A classification system is provided for combining multiple input representations by a single neural network architecture. In such a classification system having a single neural network architecture, classification channels corresponding to various input representations may be integrated through their own and shared hidden layers of the network to produce highly accurate classification. The classification system is particularly applicable to character classifying applications which use stroke and character image features as the main classification criteria, along with scalar features such as stroke count and aspect ratio features as secondary classification. The classification channels corresponding to the scalar features may be cross wired to the classification channels corresponding to the main input representations for further improving the accuracy of the classification output. Because a single neural network architecture is used, only one, standard training technique is needed for this classification system, special data handling is minimized, and the training time can be reduced, while highly accurate classification is achieved.

As the functionality of neural networks continues to be expanded, the applications for neural networks increase. For example, neural networks may be applied to pattern recognition applications such as character recognition, speech recognition, remote sensing, geophysical prospecting and medical analysis, as well as many other applications. For each of these applications, classification algorithms are available based on different theories and methodologies used in the particular area. In applying a classifier to a specific problem, varying degrees of success with any one of the classifiers may be obtained. To improve the accuracy and success of the classification results, different techniques for combining classifiers have been studied. Nevertheless, problems of obtaining a high classification accuracy within a reasonable amount of time exist for the present classifying combination techniques and an optimal integration of different types of information is therefore desired to achieve high success and efficiency.
To this end, combinations of multiple classifiers have been employed. In early combination techniques, a variety of complementary classifiers were developed and the results of each individual classifier were analyzed by three basic approaches. One approach uses a majority voting principle where each individual classifier represents a score that may be assigned to one label or divided into several labels. Thereafter, the label receiving the highest total score is taken as the final result. A second approach uses a candidate subset combining and re-ranking approach where each individual classifier produces a subset of ranked candidate labels, and the labels and the union of all subsets are re-ranked based on their old ranks in each subset. A third approach uses Dempster-Shafer (D-S) theory to combine several individual distance classifiers. However, none of these approaches achieve the desired accuracy and efficiency in obtaining the combined classification result.
Another example of combining multiple classifiers is a multisource connectionist pattern classifier having a Meta-Pi architecture. In the Meta-Pi architecture, a number of source-dependent modules are integrated by a combinational superstructure which is referred to as the Meta-Pi combinational superstructure because of the multiplicative functions performed by its output units. FIG. 1 illustrates an example of the Meta-Pi architecture. In this architecture, a signal is input to the module networks, Net.sub.1, Net.sub.2, . . . Net.sub.k which classify the input signals by a Meta-Pi network (Meta-Pi Net). Source-dependent module output units {.rho..sub.k,1, .rho..sub.k,2, . . . .rho..sub.k,c } of each of the module networks are linked to global outputs O.sub.1, O.sub.2, . . . O.sub.c via their respective Meta-Pi network output units M.sub..pi.1, M.sub..pi.2, . . . M.sub..pi.k. In the Meta-Pi training procedure, the source-dependent module output units {.rho..sub.k,1, .rho..sub.k,2, . . . .rho..sub.k,c } are trained on the desired task before the combinational superstructure is trained. Each source-dependent module output unit processes each training sample and presents a classification output to the Meta-Pi superstructure which performs a combinational function on the outputs of the source dependent modules. In other words, at least two different training methods are performed, which requires a significant amount of time and logistical overhead.
The Meta-Pi superstructure processes the training sample and produces a global classification output by forming a linear combination of the module outputs. By using a Meta-Pi back propagation training process tailored for the Meta-Pi network, the parameters (weights or connections) of the Meta-Pi network are adjusted to optimize the global outputs. Accordingly, the Meta-Pi network separately trains the source-dependent classifier modules and the Meta-Pi combinational superstructure. Since the overall training time for the Meta-Pi combinational superstructure is proportional to the number of source-dependent modules combined by the superstructure, a significant amount of training time typically results. Also, the Meta-Pi combinational superstructure requires the output states of its source-dependent modules to be included as part of its training, and the combinational superstructure therefore cannot be trained independent of its modules which further increases the training time and complexity. Even though other systems are known where it is possible to train the classifier modules and the combinational structures simultaneously on different processors (a source identification (SID) network for example), any reduction in the training time that results from the simultaneous training is offset by the decrease in the accuracy of the classification output.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a classification system for efficiently and accurately combining multiple representations of an input pattern. Further along these lines, it is desirable to apply the classification system to character recognition analysis which supports multiple input representations.

Classifying system having a single neural network architecture for multiple input representations


A polishing method includes: rotating a polishing table that supports a polishing pad; polishing a conductive film by pressing a substrate having the conductive film against the polishing pad; obtaining a film thickness signal with use of an eddy current film-thickness sensor disposed in the polishing table; determining a thickness of the polishing pad based on the film thickness signal; determining a polishing rate of the conductive film corresponding to the determined thickness of the polishing pad; calculating an expected amount of polishing of the conductive film to be polished at the determined polishing rate for a predetermined polishing time; calculating a temporary end-point film thickness by adding the expected amount of polishing to a target thickness; and terminating polishing of the conductive film when the predetermined polishing time has elapsed from a point of time when the thickness of the conductive film has reached the temporary end-point film thickness.

In fabrication of semiconductor devices, a process of polishing a conductive film, such as a metal film, formed on a substrate is performed. For example, in a metal interconnect forming process, the metal film is formed on a surface of the substrate having interconnect patterns formed thereon and then chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) is performed to remove an excessive metal film, thereby forming metal interconnects. In this polishing process, in order to detect a polishing end point at which a desired target thickness is reached, an eddy current film-thickness sensor is used to measure the thickness of the conductive film formed on the substrate (see Japanese laid-open patent publication No. 2005-121616).
The eddy current film-thickness sensor is disposed in a rotatable polishing table, and rotates together with the polishing table that is rotating for polishing the substrate. A high-frequency alternating current is flowing in the eddy current film-thickness sensor. When the eddy current film-thickness sensor moves near the substrate, an eddy current is generated in the conductive film famed on the substrate due to an influence of the high-frequency alternating current. An impedance of an electric circuit of the eddy current film-thickness sensor varies under the influence of magnetic lines of force of the generated eddy current. The thickness of the conductive film can be detected based on a film thickness signal indicating the variation in the impedance.
The detection of the thickness of the conductive film has been conventionally performed in this manner with use of the eddy current film-thickness sensor. However, it is difficult to terminate the polishing process immediately at a point of time when a target thickness is actually reached. This reason is that the film-thickness detection entails a detection delay time and that it takes a certain time to actually stop the polishing of the conductive film. Therefore, in the conventional polishing process, a temporary end-point film thickness is set in advance by adding a predetermined offset value to the target thickness at which polishing is to be actually stopped, and polishing of the conductive film is continued just for a predetermined polishing time after the temporary end-point film thickness is detected.
This method using such an offset value does not raise any problem if a polishing rate of the conductive film is constant at all times. However, the polishing rate may actually vary depending on polishing pad conditions, such as a thickness of the polishing pad. Therefore, if the polishing rate is higher than usual, the polishing is continued until the film thickness becomes smaller than the target thickness, and if the polishing rate is lower than usual, the polishing is terminated at a film thickness larger than the target thickness. Therefore, the film thickness after polishing may vary with respect to the target thickness depending on the polishing pad conditions, such as the thickness of the polishing pad.
Furthermore, since the eddy current film-thickness sensor obtains the film thickness signal each time the polishing table makes one rotation as described above, it is not possible to obtain a polishing precision finer than an amount of polishing per one rotation of the polishing table.


The present invention implements a method and an apparatus for retrieving a sound data desired by the user on the basis of its subjective impression over the sound data. The subjective impression on the desired sound data is entered by the user and converted to a numerical value. A target sound impression value which is a numerical form of the impression on the sound data is calculated from the numerical value. The target sound impression value is then used as a retrieving key for accessing a sound database where the audio signal and the sound features of a plurality of the sound data are stored. This allows the desired sound data to be retrieved on the basis of the subjective impression of the user on the sound data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sound retrieving technology for retrieving a sound data desired by the user on the basis of sound information and subjective impressions over the sounds data. More particularly, the present invention relates to a sound feature extracting apparatus, a sound data registering apparatus, a sound data retrieving apparatus, a method for extracting sound features, a method for registering sound data, a method for retrieving sound data, and relevant programs for implementing those methods by using a computer.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Hard disk drives and CD players with changer are types of the sound data base for storing large amounts of sound data. For retrieving a desired sound data or music piece from the sound data base, the use of a keyword such as a title, a singer, or a writer/composer of the music piece is common.
A conventional sound data retrieving apparatus (referred to as an SD retrieving apparatus hereinafter and throughout drawings) will now be explained referring to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system arrangement of the SD retrieving apparatus. A selection query inputting part 11 (referred to as an SLQ input part hereinafter and throughout drawings) is provided for entering a requirement, e.g. a title, for selecting the sound data to be retrieved. A sound database 12 contains sound information such as titles, singers, and writers/composers and can thus be accessed any time. A sound information retriever 13 (referred to as an SI retriever hereinafter and throughout drawings) is provided for accessing the sound database 12 with a retrieving key such as a title entered from the SLQ input part 11 to retrieve and obtain some sound data equal or similar to the key data. A play sound selecting part 14 (referred to as a PS selector hereinafter and throughout drawings) is provided for finally selecting the desired sound dada by the user from the outcome obtained by the SI retriever 13. A sound output part 15 is provided for reading out from the sound database 12 and reproducing a sound signal of the sound data selected by the PS selector 14.
The action of the sound data retrieving system is explained in conjunction with an example. It is assumed that a user desires to retrieve and listen to a sound data A. The user enters "A" on the title section of the SLQ input part 11 to command the retrieval of sound data which include "A" in their titles. In response, the SI retriever 13 accesses the sound database 12 for retrieving some sound data including "A" in their titles and releases output of some sound data. It is now assumed that the sound data include three different titles "A1", "A2", and "A3". Using the three titles, the user directs the PS selector 14 to examine their relevant sound information, such as singers and writers/composers, and selects one of the sound data. The selected sound data is then reproduced by the sound output part 15.
However, the sound information including titles, singers, and writers/composers may be objective or external data. It is hence difficult to assume the subjective impression attributed to the user from the sound information. For example, the selection of a sound data based on a subjective expression "lively sound data" will hardly be realized with any conventional SD retrieving apparatus.
Such psychological impression over audible sounds of the sound data may be quantized as numerical data or a sound impression value. It is possible for implementation of the retrieval of a sound data from its sound impression value to index (quantize) and register the subjective impression on each sound data in the sound database 12 which can then be retrieved. However, the indexing and registering of the subjective impression on sound data largely depends on the user or operator of the system. Accordingly, when sound data to be registered is huge in the amount, its handling will be a troublesome task.
The sound data retrieving technique of the present invention is capable of extracting the physical features from the sound signal of each sound data and retrieving the sound data desired by users using the subjective sound impression value determined over the sound data.
Meanwhile, such a sound features extractor (referred to as an SF extractor hereinafter and throughout drawings) in the sound data retrieving system may be implemented by a tempo extractor. Tempo represents the speed of a sound data and is an inverse of the cycle of beat. Tempo is generally expressed by the number of quarter notes per minute. One of conventional tempo extractors is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication (Heisei) 5-27751, "Tempo extraction device used for automatic music transcription device or the like".
The conventional tempo extractor is shown in FIG. 2. The conventional tempo extractor comprises a signal receiver 21, a measure time length calculator 27, and a temp calculator 26. The measure time length calculator 27 includes a power calculator 22, a differentiator 23 (referred to as a Diff), an auto-correlation calculator 24 (referred to as an ACR Calc throughout the drawing), and a peak detector 25. The measure time length calculatot 27 denoted by the broken line is provided for calculating the measure time length as a reference length.
The signal receiver 21 is provided for sampling sound signals. The power calculator 22 calculates power of a sound signal received in each processing frame. The differentiator 23 differentiates the power of each processing frame determined by the power calculator 22. The auto-correlation calculator 24 calculates an auto-correlation function of the differentiated power determined by the differentiator 23. The peak detector 25 detects the peak of the auto-correlation function to determine the periodic property of the sound signal and thus the time length of a measure as the reference length. The tempo calculator 26 hence calculates the tempo of the sound data from the measure time length and the number of beats entered separately.
More specifically, a sound signal received by the measure time length calculator 27 is processed by the power calculator 22 and the differentiator 23 to determine a power variation. The periodic property of the power variation is calculated by the auto-correlation calculator 24. The cycle peak where the periodic property is most exhibited is determined by the peak detector 25 on the basis of a reference time length that a human being naturally perceives one beat. As the time cycle is assigned as the reference measure time length, it is divided by the number of beats to determine the number of quarter notes per minutes or the tempo.
However, the peak of the auto-correlation function of the power variation may not always appear in the measure time length or time cycle. For example, when the accent of a snare drum is emphasized in the half note cycle such as of a popular, rhythm instrument oriented music score, the peak of the auto-correlation function of the power variation appears at intervals of a time equal to the time length of the half note cycle. If the peak is treated as the measure time length, the tempo may be calculated to twice the actual tempo. It is also necessary for the conventional system to input the number of beats or other data from a keyboard in advance. Accordingly, for determining the tempo, priori knowledge about the music to be handled is necessary.
The sound features extracting technique of the present invention is capable of extracting the features of a sound data without depending on the type of the sound data entered or without preparing priori data about the sound data.

Sound features extracting apparatus, sound data registering apparatus, sound data retrieving apparatus, and methods and programs for implementing the same

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A display medium includes a pair of substrates, an electrophoretic medium, and a partitioning medium. The pair of substrates is disposed in spaced-apart relation and substantially parallel to each other. The electrophoretic medium is disposed between the pair of substrates and contains charged particles. An electric field generated between the pair of substrates causes the charged particles contained in the electrophoretic medium to migrate for switching a display state. The partitioning medium has fluidity and is phase-separated from the electrophoretic medium at least at room temperature. The partitioning medium is in a phase-separated state phase-separated from the electrophoretic medium. The partitioning medium is disposed between the pair of substrates as a partition to partition the electrophoretic medium.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display medium, an electrophoretic display, and a method of manufacturing the display medium. The present invention particularly relates to a display medium capable of suppressing irregular coloring to enhance display performance and capable of achieving bright multicolor displays, an electrophoretic display device employing the display medium, and a method of manufacturing the display medium.
2. Description of Related Art
Display media using electrophoresis are well known in the art as a medium for displaying images that can be repeatedly rewritten. However, with these electrophoretic display media, charged particles (particles that migrate in the electrophoretic medium when an electric field is generated) in one pixel can transfer into neighboring pixels, resulting in uneven colors or a drop in contrast. Many of these display media have been provided with partitions between neighboring pixels for preventing the charged particles from transferring from pixel to pixel.
For example, Japanese unexamined patent application publication No. 2003-202601 proposes an image display device having partitions. The partitions are formed by applying a photosensitive paste having a photosensitive resin composition to a substrate, using a photo mask to expose only regions of the paste corresponding to the partitions in order to harden the paste, and subsequently developing and baking the paste.
There are also some display media that are wholly flexible. FIGS. 1(a) and 1(b) illustrate problems that can occur with such a flexible display medium 100 when providing the display medium 100 with solid partitions 140. FIG. 1(a) shows the display medium 100 in an unflexed state, while FIG. 1(b) shows the display medium 100 in a flexed state. The display medium 100 includes a substrate 120, a substrate 130 disposed substantially parallel to the substrate 120, a plurality of line-shaped electrodes 120a and 130a disposed in confrontation with the substrate 120 and substrate 130, respectively, in a simple matrix of orthogonal lines, the solid partitions 140 disposed between the substrate 120 and substrate 130, and an electrophoretic medium (not shown) with dispersed charged particles filling the spaces between the substrate 120 and substrate 130.
When the flexible display medium 100 provided with the solid partitions 140 as described in Japanese unexamined patent application publication No. 2003-202601 is flexed as shown in FIG. 1(b), the partitions 140 are unable to withstand the strain and break or separate at the bonded regions.
To resolve this problem, Japanese unexamined patent application publication No. 2003-15166 describes an electrophoretic display device that seals gaps between the partitions and substrates by providing a soft surface layer on the substrate on which the partitions are not formed and presses the partitions against this surface layer. With the electrophoretic display device disclosed in Japanese unexamined patent application publication No. 2003-15166, the soft surface layer prevents the partitions themselves from being deformed, thereby preventing damage to the partitions.
Electrophoretic display media capable of displaying multicolor images have also been proposed as rewritable display media. Japanese unexamined patent application publication No. 2003-108035 for example discloses a scattering reflection color display body capable of displaying color images by forming color filters in positions corresponding to electrodes disposed on the first substrate above the display medium. Japanese unexamined patent application publication No. 2000-35769 describes another display panel manufactured by injecting three types of nozzles with three different colors of microcapsules and ejecting one capsule at a time from the nozzles onto divided parts of a first electrode using an inkjet system.

Display medium and method of manufacturing display medium


In facsimile terminal equipment, ID numbers to be rejected are stored in advance and, when a received ID number is included in the stored ID numbers, a command to disconnect facsimile communication is transmitted to a transmitting facsimile terminal. Unnecessary communication can thereby be rejected without removing the advantage of facsimile communication that an image can be received from any unspecified subscriber.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to facsimile terminal equipment and, more particularly, to facsimile terminal equipment which rejects unnecessary communication.
2. Description of the Related Art
Facsimile terminal equipment can receive image information from unspecified subscribers over public telephone lines. Some conventional facsimile terminal equipment can reject unnecessary communication to cope with prank transmission, one-sided transmission such as direct mail or wrong transmission from unspecified subscribers. In this case, subscribers who constitute a closed-area group are allocated ID numbers and, when image information is received, the ID number is checked to determine whether or not the information is from one of the subscribers in the group. If the ID number is valid, the image information is accepted. If not, the communication is rejected.
However, with the above system, one of advantages of facsimile communication, that an image can be received from any unspecified subscriber, is removed.


A combination filter and evaporator unit for use in small engine applications includes a filter member that is screw threadedly engaged to the evaporator unit to facilitate replacement of filter media as needed. The design of the unit constrains incoming oil to flow first through the filter media and then to an evaporation chamber. A central hub and a bottom wall of the evaporation chamber are directly heated by a heating element, and the evaporation chamber is closed by an imperforate lid so that heat loss is inhibited.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates, generally, to devices for use in automotive and other small engines that remove particles and volatiles from the oil used in such engines.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Theoretically, oil used to lubricate engine parts should last forever because the oil itself never breaks down. However, there are two sources of contamination that destroy the effectiveness of oil as a lubricant: abrasive particulate matter and volatiles such as moisture or uncombusted fuel. Accordingly, inventors have developed filter means for removing particulate matter and evaporator means for removing moisture and other volatiles that degrade the effectiveness of the oil.
Devices have also been developed that combine those two functions. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,189,351 to Engel shows a combination filter and evaporator unit. Oil to be filtered to remove particulate matter therefrom and to be heated in an evaporation chamber to remove volatiles therefrom is first introduced into a canister filled with filter material. After flowing through the filter material, the oil is introduced into an evaporator chamber where it is spread into a thin layer and heated to enhance its evaporation. A vent allows the evaporated volatiles to escape into the atmosphere.
There are two primary drawbacks to the above-described device. The evaporation is inefficiently performed because the heating element for supplying heat to the evaporation chamber is positioned in the closure means for the device and thus the heat of evaporation must be supplied through radiated heat, and the device is too large to fit under the hood of an automobile.
The inefficient heating problem was solved by a device shown in U.S. patent Ser. No. 07/667,949 to Menyhert, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,198,104. In that device, the heating element is placed in the evaporation plate where the heat is needed and the bulky, heat radiating lid of the Engle device is eliminated. However, said device is also too large to fit under the hood of an automobile. Moreover, the design of both earlier devices is such that changing of the filter material is somewhat difficult. More particularly, the filter media in both devices is positioned in a canister that is secured to the evaporation plate. Thus, at least partial disassembly of such devices is required when the filter media is replaced.
Thus, there remains a need for a combination filter and evaporator apparatus that is small enough for use in automotive and other small engine applications. Moreover, there is a need for a design that enables filter media replacement in the absence of unit disassembly. However, at the time the present invention was made, it was not obvious to those of ordinary skill in this art how those needs could be fulfilled, in view of the prior art as a whole.

Apparatus for removing solid and volatile contaminants from liquids


The present invention provides a method and apparatus for manipulating page layouts in a desktop publishing system. The present invention comprises an interactive computer-implemented productivity tool that is fast and easy to use and enhances the productivity of operators of the desktop publishing system. Once a two-page spread has been laid out on the monitor of the desktop publishing system, the present invention provides a number of different methods for manipulating the spreads.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to computer-implemented desktop publishing systems, and in particular, to a method and apparatus for manipulating page layouts in a desktop publishing system.
2. Description of Related Art
In the current environment, yearbook publishers provide incentives to their customers to adopt technology that helps the publisher capitalize upon internal cost savings. For example, yearbook publishers tend to use industry-standard software, such as the ALDUS PAGEMAKER.TM. software and QUARK XPRESS.TM. software, to publish their yearbooks, rather than creating their own proprietary software. For this reason, yearbook technology products are becoming more of a commodity item. Yearbook publishers, therefore, seek to differentiate their products and services in a competitive marketplace by offering value-added tools that complement the industry-standard software.
These tools come in many forms. For example, the tools may comprise yearbook clip art libraries, or pre-designed yearbook spread (page layout) libraries, or outcome-based curriculums, etc. However, there is a need in the art for tools that allow customers to create and manipulate their yearbook pages more easily and more effectively.

Method and apparatus for manipulating page layouts in a desktop publishing system


An innovative method and system of performing multiway branch operations on a microprocessor architecture which supports single instruction multiple data (SIMD) operations is provided. A computer processor includes a branch condition register, a graphic status register, a displacement register, a branch offset register, a program counter register and circuit logic responsive to a multiway branch opcode. Bitwise AND logic coupled to the branch condition register and the graphic status register performs a bitwise logical AND between a mask contained in the branch condition register and multiple comparison results contained in the graphic status register. An output port from bitwise logical AND is coupled to a constant array and selects a set of constant values based on the bitwise logical AND result value. A shifter logic coupled to the branch offset register and the displacement register bitwise left shifts the displacement value stored in the displacement register a predetermined amount based upon the value in the branch offset. The shifter logic is also coupled to receive a constant value from the constant array which is added to the shifted result by concantenating the constant value to the lower order bits shifted into the shifter logic. An adder circuit coupled to the shifter logic and a program counter register adds the results to the program counter value to generate a relative branch address. Finally, a branch logic coupled to the adder circuit responds to the multiway branch opcode and sets the program counter to the relative branch address provided by the adder circuit.

Historically, computers were designed to perform repetitive calculations quickly and accurately. Today, advancements in the area of digital image processing, or more broadly digital signal processing, can be attributed to the increased ability of computers to perform repetitive calculations as quickly as possible.
A digital image is represented by a collection of pixels having different colors, or grayscale, intensity values. These images can be generated from any number of sources including scanners, medical equipment, or graphics programs. Alternatively, digital images can also be generated from analog images such as photographs. Typically, the collection of pixels are arranged in rows and columns. The color of a pixel at a particular x-y coordinate on a display screen or similar two-dimensional output device is represented by a groups of bits assigned a digital code associated with a color space. A Red, Green, and Blue (RGB) color space format is an additive color space in which various amounts of each of the RGB components are added together for a desired color.
Alternatively, color spaces YUV, YIQ, and YCbCr represent colors as color difference components. In the simplest gray-scale images, each pixel is represented by a luminance (or intensity value) using the Y component in each of these color spaces. Color images have additional groups of bits for the UV, IQ, and CbCr components in each of the respective color spaces which represent a chrominance component. Television, such as NTSC (National Television System Committee) or PAL (Phase Alternation Line), as well as digital image standards, such as MPEG (Moving Picture Expert Group), use the difference color space to represent pixels because they can be transmitted using less bandwidth, stored using less storage, and processed more quickly.
Modern digital image processing techniques involve manipulating these pixel values for image enhancement and image compression purposes. The goal of image enhancement usually involves processing groups of pixels and manipulating the bit values to achieve some special visual effect. Some image enhancements include image sharpening, image softening, and image blending.
In contrast, the goal of image compression is to represent an digital image, or any input signal, using a minimal amount of resources, while still being able to re-construct the original data or image. Depending on the complexity of each digital image, compression can sometimes reduce the size of data by 3 to 20 times of the original size. This is especially important for digital image processing, because of the vast amounts of data often involved. Recent advances in image processing have enabled people to download images quickly over the Internet and store the resulting data sets using relatively small storage requirements. For example, a landsat D satellite typically transmits an image size of 6100.times.6100 pixels, which, at 8 bits/pixel, translates to approximately 372 Megabytes of image data. Without compression, downloading such an image over the Internet or storing it on a storage device would not be feasible both economically or logistically.
Fortunately, it is not necessary to display all of the data for the reconstruction to be an adequate representation of the original. For this reason, "lossy" compression techniques are used which eliminate certain bits in the images which are unnecessary. This process of data compression can be divided into two parts. The first step removes redundant information in the image that is not be required for reconstruction. Generally, this is caused by inherently high degree of correlation between pixel values found in digital images. For example, standards such as MPEG.sup.1 isolates both temporal redundancies and spatial redundancies in digital video to eliminate unnecessary bits. Spatial redundancy occurs when objects in the image tend to have only slight variations in intensity or color across the area of a given frame image. Temporal redundancy occurs when a sequence of images tend to contain the same objects in approximately the same position in a sequence of frames. FNT 1. MPEG (Moving Pictures Expert Group) is a group of people that meet under ISO (International Standards Organization) to generate standards for digital video (temporal sequencing of images) and audio compression. MPEG is a nickname for the video/audio standards and the official name is ISO/IEC JTC 1 SC29 WG11 where IEC is International Electro-technical commission; JTC 1 is Joint Technical Committee 1; SC29 is Subcommittee 29; and WG11 is Work Group 11.
The second step in compression is to code the non-redundant data in such a way that the smallest possible number of bits are needed to represent the image. Variable length coding (VLC) techniques are used to code high frequency bit patterns in the image with shorter codes and low-frequency bit patterns in the image with longer codes. Typically, these coding techniques are based on variable length Huffman codes or arithmetic coding methods. Even though arithmetic coding methods can offer higher compression, licensing fees for the arithmetic coding methods result in most techniques adopting the Huffman coding methodologies. For example, MPEG encoding/decoding uses Huffman tables shown in FIG. 1 to code and decode bit patterns typically used to represent digital images. The code is variable length so that frequent bit patterns are represented using shorter codes and infrequent bit patterns are represented with longer codes. Overall, this technique tends to compress the images but makes decoding the information process intensive.
While image processing techniques, such as MPEG decoding/encoding, are performed using existing software libraries, generalized instructions are used in these libraries to drive the integer and floating point functional units. These generalized instructions and processors have difficulty performing pixel operations because they are performed sequentially. For example, to decode an MPEG video stream each group of pixels must be compared against a large number of variable length bit sequences. This requires the processor to perform many comparisons and branching operations. A sample of the variable length codes used in the Huffman decode tables for MPEG is shown in FIG. 1 for exemplary purposes only. Complete Huffman decode lookup tables typically include well over 100 different variable length entries. Large variable length lookup tables, such as Huffman decode lookup tables, represent a trade-off between compression and coding efficiency versus processing speed. At the processor level, conventional comparisons and decoding in these large lookup tables are executed on general purpose processors sequentially. This can make MPEG decoders for embedded systems and devices prohibitively expensive or, alternatively, unacceptably slow.
More sophisticated image processing techniques must be developed as the size of digital images increase. Ubiquitous computing, having one user operate many small embedded processors in devices both in business and home, also requires that image processing techniques become more efficient. These general purpose processors should execute instructions in parallel and take advantage of the parallelism inherent in image processing and data compression. Thus, there is a need to improve the techniques used to perform image processing routines used in image enhancement and compression. The present invention fulfills this need and other needs.

System and method for performing multiway branches using a visual instruction set


The present invention (HBX) describes a system and device design for measuring and analysis of properties in liquids with suspensions, preferably human body fluids e.g. whole blood and in the fluid existing substances and particles. By penetrating a sample of the liquid suspension with specifically calibrated light passing through a thin well defined layer of the liquid placed in a non added cuvette where the transmitted outgoing light from a measuring area is registered in a spectrophotometer adapted for the specific light and the optic geometrical system arranged for elimination of scattered light. The registered data points in the photometer is then processed in a series of steps for corrections and calculation of the values/results of the desired parameters by use of different algorithms in the microprocessor of the device for final presentation on a display, be stored in a memory and possible communication to other information receiving unit.

The invention will occasionally be mentioned in the text as HBX
Spectral analysis is a basic measuring method of properties—chemical or physical as well as others—in a fluid with substances as suspension and/or solution. Spectral photometry of light absorption in chosen ranges of wave lengths is a well established standard method for determination of substances in a fluid and/or the actual condition of the substances at the time of measurement. The method is commonly used within medical technology for the analysis of human blood.
The patent application will in the following be concentrated to and described as the fluid blood, especially human blood for medical purpose, even though the invention is suitable for other body fluids or other organic/non organic fluids with or without substances in suspension, where the technical conditions makes the method applicable.
Blood is commonly described as a complex red fluid consisting of one bright yellow part, plasma, and in the plasma a suspension of blood cells mainly red cells. In an adult the blood volume is approximately 5 litre, of which 40-50% is red cells. The ratio between red cells and plasma is called hematocrit.
Plasma consists of mainly water with proteins, sugar, vitamins, hormones enzymes etcetera. The blood cells are mainly divided in three groups, red cells erythrocytes, with a size significant of 0.007 mm and normally in an amount of 4-5 million/mm3 of whole blood. AN erythrocyte consists of a thin membrane as a kind of balloon in which there is water and a high concentration of the protein haemoglobin (Hb) in various forms, substances that can bind to and release oxygen and carbon dioxide in the circulation.
Normally there is approx. 13-15 g haemoglobin per 100 ml blood in an adult, corresponding to 4-5 million red cell. Even a very small sample of blood taken from one person is a representative amount of blood cells for making measurements to determine certain properties and conditions of the blood.
The haemoglobin value is a measurement of the oxygen transportation capacity of the blood to other tissue and a parameter for patient diagnosis. Haemoglobin value is furthermore a primary safety and quality parameter in blood banking where blood is stored for transfusion purpose and collected as raw material for blood based industrial purposes.
Many other substances e.g. glucose in plasma, is measured by use of photometry as Hb. In general measurement of volumes, activity and condition for substances in blood is a basic diagnostic aid for determination of a persons/patients medical condition.
Haemoglobin (Hb) measurement is one of the most common diagnostic tests in the world today. Billions of tests are performed by use of different methods from the most elementary based on copper sulphate, to complete blood cell counts using sophisticated haematology analysers. These kind of tests are measured on a majority of the world's population one or several times during a life time. Considering the population of the world today of 6 billion and growing, the need for a low cost, yet high quality point of care measurement of Hb and other parameters is very big.
Of all tests performed today a great deal should benefit from being done with higher demand for safety and precision. The limited use of photometric method corresponding to these demands is probably a matter of time and cost. A preferred test method suitable for mass production must be subject to continuous cost reducing product development within the frames of both maintained quality and easiness of use also under rough conditions. Test methods must also fulfil stipulated specifications in standards.
Basically and not including so called non invasive measuring methods related to Hb, the cost of a Hb-test consists of the following factors exclusive the sampling:                time of measurement        cost of material/disposables        equipment, (purchase, handling, service, calibration, lifetime etc.        In addition to this is the cost for sampling which is basically the same for all capillary methods which is cheaper than venous/arterial blood sampling in tubes.
The major users of single Hb-tests are the Transfusion Centres where the Red Cross is the biggest actor country wise. It is mandatory in most countries to check the Hb-value prior to donation. Another area where it is also mandatory in several countries to check for Hb-value is maternity care.
The best and most common technique for single Hb-measurement is by use of photometry. Normally light with specified wavelength passes through a small chamber (cuvette) containing the specimen. The cuvette can be of different size and shape and are often specially designed. The blood absorbs part of the light and the transmitting light is measured and the Hb-value calculated and displayed in a stable and precise way.
Haemoglobin determination can be made in different ways. Hb-fractions can be measured directly by use of multiple wave lengths or all haemoglobin can be measured indirectly by use of one or two wave lengths after being converted chemically to a stable colour complex e.g. acidmetemoglobin. Common for these methods is that measurement takes place after hemolysation, break down of the red cell membrane, creating a solution of haemoglobin.
It is possible to measure haemoglobin without haemolysing the red cells. This measurement can be done momentarily, which saves time and facilitates the handling, however brings great technical challenges. Whole blood with intact red cells is a colloid suspension with a strong tendency to scatter light, which if not handled in a right way will seriously disturb the measurement. Great consideration must be taken to minimize the scattering effects.
Indirect measurement of total Hb is used In most of the common systems of the less complex kind on the market today. By use of a cuvette that is prepared with reagent for hemolysation and transforming of the haemoglobin to a stable colour complex in typical one minute, thus avoiding the scattering effect but at the same time no specification of the different Hb-fractions. A system utilizing this method successfully has been on the market for more than 20 years and other almost identical systems from Germany and USA have been introduced to the market lately
A more complex and sophisticated method is developed and patented in USA. Based on direct measuring of haemoglobin fractions, so called CO-Oximetry in unaltered whole blood. The method is based on multiple wave length measuring of whole blood where the scattering effect is minimized by use of a large sensor in the photometer, collecting also scattered light. Algorithms are used to calculate and distinguish the Hb-fractions. Larger and more expensive disposable cuvettes are used in this system which is in terms of sophistication and price is less suitable for the mass market.
All together the above mentioned and on the market existing systems has good features but also some disadvantages that can be overcome with new technique, new components and new thinking. The disadvantages are relatively high cost per test, time consuming and shelf life of cuvettes with reagent as salt with sensitivity to moisture and thereby risk of incorrect measurements.
Microcuvettes are small cuvettes, size one to a few centimeter square. The cuvette, a type of container for liquids, is placed in an arrangement holding it in place for light penetration and measurement of transmitting light. The cuvette has a specific lumen in shape of a slit where the blood sample is placed and penetrated by light. Substances e.g. Hb-components have specific characteristics regarding light absorption/transmission, deflexion, refraction index etc. These characteristics are known for different Hb-components for example Hb bound to oxygen. Consequently the transmitted light is characterized by the absorption emanating from the substances in the sample together with the reflection and scattering that occurs when light is colliding with particles e.g. cells in during its passage through the sample. It is mainly the absorption that is the information searched in the transmitting light and—in the case of Haemoglobin—is presented in relation to the chosen He-components, for example oxygen saturation.
Each chosen wave length contributes with information and gives additional information about a certain Hb-fraction. Wave length of special interest is absorption max respective min and so called isobestic points. The totally transmitted light consists of a complex and the effect of scattering makes the interpretation of the measurement result even more complex.
In HBX a new way is chosen for the elimination of unwanted scattering effects, different from previous hemolysation or use of a big sensor for optimising incoming light. The blood is unaltered during the measurement. This is of importance since it is also possible to measure continuously in a blood stream without destroying and the measurement takes only a second. The problem of light scattering from the red cells effecting the measurement is solved through an optic-geometric design of the light conducting components and cuvette minimizing scattered light to reach the detector. Described more in detail below.
HBX is also based on a new combination of information searched, chosen light source, cuvette type, choice of spectrophotometer, measuring procedure, and signal handling optimised for the purpose and mathematical algorithms.
The invention comprises tree major parts, each one described below and in enclosed figures.
Optical Geometry
The solution of the scattering problem in the invention is based upon a fundamental theory for light scattering (reference Twersky, V. Absorption and multiple scattering by biological suspensions. J. Opt. Soc. Am. 60:1084-1093, 1970), in this case for fluids with suspended substance. The from theory emanating alternatives is determined by the actual conditions at the chosen optical/geometrical procedure. The design is correlated to the amount of scattered light to reach the detector of the photometer.
By arranging the light pathway to and from the cuvette using chosen angels of the light it is possible to prevent scattered light to reach the detector of the photometer or reduce the scattered light to a minimum and calculable level.
Optimal effect is reached by minimizing the measuring area to a size related to the size of the light pathway at the same time as the possible light deviation from said light pathway to and from the measuring object to the photometer is strongly limited. In principle this technique is designed to be contrary to the above mentioned USA method where a maximum of scattered light is collected for processing.
By choosing new fixed light sources with optimised characteristics e.g. light temperature, intensity (energy level) and adjustable exposure time or light sources with variable wave lengths it is possible to optimise the measuring set up for the spectrophotometer.
Basically two principles or alternatives are applicable in HBX; one is a broad band light source (white light) in connection to a spectrophotometer registration the light intensity as a function of wave length. The other alternative is a variable wave length mono chromatic light source of laser/maser in connection to a standard photometer registering absobrance/transmittant light intensity. Which alternative is chosen is determined by type of measuring object, situation and purpose.
The spectrophotometer in the first case is of type "monolithic multi-wavelengths diode-array, MMWDA" a new application (Hb-fractions) for this type of spectrophotometer for medical diagnostic purpose. The spectrophotometer is in this case combined with broad spectrum white light and measures the transmitting light from the light source at all wave lengths simultaneously.
The alternative combination is more like the previously existing standard methods with a simpler photometer in combination with a state of the art light source with variable frequency i.e. monochromatic light of different chosen wave lengths.
In prior art this was achieved by use of separate light sources, each with different wave length corrected by use of filters. In the alternative with MMWDA-photometer it is also possible but unnecessary to use a variable monochromatic light. Both combinations of light source and photometer separately makes it possible to directly measure and extract each of the searched haemoglobin fraction. This is one of the main characteristics of HBX which measures four different Hb-fractions The instrument is for the purpose equipped with reference values for all the actual Hb-fractions extinction curves. HBX admits the possibility to automatically present the value of each of the Hb-fractions and in addition the total Hb-value.
Signal Processing
Both of the above described alternatives light sources—photometer permits a great number of possible registrations of measuring data instantly, providing a possibility to choose freely the measuring points of interest from the complete measured sequences for further signal processing. Thereby the precision in the calculations can be decided and optimised.
The meted further admits calculation of the measuring error, for description of accuracy which is an integrated part of quality assurance.
The measurement is performed so quickly that no significant time for the measuring procedure needs to be taken into consideration. The complete analysis of all fractions is performed within a second which is unelectable in comparison with the other moments of an Hb-analysis e.g. sampling etc. This further admits consecutive measurements over cycles of 30-60 per minute or even continues measurements.
Signal processing involves processor, memory for reference and measured data, algorithms for the chosen measuring data and compensation for possible scattering effects or deviations emanating from abnormal/unexpected data. The algorithm for calculation/elimination of light scattering is based upon accepted theories described in scientific publications. Further algorithms and approximations are based on least square method.
The invention HBX comprise several part inventions in terms of:                1) An optical geometry for minimizing scattered light to the detector in order to make measurements possible for accurate determination of chosen substances in colloid solutions, for example whole blood.        2) Two alternative measuring principles with the same purpose of creating data for selection of measuring points over a wide wave length range. This can be based upon a firm broad band white light source in combination with a spectrophotometer or a variable narrow wave lengths light source in combination with a standard type photometer.        3) A series of algorithms for signal processing designed for standard corrections, for the optical geometry and for calculations of approximations by use of a number of chosen measuring points.        4) A combination of above described part solutions enables very fast measuring cycles. The time consuming for each measuring cycle permits measurements faster than for example heart rate which makes the method suitable for continuous measuring of blood flow.
Even though HBX at every measuring situation enables a large amount of measuring data it not necessary to use all of these. In practise it is possible for a given purpose e.g. custom model/design of equipment, to utilize a limited or extended amount of data corresponding significantly to the purpose or application.

Device for determining of properties in a fluid and/or constituents thereof


Technologies are generally described for proxy key generation, and signature generation and validation. In some examples, a cryptographic key generation system may include an original key generation unit configured to generate a public key and a private key for an original signer, a proxy key generation unit configured to generate one or more proxy public keys and one or more proxy private keys for one or more proxy signers, and a transmitter configured to transmit the proxy private keys respectively to the one or more proxy signers.

An RSA algorithm for public-key cryptography has been widely used since it was introduced by R. L. Rivest, A. Shamir, and L. Adleman in late 1970s. The RSA algorithm involves a public key and a private key. The public key can be known to everyone and then used for encrypting messages. The messages encrypted with the public key can only be decrypted using the private key.
One of the applications of the RSA algorithm is a digital signature scheme. The digital signature scheme typically involves three algorithms: a key generation algorithm, a signing algorithm, and a signature verifying algorithm. First, according to the key generation algorithm, a signer selects a private key and a corresponding public key. Second, according to the signing algorithm, the signer produces a signature, given a message and the private key. Lastly, according to the signature verifying algorithm, a verifier either accepts or rejects the message's claim to authenticity, given the message, the public key and the signature.


A magnetic detection system includes a platform, a magnetic detection sensor, a servo-motor, and a magnetic shield. The platform is an unmanned platform. The magnetic anomaly detection sensor is located onboard the unmanned platform. The servo-motor is also located onboard the unmanned platform. The magnetic shield is further disposed onboard the unmanned platform over the servo-motor reducing magnetic noise the magnetic anomaly detection sensor receives from the servo-motor.

Servo-motors of magnetic detection systems produce magnetic noise, such as magnetic moment, which may interfere with magnetic detection sensors of the magnetic detection systems. Magnetic detection sensors require a minimum threshold signal-to-noise ratio to be operationally effective. In unmanned air vehicles the magnetic noise produced by servo-motors may interfere with magnetic anomaly detection sensors searching the environment below for magnetic anomalies. This may lead to the magnetic anomaly detection sensors taking inaccurate readings. Some of the existing unmanned air vehicles attempt to resolve this issue by towing the magnetic anomaly detection sensors behind the platform upon which the servo-motor is located to increase the distance between the servo-motor and the magnetic anomaly detection sensors thereby decreasing the amount of magnetic noise the magnetic anomaly detection sensors receive from the servo-motor. However, this causes an increase in cost, size, and the possibility of detection of the unmanned air vehicle by an enemy.
A magnetic detection system and method is needed to overcome one or more issues of the existing magnetic detection systems and methods.

Magnetic shielding of servo-motors in magnetic detection systems


A secondary battery. An electrode assembly is mounted in a container. The electrode assembly is formed by winding a positive electrode and a negative electrode with respect to a separator interposed between the positive and negative electrodes. A cap assembly is fixed to the container to seal the container assembly to provide a terminal for electrical current. An uncoated region is formed along the edge of the length direction of the positive electrode or the negative electrode. The uncoated region is left uncoated with an active material. A collector plate includes a contact portion of the curved shape to be electrically connected to the uncoated region.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a secondary battery, and more particularly, to a collector plate for a secondary battery which improves the welding efficiency during the manufacturing process of the battery.
(b) Description of the Related Art
Depending on the use or the power capacity of a battery, secondary batteries may be classified into lower power batteries (hereinafter "small battery") in which one battery cell is made into a battery pack, and bulk size batteries (hereinafter "large battery") in which several to tens of the secondary battery cells are connected to form a pack.
Small batteries are used as a power source for various portable electronic devices such as cellular phones, laptop computers, and camcorders. Large batteries are suitable for motor driven devices such as the electric vehicles.
Generally, small batteries have square and cylindrical shapes when they are made of one cell. A small battery includes an electrode assembly (jellyroll) in which a positive plate, a negative plate, and a separator as an insulator interposed between the positive and negatives plates are spirally-wound. The electrode assembly is inserted inside a cylindrical container to form the battery.
Lead terminals, that is, conductive tabs which collect the current produced from the positive and negative electrodes, are attached to the positive and negative plates. The conductive tab is fixed to the electrode assembly by welding to induce the current from the positive and negative electrodes to the positive and negative terminals.
When the above structure of a small battery is applied to a large battery, the dynamic kinetics necessary for large batteries may not be satisfied in terms of capacity and power. Accordingly, secondary batteries have been provided which include the multi-tab structure disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2003-7346, in which multiple tabs are attached to the electrode assembly. This secondary battery has a plurality of tabs formed along one direction of the electrode, and the tabs are fixed to an internal terminal which is connected with an external terminal.
The tabs of the secondary battery with the above structure may be integrally formed with a collector plate, or separately formed and welded to a collector plate.
However, when the tabs are integrally formed with the collector plate, material for the collector plate is wasted and the battery may not be able to satisfy the power characteristics required for the large battery. Additionally, when the tabs are separately formed, a large workforce is needed.
When the tabs are welded, heat generated from the tabs influences the electrode assembly. To minimize this influence, the tabs may have a relatively long length. However, long tabs occupy more space inside the battery, which in turn decreases the energy density per volume.
Additionally, a pack unit of the large battery used for hybrid electric vehicles requires high power dynamic kinetics due to its use characteristics. Accordingly, it is necessary that the tabs be designed to minimize the resistance element generated during the current collection process. However, since the above mentioned battery collects current through the tab with a small unit area, there is a problem that the resistance increases, which thereby decreases the collecting efficiency.

Secondary battery with collector plate and electrode package thereof


To configure a wireless sensor network, a sink node receives from nodes first reports, a first report from a node indicating quality of service requirement of the node and battery information of the node, and second reports, a second report from a node indicating at least a signal strength of one signal received from another node. The information in the first reports and in the second reports are used for determining paths from the nodes to the sink node, wherein a path of a node is either a direct link from the node to the sink node or the path comprises at least one node acting as a cluster head between the node and the sink node.

Wireless communication systems are under constant development. For example, wireless sensor networks (WSN), where a large number of sensors measure their environment and send their data to a sink node, where data is processed, have grown considerably in recent years in different applications including health, environment, and self-driving vehicle technologies, for example. The wireless sensor networks should be able to operate with heterogeneity of sensors or different quality of service requirements.

Configuring wireless sensor network paths


A process for curing a natural or synthetic rubber compound under a plurality of curing conditions by: (1) obtaining time dependent data streams of dielectric or impedance values from a non-bridged impedance sensing circuit and a capacitor having the rubber compound being cured as a dialectric; (2) determining impedance related measurements from the obtained data streams; (3) determining a predictive curing equation by performing a multiple regression between: (a) reheometric data obtained from a plurality of different rubber compound samples cured in a rheometer at various environmental curing conditions, and (b) corresponding samples cured in a production mold at the same environmental conditions; (4) adjusting the curing equation to obtain cured parts having one or more desired properties; and (5) controlling the mass producing cured parts with a controller that uses the curing equation for predicting a cure time for each part, wherein the predictions are effective over variations in the rubber compound, and in the mold temperature.

Heretofore methods of applying fixed process parameters to the processing of rubber polymeric compounds during vulcanization have resulted in both reduced productivity due to overly conservative cure times and poor product uniformity due to the inability of the fixed process parameters to accommodate the inherent variability in the process.
The relationship of dielectric properties and the state and rate of the cure of polymers is well known. Related publications, incorporated herein fully by reference, in this field are:

Process and apparatus for improving and controlling the vulcanization of natural and synthetic rubber compounds


A processor and method of operating a processor which has a native instruction set and emulates guest instructions within a guest instruction set are described. According to the method, a series of guest instructions including at least one unconditional indirect guest branch instruction is stored in memory. In addition, one or more semantic routines that are formed of native instructions and that may be utilized to emulate the series of guest instructions are stored in memory. For each guest instruction in the series of guest instructions, an entry is stored in a multiple-entry queue in order of receipt. The entry includes an indication of a location in memory of at least one semantic routine. In response to the entries in the multiple-entry queue, the series of guest instructions are emulated in the processor by using the entries to access and execute selected ones of the one or more semantic routines. The semantic routine utilized to emulate a first type of unconditional indirect guest branch instruction calculates a speculative return address, temporarily stores the speculative return address in memory, and initiates fetching at a target address. The semantic routine utilized to emulate a second type of unconditional indirect guest branch instruction retrieves the speculative return address from memory, initiates fetching of guest instructions at the speculative return address, and thereafter calculates a correct return address.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to a method and system for data processing and, in particular, to a method and system for emulating differing architectures in a data processing system. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a method and system for emulating guest branch instructions in a data processing system.
2. Description of the Related Art
The PowerPC.TM. architecture is a high-performance reduced instruction set (RISC) processor architecture that provides a definition of the instruction set, registers, addressing modes, and the like, for a family of computer systems. The PowerPC.TM. architecture is somewhat independent of the particular construction of the microprocessor chips or chips utilized to implement an instance of the architecture and has accordingly been constructed in various implementations, including the PowerPC 601.TM., 602.TM., 603.TM., and 604.TM.. The design and operation of these processors have been described in published manuals such as the PowerPC 604.TM. RISC Microprocessor User's Manual, which is available from IBM Microelectronics as Order No. MPR604UMU-01 and is incorporated herein by reference.
As is true for many contemporary processors, a RISC architecture was chosen for the PowerPC.TM. because of the inherently higher performance potential of RISC architectures compared to CISC (complex instruction set computer) architectures. While it is desirable to optimize the design of a RISC processor to maximize the performance of the processor when executing native RISC instructions, it is also desirable to promote compatibility by accommodating commercial software written for CISC processors such as the Intel x86 and Motorola 68K.
Accordingly, an emulator mechanism can be incorporated into a PowerPC.TM. processor as disclosed in above-referenced Ser. Nos. 08/591,291 and 08/581,793. The disclosed emulation mechanism allows guest instructions (e.g., variable-length CISC instructions) to be emulated by executing corresponding semantic routines formed from native RISC instructions. Thus, the processor is required to manage two distinct instruction streams: a guest instruction stream containing the instructions to be emulated and a native instruction stream containing the native instructions within the semantic routines utilized to emulate the guest instructions. In order to maintain high performance when emulating guest instructions, an efficient mechanism is needed within the processor for managing both the guest and native instruction steams, with provision for branching and exception handling.

Indirect unconditional branches in data processing system emulation mode

International Business Machines Corporation


The present invention provides an apparatus (800) and method (700) for a communication device (100) having a display for graphically organizing communication patterns (602) of the user. Visual attributes of the images associated with specific parties are varied dynamically as the communication patterns of the user with specific parties change.

Associating user-entered data, such as address book information, to an image on a display is known. For example, some existing devices display a plurality of images in which each image is associated with a specific entry such as an application. Other devices highlight a selected image on the display. However, these images are static and do not visually change other than being highlighted when selected. Accordingly, there is a need for an apparatus and a method for graphically organizing the images representing specific entries such as applications and calling parties. There is a further need to dynamically adjust the visual attributes of those images based upon the usages of the specific entries associated with the images.

Graphic entries for interactive directory


A computer includes a storage device having a plurality of memory cells, being operable to output data stored in the memory cell corresponding to an address signal, and being operable to output a data output fixing signal attaining a predetermined level in response to output of the data, and a processing device operable to apply the address signal to the storage device, take in the data from the storage device in response to the fact that the data output fixing signal attains the predetermined level, and perform processing in accordance with the data. The storage device and the processing device may be formed on a single chip. The processing device can take in and process the data whenever the data output fixing signal is output. When the storage device operates under conditions better than the worst conditions, data processing can be performed before elapse of a maximum access time determined in a specification prescribed taking the worst conditions into consideration.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory device and a computer, and in particular to a semiconductor memory device which produces a signal indicative of the fact that output is fixed in the operation of outputting stored data as well as a computer provided with this semiconductor memory device.
The semiconductor memory device according to the invention is applicable to any kinds of computer such as a super computer, a large scale computer, a work station and a personal computer.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 shows a conventional semiconductor memory device such as a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) or an SRAM (Static Random Access Memory). In FIG. 1, an RAM (Random Access Memory) 1 receives address signals A.sub.0, A.sub.1, . . . as well as a control signal CTR which includes a row address strobe signal RAS, a column address strobe signal CAS and a write enable signal WE, if it is a DRAM, or control signal CTR includes a chip select signal CS and a write enable signal WE, if it is an SRAM. In accordance with a state of control signal CTR, RAM 1 writes externally applied input data D.sub.in, into memory cells selected by address signals A.sub.0, A.sub.1, . . . , or reads potentials corresponding data stored in memory cells selected by address signals A.sub.0, A.sub.1, . . . for externally applying the same as output data D.sub.out.
A read operation of the conventional semiconductor memory device thus constructed will be described below with reference to timing charts of FIGS. 2 and 3. FIG. 2 is the timing chart showing the read operation in the case where RAM 1 is the SRAM. In the read operation, chip select signal CS is set to the L-level as shown at (a) in FIG. 2 to activate the SRAM, and write enable signal WE is set to the H-level as shown at (b) in FIG. 2. Externally applied address signals A.sub.0, A.sub.1, . . . change at time t.sub.0 as shown at (c) in FIG. 2.
In accordance with data stored in the memory cells selected by address signals A.sub.0, A.sub.1, . . . , output data D.sub.out changes its state, as shown at (d) in FIG. 2, from a high impedance (Hi-Z) state to the H-level or L-level at time t.sub.1 when an address access time t.sub.AAC (e.g., 10 ns) elapses from the time to of change of address signals A.sub.0, A.sub.1, . . . When chip select signal CS is set to the H-level at time t.sub.2 as shown at (a) in FIG. 2, the SRAM is deactivated, and output data D.sub.out attains the high impedance (Hi-Z) state again as shown at (d) in FIG. 2.
FIG. 3 is the timing chart showing the read operation in the case where RAM 1 is the DRAM. Before time t.sub.0 at which row address strobe signal RAS falls to the L-level as shown at (a) in FIG. 3, address signals A.sub.0, A.sub.1, . . . are set to the X-address of the memory cell to be selected as shown at (d) in FIG. 3. When row address strobe signal RAS falls to the L-level at time to as shown at (a) in FIG. 3, the DRAM responding it takes in and latches the same using address signals A.sub.0, A.sub.1, . . . as the X-address. Then, write enable signal WE is set to the H-level at time t.sub.1 as shown at (c) in FIG. 3, and the DRAM responds to the same and is controlled to perform the reading.
Column address strobe signal CAS is raised to the L-level at time t.sub.3 as shown at (b) in FIG. 3. At time t.sub.2 preceding time t.sub.2, address signals A.sub.0, A.sub.1, . . . are set to the Y-address of the memory cell to be selected as shown at (d) in FIG. 3. Column address strobe signal CAS falls to the L-level at time t.sub.3 as shown at (b) in FIG. 3. In accordance with data stored in the memory cell selected by the X-address and Y-address, output data D.sub.out changes its state from the high impedance (Hi-Z) state to the H-level or L-level at time t.sub.4 after elapsing of an RAS access time t.sub.RAS (e.g., 50 ns) from time t.sub.0 and hence after elapsing of a CAS access time t.sub.CAS from time t.sub.3. When column address strobe signal CAS is raised to the H-level at time t.sub.5 as shown at (b) in FIG. 3, output data D.sub.out attains the high impedance (Hi-Z) state again as shown at (e) in FIG. 3.
In the conventional semiconductor memory device thus constructed, the specification of RAM prescribes the maximum access times (t.sub.AAC (max), t.sub.RAS (max), t.sub.CAS (max) and others) in connection with the access time. The specification also prescribes the operation conditions of RAM. For example, a prescribed power supply potential is 5V.+-.10% (4.5 V-5.5 V), and a prescribed operation temperature is from 0.degree. C. to 70.degree. C.
The access time of RAM mainly depends on the performance of transistors forming the RAM. In general, a current drive capability of the MOS transistor decreases as the power supply potential decreases, and also decreases as the operation temperature decreases. The operation speed decreases as the current drive capability decreases. The maximum access time is equal to the access time required under the worst environmental conditions of RAM, i.e., at a low power supply potential in a high temperature.
When designing the timing of a system using a conventional RAM, the designed access time must be equal to the maximum access time in view of a margin for allowing use or operation under the worst conditions of a low power supply potential and a high temperature, even if the system will not be used under the worst conditions in practice. Therefore, in spite of the fact that the actual access time can be shorter than the maximum access time unless it is used under the worst conditions, the speed of the system is unduly low due to the timing margin determined in view of the use under the worst conditions.
In a system operating in synchronization with a clock of a fixed frequency, it is necessary to design the system to operate with a low frequency allowing correct operation of the RAM under the worst conditions of the system. In practice, the system may not be used under the worst conditions. Even in such a case that the system can be operated at a higher speed because, e.g., the RAM can be accessed at a higher speed, the system must actually operate at the low speed as if it were operating under the worst conditions due to the fact that the clock frequency is fixed, so that the system speed is unduly reduced.

Semiconductor memory device and computer


The present invention relates to direct current (“DC”) pre-erasing servo channels of a magnetic tape prior to writing servo data in a servo channel. The present invention particularly relates to those servo recordings which were written with a uni-polar current waveform. The DC pre-erase is performed using a uni-polar direct current of a polarity that is opposite to the polarity of the direct current used to write the servo data. This pre-erase may be done with one or more heads. Also, as will be described, the pre-erase of a servo channel and writing to a servo channel may be done by making two passes over a single head or by using two or more heads to perform both steps. Also, it is within the scope of the present invention to have the heads mounted on a single mount or have the heads on separate mounts and on separate tape decks.

Magnetic tape as a data storage medium requires the ability to effectively write and read data to data tracks of the magnetic tape; many such data tracks typically extend linearly along the length of tape and, in part, define tape data storage density. In addition, for providing a controlled movement of tape reading and/or writing heads with respect to the data track, servo tracks, which also extend linearly along the length of tape are commonly used. Servo tracks are typically written in such a way as to span the tape in an efficient manner that maximizes the number of data tracks and minimizes the number of servo tracks for a given tape system.
A servo track contains servo data and is read by a servo read head. This information is used to determine the relative position of the servo read head with respect to the magnetic media in a translating direction (i.e., movement across the width of the tape). This is also called the cross track direction. To improve positioning of the tape reading and/or writing heads on a magnetic tape, apparatuses and methods of manufacture to create a servo channel that enables the servo data to be read more effectively would be helpful. The present invention addresses apparatuses and methods to improve a servo control system.

Apparatuses and methods for pre-erasing during manufacture of magnetic tape


The invention concerns an apparatus for turning workpieces moved forward in a flat position, with a conveyor belt pair which engages and moves forward the workpiece eccentrically at one point, and a conveyor belt running parallel thereto which is shorter than the conveyor belt pair. In order to solve the problem of designing a simple apparatus of this species which is also of comparatively compact construction, provision is made according to the invention for both the conveyor belt pair and the parallel conveyor belt to be operated at the same speed, and for at least one additional transfer belt running parallel to the conveyor belt pair and the shorter conveyor belt.

An apparatus for turning workpieces moved forward in a flat position is already known from German patent DE 23 04 642. In this prior art apparatus, the workpieces are engaged at their centreline parallel to the original front edge at a position near to the side edge, with the possibility of turning at this point, and then moved along by frictional lock with one bearing surface until completion of preferentially a 90.degree. turn perpendicular to the original front edge. For this purpose, two conveying chains circulating in synchronisation are provided in a vertical plane, and these are provided with spaced, interacting clamping elements which are rotatable around axes perpendicular to the plane of motion and which serve to engage the workpieces. According to this apparatus, the workpieces are moved into position laterally and then held at the point of rotation. Because of the friction with the bearing surface of the table, the laterally protruding area of the workpiece drags behind the rotational point engaged and moved forward by the conveying chains, so that the workpiece is aligned longitudinally in the transport direction. When employing this apparatus, however, a relatively long distance has to be travelled in order to turn the workpiece moving forward in a flat position around an angle of 90.degree..
An apparatus of the same species is known from German patent specification DE-PS 14 36 856, in which the workpieces, of which initially the narrower side edge is conveyed as the front edge, are turned 90.degree. such that, after passing through the apparatus, the wider edge is conveyed as the front edge. According to this prior art, the workpiece is gripped by corresponding clamping elements of conveying chains circulating one above the other in a vertical plane, and held in the vicinity of a front corner for further transport. Several conveyor belts run in parallel next to the conveying chains, each of said parallel conveyor belts exhibiting an increasingly high circulating speed as the distance from the conveying chains increases. In this way, the workpieces, which are only held between the clamping elements pivot-mounted on the conveying chains, are simultaneously rotated during the onward transport by the differential speed of the parallel conveyor belts, preferentially by 90.degree., so that finally the longer side edge is at the front in the direction of travel. With this prior art apparatus, each conveyor belt driven at a relative speed compared with the conveying chain pair must be operated via a correspondingly designed gear unit. Such an apparatus is not only complicated but also requires a high level of maintenance and is susceptible to malfunctioning.
The object of the present invention is to further develop an apparatus of the same species such that it exhibits a comparatively simple design and is as compact as possible.

Apparatus for turning workpieces moved forward in a flat position


When position matching is performed on two images in which the soft tissue structures and the bone tissue structures are displaced in different directions, artifacts appearing in the subtraction image are reduced, and it becomes possible to perform the position matching according to the diagnostic objective or the preferences of the operator. A global position matching means that globally matches the positions of the entirety of two inputted images that have been obtained of the same subject, and a local position matching means that locally matches the positions of the two images that have been globally matched by the global position matching means are provided. The global position matching means has a function for performing a bone tissue structure global position matching process and a function for performing a non-bone tissue structure global position matching process. One of these two functions is selected and the global position matching is performed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to an image position matching method and apparatus therefor, and in particular to an improved method and apparatus for matching the positions between two images obtained of the same subject.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is a common practice in a wide variety of fields to comparatively read two or more images obtained of the same subject in order to discern the difference between the images, and then carry out an examination of the subject based on the thus discerned difference.
In the industrial products manufacturing field, for example, images obtained of a product when it is new and images obtained of the same product after it has been subjected to an endurance test are comparatively read, and attention is focused on the area showing the biggest difference so that an examination as to whether or not there are areas requiring improvement in product endurance can be carried out. Further, in the medical field, physicians comparatively read a plurality of radiation images of the diseased part of a patient, which have been obtained in a temporal series, in order to ascertain the progression of the disease and determine the proper course of treatment.
In this fashion, comparative reading of a plurality of images is carried out daily in a wide variety of fields. In general, two or more images are outputted as visual images by a display apparatus, a printer or the like, and these outputted visual images are arranged next to each other and comparatively read. At this time, the area of the most interest to the observer of such images is the area wherein the greatest difference is present, However, the proficiency in discerning the difference between the images in a comparative reading differs depending on the skill level and experience of the examiner; moreover, the smaller said difference is, the more difficult it becomes to discern. Therefore, there are calls for an improvement, which does not rely on the skill level of the examiner, in the performance of comparative reading.
In general, an interimage process, starting with a subtraction process performed between the structural positions (anatomically characteristic positions) of the two images that are the objects of comparative reading, is performed, and the difference between the images (hereinafter referred to as the interimage difference) is extracted and then enhanced (see Japanese Patent Application No. 11(1999)-342900). In this fashion, by extracting and enhancing only the interimage difference, because it is thereby made possible for a reader thereof to accurately recognize the interimage difference, it can be considered an effective means of preventing the oversight of a diseased portion or the progression of a disease.
Further, when this interimage process is performed, it is necessary that the respective position of each structural element (the structural positions) appearing in each image be correlated and matched. As to this position matching technology, there are two-step position matching technologies, for example, wherein: the positions of the entirety of two images are matched by moving the two images in parallel, rotating, or magnifying the images (e.g., a linear position matching employing an affine transform); a plurality of regions of interest (template regions) are set in one of the two images that has been subjected to the global position matching; a search region, which is larger than the template region, corresponding to each template region is set in the other of the aforementioned two images; a portion region (a corresponding template region), which is within the search region and which substantially matches the image appearing within said corresponding template region, is obtained for each group formed of a template region and the search region corresponding thereto; a shift quantity for matching the template region occurring in said one of said two images to the corresponding template region in the other of said two images is obtained, based on the positional relation between each template region occurring in one of said two images to each corresponding template region in the other of said two images; and a local position matching process is performed, by use of a non-linear transform (warping) employing a curve fitting process (a two dimensional n polynomial, wherein n≧2) on the two images of which the structural positions thereof have been matched (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 7(1996)-37074, U.S. Pat. No. 5,982,915, etc.). According to these two-step position matching technologies, the structural positions occurring in two images can be matched comparatively favorably.
However, in images such as radiation images of the rib cage of a human patient, for example, in which bone tissues such as the ribs, vertebrae and the like, and the soft tissues such as muscle tissue, organs and the like are contained in the same image, there are cases in which, corresponding to changes in the orientation (standing position, inclination, etc.) of the subject of photographing (a human body) during the photographing thereof, the positional orientation of the bone tissue structures and the soft tissue structures shown in the images is different. Conventionally, for cases in which the bone tissue structures and the soft tissue structures shown in two images are displaced in different directions, a position matching process in which the positions of the entirety of the subject images are matched, such as that described above, is performed utilizing an original image (or a reduction image of the original image, a blurred image of the original image, etc.), whereby an image in which the positions of the soft tissue structures have been globally matched. However, if a local position matching process such as that described above is performed utilizing an image in which the positions of the soft tissue structures have been globally matched, there are cases in which ribs appearing in a template region do not appear in the corresponding search area; as a result, artifacts caused by an extraordinarily large positional misalignment between the ribs have appeared in the subtraction image (an image obtained by extracting and enhancing the difference between two images), which is formed after the local position matching process, which is the index process by which the positions of the ribs are matched, has been performed.
Meanwhile, because it is generally desirable that an image in which the positions of the soft tissue structures have been accurately matched be used for extracting a diseased portion present in the soft tissue structures, and that an image in which the bone tissue structures have been accurately matched be used for extracting a diseased portion present in the bone tissue structures, depending on the diagnostic objective, there are cases for which it is preferable, even if artifacts of the ribs (bone tissue structures) appear in a subtraction image, that the global matching be performed on the soft tissue structures.

Image position matching method and apparatus therefor


An ejecting head ejects liquid material to a part to be ejected from a first nozzle during a first san period and from a second nozzle during a second scan period. A scanning unit relatively moves at least one of the ejecting head and a stage in the X-axis direction with respect to the other between the first scan period and the second scan period.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an ejection device and a method for coating a material and, more particularly, to an ejection device and a method for coating a material that are suitable for manufacturing a color filter substrate, an electroluminescence display device, and a plasma display device.
2. Related Art
Inkjet devices are known for manufacturing color filters, electroluminescence display devices, and the like (e.g., Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-221616).
Parts to be ejected (e.g., an area to which color elements are ejected) become larger as display device sizes increase. If the part to be ejected becomes large, the frequency that one nozzle ejects materials to one part to be ejected increases. Meanwhile, the volume of the material ejected each time may slightly fluctuate at each nozzle due to errors etc. during manufacturing of inkjet heads. In such a case, if the material is ejected to one part from the same nozzle several times, the total volume of applied material may greatly differ at each part to be ejected.
In view of such a situation, the present invention aims to prevent the accumulation of errors in the ejected volume at a part to be ejected.

Method for coating material, method of manufacturing color filter substrate, method of manufacturing electroluminescence display device, method of manufacturing plasma display device, and ejection device


The invention concerns a device for the attachment of a figurine with a cylindrical base part onto a beverage bottle. Furthermore, the invention concerns a combination of such a device and a figurine as well as a beverage bottle made of plastic, which forms a sales unit with such a device and such a figurine. In order to enable the figurine to be joined separably to the beverage bottle to form a sales unit in a simple, aesthetical and sales-promoting manner, the device according to the invention comprises a body having means for separable attachment of the figurine and having a recess for holding a screw cap and/or a neck part provided with an outside thread of the beverage bottle.

1. Filed of the Disclosure
The invention concerns a device for attaching a figurine onto a beverage bottle, a combination of such an attaching device and a figurine, as well as a beverage bottle with such a combination.
2. Description of Related Art
Figurines, also called "toppers" in English, are characters known from movies or television which are reproduced in a reduced form three-dimensionally in plastic, and are sold to promote the purchase of beverages, popcorn, cotton candy or similar in movie theatres and similar as one purchased unit together with the latter products. Hereby, the said products are offered in cups, the covers of which have a figurine. In order to attach the figurines, the cover that serves for closing the cup, optionally provided with an opening for a straw and manufactured by injection molding or deep drawing from plastics, during manufacture is provided with a cylindrical recess open toward the top into which a cylindrical base of the figurine can be inserted with a press fit. After consumption of the product, the figurine can be removed from the cover of the cup and used as a toy or collectible, whereby the solid base serves to improve the stability of the figurine placed on a support.
A cover for a beverage cup which has a recess in the middle for the base of such a figurine is disclosed, for example, in EP 2 105 388 A1.
However, particularly in connection with the sale of soft drinks, it is regarded as a disadvantage that the soft drink can only be offered in combination with such a figurine if it has first been poured into a cup whose cover is suitable for attaching a figurine. Besides the additional material used, the additional labor and the additional waste related to the pouring of the soft drink into the cup, soft drinks sold in a cup also lead more easily to a spilling of the remaining soft drink as a result of a tipping over of the mostly empty cup. Moreover, many clients prefer the consumption of soft drinks directly from a beverage bottle because the non-contamination of the contents before opening for the first time is ensured and after partial consumption there is again the possibility of resealing. The commercial figurines with cylindrical bases that are suitable for attachment to the cup covers however cannot be attached to the commonly used beverage bottles in such a way that on the one hand an aesthetic appearance of the product results and on the other hand it makes it clearly visible for the customer that the beverage bottle and the figurine form a joint sales unit.

Device for attaching a figurine onto a beverage bottle, combination of a figurine and a device, and a combination of a figurine and device attached to a beverage bottle