station to the different UEs. This system is expected to be used, for example, to support world wide web (WWW) browsing.
In order to decide which UE should be served on which channel in each TTI a packet scheduling technique is employed. Conventionally, two basic types of scheduling technique have been considered for use in HSDPA: a round-robin (RR) scheduling technique and a maximum carrier-to-interference ratio (max C/I) technique.
The basic round-robin technique first compiles a list of the UEs which currently have data waiting at the transmitter (base station) for transmission. For each TTI the last UE in the list will have the highest priority for the next TTI. Accordingly, the UEs are serviced in a round robin fashion. In the simplest round-robin scheduling technique, it is assumed that the UE with the highest priority takes all of the channels. However, a packet-weighted round-robin technique is also known. This allocates the available channels to a group of users in each TTI based on the relative amounts of data for the different UEs. In this packet-weighted technique UEs which have more data waiting for transmission are allocated more channels.
The round-robin scheduling techniques emphasise fairness amongst the competing UEs in terms of radio resource allocation. However, they tend to provide relatively poor total throughput of data.
The max C/I scheduling technique is similar to the round-robin scheduling technique except that the list of UEs having waiting data is sorted in each TTI based on a carrier-to-interference ratio (C/I) reported by each UE. The C/I is a measure of the quality of the channel. By sorting the list of UEs based on C/I, UEs which have a better channel quality are given a higher chance to be selected. In the simplest version of the technique, all of the channels are allocated to the UE with waiting data that has the highest C/I. A packet-weighted variant is also possible, in which instead of selecting a single UE having the highest C/I, a group of UEs with the highest C/I values is selected, and the available channels are divided up amongst the group of UEs based on the relative amounts of data which those UEs have waiting for transmission.
The max C/I scheduling technique tends to maximise the total throughput of data but this is at the expense of fairness. It can be seen that UEs which report poor C/I values, for example because they are far from the base station or because there are many other interfering UEs in the vicinity, will only very rarely be selected. Thus, these UEs are likely to suffer from unacceptably long delays in receiving packets.
Another scheduling technique is disclosed in "A proposal of all-IP mobile wireless network architecture—QoS packet scheduler for base stations", Masahiro Ono et al, NEC Corporation, Technical Report of IEICE, MoMuC2002-3 (2002-05), pp. 13-18. This packet scheduling technique aims to meet quality of service (QoS) requirements of different UEs and to maximise the system capacity by adaptively allocating time-slots according to the wireless link quality and the required QoS levels. The technique employs a hierarchy of different individual schedulers including a max C/I scheduler, a proportional fairness (PF) scheduler, a weighted round robin (WRR) scheduler and a priority round robin (PRR) scheduler. Packets to be scheduled are pre-classified by a classifier according to the different QoS requirements of the different UEs. Packets belonging to different classes are then applied to different schedulers in the first level of schedulers in the hierarchy. Further scheduling is carried out in second and third levels of the hierarchy. In this way, multiple individual schedulers are used to cater for the different requirements of different classes of services. However, partitioning the scheduling process in a fixed way or slow-changing dynamic way proves difficult and inefficient because of the fast-changing dynamics of the radio channels. The result may be that the scheduler assigned to one partition (class of service) will be under a high pressure to provide the required QoS level, but the scheduler assigned to another partition (class of service) is underutilised and has spare capacity. It is also found that the efficiency and performance of such partitioned schedulers degrade considerably as the amount of the shared bandwidth and the range of services having differing requirements increase. Attempts to recover some of the lost efficiency in such partitioned schedulers in practice result only in increased computational complexity and attendant costs.
In United Kingdom patent application no. 0303859.3, from which the present application claims priority and which has been published in the official file of the present PCT application (publication no. WO 2004/075568), the present inventor has proposed a packet scheduling method for scheduling packets of data for transmission from a transmitter via at least one channel to a plurality of receivers, for example in an HSDPA system of a wireless communications network. Weightings are assigned to at least two different aspects of scheduling performance, for example quality of service, delay and fairness. For each individual receiver at least one combined measure of the scheduling performance in the different aspects is produced according to the assigned weightings. The respective combined measures for different receivers are employed to decide the receiver(s) to which packets are to be transmitted. PCT application no. PCT/GB2004/000649, filed on the same date as the present application and published as WO 2004/075569, corresponds to GB 0303859.3. The entire contents of GB 0303859.3 and the PCT application are incorporated herein by reference, and copies of these applications have been filed with the present application.
This packet scheduling method enables scheduling of data to be carried out for all the receivers as a single group, without having to classify the receivers into different scheduling classes such as different service types. The method also enables the scheduling to take account of several different performance aspects without significant computational complexity.
In this method, the weights are assigned values taking account of the expected traffic scenario. For example, various simulations were carried out, each relating to a simulated traffic environment in which there are 40 UEs in total. 10 of these UEs were assumed to be attempting to receive real-time video and the remaining 30 UEs were assumed to be attempting WWW browsing sessions. In one simulation, the total aggregate traffic load was assumed to be approximately constant over a series of 5,000 TTIs (ten second period). In another simulation, the WWW users were assumed to become active in a staggered manner, giving rise to a variable input load on the scheduler. In a third simulation, it was assumed that a slowing mechanism was provided by the HSDPA system for WWW browsing. Such a slowing mechanism prevents the downloading of a new session unless a previous session has been successfully downloaded completely.
It was found from these simulations that the weightings which must be applied to the different aspects of scheduling performance need to be significantly different for the different traffic scenarios. In view of this, it was envisaged that the weightings could be adjustable by an operator of the scheduler so that when the expected traffic scenario changes the weights can be changed as well. It was also envisaged in United Kingdom patent application no. 0303859.3 that the weights could be adjusted automatically during operation of the apparatus.
In S. Abedi, S. Vadgama, "Hybrid Genetic Packet Scheduling and radio Resource Management for High Speed Downlink Packet Access", WPMC 2002 Conference, Hawaii, pp. 1192-1196 the present inventor has also proposed a packet scheduling technique employing a genetic algorithm. In this technique, a plurality of candidate scheduling solutions are generated for each TTI. Each candidate solution corresponds to an individual in the genetic algorithm and specifies which receivers are to be allocated which channels in the TTI concerned. The fitness of each candidate scheduling solution is determined. The fitness may take into account several different measures of performance of the scheduling solution concerned, for example throughput, delay and fairness. The individual performance measures may be weighted when determining the fitness for each candidate solution. Individuals in the current generation are selected as parents based on the fitness values of the corresponding candidate solutions. Fitter solutions have a higher chance of being selected as parents. Children (candidate solutions for the next generation) are produced by the selected parents in accordance with genetic operators such as crossover and mutation. In this way, over a series of iterations (generations) the genetic algorithm refines the candidate scheduling solutions until, at some point, a single best solution is selected for the TTI under consideration.
Such a genetic algorithm offers the potential for achieving much better scheduling performance than conventional techniques such as round robin scheduling and max C/I scheduling.
Another packet scheduling method has been proposed by the present inventor in S. Abedi, S. Vadgama, "A Radio Aware Random Iterative Scheduling Technique for High Speed Downlink Packet Access", VTC 2002, Fall, vol. 4, pp. 2322-2326, 24-28, September 2002. This method also generates a plurality of candidate scheduling solutions for each TTI. At least one of the candidate solutions is generated randomly. The fitness of each candidate solution may be determined in the same way as for the proposed scheduling method based on a genetic algorithm, as described above.
The success of such packet scheduling methods is also heavily dependent on the choice of appropriate weights for weighting the individual performance measures when determining the fitness for each candidate solution. In particular, different weights are required to deal with different traffic scenarios.
The same problem of assigning proper weights under different conditions also arises in other types of packet schedulers conceived for use in wireless networks. For example, a so-called proportionally fair (PF) scheduler is described in R. Agrawal, et. al. "Class and Channel Condition Based Scheduler for EDGE/GPRS", Proc. of SPIE, vol.#4531, August 2001, and A. Jalali, R. Padovani, R. Pankaj; "Data throughput of CDMA-HDR a high efficiency-high data rate personal communication wireless system", VTC 2000, Spring, vol. 3, pp. 1854-1858, May 2000. The PF scheduler also requires the assignment of proper weights under different traffic load and channel conditions.
The dynamic mobile cellular environment makes the setting of appropriate weights a challenging task. Firstly, there may be enormous variation between channel conditions.
FIG. 3(A) is a graph illustrating schematically how the reported C/I values for four different UEs vary over a series of N TTIs under first channel conditions. In this case, the C/I values are relatively stable but there is a consistent difference in C/I values from one UE to the next. Some UEs have relatively poor channel conditions over the entire series of N TTIs, and others have relatively good channel conditions over the entire series. Under these channel conditions, many of the scheduling methods outlined above will tend to have difficulty in achieving fairness as between the different UEs. Other aspects of the scheduling performance, such as overall throughput, are not likely to be a problem.
FIG. 3(B) illustrates the variation of C/I values for four different UEs under second channel conditions different from the first channel conditions the subject of FIG. 3(A). In this case, the variation in C/I values of each individual UE is much greater than in FIG. 3(A) and at different times over the series of N TTIs the different UEs each have good channel conditions. In this situation, it is not a challenge to achieve fairness. Instead, it may be difficult to achieve a high overall throughput or some other desired aspect of scheduling performance.
As well as dealing with variable channel conditions of the kind described with reference to FIGS. 3(A) and 3(B), an effective packet scheduling method must also cope with input traffic load dynamics (variable input pipes) and UEs whose profiles change rapidly as they move and change to using difference services. In particular, a UE may move rapidly from one cell to another. In this case, the packet data which has already been buffered in the existing Node B must be transferred to the new Node B. If there are many such transfers, there may be frequent step-function-like changes in the total load to be handled by a packet scheduler at a given Node B. In some cases, as described later in the present specification, this load variation has been found empirically to lead to a so-called "run-away" phenomenon and instability of the packet scheduler when the weights are fixed. The empirical studies described later have also shown that radical input pipe variations may lead to a significant drop in performance for one or more of the desired aspects of scheduling performance.
The drop in performance may affect only one class of service, for example, real-time services, whilst not affecting another class of service such as non-conversational services. Some schedulers, such as the PF scheduler, purport to address this problem by partitioning the scheduling according to the type of service, and assigning different fixed weights to the different partitions. However, in practice this may prove inefficient since the numbers of UEs using each type of service may change, with the result that the fixed weights are unable to provide a good QoS for the service concerned. For example, if the weights assigned to the different services are fixed and the number of high-bit-rate non-real-time users downloading WWW sessions increases significantly, the Node B would be under huge pressure to provide an acceptable QoS for the real-time video conversational sessions.
It is therefore desirable to provide a packet scheduling method which enables the weights applied to different measures of scheduling performance to be adjusted automatically so as to enable the scheduler to work efficiently under a variety of different traffic scenarios.

Method and apparatus for packet scheduling


According to some implementations, a data policy compliance service causes the display of a dashboard, wherein the dashboard identifies a first geographic region in which there is a datacenter hosting an organization instance of a customer of a cloud-based software provider. Responsive to user interaction, the data policy compliance service causes the display of the dashboard to reflect information regarding a possible migration of the organization instance from the first geographic region to a second geographic region of the plurality of geographic regions. The information includes a set of one or more compliance assessment metrics reflecting a level of compliance of the organization instance with data privacy and/or data security laws, regulations, and/or policy.

Companies collect, share, analyze, and store their business data, and must do so in compliance with complex regional and industry-specific regulations. Companies must vigilantly monitor data privacy and/or data security enforcement trends, laws, and regulations to mitigate risks and potential liability. For instance, sensitive data is information that requires protection against unwarranted disclosure. Protection of sensitive data may be required for legal or ethical reasons, for issues pertaining to personal privacy, and/or for proprietary considerations. Broadly speaking, the term "personal data" is any information relating to an identified or identifiable person. Personal data can include a person's name, a person's contact information (e.g., a mailing address, email address, and/or telephone number), a person's user identifier (referred herein as UserID) assigned by an application/service, an IP address associated with a device used by the person to access the application/service, or any other information that is related to the person which can be obtained or used by an application/service. In some cases, a distinction can be made between personal data, which uniquely identifies a user (e.g., a person's name) or renders the user identifiable (e.g., a user identifier), and user traceable data. User traceable data is data that is not directly personal data (i.e., does not directly identify the user or make the user identifiable) but can be traced back to the identity or an activity of the user (e.g., an IP address of a device used by the user, a user's mailing address if the user is not the only person living at that address, etc.).
Cloud services are hosted and perform their processing in datacenter(s). These datacenter(s) may be: 1) first party datacenter(s), which are datacenter(s) owned and/or operated by the same entity that provides and/or operates some or all of the software that provides the service(s); and/or 2) third-party datacenter(s), which are datacenter(s) owned and/or operated by one or more different entities than the entity that provides the service(s) (e.g., the different entities may host some or all of the software provided and/or operated by the entity that provides the service(s)). For example, third-party datacenters may be owned and/or operated by entities providing public cloud services (e.g., Amazon.com, Inc. (Amazon Web Services), Google LLC (Google Cloud Platform), Microsoft Corporation (Azure), Alibaba Group (Alibaba Cloud)). Operators of third-party datacenters provide infrastructure-as-a-Service (IAAS or IaaS) (e.g., virtual machines, servers, and/or storage).
The "hardware layer" of public cloud services includes the hardware (e.g., to provide compute, storage) and software to provide third party datacenter services for different regions, zones, and/or edge locations. The third-party datacenter provider is responsible for the security (sometime referred to as security of the cloud) of this hardware layer. The "customer data layer" is a layer above the hardware layer and represents what the third-party datacenter provider's customers are responsible for in terms of security (sometime referred to as security in the cloud). This customer data layer includes the customer data, as well as one or more of: 1) platform, applications, identity, and access management; 2) operating system, network, and firewall configurations; 3) client-side data encryption and data integrity authentication; 4) server-side encryption (file system and/or data); and 5) networking traffic protection (encryption, integrity, and identity).

Compliance with data policies in view of a possible migration


The present invention provides a method and apparatus for forming a sheet of ductile material by superplastic forming. The gas pressure is varied to control the material flow during the forming process. Accordingly, the gas pressure can be increased or decreased to control the rate of deformation of the workpiece. Accordingly, the method and apparatus contemplates the use of predetermined pressure profiles to reduce the overall forming time.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to superplastic forming and more specifically to controlling the gas pressure during forming.
2. Description of Related Art
Superplastic forming (SPF) takes advantage of a material's superplasticity or ability to be strained past its rupture point under certain elevated temperature conditions. Superplasticity in metals is defined by very high tensile elongations, ranging from two hundred to several thousand percent. Superplasticity is the ability of certain materials to undergo extreme elongation at the proper temperature and strain rate. SPF is a process used to produce parts that are difficult to form using conventional fabrication techniques.
SPF typically is accomplished by heating a sheet of material to a point of superplasticity, clamping the material within a sealed die and then using inert gas pressure applied to one side of the sheet of material to force the material to stretch and take the shape of the die cavity. Pressure is controlled during the process to ensure the material maintains an appropriate deformation rate for superplasticity at the elevated temperature. Accordingly, superplastic materials can be stretched at higher temperatures by several times their initial length without breaking.
Typically SPF applications while having advantages over conventional stamping techniques, including increased forming strains, reduced spring back and low tooling costs, also have disadvantages in that they are limited to low volumes as they have relatively long cycle times. Specifically, a conventional SPF process used to manufacture a complex part can require a cycle time as high as 30 minutes.
Conventional SPF systems are relatively slow in terms of pressurization and have only moderate control of forming pressure. Early embodiments of SPF used a constant forming pressure. Once pressure in the die reached a target or predetermined target pressure, the pressure was held constant until the workpiece was formed by the gas pressure pressing the workpiece against the forming surface of the cavity. The use of a constant pressure throughout the forming cycle calls for long forming times. While faster forming times might be achieved if the pressure was simply increased during forming, there are periods when the forming process requires a relatively low pressure, typically at those points where the workpiece makes contact with the die surface, or when the material is formed at a rate where it may split or crack.
Prior systems were of the type having the ability to increase the pressure in the die cavity. These systems have a drawback. Once the pressure is increased, there is no way to lower the pressure in an accurate manner other than at the end of the forming cycle when the pressure is typically reduced through the activation of a quick exhaust or dump file. Thus the gas pressure profile could either be constant or increased through the forming cycle but not lowered.
Accordingly, in order to better utilize the SPF process for higher production volumes, such as those used in the automotive industry, it is critical that the process cycle time be reduced.

Pressure controlled superplastic forming