A medical scope attachment device and system includes one or more expandable rings, each having a resilient main body and an inside diameter defining a central opening that corresponds to a dimension of a medical scope. One or more sets of opposing magnetic elements are disposed within each of the rings. The system also includes a ring attachment device having a shelf that is interposed between a pair of opposing electromagnets. The ring attachment device functioning to transition the expandable rings between an expanded and non-expanded state to receive an existing medical scope.

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
There are many known devices for performing medical procedures within human patients. One of the most commonly utilized medical instruments are medical scopes which come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and medical uses. One such example includes a sheathed catheter which is typically introduced into a patients' body via an incision, and includes an elongated generally hollow flexible member which can be physically guided to a specific portion of the patients' body by a doctor.
The field of gastroenterology also utilizes medical scopes to perform medical imaging, diagnostics and procedures within the intestines and other related areas of a patient. One typical device used in this field is the colonoscope or endoscope, which includes a head that is disposed at a distal end of an elongated flexible/semi-flexible member. The head is inserted into the large intestine of a patient through the rectum and is moved forward through the colon via a manual pushing force.
In this regard, the head of the scope may be equipped with any number of different devices used for diagnostic or therapeutic treatments. For example, a fiber optic and/or video imaging device may be used diagnostically by a doctor for viewing the interior of the large intestine to allow visual inspection for polyps or other malformations of the intestinal wall. The head may also carry a therapeutic tool, such as a remotely controlled cauterizing loop mechanism which is capable of removing, a polyp from the mucosa of the large intestine.
In either instance, the elongated flexible or semi-flexible member of the scope typically has a hollow interior, which is in communication with an interior chamber of the scope head. The head holds the therapeutic or diagnostic device. Thus in the case of a video imaging device, the video lens and a light source may be contained in the chamber of the head and can include one or more cables that can be enclosed within the flexible elongated member. At the end of the flexible elongated member opposite the head, an eyepiece, video screen or other such instrument may be disposed for viewing the interior of the large intestine through the camera lens. Further, a control device may be disposed at the end for manually manipulating the therapeutic or diagnostic device.
In accordance with the conventional art, the elongated member of the medical scope is relatively stiff so that it may effectively push the head forward through the large intestine. Since the large intestine is not straight, but rather has a number of turns to it, it has been difficult to provide a scope which has both the stiffness necessary for pushing the head forward through the large intestine, and the flexibility to maneuver the head around the various curves of the large intestine. In this regard, it is not uncommon for traditional colonoscopes to bend into what are known as an alpha loop, N-loop and/or reverse alpha loop during the procedure. These loops in the colonoscope usually occur in the sigmoid colon, and cause great discomfort to the patient as the colonoscope is advanced further into the patient.
Moreover, in some instances, it becomes necessary to physically manipulate the position of the patient in order to aid the advancement of the scope. Such manipulation is uncomfortable to the patient, and is particularly difficult for the medical staff in instances, for example, where the patient is unconscious or heavily sedated and unable to assist with proper movement of their body.
As such, there are prior art documents which provide specialty scopes having magnetic elements disposed along the distal end which allow doctors to guide a medical scope through the patients' body with increased precision utilizing an outside magnet. One such example includes U.S. Patent Publication No. 2005/0154259, to DeMarco, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. In this regard, each of these methods requires the use of a specialty scope that is purpose built to perform specific medical procedures and to house the magnets. As such, each of these known specialty instruments are exceedingly expensive, and are not adaptable for use with existing hospital or physician equipment. Moreover, owing to the embedded magnetic elements, it can be exceedingly difficult to ensure the device has been effectively sterilized after each use.
Accordingly, the need exists for a magnetic scope attachment device and system which can function to secure one or more expandable and removable magnetic elements onto an existing medical scope, so as to impart magnetic guidance functionality onto the same. It would also be beneficial to provide the system in a cost effective manner that would allow the expandable magnetic elements to be discarded after each use, so as to alleviate expenses involved with sterilization.

Medical scope attachment device and system


A mechanism to reduce the amplitude of acceleration experienced by IMUs for tracked objects while maintaining a more accurate estimate of the device orientation. The invention uses parallel mechanisms to maintain the correct orientation of an IMU while allowing for damped translational degrees of freedom to limit the degradation of performance while spatially tracking a body.

It is common for tracked objects to use embedded inertial sensors to establish the states of a device. These sensors are often integrated into algorithms that estimate the state of the device based off of the interoceptive (on-body) sensor readings and then can be corrected by exteroceptive (off-body) sensors.
However, when a tracked object is subjected to a haptic stimulus that can lead to high accelerations of the tracked object this can cause the tracked objects to perform erratically. This ultimately causes the tracking to perform poorly and this can have devastating implications for any process or simulation that relies on tracking the position and orientation of the object faithfully. These issues arise frequently in the fields of virtual and augmented reality where haptic inputs are important for user immersion but conversely high amplitudes of acceleration that arise from haptic actuation can lead to loss of tracking.
Typical solutions have been to mount tracking units directly to haptic controllers which does not allow for adequate isolation from the input source and leads to poor performance for high amplitude accelerations of the controller caused by haptic inputs.
Other solutions have aimed to use damping pads which are common in drone technology. Because these damping pads can deform along several axes, they do not allow the tracked controller to maintain a more faithful estimation of the controller's attitude. The lack of orientation fidelity is particularly damaging in the domain of virtual reality, for example, as the aim of the controller is tied directly to the tracked orientation. Thus aiming, say, a virtual reality gun when subjected to haptic recoil would lead to changes in shot orientation that would negatively alter the trajectory of subsequent shots.

Orientation preserved damping for object tracking subjected to haptic stimulus


In an electro-motion type automatic clip-ejecting apparatus, when paper to be bound is inserted into the apparatus after a large number of clips are charged in the clip magazine, each clip is simultaneously ejected from the clip magazine so that a binding operation is performed so that it is possible to conveniently use the clip ejecting apparatus by only one hand of the user. The apparatus includes a wheel movement member and a clip ejecting member. The wheel movement member includes a pole, a spring for providing elastic force, and a pole movement bar for performing a linear movement so that the pole movement bar is interlocked with the pushing rack gear. The pole is interlocked with the pole movement bar according to linear movement of the pole movement bar. The clip ejecting member includes a spar gear, a fixed gear, and a pushing rack gear.

1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates to an electro-motion type automatic clip-ejecting apparatus, and more particularly to an electro-motion type automatic clip-ejecting apparatus, in which paper to be bound is inserted into a front opening of the clip magazine, which is shaped like a wheel and is charged with a large number of clips, and simultaneously, each clip is automatically ejected from the clip magazine, so that the convenience in using the clip ejecting apparatus can be improved remarkably.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A conventional clip ejecting apparatus for binding a plurality of pieces of paper is operated by a passive pushing or pressing manner so that it is inconvenient to use the convention clip ejecting apparatus.
That is, the conventional clip ejecting apparatus (refers to a clip dispenser) is operated in such a manner that the dispenser is slanted frontward so as to allow clips to flow frontward whenever there is a need for binding paper, and a user's finger makes direct contact with a pushing bar of an upper part of the dispenser and pushes each clip frontward.
Accordingly, whenever paper is bound, the above-described operation is repeatedly performed. Therefore, is it a great inconvenience because of the large amount of force required for pushing each clip, and in addition, each clip has to always flow frontward whenever binding papers together.

Electromotion type automatic clip-ejecting apparatus


An apparatus and method are provided including a first segmenter and a second segmenter. The first segmenter is configured to generate a first segmentation result from a medical image using a first segmentation parameter for a candidate lesion. The second segmenter is configured to determine a target lesion to segment from among the candidate lesion based on the first segmentation result, and generate a second segmentation result using a second segmentation parameter to segment the target lesion.

1. Field
The following description relates to an apparatus and method to segment a lesion in a medical image.
2. Description of Related Art
A Computer Aided Diagnosis (CAD) system is used to detect and diagnose a lesion from an enormous amount of medical images. The CAD system segments a medical image including a region suspected to include a lesion, and provides a user with information about the lesion region and a location thereof. If the lesion segmentation information provided by the CAD system does not conform to criterion discrimination defined by the user, the user ignores the lesion segmentation, and manually segments again the region suspected to include the lesion. In this case, a point-based segmentation method to segment a lesion region by moving control points in a medical image is usually utilized. However, the point-based segmentation method requires a user to manually move control points. In addition, this method highly depends on the subjective criterion of the user.

Apparatus and method for lesion segmentation and detection in medical images

SEOUL NATIONAL UNIVERSITY R&DB FOUNDATION


A computer converts dimensions of design patterns of components of the transistors configuring the semiconductor circuit or component parameters extracted from in-design physical characteristics of the transistors into simulation parameters inputted to the simulator, organize the plurality of transistors included in the semiconductor circuit into a plurality of groups, selects any selection groups from the plurality of groups, sets fixed parameter values as component parameters of the non-selected groups other than the selection groups in the plurality of groups, sets the combinations of the component parameters in the selection groups, acquires circuit characteristics with respect to each combination of the component parameters, selects a group as a next selection group different from the selected groups, and repeatedly executing the setting the fixed parameter values through the selects a group as a next selection group different.

Over the recent years, with advanced micronization of LSI, circuit characteristics have been greatly influenced by accuracy of physical quantities of shapes of layout patterns, layout positions, etc of circuit elements, or scatters in these physical quantities in a manufacturing process. Further, there has been proposed a method of taking the influence thereof into a prediction of the circuit characteristics and optimizing the circuit characteristics.
Conventional technologies are not, however, sufficient for optimizing the circuit characteristics of a whole design target circuit including a multiplicity of elements and wirings due to a heavy load in terms of a calculation quantity. For example, a circuit design includes performing a layout of a gate dimension and a gate width in the way of taking account of a balance between a current driving force of each transistor and a load. A technology of determining the optimal gate dimension and gate width in the design target circuit as a whole is not yet, however, actualized.

Semiconductor circuit design method and semiconductor circuit manufacturing method


Provided is a method of producing a bioabsorbable, implantable substrate having a graded molecular weight distribution, comprising exposing at least a portion of the implantable substrate to electron beam irradiation. There is also provided a bioabsorbable, implantable substrate comprising a bioabsorbable polymer having a graded molecular weight distribution through at least a portion of its thickness.

The long-term goal of biomaterials research lies in tissue regeneration, not replacement. In 'tissue engineering' biocompatible structures can be used either to engineer in-vitro living cellular constructs for transplantation, or to temporarily support load and facilitate in-vivo mechanisms for tissue regeneration. The ideal material for these purposes should provide high strength initially, then gradually degrade, transferring mechanical loads to regenerating tissue. Typical surgical applications are in the repair of connective soft tissue, ligaments or tendons and hard tissue such as bone.
In applications where tissue only requires temporary support or fixation the use of bioabsorbable polymers is appropriate. Depending on the choice of material and processing conditions, bioabsorbable polymers may retain their tissue supporting properties for days, weeks or months. Advantages of these materials are firstly, reduced risk of long-term complications because stresses are eventually transferred to the healing tissue, and secondly, the avoidance of the necessity for a retrieval operation.
Current trends in orthopaedic practice and research suggest that the most important bioabsorbable polymers used in surgery are synthetic polymers such as aliphatic polyesters (e.g. polyglycolide (PGA), polylactide (PLA) and their copolymers). These polyesters degrade in-vivo by hydrolysis into lactic acid and glycolic acid, which are then incorporated in the tricarboxylic acid cycle and excreted. These types of polymer generally degrade by bulk erosion, as the rate at which water penetrates the material exceeds the rate at which chain scission (into water-soluble fragments) occurs within the polymer [Middleton, J. C., Tipton, A. J., Biomaterials, 2335-2346, 2000]. Degradation in the interior of the device may occur faster than on the surface due to autocatalysis. The implication of this is that the device remains as a space-filler long after the useful strength of the polymer has deteriorated. The ingrowth of natural tissue is prevented, and a 'lactide-burst' of low pH material may be released when the surface of the implant is finally degraded which can damage surrounding cells and cause inflammation.


A bus interface unit of a microprocessor which can simultaneously process bus cycle's requests coming from various pipelines during for one cycle in the pipelined high-performance microprocessor of a superscalar type. The bus interface unit includes a bus cycle arbiter for arbitrating a plurality of cycle requests inputted from a plurality of units, a cycle multiplexer for selecting cycle information inputted from the units in response to an arbitration determination of the bus cycle arbiter, a cycle queue for storing selected information, a cycle generator for generating a bus cycle in response to the information stored in the cycle queue, a bus controller for controlling the bus interface unit as a whole, and a write buffer for enabling a next operation without waiting for the core unit to complete its write operation to improve a performance of a memory write cycle. According to the bus interface unit, the bus cycle requests from respective pipelines of the microprocessor are simultaneously processed during one cycle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a microprocessor and, more particularly, to a bus interface unit which can simultaneously proceed with two bus cycles as one among internal units in a high-performance microprocessor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
With the improvement of the microprocessor's performance caused by the development of semiconductor design and fabrication techniques, an internal core unit has been rapidly developed. However, peripheral units communicating with the internal core through a bus have been developed relatively slow due to their inherent specialty (since the speed of a semiconductor memory is much slower than that of a microprocessor, a great loss of cycle is produced even by one access of the memory though the internal execution is proceeding very quickly.). Accordingly, the importance of the bus interface unit for interfacing them has been extended. Specifically, in case of a microprocessor adopting a superscalar type wherein a plurality of execution units are provided so as to simultaneously execute a plurality of instructions, or adopting a super-pipeline type wherein a typical pipeline is subdivided, a large number of bus activities are required in comparison to a conventional microprocessor, and thus it is required to simultaneously process requests of respective bus cycles which are requested from respective pipelines during one cycle.
As a result, in order to satisfy the speed difference between the internal core and the peripheral units and the necessity of plentiful bus operations required in the superscalar structure, the bus interface unit which is an interface block between them should be improved.

Bus interface unit capable of simultaneously proceeding with two bus cycles in a high-performance microprocessor

Hyundai Electronics Industries Co., Ltd.


A connector system for multiple fiber optical cables aligns multiple optical fibers of one coaxial cable with corresponding multiple optical fibers of another coaxial cable or tool head. This is accomplished by forming off-axis fiber holes in the flat connector face of an end terminator for one of the multiple fiber cables. Similar off-axis fiber holes, in the same pattern as in the first cable end terminator, are formed in a second cable end terminator. Alignment flats are located adjacent the faces of each of the end terminators; and a coupling sleeve, having a slot in each of its ends for fitting over the alignment flats, is used to align the fiber holes in each of the end terminators with one another when the coupling sleeve is secured in place on the end terminators.

Optical fibers are used in a variety of applications ranging from simple light displays to medical instruments and high speed data transmission. Frequently, it is necessary to interconnect one section of optical fiber to another section in a manner which might be likened to the interconnection or splicing of one electrical wire to another. The interconnections, however, of one optical fiber to another are more complex, since precise alignment of the ends of one optical fiber with the end of another optical fiber in the connector must be made in order to retain a high efficiency of light transmission through the connection.
When releasable connection of one end or the terminal end of an optical fiber to an optical fiber tool, which may be in the form of a releasable head or the like, is required, the alignment problem is compounded by the requirement for continued precision connections being maintained, even after many connections and disconnections have been made.
Connectors for connecting a single optical fiber in a cable or other terminator device with a releasable head are available; and alignment problems are relatively minor. A greater degree of complexity, however, exists when two or more fiber optic cables, such as in a duplexed fiber optic cable, must be interconnected to align the optical fibers in each of the cable terminators or in a cable terminator and a releasable working head of some type, since any misalignment of the optical fibers in the two portions being interconnected causes a significant reduction in the efficiency of light transmission through the connector. Essentially, such connections need to be made with nearly zero tolerance; so that misalignment does not take place.
It has been the practice in the past, when two duplex cables are to be interconnected, to split the end of the cable carrying the two optical fibers into two terminal devices. This means that two different connections have to be made between the two different cables, one connector for each of the optical fibers. This results in a bulky assembly and increases the cost of the connectors, because a separate connector must be used for each of the optical fibers in the cable.
Another approach which has been taken in the past is to use alignment pins (male and female) on the mating cables. The tolerances required make this difficult for ease in connecting and disconnecting the cables and terminal devices from one another when this must be done frequently. In a relatively short time, wear causes enough misalignment to occur that the resultant connection is unsuitable. In such situations, the cable connector must be discarded; and new connectors and/or new cables and operating heads or tools must be substituted for the ones where the misalignment wear has taken place.
The United States patent to Murakami U.S. Pat. No. 5,519,799 discloses a connector for fiber optic cables which fits over an hourglass-shaped guide portion used to terminate a flat tape optical fiber cable. The connector aperture has an internal configuration of an hourglass shape, which then aligns the terminating portions of each of the flat cables to be interconnected. This provides a proper alignment between the cables for the optical fiber array carried within the cables. The structure of the Murakami patent, however, is not adapted for interconnecting and aligning two mating cables having a circular cross section, or for aligning mating coaxial cables.
Two other United States patents to Belenkiy U.S. Pat. No. 5,608,830 and Bernardini U.S Pat. No. 4,711,510 illustrate other prior art optical fiber connectors. The Belenkiy patent is directed to a dual connector assembly, which takes two individual cables and spaces them apart and aligns them for connection. This technique is similar to the one described above where the cables are separated and provided with independent terminators and connectors for interconnection. The Bernardini patent is directed to a connector back shell and does not disclose the manner of interconnecting and aligning a pair of optical fibers carried within a single cable.
It is an object of this invention to provide a simple and effective solution for aligning and connecting multiple optical fibers located within a single cable sheath using a single, simple connector for effecting both the connection and alignment of the terminal ends of the cables being connected.


An image fixing device includes a fixing roller, a bearing for rotatably supporting the fixing roller, and a backup member to form a nip between them. The bearing extends to reach within a maximum recording material passage area of the fixing roller.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fixing device for fixing an image on a recording material used in an image forming apparatus, such as an electrophotographic apparatus or an electrostatic recording apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, heat roller fixing devices have been widely used as the fixing device used in an image forming apparatus.
To separate the recording material from a roller, the heat roller fixing device is generally provided with a plurality of separating claws.
The heat roller fixing device may be provided with a separation guide which is not in contact with the roller, as shown in FIG. 12.
In the fixing device shown in FIG. 12, a pressure roller 3 is pressed against a fixing roller 2 by a pressurizing means (not shown) to form a nip having a predetermined width. Fixing roller bearings 18 support the two end portions of the fixing roller 2. The fixing roller bearings 18 are disposed outside of a recording material passage area. A separation guide 10 is spaced from the fixing roller 2 by a predetermined interval and extends over the entire area of the fixing roller in the longitudinal direction thereof (in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the recording material).
Where the separation claws are provided, the number of parts required for the fixing device is increased.
Furthermore, both the adjustment of the contact force of the separation claws to the roller, and arrangement thereof are difficult. However, if they are not properly done, the separation claws may damage the surface of the roller.
Where the separation guide is used, a gap by which the separation guide is spaced from the fixing roller may vary depending on the variations in the components. If the gap is too large, separation failure may occur, causing jam of the recording material.

Fixing device capable of separating an end portion of a recording material by a bearing


Bolted together first and second flanges include bolts disposed through first bolt holes in the first flange. The bolts extend at least partially through second holes in the second flange. Bolt include bolt heads, threads, and shanks therebetween. Crushable spacers disposed around the shanks of a first plurality of the bolts and contacting and axially extending between the bolt heads and the first flange. Bushings disposed around a second plurality of the bolts and contacting and axially extending between the bolt heads and the second flange. A shank outer diameter may be smaller than a thread diameter and heat shrink tubing may be disposed around the bolt shanks of at least some of the spacers. First bolt holes may extend into an open annular slot on first flange and second holes may extend partially through a forward extending annular rail of second flange with rail received within slot.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to bolted flange connections and, particularly, to such connections for limiting transmitted loads during unbalance events in turbomachinery.
2. Description of Related Art
Flanges are generally held together by bolts through bolt holes provided in each of the flanges and that are aligned with each other. Large radial, tangential, or axial loads with respect to an axial centerline of the bolted joint can impose bending moments or tensile forces in the flange that can cause deformation or rupture of the bolts.
During gas turbine engine operation, a foreign body, such as a bird, could impact the fan assembly and cause part or all of a fan blade to become detached from the rotor disk. Such blade loss is a certification requirement under FAA 14 CFR part 33 rules. Fan blade loss creates a large rotor imbalance, particularly, in early revolutions of the imbalance causing event. This results in the transmission of potentially damaging imbalance forces to the bolted connection, possibly resulting in the misalignment of the flanges and bearing which they help support.
This could be a particular problem in gas turbine engines and, more so, in aircraft gas turbine engines that use bolted connections to support bearings which, in turn, support rotatable rotors. Rotor blade failures, which can be caused by foreign objects that are drawn into the fan or compressor, can cause rotor unbalance conditions. Such rotor unbalance conditions can impose radial, circumferential, and possibly also axial loads sufficient to fail supporting structure causing loss of centerline. Such rotor unbalance conditions can cause unintended high shear, bending, or tensile loads, or a combination of such loads, applied to the flange connecting bolts, leading to structural damage, bolt deformation, and possibly to bolt rupture and separation of the bolted casings from each other. This can cause the centerline of the flange of the bearing casing to shift. This, in turn, can shift the radial location of the bearings which is an undesirable condition even with the engine shutoff and windmilling. Thus, it is highly desirable to maintain the centerline of the flange of the bearing casing supporting the bearing when there has been an unbalance load event like fan blade out and the engine will be shutoff and the fan windmilled.


A reception step receives a multicarrier signal containing subcarriers, at least one of which a synchronization signal is transmitted therein, multiplied only by a synchronization signal spreading code, a correlation detection step detects correlation values between the received multicarrier signal and replicas of the synchronization signal, and a timing detection step detects a FFT timing and a long code received timing according to the correlation values.

Hereinafter, the term "scrambling code" in this specification is equivalent with the term "long code" in the claim.
Multicarrier transmission system such as multicarrier CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) or OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) modulates a source information signal with a plurality of subcarriers and inserts guard intervals (GIs) to modulated signal in order to reduce waveform distortion due to multiple delayed-paths.
FIG. 1 shows a conventional transmitter 1000 for Multicarrier CDMA (refers to 'MC-CDMA', hereinafter) systems. The transmitter 1000 provides a plurality of data channel generation circuit 100. In each data channel generation circuit 100, a transmission data generator 101 generates a transmission data sequence. An encoder 102 encodes the generated data sequence. A data modulator 103 modulates the encoded data sequence. The modulated data symbol sequence is multiplexed with a pilot by a multiplexer 104. A serial-parallel converter 105 converts the multiplexed symbol sequence into a sequence of N/SF symbols allocated along a frequency axis.
A copier 106 copies each of the sequence of N/SF symbols so that a total length of the copies is equal to a period of the short code. A short code generator 107 generates the short code uniquely assigned for each subscriber. The copies allocated along the frequency axis are multiplied with the short code by multipliers 108, respectively.
A combiner 109 combines the outputs from each data channel generation circuit 100.1–100.x and outputs N combined signals. The N combined symbols are respectively input to other multipliers 111. A scrambling code generator 110 generates a scrambling code (a long code) and outputs to respective multipliers 111. Each multiplier 111 multiplies the respective combined signals with the scrambling code, to provide N symbols scrambled by the scrambling code.
An IFFT unit 113 carries out inverse fast Fourier transform to the N combined symbols and transforms into an orthogonal multicarrier signal. A GI adder 114 inserts guard intervals to the transformed multicarrier signal. This multicarrier signal is transmitted as a wireless signal.
A receiver for MC-CDMA system receives the multicarrier signal transmitted from the transmitter and removes the GIs from the multicarrier signal. The receiver further carries out FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) to separate the received multicarrier signal into the N subcarrier components and recovers the original data sequence. Before carrying out FFT, the receiver must detect FFT timing.
To detect the FFT timing, the OFDM employs a technique by using a correlation characteristic of a guard interval. This technique is disclosed in "A Simultaneous Estimation of Symbol Synchronization and Frequency Offset of Multicarrier Modulation Signals" by Mori, Okada, Hara, Komaki, and Morinaga in IEICE Technical Reelement RCS95-70, pp. 9–16 (1995-09). Another technique is proposed that transmits a timing detection signal twice, and on a receiver side, detects a correlation between two symbols. This technique is disclosed in "Study on Synchronization Method for High-Speed Wireless LAN OFDM System" by Onizawa, Mizoguchi, Kumagai, Takanashi, and Morikura in IEICE Technical Reelement RCS97–210, pp. 137–142 (1998-01).
In MC-CDMA systems, each subscriber is identified according to a short code allocated to each subscriber. Therefore, multiple subscribers may simultaneously carry out communications in the same frequency band.
A mobile communication system employing the MC-CDMA must employ scrambling codes to identify respective base stations. Therefore, the receiver for the multicarrier CDMA system must be able to identify a scrambling code as well as to detect a FFT timing. Accordingly, each mobile station must detect correlations in connection with all scrambling codes prepared by the system and detect a scrambling code related to a signal from a base station to which the mobile station must be connected. For flexible allocation of scrambling codes for each base station, the system must prepare several hundreds of scrambling codes. This raises a problem that a mobile station must spend long time to detect a proper scrambling code before starting communication with a target base station. Studies on the multicarrier CDMA, however, are mostly related to the evaluation of link levels, and none are related to the identification of scrambling codes.

Transmitter, transmitting method, receiver, and receiving method for MC-CDMA communication system


The present invention relates to a rubber article having a surface construction designed for abrasion resistance wherein the surface comprises a series of rubber layers parallel to each other and in a density of from at least 200 layers per 25.4 millimeters as measured along the surface area of the article and in a direction perpendicular to each layer.

The present invention relates to a rubber article having a surface designed for high abrasion resistance. Many products that are currently produced are designed for high abrasion resistance. Examples of such products include treads for pneumatic tires and shoe soles. Conventionally, the various components of such rubber articles are selectively combined to improve the abrasion resistance. Examples include various rubbers and fillers. Whereas there is an endless search for finding components to improve the abrasion resistance of rubber articles, unexpectedly there has been found a new way to improve the abrasion resistance of a surface of a rubber article using conventional additives.

Rubber article having a surface design for high abrasion resistance


A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal panel having an upper substrate and a lower substrate that face each other with a layer of liquid crystal molecules therebetween, and a liquid powder display panel at a lower surface of the liquid crystal panel for blocking light.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention relate to display device, and more particularly to a liquid crystal display device. Although embodiments of the invention are suitable for a wide scope of applications, it is particularly suitable for improving black brightness.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a liquid crystal display device displays a picture corresponding to a video signal using a matrix of liquid crystal cells, which are defined between crossing gate lines and data lines. Each pixel area includes a thin film transistor (hereinafter, referred to as 'TFT') connected to a pixel electrode, a gate line and a data line. The TFT switches a video signal from the data line through the TFT to the pixel electrode of a liquid crystal cell in response to a gate drive signal from the gate line. Further, the liquid crystal display device includes a gate drive circuit and a data drive circuit for supplying the drive signals to the gate lines and the data lines.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the related art liquid crystal display device. As shown in FIG. 1, the liquid crystal display device of the related art includes a liquid crystal panel 800 having a matrix of liquid crystal cells, a gate driver 600 for driving gate lines GL1 to GLn of the liquid crystal panel 800, a data driver 400 for driving data lines DL1 to DLm of the liquid crystal panel 800, and a timing controller 200 for controlling the gate driver 600 and the data driver 400.
The timing controller 200 generates control signals GDC and DDC, which control the gate driver and the data driver. The gate control signals GDC generated in the timing controller 200 includes a gate start pulse GSP, a gate shift clock signal GSC, and a gate output enable signal GOE. The data control signals DDC generated in the timing controller 200 includes a source start pulse SSP, a source shift clock signal SSC, a source output enable signal SOE, and a polarity control signal POL. Further the timing controller 200 supplies a pixel data signal RGB to the data driver 400.
The gate driver 600 sequentially supplies scan signals to the gate lines GL1 to GLn in response to the gate control signals GDC. Thin film transistors along one horizontal line are driven for a horizontal period in response to the scan signal of the gate driver 600. The gate lines GL1 to GLn can receive the scan signals in sequence.
The data driver 400 converts the inputted pixel data into an analog pixel signal and supplies the analog pixel signals of one horizontal line to the data lines DL1 to DLm for each horizontal period while the scan signal is supplied to the gate line GL along the horizontal line. In the alternative, the data driver 400 can convert the pixel data into the analog pixel signal by use of gamma voltages supplied from a gamma voltage generating part (not shown).
The liquid crystal panel 800 includes an upper substrate (not shown) and a lower substrate (not shown) that face each other with a layer of liquid crystal molecules (not shown) therebetween. The upper substrate includes color filters (not shown), a black matrix (not shown) located between the color filters (not shown), and a common electrode (not shown) that supplies a reference voltage to the layer of liquid crystal molecules (not shown). Further, the lower substrate includes a thin film transistor 120 which is formed in each sub-pixel area defined by the crossing of the gate lines GL1 to GLn and the data lines DL1 to DLm, and a pixel electrode 100 connected to the thin film transistor 120. In response to scan signals from the gate line GL1 to GLn, the thin film transistor 120 supplies the pixel signal from the data line DL1 to DLm to the pixel electrode 100. The pixel signal on the pixel electrode 100 drives the layer of liquid crystal molecules between the common electrode and the pixel electrode 100 to control light transmittance through the layer of liquid crystal molecules toward a color filter.
The liquid crystal display device of the related art has one pixel that is a combination of sub-pixels, which are disposed in parallel to realize red R, green G and blue B colors. Each of the red R, green G and blue B sub-pixels makes only allows about 27%˜33% of the amount of the light from the backlight unit BL exit to the upper substrate. Thus, light from the backlight unit BL may not be fully utilized.
The liquid crystal display device is mainly classified into a TN (twisted nematic) mode in which an electric field oriented in a vertical direction between the substrates is used to drive the liquid crystal molecules, and an IPS (in-plane switch) in which an electric field oriented in a horizontal direction between the substrates is used to drive the liquid crystal molecules. In the TN mode, the liquid crystal molecules are driven by a vertical electric field between the common electrode, which is disposed on the upper substrate, and the pixel electrode, which is disposed on the lower substrate. The TN mode has the advantage of a high aperture ratio but has the disadvantage of a narrow viewing angle. In the IPS mode, the liquid crystal molecules are driven by a horizontal electric field between the pixel electrode and the common electrode, which are both disposed in parallel on the lower substrate. The IPS mode has the advantage of a wide viewing angle but the disadvantage of a low aperture ratio.
FIG. 2 is a diagram representing a cross-section of one sub-pixel in the related art IPS mode liquid crystal panel. More particularly, FIG. 2 is a diagram representing a cross-section of one sub-pixel in the related art IPS mode liquid crystal panel 800 shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 2, a black matrix 2, a color filter 6, an overcoat layer 7, a spacer 13 and an upper alignment film 8 are sequentially formed on a surface of the upper substrate 1 and a transparent electrode material (not shown) is formed on the other surface of the upper substrate 1 to prevent static electricity. A thin film transistor, a common electrode 4, a pixel electrode 100 and a lower alignment film 10 are formed on a lower substrate 5. Liquid crystal molecules (not shown) are injected into a space between the upper plate and the lower plate.
The black matrix 2 is formed to overlap a TFT area of the lower substrate 5, gate line areas and data line areas (not shown). The black matrix defines a cell area 'A' where a color filter 6 is to be formed. The black matrix 2 prevents light leakage and absorbs an external light so as to increase contrast.
The color filter 6 is formed over and the black matrix 2 and within the cell area 'A'. Further, the color filter 6 is formed for each of red (R), green (G), and blue (B) colors to realize R, G, and B colors. An overcoat layer 7 is formed to cover the color filter 6 for planarization purposes. An upper alignment film 8 is formed on the overcoat layer 7. The upper/lower alignment films 8 and 10 are formed by spreading an alignment material, such as polyimide, and performing a rubbing process. A spacer 13 maintains a cell gap between the upper substrate 1 and the lower substrate 5.
The TFT, including a gate electrode 16, is formed on the lower substrate 5 together with the gate line (not shown), a semiconductor layer 126, which overlaps the gate electrode with a gate insulating film 129, and source/drain electrodes 128 and 130 formed together with the data line (not shown) with the semiconductor layer 126 therebetween. The TFT supplies the pixel signal from the data line to the pixel electrode 100 in response to the scan signal from the gate line. The pixel electrode 100 is a transparent conductive material through which light transmittance is high. The pixel electrode contacts the drain electrode 130 of the TFT.
The common electrode 4 is formed in a stripe shape to alternate with the pixel electrode 100. A common voltage being a reference when driving liquid crystal is supplied to the common electrode 4. The liquid crystal is rotated on the basis of a horizontal direction by a horizontal electric field created by the common voltage and a pixel voltage supplied to the pixel electrode 100.
In the liquid crystal panel 800, the light applied from a backlight (not shown) mounted on a lower part of the liquid crystal panel passes through the color filter 6 through the cell area 'A' where the pixel electrode 100 and the common electrode 4 are formed, thereby generating R, G, and B colors. The amount of the light passing through the cell area 'A' is controlled by the rotation of the liquid crystal molecules, which results from the electric field supplied to the common and pixel electrodes 4 and 100, as described above.
FIG. 3 is a diagram representing a state of light leakage in a related art IPS mode liquid crystal panel. As described above, the amount of light passing through the cell area 'A' is controlled by the rotation of the liquid crystal molecules due to the electric field between the pixel electrode 100 and the common electrode 4. The response speed of the liquid crystal molecules is slower than the switching speed of the electrodes, thus the liquid crystal molecules of the cell area 'A' do not completely block the light applied from the backlight, as shown in FIG. 3, thereby causing the problem of black brightness.
In general, the response speed of liquid crystal molecules is 5˜10 ms, and the response speed cannot be as fast as the switching speed of the electrodes. Thus, a problem occurs in that a very high black brightness appears because the light of the backlight is not completely blocked and a part of the light is transmitted during a black state in which all of the light of the cell area 'A' should be blocked. Such a phenomenon is more pronounced in the IPS mode liquid crystal display device where the common electrode 4 and the pixel electrode 100 are formed in parallel on the lower substrate.
The reason why such a problem is more pronounced in the related art IPS mode liquid crystal display device is because the black brightness cannot be counteracted by a strong reverse electric field since the black color is the initial alignment state for the related art IPS mode liquid crystal display device. In other words, when going to black in the related art IPS mode liquid crystal display device, the related art liquid crystal panel does not change to completely block the light, but rather lets part of the light from a backlight unit through. Accordingly, there is a problem in that the black brightness of the related art liquid crystal panel in the related art IPS mode liquid crystal display device is increased.


An optical semiconductor device includes a waveguide that an input light to be inputted, a ring modulator optically coupled with the waveguide, a first ring resonator optically coupled with the waveguide and having an optical path length smaller than an optical path length of the ring modulator, a second ring resonator optically coupled with the first waveguide and having an optical path length larger than the optical path length of the ring modulator, a heater arranged adjacent to the ring modulator, the first ring resonator and the second ring resonator, a first photodetector monitoring a light power in the first ring resonator, a second photodetector monitoring a light power in the second ring resonator, and a controller controlling the heater so that a resonance wavelength of the ring modulator agrees with a wavelength of the input light, based on signals detected by the first and second photodetectors.

For downsizing, large capacity and low power consumption of an optical transmitter and receiver, it plays an important role to realize an optical device on silicon. The optical device on silicon, which can use optical waveguide of large refractive index difference, is advantageous in the downsizing in comparison with optical devices on other materials, which facilitates the integration with other electronic circuits, whereby a number of optical transmitters and receivers can be integrated on 1 chip. Of the optical devices, especially the modulator has the characteristics influential on the power consumption and size of the optical transmitter and receiver. Especially, the ring modulator, which is small-sized itself and has a small modulator voltage and a small optical insertion loss, is advantageous in the downsizing and low power consumption.
The followings are examples of related: U.S. Patent Publication No. 2009/0169149 A1; and Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2008-268276.
However, the ring modulator has the problem of making the modulation efficiency high narrowing the wavelength band.


A method for manufacturing an enamel-coated bullet is described. The method starts with casting a bullet from a metal material and quenching the cast bullet. After the bullet cools, applying a lubricant to the bullet and sizing the bullet to the appropriate caliber and rinsing the bullets in a solvent. Thereafter, applying an enamel coating to the bullets. The coating uses about 1 part by volume lacquer thinner, about 1.5 parts by volume hardener, and about 2.5 parts by volume epoxy paint. The process continues by contacting the bullets with a moving fluid for a sufficient time that they become dry and heating the bullets in an oven at a temperature of between 150 and 250° F. for a time between 20 and 45 minutes. Finally, the process involves applying a lubricant to the coated bullet and resizing the bullet to the appropriate caliber.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to an enamel coated bullet that prevents barrel leading and to a method of making an enamel coated bullet.
2. Background of the Invention
Repeated firing of a gun will often lead to barrel fouling. Barrel fouling occurs when the interior of a gun barrel becomes coated with remnants of the bullet material. The material (such as lead) accumulates and eventually covers the rifling grooves, thereby reducing the accuracy of the gun. In extreme cases, fouling prevents the bullet from passing through the barrel. Often, the blockage causes gases to build up behind the bullet, leading to explosion.
Lead is the most popular material from which bullets are made. Lead is relatively soft as compared to other metals. This softness has both beneficial and detrimental aspects. Beneficially, the softness allows a lead bullet to obturate the inside diameter of the barrel upon firing. Bullet obturation prevents the high pressure gases from escaping around the edges of the bullet and confines those gases behind the bullet, thereby ensuring maximum propulsion of the bullet.
Detrimentally, friction between the hardened barrel and the soft lead bullet causes lead to deposit on the inside of the barrel, which results in the aforementioned barrel fouling (also known as "barrel leading," particularly when lead bullets are used).
Barrel leading, or fouling, should be removed so as to avoid excessive deposits. Typically, the more that a gun is fired, the more that fouling will have to be removed. Removing barrel fouling generally involves a solvent and a wire brush. Excessive leading may require soaking the barrel in a solvent for an extended period of time. Cleaning a barrel requires dismantling of the gun, which can be time-consuming and can lead to improper reassembly.
Shooters try to combat barrel leading in a variety of ways. One way is to use a bullet made of a harder alloy. However, harder bullets do not always obturate the barrel, causing the bullet to bounce around the barrel, leaving scraps of material behind. Also, absent bullet obturation, the hot, pressurized gases blow past the bullet, melting the surface layer of the bullet. This too leaves deposits in the barrel.
Another popular way of reducing leading is to place a jacket of a harder material around the outside of the bullet. The most common jacket material is copper. The harder outer jacket expands enough to obturate the barrel, while preventing the soft lead from contacting the hardened barrel. Jacketed ammunition helps to avoid barrel leading, but it is also much more expensive than its unjacketed counterpart. Also, most at-home bullet casters do not have the equipment or machine skills to apply a metal jacket to a bullet.
Therefore, a need exists in the art for an application to a standard lead bullet that allows the bullet to obturate the barrel, thereby preventing leading. The method should be capable of being applied by amateur bullet casters.

Enamel coated bullet, method of making an enamel coated bullet


A projection apparatus has a projection system including a spatial optical modulator (SOM), which projects an image according to an input image signal, and a projection lens, two retardation sensors and a ranging section, which measure distances corresponding to plural positions in an image projection plane, a key/indicator section provided with a “One-shot AFK” key, which instructs execution of keystone correction and focusing only once, and a “Continuous AFK” key, which instructs continuous execution thereof, and a control section which performs keystone correction on a light image to be formed by the SOM in such a way that a projected image becomes a rectangle with adequate aspect ratio based on distances acquired, focuses the projection lens at an arbitrary position in an image having undergone keystone correction, and controls number of times keystone correction and focusing are to be executed in response to an instruction from one of the keys.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a projection apparatus, a projection method and a recording medium having recorded a projection method.
2. Description of the Related Art
When conventional portable projectors display images, various adjustments are required. As a solution to this shortcoming, a portable projector which has a built-in monitor camera and which monitors a projection screen to automatically perform various adjustments needed to display images has been proposed as disclosed in, for example, Unexamined Japanese Patent Application KOKAI Publication No. 2000-241874.
However, the portable projector described in Unexamined Japanese Patent Application KOKAI Publication No. 2000-241874 processes image data picked up by the monitor camera and executes a focusing process and an adjustment of keystone deformation separately. This lengthens the time needed for the entire adjustment.
In addition, the specific adjustment operation changes the direction and elevation angle of the projection lens optical system. The adjustment requires that the lens system include an optical "camera movement" mechanism in the casing of the projector, thus enlarging and complicating the apparatus.
Recently, there has been proposed a portable projector equipped with an electronic adjustment capability. This portable projector first detects the distance between the projector and the projection screen and the angle of inclination to the projection optical axis by ranging means using a PSD (Position Sensitive Detector) sensor. Then, the projector acquires the focus position according to the detection results and forms an optical image previously deformed in the opposite direction to the detected inclination and projects the resultant image. Based on those results, the adjustment is made by correcting an image to be actually projected in such a way that the image becomes a rectangle with a normal aspect ratio.
Such a portable projector can execute various adjustments more easily and quickly. This portable projector, however, has different modes of instruction operations needed, such as selection and setting of detailed operation menu items, for a case where a user wants to promptly terminate various adjustments, and go to the actual projection operation (with poorer precision), and for a case where the user wants to execute various adjustments thoroughly to acquire accurate focusing and keystone correction and then go to the actual projection operation. To perform an operation as intended by the user, therefore, a complicated instruction operation must be performed, thus making it hard to reflect the user's intention.

Projection apparatus, projection method and recording medium having recorded projection method


A demultiplexer/multiplexer is disclosed wherein an arrayed waveguide grating having a reflector at an end includes selectable signal path blockers. The arrayed waveguide device has a common input/output port for launching radiation in the form of an input signal having n wavelengths therein and for receiving back via the reflector at the input/output port a selected channel of the input signal. In operation a multiplexed signal have n channels is launched therein and a selected channel is output for analysis or further processing.

Wavelength blockers are well known and commonly used in telecommunications applications for routing signals. U.S. Pat. No. 6,504,970 in the name of Doerr assigned to Lucent Technologies Inc. (Murray Hill, N.J.) incorporated herein by reference discloses a planar lightwave circuit having shutter array disposed between an arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) multiplexer and a demultiplexer for selectively passing or blocking N wavelength signals. In Doerr's device, a wavelength blocker selectively blocks one or more wavelengths or channels from reaching a destination, while allowing other wavelengths or channels to pass to the destination The wavelength blocker device has a plurality of input ports and a plurality of output ports. Doer describes wavelength blockers as devices for accepting an incoming signal of multiple wavelength channels and for independently passing or blocking particular wavelength channels. Wavelength blockers can be used as components in a larger optical communication system, for example, to route a given optical signal along a desired path between a source and destination. Optical cross-connect switches and wavelength add-drop multiplexers, for example, could be implemented using wavelength blockers.
The instant invention, utilizes the wavelength blocking function and obviates the requirement for a costly array of detectors to form an optical performance monitor with an integration of a channel selectable filter.
If integratable components were available at little or no cost, it would likely be simpler when designing an optical performance monitor to design a system that had an integrated demultiplexer to separate an incoming multiplexed signal having n channels having n distinct center wavelengths to n spatially distinct locations, and to place n detectors at those locations to detect a characteristic of each of the n signals, for example signal power. By parallel processing in this manner, the detected power levels of the n channels could be quickly and simply compared.
Unfortunately, this configuration blocked the possibility of signal passthrough for a further signal analysis. Furthermore, utilizing an array of n detectors may require calibration to ensure that responses are matched and the n detectors require alignment and coupling to n waveguides which adds to the cost and complexity of an optical performance monitor.
It is an object of this invention, to provide an optical performance monitor or power monitor that requires fewer detectors than channels to be analyzed and simultaneously an optical channel filter for further signal process.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an optical performance monitor that is substantially integrated within a single chip and which requires few detectors, preferably one, time-shared with between the signals to be analyzed.

Dynamic optical demultiplexer/multiplexer formed within a PLC


A microelectronic package comprises a substrate (110), a silicon patch (120) embedded in the substrate, a first interconnect structure (131) at a first location of the silicon patch and a second interconnect structure (132) at a second location of the silicon patch, and an electrically conductive line (150) in the silicon patch connecting the first interconnect structure and the second interconnect structure to each other.

In order to enhance performance, central processing unit (CPU) products are increasingly integrating multiple die within the CPU package in a side-by-side or other multi-chip-module (MCM) format. This development, along with other factors such as the long-standing trend toward increasing miniaturization, is leading the microelectronics industry toward a situation in which it may no longer be possible to fit a sufficient number of die connections (measured by input/output (I/O) per millimeter (mm) of die edge per layer) into the available space. An insufficient number of die connections would limit the bandwidth capability for the affected die interface, and thus logic-logic and/or logic-memory communications would suffer. The current approach of evolutionary increases in I/O density through scaling of the controlled collapse chip connect (C4) interconnect and the substrate Line/Spaces could well be inadequate in the future for at least some applications.
For simplicity and clarity of illustration, the drawing figures illustrate the general manner of construction, and descriptions and details of well-known features and techniques may be omitted to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the discussion of the described embodiments of the invention. Additionally, elements in the drawing figures are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention. The same reference numerals in different figures denote the same elements, while similar reference numerals may, but do not necessarily, denote similar elements.
The terms "first," "second," "third," "fourth," and the like in the description and in the claims, if any, are used for distinguishing between similar elements and not necessarily for describing a particular sequential or chronological order. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances such that the embodiments of the invention described herein are, for example, capable of operation in sequences other than those illustrated or otherwise described herein. Similarly, if a method is described herein as comprising a series of steps, the order of such steps as presented herein is not necessarily the only order in which such steps may be performed, and certain of the stated steps may possibly be omitted and/or certain other steps not described herein may possibly be added to the method. Furthermore, the terms "comprise," "include," "have," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to those elements, but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.
The terms "left," "right," "front," "back," "top," "bottom," "over," "under," and the like in the description and in the claims, if any, are used for descriptive purposes and not necessarily for describing permanent relative positions. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances such that the embodiments of the invention described herein are, for example, capable of operation in other orientations than those illustrated or otherwise described herein. The term "coupled," as used herein, is defined as directly or indirectly connected in an electrical or non-electrical manner. Objects described herein as being "adjacent to" each other may be in physical contact with each other, in close proximity to each other, or in the same general region or area as each other, as appropriate for the context in which the phrase is used. Occurrences of the phrase "in one embodiment" herein do not necessarily all refer to the same embodiment.

Microelectronic package containing silicon patches for high density interconnects, and method of manufacturing same


The invention provides a system 100 for providing wireless control on an electronic device 30. The system 100 comprises a control station 10 and a wireless device 20. The control station 10 is configured to send a wireless exciting signal and a wireless control command. The wireless device 20 comprises an exciter module 201 and a processor module 210, wherein the exciter module 201 is configured to collect power from the wireless exciting signal and subsequently change a state of the processor module 210 from an inactive state to an active state, and the processor module 210 is configured to receive the control command and adjust functions of the electronic device 30 in accordance with the control command. The invention also provides a method and a wireless device.

With the rapid progress of wireless technologies and the huge requirements imposed on intelligent control, more and more control systems choose wireless connection as a method of transferring control commands. Such systems are referred to as wireless control systems. For example, centrally controlled illumination networks employing a wireless connection are widely used, and a wireless control system allows a user to wirelessly control the illumination networks for displaying different illumination profiles. However, to make sure that the illumination networks receive wireless control commands and act promptly, wireless devices in the illumination networks need to be permanently active or wake up periodically so as to detect whether a command is received or not received. For example, if a light source in the above-mentioned centrally controlled illumination networks needs to respond to a user's command within one second, its corresponding wireless device must wake up every second. Usually, a wireless device of the wireless control system does not get any command during its wake-up period. Consequently, such illumination networks are less effective in terms of energy.

System and method for providing wireless control on an electronic device


In this invention, a processor connected to a communication switching system i) intercepts or receives each facsimile message destined for a receiving party, ii) analyzes at least a portion of each message to collect, in addition to the called number, other routing information from the transmitted message, iii) converts the message to a different format, if necessary and iv) delivers that message to at least one of a plurality of other destination facsimile terminals based on a) the routing information gathered from the message and b) pre-arranged routing information stored in the processor and provided by the receiving party.

The widespread deployment of facsimile terminals (including facsimile boards in processors) has constrained organizations, such as insurance companies that receive a large volume and a great variety of form-based facsimile messages processed at geographically dispersed locations, to choose between two unappealing solutions. To wit, these organizations must require their customers who transmit facsimile messages to them, to either know the correct destination for the message, or to send the message to a facsimile terminal at a central location where messages are sorted based on their content and redistributed to the correct destination. The first option forces a customer to remember the specific facsimile phone number associated with each specific type of form but offers the distinct advantage of immediate processing of the received information. The second option spares customers the inconvenience of dealing with multiple fax numbers, but introduces an undue delay in the processing of the received information caused by the sorting and rerouting tasks at the central site.
In an effort to improve the sorting and processing of facsimile-based messages, a system, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,566,127 issued on Jan. 21, 1986 to Kunibiko et al., presents a technique for combining the functions of a facsimile terminal and an optical character recognition unit in a processor to generate reports compiling and summarizing information received by one facsimile terminal from a plurality of facsimile senders. While the Kunibiko et al. technique improved the processing of facsimile messages for a specific group of facsimile users, it neither addressed the general delivery and processing needs of organizations with geographically dispersed processing centers, nor considered routing of facsimile messages based on the content of those messages.

Facsimile message processing and routing system


An image processing apparatus displaying an identification performance between the image of half-tone and an image of tone other than the half-tone includes a device for correcting the characteristics of the input image signal and an identifying device capable of identifying whether the input image signal is the half-tone image or not without use of the image signal whose characteristics have been corrected. In accordance with the result of the identification performed by this identifying device, an output image signal is selected.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, and, more particularly, to an image processing apparatus capable of, for example, binary encoding entered data of an original image in which the binary image regions, such as characters, and half-tone image regions, such as photograph, are mixed.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hitherto, in the apparatus of the type described above, there has been a binary encoding apparatus capable of processing binary image information expressing, for example, documents, characters, and drawings and as well capable of processing multi-valued image information expressing half-tone image (one of the multi-valued information) information such as photograph or the like.
For example, in an apparatus capable of binary encoding multi-valued information, the binary image regions of the binary image information and the half-tone image regions of the half-tone image information are read from the original image by the image reader. Next, the image information transmitted from this image reader is processed by the following binary encoder. In this binary encoding portion, a image processing in accordance with the density of the entered image information is performed. In this case, the image information transmitted from the image reader has been subjected to a correction treatment in accordance with a information representing the characteristics of the output information, such as the density of the pixels or the contrast, and is expressed by the density level corresponding to the density of the pixels as data. The thus-transmitted image information from the image reader is then subjected to an identification treatment for distinguishing whether it is a character region or a photograph region. In this identification treatment, the differences between the density level of the subject and those of the pixels around the subject pixel are obtained. The identification for determining whether the subject region is a character region or a photograph region is performed by making comparison between the difference which shows the maximum level selected from the differences obtained as described above and a predetermined threshold.
However, in a case where the image reader transmits image information with the density level, the region which is in fact a photograph region can be mis-identified as a character region if a predetermined density difference is detected from the transmitted density level. That is, a problem can arise that the region which should be identified as a photograph region is erroneously detected to be a character region due to the large density level change thereof. Such erroneous identification causes the deterioration in the frame quality of the photograph region of the output image transmitted from a printer or the like.
The image information correction is performed in a forward stage in which operation of distinguishing between a character region and a photograph region is conducted. Therefore, a further problem arises if, for example, an intense contrast is set for the image reading portion, as a photograph portion whose density difference has been enlarged can be erroneously identified as a character region.
Furthermore, related disclosure assignment by the assignee of the present invention, is disclosures in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,414,581, 4,786,916, 4,709,274, 4,701,807, 4,723,173, and 4,686,579, and in the continuation application of U.S. Ser. No. 611,124 filed May 17, 1984, U.S. Ser. No. 22,513 (application date Mar. 9, 1987), U.S. Ser. No. 682,346 (application date Dec. 17, 1984), U.S. Ser. No. 812,308 (application date Dec. 23, 1985), U.S. Ser. No. 819,132 (application date: Jan. 15, 1986), and U.S. Ser. No. 925,247 (application date: Oct. 31, 1986). However, further improvement has been desired.


An account processing method and system for providing specific pre-authorization parameters for categories of transactions that would otherwise be completely denied authorization using only general authorization parameters. Upon establishment of an account, certain categories of transactions are specified as needing specific authorization prior to approving the transaction as requested by a merchant. An account issuer provides a service to account members that permits an account manager to independently specify the parametric conditions under which to approve a transaction within such categories. The account manager may also specify a transaction identifier such as a purchase order, work order or insurance claim number to associate with the required transaction parameters. Upon the approval of such a transaction requiring specific authorization, the authorizing agent during the billing process forwards both the transaction-specific information such as transaction amount and merchant information with the transaction identifier as previously assigned by the account manager. Such an association of a transaction identifier facilitates accounting reconciliation of transactions funded through credit card-like payment transactions.

1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electronic authorization of financial transactions, and in particular, to electronic authorization of specific predetermined transactions. More particularly, the present invention relates to specific authorization of individual transactions otherwise prohibited.
2. Present State of the Art
Modernly, more and more transactions in commerce have come to rely upon the convenience of utilizing a transaction card such as a credit card for the purchasing of goods and services. As credit cards have become more ubiquitous, so also has the infrastructure supporting the use of credit cards in commerce. At one point, what was a simple relationship between a card issuer and a cardholder has evolved to include intermediaries providing authorization services and financial distribution services. Such an expansive infrastructure has come to facilitate on-line or near real-time transaction authorization.
Furthermore, because of the extensive nature of the credit card infrastructure, additional users, not necessarily relying upon credit, also utilize the existing infrastructure in carrying out commerce. For example, businesses or corporations may establish a series of accounts with a card issuer and distribute transaction cards to their members for use in executing cashless transactions. To minimize fraud and abuse in the purchasing of goods and services, authorization standards have been established. FIG. 1 represents a standardized authorization process for transaction verification. An account manager, such as a fleet manager or other entity, desiring cashless transaction privileges contacts a card issuer 114 to request the extension of transaction privileges through an established account request 116. Typically, when establishing a credit account, card issuer 114 places restrictions such as transaction amount limitations upon the card user. However when establishing accounts for business or other like users, account manager 102 may request that card issuer 114 deny certain transactions and strictly enforce other limitations on transactions.
Exemplary desired account limitations include restrictions on the types of services and goods that may be procured by an account user 104 as directed by account manager 102. Industry standards have been established for the partitioning of goods and services into categories designated by a standard industrial code (SIC). A merchant 106 is assigned a specific standard industrial code corresponding to their predominate business function. For business transactions that adhere to the SIC coding, transactions originating at a point of sale terminal having a restricted SIC identifier may be unable to obtain proper authorization to complete a transaction with an account user. Other limitations frequently desired by account managers include transactional limits. Transactional limits may include single transaction limits or aggregate limitations upon successive transactions.
Card issuer 114 upon the establishment of an account may employ a third party authorizing agent to provide authorization services and strictly enforce transaction limitations as agreed upon between account manager 102 and card issuer 114. Card issuer 114 through an establish authorization request 118 informs authorizing agent 112 of the transaction terms under which transaction authorization may be granted.
Once an account has been established account manager 102 provides the account information necessary to enable account user 104 to engage in commerce transactions. Such account information generally includes an account number as assigned by card issuer 114. The predominate form of providing account information to account user 104 is to provide account user 104 with a transaction card generally taking the form of a credit card-like card bearing the account number thereon. Account user 104 upon initiating a transaction with a merchant 106 engages in a payment presentment step 120 by providing the requisite account information to merchant 106. Merchant 106 engages in an authorization process to verify that the transaction parameters of the present transaction are within the boundaries or limitations placed upon the account as requested by account manager 102 or imposed by card issuer 114. An authorization request 122 issued by merchant 106 is comprised of an account number, a transaction amount and other parameters such as a standard industrial code (SIC), a merchant identifier (MID) and an acquiring bank identification number (BIN).
A merchant 106 typically associates with an acquiring bank 108 which provides funding services of merchant transactions. Authorization requests may electronically pass through acquiring bank 108 as designated by the BIN of the authorization request and additionally may route through a card company 110 (e.g., MasterCard.RTM., VISA.RTM., Discover Card.RTM. or American Express.RTM.) prior to reaching authorizing agent 112 for comparison of account parameters. Authorizing agent 112 compares the transaction parameters for conformance with account limitations. Authorizing agent 112 issues an authorization response 124 comprising an acceptance or denial indicator.
During general authorization processing, funds generally do not transfer at that time. A settlement generally occurs at a periodic time such as evenings or nights when a merchant reinitiates communication with an authorizing agent and presents a series of accepted and authorized transactions occurring throughout the previous period and requests financial settlement of such transactions. Merchant 106 initiates a settlement request 126 with authorizing agent 112 which generally comprises the account number to be debited, the amount of the debit and other information such as SIC, MID and BIN designators. As part of the settlement process, authorizing agent 112 issues a settlement request 128 to card issuer 114. Frequently a settlement request 128 includes less cryptic merchant information (i.e., merchant name and address instead of MID) for later presentment to an account manager. Card issuer 114 in a payment step 130 credits the merchant's acquiring bank 108 with the appropriate funds.
At yet another periodic point in time, card issuer 114 provides a billing account 132 to account manager 102 for notification of payment due or for other record keeping purposes. In such generic authorization processing as described above, billing account information contains relatively little and non-descriptive information such as an account number, a transaction amount and merchant information.
Two particular shortcomings of the authorization process as described in FIG. 1 should be pointed out. First, authorization performed by authorizing agent 112 provides a regulation of transactions by either proscribing transactions originating at a merchant having a proscribed SIC goods/services designator, or withholding authorization from transactions that exceed transactional limits. Such an authorization process approves transactions of values less than the transactional limits transpiring at non-proscribed merchant point of sale terminals having a non-barred SIC goods/services designator. Prior art authorization techniques do not provide a method or system for enforcing strict transaction parameters prior to authorization of restricted transaction types on a transaction by transaction basis. Additionally, prior art techniques do not permit an account manager to create transaction authorization parameters without re-initiating account establishment procedures.
A second shortcoming of the authorization processing in the prior art relates to billing account information sent from card issuer 114 for evaluation by account manger 102. As shown in FIG. 1, the billing account information is comprised of an account number and an amount coupled to merchant information such as the name and city of the merchant. The account manager is not provided with information pertaining to a specific transaction but rather is presented only with information showing an amount and a transaction location of an expenditure. That is to say, an account manager does not have a tracking mechanism to track the execution of a specific transaction and the billing of such a transaction on a billing statement. In prior art configurations, the account manager only discerns that a certain amount of money, a transaction amount, was exchanged with a specific merchant.
Other transaction systems have incorporated item descriptions generally ascertainable from SKU numbers listing goods or services obtained from the listed merchant into their billing statements. It should be noted that such techniques still do not provide a tracking mechanism for linking a specific authorization procedure to a billing account printout.
Accordingly, what is needed is a method and system for authorizing in advance or pre-authorizing transactions that but for specific authorization, are otherwise proscribed.
What is also needed is a method and system for enforcing parameters upon such pre-authorized transactions such as transaction amounts, specific merchants and other transaction related parameters.
Also, what is yet needed, is a method and system for facilitating an audit or record reconciliation from a pre-authorized transaction through the billing of the account thus informing an account manager of the completion of a pre-authorized transaction.

System and method for pre-authorization of individual account transactions


A scheme for monitoring the performance of a gas-phase filter in which upstream and downstream detection surfaces are exposed to upstream and downstream air so that molecular contamination may respectively form non-volatile residue thereon, and the performance of the air filter is determined based on the ratio of the amount of non-volatile residue respectively forming on the upstream and downstream detection surfaces. In another embodiment, a first electrical signal is provided representative of the amount of non-volatile residue forming on the upstream detection surface, a second electrical signal is provided representative of the amount of non-volatile residue forming on the downstream detection surface, and the performance of the air filter is determined in real-time based on the first and second electrical signals that are provided. The detection surfaces of the upstream and downstream detectors may be selected so that the mass of non-volatile residue forming thereon may be determined, either in real-time or by subsequent chemical analysis.

This invention relates to performance monitoring of gas-phase air filters.
Performance monitoring of gas-phase air filters is particularly important in many environments, including semiconductor fabrication clean environments, museums, archives, petrochemical plants, refineries, wastewater treatment facilities, airport terminals, office buildings in urban areas, and hospitals. For example, the presence of even low levels of corrosive gases and vapors threatens cultural property and capital equipment including computer control systems, manufacturing tools, electrical systems, and facility mechanical equipment. The performance of gas-phase air filters used in these environments must be monitored to determine when the filters are not filtering at acceptable levels and should be replaced.
Air filtering is critical within an environment that must remain clean, such as a semiconductor device manufacturing environment (cleanroom), which is sensitive to low levels of gas-phase (molecular) contamination. Examples of process-limiting molecular contaminants include: acids, such as hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid, hydrobromic acid; bases, such as ammonia, ammonium hydroxide, tetramethylammonium hydroxide, trimethylamine, triethylamine, hexamethyldisilazane, NMP, cyclohexylamine, diethylaminoethanol, methylamine, dimethylamine, ethanolamine, morpholine, condensables, such as silicones and hydrocarbons with a boiling point greater than or equal to 150.degree. C.; and dopants, such as boron (usually as boric acid), phosphorus (usually as organophosphate), and arsenic (usually as arsenates).
Performance monitoring of gas-phase air filters is also particularly important in areas where even low concentration levels of toxic gases and irritants threaten health and safety of people. Proper monitoring is important to ensure timely filter replacement to maintain necessary air cleanliness.


A receiver (50) includes a self-calibrating receive path correction system for correction of I/Q gain and phase imbalances in a radio frequency signal. The system includes a signal-processing block (53), an I/Q phase imbalance detection and correction circuit (98), an I/Q gain imbalance detection and correction circuit (96), and an adaptive loop bandwidth control circuit (102). The I/Q phase imbalance detection and correction circuit (98) equalizes for the relative phase imbalance and the I/Q gain imbalance detection and correction circuit (96) equalizes for the relative gain imbalance between the I and Q channels created by the analog portion of a quadrature receiver. The adaptive loop bandwidth control circuit (102) dynamically adjusts at least one loop bandwidth for the I/Q gain imbalance detection and correction circuit (96) and the I/Q phase imbalance detection and correction circuit (98) on a slot boundary.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to communication devices and in particular to communication devices incorporating a receive signal path correction system with self-calibration capabilities.
2. Description of the Related Art
Gain and phase imbalances between the I and Q quadrature channels of a receive signal path of a communication device occur because of inherent circuit level mismatches between analog circuits in these quadrature signal paths. This can significantly degrade the detectability of the received signal under both static as well as multipath fading channel conditions for both Zero Intermediate Frequency (IF) as well as Very Low Intermediate Frequency (VLIF) receivers. In addition, in the case of VLIF receivers, the performance of these receivers is highly dependent on the suppression of the image signal. Suppression of the image signal in such receivers can be significantly improved by eliminating these gain and phase imbalances.
Traditionally, it has been difficult to achieve such I/Q performance without performing open loop factory calibration steps. This is unfortunately an expensive approach as it adds to production cost and time. Even if factory calibration is performed, it is difficult to preserve the factory correction performance over temperature, supply voltage, and channel frequency variations over the life of the wireless product. This is because after a one-time factory correction is performed to correct for the specified imbalances, these imbalances can vary over temperature, supply voltage, and channel frequencies.
FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a conventional receive signal path 10 within a communication device. As illustrated a complex communication signal 12 is received by the communication device and de-interleaved by a demodulator 14 into an I-channel received signal 16 and a Q-channel received signal 18. The demodulator 14 typically includes one or more quadrature receive mixers 20,22 receiving inputs from a conventional local oscillator 24. Typically the quadrature receive mixers 20,22 convert the complex communication signal 12 to the I-channel received signal 16 and the Q-channel received signal 18, which are baseband signals, using the conventional local oscillator 24. The I-channel received signal 16 is then processed through an I-channel post mixer amplifier (PMA) 26, which provides programmable gain to amplify the baseband signal. Next, the amplified signal is processed through a conventional I-channel anti-aliasing filter (AAF) 30, which provides attenuation to out of band frequencies. Next, a conventional I-channel analog to digital converter (A/D) 32 converts the signal from an analog format to a digital format, to produce a processed I-channel signal 34. Similarly, the Q-channel received signal 18 is processed through a Q-channel post mixer amplifier (PMA) 36 which provides programmable gain to amplify the baseband signal. The amplified signal is processed through a conventional Q-channel anti-aliasing filter (AAF) 40, which provides attenuation to out of band frequencies. Next, a conventional Q-channel analog to digital converter (A/D) 42 converts the signal from an analog format to a digital format, to produce a processed Q-channel signal 44.
Potential sources of I/Q gain and phase imbalances in the receive signal path 10 of a communication device include the quadrature receive mixers 20,22, the I-channel post mixer amplifier 26, the Q-channel post mixer amplifier 36, the conventional I-channel anti-aliasing filter 30, the conventional Q-channel anti-aliasing filter 40, the I-channel analog-to-digital converter 32 and the Q-channel analog-to-digital converter 42. The total gain imbalance due to these circuits can exceed 4 dB over process, temperature, and supply voltage variations. For phase modulated spread spectrum communications protocols, such as WCDMA, it is desired that this gain imbalance be controlled to less than 0.8 dB to preserve BER performance under static and multipath fading conditions. For amplitude-modulated systems, the gain imbalance requirements are even more stringent.
In addition, the dominant sources of I/Q phase imbalances are due to the quadrature receive mixers 20, 22, the conventional I-channel anti-aliasing filter 30, and the conventional Q-channel anti-aliasing filter 40. The conventional local oscillator 24 causes the majority of the phase imbalance at the output of the quadrature receive mixers 20, 22. The total phase imbalance due to these circuits can exceed 10 degrees over process, temperature, supply voltage, and channel frequency variations. For phase modulated systems such as Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) and Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM)/Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE), it is desired that this phase imbalance be controlled to less than 3 degrees to preserve BER performance under static and multipath fading conditions.
Therefore, what is needed is a high performance, low cost and low power system for correction of I/Q quadrature gain and phase imbalances in the receive signal path of a communication device.

Self calibrating receive path correction system in a receiver


An X-ray detection apparatus including a case; a circuit board disposed in the case; a connection circuit unit disposed in the case, where the connection circuit unit is electrically connected with the circuit board and includes an integrated circuit (“IC”) chip; a detection panel configured to be inserted into and ejected from the case, where the detection panel is electrically connected to the connection circuit unit; and a contact support unit disposed in the case, wherein the contact support unit allows the connection circuit unit and the detection panel to contact each other by applying a force on the connection circuit unit.

1. Field
Exemplary embodiments of the invention relate to an apparatus for detecting X-ray, a method of manufacturing the apparatus for detecting X-ray, and a method of repairing the apparatus for detecting X-ray, and more particularly, to an apparatus for detecting X-ray with improved electrical characteristics, and a method of manufacturing the apparatus for detecting X-ray, and a method of repairing the apparatus for detecting X-ray with improved manufacturing characteristics and repairing characteristics.
2. Description of the Related Art
An X-ray detection apparatus is an apparatus that detects X-ray, which is a type of radiation, and has recently drawn attention as an apparatus for the medical industry.
Conventionally, an X-ray detection method using a separate film has been used. Such a conventional X-ray detection method may be used only when an immobile subject is exposed to the X-ray, and a new film is used to detect another X-ray.
Recently, a digital radiography ("DR") method using a detection panel, which is a type of flat display panel, has been used.
A detection panel typically includes a plurality of detection devices for detecting X-ray. Also, a circuit board, an integrated circuit ("IC") chip and the like for determining a value detected by the detection panel are disposed outside the detection panel.
Manufacturing characteristics of the X-ray detection apparatus may be deteriorated when the detection panel and the devices, such as the circuit board and the like outside the detection panel, are connected or attached to each other. Also, electrical characteristics of the X-ray detection apparatus may be deteriorated due to deterioration of connection characteristics between the detection panel and the devices, such as the circuit board outside the detection panel.
In addition, when a defect occurs in the detection panel while using the X-ray detection apparatus, some of parts of the X-ray detection apparatus that are typically in contact with and attached to the detection panel as well as the detection panel itself may be repaired.

Apparatus for detecting X-ray, method of manufacturing the same, and method of repairing the same