A system and method for predicting web breaks in a paper machine. Principal components analysis and an aggregated classification and regression tree (CART) model are used to predict web break sensitivity from sensor measurements taken from the paper machine.

This invention relates generally to a paper machine, and more particularly, to a system and method for predicting web break sensitivity in the paper machine and isolating machine variables affecting the predicted web break sensitivity.
A paper machine of the Fourdrinier-type typically comprises a wet-end section, a press section, and a dry-end section. At the wet-end section, the papermaking fibers are uniformly distributed onto a moving forming wire. The moving wire forms the fibers into a sheet and enables pulp furnish to drain by gravity and dewater by suction. The sheet enters the press section and is conveyed through a series of presses where additional water is removed and the web is consolidated (i.e., the fibers are forced into more intimate contact). At the dry-end section, most of the remaining water in the web is evaporated and fiber bonding develops as the paper contacts a series of steam-heated cylinders. The web is then pressed between metal rolls to reduce thickness and smooth the surface and wound onto a reel.
A problem associated with the Fourdrinier-type paper machine is that the paper web is prone to break at both the wet-end section of the machine and at the dry-end section. Web breaks at the wet-end section, which typically occur at or near the site of its center roll, occur more often than breaks at the dry-end section. Dry-end breaks are relatively better understood, while wet-end breaks are harder to explain in terms of causes and are harder to predict and/or control. Web breaks at the wet-end section can occur as much 15 times in a single day. Typically, for a fully-operational paper machine there may be as much as 35 web breaks at the wet-end section of the paper machine in a month. The average production time lost as a result of these web breaks is about 1.6 hours per day. Considering that each paper machine operates continuously 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, the downtime associated with the web breaks translates to about 6.66% of the paper machine""s annual production, which results in a significant reduction in revenue to a paper manufacturer. Therefore, there is a need to reduce the amount of web breaks occurring in the wet-end section of a paper machine.
This invention has developed a system and method for predicting web breaks in either the wet-end section or the dry-end section of the paper machine. Thus, in this invention, there is provided a plurality of sensors for obtaining a plurality of measurements from the paper machine. Each of the plurality of measurements relate to a paper machine variable. A processor processes each of the plurality of measurements into break sensitivity data. A break predictor comprising a bagged classification analysis and regression tree model, responsive to the processor, predicts a web break sensitivity within the paper machine from the plurality of processed measurements.

Paper web breakage prediction using bootstrap aggregation of classification and regression trees


A data indexing system is provided. The system includes: a time interval splitting unit configured to split a predetermined time range into a plurality of time intervals. A first index creating unit is configured to create a first-level index for data in a current time interval, the first-level index including a time interval index and a subspace index. A second index creating unit is configured to create, in a time interval after the current time interval, a second-level index for data in the current time interval. The second-level index has a finer granularity than the first-level index. A data indexing method and a data querying method are also provided. The cost for index maintenance can be greatly reduced in a case of frequent updates. Further, invalid scans during the query process can be reduced and the query performance can be improved.

With the development of technologies such as Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and Global Positioning System (GPS), Internet of Things (IOT) has been rapidly and widely applied. In the IOT environment, millions of detected objects periodically generate data, resulting in bottleneck in scalability for traditional relational databases due to insufficient system throughput.
A cloud data management system, which has a high scalability and supports high concurrency, is an effective solution for the IOT data management. The cloud data management system is capable of efficient point query and range query in a rowkey, while a full-table scan is required for a non-rowkey query. Although the query efficiency can be improved by utilizing the Map-Reduce technique, the performance is poor for a query having a low selection rate.
Typically, the IOT data has a multi-dimensional characteristic. In addition to information in time and space dimensions, the IOT data contains information in a number of other dimensions. Moreover, a query for the IOT data is generally a multi-dimensional query based on time and space. Thus, in an IOT application environment, it is desired to provide an efficient multi-dimensional query in addition to a rapid signal dimensional query.
Another characteristic of the IOT data is that it is frequently updated. In the IOT environment, monitored objects typically generate new data periodically at a particular time interval and the data is frequently updated. In particular, in a case of a large number of monitored objects and a high data sampling frequency, the data concurrency is very high, which imposes a requirement for high throughput of the data management system.
Currently, a multi-dimensional data indexing scheme in a cloud system, RT-CAN (R-tree based index in content addressable network), has been proposed, which is dedicated for indexing and querying multi-dimensional data. The RT-CAN indexing scheme is a double layer indexing scheme based on R-tree and supports point query and range query for a number of attributes. At each storage node, an R-tree index is created for local data and then some nodes are selected from each local index based on a particular index node selection policy and distributed to a local index. In order to improve the querying speed and ensure the scalability of the system, a coverage network, CAN network, supporting multi-dimensional query is adopted in the global index and an adaptive adjustment policy based on cost model is used for index node selection.
In particular, the RT-CAN indexing scheme generally includes the following operations: 1) upon receiving a new data insertion request from a client, finding a corresponding storage node via a cloud storage system interface and storing the data in the node; 2) updating a local index in a R-tree structure created at the storage node; and 3) synchronizing the updated local index to a global index.
However, in order to maintain the balance of the tree, during the process of data insertion, the RT-CAN scheme needs to constantly perform a splitting adjustment for an index node (each data insertion will trigger an update of the local index, which in turn affects the global index). Thus, the cost for index maintenance, especially for applications with frequent data insertions, is so high that the system throughput will be significantly degraded. Therefore, this scheme is not applicable to the IOT.
Accordingly, there is a need for a data indexing system and method applicable to the IOT and capable of achieving high throughput operations on the multi-dimensional data which is frequently updated in the IOT.

Data indexing system, data indexing method and data querying method


Embodiments of the invention relate to a system and method for controlling the size of gaps in a turbine engine. In many instances, it is desirable to minimize the size of the gaps between neighboring rotating and stationary components in a turbine engine, such as between a disc cover plate and a proximate pre-swirler. According to embodiments of the invention, each component can be provided with a sealing surface. The sealing surfaces can be angled relative to the axis of rotation. The sealing surfaces are spaced from each other so as to form a gap therebetween. The sealing surfaces may or may not be substantially parallel. As a result of such configuration, the size of the gap can be controlled by axial and radial movement of the components. For example, the gap between the cover plate and the pre-swirler can be adjusted by axially movement of the rotor.

Referring to FIGS. 1–2, the turbine section 10 of a turbine engine includes a rotor 12 having a longitudinal axis 14. A plurality of discs 16 (only one of which is shown) are provided on the rotor 12; the discs 16 are axially spaced from each other. A plurality of blades 18 (only one of which is shown) are mounted on each disc 16 to form a row of blades 18. The blades 18 are arrayed about the periphery of the disc 16 and extend radially outward therefrom.
Along the axial direction of the turbine 10, rows of blades 18 alternate with rows of stationary airfoils or vanes 20. Unlike the blades 18, the vanes 20 are attached at one end to a blade ring or casing 21 and extend radially inward therefrom to a radially inner end, referred to as an inner shroud 22. Any of a number of devices can be attached to the inner shroud 22. In the first row of vanes, for example, a pre-swirler 24 can extend from the inner shroud 22. Because the rows of stationary airfoils 20 and the rows of rotating airfoils 18 are spaced from each other, there are axial gaps 26 between these components.
In general, the turbine section 10 includes a radially outer region 28 and a radially inner region 30. Hot gases from the combustor section (not shown) of the engine are directed toward the radially outer region 28 of the turbine 10, which includes the alternating rows of stationary airfoils 20 and rotating airfoils 20. These components can withstand the high temperature of the combustion gases. In contrast, components in the radially inner region 30, such as the discs 16, can fail if exposed to the hot combustion gases. Accordingly, these components must be protected from the hot combustion gases. However, protecting the discs 16 and other components in the radially inner region 30 can be difficult because the axial gaps 26 provide a leak path for the hot gases to penetrate the radially inner region 30 of the turbine 10. While some leakage may be inevitable, there are various techniques for minimizing the amount of leakage or diminishing the severe consequences of such infiltration.
For instance, cold air can be used to block the radially inward progression of the hot gases. Cold air from the compressor section (not shown) of the engine can be provided to the radially inner region 30 to cool the components and to physically impede the progress of the hot gases from the radially outer region 28 to the radially inner region 30 of the turbine 10. In addition, the cold air can mix with the hot gases to reduce the temperature of the gases to a mixing temperature. In addition, the discs 16 can be shielded from the hot gases by a cover plate 32, also known as a ring segment, that is secured to the disc 16. The cover plate 32 can cover at least a portion of the disc 16. A cover plate 32 can be provided on the axial upstream face 34 of the disc 16 and/or on the axial downstream face 36 of the disc 16.
Another method of reducing hot gas flow into the radially inner region 30 of the turbine 10 is to make a tortuous flow path, such as by providing a labyrinth-type sealing system in the axial gaps 26. To that end, the cover plate 32 can provide one or more axially extending arms 38. Each arm 38 can have a sealing surface 40, as shown in FIG. 2. Similarly, the neighboring stationary component, such as the pre-swirler 24, can have a plurality of axially extending protrusions 42. Each protrusion 42 can have a sealing surface 44. The sealing surfaces 40 of the arms 38 and the sealing surfaces 44 of the protrusions 42 are spaced from and substantially parallel to each other to form an annular gap 46 therebetween. The sealing surfaces 40, 44 are substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis 14 of the rotor.
While it is preferred if the gap 46 between the sealing surfaces 46, 50 is as small as possible, the gap 46 cannot be entirely eliminated because, during transient conditions, such as engine startup or part load operation, the rotating parts (blades 18, rotor 12, and discs 16) and the stationary parts (blade rings, vanes 20, and components attached to the vane) thermally expand at different rates. Thus, the gap 46 between the sealing surfaces 40, 44 is based on the cold condition with an understanding of the thermal behavior of the turbine components during engine operation. Under some operating conditions, particularly at steady state, the gap 46 between the sealing surfaces 40, 44 can increase. The consequences of such an increase in the size of the gap 46 can vary depending on the location in the turbine. In some instances, a larger gap can result in a greater mass flow of hot gases into the radial inner region 30 of the turbine 10, thereby requiring additional cooling air to be supplied for purposes of blocking. In other instances, the mass flow of cooling air leaking into the radial outer region 28 of the turbine 10 may increase, thereby causing performance losses. In either case, there can be a decrease in the output and efficiency of the engine.
Because the gap 46 is formed by surfaces that are substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis 14 of the rotor 12, the size of the gap 46 can only be adjusted by radial movement of the cover plate 32 and the components operatively connected thereto or by radial movement of the vane 20 or any component attached to the vane 20, such as the pre-swirler 24. Achieving such radial movement is difficult during engine operation. Thus, there is a need for a system that allows for greater flexibility in controlling the size of such leakage gaps.


A control device acts as a reference color converter that converts inputted image data into reference image data of a color space, a prospective medium color converter that converts the inputted image data into output image data for reproducing the image with a plurality of color materials, and generates comparative output image data of the color space, by converting the color space of the output image data, a color difference calculator that compares colors between the reference image data and the comparative output image data, and calculates a specific color difference corresponding to a predetermined cumulative relative frequency, an image forming cost calculator that calculates the image forming cost, and a sheet selection supporter that extracts the prospective image forming medium that provides the specific color difference smaller than a predetermined threshold, and displays the prospective image forming medium in different appearances according to the image forming cost.

The present disclosure relates to an image forming control device, an image forming apparatus, an image forming control method, and a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having an image forming control program, and more particularly to a technique to select an image forming medium for reproducing an image color indicated by inputted image data.
Image forming apparatuses capable of performing color printing, in addition to monochrome printing, have come to be widely used. However, from a practical point of view the color printing requires a higher cost, which makes users hesitate from using the color printing. Accordingly, a technique to introduce a printing mode that reduces the consumption of color materials has been proposed, to perform the color printing at a lower cost. With such a technique, however, when the use of the color material is excessively reduced, the overall image becomes dim and blurred, and the vividness of the image that would otherwise be attained is impaired. Conversely, giving too much weight to the image quality leads to unsatisfactory outcome in reduction in consumption of the color material. To cope with such drawbacks, a first technique has been proposed, to reduce the cost of the color material, without compromising the hue balance. In addition, a second technique has been proposed, to select an image forming medium that can express a color closest to the image data, on the basis of an average value of the color difference.

Image forming control device that selects image forming medium for reproducing image color indicated by inputted image data, image forming apparatus, image forming control method, and non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having image forming control program


According to the present invention, there are provided a projection system for emitting luminous flux for measurement, a light receiving unit or a prism member furnished with a light receiving unit, and an optical waveguide substrate comprising a substrate portion and an optical waveguide portion formed on the substrate portion, the light receiving unit or the prism is brought into close contact with the optical waveguide substrate, luminous flux for measurement from the projection system is passed from one end of the optical wavegide portion and a part of the luminous flux for measurement is leaked toward the light receiving unit, whereby cross-sectional distribution of refractive index of the optical waveguide is measured by change of light quantity of the leaking light sensed at the light receiving unit in case an incident point of the luminous flux for measurement is moved.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for measuring cross-sectional distribution of refractive index of an optical waveguide, which is used for optical communication.
As a method for measuring cross-sectional distribution of refractive index of an optical waveguide, there is the refracted near field method (RNF method). This RNF method is non destructive and provides high measurement accuracy and high resolution and is considered as the most excellent method for measuring cross-sectional distribution of refractive index of an optical waveguide.
According to this RNF method, an optical waveguide substrate 1 comprises an optical waveguide portion 3 on one side of the substrate portion 2, and this is immersed in a liquid 9 having refractive index of n.sub.L, which is closer to the refractive index n(r) of the optical waveguide portion 3 as shown in FIG. 15. Under this condition, laser beam converged by an objective lens 8 on an end surface of said optical waveguide portion 3 is irradiated at an incident angle .theta., and the light leaking through the optical waveguide portion 3 is detected, and the refractive index of the optical waveguide portion 3 is measured.
When the refractive index of the optical waveguide portion 3 at the point where laser beam enters is supposed to be n(r), and that the refractive index of the air or the liquid, of incident side on optical waveguide portion 3 is n.sub.0, the exit angle .beta. relative to the incident angle .theta. is given simply by the following equation (1) in accordance with Snell's law: EQU n.sup.2 (r)=n.sub.o.sup.2 sin.sup.2 .theta.+n.sub.L.sup.2 cos.sup.2 .beta.(1)
Therefore, when the incident point of laser beam is scanned toward the direction of the thickness of the optical waveguide portion 3, or the direction of crossing at right angles with the above direction, the exit angle .beta. changes according to the refractive index n(r) at each point. Specifically, the exit angle .beta. is decreased at the portion having higher refractive index, and it is increased at the portion having lower refractive index.
Accordingly, by judging the condition of the leaking light, the refractive index n(r) of the optical waveguide portion 3 can be obtained.
The apparatus for measuring cross-sectional distribution of refractive index of optical waveguide according to RNF method is based on the above principle.
Continuing the explanation in connection with FIG. 15, a detector 5 for receiving the light 4 leaking through said optical waveguide portion 3 is provided on lateral side of the optical waveguide portion 3. Also, a shielding plate 6 of semi-circular disk is provided for shielding a part of the leaking light 4 closer to the center. Said detector 5 receives the leaking light 4 in semi-doughnut shape, lacking a part of said detector 5 closer to the center. The light receiving quantity is given by the following equation (2), where the angle of the leaking light to the light receiving point on the outermost side is .theta..sub.max and the angle corresponding to the inner light receiving point shielded by said shielding plate 6 is .theta..sub.min. ##EQU1##
In the above equation, I(.theta.) represents intensity distribution based on the angle dependency of the incident light. By sufficiently increasing the light receiving surface of the detector 5, the leaking light 4 is prevented from going out of the light receiving surface. Therefore, .theta..sub.max in the above equation (2) is determined by the numerical aperture (NA) and is given by the following equation (3): EQU n.sub.0 sin .theta..sub.max =NA (3)
The above exit angle .beta..sub.max is changed according to the refracting powder of the optical waveguide portion 3, that is, the light receiving point on the outermost side of the leaking light is moved, whereas it is primarily determined by the point where the detection light enters the optical waveguide portion 3 and also by the position of the edge of said shielding plate 6 and is not influenced by the refractive index of the optical waveguide portion 3.
Further, the incident angle .theta..sub.min corresponding to the above exit angle .beta..sub.min is obtained by the equation (4), which is a variant of the above equation (1). EQU n.sub.0.sup.2 sin.sup.2 .theta..sub.min =n.sup.2 (r)-n.sub.L.sup.2 cos.sup.2 .beta..sub.min ( 4)
The incident angle .theta..sub.min is an important factor to determine the refractive index of optical waveguide portion 3. Specifically, the light quantity obtained by the above equation (2) is changed according to the refractive index.
When it is supposed that the light receiving quantity at an arbitrary point in the direction of the thickness of the above optical waveguide portion 3, or the direction of crossing at right angles with the above direction is P(n(r)), this light receiving quantity P(n(r)) is given by the following equation (5): ##EQU2##
Next, if the angle dependency I(.theta.) of the incident light intensity has Lambert distribution [I(.theta.)=I.sub.0 cos .theta.], the equation (6) is obtained from the equation (5), and .DELTA.n (r) can be obtained when the laser spot position is scanned in the direction of the thickness of the optical waveguide portion, or the direction of crossing at right angles with the above direction and the change of light quantity .DELTA.P is measured. EQU .DELTA.P=a.multidot..DELTA.n(r) (6)
Here, the proportional constant a is determined by the refractive index n.sub.L, which is already known.
Normally, laser beam is used as the light source. In this case, incident light intensity distribution I(.theta.) is Gauss distribution rather than Lambert distribution, and the light quantity change and the change of refractive index are not so simple as in the equation (6). Through the correction by calculation, .DELTA.n (r) can be obtained.
In a conventional type apparatus for measuring cross-sectional distribution of refractive index of an optical waveguide, the optical waveguide substrate is immersed in a liquid which has the refractive index closer to, or more preferably, higher than that of the optical waveguide portion in order to prevent total reflection of light within the optical waveguide portion and to irradiate the light entering the optical waveguide portion to outside the optical waveguide portion. For this reason, the conventional type apparatus requires the liquid for immersion.
In case the material of optical waveguide portion is glass, the refractive index is about 1.5, and it is relatively easy to select the liquid for immersion. However, in case the optical waveguide portion is formed by thermal diffusion of Ti on single crystal substrate of LiNbO.sub.3 or LiTaO.sub.3, the refractive power of the substrate is 2.0 or more in many cases.
For such optical waveguide substrate, the liquid for immersion having similar refractive index is needed, whereas the liquid having the refractive index of 2.0 or more is harmful to human body. Also, even when the refractive index is low, there may be no liquid for immersion suitable for the substrate, depending upon the material of the substrate. For this reason, it is diffifult and dangerous to measure, or it is impossible to measure in some cases.
The object of the present invention is to make it possible to measure the distribution of refractive index of optical waveguide even when the liquid for immersion is not provided.

Apparatus for measuring cross-sectional distribution of refractive index of optical waveguide by RNF method


A system for enabling deep fiber access to a software defined network includes a hybrid fiber coaxial (HFC) network, a software defined network (SDN) control agent disposed in the HFC network and a core network. The core network includes an IP backbone and an SDN. The SDN control agent receives a notification of a quality of service (QoS) degradation event and the accesses local table rules stored in the SDN control agent to determine whether the local table rules identify an action to implement in response to the notification. When the local table rules identify the control agent action to take in response to the notification implementing the action. When the local table rules do not identify the action to be implemented by the SDN control agent in response to the notification, then the SDN control agent accesses the SDN controller to determine whether the SDN controller can identify a controller action to take in response to the notification.

Wireless technologies continue to evolve with significant advances from 3G, to 4G, and 4G LTE and now 5G. 3G introduced Web browsing, email, video downloading, picture sharing and other Smartphone technology. 4G and 4G LTE improved the data-transmission speeds of the network. 5G promises significantly faster data rates, higher connection density, much lower latency, and energy savings, among other improvements. 5G networks are digital networks where analog signals representing sounds and images are digitized in the phone, converted and transmitted as bits. Like other cellular networks, 5G networks use a system of cell sites that divide their territory into sectors and send encoded data through radio waves. Each cell site must be connected to a network backbone, whether through a wired or wireless backhaul connection. 5G networks need to manage more, smaller cells that can change size and shape and thus require the network to be smarter. 5G networks will have far higher speeds available, and far higher capacity per sector, at far lower latency than 4G. Increased speed and capacity from 5G will rely more heavily on the use of higher frequencies and densification.
Wireless networks must provide predictable and measurable voice, video and delay-sensitive data transmission services. Organizations use the concept of quality of service (QoS) to satisfy service requirements, such as real-time voice and video, and to prevent quality degradation caused by packet loss, delay and jitter. Measure QoS parameters include packet loss, jitter, latency, and bandwidth, among other. Packet loss occurs when routers and switches start dropping packets because congested network links. Packet loss may result in jitter and gaps in speech in voice or video calls. Jitter results from network congestion, timing drift and route changes and may lead to degraded voice and video communications. Latency refers to the time it takes for a packet to travel from a source to a destination. High latency may result in echo and overlapping audio. Bandwidth refers to the maximum amount of data that can be transmitted via a network communication link over a certain period of time. Bandwidth relates to the capacity of the network's communications link to carry data from one node to another.
Densification refers to the addition of cell sites within a particular area, or the deployment of cell sites with higher capacity. Densification is necessary keep up with the increase in mobile data traffic demand. Densification enables more overall users, lower latency, better mobile device battery life, and expanded coverage. The approach is to basically reuse the same spectrum, by keeping the coverage area small and manage the interference between cells. To enhance QoS, network providers are delivering higher capacity to smaller groups of homes and pushing fiber closer to the edge of the network. Fiber densification, the ability to pack as much capacity as possible over the limited fiber resources is a key objective of network providers. Deploying fiber closer to the customers enables efficient transport of increased wireless traffic from that densification. The HFC deep fiber densification enables wider wireless access, such as 5G, access, but with little local HFC's intelligence.
HFC refers to a broadband network that combines optical fiber and coaxial cable. In an HFC cable system used by cable television operators, the traffic is sent from a headend, to a local node through optical fiber. At the local node an IP POP optical node converts the signal from a light beam to radio frequency (RF), and sends it over coaxial cable lines for distribution to subscriber residences. The HFC plant has a long useful life and is capable of significant amounts of bandwidth, but is limited by: silicon availability; linearity of amplifiers; frequency response of the cable itself; and many more constraints not specific to cable but common among outside plant deployments of broadband technologies.
Software-Defined Networking (SDN) is an emerging architecture that is dynamic, manageable, cost-effective, and adaptable, making it suitable for high-bandwidth applications. This architecture decouples the network control and forwarding functions. In an SDN, network control is directly programmable. SDN allows the abstraction of control from forwarding and allows network operators to dynamically adjust traffic flow. In SDN software-based SDN controllers maintain a global view of the network, and appear to applications and policy engines as a single, logical switch. SDN allows network operators to configure and manage network resources quickly via dynamic, automated SDN programs that do not depend on proprietary software. Deep SDN is a method of controlling packet forwarding behavior. With Deep SDN, policy routing can be accomplished without complex combinations of protocols. The logically centralized SDN controller sees the entire network topology and make smarter decisions about the paths to use for each traffic type.
There is a need to optimize the entire network to meet the capacity demands of the users There is a need to facilitate a deep SDN architecture to achieve real time low latency and efficient services. There is a need to provide a reduction in failure reaction time. There is a need to take advantage of deep fiber densification to off load HFC traffic whenever needed under the guidance of deep SDN.

Methods, systems and computer programs for enabling deep fiber access to a software defined network


The invention relates to a query tool for accessing data from an unstructured data source. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the query tool comprises a computer server comprising at least one processor configured to perform: read data from one or more unstructured data sources; initiate one or more registration processes that identifies a file layout for the data; generate a table structure, using the file layout; receive a query request, via the interactive user interface; graphically represent the query request in a graph to facilitate data access; automatically process the query request based on the graph to generate a query result based on the table structure; and transmit the query result to the interactive user interface.

The Hadoop distributed file system (HDFS) is a distributed, scalable, and portable file system written in Java for the Hadoop framework. A Hadoop cluster has nominally a single namenode plus a cluster of datanodes, where each datanode serves up blocks of data over the network using a block protocol specific to HDFS.
HDFS stores large files across multiple machines. It achieves reliability by replicating the data across multiple hosts. Typically, data is stored on three nodes: two on the same rack, and one on a different rack. Data nodes can talk to each other to rebalance data, to move copies around, and to keep the replication of data high.
Hadoop has advantages over traditional database management systems, especially the ability to handle both structured data like that found in relational databases, as well as unstructured information.
Current tools do not provide the ability to effectively query Hadoop files. Moreover, there is no mechanism that enables user to easily view and analyze the data from such unstructured data sources.
These and other drawbacks exist.

Method and system for implementing a query tool for unstructured data files


A gesture recognition method and an gesture recognition apparatus using the same method are proposed. The method includes the following steps: transmitting an infrared signal, and detecting whether an object appears in a predetermined range based on a first infrared signal retrieved from the infrared signal being reflected; when the object appears in the predetermined range, capturing a plurality of images including the object and a plurality of second infrared signals retrieved from the infrared signal being reflected; and recognizing the images to retrieve a horizontal movement direction of a gesture of the object within the predetermined range, and recognizing the second infrared signals to retrieve a depth movement direction of the gesture within the predetermined range.

Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a recognition method and a gesture recognition apparatus using the same, and more particularly, relates to a gesture recognition method and a gesture recognition apparatus using the same.
Description of Related Art
In recent years, a gesture recognition has become one of main methods used in a human machine interface communication. At present, the proposed gesture recognition methods may be broadly categorized into two methods. In a first method, a computer visual algorithm is mainly used to identify gestures in images captured by an image capturing unit of an electronic apparatus. Such method may be used for a long-range gesture recognition, yet an accuracy rate of the recognition can be easily affected by environment. Further, it requires a higher level hardware to execute highly complex operations of the computer visual algorithm, such that a hardware cost is relatively higher.
In a second method, gestures are recognized mainly by the time difference between the received infrared signals. Although a hardware cost of such method is relatively lower, a gesture recognition rate is limited by operations of users. For instance, when the infrared signals are blocked or interfered, an error rate of the gesture recognition is increased accordingly. Moreover, in addition to a lower extensibility in future applications as compared to the electronic apparatus implementing the first method, a gesture recognition range of the electronic apparatus implementing the second method may also be limited by installation positions of an infrared receiver.

Gesture recognition method and gesture recognition apparatus using the same


Spell checking of network addresses such as Uniform Resource Locator (URL) addresses is provided at three levels. Each is invoked when a connection to the specified network address is unable to be established. At a client level, the specified URL is compared with URL's previously successfully used to find candidate misspellings. At a server level, directory and file names are checked against corresponding components of the URL to which connection was requested to return a list of candidate correct spellings to the requestor. Excluded from the list returned to the requestor are the correct spellings of "hidden" files to which general access is not desired. At a network access provider level, information about URL's successfully used by all customers is accumulated and used to provide a candidate list of correct spellings to a user. Older entries are periodically pruned from the database to control size.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to computer communications systems and more particularly to spell checking of resource identifications in a network environment.
2. Description of Related Art
In order to access specific World-Wide-Web (WWW) pages, users must often enter the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) which provides the address of the page on a remote server. However, as WWW browsers evolved, the focus of the user interface has been to allow users to access remote pages by selecting hypertext links, thus often removing the need to manually enter URLs. Scant attention has been paid to the problems inherent in manual URL entry. Yet, the explosive growth of the WWW has made it inconvenient to follow a long series of hypertext links to retrieve a page desired by the user: in fact, companies, organizations and individuals often provide their URLs in television advertisements, on printed materials, and verbally. This has led to a growing number of instances when the user would prefer to directly enter the URL in the browser.
A major problem with the manual entry of URLs is the introduction of spelling errors, which are particularly common because of the characteristics of URL syntax and structure. Often long, the URL often includes terms, such as "http", "com", "org", "gif", "jpeg", that are not commonly known by users. URLs may also be in a foreign language, especially for those users in non-English speaking countries. Additionally, the URL may include odd special characters such as .about., , and @ that are difficult to type and hard to remember. The fact the URLs interpret upper and lower case letters differently is yet another source of user input error. Finally, the user is often relying on a quickly made note or just his memory from a brief appearance of a URL or from a spoken URL in an advertisement. All of these factors taken together provide a rich basis for the introduction of spelling errors during manual entry of URLs.
In order to assist the user with manual URL entry a spelling checker is needed. Spell checking in general is well established in the art, with numerous different implementation schemes. The central idea of a spelling checker is to take the word in question and compare it to a dictionary of legal spellings to find one or more words that are spelled roughly the same way and to then provide the user the ability to chose the correct word from a list presented by the spelling checking program.
However, traditional spelling checkers, using the prior art, are unsuitable for use in the WWW environment for several reasons. The dynamic nature of the WWW, where new URLs are constantly being created, precludes the use of a static dictionary. The sheer number of URLs precludes the use of a dynamic dictionary: as of April 1996 there were more than 30 million URLs on the WWW. Additionally, since the WWW operates in a client-server environment, only the server knows what URLs are valid for accessing WWW pages residing on that server. Servers often contain files (pages) that are not intended for general use and the server administrators rely on the fact that only users who know the exact URLs can retrieve those files. The introduction of sophisticated spelling checkers for URLs must take this fact into account. Finally, the prior art provides no mechanism for utilizing knowledge obtained from other users, behavior.
As an example of the prior art, Netscape's Navigator WWW browser performs a simplistic spelling check on manually entered URLs. Specifically, the program tries to identify and correct problems with the protocol and server names. The program will try adding "http://" to the URL if no protocol is specified, it will also add "www." before and ".com" after the domain name if they are not present in the manually entered URL. These spelling check capabilities are simple but helpful, but are not sufficiently robust or extensive to solve the general problem of spelling errors in manually entered URLs.

Client-side, server-side and collaborative spell check of URL's


A sorting and inspection apparatus comprising a feed system for delivering a product stream sequentially through an imaging zone and a sorting zone, at least one tight source for illuminating a product at the imaging zone, at least one optical sensor and detector circuit for viewing at least a portion of the illuminated product at the imaging zone, for collecting viewed data, for determining a condition of that at least portion of the illuminated product from the viewed data and then for outputting a signal dependent upon the determined condition of that at least portion of the illuminated product, and at least one ejector for ejecting product at the sorting zone dependent upon the output signal. The imaging zone comprises at least two sensor zones, sequentially arranged one after another in a direction of the product stream. The data collected from the at least two sensor zones is temporally delayed between an earlier one of the sensor zones and a subsequent sensor zone, with the temporal delay being set at a time that would match a sensor output for the said earlier one of the sensor zones with a sensor output for the said subsequent sensor zone for a hypothetical product travelling through the viewing zone at a fixed, predetermined velocity. The apparatus additionally determines the velocity of each product that passes through the sensor zones. The determined velocity, or its difference from the predetermined velocity, used in a determination of a shortened but non-clipped sector of each sensor zone from which to use collected data for basing its defect determination.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sorting and inspection apparatus, and particularly an optical sorting and inspection apparatus, for example for inspecting and then sorting bulk food stuffs such as grain, rice, nuts, pulses, fruit and vegetables. Examples of such apparatus are described in International Patent Publication No: WO98/018574, European Patent Publication No: EP0838274, US patent Specification No: U.S. Pat. No. 4,630,736 and GB Patent Publication No. GB2471885, the entire disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
(2) Description of Related Art
In machines of these types, a stream of products to be sorted is delivered, usually in free flight, through an imaging zone and a sorting zone. In the imaging zone, designated defects are looked for, and in the sorting zone, any products on which defects have been identified, and which products are thus to be rejected, are removed or separated from the stream of products. The removal is usually by way of one or more blasts of gas, such as air, from one or more ejectors disposed adjacent the stream of products.
In such machines, the required throughput is normally determined by the production rates elsewhere in the processing plant. Normally though, the required throughput is high and is typically measured in tonnes per hour, whereby for small products, the throughput is very rapid, with large numbers being sorted every second.
Food producers often use sorting and inspection apparatus, such as optical sorting machines, to sense defects in their foodstuffs, and thus to allow the removal of any defective, i.e. non-standard, products from the product stream. This in turn allows the sorted product to meet a client's agreed grade or quality standard, but yet while still maximising the total production yield from the unsorted product stream to the best extent possible, in a given timeframe. The quality standard usually specifies individual maximum levels of contamination for different types of defect. For example, when sorting rice, the defects might be insect-damaged "peck-grains", or chalky grains or yellow grains, with maximum levels for these contaminants being say less than 0.1% peck, less than 1% chalky and less than 0.2% yellow. Some customers also specify restrictions on the numbers of grey grains.
As used herein, the term "defect" or "defective" should be understood to include both blemishes on articles being sorted and whole articles/products which are unsatisfactory for that reason, or for another reason. It can also include foreign material or extraneous product.
Optical sorting machines identify defects in the product being sorted by using known techniques, such as by continuously analysing images of product (or parts of products) in the stream, taken at the imaging zone using sensors. Output signals from an image analyser can then be used to allow a control system to instruct the ejectors as appropriate, so as to eject the defects identified in the images, and thus also the products featuring those defects.
Usually the sensors are optimised to detect a particular type of defect. However, a sensor, or a line on a sensor, can be optimised for a specific sorting criteria, which sensor or line on a sensor may then also happen to usefully detect another type of defect, either because a product has more than one type of defect or because the sorting criteria are not wholly independent of each other. Optimisation may be by having each sensor or line of sensor look at a particular wavelength of light, or set of wavelengths of light, such as by providing the sensor or the line of pixels of the sensor with a specific filter. Alternatively or additionally, the light source may be tuned to provide at the viewing window of the sensor, or for a line thereof, an illumination of the product steam characterised by a desired wavelength or set of wavelengths of light, or with an illumination that omits certain undesired wavelengths, so as to suit the defect detection optimisation. This also can be achieved with filters, for filtering the emitted light prior to illuminating the product stream. Flashing lights can also allow alternating light colours.
With regard to that optimisation, there is no certainty that a given optimisation will offer exclusive detection for a specific form of defect. For example, an optimised detection criteria for rice, designed to detect peck-grains, may also identify some chalky and some yellow grains for removal. Furthermore, even though a particularly optimised detection criteria will typically identify the majority of one type of defect, it can also incorrectly classify some good products as being defective, since the optimisation is not necessarily optimised or appropriate as a means of detection for other forms of defect. For this reason, different criteria detections, using more than one optimisation, can be carried out either simultaneously using prisms, or in series as the product passes down or across through the imaging zone, again potentially using a flashing light source with sequential variable colours, or using different filters on two or more sensors or two or more lines of a sensor). For example, a first defect criteria detection may be carried out in a first part or line of the imaging zone, potentially using a first flash of illumination, perhaps of a first colour, e.g. blue, and a second defect criteria detection may be carried out in a fractionally spaced, usually lower, second part or line of the imaging zone, potentially using a second flash of illumination, perhaps of a different colour, e.g. red. These serial detections then allow both for two optimised detections to be carried out so as to allow the sensor(s) to optimally check for two or more different defects, and thus offer detection by means of individual optimisations. Where appropriate or possible given the optimisations used and the given characteristics of the detected product, it could also allow for cross-checking or correlation between the sequential or separate detections made by the detection circuit.
A problem occurs, however, with sequential detections, whether using flashing illuminations or frame by frame detections, in terms of matching up one detection with the next, so as to allow a cross-check or correlation to be performed, and that is related to the fact that whereas the frequency of the flashing, or the frequency of the image frame rate, or both, is typically fixed for a given viewing zone of a sorting apparatus, the speed of passage (velocity) of the individual, sequential, products in the product stream passing through that viewing zone is not fixed at the imaging zone—some products are travelling faster than others. After all, a product's velocity can depend on a number of situational characteristics, such as the design/features of the apparatus, the characteristics of the products themselves, the ambient environmental conditions, and the individual interactions between the various elements and products involved. For example, in rice sorting equipment, where the rice grain is passing through the viewing zone effectively in free fall, the velocities in the feed plane, i.e. through the imaging zone, are typically going to be anywhere between 3.5 m/s and 4.3 m/s. As a result, the specific timing of the commencement of the passage of a particular product into each part of the viewing zone is somewhat random. As such, there can be variations in the detection images used for the two or more sequential steps in the detection process, from one line or one sensor to the next, thereby making it hard to cross-check the separate detections, and this can lead to variable detection accuracy. Attempts in the past to compensate for this have included trying to synchronise timing of flashed illumination to the products in the product stream, but that is too complicated, especially since a sorting apparatus may feature many separate product streams, each steam potentially being perhaps no more than a meter wide with a product flow in the order of more than one tonne per hour, and thus very densely populated with grains, and it is possible that the average speeds of those separate product streams will themselves be different or non-constant over time, since ambient condition can change or since different streams on a machine may have different functions, i.e. a flat or primary stream may have an average speed of 3.9 m/s and a re-sort or channelled stream may have an average speed of perhaps 3.5 m/s, and yet both may be on the same machine. Further, the multiple product streams are likely each to have their own viewing zone, and thus may have their own sensor(s) and light source(s). Therefore the product streams may be desired to be configured/synchronised separately for optimising detection performance.
As such, optimally setting up the system so as to allow a correlation of detections from one sensor or line to the next, i.e. for comparing detections on supposedly the same portion of a product in a given product stream, and doing the same for every product in every product stream, is less than straightforward.

Sorting and inspection apparatus and method with determination of product velocity


A method and apparatus for piecing a broken end of yarn at an open end spinning station utilizing a piecing cart servicing the spinning station. To repair the yarn break, a defined yarn length is unwound off the winding bobbin and is temporarily stored in a yarn reservoir disposed between a yarn draw-off device and a lap drive of the piecing cart. Subsequently, the winding bobbin is acceleratively driven by the lap drive sufficiently in advance of actuating the yarn draw-off device to achieve a predetermined winding speed as of the time the withdrawal of spun yarn from the spinning unit resumes.

Open end spinning machines, such as are known, for example, from the manual "Autocore" of W. Schlafhorst & Co., have a plurality of aligned work stations, which are serviced during the spinning operation by an automatically operating service unit, often referred to as a piecing cart, which can be moved along the work stations.
As described, for example, in German Patent Publication DE 43 13 523 A1, the piecing cart can exchange finished yarn cheeses for empty winding tubes and can also repair yarn breaks at the spinning stations. In case of a yarn break, the piecing cart first cleans the respective spinning station and thereafter reattaches the yarn with the fibers being spun within the spinning station by a so-called piecing operation.
Automatic yarn piecing by the piecing cart takes place within a predetermined range of rotational speeds (rpm) of the spinning rotor which are optimal for piecing. Accordingly, the piecing cart is equipped with a device for measuring the rotor speed. Following cleaning, the cart starts the speed measurement when a rotor brake is disengaged from the rotor shaft and the rotor is accelerated to its operating speed. The actual yarn piecing cycle is started at predetermined optimal piecing speed.
So that the pieced yarn has a continuous thickness and twist during the continuing acceleration of the rotor to its operating speed, the draw-in of fibers into the rotor and the draw-off of yarn from the rotor must be accelerated in the same way as the rotor speed increases.
During the piecing process the piecing cart therefore takes over the drawing-in of the fiber into the spinning unit as well as the yarn draw-off from the spinning unit, and at the same time also accelerates a drive of the cheese onto which the yarn is being wound. The drive of the cheese, which may also be called a winding bobbin, is performed in this case by means of a so-called lap drive. The lap drive has a drive roller disposed at the end of a drive arm, which is pivoted against the surface of the winding bobbin for accelerating it.
This known method has proven effective in actual use and is employed in connection with a number of open end rotor spinning machines. However, as the productivity of open end rotor spinning machines has continued to increase, very high rotor speeds and correspondingly high yarn draw-off speeds have become common. This increase in the yarn draw-off speed makes it likely that in the future difficulties will arise during the piecing process, since the present-day lap drives are not well suited to accelerate large yarn bobbins, which have a correspondingly high moment of inertia, sufficiently that the yarn winding speed can follow the high acceleration of the yarn draw-off device. In this context it must be taken into consideration that the moment transfer by means of a friction wheel is limited, even if the acceleration capability of such drives can be optimized, for example by means of the material selected for the drive roller, its contact pressure against the winding bobbin, its looping around the yarn roller, the pressure surface of the latter and its profile.

Method and apparatus for piecing a broken yarn at an open end spinning station


A method for reviewing data dependencies in a document that includes requesting an explanation of a dependent data container in a plurality of data containers, in which the dependent data container resides within a document, and receiving the explanation of the dependent data container, in which the explanation that includes information about the dependent data container and information about a precedent data container of the plurality of data containers, and in which the information describes the dependency between the precedent data container and the dependent data container.

The typical computer system includes at least one processor and a memory device. Executing on the computer system are various types of applications, such as operating system applications and user applications. Typical user applications require that a user enter data into the application. For example, user applications that use forms, such as spreadsheets, databases, web pages, and tax applications are designed around the concept of forms. A form corresponds to any type of document (Hyper-text Markup Language (HTML) page, spreadsheets, etc.) in which functionality is achieved through a combination of fields and calculations. A field in a form stores a data value, which may be supplied by the user (or other outside resource), or calculated using an equation.
Often, the interdependencies in an application are complicated. For example, the interdependencies between fields in a form and the equations used in different fields are often not intuitive to programmers or users. For example, in a tax application, a user may be unable to understand how input in one field relates to input in another field. Specifically, the user may only see the end result of any calculations that are performed.
In order to understand the interdependencies of a document, users (e.g., users of a spreadsheet application) rely on static explanations that are produced by individuals writing the help files. The help files correspond to a snapshot of the description of the application at the time the application is created. Accordingly, the explanation found in the help files is static in nature. Thus, the explanations found in the help file remain static even when the documents that the help files are explaining are dynamic. When modifications are made to the form and a new version of the application is produced, each affected portion of a help file must be updated to ensure the help files are consistent with the form.

Method and system for explaining dependencies on a document


A pharmaceutical or dietetic composition or both a pharmaceutical and dietetic composition having antioxidant activity contains carnosine or derivatives of carnosine and leucine, isoleucine and valine. It may also contain other components such as carnitine, vitamins, oligoelements and bioflavanoids.

Free radicals and the peroxidative processes caused by them have been known for a long time to be one of the causes of the structural and functional degradations of human tissues during aging and of a number of pathologies related to them: tumours; diabetes; hypertension; muscular excessive strain; radiation and sunburn damages; intoxications; ischemia; atherosclerosis; hyperthermia; cerebral traumas; inflammations; cataract; multiple sclerosis; Down syndrome, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease; dermatitis; muscular dystrophy; obesity; hyperlipidemia; hypercholesterolemia; tabagism; alcoholism, etc. (B. Cestaro, (1994), in "Per una vita inossidabile", ETASLIBRI--RCS Medicine, pp. 7-59; G. D. Bompiani, A. Galluzzo, (1990), in "Radicali Liberi in Fisiologia and Minerva Medica", pp. 3-280; Supplement to "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" vol. 53 (n. 1), 1991. pp. 1895-391S; "Radicali Liberi in Medicina", Periodici UTET Scientifici n. 1. dicembre 1993. pp. 1-57; "Lipid Peroxidation: part II Pathological Implications", (1987), Chem and Physics of Lipids, vol. 45 (n. 2-4), pp. 103-353).
Therefore it is important, in order to prevent the aging processes and related pathologies, to keep the concentration of the natural antioxidant molecules, ("free radical scavengers") which are the physiological defenses against free radicals, high both in the different tissues of the organism and in the blood stream, with which a continuous functional interchange occurs; in other words, blood (and the erythrocytes contained therein) can act as a carrier: 1) to provide the necessary antioxydants (both exogenous and deriving from, for example, the oral administration, and taken from endogenous deposits) to a certain tissue (which is at that time subjected to a specific pathological stress condition); 2) to drain the products from the peroxidative processes accumulated in a specific district of the organism.
It is therefore evident that an appropriate chemical-clinical evaluation of the sensitivity of plasma and/or of the erythrocytes (i.e. of the different tissues of the organism) to peroxidation can be an effective prognostic means to evaluate the efficiency of human antioxidant defenses and the capability of the body of defending against the damage induced by said dysmetabolic processes, typical of aging and of the above cited pathologies.
Carnosine (.beta.-alanyl-L-histidine) and some derivatives thereof (homocarnosine, acetylcarnosine, acetylhomocarnosine, etc.) have been known for some time to be among the most important natural antioxidant agents (Boldyrev A., Severin S., (1990), Adv. Enz. Reg., 30. 175-194; Kohen R. et al., (1988), Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 85. 3175-79; Yoshikawa T. et al., (1991), Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 1115. 15-22) and the administration of these compounds would allow to cause an effective therapeutical activity in a number of the above mentioned pathologies (Davey C. L., (1960), Arch. Biochem. Biophys., 89. 303-308; Severin S., (1964); Proc. 6th Intern. Biochem. Congress, 45-61; Nagai K. and Suda T., (1988), Meth. Find. Exp. Clin. Pharmacol., 10. 497-507; Boldyrev A., (1990), Int. J. Biochem., 22. 129-132; Kurelle E. et al., (1991), Byul. Exp. Biol. Med., 112. 52-53; Boldyrev A. et al.; (1993), Int. J. Biochem., 25 1101-1107; Boldyrev A. et al., (1993), Mol. Chem. Neuropathol., 19. 185-192), particularly where the peroxidative damage induced by free radicals is one of the main causes in inducing and/or worsening the pathology. The antiradicalic activity of exogenous carnosine (or of the homologues thereof) is however restricted by the instability shown by said peptide towards the enzyme carnosinase, which is capable of hydrolyzing it into aminoacids components. The carnosinase is present both in the bloodstream and in the various tissue districts.
It has now been surprisingly found that the combination of carnosine with the branched amino acids leucine, isoleucine and valine induces an effect synergistic with the carnosine antioxidant activity, prolonging it in time, at equal doses. Since a direct antiradicalic effect of said amino acids (even if they are known to promote a therapeutical activity in different tissues, particularly in the skeletal muscle, thanks to their capability of increasing the cell energetic metabolism (R. Bernardi, in "Aminoacidi ed Esercizio", (1992), EDI-ERMES editore, Milan, Italy)), it is believed (without however limiting the scope of the invention) that such a synergistic effect can be ascribed to an inhibitory action on carnosinase, which prolongs the half-life of the circulating dipeptide and increases the bioavailability due to both the reaching of the specific tissue targets and the antioxidant action.
As an alternative, non-limiting interpretation, the increased antiradicalic effectiveness could be related to: 1) the cell energetic metabolic increase by the branched amino acids, which would lead to a reduction in the formation of free radicals, particularly those of the oxygen; 2) the indirect antioxidant action mediated by the cell activation induced by said amino acids, via unknown mechanisms and mediators.

Pharmaceutical and/or dietetic compositions with antioxidant activity containing carnosine or derivatives and branched amino acids


A modular approach to the manufacture of high performance military aircraft allows different aircraft to be manufactured at affordable cost and with high part number commonality. An aircraft so constructed includes a delta wing; a forebody section, including a cockpit, which is mounted to the front of the wing; and a propulsion system support frame mounted beneath the forebody section and the underside of the wing. The propulsion system is supported within this frame. The aircraft can also include an aftbody section mounted to the aft end of the wing, which includes a 2-D variable thrust vectoring nozzle and a pair of canted vertical tails. The forebody section includes a chin inlet below the cockpit. The wing is preferably constructed using thermoplastic welding.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to aircraft and airframe structures and methods for manufacturing them. More particularly, it relates to airframes designed for modular fabrication with a high degree of parts commonality for different aircraft based on the same airframe.
2. Background Information
The requirements for modern military aircraft are diverse. For example, some must be suitable for flight off an aircraft carrier. This involves the aircraft being compact and capable of taking off and landing within the constraints imposed by the carrier's physical dimensions. For some applications, a military aircraft must be capable of vertical landing. In others, conventional takeoff and landing capabilities are desired. There also may be differing requirements for cockpit configurations, weapons configurations, and the like.
Up to now, fabrication of military aircraft has been costly. In part, this is because aircraft manufacturers have met differing requirements for propulsion systems, flight regimes, cockpit configuration, and weapons configurations, by designing separate and different airframes for each set of requirements. This leads to high cost, since the lack of parts commonality makes any economies of scale impossible. Thus, high performance tactical aircraft at affordable cost has been difficult to achieve.
It has not been known, heretofore, how to develop a family of separate and distinct aircraft from a single common baseline airframe that can be easily modified to accommodate varying requirements for propulsion systems, cockpit configurations, etc. What is needed is an approach to aircraft manufacturing that leads to a high degree of commonality of parts and affordable cost and, at the same time, high performance using advanced technologies.

Multi-service common airframe-based aircraft


In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method for forming a sacrificial material layer, patterning it to obtain a first patterned sacrificial material layer, embedding the first patterned sacrificial material layer into a dielectric material, treating the first patterned sacrificial material layer to remove it to thus provide a patterned dielectric layer having a plurality of openings in which vias may be formed. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Semiconductor devices are typically formed on a semiconductor die, which is then packaged in a package including a substrate. Substrate capacity and cost is a concern for the microelectronics industry. A substrate can include so-called vias, which are conductive structures to connect different metal layers in the substrate. As advances occur, the cost for laser drilling vias is increasing due to the increasing number of vias and decreasing size of the vias, which forces the innovation of new laser technologies. Due to the increasing number of vias, the throughput time of substrate manufacturing is increased.
Substrates can be formed of organic material including a core and multiple layers of patterned copper separated by dielectric polymer and interconnected by vias. The vias can be formed by carbon dioxide (CO2) laser drilling. This process can be time consuming, and limited to via diameters greater than about 50 microns. Further, practical concerns such as laser via to pad alignment and manufacturing throughput time restrict substrate design to a single via diameter per buildup (BU) layer.


A system, method and apparatus for charging rechargeable battery packs. A battery charger has a means to measure a voltage and a battery temperature and a means to determine a rate of increase in battery temperature of a rechargeable battery pack. The battery charger to fast charge if the voltage and battery temperature indicate its safe and to terminate the fast charge in response to the charge condition. Methods include measuring a battery temperature of the rechargeable battery pack and determining a rate of increase in battery temperature during fast charging to determine a charge condition, One method further includes terminating fast charging if the rate of increase in battery temperature exceeds a maximum rate or if the increase in battery temperature rises non-logarithmically. Another method further includes terminating fast charging in response to the charge condition.

This invention relates to battery charging systems and more particularly to battery chargers and rechargeable battery packs.
Rechargeable batteries are well known in the prior art. Rechargeable batteries are capable of being charged prior to initial use and recharged after being discharged. Generally, rechargeable batteries are charged by a battery charger having a power supply that can provide a supply of DC current. A rechargeable battery accepts the electrical current and converts it into chemical energy. As long as the rechargeable battery is capable of converting the electrical current into chemical energy, the rechargeable battery will not significantly rise in temperature. When a rechargeable battery is at full capacity, it is incapable of converting the charge current into chemical energy and it dissipates any continuing charge current as heat. The heat generated by a rechargeable battery is an ideal parameter to sense that it has reached a fully charged state.
A typical low-cost battery charger provides a charging current that is a relatively low current to a rechargeable battery such that it can be sustained indefinitely without damaging the battery. This low current, typically between 25 milliamps and 100 milliamps, will safely charge a battery from a discharged state to a fully charged state in approximately 4 to 12 hours. This low current provided by the low cost battery charger is sometimes referred to as a trickle charge. The trickle charge current can be set to a level where the battery can safely dissipate excess current into heat without overheating the battery. Generation of excessive heat in a rechargeable battery will cause it to breakdown and reduce its useful lifetime. A disadvantage to using a low current and low cost battery charger is that it requires charging a battery for a relatively long period of time in order to reach a fully recharged state. Using certain precautions, rechargeable batteries can be charged at a faster rate using higher charging currents.
A rechargeable battery can be charged at higher rates provided that safety precautions are taken to prevent overheating of the battery thereby preventing a possible fire, injury to a user, or damage to the battery or the battery charger. Preventing injury to a user is particularly important when a charging system is utilized by children to recharge batteries that are utilized in toys. Additionally, as new fast charge technology is applied to rechargeable batteries for use within toys, safety precautions become very important as a result. A battery charger should assure that a rechargeable battery is not charged at an excessively high rate and that the charging current is removed or reduced, such as to a trickle charge rate, shortly after the battery reaches its fully charged state. The charge rate refers to the level of charge current and the time to recharge a discharged battery. A charge rate is excessive if it exceeds the rate at which a rechargeable battery can convert the charge current into chemical energy. This occurs when the charging current level is higher than the maximum charge current rated for a given battery type and capacity. For example, a typical 50 milliamp-hour Nickel-Cadmium (NiCad) battery can safely be charged up to a charging current level of 200 milliamps while a 700 milliamp-hour NiCad battery can be safely charged up to a charging current level of 2.8 amps. Typically, NiCad battery construction will allow for a battery cell to be recharged at four to ten times its hour rating of battery capacity. Battery manufacturing techniques vary from manufacturer to manufacturer as well as from cell type to cell type which dictates the maximum charge rate for each cell. If the charge rate is excessive, the battery produces heat to dissipate the energy provided by the excessive charge current level. Regardless of the charge current level, when a battery reaches its fully charged state it is no longer capable of converting the charge current into chemical energy. In this case, the battery dissipates the extra charge current as heat and the current should be removed or reduced such as to a trickle charge current in order to avoid damage, maintain battery life, and protect persons and property from harm.
There are a number of types of battery chargers available that will provide for higher rates of charging. These battery chargers are referred to as high-speed chargers or fast chargers. A number of these fast chargers attempt to automatically detect the battery capacity and set an appropriate charge current level. However, fast chargers which attempt automatic detection of battery capacity usually never charge at their fastest charge rate. Instead, because there are so many batteries of varying types from different battery manufacturers having different specifications, typically the lowest battery specification is used to avoid damage. Other fast chargers require that an operator manually select the proper charge current level for the battery that is to be charged. Typically these manually set fast charges allow a charge rate and charge time to be set at the discretion of the operator. An operator can inadvertently set the battery charging parameters to dangerous levels which could result in damage to the battery charging equipment or the operator or others nearby. Others battery chargers are dedicated to a single battery type and capacity with the battery charger designed to supply current levels required for the single battery type. These dedicated chargers typically have a charge rate set to recharge a rechargeable battery outside of an hour or more. The foregoing charge current levels may include a maximum level for a fast charge and other lower levels such as a trickle charge current level for slow charge. To avoid charging a battery after having reached its fully charged state, a number of methods may be employed to provide automatic charge shut-off.
The reader is referred now to FIG. 1 illustrating a cutaway perspective view of a prior art rechargeable battery pack 100. Rechargeable battery pack 100 includes a number of rechargeable batteries 101 coupled in series to generate increased electrical capacity over that of a single rechargeable battery. Typically battery cells are coupled in series to attain the appropriate voltage level for the application. Each rechargeable battery 100 has a positive terminal and a negative terminal. In coupling the battery in series, the positive terminal of the first battery is coupled to the negative terminal of the second battery and the positive terminal of the second battery is coupled to the negative terminal of the third battery and so on. A connecting wire 103 is coupled to the negative terminal of the first battery in the series at one end and the negative battery pack contact 105 at its other end. A connecting wire 104 is coupled to the positive terminal of the last battery in the series at one end and the positive battery pack contact 106 at its other end. In some instances, a battery pack 100 may include a thermistor 110 within the battery pack housing 102 for sensing the temperature of the batteries. The resistance value of this thermistor is representative of the heat generated during a recharging process. The battery pack 100 includes the sensor contacts 115 and 116 that connect to the thermistor 110 by connecting wires 117-118 respectively.
Prior art methods of providing automatic shut off usually evaluate the rate of change in battery voltage over time (xe2x88x92delta V/delta time) or by evaluating the rate of change in battery temperature over time (delta T/delta time) and compare it with battery specifications. The battery temperature in prior art battery packs 100 is measured by the included thermistor 110. The measurement of temperature provided by the thermistor 110 is signaled to a battery charger through the wires 117-118 and sensor contacts 115-116. This type of battery charger will typically include a microprocessor to evaluate the rate of change in battery voltage over time or the rate of change in battery temperature over time to provide atomatic shutoff. A microprocessor is particularly useful when multiple battery specifications need to be compared in a battery charger designed to charge a wide array of battery types and capacities. However, in charging systems that rely on the microprocessor to provide automatic shutoff, it is possible for a program error, power glitch, or other malfunction to cause the microprocessor to bomb or freeze. When the microprocessor bombs or freezes, often times the battery charger continues to charge a rechargeable battery without the automatic shutoff feature provided by the microprocessor. If this were to happen to the microprocessor, an accident may occur. It is also possible in chargers designed with a microprocessor to have manual input of charge rates and times. Manually inputting charging rates and charge times can result in batteries being overcharged, resulting in battery damage, charger damage or operator injury. It is desirable to provide added safety features to a battery charging system in order to avoid injury to persons and property.
In order to provide a measure of battery temperature, thermistor 110 is usually manufactured as part of the rechargeable battery pack. Including a thermistor in the manufacture of the rechargeable battery pack adds considerable expense. Thus, it is desirable to eliminate the thermistor in the rechargeable battery pack while maintaining a means for measuring the battery temperature for the purpose of automatic charge shut-off. One prior art means of removing the thermistor from the rechargeable battery pack is provided by U.S. Pat No. 4,616,171 entitled xe2x80x9cBattery Charger Including Thermistorxe2x80x9d which issued Oct. 7, 1986 to Jean Hernandez and Alain Verdier (xe2x80x9cHernandezxe2x80x9d). In the Hernandez patent, a thermistor, xe2x80x9cTherxe2x80x9d, is provided within a battery charger. In Hernandez, the battery charger casing 121 requires a side. opening 120 and the battery pack housing 202 requires a side recess or cutout to allow the thermistor to couple to the rechargeable battery pack 200 inserted into the battery charger. Hernandez requires that a contact plate 100 of the thermistor mechanically and electrically couple to the electrically conductive casing 206 of an end battery cell 204 through the side recess or cutout 212. In Hernandez, the contact plate 100 and the thermistor are supported by supporting wings 57 which are mechanically deformed to allow pivoting and proper coupling when a rechargeable battery pack is inserted. Without contact being established between the thermistor Ther and the selected battery cell of the rechargeable battery pack, the thermistor remains electrically unconnected in Hernandez. If a faulty connection between the thermistor and the rechargeable battery pack is detected, the battery charger prevents the rechargeable battery pack from being charged. The Hernandez charging circuit has only one thermistor. While it is desirable to reduce the number of thermistors, one thermistor may only sense battery temperature while ambient temperature may be ignored. Furthermore, the battery charger of Hernandez patent provides only one level of charge rate of a rechargeable battery pack. Referring to FIGS. 5-6 of Hernandez, the casing 201 of the rechargeable battery pack 200 includes contact strips 211 to which end terminals of the end battery cells 204 couple on one side while the terminals 5 and 6 of the battery charger couple on an opposite side so that end terminals of the rechargeable batteries cells in a rechargeable battery pack do not directly couple to the battery charger.
A disadvantage to the battery charger of Hernandez is that mechanical components that allow pivoting may become damaged or break and not allow proper coupling of the thermistor to a rechargeable battery pack such that the battery charger would not function. It is desirable to reduce the number of mechanical components in a battery charger at the thermistor connection to improve reliability of a battery charger.
A further disadvantage to the battery charger of Hernandez is that the addition of casing cutouts and mechanical components to include the thermistor in the battery charger increases manufacturing costs. It is desirable to provide a lower cost battery charger having a thermistor for sensing temperature to provide an automatic shutoff.
Another disadvantage to the rechargeable battery pack of Hernandez and other prior art rechargeable battery packs is that the rechargeable battery pack includes extra contact strips and or wires to couple between the battery terminals of the batteries and the battery charger terminals. It is desirable to reduce the connectors between the battery terminals and the battery charger in a rechargeable battery pack to lower the cost of manufacturing a rechargeable battery pack and to improve the charging performance provided to a rechargeable battery pack by a battery charger.
Another disadvantage to Hernandez and other charging systems is that marginal safety features are provided to assure automatic charge shutoff when a rechargeable battery pack has reached its fully charged state. It is desirable to provide a new battery charging system having redundant safety features.
The present invention includes the methods, systems and apparatus as described in the claims. Briefly, a battery charging system for a rechargeable battery pack is disclosed. The rechargeable battery pack and the battery charger are mechanically and electrically coupled together in order to charge the rechargeable battery pack. The battery charger has a fast charge rate and a trickle charge rate. The battery charger includes a thermal sensing means at its negative charging terminal to directly sense the temperature at the pole of the negative terminal of a battery cell in the rechargeable battery pack to determine when to automatically cutoff charging at the fast charge rate and charge thereafter at the trickle charge rate. The rechargeable battery pack has openings that allow the battery charger terminals to directly couple at the poles of the battery terminals of the end batteries for more accurate temperature sensing. The battery charging system provides for a quick load system to more easily lock the rechargeable battery pack into the battery charger. The battery charger has a receiving hook to couple to locking tabs of the rechargeable battery pack to prevent it from being dislodged by movement of the battery charger. The rechargeable battery pack includes a polarity slot in its case to mate with a polarity key in the battery charger to avoid improper installation.
The charging control system of the battery charger provides for redundant safety systems which are independent from microcontroller control in order to provide independent automatic shut off of the fast charge rate. One independent safety system provides that an inserted rechargeable battery pack is charged at a fast charge rate only when its voltage measures within a chargeable voltage range. If the voltage of the rechargeable battery pack is outside the chargeable voltage range then the battery charger charges at the trickle charge rate in order to avoid harming persons or damage property including the battery under charge and the charging system. An additional independent safety system provides that an inserted rechargeable battery pack is charged at a fast charge rate only when its battery temperature measures within a safe chargeable temperature range. These independent safety systems provides redundancy to that provided by the microprocessor such that if the microprocessor is frozen or non-functional, they will keep the battery charging system operational over a safe range.
Normally, the charging system is controlled by the microcontroller within the boundaries of the independent safety system. The microcontroller determines an indication of temperature of an inserted rechargeable battery pack and using a timer determines the rate of change of battery temperature. If the rate of change in battery temperature is at an acceptable level and within the set of battery parameters, the battery charger can fast charge the rechargeable battery pack. If the rate of change in battery temperature when charged at a fast charge rate is at an unacceptable level, the rechargeable battery pack is charged at the trickle charge rate. LED indicators provided by the battery charger are illuminated in various ways to indicate to a user whether or not the battery charger is properly charging and whether a charging cycle has been completed.

Methods and apparatuses for rechargeable battery pack chargers


A method and system for secure payment by using a mobile communication device, which may operate using substantially existing communication protocols, and securely identify the mobile device.

There are several known methods for providing a product, and in particular, payment for products or services other than phone usage or airtime, by using a mobile phone. In some known methods, the user may use the phone to call a phone number or send a text message, for example, according to instructions written on a machine providing the product or service. The user may then receive the service and the money may be debited through his mobile account. However, when the call or message is received, there is no certainty that the user is standing by the machine and ready to receive the service, and the product or service may be provided to a person other than the owner of the mobile phone account who is charged therefor.
Other methods of payment, for example, a method called Near Field Communication (NFC), may include pre-loading of a smart card, for example, a SIM or UICC, with an amount of money, wherein the smart card may be installed on the mobile phone, and the machine may have a smart card reader. Alternatively, a credit card may be loaded into the smart card. The money may be subtracted from the pre-loaded amount on the smart card or from the credit card account, for example, by RFID (radio frequency identification) technology. This method, however, typically requires a special design or modification of the mobile phone to include RFID communication elements separate from the telecommunications elements, and therefore, this method enables payment only by users having such specially adapted phones, and therefore, for example, this method is not available for any user of a mobile phone. This method may also require cooperation between the mobile network operator and a credit provider, for example, a bank.
There is therefore a need for a method and system for payment using a mobile phone or other communication device substantially using existing mobile phone hardware and/or communication protocols.

Method and system for providing a product or service using a mobile communication device


Powder coating compositions having improved mar and scratch resistance are disclosed. The coatings generally comprise one or more particles that have been modified to render the particles more surface active. The improved resistance is achieved without affecting the appearance or mechanical performance of the coatings. Methods for using the coatings, and the substrates coated therewith, are also disclosed.

"Color-plus-clear" coating systems involving the application of a colored or pigmented basecoat to a substrate followed by application of a transparent or clear topcoat over the basecoat have become increasingly popular as original finishes for a number of consumer products including, for example, cars and floor coverings such as ceramic tiles and wood flooring. The color-plus-clear coating systems have outstanding appearance properties, including gloss and distinctness of image, due in large part to the clear coat.
"One coat" systems comprising a one coat color layer are applied themselves as the topcoat. One coat systems are frequently used for household appliances, lawn and garden equipment, interior fixtures, and the like.
In recent years, powder coatings have become increasingly popular; because these coatings are inherently low in volatile organic content (VOC), their use significantly reduces air emissions during the application and curing processes.
Topcoat film-forming compositions, such as the protective and/or decorative one coats for household appliances and the transparent clearcoat in color-plus-clear coating systems for automotive applications, are subject to defects that occur during the assembly process and damage from both the environment and normal use of the end product. Paint defects that occur during assembly include the paint layer being too thick or too thin, "fish eyes" or craters, and under-cured or over-cured paint; these defects can affect the color, brittleness, solvent resistance and mar and scratch performance of the coating. Marring and/or scratching can also occur during assembly due to handling of the parts, and particularly during transit of the parts to the assembly plant. Damaging environmental factors include acidic precipitation, exposure to ultraviolet radiation from sunlight, high relative humidity and high temperatures; these factors can also result in compromised performance. Normal use of consumer products will often lead to marring, scratching and/or chipping of the surface due to contact with hard objects, contact with brushes and/or abrasive cleansers during normal cleaning processes, and the like.
Thus, there is a need in the coatings art for topcoats having good scratch and mar resistance.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Coating compositions with modified particles and methods of using the same


A data transfer system which improves efficiency in direct data transfer from an input device with a first-in first-out (FIFO) memory serving as a buffer to a memory and from a memory to an output device with a first-in first-out (FIFO) memory serving as a buffer. The data is transferred from the input device to the memory and from the memory to the output device by meeting the requirement of address alignment without restricting data transfer to fixed multiples of, for example, four words. A memory write controller is informed as to how much data is present in the buffer in the input device. The controller checks memory address alignment to determine the transfer size of data from the input device to the memory. A memory read controller is also informed as to how much free space is present in the buffer in the output device and checks the memory address alignment to determine the transfer size of data from the memory to the output device. The request lines from the input device are used to indicate that data in the FIFO is either one word or more, two words or more or four words or more. A maximum data transfer size is determined automatically from an amount of data stored in the buffer of the input device and a check on memory address alignment.

1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates to a data transfer system for use in a computer system and, more particularly, to a data transfer system for performing direct data transfer efficiently from an input device having a first-in first-out (FIFO) memory, serving as a buffer, to a memory and from a memory to an output device having a first-in first-out (FIFO) memory serving as a buffer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recent speeding-up and up-sizing of computer systems have enabled very big problems to be treated. Quantities of data to be treated have consequently become huge. Thus, the performance of computer systems is frequently influenced by input/output data rate. In a system configuration such as a parallel computer, large quantities of data are transferred between computing elements for information interchange.
In order to realize a high-speed computer system, it is required to input and output data faster and more efficiently than before.
In computer systems, direct memory access (DMA) systems are now widely used for direct data transfer between a memory and an input/output device without intervention of a central processing unit.
FIG. 1 (PRIOR ART) is a block diagram of a related art processor system using the DMA system. In this processor system, data is transferred from an input device 1 to a memory system 2 and from the memory system 2 to an output device 3 via a common bus 4 under the control of a direct memory access controller (DMAC) 5. A processor 6 is connected to the common bus 4 to control the entire system. The input device 1 is equipped with a first-in first-out (FIFO) memory 7 for storing input data and the output device 3 is equipped with a first-in first-out (FIFO) memory 8 for storing output data.
In FIG. 1, a request line 1 becomes active when data is present at the FIFO 7 of the input device 1, so that a request for transfer is sent to the DMAC 5. The DMAC 5 renders a memory write line 3 and a memory read line 2 active for data transfer. When there is free space in the FIFO 8 of the output device 3, a request line 4 becomes active, so that a request for transfer is sent to the DMAC 5. The DMAC 5 renders a memory read line 6 and a write line 5 active, so that data is transferred from the memory system 2 to the output device 3. The size of a unit of such data transfer is generally determined at the time of the initialization of the DMAC 5. For this reason, even if any number of pieces of data are present in the FIFO 7 of the input device 1 or any amount of free space is present in the FIFO 8 in the output device 3, data transfer is effected in a transfer unit the size of which was determined initially.
It is usual that, in realizing a memory system, transferable data sizes vary with access addresses of a memory and thus data transfer rates vary correspondingly. FIG. 2 (PRIOR ART) illustrates an example of a memory. In the Figure, one rectangular area represents 1-word data (4 bytes) storage area and digits within the rectangles represent addresses represented in decimal notation for simplicity.
In FIG. 2, four words can be transferred only from access addresses of 0, 16, 32, etc., and two words can be transferred from access addresses of 0, 8, 16, etc., but cannot be transferred from addresses 4, 12, etc. That transferable sizes of data vary with memory access addresses as described above is referred herein that the memory has address alignment.
FIG. 3 (PRIOR ART) illustrates specific examples of reading and writing properties of a memory system connected to a bus which is one word (four bytes) wide. In the Figure, there are shown transferable address alignment for 1-byte, 2-byte, 1-word, 2-word and 4-word data and the numbers of cycles required to transfer data of such sizes. Note that AX:Y! represents values of bits X to Y of an address.
The transfer of 1-byte data is possible with any address value and requires three cycles. The transfer of two-byte data is possible only when the 0 bit, or the low-order bit of an access address is 0 and requires three cycles.
The transfer of one-word data is possible only when the 0 and 1 bits, or the two low-order bits of an access address are 0s and requires three cycles. The transfer of four-word data is possible only when the four low-order bits of an access address are all 0s and requires six cycles. For example, if four-word data were transferred word by word, the number of cycles required would be 12. If, however, four words were transferred at a time, the number of cycles required would be six as described above.
In the related art described in connection with FIG. 1, the data size for transfer is previously determined. In order to transfer data most efficiently with as little a common-bus occupation time as possible, it is required to transfer data in a four-word unit with the reduced number of cycles indicated in FIG. 3. In this case, however, there are two conditions that address alignment must be correct and data must be transferred in multiples of four words. It is difficult to meet the two conditions for data transmission.

Data transfer system which determines a size of data being transferred between a memory and an input/output device