Systems and methods are provided that may be implemented to enable the same internal display panel assembly (e.g., HDR display panel assembly) of an information handling system to support proper operation with image data provided from different types of graphics processing units (GPUs). A single configuration or type of the internal display panel assembly may be provided within the system to support graphics from one or more GPUs from multiple different graphics suppliers, and one or more programmable integrated circuits of the system may be configured to communicate information or signal/s to a timing controller (TCON) of the internal display panel assembly that corresponds to a proper DPCD profile or interface specification selection for use with a currently-selected GPU of the system. The TCON of the internal panel assembly may be configured to respond to this communicated information or signal/s by selecting and loading a proper DPCD profile or interface definition that corresponds to the currently-selected GPU of the system.

As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to human users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing human users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different human users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific human user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Notebook computers are often provided with one or two internal graphics processing units (GPUs) in the form of an integrated GPU (iGPU), and a discrete GPU (dGPU). The iGPU is integrated within the host central processing unit (CPU) inside the notebook computer chassis enclosure, and the internal discrete GPU is provided inside the enclosure of a notebook computer chassis and coupled to the host CPU using an internal data bus. The internal discrete GPU provides higher performance as needed, such as computation for 3-D computer game play.
Notebook computers may be provided with an internal (integrated) high dynamic range (HDR) display panel assembly having a HDR display panel. HDR refers to video displayed with a greater dynamic range than standard dynamic range (SDR) video, and includes video displayed according to the VESA certified DisplayHDR™ standard. The HDR display panel assembly includes an internal HDR panel timing controller (TCON) that communicates with a GPU by a DP Aux interface to communicate HDR capabilities. A panel TCON operates to receive image data, convert the format for input to the source drivers, and generates controlling signals for gate and source drivers. Display port configuration data (DPCD) registers have been defined by graphics suppliers to read HDR display panel capabilities. However, the definition of the DPCD registers varies for brightness control and color processing between different GPU suppliers (e.g., such as Nvidia, Intel and AMD Radeon). Conventional internal HDR panel TCONs currently support a single defined DPCD interface in TCON. Connecting an internal HDR display panel assembly to a GPU having a different defined DPCD interface causes abnormal display or distorted images on the internal HDR panel due to the DPCD definition of the HDR interface is different.
"Switchable Graphics" or "Hybrid Graphics" is a multi GPU technology that dynamically selects between the integrated iGPU and the discrete dGPU of a notebook computer based on the graphics processing power required by an application that is currently executing on the information handling system. The intent of hybrid graphics is for a system to transition workloads between iGPU and dGPU for best performance and best for longer battery time. However, some notebook computer system designs have the capability of disabling Hybrid Graphics and the internal display will switch to the dGPU, in which case the HDR DPCD definition required by the dGPU will be different than the iGPU and cannot currently support HDR.

Systems and methods for providing universal support for multiple types of graphics processing units


A computer implemented method, comprising: detecting presence of an object of interest within a plurality of image frames received from a sensor; determining that the object of interest is moving towards an automatic door that is configured to close within a predetermined time period; determining, based on position, speed and direction of the object of interest, a likelihood that the object of interest may impede closing of the automatic door; and when the likelihood exceeds a threshold value, maintaining the automatic door in an open position for a longer period of time than the predetermined time period.

Many locations, for example commuter trains and elevators, use a timed door open and closure system. In these systems, doors open for a fixed period of time when the train or elevator comes to a rest to allow passengers to enter and exit. When the period of time ends, the doors automatically close. This creates a risk that passengers can be caught by the doors closing, which in turn risks injuring the passenger. While solutions exist that use proximity detectors to detect if people are within a certain fixed distance from the door, this can create both false positives, i.e. someone loitering near the door, and false negatives, as a person moving quickly towards the door, but outside the fixed distance may be missed.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help improve understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure.
The apparatus and method components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present disclosure so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.

Safety detection camera system for door closure


A positioning receiver in which the circuit configuration of the receiving system corresponding to a plurality of positioning systems can be simplified and the current consumption and circuit size of which can be reduced. A positioning receiver (100) comprises first low-pass filters (111, 121) which limit outputs of a first signal mixer (103) and a second signal mixer (104) to a first bandwidth, and second low-pass filters (112, 122) which are provided on the output side of the first low-pass filters (111, 121) and limit the outputs of the first low-pass filters (111, 121) to a second bandwidth narrower than the first bandwidth and sets the filter bandwidth of the first low-pass filters (111, 121) greater than that of the second low-pass filters (112, 122).

A satellite positioning system receives information sent from a plurality of satellites going around the earth's orbit, measures the distance between the satellite positioning system and each satellite and calculates the current location of a receiving side apparatus. GPS, established by the United States Department of Defense, is a typical satellite positioning system, and provides a plurality of satellites referred to as "GPS satellites."
A GPS satellite performs spectrum spreading processing using predetermined PRN (Pseudo Random Noise) codes with respect to signals to be sent out. That is, a mobile communication terminal can acquire original signals by performing despreading processing of the signals sent out from these GPS satellites (hereinafter referred to "GPS signals") using the matching PRN codes. Then, information about the current location of this mobile communication terminal and the current time can be acquired by carrying out processing such as message synchronization, ephemeris collection and PVT (Position, Velocity, Time) calculation.
Generally, a positioning apparatus that utilizes satellites receives four or more satellite signals at the same time, tracks the spreading codes by capturing the carrier waves and performs spectrum despreading processing to demodulate navigation data from the satellite signals. Further, by calculating the time a satellite transmitted a signal based on navigation data and finding a pseudo distance on a per satellite basis (i.e. the time a satellite signal took to reach the positioning apparatus), the positioning apparatus's location is determined based on the pseudo distance.
Currently, GPS receivers are widely utilized in various fields, such as car navigation systems, mobile telephones, airplane control and measurement of diastrophism. Although a GPS receiver receives the 1575.42 MHz signal referred to as "L1," the 1227.6 MHz signal and 1176.45 MHz signal will additionally become available as the second civilian signal (L2C) and third civilian signal (L5C), respectively.
Further, the Galileo system is planed in Europe to construct a satellite positioning system using the same number of satellites as in GPS. A plurality of frequency signals are also prepared for this Galileo system, and, consequently, by utilizing a plurality of these signals, it is possible to realize better performance than conventional performance (making a range of a receiving area wider and improving the accuracy of a positioning system).
Patent Document 1 discloses a positioning satellite receiving apparatus that has a plurality of receiving systems, and that switches receiving characteristics to set in a positioning receiving configuration with a plurality of receiving bands.
FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing a conventional positioning receiving apparatus having a plurality of receiving bands.
In FIG. 1, a high frequency signal received at receiving antenna 11 is amplified in received signal amplifier 12 formed with an LNA (Low Noise Amplifier), and then is inputted to I-ch (I-channel) mixer 13 and Q-ch (Q-channel) mixer 14 constituting a quadrature mixer.
90 degree phase shifter 15 supplies a local signal as is to mixer 13, from local oscillator 16 that performs oscillation at the same frequency as the carrier frequency, and shifts the local signal from local oscillator 16 90 degrees and supplies the local signal to mixer 14. As a result, mixer 13 converts the output signal of received signal amplifier 12 into a frequency-domain I signal, which is the baseband signal of the in-phase component, and outputs the frequency-domain I signal, and converts the output signal of received signal amplifier 12 into a frequency-domain Q signal, which is the baseband signal of the quadrature component, and outputs the frequency-domain Q signal.
These I signal and Q signal are subjected to processing for removing low frequency components through first I low pass filter 17 and first Q low pass filter 19, which are the first I and Q baseband filters, and received as input in digital processing section 21 through A/D converters (not shown), and are subjected to processing for removing low frequency components through second I low pass filter 18 and second Q low pass filter 20, which are the second I and Q baseband filters, and received as input in digital processing section 21 through A/D converts (not shown).
Digital processing section 21 performs digital signal processing of the first I and Q signals and second I and Q signals formed with digital signals, to extract data. The extracted data is outputted to CPU 22. CPU 22 is a controlling section that selects satellites to scan, performs tracking control of received signals and acquires navigation messages transmitted from satellites.
Patent Document 1 discloses a positioning satellite receiving apparatus that has a plurality of receiving systems, and switches receiving characteristics to set in a positioning receiving configuration having a plurality of receiving bands.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the satellite positioning signal receiving apparatus having two receiving processing systems disclosed in Patent Document 1.
In FIG. 2, satellite positioning signal receiving apparatus 30 is constituted by: antenna 31 that receives signals from satellites; RF amplifying section 32 that amplifies the signals received at antenna 31; reference crystal oscillator 33; digital processing section 34 that performs signal processing; operation receiving section 35 that receives operations from the user; and two receiving processing systems, that is, the first receiving processing system formed with mixer section 41, local oscillator 42, IF amplifying section 43 and IF filter section 44, and the second receiving processing system formed with mixer section 51, local oscillator 52, IF amplifying section 53 and IF filter section 54.
Digital processing section 34 is constituted by microcomputers and the like, and executes various control processings for data demodulation. This digital processing section 34 is connected to local oscillators 42 and 52 and IF filter sections 44 and 54, and switches characteristics of these components to set separately. Local oscillators 42 and 52 are connected to one reference crystal oscillator 33, and generate frequencies based on commands from digital processing section 34 using the reference frequency acquired from reference crystal oscillator 33.
According to the above configuration, for example, a satellite positioning signal, which is the target to receive, is selected based on an operation received in operation receiving section 35 from the user or based on the received states of satellite positioning signals from digital processing section 34, and the characteristics of local oscillators 42 and 52 and IF filter sections 44 and 54 are switched to set.    Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-207888


An Etalon filter includes a first substrate, a second substrate which faces the first substrate, a first optical film which is provided on the first substrate, and a second optical film which is provided on the second substrate to face the first optical film. The reflective characteristic of the first optical film determined by the reflectance of light of each wavelength in a reflective band is different from the reflective characteristic of the second optical film determined by the reflectance of light of each wavelength in the reflective band. The first optical film can have a reflective characteristic with a first wavelength λ1 as a center wavelength, and the second optical film can have a reflective characteristic with a second wavelength λ2 different from the first wavelength as a center wavelength.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an optical filter, an optical filter module, a spectrometric instrument, an optical instrument, and the like.
2. Related Art
An optical filter, such as an interference filter, is heretofore used in a spectrometric instrument or the like. As one form of the interference filter, a Fabry-Perot Etalon interference filter (hereinafter, referred to an Etalon filter or simply referred to as an Etalon) is known. For example, JP-A-11-142752 describes a transparent wavelength-variable interference filter (hereinafter, referred to as a variable gap Etalon filter or simply referred to as a variable gap Etalon) with a variable transparent wavelength. This interference filter includes a pair of substrates, and optical films (reflecting films) which are formed on the pair of substrates to face each other at a regular-interval gap. In this interference filter, the size of the gap between the optical films (reflecting films) changes due to external force to variably control the transparent wavelength.
In order to realize an Etalon having the desired characteristics, it is necessary to appropriately design optical films having a transmissive characteristic and a reflective characteristic with respect to light in a desired wavelength band. In general, many optical films have a structure in which the thickness of an optical film with respect to the wavelength λ of light is λ/4, and the optical films having the same structure are arranged to face each other and used in pairs. In order to realize more distinctive optical characteristics, the thickness of each optical film may have a value other than λ/4 (for example, JP-A-2008-129504). In JP-A-2008-129504, the optical films having the same structure are used in pairs.
In the Etalon filter serving as an optical filter, the filter characteristics (reflective characteristic, transmissive characteristic, and the like) are determined by the reflectance of the optical film. When the reflectance of the optical film is high, the half-value width becomes small, and when the reflectance of the optical film is low, the half-value width becomes large. By controlling the reflectance of the optical film, it is possible to control the filter characteristics of the Etalon filter. If the half-value width of the Etalon is small, only a desired wavelength is extracted. For this reason, when the Etalon is used as a spectrometric instrument, it is possible to increase measurement precision. However, if the half-value width of the Etalon is small, since the quantity of light which transmits the Etalon is lowered, the light-receiving unit may not easily detect light. Meanwhile, if the half-value width of the Etalon is large, the quantity of light which transmits the Etalon increases. In this case, the light-receiving unit easily detects light and also detects light other than a desired wavelength. That is, the wavelength resolution of the Etalon is lowered. When designing the Etalon, it is necessary that each of the "half-value width" and the "transmitted light quantity" satisfies a desired reference. Incidentally, for example, when the wavelength band of light to be used spans a wide wavelength range, it may become difficult to design the optical film.
As described above, the factor which determines the half-value width of the Etalon is the reflectance of an optical film. As a general method of controlling the reflectance of the optical film, a method is known which changes the material of the optical film or forms an optical film using a multilayer film and changes the number of layers in the multilayer film. However, when the material changes, there is a limit on the types of usable materials. When the number of layers of the optical film changes, the reflectance has only a discrete value with respect to the number of layers, and accordingly, it may be impossible to design an optical film such that a target reflectance, that is, a target half-value width or transmitted light quantity is obtained.
That is, when the number of layers changes, the value of the half-value width changes discretely, and a value other than the discrete value may not be realized only with a change in the number of layers. For example, when a specification is satisfied such that a half-value width is 3±0.5 nm, if discrete reflectance obtained with a change in the number of layers does not fall within the desired range in an optical film made of a predetermined material, it becomes difficult to appropriately design the optical film.

Optical filter, optical filter module, spectrometric instrument, and optical instrument


A process for treating a fibrous material which includes the steps of: 1) providing a liquid suspension composed of fibrous material; 2) intermixing the liquid suspension of fibrous material with a treatment over a time period T.sub.1 --wherein the treatment requires a period of time T.sub.R sufficient to treat the fibrous material; 3) depositing the liquid suspension of fibrous material and intermixed treatment onto a forming surface to form a layer and removing a substantial portion of the liquid, over a period of time T.sub.2 ; and 4) applying pressurized jets of a liquid to the layer of fibrous material to wash unused treatment from the fibrous material within a period of time T.sub.3. Periods of time T.sub.1, T.sub.2 and T.sub.3 are immediately consecutive and amount to a total period of time at least as great as T.sub.R. Also disclosed is a hydraulically entangled structure composed of: 1) at least one layer a wet-laid nonwoven web containing fibrous cellulosic material; and 2) colorfast dye imparting color to the fibrous cellulosic material such that the fibrous cellulosic material is colorfast.

A demand exists for cellulose fiber containing nonwoven materials that are colored, have textile aesthetics and performance, and remain fast under harsh chemical and abrasive use. It is highly desirable for such nonwoven materials to be laundrable and durable. It is also desirable for such substrates to be lightfast.
These nonwoven materials can be used to replace traditional textiles in applications including, but not limited to, wipers, wearing apparel, equipment protection, and bedding. Such products are used in a wide range of industries including: manufacturing, medical, printing, spray paint, garment and food services.
Insoluble colorant pigments are used to color cellulose fiber containing nonwoven materials. These pigments are generally inorganic or contain a synthetic organic base. A fixing agent is typically used to improve fastness because these colorant pigments are insoluble in the application medium and do not readily migrate into cellulose fibers or fix onto them. Useful fixing agents include alum, caseins, starches, acrylics, rosin sizes, polyvinyl alcohols, and cationic colorant fixatives. Generally speaking, these fixatives only modestly improve durability.
Soft polymeric adhesive binders or resins are also used as fixing agents. They improve durability by encapsulating and binding the insoluble pigment to fiber surfaces. Binders and resins have limited use because they are a surface treatment and generally have only moderate fastness. Deeper shades of color require excess pigment and binder or resin that tend to rub off or crock. Moreover, high levels of pigment act as fillers and can physically weaken a sheet. Binders or resins also stiffen nonwoven materials and impair textile-like aesthetics while often negatively impacting liquid distribution and absorbency properties.
Binders and resins are often soluble in many common volatile and semi-volatile commercial and industrial liquids and solvents and could leach from the nonwoven material leaving undesirable residues and streaks. When used on hot surfaces or at high temperature, binder or resin on colored nonwoven materials may migrate, soften, degrade, alter the nonwoven material properties and/or leave residues. Another disadvantage of binder and resin coloring systems is that they are often added to dried sheets using size presses, saturation techniques or printing operations and then again dried. Many binders are also applied as a secondary process off-line to the basesheet production which also increases costs.
Dye colorants are also used to color cellulose fibers and cellulose fiber containing nonwoven materials. Dyestuffs, dye colorants, or dyes are generally categorized into numerous classes according to application. These categories include: basic, acid, direct (including cationic directs), mordant, azoic, disperse, reactive, sulfur and vat dyes. These dyes have a wide range of cost, dyeing properties and fastness. In addition, the method of applying such dyes varies widely from simple introduction to suspended stocks and webs to multistage chemical processes.
Dyes are physically or chemically bonded to fiber to provide durable color. They are bonded typically by one or more forces including physical entrapment, hydrogen bonding, van der Waals forces, coordinately bonded, ionic forces or covalent bonds. Generally speaking, dyes are usually fast or permanent in only some aspects or under certain conditions.
It is desirable for dye colorants to be resistant to light and water. It is also desirable for a dye colorant to withstand other influences encountered in commercial and industrial applications of cellulose fiber containing nonwoven materials. These include, but are not limited to, bleaches and detergents used during laundering and soaking for stain removal; cleaners including acids such as vinegar and bases; and a large list of industrial chemicals including oils, cutting oils, and solvents having a wide range of dipole moments such as: acetone, methylene chloride, 1,1,1 trichloroethane and various alcohols, ketones, benzene, naphthalene and mineral spirits.
Generally speaking, basic dyes have poor light fastness and are susceptible to uneven coloring of cellulose fibers (e.g., paper fibers). Acid dyes are readily susceptible to water bleeding because of their low affinity to cellulose fibers. Direct or substantive dyes will color cellulose fibers without the use of dyeing assistants or mordants. However, they tend to lack the overall chemical fastness needed even with the use of mordanting, cationic fixing agents, formaldehydes or coupling compounds. Direct dyes lack overall fastness since the forces binding them are easily broken.
Generally speaking, mordant dyes have no affinity for cellulose fibers and require use of a metallic oxide treatment for good fastness properties. Azoic dyes require coupling of two dye components onto the fiber but lack overall chemical fast requirements and are normally limited to only a few cellulosic applications. Disperse dyes are typically used to color hydrophobic fibers and are fine-size organic compounds with limited solubility and crock resistance.
Reactive dyes can be described as acid, basic or mordant dye with an attached reactive group that is capable of covalent bonding to a cellulose fiber.
Good fastness is typically obtained by converting soluble compounds into relatively insoluble compounds within the fiber. Sulfur and vat dyes are insoluble and therefore must be chemically modified before coloring fiber. With these dyes, the insoluble dye is first reduced to the soluble leuco compound and after integration into fiber, oxidized back to the insoluble form using typically sodium sulfide for sulfur dyes and sodium perborate for vat dyes.
Cellulose fibers may be dyed utilizing a variety of methods ranging from dyeing individual fibers to consolidated webs and by dyeing at points within the nonwoven web construction process. Exemplary methods include beater or stock coloring within the slush or slurry to dyeing webs by padding, jig dipping, dyebaths, squeezing, extraction operations, foam curtain dyeing and printing. Many of these methods are off-line textile finishing processes.
Specialized pad-batch, pad-thermofix, and pad-steam methods and modified versions for continuous operations with numerous steps have also been developed for reactive dyes by padding the web with dye solution. The web is then either stored for extended reaction times in a vapor tight enclosure or steam heated, further padded, and afterwards the web is washed of spent chemical.
Low speed continuous pad-jig methods and pad-steam methods are often employed for permanent dyeing of webs with vat dyes. Suitable reaction times have been achieved especially at elevated temperatures. After chemical dyeing using reactive and vat dyes, a washing step(s) is added to remove unreacted exhausted chemicals since the reaction is not 100% complete. More permanent colorants generally require several chemical process steps and extended reaction times.
While reactive dyes, vat dyes and sulfur dyes appear desirable for use with cellulose fibers, application of these dyes requires more than one process step and is often hampered by slow line speeds needed to achieve adequate reaction times.
Accordingly a need exists for a simple process for applying reactive dyes, vat dyes and sulfur dyes to cellulose fibers and to cellulose fiber containing nonwoven materials to produce durable coloration. This need extends to a continuous or one-step process for applying such dyes to the described substrates so they are colorfast. This need also extends to a process for applying such dyes that is suitable for high-speed manufacturing processes. There is also a need for colorfast cellulose fibers, nonwoven materials containing colorfast cellulose fibers, and colorfast nonwoven materials that include cellulose fibers that are prepared in a simple, one-step process.

Process for treating a fibrous material and article thereof


A knife assembly 10 for transversely severing at least one elongated web of material including: a sharpened blade member 12, a blade holder 14, a blade holder support assembly 16, an adjustable biasing member 18, a carriage assembly 20, and a backing member 44. The blade member 12 and the blade holder 14 are removably retained in the support assembly 16 by a quick release pin 26. The support assembly 16 is attached to the biasing member 18 by way of a swivel connection 32, The biasing member maintains abutment of the sharpened edge of the blade 12 with the backing member 44 during the cutting operation. A self-orienting assembly maintains the blade 12 in a preferred orientation with respect to the carriage assembly 20 during any period that the blade 12 is not abutting the backing member 44. The cutting assembly 10 is also capable of cutting moving material and simultaneously winding the leading end of the severed material on a cylindrical core that also acts as the backing member 44.

1. Field of the Invention
With regard to the classification of art, this invention is believed to be found in the general class entitled Winding Tensioning And Guiding and more particularly to those subclasses pertaining to the Transverse Cutting Of Material During Convolute Winding or Unwinding.
2. Description of Related Art
Transverse cutting of elongated material is well known in the art. Most of the known apparatus and methods for use in the transverse cutting of material being wound or unwound is very elaborate. It has been determined that there is a need for a relatively inexpensive user friendly transverse cutter that may be incorporated into a newly designed winding or unwinding stands. This needed or desired transverse cutter should also be adapted for retrofitting into existing winding or unwinding stands. This needed transverse cutter should be also capable of cutting various webs of materials or laminates of materials such as; paper, paperboard, metallic foils, honeycomb material, filament reinforced materials, woven fabric, non-woven fabrics, linoleum, oriented films, brittle films and the like. The needed transverse cutter should also be capable of reliably cutting webs of material that have a thickness between 12.5 microns (0.0005 inch) and the neighborhood of 3.18 mm (0.125 inch). The needed transverse cutter should also be capable of reliably cutting webs of plastic material that have bead or zipper types of closures formed therein. The needed cutter should also be safe to use while being easy to service and maintain. Other identified needs include ease of replacement of the cutting blade for minimizing down time.

Apparatus and method for cutting elongated webs of material


The present invention relates to a discharge regulator of molten metal, which can be disposed approximately vertically at the bottom portion of a molten metal vessel, characterized in that the regulator consists of a rotary nozzle, a nozzle carrying brick and a sleeve or of a rotary nozzle and a nozzle carrying brick, two or more recessed notches or openings are provided in at least either one of said nozzle carrying brick and said sleeve, the surface of said nozzle opening of the rotary nozzle, which pierces through at least one nozzle hole, is supported slidably to and in close contact with the inner peripheral surface of said nozzle carrying brick or said sleeve, and said rotary nozzle is equipped with a rotary mechanism mounted in such a manner that the upper portion of said rotary nozzle is brought into contact with the molten metal.

A nozzle stopper system and a slide valve (sliding nozzle) system are well known as discharge regulating mechanisms of molten metal in the case of pouring a molten metal from a molten metal vessel.
It is also known that said conventional systems have the undermentioned drawbacks.
1. Nozzle stopper system
1) Since a nozzle stopper 1 approximately same in length as the molten metal vessel is required the refractory costs high.
2) As will be seen from FIG. 15 (showing a relationship of the stroke and the opening area between the slide valve and the nozzle stopper), the discharge rate greatly varies depending on a slight movement of a nozzle stopper 1 so that this system is inferior in discharge regulation.
3) Since the nozzle stopper 1 is immersed in the molten metal there occur troubles such that the nozzle stopper is broken due to melting-down or heat spalling to allow the discharge regulation to be unable.
2. Slide valve system
1) In the case of ladle, it took a time from some ten minutes to several hours during the period from receiving a molten metal in a ladle to pouring (hereinafter called casting) the molten metal because of component control, temperature control, etc. of the molten metal.
This necessitated it to fill the interior of a nozzle 2 with a filler such as sand to prevent molten metal from solidification within the nozzle thereby lowering the working efficiency. The filler is of the idea that in case the slide valve is opened the filler first flows out and then the molten metal flows out so that the nozzle naturally opens. However, the molten metal permeates into the filler thereby to be solidified there and the nozzle sometimes does not naturally open. This necessitates the nozzle 2 to be forcedly open by an oxygen lance thus compelling the operator to a dangerous work.
2) In the case of tundish, it is unallowed to use a filler or the like in the light of quality of molten metal, and it is necessary to apply refractory, steel pipe or the like to the upper outer periphery of the nozzle so that the nozzle may open after the molten metal has accumulated in a predetermined amount. This causes unfavorable workability and high cost.
3) Again in the case of tundish, there is a method of preventing the molten metal within the nozzle from solidification by injecting an inert gas from a fixed plate 3 or a slide plate 4 as shown in FIG. 16 instead of using refractory or steel pipe. However, in such a case the mechanism of introducing the inert gas becomes complicate and it costs high.
Further, even in the method (c) above, 100% success would not be expected and the molten metal within the nozzle sometimes solidifies thereby disabling the casting from starting.
Furthermore, even when an immersion nozzle in replaced while casting the nozzle is closed, and therefore the inconvenience same as above occurs.
4) The nozzle is occasionally opened fully while casting due to an erroneous operation or any necessity. However, since the molten metal solidifies within the nozzle if the nozzle is retained fully open for a long period of time, a forced opening of the nozzle becomes necessary.
5) Since this system has a number of connecting portions and there is a great risk of inhating air from the exterior of the refractory, it is greatly possible that the quality of the product is reversely affected.
Moreover, a rotary valve as shown in FIG. 17 is a new modern technique. This system is characterized in that it consists of a rotor 20, a dome nozzle 21 and a drive mechanism 20a, the dome nozzle 21 is fixed to a tundish 23 and the rotor 20 is turned to permit the discharge flow of the molten metal to be regulated. However, even this system has the undermentioned demerits.
1) Since the rotor 20 is immersed in the molten metal a trouble occurs such that the rotor is broken due to melting-down or heat spalling, and the discharge regulation becomes disabled occasionally.
2) Since the rotor 20 is longer than the height of tundish 23 the system is costly.
3) In the initial state of casting, a nozzle 22 is fully opened, the molten metal is poured into the tundish 23, the nozzle 22 is opened after the molten metal has been accumulated in a predetermined amount, and then the casting working is started. However, the nozzle 22 itself cannot be prepared so great under the following reasons, so that the molten metal solidifies because of the lowered temperature of the molten metal within the nozzle 22 thereby disabling sometimes the casting from starting.
That is, to make the nozzle 22 large-sized results in that the rotor 20, the dome nozzle 21 and other related members need to be large-sized whereby it leads to an increase of cost and problematical workability. Thus, to make the nozzle 22 large-sized is naturally limited to a certain extent.
On the other hand, in an emergency such as incorrect operation during the casting working or overflow of the molten metal within the mold the nozzle 22 may occasionally be opened fully, but in such a case the molten metal within the nozzle 22 solidifies as described above when it becomes impossible to restart the casting.
4) Since the rotor 20 is great and heavy its handling and setting work is inconvenient.


In the multi-casting communication system, on receipt of a signal transmitted from one of mobile communication terminals with a half-duplex communication switch thereof being on, the PoC server records a user of the mobile communication terminal in a subscriber list as a next speaker, if there is another mobile communication terminal presently making multi-casting communication, and further if no mobile communication terminals are recorded in the subscriber list. Thus, it is clear who speaks next.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a multi-casting communication system including mobile communication terminals, a server used for the multi-casting communication system, a method of making multi-casting communication, and a program for causing a server to make multi-casting communication, and more particularly to a multi-casting communication system including mobile phones each having a function of "push to talk over cellular" (hereinafter, referred to as "PoC") or personal data assistances (hereinafter, referred to as "PDA") having a function of making communication, a server used for the multi-casting communication system, a method of making multi-casting communication, and a program for causing a server to make multi-casting communication.
2. Description of the Related Art
One of functions a related mobile communication terminal has is a "PoC" function. The PoC function means a function allows a plurality of members joining to a group through a PoC server to make multi-casting communication by half-duplex communication through his/her mobile communication terminal as if they make conversation by means of a transceiver.
The PoC function is much characterized in accomplishing multi-casting communication by making half-duplex communication. While multi-casting communication is being made, when one of members joining to a group through a PoC server speaks (in particular, when he/she makes voice communication), other members are not allowed to speak the one of members finishes speaking.
Consequently, it is not clear to others as to who wants to speak next or who will speak next, resulting in that smooth conversation cannot be made.
That is, a related mobile communication terminal is accompanied with a problem that while one of members belonging to a certain conversation session is speaking by means of a PoC function, other members can listen to his/her words, but cannot speak, and accordingly, if a plurality of members belongs to a conversation session, it is not obvious to others as to who will speak next, resulting in that some of the members simultaneously actuate a PoC switch of his/her mobile communication terminal in order to speak next.
In order to avoid such a problem as mentioned above, some attempts have been made to make obvious who will speak next, when a plurality of members uses a PoC function of his/her own mobile communication terminals.
For instance, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-513526 (patent reference 1) has suggested a method of controlling accesses.
In the suggested method, when a first user who is allowed to make communication is making conversation through a remote unit in a dispatch system allowing a user to make communication with a plurality of other users, if a second user using another remote unit actuates a "push to talk" button (hereinafter, referred to as a "PTT" button) to break into the conversation, the second user is entitles to make conversation, if the second user at that time has a higher rank than a rank of the first user presently making conversation.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-522988 (patent reference 2) has suggested a system for determining a speaking order in an audio conference accomplished by a computer network.
In the suggested system, when a user requests joining conversation in a computer-networked audio conference, a conference server adds the user's request into a waiting list equipped in the conference server. The conference server keeps judging whether the user's request is a top in the waiting list, and allows the user to start conversation, if the user's request is judged to be a top in the waiting list.
Thus, a combination of the method suggested in the patent reference 1 and the system suggested in the patent reference 2 would provide a dispatch system in which when a user requests joining conversation, he/she actuates a PTT button to inform a server of his/her request, and the server, if a user transmitting a request thereto has a higher rank than a rank of a user presently making conversation, allows the user to break into the conversation, but if a user transmitting a request thereto has a rank equal to or lower than a rank of a user presently making conversation, adds the user's request into a waiting list. When a user finishes making conversation, the server allows a user listed on a top of the waiting list to start conversation.    Patent Reference 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-513526 (pages 11 and 22, FIGS. 3A and 3B) (based on PCT/US97/10832)    Patent Reference 2: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-522988 (pages 15 and 43) (based on PCT/US99/18549)
However, even if the method suggested in the patent reference 1 were combined with the system suggested in the patent reference 2, a priority for joining conversation would be determined arbitrarily. In other words, a priority for joining conversation is not always optimally determined in accordance with the system.
Furthermore, it is not obvious to members belonging to a conversation session as to who is entitled to speak next, resulting in that a conversation session is not smoothly made.
In addition, since a priority for joining conversation is a predetermined fixed order, the above-mentioned combination system is accompanied with a problem that even if a user needs to speak for an urgent reason, he/she cannot join conversation.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-188740 (published on July 2001) has suggested an electronic conference system in which a server preferentially provides a right to speak to a user who is in charge of a chairman among a plurality of users, and provides a right to speak to other users in dependence on proceeding of a conference. If a first user speaks to a second user, the server provides a right to speak next, to the second user.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-505990 (published on June 1996) which is based on PCT/FI94/00034 has suggested a conference system in which a priority is assigned to a speech theme, and a speech signal transmitted from a user having a highest priority among all of users is transmitted to all of users.

Multi-casting communication system, server used for the system, and method of making multi-casting communication


A system and method for network planning with certain guarantees is disclosed. The system receives data characterizing various aspects of a backbone network, such as the nodes of the backbone network, how the nodes are connected by network links, the maximum available capacities of the network assets, network costs, and network asset reliability information. The system also receives data characterizing the requirements of different data communications, or flows, within the backbone network. For example, the backbone network may need to provide a flow a minimum amount of bandwidth or throughput, and the flow may have a minimum required uptime or availability. Based on the network data and flow data, the system generates a network plan that describes how capacity should be provided by different components of the network in a manner that guarantees satisfying flow requirements while balancing other considerations, such as network costs.

Some entities, such as large corporations, government agencies, or universities, may maintain backbone networks to interconnect entity assets. For example, a corporate backbone network can be used to connect different data centers maintained by a corporation. Backbone networks can additionally include one or more points of presence for connecting the backbone network to the Internet. Backbone networks are themselves made up of connectivity devices, such as hubs, switches, and routers, as well as cables to connect the connectivity devices. These components of the backbone network provide the network capacity by which the data communication demands between assets (e.g., between data centers or computing devices) may be satisfied.
In order to effectively satisfy the data communication demands of a backbone network, network planners can guide the development of the network based on forecasted network needs. For example, a network planner can identify where more or less capacity is needed between assets in order to accommodate the anticipated demand between those assets. Due to the complexity of developing a network plan, and the dynamic changes to the conditions driving the network needs, network planners typically rely on computer-based tools for assistance.
Traditionally, however, these tools have had certain shortcomings. For example, the tools have not developed a network plan based on a comprehensive evaluation of the requirements of the data communications, or flows, over the backbone network. As a result, the developed plan can result in a backbone network that is over-designed (i.e., it provides unnecessary capacity) or under-designed (i.e., it cannot meet the requirements of the network flows).
The techniques introduced here may be better understood by referring to the following Detailed Description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals indicate identical or functionally similar elements.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Methods and systems for network planning with availability guarantees


A medical device includes a pulse generator that selectively generates pulses. A control module selectively controls the pulses A power distribution system supplies power to said medical device. The power distribution system includes N batteries, where N is an integer greater than one, a common node, and N protection modules. The N protection modules communicate with the control module, selectively connect a respective one of the N batteries to the common node based on control signals from the control module, and monitor current provided by the respective one of the N batteries. The control module generates the respective control signals based upon the current.

Pacemaker systems typically include a controller, a battery, a pulse generator and one or more leads. The pulse generator produces pacing pulses for a heart. The leads deliver the impulses to the heart and sense contractions of the heart. A programming module that is separate from the pacemaker system can be used by the doctor to alter the operation of the pacemaker system after it has been installed in a patient.
Some pacemaker systems operate on demand. In other words, the pacemaker system stands by until a natural rate of the upper and lower heart falls below a predetermined rate. When this situation occurs, the pacemaker system sends out pacing impulses to ensure that the heart contracts and pumps blood.
The battery, controller, and pulse generator may be packaged in a sealed housing. The leads typically extend from the sealed housing and have ends that are connected within chambers of the patient's heart. The leads are also typically employed to carry feedback signals from the heart. Using the feedback signals, the controller is able to monitor the heart's activity and trigger the pulse generator appropriately. The battery may be sealed inside of the housing or another component of the pacemaker system. The housing and/or other component is typically removed and the battery is replaced when the stored energy in the battery falls below a threshold. As can be appreciated, replacing the battery requires a patient to undergo additional surgery.
The leads typically include insulated wires that extend from the pulse generator in the housing through a vein to a heart chamber or chambers. The pacemaker system monitors the heart by sensing electrical signals received by the pulse generator through the leads. The signals that are received provide information relating to contraction of the heart chambers. This information is typically sufficient for the controller to decide when pulses are required.
Pacemaker systems exist for single chamber and dual chamber applications. A single chamber pacemaker system usually employs a single lead to carry signals to and from one chamber of the heart. Typically, the lead is connected to the right atrium or the right ventricle. This type of pacemaker is often selected for patients having an SA (sinoatrial) node that sends out signals too slowly but whose electrical pathway to the lower heart is in good condition.
A dual chamber pacemaker usually includes two leads. One lead is located in the right atrium and another lead is located in the right ventricle. This type of pacemaker system can monitor and deliver impulses to either or both of the heart chambers. The dual chamber pacemaker system is typically selected when the SA node signals are too slow and the electrical pathway is partly or completely blocked.
Adaptive rate pacemakers may also be used. Adaptive rate pacemakers typically include additional sensors that monitor the body's need for blood flow. By monitoring this information, the pacemaker can increase and/or decrease the pace to correct for when the heart's natural rate does not increase sufficiently for an increased level of activity.

Power distribution system for a medical device


A stopper component has upper and lower ends. The stopper component is removably positioned in a cylindrical opening. A shaft/dipstick is positioned within the stopper component. The shaft/dipstick has an upper end adjacent to the upper end of the stopper component. The shaft/dipstick has a lower end. The lower end extends beneath the lower end of the stopper component. A lock has an interior end coupled to the upper end of the shaft/dipstick. In this manner positioning the lock in a first orientation will lock the stopper component in a cylindrical opening. Also in this manner positioning the lock in a second orientation will unlock the stopper component to facilitate removal of the stopper component from a cylindrical opening.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a locking plug system and more particularly pertains to being removably positioned in a fill tube to insure the integrity of the contents of an oil reservoir, all in a safe, convenient and economical manner.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of plugs of known designs and configurations is known in the prior art. More specifically, plugs of known designs and configurations previously devised and utilized for the purpose of securing contents through known methods and apparatuses are known to consist basically of familiar, expected, and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which has been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 258,871 filed Apr. 14, 1981 to Rojotte relates to an Oil Plug Temperature Gauge.
While this device fulfills is particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patent does not describe a locking plug system that allows for being removably positioned in a fill tube to insure the integrity of the contents of an oil reservoir, all in a safe, convenient and economical manner.
In this respect, the locking plug system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of being removably positioned in a fill tube to insure the integrity of the contents of an oil reservoir, all in a safe, convenient and economical manner.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a new and improved locking plug system which can be used for being removably positioned in a fill tube to insure the integrity of the contents of an oil reservoir, all in a safe, convenient and economical manner. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.


One embodiment provides a method, including: receiving, via a sensor, data associated with a vehicle operator; determining, using a processor, a view of the vehicle operator based on the received data; associating the view with a characteristic of a collision avoidance system; and thereafter modifying the characteristic of the collision avoidance system. Other embodiments are described and claimed herein.

Vehicle collision avoidance systems attempt to provide a vehicle operator (e.g., car driver) with an early warning regarding an impending collision, e.g., with a stationary object or with another moving object. For example, lane change warnings may attempt to notify the driver of a car in the blind spot. Likewise, a collision avoidance system may include warnings issued with respect to stationary objects, e.g., another car or other external object behind the vehicle.
Different types of sensors, e.g., cameras or radar, may be used to detect the external objects. Likewise, more passive "rear view" cameras are sometimes included in passenger cars to permit the driver a view of the area behind a car, e.g., on a console display screen.

Vehicle collision avoidance modification


One or more wheels of an electrically powered vehicle contains a motor rotor and a motor stator that is mounted on an integrated structure having a motor stator mounting element portion and wheel axle portion on each side thereof. The structure is fabricated from a unitary non-ferromagnetic substance. A rotor housing is journalled to the axle portion on both sides of the motor stator mounting element via bearings. A wheel assembly is mounted on the rotor housing thereby to be driven by the rotor. Forced-air cooling is provided through a hollow central passage. A plug separates the passage into two distinct sections, the inlet and the outlet. A plurality of cavities, provided with heat exchanger surfaces, are contained within the stator mounting element portion. Channels at each end of each cavity extend in the radial direction into the central passage. Cooling air enters from one end of the central passage, is directed through the inlet channels, the cavities and outlet channels before exiting through the opposite end of the central passage. Additional channels provide wire access to the motor stator.

Development of efficient and versatile direct current motor drives has provided advantageous implementation in battery powered electric vehicles. A vehicle drive motor, with or without control circuitry therefor, can be incorporated in one or more wheels of a vehicle for direct provision of wheel traction. Such arrangements are exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 6,617,746 to Maslov et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 6,492,756 to Maslov et al., both patents commonly assigned with the present invention and incorporated herein in their entirety.
FIG. 1 is a partial three dimensional perspective diagram of the structure of the central portion of a vehicle wheel in which a motor is contained, similar to the structure disclosed in the '746 patent identified above. Motor 10 comprises annular permanent magnet rotor 20 and annular stator structure 30 separated by a radial air gap. The stator comprises a plurality of ferromagnetically isolated elements. Core segments 32, made of magnetically permeable material and isolated from direct contact with each other, have respective windings 34 formed thereon. The rotor comprises a plurality of permanent magnets 22, circumferentially distributed about the air gap and affixed to an annular back plate 24, which may be of a magnetically permeable material. Each core segment is a unitary magnetic structure that comprises two poles joined in the axial direction by a linking portion, about which stator coils 34 are wound. The '756 patent illustrates stator core segments in which the poles of each pole pair are aligned in a direction perpendicular to the axis.
Within the cylindrical annular rotor structure, the stator core segments are rigidly secured by two plates 42, only one of which is illustrated in the drawing. Each plate is of a rigid circular configuration having an outer diameter and a circular cutout portion at its center that forms an inner diameter. The inner diameter is sized to fit a stationary shaft 44 and to be affixed to a member 46 integral with the shaft. Along the plate periphery, the plate is provided with holes, not shown, appropriately spaced to mate with corresponding through holes 48 in the stator core segments. Each of the plates is secured to the shaft and spaced from each other appropriately to be secured to, and to sandwich, the stator core segments at each axial side thereof via the mating holes. Suitable plate structure is illustrated in more detail in the '756 patent. Thus an annular ring is formed of stator core segments that are coextensively aligned in the axial direction across the air gap from the rotor. The stationary shaft, plates and stator structure, are contained within a housing 50, to which the annular rotor backplane and permanent magnets are attached. The housing is journalled to the shaft on the outside of the plates through appropriate bushings and bearings.
"In-wheel" motor construction raises several challenges. Considerable manufacturing complexity is involved in providing the proper structural support for maintaining the motor stator and the stationary shaft separated and positioned in relation to the wheel axle. As stator and wheel axle are produced from separate pieces, they must be manufactured with very high precision and mated together very precisely to minimize misalignments. These separate parts are often made from different materials which, due to different rates of thermal expansion, creates additional stresses during temperature cycling. The use of dissimilar metals also promotes galvanic action and accelerates corrosion. Each of these detractors increases the probability of premature motor and system failure. Provision of electrical connections to the stator elements and channeling of fluid to the stator for thermal management present additional challenges. Sleeves may be required to protect wires from sharp corners and seals may be required to contain fluid used to cool the motor.
Needs thus exist for an integrated wheel and axle structure that accommodates electrical wire access to the stator and coolant flow to the stator, that reduces stresses between the stator and the axle during thermal cycling and mechanical and electrical loading, and that provides easier service disassembly/assembly.

Integrated stator-axle for in-wheel motor of an electric vehicle


An illumination device including a plurality of LEDs emitting light in different source colors is disclosed. The device receives an input signal indicative of at least a color and/or brightness to be emitted by the illumination device. The device also stores colorimetric data. The colorimetric data is indicative of colorimetric properties of the light emitted by the plurality of LEDs, where the colorimetric properties of the LEDs define the actual color gamut of the illumination device. The device also stores a predefined color gamut data. A processing unit generates an adjusted color gamut based on the actual color gamut and the predefined color gamut and activates the plurality of LEDs based on the input signal and the adjusted color gamut.

Light fixtures or illumination devices creating various effects are getting more and more popular in the entertainment industry in order to create various light effects in connection with entertainment shows. Other fields of application where illumination devices having the capability of changing color are used, are applications in theatres, shops, private homes, discotheques etc.
Typically, such illumination devices with variable color light comprise a plurality of light sources, such as LEDs emitting light in different source colors, wherein the color of each illumination device is obtained by a combination of the source colors of the different light sources. The light from the different light sources is combined in the illumination device. The color of the illumination device can be varied by varying the intensity of each light source such that the combined spectral distribution of the different light sources within the illumination device varies when the intensities of the light sources are varied. This means that the color emitted by an illumination device can be changed by changing the intensity of the light sources.
Recently, the use of LEDs as light sources in an illumination device became more popular. By way of example, three different LEDs of different colors, e.g. a blue LED, a red LED and a green LED (RGB) may be used to generate different colors. For the illumination of a stage or a building, a large number of different illumination devices are normally used to generate a certain illumination. However, when light from several illumination devices is combined into one illumination, color differences might occur as the light sources used in two different illumination devices might differ. The reason for this is the fact that it is difficult to manufacture light sources emitting the exact same color and brightness.
One possibility to overcome the problem when different illumination devices are combined could be to store the spectrum of each light source and to use the spectrum of each light source to calculate the resulting color when the intensities of the light sources are varied. It can be calculated how the intensity of the different light sources should be varied in order to generate a certain target color. However, this system requires knowledge of the spectral distribution of the light sources in order to be able to perform the calculations. This requires that these spectral distributions are measured, particularly because many light fixture vendors do not specify the spectral distribution. Such a system, is known from WO 01/36864 A2.
The colors achievable by an illumination device are called the individual or actual color gamut. This color gamut can be seen as an area within a color map such as CIE 1931 color diagram and the area is defined by the color coordinate points, one for the resulting color of the individually controllable strings. It is to be understood that term light source do also include a collection of a plurality of light sources controlled by the same control signal, such that the coordinate points are obtained as a combination of all the light sources in the collection. E.g. in a typical LED device each of the primary light sources Red, Blue and Green are embodies as respectively a string of red, green and blue LED. By way of example, when three different light sources such as red, green and blue or other light sources emitting cyan, magenta and yellow are used, each light source defines a point in the color space. By way of example, when three different light sources are used, a triangle is generated by the three different light sources by combining the different points in the color space. Each illumination device has its own actual color gamut. When the color gamuts of different light fixtures are combined, a common color gamut is obtained, this common color gamut containing all colors that all the fixtures of a color control system can process simultaneously based on the light sources used by the different light fixtures. This common gamut can be a predefined gamut, e.g. defined by the manufacturer of the different light sources.
EP 1 938 666 B1 discloses a color control using the color gamut of the individual color system of each fixture.
As mentioned above, it is possible to generate each color within the common color gamut by all of the illumination devices. A color can be inter alia defined by the parameters hue and saturation. In the CIE 1931 diagram, the saturation can be seen as the distance from the centre of the color diagram corresponding to the white color to the border of the gamut. This means that the colors with 100% saturation are placed on the outer curve of the CIE diagram and the outer curve of the each individual gamut defines the maximum saturation that the illumination device can generate. As the common gamut is normally smaller than each individual gamut, the situation may occur that the obtained color generated by each of the light fixtures has a color saturation that is not satisfying when the generated colors are limited to the common gamut. Some of the light fixtures may be able to generate colors with more saturation, whereas other light fixtures are not able to generate the color with the same saturation. Thus, with current color control systems it is possible to obtain the same color from all light fixtures of a system, when colors are selected that are located within the common color gamut. This helps to obtain a uniform color output by the system; however, the saturation of the obtained colors may be poor. In other systems where the common color gamut is not taken into account, the user may obtain more saturated colors; however, the user cannot obtain uniform colors.
Thus, in view of the above-said a need exists to provide more flexibility to the user as far as color conformity or color saturation are concerned.

Color control system with variable calibration


A multi-use exercise apparatus consisting of two stations, a wheel as the upper station for exercising upper extremities and a T-bar below the wheel as the lower station designed for resistance exercises of the lower extremities. Both stations are mounted on a collapsible structure making it easily transportable. Fixed knobs are disposed at various radii from an axis of the wheel to allow users to perform different ROM type exercises. Anchoring means are also provided on the apparatus to engage various other exercising accessories as well, either on the T-bar or adjacent to the wheel.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to the field of rehabilitation and exercise equipment. This apparatus allows the user to exercise various muscle groups of the upper and lower extremities as well as the core musculature. This apparatus is user friendly because of its simplicity and compact design.
More particularly, this invention pertains to an exercising apparatus configured for a plurality of exercises ranging from the upper body to the lower extremities, and more particularly, to an exercising apparatus having an upright main section with a vertical wheel rotatable about a horizontal axis, a variable resistance mechanism controlling a resistive force to the rotation of the wheel, and a plurality of grasping members disposed at various radii from the wheel's center of rotation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
With a sizeable aging population, as well as a rising number of car and industrial injuries, the necessity for physical therapy and rehabilitation has risen. Numerous machines and modalities play an important role in the recovery process as part of physical therapy. The multi-use exercise apparatus described here is designed and constructed to aid patients' recovery.
Exercising machines used often in physical therapy include devices having a wheel and a resistive mechanism that resists rotation of the wheel. These machines are used to increase ROM (Range of Motion), muscle strength and endurance in the upper extremities of a person. There are numerous shoulder wheels on the market such as Bailey, Housman, Clinton and others. Each of these devices, some motor driven, is unnecessarily complicated in both their construction and use. Moreover, shoulder exercise wheels are designed to accomplish either muscle strengthening or ROM. The apparatus in this invention is able to accomplish both goals and allow a person to perform many other exercises as well.

Multi-use apparatus for exercising the shoulder, upper and lower extremities


The invention includes a method and apparatus for predicting value of caching content items. In one embodiment, a method for selecting ones of a plurality of content items to be cached includes, for each of the content items, determining a probability of use of the content item comprising a probability that the content item will be used if cached, determining a value of caching the content item, and computing a caching value estimate associated with the content item using the probability of use of the content item and the value of caching the content item. The content items to be cached may then be selected using the respective caching value estimates of the content items.

There are advantages to caching content closer to users, including improved responsiveness to user requests and control of costs driven by network peaks; however, existing content caching schemes do not perform well. Existing content caching techniques are very limited in their ability to predict future consumption. Furthermore, existing content caching techniques have other associated problems as well.
One approach to content caching is to avoid prediction altogether. This is typically done by asking the user to search, find, select, and specify what content they will want in future. This approach is used by current personal video recorders to cache broadcast television content on behalf of users. Disadvantageously, however, the limited willingness of users to take on the additional work associated with this approach makes this approach scale poorly.
Another common content caching technique, used in transparent web caches, makes no attempt to predict content consumption; rather, a copy of content that has been requested in the past is held for a period of time, in case it is requested again. In the context of caching on behalf of single users and video content this performs extremely poorly because people rarely want to watch video content they have seen in the past (which is the only content that this caching technique will hold). Even where caching occurs on behalf of many users, this approach to caching may recognize the value of caching an item too late to be of use in reducing peak demands.
Another approach to content caching, which is used in some video-on-demand systems, is to assume that all users are identical. In this approach, a determination is made as to which content items are most in demand in aggregate, and those content items are then cached for all users. While this approach may work fairly well, failure to recognize differences between users, and that user preferences are not constant over time, produces undesirable caching results which may unnecessarily waste network resources.
Another approach to content caching is to capture the history of user viewing at particular points in time and find content items that are similar to those watched by the user (a process commonly referred to as item-to-item collaborative filtering). An index of those content items is then given back to the user who will save them to a local cache (e.g., using a DVR/PVR) when they appear in the broadcast schedule. Disadvantageously, however, this approach has many deficiencies. First, caching does not occur proactively to de-load the network; rather, it occurs opportunistically, whenever a "target" content item appears in the broadcast schedule. Second, such caching cannot deal with short term variation in the preferences of end-users because it assumes a single static preference profile.
Furthermore, in addition to the various problems associated with existing content caching techniques, caching of content closer to users becomes an increasingly important problem both as the amount of available content increases (fragmenting the audience) and as users move towards delivery modes such as unicast video-on-demand. Where a service provider is delivering personalized services to a user (e.g., video-on-demand in response to requests from the user, or a personalized channel for the user), content caching may be improved by predicting which content is most likely to be useful to that user and moving that content closer to the user before they need it.

Method and apparatus for predicting value of caching content items


In an image processing method for processing complex data including at least RAW data, first simulation image data of which data amount is less than the RAW data, and a first processing condition for the RAW data, when a second processing condition for the RAW data is set, second simulation image data is generated by reflecting the second processing condition on the RAW data and then reducing its data amount, and the complex data is updated with the second processing condition and the second simulation image data.

A conventional image sensing apparatus such as a digital still camera performs a predetermined process on an electrical signal (image data) of a sensed image obtained by photoelectrically converting an optical image of an object with an image sensing device such as a CCD, and then records image information (image data) of the sensed image as electrical (magnetic) information on an external recording medium such as a memory card or a hard disk. Thus, unlike a conventional silver halide film camera which records an image on a film by exposing the film, the digital still camera applies image processes and records the electrical signal of the sensed image as positional information on pixels in one frame of the image so that the recorded image can be reproduced.
As for the digital still camera in recent years, high-pixelation of the image sensing device is underway for the sake of faithful reproduction of the image, and the quality of the reproduced image sensed by the digital still camera is becoming closer to the quality of the image sensed by the silver halide film camera.
However, there is a problem that a very large amount of information (data amount) is required as the image data of the sensed image to be recorded and reproduced in the digital still camera. Therefore, in general, a data amount of the sensed image to be recorded is reduced by compressing the image data before recording.
As for image compression methods for compressing the image data, there are a lossless compression method giving priority to preservability (reproducibility) at the sacrifice of compressibility and a lossy compression method giving priority to the compressibility at the sacrifice of the preservability (reproducibility). Concerning the lossless compression method, for instance, the method of developing differences between consecutive image data into run-length information and encoding it by using a table is generally known. As regards the lossy compression method, the method of suppressing high-frequency information of the image data by using orthogonal transformation such as discrete cosine transform (DCT) and then encoding it by using a table is generally known.
There are the cases, however, where a user using the digital still camera prefers selective use such as storing the image to be preserved merely as a record in the form of lossy-compressed image data and storing the image to be preserved as his/her work in the form of lossless-compressed image data. Furthermore, in conjunction with improved performance of the digital still camera, there are demands to generate the image data of the sensed image simultaneously by both the lossless compression method and lossy compression method.
Thus, there is a proposal of a digital camera capable of, without degrading a throughput in image sensing operation, compressing the image data of a sensed image by a plurality of different image compression methods and generating image data compressed by the respective image compression methods.
Both the lossless compression method and lossy compression method fall within the category of the conventional JPEG method. However, a JPEG image generally refers to the one compressed by the latter method. In general, the lossless-compress d image data is added with image developing conditions on generating the lossy-compressed JPEG image data.
The image processing conditions include the processing conditions in black correction, white balance correction, gray level correction and so on.
There is an image processing apparatus which receives the lossless-compressed image data and image developing conditions thus recorded and performs predetermined signal processing (developing processing) on the lossless-compressed image data using the image developing conditions. Such an image processing apparatus can generate an RGB image by changing the image developing conditions.
However, in the case where RGB image data is generated by developing the lossless-compressed image data using the changed image developing conditions used in the image sensing operation, the conventional image processing apparatus does not make any change to the JPEG image incidental to the lossless-compressed image data. To be more specific, if a new image development condition is set by the image processing apparatus, the image obtained from the lossless-compressed image data and the changed image developing conditions is different from the JPEG image incidental thereto (for instance, in brightness, color saturation, hue and so on).

Image processing method and apparatus, and image sensing apparatus


A method of discovering a fault in a circuit is disclosed. The method comprises generating a first result of a selected function by performing the selected function on an operand, wherein the selected function employs a mask. Once the function is performed, an antimask of the mask is created, and the modulo of the antimask is calculated. A modulo function of the first result of the selected function is calculated to obtain a third result. A modulo of the operand is then calculated to obtain a fourth result, and a second function is then performed on the second result and the third result to obtain a fifth result. In response to comparing the fifth result to the fourth result, a signal is propagated to indicate a fault in the circuit.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to an improved method of error detection, and, in particular, to an improved method of discovering errors in a logical function. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to an improved method for discovering errors in shift, rotate, and sign extension functions.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the increasing penetration of microprocessor-based systems into every facet of human activity, demands have increased on the microprocessor development and production community to produce systems that are free from data corruption. Microprocessors have become involved in the performance of a vast array of critical functions, and the involvement of microprocessors in the important tasks of daily life has heightened the expectation of reliability of calculative results. Whether the impact of errors would be measured in human lives or in mere dollars and cents, consumers of microprocessors have lost tolerance for error-prone results. Consumers will not tolerate, by way of example, miscalculations on the floor of the stock exchange, in the medical devices that support human life, or in the computers that control their automobiles. All of these activities represent areas where the need for reliable microprocessor results has risen to a mission-critical concern.
In applications where reliability is considered paramount, designers commonly employ duplicate logic to perform calculations twice (in parallel) and compare the results of the duplicated function. This allows a microprocessor system to detect circuit failure, and to prevent an internal error from fouling the results of a calculation. As can be easily imagined, there is an inherent inefficiency in duplication of a function. Simply stated, the duplication of a function doubles the circuitry necessary to perform a given calculation, resulting in increased design complexity and chip size. Fabrication costs, design time, power consumption, and the potential for errors all increase with the amount of circuitry on a chip.
The complexity, power consumption, and cost associated with conventional error checking techniques have motivated the use of cheaper alternatives. For example, one alternative method of checking for circuit failure and mathematical calculation errors, without having to duplicate logic, is moduli or residue checking. The modulo function has proven useful for streamlining error-checking operations, but its applicability conventionally is limited by the methods that are conventionally used to calculate it.
The modulo operator (mod) returns the remainder after integer division of its first argument by its second. If a is any integer and n is a positive integer, a mod n is the expression for the remainder in {0, . . . , n−1} that occurs if a is divided by n. For instance, 23 mod 12=11. As another example, a mod 12 is performed to convert the time from a 24-hour format to a 12-hour format.
In practice, x mod y can be calculated in terms of other functions. Differences arise according to the scope of the variables, which in common implementations is broader than in the definition just given. In terms of the floor function floor(z), the greatest integer less than or equal to z: x mod y=x−y*floor(x/y). In terms of truncation to the integer part (known as remain( ) on several calculators and always positive; performed by C's built-in % operator): x mod y=x−y*iPart(x/y). In the case of floor, a negative divisor results in a negative modulus (for example, under this definition, 1 mod−2=−1). The resulting function is what is known as mod( ) on calculators and is implemented in some high-level languages, including Perl. Perl also uses the % operator to indicate a modulus operation, alluding to the / division operator. Both definitions allow for x and y to be typed as integers or rational numbers. Each of these definitions requires the preservation of the operands of the original function to be checked.
As a practical matter, modulo functions have proven useful in error checking without function duplication for functions whose operands are not discarded during calculation. However, conventional modulo/residue checking is available only where both the input of a function and the result of a function are available after the function is complete. Accordingly, conventional modulo/residue checking cannot be used to check rotate, sign extend, or shift functions, because their operands are discarded or altered in the course of the underlying operation. Storage of the operands of a function for later calculation of a modulo check would involve a waste of resources in terms of complexity, power consumption, and cost. Thus, storage of operands would cause problems unacceptably similar to the problems presented by duplicating a function and comparing the two results.
What is needed is a method for detecting errors in a processor that performs shift, rotate, and sign extension functions, with that method using the modulo function to detect errors.

Method and system for checking rotate, shift and sign extension functions using a modulo function

International Business Machines Corporation


An integrated process is shown for the fabrication of one or more of the following devices: (n-) and (p-) channel low-voltage field-effect logic transistors (139/140); (n-) and (p-) channel high-voltage insulated-gate field-effect transistors (141, 142) for the gating of an EEPROM memory array or the like; a Fowler-Nordheim tunneling EEPROM cell (143); (n-) and (p-) channel drain-extended insulated-gate field-effect transistors (144, 145); vertical and lateral annular DMOS transistors (146, 147); a Schottky diode (148); and a FAMOS EPROM cell (149). A "non-stack" double-level poly EEPROM cell (676) with enhanced reliability (676) is also disclosed.

Without limiting the scope of the invention, its background is described in conjunction with automotive electrical systems, as an example.
Heretofore, in this field, high-power electronic components had to be fabricated on integrated circuit chips separate from IC chips for low-power, logic components. Conventionally, high-power transistors had different processing requirements that were not easily integrable with low-power logic devices, such as 5-volt insulated-gate field transistors. On the one hand, certain voltage regulator and power devices mandate that power transistors directly exposed to the usual 12-volt conventional automobile electrical system be capable of withstanding transients that may be as high as 60 volts. On the other hand, the implantation, isolation and doping characteristics of these devices made their cofabrication with smaller, process-labile devices difficult. It is, however, desirable for automobile system microcontrollers to be monolithis, i.e., fabricated on the surface of one semiconductor chip, rather than have one chip for voltage regulation and other high-power applications and another chip for the performance of logic and the like.
Another problem which has arisen in semiconductor chip fabrication concerns electrically-erasable, electrically-programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) cells that are fabricated using a so-called "stack" process. According to this process, a first level of polysilicon conductor is deposited and doped to form the floating gate of the EEPROM cell, but is only partially defined in a first etch. After the formation of an insulator on the first level poly, such as an oxide/nitride/oxide sandwich, a second level poly layer is deposited on the cell. The first and second level poly layers are then etched back in a single "stack" that makes the lateral margins of the control gate and the floating gate of the EEPROM cell congruent.
A problem occurs in this type of cell when the poly 2 layer is also used to form the control gate the row select gating transistor. In this instance, the cell is often prone to an overetch of the poly, creating trenches on either side of the row select transistor gate that ruin the cell. Further, so called "stack" double level poly EEPROM cells are more prone to breakdown on their relatively exposed floating gate lateral margins due to high electrical fields. Because of the relatively low reliability of these "stack" cells, memories that are incorporated, for example, in highly noisy or stressful environments such as automotive systems are arranged in transistors everywhere, since first-level poly is needed triple- or other multi-bit voting memories rather than in single-bit memories.
K. Y. Chang et al has built a non-stack cell, as described in "Advanced High Voltage CMOS Process for Custom Logic Circuits with Embedded EEPROM," IEEE 1988 Custom I. C. Conf., 25.5.1. However, this cell is not bit-addressable and has the second level poly deposited after the source/drain implantation. Such a cell, as used on an integrated circuit chip having other devices, would force the manufacturer to use high-voltage transistors everywhere, since first-level poly is needed for the row transistor. A typical "stack" cell process is shown by Dumitru Cioaca et aI, in "A Million-Cycle CMOS 256K EEPROM," IEEE J of Solid State Circuits, V 22, N 5, p 684, 1987. This cell has achieved high reliability by using redundancy (the Q cell has two bits per cell) and oxynitride for the tunnel diode. The cell uses a stack pattern for high density, but is not bit addressable.
It is therefore desirable to build a high-reliability, bit-addressable cell fabricated by a non-stack process which will allow single-bit memories, and it is desirable to design an integrated fabrication process that creates both low- and high-voltage semiconductor devices on a single chip.

Process for the simultaneous fabrication of high-and-low-voltage semiconductor devices, integrated circuit containing the same, systems and methods


A new and distinct Clematis hybrid named ‘VIVA POLONIA’ is disclosed, characterized by extremely floriferous, medium deep magenta colored flowers with distinctive white centers and tepal bases. Plants have a long blooming period and compact growth. The new cultivar is a Clematis typically suited for ornamental container and landscape use.

The new Clematis cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the inventor, Szczepan Marczynski, in Pruszkow, Poland. The objective of the breeding program was to produce new compact Clematis varieties with novel or new colors. The cross resulting in this new variety was made during 2004.
The seed parent is the unpatented variety, Clematis 'Matka Siedliska'. The pollen parent is the unpatented variety, Clematis 'Warszawska Nike'. The new variety was identified as a potentially interesting selection in 2006, at a greenhouse in Pruszkow, Poland.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar 'VIVA POLONIA' by vegetative tip cuttings was first performed during 2007, at a greenhouse in Pruszkow, Poland. Subsequent propagation has shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type in 8 successive generations.