To improve the front brightness of the light emitted from a surface light emitter having a surface light emitting device. In the surface light emitter to which a light control sheet having depressions is provided, the surface of the light control sheet having the depressions is adhered to a light emitting side surface of a surface light emitting device, and the transparent material whose refractive index is lower than the refractive index of the light control sheet is arranged in the spaces formed between the depressions and the light emitting side surface of the surface light emitting device.

In recent years, due to the increasing diversification of information technology equipment, there is an increasing need for surface light emitting devices with low power consumption and small volume, and electroluminescent devices (hereinafter abbreviated as EL devices) which are one such surface light emitting devices are attracting a lot of attention.
Such EL devices are broadly classified into inorganic EL devices and organic EL devices depending on types of material used in them.
Further, in case of inorganic EL devices, generally a high electric field is applied to the light emitting section, and electrons collide with light emission centers being accelerated by that high electric field, thus the light emission centers are excited and cause the emission of light. On the other hand, in case of organic EL devices, electrons and holes are injected respectively from the electron injection electrode and hole injection electrode into the light emission layer, the organic material get into an excited state, and the emission of light is caused when this organic material returns from the excited state to the ground state. And organic EL devices have the advantage that they are capable of being driven at a lower voltage than the inorganic EL devices.
Further, in the case of organic EL devices, it is possible to obtain light emitting devices that emit light with the appropriate color tone by selecting appropriate light emitting materials, it is also possible to obtain white light by suitably combining the light emitting materials, and hence they can be expected to be used as the back light for liquid crystal display devices, etc.
Further, when used as the backlight for liquid crystal display devices, etc., usually a front brightness of 2000 to 4000 cd/m2 is required. But when light is emitted using a surface light emitting device such as the above EL device, etc., the emitted light travels in all directions, and a lot of light is totally reflected at the light emitting side surface of the surface light emitting device and is kept in the interior of the device and hence it is difficult to obtain sufficient front brightness. And particularly in the case of organic EL devices, there was the problem that in order to obtain sufficient light emission life it was only possible to obtain a front luminosity of about 1000 to 1500 cd/m2.
Further, conventionally, when light is emitted from a surface light emitting device such as an organic EL device, in order to improve its front brightness, proposals have been made to provide minute undulations in the light emitting surface of the surface light emitting device (see, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. H9-63767), or to the affix a flat member provided with undulations on the light emitting side surface of the surface light emitting device so that these undulations appear on the surface (see, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. H5-45505).
However, if, in the above manner, minute undulations are provided on the light emitting surface of surface light emitting devices, or if a flat member provided with undulations is affixed on the light emitting surface of the surface light emitting device so that these undulations appear on the surface, there was the problem that light got scattered due to the undulations on the surface and it was not yet possible to sufficiently increase the front luminosity.

Surface light emitter, display apparatus and light control member


A system for use of a telecommunications voice network includes a communication node local to a calling location for acquiring calling and called party identification numbers and transmitting them to a central switching unit associated with a called location, through a transception channel independent of the telecommunications voice network. Further provided is a central switching unit for interrogating the called location to obtain a call supervision status thereof. Also provided is an apparatus for completing a first phonecall from the switching unit to the called location if the call supervision status is that of an answer, and for originating a second phonecall through the telecommunications network to the calling location. Teleconferencing of the first and second phonecalls then occurs. Further provided is an apparatus for providing an uncompleted call status signal to the central switching unit if the call status is that of a no answer or busy. The calling party is then appropriately advised. Upon termination of the second phonecall an answer supervision signal is sent by the local node to the central switching unit.

A long standing problem in the area of international telecommunications and, more particularly, in the area of initiating and completing international phonecalls over public switched service voice networks has been that a considerable portion of the so-called system time, that is, the period between initiation of a phonecall and either completion thereof or determination that the call cannot be completed (because of a no answer or busy signal) is non-billable in nature. For example, billing-protocols, as they have evolved over time, both in the United States and abroad, only permit billing to the ultimate customer for the period between call completion and call termination as perceived by the ultimate customer. In other words, under such established billing protocols, the ultimate customer (as opposed to an intermediary such as a hotel or aggregator) cannot be charged for the system time required to ring the called location to determine if the call can be completed. Further, such phonecalls do not permit billing for the so-called disconnect time, that being the time between the termination of the phonecall as perceived by the caller and the actual stand down or reset time by the public switched service network.
The prior art use of system time in such a non-productive fashion has also operated to limit total usable system capacity in areas where trunk, channel or bandwidth capacity is finite, as in third world situations and in satellite transception.
To minimize such non-billable system time and, as well, to effect other advantages, the development of so-called call back technology, also known as reverse direction phonecalling, has developed. In callback technology, a so-called network control module induces a callback from a central switching station associated with the called location. This call-back procedure has the advantage not only of reducing unbillable system time inasmuch as a callback will not be initiated if the called location is unreachable but, as well, to effect considerable saving in call cost by virtue of the fact that call cost from Location A to Location B typically does not equal call cost from Location B to Location A, this being particularly the case in international phone communications.
The technology of point-to-point reverse direction phonecalling, both for purposes of minimizing system time and for purposes of minimizing call cost based upon the directionality of the call, is well developed in the art, as is exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,027,387 (1991) to Moll, entitled Reverse Direction Calling System.
Such reverse direction calling technology has, however, not been universally available. For example, in a hotel environment, a guest at the hotel has no means of answering a callback directly since the callback must be received by an operator that must know in advance who the call is for and where to transfer it to. This difficulty, plus other factors relative to billing procedures in hotels, has prevented most major hotels from employing international callback services. Similar problems are encountered by other large facilities such as hospitals, industrial installations, governmental sites and telephone companies themselves.
A further limitation in the art of callback technology has existed in the area of teleconferencing of international calls in which, for reasons of reduction of system time use and avoidance of phone charges by high priced national phone companies, it is desirable to route a call, from a first foreign country to a second foreign country, through a third foreign country (known as transit country) typically the United States, Canada or United Kingdom, to avoid the typically high country-to-country charge between the first and second countries. For example, in situations where call supervision exists, it is generally cost-effective to reconfigure what would otherwise be a call from Country A to Country B into the form of teleconferencing of two separate calls, namely, a call from Country C (typically the U.S.) to Country A, with a call from Country C to Country B. This procedure will, because of the high cost of calls originated from Country A, be less than the cost of a direct dialed Country A to Country B phonecall. In other words, where all legs of the CA and CB phonecalls are completed, the total cost of the teleconferenced CA and CB calls is less than the cost of the direct dialed Country A to Country B cost would have been.
The problem, however, with such callback and teleconferencing procedures has been that in situations where either or both the CA and CB legs of the teleconference cannot be completed because, for example, of a busy or no answer at Locations A or B, the provider of the international callback service must absorb the cost of the system time associated with interrogating locations in Countries A and B in attempting to complete the CA and CB legs of the phonecall. As such, the international reverse callback procedure can involve considerable losses to the callback operator which can only be recovered by increasing the price charged for completed calls.
Another problem in international callback that can increase cost to the operator is that of reverse answer supervision after a call termination, or the lack thereof. That is, without a call completion signal transmitted back from the calling location to the transit country switch after call termination, it can-be difficult for the transit switch (in Country C) to know when a call is finished. This issue can have devastating consequences to the callback operator.
The instant invention provides a solution to the above problems and, additionally, provides a means by which hotels, and other similarly situated establishments, can make use of international callback technology and, further, can do so on a more profitable basis than has been available to any prior user of such technology. The present invention also addresses problems of billing to intermediaries and end users of callback facilities.
The present novel method of use of a public telecommunications voice network (typically a public switched service network) includes the steps of assigning a caller identification number to a calling location and of assigning a called party identification number for the location to be called. Thereafter, use is made of a transparent communications node, associated with the calling location, which transmits said caller and called party identification and security numbers to a central switching unit in the nature of a digital tandem ISDN switch or private line data service which is associated with the called location. Said transmission of caller and called party identification number to the central switching unit proceeds through a data signalling channel independent of the public telecommunications voice network. Said central switching unit is then employed to interrogate the called location to obtain the call supervision status thereof. If said call status is that of an answer, said central switching unit will complete a first phonecall from said unit to the called location and will originate a second phonecall through the telecommunications network to the calling location. Upon completion of both phonecalls, they are teleconferenced, thereby placing the calling and called parties in communication with each other. However, if said call status at the called location is that of a no answer or busy, an uncompleted call status signal is provided to the central switching unit. Thereafter, the central switching unit may either transmit a call status signal through said independent signalling channel to the local communications node to inform the calling location that the call cannot be completed or, alternatively, the central switching unit may not send any status signal whatsoever to the local communications node. Therein, a predetermined interval of silence from the central switching unit will be interpreted by the local communications node to mean that the call could not be completed. An appropriate advisory will be sent to the calling party. Upon termination of the second phonecall, an answer supervision signal is sent by the local node to the central switching unit.
It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide an improved method and system of telecommunications network use which will operate to reduce system time and operator cost associated with teleconferencing of international calls involving at least one reverse direction phonecall.
It is another object to provide a system of the above type that will increase the efficiency of use of telecommunication resources.
It is a further object to provide a method which will reduce the cost of collect and person-to-person long distance phonecalls.
It is a yet further object to provide a system of the above type usable in connection with multi-trunk switching.
It is a still further object to provide an improved method of telecommunication network use which will enlarge the potential application of reverse direction telephone calling to areas, such as hotel and telephone company use, in which it has not heretofore been usable.
It is another object to provide a system of the above type having reverse answer detection after call termination.
The above and yet other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the hereinafter set forth Brief Description of the Drawings, Detailed Description of the Invention and Claims appended herewith.

Method of and system for efficient use of telecommunication networks


A steering wheel has a steering wheel body which includes a boss for being fixed to a steering shaft, a ring portion metal core, spoke portion metal cores, a covering portion covering the ring portion metal core and the spoke portion metal cores, and a pad portion provided generally centrally of a ring portion, the pad portion being molded integrally with the covering portion. The steering wheel further includes an air bag device provided between the pad portion and the boss. A cloth insert is mounted on a metal core portion, forming part of the steering wheel body, and is embedded in the pad portion so that the insert can flex when the air bag device is expanded.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a steering wheel in which a pad portion is formed integrally with the remaining covering portion of the steering wheel.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
Generally, a steering wheel comprises an annular ring portion, a pad portion, provided generally centrally of the ring portion, and a plurality of spoke portions extending from the ring portion toward the center of the ring portion. A ring portion metal core is embedded in the ring portion, and a spoke portion metal core is embedded in each of the spoke portions. The ring portion metal core and the spoke portion metal cores are covered with a covering portion made, for example, of a foamed polyurethane. A boss plate for mounting the steering wheel to a steering shaft is connected to the spoke portion metal cores at a position beneath the pad portion.
Recently, there has been proposed a type of steering wheel (Japanese Utility Model Unexamined Publication No. 2-133955) where the covering and pad portions are molded integrally with each other, thereby eliminating the boundaries between the covering portion and the pad portion. With this arrangement, the covering portion and the pad portion are integral with each other, thereby enhancing the design of the steering wheel. In the steering wheel disclosed in the above publication, in order to prevent the pad portion from being broken apart and being scattered when an air bag device is operated, an insert is embedded in the pad portion. The insert is fixed to a foamed resin member formed on the metal core.
In the above conventional steering wheel, however, because the insert is fixed to the foamed resin member, when the pad portion opens upon expansion of the air bag, there is a possibility that the insert may disengage from the fixing portion, so that the pad portion, the foamed resin member for fixing purposes, and other pieces are scattered.

Steering wheel with integral air bag pad


Disclosed herein are a method and an apparatus for creating an avatar. The method for creating an avatar according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes receiving information on an appearance of an object to be created into an avatar; generating avatar appearance type metadata using the information on the appearance; creating the avatar using the avatar appearance type metadata, wherein the avatar appearance type metadata include at least one of skin information, hair information, nails information, and teeth information. The exemplary embodiments of the present invention can create the avatar capable of facilitating the differentiation with another avatar while more approximating the reality, by adding more detailed data in addition to the data for the existing appearance so as to generate the avatar.

1. Field of the Invention
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a method and an apparatus for creating an avatar, and more particularly, to a method and an apparatus for creating an avatar using avatar appearance type metadata.
2. Description of Related Art
With the development of computer operation function and graphic processing capability and popularization of high-speed Internet line, various three-dimensional online games have been generalized. Further, unlike games achieving specific purposes, a 'life-type virtual reality' service that can three-dimensionally implement a real living space and thus, experience virtual reality has also been commercialized.
In particular, the life-type virtual reality service provide environment similar to real environment so as to implement real life in a virtual space. In this case, the life-type virtual reality service needs to provide a three-dimensional stereoscopic space that is similar to reality or is difficult to be searched in real environment and set various correlations between users and implement a natural user avatar.
One of factors that dominate initial impression or use satisfaction of the life-type virtual real service may include user immersion into an avatar. Generally, as a user feels that he/she is united with an avatar, the immersion and satisfaction of the corresponding service are increased. In particular, when an avatar is a center of a service, a shape of an avatar, diversity of composition, and natural action are main factors determining the user immersion into the avatar.
The avatar is created according to an appearance of an object that is a target of the avatars, such as a person, an animal, an object, or the like. That is, the avatar is created based on data regarding the appearance.
The appearance type of the general avatar includes data extracted from a portion representing the appearance of the object. For example, the appearance type of the avatar may include a plurality of children elements such as face, forehead, eyebrows, eyes, nose, cheeks, lips, teeth, chin, makeup, headtype, ears, neck, body, arms, legs, clothes, shoes, accessory, or the like. The avatar approximating a human is created using the data.
However, in generating the avatar, it is difficult to generate the avatar more approximating the reality only by data for the existing appearance. Therefore, additional data for describing more detailed appearance features are needed, in addition to the data for the existing appearance.

Method and apparatus for generating an avatar

ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE


A cultivating disc for a tillage implement includes an attachment portion positioned at a radial center of the cultivating disc. The attachment portion includes one or more attachment features configured to couple the cultivating disc to the tillage implement about an axis of rotation of the cultivating disc. The attachment portion extends along a first plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the cultivating disc. The cultivating disc also includes a cutting edge portion positioned at a distal end of the cultivating disc relative to the axis of rotation. The cutting edge portion extends along a second plane parallel to the first plane. The cultivating disc further includes a curved connecting portion positioned between and connecting the attachment portion to the cutting edge portion. The curved connecting portion further defines one or more radii of curvature.

It is well known that, to attain the best agricultural performance from a field, a farmer must cultivate the soil, typically through a tillage operation. Modern farmers perform tillage operations by pulling a tillage implement behind an agricultural work vehicle, such as a tractor. Tillage implements typically include a plurality of ground engaging tools, such as disc blades, configured to penetrate the soil to a particular depth. In this respect, the ground engaging tools may be pivotally coupled to a frame of the tillage implement. Tillage implements may also include biasing elements, such as springs, configured to exert biasing forces on the ground engaging tools. This configuration may allow the ground engaging tools to maintain the particular depth of soil penetration as the agricultural work vehicle pulls the tillage implement through the field. Additionally, this configuration may also permit the ground engaging tools to pivot out of the way of rocks or other impediments in the soil, thereby preventing damage to the ground engaging tools or other components on the implement.
Disc blades may generally include a curved surface in order allow the disc blade to lift and turn soil and residue on a concave side of the disc blade. The curvature of the disc blade may also increase the strength of the disc blade and extend the time between replacement or repair of the disc blades. However, in certain situations, the convex side of the cutting edge may compact the soil which comes into contact with a non-cutting area of the disc blade. Such compaction may reduce the efficiency of the cultivation process, have a negative impact on the agronomic conditions of the soil, and/or increase the load and stress on the disc blades. Such issues may be compounded when the disc blades penetrate the soil vertically or at a shallow angle and thus increase the surface area of the convex side of the cutting edge that contacts the soil.
Accordingly, improved cultivating discs for a tillage implement that reduce soil compaction would be welcomed in the technology.

Curved cultivating disc with a straight cutting edge portion


An ink composition is used in an ink jet recording apparatus including a recording head that includes a nozzle plate having a nozzle aperture through which the ink composition is ejected, and a flow channel substrate having a communication hole acting as a flow channel through which the ink composition flows. The nozzle plate and the flow channel substrate are bonded together with an adhesive such that the communication hole communicates with the nozzle aperture. The ink composition contains a coloring material, an acetylene glycol-based surfactant having an HLB value of 9 or less, and at least one of the compounds expressed by general formula (1): R1O—(CH2—CH2—O)n—R2 or general formula (2): (R3)p—N-{L-(COOM)q}r.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an ink composition, an ink jet recording apparatus and an ink jet recording system.
2. Related Art
There has been known an ink jet recording apparatus that ejects very small droplets of an ink composition through nozzles of a recording head onto a recording medium to form images or characters for recording information. The ink composition used for such recording is typically an ink jet ink composition containing various constituents such as a coloring material, a surfactant, water and an organic solvent.
For performing ink jet recording, various characteristics are required of the ink composition, the recording apparatus, the recording medium and so forth. For example, in order to prevent the degradation of recording quality resulting from unstable ejection of the ink composition, it is desirable that air bubbles be not easily formed in the ink composition in the ink jet recording apparatus.
For example, JP-A-10-130556 discloses an ink composition containing an anionic surfactant having a polyoxyethylene alkyl ether acetate skeleton, or a nonionic surfactant having an alkylolefindiol skeleton. According to this patent document, the ink composition in an ink flow channel of a recording apparatus allows air bubbles therein to be easily removed when the ink flow channel is made of a plastic. JP-A-05-125314 and JP-A-05-125315 teach that an ink composition whose wettability to the flow channel has been enhanced by adding a dye capable of acting as a surfactant and a monohydric alcohol to the ink composition allows air bubbles therein to be easily removed and can satisfactorily fill the flow channel without forming bubbles.
On the other hand, recording heads having a high-density structure are developed for high density recording. Accordingly, various components of ink jet recording apparatuses are being made of silicon materials, which are easy to microfabricate. The art disclosed in JP-A-10-130556 is effective in the use of hydrophobic plastic flow channels. It is however thought that the ink composition cannot exhibit sufficient wettability to a silicon member or any other hydrophilic member, and that air bubbles are not sufficiently removed. In the art disclosed in JP-A-05-125314 and JP-A-05-125315, the dye acts as at least part of the surfactant in the ink composition. Therefore, the wettability of the ink composition is likely to be insufficient to the components of a high-density recording head. Also, in JP-A-05-125314 and JP-A-05-125315, dyes that can act as surfactant are used in color ink compositions. Therefore, applicable dyes are limited, and the hue of the color ink composition is not sufficiently adjusted.

Ink composition, ink jet recording apparatus, and ink jet recording system


In one embodiment, a method of photonic frame scheduling includes receiving, by a photonic switching fabric from a top of rack (TOR) switch, a frame request requesting a time slot for switching an optical frame to an output port of a photonic switch of the photonic switching fabric and determining whether the output port of the photonic switch is available during the time slot, and generating a contention signal including a grant or a rejection, in accordance with the determining. Also, the method includes assigning the time slot to the TOR switch for the output port of the photonic switch, when the contention signal includes the grant, transmitting, by the photonic switching fabric to the TOR switch, the contention signal and receiving, by the photonic switching fabric from the TOR switch, the optical frame during the time slot, when the contention signal includes the grant.

Growth of internet traffic, fueled by the growth in the number of users and by increasing numbers of applications, results in a higher demand for bandwidth. This growth entails larger packet networks with greater switching capabilities. Data centers contain huge numbers of racks of servers, racks of storage devices, and other racks, all of which are interconnected via a massive centralized packet switching resource. In data centers, electrical packet switches are used to route data packets. Electronic packet switching at very high rates involves massive cooling and space costs. Thus, photonic packet switching is desirable.
The racks of servers, storage, and input-output functions contain top of rack (TOR) switches which combine packet streams from their associated servers and/or other peripherals into a smaller number of high speed streams per TOR switch which are routed to the packet switching core. Also, TOR switches receive the returning switched streams from that resource and distribute them to servers within their rack. There may be 4×40 Gb/s streams from each TOR switch to the packet switching core, and the same number of return streams. There may be one TOR switch per rack, with hundreds to tens of thousands of racks, and hence hundreds to tens of thousands of TOR switches in a data center.

System and method for photonic switching


A dispenser assembly for a refrigerator includes a fill chamber and a dispenser housing positioned above the fill chamber. The dispenser is fed by a liquid supply line having a first end portion attached to a liquid source, a second end portion and an intermediate portion. The second end portion of the liquid supply line terminates at the dispenser housing above the fill chamber and is provided with a nozzle held in place by a clamp. The clamp is fixedly secured to the liquid supply line and includes a protrusion that engages a wall member on the dispenser housing to properly position the second end of the liquid supply line above the fill chamber.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to the art of refrigerators and, more particularly, to a retaining element that positions a discharge portion of a water line above a fill chamber of a refrigerator dispenser.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Liquid dispensing assemblies for use in refrigerators are widely known in the art and generally include fill chambers that are recessed in a door of the refrigerator. Such liquid dispensing assemblies include a liquid supply line that either terminates in, or is attached to, a liquid discharge spout. Liquid is permitted to flow through the supply line and out from the discharge spout in response to actuation of a switch by a container placed in the fill chamber. It is further known to dispose these spouts substantially vertically and centrally at the top of the fill chamber.
The liquid supply line is typically secured to the dispensing assembly, above the filter chamber, by a friction fit arrangement or through the use of a bracket. In the case of the friction fit arrangement, a nozzle or other similar structure is formed in the dispensing assembly. The nozzle is slightly larger in diameter than the diameter of the liquid supply line. With this arrangement, an end portion of the liquid supply line is forced into the nozzle and held in place through a friction force developed as a result of the relative size differential between the nozzle and the liquid supply line. While effective, vibrations can cause the liquid supply line to slip from the nozzle and discharge liquid in a random manner. A similar arrangement would provide for the liquid supply line to be placed about an inlet tube to a nozzle. In any case, a friction fit results.
Clamping brackets are another method employed in the prior art for retaining liquid supply lines in a dispenser assembly. The clamping bracket is typically placed over a portion of the liquid supply line and thereafter fastened to a housing or other structure with a mechanical fastener. Depending upon the particular clamp used, one or two mechanical fasteners may be required to retain the liquid supply line. While this method is also effective, positioning and securing the bracket can be time consuming and result in an increase in production costs.
Therefore, despite the existence of supply line retainers employed in the prior art, there still exists a need for an inexpensive, yet effective retainer arrangement for securing a liquid supply line in a refrigerator dispenser assembly. More specifically, there exists a need for a retainer that can be readily fitted to a supply line and secured to the dispenser assembly without requiring the use of mechanical fasteners or employing a friction fit between the supply line and a nozzle to retain the line in a desired position.

Water line retaining element for a refrigerator dispenser


An accessory switch SWa and an ignition switch SWi are connected to a sub-relay RL1. A starter switch SWs is connected to a sub-relay RL2. The sub-relay RL2 is turned OFF when welding occurs in the starter switch SWs. When welding occurs in the accessory switch SWa, the starter switch SWs is turned OFF, or the starter switch SWs is not turned ON.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a start control technique for controlling starting of a vehicle based on a signal received from a remote terminal or in the directive mode.
2. Description of the Related Art
A vehicle generally has a starter switch to control starting of an engine of the vehicle, an ignition switch to control ignition of the engine, and an accessory switch to control on/off of an in-vehicle electric equipment.
When the starter switch is ON, large amount of power is required to rotate a starter motor. Therefore, when the starter switch and the accessory switch are turned ON simultaneously, enough power may not be supplied to the in-vehicle electric equipment.
To solve this problem, conventionally, a configuration has been employed in which the ignition key is mechanically operated by the operator to turn ON or OFF the switches (a starter switch, an ignition switch, and accessory switches), so that the starter switch and accessory switches do not turn ON simultaneously.
Recently, however, vehicles can be stared with a remote operation terminal, such as a remote key, i.e., without using an ignition key. In such a case, a relay circuit is used to perform ON/OFF control of the ignition switches, such as the starter switch, the ignition switch, and the accessory switches.
However, because the starter switch and the accessory switch control a larger current, contact welding can occur in a switch (a control relay) of these switches. If contact welding occurs, the starter switch and the accessory switch can simultaneously turned ON.
Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 2573274 discloses a technique to turn OFF other control relays when contact welding occurs in a switch (a control relay) and then turning OFF a sub-relay shared by each switch. Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. H9-329074 discloses an engine starter with enhanced capability for detecting trouble in bypassing a start contact in a contact unit.
In the conventional techniques, however, a sub-relay is turned OFF after contact welding is detected and other switches are turned OFF, so that is a time lag until power to the switch, in which the contact welding has occurred, is disconnected.
As a result, the starter switch and the accessory switch may be simultaneously turned ON, in-vehicle electric equipment may be affected by noises, and the starter motor may operate even after start of an engine is completed.
Sometimes it may be desirable to continue usual operations, even when welding occurs, without disconnecting all the switches. For instance, when welding occurs in the starter switch, it is preferable that only the starter switch is disconnected and usual operations of the accessory switch or the ignition switch are continued.
In the conventional techniques, however, when welding occurs in any switch, even the other switches are disconnected before disconnecting the shared sub-relay. As a result, ordinal control can not be continued even in switches in which welding has not occurred.
In some vehicles, a plurality of ignition or starter signals are used. In this case, it is necessary to provide a corresponding number of ignition switches or starter switches in the start control apparatus. However, production cost increases in preparing two types of start control apparatuses: one for vehicles that use only one signal and one for vehicles that use a plurality of signals. Thus, there is need to develop a versatile start control apparatus that can be used in both type of vehicles.
Moreover, from the view point of cost reduction, it is desirable that switches that are not necessary are not provided, and that switches can be provided only when required.
However, when a start control apparatus capable of corresponding to starter signals for two signal lines is loaded in a vehicle having only one signal line, if switches that not used are simply removed, an abnormal state is generated when there is a need to determine a state of the removed switches.
Determination of state of a switch includes open determination and welding determination. Open determination includes determining whether the switch is open (i.e., whether the switch is correctly turned ON in response to control for turning the switch ON). Welding determination includes determining whether welding has occurred (i.e., whether the switch is correctly turned OFF in response to control for tuning the switch OFF). In the case of the removed switch, the result of the determination of its state is always the same, i.e., OFF, so that the result of the open determination always indicates that there is open trouble (i.e., the switch is OFF irrespective of control for turning the switch ON).
There is a need for development of a start control apparatus and a start control method having high applicability irrespective of configuration of the vehicles and capable of accurately determining a state of a switch with simple configuration.

Method and apparatus for start control of a vehicle


A workcell comprises a base structure, a column having a lower part connected to the base structure and an upper part which is height-adjustable relative to the lower part. A first and a second support structure are mechanically connected to the upper part of the column via a first and a second joint element to allow axial rotation of the support structures around the column. At least one of the joint elements comprises a latching mechanism configured to block movement of the joint element with respect to the column in a normal state and to release movement of the joint element during an adjustment operation initiated by a user of the workcell.

In offices or similar work environments, it is now common practice to design workstations in the form of desks that are height-adjustable, so that the users of the workstations can adjust the height of the work surface to their needs. In addition to an ergonomic setting for the correct height when working in a seated position, the height adjustment also allows working in a standing position.
However, regardless of the type of use, such conventional workstations always require a large usable area within an office landscape. Moreover, such conventional workstations are designed and configured for a single user only, so that flexible collaboration with other employees is not possible or only possible with severe limitations.


A cellular communication system comprising a plurality of user equipment and a network infrastructure. Radio resource of the plurality of cells is divided into more than one radio resource groups. A network infrastructure element detects a requirement of radio resource allocation for a user equipment and determines effective interference to be generated by the required radio resource to a defined group of neighboring cells. User equipment is allocated a radio resource from one of the radio resource groups on the basis of the determined effective interference to be generated to the defined group of neighboring cells. Inter-cell interference decreases and the throughput of the cellular system increases, but the exchange of physical layer information is not increased.

A cellular network is a radio network made up of a number of radio cells each served by a transceiver, known as a cell site or base station. Cellular networks are inherently asymmetric such that a set of fixed transceivers serve a cell and a set of distributed mobile transceivers provide services to the users.
A cellular network is able to provide more transmission capacity than a single transmitter network because a radio frequency of a cell can be reused in another cell for different transmission. Frequency reuse, however, causes interference between cells that use the same and nearby frequencies.
This inter-cell interference has conventionally been solved by coordination/planning based methods. An example of such methods is frequency reuse where different groups of radio channels may be assigned to adjacent cells, and the same groups are assigned to cells separated by a certain distance (reuse distance) to reduce co-channel interference. The method is relatively effective and straightforward, but wastes channel resource.
Another alternative is provided by co-ordination/planning based methods that comprise use of dynamic channels temporarily assigned for use in cells for the duration of the call, returned and kept in a central pool after the call is over. In some other dynamic solutions the total number of channels is divided into two groups, one of which is used for fixed allocation to the cells, while the other is kept as a central poor to be shared by all users. The reuse factor of these methods still remains low, actually in heavy traffic load they may perform worse than the above disclosed fixed channel assignment method.
In the new emerging systems, for example in the upcoming evolution of 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) systems (also called as Long Term Evolution (LTE) systems), the requirements, according to the working assumptions, are challenging. The planned frequency reuse factor is 1, and at the same time significantly improved system performance, in terms or average throughput and cell throughput is targeted. In order to meet these challenges, mitigation of inter-cell interference is now extensively studied.
The approaches considered in inter-cell interference mitigation comprise Inter-cell-interference co-ordination/avoidance. The common theme of inter-cell-interference co-ordination/avoidance is to apply restrictions to the resource management (configuration for the common channels and scheduling for the non common channels) in a coordinated way between cells. Such restrictions in a cell will provide the possibility for improvement in (Signal-to-Interference Ratio) SIR, and cell-edge data-rates/coverage, on the corresponding time/frequency resources in a neighbor cell.
The available inter-cell interference co-ordination methods require certain inter-communication between different network nodes in order to set and reconfigure the above mentioned restrictions. However, links between cells are expensive and typically cause delays. Thus, for the time being it seems that reconfiguration of the restrictions will be done on a time scale corresponding to days, and the inter-node communication is going to be very limited, basically with a rate of in the order of days. In such scenarios mechanisms that do not rely on inter-cell co-ordination are critically needed.


A system, including apparatuses, software and methods, is disclosed for capturing and delivering images as to which various interactive functions are enabled for a user. The images introduced to the system can come from any one of a variety of sources, including the scalable image-capturing devices described in the specification. Each image is delivered to a user in its own layer of software, which permits complex sets of images of relatively high resolution to be delivered to users without any appreciable delay associated with the delivery or the need for the user to have additional software, such as a plug-in to receive images and enable interactive functions with respect to the images. A viewer perceives only one image layer at a given time, but the currently viewable image layer can be changed rapidly, so that the user can perceive the illusion of motion, including virtual rotation of an object depicted in a set of images. Interactive images can be rendered on a lenticular sheet assembly according to the invention, which allows a user to perceive the illusion of motion by applying pressure to the lenticular sheet assembly, such as with a finger.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to systems, including apparatuses and methods, for capturing, processing and displaying images and, more particularly, to systems for capturing, processing and displaying or otherwise outputting images so that a user or viewer can manipulate or otherwise interact with the display/output in one or more ways, such as to give the appearance of two-dimensional (2-D) or three-dimensional (3-D) motion.
2. The Prior Art
There is a demand in the art for systems, including apparatuses and methods, whereby images, either displayed via a computer screen, some other display device, or stored or rendered in some other medium, can be manipulated or interacted with by a user in some fashion, for example, to impart the illusion of movement in two dimensions or three dimensions to an object depicted in an image or images.
Systems and methods are known in which images can be downloaded on web pages to a user's browser through an Internet Service Provider (ISP), stored in the cache memory of the user's computer hard drive, and displayed to the user where thereafter the user is provided with certain options with respect to the images which, when exercised, give the user the perception of interaction with the images in some fashion.
For example, a retailer might maintain a website with an on-line catalog feature. A user can access the website from his or her computer, select an item in the catalog, and the web page corresponding to that item will be sent to the user's computer in response to the request. The web page consists of software that determines what will be displayed to the user (typically, the software is written in accordance with a standardized protocol, such as HTML ("Hypertext Markup Language") or XML ("Extensible Hypertext Markup Language").
Upon delivery to the user, the web page typically is stored in cache memory on the hard drive of the user's computer. If the web page is configured to permit some form of interactivity with the image(s) by the user, the user may be able, for example, to view an item in the catalog, such as a sweater, that is originally presented in the color black, in alternative colors such as white or pink. To engage in this type of interactivity, the user might be prompted to click with his or her mouse on a color chart or some other icon so that the color of the sweater changes from black to white or from black to pink, to see what the item would look like in a different color. Similarly, the user might be able to click on the image or on some other icon to see an enlarged view of an item, e.g., a "zoom" of the item.
With such prior art systems, however, the more complex the content of the web page, generally the longer it takes to deliver the web page to the user and to ready image(s) for display or interactivity. For example, a file that corresponds to a single, relatively high-resolution image (e.g., an image with a resolution of 1024×768 pixels) is larger than, and therefore will take longer to deliver than, a lower resolution image (e.g., an image with a resolution of 320×240 pixels). Thus, prior art systems might offer users lower resolution images in order to avoid the extended delivery time that would be perceived by the user if higher resolution images were to be offered. The lower resolution of the delivered images leads to a disadvantage in prior art systems in which one of the possible interactive functions is a "zoom" function. That is, the quality of an image when it is zoomed in on, depends in part on the resolution of an image. The higher the resolution of an image, generally the longer it takes to deliver the image to a user. Thus, maximum resolution of a zoomed-in-on image often must be sacrificed in favor of faster image delivery times in these systems. Consequently, prior art systems typically start by delivering images of lower resolution (e.g., 320×240 pixels) to a user, such that when a zoom interactive function is later initiated, the zoomed-in-on image appears less clear or less sharp than the original image (i.e., the non-zoomed-in-on image), or even becomes distorted (e.g., pixelated) upon zooming. Thus, there is a need for a system that allows delivery of, and subsequent interactivity with, an image or images that will have quality resolution even upon zooming. The present invention satisfies this need.
Moreover, when prior art systems offer users the option of an interactive function with respect to images that results in the illusion of a virtual 3-D effect, such as, the illusion of rotation of an object through three dimensions, multiple images of the object are required to achieve the effect. Typically, a set of images of the object are taken through 360 degrees in a particular plane. The greater the number of images, the smoother the rotation effect will be when the interactive function is later carried out. In order to deliver the multiple images to the user, however, prior art systems first combine the multiple images into a single file and then deliver that file to the user. The more the images, the larger the file. The larger the file, the longer the images take to be delivered. In these systems, therefore, trade offs might have to be made that disadvantageously affect the quality of the interactive functions that a user can carry out with respect to the images, in order to avoid lengthy delivery times. Alternatively, the user will just have to accept long delivery times in order to view images using the prior art systems.
Accordingly, web pages containing images with which a user has some limited opportunity to interact can take too long, from the perspective of the user, between the time a request is made for the web page and the time the image(s) on the web pages are first perceptible to the user and then made available for any interactivity.
Further, prior art systems that provide a user with the opportunity to carry out more sophisticated interactive functions with respect to an image or images on a web page, such as obtaining different perspective views of an object in an image (e.g., front, back and side views), 360-degree views (e.g., a panoramic view of a piece of real estate or of the inside of a hotel room), or zooming in on an object in an image, often require supplemental software or software in addition to that contained on the web page in order to enable these interactive functions. Such additional software commonly is provided in the form of a "plug-in," a software program that the user either already must possess on his or her local computer's hard drive or which must be downloaded to the user's local computer before any higher level interactive functions may be initiated. The necessity for a plug-in as a prerequisite to interactivity is an added level of complexity that it would be desirable to eliminate. The plug-in also may be associated with a fee or some other commitment the user would rather avoid, may require a separate, time-consuming procedure to download and install and, may generally detract from a user's enjoyment of, or willingness to use, a particular website.
Software protocols have been developed, for example, DHTML ("Dynamic Hypertext Markup Language"), which are designed to allow programmers to construct web pages that have the capacity for a higher degree of user interactivity. To date, however, no software has been developed that advantageously: (1) provides a user with the ability to rapidly perceive images on a web page, howsoever complex, after the request for the web page is processed; and (2) permits a sophisticated level of interactivity and a broad range of interactive options with respect to images, once the web page has been delivered. Thus, there is a need in the art for an improved system for rapidly delivering images to a user with which a user can initiate a broad range of advanced interactive functions. The present invention satisfies these needs.
In connection with the desire of website designers to provide content in the form of images with which a user can engage in some high-level interactive functions upon downloading the pertinent web page(s), there is also a demand in the art for systems, including apparatuses and methods, which facilitate the creation of the images in the first instance, with which interactivity will later be enabled. Presently, there are likely many individuals, businesses, or government agencies who, without necessarily maintaining or operating their own websites, nevertheless are desirous of creating images that either are digitized or convertible to digital form, which ultimately can be made available for downloading by users via a web page from a website, and which can be interacted with by a user to some degree once downloaded. Currently, such individuals, businesses, or government agencies typically must engage the services of a third party service provider or consultant to create the images, even if they already maintain their own websites, and have little control over the various aspects of the image-capturing process. Thus, resorting to such a third party provider might be perceived as prohibitively expensive to many potential image creators, or simply more trouble than it is worth to embark on the process. Moreover, most individuals, businesses, and government agencies are not likely to be aware of what is required to create the images needed to ultimately enable interactivity. For example, one possible interactive function that might be desired with respect to an object in an image on the web page might be to rotate the object about one axis to obtain a 360-degree view of the object. Generally, in order to implement a "rotate" function, a set of images of the object to be virtually rotated on a display (or on some printed form) must be acquired at incremental angles, such that when the individual images are viewed sequentially in fairly rapid succession, an illusion of rotational movement is perceived by the user. A typical prospective image creator is not likely to have access to the equipment or fixtures necessary to acquire such a set of images.
Assuming that processing software is commercially available that would enable interactivity once the appropriate input images have been obtained, the average prospective image creator is not apt to have knowledge of, or access to, the resources for creating the requisite images as a prerequisite first step. Prior art systems are known in which apparatuses and methods are used to capture images of an object which later will be manipulable by software or, alternatively, rendered manipulable by physical movement (e.g., moving the rendered images on a lenticular sheet relative to the eyes of a viewer). Such systems tend to be cumbersome and expensive in terms of time, resources or financial requirements, owing to the complexity of the image-capturing devices and/or the number of method steps needed to capture and process the images. In addition, access to the technology currently available to transfer images to a medium with which a user can interact so as to perceive the illusion of motion of an object depicted in the image(s) can be limited, based on equipment and material needs. Thus, individuals, businesses, or governmental agencies lacking the necessary expertise but who are nonetheless desirous of creating virtual 2-D or 3-D images that can be manipulated or interacted with on a computer display or otherwise (e.g., on some form of print media), must engage a third party service provider that will control almost all aspects of the image capture, processing, and display/output. The engagement of a third party typically is more expensive and more time-consuming than the user would like, and often yields images or degrees of manipulability or interactivity that are less than satisfactory to the user.
Thus, a need exists too for a system, including apparatuses and methods, by which users efficiently and cost-effectively can acquire an image or images that ultimately can be enabled for one or more interactive functions (e.g., perceived translation or movement from point a to point b or, in virtual 3-D applications, rotation to convey the illusion of movement in 3 dimensions). The present invention clearly fulfills this need.
As mentioned above, images with which some level of interactivity (or perceived interactivity) is enabled are not limited to images delivered via a web page to a user's computer display. For example, interactive images can be displayed in air, such as, using holography or a similar technology. Interactive images also can be stored on various media, such as computer hard drives, CD-ROMs, and DVD-ROMs. Further, interactive images can be rendered in a variety of printed media, such as by using lenticular printing.
Lenticular printing is based on the concept of laying a plastic lens over a series of printed dots or, alternatively, printing a series of dots on a plastic lens. Lenticular lenses are convex, and typically take the form of parallelogram with a generally semicircular cross-section, similar in appearance to a tiny Quonset hut. Multiple lenticular lenses are provided in one lenticular sheet. The curvature of the lenses focuses the eyes on different parts of the arrangement of printed dots, depending on the angle from which the lenticular sheet is viewed. Each of the multiple lenses on the lenticular sheet acts like a magnifying glass. That is, each lens magnifies the image that is printed on or under each lens. Each lens has a profile which resembles the grooves in a record album, albeit the grooves in the lens are disposed in parallel rows. Each lens magnifies the light and the image, thus enhancing the appearance of the image. Lenticular sheets can be made from a variety of different plastics, depending on the applicable printing specifications. These plastics include flexible polyvinyl chloride ("PVC"), amorphous polyethylene terephthalate ("APET"), polyethylene terephthalate glycol ("PETG"), acrylic, styrene, and polycarbonate, and other similar materials. The density of a lenticular sheet is commonly characterized in terms of the number of lenses per inch ("lpi"). Current technology allows lenticular sheets to be created with up to 1,000 lpi, permitting razor-sharp lenticular images to be rendered on material that is about as thin as a page in a typical magazine.
Current lenticular technology allows an interactive effect to be perceived by a user, e.g., the illusion of movement of an object, such as an eye opening and closing, or the illusion that one object changes or "morphs" into a different object. A "zoom" effect can also be achieved. Typically, each image in a set of images needed for the chosen effect is apportioned into a certain number of strips or squares. The strips or squares are then distributed over a predetermined or selected number of the lenticular lenses that comprise a given lenticular sheet. Each strip or square either is printed on, laid on top of, or affixed to, a corresponding portion of a lenticular lens, or, alternatively, the strips or squares can be distributed on a flat surface that the lenticular sheet bearing the lenses is then laid on top of or over. In this manner, the user can perceive a different one of the images in the set of images when the user tilts his or her head relative to the lenticular sheet or when the lenticular sheet is tilted relative to the user. Disadvantageously, while the user is perceiving the transition from one image disposed on the lenticular sheet to the next image, the user occasionally also perceives a "bleeding" effect, whereby part of the first image is perceived at the same time as the next image. It would be desirable to minimize or eliminate this bleeding effect in connection with lenticular sheets.
With respect to rendering interactive images in a printed form such as a lenticular sheet, and as is similarly the case with creating the input images prerequisite to enabling interactivity in the first instance, the technology necessary to configure images for use with lenticular sheets and the like, is not technology that is generally accessible to most individuals or businesses who might be desirous of using it. In addition, the interactive functions available with current lenticular technology, e.g., the effect of motion, changing objects, rotating an object, and zooming in on an object, generally can only be enabled by physically tilting the lenticular sheet with respect to the eye, or by changing the orientation of one's head with respect to the lenticular sheet. Lenticular technology would be rendered more flexible for a variety of other applications if the interactive functions could be enabled by means other than tilting the lenticular sheet or tilting the viewer's head. Thus, there is a need in the art for systems, including apparatuses and methods, which make the technology necessary to create interactive image displays or stored or printed interactive images more convenient and readily available to prospective users. The present invention also satisfies this need.

System for delivering and enabling interactivity with images


Embodiments are disclosed for a method for a security model. The method includes generating a Bloch sphere based on a system information and event management (SIEM) of a security domain and a structured threat information expression trusted automated exchange of indicator information. The method also includes generating a quantum state probabilities matrix based on the Bloch sphere. Further, the method includes training a security threat model to perform security threat classifications based on the quantum state probabilities matrix. Additionally, the method includes performing a machine learning classification of the security domain based on the quantum state probabilities matrix.

The present disclosure relates to security threats, and more specifically, to quantum computing machine learning for security threats.
Machine learning models can be computer coded algorithms configured to learn how to perform specific classifications. A classification can be a determination that the machine learning models make to label a specific state. For example, in the field of computer security, a classification can involve analyzing the state of a computer system, determining whether the system is under threat of attack, and labeling the computer state accordingly. Thus, an example machine learning model for security threats can perform classifications of computer systems as either safe or threatened.
Conventional computing is useful for identifying potential security threats using models that can break the problem of identifying security threats down to a manageable level of complexity. However, conventional approaches can rely on assumptions about how malicious actors, such as hackers and malware, have behaved in the past. Thus, conventional approaches may not be suited for identifying security threats with new or unseen behaviors.
Further, the increasing sophistication of computing technology creates a race between those developing security threats and those attempting to stop security threats. Thus, without new approaches to identify security threats, emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence; game theory; and the like, may have the potential to raise the complexity of identifying security threats beyond the solution power of conventional computers.

Quantum computing machine learning for security threats

International Business Machines Corporation


In one embodiment, a gaming machine has a digital camera and automatically takes a picture of a player. Facial detection software identifies certain facial characteristics of the player, such as approximate age and gender. Rules software then selects appropriate sets of animation images and sound files that are associated with the detected physical features of the player. The displayed game, user interface, theme, etc. are then adapted to the player's detected features. If the player is identified, by comparing the picture to previously stored pictures, a personalized message may be displayed. When the gaming machine is in an attract mode, the camera may take pictures/videos of passersby and adapt the attract mode animation to the passerby's physical image or movement. In another embodiment, the camera is used to sense physical motions by the player to control aspects of the game or other displayed features.

Gaming machines, such as slot machines, are frequently video gaming machines where animated virtual reels are displayed on a flat panel screen. The screen may also display animated bonus games and any information needed to play the games. The screen may be a touch screen where the player can make selections by touching icons (e.g., virtual buttons) displayed on the screen.
Conventional video gaming machines of the same theme (i.e., same proprietary game), made by the same manufacturer, display the same animation to all players. When there is no active player, the gaming machines of the same theme display the same attract mode. In other words, the display animation does not automatically adapt to the particular player or to a particular spectator, such as a passerby.
It is known to add a camera in a gaming machine for identifying a player for security reasons, where certain digitized optical features of a player are compared to a stored image of the player to ensure the player is using her own player tracking card. Cameras, microphones, and speakers have also been installed in gaming machines for enabling one player to communicate, verbally and visually, with another player in the casino. Such cameras and their software do not affect the game animation or attract mode animation.
What is needed is a way to draw more attention to a particular gaming machine, to promote additional play of that gaming machine, by automatically customizing the gaming machine's display animation for a particular player or spectator.
What is also needed is a way to make a particular gaming machine more fun to play by detecting movements of the player and adapting such movements in the displayed animation.

Gaming machine having camera for adapting displayed images to detected players


An assembly of toothed wheels of a bicycle has at least two toothed wheels of different diameter and at least one support member of at least one toothed wheel of the at least two toothed wheels on a component of a bicycle, like for example a free body of a hub for a rear bicycle wheel. The at least one support member is at least partially housed in at least one cavity of at least one other toothed wheel of the at least two toothed wheels. In this way, the distance between the toothed wheels is lower than the thickness of the support member of the toothed wheels themselves. The support member can thus maintain a strong resistant section at the attachment area to the respective toothed wheel. At the same time, it is possible to mount a greater number of sprockets on a free body of standard size.

Sprockets are coupled with a rear wheel of a bicycle through a hub. This comprises a first body, rigidly fixed to the rim of the bicycle through spokes, and a second body, rigidly coupled with the sprockets and able to rotate freely with respect to the first body in a direction of rotation, and to make it rotate in the opposite direction, thus giving the rear driving wheel its forward motion. In the technical jargon, this second body is called "free body."
Since a bicycle is a means of transport using muscular propulsion, there is a general requirement for the power transmission system from the cyclist to the driving wheel to allow the least tiring possible.
As known, the combination of a guide toothed wheel with a small diameter with a sprocket with a large diameter allows demanding climbs to be ably handled. However, this same combination, over flat land or going downhill, is disadvantageous since the cyclists energy is dissipated, due to the fact that the cyclist is obliged to pedal quickly while the bicycle moves forwards slowly.
In order to make the aforementioned combination more suitable for the route to be made, it is known to equip the bicycle with a plurality of guide toothed wheels and with a plurality of sprockets, which can be combined with each other based upon requirements, through appropriate gearshifting devices.
Over the past few years the number of transmission ratios available in gearshifting devices has progressively increased and on the market currently there are groups of wheels with ten sprockets and groups of wheels with three guide wheels.
Above all in the field of racing bicycles, the progressive increase in the number of toothed wheels requires an ever-increasing search to reduce the weight of the assembly of wheels.
For this reason, assemblies of sprockets have been made comprising a plurality of sprocket support members that carry respective toothed wheels, in the form of circular toothed crowns: since the support members are made from a lighter material than the material of the toothed wheel, the desired reduction in weight of the assembly is obtained.
Since bicycle components have reached a high degree of standardization, the characteristic size of components like the frame, the gearshifting device and the free body are now almost fixed. In the prior art, some limits have been established in the maximum number of guide toothed wheels and of sprockets that can be mounted on standard sized bicycles. These limits currently seem insurmountable without modifying the standardized size of the bicycle components, in particular without increasing the axial size of the aforementioned groups of guide toothed wheels and of sprockets.
Indeed, keeping fixed the aforementioned standardized axial size, an increase in the number of toothed wheels would result in the need to arrange such toothed wheels in positions ever closer one to the other and the space available for the support members of the toothed wheels would become increasingly small, which may thus no longer have the characteristics of rigidity and strength necessary to support the toothed wheels.

Assembly of toothed wheels for a bicycle


A method for authenticating a mobile device is provided. The method includes receiving a communication request from the mobile device. The mobile device is operable to exchange data over a primary channel. Authentication data is received from the mobile device over a second channel. The secondary channel is a short-range channel operable for exchanging data when the mobile device is within physical proximity. The authentication data is processed to determine whether the mobile device is a trusted device.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to communication systems, and, more particularly, to wireless communication systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
Wireless communication systems are commonly employed to provide voice and/or data communications. Existing and emerging wireless communication systems are generally comprised of heterogeneous collections of air-interface technologies, network architectures, and wireless protocols. For example, wireless communication systems may operate using IEEE-802.11 (Wi-Fi) wireless networks that provide access to local area and "hotspot" networks, Bluetooth connectivity, IEEE-802.16 (WiMax) networks that provide fixed wireless and mobile broadband access, Evolution Data Optimized networks (1xEVDO) that provide access to third generation (3G) mobile data users, and the like.
Wireless communications introduce a new degree of security risk over conventional land-based systems. In a wireless environment, adversaries are able to more easily eavesdrop on communications because information is sent over a wireless link that is considered more accessible than conventional land-based channels. Moreover, with the proliferation of mobile devices (e.g., laptop computers, cell phones, personal digital assistances, and the like), users are becoming increasingly susceptible to adversary attacks attempting to gain unauthorized access to stored data.
In public settings, for example, such as an airport terminal, adversaries may attempt to eavesdrop on wireless communications to intercept authentication data, such as passwords, media access control (MAC) addresses, personal identification numbers (PINs), security keys, and the like. Adversaries may use this information to gain unauthorized access to wireless communication systems and/or other mobile devices. To illustrate this point, in the case of the Bluetooth protocol, an adversary may eavesdrop during the pairing of mobile devices. As used herein, the terms 'authentication', 'authenticate', 'pairing', and 'pair' are intended to be used interchangeably to generally refer to algorithms, processes, mechanisms, and/or data used to establish trusted communications. During the pairing process, the adversary may "listen" to intercept the PIN(s) of one or more mobile devices. With this information, the adversary may decode data required to pair itself with one or more of the mobile devices participating in the wireless communication. If successful, the adversary may gain unauthorized access to personal data, such as calendar data, address books, email, credit card information, and the like.
An exemplary attack algorithm is described, for example, in a paper titled "Cracking the Bluetooth PIN" by Yaniv Shaked and Avishai Wool; the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. In this paper, with respect to the Bluetooth protocol, the authors describe a shortcoming that exists in relying solely on an n-digit PIN to pair one mobile device with another. In particular, the authors describe an algorithm that can be used with an intercepted PIN of a mobile device to "crack" conventional Bluetooth authentication mechanisms in less than a second. Other protocols used in different wireless technologies, such as Wi-Fi, 1xEVDO, and the like, suffer from similar deficiencies in that adversaries have proven successful in intercepting authentication data and using this data to gain unauthorized access to confidential data.
What is needed, therefore, is an authentication mechanism that, when called upon, better ensures only trusted mobile devices are permitted to pair with one another and/or exchange data with a wireless communication network.
The present invention is directed to addressing the effects of one or more of the problems set forth above.

Method for secure authentication of mobile devices


Provided is a sheet-type heat pipe that has a sufficient heat transport capability and can be effortlessly installed in a thin chassis. The sheet-type heat pipe is made of a sealed container having a thickness of not larger than 0.5 mm. This container is formed by stacking and diffusion-joining together etched sheet bodies. Particularly, etching is performed on one side surface of each of the sheet bodies such that fine concavities and convexities can be formed on the inner surface of the container and the sheet-type heat pipe with a sufficient heat transport capability can thus be obtained even when the thickness of the container is not larger than 0.5 mm. More particularly, since the thickness of the container is formed to not larger than 0.5 mm, the sheet-type heat pipe can be effortlessly installed in a thin chassis such as that of a mobile terminal.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet-type heat pipe that is small but brings about a sufficient amount of heat transport; and a mobile terminal such as a smartphone or tablet terminal in which this sheet-type heat pipe is installed.
Description of Related Art
Conventionally, in order to diffuse a heat generated by a CPU installed in a mobile device such as a tablet terminal, there has been proposed, for example, a heat dissipation structure disclosed in JP-A-2012-186692. This heat dissipation structure is characterized by mixing into a heat dissipation sheet a graphite having a high thermal conductivity.

Sheet-type heat pipe and mobile terminal using the same


An improvement to an arithmetic unit of a low-density parity-check decoder, where the arithmetic unit has a pipelined architecture of modules. A first module calculates a difference between absolute values of md_R and md_g_in, and passes the result to a first Gallager module. The first Gallager module converts this value from a p0/p1 representation to a 2*p0−1 representation, and passes the result to a second module. The second module selectively adjusts the result of the previous module based on the sign values of md_g_in and md_R, and passes one of its outputs to a third module (the other two outputs, loc_item_out and hard_out, are not a part of the pipeline). The third module calculates a new md_g value by adding the result of the second module and loc_item_in, and passes this result to a fourth module. The fourth module separates a sign and an absolute value of the new md_g, and passes the result to a second Gallager module. The second Gallager module converts the result from the 2*p0−1 representation to the p0/p1 representation and the final value leaves the unit as md_g_out. In these calculations, md_R=a check node value from the previous iteration, md_g=an edge value (md_g_in—from the previous iteration, md_g_out—for the next iteration), p0=probability that a value is zero, p1=probability that a value is one, loc_item_in/loc_item_out=intermediate values used for the md_g_out calculation, and hard_out=a bit value estimation for the current iteration of the pipelined arithmetic unit.

Low density parity-check (LDPC) codes were first proposed by Gallager in 1962, and then "rediscovered" by MacKay in 1996. LDPC codes have been shown to achieve an outstanding performance that is very close to the Shannon transmission limit.
LDPC codes are based on a binary parity-check matrix H with n columns and m=n−k rows that has the following properties:                1. Each row consists of p number of "ones;"        2. Each column consists of γ number of "ones;"        3. The number of "ones" in common between any two columns, denoted as λ, is no greater than one; and        4. Both p and γ are small compared to the length of the code and the number of rows in H.
For every given binary source message u={u0, . . . , uk-1} of length k, the LDPC encoder builds a binary codeword v={v0, . . . , vn-1} of length n where (n>k), such that Hv=0. The codeword consists of two parts. The first k bits of the codeword are equal to the bits of the source message. The other n−k bits of the codeword are the so-called parity-check bits p={p0, . . . , pn-k-1}. The main task of the encoder is to calculate these parity-check bits p for the given input message u.
To simplify matrix operations, the parity check matrix can be composed of pγcells. The cells are arranged in p columns and γ rows, as given below.
  H  =      (                                        H                          0              ,              0                                                ⋯                                      H                          0              ,                              p                                                                                …1                                                                          ⋯                          ⋯                          ⋯                                                  H                                          p                                                                                …1                            ,              0                                                ⋯                                      H                                          γ                                                                                …1                            ,                              p                                                                                …1                                                          )
Each cell is a t×t permutation matrix (n=pt, n−k=γt). It contains exactly one value of "one" in every row and every columns Therefore, properties (1), (2), and (4) as listed above are satisfied by the construction of the matrix.
Matrix H can be considered as a concatenation of two sub matrices: A and B. Matrix A contains k columns and (n−k) rows. It includes the first k columns of H. Matrix B is a square matrix that contains (n−k) columns and (n−k) rows. It includes the last (n−k) columns of matrix H. The source equation Hv=0 can then be rewritten as Au+Bp=0.
The most famous algorithm for decoding LDPC codes is called the iterative message-passing algorithm. Each iteration of this algorithm consists of two stages. In stage 1 (the row operations), the algorithm computes messages for all of the check nodes (the rows). In stage 2 (the column operations), the algorithm computes messages for all of the bit nodes (the columns), and sends them back to the check nodes associated with the given bit nodes. There are many different implementations of this message-passing algorithm, but all of them use two-stage operations. Further, in each of these implementations, the second step starts only after all of the messages for all of the rows have been calculated.
As with all information processing operations, it is desirable for the procedure to operate as quickly as possible, while consuming as few resources as possible. Unfortunately, LDPC codes such as those described above typically require a relatively significant overhead in terms of the time and the memory required for them to operate.
What is needed is an LDPC code that operates in a more efficient manner, such as by reducing the amount of time or the amount of memory that is required by the operation.


The present invention relates to the use of a strain of Burkholderia andropogonis for controlling the growth of a weed belonging to the order Caryophyllales. The present invention also provides a method for suppressing weed growth, comprising applying a strain of Burkholderia andropogonis to a weed belonging to the order Caryophyllales. Also provided is a biocontrol composition for controlling the growth of a weed belonging to the order Caryophyllales, the composition comprising a strain of Burkholderia andropogonis, and a suitable medium.

The invention relates to biocontrol agents for suppressing weed growth. More specifically the present invention relates to bacterial biocontrol agents for suppression of weed growth.
Chickweed (Stellaria media) is one of the most important weeds in Canada. It is a vigorous competitor for space and nutrients; an aesthetic problem in agricultural crops, market gardens, and urban centers; and listed as a noxious weed in the Noxious Weeds Act of Alberta and Manitoba (Mann et al., 1950; Terkington et al., 1980).
Chickweed is distributed across all Canadian provinces. It is found from Vancouver Island to Newfoundland, and from the United States border to the Mackenzie delta at 69 N (Terkington et al., 1980). Previous data showed that chickweed is more common in B.C. and eastern Canada than in the prairies, however, its populations in the prairie provinces of Canada have been dramatically increasing over the past 10 years. Overall, the relative abundance of chickweed over these years rose by 4, 6, and 17 rankings in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, respectively (Thomas et al., 1998). Presently, chickweed is the most abundant weed species in Alberta, followed by wild oats (Thomas et al., 1997).
The main control method is the use of chemical herbicides that belong mainly to Groups 2 and 4. However, herbicide resistance in chickweed to Group-2 herbicides in Canada and Group-4 herbicides in Europe has been reported (Devine et al., 1991; Hall and Devine, 1990; Lutman & Heath, 1990; O'Donovan et al., 1994). Herbicide resistance development in chickweed substantially limits herbicide choices for its control in most crops and other non-agricultural lands such as home gardens and lawns. This situation provides an opportunity to develop "biological herbicide" or "bioherbicide" or "microbial herbicides" for chickweed control.


A method and system for controlling a dual output power converter of the type having a pair of input terminals connectable to a source of rectified AC power of variable voltage amplitude, a boosting circuit including a secondary winding of a boost transformer operatively coupled in circuit with the pair of input terminals for providing a boosted voltage onto a DC power bus, and a full-bridge inverter including at least one controllable switching device serially connected in each leg of the inverter. The inverter has an input connected to the DC bus and a pair of output terminals connected to respective ends of a primary winding of an output transformer, at least one of the pair of output terminals being connected in circuit with the primary winding of the boost transformer. The control system compares signals representative of the magnitude of the AC power voltage to signals representative of the DC bus voltage and varies the inverter frequency of operation in a manner to adjust the magnitude of the DC bus voltage to establish a preselected ratio of DC bus voltage to AC power voltage.

Conventional rectifiers have relatively low power factors which limit the power that can be drawn from an AC line to a fraction of the rating of the line. Furthermore, highly distorted AC line currents are drawn by these conventional rectifiers, often causing interference with other electrical equipment in addition to equipment overcurrents and overvoltages. Techniques for improving power factor include passive waveform shaping methods, i.e., using input filters, and active methods, i.e., using boost or buck converter topologies. Such conventional active methods of obtaining high power factor generally employ a completely separate up-front converter to attain the high power factor followed by a DC-to-DC converter to produce the desired regulated DC output voltage. Thus, the power is converted twice, which is costly and inefficient. Moreover, the up-front converter must convert the entire delivered power. In fact, it must convert a peak power equal to twice the average power delivered.
A power conversion system employing a single power stage while operating at high power factor is described in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,642,745 issued on Feb. 10, 1987 to R. L. Steigerwald and W. P. Kornrumpf. The power conversion system of the Steigerwald and Kornrumpf patent includes: a full-wave AC rectifier; a DC-to-AC converter; a transformer having a primary winding, a closely-coupled secondary output winding and a loosely-coupled secondary boost winding and a resonant capacitor coupled to the secondary boost winding. The secondary output winding is controlled by pulse width modulation (PWM), and the secondary boost winding is controlled by frequency modulation, thus allowing relatively independent control of the input current and output voltage.
Another form of dual output power converter is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,113,337 to Steigerwald which completely decouples the boosting converter and the power output stage. In this latter patent, the converter has a high power factor drawing high quality current waveforms from the AC source while providing a regulated DC output with fast transient response. One form of control for the power converters of the above cited patents is disclosed in each of the patents. In general, the patents describe a PWM control for controlling the regulated DC output voltage by adjusting the duty cycle of the inverter output signal whenever an error is detected between the commanded DC output voltage Vo* and the actual DC output voltage Vo. In addition, the Steigerwald and Kornrumpf patent describes an active frequency control wherein the actual converter input current is compared with a commanded current in phase with the utility line voltage. Any difference causes a frequency adjustment for controlling a boosting converter. Advantageously, since the boosting converter and the power supply output voltage are completely decoupled, any adjustment of the DC output voltage using the Steigerwald and Kornrumpf control system will have no effect on the input current to the converter.
Although the above described control scheme effectively controls a dual output converter to provide output voltage regulation at high power factor, it is desirable to provide a more simple control system which decouples the ac line current and the output dc voltage, while maintaining, or improving, output regulation and power factor.

Independent control of the AC line current and output DC voltage of a high power factor AC-to-DC converter


A system, method, and computer program product for auditing script code is disclosed. The system may include a parser module on a computer, a rules module on a computer, and a reporting module on a computer. The parser module may be configured to parse the script code to generate script code metadata. The rules module may be configured to audit the script code by applying rules to the script code. The reporting module on a computer configured to use the script code metadata to generate a result of the audit.

Source code may be described as computer instructions written in a human-readable format. The instructions are written in a computer programming language that can be executed by a processor after being compiled or interpreted into machine-readable instructions, which is often called object code. Script code may be defined as computer programs written for runtime environments that can interpret and automate the execution of tasks which could alternatively be executed one-by-one by a human operator. Examples of environments that may be automated through script code include software applications, web pages within a web browser, the shells of operating systems ("OS"), and several general purpose and domain-specific languages, such as those for embedded systems.
There are circumstances in which analysis, or an audit, of the script code is desired, including, for example, to assess different metrics and for code standard compliance. However, this analysis may be difficult to perform, particularly for large volumes of script code. Therefore, there is a need for a computerized tool that audits script code in a more efficient manner. The script code in this context is referring to QTP Scripts & Loadrunner Scripts and the approach can be applied for any similar needs.

Computerized system and method for auditing software code


A vacuum driven light bulb changer. The device has a power source that energizes an electrical circuitry so that when the power switch is activated it energizes a motor that activates a vacuum pump. The activation of the vacuum pump draws air into the intake head on the vacuum cup. When the vacuum cup is place firmly against the outside surface of a light bulb, the vacuum creates a depressurized zone against the outside surface of the light bulb and the inside bottom surface of the vacuum cup allowing the turning of the light bulb.

The use of suction attachment devices in the changing of light bulbs is well known in the art. These devices generally are in the form of a suction cup mounted to an extension or telescoping handle that allows access to light fixtures at varying elevations. The suction cup is made of a somewhat flexible rubber that when pressure is applied against the light bulb a vacuum is created against the light bulbs surface and the inside bottom surface of the suction cup which in turn allows the handle to be manipulated removing or inserting the light bulb then generally the seal formed by the suction action is released. An example of such a device is present in U.S. Pat. No. 5,148,723 issued to Newman Sr., on Sep. 22, 1992. Another such device is U.S. Pat. No. 2,634,998 issued to Flower on Apr. 14, 1953 wherein the suction cup is mounted on a handle with a release mechanism for releasing the vacuum. Another example of this type of device is the U.S. Pat. No. 2,545,043 issued to Odenthal on Mar. 13, 1951 with the suction cup mounted to a handle with an internal pressure release that takes the form of a chain. Yet another example of this type of device is U.S. Pat. No. 2,243,106 issued to Limbert on May 27, 1941 where a suction cup is mounted to a handle with a release present to release the light bulb. All of these devices are very similar in that that require a pressure applied upon the cup and the light bulb creating a vacuum then after the desired manipulation of the light bulb the vacuum seal is released and the bulb is free from the device.
The present invention has a great advantage over this group of devices in that the instant invention has a power electrically driven vacuum pump that creates and maintains the vacuum around the bulb until the depressurization release is triggered releasing the cup and the vacuum from the bulb.
There is another group of devices that requires the evacuation of air from a device to form the vacuum in a cup by hand manipulation of a rubber bulb or by a plunger. The United States Patent issued to Maki on May 9, 1961 is such a device. By manipulating the rubber ball at one end of the device the air is evacuated through a passage that runs to the suction cup forming the vacuum that holds the bulb in the vacuum cup. U.S. Pat. No. 5,218,889 issued on Jun. 15, 1993 which also has a rubber bulb that is connected to the suction cup. When the bulb is manipulated it evacuates the air via an air passage that connects the rubber bulb and the suction cup. U.S. Pat. No. 1,024,286 issued to Santilli on Apr. 23, 1912 suggests both methods, that is, a rubber bulb for creation of the vacuum or a hand manipulated pump for the creation of the vacuum. These devices still fall short because they do not supply a continuously activated power driven vacuum as does the instant invention.