A level conversion circuit includes a differential pair of first and second transistors receiving differential input signals; a current mirror section; and a CMOS-type latch circuit. The current mirror section includes a first current mirror circuit receiving output current from the first transistor to output a first mirror current; a second current mirror circuit receiving output current of the second transistor to output a second mirror current; a third current mirror circuit receiving the second mirror current to output a third mirror current to a first output terminal of differential output terminals; and a fourth current mirror circuit receiving the first mirror current to output a fourth mirror current to a second output terminal of the differential output terminals.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a level conversion circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a semiconductor device is configured of a plurality of logic circuits to carry out complicated processing appropriately. The logic circuits in the semiconductor device include a TTL (Transistor Transistor Logic) circuit and a CMOS logic circuit or the like. Connection of the logic circuits is provided through interfaces inside the semiconductor device, and the interfaces such as a TTL interface and a CMOS interface corresponding to the logic circuits are employed as the interfaces in the semiconductor device.
An operation speed of the semiconductor circuit has increased in conjunction with the development of a semiconductor technology. A data transfer rate has been accelerated to an order of Gbps in the past few years. A higher data transfer rate technique between devices is demanded to cope with the accelerated operation speed of the semiconductor device. Since the above conventional interfaces such as the TTL interface and the CMOS interface require a relatively large amplitude level, data transfer cannot be carried out at an appropriate rate in case of the frequency of a bus clock signal of 100 MHz or more. Therefore, a differential interface such as LVDS (Low Voltage Differential Signaling) is essential to the above Gbps order data transfer. In a data communication using the differential data transfer, a conversion circuit is provided between the TTL circuit and the CMOS logic circuit which are provided for blocks, and a differential data transfer circuit is provided in another block. Integration of these circuits in one chip is available due to the progress of semiconductor technology in recent years. Thus, various merits are realized such as low-cost manufacture of a high-speed data transfer device and reduction of a substrate chip area. Accordingly, the above usual logic circuit and the differential data transfer circuit are often mixed in the semiconductor device.
The usual logic circuit employs a one-wire system (hereinafter, to be referred to as a single end interface) to transfer a signal by using a single line except for a ground. On the other hand, the differential transmission circuit such as a CML (Current Mode Logic) used for a signal data transfer of an Ethernet (registered trademark), and a PECL/LVPECL that is widely used in a high-speed clock supply circuit, employs a two-wire system to transfer a signal by using two lines (hereinafter, to be referred to as a differential interface).
The single end interface to transfer a signal by using one line requires a ground line in addition to a signal line necessarily. In the usual logic circuit, a transferred signal is determined to be an H level if the transferred signal is higher than a predetermined voltage, and to be an L level if the transferred signal is lower than the predetermined voltage. The predetermined voltage is called a threshold voltage. The TTL or CMOS uses a ground potential level as a voltage reference. In the single end interface, the signal level is determined to be as the H level or the L level, by using a potential difference between the ground level and the signal line.
On the other hand, the differential interface requires two signal lines to transfer one signal. The logic "1" or "0" is determined based on whether the potential difference between the two signal lines is positive or negative. Therefore, in the differential interface can transfer a signal even if an amplitude level of the transferred signal is small. Since the differential interface can transfer a signal of the small amplitude, it is suitable to transfer the signal at high speed.
When a signal transferred from the differential interface is converted into a level suitable for the single end interface, in other words, when a logic level of the transferred signal is converted into a different logic level, a duty ratio of the logic level is sometimes deteriorated or changed after the conversion. As a technique to suppress the deterioration of the duty ratio, a technique in which a phase adjustment circuit is provided in the post stage of a level conversion circuit is known as described in Japanese Laid Open Patent Publication (JP-P2000-305528A).
FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a conventional technique according to Japanese Laid Open Patent Publication (JP-P2000-305528A). A conventional level conversion circuit includes two level shifters (LVL) 101 and 103, two inverters 102 and 104 and a phase adjustment circuit 105. The two level shifters (LVL) 101 and 103 convert two-phase clock signals CK and CKX having opposite phases of 5V into two-phase clock signals in the same cycle of 15V. The two inverters 102 and 104 invert the phases of output clock signals from the two level shifters 101 and 103. The phase adjustment circuit 105 adjusts the output clock phases of the two inverters 102 and 104. In the level conversion circuit having the above configuration, the two-phase clock signals CK and CKX having the mutually opposite phases are supplied to input terminals a and b of the level shifter 101, and to input terminals b and a of the level shifter 103. In other words, the level shifters 101 and 103 receive the two-phase clock signals CK and CKX in the opposite phases. The level shifters 101 and 103 have circuit configurations that are practically equivalent to each other, and output single-phase clock signals in the opposite phases. In FIG. 1, the phase adjustment circuit 105 includes a latch circuit 106, in which inverters 107 and 109 invert output clock phases from the inverters 102 and 104, inverters 111 and 112 connected in parallel in the mutually opposite directions to latch respective output clocks of the inverters 107 and 109, and inverters 108 and 110 invert two output clock phases of the latch circuit 106 to output two-phase clocks CK and CKX in the mutually opposite phases.
In the above conventional technique, a positive phase differential signal is supplied to one of the two level shifters and an opposite phase differential signal is supplied to the other level shifter. Accordingly, the two level shifters are required. The inverters are provided between the phase adjustment circuit and the level shifters to avoid the effect of the phase adjustment circuit to the level shifters. The phase adjustment circuit includes two inverters for phase adjustment. Thus, the conventional technique requires at least four inverters.
The phase adjustment circuit generates a desired signal by interpolate output phases of the inverters provided in the post stage of the level shifters. However, it is difficult to apply the technique disclosed in Japanese Laid Open Patent Publication (JP-P2000-305528A) to conversion of the logic level in small amplitude such as the CML level to the CMOS level as demanded in a semiconductor device. Also, an appropriate level conversion circuit in a small circuit scale is demanded for a logic level conversion of a small amplitude signal to a different logic level.

Semiconductor device with level conversion circuit


Provided is a device for massaging eyes comprising a mask received in a compartment and comprising annular left and right guards surrounding rear portions of left and right eye portions respectively, and left and right diaphragms in the eye portions respectively; a pneumatic-powered cylinder assembly for converting rotating motion into reciprocating motion; and a plastic tube interconnected the mask and the cylinder assembly. In operation, air having positive or negative pressure is built in the cylinder alternately prior to communicating to the eyes for massaging. There are provided protrusions around a rear portion of each guard. In another embodiment, there are provided left and right soft spacers attached to rear surfaces of the diaphragms respectively.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to massage equipment and more particularly to a device for massaging eyes for preventing eyesight of a person having astigmatism, long-sightedness, short-sightedness, or the like from further deteriorating.
2. Related Art
Eye defects such as astigmatism, long-sightedness, short-sightedness, or the like are often among people. It is known that a pair of spectacles having correcting lenses can be used to correct eyesight of a person having, for example short-sightedness. However, it is also often that a person wearing such spectacles still has his/her eyesight deteriorated. As a result, a more or less frequent change of spectacles is made. This can increase the financial burden borne upon the wearer. Hence, a need has arisen for a device for massaging eyes for preventing eyesight from further deteriorating.
A conventional eyes massage device is shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. The device is enclosed in a housing 90 and comprises a control unit 10, a motor 20, a disc 30 rotatably connected to the motor 20, an actuator 40, a bellows member 50, a plastic tube 60 having one end in fluid communication with the bellows member 50, a valve 70 at the tube 60, and a mask 80 at the other end of the tube 60 in which the disc 30 has a projecting rod 31 connected to one side of the actuator 40.
In operation, enables the control unit 10 to activate the motor 20 for rotating the disc 30. Rods 43 of the actuator 40 thus move back and forth to cause the bellows member 50 to reciprocate. Positive pressure air (i.e., pressurized air) and negative pressure air (i.e., substantially vacuum) are generated alternately in the bellows member 50 and are communicated to the mask 80 via the valve 70 and the tube 60. Two diaphragms in the mask 80 in close proximity with both eyes of a person are thus moved by the positive pressure air or the negative pressure air to massage the eyes. A telescopic member is formed between two eye portions of the mask 80 such that an interpupillary distance of the person can be adjusted for being adapted to different individuals. Moreover, a balance tubing 872 is formed between the eye portions of the mask 80 for balancing pressure between the eye portions of the mask 80.
However, the known device suffered from several disadvantages. For example, the coupling between the projecting rod 31 and the actuator 40 is a cam-based one. Thus, its components are relatively complicated and unbearable noise can be generated during operation. The diaphragms are in contact with eye balls during operation. Thus, the diaphragms may be contaminated by tears. This is not hygienic. Moreover, the balance tubing 872 is exposed, resulting in a detraction of the device's external appearance. Thus, the need for improvement still exists.


The disclosed technology provides techniques, systems, and apparatus for containing and recovering from uncorrectable memory errors in distributed computing environment. An aspect of the disclosed technology includes a hypervisor or virtual machine manager that receives signaling of an uncorrectable memory error detected by a host machine. The virtual machine manager then uses information received via the signaling to identify virtual memory addresses or memory pages associated with the corrupted memory element so as to allow for containment and recovery from the error.

Cloud computing has impacted the way in which enterprises manage computing needs. It provides reliability, flexibility, scalability, and redundancy in a cost-effective way. It enables an enterprise to manage its information technology needs without, for instance, traditional capital investment and maintenance considerations. As more and more computing shifts to cloud systems, these systems now store, process, and output data on a scale that years ago was likely unimaginable. An effect of this shift is that memory errors that occur in the cloud, if not contained and/or recovered from, can impact customer or user experience on a scale corresponding to an enterprise's footprint on the cloud. For instance, it is not untypical that detection of an uncorrectable memory error on a host leads to shutting down of the host, resulting in abrupt termination of all hosted virtual machines (VMs). With memory sizes on the gigabyte or terabyte scale, that may impact thousands of VMs or applications that require lengthy time periods to reestablish.

Virtual machines recoverable from uncorrectable memory errors


The present invention is a video surveillance, storage, and alerting system having surveillance cameras, video analytics devices, audio sensory devices, other sensory devices, and a plurality of data storage devices. A network management module monitors network status of all subsystems including cameras, servers, storage devices, etc. and shows actively monitored areas on a physical map. A vehicle information module retrieves information from a law enforcement database about vehicles detected in the video data based on the vehicle's license plate, including information about stolen vehicles, as well as warrant, wanted person, and mug shot information for registered drivers of the vehicles. Video tips are received and processed from anonymous and non-anonymous sources. A correlation engine correlates primitive events and compound events from each of the subsystems, weighted by attributes of the events, across both space and time, and an alerting engine generates alerts and performs actions based on the correlation. A hierarchical storage manager manages storage of the vast amounts of data, including video data, based on importance of the data calculated from attributes of the data. A privacy filter ensures no private data is detected, correlated, or stored.

As citizens of a dangerous world, we all face security and safety risks. Every day, 30 people die by gunshot in the U.S.—one every 48 minutes. A police officer dies from a gunshot wound every ten days. An intelligent security and surveillance system may save lives. Unfortunately, if criminals know the existence of a video surveillance system, the first thing they will do is attempt to cut the lead to the cameras, servers, storage, and/or other system components, destroy system components, interfere or otherwise make portions of the system dysfunctional.
A recently foiled terrorist attack on Ft. Dix Army Base in New Jersey involved five terrorists planning to kill U.S. soldiers at the army base. They were observed by gate personnel and in video cameras surveying the army base on numerous occasions prior to the planned attack. A well-meaning citizen notified the police and FBI by submitting a "video tip" which started an investigation. The video tip included information and a video of the men training for the terrorist attack and plotting to kill as many American soldiers in as short a time as possible. During the Rodney King beatings in 1992, a bystander videotaped the police brutality and submitted the video to the courts. Girls bullying other girls in school have been recorded on camera phones and the videos were submitted to school administrators, which started an investigation. Citizens are submitting tips containing multimedia information to the police, but this information is not correlated with other events, indexed, or archived. Accordingly, an intelligent security and surveillance system utilizing tips containing multimedia information may help solve crime and prevent terrorist activity. Unfortunately, if criminals or terrorists know of the existence of a "video tip" line, they will attempt to fool, flood the system with numerous fake, superfluous, or distracting video tips, or otherwise make the system ineffective.
Vandalism and damage to property decreases property values. One study conducted by the London School of Economics found that "a one-tenth standard deviation increase in the recorded density of incidents of criminal damage has a capitalized cost of just under 1% of property values, or £2,200 on the average Inner London property" (Steve Gibbons, The Costs of Urban Property Crime, 2003). An intelligent security and surveillance system may prevent such vandalism. Unfortunately, monitoring and storing data from numerous surveillance cameras consumes a very large amount of storage.
Every year from 1996-2005, over a million motor vehicles were stolen every year. That corresponds to one car stolen every 26 seconds somewhere in the United States. In 2004, the value of stolen motor vehicles was $7.6 billion and only 13% of thefts were cleared by arrests (FBI Uniform Crime Reports, 2006). An intelligent security, surveillance, storage, and alerting system may help prevent stolen cars, and may identify stolen vehicles and hence aide in the apprehension of car thieves. Unfortunately, no existing surveillance system has the intelligence to correlate information about vehicles or has the connectivity to FBI, Interpol, state, or local law enforcement databases.
Violence in schools and on college campuses continues to rise, and has increased concern among students, parents, and teachers. A shooting at Virginia Tech University in 2007 resulted in the killing of 32 people and injured 24 others. In 2005, a professor at MIT was shot four times in a parking lot on MIT's campus. In September 2007, two students were shot by a fellow student at the Delaware State University. Shootings on college campuses are increasingly becoming a common concern. An intelligent security and surveillance system on college campuses may thwart future shootings. Unfortunately, state-of-the-art gunshot detection systems are not connected intelligently to video surveillance systems, to tip information, or to other data from legacy systems.
Therefore, as recognized by the present inventors, what are needed are a method, apparatus, and system of video surveillance that can detect network failures of cameras and other system hardware, that can intelligently store and index large amounts of data, which can receive video tips, and that can process information on vehicles.
What are also needed are a method, apparatus, and system of weighing input data from disparate systems to lower false alarm rates and to filter out unwanted, spurious, or intentionally distracting information.
When video data is recoded and indexed by event, citizens are concerned about their personal privacy. Citizens are concerned that not only are their actions being recoded, but their actions are searchable by event. Therefore, as recognized by the present inventors, what is also needed is a mechanism to filter out events that would be deemed to be an invasion of someone's privacy.
Accordingly, it would be an advancement in the state of the art to provide an apparatus, system, and method of video surveillance having network management, hierarchical data storage, a video tip module, a vehicle information module, a privacy filter, and a mechanism to weight the inputs from all these disparate systems to generate intelligent alerts.
It is against this background that various embodiments of the present invention were developed.

Video surveillance, storage, and alerting system having network management, hierarchical data storage, video tip processing, and vehicle plate analysis


A code multiplexing wireless apparatus for amplifying a code-multiplexed signal and then transmitting the amplified signal includes the following to reduce output back-off, improve the efficiency of a power amplifier and suppress broadening of the frequency spectrum: (1) a code-multiplexed signal generator for multiplying each item of transmission data by a spreading code sequence and combining spread-spectrum modulated signals to generate a code-multiplexed signal, (2) a signal-peak suppressing unit for holding the envelope of the code-multiplexed signal below a set level, and (3) a power amplifier for amplifying the code-multiplexed signal and transmitting the amplified code-multiplexed signal from an antenna.

This invention relates to a code multiplexing wireless apparatus and, more particularly, to a code multiplexing wireless apparatus for generating a code-multiplexed signal, amplifying the code-multiplexed signal and then transmitting the amplified signal.
Wireless access using CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) has been studied and is being put to use as the next generation of digital mobile communication. CDMA is a method of multiple access using spread-spectrum communication. Specifically, transmission information of a plurality of channels or users is multiplexed by coding and transmitted over a transmission path such as a radio link.
Spread-spectrum communication is a method of modulation that is different from ordinary modulation. In spread-spectrum communication, the bandwidth of a signal after modulation is made very large in comparison with that of the narrow band in modulation. With spread-spectrum communication, two-stage modulation/demodulation is performed in the transceiver.
FIG. 20 is a structural view illustrating the operating principle of a transmitter in spread-spectrum communication. Shown in FIG. 20 are a modulator 1 such as a (phase-shift keying) PSK modulator, a spreading circuit 2, a power amplifier 3 and an antenna 4. The positions of the modulator 1 and spreading circuit 2 may be interchanged. The spreading circuit 2 includes a spreading code generator 2a for outputting a rectangular spreading code sequence (see FIG. 21) that takes on levels of .+-.1, such as pseudorandom noise (PN), and a multiplier 2b for multiplying digital transmission data, which has been modulated by the modulator 1, by the spreading code.
As shown in FIG. 21, the speed at which the spreading code changes (namely duration Tc of the rectangular wave) is set so as to change over at a very high rate in comparison with symbol changeover speed (one bit interval T of the PSK-modulated signal) of the narrow-band modulated signal that is modulated by the spreading code. That is, T >> Tc holds. The duration of T is referred to as the "bit duration", the duration of Tc is referred to as the "chip duration", and the reciprocals of these are referred to as the "bit rate" and "chip rate", respectively. The ratio of T to Tc (i.e. T/Tc) is referred to as the "spreading ratio".
The spectrum distribution of a spread-spectrum modulated signal exhibits the shape of a sinc function, as shown in FIG. 22. The bandwidth of a main lobe ML is equal to twice the chip rate (i.e. ML=2/Tc), and the bandwidth of a side lobe SL is 1/Tc. Since the PSK signal prior to spread-spectrum modulation is an ordinary PSK signal modulated at the bit rate 1/T, the occupied bandwidth is 2/T. Accordingly, if the occupied bandwidth of the spread-spectrum modulated signal is made the bandwidth (=2/Tc) of the main lobe, the bandwidth of the original PSK-modulated signal will be broadened T/Tc times by applying spread-spectrum modulation. The energy is diffused as a result. FIG. 23 is an explanatory view illustrating the manner in which bandwidth is enlarged by spread-spectrum modulation. Shown in FIG. 23 are a narrow bandwidth-modulated signal NM and a spread-spectrum modulated signal SM.
FIG. 24 is a structural view illustrating the operating principle of a receiver in spread-spectrum communication. Shown in FIG. 24 are an antenna 5, a wide-band bandpass filter 6 for passing only signals of necessary frequency bands and preventing radio interference from unnecessary frequency bands, a de-spreading circuit 7, a narrow-band bandpass filter 8 and a detector circuit 9 such as a PSK demodulator. The de-spreading circuit 7 has a construction identical with that of the spreading circuit 2 on the transmitting side and includes a spreading code generator 7a for outputting a rectangular spreading code sequence the same as that on the transmitting side, and a multiplier 7b for multiplying the output signal of the bandpass filter 6, by the spreading code.
The wide-band reception signal sent to the receiver is restored to the original narrow-band modulated signal via the de-spreading circuit 7 similar to the spreading circuit on the transmitting side. This is followed by the generation of a baseband waveform via the detector circuit 9, which is of the ordinary type. The reason why the narrow-band modulated signal is obtained by the de-spreading circuit 7 is as set forth below.
As shown in FIG. 25, let a(t) represent the narrow-band modulated wave on the transmitting side, c(t) the spreading code sequence (spreading code) and x(t) the transmitted waveform. These are related as follows: EQU x(t)=a(t).multidot.c(t)
If attenuation and the effects of noise during transmission are neglected, the transmitted waveform x(t) arrives on the receiving side intact. The spreading code used by the de-spreading circuit 7 has a waveform exactly the same as that of the spreading code used in spread-spectrum modulation on the transmitting side, as mentioned above. Accordingly, the output y(t) of the de-spreading circuit 7 is given by the following equation: EQU y(t)=x(t).multidot.c(t)=a(t).multidot.c.sup.2 (t)
The output signal y(t) enters the bandpass filter 8. Passing this signal through the bandpass filter is the same as integrating the signal. Thus the output of the bandpass filter is given by the following equation: EQU .intg.y(t)dt=a(t).multidot..intg.c.sup.2 (t)dt
The integral on the right side of this equation is an autocorrelation value obtained when the shift in time is made zero. The autocorrelation value is unity. Accordingly, the output of the bandpass filter is a(t) and the narrow-band modulating signal is obtained.
Code division multiple access (CDMA) is a method of communication using a different spreading code for each channel or user, whereby the information transmitted on the respective channels is multiplexed by the codes. FIG. 26 is a diagram for describing the principle of CDMA on two channels. Shown in FIG. 26 are a transmitter TR in which CH1 is a first channel, CH2 a second channel and CMP a combining unit, and first and second receivers RV1, RV2, respectively.
An important point in CDMA is the "similarity" of the spreading codes used by each of the channels. When almost identical spreading codes are used by each of the channels, the channels interfere with each other severely. A so-called "correlation value" is a measure of the degree to which interference between channels occurs. The correlation value is defined by the following equation with respect to two waveforms a(t) and b(t): EQU R=.intg.a(t).multidot.b(t)dt T: period
The integration is carried out over one period T of a(t), b(t). We have R=1 when a(t) and b(t) are exactly identical waveforms and R=-1 when the waveforms are of opposite signs. On the average, looking at one period, the value of R obtained is zero when there is no relationship between the value of a(t) at a certain time and the value of b(t) at the same time.
Consider the first receiver RV1 in a situation where CDMA is performed using, as the spreading code, two waveforms c.sub.1 (t) and c.sub.2 (t) of such a combination that the correlation value R is zero. The signals from the first and second channels CH1 and CH2 arrive at the first receiver RV1. When the first receiver RV1 de-spreads the received signals using the code c.sub.1 (t), a bandpass filter 8.sub.1 outputs a signal represented by the following equation: EQU .intg.{a.sub.1 (t)c.sub.1 (t)c.sub.1 (t)+a.sub.2 (t)c.sub.2 (t)c.sub.1 (t)}dt
The .intg.{a.sub.2 (t)c.sub.2 (t)c.sub.1 (t)}dt part of this is zero because the correlation value between c.sub.2 (t) and c.sub.1 (t) is zero. Further, .intg.c.sub.1 (t)c.sub.1 (t)dt is unity since this is an autocorrelation value in which the displacement in time is zero. Accordingly, the output of the low-pass filter 8.sub.1 of the first receiver RV1 is al(t) and the influence of the signal making use of c.sub.2 (t) as the spreading code is entirely absent. The same is true for the second receiver RV2. This will hold even if the number of simultaneously connected communication channels is increased. However, it is required that the correlation value be zero for the spreading codes of all combinations.
In actual CDMA, mutual influence cannot be measured merely by the correlation value. The reason for this is that the transmitting parties do not emit radio waves at exactly the same timing (i.e. in synchronous fashion). Accordingly, the correlation values of c.sub.1 (t) and c.sub.2 (t) are not merely compared; it is required that the correlation values be observed for a case where c.sub.1 (t) and c.sub.2 (t) are shifted arbitrarily in time.
Accordingly, it is required that a base station handling a plurality of channels or a mobile station exhibiting a high transmission rate through use of a plurality of channels have a function for generating, amplifying and transmitting code-multiplexed signals. Code multiplexing is carried out by linear voltage addition of signals spread by codes, a code-multiplexed signal obtained by voltage addition is bandwidth-limited by a chip shaping filter, the bandwidth-limited code-multiplexed signal is converted to a radio frequency and then subsequently amplified by a power amplifier before being transmitted.
FIG. 27 is a diagram showing the construction of a prior-art CDMA transmitter which code-multiplexes and transmits data on a number of channels. As shown in FIG. 27, the transmitter includes serial/parallel (S/P) converters 11.sub.1 .about.11.sub.n for alternately distributing, one bit at a time, serial data D.sub.1 .about.D.sub.n of first through nth channels, respectively, thereby converting the data to I-component (in-phase component) data D.sub.ij (j=1,2, . . . n) and Q-component (quadrature-component) data D.sub.qj (j=1, 2, . . . n); spreading circuits 12.sub.1 .about.12.sub.n for multiplying the data D.sub.ij, D.sub.qj by spreading codes C.sub.ij, C.sub.qj, respectively; a combiner 13i for outputting an I-component code-multiplexed signal V.sub.I by combining the I-component spread-spectrum modulated signals output by the respective spreading circuits 12.sub.1 .about.12.sub.n ; a combiner 13q for outputting a Q-component code-multiplexed signal V.sub.Q by combining the Q-component spread-spectrum modulated signals output by the respective spreading circuits 12.sub.1 .about.12.sub.n ; chip shaping filters 14i, 14q for limiting the bandwidth of the code-multiplexed signals V.sub.I, V.sub.Q, respectively; DA converters 15i, 15q for converting the digital outputs of the respective filters 14i, 14q to analog signals; a quadrature modulator 16 for applying quadrature modulation to the code-multiplexed signals V.sub.I, V.sub.Q of the I and Q components; and a power amplifier 17 for amplifying the output of the quadrature modulator and entering the amplified signal into an antenna, not shown.
The quadrature modulator 16 includes a carrier generator 16a for outputting a carrier wave cos.omega.t having a prescribed frequency, a 90.degree. phase shifter 16b for shifting the phase of the carrier wave by 90.degree. and outputting -sin.omega.t, a multiplier 16c for multiplying the output signal of the DA converter 15i by cos.omega.t, a multiplier 16d for multiplying the output signal of the DA converter 15q by -sin.omega.t, and a combiner 16e for combining the outputs of the multipliers 16c and 16d.
In CDMA, the amplitude (the outputs of the combiners 13i, 13q in FIG. 27) of the code-multiplexed signals is the sum of the voltages of the number of items of information multiplexed (the number of channels), and therefore maximum power Pmax is proportional to the square of the number of multiplexed channels. More specifically, the output of each of the spreading circuits is either +1 or -1, and the maximum amplitude of the code-multiplexed signal prevailing when +1 is being output by all spreading circuits of the n channels is n. The maximum power is proportional to n.sup.2. Mean power Pmean is proportional to the number n of multiplexed channels. This means that the peak factor (=Pmax/Pmean) of a code-multiplexed signal in a case where the number n of multiplexed channels is large becomes very large.
In wireless communication, the frequency band used in communication is limited. Consequently, it is necessary to suppress broadening of the frequency spectrum caused by non-linear distortion in the power amplifier (FIG. 27). More specifically, since broadening of the frequency spectrum is a cause of interference between adjacent channels, it is required that such broadening be reduced. Owing to this requirement, it is required that operation be performed in a linear region in a case where the code multiple signal is amplified by a power amplifier. A large output back-off must be employed. When output back-off is made large, however, a problem which arises is a large decrease in the power efficiency of the power amplifier. On the other hand, if the output back-off is not made sufficiently large, broadening of the spectrum is caused by non-linear distortion in the power amplifier. The problem which arises in this case is a decline in the frequency utilization efficiency of the system.
FIG. 28 shows an example of an AM-AM characteristic (input power vs. gain characteristic) of a power amplifier, and FIG. 29 shows an example of an AM-PM characteristic (input power vs. phase characteristic) of a power amplifier. The gain characteristic and phase characteristic of a power amplifier are flat and so is the input/output characteristic as long as the input power is small. There is also no phase rotation under these conditions. However, when the input power exceeds a certain level, gain starts to decline, a phase lag develops and each characteristic becomes non-linear. The output power level at which gain declines by 1 dB is referred to as the "1 db compression level", and the difference between this level and the mean output power is the output back-off OBO.
Even if the mean power level of the input signal resides in the linear area in such a non-linear amplifier, a signal having the maximum power level or a level near this level surpasses the 1 dB compression level owing to balance between the output back-off OBO and peak factor, distortion is produced and the frequency spectrum broadens. Since the peak factor is very large in a CDMA transmitter, as mentioned above, this problem is a serious one.
If the output back-off OBO is enlarged by lowering the mean power level of the input signal in such a manner that the 1 dB compression level will not be exceeded when the input signal of the maximum output level arrives, distortion does not develop and there is no broadening of the frequency spectrum. However, lowering the mean output level causes a decline in the power efficiency of the power amplifier.
Thus, in the prior art, when distortion in a power amplifier or broadening of the frequency spectrum is prevented by lowering the mean power level of the input signal (for which the output back-off OBO is large), the power efficiency of the power amplifier falls. Conversely, if the efficiency of a power amplifier is raised by raising the mean power level of the input signal (for which the output back-off OBO is small), then distortion is produced in the power amplifier and the frequency spectrum widens.
Further, as shown in FIG. 27, the DA converters 15i, 15q are required in the arrangement for producing the code-multiplexed signal by digital signal processing. There is a limitation upon the number of quantization bits in such DA converters and full scale is set in such a manner that the maximum value of the code-multiplexed signal can be delivered as an output. With a CDMA transmitter, however, the peak factor of the code-multiplexed signal is very large. As a result, the number of effective bits with regard to a signal in the vicinity of mean power having a high frequency of occurrence decreases and quantization noise increases. The deterioration due to quantization has a deleterious effect upon the noise floor of the spectrum frequency and is a cause of interference between adjacent channels.


Receiver-side apparatus for a transmission link, the link using different transport formats for blocks of data, and using convolutional coding with additional error detection code information, for transmitting the blocks to the receiver side, the apparatus having a decoder for performing a trellis decode and tracebacks of one of the received coded blocks, to produce decoded data candidates, an error detection element for carrying out one or more speculative error detections on the candidates, assuming part of each candidate is the additional error detection code, and part is the block of data, and a format detector for determining a transport format based on a result of the speculative error detections, the apparatus being arranged to determine a probability of a candidate being valid, and prioritize carrying out the tracebacks or the speculative error detections according to the probabilities.

It is known to provide transport services for data over a transmission link using various telecommunication protocols. One such set of protocols, known as UMTS, is the European proposal for a third generation (3G) cellular network. It is inter-operable with the existing GSM network, and is notable for providing high speed packet-switched data transmission. UMTS transmission protocols are defined in a series of standards developed by the Third Generation Protocol Partnership (3GPP). These standards define a number of layers for the transmissions, broadly in line with the well known ISO seven layer definition. There is a physical layer, L1, a data link layer, L2, and a network layer L3. Layer 2 of this UMTS protocol stack includes procedures for handling data from or to a MAC (Medium Access Control) and higher layers. The data in the form of Transport blocks or sets of Transport blocks is encoded/decoded to offer transport services over a radio transmission link. A channel coding scheme provides a combination of error detection, error correcting, rate matching, interleaving and transport channels mapping onto/splitting from physical channels.
At a receiver, it is necessary to identify a channel format and decode the overhead and payload in the data to enable these functions of the coding scheme to operate. Suitable coding schemes are described in detail in the 3GPP standard 25.212 to which the reader is referred. One of the schemes for the receiver, described in this document, is blind transport format detection (BTFD). This is a scheme for detecting the format of the transport channels and in particular detecting a finish of a block of data for one channel. It makes use of the fact that the block is terminated by an error detection code, in this case a CRC (Cyclic Redundancy Check) code. The scheme uses this to test whether a given sequence of bits in the data stream could be a CRC code, for a block of data bits preceding the CRC bits. For different channel formats, the length of the block may differ. It may be coded in various ways including convolution coding.
Explicit blind transport format detection involves performing the recursive add-compare-select (ACS) process of a trellis decode over the maximum Transport Format (TF) length, storing trace-back information as one goes. This is followed by a series of speculative trace-backs and subsequent CRC checks starting from each position where a potential transport format could have terminated. This is summarised in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. When a CRC pass is found the resulting decoded sequence has a high probability of being the correct one of the correct length and hence also the correct transport format. This implies the need for a convolutional coded data sequence that has a CRC appended to it prior to encoding. The series of tracebacks and subsequent CRC checks are carried out in order of the shortest tracebacks first.

Blind transport format detection for transmission link


A dust cover comprises a plurality of shied plates which are equal in shape and progressively reduced in size. The shield plates are joined together such that they expand and retract along an axial direction; a linking device formed of a plurality of link rod units which have two rod members equal in length. The two rod members are pivoted together at the midpoint such that two ends of the two rod members form a pair of opening-closing arms. Two arms of each one end of each link rod unit are pivoted with two arms of other link rod unit to form two pivoting points pivoted in the lower side of the same shield plate.

The present invention relates to a dust cover.
As shown in FIG. 1, a prior art dust cover 10 is formed of a plurality of shield plates similar in shape and different in size such that they are progressively smaller. The shield plates are joined together such that they are moved one after another, with the first shield plate acting like a locomotive. The dust cover can be thus expanded or retracted.
The prior art dust cover has several shortcomings. In the first place, the prior art dust cover is noisy in view of the fact that the shield plates collide with one another to make noise at the time when they are pulled one after another. In order to avert the noise, the shield plates are provided with a plastic silencer., which is vulnerable to damage caused by the engine oil, the rustproof machining fluid, the collision, etc. The damaged plastic silencer must be replaced every three months. In light of the pulling of the shield plates one after another, the dust covers are apt to be unparalleled. As a result, the dust covers are eventually moved in a curved path, thereby resulting in damage of the dust covers.
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a dust cover which is quiet and capable of moving simultaneously in a parallel manner.
The dust cover of the present invention comprises a plurality of shield plates which are equal in shape to one another, and different in size such that the size is progressively reduced. The shield plates are joined together to expand or retract axially. The dust cover further comprises a linking device which is formed of a plurality of link rod units, with each having two rod members equal in length. The two rod members are pivoted together at the midpoints thereof such that two ends of the two rod members form a pair of arms capable of opening and closing. The two arms of each side of each link rod are pivoted with the two arms of other link rod to form two pivoting points, which are pivoted under the same shield plate, thereby forming an expandable and retractable device for linking the dust cover.

Dust cover capable of simultaneous movement in parallel manner


A career guidance organizer comprising a bag for storing career guidance information having an open top end and a closing flap extending from a rear wall of the bag body over the open top end to close the open end and a plurality of spaced apart dividers extending between opposite side walls of the bag to present compartments within the bag. Each divider has a different career guidance indicia thereon. Each indicia is indicative of a type of career guidance publication positioned adjacent a corresponding divider. A first indicia relates to mistakes and solutions therefor during career transitions, a second indicia relates to career sourcing options, a third indicia relates to resume preparation, and a fourth indicia relates to interview preparation and post-interview, follow-up procedures.

People seeking employment today must be well prepared with a wide variety of information to obtain employment and meet the demand of employers. Job employment and career guidance guides may typically include informative books or games. For instance, books are available on how to find a job or write a resume. Unfortunately, these may not contain the concise information in an organized manner that is most needed to obtain employment. Games, on the other hand, may suffer from the opposite problem. That is, they may not provide enough pertinent information that is easily accessible by a job seeker and of course, also are not transportable for easy access at any time.


An asphalt release agent for preventing hot road asphalt, especially polymer-modified asphalt, from sticking to surfaces of delivery truck beds is provided. The release agent includes a water-based mixture of polycycloaliphatic amines and polyalkylene glycols. The release agent is applied onto the truck beds to create a slippery non-stick surface so that the road asphalt which comes in contact with such truck bed surfaces will not adhere.

Most roadways throughout the world are paved with asphalt concrete mixes. Typically, the hot asphalt road mix containing asphalt cement, aggregate, and antistripping agents is produced at an asphalt plant and transported to the construction site in the beds of dump trucks. One of the problems encountered in delivering road asphalt in dump trucks is that the asphalt tends to stick to the metal surfaces of the truck beds. Making this problem worse is the recent trend toward the use of polymer-modified road asphalt mixes which form more tenacious bonds with the truck bed surfaces.
The sticking prevents the asphalt from smoothly sliding out as the dump truck discharges its load. Workers are thus required to expend considerable time and energy to manually scrape the asphalt out of the truck bed with shovels. Most often, however, solidified pieces of asphalt remain adhered to the bed despite the workers best efforts. Asphalt is wasted and material usage suffers. Furthermore, as the hardened deposits build up in the truck bed, the quality of subsequent road mixes is also affected. The adherent pieces eventually fall off as large solid inclusions in subsequent road mixes. Often, the inclusions cause the road paving equipment to tear up the road membrane as the asphalt is laid down.
One approach taken to solve this problem has been to spray asphalt release agents over the truck bed surfaces to prevent asphalt adherence. A popular asphalt release agent used in the past was hydrocarbon fuel such as ordinary diesel fuel. Diesel fuel was extremely effective in cutting and dissolving the asphalt in order to prevent it from sticking. However, diesel fuel has since been outlawed as an asphalt release agent. It presented too many soil and ground water contamination risks and also when not used properly decomposed the asphalt. Other fuel-based release agents such as hydrocarbon wax emulsions have been banned as well, since they also damaged the structural integrity of the contacted asphalt, resulting in inferior and shorter-lasting roads. Furthermore, all release agents which rely upon decomposition or degradation of the contacted asphalt are no longer considered desirable.
Non-fuel based asphalt release agents which provide slippery surfaces on the truck bed to prevent the asphalt from sticking without decomposing the asphalt have also been tried. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,332,554 (DeLong) discloses a foam asphalt release agent including an aqueous solution of an inorganic salt, such as magnesium chloride or calcium chloride, together with a foaming agent, such as an anionic isopropyl alcohol surfactant, a metal corrosion inhibitor, such as sodium phosphate ester, and optional dye. U.S. Pat. No. 5,494,502 (DeLong) discloses another non-fuel based foam asphalt release agent including an aqueous mixture of a fatty oil, together with a foaming agent, such as an anionic surfactant, optional emulsion stabilizer, such as crosslinked polymer microgels, optional alkalinizing agent, such as triethanolamine, and optional preservative or antimicrobial agent, such as sodium benzoate. U.S. Pat. No. 5,407,490 (Zofchak) discloses still another asphalt release agent comprising a water-based mixture of monomethyl coconate esters together with ethoxylated sorbitan ester emulsifiers. These non-fuel based release agents, however, suffer from not being especially effective in releasing the more tenaciously adhered pieces of polymer-modified asphalt from the truck beds, which traditionally have been more difficult to handle. Other non-fuel based release agents have also been tried, but most of these suffer from being limited in ineffectiveness, environmentally hazardous, thermally unstable, costly, or complex in preparation, delivery, or application.
It would be desirable to provide a more effective asphalt release agent which does not suffer from the foregoing disadvantages. Yet, from a practical standpoint, this is difficult because of the stringent requirements that must be satisfied. For instance, economics are extremely important in the asphalt industry due to the large scale of potential application. Thus, any material proposed for use as an asphalt release agent must be very inexpensive, which eliminates many potential candidates. Another important criteria is that the release agent must be derived from relatively high boiling, thermally stable materials that will not substantially decompose and volatilize when contacted with the hot asphalt road mix, which is usually loaded at the asphalt plant onto the truck beds at temperatures typically above 325.degree. F. The release agent should also have a sufficiently high flash point to avoid flammability hazards which may be encountered at the asphalt plant or construction site. Moreover, the release agent should be environmentally friendly, physiologically safe, relatively non-corrosive to human skin, easy to prepare, deliver and apply even in extreme cold weather conditions, and should not degrade the contacted asphalt in any manner that would impair the road quality. And all of the above requirements must be satisfied, while also providing a material possessing effective asphalt release action, especially with respect to polymer-modified asphalt.
What is needed is an asphalt release agent that is exceptionally effective in preventing the sticking of asphalt, especially asphalt containing polymers, to truck beds and other surfaces, is environmentally friendly and physiologically safe, is inexpensive, is easy to prepare, deliver and apply even in extreme cold temperatures, is thermally stable and long-lasting, is non-flammable, and does not compromise the quality of asphalt laid down in the road.


A head stack assembly (HSA) for a disk drive includes an actuator body having a cylindrical bore therethrough and an actuator arm extending therefrom. A head is attached to a distal end of the actuator arm. A pivot bearing cartridge is disposed within the cylindrical bore. A tolerance band is radially preloaded between an outer surface of the pivot bearing cartridge and an inner surface of the cylindrical bore. The cylindrical bore has a first diameter in a first region adjacent a first axial end, and a second diameter in a second region adjacent a second axial end. There is a radial step between the first and second regions. The first diameter is greater than the second diameter by at least 20 microns but no more than 100 microns.

Information storage devices are used to retrieve and/or store data in computers and other consumer electronics devices. A magnetic hard disk drive is an example of an information storage device that includes one or more heads that can both read and write, but other information storage devices also include heads—sometimes including heads that cannot write. For example, in an optical disk drive, the head will typically include a mirror and objective lens for reflecting and focusing a laser beam on to a surface of the disk.
In a modern magnetic hard disk drive device, each head is a sub-component of a head gimbal assembly (HGA) that typically includes a suspension assembly with a laminated flexure to carry the electrical signals to and from the head. The HGA, in turn, is a sub-component of a head stack assembly (HSA) that typically includes a plurality of HGAs, an actuator, and a flexible printed circuit (FPC) that includes a flex cable. The plurality of HGAs are attached to various arms of the actuator, and each of the laminated flexures of the HGAs has a flexure tail that is electrically connected to the FPC of the HSA.
In many disk drives, the actuator includes arms that position the heads, and that extend from an actuator body. The actuator body includes a bore into which a pivot bearing is fixed by a tolerance ring. Typically, tolerance rings include a cylindrical base portion and a plurality of contacting portions that are raised or recessed from the cylindrical base portion. The contacting portions are typically partially compressed during installation to create a radial preload between the mating cylindrical features of the parts joined by the tolerance ring. The radial preload compression provides frictional engagement that prevents axial slippage of the mating parts. For example, in disk drive applications, the radial compressive preload of the tolerance ring prevents separation and slippage at the interface between the actuator body and the pivot bearing during operation and during mechanical shock events. The tolerance ring also acts as a radial spring. In this way, the tolerance ring positions the interior cylindrical part relative to the exterior cylindrical part while making up for radial clearance and manufacturing variations in the radius of the parts.
The rotational position of the actuator body and arms about the pivot bearing may be changed and controlled, by a magnetic interaction between fixed magnets and an electromagnetic coil that extends from the actuator body in a direction that is generally opposite from the actuator arms. However, the protruding arms and coil may participate in mechanical resonances of the actuator, in a way somewhat reminiscent of a tuning fork. The actuator body may also participate in such a resonance by rocking against or about its attachment constraints.
Such actuator resonances may be excited by intentional rotational accelerations of the actuator about the pivot bearing and/or unintentional rotational or translational mechanical shocks to the actuator structure or its attachment. Any mechanical resonance of the actuator is generally undesirable, and may become problematic if it is characterized by a resonance frequency that is too closely aligned with an excitation and/or a resonance frequency of coupled structure, and/or if its amplitude becomes excessive.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for an improved actuator structure that may better control mechanical resonances of the actuator body and/or a protruding coil or arm.

Disk drive actuator having a radially stepped pivot bore


A method for rupturing microalgae in an aqueous suspension is disclosed. In one embodiment the aqueous suspension is passed through a constriction into a liquid phase at a pressure sufficient to rupture the cells by circulating the aqueous suspension through a constriction in a pump loop at a pressure and a percent recycle sufficient to rupture the cells. Cells of the alga Dunaliella salina can be ruptured by the method of the invention to promote froth flotation and mechanical filtration of the cells for recovery of mixed carotenoids.

Carotenoids are deep yellow-orange pigments found in orange and yellow colored vegetables and in many dark green foods. Beta carotene is the most abundant of the various carotenoids. Beta carotene can be converted by the body to vitamin A. Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin that can be stored in the body for a limited period of time, primarily in the liver, unlike the water soluble vitamins, which are not storable. Vitamin A can be toxic if ingested in large amounts. However, beta carotene is converted by the body into vitamin A as needed and typically is considered a non-toxic source of vitamin A even in large amounts.
Beta carotene has been identified as an antioxidant that is capable of countering the damaging effects of oxidation in animal tissues. For this reason and as a nontoxic source of vitamin A, beta carotene has been highly valued and commercially important as a nutritional supplement. However, concerns have recently arisen regarding the health benefits of beta carotene as a nutritional supplement isolated from the mixed carotenoids in which beta carotene typically is found in nature.
Plant derived mixed carotenoids, including beta carotene, can be obtained from a number of sources including carrots, spinach, and palm oil, but their relative concentration is higher in algae of the genus Dunaliella. These algae are commonly found in concentrated salt solutions. Under appropriate growth conditions, more than ten percent of the algal dry weight can be mixed carotenoids.
For example, Dunaliella salina tends to accumulate significant amounts of carotenoids and glycerol when stressed by exposure to high temperatures, intense light, and brine solutions having a concentration of sodium chloride of greater than about 20 percent by weight per unit volume of brine. The carotenoids are thought to protect the algae from sunlight. The concentration of carotenoids increases with increasing salt concentration of the brine up to the limit of halotolerance of the algae.
Numerous methods have been proposed for recovering beta carotene, carotenoids, and other valuable components from Dunaliella salina. Dunaliella salina provides a source of beta carotene and other carotenoids from which several nutritional supplements presently are manufactured. However, economically efficient recovery of carotenoids from Dunaliella salina in a form free from potentially toxic solvents and other undesirable substances has been somewhat problematic. Commercial exploitation of Dunaliella salina as a source of carotenoids presents numerous difficulties.
Halotolerant algae, including Dunaliella salina are typically found in salt lakes, including the Great Salt Lake in Utah. Harvesting Dunaliella salina from lakes and other natural settings typically is not commercially practicable, in part because of the low concentrations that are found in uncontrolled growing conditions.
Commercially, Dunaliella salina normally is harvested from cultures that are produced in specially constructed outdoor ponds. The outdoor ponds typically are constructed in regions with a hot and arid climate with little rainfall and few cloudy days to promote carotenoid production.
Two distinct methods of aquaculture have been developed for growing algae. These are an intensive mode and an extensive mode. Both aquacultural techniques require the addition of fertilizers to the medium to supply the necessary inorganic nutrients, phosphorous, nitrogen, iron, and trace metals, that are necessary for biomass production through photosynthesis.
The primary difference between the two modes of production is mixing of the growth medium. Intensive ponds employ mechanical mixing devices while extensive ponds rely on mixing by the wind. Therefore, factors that affect algae growth can be more accurately controlled in intensive aquaculture.
In both the intensive and extensive modes, the salinity of the growth medium is controlled within a specified range, usually between about 18 to 27 percent sodium chloride by weight per unit volume of brine. This range of concentrations is thought to provide the maximum carotenoid production. The optimum growth range for Dunaliella salina is said to be between about 18 and 21 percent salinity. Maximum carotenoid production in the algal biomass is said to occur at salinities greater than about 27 percent. Maximum carotenoid production per unit volume of the brine medium has been reported to occur at about 24 percent salinity.
Outdoor ponds for intensive aquaculture typically are somewhat expensive and are frequently constructed of concrete and lined with plastic. Brine depth generally is controlled at 20 centimeters, which has been considered to be the optimum depth for producing algal biomass. A number of configurations of the ponds have been proposed for intensive aquaculture. However, the open air raceway ponds are typically the most important commercially. Raceway ponds employ paddle wheels to provide mixing. Chemical and biological parameters are carefully controlled, including salt and fertilizer concentrations, pH of the brine, and purity of the culture.
Extensive aquaculture has been practiced in the hot and arid regions of Australia. Outdoor ponds for extensive aquaculture generally are larger than those for intensive aquaculture and normally are constructed in lake beds. The open air ponds are typically bounded by earthen dikes. No mixing devices are employed. Mixing in the pond is generated by the wind. Pond depth and chemical composition are optimized for maximum carotenoid production.
However, the parameters for maximum carotenoid production and culture purity and stability are not as easily controlled in the extensive ponds as in the intensive ponds because of the lack of efficient mixing and the larger volume of the extensive pond. The composition of the brine fluctuates. The algal biomass is less concentrated than in the intensive ponds. The extensive pond is more susceptible to infestations by predators and competitors.
Predators and competitors cannot typically survive at salinities of about 20 percent and above. If the salinity of the pond drops below about 20 percent, the culture may become infested with a predator that may rapidly increase in number and decimate the Dunaliella salina population. The primary predators are the ciliated protozoan Fabrea salina and the brine shrimp Artemia salina. At salt concentrations below about 15 percent, other algae tend to compete with Dunaliella salina for nutrients and additional predators may further reduce the Dunaliella salina population.
Recovery of the algae from the brine is more problematic in the extensive pond than in the intensive pond because of the more dilute culture. However, it has been observed that algae tend to concentrate in windrows at the edges of extensive ponds and in natural salt lakes. The algae are often blown across the surface of the lake or pond where they collect and concentrate in windrows at the lee side. It has been recognized that the ability to harvest the windrows could significantly improve the process economics because of the higher concentration of algae. Nevertheless, satisfactory techniques for harvesting windrows are not generally available.
It is not usually possible to consistently harvest windrows from a fixed harvesting plant site. Wind direction normally is somewhat unpredictable and may change frequently. The windrows may form at different locations along the side of the pond or lake. When the windrow does not form at a fixed harvesting plant site, then a dilute suspension that is depleted in the alga is processed, which results in a reduced production rate. Harvesting costs are higher due to the processing costs associated with more dilute cultures.
Nevertheless, higher harvesting costs may be offset by the capital costs associated with constructing concrete and plastic lined ponds for intensive aquaculture. Pond construction costs per unit volume for the earthen extensive ponds are significantly lower than those for the lined concrete ponds of intensive aquaculture.
It has been recognized that if algae could be harvested from the lakes in which they grow naturally, then pond construction costs, fertilizer costs, and brine make up costs conceivably could be substantially eliminated. However, harvesting algae from lakes and other natural settings typically has been considered uneconomical and without commercial utility. There usually is no degree of control over the salinity of the lake waters, the mineral and nutrient composition of the lake waters, and the degree of mixing in a natural salt lake. Dilute cultures of algae of questionable stability may occur.
Dilute cultures of Dunaliella salina are generally uneconomical to process in part because of the problems and difficulties encountered in separating the algae from the brine in which they grow. The algae have mobility, neutral density, and a small elliptical shape of approximately 12 to 16 microns by 25 microns that makes the algae somewhat difficult to harvest.
Dunaliella salina typically is separated from the brine within which it is found by using a chemical flocculating or coagulating agent in combination with a settler, centrifuge, filter, adsorbent, or other separation means. Chemical treatments, including, for example, the silanes, can be applied to adsorption media to enhance adsorption. Various processes have been proposed for extracting beta carotene, carotenoids, and other valuable components from the algae, including glycerol and proteins. Hydrocarbon solvents, edible oil solvents, and supercritical carbon dioxide have been proposed as solvents for the extractions. The algae may be disintegrated by mechanical means to promote extraction of the components.
Chemical additives such as flocculants and coagulants have limited the commercial exploitation of Dunaliella salina as a source of carotenoids and beta carotene in part because of the costs of adding these components to algal suspensions, particularly dilute suspensions. Chemical additives, chemical treatments, and hydrocarbon solvents are considered undesirable in nutritional supplements.
It would be desirable to more economically and efficiently harvest Dunaliella salina and to extract the carotenoids and other valuable components therefrom with minimal or no undesirable additives.


A photoelectric conversion connector, includes: an optical element that performs one of inputting and outputting an optical signal; an electric element that controls one of a light emission and a light reception of the optical element; and at least one substrate on which the electric element and the optical element are mounted, the substrate including an aligning and connecting part that allows connecting an optical fiber that performs one of inputting an optical signal output from the optical element and outputting an optical signal input to the optical element, the aligning and connecting part being provided on a surface different from a surface on which the optical element are mounted of the substrate, the optical fiber being connected to the substrate via the aligning and connecting part, and the optical element and the optical fiber being arranged and mounted in line along a direction of a thickness of the substrate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a photoelectric conversion connector, an optical transmission module, an imaging apparatus provided with the optical transmission module, and an endoscope.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, endoscopes for medical and industrial purposes have been widely used, and especially a medical endoscope enables an observation of a diseased site when an insertion part thereof is deeply inserted into an inside of a body and further enables an examination and a treatment of the inside of the body when a treatment tool is used in combination when needed. As such an endoscope, an endoscope provided with an imaging apparatus that includes therein an imaging element such as a CCD at a distal end of an insertion part is available. In recent years, an imaging element having a large number of pixels enabling an observation with clearer images has been developed and an application of such an imaging element having a large number of pixels to an endoscope has been studied. In a case of using an imaging element having a large number of pixels in an endoscope, it becomes necessary to embed an optical transmission module in the endoscope for transmitting signals at high speed between the imaging element and a signal processing device. To reduce a burden on a patient and secure a field of view for observation, it is necessary to reduce a width and a length of a photoelectric conversion connector which is a hard part constituting the optical transmission module to be embedded to the inside of the endoscope as much as possible since a smaller outer diameter of a distal end part of an insertion part of the endoscope and a shorter length of the distal end part are aspired to.
Meanwhile, an optical active connector provided with a case that houses an electric connector, an optical element, and a mounting substrate at predetermined positions has been proposed as a technique regarding an optical active connector that performs a conversion between an optical signal and an electric signal. Detailed information of the technique is obtained in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-116400, for example.

Photoelectric conversion connector, optical transmission module, imaging apparatus, and endoscope


A system and method is provided that authenticates a user using hybrid biometrics information, such as a user's image information, a user's voice information, etc. The user authentication method includes: acquiring a number of biometrics information; generating a number of authentication information corresponding to the acquired biometrics information; and performing an integral user authentication based on the by generated authentication information.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a system and method that authenticates a user using hybrid biometrics information, such as a user's image information, a user's voice information, etc.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the development of information and digital communication technology, various types of portable devices have been introduced to provide communication services and process user information. Examples of the user devices are mobile communication terminals, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), electronic organizers, smart phones, tablet PCs, etc. These devices may be equipped with a variety of functions, such as, a voice call, a message transmission for Short Message Service (SMS)/Multimedia Message Service (MMS) for example, a video call, an electronic organizer, a camera function, an emailing function, a broadcast playback, a video playback, an Internet function, an e-commerce function, an audio playback, a schedule function, a Social Networking Service (SNS), a messenger, a dictionary, a game device, etc.
User devices are also equipped with a security function to prevent unauthorized users from accessing the devices. For example, when user devices with a security function are turned on, a lock screen may be displayed, so that a user can release the lock state only if the preset passwords are applied to the lock screens. In recent years, biometrics has been used to identify humans by their characteristics, e.g., finger prints, faces, voices, retinas, irises, etc., and, as it has proven to provide a relatively high level of security, it has been implemented in user authentication systems and its application rapidly growing.
When conventional user authentication systems applied to user devices identify users by their characteristics, they require the users to directly input their fingerprint information to a fingerprint identifier installed to the devices or to directly place their eye close to an iris identifier installed to the devices. As such, since conventional user authentication systems force users to take specific steps to acquire their biometrics information, they inconvenience users.
Meanwhile, if facial information or voice information is used to identify users, they can reduce user inconvenience and discomfort while they are inputting the information thereto. In particular, since conventional user authentication systems using facial or voice information can use a camera module or a microphone of a user device, they don't need additional input parts, and this can thus reduce costs when they are installed to the user devices. Therefore, researches and developments regarding user authentication systems using facial or voice information from among biometrics information are growing.
It is in light of this background information related to the user authentication that the significant improvements of the present invention have evolved.

Method and system for authenticating user of a mobile device via hybrid biometics information


Enhanced input field features and techniques for displaying and resolving location information in meeting items are provided. In response to a user's interaction with a place name displayed in the location field of a user interface for a meeting item, up to date information is retrieved about the location associated with the place name from a web service and displayed. The display can include a map image tile. In addition to enabling the displaying of up to date information, during creation of the meeting item, the location input field of a meeting item can present location suggestions from within the location input field, for example, as a drop-down listing of possible locations. The suggestions for completing a user's input text string to the location input field can be obtained from sources such as a web service, a mailbox, a managed database/directory service, a history cache/database or a combination thereof.

The location field for a meeting or scheduling request is an underutilized component in current calendaring and scheduling software. Typically, an organizer of a meeting includes a location of the meeting in the location input field text box of a meeting item, such as a meeting invitation request, event compose form, appointment, or contact card. This meeting location is generally input as freeform text into the text box in order to define the meeting location. The organizer enters the correct name and/or address of the desired meeting place in its entirety in order to provide the meeting location in the meeting item in a manner readily translatable to a recipient (who may use the location information to obtain a map of the location or directions to the location). To enter the desired meeting place in its entirety, the organizer plans in advance for finding a location for the meeting or appointment, often moving between the meeting item form and a browser in order to determine the correct name or address of the desired place.
Alternatively, because entering a desired meeting place in its entirety along with a street address or long text can be cumbersome (or not readily available), a meeting organizer may use shorthand location entries. For example, an organizer may define the meeting location as "my office," "coffee shop," or "main conference room."
The shorthand versions may be sufficient in certain cases, but can also create some ambiguity or confusion. In one case, the ambiguity can result from out of date contact information. For example, "my office" may not be clearly understood by a recipient if they do not have the most up-to-date information about the organizer available due to, for example, having an old contact card. In another case, the ambiguity can result from there being multiple possible physical locations for a particular meeting location (such as using a name of a chain coffee shop) and/or no physical address provided that could be used to obtain directions to the meeting.

Location context, supplemental information, and suggestions for meeting locations


Embodiments involve an embedded processing element that fetches at least two possible next instructions (control words) in parallel in one cycle, and executes one of them during the following cycle based on the result of a conditional branch test. Embodiments reduce or avoid branch penalties (zero penalty branches).

Handling of packets in a network is similar to execution of a program. In a computer program, the next instruction that is to be executed may depend on the results of the execution of the current instruction. For example, a conditional branch instruction may cause one instruction to be executed if a condition is equal to a first value, while a different instruction may be executed if the condition is equal to a second value. Similarly, the destination of a packet may be one location if a field of the packet is a first value, or may be another location if the field of the packet is a second value. A long sequence of such dependent tests may be required to determine the destination of a packet. Consequently, network packet handling is branch dependent.
Thus, network packet handling, including network packet parsing, can be classified as "branch intensive," meaning that the time to solution for that task is dominated by the speed with which a required sequence of conditional branches can be executed. Most processors experience at least some penalty each time a conditional branch is executed, due to the fact that certain operations that might otherwise be overlapped cannot achieve that parallelism when a branch is taken. For example, a processor may typically perform the logical and arithmetic operations required for one instruction while fetching the next instruction from memory. This overlap of functions is not possible if the address used to fetch the next instruction is determined by the logical and arithmetic functions performed by the immediately previous instruction. For branch intensive tasks, the efficiency of execution is limited by this "branch penalty."
Some processors attempt to overcome this branch penalty by scheduling branches in advance wherever possible. For example, instructions that are not dependent upon the outcome of the branch are inserted between the instruction that determines the branch target direction and the first instruction at that target. However, branch intensive tasks are not well served by this approach, because they typically do not have sufficient work to fill in the gaps in execution created by the branches.
Other processors attempt to predict which direction a conditional branch will take and fetch the instruction for the predicted direction before that prediction can be confirmed. If the prediction is correct, the penalty is avoided. If the prediction is incorrect, the penalty is still incurred. Moreover, sometimes the penalty is larger for a misprediction due to the need to back out of the wrong path. Branch prediction relies on the fact that certain conditional branches, like loop termination branches, are much more likely to take one direction than the other. Tasks, like network packet parsing, with many branches for which both branch directions are often of nearly equally likelihood are not well served by branch prediction.
In early systems, two levels of code were used to operate the system. A program would be written in machine language which is then executed by the computer by executing a separate microcode program for each instruction. These types of systems used wide instruction words to allow for parallel processing and explicit control of branches. These systems also had a writeable control store to allow a programmer to create his or her own routines in microcode for faster processing. There is a certain inefficiency in linking all the separate machine language instructions together that could be overcome by bypassing the machine language entirely and writing an entire function in microcode. Some of these systems may operate to specify two different next addresses and then perform a test, choose one of those addresses, and then fetch the next word. In these systems, the technology was such that cycles were long enough that this method gave a reasonably high performance.

Processing element having dual control stores to minimize branch latency

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


In a waveform data processing apparatus, a transfer section reads out waveform data of multiple tracks stored in a first storage device in data units, and transfers the read waveform data to a second storage device having an access speed higher than an access speed of the first storage device. A reproduction section reads out the waveform data of the tracks from the second storage device for every sampling period, and which reproduces an audio signal according to the read waveform data. A control section replaces old waveform data which has been read from the second storage device by new waveform data which is read from the first storage device, whereby the audio signals of the tracks are continuously reproduced. The control section controls the transfer section to transfer, from the first storage device to track regions provided in the second storage device for respective tracks, pieces of the waveform data corresponding to the respective track regions, in an order of the tracks having a smaller number samples of non-reproduced waveform data or in an order of the tracks having a smaller number units of non-reproduced waveform data.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data processing apparatus suitable for use in recording and reproducing of waveform data using a recording medium such as a hard disk.
2. Related Art
In Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2003-323174, a hard disk recorder is disclosed which is an apparatus for not only writing waveform data of multiple tracks recorded on a hard disk into a buffer memory for reproduction of the waveform data, but also recording waveform data written in the buffer memory on the hard disc. In this apparatus, track regions are respectively allocated to tracks constituting one piece of music (a song) in the buffer memory. Each track region consists of a plurality of buffer regions each having a memory capacity corresponding to one cluster. When reproduction of waveform data for one buffer region of one track is completed, the apparatus carries out reproduction of waveform data for another buffer region while transferring new waveform data from the hard disk to the former buffer region. Thus, the apparatus can reproduce a series of waveform data while continuously writing the waveform data.
In the technique of Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2003-323174, the contents of the music piece are specified by waveform data and song management data. Here, "song management data" defines one or more regions for which waveform data is actually reproduced, and respective reproduction timings for the regions. Accordingly, when it is necessary to edit a music piece through cutting or additing of a portion of a series of waveform data, the editing can be actually achieved by editing the song management data without editing the waveform data itself.
In the above-mentioned technique, however, transfer of new waveform data from the hard disk for each track region is carried out under the condition "reproduction of waveform data has been completed for one buffer region of the track region". In a state where reproduction of waveform data has been completed for one buffer region of each of the track regions corresponding to a plurality of tracks, waveform data is transferred to respective track regions in a reproduction completion order. Such an operation incurs no problem if each track region has a sufficient number of samples, for which reproduction has not yet been completed. However, where the contents of the music piece are specified by waveform data and song management data, waveform data transferred to one buffer region may not be completely reproduced even when the amount of the transferred data may be actually within "one cluster". Only a portion of the waveform data designated by the song management data is reproduced.
When there is a track with a very small reproduction region for waveform data not yet reproduced, the reproduction time of the waveform data is very short. For this reason, there is a possibility that transfer of subsequently-required waveform data may not be achieved within the reproduction time of the waveform data being reproduced. In order to avoid such a situation, it is necessary to frequently re-edit waveform data such that clusters having a very small reproduction region are eliminated, in the technique of Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2003-323174. However, such a task is very troublesome.
Although not specified in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2003-323174, conventional hard disk recorders have a reproduction function referred to as "nudge". This is a function for repeatedly loop-reproducing a short period (for example, 25 to 800 msec) of a loop part of a song. However, in the nudge function, when the loop part considerably approximates to an edge of the waveform data storing range in a buffer region (in detail, when the number of samples between the edge of the waveform data storing range in the buffer region and the center of the loop part is less than "½ cluster"), waveform data successive to the edge is transferred from the hard disk to the buffer region. Here, the loop part is settable only for samples already written in the buffer region. For this reason, when it is desired to greatly shift the position of the loop part, there may be a problem in operating the shift of the loop part because supplement of waveform data cannot be achieved within a given time.


An imaging apparatus including: an image sensor having a photo-sensitive surface; an optical device arranged on an optical path of light incidenting on the photo-sensitive surface, the optical device being electrically controllable to have a spatially variable focal length; and a processor configured to: generate and send a drive signal to the optical device to compensate for field curvature of optical device by adjusting focal lengths of different portions of the optical device to different extents, wherein a focal length of a first portion of the optical device is higher than a focal length of a second portion of the optical device surrounding the first portion; and control the image sensor to capture a distorted image of a real-world environment.

Imaging apparatuses are widely used across several industries to capture images for many applications such as extended-reality (XR) applications, entertainment, surveillance, education, and the like. Generally, imaging apparatuses employ optical devices (such as lenses, mirrors, and the like) having uniform optical properties for focusing light at an image sensor. An ideal single-element optical device is one for which all planar light wavefronts are focused on the image sensor that is arranged at a focal length distance from said optical device.
In reality, single-element optical devices do not focus light in such an ideal manner. For example, when placing a realistic single-element specialized optical device at the focal length distance from the image sensor, image points closer to an optical axis of said optical device would be in perfect focus, but image points that are off-optical axis will be focused before reaching the image sensor in a manner that they drop off by a cosine of an angle between light rays constituting such image points and the optical axis of said optical device. In other words, the realistic single-element specialized optical device forms a curved light wavefront, which is also known as field curvature.
Nowadays, specialized optical devices having variable optical properties are being developed for use in the imaging apparatuses. These specialized optical devices enable the imaging apparatuses to capture distorted images of a given environment, owing to their variable optical properties. Most conventional photographic lenses are designed to minimize field curvature, and so a given conventional photographic lens effectively has a variable focal length that increases with an increase in angular separation between a point on said lens and an optical centre of said lens that lies on an optical axis of said lens. Notably, longer focal lengths are required for obtaining high image resolution. In such a case, when a rate of image sensor readout is high (for example, such as 90 frames per second), a field of view captured in the distorted images would be very narrow, which is undesirable. Moreover, the rate of image sensor readout is limited, thus focal length change per unit image height is high. To capture a requisite field of view in the distorted images, high distortion (for example, such as 15 percent, 30 percent, 60 percent, or similar) is required to be produced by such optical devices.
However, imaging apparatuses employing such specialized optical devices have certain limitations associated therewith. Such specialized optical devices are unable to emulate human eye resolution using the distorted images (i.e., upon their un-distortion). Moreover, field curvature makes it difficult to keep an entire plane of the image sensor in focus, especially in optical devices producing high distortion and especially when there is a need to dynamically focus optical devices in new planes. For example, in a given distorted image, edge portions may be in focus and a central portion may be out of focus, which is undesirable. Furthermore, designing such specialized optical devices is quite complex as field curvature compensation is a challenging problem, especially more so when high distortion is required to be produced by optical devices and when focal length is required to vary at a high rate per unit image height as a function of the angular separation. In such cases, the problem of field curvature is much more severe and visible (i.e., perceptible) than it would be normally. Moreover, adjusting focus of the specialized optical device according to changing focusing distances (i.e., changing distances between the specialized optical device and a point of focusing in the given environment) is challenging and complex, and is presently not performed satisfactorily. The distorted images captured using such imaging apparatuses are suboptimal and find limited use.
Therefore, in light of the foregoing discussion, there exists a need to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks associated with conventional imaging apparatuses.

Imaging apparatuses and optical devices having spatially variable focal length


An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a lamp for a vehicle, the lamp including a plurality of light sources configured to form two or more types of light distribution patterns, and a light guide unit disposed at one side of the plurality of light sources and having a recessed region having a shape recessed upward in a lower portion of the light guide unit, in which the plurality of light sources includes a first light source disposed rearward of the light guide unit and configured to face a rear portion of the light guide unit, and a second light source disposed below the light guide unit and configured to face a lower portion of the light guide unit, in which the light guide unit includes a first light entering portion provided on a rear portion of the light guide unit and configured such that at least a part of light emitted from the first light source enters the first light entering portion, and a second light entering portion provided in the recessed region of the light guide unit and configured such that at least a part of light emitted from the second light source enters the second light entering portion, and in which the second light entering portion is positioned below a function division plane which is an imaginary plane connecting an uppermost end of the rear portion of the light guide unit and a lowermost end of a front portion of the light guide unit.

Various types of lamps, which are classified depending on the functions thereof, are mounted in a vehicle. For example, a low beam lamp, a high beam lamp, and a daytime running light (DRL) lamp are mounted.
The high beam lamp may be mainly used to ensure a visual field up to a longer distance when there is no oncoming vehicle when the vehicle travels at night. The low beam lamp may be used to ensure an appropriate visual field of a driver without hindering a visual field of an oncoming vehicle when there is an oncoming vehicle. The DRL lamp is used to ensure a visual field of a driver and inform other vehicles of the position of the host vehicle on a rainy day or in a situation in which a visual range is short even during the daytime such as a situation in which the vehicle travels in a tunnel. In some countries, the DRL lamp needs to be installed mandatorily as an essential lamp in the vehicle.
FIG. 1 illustrates a structure of a low beam lamp and a structure of the DRL lamp in the related art. First, referring to FIG. 1A, in the low beam lamp in the related art, light emitted from an LED is reflected by a reflector, and then a part of the light is blocked by a shield, and another part of the light passes through an aspherical lens and exits to the outside, thereby forming a light distribution pattern. Meanwhile, referring to FIG. 1B, in the DRL lamp in the related art, light emitted from an LED passes through an optic and exits to the outside, thereby forming a light distribution pattern. As described above, the low beam lamp in the related art implements the low beam pattern by using the projection type optical system, and the DRL lamp implements the DRL pattern by using the primary optic. The low beam lamp and the DRL lamp have separate optical systems in accordance with the functions and types and implement different images.
However, since the above-mentioned structures in the related art use different light-emitting planes for the respective optical systems, there is a problem in that it is impossible to meet the consumer's various requirements in terms of the design of the vehicle at the time of turning on the lamps. In addition, since the optical systems need to be provided for the respective functions, there is inefficiency in manufacturing costs and time. Further, the optical systems occupy separate spaces, which causes an increase in overall volume of a headlamp.

Lamp for vehicle and vehicle including the same


Systems and methods are provided for reconciling data associated with delivery items, such as mail. In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method reconciles data associated with a delivery item shipment. The method includes the steps of receiving a first set of data associated with the shipment, and electronically receiving a second set of data associated with the shipment. The method further includes the steps of scanning the shipment during processing for scanned data associated with the shipment and determining if the first set of data matches the second set of data. If the first or second set of data matches the second set of data, the method determines if the second set of data matches the scanned data. If the first or second set of data matches the scanned data, the method indicates both the first set of data and the second set of data as valid.

I. Technical Field
The present invention relates to methods and systems in the field of automated reconciliation of mail entry operations. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods and systems for tracking and monitoring entry locations of delivery items, such as mail, and validating and reconciling data associated with the delivery items.
II. Background Information
The UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE (USPS), an independent establishment of the United States government, is a mail delivery provider that handles billions of pieces of mail on a weekly basis. Mail delivery providers such as the USPS charge postage fees to mailers in order to cover the cost for handling and shipping the mail. Under certain circumstances, a mail delivery provider may discount the postage for mailers that reduce the providers handling and shipping costs for large quantities of mail.
For example, there are several methods available that allow mailers to better prepare the mail in order to receive a discount on the postage. One such method for the mailer is to deliver pre-sorted mail to a USPS mail processing facility. Additional discounts are available to mailers if the mailers "drop-ship" their pre-sorted mail by delivering the mail to a USPS mail processing facility that is nearest to the mail's delivery destination. Drop-ship saves the USPS some of the initial handling, sorting, and transporting costs associated with the mail, which allows the USPS to pass on the savings, in the form of discounts, to the drop-ship mailers.
Mailers that wish to receive the drop-ship discount must first submit a PS Form 8125. The PS Form 8125 allows the mailer to identify the volume of mail and the drop-ship location. Based on the information provided by the mailer in its PS Form 8125, the USPS prepares a proper credit and/or debit from the mailer's customer account. For example, if a mailer indicates in its PS Form 8125 that the mailer is drop-shipping one thousand FIRST-CLASS MAIL letters in four sacks at a specific location for the USPS to deliver, the USPS charges the mailer's customer account at a discounted rate based on the information provided by the mailer in its PS Form 8125. In this example, instead of charging $370.00 to the mailer's customer account at the full first class mail rate of 37 cents per letter, the USPS charges $320.00 to the mailer's customer account, that is, a discounted rate of 32 cents per letter.
A USPS mail processing facility that accepts the mailer's drop-ship shipment will check the shipment against information provided in the mailer's PS Form 8125. However, on many occasions, the processing facility is only able to spot check mail pieces in the mailer's shipment and count the number of mail containers (e.g., pallets, bags, bundles, or sacks). Frequently, the processing facility is unable to count or inspect each mail piece or evaluate whether the drop-ship location is the optimal drop-ship location to the USPS. Accordingly, mail delivery service providers, such as the USPS, are unable to verify the accuracy of the information provided by the mailer and must instead rely upon the mailer's accuracy. Therefore, there is a need for systems and methods that enable the verification of the accuracy of the information provided by mailers. In particular, there is a need for systems and methods that track and monitor entry locations of mail and validate and reconcile data provided by mailers with the mail.

Systems and methods for automated reconciliation of mail entry operations