A detecting apparatus for detecting information of at least a portion of a stack of sheet media includes an illuminating unit and a detecting unit. The illuminating unit illuminates a side of the stack of sheet media, or a portion thereof with electromagnetic waves. The detecting unit detects electromagnetic waves transmitted through or reflected by the stack of sheet media, or a portion thereof. The detecting apparatus is adapted to compare information of the electromagnetic waves detected by the detecting unit with information about attenuation of electromagnetic waves due to moisture contained in the sheet medium, and detect information of the moisture content of at least a portion of the stack of sheet media.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a detecting apparatus for detecting moisture content of a stack of sheet media, such as papers, by using electromagnetic waves (hereinafter also referred to as EMW or EM waves), and an image forming apparatus using the detecting apparatus. Particularly, the present invention relates to a detecting apparatus for detecting moisture content of at least a portion of a sheet media stack, by using EM waves at frequency or frequencies including at least a portion of a frequency range from 30 GHz to 30 THz, and an image forming apparatus, such as a printing apparatus, using the detecting apparatus. The EM waves including at least a component in the above frequency range are called terahertz waves in this specification.
2. Description of the Related Background Art
Conventionally, an image forming apparatus, such as a printing apparatus, is likely to be influenced by a change in ambient conditions, such as temperature and humidity. Accordingly, to obtain a stable quality of image under various conditions, a sensor, such as a thermometer or a hygrometer, is disposed around an image forming unit of the apparatus. Information detected by the sensor is fed back to an image forming unit to adjust image forming settings thereof.
In the above method, however, it cannot be said that the sensor detects temperature and moisture with sufficient accuracy. Therefore, it is likely that the image forming unit is inappropriately adjusted.
To cope with the above disadvantage, the following method is proposed (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8(1996)-137145). A method proposed therein uses a detecting apparatus that includes plural light emitting units for emitting light at different frequencies, and a light receiving unit for receiving light emitted from each light emitting unit. The light emitting units are sequentially excited to emit different light, and each light reflected off a measurement object, such as sheet paper, is received by the light receiving unit. Moisture content of the measurement object is estimated based on a comparison result of those received light signals, and image forming settings are adjusted according to the estimated moisture content.
Quite often, however, distribution of moisture content of a paper stack set in a paper holder or tray is not uniform along a paper stacking direction. Moisture contents at upper, central and lower portions of the paper stack may differ from each other. Further, there are also cases where moisture content varies along an in-plane direction of the paper. Hence, moisture content detected by the above method may be that at an upper portion of the paper stack, or that at a portion illuminated with light. Accordingly, especially in a case where printing is performed by a high-speed printer, or other cases where moisture content is required to be detected with greater accuracy, a difference may occur between the measured moisture content of the detected paper and actual moisture content of paper to be printed.
Further, the following methods are also proposed (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8(1996)-334942, and U.S. Patent Application No. 2003/0091351). In those methods, a side of a paper stack is irradiated with light, and paper information is detected. However, the method of the former reference is simply adapted to detect the presence and absence, or quantity of, remaining papers in a paper tray, and the method of the latter reference is only adapted to detect paper thickness. In other words, those methods are not directed to detection of moisture content of paper.

Detecting apparatus for detecting moisture content of media stack


Methods for manufacturing a wind turbine blade component using a layup head for automatic or semi-automatic layup of fibre material as ply sections from respective rolls of a plurality of rolls in a blade component mould are described. The methods generally include: defining a list of ply sections for the blade component including the layup sequence and length of each ply section; generating a selection of layup plans using the list, a subset of the plurality of rolls and the initial lengths of fiber material on the rolls; selecting one layup plan in constraint of at least one criterion, such as optimisation of the remaining amount of fibre material waste on the plurality of rolls in a length direction, and controlling the layup head and plurality of rolls to perform the selected layup plan in manufacturing of the blade component in the blade component mould.

The manufacture of a wind turbine blade component such as a blade half shell or a section of a blade half shell generally involves the layup of fibre material in a shaped mould. The fibre material is normally applied as ply sections or strips. The different ply sections are applied successively according to a predefined layup plan for the blade component.
A resin may then be applied to the fibre material in the mould. The resin is allowed to cure to form the moulded blade component.
Traditionally, the layup material is manually applied to the surface of the mould. However, as some blade components are comparatively large, for example modern wind turbine blades can be in excess of 40 meters in length, such manual layup results in considerable cycle times for the manufacture of a such blade components.
In an effort to reduce the manufacturing time for the blade component, fibre material can be dispensed from a layup head controlled by an operator. The layup head is arranged to apply such material from a roll provided at or on the layup head, the material applied along a linear application plane. The layup head is mounted on a wagon and can be moved relative to the mould, to dispense ply sections of the fibre material along any desired mould portion.
The roll of the layup head is replaced by the operator with a new roll when the remaining fibre-material is too short for the next ply section to be dispensed according to the layup plan for the blade component. The manufacturing of a wind turbine blade component hereby leaves remaining fibre material on the used rolls as surplus material.
It is an object of the invention to provide an improved method and system for manufacturing a wind turbine blade component which seeks to reduce these problems.

Method and system for manufacturing a wind turbine blade component


A system for managing game-playing experiences includes one or more game-playing devices provided with communication interfaces for exchanging game-playing experiences therebetween. Each device includes computing hardware coupled to a graphical interface for presenting an interactive game thereupon. The computing hardware is operable to execute one or more game software products recorded on machine-readable data storage media for generating the interactive game. The one or more game software products include a game experience software module (GESW) for generating metadata concurrently with recording the game-playing experience substantially as presented via the graphical interface which enables the recorded game-playing experience to be subsequently managed prior to communication for distribution for viewing. Optionally, the metadata includes one or more metadata events which are searchable when subsequently viewing the game-playing experience.

Human beings naturally enjoy interacting in social groups, mutually sharing their knowledge and experience, as well as exhibiting competitive behaviour in order to define a hierarchy of respect within the social groups. Such interaction occurs in many different contexts, amongst which are included competitive sports and competitive games, including electronic games requiring player skill and aptitude. Within a given social group, it is not sufficient for a given individual merely to try to assert their position within a given hierarchy of the given social group, but requires evidence of a given degree of skill in playing games having been achieved. Similar parallels are to be found in physical sports by awarding of medals in recognition of independently-verified performance having been achieved, for example Olympic gold medals.
Electronic games are susceptible to being played within social groups, either with multiple users playing temporally simultaneously or by multiple users playing at mutually different times and then comparing their attained results, for example highest achieved scores, when playing the electronic games. However, merely comparing attained scores is not regarded socially as being most exciting, whereas highlights of game-playing resulting in highest achieved scores being achieved both proves attainment of the highest scores, as well as being inspiration to other players for improving their skills and game playing technique.
In practice, considerable time is potentially expended playing electronic games, such that recording such game-playing experiences results in considerable recorded content, which, for example, needs to be edited to filter out therefrom game playing highlights which might be of interest and inspiration to other players of the game. At present, facilities for providing such identification of highlights are not sufficiently well developed.
In U.S. Pat. No. 8,187,104B, there is described a system and method for creating, editing, and sharing video content pertaining to video game events. The method results in a relatively limited amount of metadata associated with video content pertaining to video game events being generated for enabling the events to be edited and shared with other users. For example, one set of metadata is generated which describes a game-playing encounter, instead of a stream of metadata events; the set of metadata allows mapping of metadata events directly to a timeline through one or more timestamps included in the set of metadata, thereby enabling features beneficial to implementing automated editing of recorded video content to identify interesting moments within the recorded video content based in the set of metadata.
Thus, summarizing above, sharing game-playing experiences of an original player as multiple linked streams of video content, audio content and game data enables other players to replay and thereby appreciate the original player's game-playing experiences. For contemporary electronic games, it takes a long time to replay gaming-experiences for many such games, resulting in recorded game-playing experiences of long viewing duration. Moreover, a problem encountered in practice is that it is difficult and time-consuming for a given player to edit his/her game-playing experience to include only certain types of events, for example based upon their potential interest or appeal to other players to whom the game-playing experience is to be presented. Moreover, it is also difficult for other players replaying game-playing experiences of other players to discover relevant game-playing experiences, or sub-parts thereof, by reviewing algebraic or social recommendations that are imprecise or difficult to interpret. Furthermore, contemporary searching for interesting game-playing experiences is difficult because game-playing experiences can only be searched using text descriptions entered manually by a given player desirable to appreciate other players' experiences. Additionally, even if the aforesaid difficulties are overcome, it is difficult to navigate within a given game-playing experience identified by aforementioned searching, to find interesting parts to watch.
Many game-playing experiences include events that are not immediately obvious to a casual observer, wherein the events may not be properly appreciated without graphical- or textural-highlights to draw the casual observer's attention to event detail; such graphical- or textural-highlights are beneficially implemented by way of momentary annotations and similar. Moreover, a given game-playing experience can be improved by the game-playing replaying includes visualizations of other sensor data, for example touch, microphone-captured sounds, movement sensors and similar.
A further problem encountered with contemporary game-playing systems is that video game players desire to define themselves in a content of a given type of video game and compare themselves with other players of the same game. Comparing high-level information, for example a given player's high scores and achievements when playing the given game, provides a way of comparing the given player's performance with that of other players, but provides relatively little comparative information, for example gaming prowess, style of game-playing, and preferences when playing the given game. Such limitations when contemporarily making comparisons between players hinders the given player trying to connect with other players within or among a social network, for example other players who are interesting to competing again in a given social network or whose game-playing experiences are interesting to watch and appreciate.

System and method for managing game-playing experiences


Techniques for a quantum device with modular quantum building blocks are provided. In one embodiment, a device is provided that comprises a substrate that is coupled with a plurality of qubit pockets, where at least one qubit pocket of the plurality of qubit pockets is coupled with a qubit. In one implementation, the device can further comprise a plurality of connectors coupled to the substrate and positioned around at least a portion of the substrate, where the plurality of connectors comprising a connecting element. In one or more implementations, the device can further comprise a plurality of transmission lines formed on the substrate and connect at least one connector of the plurality of connectors to at least one qubit pocket of the plurality of qubit pockets.

The subject disclosure relates generally to devices used for quantum computing, more particularly, a quantum device implemented using modular quantum building blocks.
Supercomputers (e.g., quantum computers) are powerful machines capable of processing information substantially faster and more efficiently than general computers. Built on principles of quantum physics, quantum computing can execute new types of algorithms and process information more holistically than conventional computing systems. Quantum computers can be used for new drug discovery, optimization of man-made systems, artificial intelligence and a host of other applications.
Quantum computers are based on operation of qubits, which operate according to principles of quantum physics: superposition and entanglement. Superposition means that a qubit represents both values of 1 and 0 at the same time. Entanglement means that the qubits can be correlated with each other wherein the state of one qubit can depend on the state of another qubit. Using these principles, qubits can act as sophisticated switches. A single qubit can represent both values 0 and 1 simultaneously (or concurrently) and in combinations. Two qubits can represent four values simultaneously (or concurrently) (e.g., 00, 01, 10, 11). Similarly, three qubits can represent 23 values and 50 qubits can represent 250 values simultaneously (or concurrently).
Quantum computing is increasingly becoming popular and rapidly being deployed. In quantum computing, a quantum processor is used to process qubit information. To be scalable, the quantum processor must have an ability to correct errors. Due to high tolerance to error on the qubits, surface code error correction architecture is a leading solution. To implement surface code correction architecture, the quantum processor is designed to use a two-dimensional (2D) or a three-dimensional (3D) grid of qubits (e.g., superconducting qubits), wherein a grid may have two or more qubits neighboring each other. However, there are problems with using either 2D or 3D grid of qubits for a quantum processor. Over time, frequency collision and qubit deterioration can occur, which will impact performance of the quantum processor.
Frequency collision occurs when two or more neighboring (or adjacent) qubits end up with same frequency for communication. The system cannot control the frequency of the qubits because the thickness of the material used for substrate and type of material used to attach the qubit to the substrate control the frequency of the qubit. The problem is that when frequency collision occurs, the system cannot distinguish which qubit to use and thus, qubits with same frequency become unusable. Thus, the frequency collisions impact performance of the quantum processor.
Also, qubit deterioration occurs with prolong use of the quantum device. There may be several reasons why the qubits deteriorate. For example, when materials used for a substrate deteriorates or when a device that connects qubits to the substrate (e.g., Josephen junction that connects a qubit to the substrate deteriorates) deteriorates, the qubit becomes unusable (e.g., qubit deterioration). The current solution is to replace an entire quantum device when qubit(s) deteriorate.
Conventional systems do not adequately address the aforementioned issues. Some quantum device systems may use a flux tunable qubit, wherein the frequency of a qubit is changed by applying flux (e.g., a magnetic field). Applying magnetic field adds noise to other qubits causing inefficiencies to overall performance of the quantum device. Some schemes focus on improving materials used for connecting qubits to a substrate to prolong change in qubit frequency. However, such solution is inefficient, expensive and difficult to implement. For qubit deterioration, there are no known conventional solutions to eliminate deterioration of qubits. Most approaches suggest replacing an entire quantum device once performance of the quantum device falls below a threshold. None of the approaches individually or in combination suggest a viable solution to address frequency collision and deterioration of qubits.

Quantum device with modular quantum building blocks

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


A window cornice assembly is disclosed. The window cornice assembly may comprise a front section and two side sections upon which fabric may be arranged. Corner pieces may be mounted on the front and side sections. Fabric may be arranged and secured on the front and/or side sections by clips that retain the fabric taut and over the front face thereof. The clips can be attached to each other directly by an elastic cord or band, or attached to the rear face of the front section directly so that the fabric is tightly pulled over the front face of the front section. The elastic cord or band imparts a desired amount of elasticity to the fabric. The window cornice assembly may have one or more elongated channel-shaped support strips arranged on a front section to provide additional rigidity thereto.

Window valences, headrails, or cornices are all assemblies that attach to the top of windows to create a decorative appearance or serve functional purposes when used in combination with blinds, curtains, shades or other window treatment devices. For the purposes of this discussion, valences, headrails, and cornices are equivalent apparatus, and will be collectively referred to as window cornices or, simply, a cornice. Window cornices are often covered with fabric to enhance the decorative appearance thereof or to match or complement other window coverings or decor in the room.
One problem that must be addressed by cornice manufacturers is that windows and the moldings that surround them are not uniform in width. Windows come in an almost infinite variety of sizes and shapes. Therefore, manufacturers often produce and stock various sizes of cornices or custom-made cornices for each window. But stocking various sizes of window cornices consumes a substantial amount of wholesale and retail shelf-space. Moreover, no matter how many sizes are stocked, the selection would still not cover the almost infinite range of window sizes.
Prior art methods of manufacturing custom sized cornices are both expensive and time consuming. Therefore, great effort has been expended by inventors to make window cornices that may be adjusted to various window sizes. However, these known cornices and cornice assemblies are complicated to adjust, require tools to assemble, are expensive and time consuming to manufacture, or do not otherwise meet the needs of the consumers for adjustable window cornices.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,952,069 to Hoffheimer et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2,315,033 to Adair, U.S. Pat. No. 2,539,380 to Ziemmerman, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,597,025 to Forkner, each disclose a telescoping cornice assembly to adjust the width of the cornice. However, these disclosed assemblies and other known telescoping cornices have a limited range of adjustment, are relatively complicated to manufacture, and do not provide for the easy attachment of window fabric.
Other cornices are known that use an adjustable internal rod, known in the industry as a "curtain rod" or "pocket-rod," such as those sold under the brand name Dauphine rod, upon which a fixed length fascia board is attached. U.S. Pat. No. 5,039,049 to Niemi and U.S. Pat. No. 5,505,245 to Badalamenti disclose cornices using such an internal rod. However, these internal rods must be covered by a fascia piece. And since the fascia piece itself requires adjustment to fit varying window widths, the disclosures in these patents do not solve the basic problem of creating an easily adjustable finished window cornice. In addition, in known cornices employing an internal rod covered by a fascia piece, once the internal rod is covered by the fascia piece, the internal rod becomes difficult to access, therefore making it difficult for the user to adjust the window cornice.
It is also known in the art to provide a multi-piece headrail with interlocking parts that may be added or removed to expand or contract the cornice width. One example of this type of cornice is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,828,002 to Levy. However, this disclosure includes a complex adjustment mechanism and is therefore not desirable.
In addition, a number of cornices employ a unitary headpiece that may be cut to fit a desired window width. Such cornices are often not desirable because the method of adjusting the length of the headrail requires a saw or other tool to cut the headrail, and some modicum of experience to achieve a straight cut. Further, the existing cornices that require assembly of the front section to the side sections using this method of adjustment have heretofore employed complicated corner joint members which require external tools and remote securing devices, such as nails or the like, to join the headrail to the two side rails. This increases manufacturing time and thus the cost of the assembly. Various cornices are disclosed that incorporate a mechanism for attaching such front and side cornice pieces. These include U.S. Pat. No. 3,606,419 to Virkler et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,421 to Basmadji et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,828,002 to Ashbyto, U.S. Pat. No. 5,033,525 to Paeselt, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,548 to Attal. Each of these disclosures employ either complicated molds, cannot be cheaply manufactured, or cannot be easily adapted to cornices having an adjustable front piece as described above.
Finally, as noted above, customers often desire to cover their cornice with fabric to create a decorative appearance which may match or complement other window coverings or general room decor. Various ways are known to secure fabric to window cornices including the use of staples, tacks or the like. These methods suffer from damaging the fabric and being difficult to remove or replace. Moreover, these methods do not account for eventual stretching of the fabric over time, thus allowing wrinkles to develop which decrease the appearance of the fabric. U.S. Pat. No. 5,217,784 to Shepherd, U.S. Pat. No. 5,219,013 to Rozon, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,598,880 to Cross, each disclose assemblies for attaching fabric to a window cornice. However, neither of these assemblies allow the fabric to be neatly wrapped around the entire cornice where the fabric is provided with a desired degree of elasticity. In addition, the known adjustable cornices, employing complicated clips, corner pieces and adjusting means do not present a flat uniform exterior to the window cornice, thereby preventing the smooth wrapping of fabric around the cornice.
Therefore, there exists the need for an improved adjustable window cornice assembly to overcome the shortcomings discussed above with existing window cornices.


An adaptive intelligent radio module (IRM) is provided in an intelligent radio design for gateways between satellite and terrestrial networks. The intelligent radio module monitors channel signal quality at the channel units of the gateway to determine whether the quality of a channel unit is below a predetermined quality threshold. If the channel quality is greater than or equal to the predetermined quality threshold, then a standard channel unit is employed, and nominal algorithms are used to process the channel. However, if the channel quality is below the quality threshold, then a high performance channel unit is used that employs complex algorithms unique to the particular quality defect of the channel quality. Various additional functions can be performed at the receive side and the transmit side of the channel units monitored by the IRM. Further, the IRM can add or enhance existing algorithms in accordance with new technology.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communication method and system that adapts to channel and/or propagation conditions, and more specifically, an intelligent radio module (IRM) that optimizes performance of channel units in a gateway.
2. Background of the Related Art
FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a related art processing system. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the related art processing system includes an antenna and RF processing unit 1 that communicates with a conversion unit 2, which performs analog-to-digital as well as digital-to-analog conversion for transmission and/or reception. A gateway 3 is connected between the conversion unit 2 and a terrestrial network 10.
In the gateway 3, uplinking is performed by a transmission baseband processing unit 6 that receives an input from the terrestrial network 10, and outputs a signal to a modulator 5, which outputs a modulated signal to a transmission intermediate frequency (IF) processing unit 4. The conversion unit 2 then receives the output of the transmission IF processing unit 4.
To perform downlinking, the gateway 3 includes a reception IF processing unit 7 that receives a signal from the conversion unit 2. A demodulator 8 demodulates the output of the reception IF processing unit 7 to a reception baseband processing unit 9, which is connected to the terrestrial network 10.
FIG. 2 illustrates additional details of the related art processing system. A RF antenna 11 receives the RF signal, which is down-converted to an IF in a heterodyne receiver 12. The heterodyne receiver 12 is connected to a synthesizer 13. At the IF stage, the individual subscriber channels are isolated and filtered in accordance with a control 14 and a filter 15. The isolated, filtered signals are then sent through a processing unit 16 to a demodulator 8, which includes an analog-to-digital converter 17. Channel processing units 18a . . . 18n in the gateway 3 receive and process inputs for the channels.
On the receive side, after demodulation, the bit stream is sent to the reception baseband processing unit 9 for further processing before going into the terrestrial network. The reverse operation takes place on the transmit side, as the transmitted signals are filtered, combined and up-converted to the RF frequency for transmission by the antenna 11.
Two related art methods are provided for the channel units 18a . . . 18n to perform signal processing on the related art systems illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. In the first related art method, the channel units are developed for the worst case channel conditions, so that receiver performance meets specifications. In the second related art method, the channel units are developed for nominal conditions. The first related art method has a higher cost than the second related art method, as the overall implementation cost of the gateway will be higher if all channel units are developed for worst case channel conditions. Further, the second related art method fails to meet basic performance requirements during the worst case channel conditions.
However, the related art processing systems have various problems and disadvantages. For example, but not by way of limitation, the related art system does not have channel units that have sufficient flexibility to adapt to channel conditions and/or propagation, and use different processing schemes based on channel conditions. Therefore, the related art systems are inflexible in terms of performance, even though implementation and control resides in the software. To guarantee a minimum level of performance, related art systems design the channel units for worst case scenario, which results in an increased cost. If the channels are of sufficient quality, the channel units are either underutilized or perform extra processing.

Intelligent radio design for satellite gateways and terrestrial base stations


A connector configured to be connected to an electrical cable includes a sleeve configured to extend around an end of the electrical cable and a flange extending outward from the sleeve. The flange includes an outer surface and an inner surface. The flange also includes an outer skirt extending continuously and completely around an outer periphery of the base plate, and an inner skirt spaced apart from the outer skirt. The inner skirt traces a closed and continuous path around the sleeve. The flange also includes a channel defined between the inner and outer skirts.

Electrical connectors are utilized in a variety of applications to connect two or more electrical components together. For instance, electrical connectors are utilized to create an electrical connection between a trailer and a tractor (e.g., electrical connectors are utilized to create an electrical connection between a sleeper compartment of the tractor or a standard cab of the tractor and the trailer). However, conventional electrical connectors are prone to infiltration by water or contaminants, which tend to corrode and degrade the electrical system, leading to premature failure and/or costly and time-consuming downtime and repairs.


A memory device includes a decoder that sets an operational control signal and a column select line signal at a first logical level simultaneously. In addition, a local sense amplifier has at least one switching device that is turned on by the operational control signal that is at the first logical level to couple at least one local I/O line to at least one global I/O line. Furthermore, signal lines, that are disposed to be parallel, transmit the operational control signal and the column select line signal from the decoder.

This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 2004-54490, filed on Jul. 13, 2004, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to memory devices, and more particularly, to a local sense amplifier with improved operating frequency in a semiconductor memory device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Increase in chip size of a semiconductor memory device results in increased length and thus capacitance of a data line. Such increased capacitance results in higher delay for transmission of data through the data line. To address this problem, a current sense amplifier, which is not affected by the capacitance of the data line, is used in a semiconductor memory device.
The current sense amplifier advantageously does not create a voltage difference on the data lines. Thus, the data lines need not be synchronized, even when different data are consecutively transmitted. Also, the current sense amplifier operates normally even when the semiconductor memory device operates at high speed.
However, the current sense amplifier must be consistently supplied with a current to make a virtual short along an input/output (I/O) line. Thus, the current sense amplifier requires more current to operate than a voltage sense amplifier. For this reason, the current sense amplifier may not be practical for a memory device used in mobile communication equipment that must operate at high speed with less power consumption.
When a voltage sense amplifier is used in a memory device that has a hierarchical I/O line structure, a local sense amplifier is installed between local I/O lines and global I/O lines to increase the operating speed of the memory device. FIG. 1 shows a circuit diagram of a conventional local sense amplifier 100. FIG. 2 shows a timing diagram of signals during operation of the local sense amplifier 100 of FIG. 1.
The local sense amplifier 100 includes read transistors RTR1, RTR2, RTR3, RTR4, and RTR5 that transmit read data, write transistors WTR1 and WTR2 that transmit write data, and precharge transistors PTR1, RTR2, and PTR3 that precharge a pair of local I/O lines LIO and LIOB.
During a read operation, a column select line signal CSL is activated to a logical high level. The activated CSL signal allows transmission of data amplified by a bit-line sense amplifier (not shown) to the pair of local I/O lines LIO and LIOB. The data transmitted to the pair of local I/O lines LIO and LIOB is amplified by the local sense amplifier 100 and transmitted to a pair of global I/O lines GIO and GIOB.
The time at which the local sense amplifier 100 amplifies and transmits the data to the pair of global I/O lines GIO and GIOB is controlled by a read control signal PBLK_R. When the read control signal PBLK_R is activated to the logical high level, the read transistors RTR1, RTR2, and RTR5 are turned on to transmit the amplified data to the pair of global I/O lines GIO and GIOB.
As shown in FIG. 2, the read control signal PBLK_R is activated at almost the exact same time as the column select line signal CSL. The read control signal PBLK_R activates a respective local sense amplifier corresponding to a memory block selected by a word line.
That is, only a local sense amplifier located in a region of a selected memory block operates. When the read control signal PBLK_R is activated after activation of the column select line signal CSL, data access is delayed between activation of the CSL signal and the activation of the read control signal PBLK_R.
In contrast, when the read control signal PBLK_R is activated before activation of the CSL signal, data is transmitted through the local sense amplifier 100 before valid data is applied on the pair of local I/O lines LIO and LIOB. Thus, invalid data is transmitted to the pair of global I/O lines GIO and GIOB with unnecessary power consumption.
Accordingly, in the conventional local sense amplifier 100, the read control signal PBLK_R and the CSL signal should be activated at the exact same time for proper operation.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a conventional memory array 300. The conventional memory array 300 includes a row decoder 310, a column decoder 320, and a plurality of memory blocks MB. Although not shown in FIG. 3, each local sense amplifier 100 of FIG. 1 is installed at a junction between a respective bit-line sense amplifier (not shown) and a respective sub word line driver (not shown) of a respective memory block MB.
Referring to FIG. 3, using a row address, a read control signal PBLK_R is transmitted in the direction of a word line WL after a predetermined delay, while a column select line signal CSL is transmitted perpendicular to the word line WL. Thus, even if the memory array 300 is designed such that both the read control signal PBLK_R and the column select line signal CSL are activated at exactly the same time for a memory block MB1, these signals PBLK_R and CSL are inevitably activated at different times within another memory block MB2.
Such signals PBLK_R and CSL are activated at different times within different memory blocks because of differences in the delay of such signals PBLK-R and CSL reaching each memory block. That is, it is difficult to activate the column select line signal CSL and the read control signal PBLK_R simultaneously within every memory block MB. Consequently, the operating frequency range of the memory array 300 is limited.
This problem becomes worse for a precharge control signal /PRE that precharges the pair of local I/O lines LIO and LIOB. When read operations are continuously performed, one column select line signal CSLi is deactivated and another column select line signal CSLi+1 is activated.
Generally, the precharge control signal /PRE pulse needs to precharge the pair of local I/O lines LIO and LIOB after the column select line signal CSLi is deactivated and before the next column select line signal CSLi+1 is activated. Thus, the precharge control signal /PRE pulse must be generated with sufficient pulse width precisely between the activation of the column select line signal CSLi and the next column select line signal CSLi+1.
When the precharge control signal /PRE pulse is generated before deactivation of the prior column select line signal CSLi, a current path is formed between the pair of local I/O lines LIO and LIOB and a bit-line sense amplifier (not shown), thereby causing unnecessary power consumption. On the other hand, when generation of the precharge control signal /PRE pulse overlaps activation of the next column select line signal CSLi+1, a current path is formed between the bit-line sense amplifier and precharge transistors PTR1, PTR2, and PTR3 along the pair of local I/O lines LIO and LIOB of the local sense amplifier 100. The current path causes unnecessary power consumption, and moreover, delays data access through the local sense amplifier 100.
The precharge control signal /PRE is transmitted in the direction of the word line WL, but the column select line signal CSL is transmitted perpendicular to the word line WL. Thus, even if the precharge control signal /PRE pulse is generated simultaneously with activation of the column select line signal CSL within the memory block MB1, the precharge control signal /PRE pulse may not be generated simultaneously with activation of the column select line signal CSL within the another memory block MB2. That is, it is difficult to generate the precharge control signal /PRE pulse with simultaneous activation of the column select line signal CSL within every memory block MB. Consequently, the operating frequency range of the memory array 300 is limited.
FIG. 4 illustrates a discrepancy between the time when a precharge control signal /PRE pulse is generated and the time when a column select line signal CSL is activated. There is a time delay D between the activated column select line signal CSL reaching the first memory block MB1 and the second memory block MB2. Thus, if the precharge control signal /PRE pulse is generated when the column select line signal CSL is deactivated at the first memory block MB1, the precharge control signal /PRE pulse may be generated when the column select line signal CSL is still activated at the second memory block MB2.
Similarly, during a write operation, a write control signal PBLK_W is activated to connect the pair of global I/O lines GIO and GIOB and the pair of local I/O lines LIO and LIOB of FIG. 1. Since the pair of global I/O lines GIO and GIOB reach full swing during the write operation, it is possible to transmit data using only the write transistors WTR1 and WTR2 of FIG. 1 without an additional amplifier.
The write control signal PBLK_W should also be activated simultaneously with the column select line signal CSL at each memory block. Therefore, the time when the write control signal PBLK_W is activated must be adjusted precisely. However, since the write control signal PBLK_W is also transmitted perpendicular to the column select line signal CSL, it is difficult to activate the write control signal PBLK_W and the column select line signal CSL simultaneously at each memory block.


A method is provided for the separation of at least one aromatic amino acid from an aqueous solution of mixed amino acids including the aromatic amino acid. The aqueous solution is brought into contact with a strongly acidic gel-type cation exchange resin which has been converted into a salt with an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal, whereby the aromatic amino acid is selectively sorbed by the cation exchange resin. The aromatic amino acid thus sorbed can then be desorbed from the ion exchange resin, preferably with water.

a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for separating at least one amino acid from an aqueous solution of mixed amino acids, which solution is produced, for example, in an amino acid production process such as a synthetic process, a fermentation process, an enzymatic process or a proteolytic process.
b) Description of the Related Art
As adsorption-dependent separation methods for amino acids, ion exchange methods have been known for many years. According to one example of these ion exchange methods, treatment of an aqueous solution of various amino acids with a strongly acidic ion exchange resin is effected by converting the resin into the free form, namely, the H form, causing the resin to adsorb the amino acids thereon and then eluting the amino acids with aqueous ammonia. This method makes use of the fact that an amino acid is an ampholyte, whereby the amino acids are once bonded to functional groups of the ion exchange resin. Accordingly, the pH of the solution of the amino acids is lowered to convert the amino acids into cations, followed by the treatment with the ion exchange resin. The amino acids adsorbed on the resin through ion bonding are then treated with aqueous ammonia as an eluent to raise the pH, so that the cations of the amino acids are subjected to ion exchange with ammonium ions and are hence eluted. Further, the ion exchange resin can be regenerated into the H form with a mineral acid such as hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid and can then be employed again for the adsorption of amino acids
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 73050/1981 discloses a method in which one or more aromatic amino acids in an aqueous solution, an aqueous alcohol solution or an alcohol solution are purified using a strongly acidic ion exchange resin of the macroporous type. Even in this method, the ion exchange resin is converted into the H form and, after ionic adsorption of the amino acids, the amino acids are eluted with an aqueous ammonia solution.
Serious drawbacks of such ion exchange methods reside in the use of an acid as a pH-adjusting agent or a regenerating agent and also in the use of aqueous ammonia as an eluent. To practice the above ion exchange methods on an industrial scale, many accompanying problems therefore arise For example, the acid employed must eventually be neutralized and discharged as an effluent from the system. On the other hand, ammonia used as an eluent accompanies amino acids as target substances for the separation Removal of ammonia is therefore indispensable to isolate the amino acids. Further, to discharge the thus-removed ammonia out of the system, it is necessary not only to neutralize the same but also to eliminate by a certain method its nitrogen fraction which causes trouble from the standpoint of environmental protection.


Bio-filter unit (1) intended for a fish farming system, said bio-filter unit (1) comprising a container (2) with a filter media (3) and an inner architecture, said inner architecture comprising at least one vertical tube (5) having an open input end (6) and an open output end (7), wherein the bio-filter unit (1) is connected to a pump (8) enabling pumping liquid and filter media (3) from a bottom (9) of the container (2) against a top (10) of the container (2) through said at least one vertical tube (5), wherein an upper plate (15) is arranged inclined downwards from and around the open output end (7) of the at least one vertical tube (5) and ends at a distance from a wall (13) of the container, wherein the upper plate (15) Is perforated and wherein a regeneration water outflow (16) is arranged under the upper plate (15).

Different filters are used in fish farming systems today. Examples are different types of drum and disc filters and bio filters such as moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) and fixed bed biofilm reactor (FBBR). Combinations of the different filter types are normally used in recirculated auquaculture systems (RAS) where the particle removing filters are combined with a biofilter MBBR or/and FBBR. The FBBR add on top a fine particle reduction to the system. It is necessary to have time controlled cleaning and fluidising sequences to avoid uncontrolled undesirable bacterial growth. The problem is how to ensure that the FBBR is homogeneously cleaned.
One aim of the present invention is to provide an improved filter to be used in water recirculation systems intended for fish farming systems, wherein the improved filter provides several advantages in comparison to existing solutions. These advantages relate to e.g. providing an improved regeneration cycle for the water flow, the possibility of an increased total yield and thus degree of reuse of water and an increased efficiency when connecting and disconnecting a filter unit during e.g. a washing cycle or the like.

Bio-filter unit for a fish farming system


Provided is a QoS providing method using a flow label in providing multimedia service in an IPv6 network and a system applying the same. According to the method, a signal connection server extracts session information from a communication request response signal transmitted from a destination in response to a communication request signal of a source, and transmits the extracted session information to a QoS provisioning server. The QoS provisioning server receives the session information, and generates a session key including flow label, and sets QOS information corresponding to the session key. The QoS provisioning server transmits the session key and the QoS information to an IPv6 node, and transmits QoS provisioning completion information to the signal connection server. When the signal connection server receives the QoS provisioning completion information, the signal connection server transmits the received communication request response signal to the source. The IPv6 node forwards an introduced packet on the basis of the transmitted session key and the QoS information.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for providing Quality of Service (QoS) through session classification in an Internet protocol version 6 (IPv6) network, and more particularly, to a method for classifying sessions created between terminals or nodes and providing specialized QoS for each session in providing multimedia network service in an IPv6 network.
2. Description of the Related Art
A session in an Internet protocol (IP) network can be defined in various ways according to the fields that the identification method is considering in. However, generally a session is defined using the information of a network layer such as an IP address and the information of a transmission layer such as a transmission control protocol/user datagram protocol (TCP/UDP) port information.
For example, a session in an IPv4 network is defined using source IPv4 address, destination IPv4 address, protocol number, source TCP/UDP port number, and destination TCP/UDP port number. Similarly, a session in an IPv6 network can be defined using source IPv6 address, destination IPv6 address, next header, source TCP/UDP port number, and destination TCP/UDP port number.
Transmission layer information (a source TCP/UDP port number and a destination TCP/UDP port number) contained in an IPv6 packet exists in the form of an extension header according to the header type defined by a standard. When there are a plurality of extension headers, the transmission layer information is located at an endmost portion of each extension header. Therefore, when a plurality of extension headers exist in an IPv6 packet, there is difficulty in extracting transmission layer information in high-speed networks.
Therefore, when the beginning of an extension header of an IPv6 packet is not transmission layer header such as TCP or UDP ports. In this case, since QoS is provided to a thick session grouping sessions whose source IPv6 address, destination IPv6 address and next header are same, a specialized control cannot be performed for each 5-tuple session. In addition, when a payload is encrypted just as an encapsulating security payload exists in an IPv6 packet, transmission layer information cannot be extracted unless each node performs decoding.

Method for providing QoS using flow label in providing multimedia service in IPv6 network and system applying the same

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute


The present invention is a device that can be used to hold cables, cords, hoses, ropes, and similar objects that are used during work on a roof top. The cable holding device is comprised of a body for holding the cables, a mounting bracket for mounting the invention to a roof, and an arm that serves to extend the body beyond the terminal edge of a roof. The body and the mounting bracket are respectively attached to the arm by any conventional means. The mounting bracket cooperates with the arm to extend the body a suitable distance beyond the terminal edge of a roof top, allowing cables held within the body to drape over the edge of a building without touching the terminal edge of the roof.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a device that can be utilized to hold cables, cords, hoses, and ropes when work is performed on roof tops. The invention prevents cables, cords, hoses, ropes, and similar objects from getting caught on the edge of a roof, eave of a roof, stud wall, concrete wall, or similar structure.
2. Description of Prior Art
Cables, cords, hoses, and ropes may be required during work on a roof top. While the work is being performed, cords from electrical equipment are often left hanging over the side of a roof top to allow the free ends to be plugged into electrical sockets at ground level. Hoses are also often left hanging over the side of a roof top to connect to a water receptacle, air compressor, or other receptacle at ground level. Similarly, electric cables, fiber optic cables, and ropes may also hang over the side of a roof during roof top work.
One disadvantage of this previously known practice of allowing cables, cords, hoses, and ropes to hang over a roof is that the cable, cord, hose, or rope can become damaged. If fiber optic cables are damaged, this could lead to a decrease or total cessation of signals traveling through the cable. Damaged electrical cables and electrical cords can lead to loss of power supply to electrical equipment and can also lead to accidental electrocution due to exposed surfaces of the electrical cables and cords. Additionally, damaged water hoses can lead to water leakage on the roof, increasing the potential for slips and falls as well as increasing the possibility of accidental electrocution. Damaged air hoses can lead to loss of air pressure and wasted electricity. Damaged ropes could lead to the inability of the rope to provide stability to workers on the roof or to inability of the rope to serve as an effective harness mechanism. If workers inadvertently use a damaged rope to ascend or descend from the roof, the damaged rope could break and lead to serious injury or death. Cables, cords, hoses, and ropes that are left unsecured while hanging over a roof can also suffer damage or cause injury if blown around by strong wind gusts. Lastly, roof top workers could also trip and fall over cables, cords, hoses, and ropes that are not secured and this could pose a major safety hazard.
The literature is replete with various devices that hold cables, cords, hoses, and ropes. Patents discussing various cable, cord, hose, and rope holders include Morgan, U.S. Pat. No. 6,095,462, Nee, U.S. Pat. No. 7,069,698; Durin, U.S. Pat. No. 6,729,606; and Smith, U.S. Pat. No. 5,573,226. Publications discussing cable and rope holders include Lieneweber, DE Publication No. DE3611985 and Proepster, DE Publication No. DE10204734.
Although Morgan, U.S. Pat. No. 6,095,462, Nee, U.S. Pat. No. 7,069,698, Lieneweber, DE Publication No. DE3611985 and Proepster, DE Publication No. DE10204734 address the issue of holding cables, hoses, and ropes during work on roof tops, none of these prior art references provide a device for preventing damage to cables, cords, hoses, and ropes that hang over the terminal edge of a roof top, eave, stud wall, concrete wall, or similar structure What is desired is a device that can hold, secure, and prevent damage to cables, cords, hoses, and ropes that are draped over the terminal edge of a roof top, eave, stud wall, concrete wall, or a similar structure.

Cable, cord, hose, and rope holding device


Methods of the present invention identify an asset allocation model and at least one security associated there with. An investment account portfolio is stored that includes at least one substitute security associated with the identified at least one security. A virtual portfolio is then generated that includes the identified at least one security. A tax lot is created for the identified at least one security to identify a total value for the at least one security, and the method determines whether the virtual portfolio complies with the asset allocation model. The identified at least one security associated with the asset allocation model is restricted from the investment account portfolio.

Investment accounts hold stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and the like for individuals, trusts, corporations, and other investors. Investors typically utilize such accounts to achieve long and short term savings goals and as an aid in tax planning. The holdings of an investment account may be manipulated by the investor, such as by an investor executing securities purchases or sales via a graphical user interface and an Internet connection. An investor can be any of a number of different types of entities, including an individual or a business. The holdings of an investment account may also be manipulated by an entity managing or otherwise associated with the investment account, such as a money manager, a brokerage firm (sometimes referred to as a broker-dealer or a sponsor), or some other type of investment firm.
Typically, a professionally managed investment account is associated with an asset allocation model that reflects an investment style (e.g., aggressive, growth, value, income) and a money manager's preferred mix of specific assets (e.g., stocks, bonds, cash) in conformity with the style. When an investor establishes an account, the initial investment is distributed among assets in accordance with the model. An investment account such as a multi-strategy portfolio (MSP) account may consist of a number of individual accounts, each of which is associated with its own investment style and model. MSP accounts can also be associated with an overlay model that reflects the relative distribution of assets across sleeves. Additional information on models and their use is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/372,724, filed Feb. 25, 2003, titled "Multi-style Client Investment Managed Accounts with Transaction Tagging", the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference as if set forth fully herein.
It will be appreciated that an investor may customize a particular investment account associated with an asset allocation model through the use of restrictions. Restrictions constrain the ability to use an investment account to trade security instruments, such as buying or selling stocks. Additional information on restrictions and systems in which they are implemented is disclosed in U.S. application Ser. No. 11/146,015, titled "Automated Actions Based on Restrictions", filed Jun. 7, 2005, and U.S. application Ser. No. 11/389,909, titled "Systems, Methods, and Computer Program Products for Processing Orders Subject to Investment Restrictions", filed Mar. 27, 2006 (collectively the "Restriction Applications"), the entire contents of both of which are incorporated herein by reference as if set forth fully herein. Restrictions are typically associated with explicit or implicit resolution rules that indicate actions are taken when a restriction violation is detected. For instance, if a restriction stipulates that a particular security cannot be purchased, the resolution rule may stipulate that the assets that were to be used for the restricted purchase be left as cash in the investment account.
It will be appreciated that over time the mix of assets in an investment account (or a sleeve within an account) subject to an investment allocation model may deviate from an ideal mix defined by the model because of specifically ordered trades, ad-hoc deposits of assets that are not part of the model, or investment gains and losses. This deviation is referenced generally herein as drift. Drift from an allocation model is typically calculated either periodically or on an ad hoc basis, and certain portfolio management functions and/or trading tools take into account allocation models and drift. Additionally, it should be appreciated that the drift in an account will intensify after the passage of any time in which investment gains and losses may be incurred.
Traditional monitoring of drift fails to take into account restrictions and their associated resolution rules. This is particularly problematic if restrictions, resolution rules, and allocation models are at odds regarding the appropriate assets to add to an investment account. As a result, functions such as account rebalancing to realign assets to adhere more closely to an asset allocation model may generate a number of unnecessary trade orders or, at the very least, execute unnecessary processing in generating offsetting trade orders. When a large number of accounts with many restrictions and associated resolution rules are under management, this can significantly affect overall system efficiency.
What is needed are methods, systems and computer program products that minimize the drift of an investment account and the processing to correct such drift by taking into account the history of applicable restrictions and their resolutions in portfolio management functions that use an asset allocation model.

Systems, methods, and computer program products for adjusting the assets of an investment account


A transmissivity controlled film 12 (CrO or the like), a transmissivity reduced film 13 (Cr or the like), and a resist film 14, for instance, are sequentially formed on, e.g., a transparent substrate 11. A resist is removed from an area (an area C) where a light-transmission section is to be formed, and the transmissivity reduced film 13 and the transmissivity controlled film 12 are removed from the area, thereby forming a light-transmission section. Next, a resist is removed from an area (an area A) in which a graytone section is to be formed, thereby removing the transmissivity reduced film 13 from that area, to thereby form a graytone section. Thus, a graytone mask is manufactured.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a graytone mask and a manufacturing method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, attempts have been made to reduce the number of mask sheets by using graytone masks in the field of large-sized LCD masks (as set forth in the monthly FPD Intelligence, May, 1999).
As shown in FIG. 5A, such a graytone mask has an opaque part 1, a transmission part 2 and a graytone part 3. The graytone part 3 corresponds to an area in which there is formed an opaque pattern 3a of below or equal to the resolution limit of an exposure apparatus for a large-sized LCD using the graytone mask and is designed to selectively change the thickness of a photoresist film by decreasing the light transmitted through this area so as to decrease the amount of irradiation due to the area. Normally, the opaque part 1 and the opaque pattern 3a are formed with films that are made of the same material such as chromium (Cr) or a chromium compound and have the same thickness.
The resolution limit of the exposure apparatus for the large-sized LCD using the graytone mask is about 3 μm in the case of an exposure apparatus of a stepper type and about 4 μm in the case of an exposure apparatus of a mirror projection type. Consequently, the space width of a transmission part 3b in the graytone part of FIG. 5A is set at less than 3 μm and the line width of the opaque pattern 3a of below or equal to the resolution limit of the exposure apparatus is set at less than 3 μm, for example. When the exposure apparatus for the large-sized LCD is used for light exposure, as the exposure light transmitted through the graytone part 3 as a whole is deficient in the amount of light exposure, positive photoresists are left on a substrate though the thickness of the positive photoresists exposed to light via the graytone part 3 solely decreases. More specifically, there arises a difference in solubility of resists in developing liquid between parts corresponding to the ordinary opaque part 1 and to the graytone part because of difference in the amount of light exposure and this results in, as shown in FIG. 5B, making a part 1′ corresponding to the ordinary opaque part 1 as thick as about 1.3 μm, making a part 3′ corresponding to the graytone part 3 as thick as about 0.3 μm and making a part corresponding to the transmission part 2 a part 2′ without resists, for example. A first etching of a substrate as a workpiece is carried out in the part 2′ without the resists so as to remove the resists in the thin part 3′ corresponding to the graytone part 3 by ashing and the like and by carrying out a second etching of this part, the etching process is performed with one mask instead of two masks as conventionally used in order to reduce the number of masks for use.
In order to form a graytone section in the graytone mask in the form of a fine pattern having a size equal to the resolution limit of a large LCD aligner using a graytone mask, a minute line-and-space pattern is ideally given a pitch of ±2 μm or thereabouts (about one-half this pitch; that is, 1 μm or thereabouts, becomes a fine light transmission section). A fine pattern must be processed with an accuracy of ±0.2 μm or thereabouts. However, in terms of the accuracy achieved by the current large mask for use in manufacturing an LCD, this represents very rigorous accuracy.
A current large mask automatic imperfection inspection system encounters great difficulty in finding an imperfection at a pitch pattern of 2 μm (particularly, an imperfection in the edge of a pattern). Further, great difficulty is encountered also in carrying out inspection of a fine pattern with an accuracy of ±0.2 μm or thereabouts. Further, since the graytone section is formed from a fine pattern, the volume of data required to be prepared becomes enormous. When the volume of data has exceeded the capacity of an aligner or a data converter (or format converter) associated with the aligner, aligning may become impossible. Specifically, data pertaining to the graytone sections 3 shown in, e.g., FIG. 6B, must be prepared so as to avoid an opaque section and a light transmission section for preventing occurrence of an overlap between the opaque section 1 and the light transmission section 2 shown in FIG. 6A. As a result, preparation of data becomes complicated. In addition, data pertaining to the graytone sections 3 show complicated geometries defined along the opaque section and the light transmission section. Hence, the volume of data pertaining to the graytone sections becomes enormous, and hence the volume of data pertaining to merged data shown in FIG. 6C also becomes enormous.
In a certain known graytone mask, the thickness of a chromium single layer film laid on a transparent substrate is changed locally. In the mask, an area having a large thickness is taken as an opaque section; an area having an intermediate thickness is taken as a graytone section; and an area having no thickness is taken as a light transmission section. However, a chromium film has low transmissivity (i.e., a high opaque characteristic), and hence a small thickness enables achievement of 0% transmissivity. For this reason, difficulty is encountered in half-etching the chromium single layer film so as to achieve a predetermined intermediate transmissivity in the area having an intermediate thickness. Therefore, there has been proposed a graytone mask in which the thickness of a chromium compound single layer film laid on a transparent substrate is partially changed (as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 49410/1995). In this case, since an area of the chromium compound single layer film where a 0% transmissivity is achieved assumes a thickness as large as about 4000 angstroms, half-etching of the film such that a predetermined intermediate transmissivity is achieved in an area having an intermediate thickness becomes easier than in the case of the chromium single layer film. However, since the thickness is excessive, an aspect ratio (i.e., a ratio of a pattern size to a height) becomes high, consequently deteriorating the pattern geometry and accuracy of an opaque section and resulting in a longer etching time. In fact, rigorous control of a thickness during half-etching operation entails difficulty. Thus, thickness control involves practical difficulty.


An image processing apparatus includes an acquiring unit, an identifying unit, and a correcting unit. The acquiring unit acquires input data including shape data on a concave-convex area having a convex part and a concave part and image data of an image formed on the concave-convex area. The identifying unit identifies an uneven area which is within a bottom surface of the concave part and is continuous with a wall surface connecting the bottom surface and a convex surface of the convex part. The correcting unit corrects the image data so that the brightness of a first image area in the uneven area stacked with multiple dots and the brightness of a second image area continuous with the first image area become about the same.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium and an image processing method.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is known an ink-jet recording apparatus that forms an image by discharging liquid droplets such as ink from a nozzle. Furthermore, there has been disclosed a technology to form an image on a concave-convex area by using an ink-jet method. Moreover, there has been disclosed a technology to spray color coating on a portion of a concave-convex area from a bottom surface of a concave part to a rising surface leading to a convex surface of a convex part as well.
However, to color wall surfaces continuous with a convex surface of a convex part and a bottom surface of a concave part in a concave-convex area, if an uneven area is applied with ink droplets stacked in several layers from the base of the uneven area, the brightness of the uneven area decreases, thereby the uneven area may differ in color tone from other areas and decrease in image quality.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide an image processing apparatus, a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium, and an image processing method capable of suppressing decrease in image quality.

Image processing apparatus, non-transitory computer-readable medium, and image processing method


In one embodiment, a magnetic recording medium includes a magnetic recording layer adapted to store magnetic information, a protective film positioned above the recording layer, the protective film being adapted to reduce wear to the magnetic recording layer, and a lubricant positioned above the protective film, the lubricant being adapted to provide a stable head-to-disk interface, wherein the lubricant includes a first lubricant, the first lubricant including a material having the following chemical formula:

The heart of a computer is a magnetic hard disk drive (HDD) which typically includes a rotating magnetic disk storage medium, a magnetic head (or slider) that includes one or more reading elements and/or one or more writing elements, a suspension arm above the rotating disk, and an actuator arm that swings the suspension arm to place the magnetic head over selected circular tracks on the rotating disk. The magnetic head floats so close to the surface of the magnetic disk that head contact may occur, possibly with detrimental effect on the reading and/or writing elements within the head.
In order to protect the reading and writing elements of the magnetic head, a protective film is formed at the air bearing surface (ABS) of the magnetic head (or slider). However, when the frequency of contact with the disk increases as the clearance is narrowed, there is a possibility that significant abrasion of the protective film and reading and/or writing elements therebeneath will occur. The amount of abrasion may be reduced by increasing the film thickness of the lubricant on the disk.
However, the thicker the lubricant film becomes, the greater the clearance between the disk and the head. In order to reduce the clearance, a lubricant that is capable of suppressing the head abrasion in a thin film while retaining the adsorbability to a disk is desired. According to Japanese Patent No. JP2010-282707A, adsorbability to a disk may be retained by having polar groups at the terminals and an aromatic ring at a center of a lubricant molecule, but with this formulation, a lubricating property of the molecule is lost and therefore there is a possibility of increasing the head abrasion, instead of reducing it.

Magnetic recording medium lubricant mixture and systems thereof

Abstract: wherein Rf represents:

Abstract: and wherein Y is a repeating chain including carbon and fluorine.


LED driver arrangements are disclosed comprising: an input; a plurality of switched mode boost converters, each connected to the input; and a plurality of outputs, each output having a different voltage and being for driving at least one LED string; wherein each of the plurality of switched mode boost converters is configurable to output of any one of the plurality of outputs. Controllers for such arrangements are also disclosed.

In fields such as automobile lighting, it is becoming increasingly common to require power to be supplied at more than one voltage.
Consider as a non-limiting example an application in which lighting is required to be provided both by a string of several or many LEDs each of which have moderate brightness, as well as by a string of just a few LEDs each of which is a so-called "high brightness" LEDs.
Conventionally, the power to supply each string of LEDs, typically at a constant current, is provided by a respective buck converter. In applications such as automobile applications, the input supply voltage is typically lower than the maximum required voltage, and so a boost converter is included in order to increase the voltage to that needed. The output power from the boost converter, which provides the input power to the buck converters, must be at a voltage higher than the maximum required voltage—which is typically the voltage of the longest string of LEDs and including a small "overhead" allowance. The buck converter that drives the shortest string would then have to work at a very high current and low duty cycle. Operation at low duty cycle is generally difficult to effect at a high efficiency.


The present invention discloses a rain and sun shelter for automobiles, which comprises a plurality of supporting stands, and one end of the supporting stand being installed onto a car, and an adjacent supporting stand having a horizontal rod movably disposed between the other end, and a canopy movably disposed on the horizontal rod. The canopy is supported by the supporting stand and keeps a specific distance with the car, such that a heat-insulating space is kept between the canopy and the car body, so that the heat absorbed by the canopy will not be dispersed through the heat insulating space into the car, and the rain water or other fluid blocked by the canopy will not drop on the car roof, and thus attaining the sun shelter and rain shelter effects.

In cities, more and more people are using cars as transportation means; however, in the densely populated cities or commercial areas, there are not enough basement parking lots or roofed garages. Therefore, a vast majority of cars are parked in the space without a shelter when they are not in use, and the cars are then exposed under the sun or the rain. In addition, the change of the atmospheric environment of the earth, the rising of outdoor ultraviolet index, the increased concentration of the acid rain, and the warming earth cause a drastic increase of outdoor temperature, so that the cars parked outdoors are corroded by acid rain and strong sunlight, which expedite the deterioration of the car body, materials, and components and the car for its depreciation.
Therefore, many engineers have tried to invent a sun shelter to go with the car, which can be stored and installed at the car roof. However, the sun shelter come with the car generally can only shelter the area of the car roof, and devices of this short have the effect of sheltering such a small area, and cannot be extended to the spaces above both sides of the car for a rain and sun shelter with a larger area. The primary cause of the traditional sun shelter come with the car is the lack of a proper and simple stand structure to support the extended rain and sun shelter to both sides of the car, and thus is unable to provide a better sheltering effect.
There is a traditional sheltering canopy installed onto a driving instructor's car, which comprises a fixed frame disposed at a car roof, a movable rack pivotally coupled on both sides of the car door of the car proximate to the fixed frame, a rain canopy being disposed respectively on the fixed frame and the movable rack, such that a driving student can rotate the movable rack and extend it to the positions on both sides of the car, and then continue practicing the driving skill. However, the volume of the fixed frame is huge, heavy, difficult to be removed after being mounted at the car roof without appropriate hand tools, and unable to be folded and stored inside the car, and thus adversely affecting the driving resistance of the car, and giving a very disagreeable and odd look.
Further, there is another tradition rainproof cover, which can surround and attach the body including the roof of a car tightly for the rain shelter purpose. However, moisture is gathered inside the rainproof cover for long time with difficult of being dispersed, not only causing damages to the rainproof cover easily, but also expedite the corrosion and deterioration of the car body, materials, and components due to the massive impurities contained in the moisture. Furthermore, the rainproof cover almost attaches onto the exterior of the car, it is unable to give an effective sun shelter and heat insulation effects.
Thus, it is definitely what consumers love to see, if a shelter that can shelter rains and sunlight, easy to install and remove, and easy to carry.


A local area networking method includes a receiving by a system server unique identifiers associated with the first mobile device and other devices of a local area network. The system server correlates a listing of user identifiers and user profiles with the unique identifiers received from the first mobile device. The system server then communicates the listing of user identifiers and user profiles correlated with the unique identifiers to the first mobile device. A user of the first mobile device is thereby permitted to view the user identifiers and user profiles relating to the other devices registered with the system server, including the other devices in the local area network. The system server may further receive a geographical location of the local area network from the first mobile device, and associate one of a data file and an executable file from the first mobile device with the geographical location.

Individuals have historically networked with one another by joining social clubs, attending social events, meeting friends through other friends, and so forth. The Internet has made keeping in touch with friends and acquaintances more convenient for many people. For other people, the Internet provides a social forum for networking and meeting new people.
Internet users employ social networking to communicate with friends, family, acquaintances and people who may have similar interests, for example, by sharing photos, videos, and messages either publically for all of their network and possibly the Internet to see, or privately from one person to another.
In order to facilitate communications between vast numbers of individuals, various social networking websites have been developed in recent years. Social networking websites can provide organizational tools and forums for allowing these individuals to interact with one anther via the social networking website. Many users prefer to limit communications to specific groups of other users.
Known social networking websites have primarily been developed linking one user-created profile to another user-created profile. Conventionally, the link between profiles occurs when a request is sent and accepted between two users over a wide area network.
There is a continuing need for an improved social networking system and method for sharing user data and user applications over a local area network. Desirably, the social networking system provides users with the ability to identify other users over a local area network, as well as associates user data with the local area network for sharing with other users.

Social networking using local area networks


The present invention is a method of initializing and updating a network node device to interoperate with one or more wireless devices on the network. The method on the system performs the following: downloading from the telephone network service those telephone identifiers eligible to communicate with said network node, and downloading indications of allowable services associated with each telephone identifier.

Refer to FIG. 1. The use of telephone service has dramatically increased as a result of the popularity of the Internet. In addition to a single telephone line for voice conversation, it is increasingly common to find homes with multiple phone lines 135, so that the second line can be used for business or for Internet access.
Wire line residential phone service essentially means connecting a twisted pair of wires 110 originating in the central office of the telephone company to a physical wired circuit, connected to a number of wired phones in the residence 115. These twisted pairs are packaged in bundles of up to several thousand wires, attached to a switch through a wiring frame in the central office and these large bundles are then attached from telephone pole 120 to telephone pole through the neighborhoods. Outside a given residence the particular pair of wires that provide service to that residence is exited from the bundle and brought to the house, where it is attached to the in-house wiring. Once the twisted pair is attached to the in-house wiring, it may be connected to a traditional, wired telephone 125, as is manufactured by Southwestern Bell, GE or Sony.
Cordless phones are terminal devices attached to the existing land line (wired) networks of today. Two devices comprise a cordless phone 130: a base unit and a handset. The base unit connects directly to one or two wired lines of the existing network and extends them by radio to the handset. The cordless phone provides total transparency, viz: the land line network does not know that it is terminated in a cordless phone rather than a traditional wired telephone set. The base unit's main functions are to provide a full-duplex audio channel between the land line and the handset, and an interface between the wired network signaling and appropriate devices in the handset such as the switch hook, the bell (alerting device), and the dial pad. Various methods are used in cordless phones to provide security, meaning protection against unauthorized use of the land line channels, and privacy, meaning protection from eavesdropping. Cordless phones are typically sold in base-handset pairs which can be set to one of several code-patterns by the consumer, usually by means of a multi-contact switch bank. The radio-frequency sections of cordless phones are low-power and with the exception of high-end units which use spread-spectrum frequency-hopping techniques as a security means, they are not frequency-agile, meaning they do not change frequency during a call. In particular, cordless phones do not use frequency agility as a means of improving the switching functions or services of the networks to which they are connected.
Cellular telephone systems, while cordless, are substantially different from cordless telephone sets. Cellular telephone handsets are both frequency-mobile and power-mobile, and are constantly supervised by the cell controller. They use many more frequencies than cordless telephones. The fundamental feature of cellular systems is to provide mobility of the handsets over wide areas, even hundreds of miles. It is not possible to provide sufficient RF power to cover wide areas, and there are insufficient assigned frequencies to serve the number of users on a frequency-per-user basis. As a result, cellular telephony divides all geography into relatively small "cells", each with a central antenna 140, using a subset of all frequencies, allowing low-power communications with handsets 145, inside the cell boundary. Each cell adjacent to a given cell will use a different subset of frequencies (146,147), and cells a short distance away can reuse the same frequencies because of the low RF power used in the cells. The control system for cellular telephone systems is extremely complex. Each cell controller continually monitors the signal strength of all handsets in its own cell and in adjacent cells, so when a handset moves into the boundary between two cells, both cell controllers know where the handset is and in what direction it is moving. At the appropriate moment a "hand-off" occurs during which the cell controllers instruct the handset to change to a frequency that is used in the cell it is entering. At the same time the land line connection is changed from the old cell to the new cell, providing continuity for the voice connection.
To provide wireless data access in well trafficked areas such as hotels and airports, firms such as MobileStar (http://www.mobilestar.com) provide publicly accessible wireless LANs. These allow subscribers, equipped with the appropriate passwords, hardware and software for their laptops, to communicate through wireless LAN techniques, and through a gateway and router to their corporate LANs and the Internet. The wireless access point in the airport or hotel is generally provisioned with a broadband (T1 or above) wired channel to the network. These facilities are shared rather than dedicated, with the routers functioning to transfer packets to their appropriate destinations.

Configuring and maintaining network node device

International Business Machines Corporation


The present disclosure relates to an automated system for use in connection with longitudinal deceleration, longitudinal acceleration, and lateral acceleration functions. The system includes an interface receiving signals from and transmitting signals to a controller. The system also includes a safety kernel system comprising safety kernel software and a set of safety rules. Also disclosed are methods for use in a motion control system in connection with vehicle deceleration, acceleration, and lateral acceleration. The methods in some cases include receiving an initial request into a safety kernel software and determining whether the safety kernel software has received an override. The methods can also include detecting a violation of any primary safeguards defined by the safety kernel software, detecting a violation within a set of secondary safeguards defined by the safety kernel software, and adjusting the initial request to a modified level; and transmitting the modified level to an actuator.

A safety kernel provides assurance that a set of required fundamental properties of a control function hold at all times during execution of safety-critical software. These properties are specified as safety rules.
Safety kernels have been used successfully to protect access to computing resources. They have also been used, in security applications, to prevent unauthorized information flow. Safety kernels, also called safety interlocks, have been successful in enforcing security and safety in areas including traffic light control, rail signaling, and nuclear energy generation.
A safety kernel can be viewed as a layer of software configured to, under one or more conditions, intervene in operation of the software. For example, in vehicular applications, a safety kernel can intervene if a vehicle function request violates one or more safety rules set by the software. The safety kernel serves as a layer of protection capable of controlling certain aspects of vehicle hazards. The safety kernel can also perform specific portions of the analysis of Safety Integrity Level (SIL) data associated with elements of the application software of the vehicle.

Methods and apparatus for isolating safety functions in a motion control system for a vehicle


The inlet diameter A of the outer side of a pocket 4a is larger than the diameter Dw of a ball 3 to be housed. The inner side section of the wall surface of the pocket 4a is drawn with a spherical surface 4a1 of the radius R of curvature {the dimension obtained by adding the pocket clearance (corresponding to one side) to the radius (Dw/2) of a ball 3}, the center of curvature of which is made point 0 (the intersection of the pitch circle of the ball 3 and the contact angle line L), the outer side section of the wall surface of the pocket 4a is drawn with a cylindrical surface 4a2 of the radius R of curvature having its center of curvature on the contact angle line L, and the spherical surface 4a1 of the inner side is smoothly continued with the cylindrical surface 4a2 of the outer side.

An angular ball bearing which is illustrated as an example in FIG. 3 is of a type that both the inner ring 1 and outer ring 2 thereof have a counter-bore. A plurality of balls 3 intervene between the raceway surface 1a of the inner ring 1 and the raceway surface 2a of the outer ring 2 and are retained by a cage 4'. The straight line (the contacting angle line L) which connects the balls 3 to the raceway surfaces 1a,2a of the inner and outer rings 1,2 has a certain angle (contact angle .theta.) with respect to the radial direction, whereby these balls 3 are constructed so that the same are able to receive a radial load and an axial load in one direction.
The cage 4' is a molded resin (flexing molding, injection molding, etc.) made of laminated phenol resin, reinforced synthetic resin, etc., and is provided with a plurality of pockets 4'a in which the balls 3 are housed.
As enlarged and shown in FIG. 4, the wall surface of the pocket 4'a is drawn with a spherical surface 4'a1 having a radius R of curvature obtained by adding the pocket clearance (corresponding to one side) to the radius (Dw/2) with the point 0 (the intersection of the pitch circle of the ball 3 and the contact angle line L) made its center of curvature. The inlet diameter A' at the outer side of the pocket 4'a is made smaller than the diameter (Dw) of the ball 3. (That is, A'<Dw).
As shown in FIG. 5, when assembling, a cage 4' is attached to the inner ring 1, balls 3 are pressed into the pocket 4'a of the cage 4' from the outer side with both the cage 4' and the inner ring 1 laid down, whereby the balls 3 are inserted into the pocket 4'a by elastically and forcibly widening the inlet diameter A' with the balls 3.
In a conventional cage 4', since the inlet diameter A' of the pocket 4'a is made smaller than the diameter Dw of the balls 3, it is necessary to provide an insertion force F to widen the inlet diameter A' of the pocket 4'a in an insertion work of balls 3. Although this insertion force F does not constitute a large problem in a case where the bearing size is small, a comparatively large force is required if the bearing size is increased. Furthermore, unless the balls 3 are completely inserted, some of the balls 3 may be pushed out of the pockets 4'a and may be dropped out during the assembling.

Resin made cage for an angular ball bearing


A terminal block for electrically connecting a plurality of first wires connected to an electric motor and a plurality of second wires connected to a power conversion device for supplying drive power of the electric motor includes a case, a plurality of terminals housed in the case and configured to connect the plurality of first wires and the plurality of second wires to each other, a partition wall provided between the plurality of terminals to electrically isolate the plurality of terminals from each other, and plate-like members provided between the partition wall and the terminals and made of a material with a higher elasticity than the case and the partition wall.

In an electric motor, a terminal block with a plurality of terminals is used to connect wires connected to a stator winding of each phase and an external power source such as an inverter. Since the terminals need to be insulated from each other, the terminals are generally partitioned by electrically insulating partition plates (hereinafter, insulating plates) made of a resin or the like.
As such a terminal block, JP63-310344A discloses a plastic terminal block integrally molded of an engineering plastic material while including a terminal block and integrally molded with insulating plates for insulating between wires in the terminal block as reinforcement ribs of the terminal box.


A package or container for holding two or more types or brands of smoking articles, such as cigarettes, having a generally rectangular shape with two openings on opposite sides of the container and a method of making the same is disclosed. The container has two lids, a body, and a separation member that divides the container into two or more compartments, each filled with smoking articles. The lids are made of metal and are hinged to the body on opposite ends of the container using strap hinges made of a paper or foil laminate, and contain printed information such as text and logos. The separation member includes raised portions to hold the smoking articles securely within the compartments and each compartment is sealed with a layer of film that may be pulled up and off of the container compartment using a tab attached to the sealing layer. The freshness and diffusion of aromas from the different types or brands of smoking articles is prevented from migrating between the separate compartments by use of low permeability materials including various plastics and metals.

Multiple-compartment cigarette packages and containers that accommodate more than one brand or type of cigarette are known in the prior art. Typically, such prior art packages and containers are box-shaped, made of a paper, cardstock or metallic material and contain a hinge associated with each of one or more lids. The compartments are typically sealed as a single package or are individually sealed to preserve freshness and to minimize the transfer of tobacco materials and aromas from one compartment to the next.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,283,856 to Hoenig; U.S. Pat. No. 2,983,424 to Glass; U.S. Pat. No. 3,226,010 to Rogers; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,699,903 to Focke et al. disclose exemplary multi-compartment, individually sealed packages for containing more than one group, brand or type of cigarette. Typically, no more than two individual compartments are included in such prior art packages due primarily to consumer preference. That is, a cigarette consumer may prefer a package for carrying a favorite brand or flavor of cigarette and a secondary brand or flavor of cigarette that is less frequently smoked.
Many different types and arrangements of lids, flaps and hinges associated with multi-compartment packages are disclosed in the prior art. Often, the compartments of the multi-compartment packages are aligned such that the individual openings associated with each compartment are on the same side of the package. Accordingly, the lids or flaps covering the openings, and the hinges associated with the lids or flaps, are on the same side of the package. There may be one lid or flap for each opening or a single lid or flap for both openings. Two separate lids or flaps are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 2,983,424 to Glass and U.S. Pat. No. 3,226,010 to Rogers. These patents exemplify two-compartment, dual-lid cigarette packages with the separate lids and hinges on the same side of the package. U.S. Pat. No. 2,163,828 to Chalmers and U.S. Pat. No. 4,081,126 to Barnard disclose two-compartment cigarette packages with a single hinged lid covering both openings on the same side of the package.
In other cigarette package designs, the compartments of the multi-compartment packages are aligned such that their openings are on opposite sides of the package. Accordingly, the lids or flaps covering the openings associated with each compartment on these side-by-side compartments, and the hinges associated with the lids or flaps, are on the opposite side of the package. U.S. Pat. No. 5,074,412 to White and U.S. Pat. No. 5,699,903, for example, illustrate a rectangular, two-compartment cigarette package with hinged lids on opposite sides of the package.
Several prior art cigarette packages are capable of retaining a measure of freshness by sealing the individual compartments in multi-compartment packages or by sealing the entire package, including both compartments. Paper or cardstock materials alone are not well suited to preserving the freshness of the contents of a cigarette container because the web materials used generally do not provide a sufficiently airtight or air-impermeable barrier. Typically, soft pack and hard pack cigarette packages employ inner or outer wraps of metal foil/paper laminates, metallized paper or plastic wrappers, or low permeability transparent polymeric sheet overwraps to protect the freshness and aroma of packaged cigarettes and other smoking article products. However, the use of a plastic container molded from a polymeric material having a relatively high impermeability would eliminate the need to use such wrappers and overwraps or, alternatively, in conjunction with such wrappers and overwraps, the air impermeability of molded plastic containers could be further enhanced. Similarly, the use of a metal container would eliminate the need to use such wrappers and overwraps or, alternatively, in conjunction with such material, the air impermeability of metal containers could be further enhanced.
Similarly, some structures of multi-compartment packages are designed to help preserve the integrity of the contents and offer some protection against crushing. Cardstock materials, for example, are typically used because they have a higher resistance to shear and compression forces than paper packages. However, cardstock packages are vulnerable to damage and crushing under even moderate loads. An example of a hard pack package is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,164,444 to Bray et al., which discloses a typical hinged-lid, box-shaped container that is made from a "rigid card material." Further examples of cigarette or tobacco packages made of a paper or cardstock material are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,496,474; 2,960,264; 5,044,550; and 5,097,948.
Still other materials, such as metals, woods and plastic, have also been suggested for use in multi-compartment containers for making crushproof and freshness-preserving cigarette containers. U.S. Pat. No. 2,867,369 to Cernera and U.S. Pat. No. 3,223,275 to Rice, Jr. disclose cigarette containers that may be made of various materials, such as plastic, wood, metal and cardboard.
Prior art cigarette package designs that have included an internal brace member for structural support and for separating the individual package compartments have also included a scalloped or grooved cross-section for holding individual cigarette articles in place. U.S. Pat. No. 5,699,903 to Focke et al. discloses "trough-like recesses" for reducing movement of individual cigarettes and providing structural support. Thermally molded plastic is preferred for structural brace components where the components are shaped to hold individual cigarettes in place because the manufacturing processes for making such plastic components are relatively simple.
Although many features of multiple-compartment cigarette containers are disclosed in the prior art, none of the prior art patents are directed to a rectangularly-shaped, decorative, durable and multi-compartment cigarette package and method of packaging cigarettes like that of the present invention. There remains, therefore, the need for such a package and packaging method to accommodate smokers who prefer to carry two or more different cigarette brands or flavors in a single package.

Dual-lid cigarette container and method of packaging cigarettes