A local traffic signal controller (3) is interfaced to a conventional pager (16) to provide for centralized control of the traffic signals controlled by the local controller. The central controller (7) may use the existing pager infrastructure (12) to provide for the transfer of program control information to local controllers. A two-way pager may be utilized to provide for the return of information from the local traffic signal controller. Such return information may include indications of lamp failures, traffic pattern information and other status or traffic related information.

This invention pertains to a system for controlling vehicular traffic control signals.
Vehicular traffic at intersecting streets is typically controlled by traffic control lights. These lights include the well known red, yellow and green lights as well as lights to indicate protected turns. Typically the lights are operated in accordance with predetermined timing sequences by a controller. Various controllers have been developed and used to control traffic lights. The controllers in use include electro-mechanical controllers of various types, electronic controllers, and controllers which include microprocessors to generate various timing and control signals. One disadvantage with such traffic signal controllers is that to change the operation of the traffic lights at an intersection, an individual would either be required to travel to the intersection and enter permanent or temporary changes into the controller or use a dedicated telephone line contact and cause the changes. Changes in the operation of the controller may be desirable to modify the timing of the lights or the sequence of operation. Such changes may be necessary as a result of changed traffic patterns, special events, construction or for numerous other reasons.
There are traffic control systems in which centralized computers control local controllers. A significant disadvantage to centralized control systems is that each local traffic signal controller is physically located near the traffic signals to be controlled and the centralized control arrangement must communicate with the traffic signal controllers either over a hard wired network, phone line or by means of specialized radio equipment. The expense of providing centralized control of traffic control signals over a large number of intersections is often prohibitive.
The problem of traffic management under varying conditions is a significant problem and one for which an inexpensive solution is desired.

Pager supported traffic signal controller


A system is described for deriving benefits from the reception and processing of composite video signals from a display device 10 by a hand-held device 12, such as a smart card, personal digital assistant (“PDA”), or mobile phone. Video signals are modulated with auxiliary data creating composite video signals. The users directs the hand-held device 12 toward display device 10 by placing leading edge 18 in the path of the video signal. The composite video signals are then transmitted to and received by a hand-held device 12. Aiming light 24 and/or audio transducer 34 alert the user of hand-held device 12 that auxiliary data is being received. The auxiliary data is then utilized by hand-held device 12.

The present invention relates to interactive hand-held devices, and more particularly to methods and apparatuses for receiving and decoding modulated signals for use by hand-held devices, and receiving benefits from receptions of the signals.
The hand-held device of the present invention receive modulated signals for purposes including enjoyment, promotion, transfer of information, data collection, commercial verification, security, education, and transactions or verifications at points of sale, as well as other commercial, personal, entertainment, or amusement purposes collectively referred to herein as "promotional opportunities." Data is preferably sent to the hand-held device by optical or electrical means, although the device is independent of a specific transmission protocol and therefore may alternatively be sent via other know methods in the art. Data may be received by the hand-held device by utilizing a sleeve, cradle, or docking station; through an optical lens, by use of a PCMCIA or alternate computer port, or by FM, AM, and or other radio frequency means, or other means as may be required based on the type of transmission means selected. Use of the device may allow users to receive, process, and/or store promotional opportunities.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,807,031 Broughton et al. ("Broughton") titled "Interactive Video Method and Apparatus" relates generally to in-band video broadcasting of commands and other encoded information to interactive devices. The invention described therein relates generally to interactive educational and entertainment systems, and is described in one embodiment in the context of television program control of toys located where there is a television receiver, as within a residence.
To encode control data capable of providing a benefit to a user, Broughton discloses a novel method of luminance or chrominance modulation of a video signal that creates a composite video signal, whereby control data is created by modulating the video signal. The novel modulation method alternately raises and lowers the luminance/chrominance of adjacent horizontal scan lines to create a video subcarrier that contains the control data.
Under Broughton, the video signal is not being replaced with other data, nor is the data being added as a separate signal along with the video signal, rather, the video signal itself is modulated to subsequently create the control data. Therefore, the control data is a part of, or contained within, the video signal. The encoding method also includes preview and remove circuitry to ensure suitability or the presence of data encoding and removal of data encoding, respectively.
The control data is transmitted either by television broadcast means, or by pre-recorded video players that are connected to a video display. The control data is then received by the video display where a video field of the video display is modulated by control data. The control data is then detected with either opto-electronic or RF (radio frequency) detection means that discriminate the program material from the control data. The detected control data is further reproduced such that the control data can be used with an interactive device.
A practical example of a device as described above is the commercially-sold hand-held game device for receiving and detecting such control data called the "Wheel of Fortune" ITV Play-Along Game, intended to be used while viewing a television program presentation of the famous television show of the same name. The device, produced under license by the assignee of Broughton, was a palm-sized device that included a photosensor within its case to receive video signals. The device, upon receiving composite video signals, then discriminated the control data from the video program material and caused a liquid crystal display ("LCD") on the face panel of the toy to present portions of a word puzzle. Thereby users of the device may play the game along with a contestant, or play in response to a videotaped presentation of the game. The "Wheel of Fortune" interactive television (ITV) game together with its hand-held control device including keyboard was commercially available in 1988.
An improvement on the method of modulation described in Broughton is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,094,228 to Ciardullo et al. ("Ciardullo"). In Ciardullo, improved methods of modulation are disclosed. Control data is inserted on the visual portion of a video signal by changing the luminance of paired lines in opposite directions, thus allowing larger amounts of data to be modulated in a signal. Broughton and Ciardullo are both incorporated by reference herein.
Efforts by others to provide hand-held devices capable of receiving transmission of modulated data from a video display are represented by U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,594,493; 5,761,601; 5,767,896, 5,907,350, and 5,953,047. Of these, patent 5,907,350 discloses a method for storing data on a so-called smart card, which is contended to receive, decode and store encoded data signals comprising redeemable coupons said to be embedded within television segments and transmitted along with normal television segments. The device of U.S. Pat. No. 5,907,350 is a hand-held unit that receives luminance signals from the television display in accordance with the principles of Broughton. The received video signals are decoded and stored within the card for future use. An LCD readout enables Universal Price Codes ("UPC") corresponding to the stored data. A scanner reads the UPC codes at a redemption site, and the stored coupon is then erased from a memory of the card. A microprocessor channels the decoding and storage aspects, and a keypad allows use and input.
The term "smart card" as used in the above patents, connotes a hand-held, portable device, not conceptually different from the above-mentioned "Wheel of Fortune" ITV game device. However, the term does not only apply to those patents.
As a generic term, "smart card" gradually has come to mean a card that looks like a credit card but includes a microchip or microprocessor embedded or incorporated into the card. The smart card may be referred to as a "fingerheld" computer, typically including a data storage media ranging from less than a kilobyte up to a megabyte (if not more), and are said to have originated in France. Ognibene, P. J., "Card Smarts," Technology Decisions (July, 1999). Smart cards may, according to a line of reference, also be called "chip cards."
Prior efforts by the inventors of this patent application include U.S. Utility patent application entitled "Interactive Optical Cards and Other Hand-Held Devices with Increased Connectivity", Ser. No.: U.S. Pat. No. 09/489,373, Filed Jan. 21, 2000 by Edward J. Koplar and Daniel A. Ciardullo ("Koplar"), which is incorporated by reference herein. Koplar relates to various methods and apparatuses for use with promotion opportunities, such as interactive advertising and gaming. Koplar describes various methods for receiving and providing data to hand-held devices, as well as apparatuses for use with promotional opportunities and methods of using the same.
While the hand-held devices of the present invention may be in the form of a smart card, they may also be in the form of other hand-held devices such as mobile phones. Recently, mobile phones have become equipped with increased capacity to store and process information, and many phones now offer limited network or Internet access. Industry experts estimate that by 2002, more than 100 million mobile phones will have Internet access in some fashion and that by 2003, more than 1 billion mobile phones will be in use worldwide. Mobile phones, with or without Internet access, may become powerful tools when appropriately configured to receive auxiliary data.
The personal digital assistants ("PDAs") are another form of hand-held device that may provide users with promotional opportunities under the present invention. The most popular manufacturer, Palm Computing, introduced its first PDA called the "Palm Pilot" in 1996. The latest version of the Palm Pilot, Palm VII, was introduced in 1999 and was the first PDA to include wireless Internet access without needing peripheral devices such as a modem.
PDAs and mobile phones, while capable of providing Internet access, as of the time of this invention have limited capabilities, including slow transfer rates of data. It is desirable to provide users of such hand-held devices and similar devices such as smart cards with hand-held devices that are compact in size yet rich in content that encourage users to participate in various promotional opportunities without having prolonged delays in receiving and processing information. Smart cards, mobile phones, PDAs, and similar hand-held devices are all capable of participating in the promotional opportunities described in this patent application
For purposes of the present invention, the terms "hand-held device" and "card" mean an interactive device of portable character, preferably of hand-held type which may be carried in the palm by a user, between fingers of the user, or is otherwise intended to be easily grasped and handled manually by the user, including credit card-like devices.
The term "sponsor" is used herein in its broadest possible sense, and may include without limitation entities that issue hand-held devices and entities that accept them or provide redemption services for users of the devices. Sponsors may also include health care and medical institutions and other service or eleemosynary organizations.
The term "computer" is used herein in its broadest possible sense, and may include without limitation a laptop or personal computer, mobile phone, personal digital assistant, or other computer-like device.

Universal methods and device for hand-held promotional opportunities

Abstract: In other embodiments of hand-held device 12, the auxiliary data is received from a decoder box, which in turn transmits the information to device 12 by RF which may be received by the RF antenna 68 of the device.

Abstract: The user receives benefits such as promotional opportunities resulting from the reception of the auxiliary data. Such opportunities are expressed on visual display 20, which may include a series of lights 20a, 20b, 20c, and/or 20d, or an LCD 44. The lights and LCD provide promotional opportunities which may be redeemable and conventional stores or via the Internet. Hand-held devices 12 are outfitted with a PCMCIA interface 70 or wireless Internet access to obtain such promotional activities on the Internet.

Abstract: Hand-held device 12 may have housing 14 in various shapes to promote various promotional opportunities. On front surface 16 of the hand-held device may have indication of a sponsor 17.

Koplar Interactive Systems International LLC


Three-dimensional data processing device and three-dimensional data processing method for splicing together two pieces of three-dimensional data taken from different directions. Three-dimensional data and two-dimensional image data pertaining to a target object are inputted by a three-dimensional input camera from various directions. Two color images which are based on the two-dimensional image data inputted from two different directions are displayed on a display of a personal computer, and points of the two color images are specified by an operator. Two pieces of three-dimensional data corresponding to the two-dimensional image data are spliced together based on the points of the two color images (two-dimensional image data) by the personal computer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to a three-dimensional data processing device and a three-dimensional data processing method, and more particularly, a three-dimensional data processing device and a three-dimensional data processing method that splices together two pieces of three-dimensional data obtained from different directions.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, the light-section method is often used as the most practical means among various means to recognize the three-dimensional configuration of an object, for example. This light-section method is explained with reference to FIG. 1.
Camera 2 comprises semiconductor laser irradiating unit 5 and projecting optical system 8 to project in a slit configuration the laser light output from semiconductor laser irradiating unit 5 to target object 1. Semiconductor laser irradiating unit 5 can move from right to left or vice versa (the direction indicated by an arrow in the drawing) so that the slit light can be moved laterally.
Slit laser light S is irradiated onto target object 1 and a slit image of target object 1 that corresponds to slit light S is caught on the camera's image pick-up plane. Spatial coordinates of point p on the target object that corresponds to certain point p' on the slit image can then be obtained as the coordinates of the point at which plane S created by the slit light and straight line L connecting point p' and center point O of the lens of the image pick-up device (not shown in the drawing) intersect. In this way, the spatial coordinates of points on the surface of the target object that correspond to points on the slit image can be obtained from one image. By repeatedly moving the slit light laterally and repeating image input, three-dimensional data regarding the target object can be obtained.
Where the three-dimensional data for the entire target object is to be obtained, since image sensing as to only a certain range can be performed in one session, two or more image sensing sessions are carried out by changing the position of the camera or the position of the target object, and two or more pieces of three-dimensional data thus obtained are spliced together to create one piece of data pertaining to the entire target object.
Conventionally, two or more pieces of three-dimensional data that were obtained in the method described above are spliced together using conversion parameters calculated based on the position of the camera or the position of the rotary stage on that the target object is mounted, which are mechanically detected with high accuracy.
In the conventional method to splice together two or more pieces of three-dimensional data, it is necessary to mechanically detect the position of the camera or the position of the rotary stage with high accuracy, and if it is attempted to improve the accuracy in data splicing, the device would become very costly.
Moreover, there are cases where one would like to input three-dimensional data pertaining to the entire object without the use of equipment such as a rotary stage. In such a case, the orientation of the object or the position of the three-dimensional input camera must be manually changed. The user must then look for the same points on the target object in each adjacent piece of three-dimensional data as corresponding points such that data splicing can be done based on said corresponding points. However, when two pieces of three-dimensional data taken from two different directions are spliced together, points need to be sought in a condition in which the relative positional relationship between the pieces of three-dimensional data is quite unknown, which requires very complex and time consuming calculation.
It is therefore conceivable that three-dimensional configured images based on the pieces of three-dimensional data input from two different directions can be displayed and the user manually input the corresponding points of the images. However, in this case, because a three-dimensional configuration is displayed on a two-dimensional display device, it is difficult for the user to recognize the configuration at a glance and therefore the user cannot easily specify the corresponding points of the images.

Three-dimensional to two dimensional data processing and conversion device and method of using the same


A false ceiling having flexible material connected to an elongate U-shaped beam or rail, the beam fixedly connected to existing trusses via clamps. The U-shaped beam has a pair of vertical flanges with inner surfaces for receiving an end portion of the flexible material. Strips of hook-and-loop material are fixed on the inner surfaces of the vertical flanges for gripping corresponding hook-and-loop material strips on the end portions of the flexible material. Lightweight foam blocks are sized to tightly fit between the pair of vertical flanges to assist the connection of the hook-and-loop material strips on the flexible material to the vertical flanges. A decorative cap is connected to the beam to cover the connections of the beam to the truss and to the flexible material.

The present invention relates to a false cloth ceiling and a method of hanging the ceiling.
False ceilings using a fabric material are widely used in large entertainment halls, exhibition halls, conference halls, etc. to cover unsightly structural ceilings including the structural beams, electrical and hydraulic components, as well as heating and the air conditioning pipes that are suspended from the structural ceiling. Existing false ceilings consist of a frame suspended from and connected to the structural ceiling or one of the existing beams or trusses. The fabric material is then stretched horizontally for connection within the frame. The fabric material is generally maintained taut to represent a flat ceiling by firmly fastening the edges of the material to the frame.
One disadvantage of existing false ceilings is that the connectors and fastening means for the fabric material is visible at the rail. Another disadvantage is that some existing false ceilings require multiple components for their installation and/or require specifically designed rail systems having intricate configurations for supporting the fabric material. As a result, the installation of those existing false cloth ceilings are labor intensive or the manufacturing of the rails is expensive.
It is therefore desirable to provide a false ceiling which is aesthetically pleasing by hiding the fastening means of the ends of the fabric material to the rails. It is also desirable to provide a false ceiling that is easily and quickly installed and which minimizes labor and manufacturing costs.


Switching of the allocation of a device to a guest OS is implemented through transmission of a virtual suspension interrupt to a guest OS in a VMM; a power control notification process module that causes the guest OS to start a return process from a suspended state; a guest power process module that traps a suspension process of the guest OS; an I/O configuration change process module that updates a logical device definition of the VMM in the suspended state of the guest OS; a guest I/O emulation process module that emulates an I/O instruction that is issued by an I/O reconfiguration process module and that is executed when the guest OS has returned from the suspended state, thereby to provide a new logical device configuration to the guest OS.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of executing, for example, a virtual machine and multiple guest operating systems through logical partitioning in a single computer. More particularly, the invention relates to a method of allocating a device(s) to the guest operating system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Techniques for configuring a virtual machine (VM) in a single computer to parallel execute multiple operating systems have begun to be popularly used. In a broad sense, the techniques each include two systems, a virtual machine system and a logical partition (LPAR) system. An operating system that is executed in these techniques, hereinbelow, will be referred to as a "guest OS."
In the virtual machine system, a control software product so-called "virtual machine monitor" ("VMM," hereinbelow) virtualizes special registers (control registers) controlling the operation of the hardware and processor of the computer, thereby creating multiple virtual machines. The guest OS runs in the respective virtual machine created by the VMM. More specifically, the VMM traps and emulates privileged instructions of the CPU (control processing unit), such as I/O (input/output) instructions for the execution of the guest OS and control register operations, thereby creating virtual machine environments. In the virtual machine system, the multiple guest OSs are enabled to share a sing I/O device. This is because an access to the virtual I/O device visible or recognizable from the guest OSs is trapped by the VMM, and the access is converted to an access to a real device and is emulated. Thereby, a flexible virtual machine environment low in dependency on the I/O device mounted in the computer.
In the execution of I/O control in the virtual machine system, overhead occurs since the VMM emulates an I/O operation performed by a respective guest OS (of a guest). In addition, since the VMM emulates also an I/O operation of an other guest OS running in the parallel execution, the overhead depends on the process of the other guest OS. Hence, there is a problem that it is difficult to carry out the performance prediction.
In the logical partition system, control software called "hypervisor" logically partitions computer resources thereby creating multiple computers. The hypervisor operates, for example, tables and registers that are referenced by a processor and other hardware, thereby logically partitioning the computer. The guest OS executes within a partition logically partitioned by the hypervisor. An instruction to be executed by the guest OS is not emulated and is directly executed by the processor. Hence, the guest OS is less likely to be influenced by an other guest OS executing in the same computer, whereby a virtual machine environment with high performance and high reliability can be realized. On the other hand, however, multiple virtual machines are created through partitioning of hardware resources, so that the I/O device cannot be shared by the multiple guest OSs. In the logical partition system, in order that the I/O device is shared among the guests, corresponding measurements have to be taken on the device side.
As described above, in the virtual machine system, virtual machines to be executed by the respective guest OSs are configured through emulation of privileged instructions; and in the logical partition system, the virtual machines OSs are configured through partitioning of the computer by the hypervisor.
Conventionally, techniques such as described above have been realized in a mainframe. This is attributed to the situation in which, in order to realize these techniques with high performance, special hardware resources, such as a processor corresponding to the virtual machine and mechanisms for executing emulation processes of the VMM by use of hardware, are necessary. However, with recent enhancement in processor performance, a sufficient performance can be obtained even from execution of processes such as described above in the processor. As a consequence, the systems, such as virtual machine and logical partition, have begun to be popularly employed for use with general computers other than mainframes.
The virtual machine system has a feature in that a guest OS in execution can be moved (migrated) into an other or distinct computer running through a VMM. As such, in a configuration formed such that the VMM in the migration destination emulate an I/O device necessary for the guest OS, the guest OS can be continually executed in the computer in the movement destination.
With the use of these techniques, high availability systems are implemented with the integration of systems running in martensite computers into a single computer, load balance associated with guest OS migration corresponding to the computer load, and guest OS migration in the event of computer failure.
Further, in the virtual machine system, there are implemented hardware mechanisms that enable direct operation of the I/O device from the guest OS. One of the mechanisms is an I/O address translation mechanism. Normally, when specifying data transfer by direct memory access ("DMA," hereinbelow) on the I/O device, the OS specifies a physical address of the data transfer destination to the I/O device. In the event that the OS runs in the virtual machine, the physical address specified by the guest OS is a physical address virtualized by the VMM, which is not a real address. On the other hand, however, a physical address space recognizable from the device is a real physical address space. The I/O address translation mechanism translates the transfer destination address of the DMA transfer in correspondence to the guest OS using the device, thereby enabling the data to be transferred to a physical address area allocated to the guest OS. As such, in the event that the I/O address translation mechanism is specified by the VMM in accordance with, for example, the configuration and memory allocation state of the guest OS, the guest OS is enabled to directly issue the I/O specification to the device even without knowing about the physical address. Such an I/O address translation mechanism has been realized (For example, refer to "AMD I/O Virtualization Technology (IOMMU) Specification," pp. 14, "2.2.5 Virtual Machine Guest Access to Devices," [online], February 2006 Issue, AMD (USA), Retrieved on Jul. 24, 2006, Internet URL:
http://www.amd.com/us-en/assets/content_type/white_papers_and_tech_docs/34434.pdf).
Further, U.S. Pat. No. 4,887,202 discloses a switching method that switches an I/O device being used by a guest OS in a direct use mode to a VMM-emulation use mode or that conversely switches the I/O device being used in the VMM-emulation use mode to the mode of direct allocation to the guest OS.


Apparatus for processing a compressed input bitstream representing an information signal. The apparatus processes the compressed input bitstream in a way that changes the information signal represented by the compressed input bitstream, and comprises a layered decoder that decodes the compressed input bitstream to provide a decoded bitstream, a decoded bitstream processor that processes the decoded bitstream to provide a modified bitstream, a layered encoder that re-encodes the modified bitstream to provide a compressed output bitstream, and a selective interconnection path. The layered decoder includes serially-connected decoding modules. The decoded bitstream processor processes the decoded bitstream in a way that modifies the information signal. The layered encoder includes serially-connected encoding modules, each of which corresponds to one of the decoding modules in the layered decoder. The selective interconnection path selectively connects the output of one of the decoding modules to the input of the decoded bitstream processor and selectively connects the output of the decoded bitstream processor to the input of the one of the encoding modules corresponding to the one of the decoding modules. The layered decoder may include an element that derives bitstream parameters from the compressed input bitstream, and the apparatus may additionally comprise a bitstream parameter forwarding path that interconnects the layered decoder to the layered encoder. At least one of the encoding modules may be connected to the parameter forwarding path and may perform an encoding operation using the bitstream parameters derived from the compressed input bitstream.

Bitstreams representing information signals are often subject to compression to conserve communications bandwidth or signal storage requirements. For example, the bandwidth or signal storage required to transmit or store a video bitstream representing a motion picture can be reduced by a factor of the order of 100 by applying suitable spatial and temporal compression. Such spatial and temporal compression schemes include the MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 schemes standardized by the ISO.
Production, distribution and display of video bitstreams representing video signals often involves processing the video bitstream in some way. Such processing may modify the video signal represented by the video bitstream. For example, the processing may apply color correction or a different gamma correction, or may apply noise reduction to the video signal. Such processing may additionally or alternatively be performed to convert the video signal from one video standard to another. In this, the number of picture elements (pixels) in each picture may be changed, and the picture rate may additionally or alternatively be changed. Moreover, when the video bitstream is compressed, the processing may also modify the bitstream characteristics of the compressed video bitstream. For example, the compressed video bitstream may be processed to change its bit rate, or to restructure it so that it can be decoded using a decoder having a decoder buffer of a different size.
An example of a conventional apparatus 10 for processing a compressed input bitstream is shown in FIG. 1. In this example, the compressed input bitstream is an MPEG-compliant video bitstream. Similar arrangements may be used for processing video bitstreams compressed according to other standards. In the conventional apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 1, the MPEG decoder 14 decodes the compressed input bitstream 12 to recover the video bitstream 16. The video processor 18 applies the processing defined by the processing selection block 20 to the video bitstream 16 to generate the modified video bitstream 22. The modified video bitstream is fed to the MPEG encoder 24 that generates the compressed output bitstream 26 by re-encoding the modified video bitstream to have bitstream characteristics, such as bit rate, buffer size, etc., defined by the processing selection block 20. The bitstream characteristics of the compressed output bitstream may be the same as, or different from, those of the compressed input bitstream 12. If the processing selected by the processing selection block only involves changing the bitstream characteristics, the video processor 18 simply passes the video bitstream 16 to the MPEG encoder 24 without modifying it.
The encoding operation performed by the MPEG encoder 24 on the modified video bitstream 22 is considerably more computationally intensive than the decoding operation performed by the MPEG decoder 14 on the compressed input bitstream 12. For example, to encode a video bitstream representing an NTSC video signal in real time requires special hardware or a computer based on a microprocessor of equivalent computing power to a 686-type microprocessor. Consequently, the conventional apparatus 10 is complex and expensive.
Of the operations performed by the MPEG encoder 24, the motion estimation operation used to determine the motion vector for each block is computationally the most intensive. The number of operations required to perform motion estimation can be scaled down by reducing the scope of the motion search region, or by using a fast motion search algorithm, but both of these approaches inevitably impair video quality. To ensure an acceptable video quality, the MPEG encoder 24 will encode most sequences using relatively large search regions with an efficient, but suboptimal, motion estimation algorithm notwithstanding the large computational resources that this approach demands.
What is needed is the ability to perform the above-mentioned processing on compressed input bitstreams without the need for special hardware, or using a computer based on a lower-cost microprocessor. What is also needed is the ability to perform the above-mentioned processing on compressed input bitstreams faster than in real time using currently-available hardware.
In video production and distribution environments, the video bitstream may be subject to a number of different processing operations. Multiple processing operations are conventionally applied to the video bitstream by concatenating a number of processors. Each processor operates on the conventional, pixel-level, video bitstream generated by the preceding processor. Such an arrangement of concatenated processors would replace the video processor 18 shown in FIG. 1.
Using a concatenated arrangement of processors to perform multiple processing operations on a video bitstream normally requires that the video bitstream operated on by each processor be a conventional video bitstream. Processors that operate on compressed or partially-compressed video bitstreams cannot be concatenated with processors that operate on conventional video bitstreams or with processors that operate on video bitstreams that are differently compressed. Moreover, processors that are designed to operate on a conventional video bitstream, i.e., on an uncompressed video bitstream, require that computational resources be expended to decode the compressed input bitstream fully before processing, and to fully re-encode the modified bitstream generated by the processors. Finally, processing systems that precede the processors by a conventional decoder and follow the processors with a conventional encoder require the compressed input bitstream to be compressed according to the compression standard of the decoder, and provide the output bitstream compressed according to the compression standard of the encoder.
Accordingly, what is also needed is a video processing system that allows processors that operate on bitstreams in different states of compression to be concatenated, that can process a compressed input bitstream in any state of compression and that can generate a compressed output bitstream in a state of compression that is greater than, less than, or the same as that of the compressed input bitstream.

Method and apparatus for processing a compressed input bitstream representing an information signal


A transmission type light sensor is disposed in the vicinity of the exit of a shooter, which has the exit thereof positioned above a grass-bag opening, and the fullness of the grass-bag is detected when the light blocking state of the sensor continues longer than a predetermined time. A light emitting portion and a light receiving portion of the light sensor are positioned opposite to each other so that their optical axes are in coincidence, and they are firmly attached to both ends of a light sensor mounting member. The light sensor consists of a light sensor main body which is placed at one side of a cover, and a retroreflective board placed at the side of the cover opposite to the light sensor main body for reflecting incident light from the light emitting portion in the direction of incidence.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a detector of grass-bag fullness for a mower, and particularly to a detector of grass-bag fullness for a mower which can accurately detect fullness independently of the properties (dry or wet, length, thickness, etc.) of the grass being mown.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A mower for lawn, weeds and the like (hereinafter referred to as grass) has a cutter blade for cutting grass on the underside of it. The mown grass is conveyed within a duct-like shooter by an air flow due to rotation of the cutter blade, and is received in a container or grass-bag for collecting grass. In the prior art, grass-bag fullness is detected by a sensor provided in the grass-bag, and the worker is informed of that by means of an alarm such as a buzzer.
An example of the conventional, typical detector for detecting the amount of grass in the grass-bag will be described with reference to FIGS. 8A, 8B, 9A and 9B. Grass-bag 11 consists of cover 12 and two container portions, namely, a first bag 11a and a second bag 11b. The grass mown by a cutter blade, not shown, is conveyed within shooter 13 and accumulated in the first and second bags 11a and 11b.
In FIGS. 8A and 8B, a level sensor 28 is provided on the grass-bag in an upper portion, under the discharge opening 13A of shooter 13. The level sensor 28 detects when the height level of the grass accumulated in grass-bag 11 has reached a predetermined value, thereby detecting that the grass-bag 11 is full. Such an apparatus is described, for instance, in the Japanese Kokai Utility Model 63-148125 official gazette.
On the other hand, in the detector shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, a flow rate sensor 18 is provided in cover 12. Flow rate sensor 18 measures the flow rate of air discharged from grass-bag 11, and the amount of the grass accumulated in grass-bag 11 is determined by the measured air flow rate. Such an apparatus is described, for instance, in the Japanese Kokai Patent 63-24814 official gazette.
The above prior art had the following problems. Since mown grass does not evenly accumulates in the first and second bags 11a and 11b of the grass-bag 11, it is very difficult to accurately detect that the grass-bag is full of mown grass, by use of such sensors 18 and 28.
For instance, if the grass to be mown is wet or its length to be cut is long, the mown grass tends to be first accumulated in the first bag 11a as shown by the shaded portions in FIGS. 8A and 8B. When the method of judging fullness of the bag 11 detects the height level of the accumulated grass, there is a tendency for only first bag 11a to become full before second bag 11b is full, so that fullness of grass-bag 11 may be detected in error (FIG. 8A). Also, when the method of detecting fullness relies on air flow rate, the exit 13A of shooter 13 may jam before second bag 11b becomes full, and furthermore, even fullness detection for preventing a jam cannot be performed (FIG. 9A).
To the contrary, if the grass is dry and sparse, the second bag 11b tends to be accumulated first (FIGS. 8B, 9B). For this, in the method of judging fullness by the height level of the grass, the grass may excessively accumulate and fullness may be detected after the grass begins to jam in the shooter exit 13A (FIG. 8B). On the other hand, in the method of detecting fullness by air flow rate, grass-bag 11 may be misjudged to be full, because the amount of the discharged air decreases before first bag 11a becomes full (FIG. 9B).
If shooter exit 13A has jammed or the grass has excessively accumulated in grass-bag 11, the post-treatment for cleaning of shooter 13 or removal of the grass becomes cumbersome. In addition, if the timing of fullness judgment is too early, more frequent disposal work is needed, which makes the moving operation inefficient.
In order to avoid such inconveniences, the detection sensitivity and set position of the sensor must be adjusted according to the degree of dry or wet, length of the grass to be mown or the work condition. However, it is impossible in fact to optimally perform such adjustment according to the properties of the grass to be mown.

Detector of grass-bag fullness for mower


An image forming apparatus provides enhancement of image quality. The image forming apparatus includes a window generating unit to generate a main window of a predetermined size using a Lines Per Inch (LPI) and an angle of a dithering mask, and to generate a plurality of subwindows within the generated main window, a determining unit to determine the presence of an edge area by applying the plurality of generated subwindows to a binary image and according to pixel values of the binary image that correspond to the subwindows, and a control unit to determine a dot size of a central reference pixel at the center of the main window, according to the presence and absence of the edge area. Because image quality is enhanced adaptively according to edge and smooth areas, print quality improves.

1. Field of the Invention
Aspects of the present invention relate generally to an image forming apparatus and an image quality enhancement method thereof, and more particularly, to an image forming apparatus and an image quality enhancement method thereof that improves image quality by determining the presence or absence of an edge area based on the pattern comparison between a plurality of subwindows, and determining a dot size of a center reference pixel depending on the presence or absence of the edge area.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a monochrome laser printer or a color laser printer conducts gray representation to express an image, dividing one pixel into a plurality of subpixels. It takes a considerable amount of data to process one pixel based on a plurality of gray levels (multi-gray-levels). Increased amount of data results in an increased time to transmit the data from a computer to a laser printer and in a requirement for increased memory capacity. Accordingly, halftoning is used to mitigate this problem. In halftoning, pixels are generally processed to be on or off, in one-bit processing.
However, because the halftoning simply represents dots or pixels in on or off states, images still tend to look rough. The problem is more severe in relatively bright regions. A 1-bit-gray processing has been adopted to deal with such problems. A method to generate multi-levels of data from 1-bit data is disclosed in several previous publications, including Korean Patent Registration No. 0538244 and US Patent Publication No. 2005-0141037. These publications generally disclose a method to determine whether a window is an edge area, and if not, to generate a level according to the number of dots of the surrounding pixels. This method will be explained in detail below with reference to FIG. 1.
As shown in FIG. 1, a dithering mask, an LPI (lines per inch) and an angle of the dithering mask, and a binary image are input at operation S110. A window of a predetermined size is created based on these input values at operation S120, and the presence of an edge area is determined at operation S130. Based on the pixels of a binary image where a window is applied, a maximum value is detected from among the dithering mask values of a white region where there is no dot printed, and a minimum value is detected from among the dithering mask values of a black region where there is dots printed.
A smooth area is determined if the maximum value of the white region is greater than the minimum value of the black region. An edge area is determined if the maximum value of the white region is greater than the minimum value of the black region, and if a difference between the two values is greater than a threshold. A smooth area is determined if the difference between the maximum value of the white region and the minimum value of the black region is less than the threshold.
Image enhancement is performed with respect to the smooth area at operation S140, and dot size is determined at operation S150. Accordingly, a pulse signal is applied to the LSU at operation S160 according to the determined dot size. No image enhancement is performed if the edge area is detected at operation S130.
As described above, a conventional image forming apparatus requires a dithering mask to determine the presence of an edge area. In a color representation, a plurality of dithering masks are required to correspond to respective colors, so it consumes significant memory resources. Furthermore, because images are enhanced only on the smooth areas, edges sometimes appear fuzzy depending on the dot pattern. Therefore, brightness adjustment is required to take the characteristics of edge area into consideration

Image forming apparatus and image quality enhancement method thereof


A vacuum interrupter comprises a vacuum container which includes an insulation tube made of ceramics and having openings at both ends thereof, and sealing metals for hermetically sealing the openings respectively. In the vacuum container, a pair of contacts are disposed so that these contacts can detachably contact to each other. The composition of the material constituting at least one of the sealing metals comprises 25 to 55 wt % of Ni, 0.02 to 1.0 wt % of Si and substantially the residual amount of Cu. Preferably, the composition further comprises 0.02 to 1.5 wt % in total of Si and Mn and/or 5.0 wt % or less in total of Fe and Co.

The present invention relates to a vacuum interrupter applicable to use for switches employed in power plants, transformer substations and the like plants or stations.
Generally, vacuum interrupters are provided with an cylindrical insulation container made of alumina porcelain whose both end openings are sealed hermetically with sealing metals so as to allow the internal pressure to be reduced below 1.times.10.sup.-2 Pa. In the vacuum container a pair of contacts (electrode) are disposed so that these electrodes contact detachably to each other. The surface of both end openings of the alumina porcelain is provided with a metallized layer formed through coat-baking a powder of Mo-Mn or the like material thereon so as to make possible brazing between the surface and the sealing metals, respectively. Incidentally, the seal-brazing between the insulation container and the sealing metals is carried out at a temperature of 780.degree. to 1000.degree. C. In addition, an corrosion resistance agent is coated over the sealing-metal surface.
As is well known, the vacuum interrupter is required to be highly reliable. In particular, since the interior of the interrupter on operation must be kept at a highly vacuum state for a long time, it is necessary to take much-care over the sealing portion. Namely, at the conjunction between the insulation container and sealing metals, two substances different in the thermal expansion coefficient contact with each other. Therefore, the difference between their thermal expansion coefficient to be generated on brazing in a high temperature range, such as 780.degree. to 1000.degree. C, causes internal stress which can not be ignored. Accordingly, amelioration of the internal stress is now considered as one of countermeasures to enhance the reliability of the vacuum interrupter.
To solve the problem, the material for constituting the sealing metal has been selected so far from alloys, such as 42Ni-Fe and 17Co-29Ni-Fe alloys, having a thermal expansion coefficient on brazing close to that of alumina porcelain.
However, the conventional vacuum interrupter mentioned above still includes inconveniences as described below.
First, the countermeasure to corrosion over the interrupter body, especially the corrosion resistance treatment on the surface of the sealing metals should be further improved. Namely, the material having been used for such a treatment is an organic resin or the like coating film. The coating film, however, is likely to be deteriorated with time in quality and strength or in coating ability. Therefore, it is difficult for the vacuum interrupter employing such an instable corrosion resistance coating to guarantee a desired long-term operational reliability. Especially, in chemical works or in environments near the see, it is almost impossible for the instable coating film to prevent corrosion by chlorine gas or the same ion and to realize a long-term reliability of the vacuum interrupter.
Secondly, since the sealing metal is a ferromagnetic substance, temperature increase is caused by iron loss due to the operating current. Moreover, noise is generated by the magnetostrictive vibration.


The present invention relates to a hand-held medicament dispenser. The invention further relates to a hand-held medicament dispenser with an exchangeable cartridge contained therein. The invention further relates to uses of the medicament dispenser for counting and dispensing solid medicinal units.

The vast majority of the medications are in solid dosage form. There are over a thousand different drugs that must be dispensed to patients in hospitals or pharmacies, and more are developed every year. Moreover, the quality control personnel in the pharmaceutical industry frequently need to collect a defined number of drug units from the production line in a manufacture setting. They are also required to accomplish the task with workwear including gloves which restrict their ability to handle small objects. Thus, dispensing or counting medications can be a time-consuming and error-prone operation. Accordingly, there is a need to dispensing of such drugs in a manner that is fast, efficient, and able to handle a wide range of different drugs.
Automated dispense of the medications has been developed. The most advanced of these incorporate robotic techniques to dispense tablets or capsules into vials. However, these automated medicament dispensers are usually bulky and expensive due to the complex system of the combined mechanical and electronic parts. Thus, it is desirable to provide a medicament-dispensing device that is compact and mobile, dispenses the drugs accurately and efficiently, and minimizes the possibility of human error.


A new and improved tethered-ball, hitting practice apparatus is disclosed that includes a base member, a vertical support member connected to and supported by the base member, a tether-assembly-retaining member connected to and supported by the vertical support member, and a tether assembly connected to and supported by the tether-assembly-retaining member. The tether assembly includes a tether cord and a spindle for adjusting the tether cord length. The spindle stores and pays out the tether cord and permits a portion of the tether cord to hang freely from the apparatus. A connector is provided to connect the freely hanging tether cord portion to a ball. The tether-assembly-retaining member includes guide elements for guiding a portion of the tether cord from the spindle to the freely hanging tether cord portion. In addition, the tether-assembly-retaining member includes a hollow body portion having an open end and an orifice in a side portion of the hollow body portion. In this respect, the tether cord guide elements include the open end and the side orifice of the tether-assembly-retaining member. The vertical support member has an adjustable length. The ball can be connected to the freely hanging tether cord portion by either a rubber band or a strap having a loop and pile connector. In addition, combined ball holder and dispenser can be connected to the vertical support member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to practice devices for practicing sports skills, and more particularly, to a tethered-ball practice device for practicing hitting skills in baseball, softball, and tennis.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Practice devices for practicing sports skills are well known in the art. More specifically, there are known tethered-ball practice devices for practicing hitting skills. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,626,502 of Well discloses a batting practice apparatus that includes a ball having a constant length tether secured to an upright stake. A spring device is used to absorb the shock of tethered balls that are hit and travel the full length of the constant length tether. The constant length tether is relatively long and can suffer entanglement and exposure to bad weather when the apparatus is not in use. No provision is made for easily adjusting the length of the tether or for storing the tether when not in use.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,953,028 of Gowles, a ball is attached to a short, constant length tether which, in turn, is attached to a slide bushing that rides on a guide wire that spans two spaced apart support frames. To adjust the height of the tethered ball, each of the spaced apart frames must be adjusted. Having two support frames makes such a device relatively expensive in comparison with a device that has only one supporting device. Moreover, to adjust the distance that a tethered ball travels along the guide wire, the distance between the spaced apart frames must be adjusted. When not in use, the guide wire and constant length tether can suffer exposure to bad weather. No provision is made for easily adjusting the length of the tether cord.
Another tethered ball batting practice device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,964,634 of Boyer in which a ball is secured to a two part tether. The largest part of the tether includes an inelastic cord. A small part of the tether is comprised of an elastic cord portion. With this device, a pitcher pitches the tethered ball to a batter, and once the hit tethered ball comes to rest, the pitcher must pick up the tethered ball to pitch it again. The need for a pitcher precludes a person getting batting practice when the person is alone. No provision is made for easily adjusting the length of the tether cord.
Aside from tethered-ball hitting practice devices, other hitting practice devices are disclosed in the prior art. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,097,044 of Miniere, a baseball batting training apparatus includes a finger and a cam for automatically positioning a movable target for batting practice after each blow is delivered by a baseball bat. The movable target is an automobile tire casing, and, when hit, the tire casing rotates around a vertical pedestal before returning to its original position on the pedestal.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,785 of Patterson, a batting training device includes an elongated, lightweight, tubular member that forms a longitudinal extension of the handle of the bat. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,002,274 of Bidema, a baseball batting practice device is disclosed which includes a substantially vertical frame which supports a flexible net material that receives and bounces back a batted ball back towards the batter. There is no connection between the flexible material and the batted ball.
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to use tethered ball devices to enable a person to obtain batting practice when alone, the provision of a simple, cost effective device is not contemplated that also provides good protection of the tether from bad weather and from tangling when the tether is not in use. Moreover, the prior art described above does not teach or suggest a simple, cost effective tethered ball hitting practice device that is easily adjusted vertically, that has means for easily adjusting the length of the tether cord, and that can be used to wind up the tether cord when the device is not being used.
The foregoing disadvantages are overcome by the unique tethered-ball, hitting practice apparatus of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.

Tethered-ball, hitting practice apparatus


In an FSK signal detector, an output from a limiter amplifier and an FSK signal are supplied to a comparator. The comparator has its output connected to two channels each composed of a correlator, an absolute value calculator and a digital low-pass filter in this order. The correlators calculate correlation between the output of the comparator and correlation signal strings (Cn to C2n, Dn to D2n) exhibiting certain periodicity. Outputs from the digital low-pass filters are calculated by a subtractor to be developed as demodulated data from a sign determination circuit. An FSK signal detector is provided which is capable of eliminating the adverse effect of fluctuations of an FSK signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a frequency shift keying (FSK) signal detector for detecting an FSK signal. More particularly, the present invention relates to an FSK signal detector for detecting an FSK signal through digital processing.
2. Description of the Background Art
Up to now, an FSK signal detector, detecting an FSK signal by digital signal processing, includes a quadrature detection circuit, made up by, for example, an oscillator, a 2/π-phase shifter and a pair of multipliers. The quadrature detection circuit decomposes a received input intermediate frequency (IF) signal by quadrature detection into an I (in-phase) signal and a Q (quadrature) signal, which are baseband signals, and quantizes these I and Q signals, using an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter, to generate digital data representing amplitude information. These data are input to a phase detector having a table indicating the relationship between the amplitudes of the I and Q signals and tan−1θ to generate phase information corresponding to the information of the amplitudes of the I and Q signals. The one-symbol delay difference of the phase information, obtained from the amplitudes of the I and Q signals, is then found out to determine how the phase has shifted, in order to output a detection signal.
For example, if, if a phase θ1 is detected with a symbol S1, a phase θ2 is detected with a symbol S2, next following the symbol S1, and the phase difference θ2-θ1 is positive, then the phase has advanced during the time of transfer from the symbol S1 to the next symbol S2. If the phase θ1 is detected for the symbol S1, the phase θ3 is detected for the next following symbol S3 and the phase difference θ3-θ1 is negative, then the phase has lagged during the time of transfer from the symbol S1 to the next symbol S3, so that the frequency has become lower at symbol S3 than that at symbol S1. In this manner, the state-of-art FSK signal detector frequency-detects the FSK signal by reading the frequency shift between symbols for phase shift between symbols.
For simplifying the configuration of a receiving circuit, adapted for receiving an FSK signal, it has also been proposed to convert an output of a receiving analog circuit into a bi-level signal and to detect a frequency component by digital signal processing by way of performing demodulation.
In Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication 36924/1997, there is disclosed a multi-level FSK receiving device for taking out the frequency information to high accuracy.
In the state-of-art FSK signal detector, the frequency detection is carried out on the basis of amplitude information of I and Q signals. Thus, if the amplitudes of the I and Q signals are varied by, e.g. noise, such variations in the amplitudes affect the characteristics of the frequency detection. The state-of-art FSK signal detector also suffers from the problem that it is necessary to use components, such as A/D converters, and that, since the amplitude information of the I and Q signals are represented with plural bits, the circuit is complicated in constitution.
In an FSK signal detector, disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication US 2005/0105653 A1 to Mizuno, it may be contemplated that, if a signal other than frequency components provided in a correlator is received, not only the frequency components contained in such signal but also the phase components of an input signal are simultaneously output, such that, even in the case there are no variations in frequency components, the output of the FSK signal detector may undergo fluctuations.

FSK signal detector for detecting FSK signal through digital processing


A truss spacer and support device for installation between the chords of adjacent trusses includes an elongate, generally U-shaped channel member. There is a tongue on each end having at least one nail integrally formed thereon which is adapted to overlie the top of a chord with the integral nail embedded therein. Tabs extend from each side of the channel member at each end with at least one nail integrally formed thereon. The tabs are raked inwardly toward the opposite end sufficiently that the ends of the nails do not extend past the ends of the channel member sufficiently to interfere with positioning the device between the chord members of adjacent trusses. The tabs can be bent to overlie the sides of the chord, with their integral nails embedded therein. The devices are employed to accurately space and support trusses during construction of a structure, and to provide added support against in-service loads.

This invention relates to a truss spacer and support for use in correctly spacing trusses during construction, and for supporting the trusses during construction and thereafter.
Premanufactured wooden trusses greatly facilitate the construction of buildings and other structures. While these premanufactured trusses are very strong and reliable in service, during construction they can topple if they are not properly supported. Moreover to ensure that the trusses perform properly in service, it is important to make sure that they are properly spaced. Presently when trusses are used in construction they are placed in position and lateral braces are nailed across the top chords of the trusses to maintain the spacing and position of the trusses. As the trusses are tied together in the structure, for example by applying sheathing, the lateral braces are removed. This temporary attachment and subsequent removal of lateral braces is time consuming and thus expensive. Moreover, while this method of lateral bracing supports the trusses during construction, it obviously provides no support after the braces are removed.
Various attempts have been made to help properly space and provide temporary support for trusses during construction. See for example, Baumker, Jr. U.S. Pat. No. 4,704,829; Allen, U.S. Pat. No. 3,959,945; Dean, U.S. Pat. No. D 318,785; and Krueger, U.S. Pat. No. D 293,416. However, these have generally been elaborate devices that were too expensive and cumbersome to find practical application in the field. Moreover, these were typically temporary devices that had to be removed before construction was completed, with attendant labor costs, and thus they did not provide any post-construction support of the truss.
The truss spacer and support of the present invention helps provide accurate spacing between adjacent trusses, and helps support the trusses during construction to help prevent collapse of the structure while it is being constructed. It can be quickly and easily installed and does not require separate features. Moreover, the device can remain in place after construction, and thus provides additional support to the chords of the trusses, particularly against buckling forces.
Generally the spacer and support of the present invention is adapted to be installed between chords of adjacent trusses. The device comprises an elongate inverted U-shaped channel member having first and second ends. A tongue extends from each end of the channel member. Each tongue has at least one integrally formed nail thereon, and each tongue is adapted to overly the top of a chord member with the integral nail imbedded therein. A tab extends from each side of the channel member at each end. Each tab has at least one nail formed integrally thereon, and the tabs on each end are raked inwardly toward the opposite end sufficiently that the ends of the nails on the tabs do not project beyond the end of the channel member. The tabs are adapted to be bent to overlie the sides of the chord with their nails embedded therein.
The device can be quickly and securely attached to the chords of adjacent trusses without separate fasteners. The device accurately spaces the trusses, and supports the trusses during the construction process. The device has a low profile, and thus the devices can be left in place, so that they provide additional support to the chords in the trusses against buckling.
These and other features and advantages will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

Truss spacer and support, method of use and structures made therewith


A system is provided for application of a layer permanently adhering to the inside of a breast prosthesis formed as a shell-shaped body made from a soft-elastic material, in which a two-component silicone rubber forming the adhesive layer is injected into a mold prior to curing of the body and then cured together with the body. Alternatively, the two-component silicone rubber forming the adhesive layer is first cured in a shell, with the shell then being applied to the body in a mold and then cured again with the body. In a third alternative, the adhesive layer is cured while being joined to a carrier film, with the carrier film then being adhered to the prosthesis sheath which is then filled with addition-vulcanizing two-component silicone rubber and cured in a mold.

The invention relates to a method for the application of a layer remaining permanently adhesive made from an adhesively set addition-vulcanising two-component silicone rubber mass onto the inside of a breast prosthesis consisting of a shell-shaped body made from a soft-elastic material, preferably of a body made from a soft-elastically set addition-vulcanising two-component silicone rubber mass which body is welded in plastic films which cover its outside and its inside and which is cured in a mould while heat is applied.
Methods of this type are known from EP 0 542 119 B1 according to which, on the one hand, an adhesively set addition-vulcanising two-component silicone rubber mass for the formation of the layer remaining permanently adhesive is introduced into a mould with a carrier film and is cured therein and subsequently the carrier film is glued or welded on its rear side in its edge region to the film enveloping the prosthesis and, on the other hand, an adhesively set addition-vulcanising two-component silicone rubber mass for the formation of the layer remaining permanently adhesive is introduced into a mould with a carrier film and is cured therein and a hot-melt adhesive is applied to the other side of the carrier film and subsequently the carrier film is applied to the film enveloping the rear side of the body and is joined to the film during the curing process of the body by the melting and-solidifying of the hot-melt adhesive.
It is the object of the invention to propose further methods according to which layers remaining permanently adhesive can be joined to breast prostheses of the type first described in a simple and advantageous manner.
This object is solved in accordance with a first proposal by the two-component silicone rubber forming the adhesive layer being injected prior to the curing of the body through a borehole of the shell-shaped mould lid closing the mould, which mould lid is provided on its side facing the rear side of the prosthesis with a channel or recesses having a groove shape corresponding to the shape of the adhesive layer, and by its then being cured together with the body.
In accordance with this version of the method in accordance with the invention, the layer remaining permanently adhesive can be applied to the rear side of the prosthesis without the agency of a carrier layer. The adhesive layer can be applied circumferentially over the edge region of the rear side of the prosthesis or also only over a part of the edge region in the form of one or more spots. After the removal of the prosthesis from the mould, the adhesive layer can be covered by removable separating films so that it is protected until the prosthesis is put on. The mould lid covering the rear side of the prosthesis is provided in the region of the channel or recesses shaping the adhesive layer with a separating layer so that the adhesive layer does not stick to the mould lid when this is removed. If the mould lid is provided with multiple recesses forming the adhesive layer, these are connected to one another by channels or boreholes.
If the body of the breast prosthesis consists of a different soft-elastic material to a soft-elastically set addition-vulcanising two-component silicone rubber mass, said body can also be inserted into a mould and, after the application of the mould lid in the manner described, the layer remaining permanently adhesive can be applied which is subsequently cured in the mould.
In accordance with a second version, the object is solved in accordance with the invention by first the two-component silicone rubber forming the adhesive layer being cured in a shell made of elastic and/or plastic material having a recess or multiple recesses corresponding to the form of the adhesive layer and by the shell then being applied with the adhesive layer to the body lying in the mould bottom, the mould being closed by the mould lid and the adhesive strip being cured again with the body. Thanks to the second curing process, the adhesive layer joins to the film forming the rear wall of the prosthesis, which film normally comprises a PUR foil. After the removal of the mould lid, the shell, which appropriately comprises a thermoplastic plastic, can be pulled off so that it can be re-used. The layer remaining permanently adhesive is then protected in a usual manner by applying a separating layer.
In accordance with a third version, the object is solved in accordance with the invention by the adhesive layer being cured while joining with a carrier film and the carrier film being adhered to the later prosthesis sheath which is still lying flat and which is welded along a circumferential edge, and by the prosthesis sheath then being filled with the addition-vulcanising two-component silicone rubber and being cured in a mould.
The adhesive layer is manufactured separately in a known manner in a mould in which it joins with the carrier film.
The adhesive layer can already be applied with the carrier film to a film or film sheet before the prosthesis sheath is manufactured therefrom.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment, it is provided that the adhesive layer is applied directly to the sheath or the sheet before the manufacture of the sheath without the agency of a carrier layer.
In accordance with another preferred embodiment, it is provided that the adhesive layer is completely applied to the sheet forming the later rear side of the prosthesis prior to the manufacture of the sheath. If this film provided with the adhesive layer and forming the later rear side of the prosthesis is welded to the film forming the front side of the prosthesis along a circumferential edge, the weld tools press through the adhesive layer so that a good weld of the film sheets forming the flat-lying sheath is produced. After the manufacture of the prostheses, the layers remaining permanently adhesive are protected by separating films which are pulled off prior to the putting on of the prostheses.
In accordance with a fourth version, the object is solved by a removable film being applied to the film forming the rear side of the prosthesis in such a way that between the two films a channel corresponding to the form of the adhesive layer is formed, that the channel is filled with an addition-vulcanising two-component silicone rubber and this is then cured to the layer remaining permanently adhesive with the body in the mould. The removable film can remain on the rear side of the prosthesis and is removed by the wearer prior to the putting on.
In accordance with a fifth version, the object set is solved by an adhesive layer being manufactured in a separate mould with a central stiffening liner, protected on both sides by separating films and only being adhered on one side to the rear side of the prosthesis prior to the putting on of the prosthesis. The wearer pulls the separating film of one side off prior to the putting on of the prosthesis and adheres the inherently stable adhesive layer to the rear side of the prosthesis. Then she pulls off the second separating layer and can put on the prosthesis.
Appropriately, the liner comprises a textile liner. This has the advantage that the two-component silicone rubber can pass through the liner when the mould is filled to manufacture the adhesive layer and can spread out on both sides thereof.
The rear side of the prosthesis can be provided with an adhesive agent which effects a steady connection to the adhesive layer applied. In accordance with this aspect, it is ensured that the adhesive layer does not adhere to the body when the prosthesis is removed, but rather to the rear side of the prosthesis.

Amoena Medxc3xadzin-Orthopxc3xa4die-Technik GmbH and Co.


Mobile devices typically have some form of audio capabilities designed to be operated by the device's user, for example to place phone calls; however, if a device is misplaced or stolen, the user may wish to operate those audio capabilities remotely. Methods are provided for detecting that a security event has occurred on a portable electronic device and then establishing an audio transmission between the device and one or more clients, and in some embodiments, sending a command to initiate the audio transmission. The detection of a security event may be based on, for example, detecting that the device has been turned on, detecting movement of the device, detecting that an incorrect password has been entered, the device camera has been used, contacts have been added or deleted, the SIM card as been removed or replaced, application programs have been installed or uninstalled from the device, or uncharacteristic behavior has been detected.

Devices such as smartphones and tablet computers have become an important accessory, and perhaps even a vital accessory, for many people. These devices can store large amounts of a person's data such as a music collection, documents, contacts, notes, reminders, calendar dates, pictures, video, and much more. These devices may include many different application programs or apps that people have bought for the device such as productivity apps, games, news apps, and so forth.
A key feature of such devices is that they are small and relatively lightweight. Thus, people typically carry these devices throughout the day such as to work, meetings, appointments, restaurants, coffee shops, bars, and so forth. It can be very easy to lose, misplace, or have such a device stolen. Generally, people will be upset if they lose such a device because these devices can be very expensive and difficult to replace especially if they contain important data.
Therefore, there is a need to provide systems and techniques to help people find their missing devices.

Method for detecting a security event on a portable electronic device and establishing audio transmission with a client computer


A catalyst for preparing chlorine gas by hydrogen chloride oxidation, comprising the following components calculated according to mass content based on the total weight of the catalyst: 0.5-20 wt % copper; 2-10 wt % manganese; 0.05-2 wt % boron; 0.01-3 wt % chromium; 0.1-10 wt % rare earth metal; 0.1-10 wt % potassium; and 3-15 wt % titanium; also comprising 0.02-1.1 wt % phosphorus; and 0.03-1.9 wt % iron; the carrier content is 55-90 wt %. In the case of a fluidized bed reactor, the present catalyst can achieve a one-way hydrogen chloride conversion rate of 80-85%. Almost all of the 0-1000 mg/kg of chlorinated benzene contained in hydrogen chloride gas can be converted into CO2 and H2O without generating polychlorinated benzene.

The low atomic utilization of "chlorine" resources is very common in the chlorine involved industries. For example, in the phosgene process for preparing isocyanates, none of the chlorine atoms enter the final product through the "chlorine gas-phosgene-hydrogen chloride" open route and are entirely discharged as hydrogen chloride. In the traditional industry, chlorine gas mainly comes from the chlor-alkali industry with high electricity consumption. The by-product hydrochloric acid is less valuable as it contains more impurities such as organic substances, and it generates large amounts of waste water during use. Therefore, chlorine gas is prepared through the catalytic oxidation of hydrogen chloride, thereby forming a closed-loop utilization of "chlorine" resources, which has received increasing attention.
In the production processes of isocyanates in terms of MDI, TDI, and ADI, chlorobenzene or o-dichlorobenzene is generally used as a solvent for photochemical reaction. The by-product hydrogen chloride often contains tens to one thousand mg/kg of chlorobenzene or o-dichlorobenzene. Under the catalyst and effective catalytic reaction conditions disclosed in our previous patent CN201010567038.9, most of these chlorinated benzene impurities are converted into polychlorinated benzenes with high-melting point and high-boiling point, especially hexachlorobenzene and pentachlorobenzene. Hexachlorobenzene accounts for more than 80%, hexachlorobenzene and pentachlorobenzene account for more than 95%. These polychlorinated benzenes will gradually accumulate in the heat exchanger behind the reactor, which seriously disturbs the stability of the hydrogen chloride catalytic oxidation process. Moreover, the United Nations has listed hexachlorobenzene as one of the first 12 persistent pollutants (POPs) in the 2001 Stockholm Convention, and China's Ministry of Environmental Protection issued an announcement, No. 23 of 2009, that from May 17, 2009, production, circulation, use, import and export of hexachlorobenzene are prohibited in China.
To solve the problem, the common method adopted in the process is to reduce the content of chlorobenzene or o-dichlorobenzene in the raw material hydrogen chloride, by cryogenic separation and adsorption with an adsorbent. These methods are effective, however, additional investment in fixed assets and operating costs increased, as a result, the cost of a ton of chlorine gas increases by about 20-50 yuan, which is more difficult to accept as chlorine gas is relatively cheap.
Optimization of the previous catalyst guarantees the excellent performance in catalytic combustion of chlorobenzene or o-dichlorobenzene and sufficient hydrogen chloride oxidation activity, by which the problem can be solved with little increase in the cost. This is an idea that can solve the problem with little additional cost. CN101559374B discloses a bi-functional catalyst and its preparation method and application. The disclosed catalyst system is provided with two functions: hydrogen chloride oxidation and deep oxidation of "one or more of cyclohexane, benzene and toluene" volatile pollutants (VOCs). Among them, the conversion rate of hydrogen chloride by hydrogen chloride oxidation can reach 83-84%, and the conversion rate of specified VOCs can reach 87%. However, the patent does not explicitly analyze and introduce the products of deep oxidation of VOCs, and whether it is suitable for the oxidation of hydrogen chloride rich in chlorobenzene or o-dichlorobenzene is not described. We have verified that the catalyst is similar to our previous patent CN102000583B in terms of the ability of catalyzing the oxidation of hydrogen chloride rich in chlorobenzene or o-dichlorobenzene, it mainly transforms the impurities, chlorobenzene or o-dichlorobenzene to polychlorinated benzene.
Under these backgrounds, the present invention provides a novel bi-functional catalyst, which has excellent ability of catalyzing the oxidation reaction of hydrogen chloride while has the ability to catalyze the incineration of chlorobenzene or o-dichlorobenzene.

Catalyst for preparing chlorine gas by hydrogen chloride oxidation, and preparation method and application thereof


A method and apparatus for treating a wet or moist lignocellulosic material at a moisture content which is in a range from above the Xfsp value of the material down to about 0.1 kg water/kg dry below the Xfsp value, where Xfsp is the fiber saturation point value, with rapid warming of the wet or moist lignocellulosic material to a level that natural polymers in the lignocellulosic material soften, which changes the microstructure and results in improved properties of the lignocellulosic material.

The manufacture of products from lignocellulosic natural polymer materials typically proceeds from a wet state through a moist state to a dry product. For the largest volume products made mainly from lignocellulosic materials, i.e. paper and paperboard, there have been numerous developments with the objective of improving the properties and reducing the cost of production. However these earlier developments for manufacturing paper have concerned major changes of the pressing process in the press section, or of the drying process in the dryer section, or of the calendering process in the calendering section. These major changes typically involve undesirable time and cost factors.
Therefore, there is a need for improved methods of processing lignocellulosic materials which overcome or reduce at least some of the above described problems.
Thus the present invention is not a water removal process, is not a drying process, is not a calendering process, being instead is a unique process which is not an element in current sheet or papermaking manufacturing processes. The present invention is a new process involving rapid warming of a moist sheet with the prime objective not for water removal, not for drying, not for calendering, but to improve properties of the material.
Processes for the manufacture of products incorporating lignocellulosic materials normally take place in equipment open to air. A fundamental characteristic is that the temperature of wet or moist material passing through equipment open to air must approach a dynamic equilibrium temperature termed the 'wet bulb temperature' or 'adiabatic saturation temperature'. For this reason, with the air conditions typical in the manufacture of products from lignocellulosic materials, the temperature for the wet or moist material in contact with air is therefore generally in the low range of about 40°-70° C.

Method and apparatus for manufacturing lignocellulosic materials with improved properties


A method for allocating registers within a processing unit. A compiler assigns a plurality of instructions to a plurality of processing clusters. Each instruction is configured to access a first virtual register within a live range. The compiler determines which processing cluster in the plurality of processing clusters is an owner cluster for the first virtual register within the live range. The compiler configures a first instruction included in the plurality of instructions to access a first global virtual register.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to parallel computing and, more specifically, to register allocation for clustered multi-level register files.
2. Description of the Related Art
Computer processors oftentimes utilize register files as a scratch space for performing computations. Register files are typically configured for speed and are typically physically close to clusters of functional units that perform calculations. Some parallel processing systems having multiple clusters of functional units utilize a multiple level hierarchy of register files.
A multiple level hierarchy provides some register files at the bottom of the hierarchy ("low-level register files") that are physically close to the functional units and other register files at the top of the hierarchy ("high-level register files") that are physically farther from the functional units. Values in low-level register files require less time and energy to access than values in high-level register files. For simplicity of design and for speed, low-level register files may be accessible only to a single cluster of functional units, while high-level register files may be accessible to a larger number of clusters of functional units.
While values may be stored in low-level register files to reduce energy consumption and for speed, values stored in low-level register files may be needed by multiple clusters that do not necessarily have direct access to the low-level register files in which the values are stored. Therefore, techniques are generally used to ensure that values that are needed by multiple clusters of functional units are actually available to all of those multiple clusters of functional units.
Some current techniques for making values available to more than one cluster of functional units ensure that all values that are utilized by multiple clusters of functional units are stored in high-level register files to allow more than one cluster of functional units to access the values. While storing values utilized by multiple functional units in a high-level register file helps to ensure that values needed by multiple clusters of functional units are accessible to those multiple clusters of functional units, accessing high-level register files requires more time and energy than accessing low-level register files. Further, some values that are used by multiple clusters of functional units are used primarily by a single cluster of functional units, with some ancillary accesses made by other clusters of functional units.
Therefore, one drawback of techniques in which all values utilized by multiple clusters of functional units are stored in high-level register files is that, although values utilized primarily by a single cluster of functional units may have only a few ancillary accesses by other functional units, the values used primarily by the single functional unit are stored in high-level register files. As high-level register files have higher access energy and higher access time than low-level register files, employing techniques in which all values utilized by multiple clusters of functional units are stored in high-level register files may miss opportunities for optimization in terms of reduction of access time and access energy.
As the foregoing illustrates, what is needed in the art is a technique for improving the utilization of a multiple level register file hierarchy by multiple clusters of functional units.

Register allocation for clustered multi-level register files


A information reporting method, base station and user equipment is provided in this invention. The method comprises sending the MAC layer carrier activation signaling to the UE, for activating a first CC of the UE, the MAC layer carrier activation signaling comprising CQI instruction information, for instructing the UE to report aperiodic CQI information of a second CC of the UE, so that the UE triggers to report aperiodic CQI information of the second CC of the UE upon receiving the MAC layer carrier activation signaling. With the information reporting method, base station and user equipment provided in an embodiment of this invention, the problem of slower report of CQI information of activated CCs can be addressed.

In the uplink direction of a wireless communication system, a UE (User Equipment) needs to feed back CQI (Channel Quality Indication) information to a BS (Base Station). With CQI information fed back by the UE, the BS may be aware of downlink channel quality status perceived by the UE, facilitating frequency selection scheduling preformed by the BS.
CQI information of the UE is reported to the BS through PUCCH (Physical Uplink Control Channel) or PUSCH (Physical Uplink Shared Channel).
In carrier aggregation technology, two or more CCs (Component Carrier) have their frequency spectrums aggregated to get a communication system with broader transmission bandwidth, in which each CC can be configured as system compliable, and the spectrums of various CCs may be adjacent continuous frequency spectrums, or discontinuous spectrums in a same band, or even discontinuous spectrums in different bands.
The manner for reporting the CQI information of the UE may include an aperiodic CC reporting manner and a periodic CC reporting manner; CQI information of a CC reported in the aperiodic reporting manner is referred to as aperiodic CQI information, and CQI information of CC reported in the periodic reporting manner is referred to as periodic CQI information.
In the prior art, the aperiodic CQI information reporting method has to trigger reporting of CQI information for one or more CCs after activating the one or more CCs, and the CQI information of the one or more CCs only can be reported after 12 subframes.
The prior art has the following problem: for activated CCs, their CQI information is reported at a lower speed.

CQI (channel quality indication) information reporting method, and related base station and user equipment


A transistor including an oxide semiconductor film, in which the threshold voltage is prevented from being a negative value, is provided. A high quality semiconductor device having the transistor including an oxide semiconductor film is provided. A transistor includes an oxide semiconductor film having first to third regions. The top surface of the oxide semiconductor film in the first region is in contact with a source electrode or a drain electrode. The top surface of the oxide semiconductor film in the second region is in contact with a protective insulating film. The thickness of the second region is substantially uniform and smaller than the maximum thickness of the first region. The top surface and a side surface of the oxide semiconductor film in the third region are in contact with the protective insulating film.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor.
In this specification, a semiconductor device means all types of devices which can function by utilizing semiconductor characteristics, and an electro-optical device, a semiconductor circuit, and an electronic device are all semiconductor devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
A technique by which transistors are formed using semiconductor thin films formed over a substrate having an insulating surface has been attracting attention. The transistor has been applied to a wide range of electronic devices such as an integrated circuit (IC) and an image display device (also simply referred to as a display device). A silicon-based semiconductor material is widely known as a material for a semiconductor thin film applicable to a transistor. As another material, an oxide semiconductor has been attracting attention.
For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a transistor including a semiconductor thin film formed using an amorphous oxide containing indium (In), gallium (Ga), and zinc (Zn) (In—Ga—Zn—O-based amorphous oxide). In addition, Patent Document 2 discloses a technique by which a transistor similar to that in Patent Document 1 is manufactured and used as a switching element or the like in a pixel of a display device.

Transistor including oxide semiconductor film having regions of different thickness

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.