In a method and apparatus for manufacturing a cathode ray tube display device, the electrical characteristics and electron beam landing characteristics of a cathode ray tube are measured. A machine-readable recording the measured electrical and beam landing characteristics is then generated. The machine readable recording is then associated with the cathode ray tube. The cathode ray tube and the associated machine readable recording are then supplied to the display device production line.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for manufacturing cathode ray tube (CRT) display devices.
2. Background Description
A CRT display device, such as a television receiver or a computer visual display unit, comprises a CRT connected to associated drive circuitry all enclosed by a housing. The CRT comprises an electron gun assembly directed at a phosphor coated screen, a final anode adjacent the screen, and focus and grid electrodes adjacent the electron gun assembly. Electromagnetic deflection coils are provided in a yoke around the CRT between the screen and the electron gun assembly. The drive circuitry typically comprises a video amplifier connected to the electron gun assembly. In a typical colour CRT display, the electron gun assembly has three electron guns each assigned to a different one of the three primary colours, red, green and blue. Each electron comprises a thermionic cathode. The three electron guns are each connected to a different one of the three video channels in the video amplifier. The drive circuitry also includes line and frame deflection circuits for generating line and frame scan currents in a deflection yoke of the CRT. An Extra High Tension (EHT) voltage generator of the drive circuitry supplies DC drive voltages to the final anode, focus electrode and grid electrodes. In operation, the EHT generator generates a relatively high voltage between the final anode and the cathodes. Electrons from the cathodes are thus accelerated in beams from the cathodes to the screen. At the screen, the electrons excite the phosphors to generate a light output. The beams are scanned in a raster pattern by line and frame deflection fields produced via the line and frame deflection coils. The video amplifier modulates the electron beams in response to input red, green and blue video signals from an external video source such as a personal computer system unit. The raster pattern is synchronised to the input video by input synchronisation (sync) signals supplied to the deflection circuitry by the external video source.
The drive circuitry of some display devices comprises a display processor in the form of a micro-controller which is programmed to control, via digital to analog convertors the video and deflection sub-systems of the drive circuitry.
Conventionally, display devices as hereinbefore described are each assembled on a production line by connecting the CRT to the drive circuitry and then iteratively adjusting display operating parameters such as colour balance and picture geometry to specified production values prior to product shipment. The iterative adjustments consume significant manufacturing time, tending to increase overall product cost. It would be desirable, in the interests of reducing manufacturing time and thus cost, to integrate CRT test measurements from tests conducted by the CRT supplier into the adjustment process applied to the assembled display device prior to shipment.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,377,890 describes a method of CRT manufacture using a machine readable coded marking in which a unique, coded marking in applied to the exterior of a part of a CRT manufactured for the purpose of tracking the location of the part on a production line, adding additional parts to the parts, or testing an assembled CRT including the part.

Method and apparatus for manufacturing cathode ray tube display devices

International Business Machines Corporation


According to this data access method to be used in a network system, while the tag information is read out from the tag memory, the data is speculatively read out from the memory unit in the self node device. When the read out tag information shows that the speculatively read out data is not found in any of the cache memories, such speculatively read out data is sent to the processor in the self node device. When the read out tag information shows that the speculatively read out data is found in one of the cache memories, the data existing in such cache memory is acquired and sent to the processor in the self node device and the speculatively readout data is abolished.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to data access technology preferably applicable to a network system, and particularly to a NUMA (Non Uniform Memory Access model) system.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 21 shows a block configuration diagram showing an example of the NUMA system. In this system, each of several node devices 1000a, . . . , 1000n is connected to the other with a bus 1040 so that they can mutually send and receive the required information between them. Each node device has a CPU 1010a ( . . . , 1010n), a local memory 1020a ( . . . , 1020n) and a control unit 1030a ( . . . , 1030n). In addition, as shown in FIG. 22, the local memories 1020a, . . . , 1020n of the node devices constitute a common memory. The CPU 1010a, . . . , 1010n of the node devices are configured so that they can access such common memory.
In the NUMA system as described above, when the CPU 1010a, . . . , 1010n in the node devices 1000a, . . . , 1000n access the common memory, the latency, which is the period from the start of reading to the completion of data readout, differs among them. A cache is incorporated in each of the CPU1010a, . . . , 1010n so that the number of accesses from a certain node device (hereinafter referred to as the self node device or local node) to the cache in the CPU of the other node device (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the remote node) can be reduced.
If no restriction is imposed to copying of the data stored in the common memory to the cache memory, however, the data copy having the same address in the common memory may be stored in the cache memories of several processors, which would result in frequent accesses between the node devices. This spoils the latency of the access to the cache memory or the local memory of the remote node, which leads to a poorer system performance.
Further, since the local memories constituting the common memory are mounted individually one by one for the node devices in this system, the latency difference between the local node and the remote node becomes larger. This also results in a lower system performance.

Data access method in the network system and the network system


The invention is a shut-off seal assembly for use with the drive assembly of fluid-containing vessels. The shut-off seal assembly first locks the seal carrier of the drive assembly in place so that it may not rotate in a clockwise or a counter-clockwise direction. The seal carrier includes a pair of notches into which a pawl may be fitted preventing seal carrier rotation. The seal carrier surrounds a sleeve which includes a plurality of slots. A backwards rotation of the drive shaft causes drive pins to slide in the angled slots, thereby causing the seal element to move forward and create a seal between the drive assembly and the vessel.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a valve secured to a rotatable shaft that enters a liquid-containing vessel, such as a mixing vessel. More specifically, the present invention relates to a valve that temporarily seals the vessel to facilitate servicing or replacement of the mechanical seal, which is the primary seal between the vessel and the shaft.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The invention relates to a shut-off valve/sealing device for a rotatable shaft that enters a vessel which contains a fluid therein, such as a liquid or a gas, or any other type of flowable material, the fluid being mixed through an opening in the vessel below the level of the fluid. The invention is particularly applicable to large fluid-containing mixing vessels which accommodate an agitator or impeller driven by a motorized shaft. The drive means for driving the rotatable shaft is located outside the vessel with the drive shaft extending through an opening in the vessel, the opening generally being below the level of the fluid contained inside the vessel. The drive means is normally at a relatively low level on the vessel (in other words towards the base of the vessel), thereby necessitating the use of a seal, such as a mechanical seal or stuffing box, around the shaft at the shaft's entry point via the opening into the vessel in order to prevent fluid leakage or escape. Such rotating shafts are often times equipped with a sealant packing contained within a stuffing box housing about the shaft at the shaft's point of entry into the vessel. When the packing is no longer functioning properly, it must be replaced. The shaft may also be equipped with a rotary seal which is subject to normal wear and tear from use near the point of entry of the shaft into the vessel. The rotary seal includes various components which inevitably need replacement or repair.
Typically, when the worn packing or components of the rotary seal or stuffing box need replacement, the entire contents of the mixing vessel must be drained or otherwise removed since the removal of the packing breaks the seal about the shaft at its point of entry into the vessel. The emptying of the vessel is a time-consuming and expensive process and also can potentially cause unnecessary and undesirable waste of some or all of the contents of the vessel, contamination of the vessel contents, or exposure to potentially harmful liquids or noxious gases to persons servicing the seal or tending to the vessel.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,878,677 and 5,303,933 (Larkins et al.) and (Larkins), describe similar devices for providing a shut-off seal for a rotatable shaft without disturbing the housing or rotary seal, as the case may be. Jacking screws are employed, which reach through the flange, for engagement with a shut-off ring. Such devices require the draw of multiple screw jacks to be even or balanced. This is disadvantageous in that a complete and balanced seal is not ensured, thereby allowing the potential for some fluid leakage.
Another significant disadvantage with the aforementioned devices is that both devices employ O-ring seals which serve to prevent leakage around the respective device, even when the device is not in use. When put into use, the O-ring seals are dragged across surfaces that have been exposed to the vessel contents, thereby risking damage to the seals. Furthermore, such damage to the seals risks causing subsequent leakage when the device is returned to its storage position.
There is a need for an improved shut-off seal device for use with a rotatable shaft which extends into a mixing tank or vessel.

Shut off valve assembly about a shaft of a device having an entry into a vessel


A system and method for speech recognition using an enhanced phone set comprises speech data, an enhanced phone set, and a transcription generated by a transcription process. The transcription process selects appropriate phones from the enhanced phone set to represent acoustic-phonetic content of the speech data. The enhanced phone set includes base-phones and composite-phones. A phone dataset includes the speech data and the transcription. The present invention also comprises a transformer that applies transformation rules to the phone dataset to produce a transformed phone dataset. The transformed phone dataset may be utilized in training a speech recognizer, such as a Hidden Markov Model. Various types of transformation rules may be applied to the phone dataset of the present invention to find an optimum transformed phone dataset for training a particular speech recognizer.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to electronic speech recognition systems, and relates more particularly to a system and method for speech recognition using an enhanced phone set.
2. Description of the Background Art
Implementing an effective and efficient method for system users to interface with electronic devices is a significant consideration of system designers and manufacturers. Speech recognition is one promising technique that allows a system user to effectively communicate with selected electronic devices, such as digital computer systems. Speech typically consists of one or more spoken utterances that each may include a single word or a series of closely-spaced words forming a phrase or a sentence.
A common application of speech recognition systems is word processing programs that reproduce spoken words on a computer screen. In such an application, accurate recognition of speech is essential for user satisfaction. Other applications of speech recognition systems include speech-activated electronic systems that provide hands-free operation of various electronic devices.
The most useful and desirable speech recognition systems are those that are able to recognize speech from a wide variety of speakers. There is typically a wide range of speaking styles within a given language, including different dialects and accents of various geographical regions. These different speaking styles may pose difficulties for certain speech recognition systems.
Non-native speakers of a particular language may also pose significant difficulties for speech recognition systems. Certain sounds in a language may be very difficult for non-native speakers to produce, which in turn may increase the probability that a speech recognition system will not correctly identify the sounds as speech components. A speech recognition system that is trained to recognize only a relatively small number of sounds from a particular language may not be accurate enough to satisfy users who are non-native speakers.
Additional difficulties may arise when speakers have less than perfect enunciation. For example, a person may intend the words "want to," but actually say "wanna," which a speech recognition system may not recognize as an English language word. The human brain is typically effective at dealing with variations in speech to arrive at the speaker's intended meaning. Speech recognition systems, however, must be trained to recognize certain speech signal waveforms as elements of human speech. Therefore, implementing an effective and efficient method for system users to interface with electronic devices remains a significant consideration of system designers and manufacturers.

System and method for speech recognition using an enhanced phone set


A mobile communication system, which supports D2D communication that is direct device-to-device communication that is performed by using a radio resource assigned from a network, comprises a user terminal that transmits a message for starting the D2D communication to the network when another user terminal that should be selected as a communication partner in the D2D communication is discovered. The network comprises a communication control device that determines whether to permit the D2D communication performed by the user terminal and the other user terminal on the basis of the message received from the user terminal.

In 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) which is a project aiming to standardize a mobile communication system, the introduction of Device to Device (D2D) communication is discussed as a new function after Release 12 (see Non Patent Document 1).
In the D2D communication, a plurality of user terminals adjacent to one another perform direct radio communication in a frequency band assigned to a mobile communication system. It is noted that the D2D communication is also called Proximity Service communication.

Mobile communication system, user terminal, communication control apparatus, and communication control method


A failure analysis device of the present invention performs a simple and quick failure analysis of a memory device. The failure analysis device for an IC tester analyzes failure data received from a memory device and comprises a memory and a selector. The memory stores the failure data. The selector optionally selects an address to which the failure data is written. The selectors connect the address with an address of the memory and output the failure data to the memory.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a failure analysis device and a memory device measuring device for an IC tester. In particular, the present invention reduces the memory capacity of an internal memory in the failure analysis device and performs an address translation for the stored failure data of the internal memory regardless of an increase in memory capacity of the memory device and complication of an address decoder circuit.
2. Description of Related Art
A memory device measuring device for an IC tester shown in FIG. 6 is known as a conventional device.
The memory device measuring device shown in FIG. 6 comprises a timing generator 2, a pattern generator 3, a driver 4, a device 5 to be measured, a comparator 6, a failure analysis device 70, and the like.
The timing generator 2 outputs a clock signal to the driver 4 and outputs a strobe signal to the comparator 6. The pattern generator 3 outputs a write pattern signal to the driver 4 and the comparator 6, and outputs X and Y address signals to the driver 4 and the failure analysis device 70.
The driver 4 outputs a device address to the device 5 to be measured and writes the device write pattern corresponding to the device address to the device 5 on the basis of the clock signal received from the timing generator 2, the write pattern signal received from the pattern generator 3 and the X and Y address signals received from the pattern generator 3.
The comparator 6 compares the write pattern signal received from the pattern generator 3 as an expected pattern with device readout pattern received from the device 5 to be measured, on the basis of the strobe signal received from the timing generator 2. When one pattern does not coincide with the other, the comparator 6 outputs a failure data to the failure analysis device 70.
The failure analysis device 70 stores the failure data received from the comparator 6 in the internal memory 7D thereof corresponding to the address assigned by the X and Y address signals received from the pattern generator 3.
FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a concrete composition of the above-mentioned failure analysis device.
The failure analysis device 70 shown in FIG. 7 comprises an n-bit shift matrix circuit 7B, an internal circuit 7D, a decode circuit 7F to increase the memory capacity of the internal memory 7D, and the like. Further, reference numeral 73 designates a memory address (line) of the internal memory 7D which is connected with a CPU (not shown) through a CPU bus 72.
The n-bit shift matrix circuit 7B outputs the X and Y address received from the pattern generator 3 shown in FIG. 6 as the memory address 73 obtained by shifting the Y address for the number of the effective bits of the X address and by incorporating one address into the other, and stores the failure data received from the comparator 6 in the internal memory 7D by using a write enable terminal (WE) of the internal memory 7D when the failure data is detected. The CPU (not shown) fetches the failure data stored in the internal memory 7D through the CPU bus 72 in order to carry out the failure analysis.
However, according to the composition of the failure analysis device shown in FIG. 7, there is a problem that when the device address space of the device 5 to be measured is larger than the memory address space of the internal memory 7D, the failure analysis device 70 fetches the failure data into the internal memory 7D thereof and analyzes the data several times.
Further, when the bits used for the X and Y address of the device 5 to be measured are not consecutive, the area of the internal memory 7D, in which the failure data is stored is divided into several sections. Therefore, there is a problem that when the failure data of the internal memory 7D is fetched to the CPU, it takes longer to read all of the memory space of the internal memory 7D.

Failure analysis device for IC tester and memory device measuring device for IC tester


A control apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is a control apparatus that controls an imaging device including a variable optical lowpass filter and an imaging element that generates image data from light incident via the variable optical lowpass filter. This control apparatus includes a first deriving unit and a second deriving unit. The first deriving unit derives a resolution deterioration amount and a false color generation amount on the basis of a plurality of pieces of image data generated by the imaging element through driving the imaging element while changing an effect of the variable optical lowpass filter. The second deriving unit derives a set value of the variable optical lowpass filter on the basis of the resolution deterioration amount and the false color generation amount derived by the first deriving unit.

In a case where a typical single-plate digital camera uses a Bayer coding imager, it is necessary to restore lost information through performing demosaicing processing on image data obtained by the imager. However, it is difficult to fully derive the lost information in principle, which unavoidably causes a decline in resolution and occurrence of artifacts.
It is therefore considered to provide a lowpass filter between a lens and the imager. In such a case, adjusting an effect of the lowpass filter makes it possible to reduce false color that is one of the artifacts. It is to be noted that, for example, an optical lowpass filter disclosed in the following PTL 1 is usable as a lowpass filter that reduces moire.


Machine for binding elongate objects together by at least one wire, in particular for lashing reinforcing bars, electric cables or the like. The machine includes two claws which can be guided down over the objects to be bound together. Feed rollers are arranged for feeding the wire along a guide surface of one claw and across to a guide surface of the other claw, so that it is shaped into a wire loop surrounding the objects on three sides, the legs of which loop can be twisted together on the fourth side of the objects. The twisting-together device includes an arrangement, which is rotatable relative to the claws, and which guide the wire when it is fed to and from the claws. The twisting-together arrangement allows the wire length necessary for twisting-together of the legs of the wire loop to be drawn out while a resistance is overcome.

Conventionally, the lashing of reinforcing bars to form reinforcing mats is carried out with the aid of simple, manual tools, which is a very time-consuming and thus expensive and also laborious operation, which is apt to give rise to attritional injuries. The reason for this is that, when lashing reinforcing mats for concrete slabs, arches or the like using previous aids, the operator has to bend for long periods of time, which leads to great stress on the back.
In this connection, the lashing of the reinforcing bars is usually effected with the aid of tongs or a twisting tool, by means of which the ends of a wire, which is arranged by hand around the reinforcing bars at the various intersection points, are twined or twisted together for firm connection of the bars. Carrying out lashing in the conventional manner also involves risks of accident, especially in the case of work on roofs, bridges and the like, owing to the stooped working position which, inter alia, leads to risks of falling accidents.
In my International patent application PCT/SE91/00571, a machine is described for binding intersecting bars together by means of wires, in particular for lashing reinforcing bars, which machine works in accordance with the method indicated in the first paragraph above. By means of this machine, the lashing operation can be made considerably more efficient at the same time as the abovementioned risks of injury can be eliminated or considerably reduced, as this machine allows the operator to work upright.
In known lashing machines, which are provided with a rotatable twisting head arranged above the jaws so as to replace the manual twisting-together of the wire ends with the aid of tongs or the like, there is inter alia a risk of the lashing wire breaking as a result of excessive tension in it if the wire parts are secured in the twisting head. Furthermore, it can be difficult, owing to tensile forces in the wire, to make the latter surround the reinforcing bars closely at the twisting location.
The present invention is based on the knowledge that this is due to the fact that the machine cannot imitate the movement of the hand during manual twisting. When manual twisting-together of two wire ends is carried out, the wire is first stretched around the reinforcing bars. During twisting, the hand and thus the wire ends will then approach the upper reinforcing bar in the course of twisting owing to the fact that the twisting itself requires a certain wire length.
In a twisting machine with a rotatable twisting head, the wire ends are usually secured in the twisting head throughout the twisting operation, which means that the extra wire length required for the twisting itself cannot be fed down through the twisting head. This results in increased tension in the wire, which may lead to the latter breaking and those portions of the wires which are twisted together being drawn up from the reinforcing bars, so that an interspace is formed between the uppermost bar and the twisted-together portions of the wire ends.
Another disadvantage of known lashing machines is that they comprise pivotable claws which have to be closed and opened a great many times a day by hand movements of the operator, which is very tiring. Moreover, the risk of functional disorders of the machine increases.

Method and machine for binding elongate objects together


Provided are a composition for preparing an electron emission source, including a nano-sized inorganic material and a vehicle, a method for preparing an electron emission source using the composition, an electron emission source including a nano-sized inorganic material and a small amount of a residual carbon, and further, an electron emission device including the electron emission source.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a composition for preparing an electron emission source, a method for preparing an electron emission source using the composition and an electron emission source, and more particularly, to a composition for preparing an electron emission source, the composition including a nano-sized inorganic material and a vehicle, a method for preparing an electron emission source using the composition, an electron emission source including a nano-sized inorganic material and a small amount of a residual carbon, and is further, an electron emission device including the electron emission source.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electron emission devices are devices that emit light by applying a voltage between an anode electrode and a cathode electrode to generate an electric field such that electrons emitted from an electron emission source on the cathode electrode collide with fluorescent materials in the anode side.
Carbon-based materials, including carbon nanotubes (CNTs) having a high electron conductivity, are excellent conductors and are used to focus an electric field. Further, carbon-based materials have a low driving voltage due to a low work function and an excellent electron emission. Therefore, carbon-based materials are used in electron emission sources for electron emission devices.
A method for preparing an electron emission source including CNTs includes, for example, a method of growing CNTs using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or a paste method using a composition for preparing an electron emission source, which includes CNTs, etc. When the paste method is used, production costs may be reduced and an electron emission source can be formed in a larger area than when the CVD method is used. The composition for preparing an electron emission source that includes CNTs, is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,436,221.
However, conventional electron emission sources that include carbon-based materials have insufficient properties, such as current density, lifetime, etc.

Composition for preparing electron emission source, method for preparing electron emission source using the composition, and electron emission source


A method and apparatus for sealing luminal tissue is disclosed. The apparatus is inserted into the lumen of the organ and positioned adjacent an area on the organ to be sealed. Energy sufficient to heat tissue to form a denatured proteinaceous substance is delivered through the lumen to the apparatus. The apparatus then directs the energy at the area to be sealed.

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for applying thermal energy to biological luminal tissue whereby tissue is converted to a denatured protein substance to join tightly approximated luminal tissue segments, and, more particularly to a method and apparatus for reconstructing severed tissue, including vessels and ducts by use of a device which is inserted into the tissue to hold edges of the tissue in tight proximity while directing thermal energy onto the tissue to denature the protein substance therein.
Optical energy transformed to thermal energy has been used to convert biological tissue into a denatured proteinaceous substance for facilitating healing and wound closure. This healing technique is referred to generally as laser tissue welding. Examples of such is laser tissue welding methods are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,672,969, 4,854,320, 5,002,051, and 5,140,984. These methods deliver optical energy to tightly approximated tissue in the vicinity of a wound. This application of thermal energy results in the denaturation of tissue protein including collagen, with disruption of the cell walls which allows the intra- and intercellular fluids to mix, additional heat further denatures this protein soup which binds together creating something akin to a "biological glue".
In many prior methods of optical energy wound closure, thermal energy is delivered through an optical fiber to the tissue being reconstructed. Typically, one end of the fiber is connected to a laser that supplies optical energy to the wound site. Another end of the fiber is typically spaced a predetermined distance from the tissue, the distance depending on the tissue type. A foot pedal or hand held device activates and deactivates the laser. The parameters such as intensity and duration of the optical energy are controlled so that substantially all of the tissue being heated is raised to a predetermined non-destructive temperature. The minimum predetermined temperature is one at which tissue is converted to a denatured proteinaceous substance. The maximum predetermined temperature is one at which water in the tissue boils.
Other methods known for healing and wound closure include suturing and stapling. These methods are also used in endo-surgery or minimally invasive surgery in combination with various types of scopes, such as endoscopes, laparoscope, arthroscopes, etc. These scopes along with other medical equipment are inserted by a surgeon through incisions in the patient and then moved to the wound area being repaired. The scope is connected to a monitor so that the surgeon can view the procedure while the surgery is being performed.
Laser tissue welding may be used in minimally invasive and open surgery to repair vessels; however, conducting certain minimally invasive and open operations using laser melding surgery can be unnecessarily tedious as the surgeon welds at successive points along the circumference of the vessel or duct. This welding process is complicated because the distal end of the optical media that directs the energy for the welding must be placed a predetermined distance to the tissue being reconstructed or the area being reconstructed. If the distal end of the media is not at the predetermined distance from the area being sealed or reconstructed, the tissue temperature would be outside the aforementioned predetermined temperature range for proper tissue fusion.
Critical to current tissue welding methods is the necessity to place edges of tissue being repaired in tight approximation. Placing the tissue edges in close or tight proximity allows the denatured tissue constituents to form an intercellular matrix resulting in tissue fusion.
Certain luminal tissue types are very difficult for the surgeon to access with current thermal sealing techniques. Consequently, to thermally seal certain organs and vessels, the surgeon may have to cut or displace other organs that are in the way. This can create complications and can be time consuming.
Another sealing technique such as the one disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,892,098, to Sauer requires that a stent device be placed within the lumen of the tissue being sealed for support at a wound. A circular housing is then placed around the tissue and fed optical energy to seal the wound. The proper placement of this stent device and the set up of the circular housing can be time consuming and result in an inconsistent application of optical energy.

Method and apparatus for applying thermal energy to luminal tissue


The invention relates to a method for providing voice channel-related functions in a telecommunications network, whereby first voice channel functions are centrally provided, and second voice channel functions are decentrally provided. The invention also relates to a telecommunications network for implementing this method.

As shown in FIG. 1, a switching node generally consists of peripheral units (connection equipment for subscribers or lines), a central computer platform, message distribution equipment, and other, central units such as a switching network, protocol termination equipment (for Signaling System No. 7, for example), a background memory, and operating equipment etc.
The peripheral equipment performs essential call-processing functions associated with the voice channels of the peripheral equipment. Said equipment therefore contains call-processing and administration & maintenance programs and the data information associated with the equipment such as port assignment, signaling, classes-of-service, directory numbers, individual characteristics of trunk circuits and subscriber lines, and the capacity level and configuration of the peripheral equipment.
The central computer platform coordinates and controls the connection setup and cleardown process and the responses to administrative configuration changes and to such changes due to faults.
The classical peripheral equipment terminates the trunk circuits for whose handling in call-processing terms it is responsible. The various items of peripheral equipment are linked via the message distribution system to each other and to the common computer platform. The other central system components make special functions, for example for through-connecting the voice channels, processing the signaling protocols, implementing the operator interface, or storing bulk data, available to the switching system.
For fault-tolerance reasons the central components of a switching system are of redundant design (duplicated, for example). The peripheral equipment is generally not of redundant design. It can, however, be of redundant design when fault-tolerance requirements are more stringent (maintaining stable connections when an item of peripheral equipment fails, for instance).
Limitations as regards the number of voice channels that can be terminated no longer apply when signaling and voice transmission take place in a dissociated manner on separate paths and the peripheral equipment's only function is signal processing and/or conversion with no physical termination of the voice channels. For this application, said logical peripheral equipment is determined in terms of its capacity by the power of the processors, the size of the memory, and the capacity of the message interface.
Since more than one route has to be made available for through-connecting voice between an A-subscriber or an A-side trunk (which is to say a trunk circuit to a far-end switching center) and any B-subscriber or a B-side trunk, two different items of peripheral equipment (PE) are generally involved in the connection setup and cleardown process, as is shown in FIG. 2.
The switching center responsible for controlling connections routed outside the switching center can make subscriber or network features known from classical telephone networks (such as TDM networks—TDM: Time Division Multiple Access) available to the A- and/or B-side subscriber. Said features include, in particular, announcements and dialogs which are necessary in certain situations (such as "The number you have dialed is unobtainable", "The number you have dialed has changed; the new number is 722-25940." or determining the class-of-service for dialing into a packet network).
In the classical case where the connection's useful channel is routed into the switching center, these announcements and dialogs can be provided by peripheral equipment having suitable functionality. If, however, the useful data is routed outside the switching center in a packet network, an external system is preferably employed for this. Said external system has interfaces to the packet network for the useful data consisting of announcements and user entries. The external announcement and dialog system (also: IVR system or Interactive Voice Response system) furthermore has a logical control interface to the switching center responsible in the packet network for controlling connections routed outside the switching center, as is shown in FIG. 2.
In the prior art, available IVR systems are generally TDM-based (TDM: Time Division Multiplex) and combine the entire range of functions in order to be universally applicable. This universality has the disadvantage of cost, requiring that maximum effective use be made of an IVR system. Two application scenarios are customary in TDM-based data transmission networks with conventional switching centers (the classical telephone network, for example), as described below:
On the one hand, peripheral equipment of the switching center with hardware modules for providing announcements and DTMF (Discrete Tone Multi-Frequency) signal recognition and/or voice recognition is introduced into the switching center. To play an announcement or dialog, the subscriber/trunk is switched via a 64-kbit/s through-connection to a port of the special peripheral equipment for announcements and dialogs. From the call-processing viewpoint this is a through-connection from an item of A-side peripheral equipment via the switching network to the B-side peripheral equipment with announcement and dialog functionality. The B-side announcement/dialog port acts like a B-side trunk. The type of announcement to be played or type of dialog functions is indicated by means of signaling within the switching center to the peripheral equipment with announcement and dialog functionality, or is permanently pre-defined.
The advantage of this implementation lies in the announcement and dialog functionality's being integrated in the switching center, which is very economical in terms of cost. Broad access to the hardware functionality of the peripheral equipment for announcement and dialog functionality is also facilitated.
The disadvantage of this implementation arises from the fact that if the useful channel is routed on a packet basis or outside the switching center, this functionality cannot be used or can only be used with an upstream gateway (see also FIG. 3) serving as the network interworking point between the TDM-based data transmission network (classical telephone network) and packet network (such as the internet). Furthermore, the voice data which in the prior art is presented in PCM/TDM (Pulse Code Modulation/Time Division Multiplex) technology must be converted into packet data. A load in terms of useful data for announcements and dialogs furthermore arises in the controlling switching center and there is a loss of speech quality due to conversion of the useful data from the TDM/PCM system into packet data.
On the other hand, announcements and dialogs are also made available at the network interworking point between the packet and TDM network as well, or by packet-based IVR systems specially designed for announcement and dialog functions. The announcement and dialog functions are here controlled by the switching center's call control server controlling the connection.
The advantages of this system lie in its being able to be used in packet networks without the need to provide TDM equipment for it, there being no need for additional conversion of the useful data from the TDM system into packet data. However, the disadvantage of this system arises from the fact that the switching center controlling the switching center for connections routed in the packet network cannot access the IVR functions in the packet network.

Splitting up the handling of-voice channel-related functions in a telecommunications network, whereby only the least used functions are centrally provided


An improved laryngoscope blade of the type having a laryngoscope handle attachment fitting and a blade assembly including an illumination source having a light output and a straight blade member with curved end extending from the handle attachment fitting and defining a visualization channel into which the light output of the illumination source is directed. The improvement includes providing left and right frustrum shaped, mirror image wing sections on the straight blade member with curved end for controlling and depressing the tongue out of the line of sight when inserting a tube.

Emergency medical treatment often requires a tube to be inserted past the tongue and through the vocal cords to facilitate breathing or the like. The tube is typically inserted with the assistance of a laryngoscope having a laryngoscope blade that is used to guide the tube past the tongue and through the vocal cords. Because the tongue can prevent medical personal from seeing the vocal cords, it would be a benefit to have a laryngoscope blade that included a pair of wing sections for controlling and depressing the tongue out of the line of sight when inserting a tube.

Laryngoscope blade with tongue controlling wing sections


By introducing an expanded structure into a rubber portion during heating under pressure at the time of integrating a mat, and by using as a backing of a carpet a foamed rubber sheet having an expansibility of 1.2 to 3 times and a skin layer having a thickness of 0.1 to 1.0 mm, the shrinkage of the mat by shrinking, washing and drying after heating under pressure can be relaxed, and the waving of the mat can be prevented effectively. At the same time, the mat of the invention has excellent fitness to a floor surface, light-weight, strength and heat resistance.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a floor mat, particularly used for dusting of shoe bottoms by being laid in an entrance or an inlet of housings and shops.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many floor mats consist of a base cloth, piles tufted thereto and a backing of synthetic rubber fixing and tufted system. They are used as laid on an entrance and exit to prevent intrusion of dusts to indoors from outside in shops, housings and offices.
Backings of synthetic rubbers are generally integrated by laying tufted piles and an unvulcanized rubber sheet and heating them under pressure.
When a mat is made by such a method, the sizes of the original portion of the mat and a rubber portion are fixed at the time of heating under pressure, and after cooling, at ordinary temperature of use, the product gives rise to distortion from differences in the coefficient of linear expansion between the rubber and the fiber, or it remains as an internal stress. Consequently, the distortion appears as a dimensional change such as waving and curling.
In addition to the dimensional difference at the time of manufacturing a mat, a strain from the shrinkage (the rubber is difficult to shrink as compared with the fiber) of the fibers owing to repeated use (due to the repetition of washing and drying) is added. A complex strain occurs on the whole mat, causing waving and curling. Since these shorten the life of the rental mat, this poses a great problem.


MODTRAN is a moderate resolution model and computer code used to predict atmospheric transmittance and background radiance in the microwave, infrared, visible and near ultraviolet spectral regions (0 to 50,000 cm.sup.-1 or 0.2 m to infinity). The code maintains complete compatibility with LOWTRAN 7, specifically, MODTRAN retains all of the capabilities of the LOWTRAN 7 model. Both codes contain the same six built-in model atmospheres; spherical refractive geometry, aerosol models, clouds (water and ice), rain attenuation and options to calculate single scattered solar/lunar radiance, solar/lunar irradiance and multiply scattered thermal and solar radiance. The MODTRAN code improves LOWTRAN'S spectral resolution from 20 to 2 cm.sup.-1 full width/half maximum (fwhm) with an option to vary the resolution between 2 and 50 cm.sup.-1 (fwhm). The band model parameters were formulated from the HITRAN line atlas for twelve atmospheric gases: H.sub.2 O, CO.sub.2, O.sub.3, N.sub.2 O, CO, CH.sub.4, O.sub.2, NO, SO.sub.2, NO.sub.2, NH.sub.3, and HNO.sub.3. These parameters were calculated for 1 cm.sup.-1 bins from 0-17900 cm.sup.-1 at 5 temperatures from 200 to 300 degrees K, all stored on an external data file which is accessed by the program.

The present invention relates generally to systems which calculate the effects of the atmosphere on the transmission of radio and optical beams, and more specifically to a moderate resolution propagation model of the earth's atmosphere. This model can be used for predicting atmospheric transmittance and background radiance from 0 to 50,000 cm.sup.-1 at a resolution of 2 cm.sup.-1 .
The interest in atmospheric transmittance and background radiance along with the associated subject of astronomical refraction goes back to Laplace. With the advent of large telescopes and phase array radar systems, this interest has become ubiquitous, since the output signals of these systems experience attenuation due to atmospheric particles, water vapor and other gases along the viewing path.
The transmittance and radiance along a path through the atmosphere depend upon the total amount and the distribution of the absorbing or scattering species as well as the variation of pressure and temperature along the path. The integrated amount of absorber or scatterer along a path is known by various names, including "column density," "equivalent absorber amount," and "air mass." While the term "air mass" applies specifically to the total amount of gas along the path, it will be used here to refer loosely to the integrated amounts for all the different species relative to the amount for a vertical path.
The task of ascertaining atmospheric transmittance and atmospheric background radiance is alleviated, to some extent by the systems disclosed in the following U.S. Patents, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,010,357 issued to Joseph L. Horner;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,521,861 issued to Russell H. Logan et al;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,075,856 issued to Francis Kneizys et al; and
U.S. Pat. No. 3,986,002 issued to Dorian A. DeMaio.
Perhaps the most significant of the above-cited references is the Kneizys patent; which was filed on Jul. 17, 1989 as U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/383,372 for the LOWTRAN 7 model of the atmosphere, which is discussed below. The Holyer reference discloses a satellite method for measuring sea surface temperature which utilizes LOWTRAN 5, which is a predecessor of the present invention.
In February of 1980, the Air Force Geophysics Laboratory of Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts developed LOWTRAN 5, a Fortran computer code designed to calculate atmospheric transmittance and radiance for a given atmospheric path at low spectral resolution. The details of LOWTRAN 5 are described in a technical report by F. Kneizys et al entitled "Atmospheric Transmittance/Radiance; Computer Code LOWTRAN 5, AFGL-TR-80-0067," the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. This report is available from the National Technical Information Service where it is identified as document number ADA088215.
In LOWTRAN 5, 6 and 7, the atmosphere is modeled as a set of spherically symmetric shells with discrete boundaries. The temperature, pressure, and absorber (gas and aerosol) densities are specified at the layer boundaries. Between boundaries, the temperature profile is assumed linear while the pressure and densities are assumed to follow exponential profiles.
LOWTRAN 6 was developed and described in August 1983 in a technical report entitled "Atmospheric Transmittance/Radiance; Computer Code LOWTRAN 6, AFGL-TR-83-0187," the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. This report is available from the National Technical Information Service, where it is identified as document number ADA137796.
LOWTRAN 6 was an improvement over the previous model LOWTRAN 5, which assumed that the index of refraction was constant between layer boundaries. LOWTRAN 6 assumes a continuous profile for the refractive index, with an exponential profile between layer boundaries. It is more accurate than the previous models and works for all paths.
The LOWTRAN 7 model and computer code calculates atmospheric transmittance and background radiance for a given atmospheric path at low spectral resolution. This version is an extension and update of the current code, LOWTRAN 6 (and its predecessors LOWTRAN 5, LOWTRAN 4, LOWTRAN 3 and LOWTRAN 2). All the options and capabilities of the LOWTRAN 6 code have been retained, but additional refinements have been added, as described below.
The LOWTRAN 7 code calculates atmospheric transmittance, atmospheric background radiance, single scattered solar and lunar radiance, direct solar irradiance, and multiple scattered solar and thermal radiance. The spectral resolution of the model is 20 cm.sup.-1 (full width at half-maximum) in steps of 5 cm.sup.-1 from 0 to 50,000 cm.sup.-1 (0.2 um to infinity). A single parameter band model is used for molecular line absorption and the effects of molecular continuum-type absorption; molecular scattering, aerosol and hydrometeor absorption and scattering are included. Refraction and earth curvature are considered in the calculation of the atmospheric slant pat and attenuation amounts along the path. Representative atmospheric, aerosol, cloud, and rain models are provided in the code with options to replace them with user-provided theoretical or measured values.
In view of the foregoing discussion, it is apparent that there remains an ongoing need to obtain refined estimates of atmospheric transmittance and background radiance, and that state-of-the-art methods are literally adapted for use almost as fast as they are developed by users that include the United States Air Force and other DOD agencies. The present invention is intended to satisfy that need.

System for modelling moderate resolution atmospheric propagation

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force


A method for determining the bubble point pressure and the true flow rate of a fluid in a flow line of a flowing well is provided, wherein the method includes modifying fluid pressure in a predetermined region of the flow line, generating pressure data responsive to the flow line, obtaining apparent flow rate data responsive to the pressure data, examining the apparent flow rate data to identify a discontinuity in the apparent flow rate data and generating true flow rate data responsive to the discontinuity.

The determination of the flow rate of fluids flowing within a well is important to the monitoring and control of the movement of the fluids in the well and reservoir. For example, by monitoring the flow rates of both oil and water from each zone of a well, the water production of the entire well may be controlled by reducing the flow from those zones that produce the highest water cut (i.e., ratio of water flow rate to total flow rate), allowing the reservoir oil to be swept more completely during the life of the well.
One common method for determining the velocity of a fluid in a flow stream involves disposing a turbine blade within the flow stream and measuring the rotational velocity of the turbine blade. In single phase flow conditions, the rotational velocity of the turbine blade is simply related to the velocity of the flow stream. Unfortunately however, in multiple phase flow conditions, such as in a mixed oil and water flow condition, the response of the turbine can be so complicated that the results may not be interpretable. Another method for determining the velocity of a fluid in a flow stream involves injecting a tracer substance into the fluid phase of choice (oil or water) and measuring the time it takes for the tracer substance to travel a known distance in the flow stream. The velocity may then be computed using the known distance and the time of travel. One disadvantage of this method for permanent down-hole use is the need for a reservoir of tracer material and a mechanical tracer injector. Because the reservoir and injector are permanently disposed down-hole in the well, the number of velocity measurements is limited by the quantity of tracer material and the injector is prone to sticking and failure.
Another method for determining the velocity of a fluid in a flow stream involves using local capacitance or resistance sensors. However, this method is only appropriate for flow regimes in which one phase is dispersed as droplets in another continuous phase. As a droplet passes one of the sensors, a signal is produced for a time duration related to the speed of the droplet. Given knowledge of the droplet size by other means, the velocity of the droplet, and hence the fluid flow, can be deduced. One disadvantage of this method is that it does not work at all in a stratified flow regime because it relies on the existence of bubbles.
Another method for determining the flow rate of a fluid in a flow stream involves using a Venturi to measure the total volumetric flow rate. Unfortunately however, due to insensitivity to errors in density and/or pressure determinations, this method may be inaccurate and thus, unreliable.
As such it is an objective of the invention to provide a method for determining the true flow rate of a fluid flowing in a flow line of a well. It is another objective of the invention to provide a method for identifying the bubble point of a fluid flowing in a flow line of a well.


A line image acquisition apparatus suitable for being added onto a line-scan wafer macro-inspection system which incorporates oblique incidence illumination and detection, both for brightfield and for darkfield, which incorporates double darkfield observation capability, which incorporates broadly tunable angle of incidence illumination and tunable angle of detection, which incorporates multi-channel detection into a line-scan macro-inspection system, and which is an add-on feature compatible with current line-scan macro-inspection systems.

When performing macro inspection of integrated circuit wafers, several factors contribute to its effectiveness under varying circumstances. Included among these factors are the illumination angle, illumination intensity, angle of detection, polarization. The illumination and detection angles in particular affect observation in many ways. Brightfield observation occurs when the detected light is specularly reflected from the sample surface, i.e., when the angle of illumination and the angle of detection are the same. Brightfield inspection is useful for inspecting patterned regions with shallow topography, i.e., not much z variation. On the other hand, dark field inspection detects scattered and diffracted light, rather than specularly reflected light. Dark field inspection is often more effective when small changes are being detected, since a small change causes a larger percentage change of the less intense scattered darkfield signal.
In the case of integrated circuit inspection, the metal lines on the circuit in general approximate a grating configuration, so that scattered light usually forms a diffraction pattern. The grating equation applies:sin(θ)+sin(θi)=nλ/D where λ, is the wavelength of incident light, D is the grating spacing, θi is the angle of incidence of light with respect to a surface normal, θ is the angle of detection of light, and n is the diffraction order. FIG. 1a illustrates a resulting diffraction pattern in side view. Incident light beam 100 from illumination source 105 is at angle θi from normal onto sample 110. Zeroeth order diffracted light beam 115, i.e., specularly reflected beam is shown at angle θi, as well as first order diffracted beam 120 centered at angle θ1 and second order diffracted beam 125 centered at angle θ2. The diffracted beams can be thought of as narrow "lobes" centered at the respective angles. The lobes typically decrease in intensity as the diffraction order increases. For detecting small changes in the sample structure, e.g. defocus effects, it is preferable to observe the higher order diffraction lobes, which will show the largest percentage change.
As the grating spacing D decreases, i.e. integrated circuit dimensions decrease and packing density increases, the diffraction lobes separate and spread out. As D approaches λ, it is necessary to have a larger angle of incidence in order to see higher order diffraction lobes. Also, the higher order diffraction lobes will appear at larger angles away from normal as D decreases, therefore the detection angle must also increase. This can be demonstrated as follows:
Assume that D=2λ, and assume normal incidence light, i.e., θi=0. Then the grating equation becomes sin(θ)+sin(0)=n/2, or sin(θ)=n/2. In this case, shown in FIG. 1b, the first order diffraction lobe 130 (n=1) will be centered at a 30 degree angle from normal to the sample surface, and the second order diffraction lobe 135 will extend parallel to the sample surface, nearly impossible to detect. Assuming grazing incidence light, i.e., θi=90 degrees, then the grating equation becomes sin(θ)+sin(90)=n/2, or sin(θ)=n/2−1. In this case, shown in FIG. 1c, the first order diffraction lobe 140 will be at a −30 degree angle from normal to the surface, (i.e., in the same quadrant as the incident light), the second order diffraction lobe 145 will be normal to the surface, the third order diffraction lobe 150 will be at a +30 degree angle from normal, and the fourth order diffraction lobe 155 will extend parallel to the sample surface.
Clearly, then, using oblique incidence light, and being able to tune the angle of detection to be a variable off-normal angle, yield advantages for darkfield sample inspection when higher order diffraction lobes are preferable, as in the case when inspecting for defocus defects. The ability to vary both the angle of incidence and angle of detection of light would provide the maximum flexibility to optimize inspection according to the details of the sample. The use of oblique incidence additionally yields a strong polarization dependence which is not present for normal incidence light. This polarization dependence, which increases as the angle of incidence increases away from normal, is further described in commonly authored and owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/829,727, filed Apr. 22, 2004, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,142,300, on Nov. 28, 2006, which is hereby incorporated by reference. This effect provides substantial background suppression, allowing improved inspection of small changes in signal.
A manual inspection system incorporating a tiltable, rotatable table for mounting the sample on so as to provide a wide range of incidence angles for brightfield inspection is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,096,291, issued Mar. 17, 1992. An inspection system using diffracted light is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,777,729 (assigned to Nikon Corp.), issued Jul. 7, 1998. As described therein, (and as implemented in the Nikon AMI inspection system), the wafer to be inspected is mounted on a tiltable, rotatable plate so as to be able to tune the inspection angle. The wafer motion during inspection causes problems in matching images. Furthermore, the large parabolic mirrors used for collecting outgoing light have a large focal length, resulting in a very large inspection machine, which costs valuable fab space.
An extension of darkfield detection known as "double darkfield" occurs when the incident light beam and the scattered beam which is detected are not co-planar. In the most pronounced case, illustrated in FIG. 2, the xz plane 205 formed by the incident beam 210 and the sample normal 212 is perpendicular to the yz plane 215 formed by the detected scattered beam 220 (by detector 225) and the sample normal. In this case, the detected light has been scattered in two directions, which provides for a very low background intensity upon which small changes are quite pronounced.
A method of incorporating oblique incidence illumination and double darkfield capability, as well as broad tunability of angle of incidence and angle of detection, into a line scan macro-inspection system such as the Viper system by KLA-Tencor (described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,917,588 by Addiego, which is hereby incorporated by reference), would be a significant advancement in macro-inspection technology. (The current Viper system has limited oblique incidence and detection for brightfield, but with angle limited to being fairly close to normal, i.e., approximately + or −30 degrees, so as to not interfere with the motion stage). The additional ability to incorporate multi-channel detection would allow the most complete inspection according to multiple parameter variations.

Oblique incidence macro wafer inspection


Data processing methods and apparatus, wherein an object to be appraised is inputted; the inputted object to be appraised is divided into at least one structural elements which are stored in storage unit; information is inputted which indicates an appraisal for the inputted object to be appraised; a combination of elements constituting the object to be appraised is corresponded to the inputted appraisal, and the correspondence is classified into at least one criterions which are stored in the storage means; an arbitrary criterion is selected from among stored criterions; a combination of structural elements is obtained on the basis of the selected criterion; appraisal information is inputted for the obtained combination of structural elements; the correspondence of the obtained combination of structural elements to the appraisal is compared with the selected criterion to identify a criterion; a combination of elements constituting the object to be appraised is created on the basis of the identified criterion; information is inputted for designating elements to be changed and elements not to be changed in the created combination; and a new combination is created on the basis of the designation information.

The present invention relates to data processing for supporting analysis/judgement based on human sensitivity called "kansei" such as fashion sense and preference which is human's ambiguous reactive characteristic for a sense, and more particularly to data processing methods and apparatus suitable for supporting analysis/judgement which requires high level and various kansei.
A kansei data processing system refers to a system for processing data relative to human's kansei. This kind of conventional system is described, for example, in Mitsuo Nagamachi, "Kansei Engineering", pp 43-84, (Kaibundo, 1989).
According to this article, when a plurality of adjective groups are inputted from a user, a conventional system (kansei engineering expert system) extracts a main image represented by the adjective groups, narrows down only such adjectives that match well the image, independently selects design elements represented by the narrowed down adjectives, and synthesizes and outputs these elements. If the user is not satisfied with the output result, the elements constituting the synthesized design are independently changed to other elements. Incidentally, the relationship between the design element and the adjective is obtained as an appraised value or score by processing survey results using Semantic Differential (SD) for the whole design including respective design elements with the evaluation theory class I.

Data processing methods and apparatus for supporting analysis/judgement


A shock absorber housing for a vehicle, which is provided in a vehicle body, encloses a shock absorber, and is coupled to the shock absorber so that the shock absorber is mounted in the vehicle body, may include a housing cap which covers an upper end of the shock absorber housing, and is coupled to an upper end of the shock absorber, wherein the housing cap includes a curved surface portion extending from the upper end and formed in a curved surface shape that is convex upward.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a shock absorber housing for a vehicle, and more particularly, to a shock absorber housing for a vehicle of which rigidity with respect to a load is increased.
2. Description of Related Art
In addition, a shock absorber is a constituent element of a suspension system, and provided to absorb or attenuate a load inputted from a road surface when the vehicle is driven.
In other words, the shock absorber refers to an apparatus that stabilizes a vehicle body from an external load. In addition, the shock absorber softens an operation of a spring, which receives a load and offsets the received load, and attenuates vibration of the spring.
A shock absorber housing refers to a housing installed on a front side member of the vehicle body, and the shock absorber is mounted in the housing. The shock absorber is mounted in the shock absorber housing, the suspension system is supported on the periphery of the shock absorber housing, and therefore it is required for the shock absorber housing to have high rigidity in comparison with other portions of the vehicle body.
However, if the shock absorber housing does not secure rigidity thereof or does not smoothly distribute the inputted load, driving stability and ride comfort of the vehicle may deteriorate. Meanwhile, when a thickness of the shock absorber housing is increased or additional constituent elements are used in order to secure rigidity of the shock absorber housing, spatial utility may deteriorate. Moreover, a weight of the shock absorber housing may be increased, and fuel efficiency of the vehicle may be degraded.
The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.


Methods and apparatuses for dynamically loading and unloading power management code at runtime in a secure environment are described herein. In one embodiment, exemplary method includes loading authenticated/trusted power management code into a memory of a secure environment of an operating system (OS) and executing the power management code within the secure environment of the OS to handle power management tasks. Other methods and apparatuses are also described.

In many modern communication systems, including computer networks, the reliability and security of the information being exchanged is a significant concern. For example, in the Trusted Computing Platform Alliance (TCPA) model, each computer has a trusted hardware device called a Trusted Platform Module (TPM). TPM may record information about the software and hardware environment of the computer, with each TPM having a unique endorsement key (EK). A certificate, containing information about the TPM and platform, may be issued to the owner of the EK.
Accordingly, application software having a trusted EK may communicate with other applications within the system. However, power management features have not been addressed by the currently available techniques. Currently, the power management code, such as advanced configuration power interface (ACPI) code, cannot be loaded or unloaded dynamically in a secure environment as a trusted module.

Dynamically loading power management code in a secure environment


An illumination rendering method and apparatus includes obtaining a first picture at a target viewing angle from a virtual three-dimensional (3D) scene. The first picture includes a virtual object to be subject to illumination rendering in the virtual 3D scene at the target viewing angle. A target virtual light source point set is determined that performs illumination rendering on the virtual object in the first picture. Illumination rendering is performed on the virtual object in the first picture by using the target virtual light source point set. This illumination rendering improves efficiency in rendering on the virtual object in the virtual 3D scene.

In the related art, before a virtual object in a virtual three-dimensional (3D) scene is displayed, real-time global illumination rendering generally needs to be performed on the virtual object in the virtual 3D scene, and the rendered object in the virtual scene is then displayed.
However, because complex steps that need to be performed on real-time rendering on the virtual object in the 3D scene consume a large amount of resources, the illumination rendering provided in the related art has a lower rendering efficiency.
For the foregoing problem, no effective solution has been proposed yet.

Illumination rendering method and apparatus, storage medium, and electronic device

TENCENT TECHNOLOGY (SHENZHEN) COMPANY LIMITED


The invention provides a method for producing a lead zirconate-lead titanate ceramic material (PZT ceramic) that exhibits higher fired density than conventional PZT ceramics and approximately equal electrical properties. The method employs zirconium oxide sol, containing extremely small zirconium oxide particles, as a raw material.

Ceramics containing lead, zirconium, titanium, and oxygen (PZT ceramics) offer a combination of mechanical and electrical properties which makes them the construction materials of choice for certain categories of electrical equipment. For example, PZT ceramics are employed as capacitors in resonant microwave filters where a high dielectric constant and a relatively durable, non-porous solid phase are required.
PZT ceramics are commonly prepared by mixing lead oxide, zirconium oxide, and titanium oxide in various proportions, sometimes with additional components, and calcining the mixture to induce a reaction which produces a solid solution. The solid produced may be subsequently ground to a powder, pressed into a desired shape, and subjected to a severe heat treatment known as sintering. Sintering removes microscopically small pores from between individual particles of the powder and, ideally, creates a singlephase polycrystalline material without voids which is mechanically durable and substantially homogeneous.
In practice, the small pores are not entirely removed by sintering and voidless polycrystalline phases are only approximated. Researchers currently attempt to increase the density of sintered PZT ceramics by reducing their porosity, and also seek ways of carrying out the sintering at lower temperatures. Additionally, because the grinding of PZT ceramic materials into powder form in preparation for sintering is cumbersome, PZT ceramics having softer particles at the end of the calcining step are desired.

Production of lead zirconate titanates using zirconia sol as a reactant


In a reproducing apparatus having an editing function arranged to permit an editing recording operation to be performed according to an editing program by using another apparatus which is remotely controllable, there is provided an action control command selection mode in which, when action control commands applicable to the other apparatus connected to the reproducing apparatus are to be selected for transmission, a plurality of kinds of action control command codes are serially and continuously selected one after another at intervals of a constant period of time sufficiently long for verifying whether the selected action control command code is applicable to the other apparatus connected to the reproducing apparatus to perform an accurate remote control over the other apparatus, and an action control command for commanding a predetermined action in each of the plurality of kinds of action control command codes during the period of each selection is automatically transmitted a plurality of times, so that the action control commands to be transmitted to the other apparatus connected to the reproducing apparatus can be simply and accurately selected without any complex operation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a reproducing apparatus having an editing function of editing, by using another apparatus which is remotely controllable, a signal recorded on a recording medium.
2. Description of Related Art
There is known a dubbing editing system for performing editing by reproducing a video signal recorded on a recording medium such as a video tape with a reproducing apparatus such as a video tape recorder (hereinafter referred to as VTR) and by dubbing (recording) the video signal with another recording apparatus such as a VTR.
Some of the dubbing editing systems of the kind mentioned above have recently come to be arranged as follows. A remote control signal transmitting part of an infrared remote control device is incorporated within the VTR disposed on the side of sending signals. A plurality of control command codes corresponding respectively to different manufacturers or different kinds of VTRs are stored. A control command code usable for remote control over the operation of the VTR disposed on the side of receiving signals (hereinafter referred to as the partner VTR or the other apparatus) is selected from the plurality of control command codes. Then, actions of the partner VTR are controlled by sending control commands conforming to the selected control command code from the infrared remote control transmitting part of the VTR to the partner VTR.
In the above-stated arrangement of the conventional dubbing editing system, during the initial setting operation thereof, in order to transmit control commands applicable to the partner VTR, it is necessary to select a control command code corresponding to the kind or manufacturers of the partner VTR.
The process of selecting the control command code corresponding to the kind or manufacturers of the partner VTR then necessitates the operator of the dubbing editing system to perform the following verifying actions. A control command belonging to an arbitrary kind of control command code selected from the plurality of kinds of control command codes stored correspondingly to the respective kinds or manufacturers of VTRs is first transmitted to the partner VTR. Then, the operator is required to verify the correctness of the selection by making a check to find if the partner VTR correctly responds to the control command transmitted. If not, the verifying action must be repeated by transmitting a control command belonging to another kind of control command code to the partner VTR until the partner VTR correctly responds to the control command transmitted. Such a process of selecting a control command code corresponding to the manufacturers or the kind of the partner VTR and setting and transmitting a control command conforming to the selected control command code thus has caused quite troublesome operation in performing editing work.

Reproducing apparatus having editing function


A stroke control arrangement (1) for influencing individual threads of a thread sheet, in particular for a warp knitting machine, comprises entrainment devices (20) controllable by piezoelectric transducers (19). The entrainment devices (20) are provided adjacent to the transducers (19) in the transverse direction and are born at one end thereof in a portion (25) supported by a carrier (16) and carry at the other end thereof a transport stop (37). The transport stop (37) in a first position carries a stroke element, which in a second position of the transport stop (37), to the contrary, is left uninfluenced. In this way there is obtained a reliable system for stroke control.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control arrangement for influencing individual threads in a thread sheet, in particular, for warp knitting machines comprising a bar extending in the longitudinal direction having provided therein, stroke elements moveable in the stroke direction and a carrier extending in the longitudinal direction driveable to and fro in the stroke direction which is provided with adjacently ordered piezoelectric transducers. One end of said transducers being connected to the carrier and the other, free end, in dependence upon electrical control signals will either take up a first position, or a second position displaced in the longitudinal direction. The arrangement further comprises entrainment means which are connected to the free end of the transducers. The entrainment means (a) in the first position can move appropriate stroke elements in the stroke direction by contacting a counterstop of the stroke element, and (b) in the second position can leave the stroke element uninfluenced.
2. Description of Related Art
In a known stroke control arrangement of this type (DE 195 14 995 A1, FIGS. 8 through 11) the strip-formed piezoelectric transducers are provided as extensions of the corresponding stroke elements. The entrainment means are attached to flanges attached to and extending beyond both sides of the free ends of the transducers which, in the first position work together with a front facing step of the stroke element and in the second position are so bent that they lie next to the appropriate stroke element, wherein the transducer enters into an aperture in the stroke element. Since the transducers are attached to the carrier and are constantly moved backwards and forwards therewith, it is not necessary to provide sensitive pawls controlled by fixed transducers to the stroke elements (DE 195 14 995 A1, FIGS. 1 through 7). However, certain deficiencies in the transducers must be taken into account.
A purpose of the present invention is to provide a stroke control arrangement of the sort described hereinabove which better addresses the requirements of the art.
This task is preferably served thereby that the entrainment means are provided in the transverse direction adjacent to the transducers and at one end thereof are supported in a construction unit rigidly affixed to the carrier and whose other end carries the entrainment means.

Arrangement for controlling the stroke of stroke elements in a warp knitting machine


A method of image processing and the image processor which includes providing a convolution operator having an input for receiving raw imaging data at a data rate N and a plurality of output paths M. The convolution operator provides a time (phase) delay T to the imaging data between the input and the output paths and applies the imaging data on a time delayed basis to the output paths in phased relation to their time of application to the convolution operator. The convolution operator provides a low pass filtering operation to the data to provide background information. A phase equalization circuit is provided having an input for receiving the raw imaging data at the data rate N and M output paths, one path corresponding to each output path of the convolution operator, to provide a time delay to the raw imaging data at each output path of the phase equalization circuit equal to the time (phase) delay T of the convolution operator. The background information from the convolution operator is subtracted from the raw image data from the phase equalization circuit to provide feature information. A combination of background information and the feature information is then provided. The low pass filtering operation includes providing a one or two dimensional decimation to the data and providing a one or two dimensional interpolation of the decimated data.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a processor architecture and method which allows formation of enhanced, high bandwidth video signals from low bandwidth processing components.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
It is known to fuse or merge video imagery from multiple sources such that the resultant image has improved information content relative to any one of the individual video images as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,140,416 of Richard D. Tinkler, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. The sensors generating the video imagery are typically responsive to different types of spectral content in the scene being scanned, such as visible, infra-red, and the like. This permits real-time high pixel rate operation with hardware implementation of moderate cost and complexity. Image enhancement by frequency content specification is another advantage of the above prior art approach. The flexibility permits application to many different video formats and line rates. Though the above described system and method have operated well for their intended purpose, operation is presently economically available with data rates up to about 16 MHz. Information data rates which far exceed 16 MHz are contemplated, such as 60 MHZ and higher and data rates in the vicinity of at least 60 MHz must have the ability to be processed in the present. Such data rates cannot be handled by the prior art systems since the prior art systems contemplate a single data path which is incapable of proper operation at the newly required increased data rates. The only way to handle data along a single path with increasing data rates is to provide hardware capable of accommodating such increased data rates. Unfortunately, the contemplated increases in data rates far exceed the presently expected increase in data handling capability of the hardware. It follows that an alternate approach is required to handle the higher data rates now contemplated.

System and method for local area image processing


A link of a conveyor chain comprising a main base body, a supporting element for supporting and retaining at least one supporting shaft with which a plurality of first rollers are rotatably associated, the link being adapted to be articulated to a similar adjacent link so as to form a conveyor chain.

In the production of industrial plants for bottling liquids or for packaging items of various kinds, the design of appropriate systems for transferring the products from one processing station to the next and toward the store is extremely important.
In carrying out the production cycles performed by these plants, it is often necessary to convey and stop the conveyed products in chosen positions, so that it is possible to perform the various steps provided by said process, such as for example filling bottles, closing them, or packaging products of various kinds.
Conveyor chains of a known type are currently used to transfer items within plants in which the operating cycles entail conveying or stopping said products in one or more positions; said known chains are composed of a plurality of links, which are mutually connected so as to form a chosen path, which can comprise straight and curved portions.
One particularly felt requirement is to allow to stop the products in the chosen positions without requiring simultaneous stopping of the conveyor chain, which would entail very complex execution and high operating costs thereof.
For this purpose, it is known to provide conveyor chains that are constituted by interconnecting a plurality of links, each of which comprises a base body that has a substantially rectangular plan shape, on the transverse sides of which one or more shafts are supported, said shafts being arranged longitudinally with respect to the base body and transversely to the direction along which the products advance on said chain, a plurality of rollers being freely rotatably associated with said shafts and constituting the upper conveyance surface of the chain.
In a first known type of link, on the transverse sides of the base body there are a plurality of receptacles, which are approximately U-shaped and open upward, for supporting the one or more shafts, the ends of which are inserted from above into said receptacles.
In a second known type of link, at the transverse sides of its base body, there are a plurality of through holes, which are for example aligned in pairs and within which the ends of the one or more shafts are inserted, being thus supported.
In both of these known kinds of embodiment, if the products to be transferred have considerable dimensions and/or weights, the shafts, in view of their longitudinal extension, are made to rest, in one or more of their intermediate points, on a corresponding number of supports, which protrude upward from the base body and have a receptacle for rotatably accommodating a portion of said shaft.
The presence of the rollers in these known types of link allows both to entrain the products and to stop them without having to stop the movement of the conveyor chain.
The transferred product can in fact be locked in the intended position by means of a retention barrier, without generating intense friction with said chain, by way of the interposition of the rollers, which by rotating about the shaft that supports them reduce drastically said force; in this manner, the presence of motionless objects on the chain does not constitute a hindrance to the travel of said chain.
The main drawback that can be observed in these known types of conveyor chain is the fact that they have an intense wear of the intermediate supports, since the shaft that rests on them in an upper region, if turned by the rollers that it supports, slides continuously on said intermediate supports even in the presence of lightweight loads on the conveyor chain.
Another drawback of known types of conveyor chain is that since each shaft rests directly on the corresponding intermediate support, it is extremely difficult to clean said region of the conveyor chain, and therefore debris that arrives from the outside environment or from the conveyed products, such as for example dust or splinters from the breakage of glass bottles, may jam between the shaft and the intermediate supports, increasing resistance to the advancement of the chain and making it wear faster; accordingly, long line downtimes are needed to perform the necessary cleaning operations.
Another drawback of these known types of conveyor chain is that at the intermediate supports there is a considerable discontinuity in the upper supporting surface, which may give rise to imperfect placement of the product on said chain, especially when it has a small contact base, consequently hindering the correct execution of the cycle of the plant within which said chain is inserted.


An improved deposition chamber deposits useful layers on substrates. The improved chamber includes a substrate edge protection system which, in combination with a purge gas, protects selected portions of the edge and underside of the substrate from the deposition gas while preventing the creation of a masked area on the substrate edge. The substrate is supported on a solid receiving plate, and a positioning assembly aligns the substrate to the receiving plate. In some embodiments, the invention may include a stem interconnected to the substrate, a heat limiting member disposed about the stem, and a shroud extending about the stem.

The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for depositing useful layers of materials on substrates used in the manufacture of semiconductor die. More particularly, the invention relates to improved apparatus and methods for use in the processing of substrates, such as by chemical vapor deposition.
Chemical vapor deposition, commonly referred to as "CVD," is used to deposit a thin layer of material on a semiconductor substrate. To process substrates with the CVD process, a vacuum chamber is provided with a susceptor configured to receive a substrate thereon. In a typical prior art CVD chamber, the substrate is placed into and removed from the chamber by a robot blade. The chamber includes an intermediate substrate positioning assembly on which the substrate is located when it is placed into, or about to be removed from, the chamber. To locate the substrate on the susceptor, the susceptor is passed through the center of the substrate positioning assembly to lift the substrate therefrom. The susceptor and the substrate are then heated to a temperature of between 250.degree.-650.degree. C. Once the substrate is located on the susceptor and heated to an appropriate temperature, a precursor gas is charged to the vacuum chamber through a gas manifold situated above the substrate. The precursor gas reacts with the heated substrate surface to deposit the thin material layer thereon. As the gas reacts to form the material layer, volatile byproduct gasses are formed, and these gasses are pumped out of the vacuum chamber through a chamber exhaust system.
A primary goal of substrate processing is to obtain as many useful die as possible from each substrate. Many factors influence the processing of substrates in the CVD chamber and affect the ultimate yield of die from each substrate processed therein. These factors include processing variables, which affect the uniformity and thickness of the deposition material layer deposited on the substrate, and contaminants that can attach to the substrate and contaminate one or more die therein. Both of these factors must be controlled in CVD and other processes to maximize the die yield from each substrate.
One CVD processing variable which affects the uniformity of the deposition material layer is the relative concentration of reacted and non-reacted process gas components in the deposition chamber. The exhaust system of the chamber includes a circumferential exhaust channel located above the substrate adjacent the perimeter thereof, through which the reacted process gas is vented. However, a gap exists in the circumferential exhaust channel where the slit valve for moving the substrate into and out of the chamber passes through the chamber wall. The exhausting of reacted gaseous products from the chamber is less efficient near this gap, and thus the exhausting of reaction products is non-uniform in the chamber. This contributes to the creation of non-uniform deposition material layers on the substrate, because the relative concentration of reactive gas in the total gas volume in the chamber varies about the surface of the substrate due to the non-uniform exhausting of reacted gaseous products from the chamber.
In addition to the foregoing factor which affects the uniformity and thickness of the deposition material layer, CVD processing chambers include multiple sources of particle contaminants which, if received on the substrate, reduce the die yield therefrom. One primary source of particulate contamination in CVD processing is the deposition material deposited on the chamber surfaces during processing. As the substrate is processed in the CVD chamber, a material layer is indiscriminately deposited on all surfaces within the chamber which are contacted with the gas, such as the aforementioned lamp covers. If these chamber surfaces are later touched or rubbed, or if the material layer is loosely attached to the chamber surface and the chamber is shaken or vibrated, particles of deposition material layer can become free in the chamber and contaminate the substrate. Additionally, the deposition material layer does not typically firmly attach itself to the edge and underside of the substrate, and the layer formed in that location of the substrate is known to flake off the substrate and become a particle contaminant.
One method of controlling particle generation in the chamber is to use a shadow ring to reduce the occurrence of the deposition layer on the edge and underside of the substrate. A shadow ring is a masking member, which is received on the susceptor and contacts the upper, outer, circumferential area of the substrate and limits access of the deposition gas to the contacted area of the substrate. However, the shadow ring has several, limitations which contribute to the non-uniform processing of substrates. The volatile deposition gas still tends to migrate under the lip of the shadow ring and deposit a material layer on the substrate edge and underside which may later flake off. Additionally, the engagement of the shadow ring with the substrate can create particles. Finally, the shadow ring is a heat sink, which draws heat out of the substrate and thus reduces the temperature of the substrate adjacent the area of contact between the substrate and shadow ring, which affects the thickness of the deposition material layer on the area of the substrate adjacent the shadow ring.
One alternative to the shadow ring is disclosed in European Patent Application No. EPO 467 623 A3, published Jan. 22, 1992. In that application, a shroud is provided around the perimeter of the substrate. The shroud includes a lip which overhangs, but does not touch, the substrate. A gas is provided to the underside of the substrate, and a portion of this gas flows outwardly between the substrate and susceptor and into a gap formed between the substrate and the shroud. Although the shroud creates a circumferential channel in which a non-reactive gas may be maintained to mask the edge of the substrate, the structure shown in EPO 467 623 A3 has several disadvantages. First, when the shroud is received on the susceptor, it aligns with the susceptor and no means is disclosed for aligning the substrate with the shroud. Any substantial misalignment between the substrate and the susceptor will result in substantial misalignment between the shroud and substrate, and the resulting annular gap between the substrate and shroud will be non-uniform around the perimeter of the substrate. This will create differential masking gas flow in different locations of the substrate edge. Second, introduction of the masking gas inwardly of the outer diameter of the substrate can cause the substrate to float off the susceptor during processing if the chamber pressure and process gas flow are not closely controlled. Finally, the European application notes that the shroud disclosed therein masks the upper surface of the substrate and prevents depositions thereon, which reduces the useful area of the substrate.
A further source of substrate particulate contamination occurs where a cracked, warped or substantially misaligned substrate is present in the chamber. If a cracked, warped or substantially misaligned substrate is encountered, substantial numbers of particulate contaminants can be generated as the substrate is moved in the chamber. Additionally, if large segments of the substrate become free in the chamber, they may seriously damage the chamber components. Finally, the upper surface and passageways of the susceptor could be exposed to the corrosive reactive gas if a cracked, warped or misaligned substrate is processed in the chamber.