A roll straightening machine for straightening an elongated string member includes at least one first straightening roll rotatably mounted around a first rotation axis, and at least one second straightening roll rotatably mounted around a second rotation axis. The first and second rotation axis and rolls are oblique with respect to a longitudinal axis of an elongated string member to be received in the roll straightening machine, and also oblique with respect to one another. In order to provide a roll straightening machine that can be set up flexibly for different requirement profiles, the first rotation axis is mounted on a first holding device and the second rotation axis is mounted on a second holding device. The first and the second holding devices are supported by a frame in a removable manner, which is arranged to receive a variable number of holding devices having the straightening rolls.

Elongated string members made of steel, in particular tubes made of stainless steel, are frequently subjected, after cold forming, to a heat treatment, for example, by annealing. In the process, a deformation of the tube with regard to its straightness occurs.
However, modern uses of stainless steel tubes are associated with very stringent requirements in terms of the straightness of the tubes. Thus, it is not rare that a tube must not present a deviation of more than 0.2 mm from straightness over one meter reference length. A ruler having a length of one meter when placed against the tube outer surface must at no site be more than a distance of 0.2 mm away from the tube outer surface.
For restoring the required straightness of the tubes after a heat treatment, straightening machines are therefore used in order to straighten the tubes. The most important machine groups for straightening tubes are so-called continuously operating inclined roll straightening machines. In the process, the tube is run between and in engagement with at least two rolls the rotation axis of which are oblique with respect to the tube and relative to one another.
However, depending on the tube to be straightened, a different number of straightening rolls or a different number of pairs of straightening rolls is required.
Therefore, manufacturers of tubes to date have always kept available a plurality of roll straightening machines in order to be able to cover the different application cases for different tubes.

Roll straightening machine and method for producing an elongated string member

Sandvik Materials Technology Deutschland GmbH


This disclosure relates to media capture during generation of a message. A media capture component can receive user input to initiate capture of media information during generation of the message. The media capture component can identify hardware available for capturing the media information, and acquire the media information using the identified hardware. An integration component can integrate the captured media information with the message, and a transmission component can transmit the message and integrated captured media information.

Electronic communication enables people to communicate in a variety of manners. Beyond mere communication, individuals can share media content such as pictures, videos, and audio recordings via electronic communication. In addition, the rapid growth of mobile devices, such as, cell phones, smart phones, laptops, and tablets allows for communication and sharing from virtually anywhere in the world.
Sharing media content can personalize, and increase the value of, electronic communications. However, in order to share content, typically a user must generate and save the content prior to generating a message. For example, conventionally, a user must record him/herself on a video camera. The video is stored on the camera's storage device in one of a variety of video formats. When the user wants to share the video, he/she must transfer the video from the camera's storage device onto a device with hardware and software capable of sharing the video in the desired fashion, if the video is not already located on such a device. The user then must attach the video to an email, or upload the video to a video hosting site and send a link to that video. This can require searching for files on relatively small devices, or waiting through lengthy upload processes. Uploading files can be particularly time consuming when using a mobile device or wireless connection, because of the varying nature of wireless connectivity. Additionally, a recipient of the video, e.g., a user who receives the email attachment, may not want to download the attachment (e.g., because of the time required or concern about viruses). Moreover, even if the recipient downloads the attachment, the recipient's device may not have proper software to view the video.
In addition, electronic communication often requires tremendous amounts of typing, and the ubiquitous nature of mobile devices has lead to typing, and viewing messages and files, using devices that are constantly decreasing in size. For individuals that are not skilled typist, electronic communication can be inconvenient, inaccurate, and/or time consuming. Furthermore, typing messages limits users' ability to generate or transmit a message in certain situations, e.g., while driving.


A storage system having disk drives, a first and a second cache memory for temporarily storing data sent from a host system so as to be written in the disk drives and a duplicate of the data, a first FIFO buffer for temporality storing the duplicate data in order to transfer the duplicate data from the first cache memory to the second cache memory, and a second FIFO buffer for temporality storing the duplicate data in order to transfer the duplicate data from the second cache memory to the first cache memory. In the case where the data sent from the host system so as to be written in the disk drives are temporarily stored in the first cache memory and the duplicate of the data is stored in the second cache memory, completions of the data writing are reported to the host system at the time point when the data and the duplicate data are stored in the fist cache memory and the second cache memory. After the report of completions of data writing to the host system, the duplicate data stored in the FIFO buffer are stored in the cache memory.

The present invention relates to a storage system having a plurality of storage devices such as disk drives and, particularly, to a control technique for speeding up writing data sent from a host system such as a computer.
In a typical storage system having a plurality of storage devices, high speed data reading and data writing have heretofore been achieved by temporarily storing data sent and received between a host system and the storage devices in a cache memory such as a semiconductor memory. For example, in the case of writing data sent from the host system, the storage system temporarily stores the data in the cache memory and, at this time point, informs the host system about a completion of the data writing. After that, the storage system actually writes the data stored in the cache memory in the storage devices independently of operation of the host system.
In the case where a speed of sending and receiving data in the storage system is increased by the use of the cache memory as described above, the storage system informs the host system about the completion of data writing when the data is temporarily written in the cache memory though the data has not been written in the storage devices. Therefore, if the data in the cache memory are lost before the data are written in the storage devices due to a failure in the cache memory or the like, it is unable to recover the data. In view of this problem, JP-A-2001-318766 and JP-A-9-146842 disclose a technique of duplicating a cache memory (or a control unit including the cache memory) of a storage system and writing data in both of the cache memories for the purposes of reducing probability of the data loss and improving reliability of the storage system.
Also, a technique of preventing the data loss by the use of a nonvolatile cache memory or a more redundant nonvolatile cache memory is disclosed on pages 88 to 89 in IBM Total Storage Enterprise Storage Server Model 800 (IBM Redbooks, SG24-6424-01, Second Edition (October 2002), IBM Corp., ISBN 0738428256).

Storage system and a method of speeding up writing data into the storage system


Structures including an optical component and methods of forming a structure including an optical component. The structure includes an optical component on a substrate, and a back-end-of-line stack including multiple metal levels. Each of the metal levels includes a dielectric layer and metal features positioned over the optical component as metal fill in the dielectric layer. The metal features in at least two of the metal levels are arranged to overlap such that the optical component is fully covered normal to the substrate.

The present invention relates to photonics chips and, more specifically, to structures including an optical component and methods of forming a structure including an optical component.
Photonics chips are used in many applications and systems including, but not limited to, data communication systems and data computation systems. A photonics chip integrates on-chip optical components, such as waveguides, photodetectors, modulators, and optical power splitters, and on-chip electronic components, such as field-effect transistors, into a unified platform. Among other factors, layout area, cost, and operational overhead may be reduced by the integration of both types of components on the same chip.
A photonics chip may include a multilayer stack formed by back-end-of-line processing over the optical components and electronic components. The multilayer stack has interlayer dielectric layers that are arranged in different levels, and metal lines that are placed in the interlayer dielectric layers. The interlayer dielectric layers provide electrical isolation, and the metal lines may be vertically interconnected by vias.
After fabrication, a photonics chip may be exposed to ambient light, such as white light. The back-end-of-line stack does not prevent the ambient light from reaching the optical components. Optical components constructed from a dielectric material, such as silicon nitride, may exhibit a sensitivity to ambient light exposure. More specifically, light-induced degradation of the dielectric material due to ambient light exposure may adversely affect performance. For example, the propagation loss in a silicon nitride waveguide may be enhanced by degradation due to a history of prior ambient light exposure.
Improved structures including an optical component and methods of forming a structure including an optical component are needed.

Photonics chips with ambient light shadowing of optical components


A flash memory formed by a process wherein at least two parallel stacked gate strips are formed on a silicon substrate such that the stacked gate strips are separated by field oxide islands. Asymmetrical first and second junctions are formed in each of a set of source/drain regions and a chemical etch is applied to form the field oxide islands into oxide spacers that align a dual-function control line to the first and second junctions. The resulting flash memory includes a plurality of stacked gate islands, one or more source/drain regions between at least a subset of the plurality of stacked gate islands, first junctions in each of the source/drain regions, second junctions in each of the source/drain regions and dual function control lines in the source/drain regions.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention pertains to the field of non-volatile memories. More particularly, this invention relates to a non-volatile memory array that includes self-aligned dual function bit lines and asymmetrical source and drain junctions.
2. Description of the Related Art
Prior non-volatile memories typically include an array of memory cells which are accessible via a matrix of control lines. Such control lines typically include dedicated bit lines that couple to the drain regions of the memory cells. In addition, such control lines usually include word lines that couple to the control gates of the memory cells and dedicated V.sub.SS lines that couple to the source regions of the memory cells.
Such dedicated bit lines are typically formed from a metal such as aluminum. Such word lines are commonly formed of a polysilicon material or polycide material that includes a refractory metal. Such prior memory arrays typically include drain contact areas that provide electrical coupling between the drain regions of the memory cells and the dedicated bit lines.
Such drain contact areas are usually defined by the photo lithographic printing equipment employed in the particular memory device manufacturing process. Typically, such printing equipment is characterized by a minimum feature size for forming areas on the memory array including the drain contact areas. As a consequence, each drain contact area consumes a fixed minimum area of integrated circuit die space according to the minimum feature size inherent with the particular printing equipment.
Unfortunately, the integrated circuit die space consumed by such drain contact features limits the density of a memory array for a given area of integrated circuit die space. Such density limitations commonly require that high capacity memory arrays be implemented on larger silicon substrates. Such larger silicon substrates usually increases the overall cost of such memory devices.
One prior method for eliminating such drain contact features in a non-volatile memory array is to employ an array architecture that may be referred to as a virtual ground architecture. Such a virtual ground array includes dual-function control lines that function as both bit lines and V.sub.SS lines. Such a virtual ground array usually obviates the need for forming drain contact features for dedicated bit lines.
The dual function control lines in prior virtual ground memory arrays are typically formed by masking, dopant implant, and thermal diffusion process steps. Such a process that employs masking and thermal diffusion process steps usually causes migration of the implanted dopant into areas outside of the control line areas defined by the mask. Such dopant migration typically requires increased spacing of control lines in order to provide electrical isolation of the control lines from other areas of the memory array. Unfortunately, such increased spacing of control lines usually reduces the density of memory cells formed by such a process.

Process for fabricating a flash memory with dual function control lines


A method for distributing execution of a computer program to a plurality of hardware architectures of different types including: analyzing the computer program to identify a plurality of execution boundaries; selecting one or more execution boundaries from the plurality of execution boundaries; linking the computer program to the selected one or more execution boundaries; executing the computer program with linked execution boundaries; saving a hardware agnostic state of the execution of the computer program, when the execution encounters a boundary from the selected one or more execution boundaries; and transmitting the hardware agnostic state to a remote hardware architecture to be executed on the remote hardware architecture, responsive to the hardware agnostic state.

Due to computationally intensive applications, the need for high-performance computing/processing systems that interact with other computing/processing environments, for example, audio/video systems, control systems, networked applications, image processing, and the like, is ever increasing.
In general, a heterogeneous computing systems refers to a system that uses several different types of computational devices/modules. A computational device could be a general-purpose processor, a special-purpose processor, for example, a digital signal processor or graphics processing unit, a co-processor, or a custom application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or field-programmable gate array (FPGA), all of which include processors with different instruction set architectures. Conventionally, programming heterogeneous machines is complicated and time consuming since developing applications that make best use of characteristics of different processors increases the programmer's burden. Conventional methods that require hardware specific code to be included throughout the application code increases the complexity and decreases the portability of software on heterogeneous architectures.
Modern computing systems have many different types of processors, in terms of both power and architecture. In most cases, those processors are not used to their full potential. One of the issues that limits this under-utilization, is that there is no easy way to send portions of an application to be processed on a remote processor while allowing access to the local system resources.
Historically this problem has been solved by packaging isolated sections of data that require processing, and shipping off that data for remote processing. However, this conventional method only works for applications that contain data and processing that are capable of being isolated and do not need to interact with other system resources. An exemplary framework that does this is Hadoop™, which utilizes the Hadoop Distributed File System (HDFS) to distribute data to its compute nodes, and then schedules processing with a JobTracker.

Distributed application execution in a heterogeneous processing system


Embodiments of the invention provide embodiments of the invention provide and method, network entity and user equipment for slow uplink power control of user equipment in a wireless communication system by responding to a long term control metric that is derived from an uplink channel metric over a plurality of transmission instances and a set of performance criteria. A method for slow uplink power control in accordance with and embodiment of the invention measures at least one uplink channel metric for user equipment and then determines an appropriate transmit power for the user equipment by using a control metric derived from the uplink channel metric corresponding to a plurality of transmission instances for the user equipment.

The invention relates generally to communication systems. More particularly, embodiments of the invention relate to controlling radio resources in a communication system.
High Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA) is a packet-based data service of Universal Mobile Telecommunication Services (UMTS) with typical data transmission capacity of a few megabits per second, thus enabling the use of symmetric high-speed data services, such as video conferencing, between user equipment and a network infrastructure.
An uplink data transfer mechanism in the HSUPA is provided by physical HSUPA channels, such as an Enhanced Dedicated Physical Data Channel (E-DPDCH), implemented on top of Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) uplink physical data channels such as a Dedicated Physical Control Channel (DPCCH) and a Dedicated Physical Data Channel (DPDCH), thus sharing radio resources, such as power resources, with the WCDMA uplink physical data channels. The sharing of the radio resources results in inflexibility in radio resource allocation to the physical HSUPA channels and the WCDMA physical data channels. In CDMA, which is a non-orthogonal multiple access scheme, the signals from different users within the same cell interfere with one another. This type of interference is known as the intra-cell interference. In addition, the base station also receives the interference from the users transmitting in neighboring cells. This is known as the inter-cell interference.
Uplink power control is typically intended to control the received signal power from the active user equipments (UEs) to the base as well as the rise-over-thermal (RoT), which is a measure of the total interference (intra- and inter-cell) relative to the thermal noise. In systems such as HSUPA, fast power control is required due to the fast fluctuation in multi-user (intra-cell) interference. This fast fluctuation will otherwise result in the well-known near-far problem. Moreover, as uplink transmission in an HSUPA system is not orthogonal, the signal from each transmitting UE is subject to interference from another transmitting UE. If the signal strength of UEs varies substantially, a stronger UE (for example, a UE in favorable channel conditions experiencing a power boost due to constructive short term channel fading such as Rayleigh fading) may completely overwhelm the signal of a weaker UE (with signal experiencing attenuation due to short term fading). To mitigate this problem, fast power control has been considered previously in the art where fast power control commands are transmitted from a base station to each UE to set the power of uplink transmission. As the objective of these power control commands is to combat short term channel fading for typical UE speeds and carrier frequencies in the order of 1 GHz, their transmission rate is in the order of 1 millisecond. This is also typically the order of a transmission time interval. In addition to this fast power control (a.k.a. inner loop power control), a slow power control (a.k.a. outer loop power control) to ensure that each of the user dedicated channels and other uplink control channels have sufficient Ec/Nt (chip SNR) for demodulation (see TR25.896 of 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) for HSUPA).
When an orthogonal multiple access scheme such as Single-Carrier Frequency Division Multiple Access (SC-FDMA)—which includes interleaved and localized Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA) or Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA)—is used; multi-user interference is not present for low mobility and small for moderate mobility. This is the case for the next generation UMTS enhanced-UTRA (E-UTRA) system—which employs SC-FDMA—as well as IEEE 802.16e also known as Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX)—which employs OFDMA, In this case, the fluctuation in the total interference only comes from inter-cell interference and thermal noise which tends to be slower. While fast power control can be utilized, it can be argued that its advantage is minimal. Hence, only slow power control is needed for orthogonal multiple access schemes.


A maximum likelihood detection (MLD) method is disclosed. Received data is processed to obtain preliminary parameters. An initial radius r is determined. r2 is multiplied by a corresponding scaling factor according to a partial Euclidean distance (PED) constraint function to determine the upper limit values of PED for each layer. It is examined whether a sub-lattice exceeds a search scope according to the upper limit values of PED for each layer to search a better solution by utilizing the preliminary parameters.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to wireless communication, and more particularly to a maximum likelihood detection (MLD) method and system, applying a sphere decoder to multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) technology.
2. Description of the Related Art
MIMO is an abstract mathematical model for multi-antenna communication systems. MIMO technology has attracted the attention of wireless communications developers, because it significantly increases transmission throughput and range at the same bandwidth and same overall transmitting power. In general, MIMO technology increases the spectral efficiency of a wireless communication system. MIMO exploits the multipath scattering effect to increase data throughput and range, or reduce bit error rate, rather than attempting to eliminate it as in conventional SISO (Single-Input Single-Output) communication systems. MIMO can also be used in conjunction with Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM), and is now part of the IEEE 802.16 standard and will also be included in the IEEE 802.11n High-Throughput standard, which is expected to be finalized in mid 2007. Standardization of MIMO to be used in 3G standards such as High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) is currently ongoing. A typical MIMO data model is illustrated in FIG. 1.
A baseband equivalent data model in which a transmitter comprises Nt transmit antennas and a receiver comprises Nr receive antennas is represented as:{tilde over (y)}={tilde over (H)}{tilde over (s)}+ñ,
  where  ,                      y      ~        =          [                                                  y              1                                                                          y              2                                                            ⋮                                                              y                              N                r                                                        ]        ,                      s      ~        =          [                                                  s              1                                                                          s              2                                                            ⋮                                                              s                              N                t                                                        ]        ,                      n      ~        =          [                                                  n              1                                                                          n              2                                                            ⋮                                                              n                              N                r                                                        ]        ,                      H      ~        =          [                                                  h              11                                                          h              12                                            ⋯                                              h                              1                                                  N                  t                                                                                h              21                                                          h              22                                            ⋯                                              h                              2                                                  N                  t                                                                                ⋮                                ⋮                                ⋱                                ⋮                                                              h                                                N                  r                                                1                                                                        h                                                N                  r                                                2                                                          ⋯                                              h                                                N                  r                                                                  N                  t                                                                        ]        ,                n    ~  represents the noise added to the receiver, {tilde over (H)} represents a channel transformation function, and hij represents the channel response from j-th transmit antenna to i-th receive antenna. Referring to the baseband data model, {tilde over (y)}, {tilde over (s)}, ñ, and {tilde over (H)} are complex vectors, which can be converted to a real data model, represented as:
                    [                                                            Re                                                  (                                      y                    ~                                    )                                                                                Im                                                  (                                      y                    ~                                    )                                                                    ]            ︸        y    =                                          [                                                                                Re                                                              (                                              H                        ~                                            )                                                                                -                                          Im                                                                    (                                                  H                          ~                                                )                                                                                Im                                                              (                                              H                        ~                                            )                                                                                Re                                                              (                                              H                        ~                                            )                                                                                ]                    ︸                H                                                [                                                                                Re                                                              (                                              s                        ~                                            )                                                                                Im                                                              (                                              s                        ~                                            )                                                                                ]                    ︸                s              +                                        [                                                                                Re                                                              (                                              n                        ~                                            )                                                                                Im                                                              (                                              n                        ~                                            )                                                                                ]                    ︸                n            .
A MIMO receiver detects the transmitted symbols 's' according to the received signals 'y'.
Typically, maximum likelihood detection (MLD), with complexity proportional to 2Nt*Mc, where Nt is the number of transmit antennas and Mc is the modulation order, is considered the optimal signal detection method. If the transmitter, for example, comprises 4 antennas, indicating signal s comprises 4 symbols (s1˜s4) and each symbol is modulated according to 64-quadrature amplitude modulation (64-QAM, Mc=6), to obtain the optimal solution, the receiver must examine 644 possible solutions. Such a high-complexity method, however, may in practice be impossible to implement. Accordingly, sub-optimal detection methods with lower complexity are provided, such as Vertical Bell Laboratories Layered Space-Time (V-BLAST), Zero Forcing (ZF), and Minimum Mean Square Error (MMSE). Furthermore, a sphere decoding (SD) method is also provided to efficiently decrease the complexity of the MLD. Conventional ML detection methods introduce a cost function that considers Nt transmitted symbols jointly while the sphere decoding method, on the other hand, can take apart the joint cost function into partial functions such that signal combinations apparently exceeding predefined cost constraints can be reasonably eliminated. The MLD is mathematically described to be equivalently represented as:
                                                           s              ^                        ML                    =                                          arg                                                                                min                                  s                  ∈                  Λ                                                                                                                      y                    -                    Hs                                                                    2                                                                                =                                          arg                                                                                min                                  s                  ∈                  Λ                                                                          {                                                                                (                                                  s                          -                                                                                s                              ^                                                        ZF                                                                          )                                            H                                                                                H                      H                                                                                H                                                                    (                                                  s                          -                                                                                s                              ~                                                        ZF                                                                          )                                                                              +                                                                                y                        H                                                                                (                                                  I                          -                                                                                H                                                                                (                                                                                H                                      H                                                                                H                                                                    )                                                                                -                                1                                                                                H                              H                                                                                )                                                                                y                                                  }                                                                                =                                          arg                                                                                min                                  s                  ∈                  Λ                                                                          {                                                                            (                                              s                        -                                                                              s                            ~                                                    ZF                                                                    )                                        H                                                                          H                    H                                                                          H                                                              (                                              s                        -                                                                              s                            ~                                                    ZF                                                                    )                                                                      }                                                                                =                                          arg                                                                                min                                  s                  ∈                  Λ                                                                                {                                                                                                                                  H                                                                                (                                                          s                              -                                                                                s                                  ~                                                                ZF                                                                                )                                                                                                                      2                                        ≤                                          r                      2                                                        }                                .
The symbol ^ indicates a set of all symbol vectors 's' and ∥H(s−{tilde over (s)}ZF)∥2 indicates a transformed cost function. The set of {Hs} is regarded as the lattice generated by H and 's' can be regarded as the coordinates of the lattice point. The MLD method searches the lattice to locate a lattice point closest to H{tilde over (s)}ZF. Thus, H{tilde over (s)}ZF can be served as a sphere center, and an abstract spherical surface in multidimensional space can be created when an applicable radius 'r' is defined. The MLD method searches out the coordinate of a lattice point closest to the sphere center H{tilde over (s)}ZF, as shown in FIG. 2. The MLD equivalent function is further simplified and represented as:
                                                           s              ^                        ML                    =                                          arg                                                                                min                                  s                  ∈                  Λ                                                                                                                      y                    -                    Hs                                                                    2                                                                                =                                          arg                                                                                min                                  s                  ∈                  Λ                                                                          {                                                                            (                                              s                        -                                                                              s                            ~                                                    ZF                                                                    )                                        H                                                                          H                    H                                                                          H                                                              (                                              s                        -                                                                              s                            ~                                                    ZF                                                                    )                                                                      }                                                                                =                                          arg                                                                                min                                  s                  ∈                  Λ                                                                          {                                                                            (                                              s                        -                                                                              s                            ~                                                    ZF                                                                    )                                        H                                                                          R                    H                                                                          R                                                              (                                              s                        -                                                                              s                            ~                                                    ZF                                                                    )                                                                      }                                                                                =                                          arg                                                                                min                                  s                  ∈                  Λ                                                                                                                          R                                                                    (                                                  s                          -                                                                                s                              ~                                                        ZF                                                                          )                                                                                                  2                                .
R indicates an upper triangular matrix and is generated by QR decomposition or Cholesky factorization. An upper limit r2 is defined to constrain the search range, such that
                          R                          (                      s            -                                          s                ~                            ZF                                )                            2    =                    ∑                  m          =          1                M                                    r                      m            ,            m                    2                                                                                        (                                                      s                    m                                    -                                                            s                      ~                                                              zf                      ,                      m                                                                      )                            +                                                ∑                                      j                    =                                          m                      +                      1                                                        M                                                                                r                                              m                        ,                        j                                                                                r                                              m                        ,                        m                                                                                (                                                                  s                        j                                            -                                                                        s                          ~                                                                          zf                          ,                          j                                                                                )                                                                                            2                      ≤                  r        2            .      As the equivalent formula of ∥R(s−{tilde over (s)}ZF)∥2 shown, the Euclidean distance (ED) is composed of M Euclidean distance increments (EDI)
                                      e          m                            2        ,    where                                        e          m                            2        =                  r                  m          ,          m                2                                                                                          (                                                      s                    m                                    -                                                            s                      ~                                                              zf                      ,                      m                                                                      )                            +                                                ∑                                      j                    =                                          m                      +                      1                                                        M                                                                                r                                              m                        ,                        j                                                                                r                                              m                        ,                        m                                                                                (                                                                  s                        j                                            -                                                                        s                          ~                                                                          zf                          ,                          j                                                                                )                                                                                            2                .            The partial Euclidean distance (PED) of m-th layer is defined and represented as:
                                             d            m                    =                                                        ∑                              i                =                m                            M                                                                  r                                  i                  ,                  i                                2                                                                                                                                        (                                                                        s                          i                                                -                                                                              s                            ~                                                                                zf                            ,                            i                                                                                )                                        +                                                                  ∑                                                  j                          =                                                      i                            +                            1                                                                          M                                                                                r                                                          i                              ,                              j                                                                                r                                                          i                              ,                              i                                                                                (                                                                                s                              j                                                        -                                                                                s                                ~                                                                                zf                                ,                                j                                                                                )                                                                                                                2                                                                                =                                                        d                              m                +                1                                      +                                                                                                  e                    m                                                                    2                            .
The dm merely associates with [sm, sm+1, . . . , sM] and the SD search process can thus be converted to a recursive tree search structure, as shown in FIG. 3. Additionally, {tilde over (s)}m|m+1 is defined based on Schnorr-Euchner (SE) enumeration and is represented as:
            s      ~              m      |              m        +        1              =      {                                                                                s                  ~                                                  zf                  ,                  m                                            -                                                1                                      r                                          m                      ,                      m                                                                                (                                                            ∑                                              j                        =                                                  m                          +                          1                                                                    M                                                                                r                                                  m                          ,                          j                                                                                (                                                                              s                            j                                                    -                                                                                s                              ~                                                                                zf                              ,                              j                                                                                )                                                                              )                                                      ,                                                              m              =              1                        ,            2            ,            …                                                              ,                          (                              M                -                1                            )                                                                                s                ~                                            zf                ,                M                                      ,                                                m            =                          M              .
When seeking the m-th layer, the SE enumeration first searches the signal node with minimum EDI: ŝm|m+1 (ŝm|m+1=slice({tilde over (s)}m|m+1)) and then proceed with the other nodes around {tilde over (s)}m|m+1 in a zigzag fashion. Thus, the enumeration guarantees that the signal node with smaller EDI can be preferentially visited, thereby accelerating the average seek speed.
As described, the traditional MLD is too complex to be implemented, and a sphere decoding (SD) method is introduced to reduce the complexity of MLD. Sphere decoding comprises depth-first search (DFS) and breadth-first search (BFS). With respect to the depth-first sphere decoding, the decoding latency varies much and may be quite long at lower SNR, which is not acceptable for real-time systems. Observing that the partial Euclidean distance (PED) in sphere decoding is increased monotonically with the search depth and the decoding efficiency depends largely on layer ordering, the invention tends to provide a modified sphere decoding method to mitigate the described defects.

Maximum likelihood detection method and system

Industrial Technology Research Institute


The present invention discloses a computer joystick having a removable joystick handle so that users can select a favorite joystick handle when using the computer joystick. The computer joystick comprises a chassis, a joystick mechanism having two shafts and a control handle rotatably installed in the opening of the chassis for interacting with the two shafts, two sensors installed in the chassis for detecting rotations of the two shafts separately and generating corresponding rotation signals, a joystick handle having a locking means installed on its bottom end for removably mounting the joystick handle to the top end of the control handle, and a control circuit wired to the two sensors for receiving rotation signals generated by the two sensors. The joystick handle further comprises at least one control button and an electrical wire having a first end connected to the button and a second end connected with an electric plug. And the control circuit further comprises a socket for removably connecting the plug of the joystick handle so that control signals generated by the button can be received by the control circuit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a computer joystick, and more particularly, to a computer joystick with a removable joystick handle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Computer joysticks are quite popular for playing computer or video games, and the joystick handle of a computer joystick is the most important human interface when playing a game. Because every computer or video game has its own unique environment, different joystick handles may be needed to play different games.
The joystick handles of traditional computer joysticks are always fixed to their chassis which can not be removed and replaced by a user. If the user needs a different joystick handle, he or she has to buy another computer joystick which is quite expensive.

Computer joystick with a removable joystick handle


Techniques are described for adapting receiver settings used by a mobile terminal operating in a heterogeneous network comprising macro cells and pico cells with overlapping coverage areas. A first set of subframes is allocated to the pico cells for downlink transmissions to a mobile terminal in a link imbalance zone. The mobile terminal acquires information about the subframe allocation and uses the subframe allocation information to select the signals used for adapting receiver settings used when operating in the link imbalance zone.

The new Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) standard known as Long Term Evolution (LTE) (3GPP LTE Rel-10) supports heterogeneous networks. In heterogeneous networks, a mixture of cells of different size and overlapping coverage areas are deployed. For example, a heterogeneous network may deploy pico cells served by relatively low power nodes within the coverage area of a macro cell served by relatively high power base stations. Heterogeneous networks could also deploy relatively low-power home base stations and relays to provide improved service in indoor areas. The aim of deploying low power nodes, such as pico base stations, home base stations, and relays, within a macro cell where coverage is provided by a high power base station is to improve system capacity by means of cell splitting gains, as well as to provide users with wide area experience of very high speed data access throughout the network. Heterogeneous deployment schemes represent one alternative to deployment of denser networks of macro cells and are particularly effective to cover traffic hotspots, i.e., small geographical areas with high user densities served by lower power nodes.
In heterogeneous networks, there may be a large disparity in output power of the low power nodes compared to the base stations serving macro cells. For example, the output power of the base stations in the macro cells may be in the order of 46 dBm, while the output power of the low power nodes in the pico cells may be less than 30 dBm. In some heterogeneous networks, the macro cells and pico cells operate on the same carrier frequencies and inter-cell interference coordination (ICIC) techniques are used to deal with interference when mobile terminals are operating in areas served by both macro cells and pico cells. For example, scheduling restrictions may be applied where a macro base station is prevented from transmitting in certain subframes, which may be referred to as "blank" subframes or restricted subframes. The pico cells can use these "blank" subframes to transmit data to mobile terminals operating in a link imbalance zone near the cell edge of the pico cells without interference from the macro base stations.
With the introduction of blank subframes in which the macro base station avoids scheduling downlink transmissions, mobile terminals close to the pica base station can be scheduled in all subframes. However, mobile terminals in the link imbalance zone receive signals with large signal strength variations between subframes. For instance in unrestricted subframes (where macro base stations are transmitting on downlink), pilot symbols and data transmitted from the pico cell could be up to 10 dB weaker than the pilots from the macro cell. If the mobile terminal adapts receiver settings based on these weak signals, bad reception performance might be the result.

Adaptation of receiver settings in a heterogeneous network


A vacuum based apparatus that will, when activated, inhibit relocation of a computing device. The apparatus includes a first surface of a main body. A suction cup is attached to the main body. The suction cup faces outward from and protrudes from the first surface. The suction cup is connected to a vacuum pump and activation of the vacuum pump generates adhesion between the suction cup and another surface that is in contact with the suction cup. A spacer is attached to and protrudes outward from the first surface. The spacer surrounds at least a part of the suction cup that is protruding from the first surface. A control logic that controls the activation of the vacuum pump.

Computing devices can be expensive to replace. Often, these computing devices contain sensitive information about the owner of the computing device. The inherent cost of the computing device and the sensitive information contained therein can make the computing device a tempting target for criminal activity. As computing devices, such as laptops, have become more prevalent, there has been an increased need to prevent such criminal activity. However, the portability of many computing devices has lead to numerous challenges in preventing criminal activity that involves those computing devices.

Apparatus for securing a computing device to a surface


A casting nozzle for supplying a molten alloy liquid of aluminum alloy or magnesium alloy to a movable mold for continuous casting from a tundish, in which the molten alloy liquid is stored. The casting nozzle is fixed to the tundish. The casting nozzle tip arranged on the movable mold side is made of a highly heat-conductive material having a heat conductivity of 0.2 W/mK or more, and a highly elastic material having an elastic modulus of 5000 MPa or more, etc. By making the tip of the casting nozzle with a material having superior thermal conductivity, the irregularity in solidification of the molten alloy liquid is decreased and thereby the surface quality of a cast alloy is improved. The nozzle tip is formed with a material having high elasticity and superior elastic deformability, whereby the interstice between the movable mold and the tip of outer peripheral edge of the nozzle is narrowed, and accordingly a cast alloy having superior surface quality can be obtained.

In known continuous casting methods in the past, molten metal is continuously supplied into a movable mold, which is made of rolls, belts, etc., and the molten metal is solidified by cooling in the movable mold so that a cast alloy can be produced continuously. The molten metal is supplied to the movable mold through a nozzle. Such nozzles are described in the patent documents 1-3, for example. The nozzles described in the patent document 1 and 2 are provided with a felt layer consisting of ceramic fibers at the tip of the casting nozzle which touches a movable mold. In the patent document 3, a nozzle made of alumina-graphite materials is described.
[Patent document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. S 63-101053;
[Patent document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. H 5-318040;
[Patent document 3] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. H 11-5146.


The present invention relates to a method for quantifying drug delivery with the characteristic of measuring the signal intensity of peripheral vessels with a contrast-enhanced ultrasound to quantify the drug delivery at a target site. The present invention can be used for quantifying UTMD (ultrasound triggered microbubble destruction) targeted drug delivery, also for qualifying the unreleased amount of the long-acting drug in the tested object, and for helping setting the treatment schedule for ultrasound disruption of blood-brain barrier.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for quantifying drug delivery. More specifically, it relates to the method and the application for quantifying microbubble drug delivery using contrast-enhanced ultrasound.
2. Description of the Related Art
Ultrasound-Triggered Microbubble Destruction (UTMD) is a promising strategy to increase local drug concentration at pathologic site while reducing systemic toxicity wherein drug is loaded in micron-sized or nanometer-sized bubbles whose destruction is then triggered by ultrasound at the treatment site in order to deliver drug to the target. However, in clinical applications, other factors pose additional challenge. First, the ultrasound is attenuated to different degrees before they reach the target due to different tissue thickness and composition and tumor structure. Second, the concentration of micro-bubbles in the target area can vary depending on vascular factors such as tumor angiogenesis or tumor central necrosis. Third, if antibody-conjugated microbubbles are used, they will aggregate at specific sites so as to enhance the effect of ultrasound-triggered drug delivery. These factors will affect the actual amount of microbubble destroyed and influence the efficacy of drug delivery and a way to quantify ultrasound-triggered microbubble destruction will be useful to clinicians.
Several imaging modalities including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) have been used to monitor drug pharmacokinetics. However, all of these have their limitations. Despite the advantage of high tissue and spatial precision, none rigid pseudo signal and ionizing radiation of MRI, it doesn't allow to be used on individuals with implants such as pacemakers or defibrillators, the sensibility of partial contrast agent is inferior, and cannot provide fix-quantity drug delivery. On the other hand, the PET/SPECT requires radiolabelled microbubbles for depicting local drug concentration that risks the whole body of the subject under radiation.
Contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging uses microbubbles loaded with filling gas. By means of the difference in echogenicity between the gas in the microbubbles and the soft tissue, it generates the reflected ultrasound and thus distinctive image with better contrast. While this method can assure the presence of microbubbles at the treatment site and is of the advantage of non-invasive, high resolution, instant scan, non-radioactive, low cost and user friendliness, the signal saturation of the image during the destruction of bubbles triggered by the ultrasound disqualifies the ultrasound as a quantifying tool. In recent studies, some scholars have attempted to quantify UTMD indirectly using a downstream method, by measuring the difference in echogenicity between and upstream location and a downstream location. However, in clinical operation, because the downstream vessel is a complex venous network that contains a mixture of sonicated and non-sonicated blood and the angiogenesis of tumors varies with different individuals. These make it difficult to measure vascular sonographic signal accurately, at or near the drug delivery zone.

Method for quantifying drug delivery using contrast-enhanced ultrasound


Disclosed is an improved and efficient process for N-desmethylating the 3'-amino nitrogen of erythromycins and for converting the 3'-N-desmethylated erythromycins into 3'-N-substituted derivatives of 8,9-anhydro-erythromycin 6,9-hemiketals.

Erythromycins A through D, represented by formula (E),
______________________________________ ##STR1## Erythromycin R.sup.a R.sup.b ______________________________________ A OH CH.sub.3 B H CH.sub.3 C OH H D H H ______________________________________
are well-known and potent antibacterial agents, used widely to treat and prevent bacterial infection.
Some erythromycin derivatives having the formula I below possess an expected degree of prokinetic activity and are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,578,579. ##STR2##
The preparation of these prokinetic compounds requires the preparation of the intermediate compounds, N-desmethyl-4"-deoxy-erythromycin A and N-desmethyl-4"-deoxy-erythromycin B.
One procedure for the preparation of N-desmethyl derivatives of various macrolide antibiotics has been described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,725,385, issued Apr. 3, 1973, which teaches that the methyl group may be removed by a one-step treatment with a single addition of iodine in a pH-adjusted solution from -10.degree. C. to 50.degree. C. The N-desmethylation step with iodine does not generally go to completion, leaving a substantial amount of the starting material with the final product.
There is, therefore, a need to provide an improved and more efficient process for the manufacture of the 3'-N-substituted derivatives of 8,9-anhydro-erythromycin-6,9-hemiketals.

Process for N-desmethylating erythromycins and derivatives thereof


A change in the optical characteristics which is caused by an unevenness of the intensity of illumination, following a change of the form or the size of a multiple light source, is corrected by an adjustment mechanism with a simple structure. This mechanism further comprises a first correction device (21, 14B) which corrects unevenness of the intensity of illumination generated on a plane to be irradiated due to a change of the form and the size of the multiple light source made by a change device(13), and a second correction device (22, 14A1) which corrects at least one of a change of the back focus of a condenser optical system and a change in the telecentricity of the illumination light on the irradiated plane caused due to a correcting operation of the first correction device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an illumination optical system and an exposure apparatus having the optical system, and particularly, to correction of a distribution of an intensity of illumination in an illumination optical system in a semiconductor projection exposure apparatus. Also, the present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device using the illumination optical system.
2. Related Background Art
In a semiconductor exposure apparatus, a light ray emitted from a light source is incident on an optical integrator, and a multiple light source which is constituted by a plurality of light source images is formed on the rear focal plane of the optical integrator. The light ray from the multiple light source is passed through an aperture stop which is formed in the vicinity of the rear focal plane of the optical integrator and then is caused to enter a condenser optical system. The aperture stop causes the form or the size of the multiple light source to change into a desired one in accordance with a desired illumination condition.
The light ray condensed by the condenser optical system illuminates a reticle (or a mask) in an overlapping manner through a reticle blind which is disposed in the condenser optical system. A pattern is formed on the reticle, and an illumination area of the pattern is determined by the reticle blind. The light passed through the pattern of the reticle is imaged on a wafer through a projection optical system. Thus, the reticle pattern is projection-exposed (transferred) onto the wafer.
The pattern formed on the reticle is highly integrated, so that it is inevitably required to obtain a uniform distribution of the intensity of illumination on the wafer in order to correctly transfer the pattern onto the wafer. To this end, it is required to design and arrange the optical integrator and the condenser optical system in such a manner that the distribution of the intensity of illumination on the wafer should be uniform. However, even if the optical integrator and the condenser optical system are designed and arranged such that the distribution of the intensity of illumination becomes uniform, an unevenness in the intensity of illumination may be generated due to an error, or the like, in manufacturing the apparatus so that a uniform distribution of the intensity of illumination can not be obtained. Therefore, a conventional exposure apparatus is arranged such that a correction is properly performed by moving a movable lens group which constitutes a part of the condenser optical system in the direction of the optical axis so as to reduce a degree of unevenness in the distribution of illumination, thereby obtaining a uniform distribution of the intensity of illumination.
Recently, attention is given to the fact that the sizes of the plurality of light source images formed by the optical integrator are changed by changing the aperture form of an aperture stop or the like arranged on the exit side of the optical integrator so as to change a coherency .sigma. (.sigma.=the aperture stop size/ the pupil size of the projection optical system) of the illumination, or that the forms of the plurality of light source images formed by the optical integrator are changed into those of annular band or the like so as to improve the original depth of focus or degree of resolution of the projection optical system.
However, it has been clearly seen from various kinds of repeated experiments, etc., that, together with such change of the aperture form of the aperture stop or the like arranged on the exit side of the optical integrator, an unevenness of the intensity of illumination occurs on a reticle which serves as a plane to be irradiated, or a wafer which serves as a photosensitive substrate.
Accordingly, the present invention has been conceived taking the above-mentioned problem into consideration, and an object of the invention is to provide an illumination optical system which can correct a fluctuation in an intensity distribution of illumination on an irradiated plane which follows a change of the form or the size of a secondary light source, and an exposure apparatus having such illumination optical system.
Also, as a result of further repeated experiments, or the like, it has been found that when at least a certain optical system (a movable lens, or the like) which constitutes the condenser optical system is moved in the direction of the optical axis in order to correct an unevenness in the intensity of illumination which is generated on an irradiated plane due to a change of the aperture form of an aperture stop or the like arranged on the exit side of the optical integrator, the optical characteristics such as the back focus or the telecentricity of the condenser optical system are changed to deteriorate the illumination condition, owing to the movement of the optical system.
Accordingly, another object of the present invention is, taking the above-mentioned problem into consideration, to provide an illumination optical system which can correct a change in optical characteristics generated due to the correction of the unevenness in the intensity of illumination following the change of the form or the size of the multiple light source by use of an adjusting mechanism of a simple structure, and an exposure apparatus provided with the illumination optical system.

Illumination optical system, an exposure apparatus having the illumination system, and a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device


A method of metal plating a gate conductor on a semiconductor is provided. The method includes defining an organic polymer plating mandrel on the semiconductor, activating one or more sites of the organic polymer plating mandrel, and binding a seed layer to the one or more of the activated sites. A metallic conductive material can then be plated on the seed layer to form the gate conductor. Semiconductor devices having a gate conductor plated thereon to a width of between about 1 to about 7 nanometers are also provided.

The present disclosure relates generally to the field of semiconductor manufacturing. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to methods for plating metal gate conductors on semiconductor devices and semiconductors formed thereby.
The continuing push for high performance and high density in the ultra large scale integrated circuits (ULSI) industry demands new device technologies to scale device dimension and new methods for manufacturing the new devices.
For example, the demand for increased device performance is particularly strong in the design and fabrication of field effect transistors (FET's). However, scaling FET's to attain higher device performance and density can increase the cost and difficulty of many manufacturing steps.
One type of FET that has been proven to provide increased device performance is a fin Field Effect Transistor ("finFET"). In a finFET, the body of the transistor is formed from a vertical structure, generally referred to as a "fin". The gate conductors of the finFET are then formed on one or more sides of the fin. Unfortunately, the formation of gate conductors on the vertical fin has proven increasingly difficult as the density of the finFET technology is increased. For example, the formation of gate conductors on the vertical fin requires specially-optimized lithography and etching to define the gate, which have proven difficult and/or expensive in many manufacturing processes.
Accordingly, it has been determined by the present disclosure that there is a need for methods of producing new semiconductor device features that overcome, mitigate, and/or avoid one or more of the aforementioned drawbacks and deficiencies of the prior art.

Methods for metal plating of gate conductors and semiconductors formed thereby

International Business Machines Corporation


An electric power steering system for an automotive vehicle, including a steering torque detecting device which detects a steering torque of a steering shaft. An electric motor is provided to generate an assist torque for assisting a driver's steering effort required for steering the vehicle and a counter-assist torque for increasing the driver's steering effort. The assist torque and the counter-assist torque are applied to a steering mechanism. Additionally, a controller is provided to output a drive command to the electric motor in accordance with the detected steering torque. The drive command is for causing the electric motor to generate the counter-assist torque when the detected steering torque is a transitional torque.

This invention relates to improvements in an electric power steering system for an automotive vehicle.
In a conventional power steering system as disclosed in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 2002-331948, when a steering torque is within a dead zone region, an assist torque in a direction to restore a steering wheel to a neutral position is generated in accordance with a steering angle, thereby improving a response characteristics for restoration of the steering wheel to the neutral position.


The invention relates to an apparatus for identifying a candidate object in image data and determining a likelihood that the candidate object is an object from an object class. The apparatus comprises an image data receiving unit for receiving image data of an object of the object class, a seed element selecting unit for selecting a portion of the image elements as seed elements, a contour point identifying unit for identifying, for each seed element (SE), contour points, the contour points of a seed element circumscribing a candidate object which comprises the seed element, and a seed score determining unit for determining, for each seed element, a seed score indicative of a likelihood that the candidate object is an object from the object class. The invention allows differentiation between an object of an object class of interest and artifacts.

The article "Automated CT Image Evaluation of the Lung: A Morphology-Based Concept" by R. A. Blechschmidt et al., IEEE Transactions on Medical Imaging, volume 20, pages 434 to 442 (2001) presents an algorithm of thoracic computed tomography (CT) image evaluation based on pulmonary morphology of emphysema. The algorithm enables to differentiate between small, medium, and large bullae (continuous low-attenuation areas). It is not a texture-based algorithm. The bullae are sorted by size into four size classes: class 1 being within the typical size of lung parenchyma; classes 2 to 4 presenting small, medium, and large bullae. It is calculated how much area the different classes take up of all low-attenuation pixels. A bullae index is derived from the percentage of areas covered, respectively, by small, medium, and large bullae. From the relation of the area of bullae belonging to class 4, to that of those belonging to class 2, a measure of the emphysema type is calculated. It classifies the lung by the type of emphysema in bullous emphysema or small-sized, diffuse emphysema, respectively.
The algorithm is not capable of differentiating between an object from an object class, i.e. a bulla, and an object from a different object class, e.g. a spurious low-attenuation area (artifact). Since artifacts are not excluded from but incorporated into the four size classes, the accuracy of and confidence in the bullae index is deteriorated.

Apparatus for identifying objects from an object class


The present invention provides novel antibodies to human CXCR4 with high affinity to the target and the ability to act potently as antagonists. The antibodies disclosed herein bind to a diverse range of epitopes.

C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4) is an alpha-chemokine receptor that binds the ligand SDF-1 and transmits intracellular signals through several different pathways resulting in an increase in calcium and/or a decrease in cAMP levels. The extracellular regions of CXCR4 are composed of 4 discontinuous segments (N-terminal domain, extracellular loop (ECL) 1, ECL2, and ECL3), comprising a total of 91 amino acids.

Anti-human CXCR4 antibodies and methods of making same


A gas turbine engine preswirler (470) includes an outer ring (471) and an inner ring (472). The inner ring (472) includes a plurality of angled holes (490). Each angled hole (490) follows a vector which is angled in at least one plane. A component of the vector is located on a plane perpendicular a radial from an axis of the preswirler (470). The component of the angle is angled relative to an axial direction of the preswirler (470).

Gas turbine engines include compressor, combustor, and turbine sections. Portions of a gas turbine engine are subject to high temperatures. In particular, the first stage of the turbine section is subject to such high temperatures that the first stage is cooled by an directed through internal cooling passages from the compressor. In one such passage, air is directed through the diaphragm of a gas turbine engine and into the preswirler. Uncontrolled cooling air may lead to a loss of efficiency and improper cooling.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,341,429 to J. Montgomery, discloses a method of manufacturing a gas turbine engine includes providing a turbine mid-frame, coupling a plurality of rotor blades to a rotor disk, the rotor disk is coupled axially aft from the turbine mid-frame such that a cavity is defined between the rotor disk and the turbine mid-frame, and forming at least one opening extending through the turbine mid-frame to facilitate channeling cooling air into the gap, the opening configured to impart a high relative tangential velocity into the cooling air discharged from the opening.
The present disclosure is directed toward overcoming one or more of the problems discovered by the inventors.

Gas turbine engine preswirler with angled holes


Methods and systems for communicating information between a narrowband circuit and a broadband circuit for conserving bandwidth while monitoring gas turbine combustion dynamics are provided. The method includes receiving a stream of data through the narrowband circuit, splitting the stream of data into a plurality of data packets, and transmitting each of the data packets to a predetermined list of sockets through the broadband circuit. The system includes a narrowband network segment communicatively coupled to a broadband network segment, and a data network split/relay device communicatively coupled to the broadband network segment programmed to receive a stream of data from a server communicatively coupled to the narrowband segment.

This invention relates generally to communicating data via a network, and more particularly, to methods and apparatus for communicating gas turbine engine data via a network that includes a narrowband segment and a broadband segment.
Gas turbine engines typically include a compressor section, a combustor section, and at least one turbine section. The compressor compresses air, which is mixed with fuel and channeled to the combustor. The mixture is then ignited thereby generating hot combustion gases. The combustion gases are channeled to the turbine which extracts energy from the combustion gases for powering the compressor, as well as producing useful work to power a load, such as an electrical generator, or to propel an aircraft in flight.
The Dry Low NOx (DLN) operational techniques used in modern gas turbines have conflicting requirements of combustion stability, and nitrogen oxides (NOx) and carbon monoxide (CO) emission limits. A lean fuel/air mixture used by DLN technology fed into gas turbine combustors provides less NOx, but contributes to combustion instabilities. Accordingly, accurately determining the combustion dynamics of a gas turbine becomes very useful. Remote monitoring of gas turbines, especially industrial gas turbines, has become increasingly common. For example, technicians employed by a manufacturer of the gas turbine may remotely analyze information regarding the operation of the gas turbine and prescribe corrective steps, such as parts replacements or operation adjustments. On-site operators of the gas turbine may perform the replacement of parts and operation adjustments. Remotely analyzing and diagnosing data collected from a gas turbine and computing accurate information regarding the combustion dynamic levels of the gas turbine becomes a useful enabler for above activities.
At least some known gas turbines are located remotely from high-speed and broadband network access points. Consequently, data transmitted between local gas turbine engine control and monitoring systems may be routed through dial-up connections through existing telephone lines. Such connections are generally handled by a remote access server (RAS) that couples the dial-up user to a network. Such connections may be termed "narrowband", meaning only a limited amount of data may be transmitted through the connection, making the connection relatively slow for effective communications between the local control systems and remote workstations where tuning engineers may be monitoring the gas turbine engine operation. At least some known network architectures that include narrowband and broadband segments are susceptible to data pile-up and consequently lost data, especially in network systems using User Datagram Protocol (UDP).

Method and apparatus for remotely monitoring gas turbine combustion dynamics


An aqueous dispersion for inkjet recording containing colorant-containing water-insoluble vinyl polymer particles dispersed in water, wherein the water-insoluble vinyl polymer contains a constitutive unit derived from a styrenic macromer (a) which has a polymerizable functional group at one end, wherein the styrenic macromer (a) has a number-average molecular weight of from 1000 to 5000 and a molecular weight distribution (weight-average molecular weight/number-average molecular weight) of from 1.0 to 2.5; and a water-based ink for inkjet recording containing the aqueous dispersion. The aqueous dispersion is capable of realizing a water-based ink for inkjet recording, which has excellent storage stability, a high optical density, and gives a high gloss.

Inkjet recording is a recording system for forming characters or images, comprising directly jetting ink droplets from a very fine nozzle to a recording medium, and depositing the ink droplets on the recording medium. This system has some advantages such that not only the usable device shows excellent operability at a low level of noise, but also the coloration is facilitated and a plain sheet of paper can be used as a recording medium. Therefore, in recent years, this system has been widely used. Also, in recent years, pigment inks have been used as an ink for inkjet printers in order to improve water resistance and light fastness.
Since water-based inks in which a pigment is used as a colorant contain an aqueous dispersion containing the pigment and a water-insoluble polymer, it is important to improve storage stability.
As a means of improving storage stability, it is considered to be effective to increase adsorption capacity of a water-insoluble polymer for a pigment, and to incorporate the pigment sufficiently into the water-insoluble polymer. For this purpose, a macromer, a monomer having a long-chained alkyl group or the like has been used as a constitutive component of the polymer (see, e.g., Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-338783).
The macromer includes a styrene homopolymerized macromer and a copolymerized macromer of styrene and other monomer, having a polymerizable functional group at one end, a silicone macromer, and the like (see, e.g., Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-338783, WO 00/39226 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-123097).
However, with an increase in the copolymerizing content of especially the macromer of the water-insoluble polymer, there are some disadvantages such as an increase in viscosity of the aqueous dispersion containing a pigment, and storage stability of the water-based ink.


Embodiments of the disclosure generally set forth a two-way touch screen based communication system. One example method may include receiving an order for an item from a first touch screen device via a first network, wherein the order is associated with a first identification for a merchant, a second identification for the customer, and a negotiable parameter reflective of a preference of the customer. The method may also include making available the order for a second touch screen device of the merchant to retrieve via a second network and to display and prior to completing processing of the order, transmitting a first response to the preference of the customer to the first touch screen device via the first network.

Customers and merchants currently have, via the Internet, phone, and in-person, a variety of mechanisms for two-way communication that make it possible to facilitate business communications. However, current business communication mechanisms are deficient in accuracy, efficiency, convenience, and personalization when used as an ordering system. The convenience and practicality of current loyalty rewards systems, the efficiency and specificity of advertising opportunities for merchants, and the security and convenience of the current payments settlement system are also deficient. This is because traditional communications between customers and merchants have primarily been either direct, real-time in-person contacts or phone orders. Non-digital and non-targeted offline and online advertising are sub-optimal.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Two-way touch-screen based communication system


Briefly, one way to minimize time and frequency uncertainties when synchronizing between a transmitter and a receiver is to use a position determining method such as global positioning system (GPS) to determine position and velocity. If position can be determined the delay between the transmitter and receiver can be estimated. Additionally, position information can be used to determine the probability that the signal received will be a reflected signal. If the transmitter and receiver are located in an area with obstructions between them then it is more likely that a signal received will be a reflected signal. If it is determined that it is likely that the signal received will be a reflected signal then the receiver can attempt to acquire the transmitted signal over a wider range of propagation delay possibilities. Additionally, another uncertainty that complicates synchronization is uncertainty regarding frequency. One cause for frequency uncertainty is Doppler shift due to movement of the transmitter or receiver. Using a position determining method such as GPS to determine velocity allows the receiver to estimate the Doppler frequency shift and adjust for it.

Many people use wireless communication systems. In wireless communication systems the information is typically transmitted by electromagnetic waves traveling through the air or other medium. One form of wireless communication is spread-spectrum communication. Spread-spectrum communication systems use a synchronized version of a spreading code to demodulate the received signal. Spreading codes will be discussed below. Typically, the synchronizing process between the locally generated spreading signal and the received spread spectrum signal happens in two parts. The first part is acquisition. During acquisition both signals are coarsely aligned with each other. In other words, the spreading code is rough alignment in time. The spreading code is roughly synchronized. After this coarse alignment the second part, tracking makes fine alignments to maintain the best waveform possible.
The acquisition phase involves searching through time and frequency uncertainty to synchronize a received spread-spectrum signal with a spreading code that has been generated locally. Many uncertainties exist during acquisition. Uncertainty in the distance between the transmitter and receiver of a spread-spectrum communications system leads to uncertainty in the amount of delay between the transmitter and receiver. Delay as a signal travels, for example from a transmitter to a receiver, is known as propagation delay. This can happen between any transmitter and receiver. Several examples are given using a base station and a mobile station.
An example of a spreading code and uncertainty in the distance between the transmitter and receiver will now be discussed. A spreading code is a pseudo-random sequence. The spreading code would typically be used to modulate a spread-spectrum signal at a base station for transmission to a mobile station. Additionally, the spreading code would typically be used to demodulate signals received from the mobile station. A locally generated spreading code 456 will typically be used to demodulate the received signal from the base station and to modulate signals transmitted to the base station.
A locally generated spreading code and the spreading code at the base station are not synchronized initially. One thing that increases the difficulty of synchronizing these two signals, as discussed above, is delay as the signal travels from the base station to the mobile station. Spreading codes will be discussed further with respect to FIG. 10 below.
Additionally, uncertainty regarding a receiver's velocity relative to a transmitter leads to uncertainty regarding Doppler frequency shift of the transmitted signal. A Doppler shift is the change in apparent frequency of a source of electromagnetic radiation or sound when there is a relative motion between the source, in this case the transmitter, and the observer, in this case a mobile handset that is attempting to synchronize with a spread-spectrum communications network.

Method of signal acquisition and mobile station using the method