An integrated cap assembly of a secondary battery. A cap lamination forms a top portion of the secondary battery and serves as a connection terminal while the secondary battery is charged or discharged. A gasket is molded integrally with the cap lamination in such a manner that a peripheral portion of the cap lamination is inserted in the gasket, the gasket insulating the cap lamination from a can of the secondary battery and sealing a gap between the cap lamination and the can.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a secondary battery, and more particularly, to a structure of a cap assembly forming a top of a secondary battery and a method of fabricating the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is generally known in the art, secondary batteries are rechargeable and can be fabricated in a smaller size with a larger capacity than primary batteries. Secondary batteries may be classified into nickel-hydrogen (Ni-MH) batteries, lithium (Li) batteries, lithium ion (Li-ion) batteries, and polymer lithium (PLI) batteries according to the materials of the secondary batteries, or into cylinder type batteries and square type batteries according to their appearances.
According to a typical method of fabricating a secondary battery, an electrode assembly including a positive electrode plate, a negative electrode plate and a separator is seated in a can generally made from aluminum or an aluminum alloy. Electrolyte is injected into the can, and the can assembly is then sealed. Each can has an electrode terminal which is formed at an upper portion of the can and is insulated from the can. The electrode terminal has a positive or negative polarity determining a polarity of the can. In addition, each can includes a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) element, a thermal fuse, and a protection circuit module (PCM).
The secondary battery employs an electrode structure in a "jelly-roll" configuration formed by winding a positive electrode plate, a negative electrode plate, and a separator interposed between the positive electrode plate and the negative electrode plate, together. The shape of the battery determines the shape of the jelly-roll employed by the battery. That is, a cylinder type battery employs a jelly-roll wound in a cylindrical shape, and a square type battery employs a jelly-roll wound in a polygonal shape having angular corners and flat sides.
FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a conventional secondary battery having a typical construction. As shown in FIG. 1, a cylinder type secondary battery includes electrode assembly 110 for generating potential difference, cylinder-type can 120 for receiving electrode assembly 110, cap assembly 130 assembled with a top of cylinder-type can 120, so as to prevent electrode assembly 110 from being separated from cylinder-type can 120, and electrolyte 140 injected in cylinder-type can 120, so as to enable movement of ions between electrodes of electrode assembly 110. Cap assembly 130 has various safety devices provided at cap assembly 130.
Cylinder-type can 120 has clamp portion 121 bent inward so as to push cap assembly 130 inward and a bead portion 122 depressed inward so as to push cap assembly 130 upward.
Cap assembly 130 includes conductive safety vent unit 131, printed circuit board 132, PTC element 133, and positive electrode cap 134. Conductive safety vent unit 131 has a bottom welded to a positive electrode lead 111 and has a convex portion which is inverted when the battery is excessively charged or abnormally heated. Printed circuit board 132 is disposed above and is electrically and mechanically connected to conductive safety vent unit 131. Printed circuit board 132 has a circuit which is cut off when the convex portion of conductive safety vent unit 131 is inverted. PTC element 133 is disposed above and is electrically and mechanically connected to printed circuit board 132. PTC element 133 is electrically cut off when heated exceeding a predetermined temperature. Positive electrode cap 134 is disposed above and is electrically and mechanically connected to PTC element 133. Positive electrode cap 134 allows current to flow to the exterior. Insulating gasket 135 surrounds circumferential portions of conductive safety vent unit 131, current breaker 132, PTC element 133, and positive electrode cap 134, stacked on each other, and insulates them from cylinder-type can 120.
However, in cap assembly 130 of the conventional cylinder-type secondary battery, conductive safety vent unit 131, printed circuit board 132, PTC element 133, and positive electrode cap 134 are simply stacked on each other, and central portion 135a, lower dip portion 135b, and upper dip portion 135c of insulating gasket 135 are simply in contact with the circumferential portion of cap assembly 130 including conductive safety vent unit 131, printed circuit board 132, PTC element 133 and positive electrode cap 134, stacked on each other. Therefore, insulating gasket 135 cannot sufficiently seal the gap between the interior and the exterior of the can and may allow internal gas of the can to leak through a nip between cap assembly 130 and insulating gasket 135 when the internal pressure has excessively increased.

Integrated cap assembly of a secondary battery and fabricating method thereof


A reclamation apparatus for capturing leaking hydraulic fluid in a hydraulic system having a higher pressure system end and a lower pressure system end and for delivering the captured fluid back into the system includes an inner fluid line, for carrying hydraulic fluid between two points in the hydraulic system, having a higher pressure first line end and a lower pressure second line end, a reinforcing sleeve containing the inner fluid line and having an inside diameter larger than the inner fluid line outside diameter, an outer fluid line containing the inner fluid line and the reinforcing sleeve and having a first line end, a second line end and an inside diameter larger than the reinforcing sleeve outside diameter so that a containment space is provided between the reinforcing sleeve and the outer fluid line, a line coupling structure connected to the inner and outer fluid line first ends, a manifold structure connected to the inner and outer fluid line second ends and including a manifold body connected to the inner and outer fluid line second ends and a sight glass for providing visual indication of fluid outside of the inner fluid line, and a reclamation line in fluid communication with the containment space and the inner fluid line at another point in the system to return leaked fluid to the system.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of hydraulic equipment and systems. More specifically the present invention relates to a reclamation apparatus for capturing fluid leaking from a hydraulic fluid line and delivering the fluid back into the hydraulic system. The apparatus may be incorporated into virtually any hydraulically driven machinery, such as a cardboard box bailer or garbage truck compacting door, or cargo moving equipment on a ship.
The apparatus includes an inner fluid line having a certain inner fluid line outside diameter for carrying hydraulic fluid between two points in a hydraulic system, such as between a fluid pump and a fluid powered mechanism. The apparatus also includes a reinforcing sleeve having a reinforcing sleeve inside diameter larger than the inner fluid line outside diameter to contain the inner fluid line. The apparatus also includes an outer fluid line having an outer fluid line inside diameter larger than the reinforcing sleeve outside diameter to contain the reinforcing sleeve and inner fluid line so that a substantially annular containment space is provided between the reinforcing sleeve and the outer fluid line. The inner and outer fluid lines are concentrically connected at a higher pressure first fluid line end to a coupling structure and at a lower pressure second line end to a manifold structure. The coupling structure may be of conventional construction, differing only in the provision of concentric line coupler fittings. The apparatus also includes a reclamation line, having a coupler with a check valve to prevent fluid backflow, to return the fluid back into the system.
In the event the inner fluid line ruptures, the fluid is contained by the outer fluid line and is subsequently delivered, through the reclamation line, back into the system. The reinforcing sleeve prevents the outer fluid line from rupturing due to the force from the inner fluid line rupture. In this way the system can continue to function until the rupture is repaired or the inner fluid line is replaced.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There have long been hydraulic systems for powering construction and industrial equipment, automobile power drive assemblies, trash compactors, and many other devices. Yet these systems have been subject to sudden failure upon the rupture of any line in the system containing the hydraulic fluid. Such failure often leads to long and costly shut-downs, inoperability in critical situations and to damage from the discharge of fluid onto vulnerable surrounding surfaces.
Various devices have been developed to address this problem. These devices, shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,838,074, 4,445,332 and 2,181,002, utilize an outer hose or tube to enclose the fluid line so that leaking fluid may be captured and returned to the system. However, these devices do not prevent the outer hose or tube from rupturing due to the force or pressure caused by the fluid line rupturing. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an apparatus which will capture fluid from a ruptured fluid line and return it to the system and which will prevent the outer hose or tube from rupturing due to the force or pressure caused by the fluid line rupturing.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a hydraulic fluid containment and reclamation apparatus for a hydraulic system which captures fluid escaping from a ruptured hydraulic line and delivers the fluid back into the system.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus which prevents the outer fluid line from rupturing due to the force from the inner fluid line rupture.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus which delivers the fluid back into the system at a point of higher fluid pressure than the pressure at the point of rupture.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus which permits the system to continue operating until the ruptured line is either repaired or replaced.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus which provides visual indication of fluid outside of the inner fluid line.
It is finally an object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus which is inexpensive to manufacture, compact and very reliable.


Embodiments relate to a system, program product, and method for smart contract implementation and management. A request for resources is modeled and a reservation of resources is captured in a first computation model interface. A provision of services is modeled as a second computation model interface. Compatibility of the first and second computation model interfaces is verified. Input and output actions are synchronized between the first and second computation model interfaces responsive to the compatibility verification. A smart contract is composed as a third computation model interface to model negotiation of contractual terms, including the captured resources with the provision of services. The composed smart contract is recorded in an operatively coupled immutable venue.

The present embodiments relate to modeling and capturing a smart contract between two parties. More specifically, the embodiments relate to leveraging an interface automata model of computation, and extending the model with properties relevant to the contract and contract characteristics. Management of the extended model is directed at automating verification of compatibility corresponding to the contractual terms and detecting violations.

International Business Machines Corporation


VSB data is transmitted in a frame which includes a frame sync, a segment sync, a mode control, and a plurality of data symbols. The mode control indicates the number of modulation levels of the data symbols and includes 2-level symbols forming the following byte: PABCPABC. P is a parity bit, and ABC represents a selected one of a plurality of data constellations defining the modulation levels of the data symbols.

This invention relates generally to digital transmission systems and particularly to a digital data transmission system in which data may be transmitted and received using any one of a plurality of different data constellations. The invention more specifically concerns a system for communicating information to a receiver regarding the particular data constellation being used at any given time in a respective channel.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,087,975 discloses a vestigial sideband (VSB) system for transmitting a television signal (or other data signal) in the form of successive M-level symbols over a standard 6 MHz television channel. The television signal may, for example, comprise one or two compressed wideband HDTV signals or a number of compressed NTSC signals. While the number of levels M characterizing the symbols may vary depending on circumstances, the symbol rate is preferably fixed, such as at a rate of 684 H (about 10.76 Megasymbols/sec), where H is the NTSC horizontal scanning frequency. The number of symbol levels used in any particular situation (hereinafter referred to as the VSB mode) is largely a function of the S/N ratio characterizing the transmission medium, a smaller number of symbol levels, i.e. a lower VSB mode, being used in situations where the S/N ratio is low. It is believed that the ability to accommodate symbol levels of 24, 16, 8, 4 and 2 provides adequate flexibility to satisfy conditions in most systems. It will be appreciated that lower values of M can provide improved S/N ratio performance at the expense of reduced transmission bit rate. For example, assuming a rate of 10.76 M symbol/sec, a 2-level VSB signal (1 bit per symbol) provides a transmission bit rate of 10.76 Megabits/sec, a 4-level VSB signal (2 bits per symbol) provides a transmission bit rate of 21.52 Megabits/sec and so on up to a 24-level VSB signal which provides a transmission bit rate of about 48.43 Megabits/sec.
In a system of the foregoing type, each receiver must be informed of the VSB mode in use at any given point in time on the channel to which it is tuned. This is preferably accomplished by multiplexing a VSB mode control signal with the transmitted data which can be extracted by each receiver tuned to the respective channel, the VSB mode control signal identifying the number of levels M characterizing the symbols in use on the channel. In order to provide appropriate operating characteristics, it is desired that the receivers be capable of quickly acquiring the VSB mode control signal after a channel change and that the probability of the so-acquired signal being correct is very high. Also, the receivers must be capable of acquiring, although not necessarily as quickly, a new VSB mode control signal without an intervening channel change. At the same time, of course, a capability must be provided to replace an acquired incorrect mode control signal. Finally, once acquired, a correct mode control signal should be virtually immune to noise bursts and the like.


The invention provides a nonmagnetic ceramic comprising 5% to 40% by weight of .alpha.-quartz and 5% to 60% by weigth of zinc silicate dispersed in 35% to 75% by weight of borosilicate glass as a matrix, the borosilicate glass having SiO.sub.2 and B.sub.2 O.sub.3 contents: SiO.sub.2 =70 to 90% by weight and B.sub.2 O.sub.3 =10 to 30% by weight. Using the nonmagnetic ceramic, multilayer ceramic inductors are obtained. When the ceramic is used as ceramic multilayer parts having an inductor section, it has a low dielectric constant and good characteristics in the high-frequency region, allows for low-temperature firing enabling the use of silver electrodes, prevents chip deformation and crack occurrence upon sintering, and provides a higher mechanical strength.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to nonmagnetic ceramics and ceramic multilayer parts having inductor sections formed using the nonmagnetic ceramics.
2. Background Art
Ceramic multilayer parts such as chip filters and chip inductors are widely employed with the advance of the technology of fabricating electronic parts as surface mount devices (SMD) and to meet the demand for higher performance on high-frequency parts as used in communication equipment. Inductor sections of chip filters and chip inductors are manufactured, without using windings, by depositing alternating layers of magnetic paste and conductive paste and firing the layers for integration.
For the ceramic magnetic layers in the inductor sections of ceramic multilayer parts, Ni--Cu--Zn ferrites and analogous materials are generally selected because they can be fired at low temperatures and have relatively superior high-frequency characteristics. Also, silver or silver alloy having a low resistivity is used as the conductive material for the internal conductor.
However, since Ni--Cu--Zn ferrites have a dielectric constant E of about 10 to about 15, it is difficult to reduce the floating capacitance between internal conductor patterns when the spacing between the conductor patterns is narrow. For this reason, in the event of narrow internal conductor patterns, the self-resonant frequency cannot be high and the use at high frequency is restricted.
Under such circumstances, JP-A 7809/1992 proposes "a multilayer ceramic inductor comprising a conductor pattern turned between insulator layers, with edges interconnected, in an overlapping manner in a stacking direction, characterized in that the material of which said insulator layers are formed is a nonmagnetic ceramic material." It is described that exemplary of the nonmagnetic ceramic material used therein are "mixtures of glass and cordierite" and "mixtures of glass and cordierite with mullite added," and as the glass, borosilicate glass containing 63 to 85% by weight of SiO.sub.2 and 3 to 28% by weight of B.sub.2 O.sub.3 is preferred. Allegedly, the use of such nonmagnetic ceramic materials in the insulator layers allows the insulator layers to reduce their dielectric constant and increase their self-resonant frequency so as to comply with the high-frequency band, and also allows for low-temperature firing which in turn, enables the use of silver electrodes.
However, where the nonmagnetic ceramic materials described in the above-referred publication are used, multilayer ceramic inductors cannot have a fully high flexural strength. As a result, the deflective strength required for surface mount parts would become insufficient. The dielectric constant is about one-half of that of ferrite-containing materials, that is, .epsilon.=about 5.5 to about 6.5, which values are not sufficient for use in parts incorporated in high-frequency circuits as in cellular phones.
Also, using a composition of borosilicate glass and fused SiO.sub.2, the inventor previously accomplished a dielectric constant .epsilon. of 4.2. This composition, however, had the following problems. In compositions comprising borosilicate glass and SiO.sub.2 glass serving as nonmagnetic ceramic materials, when SiO.sub.2 glass is added in an amount of 25% by weight or more, the growth of cristobalite crystals occurs upon sintering. At this point, crystals having a high crystallinity localize or concentrate about silver serving as the conductor. The change of coefficient of thermal expansion caused by the cristobalite crystal growth becomes outstanding when the temperature rises from 100.degree. C. to 300.degree. C., and the coefficient increases from 0% to 0.260% or 0.270%. As a result, the rapid expansion by the cristobalite crystal growth localized about the conductor generates internal stresses, and even causes chip deformation or crack generation near the conductor particularly when inductors having an increased number of turns are fabricated.

Non-magnetic ceramics and ceramic multilayer parts


An optical parametric amplifier and methods for idler extraction therein. Certain examples provide a method of extracting the idler at intermediate points within the optical parametric amplifier chain to improve conversion efficiency and/or maintain high beam quality (high Strehl ratio), where the pump beam has non-uniform profile. In one example, optical parametric amplifier includes an amplifier chain having a plurality of gain stages, each gain stage including a non-linear optical crystal, the plurality of gain stages configured to receive a signal seed and a pump beam and to produce an idler and an amplified signal, the pump beam having a non-uniform spatial profile, and a plurality of idler extractors interspersed with the plurality of gain stages and configured to extract the idler from intermediate points within the amplifier chain. The idler extractors can include polarizers, beam displacer crystals, or dichroic mirrors, for example.

An optical parametric amplifier (OPA) is an optical amplifier based on the nonlinear optical effect known as 3-wave mixing. In the 3-wave mixing interaction, an incident pump photon is annihilated and two lower-energy photons (signal and idler) are created in the presence of a nonlinear optical crystal. The vacuum wavelengths of the signal and idler photons are constrained such that conservation of energy is satisfied, i.e. the sum of the signal and idler photon energies is equal to the pump photon energy. In order to efficiently transfer energy from the pump to the signal and idler, the photons must meet a phase matching condition (momentum conservation). In one type of phase matching, called birefringent phase matching, the phase matching conditions can be influenced by adjusting the orientation of the nonlinear crystal with respect to the incident pump direction (angle tuning). In certain types of birefringent phase matching, called Type II phase matching, the idler polarization is orthogonal to both the pump and the signal polarizations. Other types of phase matching are also possible, such as quasi phase matching.
A typical OPA is implemented as follows. A strong pump beam of a first wavelength is mixed with a relatively weak signal (seed) beam having the desired output wavelength. The signal beam is amplified and an idler beam is created by depleting the pump beam, as discussed above. In this manner, the OPA produces a strong output signal beam at the same wavelength as the signal seed and simultaneously reduces the power of the pump beam. Thus, the OPA is considered to "convert" the pump beam into the desired signal.
The process described above will be referred to as forward-conversion, i.e. power flows from the pump beam to the signal and idler beams. Under certain conditions, a process called back-conversion can occur where power flows from the signal and idler beams back to the pump beam. Back-conversion reduces and limits the pump-to-signal conversion efficiency in an OPA system. In addition, the signal beam quality can be degraded due to phase distortions resulting from back-conversion.
Back-conversion can occur when a phase-mismatch develops between the three waves. When multiple OPA stages are employed, it is often desired to remove the idler beam between stages since it is difficult to keep all three waves properly phased when propagating from one stage to the next. Removing the idler beam guarantees power flow from the pump to the signal beam in the subsequent OPA stage, regardless of relative phase between the three waves. Back-conversion can also occur within an OPA crystal stage when the pump photons have been completely depleted. If signal and idler photons are still present, then power flows back to the pump beam. The latter back-conversion process can occur in one or more regions of the pump beam transverse profile, if it has a non-uniform spatial profile.
Conventional methods for idler extraction include the use of dichroic mirrors that transmit the signal and pump beams and reflect the idler beam. Dichroic mirror coatings with reflectance specifications at 3 wavelengths typically include a large number of dielectric film layers and can have a low laser damage threshold. This is problematic in high-peak-power or high-average-power OPA or optical parametric oscillator (OPO) systems. Other conventional methods include employing an optical medium between OPA stages that absorbs the idler power and transmits both the signal and pump waves. This approach is problematic in high-average-power OPA systems because the absorbed idler causes thermo-optical variations in the absorbing medium that can distort the phase of the pump and signal beams.

Methods and apparatus for idler extraction in high power optical parametric amplifiers


A system and method for providing emergency alarm communications in an fire panel network having a ring topology. The fire panels of the network each include an emergency interface between a panel processor and a panel transceiver. The emergency interface includes a communication link that is different from a normal TCP/IP communication link of the associated panel. The emergency interface comprises a separate communication path from the normal communication link. When normal TCP/IP communications are interrupted, the emergency interface is operable to transmit alarm signals to an adjacent panel in the network. The alarm signals may then be transmitted between subsequently connected panels and a workstation or central monitoring station via the normal TCP/IP mode. The workstation and/or central monitoring station can recognize the alarm signals as being generated by the originating panel. Other embodiments are disclosed and claimed.

1. Field of the Invention
The disclosure relates generally to systems and methods for communicating between components of a networked fire alarm system, and more particularly to a system and method for providing emergency alarm signaling when TCP/IP communication failures occur in a networked fire alarm system.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Alarm systems, such as fire alarm and security systems, typically include one or more centralized fire panels that receive information from various sensors that are distributed throughout a structure or area. For example, referring to FIG. 1, a typical fire alarm system 10 may include a plurality of initiating devices 12 (e.g. smoke detectors, manually-actuated pull stations, etc.) that are connected to one or more fire panels 14. During normal operation of the alarm system 10, the fire panel 14 may monitor electrical signals associated with each of the initiating devices 12 for variations that may represent the occurrence of an alarm condition. For example, a variation in a particular electrical signal may represent the detection of smoke by a smoke detector in a corresponding area, or "zone," of a building in which the smoke detector is located, and may cause the fire panel 14 to enter an alarm mode. The fire panel 14 may be configured to respond to such a condition by initiating certain predefined actions, such as activating one or more notification appliances 16 (e.g. strobes, sirens, public announcement systems, etc.) within the monitored building.
The exemplary alarm system 10 may also include a workstation 18, such as a personal computer (PC) a link to a central station or server, which is operatively connected to the fire panel 14 of the alarm system 10. For monitoring applications that involve a large number of buildings, such as a college campuses or commercial campuses, each of the buildings on the campus may have its own fire panel 14. It is often desirable in such applications to be able to monitor all of the fire panels 14 from a single site, and thus, the fire panels 14 may be part of a network, with the fire panels 14 and workstation 18 connected to the network as network nodes. In this way the workstation 18 can be located in one of the monitored buildings, or a separate building, and may be used to monitor the alarm status of all the initiating devices 12 located in all of the buildings via their respective fire panels. Although not shown, the system 10 may also include a connection to a remote central monitoring facility so that a third party monitoring service can monitor and react to alarms generated by the system.
In some cases, a network of fire panels can be built up as a redundant ring using a switch or network card in each panel to enable communication with adjacent panels. One requirement for fire panel networks is redundancy. For example, standards such as European standard "EN54—Fire Detection and Alarm Systems," require that in case of failure it is not permissible to lose more than a certain number of initiating devices upon a first failure. For EN54 this number is 512 devices. As a result, a panel having more than, for example, 512 devices or support features for more than 512 devices requires redundancy. For networked fire panels this problem is currently solved using redundant network processors and a redundant network topology. In case of a Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) based network, a ring topology or other redundant topology can be built by using a TCP/IP switch or router in every fire panel which supports two redundant connections to the switch. As a result, however, the switch/router, and in some cases the network processor, represent a single point of failure. That is, if the switch/router and/or network processor fail, the fire panel is unable to process and transmit alarm signals triggered by the initiating devices coupled to that panel. This single point of failure can be avoided by using multiple switches/routers and multiple network processors so that loss of a single switch/router or a single network processor would not impact successful transmission of alarm signals to adjacent panels and the workstation or a central monitoring station. It will be appreciated, however, that providing multiple switches/routers and/or multiple processors in each panel undesirably increases the cost and complexity of the overall network.

System and method for emergency communication in a TCP/IP based redundant fire panel network

TOTAL WALTHER GMBH, FEUERSCHUTZ UND SICHERHEIT


A communication system which has a plurality of mobile terminals and a base station, each of the mobile terminals and/or base station comprising a medium access control sub-layer, upper layers of the medium access control sub-layer, and a lower layer of the medium access control sub-layer, wherein the medium access control sub-layer is configured to perform self-basic functions in response to basic function execution requests or functions associated with the upper layers or lower layer in response to requests therefrom. According to the present invention, the communication system can provide a compatible multimedia communication service even if an originating terminal and a terminating terminal employ different communication manners, they are available from different manufacturers or they are operated by different communication service operators.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a communication system with medium access control (referred to hereinafter as MAC) sub-layers provided respectively in a pluraty of mobile terminals and a base station, and more particularly to a communication system suitable for the implementation of a multimedia communication service.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recently, communication systems have very rapidly been developed in every country. Digital communication systems proposed up to now can be classified into a frequency division multiple access (FDMA) type, a time division multiple access (TDMA) type and a code division multiple access (CDMA) type according to how accesses are established between a base station and mobile terminals. Only one of the above-mentioned various access systems may selectively be used in some countries or regions. Alternatively, different access systems may simultaneously be used in other countries or regions. For example, the CDMA communication system and a global system for mobile communication (GSM) are simultaneously used in Moscow. To this end, each mobile terminal or base station (or network) is required to comprise two types of modulation/demodulation modules to compatibly control the two types of access systems. This requirement runs counter to the international communication equipment trend of lightness, thinness, smallness and compactness and becomes a primary factor of weakening the competitiveness of communication products.
On the other hand, even if a single communication system is employed in a certain region, products may be different in function according to their options and operating systems of mobile terminal manufacturers, other communication equipment manufacturers and communication service operators.
In this connection, a study is being made of increasing the compatiblty of communication equipment to provide a communication service to users using the same communication system in the same region, regardless of manufacturers and communication service operators. The representative example may be a Digital European Cordless Telecommunication (referred to hereinafter as DECT) system. This DECT system has been developed under the necessity of cordless communication capable of accepting data communication requirements to a certain degree while giving the first consideration to voice communication. Accordingly, the DECT system can establish interoperabibty among communication equipment of different manufacturers to provide the users with various communication services regarding voice and data as extended optional services, as well as basic services.
FIG. 1 shows a protocol stack used in a conventional DECT system. As shown in this drawing, the conventional DECT system is composed of a physical layer (PHY) 10, a MAC sub-layer 20, data link control layers (DLC1 and DLC2) 30 and 40 and a network layer (NWK) 50.
The PHY 10 of the DECT system functions to divide a given radio spectrum into physical channels. These divisions are made at two domains, or time and frequency. For the frequency and time divisions, a TDMA operation is performed with respect to multiple radio carriers. For example, in the conventional DECT system, ten carriers are provided at a frequency band between 1880 MHZ and 1900 MHZ.
The MAC sub-layer 20 of the DECT system basically takes charge of two main functions. The first function is to select a physical channel and set or release connection of a call on the selected physical channel. The second function is to multiplex control information together with upper layer information and error control information into a packet in the form of a slot or demultiplex the packet into such information.
The DLC1 30 and DLC2 40 act to provide reliable data links to the NWK 50. Also, the DLC1 30 and DLC2 40 are closely connected with the MAC sub-layer 20 to provide the upper layer with data integration higher than that provided single-handed by the MAC sub-layer 20. In FIG. 1, a C-plane is common to all application layers and provides very reliable transmission links for internal control signals and a limited amount of user information traffic. A U-plane is adapted to provide a variety of alternative services, which are optimized for specific requirements.
The NWK 50 of the DECT system is a main signal layer of the protocol stack. In the conventional DECT system, the NWK 50 employs a configuration similar to that in an ISDN layer 3 protocol (ETS 300 102) and provides functions similar to those in the ISDN layer 3 protocol.
In the above-mentioned conventional DECT system, the MAC sub-layer activates or deactivates a pair of physical channels to control bearer creation, maintenance and release operations, an empty physical channel selection operation and a received signal quality estimation operation.
However, the conventional MAC sub-layer has been developed to be suitable for voice-centered communication systems. For this reason, the conventional MAC sub-layer may be used to perform radio data communication to a certain degree, but it will cause many functional problems when being applied to multimedia communication service-based next generation communication systems. Noticeably, the next generation communication system will require highly compatible communication equipment to entirely solve various communication service problems resulting from option differentiation between communication equipment manufacturers and communication service operators and various problems resulting from different communication manners.
Further, the next generation communication system must be able to select many options because it will use multimedia information such as voice, video and text and require very excellent speech quality.
However, the MAC sub-layer of the conventional DECT system is adapted to provide only two functions, the former selecting a physical channel and the latter multiplexing control information into a packet in the form of a slot or demultiplexing the packet into such information. For this reason, the conventional MAC sub-layer is not applicable to the above-mentioned multimedia communication service.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Communication condition information in a mobile terminal and network of a wireless communication system


A method, device, and computer program product for detecting negative opinions in social media, computer program product, and computer. Negative opinions in social media can be precisely detected at an early stage. A method for processing, with a computer, a plurality of messages sent by a plurality of users over time includes the following steps: obtaining a plurality of messages, each including a specific proper noun; determining a politeness level of each of the plurality of messages, each including the specific proper noun; and calculating a proportion of messages having a politeness level lower than a certain threshold with respect to the plurality of messages, each including the specific proper noun.

The present invention relates to the field of information processing technology. More specifically, to a technology that more precisely detects negative opinions in social media regarding an organization, a product, a service, or an individual.
Since an enormous number of messages are exchanged in social media, a situation can arise in which criticism about a certain topic is spread in a short period of time, causing a flood of messages expressing negative opinions. When the target of such negative opinions is a company or its products, it is highly likely that such negative opinions will seriously damage the company's image and business. Accordingly, there is a business demand for grasping the emergence of negative opinions in social media at an early stage. In response to such a demand, various technical methods have been suggested in the related art.
An increase in the number of messages about a certain topic tends to occur in accordance with the novelty or impact of the topic. Examples of such an increase include a sharp increase in the number of messages about a new product when the release date is announced, when the product is released, or when an event related to the product is held; a sharp increase in the number of messages about public transportation after a disaster occurs; and a sharp increase in the number of messages about a certain news item. As a result of this sharp increase, it is difficult to grasp circulating information related to negative opinions by only monitoring an increasing trend in the number of messages about a certain topic.
Also, negative opinions are expressed in a great variety of ways and it is difficult to precisely detect all the negative opinions on the basis of a specific expression that is predefined (e.g., a keyword related to an offensive or inappropriate word). An example of this is as follows. After the Great East Japan Earthquake, planned blackouts in specific regions were scheduled due to an electric power shortage caused by suspended operations of nuclear power plants. In social media the fact that "only specific commercial facilities in a region of planned blackouts are not to be targets of planned blackouts" was criticized as being unfair. However, "not being a target of planned blackouts" is generally not criticized and is difficult to detect even by using an opinion analysis method (a technique of recognizing positive or negative opinions) which has been studied in recent years.
The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems. Improvements to related art are still desired to provide a more precise means for detecting a situation where something is criticized in social media (e.g., messages expressing negative opinions circulating in microblogs) and for grasping the details of the criticism.

Method for detecting negative opinions in social media, computer program product and computer


A method for monitoring a compressor comprising a rotor is presented. The method comprises obtaining a dynamic pressure signal of the rotor, obtaining a blade passing frequency of the rotor, using the blade passing frequency signal for filtering the dynamic pressure signal, buffering the filtered dynamic pressure signal over a moving window time period, and analyzing the buffered dynamic pressure signal to predict a stall condition of the compressor.

The subject matter disclosed herein relates generally to monitoring health of rotating mechanical components, and more particularly, to stall and surge detection in a compressor of a turbine.
In gas turbines used for power generation, compressors are typically allowed to operate at high pressure ratios in order to achieve higher efficiencies. During operation of a gas turbine, a phenomenon known as compressor stall may occur, when the pressure ratio of the turbine compressor exceeds a critical value at a given speed the compressor pressure ratio is reduced and the airflow that is delivered to the engine combustor is also reduced and in some circumstances may reverse direction. Compressor stalls have numerous causes. In one example, the engine is accelerated too rapidly. In another example, the inlet profile of air pressure or temperature becomes unduly distorted during normal operation of the engine. Compressor damage due to the ingestion of foreign objects or a malfunction of a portion of the engine control system may also cause a compressor stall and subsequent compressor degradation. If a compressor stall remains undetected and is permitted to continue, the combustor temperatures and the vibratory stresses induced in the compressor may become sufficiently high to cause damage to the turbine.
One approach to compressor stall detection is to monitor the health of a compressor by measuring the air flow and pressure rise through the compressor. Pressure variations may be attributed to a number of causes such as, for example, unstable combustion, rotating stall, and surge events on the compressor itself. To determine these pressure variations, the magnitude and rate of change of pressure rise through the compressor may be monitored. This approach, however, does not offer prediction capabilities of rotating stall or surge, and fails to offer information to a real-time control system with sufficient lead time to proactively deal with such events.

Stall and surge detection system and method


An image processing apparatus includes a detecting unit that detects whether image data for each of the lines in generated image information is chromatic or achromatic; and a determining unit that determines whether the original is chromatic or achromatic based on a detection result of the detecting unit for a first area of the image information, excluding a detection result for a predetermined second area of the image information, the predetermined second area including an end line among the lines in a scanning direction of the original.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and an image forming apparatus having an automatic color selection (ACS) function.
2. Description of the Related Art
Some image forming apparatuses have an ACS function. For example, a color image forming apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 2004-104718 includes a unit that stores position information of an original conveying member within an original conveying device relative to an image input unit, to prevent an erroneous ACS determination when an image is input from a see-through type original feeder, and to determine a color of the original image suited to a recorded image to be output. A sensor, which is provided in front of the image input unit within the original conveying device, detects a position of an original relative to the image input unit. A color-area determining unit determines whether an area in an input image is chromatic or achromatic, based on input image signals. A determination inhibiting signal, which inhibits the color-area determining unit from making an erroneous determination, calculates a position of the original conveying member within the original conveying device relative to a conveyed original from the position information of the original conveying member within the original conveying device relative to the image input unit, sensor information detecting the position of the original, and a linear velocity in the sub scan direction. The determination inhibiting signal is generated when the original enters and leaves the original conveying member within the original conveying device.
Other related techniques are disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid Open Nos. H6-014205 and 2001-036752.
When making a determination in the ACS for a regular-sized original, a valid image size in the sub scan direction is defined, so that a chromatic detection area of the original is counted and a chromatic detection signal is masked. However, when the original is of an irregular size, or when originals of different sizes are mixed, an end of the original in the sub scan direction is not defined. Thus, a determination area cannot be set in advance. Furthermore, when the end edge of an original is lifted when passing through an automatic document feeder (ADF), input image data might change to chromatic color data even when the original only includes achromatic color data, which results in an erroneous detection. The image forming apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 2004-104718 prevents an erroneous ACS determination when an image is input from the original feeder and determines a color of the original image suited to a recorded image to be output.
This conventional image forming apparatus counts the time from a conveying roller to a reading position, and generates a determination inhibiting signal for the corresponding area. However, variations occur when machine parts are assembled. Further, application specific integrated circuits (ASIC) require more input pins, which increases the cost.

Image processing apparatus and image forming apparatus


In a composition for use in a refrigeration cycle which comprises at least a hydrofluorocarbon, a refrigerator oil, and a desiccating agent, the desiccating agent possesses a capacity for adsorption of difluoromethane of less than 2.77% by weight as determined by the McBain method. This desiccating agent is a sodium.potassium A type zeolite which has a sodium content of not less than 6% by weight, a potassium content of not less than 5% by weight, and a total sodium and potassium content in the range of from 13 to 20% by weight. Owing to the use of the desiccating agent of this quality, the water concentration in the refrigeration cycle can be lowered without entraining decomposition of such a Flon alternative as difluoromethane which is used in the place of dichlorodifluoroethane or monochloro-difluoromethane.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a composition for use in a refrigeration cycle, particularly a composition for a refrigeration cycle using a hydrofluorocarbon type refrigerant, and a refrigerating apparatus using the composition.
2. Description of the Related Art
The use of such chlorine-containing Flons as dichlorodifluoroethane (hereinafter referred to as "CFC12"), monochloro-difluoromethane (hereinafter referred to as "HCFC22"), and R-502 which is an azeotropic mixture of HCFC22 with CFC115 will be banned because they have been established as refrigerants which are associated with the depletion of the ozonosphere. As prospective alternatives to these Flons, such hydrofluorocarbon type refrigerants as difluoromethane (hereinafter referred to as "HFC32"), pentafluoroethane (hereinafter referred to as "HFC125"), 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (hereinafter referred to as "HFC134a"), 1,1,1-trifluoroethane (hereinafter referred to as "HFC143a"), and 1,1-difluoroethane (hereinafter referred to as "HFC152a") which avoid depleting the ozonosphere have been being studied for their feasibility as simple compounds or mixtures. Meanwhile, the development of a refrigerating apparatus which operates by the use of this hydrofluorocarbon type refrigerant has been being urged.
The refrigerating apparatus is represented by an air conditioner, a refrigerator, or the like which incorporates therein a refrigeration cycle consisting of the four actions, i.e. evaporation, compression, condensation, and expansion. In the refrigeration cycle, the refrigerant is circulated while repeating changes from liquid to gas and gas to liquid. The refrigeration cycle has further contained in the system thereof a refrigerator oil and a desiccating agent. The refrigerator oil is used herein particularly for lubrication in the compression mechanism part. For the sake of the return of the oil within the cycle, the refrigerator oil is required to manifest compatibility with the refrigerant as an indispensable property. Since the aforementioned alternative Flons show practically no solubility to the mineral oil heretofore used as the refrigerator oil, the feasibility of such refrigerator oils as polyol ester type oils and polyether type oils which show solubility to the hydrofluoro-carbon type refrigerant is now being studied. The prospective refrigerator oils include polyalkylene glycol oils and polyalkyl benzene type oils as well.
The drier is packed with the desiccating agent and then disposed in the refrigeration cycle for eliminating water from the cycle.
As the desiccating agent, the sodium A type zeolite which is designated as the 4A type has been heretofore used in the refrigeration cycle which comprises CFC12, R-502, and the HCFC22 type refrigerant and a mineral oil.
The alternative Flons mentioned above and such refrigerator oils as polyester type oils and polyether type oils share the quality of high absorbency and possibly entail entrance of a large volume of water into the refrigeration cycle. This entrance of water opens up the possibility that the water will freeze inside the capillary tube and will consequently induce hydrolysis of the refrigerant and the refrigerator oil, deterioration of the materials forming the system with an acid component produced inside the cycle, and occurrence of oil slags. For the refrigeration cycle which uses an alternative Flon and a polyester type oil or a polyether type oil which fits the alternative Flon, therefore, the removal of this water constitutes itself an important task.
When the conventional sodium A type zeolite is used in the refrigeration cycle using an alternative Flon for the purpose of lowering the water concentration in the cycle, however, the refrigeration cycle will be at a disadvantage in incurring decomposition of the Flon which is formed solely of HFC32 or of a mixture containing HFC32 and, at the same time, exerting an adverse effect also on the A type zeolite, and eventually failing to attain sufficient removal of the water.

Composition for use in refrigeration cycle and refrigerating apparatus


A modular reader assembly, with a wire frame construction is provided. A pair of eyeglass lenses are releasably engageable with the frame assembly by use of a spring-biased wire frame material. Each of the lenses are secured in place by at least three contact points at notches positioned at the inner, upper and outer edges of the lens. Lenses of different sizes, configurations, thicknesses and powers are easily accommodated even where the sizes and configurations of the lenses differ between the left and right eyes.

The present invention relates generally to an eyeglass frame assembly. More specifically, the present invention relates to a modular eyeglass reader assembly which can accommodate a wide range of lens sizes and powers.
In the optical and eyeglass industry, it has been well-known to employ an outer frame for carrying a pair of optical lenses for vision correction, UV protection, sun shading, and the like. Typically, these frames are rigid members which receive and secure the lenses thereto. Temples and ear loops on the free ends thereof are provided to complete the eyeglass frame structure. Sill further, nose pads are commonly provided to serve as cushioning of the eyeglass frame structure to the nose of the wearer.
In the most common configuration of eyeglasses, the lenses are secured to the frame in a substantially permanent fashion by use of an encircling band of metal or plastic which is maintained in a closed position by use of a screw, rivet or the like. In this common configuration, custom lenses must be employed to fit precisely within the frame configuration at hand. The particular thickness of the lens, corresponding to the power and/or style of the lens, must be compatible with the particular frame selected by the wearer. As a result, significant time and effort must be expended, due to the required customization, to assemble an eyeglass assembly.
The foregoing is particularly evident when eyeglass readers, also known as reading glasses, are the desired spectacle configuration. It is common for a person in need of reading glasses to have multiple pairs of such reading glasses so that such vision correction is available at multiple locations, for example the home and the office. Such a need for reading glasses or eyeglass readers necessitates a custom fit assembly each time a new pair of readers are purchased. As a result, the purchase of reading glasses is unnecessarily time consuming and laborious for the eye care professional. Still further, a person in need of reading glasses does not have a wide range of flexibility in their selection of frames due to the limited lens shape and thickness selection for that particular frame. Since typical eyeglass reader frames require a particular lens shape and thickness for compatibility purposes, a person in need of an exceedingly strong powered lens would likely have a heavy, uncomfortable and cosmetically unappealing appearance.
In the prior art, attempts have been made to provide a rimless and semi-rimless style of eyeglass frame to meet the needs and receive lenses of varying sizes, configurations and thicknesses. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,439,357, issued to Bouchard, discloses a lens holding frame with a semi-rimless tension spectacle mounting. This patent discloses flexible metal arms with protrusions at the free ends thereof for releasably engaging with respective notches on opposing ends of a given lens. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 2,208,103, issued to Paterson, discloses an eyeglass frame which includes a rimless construction where each of the eyeglass lenses are retained in place by a pair of spring-biased protrusions engaging with a respective pair of notches in the eyeglass lens itself. The foregoing patents of the prior art allow for the quick and immediate attachment of the appropriate lens in accordance with the needs of the wearer. The semi-rimless frames of the prior art can accommodate lenses of different sizes since they grasp onto the lens from its upper portion. In general, the spring-loaded snap-in design of the prior art eyeglass constructions provide for fast assembly by the eye care professional.
However, the prior art semi-rimless eyeglass construction suffer from many disadvantages. In particular, these known construction can only accommodate a small range of different types of lenses. In particular, due to the particular mounting structure provided in the prior art, lenses of different thicknesses and vastly different configurations cannot be easily accommodated. Prior art eyeglass constructions are particularly deficient in their inability to accommodate lenses of different powers and thicknesses within the same frame. For example, the prior art constructions are unable to easily accommodate a relatively thick high-power lens in the left eye while simultaneously accommodating a relatively lower power lens in the right eye. In general, the prior art constructions require that both of the lenses carried be of the same or similar power, or at least the same or similar thickness. Such a limitation greatly reduces the flexibility of use and application and availability of a given eyeglass frame.
In addition, the prior art eyeglass configurations discussed above are expensive to manufacture and they also require the use of tools for the actual installation of the lenses into the frame.
In view of the foregoing, there is a demand for an eyeglass frame which can easily accommodate a wide array of lens shapes, configurations, sizes and thicknesses as well as a mix thereof within the same frame. It is further desired for an eyeglass frame to include the ability to easily install the eyeglass lenses without the need for additional tools. Further, it is also desirable for an eyeglass frame to be able to accommodate two different powers of lenses within the same frame while being aesthetically pleasing in appearance. An eyeglass frame should also be very easy and inexpensive to manufacture yet be able to securely hold a hand-installed lens without fear of it being separated from the frame.


A real-time device data management (RTNDD) system for managing access to data describing devices in a telecommunications network. The RTNDD system maintains a partition data structure for each device. The partition data structure has a header section and a port data section. The header section contains data elements describing the device (e.g., number of ports and device type). The port data section has a port data structure for each port of the device that contains data elements describing the port (e.g., current cross-connect and actual port address for device). The RTNDD system also provides a standard interface through which external systems access the device data. The standard interface has functions for reading and writing to the partition data structures. Each read function reads multiple data elements of a header section or a port data structure at a time, and each write function writes a single data element of a device at a time. The standard interface is device independent such that an external system can use the standard interface to access device data for any type of device whose data is stored in a partition data structure.

In the telecommunications field, telecommunications carriers (e.g., long distance providers) continually strive to increase the reliability of their telecommunications networks. A telecommunications network consists of a collection of network nodes interconnected via transmission lines. Traffic is transmitted on the network from one endpoint to another endpoint through a current route, which is a network path that specifies the transmission lines that interconnect the endpoints. The main path (i.e., trunk) through the network is referred to as the original route. The network nodes may serve a variety of functions such as amplifying the network traffic for transmission down the next transmission line in the route or establishing an interconnection between two transmission lines connected to the node (i.e., a switch). Unfortunately, the components (e.g., nodes and transmission lines) of the transmission network may occasionally fail. For example, a transmission line that is a buried fiber optic cable may fail as a result of being inadvertently severed by someone digging near the buried cable.
If one or more of the cables fail, massive disruption of services to a large number of network customers could result. Therefore, telecommunications carriers strive to quickly and economically route the network traffic around such failed components by establishing a "restoral" route. A restoral route is a portion of a path between the endpoints that does not include the failed component. The establishing of a restoral route generally involves: (1) detecting that a component on the current route has failed, (2) identifying the location of the component, (3) selecting a restoral route to bypass the failed component, and (4) implementing the selected restoral route. The reliability of telecommunication networks depends in large part on the ability to detect such failures and implement the restoral route with minimal impact on network customers.
Telecommunications carriers typically develop "pre-planned" restoral routes that are used when various components fail. The development of such pre-planned restoral routes has several disadvantages. One disadvantage is that the amount of time needed to develop the restoral route for the network can increase exponentially with the size of the network. To develop the restoral routes, a telecommunications carrier typically collects large amounts of data relating to the telecommunications network. This data can include the topology of the network, speed of network components, and relative costs of the network components. A network analyst then analyzes the collected data and identifies the pre-planned restoral routes that would result in minimal impact on network customers both in terms of cost and service. The analyst typically needs to identify a pre-planned restoral route for each component that could possibly fail. A second disadvantage is that the pre-planned restoral routes cannot realistically take into consideration every possible combination of component failures. Thus, the pre-planned restoral routes may not be an optimal restoral route given the combination of failures that have occurred. A third disadvantage is that the pre-planned restoral routes cannot adjust to the dynamic nature of the network. The topology of a telecommunication network can be dynamic, that is components can be added, removed, and changed frequently. Therefore, these pre-planned restoral routes may fail because they were developed from outdated data. Consequently, each time the topology changes new pre-planned restoral routes may need to be developed.
Because of the disadvantages of the pre-planned restoral route, it would be desirable to identify a restoral route in real-time when a network failure is detected. In this way, the restoral route could be optimized based on the current network configuration. However, the identifying of such restoral routes in real-time has been impracticable for several reasons. First, vast amounts of information need to be culled and processed to even determine the current configuration of the network. Second, such vast amounts of information have been typically stored using database systems that provide only relatively slow access. Third, because a network can have many different types of devices with very different characteristics, the computer programs that access the data representing these characteristics can be very complex and inefficient. Moreover, if a new type of device were added to the network, then the computer programs would need to be modified to accommodate the new type of device.

Real-time device data management for managing access to data in a telecommunication system


Methods and apparatus, including computer program products for tracking usage of business data elements include receiving an electronic document that includes instances of business data elements and identifying an instance of a particular business data element in the electronic document. A counter associated with the particular business data element is incremented based on the identified instance. The electronic document has a format defined by a business communication schema, and the business communication schema includes a set of predefined business data elements for use in transacting electronic business.

The present invention relates to data processing by digital computer, and more particularly to tracking usage of data elements in electronic business communications.
Companies have conventionally exchanged electronic business information using Electronic Data Interchange (EDI). While EDI has allowed companies to communicate more efficiently than through the use of traditional paper-based communications, smaller companies face challenges to participate in electronic business (or electronic collaboration). These companies need to invest in complex and expensive computer systems to be installed at local computers, or to register with marketplaces at remote computers accessible through the Internet. In either case, the companies are bound by the particulars of the local or remote computer systems. Changes lead to further costs for software, hardware, user training, registration, and the like.
More recently, the development of the Extensible Markup Language (XML) has offered an alternative way to define formats for exchanging business data. XML provides a syntax that can be used to enable more open and flexible applications for conducting electronic business transactions, but does not provide standardized semantics for messages used in business processes. Initiatives to define standardized frameworks for using XML to exchange electronic business data have produced specifications such as the Electronic Business Extensible Markup Language (ebXML) Core Components Technical Specification (CCTS) and ISO 11179, which is incorporated in ebXML CCTS. Despite the efforts of such initiatives to develop a single standard for conducting electronic business, a number of competing XML and non-XML-based standards and proprietary formatting schema have been developed and are in common use, including cXML, ebXML, SAP IDoc, SAP IFR XML, OAG BOD, ANSI X12, EDIFACT, SWIFT, FIX, RosettaNet, and xCBL. In addition, some companies continue to use EDI-based systems based at least in part on their substantial investments in EDI integration. The large number of available schemas complicates efforts to conduct electronic business because a company will often adopt a particular schema that is not supported by all of the company's trading partners. Further complicating matters is the fact that many of the schema are constantly evolving (i.e., new business data elements are regularly added).

Tracking usage of data elements in electronic business communications


A computerized method and system for reducing the number of false-positive detections of nodule candidates in the detection of abnormalities in digital chest radiography. The image is initially subjected to an image difference technique where the detection sensitivity is increased so as to avoid missing small nodules which might otherwise go undetected. Such a technique tends to increase the number of false-positives, however, leading to possible incorrect diagnoses of the radiographs. To reduce the number of false-positives, feature extraction techniques are applied to grown regions around the nodule candidates, in order to provide computer generated information concerning the candidates. A data base of parameters common to false-positives is compared to calculated parameters of a candidate of interest. The candidates with grown region parameters within the data base range common to false-positives are eliminated as being probable false-positive detections due to normal background anatomical features.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method and system for reducing the number of false-positive detections of abnormalities in X-ray images by using digital image analysis techniques with a computerized scheme to analyze pulmonary nodule candidates or mammographic masses and microcalcifications for possible abnormality conditions indicative of disease.
2. Discussion of the Background
It is known that radiologists can fail to diagnose pulmonary nodules from chest radiographs in as many as 30% of positive cases. In addition, in a study by Muhm et al., Radiology, Vol. 148, pp. 609-615 (1983), it was reported that 90% of peripheral lung cancers were visible in retrospect on previous films. In order to alert the radiologist to locations of possible nodules or breast masses and microcalcifications, and to reduce the number of false-negatives diagnoses, the present inventors have developed a computer-aided diagnosis scheme for the detection of lung nodules in digital chest images and mammographic masses and microcalcifications. Such a computerized diagnosis scheme is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,907,156 to Doi et al, incorporated herein by reference.
The method and system are based on a difference-image approach in which a nodule-suppressed image is subtracted from a nodule-enhanced image in order to remove the complex background in a chest image, and thus enhance the conspicuity of nodules. After a difference image is obtained, feature-extraction techniques are employed which involve the size, contrast and shape of the nodule candidates. Using 60 clinical chest images, the sensitivity obtained with this previous method was approximately 70% at a false-positive rate of seven or eight per image. It is apparent that a practical limitation of this previous method is the existence of these false-positive detections which can lead to incorrect diagnoses by radiologists interpreting the computer generated data, i.e., a diagnosis of abnormality for an actually disease-free lung or breast.
In the prior art, a number of false-positives obtained with this computer scheme usually occurred at rib crossings, and at rib-and-vessel crossings. In addition, some end-on vessels and also aggregates of vessels produced false-positives. These normal anatomical background features will often appear similar to actual nodules (dense clusters of diseased cells) due to the shadows they produce on digitized chest X-rays using various gray levels. The different gray levels represent the level of opacity of the individual anatomical features. The image enhancement technique referred to above increases the sensitivity of the detection process, thus generating a higher number of possible actual nodule candidates. Such a technique is important so as not to miss any actual nodules which may be of relatively small size. In other words, the increased sensitivity reduces the number of false-negatives. However, the increased sensitivity tends to increase the number of false-positive detections as well by erroneously detecting normal background structures, commonly referred to as artifacts. Thus, one of the main concerns of the present invention is to be able to reduce the number of false-positive detections, while still maintaining the increased sensitivity.

Method and system for analysis of false positives produced by an automated scheme for the detection of lung nodules in digital chest radiographs


The present invention provides a system and method for building a lexical analyzer that can scan multibyte character sets. The present invention factors regular expressions that contain multibyte characters, so that a single byte finite state automata can be constructed. In particular, the present invention provides a computer-based system and method for tokenizing a source program written in a programming language that is represented by both single byte values and two byte values. The present invention includes a mechanism for building a lexical analyzer that is configured to accept an input specification. The input specification typically includes a regular expression(s) and a corresponding associated action(s). The present invention also including a mechanism for factoring the regular expression(s), if the regular expression(s) contains at least one two byte character, into a regular expression(s) containing only single byte characters. The present invention will result in both a significantly smaller lexical analyzer which uses substantially less memory and a lexical analyzer which easily recognizes a heterogeneous input stream of single and two byte characters.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of compiler design, and more particularly to the construction of lexical analyzers that can efficiently accept multibyte character sets.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Lexical Analyzers are one of the cornerstones of compiler creation and are used in many areas of computer science for a multitude of applications. The identification of words and delimiters is a necessary task for any language processing task. The main task of a lexical analyzer is to read input characters from a source program and produce as an output a sequence of tokens. This process is also called "tokenization" because the process generates word and punctuation tokens.
In the past, lexical analyzers have been built to recognize only characters that fall within the realm of single byte character sets. Single byte character sets are sufficient for representing most English and European languages. However, languages from the Pacific Rim, such as the Kanji character set used in Japan, require two bytes to represent the multitude of characters.
Building a lexical analyzer for a character set generally requires tables to be constructed with a number of entries approximately equal to the number of different characters that are to be recognized. In a single byte character set this requires on the order of 256 entries in its tables (which is two raised to the power of eight). Following this logic, a lexical analyzer for a two byte character set would require on the order of 65,536 entries in its tables (which is two raised to the power of sixteen). This is a prohibitively large amount of space that will be needed to build and run the lexical analyzer. Therefore, it is readily apparent that a more efficient system and method is needed in order to recognize character sets that can only be represented with two bytes of data.

Regular expression factoring for scanning multibyte character sets with a single byte automata machine


A cathode sputtering source comprises a heat sink comprising a substantially circularly-shaped planar disk formed of an electrically and thermally conductive material, with a circumferentially extending edge connecting first and second opposing major surfaces, the first major surface including a plurality of radially extending, recessed gas supply channels formed therein and extending from a central recess formed in the first major surface to the circumferentially extending edge; the second major surface including a gas inlet formed adjacent the circumferentially extending edge; a gas flow channel formed in the interior of the disk fluidly connects the gas inlet and central recess; and a substantially circular disk-shaped sputtering target is mounted on the first major surface, whereby gas supplied to the gas inlet is substantially uniformly distributed around the entirety of the circumferentially extending edge of the heat sink. Preferred embodiments include a rotatable magnetron magnet assembly positioned behind the heat sink.

Magnetic and MO recording media are widely employed in various applications, particularly in the computer industry for data/information recording, storage, and retrieval purposes. A magnetic medium in, e.g., disk form, such as utilized in computer-related applications, comprises a non-magnetic substrate, for example, of glass, ceramic, glass-ceramic composite, polymer, metal or metal alloy, typically an aluminum (Al)-based alloy such as aluminum-magnesium (Al—Mg), having at least one major surface on which a layer stack comprising a plurality of thin film layers constituting the medium are sequentially deposited. In the case of longitudinal type magnetic recording media, such layers may include, in sequence from the substrate deposition surface, a plating layer, e.g., of amorphous nickel-phosphorus (Ni—P), a polycrystalline underlayer, typically of chromium (Cr) or a Cr-based alloy such as chromium-vanadium (Cr—V), a longitudinally oriented magnetic layer, e.g., of a cobalt (Co)-based alloy, and a protective overcoat layer, typically of a carbon (C)-based material, such as diamond-like carbon (DLC), having good mechanical (i.e., tribological) and corrosion resistance properties. Perpendicular type magnetic recording media typically comprise, in sequence from the surface of a non-magnetic substrate, an underlayer of a magnetically soft material, at least one non-magnetic interlayer or intermediate layer, a vertically (i.e., perpendicularly) oriented recording layer of a magnetically hard material, and a protective overcoat layer.
A similar situation exists with magneto-optical (MO) media, wherein a layer stack is formed which comprises a reflective layer, typically of a metal or metal alloy, one or more rare-earth thermo-magnetic (RE-TM) alloy layers, one or more dielectric layers, and a protective overcoat layer, for functioning as reflective, transparent, writing, writing assist, and read-out layers, etc.
According to conventional manufacturing technology, a majority (if not all) of the above-described layers constituting stacked multi-layer longitudinal and perpendicular magnetic media, as well as MO recording media, are deposited by means of cathode sputtering processing. For example, the magnetic recording layers are typically fabricated by sputter depositing a Co-based alloy film, wherein the alloying elements are selected to promote desired magnetic and microstructural properties. In the case of longitudinal-type magnetic disk recording media, metallic and metalloidal elements, such as, for example, Cr, Pt, Ta, B, and combinations thereof, have been found to be effective. Similar alloying elements have been found to be useful in the case of perpendicular-type magnetic disk recording media, and in addition, reactive sputter deposition of the Co-based alloys in an oxygen (O2)-containing atmosphere has been found to be especially effective in controlling (i.e., limiting) exchange coupling between adjacent magnetic grains.
In a typical reactive sputtering process utilized for formation of perpendicular-type magnetic recording media, O2 gas is mixed with an inert sputtering gas, e.g., Ar, and is consumed by the depositing Co-based alloy magnetic film. Due to the high reactivity of O2 with metals, and since only partial oxidation of the depositing Co-based alloy magnetic film is desired, the degree of oxidation as a function of the location or position on the substrate (i.e., disk) surface tends to exhibit wide variation depending upon the process conditions, including, inter alia, O2 injection geometry, gas pumping (i.e., evacuation) geometry, gas flow rate, and film deposition rate.
FIG. 1 is a simplified, schematic, perspective view of a portion of an example of a one disk at-a-time sputtering apparatus 10 which may be utilized for sputter deposition of thin films as part of the manufacturing process of disk-shaped magnetic or MO recording media. As illustrated, apparatus 10 comprises: a vacuum chamber 1 equipped with an opening 2 at the bottom end thereof for connection to a pumping means for evacuating the interior of the chamber; at least one, preferably a pair of facing, circularly-shaped sputtering targets or sources 3A and 3B of conventional type, e.g., a pair of magnetron sputtering guns; a workpiece support or holder (not shown in the figure for illustrative clarity) for positioning a substrate/workpiece in the space between the pair of facing sputtering sources, illustratively a circular disk-shaped substrate 4 for a magnetic or MO recording medium, adapted for receipt of sputtered particle flux on the opposing surfaces thereof; and a gas injector 5 having a gas inlet portion 6 extending outside of chamber 1 for connection to a source of a process gas, and a gas outlet portion 7 within the chamber, for injecting the process gas, e.g., an inert gas such as Ar, Kr, etc., or a reactive gas such as N2, O2, etc., in the space between the facing pair of sputtering sources 3A and 3B. Illustratively, the gas injector 5 is "wishbone"-shaped, and comprises a linearly elongated, tubular inlet portion 6 having a first, gas inlet end, and a second end 7, with a pair of arcuately-shaped, tubular gas outlet portions 8A and 8B extending from the second end, comprising a plurality of spaced-apart, narrow diameter gas outlet orifices 9.
It has been determined that one-disk-at-a-time sputtering apparatus for the hard disk manufacturing industry, such as described above, employ gas injection systems with design criteria, e.g., geometries, which are poorly suited to the high film uniformity requirements of the hard disk industry, particularly with respect to the special problems presented by reactive sputtering in atmospheres containing O2 for formation of granular magnetic recording layers. For example, as the oxide content of granular magnetic films increases, the exchange coupling between adjacent magnetic grains decreases, the hysteresis slope decreases, and S* (a measure of the oxygen content) decreases.
More specifically, in the case of "top-center" O2/Ar injection, S* is highest at the bottom of the disks (i.e., at 180°), indicating that the bottom of the disks is oxide-poor, relative to the disk top and sides (i.e., 0, 90, and 270°). By contrast, in the case of "bottom-side" O2/Ar injection, S* is lowest, i.e., the oxide content is highest, at the 90° position, corresponding to the region of the disk directly above the O2/Ar injection port. However, variation, e.g., asymmetry, of the oxide content of the deposited magnetic films, as inferred from the values of the parameter S*, can be correlated with the O2/Ar injection geometry of the sputtering apparatus. In general, the oxide content is highest in the region of the disk surface which is closest to the point of O2/Ar injection. For the same sputtering chamber and pumping (evacuation) hardware, disks can be manufactured in which the magnetic recording layer is oxide rich at the top, bottom, or side(s), depending upon the geometry of the O2/Ar injection system, suggesting that the variation in oxide content of the magnetic recording layer (as reflected in the value of S*) can be reduced by proper design of the injection geometry/system.
FIG. 2 is a simplified, schematic, view of a portion (i.e., a center sectional view) of another example of a one at-a-time sputtering apparatus 20 which may be utilized for sputter deposition of thin films as part of the manufacturing process of disk-shaped magnetic and MO recording media. As illustrated, sputtering apparatus 20 comprises a vacuum chamber 11 equipped with a vertically movable workpiece/substrate mount or holder 12 for positioning a circular disk-shaped media substrate 4 in spaced opposition to a circularly-shaped sputtering target or source 13 of conventional type, e.g., a magnetron sputtering gun, for receipt of sputtered particle flux on a first, facing surface thereof. Chamber 11 typically includes another, similarly configured, circularly-shaped sputtering target or source (not shown in FIG. 2) positioned in spaced opposition to a second, opposing surface of substrate 4 for sputter deposition thereon. As shown in the figure, chamber 11 is provided with a pair of channels 13A and 13B which extend through the chamber base 12 at opposite ends thereof for supplying process gas(es) to the interior space of the chamber. Each of the channels 13A and 13B includes a respective branch portion 14A and 14B terminating at gas injection ports or orifices 15A and 15B formed in respective interior wall portions 16A and 16B of chamber 11 for supplying process gas to the lower portion of the chamber, as well as respective elongated, upwardly extending branches 17A and 17B respectively terminating in side gas injection ports or orifices 18A and 18B and top gas injection ports or orifices 19A and 19B for supplying process gas(es) to the side and upper portions of chamber 11. The process gas(es) supplied to the interior of chamber 11 is (are) evacuated via outlets at the lower portion of the chamber (not shown in the figure for illustrative simplicity).
According to this arrangement, control of the process gas pressure distribution within chamber 11 is possible only by closing or opening selected ones of gas injection ports or orifices 13A, 13B, 18A, 18B, 19A, and 19B. For example, if the bottom and side gas injection ports or orifices 13A, 13B, 18A, and 18B are closed (e.g., plugged), the process gas is injected only via the top gas injection ports or orifices 19A and 19B. Disadvantageously, however, irrespective of which gas injection port or orifice, or combination of gas injection ports or orifices, is utilized, a gas pressure gradient will exist from the top to the bottom of chamber 11, and in addition, a difference in gas pressure across the sides of substrate 4 will be established if the pumping path for gas evacuation is not symmetrical.
The top-to-bottom process gas pressure gradient which is established as described above typically has an adverse affect on the properties of the sputter deposited thin films. More specifically, the top-to-bottom gas pressure gradient results in circumferentially non-uniform magnetic properties of the various magnetic layers, including soft underlayers and longitudinal and perpendicular recording layers. The effect of circumferential non-uniformity of the sputter deposition process is particularly observed when the films are formed by a reactive sputtering process, as in the formation of granular magnetic films.
Another apparatus for performing cathode sputter deposition of thin films on circular disk-shaped substrates with circumferential uniformity comprises a circularly-shaped planar magnetron sputtering source with a rotating magnet assembly provided adjacent the back side surface of the sputtering target for increasing uniformity of sputtering therefrom and increasing target lifetime. The sputtering source comprises a circular disk-shaped cathode/target with a planar sputtering surface provided with a ring-shaped gas channel extending around the circumference thereof, with the front facing side or surface of the gas channel provided with a plurality of substantially equally spaced small gas injection holes or orifices (e.g., of 0.025″ diameter) for uniform injection of process gas into the sputtering chamber between the target and the disk-shaped substrate. The gas channel is provided with gas from a source via a relatively larger gas inlet opening formed on the rearward facing surface thereof.
According to the design principle of this apparatus, the injection holes or orifices of the gas channel must be sufficiently small in order to ensure an even gas distribution around the target. In general, the smaller the holes or orifices, the better the gas distribution. However, if the holes or orifices are too large, the process gas(es) enter the sputtering chamber via the holes or orifices nearer the gas inlet. Nonetheless, other issues are generated when the holes or orifices are too small. For example, when the holes or orifices are too small, an excessively long interval is required for pressurizing the sputtering chamber, thereby reducing the product throughput. In addition, the interval required for evacuating process gas(es) from the chamber is disadvantageously lengthened, the effect of slow pump-out being heightened when reactive gases, such as O2, must be removed from the chamber, for example, in order not to contaminate neighboring chambers of a multi-chamber sputtering apparatus utilized for automated manufacture of magnetic and MO recording media.
A sputter deposition apparatus has previously been disclosed with a gas supply system adapted for providing the process (i.e., vacuum) chamber of the apparatus with a uniform flow of at least one process gas around the entirety of a circumferentially extending edge of a cathode sputtering source in the form of a circularly-shaped planar magnetron sputtering target assembly with a fixed (i.e., static) magnetron magnet assembly, wherein the gas supply system comprises a gas inlet conduit adapted for introducing the at least one process gas into a space formed between a rear side of the sputtering target assembly and a mounting plate for mounting the sputtering source to a wall of the process chamber. The gas supply system further comprises a gap formed between the circumferentially extending edge of the sputtering target assembly and a cathode dark space shield surrounding the edge, the space and the gap being in fluid communication.
However, in the case of circularly-shaped planar magnetron target assemblies comprising rotating magnetron magnet assemblies for enhanced uniformity of sputtered particle distribution and target erosion (hence increased lifetime), the aforementioned gap (between a heat sink of the target and the magnet assembly) is extremely small, rendering back-side process gas injection (as described above) difficult or impractical. More specifically, while the spacing between the heat sink and the magnet assembly is adjustable in some available models of rotating magnetron target assemblies, the magnet assemblies must be positioned very closely to the target (or its heat sink) in order to strike a satisfactory sputtering plasma with low pass-through flux ("PTF") target materials, such as utilized for depositing magnetic recording layers and magnetically soft underlayers ("SUL"s).
In view of the foregoing, there exists a clear need for improved means and methodology for depositing thin films by sputtering techniques (e.g., reactive sputtering) utilizing magnetron sputtering sources with rotating magnets and at deposition rates consistent with the throughput requirements of automated manufacturing processing, which have a specified, typically minimal, variation of composition and/or properties over the substrate surface. More specifically, there exists a need for improved means and methodology for overcoming the above-described drawbacks and disadvantages associated with rotating magnet sputter deposition processing for the manufacture of hard disk magnetic and MO recording media, notably reactive sputtering involving oxide content variation over the disk surface which exceeds specified manufacturing tolerances.
The present invention addresses and solves the problems, disadvantages, and drawbacks described supra in connection with conventional means and methodology for performing sputter deposition of thin films, particularly reactive sputtering of oxide-containing perpendicular magnetic recording layers, while maintaining full compatibility with all aspects of conventional automated manufacturing technology for hard disk magnetic and MO recording media. Further, the means and methodology afforded by the present invention enjoy diverse utility in the manufacture of all manner of devices and products requiring formation of high compositional uniformity thin films by means of reactive sputtering processing.

Cathode sputtering gas distribution apparatus