A beverage making apparatus including at least a beverage producing portion, a controllable by-pass water system, and at least one of a sweetener system or flavoring system in which the sweetener system and/or flavoring system controllably mixes a sweetener ingredient and/or flavoring ingredient with water external to the housing without mixing in a confined structure. A method for producing a beverage is provided including at least the steps of: providing a beverage making apparatus; providing a water dispensing system; providing at least one of a sweetener dispensing system and flavoring system; and controllably dispensing water and at least one of sweetener and flavoring externally of the apparatus for combination with beverage produced by the beverage making apparatus.

A beverage making apparatus including at least a beverage producing portion, a controllable by-pass water system, and at least one of a sweetener system or flavoring system in which the sweetener system and/or flavoring system controllably mixes a sweetener ingredient and/or flavoring ingredient with water external to the housing without mixing in a confined structure. A method for producing a beverage is provided including at least the steps of: providing a beverage making apparatus; providing a water dispensing system; providing at least one of a sweetener dispensing system or flavoring system; and controllably dispensing water and at least one of sweetener or flavoring externally of the apparatus for combination with beverage produced by the beverage making apparatus.
A variety of beverage systems have been developed to produce a beverage or a beverage concentrate from a beverage brewing substance. Heated water or other liquids can be combined with a beverage brewing substance such as coffee, tea, or other substances to infuse or otherwise extract characteristics of the beverage making substance to produce a beverage. Some consumers may prefer the addition of a flavoring such as a sweetener combined with the beverage to produce a sweetened beverage such as sweet tea. Disclosed is a beverage making apparatus, beverage ingredient adding or sweetening assembly, a system combining these items and the methods associated with them.
By way of review, a beverage making substance can be used to produce a beverage by combining such a beverage making substance with an infusing liquid such as water. The combination of the beverage making substance and liquid produces a beverage which is dispensed into a container. For convenience in the present application the beverage making substance will be referred to as "tea" and the liquid will be referred to as "water". It should be appreciated that these terms are provided as a convenience in describing the general structures and functions of the present disclosure and are provided by way of illustration and not limitation. Moreover, the form of the beverage making substance and the type of liquid as well as the temperature of the liquid should not be limiting. The beverage making substance could be any form of liquid, powder, fresh ground coffee or other substances as noted below. Additionally, the temperature of the water could be heated, ambient, chilled or any combination of these temperatures as might be needed for a particular beverage producing process.
One example of a prior art beverage system which includes sweetening is "sweet tea". Sweet tea is a favorite among many people and has been incorporated into a variety of menus. One way of producing "sweet tea" is to produce a fresh brewed tea beverage and then add a sweetening component to the beverage. In one embodiment of the prior art a tea concentrate is brewed and diluted during the brewing process. The tea brewing process is controlled so as to produce a tea having desirable characteristics such as flavor, temperature, clarity, as well as other characteristics.
A variety of flavorings such as sweeteners may be used to sweeten the tea. Sweeteners may be natural such as cane derived sugar, other sugar derived from other substances, artificial sweeteners such as, but not limited to, aspartame, phenylalanine, and stevia. Examples of these sweeteners are provided as illustrations and not limitations. Any form of sweetener could be used which are currently available or to be developed in the future.
One method the prior art used for producing a sweetener and adding it to the ice tea is to dissolve cane derived sugar crystals in water. The water becomes relatively saturated with the sugar material and forms a liquid sweetener. The liquid sweetener can then be combined with the tea to produce a sweetened tea beverage. A variety of recipes can be developed depending on personal, regional, or other tastes or factors.
One of the complications with traditional sweet tea production is the ability to control a tea and sweetener recipe to achieve a consistent product from batch to batch. Also, one of the limitations is the ability to develop recipes and controllably, reliably, and repeatedly produce the recipes. As such, it would be desirable to provide a tea producing and sweetening apparatus and method in which satisfies these requirements.
Another issue that arises with the production of beverages, in general, is the need to maintain production controls and sanitation. The production of food substances requires sanitation methods to maintain high quality food products which try to reduce and/or prevent the development of undesirable results such as contamination, reduced shelf life, cross flavoring, and/or contact with unsanitary or less sanitary structures which might otherwise reduce the consistency, thoroughness, or reliability of a cleaning protocol. In this regard, some devices which combine a beverage substance with water may include places where microbes can be harbored. As such, it is one of the objectives of the present application to reduce and/or prevent potential sanitation issues.
This background information is provided to provide some information believed by the applicant to be of possible relevance to the present disclosure. No admission is intended, nor is such an admission to be inferred or construed, that any of the preceding information constitutes prior art against the present disclosure. Other aims, objects, advantages and features of the disclosure will become more apparent upon reading of the following non-restrictive description of specific embodiments thereof, given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The exemplification set out herein illustrates embodiments of the disclosure that are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the disclosure in any manner. Additional features of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the disclosure as presently perceived.

Beverage dispensing and sweetening system


Aliphatic diesters of unsaturated aliphatic C10-30 dicarboxylic acids are low temperature plasticizers for PVC. PVC is plasticized by contacting it with a plasticizing effective amount of an aliphatic diester of an unsaturated aliphatic C10-30 dicarboxylic acid wherein the aliphatic portion of the diester is a saturated or unsaturated, linear or branched, cyclic or acyclic unsubstituted or hydroxy-substituted aliphatic radical having from one to 10 carbon atoms.

Aliphatic dicarboxylic acid diesters have been used as low temperature plasticizers for polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Such diesters include the di-2-ethylhexyl esters of adipic, azelaic, and sebacic acids. However, there is a continuing need for new plasticizers for PVC which impart low temperature flexibility to PVC such as for vinyl cable insulation and vinyl tubing applications.

Low temperature plasticizers for flexible polyvinyl chloride resin applications


An access point is connected with surveillance cameras through wireless communication means. In the access point, a packet identification unit identifies the surveillance camera. A receiving status measurement unit measures receiving speed of the image data for each surveillance camera, and a priority apparatus determination unit determines whether to prioritize receiving of image data from a surveillance camera with the receiving speed smaller than a reference speed. The receiving control unit transmits a CTS packet, indicating that data receiving from the surveillance camera determined by the priority apparatus determination unit will be prioritized, to all of the connected surveillance cameras. The surveillance cameras other than that indicated by the CTS packet pause the data transmission to the access point when the CTS packet is received.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wireless communication system for receiving data transmitted from a plurality of transmitting apparatuses through wireless communication means.
Description of the Related Art
In a known surveillance camera system, each of a plurality of surveillance cameras takes an image of a monitored object, and the captured images are output to a monitor at the same time to display the captured images. In the conventional surveillance camera system, video signals obtained by image capture by use of the surveillance cameras are compressed in, for example, H.264 format and are then divided into RTP (Real time Transport Protocol) packets. The RTP packets are transmitted to a receiving apparatus through a wireless communication network, and the receiving apparatus transmits the RTP packets to a plurality of decoders to decode the RTP packets. Decoded captured images are combined and displayed on the monitor, thereby it is possible to display the monitored images of plural points at the same time.
The communication environment in the wireless communication network always changes because of some factors such as obstacles and weather change. Therefore, RTP packets from a plurality of surveillance cameras may not be transmitted to the receiving apparatus at the same time, and for example, the transfer of the RTP packets from a surveillance camera may be delayed. In the event of such transmission delay, monitored images displayed on the monitor are deviated. For example, the monitored images from a plurality of surveillance cameras to capture images at different points may display the same object.
In a video monitoring system described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2011-29969, an NTP (Network Time Protocol) or the like is used to hold common time information between a plurality of surveillance cameras. The common time information is added to image data obtained by imaging, and then the image data is transmitted. A receiving apparatus synchronizes the transmitted image data based on the added time information to prevent a deviation in the display time.
According to the technique described in the above Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2011-29969, a time synchronization process between the surveillance cameras is necessary before the system starts the operation, and the time synchronization process is necessary again when the time information between these surveillance cameras is deviated. This complicates the system operation. In the technique described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2011-29969, in order to realize simultaneous display of the early-transmitted image and late-transmitted image, the decoder needs to include a buffer that holds early-transmitted image data, which may cause increase in the system cost.
The present invention has been made in view of the foregoing circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a wireless communication system that reproduces and displays video data transmitted from a plurality of wireless terminals, wherein transmission of a plurality of video data can be synchronized based on a simple configuration.

Wireless communication system and method, and data receiving apparatus, method and program

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.


A re-closable, stand-up package with a tamper-evident opening system. Production of the package originates from only two feed rolls. One roll is a flexible film web and the other is an adhesive tape. A reclosing layer is constructed from a strip of web material taken from a side of the feed roll and a length of the tape. The strip portion of the closure layer is perforated along tear lines which define a package opening. The tape and the strip are then adhesively joined so that they partially overlap vertically. The closure layer is then applied to the web over a slit in the front panel forming a re-closable primary opening. A gusset fold at the bottom of the package permits the package to be free-standing vertically upright. Contents of the package can be dispensed only after rupture of the closure layer strip.

Currently, most stand-up, re-closable packages are made in such a way that the consumer must tear away and discard the tear strip at the top of the package to access the product within the package. The tear strip is typically located above the zipper or slider at the top of the package. Because of the way these packages are made, the bag material often tears unreliably and not along a straight line. Sometimes the bag material only partially tears, which leaves leftover edges of film that interfere with the reclosing function of the zipper or slider. Many consumers also do not enjoy holding and then disposing the torn-away part of the package.
Furthermore, the construction of these stand-up, re-closable packages requires a heavier, thicker film material that adds to their production cost. While these stand-up packages have the advantage of being tamper evident because access can only be made after part of the bag has been permanently destroyed, the noted disadvantages are problems that the packaging industry still faces. Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a re-closable, tamper-evident, stand-up package that avoids the aforementioned problems in the prior art, is less expensive and easier to manufacture, and functions reliably.

Re-closable, tamper-resistant, stand-up package


A non-contact electric power transmission apparatus including a power supply unit and a load unit. The power supply unit has a first oscillation circuit, a signal secondary winding, a filter circuit, and a driving control circuit. The load unit has a power secondary winding, a signal primary winding, and a second oscillation circuit. The first oscillation circuit has a power primary winding and intermittently oscillates at a first oscillation frequency. When the load unit is placed at a predetermined position with respect to the power supply unit, since signals are induced in the power secondary winding by the signals in the power primary winding, the second oscillation circuit oscillates at a second oscillation frequency which is different from the first oscillation frequency. The signals from the second oscillation circuit are transmitted from the signal primary winding to the signal secondary winding. When the signals having the second oscillation frequency is input from the signal secondary winding to the driving control circuit through the filter circuit, the driving control circuit controls the first oscillation circuit to successively oscillates.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a non-contact electric power transmission apparatus for transmitting electric power electromagnetically from a power supply unit to a load unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the present application, priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 is requested based on Japanese Patent Application No. 9-74,134, filed Mar. 26, 1997, entitled "Non-contact Electric Power Transmission Apparatus". The contents of that application are incorporated herein by reference.
A non-contact electric power transmission apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (kokai) 6-311,658, entitled "Small Electric Appliances". The contents of that application are incorporated herein by reference. In this apparatus, referring to FIG. 14, when a load unit 2 having a power secondary winding L3 is properly positioned at a predetermined position with respect to a power supply unit 1 having a power primary winding L1 such that the power primary winding L1 and the power secondary winding L3 are electromagnetically connected each other, electric power is transmitted from the power primary winding L1 to the power secondary winding L3. The power supply unit 1 includes a diode D0 and a smoothing capacitor C0 so as to rectify and smooth the current from a commercial power supply AC. The power supply unit 1 further includes an LC resonant circuit and a transistor Q1 as a switching element. The LC resonant circuit includes an oscillation capacitor C1 and a power primary winding L1 for transmitting electric power to a power secondary winding L3 of the load unit 2. The series circuit of the LC resonant circuit, the transistor Q1, and a resistor R2 is connected in parallel to the smoothing capacitor C0. A series circuit of a resistor R1 and a capacitor C2 is also connected to the smoothing capacitor C0 in parallel. A base of the transistor Q1 and the connection point between the resistor R1 and the capacitor C2 are connected via a feedback coil L0 which is electromagnetically connected to the power primary winding L1.
The load unit 2 includes the power secondary winding L3. Electric power is induced in the power secondary winding L3 by electromagnetic induction between the power primary winding L1 and the power secondary winding L3. The power secondary winding L3 is connected to a secondary battery EB via a diode D5. The voltage induced in the power secondary winding L3 is rectified by the diode D5 and then charged in the secondary battery EB. The secondary battery EB is connected to a load M, for example, a direct-current motor via a switch SW1 which is operated by an operation unit (not shown). The power secondary winding L3 is connected to a signal primary winding L4 via a diode D6.
When the load unit 2 is not positioned at the predetermined position with respect to the power supply unit 1, voltage is intermittently supplied to the power primary winding L1. When the load unit 2 is positioned at the predetermined position with respect to the power supply unit 1, voltage is induced in the power secondary winding L3 by the voltage intermittently supplied to the power primary winding L1. The induced voltage is applied to the signal primary winding L4 and transmitted from the signal primary winding L4 to the signal secondary winding L2 by electromagnetic induction. When voltage is induced in the signal secondary winding L2, electric power is successively supplied to the power primary winding L1 and electric power can be transmitted from the power primary winding L1 to the power secondary winding L3.
In this apparatus, however, if the signal secondary winding L2 is positioned close to the power primary winding L1, since voltage is induced in the signal secondary winding L2 by the voltage supplied to the power primary winding L1, the problem arises in that it cannot be exactly determined whether the load unit 2 is positioned at the predetermined position with respect to the power supply unit 1. Accordingly, since the signal secondary winding L2 cannot be positioned close to the power primary winding L1, the signal primary winding L4 cannot be positioned close to the power secondary winding L3. Therefore, the problem arises in that the size of the apparatus cannot be reduced.

Non-contact electric power transmission apparatus


A throttle control system that is compensated for mountain wave conditions includes an auto throttle computer and a detector for detecting the pitch or pitch angle of the aircraft. The computer is used for determining the rate of change of pitch i.e. the first derivative of pitch angle and the rate of change of the rate of change of pitch i.e. the second derivative for generating a signal indicative of the rate of change of the rate of change of pitch. The signal from the auto throttle computer is combined with the signal from the signal indicative of the second derivative to produce a combined signal which is fed to a servo assemble and motor for adjusting the throttle of an aircraft.

Instruments which automatically control the engine throttle and supply an indication for control thereof are well known. For example, one of my earlier patents, U.S. Pat. No. 3,486,722 discloses a system wherein the control of the throttle is a function of the combination of two signals. One signal is that of acceleration independent of pitch attitude of the airplane and the other signal is the higher of two alternative signals. The first alternative signal being the airspeed of the aircraft and the second alternative signal being the lift of the aircraft. Both the first and the second alternative signals are deviation signals representing the difference in the first instance between the actual airspeed and a pilot pre-selected airspeed or reference speed and of the second incidence between the actual lift and a pilot un-alterable pre-selected lift that takes flap position into account. The selection between the two alternative signals is performed automatically and not under a pilot's control.
A more recent patent of Lambregts et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,079,711 discloses an aircraft high altitude vertical flight path and speed control system. As disclosed therein, a variable bandwidth factor KALT is applied in a total energy control system to obtain a reduction in throttle activity while maintaining system stability. The system has a total energy load control loop and an energy distribution control loop. In the former, a net thrust command signal Tc is generated to reduce the total energy error to zero. In the latter, an elevator position command signal Sec is generated to reduce the energy rate distribution error, i.e. correct the distribution of energy between kinetic energy (speed) and potential energy (altitude). The error signal input into each loop has a flight path component and a speed component. The factor KALT is applied to both components of the total energy error to reduce the bandwidth of the total energy error loop with increasing altitude and thereby reduce throttle activity. The factor KALT is also applied to one of the components of the energy distribution error to prioritize reduction of that component to zero by control of the elevator position. Preferably, speed control is prioritized, and energy errors are channeled into short term deviations in altitude.
The prior art systems are effective under many circumstances but have not been found to be effective in compensating for mountain waves. Mountain waves or orographic waves occur frequently over mountain areas, as for example, along the East coast of the United States as a result of strong westerly wind flow conditions. Further, under suitable conditions mountain waves have an influence up through the atmosphere. A problem in using auto throttle systems when encountering mountain waves is that they tend to hunt and peck and result in frequent increases and decreases in throttle to provide a rough or choppy ride for the passengers.
It is now believed that an auto throttle system in accordance with the present invention will anticipate changes in throttle and smooth out the flight. Advantageously such systems may be incorporated in conventional automatic throttle control systems without adversely affecting the operation of such systems. The automatic throttle control systems with mountain wave compensation, also utilize the same inputs and outputs as conventional systems and can be added to systems at a relatively small cost. Such systems are reliable, durable and easily serviced and may be incorporated as a computer program.


An uncooked meat portion that has shape-retaining and non-agglomeration properties is formed by subjecting the meat product to a process that causes controlled migration of soluble protein to the surface of nugget portions for positive internal binding characteristics, and subsequently heating the portions to a sufficient level to denature the surface proteins thereby encapsulating each portion in a thin-layer that will not stick to other encapsulated portions and that will enable each uncooked portion to retain it shape during handling.

Small-sized, individually quick frozen meat product portions are used in restaurants and prepared food service businesses for such applications as toppings for pizza or as ingredients for calzones and meat pies. Meat product portions for use in these applications are typically provided in the form of either raw meat portions or pre-cooked portions.
Precooked products having an irregular appearance, such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,800,094, have the advantage of being capable of careful portion control and reduced likelihood of contamination. Those precooked products attempt to simulate the taste, appearance and overall effect that raw, uncooked product portions would have.
Raw or uncooked portions usually exhibit superior flavor and texture when cooked. They hold juices better and they hold moisture after freezing, thawing and cooking better than pre-cooked, frozen portions do. They arc generally more effective compared to pre-cooked portions. As noted above, pre-cooked portions, on the other hand, provide superior handling, portion control, low-waste, high yield and low shrinkage characteristics. Unlike raw portions, pre-cooked portions can be supplied in individual frozen pieces that are immediately separable for handling because they hold their shape and do not stick to each other. In contrast, raw meat product portions tend to agglomerate and generally cannot be formed into or handled as separate portions until after thawing. Raw meat product also produces waste, as loose, sticky particles adhere to tools and work surfaces. Pre-cooked meat portions provide the benefit of being able to easily and quickly handle and measure predetermined quantities for assembling food products, whether in frozen or thawed state, without the associated waste or need to thaw that raw meat involves. Pre-cooked meat portions are also less susceptible to cross-contamination than raw meat products by various microorganisms during meal preparation.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a meat product and method of preparing the same that combine the benefits of both uncooked and pre-cooked meat products, while avoiding the respective shortcomings of each. It is a further object to provide a product and associated method that provide a good balance of flavor, texture and cost-effectiveness typically associated with raw meats. It is still a further object to provide a product and associated method that permits optimum handling and portion control, low waste production, high yield and low shrinkage typically associated with pre-cooked meats.

Method of preparing a meat product having denatured protein surface


A new cultivar of Camellia sasanqua named ‘Green 02-004’, that is characterized by its compact, dense, and rounded plant habit, its dark green foliage, its double flowers that are white in color, its very floriferous and long-lasting bloom habit, and its resistance to root rot (Phytophora cinnamomi) and dieback (Glomerella cingulata).

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Camellia plant, botanically known as Camellia sasanqua, 'Green 02-004'. The new cultivar will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, 'Green 02-004'. 'Green 02-004' is a new perennial shrub grown for container and landscape use.
'Green 02-004' was derived from an ongoing breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Fairhope, Ala., USA since 1992. The objectives of the breeding program are to develop new cultivars of Camellia sasanqua with compact plant habits, vigorous growth habits, improved disease resistance, and extended bloom periods. 'Green 02-004' originated as a seedling that arose from seed planted from open pollination of the Camellia sasanqua cultivar 'Shishi Gashira' (not patented) as the female parent in 2000 in Fairhope, Ala. The male parent is unknown. The new Camellia was selected as a single unique plant in Fall of 2004.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first accomplished by stem cuttings by the Inventor in 2004 in Fairhope, Ala. Asexual propagation by stem cuttings has determined that the characteristics of this cultivar are stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.


A semiconductor structure includes a sensor chip. The sensor chip includes a pixel array region, a bonding pad region, and a periphery region surrounding the pixel array region. The semiconductor structure further includes a stress-releasing trench, wherein the stress-releasing trench is in the periphery region, and the stress-releasing trench fully surrounds a perimeter of the pixel array region and the bonding pad region.

Semiconductor image sensors are used for sensing light or radiation waves. Complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) image sensors (CIS) are widely used in various applications such as digital still camera or mobile phone camera applications. A CIS includes an array of pixels. Each of the pixels includes a photodiode which converts incident light into an electrical signal.
Backside illuminated (BSI) image sensors are CIS in which light enters from a back side, rather than a front side, of a semiconductor wafer. Because the back side of a BSI CMOS image sensor is relatively unobstructed by dielectric and/or metal layers formed on the front side of the semiconductor wafer in the CMOS processes, the overall sensitivity of the CMOS image sensor is improved.

Image sensor having stress releasing structure and method of forming same

TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.


A method and apparatus for modeling a network comprising a plurality of transmission lines is described, the method and system being adapted to measure loop parameters of first transmission line to provide measured loop parameters, determine a topology of the first transmission line by analyzing the measured loop parameters with reference to at least a one model of a plurality of models for transmission lines of different topologies, select a further model for estimating crosstalk related parameters based on the determined topology, and estimate at least one crosstalk related parameter based on the determined topolgy and the selected further model.

The acronym xDSL stands for the family of Digital Subscriber Line technologies, which allow high-speed access to the Internet and multimedia services over the local loop, which connects the CP (customer premises) to the CO (central office), that is over simple twisted pair cables. An xDSL transceiver at the CO communicates with an xDSL transceiver at the CP over the local loop.
Since decades the local loop, which is a transmission line consisting of two twisted copper wires, also called unshielded twisted pair (UTP), has given the customer access to POTS (Plain Old Telephony Service). The POTS signal, transmitted over the local loop, is analog and contained in the frequency band up to 4 kHz, which corresponds to the spectral content of speech.
xDSL exploits the frequency band above 4 kHz up to several MHz, which is not used by POTS. However as the legacy local loops have been engineered for voice-band transmission, there are no guarantees about the quality of the local loop with respect to transmission in this higher frequency band. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) as a function of the frequency at the receiver at the CP, respectively the CO, for the downstream transmission (from the CO to the CP), respectively the upstream transmission (from the CP to the CO) plays an important role. The SNR at the receiver at the CP, respectively the CO, is determined as a function of the frequency by the transfer function of the loop between the CO and the CP and the noise PSD (Power Spectral Density) at the CP, respectively the CO given the PSD of the transmitted signal at the CO, respectively the CP.
                    C        =                              ∫            0            W                                                                        log                2                                                          (                                  1                  +                                                            P                                                                    (                        f                        )                                                                                N                                                                    (                        f                        )                                                                                )                                                                ⅆ              f                                                          (        1        )            P(ƒ)=|H(ƒ)|2S(ƒ)  (2)
In general the local loop consists of a network of transmission lines. Every line in the network is a UTP characterized by its length and type. The line type specifies the cross-sectional geometrical dimensions, such as the wire diameter (also called wire gauge), and the material physical constants, such as the electrical permittivity of the dielectric separating the 2 copper wires. The most used wire diameters are 0.4 mm, 0.5 mm, and 0.6 mm. Polyethylene (PE) is the most occurring insulator but other materials are also used such as paper and PVC.
The network topology of the local loop is limited to a tree structure. The simplest topology is a single line. The magnitude of the transfer function reflects the attenuation of the line, which gets worse with increasing frequency and line length. Another topology that exists for long loops is a cascade of 2 or more lines with increasing wire diameter from the CO to the CP. For this topology reflections are caused by the change of the wire diameter at the splices connecting 2 lines. A topology that is also frequently encountered, especially in the USA, is a loop with 1, 2 or more bridged taps. A bridged tap is an open-ended line spliced to the main line. Reflections appear for this topology at the splice connecting the bridged tap to the loop and at the open end of the bridged tap. Reflections have a negative impact on the transfer function, because they interfere with the signal propagating along the direct path. For those frequencies for which the interference is destructive, the magnitude of the transfer function reduces. Such reductions rarely appear in the voice band because the bridged taps are usually not too long.
As the twisted pairs constituting the local loop are unshielded, external electromagnetic waves may couple into the loop and propagate towards the CO and the CP causing noise at the receiver. The electromagnetic coupling is reduced by the twisting of the 2 wires, because adjacent segments of the twisted pair experience electromagnetic waves with opposite polarity. In addition the twisting improves the balance of the line. A line is balanced when the 2 conductors have an equal impedance towards the earth. The balancing of the line prevents a common-mode signal from transforming into a differential-mode signal. In the case of a common-mode signal the 2 wires carry equal currents and the return path of the current is the ground. For a differential-mode signal the 2 wires carry opposite currents (out of phase currents). Electromagnetic waves may couple into the line because of imperfect twisting, and the common-mode signal that they cause, may transform into a differential-mode signal because of imperfect balancing, which is correlated with the twisting. Balance decreases with increasing frequency.
The noise is divided into 2 different types according to the origin of the external electromagnetic waves coupling into the loop. The first type of noise is crosstalk, which is the electromagnetic coupling between twisted pairs in the same cable or between cables. The cables leaving the CO contain thousands of twisted pairs. The closer to the CP the less pairs there are present in a cable. A difference is made between near-end crosstalk (NEXT) and far-end crosstalk (FEXT). The transmitters at the CO, respectively CP, are the source of NEXT for the near-end receivers at the CO, respectively the CP, and are the source of FEXT for the far-end receivers at the CP, respectively the CO. In general crosstalk gets worse with increasing frequency.
A second type of noise is radio-frequency interference (RFI), which is caused by radio waves coupling into the local loop, that acts as an antenna, especially if there are aerial lines. There are 2 major sources of radio waves in the frequency band of xDSL namely AM radio and amateur radio.
Hence, the local loop has several impairments for transmission in the frequency band of xDSL, which are not present for voice-band transmission.
Various proposals have been made to calculate or estimate FEXT at a port of a transmission line. The methods of T1.413 [ANSI, 1995] assume that all loops are symmetrical, i.e. that the receivers can be replaced by the transmitters and vice versa. This may be unreasonable because:    a) It is very unlikely that the loop under test and an interfering loop will have the same tolopogies, e.g. the same number of bridge taps. A bridge tap in only the test loop will reduce performance, a bridge only in the interfering loop will improve performance.    b) Since most bridge taps are closer to the CP than the CO this is most important in the upstream direction. Not all CP's are the same distance away. Short cables will have a serious affect on long cables at the CO.
In the early 1980's many hundreds of thousands of measurements of crosstalk were made; mostly on 50 pair binder groups that are used for interexchange transmission of T1 and T2 signals. These included pair-to-pair measurements and pairs to one measurements. From these measurements cumulative probability density functions were plotted and some worst-case probabilities estimated. Analysis of this type has resulted in various empirical formulae which are supposed to provide reasonable estimations. However, such empirical formulae are unsatisfactory especially when systems are considered that differ greatly from those from which the empirical results have been obtained. Also when applying xDSL to legacy networks the topology of the loops is often not known so that no assessment can be made as to whether the model used is suitable.
Upstream power backoff (UPBO) guarantees spectral compatibility between long and short loops that are operating in the same cable binder. UPBO is a method by which the upstream power spectrum density (PSDtransmit) being generated by a transmitter on a short disturber line is controlled in order to limit excessive crosstalk into neighbouring lines. The crosstalk measured at the line terminator of the victim loop impacts on the bit rate performance of the victim loop. A current method of UPBO is based on an estimation of the length of the loop. The electrical length is obtained by comparing the attenuation of the loop under consideration with the attenuation of a reference loop. This reference loop consists of a single line segment. The PSDtransmit is determined by (PSDref)/|TF| where TF is the transfer function of the disturber loop which is a function of the electrical length of this loop. This method is only useful for single segment loops, i.e. with no bridge tap, no mixed wire gauges nor imperfect terminations. Particularly, bridge taps can result in imperfect performance as indicated above.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for the upstream backoff of combinations of transmission lines which are more accurate and/or flexible than conventional methods and apparatus.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for simulation of crosstalk-related parameters in transmission lines which are more accurate and/or flexible than conventional methods and apparatus.

System and method for upstream power backoff for xDSL


An interactive television system for providing personalized remote control is disclosed. Each user or remote control of the interactive television system may be associated with a different control-to-function map. The control-to-function maps may be personalized for each remote control or user.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of interactive television systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to a system and method for personalized remote control of an interactive television system.
2. Description of Related Background Art
Interactive television (ITV) systems are steadily growing in popularity. However, as users demand additional features, ITV systems are also increasing in complexity. As a result, remote controls used with these systems are likewise becoming increasingly complex. For example, a standard ITV remote control may include fifty or more individual buttons or controls.
Typically, a remote control for an ITV system includes many buttons that a consumer never or rarely uses. The inclusion of such buttons increases the overall complexity of the remote control and decreases its usability.
In general, consumers use only a subset of the buttons on a remote control. Moreover, different consumers use different subsets. For example, one person may enjoy surfing the Web, while another person may enjoy channel surfing. In each case, the unused buttons are distracting, cumbersome, and diminish the usability of the remote control.
Accordingly, it would be an advancement in the art to reduce the number of buttons on a remote control, without limiting the remote control's functionality. It would also be an advancement in the art to provide users with separate, personalized remote controls, each of which may be configured to perform different functions for each button. Similarly, it would be an advancement in the art to provide a single remote control, which may be easily reconfigured to perform different functions depending on the currently-active user.

System and method for personalized remote control of an interactive television system


A proximity detecting system for use with an agricultural equipment or implement such as a crop sprayer, for determining the position of the implement, e.g. the end of a spraying boom relative to the edge of the previously cultivated or sprayed area. The system has an electronic imaging device, e.g. a CCD array, mounted at the end of the implement or sprayer, which shows the location of a marker placed at the edge of a previously cultivated or processed swath. The position of the marker is shown on a visual display located in the operator's cab. A deviation of the marker from a predetermined position on the display alerts the operator of an overlap with, or miss, of the boundary of the previously processed swath.

In agriculture, farm sprayers, chemical applicators, seeders and other machinery are drawn or propelled over the ground. The ground is generally uneven, and often quite rough. In the operation of the machinery or equipment, it is essential that the area covered by the operation of the equipment, e.g. a fertilizer sprayer, is as contiguous as practically possible to an area already treated. It is obvious that overlapping would result in a loss of the medium (e.g. fertilizer or seed) distributed by the machinery, or an excessive application of the medium (deleterious to the cultivation), or both. On the other hand, leaving an untreated area would result in losses due to incomplete treatment. In other words, due to costs of the materials and the need to properly control the vegetation, insects etc., high application or treatment efficiency must be sought.
Typically, an operator of the vehicle watches the proximity of a specific working implement of the vehicle, e.g. the end of a sprayer boom, to the edge of a previously sprayed strip. The operator adjusts the direction of the vehicle accordingly. To facilitate the operator's task of viewing the boundary of the previously treated area, or another predetermined boundary, e.g. the edge of the field, it has already been proposed to apply an optical marking at the edge of the boundary. An example of an apparatus for such purpose is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,339,843 issued Sep. 5, 1967 to Horton. A dye is sprayed at the end of a sprayer boom which is carried by a vehicle. The operator adjusts the direction of the vehicle while viewing the marking left by the dye.
This task becomes arduous or virtually impossible as the size of the working implement, e.g. the length of a working boom, becomes significant. Agricultural machinery now in use can reach the span in the range of 240 feet (or 120 feet boom length on each side of the vehicle). The accuracy of visually determining the position of the marking by the operator diminishes with distance between the operator and the marking. The view of the marker may also become obscured by the vegetation.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,211,381 to Rasmussen teaches discharging a chemical marker with the material being spread or sprayed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,011,914 to Elmer shows a device for physically marking the outer limits of the sprayer boom, having a sled-type marking means at the extremities of the spreader.
Other marking arrangements are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,526,236 to Jacobsen, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,429,061 and 5,666,893 to Bourgeois, U.S. Pat. No. 5,338,129 to Oden and U.S. Pat. No. 5,133,500 to Simpson. The Oden and Simpson patents teach the use of a colored foam to mark various surfaces.
A crop sensing device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,279,068 to Rees. The device uses infra-red (IR) transmitters and receivers to position the agricultural equipment in the correct position relative to rows of plants. IR beams are used to activate actuators to move the tools to the desired relationship with the rows.
Control of individual spray nozzles using separate near-infrared transmitters and receivers is proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,222,324 to O'Neall.
A non-contact radiant energy device is presented in U.S. Pat. No. 5,176,320 to Krauss for controlling the amount of water applied during snowmaking.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,155,683 to Rahim proposes a remote control guidance system to maneuver equipment around obstacles using a television camera to send images of the area to a screen at the vehicle operator's station.
A system for determining the position of a vehicle on highways described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,351,044 to Mathur. This system is quite complicated and not suitable for the agricultural field environment.
To summarize, the prior art teaches various ways to mark the boundary of an agricultural processed area to avoid an overlap or incomplete coverage in further operation. The art assumes that the boundary can be seen directly by the operator. When the working implement reaches a significant length (e.g. about 120 feet), operator's visibility ceases to be reliable, regardless of the operator's visual acuity. No solution is offered in the prior art for this situation.
It is known that numerous spectral changes occur in agricultural fields over the growing season. In more lay terms, the vegetation changes color between green and dark brown, grey, yellow etc. depending on the crop maturity. The spectral variation has been shown to exist between around 360 and 1000 nm. Further, the illumination of the field can change significantly over time.
The possibilities of television are well known. In theory, it should be possible to provide a good television-based solution to enable the operator to evaluate the proximity of a specific remote part (e.g. the end of the long spraying boom) of the equipment to a pre-arranged boundary, e.g. a foam marker. However, the solution is much too sophisticated and expensive, and not compatible with the ruggedness of agricultural environment. It is important that any equipment intended to help the operator to determine the position of the boundary at a distant location (at the end of an implement etc.) is reliable but rugged enough to withstand the vibration, dust, dirt and shocks typical to the operation of agricultural equipment. In balancing the precision of the equipment and its cost, the latter factor should be given a clear preference. As mentioned above, the spectral properties of the soil and vegetation and illumination changes should also be accounted for.

Proximity detector for ground-based implements


The present invention relates to a charge air cooling unit comprising a first charge air cooler having a first end face provided with a first cooling fluid inlet and a first cooling fluid outlet and a second charge air cooler having a second end face provided with a second cooling fluid inlet and a second cooling fluid outlet. Specifically, the second charge air cooler is arranged adjacent to the first charge air cooler such that the first end face and the second end face are oriented in the same direction. Further, the charge air cooling unit comprises a manifold unit connected to the first end face and the second end face for guiding a cooling fluid through the first charge air cooler and the second charge air cooler.

For improving performance and efficiency of internal combustion engines, i.e. piston engines, turbochargers are employed which use the engine's exhaust energy to compress air intake charge. In this way, more air and proportionally more fuel can be forced into a combustion chamber, i.e. a cylinder of the engine, thereby increasing the engine's power output and efficiency. Turbochargers are usually equipped with a compressor for charging intake air which is driven by the engine's exhaust gas. For doing use, the compressor is connected to a turbine in a torque-transmitting manner, through which the engine's exhaust gas is guided.
In large turbocharged piston engines, e.g. as utilized in power plants or as main or auxiliary engines in vessels, the charging of intake air may be performed in two subsequent stages. For example, intake air, at first, may be guided through a low-pressure turbocharger unit and then through a high-pressure turbocharger unit.
In such configurations, the charge air needs to be cooled to avoid high temperatures thereof in order to increase efficiency of the process and/or to increase the charging volume forced into the cylinder. As known from EP 2 307 684 B1, this may be performed by guiding the charge air through water-cooled heat exchangers, also referred to as cooling units, after passing the respective stages of the turbocharger.
Further, in large turbocharged piston engines, the turbochargers and the charge air coolers are correspondingly large and comprise bulky connecting channels for the supply and discharge of charge air, exhaust air and cooling fluid. It is thus difficult to accommodate the turbochargers and the respective cooling units so as to provide a sufficiently compact arrangement of the engine, i.e. which allows easy installation and maintenance. This applies particularly to V-engines, in which both cylinder rows may have a low-pressure turbocharger unit, a high-pressure turbocharger unit and respective charge air coolers of their own.

Charge air cooling unit for a two-staged turbocharger


In a power amplifier including an amplifier circuit unit for high power mode and an amplifier circuit unit for low power mode provided in parallel thereto between input and output of the amplifier and where, when one amplifier circuit unit is in an operating state, the other amplifier circuit unit is in a non-operating state, a cross-coupled capacitor is provided between a drain of one of two transistors in output side and a gate of the other transistor in the amplifier circuit unit for high power mode, and a series circuit where a switch and a capacitor are coupled in series is coupled between a drain of the transistor of output side in the amplifier circuit unit for low power mode and a ground, the switch being in a conducting state in high power mode operation and being in a non-conducting state in low power mode operation.

A portable wireless communication device such as a mobile phone and a mobile communication terminal can have a longer operating time by a battery as a result of reducing an average consumption current. The average consumption current is found by multiplying a consumption current for each output power of a radio wave outputted from a wireless communication device via an antenna by an actual frequency in use. A use frequency distribution of DG09, a general index for use frequency, is depicted in FIG. 7A. It is found from FIG. 7A that the use frequency is high at an output power of around 0 dBm, which is a low output power, and current reduction in a neighborhood of 0 dBm is important in order to reduce an average consumption current.
An amplification efficiency of an power amplifier, as depicted in FIG. 7B, reaches maximum at a maximum output power and is not high at a low output power. As a method for raising an amplification efficiency at a low output power to reduce a consumption current and reduce an average consumption current, a power amplifier is used which has a power mode switching function switching amplifier circuit units to be used in correspondence with an output power. The power amplifier having the power mode switching function includes an amplifier circuit unit of a high power mode having a characteristic HPW depicted in FIG. 8A and an amplifier circuit unit of a low power mode having a characteristic LPW of not reacting a maximum output power of the power amplifier but having a high amplification efficiency at a low output power. In other words, the power amplifier having the power mode switching function is, as depicted in FIG. 8B, provided with an amplifier circuit unit (LPM) 302 of the low power mode different from an amplifier circuit unit (HPM) 301 of the high power mode between an input Pin and an output Pout in the power amplifier.
FIG. 9 is a diagram depicting a circuit configuration example of a conventional power amplifier having a power mode switching function. FIG. 9 depicts a circuit configuration example of a last stage (output side) amplifier and an output matching part in a power amplifier of a two stage amplifier configuration (for example, see Patent Document 1). An output side circuit of the power amplifier depicted in FIG. 9 has a low power mode circuit path which includes second stage transistors LPM2P, LPM2N driven at an operation in a low power mode, and a high power mode circuit path which includes second stage transistors HPM2P, HPM2N driven at an operation in a high power mode. These circuit paths are connected in parallel to a primary side of a transformer TRO to a secondary side of which an output load RL is connected.
The low power mode circuit path has an inductor L connected between outputs (drains) of the transistors LPM2P, LPM2N, and capacitors CX connected in series between outputs of the transistors LPM2P, LPM2N and a primary side of a transformer TRO. The high power mode circuit path has capacitors CH connected between outputs (drains) of the transistors HPM2P, HPM2N, respectively. A matching capacitor C1 is connected to the primary side of the transformer TRO in parallel and a matching capacitor C2 is connected to the secondary side of the transformer TRO in parallel.
[Patent Document 1] U.S. Pat. No. 7,728,661
In the conventional power amplifier depicted in FIG. 9, at the low power mode operation, the transistors LPM2P, LPM2N operate and the transistors HPM2P, HPM2N do not operate, but a current flows also to the transistors HPM2P, HPM2N which are not in operation, leading to increase of a power loss. At the high power mode operation, the transistors HPM2P, HPM2N operate and the transistors LPM2P, LPM2N do not operate, but a current flows also to the transistors LPM2P, LPM2N which are not in operation, leading to increase of the power loss. For example, at the low power mode operation, a power indicated by a solid line 401, the power outputted from the transistors LPM2P, LPM2N flows as indicated by a solid line 402, and a part of the power flows to a transistors HPM2P, HPM2N side as indicated by a broken line 403 and lost. As described above, in the conventional power amplifier having the power mode switching function, the transistor not in operation is directly connected to the circuit path in operation, and the power loss increases due to the transistor not in operation.

Amplifier and wireless communication device


A microscopic hyperspectral imaging scanner has a microscopic front objective lens, a spatial window for selectively passing a portion of the image therethrough, and a CCD array for receiving the passed portion of the image. The spatial window and CCD array are mounted for tandem reciprocating movement relative to the front object lens. In one embodiment, the spatial window is a slit and the CCD array is one-dimensional, and successive rows of the image in the focal plane of the front objective lens are passed to the CCD array by an image relay lens interposed between the slit and the CCD array. In another embodiment, the spatial window is a slit, the CCD array is two-dimensional, and a prism-grating-prism optical spectrometer is interposed between the slit and the CCD array so as to cause the scanned row to be split into a plurality of spectral separations onto the CCD array. In another embodiment, the CCD array is two-dimensional and the spatial window is a rectangular linear variable filter (xe2x80x9cLVFxe2x80x9d) window, so as to cause the scanned rows impinging on the LVF to be bandpass filtered into spectral components onto the CCD array through an image relay lens interposed between the LVF and the CCD array.

The present invention relates, in general, to image scanning, and in particular, to a microscopic scanner for generating an electronic version of a scanned optical image.
It is often desired to scan an image of a target and then convert that image into an electrical signal for subsequent processing and viewing. Airborne scanners are well-known in which a slit is placed in front of a charge-coupled device (xe2x80x9cCCDxe2x80x9d) array in a camera and the moving aircraft then sweeps (scans) the slit past the target to be scanned as the aircraft flies over the ground. Such scanners have the disadvantage that the airborne scanner platform must move with respect to the target in order to accomplish the scanning.
Other image scanning devices, such as flatbed scanners or drum scanners, are known in which the target is moved past a scanning head so that the image can pass through optics and into a camera and/or onto a CCD array. Such a scanner is disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,751,420; 5,706,083; and 5,592,291.
In all such prior art devices, the target moves relative to the scanner for each scanned image line, the CCD array remains fixed (non-moving) with respect to the front objective lens of the scanner.
It is also desirable to be able to obtain a spectral representation or imaging spectrograph of the frequency components of an image so that the spectral representation may be further processed to reveal information hidden in the frequency components of the image. For example, in the paper entitled xe2x80x9cAirborne Hyperspectral Image Acquisition with Digital CCD Video Cameraxe2x80x9d, Chengye Mao, Mike Seal, and Gerald Heitschmidt describe an airborne scanning system in which a linear variable filter (xe2x80x9cLVFxe2x80x9d) is placed at the focal plane of a front objective lens, and, as an aircraft transports the scanner over the ground-based target, the linear variable filter separates frequency components of the image that passes by the front objective lens onto a CCD array within a camera. Unlike the present invention, the linear variable filter and CCD array are fixed with respect to the front objective lens, and the scanner must reside on a mobile platform and move past the target in order to accomplish the scanning of the image.
Furthermore, it is desirable to combine the features of a spectrographic instrument or hyperspectral scanner such as described above in a scanning microscope, so that spectral analysis of surface and potentially subsurface features of a sample may be carried out on a microscopic scale. Microscopic hyperspectral scanning of prepared specimens, for example body tissue and fluids and other targets, has great utility in the field of medicine and in the analysis of the physical and mechanical properties of materials. It can also be used to detect the chemical properties of microscopic samples.
An example of a spectral microscopic photometer is disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. No. 5,112,125, in which light from an illuminated sample is collected and measured by means of a series of lenses, diaphragms and photodetectors. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,631,581 discloses an apparatus for microphotometering of microscopic specimens, which uses both mechanical and electronic scanning techniques to generate a three dimensional image of a target specimen.
As noted previously, however, a disadvantage of each of these devices is that in order to scan the entire surface of the specimen, it is necessary to move the sample relative to the scanning instrument for each scanned image line. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,112,125 a scanning stage which supports the specimen is adjustable along through orthogonal axes, so that it can also be used to carry out time-resolved spectral measurements. Similarly in U.S. Pat. No. 4,631,581, a drive unit is provided to move the sample in order to scan elongated samples.
Scanning becomes extremely difficult to control when a translation of a sub-micrometer level is required for scanning an image line of the specimen under a microscope with high magnification. That is, due to the high magnification of the microscope, all movements of the specimen are enlarged correspondingly and their apparent velocity is multiplied, making positioning of the specimen difficult to control. Also, due to continuous movement of the specimen, any contemporaneous viewing of the specimen through the microscopic eye piece become problematic as well.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved image scanner that has a unique feature: instead of directly scanning over the target, it scans a target at its image""s focal plane. Such a scanner is able to perform a uniformed scanning regardless of the target size. For example, the scanning distance will be the same when scanning targets as large as the Earth disk from a geo-stationary satellite or as small as a tiny germ under a microscope.
The present invention is a focal plane scanner having a front objective lens, a spatial window for selectively passing a portion of the image therethrough, and image sampling array means, such as a charge coupled device (xe2x80x9cCCDxe2x80x9d) array, for receiving the passed portion of the image. In particular in the microscopic hyperspectral scanner according to the invention, the front objective lens is a microscopic objective lens.
An essential feature common to all embodiments of the invention is that the spatial window and CCD array are mounted for simultaneous relative reciprocating movement with respect to the front objective lens, with the spatial window being mounted within the focal plane of the front objective lens.
In a first embodiment of the present invention, the spatial window is a slit and the CCD array is one-dimensional. As the slit moves within the focal plane of the front objective lens, successive rows of the image in the focal plane of the front objective lens are passed to the CCD array by an image relay lens interposed between the slit and the CCD array.
In a second embodiment of the present invention, the spatial window is a slit, the CCD array is two-dimensional, and a prism-grating-prism (xe2x80x9cPGPxe2x80x9d) optical spectrometer is interposed between the slit and the CCD array so as to cause the scanned row to be split into a plurality of spectral separations onto the CCD array, with spectral components for each point in the scanned row being separated onto the respective CCD columns for that point.
In a third embodiment of the present invention, the CCD array is two-dimensional and the spatial window is a rectangular linear variable filter (xe2x80x9cLVFxe2x80x9d) window, so as to cause the scanned rows impinging on the LVF to be bandpass filtered into spectral components onto the CCD array through an image relay lens interposed between the LVF and the CCD array.
In a fourth embodiment of the invention, a microscopic objective lens is provided to generate a magnified image of a target specimen which is projected onto the slit, so that rows which make up the image are projected sequentially onto the CCD array as the spatial window and the CCD array are moved in tandem relative to the microscopic objective lens in order to scan an enlarged image of the entire specimen.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Microscopic hyperspectral imaging scanner

The Institute for Technology Development


A packaged LED array for high temperature operation comprises a metal base, the metal base including an underlying thermal connection pad. One or more layers of ceramic overly the metal base. The array includes a plurality of LED dice, each LED die having electrodes. And, the LED thermally coupled to the metal base. A driver circuit is electrically connected to the LED die electrodes and controls the LED array current. An LED driver is mounted within the LED array package, and thermally coupled to the metal base. In a second embodiment, one or more of the LED dice can be switched from the driver to a measurement circuit and used as a photodetector to measure the light output of the LED array. The measured photodetector signal can further be used as a feedback signal to control the LED array light output.

Light emitting diodes (LEDs) are useful in a wide variety of applications. An LED array is an array of LED die mounted on a common substrate. LED arrays are used as light sources in an increasing variety of applications including communications and instrumentation; commercial and household room lighting; and automotive and visual displays. LED Arrays are devices comprising a plurality of LEDs on the same substrate. LED arrays can be made by a variety of techniques.
One problem with LED arrays is the significant heat generated by dense concentrations of LEDs. Solutions to the thermal problems associated with LED arrays are the subject of a related application entitled "Light Emitting Diodes Packaged For High Temperature Operation", U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/638,579, filed Aug. 11, 2003. Another problem associated with LED array performance, illumination efficiency, is the subject of a related application entitled "Efficient LED Array", U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/822,191, filed Apr. 9, 2004. These two applications are both hereby incorporated herein by reference.
LED arrays have been successfully fabricated using low temperature co-fired ceramic on metal (LTCC-M) packaging technologies. The LTCC-M structure and materials are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,455,930, "Integrated Heat Sinking Packages Using Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramic Metal Circuit Board Technology" (issued Sep. 24, 2002) LTCC-M construction is further described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,581,876 (issued Dec. 10, 1996), U.S. Pat. No. 5,725,808 (issued Mar. 30, 1998), U.S. Pat. No. 5,953,203 (issued Sep. 14, 1999) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,518,502 (issued Feb. 11, 2003). U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,455,930, 5,581,876, 5,725,808, 5,953,203, and 6,518,502, all of which are assigned to Lamina Ceramics Inc., are also hereby incorporated herein by reference.
In many applications it is advantageous to control LED arrays with an electronic driver circuit. The driver can either turn the LED on or off, or it can control the output luminosity. Active power semiconductors can be used to provide the driver function. The driver control signal can be simply an on-off command, typically in the form of a low level control or logic signal. Alternatively, the control signal can be an electrical signal that sets the current flow through the LED for the desired luminosity. Where LED current is controlled to set the luminosity of the LED array, it can be further advantageous to include feedback and control circuitry. A photodetector component can be located near the LED array to measure its light output and to provide the needed feedback signal. The problem is the cost and complexity of the additional detector and the mechanical construction required to mount it in or near the array.
It would be highly advantageous to provide LED arrays with an on-board electronic driver and control circuitry including sensors for feedback control. Such circuitry is needed but has been difficult to package on the same substrate as the LEDs. Typically, the LED driver and control circuitry for a particular application are built on a printed wiring board (PCB) external to the LED array. This is problematic for applications that must fit into small spaces. LED arrays using external PCB mounted electronics are also costly. Previous attempts to incorporate driver circuitry into LED array packages have largely been unsuccessful because of the mechanical stresses caused by differences in the thermal coefficients of expansion between semiconductor die and prior art LED packaging methods and materials.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved LED array devices wherein a less expensive driver, control circuitry, and a photodector sensor can be co-packaged within the array.

LED array package with internal feedback and control


A technique for protecting a structure from an impact with ice involves providing a horizontal spall initiator extending from the wall a distance of 1 to 10 cm, the horizontal spall initiator being resilient to the ice impact, and formed by blade segments having a blade width less than ½ a thickness of an expected hard zone of the ice; and situating the horizontal spell initiator at an elevation of the expected hard zone. Situating the horizontal spall initiator at an elevation of the hard zone may involve providing an elevation control mechanism (e.g. buoyancy, mechanical, or hydrodynamic), or may involve a panel with a plurality of horizontal spell initiators at respective elevations. The horizontal spell initiator may be driven.

Ice crushing against stationary structures can be dramatic. On May 12, 1986 the north and north-east faces of the Molikpaq caisson facility, during operations at the Amauligak I-65 site in the Canadian Beaufort Sea, encountered an ice floe approximately 7 km×15 kmט2 m. The ice-structure interaction induced vibration, and throughout a significant part of the 27 minutes the floe was moving, extensive crushing of the ice was observed. Cyclic oscillations of load occurred, reaching 250 MN.
The cyclic oscillation of the structure has been explained in terms of ice spalling. The elastic stress in the ice is partially relieved during each spelling event, where the ice is actually penetrated by the structure. The mechanisms that enable the rapid penetration of ice during a spelling event are complex (Gagnon, 1999). A spalling event generally refers to what happens when a portion of relatively intact ice rapidly separates from the ice contact region and shatters, leading to a sudden drop in load, and a surge of the ice toward the structure during the load drop. The shattered spalls have properties of crushed ice, that is, capable of supporting low pressure whereas the remaining ice, such as the central horizontal region of the ice sheet (known as the hard zone), will remain relatively intact and be capable of supporting high pressure. Following each spelling event the penetration into the ice sheet temporarily ceases and load begins to increase again on the ice in the contact zone as the bulk ice sheet continues to move against the structure and generate elastic stress until the next spalling event occurs. This leads to a characteristic sawtooth load pattern.
The important point is that the structure may experience hazardous oscillations due to ice-structure interaction when the spalling rate is at or less than the resonant frequency of the structure-ice system. Large scale structures, such as the Molikpaq caisson facility, are able to withstand considerable forces, however the vibrations caused by ice-structure interactions are dangerous for personnel and equipment, and may result in a risk against the structural integrity of the facility.
There are several prior art techniques for cutting ice. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,521,592 to Rosner et al. teaches a cutter mounted to a prow of a marine vessel with a plurality of rotary vertically extending ice engaging units, each unit presenting an array of radially extending ice chopping blades or cutters. The ice engaging units are desirably movable vertically for positioning for optimum efficiency. FIG. 2 of Rosner et al. schematically shows a unit with a dozen blades or cutters.
There is a need for an efficient mechanism for improving protection of structures during ice-structure interactions.

Large scale spallation inducing ice protection


A core protector including a pant having a torso portion and two tubular leg portions extending therefrom in communication therewith, each leg portion defining an opening for receiving a leg of a wearer therein, and a thigh protector adjacent each leg opening, each thigh protector being detachably connected to the pant to provide protection to a thigh of the wearer.

Hockey is a contact sport, and as such, players must be protected against impact, either from other players, from the boards, or from falls on the ice, pavement, etc. In order to protect the mid-portion of a player's body, the region which roughly comprises the area from above the knees to the mid-back portion, and which covers front, back and lateral sides, players have traditionally worn what is known as hockey pants. Hockey pants have traditionally been slipped on over other equipment, such as, for example, his athletic protector, shin guards, socks and even sometimes skates.
Traditional hockey pants are generally made of strong nylon or a similar material and completely cover the mid portion of the wearer. Such pants are usually in the general form of an oversized pair of shorts. Traditional hockey pants may comprise a single layer or alternatively, a number of layers, for example, an inner layer of material in contact with the skin of the wearer and an opposed outer layer. Further, traditional hockey pants usually include a variety of protective elements to protect various parts of a wearer's mid-portion, such as, for example, dorsal pads to protect the kidneys, lower back and tailbone area, hip pads to protect the front and side portions of the hip bone, as well as thigh pads to protect the front portion of the thighs. As may be understood, various types of traditional hockey pants provide a number of combinations of this general protection pattern, but may also include additional protective elements to protect various other portions of the wearer's mid-section. Further, these various protective elements may or may not overlap and may be of a variety of different constructions.
A limitation of traditional hockey pants is that most if not all of these protective elements are fixed in place on the pant, i.e. stitched or closed in permanently. While some hockey pants provide for pockets which may be opened to remove protective padding contained therein, for example for washing and repairs, generally speaking the protective elements are fixed and their location is therefore determined by the manufacturer of the protective equipment. In most cases this is a permanent fixation which does not provide for any flexibility or allow for any change in either the size of the protective element, its location or the range of protection. This fixed protection level is not viewed favorably by a number of players, who may wish to have some latitude in the positioning of the protective elements on their pants.
Accordingly, improvements are desirable.

Core protector with adjustable thigh protectors


A variable area flow meter has a magnet carried by a piston which is moved to a position representing fluid flow. An array of magnetoresistive bridge sensors adjacent the path of magnet movement senses the magnet position. The bridges are unbalanced by the magnet field. The analog unbalance signals are read and processed in digital form to develop a flow signal. The flow meter circuits are powered from a 4–20 MA current loop or a remote power supply. Each bridge sensor is powered only when the bridge unbalance signal is being read, to minimize the power requirement.

A variable area flow meter as shown in Hedland U.S. Pat. No. 3,805,611 typically has a cylindrical body with an inlet at one end and an outlet at the other. A piston inside the body is spring biased toward the inlet and is moved toward the outlet by fluid flow through the body. A conical plug extends through a hole in the end of the piston and is tapered toward the outlet. As the piston is moved against the spring by increased fluid flow, the opening for flow in the end of the piston grows larger. The piston reaches a stable position in the cylindrical body which is a measure of flow. If the cylindrical body is transparent, a scale on the body indicates the flow.
Where the cylindrical body is not transparent, the Hedland '611 patent incorporates a magnet in the piston with a follower of magnetic material outside the cylindrical body. The follower and a scale indicate the flow. Electrical output signals have been provided by switches with contacts actuated by the follower at selected flow rates. A remote electrical read out is shown in Lake U.S. Pat. No. 4,487,077. A resistor mounted on the cylindrical body is contacted by a wiper carried on the magnet follower and connected with a remote read-out. The meter of the '077 patent is subject to decoupling of the follower from the magnet as a result of rapid change in flow rate and exacerbated by friction between the wiper and the resistor.

Flow meter with magnetoresistive sensors and method of measuring flow


System and techniques for distributed monitoring of cardiac activity include selective T wave filtering. In general, in one implementation, a distributed cardiac activity monitoring system includes a monitoring apparatus, with a selectively activated T wave filter, and a monitoring station. The monitoring apparatus can include a communications interface, a real-time QRS detector, a T wave filter, and a selector that activates the T wave filter to preprocess a cardiac signal provided to the real-time QRS detector in response to a message. The monitoring station can communicatively couple with the monitoring apparatus, over a communications channel, via the communications interface and can transmit the message to the monitoring apparatus to activate the T wave filter based at least in part upon a predetermined criteria (e.g., abnormal T waves for an individual, as identified by a system operator).

The present application describes systems and techniques relating to monitoring cardiac activity, for example, processing cardiac electrical activity to determine heart rate.
The electrical activity of the heart can be monitored to track various aspects of the functioning of the heart. Given the volume conductivity of the body, electrodes on the body surface or beneath the skin can display potential differences related to this activity. Anomalous electrical activity can be indicative of disease states or other physiological conditions ranging from benign to fatal.
Cardiac monitoring devices can sense the cardiac electrical activity of a living being and identify heart beats. Frequently, identification of heart beats is performed by identifying the R waves in the QRS complex, as can be seen in an electrocardiogram (ECG). The R wave is the first positive deflection in the QRS complex, representing ventricular depolarization. The typically large amplitude of this positive deflection in the QRS complex is useful in identifying a heart beat.

Distributed cardiac activity monitoring with selective filtering


An electronic device is disclosed, including a display, a camera, and at least one processor. The processor implements the method, including displaying a first preview image acquired through the camera on the display, identifying a category for each object included in the first preview image, applying adjustment filters to each object, each adjustment filter selected based on the identified category, display a second preview image on the display, in which each object is visually altered by the applied adjustment filters, displaying on the second preview image a plurality of selectable icons each corresponding to one of the identified categories, in response to receiving a first input selecting a first selectable icon, removing application of a first adjustment filter from a first object belonging to a category corresponding to the first selectable icon.

Various services and additional functions provided by electronic devices, for example, portable electronic devices such as smartphones, have gradually increased. In order to increase the effective value of such electronic devices and satisfy various needs of users, electronic device manufacturers provide various functions and have competitively developed electronic devices in order to differentiate them from other companies. Therefore, various functions provided by electronic devices have also gradually become more advanced.
Electronic devices have been developed to enable provision of images obtained by adjusting images, captured by cameras, according to various methods so as to be suitable to preferences of users. Examples of such a method include a method for applying different adjustment filters to multiple objects included in a captured image, respectively. An electronic device may identify multiple objects, and may provide a user with an image adjusted by applying a suitable adjustment filter to each of the multiple identified objects.

Electronic device for adjusting image including multiple objects and control method thereof


A method and apparatus implementing an enhanced protocol between an I2C master and an I2C slave. In various embodiments the invention permits greater addressability space and high priority access to the slave device. The enhanced protocol is implemented by the addition of command code data being transmitted which is recognized through an interface circuit inside the slave device. The invention provides an I2C solution for accessing high priority address space with one command byte, medium priority space with two command bytes and low priority space with three command bytes.

As is well known in the prior art, an I2C (Inter-IC) bus is a bi-directional two-wire serial bus that provides a communication link between devices connected to the bus. Devices are typically considered as masters or slaves when data transfers are being performed. The master is the device which initiates a data transfer on the bus and generates the clock signals to permit that transfer. At that time, any device addressed is considered a slave.
FIG. 1 illustrates the prior art, 7-bit protocol used in I2C bus communications. This protocol is fairly simple, with a five-part format comprising: 1) A start bit 102 to initiate a transaction, 2) an address byte, with seven bits 104 denoting the address of the slave device and the eighth bit 106 denoting a read or write command, 3) data bytes 108, 4) an acknowledge bit 110 following each 8-bit address or data byte, and 5) a stop bit 112 to terminate the transaction.
Not illustrated in FIG. 1 is another, prior art protocol that uses a 10-bit addressing protocol in which the slave address 104 has the format 11110XX (as before, the eighth bit of this information byte is a read/write indicator 106). The five high order bits indicate that 10-bit addressing protocol is being employed, while the remaining two bits are the two high order bits of the slave address. The remaining 8 bits of the 10-bit address are then provided in the first data byte 108.
Both these 7-bit and 10-bit prior art addressing protocols permit an additional data byte 108 to contain additional addressing information, such as an internal register address of the slave device.
Although widely used, the I2C bus suffers from several drawbacks, one of which is the limited addressability/time inefficiencies inherent in its protocol. Prior art attempts at remedying this problem have chiefly involved adding external pins to the slave device. While this method does permit the I2C master to control a larger word addressing space, it requires larger package pin counts for any I2C slave devices to be so addressed.
The current invention provides access to a large address space without requiring additional external pins on the device addressed. Further, the invention provides an interface that is efficient for high priority accesses.

Method and apparatus for providing an inter integrated circuit interface with an expanded address range and efficient priority-based data throughput


A graphene nano-sensor with a suspended graphene flake electrically connected to metal electrodes. The graphene nano-sensor is capable of detecting single molecules in an atmosphere through a change in electrical conductance through the graphene flake.

Graphene has attracted intensive world-wide attention because of its fundamental and technological importance.1-8 Single-molecule sensitivity was demonstrated9 in graphene-based sensors by monitoring the Hall resistivity in a magnetic field, and a detection limit of the order of 1 part per billion (p.p.b) was estimated from longitudinal resistivity measurement at zero magnetic field. Such exceptional sensitivity is important for industrial, environmental and military monitoring, and thus has been attracting enormous interests from the research and industry communities.10-42 However, despite the great potential of graphene as next-generation sensing device, there remains a major obstacle for its use in practical applications, which is the mass production of arrays of graphene sensors with a reliable and low cost method. Recently, steady progresses have been made on the production of graphene by the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) approach,43-69 and since 2009 low-cost production of large-area single-layer graphene has been achieved by a CVD process on copper substrate.43 Yet the underlying Cu substrate is heavily conducting, which renders the electronic contribution from graphene negligible. As a result, one usually adopts complicated transfer process to separate the copper substrate and the graphene, which posts enormous technical challenge for reliable production of large number of sensor arrays. There was a recent attempt on transfer-free batch fabrication of single layer graphene transistors via a low pressure (˜11 Torr) CVD method.70 Yet to the best of our knowledge there has been no report on batch fabrication of graphene sensors, in particular, with suspended device geometry.
In addition, ultrafast detection of short-time chemical exposure is critical for real-time monitoring of active (e.g. toxic) gases, so that an early warning signal can be provided in time for subsequent remedy actions. Graphene suspended from the substrate promises faster response and higher sensitivity by reducing the substrate interference. As previously reported,71-76 suspended graphene demonstrates high carrier mobility exceeding 200,000 cm2V−1s−1, which corresponds to two orders of magnitude higher than that of non-suspended graphene (typically ˜5000 cm2V−1s−1).9 The significant mobility increase by minimizing the detrimental substrate effects has led to important fundamental discovery of the fractional quantum Hall effect in suspended graphene,71,72 but serious technical challenges73-76 remain in the fabrication of such suspended graphene devices and prevent further work in exploring its practical applications.
The present invention overcomes the above-mentioned limitations and allows for the large production of arrays of suspended graphene sensors by combining low cost ambient pressure CVD process with standard nano-fabrication techniques. The resulting suspended graphene nanosensors take advantage of their high carrier mobility to achieve ultrafast molecule detection and to assess the dynamical sensing response on the nano-second time scale. Ultrafast electronic circuits, statistical analysis and first principles simulations are also used to query the dynamical interaction between target molecules and suspended graphene.

Ultra-fast suspended graphene nano-sensors suitable for large scale production


The present invention is directed to polyols prepared in the presence of double metal cyanide catalysts (“DMC”) which are prepared by combining i) at least one metal salt; ii) at least one metal cyanide salt; iii) at least one organic complexing ligand; iv) at least one alkali metal salt; and, optionally, v) at least one functionalized polymer under conditions sufficient to form a catalyst; and adding a sufficient amount of the at least one alkali metal salt to the catalyst so formed in an amount such that the catalyst includes the at least one alkali metal salt in an amount of from about 0.4 to about 6 wt. % based on the total weight of the catalyst. The polyols produced by the process of the present invention have reduced levels of high molecular weight tail.

In the preparation of polyoxyalkylene polyols, starter compounds having active hydrogen atoms are oxyalkylated with alkylene oxides in the presence of a suitable catalyst. For many years, basic as well as DMC catalysts have been used in oxyalkylation reactions to prepare polyoxyalkylene polyols. Base-catalyzed oxyalkylation involves oxyalkylating a low molecular weight starter compound (such as propylene glycol or glycerine) with an alkylene oxide (such as ethylene oxide or propylene oxide) in the presence of a basic catalyst (such as potassium hydroxide (KOH)) to form a polyoxyalkylene polyol.
In base-catalyzed oxyalkylation reactions, propylene oxide and certain other alkylene oxides are subject to a competing internal rearrangement which generates unsaturated alcohols. For example, when KOH is used to catalyze an oxyalkylation reaction using propylene oxide, the resulting product will contain allyl alcohol-initiated, monofunctional impurities. As the molecular weight of the polyol increases, the isomerization reaction becomes more prevalent. As a result, 800 or higher equivalent weight poly(propylene oxide) products prepared using KOH tend to have significant quantities of monofunctional impurities. Monofunctional impurities tend to reduce the average functionality and broaden the molecular weight distribution of the polyol.
Unlike basic catalysts, DMC catalysts do not significantly promote the isomerization of propylene oxide. As a result, DMC catalysts can be used to prepare polyols which have low unsaturation values and relatively high molecular weights. DMC catalysts can be used to produce polyether, polyester and polyetherester polyols which are useful in applications such as polyurethane coatings, elastomers, sealants, foams and adhesives.
DMC-catalyzed oxyalkylation reactions, however, are known to produce small amounts of high molecular weight polyol impurities (typically, molecular weights in excess of 100,000 Da). These high molecular weight impurities are often referred to as the "high molecular weight tail". In elastomers and other systems, the high molecular weight tail may interfere with hard segment phase out as well as with the alignment of hard segments responsible for strength and modulus properties. In polyurethane foam systems, for example, polyols which have a high molecular weight tail produce course foam cells, very tight foams or weak foams or contribute to foam collapse.
DMC catalysts are known and are described in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,278,457, 3,278,459, 3,289,505, 3,427,256, 4,477,589, 5,158,922, 5,470,813, 5,482,908, 5,545,601, 5,627,122 and 6,423,662 as well as in WO 01/04180 and WO 02/09875. DMC catalysts are typically prepared by mixing an aqueous solution of a metal salt with an aqueous solution of a metal cyanide salt in the presence of an organic complexing ligand. A precipitate forms when these two solutions are mixed together. The resulting precipitate is isolated and then washed.
The art teaches that, during the preparation of a DMC catalyst, alkaline metal salts are incorporated into the catalyst. See Huang et al., "Controlled Ring-Opening Polymerization of Propylene Oxide Catalyzed by Double Metal-Cyanide Complex,", Journal of Polymer Science, Vol. 40, page 1144 (2002); U.S. Pat. No. 3,278,457, column 5, lines 40–44; and WO 02/09875, page 5, lines 5–12. The art also teaches that these occluded ions must be removed during the preparation of a DMC catalyst. See Huang et al., page 1144; U.S. Pat. No. 3,278,457, column 5, lines 57–58; and WO 02/09875, page 5, lines 5–12. U.S. Pat. No. 6,423,662 (at column 6, lines 47–50), WO/01/04180 (at page 8, lines 17–19), and U.S. Pat. No. 3,278,457 (at column 5, lines 45–58), for example, teach those skilled in the art to wash the precipitate formed during the preparation of a DMC catalyst as thoroughly as possible in order to remove essentially all of these occluded ions.

Double-metal cyanide catalysts which can be used to prepare polyols and the processes related thereto


An air breathing direct methanol fuel cell is provided with a membrane electrode assembly, a conductive anode assembly that is permeable to air and directly open to atmospheric air, and a conductive cathode assembly that is permeable to methanol and directly contacting a liquid methanol source.

The present invention relates generally to fuel cells, and, more particularly, to air breathing direct methanol fuel cells.
As portable consumer electronics become increasingly popular, there is a strong demand for long lasting portable power sources in the range of a few hundred milliwatts to a few watts range. At present, these demands are largely, met by various types of batteries. Often, these batteries are very expensive, short-lived and all have disposal problems.
Methanol fuel cells are a promising technology for these types of battery replacement applications. Methanol, as the fuel, has a high energy density and is easily obtained, stored and transported. Direct methanol fuel cells and stacks with forced airflow on the cathode side and forced methanol flow on the anode side have been under development at Los Alamos National Laboratory for the past 5 years, both for portable power and for transportation applications. Usually, this type of direct methanol fuel cell works at elevated temperature, requiring various auxiliary components and a rather complicated control system. Such a direct methanol fuel cell does not fit the requirements for the low power battery replacement applications.
For such applications using a direct methanol fuel cell, the key challenges are to provide acceptable power output, high energy conversion efficiency, and high energy density with the cell operated in convenient conditions to the user. The typical desired operating condition are, for example, an operating temperature near room temperature, no forced air flow, no re-circulation methanol pump, and no water recovery system. In the present invention, a direct methanol fuel cell is passive, i.e., operates under no forced air (i.e., air breathing) at near room temperature. This type of cell is referred to herein as an air breathing direct methanol fuel cell (air breathing DMFC).
Various aspects of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
To achieve the foregoing and other objects, and in accordance with the purposes of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the present invention includes an air breathing direct methanol fuel cell having a membrane electrode assembly, a conductive cathode assembly permeable to air and directly open to atmospheric air, and a conductive anode assembly permeable to methanol and directly contacting a mixture of liquid methanol and water.

The Regents of the University of California