A technique relates to a linear magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) device. A linear magnetic tunnel junction structure includes a non-magnetic tunnel barrier on top of a free layer and a reference layer on top of the non-magnetic tunnel barrier, where the linear magnetic tunnel junction structure is in a line. Bottom contacts are separated from one another by a column space while the plurality of bottom contacts are self-aligned to the linear magnetic tunnel junction structure, such that the plurality of bottom contacts are in the line with and underneath the linear magnetic tunnel junction structure. The bottom contacts abut a bottom of the linear magnetic tunnel junction structure. MRAM devices are formed by having non-conducting parts of the free layer isolating individual interfaces between the bottom contacts and the free layer. The MRAM devices are formed in the line of the linear magnetic tunnel junction structure.

The present invention relates to magnetic memory and magnetic storage devices, and more specifically, to linear magnetoresistive random access memory devices (MRAM) with self-aligned bottom contacts.
Unlike conventional RAM chip technologies, data in MRAM is not stored as electric charge or current flows, but by magnetic storage elements. The magnetic storage elements are formed from two ferromagnetic plates, each of which can hold a magnetization, separated by a thin insulating layer. One of the two ferromagnetic plates is a permanent magnet set to a particular polarity, while the other plate has a magnetization that can be changed to match that of an external field or that can be changed using an applied current to store memory. This configuration is known as a magnetic tunnel junction and is the simplest structure for an MRAM bit/cell. A memory device is built from a grid of such cells.

Linear MRAM device with a self-aligned bottom contact

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


An electrical filter for filtering an electrical signal, the filter having a transmission characteristic comprising a band edge at a band edge transition frequency, the filter comprising a circulator having a first circulator port for receiving a signal to be filtered, the circulator being adapted to transfer a signal received at the first circulator port to a second circulator port and being further adapted to transfer a signal received at the second circulator port to a third circulator port; and, a reflection mode filter connected to the second port; the reflection mode filter comprising a filter network comprising at least one resonator, the filter network having a network input connected to the second circulator port; and, a further resonator connected to the network input, the further resonator being arranged to provide an extracted pole providing a transmission zero closest to the band edge transition frequency; wherein the further resonator has a high Q compared to the low Q of at least one of the at least one resonator of the filter network.

All passive resonators have a finite unloaded Q factor. In narrow bandwidth applications this resistive loss can lead to difficulties in the design process. In a bandpass application, designs which provide for both a good input and output match will exhibit transfer characteristics with significant amplitude variation over the passband if mid-band loss is minimised. This passband variation can only be reduced with given Q factors if the mid-band loss is increased possibly to an unacceptable level. Even in the case of a single resonator filter, problems occur due to the resistive loss which prevents a good input and output match being simultaneously achievable.
In the case of a rapid transition from passband to stopband, the resistive loss of the resonators causes a roll off of the insertion loss into the passband. A reduction in unloaded Q can quickly cause this loss to reach an unacceptable level particularly where noise figure is important and the filter has been introduced to reject signals which would limit the dynamic range of the receiver. This requirement now exists in several countries where new cellular telephone frequency bands have multi-use configurations such as that which arises in the refarming of terrestrial television bands.
In conventional filters, each resonator couples loss into the system. To meet typical requirements at least 25 dB rejection has to be provided over a band in excess of several MHz whilst the loss at 0.5 MHz into the passband has to be less than 0.5 dB. To achieve this, unloaded Q's of greater than 20,000 are required resulting in the necessity, at microwave frequencies, to use dielectric resonators for all of the cavities resulting in a physically large, heavy and expensive filter.


A box-shaped main plug unit is connected at one end to a cable. A plug of the main plug unit is insertable into plug insertion openings of a connector socket. A lock claw of a lock member is affixed to the main plug unit, and is positioned to lock into latch openings of the plug insertion openings. A slider is slidably supported on the main plug unit. When the slider is slid on the main plug unit it forcibly disengages the lock claw from the latch opening. A pull-out handle is rotatably supported on the slider. The pull-out handle is rotatable between a protected inoperative position and a projecting operative position where it permits application of removal force on the main plug unit. A fixed projection is integrally formed on the slider to further aid in the application of a pull-out force to the main plug unit.

The present invention relates to a connector plug for connecting electronic components. In particular, the present invention relates to an angular connector plug that can be used in connector sockets where a plurality of plug insertion openings are arranged side-by-side.
In general, when a connector plug connected to a connector sockets is unexpectedly pulled out from the connector socket, significant problems such as the loss of transmitted data can occur.
To handle this problem, Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication Number 4-16885 discloses an invention wherein a lock member is disposed on a connector plug. This lock member engages a latch opening of the connector socket, thus preventing the connector plug from being unexpectedly pulled out from the connector socket. With this connector plug, removing the connector plug from the connector socket involves manually operating an unlock ring in order to force the lock member to the unlocked position.
In some connector sockets for audio-visual devices, a connector socket on which is formed a plurality of plug insertion openings is used (for example, to connect a plurality of media devices such as VCRs). This type of connector socket structure, however, has a very large number of connector pins, and the plug insertion openings are spaced very close to each other. Thus, there is insufficient space available for manually operating the unlock ring. Since these connectors cannot be designed as round connector plugs, unlock rings as described above cannot be used.

Locking angular electrical connecting plug with rotatable release handle


A number of electro-optic modulation systems, apparatuses, and methods are disclosed. For example, one radio frequency photonic link with differential drive to an optical resonator electro-optic modulator includes an optically resonant body having a surface for receiving an optical carrier beam, a first electrode for receiving a first electrical signal to the resonator body, and a second electrode for receiving a second electrical signal to the resonator body that is different than the first electrical signal.

In the field of optical communication, information can be encoded onto a light beam through use of an optical modulator in order to create an optical signal that is encoded with information that can be transferred from one device to another via an interconnection medium. As the opportunities to apply photonic solutions to more and more communications applications multiply the solutions that may be applicable for some environments, may not be applicable to all environments.
For example, in some air, space, water craft, and ground vehicle environments, among others, the size, weight, power consumption, and/or quality of the signal can be issues of importance that may not be important in other applications. For example, in many applications, a communications system for a military avionics application may have significantly different issues regarding these factors than a communications system between two buildings.
Optical communication systems use one or more optical carrier waves to provide signal transmission between two or more points. These transmissions are typically high-speed and/or wide bandwidth signal transmissions that allow the passage of more information than electrical communication systems.
An optical carrier wave can be transmitted either through the free space or in an optical waveguide channel such as an optical fiber and can, therefore be utilized in applications that electrical communication may not be able to be applied. In some embodiments, instead of an optical only system, the system can include the use of one or more other non-optical communication systems, such as wired networks, radio wireless networks, satellite communication systems, can be combined with optical systems to meet various communication needs and requirements. Such systems can include other communications types such as electrical, radio frequency (RF) and others.
An optical communication system may include a light source, such as a laser, to produce the optical carrier wave. In order to provide a communication signal onto the optical carrier wave an optical modulator can be utilized to modulate the optical carrier wave to carry the information. The optical modulator may modulate the phase or amplitude of the optical carrier wave, among other properties.
In such systems, an optical receiver, which may include a photodetector to convert the optical information into a desired electronic format for further processing, can be used to receive the information.

Radio frequency photonic link with differential drive to an optical resonator electro-optic modulator


A providing apparatus that provides information required for a secure communication to first and second devices includes a receiving unit for receiving candidates for parameters used for the secure communication from the first and second devices; a generating unit for generating the information required for the secure communication based on the candidates for the parameters received from the first and second devices; and a transmitting unit for transmitting the information required for the secure communication, generated by the generating unit, to the first and second devices.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a providing apparatus and a providing method that provide information required for a secure communication between a first device and a second device to the first and second devices, a communication device and a communication method that receive information required to ensure secure communication with the communication partner from the providing apparatus, and a program for realizing the providing method or the communication method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Security architecture for Internet protocol (IPsec) is a standardized protocol having enough functions and safety to ensure the security in a general Internet protocol (IP) layer. The core of the IPsec is automatic generation of a security association (SA) conforming to an Internet key exchange (IKE) protocol defined in RFC2409 "The Internet key exchange (IKE)". The SA is established in two phases: Phase1 (or Internet security association and key management protocol (ISAKMP) SA) and Phase2 (or IPsec SA). The IPsec is disclosed in, for example, U.S. 2001042201.
In the Phase1 in an aggressive mode, an encryption algorithm for an IKE communication channel is selected in the first round-trip, key (key for IKE communication) exchange is performed in a Diffie-Hellman (DH) key exchange algorithm in the second round-trip, and the communication partner is authenticated in the third round-trip. In the Phase2, encryption algorithms or secret keys used in the encapsulating security payload (ESP) or the authentication header (AH) of a security protocol are exchanged using a secret communication channel, established in Phase1, in the first round-trip to transmit the subsequent connection acknowledgement only as transmission. The setting information exchanged in the above manner is registered as SA entries in security association databases (SAD) of the corresponding terminal devices and is utilized in secure communications between the terminal devices.
The IPsec communication is standardized so as to be automatically set between the corresponding terminal devices. However, some pre-settings are required.
Authentication by a pre-shared key method is generally supported as the authentication performed in the third round-trip in Phase1. In the pre-shared key method, it is presumed that a shared key, which is effective only between the two terminal devices performing the secure communication, is directly set for the corresponding devices by a skilled manager. Accordingly, although the pre-shared key method is operational between a few specified devices, it is difficult to operate the pre-shared key method between an unspecified number of devices.
For example, the DH key exchange algorithm and a public key encryption algorithm used in the IPsec are complicated and it takes a few seconds or more to process the IPsec in a mobile terminal or the like, which has a relatively little CPU power. Hence, in devices with relatively little CPU power, it is necessary to use a dedicated arithmetic chip, which creates implementation problems.

Providing apparatus, providing method, communication device, communication method, and program


Implementations disclosed describe systems and methods to optimize delivery of channel state information in wireless networks. In one implementation, a beamformee device may comprise a plurality of antennas, to receive radio frequency signals, a radio circuit coupled to the plurality of antennas, the radio circuit to generate strength indicators of the received radio frequency signals, and a processor to determine, based on the strength indicators, a first set of feedback parameters characterizing signal transmission received by each of the plurality of antennas, generate a sparse set of feedback parameters from the first set of feedback parameters, generate a second set of feedback parameters with elements of the sparse set that exceed a threshold value, and cause the radio circuit to transmit the second set of feedback parameters.

Wireless networks increasingly use multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radio channels between an access point and a client device. Multiple transmitting and receiving antennas allow multipath propagation based on beamforming, in which constructive and destructive interference of radio waves is used to enhance simultaneous signal transmission between the access point and various client devices. Because an environment of a wireless network is often dynamic, the access point may have to periodically probe the environment by initiating a channel sounding procedure during which a set of sounding signals is output by multiple antennas of the access point device and received by multiple antennas of various client devices. The client devices may then communicate back to the access point the channel state information extracted from the received signals. Equipped with this feedback, the access point may perform optimized beamforming, which is tailored for each client device given the contemporaneous conditions of the wireless network environment. With a large number of client devices, each equipped with multiple antennas, the amount of channel sounding feedback that has to be provided to the access point may become quite significant and take a substantial amount of time. This may leave significantly less time, than would be optimal, for the actual data transmission.

Method for optimizing channel sounding feedback in MIMO systems


An apparatus and method for securely and releasably attaching load-bearing soft goods to a frame without requiring the use of tools for attachment and detachment is disclosed. A connection mechanism, or buckle, that is comprised of a first, male connector portion and a second, female connector portion is provided. The male connector, which is fixedly secured to the soft good, is releasably received within the female connector, which is fixedly secured to the frame, in order to releasably attach the soft good to the frame. The male connector contains a thin, rectangular attachment tab that provides for fixedly attaching the soft good to the male connector. The female connector is directly secured to the frame, such as by riveting. By fixedly securing one portion of the connection mechanism to the frame for mating with another portion, it is obvious to the user where the attachments of the soft good to the frame are to be made. The attached soft good can support the weight of a child occupant and can only be detached from the frame by applying a force that is directed to decoupling the buckle. Several buckles are disposed around the periphery of the soft good and the frame in order to adequately support the soft good.

The present invention relates to a connection mechanism for fastening soft goods (e.g. the fabric for the seat of a stroller) to a support structure (e.g. the stroller frame). More specifically, the invention relates to an apparatus and method for securely and releasably attaching soft goods to a frame such that the soft goods, when attached to the frame, are able to function as a load-bearing surface and yet be easily removable from, and attachable to, the frame.
A variety of children's products, such as strollers, playpens, car seats, etc. have structural frameworks that are formed of metal tubing or molded plastic and have child support seating areas that are formed by, or lined with, fabric. Typically, the fabric of the seating area, whether the fabric actually forms the seating area or just covers the seating area, is manufactured separately from the framework of the product and is therefore required to be attached to the framework.
A variety of devices are known for attaching soft goods to a frame. Devices, such as rivets, can be utilizesd to securely fasten soft goods to a frame, however, these devices do not allow for removal of the soft goods for laundering or other purposes.
Other devices are known for removably attaching soft goods to frame structures, however, these devices suffer drawbacks as well.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,482,352 to Leal et al. discloses a soft good cover that is attached to a car seat frame by standard snap fasteners. The female portion of the fastener is attached to the soft good and the male portion is directly secured to the car seat frame. The snap fasteners are provided along the periphery of the soft good and the seat to attach the cover to the seat. The patent also discloses that other attachment means, such as belts, elastic straps, or ties may be used to attach the soft good to the seat.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,005,903 to Minardi discloses a standard hook and loop fastener to attach a cushion to a car seat where one portion of the fastener is attached to the soft good and the other portion may be glued or secured by other similar means to the car seat frame itself.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,366,271 to Johnston et al. discloses pad eyes in the frame of an infant seat that are designed to receive buttons provided on a cushion for removably attaching the cushion to the frame.
Another known technique for attachment of a soft good to a cylindrical frame includes a clip that is semi-circular in configuration and is designed to be releasably attached directly to a frame member by snap-fitting the semi-circular clip around the frame. The clip contains an integrally molded, thin rectangular tab that extends from the body portion of the clip to which the soft good product may be sewn. In this manner, a soft good is directly secured to a clip and the clip is releasably attachable to a frame to secure the soft good to the frame.
All of these various attachment mechanisms, i.e. ties, belts, elastic straps, hook and loop fasteners, snaps, clips, etc., have utility in applications where a liner, cushion, or any other type of soft good is required to be removably attached to a frame and where the frame or an additional securing mechanism bears the load applied to the soft good. Thus the attachment mechanisms described above merely attach the soft good to the frame. These devices are not suitable for securing soft goods to a frame where the soft goods alone are required to support a load. If these types of devices were used in the load-bearing context, the load, or weight of the child in the child apparatus context, could act to detach the attachment device from the frame and the child could be harmed by inadvertent detachment of the attachment device.
An additional drawback with attachment devices such as the clip described above is that since the clip is totally self-contained, i.e. no part of the attachment device is fixedly secured to the frame for mating with a second part, the clip can be attached at any location on the frame. Thus, the attachment mechanism itself provides no guidance to the user for determining where on the frame to secure the clip in order to ensure proper positioning of the soft good to the frame.
Additional types of fastening devices are known that are able to support the weight of a child occupant, however, these devices also suffer drawbacks that are solved by the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,393,122 to Andrisin, III discloses a stroller seat back recline mechanism where the seat back's angle of inclination is able to be adjusted by looping a web extension that is attached to the top of the seat back at different positions within a slotted buckle fastener that is directly secured to the stroller frame. Whereas the frictional connection between the web and the slot, to a limited extent, is able to support the weight of a child occupant and whereas it also serves to attach the soft good seat back to the stroller frame at one location, the connection does not provide for ease in removing the soft good from the stroller frame. The connection is not intended for this purpose and does not provide this functionality. Additionally, should this type of connection be used for the sole purpose of attaching soft goods to a frame, the frictional threaded web and slot connection between the soft good and the slotted buckle is susceptible to working itself loose due to the lack of a positive, mechanical interlock between the soft good and the buckle. Loosening of the connection between the soft good and the frame, where the soft good is supporting a child occupant, could result in harm to the child.
A final known technique for securing a load-bearing soft good to a frame is to provide web attachments to the periphery of the soft good which are then wrapped around the frame and fastened directly to the frame by using, for example, screws. However, securing the webbing directly to the stroller frame does not provide for ease in detaching and reattaching the soft good to the frame. Tools are required to detach and reattach the soft goods and, additionally, reattaching the soft goods is made even more difficult for the user because, similar to the positioning drawbacks discussed previously for the clip, the proper relative positioning of the webs to the frame is not obvious to the user.
Therefore, it would be beneficial to have a connection mechanism that securely attaches load-bearing soft goods to a frame, provides for a positive, mechanical interlock between the soft goods and the frame that requires an act directed to decoupling the connection for detaching the soft goods, and that allows for ease in detaching, reattaching and positioning the soft goods on the frame without requiring tools.


The invention relates to a mineral wool plant substrate comprising a coherent matrix of mineral wool and up to 20 volume % of an ion-exchange agent comprising a variable and/or fixed ion-exchange capacity of about 15, preferably 30 and most preferably 40 meq/100 g dry weight or more.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mineral wool plant substrate, more in particular to a mineral wool plant substrate comprising a foreign material or materials in order to improve the properties of the mineral wool substrate to realize Crop Protection and/or improve plant performance in relation to additions (such as nutrients, pesticides, water and the like) as applied by growers during a cropping cycle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Mineral wool plant substrates for plant growth are well-known in the art and consist of a coherent matrix of mineral wool. This coherent matrix is formed by collecting a layer of mineral wool fibres provided with a curable binder, so that after curing the mineral wool fibres are substantially not displaceable relative to one another. If required for fast uptake of water this coherent matrix of mineral wool may be provided with a wetting agent.
Under mineral wool is to be understood glass wool, stone wool, rock wool, man made vitrous fibres, slag wool, and/or mixtures thereof.
The fibres may have an average diameter varying in between 1–10 μm. For rock wool the fibre diameter is on average about 4 μm.
The density of the coherent matrix of mineral wool may be between 10–200 kg/m3, in general in the range of 40–80 kg/m3.
Such a coherent matrix of mineral wool has a form retaining property, which is inherent due to the inorganic starting materials used. Furthermore, the water retaining capacity of these mineral wool plant substrates is very well controllable and predictable.
A problem is that growers, utilizing such mineral wool plant substrates may inadvertently stress and even damage plants by overdosing or underdosing the mineral wool substrates with additions, such as nutrient solutions, when considering plant requirements at a certain time and growth stage.


The system disclosed herein builds a database of image-related data by inputting a plurality of images, and for each image: dividing the image into N1 (N1xe2x89xa71) regions which are substantially homogenous with respect to at least one attribute of the image, generating a graph based on M1 (M1xe2x89xa71) of the N1 regions, and storing data for the graph in the database. The database may then be used to determine whether a query image is similar to one or more of the plurality of images. To this end, the system inputs the query image, and divides the query image into N2 (N2xe2x89xa71) regions which are substantially homogenous with respect to at least one attribute of the query image. The system then generates a graph based on M2 (M2xe2x89xa71) of the N2 regions, and compares the generated graph to other graphs in the database that correspond to the plurality of images. Thereafter, an image is retrieved from memory that has a graph that is substantially similar to the generated graph.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a system which builds a database of image graphs, and which retrieves images that are similar to a xe2x80x9cqueryxe2x80x9d image using this database. Specifically, the invention generates graphs of images based on homogeneous regions thereof, and stores these graphs in the database, together with pointers to the images. The invention then generates a similar graph for the query image, and compares the query image graph to the graphs in the database. Those graphs in the database that are similar to the query image graph are identified, and their corresponding images retrieved.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, it has become commonplace for personal computers and other digital hardware to process and display digital images. This is due, in no small part, to the increase in popularity of digital video on the Internet. As a result of this increased use of digital imagery, it has become necessary to retrieve images from increasingly larger image databases. This typically does not present a problem if there is some way to readily identify the images, such as via a file name or the like.
On the other hand, it is more difficult to retrieve images from a large database if the only way to retrieve the images is based on their content, as is oftentimes the case, e.g., for digital video and for scanned images. For example, a user may wish to locate a video clip based on a single frame of video, or to locate particular frame of video within a video clip. Similarly, a user may wish to determine which of a plurality of pre-stored images best matches a scanned image. In these cases, image retrieval can be difficult.
Current methods of retrieving images, such as frames of video, from a database involve labeling the individual frames, and then searching through the frames manually for particular frames based on these labels. As might be expected, this process is both time consuming and inefficient. Automated content-based image retrieval systems exist. However, these systems are often slow due to the amount of processing required, and often produce erroneous results, particularly for images having different orientations, rotations, scaling, translations, and aspect ratio variations.
Accordingly, there exists a need for an automated content-based image retrieval system that addresses these and other drawbacks of conventional systems. In particular, there exists a need for a system which provides for content-based image retrieval that is both accurate and fast.
The present invention addresses the foregoing needs by providing a method of building a database from which images, such as frames of video, can be retrieved based on their content. In more detail, the invention inputs images, divides the images into one or more regions based on one or more attributes of the image, such as color, texture, etc., and generates a graph of the regions. This graph is then stored in the database, together with a pointer to the image. This database can then be used to retrieve one or more images (e.g., frames of video) that are similar to an input, or xe2x80x9cqueryxe2x80x9d image.
To this end, the invention performs substantially the same processing on the query image as that performed to generate the graphs in the database. That is, the invention divides the query image into regions based on one or more attributes of the image, and generates a graph based on the regions. Thereafter, the graph for the query image is compared to graphs in the database. Images are then retrieved whose graphs have at least a predetermined level of similarity to the xe2x80x9cquery imagexe2x80x9d graph. Alternatively, the system retrieves a fixed number of the most similar images, such as the ten images whose graphs are most similar to the query image graph.
By virtue of the foregoing, the present invention provides a way to retrieve images based on content that operates automatically, rather than manually. In other words, the invention eliminates the necessity of physically labeling images, such as frames of video, and then manually xe2x80x9cflipping throughxe2x80x9d those images to locate an image that is similar to a query image. Moreover, because the invention compares image graphs, and particularly features thereof, the invention is able to determine whether two images are similar regardless of image orientation, rotation, scaling, translation, and aspect ratio variations.
Thus, according to one aspect, the present invention is a system (i.e., a method, an apparatus, and computer-executable process steps) for building a database of image-related data. The system inputs a plurality of images, such as key frames of a video sequence. For each input image, the system divides (or xe2x80x9csegmentsxe2x80x9d) the image into N1 (N1xe2x89xa71) regions which are substantially homogenous with respect to one or more attributes of the image, and generates a graph based on M1 (M1xe2x89xa71) of the N1 regions, where M1 may, or may not, equal N1. The system then stores data for the graph in the database.
According to another aspect, the invention is a system which uses graphs corresponding to a plurality of images to determine whether a query image is similar to one or more of the plurality of images. In operation, the system inputs the query image, divides the query image into N2 (N2xe2x89xa71) regions which are substantially homogenous with respect to one or more attributes of the query image, and generates a graph based on M2 (M2xe2x89xa71) of the N2 regions, where one or more individual values of N1, N2, M1 and M2 may or may not be equal. The system then compares the generated graph to other graphs in a database that correspond to the plurality of images, and retrieves one or more images having graphs that substantially correspond to the graph of the query image.
This brief summary has been provided so that the nature of the invention may be understood quickly. A more complete understanding of the invention can be obtained by reference to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment thereof in connection with the attached drawings.

Region-based image archiving and retrieving system


An optical navigation system. The optical navigation system includes an image sensor capable of optical coupling to a surface of an object, a data storage device, and a navigation circuit. The data storage device is capable of storing successive images captured by the image sensor. The navigation circuit includes a first digital circuit capable of determining an optical displacement estimate for a relative displacement between the image sensor and the object obtained by comparing the images, a second digital circuit capable of determining a mechanical displacement estimate for the relative displacement obtained from consideration of a mechanical characteristic associated with the optical navigation system, and a third digital circuit capable of determining an adjusted displacement estimate obtained from the optical displacement estimate and the mechanical displacement estimate.

One of the most common and, at the same time, useful input devices for user control of modern computer systems is the mouse. The main goal of a mouse as an input device is to translate the motion of an operator's hand into signals that the computer can use. This goal is accomplished by displaying on the screen of the computer's monitor a cursor which moves in response to the user's hand movement. Commands which can be selected by the user are typically keyed to the position of the cursor. The desired command can be selected by first placing the cursor, via movement of the mouse, at the appropriate location on the screen and then activating a button or switch on the mouse.
Positional control of cursor placement on the monitor screen was initially obtained by mechanically detecting the relative movement of the mouse with respect to a fixed frame of reference, i.e., the top surface of a desk or a mouse pad. A common technique is to use a ball inside the mouse which in operation touches the desktop and rolls when the mouse moves. Inside the mouse there are two rollers which touch the ball and roll as the ball rolls. One of the rollers is oriented so that it detects motion in a nominal X direction, and the other is oriented 90 degrees to the first roller so it detects motion in the associated Y direction. The rollers are connected to separate shafts, and each shaft is connected to a separate optical encoder which outputs an electrical signal corresponding to movement of its associated roller. This signal is appropriately encoded and sent typically as binary data to the computer which in turn decodes the signal it received and moves the cursor on the computer screen by an amount corresponding to the physical movement of the mouse.
More recently, optical navigation techniques have been used to produce the motion signals that are indicative of relative movement along the directions of coordinate axes. These techniques have been used, for instance, in optical computer mice and fingertip tracking devices to replace conventional mice and trackballs, again for the position control of screen pointers in windowed user interfaces for computer systems. Such techniques have several advantages, among which are the lack of moving parts that accumulate dirt and that suffer from mechanical wear when used.
Distance measurement of movement of paper within a printer can be performed in different ways, depending on the situation. For printer applications, we can measure the distance moved by counting the number of steps taken by a stepper motor, because each step of the motor will move a certain known distance. Another alternative is to use an encoding wheel designed to measure relative motion of the surface whose motion causes the wheel to rotate. It is also possible to place marks on the paper that can be detected by sensors.
Motion in a system using optical navigation techniques is measured by tracking the relative displacement of a series of images. First, a two dimensional view of an area of the reference surface is focused upon an array of photo detectors, whose outputs are digitized and stored as a reference image in a corresponding array of memory. A brief time later a second image is digitized. If there has been no motion, then the image obtained subsequent to the reference image and the reference image are essentially identical. If, on the other hand, there has been some motion, then the subsequent image will have been shifted along the axis of motion with the magnitude of the image shift corresponding to the magnitude of physical movement of the array of photosensors. The so called optical mouse used in place of the mechanical mouse for positional control in computer systems employ this technique.
In practice, the direction and magnitude of movement of the optical mouse can be measured by comparing the reference image to a series of shifted versions of the second image. The shifted image corresponding best to the actual motion of the optical mouse is determined by performing a cross-correlation between the reference image and each of the shifted second images with the correct shift providing the largest correlation value. Subsequent images can be used to indicate subsequent movement of the optical mouse using the method just described.
At some point in the movement of the optical mouse, however, the image obtained which is to be compared with the reference image may no longer overlap the reference image to a degree sufficient to be able to accurately identify the motion that the mouse incurred. Before this situation can occur it is necessary for one of the subsequent images to be defined as a new reference image. This redefinition of the reference image is referred to as re-referencing.
Measurement inaccuracy in optical navigation systems is a result of the manner in which such systems obtain their movement information. Optical navigation sensors operate by obtaining a series of images of an underlying surface. This surface has a micro texture. When this micro texture is illuminated (typically at an angle) by a light, the micro texture of the surface results in a pattern of shadows that is detected by the photosensor array. A sequence of images of these shadow patterns are obtained, and the optical navigation sensor attempts to calculate the relative motion of the surface that would account for changes in the image. Thus, if an image obtained at time t(n+1) is shifted left by one pixel relative to the image obtained at time t(n), then the optical navigation sensor most likely has been moved right by one pixel relative to the observed surface.
As long as the reference frame and current frame overlap by a sufficient amount, movement can be calculated with sub-pixel accuracy. However, a problem occurs when an insufficient overlap occurs between the reference frame and the current frame, as movement cannot be determined accurately in this case. To prevent this problem, a new reference frame is selected whenever overlap between the reference frame and the current frame is less than some threshold. However, because of noise in the optical sensor array, the sensor will have some amount of error introduced into the measurement of the amount of movement each time the reference frame is changed. Thus, as the size of the measured movement increases, the amount of error will increase as more and more new reference frames are selected.
Due to the lack of absolute positional reference, at each re-referencing, any positional errors from the previous re-referencing procedure are accumulated. When the optical mouse sensor travels over a long distance, the total cumulative position error built up can be significant. If the photosensor array is 30×30, re-referencing may need occur each time the mouse moves 15 pixels or so (15 pixels at 60 microns per pixel=one reference frame update every 0.9 mm). The amount of measurement error over a given distance is proportional to E*(N)1/2, where E is the error per reference frame change, and N is the number of reference frame updates.

Error corrected optical navigation system

Avago Technologies ECBU IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.


Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed to improve Doppler velocity estimation. An example apparatus is disclosed including a transmitter to transmit a first sweep signal at a first position in a first block of time during a transmit time sequence pattern, and transmit a second sweep signal at a second position in a second block of time during the transmit time sequence pattern, the second position different than the first position. The example apparatus also includes a velocity analyzer to determine a velocity and a direction of arrival of a target object identified during the transmit time sequence pattern.

In recent years, autonomous and semi-autonomous vehicle technology has been implemented in more and more vehicles. An important component of this technology is the radar system that helps detect and track objects around the vehicle. One example system is a Multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radar system, which includes multiple transmitters that transmit radar signals that are subsequently detected by multiple receivers after being reflected by objects within range of the radar system. The signals transmitted by the different transmitters in a MIMO radar system are designed to be mutually orthogonal and uniformly slow-time sampled so that, when the signals are detected by the receivers, the signals can be uniquely identified to estimate the location and velocity of the objects.
The figures are not to scale. In general, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawing(s) and accompanying written description to refer to the same or like parts.
Descriptors "first," "second," "third," etc. are used herein when identifying multiple elements or components which may be referred to separately. Unless otherwise specified or understood based on their context of use, such descriptors are not intended to impute any meaning of priority, physical order or arrangement in a list, or ordering in time but are merely used as labels for referring to multiple elements or components separately for ease of understanding the disclosed examples. In some examples, the descriptor "first" may be used to refer to an element in the detailed description, while the same element may be referred to in a claim with a different descriptor such as "second" or "third." In such instances, it should be understood that such descriptors are used merely for ease of referencing multiple elements or components.

Methods and apparatus to improve doppler velocity estimation


An engine has a built-in continuously variable transmission (CVT) interconnecting a crankshaft connected through a connecting rod to a piston and a transmission shaft to which the rotation of the crankshaft is transmitted for changing speed between both of the shafts. A driven pulley and a clutch are disposed on the transmission shaft. A balancer shaft to which the rotation of the crankshaft is transmitted and the clutch are disposed in an overlapping positional relationship with each other in the direction of the crankshaft.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an engine with an integrated continuously variable transmission (CVT) that extends between a crankshaft and a transmission shaft. More particularly, the present invention relates to such a combination in which rotation of the transmission shaft is provided to a drive shaft output.
2. Description of the Related Art
An engine having an integrated continuously variable transmission is shown and described in JP-A-2000-18348. In the configuration shown in FIG. 4 of the Japanese reference, one end of a crankshaft of the engine carries a drive pulley of the continuously variable transmission. The other end of the crankshaft carries a generator, such as a flywheel magneto. Between the generator and the drive pulley, the crankshaft comprising webs to which the pistons are connected with connecting rods. Between the generator and the web closest to the generator, the crankshaft comprises a gear. The gear is used to drive a balancer shaft. The balancer shaft carries a balancer weight that offsets the effects of the webs of the crankshaft during rotation of the crankshaft. The balancer shaft also drives through a geared coupling a coolant pump. A centrifugal clutch also is positioned in line with the crankshaft.
This arrangement advantageously reduces crankshaft vibration through the use of the balancer shaft; however, the centrifugal clutch must be located in a position along the crankshaft axis that will provide ample space for the balancer shaft. As a result, the engine size must be increased in the vicinity of the crankshaft in order to accommodate the balancer shaft and the centrifugal clutch.

Engine with built-in continuously variable transmission


In accordance with the exemplary embodiments of the invention there is at least a method and an apparatus to perform the method of sending towards a key management device associated with an application service provider for an application, a key request for the application being booted in the cloud network; and in response to the key request, receiving an application specific key for the application, where the key is based on multiple factors associated with the application server. Further, there is at least a method and an apparatus to perform the method of receiving a key request from an application server of a cloud network for the application being booted in the cloud network; in response to the key request, authenticating the request using multiple attributes associated with the application server; and sending an application specific key for the application towards the application server.

This section is intended to provide a background or context to the invention that is recited in the claims. The description herein may include concepts that could be pursued, but are not necessarily ones that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated herein, what is described in this section is not prior art to the description and claims in this application and is not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
Certain abbreviations that may be found in the description and/or in the Figures are herewith defined as follows:
AES advanced encryption standard
AMI amazon machine image
API application programming interface
AWS application web service
DB database
DC domain controller
EBS elastic block store
ELB elastic load balancer
EMR elastic map reduce
FIDS federal information processing standards
ID identification
HSM hardware security module
KM key management
KMS key management service
RDS rational database service
SDK software development kit
SSL secure sockets layer
Cloud computing is an approach to sharing computing resources over the Internet. One area of cloud computing includes a host provider (for example, cloud provider) providing virtual server instances on which user devices can run applications. Examples of applications available in such a cloud environment can include social media applications, and applications provided by Yahoo®, EBay®, and Amazon® to name only a few. As these applications are run in a cloud separate from a user device and its application service provider special attention needs to be given to application data security. In this regard at least a problem exists in that application data security may not be trusted to be provided by the cloud provider.

Cloud centric application trust validation


A gas detecting device includes a main body, a gas sensing module, a particulate measuring module and a control module. A chamber is formed within the main body. The main body has a first inlet, a second inlet and an outlet in fluid communication with the chamber. The gas sensing module includes a compartment body, a carrying plate, a sensor and an actuator. The actuator introduces ambient gas into the gas sensing module through the first inlet, and the gas is measured by the sensor and discharged from the outlet of the compartment body. The particulate measuring module is disposed within the chamber of the main body and includes an inlet channel, an outlet channel and a particulate detector. The gas is introduced into the particulate measuring module through the inlet channel, and a concentration of particulates in the gas is measured by the particulate detector.

Nowadays, people pay much attention to the air quality in the environment. For example, it is important to monitor carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, volatile organic compounds (VOC), Particulate Matter (PM2.5), nitric oxide, sulfur monoxide, and so on. Moreover, it is also important to monitor other particulate matters contained in the gas. The exposures of these substances in the environment will cause human health problems or even harm the life. Therefore, it is important for every country to monitor the air quality in the environment and help people escape or prevent from the injuries.
Generally, it is feasible to use a gas sensor to monitor the air quality in the environment. If the gas sensor is capable of immediately providing people with the monitored information relating to the environment for caution, it may help people escape or prevent from the injuries and influence on human health caused by the exposure of the substances described above in the environment. In other words, the gas sensor is suitably used for monitoring the ambient air in the environment.
Generally, portable devices are the mobile devices that are usually carried by the people when they go out. Therefore, people pay much attention to the portable device having a gas detecting module embedded therein. More particularly, the developing trend of the current portable device is light and slim while maintaining high performance. Therefore, it is important to reduce the thickness of the gas detecting module and assembly the gas detecting module in the portable device for application and utilization.


A method for transmitting data signals in full duplex with echo cancellation between a first and a second modem connected by a two-wire channel, wherein a data signal is a function of at least one data symbol in a stream of data symbols generated by a modem comprising: determining echo cancellation coefficients for the first modem; transmitting data signals in full duplex between the two modems using the echo cancellation coefficients to cancel echoes in data signals received by the first modem; providing at least one hiatus in data symbol generation by the second modem while continuing data symbol generation by the first modem at a time at which echo cancellation using the echo cancellation coefficients is effective in canceling echoes in data signals received by the first modem; and updating the first modem echo cancellation coefficients during the at least one second modem hiatus.

A full duplex two-wire communication link comprises two full duplex modems connected by a single two-wire cable, such as for example a twisted-pair, over which each modem simultaneously transmits data signals to and receives data signals from the other modem. Generally, the data signals that are transmitted by a modem are samples, determined using an appropriate sampling function and sampling rate, of data symbols in a stream of data symbols that the modem generates which represent the actual data being transmitted by the modem. The samples are generated by sampling a product of the sampling function and the symbols at the sampling rate as they stream through a sampling window of suitable width in symbol periods (i.e. at any one time the sampling window contains an integral number of symbols). The data symbols are symbols from an appropriate symbol constellation and are organized in the data symbol stream in symbol frames.
The transmitter and receiver of each modem in the communication link are generally connected to the twisted-pair via a circuit known in the art as a hybrid circuit. In optimal operation, the hybrid circuit minimizes energy from signals transmitted by the modem's transmitter from reaching the modem's receiver and prevents energy from received signals from reaching the modem transmitter. The output impedance of the modem's hybrid also terminates the twisted-pair. Optimally, the hybrid of each of the modems terminates the twisted-pair with impedance substantially equal to the impedance of the twisted-pair.
In general some energy from a signal transmitted by a modem "leaks" through its hybrid circuit to the modem's receiver and generates an echo of the transmitted signal at the modem's receiver. In addition, the impedance of a twisted-pair can vary in time as a result of changes in temperature and humidity, changes in stray capacitance of the cable or physical damage to the cable. The output impedance of a hybrid can also vary with changes in temperature and humidity. Optimal termination of a twisted-pair by a hybrid is therefore generally difficult to achieve and maintain. As a result, when one modem in the two-wire link transmits a signal to the other modem, some of the energy in the transmitted signal is reflected back to the receiver of the transmitting modem. The reflected energy, as does the energy that leaks through the hybrid, generates echoes of the transmitted pulse at the transmitting modem's receiver.
Incoming data signals received by the modem are therefore usually mixed with and corrupted by echoes from a plurality of outgoing data signals that the modem itself has transmitted at times prior to the reception of the incoming data signal. In general, the amount of reflected energy in echoes that the modem receives is substantial and energy received from near echoes can often be greater than the energy of incoming data signals.
Most modems in a full duplex two-wire communication link therefore generally process incoming data signals to reduce the amount of energy from echoes that corrupts the incoming data signals. Various "echo canceling" methods for reducing echo contamination of data signals received by a modem are known in the art. Generally, these methods involve generating a simulated echo that provides an estimate as a function of time of the echoes that the modem receives from data signals that the modem transmits. When a data signal is received by the modem, the simulated echo is subtracted from the received data signal to correct it for corruption by echoes.
The simulated echo at a particular time is generally assumed to be a linear function of a plurality of data signals transmitted by the modem at times prior to the particular time. The function is defined by a set of coefficients, each of which multiplies the amplitude of one of the plurality of transmitted data signals to determine the contribution of the transmitted data signal to the simulated echo at the particular time. The coefficients, hereinafter referred to as "echo cancellation coefficients", are determined for each modem of the communication link during a half duplex training period in which the modem transmits data signals and the other modem is silent. During the training period signals received at the transmitting modem comprise only echoes of its own transmitted data signals and noise. The echo cancellation coefficients are determined so that after subtraction of the simulated echo from incoming signals during the half duplex training session, the output of the modem receiver is substantially due only to channel noise (which cannot be canceled by the simulated echo). The determination of the echo cancellation coefficients for a modem during the half duplex training period and generation of the simulated echo during subsequent full duplex communication are generally performed by an appropriate processor comprised in the modem. The processor receives signals proportional to data signals transmitted by the modem and signals from the output of the modem receiver and processes the signals it receives to determine a suitable set of echo cancellation coefficients. Usually, the echo cancellation coefficients are determined using a least squares minimizing algorithm that determines values for the echo cancellation coefficients that minimize the square of the receiver output signals during the half duplex training period.
Following determination of the simulated echo cancellation coefficients for each modem, the two-wire communications link is operable to provide full duplex communication between the two modems with echo cancellation correction of data signals transmitted between the modems. As long as the echo characteristics of the communication link are stable and do not change substantially, use of the echo cancellation coefficients that are determined in the training period provides relatively efficient echo cancellation. If however, echo characteristics of the communication link change substantially, echo cancellation using the coefficients can be degraded and quality of communication, as measured for example by eye quality monitoring (EQM) and post detection signal to noise ratio (PDSNR) reduced.
If quality of communication becomes unacceptable due to changes in echo characteristics of the communication link, full duplex communication over the link is stopped and a new training period is initiated to update the echo cancellation coefficients for the modems and renegotiate data transmission rates. Each new training period generally interrupts communication between the modems for a relatively extended period of time. Such interruptions are not acceptable for communication applications that require uninterrupted data flow between the modems.
A method for updating cancellation coefficients without interrupting full duplex communication over a two wire communications link is described in "A New Digital Echo Canceler for Two-Wire Full-Duplex Data Transmission" by K. H. Mueller, IEEE Transactions on Communications; Vol. Com-24, No. 9, September 1976, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. The method is also described in "The Theory and Practice of Modem Design" by John A. C. Bingham; copyright 1988 by John Wiley and Sons Inc.; pp 371-373, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Whereas the method described in the above references does not require stopping full duplex communication, the method is relatively slow. As a result, it is not efficient for updating echo cancellation coefficients in situations for which echo characteristics of a communication link change relatively rapidly.


A thin film, surface-mounted fuse which comprises two material subassemblies. The first subassembly comprises a fusible link, its supporting substrate and terminal pads. The second subassembly comprises a protective, photoimageable layer which overlies the fusible link so as to provide protection from impacts and oxidation. The photoimageable layer is a low profile coating.

Printed circuit (PC) boards have found increasing application in electrical and electronic equipment of all kinds. The electrical circuits formed on these PC boards, like larger scale, conventional electrical circuits, need protection against electrical overloads. This protection is typically provided by subminiature fuses that are physically secured to the PC board.
One example of such a subminiature, surface-mounted fuse is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,166,656 ('656 patent). The fusible link of this surface-mounted fuse is disclosed as being covered with a three layer composite which includes a passivation layer, an insulating cover, and an epoxy layer to bond the passivation layer to the insulating cover. See '656 patent, column 6, lines 4-7. Typically, the passivation layer is either chemically vapor-deposited silica or a thick layer of printed glass. See '656 patent, column 3, lines 39-41. The insulating cover may be a glass cover. See '656 patent, column 4, lines 43-46.
Another prior art device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,552,757. In that invention, unlike the '656 patent, the fusible link is protected with only one, rather than three, layers. In the '757 patent, however, this one protective layer 56 is a polycarbonate adhesive or the like. This protective layer 56 extended substantially above the general borders of the surface-mount fuse shown in FIG. 12 of the '757 patent. As a result, the fuse shown in FIG. 12 of the '757 patent could only be placed on a circuit board with the protective layer 56 facing upwardly, away from the board.

Chip protector surface-mounted fuse device


A method for preparing photoluminescent carbon nanodots includes preparing and drying a sample, ashing the sample, extracting the ashed sample with solvent, filtering the extracted sample, concentrating the filtered sample, dissolving the sample in water, and freeze-drying the dissolved sample. The sample is preferably a food waste residue or animal excrement.

A photoluminescent nano-material, which is typically referred to as nanodots, refers to a material having a nano-meter particle size to represent a specific light emission phenomenon. Photoluminescent nano-materials have been used for sensing, imaging, or solar cells according to inherent characteristics thereof. In particular, the photoluminescent nano-material is greatly expected in cell imaging, and the use value of the photoluminescent nano-material will be more increased in the future.
Photoluminescent nano-materials formed of CdS or CdSe, which have recently extensively used, may cause many problems in the use for the biological purpose, especially medical purpose due to the inherent heavy metal toxicity thereof.
On the one hand, although silicon (Si)-semiconductor quantum dots represent safety characteristics against the toxicity in the use for the biological purpose, especially medical purpose, the Si-semiconductor quantum dots do not represent excellent light emission stability.
Gold (Au)-nanodots or silver (Ag)-nanoclusters may have an economical problem in relation to the preparation cost.
In other words, there is a demand for a photoluminescent nano-material economically advantageous with safety in the biological use and stability in long-term light emission.
In addition, although carbon nanodots (C-DOT) represents a Φ value (measurement value of a photoluminescence emission spectrum) lower than that of a photoluminescent nanodots, the C-DOTs have been spotlighted in terms of chemical, optical, and biological safety.
However, conventionally, in order to obtain the carbon nanodots, a solvent, such as poly ethylene glycol (PEG), or strong acid is required, or a laser ablation scheme under high-temperature and high-pressure inert gas is required.
Therefore, it is necessary to more economically or more simply prepare the photoluminescent carbon nanodots.
Meanwhile, as a related art of the method for preparing the photoluminescent carbon nanodots according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, there is a coated water soluble nanoparticle disclosed in Korean Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-2007-0059066 (published on Jun. 11, 2007).

Method for preparing photoluminescent carbon nanodots


To provide an electrical fuse that is connected to a detection node via a selective transistor, a precharge transistor that precharges the detection node in a state where the selective transistor is off; a bias transistor that passes a bias current to the detection node in a state where the selective transistor is on and the precharge transistor is off, and a detection circuit that detects a potential of the detection node in a state where the bias current is flowing into the detection node, wherein the bias transistor reduces an amount of the bias current in a stepwise manner or a continuous manner.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and a control method thereof, and more particularly relates to a semiconductor device including an electrical fuse and capable of reading whether the electrical fuse is programmed or not without any erroneous determination, and to a control method thereof.
Description of Related Art
In a semiconductor device such as a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory), a defective address is relieved by replacing a defective cell that does not operate properly with a redundant cell. For example, an electrical fuse is used for storing of defective addresses. The electrical fuse is made of a material mainly including copper, impurity-doped polysilicon or the like, and it is electrically conductive at an initial state. The electrical fuse is set to be a non-conductive state by generating heat by passing an electric current into the electrical fuse so as to disconnect it, and thus defective addresses can be stored in a non-volatile manner. Therefore, a desired address can be stored by providing a plurality of such electrical fuses and by disconnecting a desired fuse element. In this manner, an ordinary electrical fuse stores information in a non-volatile manner by changing the fuse itself from a conductive state to a non-conductive state (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2007-329196).
However, as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2007-329196, there are cases where, even when known electrical disconnection or programming is performed on electrical fuses, the disconnection is not made as intended. That is, although disconnection processing is performed on plural electrical fuses, not all of the electrical fuses on which the disconnection processing has been performed are sufficiently disconnected. Consequently, insufficient disconnection causes the electrical fuses not to be completely non-conductive, and thus at the time of reading, there is a problem that electrical fuses that are supposed to be in a non-conductive or programmed state are erroneously determined as conductive or non-programmed state.
Meanwhile, similarly to the electrical fuse described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2007-329196, there is known an anti-fuse as a type of an electrical fuse that uses electricity to change its state, which is conductive or non-conductive. Contrary to the electrical fuse of Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2007-329196, the anti-fuse is an element that stores information by changing its state as a non-conductive or non-programmed state to a conductive or programmed state. Writing or programming of information into the anti-fuse is performed by insulation breakdown due to application of a high voltage. In the case of the anti-fuse, similarly to the case of the electrical fuse described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2007-329196, in a strict sense, the result of the programming differs in each of electrical fuses. That is, there are various results such as an electrical fuse with a high conducting level (that is, its resistance is low), that with a low conducting level (that is, its resistance is high), or that having failed with conduction (its resistance is particularly high).

Semiconductor device having electrical fuse and control method thereof


A device and method for injecting a blade onto a surgical instrument and extracting a blade from a surgical instrument. The injector includes a housing having an elongated cavity for receiving the instrument head. Prior to injection, a blade is retained in the cavity. To inject a blade, a user inserts the instrument head into the channel. The rim of the blade aperture engages the groove on the tang as the instrument is inserted. When the tang is fully engaged with blade, the user can withdraw the instrument with the blade mounted on it. The extractor includes a housing having an elongated cavity for receiving the instrument head. The channel has a slot that extends through the housing. A spring catch is mounted in the cavity on a side wall opposite the spring clip. To extract a blade, a user inserts the instrument head into the channel until the spring catch engages the proximal end of the blade. The user then angles the instrument handle away from the spring catch and withdraws the instrument handle from the channel while the spring catch retains the blade in the housing. When the blade is fully separated from the instrument head, the blade falls through the slot into an integral receptacle for disposal.

The present invention relates to a device that manipulates a blade on the head of a scalpel. Infectious diseases can be transmitted from a used scalpel blade to a surgeon if the surgeon is accidentally cut while removing the blade from the scalpel head with his or her fingers. Although surgeons have always been concerned about accidentally lacerating themselves, the problem has become a grave one with the advent of AIDS and other, as yet incurable, diseases that are communicated via infected blood and tissues.
A scalpel blade has an elongated shape and a sharp edge and point. The blade also has an elongated aperture into which a correspondingly elongated boss or tang on the scalpel head fits to secure the two together. The aperture is wider at its rear or proximal end than at its forward or distal end. The tang has grooves on its upper and lower edges that engage the upper and lower rims of the narrower portion of the blade aperture, thereby preventing the blade from moving laterally on the tang. To remove a scalpel blade from the scalpel head in the time-honored manner, the surgeon grasps the (unsharpened) heel of the blade with two fingers and bends it away from the scalpel head slightly. The heel typically has an indentation on one or both edges to facilitate grasping it between the fingers. With the proximal end of the blade thus bent, the proximal end of blade aperture clears the proximal end of the tang on the scalpel head. The surgeon then grasps the blade heel with two fingers and moves the blade forward with respect to the scalpel head, with the aperture rim sliding in the groove on the tang. When the tang has been completely removed from the aperture, the surgeon may place the blade in a receptacle for scalpel blades and similar sharp objects for disposal. If the surgeon accidentally loses his or her grip on the blade while moving the blade forward, however, the surgeon's finger may slip over the sharp edge, lacerating it. A surgeon may also be accidentally lacerated while mounting a blade on a surgical instrument.
Practitioners in the art have developed devices that allow a surgeon to extract a scalpel blade without grasping the heel of the blade between the fingers. Nevertheless, these devices may require a surgeon to use both hands to operate them. These devices may also not fully sequester the blade in a receptacle after removal. Moreover, many of these devices are not economical to manufacture. It would be desirable to provide a blade extractor and injector that are simple and convenient to use and economical to manufacture. These problems and deficiencies are clearly felt in the art and are solved by the present invention in the manner described below.

Surgical instrument blade injector and mounting method


A method is disclosed for modeling a reservoir, comprising: receiving a set of wettability logs from a wettability logging tool adapted to be disposed in a wellbore; generating a wettability map in response to the wettability logs; generating a gridded simulation model, the gridded simulation model including a plurality of grid cells; determining, for each grid cell of the gridded simulation model, a local value of wettability from the wettability map; determining, for each grid cell of the gridded simulation model, a permeability model and a capillary pressure model from the local value of wettability associated with each grid cell; and generating a set of simulation results representing characteristics of the reservoir.

This subject matter disclosed in this specification relates to a method for modeling a reservoir, including a corresponding system and program storage device and computer program, which is practiced by a simulator that is adapted to be stored in a workstation or other computer system. The method includes receiving a 3D wettability map of the reservoir that is generated from wettability logs of a wettability logging tool disposed in a wellbore; defining, from the wettability map, a local value of wettability for each grid block of a gridded simulation model; and defining, from the local value of wettability, a permeability model and a capillary pressure model for each grid block of the gridded simulation model that is provided to the simulator when modeling the reservoir.
Current hydrocarbon reservoir numerical flow simulators have been developed based on models and algorithms which do not use a 'wettability map', and its distribution, as an input to the simulator. This specification discloses a simulator which responds to a '3D wettability map' generated from 'wettability logs (Xo)', a 'relative permeability model and an 'effective permeability model' as a function of the 'wettability logs (Xo)' and a 'capillary pressure model as a function of the 'wettability logs (Xo)', the 'effective permeability model' and 'capillary pressure model' being provided as a direct input to the simulator and generating, from the simulator, a set of simulation results, a user/operator selecting a set of parameters from the set of simulation results which represent characteristics of the reservoir.

Method for modeling a reservoir using a 3D wettability map generated from a wettability logging tool


A resource configuration method and device, and a computer storage medium are provided. The method includes: a terminal receives first control information transmitted by a network device, where a BWP which is currently activated by the terminal includes a first downlink BWP and a first uplink BWP, and the first control information includes first indication information which is used to indicate that a BWP to be activated is a second downlink BWP or a second uplink BWP; and the terminal determines whether the first downlink BWP, the first uplink BWP, the second downlink BWP and the second uplink BWP are simultaneously activatable, if the first downlink BWP, the first uplink BWP, the second downlink BWP and the second uplink BWP are simultaneously activatable, the terminal maintains the first downlink BWP and the first uplink BWP in an activated state while activating the second downlink BWP and the second uplink BWP.

In a long term evolution (LTE) system, frequency domain resources of a terminal are allocated in the entire system bandwidth. In a 5th generation (5G) new radio (NR) system, a transmission bandwidth of the terminal may only occupy a part of the system bandwidth due to great improvement of the system bandwidth.
In current research on 5G NR, it has been decided to introduce a concept of bandwidth part (BWP) to achieve frequency domain resource allocation in a smaller range than the system bandwidth. A base station may configure multiple BWPs through radio resource control (RRC) signaling, and then dynamically activate a certain BWP in downlink control information (DCI). Each BWP is based on a numerology, where the numerology includes a subcarrier spacing and a cyclic prefix (CP). According to the current scheme, only one BWP can be activated for one terminal, and the original BWP is deactivated while a new BWP is activated.
As shown in FIG. 1, when BWP1 is in an activated state, if BWP2 is activated, BWP1 will be deactivated, if BWP1 is also deactivated, it will fall back to a default BWP.
The existing technical solution cannot support simultaneous activation of multiple BWPs, nor can it support simultaneous use of multiple numerologies, nor can it optimize, during concurrent transmission of multiple types of services, respective numerologies for different services. Moreover, if a switch is performed between two numerologies, then a switch between two BWPs will also be caused, resulting in conversion of a radio frequency bandwidth for the terminal, while such conversion of the radio frequency bandwidth will lead to the terminal's incapability of receiving or transmitting data for a period of time, thereby resulting in a waste of spectrum resources.

Resource configuration method and device, and computer storage medium

GUANGDONG OPPO MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORP., LTD.


A method, apparatus, system, computer program and medium, for inspecting a wide variety of circuit boards. A controller generates test data and reference data according to characteristic information of a circuit board. Using the test data, the circuit board generates processed data. A comparator compares the processed data with the reference data on a bit-by-bit basis. Based on the comparison result, the comparator determines acceptability of the circuit board. In addition, the comparator is capable of specifying a specific portion of the circuit board causing a defect.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique of inspecting a circuit board and an apparatus incorporating the circuit board, and more particularly to a method, apparatus, system, computer program and medium, for determining acceptability of a circuit board and an apparatus incorporating the circuit board.
2. Discussion of the Background
To determine acceptability of a circuit board or an apparatus incorporating the circuit board, an inspecting apparatus is usually connected to the circuit board or to the apparatus.
In one example, the inspecting apparatus inputs test data to the circuit board and compares processed data output by the circuit board with predetermined reference data. Based on the comparison result, the inspecting apparatus inspects the acceptability of the circuit board, and further, the acceptability of the apparatus.
In another example, the inspecting apparatus inputs test data to the apparatus and compares, visually, processed data output by the apparatus with predetermined reference data.
However, any one of the above methods is not capable of identifying whether the cause of a defect is attributable to the circuit board or to the apparatus, since the inspection is based on either one of the circuit board and the apparatus. Further, when the circuit board includes a plurality of functional blocks, it is difficult to specify the actual functional block causing a defect.
In addition to the above-described drawbacks, a conventional inspecting apparatus has a problem in compatibility. To provide test data and reference data suitable to the circuit board or the apparatus to be inspected, the inspecting apparatus is generally manufactured for each type of the circuit board or the apparatus. Thus, a general-purpose inspecting apparatus capable of inspecting a wide variety of inspected items is desired.

Method, apparatus, system, program and medium for inspecting a circuit board and an apparatus incorporating the circuit board


A tool member having a rigid U-shaped frame includes a first crank arm cooperative with a plurality of guide posts, and an L-shaped bending arm to effect bending of a metallic wire member into a first loop, with a second crank arm cooperative with the U-shaped frame and a plate member to effect winding of the metallic wire in a spiral relationship to effect securement of the loop relative to the wire member.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of invention relates to wire bending apparatus, and more particularly pertains to a new and improved steel line closed loop forming tool wherein the same is arranged for the ease of loop forming of a wire member relative to the use in stainless-wire type fishing line components.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Wire bending structure of various types have been utilized in the prior art, wherein U.S. Pat. No. 3,847,189 to Guzda sets forth a wire cutting and bending tool arranged to effect the initial bending and then severing of wire to form a loop configuration.
Wire bending tools are further exemplified in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,331,183 and 3,612,114.
The instant invention attempts to overcome deficiencies of the prior art by providing for a tool structure to provide for the forming of fishing tackle loops to provide for initial bending and winding of the line about the loop to provide for a fixed loop structure and in this respect, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.


In an example, an ecosystem is disclosed that may facilitate digital exchange of a digital asset stored as a computer executable file. The ecosystem may include a plurality of participant systems, wherein the plurality of participant systems may include at least one of an asset user system, an asset holder system, and an asset mining system. The ecosystem may include an asset wrapper associated with the digital asset and configured in the form of a multi-layered structure and computer-executable document. The ecosystem may include a codec configured as a computer executable file and associated with the asset wrapper, wherein the codec may be executed when an external request for the asset exchange is initiated. The ecosystem may include a blockchain device to execute a blockchain smart contract for the asset exchange, wherein the smart contract is executed against a pre-defined number of right tokens characterizing a specific cryptocurrency-value.

This application relates to the field of distributed computing, and more specifically to management of a block chain technology-based networking system.
Blockchain technology has been evolving to transform the internet from a network of connections to a network of value. In the prior art systems, private networks have been used for transfer of data. The times gradually evolved such that emergence and growth of decentralized services happened where the parties involved in a transaction started to rely on peer-to-peer algorithmic interactions. Further developments have led to the growth of virtual currencies.
Virtual currencies were developed with an aim to provide liquidity to payment related exchanges between multiple parties. These currencies also led to the evolution of a new generation of digital business, particularly related to payment transactions, which could function without central aggregators or trusted parties. It also opened up new vistas for workers everywhere, as they could self-organize into value-producing configurations without central coordination. The impact of these developments on creative industries could be seen as revolutionary as this could liberate rights holders—whether creative artists and/or their agencies, inventors, authors, and innovators from the inefficient, costly and friction-ridden mechanisms through which they had historically realized value.
The emergence of virtual currencies has also led to the development of blockchain technology. Blockchain is a transformative technology which is in early stages of developments. The development and implementation of blockchain technologies may depend to a large extent on the expected development of virtual currencies. Thus, it may not be incorrect to say that both the technologies, virtual currencies and blockchain, are deemed to grow hand in hand with one aiding the development of the other and vice versa. Additionally, the realization of the value of blockchain's enormous potential would require working with the underlying trends and subtle forces shaping the evolution of such foundational technologies.
On-line marketplaces for intellectual property have been in operation with varying degrees of success for over a decade. Although companies such as OCEAN TOMO®, TYNAX® and others have successfully brokered IP rights worth millions of dollars and recent entrants such as Resolute and others are providing matchmaking between tech buyers and sellers. The difficulty for these and other products has been that they have not been able to "contextualize" rights within a web of associations and contextual claims that allow buyers to learn or analyze not just the IP on offer but also quickly triangulate to key innovators, marketing resources, lawyers, bankers, and other professional who are critical to evaluating the rights. In other words, trading rights is not just a matter of nifty technology enabled match-making between buyers and sellers but requires a 360 degree "incentivized" ecosystem that can help generate liquidity from rights through advanced technological and inventive frameworks.

Methods and systems for management of a blockchain-based computer-enabled networked ecosystem


An immersion heater for corrosive fluids includes an electrically resistive material strand operative upon connection to a source of power to provide heat. A thermally conductive electrically insulating fill material is disposed around the electrically resistive material strand. An electrically conductive sheath encases the fill material. A tubular jacket of a flexible chemically inert material encases the electrically conductive sheath. A fluid flow passage is defined between the tubular jacket and the sheath for allowing a fluid to flow therethrough. The fluid is a purge gas that flows between the sheath and the jacket in order to remove any corrosive fluid which may have penetrated the jacket. A method for manufacturing an immersion heater is also disclosed.

This application bases its priority on provisional application Ser. No. 60/027,920 filed on Oct. 11, 1996.
The present invention relates to immersion heaters for heating a liquid in a bath. More particularly, the invention relates to a grounded gas purged immersion heater.
Tubular electric heating elements are known in the art to consist of a resistance wire coil or ribbon wound in such a way as to provide an exact electrical resistance for a given length of coil. The coil is generally inserted into a sheath, usually a tube made of metal, and filled with an electrically insulating material, such as magnesium oxide. The assembly is then roll reduced or swaged to compact the fill material and eliminate any voids within the assembly so as to facilitate heat transfer. The entire structure is then annealed to eliminate stresses built up during roll reduction. The finished heating element can then be formed into an unlimited variety of shapes or configurations as needed for the process requiring heat.
It is also known in the art that watt densities or the amount of heat which can be transferred from a given length of tubular heating element varies depending upon the process for which the heater element is used. As an example, an oil based liquid transfers heat much more slowly than does a water based liquid. Since the resistance wire must stay well below its melting point to provide economical, useful life, the amount of power (or watts) for a unit area must be varied. A common "watt density" known in the art for heating an oil type liquid is 20 watts per square inch of heater sheath area. For a water based liquid, watt densities can be as high as 90 watts per square inch.
From the above, it is evident that for any given application, a certain amount of material must be used to achieve the proper watt density. Therefore, it would be beneficial if one could use less material to provide an equivalent amount of surface area. If this were done, a cost saving would be achieved.
Many shapes have been used for tubular heater sheaths. It is common in the art to use triangular, oval or even flat surfaces on the sheaths in order to increase heater efficiencies. Protrusions along the heater sheath, such as fins, splines or pins, have also been used and work very well for certain applications. Each of the shapes described, however, has specific limitations. Flat and oval sheaths lack the ability to maintain sufficient compacting of the fill material. This in turn can produce voids within the heater element thus limiting heat transfer. Fins and other protrusions increase the amount of surface area but also require additional manufacturing steps, as well as additional material. Both of these increase costs. It would be desirable to increase the surface area of a tubular heating element without adding material or requiring additional shaping.
Electrical resistance heaters formed of a continuous flexible cable are particularly suitable for immersion in corrosive chemical baths since the exterior of the flexible cable may be jacketed with a suitable plastic material having satisfactory resistance to the corrosive nature of the chemical bath being heated. An example of a flexible cable resistance heater is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,158,764. This patent is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
It is known to provide such flexible cable heaters with an outer casing or jacket formed of a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) material. PTFE has satisfactory resistance to chemical attack by corrosive media. However, it has the disadvantage that when employed in a thin walled tube for desired flexibility, the permeability of PTFE permits transmigration of heated chemical vapor into the interior of the cable heater. To overcome this problem, U.S. Pat. No. 4,553,024 discloses that the outer jacket of the cable-type immersion heater can be connected to a suitable source of a dry gaseous medium for circulation from an inlet end of the heater cable through the interior thereof, and over the heating element, to an exhaust at the other end of the heater cable. This provides a continuous dry gas flow or purge over the resistance heating element to scavenge any accumulated corrosive chemical vapors which may have permeated through the outer plastic jacket of the heater cable. Pat. No. 4,553,024 is also incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
One of the difficulties with the flexible cable heaters illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,158,764 and 4,553,024 is that the heaters are not grounded. Such grounding is required by various regulatory authorities, such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL) and the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) in order to be approved. It would also be desirable to have a gas purge take place on such grounded flexible cable heaters while maintaining good heat transfer through the PTFE jacket of the cable heater.
Accordingly, it has been considered desirable to develop a new and improved heater sheath element which can be used in a purged grounded fluid heater to meet the above-stated needs and overcome the foregoing difficulties and others while providing better and more advantageous overall results.


The invention can provide apparatus and methods for processing wafers using Noise-Reduction (N-R) metrology models that can be used in Double-Patterning (D-P) processing sequences, Double-Exposure (D-E) processing sequences, or other processing sequences.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to optical metrology, and more particularly to improving the optical metrology precision and procedures applying noise reduction to the data.
2. Description of the Related Art
Optical metrology involves directing an incident beam at a feature on a wafer, measuring the resulting diffraction signal, and analyzing the measured diffraction signal to determine various characteristics of the feature. In semiconductor manufacturing, optical metrology is typically used for quality assurance. For example, after fabricating a periodic grating in proximity to a semiconductor chip on a semiconductor wafer, an optical metrology system is used to determine the profile of the periodic grating. By determining the profile of the periodic grating, the quality of the fabrication process utilized to form the periodic grating, and by extension the semiconductor chip proximate the periodic grating, can be evaluated.
With increased requirement on measurement precision, the measured diffraction signal may be relatively weak and not provide enough signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio. For example, the measured diffraction signal may include noise related to the hardware used to obtain the measured diffraction signal and to the feature being measured. The noise in the measured diffraction signal may decrease the precision and accuracy of the optical metrology process.


A portable terminal device includes a supporting leg which makes it possible to watch television in a standing state of the terminal device. The portable terminal device comprises a main body having a mounting groove formed in a rear surface thereof to have a predetermined length, the mounting groove having a plurality of catching grooves formed in one inner side surface thereof; and a supporting leg assembly having an end rotatably supported in the mounting groove. The supporting leg assembly comprises a supporting leg including a leg portion having a predetermined length, and a hollow head portion formed at one end of the leg portion and having one side opened. A cam member is inserted and supported in the head portion of the supporting leg with a spring received therein to be movable within a certain section in an axial direction. The cam member has a cam protrusion protruding outward to be caught to one of the catching grooves by an elastic force of the spring.

1. Technical Field
This document relates to a portable terminal device such as a personal digital assistant (PDA), and more particularly, to a portable terminal device including a supporting leg.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, a satellite or terrestrial broadcasting service is provided through a portable terminal device such as a cellular phone and a personal digital assistant (PDA), so that it is possible to watch television through the portable terminal device.

Portable terminal device having supporting leg


A hand-held power tool, in particular to a screwing device, includes a control device for controlling and/or regulating the tool movement of a tool holder and/or of a tool. The hand-held power tool has an interface for communicating with an external adjustment device. The interface is configured to be connected to the control device in such a way that signals may be transmitted for the parameterization of at least one tool movement sequence. The tool movement sequence includes a plurality of sequentially-progressing tool movements. A method for parameterizing at least one tool movement sequence of a hand-held power tool includes parameterizing the at least one tool movement sequence with a separate setting device in a remote-controlled manner via an interface of the hand-held power.

The disclosure relates to a hand-held power tool, in particular a screwing device, having a control device for subjecting the tool movement of a tool holder and/or of a tool to open-loop control and/or closed-loop control.
A hand-held power tool of this kind in the form of a screwing device having a control device for controlling the rotation speed of a tool holder or of a tool which is held in said tool holder is known from DE 2005 056 264 A1.
A screwing device of this kind is suitable both for rapidly screwing screws and for tightening screw connections with a predetermined torque. Therefore,—as a combination of these properties—the screw can be screwed rapidly at the beginning of the screwing operation and a tightening torque which is as accurate as possible can be achieved at the end of the screwing operation. To this end, successively different rotation speed stages can be set as a function of the rotation speed, with a regulation device using a value which is derived from the rotation speed as a triggering parameter for changing the rotation speed.
Regulation of the tool operating variable—specifically the rotation speed of the tool, that is to say a tool (angular) speed—results in a high level of expenditure on measurement and regulation.

Control device for a hand-held power tool


Methods and systems for reducing parasitic loading on a power supply output in RF amplifier arrangements used in multiband and/or multitude RF circuits are presented. Such RF circuits can comprise a plurality of RF amplifiers of which only one is activated for a given desired transmission mode and/or band.

1. Field
The present teachings relate to radio-frequency (RF) amplifiers used in RF circuits. More particularly, the present teachings relate to methods and systems for reducing parasitic loading, such as for example stray capacitance, in RF amplifiers used in multiband and multimode RF circuits.
2. Description of Related Art
In an effort to cover the many communication standards and frequency bands used in today's data and voice transmissions, RF circuits used in today's mobile devices are designed with multiple RF amplifiers (e.g. a power amplifier (PA)) each tailored to a specific communication standard and frequency band. During typical operation of the device (e.g. mobile handset, tablet) only one of the multiple RF amplifiers is activated (e.g. turned ON) and used for transmission of a signal, and the unused RF amplifiers are deactivated (e.g. turned OFF). A turned OFF RF amplifier can exhibit a residual loading, such as a stray capacitance, with respect to a common DC-DC power supply used to supply power to the multiple RF amplifiers. Such residual loading can affect the supply provided to a turned ON RF amplifier and thereby impact operation of the ON RF amplifier. This impact becomes even more apparent in the case where the DC-DC power supply is modulated, such as in the case of an envelope tracking amplifier.