When a maximum likelihood sequence estimator according to the present invention is used as an equalizer or the like for a receiver, a Viterbi algorithm processing portion 331 in the maximum likelihood sequence estimator estimates a transmission symbol Ea.sub.n with a reception signal y.sub.n and an estimated impulse response {Eh.sub.k } corresponding to Viterbi algorithm so as to estimate a maximum likelihood sequence corresponding to a soft decision regardless of a modulating method. A transmission logic code decoder 34 converts a transmission symbol Ea.sub.n into hard decision data Eb.sub.m with a value "1" or "0". An envelope detector 333 that is a transmission line quality evaluating means detects an envelope level p.sub.n of the reception signal y.sub.n. A soft decision value converting portion 334 converts the envelope level p.sub.n received from the envelope detector 333 corresponding to the value "1" or "0" of the hard decision data Ebm received from the transmission logic code decoder 34 so as to obtain soft decision value output data q.sub.m.

In recent years, digital mobile communications have been aggressively used. However, in ground mobile communications, due to the influence of much interference of delayed waves and high speed movement of mobile terminals, frequency selective fading takes place and thereby the received signal waveforms are remarkably distorted. Thus, the distorted signal waveforms should be compensated by equalizers.
The problems caused by the occurrence of the frequency selective fading have been discussed in many technical papers such as "J. G. Proakis, F Digital Communications. New York, McGraw-Hill, 1983, pp 610-627 (hereinafter named reference 1)", "B. Sklar, Digital Communications. Prentice Hall, 1988, pp 314-338 (hereinafter named reference 2)", and "J. Hagenauer et al., A Viterbi Algorithm with Soft-Decision Outputs and its Application. Proceedings of Globcom '89, pp 47.1.1-47.1.7, 1989 (hereinafter named reference 3)".
One of the most effective equalizing methods for obtaining correct transmission data from a reception signal waveform that is distorted due to a delay characteristic of a transmission path, such as frequency selective fading, and high speed fading is known as maximum likelihood sequence estimation.
First of all, with reference to FIG. 2, structures of a transmitter and a receiver used for a digital mobile communication and signal flows thereof, will be described in brief.
In a transmitter 1, an error correction code encoder 11 encodes transmission information data c.sub.m with an error correction code. Next, a transmission logic code encoder 12 converts transmission data b.sub.m, which has been encoded with the error correction code, into a transmission symbol a.sub.n. A transmission low pass filter 13 limits the band of the transmission symbol a.sub.n and generates a transmission complex base band signal s(t). Last, a modulator 14 modulates the transmission complex base band signal s(t) with a carrier and transmits the modulated signal as a signal s.sub.c (t).
The signal s.sub.c (t) is received as a signal r.sub.c (t) by a receiver 3 over a transmission path 2.
In the receiver 3, a demodulator 31 converts the signal r.sub.c (t) into a complex base band signal r(t). A reception low pass filter 32 limits the band of the complex base band signal r(t) and generates a reception complex base band signal y(t). The reception complex base band signal y(t) is sampled at symbol intervals T and thereby a sample value yn is obtained. An equalizer 33 compensates characteristics of the transmission path influenced by the frequency selective fading and estimates a transmission symbol from the sample value y.sub.n so as to obtain an estimated value Ea.sub.n. A transmission logic code decoder 34 converts the estimated value Ea.sub.n of transmission symbol into transmission data Eb.sub.m. Since the transmission data Eb.sub.m is a code that has been encoded with the error correction code, an error correction code decoder 35 decodes the transmission data Eb.sub.m so as to obtain information data Ec.sub.m.
The error correction code encoding is a systematic encoding method that alleviates an error that takes place on communication path. In the digital mobile communications, convolution codes are often used. As a decoding method for the convolution codes, the Viterbi algorithm is generally used.
The Viterbi algorithm is a decoding method that effectively executes a maximum likelihood decoding using a repeating structure of the convolution code. In the Viterbi algorithm, a bit sequence on a trellis chart and a reception bit sequence are compared. A path is selected so that data is decoded with least error (this path is referred to as the maximum likelihood path). In such a manner, a transmission signal is estimated.
Since the Viterbi algorithm, which is a convolution encoding method and a convolution decoding method, is described in the reference 2, a detailed description is omitted.
The Viterbi algorithm is largely categorized as hard decision and soft decision. The hard decision of the Viterbi algorithm treats an input signal as having one of two values, "1" and "0". On the other hand, the soft decision of the Viterbi algorithm treats an input signal as having one of three values, "1", "0", and a value which is intermediate thereof. Since the soft decision of the Viterbi algorithm is made based on many values, it provides better characteristics than the hard decision.
When a reception signal sequence y.sub.N ={y1, y2, . . . , y.sub.N) is obtained in a particular finite range, the maximum likelihood sequence estimator that is used as the equalizer 33 estimates a transmission symbol sequence a.sub.N ={a.sub.1, a.sub.2, . . . , a.sub.N } having the highest probability (likelihood) of which y.sub.N is accomplished with a known impulse response h(t) of the transmission path.
As the algorithm for the maximum likelihood estimation, the Viterbi algorithm is generally used. However, unlike with the demodulation of a convolution code, in the Viterbi algorithm, the number of states and the number of branches vary depending on each modulating method.
In the case of the convolution code, the number of states is 2.sup.K-1. In each state at a particular time, there are two branches that may take place in a state at a time prior to the particular time by one time unit. On the other hand, in the case of the maximum likelihood sequence estimation, assuming that there are M transmission symbols, the number of states is M.sup.K-1 and the number of branches is M (where K is referred to as a restriction length). In the case of the convolution code, K is the length of the encoder. In the case of the maximum likelihood sequence estimation, K is the length of an impulse response of a transmission path.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a structure of a maximum likelihood sequence estimator used as a conventional equalizer 33. The maximum likelihood sequence estimator is composed of a Viterbi algorithm processing portion 331 and a transmission path estimator 332.
The transmission path estimator 332 outputs an impulse response of a transmission path 2 to the Viterbi algorithm processing portion 331. Since the impulse response of the transmission path 2 is actually not known, the transmission path estimator 332 estimates the impulse response with a reception signal y.sub.n, a known transmission signal that is a synchronous sequence thereof, and an estimated transmission symbol Ea.sub.n or a reception signal Y.sub.n and an estimated transmission symbol Ea.sub.n corresponding to such as an adaptive algorithm.
The Viterbi algorithm processing portion 331 estimates a transmission symbol with the reception signal y.sub.n and the impulse response {Eh.sub.k } (where k=0, 1, . . . , K) estimated by the transmission path estimator 332 corresponding to the Viterbi algorithm.
The transmission logic code decoder 34 converts the transmission symbol Ea.sub.n estimated by the maximum likelihood sequence estimator, which is the equalizer 33, into an estimated value Eb.sub.m of the transmission data and inputs the estimated value Eb.sub.m to the error correction code decoder 35. The transmission symbol Ea.sub.n estimated by the equalizer 33 is one of M that depends on a modulating method. Thus, the transmission data Eb.sub.m decoded by the transmission logic code decoder 34 is "1" or "0" (namely, a hard decision value). Since the transmission data Eb.sub.m is a hard decision value, the error correction code decoder 35 performs a decoding process corresponding to the hard decision of the Viterbi algorithm.
As described above, since the output data of the equalizer 33 is a hard decision value, processes downstream thereof are performed by the hard decision Viterbi algorithm. However, as described above, in the Viterbi algorithm of the convolution code, since the soft decision provides better characteristics than the hard decision, the output data of the equalizer 33 is preferably a soft decision value.
The reference 3 describes a Viterbi algorithm that outputs both a hard decision value and a soft decision value at the same time.
However, in the conventional soft decision type maximum likelihood sequence estimator proposed in the reference 3, it is assumed that one symbol accords with one bit.
In other words, in the maximum likelihood sequence estimator disclosed by the reference 3, when the Viterbi algorithm selects a particular path, it analyzes the correctness of whether or not the selection is correct as a function of .DELTA.=M(2)-M(1), where M(1) is a path metric of a path that is selected and M(2) is a path metric of a path that is not selected. As is clear from the analyzing method, the soft decision type maximum likelihood sequence estimator disclosed in the reference 3 can be used only when the number of branches is two. Thus, the soft decision type maximum likelihood sequence estimator cannot be used other than with a modulating method of which one bit is transmitted with one symbol.
In the case of a .pi./4 shift difference type phase modulation (DQPSK) or the like, since the hard decision output type maximum likelihood sequence estimator is used, an error correction code decoder downstream thereof should use the hard decision Viterbi algorithm. Thus, the characteristics of the Viterbi algorithm used in the error correction code decoder can be fully accomplished.

Maximum likelihood sequence estimator and maximum likelihood sequence estimating method


A machine for filling a sealed soft container (2) with fluid material in an aseptic condition comprises a sealing box (3) comprising two complementary half-boxes (4a & 4b) having respective sealing edges (21, 22, 23) that can be brought into mutual contact to isolate their interior from the outside environment when the complementary half-boxes (4a & 4b) are clamped together, vertical and horizontal blades located in the sealing box (3) for forming an aperture (5) in a portion of the container (2) inserted in the sealing box (3), filling device (8, 9) for filling the container (2) through the aperture (5), suckers (28a) for widening the aperture (5), and welding device (32) for sealing the aperture (5) on termination of filling.

Soft containers of the known art are known to comprise a closure stopper which enables the container interior to be separated from the outside. When said containers are to be filled, the stoppers are opened and the containers filled.
This operation must evidently be carried out in an aseptic environment to prevent germs present in the external environment from being able to alter the organoleptic properties and cause growth of pathogenic microorganisms within the container.
Unfortunately the use of stoppers without a seal does not ensure that the container has not been previously opened and therefore contaminated by the external environment.
Moreover the stopper represents an extra cost additional to the container cost and can often exceed the cost of the container itself.
There is also a certain difficulty in obtaining containers having large openings with relative stoppers.
Stoppered containers also present storage problems due to the fact that the stoppers have a certain bulk which cannot be reduced as they are rigid.
There is hence a strong requirement for a machine for filling containers in an aseptic environment in which the containers are stopper-less and are formed simply from two thin sheets (each sheet being formed from one or more layers) sealed along the four sides and internally sterile.
An object of the present invention is to provide a method and a machine for filling, in an aseptic environment, soft containers having structural and functional characteristics such as to satisfy said requirements and at the same time to obviate the stated problems with reference to the known art.

Machine for filling sealed soft containers in an aseptic environment, and method for their filling


An admittance meter having an electrical alternating signal source, a diode ring operated as a synchronous rectifier with at least four diodes connected in series and in the same direction in succession, a measuring sensor, and an evaluation unit. The diode ring is subjected to an alternating signal via first second feed points, which are each connected via two series-connected diodes. The measuring sensor is connected to the first feed point, and the evaluation unit is connected to a first or a second measurement point of the diode ring. The first and second measurement points are each connected via one diode to the first and second feed points, respectively.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an admittance meter for monitoring a medium in a fill level sensor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The invention relates to an admittance meter for monitoring a medium for a fill level sensor, having at least one electrical alternating signal source, a diode ring operated as a synchronous rectifier with at least four diodes connected in series and in the same direction in succession, a measuring sensor, and an evaluation unit, in which the diode ring can be subjected to an alternating signal is via a first feed point and a second feed point, and the first feed point and the second feed point are each connected via two series-connected diodes of the diode ring, the measuring sensor is connected to the first feed point, and the evaluation unit is connected to a first measurement point of the diode ring and/or to a second measurement point of the diode ring, and in which the first measurement point and the second measurement point are each connected via one diode of the diode ring to the first feed point and the second feed point, respectively.
For many years, admittance meters for fill level sensors have been known in which the measuring principle is based on the fact that the variable fill level of a defined medium in a volume to be monitored affects the measuring sensor employed, and more precisely varies the admittance that is detectable by the measuring sensor. Usually, the measuring sensor is opened electrically into the volume to be monitored or in other words when a capacitive measurement principle is employed has an active, triggered electrode, and an electrical stray field from the active electrode of the measuring sensor extends into the surroundings. The capacitance of the capacitor formed by the active electrode of the measuring sensor and the variable surroundings is then dependent on the fill level to be detected of the medium, just as it is dependent on the electrical material properties of the medium (such as the dielectric constant).
When the measuring sensor of the alternating signal source is subjected to an alternating signal, such an alternating voltage, then it is readily understandable that the measuring current—in the case of the capacitive measuring sensor, the charging and discharging current of the measuring capacitor—is a function of the variable admittance of the measuring sensor, namely the admittance that is dependent on the fill level of the medium. By measuring the current established, a conclusion can be drawn about the admittance of the measuring sensor and thus in turn about the fill level or a change in the fill level but also about the conductivity and the dielectric constant of the medium that is present.
From German Patent Disclosure DE 43 22 867 A1, an admittance meter is known which is not used in conjunction with a fill level sensor but rather serves the purpose of contactless detection of gear wheels of a gear wheel in order to ascertain the position and rotation of the gear wheel. Here, the measuring sensor comprises an active electrode of a capacitor, the electrode being subjected to an alternating signal from the alternating signal source, and the counterelectrode is formed by the gear wheels of the gear wheel. The measuring sensor thus formed is connected to a diode ring operated as a peak-value rectifier, in that the alternating signal source subjects not only the measuring sensor but simultaneously a first feed point and a second feed point of the diode ring to an alternating signal. At a measurement point of the diode ring, a charging or discharging current that is due to the charging and discharging of the capacitors is then picked up, and the modulation frequency of an output signal, furnished by the evaluation unit, serves as a measure for the rpm of the gear wheel. The disposition is advantageous because, as a result of the symmetry of the diode ring operated as a peak value rectifier, the effects of temperature drift of the conducting-state diode voltages cancel one another out. This measuring circuit is suitable for detecting a rapidly varying admittance of the measuring sensor but is not suitable for detecting an only slowly varying admittance of the measuring sensor, of the kind that is the case in many fill level measuring tasks. In fill level measuring tasks, it is therefore—as described at the outset—the amplitude of a measuring signal that is evaluated, not its frequency—which is dependent on the variation of the test subject.
In detail, there are now various possibilities for embodying and refining the admittance meter of the invention. To that end, reference is made to the claims and to the description of preferred exemplary embodiments in conjunction with the drawings. In the drawings:

Admittance meter for monitoring a medium


A spoke clip adapted to be removably secured to a spoke nut of a bicycle wheel, and further adapted to mount an illuminated wire to the spokes of the bicycle wheel. The clips are generally L- or T-shaped, with a slotted stem having a spoke-admitting initial width and terminating in a spoke nut socket, and a wire-mounting arm perpendicular to the stem and adapted to receive and hold a wire in parallel to the axis of the stem. The invention also includes the illuminated wire display created by securing an illuminated wire in a planar array to the spokes adjacent the wheel rim using a plurality of the spoke clips.

Many devices for illuminating bicycles (bikes) at night are known. One example is the Bikeglow™ safety light, consisting of an electroluminescent wire and a battery power unit adapted to be mounted on a bike. Normally the wire is wound around portions of the bike frame, away from moving parts and cables; however, I have seen the electroluminescent wire taped to the spokes of a bike wheel, with the power unit secured to rotate with the wheel between the spokes.
The Revolights™ bike lighting system consists of two narrow rings of LEDs that mount directly to each wheel using a series of clips and ring spacers. The clips are three-part clips, each clip having a spoke-clamping base with a screw-receiving bore and a slot that snaps loosely over a spoke, a cross-bar adapted to be secured to the spoke-clamping base with a screw, and the screw. The spoke-clamping base rotates loosely around the spoke until the cross-arm is tightened in place with the screw, activating the clamping halves of the base to frictionally lock it against rotation on the spoke. The cross-arm is sized to span the wheel width, and the ends of the cross-arms include screw-receiving bores so that slotted portions of the LED rings aligned over the rims on each side of the wheel can be fastened to the clips with screws.
While the Revolights™ LED rings produce a useful ground level headlight/taillight effect at the leading/trailing edges of the front and rear wheels, in addition to side illumination for visibility by others, the multi-part clips are relatively complicated to manipulate and secure to the spokes, and the LED rings and associated hardware needed to align, install, and operate the lights make a system that is unnecessarily complicated and expensive for simple side illumination of the wheels.

Spoke clip for electroluminescent wire display


An insulating paste comprises a glass component composed of SiO.sub.2, B.sub.2 O.sub.3 and K.sub.2 O as xSiO.sub.2 -yB.sub.2 O.sub.3 -zK.sub.2 O, where x, y and z (% by weight) fall within the area surrounded by points A (x=65, y=35, z=0), B (x=65, y=20, z=15), C (x=85, y=0, z=15) and D (x=85, y=15, z=0), and an organic vehicle. The insulating layer made of the paste has a low dielectric constant and excellent insulating properties.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an insulating paste, which contains glass having a low dielectric constant as the insulating component and from which a thick-film insulating layer is formed by printing, and also relates to a thick-film multi-layered printed circuit having insulating layers made of the paste.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the increase in the density of electronic devices and in the processing speed of them, it is desired to lower the dielectric constant of the insulating layers used in the thick-film multi-layered printed circuits thereof.
In general, the insulating layers of a thick-film multi-layered printed circuits are formed by applying a glass paste onto a substrate followed by firing. Conventionally, materials including crystalline glass or amorphous glass such as Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 --B.sub.2 O.sub.3 --SiO.sub.2 glass or the like, having a specific dielectric constant of 10 or so, along with a heat-resistant filler are used to form the insulating layers.
The conventional thick-film multi-layered printed circuits having insulating layers made of amorphous glass are obtained by firing an insulating layer of amorphous glass along with a thick-film conductor layer and a thick-film resistor layer which are on or under the insulating layer, at about 850.degree. C. Therefore, the interlayer diffusion of the components constituting the insulating layer of amorphous glass, the thick-film conductor layer and the thick-film resistor layer occurs during the firing and causes various problems in that the characteristics of the layers become degraded. Specifically, the insulating resistance of the insulating layer is lowered, the wiring resistance of the thick-film conductor layer is increased, and the resistance value and the resistance-temperature coefficient of the thick-film resistor layers are varied.

Insulating paste and thick-film multi-layered printed circuit using the paste


In a system (10) and a method for interpreting visual information and transmitting it to a human being through tactile influence of sensorial organs in its body, the system has a sensor module (12) capturing visual information; a control module (14), interpreting the captured information and controlling a tactile actuator module (16) in accordance with the interpreted information. An actuator module (16) transmits the interpreted information to a human being by electro-mechanically influencing sensorial organs in the skin of the human being, thereby creating an image in its brain. An image is corresponding to the visual information transmitted through the electro-mechanical actuator module (16).

There exists a need to increase the ability to view and to interpret a persons physical environment, e.g. for blind or partially blind people, for air force pilots that have to guide a firearm with a "joy stick" trigger while driving a fighter aircraft, for persons enjoying complicated computer games with a growing amount of visual information, for car driving etc.
Hereby a need to combine the human visual system with tactile sensory information is evident in order to increase the human ability to interpret and make more complete decisions upon received real world information.
It has been suggested to develop means for blind persons to read through a tactile sensing in their finger tips, so called Braille reading, using raised-dot patterns for visual letters. There exists more sophisticated instrumentation which converts printed letters recorded by a hand-held camera to enlarged vibrotactile letter on a users fingerpad.
There are also systems that converts an image from a television-type camera to a matrix of electrotactile or vibrotactile stimulators on the abdomen, forehead or fingertip, in order to enable spatial orientation beyond the reach of a hand or long cane. Those systems are only experimental and they do not give any detailed information about objects in the surroundings.
Present systems do not give any information about moving objects or an emotional state of a person during a conversation, which both are important objectives, for example, to a blind or partially blind person.
Air force pilots do guide their firearms with a joy stick or handle adjusting a cross hair to a target on a screen in order to press a fire button at the right moment, and at the same time driving their fighter plane in high speeds. Hence, there is a need to aid a pilot's visual perception in order to improve concentration on the driving of a plane.
Persons playing computer games often use joysticks while watching a screen or display, displaying the games, for example, car race games. A persons visional neural system is then limited and the amount of visual information is large. In order to develop more complicated computer games, the rate of visual information has to be increased, thus providing a greater stress to persons playing said games.
Patent application document DE 43 37 602 A1 describes a dynamic orientation aid and a television simulator for blind people, operating with real time tactile feedback controlled through a computer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,636,038 by Lynt et al. discloses an apparatus for converting visual images into a tactile representation. It is aimed to be used by visually impaired people.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,654,477 by Benjamin discloses an obstacle detection system for blind mounted on spectacle frames.
None of the cited documents teaches how to enhance a seeing persons visual perception. It is inevitable that a device that enhances visual perception for seeing persons can also be used by visually impaired people.

System and method for interpretation of visual information


A credit alert system. The system includes an account server for receiving an alert regarding at least one of available credit and credit status for a credit account. The system also includes an account database in communication with the server for storing information assigned to the account. The system further includes an application module in communication with the account server for receiving credit alerts for preparing a message to communicate to a wireless device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to communications services and, more particularly, to a system and method for alerting credit card subscribers when credit card account balances reach or exceed a predetermined amount.
2. Description of the Background
Wireless carriers have recently introduced World Wide Web enabled mobile devices allowing subscribers having mobile devices with microbrowsers to access a variety of sites on the Internet. This service allows subscribers the freedom to access, among other things, electronic mail, stock quotes, weather and travel information from anywhere within the wireless carrier's coverage area.
Despite the convenience of mobile Web access, many subscribers find it difficult to access their credit card accounts from mobile devices to check card status and available credit. This is due in large part to the number of keystrokes involved in inputting the subscriber's credit card account and personal information. The recent standardization of wireless application protocol may help to eliminate this problem.
Wireless application protocol (WAP) is an open specification that offers a standard method to access Internet-based content and services from wireless devices such as mobile phones and PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants). WAP is a layered communication protocol that includes network layers (e.g., transport and session layers) as well as an application environment including a microbrowser, scripting, telephony value-added services and content formats. This architecture allows WAP services to be hosted on standard world wide web (WWW) servers since they communicate with a WAP gateway/proxy using standard Internet protocols.
A system is needed that allows subscribers to a wireless web access service to receive unsolicited messages regarding important changes to their credit card or other line of credit status to eliminate the possibility of an embarrassing situation when attempting to purchase goods or services with a credit card over its credit limit or one that is temporarily suspended. The system should provide near real-time updates as credit card status or credit limit/available balance changes.


Heat from a heat generating device such as a CPU is dissipated by a heat sink device containing a recycled two-phase vaporizable coolant. The coolant recycles inside a closed metal chamber, which has an upper section and a lower section connected by a conveying conduit, and a wick evaporator placed in the lower section. The liquid coolant in the evaporator is vaporized by the heat from the heat generating device. The coolant vapor enters the upper section and condenses therein, with the liberated latent heat dissipated out through the inner top chamber wall. The condensed coolant is then collected and flows into the lower section, and further flows back to the wick evaporator by capillary action of the evaporator, thereby recycling the coolant. Space or a piece of element with parallel grooves is used to form at least one of the sections to reduce friction in the liquid flow path.

(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a heat pipe, in particular, a microchannel flat-plate heat pipe used for heat dissipation for a central processing unit (CPU) or other electronic integrated circuit (IC) chips.
(2) Brief Description of Related Art
The latest generation of Pentium IV CPU generates power more than 100 watts (Joule/sec). In order to maintain its normal performance and avoid overheating of the unit, more effective heat dissipating mechanism is needed. U.S. Pat. No. 5,880,524 discloses a heat pipe for spreading the heat generated by a semiconductor device as shown in FIG. 1. A cavity 105 is enclosed by a base metal 100 for a working liquid (not shown in the figure) to recycle. Heat sink fins 101 are arranged on the top of the base metal 100 for heat dissipation. Heat transfer medium 102 is under the base metal 100 to contact with a CPU.
A two-phase vaporizable liquid resides within the cavity 105 and serves as the working fluid (the coolant) for the heat pipe. A metal wick 103 is disposed on the inner walls to form a recycling loop within cavity 105 to facilitate the flow of the working fluid within the cavity. The working liquid in the cavity 105 flows in a direction as shown in arrows in FIG. 1. Firstly the working liquid is absorbed in the bottom portion of the wick 103. It evaporates when heat is transferred from the CPU and then condenses on the top portion of the wick 103. Heat is further transferred upward to the heat sink fins 101. The condensed liquid absorbed in the top portion of the wick 103 is then moved to the lower portion of the wick 103 due to capillary action of the wick 103.

Microchannel flat-plate heat pipe with parallel grooves for recycling coolant


A pair of radio frequency communication devices and a communication method are provided according to the invention. A transmitter includes a data source providing a data stream and a radio frequency modulation device. The radio frequency modulation device communicates with the data source and performs a modulation of a carrier wave according to the data stream provided by the data source. The data stream controls one or more modulation characteristics of the carrier wave. A corresponding receiver includes a modulation key and a modulation detector. The modulation key includes a plurality of modulation patterns. The modulation detector receives a radio frequency communication signal and communicates with the modulation key. The modulation detector maps portions of the received communication signal to the modulation key in order to detect modulation characteristics in the received communication signal and to generate a data output.

Direct sequence modulation is a type of radio frequency modulation wherein a data stream is spread by a higher rate bit stream prior to modulation. A prior art direct sequence modulation transmitter includes a radiation device (antenna), a modulator or demodulator, and a data stream generator. In addition, a prior art transmitter generally includes a modulation key generator that is used to control the modulation characteristics of a radio frequency (RF) signal.
Direct sequence modulation is widely used in order to enhance security and to minimize interference and noise. A spread spectrum transmitter can transmit in such a way as to minimize transmission power and interference and maximize data security. As a result, a direct sequence modulation communication system often includes security features such as encryption, frequency hopping, and time hopping. Furthermore, the direct sequence modulation communication system often mixes an input data stream with a pseudorandom noise (PN) stream in order to spread out the signal bandwidth and decrease the signal to noise ratio. This is commonly done in order to make the signal indistinguishable from background noise in order to hide it from potential eavesdroppers. As a result, a transmission may advantageously have reduced interference and noise vulnerability and increased security as the data stream may be spread over a larger instantaneous bandwidth and/or over a range of frequencies. This makes the signal hard to intercept or jam.
A prior art communication device operates by generating a modulation key that controls one or more RF modulation characteristics. The prior art modulation key is supplied to the transmitter, along with the data stream input. The transmitter modulates the data stream onto a carrier wave according to the modulation characteristics of the modulation key. The prior art receiver also includes a modulation key generator, and demodulates a received RF signal according to the same modulation characteristics.
The drawback of the direct sequence modulation of the prior art is the requirement of a modulation key generator in the transmitter and receiver. The modulation key generator consumes extra electrical power and requires extra circuitry, extra complexity, extra weight, extra size, and extra cost. These are typically concerns in direct sequence modulation transmitters, and especially in portable communication devices and satellite-based communication devices.
What is needed, therefore, are improvements in such communication devices.

Direct sequence modulation using time, frequency, and/or on-off keying


A mechanical composite seal assembly for providing a seal between a rotating shaft and a static surface. The mechanical composite seal assembly includes first and second axially adjacent annular seal elements. The first and second seal elements each include a sealing edge contacting the shaft to provide a respective seal between the first and second seal element and the shaft. A static housing receives the first and second seal elements and engages the static surface to provide a static stationary seal, while concomitantly providing a flex region that engages the seal elements to form a dynamic seal therewith.

Conventional mechanical seal assemblies are employed in a wide variety of environments and settings, such as for example, in mechanical apparatuses, to provide a fluid-tight seal. The sealing assemblies are usually positioned about a rotating shaft or rod that is mounted in and protrudes from a stationary mechanical housing.
A conventional sealing assembly generally comprises a sealing element formed of a metallic spring or metallic springs in parallel for biasing the sealing face elements. The biasing element biases the sealing face elements into sealing engagement with the shaft to form a fluid-tight seal.
FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a mechanical seal in the prior art. As shown, the illustrative prior mechanical seal 1 requires one or more springs 2 for applying a loading force to a seal face, formed by mating a rotating seal face 4 and a stationary seal face 5, and multiple housing components 3a-d. The multiple housing components include a spring holder 3a, a rotating seal face retainer 3b, a rotating elastomer bellows 3c and a drive band 3d. The prior art seal 1 further includes an O-ring 6 for the stationary seal face 5.
However, such sealing assemblies suffer from a number of deficiencies and disadvantages. Disadvantages of prior seals, such as the one shown in FIG. 1, include non-uniform seal-face loading, exposure of the spring to process fluid and clogging of debris in the spring. For example, the spring is typically exposed to the internal or process fluid of the mechanical apparatus being sealed, which can potentially degrade the spring, potentially leading to the failure of spring. In addition, springs and other movable biasing elements tend to lose their resilient biasing characteristics over time, impairing the efficiency of the seal.
Other and more specific objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part be evident from the drawings and description which follow.


An electrophotographic printing machine is provided with a photoreceptor drum including a cylindrical transparent support having a transparent electrically conductive layer and a photoconductive layer laminated on a surface thereof and a dielectric belt having wound around the photoreceptor drum. A toner image is formed on a surface of a dielectric belt through a process of exposing the photoconductive layer by applying voltage across the toner to be applied to the surface of the dielectric belt and the transparent electrically conductive layer. Then, the toner image is transported up to a position apart from the photoreceptor drum where a copying material is superposed onto the toner image so as to apply heat and pressure thereto, whereby transfer and fusing processes of the toner image are carried out simultaneously to the copying material. As a result, a turbulence in the toner image is reduced, thereby providing high quality images.

Conventionally, in forming images using toner particles, an electrophotography has been generally used, i.e., an application of the Carlson process. The principle of the electrophotography is described in detail in reference to FIG. 6 through an example of a normal developing system adopted in photocopying machines. In the photocopying machine which employs the Carlson process, a charger 32, an exposure unit 33, a developer unit 34, a transfer unit 35, a fuser 36, a cleaner 37, and an eraser 38 are provided in this order along the circumference of a photoreceptor drum 31 having a photosensitive layer formed on the surface thereof as shown in FIG. 6.
With this arrangement, first, the surface of the photoreceptor drum 31 is uniformly charged by the charger 32 in a dark place. Next, an original image is illuminated on the surface of the photoreceptor drum 31 by the exposure unit 33 so as to remove charges from the illuminated portion, thereby forming an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photoreceptor drum 31. Thereafter, a toner 39 is made to adhere the electrostatic latent image, the toner 39 being charged by applying thereon a charge having a polarity opposite to the charge on the photoreceptor drum 31 in the developer unit 34, thereby forming a visible image of the toner 39. Further, a copying material 40 is superposed on the visible image. Then, a corona-discharging is carried out by the transfer unit 35 from the back surface of the copying material 40 so as to apply a charge having a polarity opposite to the toner 39. As a result, the toner image is transferred to the copying material 40. Then, using heat and pressure of the fuser 36, the transferred toner image is made permanent on the copying material 40. On the other hand, a residual toner 39a remaining on the photoreceptor drum 31 after the transfer is removed by a cleaner 37. After the discharging operation is carried out from the electrostatic latent image on the photoreceptor drum 31 by projecting thereon a light beam from the eraser 38, the process starting with the charging operation by the charger 32 is repeated, thereby successively forming images.
In the discussed electrophotography, i.e., the application of the Carlson process, normally a corona discharger is adopted for charging the photoreceptor drum 31 or transferring the toner 39 to the copying material 40. However, when the corona discharger is adopted, a high voltage of several kV is required. Moreover, it is likely to be affected by a change in the ambient condition, for example, a change in the charge amount on the surface of the photoreceptor drum 31 due to a temperature change. Furthermore, ozone produced in the process of corona charging results in the problem in terms of an environmental health.
In order to counteract the above-mentioned problem, an image forming method not requiring the corona charging is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Publication 4900/1990 (Tokukouhei 2-4900). When adopting the method, as shown in FIG. 7, a photoreceptor 50 is desirably arranged such that a transparent electrically conductive layer 52 made of In.sub.2 O.sub.2, etc., a photoconductive layer 53 made of Se etc., and a dielectric layer 54 made of polyethlene terephtalate film, are laminated in this order on a transparent base 51 made of glass or the like. When a magnet 56 as a toner holder having an electrically conductive and magnetic toner 55 adhering thereto is brought close to the surface of the photoconductor 50, in the mean time, the surface of the photoconductor 50 is exposed from the side of a transparent base 51 while applying voltage between the magnet 56 and the transparent electrically conductive layer 52, a resistance of the photoconductive layer 53 at the illuminated portion drops, whereby a charge is injected under the dielectric layer 54. Then, a strong electric field is applied between the magnet 56 and the photoconductor 50, thereby being injected a charge having polarity opposite to that of the toner 55 corresponding to the exposure area. As a result, the charged toner 55 and the charge injected through the transparent electrically conductive layer 52 become being attracted from one another having the dielectric layer 54 in between by making pairs with charges having opposite polarities. In this way, even when the magnet 56 is moved away from the photoconductor 50, the toner 55 at the exposed portion remains on the surface of the photoconductor 50.
As described, the discussed method enables a toner image to be formed on the surface of the photoconductor 50 without using the corona charging. After the toner image is formed on the surface of the photoconductor 50, the toner image is transferred from the surface of the photoconductor 50 to the surface of the copying material as in the case of the Carlson process. Thereafter, the toner is transported to the fuser which heats up the toner to be melted, thereby the toner image is permanently affixed to the copying material.
However, the photoconductor 50 arranged such that the surface of the transparent base 51 whereon the transparent electrically conductive layer 52, the photoconductive layer 53, and the insulating layer 54 are laminated in this order, may be damaged by repeating the image forming process, especially by the repetitive sliding contact of the toner 55 with the insulating layer 54 provided on the periphery surface, or by the blade-shaped cleaner for removing the residual toner on the surface of the insulating layer 54 after the transfer. Especially, when coating the photosensitive layer 53 with an insulating resin material so as to make the dielectric layer 54, an adhesive characteristic to the surface of the photosensitive layer 53, or solubility with respect to solvent needs to be considered in selecting the material. For this reason, the material to be used in the insulating layer 54 is restricted such as polyethlene terephtalate, and the material excellent in its hard-wearing properties, may not be selected. This presents the problem of a high deterioration rate of the dielectric layer 54 which shortens the life of the photoconductor 50.


The present invention provides a printing system and a printing method that avoids interrupting a printing process in order to execute a calibration process, while stably reproducing colors. A second printer includes a printing engine having a temperature sensor, a density sensor, and a density sensor and a print controller which acquires information from the various sensors in the printing engine to provide calibration process information to a first printer. The print controller includes a density converted characteristic generating section that converts output density values corresponding to density values inputted to the first printer so that the output density values exhibit an ideal characteristic. The density converted characteristic information generating section generates density converted characteristic information. The first printer receives the density converted characteristic information and executes a printing process while carrying out a density conversion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printing system and a printing method, and more specifically, to a printing system composed of a plurality of printing apparatuses connected together so as to communicate with each other and computer apparatuses, as well as a printing method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Printing apparatuses constituting a conventional printing system, particularly those which carry out color printing commonly incorporate a function to control printing so as to achieve constant color reproduction for printed matter. This function is generally called a calibration process. An object of the calibration process is to control printing so that three-color or four-color print ink or toner used for printing exhibits a constant gradation characteristic.
Now, description will be given of the reason why the calibration process is required for a printing apparatus to which what is called an electrophotographic process is applied, for example, a laser printer (hereinafter referred to as an LBP).
Electrophotography commonly uses a print processing system that basically executes a procedure to irradiate a photosensitive member with laser light to form an electrostatic latent image allowing charged toner (powdery ink) to adhere to the electrostatic latent image for development, transferring this image to a sheet, and using heat and pressure to fix the image to the sheet. Color LBPs or copiers use a method of using three-color toner (yellow, magenta, and cyan; these colors are often represented as YMC) or four-color toner (yellow, magenta, cyan, and black; these colors are often represented as YMCK or YMCB. The present invention uses the YMCK expression. In the following description, the color LBP is assumed to execute printing in four-colors including Y, M, C, and K. However, the present invention is obviously effective on color LBPs that execute color printing in three-colors) to draw an image, forming this image on a surface of an intermediate transfer member, and transferring the image to a sheet for fixation.
In this electrophotographic process, the factors of variations in gradation characteristic include environmental temperature and humidity. Variations in environmental temperature or humidity affect the electrophotographic process as described below.
1) The environmental temperature or humidity may change the state of an electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive member to change the density characteristic of an image provided in the next development step.
2) The environmental temperature or humidity may change the charged state of toner to change the density characteristic of an image provided in the next development step.
3) The environmental temperature or humidity may change the rate of transfer from a photosensitive drum to the intermediate transfer member to change the density characteristic of an image formed on the intermediate transfer member.
4) The environmental temperature or humidity may change the rate of transfer from the intermediate transfer member to a sheet to change the density characteristic of an image formed on the sheet.
5) The environmental temperature may change a fixation temperature and thus the dissolution level of toner during fixation to change coloring.
As described in 1) to 5), a variation in environmental temperature or humidity may vary the density characteristic in a plurality of steps of the electrophotographic process. That is, the calibration process can be considered to achieve constant color expression in spite of a variation in environmental temperature or humidity.
Now, a common calibration process will be described in further detail.
The LBP has the intermediate transfer member that forms a color image on a sheet which image is to be transferred. In the calibration process, a plurality of fine areas with a predetermined density, such as those called patch patterns, are formed on the intermediate transfer body. Then, a density sensor is used to read the actual densities of the individual patch patterns to determine actual characteristics corresponding to the relationship between specified densities and the actual densities. The patch patterns formed on the intermediate transfer member are deleted after they have been read by the density sensor.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a patch pattern formed on the intermediate transfer member. In this figure, reference numeral 301 denotes the entire patch pattern, and reference numerals 311, 312, 313, and 314 denote rectangular areas (patches) of density 20%, 40%, 60%, and 80%, respectively. These densities are, for example, numerical values in a density expression using dither which values correspond to pixels on which toner is placed.
FIG. 4 is a view schematically showing how patch patterns formed on the intermediate transfer member are read. In the figure, reference numeral 401 denotes the intermediate transfer member. The patch pattern 301 is formed on the intermediate transfer member 401. A density sensor 402 reads the different densities of the patches. A printer controller 403 is connected to the density sensor 402.
When the patch pattern 301 is thus formed and read, it exhibits a characteristic such as the one shown in FIG. 5A. In FIG. 5A, the four points shown as black circles indicate densities read from the 20%, 40%, 60%, and 80% patches, respectively, using the density sensor 402. The whole characteristic is calculated from these four points. The calculated characteristic curve is shown as a solid line in FIG. 5A. On the other hand, the linear characteristic shown by a broken line in FIG. 5A is assumed to be realized by corrections (this characteristic will hereinafter referred to as an ideal characteristic). Then, a corrected characteristic such as the one shown by a solid line in FIG. 5B can be determined.
Specifically, input density levels having density values corresponding to the ideal characteristic shown by the broken line in FIG. 5A are determined from the density characteristic curve shown as the solid line in FIG. 5A. These levels are represented as a characteristic curve such as the one shown in FIG. 5B, which curve indicates a density converted characteristic.
When the input densities are utilized after being converted in accordance with the density converted characteristic shown in FIG. 5B, output densities corresponding to the input density levels exhibit an ideal characteristic as shown in FIG. 5C. Furthermore, it is assumed that a color is to be expressed in YMCK. Then, once the relevant density levels are determined, the target color can be expressed using the densities converted in accordance with the density converted characteristic shown in FIG. 5B.
In the above description, the patch pattern with the four densities, 20%, 40%, 60%, and 80%, are used. However, the densities may be set in smaller increments. However, setting the densities in smaller increments increases the amount of information to be processed and thus the number of patch readings. This increases the time required for the whole calibration process.
Now, timing for calibration will be described.
As described above, the gradation characteristic of electrophotography tends to vary with the environmental temperature or humidity. On the other hand, the calibration process is a function to stably reproduce the colors in spite of a variation in environmental conditions. Accordingly, if the environmental temperature or humidity varies, a series of calibration operations must be performed over again, including the formation and reading of the patch pattern 301, the calculation of an actual density characteristic (the characteristic shown by the solid line in FIG. 5A), and the creation of a density converted characteristic (the characteristic shown by the solid line in FIG. 5B). In general, the calibration is carried out if the internal temperature of the printing apparatus varies upon power-on or owing to continuous printing. The calibration is also carried out when the number of sheets printed is counted and reaches a specified value or depending on the time elapsing after power-on.
As described above, the calibration process is essential in stably reproducing the colors. However, the calibration process uses a method of forming patches on the intermediate transfer member and measuring the densities of the patches using the density sensor. Thus disadvantageously, it is impossible to execute a printing process, the original purpose of the LBP, during the calibration process.


A lawn edging device having overlapping, alternating toe plates forming a base portion that covers a strip of soil. The toe plates are connected at proximal edges to a resilient, elongate backing strip, from which a plurality of ground insertion spikes depend downwardly. The device is may also be provided with a vertical edge-defining portion extending upwardly from the backing strip. Flexing or trimming notches of material being horizontal or vertical are made in the back or front surfaces of the backing strip or edge-defining portion providing changeable device dimensions and increasing flexion of the device for making custom lawn edging curves and angles without decreasing device strength.

It is often desirable to provide neat, uniform edges to various beds, walkways, foundations, water features and other such landscaping elements of manicured lawns, gardens and the like. In the past, various apparatuses have been used to assist in defining such edges, to prevent soil and groundcover creep, erosion, and loss of edge definition, and to make it easier to maintain a groomed outdoor space.
Several common designs exist in the prior art offering a robust barrier to soil and groundcover movement by way of rigid strips of various configurations. While these devices provide sufficient strength, they often lack the ability to easily create smooth, curved edging, or require curved sections to be preformed to the specifications of the landscape design prior to installation. These types of edging devices are often constructed of rigid metals, alloys or plastics.
Yet other proposed prior art solutions have attempted to solve these problems by teaching the application of edging devices made of extruded, pliable material so that desired curved edges may be formed, and in order to allow the devices to be packaged in coiled, space-saving configurations. These types of edging device are commonly constructed as elongated, generally rectangular shaped extrusions. These devices, however, often lack the strength necessary to maintain edge lines for extended periods of time.
The aforementioned edging devices also lack the ability to provide space between groundcover and the landscaping element being edged. Such functionality is desired, for instance, when edging is installed against foundations in order to cover the soil in the area of curtilage immediately surrounding the structure which may be inaccessible to lawn mowers. Attempts in the prior art to overcome such deficiencies have included the addition of a horizontal base portion to cover such widths of soil, but do not provide users with the ability to easily form any desired sharp angle or curve without resorting to the purchase or creation of multiple sections of various geometries in order to achieve a desired edging line. Some devices—such as those intended for use as paver restraint edging or foundational edging—may be usable for straight sections and gradual curves, but cannot also provide sharp angles or curves that may be desired by a user.
Furthermore, no devices available today enable a user to apply pre-manufactured edging that provides aesthetically pleasing visual elements while maintaining a user's ability to create fully customized edge lines without the need to purchase and integrate various preformed edge elements, such as curves of various radii, straight sections, sharp angles and the like.
It is therefore an unmet need in the prior art for a lawn edging device that provides, in a single embodiment, the ability to form any geometric edging shape/line while providing strength, horizontal soil covering, aesthetic elements, adjustable height and length, and that may be used against permanent or semi-permanent structures such as buildings, walkways or other masonry, or around beds, gardens or other non-structural features alike.


A pipe-shaped fixture (100) to be attached to a housing (120) of a work machine includes a fixture body (102) having a front-end projection (110) and a rear-end projection (112) that make front and rear limits of a rubber cushion (104) that encloses the fixture body (102) closely and circumferentially. The front- and rear-end projections (110, 112) are connected to each other by a plurality of longitudinally extending ridges (114) formed at circumferential intervals. The ridges (114), front- and rear-end projections (110, 112) define a plurality of concavities (116) surrounded thereby on the outer circumference of the fixture body (102). The front- and rear-end projections (110, 112) cause longitudinal vibration of an operation rod (130) relative to the housing (120) to act as a compression force on the rubber cushion (104), and thereby suppress longitudinal vibration of the operation rod (130) while maintaining effects of suppressing horizontal and vertical vibrations.

Brush cutters are well known as a kind of powered work machines. These brush cutters include typically a two-stroke air-cooled engine of which the output is transmitted to a cutting blade through a power transmission member provided in a long operation rod. The blade is thus rotated axially to cut grass and bushes.
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. H 9(1997)-303354 (Patent Document 1), the operation rod is detachably connected to a housing (cover member) of the power source. More specifically, the engine power is outputted through a centrifugal clutch. The operation rod is detachably connected to the housing that encloses the centrifugal clutch. In this mechanism of connection, the housing has a cylindrical fixing portion projecting and opening forward. The operation rod is inserted and fixed with its rear end in a pipe-shaped fixture fixed to the cylindrical fixing portion, whereby the operation rod is fixed to the housing. Of course, when the operation rod is fixed to the cylinder, the power transmission member, i.e. a rotating shaft, provided in the operation rod is mechanically connected to an output shaft of the centrifugal clutch.
The retaining rib formed at a lengthwise intermediate position of a fixture body of a connecting structure disclosed in Patent Document 1 is shown in FIG. 8. In this illustration, reference numeral 1 denotes a housing, and reference numeral 2 denotes a sheath of an operation rod, in which a power transmission member extends. As shown, a rubber cushion 3 is interposed between the sheath 2 and housing 1. The rubber cushion 3 forms a part of a pipe-shaped fixture 4.
As shown, the pipe-shaped fixture 4 includes a cylindrical main body 5 of the pipe-shaped fixture 4 (hereafter called fixture body 5). By tightening bolt-and-nut engagement using a bolt hole 6 formed at the front end portion of the fixture body 5, the pipe-shaped fixture 4 can be reduced in diameter to secure the operation rod 2 at the rear end thereof. The rubber cushion 3 is firmly fixed to the fixture body 5. Specifically, the rubber cushion 3 is formed by putting the fixture body 5 into a forming die and filling the forming die with melted rubber.
FIGS. 9 and 10 show the fixture body 5 and rubber cushion 3 used in the conventional pipe-shaped fixture 4. As shown, the rubber cushion 3 is formed on the fixture body 5 except the front end portion of the latter and has a size large enough to cover the rear end face of the fixture body 5. Also seen in FIGS. 8 to 10, a circumferential retaining rib 7 is formed at a lengthwise intermediate position of the fixture body 5.
Referring back to FIG. 8, the housing 1 includes a cylindrical fixing portion 8 projecting and opening forward. The pipe-shaped fixture 4 is inserted into the cylindrical fixing portion 8. The cylindrical fixing portion 8 has an inner circumference tapered rearward, namely, toward its deep end, and the rubber cushion 3 of the pipe-shaped fixture 4 has an outer circumference tapered complementarily to the inner circumference of the cylindrical fixing portion 8. When the pipe-shaped fixture 4 is inserted into the cylindrical fixing portion 8, the outer circumference of the rubber cushion 3 gets in close contact with the inner circumference of the cylindrical fixing portion 8.
As shown in FIG. 8, the cylindrical fixing portion 8 has a circumferential groove 9 formed in the inner circumference near its front end. By inserting the pipe-shaped fixture 4 into the cylindrical fixing portion 8 of the housing 1 and then installing a snap ring 10 in the circumferential groove 9, the pipe-shaped fixture 4 is fixed to the cylindrical fixing portion 8 and restrained by the snap ring 10 not to disengage from the cylindrical fixing portion 8.
By interposing the rubber cushion 3 between the operation rod 2 and housing 1, vibration of an engine (not shown) can be limited from being transmitted to the sheath of the operation rod 2, which encloses the power transmission member, and vibration of the operation rod 2 can be limited from being transmitted to the housing 1.


A method, apparatus and system for allowing a user to create and add information to his World Wide Web home page, or a private home page. In the present invention, a user drags and drops icons representing the information that should be included in the user's home page. The present invention creates links in the user's home page to the information (or to a copy of the information). The organization of the home page remains completely transparent to the user.

This application relates to the electronic publishing of documents and, more particularly, to the creation of documents on the World Wide Web.
The now-famous World Wide Web ("the Web") is built around a network of "server" computers which exchange requests and data from each other using the hypertext transfer protocol ("http"). Using any of the numerous, commercially available "browser" programs, a user who establishes a communications link with any Web server of the network can access documents available from other Web servers on the network by submitting an appropriate http request. A typical http request will reference a document by its unique Uniform Resource Locator ("URL"). A document's URL includes an identification of the Web server hosting that document, so that an http request for access to the document can be routed to the appropriate Web server for handling. Web documents can also be linked graphically to each other.
The user of a "browser" program can simply "point and click" on a graphical hypertext link displayed in one accessed document. The point and click action will result in the browser or its associated server transmitting an http request containing the URL of the desired document over the Web. As a result, a new document will be displayed. Thus, the user can easily "browse" through an almost infinite number of linked documents, using only the point and click action of a mouse.
In light of the remarkable and growing popularity of the Web among millions of users, an important challenge for technologists is to provide convenient, computer-based tools to assist users in the process of "publishing" (making available) their own content on the Web.
In order to publish a document on the Web, several things must be taken care of. First, a Web document's internal contents must conform to certain standard formats that are uniformly intelligible to the servers and browsers of the Web. Thus, on the Web, document contents are typically formatted in ASCII text, augmented by code in hypertext mark-up language ("html") specifying graphical layout information such as the previously mentioned graphical, hypertextual links to related documents on the Web.
Another requirement, of course, is that the document be made available to a local Web server, i.e., the document must be stored in a file system to which a Web server has access. In addition, as a practical matter, it is important to integrate newly published materials into the hypertextual organization of the Web. For example, so-called "home page" documents are commonly provided on Web Servers. Home pages are akin to tables of contents or road maps, and offer information and hypertext links referencing more specific materials that are available on the home page server or elsewhere around the Web. By browsing or "visiting" home pages of interest, users of the Web can more readily identify what specific documents may be of interest to them. As new materials are published to the Web, hypertext references to the new materials should therefore be integrated into appropriate home pages.
In the Web's early days, relatively little help for Web publishing was available to ordinary users. Web publishing therefore remained the exclusive province of sophisticated Web enthusiasts and their clients. More recently, however, a number of computer-based tools to assist in the publishing process have begun to emerge. "Authoring" tools are available that assist users in constructing or converting their documents into proper html format for the Web. Other tools offer some help in completing the publishing process by copying documents into a Web server file system. For example, see PC Magazine, May 16, 1995, pp. 195-245, and pp. 205-224.
The currently available crop of tools falls short from the vantage point of naive users. Prior art tools generally impose a relatively steep, initial learning curve in which naive users must master complex, new techniques and concepts. What is truly desired is a computer-based Web publishing tool that leverages the basic user interface concepts and metaphors that are already familiar to a typical naive user. Ideally, publishing a document on the Web should be an immediately intuitive process for the user who already knows enough about personal computers to create electronic documents, and to manipulate documents by "dragging and dropping" document icons using a standard graphical user interface such as Microsoft Windows or Apple Macintosh OS, but who does not necessarily know much else about computer and network technologies.
Because of the truly explosive growth of interest in the Web among just such users, the importance of suitably intuitive tools to serve this niche of users is clear. A solution to this challenge will be equally valuable in the context of "private webs" in large organizations, i.e., secure networks that support http but that are not necessarily accessible publicly through the Internet.

Method and apparatus for publishing documents in a hypertextural network environment


A method, system, and device for maintaining routes are provided. A communications network includes multiple point of presence (PoP) groups, where each of the PoP groups includes one or more PoP nodes. PoP nodes within the same PoP group issue routing information of the same super prefix. PoP nodes within different PoP groups issue routing information of different super prefixes. The method further includes the following steps. A PoP node acquires routing information of a detailed prefix covered by a super prefix issued by the PoP node and synchronizes the routing information of the detailed prefix with other PoP nodes within the same PoP group. The method, system, and device reduce flow of data forwarded by each PoP node.

A route is used for transmitting data from source terminal equipment in a communications network to destination terminal equipment through a router. When data packets are transmitted, the router needs to select an optimal path and switch the data packets in the route maintained by the router. Metric is a calculation standard for determining the optimal path to reach the destination terminal equipment in a route algorithm. For example, in the standard, the optimal path can be determined with the shortest path or the smallest path overhead. In order to enable the router to select the path after the data packets are received, route initialization needs to be performed and a routing table including path information in the communications network needs to be maintained. The path information varies with different route algorithms that are used. A manner in which the router is informed of the path information of the destination terminal equipment or a next hop router is that the path information is issued in the communications network (can be issued by the router). After receiving the path information, the router can attempt to communicate with other routers or destination terminal equipment according to the received path information, so as to establish the routing table for forwarding the data packets for the router itself. The established routing table includes all kinds of information such as distance information, information of the hop count to reach the destination terminal equipment, and address information of the next hop. Likewise, Metric varies with different route algorithms that are used. After receiving data carrying a destination address, the router selects, according to the carried destination address, the optimal path to transmit data packets to the next hop router or destination terminal equipment in a routing table that adopts Metric. For example, Metric determines the optimal path according to the shortest path. At this time, after selecting, according to distance information in the routing table, a path with the shortest distance to reach the destination address as the optimal path, the router can transmit the data packets to the next hop router or destination terminal equipment.
In this way, the routers communicate with each other, and maintain and update their own routes by exchanging the path information. The maintenance and update of their own routes are generally maintaining and updating a routing table including all or partial information, and a network topology view is established by analyzing path information from other routers or terminal equipment. Transmission of the path information among the routers can further adopt a mode of sending broadcast information in a linked state. The routers notify a linked state of other routers sending the broadcast information. The linked state information is used for establishing a complete topological view, so that the routers can determine the optimal path when transmitting data packets.
When the routes are deployed in the communications network, a multi-homing technology and a traffic engineering technology are adopted. The multi-homing technology is for link survivability or load balance. A link group with more than one link is established between the terminal equipment and a backbone network of the communications network. The link group with more than one link may belong to the same operator or different operators. The traffic engineering technology is actually a suit of tools and methods adopted by the communications network. Regardless of whether the terminal equipment and transmission lines in the communications network are normal or failed, an optimal service can be extracted from the configured communications network, which can optimize allocated resources. With the establishment of the communications network based on the multi-homing technology and wide deployment of the traffic engineering technology in the communications network, the number of routes in one communications network increases quickly, which leads to the following results. On the one hand, in a router a larger capacity storage routing table needs to be set, which results in cost increase. On the other hand, due to the large number of routes maintained by the router, route convergence of the router becomes slow, that is, a rate of route processing on data becomes slow, which results in a reaction rate of data transmission of the communications network becomes low and work efficiency of the entire communications network is influenced.
In order to solve the foregoing problems, a core-router integrated overlay (CRIO) technology is proposed in the communications network. FIG. 1 is a schematic structural view of a network adopting the CRIO technology to maintain routes in the prior art, where the network includes a transmission network and edge networks. Different edge networks are connected through the transmission network. The transmission network includes one or more point of presence (PoP) nodes. An edge network includes terminal equipment. A border router is included at a boundary between the transmission network and the edge network. In FIG. 1, for simplicity, one PoP node is shown.
Routes maintained by different PoP nodes are routing information of different super prefixes and routing information of a detailed prefix covered by the super prefixes. The different PoP nodes issue the routing information of the maintained super prefix in the transmission network. However, the routing information of the detailed prefix covered by the super prefix does not need to be issued. Border routers of autonomous systems (AS's) and other core routers in the transmission network do not need to maintain all routing information of the detailed prefix covered by the super prefix and only need to maintain routes of the super prefix.
Here, the routing information of the super prefix can also be referred to as converged routing information.
Here, the routing information of the detailed prefix covered by the super prefix is routing information in the edge network related to the super prefix.
The terminal equipment accesses the transmission network through the border router. When data packets are transmitted, source terminal equipment sends the data packets to a source end border router. According to stored routing information of the super prefix corresponding to a destination address, the source end border router sends data to a PoP node maintaining the routing information of the super prefix. The PoP node determines a path through the maintained routing information of the detailed prefix covered by the super prefix, so as to establish a tunnel between the PoP node and a destination end border router. The data packets are forwarded to the destination end border router through the tunnel. The destination end border router forwards the data packets to destination terminal equipment according to routing information stored by the destination end border router itself.
In practical applications, the transmission network may be a backbone network of the Internet, and the PoP node may be a super router or a host.
A basic idea of adopting the CRIO technology in a network is how to reduce route capacity of the backbone network of the Internet. It is found, based on a model of flow of practical transmission data of the Internet, that flow of data sent to the terminal equipment corresponding to a few network segment addresses occupies a large portion of bandwidth. Therefore, during transmission, the terminal equipment that transmits data packets with less flow can increase the hop count to reduce the route capacity of the backbone network of the Internet. A basic realization idea is to change a mesh routing structure of the Internet into a tree routing structure. As shown in FIG. 1, the routing information of the super prefix is issued only through the PoP nodes in the backbone network of the Internet while the routing information of the detailed prefix covered by the super prefix is not issued in the backbone network of the Internet. A border router of the backbone network of the Internet provides the routing information of the detailed prefix under the super prefix to a PoP node dominating the routing information of the super prefix and the PoP node stores the routing information of the detailed prefix.
In this way, other routers or equipments in the backbone network of the Internet only need to maintain the routing information of the super prefix and no longer need to maintain lots of routing information respectively, so that the route capacity of the backbone network of the Internet is reduced.
When data packets are forwarded, the data packets are first forwarded to a PoP node that issues the routing information of the super prefix. The PoP node saves the routing information of the detailed prefix covered by the super prefix, finds a corresponding detailed prefix route by searching the mapping relation, then establishes a tunnel between a PoP node and the border router corresponding to the detailed prefix route according to the detailed prefix route, and forwards the foregoing data packets to the border router through the tunnel.
Advantages of establishing and maintaining routes in the communications network by adopting the CRIO technology are as follows. Because other routers in the transmission network only need to maintain the routing information of the super prefix and do not need to maintain all routing information of the detailed prefix covered by the super prefix, the number of routes maintained by most routers is significantly reduced in the transmission network, processing burden and oscillation during data transmission in the communications network by adopting the Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) are reduced, and convergence of BGP routes is accelerated.
In a process of implementing the present invention, the inventor finds that the prior art has at least the following problems.
Because all the data packets to be transmitted in the communications network need to reach a PoP node and then perform relay transmission, the hop count that the transmitted data packets are forwarded is increased. Additionally, the PoP node needs to forward lots of data packets having a destination address that is in a network segment covered by stored routes of the super prefix, which raises very high requirements for forwarding capability of the PoP node. When the number of the forwarded data packets is too large, breakdown of the PoP node might Occur.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and device for maintaining routes


A gas generator, relating to a gas generator for a side air bag or the like, is provided. The gas generator has an inner cylindrical member stored in a housing, wherein the inner cylindrical member has a second outside diameter portion abutting against the inner peripheral surface of the housing, and a first outside diameter portion smaller in outside diameter than the second outside diameter portion, the tip end of the first outside diameter portion side abuts against the closed end portion (one end portion) of the housing, the filter is provided on the outside of the inner cylindrical member in the radial direction of the first outside diameter portion, and the ignition means is provided on the opposite end portion (the other end) from the closed end portion of the housing.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a gas generator for an airbag, used in an airbag system installed in a vehicle to release a gas for inflating the airbag in the event of a collision, and preferably relates to a gas generator for an airbag, which is used in an airbag system for developing an airbag over the lateral side of a vehicle occupant.
2. Description of the Related Art
As gas generators for air bags installed in automobiles and other vehicles, various types of gas generators such as for a driver side air bag, for a front passenger side air bag, for a side air bag, for a curtain air bag or for a pretensioner has been provided, suitable to installation locations, purposes and so forth.
Among them, a gas generator used for a side airbag serves to inflate an airbag that provides protection against an impact from the lateral side of an occupant, which improves safety in the event of a lateral collision of the vehicle, for instance, and in most cases, is installed in a seat back, a B-pillar (the center pillar), or the like.
In particular, in the case of a side airbag gas generator or other small gas generator, in order to ensure enough installation space, or to reduce the weight of the gas generator itself, a pyrotechnic gas generator, which uses a solid gas generating agent, have been used as the gas generation source for inflating the bag. In such a gas generator, the gas for inflating the airbag is produced by combustion of the solid gas generating agent serving as the gas generation source. This gas is very hot and combustion by-products are also produced during the combustion, and therefore, a filter is generally used for purifying and cooling the gas produced by combustion. Even in this case, the problem of ensuring enough installion space in the vehicle has to be solved, and the purification and cooling efficiency has to be enhanced. Furthermore, in case of a gas generator for a side airbag, the airbag has to be inflated more quickly because there is less space between the occupant and the structural members inside the vehicle. Accordingly, a filter used for such a gas generator needs to be as little an obstacle as possible in the release of the gas.
In addition, the structure of the gas generator itself needs to be simple in order to avoid difficulty in the manufacture of the gas generator and to eliminate problems that would otherwise be caused by a complicated structure, for example.
A conventional gas generator for a side air bag is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,702, for example.
Also, a gas generator using a filter is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,005,768, for example.


Method and system for coding/decoding a digital data stream coded with bitwise interleaving in multiple transmission and reception for a radio interface, in which the coding includes subjecting an initial digital data stream to an outer coding, an interleaving, a layer demultiplexing on multiple pathways, converting by modulation successive bits of each layer into Qm-ary symbol then transmitting each symbol by means of a transmission antenna of an array of antennas and the decoding includes receiving the digital data stream transmitted on multiple r reception antennas forming an array, subjecting the set of symbols received to an iterative process of equalization and joint multilayer detection, on the basis of an a priori information item, subjecting the first extrinsic information stream obtained to a deinterleaving, subjecting a second extrinsic information stream obtained to an outer decoding and a third extrinsic information stream obtained to an interleaving so as to generate the a priori information item and reinjecting the latter into the process.

More specifically, the method of coding/decoding and the system, which are the subjects of the invention, are more especially adapted to the implementation of high or very high bit rate radiofrequency transmission systems usable within the framework of mobile telephony or, as appropriate, in the field of radiofrequency links between electronic apparatus, in any environment, especially harsh.
In the aforementioned fields of application, the transmission of digital data with a high degree of reliability and security comes up against a major obstacle, that of the transmission of these data by way of a variable transmission channel whose characteristics are not known a priori. The digital data transmitted are subdivided into symbols, consisting of strings of bits of these data, each symbol allowing the modulation of a carrier radio wave transmitted over the channel.
The very strong demand for reliable high bit rate radiofrequency transmission processes has brought about the initiation and execution of numerous research projects relating to the definition and implementation of future-generation TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) mobile radio communication systems.
Radiofrequency transmission channels are known by the fact that they are both frequency selective and time varying. The temporal variation is consequent upon the mobility or the speed of the user or users. Their frequency selectivity results from the conditions of propagation of the radiofrequency signals via multiple paths and the destructive superposition of the signals received, arising from propagations over these various paths. The phenomenon of frequency selectivity brings about a phenomenon of intersymbol interference, prejudicial to the quality of transmission and detection of these symbols upon reception thereof. The phenomenon of intersymbol interference and the complexity of the receivers are substantially heightened with the transmission bit rate.
These specific characteristics of the above-cited radiofrequency transmission channels have always led to the implementation of particularly subtle tailored radiofrequency interfacing systems, all the more so when high bit rate transmission with high spectral efficiency is sought.
Nevertheless, the aforesaid frequency selectivity and temporal variation, regarded a priori as major obstacles, of radiofrequency transmission channels have however been the subject hitherto of investigations, by way of the concept of diversity, as will be explained hereinbelow.
Among the aforesaid projects and developments, the process of coded modulations with bitwise interleavings, also referred to as Bit Interleaved Coded Modulations or BICM, have been known for around ten years.
In general, as described hereinbelow with reference to FIG. 1a, these processes consist in applying to an original digital stream an outer code, Co, followed by an interleaving, π, on the bits of a block of specified length in terms of number of bits, then a GRAY modulation. For a more detailed description of these processes, reference may usefully be made to the article entitled "8-PSK Trellis Codes for a Rayleigh Channel", published by Ephraim ZEHAVI, IEEE Transactions on Communications, vol. 40, No. 5, 1992.
The processes of this type have recently formed the subject of new theoretical or practical studies. Among the aforesaid studies, mention may be made of those published by G. CAIRE, G. TARICCO and E. BIGLIERI entitled "Bit Interleaved Coded Modulation", IEEE Trans. Inform. Theory, vol. 44, No. 3, pp. 927–946, May 1998 and by X. LI and J. A. RITCEY entitled "Trellis-Coded Modulation with Bit-Interleaving and Iterative Decoding", IEEE ISAC, vol. 17, No. 4, pp. 715–725, April 1992.
More recently, the aforesaid studies have been generalized to a system with multiple antennas in transmission and reception.
Such a process, which is more elaborate, corresponds to the illustrative scheme as represented in FIG. 1b in which the demultiplexing on a given number of pathways, after the interleaving process, makes it possible to implement the multiple transmission process, as is represented in the aforesaid figure.
Such a process is essentially implemented for a Rayleigh channel, that is to say for a transmission channel for which the memory effect is almost absent, i.e. in the absence of any intersymbol interference phenomenon.
Such a process cannot therefore easily be implemented in a real environment in which the intersymbol interference phenomenon is always present, in particular within the framework of high or very high bit rate transmissions, the conditions of high or very high bit rate transmission having the effect of greatly increasing the aforesaid intersymbol interference phenomenon, by reason of the aforesaid memory effect. For a more detailed description of the abovementioned process, reference may usefully be made to the article entitled "Bit-Interleaved Coded Modulations for Multiple-Input Multiple Output Channels" published by J. J. BOUTROS, F. BOIXADERA, C. LAMY, IEEE 6th Int. Sum. on Spread Spectrum Tech. & Appli. NSIT New Jersey, USA, Sep. 6-6, 2000, and to the article entitled "Turbo Coded Modulation for Systems with Transmit and Receive Antenna Diversity" published by Andrej STEFANOV, Tolga M. DUMAN, Telecommunications Research Center, Electrical Engineering Department, Arizona State University, Tempe, Ariz. 85287-7206, Global Telecommunications Conference—Globecom 99.
The technique implemented according to the aforesaid process thus has the major drawback of not supporting the frequency selectivity of the elementary transmission channels, from transmission antenna to reception antenna, constituting the global transmission channel. Stated otherwise, the aforesaid technique appears unsuited to the implementation of a correction of the intersymbol interference phenomenon.
An advantageous coding has recently been proposed which implements radiofrequency interfaces, making it possible to guarantee high spectral efficiency, in the publication: "Space-Time Bit-Interleaved Coded Modulation over Frequency Selective Fading Channels with Iterative Decoding", by A. M. TONELLO, GLOBECOM 2000, vol. 3, pages 1616–1620, San Francisco, USA, November 2000. However, the coding/decoding principles stated in this publication, although promising, make provision, on reception, for operations of multilayer detection and intersymbol interference decoding, on the one hand, and of outer decoding, on the other hand, in a disjoint and iterative manner, while making use of optimal algorithms. A decoding system based on such a principle is of great complexity and difficult to implement, in practice.

Method of coding/decoding a digital data stream coded with bitwise interleaving in multiple transmission and reception in the presence of intersymbol interference and corresponding system


A method for local, computer-aided translation using remotely-generated translation predictions includes the step of receiving, by a remote translation memory, at least one portion of a document in a source language for translation into a target language. The remote translation memory determines, prior to receiving a request from a translator for a translation of a second portion of the document, that a translation of the at least one portion is useful in translating the second portion, or in translating a portion of a second document. A local machine receives the translation of the first portion and an identification of the utility of the translation. A translation agent on the local machine generates a translation through reuse of the translation of the first portion of the document, responsive to the received identification of the utility of the translation of the first portion of the document.

In conventional systems for computer-aided translation, a translation-memory application receives a document in one language (referred to as a source document) for translation into a second, target, language. In these systems, the application typically includes a translation memory that stores an enumeration of phrases, terms, sentences, or other segments of text in the source language with a corresponding translation into the target language for each of the enumerated segments of text. Translation-memory applications may analyze text according to stored rules or algorithms to identify the segments of text in the source document for which the translation memory stores a corresponding translation into the target language.
In some systems, a translation-memory application may provide a client application, executing on a machine used by a translator, and a remote translation memory, residing on a remote server. Typical translation memories may store thousands of translations and require a significant amount of time to identify an appropriate translation for a portion of a source document. The perceptible amounts of time required to process and transmit a translation over a network to a translator creates an inconvenience for typical users. However, insufficient network bandwidth or storage capacity on the machine used by the translator may prevent the translation-memory application from transmitting the translation memory directly to the machine used by the translator.
Methods and systems for providing translators with access over a network to remote translation memories without the delay and inconvenience of conventional systems would be desirable.

Methods and systems for local, computer-aided translation using remotely-generated translation predictions