In an image forming apparatus of the type including a movable belt and a cleaning blade for cleaning the belt, a toner image on the form of an exclusive line is formed on an image carrier between sheets and the transferred to the belt so as to feed toner to the edge of the cleaning blade. The toner prevents the edge of the cleaning blade from being turned over by the belt. The toner is fed to the cleaning blade in amounts different in the widthwise direction of the belt and can therefore be controlled in amount in the above direction.

The present invention relates to a copier, facsimile apparatus, printer or similar electrophotographic image forming apparatus including a movable belt and a cleaning blade for removing toner deposited on the belt. More particularly, the present invention is concerned with an image forming apparatus of the type including an image transfer/sheet transport device having a belt capable of supporting and conveying a sheet or recording medium in order to transfer a toner image from an image carrier to the sheet.
An electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a photoconductive element. After the photoconductive element has been uniformly charged, it is directly exposed imagewise by an exposing device or is scanned by, e.g., laser optics or an LED (Light Emitting Diode) array in accordance with an image signal. As a result, a latent image is electrostatically formed on the drum. The latent image is developed by toner stored in a developing device to turn out a toner image. The toner image is transferred to a paper sheet, film or similar recording medium either directly or via an intermediate transfer body. The recording medium with the toner image is conveyed to a fixing device in order to fix the toner image thereon.
In an apparatus of the type described, a photoconductive belt or image carrier or an intermediate transfer belt is a typical belt capable of moving with toner deposited thereon. A belt included in an image transfer/sheet transport device for conveying a recording medium in order to transfer a toner image from an image carrier to the medium is another conventional movable belt. Usually, a cleaning blade is used to remove toner undesirably deposited on the surface of any one of such movable belts.
The belt included in the image transfer/sheet transport device is an endless belt formed of rubber or similar elastic material and having a medium resistance. The belt is passed over a drive roller and a driven roller and located to face a photoconductive element or image carrier or an intermediate transfer body. At the time of image transfer, the belt is brought into contact with the image carrier and conveys a recording medium by nipping it in cooperation with the image carrier. A high voltage for image transfer is applied to a bias roller, bias brush or similar bias applying means facing the rear of the belt. As a result, a toner image is transferred from the image carrier to the recording medium. The recording medium with the toner image is separated from the image carrier and then conveyed toward a fixing unit.
Assume that the apparatus including any one of the photoconductive belt, intermediate transfer belt and belt built in the image transfer/sheet transport device is operated to produce a number of copies each having a small image area or accidentally operated to produce a number of white copies. Then, no toner is left on the belt, and therefore no toner exists at the edge of the cleaning blade. In this condition, the coefficient of friction .mu. between the belt and the cleaning blade increases, increasing the frictional resistance. It is therefore likely that the edge of the blade is caught and turned over by the surface of the belt. The blade so turned over brings about defective cleaning which would smear the rear of sheets and would cause the toner to fly about, and damages the surface of the belt. This is particularly true with the belt of the image transfer/sheet transport device because only a small amount of toner reaches the blade, compared to the other belts of the kind directly carrying a toner image thereon.
To solve the above problem, when the image carrier is implemented as a belt, a toner image representative of an exclusive line for toner feed may be formed on the image carrier between sheets so as to feed toner to the edge of the cleaning blade assigned to the image carrier. In the case of the belt of the image transfer/sheet transport device, the toner image representative of the exclusive line may be formed on the image carrier between sheets and then transferred to the belt so as to feed toner to the edge of the cleaning blade assigned to the belt. The toner fed to the edge of any one of the cleaning blades prevents the coefficient of friction between the belt and the blade and therefore the frictional resistance from increasing due to the absence of toner. This successfully prevents the edge of the blade from being turned over.
In the case of the belt of the image transfer/sheet transport device, the line for toner feed is formed, e.g., once for a plurality of copies. The line is written over the entire image width of the photoconductive belt or similar image carrier between sheets and then transferred to the belt. The edge of the blade is prevented from being turned over more positively as the line is formed more frequently. This, however, aggravates toner consumption or brings about excessive toner feed which would result in defective cleaning.
The line for toner feed will be needless if toner contaminating the background of the image carrier is transferred to the belt of the image transfer/sheet transport device and brought to the edge of the associated cleaning blade in a sufficient amount. In practice however, the amount of toner contaminating the background is noticeably dependent on humidity; it is almost zero at the humidity of 90%. The line is therefore essential, considering the operation of the apparatus in a humid environment. While the contact pressure of the cleaning belt acting on the belt, among others, may be increased in order to ensure the removal of the line, this kind of scheme enhances the cleaning ability to an excessive degree during usual cleaning and causes the blade to deteriorate rapidly.
Some different schemes have been proposed to achieve an improved cleaning ability with a relatively low contact pressure of a cleaning blade in relation to a cleaning device assigned to a photoconductive belt. Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 60-107686, for example, teaches a cleaning blade held in contact with a photoconductive belt in an inclined position relative to the direction in which the belt runs. Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication Nos. 3-45572 and 3-47574 each discloses a straight cleaning blade held in contact with a cylindrical photoconductive element in an inclined position. With any one of these conventional schemes, it is possible to prevent a great amount of toner from reaching the cleaning blade at the same time and causing defective cleaning to occur. Therefore, any one of such schemes is applicable to a cleaning device assigned to a movable belt in order to remove the toner of the exclusive line under usual cleaning conditions. However, the inclined blade occupies a broader space and must contact the flat portion of the surface of the belt. Should the inclined blade contact, e.g., the curved portion of the belt passed over a roller, the pressure of the blade would not act evenly, i.e., it would sequentially decrease toward the opposite ends of the blade and would thereby bring about defective cleaning.

Method of cleaning a surface in an image forming apparatus by feeding toner to the surface


Die attach methods are provided. These methods include (a) providing a supply of die attach adhesive, (b) applying a portion of the die attach adhesive to a transfer member, and (c) contacting the lead frame paddle with the transfer member to print a layer of adhesive onto the lead frame paddle. Integrated circuit (IC) devices are also provided.

The present invention relates to die attach methods and integrated circuit (IC) devices.
During the manufacture of IC devices, a plurality of IC chips, also known as a "die", are bonded to the paddles of a lead frame. A die 10, bonded to a paddle 12 of lead frame 14 is shown schematically in FIG. 1. This step is commonly referred to as "die attach". Following die attach, electrical connections are established between each die 10 and the fingers 16 of the lead frame with wires 18 by a wire bonding process. Finally, each die is enclosed in an individual package and the packages are separated to form individual IC devices.
The die is typically bonded to the lead frame using an electrically conductive, e.g., silver filled, die attach adhesive. Generally, dots of the die attach adhesive are applied to the lead frame paddle by a pneumatically energized syringe. Die attach adhesives applied in this manner generally include significant amounts of volatile solvent to reduce their viscosity sufficiently to allow the adhesive to be pumped through the syringe. It is also generally necessary that the solvent have a low evaporation rate, to provide a long working time to prevent the adhesive from drying out during the die attach process.
Several disadvantages tend to result from applying the die attach adhesive by syringe. First, it is often difficult to control both the amount of adhesive dispensed and the bond line thickness (thickness of adhesive under the die). If too much of the adhesive is applied, adhesive may run up the sides of the die, potentially causing short circuiting and/or wire bonding problems. If too little adhesive is applied, the bond line thickness may be insufficient, resulting in poor bond strength. Second, the solvents used to reduce the adhesive viscosity and provide working time may outgas, resulting in actual or perceived reliability problems. Finally, air may be trapped under the die, creating voids which can weaken the bond strength and interfere with heat transfer between the die and the lead frame paddle.

Die attach method and integrated circuit device


A method of printing document data in page description language format using a plurality of graphics processing units. The plurality of tiles representing the document using the assigned graphics processing units are rendered in parallel with one another, and the rendered tiles are transmitted, bypassing the central processing units, from each of the graphics processing units to a corresponding one of a plurality of print head controllers, with the rendered tiles transmitted at a higher frequency than a frequency at which the plurality of tiles is output from each print head controller. The rendered tiles are repeatedly transmitted until each print head controller completes output of the previous band.

Increasing speed of digital printers has created a need for matching high speed RIP (Raster Image Processing) systems. An RIP system converts Page Description Language (PDL) data, such as Portable Document Format (PDF) developed by Adobe Systems Inc., or XPS developed by Microsoft Corporation, into pixel data that can be used as input to a digital printer.
Traditionally RIP systems have utilized general purpose processors (CPUs) or custom hardware. Recently, Graphics Processing Units (GPUs), originally designed for 3D rendering applications such as computer games and computer-aided design (CAD), have become very powerful, and provide much higher performance to price ratio than general purpose CPUs. A RIP system built with GPUs may be cheaper than an equivalently performing CPU based system.
There are several existing examples of using GPUs in RIP systems. These existing systems typically comprise a host system containing a CPU, a main memory and one or more GPU cards connected by a peripheral bus, such as PCI-e. Each GPU card contains a graphics processing unit (GPU), a memory and one or more video output interfaces for connecting display devices. In one known GPU-based RIP system, pixels rendered on a GPU are transferred back to host system main memory, where additional colour processing may be performed by a general purpose processor (CPU). In alternative known systems, rendered pixels are transferred from memory associated with a GPU to a printer, via another device connected to a peripheral bus such as, for example, a PCI-e network card. Transferring the pixel data from GPU to main memory and from main memory to another device may require more bandwidth than such a peripheral bus can provide. In this case, the GPUs will not be used to their full potential due to the bottleneck of output bandwidth from the transfer to the CPU or a network interface.
One known system addresses the above problem by compressing pixel data before sending the compressed pixel data across a peripheral bus. Although the data transfer time may be reduced, the extra time required for compression, data transfer and decompression negates the benefit.


Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a process that continuously connects the processing system to a control plane of a wireless communication network, which includes equipment operating in at least one of the control plane or a user plane. Control information is received across the control plane indicating that client data is to be provided to a client device via the user plane. Responsive to receiving a control signal, an awake signal is sent to the client device. The client device, in response to the awake signal, being placed from an idle state to an active state. The idle state consumes a lower level of power than the active state. The client data is further provided to the client device over a premises communication network via a protocol stack of a client function. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Customer premises including residential homes and commercial building can have a network of various sensors or Internet of Things (IoT) devices to measure, record, configure, or provide services or applications for the occupants with regard to different premises devices and/or appliances. Further, the network of IoT devices can be coupled to a communication network that may be a heterogeneous network comprising cellular, WiFi, and/or Bluetooth networks such as a 5G network. Network service nodes that provide or gather data from the IoT devices via the 5G network to provide services and applications to occupants of the customer premises. Further, the IoT devices can have client software that include protocol stacks that allow them to provide and receive data to network services nodes requiring them to consume high power levels even though having a limited battery capacity.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Methods, systems, and devices for managing client devices using a virtual anchor manager


Structure and method for extracting juice from fruit and vegetable matter. The container comprises a flexible pleated body that tends to an expanded configuration. Each end of the body has rigid caps screwably attached that are flat on their exterior ends for receiving an axial force imparted by a press. The straining cap is perforated thereby allowing the extracted juice to pass from the container. A means for filtering the juice is placed upon the straining cap. A plug is attached as an integral part of either cap. Said plug evacuates the volume of the collapsed container in the final stages of extraction.

(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to juice extraction machines. More specifically, this invention relates to juicing presses intended for home use to extract juice from fruit and vegetable matter. Those with ordinary skill in the art would be users of fruit and vegetable juicers.
(2) Description of the Related Art
A home juicer commonly referred to and known as the NORWALK JUICER is commercially available and used to press the juices from pulverized fruit and vegetable matter or pulp for human consumption. The juicer includes a press capable of applying a compression force upon a pouch within which the juice laden pulp matter is held. The bottom of the press comprises a drainage tray in which the juice is received upon said juice's extrusion from the pouch. The juice within the tray is directed toward a spout in the tray located at the front of the juicer and from which the juice is ultimately collected.
The pouch, as originally designed, is a bag or folded over sheet. The pouch is to be constructed from fabric or mesh material. The extraction process begins with a pulverization of the fruit or vegetable matter so that the juices contained therein are more easily extracted. A means for pulverizing the matter is attached to the juicer's housing; the same housing within which the press operates. After pulverization, the pulp is placed in the bag or sheet and compressed within the press so that the juice of the pulp is extruded through the weave of the fabric. Substantially all of the solids are retained inside the pouch.
There are two primary drawbacks to the use of a fabric pouch. The first disadvantage is that the pressures exerted by the pulp on the mesh bag during compression are not evenly distributed because of the non-uniform shape of the fabric pouch. As a result, high pressures often occur at specific points of the fabric causing ruptures that allow the pulp and juice to escape through the resulting tear. When a rupture does occur, the pulp is often sprayed about the kitchen or upon the operator of the press.
The second disadvantage of a cloth pouch is that said pouch is very difficult to clean once the pulp material has been pressed into the weave of the fabric. The indicated method for cleaning the fabric pouch is normal laundering which is often ineffective. The inability to easily clean the fabric pouch is particularly undesirable because the juice is intended for human consumption and sanitation is of utmost importance. If not properly sanitized after each use, contamination may occur in future uses of the pouch.
While there are no known devices that would render the present invention obvious, the following patented devices have similar aspects to the present invention. U.S. Pat. No. 3,831,516 to Johnson discloses a continuous press that is used to extract juice from the wet pulp of grapes. The continuous press comprises helicoidal ripples which press the pulp against a more rigid screen and with a rippling action moves the pulp through and out of said press.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,775,564 to Shriver discloses a collapsible-stable blown container. The shown container comprises a series of flutes that collapse when subjected to an external axial force. It is intended that the Shriver container will remain in the collapsed configuration until disturbed by another force that expands the container.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,492,313 to Touzani for a collapsible bottle discloses a foldable plastic bottle with bellows type sides. The Touzani bottle is also designed to remain in a collapsed position with the bellows folded until an expanding force is applied to the bottle.
Of the above patents, only Johnson discloses a device whose purpose is to extract juice from a fruit or vegetable pulp. Johnson, however, appears to be more appropriate for commercial use and not inside the home. Additionally, Johnson does not include a container which is completely separable from the pressing mechanism.


A lithography method based on the projection of cells, notably direct-write electron-beam lithography. One of the main limitations of the methods of this type in the prior art is the writing time. To overcome this limitation, according to the method of the invention, the size of the cells is increased to the maximum aperture of the lithography device. Advantageously, this size increase is obtained by modifying the size of the apertures of the projection stencil level closest to the substrate to be etched. Advantageously, a strip is added to the outside of the block to be etched onto which is radiated a dose calculated to optimize the process energy latitude. Advantageously, this strip is spaced apart from the edge of the block to be etched. Advantageously, the projected cells are not adjoining.

To enable patterns whose critical dimension is less than 50 nm to be etched, methods for correcting increasingly complex optical distortions have to be incorporated in the optical photolithography methods both at the mask design and production stage and at the exposure stage. The costs of the equipment and of the developments for a new technology generation increase accordingly in very high proportions. These days, the critical dimensions that can be accessed in photolithography are greater than or equal to 65 nm. The 32-45 nm generation is currently in development and there is no viable solution foreseen for the technological nodes less than 22 nm. For its part, electron-beam lithography now allows for the etching of 22 nm patterns; it does not require any mask and offers a fairly short development time, which guarantees a better responsiveness and flexibility in the production of enhancements of the technologies and of the designs. On the other hand, the production times are structurally substantially higher than in photolithography since an exposure has to be produced in steps (with a "stepper"), whereas photolithography requires only a layered exposure. For the designs with repetitive patterns such as memory circuits and gate arrays, a cell projection technology has been developed in which a complete pattern (or cell) is etched in a single shot. A method of this kind is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,808,310.
In this cell projection technology, the technology expert repeatedly comes up against the problem of reducing the writing time and therefore the number and the duration of the shots in order to reduce the time and the cost of production of a component.

Large-mesh cell-projection electron-beam lithography method

Commissariat A L'Energie Atomique et Aux Energies Alternatives


A three ply folding card. A method of manufacturing folding cards involving folding two edge portions of a sheet over a central portion to superposition two or three plies of the folding card against each other. A blank for forming folding cards having a plurality of plies of the folding cards positioned on either side of a fold line, one or more of the plies, and its corresponding ply on the other side of the fold line being oriented differently to the other ply or plies. A sheet comprising a plurality of blanks or arrays of plies for forming folding cards.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a folding card and methods of manufacture of folding cards.
2. Background Art
Folding cards are disclosed in European Patent Application EP-A-0306093, the whole contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Folding cards may be folded in half a number of times to reveal a four-fold cyclic series of logos, text or pictures, i.e. the card returns to its initial logo, text or picture upon being broken in half a fourth time. Such a folding card functions as a toy or a novelty piece for amusing and informing (e.g. by way of advertising printed on the folding card) a consumer. Due to the four folded states, each presenting a different logo, text or picture, folding cards can be used for extending the amount of information available on the article.
The folding cards disclosed in EP-A-0306093 are initially, i.e. before folding them for a first time or after the fourth fold, hexagonal in shape (see FIG. 8 herein). In alternative embodiments of folding cards, the folding card can have a square shape, as disclosed in United Kingdom Registered Design GB2063718, square with slightly bevelled corners as disclosed in United Kingdom Registered Design GB2061816, or square with rounded corners ad disclosed in United Kingdom Registered Design GB2063717. However, one common problem with all these prior art folding cards is that after the second fold, the substantially regular shape is lost, resulting in a cross shape as shown in FIG. 9 herein. It would therefore be desirable to provide a folding card that maintains a common shape after each fold thereof.


A light delivery system and method are provided to promote a photochemical reaction for disinfecting a surface. The system includes a light source and a light diffusing element operatively coupled to the light source and further embedded within a surface to be disinfected. The light diffusing element outputs light to the surface to promote a photochemical reaction to disinfect the surface. A low scatter light transmission medium may further be coupled between the light source and the light diffusing element to transmit light from the light source remotely to the light diffusing element.

This disclosure pertains to a light delivery system to promote photochemical reaction for disinfecting a surface to provide a sterile environment.
Anti-bacterial applications or disinfectants are commonly applied to surfaces, such as surgery tables or other surfaces in clean rooms and other environments to provide sterile surfaces. Known anti-bacterial treatments typically involve applying an anti-bacterial lotion or liquid to the surface to kill bacteria to thereby decontaminate and clean the surface. It is desirable to provide a means for disinfecting a surface that does not require the time and expense of applying an anti-bacterial lotion or liquid to the surface.

Anti-bacterial light delivery system and method for disinfecting a surface


A deal drawer apparatus includes a mechanism coordinating movement of the drawer between retracted and extended positions with movement of a panel that controls access to a holding area of the drawer, between open and closed positions. The mechanism includes a clutch assembly that may be disengaged to allow independent movement of either the drawer or the access panel. Subsequent movement of the drawer or the access panel may re-engage the clutch assembly. The clutch assembly includes a housing, a detent plate rotatably mounted to the housing, and a detent mechanism. When the housing and the detent plate are in an aligned position, the clutch assembly is in an engaged configuration. When the housing and the detent plate are offset from the aligned position, the clutch assembly is disengaged.

Deal drawers can be used in customer service environments to carry out transactions between a transaction service provider and a customer. Deal drawers can be used in drive-through banking applications, gas station applications, payroll window applications, pharmacy applications, and other transaction environments.
Deal drawers may be used in transaction environments where it is desirable to separate the transaction service provider from the customer. The separation may be desirable for example in situations where the customer is located in an outdoor environment and the service provider is located indoors. The use of the deal drawer enables a customer and the service provider to exchange items such as cash or paperwork while maintaining the separation of the interior area where the service provider is located, and the exterior area of the customer. In other transaction environments, deal drawers may be used primarily to separate the service provider and the customer for security reasons. In some cases the customer and the service provider may view each other through a window or other opening that is configured to reduce the risk that the service provider may be threatened by a weapon. The use of the deal drawer enables the service provider and the customer to exchange items while reducing the risk that a person with access to the customer station may threaten the service provider with a weapon.
While deal drawers are useful in a variety of transaction environments, there is still room for improvement.
Thus there exists a need for a deal drawer which has one or more improved properties of operation, security, and economy.


Adaptive battery conditioning employs battery chemistry determination to establish how, when and whether to condition a battery. As a result, the conditioning is optimized for the determined battery chemistry. Further, conditioning of a battery that is not conditionable, such as a nonrechargeable battery, is prevented. A device determines battery chemistry in situ from a measurement of a characteristic of an installed battery, and conditions the installed battery in situ. The device can be a battery-powered consumer electronic device or a battery charging and conditioning system that is independent of an electronic device that uses the conditioned battery. A method of adaptive battery conditioning includes determining a chemistry of a battery from a measurement of a battery characteristic, and conditioning the battery according to the determined battery chemistry.

Battery-powered devices, such as digital cameras for example, generally depend on a battery-based power supply for their operational power. In particular, a battery-based power supply that employs a rechargeable battery is often used in such portable battery-powered devices. The rechargeable battery of the battery-based power supply provides the device with operational power without requiring a continuous connection to a fixed power source, such as an alternating current (AC) electrical outlet, thus facilitating portable operation of the device. In general, the device may be operated from battery power until the battery becomes depleted. When depleted, the battery is either recharged in situ or is replaced with a fully charged, replacement battery. When not recharged in situ, the rechargeable battery is typically recharged in a recharging unit that is separate from the device.
Modern battery-powered devices often are capable of accepting and utilizing batteries having any one of a number of different battery chemistries. In simple terms, a battery is a device that converts chemical energy stored by the battery into electrical energy or electricity. The 'chemistry' of the battery refers to a specific combination of electrolytes and electrode materials used in the battery to create and sustain chemical reactions within the battery that produce electricity. A variety of different battery chemistries are currently commercially available including, but not limited to, alkaline, high-energy alkaline, nickel-metal hydride (NiMH), nickel-cadmium (NiCd), and photo lithium or lithium-iron sulfide (Li—FeS2). Moreover, all of these chemistries are available in a variety of common battery sizes or form factors, including, but not limited to, an 'AA' size.
Among the batteries that are used in battery-powered devices, some are rechargeable while others are not. In general, whether or not a battery is rechargeable is dictated by the battery chemistry. Thus, a battery having a battery chemistry that supports re-energizing or recharging of the chemical energy stored by the battery is usually considered to be rechargeable. For example, alkaline batteries generally are not rechargeable while NiMH and NiCd batteries are rechargeable.
Of the various rechargeable battery chemistries, many often require conditioning or reconditioning to achieve or maintain peak battery capacity and performance. For example, NiMH and NiCd batteries are know to require such conditioning. Without periodic conditioning during use, NiMH and NiCd batteries develop a reduced battery charge or storage capacity. The reduced charge capacity eventually renders the battery unusable. Regular, periodic battery conditioning of NiMH and NiCd batteries helps to reduce or even reverse the reduction of charge capacity. Additionally, batteries of certain chemistries often require conditioning when new and/or after being stored for a long period of time. For example, NiMH batteries typically require some conditioning to achieve a full capacity when new. On the other hand, batteries of some other chemistries do not require or benefit from conditioning. In fact, some battery chemistries may be damaged by the application of conditioning. Most notably, a non-rechargeable battery, such as an alkaline battery, would be drained and effectively rendered useless by an attempt to recondition such a battery.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to have means for battery conditioning that was not limited to use with a battery having a particular battery chemistry. Such a battery conditioning means would address a long-standing need in the area of battery-powered devices that utilize rechargeable batteries.

Adaptive battery conditioning employing battery chemistry determination

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


Methods, systems, and computer readable media for combining VoIP call data with geographical information are disclosed. According to one method, VoIP subscriber device call quality information and VoIP subscriber device status information are determined for a plurality of VoIP subscriber devices. Geographic information is obtained regarding a geographic area in which the VoIP subscriber devices are deployed. The VoIP subscriber device status and the call quality information are combined with the geographic information and, based on the combined VoIP subscriber device status and the geographic information, a map that illustrates the geographic locations of the VoIP subscriber devices and an indication of the current status and the call quality of each VoIP subscriber device is graphically displayed on a display device associated with a computer.

Voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) implementations enable voice traffic, such as telephone calls, to be carried over Internet protocol (IP) communications networks. This allows voice calls to leverage the reduced transmission cost of packet switched networks to carry information that was once exclusively carried over more expensive conventional circuit switched networks. During a VoIP call, the voice signal of a VoIP call is compressed and packetized using one or more protocols so as to be suitable for transmission over a packet switched communications network (e.g., the Internet) to the called party. When VoIP packets are received at their destination, the voice signal is decompressed before being played to the called party. The specific path that the packets take over a packet switched communications network varies and, therefore, a VoIP call between the same origin and destination may take different paths through the communications network. As a result, voice call quality for VoIP calls may vary more than for conventional calls transmitted over a circuit switched network. Exemplary factors that may affect VoIP call quality may include packet delay, jitter, and loss. The importance of maintaining consistently high call quality for VoIP calls is especially important because service providers may enter into contracts with customers to provide specified levels of speech quality between specified endpoints.
In order to better evaluate VoIP call quality, various measures of speech quality have been used for monitoring speech quality for VoIP calls. These measures can be generally divided into objective and subjective measures of voice quality for ensuring that a specified voice quality level is being met. Objective measures of speech quality may include, for example, monitoring the number of packets being dropped compared to an acceptable threshold value. Objective measures of speech quality have the advantage of being fully computer-implementable, and therefore fully automatable and reliable. However, because speech quality is fundamentally a judgment perceived by human users rather than machines, many purely objective measures fail to correlate with subjective measures of speech quality. As a result, subjective measures of speech quality have also been developed. For example, one conventional subjective speech quality measure includes a mean opinion score (MOS) for a call. The MOS for a call may be determined by judging the voice quality of a call using a variety of human listeners, whose judgments may be expressed on a scale of 1 (bad) to 5 (excellent). While subjective measures may provide a more accurate indication of speech quality as perceived by a human user, they may nonetheless lack some of the advantages associated with objective speech quality measures described above.
More recently, an algorithm known as perceptual evaluation of speech quality (PESQ) has been developed which more accurately matches the perceived quality scores determined using subjective measures while still being based on objective measures. A primary reason for the success of PESQ as a call quality evaluation tool is that PESQ is capable of accounting for filtering, variable delay, and short localized distortions of packetized voice calls common to VoIP calls. As a result, PESQ is a popular measure of end-to-end voice quality over packet switched networks. Specifically, a PESQ score is an estimation of speech quality that is expressed on a scale of −0.51 (bad) to 4.5 (excellent) based on objective criteria such as packet delay, jitter, and loss. PESQ compares an original signal X(t) with a degraded signal Y(t) that is the result of passing X(t) through a communications system by placing one or more test calls to a subscriber device such as a cable or DSL modem. The output of PESQ is a prediction of the perceived quality that would be given to Y(t) in a subjective listening test. When PESQ or similar algorithms are used to measure speech quality, a dedicated voice call is set up to transmit only test speech signals over a communications network. This enables the test voice signals to be easily identified and provides a means of determining the amount of degradation that occurs as a result of transmission over the network. PESQ provides an estimate of the speech quality and is described in international telecommunications union (ITU) recommendation P.862, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In addition to test call data, IP metrics may be maintained for calls placed by or received by subscribers. IP metrics may include objective values such as jitter, latency, and packet loss which may be obtained from one or more call detail records (CDRs).
In addition to VoIP data, service providers may maintain geographical information describing the physical location of network devices and endpoints within the network. For example, street addresses and global positioning system (GPS) coordinates for each switch, router, hub site, node, and/or modem may be maintained so that the physical location of every entity in the service provider's network is known.
However, one problem associated with conventional methods for monitoring voice quality in packet switched networks is that test call data and geographical information are separately maintained. As a result, physical relationships between test call errors and/or successes may be obscured from the service provider and, as such, operators may be slow to identify and correct network problems affecting VoIP call quality.
Accordingly, in light of these difficulties, a need exists for improved methods, systems, and computer readable media for combining VoIP call data with geographical information and displaying it to a user.

Methods, systems, and computer readable media for combining voice over internet protocol (VoIP) call data with geographical information


A composition for chemical mechanical polishing includes a plurality of particles and a plurality of abrasive particles. Each of the plurality of particles includes a body and a functional group. The body is configured to transfer energy of an incident light into a plasmonic wave. The functional group is configured to bind onto a metal containing layer.

Numerous integrated circuits are typically fabricated simultaneously on a single semiconductor wafer. At certain stages of fabrication, it is often necessary to polish a surface of the semiconductor wafer. In general, a semiconductor wafer is polished to remove high topography, and surface defects such as crystal lattice damage, scratches, roughness, or embedded particles of dirt or dust. This polishing process is often referred to as chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) and is utilized to improve the quality and reliability of semiconductor devices.
The conventional CMP process utilizes endpoint detection techniques or predetermined fixed-time polishing techniques to determine when to stop polishing. Both of these polishing stop techniques produce non-uniformities across the polished surface due to polishing rate variations. In addition, over-polishing, meaning excessive thinning of a functional layer, causes the functional layer to become too thin to be operated on. Thus, an improved composition or method for CMP processing is still in great demand.

Composition and method for chemical mechanical polishing

TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD.


Techniques are provided for increasing a laser light's spectral linewidth while simultaneously improving how a laser is controlled by causing the laser to operate at higher power levels. An illumination energy value for a pixel and an illumination time period for the pixel are both determined. A number of laser pulses that are to be emitted by the laser assembly to illuminate the pixel during the illumination time period is also determined. This number is based on the illumination energy value for the pixel. Then, within the illumination time period and in accordance with the determined number of laser pulses, the pixel is illuminated by causing the laser assembly to emit one or more laser pulses that cause the pixel to be illuminated at the illumination energy value.

Mixed-reality systems, including virtual-reality (VR) and augmented-reality (AR) systems, have received significant attention because of their ability to create truly unique experiences for their users. For reference, conventional VR systems create a completely immersive experience by restricting their users' views to only virtual environments. This is often achieved through the use of a head-mounted device (HMD) that completely blocks any view of the real world. As a result, a user is entirely immersed within the virtual environment. In contrast, conventional AR systems create an augmented-reality experience by visually presenting virtual images (i.e. "holograms") that are placed in or that interact with the real world.
As used herein, VR and AR systems are described and referenced interchangeably. Unless stated otherwise, the descriptions herein apply equally to all types of mixed-reality systems, which (as detailed above) include AR systems, VR systems, and/or any other similar system capable of displaying virtual images. As used herein, the term "virtual image" collectively refers to images rendered within a VR environment as well as images/holograms rendered in an AR environment.
Some of the disclosed mixed-reality systems use one or more on-body devices (e.g., the HMD, a handheld device, etc.). The HMD provides a display that enables a user to view overlapping and/or integrated visual information (e.g., holograms) in whatever environment the user is in, be it a VR environment, an AR environment, or any other type of environment. Continued advances in hardware capabilities and rendering technologies have greatly improved how mixed-reality systems render virtual images. Notwithstanding these advances, the process of immersing a user into a mixed-reality environment creates many challenges, difficulties, and costs, particularly with regard to providing high-quality virtual images to the user and to controlling the laser emitter(s)/assembly(s) used to generate the virtual images. As used herein, the terms "laser," "laser emitter," and "laser assembly" are interchangeable with one another.
For instance, methodologies are in place to use a red, green, blue (RGB) laser assembly to visually project one or more virtual images for the user to view and interact with while immersed in a mixed-reality environment/scene. Often, however, the narrow spectral linewidth and high coherence of laser-based displays coupled with waveguide holographic gratings causes certain fringe image artifacts (e.g., Newton Rings) to be introduced into those virtual images due to forced attempts of using traditional lasers having suboptimal light coherence characteristics. Such imperfections/image artifacts can negatively impact the display quality and the user's experience.
Additionally, difficulties arise when the laser assembly operates at low or lower power intensities. These difficulties arise as a result of misestimating or miscalculating the laser assembly's lasing current threshold. For instance, when the laser operates at or near the lasing current threshold, any miscalculations in that lasing current threshold will significantly impact the accuracy of color rendering of the display because the laser will not deliver the correct number of photons for accurate color intensity. From this, it will be appreciated that there is a substantial need to improve virtual image quality by reducing undesired fringe image artifacts. There is also an ongoing need to provide techniques for controlling operation of the laser assembly(s), at various output power levels.
The subject matter claimed herein is not limited to embodiments that solve any disadvantages or that operate only in environments such as those described above. Rather, this background is only provided to illustrate one exemplary technology area where some embodiments described herein may be practiced.

Increased spectral linewidth and improved laser control


According to one embodiment, a shading correction circuit, which corrects for the influence of ambient light quantity shading, for input image light from three CCD sensors of R, G and B, based on a distance from the center of a screen. A shading correction circuit does not make correction for a maximum correction area which is out of a circle with a distance a from the central part of a screen, and corrects for the influence of ambient light quantity shading for a minimum correction area with a distance b from the central part of a screen, after calculating a square L2 of an address distance of each pixel of a correction object obtained by using a vertical distance and a horizontal distance from an address of the central part of a screen.

1. Field
One embodiment of the invention relates to shading correction of the ambient light quantity of a lens, generated in an imaging apparatus using an imaging element such as a triple-CCD imaging sensor and a triple-CMOS imaging sensor.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an imaging apparatus for imaging an object by means of a lens, it has been known that light quantity around a lens is decreased with respect to image light entering at the center of a lens.
Thus, in an imaging apparatus, light quantity decreased in a marginal area is usually corrected as shading correction of ambient light quantity.
Japanese Patent Application Publication (KOKAI) No. 2005-277618 discloses shading correction, in which a function of sum of a square of horizontal distance and vertical distance from the center of an image to each pixel is obtained by calculation, and is corrected for each color.
Japanese Patent Application Publication (KOKAI) No. 2004-165958 discloses correction of limb darkening by computing a function of sum of a square of horizontal distance X and vertical distance Y from the center of an image to each pixel.
Japanese Patent Application Publication (KOKAI) No. 2003-101844 discloses display of an image by rotating along the directions (vertical and horizontal directions) of a camera.
Japanese Patent Application Publication (KOKAI) No. Hei-11 150681 discloses an apparatus, in which electronic correction of a decrease in ambient light quantity, i.e. correction of light quantity is omitted in a certain range from the center of an image.
Japanese Patent Application Publication (KOKAI) No. Hei-11 164194 discloses an image processing method using quadratic, tertiary, or quartic equation according to the height of an image for compensating limb darkening.
Neither of the above patent applications, No. 2005-277618 and No. 2004-165958, mentions correction of a decrease in a signal level different for R, G and B, by using a triple-CCD imaging apparatus. Neither application describes color shading (coloring) in a marginal area of a screen, as a decrease in a signal level is different for each color component.
Both of the correction methods disclosed in the above patent applications, No. 2005-277618 and No. 2004-165958, needs large memory capacity for storing image data.
It is difficult for any one of the methods and apparatus disclosed in the above patent applications, No. 2003-101844, No. Hei-11 150681 and No. Hei-11 164194 to decrease color shading caused by the influence of a decrease in ambient light quantity occurred when three CCDs or CMOS sensors are used.


Provided herein is a unique process that prepares a saturated hydrocarbon mixture with well-controlled structural characteristics that address the performance requirements driven by the stricter environmental and fuel economy regulations for automotive engine oils. The process allows for the branching characteristics of the hydrocarbon molecules to be controlled so as to consistently provide a composition that has a surprising CCS viscosity at −35° C. (ASTM D5329) and Noack volatility (ASTM D5800) relationship. The process comprises providing a specific olefinic feedstock, oligomerizing in the presence of a BF3 catalyst, and hydroisomerizing in the presence of a noble-metal impregnated, 10-member ring zeolite catalyst.

Base stocks are commonly used to produce various lubricants, including lubricating oils for automobiles, industrial oils, turbine oils, greases, metal working fluids, etc. They are also used as process oils, white oils, and heat transfer fluids. Finished lubricants generally consist of two components, base oils and additives. Base oil, which could be one or a mixture of base stocks, is the major constituent in these finished lubricants and contributes significantly to their performances, such as viscosity and viscosity index, volatility, stability, and low temperature performance. In general, a few base stocks are used to manufacture a wide variety of finished lubricants by varying the mixtures of individual base stocks and individual additives.
The American Petroleum Institute (API) categorizes base stocks into five groups based on their saturated hydrocarbon content, sulfur level, and viscosity index (Table 1 below). Group I, II, and III base stocks are mostly derived from crude oil via extensive processing, such as solvent refining for Group I, and hydroprocessing for Group II and Group III. Certain Group III base stocks can also be produced from synthetic hydrocarbon liquids via a Gas-to-Liquids process (GTL), and are obtained from natural gas, coal or other fossil resources. Group IV base stocks, the polyalphaolefins (PAO), are produced by oligomerization of alpha olefins, such as 1-decene. Group V base stocks include everything that does not belong to Groups I-IV, such as naphthenic base stocks, polyalkylene glycols (PAG), and esters. Most of the feedstocks for large-scale base stock manufacturing are non-renewable.
TABLE 1API Base Oil Classification (API 1509 Appendix E)Viscosity IndexSaturatesAPI(ASTM by ASTM Sulphur,GroupD2270)D2007%DescriptionI80-119<90%>.03%Conventional (solventrefining)II80-119≥90%≤.03%HydroprocessingIII≥120≥90%≤.03%Severe HydroprocessingIVPolyAlphaOlefins (PAO)VAll other base stocks notincluded above e.g. esters
Automotive engine oils are by far the largest market for base stocks. The automotive industry has been placing more stringent performance specifications on engine oils due to requirements for lower emissions, longer drain intervals, and better fuel economy. Specifically, automotive OEMs (original equipment manufacturer) have been pushing for the adoption of lower viscosity engine oils such as 0W-20 to 0W-8, to lower friction losses and achieve fuel economy improvement. Group II's usage in 0W-xx engine oils is highly limited because formulations blended with these base stocks cannot meet the performance specifications for 0W-xx engine oils, leading to increased demands for Group III and Group IV base stocks.
Group III base stocks are mostly manufactured from vacuum gas oils (VGOs) through hydrocracking and catalytic dewaxing (e.g. hydroisomerization). Group III base stocks can also be manufactured by catalytic dewaxing of slack waxes originating from solvent refining, or by catalytic dewaxing of waxes originating from Fischer-Tropsch synthesis from natural gas or coal based raw materials also known as Gas to Liquids base oils (GTL).
Manufacturing processes of Group III base stocks from VGOs are discussed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,993,644 and 6,974,535. The boiling point distributions of Group III base stocks are typically higher than PAOs of the same viscosity, causing them to have higher volatility than PAOs. Additionally, Group III base stocks typically have higher cold crank viscosity (i.e., dynamic viscosity measured according to ASTM D5293, CCS) than Group IV base stocks at equivalent viscosities.
GTL base stock processing is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,420,618 and 7,282,134, as well as U.S. Patent Application Publication 2008/0156697. For example, the latter publication describes a process for preparing base stocks from a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis product, the fractions of which with proper boiling ranges are subjected to hydroisomerization to produce GTL base stocks.
Structures and properties of GTL base stocks are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,090,989 and 7,083,713, as well as U.S. Patent Application Publication 2005/0077208. In U.S. Patent Application Publication 2005/0077208, lubricant base stocks with optimized branching are described, which have alkyl branches concentrated toward the center of the molecules to improve the base stocks' cold flow properties. Nevertheless, pour points for GTL base stocks are typically worse than PAO or other synthetic hydrocarbon base stocks.
A further concern with GTL base stocks is the severely limited commercial supply, a result of the prohibitively large capital requirements for a new GTL manufacturing facility. Access to low cost natural gas is also required to profitably produce GTL base stocks. Additionally, as GTL base stocks are typically distilled from an isomerized oil with a wide boiling point distribution, the process results in a relatively low yield to the base stock with a desired viscosity when compared to that of a typical PAO process. Due to these monetary and yield constraints there is currently only a single manufacturing plant of group III+ GTL base stocks, exposing formulations that use GTL to supply chain and price fluctuation risks.
Polyalphaolefins (PAOs), or Group IV base oils, are produced by polymerizing alphaolefins in the presence of a Friedel Crafts catalyst such as AlCl3, BF3, or BF3 complexes. For example, 1-octene, 1-decene, and 1-dodecene have been used to manufacture PAOs that have a wide range of viscosities, varying from low molecular weight and low viscosity of about 2 cSt at 100° C., to high molecular weight, viscous materials with viscosities exceeding 100 cSt at 100° C. The polymerization reaction is typically conducted in the absence of hydrogen; the lubricant range products are thereafter polished or hydrogenated to reduce the residual unsaturation. Processes to produce PAO based lubricants are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,382,291; 4,172,855; 3,742,082; 3,780,128; 3,149,178; 4,956,122; 5,082,986; 7,456,329; 7,544,850; and U.S. Patent Application Publication 2014/0323665.
To meet the increasingly stringent performance requirements of automotive engine oils and other modern lubricants, low-viscosity polyalphaolefin base stocks derived from 1-decene have been particularly favored. They are used either alone or in blends with other mineral base stocks in the lubricant formulations. However, the 1-decene based polyalphaolefins can be prohibitively expensive due to the limited supply of 1-decene. Attempts to overcome the availability constraint of 1-decene have led to the production of PAOs from C8 through C12 mixed alpha-olefin feeds, lowering the amount of 1-decene that is needed to impart the properties. However, they still do not completely remove the requirement for providing 1-decene as the predominate olefin feedstock due to performance requirements.
Alternatively, PAOs made with linear alphaolefins in the C14-C20 range have unacceptably high pour points, which are unsuitable for use in a variety of lubricants, including 0W-xx engine oils.
Therefore, there remains a need for cost-effective manufacturing processes that yield a base stock composition having superior properties for use in most-stringent automotive and other lubricant applications, with such properties including one or more of viscosity, Noack volatility, and low temperature fluidity.
In addition to the technical demands for the automotive industry, environmental awareness and regulations are driving manufacturers to use renewable feedstocks and raw materials in the production of base stocks and lubricants. Processes which can provide the desired base stocks while also exploiting the use of renewable feedstocks would be greatly welcome.

Process for preparing hydrocarbon mixture exhibiting unique branching structure


A dosing device includes a rod element and a shell. The rod element has a stem with a longitudinal axis and a first thread arrangement. The shell has a second thread arrangement. The first thread arrangement of the rod element or the second thread arrangement of the shell includes a thread. The first thread arrangement of the rod element and the second thread arrangement of the shell engage. The rod element is movable along the longitudinal axis of its stem by rotating the shell and the rod element relative to each other causing the first thread arrangement of the rod element and the second thread arrangement of the shell to travel along each other. A dosage chamber is formed by moving the rod element along the longitudinal axis of its stem. The volume of the dosage chamber is varied by moving the rod element along the longitudinal axis of its stem. An inclination angle (α, β) of the thread varies along the thread. The dosing device according to the invention can allow for a precise and convenient dosing of a liquid out of a container. In particular, it can allow for efficiently dosing a comparably small volume out of a comparably large container.

Dosing a liquid or other fluid from a container is required in many medical, clinical or other applications and performed in a plurality of different ways. For example, liquid pharmaceutical substances or medicaments are often provided in glass or plastic vials or containers which are closed by a septum or rubber plug and a metal cap clamped around it or another similar seal cover. Particularly, where it is essential that the liquid is comparably precisely provided such as in pharmaceutical or therapeutic applications, specific devices are commonly used for dosing.
Conventionally, for delivering medicaments out of vials, syringes are used. Thereby, a needle attached to the syringe penetrates the septum or cover and the pharmaceutical substance is withdrawn into the syringe through the needle. Dosing is manually performed by visually controlling the withdrawal of the medicament into the syringe. Once transferred into the syringe, the medicament can be delivered in an appropriate manner. For example, the medicament can be, e.g. subcutaneously or intramuscularly, injected from the needle into a patient or it can be orally applied or provided as droplets, e.g., in the eyes, mouth or nose of the patient. However, particularly where it is required to precisely dose a specific amount of medicament or where comparably small volumes such as in a range of ten microliter to about one milliliter are to dose it usually is necessary that an educated person such as a doctor or a nurse is involved. In such cases patients are often not capable of performing the delivery themselves when using a regular syringe or a similar device, i.e. self-administration is not possible. However, self-administration of liquids or medicaments is beneficial in many therapeutic applications since the effort for the patient and the costs of the therapy can be extensively reduced.
For improving this situation, there are devices used which allow for more conveniently delivering a comparably precise volume of liquids. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,607,508 B2 describes an automatic medicament delivery device having a cylindrical syringe barrel into which a plunger rod extends from one side. The other side of the syringe barrel is equipped with a thread onto which a needle assembly can be screwed. The plunger rod has a vial seat into which a vial can be snapped in. The plunger rod is further equipped with a pathway longitudinally extending throughout the entire plunger rod. Radially from the plunger rod pins extend which inter-engage with slots of a dose barrel surrounding the section of the plunger rod having the pins. By turning the dose barrel via a dose ring the plunger rod translates and a volume is created between the plunger rod and the thread side of the syringe barrel. Induced by this movement a medicament is transferred from the vial through the pathway into the volume. The turning of the dose barrel into an opposite direction is blocked by a ratchet mechanism which ensures that no liquid can be pressed back through the pathway.
The known devices used for dosing involve the problem that in an initial phase air is present in the system which is included in the dosing process. Particularly, when a comparably small volume from a comparably large container is to be dosed such air in the system makes a careful dosing and additional steps necessary. For example, initially the air can be inside the needle and the initial volume of a dosage chamber. Thus, in the initial phase the air typically is withdrawn from the needle into the dosage chamber and only later the liquid follows. In syringes or similar devices such air can make it necessary to prime the syringe prior delivery. In particular, it can be necessary to eject the air out of the system before injection. Additionally, the dosing itself can be comparably cumbersome since in the beginning the air is dosed. For example, in rotational dosing as described above the first rotational movements are not providing liquid into the dosage chamber but air only. After all air is in the dosage chamber suddenly the liquid follows which can surprise the user of the device and decrease the accuracy of the dosing.
Therefore, there is a need for a dosing system allowing a precise and convenient dosing of a liquid out of a container.


An improved approach to focusing a camera is provided. In one embodiment, a method of adjusting a focus of a camera includes translating a lens to a first position. The lens is vibrated relative to the first position, and a first image is captured on an image sensor while the lens is vibrated relative to the first position. A first sharpness score associated with the first image is calculated. The method also includes translating the lens to a second position. The lens is vibrated relative to the second position, and a second image is captured on the image sensor while the lens is vibrated relative to the second position. A second sharpness score associated with the second image is calculated. The first and second sharpness scores may be compared, and one of the first or second positions may be selected based on the comparison.

1. Technical Field
The invention generally relates to the focusing of images captured by cameras.
2. Related Art
Various auto-focus techniques have been developed to provide in-focus camera images. In one such technique, a digital camera lens may be translated to various incremental positions at different distances from an image sensor. The image sensor captures an image at each incremental position while the lens remains stationary. A sharpness filter may be applied to each image to provide an associated sharpness score for each image. The lens position associated with the highest sharpness score may then be used for capturing in-focus images.
Unfortunately, this approach can sometimes be problematic for fine-grained incremental changes between lens positions. In such cases, images taken at adjacent or nearby positions may exhibit little difference from each other. Consequently, their associated sharpness scores may also exhibit very little difference. As a result, it can become difficult for a processor performing an auto-focus process to clearly identify a preferred lens position associated with an in-focus image over other lens positions associated with slightly out-of-focus images. Moreover, if there is little difference between the images in a given range, the processor may take longer and consume excessive processor resources to analyze a potentially large number of similar images in the range.
Although various non-linear functions (e.g., Sobel filters or Laplacian filters) may be used in an attempt to further distinguish between similar images, such functions are typically computationally-intensive and therefore require additional time and/or additional processor resources. Such implementations can accordingly increase the cost and decrease the overall efficiency of the auto-focus process.


A vehicle control system is provided. The vehicle control system is applied to a vehicle having a clutch device to selectively connect and disconnect a power transmission route between a prime mover and drive wheels, and configured to disconnect the power transmission route during running to allow the vehicle to coast. The vehicle control system is comprised of: a vehicle speed detection means; an execution means that executes a coasting control when an operating amount of an accelerator is reduced to be smaller than a predetermined value during running, by bringing the clutch device into disengagement to disconnect the power transmission route so as to allow the vehicle to coast; an updating means that updates a lowest speed of the vehicle during execution of the coasting control; and a termination means that terminates the coasting control by bringing the clutch device into engagement to connect the power transmission route, when a difference between a current vehicle speed and the latest lowest vehicle speed exceeds a predetermined value.

In order to improve fuel economy, a fuel cut-off control for stopping fuel supply to an engine during running, and a coasting control for coasting the vehicle by disconnecting the engine from a drive line during running have been employed in recent years. Specifically, the fuel cut-off is carried out to stop fuel supply to the engine given that an accelerator is returned to close an accelerator valve completely, and that an engine speed is higher than an idling speed so that a vehicle speed is higher than a predetermined speed. Under the fuel cut-off control, although the combustion of fuel in the engine is stopped, the engine is still rotating by a torque from the drive wheels. Therefore, a braking torque resulting from a pumping loss of the engine and a friction torque is applied to the drive wheels. Consequently, an engine braking force is applied to the vehicle.
For example, the coasting control is carried out when the accelerator is returned during running to coast the vehicle without rotating the engine passively by bringing the clutch into disengagement disposed between the engine and the drive wheels. Therefore, under the coasting control, the engine braking force will not be applied to the vehicle so that the vehicle is allowed to coast utilizing an inertia energy.
The coasting control may be carried out not only by stopping the fuel supply to the engine but also without stopping the fuel supply to the engine while lowering the engine speed close to the idling speed. In case of carrying out the coasting control while stopping the engine, the fuel will not be consumed during coasting the vehicle so that the fuel economy can be improved significantly. By contrast, in case of carrying out the coasting control without stopping the engine, the fuel economy will not be improved as the case of stopping the engine. In this case, however, it is not necessary to arrange additional devices for insuring a required oil pressure under cessation of the engine such as an electric oil pump, a hydraulic accumulator etc. Therefore, the coasting control can be carried out easily without requiring additional modification of the vehicle and additional equipment. In the following explanation, the coasting control without stopping the engine will be called the "neutral coasting control" or the "N coasting control".
For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2010-24773 describes a control for the neutral coasting. The coasting controller taught by Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2010-24773 is configured to bring the clutch disposed between the engine and the driving wheels into disengagement when the engine is not involved in propelling the vehicle, and to allow the vehicle by idling the engine. Specifically, the coasting controller is configured to commence the coasting control upon satisfaction of a starting condition based on an accelerator opening and a speed of a driven side of the clutch, and to terminate the coasting control upon satisfaction of a terminating condition based on the accelerator opening and the speed of a driven side of the clutch. In addition, the coasting controller is further configured to terminate the coasting control regardless of a satisfaction of the terminating condition if a difference between the vehicle speed at the commencement of the coasting control and the current vehicle speed exceeds a predetermined threshold value during execution of the coasting control.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2008-24010 describes a control device for hybrid vehicle configured to control a drive force and a regenerative braking force applied to the drive wheels from a motor-generator so as to achieve a target vehicle speed. According to the teachings of Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2008-24010, a limit value of the regenerative braking force of the motor-generator is determined on the basis of a deviation between the target vehicle speed and the current vehicle speed.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-32404 describes a control equipment applied to an electric vehicle in which a regenerative braking force similar to an engine braking is established under the condition where both accelerator pedal and brake pedal are returned. According the teachings of Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-32404, the regenerative braking force is changed in a manner such that an actual deceleration caused by the regenerative braking force is changed to achieve a target deceleration.
As described, the coasting controller taught by Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2010-24773 is configured to terminate the coasting control regardless of a satisfaction of the normal terminating condition if the vehicle speed is changed from that at the commencement of the coasting control and exceeds a predetermined threshold value during execution of the coasting control. Thus, according to the teachings of Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2010-24773, the coasting control can be terminated before the vehicle speed is changed to a certain extent during execution of the coasting control. Therefore, even if the vehicle speed is changed by a change in a road gradient, the vehicle speed will not be increased or decreased while coasting to exceed the threshold value so that a delay in acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle can be prevented.
However, if a timing to terminate the coasting control is determined based on a change in the vehicle speed from that at the commencement of the coasting control as taught by Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2010-24773, the coasting control may not be terminated at an appropriate timing. For example, if the coasting control is commenced when the vehicle runs on a flat road or climbs a gentle slope and then the vehicle runs down a steep slope, the vehicle is decelerated gently in the beginning and then accelerated significantly. That is, if the change in the deceleration of the vehicle does not exceed the threshold value in the beginning of the coasting control, the change in the vehicle speed will not be calculated until a point when the vehicle speed once decelerated in the beginning of the coasting control is raised again to the speed at the commencement of the coasting control, and the coasting control is continued until the change in the vehicle speed exceeds the threshold value. That is, a change in the vehicle speed increased from the lowest speed during deceleration is a net change in the vehicle speed of this case.
Thus, according to the coasting control taught by Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2010-24773, a net change in the increasing vehicle speed may be increased. Therefore, even if the acceleration felt by a driver or a passenger is increased by such increment in the net change in the increasing vehicle speed, the coasting control would be continued without applying a braking force to the vehicle for long period of time. For this reason, the driver and a passenger(s) may feel uncomfortable feeling or fear.


A discrete wavelet transform (DWT) based generative system for generating images of fashion products is provided. The system includes a memory having computer-readable instructions stored therein. The system includes a processor configured to access a plurality of fashion images of a plurality of fashion products. Each fashion image is generated at a first resolution. The processor is configured to train one or more DWT based generative models using the plurality of fashion images of the fashion products. Each of the generative models is selectively trained using a directional fashion image. The directional fashion image includes details of the fashion products corresponding to a pre-determined orientation and scale. The processor is further configured to generate an upsampled fashion image corresponding to each of the fashion images. Each upsampled fashion image is generated at a second resolution. In addition, the processor is configured to add the details to each of the upsampled fashion images using the directional images to generate target images of the plurality of fashion products.

The invention generally relates to the field of generative models and more particularly to a system and method for image reconstruction using generative adversarial networks for fashion products.
In recent years, generative models have been an active area of research in the field of deep learning. The main objective of a generative model is to learn the probability distribution from which the training data is sampled. Once the model learns the probability distribution, it can sample new data from it. With the introduction of generative adversarial networks (GAN) in building generative models, a substantial algorithmic support for parallel intelligence has been achieved. GANs are neural networks composed of two networks competing with each other. The two networks namely generator used to generate data set and discriminator used to validate the data set.
Generative models based on GAN have been used for image generation. Such models generate real looking artificial images by training neural networks using machine learning techniques. In the domain of fashion industry, where the styles are ever changing with varying individual tastes among other interdependent factors, the complex nature of style and fashion and multi-dimensional images makes the domain difficult to model.
More recently, GANs have been used to generate realistic images using training data. Building upon advantages that GANs provide, various improved algorithms such as Laplacian Pyramid of Adversarial Networks (LAPGAN) have been developed to further improve the reconstruction of images to reduce distortions and add more finer details. However, despite extensive efforts, the generated images still look distorted when compared to real images. Moreover, in such techniques, higher resolution images are produced from the lower resolution using a single generator at a given level. In addition, such variants of GANs are exceedingly difficult to train.
Thus, there is a need to develop improved system and method that can facilitate realistic reconstruction of images which could be further used in generating new designs in the fashion industry.

Discrete wavelet transform based generative system and method


A semiconductor structure, a semiconductor assembly and a power semiconductor device. The semiconductor structure includes: a P-type semiconductor material layer; an N-type semiconductor material layer adjacent to the P-type semiconductor material layer, wherein the N-type semiconductor material layer and the P-type semiconductor material layer together from a PN junction; and a plurality of insulating material layers located outside the PN junction and distributed along the superposition direction of the P-type semiconductor material layer and the N-type semiconductor material layer, wherein the relative dielectric constants of the adjacent insulating material layers are different. The semiconductor structure in the present invention significantly optimizes the distribution of an electric field during the off-state high voltage operation of a device, greatly improves the breakdown voltage of the device, avoids the premature breakdown of the device caused by the concentration effect of the electric field at the edge of the junction.

Power semiconductor diode is a key component in a circuit system, and is the foundation of a power semiconductor. The power semiconductor diode has a simple structure, good operation reliability, and is widely applied to civilian and military occasions. Especially, a wide bandgap semiconductor power diode is particularly applied in environments having high voltage, high power and high temperature due to its good properties such as wide bandgap, high critical electric field, high electron saturation velocity, good heat conduction performance, anti-irradiation capability and good chemical stability, which is one of the most potential power devices in power electronics applications.
FIG. 1 shows a structure diagram of a traditional diode in the prior art, which mainly includes: a P-type doped region 11, an N-type doped region 12, an anode 13 and a cathode 14. The P-type doped region 11 and the N-type doped region 12 form a PN junction. The anode 13 and the P-type doped region 11 form ohmic contact. The cathode 14 and the N-type doped region 12 form ohmic contact.
However, the above diode structure has the following problems: 1) the distribution curve of the electric field of the PN junction is triangular, the breakdown voltage is negatively relevant to the doping concentration at the low doped side and is limited to avalanche breakdown; the lower the doping concentration is, the longer the base of the triangle is; the smaller the height of the triangle is (i.e., the maximum electric field intensity), the less possible to reach the critical breakdown electric field Ec required by avalanche breakdown it is; By preferring to increase the length of the low doped region rather than change the doping concentration, the breakdown voltage will first increase and then be saturated, which limits further improvement of the breakdown voltage; 2) since the width of the barrier region will narrow where the radius of curvature is small, the electric field here will be more concentrated; therefore, under the same condition of the reverse biased voltage, the electric field intensity at the cylindrical junction of the planar PN junction interface will reach the critical electric field of avalanche breakdown earlier than the ideal one dimensional PN junction interface, such that breakdown occurs in the realistical planar PN junction earlier than in the ideal one dimensional PN junction, thereby lowering the avalanche breakdown voltage; and the breakdown voltage of the device is merely 80% of the ideal one dimensional PN junction.
In order to improve the breakdown voltage of the traditional diode and avoid pre-breakdown and reduction of long-term stability caused by the edge of the PN junction, the following technical means is usually applied to make improvements.
(1) Punch-Through Design
When a reverse bias voltage is externally applied to the PiN junction, all the electric field is loaded on the PN junction; with the continuous increasing of the reverse bias voltage, the electric field intensity will also increase and expand outwards in the lightly doped N-type region. If the concentration of the lightly doped N-type region is low sufficiently, the electric field will expand to the heavily doped N-type region before reaching the avalanche breakdown voltage of the device. With the increasing of the reverse bias voltage, avalanche breakdown finally occurs in the heavily doped N-type region. Since the PiN junction has a very thick barrier (lightly doped N region) and the distribution of the electric field in the i-type layer is substantially uniform and not easy to suffer from avalanche breakdown, the PiN junction can withstand a very high reverse voltage.
(2) Junction Termination Technology
(a) Floating field ring technology is adopted. When the voltage applied to the main junction gradually increases, the depletion region of the main junction also gradually expands outwards; and before the voltage increases to the avalanche voltage of the main junction, the depletion regions of the two junctions already meet, functioning to increase the radius of curvature of the junction and improving the breakdown voltage. However, the action of improving the breakdown voltage by adding floating field rings will be weakened, and the field ring termination region occupies more areas, increasing the chip area and costs.
(b) Field plate technology is adopted. This technology increases the radius of curvature of the curved surface junction and suppresses the concentration of the surface electric field by changing the surface potential distribution, thereby improving the breakdown voltage of the device. However, an inherent defect of the field plate is that there is a peak electric field at the edge thereof which affects the breakdown voltage of the device.

Semiconductor structure, semiconductor assembly and power semiconductor device

UNIVERSITY OF ELECTRONIC SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY


We have discovered that by using a recombinant DNA viral vector, preferably a pox virus vector having at least one insertion site containing a DNA segment encoding the carcinoma self-associated antigen, or a cytotoxic T-cell eliciting epitope thereof, operably linked to a promoter capable of expression in the host, human cytotoxic T-cells specific for the carcinoma self-associated antigens can be produced. The method preferably comprises introducing a sufficient amount of the recombinant pox virus vector into a host to stimulate production of cytotoxic T-cells, and contacting the host with additional antigen at periodic intervals thereafter. The additional antigen may be added by using a second pox virus vector from a different pox genus. In another embodiment, additional antigen is added by contacting the host with antigen. The antigen may be formulated with an adjuvant or in a liposomal formulation. The T-cells can be isolated. The number of T-cells can be expanded by contacting the isolated cytotoxic T-cells alternately with the carcinoma self-associated antigen or an epitope thereof and IL-2. The isolated T-cells can be used in a method for treating a host having a tumor expressing a carcinoma self-associated antigen comprising introducing cytotoxic T-cells specific for the antigen to the host and at at least one periodic interval thereafter introducing to the host a T-cell eliciting epitope of the carcinoma self-associated antigen.

A number of approaches have been utilized in treating malignant growth of tissue cells in humans such as cancers. While the various approaches identified have frequently been successful in treating a particular cancer, one difficulty has been that there are numerous different cancers. Thus, drugs that treat one type of cancer, often are ineffective against a different type of cancer.
One method that attempts to overcome the difficulties resulting from the differences in cancers is immunotherapy. By such an approach, the immune system can select and create the method of treating a specific cancer. Being able to select and/or identify antigens including specific epitopes that can be used in such an approach is extremely important.
Specific peptides that bind human MHC molecules have now been identified for melanoma associated antigens. Darrow, T. L., et al. J Immunol 142: 3329-3335, (1989); Hom, S. S., et al. J Immunother 10: 153-164, (1991); Cox, A. L., et al. Science 264: 716-719 (1994); Olive, D., et al. Cancer Vaccine Symposium. Cancer Research Institute. Oct. 3-4 (1994). MHC class I and/or class II peptide complexes have been reported as being recognized by human T-cells. The ability to activate T-cells by cytokines or co-stimulatory molecules is thus extremely important.
The identification of human carcinoma associated antigens and epitopes that might be recognized by human T-cells is also currently under active investigation. Molecules such as prostate specific antigen (PSA), [Oesterling, J. E., J Urol 145: 907-923, (1991); Peace, D. J., et al Cancer Vaccine Symposium. Cancer Research Institute. Oct. 3-5 (1994)], neu/c-erbB2 [Fisk, B., et al. Int J Oncology 5: 51-63 (1994)] MUC-1 [Ioannides, C. G., et al. J Immunol 151: 3693-3703, (1993)] point mutated ras [Tsang, K. Y., et al. Vaccine Research (in press); Jung, S., et al. J Exp Med 173: 273-276 (1991); Fenton, S., et al. J Natl Cancer Inst 85: 1294-1302, (1993)] point mutated p53 [Houblers, J.G.A., et al Eur J Immunol 23: 2072-2077, (1993)] and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) [Kantor, J., et al. J Natl Cancer Inst 84: 1084-1091, (1992); Kantor, J., et al Cancer Res 52: 6917-6925, (1992); Ras, E., et al. European Immunology meeting, Barcelona, June (1994)] are among such candidates. One difficulty has been that many of these antigens are normal self-antigens, which therefore are not expected to trigger an immune response of the type needed for therapeutic approaches.
For example, while human CEA is extensively expressed on the vast majority of human colorectal, gastric and pancreatic carcinomas as well as approximately 50% of breast cancers and 70% of non-small cell lung cancers [Thompson, J. A., et al. J Clin Lab Anal 5: 344-366, (1991)], CEA is also expressed at least to some extent on normal colon epithelium and in some fetal tissue. The CEA gene has been sequenced and shown to be part of the human immunoglobulin gene superfamily, and thus shares some homology with other molecules found on normal human tissues. Thompson, J. A., et al. J Clin Lab Anal 5: 344-366, (1991); Oikawa, S., et al. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 144: 634-642, (1987). At the amino acid level, CEA shares approximately 70% homology with NCA (non-specific cross reacting antigen) which is found on normal granulocytes. Thompson, J. A., et al. supra.
However, the immunogenicity of CEA in normal humans or cancer patients is at best suspect. Although several papers claim antibodies to CEA in patients, [Staab, H. J., et al Br J Cancer 42: 26-33, (1980); Mavligit, G. M., et al. Cancer (Phila) 52: 146-149, (1983)] others claim these observations are artifacts [Collatz, E., et al Int J Cancer 8: 298-303, (1971); Chester, K. A., et al Clin Exp Immunol 58: 685-693, (1984); Ura, Y., et al. Cancer Lett 24: 283-295, (1985)]. No reports of the presence or absence of T-cell responses to CEA exist.
There are two types of immune response--antigen specific responses producing antibodies, and cell specific responses eliciting cytotoxic T-cells.
Improved methods for eliciting an immune response to self-antigen would be extremely useful.
For example, cytotoxic T-cells elicited by a self-antigen can be used in somatic cell therapy, in identifying epitopes and small peptides that induce a cytoxic T-cell response and in drug assays for compounds that enhance a specific cytoxic T-cell response.
The availability of human cytotoxic T-cells specific for carcinoma self-associated antigens also allow for mapping of the epitopes recognized by the T-cells. These epitopes can in turn be used to prime or boost the immune-system to expand the T-cell population either in vivo or in vitro. The in vitro cells as aforesaid can then be transferred back into a patient as is currently done in TIL cell therapy and used to treat a tumor expressing the antigen.

Generation of human cytotoxic T-cells specific for carcinoma self-associated antigens and uses thereof

The United States of America as represented by the Department of Health and Human Services


A method for generating an acoustic model is disclosed. The method can generate the acoustic model with high accuracy through learning data including various dialects by training the acoustic model using text data, to which regional information is tagged, and changing a parameter of the acoustic model based on the tagged regional information. The acoustic model can be associated with an artificial intelligence module, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a robot, an augmented reality (AR) device, a virtual reality (VR) device, devices related to 5G services, and the like.

Machine learning (e.g., deep learning) is an algorithm technique that it itself may classify and learn the features of input data.
The component technology is a technique for mimicking the human brain's perception and decision capabilities using a machine learning algorithm, and this may be divided into several technical fields, such as linguistic understanding, visual understanding, inference/prediction, knowledge expression, and operation control.
In order to derive proper learning efficiency from a text complexly including various dialects and/or a text including imitation dialects in training of an acoustic model adapted to dialects, parameters (e.g. weights) of the acoustic model need to be adjusted.