A base matrix is applied to an LDPC coder. The base matrix includes multiple parts, each including multiple of rows and columns, and containing integers, each representative of an identity matrix cyclically shifted in accordance with the integer or representative of an all-zero matrix. At least two of the multiple parts are configured such that their respective column-wise combinations of rows represents a same starting vector, cyclically shifted or interleaved, with zero or more but not all integers not indicative of the all-zero matrix of the same vector substituted by integers indicative of the all-zero matrix. The at least two of the multiple parts are not identical. The applied base matrix is used for one of encoding data using the LDPC coder or decoding data using the LDPC coder.

This section is intended to provide a background or context to the invention disclosed below. The description herein may include concepts that could be pursued, but are not necessarily ones that have been previously conceived, implemented or described. Therefore, unless otherwise explicitly indicated herein, what is described in this section is not prior art to the description in this application and is not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section. Abbreviations that may be found in the specification and/or the drawing figures are defined below, after the main part of the detailed description section.
There are many different error correction codes used in wireless communication. Such codes allow certain types of errors to be corrected during decoding of received information.
Low Density Parity Check (LDPC) is a type of error correction code, which is already used in 802.11n, 802.16e, and many other standards. Recently, LDPC has received more attention as a promising coding scheme to fulfill next generation (i.e., 5G) mobile radio requirements.
In particular, LDPC has been selected as channel coding for eMBB in 5G. It would therefore be beneficial to improve LDPC.

Method and apparatus for vector based LDPC base matrix usage and generation


A modulator is constructed with a loop-delay compensation. A delta-sigma modulator generates a quantization code, and a digital compensation filter receives the quantization code and outputs a digital code. The digital compensation filter then feeds the digital code back to the delta-sigma modulator.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a delta-sigma modulator, and more particularly to a delta-sigma modulator with a digitally-assisted compensation filter.
2. Description of Related Art
A delta-sigma (ΔΣ) modulator or sigma-delta (ΣΔ) modulator is a feedback system that produces high-resolution signals through simple circuit blocks. The delta-sigma modulator is widely adapted to electronic circuits such as analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), digital-to-analog converters (DACs) or frequency synthesizers, and is highly attractive in wireless communications due to its simplicity and low-power consumption.
FIG. 1A shows a mathematical model of an ideal continuous-time (3rd order) delta-sigma modulator, indicating A1, A2 and A3 feedback DAC coefficients, fs sampling frequency, X(s) input signal, E(z) quantization noise, and Y(z) output code. However, loop delay exists in the feedback path for a real circuit environment. The loop delay causes the shift of the pole of the modulator system, and thus alters the original noise-transfer-function (NTF) of the modulator. In order to resolve this issue, an analog compensation path kf is added as shown in FIG. 1B, where Td is the loop delay, and k1, k2, and k3 are feedback DAC coefficients with consideration for the loop delay.
Nevertheless, the addition of the analog compensation path kf disadvantageously increases additional power consumption, and also increases distortion from the additional analog circuit.
As a consequence of the conventional analog compensation path not being able to effectively solve the excess-loop delay issue, a need has arisen to propose a novel scheme that is capable of resolving the excess-loop delay issue by the replacement of analog circuitry with a precise digital circuit.


A method for treating a swimming pool, including introducing Mg2+ to a level from 60 ppm to 300 ppm to the swimming pool by addition of a soluble magnesium compound to the swimming pool, or Mg2+ to a level from 60 ppm to 1000 ppm by addition of a magnesium halide in addition to a further soluble magnesium compound.

Swimming pool water must undergo treatment in order to remain clear, clean, free from pathogens, and suitable for use by bathers. Swimming pools (also referred to herein as "pools") chlorinated by the introduction of sodium or calcium hypochlorite contain high levels of dissolved salts in the form of sodium or calcium anions whereas conventional salt chlorinated pools contain high levels of sodium chloride, typically in a recommended concentration of about 6000 ppm.
Apart from very high salt concentrations, pool water can also contain chloramine or trihalomethane (THM) compounds arising from the reaction of free chlorine cations with bodily fluids, skin, and other contaminants in the pool water as well as cyanuric acid chlorine stabilizers and micro organisms such as bacteria, viruses, algae and parasites. The levels of these contaminants are higher in non-residential pools with a large number of bathers which increases the levels of chlorine required to keep these pools clean. This leads to extended periods of "superchlorination", during which the pool cannot be used. The presence of chloramines and trihalomethanes in swimming pools is harmful to humans since these compounds are the underlying cause of a number of serious health problems including forgetfulness, fatigue, chronic colds, voice problems, eye irritations, headache, sore throat, eczema and frontal sinus inflammation. These toxic compounds are also the precursors of vital health concerns such as asthma, cancer, and reproductive defects, making their presence in pools highly undesirable.
Pools using electrolytic generators typically contain between 3000 and 6000 ppm of sodium chloride (NaCl) as these are the levels required for the electrolytic chlorinators to work efficiently. The presence of such high salt contents in the backwash and rinse water makes it unsuitable for collection and use in garden irrigation because gradual accumulation of sodium chloride in the soil leads to problems such as salinity induced soil degradation.
Furthermore, the fact that many swimming pools contain high levels of phosphates, which act as a primary source of nutrition for algae, has increased the levels of sanitizers required to maintain satisfactory control of algae and adequate water clarity.
As used herein, the expression "swimming pool" is also intended to embrace the analogous use of spa baths, hot tubs and the like which are operated in a substantially identical manner to swimming pools.


A process is provided for the solid-phase synthesis of a peptide amide which comprises attaching an α-nitrogen protected Cα-carboxamide amino acid to a solid support by its side chain, removing the α-nitrogen protecting group, assembling a peptide chain on said α-nitrogen and then cleaving the assembled peptide amide from the solid support. Novel amino acid analogues, peptide amides and solid-phase supports are also provided.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a process for the solid-phase synthesis of peptide amides, to Fmoc-α-nitrogen protected Cα-carboxamide amino acids, novel peptide amides and novel supports for peptide amide synthesis.
2. Description of Related Art
Many peptides have found utility as therapeutic agents. One peptide that is of particular importance is eptifibatide a cyclic peptide amide containing six amino acids and one mercaptopropionyl residue. Eptifibatide acts by binding to the platelet receptor glycoprotein IIb/IIIa and inhibiting platelet aggregation, thus preventing blood clots. Eptifibatide is the active agent in Integrelin™, which is used in treating patients with acute coronary syndrome and those undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.
A solid-phase method for the production of eptifibatide is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,318,899. However, as with many peptides the major challenge with eptifibatide is to produce sufficient material at an acceptable cost.
Peptides may be synthesised by solid-phase synthesis that commences from the carboxy-terminal end of the peptide using an alpha-amino protected amino acid. The two most widely used protocols employ tert-butyloxycarbonyl (Boc) or 9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl (Fmoc) as amino protecting groups.
When an Fmoc protection strategy is employed the favoured solid-phase support is a polydimethylacrylamide or polystyrene resin derivatised with a 4-(2′,4′-dimethoxybenzyl-Fmoc-aminomethyl)-phenoxy (Fmoc-Rink amide) linkage agent. The first protected amino acid of the peptide sequence may be attached to this resin by converting its carboxyl group to an active ester, usually by reacting with N-hydroxybenzotriazole (BtOH) in the presence of an activating agent such as diisopropylcarbodiimide (DIC). This mild activation step minimises racemisation of susceptible residues such as Cys and Trp (throughout this specification standard three letter or single letter abbreviations for amino acids will be used). In addition, mild acidolysis of this peptide resin can result in both the cleavage of the peptide from the resin and the deprotection of any side chain protecting groups. However, the Fmoc-Rink amide linkage agent is an expensive reagent and this limits its use in commercial-scale peptide synthesis.
An alternative strategy is to use a resin bearing a 4-hydroxymethylbenzoic acid (HMBA) linkage unit. These derivatised resins are cheaper than those derivatised with the Fmoc-Rink amide linker. However, attachment of the first amino acid involves a p-dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP) catalysed esterification protocol that can result in both incidental Fmoc removal and racemisation of susceptible amino acids (Atherton, E. et al. (1981) J. Chem. Soc. Chem. Commun. p 336).
Peptides are usually converted to the corresponding amides by ammonolysis/aminolysis of resin bound peptide esters or by synthesis of the peptide amide using an amine based linker such as the Fmoc-Rink amide resin. Thus their production is also limited by the factors outlined above.
Therefore there is a requirement for a process by which peptide amides such as eptifibatide may be economically produced in high purity on a large scale.

Process for the synthesis of peptides amides by side-chain attachment to a solid phase


An improved private radio communication system and method for routing data signals to multiple remote devices connected to a common remote receiver and for routing data signals to applications both within the remote devices and within the common remote receiver is disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to radio frequency (rf) communication systems, such as a two-way, multi-user private radio system, particularly to a communication system and method for routing signals to multiple remote devices connected to a remote receiving device.
2. Background and Objects of the Invention
In private radio systems such as conventional land mobile radio (LMR) systems, multiple radio transceivers, including for example portable radio units and mobile radio units, initiate and carry on communications over a preselected radio frequency channel, typically via a base station repeater. Land mobile radios are particularly used by police and fire departments, rescue workers, paramedics, power and telephone company field technicians, municipalities, and other mobile groups that require immediate communication with other members of their respective group. Communication between the various members can include visual information, which may be displayed on a mobile data terminal (MDT). For example, a police officer on patrol can request and receive information from a base or host computer about a stopped motorist, which is displayed on an MDT in the patrol car.
With reference now to FIG. 1 of the drawings, there is illustrated a conventional private radio communication system, generally designated with the reference numeral 10, employing a conventional protocol. In particular, a Transmitting Data Terminal (TDT) 12, e.g., an MDT, is connected to a Data Originating Mobile (DOM) radio 14, e.g., a first private radio device via a wireline communications link 16, e.g., an RS232 link. The DOM 14 includes an antenna 14A for transceiving rf messages, e.g., transmitting a data message from the TDT 12 (via link 16) over an rf channel to a base station repeater (RPT) 18, which receives and transmits the message via an antenna 18A. The forwarded data message is then sent to a Data Receiving Device 20 (DRM) through an antenna 20A and forwarded across another wireline communications link 22 to a Receiving Data Terminal (RDT) 24, e.g., another MDT.
The conventional protocol used in the aforementioned communications link between the TDT 12 and the RDT 24, discussed in more detail hereinafter, however, allows data to be transmitted to only one such RDT device 24 attached to the DRM 20, e.g., the other MDT. There is no provision in the conventional system and protocol shown in FIG. 1 for routing the data message to other attached devices, e.g., a printer (not shown) also attached to the DRM 20. Further, there is no provision for routing the data message to the DRM 20 itself, e.g., to a diagnostic or other application residing therein. Additionally, the conventional system 10 and protocol do not provide for multiple RDT 24 addressing, i.e., to applications therein.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a private radio communication system and method for a first user to forward a data message to at least one of multiple remote devices attached to the DRM 20.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a communication system and method for the first user to forward the data message to applications stored within remote devices such as the DRM 20 and RDT 24.

System and method for private radio communication


A laser oscillator includes a light condensing block having a through-hole for housing a laser medium, and an aperture for introducing excitation light from an excitation light source module into the through-hole; an end plate fixed to an end of the light condensing block, in which a cooling water channel for leading cooling water to the light condensing block and a cooling water channel for leading cooling water to the excitation light source module are formed; and a flow tube fixed and sealed by the end plate, for forming a cooling water passage for the laser medium; and an excitation light source module in which a cooling water channel, communicating with the water channel for the excitation light source module in the end plate, is formed for cooling its excitation light source.

In a conventional LD-excitation solid-state laser device, a light condenser for confining the excitation light to the vicinity of the solid-state laser medium, and a flow tube for water-cooling the solid-state laser medium have been directly attached to side plates for supporting the excitation unit. In addition, cooling systems for the LDs and for the solid-state laser medium have been independent, and cooling water only for the solid-state laser medium has been supplied and discharged through the side plates (see Patent Document 1).
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 277837/2000 (FIG. 4)
Because the conventional LD-excitation solid-state laser device has been configured so that the light condenser for confining excitation light to the vicinity of the solid-state laser medium, and the flow tube for water-cooling the solid-state laser medium are directly attached to the side plates for supporting the excitation unit, there has been a problem in that it is difficult to assemble the excitation unit accurately and easily.
Moreover, cooling-water piping systems for cooling the LDs that are excitation light sources and for cooling the solid-state laser medium are independent. The cooling water for the solid-state laser medium is supplied and discharged through the side plates that support the excitation units, while in order to cool the LDs, independent piping must be provided to supply and discharge cooling water. Therefore, there has been a problem in that the conventional LD-excitation solid-state laser device requires piping components in accordance with the plurality of cooling systems, and consequently the number of components and assembly man-hours increase.
Furthermore, there has been another problem in that piping units for supplying cooling water lead to water leakage, and to decline in the reliability of the LD-excitation solid-state laser device.


An oral care implement having a head that achieves an enhanced cleaning action during brushing. In one embodiment, the invention can be an oral care implement comprising: a handle; a head connected to the handle and comprising a base structure (130) having a front surface (131), a rear surface (132), an island protruding from the rear surface of the base structure, and a passageway extending through the base structure from the front surface of the base structure to a rear surface of the island; a resilient soft tissue cleanser (170) on the rear surface of the base structure, the resilient soft tissue cleanser comprising an aperture through which the island extends; a mass (180) of a first resilient material positioned within the passageway so that a first portion (181) of the mass protrudes from the front surface of the head and a second portion (182) of the mass protrudes from the island, the island isolating the resilient soft tissue cleanser from the mass; and a plurality of teeth cleaning elements (105).

A variety of toothbrush head configurations exist that have manually and/or mechanically-driven movable cleaning elements. Many of these configurations, however, include cleaning elements that extend from a rigid head. Teeth and gums by nature have a complex intricate contour. Due to the rigid nature of the attachment of the cleaning elements to the head of the toothbrush, the orientation of the cleaning elements is not flexible. Thus, a need exists for a toothbrush that achieves better flexibility of cleaning elements for an enhanced and improved cleaning action during brushing.


A power utilization scheduling system and methods are disclosed. A prioritized energy consumption schedule is determined based on a prioritized energy consumption. A per-process energy consumption model is determined based on an energy consumption model, and an operation is scheduled based on the prioritized energy consumption schedule and the per-process energy consumption model.

Electricity grids generally comprise a variety of energy sources that produce electric power according to various schedules. Efforts to inject market forces to better balance supply and demand have resulted in a move away from flat rate pricing to prices based on demand vs. supply cost and availability. For example, base load power is generally the lowest priced power and available 24/7; however, base load power stations generally also must operate and produce power on a 24/7 basis. As such, at night when demand may be lowest but base load power stations are still producing power, pricing may be substantially low. Furthermore, renewable sources of power such as wind turbines may produce power with great variability and may produce power during times of low demand such as late at night. By lower pricing during times of low demand, a utility company may encourage increased consumption to balance demand to supply.

Scheduling to maximize utilization preferred power sources (SMUPPS)


Low resistivity metal silicide layers are formed on a gate electrode and source/drain regions at an optimum thickness for reducing parasitic series resistances with an attendant consumption of silicon from the gate electrode and source/drain regions. Consumed silicon from the gate electrode and source/drain regions is then replaced employing metal induced crystallization, thereby avoiding a high leakage current. Embodiments include depositing a layer of amorphous silicon on the metal silicide layers and heating at a temperature of about 400.degree. C. to about 600.degree. C. initiating metal induced crystallization, thereby causing the metal silicide layers grow upwardly as silicon in the underlying gate electrode and source/drain regions is replaced.

Deep-submicron scaling required for ULSI systems dominates design considerations in the microelectronics industry. As the gate electrode length is scaled down, the source and drain junctions must be scaled down accordingly, to suppress the so-called short channel effects (SCE) which degrade performance of scale-downed devices. A major problem related to complementary metal oxide silicon (CMOS) scaling is the undesirable increase in parasitic resistance. As the source/drain junction depth (X.sub.j) and polycrystalline silicon line width are scaled into the deep-submicron range, parasitic series resistances of the source/drain diffusion layers and polycrystalline silicon gate electrodes increase. A conventional solution to the problem of increased parasitic series resistances of the source/drain diffusion layers and the polycrystalline silicon gate electrodes involves salicide technology which comprises forming a layer of titanium disilicide (TiSi.sub.2) on the source/drain regions and gate electrode.
Conventional salicide technology employing TiSi.sub.2 for reducing parasitic series resistances has proven problematic, particularly as design rules plunge into the deep-submicron range, e.g., about 0.18 microns and under. For example, in forming a thin TiSi.sub.2 layer, silicide agglomeration occurs during silicide annealing to effect a phase change from the high resistivity C49 form to the low resistivity C54 form. Such agglomeration further increases the sheet resistance of the silicide film. Moreover, the formation of a thick silicide layer causes a high junction leakage current and low reliability, particularly when forming ultra shallow junctions, e.g., at an X.sub.j of less than about 800.ANG.. The formation of a thick silicide consumes crystalline silicon from the underlying semiconductor substrate such that the interface of the thick silicide layer and silicon substrate approaches and even shorts the ultra-shallow junction, thereby generating a high junction leakage current.
Another problem attendant upon conventional TiSi.sub.2 technology is the well-known increase in sheet resistance as the line width narrows. The parasitic series resistances of source/drain regions and gate electrodes are a major cause of device performance degradation and are emerging as one of the severest impediments to device scaling.
In copending application Ser. No. 09/106,769, filed on Jun. 30, 1998 (our Docket No. 50100-629; 1033-661), elevated salicide methodology is disclosed comprising selectively depositing a metal, such as nickel, on source/drain regions and the gate electrode. A layer of amorphous silicon is then deposited on the metal followed by heating at a sufficiently low temperature such that the metal reacts with the overlying amorphous silicon, thereby growing upwardly without consumption of silicon from the underlying substrate and gate electrode.
There exists a need for salicide technology which enables a reduction in the parasitic sheet resistances without generating a high leakage current. There exists a particular need for salicide methodology which avoids the generation of a high leakage current in semiconductor devices having a design rule in the deep-submicron range, e.g., a design rule less than about 0.18 microns.

Elevated source/drain salicide CMOS technology


A method can be performed prior to implementation of a neural network by a processing unit. The neural network comprising a succession of layers and at least one operator applied between at least one pair of successive layers. A computational tool generates an executable code intended to be executed by the processing unit in order to implement the neural network. The computational tool generates at least one transfer function between the at least one pair of layers taking the form of a set of pre-computed values.

Neural networks are widely used to solve various statistical problems, especially the problem of classification of data.
After a machine learning phase, which is generally supervised, i.e., carried out using an already classified reference database, a neural network "learns" and becomes capable of applying the same classification to unknown data by itself.
Mention may be made of convolutional neural networks (CNN), which are a type of neural network in which the pattern of connection between two layers is inspired by the visual cortex of animals. Such neural networks allow effective recognition of objects or people in images or videos.
The architecture of a neural network generally comprises a succession of layers each of which receives its inputs from the outputs of the preceding layer.
Deep neural networks are tending to become increasingly complex and more and more users are seeking to quantize the input and output data of each layer thereof in order to improve processing speed and to decrease the memory space required to store these data.
For example, the output data and input data of each layer may be quantized to eight or sixteen bits but with identical or different quantization formats.
Specifically, all the layers may not be quantized with the same precision and have the same range of values, these parameters in particular depending on the dynamic range of the output data of the layers.
In a neural network, the input data are multiplied by at least one weight of a given value for each layer.
By "weights", which is a term the meaning of which in the field of neural networks is well known to those skilled in the art, what is meant is neuron parameters that are configurable to obtain good output data.
These weights are initially defined in the neural network using a training database. More precisely, the neural network for example processes an image extracted from the database and makes as output a prediction, i.e., determines to which class the image could belong even though the class of the image is already known.
Depending on the veracity of this result, all the weights of the neural network are updated for example using a backpropagation algorithm.
Once again, the weights of each layer may, especially for reasons of memory optimization, be represented with sixteen or eight bits.
Examples of quantization schemes are well known to those skilled in the art.
Information on these quantization schemes may especially be found in the article by Benoit Jacob et al. entitled "Quantization and Training of Neural Networks for Efficient Integer-Arithmetic-Only Inference" arXiv:1712.05877v1 [cs.LG] 15 Dec. 2017, Google Inc. (https://arxiv.org/pdf/1712.05877.pdf), and in the article by Raghuraman Krishnamoorthi entitled "Quantizing deep convolutional networks for efficient inference: A whitepaper", arXiv:1806.08342v1 [cs.LG] 21 Jun. 2018, Google (https://arxiv.org/pdf/1806.08342.pdf).
Moreover, most often, provision is made for one or more operators, which are applied to the output of a layer. Such an operator may be of any type and is most often non-linear. It may also be an operator of ONNX type.
It will be recalled that ONNX (Open Neural Network Exchange) is an AI-related community project that provides in particular a definition of an extensible computation graph model, as well as definitions of built-in operators and standard data types.
This type of ONNX operator is well known to those skilled in the art, who may for example refer to the document available at the following Internet link:
https://github.com/onnx/onnx/blob/master/docs/Operators.md
Conventional approaches to determining a transfer function between two layers that applies one or more operators are ineffective.
Specifically, they firstly require each quantized datum of the output layer of the first layer to be converted into data expressed in floating-point format, then the operator to be approximated in floating-point format, using series for example, and this approximation to be applied to each output datum of the first layer and, finally, the result to be re-quantized in the appropriate quantization format in order to deliver the quantized input data of the following layer.
This is done in real-time by the processor that executes the neural network, and is completely inefficient in terms of computation time and memory.

Method and computational tool for determining transfer functions between pairs of successive layers of a neural network


It is one object of the present invention to provide a program execution method for performing greater optimization. A program execution apparatus according to the present invention performs a transfer from an interpreter process to a compiled code process in the course of the execution of a method. At this time, if no problem occurs when a transfer point is moved to the top of a loop, the transfer point for code is so moved. And when a transfer point is located inside a loop, a point that post-dominates the top of the loop and the transfer point is copied to a position immediately preceding the loop. Then, information for generating recalculation code is provided for the transfer point, and a recalculation is performed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a program execution method for dynamically compiling a program that is created using a programming language, such as Java™. ("Java" is a trademark of Sun Microsystems, Inc.)
2. Description of the Related Art
With the growth in popularity of Java, the importance of providing an environment that is specially suited for the use of a dynamic compiler has increased. For an execution environment for Java in which a dynamic compiler is used, if all program optimization processing, for which an extended period of time is required, is performed at the time a program is initially compiled, depending on the compile time, a reduced processing speed will be attained by the program when it is executed. Therefore, for the initial running of a program, an interpreter is employed, or compiled code is used that was produced rapidly and for which no optimization processing was performed. At this time, data is acquired concerning the execution of the program, such as the execution count and information concerning the performance, including the number of iterations performed by each loop, and this data is subsequently used for optimization. By proceeding in this manner, the rapid execution of a program can be implemented.
A conventional, well known compiling method is one called adaptive compilation, as described in "Optimizing Dynamically-Typed Object-Oriented Programming Languages with Polymorphic Inline Caches," Urs Hoelzle, Craig Chambers and David Ungar, in ECOOP '91 Conference Proceedings, pp. 21-38, Geneva, Switzerland, July 1991, published as Springer Verlag LNCS 512, 1991 [HCU91].
According to this method, compiling is performed substantially without optimization before a program is run the first time, and an invocation counter is employed to count the times the program is activated. Thereafter, when the activation count for a program exceeds a threshold value, an optimization count is incremented and recompiling is performed.
Since with this method a recompiled program is executed only at the time at which the pertinent method is called, the conventional method is not effective for a program that, even though it is activated only once, includes a loop or loops for which iterations are repeatedly performed, and that for its execution requires an extended period of time (includes a loop to be optimized, and a loop for which multiple iterations are performed).
A conventional method called deoptimization is also well known, as described in "Debugging Optimized Code With Dynamic Deoptimization," Urs Hoelzle, Craig Chambers and David Ungar, in Proceedings of the SIGPLAN '92 Conference on Programming Language Design and Implementation, pp. 21-38, June 1992 [HCU92].
According to this method, unoptimized code that is created to debug code for an optimized method, and to perform the debugging of the execution program, is transferred to the obtained code. With this method, (1) before compiling is performed for optimization, interrupt points are designated at two positions: at the beginning of the method and at a branch command near the end of a loop; (2) optimization compiling is performed with an additional restriction that optimization that exceeds an interrupt point will not be performed; (3) when an interrupt is issued during program execution, the execution of the program is resumed following each interrupt point; and (4) a stack frame for the interrupt points is stored. Then, (5) a method is compiled without being optimized; and (6) the stack frame is reproduced in consonance with the non-optimized state, and the process enters an interrupt state. This method is similar to the present invention for transferring the process during the execution of a program. However, since a transfer target is un-optimized code, and since the execution condition, such as a register image, at the transfer point can be uniquely determined using source code, this conventional method can not be applied directly for a transfer to optimized code for which the process at the transfer destination becomes complex.
Further, a conventional well known method is called dynamic recompilation, as described in "Optimizing Dynamical-Dispatched Calls With Run-Time Type Feedback," Urs Hoelzle and David Ungar, in Proceedings of the SIGPLAN '94 Conference on Programming Language Design and Implementation, pp. 326-336, published as SIGPLAN Notices 29(6), June 1994 [HU94].
This method is used to provide an explanation and an overview of a method whereby, during the execution of a non-optimized method, the pertinent method is replaced by one that was optimized when it was compiled. According to this method, (1) a method to be recompiled is detected, (2) a mark is set at a point at which execution is to be resumed, and (3) values that are pointed to by all the currently effective registers are calculated. When these processes have been successfully performed, (4) a non-optimized method in a stack is replaced by an optimized one. If such a replacement is disabled, generated code is called by a succeeding method and is employed. While detailed processing has not been explained for the above method, the following problems have arisen because, as it is described, the processing is the reverse of that performed in deoptimization [HCU92].
The problems with the above method are that a plurality of transfer points are not handled; that optimization passing beyond a transfer point is not performed; and that an increase in memory is not taken into account.
Two methods are available to switch the execution of a program when optimization compiling is performed: a method whereby an execution process is changed by calling the next method, and a method whereby a method that is being executed is replaced by optimized code. The second method, especially, is a function required to increase the processing speed for a method that includes a loop for which multiple iterations are performed, even though it is activated only once, and that for its execution requires an extended period of time. However, when the conventional method, whereby the methods are switched during execution, is employed, the following two problems are encountered.
First, optimization does not pass beyond a position (hereinafter referred to a transfer point) in a method that is to be switched. Therefore, if a transfer point is present, the quality of code obtained is lower than the code that is generated when there is no transfer point. The execution speed for a program when a succeeding method is called is lower than the execution speed obtained when optimization compiling is performed while no transfer point is present.
Especially when a transfer point has been inserted into a loop, optimization of the loop, which can greatly affect the execution performance, can not be performed, and as a result, considerable degradation of the performance occurs.
Second, no consideration is given to a case in a multithreaded environment in which processes are replaced at a plurality of different transfer points, and compiling is performed each time a transfer occurs. These multiple compiling sessions contribute to the deterioration of the execution speed; generated codes overlap and the consumption of memory is increased.

Program execution method using an optimizing just-in-time compiler

International Business Machines Corporation


A slip joint clamp is disclosed which structurally replaces cracked welded joints in the core spray downcomer slip joint coupling, which is part of the lower portion of internal core spray piping internal to a reactor vessel of a Boiling Water Reactor plant. The internal piping delivers core spray cooling water to the reactor core region. The clamp assembly consists of a primary clamp housing and a secondary clamp housing, which are rotationally joined together by a hinge assembly including a hinge pin. The clamp assembly is installed at a desired elevation relative to the downcomer slip joint, and then secured to the downcomer piping by installing coupling bolts and associated coupling bolt keeper nuts that hold the primary and secondary clamp housings in a facing relationship to one another around the downcomer slip joint.

Common to most operating BWR's, the core spray cooling water is delivered to the reactor core region by piping internal to the reactor vessel. The core spray piping systems in operating BWR's are of welded construction. The welds in the original core spray system piping are susceptible to Intergranular Stress Corrosion Cracking (IGSCC).
The lower portion of BWR's internal core spray piping is commonly referred to as the "downcomer piping". There are a total of four vertical downcomer pipes, which supply cooling water to sparger piping interior to the shroud 14. Two of these downcomer pipes 10 located on one side of the shroud 14 are shown in FIG. 1. Each of the downcomer pipes 10 consists of two separate vertical piping segments 16 and 18, which are joined together at the time of reactor vessel assembly by a slip joint coupling 20, as shown in cross-sectional view in FIG. 2. The lower segment 18 of the downcomer 10 incorporates a receptacle 22, which is welded in the shop to the lower vertical segment 18 of piping by virtue of a P7 weld. During reactor vessel assembly, the upper piping segment 16 of the downcomer is trimmed in length to mate with the lower segment 18. A sleeve 24, which slides on the upper downcomer piping segment 16 is then inserted into the receptacle 22, thereby covering a joint 26 between the upper and lower piping segments 16 and 18. Circumferential fillet welds, P5 and P6, are then applied to seal the slip joint 26 with the upper downcomer piping segment 16 and receptacle 22, respectively. It is worthy to note that even though separate downcomer pipes may penetrate the shroud 14 at different elevations, typically, the slip joint couplings 20 are all located at the same elevation in a reactor vessel 12.
In the event that cracking should occur in any one of the three slip joint coupling welds P5, P6 and/or P7, the structural integrity of the downcomer slip joint coupling 20 would be lost. A preemptive repair would be to install a clamping device, which would prevent separation of the downcomer slip joint coupling in the event that circumferential through-wall cracking should occur. The present invention is directed to a remotely installed repair device, which structurally replaces cracked welded joints in the core spray downcomer slip joint coupling.

Apparatus for repairing a core spray downcomer pipe slip joint coupling


A method and a device for monitoring a rotational speed of a first charger for an internal combustion engine, especially an exhaust gas turbocharger, are provided. A first exhaust value representing an exhaust gas composition of the internal combustion engine in a first exhaust section is defined, and a first speed value representing the rotational speed of the first charger is determined according to the defined first exhaust value. The first exhaust value is regulated to a predefined first reference value using a first correcting variable which is ascertained as required for regulation. The first rotational speed value is determined depending on the first correcting variable.

Internal combustion engines having two separate banks of cylinders are known, where in each case an exhaust gas turbocharger is assigned to each cylinder bank. The two exhaust gas turbochargers consist in each case of an exhaust turbine located in the exhaust section of the two cylinder banks and a compressor which is located in the intake section of the two cylinder banks and increases the charging pressure.
In the event of a blockage affecting a bi-turbocharger of such a type the drive power converted at the compressor in question is reduced. The reason for this is the fact that the blockage results in a reduction of the volume flow, as a result of which the charging pressure of the exhaust gas turbocharger in question decreases. In the case of such a single-sided drop in power affecting the bi-turbocharger, the other exhaust gas turbocharger will deliver a correspondingly greater volume flow in this situation, which can lead to mechanical overloading as a result of the increased rotational speed of the exhaust gas turbocharger which is functioning correctly. It is therefore important in the case of a bi-turbocharger that deviations in rotational speed between the two exhaust gas turbochargers due to malfunctions are detected in good time in order to prevent damage to the fault-free exhaust gas turbocharger caused by excessive rotational speeds.
A method is known from EP 0 856 097 B1 for detecting differences in rotational speed between the two exhaust gas turbochargers of a bi-turbocharger. To this end, a pressure sensor is located in the exhaust section of each of the two cylinder banks, which measures the exhaust pressure. It is then possible to infer the difference in rotational speed of the two exhaust gas turbochargers from the difference between the two exhaust pressures. In this situation, it is assumed that the difference in pressure between the two cylinder banks of the internal combustion engine increases with the difference in rotational speed. If the difference in rotational speed between the two exhaust gas turbochargers exceeds a predefined maximum value over a specific period of time, protective measures are initiated which are intended to prevent any damage occurring. For example, in such an instance a bypass valve (waste gate) can be opened which bypasses the exhaust gas turbine of the exhaust gas turbocharger which is functioning correctly and thereby reduces its power.
The disadvantage of the known method described above for monitoring the rotational speed of a bi-turbocharger is the fact that a pressure sensor is required in the exhaust section of each of the two cylinder banks.

Method for monitoring the speed of a bi-turbocharger


A power supply apparatus including: a boost converter configured to generate a power supply voltage to drive to a load circuit from a voltage received from a voltage generation unit; an oscillator configured to receive the minute voltage, and to generate an alternating current signal; and a signal conversion circuit which further includes a half-wave generation circuit configured to receive the alternating current signal, and to generate a half-wave signal of a high potential side or a low potential side, and at least one inverter configured to receive the generated half-wave signal, and to generate a pulse signal; wherein the boost converter is driven by the pulse signal output from the signal conversion circuit in order to generate the power supply voltage.

In recent years, energy harvesting in which electric power is obtained by capturing ambient energy is attracting attention. The ambient energy includes, for example, sunlight, illumination light, electromagnetic waves, and vibrations and heat from machines and human bodies.
In order to use electric power derived from such energy harvesting as a power source for a load circuit, a DC-DC converter is used, for example. The DC-DC converter raises a voltage (an ultra-low voltage of tens of mV to hundreds of mV, for example) obtained from an ultra-low voltage generation unit (a photovoltaic generator, an electromagnetic generator, a vibration power generator, a thermoelectric generator, or the like).
Here, at the time of starting the DC-DC converter (step-up or boost converter), for example, the ultra-low voltage is oscillated by an oscillator to generate an alternating sine wave signal (alternating current signal) with a sufficient amplitude. Then, a switching transistor in the step-up converter is driven by the alternating current signal. Conventionally, various types of boost converters have been proposed. Related-art techniques are disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication Nos. 2000-116136, 58-175975, and 2000-166244.
As described above, at the time of starting a boost converter, for example, the switching transistor of the boost converter is driven using an alternating current signal generated from an oscillator. However, driven by an alternating current signal (alternating sine wave signal), the transistor cannot switch rapidly, which may lead to a low power efficiency, or the like.
Thus, we have proposed to convert the alternating current signal generated from the oscillator into a pulse signal, and to drive the switching transistor by the pulse signal. In a signal conversion circuit that converts such an alternating current signal into a pulse signal, low power consumption is demanded. However, currently, a signal conversion circuit that fully meets the low-power requirements has not yet been put into practical use.
In this regard, a description will be given mainly based on the application to energy harvesting in this specification. However, a signal conversion circuit and a power supply apparatus according to the present embodiments are not limited to the application to energy harvesting, as a matter of course.

Signal conversion circuit and power supply apparatus


An extrusion head where continuous formation of crushed ice has uniquely shaped externally protruding bosses that break ice into uniformly shaped pieces. The extrusion head has no moving parts and is easily retrofitted onto existing screw-type continuous crushed ice making machines.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a modified extrusion head for use in a crushed ice machine. It includes modified bosses that break rods of ice into smaller pieces of a pre-determined size. Large and small bosses are shaped differently so as to break ice rods up into chunks. The larger bosses flange outward at the top of the extrusion head while the smaller bosses do not extend to the top of the head.
2. Prior Art
Crushed ice is a highly desired commodity especially in the restaurant and convenient store businesses. Large volumes of ice are used daily by both of these industries as well as others. As a result, many different designs have been developed for crushed ice making machines capable of forming crushed ice rapidly and continuously.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,429,551, issued on Feb. 7, 1984 to Hizume discloses an extrusion head for an auger type icemaker whose bosses extend downward over the topmost portion of the auger. The design is intended to prevent choking of crushed ice that is pushed up over the top of the extrusion head. It contemplates the use of standard methods for breaking the ice down into smaller pieces. It does not contemplate modifying the upper end of the bosses to break up the ice without use of additional structural features.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,467,622, issued on Aug. 28, 1984 to Takahashi et al. discloses an extrusion head specifically designed to form shaved ice of superior quality. The channels of the extrusion head formed by its bosses each contain a small slit or channel that allows air to escape from the ice. This prevents excessive cooling of the ice and forms harder shaved ice particles. This patent also contemplates the use of a standard method of breaking the ice bars into shaved ice chips. It does not suggest that changing the shape of the upward end of the bosses may improve the breaking of the ice bars into crushed ice.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,173, issued on May 3, 1988 to Neumann discloses an extrusion head having modified fins or bosses designed to prevent the ice column from rotating within the extrusion apparatus. As with the above two patents, it contemplates the use of an angled surface to impinge upon emerging ice bars to break up the ice. While the angled surface shown in this patent is intended to rotate, the mechanism operates in the same manner. It does not suggest the modifications made in the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,109,679 issued on May 5, 1992 to Hida discloses an auger type ice making machine having multiple blades above the extrusion head for breaking the ice rods into shaved ice pieces. The blades are adjustable so that the size of the shaved ice pieces may be readily adjusted. While this patent does illustrate a new, alternative method of breaking the ice rods into pieces of ice, its method is vastly different than that of the present invention. As with other ice breaking devices, the blades rotate at the same speed as the auger and the size of the ice pieces is adjusted by adjusting the distance between the blades. It does not suggest that modifying the bosses about the extrusion head could create an alternative method of breaking the ice rods.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,197,300 issued on Mar. 30, 1993 to Sakamoto et al. discloses an auger type ice making machine. The patent is apparently developed by Hoshizaki, one of the manufacturers you named for us. The device disclosed in this patent has an extrusion head that bobs, or oscillates, in an up and down motion. It is intended to convey some of the load applied to the extrusion head by the auger to a cam device located above the extrusion head. As with much of the prior art, it contemplates only the use of an annular flange to break the ice rods into smaller pieces of ice.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,460,014 issued on Oct. 24, 1995 to Wang discloses an auger type ice making machine that has a unique auger-within-an-auger design. As with the other patents uncovered in the search, this patent only contemplates the use of an annular flange to break apart the ice rods. The novelty of this patent lies in increasing the efficiency of heat transfer from the water to the FREON coolant.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,911,749 issued on Jun. 15, 1999 to Sugie discloses an auger-type ice maker. This patent is also owned by the Hoshizaki company. The patent discloses a specially designed boss for the formation of ice forming channels about the extrusion head. The lower end of the boss is curved in such a way as to prevent over compression of the ice. This reduces the back load on the auger, thereby increasing efficiency of the machine. It does not disclose any novel methods of breaking the ice rods or ice bars into smaller pieces of ice.
The extrusion head shown in the above patents all divide a tubular sheet of ice into a series of ice rods that are then broken up into smaller pieces of ice by various devices above the extrusion head. Some of these devices are complicated and require multiple moving parts. Other devices are stationary but do not break the ice rods into uniform pieces of crushed ice. Relatively long pieces of the ice rods may remain in tact. This results in an inferior crushed ice product.
It is therefore desirable to provide means of continuously producing crushed ice having a minimum number of moving parts.
It is also desirable to provide a method of continuously producing crushed ice in which the crushed ice pieces are uniform in size.


An integrated circuit (IC) device is provided. The IC device includes an IC die having opposing first and second surfaces, a carrier coupled to the first surface of the IC die, a laminate coupled to the carrier and the second surface of the IC die, and a trace located on a surface of the laminate and electrically coupled to a bond pad located on the second surface of the IC die. The trace is configured to couple the bond pad to a circuit board.

Field
The present invention generally relates to integrated circuit (IC) devices. Specifically, the present invention relates to array-type IC devices.
Background
Integrated circuit (IC) devices typically include an IC die and a package that houses the IC die. The package protects the IC die, e.g., during handling of the IC device, and can facilitate connections to other devices. In some conventional array-type IC devices, the IC device includes an IC die coupled to a substrate. The substrate routes bond pads on the IC die to an array of connection elements coupled to the substrate (e.g., solder balls in a ball grid array device). These conventional IC devices can have a number of drawbacks. For example, the substrate can increase the thickness of the IC device and the length of the traces in the substrate can lead to interference from induced voltages.
In another type of IC device, the IC die is coupled to a redistribution layer (RDL) that routes the bond pads of the IC die to connection elements coupled to the RDL. In these devices, a mold compound or encapsulate may be used to protect the IC die. The molding compound used for wafer molding, however, can be an expensive material. Moreover, the molding process can also be costly and lengthy.

Thermal enhanced package using embedded substrate


A structural body of the invention includes a first conductor plane (1), a plurality of second conductor planes (4) of which at least a portion is provided facing the first conductor plane (1), and a transmission line (6), having an open end, which is disposed between the first conductor plane (1) and the second conductor plane (4), electrically connected to any one conductor plane of the first conductor plane (1) or the second conductor plane (4) through a conductor connection portion (5) and provided facing the other conductor plane. A unit structure including at least the second conductor plane (4), the transmission line (6), and the conductor connection portion (5) is repeatedly disposed.

In recent years, meta-material techniques have been proposed in which the dispersion relation of electromagnetic waves which propagate using a structural body as a medium is artificially controlled, and technological applications have been examined in a variety of fields. The dispersion relation means a relationship between the wave number (or wavelength) and the frequency of propagating electromagnetic waves. In structural bodies in which a conductor pattern or a conductor structure is periodically arranged, it is possible to control the dispersion relation by appropriately setting the dimensions or the placement, physical properties and the like of various types of elements.
As one meta-material, a transmission line which is a composite right and left handed (simply referred to as CRLH) medium is known. In the CRLH transmission line, it is known that incident electromagnetic waves indicate properties as a right-handed medium, a left-handed medium, and an electromagnetic bandgap structure (hereinafter, simply referred to as an EBG structure) depending on the frequency. The general CRLH transmission line is configured such that a unit structure is periodically disposed one-dimensionally or two-dimensionally. A mushroom-type structure which is one type of unit structure has a structure in which a conductor patch on the surface of a dielectric layer and a conductor plane on the backside of the dielectric layer are electrically connected to each other by a conductor via and the like passing through the dielectric layer.
Incidentally, a structure having a dispersion relation in which the propagation of electromagnetic waves in a specific frequency band is suppressed is called an EBG structure. When the EBG structure is installed on the board such as a printed board or a device package board, it is possible to suppress the propagation of electromagnetic waves generated in the surface of the board, and to reduce, for example, the electromagnetic interference between the antennas or between the devices mounted on the board. It is known that the EBG structure functions as a magnetic wall that reflects incident electromagnetic waves in phase in the vicinity of the bandgap. When the EBG structure is installed on the back side of the antenna using such characteristics, it is possible to realize the low profile of the antenna without lowering the radiation efficiency.
In the CRLH transmission line, capacitance components formed between the adjacent conductor patches constitute an LC parallel resonance circuit along with inductance components formed from the conductor via. The CRLH transmission line has a bandgap in the vicinity of the resonance frequency, and thus can be used as the EBG structure. It is preferable to increase the inductance components in order to shift this bandgap to a lower frequency. However, when the conductor via is made longer in order to increase the inductance components, the thickness of the structure increases.
Techniques capable of solving such a disadvantage include, for example, techniques disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2. In Patent Document 1, an intermediate layer in which a planar inductance element such as a spiral inductor is disposed is provided between a conductor patch layer and a conductor plane layer. The inductance element is connected to a patch layer or a conductor plane through the conductor via. The planar inductance element is provided, whereby it is possible to increase the inductance components without increasing the thickness of the EBG structure.
An antenna disclosed in Patent Document 2 is configured to use line-length resonance in the frequency band in which the CRLH transmission line operates as a left-handed medium. In a normal medium (right-handed medium), as the frequency becomes lower, the wavelength of electromagnetic waves becomes longer. Therefore, the size of the antenna structure is increased. In a left-handed medium, as the frequency becomes lower, the wavelength of electromagnetic waves becomes shorter. Therefore, it is possible to miniaturize the antenna by using the CRLH transmission line as a left-handed medium. In Patent Document 2, a slit is provided in the vicinity of the connection portion of the conductor plane and the conductor via and a coplanar line is formed. The coplanar line is provided, whereby it is possible to increase the inductance components without increasing the thickness of the antenna.

Structural body, printed board, antenna, transmission line waveguide converter, array antenna, and electronic device


A removable truck deck for use as part of a roll-off truck deck system. In one embodiment, the removable truck deck comprises a replaceable and interchangeable side fitting that may be locked at a desired position along the length of the removable truck deck. The side fitting may be used to provide a plurality of interchangeable attachments on the truck deck. One such attachment may include a pontoon permitting the truck deck to float when removed from the truck. A plurality of floating truck decks in abutting longitudinal series may be used to create a floating bridge. Other attachments include, wheels, cranes, winches, transverse partitions, tailgates, sidewalls, etc.

Roll-off truck deck systems are advantageous in that they permit a number of purpose-built truck decks to be readily interchanged on a suitably equipped truck or military vehicle, such as a Humvee. This allows a single truck to be used for a number of different applications and also allows decks to be left at a desired location for use separately from the truck. Examples of purpose-built deck configurations include: flat decks, cube decks, dump boxes, welding decks, portable washrooms, jobsite offices, equipment storage lockers, etc. Roll-off truck systems and further examples of suitable decks for use therewith are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,641,353, which is incorporated herein by reference.
Since the advantage provided by a roll-off truck deck system is in making a single truck adaptable to a number of different applications, it would be further advantageous to make the decks themselves adaptable by providing a number of replaceable and interchangeable attachments that allow the deck to be used in different ways. It would be further advantageous to provide these attachments in a manner that allows their position of the truck deck to be adjustable so as not to be limited by the location of the attachment on the truck deck.
Winches or eyelets are sometimes used to receive straps for securing a load to a flatbed truck or trailer. The truck or trailer is often provided with a channel located beneath the deck that allows the winch or eyelet position to be adjusted along the length of the trailer. The winch or eyelet is not usually secured at a desired position, but instead friction between the strap and the upper surface of the truck deck is relied upon to hold the winch in position. An example of such a system is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 4,382,736. In trailer applications, it is desirable to provide the rail beneath the deck so as to provide as much load-bearing deck width as possible without the trailer exceeding the maximum allowable road width. However, purpose-built removable truck decks do not approach the maximum allowable road width and therefore are not faced with this same limitation. Furthermore, providing a channel beneath the deck would potentially interfere with loading and unloading of the removable truck deck. For this reason, these prior art systems are not suitable for use in removable truck deck applications.
Side-channel systems for trailers are also known, and some of these systems do include replaceable and interchangeable fittings for a variety of different purposes. Examples of such systems are provided in U.S. Pat. No. 4,342,480, U.S. Pat. No. 5,338,084 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,250,861. These systems typically suffer from structural strength limitations, primarily due to the manner in which they are locked in position. In addition, most of these systems have only been previously employed on trailers, not trucks. To the extent such systems have been employed on trucks, they are located on an interior side wall of a cargo space, such as within the box of a pickup truck (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,969,784 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,585,465) or within an aircraft (see U.S. Pat. No. 2,688,289). This interior application is not analogous to the exterior of a removable truck deck and such systems would be difficult to keep clean of road debris or ice if mounted on the exterior of a vehicle.
In another known system, channels are provided in a top surface of a side wall of a pickup truck box. Examples of such systems are provided in U.S. Pat. No. 5,259,711, U.S. Pat. No. 5,454,612, U.S. Pat. No. 6,024,402 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,712,568. Removable truck decks generally do not have fixed side walls and, if such a system were provided in a top surface of a truck deck, it would take up a substantial portion of the load bearing surface of the truck deck. Mounted the rails on the top surface of the truck deck would also make the rails susceptible to debris contamination and damage by loading of cargo on and off of the deck. Such a system is therefore not suitable for use on a removable truck deck.
The need therefore remains for improved removable truck decks having adjustable and interchangeable side fittings allowing a single deck to be used in a variety of applications.
One application of roll-off truck deck systems is in transporting cargo. When transporting cargo across a body of water, the cargo is typically unloaded from the truck deck and then loaded on to a boat. It would be desirable to have a purpose-built truck deck that obviated the need for this un-loading/loading step, for example by allowing the deck to float when removed from the truck. Floating truck decks that are compatible for use with roll-off truck deck systems for ease of removal are currently unavailable and therefore the need for these types of truck decks still remains. It would be desirable to utilize adjustable and interchangeable side fittings in creating such a floating truck deck.
Floating bridges are used to transport equipment across bodies of water, particularly in situations where it is desirable to erect the bridge quickly and temporarily. It would be desirable to provide a plurality of purpose-built removable truck decks for use in quickly erecting a floating bridge. However, no such removable truck decks currently exist, particularly for use with a roll-off truck deck system for ease of loading and un-loading. The need therefore still remains for a removable truck deck for use in floating bridge applications. It would be desirable to utilize a floating removable truck deck in these floating bridge applications.


A new and distinct hybrid of Sedum plant substantially as shown and described, with dark red brown oval leaves, strong, dark red stems, multiple crowns, rose pink flowers, a medium short, upright habit, and excellent vigor.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Sedum telephium and given the cultivar name of 'Touchdown Teak'. Sedum is in the family Crassulaceae. The new cultivar is part of a planned breeding program to make short, compact, multicrown plants. The new cultivar originated from an open pollinated cross with Sedum 31-7, a proprietary, unselected seedling, as the seed parent.
Compared to the seed parent, Sedum 31-7, the new cultivar, has a much better habit, creamy yellow flowers rather than light pink.
Compared to Sedum 'Desert Black', U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,902, the new cultivar has foliage that is dark red to dark red brown rather than dark brown.
This new and unique Sedum is distinguished by:                1. dark red brown oval leaves,        2. strong, dark red stems,        3. multiple crowns,        4. rose pink flowers,        5. a medium short, upright habit, and        6. excellent vigor.
This new cultivar has been reproduced only by asexual propagation (division and tissue culture). Each of the progeny exhibits identical characteristics to the original plant. Asexual propagation by division and tissue culture using standard micropropagation techniques with terminal and lateral shoots, as done in Canby, Oreg., shows that the foregoing characteristics and distinctions come true to form and are established and transmitted through succeeding propagations. The present invention has not been evaluated under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary with variations in environment without a change in the genotype of the plant.


According to one embodiment, a printer includes a printing portion to perform printing using a thermal head, a first detecting portion to detect a first temperature that is a head temperature of the thermal head, a second detecting portion to detect a second temperature that is an ambient temperature of the thermal head, and a controller which reads, from a memory portion to store control conditions of the thermal head, each of which is determined for each of the head temperatures under the one ambient temperature, the control condition corresponding to an effective head temperature based on the first temperature and the second temperature, and controls the thermal head in accordance with the relevant read control condition.

As a method of recording a face image and characters to a recording medium such as a bankbook and a card for personal identification in a financial institution such as a bank, there is a melting type thermal transfer recording method. In the case of recording characters to a recording medium using a melting type thermal transfer recording method, recording of a two-gradation image (binary image) may be performed. But in the case of recording a face image to a recording medium, since recording is performed using an area gradation method which changes a size of a dot to be transferred to the recording medium, it becomes necessary to practice various measures.
For example, there is an art which selects an optimum print parameter (an example of a control condition), based on an environmental temperature (ambient temperature) of a thermal head to be used in a melting type thermal transfer recording method, and a head temperature of the relevant thermal head, and controls the thermal head in accordance with the selected print parameter, to perform recording to a recording medium with a stable print density.
By the way, in a conventional art, print parameters for respective head temperatures are stored, in the case in which environmental temperatures of a thermal head and head temperatures of the thermal head are respectively same, and the thermal head is controlled using a print parameter corresponding to a detected head temperature of the thermal head, and thereby printing is performed with a stable print density. For the reason, when the difference between an environmental temperature and a head temperature of the thermal head becomes large, the difference between a detected head temperature of the thermal head and an effective head temperature becomes also large, and thereby it is not possible to perform printing with a stable print density.
Therefore, a method is also considered in which print parameters of all combinations of environmental temperatures of a thermal head and head temperatures of the thermal head are stored, and which controls the thermal head using a print parameter corresponding to the combination of an environmental temperature of the thermal head and a head temperature which have been detected, to perform printing with a stable print density. However, in order to store print parameters for the environmental temperatures from 0° C. to 63° C. in increments of 1° C., for respective head temperatures, it is necessary to provide a memory which can store print parameters that are 64 times as large as the present print parameters on a board.


An endless belt type delivery device includes a drive roller, a plurality of driven rollers including a tension apply roller disposed in such a manner that the respective axial directions of the rollers are set parallel to each other, an endless belt wound around the respective rollers in such a manner that the endless can be driven by rotating the drive roller, and meandering adjusting means, provided in at least two of the above-mentioned rollers, for biasing contact pressures between the two or more rollers and the endless belt toward the axial-direction end portions of the rollers. The contact pressure between the rollers and the endless belt are biased in the opposite direction to the meandering direction of the endless belt by the meandering adjusting means, thereby being able to correct the meandering of the endless belt.

a). Field of the Invention
The present invention relates an endless belt type delivery device employed in a transfer unit of a conveyor belt type which is incorporated in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer or the like and also which carries a sheet by means of a belt and allows a toner image to be transferred onto the sheet.
b). Related Art
The above-mentioned image forming apparatus comprises, in the periphery of an image carrier, a latent image forming unit, a developing unit, a transfer unit, a cleaning unit, an electric charge removing unit and the like in the order of processes to be carried out by the image forming apparatus. In the image forming apparatus, an image can be formed in the following processes: that is, at first, an electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of the image carrier by the latent image forming unit, the electrostatic latent image is next developed as a toner image by the developing unit, the toner image is then transferred onto a sheet by the transfer unit, after then, the residual toner on the image carrier is removed by the cleaning unit, and the electric charges of the image carrier are removed by the electric charge removing unit. In some of the image forming apparatus of this type, in more particular, in the image carrier and transfer unit of the image forming apparatus, there is employed a belt conveyor device. That is, in the case of the image carrier, the image carrier itself is formed of an endless bet and, in the case of the transfer unit, the transfer unit carries the sheet by means of an endless belt.
In such endless belt type conveyor device, an endless belt, which is wound around a drive roller and a plurality of driven rollers including a tension applying roller, is driven by the drive roller. In this driving system, however, there is a possibility that a tension applied to the belt can be biased toward the width (that is, in the axial direction of the roller) and the belt can be thereby caused to meander. If the belt meanders, in the case of the image carrier, the latent image to be formed on the belt is then biased or shifted and, in the case of the transfer unit, the toner image to be transferred onto the sheet on the belt is biased, so that a good image cannot be obtained. Especially, in a multi-color type image forming apparatus in which a multi-color image is formed by means of a toner image having a plurality of colors, such poor image can occur outstandingly.
In view of the above, there have been conventionally proposed various kinds of technologies to solve the above-mentioned problem.
Some of the technologies are as follows:
(1) In Japanese Patent Publication No. 54-24033 of Showa, there is disclosed means in which a brake roller is disposed on the outer peripheral side of a belt and a bearing for the brake roller is arranged eccentric to the brake roller, so that the leaning of the belt can be adjusted by changing the contact angle of the brake roller with respect to its opposing roller.
(2) In Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 4-87849 of Heisei, there is disclosed a technology in which one of rollers is formed as a yawing roller and the yawing roller is formed in a drum shape to thereby prevent a belt-like body to be developed (image carrier) from meandering.
(3) In Japanese Patent Publication No. 4-317936 of Heisei, there is disclosed a technology in which two edge guides each having a large diameter are provided at the two ends of a cylindrical roller and the walking of a belt can be restricted by the two edge guides.
(4) In Japanese Patent Publication No. 5-165385 of Heisei, there is disclosed a technology which detects the walking of a belt and moves a roller in the axial direction thereof based on such detection.
(5) In Japanese Patent Publication No. 4-60915 of Heisei, there is disclosed a technology in which a walking belt is made to go up onto a tapered roller and the position of the roller can be shifted due to the rotation thereof.
However, in the technology (1), since the meandering of the belt is corrected by changing the carriage direction of the belt to the lateral direction thereof in a portion of the whole peripheral length thereof, there is a fear that, when the belt meandering is corrected, an unreasonable force can be applied to the belt to thereby shorten the life of the belt. In the technology (2), since the number of the yawing roller is one, there is a limit to the adjustment of the belt meandering when the belt is long and thus the range of the employment of the present technology is limited. Also, in the technology (3), because the belt is always in contact with the edge guides, the end faces of the belt are easy to wear, the belt can be damaged due to the buckling loads given by the edge guides, and, if the belt has a seam, the seam portion of the belt can be cracked easily. That is, a satisfactory performance cannot be obtained from the viewpoint of reliability and maintainability. Also, according to the present technology, since two link mechanisms are respectively provided in the two end portions of the roller, when mounting and removing the belt, these link mechanisms provide a cause to worsen the efficiency of the belt mounting and removing operation.
Further, in the technologies (4) and (5), there is necessary a mechanism for controlling so that the structure thereof is also complicated.
The present invention provides a belt conveyor device which can solve the above-mentioned problems found in the conventional technologies.


A stand assembly maintains an optical device at a location spaced from a stand assembly supporting surface wherein the optical device includes a lens system and a longitudinal image axis extending through an objective lens disposed at a distal end of the lens system. The stand assembly comprises a support base member, a plurality of leg members each having one end thereof mounted to one side of the support base member. The support base member is effective to carry the optical device on a side opposite the leg members. The base member includes a device support surface on the side opposite the leg members, and has two opposed outer free end sections and two opposed edge portions extending along the device support surface. Each leg member includes at an outer free end thereof a foot that defines a footprint therebetween when the stand assembly is disposed in a free-standing condition on a stand assembly surface The stand assembly is effective to support the optical device on the device support surface and to suspend the objective lens over one of the opposed edge portions of the support base member.

Prior art support stands are designed to support fixed lens cameras and cannot support modern cameras equipped with autofocus or zoom lens. The prior art devices feature a threaded adaptor ring that attaches directly to the lens of the camera and holds the camera in a vertical position so that the longitudinal image axis of the lens is perpendicular to and spaced from a flat surface supporting the object being photographed in the field of view of the camera. Known copy stands have a small footprint, which prevents photographing any area larger than about 7.times.10 inches. An 81/2.times.11 inch document has a diametric dimension from corner to corner of 14 inches. Thus, with the known stand assemblies, it is impossible to photograph letter sized documents having standard dimensions of 81/2.times.11 inches. And even if a camera were available, the resultant picture would include a portion of the supporting stand legs.
A number of camera manufacturers including Cannon, Pentax, and Olympus provide camera support stands designed for use with fixed focal length lens systems. Modern lens systems for photographic cameras are designed to move during the focus or zoom process. And a camera supported by the lens on known photographic stand assemblies tend to drift during use. Gravity tends to pull the lens elements toward the object being photographed causing focus problems. When this occurs with a zoom lens, a change in the image size occurs. And tiny motors in modern autofocus lens systems are adversely effected by the resistance to longitudinal movement, rotational motion, or pressure on the lens. The resistance is caused by the weight of the camera when the lens itself is directly connected to the stand assembly.
For the foregoing reasons, these known stands are not adaptable to an autofocus lens, which is a relatively new product to the amateur and professional photographic market.
The following U.S. Patents disclose various types of camera stand devices that support a camera by its body portion.
______________________________________ 2,667,825 3,601,028 4,219,268 2,713,609 3,709,119 4,222,654 2,813,456 4,133,607 4,899,189 ______________________________________
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,601,028; 3,709,119; and 4,219,268 disclose various types of support stands useful in proximity or close-up photography. Each of these support provides a close-up camera for photographing subjects on a horizontal surface. The stand shown in U.S. Pat. 3,709,119 is specifically designed for a particular type of close-up camera, which is useable only on a flat horizontal surface. The stands of U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,601,028 and 4,219,268 are directly connected to the fixed lens of a standard camera and include three telescoping legs. FIG. 3 of U.S. Pat. No. 2,667,825 discloses a means for movably mounting a camera on two laterally spaced rod members for focusing the camera supported above a substantially flat horizontal surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,222,654 discloses a system having a plurality of adjustable legs connected to an L-shaped base member to which a camera body may be fixedly mounted while allowing free adjustment of the camera lens. This camera support system is used for photography in electron microscopy, nuclear medicine, and in the application of ultrasonics in medical clinical techniques. This prior art stand is limited to taking pictures of the display on a cathode ray tube while maintaining the camera in a stable condition and is incapable for photographic use in the field of forensics.
None of the devices shown in the foregoing patents overcome the basic disadvantages associated with supporting autofocus or zoom lens structures. Consequently, none of the known stand assemblies may be used for close-up photography as is the device of the present invention.


Embodiments of systems, apparatuses, and methods for correcting double bit burst errors using a low density parity check technique are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes an encoder to generate a parity vector by multiplying a first version of a data vector by a matrix. The parity vector is to identify correctable double-bit burst errors in a second version of the data vector. The apparatus also includes logic to concatenate the parity vector and the first version of the data vector.

1. Field
The present disclosure pertains to the field of information processing, and more particularly, to the field of error detection and correction in information processing systems.
2. Description of Related Art
Personal computer and other information processing systems often include mechanisms for detecting, and sometimes correcting, errors in information being transmitted or stored. These mechanisms may involve the generation of parity bits or error-correcting-code (ECC) bits based on a number of data bits, and the concatenation of these parity or ECC bits with the data bits prior to transmission or storage. Following transmission or storage, an operation may be performed on the data bits along with the parity or ECC bits to generate a "syndrome" that may indicate whether one or more of the data bits has been corrupted, and if so, which data bit or bits have been corrupted. Corrupted data bits may be inverted to correct the data.
Various techniques may be used for error correction and detection. Generally, a trade-off exists between the number of parity or ECC bits per data bit and the level of error correction and detection that is possible. Therefore, different techniques may be used for different applications. Selection of an appropriate technique may depend on an evaluation of cost versus reliability.

Correcting double-bit burst errors using a low density parity check technique


A core logic device of a computer system includes a programmable interrupt controller (PIC), an input/output advanced programmable interrupt controller (I/O APIC) and a virtual wire unit. The PIC outputs a control signal to the virtual wire unit via an interrupt pin in response to an external interrupt signal asserted by a peripheral device before an operating system is loaded in the computer system. The virtual wire unit outputs an interrupt control packet to the CPU in response to the control signal wherein the interrupt vector contents carried by the interrupt control packet are ignored by the CPU. After the operating system is loaded in the computer system, the I/O APIC outputs another interrupt control packet to the CPU in response to the external interrupt signal.

More and more peripheral devices are developed to operate in coordination with computer systems. Usually, the peripheral device asserts an interrupt signal to request the central processing unit (CPU) of the computer system to perform an interrupt service. Please refer to FIG. 1, which is a functional block diagram illustrating conventional interrupt control means of a computer system. In response to an external interrupt signal asserted by a peripheral device 11 to a programmable interrupt controller (PIC) 121 in the south bridge chip 12, the PIC 121 informs the CPU 13 of the assertion of the external interrupt signal via an interrupt pin (INTR pin). When realizing the interrupt signal assertion, the CPU 13 reads an interrupt vector associated with the external interrupt signal from the PIC 121. According to the interrupt vector, the CPU 13 accesses a service routine from the system memory 10 via the north bridge chip 14 so as to execute the interrupt service. Different interrupt vectors relate to different service routines stored at different addresses in the system memory 10. In the aforementioned prior art, which is so-called as a "PIC mode", the PIC 121 informs the CPU 13 of the interrupt signal assertion via the INTR pin, and then the CPU 13 has to activate an additional reading procedure to obtain the interrupt vector from the PIC 121, which makes the interrupt control complicated.


Disclosed herein are methods and apparatus using one or more toroids to measure formation anisotropy and/or vertical conductivity. In one embodiment, a disclosed method comprises: inducing a current to flow through a conductive surface of a tool body into a surrounding formation; measuring a lateral portion of the current flow; and calculating an anisotropy coefficient from the apparent conductivity so measured. The lateral current flow may be that portion of the current flowing through the tool body surface between two predetermined, axially spaced, circumferences of the tool. In an alternative embodiment, a disclosed logging tool comprises: a substantially cylindrical and conductive tool body, a toroidal transmitter, and a current measuring means. The current measuring means is configured to measure that portion of an induced current that radiates through a predetermined surface of the tool into the formation.

The basic principles and techniques for electromagnetic logging for earth formations are well known. Induction logging to determine the resistivity (or its inverse, conductivity) of earth formations adjacent a borehole, for example, has long been a standard and important technique in the search for and recovery of subterranean petroleum deposits. In brief, the measurements are made by inducing electrical current flows in nearby formations in response to an AC transmitter signal, and then measuring the appropriate characteristics of a receiver signal generated by the induced current flows. The formation properties identified by these signals are then recorded in a log at the surface as a function of the depth of the tool in the borehole.
It is well known that subterranean formations surrounding an earth borehole may be anisotropic with regard to the conduction of electrical currents. The phenomenon of electrical anisotropy is generally a consequence of either microscopic or macroscopic geometry, or a combination thereof, as follows.
In many sedimentary strata, electrical current flows more easily in a direction parallel to the bedding planes, as opposed to a direction perpendicular to the bedding planes. One reason is that a great number of mineral crystals possess a flat or elongated shape (e.g., mica or kaolin). At the time they were laid down, they naturally took on an orientation parallel to the plane of sedimentation. The interstices in the formations are, therefore, generally parallel to the bedding plane, and the current is able to easily travel along these interstices which often contain electrically conductive mineralized water. Such electrical anisotropy, sometimes called microscopic anisotropy, is observed mostly in shales.
Macroscopic anisotropy, on the other hand, occurs in subterranean formations made up of a series of relatively thin beds having different lithological characteristics and, therefore different resistivities. In well logging systems, the distances between the electrodes or antennas are great enough that the volume involved in a measurement may include several such thin beds. When individual layers are neither delineated nor resolved by a logging tool, the tool responds to the formation as if it were a macroscopically anisotropic formation. A thinly laminated sand/shale sequence is a particularly important example of a macroscopically anisotropic formation.
If a sample is cut from a subterranean formation, the resistivity of the sample measured with current flowing parallel to the bedding planes is called the transverse or horizontal resistivity ρH. The inverse of ρH is the horizontal conductivity σH. The resistivity of the sample measured with a current flowing perpendicular to the bedding plane is called the longitudinal or vertical resistivity, ρv, and its inverse the vertical conductivity σv. The anisotropy coefficient λ is defined as:
                    λ        =                                                            σ                h                            /                              σ                v                                              .                                    (        1        )
In situations where the borehole intersects the formation substantially perpendicular to the bedding planes, conventional induction and propagation well logging tools are sensitive almost exclusively to the horizontal component of the formation resistivity. This is a consequence of the induced currents flowing in horizontal planes in the absence of formation dip or well deviation. Indeed, in the context of galvanic devices, the lack of sensitivity to anisotropy is even more stringent due to the "paradox of anisotropy," which states that any array of electrodes or sensors deployed along the axis of a wellbore in a vertical well is insensitive to the vertical component of resistivity, despite the intuitive expectation to the contrary.
At present, there exists only one commercial instrument that measures the vertical resistivity. B. Kriegshauser, et al., describe this instrument in "A new multicomponent induction logging tool to resolve anisotropic formations," 41st Annual Logging Symposium, Society of Professional Well Log Analysts, paper D, pps. 1–14, 2000. This instrument employs multiple multi-component coils (i.e., transmitter and receiver coils having axial and transverse orientations). This instrument may be unduly complex and provide measurements that are difficult to interpret. Further, the design of this wireline instrument may not be adaptable to a measurement while drilling (MWD) implementation. A simpler method and apparatus for measuring vertical resistivity would be desirable.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Determining formation anisotropy based in part on lateral current flow measurements


A process for the preparation of propylene and ethylene comprises subjecting a gaseous mixture of a dilution gas and a paraffinic feedstock boiling in the gas oil range and having an iso paraffin to normal paraffin ratio of between 2 and 5 to a thermal conversion step.

It is well known to use the naphtha paraffin product as obtained in a Fischer-Tropsch process as steam cracker feedstock. For example in "The Markets for Shell Middle Distillate Synthesis Products", Presentation of Peter J. A. Tijm, Shell International Gas Ltd., Alternative Energy '95, Vancouver, Canada, May 2-4, 1995 on page 5, it is mentioned that SMDS naphtha, the Fischer-Tropsch derived naphtha fraction of the Shell MDS process, is used as steam cracker feedstock in for example Singapore.
WO-A-2003062352 discloses a process wherein lower olefins are prepared in a steam cracker furnace designed for petroleum naphtha starting from a Fischer-Tropsch derived gas oil.
US-A-2003/0135077 describes a process wherein a so called Fischer-Tropsch derived syncrude is blended with a sulphur containing petroleum derived naphtha and a treated crude derived fraction boiling above the naphtha boiling range. The petroleum derived naphtha, the Fischer-Tropsch syncrude and the refined heavy petroleum-derived portion are forwarded to a naphtha cracker unit for processing.
US-A-2004/0267076 describes a process wherein a Fischer-Tropsch-derived synthetic naphtha boiling in the gasoline range is subjected to a steam cracker unit for processing. A problem of the state of the art processes is that even when optimizing the propylene yield and ethylene yield the severity of the cracking operation is still relatively high resulting in a high methane yield. Methane is an unwanted by-product of the steam cracker process having only a fuel value.

Process for the preparation of propylene and ethylene from a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis product


The present invention provides a tunnel access server facilitating communications between a user element and protected network resources, wherein a tunneling session is established between the tunnel access server and the user element. To allow the user element to send packets to a protected network resource, the tunnel access server will send a target network address to the user element, and the user element will use the target network address for sending packets to the protected network resource. The packets intended for the protected network resource are initially sent to the tunnel access server via the existing tunneling session. When the user element moves from one access network to another, the tunnel access server will reserve the target network address previously assigned to the user element and reassign the target network address to the user element over a second tunneling session established over the new access network.

Expansion of packet-based networks, such as the Internet, is extending into mobile environments. Accordingly, user terminals equipped with wireless communication capability can now establish communication sessions with public or protected network resources in part over wireless communication channels. Public network resources are generally accessible by any user using a public network such as the Internet. Protected network resources have restricted access, wherein only authorized user terminals can reach them. This is generally the case for enterprise networks, generally referred as intranets, which may be interconnected to the public Internet but usually through firewalls and network address translators (NAT) to support only authorized access to the protected network resources and to allow the use of private network addressing.
There are numerous wireline and wireless communication networks using different communication technologies and protocols. In an effort to increase functionality, the user terminals may be equipped to communicate with different types of networks using different access technologies. With such capabilities, the user terminals may remain mobile and establish sequential connections over different access networks as the user element moves from one access network to another.
Although basic communication sessions can be established in a dynamic fashion as the user terminal moves, applications relying on communications with the network resources need to be restarted once the user terminal is supported by a new access network. The restarting of the applications is necessary because the network resources or elements acting as a proxy therefor will assign different IP addresses to use for communications via different access networks. Thus, an application running on the user terminal will have a first IP address for communicating with network resources via a first access network and a second IP address for communicating with the same network resources via a second access network. When the application restarts, the necessary handshaking with the network resources is provided to have the network resources or proxies therefor provide an appropriate IP address to which the application should send packets. Given the inconvenience of having to restart applications when the user terminal moves from one access network to another, there is a need for a simple technique by which applications can communicate with the protected network resources in a direct or indirect fashion using a common IP address and without requiring restarting of the application, or otherwise by obtaining a unique IP address to communicate via the new access network.
The IETF MobileIP standard, RFC3244, specifies how basic mobility across access networks can be achieved while preserving a common IP address for the user terminal applications when accessing public network resources. Various enhancements to RFC3244 have been standardized to facilitate mobility when a user terminal communicates with protected network resources. RFC 3024 specifies symmetrical tunnels for communication but doesn't address NAT and firewall traversal issues. RFC 3519 adds an additional UDP (user datagram protocol, RFC 768) protocol layer to allow NAT traversal but adds extra protocol headers and doesn't address firewall traversal. RFC 2356 describes how MobileIP can traverse one specific type of firewall, but is not compatible with IPSec (IP security, RFC 2406, RFC 2402), the preferred mechanism for securing access to private networks via a public network. Thus, there is a further need to allow for firewall, NAT, encryption and private IP addressing, as well as a need to minimize the equipment needed and to fit into existing practices used to access private networks via a public network.