An analog retargeting system and method are disclosed for converting a circuit from a source technology to a target technology. Thus, an analog circuit in a source technology can be converted to another technology while maintaining substantially the same circuit behavior and specifications as the original design. The conversion includes analyzing and resizing the circuit at the device level. For example, the analysis may include determining a mode of operation for a transistor and resizing the transistor based on the mode of operation. In another example, the analysis may include determining node voltages coupled to a device and the resizing strategy may be adjusted based on the determined node voltages.

The complexity of integrated circuits (ICs) being designed nowadays is continuously increasing and has resulted in complete system-on-chip (SoC) solutions. Even more, the complexity of such integrated systems is exploding thanks to advances in process fabrication. The limiting factor is now the ability to design, manage and verify such systems rather than the ability to fabricate them.
As SoC's are becoming larger, the only way to efficiently design such dense SoC's, both from the design complexity and time-to-market aspects, is by embedding Intellectual Property (IP) cores. Standards for such cores are currently evolving. Ideally, they should be reusable, pre-characterized and pre-verified. But as fabrication technology changes, it is desirable to convert or migrate the design to the new process parameters. For example, an IP core may be designed and tested for 90 nm technology, but it is desirable to convert the IP core to a new process of 60 nm technology.
IP reuse methodologies are readily available for digital blocks, thanks to the well-structured and cell-based design characteristics of the digital world. This is completely different on the analog side, where each circuit block (which may contain thousands of devices) is carefully redesigned from scratch each time. The main obstacle for analog IP migration is that analog design is highly sensitive to device physical parameters and parasitics and to global technology constraints. This makes the retargeting of an analog portion of any design a tough task and is still a manual process.
Several approaches for analog reuse has been implemented in previous work and most of them rely on optimization techniques. The optimization engine visits candidate circuit designs and adjusts their parameters in an attempt to satisfy their user's specified performance goals. A first group of optimization techniques use analytical models that describe the basic performance of the circuit using symbolic equations. A second group of optimization techniques uses the full spice accuracy. Using a full analog simulator capability has the advantage of accurate results but suffers from being very slow, since it has to perform lengthy transient simulation over and over to evaluate the performance of the circuit and make sure it satisfies the target goals. On the other hand, using analytical equations has the impact of less accurate designs with faster results. Nonetheless, neither of these techniques is ideal as there is a need for increased accuracy and speed.
Another problem with the prior-art techniques is that they are closer to a circuit re-design than design reuse. All design knowledge and tradeoffs, implicitly coded by the first designer in the initial design are completely lost. In addition, optimization-based techniques are only adapted to cell sizing due to extensive use of computer resources. Therefore, the prior-art techniques are less suitable for migrating a complete mixed-signal function (e.g., analog-to-digital converter, PLL, . . . )
Thus, it is desirable to provide an analog design retargeting system that has the ability to take an already designed, sized and verified circuit in a source technology and map it to a different target technology while preserving the same general architecture and performance characteristics.


An air cycle machine includes a housing having a compressor housing portion. A shaft is supported by the housing and includes a thrust runner. A hydrodynamic thrust bearing is arranged adjacent to the thrust runner and includes upstream and downstream sides. A compressor rotor is mounted on the shaft. A seal is arranged between the compressor rotor and the compressor housing portion. An orifice is provided in the compressor housing portion at the downstream side of the hydrodynamic bearing. The orifice vents hot compressed air that may leak past the seal prior to reaching the hydrodynamic thrust bearing.

This invention relates to a cooling flow path used for the thrust bearing of an air cycle machine.
One type of air cycle machine uses a radial outflow compressor that is driven by two radial turbines. The compressor and turbines are supported on a common shaft and ride upon hydrodynamic bearings in a housing. A pair of hydrodynamic, foil-type journal bearings support the shaft. The shaft includes a thrust runner. Axial forces imparted on the shaft are counteracted by a pair of thin foil hydrodynamic thrust bearings arranged on either side of the thrust runner.
Various seals are used in the housing to separate the flow into and out of the compressor and turbines seals also help define a cooling path in the housing. Airflow through the cooling path cools the hydrodynamic bearings. One problem has been that hot air from the compressor outlet can leak past a seal between the compressor rotor and housing. The leaked hot compressor air has then flowed through the hydrodynamic thrust bearings, which can reduce their life.
What is needed is an improved cooling path to address leakage from the compressor and route the leakage around the hydrodynamic thrust bearings.

ACM cooling flow path and thrust load design


An explosive projectile carrying an active charge is to be launched from a barrel. Detonation of the charge requires that a firing pin be driven to a firing position where it impacts a percussion cap. The firing pin is held in a safety position by a barrel probe which is movable to an armed position in a direction perpendicularly to the launch direction. Prior to launching, the barrel probe is held immovable by engagement with both the launch barrel and an acceleration sensor. When the projectile leaves the barrel and acceleration displaces the acceleration sensor, the barrel probe is free to move to its armed position. Also provided are a pretensioned spring, and a pyrotechnical delay element for generating propulsion gas. Either the spring or the delay element functions to move the firing pin to its firing position, and the other of the spring and delay element moves the barrel probe to its armed position.

The present invention relates to explosive projectiles and, in particular, to a safety mechanism for preventing premature ignition of a charge carried by the projectile.
Such a projectile is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,159,150 and comprises a body that is to be fired from a launcher tube (barrel) by means of an expulsion charge. An acceleration sensor moves from a safety position to an armed position upon acceleration of the body as a result of its inertia of mass against the direction of launch. A barrel probe is movable in a direction perpendicular to the launch by a pyrotechnical time delay element from a safety position to an armed position wherein an end thereof extends laterally beyond the body covering. The barrel probe is normally held in its safety position by engagement with the barrel, wherein the barrel probe blocks the movement of a firing pin against a percussion cap that acts upon the active charge. The barrel probe is fixed in the safety position by the acceleration sensor when the latter is in its safety position (i.e., when the body is located in the launcher tube). The firing pin can only contact the percussion cap when the acceleration sensor and the barrel probe are simultaneously in their armed positions. In that event, the firing pin is moved toward the percussion cap by the propulsion gas of a second pyrotechnical delay element. Thus, both the firing pin and the barrel probe are acted upon by respective pyrotechnical delay elements.
Although that device has proven itself, room for improvement remains. For instance, in order to ensure proper operation of the device, it is necessary that the delay times of the two pyrotechnical delay elements be synchronized, or tuned. That requirement has caused difficulties in many applications. In addition, the use of two pyrotechnical delay elements requires that the projectile be constructed in a way that can lead, in particular, to weight and space problems which are especially undesirable, primarily when firing projectiles from an aircraft or similar vehicle.
On the other hand, it is already known how to actuate a barrel probe and a firing pin without the use of a corresponding pyrotechnical delay element, whereby the use of a pyrotechnical delay element is only envisioned to define the ignition time of the active charge. In the process, however, there can arise problems with regard to handling safety, because, when the acceleration sensor, for example, is freed by an impact, an ignition of the active charge cannot be ruled out, even though projectile has not exited the launcher tube.
This invention has as an object the improvement of the afore-described type of safety device, so that with little weight and simple construction the post-firing safety function can be improved, and increased pre-firing safety can be attained to facilitate handling of the projectile in the laboratory and during work with duds.

Safety mechanism for preventive premature detonation of an explosive projectile


A charging member includes a force receiving portion that receives a force in a direction in which the charging member is moved in a longitudinal direction of the charging member while rotating. The charging member is in contact with a brush member at a place different from the place of the force receiving portion. A component of the force received by the charging member at the force receiving portion in the longitudinal direction and a component of a force received by the charging member resulting from tilting of bristles in the brush member are in the same direction.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a charging device for charging a surface of an image hearing member, such as a photosensitive member, to an image forming apparatus that includes the charging device and that forms an image on a recording medium, and to a process cartridge attached thereto.
Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a contact DC charging technique has been widely used as a charging device in an image forming apparatus, such as an electrophotographic apparatus or electrostatic recording apparatus. The contact DC charging technique uses a conductive charging member, in place of a corona charger, causes the charging member to abut on a photosensitive member, and evenly charges a surface of the photosensitive member, and suppresses ozone generation. One example of that technique is applying a DC bias to a charging roller, which is a charging member, performing evenly discharging while rotating the charging roller in contact with a surface of a photosensitive member, and uniformly charging the surface of the photosensitive member.
The charging roller is required to keep its location in a longitudinal direction constant to properly charge a printing area, and it is recommended that the charging roller be positioned in the longitudinal direction. One example of such a configuration is illustrated in Japanese Patent No. 4749049. The illustrated configuration has a positional relationship between the photosensitive member and charging roller in which the axis of rotation of the photosensitive member and the axis of rotation of the charging roller intersect with each other at a predetermined angle (intersect angle). In that configuration, the charging roller can receive a thrust in the longitudinal direction by being rotated and can be moved to a predetermined location.
Unfortunately, the contact DC charging technique tends to suffer charging failures because the charging roller is in direct contact with the surface of the photosensitive member and thus toner, an external additive, or other additive is apt to be attached to the surface of the charging roller. In particular, if the charging roller has no enhanced longevity or there is no cleaning member for cleaning the surface of the photosensitive member, soiling of the charging roller is a serious problem. Various means for cleaning the charging member to prevent such soling of the surface of the contact charging member have been proposed. One example configuration illustrated in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-108069 cleans the contact charging member by using a brush.
There is a method that enables the charging roller and photosensitive member to receive a thrust in a certain direction with respect to the longitudinal direction to position the charging roller and photosensitive member in the longitudinal direction by disposing the photosensitive member and charging roller with the intersect angle formed therebetween, as described above, and, in the case where the charging roller is driven through a gear, by using a helical gear as the gear. With this method, the charging roller and photosensitive member can be moved in a predetermined direction and can be positioned.
However, when the brush member for cleaning the surface of the charging roller abuts on the surface of the charging roller, a load occurs in the charging roller. This hinders smooth movement of the charging roller in the longitudinal direction, and thus the longitudinal locations of the charging roller and photosensitive member are not constant. Although the thrust can be increased by increasing the intersect angle, this state is undesired because it destabilizes the abutment in the longitudinal direction.

Charging device, process cartridge, and image forming apparatus


Provided is an ink jet recording material comprising a substrate and an ink-receiving layer provided on at least one surface of the substrate, wherein the ink-receiving layer comprises a water-soluble photosensitive resin. The ink jet recording material shows excellent water resistance without sacrificing ink-receiving properties and requiring no or only a simple post-treatment.

The present invention relates to ink jet recording materials (recording materials for ink jet printing).
The ink jet recording method performs recording by causing ink (recording liquid) droplets generated and scattered by various ink-ejecting principles to be at least partially absorbed on a recording material such as a paper sheet. Ink jet recording enables high quality printing or multi-color printing with such advantages as low operating noise and high speed.
Recording inks used for ink jet recording are generally aqueous inks mainly composed of water in view of safety and recording properties. In addition, such recording inks are often added with an agent such as polyhydric alcohols in order to prevent clogging of ink paths and ink nozzles of ink jet printers and to improve the ink ejection stability.
Under these circumstances, most recording materials used for ink jet recording have an ink-receiving layer comprising a water-soluble resin (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Un-examined Publication Nos. 61-188181 and 3-281384).
On the other hand, recent technical developments have led to wide use of multi-color printing by the ink jet recording technique for the printing of display and presentation materials such as posters and sign boards. When such printed materials are used as open air displays, the ink-receiving layer is particularly required to have water-resistance to an extent that it is not damaged by wind and rain, humidity, or wet or sweaty hands.
However, because most conventional ink jet recording materials comprise a water-soluble resin in their ink-receiving layers as described above, they exhibit poor water resistance.
Therefore, various attempts have been made to improve the water resistance.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Un-examined Publication No. 63-183873 discloses a method for providing an ink-receiving layer comprising a denatured polyvinyl alcohol and a water resistant agent. However, this method has the drawback that ink absorption deteriorates as water resistance improves.
Further, Japanese Patent Application Un-examined Publication No. 59-190885 discloses a recording material whose ink-receiving layer is applied or impregnated with a photo-curable resin after the ink jet printing. However, this material requires troublesome post-treatments, i.e., application or impregnation and curing of the resin.
The present invention has been achieved to solve the problems mentioned above and its object therefore is to provide an ink jet recording material showing excellent water resistance without sacrificing ink-receiving properties and requiring no or only a simple post-treatment.


Disclosed is a polyol-in-silicone emulsion consisting essentially of:    (i) an alkyl dimethicone copolyol having an HLB of from about 4 to about 6, and a molecular weight of from about 10,000 to about 20,000, wherein the alkyl group is made of about 10 to about 22 carbons; and    (ii) a polyol, wherein the weight ratio of the alkyl dimethicone copolyol to the polyol is from about 100:1 to about 2:8;methods to make such a polyol-in-silicone emulsion, as well as an anhydrous personal care composition comprising by weight:    (a) from about 0.01% to about 15% of an alkyl dimethicone copolyol having an HLB of about 4-6, and a molecular weight of from about 10,000 to about 20,000, wherein the alkyl group is made of about 10 to about 22 carbons;    (b) from about 0.01% to about 35% of a polyol, wherein the weight ratio of the alkyl dimethicone copolyol to the polyol is from about 100:1 to about 2:8; andwherein the composition is substantially free of water.

Lipsticks are primarily made of lipophilic or hydrophobic materials. Lipsticks designed for providing a moisturizing benefit to the lips further contain water, polar solvents, or other moisturizing components which are more or less hydrophilic. The use of association structures have been suggested to bind such moisturizing components in the lipophilic matrix of the lipstick. While such lipstick compositions provide a favorable moisturizing benefit to the lips, they were not completely satisfactory in terms of physical stability, color stability, and sweat resistance.
Physical stability relates to the stability of the stick during storage and upon use. For example, a stable stick does not deform during storage at ambient temperature, and does not bend or break upon normal condition use. Color stability relates to the stability of color during storage and after application on the lip. It has been known that lipsticks containing a high amount of moisturizing components have the tendency to change color over time after application on the lip. Sweating is a phenomena seen on the surface of sticks, and is believed to be due to oils and/or solvents separating and leaking out of the lipophilic matrix of the stick. Sweating provides a negative appearance to the user.
Stability is also an important requirement for other lipophilic or anhydrous compositions such as liquid and powder foundations. For foundations, stability relates to color, viscosity, and phase condition.
Anhydrous cosmetic foundations containing alkyl dimethicone copolyols and polyols are disclosed, for example, in PCT publications WO 01/12137, WO 01/12138, WO 01/12139, and WO 01/12152. While such compositions are believed to provide physical stability, further improvement is desired, particularly for applying to lipophilic lipstick compositions.
Based on the foregoing, there is a need for a personal care composition which has improved stability over a wide range of product forms, and which can be made using conventional equipment for making personal care compositions. There is also a need for an anhydrous composition which as improved physical stability, improved color stability, and improved sweat resistance, while also providing moisturizing benefit to the lips.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Personal care composition comprising hydrophobic gel


A driving method for driving an ink ejection device operated in shear mode. In order that the ink ejection speed does not vary depending on the driving frequency, a first pulse signal and a second pulse signal are sequentially applied to the electrode of an ink channel. The first pulse signal is for ejecting an ink droplet from the corresponding nozzle of the ink channel, and the second pulse signal is for canceling pressure fluctuations remaining in the ink after ejection of ink. The second pulse signal has a voltage level equal to that of the first pulse signal. At the rising edge of the first pulse signal, the volume of the ink channel is increased from a natural volume to an increased volume. As a result, a pressure wave is generated in the ink filling the ink channel. At the falling edge of the first pulse signal, the volume of the ink chamber reverts to the natural volume, thereby ejecting an ink droplet from the nozzle. Thereafter, the second signal is applied to cancel out the residual pressure fluctuations. In the present invention, the sequential timings of the first and second pulse signals including the durations of the first and second pulse signals are specifically defined based on evaluation of experimental results.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a driving method for an ink ejection device.
2. Description of Related Art
Of non-impact type printing devices which have recently taken the place of conventional impact type printing devices and have greatly propagated in the market, ink-ejecting type printing devices have been known as being operated on the simplest principle and as being effectively used to easily perform multi-gradation and coloration. Of these devices, a drop-on-demand type for ejecting only ink droplets which are used for printing has rapidly propagated because of its excellent ejection efficiency and low running cost.
The drop-on-demand types are representatively known as a Kyser type, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,946,398, or as a thermal ejecting type, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,723,129. The former, or Kyser type, is difficult to design in a compact size. The latter, the thermal ejecting type requires the ink to have a heat-resistance property because the ink is heated at a high temperature. Accordingly, these devices have significant problems.
A shear mode type printer, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,879,568, has been proposed as a new type to simultaneously solve the above disadvantages.
As shown in FIGS. 1(a) and 1(b), the shear mode type of ink ejection device 600 comprises a bottom wall 601, a ceiling wall 602 and a shear mode actuator wall 603 therebetween. The actuator wall 603 comprises a lower wall 607 which is adhesively attached to the bottom wall 601. An upper wall 605 is adhesively attached to the ceiling wall 602 and polarized in the direction indicated by an arrow 609. A pair of actuator walls 603 thus formed forms an ink channel 613 therebetween. A space 615 which is narrower than the ink channel 613 is also formed between neighboring pairs of actuator walls 603 in an alternating relationship to the ink channels 613.
A nozzle plate 617, having nozzles 618 formed therein, is fixedly secured to one end of each ink channel 613, and electrodes 619 and 621 are provided as metallized layers on both side surface of each actuator wall 603. Each of the electrodes 619,621 is covered by an insulating layer (not shown) to insulate it from the ink. The electrodes 621 which face the space 615 are connected to ground 623, and the electrodes 619 which are provided in the ink channel 613 are connected to a silicon chip which forms an actuator driving circuit 625.
Next, a manufacturing method for the ink ejection device 600 as described above will be described. First, a piezoelectric ceramic layer, which is polarized in a direction as indicated by an arrow 611, is adhesively attached to the bottom wall 601 and a piezoelectric ceramic layer, which is polarized in a direction as indicated by an arrow 609, is adhesively attached to the ceiling wall 602. The thickness of each piezoelectric ceramic layer is equal to the height of each of the lower walls 607 and the upper walls 605. Subsequently, parallel grooves are formed on the piezoelectric ceramic layers by a diamond cutting disc or the like to form the lower walls 607 and the upper walls 605. Further, the electrodes 619 are formed on the side surface of the lower walls 607 by a vacuum-deposition method, and the insulating layer, as described above is provided onto the electrodes 619. Likewise, the electrodes 621 are provided on the side surfaces of the upper walls 605 and the insulating layer is further provided on the electrodes 621.
The vertex portions of the upper walls 605 and the lower walls 607 are adhesively attached to one another to form the ink channels 613 and the spaces 615. Subsequently, the nozzle plate 617, having the nozzles 618 formed therein, is adhesively attached to one end of the ink channels 613 and the spaces 615 so that the nozzles 618 face the ink channels 613. The other end of the ink channels 613 and the spaces 615 is connected to the actuator driving circuit 625 and the ground 623.
A voltage is applied to the electrodes 619, 921 of each ink channel 613 from the actuator driving circuit 625, whereby each actuator wall 603 suffers a piezoelectric shear mode deflection in such a direction that the volume of each ink channel 613 increases. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, when a voltage V is applied to the electrodes of the ink channel 613c, an electric field is generated in the actuator wall 603e in the direction indicated by arrows 627 and an electric field is generated in the actuator wall 603f in the direction indicated by arrows 629. Because the electric field directions 627, 629 are at right angles to the polarization direction 609, 611, the actuator walls 603d, 603e deform outward to increase the volume of the ink channel 613c by the piezoelectric shear effect, resulting in a decrease in the pressure in the ink chamber 613c, including near the nozzle 618c. The negative pressure is maintained for a duration of time T corresponding to a duration of time during which time pressure wave propagates one way of the ink channel 613. During the time duration T, ink is supplied from a manifold (not shown). At this time, the meniscus 24 retracts toward the interior of the ink channel 613c as shown in FIG. 3(b). The duration of time T is necessary for a pressure wave to propagate across the lengthwise direction of the ink channel.
The duration of time T is given by L/a wherein L is the length of the ink channel 613 and a is the speed of sound through the ink filling channel 613. Theories on pressure wave propagation teach that at the moment the duration of time L/a elapses after the rising edge of voltage, the pressure in the ink channel 613 inverts to a positive pressure. The voltage applied to the electrode 619c of the ink channel 613c is returned to 0 V in synchronization with the timing when the pressure in the ink channel 613 is inverted so that the actuator walls 603e, 603f revert to their initial shape shown in FIG. 1(a). The pressure generated when the actuator walls 603e, 603f return to their initial shape is added to the inverted positive pressure so that a relatively high pressure is generated in the ink channel 613c. This relatively high pressure ejects an ink droplet 26 from the nozzle 618c as shown in FIG. 3(c) through 3(g).
However, a portion of the relatively high pressure is consumed in pushing the meniscus 24 toward the aperture of the nozzle 618c to return the meniscus 24 to the shape shown in FIG. 3(a). This wasted portion of the pressure does not contribute to ejection of the ink droplet. The remaining pressure may be insufficient to eject a sufficiently large ink droplet, thereby resulting in poor print quality.
A co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/393,391 filed Feb. 23, 1995 by Qiming Zhang and assigned to the same assignee of the present application proposes increasing volume of the ink channel to generate pressure wave in the ink channel, and upon expiration of a predetermined period of time defined as approximately the time interval multiplied by an odd number equal to or greater than three, decreasing volume of the ink channel. By such a driving control, a part of the volume of ink in the ink channel can be expelled outwardly of the nozzle prior to ejecting the ink droplet and hence a relatively large volume of ink droplet can be ejected.
If no succeeding pulses are applied to the electrodes 619e, 619f of the ink channel 613c after ink ejection, the pressure in the ink channel 613c continues fluctuating for a while at a cycle of 2T. These are the residual pressure fluctuations. When the frequency of the voltage pulses is changed, the ink ejection speed changes due to the residual pressure variations, so that the ink droplet arrival point is shifted and thus print quality is degraded. At worst, the printing cannot be performed.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication (Kokai) No. SHO-62-299343 describes applying a cancel pulse subsequent to application of a print pulse for ejection of ink so that the residual pressure fluctuations in the ink chambers are decreased. After a predetermined duration of time elapses following ejection of ink, a cancel pulse is applied for generating a pressure wave with a phase that is exactly opposite to the phase of residual pressure fluctuations in the ink chamber. For example, as shown in FIG. 5(a), a cancel pulse D with a width 3T and a phase that is opposite to the phase of the ejection pulse is applied to the electrode 619 of the ink channel 613 after expiration of a time T following the falling edge of the ejection pulse C. The voltage level of the cancel pulse D is determined to just cancel out the residual pressure fluctuations depending on the amplitude of the fluctuations, e.g., 0.6 times as large as the amplitude of the ejection pulse. By application of the cancel pulse, the actuator wall 603 deforms in the direction opposite from the direction it deformed for ejecting ink. A pressure wave with phase that is opposite the phase of the residual pressure fluctuations is applied to cancel out the residual pressure fluctuations. Application of the cancel pulse eliminates the fluctuations of the ink ejection speed when the frequency of the voltage pulses is changed. As a result, an excellent print quality can be obtained.
The similar advantages can be obtained when a cancel pulse D with a width T and a phase that is opposite the phase of the ejection pulse is applied to the electrode 619 after expiration of time T following the falling edge of the ejection pulse C as shown in FIG. 5(b).
Next, a drive circuitry for cancelling residual pressure fluctuations will be described. The output signals X, Y, and Z shown in FIG. 7 are for applying voltages V, 0, and -0.6 V respectively to the electrode 619 in the ink channel 613. When the output signal X is at a high level, voltage pulses for ejecting ink are generated (pulses C shown in FIG. 5(a)). When the output signal Z is at a high level, a voltage pulse for causing cancellation of pressure fluctuations is generated (pulse D in FIG. 5(a)). In all other circumstances, the output signal Y is at a high level so that 0 voltage is output. Capacitors 91 are formed from the actuator wall 603 of the ink channel 613 and the electrodes 615, 619 formed to the both sides of the actuation wall 603.
The drive circuitry is formed from the three blocks surrounded by broken lines. Each block includes an injection charge circuit 82, a discharge circuit 84, and a cancellation pressure generation circuit 86. A high level input signal X renders the transistor Tc conductive so that a positive voltage V from the positive power source 87 is applied to the electrode E of the capacitor 91 via a resistor R12. A high level input signal Y renders the transistor Tg conductive so that electrode E of the capacitor 91 is grounded via the resistor R12. A high level input signal Z renders the transistor Ts conductive so that a negative voltage -0.6 V from a negative power source 88 is applied to the capacitor 91 via the resistor R12.
The residual pressure variations can also be canceled out by applying a cancel pulse E as shown in FIGS. 7(a) and 7(b). The cancel pulse E is in phase with the ejection pulse C and has a width T and a voltage level determined dependent on the amplitude of the residual pressure fluctuation (for example, 0.5 times as large as the voltage level of the ejection pulse). The cancel pulse E is applied after expiration of time 2T following the falling edge of the ejection pulse C. A driving circuitry for achieving such a cancellation does not require the negative power source 88 as shown in FIG. 6. However, in addition to the positive power source 87 for generating the voltage V, another positive power source for generating a voltage 0.5 V needs to be provided, and these two positive power sources are switched over so as to be selectively used.
According to the driving methods as described, the residual pressure fluctuations are canceled after the pressure wave generated by the application of the ejection pulse C, that is a positive voltage V, propagates one reciprocal way or one and a half of the reciprocal way through the ink channel 613. Therefore, either a cancel pulse D with a negative voltage or a cancel pulse with a positive voltage but differing in the voltage level needs to be applied. This requires a combination of a positive power source and a negative power source or a combination of two positive power sources supplying different voltage levels. The configuration of the driving circuitry is thus complicated and the manufacture thereof is costly.

Method for ejecting ink droplets from a nozzle in a fill-before-fire mode


A memory device may include a number of memory cells, a first interlayer dielectric formed over the memory cells and at least one metal layer formed over the interlayer dielectric. A dielectric layer may be formed over the metal layer. The dielectric layer may represent a cap layer formed at or near an upper surface of the memory device and may be deposited at a relatively low temperature.

The escalating demands for high density and performance associated with non-volatile memory devices, such as electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM) devices, require small design features, high reliability and increased manufacturing throughput. The reduction of design features, however, challenges the limitations of conventional methodology. For example, the reduction of design features makes it difficult for the memory device to meet its expected data retention requirement.
In addition, various backend processes that are used to complete the formation of a working memory device often create problems associated with the operation of the memory device. For example, backend of line (BEOL) conductive interconnects, such as copper interconnects, often suffer from poor reliability due to, for example, electromigration. These problems often result in poor overall performance for the memory device and, ultimately, may lead to device failure.

Non-volatile memory device with increased reliability


Airguns are provided. In one aspect, a shuttle having a breech bushing therein is moved between a cocking position where a projectile is loaded into a breach bushing channel and a firing position where the breech bushing channel is located between a port from which compressed air flows firing and a barrel opening into which the compressed air advances the projectile. The barrel has a barrel guide surface at the back barrel face, wherein the breech bushing has a shaped surface facing the barrel and wherein the breech bushing shaped surface and the barrel guide surface are configured to interact as the barrel is moved from the cocked position to the firing position to urge the breach insert to move within the shuttle passageway in a manner that reduces the extent of any misalignment between the breech bushing channel and the opening.

Conventional break barrel air guns provide a stock and receiver that are joined to a barrel by way of a hinge. The receiver houses a spring into which energy is stored, a trigger for releasing the stored energy of the spring to drive a piston into a compression tube having a transfer port that communicates pressure from the compression tube to a breech end of the barrel. In such air guns, the barrel is hingedly joined to the receiver. When the user wishes to use the break barrel airgun, the user rotates the barrel relative to the stock and receiver. This separates the breech end of the barrel from the transfer port allowing a pellet to be loaded therein. After loading the user rotates the barrel to a position where the breech end of the barrel is positioned proximate to the transfer port. The barrel is also connected to the spring in a manner that causes the energy to be stored in the spring as the break barrel is moved during the loading process.
While the acts of rotating the barrel to and from the loading position can be conducted rather quickly. The process of manually loading an individual pellet into the breech end of a barrel while holding an air rifle can be challenging and can extend the time between shots significantly.
What is needed is a break barrel airgun that can load pellets automatically during the cocking action.


The Weedless Fish Structure is a simple, waterproof, hardened acrylic structure that is submerged in water to provide camouflage and shade cover for game and feeder fish in areas where the body of water does not provide adequate cover. The weights within the main tube allow the apparatus to rest on the bottom with little buoyancy. A small air tube edges around the semi-circular bifurcated shade fin and provides buoyancy to the top fin so it remains upright. Two stakes are provided to secure the apparatus to the bottom when desired to prevent currents from moving the device. If the structure is turned over to where the long tube is above the shade fin, the weights will slide down into the shade fin tube and the air will rise into the long main tube, and then by attaching two floats, the structure becomes a surface apparatus. A photo image of underwater vegetation, sandwiched between the acrylic sides of the shade fin provides additional concealment for fish and a more natural appearance to attract fish to hide on either side of the shade fin in sunny or shaded conditions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a device to provide a shaded area for game fish. It is an accepted fact that game fish and feeder fish are both attracted to underwater structures for foraging and for cover. Structures can be natural to include growing underwater vegetation, parts of fallen trees, large rocks and man-made features such as docks and other sunken objects. In sunlight conditions, feeder fish will recognize and forage or hide on the shaded side of a structure to avoid detection and capture; predatory fish will also hide in shaded areas to lay in wait to capture a feeder fish or other food source. In theory then, any man-made structure that creates a favorable location that attracts game fish when foraging would provide an advantage to fishermen for enticing and catching fish when casting artificial lures or live bait on either side of the known structure. A fish structure will also attract fish when the sun is not out or in evening hours because it appears to provide cover and concealment. Furthermore, if the structure had a natural vegetation appearance to it provided by a photographic image of vegetation, the apparatus would have an enhanced function as a natural attractant any time it is in place in the water and visible to the fish.
By the observation of the inventors and by frequent demonstrations and mention on sport fishing television shows and print media, it is a recognized fact that fish are attracted to contrast differences in their surroundings. Many game fish routinely stake out hunting territory around underwater structure, especially by waiting in shaded areas during daylight hours. In some fishing spots, the bottom is relatively free of structure and so the fishing in those areas is often lacking because fish do not have a place to forage or hide. The purpose of this invention is to provide structure and cover, especially when the sun casts a shadow that covers a game fish if it swims up to the structure to sit in wait to capture feeder fish.
The structure is described as "Weedless" because this is a common usage term used by fishing enthusiasts to describe any type of apparatus or condition that reduces the likelihood that fishing hooks will snag onto objects that the hooks pass over or against when the lure or bait is being retrieved by the fisherman.
Typically when fishermen use exposed hooks and one or more hooks drag (come in contact) over an object, it will become snagged on the object, which interferes with the effective presentation of the lure or bait. Snags are a real annoyance for fishermen. The smooth, thin and flat surfaces and rounded edges of the fish structure will allow most fishing lures and hooks to pass over the structure rather than become snagged onto it. Hence, the Weedless attribute as a claim and innovative feature applies to these embodiments.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,916,845 to Aydelette discloses a bait container under horizontally oriented members to provide areas for fish to assemble.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,727,672 to Hill et al. discloses a ballasted and anchored structure that is constructed of a plurality of simulated fronds. It is inclusive of materials to bait the fish in the area by smell.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,269,582 to Feld discloses a fish lure in the shape of floating panels with simulated sea weed which may be anchored or towed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,315,779 to Fussel discloses an anchored assembly of horizontally oriented plates to provide shade and to thereby attract fish.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,235,774 to Burghoff discloses a tethered bait supply to attract fish.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,117,577 to Burghoff discloses a tethered bait supply with line guide to attract and catch fish.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,672,764 to Dempsey discloses a floating ring supporting an opaque sheet to provide shade for fish and to attract them thereto.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,810,229 to Allyn discloses a vertically oriented restraining sheet or net to prevent unwanted fish migration from one area to another.
3. Objectives of the Invention
This invention is to attract fish to a known area so that a fisherman may make his casts with some degree of confidence that fish will be in that area. It does this by providing shade in the water for the larger game fish, the predators, to hide with little effort to thereby reduce the currents, eddies and water born vibrations that betray their presence to game fish.


Methods for delivering a medical device loaded onto a catheter include positioning a first tube relative to a second concentric tube such that sheathing material having a first end affixed to the first tube and a second end affixed to the second tube forms an inner layer and an outer layer having at least one inversion point, such that no portion of the first tube is between any portion of the inner and outer layers of the sheathing material. Upon positioning the catheter at a desired target site the first tube can be moved relative to the second tube so that the inversion point moves to expose the medical device, thereby permitting expansion of the medical device at the target site.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus and method for loading a medical device onto a minimally invasive delivery system, such as a delivery catheter, and deploying the device in situ.
Description of the Related Art
Percutaneous aortic valve replacement (PAVR) technology is emerging that provides an extremely effective and safe alternative to therapies for aortic stenosis specifically, and aortic disease generally. Historically, aortic valve replacement necessitated surgery with its attendant risks and costs. The replacement of a deficient cardiac valve performed surgically requires first opening the thorax, placing the patient under extracorporeal circulation or peripheral aorto-venous heart assistance, temporarily stopping the heart, exposing and excising the deficient valve, and then implanting a prosthetic valve in its place. This procedure has the disadvantage of requiring prolonged patient hospitalization, as well as extensive and often painful recovery. Although safe and effective, surgical replacement presents advanced complexities and significant costs. For some patients, however, surgery is not an option for one or many possible reasons. As such, a large percentage of patients suffering from aortic disease go untreated.
To address the risks associated with open-heart implantation, devices and methods for replacing a cardiac valve by less invasive means have been developed. For example, CoreValve, Inc. of Irvine, Calif. has developed a prosthetic valve fixed to a collapsible and expandable support frame that can be loaded into a delivery catheter. Such a prosthesis may be deployed minimally invasively through the vasculature at significantly less patient risk and trauma. A description of the CoreValve bioprosthesis and various embodiments appears in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,018,406 and 7,329,278, and published Application Nos. 2004/0210304 and 2007/0043435. By using a minimally invasive replacement cardiac valve, patient recovery is greatly accelerated over surgical techniques. In the case of the CoreValve device, the support frame is made from shape memory material such as Nitinol. Other catheter-delivery valve replacement systems use stainless steel, or do not rely upon a rigid frame.
As demonstrated successfully to date, using a transcatheter procedure, percutaneous aortic valve replacement proceeds by delivering a prosthetic valve to the diseased valve site for deployment, either using a balloon to expand the valve support against the native lumen or exposing a self-expanding support in situ and allowing it to expand into place. With the latter, the self-expanding frame remains sheathed during delivery until the target site is reached. Advantageously, the frame may be secured to the catheter to avoid premature deployment as the sheath is withdrawn. In the CoreValve valve prosthesis, a hub is employed with two lateral buttons around each of which a frame zig may reside during delivery. The internal radial force of the sheath keeps the frame compressed against the catheter, including the frame zigs in place around the lateral buttons. The catheter generally comprises at least two tubes, an inner tube that carries the prosthesis and an outer tube that carries the sheath, permitting the sheath to move relative to the prosthesis.
As with traditional cardiovascular interventional therapies, transcatheter device deployment may proceed retrograde against normal blood flow, or antegrade, with blood flow. For aortic valve replacement, entry through the femoral arteries proceeds in a retrograde format through the iliac, descending aorta, over the arch and to the native annulus. In some cases, entry has been made closer to the arch; for example through the left subclavian artery. Antegrade procedures have been performed whether delivery takes place through the venous system transeptally to the native aortic annulus. More recently, transapical procedures have been performed whereby a cardiac surgeon delivers a catheter through the left ventricle apex to the target site.
With retrograde deployment, it is generally desired that the catheter be advanced within the vasculature so that the device is positioned where desired at the annulus site. With some embodiments under development, the desired site is the annulus itself. With the CoreValve device, the desired site extends from the annulus to the ascending aorta, given its relative length. In the transfemoral approach, when the CoreValve device is positioned at the desired site, the sheath is withdrawn to the point where the inflow end of the device (preferably positioned at the native annulus) expands to engage and push radially outwardly the native valve leaflets. The sheath continues to be withdrawn proximally as the prosthesis continues to expand as it is exposed until the sheath covers just the outflow portion of the prosthesis still secured to the hub ears. Any readjustment of the axial position of the device in situ can be made during this process based upon electronic visual feedback during the procedure. Once well positioned, the sheath is fully withdrawn, the device fully expands in place, and the catheter is withdrawn through the center of the device and out through the vasculature. While it would be possible to deploy the prosthetic device such that the sheath could be withdrawn distally so that the outflow end of the prosthesis deploys first, such an arrangement would require advancing distally the outer tube of the catheter connected to the sheath distally. In the case of transfemoral retrograde delivery, that would cause the outer tube to project well into the left ventricle, which is not desirable. In a antegrade approach, for example transapical delivery, the reverse situation exists. There it is more desirable to advance the sheath distally to expose the inflow end of the prosthesis at the native annulus first. The native anatomy can accommodate this distal deployment because the outer tube carrying the sheath is advanced up the ascending aorta towards the arch. Like the retrograde approach, once the valve prosthesis is fully deployed, the catheter may be withdrawn through the center of the prosthesis and removed through the apex of the heart.
With minimally invasive cardiac valve replacement, as may be appreciated, loading of a self-expanding valved frame into a sheath (or capsule) can be difficult because of the frictional forces that inhibit movement of the frame into and out of the sheath. The radial forces attendant in a self-expanding frame are pushing the frame against the inner wall of the sheath during the axial movement of the frame relative to the sheath. The friction translates into a greater axial force that must be applied to smoothly and reliably load and deploy the frame from within the distal sheath. Where precision is demanded, such friction requiring greater axial force to be applied makes accurate deployment more difficult. Accordingly, a need exists for a suitable system and method of loading and deploying a self-expanding valved frame using a delivery catheter that reduces the inhibiting nature of the frictional forces during loading and deployment.

Methods for deployment of medical devices


A method of manufacturing an electrode for a lithium secondary battery in which a thin film of active material is deposited on a current collector is provided that eliminates adverse effects on the battery caused by protrusions adhered on an electrode surface. The method of manufacturing an electrode for lithium secondary batteries includes depositing a thin film of active material on a current collector using thin-film deposition equipment as shown in FIG. 1, and performing a compression process after depositing the thin film, whereby the heights of protrusions formed on the electrode surface are reduced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing an electrode used for lithium secondary batteries.
2. Description of Related Art
Silicon is a material that can be alloyed with lithium. Because of its large theoretical capacity, silicon has received attention as an electrode material that achieves high energy density for lithium secondary batteries. Published PCT Application WO01/029912, which is assigned to the assignee of the present invention, proposes a lithium secondary battery electrode in which a thin film composed of silicon is formed on a current collector, as an electrode for a lithium secondary battery that exhibits high charge-discharge capacity and good charge-discharge cycle performance.
However, in the process of forming the thin film used for the electrode, it is difficult to form a flat and smooth surface, and protrusions form on the surface. When such an electrode is used to fabricate a battery, the protrusions formed on the electrode surfaces penetrate the separator and come into contact with the counter electrode, causing a short-circuit failure of the battery.
Examples of the method of forming the thin film include CVD, sputtering, evaporation, and thermal spraying. In the following, vacuum evaporation is discussed, in which the above-described problem tends to occur noticeably.
Electron beam evaporation, which is one type of the vacuum evaporation, uses an evaporation system as illustrated in FIG. 1. The evaporation system has a supporting roller 2, a crucible 4, an electron beam gun 5, and rollers 6 and 7, all of which are disposed in a thin-film deposition system 8. The supporting roller 2 supports a current collector 1 while conveying it around the outer circumferential surface. The crucible 4 supplies and melts an evaporation source material 3, which is an evaporation source. The electron beam gun 5 is for heating the evaporation source. The rollers 6 and 7 are for transferring the current collector in a direction A or a direction B. In this kind of evaporation system, as illustrated in FIG. 1, an electron beam C emitted from the electron beam gun 5 is applied to the evaporation source material 3 so that the evaporation source material 3 is heated. The heated evaporation source material 3 melts and evaporates, and the evaporated vapor condenses on the current collector 1. Thereby a thin film composed of the evaporation source material 3 is deposited on the current collector 1. By evaporating the evaporation source material 3 while transferring the current collector 1 at a constant velocity, a thin film with a uniform film thickness is deposited over the entire surface of the current collector 1.
When the electron beam is applied to the evaporation source material 3 and the evaporation source material 3 is heated to evaporate, so-called bumping of the evaporation source material 3 can take place because of the influence of gases and impurities that contaminate the interior of the evaporation source material 3, and the phenomenon of scattering particles, known as splash, may occur. These particles adhere onto the electrode surface, and result in formation of protrusions on the electrode surface.
Techniques for preventing the bumping of the evaporation source material have been proposed. Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application Nos. 5-171412 and 7-34224 describe a technique to control a fabrication method of the evaporation source material and a technique to control the shape and composition of the evaporation source material, both of which are intended for use in forming a silicon monoxide thin film. Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 2004-204314 describes a technique to control the procedure of heating the evaporation source material for use in forming a metal thin film. Nevertheless, it has been difficult to completely prevent the bumping of evaporation source material. In particular, in the case of depositing a silicon thin film, techniques to prepare the evaporation source material and to control the procedure of heating the evaporation source material for preventing the bumping have not yet been established and it has been difficult to prevent the bumping phenomenon over a long time period.

Method of manufacturing electrode for lithium secondary batteries


A method and apparatus for enlargement and resolution enhancement of images in the wavelet domain is described. In one embodiment, the method comprises receiving a wavelet representation of an image, where the wavelet representation comprises wavelet coefficients, and performing localized adaptive interpolation on the wavelet coefficients in the wavelet domain.

Resizing of digital images is often performed in digital imaging processing and becomes more important in networks environments that include devices with different dpi resolution. While aliasing and moiré artifacts are the main problems in image reduction, enlargement of images has to deal with the problem of how to introduce high frequency components in order to have the image, in particular edges, not appear too smooth or too blurred. A typical method for enlargement of images is the use of an interpolation filter. This filtering incorporates information from neighboring pixels in order to predict an interpolation value. Commonly used filters as, e.g., in a popular photo-image manipulation application, are bilinear or bicubic interpolation filters. With the use of those filters a perfect step edge cannot be interpolated to produce a perfect step edge at a higher resolution. The interpolated edge will always look a bit blurred.
A standard method for image interpolation is polynomial interpolation. Depending on the degree of the interpolating polynomial (e.g., linear, quadratic, cubic, etc.), the image looks more or less smooth. The most commonly used technique is referred to as cubic interpolation. An advantage of polynomial methods is their simplicity since they are based on global linear filtering techniques. A disadvantage is that it is not possible to perform an adaptive interpolation, thereby resulting in edges typically being oversmoothed. This is a significant disadvantage in enlargement of documents.
Other interpolation filters exist, such as Keys filters, that are relatives of polynomial interpolation filters, but have characteristics of unsharp masking filters, i.e. they enhance high frequency content by creating a overshoot-undershoot at edges and an overshoot-undershoot is also created for noise pixel and leads to increase the noise level in the image. Since all these filters operate globally on the entire image, adaptive interpolation is not possible. A trade-off exists between enhancement of edges and suppressing noise in background areas.
Non-linear interpolation methods exist that operate in the pixel domain and extract edge information from the image and use that information to perform an edge-directed interpolation. One method first computes an edge map of the low resolution image using the Laplacian-of-Gaussian. In a second step, a preprocessing of the low resolution image using the edge information is performed to avoid errors in an estimated high resolution edge map. The third step performs interpolation using the edge information. In smooth areas, a bilinear interpolation is performed. Near edges, interpolated values are replaced by values that keep the sharpness of the edges. At last, an iterative correction step is performed to further improve the interpolation. A typical number of iterations is 10. See Allebach, J., and Wong, P. W., "Edge-directed interpolation," Proceedings of ICIP'98, pp. 707–710, 1998.
In another method, local covariance characteristics in the low resolution image are estimated and those estimates are used to perform classical Wiener filtering interpolation. Since local covariances are part of the filter coefficients, a smoothing along edges, but not across edges, is performed. A disadvantage of this method is that isolated dots are not well-preserved after interpolation since they are treated as very short edges. See Li, X., and Orchard, M., "New edge directed interpolation," Proceedings of ICIP'2000, Vancouver, 2000.
Compared to the previous two methods, a very simple edge sensitive interpolation method is proposed in Carrato, S., Ramponi, G., and Marsi. S., "A simple edge-sensitive image interpolation filter," Proceedings of ICIP'96, pp. 711–714, 1996. This technique employs a nonlinear filter to determine the interpolating sample value. In detail, for a one-dimensional signal a local linear interpolation,xint=μkxk+(1−μk)xk+1  (1)is performed. If xint is close to 0, the interpolating value is similar to the sample to the right, whereas if xint is close to 1, the interpolating value is similar to the sample to the left. This placement depends on the smoothness of the low resolution signal in a neighborhood of the interpolating value and is computed via the nonlinearity
                              μ          k                =                                            k                                            (                                                      x                                          k                      +                      1                                                        -                                      x                                          k                      +                      2                                                                      )                                      -            1                                              k              (                                                                    (                                                                  x                                                  k                          -                          1                                                                    -                                              x                        k                                                              )                                    2                                +                                                      (                                                                  x                                                  k                          +                          1                                                                    -                                              x                                                  k                          +                          2                                                                                )                                    2                                            )                        +            2                                              (        2        )            where k is a parameter that controls the edge sensitivity. For k=0, linear interpolation is obtained, while positive values of k cause increased edge sensitivity. An advantage of this nonlinear technique is its simplicity—no iterations are necessary. A disadvantage of this technique is that the parameter k must be tuned and that isolated short edges do not get enlarged and look a bit "squeezed" in the interpolated image. Furthermore, the interpolation of a perfect step edge, e.g., xk−1=xk=1, xk+1=xk+2=0, is not a perfect step edge anymore: 1, 1, 1, 1/2, 0, 0, 0. A linear interpolation is performed.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a two-dimensional extension of one-dimensional nonlinear interpolation methods. The pixel locations containing "o" in FIG. 1 are representative of pixels of the low resolution image. An extension to two dimensions is performed by applying the one-dimensional method separately to rows and columns of the low resolution image Ilow, shown in matrix 101, with the results combined into Icomb, shown in matrix 102. The missing values are interpolated as averages of interpolation on rows and columns in the combined image Iint, shown in matrix 103.
Several techniques exist that explore multiresolution structures of images in the wavelet domain to extrapolate images. A general approach to edge preserving image interpolation with wavelets is to add an additional high frequency band to the wavelet decomposition of the low resolution image. Some prior art techniques determine the location of an edge by extrapolating extrema of wavelet coefficients across scales, or decomposition levels. This extrapolation typically requires a localization and a least-square fit of the extremes. A problem with those approaches is that the alignment of an edge is never sufficient. For extrapolating smoother images, it is less significant, but rather severe for extrapolation of text. One way to overcome this problem includes iterating on the extrapolation in order to better map the downsampled high resolution image to the original low resolution image. For more information, see Carey, W. K., Chuang, D. B., and Hemami, S. S., "Regularity-Preserving Image Interpolation," Trans. Image Processing, vol. 8, no. 9, pp. 1293–1297, 1999 and Chang, S. G., Cvetkovic, Z., and Vetterli, M., "Resolution enhancement of images using wavelet transform extrema extrapolation," Proceedings of ICASSP'95, pp. 2379–2382, 1995.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,717,789, entitled, "Image enhancement by non-linear extrapolation in frequency space,", issued February 1998, the Laplacian Pyramid is used to perform a modified unsharp masking on a smoothly interpolated image. In this case, it is difficult to align a perfect edge appropriately in the interpolated image.

Adaptive nonlinear image enlargement using wavelet transform coefficients


A complex signal in which one of two signals that are generated from one real signal and that have phases shifted from each other by 90° is a real part and the other signal is an imaginary part is applied as input to an input terminal. A filter unit generates an output signal that is a complex signal by means of a convolution operation of this input signal and filter coefficients that are real signals and supplies the result to an output terminal. A coefficient control unit composed of a common unit and separate units controls the envelope target value based on the input signal and updates the filter coefficients such that the value of the envelope derived from the output signal approaches the envelope target value.

FM modulated waves that are widely used in FM radio broadcasting and television broadcasting are signals in which a sine-wave carrier signal is subjected to phase modulation by a music signal. FM modulated waves have high resistance against noise and can transmit music signals having a wide band of 15 kHz with a low distortion factor. However, in multipath propagation paths that include, in addition to paths by which radio waves arrive directly, paths by which radio waves arrive with a delay due to reflection by obstructions such as buildings, the influence of strong reflected waves received together with direct waves disturbs the phase information required for demodulation, and distortion therefore occurs in the demodulated signal. This distortion that is produced as a result of multipath propagation paths is referred to as "multipath distortion." An equalizer for reducing multipath distortion by compensating for the characteristics of the multipath propagation paths is referred to as a "multipath equalizer" or a "multipath distortion canceller."
A multipath equalizer reduces the influence of multipaths in the received signal by passing the received signal through a filter having the inverse characteristics of the multipath propagation paths, i.e., an inverse filter. The characteristics of the multipath propagation paths change according to the environment, and the characteristics of the inverse filter must therefore be optimized according to conditions over time. As a result, adaptive digital filters are typically used for inverse filters.
An adaptive digital filter is a filter having a capability for automatically updating filter coefficients according to changes in the environment. An algorithm for calculating filter coefficients at each point in time is referred to as an "adaptive algorithm," an LMS (Least Mean Square) algorithm being a representative example. In a broad sense, an LMS algorithm is a method of minimizing the mean-square error based on a steepest-descent method and offers the advantages of stability and a small amount of operations. An adaptive algorithm known as a "complex LMS algorithm" is also known. A complex LMS algorithm is an expansion of the LMS algorithm for cases in which each of the input signal, output signal, target signal, and filter coefficients are complex amounts, and such an algorithm is used, for example, when the input is a narrow-band high-frequency signal and adaptation is realized by separating the in-phase component and quadrature component of the input signal.
A conventional equalizer that is realized through the use of an adaptive digital filter requires a reference signal (training signal) for adaptation, and this requirement tends to bring about a reduction of communication efficiency due to interruptions in communication and the effect of redundant reference signals. In contrast, an equalizer known as a "blind equalizer" that has been developed in recent years performs restorative equalization of signals based only on the received signals without requiring a reference signal for adaptation. Algorithms suitable for such blind equalization are referred to as "blind algorithms," a CMA (Constant Modulus Algorithm) being a representative example.
As disclosed in the document C. Richard Johnson, Jr., Philip Schniter, Thomas J. Endres, James D. Behm, Donald R. Brown, and Raúl A. Casas, "Blind Equalization Using the Constant Modulus Criterion: A Review" (Proceedings of IEEE, Vol. 86, No. 10, October 1998), CMA typically refers to an algorithm that takes as an index a statistic relating to the output signal such as the envelope of the filter output or a higher-order statistic and that updates filter coefficients such that this index approaches a target value. As disclosed in the document: J. R. Treichler and B. G. Agee, "A New Approach to Multipath Correction of Constant Modulus Signals" (IEEE Transactions on Acoustics, Speech, and Signal Processing, Vol. 31, No. 2, pp. 459-472, April 1983), when using a constant-amplitude modulated wave in which the amplitude of the modulated wave is fixed, as in FM modulation, the envelope of the filter output, i.e., the amplitude, is used as the index, and the filter coefficients are updated to minimize the error between a target value and the value of the envelope of the signal following passage through the filter. In this way, distortion of phase is corrected together with the correction of distortion of the envelope, and the influence of the reflected waves of multipath propagation paths is eliminated. Here, CMA is a different concept than an adaptive algorithm. In CMA, an adaptive algorithm such as the previously mentioned LMS algorithm is used as an adaptive algorithm for calculating filter coefficients at each time point. In order to control the value of the envelope of the output signal of a filter to a uniform value as described above, the value of the envelope must be extracted instantaneously, and complex signal processing is one representative method. In complex signal processing, a real signal f2 having phase that is delayed 90° (π/2) with respect to a particular real signal f1 is generated by, for example, a Hilbert transformer, whereby a complex signal (typically referred to as an "analytic signal") having f1 as a real part and f2 as an imaginary part is generated. Thus, the value of the envelope of this real signal can be found instantaneously by calculating the square sum of the real part and imaginary part of the complex signal. However, when the output signal of the filter is subjected to complex signal processing, delay caused by the complex signal processing in the coefficient updating loop gives rise to instability of the loop, and complex signal processing is therefore preferably carried out upon the input signal. In this case, the input signal becomes a complex signal, and an algorithm that can handle complex quantities such as a complex LMS algorithm is therefore used as the adaptive algorithm. This method is hereinbelow referred to as the "first technique of the related art."
FIG. 1 shows the configuration of an adaptive digital filter that uses the first technique of the related art. Input signal X(k) is a complex signal realized by a Hilbert transformer (not shown). Complex filter coefficient vector W(k) are convoluted with this complex signal as input to obtain output signal y(k), which is a complex signal. Complex filter coefficient vector W(k) are updated by an adaptive algorithm that has been expanded to handle complex signals such that the value of the envelope of output signal y(k) approaches a target value that has been prescribed in advance. The algorithm of this adaptive digital filter is represented as shown below:W(k+1)=W(k)−μ(|y(k)|p−yref0)qy(k)XH(k)  (1)y(k)=WT(k)X(k)  (2)W(k)=[w0(k),w1(k), . . . , wN-1(k)]T  (3)X(k)=[x(k),x(k−1), . . . , x(k−N+1)]T  (4)where W(k) represents a filter coefficient vector, X(k) represents a complex signal vector, k represents a sample index, N represents the number of filter taps, y(k) represents the output signal, yref0 represents the envelope target value, and μ represents a parameter for determining the amount of update of the filter coefficients. In addition, H represents a complex conjugate transposition, and T represents a transposition. The values p and q are constants for determining an evaluation function of error with respect to the envelope target value, and for example, may be p=1 and q=1.
In the first technique of the related art, two signals having phases shifted 90° (π/2) with respect to each other are generated by applying complex signal processing. However, as can be seen from the patent document JP-A-2005-064618 and the document "Hardware Implementation of FM Multipath Distortion Canceller" by Itami Makoto, Hatori Mitsutoshi, and Tsukamoto Norio (National Convention Record of the Institute of Television Engineers of Japan, pp. 355-356, 1986), if sampling is carried out at a frequency of (4/odd number) times the carrier frequency when sampling the input signal, the phases of adjacent sample points will be shifted 90°. By taking this approach, an adaptive algorithm for handling real numbers can be used as is, and the square sum of adjacent sample points can be calculated when seeking the value of the envelope of the output. This method is hereinbelow referred to as the "second technique of the related art."
FIG. 2 shows the configuration of an adaptive digital filter that uses the second technique of the related art. Input signal Xr(k) is a real signal, and real-signal filter coefficient vector Wr(k) are convoluted with this real signal as input to obtain output signal yr(k) that is a real signal. Filter coefficient vector Wr(k) are updated by an adaptive algorithm that handles real coefficients such that the envelope of output signal yr(k) approaches a target value that has been prescribed in advance. The algorithm of this adaptive digital filter is represented as shown below:Wr(k+1)=Wr(k)=μ(Env[yr(k)]−yref0)yr(k)Xr(k)  (5)yr(k)=WrT(k)Xr(k)  (6)Env[yr(k)]=(yr2(k−1)+yr2(k))1/2  (7)Wr(k)=Re[W(k)]  (8)Xr(k)=Re[X(k)]  (9)where Wr(k) represents a real coefficient vector, Xr(k) represents a real signal vector, Env[ ] represents an operation for obtaining an approximate value of the envelope, Re[ ] represents an operation for extracting the real part of the complex number, and yr(k) represents a real-number output signal. The envelope target value yref0 is basically a constant, but in JP-A-2005-064618, the envelope target value is variably set according to the amplitude of the input signal of the adaptive digital filter to eliminate the influence of Doppler fading contained in a received wave and thus stabilize the adaptive process. More specifically, the input amplitude signal is found by calculating the square sum of adjacent sample points in the input signal, and a signal obtained by passing this input amplitude signal through an LPF (Low-Pass Filter) is then taken as the envelope target value.
The problem of the above-described adaptive digital filter of the related art is the requirement for a large amount of operations and large-scale hardware. The reasons for these problems are as described below.
A first reason is the extremely broad range of fluctuation of filter coefficients. For example, when the envelope target value is "1" and the input signal amplitude is "1," the filter coefficient have a value on the order of "1," but when the input signal amplitude is "0.01," the filter coefficient have a value on the order of "100." In order to accurately express filter coefficients having this broad range of fluctuation without causing overflow, highly accurate operations are required in filter coefficients operation in which filter coefficients are represented by floating points or, in the case of a fixed point, in which the number of bits is increased. However, high-accuracy operations entail a large amount of operation and increase the scale of hardware.
A second reason is the complex signal processing. In other words, in the adaptive digital filter shown in FIG. 1, almost all signal processing for input signal X(k), filter coefficient vector W(k), and output signal y(k) is carried out by complex numbers. One multiplication between complex numbers is equivalent to four multiplications and two additions of real numbers. In a multipath equalizer for an FM receiver, the convolution operations and coefficients updating operations of a filter having a large number of taps must be carried out for each short sampling cycle, and the amount of operations is therefore voluminous. In the adaptive digital filter shown in FIG. 2, the calculation accuracy of the envelope will be high, performance equivalent to the adaptive digital filter shown in FIG. 1 will be obtained, and the amount of operations can be cut to approximately 25% if the sampling frequency is a precise multiple of (4/odd number) as seen from the center frequency of an intermediate frequency signal. However, severe limitations are placed on the sampling frequency, and this raises the different problem of preventing freedom of design for any sampling frequency. When the sampling frequency diverges from a multiple of (4/odd number) of the center frequency of the intermediate frequency signal, the calculation accuracy of the envelope drops and the performance of the multipath equalizing itself deteriorates.

Adaptive digital filter, signal processing method, FM receiver, and program


State-of-the-art electronic structure calculations provide the likelihood of the availability of YLi3N2, ZrLi3N2, NbLi3N2, MoLi3N2, TcLi3N2, RuLi3N2, RhLi3N2, GeLi3N2, InLi3N2, and SnLi3N2 as compounds for reaction with hydrogen under suitable conditions. Such calculations also provide the likelihood of the availability of YLi3N2Hn, ZrLi3N2Hn, NbLi3N2Hn, MoLi3N2Hn, TcLi3N2Hn, RuLi3N2Hn, RhLi3N2Hn, PdLi3N2Hn, AgLi3N2Hn, CdLi3N2Hn, AlLi3N2Hn, GaLi3N2Hn, GeLi3N2Hn, InLi3N2Hn, SnLi3N2Hn, and SbLi3N2H, (here n is an integer having a value of 1-6) as solid hydrides for the storage of hydrogen. These materials offer utility for hydrogen storage systems.

Considerable development effort is currently being expended on the development of hydrogen and oxygen consuming fuel cells, and there is also interest in hydrogen burning engines. Such power systems require means for storage of hydrogen fuel which hold hydrogen in a safe form at ambient conditions and which are capable of quickly receiving and releasing hydrogen. In the case of automotive vehicles, fuel storage is required to be on-board the vehicle, and storage of hydrogen gas at high pressure is generally not acceptable for such applications.
These requirements have led to the study and development of solid-state compounds for temporary storage of hydrogen, often as hydrides. For example, sodium alanate, NaAlH4, can be heated to release hydrogen gas, and a mixture of lithium amide, LiNH2, and lithium hydride, LiH, can be heated and reacted with the same effect. Despite such progress, however, no known solid-state system currently satisfies targets for on-board vehicular hydrogen storage.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/386,409, titled "XLi3N2 Compounds and Their Hydrides as Hydrogen Storage Materials," by the inventor of this invention and assigned to the assignee of this invention, describes and claims a family of new compounds, XLi3N2, which form hydrides, XLi3N2Hn, where X is a 3d transition metal. This invention extends that family to certain additional XLi3N2 and XLi3N2Hn compounds for hydrogen storage.


The invention relates to an image sequence coding method in which images are segmented and coded with respect to their contours and textures. The texture coding step is carried out by means of a new technique relying on a wavelet decomposition of the images, called quincunx bidimensional wavelet transform and adapted to a region-based coding scheme, for applications allowing to reach very low bit rates while keeping a good image quality.

The present invention relates to a method of coding images of an image sequence comprising for each image the following steps:
(A) segmentation of said image into homogeneous regions; PA1 (B) coding of the contours of said regions; PA1 (C) coding of the textures of said regions. It also relates to a corresponding decoding method, and to systems for implementing said coding and decoding methods. PA1 segmentation means for defining in each successive image homogeneous regions; PA1 contour and texture coding means for respectively coding the contours and the textures of the regions of each successive image; wherein said texture coding means comprise, for a decomposition of each segmented image according to several successive levels, a processor carrying out in an iterative manner the following operations: PA1 (A) decoding of the coded signals corresponding to the contours of the regions; PA1 (B) decoding of the coded signals corresponding to the textures of the regions; PA1 (C) reconstruction of images corresponding to the images of the original sequence; PA1 decoding means for decoding the coded signals corresponding to the contours of the regions; PA1 decoding means for decoding the coded signals corresponding to the textures of the regions; PA1 reconstruction means for the restitution of images corresponding to the original ones;
This invention finds applications in the field of very low bitrate video coding and is particularly attractive in relation to the emerging coding standard MPEG4 supporting new ways for communication, access and manipulation of digital audio-visual data.
Relatively few techniques are available to handle region-based texture coding. Polynomial approximation onto orthogonal basis allows to approximate a grey-level or color function within regions, but only the low frequencies are retrieved. In order to get the high frequencies, techniques dedicated to block-based schemes have been adapted to the case of regions and give good results, but annoying blocky effects appear at very low bitrates.
Since some fifteen years, a new mathematical tool has been proposed for the analysis and the synthesis of signals, especially when such signals correspond to sounds or images. This tool, called "wavelet transform" and described for instance in the magazine "Pour la Science", September 1987, pp. 28-37, "L'analyse par ondelettes", by Y. Meyer, S. Jaffard and O. Rioul, allows to represent any arbitrary signal as a superposition of wavelets. The wavelets are functions generated from a single one by dilations and translations and allow to decompose the concerned signal into different levels (each of which is further decomposed with a resolution adapted to this level).
This important mathematical tool has found applications in several technical fields, and particularly in image compression. The communication "Image coding using wavelet transform", IEEE Transactions on Image Processing, vol. 1, n.degree.2, April 1992, pp. 205-220, describes such applications. As will be however shown, images are not processed in an isotropic way.

Region-based texture coding and decoding method and corresponding systems


An ostomy coupling device comprises a faceplate for placing over the stoma including a neck having outwardly facing threads, and a generally cylindrically shaped screw coupling having threads on the inner surface thereof. The narrow portion of an ostomy pouch is placed over the neck, and the screw coupling is thereafter rotated onto the neck, whereby the aperture collar of the pouch is conformed to the space between the matching threads of the screw coupling and faceplate, thereby providing a seal between the pouch and the stomal aperture.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to couplings for ostomy devices, and more particularly, to a helical screw type coupling for securing an ostomy pouch to an ostomy device base plate.
2. Summary of the Invention
Ostomy pouches are used to collect body wastes from patients having a stoma resulting from an ileostomy, colostomy, or similar surgical procedure. Generally, drainage or discharge from the digestive system is routed outside the body by extending the remaining distal portion of the large or small intestine through the abdominal wall, and collecting the drainage or discharge in an ostomy pouch which is secured to the patient's body via a coupling mechanism.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,339,546 discloses a coupling mechanism whereby an ostomy pouch is secured to the patient by attaching it to an adhesive backed label through which a central opening can be made to receive the stoma.
Generally, an ostomy coupling system involves at least two coupling rings. The first ring or faceplate is bonded to a dressing, which contacts the body in the area surrounding the stoma, and is held in place by an adhesive and a belt encircling the trunk of the patient. The second ring, which is adapted to securely connect in some fashion to the first ring, has bonded thereto one wall of an ostomy pouch having therein a hole to align with and fit around the stomal opening. Such devices are disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,710,182; 4,610,676; 4,460,363 and 3,970,085. Generally, these coupling rings of the prior art are coupled together by applying a significant force to press the rings together, thereby causing pain in the sensitive region around the stoma.
While the hereinabove described coupling systems have been found useful, it would be desirable to improve the method of attaching an ostomy pouch to the body, by simplifying the coupling element so as to make it easier to affix the pouch to the faceplate around the stomal opening. Additionally, it would be advantageous to manufacture a coupling device using simple molding equipment. Moreover, an improved ostomy device should employ a pouch which is not required to be bonded to one of the coupling members, and which could be easily produced for example by thermoplastic sheet extrusion and heat sealing techniques. The bonding of the pouch to one of the coupling members adds considerable cost to the use of the device. The ability to conveniently mount a simple and inexpensive pouch on a reusable coupling would result in considerable savings.

Ostomy pouch coupling having continuous helical threads


A technique for remotely configuring a computing device via a network. A device configuration system is provided to determine a network address of the computing device, to identify the computing device, and to facilitate network configuration of the computing device. The device configuration system also may include a remote interface and a remote device information system.

This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art, which may be related to various aspects of the present invention, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
Computers, servers, and various other computing devices are typically configured locally by interacting with the computing device, inputting configuration parameters, and utilizing local hardware, software, and computing resources. The computing device may include a variety of circuitry, memory devices, processors, power sources, and other electronics for a particular application. In some computing devices, input/output devices are provided to facilitate user interaction. However, many computing devices are not configured for direct or local user interaction. For example, various network appliances, servers, and computing devices are "headless" devices, which means that the device lacks a display and input devices.
Although the computing device may not have input/output devices for user interaction, the computing device may still require initial setup and subsequent configuration when the computing device is coupled to a network, utilized for a particular application, or otherwise allocated such that software, hardware and operational parameters require setup or re-configuration. In particular, network devices often lack a display, a keyboard, and a pointing device. Servers, routers, and other computing devices are typically disposed in a network to manage and direct network traffic, to facilitate data transfer, and to enhance the operability of the network. For example, a network may include a cache server, an application server, a print server, a file server, a proxy server, a secure/firewall server, a staging server, a dedicated server, a web server, a domain name system ("DNS") server, a dynamic host configuration protocol ("DHCP") server, a network attached storage ("NAS") server, a virtual private network ("VPN") server, and various other servers, appliances, and computing devices. Each of these computing devices requires configuration to operate on the network, which may include a local area network ("LAN") or a plurality of LANs forming a wide area network ("WAN") such as the Internet. However, the lack of standard input/output devices complicates the configuration process.
Various manual procedures may be employed to configure these computing devices during initial setup and subsequent reconfiguration. For example, a device having a keypad and liquid crystal display ("LCD") may be coupled to the computing device temporarily to facilitate a manual setup of software, hardware, and operational parameters (e.g., network parameters). A console having a keyboard and a monitor also may be used to interact temporarily with the computing device. Alternatively, a self-executing program may be disposed on a storage media (e.g., a floppy disk or a compact disk) and inserted manually into a disk drive of the computing device to configure at least a portion of the computing device. For example, the self-executing program may install desired network parameters (e.g., an IP address, a subnet address, and a gateway address) for the computing device to facilitate network operability of the computing device. However, the network parameters may be unknown and the computing device may not have a disk drive. Accordingly, the configuration process requires a cable connection to an interactive computing device having input/output devices to facilitate setup. Normally, such a cable connection facilitates interaction with the computing device via a line-by-line programming language, such as LINUX.
The cable connection is typically a temporary cable connection, because the identity of the computing device would be unknown on a network. In a network, a dynamic host configuration protocol ("DHCP") server may be provided to assign a dynamic IP address to a device requesting an IP address, yet the identity of the device obtaining the dynamic IP address is unknown. With dynamic addressing, a device can have a different IP address every time it connects to the network. In some systems, the device's IP address can even change while it is still connected. DHCP also supports a mix of static and dynamic IP addresses. Although the IP addresses assigned by the DHCP server may be determinable, the actual devices corresponding to those IP addresses are not determinable by conventional techniques.
A typical solution is to enter a static IP address manually, rather than utilizing a dynamically assigned IP address. By manually entering the static IP address, the computing device can be identified and configured via the network. However, a static IP address may be undesirable, and manual configuration in this manner requires time and a level of skill beyond a typical consumer. The consumer would need to configure both the network server and the computing device according to the static IP address.
Another solution is to employ a reverse address resolution protocol ("RARP") communication to determine the IP address of the computing device. Each of the computing devices on a network have a unique hardware address, or medium access control ("MAC") address, which is assigned by the manufacturer of the network interface card ("NIC"). The MAC address typically includes a hardware identification number and a manufacturer/source identification number. The RARP process reads the local MAC address of the NIC and transmits a RARP communication onto the network requesting a RARP reply with the computing device's IP address. A RARP server then returns a RARP reply with the desired IP address. While the RARP process facilitates determination of the computing device's IP address, the RARP process is system dependent and it utilizes a command line interface. Accordingly, RARP is not uniformly applicable, and it may require a significant about time and a level of skill beyond the typical consumer.
A considerable amount of user input and manual interaction is also required to configure hardware, software, and other operational parameters for conventional computer systems, such as desktop and laptop computers. A conventional computer system may include a motherboard, a processor, RAM, a hard drive, a disk drive, a modem, a network card, a video card, an audio card, a power supply, and various other electronics and computing resources. Conventional computer systems also may include various peripheral devices, such as a display, a keyboard, a mouse, and various other input/output devices for interacting with the computing resources of the computer system. The operating system, device drivers, and specific software applications are typically loaded directly onto the computer system via a floppy disk, a compact disk, or other storage media. The user configures the computer system by selecting desired features, entering appropriate parameters, and manually progressing through the software as user input is required.
In all categories of computing devices, service and maintenance are generally provided via e-mail, telephone, brochures and other informational books, and electronic pages viewable on the Internet. The user must seek information or assistance and then manually configure the computing device based on the information obtained for the particular issue or problem. Unfortunately, the typical consumer is relatively unskilled and unknowledgeable in areas of hardware, software, networks, and other operational configurations of computing devices.

System and method for remote discovery and configuration of a network device

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.