An infrared energy transmissive member for conducting infrared energy from a first end of the infrared energy transmissive member to a second end disposed adjacent an infrared responsive circuit component of an infrared receiver, the member comprising a flexible hollow plastic tube. Preferably, the plastic tube comprises an ester based polyurethane tube and has a malleable rod disposed in the hollow plastic tube to allow the hollow plastic tube to be bent into a claimed configuration. The infrared responsive circuit component may control, e.g., a fluorescent lamp dimming circuit or a window treatment control circuit, thereby allowing remote control of the lamp or window treatment.

The present invention relates to an infrared energy transmissive member and radiation receiver, particularly, an infrared energy transmissive member for conducting infrared energy to an infrared energy responsive circuit component for controlling the operation of an electrical appliance, for example, electrical lighting or electrically controlled window treatments, or other electrical devices, from a remote location via infrared energy.
This application is related to co-pending application Ser. No. 08/585,111 filed Jan. 11, 1996 assigned to the assignee of the present application and entitled "Improved System for Individual and Remote Control of Spaced Lighting Fixtures". That application describes the remote control of lighting fixtures and particularly a system and components therefore for the selective control of overhead lighting fixtures, e.g., fluorescent lamps, by a hand held infrared radiation source. This application represents an improvement to the system described in this co-pending application.
This application is also related to prior application Ser. No. 08/407,696 filed Mar. 21, 1995 entitled "Remote Control System For Individual Control of Spaced Lighting Fixtures" and assigned to the assignee of this application.
Prior known systems for remote control of lighting fixtures are described in detail in the above-noted co-pending applications.
The lighting of spaces by a plurality of spaced gas discharge lamps (for example, fluorescent lamps), or incandescent lamps is well known. Commonly, one or more fluorescent lamps are mounted in a fixture with a ballast, and such fixtures are spaced over a ceiling on four foot or eight foot centers. Similarly, overhead fixtures for incandescent lamps may be mounted on centers greater than about two feet. Such lamp fixtures are commonly connected to a single power source and are simultaneously turned on and off or, if provided with dimming capability, are simultaneously dimmed.
It is also known that such overhead fixtures can be individually controlled or dimmed. For example, in a given office space, one worker may prefer or need more or less light intensity than another worker at a spaced work area. Dimming systems are known for selectively dimming the lamps of different fixtures to suit the needs of individual workers. For example, each fixture can be individually hard wired to its own remotely mounted dimmer. However, the installation of this wiring can be quite costly and the determination of which dimmer controls which fixture may not be immediately obvious to the user of the system.
Alternatively, the dimmers could be located within each fixture and controlled by signals sent over low voltage wiring or through signals transmitted over the line voltage wiring through a power line carrier system. Unfortunately, both of these approaches require expensive interfaces within each fixture to translate and/or decode the received signals for control of the dimmer.
In another known system, a dimmer with a dimming adjustment control is provided at each fixture, and that control is manually operated, for example, by rotating the control with a rigid pole long enough to reach the fixture. In this way, each fixture can be selectively adjusted. However, this system is inconvenient to use and, once the fixture intensity is set, it is difficult or inconvenient to readjust. Moreover, it is difficult to retrofit an existing installation with a control system of this nature.
A known fluorescent controller system is also sold by Colortran Inc. of Burbank, Calif., termed a "sector fluorescent controller" in which an infrared receiver is mounted at a location spaced from its respective fluorescent lamp fixture. Thus, the receiver is fixed to a T-bar, on the wall, on a louver or is counter-sunk flush with wall or ceiling. A ballast controller may be mounted in the lighting fixture, in addition to a conventional dimming ballast. Wiring is then run from the external infrared receiver into the interior of the fixture to the ballast controller. A hand-held remote control infrared transmitter illuminates the infrared receiver at one or more fixtures to control their dimming level.
The need to run wiring from the external sensor complicates the installation of such devices. Further, since the sensor may be spaced from the fixture, it requires separate installation, and is visible to view. Moreover, the infrared transmitter of the Colortran device has a transmitting angle of 30.degree.. Therefore, several receivers can be illuminated simultaneously, making selection of control of only one fixture difficult unless the user places himself in a precise location within the room under the fixture to be controlled.
A similar system is sold by the Silvertown Hitech Corporation, where the infrared receiver is mounted to the louvers of a fluorescent fixture. In this system, the infrared receiver is specifically adapted to be mounted to a specific fluorescent fixture, and it tends to block light output from the fixture and also makes lamp replacement more difficult.
A further system is sold by Matsushita wherein a single transmitter can be used for independent control of two or more different receivers. This is achieved by adjusting a switch on the transmitter to correspond to a switch setting which has been previously set at the receiver corresponding to the fixture desired to be controlled. For example, fixture A could be controlled when the switch is in position 1 and fixture B could be controlled when the switch is in position 2. In this system, the user must remember which fixture corresponds to which switch position, i.e., A corresponds to 1 and B corresponds to 2.
It is easy for the user to forget and become confused, particularly when there are three or four fixtures controlled by three or four switch positions. This is an undesirable situation. Further, there is a practical limitation on the number of switch positions which can be provided and the number of fixtures in a large room will exceed this. Additionally, there is a great deal of work in programming and reprogramming the receivers for a large number, for example, 20 fixtures.
In comparison, in the system of the invention of co-pending application Ser. No. 08/407,696, the transmitter is simply pointed at the receiver in the fixture which it is desired to control. This is simple, unambiguous and transparently ergonomic. Further, it does not require any preprogramming or reprogramming of the receivers.
It is also known to use an infrared transmitter for the control of a wall box mounted dimmer, such as the "Grafik Eye" Preset Dimming Control sold by Lutron Electronics Co., Inc., the assignee of the present invention. Also see U.S. Pat. No. 5,191,265 which describes such transmitters. The Grafik Eye Dimmer Control system provides for the remote control of fixtures and other lamps by a control circuit located at the wall box which controls those fixtures and lamps. An infrared transmitter aimed at the wall box housing produces a beam which contains information to turn on and off and to set the light dimming level of the fixtures being controlled to one of a plurality of preset levels, or to continuously increase or decrease the light level. Other similar systems are sold by Lutron Electronics Co., Inc. under the trademark RanaX-Wireless Dimming Control System and Spacer Personal space light control. Such systems are not intended to control individual ceiling fixtures in a room independently of other closely spaced fixtures (those fixtures spaced up to about two feet apart).
The invention of co-pending application Ser. No. 08/407,696 solved the problems referred to above. Thus, in accordance with that invention, each fixture to be controlled has a radiation receiver and ballast control circuit mounted in the interior of the fixture housing and is wired internally of the fixture housing to a dimming ballast, in the case of a fluorescent fixture. In the case of an incandescent fixture, each light to be controlled has a radiation receiver and dimmer, which is connected to the lamp to be controlled. A small opening in the fixture housing allows optical communication with the radiation receiver and is easily illuminated from substantially any location in the room containing the fixtures. A narrow beam radiation transmitter with a beam angle, for example, of about 8.degree. is employed to illuminate the radiation-receiving opening in the fixture without illuminating the fixtures spaced greater than about two feet from the fixture to be controlled. For rooms about thirty feet by thirty feet in area and ten feet high, fixtures two feet apart can be easily discriminated between one another. For larger spaces, the user can reposition himself to discriminate between closely spaced fixtures.
The receiver of the above co-pending application contains a printed circuit board mounted in an area of a typical fixture box. A radiation sensor is mounted on the printed circuit board and faces an open side of the box which is covered by a yoke. The radiation employed is preferably infrared light and the yoke has an infrared transparent portion to allow infrared radiation to reach the radiation sensor. Narrowly focused, high frequency ultrasound could also be employed.
In addition, a laser beam with information encoded on it in known manner could be used, with the laser beam being spread by optical means such as a divergent lens. In the case of a visible beam, this would produce a beam like a flashlight pointer which would aid in pointing the transmitter at the receiver.
Finally, narrowly focused radio frequency waves could be used. These could be emitted from a parabolic reflector on the transmitter, using a parabolic reflector of approximately 4.3 cm in diameter and a frequency of 60 GHz. The beam spread would be approximately 8.degree.. The opening used for optical signals would, of course, be modified if radio frequency waves are used.
To install the receiver structure of application Ser. No. 08/407,696, a mounting structure is provided whereby a plastic hook or loop type fastener surface is fixed to the yoke and the cooperating hook or loop type surface is attached to the interior of the fixture, preferably on the wire way cover within the fixture. All wires can then be interconnected within the fixture wire-way. An opening is formed in the wire-way cover of the fixture and optically communicates with the radiation receiver within the receiver housing. The receiver housing is easily located within the wire-way housing to communicate with the opening in the wire-way cover and is then pressed in place. An optical lens insert can be installed in the yoke to assist in focusing input radiation on the radiation receiver sensing element. This lens insert can be interchangeable and different lens inserts can be designed to have different angles of acceptance of input radiation.
The lens protrudes slightly through an opening in the fixture housing to receive infrared radiation from the transmitter. The transmitter is an infrared transmitter of the type employed in the Lutron Grafik Eye system previously identified for use with wall box dimmer systems. The Grafik Eye transmitter is an infrared transmitter which can transmit twelve different code combinations. The transmitter is operable to transmit a beam angle of about 8.degree. and can, therefore, selectively illuminate relatively closely spaced ceiling fixtures. Depending on the code received, a selected fixture can be dimmed to one of a plurality of preset dim conditions, or can be dimmed continuously up or down. Thus, the transmitter can accomplish raise/lower, presets, low/high end trim and the like. Alternatively, a transmitter with a movable slide or rotary actuator could be used to provide continuous dimming control.
This structure has a major advantage in retrofitting an existing installation. Thus, it is only necessary to drill a small opening in the wire-way cover, and mount an infrared receiver/ballast controller to the wire-way cover in line with the opening within the wire-way cover. Light dimming ballasts are then mounted within the fixture wire-way and are interconnected with the receiver/ballast controller within the fixture wire-way without need for external wiring. The wire-way cover with receiver/ballast controller attached is then reinstalled in the fixture.
The previously described invention of application Ser. No. 08/407,696 is also disclosed for use with a large variety of existing fixtures and can also be used with external switches and dimming circuits. Photocells, occupancy sensors, time clocks, central relay panels and other inputs can also be used with the system. Furthermore, that invention made it possible for a single receiver to operate any desired number of ballasts.
The primary application of the invention of application Ser. No. 08/407,696 is in large open plan office areas illuminated by overhead fluorescent fixtures, particularly where video display units (e.g., personal computers) are used. However, that invention also has applications in areas which are used for audio visual presentations, in hospitals and elder care facilities, in manufacturing areas and in control rooms, the control of security lighting, either indoor or outdoor, and to reduce lighting levels for energy conservation.
A further application of the prior invention is in-wet or damp locations where normal wall controls cannot be used due to the danger of electric shock or in areas with hazardous atmospheres where there is a danger of explosion if a line voltage wall control is operated and causes a spark. In these cases, the receiver can be located in a protected fixture and the lights controlled by the low voltage hand-held remote control transmitter.
The prior invention was described with respect to the control of light levels. However, the output from the receiver could be adapted in known manner to control motor speed and/or position such as the position of the motors in window shade control systems. The output from the receiver could further be adapted to control other types of actuators such as solenoids.
The above-described invention of application Ser. No. 08/407,696 performs very well. However, it has been found that the system was directionally sensitive due to shadowing and unpredictable reflections of the radiation by the light fixture baffle or lens. It was also found that the system was sensitive to sources of infrared radiation other than the infrared signal of the remote transmitter, and further, that the system was slow in responding to a valid infrared signal from the transmitter because the receiver was waiting for a signal while in an "insensitive" state.
A further problem with the system of application Ser. No. 08/407,696 was that an expensive fiber optic cable was required when the end of the infrared receiver was removed some distance, for example, up to 24 inches from the infrared receiver housing.
Prior co-pending application Ser. No. 08/585,111 described above, addressed these issues. In that application, a radiation receiver is described extending from a housing enclosing a radiation responsive circuit. The receiver comprises an elongated radiation conductor having a length which is sufficiently elongated and that extends from a housing for an infrared responsive control circuit for the electrical lighting fixture to a free end which is flush with or penetrates beyond the plane of the fixture reflective surface or lens cover. The free end is disposed so as to receive the control infrared radiation and the conductor conducts it to the receiver to effectuate control.
The radiation receiver described therein may take various forms including a thin rigid molded plastic such as an acrylic or polycarbonate radiation conductive rod. In another embodiment, the radiation receiver may have a portion thereof covered with an infrared shielding material or structure which blocks lamp infrared and thus improves the signal to noise ratio, thus giving greater reception range.
In addition, in prior art systems it is known to use conventional but expensive fiber optical cables as light pipes to conduct infrared energy from a receiving end of the light pipe to an infrared responsive circuit component which controls the lighting fixture.
Also described in the above co-pending application Ser. No. 08/585,111 is the use of an inexpensive elongated "end light" fiber optics conductor.
In another embodiment described in the above co-pending application, the infrared receiving conductor comprises a flexible end light fiber optics conductor and in particular, a gel core surrounded by a light reflecting layer and by an outermost ultraviolet opaque layer.
In another embodiment, the radiation receiving elongated conductor is a semi-rigid optical structure that can be bent by hand to place the free end at any desired location for best reception of an infrared signal. It includes a semi-flexible wire which is positioned under a shielding but externally of the infrared energy transmissive conductor. The wire is semi-flexible and the entire assembly including the shield and the infrared transmissive conductor can be bent to any desired shape by hand. The assembly is still rigid enough that when the bending force is removed, the assembly is self supporting and retains the desired shape in the manner of a pipe cleaner.
In another embodiment of the light transmissive member described in the above co-pending application the infrared transmissive structure comprises a semi-rigid optical structure made of, for example, an acrylic plastic wherein the polymerization process has been shortened to allow the conductor to be flexible and also to maintain a given shape without the need for a semi-flexible wire around the periphery thereof.
Also described in application Ser. No. 08/585,111 is a method of decreasing the sensitivity of the infrared receiving circuit to noise infrared energy emitted by the controlled lighting fixtures themselves which may interfere with the control of the lamps by the control infrared energy.
The infrared transmissive conductors of the above-identified co-pending application Ser. No. 08/585,111 are acceptable and work well. However, it has been found that even more simplified and more efficient infrared energy transmitting members can be devised. Further, improvements in the range at which the infrared energy responsive control circuits can operate from the source of infrared energy are also desirable.

Infrared energy transmissive member and radiation receiver


A conformable catheter comprising a catheter handle, an elongated catheter tube, and a distal tip portion of the catheter tube, capable of assuming a desired pre-programmed shape. A wire member is disposed within the core of the catheter's tip portion and is formed of a material, such as, for example, a shape-memory binary nickel-titanium alloy, that will assume a pre-programmed shape after pre-shaping, heat treatment, cooling and subsequent heating. To pre-program the shape of the wire member, prior to assembly of the catheter, the wire member is wound around a shaped, heat resistant fixture, heated until the temperature of the wire member exceeds the temperature at which the shape of the wire member on the fixture becomes programmed into the wire member, and cooled. Upon subsequent heating of the wire member above its activation temperature after inclusion of the wire member into the catheter tubing, such as by controllably connecting the wire member to an electrical power source, the wire member, and thus the catheter's tip portion, assumes the pre-programmed curved or bent shape from its normally straight, generally linear disposition.

Catheters have been in common use in medical practice for many years. They are often used, for example, to probe locations inside a body of a patient which are otherwise unreachable without surgery. A catheter is first inserted into a vein, artery, or other structure or region of the body of the patient. The catheter is then guided to the area of concern by further inserting it into the patient's body. As medical knowledge increases, more uses of catheters have been developed and these uses have become more complex so that the ability to accurately and selectively steer and control the positioning and shape of the distal portion of the catheter has become of extreme importance. For example, there is a need to use steerable catheters to supply or remove fluids or cells to or from various internal tissues of the patient and to apply or sense electrical signals to or from such tissues. Administered fluids may, for example, be in the form of a liquid, suspension or gel containing a drug or other chemical used, for example, to treat or anesthetize the tissue.
In order to place the tip of the catheter in the correct location and position, it is often necessary or highly desirable to variously curve the catheter so that its distal portion will travel into the proper anatomical region or cavity as the catheter is inserted into the patient, or so that its distal portion conforms to the shape of the anatomical cavity so that the catheter's distal portion contacts the tissues of interest. After the distal portion has been so curved, it is also often desirable to rotate the catheter while maintaining the curvature of the distal region so that the intended portion of the catheter can then approach and/or contact the tissues of interest. It is also important that the catheter be able to make firm contact with the tissue of interest to facilitate reliable transmission or sensing of an electrical current to or from the tissue and/or reliable application or removal of fluid by the catheter.
A catheter which addresses some of the above problems is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,190,050, the entire disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein. In the catheter disclosed therein, the distal portion easily and reliably bends or twists in an angular orientation or curve that is selectively controllable. The distal end of the catheter is hollow and has at least two flat planar rigid juxtaposed shims mounted therein. The distal ends of the shims are attached to one another while the proximal end of at least one of the shims is attached to a pull cable and ultimately to the catheter handle. When a doctor or other user manipulates the catheter handle so that the catheter translates distally with respect to the handle, one of the shims follows the distal translation while the other shim retains its longitudinal distance from the handle causing the other shim and the associated distal portion of the catheter to longitudinally bend. Because of the planar shape of the shims and their rigidity, the bending of the distal portion of the catheter is always identical in direction, although varying in degree proportionally to the magnitude of the manipulation of the catheter handle, and is in a single plane of movement. The distal portion of the catheter can also optionally carry contact electrodes to transmit electrical pulses to or from tissue of the patient's body or can be made to pump fluids into or out of the body of the patient. Although the catheter disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,190,050 is reliable, completely functional and useful for many applications, it is not able to assume a shape having a curvature in more than one plane.
There are certain internal passages or chambers in the body which are not easily accessible to a catheter that can bend in only one plane. In the heart, for example, when it is desired to apply electrical pulses to, detect electrical signals from, or to introduce or extract fluids to or from the mitral or tricuspid valve annulus, the tip of a catheter must be curved in two planes in order to properly contact the desired tissue. When the steerable catheter disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,190,050 is used for this particular application, a doctor typically introduces the tip of the catheter into the heart's atrium and adjusts the catheter's handle to cause the tip to deflect in its single plane of deflection. The distal portion of the catheter's tip is then manipulated, either by rotation, by further insertion, or by a combination of both so that it contacts and is wedged against certain tissues and/or tissue walls within the heart. As a result, a proximal portion of the tip of the catheter, which does not contain the sandwiched juxtaposed rigid shims, is caused through such contact or abutment with tissue walls to assume a curve or bend in a plane that is different from the deflection plane of the distal end of the catheter's tip. As a result of this double twist in the catheter's tip, the catheter can then be further inserted so that it enters the mitral or tricuspid valve annulus. The second twist in the tip of the catheter, however, is not fixed or locked, is not readily controllable or selectively attainable, and is not pre-programmed into the catheter. As a consequence, the catheter tip manipulations needed to attain the desired catheter tip shape require substantial experience and skill.
The multiform twistable tip deflectable catheter disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,358,479, the entire disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein, employs a single shim with at least one transverse or lateral twist which enables the tip of the catheter tube to assume a lockable pre-programed curvature in more than one plane. Although this catheter is also reliable, completely functional and useful for many applications, its twisted shim design places some limit on the particular shapes that the catheter tip can assume.


An exemplary method for providing recommendations to improve boot performance based on community data is disclosed. In one embodiment, such a method may comprise: 1) identifying at least one startup item on a computing device that is scheduled to run at boot time, 2) requesting startup-recommendation information for the startup item from a server, 3) receiving the startup-recommendation information for the startup item from the server, the startup-recommendation information being based on data gathered from a community of users, and then 4) presenting the startup-recommendation information for the startup item to a user. Corresponding systems and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

The amount of time required to boot a computing device depends, to a large degree, on the number of startup items (such as startup applications and automatic services) in the boot sequence of the computing device. Some conventional startup manager programs attempt to improve the boot performance of a computing device by presenting, and then allowing a user to disable, startup items in the boot sequence of the computing device. However, conventional startup manager programs fail to provide any guidance on which startup items the user should disable. As such, the instant disclosure identifies a need for systems and methods for obtaining and then presenting information to a user that may be helpful in determining whether to remove a startup item from a computing device's boot sequence.

Systems and methods for providing recommendations to improve boot performance based on community data


The invention provides a method for synthesizing platinum nanoparticles incorporated on silica. The method includes immobilizing dithiocarbamate functional group on a surface of the silica to form dithiocarbamate-silica. The method includes treating the dithiocarbamate-silica with platinic acid to form Platinum (II) [Pt (II)] dithiocarbamate complex on the silica and thereafter, reducing the Pt (II) dithiocarbamate complex.

Platinum metal and other noble metals such as, but not limited to, palladium or gold is used as an electro-catalyst to speed up an electrochemical process of interest. Generally, the platinum or other noble metals used in electro-catalytic applications are required to be in finely dispersed form as catalytic activities are critically tied to particle size of the catalyst. The platinum metal and other noble metals are expensive and therefore, there is a necessity to optimize the amount of such metals when used in the electro-catalytic applications. To obtain efficient metal nanoparticle catalyst, there is a necessity to have a highest possible degree of metal dispersion and smaller particle size particularly for expensive noble metals such as platinum. Various conventional methods such as, but not limited to, a wet impregnation, an ion exchanging and a chemical surface modification are used to prepare metal nanoparticle catalysts. The particle size of the metal nanoparticle catalysts prepared using the conventional methods may not satisfy the requirement of high degree of metal dispersion and smaller particle size.
Thus, there is a need to develop an improved method for synthesizing platinum nanoparticles.

Method for synthesizing platinum nanoparticles incorporated on silica

King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST)


Monitoring of boot progress for a multiprocessor information handling system is performed with a test module running on a CPLD. RAM integrated in the CPLD stores boot progress information passed through an I/O buffer located between the processors and the firmware that boots the processors. Downloading of the boot progress from the RAM to an external device, such as through a serial port, provides a processor trace that is analysis and debugging of the firmware by recording processor operations through the boot progress.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to the field of information handling system CPU performance analysis, and more particularly to a system and method for analyzing CPU performance from a serial link front side bus.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Information handling systems that manage complex tasks, such as servers, are often configured with multiple central processing units (CPUs) that cooperate to process information. Firmware loaded on a chipset within the information handling system coordinates power-up of the CPUs to load and run one or more operating systems so that the CPUs share resources loaded on the information handling system, such as memory using Non-uniform Memory Access (NUMA). During the design of NUMA multi-processor systems, engineers attempt to confirm that firmware has correctly brought the processors to an operational state by tracing the performance of firmware instructions by the processors. For example, with some systems engineers interface external equipment to the front side bus (FSB) of the CPUs to read analog signals output at the FSB. However, NUMA multi-processor systems communicate along the FSB using a serial link, such as the Hyper Transport (HT) link. Design of a CPU bus protocol analyzer that interfaces with a planar presents a complex and expensive task and, especially with multi-processor socket systems, does not offer a helpful tool for the development and debugging of firmware and hardware. For example, full speed operation of the CPUs may not be available with such an analyzer.
One difficulty with debugging multi-processor information handling systems is that some chipset settings require a system reset to take effect. Since all processors generally execute the same code path after a system reset, identifying a processor associated with a fault is particularly difficult where the fault occurs before system memory is fully configured. Available hardware tools, such as In-Circuit Emulator (ICE) available from America Arium, provide some assistance with firmware code development and debugging capability, however, such tools typically lack a processor trace capability. The lack of a processor trace capability makes identification of a fault difficult since the fault can arise from any one of plural processors that are running the same code.

System and method for analyzing CPU performance from a serial link front side bus


The restoration of a band-limited signal which has undergone amplitude clipping is viewed as recovery from signal drop-outs (missing samples over an interval of time), with the extrapolated signal constrained to lie outside the clipping interval during the drop out. If the signal is oversampled, and the clipping threshold moderate, a unique reconstruction may result from application of signal matching and bandwidth constraints. More generally, however, candidate reconstructions are seen to lie on or inside a polyhedron in the space of sampled signals. In contrast to the case of extrapolation through missing samples, upper and lower limits typically can be placed on the reconstructed signal at every sample point. In light of this finding, methods for choosing a unique reconstruction are achieved. The use of inequality constraints allows practical restoration of clipped signals.

1. Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates generally to restoration of a band-limited signal by signal processing techniques. More particularly, it relates to a system and method for such signal restoration that utilizes inequality constraints in order to restore the signals more accurately.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
Signal interpolation and extrapolation arise in many signal processing applications. The basic problem is to construct unknown signal samples from known samples, using the fact that the signal is band-limited, plus perhaps other information. Example applications include recovering from drop-outs in a digital audio tape, signal reconstruction after nonlinear removal of impulsive noise, and signal inference from incomplete measurements.
A sizeable literature exists on the topics of interpolation and extrapolation. When the known samples of the signal are uniform and sufficiently dense in time that the sample spacing is less than half the period of the highest frequency in the signal, band-limited interpolation provides a unique reconstruction for all time. Band-limited interpolation can be seen as replacing the known samples by a superposition of sinc functions each having spectral width equal to the signal bandwidth.
When the Nyquist sampling theorem is violated, it becomes necessary to use extrapolation techniques. Because every finite-bandwidth signal is analytic, a band-limited signal can be extrapolated for all time from any open set. The extrapolation is simply a Taylor series expansion about any point in the set. However, incompletely sampled signals cannot be so extrapolated. Extrapolation over missing, nonzero samples requires more information than the signal band limits.
A large number of extrapolation techniques construct the unique minimum norm signal which interpolates the known samples and satisfies the band-limited condition. Usually the L.sub.2 norm is minimized, yielding a minimum energy extrapolation. Minimum-norm extrapolation of lowpass signals provides a reconstruction very similar to that obtained using band-limited interpolation where zeros have been inserted for the missing samples; i.e., the extrapolation tends to go to zero after an interval approximately equal to the reciprocal of the assumed signal bandwidth. This seems reasonable when the extrapolation is viewed as a superposition of sinc functions corresponding to the signal bandwidth, along with a second-order correction that adjusts the sinc function heights so as to precisely match the known samples.
Some extrapolation techniques have been devised to make use of other a priori knowledge besides bandwidth. For example, weighting functions can be introduced in both the time and frequency domains to alter the relative strength of norm minimization versus time and frequency. Linear prediction has also been used to extrapolate the signal on the basis of correlation information measured using the available samples. In general, any known properties of the signal can help to improve the quality of its restoration from an incomplete set of samples.

System and method for restoring a clipped signal

The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University


A system of securing communications, comprising a plurality of computer peripheral resources, a beacon in signal communication with and located proximate each computer peripheral resource and configured to communicate using RF signals and ultrasound signals, and a portable device configured to request a listing of the computer peripheral resources using wireless network communication and to guide a user to a selected one of the computer peripheral resources using the RF and the ultrasound signals by way of the corresponding beacon, the portable device and the selected computer peripheral resource being configured to exchange encryption keys validated using signals from the beacon and to communicate with each other using encrypted network communication. Also provided is a communication system, comprising first and second portable devices respectively configured to use RF signals and ultrasound signals and to exchange encryption keys and to communicate with each other using encrypted network communication.

Relatively small and portable microprocessor-based electronic devices have become commonplace. One general type of such device is referred to as a personal digital assistant (PDA). As personal digital assistants have become more robust, people have increased their dependence upon them to carry out numerous personal and business tasks. Typical personal digital assistant applications include: Internet browsing; e-mail correspondence; electronic document editing; time management; etc.
In response, some businesses have added services and resources that cater to personal digital assistant users, including personal digital assistant-accessible printers; use of hubs coupled to the Internet; use of local networks by which users may transfer documents and information between different personal digital assistant devices; etc. A number of such businesses also provide food and beverage service in a lounge-like environment, in an attempt to attract certain groups of personal digital assistant users, particularly business travelers. Businesses of this type are commonly referred to as cyber cafés.
Often, users want their personal digital assistant to communicate with another device (for example, a printer or another user's portable device) in a place such as a cyber café. After identifying and establishing trust in the other device, such users require secure assurance that their personal device is communicating securely with that device (and not some other device).
When a personal digital assistant user enters a place such as a cyber café for the first time (for example, in an airport or unfamiliar city), they may be unaware of the range of personal digital assistant-accessible services that are available. Furthermore, the location of personal digital assistant-accessible resources within the café may be unknown. This can result in wasted time and frustration; especially, for example, if a business-critical document must be printed or an e-mail response to a business proposal needs to be sent quickly.

System and method for secure communication between electronic devices

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A flash memory device includes a plurality of banks having a memory cell array and a row and column decoder, a system for classifying an input address into a read address and a write address depending on read or write operation, a first selecting system for enabling one of the plurality of the banks depending on the bank address allocated to the input address and the read address to perform the read operation, a second selecting system for enabling one of the plurality of the banks depending on the bank address allocated to the input address and the write address to perform the write operation, a sense amplifier for sensing data of the bank to compare them with data of a reference cell, and a pumping system for supplying a given bias to the bank.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to a flash memory device of a multi-bank structure, and more particularly to, a flash memory device of a multi-bank structure capable of allowing a dual operation without increasing the area of the multi-bank structure of more than 2-bank, by discriminating a read address and a write address depending respective operations and determining the banks depending on the bank address allocated in an input address.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In order to implement higher-speed and higher-integration semiconductor memory devices, a plurality of memory cell arrays are constituted in a plurality of blocks and the plurality of blocks are arranged in a row and column direction to form a single bank. Generally, a single bank includes a memory cell array, a raw and column decoder and a pass gate.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a conventional 2-bank flash memory device far implementing a dual operation. The structure and operation of the 2-bank flash memory device will be below explained.
An address latch means 102 that receives an address ADDR buffered in an address buffer 101, outputs a first bank address BANK1 ADDR and a second bank address BANK2 ADDR. A first bank row decoder 103 and a first bank column decoder 104 both constituting a first bank 10 selects a first bank memory cell array 107 and a first pass gate 108 depending on the first bank address BANK1 ADDR from the address latch means 102 to select a given cell of the first bank memory cell array 107. Meanwhile, a second bank row decoder 105 and a first bank column decoder 106 both constituting a second bank 20 selects a second bank memory cell array 110 and a second pass gate 111 depending on the second bank address BANK2 ADDR from the address latch means 102 to select a given cell of the second bank memory cell array 110. A first sense amplifier 109 senses the selected cell of the first bank memory cell array 107 to output its result, and a second sense amplifier 112 senses the selected cell of the second bank memory cell array 110 to output its result. The output results of the first and second sense amplifiers 109 and 112, are outputted outside through a data latch means 113 and an input/output buffer 114.
As above, the reason that the first and second bank addresses BANK1 ADDR and BANK2 ADDR are divided is to implement a dual operation far allowing the first bank 10 and the second bank 20 to perform separate operations. In other words, that is because an address for discriminating that the second bank 20 performs a read operation while the first bank 10 performs a write operation is necessary.
Therefore, in order to implement a dual operation in a multi-bank of more than 2-bank constructed above, an address bus line is increased by the number of the bank since the number of address is required as much as the number of the bank. For example, assuming that the number of address is twenties (20), forties (40) number of address bus lines is required in the 2-bank but if it is 4-bank, eighties (80) number of address bus lines are required.
The present invention is contrived to solve the above problem and an object of the present invention is therefore to provide a flash memory device of a multi-bank structure capable of improving .the performance of devices by effectively constructing a dual operation without increasing the area of the multi-bank of more than 2-bank.
Another object of the preset invention is to a multi-bank semiconductor memory device for allowing a dual operation, by discriminating a read address and a write address depending respective operations and determining the banks depending on the bank address allocated in an input address.
In order to accomplish the above object, a semiconductor memory device of a multi-bank structure according to the present invention is characterized in that it comprises a plurality of banks having a memory cell array and a row and column decoder; a means for classifying an input address into a read address and a write address depending on read or write operation; a first selecting means for enabling one of the plurality of the banks depending on the bank address allocated to the input address and the read address to perform the read operation; a second selecting means for enabling one of the plurality of the banks depending on the bank address allocated to the input address and the write address to perform the write operation; a sense amplifier for sensing data of the bank to compare them with data of a reference cell; and a pumping means for supplying a given bias to the bank.
Also, the semiconductor memory device of a multi-bank structure further includes a first switching means connected between the plurality of the banks and the sense amplifier and driven depending on a control signal of the first selecting means.

Flash memory device having a multi-bank structure


A self-calibrating oscillator that increases the output frequency accuracy without using a charge pump includes an oscillation circuit, a pulse counter, a charging circuit, a reset circuit, a calibration circuit, and a timing control unit. The pulse counter counts a pulse signal having frequency f0 from the oscillation circuit based on a count start signal provided from the timing control unit, while providing an output signal to the charging circuit. The charging circuit connects a constant current source and capacitor when provided with the output signal to raise the voltage at the connection node. The calibration circuit provides the oscillation circuit with a calibration value for increasing the frequency if the voltage when the output of the output signal ends is higher than a high potential reference voltage and provides a calibration value for lowering the frequency if this voltage is lower than a low potential reference voltage.

The present invention relates to a self-calibrating oscillator for automatically calibrating output frequency.
Resistance-capacitance (RC) oscillators are widely used in semiconductor products. This is because an RC oscillator is an inexpensive clock source and because various frequencies can be generated by varying the resistance and capacitance. However, a delay that occurs in the circuits of the oscillator may affect the oscillation frequency. The delay time is dependent on the power supply voltage, the environmental temperature, the manufacturing process, and the like. Thus, in practice, an RC oscillator is limited to low-frequency and low-accuracy applications.
Accordingly, an RC oscillator that generates oscillations with high accuracy has been developed (for example, refer to U.S. Pat. No. 5,594,388, page 1). The oscillator described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,594,388 uses a resistor and a capacitor, and has a time constant determined by the resistance and the capacitance. This oscillator differs from the conventional oscillators in that the RC circuit is not used for frequency generation. Instead, the RC time constant is compared to a period obtained from a frequency generated by another oscillation circuit so that self-calibration of the frequency of the entire RC oscillation circuit is performed in accordance with the comparison result.
The oscillator described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,594,388, however, needs a charge pump to generate a voltage signal for calibrating the oscillating frequency. In addition, the oscillator constantly self-calibrates the frequency and thus continuously consumes power.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a self-calibrating oscillator that efficiently increases the accuracy of an output frequency.


Techniques for forming metal catalyst particles on a metal tip, and nanostructures on a metal tip are provided.

Recently, considerable research has been conducted regarding carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and CNT applications. One of the applications involves applying the CNTs to an electron emitter of a field emission device (FED). Typically, the FED applies an external electric field to a surface of the electron emitter so that electrons on the surface are emitted outward using quantum-mechanical tunneling. CNTs possess good conductivity, a good field enhancement effect, a lower work function than that of metal and good field emission properties. In addition, CNTs possess good chemical resistance properties and good mechanical strength, thus allowing for the manufacture of durable electron emitters.
A method of forming CNTs using Fe and Mo or Fe metal particles as catalysts by a thermal chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method is discussed in Chem. Phys. Lett. 292, 567 (1988) by J. Kong et al and in Chem. Phys. 296, 195 (1998) by J. Hafner et al. More recently, research on a method of forming CNTs on a cathode using various metal catalysts has been conducted. For example, a method of forming multi-walled CNTs on a tungsten tip using a nickel catalyst by a plasma-enhancement CVD method is described by S. H. Heo et al in Applied Phys. Lett. 90, 183109 (2007).
To use CNTs as a field emitter of the FED, it is necessary to form the CNTs around an apex of a cathode where an electric field is concentrated in order for the field emitter to be electrically reliable. Thus, the catalyst particles need to be formed around the apex of the cathode. One drawback is that, at present it is difficult to reliably control the catalyst particles.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A failure detection method executed by a system having a plurality of nodes and detecting failures at an information processing device base on a plurality of types of messages output by the information processing device, the method includes collecting messages belonging to a first set, which is a part of the plurality of types, at a first node; collecting messages belonging to a second set different from the first set, which is a part of the plurality of types, at a second node; generating first failure candidate information based on messages of the type belonging to the first set, collected at the first node; generating second failure candidate information based on messages of the type belonging to the second set, collected at the second node; and detecting failure at the information processing device, based on the first failure candidate information and the second failure candidate information.

Currently, information processing systems where multiple information processing devices are coupled via a network are in use. With information processing system, operation motoring of hardware and software in devices included in the system may be performed. Performing operation motoring enables failure occurring at one of the devices to be detected at an early stage.
Various ways of detecting failure have been conceived. For example, a certain pattern may be detected from multiple types of messages output from information processing devices, and failure corresponding to the pattern may be detected. Specifically, there are methods for detecting a pattern which is different from a normal message pattern, and for detecting an abnormal message pattern.
With the case of the former, a proposal has been made regarding a discrete system, where messages of a pattern different from that generated when the discrete system is being operated normally are detected as an abnormality, thereby accurately detecting an abnormality which has to be dealt with out of a great number of messages.
With the case of the latter, a proposal has been made to generate a failure pattern message based on log messages which components of the information processing system have output, taking into consideration the degree of correlation between the components.
Also, there has been made a proposal to prepare multiple determination rules for determining system failures (for compete match determination and for partial match determination), so that even in the event that compete match determination conditions are not totally satisfied, a list of failure cause candidates can be displayed using the partial match determination conditions.
Further, there has been made a proposal regarding a diagnosis method for calculator system hardware and the like, where a series of diagnosis processing is divided into several processes, and diagnosis is performed using multiple diagnosis modules which independently perform the divided processes.
Examples of related art include Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2006-318071, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2011-170802, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2010-182044, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 9-22368, and so forth.

Failure detection method and failure detection system


The present invention provides a robotic dispensing apparatus comprising a gear pump operably coupled to a rotatable element positioned along the sixth axis of a multi-axis robot such that the gear pump is driven by the multi-axis robot. In one embodiment of the present invention, a sixth axis motor of the multi-axis robot drives the rotatable element and a dispense valve communicates with the gear pump for receiving and dispensing viscous material from the gear pump. Preferably, a flexible coupling interconnects the gear pump and the rotatable element and a manifold and piping system cooperate to deliver the viscous material pumped by the gear pump to the dispense valve.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to robotic dispensing systems and more particularly to a gear pump dispenser integrated with a robotic assembly for robotic dispensing of a viscous material.
2. Discussion
The use of robots to implement numerous manufacturing processes has increased dramatically in the last decade. Robots now perform various manufacturing operations such as dispensing, deburring, grinding, polishing, painting, finish coating, cutting, welding, and others. A well-adjusted robot enables enhanced control and repeatability of the manufacturing process.
In one robotically implemented manufacturing process, structural components are secured together using a viscous adhesive applied by an automated robotic system. Materials such as PVC based sealants and adhesives, heat cure epoxies, two-component epoxies and others are typical of viscous materials commonly applied through use of robotic systems. Commonly, a gear pump is utilized to pump the viscous material to a dispense valve from which it is emitted.
Robotic dispensing systems generally dispense a bead of the viscous material along a perimeter or other desired pathway of the structural member. Often, the adhesive bead is dispensed such that it maintains a desired shape over the entire pathway along the application area. To accomplish this, the robotic system is configured to rotate the dispensing valve as the dispensing proceeds so that the orientation of the valve with respect to the structural member is controlled. Therefore, the dispensing orifice of the valve, which is usually shaped to emit the material in its predetermined form, dispenses the shaped bead of material in a proper orientation.
In other applications, however, the desired shape of the adhesive bead is symmetrical, i.e., cylindrical or round. Therefore, the orientation of the dispensing valve with respect to the structural member is largely unconstrained. In other words, there is no requirement for the dispensing valve to be rotated as it tracks along the application surface.
Conventional robotic dispensing systems use one dispensing configuration for emitting either a symmetrical bead or a shaped bead. In this configuration, the dispense valve is mounted to the end of a positionable arm along an axis of rotation. The gear pump is often mounted on the shoulder of a robot and utilizes a separate motor, controller, and reduction gear to operate. A whip hose or other conduit interconnects the shoulder mounted gear pump and the dispense valve.
Until recently, this axis of rotation, commonly known in the art as the sixth axis, was limited to rotating only 360.degree. in a first direction or 360.degree. in a second direction. However, advancements in robotic systems have increased the rotation of the sixth axis. The sixth axis is now able to rotate in a first or second direction perpetually.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a dispensing system utilizing the perpetual rotation of the sixth axis to drive a gear pump such that the complexity and cost of prior systems is reduced. Additionally, it is an object of the present invention to provide a dispensing system eliminating the need for a separate motor and controller for operating the gear pump. Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a dispensing system eliminating the need for a whip hose between the gear pump and dispense valve.

Integrated gear pump dispenser for robotic dispensing


A lens barrel comprises a focusing optical system for moving in the direction of the optical axis to perform a focusing operation, an ultrasonic motor used for the automatic focus control, containing a stator and a rotor, and disposed around the optical axis, a motion transformation/transmission mechanism for moving the focusing optical system in the direction of the optical axis on the basis of a rotation of the rotor, a manual operation member to be rotated manually, and a motor holding device for holding the motor to be rotated by a rotation of the manual operation member so as to rotate the rotor, wherein said motor is held on the motor holding device to have the stator and the rotor provided from the light incident side toward the lens barrel in the named order.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lens barrel which can be used in an automatic focus control mode and a manual focus control mode, and more particularly, to a lens barrel which is provided with a driving power source to be used in the automatic focus control mode therein.
2. Related Background Art
A conventional lens barrel will be described below with reference to FIG. 3. A lens barrel shown in FIG. 3 is provided with a plurality of photographing lenses, or photographing lens groups L1, L2, L3, L4. Out of these lens groups, the lens group L2 is a focusing optical system which is capable of performing a focusing operation by moving in the direction of the optical axis p. Further, the lens barrel in FIG. 3 is provided with a fixed barrel 1 to which an inner barrel portion 1c is connected, a mount part 2 having a bayonet claw 2a to be mounted on the camera body (not shown), a holding barrel 3 for holding the focusing optical system L2, and a manual operation ring 6.
The holding barrel 3 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the inner barrel portion 1c so as to be freely rotatable around the optical axis p within a predetermined angular range. A straight advance guide groove 3a is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the holding barrel 3, while a lead cam groove 3b is provided on the inner peripheral surface thereof. The inner barrel portion 1c is provided with a pin 4, and the pin 4 is engaged with the lead cam groove 3b of the holding barrel 3.
Inside the lens barrel, there are provided a holder ring 31 which is rotatably connected to the manual operation ring 6 through a projected portion 6a thereof for mounting an ultrasonic motor block thereon, a stator 35 of an ultrasonic motor which is supported by a support member 33 provided on the holder ring 31, a rotor 37 attached to a rotor support ring 39 which is freely rotatable relative to the holder ring 31 through a bearing 38, and a focusing drive lever 5 which is attached to the rotor support ring 39 to be fitted in the straight advance groove 3a of the holding barrel 3. In addition, on the side of the mount part 2 of the focusing drive lever 5 in the lens barrel, there is provided a printed circuit 9 having a CPU 8, etc.
The manual operation ring 6 is provided in the fore part of the lens barrel (on the light incident side), so as to perform the manual focusing control operation easily. Thus, when the manual operation ring 6 is rotated, the entire ultrasonic motor block containing the holder ring 31 and the focusing drive lever 5 is rotated. When this focusing drive lever 5 is rotated, the holding barrel 3 is rotated around the optical axis p since the front end 5a of the focusing drive lever 5 is engaged with the straight advance groove 3a of the holding barrel 3. When the holding barrel 3 is rotated, the holding barrel 3 itself and the focusing optical system L2 are moved while rotating, in the direction of the optical axis p, to perform the focusing operation.
In the case of the automatic focusing control, the holder ring 31 is not rotated, but the rotor 37 and the rotor support ring 39 are rotated and, like in the case of the manual focusing control, the focusing drive lever 5 is rotated and the focusing optical system L2 is moved, so as to perform the focusing operation.
Next, another conventional lens barrel will be described with reference to FIG. 4. The configuration of a lens barrel shown in FIG. 4 is substantially the same as that of the conventional lens barrel shown in FIG. 3. However, a difference between the two configurations lies in that, since an electric packaged portion including the printed circuit 9 is provided in the fore part, the focusing drive lever 5 is extended toward the light incident side of the lens barrel and is engaged with the straight advance groove 3a of the moving member 3, and a pressing ring 36 is extended to the front of the lens barrel by an extending member 36a so as to pass through above the stator 35 and the rotor 37 to be connected to the manual operation ring 6.
In the Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 2-253212, there is disclosed a lens barrel which is provided with an ultrasonic motor comprised of a vibrating member, a rotor, and the like, and is capable of automatic focusing control and manual focusing control.
In the conventional lens barrel shown in FIG. 3, there are provided the manual operation ring 6, the rotor 37, the stator 35 and the focusing optical system L2 from the front of the lens barrel in the named order. Also, in the conventional lens barrel shown in FIG. 4, the manual operation ring 6, the focusing optical system L2, the rotor 37, and the stator 35 are provided from the front of the lens barrel in the named order. Accordingly, in the conventional lens barrel shown in FIG. 3, since the rotor 37 is provided at a position sandwiched between the manual operation ring 6 and the stator 35, the focusing drive lever 5 which is attached to the rotor support ring 39 is required to pass through above the stator 35 in order to avoid interference with the holder ring 31 which is rotated by 360 degrees. As a result, the outer diameter of the fixed barrel 1 is required to be large inevitably.
Also, in the conventional lens barrel shown in FIG. 4, the manual operation ring 6, the rotor 37, and the stator 35 are provided from the front of the lens barrel in the named order, so that in order to connect the manual operation ring 6 and the stator 35, it is necessary to pass the extending member 36a through above the rotor 37. Also in this case, the diameter of the fixed barrel becomes large.
As described above, in the conventional lens barrels as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, since the outer diameter of the fixed barrel becomes large, the operability, external design, etc., of the lens are deteriorated as a result.
Also, in the conventional lens barrel disclosed in the Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 2-253212, the rotor and the stator are provided in the named order from the front of the lens barrel below the manual operation ring, so that a focusing operation is performed by rotating a lens holder through a rotating ring and rotating barrel provided in the fore part of the lens barrel. In this disposition, the diameter of the fixed barrel is not enlarged, unlike in FIGS. 3 and 4. However, since the manual operation ring is required to be disposed behind the focusing lens groups (on the camera side), such disposition can be realized in a lens system in which the front group movement focusing operation is performed, such as a single focus lens system. However, in a zoom lens system, or the like, of an internal focusing type or a rear focusing type in which a group configuration is complicated owing to the lens performance or the lens size, the manual operation ring must be provided in the hind part of the lens barrel inevitably, which results in deterioration of the operability of the lens barrel. Also, if the manual operation ring is provided in the fore part of the lens barrel, attaching great importance to the operability of a manual focusing, the disposition of the components will be as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, which results in a large outer diameter of the barrel. Thus, problems such as deterioration of the operability, the external design, etc., of the lens will be brought about.

Lens barrel comprising an ultrasonic motor


A color signal processing device and method thereof include a conversion unit converting an input image signal into an RGB color signal, a change rate calculation unit calculating change rates of the RGB color signal when the RGB color signal changes with respect to change rates of a color difference signal on boundaries of a color space of the RGB color signal, and a color gamut decision unit determining a displayable scope of color chroma based on the change rates of the RGB color signal with respect to the change rates of the color difference signal and when the detected RGB color signal exists on the boundaries of the color space of the RGB color signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device and a method to process a color signal input to a display device, and more particularly, to a color signal processing device and method to precisely and simply calculate a maximum color chroma of an input video signal in relation with a hue and a luminance in a color space.
2. Description of the Related Art
Substantial colors refer to color objects that are emitted when a light is permeated through, absorbed into, and reflected by the color objects. The substantial colors are mainly classified into achromatic colors having various degrees of brightness and darkness without a hue, such as white, gray, and black, and chromatic colors having the hue, such as red, blue, and so on. Any color having the hue, even a bit, can be referred to as one of the chromatic colors because the chromatic colors include the hue.
Like the white color is bright, the black color is dark, and the gray color has an average brightness, degrees of brightness or darkness indicate that quantifying a visual intensity of the light reflected by the color object is referred to as the brightness. It is typically considered that a yellow color of a melon is bright, and a purple color of a grape is dark, the brightness exists even in the chromatic colors.
Further, as in the red, the yellow, green, the blue, and the purple colors, the hue is perceived by human beings as a result of the light having diverse wavelengths and illuminating the color objects. For example, wavelengths in a range of 430 to 480 nanometers give a strong feeling of the blue color. Furthermore, the yellow color is felt in a range of 570 to 600 nanometers, and wavelengths of over 610 nanometers are classified as the red color. The achromatic colors such as the black, gray, and white colors each have the color, but not the hue.
Further, differences of high and low color concentrations, that is, degrees of colors not diluted with the white color are referred to as chroma. The chroma indicates a purity of the colors. The colors having a low chroma are washed-out or faded, while the colors having a high chroma are distinct and vivid. The chromatic colors have the chroma, the hue, and the brightness, but the achromatic colors can be referred to as particular colors having the brightness only without the hue and the chroma. As such, the hue, the brightness, and the chroma are referred to as three-color attributes.
Further, a method representing relations among the colors is referred to as a color space or a color model. Different image processing systems have different color models due to different reasons. For example, companies publishing color pictures use a CMY color space. An RGB color space is used for color cathode ray tube (CRT) monitors and computer graphic systems. An HIS color space is employed for systems dealing with the hue, the chroma, and the brightness. Further, the YCbCr color space is used for a JPEG File Interchange Format (JFIF) and the like.
In here, the RGB color space includes the red, green, and blue colors, referred to as three primary colors that can be added with one another. Spectral elements of the colors are additionally combined to obtain resultant colors. As shown in FIG. 1, the RGB color space is represented as a three-dimensional cube having axes representing the red, green, and blue colors, respectively. An origin represents the black color. The white color is at an opposite end of the black color in the cube. The brightness is represented along a line from the black color to the white color. The red color(R) is represented in (255, 0, 0) in 24-bit color graphic systems having 8 bits per color channel, and in (1, 0, 0) in the color cube.
The YCbCr color space is a color space separating light intensity from color information. Y denotes luminance, Cb is a blue color difference signal, and Cr is a red color difference signal. If the RGB is converted into the YCbCr, the Cb has a significant amount of the blue color, and the Cr has a significant amount of the red color. Whereas the RGB signals have the same bandwidth, a CbCr color difference signal of YCbCr signals can be effectively used because a bandwidth of the YCbCr signals is reduced.
The luminance represents the degree of image brightness, and pixel luminance is represented in 8 bits in the ITU-R 601 standard (formerly, CCIR standard). A color difference represents a degree of the image color, and using double 8 bits in the ITU-R 601 standard represents a pixel color. The YCbCr used for MPEG represents a pixel in information of triple 8 bits of luminance Y and color differences Cb and Cr.
Because human eyes are more sensitive to the luminance signal Y compared to the color difference signals Cb and Cr, the Cb and Cr signals are sampled to reduce corresponding data amounts. At this time, a color format not sampled is specified in 4:4:4, a format in case that the color signal is once sampled is specified in 4:2:2, and a format in case sampled once more is specified in 4:2:0. The 4:4:2, 4:2:2, and 4:2:0 formats each refer to a sampling frequency ratio of a luminance signal and two color difference signals. The 4:2:0 format alternately becomes the 4:2:0 format and the 4:2:2 format in odd-numbered lines and even-numbered lines, and one of the formats becomes a representative value, which is specified in the 4:2:0 format. That is, the color information not reduced is referred to as the 4:4:4 format, the color information reduced in half in a traverse direction is referred to as the 4:2:2 format, and the color information reduced in half in both traverse and lengthwise directions is referred to as the 4:2:0 format. Accordingly, the color information becomes one fourth of the luminance information in the 4:2:0 format.
Formula 1 shows one exemplary method converting the RGB into the YCbCr.Y=0.29900R+0.58700G+0.11400BCb=−0.16874R−0.33126G+0.50000BCr=0.50000R−0.41869G−0.08131B  Formula 1
To the contrary, Formula 2 shows an exemplary method converting the YCbCr into the RGB.R=1.00000Y+1.40200CrG=1.00000Y−0.34414Cb−0.71414CrB=1.00000Y+1.177200Cb  Formula 2
FIG. 2 shows a color gamut expressed in the YCbCr color space for the colors represented in the RGB color space according to the method expressed in Formula 1.
The above Formulas 1 and 2 are the International Radio Consultative Committee (CCIR) 601-1 standard, which is a typical method used in the Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG). In addition to Formulas 1 and 2, there are various methods to convert the YCbCr into the RGB or vice versa.
Digital components convert the input RGB color signal into the YCbCr color signal for display. Further, the color signal expressed in the YCbCr is processed into the digital signal, and then converted into the RGB signal for display.
However, during converting the RGB color signal into the color signal of YCbCr or the like and then processing the converted signal into a digital signal, conversions made into colors unable to be expressed in the RGB color space may occur. In this case, the processed color signal may be out of the color gamut capable of being displayed.

Color signal processing device and method


Joint endoprosthesis with an anchoring part (3) and a cone connection (4) between a joint part (1) and the anchoring part (3). According to the invention, the cone connection is provided with an anti-rotation arrangement (13, 14). It can also be equipped with a securing screw (8).

In addition to those components which serve to simulate the joint function, joint endoprostheses have parts for anchoring them to the bone. If different anchoring parts are kept available for one prosthesis, the anchoring part chosen in each case is connected to an associated joint component via a connection device. For this purpose, cone connections have proven themselves which consist of a cone stub and of a cone sleeve which are designed with the same slight cone angle, for example of 5xc2x0, and which generally stick sufficiently firmly in each other as soon as they have been joined together under the effect of an impact. Unless considerable forces arise acting in the direction of separation of the connection, further securing means are not necessary. This applies, for example, when fastening hip-joint heads to the associated stem parts (U.S. Pat. No. 5,336,268). If substantial releasing forces have to be taken into account, the cone connection is provided with a securing screw (EP-A 474015). For example, a grub screw can be included in the cone stub, the conical tip of which screw is screwed into engagement with a bore, eccentric thereto, of the cone sleeve (EP-A 474015, FIG. 3).
It is also known (U.S. Pat. No. 5,405,403) for a cone connection to be provided with an anti-rotation arrangement in order to prevent relative turning between the cone surfaces, as this could lead to corrosion.
A securing screw not only prevents a translatory movement of the coupled parts in the axial direction, but also prevents a rotational movement. Thus, a securing screw traditionally also performs the functions of an anti-rotation arrangement.
The invention has taken recognition of the fact that considerable advantages can be achieved by combining a securing screw with an anti-rotation arrangement, if the securing screw interacts with a bore, eccentric thereto, via a conical tip. When such a securing screw is used without an anti-rotation arrangement, as in the prior art, it is not possible to guarantee that the conical tip of the securing screw will interact precisely with that point of the bore edge which lies nearest to the thicker end of the cone connection during assembly. It is only then, in fact, that exact anti-rotation by the securing screw is obtained. However, if the contact point lies slightly to the side of this ideal point of interaction, microrotation movements are possible. The combination according to the invention thus ensures, however, that a certain contact point between the conical tip, the securing screw and the associated bore is fixed. This not only prevents the said micro movements, but also prevents the securing screw from becoming worn, from twisting and possibly from wholly or partially losing its securing function as a result of relative movements with respect to the bore edge which interacts with it.
This is of particular importance when the securing screw is provided with a predetermined break point (EP-A 915686=WO 9804215). The anti-rotation arrangement thus has the effect that the securing screw can fulfil its function in the desired manner.
To provide this anti-rotation arrangement, projections and recesses are expediently formed on the two coupling parts and interact with each other via axially parallel flanks. For example, at least one stub can project in an axially parallel manner from the edge of the cone sleeve and engage in a correspondingly shaped groove which is provided at the base of the cone stub. Conversely, it is also possible for the edge of the cone sleeve to be provided with at least one indentation into which a transverse pin provided on the cone stub engages.


A method of testing a blocking ability of a photoresist blocking layer for ion implantation, comprising: forming a photoresist blocking layer (S1) on a substrate; measuring a first thickness (S2) of the photoresist blocking layer at an arbitrary position on the substrate, the first thickness being a thickness of the photoresist blocking layer; implanting a predetermined amount of ions (S3) into the photoresist blocking layer; measuring a second thickness (S4) of the photoresist blocking layer at the arbitrary position, the second thickness being a thickness of a hardened portion in the photoresist blocking layer; and determining a blocking ability (S5) of the photoresist blocking layer with the first thickness for ion implantation according to the second thickness. This method does not need to use a testing silicon slice during the process of testing the blocking ability of a photoresist blocking layer for ion implantation, and thus can reduce required costs during the testing process.

Ion implantation technology, as a doping technology of a semiconductor material, has advantages of low-temperature doping, easy masking, precise dosage control and high uniformity, can be used in a plurality of processes such as source/drain electrode doping, channel doping, lightly-doped drain doping, and can make a manufactured semiconductor device have the properties such as fast speed, low power consumption, good stability, high yield and so on. In different ion implantation technologies, conditions such as required energy dosage and the like are different, and doping is performed in a designated region during ion implantation, and the rest positions need to be masked (shielded) by a blocking layer such as a photoresist layer. The blocking abilities of photoresist blocking layers with different thicknesses for ion implantation are different, ions can easily pass through a blocking layer of a too small thickness, while for a photoresist blocking layer of a too large thickness, it is hard to control the key feature during a photolithograph process, and thus it is required to select a photoresist blocking layer with a suitable thickness during implantation.
A conventional method of determining the blocking ability of a photoresist blocking layer comprises the following steps: providing a plurality of testing silicon slices; coating photoresist layers with different thicknesses on different testing silicon slices; measuring the thickness of the photoresist of each silicon slice; implanting ions with a certain energy into the abovementioned silicon slices coated with the photoresist layers with different thicknesses; removing the photoresist layers of the silicon slices; and using a secondary ion mass spectrometry to test the silicon slices to obtain ion implantation amounts of all the silicon slices, and when an ion amount is in an allowed range, the thickness of the photoresist blocking layer, to which the silicon slice with this ion amount corresponds, is considered to be suitable.

Method of testing blocking ability of photoresist blocking layer for ion implantation


An advanced signal processing technique accurately discriminates and estimates a small sinusoidal signal in close proximity from one or more large sinusoidal signals. The technique involves using digital processing techniques to accurately estimate the frequency (96), amplitude (94) and phase (98) of the one or more large sinusoids and then using this estimate to obtain an accurate estimate of the small sinusoidal signal by subtracting the large sinusoid from the data to obtain a residual and reprocessing the residual.

This invention relates to material storage measuring devices and, in particular, to an advanced signal processing technique for accurately measuring the depth of a low dielectric material in a storage device.
Generally, a material monitoring device is a device which is intended to view the contents of a storage tank from above and report the distance to the top surface of what ever is stored in the tank. The device does this by, for example, measuring or estimating the frequency difference between transmitted and the received signals, which is proportional to the distance to the reflecting surface. In a correctly designed device, the situation is such that the difference frequency (IF) signal is either a sum of sinusoids or a sum of sinusoid modulated by the modulation signal.
However, several problems are associated with estimating the frequency which corresponds to the reflecting surface of interest. First and most foremost, if the material to be monitored is non-conducting and has a low dielectric constant, then the RF energy can penetrate the fluid and be reflected from whatever is below the surface of interest that is opaque to the RF signal. This could be the bottom of the tank, or it could be some other fluid (such as water for example) that is opaque to the RF signal. This results in a target which complicates the process of estimating the frequency of interest. To make matters worse, the RF power returned from the surface of interest can be as much as 30 dB less than that returned from the bottom of the tank. Accordingly, the signal of interest is much smaller than other returned signals. To make matters still worse, as the surface of the dielectric fluid approaches the bottom of the tank, the frequencies of the sinusoids resulting from these targets tend to converge, and can become very close. This is the so called "low dielectric problem" that has plagued material monitoring device vendors since the inception of such devices.
Second, if the modulation waveform is repetitive and the IF signal is observed over more than one cycle of the modulation, special processing must be done to separate the information bearing sinusoid from the harmonics of the modulation.
Third, there may be reflections from objects in the tank other than the reflecting surface of interest. These reflections contribute to the IF signal and must be appropriately dealt with in the process of estimating the distance to the surface of interest.
Fourth, the users of material monitoring devices require very accurate estimates of the distance to the surface of interest. This implies that the parameters of the modulation signal must be precisely known, and the estimate of the frequency of the sinusoid of interest must be precise.
Fifth, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requires that the RF signal radiated from devices intended for this application be limited both in power and bandwidth. The power limitation limits the signal to noise ratio that can be obtained in the IF signal. The band width limitation is the more severe handicap, and, in fact, the material monitoring devices sold by most vendors do not adhere to the FCC frequency limits, which means that the users of these devices must apply for a license that is specific to the site at which the device is to be used.
Hence, there exists a need for an improved technique for measuring the depth of a low dielectric material in a storage tank while not suffering from the problems discussed above.

Advanced signal process for a material storage measuring device


To provide a glass ceramic body, whereby light which transmits through the substrate and leaks (i.e. emits) out of the incident direction is reduced, and the number of voids at the surface of the substrate and in the inside of the substrate is low,

In recent years, along with a tendency to high brightness and whitening of a light emitting device having a light emitting element such as a light emitting diode, a light emitting device using a light emitting element has been used for a backlight of a mobile phone, a liquid crystal TV, etc. In such a light-emitting device, a substrate is required to have a high thermal conductivity, be able to quickly dissipate heat generated from the light-emitting element and in addition, have a high reflectance and excellent productivity.
Further, the substrate is required to have a designated strength in order to prevent breakage, fracture, etc. due to a stress exerted on the substrate at the time of mounting a light emitting element.
In order to satisfy such requirements, it has been studied to use a glass ceramic substrate as a substrate for a light emitting device. The glass ceramic substrate comprises a glass powder and a ceramic powder such as an alumina powder, and it has a large difference in refractive index between glass and ceramics and many interfaces between them, whereby the glass ceramic substrate has a higher reflectance than conventional ceramic substrates. However, the glass ceramic substrate is required to have a further high reflectance to be used as a substrate for mounting a light emitting element.
Further, for reducing unevenness in various properties such as reflectance and strength, the glass ceramic substrate is also required to have a property to suppress shrinkage at the time of firing, namely firing shrinkage.
In order to increase the reflectance of a glass ceramic substrate, a method of incorporating ceramic particles having a refractive index higher than that of alumina particles, namely high refractive index particles, has been studied. However, one containing high refractive index particles tends to have a low sintering property as compared with one containing fillers of e.g. alumina or silica (SiO2). Accordingly, the content of such fillers cannot be made high, or the composition of glass is significantly restricted. Thus, the degree of freedom of the design is decreased. Accordingly, in order to make it possible to select the glass composition from a wide range, it is desired to increase the reflectance and reduce firing shrinkage by using alumina particles having a good sintering property with glass.
As a method for suppressing firing shrinkage of glass ceramic substrates, a method has been known wherein as ceramic particles, flat particles having an aspect ratio of 5 are aligned to the designated direction (for example, Patent Document 1). Further, as a method for improving the strength, a method has been known wherein ceramic particles having an aspect ratio of at least 4 and at most 10 are dispersed and incorporated (for example, Patent Document 2).
However, by the methods described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, it was not possible in either case to obtain a sufficiently high reflectance as a substrate for mounting a light emitting element.
Patent Document 3 discloses a method for improving the reflectance by a glass ceramic substrate comprising glass and ceramic particles. In Patent Document 3, a light reflection body with a high reflectance is proposed wherein in the cross section viewed from the top of the glass ceramic substrate, the occupation area of the group of particles of ceramic particles having a particle size of from 0.3 to 1.0 μm is made to be from 10 to 70%.
In the light reflection body disclosed in Patent Document 3, fine ceramic particles having a particle size of from 0.3 to 1.0 μm are incorporated in a designated amount in glass to obtain a high reflectance. However, if such fine ceramic particles are incorporated in a large amount in glass, the sintering property of a glass ceramic body tends to be low, the strength of the substrate tends to be low, and voids are likely to be formed at the surface of the substrate.
If such a glass ceramic body is used as a substrate for mounting a light emitting element, breakage due to stress exerted on the substrate at the time of mounting a light emitting element and fracture of an individual piece after cutting tend to result, and thereby the yield may be low.
Further, in the case of the glass ceramic body of Patent Document 3, the crystallinity is at least 50%, and thereby, at the time of firing, the flowability and the sintering property tend to be low due to the crystallization of glass components, and voids are likely to be formed in the substrate and at the surface of the substrate.
If voids are formed in the substrate, although the reflectance becomes slightly high, the strength of the substrate deteriorates, and a plating solution used for metal plating treatment tends to infiltrate into the inside of the substrate from the voids. Thus, after mounting a light emitting element, defects such as connection defects tend to result, and the reliability may deteriorate.

Glass ceramic body, substrate for mounting light emitting element, and light emitting device

Abstract: A glass ceramic body 10 comprising a glass matrix 11 and flat fillers 12 dispersed therein, wherein the flat fillers 12 are dispersed in the glass matrix 11 so that their individual thickness directions would be substantially in the same direction; and in a cross-section along the thickness direction of the flat filler 12 in the glass matrix 11, the occupation area of the flat fillers 12 having a length in their flat direction of from 0.5 to 20 μm and a length in their thickness direction of from 0.02 to 0.25 μm per unit area of the cross-section is from 30 to 48%.


An image forming apparatus is readily provided with an additional function besides its principal function and therefore is adupted for function expansion. A control operation for the additional function is enabled on condition that a component required for the actuation of the additional function is attached to the image forming apparatus. The principal function may be a copying function, and the additional function may be a facsimile function. The component for the function expansion is preferably constructed so as to be snap attached to the image forming apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus adapted to be optionally provided with an additional function such as a facsimile function besides a principal function as a copying machine and, more particularly, to means for readily providing the additional function to the apparatus for function expansion without a complicated modification work.
2. Description of Related Arts
In recent years, multi-function image forming apparatuses have been provided, which each have a plurality of functions to serve as a copying machine, a facsimile machine and a printer.
Some of the multi-function image forming apparatuses have a copying function as a principal function and are adapted to be optionally provided with an additional function such as a facsimile function. Such an image forming apparatus is preferably constructed so that the function expansion can be achieved in a simple and easy manner. More specifically, where the facsimile function is to be added to an image forming apparatus having the copying function as the principal function, the function expansion is preferably achieved by a simple setup operation by a user, which does not require a modification work on interconnections and circuit boards in the apparatus by a service person or an expert engineer.

Function-expandable image forming apparatus


A curved, three-dimensional, ordered micro-truss structure comprising: a plurality of first struts extending along a first direction; a plurality of second struts extending along a second direction; and a plurality of third struts extending along a third direction, wherein the first, second, and third struts interpenetrate one another at a plurality of nodes, wherein the pluralities of first struts, second struts, third struts, and nodes form a plurality of ordered unit cells within the micro-truss structure, and wherein the plurality of ordered unit cells define a curved surface.

Lightweight sandwich structures (e.g., a structure including a core "sandwiched" between two facesheets) are used for a variety of purposes including heat exchange, advanced armor applications, high impact/low weight applications, etc. In some embodiments, it may be beneficial to form lightweight sandwich structures into particular curvatures that conform to a surface where the material will be used. In some instances, forming a sandwich structure into a particular shape may require costly manufacturing techniques.
Generally, the materials used for lightweight sandwich structures dictate how the structure is formed and whether it can be formed to have complex curvatures. Existing materials used as cores for lightweight sandwich structures include foams, honeycomb, and metal lattice structures. Each of these materials has limitations in its ability to conform to particular curvatures.
Foams can be either open-cellular or closed cellular and are available in a variety of materials including, but not limited to, polymers, metals, and ceramics. Open-cellular foams generally have limited strength and stiffness, which limits their usefulness in a variety of applications. Open-cellular foams also have tortuous, non-uniform paths for fluid flow, in which high pressures are often used to force fluid through the structure. Closed-cellular foams have greater strength and rigidity than open-cellular foams, making them more suitable as cores for sandwich structures. However, closed-cellular foams do not permit fluid to freely flow through the material, which limits their usefulness in applications where fluid flow is required, such as heat transfer applications. Generally, machining is used to form foam into a particular curvature.
Honeycomb structures are also available in a number of different materials including, but not limited to, aluminum, Nomex®, and thermoplastic polymers. Generally, honeycomb structures are closed-cellular. In order to achieve a particular curvature with a honeycomb structure a specific corresponding unit cell shape is generally used. This approach may work for a structure requiring a single radius of curvature; however, it is less effective for complex curvatures which have more than one radius of curvature.
Metallic lattice structures have good strength and stiffness properties and may also function as fluid heat exchanges because the structures allow low pressure drop fluid flow through the material. However, to form a metal lattice structure into a particular curvature, the structure is generally plastically deformed or machined.
As such, there is a need for a lightweight structure that can be easily formed to have a particular curvature without resorting to pre- or post-production manufacturing, which may be expensive or may damage the structural integrity of the sandwich structure.

Net-shape structure with micro-truss core