A method for generating application content includes specifying an application definition or model in a flexible grammar, defining a set of templates that define generalized content output forms, and specifying a control definition for transforming the application definition into application content based on the templates. A transformation engine accesses the application definition and performs output generation under the control of the control description.

The development of software application code and related application content has long been the province of experts. A systems development expert must analyze the business problem, select the appropriate software tools to solve the business problem and then develop the software code necessary to implement the selected solution. The software created includes executable software programs and related software and materials. Related software may include web page layouts and content while related materials may include documentation or reports.
The field of software engineering developed in an attempt to standardize and simplify the creation of software. Software engineering defines standard processes and procedures that are applied to develop software code. Standardization is intended to promote use of effective solutions and to promote the reuse of previously developed solution components.
Process standardization still leaves the significant task of preparing the software code to implement a solution. Software code may be source code written in one of a number of programming languages such as JAVA®, C++, C#, Pascal or others. In addition, software code may include web pages coded in HTML, database access code in SQL, and written documentation in text form or portable document format (PDF.) Although many of the object oriented languages have stressed code reuse, this has often proved difficult in practice.
Code generation has been attempted using a number of code generators. These code generators use as input a description of the business problem to be solved expressed in some form of modeling language. This language is then interpreted and source code in a selected programming language generated. Many code generators implement what is known as a Model Driven Architecture. A Model Driven Architecture is a structure in which a business model, expressed in a modeling language drives the generation of the resulting software content. One example of a Model Driven Architecture is the Object Management Group (OMG) Model Driven Architecture.
One problem with existing code generators is the inflexibility of the modeling language or the code generation capability. For example, the OMG Model Driven Architecture requires that models be expressed in a well defined notation such as Unified Modeling Language (UML.) UML is a structured language that requires specific content and keywords to describe the business problem. The structure allows code generation to be accomplished by recognizing structural components, and generating software content based on those components. Unfortunately, many business problems are not readily expressed in UML compliant models, eliminating the ability to use generators relying on UML as the model.
Other model architectures provide fixed output generators. That is, the developer has no control over the form or format of the outputs generated base on a model input.
A problem therefore exists in providing a Model Driven approach to software content generation that is flexible in the expression of the business model as well as the content generation options.

System and method for creating application content using an open model driven architecture

International Business Machines Corporation


A device for treating spasmodic dysphonia (SD) and a surgical method of treating SD with use of the same are disclosed. The cause for SD is an excessively tight closure of the glottis. The device of the present invention is useful one for the surgery of thyroplasty type II which aims at widening the glottis. Use of the device may make the surgery easier, simpler, and shorter in time required.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a surgical treatment for dysphonia and its requisite device for carrying out the treatment. More specifically, the invention relates to a device useful for the surgical treatment of thyroplasty type II, which has been known as Isshiki's operation, and a method of treating dysphonia with use of the device.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
The causes for difficulty of voice production or hoarse voice are multiple, for example vocal abuse, excessive smoking, vocal tumors such as polyp and cancer, and vocal fold mobility disturbance. Voice disturbance due to vocal abuse can be treated effectively by simple vocal rest for a week for instance, and dysphonia resulting from vocal tumors can be managed by surgical removal of the tumor. However, disphonia associated with vocal fold mobility disturbance, such as paralysis producing imperfect closure of the glottis, or conversely, excessively tight closure of the glottis on phonation is too complicated to handle by the above-mentioned treatments.
Spasmodic dysphonia, which is caused by an excessively tight closure of the glottis, was first treated by recurrent laryngeal nerve section, with some success, though proved later to be only temporary (see Dedo H H. Recurrent laryngeal nerve section for spastic dysphonia. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol. 1976; 85: 451–459). Recently, a treatment by administrating botulinum toxin to muscles of a patient was proposed as a replaceable therapy of the nerve section (see, Brin MF et al.: Treatment of spasmodic dysphonia (laryngeal dystonia) with local injections of botulinum toxin: in review and technical aspects. In A. Blitzer et al, eds.; Neurologic Disorders of the Larynx. New York, N.Y.: Thieme Medical Publishers 1992; 214–228). This approach with the administration of botulinum toxin is currently in most frequent use, however, there is a problem that the clinical efficacy of botulinum toxin dose not last in long term. Due to the fact that botulinum toxin induces temporary paralysis of the muscle where the toxin is injected, the effect of blocking the nerve impulse from the injection of the botulinum toxin gradually dwindles, usually diminishing in about 3 to 4 months. As a result, the patient requires an injection of the toxin every three to six months. To make matters worse, the repetitive injections of the toxin are associated with a serious problem that determination of the dose and injection site of the toxin is not easy due to great individual variation such as weight, age, and responsiveness to the therapy.
On the other hand, one of the inventors proposed a surgical intervention into the thyroid cartilage. As shown in FIG. 4, a part of the thyroid cartilage 11 forms the Adam's Apple. The proposed surgical treatment is called as thyroplasty type II and described in the articles "Isshiki N. et al. Midline lateralization thyroplasty for adductor spasmodic dysphonia. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 2000:109:189–193", and others.
The conventional surgical treatment of thyroplasty type II is carried out according as procedures in FIGS. 5 to 8. First, the thyroid cartilage 11 is vertically incised at the midline thereof (see FIG. 5), and the incised edges 11a, 11a are pulled laterally by hooks 12, 12 (see FIG. 6), so that the vocal folds are also pulled laterally, preventing excessive tight closure of the glottis.
After that, as shown in FIG. 7, a silicone prosthesis 13 is prepared. The silicone prosthesis 13 consists of a pair of wings 13b,13b and a prominence 13a between the wings 13b,13b, the prominence 13a being capable of fitting the width (W) of the groove 14 created by separation of the cartilage. The prominence 13a is inserted in the groove 14 and the pair of wings 13b,13b are fixed to the thyroid cartilage 11 by sutures, thereby securing the width (W) which is optimal distance for phonation. FIG. 8 illustrates that the two silicone prostheses 13,13 are fixed to the cartilage 11 at the upper and lower portions thereof.
This surgical procedure proved to be effective in relieving the vocal strain on phonation, recovering their normal voice in 26 patients operated on, with one exception who had other dystonia too. No recurrences were noted in any patient. The longest follow-up period is 4 years.
However, the procedure of fitting in and stabilizing the silicone prosthesis 13 in the groove 14 of the incised thyroid cartilage requires a surgical expertise. This technical difficulties prevented popularization of the surgical treatment of thyroplasty type II.
There is a further technical difficulty with the surgical treatment. Since the thyroid cartilage is located in the anterior middle of the neck, it is desirous that any protrusion after the procedure of fixing the silicone prosthesis 13 to the thyroid cartilage 11 is inconspicuous, especially in women. To meet the requirement, the silicone prosthesis 13 having small and thin wings 13a, 13a is preferably employed. On the other hand, numerous sutures are required in order to fix the prosthesis to the cartilage for long-term widening the incised edges of the thyroid cartilage, despite that such numerous sutures may cause damage to the edges of the incised cartilage and/or the thin silicone wings.

Device for treating dysphonia and method of treating with use of the same


A method and apparatus for mining a competition relationship between POIs. An embodiment of the method includes: acquiring a graphlet mining result obtained by mining map retrieval data of users which encompasses attribute information of retrieved target POIs, the graphlet mining result encompassing occurrence frequencies of respective preset situations, and a preset situation comprising: conforming to attribute information of POIs represented by a corresponding preset graphlet and a preset association relationship between attribute information of at least two POIs; for a first and second POI, determining an occurrence frequency of a preset situation corresponding to a preset graphlet where attribute information of the first and second POI co-occur, and generating a relationship feature of the first and second POI; and inputting the relationship feature into a pre-trained relationship prediction model to obtain a competition relationship prediction result of the first POI and the second POI.

Point of Interest (POI) is a geographic information point on a map, which may be a shop, an office building, a landmark building, etc. POI is the core element to provide offline services. There may be a competition relationship between POIs of the same type. Mining and analyzing the competition relationship between different POIs is helpful to targeted planning of the POIs and may increase a POI visit rate.
At present, the analysis on the POI competition relationship mainly relies on the combination of expert experience knowledge and information collection methods such as questionnaires. However, traditional experience knowledge has a high threshold, while the data coverage rate obtained by manual information collection methods such as questionnaires is low. The competition relationship mined based on this often deviates greatly from an actual competition relationship.

Method and apparatus for mining competition relationship POIs

BEIJING BAIDU NETCOM SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


Technologies for managing internal time synchronization include an internet-of-things (IoT) device configured to determine a transport delay value as a function of a transmit path delay corresponding to a first message transmitted from an I/O device of the IoT device to a central timer of the IoT device and a receive path delay corresponding to a second message transmitted from the central timer to the I/O device. The IoT device is further configured to update, in response to having received a broadcast message from the central timer subsequent to having determined the transport delay value, a timestamp value of the received broadcast message as a function of the transport delay value. Other embodiments are described herein.

Many types of devices, such as sensors, vehicles, appliances, industrial equipment, and other things, are gaining computing resources and network capability. Sometimes described as the Internet of Things (IoT), modern computing systems may include cloud-based servers, network infrastructure, and connected edge devices that all work together to perform networked application functions. Oftentimes, modern computing systems perform operations that are time sensitive. In response, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) has developed various standards for deterministic networking, referred to collectively as Time Sensitive Networking (TSN), which are intended to provide extremely precise clock synchronization across the network. As a result, embedded designs in time sensitive applications (e.g., the industrial and automotive space) are increasingly integrating TSN controllers.
However, the capacity for applications to take advantage of the high precision clock synchronization afforded by TSN is generally limited by the precision, or more particularly the lack thereof, between the software clock (e.g. a processor Time Stamp Counter via read timestamp counter instructions) and the network clock (e.g., IEEE 802.1AS-2011, IEEE 1588-2008, etc.). As such, the software is generally limited to repeatedly sampling its internal time and the network time on its network interface controller (NIC), and the precision of synchronization is typically limited to a minimum read latency achievable between the processor and the network time, which can have negative impacts on network performance.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A defoamer composition is obtained when a mixture of certain siloxane-containing components, a finely divided filler, a reaction catalyst and at least one compound having in each molecule at least 1 group expressed by --COR.sup.5, --COOR.sup.6 or --(OR.sup.7).sub.n -- is heated. R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 are the hydrogen atom or saturated or unsaturated monovalent hydrocarbon groups, R.sup.7 is a divalent hydrocarbon group having two to six carbon atoms, and the average value of n is at least 1. The siloxane-containing components comprise resinous polyorganosiloxanes and typically, polydiorganosiloxanes. The heated mixture is useful for defoaming anionic systems.

The invention relates to a method for the preparation of a silicone defoamer composition. To a substantial degree, the foaming of liquids is a serious problem in various industrial methods as generally encompassed by those treatment processes which use a liquid as the treatment agent and those processes in which a liquid is itself subjected to treatment. Foaming of the liquid may reduce the efficiency of an essential treatment process, and product quality may also be compromised.
As is known, the problem of foaming may be addressed by the application of a defoamer having a foam-breaking effect, which serves to extinguish the foam, and/or having a foam-inhibiting effect, which serves to prevent or reduce the foaming tendencies of the liquid. In particular, silicone defoamers are preferred because they are chemically stable, rarely adversely affect the object of application, and have a relatively high defoaming activity even at very low doses.
Various silicone defoamers have been proposed in the art. For example, Japanese Patent Publication Number 45-23613 (23,613/70) describes a defoamer composed of dimethylpolysiloxane oil, a particular siloxane resin, and silica aerogel. Japanese Patent Publication Number 47-1602 (1,602/72) describes a defoamer produced by heating polyorganosiloxane with a finely divided additive such as silica, etc., in the presence of alkali.
However, problems are encountered with the defoaming activity of the prior silicone defoamers described above, particularly due to the brief duration of their foam-inhibiting effect. As a consequence, the requirements of any process which requires long-term foam suppression cannot be met in an entirely satisfactory manner.

Method for the preparation of a silicone defoamer composition


A system (36) provides a network designer with a mechanism for analyzing the performance of a code division multiple access wireless network (20). The system (36) includes executable code in the form of a probable server identification module (52), a forward link initial estimation module (54), a reverse link initial estimation module (56), a forward link analysis module (58), and a reverse link analysis (60). The modular architecture of the modules (52, 54, 56, 58, and 60) are appropriately configured and interconnected in order to form a network performance analysis process (62) that accurately analyzes both the reverse link performance and the forward link performance of the network (20).

The wireless communication industry has made tremendous strides in commercial operations throughout the world. Growth in major metropolitan areas has far exceeded expectations and is rapidly outstripping network capacity, that is, the information carrying ability of the network. Digital communication technologies, such as Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), and so forth, are emerging as techniques for increasing the capacity of wireless networks to support call traffic. Such digital technologies result in substantial increases of capacity of the RF spectrum, for example, up to ten times that of an analog technology, such as the Advanced Mobile Phone Service (AMPS). In addition, digital technology has the potential to mitigate three major problems encountered by users of analog technology, i.e., static, loss/interruption of signal when passing between cells, and failure to get a connection because of congestion.
In order to design efficient digital wireless networks, designers need to be able to quickly and accurately evaluate the performance of a proposed wireless communication network, such as a CDMA wireless network. An accurate network analysis can be used to evaluate the network design and identify problematic sectors or cells. In addition, an accurate network analysis will allow the network designer to better estimate how well equipment settings will perform given the required, or expected, call traffic levels.
A CDMA wireless network provides the capability of two-way communication between a number of user mobile stations and corresponding servers, or base stations. Each direction of communication is performed on a separate radio link and involves a different set of system functions. The communication link from a server to a mobile station is referred to as the forward link and the link from a mobile station to a server is referred to as the reverse link.
In CDMA, network performance is defined by both the forward link and the reverse link. However, the performance of a CDMA network depends largely on system functions exercised by servers in the forward link because most of the information on timing and synchronization occurs on this link. Accordingly, the forward link behavior contributes significantly to overall network performance. Nevertheless, the amount of call traffic that can be supported, which determines the interference levels and ultimately the performance of both links, depends on the most limiting link, either the forward or the reverse link.
The forward link may be considered to be more limiting in a CDMA network scenario in which there are many servers, because a large number of servers correspondingly increases the interference experienced at the mobile station. Thus, the transmit power in the forward link may need to increase in order to overcome the interference. However, equipment settings may limit the system's ability to compensate for the performance and thus the system at this location becomes forward limited. In an alternative scenario, the reverse link may be considered to be more limiting due to hardware constraints such as the particular type of voice coder, or vocoder, or limited transmit power used by the mobile stations.
The performance of the network depends on the most limiting link because the requirements of both links should desirably be satisfied in order for communication to be established. Therefore, the performances of the two links are tightly coupled. In an ideal network model and without considering any practical limitation, an analysis of both links should desirably be part of the same iterative procedure due to this tight coupling. Unfortunately, such an iterative process is extremely complex and impractical because of the excessive computation time that would be required.
Thus, what is needed is a system and method that accurately analyze network performance of both the forward and reverse links in a time and cost effective manner while maintaining overall system operation integrity.

Method and system for analyzing digital wireless network performance


The present invention provides a method of preparing a lithographic printing plate, said method comprising:

This invention relates to the formation of images directly from electronically composed digital sources and is particularly concerned with the formation of images on lithographic printing plate precursors. More particularly, the invention relates to lithographic printing plate precursors that incorporate an imaging layer comprising metallic silver, and a method of preparing lithographic printing plates which do not require the use of chemical treatments.
Lithographic printing is a process of printing from surfaces which have been prepared in such a way that certain areas are capable of accepting ink (oleophilic areas), whereas other areas will not accept ink (oleophobic areas). The oleophilic areas form the printing areas while the oleophobic areas form the background areas.
Plates for use in lithographic printing processes may be prepared using a photographic material that is made image-wise receptive or repellent to ink upon photo-exposure of the photographic material and subsequent chemical treatment. However, this method of preparation, which is based on photographic processing techniques, involves several steps, and therefore requires a considerable amount of time, effort and expense.
Consequently it has, for many years, been a long-term aim in the printing industry to form images directly from an electronically composed digital database, i.e. by a so-called xe2x80x9ccomputer-to-platexe2x80x9d system. The advantages of such a system over the traditional methods of making printing plates are:
(i) the elimination of costly intermediate silver film and processing chemicals;
(ii) a saving of time; and
(iii) the ability to automate the system with consequent reduction in labor costs.
The introduction of laser technology provided the first opportunity to form an image directly on a printing plate precursor by scanning a laser beam across the surface of the precursor and modulating the beam so as to effectively turn it on and off. In this way, radiation sensitive plates comprising a high sensitivity polymer coating have been exposed to laser beams produced by water cooled UV argon-ion lasers and electrophotographic plates having sensitivities stretching into the visible spectral region have been successfully exposed using low powered air-cooled argon-ion, helium-neon and semiconductor laser devices.
Imaging systems are also available which involve a sandwich structure that, on exposure to a heat generating infrared laser beam, undergoes selective (image-wise) delamination and subsequent transfer of materials. Such so-called peel-apart systems are generally used as replacements for silver halide films.
A digital imaging technique has been described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,911,075 whereby a so-called driographic plate which does not require dampening with an aqueous fountain solution to wet the non-image areas during printing is produced by means of a spark discharge. In this case, a plate precursor comprising an ink-repellent coating containing electrically conductive particles coated on a conductive substrate is used and the coating is ablatively removed from the substrate. Unfortunately, however, the ablative spark discharge provides images having relatively poor resolution.
It is known to improve this feature by the use of lasers to obtain high resolution ablation as described, for example, by P E Dyer in xe2x80x9cLaser Ablation of Polymersxe2x80x9d (Chapter 14 of xe2x80x9cPhotochemical Processing of Electronic Materialsxe2x80x9d, Academic Press, 1992, p359-385). Until recently, imaging via this method generally involved the use of high power carbon dioxide or excimer lasers. Unfortunately, such lasers are not well suited to printing applications because of their high power consumption and excessive cost, and the requirement for high pressure gas handling systems. Recent developments have, however, led to the availability of more suitable infrared diode lasers, which are compact, highly efficient and very economical solid state devices. High power versions of such lasers, which are capable of delivering up to 3000 mJ/cm2, are now commercially available.
Coatings that may be imaged by means of ablation with infrared radiation have previously been proposed. Thus, for example, a proofing film in which an image is formed by image-wise ablation of a colored layer on to a receiver sheet is described in PCT Application No 90/12342. This system is, however, disadvantageous in requiring a physical transfer of material in the imaging step, and such methods tend to give rise to inferior image resolution.
Much superior resolution is obtained by means of the ablation technique described in European Patent No 649374, wherein a driographic printing plate precursor is imaged digitally by means of an infra-red diode laser or a YAG laser, and the image is formed directly through the elimination of unwanted material. The technique involves exposing a plate precursor, incorporating an infra-red radiation ablatable coating covered with a transparent cover sheet, by directing the beam from an infra-red laser at sequential areas of the coating so that the coating ablates and loses its ink repellency in those areas to form an image, removing the cover sheet and ablation products, and inking the image.
A heat mode recording material is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,034,183 that comprises an anodized aluminum support coated with a hydrophilic layer. On image-wise exposure using a laser, the exposed areas are rendered hydrophobic, and thereby accept ink.
Japanese patent application laid open to public inspection No 49-117102 (1974) discloses a method for producing printing plates wherein a metal is incorporated in the imaging layer of a printing plate precursor which is imaged by irradiation with a laser beam modulated by electric signals. Typically, the plate precursor comprises a metal base, such as aluminum, coated with a resin film, which is typically nitrocellulose, and on top of which has been provided a thin layer of copper. The resin and metal layers are removed in the laser-struck areas, thereby producing a printing plate. The disadvantage of this system, however, is that two types of laser beam irradiation are required in order to remove firstly the copper (e.g. by means of an argon-ion laser) and then the resin (e.g. with a carbon dioxide laser); hence, the necessary equipment is expensive.
Subsequently a method of printing plate production which obviated the requirement for a second laser exposure was disclosed in Japanese patent application laid open to public inspection No 52-37104 (1977). Thus, a printing plate precursor comprising a support, typically aluminum, an anodic aluminum oxide layer, and a layer of brass, silver, graphite or, preferably, copper is exposed to a laser beam of high energy density in order to render the exposed areas hydrophilic to yield a printing plate. The printing plate precursor is, however, of rather low sensitivity and requires the use of a high-energy laser for exposure.
An alternative heat mode recording material for making a lithographic printing plate is disclosed in European Patent No 609941, which comprises a support having a hydrophilic surface, or provided with a hydrophilic layer, on which is coated a metallic layer, on top of which is a hydrophobic layer having a thickness of less than 50 nm. A lithographic printing plate may be produced from the said material by image-wise exposing to actinic radiation, thereby rendering the exposed areas hydrophilic and repellent to greasy ink.
Conversely, European Patent No 628409 discloses a heat mode recording material for making a lithographic printing plate which comprises a support and a metallic layer, on top of which is provided a hydrophilic layer having a thickness of less than 50 nm. A lithographic printing plate is produced by image-wise exposing the material to actinic radiation in order to render the exposed areas hydrophobic and receptive to greasy ink.
In each of the two foregoing heat mode recording materials, however, difficulties in printing will be encountered. On exposure of the materials to actinic radiation, the energy is converted to heat in the image areas by interaction with the metallic layer, thereby destroying the hydrophilicity or hydrophobicityxe2x80x94depending on the material employedxe2x80x94of the topmost layer in those areas. Consequently, the surface of the metallic layer becomes exposed, and the success of the printing operation is dependent upon differences in hydrophilicity and oleophilicity between the metallic surface and the hydrophilic or hydrophobic layer, as the case may be. Since the metallic layer functions as the hydrophobic surface in one case, and as the hydrophilic surface in the alternative case, it would be expected that such differences in hydrophilicity and oleophilicity would not be sufficiently clearly defined so as to provide a satisfactory printing surface. Furthermore, when a hydrophilic layer is present, and the metallic surface functions as the oleophilic areas of the plate, image areas will necessarily be printed from the metallic surface; such an arrangement is known to be unsatisfactory, and to result in difficulties in achieving acceptable printing quality.
Subsequently, a series of PCT patent applications (WO 98/55307-WO 98/55311 and WO 98/55330-WO 98/55332) has disclosed heat mode recording materials comprising a grained and anodized aluminum substrate and an ablatable metallic layer, said materials providing lithographic printing plates showing high image quality and excellent printing properties. Also described are imaging methods for the preparation of the said printing plates, these methods relying on direct-to-plate exposure techniques and thereby obviating the requirement for the use of costly intermediate film or processing developers after exposure.
Individual specifications within this series of patent applications also disclose various distinct additional features such as the inclusion of a further layer on top of the metallic layer; for example, WO 98/55311 teaches the presence of a transparent cover sheet or layer of material to collect ablated debris, whereas WO98/55308 describes a hydrophobising layer comprising a proteolytic enzyme and an oleophilising agent, this layer improving the ink-accepting properties of image areas and thereby increasing the degree of differentiation between hydrophilic and oleophilic areas.
An area of concern with heat mode recording materials having an ablatable metallic layer is that the high thermal conductivity of the metallic layer can result in thermal losses into the substrate being very high. To minimize thermal losses the laser pulse exposure time (laser spot dwell time) should ideally be very short. It is known from the prior art (D. E. Hare, S. T. Rhea, D. D. Dlott, R. J. D""Amato, and T. E. Lewis, xe2x80x9cPulse Duration Dependence of Lithographic Printing Plate Imaging by Near-Infrared Lasersxe2x80x9d, J. Imaging Science and Technology, Vol. 42, no.2, March/April 1998, pages 187-193) that the reason that low-intensity sources do not image laser photothermal media is that generally these media need to reach a rather high threshold temperature Tth before the chemical or physical processes responsible for image formation begin to occur. However, during exposure, laser heating of the medium must compete with thermal conduction away from the heated region. For low-intensity sources, the extent of thermal conduction ensures that Tth can never be reached, whereas for higher intensity sources that produce rapid heating, the effects of thermal conduction can be overcome.
Laser devices for the exposure of thermally sensitive printing plates may be conveniently divided into two types:
(1) Internal drum type; and
(2) External drum type.
With an internal drum-type laser, the printing plate is mounted on the inside of a stationary drum. The modulated beam from a high power IR laser, usually a YAG laser, is scanned across the plate by means of a galvanometer mirror or rotating prism and the laser head traverses across the plate. The dwell time of the laser spot on the plate is typically of the order of 0.02 microseconds. Examples of such exposure devices are a Gerber Crescent C42T platesetter and an Agfa Galileo Talant platesetter.
In the case of an external drum laser, the printing plate is mounted on the outside of a rotating drum. The modulated laser beam is typically from a diode laser; a diode laser array may be used. The laser head traverses across the rotating drum to expose the plate, but the dwell time of the laser spot on the plate is much longer than that for the internal drum and is usually 0.5 to 20 microseconds, typically 5 microseconds. One example of such an exposure device is a Creo Trendsetter.
In view of the short exposure times employed with internal drum lasers, these devices are well suited to the exposure of heat mode recording materials having an ablatable metal layer. However, it follows from the teaching of Hare et al that the longer exposure times associated with external drum laser devices would lead to the expectation that these devices could not be used to produce satisfactory images by ablation of the imaging layer with such heat mode recording materials, in view of the competitive effects of conduction which would lead to loss of heat into the substrate.
Commercially, however, external drum lasers are in much more common use than internal drum lasers and it is, therefore, clearly desirable that it should be possible to expose heat mode recording materials having an ablatable metal layer by means of such external drum devices. Consequently, the present invention concerns exposure devices of the external drum type and the invention seeks to provide a lithographic printing plate precursor that can be satisfactorily exposed on an external drum type thermal imaging device. Surprisingly, the present inventors have found that by providing a plate precursor having a grained and anodized aluminum substrate with an anodic weight which lies within a certain specific range, it is possible to obtain a plate which does not suffer from these expected problems, thereby overcoming the prejudices resulting from the teachings of the prior art and allowing for the efficient exposure of such a recording material by means of an imaging device of the external drum type.
Thus, according to the present invention there is provided a method of preparing a lithographic printing plate, said method comprising:
(a) providing a lithographic printing plate precursor comprising:
(i) a grained and anodized aluminum substrate comprising an anodic aluminum oxide film, wherein the anodic weight of the aluminum oxide film is between 6.0 and 20 g/m2, having coated thereon;
(ii) a metallic layer; and
(a) image-wise exposing said precursor on an external drum thermal imaging device.
The aluminum substrate is brush grained or electrochemically grained with an alternating electric current in a bath containing mineral or organic acids, or their mixtures, to give a roughened surface with a Center Line Average (CLA) of between 0.2 xcexcm and 1.5 xcexcm, preferably between 0.4 xcexcm and 1.0 xcexcm. Preferably the aluminum is electrochemically grained in a mixture of acetic acid and hydrochloric acid according to the process disclosed in British Patent No. 1598701.
The grained aluminum is then chemically cleaned in either mineral acid or aqueous alkali to remove smut that may be present in the form of metal, metal oxides and metal hydroxides. Phosphoric acid, sulfuric acid or sodium hydroxide may suitably be used for this purpose. Typically, phosphoric acid is employed at a concentration of 50 to 250 g/l and a temperature of 40 to 50xc2x0 C.
Subsequently, the aluminum is electrochemically anodized with a direct electric current in a bath containing mineral or organic acids, or their mixtures, to provide an aluminum oxide film with an anodic weight of between 6.0 g/m2 and 20.0 g/m2, preferably between 6.0 g/m2 and 15.0 g/m2. The preferred anodizing medium is sulfuric acid. Typical conditions involve treatment of the aluminum in 100 to 150 g/l sulfuric acid for 10 to 60 seconds at 40 to 50xc2x0 C. and an applied potential of 10 to 30 V. It is preferable that the said aluminum oxide film should be substantially porous, and that the pores should extend substantially from the aluminum/aluminum oxide interface to the surface of the substrate, such that in excess of 95% of the pores have a diameter which lies in the range between 5 nm and 100 nm. Optionally, the surface of the pores may be chemically treated in order to partly or completely seal the substrate. Examples of such treatments are described in PCT patent application No. PCT/EP98/03474, a preferred means of treatment being with a solution comprising potassium hexafluorozirconate.
It appears that the provision of an anodic layer having the specific thickness required by the present invention results in a significant reduction in the efficiency of heat dissipation from the ablatable metal layer into the aluminum substrate, without compromising the printing properties of the resulting plate. It is the ability to provide a balance between satisfying commercial requirements in terms of the exposure of heat mode recording materials of the type described, and their subsequent performance during lithographic printing operations that lies at the heart of the present invention.
Optionally, the aluminum substrate material may be laminated to other materials, such as paper or various plastics materials, in order to enhance its flexibility, whilst retaining the good dimensional stability associated with aluminum.
The metallic layer, which is applied to the grained and anodized surface of the aluminum, may comprise one or a combination of several metals, specific examples of which include copper, bismuth and brass. Most preferably, however, the metallic layer comprises a silver layer. The thickness of the metallic layer is preferably from 1 nm to 100 nm, most preferably from 10 nm to 50 nm.
Various techniques are available for the application of the metallic layer to the grained and anodized aluminum substrate, including vapor or vacuum deposition or sputtering. In the case where the metal layer comprises a silver layer, however, the most preferred method for applying the layer involves the treatment of a silver halide material according to the silver salt diffusion transfer process.
In the diffusion transfer process, a silver halide emulsion layer is transformed by treatment with a so-called silver halide solvent, into soluble silver complex compounds which are then allowed to diffuse into an image receiving layer and are reduced therein by means of a developing agent, generally in the presence of physical development nuclei, to form a metallic silver layer.
Two such systems are available: a two sheet system in which a silver halide emulsion layer is provided on one element, and a physical development nuclei layer is provided on a second element, the two elements are placed in contact in the presence of developing agent(s) and silver halide solvent(s) in the presence of an alkaline processing liquid, and subsequently peeled apart to provide a metallic silver layer on the second element; and a single sheet system wherein the element is provided with a physical development nuclei layer, a silver halide emulsion layer is provided on top thereof, the element is treated with developing agent(s) and silver halide solvent(s) in the presence of an alkaline processing liquid, and the element is washed to remove spent emulsion layer and leave a metallic silver layer which is formed in the layer containing physical development nuclei.
Alternatively, the diffusion transfer process may be used to apply a metallic silver layer by overall exposing a positive working silver halide emulsion layer to form a latent negative image which is then developed in contact with a physical development nuclei layer to form a metallic silver layer. Again, the process may be carried out using either a single sheet or a double sheet system.
The principles of the silver complex diffusion transfer process are fully described in the publication xe2x80x9cPhotographic Silver Halide Diffusion Processesxe2x80x9d by Andre Rott and Edith Weyde, The Focal Press, London and New York, 1972, and further detail may be gleaned by reference thereto.
Preferably a transparent cover sheet or a layer of material is present on the metallic layer before exposure. This allows loosely bound debris that is produced in the image areas on exposure to be trapped and thus prevented from being released to the atmosphere and is disclosed in WO 98/55311. Preferably this top layer of material is water soluble and contains thermal sensitizing agents as described in European patent application No. 00204272, stain-reducing agents as taught by European patent application No. 01000002, proteolytic enzymes, silver oleophilising agents, and desensitizing compounds.
Suitable enzymes for use in the above composition may include, for example, trypsin, pepsin, ficin, papain or the bacterial proteases or proteinases. Oleophilising compounds may be chosen from those disclosed on pages 105 to 106 of xe2x80x9cPhotographic Silver Halide Diffusion Processesxe2x80x9d by Andre Rott and Edith Weyde, but mercapto compounds and cationic surfactants such as quaternary ammonium compounds are of particular value. Carbohydrates such as gum arabic, dextrin and inorganic polyphosphates such as sodium hexametaphosphate provide useful desensitizing compounds in these compositions.
The plate may be directly transferred to a printing press following exposure, without the requirement for any intermediate treatment, since the hydrophilic materials are readily removable from the silver image in the printing areas by means of aqueous washing; such washing is effectively achieved by the action of the typical aqueous fount solutions and fount-ink mixtures commonly used on printing presses, and the hydrophilic material is thereby replaced by a film of ink in image areas and fount in background, non-image areas.
Alternatively after exposure, the plate may be subjected to a manual or automatic scrubbing and/or soaking treatment with an aqueous solution in order to remove any top layer; this procedure, which is described in WO 98/55309, additionally facilitates removal of any silver particles remaining in exposed areas, and enables the cosmetic appearance of the plate to be improved prior to press operations. Following, or concurrent with, this cleaning step, the plate can be prepared for printing operations by further treatment with an aqueous composition comprising at least one oleophilising agent for the image areas and at least one compound capable of desensitizing the non-image areas to ink. In this way, it is possible to ensure good ink acceptance in image areas and a high degree of hydrophilicity in background areas, thus enabling a good start-up on press to be achieved.
The method of the present invention provides press ready plates showing high image quality, good press properties and high durability on press without the requirement for the use of costly intermediate film and developer chemistry, and the attendant inconvenience resulting from the use of these materials.
The following examples are illustrative of the invention, without placing any limit on the scope thereof:

Heat sensitive printing plate precursors

Abstract: i) a grained and anodized aluminum substrate where the anodic weight is between 6.0 and 20 g/m2, having coated thereon;

Abstract: ii) a metallic layer; and

Abstract: image-wise exposing the precursor on an external drum thermal imaging device.

Abstract: The method provides press ready plates showing high image quality, good press properties and high durability on press without the requirement for the use of costly intermediate film and developer chemistry, and the attendant inconvenience resulting from the use of these materials.


A data storage device exhibiting reduced pad regions includes a read/write channel to convert transduced waveforms from a storage medium into recovered digital information. The recovered digital information is communicated from the read/write channel to a controller. The read/write channel includes an analog stage and a digital stage, which function independently. While the digital stage is engaged in the task of recovering servo data, the analog stage may be engaged in the task of recovering user data. Initially, the controller generates a control signal commanding the read/write channel to read and recover servo data. In the wake of the last unit of servo data having been processed by the analog stage of the read/write channel, the controller commands the read/write channel to read user data from the disc. Therefore, the analog stage of the read/write channel reads user data, while the digital stage finishes processing the servo data.

Data storage media, such as magnetically encodable discs in disc drives or optically encodable discs in readable/writable compact disc drives or digital video disc drives, typically contain interspersed regions of servo data and user data. The servo data is typically encoded upon the disc at the time of manufacture, and is used for the purpose of letting the storage mechanism (disc drive, readable/writable CD ROM, etc.) determine the location over which its transducer (read/write head) is located. The regions of user data contain data stored by the user.
Generally, data is read from a storage medium by a read/write channel. The read/write channel receives analog waveforms transduced from the storage medium (a pre-amplifier may be interposed between the transducer and the read/write channel), and converts the analog waveforms into digital form. The digital form may be subsequently processed by a digital stage within the read/write channel. Thereafter, the digital information is communicated to a controller.
Usually, servo data and user data are encoded on the disc in differing formats. Thus, the process of converting an analog servo waveform (a servo burst) into digital data for the controller is different from the process of converting an analog waveform containing user data into digital data for the controller. Because the transformation process varies between servo and user data, a read/write channel functions in only a single mode at any one time. In other words, the read/write channel initially functions in a mode for conversion of servo data. When all of the servo data has been recovered and communicated to the controller, the read/write channel then transitions to a mode in which it recovers user data.
The above-described process exhibits certain shortcomings. For example, there generally exists a latency period from the time an analog waveform is received by the read/write channel to the time the converted information encoded in the waveform is communicated to the controller. Consequently, after all of the servo data has been received by the read/write channel, the read/write channel does not begin reading or writing user data until the latency period has lapsed (i.e., until all of the servo data has been communicated to the controller). Upon lapsing of the latency period, the read/write channel reads/writes user data.
During the latency period, the data storage medium continues to spin. Since no data is read from the medium during the latency period, the latency period corresponds to a literal blank space on the surface of the medium-space in which no data is recorded, because it will not be read. Thus, storage media usually contain a region of servo data, followed by a region of empty space (referred to as a "pad" region) corresponding to the latency period, followed by user data. The aforementioned pad region contains no data whatsoever, and is therefore wasted space.
As is evident from the foregoing, there is a need for a scheme by which the latency period can be diminished. By diminishing the latency period, its corresponding pad region is reduced, and the amount of medium surface devoted to storing user data is increased. Thus, the storage capacity of the medium increases. A successful scheme will be relatively inexpensive and easy to implement.

NRZ pipeline servo while reading or writing


An additive manufacturing system is provided. The additive manufacturing system includes a build platform and at least one workstation. The build platform defines a continuous workflow path and is configured to rotate about a build platform axis. The workstation is spaced apart from the build platform along the third direction and at least one of the build platform and the workstation is configured to move along the third direction. The workstation includes at least one particle delivery device, at least one recoating device, and at least one consolidation device. The particle delivery device is configured to deposit particles on the build platform. The recoating device is configured to distribute the deposited particles to form a build layer on the build platform. The consolidation device is configured to consolidate at least a portion of the build layer.

The subject matter described herein relates generally to additive manufacturing systems, and, more particularly, to additive manufacturing systems including continuous additive manufacturing apparatuses.
At least some additive manufacturing systems involve the consolidation of a particulate material to make a component. Such techniques facilitate producing complex components from expensive materials at a reduced cost and with improved manufacturing efficiency. At least some known additive manufacturing systems, such as Direct Metal Laser Melting (DMLM), Selective Laser Melting (SLM), Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS), and LaserCusing® systems, fabricate components using a focused energy source, such as a laser device or an electron beam generator, a build platform, and a particulate, such as, without limitation, a powdered metal. (LaserCusing is a registered trademark of Concept Laser GmbH of Lichtenfels, Germany.) In at least some additive manufacturing systems, a new build layer of a particulate material is formed when a recoat device is used to recoat the component with newly deposited particulate material after each build layer is scanned by the laser beam. However, in at least some known systems, each step of the build process is performed sequentially and distinctly within a stationary particulate material bed, and the build time of a component is limited by the particulate deposition, distribution, and consolidation times for each build layer of the component.

Systems and methods for additive manufacturing


This invention relates to an improved fitness bike that fixes a handle support rod and a saddle separated on both ends of a transversal rod, and the bottom of the handle support rod is pivotally coupled with and moved back and forth at a first support rod at the front end of a base, and the lower end of the saddle support rod includes a driving stand, and the upper end of a second support rod disposed at a rear end of the base installs a passive pulley, and a link rod is installed between an eccentric portion of the axle of the passive pulley and a driving stand at a lower end of the saddle support rod, and the passive pulley is driven by an active pulley on an axle of a bottom bracket shell. When an exerciser steps on the pedal, the link rod drives the lower end of the saddle support rod up and down, so that the handle support rod at another end of the transversal rod can swing back and forth by using the lower end of the fixing bolt as a pivot. The exerciser not only can train both legs, but also can achieve the effect of shaking and massaging both hands and the whole body, so as to exercise the whole body.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an improved fitness bike, and more particularly to an improved fitness bike that comes with simple-structured and easy-to-use features, so that an exerciser can exercise both legs while achieving the effect of massaging the whole body.
2. Description of the Related Art
The construction and operation of a traditional indoor fitness bike primarily provides exercisers a direct exercise for both legs by simulating the pedaling movements of a bicycle. Of course, the fitness bike can come with a frictional resistance adjusting device, so that the exercisers can adjust the frictional force to an appropriate resistance to achieve the desired objective and effect of exercising the legs. Undeniably, the operation of a fitness bike of this kind surely has the exercising effect and objective. However, such simple operation method and exercise mode for providing the pedaling exercise is obviously monotonous and boring, and thus it is an adverse factor to the expected exercising effect.
In view of this shortcoming, manufacturers have made improvements to the fitness bike by installing the left and right handles separately and connect the left and right link rod devices separately to the left and right handles and the bottom bracket shell. When an exerciser steps on the pedal, the left and right handles swing back and forth accordingly. Besides of achieving the effect of exercising the legs, the exerciser also can stretch and bend both arms to achieve the exercise and fitness effect. Since the structure of the improved fitness bike simultaneously provides the exercises for both arms and legs, therefore it can provide a better expected exercising effect than the traditional fitness bike. However, this improved fitness bike can provide direct stretching and bending exercises for arms and legs only and still cannot provide exercises to other parts of the exerciser's body.
In view of the description above, the inventor of the present invention based on years of experience to conduct extensive researches and experiments, and finally invented the improved fitness bike in accordance with the present invention.


An n-tap (n≧2 (in the case of FIG. 1, n=2)) DFE equalizes a received signal on the basis of a determination result of a signal which has been received, and outputs a determination result of the received signal after equalization. An adjustment section generates a plurality of filter patterns for observation of an inter-symbol interference amount by changing values of n bits included in the plurality of filter patterns. The adjustment section then compares each of the plurality of filter patterns generated with an output data string corresponding to the determination result of the received signal after equalization and adjusts tap coefficients set for n (in the case of FIG. 1, 2) taps included in the DFE on the basis of adjustment values corresponding to values of the n bits included in a filter pattern which matches the output data string.

With the improvement of the performance of information processors such as communication apparatus and servers, the speed at which signals are transmitted and received inside and outside the information processors has increased.
With the improvement of transmission speed, signal waveforms attenuate due to frequency-dependent loss. As a result, inter-symbol interference (ISI) occurs and bit error rates degrade. Accordingly, equalizers which suppress ISI are used in receiver circuits.
A decision feedback equalizer (DFE) which equalizes an input signal according to past data is one of equalizers which suppress ISI.
A DFE which generates two filter patterns that differ by only one bit, which determines the magnitude of ISI by finding the difference between received waveforms at the time of a received data string matching the two filter patterns, and which adjusts equalization intensity on the basis of the magnitude of the ISI is proposed. With this DFE the difference between two received waveforms which match the two filter patterns, at the time of data of a bit one bit after the bit by which the two filter patterns differ being received, is found. By doing so, the magnitude of ISI caused by the bit (by which the two filter patterns differ) one bit before this bit is observed.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,503,519
Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2012-170078
Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2012-170079
Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2012-170081
Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2009-225018
By the way, each tap in a DFE reproduces ISI during each unit interval (UI), so a plurality of taps are used for curbing the influence of ISI during plural UIs. In that case, a circuit which adjusts a tap coefficient (equalization coefficient) is arranged for each tap. This increases circuit area.


A method and apparatus for packaging cans or tubes which arrive from a conveying station and which are placed into a packaging fixture. The cans are moved in the packaging fixture to a packaging station and are together removed from the packaging fixture in the form of a dense package and are provided with common packaging. The cans are then passed on to the next following processing station. Using interchangeable packaging modules, the cans or tubes are selectively filled into a box or are provided with a hoop. In the process, the packaging material is brought to the packaging station in a delivery plane which extends vertically with respect to a direction of delivery of the cans or tubes from out of the packaging fixture. The box to be filled is delivered by a box carrier which is movable in the delivery plane, to the packaging station, and is there taken over by a suction gripper.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for packaging cans or tubes, wherein cans or tubes arriving from a conveying station are placed into a packaging fixture, are moved in the packaging fixture to a packaging station and are together removed from the packaging fixture in the form of a dense package with a common packaging, after which they pass on to the next following processing station.
2. Description of Prior Art
Installations for producing tubes or cans are extremely expensive and for their amortization must be operated as much as possible at full capacity and without expensive outage and refitting times. A key spot in the course of production up to the product which is ready for shipment is the packaging of the individual cans or tubes. The two customary types of packaging for such empty containers are packaging in boxes and encasing in hoops. Both methods have different advantages and disadvantages. Encasing in hoops is economical because of the low price and the low volume and weight, and is of great ecological interest. Since the thin encasing hoops are continuously fed from delivery rolls and are cut to the correct size at the place of hooping, hooping units can be integrated in the packaging machines in a space-efficient manner. On the other hand, packaging in boxes protects the cans and tubes against damage and soiling, which can be important, for example in the pharmaceutical and foodstuff area.
Up to now only packaging machines were available which could be used either for encasing the cans or tubes in hoops or for packaging the cans or tubes in boxes. Changing from the one type of packaging to the other requires not only two conventional machines, but also results in a considerable logistic effort for refitting the packaging installation in the packaging area, or for transporting the cans or tubes to the respective packaging unit.
In conventional installations for packaging cans and tubes in boxes, delivery of the empty boxes results in great spatial and mechanical demands on the packaging device, since the boxes are often transported horizontally and must be tilted into a vertical position for filling, or the boxes are loaded step-by-step and must be movable in order to be positioned exactly in different positions. In this case the delivery of the boxes generally takes place by means of conveyor belts.

Method and device for packaging cans or tubes


Process and apparatus for molding the front and rear surfaces of a contact lens in one step is disclosed. Two mold halves matable to form a contact-lens-shaped cavity and a cavity for excess lens forming material surrounding the cavity are provided. The improvement comprises providing the cavity for excess lens forming material with at least two openings and producing differential gas pressure across the openings to remove excess lens forming material.

This invention concerns a technique for producing contact lenses by molding the front and rear surfaces of the lens with one molding step. Two mold halves, the use of which is well known in the art, are used. A first mold half has a convex lens molding surface, and a second mold half has a concave lens molding surface. Contact lens forming material, e.g. monomer or a mixture of monomers suitable for making a contact lens, is placed on the concave surface. Upon mating of the mold halves, a contact-lens-shaped cavity filled with lens forming material is formed between the convex and concave surfaces. The lens forming material is then cured, e.g. polymerized, to form a contact lens.
In order to assure that the contact lens cavity is completely filled with lens forming material, extra material must be used. The excess material will, of course, be located outside of the lens cavity when the mold halves are mated. Like the material in the cavity, the excess material will also solidify during cure. This excess solid material so formed is called "flash." The flash may be softer and tackier than the cured lens, since it is in contact with air, a polymerization retarder, outside the cavity. This flash is potentially troublesome, because it can settle and stick to the molded lens, thereby rendering the lens unusable. It is conventional to provide an annular cavity surrounding the lens forming cavity to accommodate the flash. However, even when there is a flash cavity, the flash can still be troublesome.
Hamilton et al, in UK Patent Application GB 2 226 272A, disclose use of holes in the bottom of the flash cavity for draining the excess lens forming material. However the quantity of excess lens forming material is not large enough to readily flow by gravity through a small opening. Moreover the lens forming material has a tendency to wet the material of which the mold is constructed, making efficient removal by gravity flow unlikely.

Method and apparatus for removing excess lens forming material


When adjoining, i.e. Preceding and succeeding, waveform-forming module data are to be interlined, a mutual approaching rate is designated, and the preceding and succeeding module data are modified in accordance with the designated mutual approaching rate. The modification based on the mutual approaching rate allows the preceding and succeeding module data to approach each other and thus provides for smooth link or connection between the two module data. Further, by designating a link starting point in the preceding module data and/or a link ending point in the succeeding module data, the preceding and succeeding module data are interlined to an appropriate degree depending on a difference or degree of similarity between the two module data. If the preceding or succeeding module data include data of a plurality of vectors, a time relationship between the preceding and succeeding module data is evaluated, and the data of one or more of the vectors is thinned out, as necessary, in accordance with the evaluated time relationship so that the two module data can be interlined appropriately.

The present invention relates generally to apparatus and methods for producing waveforms of musical tones, voices or other sounds on the basis of waveform data supplied from memory or the like, and more particularly to an improved waveform producing apparatus and method capable of producing waveforms that faithfully represent tone color variations affected by a player using various styles of rendition (i.e., performing techniques) or various sorts of articulation unique to a natural musical instrument. It should be appreciated that the basic principles of the present invention can be applied extensively to every type of equipment, apparatus and methods having the function of generating musical tones, voices or any other sounds, such as automatic performance devices, computers, electronic game devices and multimedia-related devices, not to mention electronic musical instruments. Also, let it be assumed that the terms xe2x80x9ctone waveformxe2x80x9d in this specification are not necessarily limited to a waveform of a musical tone alone and are used in a much broader sense that may embrace a waveform of a voice or any other type of sound.
The so-called xe2x80x9cwaveform memory readoutxe2x80x9d technique has already been well known, which prestores waveform data (i.e., waveform sample data) coded in a given coding scheme, such as the POM (Pulse Code Modulation), DPCM (Differential Pulse Code Modulation) or ADPCM (Adaptive Differential Pulse Code Modulation), and then reads out the thus-prestored waveform data at a rate corresponding to a desired tone pitch to thereby produce a tone waveform. So far, various types of xe2x80x9cwaveform memory readoutxe2x80x9d technique have been proposed and known in the art, most of which are directed to producing a waveform covering from the start to end of a tone. As one specific example of the waveform memory readout technique, there has been known a scheme of prestoring waveform data of a complete waveform of a tone covering from the start to end thereof. As another example of the waveform memory readout technique, there has been known a scheme of prestoring waveform data of a complete waveform only for a particular portion, such as an attach portion, of a tone presenting relatively complex variations and prestoring a predetermined loop waveform for a sustain portion and the like presenting less variations. In this patent specification, the terms xe2x80x9cloop waveformxe2x80x9d are used to refer to a waveform to be read out repeatedly, i.e., in a looped fashion.
With the conventional waveform memory readout scheme of prestoring waveform data of a complete waveform of a tone covering from the start to end thereof or prestoring waveform data of a complete waveform only for a particular portion, such as an attach portion, of a tone, however, it has been necessary to prestore a great number of various waveform data corresponding to a variety of styles of rendition (or various sorts of articulation), which would undesirably require a large storage capacity.
Further, although the above-mentioned scheme of prestoring waveform data of a complete waveform of a tone can faithfully express tone color variations effected using various styles of rendition (or various sorts of articulation) unique to a natural musical instrument, it can only reproduce the tone in just the same way as the prestored waveform data and thus would afford very poor controllability and editability. For instance, with this waveform memory readout scheme, it has been extremely difficult to control time-axial and other characteristics of the waveform data, corresponding to a desired style of rendition (or sort of articulation), in accordance with performance data.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a waveform producing technique which can produce high-quality waveform data corresponding to a variety of styles of rendition (or various sorts of articulation) in a simplified manner with greatly increased facility and controllability. Particularly, the present invention seeks to provide a waveform producing method and apparatus using an improved technique of interlinking adjoining waveform-forming module data.
In order to accomplish the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a method of producing a waveform using waveform-forming module data, which comprises the steps of: supplying preceding module data and succeeding module data; supplying a modifying rate; modifying the preceding module data and succeeding module data in accordance with the modifying rate; and producing a waveform on the basis of the modified preceding module data and succeeding module data.
In synthesizing high-quality style-of-rendition waveforms, it is necessary to appropriately interlink (interconnect) the plurality of style-of-rendition waveforms in accordance with the passage of time. In such high-quality style-of-rendition waveform synthesis, the above-mentioned module data are each organized as data for producing a style-of-rendition waveform, i.e. style-of-rendition module data, and there is a need to smoothly interlink every adjoining style-of-rendition module data. Thus, the present invention is arranged to supply a modifying rate, which indicates or determines which of the preceding module data and succeeding module data should be modified and at which rate the module data should be modified. The modification based on the modifying rate allows the preceding and succeeding module data to approach each other and thus provides for smooth link or connection between the two adjoining module data. In preferred embodiments to be described later, the modifying rate is referred to as a xe2x80x9cmutual approaching ratexe2x80x9d.
The present invention also provides a method of producing a waveform using waveform-forming module data, which comprises the steps of: supplying preceding module data and succeeding module data; designating a link starting point in the preceding module data; modifying data in the preceding module data at and after the link starting point; and producing a waveform on the basis of the modified preceding module data and the succeeding module data. For example, if there is a relatively great difference between the preceding and succeeding module data, an earlier link starting point is set so that the two modules can be interlinked as smoothly as possible. It is very effective to thus designate the link starting point appropriately depending on the situation.
Alternatively, a link ending point in the succeeding module data may be designated so to as modify data in the succeeding module data at and after the designated link ending point. If there is a relatively great difference between the preceding and succeeding module data, a later link ending point is set so that the two modules can be interlinked as smoothly as possible. It is also very effective to thus designate the link ending point appropriately depending on the situation. It should be appreciated that both, rather than just one, of the link starting and ending points may be designated appropriately independently of each other.
The present invention also provides a method of producing a waveform using waveform-forming module data, which comprises the steps of: supplying preceding module data and succeeding module data, the preceding module data including data of a plurality of vectors; thinning out the data of one or more of the plurality of vectors in the preceding module data in accordance with a evaluated time relationship between the preceding module data and the succeeding module data and; and producing a waveform on the basis of the thinned-out preceding module data and the succeeding module data. In this case, the preceding module data can produce a waveform by a combination of the plurality of vectors. Thinning out the data of one or more of the vectors will not adversely affect waveform reproduction corresponding to the preceding module data. If the trailing end of the preceding module data runs into or too close to the leading end of the succeeding module data, then the two module data could not be interlinked appropriately. To avoid such an inconvenience, the present invention is designed to evaluate a time relationship between the preceding and succeeding module data and thin out the data of selected one or more of the vectors. Alternatively, the succeeding module data may include data of a plurality of vectors, in which case the data of selected one or more of the vectors in the succeeding module data may be thinned out.
In the later-described embodiments, the style-of-rendition module data are each organized as data representing behavior of a waveform corresponding to a style of rendition. The waveform behavior can be defined by various waveform factors, which may include, for example, time factors such as a time length of a waveform section corresponding to the style-of-rendition module data and note-on and note-off timing in the waveform section. Also, the style-of-rendition module data may include data representing characteristic behavior of vectors for controlling the waveform to be produced. For example, the xe2x80x9cvectorsxe2x80x9d correspond to various fundamental waveform factors for producing a waveform. Examples of the fundamental waveform factors include a waveform shape (that determines a tone color or timbre), pitch variation over time and amplitude variation over time, and the vector data of these waveform factors are called a waveform shape vector, pitch vector and amplitude vector, respectively. Time vector for performing stretch/compression control on a time-axial progression of the waveform may also be used. The respective time axes of the waveform shape vector, pitch vector, amplitude vector, etc. can be controlled in accordance with the time vector. One example of behavior data, which is included in the style-of-rendition module data to represent the characteristic behavior of the vectors for controlling the waveform to be produced, is one designating a waveform shape vector, pitch vector, amplitude vector, time vector, etc. as mentioned above. Of course, the present invention is applicable as a technique of interconnecting any ordinary waveforms other than style-of-rendition waveforms and may be applied to any ordinary waveform-forming module data other than style-of-rendition module data.
The present invention may be constructed and implemented not only as the method invention as discussed above but also as an apparatus invention. Also, the present invention may be arranged and implemented as a software program for execution by a processor such as a computer or DSP, as well as a storage medium storing such a program. Furthermore, the processor used in the present invention may comprise a dedicated processor based on predetermined fixed hardware circuitry, rather than a general-purpose type processor capable of running software.

Method and apparatus for producing a waveform with improved link between adjoining module data


An automatic metering information collection system and method in which a remotely controllable line multi-interface at a customer's local multi-interfacing multiport switch responds to an interface selection message from a metering information collection computer at a utility service provider location to connect the hybrid digital/analog customer telephone line to a selected one of a plurality of available interfaces compatible with the type of interface employed by the meter until the metering information is conveyed to the collection computer and then automatically returns the customer's line to a default interface used by the other types of telephonic equipment on the customer's line.

This invention generally relates to methods and systems for reading utility consumption meters, such as natural gas and electricity meters, and more particularly to such methods and systems that obtain meter information automatically by telemetering the information via telephonic communication linkages with the meters to be read.
The cost for utility services such as provision of water, natural gas and electricity delivered directly via a conduit from the source to the customer's premises or site are charged based on consumption as measured by consumption meters, or meters, located at the customer's premises. It is known to interface these meters with the utility service provider via a telephone network connected via a customer's telephone line, or customer line, to the meter. Often there is only one line or one type of line at the customer's premises. In such cases, the customer line connected to the meter is the same customer line employed by the customer's voice telephone as well as other telephonic equipment at the customer's premises. Reference should be made to U.S. Pat. No. 5,182,766 issued Jan. 26, 1993 to Garland for "Generalized Telecommunications Customer Signaling Arrangement"; U.S. Pat. No. 5,189,694 issued to Garland on Feb. 23, 1993 for "Telemetry Access Arrangement"; U.S. Pat. No. 5,394,461 issued to Garland on Feb. 28, 1995 for "Telemetry Feature Protocol Expansion"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,509,054 issued to Garland on Apr. 16, 1996 for "Communication Switching System", which patents are hereby incorporated by reference, for the details of such methods and systems.
While these systems and methods work successfully, the inventor has now determined that there are some shortcomings that arise when the customer line has a type of service, or type of interface, that is incompatible with the type of telephonic interface of the customer meter presently installed or intended to be installed at the customer site. This potentially arises whenever there is at least one customer line that is shared by the automatic telemetering meter and the voice telephone and other telephonic equipment at the customer's premises.
So long as the voice telephone and the meter require the same interface there is no apparent problem except that meters with different types of interfaces must be produced and inventoried. In such case, if the customer line is a digital line and a meter that also requires a digital interface is installed or if the customer line is an analog line being serviced by an analog interface then a meter having an analog interface is installed.
However, if after the installation of either a digital interfacing meter or an analog interfacing meter is installed, the customer changes the type of service on the line from digital to analog or from analog to digital then, of course, the meter becomes disabled from communicating through the telecommunication network and, in effect, fails to function at least as an automatic meter with telemetering capability. Once the customer line has been changed to a type of interface with which the meter is compatible the only way that telemetering capability can be restored is by replacing the meter with another one that is compatible. Disadvantageously, this new meter is also subject to the same problem should the customer choose to change the customer line back to the original service with which the original meter was compatible but with which the new meter is not.
Meters with a digital interface are preferred over meters with an analog interface due to enhanced speed and data transmission reliability for telemetering data. However, unfortunately most customer lines are analog lines and thus cannot be used in most single customer line situations.

Automatic remote meter reading system and method employing selectable line interface


A system for setting data list parameters for displaying a data list in pages. An application program receives a first and second user input, wherein the first user input defines a number of items displayed within a page, and wherein the second user input defines a page size tolerance. In response to receiving the first and second user input, the application program sets the number of items displayed within the page and the page size tolerance. Then the application program displays the data list in a graphical user interface according to the set number of items displayed within the page and the set page size tolerance.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an improved data processing system. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for distributing data list items across multiple pages when display of the data list requires more than one page.
2. Description of the Related Art
A graphical user interface (GUI) permits an end user to interact with a computer through the more intuitive operations of "point and click" on graphical display elements with a pointer controlled by a mouse or other user interface device. A mouse is typically employed by a user of a computer to interact with the computer's GUI. A "pointer" is an iconic image controlled by a mouse and is displayed on the computer's GUI for the user to visually select or manipulate icons, menus, and other types of graphical objects.
A popular way to present information to computer system users is via a GUI. A GUI is usually a component of a computer environment, which is provided by an operating system. However, an application program also may create a GUI by independently displaying objects on a screen for utilities provided by the operating system. In addition, a combination of the operating system and application program approaches also may be used to create a GUI.
Information or data is often presented to an end user in a GUI environment using a graphical user interface component known as a window. A window is a scrollable viewing area on a GUI and is generally rectangular in shape. Each window conveys information about an application program or other process executing in the computer. A window is the central way to provide information to, and receive information from, a user. Usually one or more active windows are present on a display screen at any given time.
The number of horizontal and vertical pixels rates display screens. For example, 1024×768 means that the display screen displays 1024 pixels in each row and there are 768 rows or lines. A pixel, or picture element, is the smallest addressable unit on the display screen.
Users of application programs, such as databases, e-mail, online shopping, search engines, and the like, are familiar with viewing windows containing returned results of data lists. Sometimes, users face a challenge with managing large lists of returned results. Often, the large list of returned results is displayed on more than one page. For example, the returned result may display 1-10 of 31 on a first page, 11-20 of 31 on a second page, 21-30 of 31 on a third page, and 31 of 31 on a fourth page.
Currently, returned result window views are configurable such that the page size is set to show a specific number of items per page. This current configurable page size window view may create returned result views that contain relatively few items on the last page, such as in the example illustrated above, the fourth or last page of the returned result data list contains only 1 item. In the case of the depicted example above, the user may not want to waste time by viewing a page containing only 1 item because the user may feel that the effort/reward ratio is too small. As a result of not viewing the last page containing 1 item, the user may miss important information.
A small number of items placed on the last page of a returned result data list are similar to placing the last line of a paragraph from a previous page at the top of the next page. In the publishing or printing industry this carry over of the last line of a paragraph to the next page is known as a "widow" because the widow stands alone. For reasons of efficiency, a widow is undesirable in print and is undesirable in viewing a data list of returned results.

Method and system for defining page size when displaying a data list


End-to-end security is established automatically for network communications. In one embodiment a first host is associated with a policy manager that determines, for the first host, whether a secure session is permissible. If the secure session is determined to be permissible then the policy manager signals to intermediate devices in order to prompt establishment of SA/DA pinholes. In an alternative embodiment a neutral policy broker determines, for both first and second hosts, whether the secure session is permissible and signals to the intermediate devices to establish the pinholes if the secure session is permissible. In another embodiment the end-to-end session includes back-to-back tunnel mode sessions linked by at least one intermediate device. The intermediate device is operative to decrypt and re-encrypt traffic in the session, and may be configured by a policy manager or policy broker. Further, another security association can be nested in one or more segments of the session in a manner that permits one host to access a third host or secure resource which is shielded from the second host.

The need for secure communications is well known. However, techniques for providing secure communications are constantly being developed in conjunction with advances in communications technology. Security can be achieved in Internet Protocol ("IP") networks with encryption protocols such as IPSec, SIP TLS and SRTP. The security provided by these encryption protocols is generally more complete when implemented end-to-end, i.e., from host to host. However, intermediate network devices such as firewalls operate by examining packets to detect and filter communications which are hostile, unauthorized, or otherwise undesirable. This presents a problem because it is impractical for the intermediate devices to examine encrypted packets. It is known to manually configure pinholes in the intermediate network devices to allow encrypted packets to traverse the devices without being decrypted, but manual configuration is relatively slow and prone to error. There is therefore a need for a better solution to the problem. Further, there is now more urgency for a suitable solution because the IPv6 standard requires support for IPSec and allows for transport mode usage for end to end encryption. Moreover, many applications including multimedia communications have introduced their own signaling and media encryption (such as SRTP, SIP-TLS) which will also pose a problem for intermediate devices tasked with interrogating the payload and applying policies to the content.


A system and method of tele-karaoke that enables a user to perform and record karaoke using a terminal such as a cellular telephone. The karaoke performance is recorded as an MMS message which subsequently allows a user to send the recorded performance to others. The system allows users to record their karaoke performance is less public forums and without any specialized equipment other than a cellular telephone or a personal computer. Since the karaoke performance is recorded as an MMS message, it can be edited to incorporate various media and sent to others at subsequent times.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a multimedia messaging service ("MMS") application and more specifically to using a multimedia messaging service based application to record and send telephone or PC karaoke performances to another user.
2. Description of Related Art
Multimedia messaging service is the ability to send and receive messages comprising a combination of text, sounds, images and video to MMS capable handsets and computers. MMS is a component that can be connected to all possible networks such as cellular networks, broad band networks, fixed line and Internet networks. As technology has evolved so has the needs of its users. Users, such as cellular telephone users, demand more out of their messaging service. They require the ability to send and received such items as business cards, post cards and pictures.
Accordingly, MMS was developed to enhance the messaging based on the users' new demands. In the 3G cellular (3rd generation of cellular communication specifications) architecture, MMS has been added. As stated above, this allows users of cellular telephone to send and receive messages exploiting the whole array of media types while also making it possible to support new content types as they become popular. MMS is well known in the telecommunications world and has been standardized (see Standard 23.140 of the 3 GPP-3G Partnership Project at www.3gpp.org, incorporated herein by reference for a further explanation of MMS).
Before MMS there existed karaoke. As most people are well aware, karaoke is basically people singing along with music of a known song while the words of the song are not played or played at a significantly lower volume than the music. Occurring synchronously to the music, a karaoke terminal displays the words to the song which consequently allows a user to sing the words of the song even if the user does not know the words. The karaoke terminal not only displays the words to the song but also synchronizes the displaying of the words of the song with the music so that a user knows precisely when each word of the song should be sung. Said differently, the karaoke terminal displays the words of the song synchronously with the music of the song being played so that a person can sing the words to the song.
Prior to the present invention, users who desired to "karaoke" needed specially manufactured karaoke equipment or at least a personal computer with special karaoke software. Additionally, the user would be limited to when and where the user could perform karaoke of a particular song. Furthermore, prior to the present invention users had limited ways of recording their performance so that others could subsequently experience the user's performance. In order to record a karaoke performance, the user was forced to use equipment such as a tape recorder in addition to the karaoke terminal. This method of recording lacked in quality and convenience.
Moreover, if the user wished to send a copy of the performance to another person, the user was forced to use yet another piece of equipment to make a copy of the performance. Once a copy was made, the user had to physically send the performance to the person with whom the user wished to share the performance with. This process was extremely difficult, inconvenient and required special equipment that a majority of users did not possess. The inconvenience and difficulty of recording, copying and sending karaokes performances deterred users from even attempting to share the performances with others who were not physically present at the time of the performance.
Additionally, many users who enjoy performing karaoke do not enjoy performing in front of others. Prior to the present invention, karaoke was primarily available at public forums. The public nature of karaoke also deterred users from performing.


A digital transmission system includes a receiver which is synchronized with a transmitter wherein a correlation is established between a reference sequence and an initialization sequence transmitted by the transmitter. The system further includes an equalizer for operating with a first part of the initialization sequence, and a correlator for operating with a second part of the initialization sequence. This makes it possible to enhance the established correlation with the reference frequency and realize the synchronization, with great precision.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a digital transmission system comprising at least a transmitter transmitting a signal that includes an initialization sequence and at least a receiver which is synchronized with the transmitter by correlation means which recognize the initialization sequence.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
It is a current problem to synchronize a signal receiver with a signal transmitter each placed at either end of a transmission channel. The synchronization may be realized by detecting a sequence transmitted at the initialization of the transmission.
The document "Frame Synchronization Techniques" R. A. SCHOLTZ, IEEE Transactions on Communications, Vol. COM-28, no. 8, 1980, pages 1204-1213 describes a frame synchronization technique based upon a correlation between an initialization sequence and a reference sequence. When the two sequences are identical, there is maximum correlation and a correlation signal is transmitted which is used for establishing the synchronization. But, such a technique has limited possibilities when the transmission channel produces distortion.
This situation occurs in digital transmission systems, for example, telephone systems, for which there is a transceiver operating in the transmit mode at one end of a channel, whereas at the other end there is another transceiver operating in the receive mode, and vice versa. In such a bidirectional mode of operation it is necessary to synchronize the two transceivers with each other during an initialization period. To provide this synchronization, one uses synchronizing signals transmitted by the transmitter and identified by the receiver. To obviate these synchronization problems caused by transmnission channels, the synchronizing signals are initialization sequences. The synchronization of the receiver may be obtained by making use of the repetition of the signals transmitted by the transmitter.
It is necessary to identify precisely the moment at which the receiver has recognized the initialization sequence, because a poor precision results in synchronization defects and/or excessive complexity of the receiving material.

Digital transmission system that can be synchronized with initialization sequences