Provided are a pulse laser ranging system and method employing a time domain waveform matching technique. The system comprises a software part and a hardware part. The hardware part comprises an optical collimation system, an FPGA, a filter, a photoelectric conversion system, an analog amplifier circuit, a laser transmitter, a signal combination system, an ADC sampling system and a narrow pulse laser transmitting circuit. When transmitting a control signal to control laser transmission, the FPGA sends a time reference pulse to the signal combination system. The signal combination system integrates the time reference pulse with a fixed amplitude analog echo signal to form an echo signal with a time reference. The echo signal with a time reference is quantified into a digital detection signal in the ADC sampling system. The digital detection signal is sent to the FPGA to undergo data analysis. The software part is used to perform time domain waveform matching analysis to obtain a ranging result. The ranging result is output by the FPGA.

The basic principle of pulse laser ranging is actively transmitting pulsed laser onto a target, then detecting a laser echo signal of a radiated point on the target, measuring the TOF (time of flight) of the pulsed laser and then obtaining the distance from the target to a ranging device. The ranging accuracy of the pulse laser ranging depends on the measurement accuracy of the laser TOF. As the pulsed laser is affected by the diffusion characteristics of the target and the atmosphere, laser echo signal varies greatly in amplitude and waveform, and a time drift error caused thereby brings difficulties to accurate determination of the laser echo time. Nowadays, there are four main laser echo time discrimination methods, namely: a leading edge discrimination method, a constant fraction discrimination method, a CR-high-pass discrimination method, and an error compensation method. The leading edge discrimination method employs a single fixed threshold value to determine the stopping time of the laser echo signal. Although its circuit is simple, the time drift error cannot be overcome. Both the constant fraction discrimination method and the CR-high-pass discrimination method can effectively eliminate the time drift error. The constant fraction discrimination method takes the time when the leading edge of the laser echo signal reaches a half-maximum point as the stopping time of the laser echo signal. The CR-high-pass discrimination method uses the differential effect of a high-pass capacitance-resistance filter circuit to convert an extreme point of the laser echo signal into a zero point, and takes the zero point as the stopping time of the laser echo signal. However, these two methods are complicated in circuit structure and are difficult to implement. The error compensation method employs a plurality of different fixed threshold values to measure the same laser echo signal, uses a determined error compensation curve to compensate for the time drift error caused by a single fixed threshold value and obtain the accurate stopping time of the laser echo signal. Although this method is simple in circuit structure and is easy to implement, determination of the error compensation curve and fitting of the error compensation curve or establishment of an error compensation table have to be carried out in advance, this increases the complexity of the pulse laser ranging method.
The inventor found that the patent document 1 (CN 103364790 A) also provides a pulse laser ranging system and method employing time domain waveform matching analysis. However, the technical solution of this document has the problem that a triggering threshold of the system varies along with the amplitude of the echo signal, which results in a relatively large fluctuation of the triggering time.

Distance measurement system and method using lidar waveform matching


A cluster module for holding multiple computers. In one variation, a computer rack is configured to receive a plurality of cluster modules, and each of the cluster modules holds a plurality of computers. In one implementation, the computers are secured within the each of the cluster modules in a vertical orientation. In another implementation, the computers are secured within each of the cluster modules in a horizontal orientation.

As information technology has rapidly progressed, computer network centers such as server farms and server clusters have become increasingly important to our society. The server farms provide efficient data processing, storage, and distribution capability that supports a worldwide information infrastructure, which has come to dominate how we live and how we conduct our day to day business.
Typically, at a site where numerous computers are connected to a network, the computers and related equipment are stacked in racks, which are arranged in repeating rows. In conventional systems, the racks are configured to contain computer equipment having a standard size in compliance with the Electronic Industries Alliance ("EIA") "rack unit" or "U" standard. Each computer would have a height of 1 U, 2 U, or some U-multiple, with each U corresponding to approximately 1.75″.
FIG. 1 shows a conventional rack 100 measuring roughly 19 inches wide, 30 inches deep and 74 inches high. This rack 100 is formed of a rectangular frame structure having four vertical supports 102 (two in the front and two in the back), each support 102 having a plurality of holes 104 (typically rectangular) formed along its length. Horizontal rails, which are used to support each individual component to be mounted in the rack, are attached to the vertical supports 102 using cage nuts that are passed through the holes in the supports. Walls may be attached to the sides and top of the frame structure and doors may be provided on the front side 105a and back side 105b in order to provide a complete enclosure for the rack system.
Each computer mounted in the rack 100 may comprise a computer chassis supporting a main board. The main board may be alternatively referred to as the motherboard or system board. The main board comprises the primary printed circuit board (PCB) of a computer. The basic circuitry and components used by a computer to function are generally either contained in or attached to the main board. The main board typically contains the system bus, processor and coprocessor sockets, memory sockets, serial and parallel ports, expansion slots, and peripheral controllers.
By providing the vertical supports with a plurality of holes, a great deal of flexibility in the placement of the horizontal rails can be achieved. Accordingly, a wide variety of heights of components can be accommodated by the rack frame structure. However, the manual positioning and installation of each rail can be a time-consuming and labor-intensive process, significantly increasing the total cost of the system.
A recent trend in rack-based computer systems has been towards increasing the density of computers that will fit into each rack. This increase in density has been achieved by decreasing the height of each computer, while maintaining the width and depth dimensions of the computer so that the computer can still be mounted into a conventional computer rack. Thus, each computer chassis is made very wide, very deep, and very short, often just 1 U in height. The motherboard that is contained in each computer is typically a relatively flat printed circuit board which can be easily placed into such a wide, deep, and flat computer chassis. However, layout difficulties arise when trying to add the additional components which are either mounted onto or attached to the motherboard to form a functional computer. These components include, for example, hard drives, removable media drives, power supplies, microprocessors, microprocessor heat sinks, fans, and memory. Because of the low profile of the computer chassis, there is very little room above the motherboard for positioning these components. Generally, the motherboard has a footprint (i.e., width and depth of the motherboard) that is significantly smaller than the footprint of the computer chassis. Thus, these other components are typically positioned in the space available in the chassis adjacent to the motherboard. However, the short height of the chassis limits the number and size of components that can be placed here.
The dense packing of components in these low-profile computer chassis presents cooling problems as well. Rack-based computer systems are typically cooled by directing air through each computer chassis in a front-to-back direction. Because the 1 U computer chassis are so thin, any component contained within the computer chassis can significantly impede the flow of air through the computer chassis and across all of the components. This can produce "hot spots", which are regions that do not receive sufficient airflow, thereby enabling heat to accumulate.
This airflow problem can be particularly problematic when attempting to cool the main processor or processors in the computer. Many processors (sometimes referred to as a "central processing unit" or "CPU") generate tremendous amounts of heat during operation and are provided with heat sinks to dissipate this generated heat. These heat sinks may be passive heat sinks, which cool the processor by conducting the heat away from the processor using fins. The heat can then be drawn away from the fins and out of the chassis by the cooling airflow. Alternatively, the heat sinks may be active heat sinks, which actively draw heat away from the processor, using, for example, dedicated processor fans. In either case, the heat sink increases the overall thickness of the processor assembly. In some cases, when the processor and heat sink are mounted onto a motherboard, the overall assembly is over 1.75″ thick, preventing its use in 1 U chassis systems. Even when the processor and heat sink are sufficiently thin that they can fit into the chassis, there is very little additional clearance around the heat sink, thereby preventing cooling air from effectively cooling the processor. Furthermore, the dense packing of additional components can also impede the flow of air across the processor and heat sink. Accordingly, the progression towards increasing thin rack-based computers has produced both packaging and cooling problems for some computer systems.
Another problem which faces operators of rack mounted computer systems is the difficulty of servicing the computers for repairs or upgrades. Conventional rack mounted computer components may be provided with flanges that extend from the sides of the front face of the computer chassis. Each of these flanges may be configured with two mounting holes which can be aligned with the holes 102 provided on the vertical supports 102 of the rack 100. A pair of screws or bolts may be passed through these aligned holes in each flange in order to secure the computer to the rack 100. Thus, each time the computer chassis is mounted in the rack, these screws need to be attached, and each time the computer chassis is removed, these screws must be detached.


A communication system includes a base station and a mobile terminal device. The base station includes a detection information notifying unit. The detection information notifying unit notifies, using a predetermined control channel, the mobile terminal device of detection information that includes a power-saving time that indicates a time that elapses before the base station enters a power-saving state. The mobile terminal device includes a detecting unit and a region information notifying unit. The detecting unit, when being notified of the detection information by the detection information notifying unit, detects a region in which a mobile terminal device is not capable of communicating with any base station based on the power-saving time included in the detection information. The region information notifying unit notifies a given base station of information on the region detected by the detecting unit.

Recently, in radio networks for mobile phones, PHSs (Personal Handy-phone Systems), and the like, the occurrence of coverage holes has become a problem. A coverage hole is an area in which communication is unavailable and its range dynamically changes depending on the surrounding radio environment. It is difficult for mobile terminal devices to perform communication in a coverage hole; therefore, it is important in terms of the connectivity of radio networks to minimize the occurrence of coverage holes.
Therefore, there has recently been a technology for detecting coverage holes. One form of the technology for detecting coverage holes is such that radio quality, location information, and the like obtained when a radio link failure occurs are recorded in a mobile terminal device when triggered by the radio link failure (RLF: Radio Link Failure) that occurs when a communicating mobile terminal device passes through a coverage hole. When the mobile terminal device recovers from the radio link failure, the mobile terminal device that has recorded the radio quality, location information, and the like obtained when the radio link failure occurs notifies a control server of the recorded information. Based on the information whose notification is made by each mobile terminal device, the control server instructs each base station to, for example, adjust the transmission power value of a base station that becomes a factor in causing a coverage hole or to turn on the power.
Patent Literature 1: Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2002-271833
Meanwhile, with the widespread use of mobile terminal devices, data communication traffic due to the Internet connection has been increasing, and in response to this, the total power consumption of networks due to the Internet connection has also been increasing. In view of such an increase in the total power consumption, for example, in the 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) 32.826, specifications have been examined in which the total power consumption is reduced by introducing network operations that are in accordance with the traffic.
For example, in the specifications of the 3GPP, a base station collects information on the traffic, the electric energy, and the like and notifies a control server of the collected information. The control server determines the electric energy in accordance with the traffic based on the information whose notification is made by a plurality of base stations and, for example, indicates a setting transmission power value to each base station or instructs each base station to turn on/off the power. Consequently, in the specifications of the 3GPP, the total power consumption of the networks due to the Internet connection is reduced.
In the specifications of the 3GPP, although the total power consumption can be reduced, a coverage hole may occur around a base station for which the transmission power value is adjusted or that has its power off. In other words, in the specifications of the 3GPP, in order to reduce the total power consumption, the transmission power value of a base station is adjusted or the power of a base station is turned off without examining a coverage hole in advance during the design phase of the network; therefore, a coverage hole may occur.
However, in the conventionally technology, because a coverage hole is detected when triggered by a radio link failure, there is a problem in that it is difficult for a coverage hole that occurs when a base station performs power control to be efficiently detected.

Communication system, communication method, mobile terminal, device, and base station


A battery-free sensor probe and system for measuring the temperature of food The sensor probe includes a probe portion and a handle. The probe portion has a temperature sensor, a circuit board and a radio frequency identification device. The handle has an antenna connected to radio frequency identification device and the circuit board. The sensor probe harvests energy from a radio frequency transmitter positioned near the sensor probe.

Proper handling and cooking of food, especially meats, is essential to avoiding contamination by disease-causing bacteria or pathogens. The United States Centers for Disease Control and prevention (CDC) estimates that every year 48 million people get sick from a foodborne illness, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die. The US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) recommends using a thermometer to ensure that a minimum temperature of 140° F. to 165° F. is attained inside the meat during cooking. Smart ovens communicate with temperature probes to enable energy-efficient regulation of temperature and prevent any risk of fire due to unattended over-heating of food.
A wireless, battery-free meat probe eliminates the hassles of dealing with long wires and having to charge batteries, thereby improving usability and longevity of the product. However, few meat probes in the market satisfy all the criteria: wireless, battery-free, and able to communicate with the oven. Key challenges for wireless solutions are the large chip size for Bluetooth, which results in a large diameter of the spit (needle), and the need for a battery. Analog probes based on Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) devices are either orientation-dependent or are expensive for even a single accurate temperature monitoring location. Customers prefer the ability to monitor temperature at different depths inside a piece of meat being cooked, or to have multiple probes inside.
It would be, therefore, be beneficial to provide a sensor probe which is wireless and which does not need batteries, thereby allowing the needle of the sensor probe to have a small diameter. In would also be beneficial to provide a sensor probe which could monitor the temperature of food at different depths.


A thermomechanical method for improving the fatigue characteristics of a metallic material (for example carbon steel and low alloy steel) takes advantage of the materials' plastic flow characteristics to improve external and internal surface conditions. The material is heated to a temperature in the range of about 0.3 to 0.45 its homologous temperature, e.g., from about 200 degrees C to about the Young's Modulus Transition Temperature of said material. While the temperature of the material is in this range, force is applied to the material to produce in at least the region of said material to be treated a tensile stress level greater than the yield point of said material at the temperature, and thereby to produce limited plastic elongation in the region. The material is then cooled under stress, the stress being maintained above the instantaneous yield point of the material during at least part of the cooling process. As a result of this process, the shape of existing stress raisers (e.g., radii at the base of cracks and flaws) are changed in ways which lower stress concentration factors in the material.

The present invention relates to thermomechanical methods for improving the fatigue strength and corrosion fatigue resistance of metallic materials (e.g., carbon steel and other steels), particularly components (e.g., sucker rods) made from such materials.
Fatigue strength is traditionally thought of as that stress that a metallic material may support for the time it takes for a fatigue crack to develop at the outer surface of the material and propagate to a depth where the material no longer can support the applied loads. Fatigue strength is usually related to the surface condition of the material. External surface defects such as scratches, nicks, superficial cracks due to heat treatment and other defects result in crack-like stress raisers and act as initiation sites for fatigue. Internal surface defects, including inclusions, behave as stress raisers in the body of the material. Corrosive media also have a strong deleterious effect on the fatigue life of metallic materials through either direct corrosion and/or hydrogen embrittlement mechanisms. This phenomenon is commonly referred to as "corrosion fatigue." Increasing the temperature directly increases the aggressiveness of the corrosive activity.
There are well-known processes which rely on mechanical action to improve the fatigue strength of metallic materials and permit them to be used in parts which are severely stressed during service. One such technique reduces the depth of, or completely eliminates, stress raisers on the outer surface of the material by grinding and/or polishing. This decreases the t/r ratio (depth of discontinuity/radius of curvature of the base) of existing cracks by decreasing the depth of the notches and discontinuities. As a result, the stress concentration factors decrease and fatigue strength of the metallic material is increased.
Studies have shown that crack propagation occurs at the outer surface of the part and propagates normal to the direction of the applied principal stresses. A tensile component in the principle alternating stress system is a necessary condition for fatigue. Thus, the fatigue strength of a part can be improved by creating a region of residual compressive stresses in the surface of the part, thereby eliminating or reducing tensile stresses. Three common methods of inducing compressive stresses in the surface of a material are (1) heat treatment by quenching, (2) chemical additions to the surface and immediate subsurface regions which tend to expand the volume of those regions, and (3) impact on the surface resulting in principal compressive stresses therein. However, none of these methods change the t/r ratio of existing surface discontinuities. They merely prestress the surface of the part in compression so that fatigue will not occur unless the applied alternating tensile stress is sufficiently higher than the existing residual compressive stress built into the part by the process.
The impact treatment of the part's surface will reduce the number of surface discontinuities and introduce beneficial compressive stresses at the surface. Both rolling of shafts and shot peening the surface produce the same general characteristics as impact treatment. However, shot peening does not work on all metal materials and it is quite difficult to control.
Most, if not all, of the conventional methods for reducing fatigue have the following characteristics in common: (1) the effects are restricted to the external surface of the part and to a thin layer immediately below, (2) the volume of material affected is small and the beneficial effects are restricted to discontinuities and notches in the region of the external surface, and (3) the radii of curvature of the notches at the base of the discontinuity remain unchanged.
Conventional treatments of metallic materials to increase fatigue strength also are characterized by the disadvantages that the methods have to be varied for each material depending on its intrinsic characteristics (i.e., melting temperature or transformation point), and that they provide only limited benefit in terms of preventing corrosion fatigue.
An object of the present invention is to provide a process for improving the fatigue characteristics of materials, which is particularly suitable for use on any metallic material and which affects substantially the entire volume of the material subject to fatigue.
Another object is to provide a process for increasing both the mechanical fatigue strength and the corrosion fatigue resistance of metallic materials.

Thermomechanical methods for improving the fatigue characteristics of metallic materials


This invention provides an image storing apparatus which can store input image information while preserving the aspect ratio thereof. The image storing apparatus compares the memory capacity of a memory device with the size of the input image information to change the size of the input image to the required magnification, thereby preventing the image to be stored from being partially cut away. Moreover, if another image information is allowed to be stored in the memory device, this image information can be stored in the same, whereby image information can be efficiently stored.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image storing apparatus for storing input image information.
2. Description of the Related Art
Digital televisions, digital VTRs and the like have recently been provided as apparatus for temporarily storing input color image information in a memory means such as a semiconductor memory and then for reading out the stored image information for processing purposes.
Typically, such an apparatus is merely provided with limited functions in that video signals can only be stored in the memory means and in that the image sources of video signals are restricted to a predetermined size.
In recent years, a demand has arisen for apparatus capable of displaying not only such video signals but an image input from a color scanner or the like on a television receiver.
In general, images read out through such a color scanner have different sizes and, in some cases, the memory capacity of the memory means of the image storing apparatus may be large compared to the memory capacity necessary to accommodate a Read-out image to be input.
Notwithstanding, the conventional apparatus can only store image information for one frame for displaying purposes. As a result, the portion of the memory means which stores no image information is not used at all, and the efficiency of utilization of the memory is therefore very low.
On the other hand, if the memory capacity necessary to accommodate a Read-out image to be input is larger than the memory capacity of the memory means, the portion of the Read-out image which exceeds the memory capacity of the memory means will be deleted since it is impossible to store such a portion in the memory means.
Another problem with the conventional apparatus is that the aspect ratio (ratio of width to height) is fixed at 4:3.
The reason why the aspect ratio (ratio of width to height) is fixed at 4:3 is that the conventional apparatus have only to simply store video signals in memory and that the conventional image sources of video signals are primarily determined. Accordingly, the conventional apparatus are merely provided with limited functions.
However, images read out through a color scanner or the like have different sizes and various aspect ratios. In addition, if television broadcasting according to the HDTV (high-definition television) standard is started in the future, it is expected that the aspect ratio will be 16:9. Even if an image input having such a different aspect ratio is stored at a fixed ratio, the stored image will be partially cut away or difficult to view.

Image storing with data compression to accommodate memory capacity


A method and a system for Augmented Reality (AR) content creation is disclosed. The method includes creating a feature vector corresponding to each of a sequence of frames extracted from a video, based on a plurality of features captured. The method further includes determining a vector distance between each of two consecutive frames from the sequence of frames, based on the feature vector associated with each of the two consecutive frames. The method further includes dividing the video into a plurality of frames based on the determined vector distance. The method further includes creating a storyline based on an object and an action associated with the object in each of the plurality of frames, and generating a set of instructions for a user based on the storyline created for each of the plurality of frames and real-time video stream capturing a current state of a user environment.

In current technological world, Augmented Reality (AR) has increasingly become a useful platform for developing systems and devices that may be used to assist users in various industries. Thereby, AR devices are programmed with a set of instructions for guiding users to perform one or more tasks to repair and maintain machines or devices. In many cases, the users may not have prior knowledge of performing these tasks.
In certain scenarios, the existing systems may include initially capturing a video of an expert performing repairing and maintenance tasks. The video may then be manually divided for procedure where every instruction for each step may be written manually. Thereafter, the written instructions may be programmed in the AR device. Such existing systems may thus require tedious process for manual creation of instructions for programming the AR device.
Additionally, the existing systems may create virtual figures and may then map each instruction to an associated action in the virtual figures. For example, a system is developed to help users to repair a mobile phone. In order to develop such a system, all steps required to repair the mobile phone need to be manually created by a developer, which is very tedious task. Moreover, in order to manually create the steps, the developer may need to extract various steps from video to generate instructions for repairing the mobile phone. Thereafter, the developer may need to map each instruction with an action performed to repair the mobile phone, which will be a long process when done manually.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method and system that is robust and efficient for automatic AR content creation. Further, there is a need for a system that saves times and effort for creation of the AR content.

Method and system for augmented reality (AR) content creation


Disclosed is a method and system for discovering documents using a computer and providing a small set of the most relevant documents to the attention of a human observer. Using the method, the computer obtains a seed document from the user and generates a seed document vector using term frequency-inverse corpus frequency weighting. A keyword index for a plurality of source documents can be compared with the weighted terms of the seed document vector. The comparison is then filtered to reduce the number of documents, which define an initial subset of the source documents. Initial subset vectors are generated and compared to the seed document vector to obtain a similarity value for each comparison. Based on the similarity value, the method then recommends one or more of the source documents.

1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to documents and more specifically to a system and method for filtering and recommending documents that are related to a topic of interest.
2. Description of the Related Art
One method of searching for electronic documents online is by entering one or more keywords into a search engine, such as a search engine webpage on the Internet. In general, the quality of such a search depends on the skill of the user and their ability to craft and submit an appropriate query. There are some systems that can return results from a keyword search and offer to find more documents based on a given result. If someone was interested in several different topics, they may need to spend a significant amount of time searching for and reviewing documents that may meet the search criteria, but may not be of any real interest.
Earlier works by Potok et al., address the need for automated document searching and the following three references are incorporated by reference as if included here at length. U.S. Pat. No. 7,805,446, "Agent-based Method for Distributed Clustering of Textual Information" to Potok et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 7,693,903, "Method for Gathering and Summarizing Internet Information" to Potok et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,937,389, "Dynamic Reduction of Dimensions of a Document Vector in a Document Search and Retrieval System", to Jiao and Potok.
Document clustering is an enabling technique for many machine learning applications, such as information classification, filtering, routing, topic tracking, and new event detection. Today, dynamic data stream clustering poses significant challenges to traditional methods. Typically, clustering algorithms use the Vector Space Model (VSM) to encode documents. The VSM relates terms to documents, and since different terms have different importance in a given document, a term weight is associated with every term. These term weights are often derived from the frequency of a term within a document or set of documents. Many term weighting schemes have been proposed. Most of these existing methods work under the assumption that the whole data set is available and static. For instance, in order to use the popular Term Frequency-Inverse Document Frequency (TF-IDF) approach and its variants, one needs to know the number of documents in which a term occurred at least once (document frequency). This requires a prior knowledge of the data, and that the data set does not change during the calculation of term weights.
The need for knowledge of the entire data set significantly limits the use of these schemes in applications where continuous data streams must be analyzed in real-time. For each new document, this limitation leads to the update of the document frequency of many terms and therefore, all previously generated term weights needs recalibration. For N documents in a data stream, the computational complexity is O(N2), assuming that the term space M per document is much less than the number of documents. Otherwise, the computational complexity is O(N2MlogM), where O(MlogM) computations are needed to update a document.
Using the weighting scheme called Term Frequency-Inverse Corpus Frequency (TF-ICF) addresses the problem of finding and organizing information from dynamic document streams. TF-ICF does not require term frequency information from other documents within the set and thus, it can process document vectors of N streaming documents in linear time.
The widely used, current term weighting schemes generally all require knowledge of the entire document collection. In other words, if a TF-IDF based method is used to generate document representation, a newly arriving document requires the weights of existing document vectors to be recalculated. Consequently, any applications that rely on the document vectors will also be affected. This can significantly hinder their use in applications where dynamic data streams need to be processed in real-time. TF-ICF generates document representations independently without knowledge of the document stream being examined. Its computational complexity is O(N).

Method and system of filtering and recommending documents


The present invention relates to an electronic device composed of two or more conventional sequencers of conventional type that implement elaborate timed sequences of events, such as musical songs in MIDI format or in an equivalent digital proprietary format. The sequencers are associated to control and manage electronics that allow them to work in either an independent or co-ordinated way.

The present invention relates to an electronic device provided with multiple sequencers capable of independent or coordinated operation.
In particular, reference is made to the type of sequencers used in electronic musical instruments, such as electronic organs, electronic pianos, synthesisers, electronic keyboards or similar devices.
Conventionally, a sequencer for recording/playing sequences of time stamped events on/from a recording medium is integrally or separately provided to an electronic musical instrument, such as an electronic organ. A sequencer serves all the tasks that generate sequences of timed events. In this context, sequences of timed events include, but are not limited to, songs in MIDI or digital proprietary format.
Typically, a sequencer has a record (RECORD) function, a play (PLAY) function, a fast-forward (F.F.  greater than  greater than ) function, a rewind (REW.  less than  less than ) function, a stop (STOP) function, a repeat (REPEAT) function, a positioning function (SEEK) and a PAUSE function, and other similar functions, and it is provided with a plurality of operation buttons to control these functions.
The sequencer is also provided with a plurality of switches, knobs, and buttons, typically arranged on a control panel, that allow for setting sound control information to control the tone colour, tone volume, effects and other characters to be generated. The sequencer typically stores the sound control information and simultaneously and instantaneously reproduces the state of the panel controls upon operation.
The data source for the sequencers may be external (i.e. from a MIDI connection or a remote communications network server computer) or internal (in this case data is stored in Flash ROM, RAM, Floppy Disk, Hard Disk, CD-ROM, magneto-optical disk, Digital Versatile Disk or other storage device). It is a common need of musicians to have the possibility to select the next song/music pattern to be played while playing the current song/pattern, to start the next song at a specific measure when ending play the current song/pattern and fade in/out between two songs or music patterns.
In other terms, there is the need for the musician to use an electronic musical instrument like a DJ (Disc Jockey) uses two or more record players (turn tables) to carry out continuous reproduction or remix of music. The DJ sets two records in the record players and performs reproduction while manually operating on record players, setting the pick up of one turn table on a specific track, and pre- listens to it on headphones while playing the other record, performing mixing between the two records, at specific time fading in/out between the two, while manually changing the rotating speed of the turn tables, thus adjusting the beat (tempo) of the two records being played to his feeling.
The use of a single conventional sequencer does not satisfy any of the aforementioned requirements. This need is furthermore remarked by the fact that solutions exist on the market giving the possibility to pre-listen to the next song/pattern to be played on a single sequencer through software artifacts. It would be hence desirable to have a system with two or more sequencers to implement the above demanded features in electronic musical instruments.
An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic musical instrument with two, or more, sequencers with means to control, mix and synchronise them.
Accordingly, this invention includes common panel control means (switches, knobs, buttons, combinations of these) used to set various kinds of sequence control information elaborated on the two sequencers (for example to set the songs tempo and/or synch information for each sequencer), duplicated sets of panel operation controls, a specific set for each sequencer implemented in the machine, to simultaneously and independently control sequencers operations (switches, knobs, buttons and/or combinations of these that include functions to start, stop, pause, forward, rewind, and position each of the sequencers).
The sequences also include panel control means for mixing (function of balancing, i.e. fading in/out between the sequencers) and synchronising time stamped events elaborated in the sequencers. In addition, displaying means (LCD or similar device) is included in order to monitor the activity and instant setting of the sequencers.
This invention will be described in further details by way of an example with reference to the accompanying drawings. One embodiment of the invention consists in two music sequencers, as above described, operating on sequences of timed events that in this context are songs in MIDI or digital proprietary format, which simultaneously generate music performances on a tone generator. The operator uses local or remote operating controls to set, operate and possibly synchronise the sequencers.
This embodiment also includes the methods to synchronise the two sequencers. It must be noted that the synch methods described in the hereinafter embodiment also apply in case that more than two sequencers are present in the machine.

Electronic device with multiple sequences and methods to synchronize them


A method and apparatus related to spatial filtering to select target terminals only located at a predetermined distance among a plurality of target terminals, using a propagation delay between an electromagnetic signal and an acoustic signal are provided. A user terminal transmits the acoustic signal to neighboring terminals to select terminals of which distances from the user terminal correspond to a distance from the user terminal to a target terminal among neighboring terminals. The electromagnetic signal is transmitted to the neighboring terminals in a predetermined transmission delay. Response signals are received from neighboring terminals of which distances from the user terminal are within a predetermined range, among the neighboring terminals that have received the acoustic signal and the electromagnetic signal. The neighboring terminals receive the acoustic signal from the user terminal, and receive the electromagnetic signal transmitted in the transmission delay from the user terminal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technology of spatial filtering that selects target terminals only located within a predetermined distance among a plurality of targets using a difference in propagation delay between an electromagnetic signal and an acoustic signal.
2. Description of the Related Art
In conventional arts, one of general problems that occurs in wireless communications is the problem of selecting a peer to communicate with among a plurality of neighboring terminals. In particular, the problem frequently occurs in localized wireless communications such as device-to-device (D2D) communications recently drawing much interest.
Methods widely used to select a target terminal for communication include a scan and select method used in various communications protocols such as Bluetooth. According to the scan and select method, a terminal scans neighboring terminals and a user selects a target terminal to communicate with from a list of neighboring terminals found by the scan. However, the scan and select method takes a long time for scanning and, moreover, may give an extremely long list of the neighboring terminals to the user when numerous neighboring terminals are found by the scan.
In this case, spatial filtering may be used, which filters neighboring terminals using location information of the target terminal to communicate with. Therefore, time required for selecting a target terminal may be greatly reduced. In addition, user convenience may be greatly improved.

Method and apparatus for spatial filtering using difference in propagation delay between electromagnetic signal and acoustic signal

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute


A tensile support device comprising a pair of rigid, elongated members which are horizontally disposed and attached closely together at their outer ends and held widely spaced apart by a cable or strap at their inner ends which rest against a supporting surface, such as a wall, a tree, a pole, or a plurality of balcony posts. A tensional support cable is fastened at its lower end to the outer ends of the members or to the connection between the outer ends of the members and at its upper end to the supporting surface, or to a window sill by using an auxiliary bracket, at a point substantially above the inner ends, whereby a compressive force is created along the rigid members when a plant container is hooked over the connection between the outer ends.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to devices for tensionally supporting hanging objects such as planters, comprising a container or pot for soil and plants and wire hangers which are attached to the container at at least three places and converge to form a hook. It especially relates to such devices which are attached to and offset from columns, such as tree trunks and vertically disposed poles, and other vertically disposed support surfaces, such as walls and corners of buildings.
2. Review of the Prior Art
Many types of pots, plant hangers, and support devices are known. Plant hangers are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,084,779 of H. J. Moineau, 4,138,803 of H. P. Sherlock, 4,147,320 of L. W. Biedebach, 4,744,171 of W. G. Hilliard, 4,779,377 of C. A. Davis, 4,811,475 of J. C. Morton, Jr., and 4,877,210 of M. F. Missala.
Among known support devices, U.S. Pat. No. 484,565 of A. B. Allison et al describes a mast-arm for electric lights which comprises two laterally extending stationary arms which are connected at their outer ends and attached at their inner ends to a vertically disposed pole, an upwardly inclined tie rod extending from these outer ends to the pole, an oscillating arm pivoted at its outer end between the stationary arms, guides enclosing the inner end of the oscillating arm, and a flexible connection for moving the arm therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 559,066 of J. J. Schickluna also describes a mast-arm for electric lights which comprises a pair of converging side members which are pivotally attached to a vertically disposed pole at their inner ends and which converge at their outer ends, a supporting wire or cable which extends from these outer ends to the pole above the side members, a pulley casing and pulley which are mounted at the outer ends, and suspension cord which passes over the pulley.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,154,627 of E. E. Hall discloses a receptacle supported by chains attached to a central ring carrying a hook which engages a movable arm of a wall engaging bracket.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,334,199 of W. H. Weissman describes a pot supporter, for a pot having a ribbed edge, which comprises clamps consisting of a single length of wire bent to have a major portion adapted to engage the ribbed edge of the pot and further consisting of an auxiliary portion that bears against the inner surface of the pot and has curved extensions that are forced under the rib of the pot and thereby allow the clamp to sustain the proper amount of weight.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,538,081 of A. Bank relates to a suspension flowerpot comprising a metal bar having its bent end attached to a bracket, which is adapted to be secured to a wall by means of nails, while its other end is downwardly bent to form an arm ending in a hook on which a flowerpot is suspended.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,754,082 of P. H. Chase relates to a mast arm for hanging a lamp from the side of a pole. As shown in FIGS. 11-14, the device comprises a pair of laterally extending arms which are pivotally attached to opposite sides of the pole and which converge to an open nose at their outer ends. A sheave wheel is rotatably mounted within the sheave wheel. A rope or cable is passed over the sheave wheel and supports the lamp.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,504,583 of J. Rachic relates to a bracket for supporting a flower pot adjacent a window. This bracket comprises a main body portion having a scroll-shaped lower end, which is adapted to engage a wall or window frame, and a scroll-shaped upper end of an arm which extends in a horizontal plane and has a perforated flattened end for securing the arm to the bottom of the sill of the window by fasteners, whereby the relation of the plane of the arm to the plane of the body is such that the body will support a pot on the curved flange formed at the upper end of the body in a vertical plane with relation to the horizontal plane of the arm.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,637,518 of W. R. Young describes a receptacle support for suspending containers from a vertical wall, comprising a bracket member formed from a meal plate and including a wall engaging portion, which is pierced with an opening for engaging a nail projecting from the supporting wall, and a horizontal arm, which is formed by bending the plate along a horizontal line, and has a curved outer edge and two lanced-out loops or inverted channels forming guide eyes for a snare formed of soft metal which can be manipulated without difficulty, takes a permanent set, and is strong enough to retain this set under normal loads imposed by supporting the container, around which it is wrapped.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,774,562 of W. F. Henry relates to an apparatus for supporting a receptacle, such as a flower pot, from the vertical railing of a porch or of a window or from a vertical column, such as the column of a building, a pipe, or a power line or telegraph or telephone line pole. This apparatus includes a C-shaped bracket or frame, formed into a shape corresponding to the cross section of the railing or column, which has a plane surface, a pair of holes along one side, and a pair of upwardly extending ears along the other side. The holes and the ears are spaced apart by a distance equalling the width or diameter of the railing or column. The apparatus further comprises a ring that encircles and supports the receptacle and becomes at one side a pair of arms which overlie the bracket between the ears and end in hooks or small bends which engage the holes, thereby providing cantilever support to the receptacle.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,928,641 of H. C. Pfafff, Jr. discloses a traffic light holder comprising a pair of straight, parallel arms which are united at adjacent ends to form a generally U-shaped frame. The frame is attached at its inner end to a pole so that the arms are vertically aligned. A supporting tie rod is secured at its opposite ends to the pole and the frame and is inclined with respect to both. Light units are mounted within the frame near its outer end.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,098,483 of J. E. Pesola et al relates to a plant hanger comprising an elongated member which is bent down at both ends and a bracket which is attachable by itself to the face of a molding or casing of a building and has two spaced ears. A swivel depends from one end of the elongated member for supporting a container. The opposite end of the member is held in the bracket ears.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,415,137 of J. C. Garves relates to cantilever attachment to a column, such as the iron posts which support railings around apartment balconies, to support a weight, such as a flower pot. A cantilever assembly comprises a cantilever member having a hook, formed by curving upward the distal end of the member, and a base, formed by curving downwardly the inner end of the member, which is vertically disposed and rests against an iron post. This base is further curved outwardly to form a resilient means that underlies and supports the cantilever member and has a transversely disposed pin. The cantilever assembly further comprises a U-shaped attachment means that fits around the iron post and terminates in hook portions which engage the pin.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,666,115 of J. C. Shiro describes a hanger for supporting plants on fences and other surfaces, comprising a support member with a horizontal portion and an angular portion extending from the bottom of the horizontal portion at a selected angle. Strengthening members are attached to the inner end of the horizontal portion, and a holding member in the form of a transversely disposed peg extends from both sides of the inner end and is placed on the far side of the fence. The front or outer end of the support member is provided with both a hole and a vertically disposed peg to which a plant container is attached. A stop block, which may be either fixed or adjustable, is mounted on the rear or inner end of the angular portion and rests against the near side of the fence, whereby the horizontal portion is in tension and the angular portion is in compression when the hanger is mounted on the fence and a plant is being supported.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,744,537 of R. R. Buckley relates to a hanging device for various applications which comprises a hanging bracket, an elastic band, a sling, and a shackle. The hanging bracket comprises, when the device is mounted upon the trunk of a tree, a vertically disposed angle bracket and a horizontally disposed angle bracket which is welded at one end to the vertically disposed bracket.
Many gardens contain extensive shaded areas that could be graced with hanging plants. However, with the exception of the Buckley hanger bracket, none of these plant hanging devices of the prior art is suitable for mounting on the trunk of a tree. The Buckley hanger bracket appears to lack lateral stability during a high wind. The cantileverly supported devices are apparently likely to damage living trees and deform wooden surfaces. Those that permit a plant container to be hung a substantial distance from a supporting surface are relatively complicated. Some are closely restricted as to materials of construction. No device appears to be sufficiently versatile for selective use on trees, telephone poles, walls, windows, walls and corners of buildings, fences, and metal or wooden balcony posts.
There is accordingly a need for a simple, inexpensive, and versatile tensional support device that: (a) is both laterally and vertically stable and (b) enables a lantern, a bird feeder, a bird bath, a plant pot, and/or a plant container to be hung a selected distance from a wide variety of supports, including living trees, without damage thereto.


In accordance with this invention, in a moving picture decoding apparatus, MB (Macro Block) buffer 111 is provided to thereby absorb difference between read speed from IDCT (Inverse Discrete Cosine Transform) circuit 110 and write speed into reference frame memory 117 of motion compensating section, and DRAM writing buffer 115 is provided to thereby carry out timing adjustment between read and write operations with respect to reference frame memory 117. Namely, adder 114 adds predictive macro block signal S10 from reference frame memory 117 and output signal S9 from MB buffer 111 to write added signal into DRAM writing buffer 115. DRAM writing buffer 115 holds data for a time period until reference frame memory 117 completes preparation for write operation thereafter to write those data into reference frame memory 117. Thus, inexpensive DRAM can be used as reference frame memory. In the case where read/write speed of reference frame memory 117 is higher than speed of IDCT circuit 110, one bank 116 is provided within DRAM writing buffer 115. Thus, since read-out operation of data inputted to this bank 116 is completed before next data is incoming, when the next block data is inputted, buffer 115 is in empty state. By such implementation, memory size necessary for timing adjustment buffer can be reduced. Thus, reduction of hardware scale can be realized.

Hitherto, in systems for transmitting video signals of moving picture to remote place, such as, for example, television conference system or television telephone system, etc., or systems for recording video signals of moving picture onto picture recording media such as optical disc, magnetic disc or magnetic tape, etc., and reproducing recorded video signals of moving picture, in order to efficiently utilize transmission paths or recording media, video signals are caused to undergo so called efficient encoding by making use of line correlation or interframe correlation that video signals have to reduce redundancies in the spatial axis direction and in the time axis direction to transmit only significant information, thus to allow transmission efficiency to be higher.
For example, in encoding in the spatial axis direction (hereinafter referred to as intra-frame encoding), e.g., line correlation of video signal is utilized as indicated by A of FIG. 1. In the case where attempt is made to transmit respective pictures PC1, PC2, PC3 . . . constituting moving picture at times t.sub.1, t.sub.2, t.sub.3, . . . , picture data to be subjected to transmission processing is one-dimensionally encoded, e.g., within the same scanning line, or, e.g., picture is divided into a plurality of blocks to two-dimensionally encode picture data of respective blocks to thereby carry out data compression, thus to improve transmission efficiency.
Moreover, in encoding in the time axis direction (hereinafter referred to as interframe encoding), interframe correlation of video signal is utilized. Namely, as indicated by B of FIG. 1, e.g., by so called predictive encoding, picture data PC12, PC23, . . . comprised of differences (so called predictive errors) of picture data every corresponding pixels between pictures PC1 and PC2, PC2 and PC3, . . . adjacent in succession are determined to transmit these picture data PC12, PC23, . . . to thereby carry out data compression, thus to improve transmission efficiency.
Thus, as compared to the case where all of pictures PC1, PC2, PC3, . . . are transmitted, it is possible to transmit video signals by extremely lesser data quantity.
Further, in the predictive encoding in the above-described interframe encoding, in order to allow efficiency to be higher, motion-compensated predictive coding is used. Namely, in the case where, e.g., a person in the center of picture (frame) moves, etc., with respect to an object moving in picture, its motion is detected to correct position of picture data used for prediction in the previous picture (frame) by that motion to carry out predictive coding, thereby making it possible to improve coding efficiency. However, even if such a method is employed, many data must be transmitted with respect to the portion where object moves and appears from behind. In view of this, motion-compensated prediction is carried out not only in the above-described forward direction, but also in backward direction or in both directions as combination thereof, thereby permitting coding efficiency to be higher.
As the representative system of motion-compensated predictive coding as described above, so called MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) 2 is known. MPEG 2 is general name of the moving picture coding system which has progressed in WG (Working Group) 11 of SC (Sub Committee) 29 of JTC (Joint Technical Committee) 1 of ISO (International Standardization Organization) and IEC (International Electro-technical Commission).
In MPEG 2, Hybrid system in which motion-compensated predictive coding and Discrete Cosine Transform (hereinafter referred to as DCT) are combined is-adopted.
Sequence employed when picture is caused to undergo intra-frame coding or inter-frame coding in MPEG 2 will now be described. FIG. 2 is a view showing the configuration of so called GOP (Group of Pictures) employed in MPEG 2. In FIG. 2, there is shown the example where GOP consists of 15 frames.
Since frame F2 is caused to undergo intra-frame coding, this frame is called I picture (Intra coded picture). Since frames F5, F8, F11, F14 are predicted only from the forward direction and are caused to undergo interframe coding, those frames are called P picture (Predictive coded picture). In addition, since frames F0, F1, F3, F4, F6, F7, F9, F10, F12, F13 are predicted from the forward direction, the backward direction or both directions and are caused to undergo interframe coding, those frames are called B picture (Bidirectionally-predictive picture).
One picture is divided into N slices as shown in FIG. 3, and each slice includes M macro blocks. Each macro block includes luminance data Y0, Y1, Y2, Y3 included in four luminance blocks each comprised of 8.times.8 pixels and adjacent in upper and lower directions and in left and right directions, and color difference data Cb, Cr of color difference blocks comprised of 8.times.8 pixels in the range corresponding to these four luminance blocks. Namely, macro block includes luminance data Y1.about.Y4 of 16.times.16 pixels continuous in horizontal and vertical scanning directions with respect to luminance signal, whereas, in two color difference signals corresponding thereto, after data quantity is caused to undergo reduction processing, they are subjected to time axis multiplexing processing so that data with respect to 16.times.16 pixels of luminance signal are assigned (allocated) to respective one color difference blocks.
Arrangement of picture data within slice is such that picture data are caused to be continuous in macro block units, and picture data are caused to be continuous in block units in order of raster scan within the macro block. In MPEG 2, coding or decoding processing is carried out in the above-described macro block units.
In actual terms, moving picture encoding apparatus in conformity with the MPEG 2 includes frame memory group 12 as shown in FIG. 4, and this frame memory group 12 is supplied with picture data from pre-processing circuit (not shown) through motion vector detecting circuit 11. Namely, the pre-processing circuit separates input video signal into luminance signal and color difference signal thereafter to convert them into luminance data and color difference data which respectively consist of 8 bits, and to reduce the number of pixels of color difference data to, e.g., one fourth (1/4) in the case of, e.g., so called 4:2:0 to deliver these luminance data and color difference data to frame memory group 12 through motion vector detecting circuit 11.
The frame memory group 12 stores picture data of respective frames as picture data of reference original picture, forward original picture or backward original picture in accordance with sequence set in advance. In more practical sense, at the time of encoding picture data of frame F3 (B picture) shown in FIG. 2, for example, picture data of this frame F3 is stored as picture data of reference original picture, picture data of frame F2 (I picture) is stored as picture data of forward original picture, and picture data of frame F5 (P picture) is stored as picture data of backward original picture.
Motion vector detecting circuit 11 reads out picture data of respective frames stored in frame memory group 12 by the above-described data arrangement, i.e., block format to detect motion vector of reference original picture in macro block units. Namely, motion vector detecting circuit 11 detects motion vector of current reference picture in macro block units by using forward original picture and/or backward original picture stored in frame memory group 12. In this case, detection of motion vector is carried out so that a value such that sum of absolute values of differences between pictures of luminance data of macro block unit becomes minimum is caused to be corresponding motion vector. Then, the detected motion vector is delivered to motion compensating circuit 23, etc., and sum of absolute values of differences between pictures of macro block unit is delivered to intra-frame/forward/backward/bidirectionally predictive judging circuit 13.
This intra-frame/forward/backward/bidirectionally predictive judging circuit 13 determines predictive mode of macro block of reference original picture on the basis of this value to control predictive coding circuit 14 so as to carry out switching of intra-frame/forward/backward/bidirectional prediction in macro block units.
Predictive encoding circuit 14 is operative so that when intra-frame coding mode is set, it selects input picture data as it is, and when forward/backward/bidirectionally predictive mode is set, it selects difference (hereinafter referred to as difference data) every pixel of input picture data with respect to each predictive picture to deliver the selected data to DCT circuit 15. Namely, this predictive encoding circuit 14 includes adding circuits 14a, 14b, 14c and selector (changeover) switch 14d. These adding circuits 14a, 14b, 14c are supplied with picture data of forward predictive picture and backward predictive picture from motion compensating circuit 23 which will be described later. The adding circuit 14a generates difference data with respect to forward predictive picture, the adding circuit 14b generates difference data with respect to backward predictive picture, the adding circuit 14c generates difference data with respect to picture obtained by averaging forward predictive picture and backward predictive picture, and the selector switch 14d selects, by switching, any one of input picture data and difference data with respect to respective predictive pictures on the basis of predictive mode to deliver the selected data to DCT circuit 15.
The DCT circuit 15 allows input picture data or difference data to undergo DCT processing in block units by making use of the two-dimensional correlation of video signal to deliver coefficient data thus obtained (so called DCT coefficients) to quantizing circuit 16.
The quantizing circuit 16 quantizes coefficient data by using quantization scale (quantization step size) determined every macro block or slice to deliver quantized data thus obtained to Variable Length Coding (hereinafter referred to as VLC) circuit 17 and inverse quantizing circuit 18. In this example, quantization scale used in such quantization is determined by carrying out feedback of buffer remaining quantity of transmitting buffer memory 19 which will be described later so that it becomes equal to a value such that the transmitting buffer memory 19 dose not break down. This quantization scale is also delivered to VLC circuit 17 and inverse quantizing circuit 18.
The VLC circuit 17 implements variable length coding to quantized data along with quantization scale, predictive mode and motion vector to deliver coded data thus obtained to transmitting buffer memory 19.
The transmitting buffer memory 19 once (temporarily) stores coded data thereafter to read out it at a fixed bit rate to thereby smooth the coded data to output it as bit stream, and to feed quantization control signal of macro block unit back to quantizing circuit 16 in accordance with remaining data quantity remaining in the memory to control quantization scale. Thus, the transmitting buffer memory 19 adjusts data quantity generated as bit stream to maintain data of reasonable remaining quantity (data quantity such that overflow or underflow does not take place) in the memory. For example, when the data remaining quantity increases up to allowed upper limit, transmitting buffer memory 19 allows quantization scale of quantizing circuit 16 to be greater by quantization control signal to thereby reduce data quantity of quantized data. On the other hand, when the data remaining quantity decreases down to allowed lower limit, transmitting buffer memory 19 allows quantization scale of quantizing circuit 16 to be smaller by quantization control signal to thereby increase data quantity of quantized data.
In this way, bit streams outputted from transmitting buffer memory 19 are delivered to moving picture decoding apparatus at a fixed bit rate through transmission paths or transmission media comprised of recording medium such as optical disc, magnetic disc or magnetic tape, etc.
On the other hand, inverse quantizing circuit 18 inverse-quantizes quantized data delivered from quantizing circuit 16 to reproduce coefficient data (to which quantization distortion is added) corresponding to output of the above-described DCT circuit 15 to deliver this coefficient data to Inverse Discrete Cosine Transform (hereinafter referred to as IDCT) circuit 20.
The IDCT circuit 20 allows coefficient data to undergo IDCT processing to reproduce picture data corresponding to input picture data when intra-frame coding mode is set, and to reproduce difference data corresponding to output of predictive encoding circuit 14 when forward/backward/bidirectionally predictive mode is set to deliver them to adding circuit 21.
This adding circuit 21 is supplied, when forward/backward/bidirectionally predictive mode is set, with motion-compensated picture data of forward predictive picture or backward predictive picture (hereinafter referred to as predictive picture data) from motion compensating circuit 23, and adds this motion-compensated predictive picture data and difference data to thereby reproduce picture data corresponding to input picture data in macro block units.
Picture data reproduced in this way is stored into frame memory 22. Namely, inverse quantizing circuit 18.about.motion compensating circuit 23 constitute a local decoding circuit to locally decode quantized data outputted from quantizing circuit 16 on the basis of predictive mode to store decode picture thus obtained into frame memory 22 as forward predictive picture or backward predictive picture. In more practical sense, frame memory 22 is comprised of a semiconductor memory having memory capacity corresponding to two frames (hereinafter memory corresponding to one frame will be called frame buffer), and carries out bank switching of frame buffer to store picture data delivered from adding circuit 21 as forward predictive picture data or backward predictive picture data. With respect to the stored picture data, in dependency upon picture to be encoded, picture data of single frame is outputted as forward predictive picture data, or is outputted as backward predictive picture data. These predictive picture data are entirely the same as pictures reproduced at moving picture decoding apparatus which will be described later, and picture to be subjected to encoding processing next is caused to undergo forward/backward/bidirectionally predictive encoding on the basis of this predictive picture.
In actual terms, motion compensating circuit 23 implements motion compensation to picture data from frame memory 22 on the basis of predictive mode and motion vector to read out the motion-compensated picture data to deliver the predictive picture data thus read out to predictive coding circuit 14 and adding circuit 21 as described above.
Moving picture decoding apparatus will now be described.
The moving picture decoding apparatus includes receiving buffer memory 31 as shown in FIG. 5. Bit stream is inputted to the receiving buffer memory 31 through transmission paths or transmission media. The receiving buffer memory 31 once (temporarily) stores that bit stream thereafter to deliver it to variable length decoding circuit 32.
The variable length decoding circuit 32 allows bit stream, i.e., coded data to undergo variable length decoding to reproduce quantized data, motion vector, predictive mode, quantization scale, and the like. These quantized data and quantization scale are delivered to inverse quantizing circuit 33, and motion vector, predictive mode and the like are delivered to motion compensating circuit 38.
Operations of inverse quantizing circuit 33.about.motion compensating circuit 38 are the same as that of the local decoding circuit of the above-described moving picture encoding apparatus. These circuits carry out decoding by using quantized data, motion vector, predictive mode, quantization scale, and forward predictive picture data and backward predictive picture data already reproduced and stored in frame buffers 37a, 37b of frame memory 37. As a result, reproduction picture data is outputted from adding circuit 35 by the block format.
However, in the conventional moving picture encoding apparatus and moving picture decoding apparatus, more practical configuration for absorbing (buffering) difference of processing speed occurring between respective processing blocks was not proposed.
This invention has been made in view of such actual circumstances, and its object is to provide a picture decoding method and a picture decoding apparatus, and a picture encoding method and a picture encoding apparatus which are capable of absorbing difference of processing speed occurring between respective processing blocks.
Another object of this invention is to provide a picture decoding method and a picture decoding apparatus, and a picture encoding method and a picture encoding apparatus which are capable of improving utilization efficiency of buffer memory used for absorbing difference of processing speed between respective blocks, and reducing capacity of buffer to reduce the entire memory capacity, thus permitting the circuit scale to be reduced.

Picture decoding and encoding method and apparatus for controlling processing speeds


Techniques for bonding two disks with a minimized eccentricity (ECC) are disclosed. A positioning header includes an ECC controlling structure that further includes a positioning header. In one embodiment, the position header includes three members that form a round stand with a diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the disks. The round stand expands to the inner diameter of the disks to close the gap as a result of the difference between the two diameters when the three members are caused to expand. In one embodiment, the movement of the three members is controlled by magnetic means. Depending on the positions of the ECC controlling structure, the three members are expanded from or restored to their default positions.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention is generally related to the area of optical information recordable medium. More particularly, the present is related to method and systems for controlling the eccentricity of bonded multiple optical discs, wherein an example of the bonded multiple optical discs is double-sided or double layered DVDs.
2. The Background of Related Art
One of the most popular optical storage medium is DVD (Digital Versatile Disc). Technically, DVD is a relatively new generation of optical disc storage technology. It is much larger in data capacity and faster in reading than CD and can hold cinema-like video, better-than-CD audio, still photos, and computer data. DVD aims to encompass home entertainment, computers, and business information with a single digital format. It has replaced laserdisc, is well on the way to replacing videotape and video game cartridges, and could eventually replace audio CD and CD-ROM. DVD has widespread support from all major electronics companies, all major computer hardware companies, and all major movie and music studios. With this unprecedented support, DVD became the most successful storage device of all time in the history of optical storage technologies.
There are a number of parameters in terms of quality of an optical medium (e.g., a DVD). One of them is an eccentricity (ECC) that defines a disparity between a geometric center of a round disc and a center of a data track. The geometric center is a center of a circle representing a round disc while the center of a data track (or data center) is a reference center from which the data tracks circle from the inside of the disc to the outside. As the reading/writing speed of a disc and the data density thereon increase, as well as the time to locate a data track decreases, the ECC becomes considerably important in overall quality parameters of an optical medium.
A double-layered DVD is formed by bonding two disks, each being 0.6 mm thick and commonly referred to as L0 or L1 substrate or disk. When being played in a DVD player, a DVD is positioned with reference to the geometric center of L0. If the data center of L0 is not matched with the geometric center of L0, there is an ECC on L0. Likewise, if the data center of L0 is not matched with the geometric center of L1, there is an ECC on L1. Further if the geometric centers of L0 and L1 are not matched, the ECC on L0 or L1 could be accumulated. FIG. 1 illustrates an ECC referenced by S when the centers of the two disks L0 and L1 are not exactly matched.
In a traditional manufacturing process, L0 and L1 substrates are applied with a layer of glue in between. L0 and L1 substrates are then bonded on a bonding station under a UV curing means. A bonding structure used in a bonding station, as shown in FIG. 2, includes a shaft 200 and a tray 202. The shaft 200 has a diameter of 14.8 mm while the inner diameter of the two disks is 15 mm. As a result, there is a gap that could introduce the disparity when the two disks are boned together. Such a gap leads to the ECC and causes the quality issue of the final disc.
There is a need for techniques to control the processing of bonding at least two disks so as to minimize the ECC of a final disc formed by the at least two bonded disks.

Method and system for controlling the eccentricity of bonded multiple optical discs

Dongguan Anwell Digital Machinery Co., Ltd.

Anwell Precision Technology (HK) Limited


A lane departure prevention apparatus is configured to avoid lane departure even when the driver is not focused on driving operations, in a state in which the system-operating switch is OFF. The lane departure prevention apparatus has a driver condition detection section or device for detecting that the condition of the driver which is a condition in which the driver cannot perceive that the host vehicle is tending toward departure, and a lane departure avoidance control device for setting the braking control for avoiding departure in an operable state when the system-operating switch for the driver to instruct the operation of control braking for avoiding the lane departure is OFF, the braking control for avoiding departure is OFF, and the driver condition detection section or device has detected that the condition of the driver is a condition in which the driver cannot perceive that the host vehicle is tending toward departure.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a lane departure prevention apparatus for preventing a host vehicle from departing from a driving lane when the host vehicle is about to depart from the lane or departure seems imminent.
2. Background Information
Conventional lane departure prevention apparatuses include apparatuses for imparting yaw moment to the host vehicle by controlling the braking force to the wheel and preventing the host vehicle from deviating from the driving lane. These conventional lane departure prevention apparatuses also inform the driver that the host vehicle may possibly depart from the driving lane by providing this yaw moment in cases in which there is a possibility that the host vehicle may depart from a driving lane. For example, one such lane departure prevention apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2000-33860.
The lane departure prevention apparatus is provided with an operating switch for switching the system ON and OFF. The driver can thereby select the operable state of the lane departure prevention apparatus by switching the operating-switch ON and OFF. When the driver thinks that the control for avoiding departure is not needed, the feelings of annoyance at unwanted intervention by control for departure avoidance can be eliminated by switching the operating-switch OFF.
In view of the above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that there exists a need for an improved lane departure prevention apparatus. This invention addresses this need in the art as well as other needs, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.


A retrofit cladding system that allows a home, office, or building to replace its cladding without having to remove the foundational frames utilizing at least one frame clip that can attach to the foundational frame structure of the home, office, building, and a plurality of cladding members that can attach to the foundational frame or the frame clip to cover the foundational frame and provide support for a window.

A building may have an ornate storefront where large glass windows are held in by aluminum frames to attract potential customers to walk in. For example, most modern malls, convenience stores, and supermarkets have aluminum storefronts with large windows. Although aluminum is durable and corrosion resistant, eventually a storefront will look worn and dated. To update such storefronts, usually the entire storefront must be replaced, including the aluminum frames. This requires demolition of the old storefront and starting the installation from scratch, even though the existing storefront framing is still structurally sound.
Therefore, what is needed is a lower-cost method of updating a storefront without complete removal of the framing and/or glass.


An information processing apparatus includes a reception unit receiving the number of sheet identifiers to be allocated to a form definition, a comparison unit comparing the number of sheet identifiers received by the reception unit with the number of usable sheet identifiers, an information allocation unit allocating the number of usable sheet identifiers being equal to or greater than the number of sheet identifiers received by the reception unit among the usable sheet identifiers as a definition identifier to the form definition when the comparison result of the comparison unit shows that the number of sheet identifiers received by the reception unit is equal to or less than the number of usable sheet identifiers, a prohibition unit excluding the sheet identifiers included in the definition identifier from the sheet identifiers to be allocated later, and an association unit associating the definition identifier with the form definition.

Patent Literature 1 discloses a system including a terminal apparatus, a document server, and an identification information server in order to improve convenience when writing information is handled. The terminal apparatus generates writing information using a writing generation unit on the basis of positional information acquired from an electronic pen and transmits the writing information and identification information acquired from the electronic pen to an identification information server. The identification information server generates a writing file obtained by adding writing information to link information to a duplicate document for an electronic document corresponding to the received identification information using a file generation unit and transmits the writing file to the terminal apparatus. The terminal apparatus manages the received writing file using a file management unit and requests the document server to acquire the electronic document on the basis of the link information, in response to an operation for the writing file. The document server acquires the requested electronic document using a document acquisition unit and transmits the electronic document to the terminal apparatus.

Information processing apparatus, information processing program, information processing method, and computer-readable medium


Striped sheets each having a structure in which two types of first layers and second layers are stacked in the X direction are prepared. More specifically, first raw material sheets having the same composition as the first layers and second raw material sheets having the same composition as the second layers are regularly alternately stacked in the X direction to prepare a uniaxial stack. The uniaxial stack is then cut along the X direction to prepare the striped sheets. A large number of striped sheets and a large number of homogeneous sheets are then collected to form a sheet group. The striped sheets and the homogeneous sheets are alternately stacked in the Y direction different from the X direction to prepare a biaxial stack having two stacking axes in the X direction and the Y direction. The biaxial stack is fired to produce a ceramic structure.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of producing a ceramic structure and a ceramic structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, with the decrease in the sizes of various electronic devices and increase in the performance thereof, the desire for miniaturization and high integration of various ceramic elements has been increasing. For example, in the trial production of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC), unit cells are highly integrated by forming a honeycomb molding by extrusion or the like. Furthermore, in the production of solid secondary batteries or the like, in general, layers including a plurality of cells are stacked.
A disclosed method of integrating such ceramic elements is a tape stacking method in which ceramic green sheets are stacked and then fired to form a ceramic laminate. For example, in the method disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3058143, piezoelectric material green sheets on which electrodes are applied are stacked in the height direction of drive columns functioning as a piezoelectric driving mechanism, and the laminate is cut in accordance with an array pattern of the drive columns, thereby arraying a plurality of drive columns in a grid shape. In the method disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-247703, a large number of piezoelectric material green sheets and ceramic green sheets having through-holes or the like provided on the inside thereof are alternately stacked, and the side faces of the laminate are then cut in a grid shape so that the through-holes are exposed. Thus, piezoelectric bodies are arrayed in a grid shape so that the length along the cutting length of the piezoelectric material green sheets is the height of the standing piezoelectric bodies.

Method of producing ceramic structure and ceramic structure


A transmission rate control method, includes: transmitting, at a radio base station, a relative rate grant channel which includes a command for controlling a transmission rate in uplink to a mobile station; and determining, at the mobile station, that the relative rate grant channel which includes a HOLD command for instructing to maintain the transmission rate is received at the mobile station, when data to be transmitted becomes empty in a transmission buffer and a receive signal in the relative rate grant channel is detected as “0” or “+1”, and maintaining the transmission rate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a transmission rate control method for controlling transmission rate in uplink, a mobile station, and a radio base station.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional mobile communication system, in an uplink from a mobile station UE to a radio base station Node B, a radio network controller RNC is configured to determine a transmission rate of a dedicated channel, in consideration of radio resources of the radio base station Node B, an interference volume in an uplink, transmission power of the mobile station UE, transmission processing performance of the mobile station UE, a transmission rate required for an upper application, and the like, and to notify the determined transmission rate of the dedicated channel by a message of a layer-3 (Radio Resource Control Layer) to both of the mobile station UE and the radio base station Node B.
Here, the radio network controller RNC is provided at an upper level of the radio base station Node B, and is an apparatus configured to control the radio base station Node B and the mobile station UE.
In general, data communications often cause burst traffic compared with voice communications or TV communications. Therefore, it is preferable that a transmission rate of a channel used for the data communications is changed fast.
However, as shown in FIG. 1, the radio network controller RNC integrally controls a plurality of radio base stations Node B in general. Therefore, in the conventional mobile communication system, there has been a problem that it is difficult to perform fast control for changing of the transmission rate of channel (for example, per approximately 1 through 100 ms), due to processing load, processing delay, or the like.
In addition, in the conventional radio network controller RNC, there has been also a problem that costs for implementing an apparatus and for operating a network are substantially increased even if the fast control for changing of the transmission rate of the channel can be performed.
Therefore, in the conventional mobile communication system, control for changing of the transmission rate of the channel is generally performed on the order from a few hundred ms to a few seconds.
Accordingly, in the conventional mobile communication system, when burst data transmission is performed as shown in FIG. 2A, the data are transmitted by accepting low-speed, high-delay, and low-transmission efficiency as shown in FIG. 2B, or, as shown in FIG. 2C, by reserving radio resources for high-speed communications to accept that radio bandwidth resources in an unoccupied state and hardware resources in the radio base station Node B are wasted.
It should be noted that both of the above-described radio bandwidth resources and hardware resources are applied to the vertical radio resources in FIGS. 2B and 2C.
Therefore, the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) and the 3rd Generation Partnership Project 2 (3SGPP2), which are international standardization organizations of the third generation mobile communication system, have discussed a method for controlling radio resources at high speed in a layer-1 and a media access control (MAC) sub-layer (a layer-2) between the radio base station Node B and the mobile station UE, so as to utilize the radio resources effectively. Such discussions or discussed functions will be hereinafter referred to as "Enhanced Uplink (EUL)".
In the field of Enhanced Uplink (EUL), as shown in FIG. 3, a transmission rate of uplink (to be exact, a transmission power ratio between an "Enhanced Dedicated Physical Data Channel (E-DPDCH)" and a "Dedicated physical Control Channel (DPCCH)") is increased, when a "Relative rate Grant Channel (RGCH)" which is received from non-serving cells includes "UP" command. The "UP" command is a command which orders the increase of the transmission rate of uplink (Refer to a Non-Patent literature 1: 3GPP TSG-RAN TS25.309 v6.2.0).
When the data to be transmitted in a transmission buffer of the mobile station UE become empty, the radio base station Node B transmits a "DTX" using the RGCH, so as to maintain the transmission rate of uplink in the mobile station UE. In other words, the radio base station Node B does not transmit anything, so as to maintain the transmission rate of uplink in the mobile station UE.
However, in a conventional mobile communication system using the Enhanced Uplink, the mobile station UE may detect a receive signal in the RGCH as "+1" and determine that the mobile station UE receives the "UP" command from the radio base station Node B, even when the radio base station Node B transmits the "DTX".
When determining that the mobile station UE receives the "UP" command from the radio base station Node B, the mobile station UE is configured to increase the transmission rate by a predetermined value from the previously used transmission rate (the previously used transmission power ratio).
Thus, when the mobile station UE does not transmit any data in the previous TTI (transmission time interval), the mobile station UE is configured to increase the transmission rate by the predetermined value from 0 kbps. As a result, the mobile station UE cannot maintain the transmission rate.
Accordingly, there has been a problem that the radio base station Node B has to perform the additional processing, for example, instructing the transmission rate to the mobile station UE using an "Absolute rate Grant Channel (AGCH)", which causes a transmission delay.

Transmission rate control method and mobile station


A secondary battery includes: a cathode; an anode; and an electrolytic solution. The anode includes a lithium composite oxide represented by following Formula (1),LiwZnxSnyMzO4  (1)where M is one or more of Co, Mg, Ni, Ca, Al, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Cu, and Ag; and w to z satisfy 0.3≦w≦1, 0.3≦x≦1, 0.8≦y≦1.2, and (w+x+y+z)=3.

The present application relates to an active material including a lithium composite oxide, to an electrode and a secondary battery that use the active material, and to a battery pack, an electric vehicle, an electric power storage system, an electric power tool, and an electronic apparatus that use the secondary battery.
In recent years, various electronic apparatuses such as a mobile phone and a personal digital assistant (PDA) have been widely used, and it has been demanded to further reduce the size and the weight of the electronic apparatuses and to achieve their long life. Accordingly, as an electric power source for the electronic apparatuses, a battery, in particular, a small and light-weight secondary battery capable of providing high energy density has been developed.
In these days, it has been considered to apply such a secondary battery to various other applications in addition to the foregoing electronic apparatuses. Examples of such other applications may include a battery pack attachably and detachably mounted on the electronic apparatuses or the like, an electric vehicle such as an electric automobile, an electric power storage system such as a home electric power server, and an electric power tool such as an electric drill.
Secondary batteries utilizing various charge-discharge principles to obtain a battery capacity have been proposed. In particular, a secondary battery obtaining a battery capacity with the use of insertion and extraction of an electrode reactant has attracted attention, since such a secondary battery provides higher energy density than lead batteries, nickel-cadmium batteries, and the like.
The secondary battery includes electrodes (a cathode and an anode) and an electrolytic solution. The cathode contains an active material (cathode active material) that inserts and extracts an electrode reactant. The anode contains an active material (anode active material) that inserts and extracts the electrode reactant. As the anode active material, a carbon material such as graphite has been widely used.
In order to apply the secondary battery to a large-size application such as the foregoing electric vehicle, it is necessary to increase size of a secondary battery as an electric power source, that is, it is necessary to use a secondary battery capable of producing high energy. Accordingly, as performance necessary for the secondary battery, safety capable of suppressing occurrence of defects such as ignitions is important in addition to capacity characteristics capable of obtaining a high battery capacity.
Therefore, in order to improve safety and the like, various studies have been heretofore made on configurations of secondary batteries. Specifically, it has been proposed to use a lithium composite oxide containing titanium (Ti) as a main component, more specifically, to use lithium titanate (Li4Ti5O12) as an anode active material (for example, see "Newly developed SCiB high-safety rechargeable battery," Shinichiro Kosugi et al., Toshiba Review, Vol. 63, No. 2, pp. 54-57, 2008; and "New SCiB high-safety rechargeable battery for HEV application," Norio Takami et al., Toshiba Review, Vol. 63, No. 12, pp. 54-57, 2008).
Charge-discharge electric potential of such Li4Ti5O12, that is, electric potential at which insertion and extraction of lithium (Li) as an electrode reactant occur is about 1.5 V based on electric potential at which precipitation and dissolution of lithium occur as a standard. Therefore, the charge-discharge electric potential of Li4Ti5O12 is significantly higher than general charge-discharge electric potential (from about 0.1 V to about 0.2 V both inclusive) of a carbon material such as graphite. In this case, in the case where Li4Ti5O12 is used as an anode active material, lithium metal is less likely to be precipitated on the surface of an anode at the time of charge. Thereby, internal short-circuit resulting from precipitation of the lithium metal is less likely to be generated, and accordingly, defects such as ignitions are less likely to occur. As a result, high safety is obtained thereby.
However, the charge-discharge electric potential of Li4Ti5O12 is excessively high. Therefore, while safety is improved, energy density as one of important factors determining a battery capacity is largely decreased. Therefore, in order to decrease the charge-discharge electric potential of Li4Ti5O12 in the range capable of securing safety, it has been proposed to substitute chromium (Cr) for part of Li4Ti5O12 (for example, see "Electrochemistry and Structural Chemistry of Li[CrTi]O4 (Fd3m) in Nonaqueous Lithium Cells," Tsutomu Ohzuku et al., Journal of the Electrochemical Society, 147 (10), pp. 3592-3597, 2000; and "Comparative study of Li [CrTi]O4, Li [Li1/3Ti5/3]O4, and Li1/2Fe1/2 [Li1/2Fe1/2Ti]O4 in non-aqueous lithium cells," Kazuhiko Mukaia et al., Journal of Power Sources, 146, pp. 213-216, 2005). Thereby, the charge-discharge electric potential is decreased by about 0.05 V.
As a lithium composite oxide, in addition to the compound containing Ti as a main component, a compound containing other transition metal such as manganese (Mn) as a main component has been proposed (for example, see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication Nos. H10-172568, H11-071115, 2002-110225, 2012-099287, and 2012-059457, and Japanese Patent No. 4503160).

Active material, electrode, secondary battery, battery pack, electric vehicle, electric power storage system, electric power tool, and electronic apparatus