It is possible to shorten a delay time from utterance to output from a speaker even in a conference audio system including an automatic mute release device. An A/D converter that converts audio signals from a plurality of microphones into digital signals, an audio level detector that detects utterance or silence depending on the level of the converted digital signal, an audio data storage unit that temporarily stores the digital signal for which the audio level detector detected utterance, a controller that controls the storage of audio data in the audio data storage unit and the reading of the audio data, and a D/A converter that converts the read audio data into analog audio signals are provided. The controller hastens read timing of the audio data in accordance with a time period of silent portion when the audio level detector detects silence in a series of the audio data.

When a conference attended by many persons is held, a conference audio system is used, in which speaker's utterance is picked up by a microphone, amplified by an amplifier, and output from a speaker in a conference hall so that the speaker's utterance can be heard by all attendees. In such a conference that uses a conference audio system, many microphones are used. If many microphones are being turned on at the same time, that is, in an active state, audios picked up by these microphones are amplified and output from the speaker, and therefore, audios other than those of the speaker are heard as noises and the audio of the speaker cannot be heard clearly. In addition, a howl becomes more likely to occur. Because of this, a system has been widely used, in which an attendee turns on a microphone switch at hand when making a statement and turns off the switch after completing the statement. FIG. 6 shows a concept of the system.
In FIG. 6, on a table 1 in a conference hall, many microphones 11, 12, . . . , and in are arranged erectly on microphone stands 21, 22, . . . , and 2n. There are cases where each person uses each microphone and where two or more persons share one microphone. The microphone stands 21, 22, . . . , and 2n are each provided with a switch with which each microphone is turned on or off by the operation of an attendee. Audio signals from a microphone that has been turned on by the switch operation are input to a mixer 2 and the audio signals mixed in the mixer 2 are amplified by an amplifier 3 and the audios are output toward the attendees from a speaker 4 installed in the conference hall.
According to the above audio system, there occurs a time delay from when an attendee utters until the audio is converted into a signal in the microphone, mixed in the mixer 2, amplified by the amplifier 3, and output from the speaker 4. FIG. 7 shows the time delay. A waveform a represented by the solid line shows an attendee's utterance signal and a waveform b represented by the dotted line shows an audio signal from the speaker 4. As shown in FIG. 7, there occurs a time delay Δt between the waveform a and the waveform b. However, in a wired system as shown in FIG. 6, in which the microphone is turned on/off by manual operation, the time delay Δt is about 10 ms and there will arise no auditory problem because there is no auditorily uncomfortable feeling.
However, in the wired audio system as described above, it is necessary to connect all of the microphones with the mixer 2 by cables, and therefore, many cables are laid and it will be troublesome to handle the cables physically and to put them in order, and further, it will also be troublesome to identify the correspondence relationship between microphones and cables. The installation cost also becomes high.
Because of this, a conference audio system of cordless type as shown in FIG. 8 is proposed. In FIG. 8, the microphones 11, 12, . . . , and 1n stand respectively on microphone stands 31, 32, . . . , and 3n placed on the table. Each of the microphone stands 31, 32, . . . , and 3n incorporates a transmitter and transmits an audio signal converted in the microphone to a receiver 5. This transmission/reception system may be an optical communication system that uses infrared light etc., or a communication system that uses radio waves. The receiver 5 demodulates the received signal into an audio signal and the amplifier 3 amplifies the demodulated signal, and thus the audio is output from the speaker 4 installed in the conference hall toward the attendees.
On the other hand, in a system in which an on/off switch is attached to each microphone and an attendee needs to operate this switch, it may be troublesome to operate the switch and there may be a case where the attendee forgets to turn on the switch when making a statement or to turn off after his/her statement. Because of this, a conference audio system equipped with an automatic mute release device is proposed. In this system, an audio level detector is provided, which detects utterance or silence depending on whether or not the output level of each microphone exceeds a predetermined level, and normally, the microphone is put in an off state, that is, in a state of mute, and the audio level detector, when detecting utterance, turns on the microphone, that is, the mute is released. The automatic mute release device can also be applied to a wired system shown in FIG. 6 and a cordless system shown in FIG. 8.
In an elementary technique of an automatic mute release device, an audio level picked up by a microphone is detected and when the audio level becomes equal to or exceeds a predetermined threshold level (hereinafter, referred to as a "threshold"), the audio signal converted in the microphone is turned on. However, such an elementary technique of an automatic mute release device has a problem in that it takes time from when voice utterance enters the microphone until an audio signal is turned on, and the time delay Δt shown in FIG. 7 is about 100 to 200 ms and the beginning of speech may be lost.
As a technique to eliminate such a time delay, a method of automatically detecting beginning of speech is proposed, in which when an analog audio signal level from a microphone is equal to or greater than a threshold, a voice switch is turned on and while the voice switch is on, a digital recording circuit is activated and at the same time, the analog audio signal is input to a digital recording circuit for digital recording with a delay by a delay circuit corresponding to the maximum operation delay time when the voice switch is switched from the off-state to on-state (for example, refer to Patent document 1). The application of the technique described in Patent document 1 to a conference audio system will result in always causing a fixed time delay between when voice utterance is picked up by a microphone and when the audio is output from a speaker. Owing to this, there is no problem relating to the loss of beginning of speech. However, since both the words uttered directly by the speaker him/herself and the words of his/her own output from the speaker delayed in time are heard at the same time, the speaker will have an uncomfortable feeling. Further, since there is a discrepancy with respect to time between the movement of the lip of the speaker and the audio output from the speaker, the attendees other than the speaker also have an uncomfortable feeling. As described above, the time delay is always about 100 to 200 ms, and therefore, it is desired to solve this problem technically.
A recording device based on the same concept as that of the invention described in Patent document 1 is also known, which uses a tape recorder by an endless tape in place of a digital recording circuit (for example, refer to Patent document 2). The application of the invention described in Patent document 2 to a conference audio system will also result in the same problem as that encountered when the invention described in Patent document 1 is applied to a conference audio system.
Further, an audio communication recording device is proposed, in which an audio signal input from a microphone is converted into a digital signal and when the quantity of data stored in an FIFO buffer reaches a predetermined quantity, if there is no audio signal, the data is discarded and if there is an audio signal, the data is stored in the buffer or transmitted (refer to Patent document 3). The invention described in Patent document 3 states that it is possible to realize a natural conversation because a delay time between when the audio signal is received and when the audio is heard is short. However, when the invention described in Patent document 3 is applied to a conference audio system, if the audio signal is interrupted and it is determined that there is no audio signal, the audio data stored in the buffer is discarded, and when it is determined that there is an audio signal next time, the audio signal is stored sequentially from scratch and read out in order, and therefore, the effect to eliminate the delay in audio cannot be expected.    Patent document 1 Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 60-163250    Patent document 2 Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Application Publication No. 60-142805    Patent document 3 Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 8-265337


Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for a connection identification scheme are provided. One method includes determining, for example by an information receiver, a unique connection identity for an off-band connection with an information provider. The unique connection identity may be based on information related to a user plane connection with the information provider. The method may further include storing the unique connection identity, receiving radio access network information and synchronization information from the information provider, and synchronizing at least part of the radio access information with at least part of information sent in the user plane connection, using the synchronization information.

A radio access network (RAN) may be considered part of a mobile communications system and implements a radio access technology. The RAN may reside between a device such as a mobile phone or device, a computer, or any remotely controlled machine and provides connection with its core network (CN).
For example, Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN) refers to a communications network including base stations, or Node Bs, and for example radio network controllers (RNC). UTRAN allows for connectivity between the user equipment (UE) and the core network. The RNC provides control functionalities for one or more Node Bs. The RNC and its corresponding Node Bs are called the Radio Network Subsystem (RNS). In case of E-UTRAN (enhanced UTRAN), no RNC exists and most of the RNC functionalities are contained in the enhanced Node B (eNodeB or eNB).
Long Term Evolution (LTE) or E-UTRAN refers to improvements of the UMTS through improved efficiency and services, lower costs, and use of new spectrum opportunities. In particular, LTE is a 3GPP standard that provides for uplink peak rates of at least 50 megabits per second (Mbps) and downlink peak rates of at least 100 Mbps. LTE supports scalable carrier bandwidths from 20 MHz down to 1.4 MHz and supports both Frequency Division Duplexing (FDD) and Time Division Duplexing (TDD).
As mentioned above, LTE may also improve spectral efficiency in networks, allowing carriers to provide more data and voice services over a given bandwidth. Therefore, LTE is designed to fulfill the needs for high-speed data and media transport in addition to high-capacity voice support. Advantages of LTE include, for example, high throughput, low latency, FDD and TDD support in the same platform, an improved end-user experience, and a simple architecture resulting in low operating costs.
Further releases of 3GPP LTE (e.g., LTE Rel-10, LTE Rel-11, LTE Rel-12) are targeted towards future international mobile telecommunications advanced (IMT-A) systems, referred to herein for convenience simply as LTE-Advanced (LTE-A).
LTE-A is directed toward extending and optimizing the 3GPP LTE radio access technologies. A goal of LTE-A is to provide significantly enhanced services by means of higher data rates and lower latency with reduced cost. LTE-A will be a more optimized radio system fulfilling the international telecommunication union-radio (ITU-R) requirements for IMT-Advanced while keeping the backward compatibility.


An optical integrated circuit comprises an optical substrate and an optical waveguide supported by the substrate. A transducer is incorporated into the optical integrated circuit and coupled to the optical substrate. The transducer comprises a region of piezo-electric material and a set of electrodes for applying a voltage to the piezo-electric material for selectively causing the deformation of the piezo-electric material so as to alter the optical path length of the waveguide.

Optical waveguides are incorporated in optical integrated circuits for a variety of purposes. In particular, optical waveguides are utilized to form resonator based devices such as receivers, lasers, transmitters, modulators and interferometers. Different types of resonators may be incorporated in these devices such as a linear resonator which comprises a linear waveguide and a reflecting mirror placed on each end of the linear waveguide or a ring resonator which includes a waveguide having the geometry of a ring.
An optical resonator resonates when the round trip phase shift of optical radiation of a particular wavelength propagating in the resonator waveguide equals an integer multiple of 2.pi.. The round trip phase shift in a resonator may be represented by .omega.p/c, where .omega. is the angular frequency of the radiation and p is the round trip optical path-length of the resonator. Thus, the resonant wavelength of a particular optical resonator is strongly dependent on its optical path length.
In many applications, it is desirable to tune a resonator to resonate at a particular wavelength. For example, it might be desirable to tune a laser to generate optical radiation at a particular wavelength. In addition, in a multiple wavelength optical communication system (e.g., as described in the prior art, U.S. Pat. No. 4,592,043, "Wavelength Division Multiplexing Optical Communications", by Gareth F. Williams), it might be desirable to tune a resonator to a specific wavelength to select the specific wavelength out of a plurality of wavelengths arriving at the receiver.
Other applications use waveguide interferometers as intensity modulators. For example, a typical Mach-Zehnder waveguide modulator comprises two waveguides coupled to each other at two points by two evanescent couplers. The modulator has a transmission maximum when the paths in the two waveguides differ by an integral number of optical wavelength and a transmission minimum if the paths in the two waveguides differ by a half-integral number of optical wavelengths. Thus, it is desirable to control the transmission of the modulator by varying the difference between the optical path lengths in the two waveguides.
In other applications, such as coherent lightwave receivers, it is desirable to vary the phase of an optical signal or radiation. This may be done by varying an optical path length and thereby the phase.
In conventional optical integrated circuits, waveguides may be manufactured with lithium niobate materials. At present, waveguides formed from these materials have unacceptably high losses for many applications. In optical integrated circuits, waveguides may also be formed from glass materials. However, there is presently no suitable way to alter the optical path length of a glass waveguide formed in an optical integrated circuit device, for example, to form a tunable resonator. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an optical integrated circuit including a low-loss waveguide and a means for varying the optical path length of the waveguide.
In the prior art (see, e.g., D. L. Franzen and E. M. Kim, "Long Optical-fiber Fabry-Perot Interferometers," Applied Optics, vol. 20, No. 23, pp. 3991-3992, 1981; S. J. Petuchowski, T. G. Giallorenzi, and S. K. Sheem, "A Sensitive Fiber-Optic Fabry-Perot Interferometer," IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics, vol. QE-17, no. 11, pp. 2168-2170, 1981; and J. Stone, "Optical-Fiber Fabry-Perot Interferometer With Finesse of 300," Electronics Letters, vol. 21, pp. 50-4505, 1985), a piezo-electric device has been coupled to an optical fiber to modulate the length of the optical fiber. However, a piezo-electric material has not heretofore been incorporated in an optical integrated circuit to alter the optical path length of a waveguide.
Accordingly, it is a further object of the present invention to provide an optical integrated circuit incorporating a piezo-electric (PZT) material for changing the optical path length of a waveguide.


A mounting disk, lanyard and distal tip are formed as a unitary member and may be utilized with a plurality of differing EAS tags to provide effective theft protection devices.

Retail stores utilize electronic article surveillance (EAS) tags, especially in connection with clothing, to prevent theft of such items. A tag will generally be a rectangular structure on the order of ⅝ inch in width and 1½ inch in length with varying thickness, including a flat top side having a pin receiving aperture therein. For clothing and other fabric material items, a pin member, having a circular disk shaped top and a pin extending perpendicularly from the center thereof, is positioned through the fabric and into the aperture or hole in the tag to maintain the EAS structure on a consumer item to be sold. FIG. 3 of U.S. Pat. No. 7,084,766 discloses such a circular disk with pin extending therefrom that is meant to be positioned in the aperture or hole on the top of a tag 22. Such a tag assembly is not convenient to utilize for articles of clothing such as leather or for handbags, purses, or the like generally made of other than a one layer of woven fabric.
Another type of theft deterrent device includes a lanyard that extends from the tag so as to be positioned around a handbag strap or through a button hole in an item wherein the prior mentioned combined disk and pin is not appropriate. U.S. Pat. No. 7,342,495 discloses an EAS tag that has a lanyard fixedly extending therefrom including a pin at the end that is mountable in an aperture or hole in the top of the lanyard. However, it should be noted that there are over approximately 200 different styles and shapes of EAS tags currently on the market and the lanyard shown only works with the one tag disclosed therein. Additionally, it would be expected that improvements in such EAS tags may be made in the future to provide for more elaborate electronic circuitry therein.
A need has developed for a simplified lanyard/pin/base device that can be utilized with a plurality of the EAS tags now available on the market and which may be available for use with EAS tags developed in the future.

Unitary lanyard and base for electronic surveillance tag


Disclosed are various embodiments for tracking a frequency distribution of streamed values. A stream of monitoring values is generally received in a host from a plurality of external hosts. A frequency distribution is stored in the host, the frequency distribution comprising a plurality of ranges that vary exponentially, and a plurality of frequency values, each of the frequency values being associated with a corresponding one of the ranges. A frequency at which the monitoring values fall within respective ones of the ranges is tracked in the frequency distribution.

In large scale server banks operated by various entities, it is often the case that service level agreements are in place that ensure a predefined level of performance. It can be the case that such servers may generate vast amounts of reporting data from which compliance with a service level agreement or other requirement may be ascertained. Unfortunately, when the amount of such data is very large, significant processing and data storage resources are needed to process such reporting data to ascertain compliance with service level agreements or other requirements.

Tracking the frequency distribution of streaming values


A layered structure, which may be used as a fuser member, comprises a first layer containing silicone; a second layer containing a fluoropolymer; and between the first and second layers, an adhesive layer comprising an aminosilane adhesive. In the layered structure, the second layer may additionally contain at least one of a polyamide-imide or a polyamide. Alternatively, or in addition, the adhesive layer may additionally contain fluoropolymer and at least one of a polyamide-imide or a polyamide.

The disclosure relates to a layered structure that may be used as a fusing member for use in photocopying and other printing.
The electrostatographic process, and particularly the xerographic process, is well known. This process involves the formation of an electrostatic latent image on a photoreceptor, followed by development of the image with a developer, and subsequent transfer of the image to a suitable substrate. In xerography, the surface of an electrophotographic plate, drum, belt or the like (imaging member or photoreceptor) containing a photoconductive insulating layer on a conductive layer is first uniformly electrostatically charged. The imaging member is then exposed to a pattern of activating electromagnetic radiation, such as light. The radiation selectively dissipates the charge on the illuminated areas of the photoconductive insulating layer while leaving behind an electrostatic latent image on the non-illuminated areas. This electrostatic latent image may then be developed to form a visible image by depositing finely divided electroscopic marking particles on the surface of the photoconductive insulating layer. The resulting visible image may then be transferred from the imaging member directly or indirectly (such as by a transfer or other member) to a recording medium, such as transparency or paper. The imaging process may be repeated many times with reusable imaging members.
After the image is transferred from the imaging member to a recording medium, it may be fused to the recording medium using a fusing member. The use of a fusing member constructed with a non-stick material as a top layer and a heat resistant base layer has been known in the electrostatographic art. Typical non-stick materials that have been used include polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP), perfluoroalkoxy (PFA), polychlorotrifluoroethylene (ECTFE), ethylene-chlorotrifluoroethylene (ECTFE), ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and polyvinyl fluoride (PVF), and blends of these materials.
Fluoropolymer resin by itself, though an excellent non-stick material, is not compliant. Silicone compounds, on the other hand, are compliant. It is known in the art form a fuser member having a material combining the non-stick properties of fluoropolymer resins and the compliant properties of silicone elastomers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,319,427 to Sakurai et al. discloses an image fixing rotatable member including a base member; a silicone rubber layer on the base member; a primer layer on the silicone rubber layer; and a fluorine resin layer on the primer layer, wherein the primer layer is binder material containing the fluorine resin and aminosilane compound. Sakurai discloses that the fluorine resin is included in the primer layer in an amount greater than the silane compound.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,720,703 to Chen et al. discloses a fuser member having: a rigid metal core; a base cushion layer covering the metal core, wherein the base cushion comprises a condensation cured polydimethylsiloxane or an addition cured silicone rubber; a cured fluoroelastomer layer covering the base cushion; an aminosilane adhesive covering the fluoroelastomer layer; and an amorphous fluoropolymer covering the aminosilane adhesive layer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,998,034 to Marvil et al. discloses a fuser member having a fluoropolymer non-stick topcoat on a compliant silicone rubber baselayer bonded to a metallic insert. The fluoropolymer is adhered to the silicone rubber baselayer using a primer blend of a silane and a polyamide resin. As the silane, this patent discloses vinyltrimethoxysilane, gamma-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane and 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,547,759 to Chen et al. discloses a method for making a coated fuser member in which the release coating comprises an outermost layer of fluoropolymer resin bonded to a fluoroelastomer layer by means of a fluoropolymer-containing polyamide-imide primer layer.
Additional and better ways to adhere a fluoropolymer layer to a silicone layer are desired.

Use of aminosilane as an adhesion promoter between a silcone layer and a fluoropolymer layer


Delivering a Direct Proof private key to a device installed in a client computer system in the field may be accomplished in a secure manner without requiring significant non-volatile storage in the device. A unique pseudo-random value is generated and stored in the device at manufacturing time. The pseudo-random value is used to generate a symmetric key for encrypting a data structure holding a Direct Proof private key and a private key digest associated with the device. The resulting encrypted data structure is stored on a protected on-liner server accessible by the client computer system. When the device is initialized on the client computer system, the system checks if a localized encrypted data structure is present in the system. If not, the system obtains the associated encrypted data structure from the protected on-line server using a secure protocol. The device decrypts the encrypted data structure using a symmetric key regenerated from its stored pseudo-random value to obtain the Direct Proof private key. If the private key is valid, it may be used for subsequent authentication processing by the device in the client computer system.

1. Field
The present invention relates generally to computer security and, more specifically, to securely distributing cryptographic keys to devices in processing systems.
2. Description
Some processing system architectures supporting content protection and/or computer security features require that specially-protected or "trusted" software modules be able to create an authenticated encrypted communications session with specific protected or "trusted" hardware devices in the processing system (such as graphics controller cards, for example). One commonly used method for both identifying the device and simultaneously establishing the encrypted communications session is to use a one-side authenticated Diffie-Hellman (DH) key exchange process. In this process, the device is assigned a unique public/private Rivest, Shamir and Adelman (RSA) algorithm key pair or a unique Elliptic Curve Cryptography (EGO) key pair. However, because this authentication process uses RSA or ECO keys, the device then has a unique and provable identity, which can raise privacy concerns. In the worst case, these concerns may result in a lack of support from original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for building trustable devices providing this kind of security.

Method of delivering Direct Proof private keys to devices using an on-line service


Methods, computer systems, and computer readable media provide for network location overrides for a client to utilize when accessing network hosted services. A client computer obtains network locations for hosted services from a network location, such as a URL of a configuration server. Any overrides providing different network locations for one or more of the hosted services are obtained from a store of the client computer, such as from a system registry provided by the operating system. The network location of an override is then used in place of a network location specified at the configuration server to access the hosted service. The overrides may apply for all applications, certain applications, certain services of an application, or for certain users of the client computer.

Client computers execute application programs that provide various functionality. However, services of the application programs may be provided from a network that the client computer has access to. Decoupling the services from the client computer and moving them to the network allows these services to be updated and controlled without interacting with the client computer that will ultimately use the services. However, the client computer must be directed to a network location where a particular service can be accessed.
From a user's perspective, the direction of the client computer may be transparent. For example, the user may click a graphical user interface control such as a button or menu item to access a network hosted service, such as a help menu. However, the application on the computer must target a specific location to access the requested service upon receiving the selection from the user.
The network location for a network hosted service may change from time to time. For example, during application development and subsequent beta testing, the network hosted service may be provided from one network location such as a uniform resource location ("URL") path to a beta server. However, upon releasing the application program, the network hosted services for the program may be provided from a different location, such as a URL path to a production server, such that the selections for a service in an application must target a new network location than was done during the beta testing. Furthermore, the network location for the services may change one or more times, such as to URLs of different production servers, after the application program that utilizes the network services has shipped.
The application of the client computer must be able to access the new network locations as they change with time. To accomplish this, the application may be setup to access a configuration server at a first network location that specifies the network location where a service can be accessed in a file, typically in the extensible markup language ("XML"). The network locations specified by the configuration server can be updated with the new network locations as they occur. Thus, the client computer can then learn to access the services at the new network locations by accessing the configuration server at the known network location.
However, it may often be desirable to direct the client computer to a location other than that specified by the configuration server. For example, a client computer may be a node of a corporate network that provides hosted services in place of hosted services located through the configuration server. Furthermore, certain applications of the client computer may require access to the hosted services located through the configuration server while other applications should access hosted services from another location. The same may be true on a user basis, where services requested by one user through an application should come from the locations specified in the configuration server while services requested by another user through the application should come from different locations than those specified in the configuration server.

Methods and computer systems for directing a client to network locations for network hosted services


The invention is a cutter bar for a chain saw which permits quick and convenient trimming of hedges and shrubbery. The cutter bar is of conventional design, being relatively thin and elongated, and supporting a cutting chain which extends around its periphery. Additionally, the cutter bar of this invention has a plurality of spaced-apart tines which extend transversely out from the top and/or bottom of the cutter blade. The tines are fastened to or extend from a side or edge of the cutter blade, optionally by rivets passing through a shim or spacer--the tines are not connected to each other by a web or common casting other than the cutter blade. This way, the web or common casting does not add to the size, bulk, or weight of the cutter blade, allowing it to remain less burdensome and less interfering during cutting. In a preferred embodiment, the spacing on the cutter bar between tines varies so that branches or limbs of varying diameter may be accommodated by the cutter blade while cutting.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to chain saws and, more specifically, to cutter bars for chain saws which permit quick and convenient trimming of trees, brush, hedges and shrubbery.
2. Related Art
There have been several chain saw cutter bar designs for trimming hedges and shrubbery.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,808,684 (Ludwig) discloses a chain saw shield with V-shaped notches for trimming small branches.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,815,229 (Granberg) discloses a double-edged comb which can be removably secured to a chain saw cutter bar for hedge trimming. A device like this one by Granberg is marketed as Clip-N-Trim.TM. by Outdoor Power Equipment Company.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,142,292 (Ulrich) discloses a one-sided comb which can be removably secured to a chain saw cutter bar for hedge trimming.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,270,272 (Graham) discloses a single rigid bar attached near the front of the cutter bar, extending forwardly and downwardly beyond the lower edge of the blade, and backwardly and upwardly beyond the upper edge of the blade. The bar helps to stabilize smaller branches when cutting them.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,168 (Lyons) discloses a one-sided comb which can be removably attached to a cutter bar for hedge trimming. The front tine of this comb extends forwardly and downwardly past the lower edge of the blade.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,560,111 (Dofredo) discloses a double, double-sided comb which may be removably attached to a cutter bar for hedge trimming.
Still, these cutter bar designs are complex, costly or inefficient. Also, these designs do not permit the saw blade to easily pass through groups of small branches and limbs during cutting.


An integrated circuit comprising a plurality of processing modules (M; I; S; T) and a network (N; RN) arranged for providing at least one connection between a first and at least one second module is provided. Said connections comprises a set of communication channels each having a set of connection properties. Said connection supports transactions comprising outgoing messages from the first module to the second module and return messages from the second module to the first module. The connection properties of the different communication channels of said connection can be adjusted independently. Therefore, the utilization of the resources of a network on chip is more efficient, since the connection between modules can be efficiently adapted to their actual requirement, such that the connection is not over dimensioned and unused network resources can be assigned to other connections.

Systems on silicon show a continuous increase in complexity due to the ever increasing need for implementing new features and improvements of existing functions. This is enabled by the increasing density with which components can be integrated on an integrated circuit. At the same time the clock speed at which circuits are operated tends to increase too. The higher clock speed in combination with the increased density of components has reduced the area which can operate synchronously within the same clock domain. This has created the need for a modular approach. According to such an approach the processing system comprises a plurality of relatively independent, complex modules. In conventional processing systems the systems modules usually communicate to each other via a bus. As the number of modules increases however, this way of communication is no longer practical for the following reasons. On the one hand the large number of modules forms a too high bus load. On the other hand the bus forms a communication bottleneck as it enables only one device to send data to the bus. A communication network forms an effective way to overcome these disadvantages.
Networks on chip (NoC) have received considerable attention recently as a solution to the interconnect problem in highly-complex chips. The reason is twofold. First, NoCs help resolve the electrical problems in new deep-submicron technologies, as they structure and manage global wires. At the same time they share wires, lowering their number and increasing their utilization. NoCs can also be energy efficient and reliable and are scalable compared to buses. Second, NoCs also decouple computation from communication, which is essential in managing the design of billion-transistor chips. NoCs achieve this decoupling because they are traditionally designed using protocol stacks, which provide well-defined interfaces separating communication service usage from service implementation.
Using networks for on-chip communication when designing systems on chip (SoC), however, raises a number of new issues that must be taken into account. This is because, in contrast to existing on-chip interconnects (e.g., buses, switches, or point-to-point wires), where the communicating modules are directly connected, in a NoC the modules communicate remotely via network nodes. As a result, interconnect arbitration changes from centralized to distributed, and issues like out-of order transactions, higher latencies, and end-to-end flow control must be handled either by the intellectual property block (IP) or by the network.
Most of these topics have been already the subject of research in the field of local and wide area networks (computer networks) and as an interconnect for parallel machine interconnect networks. Both are very much related to on-chip networks, and many of the results in those fields are also applicable on chip. However, NoC's premises are different from off-chip networks, and, therefore, most of the network design choices must be reevaluated. On-chip networks have different properties (e.g., tighter link synchronization) and constraints (e.g., higher memory cost) leading to different design choices, which ultimately affect the network services.
NoCs differ from off-chip networks mainly in their constraints and synchronization. Typically, resource constraints are tighter on chip than off chip. Storage (i.e., memory) and computation resources are relatively more expensive, whereas the number of point-to-point links is larger on chip than off chip. Storage is expensive, because general-purpose on-chip memory, such as RAMs, occupy a large area. Having the memory distributed in the network components in relatively small sizes is even worse, as the overhead area in the memory then becomes dominant.
For on-chip networks computation too comes at a relatively high cost compared to off-chip networks. An off-chip network interface usually contains a dedicated processor to implement the protocol stack up to network layer or even higher, to relieve the host processor from the communication processing. Including a dedicated processor in a network interface is not feasible on chip, as the size of the network interface will become comparable to or larger than the IP to be connected to the network. Moreover, running the protocol stack on the IP itself may also be not feasible, because often these IPs have one dedicated function only, and do not have the capabilities to run a network protocol stack.
The number of wires and pins to connect network components is an order of magnitude larger on chip than off chip. If they are not used massively for other purposes than NoC communication, they allow wide point-to-point interconnects (e.g., 300-bit links). This is not possible off-chip, where links are relatively narrower: 8-16 bits.
On-chip wires are also relatively shorter than off chip allowing a much tighter synchronization than off chip. This allows a reduction in the buffer space in the routers because the communication can be done at a smaller granularity. In the current semiconductor technologies, wires are also fast and reliable, which allows simpler link-layer protocols (e.g., no need for error correction, or retransmission). This also compensates for the lack of memory and computational resources.
Reliable communication: A consequence of the tight on-chip resource constraints is that the network components (i.e., routers and network interfaces) must be fairly simple to minimize computation and memory requirements. Luckily, on-chip wires provide a reliable communication medium, which can help to avoid the considerable overhead incurred by off-chip networks for providing reliable communication. Data integrity can be provided at low cost at the data link layer. However, data loss also depends on the network architecture, as in most computer networks data is simply dropped if congestion occurs in the network.
Deadlock: Computer network topologies have generally an irregular (possibly dynamic) structure, which can introduce buffer cycles. Deadlock can also be avoided, for example, by introducing constraints either in the topology or routing. Fat-tree topologies have already been considered for NoCs, where deadlock is avoided by bouncing back packets in the network in case of buffer overflow. Tile-based approaches to system design use mesh or torus network topologies, where deadlock can be avoided using, for example, a turn-model routing algorithm. Deadlock is mainly caused by cycles in the buffers. To avoid deadlock, routing must be cycle-free, because of its lower cost in achieving reliable communication. A second cause of deadlock are atomic chains of transactions. The reason is that while a module is locked, the queues storing transactions may get filled with transactions outside the atomic transaction chain, blocking the access of the transaction in the chain to reach the locked module. If atomic transaction chains must be implemented (to be compatible with processors allowing this, such as MIPS), the network nodes should be able to filter the transactions in the atomic chain.
Data ordering: In a network, data sent from a source to a destination may arrive out of order due to reordering in network nodes, following different routes, or retransmission after dropping. For off-chip networks out-of-order data delivery is typical. However, for NoCs where no data is dropped, data can be forced to follow the same path between a source and a destination (deterministic routing) with no reordering. This in-order data transportation requires less buffer space, and reordering modules are no longer necessary.
Network flow control and buffering strategy: Network flow control and buffering strategy have a direct impact on the memory utilization in the network. Wormhole routing requires only a flit buffer (per queue) in the router, whereas store-and-forward and virtual-cut-through routing require at least the buffer space to accommodate a packet. Consequently, on chip, wormhole routing may be preferred over virtual-cut-through or store-and-forward routing. Similarly, input queuing may be a lower memory-cost alternative to virtual-output-queuing or output-queuing buffering strategies, because it has fewer queues. Dedicated (lower cost) FIFO memory structures also enable on-chip usage of virtual-cut-through routing or virtual output queuing for a better performance. However, using virtual-cut-through routing and virtual output queuing at the same time is still too costly.
Time-related guarantees: Off-chip networks typically use packet switching and offer best-effort services. Contention can occur at each network node, making latency guarantees very hard to offer. Throughput guarantees can still be offered using schemes such as rate-based switching or deadline-based packet switching, but with high buffering costs. An alternative to provide such time-related guarantees is to use time-division multiple access (TDMA) circuits, where every circuit is dedicated to a network connection. Circuits provide guarantees at a relatively low memory and computation cost. Network resource utilization is increased when the network architecture allows any left-over guaranteed bandwidth to be used by best-effort communication.
Introducing networks as on-chip interconnects radically changes the communication when compared to direct interconnects, such as buses or switches. This is because of the multi-hop nature of a network, where communication modules are not directly connected, but separated by one or more network nodes. This is in contrast with the prevalent existing interconnects (i.e., buses) where modules are directly connected. The implications of this change reside in the arbitration (which must change from centralized to distributed), and in the communication properties (e.g., ordering, or flow control).
An outline the differences of NoCs and buses will be given below. We refer mainly to buses as direct interconnects, because currently they are the most used on-chip interconnect. Most of the bus characteristics also hold for other direct interconnects (e.g., switches). Multilevel buses are a hybrid between buses and NoCs. For our purposes, depending on the functionality of the bridges, multilevel buses either behave like simple buses or like NoCs. The programming model of a bus typically consists of load and store operations which are implemented as a sequence of primitive bus transactions. Bus interfaces typically have dedicated groups of wires for command, address, write data, and read data. A bus is a resource shared by multiple IPs. Therefore, before using it, IPs must go through an arbitration phase, where they request access to the bus, and block until the bus is granted to them.
A bus transaction involves a request and possibly a response. Modules issuing requests are called masters, and those serving requests are called slaves. If there is a single arbitration for a pair of request-response, the bus is called non-split. In this case, the bus remains allocated to the master of the transaction until the response is delivered, even when this takes a long time. Alternatively, in a split bus, the bus is released after the request to allow transactions from different masters to be initiated. However, a new arbitration must be performed for the response such that the slave can access the bus.
For both split and non-split buses, both communication parties have direct and immediate access to the status of the transaction. In contrast, network transactions are one-way transfers from an output buffer at the source to an input buffer at the destination that causes some action at the destination, the occurrence of which is not visible at the source. The effects of a network transaction are observable only through additional transactions. A request-response type of operation is still possible, but requires at least two distinct network transactions. Thus, a bus-like transaction in a NoC will essentially be a split transaction.
Transaction Ordering: Traditionally, on a bus all transactions are ordered (cf. Peripheral VCI, AMBA, or CoreConnect PLB and OPB. This is possible at a low cost, because the interconnect, being a direct link between the communicating parties, does not reorder data. However, on a split bus, a total ordering of transactions on a single master may still cause performance penalties, when slaves respond at different speeds. To solve this problem, recent extensions to bus protocols allow transactions to be performed on connections. Ordering of transactions within a connection is still preserved, but between connections there are no ordering constraints (e.g., OCP, or Basic VCI). A few of the bus protocols allow out-of-order responses per connection in their advanced modes (e.g., Advanced VCI), but both requests and responses arrive at the destination in the same order as they were sent.
In a NoC, ordering becomes weaker. Global ordering can only be provided at a very high cost due to the conflict between the distributed nature of the networks, and the requirement of a centralized arbitration necessary for global ordering. Even local ordering, between a source-destination pair, may be costly. Data may arrive out of order if it is transported over multiple routes. In such cases, to still achieve an in-order delivery, data must be labeled with sequence numbers and reordered at the destination before being delivered. The communication network comprises a plurality of partly connected nodes. Messages from a module are redirected by the nodes to one or more other nodes. To that end the message comprises first information indicative for the location of the addressed module(s) within the network. The message may further include second information indicative for a particular location within the module, such as a memory, or a register address. The second information may invoke a particular response of the addressed module.
Atomic Chains of Transactions: An atomic chain of transactions is a sequence of transactions initiated by a single master that is executed on a single slave exclusively. That is, other masters are denied access to that slave, once the first transaction in the chain claimed it. This mechanism is widely used to implement synchronization mechanisms between master modules (e.g., semaphores). On a bus, atomic operations can easily be implemented, as the central arbiter will either (a) lock the bus for exclusive use by the master requesting the atomic chain, or (b) know not to grant access to a locked slave. In the former case, the time resources are locked is shorter because once a master has been granted access to a bus, it can quickly perform all the transactions in the chain (no arbitration delay is required for the subsequent transactions in the chain). Consequently, the locked slave and the bus can be opened up again in a short time. This approach is used in AMBA and CoreConnect. In the latter case, the bus is not locked, and can still be used by other modules, however, at the price of a longer locking time of the slave. This approached is used in VCI and OCP.
In a NoC, where the arbitration is distributed, masters do not know that a slave is locked. Therefore, transactions to a locked slaved may still be initiated, even though the locked slave cannot accept them. Consequently, to prevent deadlock, these other transactions in the atomic chain must be able to bypass them to be served. Moreover, the time a module is locked is much longer in case of NoCs, because of the higher latency per transaction.
Media Arbitration: An important difference between buses and NoCs is in the medium arbitration scheme. In a bus, master modules request access to the interconnect, and the arbiter grants the access for the whole interconnect at once. Arbitration is centralized as there is only one arbiter component, and global as all the requests as well as the state of the interconnect are visible to the arbiter. Moreover, when a grant is given, the complete path from the source to the destination is exclusively reserved. In a non-split bus, arbitration takes place once when a transaction is initiated. As a result, the bus is granted for both request and response. In a split bus, requests and responses are arbitrated separately.
In a NoC arbitration is also necessary, as it is a shared interconnect. However, in contrast to buses, the arbitration is distributed, because it is performed in every router, and is based only on local information. Arbitration of the communication resources (links, buffers) is performed incrementally as the request or response advances.
Destination Name and Routing: For a bus, the command, address, and data are broadcasted on the interconnect. They arrive at every destination, of which one activates based on the broadcasted address, and executes the requested command. This is possible because all modules are directly connected to the same bus. In a NoC, it is not feasible to broadcast information to all destinations, because it must be copied to all routers and network interfaces. This floods the network with data. The address is better decoded at the source to find a route to the destination module. A transaction address will therefore have two parts: (a) a destination identifier, and (b) an internal address at the destination.
Latency: Transaction latency is caused by two factors: (a) the access time to the bus, which is the time until the bus is granted, and (b) the latency introduced by the interconnect to transfer the data. For a bus, where the arbitration is centralized the access time is proportional to the number of masters connected to the bus. The transfer latency itself typically is constant and relatively fast, because the modules are linked directly. However, the speed of transfer is limited by the bus speed, which is relatively low.
In a NoC, arbitration is performed at each router for the following link. The access time per router is small. Both end-to-end access time and transport time increase proportionally to the number of hops between master and slave. However, network links are unidirectional and point to point, and hence can run at higher frequencies than buses, thus lowering the latency. From a latency prospective, using a bus or a network is a trade off between the number of modules connected to the interconnect (which affects access time), the speed of the interconnect, and the network topology.
Data Format: In most modern bus interfaces the data format is defined by separate wire groups for the transaction type, address, write data, read data, and return acknowledgments/errors (e.g., VCI, OCP, AMBA, or CoreConnect). This is used to pipeline transactions. For example, concurrently with sending the address of a read transaction, the data of a previous write transaction can be sent, and the data from an even earlier read transaction can be received. Moreover, having dedicated wire groups simplifies the transaction decoding; there is no need for a mechanism to select between different kinds of data sent over a common set of wires. Inside a network, there is typically no distinction between different kinds of data. Data is treated uniformly, and passed fron one router to another. This is done to minimize the control overhead and buffering in router. If separate wires would be used for each of the above-mentioned groups, separate routing, scheduling, and queuing would be needed, increasing the cost of routers.
In addition, in a network at each layer in the protocol stack, control information must be supplied together with the data (e.g., packet type, network address, or packet size). This control information is organized as an envelope around the data. That is, first a header is sent, followed by the actual data (payload), followed possibly by a trailer. Multiple such envelopes may be provided for the same data, each carrying the corresponding control information for each layer in the network protocol stack.
Buffering and Flow Control: Buffering data of a master (output buffering) is used both for buses and NoCs to decouple computation from communication. However, for NoCs output buffering is also needed to marshal data, which consists of (a) (optionally) splitting the outgoing data in smaller packets which are transported by the network , and (b) adding control information for the network around the data (packet header). To avoid output buffer overflow the master must not initiate transaction that generate more data than the currently available space. Similarly to output buffering, input buffering is also used to decouple computation from communication. In a NoC, input buffering is also required to un-marshal data.
In addition, flow control for input buffers differs for buses and NoCs. For buses, the source and destination are directly linked, and, destination can therefore signal directly to a source that it cannot accept data. This information can even be available to the arbiter, such that the bus is not granted to a transaction trying to write to a full buffer.
In a NoC, however, the destination of a transaction cannot signal directly to a source that its input buffer is full. Consequently, transactions to a destination can be started, possibly from multiple sources, after the destination's input buffer has filled up. If an input buffer is full, additional incoming transitions are not accepted, and stored in the network. However, this approach can easily leat to network congestion, as the data could be eventually stored all the way to the sources, blocking the links in between.
To avoid input buffer overflow connections can be used, together with end-to-end flow control. At connection set up between a master and one or more slaves, buffer space is allocated at the network interfaces of the slaves, and the network interface of the master is assigned credits reflecting the amount of buffer space at the slaves. The master can only send data when it has enough credits for the destination slave(s). The slaves grant credits to the master when they consume data.

Apparatus and method for communicating in an integrated circuit


A waste water drainfield for a sewerage disposal system of the type comprising a plurality of conventional absorption trenches includes a distribution device at each absorption trench for separating waste water into two components of preselected proportions; at least one distribution pipe for each distribution device for temporarily storing a quantity of waste water and/or for distributing the waste water to its respective absorption trench; and distribution lines connecting the distribution devices in series, each distribution device delivering one of the components to its distribution pipes for temporary storage and distribution to its respective absorption trench, and delivering the other of the components to the next distribution device via a distribution line. A method of distributing waste water from a sewerage disposal system to a plurality of conventional absorption trenches comprises the steps of distributing the waste water to the trenches in parallel by delivering the waste water flow to each absorption trench in series, and at each absorption trench separating a preselected proportion of the waste water flow based on the design capacity of that particular absorption trench and the design capacity of the remaining absorption trenches, delivering the preselected proportion of the waste water flow to the trench and delivering the remainder of the flow to the next absorption trench.

This invention relates to an improved waste water drainfield for a sewerage disposal system.
Sewerage disposal systems, such as septic tanks, are usually provided with a drainfield to assist in dispersing waste water. As shown in FIG. 1, and described below, these drainfields typically comprise a plurality of identical absorption trenches that are connected in series. Waste water is disbursed by distributing it to the trenches, where it percolates through the soil. However waste water distribution in a conventional system is uneven. The waste water is typically conducted to the first trench in the series. Since the flow of waste water is generally greater than the percolation capacity of the first trench, the waste water level rises until it spills over to the second trench. Again the flow of waste water, particularly at peak periods, is generally greater than the percolation capacity of the first and second trenches, and the waste water level rises in the second trench as well, and from time to time spills over to the third trench. Thus, in a conventional system, the full percolation capacity of the trenches is not realized until most of the trenches are filled to capacity.
As alluded to above, conventional waste water systems are typically designed for an average waste water flow rate, i.e. the percolation capacity of the trenches in the system is designed to meet the average waste water flow rate. However, as illustrated in FIG. 3, actual water flow can vary significantly from the average flow rate. Unless they are substantially oversized, conventional drainfields have difficulty handling peak waste water flow rates, and there is a risk that the waste water will overflow the trenches, breaking the ground surface, in what is known as "hydraulic failure" or more commonly a "blow out". This condition is exacerbated by rain or flooding, which wets the soil, and thus reduces the water storage capacity of the soil. Moreover, as the trenches fill up, there is a continuous hydrostatic head from the septic tank through the trenches to the last trench. This continuous, unbroken hydrostatic head increases the likelihood that waste water will break the surface of the ground.
Some conventional waste water systems employ a distribution box to divide the waste water flow directly to absorption trenches. However, such distribution boxes are prone to failure. Even if the distribution boxes operate properly, such a system is still subject to overload during peak flow rates, and the trenches are still subjected to a substantial hydraulic head that cause waste water to overflow and break the surface of the ground.
Generally, the waste water drainfield of the present invention includes a plurality of conventional absorption trenches, and a distribution system for distributing waste water to the trenches. This distribution system includes at least one distribution pipe at each of the absorption trenches for temporarily storing a quantity of waste water and for distributing the waste water to its respective absorption trench. There is a distribution device at each of the absorption trenches except one, for separating waste water into first and second flow components of preselected proportions. A plurality of distribution lines connect the distribution devices in series. A distribution line also connects the last distribution device in the series to the distribution pipe for the absorption trench without a distribution device. Each of the distribution devices delivers the first flow component to the distribution pipe for its respective trench for temporary storage and/or distribution. Ea oh of the distribution devices delivers the second flow component via the distribution lines to the next distribution device in the series, except the last distribution device in the series, which delivers the second component to the distribution pipe for the absorption trench without a distribution device.
The distribution pipes provide storage capacity so that the drainfield can a accommodate peak water flow rates without water breaking the surface of the ground. Thus, the drainfield does not have to be oversized to accommodate peak flow rates. Because the trenches are connected in parallel, rather than in series, water distribution through the drainfield is more even. Moreover, the hydrostatic head is interrupted by the distribution devices and thus the hydrostatic head on the trenches is reduced. The distribution devices allow control over the amount of waste water delivered to each trench. This allows the trench size to be varied. This flexibility in trench size makes it easier to design a system for a given site.
These and other features and advantages will be in part apparent, and in part pointed out hereinafter.


A power-dividing device for a working vehicle includes a case member, an input shaft supported by the case member so that a first end portion of the input shaft can be operatively connected to a driving source, a PTO unit having a PTO shaft supported by the case member so as to be offset with respect to the input shaft, a power transmission mechanism accommodated in the case member to transmit power from the input shaft to the PTO shaft, and a first pump unit having a first pump shaft operatively connected to the input shaft and being fluid-connected to an actuator disposed outside.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a power-dividing device of a working vehicle that is formed to be able to divide or split a driving power input from a driving source into at least two routes.
The invention also relates to an axle-driving device for independently driving drive wheels with motor units provided for the respective drive axles.
2. Related Art
Conventionally, various power transmission structures in working vehicles have been proposed and employed. For example, there is a conventionally known structure in a working vehicle including a pump unit operatively connected to a driving source and a driven-side actuator fluid-connected to the pump unit, in which the actuator is disposed at a distance from the hydraulic pump.
In this structure, the hydraulic pump unit forms a main power transmission path for changing a speed of and outputting a driving power from the driving source together with the actuator.
Depending on uses, an auxiliary power transmission path may be required in some cases in addition to the main power transmission path in the power transmission structure including the hydraulic pump unit and the actuator disposed at a distance from each other. An example of these cases is a lawn mower in which power from a common driving source is divided or split and output into a traveling power transmission path for driving drive wheels and a PTO power transmission path for driving a work machine such as a mower.
Cases using a hydraulic motor unit as the actuator will be described below as examples.
There are disclosed, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,395,865 (hereafter, referred to as a cited reference 1) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,809,756 (hereafter, referred to as a cited reference 2), lawn mowers each including a PTO power transmission path for transmitting power from an engine to a mower in addition to a traveling power transmission path formed of a hydraulic pump unit operatively connected to the engine and a hydraulic motor unit disposed at a distance from the hydraulic pump unit to drive wheels.
More specifically, in the lawn mower described in the cited reference 1, first and second output shafts are provided to the engine as a common driving source and are operatively connected to the hydraulic pump unit and the mower, respectively. In other words, in the lawn mower described in the cited reference 1, the traveling power transmission path and the PTO power transmission path are completely separate from each other.
However, because the traveling power transmission path and the PTO power transmission path are completely separate from each other in this structure, the number of parts forming the power transmission paths increases and, also, large space for accommodating both the power transmission paths is required.
Moreover, in such a power transmission structure having the two power transmission paths, power transmission/interruption in each power transmission path needs to be independently controlled.
In this regard, electromagnetic clutches for power transmission/interruption are inserted into the respective power transmission paths in the lawn mower described in the cited reference 1, but there is a problem in that the electromagnetic clutches are of poor durability and, as a result, impair reliability of the power transmission paths.
On the other hand, in the lawn mower described in the cited reference 2, a common output shaft is provided to the engine and a pulley for the drive wheels and a pulley for the mower are supported on the common output shaft to thereby divide or split power from the common output shaft into the traveling power transmission path and the PTO power transmission path.
In this structure, however, there is a problem in that the common output shaft has to be made long and a large load is applied to the common output shaft.
Further, there is no description of how to transmit/interrupt power in the respective power transmission paths in the cited reference 2.
There are also conventionally known axle-driving devices in each of which a motor unit forming a non-stepwisely changeable transmission such as a hydrostatic transmission (hereafter, referred to as a HST) in cooperation with a drive-side actuator is provided to each a drive axle.
The conventional axle-driving devices will be described by taking cases, as examples, each using a hydraulic pump unit as the drive-side actuator and a hydraulic motor unit fluid-connected to the hydraulic pump unit as the motor unit.
Each of the axle-driving devices described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,920,733 (hereafter, referred as cited reference 3) and Japanese Utility Model Unexamined Publication No. 56-77437 (hereafter, referred as a cited reference 4) has an advantage that a cornering ability and, especially, an ability to make a small turn of a vehicle can be improved because the respective drive axles can be independently driven at changeable speeds. However, they are susceptible to improvement with regard to miniaturization of the whole units.
Especially, it is preferable to provide a brake unit to each drive axle so as to enable the vehicle to make a smaller turn. However, neither of the cited references mentions the brake unit and, of course, there is no description of miniaturization of the whole unit including the brake unit.
The present invention has been accomplished in view of the above related art, and it is an object of the invention to provide a power-dividing device of a working vehicle, that is capable of dividing or splitting a driving power input from a driving source into a main power transmission path including a pump unit and an auxiliary power transmission path including a PTO unit with a simple structure.
The present invention has been accomplished in view of the above related art, and it is another object of the invention to miniaturize a whole unit in the axle-driving device having a motor unit and a brake unit for each drive axle.
It is still another object of the invention to secure large and free space between drive wheels without increasing a distance between the drive wheels in a vehicle including the axle-driving device having the motor unit and the brake unit for each drive axle.

Power-dividing device and axle-driving device for a working vehicle


Circuits for matching amplitudes and/or frequencies of analog signal waveforms stored in two analog signal delay elements (hereinbelow, ADMs) are desclosed. In order to equalize amplitudes of the analog signal waveforms stored in two ADMs, peak values of the amplitudes of the analog signal waveforms stored in the two ADMs are compared, then based on the comparison result, gain of an amplifier for amplifying or attenuating amplitudes of either one of the analog waveforms is controlled. In order to equalize frequencies of the analog signal waveforms stored in the two ADMs, a term of duration between adjacent peaks of the analog signal waveforms stored in the two ADMs are compared, and then based on the comparison result, the circulation speed of the analog signal waveform in one of the ADMs is controlled.

The analog dynamic memory circuit (hereinbelow called ADM) has been known as a memory for memorizing an analog signal waveform by circulating an analog signal waveform in a closed loop comprising a delay element such as a CCD. During this circulation, the amplitudes of the analog signal waveform are maintained by setting the gain of the loop as 1. Comparison of two analog signal waveforms in one of the applications in which ADMs are used. By means of this comparison, it is determined whether or not the analog signal waveforms are identical.
This comparison can be attained, for example, by comparing the differences between the amplitudes of the analog signal waveforms. When there are no differences, the analog signal waveforms are regarded to have the same waveform. It is assumed that two analog signals are respectively represented by S.sub.1 (t) and S.sub.2 (t) as follows: EQU S.sub.1 (t)=A.sub.1 .multidot.sin (2.pi.f.sub.1 t) (1) EQU S.sub.2 (t)=A.sub.2 .multidot.sin (2.pi.f.sub.2 t) (2)
When the above two signals fulfill the following requirements, that is A.sub.1 =A.sub.2 in amplitude and f.sub.1 =f.sub.2 in frequency(pitch), these signals are regarded as being identical. In other words, there is no difference between the two signals. EQU D=S.sub.1 (t)-S.sub.2 (t)=0 (3)
In general, the analog signals stored in two ADMs are different in amplitude and frequency(pitch), and thus a meaningless composite signal is produced if these differences exist. For instance, taking voice recognition into consideration, a word spoken by a certain person is stored in a first ADM, then the same word spoken by the same person is stored in a second ADM. But the audio signal stored in the first ADM and the signal stored in the second ADM do not always have the same amplitudes and frequencies therebetween. Even if the same person speaks the same word, the magnitudes and the tones of the voice are sometimes different. If the audio signals are represented by simple sine functions, the process of the voice recognition can also be represented as follows: ##EQU1##
Therefore, when the magnitudes and tones of the voice for the same word of the same person are compared by using the ADMs, it is required that the amplitudes and frequencies of the audio signals stored in the two ADMs be identical.

Circuit for adjusting analog signal waveforms


A system, apparatus and method for automatically annotating digital images. An electronic capture device captures a digital representation of a scene. An information tag device is utilized to store identification data for identifying the scene. A tag-reader receives the identification data from the information tag device. A database stores information for the information tag device. A communication device communicates with the database. When identification data is transmitted to the database, information for an annotation provider is transmitted from the database to the communication device. A program executed by the communication device controls communication of the identification data with the database.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of photograph annotation, and, more specifically, to a system, method, and apparatus for automatically annotating digital photographs based upon identification information stored within an information tag device located near a site at which a photograph was taken.
2. Background of the Invention
There are digital cameras and personal digital assistants ("PDAs") that allow a user to add annotations to photographs. For example, some digital cameras allow a user to type in an annotation/caption for a photograph immediately after the photograph has been taken. However, when a user takes many pictures, it is very burdensome for the user to manually write/type a caption for each photograph.
Some digital cameras utilize a global positioning system ("GPS"). GPS can be used to determine the latitude and longitude coordinates of the location where a photograph was taken. Some cameras can annotate photographs with GPS coordinates. However, if several photographs are taken at different sites at around the same latitude/longitude coordinates, the user might not remember which photographs were taken at which site. Also, GPS does not work at all indoors—it requires an unobstructed view of the sky. GPS can sometimes also take a relatively long time to pinpoint the user's location.

Method and apparatus for automatic photograph annotation


A mask for transferring a pattern for portion of a magnetic recording transducer is disclosed. The masks includes one corner corresponding to an angle of more than ninety degrees and less than one hundred eighty degrees. The mask also includes at least one rectangular serif residing at the corner.

FIG. 1 depicts air-bearing surface (ABS) view of a conventional perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) transducer 10 used in recording a PMR media (not shown). The conventional PMR transducer 10 is typically used as a write head in a merged head including the conventional PMR transducer 10 and a read head. The conventional PMR transducer 10 includes a conventional first pole (P1) 12, insulator 14, insulator 16, a conventional PMR pole (main pole) 18, write gap 20, and shield 22. The PMR pole 18 has a negative angle, Θ. Thus, the top of the conventional PMR pole 18 is wider than the bottom of the PMR pole 18. FIG. 2 depicts a top view of a portion of the conventional PMR pole 18. Near the ABS, the conventional PMR pole 18 terminates in a nose 19. The conventional PMR pole 18 thus flares outward from the nose 19 at a flare angle, φ, forming corners 21A and 21B. The flare angle, φ, is typically desired to be approximately one hundred and fifty degrees.
FIGS. 3-4 depict a conventional mask 30 and the corresponding conventional resist mask 40, respectively, used in fabricating the PMR pole 18. Referring to FIGS. 2-4, in order to provide the conventional PMR pole 18, photolithography is used. A layer of resist (not shown) is typically spun onto the surface of the conventional PMR transducer 10. The photoresist layer is developed using the conventional mask 30 to block a portion of the light used. The conventional mask 30 has a shape corresponding to the shape desired to be developed. Consequently, the mask 30 includes an aperture 32 corresponding to a nose region, corners 34A and 34B, and a flare angle, φ. Using the conventional mask 30 and light of the appropriate wavelength, the conventional resist mask 40 is developed from the layer of photoresist. Because of the use of the conventional mask 30, the conventional resist mask 40 includes a trench having a nose region 42 and arcs 44A and 44B. The conventional resist mask 40 covers a portion of the conventional PMR transducer 10 during fabrication, allowing the conventional PMR pole 18 to be formed therein. Consequently, the nose 19 having a flared angle, φ, of approximately one hundred fifty degrees may be formed.
Although the conventional mask 30 and conventional resist mask 40 may be used to form the conventional PMR pole 18, there are drawbacks. In particular, the shape of the nose 19 may not be well controlled. Although the conventional mask 30 includes relatively sharp corners 34A and 34B, the corresponding regions of the conventional resist mask, arcs 44A and 44B, are rounded. It is believed that this rounding is due to optical proximity effects during exposure of the resist mask 40. Even though the desired obtuse angle, φ, may be achieved, the rounding adversely affect the PMR pole 18. Because of the rounding in the regions 44A and 44B, the conventional PMR pole 18 also has rounded corners 21A and 21B, respectively. Rounding of the corners 21A and 21B results in variations in the nose 19. For example, variations in the write track width and shape of the pole 18 may result. Consequently, performance of the PMR transducer 10 may suffer.

Method and system for providing optical proximity correction for structures such as a PMR nose


A server collects measurement data of a camera to efficiently generate statistical data relating to the number of entering and exiting persons, and present the data to a user. The camera includes image capture unit capturing an image of a doorway of a facility, processor detecting persons entering and exiting from the doorway based on captured images sequentially output from the image capture unit and generating measurement data relating to the number of entering and exiting persons for each predetermined period, and communication unit transmitting the measurement data output from the processor for each predetermined period to store server, and store server includes communication unit receiving measurement data for each predetermined period transmitted from camera, storage unit accumulating measurement data for each predetermined period received by the communication unit, and processor statistically processing measurement data for each predetermined period to generate statistical data for targeting one or more facilities.

Cameras capturing an inside of a facility are installed in various kinds of facilities such as stores, and a system monitoring situations inside the facilities with captured images of the cameras are widely spread, and if persons entering and exiting from a doorway of the facility are detected by using the captured images of the cameras and the number of entering and exiting persons are measured, it can be used for purposes such as marketing by performing statistical processing on measurement data of the number of entering and exiting persons.
As a technology for measuring the number of persons entering and exiting from a doorway of the facility, conventionally, there is a known technology for capturing an image of a doorway using a camera, distinguishing between entering persons and exiting persons, and counting the persons based on a movement direction of the persons passing through a determination line set on the captured image (see PTL 1). There is a known technology in which a plurality of cameras are installed in a facility and the respective cameras count the number of persons entering and exiting from each doorway from captured images (see PTL 2).

Facility operation assistance system, facility image capture device, and facility operation assistance method

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.


A communications device provides a user with a sensory cue that informs the user of certain characteristics of a subsequent action that includes data communications. By informing the user of the data communication characteristics before the user initiates the data communication action, the invention appropriately sets user expectations regarding the data communication characteristics. For example, one embodiment of the invention is implemented in a portable communications device with a screen. For subsequent actions that include wireless communications, the portable communications device simultaneously displays a wireless link icon sensory cue next to a user interface graphic element. The user interface element is used to initiate the subsequent action. The user interface element can be an operating system object having an embedded link type icon. The wireless link icon informs the user that the subsequent action corresponding to the user interface element requires wireless communication and the expense and time associated therewith. A method, a system and an apparatus for indicating characteristics of a subsequent action to a user before the user begins the subsequent action are provided.

Different types of communications can occur between two communications devices. For example, a server and a client can exchange messages wirelessly or in a wired system. The communications can require a variety of security measures—including communications that require no security measures. Among other characteristics of data communications, the expense and wait time associated with different types of actions can vary greatly.
Before the user initiates data communication, the data communication is considered a subsequent action. Knowledge of subsequent action characteristics prior to initiating an action enables a user to evaluate cost, security, time, network speed, and data communications message size limitations when determining whether to initiate the subsequent action. Methods of informing users of these characteristics known in the art include printed guides and manuals, help directories, and product and service support centers. The guides, manuals, and service support centers do not inform the user directly through the communications device. The help directories require the user to invoke the help menu, to identify and select the appropriate help topic, and to read and understand the help topic description.
Therefore what is desired is an improved system, apparatus, and method that enables users to make an informed selection before initiating data communications. The improved method informs the user directly through the communications device with minimal required user action. An improved system, apparatus, and method for informing the user of subsequent action characteristics is also desired for handheld device access to Internet information over relative low bandwidth networks.
Wireless communications provides one method for mobile users to communicate to a wired network. In particular, wireless communications allows consumers to receive and send information. Examples of such wireless networks include cellular phones, pager systems, and satellite systems. The wireless network systems can be broken into relatively high bandwidth and low bandwidth systems. High bandwidth systems are for example satellite systems. Lower bandwidth systems include cellular phones and mobile radio systems. Still lower bandwidth systems include pager networks and low bandwidth packet switched radio systems (e.g., the BellSouth Mobile Data Mobitex™ system).
For users to access information on the Internet using wireless communications, the method in which they access the information is highly dependent on the type of wireless communications available to the user. For example on a high bandwidth network such as a wired network or a satellite system, the usual techniques for browsing data on the Internet are adequate.
An important source of Internet based data is the data accessible through the World Wide Web (referred to as the Web). The following describes the usual techniques for Web browsing. A user selects a web site associated with a URL (Uniform Resource Locator). The URL represents the address of the entry point to the web site (e.g., the home page for the web site). For example, the user may select a web site that supplies restaurant reviews. The user's computer (the client) makes an HTTP (HyperText Transport Protocol) request to the web server hosting the web site. The client typically needs to make multiple HTTP requests of the web server. For example, to load the restaurant locator home page, multiple HTTP requests are needed to download all the graphics, frame content, etc. Next, the user will typically need to browse through a number of linked pages to get to the page from which a search for restaurants can be made. Even if the user is immediately presented with the desired page, a great deal of information has had to been downloaded from the web site (e.g., graphics, advertisements, etc.). This additional information makes for a visually rich browsing experience. The user fills in the information on this page and selects a search button. The client makes another series of HTTP requests of the web server. The web server supplies the client with the requested information in an HTML formatted web page. The web page typically includes links to more graphics and advertisements that need to be accessed by the client.
For low bandwidth networks this technique does not work well. Too much bandwidth is needed to download the images. Also, low bandwidth networks typically charge per byte transmitted and can be very expensive if large amounts of data are downloaded. Thus, low bandwidth networks are desirable to use for accessing information on the Web but only if the amount of data transferred over the network is small. Specifically for packet data networks, the cost of transmitting messages increases with the number of packets transmitted. The cost of transmitting multiple packet messages is therefore a formidable obstacle for packet data network customer use.
One area in which Web access is becoming more desirable is in handheld devices. Handheld devices are emerging as important computer devices. Handheld devices typically implement a relatively small, but important function set. Examples of such handheld devices are the PalmPilot™ handheld device available from 3COM Corporation, Inc. of Santa Clara, Calif. Examples of the function set supported are address books, calendars, and task lists.
In the past, wireless communications with handheld devices have been performed using wireless modems, such as are available from Novatel Communications, Inc. of Calgary, Alberta, or wireless transceivers for dedicated wireless data access network. Essentially a wireless modem operates in the cellular phone network and supplies approximately 9600 baud bandwidth to the handheld device. This allows the user to access the web at a relatively low bandwidth.
An issue with using handheld devices to access the Web is related to their capabilities. Even if connected to a high bandwidth network, most handheld devices do not have the screen area or the processing power to display the graphics and large amounts of text in a typical web page. However, it is still desirable to support the browsing of information on the Web using handheld devices. It is further desirable that the handheld devices be able to use networks that have relatively low bandwidths.
Some of the methods by which previous systems addressed some of the issues described above are now described.
One method of reducing the amount of data transferred from the web site to the client is to cache the web site data locally on the client. For example, the Netscape Communicator™ browser application caches web pages on the client. Each cached web page is associated with a URL. Thus, when the client requests a web page, the Netscape Communicator browser attempts to use previously cached web pages before downloading the pages from the web site. Another type of caching program is NetAttache™, available from Tympany, Inc. of Mountain View, Calif. The NetAttache program downloads all the web pages from a given web site. The web pages are all cached on the client. A NetAttache server runs locally on the client. A browser can then be used to browse through the local copy of the web pages. The problem with caching is that the pages still need to be retrieved from the server before they can be reused and there can still be a significant number of connections made to the web server.
Alternatively, some programs are customized for accessing specific information from particular web sites. Examples of these programs are Java applets that reside on the client or are served to the client by a server. The applets can then be reused to access information from a web site. An example of a specialized program for accessing specific information is the RealVideo Player from Real Networks, Inc. A problem with these types of programs is that they are very specific to a particular type of content. For example, they do not use standard HTML (hypertext markup language) constructs. This means that web site developers cannot use standard web site development tools to create their sites.

Method, system and apparatus using a sensory cue to indicate subsequent action characteristics for data communications


In one example, a method for validating a user includes transmitting, to a management server, a request for a shared secret, and receiving, from the management server, the shared secret. Next, the shared secret received from the management server is compared to a secret identified in a user request for access to a backup of data associated with a computing device. The user is granted access to the backup when the shared secret identified by the user matches the shared secret obtained from the management server, and the user is denied access to the backup when the shared secret identified by the user does not match the shared secret obtained from the management server.

Entities often generate and use data that is important in some way to their operations. This data can include, for example, business data, financial data, and personnel data. If this data were lost or compromised, the entity may realize significant adverse financial and other consequences. Accordingly, many entities have chosen to back up critical data so that in the event of a natural disaster, unauthorized access, or other events, the entity can recover any data that was compromised or lost.
Given the importance of the backup data, there may be serious negative consequences for an enterprise whose backup data is compromised in any way. Unfortunately, there are any number of potential threats to the integrity of backup data. One area of ongoing concern is the potential for access, intentional or otherwise, to the backup data by unauthorized personnel. Such personnel may include malicious users. Other personnel, such as employees of the enterprise, may have a legitimate need for access to some aspects of the system, but it may be desirable nonetheless to prevent them from accessing the backup data and to restrict access to users, such as administrators, with a demonstrated need for access.
In light of the foregoing, it would be useful to be able to determine whether a user is an administrator or other authorized personnel so that access can be granted or denied, as applicable, to that user.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Validating a user of a virtual machine for administrator/root access


An amorphous semiconductor layer is deposited on an insulating substrate, and an excimer laser is radiated thereon, and thus the amorphous is crystallized. A silicon oxide layer is deposited on the semiconductor layer, and a silicon nitride layer is deposited on the silicon oxide layer to be thicker than the silicon oxide layer. Thereafter, a gate electrode is formed on the silicon nitride layer. Thus, there is provided a method for a thin film transistor having a good mobility of carriers and a good characteristic of a breakdown voltage in that a gate insulating film is formed of a double-layer structure having the silicon oxide and silicon nitride layers.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for forming a thin film transistor and, more particularly to a method for forming a thin film transistor, which can obtain good characteristics at a low temperature.
2. Description of the Related Art
A thin film transistor is used in a device having an large area and a transmittancy, which cannot be formed on a monocrystalline wafer, such as a liquid crystal display. In such a device, glass material having the transmittancy and the low cost is used as a base material. Since a melting point of glass material is low, glass material cannot be applied to the conventional method for forming the transistor on the monocrystalline wafer. For example, in the case where the conventional monocrystalline wafer is used, a gate insulating film is generally formed by thermally oxidizing a silicon wafer. However, in this thermal oxidation method, since a high temperature treatment such as 1000.degree. to 1300.degree. C. is performed, this thermal oxidation method cannot be applied to the case that base material is glass having a low melting point.
In other words, all processes for forming the thin film transistor must be performed at a low temperature as compared with the method for forming the transistor on the monocrystalline wafer. In addition, peculiar characteristics of amorphous or polycrystalline semiconductors, which are different from the characteristics of a monocrystalline semiconductor, must be added to the thin film transistor. Therefore, if the conventional manufacturing method is directly used in forming the thin film transistor, the characteristics are largely lowered. Particularly, the method for forming the gate insulating film is an important point. As a method for forming the gate insulating film at a low temperature, there is known the method in which silicon oxide or silicon nitride is deposited by CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition). A silicon nitride gate insulating film can obtain a good breakdown voltage. However, a characteristic of a surface boundary between the silicon nitride gate insulating film and a thin film semiconductor layer is deteriorated. Particularly, the mobility of the positive hole is low, and the value of the mobility of the hole is lower than that of an electron by one digit. On the other hand, a characteristic of a surface boundary between the silicon oxide gate insulating film and the thin film semiconductor layer is relatively good. However, there is a disadvantage in that the breakdown voltage of the silicon oxide film is inferior to that of the silicon nitride film.


A framework for maintaining a plurality of server instances in batches to ensure continuity of service is described herein. In accordance with one aspect, quantities of the server instances are selected in an order based on a usage frequency of the server instances with respect to a median usage frequency of the plurality of server instances. The selected server instances may be logically quarantined for maintenance, one batch at a time. Each batch of server instances may be returned to service when the server instances of the batch are successfully maintained while logically quarantining a next batch of server instances.

To increase the throughput of service, a typical technique includes scaling server instances according to the volume of requests from clients, especially in the cloud computing environment. A cluster of many server instances may be arranged to service various types of client requests. Often, a gateway device will distribute or scatter incoming service requests to individual server instances in the cluster, which service the requests in a more-or-less parallel fashion. For example, many or all of the server instances in the cluster may be capable of servicing various types of requests.
As with most resources, it may be desirable to maintain the server instances periodically. Maintenance updates, new component installations, as well as patches and the like are to be deployed to each of the server instances. Generally, to perform the maintenance, each server instance is quarantined by an IT administrator one-by-one in turn, maintained, and returned to service in the cluster. However, this can be tedious and time-consuming.

Moving median usage frequency based maintenance of server instances