A method of mid-level pattern recognition provides for a pose invariant Hough Transform by parametrizing pairs of points in a pattern with respect to at least two reference points, thereby providing a parameter table that is scale- or rotation-invariant. A corresponding inverse transform may be applied to test hypothesized matches in an image and a distance transform utilized to quantify the level of match.

The ultimate goal of computer vision is image understanding, in other words, knowing what is within an image at every coordinate. A complete computer vision system should be able to segment an image into homogeneous portions, extract regions from the segments that are single objects, and finally output a response as to the locations of these objects and what they are.
Frameworks for image understanding consists of three, not necessarily, separate processes. Consider a representative computer vision system as shown in FIG. 1A. In the first process 11, image segmentation is performed, this consists of dividing the image into homogeneous portions that are similar based on a correlation criterion. Much of the work in computer vision has focused in this area with topics including edge detection, region growing (clustering), and thresholding as the primary methods. Image segmentation is referred to as the low-level vision (LLV) process. In the second process 12, region extraction is performed. Region extraction receives as input, the results obtained during the LLV stage. With this information region extraction, or the intermediate-level vision (ILV) process, attempts to represent the segments as single, hypothesized objects. This requires the ILV process to search for evidence on the desired region using the LLV process' output. Consequently, the third process 13 performs image understanding based on the extracted regions provided as input. The hypothesized-image understanding operation is referenced as the high-level vision (HLV) process.
Most computer vision research over the past 30 years has focused on LLV processes. Efforts to further the knowledge of ILV processes have primarily utilized LLV methods. Therefore, it remains an objective of computer vision systems to locate low-level image regions whose features best support alternative image hypotheses, developed by a high-level vision process, and provide the levels- and indicators-of-match.
There have been many attempts to solve the ILV problem utilizing a Hough Transform methodology. The Hough Transform is a particularly desirable technique for use in vision systems when the patterns in the image are sparsely digitized, for instance having gaps in the patterns or containing extraneous "noise." Such gaps and noise are common in the data provided by LLV processes such as edge detection utilized on digitally captured images. The Hough Transform was originally described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,069,654.
In an influential paper by D. H. Ballard the Hough Transform was generalized for arbitrary shapes, the technique was coined Generalized Hough Transform (GHT), Generalizing the Hough Transform to Detect Arbitrary Shapes (1981). The generalized Hough Transform is a method for locating instances of a known pattern in an image. The search pattern is parameterized as a set of vectors from feature points in the pattern to a fixed reference point. This set of vectors is the R-table. The feature points are usually edge features and the reference point is often at or near the centroid of the search pattern. The, typically Cartesian, image space is mapped into parameter or Hough space. To locate the pattern in an image, the set of feature points in the image is considered. Each image feature is considered to be each of the pattern features in turn and the corresponding locations of the reference point are calculated. An accumulator array keeps track of the frequency with which each possible reference point location is encountered. After all the image features have been processed the accumulator array will contain high values (peaks) for locations where many image features coincided with many pattern features. High peaks (relative to the number of features in the pattern) correspond to reference point locations where instances of the pattern occur in the image. The Hough Transform can be enhanced by considering rotated and shortened or lengthened versions of the vectors to locate instances of the pattern at different orientations and scales. In this case, a four dimensional accumulator array is required and the computation is increased by two orders of magnitude. The key contribution of the GHT is the use of gradient vector data to reduce the computation complexity of detecting arbitrary shapes. Unfortunately, the method's time and space complexity becomes very high by requiring the entire search of a four-dimensional Hough parameter space. For rotation- and scale-invariance, the GHT method requires a priori knowledge of the possible rotations and scales that may be encountered. More recent procedures that provide either or both of rotation and scale invariance using the Hough Transform include:
The work of Jeng and Tsai, Fast Generalized Hough Transform (1990), which proposes a new approach to the GHT where transformations are applied to the template in order to obtain rotation- and scale-invariance. The R-Table is defined as in the original GHT technique. Scale-invariance is provided by incrementing all the array positions of a Hough parameter space using another table called the SI-PSF. For rotation-invariance each position in the SI-PSF with a non-zero value generates a circle with its center at the reference point; a radius equal to the distance between the reference point and this position of the SI-PSF is calculated. Subsequently, these circles are correspondingly superimposed onto each image point in order. Obviously, each image point requires a high number of increments; the computational complexity of this method is very high if the template and the image shapes have a large number of points.
The disclosure of Thomas followed trying to compress the Hough parameter space by one degree of freedom to obtain the location of arbitrary shapes at any rotation, Compressing the Parameter Space of the Generalized Hough Transform (1992). This method considers a set of displacement vectors, {r}, such that each edge pixel with identical gradient angles increments positions in one plane of the parameter space. Thus, the original four-dimensional Hough parameter space of the GHT reduces to 3-dimensions. As a result, the technique is not scale-invariant and requires the same processing complexity as performed in the GHT.
Pao, et al., Shape Recognition Using the Straight Line Hough Transform (1992), described a technique derived from the straight-line Hough Transform. A displacement invariant signature, called the STIRS, is obtained by subtracting points in the same column of the STIRS space. Subsequently, template and image signatures are compared using a correlation operator to find rotations. Unfortunately, scale-invariance is not provided for since it must be known a priori. Experiments show that the STIRS does not work well when different shapes appear in the image.
A new version to the GHT called the Linear GHT (LIGHT) was developed by Yao and Tong, Linear Generalized Hough Transform and its Parallelization (1993). A linear numeric pattern was devised, denoted the vertical pattern, which constitutes the length of the object along the direction of a reference axis (usually the y-axis). The authors state that rotation- and scale-invariance is handled, using this new method, in much the same way it is performed by the GHT. Clearly, the same deficiencies exist for this method as it requires a large Hough parameter space and the a priori knowledge of the expected rotations and scales.
The effort of Ser and Sui, A New Generalized Hough Transform for the Detection of Irregular Objects (1995) describes an approach that merges the advantages of the Hough Transform and that of a technique called contour sequencing. The calculation of the contour sequence requires that an entire object's perimeter be available and not occluded. Thus, if a portion of the desired object is occluded, for instance—a noisy image, this method will fail.
Aguado, et al., Arbitrary Shape Hough Transform by Invariant Geometric Features (1997) approached the problem of region extraction by using the Hough Transform under general transformations. Even though this method provides for rotation- and scale-invariance, it comes at a complexity cost for derivations of shape-specific general transformations, also required for translation-invariance as well.
The most recent work by Guil, et. al. presents an algorithm based on the GHT which calculates the rotation, scale, and translation of an object with respect to a template, A Fast Hough Transform for Segment Detection (1995). The methodology consists of a three stage detection process and the creation of five new tables. Three of the tables are constructed for the template, the remaining two are used against the image. The first stage of the detection process obtains the rotation, the next gathers the scale, and finally the translation is found in the third
The complexity of this method is clearly high as the image and template are repeatedly tested using different tables to obtain the invariant values. Furthermore, the results of a previous stage are used to obtain the answer to the next stage, hence, if a previous stage fails the next one will also. The use of gradient angles is appropriate, however, dividing the original R-Table into five tables to obtain the desired invariance's has added unnecessary complexity to the problem.

Hypothesis support mechanism for mid-level visual pattern recognition

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


A system and method for producing a co-filled product. A center layer is fed through a center channel of a die face and an outer layer is fed through an outer layer of a die face. The center channel is coupled to a fluid control device which controls the flow of the center layer. The position of the fluid control device is determined by the location of a cutting blade located downstream from the die face. In one embodiment the fluid control device is synchronized to ensure that when the product is cut by the cutting blade the cutting blade does not cut through the center layer.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a system and method for making a co-filled product.
2. Description of Related Art
Extrusion of products of various profile shapes is usually accomplished by extruding through, for example, wide orifices to produce a sheet of extrudate or as another example, through an annular orifice to produce a tubular extrudate. As used herein a channel is a pipe-like feature or conduit through which product can flow, which is located within an extruder die, and which is in fluid communication with an associated orifice. Extrusion dies having multiple extrusion orifices and radial placement are widely used to make direct expanded products to achieve industrial production rates. After product is extruded it is often cut with a rotating cutting blade. Often the rotating cutting blade rotates at great speeds.
It is desirable to produce an extruded product which has a filling. The filling can add a new flavor, texture, etc. to an extruded product. Manufacturing an extruded product which comprises a filling has proven difficult as the cutting blade often pierces the filling causing it to explode or leak from the extruded product. Consequently, it is desirable to have a system and method for producing a co-filled extruded product that does not result in the exploding or leaking of the filling.

Synchronized cutting and injection system and method


In aspects of a wearable article for determining a task, a system includes a delivery device usable to administer a liquid responsive to an applied force, and includes a wearable article with multiple sensors to detect movements of the wearable article and handling of the delivery device. A task determination module is implemented to receive sensor data identifying the movements of the wearable article and the applied force, and can determine a task from a set of tasks associated with the delivery device that corresponds to the movements of the wearable article. The task determination module can then determine whether the task was performed correctly based on a comparison of the sensor data to a correct pattern of use for the task.

In a healthcare setting, professionals rely on practiced techniques to provide proper delivery of care. However, training these techniques and ensuring they are correctly performed over the long term is difficult to monitor, and improper training can have severe consequences. For instance, an amount of pressure needed to deliver medicine using a syringe to an infant is minimal and incorrect delivery can cause devastating effects. Training a new healthcare professional to perform such delicate tasks is made difficult by the lack of quantifiable instructions for both how the task should be performed and how the trainee is performing the task. Training healthcare professionals to develop proper techniques, particularly for distributing medicine, and ensuring that practiced professionals are properly delivering care, are ongoing concerns in the healthcare profession.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A yard hydrant having a valve body with a valve seat and a drain port. A closure valve disposed within the valve body and engaging the valve seat. The valve body having a conduit in fluid communication with the drain port and a hollow interior of the valve body. A check valve disposed within the conduit to prevent fluid flow from the drain port through the conduit to the hollow interior.

This invention is directed toward a yard hydrant, and more specifically to a yard hydrant that prevents contaminants and the like from entering the yard hydrant.
Yard hydrants are well known in the art and have an inlet valve connected to a water supply that is located below the frost line in the ground. When a hydrant is shut off, a drain port at the inlet valve is opened to allow water in the hydrant to drain out. The problem with this design is that ground water or other contaminants can enter the yard hydrant through the same drain port, thus creating an unacceptable cross-connection.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a yard hydrant that addresses these problems.
A principal objective of the present invention is to provide a yard hydrant that prevents backflow through the drain port.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide a yard hydrant that provides a signal when ground water leaks into the hydrant.
These and other objectives will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Yard hydrant with closure valve check valve


A method for fabricating a monolithic polybenzbisazole article including the steps of:. (a) dissolving at least one benzbisazole polymer in a strong acid at an elevated temperature; PA1 (b) transferring the resulting solution to a mold; PA1 (c) cooling the solution in the mold to a temperature below the gelation temperature of the acid-polymer mixture, thus providing a polymer-acid gel; PA1 (d) ageing the gel for about 0.25 to 10 days; PA1 (e) replacing the acid in the gel with water; PA1 (f) replacing the water in the gel with a lower aliphatic alcohol; and PA1 (g) densifying the gel.

This invention relates to the fabrication of monolithic articles using aromatic heterocyclic polymers and copolymers.
Rod-like aromatic heterocyclic polymers, as well as copolymers, are widely described in the literature. They have the potential for replacing the state-of-the-art structural materials. These polymers have repeating units of the general formula -Bz-Ar-, wherein Bz is a benzbisazole group of the formula: ##STR1## wherein X is -S-, -O- or -NH-; and wherein Ar is a para-oriented aromatic group such as ##STR2## or the like, including substituted moieties thereof. For example, poly(p-phenylene benzobisthiazole) (PBT) has superior mechanical properties and thermal stability. These polymers and copolymers are linear, and in the art are called rod-like, because the right-most bond of the repeating unit is parallel, and preferably uniaxial, with the left-most bond, regardless of the rotational aspect of the components of the unit.
However, the rigid-rod polymers and copolymers do not melt and do not possess a glass transition temperature, thus limiting their processing capability. They dissolve in strong acids and are normally processed in the solution state. They are recovered from the solution state by coagulating the polymer or copolymer with water. Inasmuch as the mixing of acid and water is exothermic, the heat generated causes void formation. Thus, the polymers and copolymers can only be processed into thin films or fibers. Bulk coagulation is difficult, if not impossible, because of void formation.
Chopped fiber reinforced plastics are currently being used in the fabrication of a wide variety of components. There are several disadvantages in the use of fiber for the reinforcement of plastic. In the case of chopped glass fibers, a large amount of fiber, generally a minimum of 30 percent by weight, is necessary for reinforcement because of the low reinforcing effect of the fiber. There is a practical processing limit on the effective fiber length. A macroscopically long fiber length is required with due regard for breaking or destruction of the fiber during processing, particularly molding.
Composite materials containing chopped fibers are generally less processable than their non-reinforced counterparts. The shape of moldings is often limited to simple block or sheet forms. Films or filaments cannot be formed from chopped glass fiber-reinforced plastics. Other disadvantages of these materials include poor surface properties of molded articles, an anisotropy in dynamic properties, molding defects due to heterogeniety of the polymeric materials, and low cycle time in processing.
A need exists for high strength reinforced composites and a method for their manufacture which possess at least the following desirable prerequisites: (1) non-reliance on fiber reinforcement for the attainment of high strength properties; (2) circumvention of the complexities of current composite fabrication procedures; and (3) elimination of any possibility of fiber-polymer interface problems.
Various attempts have been made to overcome some of the above-described disadvantages of chopped-fiber reinforced plastics. One approach described by Helminiak et al, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,207,407 and 4,377,546, comprises the dispersion of an intrinsically rigid rod-like heterocyclic polymer in a flexible, coil-like heterocyclic polymer. The result is termed a molecular composite.
The flexible coil polymers referred to above can be benzazole polymers having repeating units of the formula: ##STR3## wherein X is as described above, or benzbisazole polymers having repeating units of the general formula -Bz- Ar'-, wherein Bz is as described above and Ar' is a non-para-oriented aromatic group such as: ##STR4## or the like, including substituted moieties thereof.
While the molecular composite approach represents a valuable contribution to the art, it has certain drawbacks. As noted previously, poly(p-phenylene benzobisthiazole) (PBT) has superior mechanical properties and thermal stability. However, PBT degrades before it melts; therefore, processing of a composite containing PBT must be carried out in a solution state with an acid, such as methanesulfonic acid (MSA), as the solvent. Relatively few flexible coil polymers can be dissolved in or are stable in MSA, thus limiting the choice of matrix polymers. Molecular composites based on PBT and poly-2,5-benzimidazole (ABPBI) have been fabricated into fibers and thin films. However, ABPBI does not have a glass transition temperature (T.sub.g). Therefore, molecular composites containing ABPBI are difficult to thermally consolidate into thicker specimens. To overcome this problem, thermoplastic matrices have been used so that the molecular composite films could be laminated. One approach described by Arnold et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,977,223, comprises the dispersion of a rigid-rod aromatic heterocyclic polymer in a mixture of a thermoplastic polymer and a thermosetting polymer. However, thicker specimens fabricated using thermoplastic matrices are limited to use at temperatures below the T.sub.g of the matrix polymer(s). Conventional thermoset resins, such as bismaleimides, epoxies and the like, are not stable in the acid medium used to process the rigid-rod polymer, and cannot be used as host matrices for molecular composites.
Another drawback to molecular composites has to do with the propensity of the rod-like materials to agglomerate. Serious agglomeration can lead to structural failure.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a novel method for producing monolithic articles using rigid-rod polymers.
It is another object of this invention to provide a method for producing monolithic articles using a molecular composite.
Other objects, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following detailed description of the invention.

Fabrication of benzbisazole polymers into monolithic articles

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force


A real-time wireless parking enforcement system is provided that includes a remote parking enforcement system having a plurality of parking sensors disposed to gather parking occupancy data and at least one source of parking payment data, where the parking occupancy data and parking payment data is communicated to a central server in real-time, and a plurality of wireless mobile platforms are operated by a plurality of parking enforcement officers (PEO's). The wireless mobile platforms send and receive real-time and continuous parking occupancy data and parking payment data to and from the central server, where bidirectional communication exists between the central server and the wireless mobile platforms. When the PEO enters response information to a potential violation to the wireless mobile platform, the bidirectional communication updates the status of the potential violation to all the wireless platforms in real-time, where the information is used to reduce enforcement redundancies by the PEO's.

Presently, parking enforcement lacks a way to identify parking spaces where a high-density of parking violators exists at any specific moment. Further, there is a need for deploying enforcement personnel with increased efficiency while avoiding conflicts where multiple officers attempt to cite vehicles already cited or determined to be legally parked by other officers.


Circuitry is disclosed for emulating asynchronous clear on each of a read address register of a memory cell and a data output register of a memory cell such that the memory cell can be defined in a memory structure that does not support asynchronous clear capability. The emulation includes defining the memory cell to have a registered read address input and a data output connected to an input of a multiplexer. The register connected to the read address input of the multiplexer does not include an asynchronous clear connection. The data transmitted from the memory cell to the multiplexer is output from the multiplexer when an asynchronous clear signal has not been asserted. However, the multiplexer is further connected to output either null data or a ground signal in lieu of the data transmitted from the memory cell when an asynchronous clear signal has been asserted.

Memory structures in modern integrated circuit designs may include an asynchronous clear capability to enable clearing of data within the memory structure without coordination with a clock signal used to drive the integrated circuit. However, situations can arise in which the asynchronous clear capability is not supported by either a stock memory architecture or logic synthesis software used to design the integrated circuit. For example, a field programmable gate array (FPGA) can be defined to include separate memory and logic structures, wherein the memory structure is defined to support efficient implementation of memory components. Additionally, the aforementioned FPGA may not be capable of supporting an asynchronous clear function in the memory structure.
In designing the aforementioned FPGA, the memory components associated with the asynchronous clear functionality could be defined from scratch in the logic structure of the FPGA. However, defining asynchronous memory components in the logic structure of the FPGA consumes a large amount of the available logic structure and can lead to adverse FPGA performance issues. Furthermore, when using design software to design the FPGA, extremely long design compilation times can result from explicitly defining a large number of memory components that support asynchronous clear function in the logic structure of the FPGA. Additionally, the design software may simply not be able to handle the explicit definition of a large number of asynchronous memory components in the logic structure of the FPGA.
In view of the foregoing, a solution is needed for defining asynchronous memory components in a FPGA without having to define the asynchronous memory components explicitly outside of a memory structure provided by the FPGA.

Apparatus for emulating asynchronous clear in memory structure and method for implementing the same


A stereo video image display apparatus includes a data obtaining unit, a video image generator and an image quality degradation unit. The data obtaining unit obtains left eye video image data and right eye video image data. The video image generator generates sequential data in which a left eye video image data sequence repeating the left eye video image data and a right eye video image data sequence repeating the right eye video image data are arranged alternately to generate a control signal controlling opening and closing of shutter glasses according to the sequential data. The image quality degradation unit processes image quality degradation for object data which is frame data corresponding to one frame either before the switching between the left eye video image data and the right eye video image data and one frame after the switching, or two frames before and after the switching.

The present invention relates to a stereo video image display apparatus and a stereo video image display method that displays a video image which is perceived as a stereo video image through shutter glasses.
Recently, there has been highlighted a stereo video image technique in which two video images of right and left video image data sets having binocular parallax (left eye video image data and right eye video image data) are alternately displayed on a display unit with a predetermined frame period to cause a user wearing shutter glasses to perceive a stereo video image.
The shutter glasses are configured to have two shutters which are opened and closed in synchronization with a predetermined frame period of the video image data, and open a left eye shutter and close a right eye shutter during a period in which a left eye video image is displayed on a display unit according to the left eye video image data. On the other hand, the shutter glasses are configured to open the right eye shutter and close the left eye shutter during a period in which a right eye video image is displayed on the display unit according to the right eye video image data (e.g., Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H08 (1996)-327961, and Patent Literature 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H06 (1994)-178325).
When the left eye video image and the right video image are displayed alternately, since video image switching speed is limited in a display unit, a part of one video image of the left eye video image and the right eye video image remains as a residual image and is mixed to be displayed into the other video image. As a result of this, so-called crosstalk is caused. When the crosstalk is caused, an outline of an object or the like is visually recognized doubly by a user, for example, and a poor video image is obtained.
Accordingly, there has been used a configuration in which each of the left eye video image of the same frame and the right eye video image of the same frame is displayed continuously in plural times. For example, when the left eye video image is switched to the right eye video image and a part of the left eye video image is mixed into the right eye video image to cause the crosstalk, the right eye video image of the same frame is displayed again immediately. Then, in the case of liquid crystal monitor, for example, a voltage or the like for displaying the video image of the same frame is applied in plural times. Thereby, compared to the case of the voltage application only in one time, it is possible to shorten a time required for switching the left eye video image mixed into the right eye video image, completely to the right eye video image. However, the crosstalk remains even though a short time immediately after the left eye video image has been switched to the right eye video image or the right eye video image has been switched to the left eye video image.
Accordingly, there is known a technique which suppresses an influence of the crosstalk by closing both of the two left and right shutters during a period in which a video image having the crosstalk is displayed. Further, sometimes there is used a countermeasure of switching off a backlight during a period in which a video image having the crosstalk is displayed. However, in both cases, a time in which the left eye video image and the right eye video image are recognized visually becomes shorter, thereby resultantly brightness of the video image to be perceived is decreased.

Stereo video image display apparatus and stereo video image display method


The present invention provides a plasma processing apparatus. The apparatus includes a vacuum chamber, a plasma reactor arranged in the vacuum chamber for plasma processing, an RF power source for providing RF signals to the plasma reactor and an RF power transmission unit for transmitting RF signals from the RF power source to the plasma reactor inside the vacuum chamber. The RF power transmission unit includes a transmission line for transmitting RF signals and an outer conductor for shielding the electromagnetic field around the transmission line. The invention can effectively avoid the problem of electric discharge when RF signals transmit in a vacuum chamber, resulting in more security and less transmission power loss.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to solar cell manufacturing, and more particularly, to a plasma processing apparatus for fabricating thin film solar cells.
2. Background of the Invention
Recently, large-area plasma processing apparatus have been widely used in the semiconductor field, such as thin film deposition or etching, for manufacturing such as flat panels and thin film solar cells. Radio-frequency (RF) power and frequency required for plasma processing are becoming higher and higher with the increase of processing size.
In the current large-area plasma processing apparatus, the technique of double vacuum chambers is widely applied and the plasma reactor is placed inside a vacuum outer chamber, which protects the relatively fragile plasma reactor. However, as the RF power source is independently placed outside the vacuum outer chamber, it is needed to use RF power transmission line to transmit RF signals to an RF electrode inside the plasma reactor. As the vacuum chamber is not completely vacuumed but contains such gases as nitrogen, argon, silane and hydrogen, the condition for discharge can be easily satisfied when high power RF signals pass through the RF power transmission line.
The discharge generated in the vacuum chamber may cause problems as follows: RF signals can not be effectively transmitted to the plasma reactor due to power losses, which may affect the plasma processing. High power discharge may destroy the transmission line, RF power source and other electronic circuits of the apparatus, and even bring about safety accidents. Therefore, how to transmit RF signals effectively and safely has become an urgent problem to be solved for the plasma processing apparatus. Theoretically, increasing vacuum degree can reduce the probability of discharge, but it is hardly possible to create an environment with absolute vacuum. Moreover, the increase of vacuum degree also correspondingly increases the use cost of apparatus.

IDEAL ENERGY (SHANGHAI) SUNFLOWER THIN FILM EQUIPMENT, LTD.


A technique for improving the scrambling concealment of a video signal and the like when displayed on a television set or monitor, includes the pulse width and/or pulse position modulation of a horizontal sync pulse in a horizontal blanking interval by time shifting the leading edge of the sync pulse while maintaining the trailing edge thereof stationary, by shifting the leading and/or trailing edge of the pulse, or by position modulating a sync pulse of specialized width. In modifications to the pulse width and pulse position modulation overlay techniques, the negative edge of the end of video lines may be modulated in the same way that the leading edge of the sync pulse is modulated, with the two edges locked together or modulated independently. Thus, the amount of position modulation of the horizontal sync pulse or its edge(s) is maximized so that the pertinent circuits of all television sets will always detect, and thus lock onto, the modulated or wobbling pulse width or pulse position modulated sync pulse. The embodiment in which the negative edges of the ends of video lines are modulated along with the sync pulses, insures that all television sets will lock onto a wobbling edge. This insures the concealment of the video signal, or equivalent signal, in all possible situations and for all types of television sets or monitors. An associated technique also is disclosed for descrambling the scrambled video signal when authorized.

The invention relates to the scrambling concealment of a video or other time-domain information signal when displayed on a monitor or screen, to prevent unauthorized viewing thereof and, more particularly, to a technique for increasing the effectiveness of a horizontal sync overlay signal by selectively modulating a specialized sync pulse of the signal, to thereby maximize the concealment when the signal is displayed on any type of television set. The invention also includes an associated technique for demodulating the scrambled signal to provide a descrambled, viewable video signal when authorized.
There are various techniques used at present to provide scrambling concealment, and to provide descrambling, of a time domain information signal such as video signals. The purpose of such techniques is to prevent the unauthorized use of the signals. In the case of a video type of information signal, the unauthorized use which is prevented is the visual display of the signals for purposes of entertainment or instruction. Such signals are vulnerable to unauthorized use, for example, when they are broadcast over a satellite or microwave link, or when transported in the form of recordings on video tape, discs, and the like. It follows that it is highly desirable to prevent unauthorized users from successfully intercepting transmitted signals or from successfully viewing recorded signals.
To achieve the desired optimum results, a scrambling concealment technique must at least meet two conditions. First, the technique must always provide total and thus effective concealment of displayed pictures and, second, the technique must always work, that is, must always securely effect total concealment in all concealment situations and regardless of the types of monitors or television sets being used to view the signal.
Typical of present techniques for scrambling video signals to provide concealment thereof are those techniques known for example as video signal inversion, horizontal sync pulse suppression, interfering signal superimposed on the program video, video time line shifting or "wobbling", etc.
In the technique of video inversion, the video signal is "mapped" from white-to-black and vice versa or, in a color video signal, from a given color to its complementary color. Video inversion offers some concealment of the television picture but is ineffective, for example, for program material containing text.
Sync suppression of the horizontal sync pulses (H sync) is reasonably effective but the extent of its concealment is dependent upon scene content such as, for example, the average picture level. If the video inversion and/or sync suppression techniques are used together, the concealment may be less effective, especially when the techniques are used with "letter boxed" movies, because the properties of the inverted video in letter boxed movies may cause the pertinent circuits of the television set to use the stable letter boxed portion of the inverted video signal (for example, the top and bottom portions of the screen) rather than the unstable sync signal to provide a horizontal sync for the set. The properties of "letter boxed" movies are further explained below.
The technique of adding an interfering signal to the video signal to conceal it may be effective, but unscrambling the concealed video signal is very difficult. Thus the technique is impractical generally due to the resulting small nonlinearities generated throughout the television transmission and reception system.
A disadvantage of the line time shifting technique is that the scrambled signal is not completely concealed when viewed on a television set. That is, while very annoying, the resulting horizontally jumping picture still can be watched and partly understood by a determined viewer, whereby the technique does not provide an adequate level of concealment for all program material.
A majority of the above mentioned disadvantages of the various scrambling concealment techniques discussed above are overcome by, for example, the scrambling technique disclosed in the application Ser. No. 08/400,831, incorporated by reference, of previous mention. In this technique, the horizontal sync signal is time shifted, or "wiggled", to add a concealment overlay to the main time shifting scrambling system. That is, there is provided a further modification of the video signal, which obscures the picture when viewed prior to descrambling to thus prevent an unauthorized user from seeing a recognizable picture. A typical horizontal sync overlay scrambling technique includes an embodiment which involves time shifting the location of the horizontal sync pulse in each line of video in a pseudo random fashion from line to line. In a second embodiment, the sync pulse is time shifted in more complex fashion by the application of two genuinely random shifting patterns to thereby wiggle the sync pulse location from line to line in the more complex fashion.
This typical horizontal sync overlay scrambling technique likewise experiences various disadvantages. It was found that with some types of television (TV) sets, the wobbling effectiveness was related to the wobbling (modulating) frequency and to the wiggled horizontal sync pulse width and, of course, to the amount of sync pulse positional displacement. For example, since the standard horizontal sync pulse is about 4.7 microseconds (.mu.s) in width and occurs during a standard 10.9.+-..2 .mu.s horizontal blanking interval, there is a decided limitation on the degree of time shift that can be applied to the horizontal sync pulse on successive lines. For example, the available time shift may comprise.+-.1.5 .mu.s. It follows therefore that there is a decided limitation on the corresponding amount of positional displacement and thus of concealment that is imparted to the scrambled picture.
To get maximum effectiveness it would appear that using a horizontal sync pulse of very narrow width of about 2 to 2.3 .mu.s will allow for the maximum wobbling displacement within the horizontal blanking interval and thus provide a corresponding maximum concealment of the signal. However, with more modern TV sets, for example the multiple television standard sets in existence today which employ very high speed horizontal automatic frequency control (AFC) circuits, a very narrowed wobbling horizontal sync can be construed by the pertinent AFC circuit of the TV sets as noise and thus ignored. The whole purpose of the horizontal sync overlay concealment is to have the modified horizontal sync pulses, that purposely are modulated, consistently be sync separated in the television set so that the AFC horizontal phase lock loop (H PLL) in the set always will lock onto the wobbling sync pulse to cause concealment of the signal when it subsequently is displayed on the TV set. It was found however, that if the modulated horizontal sync pulses are too narrow, the television set conceals very little due to the fact that the H PLL does not lock onto the very narrow sync pulses.
Some concealment is made possible when using the very narrow horizontal sync pulses, but these may have to be modulated at a substantially lower frequency. To illustrate the problem, in the instance where a television set locks onto the wobbling sync pulse and provides full concealment, the modulating frequency may be as high as 1000 Hz or higher. In a situation where a TV set construes the wobbling horizontal sync pulse as too narrow and doesn't lock onto the modulating frequency, minor concealment will occur if the frequency used is about 100 Hz to 1000 Hz. Even in this latter situation more of the concealment can be recovered by lowering the frequency of the horizontal sync position modulation to less than about 20 Hz (3 Hz to 10 Hz typical).
Thus, the above technique is not an optimal solution for increasing concealment for the types of TV sets of previous mention which don't respond well to very narrow wiggled horizontal sync pulses. Further, lowering the modulating frequency to recover some concealment means that small text or information on screen is not well concealed, because a higher frequency for the wiggled horizontal sync pulses is desirable when attempting to conceal text.
Accordingly, the problems of the scrambling concealment techniques first enumerated above, may be circumvented by the horizontal sync overlay technique discussed immediately above, wherein the horizontal sync pulse is selectively time shifted, but the width of the horizontal sync pulse is narrowed to on the order of 2 to 2.3 .mu.s. The resulting available time shift, or pulse position modulation, within the horizontal blanking interval is of the order of .+-.2 .mu.s which in most instances provides effective concealment of, for example, text in a scrambled video program signal. However, in a situation where the video inversion technique of previous mention is used alone or in combination with other scrambling techniques in concealing letter boxed movies or programs, the very narrow width horizontal sync pulse overlay technique proves to be inadequate when the movies are played on the certain types of television sets of previous discussion. Such television sets, including the multiple television standard types of sets mentioned above, respond to the letter boxed portion of a video signal as if it were the horizontal sync signal, rather than detecting and thus responding to the very narrow width horizontal sync pulse. That is, the wiggled horizontal sync pulse of narrowed width is not detected by the sync separator circuit of the television set when displaying the video signal. Instead, the sync separator circuit locks onto a stable portion of the letter boxed video signal, as is further described below. It follows that under these conditions, the scrambling horizontal sync overlay technique using a wiggled, very narrow sync pulse fails to consistently provide effective concealment of the corresponding displayed video signal.
Accordingly, it is highly desirable to provide a scrambling concealment technique in which effective concealment is assured in every situation and regardless of the type of television set used in an attempt to display the scrambled video signal.

Method and apparatus for optimizing scrambling concealment of a video signal by modifying a specialized sync pulse


An adjustment mechanism for a vehicle brake uses an electric motor to adjust brake clearance based on brake temperature and wheel speed. A temperature sensor transmits brake temperature data to a controller. If a brake is dragging during non-braking events, the controller identifies an increase in brake temperature and actuates the electric motor to increase brake clearance. The controller also adjusts brake clearance to accommodate for brake wear. When wheel speed is above a predetermined speed value, the controller actuates the electric motor to move a non-rotating brake component toward a rotating brake component until a predetermined temperature increase is sensed. Once the predetermined temperature increase is identified, the electric motor moves the non-rotating brake component away from the rotating brake component to provide an optimized brake clearance.

Vehicle brakes include adjustment mechanisms that adjust brake clearance, which comprises a distance between a brake pad and a rotating brake rotor when the vehicle brake is not applied. A minimum brake clearance is required such that brake pads do not drag against the brake rotor. As brake pads wear, the brake clearance increases, which can adversely affect the capability of the vehicle brake to achieve maximum brake torque. To compensate for this an adjustment mechanism is used to move the brake pads toward the brake rotor as the pad wears.
One type of known adjustment mechanism utilizes a mechanical adjustment system that operates in a manner similar to that of a clutch with a known amount of backlash. One disadvantage with this type of system is that if over-adjustment occurs, then the brakes drag. This decreases the overall life of the brake pads.
Another type of adjustment mechanism utilizes electric adjusters to adjust brake clearance. Typically these systems mimic the existing mechanical adjustment mechanism. These types of systems are often complex, expensive, and time consuming to install. Thus, there is a need for a simplified and cost-effective adjustment system that optimizes brake clearance, and which can adjust for brake wear as well as brake drag.

Temperature based clearance control for vehicle brake


A vehicle trailer hitch mounted table and chairs which can be used for tailgate parties. The seats on the chairs swivel, and the table includes a dismountable umbrella. The table, chairs and umbrella can be dismounted from the vehicle, or can be changed to a traveling position in which the umbrella and table top are removed, and the seats are attached to the frame of the device, which is still mounted to the trailer hitch of the vehicle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a table and chair apparatus, and more particularly to a table and chair device which attaches to a trailer hitch of a vehicle.
2. Background Information
Picnics and outdoor parties have long been a favorite pastime of Americans. In recent years, a particular type of outdoor party or picnic has become increasingly popular, and is known as the tailgate party. The typical tailgate party might occur in the parking lot outside a sports arena, before the sports exhibition has begun. These tailgate parties typically involve consuming food and beverages which may not be available inside the sporting arena, and which add to the enjoyment of the sporting event. Consuming these foods and beverages normally takes place in or around the vehicles of the participants, and the tailgate of a station wagon or a pickup truck may become the impromptu kitchen counter and seating bench of the tailgate party.
Another use for a vehicle mounted table and chair is when camping. Sport utility vehicles, pickups, station wagons, and RVs are used in camping, with or without a towed trailer or camper. For camping situations, an attached table and chair can add a comfort feature to camping, or provide a lunch spot while on mountain biking, hiking, or other excursions involving vehicles.
Although table and chair devices have been used for millennia, none are specially adapted for use in the tailgate party or camping setting. The prior art contains a number of devices which are designed to mount on a trailer hitch mount of a vehicle. These include work tables for performing a technician's work in the field, load stabilizers for stabilizing a long load of pipes or lumber, bike racks, outboard motor mounts, and cargo carrier platforms. None of these devices are specifically adapted for use in a tailgate party setting, attached to a vehicle.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a table with attached chairs, all of which mount on a vehicle. It is another object of the invention that such a device mount in the towing hitch of the vehicle. It is another object of the invention that such device is removable, and easily storable in a traveling position. It is another object of the invention that the table and chairs are mountable on the rear of the vehicle when the tailgate is in the down position.
Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description as 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.


A structure and method of a semiconductor device with liner air gaps next to interconnects and dielectric layers. A dielectric layer is formed over a lower dielectric layer and a lower interconnect over a substrate. We form an interconnect opening in the dielectric layer. The opening has sidewalls of the dielectric layer. A sacrificial liner is formed over the sidewalls of the interconnect opening. An upper interconnect is formed that fills the opening. We remove the sacrificial liner/spacers to form (air) liner gaps.

1). Field of the Invention
The embodiments of the invention relates generally to fabrication of semiconductor devices and relates to air-gap-containing metal/insulator interconnect structures for Very Large Scale Integrated (VLSI) and Ultra Large Scale Integrated (ULSI)semiconductor devices and packaging, and more particularly to structures, methods, and materials relating to the incorporation of voids, cavities or air gaps into multiple levels of multilayer interconnect structures for reducing wiring capacitance.
2). Description of the Prior Art
Copper interconnects are formed using a dual damascene process. The incorporation of low-k insulator material may be accomplished by depositing an etch stop layer and a first layer of low-k dielectric material over a copper interconnect. This may be followed by an optional etch stop barrier insulator and then a second layer of low-k material. A via is then etched through the second layer of low-k material, any etch stop barrier insulator, and the first layer of low-k dielectric material to reach the copper interconnect. A trench is then etched into the second layer of low-k material to aid in forming another layer of copper interconnects. Barrier metal and copper are deposited by sputtering, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), electrochemical deposition, or a combination of these methods. The deposited copper, and possibly the barrier metal, will then be planarized using chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) to form copper interconnects.
Air gaps have been used for intra-level insulators for copper, while using silicon oxide or low-k at the inter-level dielectric layers. The air gaps are formed by decomposing sacrificial polymer. However, prior art air gaps can be improved.
The importance of this technical subject is evidenced by the extensive technological development directed to the subject, as documented by the relevant patent and technical literature. The more relevant technical developments in the patent literature can be gleaned by considering the following.
US 20020158337 A1—Babich, et al.—Multilayer interconnect structure containing air gaps and method for making—an air-gap-containing interconnect wiring structure is described incorporating a solid low-k dielectric in the via levels, and a composite solid plus air-gap dielectric in the wiring levels.
US 20010016412 A1—Lee, Ellis; et al. Interconnect structure with air gap compatible with unlanded vias.
US 20020127844 A1—Grill et al.—Multilevel interconnect structure containing air gaps and method for making.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,495,906 Smith, et al.—Simplified process for producing nanoporous silica—relates to low dielectric constant nanoporous silica films and to processes for their manufacture. A substrate, e.g., a wafer suitable for the production of an integrated circuit, having a plurality of raised lines and/or electronic elements present on its surface, is provided with a relatively high porosity, low dielectric constant, silicon-containing polymer film composition.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,670,022 Wallace, et al.—Nanoporous dielectric films with graded density and process for making such films—relates to nanoporous dielectric films and to a process for their manufacture. A substrate having a plurality of raised lines on its surface is provided with a relatively high porosity, low dielectric constant, silicon containing polymer composition positioned between the raised lines and a relatively low porosity, high dielectric constant, silicon containing composition positioned on the lines.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,423,630 Catabay, et al.—Process for forming low K dielectric material between metal lines—A process is disclosed for forming low k dielectric material between and over a plurality of spaced apart metal lines previously formed over a dielectric layer of an integrated circuit structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,642,138 Pan, et al.—Process of making dual damascene structures using a sacrificial polymer—A method is provided to deposit and pattern a sacrificial polymer, and form metal layers. A double hard mask is used to pattern and etch the sacrificial polymer. The double hard mask may be formed at temperatures below 400.degree. C. The sacrificial polymer is capable of being decomposed to become air gaps during annealing.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,342,722 Armacost, et al.—Integrated circuit having air gaps between dielectric and conducting lines.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,423,629—Ahn, et al.—Multilevel copper interconnects with low-k dielectrics and air gaps.

Structure and method of liner air gap formation

Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing LTD


An apparatus for processing a workpiece can be exemplarily characterized as including a processing tool having a processing region within which a workpiece can be processed, and an illumination system configured to direct detection light into the processing region. In this embodiment, detection light directable by the illumination system has a wavelength to which the workpiece is at least partially opaque. The apparatus may further include an image sensor configured to detect a characteristic of the detection light transmitted through the processing region and a chuck configured to support a workpiece such that at least a portion of the workpiece is disposable within the processing region and is illuminatable by the detection light. Methods for processing a workpiece are also disclosed.

Embodiments of the present invention exemplarily described herein relate generally to methods and apparatuses for processing workpieces. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention exemplarily described herein relate to methods and apparatuses for processing workpieces in which light is directed onto one side of a processed workpiece and the light is detected on another side of the workpiece.
Within the semiconductor industry, substrate dicing is a critical aspect of package assembly that facilitates all subsequent operations in an assembly process. Dicing is conventionally performed using a mechanical saw. The thickness of the semiconductor substrates (typically formed of silicon) can be reduced to enable through-silicon via (TSVs), stacked memory, interposer, micro electro-mechanical (MEM), and system-in-package (SIP) technologies. However when reduced in thickness to below about 50 μm, the substrate becomes increasingly flexible, fragile and difficult to dice by traditional mechanical dicing techniques. Laser-based dicing techniques, which use laser light to remove substrate material by ablation, have been developed to address shortcomings of traditional mechanical dicing. Nevertheless, it can be difficult ensure that the right amount of material is removed to dice the substrate. If too much laser energy is applied to an area of the substrate, the laser may damage supporting structures such as a die-attach-film (DAF), a chuck, and the like. If too little laser energy is applied, the substrate will not be diced.

Method and apparatus for processing workpieces


Embodiments of the subject matter described herein relate to generating a decision tree based on data pre-statistics. A plurality of data samples for a node of the decision tree are obtained, and the plurality of data samples have corresponding feature values with respect to a first feature. A target range is determined from a plurality of predefined numerical ranges so that the number of feature values falling into the target range is greater than a predetermined threshold number. Then, the remaining of the feature values other than the feature values falling into the target range are assigned to the respective numerical ranges, and the feature values falling into all the numerical ranges are counted based on the assignment of the remaining of the feature values, for allocation of the plurality of data samples to child nodes of the node. Accordingly, the data processing efficiency is substantially improved.

A decision tree is one technology widely used in a machine learning model or process. With this technology, non-linear correlation between data may be modeled and an interpretable result may be achieved, without extra feature preprocessing such as normalization. When combined with different loss functions, the decision tree may be used across a wide variety of fields of classification, regression, ranking, and the like. Furthermore, when the decision tree is combined with different ensemble technologies such as bagging and boosting, various decision tree algorithms may be derived, which include, for example, Random Forest, Gradient Boosting Decision Tree (GBDT), and the like. As an example, in combination with the different loss functions and ensemble technologies, the decision tree has been widely used in the following network (for example, Web) applications: document ranking in web searching, click prediction of an advertisement target, and the like.
In the decision tree algorithms, a single tree is fitted by recursively splitting nodes starting from a root. A conventional process of generating a decision tree requires considerable accesses to training data, and such frequent accesses will inevitably introduce a very large processing delay and substantially reduces a processing efficiency.

Pre-statistics of data for node of decision tree


A dynamic virtual hinge closure used for controlled, reliable, and measured dispensing of a variety of substances with extensive compliance and child-resistance features. A hook integral with the container engages with a slot in a ledge of the lid to create a virtual hinge each time the closure is opened. The hook dynamically disengages with the slot each time the closure is closed. The lid can be hinged to open perpendicularly, horizontally, or vertically. The lid which opens vertically may include a pump device for dispensing liquids or sprays. A twisted elastic band may alternatively be used to function as the virtual hinge. Child-resistance can be accomplished with a pressure member which may be inserted into the lid. Monitoring is accomplished by markers positioned on one part of the external cylindrical front surface of the lid. A reversible lid, composed of only one part, provides for either side featuring any combination of the four possibilities, (i.e. A lid with/without compliance and with/without child-resistance).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to container closures, in particular, to a dynamically created virtual hinge closure which provides enhanced compliance utility for dispensers and containers.
2. Background Information
The present invention may be utilized in closures for food, cleaning products, toxic substances, drugs, lens covers, fertilizers etc.
This hinge may attach directly to a container or may attach to (or overlay) the top of an existing dispenser. The dynamic virtual hinge closure provides a synergistic effect when used to overlay dispensers such as pull-push, pumps,, tilt-top, roll-on, sponge-tip, sprays etc. Dynamic virtual hinge closures have extremely widespread utility.
An important current use is for both prescription and over-the-counter products. Recent demographic and sociologic changes in our society as well as medical advances have resulted in an increasing population of elderly as well as an increasing population of children in child-care facilities.
Many of the elderly are taking several medicaments, multiple times daily and the children in child-care facilities are often medicated by their daytime caretakers. These demographic and sociologic shifts, have resulted in increased incidence of noncompliance with prescribed medication regimens. The elderly, in addition to being the most likely to be impaired by poor memory, reduced visual acuity (including the blind), and diminished physical strength and dexterity, are usually taking a number of medicaments on a frequent basis, thus compounding the possibilities for serious harm to themselves. It is also important that child-care personnel have a simple way to determine whether particular children are due medication and also the dose amount.
Additionally, it is important for the parent to know whether the child has been given his/her medication during the parents absence. Although an improved compliance closure is especially required by both the younger and older population segments, everyone would benefit from an improved closure which remains attached to the container when opened, adapts easily for monitored dispensing and child-resistance, can be attached to a variety of existing dispenser types, is easy to use, simple to understand, durable, reliable, reusable, and also inexpensive to manufacture.
Four recent closures possessing many of these features have been disclosed by U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,749,093 to Trick; 4,753,189 to Mastman et al.; 4,913,083 to Valvo et al.; 5,040,691 to Hayes et al. These recently invented closures do not approach the comprehensive utility, structural simplicity, and reliability that is made possible by the dynamic virtual hinge of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,749,093 to Trick and 4,753,189 to Mastman et al. each contain at least one additional and moving part. That part is located within the cap, contains the indicia, and cooperates rotatably within the cap. This invention advantageously does not contain any moving and/or additional parts or verbal indicia.
Unlike these related art references, the dynamic virtual hinge closure is uniquely independent. The virtual hinge closure can be configured about most existing dispensers such as nasal sprays or eye drops, to provide for monitored dispensing of a pre-measured liquid amount with optional child-resistance features. U.S. Pat. No. 4,913,083 to Valvo et al. must be replaced by the user in the proper position. Incorrect replacement could cause dispensing errors. The virtual hinge closure of the present invention dynamically attaches to the dispenser when opened, thus eliminating this problem.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,040,691 to Hayes et al. discloses a child-resistant closure. The hinge member 78,144 is fixed with respect to the skirt 73,142. Therefore, the hinge does not rotatably hold the lid 72,143 to the container in the closed position and compliance is not achieved.
These related art inventions function as child-resistant only. The present invention advantageously allows the user to switch this feature back and forth for repeated usage by different family members, while advantageously utilizing the familiar, already tested, motions of "PUSH DOWN and TURN", for child-resistance or "PULL UP and TURN" in a different child-resistant embodiment which requires less strength to open and only one part.
The related art closures require the pharmacist to stock and attach different caps and/or containers for different dispensing frequencies. The present invention advantageously utilizes both the same virtual hinge lid and container for different dispensing frequencies eliminating the need to dispense and maintain inventory of different lids and containers.
Unlike these related art closures, the dynamic virtual hinge closure of the present invention advantageously enables conversion to a child-resistant compliance closure for pre-configured over-the-counter dispensers and prescription containers, thus providing for the dispensing of different substance forms such as solids, liquids, powders and sprays.


A security management system, comprising: an authentication unit for authenticating an operator of an operating terminal in order to determine whether the operator is permitted to log in or release a lock; a current operator information inquiry unit for inquiring for login status information and current operator information; an authority information inquiry unit for inquiring for authority information regarding the operator and that regarding the current operator; a lock unit for detecting an event, where a predetermined lock condition is satisfied, in the login status to allow the operating terminal to change to a lock status, and for allowing the operating terminal to change to an operable status in response to a login instruction or an instruction for a release; and a lock control unit for transmitting the instruction for a release to the lock unit when a predetermined condition is satisfied.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a security management system, a medical device and a security managing method, the device and method being capable of ensuring security management in accordance with the authority of a user (operator) or a user group when the user or user group logs into or logs off an operating terminal, or releases an operating screen lock, and more particularly, the system, device and method being capable of responding to demands specific to medical services
2. Description of the Related Art
Hitherto, security management for access to data (information) stored in various systems, such as computers, has been performed. According to known security management techniques, a user or a group that the user belongs to is permitted to operate predetermined functions. In other words, the user or group is authorized to login to a predetermined device and perform processing, e.g., read, write, or delete data, or execute other processing.
According to one of the above-mentioned techniques (e.g., Non-patent Document 1), security policies are managed and a login prompt accompanying authentication by the identical code(ID) and password of a user is performed. When an operating terminal of a computer is not operated for predetermined time, the screen of a display device is locked so that others cannot operate the computer, thus preventing unauthorized access to various pieces of data.
For instance, a commercial operating system capable of setting an executable function every group to which a user belongs to is realized. According to this system, a user or a user group, which is authorized to log in to the system and perform processing, e.g., write, read, or delete data, or execute other processing, can be set every file or directory. In this case, to operate the system through an operating terminal, the user or user group has to login with authentication. When the user terminates the system operation, the user has to logout. To operate the system next time, the user has to again login with authentication.
In addition to the above login/logout functions, the operating terminal provides a function of activating a screen saver to lock the screen of a display device when the operating terminal of the system is not operated for predetermined time or a predetermined key is operated. According to this function, any other users cannot operate the system unless the logined (logged-in) user releases the screen lock with authentication in the same way as in login.
However, to protect information, e.g., personal information regarding patients, stored in a medical device, such as a medical image diagnostic device or a hospital information system (HIS), or restrict persons permitted to operate the medical device, when a user (operator) or a group that the user belongs to is authenticated to login to the device and the authority corresponding to that logined user is authorized to login or release an screen lock in a manner similar to the known security management techniques, various problems occur.
First, in general medical image diagnostic devices, an examination or a diagnosis has to be available at any time. Therefore, the following security management is impermissible: While a screen saver is activated on an operating terminal and an operating screen is locked, an only logined user can release the screen lock. In the above security management, if the user who operates the operating terminal omits to release the screen lock and leaves the terminal, an examination or a diagnosis using the medical image diagnostic device cannot be performed.
According to the known security management techniques, an only logined user can release the screen lock. Disadvantageously, security management responding to demands specific to the above-mentioned medical services cannot be ensured.
Second, differently from general electronic equipment, in many medical image diagnostic devices, it is undesirable to turn off the device or terminate a system because the operating screen of an operating terminal is locked. The reason is as follows: In the medical image diagnostic device, it is necessary to immediately start an examination when a patient arrived. If the device is turned off or the system is terminated, it takes much time to restart the system. Disadvantageously, it is difficult to immediately start an examination.
According to the known security management techniques, when a different user wants to use the system while an operating screen is locked, that user cannot release the screen lock. Therefore, in order to permit a different user to operate the medical image diagnostic device, the device has to be turned off, alternatively, the system has to be terminated.
Third, it is necessary to permit a non-enrolled user, who is not authorized to login yet, to operate the medical image diagnostic device and urgently perform an examination using the device. However, according to the known security management techniques, even when the non-enrolled user has to urgently perform an examination, the user cannot login to the medical image diagnostic device because he or she is not authorized to login.
Fourth, according to the known security management techniques, if a user wants to logout the medical image diagnostic device and again login to the device, a diagnostic application of the medical image diagnostic device has to be restarted each time the user logins to the device. Disadvantageously, it takes much time to restart the diagnostic application. It is difficult to immediately start an examination.
For the reason that the above-mentioned problems exist, the most of the former medical image diagnostic device is automatically ready to start an examination on the operation manual after a power supply of medical image diagnostic device was turned on. In this case, anyone can touch the operation terminal and information such as patient's individual information can be read with such the known medical image diagnostic device. Therefore, the former medical image diagnostic device has a security risk for leakage of the information.

Security management system, medical device and method for managing security


The present invention relates to a building platform (100) for building up a workpiece (200) in layers or continuously by stereolithography, comprising: a rear illumination device (101-1) for illuminating a layer (103-n) from a rear side; a photosensor (105) for detecting a light intensity of a light from a front illumination device (101-2) through the layer (103-n) and/or a material and/or a deflecting mirror; and a control device (107) for activating the rear illumination device (101-1) when the detected light intensity of the front illumination device (101-2) is above a predetermined threshold.

Because of the absorption properties of light-curing materials that are used for a stereolithography process, the light output of the mask projection is in some cases not sufficient to generate sufficient adhesion of the workpiece to the building platform, which overcomes the separating forces at the trough floor so that the component keeps adhering to the trough floor during a separation attempt. This can be achieved by way of an active and temporary increase in the adhesion of the base layers to the building platform by means of rear illumination at the building platform surface.
EP 2 337 667 B1 and corresponding US2011310370A1, US2014044824A1, U.S. Pat. No. 8,623,264B2, and U.S. Pat. No. 9,067,359B2, which US publications are hereby incorporated by reference, relate to a device for processing light-polymerizable material. A rear illumination device integrated into the building platform is connected to the control system of the printer and controlled by the printer control system for the first layers in the building process.

Building platform for building up a workpiece in layers or continuously


A system and method for managing optical power for controlling thermal alteration of a sample undergoing spectroscopic analysis is provided. The system includes a moveable laser beam generator for irradiating the sample and a beam shaping device for moving and shaping the laser beam to prevent thermal overload or build up in the sample. The moveable laser beam generator includes at least one beam shaping device selected from the group consisting of at least one optical lens, at least one optical diffractor, at least one optical path difference modulator, at least one moveable mirror, at least one Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) integrated circuit (IC), and/or a liquid droplet. The system also includes an at least two degree of freedom (2 DOF) moveable substrate platform and a controller for controlling the laser beam generator and the substrate platform, and for analyzing light reflected from the sample.

1. Field of the Invention
The teachings herein relate to limiting power density induced by a laser and a corresponding temperature increase in a sample interrogated by the laser.
The invention generally relates to spectral analysis systems, more particularly, the invention particularly relates to improvements in Raman systems to permit effective and rapid sample identification.
2. Description of the Related Art
Due to the strong optical absorption in some solids, most of the signal needed to perform a spectroscopic identification is absorbed by the sample and thus unavailable for detection. At the same time, absorption may also lead to a significant thermal change such as a rapid heating, melting and even burning of the sample during the identification process. Absorption may also lead to detonation of some explosive samples.
Thus, not only are the signal levels from the samples very small, but also these weak signals, particularly Raman signals, may be further obscured by large interfering backgrounds due to the fluorescence from thermally induced changes in the sample.
For example, white plastics can be easily and rapidly identified in 0.1 seconds with a Raman spectrometer, such as that disclosed in International Publication WO 99/01750, using a 1 Watt diode laser power, while black plastics cannot be identified under the same conditions due to laser induced detrimental changes.
In order to avoid laser induced detrimental changes in the plastic, it is necessary to decrease the laser power density on the surface of the sample. One way to reduce laser power density is to reduce total laser power that illuminates the surface of the black plastic. But at the same time, to accumulate enough signal for identification the signal collection time has to be increased proportionally. Obviously, this is not acceptable for rapid identification.
Another way to reduce the power density of the laser beam is to increase the size of the laser spot that illuminates the surface of the plastic, while still maintaining a sufficiently high laser power of 1 Watt to allow rapid identification. Experiments have shown that to avoid laser induced detrimental changes in black plastic samples, in the case of 1 Watt total laser power at wavelength 800 nm, the size of the laser spot illuminating the surface of a black plastic sample needs to be increased 40 times, to a size that is greater than 3 mm in diameter to avoid adverse impact on the sample. As a consequence, the signal acceptance area of the collection fiber bundle and the acceptance area of the spectrograph (slit-height times slit-width) must also be increased 40 times.
It will be appreciated that increasing the signal acceptance area of a collection fiber bundle by a factor of 40 is difficult, if not impossible, to achieve from a technical point of view. Enlarging the laser spot size without changing the optical train and components would cause the signal from the sample to overfill the collection fiber bundle and thus decrease the collected signal intensity.
Thus, there exists a need for a quick yet effective method to identify materials using spectral analysis, particularly Raman spectroscopy without damaging the samples.

System and method for optical power management


A baseband receiver having quadrature analog outputs and a plurality of analog control and status signals and a transmit modulator having analog quadrature inputs and a plurality of analog control and status signals are coupled to a transmit processor having a digital output and a plurality of digital control and status signals and to a receive processor having a digital input and a plurality of digital control and status signals by multiplexing analog to digital converters and digital to analog converters such that during a receive time the converters are used for a receive purpose and during a transmit time, the converters are used for a transmit purpose.

RF amplifiers, mixers, and filters are well known in the art of high frequency signal processing. An RF transmitter takes a baseband signal and modulates to a transmit frequency using an oscillator, mixer, and amplifiers. Typically, in an RF receiver, an amplifier increases the signal delivered by an antenna, and it is mixed to an intermediate frequency, or baseband frequency, and receives additional amplification. Prior art transmitters and receivers are typically constructed from high speed transistors and gain elements, and operate as analog elements, whereby a changing signal level on a single conductor carries all of the information required in the signal. For systems carrying analytic signals, a quadrature pair of signals is sufficient to fully describe the analytic signal.
FIG. 1 shows a prior art RF receiver comprising a baseband receiver 100, analog-digital conversion interface 120, and digital baseband receive processor 136, as well as a prior art transmitter comprising a digital baseband transmit processor 230, an analog-digital conversion interface 232, and a transmit modulator 200 coupled to a transmit antenna 202. These receiver and transmitter systems are well known for use in an 802.11 wireless system for receiving and transmitting ethernet packets. The baseband receiver 100 is shown as a dual conversion baseband receiver, and includes a receive antenna 102 for receiving incoming signals, an optional IF conversion stage 110, which includes a preamplifier 104 with an RF gain control 280 for control of preamplifier 104 gain. The preamplifier 104 drives a mixer 106, which also receives an input from a first local oscillator 108 such that the output of mixer 106 includes an image frequency at an intermediate frequency (IF), which is filtered by IF bandpass filter 238. The IF amplifier 240 receives this signal from the IF bandpass filter 238, and increases or decreases the signal level via IF gain control 242 before passing the signal on to the quadrature mixers 112 and 116, which are driven by quadrature oscillators 114 and 118. The quadrature mixing process generates quadrature outputs comprising an in-phase (I) and quadrature (Q) signal, which are the quadrature signal outputs of baseband receiver 100. The IF amplifier 240, or any subsequent stage which does signal processing after the variable gain control has been performed, generates a Receive Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) status output 244, which is an analog signal related to signal strength after final amplification. This signal may be used by the digital baseband receive processor 136 to formulate the RF gain control 280 and IF gain control 242, which are analog signals after conversion by digital to analog converters (DAC) 134 and 132, respectively. Analog-digital converter interface 120 provides a conversion between the analog signal processing functions found in the baseband receiver 100 and the digital baseband receive processor 136. Analog quadrature baseband signals from the quadrature mixers 112 and 116 are filtered by low pass filters 124 and 128 before being digitized by analog to digital converters (ADC) 126 and 130, respectively. The analog-digital converter interface 120 also converts the analog RSSI status signal 244 into digital output for the digital baseband receive processor 136 status input, which also generates digital control outputs for IF gain and RF gain, which are fed to digital to analog converters (DAC) 132 and 134, respectively. The digital baseband receive processor 136 is generally an entirely digital functional block, which receives digital values and generates digital values, and these values are converted to and from analog values by the analog-digital converter interface 120, as has been described. In addition to RF and IF gain control management in response to either the RSSI status input or actual values presented to the in-phase (I) and quadrature (Q) channel interfaces, typical functions performed by the digital baseband receive processor 136 include signal stream synchronization, symbol extraction, demodulation, packet framing, and packet buffer management of ethernet packets received across analog-digital converter interface 120.
In addition to the double conversion heterodyne receiver shown in baseband receiver 100 which includes IF conversion stage 110, it is possible to omit the IF conversion stage 110 to form a direct, or single conversion receiver. In this case, incoming signals from receive antenna 102 are applied directly to IF amplifier 240, which is now acting as a gain controlled RF amplifier, in place of preamplifier 104. The output of the gain controlled RF amplifier 240 is fed to quadrature mixers 112 and 116. These quadrature mixers 112 and 116 are also receiving signals from quadrature oscillators 114 and 118 at the incoming RF frequency, thereby achieving direct baseband conversion and delivering quadrature outputs to analog-digital converter interface 120, as before.
The digital baseband transmit processor 230 of FIG. 1 performs analogous operations for the transmission of signals. Digital baseband transmit processor 230 removes packets for transmission from a packet buffer which may be shared with digital baseband receive processor 136, and converts the packet into a modulated baseband stream of quadrature digital data, which is digitized by digital to analog converters (DAC) 218 and 220, and then filtered by low pass filters 222 and 224. The resulting quadrature data stream from low pass filters 222 and 224 is converted to a modulation frequency by mixers 210 and 214 which are both fed by transmit oscillator 212. The signals are summed 206 and a single modulation product at the desired range of frequencies is selected via bandpass filter 208 and fed to power amplifier 204 which drives the transmit antenna 202. The power amplifier 204 accepts a gain control input 234, and also produces an RF output level status 236. The RF output level status 236 is converted by an ADC 228 and read by the digital baseband transmit processor 230, which may respond with a different value of digital transmit (TX) gain, which is converted by DAC 226 to TX gain control input 234 and fed to RF power amplifier 204. As with the digital baseband receive processor 136, the digital baseband transmit processor 230 is a function implemented using entirely digital components which may be integrated into a single digital integrated circuit or field programmable gate array (FPGA).
The digital signal processing of FIG. 1 is well known to one skilled in the art, and may be found in the disclosure of other wireless systems such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,563,858 by Fakatselis et al, or in the datasheet for Intersil ISL3873B, datasheet number FN8019.2.

Multiplexed wireless receiver and transmitter


A linear actuator is used to push a spring-loaded ram The loading force of the spring against a stationary workpiece is calibrated with the displacement of the ram once the load exceeds the spring preset value. At a preset loading position, an electrical contact opens, indicating that the spring load has reached or exceeded the preset value. A mechanical stop, acting in conjunction with the stall characteristics of the linear actuator, prevents the operating range from being exceeded. This device has applications where precise standoff from a surface, the application of a precise force to that surface, and a controlled rate of the application of the force is needed.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to clamping devices, and in articular to a spring loaded plunger and ram combination which is moved by a digitally controlled linear actuator.
2. Description of Related Art
Assembly operations in the electronic industry often require the accurate retention of parts relative to one another. Efficient assembly operations also require the rapid movement of clamping tools to retain these parts, yet parts such as optical fibers or semiconductor chips are easily damaged. This damage can occur by the application of an excessive clamping force or even by the rapid impact of a clamp with a limited force. The application of the clamping force must also be controlled so it does not disturb the predetermined location of the part to be clamped. So there are conflicting requirements placed upon clamping devices to increase throughput, work with tighter tolerances, and protect delicate assemblies.
Accordingly, there is a need in the assembly art for a clamping device which is compact, precisely controllable in position, velocity, and force, and one which is strictly limited in the application of the applied force.

Precision clamping device with digitally programmable load


Embodiments relate to a denticle scale array including a plurality of denticle scales arranged in pattern and configured to be incorporated onto a ski base, wherein the plurality of denticle scales includes at least a denticle scale including a glide contact area configured to contact terrain when the ski base is unweighted and moving forward, a kick contact area greater than the glide contact area and configured to contact the terrain when the ski base is weighted and not moving forward, at least a longitudinal profile comprising an S-curve, a curved trailing edge profile, and at least a longitudinal groove running parallel with the forward movement of the ski base.

Solutions that enable uphill and forward traction when applied to the bottom of skis have existed for some time. For the snow sports of cross-country skiing and backcountry skiing, having a ski that has the ability to provide forward and/or uphill movement with input from the skier is essential. Many solutions, both fixed to the ski bottom and removable from the ski bottom, have been employed over the years to provide the means for forward or uphill movement on the bottom surface of skis. The solutions employed for forward and uphill movement on the bottom of skis have commonly been of two categories—wedge shaped 'scales' patterned in the bottom ski surface, or a plush fabric of short mohair or nylon hairs added to the bottom of the ski surface. Again these solutions can be fixed to the ski bottom or removable—as in a ski climbing skin. Since forward or uphill movement on skis requires physical effort from the skier, the most efficient solution is highly desired. Therefore, a solution for forward and uphill traction that is unique and novel in approach and has efficiency benefits over existing designs would be useful to participants of snow sports activities that include forward and uphill movement on skis. Solutions for tractive uphill/forward movement on skis that are 1. fixed to the ski and 2. removable from the ski are both applicable and desirable.
Biomimicry, the design of products, materials and systems that are inspired by nature, can provide a unique point of view with which to develop a tractive forward/uphill ski bottom for snow sports. As an example, the denticles that make up the skin of sharks have been a source of inspiration for many products that look to reduce aerodynamic drag. These shark skin denticles have a uniquely detailed surface structure which can be used as a point of general reference for functionally unique design solutions. In fact, it is known that shark skin denticles also have a grain structure, where there is a low amount of surface resistance when traveling 'with' the grain, and a significantly higher amount of surface resistance when traveling 'against' the grain. This dual function of low resistance in one direction, combined with a higher resistance in the opposing direction, can be a source of inspiration in the development of a unique and novel solution to forward/uphill movement in snow sports using a tractive ski bottom. The surfaces that make up each individual sharkskin denticle are very complex and allow for optimal packaging when composed as a multi denticle array, or sheet.
Accordingly, there is a desire for the participants of particular snow sports, which have forward or uphill movement on skis, to have the most efficient tractive solution on the ski bottom in order to minimize human energy input—and thus not tire as easily. This can be accomplished through a unique and novel approach to the ski bottom surface that incorporates an array like structure of denticles, or 'scales', which minimizes the resistance of the ski bottom to forward or uphill motion, and maximizes the resistance of the ski in the reverse direction.

Tractive elements and patterns for the running surface of a ski bottom in fixed and removable configurations


A close wound coil is formed by a sequence of steps including supplying a wire to be formed into a coil onto a rotating mandrel by means of a guide wheel and urging the wire against the mandrel by means of a pressure wheel so as to form a coil. The formed coil is allowed to free itself from engagement with the mandrel from a point immediately following that at which the wire is urged against the mandrel by the pressure wheel to the end of the mandrel so that the formed coil, although carried by the mandrel, is unrestrained relative to the mandrel.

When winding a close wound coil of wire on a rotating mandrel it is known to form the wire into a coil by first guiding the wire around the mandrel and subsequently applying pressure by a pressure wheel which rotates against the mandrel so as to urge the wire against the mandrel. In order to move the coil of wire thus formed along the mandrel, the pressure wheel is formed with an inclined peripheral surface which urges the coil in the required direction. This known manner of winding a helical coil has the disadvantage of requiring pressure both to form the coil and to cause the coil to advance along the mandrel. This imposes an effective limit on the rotational speed of the mandrel of some 2,000 to 4,000 r.p.m.