An automatic plate feeding system for loading plates of various sizes into a printing plate imaging device, which includes a plurality of trays staggered one on top of the other is provided. At least two of the trays contain plates of different sizes stacked with their sensitive side downward. Separation papers are interposed between the plates. The automatic plate feeding system includes suction cups, which touch the non-sensitive surface of the plate, and a loading mechanism for loading plates from the trays and feeding the loaded plates to the imaging device.

A variety of systems and applications use stacks of sheets or plates, which may be made of metal, paper, plastic and the like. Printing plates (hereinafter singly or collectively referred to as "plates") are typically stacked in a tray or similar container, which houses the plates and facilitates their protection, transportation and handling.
A specific system using plates generally uses trays having specific dimensions. Trays can usually be set to contain plates of various sizes, but all plates in the same tray are of one size. Usually the plates are manually removed from the cassette or the shipping container and inserted into the trays for use by the system, for example, a plate imaging system.
Plates are usually packed in the cassette with intermediate paper sheets, hereinafter referred to as 'separation paper'. The separation papers are disposed during loading into the imaging device by a mechanism such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,164,637 assigned to the common assignee of the present invention.
A typical conventional plate feeding system from a tray is shown schematically in FIG. 1. Plates 12 are supplied, within a tray 14, stacked one on top of the other with separation papers 16 between the plates.
Various mechanisms have been developed for removing a single plate 12 from the tray 14 and loading it using loading arm 18 to the loading plane 23 of the imaging system 20. Usually the feeding system includes a mechanism for disposing of the separation paper 16 into a paper bin 22 illustrated, for example.
One such system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,785,309 assigned to the common assignee of the present invention. The loading method described has the disadvantage in that, if a different plate size needs to be loaded for a subsequent operation, then the tray in use needs to be replaced by a tray containing the required plate size, or the tray itself needs to be replenished with plates of the required size. Replacing trays is a costly procedure and time consuming operation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,367,360 to McIlwraith et al. describes a method for loading plates from a single tray. In this case, the cardboard shipping container is used as a tray and the plates are lifted and loaded vertically by a vacuum system.
The use of several trays with the same system is known in the art of copiers, for example, where paper is loaded selectively from different trays. The trays are stacked one on top of the other, each having a separate loading mechanism.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,655,452, 5,738,014 5,791,250, 5,788,455 describe an apparatus and method of loading plates from a plurality of trays into an imaging device. The trays are stacked one on top of the other and moved by an elevator mechanism to allow a loading arm to enter between the trays and pick-up a specific plate.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,984,260 to Koyama describes an automatic loader for films used in radiation diagnostics. This loader employs static staggered cassettes, a belt-type picking mechanism, which moves the films to an irradiation station, which is placed on top of the cassettes.
Trays containing printing plates are heavy and bulky, and moving such tray up and down requires complicated and expensive mechanism and is time consuming. There is, thus a widely recognized need for an automatic and efficient handling system of loading plates of various sizes to a plate imaging system, without the need to move trays.
Furthermore, the loading device may contain a large space for disposing the separation papers, a flat table for pre-exposure operations, such as punching registration holes in the plates, and a picking arm. It is desired that those units be packed into minimum floor space.


The invention makes the identification of defects possible in a fuel injection system comprising a fuel accumulator, a continuously operating high-pressure pump and a fuel pressure control valve. By evaluating the high-frequency portion of the fuel pressure course in the fuel accumulator, it can be indicated with a high probability which of the components are defective whereby this is assisted, in particular, by additional evaluations performed during a diagnostic method.

Furthermore, the invention also relates to a method for identifying defects in a fuel injection system, with the fuel injection system including at least one high-pressure pump, at least one fuel accumulator, at least one fuel pressure control valve and at least one pressure sensor for recording the pressure prevailing in at least one fuel accumulator.
In addition, the invention relates to a vehicle with a device for identifying defects in a fuel injection system as well as a diagnostic unit with a device for identifying defects in a fuel injection system.
Fuel injection systems which are within the framework of this publication serve as the high-pressure injection of fuel into the cylinders of an internal combustion engine.
Such a fuel injection system may be equipped with a fuel accumulator which is filled with fuel using a high-pressure pump and is in this case brought to a pressure level required for the high-pressure injection. Fuel is fed to the high-pressure pump itself using a low-pressure fuel pump; said fuel drawn out of a fuel tank using a low-pressure fuel pump. Different measures can be taken in order to control or regulate the fuel injection system. Both mechanical regulators in the low-pressure area and control valves in the high-pressure area are known.
The latter is, in particular, of importance in connection with continuously operating high-pressure fuel pumps which feed the fuel into the fuel accumulator (the "rail"). Such fuel pressure control valves can be adjusted via a magnetic force which can be specified electrically.
Therefore, by and large, complex systems are being dealt with here in which different defects may occur. The fact that there is a defect can be seen in particular in a lower fuel pressure in the fuel accumulator—however, it is not possible to exactly locate the cause of defects only on the basis of this pressure which has been identified as being too low.
A method and a device for monitoring a fuel metering system of an internal combustion engine in which an output signal of a pressure sensor, which records the pressure in a fuel accumulator is filtered using a bandpass filter, is known from WO 01/83971. The bandpass filter is embodied in such a way that it filters out frequencies which correspond to the pump revolutions or integer multiples of the pump rotational speed. If the filtered output signal exceeds a threshold value then it is identified that there is a defect in a high-pressure pump or a pressure control valve.

Device and method for identifying defects in a fuel injection system


A system for detachable suspension of shelves (5), drawers or the like from essentially vertially positioned supporting elements (1) with slots or grooves (3). Plate-shaped brackets (4) are adapted to carry said shelves (5) and, by means of hook-shaped portions (7), are adapted to be inserted into a selected slot (3) for suspension of the brackets (4) from the supporting elements (1). The system also comprises a frame (14) which carries said shelves (5) and which can be detachably fastened to a pair of neighbouring brackets (4) by means of ears (20) which protrude from the frame (14) and which are inserted into L-shaped grooves (9) in the respective brackets (4). The frame (14) is locked onto the brackets (4) by means of locking elements (21) which protrude from the frame (14) and which are moved into engagement with the grooves (9), slots (25), indentations (26) or holes (27) in the brackets (4).

The present invention relates to a system for detachable suspension of shelves, drawers or the like from a wall or standing on the floor, comprising at least two essentially vertically positioned supporting elements with slots or grooves and plate-shaped brackets which are adapted to carry said shelves, drawers or the like and which, by means of at least one hook-shaped portion protruding from one end of each bracket, are adapted to be inserted into selected slots or grooves for suspension of the brackets from the supporting elements, at least one essentially L-shaped groove being formed in each bracket between its ends and having a first leg which extends substantially in the longitudinal direction of the bracket, and a second leg which extends from the first leg and leads to the upper portion of the bracket in its mounted position.
Systems for suspension of shelves in vertical supporting elements by means of a pair of brackets, which detachably can be attached at an optional level to the supporting elements, are already known from, for example, the leaflet "Planerings-och produktguide" ("Planning and Product Guide") of Elfa International AB. The shelves are made of wood material and are adapted to be screwed to the brackets. Apart from the inconvenience screwing involves, this also means that brackets specially designed for the shelves are required. In addition, a bracket, which usually is a metal sheet bent in the shape of a U, can only carry one end of a shelf and not the end of an adjacent shelf.
It is also known from the above-mentioned leaflet to suspend wire baskets from vertical supporting elements, but also in this case brackets which are specially designed are required since standard brackets cannot be used, see, for instance, the leaflet "SPARRING—Makes your storage !" of Elfa International AB.
In the last-mentioned leaflet and in Swedish patent application 9903969-5, a system for suspension of shelves of wire from vertical supporting elements by means of brackets which can be detachably attached to the supporting elements is shown. However, the shelves are firmly fastened to the brackets and cannot without a real effort be removed from them. Moreover, these known suspension systems are not specially suited for suspension of wire baskets or drawers.

System for detachable suspension of shelves, drawers or the like


A cooling system for a gas turbine engine includes a fuel deoxygenator for increasing the cooling capacity of the fuel. The fuel deoxygenator removes dissolved gases from the fuel to prevent the formation of insoluble deposits. The prevention of insoluble deposits increases the usable cooling capacity of the fuel. The increased cooling capacity of the deoxygenated fuel provides a greater heat sink for cooling air used to protect engine components. The improved cooling capacity of the cooling air provides for increased engine operating temperatures that improves overall engine efficiency.

This invention generally relates to a cooling system for a gas turbine engine, and specifically to a cooling system including a fuel deoxygenator to increase the usable heat absorption capability of fuel used for cooling cooling air.
A gas turbine engine typically includes a compressor, a combustor and a turbine. Air entering the compressor is compressed and directed toward the combustor. In the combustor, fuel is combined with the high-pressure air and ignited. Combustion gases produced in the combustor drive the turbine. High engine temperatures provide better fuel burn rates and engine efficiencies that extend the range of an aircraft. The high engine and combustion gas temperatures are greater than can normally be accommodated by metal parts of the engine. Typically, a portion of air from the compressor is bled off and directed over parts of the engine to form a cooling boundary layer that insulates exposed surfaces from the hot combustion gases.
Cooling the bleed air from the compressor allows the engine to be operated at increased combustion gas temperatures while maintaining the same temperature in engine components. It is known, to use fuel as a cooling medium to cool air from the compressor. The usable cooling capacity of fuel is limited by coke formation caused by oxidative reactions with dissolved oxygen within the fuel. These reactions cause the formation of insoluble materials referred to as "coke" or "coking". Coke deposits can cause degradation of fuel delivery performance. Therefore, the usable cooling capacity of the fuel is limited by the amount of dissolved oxygen within the fuel. Further, the usable cooling capacity of the fuel limits the amount of heat that can be transferred from the engine cooling air, and that in turn limits sustainable engine operating temperatures.
Accordingly, it is desirable to develop an engine cooling system with increased fuel cooling capacity for absorbing greater amounts of heat from cooling air.


An earpiece that substantially lacks a lower lobe is disclosed. In one example, the earpiece can have a generally arcuate rib having upper and lower ends. A lobe can be formed at the upper end of the arcuate rib. No lobe is formed at the lower end of the arcuate rib. An extension can extend from the earpiece and can be configured to extend into the ear canal. Eliminating the lower lobe mitigates discomfort during use and also reduces the likelihood of tissue damage and infection. The extension can enhance communication of desired sound, e.g., from a two-way radio, to an eardrum while mitigating communication of undesirable ambient noise to the eardrum. Other implementations and related methods are also disclosed.

Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to earpieces such as those used by security, law enforcement, and military personnel to facilitate listening to two-way radios, and those used by consumers in headsets for used with mobile phones, music devices, and other devices. The present invention relates more particularly to an ergonomic earpiece and attachments for the ergonomic earpiece.
Related Art
Earpieces for use by security, law enforcement, and military personnel are well known. Such earpieces fit into the concha bowl of the ear and facilitate listening to two-way radios and the like. Contemporary earpieces typically comprise a generally arcuate rib connected to a generally vertical rib so as to define a D shape. A top lobe is formed at the top, near where the generally arcuate rib and the generally vertical rib intersect. Similarly, a bottom lobe is formed at the bottom, near where the generally arcuate rib and the generally vertical rib intersect.
In many instances, when the generally arcuate rib is too large for the concha, the generally arcuate rib bends and forces the lower lobe against the ear. The lower lobe can rub the ear, causing pain and sometimes even tissue damage and/or infection. Such contemporary earpieces also suffer from various disadvantages regarding their effectiveness and their ability to fit a wide range of ear sizes and configurations. For example, contemporary earpieces are not as effective as desired with respect to delivering desired sounds to the eardrum while preventing other sounds (ambient sounds such as noise) from reaching the eardrum.
In view of the foregoing, it is desirable to provide an earpiece and attachments for the earpiece that enhance its fit while providing a secure engagement with the user's ear. It is also desirable to provide an earpiece and attachments for the earpiece that enhance the ability of the earpiece to deliver desired sounds to the eardrum while preventing other sounds from reaching the eardrum.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A vehicle for use in the construction trade to support steel building fabrication and support issues. In the preferred embodiment, the vehicle comprises a trailer, a mobile type unit containing enough equipment to handle most tasks used on a construction site, particularly a metal building construction site. All components of the vehicle are constructed of heavy-duty materials to handle the rough terrain of the construction environment and is made to withstand the rigor of a construction site. In the preferred embodiment, the trailer has its own self-contained power and is fully supportive of a mobile metal building factory that is used commonly in the art. The vehicle is designed to serve as a mobile metal factory and will be used in the construction of self-supporting metal structures that are known in the industry, and is fully self-contained, supplying all of the tools and equipment necessary for construction support at the site where the vehicle is located.

In metal building construction, often what amounts to a mobile metal building factory is taken piecemeal to a job site to roll form self-supporting metal buildings. Typically, a construction crew will bring its own tools, welder, sheet metal brake, and various other apparatus to support this construction effort. Just as typically, each of the aforementioned apparatus requires its own ancillary support equipment, which would include at minimum power supply, and tables with anchor mechanisms for stability. Providing sufficient leeway for material feed and storage for each separate apparatus can make a metal building construction job site crowded, inefficient, and even unsafe. Furthermore, each major apparatus requires some means, such as a truck or a trailer towed by a separate vehicle, for transporting the apparatus and its support equipment to the job site. For example, often a welding truck is driven to a job site with a portable engine driven welder, but generally with no other equipment. Tools would also have to be brought to the site. The welding truck would bring the welding tools. Ladders, hammers, wrenches, pry bars, and the like, require their own truck or trailer for delivering these tools to the job site.
Even when all of the equipment described above is delivered to a job site, there are often necessary tasks in metal building construction that cannot be performed onsite using the methods and equipment of the prior art. For example, when a construction crew needs to bend certain metal pieces such as door and window frames, gutters and the like, it is often necessary for the construction crew to leave the job site and go to a metal shop to have these parts made.
Metal building construction requires considerable related foundation work, requiring that concrete construction equipment be delivered and located onsite. Commonly, a concrete construction crew brings tools such as wheelbarrows, concrete vibrators, screeds, bull floats, and the like to the job site in some sort of truck or truck and trailer combination.
Thus, there exists a need in the metal building construction industry for a mobile system that will deliver all the necessary major apparatus and ancillary support equipment for a construction crew. There is a further need for a mobile system that provides the necessary apparatus and support equipment in an arrangement that will provide a workable, efficient and safe job site. Additionally, there exists a need for such a mobile construction support system to provide sufficient stability for the proper operation of the apparatus included in the mobile construction support system. Furthermore, there is a need for a mobile construction support system that includes sufficient metalworking capability to perform tasks that would otherwise be performed offsite. There is also a need in the metal building construction industry for a mobile construction support system that is self-contained.


A real time multiple simulated targets generator for mono pulse radar, applied to a simulation control system of a radar system, having at least one signal processor, in which a real time multiple targets generator is built inside. The real time multiple target generator has a precision timing generator to generate a timing signal. Several PRN code generators receive the timing signal to generate the psendo random code. Several DMWG""s which are connected to the PTG and the PRN code generators to generate the modulated waveforms. The extent target generators are coupled to the corresponding DMWG""s to receive the modulated waveform signals and generate simulated target signals.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to a real time target generator, and more particularly, to a real time multiple simulated targets generator.
2. Description of the Related Art
For a missile projection control system, scenarios of the war games are difficult to design and costly. To effectively test the capability of electronic interference suppression, clutter elimination, signal/noise (S/N) ratio gain, and target extracted algorithm of the radar signal processor (SP) of a projection control system; and the effectiveness of a dynamic real time schedule of radar control computer (RCC) responsible for data processing and the search and tracking algorithm, radar multiple simulated targets and scenario generators are required to generate the simulated received waveform, so as to reduce the requirement of the war games.
The conventional simulator employing an independent strap-on system requires synchronous signal and interface to match the system to be measured. Such a simulator has to be made by custom design, and is thus very costly. Moreover, part of the specifications of the system to be measured, such as the waveform modulation method and maximum compression gain, relates the confidentiality of system specification. By using the analog technique, the conventional simulator has a large volume and a blind distance limitation region generated by the simulated target.
The invention provides a real time multiple simulated targets generator for mono pulse radar. The real time multiple simulated targets generator for mono pulse radar has variable modulation waveform to simulate any radar feedback signal and the versatile scenario in a reduced hardware cost.
The invention provides a real time multiple simulated targets generator for mono pulse radar, which can be applied to a simulation control system of a radar system. The real time multiple simulated targets generator for mono pulse radar comprises at least one signal processor, in which a real time multiple simulated targets generator is built. The real time multiple simulated targets generator comprises a precision timing generator, N (N is an integer greater than or equal to 1) pseudo random noise (PRN) code generators, N digital modulation waveform generators (DMWG), and N extent target generators. Each of the pseudo random noise code generators is coupled to the precision timing generator to receive a timing signal generated thereby, so as to generate a pseudo random noise code. Each of the digital modulation waveform generators is coupled to the precision timing generator to receive the timing signal and coupled to the corresponding pseudo random noise code generator to receive the pseudo random noise code thereof, so as to generate a modulation waveform signal. Each of the extent target generators is coupled to the corresponding digital modulation waveform generator to receive the modulation waveform signal thereof, so as to generate a simulation target signal.
The above precision timing generator further comprises an input register, a time word RAM, an event code RAM, a control FIFO, an address counter, a loop down counter, a reference counter, a comparator, and an output register. The input register receives a data from an external device or circuit. The time word RAM is coupled to the input register to store a plurality of time words. The event code RAM is coupled to the input register to provide at least one start address and a loop count value. The address counter is coupled to the time word RAM, the event code RAM and the control FIFO to address a time word and an event code corresponding to the start address. The loop down counter is coupled to the control FIFO to count down the loop count value. The reference counter is used to provide a time reference count value. The comparator is coupled to the time word RAM and the reference counter to compare the reference count value with the time word values output by the time word RAM, and outputs a time complete signal when the reference count value equals to the time word value. The output register is coupled to the event code RAM and the comparator to output the event code output from the event code RAM while receiving the time complete signal.
The above pseudo random noise code generator further comprises a first register, a second register, a bandwidth selector, a shift register, a counter, a stop signal generator, a multiplexer, an AND gate and a NOR gate. The first register receives a phase seed word (PC) parameter, and the second register receives a phase feedback word (PF) parameter. The bandwidth selector is used to receive a plurality of bandwidth clocks and select a corresponding bandwidth clock signal to output. The shift register is coupled to the first register and the bandwidth selector to receive the PC parameter and the bandwidth clock signal, so as to generate a psendo random sequence. The counter outputs a trigger signal according to a code length. The stop signal generator is coupled to the counter to generate a stop signal according to the trigger signal. The multiplexer is coupled to the shift register to sequentially output each bit of the pseudo random noise code sequence, and is further coupled to the stop signal generator. The output is stopped when the multiplexer receives the stop signal. The AND gate is used to receive the pseudo random noise code sequence and the PF parameter output from the shift register and the second register, respectively. The NOR gate is coupled to an output of the AND gate to feedback the output thereof to the shift register.
The above digital modulation waveform generator further comprises a parameter FIFO, a linear frequency generator, a phase generator, a 2""s-complementor, a COS/SIN value generator, a multiplixer, a pre-pulse generator, a complex multiplier, and an select/output apparatus. The parameter FIFO receives a data signal. The linear frequency generator is coupled to an output of the parameter FIFO to generate a linear frequency. The phase generator is coupled to the parameter FIFO and the linear frequency generator to generate a phase according to the pseudo random noise code. The COS/SIN value generator is coupled to an output of the phase generator. The multiplexer receives the data signal, an output of the 2""s-complementor, and an output of the COS/SIN value generator. The pre-pulse generator is used to synchronize the analog module. The complex multiplier receives an output of the multiplexer. The select/output apparatus receives outputs of the pre-pulse generator, the complex multiplier and the COS/SIN value generator, and select one of them to output.
The extent target generator further comprises a plurality of programmable digital delayers, a plurality of AND gates and a summation apparatus. The programmable digital delayers are serially connected to each other. The output of each programmable digital delayer is connect to an input of the next programmable digital delay, while the input of the first programmable digital delayer is coupled to the output signal of the digital modulation waveform generator. The AND gate receives the output signal of each programmable digital delay. The summation apparatus is coupled to the output of each AND gate and the output signal of the digital modulation waveform generator to obtain a summation thereof, so as to generate the simulation target signal.
Both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.

Real time multiple simulated targets generator for mono pulse radar

Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology


A layer-2 virtual-private-network (L2-VPN) service with automatic discovery and connection establishment is provided within a wide-area, multiple-autonomous-system (AS) network according to one of two approaches. In the first approach, inter-AS tunnels are used to connect pairs of provider edge (PE) routers of different ASes, and the PE routers then establish signaling connections to each other which are used to create pseudowires that implement the layer-2 connectivity. A second approach utilizes so-called “pseudowire switching” in which separate pseudowires are created within each AS and between ASes, and then the separate pseudowires are stitched together to form end-to-end connections. The first approach has the benefit of transparent operation provided by the tunnel, while the second approach requires fewer inter-AS signaling connections.

There is increasing use in the data communications field of so-called "layer 2 virtual private networks" or L2-VPNs. Generally speaking, an L2-VPN is an emulated private local-area network (LAN) defined over a (usually non-private) wide-area network. The wide-area network may utilize a collection of technologies, including optical transmission technologies such as Synchronous Optical Networking (SONET), internetworking technologies such as the Internet Protocol (IP) and related protocols, and multi-protocol label switching (MPLS), which is a wide-area switching technology. L2-VPNs provide the benefits of private LANs, which include security and private administration, along with certain benefits of the Internet, which include widespread access and the existence of service providers. Organizations can create and operate far-flung private networks while outsourcing the long-haul infrastructure.
There are two predominant types of L2-VPNs. A virtual private wire service (VPWS) VPN consists of a mesh of point-to-point connections, and may be a particularly desirable service for customers whose networks are based on Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) or Frame Relay techniques. A virtual private LAN service (VPLS) VPN resembles a network of layer-2 bridges having a point-to-multipoint configuration, and is particularly compatible with existing Ethernet technology. In either case, the VPN connections are carried via virtual connections (referred to as "pseudowires") that tunnel through the wide-area network. Certain specifications for VPWS and VPLS created under the auspices of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) include the following:                1. Draft-ietf-12vpn-signaling-02.txt, entitled "Provisioning Models and Endpoint Identifiers in L2VPN Signaling," by Rosen et al., published September 2004, which describes mechanisms for establishing L2VPNs using Border Gateway Protocol (BGP)-based auto-discovery and the Label Distribution Protocol (LDP) or Layer-2 Tunneling Protocol (L2TP) for signaling.        2. Draft-martini-pwe3-pw-switching-01.txt, entitled "Pseudo Wire Switching," by Martini et al., which describes how to splice or stitch pseudowire (PW) segments together to create longer PW segments for carrying layer-2 traffic.        3. Draft-kompella-ppvpn-12vpn-02.txt, entitled "Layer 2 VPNs Over Tunnels," by Kompella et al., which describes L2VPNs using BGP for both signaling and discovery.        4. Draft-ietf-12vpn-vpls-bgp-05.txt, which updates the above
L2-VPNs are established in part through provisioning, which is performed by a network administrator, and in part through discovery and connection signaling processes that are performed automatically. For each VPN, logical entities called "forwarders" are created within edge routers of a service provider network. Each forwarder is coupled to one or more customer equipment (CE) devices (such as routers) that provide the connections to local customer network segments. The provider edge (PE) routers are configured with so-called network layer reachability information (NLRI) that identifies the forwarders and the L2-VPNs that they belong to. A routing protocol such as Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) is utilized to distribute NLRI among the PE routers. The PE routers then signal among themselves to establish respective sets of layer-2 connections for the VPNs through the wide-area network. These connections are then utilized to carry layer-2 data packets among sets of attached CE devices.
In addition to the above-listed documents, the following IETF document is also pertinent to the discovery and/or signaling processes in establishing L2-VPNs:                Draft-ietf-13vpn-bgpvpn-auto-04.txt, entitled "Using BGP as an Auto-Discovery Mechanism for Layer-3 and Layer-2 VPNs," by Ould-Brahim et al., published May 2004.
L2-VPNs may span multiple domains that may each constitute a separate "Autonomous System" (AS). An AS (also referred to as a "routing domain"), is the unit of router policy in the Internet—either a single network or a group of networks that is controlled by a single administrative entity (such as a university or business enterprise). In most cases, long-haul networks of different service providers constitute different ASes. It is necessary that the membership information for such VPNs be communicated across AS boundaries, and that the PE-to-PE connections also reach across AS boundaries.
An IETF draft draft-hmlu-12vpn-bgp-discovery-01.txt, entitled "BGP-Based Auto-Discovery for L2VPNs", by Unbehagen et al. and published October 2004, describes a technique for inter-AS auto-discovery in VPWS services specifically. Multiple single-hop pseudowires (PWs) are stitched together to make end-to-end, multiple-hop PWs between pairs of PEs. AS border routers (ASBRs) that provide the interfaces between different ASes operate in either a proxy mode or a transparent mode. In the proxy mode, an ASBR substitutes its address into BGP advertisements that carry VPN forwarder information. PE routers in each AS need establish PWs to only the ASBRs within the same AS, and the ASBRs automatically extend the PWs to adjacent ASBRs of other ASes. In the transparent mode, the ASBRs pass the forwarder information to adjacent ASBRs of other ASes transparently, and also add inter-AS reachability information to enable the PEs in different ASes to establish signaling connections and pseudowires with each other.
A technique for distributing VPN routing information across ASes in the context of Layer-3 VPNs is described in Internet Draft draft-ietf-13vpn-rfc2547bis-03.txt, entitled "BGP/MPLS IP VPNs," by Rosen et al. and published October 2004. Two specific techniques involve the use of external BGP (EBGP) to distribute labeled VPN-IPv4 routes among ASes. In one case, the ASBRs are provided with the labeled VPN-IPv4 routes and provide them to adjacent ASBRs in other ASes, which in turn distribute them to the PE routers of those ASes. In another case, the ASBRs do not maintain the VPN-IPv4 routes, but rather are utilized to carry multi-hop EBGP connections among the PEs of different ASes. The PEs then signal among themselves to exchange the VPN-IPv4 routes.

Inter-autonomous-system virtual private network with autodiscovery and connection signaling


A vehicle information update method in a mobile device having near field communication (NFC) functionality includes: receiving software version information from an in-vehicle device through NFC tagging, transmitting a predetermined control message including the software version information to an update server using a first wireless access means, receiving latest software corresponding to the software version information from the update server using a second wireless access means, and transmitting the received latest software to the in-vehicle device using a third wireless access means in a vehicle.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a vehicle information update method, as well as an apparatus and system using the same, and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for updating vehicle software and a navigation map using a mobile device having near field communication (NFC) functionality.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
With the progress of automobile technology, recent vehicles have developed various and increasingly complex functionality. In addition, various kinds of software to realize the various and complex functionality have also been provided. In particular, a software upgrade rate based on the addition of new functions and error correction has increased, which causes user convenience.
Generally, in order to upgrade vehicle software, a vehicle owner visits a service center. Alternatively, the vehicle owner may manually access an Internet-based home page related to the vehicle to check and download software corresponding to the type and manufacture year of the vehicle, and then install the downloaded software. For example, the vehicle owner stores the checked software in a portable storage medium, such as a universal serial bus (USB) memory or the like, connects the portable storage medium to the vehicle, and drives a predetermined application for software update to perform software upgrade. Generally, a version for vehicle software upgrade is provided once a quarter. However, the above manual process can be inconvenient for the vehicle owner.
In addition, map data for navigation is typically updated once a quarter. The entire map data is downloaded from a predetermined map server and stored in the vehicle. In particular, the map data has a large size of 4 gigabytes (GB) to 5 GB. According to types, large-sized data having a size of 10 GB or more exist, as well. For this reason, it may take long time to download map data from the Internet home page.
In recent years, different software systems have been equipped in vehicles, even in the same vehicle type. As a result, drivers often have difficulty in directly checking and finding software versions appropriate for their own vehicles.

Vehicle information update method and apparatus


A hinge position sensor comprises first and second members connected together to provide a hinge, and an optical fiber or wave-guide connected between the first and second members to provide a communication link between the first and second members. A laser or LED is coupled to the optical fiber or wave-guide to transmit optical signals between the first and second members and the optical signal is received by a photo-detector. The optical fiber or wave-guide is physically distorted by actuation of the hinge such that light escapes from the optical fiber or wave-guide. The optical power level received by the photo-detector is used to determine the position of the hinge.

It is common for a portable electronic device such as a lap-top computer or a mobile telephone to comprise a base, which includes the device's keypad, and a lid, which includes the device's screen or user display. In this type of device, the base and the lid are connected together by a hinge section such that the user display can be hinged to lie flat against the keypad when the device is not in use. By detecting when the hinge is closed, the device is able to detect when it may safely switch to a power-saving mode. This function allows the device to conserve battery power when the device is not in use.
It is known to detect the open/closed state of this type of hinge using a mechanical sensor, such as a boss-type media detection switch or a rotary-type position detection switch. However, the use of a mechanical sensor often imposes design constraints on the electronic device and may also require that bosses be fitted to the device's exterior. A mechanical sensor often also requires extra space on the motherboard of the device for the inclusion of a detector switch.
Alternatively, the position of the hinge may be detected using a solid-state relay. For example, it is known to magnetically detect the position of a lid with a system employing a Hall Integrated Circuit. However, this type of detector requires both space on the motherboard of the device and a level of standby power. In addition, magnetic switches of this type are liable to interfere with other types of sensor which may be integrated into the device, such as those employed by global positioning systems.
The use of optical proximity sensors is also known. However the surfaces of a proximity sensor's emitter and receiver must be kept clean in order for the sensor to function reliably.


A motorized camera comprising a bi-directional film drive motor having respective direction modes for film advance and for film rewind, and a movable door latch, is characterized in that the door latch is coupled with the motor to change the direction mode of the motor only when the door latch is moved.

Typically in some cameras the film transport apparatus is motorized. In operation, a leading end portion of a filmstrip originally protruding or advanced from a film cartridge loaded into the camera is attached to a film takeup spool. The take-up spool is rotated after each exposure to advance successive frames of the filmstrip from the cartridge, across the focal plane of a taking lens, and onto the take-up spool. Each time the take-up spool is rotated, an unexposed frame of the filmstrip is positioned in the focal plane of the taking lens and an exposed frame is wound onto the take-up spool. When every one of the available frames have been exposed, a trailing end portion of the filmstrip remains attached to a film supply spool inside the cartridge. This end-of-film condition produces a sudden increase in the film tension and in the motor current as the take-up spool attempts to withdraw the remainder of the filmstrip from the cartridge. A film tension sensor responds to the sudden increase in the film tension or a current detecting sensor responds to the sudden increase in the motor current, by reversing the motor drive to rotate the supply spool inside the cartridge in place of rotating the take-up spool. The supply spool then draws the exposed frames of the take-up spool and winds them into the cartridge.
Rather than a film tension sensor or a current detecting sensor, a film perforation sensor may be provided for detecting a turn-around perforation in a trailing end portion of the filmstrip to reverse the motor drive to initiate winding the exposed frames into the cartridge. See commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,552,848 issued Sep. 3, 1996 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,508,770 issued Apr. 16, 1996.
In each design, simplicity is a goal in order to keep the manufacturing cost of the motorized camera relatively low.

Mode changeover for film advance/film rewind in motorized camera


A cyclic redundancy check (CRC) is used for improving error check coverage during memory access. In memory reading process, a part of read data is outputted from the memory via a CRC bus, and a CRC result and the other part of the read data are outputted from the memory via a data bus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for controlling memory access, and more particularly to a method for controlling memory access through a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) for improving error check coverage.
2. Description of Related Art
In communication systems or computer systems, a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) can be adopted to improve error check coverage. The CRC is capable of monitoring if errors occur during data transmission after the data are transmitted or stored. In the process of transmitting the data, both the data receiver and the data source are required to implement a CRC computation, and one of the parties compares the CRC results respectively computed, so as to detect if the received data are erroneous.
Please refer to FIG. 1 which illustrates a conventional technology of applying a CRC-16 to memory access control in computer systems. The following description is given on the conditions of an 800-MHz system clock, an 8-bit data bus DQ<7:0>, and a 2-bit CRC bus CRC<1:0>. A 16-bit CRC result is acquired when the CRC-16 is applied.
As shown in FIG. 1, a main control circuit (e.g. CPU) issues reading instructions R-A and R-B to a memory. After several cycles, internal data D-A and D-B in the memory are retrieved in response to the reading instructions R-A and R-B. Here, the "internal data" denote that the data have not been placed on the data bus DQ<7:0>. The data D-A includes 8 bytes A0˜A7 while the data D-B includes 8 bytes B0˜B7. Based on the internal data D-A and D-B, a CRC computation CRC-AB is carried out by a memory controller.
When the data D-A and D-B are to be outputted by the memory, some bytes (e.g. A3 and B3) are placed on the CRC bus CRC<1:0> while the other bytes are placed on the data bus DQ<7:0>. Note that the space between A0 and A1 as indicated in FIG. 1 represents a non-transmission of data on the data bus DQ<7:0>.
As the data are outputted via the data bus DQ<7:0>, the CRC computation CRC-AB is initiated. As shown in FIG. 1, after the CRC computation CRC-AB is completed, the result of the CRC computation CRC-AB is transmitted via the CRC bus CRC<1:0>.
As such, the data D-A and D-B are read from the memory and the CRC result is outputted to the main control circuit.
However, the conventional technology has the following drawbacks of (1) complex hardware structure, large circuit layout, and high power consumption; (2) tight CAS to CAS delay latency (tCCD-L) e.g. 1.25 ns which leads to difficulty in design; (3) long time delay from issuing the reading instruction to outputting the data from the memory; (4) maintenance of data A and B in cache during the CRC computation, which leads to further difficulty in design; (5) difficulty in completion of the CRC computation within an extremely short time lapse (in 1.25 ns as exemplified by FIG. 1).
Accordingly, a method of controlling memory access is desirable given that the method is capable of overcoming said drawbacks of the conventional technology.


An earthquake resistant reinforcement apparatus of a structure that can be attached simply and conveniently even to an aged building and imposes no substantial burden on inhabitants. The structure has an anti-seismic device for absorbing a seismic energy, an attaching member for attaching the anti-seismic device to the outside of a building, and a horizontal supporting member for supporting the anti-seismic device substantially horizontally. A plurality of attaching members are provided spot-wise to the girder or the beam of an existent building and the horizontal supporting member is a horizontal connection beam for connecting the attaching member horizontally.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to earthquake resistant reinforcement of a building having a frame structure and it particularly relates to an earthquake resistant reinforcement for a building of relatively low story.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japan geographically situates in earthquake prone areas and frequently suffered from disastrous earthquakes historically in various districts of the country. Particularly, it has been said that the present age is going to enter the period of crustal movement and the possibility of seismic disaster has been increased.
Number of existent buildings in Japan amounts to 23,000,000 or more including many residential buildings not addressing to earthquake resistance or those aged residences likely to suffer from damages.
Further, most of such residences have wooden framework structures, and are not sufficient for earthquake resistance and, accordingly, require earthquake resistant reinforcement.
However, actual progress of adopting the earthquake resistant reinforcement is very slow and, while there are 15,000,000 or more residences requiring such earthquake resistant reinforcement in Japan, countermeasures therefor have not been advanced at present.

Earthquake resistant reinforcement apparatus, earthquake resistant building, and an earthquake resistant reinforcing method


The object of the invention is to design for reduction of the effects of thin-film transistor OFF current and to improve image quality in an active matrix display device in which polysilicon thin-film transistors are used.. Plural serially connected thin-film transistors are provided for one pixel electrode, different signals are imposed on the gate terminals of respective thin-film transistors, and a signal is written into the pixel when all the serially connected thin-film transistors are in an on state.. Further, since the thin-film transistors are connected in series, the voltage imposed on the source and drain electrodes when they are all in an off state is divided, and consequently the voltage across the source and drain electrodes of the thin-film transistor that drives the pixel is smaller and the OFF current is reduced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an active matrix display device which is designed to improve the image quality on the display screen of an active matrix display device.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 2 schematically shows a conventional example of an active matrix display device. The region 204 enclosed by the dashed line in the drawing is a display region, and thin-film transistors 201 are provided in a matrix array in this region. The line connected to the source electrode of a thin-film transistor 201 is an image (data) signal line 206, and the line connected to its gate electrode is a gate (selection) signal line 205.
Considering now the drive element, the thin-film transistor 201 affects data switching and drives a pixel cell 203. A capacitance 202 provides for holding image data in a capacitor. The thin-film transistor 201 provides for switching image data constituted by voltages that are imposed on the pixel. Designating the gate voltage of the thin-film transistor as Vg and its drain current as Id, the relationship of Vg-Id is shown in FIG. 3. That is, when the gate voltage is in the thin-film transistor's off region, Id becomes large. This is called the OFF current.
In the case of an N-channel thin-film transistor, when Vg is negatively biased, the OFF current is determined by the current that flows in a PN junction, which is formed between a P-type layer, which is induced at the surface of the semiconductor thin film and an N-type layer between the source region and the drain region. Since, many traps are present in the semiconductor thin film, this PN junction is imperfect, and the flow of junction leakage current can easily occur. The reason why the OFF current becomes greater with increasing negative bias on the gate electrode is that the carrier concentration in the P-type layer formed at the surface of the semiconductor thin film increases, and the energy barrier at the PN junction becomes narrower. Consequently the field becomes concentrated, and the junction leakage current increases.
The OFF current that arises in this manner is greatly dependent on the source-drain voltage. For example, it is known that the OFF current increases dramatically as the voltage imposed across the source and drain of a thin-film transistor becomes larger. In more detail, the OFF current when a voltage of 10 V is imposed across the source and drain is not double the OFF current that flows when a voltage of 5 V is imposed but instead may be as much as 10 times or even 100 times greater. This nonlinearity is also dependent on the gate voltage. Generally, the difference between the two is considerable when the value of the gate electrode reverse bias is large (a large negative voltage in the case of an N-channel type element).
A circuit diagram of a conventional X shift register is shown in FIG. 4 (A). This X shift register is a circuit which produces gate electrode on/off timing for thin-film transistors that drive the pixel electrodes of an active matrix display device. The output signals of the shift register, which, as is clear from FIG. 4 (A), is constituted by flipflops, are as shown in FIG. 4 (B). ANDing of adjacent signals within these output signals gives a signal plot such as in FIG. 4 (C) with which the thin-film transistors of each row in an active matrix display device are successively brought to an on state.

Method for driving active matrix display device

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


A processing device obtains a write operation which comprises first data and second data to be stored in first and second strips of a given stripe. The processing device stores the first data in the first strip and determines that the second strip is unavailable. The processing device determines a parity based on the first data and the second data and stores the parity in a parity strip. The processing device updates metadata to indicate that the second data was not stored in the second strip. In some embodiments, the updated metadata is non-persistent and the processing device may be further configured to rebuild the given stripe, update persistent metadata corresponding to a sector of stripes including the given stripe and clear the non-persistent metadata based at least in part on a completion of the rebuild.

In many information processing systems, storage systems are key elements. Some storage systems implement a Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) protection scheme for storing the data which allows the storage system to recover data in the event of a storage device failure. For example, when a storage device fails in the RAID protection scheme, a data block that was stored on the failed storage device may be recovered and rebuilt using calculations based on data blocks stored on the remaining storage devices in a corresponding row or diagonal of the corresponding stripe of the RAID protection scheme. The use of RAID protection schemes, however, faces various challenges.

Storage system having RAID stripe metadata


A flexible leak testing machine for tightness testing of a cylinder head, an engine block or similar workpiece has at least one sealing plate, a machine frame with at least one workpiece holding device for the workpiece and an adjusting device with a first drive for bringing together the workpiece and the sealing plate into a test position. The leak testing machine is flexibly usable in that it includes a changeover device for sealing plates. The changeover device has an adjustable holding arrangement on the machine frame, with sealing plate holders and an associated drive for sealing plate changeover.

The invention relates in general to a leak testing machine and a system for tightness testing of a cylinder head, an engine block or a comparable industrially produced, technical workpiece with at least one internal chamber to be tested for tightness. The invention further relates to the use thereof in tightness testing of industrial components and to a method for industrial tightness testing, in particular of metal workpieces made from cast blanks. The terms tightness testing and leak testing are here used synonymously.
In the industrial production of combustion engines, workpieces with a void volume or internal chamber, in particular cylinder head and engine block or crankcase, the various internal chambers are typically tested for leaks in a leak testing machine after machining. Only in this way is it possible to ensure proper functioning of the finished engine, because such workpieces or components, generally manufactured from cast blanks, may exhibit critical production-related leaks in their internal chambers, for example pores or cracks caused by casting defects. A leak in a pressure chamber or internal chamber will cause complete or partial failure of the component under operating pressure. This applies both to the lubricating oil system and in particular also to the more finely branched duct system for cooling liquid. It is advantageous to test every workpiece for tightness of the respective internal chamber prior to further processing or final assembly. This applies in particular in the case of the thin wall thicknesses of workpieces obtained by aluminum die casting (owing to the desire to reduce weight and thereby emissions), but also in conventional production using gray iron casting.
If the cooling system is not leakproof, for example, cooling liquid may enter the combustion chamber or the lubricant circuit. Depending on the extent of the leak, the service life of the engine would be reduced considerably thereby or the engine may be quickly destroyed. Subsequent replacement of a leaking cylinder head or engine block would be unacceptable for cost reasons. It is therefore absolutely essential to remove leaking components and discard them as rejects prior to final assembly of the internal combustion engine or to subject them to repair and retesting. Corresponding tightness testing is the main purpose of a leak testing machine of the type in question.
An older generation of leak testing machine is known from patent application EP 0 122 551 A2. This leak testing machine for tightness testing of a cylinder head has a sealing plate with a sealing arrangement matching the connection region of the cylinder head open on the engine block side, a machine frame with at least one workpiece holding device on a horizontally swivelable frame and an adjusting device therefor. The adjusting device has pneumatic cylinders as drives for clamping or pressing on workpiece and sealing plate in a test position. In the test position, the workpiece lies with its connection region tight against the sealing arrangement of the sealing plate and is pressurized with compressed air for testing purposes. The design according to EP 0 122 551 A2 is unsuitable for fully automated manufacture, however.
A partially automated testing system, specifically for short runs, is described in patent DE 103 60 143 B4. Patent DE 102 41 368 B4 describes a leak test for a crankcase, specifically a divided crankcase.
A leak testing machine of the type in question and a newer generation, fully automated tightness testing system are anticipated by patent EP 1 333 266 B1, which represents the closest prior art. The leak testing machine according to EP 1 333 266 B1 is suitable for a cylinder head, an engine block or a similar industrially produced workpiece with an internal chamber to be tested for tightness. It has a lower sealing plate and sealing plungers swiveled laterally and from above, in each case with a sealing arrangement matching the open connection region of the workpiece to be sealed. A further component is connected to the connection region in the finished state. A displaceably mounted workpiece holding device is provided on the machine frame. An adjusting device for bringing together workpiece and sealing plate comprises inter alia a lifting means with lifting cylinders for raising the lower sealing plate against the workpiece and further drives for the sealing plungers. The adjusting device thus adjusts sealing plate and plungers into a test position, in which the workpiece rests with its connection region in sealing manner against the sealing arrangement of the sealing plate.
For increased availability and a simultaneous reduction in avoidable waste, the system according to EP 1 333 266 B1 provides at least two identical leak testing machines respectively for each workpiece type. The second machine tests redundantly. This serves to confirm a leak or indeed for maintenance of the sealing arrangement on the machine displaying a fault, if just one of two tests is negative. To increase system availability, when one machine with a defective seal is undergoing maintenance, a third identical machine may be brought into operation.
Patent EP 1 333 266 B1 further proposes use in the system of an appropriate leak testing machine for each workpiece type, as corresponds to the current state of the art. To implement the invention therein, however, it would be necessary to provide a set of redundant leak testing machines for each workpiece type, i.e. at least two, preferably three leak testing machines for each workpiece type.
In the case, in particular, of highly flexible manufacturing systems, which are being used ever more widely, a considerable number of leak testing machines dependent on workpiece type and thus engine are required to manufacture for example different mass-produced engines and variants thereof without restrictions or time-consuming retooling. The same is also true where highly flexible manufacture is not used, for example where it is intended to produce "modular engines", in the form, as necessary, of three-, four- and six-cylinder in-line engines, on one and the same production line without retooling. This is associated with correspondingly complex production, installation, control, maintenance, etc. and large footprints.
It is therefore an aim of the present invention to provide a tightness testing solution for multiple different workpiece types with reduced complexity, in particular with lower production costs, in particular for different designs of the same type, such as for example the cylinder head type or the engine block or crankcase type.
A further object involves providing an improved system and method for highly flexible manufacture.

Leak test machine for cylinder head, engine block, or a similar workpiece


A method for treating an adenocarcinoma excluding colon cancer, lung cancer and gastric cancer, comprising administering to a subject in need thereof and suffering from adenocarcinoma cancer, a pharmaceutically effective amount of at least one sulfoquinovosylacylglycerol compound represented by formula (1):

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a medicament containing at least one compound selected from the group consisting of sulfopyranosylacylglycerol derivatives and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, as an active ingredient.
2. Description of the Related Art
Sulfur-containing glycolipids contained in natural products derived from, e.g., algae and higher plants are known to have physiological activities.
For example, in a document of Ohta et al. (Chemical & Pharmaceutical Bulletin, 46(4), (1998)), it is described that a specific sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerol derivative derived from red algae, Gigartina tenella, exhibits not only inhibitory activities against DNA polymerases α and β of higher organisms but also an HIV-derived reverse-transcriptase inhibitory activity. The sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerol derivative disclosed in the Ohta document is the one whose fatty acid that bonded, through ester-bond, at the C1 carbon atom of the glycerol is an unsaturated fatty acid having 20 carbon atoms with 5 double bonds, and whose another fatty acid that bonded at the C2 carbon atom of the glycerol is a saturated fatty acid having 16 carbon atoms.
Furthermore, in a document of Mizushina et al. (Biochemical Pharmacology 55, 537-541 (1998)), it is described that a mixture of specific sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerol derivatives derived from a pteridophyte exhibits inhibitory activities against a calf DNA polymerase α and a rat DNA polymerase β, however, the mixture has no effect upon an HIV-derived reverse-transcriptase activity.
On the other hand, in a document of Sahara et al. (British Journal of Cancer, 75(3), 324-332 (1997)), it is described that a fraction of sulfoquinovosylmonoacylglycerols contained in an acetone extract from a sea urchin intestine exhibits anticancer activities in-vivo and in-vitro. However, the sulfoquinovosylmonoacylglycerol fraction for which Sahara found the anticancer activities principally contains sulfoquinovosylmonoacylglycerol having, bonded thereto through an ester-bond, a saturated fatty acid with 16 carbon atoms. In the sulfoquinovosylmonoacylglycerol fraction, sulfoquinovosylmonoacylglycerols whose acyl moiety is that of an unsaturated fatty acid, are contained only in an extremely small amount. In addition, Sahara et al. have not yet investigated on anticancer activities with respect to individual components contained in the sulfoquinovosylmonoacylglycerol mixture.
Furthermore, National Patent Publication No. 5-501105 describes that a sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerol derivative has an anti-virus activity. More specifically, it discloses that the derivative has an anti-HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) activity, however it does not disclose that the derivative has DNA polymerase inhibitory activities and anticancer activities.

Abstract: wherein R101 represents an acyl residue of an unsaturated higher fatty acid, and R102 represents a hydrogen atom, and/or at least one pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.


A calibration source for a gamma-ray spectrometer is provided, comprising a scintillator body having a cavity in which a radioactive material is received. A scintillator body may be cuboid and the cavity may be a hole drilled into the scintillator body. The radioactive material comprises an isotope having a decay transition associated with emission of a radiation particle and a gamma-ray of known energy. A photodetector is optically coupled to the scintillator body and arranged to detect scintillation photons generated when radiation particles emitted from the radioactive material interact with the surrounding scintillator. A gating circuit is arranged to receive detection signals to generate corresponding gating signals for a data acquisition circuit of an associated gamma-ray spectrometer to indicate that gamma-ray detections in the gamma-ray spectrometer occurring within a time window defined by the gating signal are associated with a decay transition in the radioactive isotope.

The invention relates to gamma-ray spectrometry, and in particular to calibration sources for gamma-ray spectrometers and gamma-ray spectrometers having calibration sources.
Gamma-ray spectrometers are used in a wide variety of applications, for example to identify and monitor gamma-ray sources in scientific, industrial, and environmental monitoring applications, e.g. for security screening of personnel and cargo at border crossings, or to search generally for orphaned radioactive sources. A common class of gamma-ray spectrometers is based on organic (plastic) or inorganic (crystal) scintillator materials.
FIG. 1 shows an example of a conventional crystal scintillation spectrometer 2. The spectrometer is generally axially symmetric with a diameter of around 8 cm and a length of around 8 cm. The spectrometer 2 comprises a scintillation crystal 4 which scintillates when a gamma-ray is absorbed within it. A common scintillation crystal material is thallium doped sodium iodide (NaI(Tl)). There are, however, various other scintillator crystals, and also scintillator plastics, that may be used.
The scintillation crystal 4 is hermetically sealed within a thin aluminium body 6 with Al2O3 powder packing arranged around the crystal 4 to act as a reflective material. Gamma-rays from a source enter the spectrometer through the aluminium enclosure. Gamma-rays interact with the scintillation crystal 4 in scintillation events in which lower-energy photons are generated, e.g. optical photons. The scintillation crystal 4 is optically coupled to a photomultiplier tube (PMT) 10 on a side opposite a front face 8 of the aluminium housing 6. The PMT 10 is for detecting photons generated in the scintillation crystal 4 in gamma-ray detection events. Thus the PMT 10 is operable to output a signal indicative S of the intensity of the scintillation flash generated in the crystal 6 in response to each gamma-ray interaction. The intensity of the flash depends on the amount of the energy of the incident gamma-ray deposited in the crystal.
Output signals S from the PMT 10 are routed to a spectrum analyser 12, e.g. a multi-channel analyser. The amplitudes of the respective output signals S are indicative of the energy of the corresponding incident gamma-rays deposited in the crystal. The relationship between an energy deposit D in the scintillation body 4 and an resulting output signal S is defined by a response function of the spectrometer.
The spectrum analyser 12 is operable to process the output signals received from the PMT in a given integration time (or in an accumulating manner) and to generate an energy loss spectrum for the corresponding detection events. This requires the spectrum analyser 12 to convert the measured output signals S to estimates of the energy deposited D in the gamma-ray detector in the corresponding events. The mapping from output signals S to energy deposit D is defined by a calibration function. The calibration function is selected to provide an inverse to the response function for the spectrometer. That is to say, if an energy deposit D0 in a crystal is converted to an output signal S0 in accordance with the spectrometer's response function, the aim of the calibration function is to invert the spectrometer's response so as to convert the output signal S0 back to an estimate of the energy deposit D0.
The general principles underlying the application of calibration functions to in effect undo a gamma-ray spectrometer's response function are well known. The calibration function may, for example, be based on a look-up table, or a functional relationship that provides for a conversion of an observed signal amplitude S to an estimated energy deposit D. The calibration function may be based on empirical observations of calibration sources having known spectra, or theoretical predictions.
By way of an example of a spectrometer's response to an energy deposit, an energy loss of 1 MeV in a NaI(Tl) scintillator crystal such as shown in FIG. 1 might generate around nγ=38,000 photons. The Al2O3 powder surrounding the scintillator crystal provides for relatively high diffuse reflectance, typically providing a transfer efficiency T such that that perhaps 85% or so of generated photons are transferred to the photo-cathode of the PMT 10. The quantum-efficiency QE of a PMT at the wavelength of interest is typically around 25%. Thus the number of charge-carriers Ncc released from the photo-cathode of the PMT in response to the 1 MeV energy deposit will be around 8,000 (i.e. nγ*T*QE, where nγ=38,000, T=0.85, and QE=0.25). The output signal S from the PMT will thus be 8000G0 (in arbitrary units), where G0 is a measure of the gain of the PMT. Thus the calibration function here should ideally be defined such that an output signal of 8000G0 is mapped back to an energy loss of 1 MeV.
As noted above, the general principles underlying the application of calibration functions to gamma-ray spectrometer data are well understood. For example it is known that a spectrometer response function in many scintillation crystals will generally be non-linear (i.e. a twice-as-high energy deposit D in the scintillation crystal will not in general correspond with a twice-as-high output signal S from the PMT). Some aspects of an arbitrary spectrometer response function are represented in Table 1. It will be appreciated, however, that this is purely a simple example for the purposes of explanation, it is not intended to reflect the true response characteristics of any particular scintillation spectrometer.
TABLE 1Energy deposit DPMT Output signal S(MeV)(arbitrary units)0.76230 * G00.86880 * G00.97470 * G01.08000 * G01.18470 * G01.28880 * G01.39230 * G0
The PMT output signals S shown in Table 1 is the product of two basic parameters, namely the number of charge carriers Ncc generated at the photo-cathode of the PMT (e.g. 8000 at 1 MeV), and the gain of the PMT (G0). As noted above, the spectrum analyser component of the gamma-ray spectrometer is operable to convert an observed PMT output signal S to an estimated energy deposit D in the crystal. This could be done by reference to a look-up table such as represented in Table 1, but more likely will be done by applying a functional parameterisation of the calibration. For example, the spectrometer response function represented in Table 1 may be parameterised asS=(11000*D−3000*D2)*G0   (Equation 1).
This equation may be solved for a given observed output signal S to provide an estimate of energy loss D.
A problem with scintillator-based gamma-ray spectrometers is that the number of charge carriers Ncc generated at the photo-cathode of a PMT for a given gamma-ray energy deposit in a given spectrometer is not necessarily constant. For example, the number of charge carriers Ncc depends relatively strongly on the temperature of the spectrometer (primarily because the number of photons nγ generated in the energy deposit depends on the temperature of the scintillation crystal). This means the spectrometer's response function can vary with changing conditions. As such any assumed calibration function for converting from output signal S to incident energy deposit D will only be correct for some conditions (i.e. the conditions for which the calibration function was originally determined). This is problematic because a failure to properly map output signals S back to energy deposits D will lead to a poorly calibrated spectrum, e.g. with peaks appearing at the wrong energies. The problem of a spectrometer's response changing according to different conditions arises to some extent in all gamma-ray spectrometers, and not just in scintillator-based spectrometers.
A known way of dealing with this problem is to adjust the gain of the acquisition system (e.g. of the PMT itself, or of an associated signal amplifier). This is generally known as stabilization.
Stabilization may, for example, be achieved by adjusting system gain in response to measured changes in environmental conditions so as to compensate for corresponding changes in the spectrometer's response. For example, suppose the response function represented in Table 1 was applicable for a spectrometer at 20° C., and there was known to be a 1% drop in Ncc for each 1° C. rise in temperature. This means at a temperature of 30° C., an energy deposit of 1 MeV would generate only around 7200 charge carriers (as opposed 8000 at 20° C.), and hence an output signal of S=7200*G0 would be seen. If no account were taken of the change in environmental conditions, this output signal would be mapped back to an estimated energy deposit of between 0.8 and 0.9 MeV, and so result in an inaccurate energy-loss spectrum. Thus it is known to monitor the temperature of a spectrometer and to compensate for changes in the number of charge carriers generated for a given energy deposit by applying a corrective temperature-dependent calibration factor f to the PMT gain. For example, if the temperature changed by an amount known to cause a 10% fall in charge carriers, the PMT gain could be increased by 11% to compensate. Thus for the 30° C. example give above, the output signal would become S=Ncc*f*G0=7200*1.11*G0=8000 G0. This would then be correctly mapped back to an energy deposit of 1 MeV by reference to the calibration function represented in Table 1. A problem with this approach is that it is difficult to monitor changes in environmental conditions, and to model their impact on a spectrometer's response, with high accuracy.
Another approach for providing stabilization is based on monitoring the response of a spectrometer to a source of calibration gamma-rays of known energy(ies). A calibration factor f may then be applied to the PMT gain (or other data acquisition system gain), where f is selected such that output signals associated with calibration gamma-rays are correctly mapped back to the known energy of these calibration events. For example, a servo loop may be provided with the system gain being adjusted in response to apparent differences between the known energies for calibration events and the energies determined from their output signals S via the assumed calibration function. An advantage of this approach is that all changes in the spectrometer's response function can be accounted for simultaneously regardless of cause. However the approach must be performed separately from data acquisition from a target of interest, or requires a technique for distinguishing calibration events from "real" events so that the calibration events do not contaminate the energy loss spectrum determined for the real events.
Previously proposed schemes for calibration-source-based stabilization have employed calibration isotopes (e.g. Co-60, Cs-137 or Na-22) to dope a small plastic secondary scintillation detector viewed by a separate PMT to provide an electronic gating signal each time that a beta-particle is detected in the plastic [1, 2]. Gamma-rays detected in a main detector at the same time as a beta-detection event in the secondary detector are taken to be associated with the calibration source, and hence of a known energy. These can be processed separately from other events and used to provide spectral stabilization. In typical applications, the size of this uniformly doped plastic scintillator is chosen such that the probability of the beta-particle escaping from the calibration source without depositing sufficient energy can be sufficiently small in order to avoid generating un-tagged calibration events. This approach can result in relatively bulky spectrometers and is not practical for use in all situations, e.g. for use in compact hand-held gamma-ray spectrometers. Furthermore, there can be practical difficulties in manufacturing suitably doped scintillator material, for example, because of a risk of radioactive contamination of a manufacturing plant devoted to the production of scintillation materials.
Another previously proposed scheme has used Na-22 as a calibration source between a primary spectrometer and a secondary gamma-ray detector. The approach relies on the fact that Na-22 emits a positron which promptly annihilates to produce a pair of 511 keV photons propagating in opposite directions. If one of the annihilation gamma-rays is detected in the secondary gamma-ray detector, this can be used to provides an electronic signal that can be used to label simultaneous events in the primary spectrometer as being associated with the Na-22 calibration source [3]. This again allows the calibration events to be separated from "real" events. The system gain can then be adjusted so the energies for the Na-22 emissions determined using the primary spectrometer match the known emission energies for this isotope, thereby simultaneously stabilizing the observed spectrum for the real events.
Another technique widely used in stabilizing the gain of gamma-ray spectrometers is based on the incorporation of a weak alpha-emitting source, e.g. Am-241, into the scintillation crystal assembly. The alpha-particles from the Am-241 then generate a large energy-deposit in the crystal which is beyond the energy-range of interest of most gamma-ray spectrometers (˜4 MeV). A servo-loop may then be set to maintain this peak at a constant position in the spectrum as temperature, and other environmental conditions, change. This helps ensure the gamma-ray spectrum recorded at the same time is stabilized. However, in addition to emitting 4 MeV alpha particles, Am-241 also emits 59 keV gamma-ray emission. There is no way of identifying these events in an observed spectrum to separate them from "real" events in this energy region, that is to say, the calibration source contaminates the observed spectrum. This makes the approach unsuitable for many isotope identification systems which need to be able to reliably identify isotopes having emission lines in this energy region, including Am-241 itself.
Still another technique for stabilizing the gain of gamma ray spectrometers is described in WO 2010/034962 A2 [4]. This approach is based on the use of a calibration source which comprises a radioactive material comprising a radioactive isotope having a decay transition associated with emission of a radiation particle and a gamma-ray having a known energy and a solid-state detector arranged to receive radiation particles emitted from the radioactive material. A gating circuit is coupled to the solid-state detector and is operable to generate a gating signal in response to detection of a radiation particle in the solid-state detector. The gating signal may thus be used as an indicator that an energy deposit in a nearby gamma-ray spectrometer is associated with a decay transition in the radioactive isotope. Whilst devices of the kind described in WO 2010/034962 A2 have been found to perform well and provide for good calibration, they are in some respects relatively complicated devices, for example relying on the availability of specialist solid-state detectors, and as a consequence they can be relatively expensive.
There is therefore a need for alternate calibration sources for use with gamma-ray spectrometers.


An electronic component built-in module according to the present invention includes a pair of opposed circuit substrates, each of which includes a wiring pattern and an insulating base material containing a resin, an insulating layer that is placed between the pair of circuit substrates and contains an inorganic filler and a resin composition containing a thermosetting resin, an electronic component that is embedded in the insulating layer, and an inner via that is provided in the insulating layer so as to make an electrical connection between wiring patterns provided on different circuit substrates. A glass transition temperature Tg1 of the resin composition contained in the insulating layer and a glass transition temperature Tg2 of the insulating base material included in each of the circuit substrates satisfy a relationship Tg1>Tg2.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic component built-in module that houses electronic components including, for example, an active component such as a transistor or the like and a passive component such as a capacitor or the like, and a method of manufacturing the electronic component built-in module.
2. Related Background Art
In recent years, it has been requested that electronic equipment be capable of high performance and reduced in size. This has led to a demand for higher-density mounting and higher performance of electronic components. With this as a background, there also has been a demand for a small-sized circuit substrate on which electronic components can be mounted with high density. With respect to these demands, as a circuit substrate that allows high-density mounting, a multilayer circuit substrate in which wires formed on different layers are connected electrically by an inner via has been under development. By the use of a multilayer circuit substrate, wire connections between electronic components can be shortened, thereby allowing high-density wiring to be realized. However, even in a multilayer circuit substrate that allows high-density wiring as described above, electronic components mounted on a surface of the circuit substrate still constitute a large portion of the multilayer circuit substrate, which has been a hindrance to a reduction in size.
With respect to this problem, a technique has been proposed that realizes high-density mounting of electronic components by embedding the electronic components in a circuit substrate. However, in the case of a circuit substrate formed from ceramics, a firing process is required when housing electronic components, and thus an electronic component containing a semiconductor such as silicon or the like cannot be housed, which has been disadvantageous. As a solution to this, a circuit substrate also has been proposed that includes an insulating layer formed from a resin so that electronic components are housed therein (see, for example, JP 3-69191 A and JP11-103147 A). With this configuration, manufacturing can be performed at a relatively low temperature, and thus even an electronic component containing a semiconductor can be housed. However, due to the low thermal conductivity of the resin, it is difficult to radiate heat generated from the electronic components. Moreover, in the case where the electronic components are mounted with high density, heat radiation further is hindered. Further, inevitably, an influence also is exerted by the generation and propagation of noise due to a high-speed operation and high-density mounting.
As described above, in an electronic component built-in module in which electronic components are housed in a circuit substrate (mounted three-dimensionally in the circuit substrate), it is required to achieve not only high-density mounting and a high-level function but also an effect of reducing noise and an excellent heat radiation property. As a measure to meet this requirement, an electronic component built-in module has been proposed that includes an insulating layer formed from a mixture (composite resin material) containing a thermosetting resin such as an epoxy resin or the like and an inorganic filler such as ceramic powder or the like so that electronic components are embedded therein (see, for example, JP11-220262 A).
FIG. 10 shows an example of an electronic component built-in module in which electronic components are embedded in an insulating layer formed using a mixture of a thermosetting resin and an inorganic filler. In this electronic component built-in module 100, circuit substrates 101 on which electronic components (an active component 104a and a passive component 104b) are mounted are joined respectively to each main face of an insulating layer 102, and the electronic components 104a and 104b are embedded in the insulating layer 102. Moreover, wiring patterns 107 formed on the different circuit substrates 101 are connected electrically by an inner via 103 formed from a conductive resin composition. The insulating layer 102, which is formed from a mixture of an inorganic filler and a thermosetting resin, can be controlled in terms of a thermal conductivity, a dielectric constant and the like by selecting the type of the inorganic filler. Thus, an electronic component built-in module that is excellent in the effect of reducing noise and heat radiation property can be manufactured.
In an electronic component built-in module having the above-mentioned configuration, the reliability of an inner via is of importance. For example, due to heat applied when another electronic component is mounted by soldering on the completed electronic component built-in module, heat generated during an operation of equipment, a change in the temperature of an environment of use and the like, an insulating layer undergoes repeated cycles of thermal expansion and contraction. In this case, because of a difference in coefficient of thermal expansion between the insulating layer and a conductive resin composition constituting an inner via, a stress is generated in the inner via. Such a stress causes a deterioration in the connection reliability of an inner via. The insulating layer is formed so as to have a thickness not smaller than the height of each electronic component to be housed, and thus necessarily, the inner via penetrating the insulating layer in a thickness direction also has an increased length. Further, in order to achieve higher mounting density, it also is required that the inner via be decreased in diameter, and thus the inner via tends to have a high aspect ratio. Therefore, due to repeated cycles of the thermal expansion and contraction of the insulating layer in the thickness direction, a particularly large influence is exerted on a deterioration in the connection reliability of an inner via. In the case where a coefficient of thermal expansion of the insulating layer is larger than a coefficient of thermal expansion of circuit substrates, the expansion of the insulating layer in a plane direction is constrained by the circuit substrates, so that the insulating layer tends to expand in the thickness direction. Because of this, the connection reliability of an inner via becomes more likely to be deteriorated.

Electronic component built-in module and method of manufacturing the same

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


The invention provides an interactive display that is controlled by user gestures identified on a touch detecting display surface. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, imagery is projected onto a horizontal projection surface from a projector located above the projection surface. The locations where a user contacts the projection surface are detected using a set of infrared emitters and receivers arrayed around the perimeter of the projection surface. For each contact location, a computer software application stores a history of contact position information and, from the position history, determines a velocity for each contact location. Based upon the position history and the velocity information, gestures are identified. The identified gestures are associated with display commands that are executed to update the displayed imagery accordingly. Thus, the invention enables users to control the display through direct physical interaction with the imagery.

1. Technical Field
The invention relates to interactive displays. More particularly, the invention relates to multi-user displays suitable for displaying geographical imagery.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are many situations in which one or more individuals interactively explore image based data. For example, a team of paleontologists may wish to discuss an excavation plan for a remote site dig. To do so, they wish to explore in detail the geographic characteristics of the site as represented on digitized maps. In most laboratories, this requires the team either to huddle around a single workstation and view maps and images on a small display, or sit at separate workstations and converse by phone.
The activity of exploring imagery is much more easily and effectively accomplished with the users surrounding a single large display. While such displays do exist, the interface to the display is typically still operated by a single user. For example, the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) and the Geographic Modeling Systems Laboratory have developed an interactive display for museum exhibits in which imagery is displayed on a large horizontal projection surface (http://archive.ncsa.uiuc.edu/Cyberia/RWConsort_UIUC/index.html). A nearby touch screen control console allows visitors to move through and investigate 3-D graphical representations" of the exhibited geographic region. However, as the adjacent touch screen console must still be operated by a single user, the ability of the team as a whole to interact meaningfully with the display is limited.
Moreover, the interfaces to most displays are not particularly intuitive. While the NCSA system does provide a convenient touch screen interface, it is disjoint from the display itself, distancing the controlling user from the display and lessening any sense of immersion within the imagery. Other displays do not offer even this level of convenience, requiring users to manipulate the imagery through the use of keyboards and pointing devices such as mice.
It would be advantageous to provide a collaborative display with which several users can meaningfully discuss and interact with imagery as a group. It would also be advantageous if such a display allowed the users to control the imagery and underlying information through direct interaction with the display itself, using a set of natural gestures. It would be further advantageous to provide a display that is useful for individuals exploring Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data, such as scientists and military planners.


Technologies pertaining to providing completions to proffered prefixes are disclosed herein. A suggested completion to a proffered prefix is retrieved by walking nodes of a trie data structure, wherein a node includes one or more characters that are used to extend a character sequence represented by its parent. Each node in the trie data structure is assigned a score, wherein the score maps to a best score assigned to its descendants. The nodes of the trie data structure are sorted based upon score, and the nodes are walked based upon scores assigned thereto.

As data storage devices are becoming less expensive, an increasing amount of data is retained, wherein such data can be accessed through utilization of a search engine. Accordingly, search engine technology is frequently updated to satisfy information retrieval requests of a user. Moreover, as users continue to interact with search engines, such users become increasingly adept at crafting queries that are likely to cause search results to be returned that satisfy informational requests of the users.
Conventional search engines have been adapted to assist a user in locating information pertaining to informational goals of the user by providing the user with suggested queries responsive to the user proffering a query to a search engine. There are a variety of different approaches that are employed by conventional search engines to set forth suggested queries.
Search engines have also been adapted to assist a user with query completions. A user can provide a query prefix to a search engine, wherein the query prefix includes an alphanumerical character or a sequence of alphanumerical characters. Optionally, the query prefix can also or alternatively include punctuation or other lexical symbols. Responsive to receiving the prefix, the search engine outputs one or more suggested query completions to the query prefix, and the user can select a suggested query completion for provision to the search engine. The search engine subsequently executes a search using the suggested query completion as a query. Query completions have been found to assist users in formulating queries, as the user can analyze suggested completions and select one that the user feels is best suited for her informational needs.
As mobile computing devices have continued to become increasingly prevalent, the importance of providing completions to prefixes has likewise increased. Mobile telephones are configured with robust applications that perform a task based upon input received from a user, wherein, in some circumstances, the input is textual. Due to small sizes of the mobile telephones, however, a physical keyboard is often not provided, rendering it time-consuming to provide textual input (particularly if there are numerous characters to be entered). The automatic provision of completions to a prefix saves the user time and angst (e.g., caused by accidentally entering incorrect characters) by providing the user with suggested completions to a proffered prefix. Conventional solutions for providing completions to a prefix, however, are not space efficient.

Retrieval of prefix completions by way of walking nodes of a trie data structure


A method for establishing a wireless communication connection for exchanging of control messages between a first device and a second device using both of a non-standardized locking mechanism and a standardized pairing protocol, the method comprising: applying the non-standardized locking mechanism to set whether access to the standardized pairing protocol is locked or unlocked; and on condition of being activated by said non-standardized locking mechanism, performing a pairing between the first device and the second device using the standardized pairing protocol, wherein completion of the standardized pairing protocol activates the wireless communication connection for exchanging of control messages.

Connected lighting refers to a system of one or more luminaires which are controlled not by (or not only by) a traditional wired, electrical on-off or dimmer circuit, but rather by using a data communications protocol via a wired or more often wireless connection, e.g. a wired or wireless network. Typically, the luminaires, or even individual lamps within a luminaire, may each be equipped with a wireless receiver or transceiver for receiving lighting control commands from a lighting control device according to a wireless networking protocol such as ZigBee, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth (and optionally also for sending status reports to the lighting control device using the wireless networking protocol). The lighting control device may take the form of a user terminal, e.g. a portable user terminal such as a smartphone, tablet, laptop or smart watch; or a static user terminal such as a desktop computer or wireless wall-panel. In such cases the lighting control commands may originate from an application running on the user terminal, either based on user inputs provided to the application by the user through a user interface of the user terminal (e.g. a touch screen or point-and-click interface), and/or based on an automatized function of the application. The user equipment may send the lighting control commands to the luminaires directly, or via an intermediate device such as a wireless router, access point or lighting bridge.
In the Internet of Things (IoT) many kinds of devices are connected to the Internet. When devices are linked to a wireless network one of the most crucial steps is the initial setup. The problem is how to configure a device to join a certain network in a secure way. Usually these devices do not have a display or a keyboard to enter some kind of network identifier or security key. The initial setup in which the device is authenticated, joins the right network, and exchanges encryption keys is usually called pairing. In connected lighting the initial setup is usually referred to as commissioning, which includes pairing and configuring the device. In Bluetooth Low Energy, joining the network and exchanging keys is referred to as pairing, and when during the pairing process the encryption keys are stored for future use this is called bonding.
Wireless standards for IoT devices describe standardized ways of pairing. ZigBee, for example, includes pairing by means of a passcode and proximity based pairing. Bluetooth low energy supports a similar form of PassKey pairing, but also supports a pairing method known as "JustWorks" in which case no authentication is required. This can be used for example, to allow a phone to easily connect to a brand new device when it is powered on for the very first time. The Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) standard also describes an out-of-band mechanism. In this case the encryption keys are shared using a method other than Bluetooth. An example is the use of NFC to exchange keys as part of the Bluetooth pairing.
D1 (US 2015/222517 A1) discloses a uniform protocol that can facilitate secure, authenticated communication between a controller device and an accessory device that is controlled by the controller. An accessory and a controller can establish a pairing, where ale accessory can provide an accessory definition record that defines the accessory as a collection of services, each service having one or more characteristics. Within a secure communication session, the controller can interrogate the characteristics to determine accessory state and/or modify the characteristics to instruct the accessory to change its state.