Sun sensors or position sensors may be used to determine the angular location of the sun or other object with respect to the sensor. The sun sensor provides high resolution over a wide field of regard. A position or sun sensor comprises a sensor housing, a plurality of pinholes formed In the sensor housing, a detector mounted within the housing and a method of processing the information detected. The detector is mounted in the sensor housing. Each pinhole has a field of view and the detector receives the images from each field of view. Each field of view is defined by the position of the pinhole relative to the detector. The images are received in an overlay relationship thereby providing a field of regard. The processing method determines the presence and location of an object In a field of regard.

The present invention relates to sun sensors and in particular to sun sensors that provide the angular location of the sun with respect to the sensor reference frame.
Sun sensors are required equipment for most satellites since they provide line-of-sight direction of the sun with respect to the satellite. Such sensors are useful during several stages of the satellite mission including transfer orbit; pre- and post-apogee motor firing; attitude acquisition; momentum dump attitude sensing; loss of attitude lock and re-acquisition; and other emergency and routine requirements. Sun sensors of various types are also used for solar array tracking, thermal control and sun presence detectors for star sensors and earth sensors. Sun sensors are also useful for ground-based equipment that require the location of the sun to be known.
The sun Is a very bright source emitting throughout the visible and infrared regions corresponding to a black body with a temperature of about 5900 K This means that it has a peak in its spectral radiance at about 500 nm in the middle of the visible band. Thus most instruments that view the sun use the visible region. Inevitably, much of the solar power falling onto such an instrument must be discarded to avoid overloading or overheating the detectors and other portions of the instrument optics. However, the sun is so intense that stray light issues can arise that remain significant even if rejection is high.
Given that the satellite is in orbit around the Earth, the location of the sun changes continually with respect to the satellite body axes. For equatorial orbits, the sun is constrained in elevation by the ecliptics. However, for other orbits this is not the case and a broader field-of-view, FOV, is required to continually monitor the sun""s location. For the example case of a geosynchronous telecoms satellite and considering an Earth-centred set of coordinate axes, the operational range of the sun will be xc2x123.5 degrees in elevation from the orbit plane. During the day, the sun will appear to move through approximately 360 degrees in the azimuth plane. Normal and emergency operations as indicated above will require occasional access to a broader elevation range.
The accuracy required for a sun sensor is governed by its use in the attitude control strategy of the satellite mission. For the telecommunication satellite missions, the accuracy requirement is usually derived from antenna pointing specifications which are in turn driven by gain slopes attainable for the various radio frequency beams. As technology advances and tighter beams are utilized for point-to-point communications, the gain slopes are increasing requiring tighter tolerances on attitude control. Thus attitude resolution of an arc-minute or less is desirable and in certain instances may be necessary.
The combined problems of wide angular FOV and high resolution represent the major challenge to sensor designers. Most instruments must compromise between these two contradictory requirements. Having a FOV of 120xc3x97120 degrees with a resolution of 0.02 degree implies 6000 resolution elements in each direction. Thus multiple sensors are often used to provide a wide field-of-regard, FOR, (multiple FOV""s) while maintaining the necessary resolution.
The sun subtends an angular size of 0.53 degree. For most instruments the sun can be considered a point source. As higher resolutions (such as 0.02 degree) are demanded this assumption must be re-examined and its implications considered,
Manufacturers of digital sun sensors have relied on analog technology for the sensing elements but superimpose elaborate masks to provide the necessary resolution, Thus the sun at a given angle illuminates certain sensing photocells through a main slit and a mask consisting of reticle slits. The digital signal is usually produced as Gray code information based on which photocells produce voltages above a threshold level. This technique is only effective in a single axis so that a two-axis sensor consists of a pair of sensors mounted orthogonally.
This technology has limitations in regard to resolution owing to the sensitivity of the photocells and the accuracy and alignment of the mask slits. The sensors and the associated electronics are usually separate units. A typical sensor head with an FOV of 128xc3x97128 degrees and a resolution of 0.25 degree has a volume of 130 cm3 and a mass of 260 g whereas the associated electronics has a volume of 315 cm3 and a mass of 295 g. Thus a system for full sky viewing consisting of five sensor heads and one electronics box has a total volume requirement of 965 cm3 and a total mass of 1595 g. The power requirement for the system is about 120 mW. Higher accuracy units require significantly more resources especially for the mass, volume, and power for the processing electronics unit.
Thus it would be advantageous to prove a sun sensor that has a smaller volume and a smaller mass.
The present invention provides an implementation of a sun sensor that provides high resolution over a wide FOR. The sensor uses the principles of a classic pinhole camera in conjunction with a modem two-dimensional detector array. The sensor uses multiple pinholes located in a dome-like housing over the detector array to provide multiple FOV""s that project onto a common array. The FOV""s are positioned such that when taken in combination comprise the required wide FOR. The overlay of multiple sky images provided by the multiple pinholes onto the common detector allows for the monitoring of the entire FOR since the sun is a unique target within a background that is generally undifferentiated. Thus the sensor takes advantage of this xe2x80x9coverlay principlexe2x80x9d to multiplex the many FOV""s required to retain a high resolution and a wide FOR simultaneously.
A position or sun sensor comprises a sensor housing, a plurality of pinholes formed in the sensor housing, a detector mounted within the housing and a method of processing the information detected. The detector is mounted in the sensor housing. Each pinhole has a field of view and the detector receives the images from each field of view. Each field of view is defined by the position of the pinhole relative to the detector. The images are received in an overlay relationship thereby providing a field of regard. The processing method determines the presence and location of an object in a field of regard.
Further features of the invention will be described or will become apparent in the course of the following detailed description.

Sun sensors using multi-pinhole overlays

Centre for Research in Earth and Space Technology


A method of manufacturing a metallic component includes atomizing, in an inert atmosphere, a metallic liquid having at least one rare-earth element and at least one non rare-earth element to form a metallic powder. A series of heat treating steps are performed on the metallic powder. A first heat treating step is performed in an oxidizing atmosphere, and a second heat treating step is performed in an inert atmosphere. A third heat treating step is performed in a reducing atmosphere to form a metallic power having an increased proportion of rare-earth oxides compared to non rare-earth oxides. The metallic component is formed from the metallic powder having the increased proportion of rare-earth oxides compared to non rare-earth oxides.

Components of combustion turbines are routinely subjected to harsh environments that include rigorous mechanical loading conditions at high temperatures, high temperature oxidization, and exposure to corrosive media. The structural stability of such components is often provided by nickel or cobalt base superalloys, for example, due to their exemplary high temperature mechanical properties such as creep resistance and fatigue resistance.
Creep is the term used to describe the tendency of a solid material to slowly move or deform permanently to relieve stresses. It occurs as a result of long-term exposure to levels of stress that are below the yield strength or ultimate strength of the material. Creep is more severe in materials that are subjected to heat for long periods and near their melting point, such as alloys out of which combustion turbine components are formed. If a turbine blade, for example, were to deform so that it contacted the turbine cylinder, a catastrophic failure may result. Therefore, a high creep resistance is an advantageous property for a combustion turbine component to possess.
Fatigue is the progressive and localized structural damage that occurs when a material is subjected to cyclic loading. Given the numerous fatigue cycles a combustion turbine component may endure, a high fatigue resistance is likewise an advantageous property for a combustion turbine component to possess.
One way to strengthen a material, enhancing both its creep resistance and its fatigue resistance, is known as dispersion strengthening. Dispersion strengthening typically occurs by introducing a fine dispersion of particles into a material, for example, a metallic component. Dispersion strengthening can occur by adding material constituents that form particles when the constituents are added over their solubility limits.
Alternatively, dispersion strengthening may be performed by adding stable particles to a material, in which these particles are not naturally occurring in the material. These particles strengthen the material and may remain unaltered during metallurgical processing. Typically, the closer the spacing of the particles, the stronger the material. The fine dispersion of close particles restricts dislocation movement, which is the mechanism by which creep rupture may occur.
Previous dispersion strengthening methods include the introduction of thoria, alumina, or yttria particles into materials out of which combustion turbine components are formed. Thoria, alumina, and yttria are oxides of rare-earth elements that possess a higher bond energy than oxides of metals such as iron, nickel, aluminum, or chromium that are typically used as the base metal of combustion turbine components.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,049,355 to Gennari et al. discloses a process for producing a dispersion strengthened alloy of a base metal. A base metal powder and a powder comprising thoria, alumina, and/or yttria are pressed into a blank form. The pressed blank form is sintered so that the thoria, alumina, and/or yttria are homogenously dispersed throughout the base metal.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,868,876 to Biano et al. discloses a process for producing a creep resistant molybdenum alloy. A slurry of molybdenum oxide and an aqueous solution of lanthanum, cerium, and/or thoria is formed. The slurry is heated in a hydrogen atmosphere to produce a metallic powder. The powder is pressed then sintered. Finally, the sintered powder is thermomechanically processed to produce a molybdenum alloy having an oxide dispersion of lanthanum, cerium, and/or thoria.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,231,807 to Berglund discloses a method of producing a dispersion hardened FeCrAl alloy. A starting powder including iron, chromium, and titanium and/or yttrium is mixed with a chromium nitride powder. The powder mixture is placed into an evacuated container and heat treated. During heat treatment, titanium nitride is formed in a mix of chromium and iron. The nitrided chromium and iron product is then alloyed with aluminum by a conventional process to form a dispersion strengthened FeCrAl alloy.
The pursuit of increased combustion turbine efficiency has led to increased turbine section inlet temperatures, and thus metallic components made from different materials and having increased high temperature creep and fatigue resistance may be desirable.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method of making rare-earth strengthened components


The invention is related to a data structure for Higher Order Ambisonics HOA audio data, which data structure includes 2D or 3D spatial audio content data for one or more different HOA audio data stream descriptions. The HOA audio data can have on order of greater than ‘3’, and the data structure in addition can include single audio signal source data and/or microphone array audio data from fixed or time-varying spatial positions.

3D Audio may be realised using a sound field description by a technique called Higher Order Ambisonics (HOA) as described below. Storing HOA data requires some conventions and stipulations how this data must be used by a special decoder to be able to create loudspeaker signals for replay at a given reproduction speaker setup. No existing storage format defines all of these stipulations for HOA. The B-Format (based on the extensible 'Riff/way' structure) with its *.amb file format realisation as described as of 30 Mar. 2009 for example in Martin Leese, "File Format for B-Format", http://www.ambisonia.com/Members/etienne/Members/mleese/flle-format-for-b-format, is the most sophisticated format available today. The .amb file format was presented in 2000 by R. W. Dobson, "Developments in Audio File Formats", at ICMC Berlin 2000.
As of 16 Jul. 2010, an overview of existing file formats is disclosed on the Ambisonics Xchange Site: "Existing formats", http://ambisonics.iem.at/xchange/format/existing-formats, and a proposal for an Ambisonics exchange format is also disclosed on that site: "A first proposal to specify, define and determine the parameters for an Ambisonics exchange format", http://ambisonics.iem.at/xchange/format/a-first-proposal-for-the-format.
Invention
Regarding HOA signals, for 3D a collection of M=(N±1)2 ((2N+1) for 2D) different Audio objects from different sound sources, all at the same frequency, can be recorded (encoded) and reproduced as different sound objects provided they are spatially even distributed. This means that a 1st order Ambisonics signal can carry four 3D or three 2D Audio objects and these objects need to be separated uniformly around a sphere for 3D or around a circle in 2D. Spatial overlapping and more then M signals in the recording will result blur—only the loudest signals can be reproduced as coherent objects, the other diffuse signals will somehow degenerate the coherent signals depending on the overlap in space, frequency and loudness similarity.
Regarding the acoustic situation in a cinema, high spatial sound localisation accuracy is required for the frontal screen area in order to match the visual scene. Perception of the surrounding sound objects is less critical (reverb, sound objects with no connection to the visual scene). Here the density of speakers can be smaller compared to the frontal area.
The HOA order of the HOA data, relevant for frontal area, needs to be large to enable holophonic replay at choice. A typical order is N=10. This requires (N+1)2=121 HOA coefficients. In theory we could encode also M=121 audio objects, if this audio objects would be evenly spatially distributed. But in our scenario they are constricted to the frontal area (because only here we need such high orders). In fact we can only code about M=60 Audio objects without blur (the frontal area is at most half a sphere of directions, thus M/2).
Regarding the above-mentioned B-Format, it enables a description only up to an Ambisonics order of 3, and the file size is restricted to 4 GB. Other special information items are missing, like the wave type or the reference decoding radius which are vital for modern decoders. It is not possible to use different sample formats (word widths) and bandwidths for the different Ambisonics components (channels). There is also no standardisation for storing side information and metadata for Ambisonics.
In the known art, recording Ambisonics signals using a microphone array is restricted to orders of one. This might change in the future if experimental prototypes of HOA microphones will be developed. For the creation of 3D content a description of the ambience sound field could be recorded using a microphone array in first order Ambisonics, whereby the directional sources are captured using close-up mono microphones or highly directional microphones together with directional information (i.e. the position of the source). The directional signals can then be encoded into a HOA description, or this might be performed by a sophisticated decoder. Anyhow, a new Ambisonics file format needs to be able to store more than one sound field description at once, but it appears that no existing format can encapsulate more than one Ambisonics description.
A problem to be solved by the invention is to provide an Ambisonics file format that is capable of storing two or more sound field descriptions at once, wherein the Ambisonics order can be greater than 3. This problem is solved by the data structure disclosed in claim 1 and the method disclosed in claim 12.
For recreating realistic 3D Audio, next-generation Ambisonics decoders will require either a lot of conventions and stipulations together with stored data to be processed, or a single file format where all related parameters and data elements can be coherently stored.
The inventive file format for spatial sound content can store one or more HOA signals and/or directional mono signals together with directional information, wherein Ambisonics orders greater than 3 and files >4 GB are feasible. Furthermore, the inventive file format provides additional elements which existing formats do not offer:    1) Vital information required for next-generation HOA decoders is stored within the file format:            Ambisonics wave information (plane, spherical, mixture types), region of interest (sources outside the listening area or within), and reference radius (for decoding of spherical waves)        Related directional mono signals can be stored. Position information of these directional signals can be described either using angle and distance information or an encoding vector of Ambisonics coefficients.            2) All parameters defining the Ambisonics data are contained within the side information, to ensure clarity about the recording:            Ambisonics scaling and normalisation (SN3D, N3D, Furse Malham, B Format, . . . , user defined), mixed order information.            3) The storage format of Ambisonics data is extended to allow for a flexible and economical storage of data:            The inventive format allows storing data related to the Ambisonics order (Ambisonics channels) with different PCM-word size resolution as well as using restricted bandwidth.            4) Meta fields allow storing accompanying information about the file like recording information for microphone signals:            Recording reference coordinate system, microphone, source and virtual listener positions, microphone directional characteristics, room and source information.
This file format for 2D and 3D audio content covers the storage of both Higher Order Ambisonics descriptions (HOA) as well as single sources with fixed or time-varying positions, and contains all information enabling next-generation audio decoders to provide realistic 3D Audio.
Using appropriate settings, the inventive file format is also suited for streaming of audio content. Thus, content-dependent side info (header data) can be sent at time instances as selected by the creator of the file. The inventive file format serves also as scene description where tracks of an audio scene can start and end at any time.
In principle, the inventive data structure is suited for Higher Order Ambisonics HOA audio data, which data structure includes 2D and/or 3D spatial audio content data for one or more different HOA audio data stream descriptions, and which data structure is also suited for HOA audio data that have on order of greater than '3', and which data structure in addition can include single audio signal source data and/or microphone array audio data from fixed or time-varying spatial positions.
In principle, the inventive method is suited for audio presentation, wherein an HOA audio data stream containing at least two different HOA audio data signals is received and at least a first one of them is used for presentation with a dense loudspeaker arrangement located at a distinct area of a presentation site, and at least a second and different one of them is used for presentation with a less dense loudspeaker arrangement surrounding said presentation site.
Advantageous additional embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the respective dependent claims.

Data structure for higher order ambisonics audio data


An interface circuit, which can form part of a memory device or a memory controller, includes a read circuit, a write circuit, and a clocking circuit. The read circuit includes two registers or latches that receive alternate data read from burst EDO or synchronous memory. A multiplexer and read output register provide the data to a CPU or other application. If the memory is burst EDO, then the clocking circuit receives the system clock signal and generates a CAS signal based on positive or negative going edges of the clock signal, depending upon delays inherent in the system in which the present invention is employed. The CAS signal is then used to drive the two read latches. If the memory is synchronous memory, then the clock circuit includes an inverter that inverts the clock signal, and provides the inverted clock signal to the synchronous memory. The inverted clock signal is delayed and then used to drive the two read registers. A write register in the write circuit is driven based on the system clock, and therefore operates separately from the read circuit.

Various applications, such as computer systems, rely on memory devices to store instructions and data that are processed by a microprocessor or CPU. In a typical computer system, the CPU communicates with the memory devices via a CPU bus and a memory controller. The memory devices typically include a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) packaged as a module, such as a single in-line memory module (SIMM) or a dual in-line memory module (DIMM). The memory module typically includes one or more banks of memory chips connected in parallel such that each memory bank stores one set of data, such as a word or double word, per memory address.
The memory controller communicates with, and interprets commands from, the CPU. For example, the CPU issues a command and an address which are received and translated by the memory controller. The memory controller, in turn, applies appropriate command signals and row and column addresses to the memory device. Examples of such commands include a row address strobe (RAS), column address strobe (CAS), write enable (WE), and possibly a clock signal (CLK). (The line or bar over the acronym for a symbol generally indicates that the active state for the particular signal is a logical low value.) In response to the commands and addresses, data is transferred between the CPU and the memory device.
The speed of memory devices has not been able to keep pace with the speed advances in current CPUs. As a result, the speed of current computer systems is limited by the speed in which data and instructions can be accessed from the memory devices of the computer system.
To attempt to keep pace with speed advances in CPUs, faster memory devices have been developed, such as fast page mode (FPM) DRAMs. In most DRAM devices, to limit their size, each memory chip typically includes only enough address terminals to specify either the row address or the column address but not both simultaneously. As a result, the typical memory controller accesses a memory location sequentially by first transmitting the row address and then transmitting the column address. Specifically, the memory controller provides the row address to the memory device, asserts the RAS control signal, then provides the column address on the memory device and asserts the CAS control signal. To ensure proper timing, the memory controller provides a brief delay after asserting the RAS control signal and before asserting the CAS signal (RAS/CAS delay).
The FPM DRAM eliminates the RAS/CAS delay when successive accesses to the same row of memory occur. Because the majority of program execution is sequential in nature, program execution very often proceeds along a row of memory. When in page mode, the memory controller compares the row address of the memory location currently being accessed with the row address for the next memory access. If the row addresses are the same (known as a "page hit"), then the memory controller continues asserting the RAS control signal at the end of a current bus cycle. Because the memory already has the correct row address, the new column address can be immediately transferred to the memory without requiring a RAS/CAS delay.
Extended data out (EDO) DRAMs improve upon the FPM DRAMs. In FPM DRAMs, the CAS high-to-low transition latches the column ddress, while the CAS low-to-high transition turns off an output buffer of the RAM. EDO DRAMs instead separate the two functions of the CAS signal. The low-to-high transition of CAS no longer turns off the output buffer. This change provides an extended time during which the output data is valid, hence the "extended data out" name. EDO memory allows the CPU tp sample the output data even while an address for a subsequent data transfer operation is being set up for the next read cycle.
Burst EDO (BEDO) DRAMs improve upon the good idea used in EDO DRAMs (leaving data valid even after CAS goes high). Most current CPUs typically access BEDO DRAMs in four-cycle bursts at four adjacent memory locations to fill a cache memory. Recognizing this typical access operation, BEDO DRAMs quickly provide the following three addresses itself after receiving the first address. BEDO DRAMs typically include a two-bit counter which provides three column addresses after the first received column address. The memory controller, and CPU, thus avoid the tight timing requirements of providing multiple addresses at appropriate times to the DRAM device. As a result, a "dead" time occurring between the appearance of each bit, byte, word, set or "group" of valid data at the output pins of the BEDO DRAM device is reduced, as compared with respect to EDO and FPM DRAMs. For example, where an FPM DRAM requires an initial five clock cycles to provide a first data group, and three clock cycles for each of three subsequent data groups (i.e., "5-3-3-3 bursting"), BEDO DRAMs can provide bursting at rates of up to 5-1-1-1 or less.
An even faster form of DRAM is synchronous DRAM (SDRAM). FPM, EDO, and BEDO DRAM are asynchronous DRAM devices because they do not require a clock input signal. The memory controller for asynchronous devices receives the system clock signal and operates as a synchronous interface with the CPU so that data is exchanged with the CPU at appropriate edges of the clock signal. Memory controllers for SDRAM devices are necessarily simpler because the SDRAM devices and the CPU both operate based on a clock signal. To achieve optimum performance with a CPU, the SDRAM device must be synchronized with the CPU.
As the speed of DRAM devices increase, other bottlenecks within computer systems arise. For example, as DRAM devices are operated at faster clock rates, the memory controllers to which they are coupled often cannot exchange data between the CPU and the memory device quickly enough.
Additionally, both BEDO DRAM and SDRAM devices require comparatively strict timing requirements compared to FPM and EDO DRAM devices. The strict timing requirements of BEDO DRAM requires a strict relation between generating an edge of CAS and when data is valid for reading or writing to the memory device. During each read cycle, CAS must fall during the middle of the period when data is to be read from the BEDO DRAM. For example, there is very little room for time delay or skew between the system clock and the CAS control signal supplied to the BEDO DRAM when the BEDO DRAM is operated in the 5-1-1-1 burst mode.
As a result, designers must design their computer systems, or other applications, with minimum trace lengths on circuit boards to reduce propagation delays, and employ other methods to minimize skew between the system clock and command signals based on the clock. One memory controller chip set by Intel is believed to accommodate BEDO DRAM; however, such a chip set likely still requires the designer to be subject to the strict timing requirements of BEDO memory. Similarly, SDRAM devices require strict timing of data transfers with the SDRAM device in relation to the system clock signal. As a result of such strict requirements of BEDO DRAM and SDRAM devices, computer system designers and other users of DRAM devices have difficulty implementing such higher speed DRAM devices into their applications, despite the increased performance of such devices. As a result, system designers have accepted and employed lower speed DRAM devices in exchange for looser timing requirements in their designs, despite the speed and other benefits of BEDO and SDRAM devices.


There is provided a wind synthesizer controller playable by the same manipulation as that of a customary musical instrument as well as able to obtain accurate scale information and volume information. The wind synthesizer controller includes a microphone, an expiration intensity measuring unit, and a controller. The microphone detects a sound generated by flowed in expiration. The expiration intensity measuring unit measures intensity of the expiration on the basis of a detected sound signal. The controller generates volume information on the basis of the measured expiration intensity. The volume information at least includes note on, note off, and velocity.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wind synthesizer controller, and more particularly, to a wind synthesizer controller playable by the same manipulation as that of a customary musical instrument as well as able to obtain accurate scale information and volume information.
2. Description of the Related Art
A typical pipe type electronic musical instrument uses a structure of measuring intensity of expiration using a pressure sensor and obtaining fingering information by including fingering holes (tone holes) as button type switches. In this structure, it lacks feeling of playing a customary musical instrument by pressing button type switches and has tendency of difficulty to generate excitement about the playing.


An LED lamp includes a connecting member and an LED module. The connecting member is adapted for electrically connecting with a power source. The LED module is clasped by and electrically connects to the connecting member.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to LED (light emitting diode) lamps, and more particularly to an LED lamp having a low energy consumption.
2. Description of Related Art
The conventional light sources, such as fluorescent lamp, halogen lamp and incandescent lamp need large power consumption. It is environmentally unfriendly and energy consumptive.
It is thus desirable to provide an LED lamp which can overcome the described limitations.

Fu Zhun Precision Industry (Shen Zhen) Co., Ltd.


There is disclosed a signal having a predefined quality criterion for use with a communication systems, a method of and a system for generating such a signal, a method of testing the operation of a communication system using such a signal and a (tele)communication system arranged for operation such a method. The method for generating the signal having a predefined quality the steps of: —representing a first signal comprising a plurality of frequency components each having spectral amplitude phase properties, and—processing the represented signal by arranging its spectral amplitude properties, and—processing the represented signal by arranging its spectral amplitude properties in accordance with the predefined quality criterion.

Among others, for testing communication systems and communication equipment, such as xDSL transceivers and cables or networks, test signals are needed for stressing the communication system and the communication devices in a manner that is representative to actual deployment scenarios, with large numbers of systems or system devices per cable.
By measuring the transmission performance of the system or system device under realistic (noisy) test conditions, one can improve the design of the system or devices and/or prove that their performance is compliant with standards, such as issued by ETSI, ITU or ANSI or other (tele)communication bodies.
A method of executing such performance tests is to generate a signal which is known as impairment. More specifically, impairment can be subdivided into:                (i) cross-talk noise, having a noise profile characterized by a spectral envelope and spectral amplitude distribution e.g. from neighboring xDSL systems;        (ii) ingress noise, composed of discrete frequency components, also called rfi-tones, having a noise profile characterized by a number of discrete frequency components and spectral amplitude, modulation depth and modulation width parameters originating from radio and amateur broadcasting, for example, and        (iii) impulse noise characterized by signal pulses caused by switching operations and components for example.
In the case of ingress noise, the frequency may vary (sweep) in time.
A device for generating impairment is known as an impairment generator and is arranged, in particular for use in or on communication systems, for generating at least one of said cross-talk noise and ingress noise.
In practice, for testing whether communication systems and communication devices are compliant with standards, various noise profiles have been defined which, among others, vary in accordance with system parameters such as the length and number of wire pairs in a communication cable and the transmission data rate, for example.
Further, each different type or length of a transmission medium such as a cable, a copper cable or an optical fiber or other cable type, request a different noise signal.
Methods and devices for generating noise profiles are known in the art. In particular, filtering techniques and filters are known for generating noise from an input signal providing an output signal having a particular spectral envelope and spectral amplitude distribution.
However, by using filtering techniques and filters, a causal relationship is established between the input signal and the output signal. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that such a type of signal is less suitable for a realistic imitation of real operational communication systems and communication devices.
WO 00/16181 discloses a method and a device for generating a random time domain signal approaching a predetermined histogram of amplitudes. In a first step, the signal is created by filtering a noise signal, such as a white noise signal, thereby producing a signal having a predetermined spectral envelope. In a next step, a non-linear function is applied to the filtered noise signal, so as to produce the required time domain signal approaching the predetermined histogram of amplitudes. In a further step, pulse response filtering is applied to the time domain signal, to correct its spectral envelope and to obtain an output signal having a required spectral envelope. Both, the non-linear function and the pulse response filtering function are special functions selected in accordance with the spectral envelope to be provided.
WO 00/16181 is limited in the sense that there is only provided a time domain signal only having a predetermined spectral envelope. WO 00/16181 is silent with respect to other quality criterion's to be imposed on the time domain signal to be provided, among others phase properties.

Method of and a device for generating a signal having a predetermined quality criterion for use in or on a communication system

Nederlandse Organisatie Voor Toegepast-Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek TNO


A multi-object tracking (MOT) framework uses a dual Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) network (Siamese) for MOT. The dual LSTM network learns metrics along with an online updating scheme for data association. The dual LSTM network fuses relevant features of trajectories to interpret both temporal and spatial components non-linearly and concurrently outputs a similarity score. An LSTM model can be initialized for each trajectory and the metric updated in an online fashion during the tracking phase. An efficient and feasible visual tracking approach using Optical Flow and affine transformations can generate robust tracklets for initialization. Thus, the MOT framework can achieve increased tracking accuracy. Further, the MOT framework has improved performance and can be flexible utilized in arbitrary scenarios.

Multi-object tracking (MOT) of targets from security cameras is a challenging problem. Targets must be identified, trajectories determined, and target identity maintained over time. One challenge of MOT is to continuously and effectively model the vast variety of object appearances with uncertainty in arbitrary scenarios, caused by occlusions, illumination variations, motion blur, false alarm and miss detections, variations of targets numbers, etc.
Some MOT techniques utilize pre-trained models on a large-scale dataset to obtain richer feature representations based on convolutional neural networks (CNNs). However, these techniques, which typically lack sufficient training data and rely on appearance feature, leave many tracking issues unsolved.
"Tracking-by-detection" frameworks represent the detection results of objects as bounding boxes and are available in a video sequence as prior information. The "Tracking-by-detection" paradigm uses traditional data association techniques including the Multiple Hypothesis Tracker (MHT) and the Joint Probabilistic Data Association Filter (JPDAF) to solve the MOT problem. As such, these traditional data association techniques establish sophisticated models to capture the combinatorial complexity on a frame-by-frame basis.
More recently, CNN-based feature representations for MOT have been adopted. These CNN-based feature representations determine people appearance along with computation of the affinity between two measurements. However, CNN-based feature representations rely on appearance features, which can be problematic since people with similar appearances are not necessarily identical.
Further, some trackers model different features of objects in a scene by incorporating a myriad of components such as motion, appearance, scale, etc. For example, trackers can try to learn an end-to-end representation for state estimation utilizing recurrent neural networks (RNNs). An RNN-based approach can be utilized to learn complex models in realistic environments.

Multi-object tracking using online metric learning with long short-term memory


A sense amplifier having an ingegrated latch with level shift is disclosed, in which a pair of cross-connected inverters are connected between the outputs of the sense amplifier to provide a single stage amplifier. The sense amplifier performs level shift, sense amplifier and latching functions within a single circuit, thus reducing layout area and simplifying chip design while at the same time providing full swing complementary outputs. In addition, the sense amplifier is turned on for only a portion of the cycle to enable the data to be latched, with virtually no constant current comsumption in the circuit for holding the data, thereby reducing power consumption. Alternative embodiments are disclosed using conventional and tri-state latches.

Random access memory, or RAM, comprises a key part of virtually every processor-based system. Numerous different RAM designs have been tried and found market acceptance. Recently, high density static RAM designs have been developed for use in workstations, personal computers, embedded systems and supercomputer main memory. As higher performance has been demanded by the application, various improvements to SRAM design have been developed, including synchronous wave-pipeline SRAM.
However, regardless of the type of RAM used, the data delay is still determined by the critical path from the address input to the data output. This path includes the address buffer, the input register, the decoder, the addressed memory cell, the sense amplifier, the output register and the output buffer.
New designs most commonly are intended to improve performance, either through reducing the delay time in the various stages, or to reduce either cost or power. One effective way to reduce cost is to reduce die size. Reductions in die size can be achieved either by improving the circuit or improving layout efficiency, or both. Power reductions can be achieved by reducing sense amplifier current or other techniques.
Various prior art designs have attempted to reduce sense amplifier current or otherwise improve sense amplifier performance. Several such designs are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,544,110; 5,566,126; 5,526,314; 5,297,092; 5,294,847; 5,289,415; and 5,231,318. The basic operation of a sense amplifier in such a circuit includes not only the basic amplifier function, but also output latching and level shifting. In addition, a desirable design feature is to provide full swing at the outputs of the amplifier. These various functions are typically performed in multiple stages, as can be seen from the aforementioned patents, but as will be apparent from a review of these patents, attempting to incorporate these features has met with limited success and, in at least some instances such as the '110 and '126 patents, has led to complicated designs which increase the layout area or otherwise cause layout problems, and are therefore difficult to manufacture. In other instances, such as the '318 patent, the output is not permitted a full swing and remain sensitive to process variations. The '092 also presents serious design limitations, including the die area required for the two stage design, the need for precharging, and the fact that erroneous data can be latched. Likewise, the '847 patent presents problems with the amount of layout area needed for the excessive number of transistors in the design, the complicated control circuit, and the multiple stages. The '314 is also overly complicated and thus requires excessive layout area, as well as requiring precharging and presenting the possibility of latching the wrong data. A three stage amplifier is used in the '415 patent, which by itself leads to a complicated layout using excessive die area; in addition, the design suffers from excessive sensitivity during the clock high period.
As a result, there has been a need for a sense amplifier which offers small die area, low power consumption, positive latching, a full voltage swing at the outputs, and an uncomplicated design.

Sense amplifier with integrated latch and level shift


A two-part fastener with an insert and a compression sleeve. The insert is an internally-threaded fastener intended to be installed into a hole of a very hard panel. The insert itself is relatively hard with a knurled outer barrel portion and a flange at the bottom. A compression sleeve is made of relatively soft material and is preassembled around the barrel of the insert by friction fit. Upon installation into a panel with a blind hole having parallel sides, the compression sleeve is pressed into the panel and deforms outwardly between the insert and the side wall of the hole. Friction between the compression sleeve and the wall of the hole prevents torque out and pull out of the fastener from the panel.

Clinching fasteners require a hardness differential between the fastener and the panel into which they are installed. If the fastener is not significantly harder than the panel, no material flow of the panel into the fastener undercut can occur to lock it in place. In situations where the panel is harder than the fastener, the clinching fastener can in fact be damaged, and will not clinch.
Because of this limitation, typical methods of affixing a threaded insert in hard panels include adhesives, soldering or welding. Adhesives can be messy and have the added disadvantage of a long cure time prior to fully fixing the fastener. Soldering and welding require high temperatures that can easily damage the cosmetics, or even the geometry of the assembly. Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a threaded attachment means that can be successfully used with very hard materials. It would also be desirable to provide such a fastener than can be effectively and economically manufactured and used.

Insert fastener with a compression sleeve


A force measurement assembly with damping is disclosed herein. The force measurement assembly includes a force measurement surface for receiving at least one portion of a body of a subject; at least one force transducer, the at least one force transducer configured to sense one or more measured quantities and output one or more signals that are representative of forces and/or moments being applied to the force measurement surface of the force measurement assembly by the subject; at least one base member disposed underneath the at least one force transducer or forming a part of the at least one force transducer; and a damping member disposed between the at least one base member and a mounting surface on which the force measurement assembly is disposed. A force measurement system that includes the force measurement assembly with damping is also disclosed herein.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to force measurement systems. More particularly, the invention relates to a force measurement assembly with damping and a force measurement system including the same.
2. Background and Description of Related Art
Force measurement systems are utilized in various fields to quantify the reaction forces and moments exchanged between a body and support surface. For example, in biomedical applications, force measurement systems are used for gait analysis, assessing balance and mobility, evaluating sports performance, and assessing ergonomics. In order to quantify the forces and moments resulting from the body disposed thereon, the force measurement system includes some type of force measurement device. Depending on the particular application, the force measurement device may take the form of a balance plate, force plate, jump plate, an instrumented treadmill, or some other device that is capable of quantifying the forces and moments exchanged between the body and the support surface.
Force measurement systems are typically mounted inside a room within a building. Due their high degree of measurement sensitivity, the accuracy of the output generated by these measurement systems is often adversely affected by vibrations imparted thereon by the building structure. These vibrations may be caused by mechanical equipment within the building, such as pumps, fans, and chillers, or alternatively, may be caused by external forces acting on the building structure, such as those caused by wind forces or nearby roadways. As such, the measurement accuracy of these highly sensitive measurement instruments is unnecessarily compromised by building vibrations. Also, when force measurement systems are mounted on uneven surfaces or surfaces with undulations, the resulting instability of the measurement instrument often leads to measurement errors (i.e., resulting from the rocking of the measurement instrument). In addition, when force measurement systems are affixedly attached to mounting surfaces that undergo deformation (e.g., a concrete slab of a building that flexes or deforms), the deformation of the mounting surfaces impart similar deformations on the components of the measurement instruments, thereby producing measurement errors.
In addition, the conventional rigid mounting arrangement of force measurement devices frequently results in a deleterious preloading on these devices. This undesirable preloading may permanently deform various components of force measurement devices, which may also reduce the accuracy of the output generated by the force measurement systems.
What is needed, therefore, is a force measurement assembly that is isolated from the vibrations transferred from the surrounding building structure so that the measurement accuracy of the measurement instrument is not undesirably compromised. Moreover, a force measurement assembly is needed that is not subjected to unnecessary preload stresses that adversely affect the measurement components of the instrument. Furthermore, a force measurement system also is needed that includes a force measurement assembly that is sufficiently isolated from building vibrations so as to obviate the effect of these vibrations on the measurement accuracy of the force measurement assembly. In addition, a force measurement assembly is needed that is capable of compensating for undulations on the mounting surface, uneven portions of the mounting surface, and/or a deformation of the mounting surface.

Force measurement assembly with damping and force measurement system including the same


This invention discloses a plasma display panel for multi-screen system. The plasma display panel (10) comprises the upper dielectric plate (1) and the lower dielectric plate (2). Cathode electrode (3) and anode electrode (4) are orthogonally located between said plates (1) and (2). These electrodes (3) and (4) form display cell (5) and (6), the cell (5) being formed between barrier ribs (8) and the cell (6) being adjacent to one side of sealing seam (7). The display cells (5) and (6) are separated by barrier ribs (8). The display cell (6) adjacent to the sealing seam are made of a size increasing in direction perpendicular to the sealing seam (7) with respect to the rest of the display cell (5).

The most similar prior art in technical essence to this invention is the plasma display panel disclosed in USSR Patent No. 1074301 (Mar. 30, 1982). This plasma display panel comprises upper and lower plates and systems of mutually orthogonal electrodes, in which display cells adjacent to the sealing seam are formed by hollows of grooves, and an external sealing element is separated from internal cell volume by a light-translucent element with a round cross-section inserted into the hollow and located around the edges.
However, the disadvantages of the USSR patent is in a loss of a pitch at the place of joint of panels because of large thickness of the sealing seam and which results in a distortion of the information displayed on the screen.

Plasma display panel for multi-screen system


A granular composition is applied to tips of rotor blades utilized in a gas turbine engine wherein the blade tips rub against an abradable ceramic layer. Individual grains each have a core of silicon carbide and a layer of aluminum nitride on the core. A layer of a cladding metal may be bonded to the aluminum nitride. The composition also may include particles of cubic boron nitride and/or particles of metal alloy blended with the grains of silicon carbide.

A gas turbine engine includes a number of rotor sections axially aligned, each having a hub (or portion of a common hub) with a plurality of equally spaced rotor blades mounted on the hub. A shroud encompasses the blade tips with as little clearance as possible in order to minimize bypass flow of air and other gasses past the tips of the blades. The shroud is substantially coaxial, but it is very difficult to fabricate and maintain a shroud that is exactly round and located right at the blade tips, particularly with some flexing and heat expansions of the shroud during engine operations.
A common solution is to utilize a clearance sealing layer on the shroud that is abraded by the blade tips, thus producing a self-adjusting, relatively tight seal. For lower temperature sections, abradable coatings typically contain a soft metal with a soft non-metal component such as graphite, a polymer or boron nitride. In higher temperature sections a porous ceramic such as zirconia is used, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,280,975. However, shroud materials, particularly ceramics, have a tendency to wear the tips of the blades. In the case of titanium blades, metallic friction against the shroud is a concern for fire.
Abrasive materials such as silicon carbide (SiC) have been provided on turbine blade tips to alleviate these problems, for example as taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,492,522 and 4,802,828. SiC is considered good for the purpose because it is hard, has a high sublimation temperature and is oxidation resistant at turbine operating temperatures. However, SiC reacts with blade alloys at elevated temperatures, particularly nickel superalloys, to decompose the SiC and create deleterious by-products of silicides and free carbon. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,249,913 there is disclosed the use of SiC particles coated with alumina as a barrier against the blade alloy. However, SiC can react with alumina at high temperature in a reducing atmosphere to produce gaseous phases of SiO, CO and Al.sub.2 O. Also, significant differences in thermal expansion coefficients and thermal conductivities between SiC and a Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 layer make the layer susceptible to thermal cracking and subsequent reaction of the exposed SiC. Moreover, Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 has poor wetting by the blade alloy and is difficult to bond into it.
Boron nitride exists in several forms including cubic boron nitride ("cBN") which is very hard, second only to diamond. It has been used for abrasive particles on blade tips to cut ceramic outer air seal coatings, as taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,704,759 and United Kingdom patent application publication No. GB 2 241 506 A. However, cBN oxidizes at the temperatures above about 850.degree. C. which are typical of the turbine sections utilizing ceramic shrouds.
An object of the invention is to provide a novel granular composition for application to tips of rotor blades in a gas turbine engine wherein the blade tips rub against an abradable ceramic or metallic layer on a shroud encompassing the rotor blades. Another object is to provide such a composition containing silicon carbide as abrasive granules. Yet another object is to provide such a composition in which silicon carbide granules have an improved layer of protection against reaction with blade alloy. A further object is to provide such a composition of silicon carbide having a protective layer with a further improvement for bonding into the blade alloy. Another object is to provide such a composition further containing a harder run-in material. An additional object is to provide a rotor blade with a blade tip containing such a novel composition.
Yet another object is to provide a process for bonding such a novel composition to a rotor blade tip.

Silicon carbide composition for turbine blade tips


A novel micro-emulsion is described which is useful as a hydrogenation catalyst. The highly dispersed hydrogenation catalyst is prepared by forming an aqueous solution of a salt of a transition metal and a surfactant, adding this solution to heated petroleum pitch or a mixture thereof with a petroleum distillate, such as heavy gas oil, and mixing vigorously until a stable water-in-oil micro-emulsion is formed having an average diameter of less than about 1500 .ANG., which upon exposure to severe reducing conditions produces catalyst particles having an average size of less than about 500 .ANG.. The micro-emulsion thus formed is highly stable and has a long shelf-life and the catalyst particles formed under hydrogenation conditions are much smaller than previously reported.

This invention relates to an improved method whereby a hydrogenation catalyst is conveniently and effectively dispersed in and contacted with a reaction mixture. It relates particularly to a method for making a stable water-in-oil micro-emulsion containing finely dispersed catalyst or catalyst precursor particles and to a hydrogenation process utilizing the micro-emulsion.

Production of highly dispersed hydrogenation catalysts


A method of diagnosing an engine purge system includes: obtaining, by a controller, a first measurement value by measuring a pressure of a secondary purge line when a boosting pressure from a compressor is greater than or equal to a predetermined reference pressure; obtaining, by the controller, a second measurement value by measuring a pressure of the secondary purge line while opening and closing a purge control solenoid valve when a throttle valve is deployed; determining, by the controller, whether at least one of the secondary purge line or a recirculation line is blocked by comparing the first measurement value and the second measurement value; and providing, by the controller, an alert when it is determined that at least one of the secondary purge line or the recirculation line is blocked.

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
It is regulated by the provision of the law that evaporation gas generated from a fuel tank of a vehicle is prevented from being leaked into the atmosphere. In order to comply with the provision of the law, a method of collecting the evaporation gas is used. In particular, the evaporation gas generated from the fuel tank of the vehicle is collected in a canister according to the method and then the evaporation gas is supplied through an intake system of the engine to a combustion chamber for combustion, when an appropriate condition is formed during the operation of the engine.
The evaporation gas is supplied to the engine combustion chamber naturally by using a negative pressure depending on the operating condition of the engine, without using a separate active actuator.
Therefore, in the vehicle, it is desired to form an appropriate negative pressure for allowing the evaporation gas to flow into the engine combustion chamber as described above, and it is also desired to accurately diagnose whether such a function is normally operated at all times.
The contents described as the related art have been provided only to assist in understanding the background of the present disclosure and should not be considered as corresponding to the related art known to those having ordinary skill in the art.

Method of diagnosing engine purge system


A self-cleaning assembly employing a gap filler for a rail on the ground which guides or in which there runs rollers or wheels with lugs housed in a groove so as to lie flush with or protrude only slightly from the ground and which has a gap on the side of the rail corresponding to the passage of the lug. A filling substance is placed in the gap outside of the dynamic footprint of the lug and at least partially lines the gap, at least partially filling it. The filling material has properties of compressibility and is positioned in such a way that under all normal conditions of use or normal environmental conditions, the gap remains filled outside of the dynamic footprint of the lug.

Owing to its exposure to bad weather and to the environment, it often happens that the gap is locally blocked by an accumulation of plant matter, ice, snow, pebbles or other foreign bodies or objects that can obstruct the flange(s) during the passage of the guide roller(s) or railway wheels. Such obstacles can lead to severe problems, such as damage to the rollers or wheels or, more seriously, to their derailment.
To avoid such problems, the gap all along the guide-rail or rolling rail network must be cleared regularly. However, such cleaning is time-consuming and expensive, and cannot be carried out during operation of the transport network and in particular that part of it using the rail concerned. Besides, even regular cleaning does not ensure the total cleanliness of gaps constantly exposed to bad weather, discarded garbage and attempted vandalism.
The forward protection element known as a "pebble guard" enables hard objects and ones above a certain size to be cleared from a rail and more generally a guiding or rolling track. Such protection, however, is quite useless against debris and small objects that may be present in one or other of the channels along the rail, which potentially endanger the guiding function and the vehicle's rollers or wheels.
There is thus a need for a gap that enables such objects to be passed over in total safety.

Self-cleaning assembly employing a gap filler for a guidance or runway rail on the ground


The present invention relates to to an apparatus for driving a plasma display panel in which an image being full of life is represented through expansion of contrast and the gray level can be expanded, and method for driving the same. According to the present invention, since a gray level of an input data is distributed over the whole gray level region, contrast can be expanded. It is therefore possible to display an image being full of life. Furthermore, if the gray level of the input data is expanded over the whole gray level region, contrast is increased. Moreover, when the gray level region is expanded, an error diffusion unit and/or a dithering unit are/is not used.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for driving a plasma display panel and method thereof, and more particularly, to an apparatus for driving a plasma display panel in which an image being full of life can be displayed through expansion of contrast and a gray level can be expanded, and method thereof.
2. Background of the Related Art
A plasma display panel (hereinafter, referred to as a 'PDP') is adapted to display an image using a visible ray generated from phosphors when the phosphors are excited by ultraviolet generated during discharging of a gas. The PDP has advantages that it is thin in thickness and light in weight and can be made large with high definition compared to a cathode ray tube (CRT) that is the greater part of the display means.
FIG. 1 is a plan view schematically illustrating a conventional plasma display panel. FIG. 2 is a detailed perspective view illustrating the structure of a cell shown in FIG. 1.
Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a three-electrode AC surface discharge type PDP includes scan electrodes Y1 to Yn and a sustain electrodes Z which are formed on an upper substrate 10, and address electrodes X1 to Xm formed on a lower substrate 18.
A discharge cells 1 of the PDP is formed every portion where the scan electrodes Y1 to Yn, the sustain electrodes Z and the address electrodes X1 to Xm intersect. Each of the scan electrodes Y1 to Yn and the sustain electrode Z includes a transparent electrodes 12, and a metal bus electrodes 11 having a line width narrower than that of the transparent electrodes 12 and formed at one edge sides of the transparent electrodes. The transparent electrodes 12 are typically formed using indium-tin-oxide (ITO) on the upper substrate 10. The metal bus electrodes 11 is typically formed using a metal on the transparent electrodes 12 and serves to reduce a voltage drop caused by the transparent electrodes 12 having high resistance.
An upper dielectric layer 13 and a protection film 14 are laminated on the upper substrate 10 in which the scan electrodes Y1 to Yn and the sustain electrode Z are formed parallel to each other. A wall charge generated upon plasma discharge is accumulated on the upper dielectric layer 13. The protection film 14 serves to protect the electrodes Y1 to Yn and Z and the upper dielectric layer 13 from sputtering generated upon the plasma discharging and to increase efficiency of secondary electron emission. The protection film 14 is typically formed using magnesium oxide (MgO).
The address electrodes X1 to Xm are formed on the lower substrate 18 in the direction in which they intersect the scan electrodes Y1 to Yn and the sustain electrode Z. A lower dielectric layer 17 and barrier ribs 15 are formed on the lower substrate 18. A phosphor layer 16 is formed on the lower dielectric layer 17 and the barrier ribs 15. The barrier ribs 15 have the form of stripe or lattice and physically separate discharge cells, thus shielding electrical and optical interference among neighboring discharge cells 1. The phosphor layer 16 is excited and light-emitted by ultraviolet rays generated upon plasma discharge to generate any one visible light of red, green and blue lights.
An inert mixed gas for a discharge such as He+Xe, Ne+Xe or He+Ne+Xe is injected into discharge spaces of the discharge cells defined between the upper substrate 10 and the barrier ribs 15 and the lower substrate 18 and the barrier ribs 15.
In this PDP, in order to implement the gray level of an image, one frame is divided into several sub fields having different numbers of emission and is then driven in time division. Each of the sub fields is divided into a reset period for generating discharging uniformly, an address period for selecting a discharge cell, and a sustain period for implementing the gray level depending on the number of discharging. For example, if a picture is to be represented using 256 gray levels, a frame period (16.67 ms) corresponding to 1/60 second is divided into eight sub fields. Also, each of the eight sub fields is divided into a reset period, an address period and a sustain period. In the above, the reset period and the address period of each of the sub fields are the same every sub fields, whereas the sustain period and the number of discharging thereof increase in the ratio of 2n(n=0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) in each of the sub fields in proportion to the number of a sustain pulse. Since the sustain period is different in each of the sub fields as such, it is possible to implement the gray level of an image.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a conventional apparatus for driving a plasma display panel.
Referring to FIG. 3, the conventional apparatus for driving the PDP includes a gain control unit 32, an error diffusion unit 33 and a sub field mapping unit 34 all of which are connected between a first inverse gamma control unit 31A and a data alignment unit 35, and an APL calculator 36 connected between a second inverse gamma control unit 31B and a waveform generator 37.
The first and second inverse gamma correction units 31A and 31B perform inverse gamma correction for digital video data (RGB) received from an input line 30 to linearly convert brightness of a gray level value of an image signal.
The gain control unit 32 compensates for color temperature by adjusting an effective gain by each data of red, green and blue.
The error diffusion unit 33 finely controls a brightness value by diffusing quantization error of digital video data (RGB) received from the gain control unit 32 to adjacent cells. In the above, a gray level of data that passes through the error diffusion unit 33 is expanded finely.
The sub field mapping unit 34 serves to map the data received from the error diffusion unit 33 to a sub field pattern stored by the bit and supply the mapping data to the data alignment unit 35.
The data alignment unit 35 supplies digital video data received from the sub field mapping unit 34 to a data driving circuit of the panel 38. The data driving circuit is connected to data electrodes of the panel 38 and serves to latch data received from the data alignment unit 35 by one horizontal line and then supply the latched data to the data electrodes of the panel 38 in one horizontal period unit.
The APL calculator 36 calculates average brightness for digital video data (RGB) received from the second inverse gamma correction unit 31B in one screen unit, i.e., an average picture level (hereinafter, referred to as 'APL') and outputs information on the number of a sustain pulse corresponding to the calculated APL.
The waveform generator 37 generates a timing control signal in response to the information on the number of the sustain pulse from the APL calculator 36 and then supplies a timing control signal to a scan driving circuit and a sustain driving circuit (not shown). The scan driving circuit and the sustain driving circuit supplies the sustain pulse to the scan electrodes and the sustain electrodes of the panel 38 during the sustain period in response to the timing control signal received from the waveform generator 37.
Such a conventional PDP expands the gray level minutely using the error diffusion unit 33. If the gray level is expanded using the error diffusion unit 33 as such, there is a problem that the picture quality is lowered because an error diffusion pattern is shown in data of a predetermined pattern.
Furthermore, in order to display an image being more full of life in the conventional PDP, contrast of a gray level must be clear. In the conventional PDP, however, it is difficult to display an image being full of life since there is no method for expanding contrast of data.

Apparatus and method of driving a plasma display panel


An actuating device for actuating a function on a motor vehicle includes a touch surface actuated by a user. The touch surface is arranged in such a way that it can be moved under pressure from a first end position to a second end position. An elastic reset urges the touch surface into the first end position. A contact switch is arranged between the touch surface and a support surface. A guide sleeve and a guide pin guide the touch surface when actuated. When moving the touch surface, the guide pin is moved in an axial direction into the sleeve and is secured against lateral movement in a small diameter section of the pin. However, the guide pin can be tipped in the sleeve about a pivot point in the small diameter section, thus preventing the touch surface from being jammed in the event of a decentralized impact.

The invention relates to a pressure switch for a motor vehicle. In particular, the invention relates to a push-button switch, which can be located in the outer area of the motor vehicle, for example, in the area of the hatchback of the motor vehicle. Such push-button switches are used, for example, for opening a vehicle cover.
For example, EP 1 808 877 discloses a push-button switch for a motor vehicle wherein a push-button is pivotally connected with a housing. A micro switch is used for actuating a lock, and multiple snap discs are provided to increase the actuating force for the micro switch.
WO 2012/097791 discloses a housing for a push-button. This switch is provided with a support surface to which a touch surface is swivel-mounted. In addition, at least one spring element has been attached to the support surface for providing a minimum actuating force for the push-button to increase the actuating force with respect to the reset force of the micro switch.
DE 10 2004 006 939 features a push-button with spring-loaded touch surface. There, it is suggested to arrange a switch suspension of the switch by means of the spring function for the touch surface.
Available switching devices involve the problem that there is an increasing request for large touch surfaces to ensure secure and comfortable actuation, wherein the applied actuating force has to be deflected to the switch located underneath the touch surfaces. Especially in motor vehicles, there is a demand for touch surfaces for reasons of comfort and design, which are, for example, integrated in the manufacturer's emblem at the rear end of the motor vehicle. At the same time, the manufacturer's emblem has a touch function. However, it is always considerably larger than an underneath push-button switch, for example, a micro switch. It is the objective of the invention to provide reliable actuation of a switch over a large touch surface.


Operating assemblies and installed components of a vehicle are represented by representational objects such as icons, graphic images and symbols on a touch-sensitive display screen. A matrix with matrix fields defined by the intersection of rows and columns is superimposed on the objects on the display screen. A rectangular region of the matrix is selected by touching two corner points, for example. All of the objects located in matrix fields that are entirely within, or at least partially within, or at least partially within or bordering on the selected rectangular region, are selected. Once the group of objects is selected, the entire group of the operating assemblies and installed components of the vehicle represented by the selected group of objects is operated or actuated simultaneously together as a group.

In many different applications and fields of technology, it is known to represent functions, operating assemblies, or installed components of a machine or apparatus by respective corresponding representational objects such as symbols or icons on a display panel or the like, and to enable the selection, control, and operation of the respective associated functions, operating assemblies and installed components of the machine or apparatus through the user's selection of the respective corresponding icons or representational objects. For example, a user can simply touch the desired icons or representations on a touch-sensitive display screen, or use a computer mouse and its correlated mouse cursor on the display screen, or use a data glove, joystick or the like to make selections in a similar manner on such a display screen or even in a three-dimensional, e.g. holographic or stereoscopic, display.
As an example, it is commonly known to select and command the functions of a computer, and particularly the functions of the operating system or application software of a computer, by selecting the respective icons or images corresponding to the desired functions with a mouse cursor on the display screen, or with a finger touch on a touch-sensitive display screen. As another example, it is known to provide images of switches or the like on a touch-sensitive display screen, which thus provides a touch interface, whereby touching the image or icon representing the desired switch on the touch interface screen carries out an actuation of the selected switch.
The hardware and the software for embodying and carrying out such a system and method are known and available in the art. For example, the hardware involves touch-sensitive display screens, as well as display screens of any type that are not touch-sensitive but operate in cooperation with a mouse, joystick, track ball or the like, and the image of a selection cursor provided on the screen. The hardware further involves any conventionally known computer or other processing circuitry for generating the icons or images representing the respective functions, operating assemblies and installed components on the display screen or panel, and for evaluating the touch-input signals or cursor position and mouse-input signals, for example, so as to then provide a control command to actuate the respective selected function, operating assembly, or installed component.
Conventionally, the icons, graphic images, or symbols displayed on the screen or the like have a one-to-one correlation with respective associated functions, operating assemblies, or installed components that can be selected and actuated thereby. Also, a single selection by means of touching the touch-sensitive screen, or by correspondingly locating the mouse cursor on the screen and "clicking" the mouse, achieves only a single selection of a single function, operating assembly, or installed component, corresponding to the single icon, graphic representation or symbol that was selected. Thus, when it is desired to select or operate a number of functions, operating assemblies, or installed components at once, or essentially at once, it is generally necessary to carry out a succession of a corresponding number of individual point-and-touch or point-and-click selections. In other words, the conventional touch interfaces or point-and-click interfaces provide only a single selection and activation capability.
Within certain software applications, it is also known to select or "block" a variably sized group or set of items, data, or the like. For example, it is typically known in word processor applications to select a variably sized block of text by "clicking and dragging" or the like with a mouse, to then further manipulate the selected block of text. Similarly, in spreadsheet programs, it is known to select variably sized groups of cells of data in the columns and rows of a spreadsheet, in order to further manipulate the selected group of data cells. This ability of selecting a variably sized group of text or data items has, however, heretofore not been provided in connection with the selection of icons, graphical images, or symbols representing functions, operating assemblies, and installed components of a machine or apparatus that are to be selected and activated as a group. Especially in the context of a touch interface provided by a touch-sensitive screen or the like, it has not previously been provided, to select a group of a greater number of represented objects through a smaller number of touches.

Method for selecting and representing objects in a plane and in N-dimensional space


A device for punching holes in artificial fingernails comprising a piston-cylinder unit having a cylinder wall with an aperture in it extending across the whole of the cylinder. The aperture is banana-shaped in cross-section and wider than the internal diameter of the cylinder with the convex side of the aperture facing the piston. The pointed end of the piston has a sharp knife-edge. The hole punch is operated by holding it between the thumb and index and middle fingers and pressing, causing the pointed end of the piston to travel past the curved cylinder-wall aperture in which the artificial fingernail to be perforated has been placed.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a device for perforating artificial fingernails.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Artificial fingernails are offered in an enormous variety of different shapes, colors and sizes by the cosmetic industry. They are glued onto natural nails and are intended to add to the well-groomed appearance of the fingers of the wearer. As a rule, artificial fingernails are intentionally long and extend by about 5 to 15 mm beyond the fingertips. Artificial fingernails are known, which are made of transparent plastic and enclose a magnifying glass, made of one piece from this plastic material, in the tip of the fingernail. Such a magnifying glass acts as ornamentation and can also be used as a reading aid. It is also known to wear expensive and real jewelry as ornamentation on the tips of the artificial fingernails. Up to now, pieces of jewelry were glued to the nails. However, gluing requires much effort and there is the danger that the connection might not hold and the piece of jewelry become lost. For this reason, the inventor recently has developed jewelry which can be inserted into a prepared hole in the fingernail. However, fingernails with factory-made prepared holes have a problem created by painting them, due to the capillary action of the nail polish, crust appear at the edges of the hole which, make the later insertion of the piece of jewelry more difficult and, tear the nail polish when the piece of jewelry is inserted. And, because the wearer would prefer to paint the artificial fingernails in a color which is coordinated with the rest of her makeup or her clothing, painting the nails will be done at home. In view of this problem, it is best to provide holes in the nails after they have been painted. This creates a clean edge around the hole, so that insertion of the piece of jewelry can take place without trouble and without damaging the polish.

Device for punching holes in artificial fingernails


A method of fabricating an interconnect structure (e.g., dual damascene interconnect structure, and the like) of an integrated circuit device is disclosed. The interconnect structure is fabricated using a bi-layer mask comprising an imaging film and an organic planarizing film. The bi-layer mask is used to remove lithographic misalignment between a contact hole, a trench, and an underlying conductive line when the interconnect structure is formed. Additionally, a sacrificial layer may be used to protect an inter-metal dielectric (IMD) layer during subsequent planarization of the interconnect structure. The sacrificial layer may be formed of amorphous silicon (Si), titanium nitride (TiN), tungsten (W), and the like. The interconnect structure may be formed of a metal (e.g., copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), tantalum (Ti), tungsten (W), titanium (Ti), and the like) or a conductive compound (e.g., tantalum nitride (TaN), titanium nitride (TiN), tungsten nitride (WN), and the like).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to fabrication of semiconductor integrated circuits. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method of fabricating interconnect structures in a semiconductor substrate processing system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Integrated circuits (IC) are manufactured by forming discrete semiconductor devices on a surface of a semiconductor substrate, such as a silicon (Si) wafer. A multi-level network of interconnect structures is then formed to interconnect the devices. Copper (Cu) is the wiring material of choice for interconnect structures of advanced IC devices having a high circuit density. In addition to superior electrical conductivity, copper is more resistant than aluminum (Al) to electromigration, a phenomenon that may destroy a thin film conductive line during IC operation.
In the semiconductor industry, much effort is spent in developing smaller IC devices with ever-increasing operating speeds. To increase the circuit density, a dual damascene technique may be used during fabrication of the IC devices. Then, to increase the operating speed of such a device, inter-metal dielectric (IMD) layers are formed using materials having dielectric constants less than 4.0. Such materials are generally referred to as low-k materials. The low-k materials generally comprise carbon-doped dielectrics, such as organic doped silicon glass (OSG), fluorine doped silicon glass (FSG), organic polymers, and the like.
An IC device comprises a plurality of interconnect structures that are separated from each other and the substrate by the IMD layers. Such structures are generally fabricated using a dual damascene technique that comprises forming an insulator layer (e.g., IMD layer) into which trenches and openings are etched to pattern the contact vias and the conductive lines. The copper is then used to fill (metallize) the trenches and openings in the IMD layer, forming vias and conductive lines, respectively. During the copper metallization process, an excess amount of copper may be deposited onto the substrate. The excess metal may be removed using a planarization process, e.g., chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) process. After the planarization process, the next wiring layer may be formed on top of the IMD layer.
During fabrication of the interconnect structure, lithographic errors may result in misalignment between the positions of a contact hole and a trench of the structure. Additionally, mechanical stress, as well as chemically aggressive agents used during the planarization process, may cause the material of the IMD layer to erode, crack, or peel off. Such defects may render the interconnect structure to operate sub-optimally or not at all.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for an improved method of fabricating a dual damascene interconnect structure.

Method of fabricating a dual damascene interconnect structure


Calcium lactate antibacterial complexes in parenteral dosage forms are provided that are relatively free from tissue irritation following injection, comprising a quinolone or naphthyridine.

The Journal of Parenteral Science and Technology, Vol. 40, No. 2, 1986, pp. 70-72, describes a method of increasing solubility of anti-infective drugs enoxacin (a naphthyridine) and norfloxacin (a quinoline) by means of salt formation. The four salts found to be best were the aspartate, galacturonate, gluconate, and glutamate.
German application 3635062 covers metal salts of 1-cyclopropylquinoline carboxylic acids used as antibacterials.
European application 191,451 covers 1-cyclopropyl-5-substituted pyrrolidinyl-dihydro-oxonaphthyridines useful as antibacterials with good water solubility.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,359,578 covers the compound enoxacin (1-ethyl-6-fluoro-1,4-dihydro-4-oxo-7-(1-piperazinyl)-1,8-naphthyridine-3- carboxylic acid), methods of preparation, and the use thereof as an antibacterial agent. The patent is incorporated herein by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,795,751 covers the compound 5-amino-1-cyclopropyl-6,8-difluoro-7-(3,5-methyl-1-piperazinyl)-1,4-dihydr o-4-oxoquinoline-3-carboxylic acid (Compound A) methods of preparation, and the use thereof as an antibacterial agent. The patent is incorporated herein by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,771,054 covers the compound 7-(3-amino-1-pyrrolidinyl)-8-chloro-1-cyclopropyl-6-fluoro-1,4-dihydro-4-o xo-3-quinoline carboxylic acid, its preparation and use as an antibacterial. The patent is incorporated herein by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,851,418 covers the compound [S-(R*,R*)]-7-[3-[(2-amino-1-oxopropyl)amino]-1-pyrrolidinyl]-1-cyclopropy l-6-fluoro-1,4-dihydro-4-oxo-1,8-naphthyridine-3-carboxylic acid hydrochloride, its preparation and use as an antibacterial. The patent is incorporated herein by reference.
As a parenteral form, most quinolones and naphthyridines are used in the form of salts which provide acidic parenteral solutions. These formulations are associated with tissue irritation following injection, possibly because of the low pH of the solution.
For parenteral administration, calcium salts are relatively nontoxic compared to other divalent and trivalent salts (e.g., Zn, Mg, Al). The latter salts can cause extreme systemic toxicity. Other di- and trivalent salts besides calcium may be useful for oral formulations of quinolones/naphthyridines.
Concurrent administration of antacids has been implicated as a cause in the decrease in bioavailability of quinolones (Package Insert Cipro.RTM. Tablets: Miles, Inc. Pharmaceutical Division; 400 Morgan Lane; West Haven, Conn. 06516).
Salts frequently contained in the antacids are calcium carbonate, magnesium hydroxide, and aluminum hydroxide. Interaction between quinolones, chiefly nalidixic acid, and metal ions have been reported. (Nakano, Masahiro; Yamamoto, Masakazu; and Arita, Takaichi; "Interactions of Aluminum, Magnesium, and Calcium Ions with Nalidixic Acid," Chem. Pharm. Bull., 26 1505 (1978); Behrens, Barba Norah; and Diaz Guillermo Mendoza; "Metal Complexes of the Antibiotic Nalidixic Acid", Inorganica Chimica Acta, 125 21 (1986); and Vincent, W. R.; Schulman, S. G.; Midgley, J. M., van Oort, W. J.; and Sorel, R. H. A.; "Prototropic and Metal Complexation Equilibria of Nalidixic Acid in the Physiological pH Region" International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 9 191 (1981).
Japanese Application 63-188626 discloses aluminum, zinc, and magnesium compounds for solubilizing amphoteric pyridine carboxylic acids or their salts. These metals have been reported to be toxic, especially when administered parenterally. The reference mentions the addition of sodium, potassium, and calcium chloride to pyridine carboxylic acids. It does not disclose the preparation of sodium, calcium and potassium salts of pyridine carboxylic acid.

Soluble calcium lactate antibacterial complexes as non-irritating parenteral forms


The present invention relates to a printer for forming a phase change inkjet image. The printer comprises a platen comprising a print surface, an advancing mechanism adapted for moving a print substrate in a transport direction over the print surface and a print station adapted for providing the phase change inkjet image on a first surface of the print substrate in a print area of the print surface. The advancing mechanism comprises a plurality of feed nips, said plurality of feed nips being arranged upstream of the print surface. Each of said plurality of feed nips comprising a feed roller which comprises a main rotational axis, wherein each main rotational axis of said plurality of feed nips is aligned with respect to each other in a second direction, which second direction is substantially perpendicular to the transport direction. The advancing mechanism further comprises a star wheel. Said star wheel is arranged in between two adjacent feed nips in the second direction and faces a support surface. Said star wheel in printing operation is arranged in rolling contact with the first surface of the print substrate upstream of the print area in the transport direction of the print substrate and is adapted for urging the print substrate towards the support surface.

In a phase change ink jet printer for printing an inkjet ink, a feed nip may be used as advancing mechanism for advancing a sheet of paper or any other print substrate in a transport direction over a print area of a print surface. The feed nip is defined by a feed roller and a pressure roller, wherein the feed roller is adapted for driving the sheet. In a typical setup of the phase change ink jet printer the print substrate is intermittently advanced over the print surface in the transport direction, while a carriage moves back and forth across the print substrate in a scanning direction normal to the transport direction and inkjet print heads are energized to eject droplets so as to form the phase change inkjet image on the print substrate in the print area. The phase change ink is solid or in gelled state at room temperature and must be heated above its phase change temperature before droplets of liquid ink can be jetted onto the print substrate.
A print substrate, which is provided from a roll, may be relatively stiff and may have a persistent roll curl directed towards the print surface while being advanced over the print surface. In case a leading edge of the print substrate arrives at the print surface during an advancing step, the leading portion of the print substrate may start bulging from the print surface. A bulging behavior of the print substrate from the print surface may lead to problems of obstructing the carriage or touching the print head.
Several measures can be conceived of in order to suppress the bulging of the print substrate. For example a suction pressure may be provided between the print surface and the print substrate. However especially in case of a bulging print substrate said suction pressure may largely vanish due to pressure leakage towards an edge of the print surface. In another example a stationary flap element extending in the scanning direction may be arranged in contact with said print substrate in order to urge the print substrate towards the print surface. However it has been observed that a contact of the stationary flap element to an outer surface of the print substrate upstream of the print area may lead to disturbance of the crystallization of the phase change ink applied on the print substrate in the print area. This disturbance of the crystallization may lead to the problem of a loss of an image quality of the phase change ink image.


A welding apparatus is provided for carrying a welding gun across or past a surface for making welds. The apparatus may include one or more rolling components, such as wheels for example, that do not substantially plastically deform as a result of contacting or being in close proximity to recently completed welds or preheated joints and provide adequate traction to move the apparatus across or past the surface. A portion of the contact surface of the rolling component may be configured with a given surface roughness to provide sufficient traction.

Welding carriages are often used in arc welding processes to carry the arc welding gun along a weld plate for making continuous or intermittent welds to join the weld pate to another plate. Welding carriages typically include wheels to facilitate smooth and consistent rolling movement of the carriage over the weld plate or along a track. Known welding carriages utilize elastomer or plastic wheels to provide adequate traction.

Welding apparatus for carrying a welding gun along a surface to be welded


A hog-ring type clip-applying device having an upper jaw and a lower jaw with a clip receipt area defined therebetween to receive and clench a hog ring clip. The lower jaw is attached to a rear handle, and the upper jaw is attached to a diagonally disposed lever bar which is pivotally attached near its top to the lower jaw. The lever bar is pivotally attached at its bottom to a front handle member which has a guide opening disposed at the top thereof to receive therethrough the upper and lower jaws. A spring member urges the front handle member apart from the rear handle. A clip slide directs clips forward into the clip receipt area between the upper and lower jaws such that when the front and rear handles are moved together, the jaws grasp a clip from the forwardmost end of the clip slide and move forward through the guide opening in the top of the front handle to a position such that when the front and rear handles are further moved together, they clench the clip.

1. Field of the Invention
The device of this invention resides in the art of pliers for applying clips and more particularly relates to a hand-operated clip applier which uses closing jaws to apply hog ring clips.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are many well known clip appliers in the prior art relating to hog ring type clips. Pliers of the type based on the principle of closing jaws are disclosed early in the prior art. For example in U.S. Pat. No. 130,853 of 1872 to H. W. Hill entitled Improvements in Instruments for Ringing Hogs, the hog ring clips are shown applied by pliers having a jaw with slots formed therein to hold the rings. Many other jaw-type clip appliers have been developed over the years. Such prior art includes a variety of manually and pneumatically operated clip pliers for clenching hog ring type clips with jaw members which close around the clip to clench the clip around the desired object(s).
The present inventor has received patents in this field, the most relevant being U.S. Pat. No. 4,845,973. The clip pliers of that invention rely on intricately-shaped upper and lower jaws that are difficult to machine and may require adjustment during the life of the device.