The objective of the present invention is to provide a similar-metal-composition welding solid wire, and weld metals therefor, with which both excellent bead shape and high ultralow-temperature toughness for the weld joints can be achieved when welding 9% Ni steels together by means of a high-efficiency MIG welding method. A fixed ratio of a REM and O are included in a similar-metal-composition welding solid wire of a 9% NI steel base material, and oxygen is supplied in a trace amount in a range that does not hinder the ultralow-temperature toughness of the weld joint (1a) but that is capable of forming fine REM oxides in the weld metal (3) and of controlling the weld metal to produce an excellent bead shape. In addition, both Al and Ti are regulated and an argon gas that contains little or no carbon dioxide gas is used as the shield gas in the MIG welding method. Thus, both an excellent bead shape and high ultralow-temperature toughness for the weld joint (1a) can be achieved.

As well known, 9% Ni steel is high-tensile steel used at ultralow temperature of about −196° C., and has high yield strength and excellent low-temperature toughness. The 9% Ni steel is therefore widely used, as ultralow-temperature steel, for storage tanks for, for example, LNG, liquid nitrogen, and liquid oxygen, or various types of associated equipment thereof. To effectively use such excellent ultralow-temperature toughness of the 9% Ni steel, a weld metal of a weld joint formed by welding between 9% Ni steel pieces is naturally required to have substantially the same properties of, such as ultralow-temperature toughness, as those of the base metal.
Under such circumstances, various investigations have been made on a technique for welding between 9% Ni steel pieces. For example, it is expected that when a welding wire (so-called similar-metal-composition welding wire) having a composition equal or similar to that of 9% Ni steel base metal for ultralow-temperature service is used for welding of the 9% Ni steel, a weld joint having excellent ultralow-temperature property is produced. A welding process such as MIG welding that is more efficient than TIG welding, however, cannot secure stable low-temperature toughness. Since MIG welding has such a difficulty in low-temperature toughness, the welding process is limited to TIG welding despite its lower welding efficiency, resulting in extremely low operation efficiency. Hence, the similar-metal-composition wire has been substantially not used.
FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a flash butt weld joint (welding test example) between 9% Ni steel plates. In either TIG welding or MIG welding, a weld metal 3 of a weld joint 1a between 9% Ni steel plates 2a and 2b is formed through the same process of sequential formation of deposition beads (1) to (13) in a multilayered manner with high heat input. In FIG. 1, a symbol 5 indicates a backing metal.
In TIG welding, a relatively small amount of deposition is made so that a thin bead is produced; hence, for example, a bead (12) is completely reversely transformed by, for example, a subsequent bead (13). As a result, a relatively coarse unaffected zone (solidified structure) of each deposition layer is transformed into a fine reheated structure. Specifically, a structure of a lower layer is refined due to an appropriate heat treatment effect caused by a heat cycle during welding of an upper layer, leading to improvement in low-temperature toughness of the lower layer.
In contrast, in highly efficient MIG welding, a relatively large amount of deposition is made, which therefore necessarily results in alternate disposition of the reheated structures and the unreheated, unaffected zones (solidified structures) in a thickness direction. As a result, the weld metal 3 of the joint 1a formed by MIG welding is difficult to have stable low-temperature toughness compared with that formed by TIG welding.
Hence, a welding wire of a Ni-based alloy (so-called Inconel) having the Ni content of as high as about 60% has been mainly used for welding of 9% Ni steel by highly efficient MIG welding. The weld joint formed with such a Ni-based alloy welding wire exhibits excellent toughness even at −196° C. in the as-welded condition, which is however extremely low in tensile strength, particularly in 0.2% yield strength, compared with a 9% Ni steel base metal. As a result, although 9% Ni steel as high-tensile steel is used, design stress must be reduced due to the low strength of the weld joint. Consequently, thickness of a welded structure as a whole must be disadvantageously increased to secure certain strength of the weld joint.
Hence, as long as the Ni-based alloy welding wire is used, the high strength of 9% Ni steel is not sufficiently used, which inevitably leads to multiple loads or burdens such as an increase in thickness and in weight of a welded structure, and an increase in consumption of the expensive Ni-based alloy welding wire. In addition, if welding is performed using the Ni-based alloy welding wire, there inevitably occurs a problem of hot crack associated with Ni, and a problem of thermal fatigue that is caused by a difference in thermal expansion coefficient between the Ni-based alloy welding wire and the 9% Ni steel base metal during welding due to a significant difference in composition therebetween.
Although 9% Ni steel itself has the excellent properties of the ultralow-temperature steel as described above, applicability thereof has been in fact extremely limited due to the above-described limitations in welding operation.
Thus, a study has been made on a welding technique using a similar-metal-composition welding wire, which has a composition equal or similar to that of the 9% Ni steel base metal, in place of the Ni-based alloy welding wire in order to improve the ultralow-temperature property of the weld joint using the similar-metal-composition welding wire.
For example, PTL1 discloses a method of improving the ultralow-temperature property by adjusting and/or limiting, within an appropriate range, the content of each of nickel, manganese, boron, and oxygen in a chemical composition of the similar-metal-composition welding wire for 9% Ni steel. PTL1 reports results of improvement in low-temperature toughness of a weld joint evaluated by the Charpy impact test in accordance with JIS-Z-3111, which is however evaluated only in terms of the entire absorbed energy. In other words, no investigation is made in terms of crack initiation strength.
PTL2 proposes a method of improving low-temperature toughness of a weld joint through designing a welding operation process using the similar-metal-composition welding wire for 9% Ni steel. Specifically, PTL2 discloses a method where the surface of a final-layer weld bead in multilayer welding is cooled to 150° C. or less, and then the surface of the final-layer weld bead is remelted by arc from a non-consumable electrode while being shielded by an inert gas. This method is intended to improve the low-temperature toughness by applying heat treatment to the final layer in a groove center through remelting of the final layer that is less likely to receive a heat treatment effect due to the heat cycle during welding of an upper layer. This method, however, causes a problem of an increase in number of steps in welding operation, and merely improves the low-temperature toughness of only the final welding layer as a part of the weld joint. Hence, low-temperature toughness of the entire weld metal, which dominates the properties of the weld joint, is naturally limitedly improved.
PTL3 proposes a technique for improving low-temperature toughness through control of carbide morphology and decrease of heat treatment time of a weld bead portion in welding using the similar-metal-composition welding wire for 9% Ni steel. In this technique, a similar-metal-composition welding wire is used in Example, where the welding wire contains 0.042% or more REM (Rare Earth Metal) added thereto though there is no description is made on the reason why REM is added. The technique also causes an increase in number of steps due to the heat treatment required after welding as in PTL2, which in turn causes an increase in cost. Moreover, wire compositions are not sufficiently investigated. In addition, the low temperature toughness required in light of the crack-initiation resistance strength is also not considered. REM refers to Rare Earth Metal, and is a general term of elements of La to Lu in the periodic table.
While such improvements in low-temperature toughness have been made using the similar-metal-composition welding wire for 9% Ni steel, they are in common lacking in the viewpoint of elucidation from crack initiation, i.e., the viewpoint of crack-initiation resistance strength reflecting actual crack initiation. Hence, the low-temperature toughness required for actual structures has not been evaluated in detail though sufficient low-temperature toughness satisfying a certain criterion is achieved in evaluation of absorbed energy by a Charpy impact test or a COD test for evaluation of typical low-temperature toughness.
On the other hand, techniques for improving the low-temperature toughness by the similar-metal-composition welding wire for 9% Ni steel are quite recently proposed, for example, in PTL4 and PTL5, which also include development of the evaluation method itself of the low-temperature toughness from the viewpoint of the crack-initiation resistance strength.
As disclosed in PTL4 and PTL5, when external force (a load) is actually applied to a welded structure such as the storage tank for, for example, LNG, liquid nitrogen, and liquid oxygen, or associated equipment thereof, a crack is initiated and then propagated. To evaluate the low-temperature toughness required based on crack-initiation resistance strength reflecting such actual crack initiation, it is indispensable to measure the toughness from the start to the end of a crack initiation during application of the external force.
A test method of ultralow-temperature toughness, achieving such measurement, includes an instrumented Charpy impact test method, which provides a load displacement curve that allows separation between crack initiation and a crack propagation process during a Charpy impact test. This measurement method allows measurement of a toughness value (absorbed energy) Ei at crack initiation under application of external force, measurement of a toughness value (absorbed energy) Ep during crack propagation from the start to the end of a crack, and measurement of the crack-initiation resistance strength (the maximum load). The total toughness value Et (Ei+Ep) of Ei and Ep and the above-described crack-initiation resistance strength enable more detailed evaluation of ultralow-temperature toughness in correspondence to large-size brittle fracture strength of an actual welded structure.
From such a viewpoint, the technology of PTL4 improves the ultralow-temperature toughness particularly by adding Cr (chromium). Specifically, during multilayer welding by TIG welding, a lower layer in the center of a weld metal in a groove is subjected to a heat treatment effect caused by a heat cycle during previous welding of an upper layer. During this process, if an initial structure, which has been transformed into a bainite or martensite structure after welding, of the lower bead in the center of the weld metal is reversely transformed into austenite by the heat treatment effect, the structure of the weld metal is easily refined. In a composition system of the 9% Ni steel containing Ni and Mn, Cr has an excellent function of reducing the ferrite-austenite transformation temperature. In the technology of PTL4, a specified amount of Cr is contained in the similar-metal-composition wire to use such a unique property of Cr, which allows the structure of the weld metal to be refined, resulting in improvement in crack-initiation resistance strength of the weld joint.
Similarly, the technology of PTL5 improves the ultralow-temperature toughness particularly by adding REM. In general, oxides extremely degrade the low-temperature toughness; hence, it is not preferable to form a large number of large oxides in the weld metal of the joint between 9% Ni steel pieces. If, however, an oxide, which is formed through a reaction with a small amount of oxygen in the weld metal, is sufficiently small, such an oxide does not serve as an initiation site of fracture, but rather advantageously serves as a pinning grain that inhibits crystal grain growth during or after solidification of weld. Consequently, a fine oxide effectively improves strength and toughness of the entire weld metal at low temperature.
In the technology of PTL5, REM is determined to be optimum as an element having such an effect, and a specified amount of REM is contained in the similar-metal-composition welding wire to disperse an appropriate amount of fine oxides of REM in the weld metal. The REM oxides each have a property of good wettability to a melted iron alloy compared with other metal oxides, for example, Al oxides. As a result, even if the REM oxides are formed in a liquid phase of the weld metal, the oxides are less likely to agglomerate and thus do not grow into larger grains. This allows the REM oxides to be left as fine grains, and thus each of the oxides serves as the pinning grain that inhibits the crystal grain growth during or after solidification of weld. Consequently, the REM oxides effectively improve strength and toughness of the entire weld metal at low temperature.
In addition, PTL6 proposes a technology that allows a specified amount of REM to be contained in the similar-metal-composition welding wire. In the technology of PTL6, REM and Ga are added in combination, and a ratio of REM amount to Ca amount is controlled to be within a fixed range to stabilize arc in pure Ar gas.


An intravascular device is provided having an expandable portion including a plurality of struts capable of being moved between an open and a closed position. A grating tool is provided on at least one of the struts. The grating tool is configured to remove atherosclerotic material or other substances located within the blood vessel when the expandable portion is in the opened position and moved axially through the blood vessel.

This invention relates in general to intravascular catheters, such as can be used during minimally invasive surgical procedures. In particular, this invention relates to an intravascular catheter having an expandable incising portion.
Atherosclerosis is a chronic condition in which atheromatous plaque accumulates on the inner walls of a blood vessel. As a result, the blood vessel walls can become inflamed and, over time, may harden to form atherosclerotic lesions that cause a narrowing of the vessel lumen. In severe cases, the atherosclerotic lesions can rupture and induce the formation of thrombus (i.e., blood clots), which can prevent blood flow through the narrowed vessel lumen.
There are known procedures and devices for treating or otherwise reducing the risks associated with atherosclerosis, such as angioplasty. However, in some cases it would be desirable to fragment the atherosclerotic lesions. Thus, it would be desirable to provide an intravascular catheter having an expandable portion that can be selectively controlled by a user and adapted to create incisions in atherosclerotic material to facilitate fragmentation of the material during an angioplasty procedure.
There are known procedures and devices for performing atherectomy by abrading atherosclerotic tissue through high speed rotational movement. Such devices include the Diamondback 360® by Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.1 and the Rotablator™ by Boston Scientific™2. These devices are complex, requiring high speed motors and control systems to operate the motors. In some cases, it would be desirable to remove atherosclerotic material by grating or peeling it away through axial movement. Thus, it would be desirable to provide an intravascular catheter having an expandable portion and also having a grating tool surface for removing atherosclerotic material by forward and backward axial movement through the blood vessel. 1 http://www.csi360.com/products/coronary-diamondback-360-coronary-orbital-atherectomy-system-crowns/2 http://www.bostonscientific.com/en-US/products/plaque-modification/rotablator-rotational-atherectomy-system.html
Embolism is a risk sometimes associated with surgical procedures such as the treatment of peripheral artery disease. Plaque fragments, clots, or other particulate can become dislodged and travel through a patent's vascular system and cause damage. As such, embolic protection devices are sometimes placed in the patient's vascular system during surgical procedures in order to catch and remove emboli that may form or become dislodged. Use of such devices typically requires the selection, insertion, positioning, and removal of a separate device. Proper design, inventory maintenance, selection, placement, and removal can be difficult, particularly in light of varying patient anatomy, conditions, and treatments being performed. Further, placed devices can be cumbersome and difficult to work around. Thus, it would be desirable to provide an intravascular catheter having an expandable portion and also having an integrated embolic protection device.

Intravascular catheter having an expandable incising portion and grating tool


A method for playing audio data, includes: detecting a number and position relationships of associated audio playback devices; performing audio signal processing on audio data to be played based on the number and the position relationships to obtain an audio signal matching the number of the audio playback devices; and playing the audio signal through the audio playback devices.

Smart homes are widely used with the development of artificial intelligence and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies. Smart homes may connect various devices such as audio and video equipment, lighting systems, curtains, air conditioners, cleaning appliances, and various household electrical appliances or systems in the home together through IoT technology, to achieve functions such as remote control, timing control, and linking of devices to each other and to control devices such as a mobile phone.

System and method for playing audio data on multiple devices

Beijing Xiaomi Pinecone Electronics Co., Ltd.


An anti-shake apparatus of a photographing apparatus comprises a movable-unit and a fixed-unit. The movable-unit has an imaging-device and is movable in first and second directions. The fixed-unit slidably supports the movable-unit in both the first and second directions. The movable-unit has a horizontal hall-element for detecting a first location in the first direction of the movable-unit, and a vertical hall-element for detecting a second location in the second direction of the movable-unit. The fixed-unit has a magnet unit which is used for detecting the first and second locations, and which has first and second horizontal magnets and first and second vertical magnets. The polarities of the first and second horizontal magnets are arranged in opposite directions, in the third direction. N-pole of the first horizontal magnet and S-pole of the second horizontal magnet are separated in the first direction by a first distance, and face the horizontal hall-element.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an anti-shake apparatus for a photographing device (apparatus), and in particular to a position-detecting apparatus for a movable unit that includes the imaging device etc., and that can be moved for correcting the hand-shake effect.
2. Description of the Related Art
An anti-shake apparatus for a photographing apparatus is proposed. The anti-shake apparatus corrects for the hand-shake effect by moving a hand-shake correcting lens or an imaging device on a plane that is perpendicular to the optical axis, corresponding to the amount of hand-shake which occurs during imaging.
Japanese unexamined patent publication (KOKAI) No. 2002-229090 discloses an anti-shake apparatus for a photographing apparatus. The anti-shake apparatus performs a moving operation of a movable unit, which includes a hand-shake correcting lens, by using a permanent magnet and a coil, and a position-detecting operation of the movable unit, by using a hall element and a permanent magnet.
However, in this anti-shake apparatus, a range, where an accurate position-detecting operation can be performed based on the linear output-change (linearity) of the one-axis hall element, is not wide (about ±0.5 mm (1.0 mm) in one direction).
Accordingly, the movement range of the movable unit for the anti-shake operation, which is needed, and which corresponds to the range where an accurate position-detecting operation can be performed based on the linear output-change, is limited.


A simulation apparatus is composed of an integrated plant model process unit 1, virtual ECUs 50A to 50C that simulate other controllers, and a simulation management unit 2 that manages the execution of an input and output process to a real ECU 300, a process by the integrated plant model process unit 1, and a process by the virtual ECUs 50A to 50C, and so on, and the simulation management unit 2 causes the integrated plant model process unit 1, the virtual ECUs 50A to 50C, and so on to execute the processes required for the operation of the real ECU 300 during a given period on the basis of the operation of the real ECU 300.

In a vehicle, a lot of electronic control units (ECUs) controlling various controlled plants (controlled objects) such as an engine, a power steering, a brake, and a torque converter are installed.
In the development phase and the design phase of the ECUs as mentioned above, a simulator which is called so-called HILS (Hardware In the Loop Simulation) and simulates responses equal with a real engine is used on behalf of each controlled plant such as the real engine (see Reference 1, for example).
In a conventional technique, the HILS has been provided for each controlled plant, and the evaluation of the ECU has been performed for each controlled plant based on a signal acquired from the HILS.    [Reference 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-361292

Simulation hardware apparatus comprising vehicle model


This invention relates to a Multi-Layer Blown-Film Extrusion Die. An Extrusion Die is a key component of extrusion equipment, used in manufacture of Blown film for packaging industry. Although this Extrusion Die relates to production of five or more layers of blown films, it can also be used for production of lesser number of layers. While in the conventional outside fed die, melt was to be conveyed around the die in a fanning-out configuration, in this invention the polymer melt is split into two streams, before being fanned or spread around the circumference. Polymer melt enters several spiral or helical grooves prior to joining the gap that enjoins melt with other layers of the melt streams. The dimensions of spiral grooves and lands are carefully calculated, keeping in view relevant factors such as melt viscosity, shear sensitivity temperature and pressure requirements etc.

It is a common practice, in the design of blown-film extrusion dies, when the film was of only one layer, to feed the polymer melt to the annular nozzle via a series of helical or spiral grooves. The helical grooves receive the melt from respective radial conduits, which convey the melt outwards from a central duct. The central duct lies on the axis of the die, i.e at the centre of the die.
This centre-fed-helical-grooves arrangement gave excellent results as far as evenness and quality of the film is concerned. (A key to economical production of plastic film is to ensure that the properties of the film are the same all the way around the circumference of the bubble of extruded material passing out through the annular nozzle.) The centre-fed-helical-groove arrangement is simple enough to engineer when the film is of only one layer. Two, three, four, etc, layers can also be accommodated with ease. In that case, the central ducts for conveying the separate materials for the layers are clustered around the axis of the die. Or, the several central ducts may be arranged annularly, i.e one inside another co-axially, around the axis.
But as the number of layers increases, it becomes more and more difficult for the designer to find room, on the axis of the die, for all the separate central ducts, and at the same time to ensure that all the spiral grooves of each of the layers receive an even amount of melt.
It is also a common practice among die designers, rather than arrange for the melt to be fed outwards from a central duct, then through the helical grooves and then to the annular nozzle, to arrange instead for the melt to be side-fed inwards into the annular nozzle from outside.
With an outside-fed, or side-fed, die, the problem of finding room for the melt-feed ducts on the inside of the die is eliminated, which is why outside-fed is preferred when the number of layers is high. But, with outside-fed, the designer has a more difficult task of ensuring that the melt is fed evenly all around the circumference of the die.
In the conventional outside-fed dies, the normal arrangement was for the melt to be conveyed around the die in a fanning-out configuration. That is to say, the designer arranged for the melt to be spread, from the melt-feed-port, directly right around the circumference.


Apparatuses and methods for preparation of breads are described. The apparatuses include a press unit that can receive a dough ball and flatten the dough ball. The press unit includes a top plate and a bottom plate, each of which is in an inclined arrangement. The top plate swivels towards and away from the bottom plate. A dough ball is flattened between the top plate and the bottom plate. The bottom plate is heated, thereby heating a first face of the flattened dough in contact with the bottom plate. A flipper connected to at least one of the top plate and the bottom plate guides the flattened dough to a heated cooking surface. The guiding enables a second face of the flattened dough to come in contact with the cooking surface, thereby heating the flattened dough and forming the bread.

Automatic preparation of edible products has found increasing acceptance worldwide. Apparatuses that prepare edible products have one or more components that perform the steps involved in preparation of the edible products. For example, apparatuses for preparing breads include components for dispensing ingredients, kneading dough, flattening the dough, and cooking the dough.


An acoustic imaging device is disclosed which utilizes mathematical inversion of scattered acoustic wave information to produce an image. A preferred embodiment of the device consists of a ring of acoustic transducers which encircle a medium to be imaged. The medium is sequentially insonified by each transducer with subsequent reception of the scattered waves by the remaining transducers. Explicit mathematical inversion of the scattered wave data using a remap algorithm results in a two-dimensional map of the scattering potential of the medium. Sound speed and density maps can be obtained from a map of the scattering potential. This device is utilizable for imaging of human tissue in vivo and in vitro, and for nondestructive evaluation of materials.

This invention relates to imaging systems and methods and in particular to systems and methods for reconstructing acoustic properties of an object using mathematical procedures and acoustic wave data.
In conventional parallel beam transmission tomography, such as utilized in x-ray computed tomography (x-ray CT), for example, the attenuation of a narrow beam of x-rays is measured as this beam probes an inhomogenous medium along many different trajectories. The information contained in these attenuation projections is then used to reconstruct a tomographic image of the medium. The success of x-ray CT (manifested in the resolution and clarity of the images) is fundamentally linked to the very short wavelength of the incident x-ray beam (.degree.1 .ANG.). The scattering effects, in the form of diffraction, refraction, and reflection, of the incident x-ray beam are negligible and the dominating attenuation mechanism is absorption. The lack of diffraction effects in x-ray CT results in quite simplified mathematical reconstruction techniques which are used to produce a quality tomographic image. A review of x-ray CT methods is given in, for example, A. J. Devaney, "A Filtered Backpropagation Algorithm for Diffraction Tomography", Ultrasonic Imaging 4, 336-350 (1982); and R. Mueller et. al., "Reconstructive Tomography and Applications to Ultrasonics", Proc. IEEE 67, 567-587 (1979).
In ultrasonic tomography, the acoustic wavelengths are much longer (.apprxeq.1 mm) and the diffraction effects of the incident acoustic beam by the medium are not negligible. In this case, the attenuation of a sound wave is substantially affected by scattering effects such as diffraction, refraction, and reflection, as well as absorption. The simplified mathematical reconstruction algorithms used in conventional x-ray CT, which tacitly assume that attenuation is due to absorption, are not applicable in this case.
Ultrasonic Diffraction Tomography (UDT) techniques attempt to mathematically reconstruct a tomographic image of a medium from scattered acoustic wave data with full consideration to the scattering effects associated with the much longer acoustic wavelengths involved. This is done by considering the full wave equation with diffraction effects, a much more difficult problem to develop and implement than the geometrical wave approximation used in x-ray CT. UDT techniques attempt to determine the internal structure of an object which is semi-transparent to acoustic waves from a partial or complete set of scattered wave data interrogated at the boundary of the object. A number of these inverse scattering solutions have been theoretically considered, from simplified algorithms which use the Born approximation (E. Wolf, "Three-dimensional Structure Determination of Semi-Transparent Objects from Holographic Data", Opt. Comm. 153-156 (1969)) and Rytov approximations (A. J. Devaney, "Inverse Scattering Within the Rytov Approximation", Opt. Lett. 6,374 (1981)) to computer intensive full-wave reconstruction algorithms (S. Johnson and M. Tracy, "Inverse Scattering Solutions by a Sinc Basis, Multiple Source, Moment Method", Ultrasonic Imaging 5, 361-375 (1983) and references therein).
Prior art patents included Devaney (U.S. Pat. No. 4,598,366) and Johnson (U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,222). The patents of Johnson claim iterative algorithms which form an initial sound speed estimate, calculate the measurement which would be expected from that estimate, and then update the estimate. This process is repeated until a residual error parameter is small enough. The patents of Devaney form an image directly from the data using Born and Rytov inversions with a technique called filtered backpropagation. These prior acoustic methods lack efficiency and therefore require a great amount of computation.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a system and method which will efficiently reconstruct an image based on the density and/or the sound speed of a medium.


A system including a first node configured to receive first data in a first format that specifies a network destination for the first data and convert the first data to second data in a second format that does not specify a network destination for the second data and a second node configured to receive the second data from the first node over a first connection and convert the second data to third data in a third format that specifies a network destination for the third data is provided.

Video teleconferencing systems allow for collaboration between people in different locations. These systems allow participants to interact with one another through the use of audio and video equipment that provides real time audio and video communications. Given the complexity of connecting people across various locations and adherence to various teleconferencing standards, these systems may provide limitations on the ways participants can exchange information. In addition, these systems may connect to a publicly available network, such as the Internet, which may subject them to security risks from hackers.

Converting data from a first network format to non-network format and from the non-network format to a second network format

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A two-terminal switching device provided on each of a plurality of pixel units and connected at a first terminal to a control electrode of a drive transistor, the two-terminal switching device being transferred to a conductive state according to magnitude of the voltage applied to a second terminal to supply the applied voltage to the control electrode; and a reverse bias voltage applying unit for adjusting the voltage applied to the second terminal and applying a reverse bias voltage to the drive transistor are provided.

A TFT is used widely as an active element for driving an active matrix type display such as an Organic EL display or a liquid-crystal display. FIG. 1 shows one pixel PLi,j as an example of an equivalent circuit of a drive circuit of the Organic EL device (OEL) 100. Referring now to FIG. 1, the equivalent circuit includes two P-channel TFTs 101, 102 as the active elements and a capacitor (Cs) 104. The scanning line Ws is connected to a gate of the selection TFT 101, a data line Wd is connected to a source of the selection TFT 101, and a power source line Wz for supplying a constant power-source voltage Vdd is connected to a source of the drive TFT 102. A drain of the selection TFT 101 is connected to a gate of the drive TFT 102, and the capacitor 104 is formed between the gate and the source of the drive TFT 102. An anode of the OEL 100 is connected to the drain of the drive TFT 102, and a cathode thereof is connected to an earth potential (or a common potential) respectively.
When a selection pulse is applied to the scanning line Ws, the selection TFT 101 as a switch is turned on and the TFT is conducting between the source and the drain. At this time, a data voltage is supplied from the data line Wd through a section between the source and the drain of the selection TFT 101, and is accumulated in the capacitor 104. Since the data voltage accumulated in the capacitor 104 is applied between the gate and the source of the drive TFT 102, a drain current Id according to a gate-source voltage Vgs of the drive TFT 102 flows and is supplied to the OEL 100.
However, it is known that a phenomenon such that a threshold voltage Vth is shifted when a voltage is continuously applied to the gate, that is, a phenomenon called "gate stress" may occur in a case of the TFT using amorphous silicon or an organic semiconductor. For example, see a reference document S. J. Zilker, C. Detcheverry, E. Cantatore, and D. M. de Leeuw, "Bias stress in organic thin-film transistors and logic gates", Applied Physics Letters Vol. 79(8) pp. 1124-1126, Aug. 20, 2001 (hereinafter, referred to as a non-patent document-1). This phenomenon will be described with taking the P-channel TFT as an example.
FIG. 2 shows an appearance of the shift of the threshold voltage Vth due to the gate stress. In the case of the P-channel TFT, when the gate-source voltage is set to a negative polarity (that is, Vgs<0) and is continuously applied, the Id-Vgs characteristics change in a negative direction (from a curved line 120A to a curved line 120B) as shown in FIG. 2 over time due to the gate stress, whereby the threshold voltage Vth is shifted from Vth1 to Vth2. In FIG. 2, the Vgs is assumed to be a positive value (Vgs>0) for the easiness of understanding.
In the change of characteristics of the TFT, the original threshold voltage Vth is restored by setting the gate-source voltage Vgs to 0V or a positive polarity and continuously applying the same. In contrast, when the Vgs is set to the positive polarity and applying continuously the same, the threshold voltage Vth is shifted to the positive direction over time, and when the Vgs is set to 0V or the negative polarity and applying continuously the same, the original threshold voltage Vth is restored. The shift amount increases with increase in absolute value of the gate-source voltage Vgs and the duration of application thereof. When the TFT having such characteristics is used for driving the Organic EL device, the threshold voltage Vth is shifted gradually during display.
The shift of the threshold voltage may disadvantageously result in lowering of luminance of OEL or malfunction of the TFT.
Single-crystal silicone, amorphous silicon, polycrystalline silicone or low temperature polycrystalline silicone are widely used as material for forming the TFT. Recently, a TFT formed of organic material (hereinafter, referred to as "Organic TFT") as an active layer instead of these silicon materials attracts public attention. Low molecular or high molecular organic material in which mobility of carrier is relatively high such as Penthacene, Naphthacene, or Polythiophene system material is exemplified as materials of the organic semiconductor. Since the organic TFT of this type may be formed on a flexible film substrate, such as plastic, with a process of relatively low temperature, a mechanically flexible, light-weight, and thin-model display can be manufactured easily. The organic TFT can be formed relatively at a low cost by a printing process or a roll-to-roll process.
The above-described threshold voltage shifting phenomenon appears remarkably in particular in the amorphous silicon TFT or the Organic TFT. The shift of the threshold voltage in the Organic TFT is disclosed, for example, in the above-described non-patent document-1 (S. J. Zilker, C. Detcheverry, E. Cantatore, and D. M. de Leeuw, "Bias stress in organic thin-film transistors and logic gates", Applied Physics Letters Vol. 79(8) pp. 1124-1126, Aug. 20, 2001).
The drive circuit for compensating the shift of the threshold voltage of the TFT and a drive method are disclosed, for example, in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 2002-514320 (hereinafter, referred to as a patent document-1) and No. 2002-351401 (hereinafter, referred to as a patent document-2). The drive circuits and drive methods described in these documents are capable of regulating luminance of the light-emitting device irrespective of the shift of the threshold voltage of the drive TFT while allowing the shift of the threshold voltage of the same. However, since the drive circuits in these reference documents cannot constrain generation of the shift of the threshold voltage, increase in power consumption due to the shift of the threshold voltage cannot be prevented. When the shift of the threshold voltage of the drive TFT exceeds an allowable range, it is difficult to compensate the shift, and fluctuations in luminance or the malfunction of the TFT may be resulted. In addition, since the shift of the threshold voltage occurs in the selection TFT other than the drive TFT, when the shift of the threshold voltage in the selection TFT exceeds the allowable range, malfunction of the selection TFT may be resulted. In particular, the shift of the threshold voltage of the Organic TFT is larger than that of the low-temperature polysilicon TFT or the single-crystal silicon TFT, the fluctuations in luminance of the light-emitting device or the malfunctions of the TFT may easily be occurred in the case of the active matrix type display in which the organic TFT is used.
A configuration in which a connection of the source or the drain of the drive TFT and the capacitor with respect to the scanning line is contrived to avoid fluctuation in characteristics of the TFT (see, Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 2004-170815: patent document-3) and a connecting structure of the TFT for reducing the shift of the threshold voltage of an α-Si transistor (see, Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 2005-004174: patent document-4) are disclosed.
However, the drive circuits and methods disclosed in the above-described documents have a problem such that the configuration and operation of the circuit are complicated, and the effects thereof are limited.


A control method and system for preventing the incorrect resetting of a common resource in a multicomputer system comprising a plurality of clusters each having a processor and a common memory which each cluster can access. The method includes steps of storing in a common memory an IPL (initial Program Load) generation ID (Identifier) which is unique to an IPL number of each cluster, setting an acquisition ID and the IPL generation ID in the common resource, when the right to use the common resource in the common memory is acquired, and comparing the IPL generation ID when the faulty cluster stops, with the IPL generation ID set in the common resource, and only when the two IPL generation IDs are equal, resetting the right to use the common resource, when the right to use the common resource which the stopped faulty cluster acquires is reset. Thus, when resetting a common resource when a cluster included in a system stops operating due to a fault, incorrect resetting can be prevented, so that the cluster does not reset the right to use the common resource acquired after restart by the IPL.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control method for preventing incorrect resetting of a common resource and a multicomputer system executing the method, wherein the system comprises a plurality of clusters each including a processor, and a common memory which each cluster can access.
(2) Description of the Related Art
In a multicomputer system including a plurality of clusters interconnected through a common memory, when one of the clusters is faulty and breaks down, it is necessary to reset the right to use a common resource which was acquired by the faulty cluster, so as not to effect the operation of other clusters.
Previously the resetting of the right to use a common resource has been carried out by a cluster which detects that another cluster is faulty, and by referring to an identifier (ID) of resource acquisition in the common resource, which cluster is faulty.
As mentioned above, in the prior art, there is a problem as follows. Namely, if the faulty cluster restarts using an IPL (Initial Program Load) and acquires a right to use a common resource, before a cluster which detects the faulty cluster starts to reset the right to use the common resource, the cluster which resets the resource sometimes resets the right to use the common resource which was acquired after the restart of the IPL.
The present invention is intended to solve the above problem.

Control method for preventing incorrect reset of common resource and multicomputer system executing the method


A method of employing a safe and effective flexible plastic curb and gutter. The method of installing a curb along the side of a road having a lower layer prior to laying a top layer of asphalt on the road comprises providing elongated curb strips each having i) a horizontal holding side portion having spaced openings cut therealong; and, ii) a uniformly continuous upright trough portion having a lower edge portion continuously attached to the outer edge of the horizontal side portion. An upper edge portion of the upright trough portion is adapted to extend above the upper layer of asphalt so that water running off the road is channelled along an inner side of the upright trough portion. The horizontal holding side portion of the elongated strip is seated along and parallel to an outside edge portion of the lower layer so when the top layer of asphalt is laid thereon adhesion between the layers through the openings therethrough hold the elongate curb strip in position.

This invention relates to a safe and effective plastic curb and gutter which is advantageously employed along the side of public roadways as well as on trails and gardens on private property. More particularly this invention relates to a flexible plastic curb and gutter which is extremely unlikely to contribute to a vehicle overturning or becoming airborne. The invention discloses a design which is inexpensive to instal and is particularly effective as a water channelling and erosion reducing device. It has particular advantage on sloped and curved roadways having a guard rail.
The applicants own and operate a company which instals concrete curbs and gutters along the side of public roadways. The installation of concrete curbs and gutters is time consuming. Concrete curbs are machine formed or hand formed, poured, finished, and then stripped of the forms. The demand for concrete curbs and asphalt erosion control curbs is falling substantially. Statistics have implicated concrete curbs as a contributing cause of many serious accidents. When a vehicle""s wheels hit a curb, the vehicle""s wheels are thrust into the air causing loss of control and possibly even vehicle overturn. The vehicle, out of control, is then likely to be hit by other vehicles. A large percentage of all vehicle rollovers are caused when motorists drive off roads onto soft shoulders and then attempt to re-enter traffic. A safer curb is needed.
In the mountainous regions of Colorado there are many roads which slope and have curves and guardrail running along the curved portion of the roadway. Typically the guard rail is supported in an elevated position by an upright steel or wood member. To protect the gravel between and around the upright members from erosion, concrete or asphalt curbs and now recently wooden boards are anchored to and between the upright members immediately above the ground. Attaching the wooden boards to the upright members is difficult. The boards then become a high maintenance item, not to mention a waste of natural resources. And most notably they are minimally effective in preventing erosion. Along a stretch of inclined roadway a substantial volume of water may run off, and stream along beside the roadway. Where the road curves the boards attempt to turn this stream of water. First there is a problem with wash over and under the boards. Then there is a problem with erosion undermining the gravel within which the upright members are anchored. An enormous amount of money has been spent, and much money is expended annually on restoring eroded guardrail support, shoulder material and asphalt breakage on roadways. But no durably satisfactory solution to this long standing problem has been found.
It is an object of this invention to disclose a safe curb and gutter which is substantially less likely to overturn a vehicle when its wheels strike the curb. It is yet a further object of this invention to disclose a curb and gutter which is very effective as a gutter in handling large volumes of runoff water streaming down along beside a curving road. It is yet a further object of this invention to disclose a curb which will improve road safety by reducing erosion along roads. It is yet a further object of this invention to reduce road maintenance required by damage to curbs caused by snow ploughs. It is yet a further object of this invention to significantly reduce the cost of material and installation labor expended in the installation of curbs. The installation cost of the disclosed curbs under guard rails may can be less than one tenth of the conventional cost of such installations. And these curbs will be substantially more effective and require substantially less maintenance. It is yet a further object of this invention to disclose a curb which is substantially more durable and maintenance free than conventional curbs. It is estimated that the disclosed curbs will have a life and durability which triples that of conventional concrete or asphalt curbs. It is yet a final object of this invention to eliminate the steps of painting and maintaining a mark indicating the edge of a road.
One aspect of this invention provides for a method of installing a curb along side of a road having a lower layer prior to laying a top layer of asphalt on the road comprising comprising the following steps. a) Providing elongated curb strips each having i) a generally horizontal lower holding side portion having spaced openings cut therealong, said lower holding side portion adapted to be seated parallel to the edge of the road on the outer edge portion of the lower layer, and beneath the top layer of asphalt so that the elongated strip is secured in position therebetween by adhesion between the layers through the spaced openings therealong; and, ii) a uniformly continuous and unbroken upright trough portion having a lower edge portion continuously attached to the outer edge of the generally horizontal side portion, and an upper edge portion adapted to extend above the top layer of asphalt so that water running off the road is channelled along an inner side of the upright trough portion parallel to the edge of the road. b) Positioning the elongated strips end to end, each along and attached to an outer side of the lower layer so that the upright portion of each strip extends upwardly above and outwardly away from the outer side of the lower layer. And finally, c) laying the top layer of asphalt generally above and on the lower layer thereby permanently securing the elongated strips in position by adhesion between the layers through the openings in the generally horizontal holding side portions of the elongated strips. Water running off the road will be channelled along an inner side portion of the continuous and unbroken upright trough portions of the elongated strips.
A preferred method of the invention further comprises the step of attaching the strips 20 to the lower layer 18 prior to laying the top layer of asphalt 16. In yet another embodiment of the invention the method comprises providing a curb strip as above which has a continuous descending side portion having an inner edge portion continuously attached to the outer edge portion of the upright trough portion. The upright trough portion and the descending portion together form a rounded portion which flattens under force.
Various other objects, advantages and features of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a lower structure on the substrate, the lower structure including a first wiring structure, a second wiring structure, and a lower insulating structure covering the first and second wiring structures, a first pattern layer including a plate portion and a via portion, the plate portion being on the lower insulating structure and the via portion extending into the lower insulating structure from a lower portion of the plate portion and overlapping the first wiring structure, a graphene-like carbon material layer in contact with the via portion and the first wiring structure between the via portion and the first wiring structure, gate layers stacked in a vertical direction perpendicular to an upper surface of the substrate and spaced apart from each other on the first pattern layer, and a memory vertical structure penetrating through the gate layers in the vertical direction.

Example embodiments relate to semiconductor devices.
As demand for semiconductor devices having high performance, high speed, and/or multifunctionality has increased, the integration of semiconductor devices has increased. In order to increase the integration of semiconductor devices, a method of arranging gates in a vertical direction, instead of arranging the gates on a two-dimensional plane, has been proposed.


One embodiment of the present invention includes an internal combustion engine with a turbocharger. The turbocharger includes a compressor with an outlet coupled to an intake of the engine and a turbine coupled to an exhaust manifold of the engine. A a turbocharger speed estimate is determined from engine speed and a ratio between inlet and boost pressure for the compressor. The turbocharger speed estimate is further adjusted as a function of compressor boost pressure variation with time.

The present invention relates to internal combustion engines, and more particularly, but not exclusively, is relates to operation of an internal combustion engine with a turbocharger.
Turbochargers are well known devices for pressurizing intake air entering the combustion chambers of an internal combustion engine to thereby increase the efficiency and power output of the engine. Generally, pressurizing the intake air increases the quantity of air entering the engine combustion chambers during intake, permitting more fuel to be utilized in establishing a fuel charge with a desired air-to-fuel ratio. Typically, increased engine torque and power results compared to a similar engine that is not turbocharged.
In a turbocharged engine, the exhaust manifold of the engine is in fluid communication with a rotatable turbine of the turbocharger via an exhaust conduit, and the exhaust gas flowing through this conduit causes the turbine to turn at a rate determined by exhaust gas pressure and flow rate. A compressor of the turbocharger is mechanically coupled to the turbine. The compressor is rotatably driven by the turbine as it turns. An inlet of the compressor receives fresh ambient air, and an outlet of the compressor is in fluid communication with an intake manifold of the engine via an intake conduit. The rotation of the compressor increases the amount of intake air supplied to the engine, which results in an increased pressure, often referred to as the "boost" pressure.
An exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system implemented in such a turbocharged engine supplies controlled amounts of exhaust gas from the exhaust manifold to the intake manifold via an EGR conduit. In order to sustain positive EGR flow through the EGR conduit, pressure in the exhaust conduit is maintained at a level greater than that in the intake conduit, and turbochargers in EGR-based engines typically operate at higher rotational speeds than those without EGR. In either case, it is often desirable to have accurate knowledge of the turbocharger rotational speed—particularly for turbocharged engines with EGR to ensure positive EGR flow while maintaining turbocharger speed within safe operating limits.
In cases where implementation of a turbocharger speed sensor is impractical or cost prohibitive, and/or in cases where redundant or "back-up" turbocharger speed information is desired, what is needed is a system for accurately estimating or synthesizing turbocharger rotational speed. Thus, a demand remains for further contributions in this area of technology.
In one embodiment of the present invention, a unique technique for determining turbocharger speed is provided. In other embodiments, unique methods, systems, and apparatus for determining turbocharger speed are provided.
A further embodiment includes: sensing speed of an internal combustion engine having a turbocharger with a compressor that includes an inlet and an outlet. This outlet is coupled to an intake of the engine. The embodiment further includes sensing inlet pressure and boost pressure of the compressor and determining a value corresponding to turbocharger speed from the speed of the internal combustion engine, the inlet pressure, and the boost pressure. This value is refined as a function of change of the boost pressure with time to represent the turbocharger speed.
Another embodiment comprises: providing an internal combustion engine including a turbocharger with a compressor that has an outlet coupled to an intake of the engine; determining a turbocharger speed estimate from speed of the engine and a pressure ratio for the compressor; and adjusting the turbocharger speed estimate as a function of compressor boost pressure variation with time.
Still another embodiment comprises: an internal combustion engine; a speed sensor operable to provide a first signal representative of engine speed; a turbocharger including a compressor with an inlet and an outlet that is coupled to an intake of the engine; a pressure sensing arrangement operable to provide a second signal representative of intake pressure of the compressor and a third signal representative of outlet pressure of the compressor; and a controller responsive to the first signal, the second signal, and the third signal to determine a value as a function of the engine speed and a pressure ratio. This ratio is taken between the intake pressure and the outlet pressure. The controller is further operable to adjust the value based on variation of the outlet pressure with time to provide a signal representative of turbocharger speed.
Yet another embodiment of the present invention comprises: means for sensing speed of an internal combustion engine that includes a turbocharger. A compressor of the turbocharger includes an inlet and an outlet coupled to an intake of the engine. The embodiment further comprises: means for filtering the speed of the internal combustion engine; means for sensing inlet temperature, inlet pressure, and boost pressure of the turbocharger compressor; means for filtering the boost pressure; means for determining a value corresponding to uncorrected turbocharger speed from the speed of the internal combustion engine, the inlet pressure, and the boost pressure; means for correcting the value with the inlet temperature to correspond to a temperature corrected turbocharger speed; and means for refining the value as a function of change of the boost pressure with time to provide a refined turbocharger speed.
These and further embodiments, forms, features, objects, advantages, benefits, and aspects of the present invention shall become apparent from the detailed description and drawings provided herewith.

Techniques for determining turbocharger speed


The present invention describes an assembly to control fan-out on a multi-color offset printing press. The assembly includes an arm that pushes the paper into proper alignment before the printing of a succeeding color. The assembly may be fitted to existing presses and may be adjusted to accommodate papers of various widths and moisture content.

In recent years, many newspaper publishers have begun to print newspapers using a plurality of color inks. Color printing typically requires multiple stages involving a plurality of printing stations. The paper must remain geometrically aligned with each station. Demand has, therefore, increased for a press that can accurately print multi-colors without geometric errors.
One such error, known as fan-out, is caused by anisotropic expansion of paper during the printing process. Paper comprises pulp fibers having longitudinal and radial axes. Moisture causes the pulp fibers to expand. Each fiber tends to expand less than one percent in its longitudinal direction and twenty to thirty percent in its radial direction. The fibers' longitudinal axes extend generally parallel to the length of the paper sheet so that, when moistened, the paper sheet tends to expand significantly more along its width than its length.
Printing involves dampening the paper with water-based inks. This causes the paper to swell, thereby distorting images and lines printed on the paper. Distortion is most evident when printing a plurality of colors in a staged operation. Images created in a first printing station may not coincide with images created at a second or later print station. This includes, for example, misalignment of color pictures with their black borders and colors offset from one another. Print quality can be poor.
Prior art includes mechanical and electronic attempts to reduce fan-out. U.S. Pat. No. 4,404,906 teaches a bowed roller for applying outward lateral force to a paper web in order to expand the web prior to printing a first color. U.S. Pat. No. 5,419,248 describes a device that compensates for expansion of printing plates after successive passes through a print unit. The device includes a register pin for manually adjusting the position of the plate. U.S. Pat. No. 5,619,921 teaches the introduction of waves in a paper web to cancel any expansion caused by moisture expansion. U.S. Pat. No. 5,383,393 includes a plurality of register adjuster means, a paper drawing means downstream of the printing sections, and a plurality of width adjusting means between printing section. U.S. Pat. No. 4,696,230 describes an air nozzle for producing a bustle, or wave, in the paper web, thereby reducing the effective width of the paper web. U.S. Pat. No. 6,024,504 teaches a mathematical process for correcting geometric errors without mechanical intervention.
Prior art includes complex mechanical or electronic systems. Retrofitting to existing printing presses is difficult or expensive. A need exists for an article that reduces fan-out simply and inexpensively. Preferably, the article could be attached to an existing printing press and an operator could adjust fan-out correction during the printing process.


A personal care or cosmetic product composition that includes from about 0.1% to about 99% of at least one ester of alkoxylated aromatic alcohol and fatty carboxylic acid, and from about 0.1% to 60% of at least one functional ingredient is provided. The functional ingredients in the composition may include active ingredients and additional ingredients. Especially suitable active ingredients are sunscreen active ingredients and antiperspirant active ingredients. Preferred compositions are sunscreen product formulations and antiperspirant products. In one preferred embodiment, the composition further includes at least one cyclomethicone compound present in the amount of from about 1% to 99% by weight of the composition. A method of improving the protection of human or animal skin or hair from radiation and a method of improving the protection of human or animal skin or hair from perspiration are also provided.

Formulation of personal care and cosmetic products, such as shampoos, conditioners, sunscreen lotions, lipstick products, mascara, and the like, presents a number of challenges. The feel and look of such products should appeal to consumers. For example, it may be desirable for certain of such products to have a non-greasy skin feel, good skin-spread ability, pleasant smell, and so on. At the same time, the cosmetic and personal care products typically include a variety of necessary ingredients. For the formulator, the necessity of obtaining physical characteristics that appeal to consumers coexists with the necessity of incorporating the necessary functional ingredients in the product.
Personal care and cosmetic products typically include chemical compounds that function as emollients. The emollients contribute to the desired skin feel, but often serve other purposes in the formulation as well.
Emollients, which often constitute a major portion of the product formulation, can also significantly influence the dissolution/dispersion of the functional ingredients in the formulation. For example, the sunscreen products include sunscreen active ingredients that are preferably uniformly dissolved or dispersed in the formulation. However, certain commonly used sunscreen active ingredients exhibit poor solubility/dispersability in the product formulations. Any non-uniform distribution of the active ingredient may lead to a reduction in the quality and performance of the sunscreen product. Likewise, many cosmetic and personal care products contain fragrances, which also may exhibit poor solubility/dispersability, making it difficult to incorporate the fragrances in the product formulation. Therefore, the emollient component of the product formulation should not negatively effect the solubility of the functional ingredient(s), and, preferably, should help solubilize or disperse the functional ingredient(s) in the formulation.
Certain aromatic esters are presently used as ingredients in the personal care and cosmetic products. For example, Croda Corporation of Parsippany, N.J., manufactures and sells alkoxylated esters of aromatic dicarboxylic and tricarboxylic acids, which are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,693,316, 5,597,555, 5,455,025, and 5,302,377. The aromatic compounds disclosed in these patents are esters of aromatic carboxylic acids, and thus contain an ester carboxylic group in which the aromatic nucleus (Ar) is connected to the carbon atom of the ester carboxylic group, and the fatty alkyl group (R) is connected to the ester oxygen atom (Oe) of the ester carboxylic group. Thus, the overall order of connection to the ester carboxylic group in these esters may be illustrated as:
Although these esters are excellent emollients for sunscreens and cosmetics, the need still exists for new compounds useful as ingredients for personal care and cosmetic products to provide additional options to the product formulators. Specifically, the need exists for emollient compounds that improve the solubility of active ingredients in the formulation while contributing to a pleasant skin feel.

Compositions containing esters of aromatic alkoxylated alcohols and fatty carboxylic acids


A pill box having a base, a lid with a blade, and a blade guard. The base has a bottom side to which the blade guard is coupled. The base also has a top side with a pill storage compartment, a pill cutting surface, and a pill grip coupled to the pill cutting surface. The lid has a top side and a bottom side with the bottom side having a blade coupled to it. The lid is coupled to the base by one or more hinges.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to devices for accurately and safely cutting tablets into smaller parts to reduce dosage or to make them easier to ingest.
2. Description of the Related Art
The present invention is generally directed to a pill splitter that accurately and safely cuts pills into smaller pieces while minimizing the risk of cuts or abrasions to hands and particularly fingers. The pill splitter is also ergonomically designed to make it easier to grip and handle thus further reducing the risk of harm to fingers and hands.
It is well recognized that some tablets are either difficult to swallow because of their relatively large size or contain a dose of an active ingredient that is beyond what the user is required to take at a particular time. For example, it is not uncommon for a physician to instruct a patient to take one half of a pill three times a day or to take one and a half pills three times a day or some other dosage or frequency that involves the necessity of taking half of a pill.
In some cases, it is less expensive to purchase smaller quantities of pills that each have high concentrations of active ingredient per pill rather than a large number of pills with lower concentrations of active ingredient per pill. For those who purchase the higher concentration pills, it becomes necessary to split the pills. For pills which are relatively large in diameter, splitting of the pill can usually be accomplished by grasping the pill between the thumb and forefinger of each hand and applying a breaking force. However, even with the relatively large pills, the breaking force required is often sufficiently great so that it may not be within the capability of the elderly or the feeble or those whose finger-gripping strength or ability has been impaired for some reason.
Many pills are of small diameter and cannot readily be grasped in a manner to achieve the necessary leverage to break them. For these smaller pills, most people find it necessary to use a kitchen knife or similar implement to shear the pill or score it to a greater extent so that it can be broken between the fingers. The pill is placed upon a supporting surface and, when the knife is applied to it, more often than not the pill does not separate cleanly into two halves, but crumbles into several parts. Furthermore, a knife or other sharp object may not always be handy when it is time to take the pill.
Apart from the inconvenience, irritation and frequent crumbling of the pill when using these methods of pill splitting, there is also the possibility of having the pill drop or slip and be lost or contaminated, as well as the more serious problem of possible injury to the hands or fingers if the knife slips.
To solve some of these problems, pill boxes have been made that include compartments with pill grips to hold pills in place and blades to cut through them. One of the problems with such pill boxes is that they have exposed blades that are very sharp and capable of slicing through human skin. This makes them potentially hazardous to the user. Another problem is that they are difficult to handle and ergonomically undesirable, particularly for use by elderly or impaired individuals.
While there have been numerous attempts at producing pill splitters for the purposes intended herein, such pill splitters tend to suffer from one or more of the disadvantages mentioned above. It would therefore be a significant advance in the art to provide a bill box and splitter which can safely and effectively store and split pills while reducing the risk of lacerations to fingers and hands, and which can easily be operated by individuals who may have difficulty gripping objects.


Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for processing multimodal input. A system configured to practice the method continuously monitors an audio stream associated with a gesture input stream, and detects a speech event in the audio stream. Then the system identifies a temporal window associated with a time of the speech event, and analyzes data from the gesture input stream within the temporal window to identify a gesture event. The system processes the speech event and the gesture event to produce a multimodal command. The gesture in the gesture input stream can be directed to a display, but is remote from the display. The system can analyze the data from the gesture input stream by calculating an average of gesture coordinates within the temporal window.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to human-computer interaction and more specifically to incorporating a continuous speech input stream and a continuous gesture input stream.
2. Introduction
Currently deployed multimodal interfaces, such as systems that support user inputs combining speech and gesture, typically involve direct contact with a screen through touch or pen inputs. For example, the Speak4it application on the iPhone enables users to combine speech inputs with hand-drawn gestures to issue commands. Multimodal interfaces can have applications in other contexts where it is not practical or desirable to touch the screen. These include large screen displays in the living room, displays in medical applications, and smart office environments. In the living room example, users typically interact with content and applications using an overly complicated remote control and complex onscreen menus navigated using arrow keys.
One set of improvements use an infrared camera to track the direction in which an infrared remote control is pointing, enabling users to draw and make gestures on the screen at a distance. Similarly, handheld controllers such as the Wii remote can be used to point at and manipulate what is on the screen. Previous work has also explored adding speech to the remote control for media search and related tasks. In each of these approaches the user has to hold a remote or some other device in order to interact, and often must provide some explicit input, such as a button press, touching a stylus to a display or other pressure-sensitive surface, or uttering a key phrase, to signal to the system to pay attention to and process the input being provided. This approach is cumbersome and requires additional effort (i.e. holding a device and remembering to activate the device at the appropriate time) for handling multimodal inputs.

System and method for continuous multimodal speech and gesture interaction


Methods and systems consistent with certain aspects related to the present invention provide a dynamic service delivery system based on a capability to provide services through a distributed system using qualitative and quantitative Quality of Service (QoS) attributes. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a method for providing a service that includes collecting capability information reflecting a current operating condition of a compute resource and determining a platform capability and a measurable capability value for a depletion-oriented characteristic of the compute resource based on the collected capability information. Based on at least one of the platform capability and the measurable capability value; a capability value for the compute resource is determined and this value is provided to a provision manager that determines whether the compute resource is worthy of being an available resource in the distributed system based on the capability value. Additionally, the provision manager may determine which of a plurality of services provided by compute resources is more capable of handling a service request based on service capability values corresponding to platform capabilities and/or the depletion-oriented characteristics of each of the compute resources.

Distributed systems today enable a device connected to a communications network to take advantage of services available on other devices located throughout the network. Each device in a distributed system may have its own internal data types, its own address alignment rules, and its own operating system. To enable such heterogeneous devices to communicate and interact successfully, developers of distributed systems can employ a remote procedure call (RPC) communication mechanism.
RPC mechanisms provide communication between processes (e.g., programs, applets, etc.) running on the same device or different devices. In a simple case, one process, i.e., a client, sends a message to another process, i.e., a server. The server processes the message and, in some cases, returns a response to the client. In many systems, the client and server do not have to be synchronized. That is, the client may transmit the message and then begin a new activity, or the server may buffer the incoming message until the server is ready to process the message.
The Java™ programming language is an object-oriented programming language that may be used to implement such a distributed system. The Java™ language is compiled into a platform-independent format, using a bytecode instruction set, which can be executed on any platform supporting the Java™ virtual machine (JVM). The JVM may be implemented on any type of platform, greatly increasing the ease with which heterogeneous machines can be federated into a distributed system.
The Jini™ architecture has been developed using the Java™ programming language to enable devices in a distributed to share services using remote method invocation (RMI). Traditional Jini™ systems use RMI to enable a client device to request and receive a service provided by a server device on a remote machine. While conventional Jini™ systems provide a basic architecture for providing services in a distributed system, they do not provide tools specifically directed to providing complex services. Current systems do not address provisioning a service, such as application software, to make it available to the distributed system in the first place. Furthermore, conventional systems do not consider the quality of service requirements of a specific service before provisioning the service to make it available in the distributed system.

Systems and methods for providing dynamic quality of service for a distributed system


A weapon system includes a weapon system illuminator laser system and one or more optical fibers. The weapon system illuminator laser system can produce one or more illuminator laser beams to illuminate at least one object outside the weapon system without destroying the object. The weapon system illuminator laser system is located at a first location within the weapon system. The object, or a second object associated with the object, is to be destroyed or damaged by energy. The one or more optical fibers are configured to transport the one or more illuminator laser beams from the first location to a second location within the weapon system. The one or more optical fibers can provide beam containment and beamwalk maintenance in the presence of mechanical or thermal disturbances. The one or more optical fibers and the weapon system illuminator laser system can withstand mechanical or thermal disturbances.

1. Field
The present invention relates generally to weapon systems and methods, and more particularly to weapon systems and methods for beam containment and beamwalk maintenance utilizing optical fibers.
2. Background
Currently, the state-of-the-art approach to the problem of line-of-sight beam alignment for airborne laser systems is various active beamwalk alignment or maintenance systems that comprise a set of active beamwalk mirrors controlled by complicated electro-servo mechanisms. FIG. 1 illustrates one such beamwalk maintenance system for an Airborne Laser System. As shown in FIG. 1, the beams of a high power Track Illuminator (TILL) laser (110) and of a high power Beacon Illuminator (BILL) laser (120) are sent from the Multi-Beam Illuminator (MBIL) Bench (130) to the Beam Transfer Assembly (BTA) Bench (140) in a stable fashion. The two benches have considerable separation, and the benches tilt relative to each other. The beamwalk maintenance system shown in FIG. 1 employs active or movable Beamwalk Mirrors (BWM's) to maintain line-of-sight beam alignment for TILL and BILL lasers despite the relative movement of the optical benches. A pair of Beamwalk Mirrors (BWM's) are used for each laser—BWMs #5 and #6 for the BILL, and BWMs #7 and #8 for the TILL laser. To describe briefly, the first BWM of each pair tilts to center their beams onto the second mirrors, and the second mirrors then tilt to adjust the directions of the beams leaving them so that they center on the steering mirrors. The mirrors are actuated by voice-coil servo mechanism with control electronics. The control signals for these voice-coil-driven BMWs are derived from the beam walk sensors (160) which are sensitive to the centroids and angular directions of the beams coming from the beamwalk laser source (170) that are back-propagated through the same mirror systems. Thus, if any of the illuminator beams wander or "walk" off-center at the steering mirrors, the beamwalk laser beams arriving at the beamwalk sensors (160) also fall off-center, producing feedback signals, which are then processed by a processor to generate the control signals to the voice-coil-driven BMWs to actuate the mirrors to correct the beamwalk.
Although effective within their operational parameters, the current state-of-the-art beamwalk maintenance systems based on active beamwalk mirrors suffer from several shortcomings. One of the problems is that the beamwalk mirror systems cannot handle large disturbances due to the limited range of movements of the mirrors and limited range of alignment operation that can be accomplished with a system of mirrors. Another problem is what is known as residual jitter. Although the feedback control systems for the beamwalk mirrors are driven by light (laser) and electronics, the system has finite, nonzero response time. This means that small beamwalks that occur before the mirror systems have a chance to respond cannot be corrected, and, as a result, beamwalk mirror systems have inherently uncorrectable residual jitter corresponding to their system response time.
Other problems are related to the complexity of the active beamwalk mirror systems. As described above, the active mirror based beamwalk maintenance systems are delicate systems with a large number of parts. As well known in system engineering arts, the larger the number of parts, the greater the frequency of system failures, resulting from the failures of one or more parts. Such comparatively high failure rate is particularly problematic for laser systems deployed in difficult-to-service environments, such as the Space Based Laser (SBL).
It can be seen, then, there is a need in the field for a simpler beamwalk maintenance system that can handle large platform disturbances and has zero residual jitter.

Weapon system and method for beam containment and beamwalk maintenance utilizing optical fibers


A coin inspection method and a device which can inspect a coin with a high precision, by extracting a large amount of information from a sensor detection signal waveform. In coin inspection which is performed based on a detection signal waveform of a magnetic sensor disposed along a coin pathway through which the coin passes, a differential waveform of the detection signal waveform is determined, first information indicating a peak position of the differential waveform, second information indicating a value of the detection signal waveform at the peak position of the differential waveform, and third information indicating a value of the differential waveform at the peak position of the differential waveform are extracted, and the extracted first through third information are used to inspect the coin.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention concerns a coin inspection method and device for inspecting coin genuineness and denomination, and in particular, a coin inspection method and device appropriate for inspection of coins used in vending machines, game equipment and similar.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, the coin inspection devices used in vending machines, game equipment and similar have primarily been electronic coin inspection devices using magnetic sensors which employ induction coils.
This type of coin inspection device generally utilizes the free-fall of the coin, and is configured such that a plurality of induction coils are positioned along the coin pathway guiding a coin which has been inserted from the coin insertion slot. Each of these induction coils is excited at a different frequency to form an electromagnetic field; by the passage through these electromagnetic fields of a coin inserted from the coin insertion slot, the change in the electromagnetic fields is employed to inspect the genuineness and the denomination of the coin.
Coin inspection by a coin inspection device using such magnetic sensors is based on widely-known principles; when a coin passes through the above electromagnetic fields, the amounts of electrical change (change in frequency, change in voltage, change in phase) resulting from the interaction between the electromagnetic fields and the coin are detected, and the genuineness and denomination of the coin are discriminated.
Previously, since coin characteristics are parameters which depend on frequencies; this type of coin inspection device is utilized as a technology which employs a plurality of frequencies to inspect the coin material, outside diameter, thickness and similar, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,870,137.
In recent years, coin inspection devices have also been proposed which adopt techniques to detect the surface shape of coins; representative technology has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. H11-167655 and in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. H11-175793.
However, the internationalization of recent years has been accompanied by the easy import of coins from various countries, and there is an increasing number of cases in which such coins are erroneously inserted into vending machines and similar, or are inserted for the purpose of fraud by persons attempting illicit activities.
Among these coins from various countries, some resemble genuine coins in materials, outside diameter, thickness, and other parameters; and, are also rampant large quantities of coins which are coins from other countries, modified so as to resemble genuine coins.
Although such coins from other countries, or modified coins from other countries, have a surface design (pattern of protrusions) different from genuine coins, or have a different coin flange shape, there are nonetheless coins which essentially match in material, outside diameter, and thickness. Hence coin inspection devices using conventional magnetic sensors will sometimes erroneously accept such coins as genuine, and in this case unforeseen damages are incurred by the manager of the vending machine or similar.
Consequently, technology for the precise detection of the pattern of protrusions on the coin surface and the shape of the coin flange is sought.
However, because the coin inspection devices using conventional magnetic sensors are configured to discriminate the genuineness and denomination of the coin being inspected based solely on the peak values and peak positions of detection signal waveforms of magnetic sensors, the amount of information is small, and so there is the problem that coins of other countries, or modified coins of other countries, cannot be reliably discriminated.
An object of this invention is to provide a coin inspection method and device, enabling precise inspection of coins to be inspected, by extracting a large amount of information from sensor detection signal waveforms.
In order to achieve the above object, the invention of claim 1 is a coin inspection method, in which a sensor is positioned along a coin pathway through which a coin passes, and inspection of the coin is performed based on a detection signal waveform of the sensor, comprising the steps of: determining a differential waveform of the detection signal waveform; extracting first information indicating a peak position of the differential waveform, second information indicating a value of the detection signal waveform at the peak position of the differential waveform, and third information indicating a value of the differential waveform at the peak position of the differential waveform; and inspecting the coin by using the first through third information.
The invention of claim 2 is the invention according to claim 1, wherein an output of the sensor is sampled at fixed time intervals and converted from analog to digital values to obtain the detection signal waveform; and differences between adjacent digital values in the detection signal waveform are determined to obtain the differential waveform.
The invention of claim 3 is the invention according to claim 1, wherein when a value of the differential waveform at a time t is xcex94(t), a time point at which a difference between the value xcex94(t) and a value xcex94(txe2x88x922) of the above differential waveform at a time txe2x88x922 which is two sample points previous is zero is extracted as the peak position of the differential waveform.
The invention of claim 4 is the invention according to claim 1, wherein when a value of the differential waveform at a time t is xcex94(t), a time point at which a difference between the value xcex94(t) and a value xcex94(txe2x88x92N) of the differential waveform at a time txe2x88x92N which is N sample points previous is zero is extracted as the peak position of the differential waveform.
The invention of claim 5 is a coin inspection method, in which a sensor is positioned along a coin pathway through which a coin passes, and inspection of the coin is performed based on a detection signal waveform of the sensor; comprising the steps of:
determining a differential waveform of the detection signal waveform; and
inspecting the coin by using, as inspection information, a characteristic quantity of the differential waveform in a specific region.
The invention of claim 6 is the invention according to claim 5, wherein the specific region is a region corresponding to a flange part of the coin.
The invention of claim 7 is the invention according to claim 5, wherein an output of the sensor is sampled at fixed time intervals and a result is converted from analog into digital values to obtain the detection signal waveform, and
differences between adjacent digital values of the detection signal waveform are determined to obtain the differential waveform.
The invention of claim 8 is the invention according to claim 5, wherein the specific region is a region including a zero-cross point-of the differential waveform.
The invention of claim 9 is the invention according to claim 8, wherein the characteristic quantity is a level difference between a height of valley part in the detection signal waveform in the specific region and a height of a peak part adjacent to the valley part in the detection signal waveform.
The invention of claim 10 is the invention according to claim 5, wherein the specific region includes a valley part of the differential waveform, and the characteristic quantity is a ratio of a height of valley part in the differential waveform to a height of a peak part adjacent to the valley part of the differential waveform.
The invention of claim 11 is the invention according to claim 5, wherein the specific region includes a valley part of the differential waveform, and the characteristic quantity is a value of the detection signal waveform corresponding to the valley part of the differential waveform.
The invention of claim 12 is a coin inspection device, in which a sensor is positioned along a coin pathway through which a coin passes and the coin is inspected based on a detection signal waveform of the sensor, comprising:
differential processing means for determining a differential waveform of the detection signal waveform;
information extraction means for extracting first information indicating a peak position of the differential waveform obtained by the differential processing means, second information indicating a value of the detection signal waveform at the peak position of the differential waveform, and third information indicating a value of the differential waveform at the peak position of the differential waveform; and,
inspection means for inspecting the coin based on the first through third information.
The invention of claim 13 is the invention according to claim 12, wherein the differential processing means comprises:
analog-digital conversion means which samples the detection signal waveform of the sensor at fixed time intervals and converts a result from analog to digital values in order to determine detection data corresponding to the detection signal waveform; and
differential data calculation means to determine differential data by calculating the differences between adjacent digital values of the detection data determined by the analog-digital conversion means,
wherein the information extraction means extracts the first information indicating a peak position of the differential data determined by the differential data calculation means, the second information indicating a value of the detection data at the peak position, and the third information indicating a value of the differential data at the peak position; and
the inspection means inspects the coin by using the first through third information extracted by the information extraction means.
The invention of claim 14 is the invention according to claim 13, wherein, when a value of the differential waveform at a time t is xcex94(t), the information extraction means extracts, as the peak position of the differential waveform, a time point at which a difference between the value xcex94(t) and a value xcex94(txe2x88x922) of the differential waveform at a time txe2x88x922 which is two sample points previous is zero.
The invention of claim 15 is the invention according to claim 13, wherein, when a value of the differential waveform at a time t is xcex94(t), the information extraction means extracts, as the peak position of the differential waveform, a time point at which a difference between the value xcex94(t) and a value xcex94(txe2x88x92N) of the differential waveform at a time txe2x88x92N which is N sample points previous is zero.
The invention of claim 16 is a coin inspection device in which a sensor is positioned along a coin pathway through which a coin passes, and the coin is inspected based on a detection signal waveform of the sensor, comprising:
differential processing means for determining a differential waveform of the detection signal waveform; and
coin inspection means for inspecting the coin, using, as inspection information, a characteristic quantity in a specific region of the differential waveform determined by the differential processing means.
The invention of claim 17 is the invention according to claim 16, wherein the specific region is a region corresponding to a flange part of the coin.
The invention of claim 18 is the invention according to claim 16, 18. The coin inspection device according to claim 16, wherein the differential processing means comprises:
analog-digital conversion means which samples an output of the sensor at fixed time intervals and performs analog-digital conversion to obtain the detection signal waveform; and
differential waveform calculation means which determines the differential waveform by calculating the differences between adjacent digital values in the detection signal waveform obtained by the analog-digital conversion means.
The invention of claim 19 is the invention according to claim 16, wherein the specific region is a region containing a zero-cross point of the differential waveform.
The invention of claim 20 is the invention according to claim 19, wherein the coin inspection means inspects the coin, using, as the inspection information, a level difference between a height of a valley part of the detection signal waveform corresponding to the specific region of the differential waveform, and a peak part adjacent to the valley part of the detection signal waveform.
The invention of claim 21 is the invention according to claim 16, wherein the specific region is a region including a valley part of the differential waveform, and
the coin inspection means inspects the coin, using, as the inspection information, a ratio of a height of the valley part of the differential waveform to a height of a peak part of the differential waveform adjacent to the valley part.
The invention of claim 22 is the invention according to claim 16, wherein the specific region is a region including a valley part of the differential waveform, and
the coin inspection means inspects the coin, using, as the inspection information, a value of the detection signal waveform corresponding to the valley part of the differential waveform.
According to this invention, changes in the output signal waveform of the sensor can be examined in detail by a simple method, whereby the characteristics of each coin can be detected precisely, and problems in coin selection can be prevented.