Process control for generating graded multilayer films repetitively and consistently using both pulsed laser sputtering and magnetron sputtering deposition techniques. The invention includes an apparatus which allows for set up of an ultrahigh vacuum in a vacuum chamber automatically, and then execution of a computer algorithm or "recipe" to generate desired films. Software operates and controls the apparatus and executes commands which control digital and analog signals which control instruments.

The present invention relates generally to systems and methods for high vacuum sputtering, and more particularly to process control for the combined deposition methods of magnetron sputtering and pulsed laser plasma sputtering.
In a conventional pulsed laser sputtering or deposition technique of film generation, a pulsed laser beam is focused onto a target of film material. Laser-target interactions result in material ablation and an energetic gas plume or plasma which condenses on a substrate as a film. In a conventional magnetron sputtering technique of film generation, the film is grown by bombardment of a target film material with ions of inert gas. The bombarding atoms are ionized and accelerated toward the target by intersecting magnetic and electric fields. A chemically reactive gas may be added to grow films of nitrides, carbides or oxides in conjunction with appropriate transition metal targets.
Prior work, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/641,042, included combining the deposition techniques of magnetron sputtering with pulsed laser plasma sputtering. A drawing of such a system is shown at 10 in FIG. 1. In brief, an ultra-high vacuum chamber 11 is operatively connected to a vacuum system 13 which is capable of evacuating chamber 11. A rotatable substrate table 15 is disposed within chamber 11. A gas inlet 18 defined in a wall of chamber 11 communicates with a source of inert gas 19 and a source of reactive gas 20 both of which can be selectively inserted into chamber 11. A magnetron sputtering source 21 is disposed in a wall of chamber 11 for performing sputtering onto a substrate disposed on table 15. A pulsed laser generator is shown at 24 external of chamber 11 along with a mirror 25, focusing lens 26 and an entrance window 27 in the wall of chamber 11 for directing a pulsed laser beam 31 onto rotatable target 28 within chamber 11. The laser beam ablates the target 28 for deposition as a thin film onto a substrate on table 15.
This system may be operated in three different modes, namely, sequential deposition wherein magnetron sputtering and pulsed laser deposition are performed in sequence in either order to produce a film deposit, simultaneous deposition wherein magnetron sputtering and pulsed laser deposition operations are performed simultaneously, and a mode comprising laser film processing during film growth. In the sequential deposition mode of operation, power is applied to magnetron source 21 to start sputtering and the sputtered material is deposited as a film onto the substrate disposed on table 15. A reactive gas 20 may be added to chamber 11 in order to synthesize a film comprised of a compound such as carbide, nitride and/or oxide. After a desired film thickness is achieved, magnetron source 21 is switched off and pulsed laser deposition is initiated by energizing laser generator 24 and focusing a laser beam 31 onto target 28. Ablated material from target 28 is deposited on the substrate disposed on table 15. Suitable control of motor 16 allows substrate table 15 to be positioned in confronting relationship to target 28 as shown by solid lines in the drawing or to magnetron sputtering source 21 as shown by dashed lines. The simultaneous deposition mode is analogous to the sequential deposition mode except the magnetron source 21 and pulsed laser generator 24 are operated simultaneously at chamber 11 pressures corresponding to that required for magnetron sputtering. During such depositions, table 15 may either be continuously rotated or fixed at selected incidence angles with respect to the target 28 and magnetron source 21. The laser film processing during film growth is analogous to the other modes except that all or part of laser beam 31 is delivered to the surface of the film as it is deposited in order to directly control film microstructure. Additionally, laser processing of the magnetron target may be employed to initiate plasma from high refractory materials and promote plasma ionization to a desired level.
The combined processes of pulsed laser deposition and magnetron sputtering, either used in sequence or simultaneously, are attractive for use in the tool making industry and other industries where thin, hard coatings are desired. The combined processes are able to produce graded thin films on tools or manufacturing parts which are harder, more resilient and last longer than films produced with conventional methods. In the case of sequential deposition, a layer of titanium may be deposited followed by a layer of diamond-like carbon, followed by thinner layers of titanium and diamond-like carbon followed by even thinner layers of titanium and diamond-like carbon and the film is graded in this manner. If the two processes are employed simultaneously, a layer of titanium is deposited and as the titanium layer deposition is near completion, diamond-like carbon is added to the mixture until the entire film composition is 100% diamond-like carbon and then titanium is gradually added for a three-layer film of Ti--DLC--TiX, where X is a reactive gas. The film is thus graded in a manner where the concentration of any one material is gradually changed and there is no distinct separation between layers as results in employing the sequential deposition mode. Simultaneous deposition is often preferred because nicks, cracks and other flaws in the substrate can be filled in by this method making a substrate to film interface of higher integrity.
As a practical matter, a method of process control and automation is necessary so that multilayer thin film generation using the combined techniques of magnetron sputtering and pulsed laser deposition can be accomplished repetitively and consistently. The present invention provides a control method and automated apparatus for generating graded multilayer films using the combined methods of pulsed laser sputtering and magnetron sputtering. The control method and automated apparatus eliminates operator error, provides a record of any deviations in substrate preparation and film deposition and completely integrates all automation components using one computer. A record of deviations in substrate preparation and film deposition allows one to determine whether the deviation of the film deposition is within acceptable specification limits, or whether the batch must be discarded. Integration of automation components using one computer allows the possibility of a deviation in one variable to be compensated by another variable to produce consistent film production.

Gradient multilayer film generation process control

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force


Embodiments of the invention are directed to systems, methods and computer program products for determining the connectedness from a first individual to a second individual on a social network. In some embodiments, a method includes: (a) receiving information associated with the social network, (b) determining a direct connection between the first individual and the second individual, (c) determining one or more indirect connections between a first individual and a second individual, and (d) determining the connectedness based at least partially on: the direct connection, and/or the number of indirect connections between the first individual and the second individual, and/or the type of each indirect connection, and/or a qualitative value of each indirect connection. Embodiments of the invention allow a user of a system to determine the strength (or quality/closeness) of a connection between two individuals on a social network.

A first individual on a social network may be directly or indirectly connected to a second individual. The probability that two directly connected individuals know each other (or are well acquainted with each other) may be ambiguous. This is because although the two individuals are directly connected to each other, the direct connection may have resulted from a single meeting between the two individuals, and the two individuals may have not interacted with each other since that meeting. The probability that two indirectly connected individuals know each other (or are well acquainted with each other) may also be ambiguous for the simple reason that the two individuals are not directly connected to each other. Therefore, there is a need for a system to solve these ambiguities and determine the quality or strength, both on a quantitative and qualitative basis, of a connection between any two individuals on a social network.


A method for controlling sender events arriving at a recipient system is provided. An event transmitted from a sender is received at recipient system, and an event signature is determined. An elapse time between received event and a previous event is calculated. If elapse time is less than or equal to a critical time, it is determined if a counter is equal to or greater than a maximum value. If yes, event is rejected. If not, counter is incremented and the event is processed. If elapse time is greater than critical time, it is determined if elapse time is less than or equal to a grace period and if counter is greater than zero. If yes, counter is decremented and the event is processed. If not, counter is set to zero and event is processed. The critical time, maximum value, and increment/decrement factor are set based on the event signature.

Exemplary embodiments relate to, but are not limited to, the communications industry, content providers and in general for all applicable measurable information technologies controlling the flow of events.
In today's age, communications technology provides an infrastructure and capabilities to automate the exchange platform of information with clients and vendors. However, clients make take advantage of the infrastructure and overwhelm a recipient system.
Mechanisms are needed to control and process the flow of communications to help prevent a recipient system from being overwhelmed by the automated exchange of information.

Flow control of events based on threshold, grace period, and event signature


An apparatus and method of motion estimation and mode decision includes a candidate vector group generation unit generating a candidate vector group including a motion vector of an adjacent image crossing a first macro block, where the first macro block is a macro block of an image before scaling, and the first macro block and the adjacent image exist in a same sub-group of a picture (sub-GOP). A motion vector estimation unit estimates a base vector of a second macro block from the motion vector and the candidate vector group of the first macro block overlapped with the second macro block, where the second macro block is a macro block of an image after scaling. A mode decision unit determines a mode of the second macro block from the estimated base vector and a mode of the first macro block.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus of motion estimation and a mode decision and a method thereof, and more particularly, to an apparatus capable of performing a motion estimation and a mode decision at a high speed in a scan format conversion, and a method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, methods to realize a digital image are divided into an interlaced scan and a progressive scan according to a structure of a frame. Referring to FIG. 1A, the interlaced scan constructs one frame, which is realized from two fields after one field (top field) scans odd lines (marked with a solid line) and another field (bottom field) scans even lines (marked with a dotted line). Therefore, a height of each of the fields is a half of a height of the frame. The above method is used to realize a high-resolution picture such as 1024×768 at a low frequency, but provides a flickering picture. On the other hand, referring to FIG. 1B, the progressive scan makes one frame by scanning an image signal one line by one line when realizing one frame. Compared with the interlaced scan, the progressive scan provides a less flickering picture.
Further, there are three types of frames defined in a MPEG standard: an inter coded frame (an I frame), a predictive coded frame (a P frame), and a bi-directionally-predictive coded frame (a B frame). The P frame and the B frame have a high-compression rate by performing motion compensation/estimation.
The I frame is coded without referring to other frames. The P frame is coded by referring to a past frame, in other words, a reverse I frame or a reverse P frame. Compression of the digital image is effectively performed when coding a predictive error and motion information after performing a motion information estimation and a motion compensation estimation between the reverse I frame or the reverse P frame and a current P frame.
The B frame is a frame having a highest compression rate. Furthermore, the B frame performs estimation by referring not only to the reverse I frame or the reverse P frame but also to a forward I frame or a forward P frame. The B frame uses the motion compensation estimation like the P frame. In addition, the B frame uses two reference frames, and selects the frame having a better estimation accuracy from two reference frames, and thus, the B frame has the highest compression rate. However, the B frame does not become a reference frame for other frames. Unlike the B frame, the I frame and the P frame become reference frames for other frames.
FIG. 2 is a view schematically showing a conventional transcoder. Referring to FIG. 2, the transcoder 200 has a variable length decoder (VLD) 201, first and second inverse quantizers (IQ) 203a and 203b, first and second inverse discrete cosine transformers (IDCT) 205a and 205b, first and second adders 207a and 207b, a motion compensator (MC) 209a, a motion estimation compensator (MEC) 209b, a down sampler (DSamp) 211, a subtractor 213, a discrete cosine transformer (DCT) 215, a quantizer (Q) 217, and a variable length coder (VLC) 219.
The VLD 201 reduces an amount of data by marking a length of a sign in accordance with a frequency of data generation. The first IQ 203a inverse quantizes DCT coefficients encoded by the VLD 201. The first IQ 203a provides the inverse quantized DCT coefficients to the first IDCT 205a and the second IDCT 205b. The first IDCT 205a and the second IDCT and 205b provide the first adder 207a with a predictive error signal that is obtained by inverse discrete cosine transforming the inverse quantized DCT coefficients. The first adder 207a adds the predictive error signal and a predictive signal. Here, 'predictive' is defined as calculating a difference of a pixel data between a frame and a field. In other words, after searching a macro block that best matches the macro block on a frame/field to be currently processed, among the data of a frame/field previously processed, a motion vector is detected based on a direction of motion of the best matched macro block.
The MC 209a predicts motion estimation according to an encoding order of motion vector input, and transmits a predictive signal to the first adder 207a. The first adder 207a adds the predictive error signal and the predictive signal, and transmits an added signal to the DSamp 211. The DSamp 211 reduces a size of the signal that is restored and added. A down scaled image signal is input into the subtractor 213. The subtractor 213 subtracts a predicted motion compensation signal from the down scaled image signal, and provides a gained predictive error signal to the DCT 215. The DCT 215 produces DCT of the gained predictive error signal, and provides DCT coefficients to the Q 217. The Q 217 quantizes the DCT coefficients.
The Q 217 provides the quantized DCT coefficients to the VLC 219 and at the same time, to the second IQ 203b. The second IQ 203b inversely quantizes the DCT coefficients. The second IQ 203b provides the inversely quantized DCT coefficients to the second IDCT 205b. The second IDCT 205b inverse discrete cosine transforms the inversely quantized DCT coefficients, and provides a gained predictive error signal to the second adder 207b. The second adder 207b adds the gained predictive error signal and the predictive predicted motion compensation signal, and provides an added signal to the MEC 209b. The MEC 209b predicts the motion compensation signal from the input motion vector according to an order of coding. The MEC 209b provides the predicted motion compensation signal to the subtractor 213, and at the same time, to the second adder 207b. The VLC 219 outputs a bit stream gained from variable length coding a type of the input picture, the motion vector, and the quantized DCT coefficients.
Furthermore, while the MPEG2 bit stream input into the transcoder is the interlaced scan, the output needs to be converted into a progressive scan method according to the displaying apparatus. However, the conventional transcoder can perform transcoding when an input scan format and an output scan format are the same. Therefore, there has not been introduced a transcoder capable of effectively re-encoding a converted sequence when the scan format input into a decoder and the scan format output from an encoder are different from each other.
In addition, the conventional transcoder cannot support 18 types of ATSC format. In other words, the transcoding to reduce a size or a bit rate of the image, or a frame rate has been introduced, but not for changing the scan format. For example, when a 1920×1080 interlaced input image is converted into a 720×480 progressive output image, the type of the frame is changed when transcoding, thus there is a limit to estimate the motion at a high velocity.

Apparatus of motion estimation and mode decision and method thereof


This disclosure relates to methods for determining the quality of polymers, more particularly, polyolefins. The methods involve Raman spectroscopy and artificial intelligence to compute polymer properties and/or features.

In the manufacturing processes of polymers, the quality of the polymer is typically tested in a laboratory where the polymer properties, such as melt flow, xylene solubles, density, and mechanical properties, are measured according to ASTM procedures. The entire sampling and testing process can take several hours. If the polymer does not meet the specifications, the manufacturing lot is rejected, and the process engineers take corrective actions. As such, this process is expensive, laborious, and slow. Furthermore, due to the typically high production rates at manufacturing plants, a lag time of several hours means that several tons of products are collected before any problem is detected.
Therefore, there is an unmet need in the art to accelerate the quality control process for reducing cost and for providing a quick and reliable feedback for process engineers.

Raman spectroscopy and machine learning for quality control


A method, system, and program for managing caller profiles across multiple hold queues according to authenticated caller identifiers are provided. An identity of a caller of a call received at an on hold system is authenticated. The call is then placed in a hold queue. A caller profile associated with the identity of the caller is retrieved, such that services available to the caller while on hold are specified according to the caller profile. In particular, the caller profile is preferably retrieved from at least one caller profile server according to the caller identifier, where the at least one caller profile server is accessible to multiple on hold systems. Further, the identity of a caller may be authenticated by authenticating a voice sample received from the caller, such that a single identity for the caller may be authenticated at multiple call centers.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to telecommunications and, in particular, to call hold centers. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to managing caller hold times across multiple hold queues according to authenticated caller identifiers.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many companies provide telephone-based access to help staff, sales personnel, representatives, and automated menus via a call center. Where high telephone call traffic is typical in telephone access to a company's representatives, a PBX system receives the call and distributes the call to an automatic call distributor (ACD), thus incorporating a hold function in the call center. ACDs are often employed to provide an even and systematic distribution of incoming calls to multiple representatives. In particular, ACDs typically provide incoming calls with a direct connection to an available representative until all representatives are busy. Then, calling parties are placed in a call queue, and selectively connected to a representative once a representative comes available.
Call queues may cause frustration and ill will of consumers towards a company, particularly where excessively long waits, full queues and accidental disconnects are encountered. One way to alleviate some of the frustration associated with call queues is by specifying services and information provided to the caller while a caller waits in a call queue. For example, automated messages output to a caller, while the caller is on hold in a call hold queue, may be specified according to the products owned by a caller, the caller's expertise and messages that have been previously played to the caller while on hold.
However, call systems are limited in that each individual call center stores an individual profile for specifying services, requiring a caller to enter a new profile at each call center; requiring a new profile entry at each call center is time consuming and cancels the advantages of specified output. In addition, a caller may only call an individual call center one time, store a profile with the individual call center, and never call the individual call center again to take advantage of the logged profile, thus wasting resources and time.
A further disadvantage of current hold queue systems is that where multiple queues are selectable within a hold queue system, the caller may not always select the proper queue or may need to access multiple representatives where accessing each of the representatives requires waiting in a separate queue within a single call. In such cases, the caller will wait in a first queue to speak to a first representative, only to find out that the caller must wait in an additional queue to speak to a second representative.
Therefore, in view of the foregoing, it would be advantageous to provide a method, system, and program for storing and managing caller profiles including hold times within a call center at a single remote caller profile server that distributes the caller profiles to multiple call centers and multiple hold queues within a single or multiple call centers. In addition, in view of the foregoing, it would be advantageous to preserve a caller's current time investment in a call center in order to adjust a caller's position in each hold queue in that call center and across multiple call centers dependent upon previous hold queue times.

Managing caller profiles across multiple hold queues according to authenticated caller identifiers

International Business Machines Corporation


The invention relates to a motor vehicle comprising a cab comprising a dashboard, a windshield forming an upper front part of the cab and having a lower extremity, a driver assistance system comprising at least one sensor and a control unit, a cab body firewall forming a frame structure of a lower front part of the cab on which the dashboard is attached, the cab body firewall comprising a lower crossbeam holding the windshield by the lower extremity on an upper side of the lower crossbeam, and an upper crossbeam holding the at least one sensor and arranged above the upper side of the lower crossbeam, above the lower extremity of the windshield, and below the dashboard.

More and more motor vehicles are equipped with driver assistance systems. A driver assistance system uses a plurality of sensors to detect parameters of an external environment of the vehicle. For example, the sensors can comprise a camera, a radar, a lidar, or a rain sensor, and the sensors can detect road panels, lanes, pedestrians, other vehicles on the road, or rain. The detected parameters are then processed by a control unit to assist the driver.
Nowadays, the sensors are positioned on the windshield of the vehicles. The sensors can either be positioned on the upper part of the windshield or on the lower part of the windshield.
However, the more the sensors are positioned high, the more the part of the external environment of the vehicle which is visible for the sensors is reduced. So, when the sensors are positioned on the upper part of the windshield, they are located too high with respect to the road on which the vehicle drives and the sensors cannot view a sufficient part of the external environment of the vehicle. For example, some road signs cannot be seen by the sensors.
And, when the sensors are positioned on the lower part of the windshield, even though it provides the sensors with a satisfactory visible part of the external environment of the vehicle, the sensors are positioned on the field of view of the driver, and thus, they create blind spots for the driver.
Hence, there is a need to find an optimal position for the sensors, which allows the sensors to have a satisfactory visible part of the external environment of the vehicle without creating blind spots for the driver.

Motor vehicle comprising a cab body firewall with a lower crossbeam and an upper crossbeam


A phased array includes a first plurality of radiators having a first polarization and a second plurality of radiators having a second polarization, different from said first polarization. The phased array is constructed such that radiating patterns of the first and second plurality of radiators are congruent. The radiators are constructed so that they radiating apertures thereof can occupy virtually the same space, i.e., the spacing of the radiating elements is less than a wavelength. Other features provided allow this compactness to be achieved. Impedance matching features are integrated into the radiators themselves. The elevation assemblies of the radiators are mated together, and then are coupled across to their respective azimuth assemblies. Two azimuth assemblies for either type of polarization may be provided when monopulse operation is required. Assemblies for both polarizations transmit sequentially, but receive simultaneously, thus allowing a complete polarization matrix to be collected with two pulse transmissions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a dual polarized, single axis, electronically scanned antenna. In particular, the present invention is directed to a lightweight, compact antenna system, which utilizes two independent orthogonally polarized antennas with congruent patterns that occupy virtually the same space and can be electronically scanned over wide angles.
2. Description of Problem
A phased array antenna is composed of a group of individual radiators which are distributed and oriented in a linear or two dimensional configuration. The amplitude and phase excitations of each radiator can be individually controlled to form a radiated beam of any desired shape. The position of the beam is controlled electronically by adjusting the phase of the excitation signals at the individual radiators.
The capability of rapid and accurate beam scanning permits the radar to perform multiple functions. One such function is the detection of a number of targets. Man-made objects reflect electromagnetic energy quite differently than naturally occurring objects. This phenomenon can be observed in radar systems that utilize polarization techniques and their measurement methods. Information from this method can be used to identify the type of target that has been observed. The radar for use in such methods, however, requires a low side-lobe antenna capable of measuring orthogonally polarized return simultaneously and independently. In addition, the antenna patterns of the two polarized returns must be congruent over all angles. An antenna meeting these requirements has not previously been known.

Dual polarized electronically scanned antenna


In one embodiment, a method includes receiving, by a payment server, an identity of a customer based on data obtained from a mobile application executing on a device associated with the customer. The method includes creating a financial account for the customer. The method includes, upon receiving a request for a cash deposit or cash withdrawal via the mobile application, facilitating, by the payment server, generation of an electronic code to be used at a point-of-sale (POS) device of a merchant. The method includes receiving transaction information associated with a transaction involving the customer and the POS device of the merchant. The transaction information includes the electronic code. The method includes identifying, based on the transaction information, the financial account of the customer. The method includes causing an adjustment of a monetary balance of the financial account of the customer in a mapping database.

Banking today is typically done with banks or credit unions. To open an account, a customer can visit a branch office of a bank or a credit union. The customer has to establish his or her identity, typically using a form of government issued identification, such as a state issued driver's license or identification card, or a federal government issued passport. The customer further needs to provide an address. Once the identity of the customer is established, the bank or credit union can create an account, such as a checking account or a savings account, for the customer. Upon creation of the account, the customer is able to perform transactions with the bank or credit union, such as making a deposit or a withdrawal.
The customer can make a deposit at a branch office of the bank or credit union, or using an automated teller machine (ATM). To make a deposit in a branch office, the customer typically identifies her account to a teller, and provides some form of money to the teller, such as cash or a check. The teller arranges for the account of the customer to be credited for the amount of the deposit. To make a deposit using an ATM, the customer inserts an ATM or debit card into an ATM. The customer then enters her personal identification number (PIN) into the ATM, and the ATM validates the PIN. Once validated, the ATM accepts some form of money from the customer, and credits the customer's account for the amount of the deposit.
The customer can similarly make a withdrawal at a branch office of the bank or credit union, or using an ATM. To make a deposit in a branch office, the customer typically identifies her account to a teller, and establishes their identity by providing a form of government issued identification. The teller arranges for the account of the customer to be debited for the amount of the withdrawal. When the account has sufficient funds available for the withdrawal, the teller provides funds in the amount of the withdrawal to the customer. To make a withdrawal using an ATM, the customer inserts an ATM or debit card into an ATM. The customer then enters her PIN into the ATM, and the ATM validates the PIN. Once validated, the ATM verifies that the customer's account has sufficient funds available for the withdrawal. If the funds are available, the ATM provides funds in the amount of the withdrawal to the customer.
The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be expanded or reduced to help improve the understanding of the embodiments of the present disclosure. Similarly, some components and/or operations may be separated into different blocks or combined into a single block for the purposes of discussion of some of the embodiments of the present disclosure. Moreover, while the technology of the disclosure is amenable to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are described in detail below. The intention, however, is not to limit the disclosure to the particular embodiments described. On the contrary, the disclosure is intended to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the disclosure.

Merchant performed banking-type transactions


A microactuator is attached to a first face of a coupling formed on a suspension, so that an R/W transducer projects from an opposite face. A hole in the coupling permits passage of an adhesive mass interposed between a rotor of the microactuator and the R/W transducer. A strip of adhesive material extends between a die accommodating the microactuator and the coupling, and externally surrounds the microactuator. The coupling acts as a protective shield for the microactuator, both mechanically and electrically. The coupling covers the microactuator at the front, and prevents foreign particles from blocking the microactuator. In addition, the coupling electrically insulates the R/W transducer, which is sensitive to magnetic fields, from regions of the microactuator biased to a high voltage. With the coupling, the strip forms a sealing structure, which in practice surrounds the microactuator on all sides.

The present invention relates to a method for assembling an actuator device for a hard disk, the actuator comprising a read/write transducer, a microactuator, and a suspension, and the actuator device obtained using the method.
As is known, an actuator device for a hard disk recently has been proposed. The actuator device is provided with a double actuation stage to finely control a position of a read/write head with respect to the hard disk to be read or written. An example of a known actuator device 1 with a double actuation stage is shown schematically in FIGS. 1 and 2. In detail, in FIG. 1, the actuator device 1 for a hard disk 7 comprises a motor 2 (also called a xe2x80x9cvoice coil motorxe2x80x9d), to which at least one suspension 5 formed by a lamina is fixed in a projecting manner. At its free end, the suspension 5 supports a read/write (R/W) transducer 6 (see, e.g., FIG. 2) (also known as a xe2x80x9csliderxe2x80x9d) which in an operative condition, is disposed facing a surface of the hard disk 7 (see, e.g., FIG. 1). The R/W transducer 6 is rigidly connected to a coupling (called a xe2x80x9cgimbalxe2x80x9d 8), through a microactuator 9 interposed between the gimbal 8 and the R/W transducer 6. On one of its lateral surfaces, the R/W transducer 6, formed by a ceramic material body (e.g., AlTiC), further has a read/write head 10 (which is magneto/resistive and inductive) which forms the actual read/write device.
In the actuator device 1, a first actuation stage is formed by the motor 2 that moves an assembly formed by the suspension 5 and the R/W transducer 6 across the hard disk 7 during track seeking, and a second actuation stage is formed by the microactuator 9 that finely controls a position of the R/W transducer 6 during tracking.
An embodiment of the microactuator 9 of a rotary electrostatic type is shown in diagrammatic form in FIG. 3, wherein the microactuator 9 is shown only in part, given its axial symmetry. The microactuator 9 comprises a stator 17 integral with a die accommodating the microactuator 9 and bonded to the gimbal 8, and a rotor 11 intended to be bonded to the R/W transducer 6 and capacitively coupled to the stator 17.
The rotor 11 comprises a suspended mass 12 of a substantially circular shape and a plurality of movable arms 13 extending radially towards the outside from the suspended mass 12. Each movable arm 13 has a plurality of movable electrodes 14 extending in a substantially circumferential direction and spaced at a same distance from each other. The rotor 11 further comprises anchoring and elastic suspension elements (shown as springs 15) for supporting and biasing the rotor 11 through fixed regions 16.
The stator 17 comprises a plurality of fixed arms 18a, 18b extending radially and each bearing a plurality of fixed electrodes 19. In particular, associated with each movable arm 13 is a pair of fixed arms formed by the fixed arm 18a and the fixed arm 18b. The fixed electrodes 19 of each pair of fixed arms 18a, 18b extend towards the associated movable arm 13 and are intercalated or interleaved with the movable electrodes 14. The fixed arms 18a are all disposed on a same side of the respective movable arms 13 (on the right side in the example shown in FIG. 3) and are all polarized at a same potential via biasing regions 20a. Similarly, the fixed arms 18b are all disposed on the other side of the respective movable arms 13 (on the left side in the example shown in FIG. 3) and are all biased at a same potential through biasing regions 20b. The fixed arms 18a and 18b are biased at different potentials to generate two different potential differences with respect to the movable arms 13 and to cause the rotor to rotate in one direction or the other.
In the assembly of FIG. 2, there is a problem that the microactuator 9 is exposed to an external environment, and is therefore not protected against dielectric particles that can prevent the microactuator 9 from functioning satisfactorily. In addition, in the actuator device 1, electrostatic interference may arise between a high voltage (of approximately 80 V) used for the actuation and the read/write head 10, thus preventing, or at least jeopardizing, satisfactory functioning of the read/write head 10.
An advantage of the invention is to provide an actuator device that addresses the problems described above currently affect known devices.
According to embodiments of the present invention, a method is provided for assembling an actuator device for a hard disk, the actuator device comprising a read/write (R/W) transducer, a microactuator, and a suspension plate.
The method comprises connecting the microactuator to a first face of the suspension plate and projecting the R/W transducer from a second face of the suspension plate opposite to the first face. The connecting comprises placing a strip of adhesive material between a body accommodating the microactuator and the suspension plate and activating the strip.
In an embodiment of the invention, the suspension plate has a through-hole having a larger size than the R/W transducer. Before the connecting the microactuator to the first face of the suspension plate, the method further comprises assembling the R/W transducer to the microactuator and inserting the R/W transducer in the through-hole.

Method for assembling an actuator device for a hard disk, comprising a read/write transducer, a microactuator, and a suspension, and the actuator device thus obtained


A conveyor system having a primary conveyor and a cantilevered conveying belt. In the preferred embodiment, the cantilevered conveying belt includes a cantilevered frame having at least one conveyor belt and a belt tension assembly attached to the cantilevered frame. In the preferred embodiment, the conveying belt further includes an upstream accumulator.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to conveyor systems and, more particularly, to a conveyor system having a cantilevered conveying belt including a cantilevered frame having at least one conveyor belt and a belt tension assembly.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Conveyor systems such as those used for sorting packages often include an inductor for loading packages to a primary conveyor. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,206,170 and 5,836,436, commonly owned by applicant, disclose examples of these conveyor systems and are incorporated herein in their entirety. For years, manufacturers of conveyor belt systems have attempted to create an inductor that is efficient, easy to repair, and easily adjustable with regard to the tension of the belts. These efforts have produced several inductor designs that are present in the industry, but none of these inductors offer the benefit of easy belt maintenance and repair.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,083,657, issued to Kelsey, discloses an elaborate method of taking and folding a belt so that the belt makes a 45-degree turn around one pulley, then around another pulley and back out. One problem with this design is the speed at which the belt has to be run because of effect of the geometry. For example, when the horizontal portion of the belt runs at 6 feet per second, the angled portion of the belt is running at about 8 feet per second. Unfortunately, at about 9 feet per second, friction over pulleys can begin to cause the belt to heat up such that some belts may actually catch on fire.
Another example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,987,994 also to Kelsey, discloses drilling tiny holes in the end of the roller shafts and pressurizing the shafts to create an air bearing. One problem with this design is that it uses a large amount of air. In addition, if the air ever fails or the holes fill up with dust, this type of belt design may also cause the belt to inflame.
The most widely accepted designs include a plurality of strip belts rather than a single wide belt. However, a major problem is the weakness of the typical belt due to the splice therein to form the belt, which is usually the point of belt failure. While the belting industry has made improvements to splices, including pealing the surface of the belt before vulcanizing the belt back together, the splices still fail. When the splices fail, it is necessary to replace the belt, but existing conveying belt inductors in the sorters industry are difficult to change efficiently, causing increased costs of labor and downtime.
In addition, another major problem with belts is the fact that belts tend to stretch, thereby requiring adjustments to an inductor to maintain proper belt tension. A belt likes to be pulled and hates to be pushed. If a belt is being pulled, the live load actually creates more tension on the head pulley, which gives the inductor more driving force. When the belt is being pushed with a weight on it, the belt wants to buckle up, the tension actually loosens the tension and the driving force drop.
Thus, there remains a need for a new and improved sortation system having a primary conveyor and a cantilevered conveying belt which provides for quick change of belts while, at the same time, includes an automatic belt and tension assembly.

Cantilevered conveying belt for a sortation system


An ocular lens treated so that at least a portion of the lens perimeter diminishes peripheral light focus on the interior of the eye in use, so as to ameliorate phobic eye disturbances. The lens perimeter of intraocular lenses, artificial corneas and contact lenses are treated to diminish peripheral light focus.

Cataract extraction and intraocular lens insertion may be regarded as one of the most successful human body part replacement procedures ever developed. It has been said that "cataract surgery, the most successful procedure in modern medicine, yields outcomes that are unsurpassed by any other surgical procedure" (Obstbaum S. A. "Effective cataract surgery—an undervalued procedure", J Cataract Refract Surg. 1998;24: 1417).
The deformable intracoular lens (IOL) was developed in the early 1980s. Formed of polymeric material, IOLs are sufficiently soft and flexible to allow the lens to be folded for insertion into the eye through an incision of reduced size.
IOLs typically incorporate a disk-shaped, transparent lens optic and may include smoothly curved attachment arms referred to as haptics. The lens optic typically is formed of polymeric material such as polymethyl methacrylate, virgin silicon or acrylic based materials, which are suitable for lathe turning or by moulding by injection, compression or cast moulding techniques.
IOL design developments over the years include: square edges to minimise posterior capsular opacity when the IOL is inserted into the posterior capsule of the eye during cataract surgery (Nagata T, Watanabe I. "Optic sharp edge or convexity: comparison of effects on posterior capsular opacification", Jpn J Ophthalmol, 1996;40:397–403; Nishi O. et al "Inhibition of migrating lens epithelial cells at the capsular bend created by the rectangular optic edge of a posterior chamber intraocular lens" Ophthalmic Surg Lasers, 1998;29:587–94; Nishi O. et al "Preventing posterior capsule opacification by creating a discontinuous sharp bend in the capsule" J Cataract Refract Surg., 1999;25:521–6.); textured or frosted haptics to increase friction in the interface between tissue and the haptic portions so as to anchor the IOL in the eye (U.S. Pat. No. 6,129,759); and differential anterior and posterior coloration of haptics to facilitate lens orientation for insertion into the eye (U.S. Pat. No. 6,325,055).
Notwithstanding the tremendous developments in cataract treatment, including IOL design, visual disturbances are reported by patients which include glare, streaks and/or dark shadows in the temporal visual field (Nadler D. J, et al "Glare disability in eyes with intraocular lenses" Am J Ophthalmol 1984;97:43–47; Masket S. et al "Undesired light images associated with ovoid intraocular lenses" J Cataract Ref Surg 1999;19:690–694; Tester R. et al "Dysphotopsia in phakic and pseudophakic patients: incidence and relation to intraocular lens type" J Cataract Ref Surg 2000;26:810–816; Häring G. et al "Subjective photic phenomena with refractive multifocal and monofocal intraocular lenses" J Cataract Ref Surg 2001;27:245–249; Davidson J. A. "Positive and negative dysphotopsia in patients with acrylic intraocular lenses" J Cataract Ref Surg 2000;26:1346–1355. These visual disturbances may be referred to as "photic disturbances". In the pseudophakic human eye in particular (where the crystalline lens has been surgically removed) photic disturbances (termed pseudophakic dysphotopsia—Tester R. et al in phakic and pseudophakic patients: incidence and relation to intraocular lens type" J Cataract Ref Surg 2000;26:810–816) can adversely impact the quality of vision and may affect 7–90% of patients implanted with intraocular lenses (Häring G. et al "Subjective photic phenomena with refractive multifocal and monofocal intraocular lenses" J Cataract Ref Surg 2001;27:245–249; Meacock W. R. et al "The effect of texturing the intraocular lens edge on postoperative glare symptoms. A randomized, prospective, double-masked study" Arch Ophthalmol 2002;120:1294–1298.)
Unwanted image formation is a troublesome problem in the pseudophakic eye after IOL insertion. Holliday (Holladay J. T. et al "Analysis of edge glare phenomenon in intraocular lens designs" J Cataract Ref Surg 1999;25:748–752) using ray tracing techniques has investigated the edge glare effects in IOLs. Holliday concluded that rounded edges of the IOL reduce edge glare phenomenon. However, edge glare remains a problem in these conventional designs (Masket S. et al "Undesired light images associated with ovoid intraocular lenses" J Cataract Ref Surg 1999; 19:690–694; Tester R. et al "Dysphotopsia in phakic and pseudophakic patients: incidence and relation to intraocular lens type" J Cataract Ref Surg 2000;26:810–816; Davidson J. A. "Positive and negative dysphotopsia in patients with acrylic intraocular lenses" J Cataract Ref Surg 2000;26:1346–1355; Meacock W. R. et al "The effect of texturing the intraocular lens edge on postoperative glare symptoms. A randomized, prospective, double-masked study" Arch Ophthalmol 2002;120:1294–1298; Holladay J. T. et al "Analysis of edge glare phenomenon in intraocular lens designs" J Cataract Ref Surg 1999;25:748–752; Erie J. C. et al "Analysis of postoperative glare and intraocular lens design" J Cataract Ref Surg 2001;27:614–21; Masket S. "Truncated edge design, dysphotopsia, and inhibition of posterior capsule opacification" J Cataract Ref Surg 2000;26:145–147; Ellis M. F. "Sharp-edged intraocular lens design as a cause of permanent glare" J Cataract Ref Surg 2001;27:1061–1064; Kohnen T. "The squared, sharp-edged optic intraocular lens design" J Cataract Ref Surg 2001;27:485–486). Further, such rounded edge designs may be associated with an increased risk of posterior capsular opacification (Kruger A. J. et al "Two year results: sharp versus rounded optic edges on silicone lenses" J Cataract Refract Surg., 2000;26:566–70).
Photic disturbances may also occur in IOLs located outside of the lens capsule, for example for vision correction, with artificial corneas and contact lenses.
This invention is concerned with the problems of photic disturbances associated with ocular lenses, including IOLs, artificial corneas and contact lenses.

Treatment of photic disturbances in the eye


A discharged-sheet table device mounted to an image forming apparatus near the sheet discharging port for receiving a recorded sheet discharged from the sheet discharging port of the image forming apparatus. The discharged-sheet table device includes a first base mounted near the sheet discharging port of the image forming apparatus; a second base movably supported on the first base; a discharged-sheet table movably mounted on the second base to receive the recorded sheet which is discharged from the image forming apparatus; a table moving mechanism for movably holding the discharged-sheet table between a first position where the recorded sheet discharged from the sheet discharging port is received and a second position located forwardly of the first position in the direction in which the recorded sheet is discharged from the sheet discharging port; and a first base moving mechanism disposed between the first base and the second base, for movably holding the second base between the second position and a third position offset in a direction horizontally from the direction in which the recorded sheet is discharged from the sheet discharging port. To remove a stack of papers from the discharged-sheet table, an operator moves the discharged-sheet table from the first position to the second position forward of the first position and away from the discharging port, and then to moves the discharged-sheet table from the second position the third position which is laterally offset from the first and second positions.

The present invention relates to a discharged-sheet table device which is attached to an image forming apparatus, such as a copying machine, a laser beam printer, or a printing machine, so as to receive recorded sheet being discharged from such an image forming apparatus.
As shown in FIG. 10, a sheet discharging port 2 for discharging a recording sheet on which an image has been formed is conventionally provided on one side surface of an image forming apparatus 1, such as a copying machine, a laser beam printer, or a printing machine. A discharged-sheet table device 3 for receiving the recording sheet which is discharged is provided for this sheet discharging port 2. The discharged-sheet table device 3 is provided in such a manner as to project from the sheet discharging port 2, and fences 3a, 3b, and the like are provided uprightly on an upper surface thereof. The discharged-sheet table device 3 is generally mounted detachably on the image forming apparatus 1. Alternatively, some discharged-sheet table devices are structured such that, when the image forming apparatus 1 is not used, the discharged-sheet table device 3 is slid horizontally toward the sheet discharging port 2 so as to be accommodated in the image forming apparatus 1. Further, some other discharged-sheet table devices are structured such that one end portion of the discharged-sheet table device 3 on the sheet discharging port 2 side thereof is pivotably mounted on the image forming apparatus 1, and when the image forming apparatus 1 is not used, the discharged-sheet table device 3 is pivoted such as to cause the other end portion to be sprung up, so as to be used also as a cover of the image forming apparatus 1.
In addition, a discharged-sheet table device 30 having a movable structure, such as the one shown in FIGS. 11A-11B is also known. A base 31 is fixed to a body frame 1a of the image forming apparatus 1. The discharged-sheet table device 30 is mounted on the base 31 in such a manner as to be movable in a direction perpendicular to the discharging direction of the recording sheet. Namely, a holding member 32 is fixed to one end portion of the discharged-sheet table device 30 which is the body frame 1a side, and this holding member 32 is slidably engaged with the base 31 via DELRIN rollers 33. Further, a lower surface of the discharged-sheet table device 30 is connected to the base 31 via a slide rail 34.
As shown in FIG. 12, the discharged-sheet table device 30 receives in a receiving position E the recorded sheets discharged from the sheet discharging port 2, and places the recorded sheets on an upper surface thereof. After the discharging of the sheets, a pulling-out handle 35 is pulled to pull out the discharged-sheet table device 30 to position for taking out the sheaf of the recorded sheets which is and different from the receiving position E, i.e., to a position F for taking out the sheaf of the recorded sheets and located in a position offset from the discharging direction of the recorded sheet, i.e., in a direction perpendicular to the sheet discharging direction in this case.
The conventional discharged-sheet table device presents a relatively small problem if there is leeway in the installation space of the image forming apparatus, but the conventional discharged-sheet table device has the drawback that it is very inconvenient to use if there is little leeway in the installation space. For example, in a case where the image forming apparatus is installed in the vicinity of a wall surface, a corner of a room or the like, the operation of taking out a lot of recording sheets stacked on the discharged-sheet table is effected from the apparatus panel side of the image forming apparatus which is an opposite side to the side which faces the wall surface or the like, and it is difficult and trouble some to perform such an operation.
In addition, particularly in a case where the image forming apparatus 1 is connected to a recording-sheet postprocessing apparatus 4 (mainly, a sorter; hereafter referred to as the sorter) as shown in FIG. 10, it is difficult to take out from the discharged-sheet table the sheaf of the recorded sheets stacked on the discharged-sheet table according to the operation in a nongathering method in which the sorter is not used (hereafter this operation will be referred to as the nonsorting operation). That is, the operation of taking out the sheaf of the recorded sheets in this case must be effected in the gap between the sheet discharging port of the image forming apparatus and the sorter. Moreover, since a sheet conveying device 4a comprising a belt conveyor provided for the sorter 4 is disposed on the upper side of the discharged-sheet table, in the case where the sheaf of the recording sheets is taken out from the discharged-sheet table, it is necessary to make use of the narrow space in the gap, so that the discharged-sheet table is very inconvenient to use. Incidentally, the recorded sheet discharged from the discharge port 2 of the image forming apparatus 1 is conveyed to the sorter 4 side by the sheet conveying device 4a. Hence, during the aforementioned nonsorting operation, an end portion of the sheet conveying device 4a on the discharge port 2 side thereof moves to the position indicated by the dotted lines in FIG. 10, to thereby allow the recording sheet discharged from the discharge port 2 of the image forming apparatus 1 to be discharged onto the discharged-sheet table 3.
In addition, in the case where the discharged-sheet table is movable between the receiving position E for placing the recorded sheet and the taking-out position F for taking out the sheaf of the recoreded sheets as in the case of the discharged-sheet table 30 shown in FIG. 12, the discharged-sheet table 30 must be installed such that the receiving position E is located on the outer side of the image forming apparatus 1 so as not to interfere with the image forming apparatus 1. If such an arrangement is adopted, however, the gap between the discharged-sheet table 30 in the receiving position E and the discharging port 2 becomes longer than the distance which is considered appropriate for receiving the recorded sheets. Hence, there arises the problem that it becomes difficult to properly arrange the sheets of recording sheet which are stacked on the discharged-sheet table 30.

Discharged-sheet receiving table for an image forming apparatus


A group printing method and a group printing system are provided. The group printing system includes a control point, an intermediary printing device, and plural digital media printers. The group printing method includes following steps. The control point and the intermediary printing device issue device search broadcasts. The intermediary printing device and each of the digital media printers issue response broadcast to the control point and the intermediary printing device. At least two of the plural digital media printers are set as a printer group. The intermediary printing device splits the print command into plural split print commands and transmits the plural split print commands to the digital media printers of the printer group. Since the print command is split into the plural split print commands and the plural split print commands are executed by respective digital media printers, the printing speed is enhanced.

The Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) is an alliance organization that is composed by the manufacturers of consumer electronics products, mobile phones and computers. The DLNA is responsible for defining unified transmission specifications to allow a variety of products from different manufacturers to communicate with each other. Consequently, the video and audio devices that comply with the DLNA protocol can be in direct communication with each other, make synchronization action or even transfer data.
The devices that are operated under the DLNA environment include for example a digital media server (DMS), a digital media player (DMP), a digital media renderer (DMR), a digital media controller (DMC) and a digital media printer (DMPr). The digital media player (DMP) and the digital media controller (DMC) are also referred as control points (CP).
Generally, according to the capability of the control point, the printing system of the DLNA architecture has two operating modes. The two operating modes of the printing system will be illustrated in more details as follows.
FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a first printing system of a conventional DLNA architecture. As shown in FIG. 1, a control point 10 comprises a first printing controller (Printing Controller-1, +PR1+) 101. Via the control point 10, a ready-to-print file is browsed and selected from the control point 10 by the user. Then, a print command S1 and a XHTML print file 11 corresponding to the ready-to-print file are transmitted from the control point 10 to a digital media printer 12. Then, according to the XHTML print file 11, a request command S2 for acquiring a print content 13 is issued from the digital media printer 12 to the control point 10. According to the request command S2, the print content 13 is transmitted from the control point 10 to the digital media printer 12. Meanwhile, according to the XHTML print file 11, the print content 13 is outputted from the digital media printer 12 to a paper (not shown).
FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a second printing system of a conventional DLNA architecture. As shown in FIG. 2, a control point 14 comprises a second printing controller (Printing Controller-2, +PR2+) 141. Via the control point 14, a ready-to-print file is browsed and selected from the digital media server 15 by the user. Then, an address of a print content 16 corresponding to ready-to-print file is acquired by the control point 14, and the address of the print content 16 is stored into a XHTML print file 17 corresponding to the ready-to-print file. Then, a print command S3 and the XHTML print file 17 are transmitted from the control terminal 14 to a digital media printer 18. Then, according to the XHTML print file 17, a request command S4 for acquiring the print content 16 is issued from the digital media printer 18 to a digital media server 15. According to the request command S4, the print content 16 is transmitted from the digital media server 15 to the digital media printer 18. Meanwhile, according to the XHTML print file 17, the print content 16 is outputted from the digital media printer 18 to a paper (not shown).
Regardless of which type of printing system is operated in the DLNA architecture, a single digital media printer is used to print out the entire of the ready-to-print file. If the ready-to-print file contains a great number of pages, it is difficult for the single digital media printer to process the ready-to-print file. Especially when an old digital media printer or a low-tech digital media printer is employed, the processing time is very lengthy.
As known, the use of a high performance digital media printer to replace the old digital media printer or the low-tech digital media printer may save the printing time. However, the high performance digital media printer is expensive, and the replaced digital media printer is usually discarded. In other words, the high performance digital media printer is neither cost-effective nor environmentally-friendly.
Therefore, there is a need of providing an improved group printing method and an improved group printing system in the DLNA architecture in order to eliminate the above drawbacks.


Provided is a method of scheduling packets in a mobile telecommunication. The method includes the steps of: a) calculating a normalized standard data unit (SDU) drop rate based on the number of SDUs that will be dropped if the SDUs will not transmitted in a next slot, the number of SDUs dropped unit a current slot, the number of SDUs transmitted until the current slot and a maximum SDU drop rate allowed at each session; b) selecting sessions to transmit in a next slot and deciding a transmission amount of each session at a current slot based on the normalized SDU drop rate; and c) performing the steps a) and b) until all basic units (BU) in one slot are used.

Recently, specifications for wireless Internet service standard were introduced by the international standardization organizations such as BRAN HIPERLAN/2, IEEE 802.11a and IEEE 80216. Accordingly, related systems for wireless Internet service have been actively developed. There are also many studies in actively progress to develop a packet transmission technology to prior occupy a technology for the fourth generation of packet based mobile telecommunication system.
In the packet transmission technology, a packet scheduling scheme is introduced to maximize the efficiency of wireless resource for transmitting packets. The packet scheduling scheme has been specialized as a field of sharing wireless link and is used as a method of improve the capacity of system compared to a conventional line mode.
The real-time traffic must obey delay requirement conditions due to its characteristics and a predetermined level of packet loss rate must be guaranteed. A quality of service (QoS) is suggestively guaranteed when the real-time traffic is transmitted if a call is accepted through a call connection control in a typical line mode including a code division multiple access (CDMA) dedicated channel. Therefore, a dedicated scheduler is essential to satisfy QoS such as delay in the packet mode. Since the wireless environment is dynamically changed in a time domain differently from the wired environment, such a characteristic must be reflected into the scheduling algorithm.
A packet scheduler for real-time traffic services session having a longer delay in a buffer first of all. In this case, there is large possibility that the scheduler cannot satisfy the absolute delay requirement conditions although the scheduler minimizes the delay. When the scheduler selects a session to be transmitted from a current slot to a next slot, the scheduler has a difficulty to reflect a packet lost rate caused by the delay because the scheduler reflects only a delay state of a head of line (HOL) packet which arrives at the buffer at first.
In order to describe a conventional scheduler, there are assumptions as follows. There are two sessions A and B. A HOL delay of the session A is 50 ms and a HOL delay of the session B is 100 ms. And, same number of packets for the sessions A and B are stored in each buffer. Furthermore, the number of packets of the session A are not be deleted is 10 if those are not transmitted in the next slot, and the number of packets of the session B are not be deleted is 1 if those are not transmitted in the next slot.
Under such assumptions, if the packets are scheduled to transmit by only considering the simple delay and the number of packets in the buffer, the session B will be selected. If the wireless channel conditions of two sessions are identical and a current slot can transmit five packets, the session A may transmit four packets which are not required to transmit at the next slot. Then, the session B may loss a chance to sent 10 packets to transmit with the next slot. If the session A is selected, the five packets will be transmitted and five packets will be deleted. Therefore, it is better in the view of QoS to select the session A than to select the session B.

Packet scheduling method for real-time traffic transmission in mobile telecommunication system

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute


A safety device is provided for a film removing and peeling apparatus, which rolls a coated resin member between a pair of rolls facing each other and rotating at different peripheral rotating speeds and which applies a shearing stress between the resin material and a film to peel the film from the resin material. The safety device includes: a flat plate to which a resin material is fed, the flat plate being provided so as to extend in a substantially horizontal direction at a height substantially corresponding to a gap between the rolls, and the flat plate having a front edge located so as to be close to the rolls; a pushing plate for pushing material on the flat plate to squeeze the resin material into the gap between the rolls; and an air cylinder for moving the pushing plate in a forward direction to cause the pushing plate to push material on the flat plate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a safety device for a film removing apparatus. More specifically, the invention relates to a safely device for a film removing apparatus for peeling a film from a coated resin product, e.g. a bumper or a side lacing, which is used as a functional part such as a decoration or a buffer for an automotive vehicle, or CD-ROM.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years, a lot of people have taken a great interest in environmental problems and a reuse of natural resources, so that recycling resin products has been demanded. For example, in the field of automotive vehicle industry, recycling defective products occurred while manufacturing the resin products such as a bumper and a side lacing and the recycling of the resin products removed and recovered from scrapped cars have been widely noticed.
The resin products of this type, such as the bumper and the side lacing, are often coated in order to improve the appearance and quality thereof. For example, in the case of a typical bumper, a film is coated on a resin material of a thermoplastic resin such as a polypropylene resin, through a primer layer of a thermoplastic resin such as a chlorinated polyolefine resin. The film is a thermosetting resin such as an amino polyester resin, an amino acryl resin, a polyester urethane resin and an acryl urethane resin. Although these resins are liquid before curing operation, a bridging structure is formed therein by baking finish process. The structure is so firm and dense that the coated resin bumper has excellent chemical resistance, heat resistance, abrasion resistance, weather and surface glossiness.
However, when the coated bumper is directly crushed to pellets for reuse, the polypropylene resin material serving as the material of the resin product is contaminated with film pieces. When such a polypropylene resin material contaminated with the film pieces is molded, the fluidity of the molten resin is inhibited by the presence of the film pieces, so that molding defects such as "yellowing", "weld mark" and "bubble" may be caused in the resin product, and the film pieces emerged on the surface from the resin product may spoil the appearance of the resin product.
In addition, although the film piece is a thermosetting resin, the polypropylene resin serving as a base resin is the thermoplastic resin. Therefore, since there is no appreciable interaction between the film piece and the base resin, kneading in the recycled resin is inhibited by the film pieces which have not been minutely recycled, so as to notably deteriorate the mechanical property of the recycled resin product and to largely restrict the scope the recycled resin product according to the present invention.
Therefore, it is required to remove the film when the coated resin product is recycled. Such a system for removing the film from the resin product is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-337941. This illustrates a peeling apparatus for the surface of a synthetic resin as shown in FIG. 10.
In this peeling apparatus, a resin product, e.g. a side lacing 102, is carried to the place between rotating bodies 103 and 104 of an expandable synthetic resin by means of a pair of carrier rollers 101. The carrier speed V of the side lacing 102 is set to be lower than the peripheral rotating speed of the rotating bodies 103 and 104, so as to cut and remove a film 102a and a double-faced tape 102b from the side lacing 102 by applying a high frictional force to the film 102a and the double-faced tape 102b on the side lacing 102. Then, the side lacing 102 is carried to the outside by a pair of carrier rollers 101.
However, in this apparatus, since the resin product is brought into contact with the rotating bodies 103 and 104 of an expandable synthetic resin, the brittle fracture of the rotating bodies 103 and 104 may occur to produce dusts so as to make the work environment worse. In addition, this apparatus is not suitable for bent or curved resin products. In order to eliminate these problems, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-256640 discloses a method for rolling a coated resin member and for applying a shearing stress between the resin member and the film to peel the film from the resin material by a film peeling apparatus which has a pair of rollers facing each other and having different peripheral rotating speeds.

Safety device for film removing apparatus


A cutting insert exhibiting excellent chipping resistance made of cubic boron nitride based ultra-high pressure sintered material. The cutting insert made of cubic boron nitride based ultra-high pressure sintered material exhibits, in a structural observation using an electron microscope, a substantial three-phase structure including a continuously bonded phase, a hard dispersed phase, and an intermediate adhesion phase intervening between the continuously bonded phase and the hard dispersed phase, and includes a cubic boron nitride based ultra-high pressure sintered material including: 15 to 56 wt % of at least two components selected from titanium nitride, titanium carbonitride, and titanium carbide, or 15 to 56 wt % titanium carbonitride, for forming the continuously bonded phase; 2 to 10 wt % nitride compound having titanium and aluminum and 2 to 10 wt % tungsten carbide, for forming the intermediate adhesion phase; and (35 to 65 wt %) cubic boron nitride, as the balance, for forming the hard dispersed phase.

Conventionally, in general, as one of c-BN based sintered cutting inserts, a type of c-BN based sintered cutting insert is known which includes a sintered compact made of cubic boron nitride based ultra-high pressure sintered material (hereinafter referred to as c-BN based material), the sintered compact substantially exhibiting a two-phase structure having a continuously bonded phase and a hard dispersed phase when observed using a scanning electron microscope, and including 20 to 45 wt % at least one component as the continuously bonded phase selected from titanium nitride (hereinafter referred to as TiN), titanium carbonitride (hereinafter referred to as TiCN), and titanium carbide (hereinafter referred to as TiC), and, as the balance, cubic boron nitride (hereinafter referred to as c-BN) as the hard dispersed phase, as disclosed, for example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. Sho 53-77811, and moreover, it is also known that such c-BN based sintered cutting inserts are used, for example, for performing surface finish cutting of various steels and cast irons.
On the other hand, in recent years, cutting apparatuses tend to have significantly high performance and high power, and in addition, it is strongly demanded that cutting operations be performed with less power and less energy; therefore, cutting operations tend to be performed at high speed. However, when the above-mentioned conventional c-BN based sintered cutting inserts or other type of c-BN based sintered cutting inserts are used for performing finish cutting of a difficult-to-machine material, such as high-hardened steel, at high speed, a c-BN phase, which is a hard dispersed phase substantially corresponding to TiCN forming a continuously bonded phase, tends to be separated due to insufficient adhesion of the c-BN phase. As a result, the cutting edge tends to chip (i.e., to have micro-breakage), which leads to a relatively short operation life.

Cubic boron nitride base ultra-high pressure sintered material cutting tip


The present disclosure relates to a high molecular weight, monoesterified polyimide polymer. Such high molecular weight, monoesterified polyimide polymers are useful in forming crosslinked polymer membranes for the separation of fluid mixtures. According to its broadest aspect, the method of making a crosslinked membrane comprises the following steps: (a) preparing a polyimide polymer comprising carboxylic acid functional groups from a reaction solution comprising monomers and at least one solvent; (b) treating the polyimide polymer with a diol at esterification conditions in the presence of dehydrating conditions to form a monoesterified polyimide polymer; and (c) subjecting the monoesterified fiber to transesterification conditions to form a crosslinked fiber membrane, wherein the dehydrating conditions at least partially remove water produced during step (b). The crosslinked membranes can be used to separate at least one component from a feed stream including more than one component.

Polymeric membranes for separating mixtures of gases, such as methane and carbon dioxide are known. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,247,191; 6,932,859; and 6,755,900, which documents are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties, teach crosslinkable polymers and crosslinked hollow fiber membranes made from such crosslinkable polymers. These patents particularly describe a crosslinkable polyimide polymer. The crosslinkable polyimide polymer can be made by monoesterifying a polyimide polymer with a crosslinking agent.
A crosslinked hollow fiber membrane can be made by forming fibers from the crosslinkable polyimide polymer and transesterifying the crosslinkable polyimide polymer within the fibers. More specifically, the crosslinkable polyimide polymer can be formed into crosslinkable fibers, which are then subjected to transesterification conditions in order to create covalent ester crosslinks between the crosslinkable polyimide polymer within the fibers. Such fibers can be hollow fibers or other types of fibers. Crosslinked hollow fiber membranes can be incorporated into a separation module. Other types of membranes for separation include flat sheet separation membranes or flat stack permeators.
Separation modules utilizing hollow fiber membranes include a larger surface area than separation modules utilizing flat sheet or flat stack permeators. Therefore, hollow fiber separation modules have significant separation capability even in a reasonably compact size module. Module size is important in implementing separation modules on offshore platforms, where space and weight are at a premium, to separate mixtures of gases from hydrocarbon producing wells.
The crosslinked hollow fiber membranes have good permeability and selectivity. The crosslinked hollow fiber membranes also have good resistance to plasticization. Plasticization occurs when one or more components of a fluid mixture causes the polymer to swell thereby altering the properties of the membrane. For example, polyimides are particularly susceptible to plasticization by carbon dioxide. Subjecting the fibers to transesterification conditions to crosslink the crosslinkable polyimide polymer within the fibers increases both resistance to plasticization and selectivity.
The above referenced patents recommend that crosslinkable polyimide polymers having an average molecular weight that is not too high or too low be used to make the crosslinked hollow fiber membranes. They further state that the molecular weight of the polyimide polymer is degraded during the monoesterification process. Thus, they recommend use of sufficiently high molecular weight polyimide polymers to accommodate for molecular weight loss during the monoesterification process. However, it is difficult to produce crosslinkable polyimide polymers having such a high molecular weight.
Therefore, there is a need for a method of making a crosslinkable (i.e. monoesterified) polyimide polymer that reduces or eliminates the loss of molecular weight during the monoesterification process. In other words, there is a need for a method of making a high molecular weight, monoesterified polyimide polymer. There is also a need for a method of making a monoesterified polyimide polymer having improved strength, flexibility, and/or spinnability. Further, there is a need for a method of making separation membranes having improved selectivity and permeability.

Method of making a crosslinked fiber membrane from a high molecular weight, monoesterified polyimide polymer


A mold separating device includes a base with a driven member and a driving member rotating on the base. The driven member has a first through hole in it, and the base has a second through hole in it. The through holes receive a first mold and a second mold. The first through hole is coaxial to the second through hole. A cavity is defined in an inner wall of the driven member. An ejector is elastically fixed in the cavity and can be expelled from the cavity. A separator is disposed on a front portion of the ejector. A rotatable shaft is fixed in the driving member.

1. Field of the Invention
The disclosure relates to a separating device for separating, for example two combined molds from each other.
2. Description of Related Art
Traditionally, nano imprinting includes formation of a relief pattern in a layer of a first mold and transferring a pattern corresponding to the relief pattern into an underlying substrate of a second mold. The first mold may be pressed on the second mold to obtain a desired position to facilitate patterning thereof. A vacuum is generated between the first and second molds during the nano imprint process, which must be overcome to separate the first and second molds. A conventional technique for separating the first and second molds is to utilize a cutter. However, the cutter is usually employed at a single point so the first and second molds are not uniformly separated, affecting effectiveness of separation.
Therefore, a mold separating device is desired to overcome the limitations described.


The present invention relates to an ultrasonic probe device comprising an elongated body having a proximal end and a distal end, where the body has a channel that extends from the proximal end to the distal end. A cord passes through the channel and is extendable and retractable relative to the distal end of the elongated body. An ultrasonic probe head is connected to the cord and has a proximal end adjacent the distal end of the elongated body. The proximal end of the probe head is detachably connected to the distal end of the elongated body. The present invention is also directed to an ultrasound imaging system and a method of generating an ultrasonic image.

Point-of-care ultrasound use has expanded in many fields of medicine, particularly emergency medicine, for the past two decades and more recently in pediatrics for the last decade as more compact, portable, and relatively inexpensive ultrasound machines have come to market. Given the endless range of diagnostic problems clinicians encounter in the emergency department, a wide variety of ultrasound probes may be needed depending on the diagnostic problem. These include transvaginal/intracavitary probes for the evaluation of vaginal bleeding and suspected ectopic pregnancy; phased array cardiac probes for the evaluation of pericardial effusion, left ventricular function, and cardiac arrest; curved abdominal probes for the evaluation of intraperitoneal bleeding from trauma, abdominal aortic aneurysms, or acute cholecystitis; linear transducers for soft tissue/musculoskeletal disorders, and procedural guidance, such as central line placement; and tightly curved array microconvex probes for pediatric/neonatal applications, regional nerve blocks, and other procedures.
The maximum number of ultrasound probes that can be connected to console-type or cart-based ultrasound machines currently on the market is three. This poses problems for clinicians who may switch among more than three different probes depending on the diagnostic problem or ultrasound guided procedure needed to be performed. Newer handheld ultrasound machines are marketed with a single non-detachable probe (often a phased array probe commonly used for cardiac imaging), which also limits functionality of these types of ultrasound machines. Furthermore, in environments such as emergency departments and intensive care units where space and storage are often in short supply, extra probes not connected to an ultrasound machine may be lost or stolen.
The present invention is directed to overcoming these and other deficiencies in the art.

Ultrasonic probe device and system and methods of generating ultrasonic images


The image data transmission apparatus for transmitting image data signal to a plurality of end devices corresponding to the request from each end device, divides the input image data signal into a plurality of unit image data to subsequently store it on the recording medium, controls operation of the plural storing means so that the unit image data for each end device is read out by time division from the recording region in each storing means which is different from each other corresponding to requests from each end device, combines the unit image data for each end device which is read out from each storing means by each end device to form image data signal for each end device, and transmits it to each correspond end device.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image data transmission apparatus and, for example, is applicable to an image data transmission apparatus which transmits image data requested by a receiver.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally this type of image data transmission apparatus includes CATV (cable television system), captain system which employ a telephone circuit network. CATV unilaterally provides programs to a receiver by using a video tape recorder (VTR) which is generally a sequential access memory apparatus.
CATV provides several receivers with program information reproduced by VTR as described above, so that such CATV have a drawback in that programs desired by receivers cannot be provided at a time when receivers desire. Such programs thereby fail to satisfy the requirements of receivers.
For example, when receivers select a desired program, such a program is unilaterally supplied to a several receivers irrespective of their requirements. Hence receivers feel that they are inconvenienced because they cannot watch a program from the very beginning thereof.
As one of means for solving such a problem, it can be considered to provide program information at the time when receivers desire corresponding to the requirements of receivers by using VTR and video tapes using the same number as the number of receivers. However, such a method involves the problem of a large operation cost together with the increased size of the equipment.

Image data transmission apparatus using time slots


Methods and systems are provided for using the weights of cost functions to improve linear-program-based vehicle driveline architectures and systems. In some embodiments, the methods and systems may include establishing values for driveline controls of a linear program based on driveline requests of the linear program. The values of the driveline controls, which may be used to adjust driveline actuators, may be established based on values of a plurality of weights of a cost function of the linear program, the weights respectively corresponding with the plurality of driveline requests.

Modern wheeled vehicles may employ a driveline system in which various dynamics subsystems are capable of requesting torque setpoints (e.g., on a per-wheel basis). In vehicle driveline architectures, vehicle dynamics subsystems may include, for example, subsystems for yaw control, subsystems for side-slip angle control, and/or subsystems for traction control. These requested torque setpoints may then become inputs to a control allocation subsystem, which may arbitrate between them to determine a torque distribution for the wheels of the vehicle (e.g., for each wheel of the vehicle).
In some vehicles, a control allocation subsystem may calculate an optimal torque distribution for the wheels based on a mathematical optimization, such as by linear programming (e.g., employing a simplex algorithm). Specific values in an augmented matrix of coefficients A of a linear program (which may be referred to as a control effectiveness matrix A) may then be adjusted to modify the torque distribution.
Under some conditions or sets of requests, a vehicle might be under-constrained (and/or over-actuated). In such cases, torque requests (and/or steering requests) may be satisfied by infinite combinations of motor torques. Under other conditions or sets of requests, however, a vehicle driveline system might be over-constrained (and/or under-actuated). Moreover, vehicle dynamics subsystems may sometimes request incompatible torque setpoints. In some cases, one or more of the actuators receiving the distributed torque may be limited, or may even have degraded.
Meanwhile, some vehicles may employ a type of four-wheel drive or all-wheel drive in which independent motors (e.g., electric motors) may be coupled to each wheel.
A rule-based approach to finding compatible torques in an arbitration may also be applied to vehicle driveline architectures and/or systems. In various methods and systems, by exploiting the properties of slack variables of a linear program, the computation of an optimal torque distribution for a specific cost function of the linear program (such a cost function cTx) may advantageously prioritize vehicle dynamics requests (e.g., requests from vehicle dynamics subsystems, such as torque requests) based on that cost function.
By using the coefficients of the cost function (which may be referred to as the weights of the cost function) instead of the values of the control effectiveness matrix, there may advantageously be solutions available to the mathematical optimization used to calculate the torque distribution. Moreover, appropriate selection, such as described in more detail herein, of the weights of the cost function may facilitate or enable an explicit prioritization among possibly-incompatible control requests. The prioritization of vehicle dynamics requests may also advantageously assist vehicle driveline architectures and systems that can be either over-constrained or under-constrained, depending upon the specific set of requests provided to its control allocation subsystem (e.g., from its vehicle dynamics subsystems).
Accordingly, the potential issues described above related to vehicle driveline architectures may be addressed by the methods and systems disclosed herein. For example, some methods may comprise establishing values for a plurality of driveline controls of a linear program, and adjusting a plurality of driveline actuators based upon the values. The values for the plurality of driveline controls may be based upon a plurality of driveline requests of the linear program, and the driveline controls may respectively correspond with a plurality of driveline actuators. The values for the plurality of driveline controls may minimize a value of a cost function of the linear program, and may be established based on values of a plurality of weights of the cost function that correspond with the driveline requests. One or the driveline requests may be nullified by setting the values of one or more of the weights of the cost function to arbitrary high values, which may advantageously reduce constraints, obviate conflicting torque setpoints, and/or gracefully handle functionality-limited or failing driveline actuators.
By way of further example, in various embodiments, methods and systems may accommodate constraints (e.g., driveline requests) that may include total torque requests, total yaw moment requests, front and/or rear yaw moment requests, front and/or rear torque requests, max front and/or rear torque, individual torque limits and/or torque rate limits for each wheel and/or actuator, and traction control for each wheel. In some embodiments, an all-wheel drive, four-wheel drive, or individual-wheel drive vehicle may comprise methods and systems which may permit the nullification of one or more such constraints by setting the value of one or more weights of the cost function.
It should be understood that the summary above is provided to introduce in simplified form a selection of concepts that are further described in the detailed description. It is not meant to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is defined uniquely by the claims that follow the detailed description. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages noted above or in any part of this disclosure.


A pallet clamp includes a clamp receiver 110 and a clamp 130. The clamp receiver 110 has an abutted surface 111 with serrations, whereas the clamp 130 has an abutting surface 132 with serrations. The clamp receiver 110 has both of a pressed surface 180 and a counter pressed surface 181 which face in directions perpendicular to the direction along the extension of the serrations. A biasing means 150 press-fits the clamp receiver 110 and the clamp 130 to each other so that the abutting surface 132 and the abutted surface 111 come into tight contact with each other, which causes the pressed surface 180 and the counter pressed surface 181 to be pressed in opposite directions.

A pallet clamp is a device (a mechanism) that fixes a pallet to which a workpiece as a target for machining is to be mounted, with the pallet positioned on a table of a machine tool. Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose typical pallet clamps.
Patent Document 1 discloses a pallet clamp that achieves positioning by inserting a plurality of positioning pins on a table into a plurality of positioning holes in a pallet.
Patent Document 2 discloses a pallet clamp that fixes a pallet to a table by pulling the pallet with collets. This pallet clamp includes, in a plurality of positions of the table, cylindrical piston pins each for housing a collet and having a tapered surface at its tip, i.e., having a smaller diameter toward the tip. The table includes, in the positions corresponding to the piston pins, receiving seats each having a pull stud and a surface around the pull stud for receiving the tapered surface.
At the time of clamping with the pallet clamp, the tapered surfaces are fitted to the respective receiving surfaces, thereby positioning the pallet on the table. Then, the collets grip and pull the pull studs toward the table to fix the pallet to the table.


Method for suppressing interference and arrangement for same, and radio communications receiver. The method includes: computing at least one transform of a received, analogue-to-digital converted radio signal; computing metrics defining the concentration of the interference present both for the transformed radio signal and the non-transformed radio signal; selecting the transform whose metrics indicate the highest concentration of the interference in the transfer domain as the transform to be used, or selecting no transform if the metrics indicate the highest concentration of the interference for the non-transformed signal; suppressing the localized interference from the transformed radio signal by using weighting and computing inverse transform of the transformed radio signal if the transform was selected, or suppressing the localized interference from the non-transformed radio signal by using weighting if no transform was selected; and detecting and decoding the interference suppressed radio signal.

A radio communications receiver can sustain interference to some degree. If the power of the interference exceeds the processing gain of the system, additional interference suppression is needed.
The performance of the traditional FFT-based (Fast Fourier Transform) exciser is adequate against stationary interference, i.e. such interference whose frequency contents do not change over an observation interval.
For other types of interference another transform might be more suitable. Several types of interference suppression methods have been investigated in different interfering environments. The problem is how to choose either in advance or adaptively the most efficient interference suppression for the interference type present in a channel.
A general solution for interference suppression is the Recursive Least Squares (RLS) adaptive filter. The problem of using the RLS filter is the computational complexity, numerical properties in fixed-point implementation and initialization.
Bank-type solutions have also been presented in the literature. For every interference suppression method included in the bank the interference suppression is performed completely including the inverse transform, and the best method is chosen based on some criterion, for example signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR). Bank-type solutions therefore include lots of excessive computation.


A class-D amplifier includes a differential integrator that integrates a difference between an input signal and a feedback signal to output an integration value signal, a pulse width modulation circuit that outputs a digital signal having a pulse width corresponding to a level of the integration value signal, an output buffer that drives a load based on the digital signal, a feedback section that feeds an output signal of the output buffer into the differential integrator as the feedback signal, a clamp section that performs a clamping of limiting the level of the integration value signal within a specified level range, an attenuation section that attenuates the level of the input signal to be input to the differential integrator in response to an attenuation command, and an attenuation control section that outputs the attenuation command to the attenuation section in response to the clamping performed by the clamp section.

This invention relates to a class-D amplifier suited for a power amplifier of an audio apparatus, etc.
A class-D amplifier is an amplifier for generating a pulse train with the pulse width or the pulse time density demodulated in response to an input signal and driving a load according to the pulse train. This class-D amplifier is often used as a power amplifier for driving loudspeakers in an audio apparatus, etc. Patent Documents 1 to 3 disclose each a class-D amplifier including a differential integrator for integrating differences of an input signal and a feedback signal output from the class-D amplifier, and a pulse width modulation circuit for generating a pulse having the pulse width corresponding to the level of an integration value signal output from the differential integrator. The class-D amplifier drives a load based on an output pulse of the pulse width modulation circuit.    [Patent document 1] JP-A-2007-124624    [Patent document 2] JP-A-2007-124625    [Patent document 3] JP-A-2006-262104
By the way, the class-D amplifier may be required to have a power limit control function of limiting output power within predetermined desired range for the volume control, etc., of a loudspeaker as a load depending on the intended purposes of the class-D amplifier. In a related class-D amplifier, a clamp circuit is provided in an input path of an input signal to a differential integrator for clamping the input signal so that the input signal input to the differential integrator does not exceed the desired level, thereby implementing the power limit control function. However, in such as configuration, the input signal input to the differential integrator is clamped by the clamp circuit, and thus there is a problem of occurrence of a large waveform distortion in the output signal of the class-D amplifier.