One embodiment of a musical sonification system and method receives a data stream including different data parameters. The sonification system may apply different sonification processes to the different data parameters to produce a musical rendering of the data stream. In one embodiment, the sonification system and method maps data parameters related to options trades to pitch values corresponding to musical notes in an equal tempered scale.

For centuries, printed visual displays have been used for displaying information in the form of bar charts, pie charts and graphs. In the information age, visual displays (e.g., computer monitors) have become the primary means for conveying large amounts of information. Computers with visual displays, for example, are often used to process and/or monitor complex numerical data such as financial trading market data, fluid flow data, medical data, air traffic control data, security data, network data and process control data. Computational processing of such data produces results that are difficult for a human overseer to monitor visually in real time. Visual displays tend to be overused in real-time data-intensive situations, causing a visual data overload. In a financial trading situation, for example, a trader often must constantly view multiple screens displaying multiple different graphical representations of real-time market data for different markets, securities, indices, etc. Thus, there is a need to reduce visual data overload by increasing perception bandwidth when monitoring large amounts of data.
Sound has also been used as a means for conveying information. Examples of the use of sound to convey information include the Geiger counter, sonar, the auditory thermometer, medical and cockpit auditory displays, and Morse code. The use of non-speech sound to convey information is often referred to as auditory display. One type of auditory display in computing applications is the use of auditory icons to represent certain events (e.g., opening folders, errors, etc.). Another type of auditory display is audification in which data is converted directly to sound without mapping or translation of any kind. For example, a data signal can be converted directly to an analog sound signal using an oscillator. The use of these types of auditory displays have been limited by the sound generation capabilities of computing systems and are not suited to more complex data.
Sonification is a relatively new type of auditory display. Sonification has been defined as a mapping of numerically represented relations in some domain under study to relations in an acoustic domain for the purposes of interpreting, understanding, or communicating relations in the domain under study (C. Scaletti, "Sound synthesis algorithms for auditory data representations," in G. Kramer, ed., International Conference on Auditory Display, no. XVIII in Studies in the Sciences of Complexity, (Jacob Way, Reading, Mass. 01867), Santa Fe Institute, Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, 1994.). Using a computer to map data to sound allows complex numerical data to be sonified.
The human ability to recognize patterns in sound presents a unique potential for the use of auditory displays. Patterns in sound may be recognized over time, and a departure from a learned pattern may result in an expectation violation. For example, individuals establish a baseline for the "normal" sound of a car engine and can detect a problem when the baseline is altered or interrupted. Also, the human brain can process voice, music and natural sounds concurrently and independently. Music, in particular, has advantages over other types of sound with respect to auditory cognition and pattern recognition. Musical patterns may be implicitly learned, recognizable even by non-musicians, and aesthetically pleasing. The existing auditory displays have not exploited the true potential of sound, and particularly music, as a way to increase perception bandwidth when monitoring data. Thus, existing sonification techniques do not take advantage of the auditory cognition attributes unique to music.
One area in which large amounts of data must be monitored is options trading. Automated programs may be used to execute equity options trades. Computer programs may also be used to monitor portfolio changes in data parameters such as delta, gamma and vega for these trades. Currently, a single beep alert is generated for each trade that occurs. This traditional alarm strategy fails to capitalize on the opportunity to provide valuable additional information about the trade and its resulting effect on the overall options portfolio using human auditory cognition.
Accordingly, there is a need for a musical sonification system and method capable of providing a musical rendering of a data stream including multiple data parameters such that changes in musical notes indicate changes in the different data parameters. There is also a need for a musical sonification system and method capable of providing a musical rendering of a financial data stream, such as an options portfolio data stream, such that changes in musical notes indicate changes in options data parameters at a portfolio level.

System and method for musical sonification of data parameters in a data stream


A method and system for application security. The methods and systems of the present disclosure improve application security and may be used to secure a host application and operating system from malicious fast applications. A request to access resources of the computing device is received from an application adapter of a fast application operating within a host application on the computing device. In response to a determination that the request is associated with resources included in a permission list of the fast application, the unique user identifier (UID) of the application adapter to the UID of the host application is translated by the operating system, which determines whether to allow the request based on the UID of the host application. Otherwise, the operating system determines whether to allow the request based on the UID of the application adapter.

Application security is an important aspect of modern computing. An application on a computing device presents a security risk for hacking, viruses, malware and the like. Fast applications (also referred to as mini-applications, mini-programs and Web-applications) are one type of application that may operate on a computing device such as a smartphone. Fast applications are typically JavaScript-based, lightweight applications designed to run within another application referred as a host application. The host application may be any suitable type of application including a social application, a messaging application, a Web browser, a game, or a launcher application of the operating system of the computing device. Fast applications provide alternative application ecosystems for a host computing device in addition to the native application ecosystem. An application ecosystem is a collection of applications that share application code. The applications within an application ecosystem typically have a hierarchical relationship based on the inheritance or dependence of the shared application code with the host application and possibly other fast applications.
Fast applications provide the benefits of rapid development, fast deployment and ease of use, and have become increasingly popular in recent years in ecommerce, social media, entertainment and other areas. Fast applications are commonly used as means for mini-games, in-app purchases, and in-app digital rewards (commonly linked to in-app advertising). However, fast applications present critical security threats due to a lack of regulation and the vast attack surface that persists in most JavaScript engines. Users may suffer significant loss by allowing malicious fast applications to run freely on their computing devices with no boundaries or checks. For at least these reasons, there is a need for methods and systems that improve application security.

Method and system for application security


Provided is a method and composition for the in-situ generation of synthetic sweet spots in tight-gas formations. The composition can include nitrogen generating compounds, which upon activation, react to generate heat and nitrogen gas. The method of using the composition includes injecting the composition into a tight-gas formation such that upon activation, the heat and nitrogen gas generated.

The search for and recovery of oil is becoming increasingly difficult as world-wide petroleum reserves decline. In many instances, reserves trapped within certain low permeability formations, such as certain sandstone, carbonate, and/or shale formations, exhibit little or no production, and are thus economically undesirable to develop at current oil and gas prices. Well stimulation is one method that is frequently employed to increase the net permeability of a formation or reservoir, thereby leading to increased production from these wells that have little or no production.
During well stimulation operations, chemicals can be injected into the formation in a process known as well stimulation. Some exemplary known stimulation techniques include: (1) injection of chemicals into the wellbore wherein the chemicals react with and/or dissolve production limiting conditions (e.g., the presence of clays and drilling solids); (2) injection of chemicals through the wellbore and into the formation to react with and/or dissolve portions of the formation, thereby creating alternative flow paths for recoverable hydrocarbons (e.g., acid-fracturing or matrix-fracturing processes); and (3) high pressure injection of water or chemicals through the wellbore and into the formation at pressures that are sufficient to fracture the formation, thereby creating new or additional flow channels through which hydrocarbons can more readily move from the formation into the wellbore.
In certain tight reservoirs, well productivity is typically low, thus making the well non-economical from a standpoint of development. One commonly employed technique for stimulating low productivity wells is hydraulic fracturing, which can involve the injection of fluids, such as high viscosity fluids, into the well at a sufficiently high rate so that enough pressure is built up inside the wellbore to split the formation apart or fractures. The resulting hydraulically induced fracture that is produced as a result of the fracturing can extend from the wellbore deep into the formation.
Sandstone formations can be particularly susceptible to formation damage from formation minerals such as clay and other siliceous deposits. Stimulation methods for these types of formations have typically employed acid or acid-based fluids for the treatment or stimulation due to the ability of the acid or acid-based fluid to readily dissolve both formation minerals and contaminants (e.g., drilling fluids that may be coating the wellbore or that has penetrated into the formation) introduced into the wellbore/formation during drilling or remedial operations.
The removal of formation minerals and other deposits, such as clays, drilling solids, or precipitates, are key concerns in well completion operations. As noted above, the known prior art techniques typically involve acids, often highly concentrated acids such as hydrofluoric acid (HF) and HCl-HF acid mixtures, which are both highly corrosive and can create dangerous operating conditions. In a typical HF based well stimulation, a preflush solution that includes ammonium or potassium chloride is injected into a well, followed by the injection of a well stimulation fluid (either mud based or organic based) that includes HF or an HF/HCl mixture into the formation. After allowing the well stimulation fluid to react with the formation for a predetermined amount of time, an overflush solution that includes HCl and/or brine (which can include ammonium or potassium chloride) is injected into the formation to end the reaction of the stimulation fluid with the formation. In many instances, the reaction of the acid with the formation is rapid, frequently instantaneous, thereby limiting the penetration depth of the acid.
One difficulty that is frequently encountered with traditional sandstone stimulation operations that employ HF as a stimulation fluid is that HF can precipitate into the formation, typically as a fluoride, thereby causing formation damage and limiting the efficiency of the matrix stimulation treatment. The damage caused by fluoride precipitation can be aggravated at the higher temperatures that are typically encountered in the formation. Another difficulty encountered with traditional HF sandstone stimulation is the acid reacts very rapidly with the formation, often instantaneously, thereby limiting the penetration of the acid into the formation. Therefore, it would be advantageous to develop a stimulation fluid and method of using same that reacts at a slower rate with the formation and which does not form precipitants upon reaction with the sandstone formation at high temperatures.

Non-acidic exothermic sandstone stimulation fluids


Disclosed is a method for modifying the chain length and double bond positional specificities of a soluble plant fatty acid desaturase. More specifically, the method involves modifying amino acid contact residues in the substrate binding channel of the soluble fatty acid desaturase which contact the fatty acid. Specifically disclosed is the modification of an acyl-ACP desaturase. Amino acid contact residues which lie within the substrate binding channel are identified, and subsequently replaced with different residues to effect the modification of activity.

Fatty acid biosynthesis in higher plants has recently attracted increased interest because of the possible use of plant oils as renewable sources for reduced carbon. In plants, fatty acid biosynthesis occurs in the chloroplasts of green tissue or in the plastids of nonphotosynthetic tissues. The primary products in most plants are acyl carrier protein (ACP) esters of the saturated palmitic and stearic acids.
.DELTA..sup.9 stearoyl-acyl carrier protein desaturase (.DELTA..sup.9 desaturase) is a plastid localized non-membrane bound soluble desaturase that introduces the first double bond into saturated fatty acids (resulting in the corresponding mono-unsaturated fatty acids). Recently, several related soluble desaturases have been identified in the seed tissues of various plants that possess fatty acids with unusual double bond positions. Members of this class of soluble desaturases are specific for a particular substrate chain length and introduce the double bond between specific carbon atoms by counting from the carboxyl end of the fatty acid; for instance, the .DELTA..sup.9 desaturase is specific for stearoyl-ACP, and introduces a double bond between carbon 9 and 10. Initial desaturation reactions in animals and fungi, and subsequent desaturation reactions in plants, are mediated by a distinct class of fatty acid desaturases that are integral membrane proteins. Since most plants lack other desaturases that act on the 18:0 level, the ratio of saturated to unsaturated fatty acids in higher plants is mainly controlled by enzymes which catalyze the conversion of saturated to mono-unsaturated fatty acids. .DELTA..sup.9 desaturase cDNA encode precursor proteins containing an N-terminal transit peptide for targeting to the plastid. For safflower and castor, the 33 residue transit peptide is cleaved off to yield a 363 amino acid mature desaturase polypeptide with an apparent molecular weight of 37 kDa per subunit by SDS-PAGE. The enzyme occurs as dimers of approximately 70 kDa. The enzymatic reaction requires molecular oxygen, NAD(P)H, NAD(P)H ferredoxin oxido-reductase and ferredoxin.
Previous studies have shown that both soluble and membrane-bound .DELTA..sup.9 desaturases require non-haem iron for catalytic activity. More recently, spectroscopic analysis and amino acid sequence comparisons have established that the .DELTA..sup.9 desaturase contains a diiron cluster. This class of diiron proteins is characterized by two occurrences of the sequence motif E-X-X-H, spaced by approximately 100 amino acids, and includes the R2 subunit of ribonucleotide reductase and a methane monooxygenase hydroxylase component. A greater understanding of the catalytic mechanism of the acyl-ACP desaturase enzymes may enable the exploitation of such enzymes in the manufacture of plant seed oil.


A process module tuning method characterizes a process module by gathering data using a process condition measuring device to measure process outputs while inputs are excited. The data is used to identify a dynamic process model. The dynamic process model is then be used to determine process input settings that will produce desired outputs. For multi-zone process modules, the interactions between zones may be modeled.

This application relates to substrate processing equipment used for substrates such as semiconductor wafers. In particular, this application addresses tuning of process modules used to process such substrates.
A process module is used to carry out a particular process step, or series of steps, on a substrate during manufacture of products including integrated circuits and flat-panel displays. Examples of process modules used in the semiconductor industry include etch chambers, rapid thermal processing chambers, chemical vapor deposition chambers, physical vapor deposition chambers, furnaces, chemical mechanical polishing systems and hotplates. These process modules process silicon wafers of various sizes including 200 millimeter and 300 millimeter wafers. Gallium Arsenide and other semiconductor substrates may also be processed. Similar process modules are used to process other substrates including flat panel displays.
Process modules may be tuned by processing test substrates with differing process inputs and analyzing the results on the test substrates. This provides a form of feedback shown in FIG. 1. A wafer is first processed and then the results of processing are measured in a metrology tool and the process module is adjusted according to the data obtained. However, this method of tuning is expensive and time-consuming. Many test substrates may be needed and additional metrology equipment is necessary to make measurements. Some process modules may not be easily tuned in this way because some of the process conditions may affect the process in ways that are not easily measurable, or are only measurable after more process steps are performed. For example, the effect of a hotplate used for post exposure bake of a photoresist layer on a substrate may be discernable only after the substrate has been processed further and the photoresist layer has been developed. This method gives only indirect information on the process conditions in the process module. Temperature in the process module may be inferred from characteristics of the resulting layer but this may not be accurate because of other factors that affect the same characteristics. Thus, using indirect information from test substrates is of limited value.
Another method of tuning a process module is shown in FIG. 2. This shows a process condition measuring device placed in the process module providing data to a base station. A process condition measuring device (PCMD) may be made to resemble the substrates that are normally handled by the process module. Thus, for use in a process module configured for 300 millimeter wafers, a PCMD might resemble a 300 millimeter wafer. A PCMD has sensors on its surface or within cavities so that process conditions may be measured. These measurements approximate the actual process conditions experienced by a regular substrate during production. A PCMD may transmit data through a cable to a base station, or transmission may be wireless. A cable may affect heat flow and other characteristics of the substrate. Wireless transmission does not require a cable and therefore the PCMD may be made to more closely resemble a regular substrate. Transmission of data may be in real-time or at any time after data is collected. Data may be stored in a memory and later retrieved when the PCMD is outside the process module. This may be more practical for process modules that have many potential sources of electromagnetic interference such as RF power supplies and microwave generators. With a PCMD, one or more process condition may be directly measured instead of being inferred from process results. For example, to tune the temperature in a process module, temperature is directly measured by a PCMD. Examples of PCMDs are provided in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,190,040 and 6,325,536, which patents are hereby incorporated in their entirety.
Modern process modules may be complex, having many process conditions that affect the quality of the substrate that is processed. Process conditions such as temperature, pressure, gas flow rate, chemical concentration, plasma density, etch rate and deposition rate may be affected by process inputs including the power provided to heating units, temperature setpoint, pumping speed, pressure setpoint, geometry of the module, substrate position, gas flow provided, radio-frequency power etc. The interactions of these process inputs to provide the process conditions may be complex and difficult to tune to obtain a desired result.
In addition, a particular process condition such as temperature or etch rate may vary across a substrate. Thus, one portion of the substrate may have a process condition at a desired level while other portions of the same substrate do not have the process condition at the desired level. Typically, for a process to be tuned, a wafer must have process conditions within a desired range across a primary surface. For a 300 millimeter wafer, process conditions may need to be substantially uniform across the surface in order to produce integrated circuits of adequate quality. Typically, a portion of the primary surface, close to the edge of the wafer does not need to be within the desired range because this portion is not used.
Feedback controllers such as Proportional, plus Integral, plus Derivative (PID) controllers are widely used to maintain a process condition in a process module within a specified process window. A PID controller provides a modified process input to the process in response to a difference between a measured process output and a desired process output (or error). The equation used by a PID controller is given by:CO=Kp·E+Ki∫Edt+Kd·dE/dt  (Eqn. 1)where CO is the controller output, or the process input that is controlled. The equation has three terms, a proportional term, an integral, term and a derivative term. The proportional term (Kp×E) is proportional to the error E. A proportional constant, or gain (Kp), determines how great a response is produced by a particular value of E. Thus, a high gain produces a greater response for a given difference. An integral term (Ki∫E·dt) produces a long-term corrective change by integrating the error E over time. A constant called Ki determines the magnitude of the correction. A derivative term (Kd×dE/Dt) produces a response that depends on the rate of change in the error. This term is proportional to a constant Kd. Other controllers do not have a derivative response and so are PI controllers. Other feedback controllers using different equations are also used. Controllers may also operate without feedback such as by maintaining a fixed output.
Tuning controlled systems may require adjusting one or more setpoints. Sometimes, an offset feature is present that allows a setpoint for a controlled system to be offset by a particular amount. Tuning a simple controlled system may be a matter of setting an offset to the right value. Tuning a controlled system to achieve a desired dynamic behavior may require changing other operating parameters such as PID constants to ensure that the process input responds rapidly enough, but avoids overshoot or oscillation. Maximum and minimum power settings are other operating parameters that may be used to regulate the response of the controller. Setting maximum and minimum power levels keeps the output in a limited range and thus prevents large oscillations or overshoot.
To tune a process module for a particular process condition it is generally necessary to make several adjustments to process inputs of the process module and note the effect on a process condition. For example, tuning a multi-zone hotplate may require making adjustments to the heat supplied to several of the zones. Where a PCMD is present in the process module, it may be possible to monitor the effect of such adjustments in real-time. However, tuning is generally directed to achieving temperature uniformity in a steady-state condition. Therefore, when an adjustment is made, it may be necessary to wait for the system to reach a new equilibrium before the next adjustment is made. Depending on the number of adjustments needed, this may be quite time-consuming. Each adjustment may affect more than one process output. Adjusting the heat supplied to a heating zone affects the temperature not only in that zone, but in neighboring zones also because heat is conducted to the other zones. Therefore, as each zone is tuned in turn, neighboring zones that may already have been tuned may be affected so that they are no longer tuned.
In some facilities, multiple process modules may operate in parallel to perform the same function. For example, two process modules might do the same etch step, with half the wafers going to one module and half to the other. It is important that there are no significant differences between the substrates from the modules so that all devices from all substrates have similar characteristics. Tuning may be necessary to match such process modules and achieve module-to-module uniformity. For example, hotplates may be tuned so that different hotplates have the same temperature profile. This is in addition to tuning individual hotplates to have a particular temperature profile across the hotplate. Typically, the goal is to produce the same conditions at all points of all substrates.
Trends in technology make tuning of process modules more important. Substrates are generally increasing in size. For example, the semiconductor industry moved from 150 millimeter to 200 millimeter wafers and is now moving to 300 millimeter wafers. Flat-panel display substrates may have dimensions in excess of 2 meters. Uniformity becomes harder to maintain over such large substrates. As substrates have increased in size, the dimensions of the features on those substrates have decreased in size. These small features sometimes require process conditions to be controlled within very narrow windows. For example, chemically amplified photoresist is extremely sensitive to the temperature of the post exposure bake step. Variations of less than 1 degree Centigrade may affect the Critical Dimension (CD) of the photoresist pattern. In addition, such processes may be sensitive to transient conditions as well as steady-state conditions.
Therefore, there is a need for a method of tuning a multi-input, multi-output process module to provide control of process conditions within narrow process windows. Furthermore, there is a need for a method of tuning that is rapid and may be implemented on existing process modules with little disruption to the module.


An electronic device includes an ion cooling system for cooling system components of the device. Through an arrangement, ionization of an air flow caused by the ion cooling can be determined and the electrostatic charge on the components that are located within the air flow can be measured.

The cooling of system components plays an important role in electronic devices, such as, for example, a computer system. Through the cooling, overheating of the components is prevented and thus the functionality of the individual components and interruption-free operation of the device is guaranteed.
As a rule, the cooling of the system components, such as, for example, of a CPU or a power-supply unit in a computer system, is performed by a cooling system made from one or more fan ventilators. By means of the ventilators, an air flow is generated through which the components of the device are cooled and the heated air is transported out of the device.
Likewise, a so-called ion cooling for electronic devices is known. For ion cooling, as a rule, an ion cooling system is integrated into the system in which the conventional ventilators are replaced by an element that generates an air flow.
The cooling system is made, for example, from one or more ion coolers that have two grounded grids between which an arrangement of wires is located that are at a high positive and negative voltage. Ambient air molecules are ionized on the electrodes by the high voltage that is applied. The positively charged ions move in the voltage drop to the negatively charged cathodes and collide on the way with additional air molecules. In this way, an ion flow is generated. This ion flow generates an air flow due to the collisions with neutral air molecules on the surface of the components of the electronic device and thus provides cooling of the components. The grounded grids are provided to discharge the generated ions on them as completely as possible and in this way to free the air from ions again to a large extent.
The disadvantage in cooling an electronic device by means of an ion cooling system is that, despite the discharging of ions by the grounded grids, the air flow cooling the components can have a defined degree of ionization by means of which the electronic components can be charged and also damaged. In particular, an ion cooling system that is not functioning optimally or that is not set optimally can result, in some areas, in an ionization of the air flow that is too strong, which can have a strong negative effect on an interrupt-free operation of the electronic device.
The effect of the ionized air flow on the components can also depend on the ambient properties of the device, such as, for example, the air humidity or the dust concentration in the air within the device.
Due to the electrostatic charging of the components caused by the ionization of the air flow, critical voltages that can lead to the breakdown of individual components or the device itself can result.

Electronic device with ion cooling system

Fujitsu Technology Solutions Intellectual Property GmbH


A fuel supply system for an engine powering an outboard motor is disclosed. The fuel supply system includes a first pump for delivering fuel from a fuel supply to a fuel reservoir located at the motor. Another pump delivers fuel from the reservoir to a charge former. The rate of fuel delivery into the reservoir is regulated by a valve based upon the level of the fuel within the reservoir. A flow rate sensor is provided for sensing the fuel flow rate into the reservoir. The fuel system is arranged to limit a change in sensed fuel flow rate when a position of the motor is changed, such as when the motor is trimmed.

Internal combustion engines which are used to propel outboard motors are generally positioned in a cowling of the motor. The engine is arranged to power a water propulsion device of the motor, such as a propeller.
Generally, the motor is connected to the watercraft in a manner which permits the motor to be "trimmed" up and down. For example, the motor may be connected to a clamping bracket attached to the watercraft by a horizontally extending pivot pin. In this manner, the motor may be moved in a vertical plane about the axis of the pin. This allows an operator of the craft to raise the propeller out of the water or place it deep in the water dependent upon the trim angle of the motor.
Changing the trim angle of the motor may have a significant impact upon the operating conditions of the engine. For example, the fuel supply system for the engine may include a fuel reservoir mounted in the cowling of the motor to which fuel is delivered from a main fuel tank in the watercraft. A pump is provided for pumping fuel from the main fuel tank to the motor mounted reservoir. The pumping rate of this pump may be based upon the fuel level in the motor mounted fuel reservoir.
This arrangement may work satisfactory when the motor is oriented in its normal operating condition. When, however, the motor is trimmed, the fuel in the motor mounted fuel reservoir shifts. This shifting causes the reservoir to appear less or more full than it actually is, and resulting in a pump control causing the delivery pump to erroneously deliver fuel thereto at an excessively low or high rate.
A fuel supply system for such an engine arranged to overcome the above-stated problems is desired.

Fuel supply system for an engine powering an outboard motor


A recording apparatus with a recording unit for recording an image on a recording medium in consonance with an image signal, a feeder for feeding the recording medium to the recording unit, first auxiliary feeding unit, which contact the feeder when the recording medium is cut sheet paper, but which is separated from the feeder when the recording medium is continuous sheet paper in order to form a feeding route for the continuous sheet paper, second auxiliary feeding unit, which contacts the feeder when the recording medium is cut sheet paper, but which maintains a contact position with the feeder which decreasing pressure against the feeder when the recording medium is continuous sheet paper, and third auxiliary feeding unit, which contacts the feeder when the recording medium is cut sheet paper, but which decreases pressure against the feeder when the recording medium is continuous sheet paper, and switching device for selecting the forward or the backward movement of the first and the second auxiliary feeding unit to the feeder, whereby the sliding center of the first auxiliary feeding unit with respect to the feeder.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording apparatus that can perform high quality image recording. Recording performed by the present invention involves the application of ink to ink supports, such as cloth, paper, and sheet material. The present invention is applicable both to various data processing apparatuses and to printers that serve as output devices that perform the above recording.
2. Related Background Art
As personal computers, word processors, and facsimiles are widely used in offices, various types of recording apparatuses have been developed as output devices for them. Recording apparatuses that employ the ink jet system are especially widely used because they are compact and produce less noise while recording.
Recently, high recording quality has also begun to be required for recording apparatuses for personal use. The recording quality is determined by such factors as image density, density irregularities, and the sharpness of images. The reason is as follows.
In an ink jet recording apparatus, a recording head has a plurality of ink nozzles in perpendicular to a direction of feeding a recording medium, and ink ejects perpendicular to the face of a recording medium.
The ink ejection direction is supposed to be identical for all the nozzles, but in actuality, the directions from the nozzles may vary. FIG. 22 is a specific diagram for explaining the occurrence of a fuzzy image due to a variation in the direction ink is ejected from a recording head, which is employed in an ink jet recording apparatus. FIG. 23 is a specific diagram for explaining the occurrence of a fuzzy image due to different ink ejection speeds. For example, as is shown in FIG. 22, although ink should originally be ejected in the direction indicated by the dotted arrow A, the nozzles that emit ink face in the direction indicated by the solid line arrow B. When the interval between an ink ejection face 300a of a recording head 300 and a recording medium 301 is D1, the actual ink discharge point Q is shifted from the original ink discharge point P by a distance represented by the interval L1. This shift reduces image sharpness and degrades the recording quality. When the interval between the ink ejecting face 300a and the recording medium 301 is D2, for example, the shift is increased from L1 to L2 (L1<L2).
Besides the variance in the directions ink is ejected from the nozzles, differences in the speeds at which ink is ejected cause the fuzzy images. For example, ink droplets that are discharged from the nozzles are called main droplets, satellites, and micro dots, in order of size from the greatest. The ejection speeds for these ink droplets differ. Therefore, as is shown in FIG. 23, with the combination comprising the ink ejection speed V1 and the moving speed element VH for the recording head 300, ink is ejected in the direction indicated by the solid line arrow C; while with the combination comprising ink ejection speed V2 (V1<V1) and the moving speed element VH, ink is ejected in the direction indicated by the dotted line arrow D. The ink discharge directions are different and the sharpness of an image is deteriorated. The shift increases as the interval between the ink ejection face 300a and the recording medium 301 increases.
To improve the recording quality, it is demanded that an ink jet recording apparatus maintain a constant minimum interval between an ink ejection face and a recording medium.
In response to such a request, a conventional ink jet recording apparatus employs a recording medium pressing means for forcing down a recording medium so as to maintain the interval between the ink ejection face and the surface of the recording medium.
However, when the recording medium pressing means is separated from the recording medium at the time a recording medium jam occurs, or during the feeding of a continuous recording medium, the recording medium pressing means must provide a greater interval between the ink ejection face and the recording medium.
The arrangement of a conventional ink jet recording apparatus will now be explained in further detail while referring to FIGS. 24, 25A and 25B.
FIG. 24 is a perspective view illustrating the structure of a conventional ink jet recording apparatus, and FIGS. 25A and 25B are side views of a paper pressing mechanism of the conventional recording apparatus. In FIG. 24, an external cover C1 and an internal cover C2 are either opened or removed. In this recording apparatus, the recording medium 301, such as a normal sheet or a plastic sheet, is inserted through an insertion port 302, a motor (not shown) rotates a feeding roller 303, and the sheet is guided by paper pressing plates 304, which are the recording medium pressing means, and is fed toward a recording position. The recording head 300, which is a serial print type recording means, is mounted on a carriage 305. The carriage 305 engages a lead screw 306, and as the lead screw 306 rotates the carriage 305 reciprocates in the directions indicated by the arrow a in FIG. 24. The directions indicated by the arrow a are perpendicular to the direction in which the recording medium is fed.
In synchronization with the reciprocal movement of the carriage 305, the recording apparatus 300 on the carriage 305 moves in consonance with an image signal and discharges ink to the recording medium 301 to perform predetermined recording.
The structure and function of the paper pressing plates 304 that prevents the recording medium 301 from separating from the surface of the feeding roller 303 will now be described.
As is shown in schematic diagrams in FIGS. 25A and 25B, each of the paper pressing plates 304 is formed with an almost cylindrical bearing 304a, and a long arm 304b and a short arm 304c, both of which extend from part of the bearing 304a. A pinch roller 307 is rotatably attached to the distal end of the arm 304b. A release shaft 308 is rotatably provided in the bearing 304a. The arc portions of the release shaft 308 are regularly cut off longitudinally at predetermined intervals and the notched portions have D-shaped cross sections. One end 309a of a pressure spring 309 can abut upon the notched portion and the arched portion of the release shaft 308, or the short arm 304c of the paper pressing plate 304. The other end of the pressure spring 309 is fixed to the bottom of a chassis 310.
As is shown in FIG. 25A, when the release shaft 308 rotates and the end 309a of the pressure spring 309 contacts the notch of the release shaft 308, the rotation of the release shaft 308 is halted and the short arm 304c of the paper pressing plate 304 is forced by the pressure spring 309 in the direction indicated by the arrow b. The paper pressing plate 304 is rotated on the release shaft 308 and the pinch roller 307 presses against the surface of the feeding roller 303. As the feeding roller 303 is rotated, the pinch roller 307 is rotated in the direction opposite to that of the feeding roller 303.
When the release shaft 308 is rotated further and the end 309a of the pressure spring 309 contacts the arc of the release shaft 308, as is shown in FIG. 25B, the pressure spring 309 is pushed down in the direction indicated by the arrow c and the force exerted on the short arm 304c of the paper pressing plate 304 by the pressure spring 309 is released, so that the pinch roller 307 is separated from the surface of the feeding roller 303.
The separation of the paper pressing plate 304 from the feeding roller 303, i.e., the release of the pressure exerted by the pressure spring 309, can be performed as needed by manipulating a release lever 311 shown in FIG. 24 to rotate the release shaft 308.
In the above described embodiment, however, when the paper pressing plate 304 is released from the feeding roller 303 by manipulating the release lever 311, the paper pressing plate 304 is positioned closer to the recording head 300, as is shown in FIG. 25B, and the paper pressing plate 304 interferes with the approach of the recording head 300 to the recording head 301.
In the modern information society, a variety of recording media are supplied that cannot simply be classified only as normal paper, fanfold paper, and postcards. In addition to those, there are plastic sheet material, such as OHP film, cloth, threads, and a variety of other various ink support media on which ink is applied and that are supplied as recording media.
A recording apparatus example that can feed this plurality of recording medium types is disclosed in the specifications for U.S. Pat. No. 5,158,380.
The arrangement of the disclosed recording apparatus will now be described while referring to FIGS. 26A and 26B.
FIGS. 26A and 26B are cross sectional views for explaining the state when a cut sheet supply mode is selected, and FIG. 26B is a cross sectional view for explaining the state when a continuous sheet supply mode is selected.
In FIG. 26A, single sheets of paper 401 are supplied either from the bottom or the top of the apparatus. For paper supplied from the bottom of the apparatus, a cut sheet 401 is fed through a paper supply port 404 that is formed by a guide roller 407 and a friction roller 408. The friction roller 408 is held against a pressure spring 424 by a hub 423, one end 424a of the pressure spring 424 is driven by a cam 419 on a release shaft 421 to forcibly press the friction roller 408 against the guide roller 407. The cut sheet 401 that is held by the friction roller 408 and the guide roller 407 is fed to a recording position 414 in consonance with the rotation of the guide roller 407, and recording is performed on the cut sheet 401 by a recording head 415.
To supply the cut sheet 401 from the top of the apparatus, it is fed through a paper supply port 404 that is formed by the guide roller 407 and a friction roller 409. The friction roller 409 is supported by a bearing 425 that rides on a plurality of leaf springs 426. One end 426a of each of the leaf springs 426 is supported by a support plate 427 and the other end 426b is supported by a cam 420 on a release shaft 422 so as to exert sufficient force to press the friction roller 409 against the guide roller 407. The cut sheet 401 that is held between the friction roller 409 and the guide roller 407 is fed to the paper supply port 404, in consonance with the rotation of the guide roller 407, and is then fed to the recording position 414, in the same manner as is performed for the above described bottom paper supply, and recording is performed by the recording head 415.
In FIG. 26B, continuous paper 2 is supplied via a paper supply port 406 by a push tractor 412 from the rear or the back of the apparatus. The release shafts 421 and 422 are respectively rotated in the directions indicated by the arrows, and the force exerted by the pressure spring 424 and the leaf spring 426 on the respective friction rollers 408 and 409 is released or decreased. Accordingly, a paper feeding failure due to the perforations on the continuous paper can be prevented.
In the above described embodiment, however, paper is supplied through the paper supply port 404 or 406, some recording media are fed while adhering to the guide roller 407 while other recording media are fed along a sheet guide 418a of a body frame 418. A print start position in a paper feeding direction therefore varies from recording medium to recording medium.
Further, when feeding a thick recording medium, such as a post card, the forward edge of the recording medium may abut upon the paper guide 418a and cause the recording roller 409 to slip, so that a sheet supply failure occurs. To overcome this shortcoming, the pressure with which the friction roller 409 is pressed against the guide roller 407 has to be increased, so that even though paper feeding is possible, a greater than normal load accelerates the wear of the bearing 425 of the friction roller 409 and decreases its useful life span.
In addition, the interval between the surface of a fed recording medium and the ejection face of an ink jet head must be determined while considering the distortion of the surface of the recording medium that may occur due to a phenomenon called cockling. Cockling is a phenomenon where ink permeates the fibers of paper, etc., and expands the fibers so that the surface of the recording medium is distorted and undulating.


A method and receiver for optimizing the processing of received Orthogonal Frequency Divisional Multiplexed (OFDM) signals, in which a choice is provided as to which channel estimation and equalization technique (of a number of available techniques) to use for each symbol or symbols of the received OFDM signal. Accordingly, the most appropriate technique can be selected for each symbol or symbols.

OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) is a transmission scheme used in a number of applications including digital audio broadcasting and digital TV systems (e.g. DVB-T (Digital Video Broadcasting-Terrestrial), DVB-H (Digital Video Broadcasting-Handheld) and ISDB-T (Integrated Services Digital Broadcasting-Terrestrial)).
The bit stream that is to be transmitted is split into several parallel bit streams, typically hundreds or thousands. The available frequency spectrum is split into several channels and each low bit rate stream is transmitted over one channel using some sort of known modulation scheme e.g. QAM (Quadrature Amplitude Modulation) or PSK (Phase Shift Keying). The symbols have relatively long duration so as to improve the tolerance to multi-path distortion. The channel frequencies are chosen such that the modulated data streams are orthogonal to each other. This means that each channel can be deciphered independently at the receiver, since cross-talk between the sub-channels is eliminated.
In practice, each of the sub-channels may be distorted by the transmission channel such that the amplitude and phase of each sub-carrier must be equalized in the receiver to give good performance using coherent demodulation. The receiver needs a good estimate of the transmission channel in order to carry out equalization. In order to deal with this in the digital TV systems mentioned above, scattered pilots are inserted at regular intervals across the frequency span of each symbol.
Each pilot is a symbol transmitted with known amplitude and phase and the pilots are used for channel estimation in the receiver. In the particular transmission schemes discussed above, every 12th sub-carrier (in the frequency direction) of each symbol is a pilot.
In order to increase the effective sampling frequency of the channel (in the frequency direction), the pilot sampling grid is advanced by three sub-carriers on every consecutive symbol in time. This leads to a pilot sampling grid in the time-frequency plane as shown in FIG. 1.
In FIG. 1, time (i.e. symbol number n) is shown on the y-axis. The oldest symbol is at the top of the plot (symbol number 0) and the most recently received symbol is at the bottom of the plot (symbol number 15). Frequency (i.e. sub-carrier k) is shown on the x-axis. Typically, there will be many more sub-carriers per symbol than are shown in FIG. 1. As indicated by the key of FIG. 1, each sub-carrier is shown by a dot and the scattered pilot sub-carriers are shown by a dot overlaid with a rectangle.
Note, in FIG. 1, that some sub-carriers, such as sub-carrier index k=0, are designated continuous pilots and as such are transmitted as a known pilot for every symbol n.
Channel estimation at the receiver usually uses the scattered pilots. In the process, the receiver aims to form an estimate of the distortion applied by the channel for each sub-carrier of each symbol received. Ultimately, the receiver must form a channel estimate for each active data sub-carrier of the symbol, and then it must use that channel estimate to equalize the received OFDM data.
A conventional DVB-H receiver follows the steps shown in the flowchart of FIG. 2 to process each OFDM symbol. Input samples are received and output data is produced.
At step 201, the Fast Fourier Transformer (FFT) takes the well-timed OFDM symbols and transforms them from the time domain to the frequency domain by applying a Fourier transform.
At step 203, the pilots are extracted from the symbol. Both continuous pilots and scattered pilots may be used to assist the receiver to estimate the channel for each sub-carrier position.
At step 205, channel estimation is performed. Information, typically from the inserted pilots, is used to derive an estimate of the distortion produced by the channel for each active sub-carrier of the OFDM symbol. As already mentioned, for an OFDM receiver, the channel estimate is typically a single complex value per active sub-carrier.
At step 207, the channel estimate is inverted and the equalizer uses this to cancel, as best as possible, the distortion introduced by the channel and restore each OFDM sub-carrier to that which was produced in the transmitter.
At step 209, the demapper uses the result of the equalizer along with knowledge of the modulation scheme used (e.g. QPSK, 16-QAM or 64-QAM) and channel state information to produce a number of soft decisions for each sub-carrier.
At step 211, de-interleaving is performed. The de-interleaver does the scrambling across frequency that was applied by the interleavers of the transmitter. This helps to spread localized frequency distortions, which improves the performance of the Viterbi decoder to typical impairments.
At step 213, the Viterbi decoder estimates the most likely path through a trellis using the likelihood information in the soft-decisions and knowledge of the convolutional code that was used in the transmitter.
At step 215, the outer de-interleaver spreads information across time to reduce the effect of distortions that are localised in time. The purpose of the outer de-interleaver is to de-correlate the error bursts at the output of the Viterbi decoder. This ensures that the Reed-Solomon decoder is not overwhelmed by a large number of sequential errors from the Viterbi decoder.
The final step 217, is Reed-Solomon decoding. The Reed-Solomon decoder provides an additional level of error correction for any residual errors that are not corrected by the Viterbi decoder.
There are a number of techniques that may be used to form a channel estimate at step 205 of FIG. 2.
In a first technique, the received pilot sub-carriers may be interpolated (upsampled) along the frequency axis. (In the transmission systems mentioned above, this would comprise interpolating the scattered pilots by a factor 4 in the frequency direction. This will give a line of virtual pilots at every third sub-carrier in the frequency direction. These resulting virtual pilots can be interpolated by a factor 3 in the frequency direction to give a sample of the channel response for every sub-carrier.) The pilot sub-carriers that may be used for such interpolation are shown in FIG. 3.
Alternatively, the received pilot sub-carriers may be interpolated along the time axis. (In the transmission systems mentioned above, this would comprise interpolating the scattered pilots by a factor 4 in the time direction. This will give a line of virtual pilots at every third sub-carrier in the frequency direction. These resulting virtual pilots can be interpolated by a factor 4 in the frequency direction to give a sample of the channel response for every sub-carrier.) The pilot sub-carriers that may be used for such interpolation are shown in FIG. 4.
Alternatively, a channel estimate may be formed by data-directed techniques that use information from both the pilot sub-carriers and the data sub-carriers.
The various techniques for channel estimation (those listed above and others) each have different strengths and weaknesses, and one may perform better than the others, given a particular type of channel distortion.
OFDM receivers for the TV standards mentioned above (DVB-T, DVB-H and ISDB-T) are required to operate in a wide variety of channel impairments e.g. additive noise, highly frequency selective channels, high levels of Doppler shift causing rapidly changing channel conditions and inter-carrier interference (ICI), and high levels of co-channel and adjacent channel interference.
A particular OFDM receiver may achieve acceptable performance in all the different conditions (channel impairments) using a design of equalizer that is a compromise for all types of channel impairment. However, for any one set of channel conditions, a receiver may achieve better performance if it uses an equalizer that is specifically designed to cope with the particular channel conditions.
In one example, an equalizer may be designed to use interpolation of pilots along the time axis using a delay store of received pilots from a number of consecutive symbols (see FIG. 4). An equalizer like this might give good performance at low Doppler frequencies over a wide range of delay spreads, but it will give poor performance if the Doppler frequency is high.
In another example, an equalizer may be designed to use interpolation of pilots along the frequency axis using received pilots on one symbol (see FIG. 3). An equalizer like this might give good performance for a channel with low delay spread over a wide range of Doppler frequencies, but it will give poor performance if the delay spread is high.
Thus, a problem associated with known receivers is that optimal receiver performance cannot be achieved across a wide range of channel conditions.
It is an object of the invention to provide a method and apparatus which avoids or mitigates the problems of known systems described above.

Channel estimation and equalization of OFDM receivers


A visual display device is provided for delivering a generated image, preferably combinable with environment light, to the eye of a user. The device is lightweight and compact but yields a high quality image. In one embodiment, a shroud protects from stray light and holds optical elements in desired alignment. In one embodiment an image generator is masked by at least two masks to provide for a high quality image without waste. In one embodiment, a removably mounted shield or activatable device and convert the apparatus from a see-through device to an immersion device and back again. In one embodiment, the device can be comfortably mounted to the user's head while still allowing for use of conventional eyeglasses. A tracker for outputting an indication of the orientation, attitude and/or position of a head-mounted display (HMD) may be provided. The tracker can be configured so that it is incorporated in the HMD housing and/or can be easily decoupled from the HMD, so that the HMD can be used without the tracker (e.g. for watching movies). Preferably, decoupling involves unplugging a single electrical connector (such as a cable) and unfastening a mechanical connection (such as a strap). Preferably the tracker provides pass-through of signal to the HMD and, when the tracker is coupled to the HMD, only a single cable or other data link connects the HMD-tracker combination to the host computer. In one embodiment, the tracker uses magnetic sensors. In another embodiment, one or more inertial sensors, such as a rate gyro and/or accelerometers are used.

It is often desirable to provide people with visual information. Frequently, one wishes to superimpose such visual information upon a view of the real world. In other applications, it is desired to shield the user from a view of the environment, providing an exclusive view of the visual information. Such displays may include a number of components including, in a form known as a folded catadioptric display, an image generator, a beam splitter which receives the image light from the image generator, often via a series of lenses and other optic elements and sends a fraction, designated the reflected fraction, of such image light to a reflective combiner that is either non-transmissive or both allows light from the real world to pass through such combiner and reflects the image light such that both the real-world light and the image light are transmitted to the eye of the user through the beam splitter, often via another series of lenses or other optical elements. The beam splitter will transmit a fraction, designated the transmitted fraction, of the image light reflected from the collimator-combiner. In embodiments in which the combiner is at least partially transmissive, a fraction of the real-world light is also transmitted by the beam splitter.
Previous devices included a number of additional components. Some devices have included corrective optical elements. Other devices have included a depixelator, e.g., as described in PCT/US94/01390 filed Feb. 7, 1994 for "Depixelated Visual Display" (incorporated herein by reference). Still other devices have included apparatus for intensifying the visual display such as those described in PCT/US94/01391, filed Feb. 7, 1994 for "Intensified Visual Display" (incorporated herein by reference).
In designing a system for providing a generated image to the eye or eyes of a user, various factors are often in opposition. Although it is desirable to provide an image which has high quality so as to not only provide a pleasing and attractive display for the user but also to reduce eyestrain, very often the techniques used to produce such a high quality image have been contrary to goals of an apparatus which is lightweight, low-cost, and relatively easy to design, fabricate and/or repair. Many previous devices have required expensive and heavy series of optical elements such as lenses to achieve a desired picture quality. Other devices have simply accepted a lower-quality image in order to achieve goals of low-cost or light weight. For example, some previous devices have failed to provide a flat focal field to the user. Others have resulted in a poor image contrast, particularly at high viewing angles of the image. Many devices have deprived the user of the full image in order to mask-off unwanted light near the edge of an image generator.
Accordingly, it would be useful to provide a personal, visual display apparatus which provides a high quality of image, which is low cost, lightweight, comfortable and has increased ease of design, fabrication, repair and the like.
In many uses of a head mounted display, it is desired to collect information regarding the position, posture, orientation, attitude, location and/or movement of the user's head. This information can be used to control the image generated to the eyes of the user for a number of purposes, such as to provide a "virtual reality" or simulated environment to the user, to allow the user to navigate through various displayed images to observe a simulated object from various angles and the like. For example, this information can be used to control the characteristics of the image shown in a head-mounted display or other virtual reality device, such as to produce changes in the image that would correspond to movement of the user's head. For example, in a flight simulator program, when the user's head rotates from a straight ahead position to a 90.degree. left position, the display should change from a display simulating a forward view, out the cockpit window, to a display simulating a view over the left wing of the aircraft.
Head trackers have been attempted in the past, such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,373,857; and 5,345,944. However, many previous head trackers have suffered from a number of deficiencies. In some devices, head trackers were formed as an integral part of a head-mounted display and were not readily detachable. This, however, led to head-mounted displays which are heavier than necessary when used in applications where head tracking is not needed or desired. Furthermore, integral head trackers add to the cost of a head-mounted display in a manner which may be unnecessary for some uses when head tracking is not desired.
Some head tracking devices have included mounting some of the components in positions which do not provide a desirable balancing of weight in the head-mounted display device, such that there may be an undesirable neck strain for the user.
Some previous head trackers provided communication to the computer which was difficult for the end user to install and/or awkward in operation. For example, in some devices, it was required that the user install a card inside the chassis of a personal computer (PC) which, effectively, meant that many users would need to make a trip to a computer service facility.
In a configuration in which communication from the head tracker to the computer is via a cable which is separate from the head-mounted display cable, the user must wear a device which is "tethered" via two separate cables, which can tangle and inhibit free movement of the user. In devices where a single cable provides for communication of both head tracker and video information, the head tracker was not readily detachable from the head-mounted display.
In some previous devices, the output from the head tracker was provided in only a single format and the software which employed head tracker information had to be written so as to accommodate that data format.
In some devices, a head tracker used magnetic sensors. While magnetic sensors can be useful in many situations, head tracking information may be distorted by spatial variations and/or changes in the local magnetic field, such as may arise from adjustment of earphones or other audio output devices.
Accordingly, it would be useful to provide a head tracker which is of modular or detachable construction, can be located in a well-balanced position, provides for communication with the computer in a fashion which is easy for the end user to install and avoids awkwardness of use, reduces or eliminates errors from magnetic field changes and/or which provides output in a number of different output formats.

Head-mounted personal visual display apparatus with image generator and holder


A one-time non-conductive programmable element which is programmable to conduct current is provided. The programmable element comprises several anti-fuses connected in parallel with each other. According to one embodiment of the present invention, each anti-fuse of the programmable element includes first and second conductive plates and a dielectric layer between the two conductive plates. The first conductive plates of all anti-fuses are connected to each other and the second conductive plates of the anti-fuses are connected to each other to form the programmable element of the present invention. The programmable element provides a larger total surface area of the dielectric layer through several anti-fuses that are connected in parallel with each other. During programming, the larger surface area substantially improves the likelihood of capturing a higher defect area of the dielectric layer than was previously possible and allows the formation of strong electrical contact between the two plates having a programmed state resistance that can be controlled with relative accuracy.

A one-time programmable anti-fuse is generally formed by a pair of conductive plates and a thin dielectric layer disposed between the conductive plates. In an unprogrammed state, the anti-fuse acts as an open circuit due to the dielectric layer and typically has a resistance of greater than 1 mega-ohm. To program the anti-fuse, a relatively high voltage pulse is applied across the two conductive plates. The high voltage causes the dielectric layer to break down thereby allowing the two plates to contact each other. Thus, in a programmed state, the anti-fuse acts as a closed circuit. Typically, the resistance of a programmed anti-fuse is less than 100 kilo-ohms.
Anti-fuses are used in integrated circuits (ICs) for a variety of purposes. One use is in the area of post package repair of ICs such as dynamic random access memory and field programmable gate array chips. During testing, non-functional circuit elements are replaced with redundant circuit elements. The replacement is done by programming an appropriate anti-fuse that provides an electrical connection to the redundant circuit element. The anti-fuses are also used as memory elements in programmable logic devices and read only memory devices.
One disadvantage of conventional anti-fuses is the difficulty of controlling the programmed state resistance. For example, one programmed anti-fuse may have a resistance of 50 ohm while another programmed anti-fuse may have a resistance in the range of 10 to 100 kilo-ohms. Another disadvantage of the conventional anti-fuses is the instability of the programmed state resistance. Specifically, the resistance of the programmed anti-fuses tends to increase over time. In the worst case, the programmed anti-fuse may actually switch from the programmed state to the unprogrammed state resulting in a circuit failure.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a one-time programmable element that allows tighter control over variations in the programmed state resistance and better stability in the programmed state resistance over time.

One-time programmable element having controlled programmed state resistance


A multi-stage compressor rotor for a gas turbine engine comprises an axial-flow rotor followed by a centrifugal rotor. The axial-flow rotor and the centrifugal rotor are diffusion bonded together to form a unitary dual flow impeller having blades with continues axial-flow and centrifugal stage sections. By eliminating the gap between the axial flow and centrifugal stages, unsynchronized air deflection between the successive arrays of blades is prevented, thereby improving the aerodynamic performance of the compressor rotor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to compressors and, more particularly, to a multi-stage compressor rotor for a gas turbine engine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Multi-stage compressors having an axial-flow stage followed by a centrifugal stage are known in the art. Such multi-stage compressors typically comprise an axial-flow rotor and a centrifugal rotor or impeller having respective disc-like portions connected to each other by means of bolts or the like. The axial-flow rotor and the centrifugal rotor are formed separately and then connected to each other with an axial gap between respective arrays of circumferentially spaced-apart blades thereof. The forging required to form the axial-flow rotor and the centrifugal rotor is considerable and the axial gap between their respective arrays of blades might result in unsynchronized deflection as the air passes from one stage to the next and, thus, adversely affect the overall aerodynamic performance of the multi-stage compressor.
Therefore, there is a need for a new multi-stage compressor rotor requiring less forging while having improved aerodynamic performances.
It is therefore an aim of the present invention to provide a new multi-stage compressor rotor having improved aerodynamic performance.
It is also an aim of the present invention to improve the growth potential of a compressor rotor.
It is a further aim of the present invention to provide a multi-stage compressor rotor of relatively light weight construction.
It is a still further aim of the present invention to provide a multi-stage compressor which is relatively simple and economical to manufacture.
Therefore, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a multi-stage compressor rotor for a gas turbine engine, comprising an axial-flow rotor followed by a centrifugal rotor, said axial-flow rotor and said centrifugal rotor being bonded together to form a unitary dual flow impeller having blades with united axial-flow and centrifugal stage sections.
In accordance with a further general aspect of the present invention, there is provided a multi-stage compressor rotor for a gas turbine engine, comprising an axial-flow rotor followed by a centrifugal rotor, said axial-flow rotor and said centrifugal rotor being provided with respective arrays of circumferentially spaced-apart blades, wherein each blade of said centrifugal rotor extends in continuity from a corresponding blade of said axial-flow rotor to a discharge edge thereof.
In accordance with another general aspect of the present invention, there is provided a dual flow impeller for a gas turbine engine, comprising a disc-like member having front and rear sections bonded together, an array of circumferentially spaced-apart blades defined in said front and rear sections, each said blade having a continuous blade profile including an axial-flow inducing stage section followed by a centrifugal-flow stage section.


Hair treatment compositions are disclosed comprising a β-amino ester compound in a cosmetically acceptable vehicle, such as a spray or cream. In embodiments, the compounds include a polybutadiene moiety. Methods of treating hair with the compositions to impart volume, texture and definition are also disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to compositions and methods for treating hair, and in particular to methods and compositions for imparting thickness, volume, texture and definition, which permit improved styling.
2. Description of Related Art
Hair treatment products on the market typically use commercial polymers to impart volume, texture, definition and thickness. People with fine or thin hair regularly use "volumizing" products in the form of shampoos, conditioners, styling sprays, creams, gels, or mousses in an effort to increase the volume and body of their hair. Many of these materials are polyvinylpyrrolidone/polyvinyl acetate (PVP/VA) combinations. These materials create volume in hair by binding multiple hair fibers together in spot-welds, such that a droplet of the product lands on a section of the hair thereby linking a hair fiber back on itself and/or linking two or more fibers, creating stiffer hair, more resistant to, for example, falling flat on the head. This technology suffers from several drawbacks, as the visual benefits obtained do not last and the hair is left feeling stiff or crunchy. Thus, it is desired to identify and develop compositions that achieve these results with greater ease of use, less heaviness and less feeling of sticky residue, that do not impart a crunchy or stiff feeling to the hair, and which impart shine and softness to the hair as well as volume and thickness.
Preparation of poly(β-amino esters) from conjugate addition of bis(secondary amines) or primary amines to a bis(acrylate ester) is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,998,115 and 7,427,394, and related applications, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Many of the compounds within the scope of the disclosure are said to be biodegradable and biocompatible and said to be useful in a variety of drug delivery systems. However, use in cosmetics is not contemplated in these patents.

Beta-amino ester compounds and uses thereof


A caulking system for applying and maintaining a position of caulk between a pipe and a floor to provide a firestop around the pipe includes a pair of collar portions. Each of the collar portions is positioned around the pipe and engages a peripheral edge in a hole in the floor to maintain a position of the pipe with respect to the hole. The collar portions extend around the pipe when the collar portions are coupled to each other. A caulk is engaged by the collar portions to keep the caulk positioned around the pipe and positioned between the pipe and the floor. The caulk inhibits passage of air, liquid or fire between the floor and the pipe.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to caulk fittings and more particularly pertains to a new caulk fitting for applying and maintaining a position of caulk between a pipe and a floor to provide a firestop around the pipe.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of caulk fittings is known in the prior art. While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the need remains for a system that has certain improved features allows for the system to be positioned around a pipe extending through a hole in a floor after the pipe has been put in place. Additionally, the system applies caulk between the pipe and the floor to provide a firestop.


A fluorocopolymer and film thereof exhibiting excellent transparency and mechanical strength at ambient and elevated temperatures, wherein the fluorocopolymer includes polymerized units based on ethylene (E), tetrafluoroethylene (TFE), hexafluoropropylene (HFP) and perfluoro(alkyl vinyl ether) (PFAV), wherein the molar ratio of polymerized units based on E/TFE is from 10/90 to 60/40, the content of polymerized units based on HFP is from 0.2 to 0.9 mol % based on the total number of polymerized units, and the content of polymerized units based on PFAV is from 0.1 to 1.0 mol % based on the total number of polymerized units.

A fluororesin film and a film made of a fluororesin composite are light in weight and excellent in weather resistance, mechanical strength, etc. and therefore used as a covering material for e.g. a swimming pool, a gymnasium, a tennis court, a football ground, a warehouse, a hall, an exhibition hall, a horticultural greenhouse or an agricultural greenhouse (for example, JP-A-3-188132, JP-A-63-222852). However, a film made of a composite of glass fibers and a fluororesin as disclosed in JP-A-63-222852 is insufficient in transparency. Accordingly, if the film is used as a covering material for the roof of a structure, the sunbeam transmittance of the roof tends to be low. Thus, plants in the interior of the structure will not sufficiently grow. Accordingly, the above film made of the composite can not be applicable as a covering material for horticultural facilities or sports facilities in which grass grows. Further, the interior of an architectural structure will be insufficient in wide open feeling. Here, an architectural structure wherein a membrane material is used for the roof or the outer wall will be referred to as a membrane structure. Further, a film which is fixed to a framework of e.g. iron or wood to form the roof or the outer wall portion of a structure will be referred to as a film for a membrane structure.
An ethylene/tetrafluoroethylene copolymer (hereinafter referred to as ETFE) film is excellent in the sunbeam transmittance and is thereby used as a film for a membrane structure suitable for e.g. an agricultural greenhouse, a horticultural greenhouse (see JP-B-08-5976), sport facilities in which grass grows and an exhibition hall. International Conference on Building Envelope Systems and Technology 2nd., Setphen Tanno et al., 1997 proposes a roof obtained in such a manner that a plurality of films for a membrane structure overlaid one on another are sandwiched between an iron frame to form a panel, and air is put between the films to blow the panel up. Such a film for a membrane structure is required to have mechanical strength such as tensile strength and tear strength as well as weather resistance and transparency. Further, the film for a membrane structure is exposed to direct sunlight in summer (Architectural Institute of Japan, AIJ Recommendations for Loads on Buildings) and thus it is required to maintain excellent mechanical strength even at a high temperature of about 60° C.
As an ETFE excellent in mechanical strength, a tetrapolymer ETFE obtained by copolymerization of from 40 to 60 mol % of ethylene (hereinafter referred to as E), from 30 to 55 mol % of tetrafluoroethylene (hereinafter referred to as TFE), from 1.5 to 10 mol % of hexafluoropropylene (hereinafter referred to as HFP) and from 0.05 to 2.5 mol % of a comonomer as a fourth component has been proposed. It is excellent in mechanical strength as compared with a terpolymer ETFE having no fourth component comonomer copolymerized (JP-A-57-38807). However, for a film for a membrane structure, more excellent mechanical strength and transparency are required. A tetrapolymer ETFE excellent in transparency and tear strength has been proposed (WO98/10000), but its mechanical strength has been significantly dependent on temperature, and its mechanical strength at high temperature is not necessarily sufficient.


Configurations for a tunable Echelle grating are disclosed. The tunable Echelle grating may include an output waveguide centered in a waveguide array, with input waveguides on both sides of the output waveguide. A metal tuning pad may be located over the slab waveguide and may be heated to induce a temperature change in the slab waveguide. By increasing the temperature of the propagation region of the slab waveguide, the index of refraction may shift, thus causing the peak wavelength of the channel to shift. This may result in an optical component capable of multiplexing multiple light sources in an energy efficient manner while maintaining a small form factor.

Generally, optical systems may employ multiple light sources for measuring various types of information used in everyday devices. Optical couplers and/or Echelle gratings may be used in these optical systems to couple or multiplex the light together. Optical couplers are effective at combining light, but the size of the optical system may increase to an unreasonable size as the optical systems using optical couplers tend to increase in scale with the number of light sources. Additionally, some of these large optical coupling devices are not energy efficient and may introduce phase errors into the optical system. Echelle gratings also may be employed in optical systems but can be large and wavelength dependent. Typically, Echelle gratings multiplex light within a defined passband and although the gratings may have a reasonably wide spectral range, the size may increase with the passband size.


A new cultivar of Vaccinium plant named ‘Vacbri2’ that is characterized by its young foliage that emerges pink in color and its maturing and mature foliage that is variegated with creamy white speckles.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Vaccinium ovatum, and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, 'Vacbri2'. 'Vacbri2' is a new cultivar of huckleberry grown for use as a landscape shrub.
The new cultivar was discovered by the Inventor in spring of 2017 as a naturally occurring branch mutation of an unnamed and unpatented plant of Vaccinium ovatum that was growing in a container at a nursery in Elma, Wash.
Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished under the direction of the Inventor by tissue culture using meristematic tissue in Elma, Wash. in spring of 2018. Asexual propagation by tissue culture has determined that the characteristics of this cultivar are stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.


A trocar assembly includes a trocar obturator having an outer diameter, a piercing tip and at least one, preferably a plurality of longitudinal cutouts; and a shield for the piercing tip, mounted in the longitudinal cutouts so as to be movable between an extended position and a retracted position, the shield being adapted to fit inside the longitudinal cutouts so as to shield the piercing tip when the shield is in the extended position, without exceeding the outer diameter of the trocar obturator. The trocar obturator may have a plurality of blades joined together to form the piercing tip, and the longitudinal cutouts may be formed between the blades. The shield preferably includes a plurality of independently acting shields mounted in the plurality of longitudinal cutouts, and further includes independent springs for independently biasing each shield of the plurality of shields toward the extended position wherein the piercing tip of the trocar obturator is shielded, and each shield being independently displaceable against the spring to a retracted position wherein the piercing tip of the trocar obturator is exposed.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of surgical instruments and, more particularly, to a trocar assembly for piercing a wall of a body cavity.
2. Description of the Related Art
A trocar is a sharp pointed instrument used in surgical procedures where it is necessary to puncture the wall of a body cavity. Such a procedure is often performed in order to drain fluids from the body cavity using a cannula inserted in the opening. Trocars are also useful in performing endoscopic procedures. In such a procedure, a preliminary puncture is generally made with a cannula so that the body cavity can be inflated with a gas in order to lift the wall of the body cavity away from other organs which may lie beneath the wall. A standard trocar, disposed in a trocar tube, is then inserted into the body cavity through the first puncture. The trocar is then removed leaving the trocar tube in place and endoscopic instruments can then be inserted through the trocar tube.
Standard trocars are generally metal rods having a sharpened point, frequently of surgical steel. A commonly encountered problem associated with the use of trocar is that a significant risk exists that the trocar will pierce the wall of the body cavity and injure internal organs lying thereunder. Numerous disclosures have been made wherein this problem is addressed by disposing a spring biased shield over the trocar. The shield is pressed back or retracted when the instrument is pressed against a wall of a body cavity, thus exposing the piercing tip of the trocar. When the trocar has completely penetrated the wall, the shield is pushed forward to an extended position to shield the piercing tip of the trocar. Examples of patents dealing with this type of structure include U.S. Pat. No. 4,654,030 to Moll et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,601,710 to Moll, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,535,773 to Yoon.
According to the prior art, the shield is a concentric sleeve which is disposed over the trocar and thus has a larger diameter than the trocar. Further, the trocar and shield are disposed for use in a trocar tube of still larger diameter. Thus, the piercing tip of the trocar is of the smallest diameter of all instruments which are to enter the cavity through the wall where it is pierced. In operation, such devices result in a stretching and tearing of the wound in order to accommodate the larger diameter of the shield and the further larger diameter of the trocar tube.
Further, the piercing tip cannot be shielded until the entire shield has entered the wound. Thus, such devices still allow a significant risk of injury to organs and other tissue lying beneath the wall to be pierced.
It is thus the principal object of the present invention to provide a trocar assembly having a shield which can be disposed for use with a minimum amount of stretching, and no tearing, of the wound made by the trocar.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a trocar assembly having a shield which can more reliably and readily deploy to shield the piercing point of the trocar.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become readily apparent to one skilled in the art upon a consideration of the following disclosure.

Trocar assembly with independently acting shield means


A wearable, self-deploying fall arrest device to resist sliding movement of a climber on a climbing surface includes a pick blade pivotable between a retracted position and a deployed position. A tip of an out-turned tooth on the pick blade can be oriented downwardly and outwardly in the retracted position to engage and catch the climbing surface. An out-turned fin can be disposed on the opposite end of the pick blade above the pivot to urge the pick blade out of the retracted position upon pressing the fin against the climbing surface.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a fall arrest device to assist a snow, rock, ice or mountain climber or the like during a slide or fall.
2. Related Art
Climbing is a popular outdoor activity in which a climber traverses various different terrains, including snow, rocks, ice, etc. Various different types of equipment can be utilized to assist the climber, including crampons, ice axes, etc. It will be appreciated that climbing can be dangerous and that a climber can lose footing or grip and slide or fall. For example, the climber's boot may come out of the crampon, or a climber's grip may come loose from an ice axe.

Wearable, self-deploying fall arrest device


The invention relates to a process for the enzymatic, stereoselective reduction of ketone compounds to provide chiral alcohols, for example the compound of formula Ib:

Bing-nan Zhou et al. J. Am Chem. Soc., 105, pages 5926-5928, 1983 describe the chemomicrobiological synthesis of L-carnitine, which plays an important role in the human metabolism and transport of long-chain fatty acids. Particularly, this paper teaches the reduction by baker's yeast, i.e. Saccharomyces cerevisiae, of ethyl K-chloroacetoacetate to ethyl (S)-4-chloro-3-hydroxybutanoate.
Kazutoshi Ushio et al. Tetrahedron Letters, Vol. 27, No. 23, pages 2657-2660, 1986, disclose the reduction of beta-keto esters by methanol grown yeast. This paper teaches that the subject reaction causes dramatic shifts of the enantiomer excess of the resultant product in the direction of the D-isomer. This phenomenon was produced when the reaction was carried out utilizing yeast grown in methanol due to enzymes characteristic of yeast grown in such media.
Markus Christen et al. J. Chem. Soc. Chem. Commun. pages 264-266, 1988, discloses the synthesis of four stereoisomers of methyl-6-(p-chlorophenylthio)-3,4-dihydrohexanoate in which the key introduction of chirality was effected by an appropriate yeast reduction. It is stated therein that, although the reduction of beta-keto esters with yeast has been studied extensively, it remains difficult to predict either the absolute configuration of the product(s) or, in particular, the enantiomeric excess likely to be achieved.
Ramesh Patel et al., Enzyme Microb. Technol. Vol. 13, pages 906-912, 1991 describe the stereospecific microbial reduction of 4,5-dihydro-4-(4-methoxyphenyl)-6-(trifluoromethyl-1H-1)-benzazepin-2-one. In particular, it is disclosed that a key intermediate (3R-cis)-1,3,4,5-tetrahydro-3-hydroxy-4-(4-methoxyphenyl)-6-(trifluoromethyl)-2H-1-benzazepine-2-one was made by the stereoselective microbial reduction of the parent ketone. It is stated that it was possible by the selection of specific conditions to obtain a single isomer from among four known possibilities.
Ramesh Patel et al., Enzyme Microb. Technol., Vol. 15, pages 1014-1021, 1993, describes the stereoselective reduction of a diketo compound, 3,5-dioxo-6-(benzyloxy) hexanoic acid, methyl ester, to a single enantiomer of the resulting dihydroxy compound.
Ramesh Patel et al., Enzyme Microb. Technol. Vol. 14, pages 731-738, 1992, describe a process of heat treating Geotrichum candidum to improve the optical purity of the hydroxy product obtained from the reduction of beta-keto esters thereby.
Kometani et al., Journal of Fermentation and Bioengineering, Vol. 80, No. 2, pages 208-210, 1995, teaches yeast-mediated bioreduction utilizing ethanol as the energy source. The relationship between the rate of consumption of ethanol and the prochiral ketone reduction rate in Baker's Yeast is examined and it is concluded that ethanol could be applicable to large-scale production of chiral alcohols from prochiral ketones.
Ramesh Patel et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,391,495, issued Feb. 21, 1995, discloses the stereoselective reduction of certain keto-containing sulfonamide compounds to form the corresponding hydroxyl group-containing compounds utilizing a microorganism or an enzyme capable of catalyzing the reduction. The enzymes named are oxido-reductase or dehydrogenase and the microorganisms are preferably selected from Hansenula, Rhodococcus and Norcardia species.

Stereoselective reduction process for the preparation of pyrrolotriazine compounds


A remote sensing device for determining at least one characteristic of a vehicle emission plume includes a radiation source, a detector, and a plurality of filters. Either the filters or the detector are movable relative to the other such that different filters, each of which is capable of filtering out radiation except radiation of a predetermined wavelength band, can be used to filter the radiation directed to the detector. Also disclosed is a method for remotely determining at least one characteristic of a vehicle emission plume using a single detector and a plurality of filters wherein either the detector or the filters are positionable relative to one another.

Remote sensing devices may be used to detect and characterize emissions from a vehicle. One device for performing such a process analyzes radiation that passes through the vehicle emission using a detector. Various components of the vehicle emission absorb radiation of specific characteristic wavelengths. A filter is used to permit only a radiation band including the characteristic wavelength of interest to reach the detector. If multiple components of the emission are to be analyzed in this manner, multiple sets of detectors and filters are generally necessary to carry out such measurements.
A known device for the remote sensing of vehicle emissions is depicted in FIG. 1. A beam (1) from a radiation source (7) passes through emissions plume (8) of vehicle (9) and is reflected from mirror (2) onto reflecting wheel (3). Beam (1) is then reflected from reflecting wheel (3) to one of a group of CD mirrors (4). The group of mirrors (4) focus and reflect the beam (1) through respective filters (5) and onto respective detectors (6). One such remote sensing device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,210,702.
Such devices, however, may have certain drawbacks. These devices may have a large number of parts to manufacture, assemble, align, maintain, and calibrate, including special reflectors, multiple detectors and multiple light filters. Each of these parts introduces error into the final measurements. For example, light filters may suffer from light bleed, allowing undesirable wavelengths of light to reach the detectors. Uncertainty as to the measurements may also occur because different detectors may react differently to the variety of conditions encountered during the use of these devices.
Additionally, use of multiple filters, detectors, reflectors, and the like can add considerable complexity and bulk to the device. Also, if other components of the emission are to be detected, the replacement of filters and/or detectors to provide suitable filters and detectors for such other components may involve considerable cost in parts, as well as in assembly, alignment, and calibration of the device.
Another gas analysis device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,678,914. This device employs an infrared (IR) gas analyzer in which IR radiation from a source is directed toward an IR detector. The IR radiation passes through both a gas located in a sample cell and then one of various light filters mounted on a continuously rotating filter wheel. This device requires close proximity to an emissions output in order to operate properly, and employs a sample chamber for gas analysis. Devices which employ a gas sample chamber are not feasible for remote sensing of vehicle emissions because of the need to collect a sample of the emission and isolate it in the gas sample chamber. Also, such devices only provide a localized reading of the gas at the exact point where the sample is taken.
These and other drawbacks of known devices exist.

Remove vehicle emission sensing device with single detector

Environmental Systems Products Holdings Inc.


A valve arranged for radial fluid flow from its inlet to its outlet has a spring-loaded diaphragm covering a valve cage member having a central opening communicating with the valve inlet surrounded by a plurality of peripheral openings communicating with the valve outlet. The valve cage member is downwardly concave and a valve top member closing off the valve body has an upwardly concave surface which is substantially the inverse of the concave surface of the valve cage member. Accordingly, the diaphragm moves from a zero flow configuration against the valve cage member to a full flow configuration against the valve top member symmetrically without stretching.

This invention relates to valves and, more particularly, to an improved diaphragm valve for regulating gas flow, wherein movement of the flexible diaphragm between zero flow configuration and a full flow configuration is effected without stretching the diaphragm.
Current devices for regulating fluid flow include throttling devices with orifices and valves actuated by lever mechanisms and pan-type rubber diaphragms to vary the orifice opening. These devices rely on the principle of equilibrium of forces to control pressure and suffer from elevated pressure effects, i.e., the outlet pressure varies as a function of the inlet pressure. Also, fluid flow capacities are restricted by the size of the orifice, which in turn is limited to the available shut off force.
Other devices employ slotted cages and molded rubber sleeves (or boots) that peel from the cage slots to throttle fluid flow. Sleeve and boot-type valves each have limitations. These valves have poor stability at low fluid flow rates through the valve. The fluid stream usually impinges substantially on the sleeve and deflects the fluid stream, thereby subjecting the sleeve to erosion. Other difficulties encountered are stretching and extrusion of the rubber sleeves as well as difficulties in the assembly, operation and use of such prior valves.
It is therefore apparent that a need exists for a fluid flow regulating valve which does not suffer from the above-enumerated deficiencies. A need also exists for such a valve which is easily serviced, without requiring removal of the entire valve from the pipeline in which it is installed.