An apparatus and method to compensate the outer actuator arms of a disk drive actuator assembly from an imbalanced moment to maintain a selected preload force. The present invention advantageously utilizes thin actuator arms to hold read/write head assemblies. During disk drive operation, the outer actuator arm receives an unbalanced outward moment originating from the flying read/write head associated with the outer actuator arm. This unbalanced outward moment is balanced by initially displacing the outer read/write heads inward so that they are not aligned straight. This special alignment creates an additional preload force which is decreased to a normal preload force when the outer actuator arm is returned to a straight alignment by said imbalanced moment. The present invention maintains a uniform preload value and therefore uniform read/write head flying height. In so doing, the outer actuator arms remain aligned during operation and the disk drive system of the present invention offers greater reliability.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of disk drive technology. Specifically the present invention relates to design of outer arms of actuator assemblies of hard disk drives.
(2) Prior Art
Disk drive storage mediums, or "hard" disk drives, are mechanisms that store digital information on a spinning disk ("disc") or platter. The metallic platters are approximately from 3 inches in diameter up to 8 inches or more depending on the type of disk drive used or the storage capacity of the drive. Several platters arranged in parallel, one mounted on top of the next, rest in a drive case. Each platter is centrally fixed and carefully aligned in order to provide the spinning action required. A platter has two sides in which information can be stored. Also mounted to the drive case is an actuator arm which holds a read/write head associated with each platter side. If there are eight platters there could be up to 16 heads attached to the actuator arm.
The actuator arm assembly remains fixed with respect to the spinning platters but can move across the radius (position A to B) of the spinning platter in order to provide access to all of the surface area of the platter as the platter spins and as the actuator arm moves the read/write head across the platter diameter. Since the read/write head 22 remains in a fixed path and the platters spin, data is stored according to the arc of the heads across the platters, this is a circle. Therefore, magnetic data stored on a hard drive platter is stored in circular paths or sectors by the magnetic head passing across the magnetic surface. The rate that this information can be accessed or stored depends on the rate that the platters can spin. Conventional prior art disk drives can obtain a spin rate of approximately 3600 to 6400 revolutions per minute. The faster the spin rate, the faster information can be supplied by the drive and stored to the disk drive unit. The read/write heads associated with each platter fly above the platter surface on a cushion of air that is created by the air forces of the spinning platters. The heads ride very close to the platter surface so they can read and write magnetic information onto the platter surface. The characteristics of the air and the ski pads on the read/write heads dictate the attitude and movement of the flying read/write heads.
FIG. 1 illustrates a top view of a conventional disk drive system. The top surface of the top platter 10 is shown. The platters are spun by a spin motor. Each platter is centrally attached to the motor by the spin actuator 12. The arm assembly is shown as components 20, 22, 24 and 26. The arm assembly is also shown in FIG. 1 in two positions, an inner position "A" and an outer position "B". The arm assembly is made up of an actuator end 26 which is magnetically coupled for movement to pivot the assembly about pivot point 32. Pivot point 32 is coupled to the actuator arm section 20 which is also coupled to the head assembly 24 which holds the read/write head 22. The actuator end 26 is capable of moving the arm assembly from position A to B, thus the read/write head traverses the radius of the surface of platter 10. It is appreciated that the platter shown is but one platter in a parallel stack of platters. Another platter resides underneath the platter shown and another actuator arm, head assembly, and read/write head is associated with this platter. It is also appreciated that the bottom surface of platter 10 also bears information. Therefore, another actuator arm, head assembly, and read/write head is associated with the underside of platter 10. The entire system as described above is mounted to base 30.
The platters and actuator arm with associated heads are contained in a chamber within the disk drive unit. This chamber protects the platters and delicate movement required for the precise alignment of the platters to the actuator arm. Usually this chamber is sealed within a "clean room" having a reduced particle count so as to reduce the amount of dust and other particles that may become trapped especially between the platter and the read/write head within the drive case when the chamber is not sealed. These particles could render the disk drive inoperable if they were to become entrenched into the platters, read/write heads and other mechanisms.
Each read/write head associated with a platter of a disk drive is attached to a thin head assembly and an actuator arm. The head assemblies are manufactured and positioned so that each read/write head exerts pressure on a surface of the platter when assembled together and the disks are not in operation (i.e., spinning). The platters are aligned between each successive actuator arm, therefore one given actuator arm holds two read/writ heads and exerts pressure on a top surface of one platter but a bottom surface of another, adjacent, platter surface. The platter surfaces therefore exert pressure back on the actuator arm because the overall assembly remains static. For an actuator arm in between two platters, the forces exerted on the actuator arm from the platters are equal but in opposite direction and will balance each other to deliver a net zero force on the actuator arm. However, the actuator arms located on either end of the actuator assembly receive only one force exerted on them, either an upward or downward force depending on the side the actuator arm is located. In either case this force is outward, away from the actuator assembly. This imbalanced force, over time, may act to bring the actuator arm out of proper alignment and displace it outward.
In prior art disk drive systems, the top actuator arm receives an upward force from the head assembly which holds the top/read write head, but the top actuator arm receives no counter force from above since there are no platters above the top platter. This imbalance may act to bring the top actuator arm out of alignment or bend it away from its original position. Any movement out of alignment of the actuator arm will also move the read/write head out of its original path which will be fatal for the disk drive system and data failure and errors will result. In modern disk drive designs this problem becomes acute because the thickness of the actuator arms is decreasing as the disk drives become miniaturized. As the thickness of the actuator arms decreases the outer actuator arms become more susceptible to the force exerted by the associated read/write heads and therefore become more susceptible to movement out of alignment. It would be advantageous to be able to counter balance the outer actuator arms of disk drive actuator assemblies to prevent the failure condition described above in order to make the disk drives more reliable. The present invention offers such a solution.
In prior art systems the actuator arms are fairly thick, about 35 mils thickness. However, the present invention advantageously utilizes thin actuator arms, about 25 mils, which become very susceptible to these imbalanced forces from the flying read/write heads. The present invention utilizes thin actuator arms because the present invention operates in a reduced size hard disk drive where the components are advantageously reduced to conserve size and increase efficiency. The present invention offers a solution to the imbalanced forces using advantageously thin actuator arms and a force compensation apparatus and method.
The pressure exerted on the read/write heads by the head assembly (when the platters are at rest) is called the preload force. When the platters spin, an air bearing force lifts the read/write heads up off of the platter surface and they fly above the rotating surface. The preload force determines the height at which the read/write heads will fly. Any deviation of an outer actuator arm from its alignment position, as a result of the force imbalance of the above discussion, will change the preload value of the associated read/write head. This in turn changes the height at which the read/write head flies above the platter surface. If this height changes then data errors or a total failure will occur because the data on the disk platter is written in and read back by the read/write heads with respect to a predetermined flying height. In prior art systems any significant deviation of the outer actuator arms will cause the disk drive to fail. It would be advantageous to provide an arrangement that would maintain the alignment of the outer actuator arms so that the preload value of the associated read/write heads remains constant. This would then maintain the height of the read/write head above the platter surface when the disk drive was in operation. The present invention offers such a solution.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to maintain the alignment of the outer actuator arms of a disk drive by employing a compensation force on these outer arms that will maintain the preload force on the read/write heads associated with these outer arms. It is an object of the present invention to maintain the preload force on the read/write heads to maintain uniform flying height of the read/write heads above the platter surfaces. It is an object of the present invention to utilize the above alignment technique with actuator assemblies having thin actuator arms.

Actuator assembly with compensated outer arms


The invention provides a three-dimensional structure having at least one structure surface, the structure being adapted to be attached to an apertured surface with the structure surface facing the apertured surface; and a curved hook element having a base and a distal end, the distal end of the hook element being adapted for insertion into an aperture in the apertured surface, and the base of the curved hook element being slidably affixed to the structure surface of the three-dimensional structure such that movement of the base is constrained along a line within the structure surface. The device can be used in a method of attachment onto an apertured surface, in particular the inner surface of an automatic laundry washing machine drum, and is particularly suitable for dispensing rinse additives into the rinse cycle of an automatic washing machine.

There are a great many types of laundry additive materials suitable for use in automatic washing machines for fabric laundering. Cleaning agents such as surfactants and detergent builders are used to assist in the mechanical removal of soil and stains from fabrics being laundered. Bleaching agents, enzymes and adjuvants relating thereto are designed to promote chemical degradation and removal of soils and stains. Fabric conditioners, softeners, anti-wrinkle agents, soil release materials and similar agents serve to alter and enhance the condition, appearance or feel of laundered fabrics. Other auxiliary materials, such as pH adjustment and control agents, buffers, solvents, dispersants, anti-redeposition agents, dye transfer inhibitors, stabilizers, preservatives, perfumes, dyes and the like are used to alter the aqueous environment in the automatic washing machine drum to provide for optimum performance of the active laundry additive materials or to improve the quality or aesthetics of commercialized laundry products containing these active additive materials.
The several types of laundry additive materials described hereinbefore, frequently intermingled or admixed together in a wide variety of combinations for convenience, are commonly marketed to consumers in bulk quantities, in either solid, i.e. granular or tablet, or liquid form.
Consumers carrying out the laundering operation generally add doses or aliquots of this intermingled or admixed product to the automatic washing machine. In the majority of cases a single product is added to the automatic washing machine, for instance directly into the drum or into a dispensing drawer, prior to beginning the automatic washing process.
However, certain laundry additive materials are most effective when introduced to the process at some time after the automatic washing process has begun. For instance, additives intended to enhance the condition, appearance or feel of laundered fabric, such as fabric conditioners, softeners, anti-wrinkle agents, etc., are most effective when added during the rinse cycle, which takes place after the main washing cycle. Indeed, some are ineffective if added prior to the rinse cycle. This can create the need for the consumer to return to the washing machine at some point during the automatic washing process, such as at the beginning of the rinse cycle to add materials which are to function at this later point, e.g. during the rinsing operation.
Therefore various systems have been developed which permit the consumer to place laundry additive material into devices or dispensers at the beginning of the laundering operation with those devices or dispensers serving to add the laundry additives to the washing process automatically at a predetermined later stage of the process. These systems have been particularly concerned with introducing rinse additives into the rinse cycle automatically.
Our co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/356,544; filed Feb. 13, 2002 defines one system which includes means for introducing a unit dose package containing a laundry rinse additive into an automatic washing machine drum at the beginning of the laundering operation and releasing the contents of the unit dose package into the rinse water during the spin cycle. Our co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/356,543 filed Feb. 13, 2002 defines a different system which includes a device which can be placed within the washing machine drum containing laundry additive materials so that the additive materials are released into the drum during the spin cycle.
Both of these devices are most effective when attached to the inner surface of the washing machine drum. This necessitates provision of a means for attaching the devices to the inner surface of the drum. Previously developed means for attaching a device to the inside of the drum in an automatic washing machine have been disclosed in DE-A-3934123 and DE-A-3922342.
Automatic washing machine drums are apertured in order to allow entry of water into the drum and these apertures could potentially provide a convenient means for attaching such devices with the use of a hook-based system. However, it is important that any attachment system is secure and does not raise significant risk of the device becoming detached from the inner surface of the drum during the washing process. The drum is moving during a significant proportion of the process and in particular spins rapidly during the spin cycle.
Washing machine drums are provided in a variety of different sizes and the apertures in them also have a variety of different shapes and sizes. The apertures also have varying spacing. It would be desirable to provide an attachment means which does not depend on the shape, size or spacing of the aperture.
Furthermore, two distinct types of washing machine drum are used worldwide. In particular, in North America the models commonly used have a substantially cylindrical drum which is positioned so that the longitudinal axis, about which it rotates, is substantially vertical. Japanese models tend to be similar to North American models. In Europe, in contrast, the drums, whilst also substantially cylindrical, are commonly configured so that their longitudinal axis is substantially horizontal. Thus it would be desirable to provide an attachment means which allows attachment to either of these main types of model.
In addition, it would be desirable to provide a means for allowing the consumer to attach the devices to the inner surface of the washing machine drum in quick and convenient manner.


An inner riser adjustable hanger and seal assembly are provided for applying tension to a casing string secured at a lower end within a well and supported at an upper end by a wellhead housing. The wellhead housing has a locking member on an inner surface thereof. A tensioning mechanism tensions the casing string and secures the upper end to the wellhead housing. A seal body locking member is radially moveable into engagement with the housing locking member to fix the axial position of the seal body relative to the wellhead housing. An upper seal assembly seals between the seal body and the wellhead housing, and a lower assembly seals between the seal body and the casing string. The casing string is tensioned without appreciable rotation of the hanger body or the upper and lower seal assemblies.

In applications such as spars, it is often desired to pull and maintain tension in the production casing when tying-back to the wellhead at the ocean floor. When tying-back the casing to the surface, the casing needs to be in tension due to fatigue, buckling, thermal growth, etc. To put the casing in tension requires that it be tensioned and locked at the surface wellhead.
A selected tensioning mechanism and method may be used to apply tension between the casing and the surface wellhead. When dealing with heavy casing over long distances, the casing tends to stretch. Since the exact amount of casing length stretch and the initial length are difficult to determine, it is desirable to compensate for this distance by an adjustable load bearing tensioning mechanism. In many spar applications, the tensioning mechanism has an axial stretch length of 3 meters or more. Various types of sealing mechanisms cooperate with the tensioning mechanism to seal between the upper end of the tensioned casing and the wellhead.
Prior patents relating to downhole adjustable hangers and particularly to an inner riser adjustable hanger are U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,566,761; 5,944,111; 4,519,633; 6,328,108; RE34,071; 4,938,289; 4,408,783; 4,465,134; 1,546,305; 3,721,292; 4,653,589; 2,660,248; 3,104,708; 3,581,817; 3,690,344; 3,976,139; 2,897,895; 3,011,552; 3,933,376; 4,343,495; 4,674,576; 4,280,719; 4,258,795; 3,861,463; 3,721,292; 1,696,844; 5,299,642; 4,919,454; 6,065,542; 2,228,505; 5,839,512; 4,433,725; and 4,995,464; OTC paper 4576; Adjustable Drilling Riser brochure from ABB Vetco Gray; Publication No. 20010045286; and Publication No. 20020100596.
While various types and styles of inner riser adjustable hangers have been provided to the hydrocarbon recovery industry, prior art inner riser adjustable hangers have significant disadvantages which have limited their acceptance. Those disadvantages include high costs and poor reliability of the sealing mechanism. Many adjustable hangers require rotation of either an inner string or an outer tubular, and in many applications rotation of a string or other tubular at the surface, particularly under conditions where that tubular is subject to high tension and/or rapid changes in tension, are undesirable for the well operator, and in turn may require more costly surface equipment.
The disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by the present invention, and the inner riser adjustable hanger and seal assembly is hereinafter disclosed. The invention also involves a method of maintaining a desired tension in a casing string, and thereafter running in a sealing assembly for sealing between the wellhead and the tensioned casing string.

Inner riser adjustable hanger and seal assembly


A discontinuity-containing, light-diffusing substrate is placed within an LED light source. In one embodiment, the substrate is placed between an LED light source and a light guide. The light diffusing substrate may include a plurality of air bubbles, grooves or both, effective to mix the colored light and yield a white light exiting the light guide. Methods of constructing optical devices and light sources having a bubble-containing substrate are also disclosed.

Light emitting diodes (LEDs) generally emit light in a specific color or range of wavelengths. To produce a white light, it is usually necessary to combine or mix the light from multiple LEDs which emit different colors, for example, red, green and blue. Initially, light mixing was accomplished by placing LEDs of different colors next to each other such that the light emitted by each LED would mix with the light from the others. A common structure associated with such mixing is a light guide. This approach has several drawbacks including poor color mixing, uneven light intensity, and the presence of dark regions near the edges of the light guide plate.
Several techniques exist to improve the light mixing needed to produce white light. One is the insertion of LEDs in a mixing cavity within the light guide. Another is the use of a light diffusant layer to mix the colors. However, known light diffusant layers significantly reduce output of the light sources. While these techniques have resulted in slightly better color mixing, there remains a need for further improvement.

System and method for light source with discontinuity-containing diffusant


A method is provided of treating cutaneous vascular lesions in a target area of a patient. The method comprises the steps of passing a laser beam against and through a cooling medium, and then passing the laser beam against and through a patient's epidermis to the target area while simultaneously subjecting the patient's epidermis to a cooling medium at the location of the epidermis entered by the laser beam. An apparatus for treating a cutaneous vascular lesion in a target area of a patient comprises a laser beam source for directing a laser beam against and through a predetermined location of an epidermis of the patient to the target area and a flexible bag for containing a cooling medium and for subjecting the patient's epidermis to the cooling medium at the target area simultaneous with the application of the laser beam thereto. The flexible bag is positioned between the laser beam source and the target area of the patient's epidermis.

I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for treating cutaneous vascular lesions and, more particularly, to such a method and apparatus in which the cutaneous vascular lesions are treated by simultaneously cooling the site of the lesions while delivering laser light to the site.
II. Description of the Prior Art
A cutaneous vascular lesions, such as telangiectasia or spider capillaries of the lower extremities, is a condition where previously microscopic blood vessels have become dilated. They are visible through the skin appearing as red, blue or purple variably tortuous lines or patches. The causes of this abnormal enlargement of vessels are not fully understood, and although they are of little medical consequence their cosmetic significance can be great. This is a widespread problem that may cause much concern for those afflicted.
Sclerotherapy is the treatment that is now used. It is considered to be safe, appropriate and relatively effective. Sclerotherapy entails the intravascular injection of one of a variety of agents into the abnormal blood vessels. The substance injected injures the inside of the capillary causing it to shrink or disappear. This treatment is variably painful, approximately seventy percent (70%) effective and usually requires one to two months waiting before improvement can be seen. There can occur, unpredictably, echymotic or hyperpigmented marks as a side effect and these marks may take many months to fade. Scabbing of injection sites, perhaps due to extravasation of the injected sclerosing agent, may also occur.
Laser surgery with a variety of different lasers (CO2, Argon, tunable dye) has been utilized in an attempt to find a less painful, more effective treatment. The desire to avoid side effects has also prompted a search for alternative treatment. To date, the ability to improve the outcome by virtue of laser surgery has, unfortunately, not been possible for reasons explained below.
The disadvantages of sclerotherapy, as described above, include the pain of treatment, only partial improvement, and the possibility of long term discoloration that can be more noticeable than the telangiectasia. Although laser surgery (Argon or tunable dye) hurts less than sclerotherapy, it has not offered an improved result. Due to the interaction between laser light and melanin pigments in the epidermis that overlies the target vessels, there can be long term hyperpigmentation, persistent scabs and sometimes permanent scarring.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,122,853 to Smith, which issued on Oct. 31, 1978, provides an infrared laser photocautery device. There is provided means for delivering a liquid through a passageway for irrigating the area being treated. The fluid is not used for cooling, and the utility of the device is primarily for photo-cauterizing intraocular muscular tissue.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,381,007 to Doss, which issued on Apr. 26, 1983, relates to a multipolar probe apparatus using radio frequency energy to reshape the cornea of an eye. The surface of the cornea is flushed continuously with an electrically conductive liquid coolant during the operation. No lasers are involved, and the use of the apparatus is limited to reshaping corneas.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,559,942 to Eisenberg, which issued on Dec. 24, 1985, is a method of using a laser for cataract surgery. The laser passes through a probe to the target tissue and an air cushion is maintained between the probe and the target tissue to prevent physical contact between the radiation outlet of the probe and the target tissue during laser irradiation. At column 4, lines 39-41, it is emphasized that due to air cushion between the probe and the target tissue, the laser radiation passes to the tissue with little loss of heat, thus indicating that it is Eisenberg's intent to conserve, not to dissipate, heat.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,608,979 to Breidenthal, et al, which issued on Sep. 2, 1986, is directed to nonsurgically fragmenting of kidney stones by an apparatus which produces focused shock waves. A truncated ellipsoidal reflector is positioned against the patient with one focus coincident with the stone. The reflector is filled with a liquid medium having an acoustical impedance similar to living tissue. A laser beam is focused at the remaining focus, thereby producing a shock wave which is coupled through the liquid medium and the patients tissue and focused at the stone, to impart a fragmenting stress to the stone. The liquid medium is not used for cooling purposes.
European Patent application No. 073,617 to Pemberg, which has a priority dated of Aug. 25, 1981, provides a laser dental hard piece with a water/air supply tube. There is provided means for pulsating the water alternately with the laser beam if the laser beam will not function efficiently in a water-vapor atmosphere. There is no mention of using water or air for cooling.
In Plasti. Reconstr. Surg. 6902:78 (1982) in an article titled "Chilling Port Wine Stains Improves The Response To Argon Laser Therapy" by B. A. Gilchrest, S. Rosen and J. M. Noe, the data obtained in this study suggests the potential benefit of port wine lesional modification by chilling the lesional sites by applying ice thereto for 2 to 3 minutes and then subjecting the sites to Argon laser therapy. It is further suggested that the benefit is due to reduced heat injury of nonvascular elements in the skin.
In Plasti. Reconstr. Surg. 75.1:42-45 (1985) in an article titled "The Benefit Of Chilling In Argon-Laser Treatment Of Port-Wine Stains" by B. Dreno, T. Patrice, P. Litoux and H. Barriere, the authors compare results obtained in Argon laser treatment of port-wine stains with and without preliminary chilling, noting that the success rate is considerably greater with the former procedure (68.6 percent) then with the latter (37.5 percent). The patients were classified as having good or unsatisfactory results four months after treatment. A good result corresponded to an evident blanching of the treated area, and an unsatisfactory result corresponded to slight or no blanching of the treated area.
It should be noted that in the latter two studies, Argon laser treatment and cooling did not occur simultaneously.
The following patents were cited during the prosecution of the parent to this continuation-in-part application. U.S. Pat. No. 3,821,510 to Muncheryan, which issued on Jun. 28, 1974, is directed to a hand-held laser beam transmitting and focusing device in which there is provided means for selectively passing therethrough one or more fluids simultaneously with the operation of the device.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,307,553 to Liebener, which issued on Mar. 7, 1967, is directed to an apparatus for cooling irradiated skin areas. It provides a container having a parallel faces that are perpendicular to the treatment beam, but uses cooling medium flowing therethrough, not a stationary container, for cooling of the skin areas.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,967,627 to Brown, which issued on Jul. 6, 1976, is directed to hot/cold applicator system that provides for the use of a heat exchanger and re-circulation of recooled liquid.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,140,130 to Storm III, which issued on Feb. 20, 1979, is directed to an electrode structure for emitting electromagnetic radiation.
These patents neither provides a transparent container or medium nor the positioning of the cooling medium between the laser beam source and the target area as provided for the present application.

Method for treating cutaneous vascular lesions


Described is a herb keeper comprising a body having a closed end and an open end defining a cavity therebetween, and a removable tray portion sized to be slidingly received within the cavity of the body, at least one flexible projection extending from the body toward the tray portion, wherein the tray portion is held in a rest position by the at least one flexible projection.

In the field of culinary arts there are several methods used to maintain the freshness of herbs and other food items. In order to keep certain food items for a reasonable period of time it is necessary to keep them fresh and provide them with a source of water. Examples of food items that may be stored include herbs, attached to their stem or stalk and optionally including their roots, asparagus, and other similar food items. While a container with water in the bottom may suffice, it is generally not easy to keep such a set up in a refrigerator or in a place where it will protect the herbs. In addition, it does not provide a user with easy access to the herbs.
There is always a need for a herb keeper that allows herbs, or other food items, to be kept for a long time, will providing easy access to a user for extracting the desired herb(s).


The present image processing apparatus includes a pixel arrangement controller and two data unit buffers coupled with the pixel arrangement controller. This controller can rearrange the addresses of the pixels in the corresponding data unit buffer according to the size of the block. Accordingly, the pixel data of the same block can be arranged in sequential addresses of the data unit buffer. Therefore, the pixel data may be processed as a batch.

Image transporting is very important today. Image transporting requires a lot of computer resources. A lot of bandwidth is occupied when transporting large-sized image data over the Internet. Therefore, these image data are compressed before transporting. The typical compression technologies are JPEG technology and MPEG technology. In JPEG technology, the frame is separated into many blocks. Each block is 8×8 pixels. These blocks are sequentially stored in the memory. Then, a discrete cosine transform (DCT) is performed.
FIG. 1A illustrates a frame with M×N pixels that is separated into many blocks. Each block is 8×8 pixels. The block 1 includes the first pixel to the (k×k)th pixel. The block 2 includes the (k×k+1)th pixel to the (k×2k)th pixel. The rest may be deduced by analogy. When the frame with M×N pixels is stored in a memory, these pixels, the first pixel to the (M×N)th pixel, are sequentially stored in the memory as shown in FIG. 1B. In other words, as shown is the FIG. 1B, the storing order is from the first pixel to the last pixel, (k(N−k)+k)th pixel, in the first row. After the pixels in the first row are stored, the pixels in the second row are started to store from the first pixel, (k+1)th pixel, to the last pixel in the second row. The rest may be deduced by analogy until all pixels are finished to store.
However, this kind of storage method may cause the pixels of the same block to be dispersed in a memory. FIG. 1C illustrates the storage status of these pixels in the memory. For example, the first row of pixels 1a, including the first pixel to the kth pixel, in the block 1 are arranged in the first row of the memory. However, the second row of pixels 1b, including the (k+1)th pixel to the 2kth pixel, in the block 1 are arranged in the (N/k+1)th row of the memory. As a result, the pixels of the same block are not located in sequential addresses in the memory. Therefore, before a DCT calculation of each block is processed, the pixels of the same block are extracted from inconsecutive locations of the memory to recover a block with k×k, which may waste a lot of calculation time.
Therefore, a processing apparatus that may pre-arrange the pixels in a sequential address in a memory is required. Such processing apparatus may help the post processing apparatus to move a continuous and mass data to reduce the calculation time. For example, the K×K pixels may be moved together. Therefore, it is not necessary to individually move K pixels k times to group a K×K block.


A core for a wire-wound electronic component. The core has a winding base to be wound with a wire, and flanges located at both ends of the winding base in an extending direction of the winding base. The flanges protrude from the winding base in a first direction perpendicular to the extending direction. Each of the flanges has a plurality of protrusions on a first surface at a side of the flange in the first direction. An inclined surface is provided to extend from the first surface of each of the flanges to a second surface of the winding base at a side of the winding base in the first direction.

As a conventional core for a wire-wound electronic component, a core for a common mode choke coil disclosed by Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. H11-204346 is known. Such a core has flanges at both ends of a winding base, and each of the flanges is divided into two parts by a groove extending in a direction in which the winding base extends. External electrodes are provided on the respective parts of the flanges.
A wire wound around the core crosses the grooves while extending from the winding base to the external electrodes. Therefore, the parts of the wire crossing the grooves do not contact with the core and float in the air. Therefore, when a common mode choke coil using the core is mounted on a circuit board, if a foreign object is stuck between either of the flanges and the circuit board, the part of the wire crossing the groove will be pushed toward the bottom of the groove, which may cause wire disconnection.

Core for wire-wound electronic component, wire-wound electronic component, and common mode choke coil


A first model (10), such as a architectural level model or an instruction set simulator model makes calls to a second model (12), such as a pipeline simulator for a data processing device returning cycle count or energy consumption values. The calls to the second model are relatively slow. The system stalls the returned behavioural characteristics from the second model (12) in a memo table (14) and when a sufficient number of these have been returned with sufficiently little variation between them, then they are marked as being valid for use in place of a call to the second model (12), thus speeding up modelling.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of modelling the behaviour of devices. More particularly, this invention relates to modelling device behaviour using a first model, a second model and stored valid behaviour acting in combination.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There is an increasing need to provide for the modelling of devices. It is often the case that a device will be extensively modelled before any physical realisation of that device is built. This can allow the design of the device to be improved and also allow other devices which will co-operate with the device being modelled to be developed so as to interact with the device being modelled more appropriately. As an example, when developing a new data processing circuit it may be strongly desirable to be able to model characteristics of that data processing circuit before it is actually produced. As an example, modelling the power consumption or timing characteristics of the circuit can allow software that is being produced to execute upon that data processing circuit to be written to operate more quickly and consuming less energy before the physical circuit is available for test. There are also circumstances when modelling is desirable even when a physical device is available for test (e.g. modelling may be more convenient than configuring a physical device).
A problem is that modelling complex devices tends to be computationally intensive and can be disadvantageously slow. High level models such as architectural level models of a data processing circuit or instruction set simulator models of a data processing circuit may execute relatively rapidly, but do not readily yield sufficiently accurate detailed information such as processing cycle count and energy consumption given the complex behaviour of typical data processing circuits. Accordingly, it is known to utilise such high level models in combination with a further more detailed model, such as a processor pipeline model to yield cycle counts, in order to produce more accurate results. However, the lower level models tend to be much slower than the high level models and thus the need to repeatedly call the lower level model greatly slows modelling speed.

Modelling device behaviour using a first model, a second model and stored valid behaviour


Flexible ice-cream coating compositions are obtained by using as fat for the fatphase a triglyceride-composition, comprising:. <8 wt % of SSS PA1 25-80 wt % of SUS PA1 2-40 wt % of SU.sub.2 PA1 >5 wt % of U.sub.3. S=saturated fatty acid C.sub.16 -C.sub.24 PA2 U=unsaturated fatty acid C.sub.18+.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to flexible ice-cream coating compositions comprising sugar and a special triglyceride composition, and the use of such compositions in providing coated ice cream products.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventional ice-cream coatings are based on lauric fats. Preferred lauric fats applied for this purpose are coconut oil and palm kernel oil or fractions thereof. However, such fats have drawbacks when applied in ice-cream coatings. Apart from the fact that the SAFA-level, ie. the total of saturated fatty acids and trans-unsaturated fatty acids is very high (90-100%), it was also found that the use of these fats in ice-cream coatings led to products that were brittle. Therefore these products are difficult to process and must be handled with care upon transportation, for else the coatings will crack.
A solution for this problem was found in the development of so called "flexible ice-cream coatings". An example of a flexible ice-cream fat composition is disclosed in EP 502,697. According to this disclosure the composition should contain a fat phase that comprises 10-85 wt % of S.sub.2 U-triglycerides and 15-90 wt % of SU.sub.2 -triglycerides, while at least 35 wt % S.sub.2 U consists of S.sub.2 Ln (Ln=C.sub.18:2). According to the specification fats, wherein the S.sub.2 Ln mainly consists of SSLn are useful for frozen desserts. In the examples 16, 17 and 18 different applications of these fats are illustrated; ie. in ice-cream-in-sugar corn cups; as cub-like chocolates in ice-cream and as ice-cream bars, containing a chocolate centre. Also the application of these fats in ice-cream coatings or as coating of an ice-cream cone is mentioned in the text. It is further disclosed that the presence of liquid fats would be useful for oral mouth feel, but is disadvantageous for the cooling properties. We found novel fat compositions, that combine good flexibility with good drying times and still contain appreciable amounts of liquid oil. Moreover, the use of fats high in SSLn means that no natural fats can be applied, as no natural fat is known that is high in SSLn. Therefore these fats must by synthesized.
We have studied, whether we could find fats, that when applied in ice-cream coating compositions would display at least a similar flexibility as the above known fats, however the fats should be derivable from natural fats.
Moreover the fats should, when applied in ice-cream coating compositions lead to compositions with a viscosity at the temperature of its use, which enables it to spray them on the inside of a (ice-cream) cone, without sticking to the top of the cone and/or without running through the cone and collecting as a liquid mass at the bottom of the cone.
For this purpose so far partially hardened rapeseed oil was often used. This fat however is rich in trans fatty acids and is therefore considered as unhealthy.

Manson nee van der Struik; Helga Gerda A.


A guitar neck incorporating a mechanism for adjusting the degree of straightness of the neck's elongated body is provided herein. The mechanism incorporates a lever and tension-compression system to perform the neck adjustment. The lever and tension-compression system includes a platform and a driver connected pivotally to each other in end-to-end relationship. The platform acts as a lever, and the driver creates tension and actuates the lever. The platform and driver are mounted longitudinally of the neck in a groove (slot or passage), the upper and lower wall of which are adjacent to the platform. Pivot points are provided, preferably on the upper and lower walls of the groove, and cooperate with the platform in achieving the proper lever action.

The ultimate goal in design of a guitar neck is to attain and maintain balance on the fine line of playability, without sacrificing sound quality. Playability can be defined as the distance, and thus the finger force, necessary to play (or fret) a note clearly. Of course, the most desired case is the smallest possible string-to-fret distance at all frets along the entire span of the neck.
In attempting to obtain this optimum distance, several challenges have long plagued the industry. A prominent one of these is the annoying fret buzz sound caused by the string slapping against a higher fret as it vibrates in its elliptical path. Depending on the intensity and the direction at which the string is plucked, the amplitude of the string in the direction of the fret will vary. Since each musician's playing technique is different, an ability to adjust the neck is required in order to eliminate buzz and achieve other benefits.
Fret buzz (and related problems) cannot be effectively eliminated in the manufacturing process by simply sanding down the deviant fret until the buzz subsides. Although this is done routinely as a standard part of the manufacturing process, it is a temporary fix. The fix is temporary due to the ever changing forces acting on the neck, and the resulting displacements that occur subsequent to manufacture.
Necks made primarily of wood are desired by a great many guitarists. But the design of wooden necks involves several pitfalls inherent in working with a substance produced by nature. Wood varies in properties from piece to piece. Each log is different, and it is not practical to cut each neck (wood block for a neck) from exactly the same location along the log. There are an infinite number of possible grain angles, distances from center, etc.
Forces acting on the neck, subsequent to manufacture, include varying string-tension forces and further include forces due to expansion and contraction of the wood in response to varying moisture content. Relative to the latter, the cells in the wood exchange moisture with the air until equalization occurs, and expand and contract in so doing. This causes a neck to move significantly, particularly in the case of musicians who travel to different climates over short periods of time.
The conventional way to adjust a guitar neck, to eliminate the results of the above-specified and other forces, is to use a truss rod. Truss rods have existed for decades, but have certain points of ineffectiveness. Typical rods act primarily on the basis of reverse tensioning in order to counteract string forces. However, it is the opinion of applicant that these rods cause unwanted humps along the fingerboard when certain adjustments occur. Such humps are highly undesired because they require an increase in over-all distance between frets and strings in order to prevent fret buzz.

Guitar neck incorporating combination lever and tension-compression adjustment system


An optical recording medium includes an optical recording layer readable by radiation within a first wavelength band, and first and second visible information layers. The first information region is overlaid by the optical recording layer. An opaque layer is provided between the first and second information layers. The optical recording layer has a transmissivity for visible radiation so that the first visible information is visually readable through the optical recording layer.

1. Field of the invention
This invention relates to an optical recording medium and a process for production thereof.
2. Related Background Art
In recent years, information recording has progressed. Many optical recording media and information recording and/or reproducing apparatuses which record and/or reproduce information optically such as optical discs, optical cards, optical tapes and so on have been proposed. Desirable features of the optical information recording media (hereafter referred to as optical recording media) are high recording density, long lifetime, and a large capacity compared to their size arise because the media can be recorded on and reproduced from without being contacted.
Some portable optical recording media such as optical card type media have been proposed, researched and developed recently. Amongst such media, there is a proposal that visible information, for example character information or picture information such as the distributor's name for the media, the system title, the owner's name and so on is added.
In the past, such added information on the optical recording medium was generally executed on a region other than the region (hereinafter referred to as optical recording region) where the optical recording layer of the optical recording medium was provided.
FIGS. 1 to 6 illustrate prior art recording media, equivalent features in FIGS. 1 to 4 being denoted by corresponding reference numerals.
FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate an optical recording media including visible information as described in Japanese laid open patent JP-A-64-16696. In FIGS. 1 and 2, FIGS. 1(a) and 2(a) are plan views of an optical card, whilst FIGS. 1(b) and 2(b) are respectively, cross-sections along the lines A--A, and B--B of FIGS. 1(a) and 2(a).
The optical recording media shown in these figures comprise a hard coat layer 101 and a transparent substrate 102 having a preformat pattern 103 comprising prepits and pregrooves. An optical information recording portion 104 is formed on a surface of the substrate having the preformat pattern 103. The card also includes an adhesive layer 105, back substrate 106, and a printed layer 107 including a portion carrying visible information 108.
In the medium shown in FIG. 1, the printed layer 107 including the visible information 108 is formed on the outside surface of the back substrate 106. In the medium shown in FIG. 2, the printed layer 107 is formed on the adhesive layer 105 side of the back substrate 106. In this particular structure, the region for carrying character information or picture information is restricted. Furthermore, there is the problem that this arrangement restricts the design of the optical recording medium. The addition of an IC chip, magnetic stripes, or a photograph of a human face on the optical card was investigated in order to produce an ID card or a machine readable card representing money. In these cases the region on which the visible information can be added becomes very narrow.
FIG. 3a illustrates a plan view and FIG. 3b illustrates a cross-sectional view along the line C--C of the recording medium shown in JP-A-2-30595 of FIG. 3.
In this optical recording medium, an optical recording layer 104 composed of polymethine dye was formed so as to cover the visible information portion which is formed on the back substrate 106. It is then possible to read out the visible information 108 through the recording layer 104.
FIG. 4 illustrates an optical recording medium as disclosed in JP-A-2-247820. FIG. 4(a) is a plan view of the medium, FIG. 4(b) is an enlarged plan view of the optical recording portion of the medium, and FIG. 4(c) is a cross sectional view along line D--D of FIG. 4(a).
In this medium, the visible information portion 108 is formed on the surface of an optical recording medium substrate 411. The optical recording portion 104 is formed on the surface of the visible information portion 108, the surface also carrying a magnetic stripe 401. In this structure it is possible to read out the visible information 108 through the optical recording portion 104.
JP-A-6-176519 discloses two optical cards which are capable of having added enough general information by reading out information stored under the optical recording layer. The structure of these optical cards are explained referring to FIGS. 5 and 6 in which FIGS. 5a and 5b show, respectively, a plan view and cross sectional side view along the line E--E of the first card, and FIG. 6 shows a side view of the second card, the plan view being the same as the first card.
In FIG. 5 the optical card 501 is formed as follows. A surface side printed layer 503, an adhesive layer 504, optical recording medium 505, transparent protective layer 506 are laminated in this order on a card base 507. On the underside of the card base 507, a back side printed layer 508 is formed. The back side printed layer 508 is covered with a transparent back side printed protective layer 509. On the surface side printed layer 503, two sets of barcodes 511A,B including card information indicative of an attribute of the card is formed. The barcodes 511A,B are laminated under the optical recording medium 505. As a transparent medium is used as the optical recording medium 505, the barcodes 511A,B can be read out through the transparent protective layer 506 and optical recording medium 505.
Turning now to FIG. 6, the optical card 501 is formed as follows. The adhesive layer 504, optical recording medium 505, transparent protective layer 506 are formed on a transparent card base 513. On the underside of the card base 513 is a surface side printed layer 503, a back side printed layer 508 and a back side printed protective layer 509 are formed. The barcodes 511A,B are formed on the surface side printed layer 503 so as to be read out through the transparent protective layer 506, the optical recording medium 505, the adhesive layer 504 and the transparent card base 513.
However, all prior art described above is devoid of any disclosure about an optical recording medium capable of including high contrast visible information having no influence on the recording and reproducing characteristics of the optical recording medium.

Optical recording medium and process for production thereof


It is an object of the present invention to provide a high order silane composition that contains a polysilane having a higher molecular weight than conventionally, this being from the viewpoints of wettability when applying onto a substrate, boiling point and safety, and hence in particular enables a high-quality silicon film to be formed easily, and also a method of forming an excellent silicon film using the composition. The present invention attains this object by providing a high order silane composition containing a polysilane obtained through photopolymerization by irradiating a solution of a photopolymerizable silane or a photopolymerizable like-liquid silane with ultraviolet light. Moreover, the present invention provides a method of forming a silicon film comprising the step of applying such a high order silane composition onto a substrate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a high order silane composition and a method of forming a silicon film that can be used in particular with integrated circuits, thin film transistors, photoelectric converters, photoreceptors, and so on. Specifically, the present invention relates to a high order silane composition that in particular enables a high-quality silicon film to be formed easily, and a method of forming an excellent silicon film using the composition.
2. Description of the Related Art
Patterning of silicon thin films (amorphous silicon films, polysilicon films, etc.) used with integrated circuits, thin film transistors, and so on is generally carried out through a process in which a silicon film is formed over the whole surface by a vacuum process such as CVD (chemical vapor deposition), and then unwanted parts are removed by photolithography. However, with this method, there are problems such as a large apparatus being required, the efficiency of usage of the raw material being poor, the raw material being difficult to handle due to being a gas, and a large amount of waste being generated.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 1-29661 discloses a method in which a gaseous raw material is liquefied and attached on a cooled substrate, and is then reacted with chemically active atomic hydrogen, thus forming a silicon-based thin film. However, there is a problem in that the raw material silane is continuously vaporized and cooled, and hence a complicated apparatus is required, and moreover it is difficult to control the film thickness.
Moreover, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 5-144741 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 7-267621 disclose methods in which a liquid silane is applied onto a substrate, and then a silicon film is produced through heating or UV irradiation. However, with these methods, a low-molecular-weight material is used, and hence the system is unstable and handling is problematic. Moreover, with these methods, the wettability to the substrate of the solutions used is poor, and hence the application onto the substrate is intrinsically difficult, and moreover the boiling point is low due to the molecular weight being low, and hence during the heating evaporation occurs more quickly than formation of the silicon film, and thus it is extremely difficult to obtain the desired film. That is, how high the molecular weight is (i.e. how good the wettability is, how high the boiling point is, and how good the safety is) of the polysilane (high order silane) used as a material is an important point with regard to film formation.
As a method of resolving the above problem, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 10-321536 suggests a method in which the wettability of a solution of a polysilane is improved by subjecting a mixture of the solution and a catalyst to thermal decomposition or photodecomposition as treatment before the application. With this method, it is necessary to mix a catalyst such as nickel into the solution, and hence there is a drawback that the properties of the silicon film are markedly degraded.
Regarding methods of directly synthesizing silane having a high molecular weight, synthesis procedures and refinement methods are both extremely problematic in general; there have been attempts at a method of directly synthesizing polysilane through thermal polymerization as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 11-260729, but at best Si9H20 is obtained and at a low yield, and at such a molecular size, the above-mentioned properties such as wettability are still insufficient.
Moving on, as a method of forming a silicon film containing an n-type or p-type dopant, in general the silicon film is first produced, and then the dopant is introduced therein by ion implantation. In contrast to this, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2000-31066 discloses a method in which, during a process of forming a silicon film from a polysilane solution as described above, a dopant source is mixed into the material liquid, whereby a doped silicon film is formed. However, with this method as well, there is the fundamental problem for the case of using a low-molecular-weight material that the polysilane solution evaporates during the heating process and hence the amount thereof drops, and accompanying this the dopant source also evaporates, and hence it is difficult to add the dopant effectively.

High order silane composition, and method of forming silicon film using the composition


A building information system stores and processes both building management system (BMS) data and building-related configuration information, such as building and equipment descriptions and locations, point and meter descriptions, contact information for alarms, utility rates, and manufacturer and vendor information. The BMS data is stored in multiple configurations, including analog, binary, multistate, input and output. One or more mapping structures establish database relationships between the dynamic BMS data received from or destined to points, meters, and controllers on a BMS network. By combining these two types of data in a central repository, building information system services, tools and applications can be integrated through published interfaces to provide expandable functionality. Based on the mapping structures, the building information system services, tools, and applications access BMS data and corresponding configuration data to derive additional data (e.g., power consumption based on monitored current consumption), provide enhanced communications with a client (e.g., email-based alarm notification), and identify point discovery mismatches.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to electrical communications systems, and more particularly to systems and data structures for storing data used in monitoring and controlling equipment in a building coupled to a building information system (BIS).
2. Description of Related Art
In a large modem building, such as a manufacturing plant, a building operator can use a dedicated Building Management System (BMS) to manage different building subsystems coupled to the building, including boilers, thermostats, electrical subsystems, controllers, meters, and other equipment. The dedicated BMS typically monitors and controls the building subsystems using a communications network coupling each of the building subsystems. For example, the building operator can use a dedicated BMS to monitor the temperature in a specific zone of the building and to increase or decrease the heat provided to that zone. Typically, a dedicated BMS is executed in a personal computer or workstation located in the building, although such systems can also be operated remotely via a dial-up connection, a local-area network (LAN) or wide-area network (WAN). The data recorded by a dedicated BMS, however, is not readily available to other BMSs or to other applications that would benefit from such data. Furthermore, older dedicated BMSs have typically managed building components using a proprietary channel, which presents an obstacle to adding new service components, interfaces, or clients from different vendors.
Modern BMSs, however, have moved away from the proprietary systems of the late 1980s with the intent of improving a building operator""s ability to integrate different vendors"" subsystems. Such systems, facilitated by industry standard communication protocols such as xe2x80x9cBACnetxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cEchelonxe2x80x9d, are typically characterized as xe2x80x9copen-systemsxe2x80x9d and provide non-proprietary communication interfaces among building subsystems marketed by different vendors. Generally, BACnet and Echelon refer to different types of open-system building network protocols, which allow other BACnet-compliant or Echelon-compliant BMSs and building subsystems to communicate together. In contrast to dedicated BMSs that communicate over proprietary channels, open-system BMSs can provide ready, automatic access to disparate building subsystems without the need for specially developed, vendor-specific interfaces to each vendor""s building subsystem. In other words, an open-system BMS can seamlessly communicate among the building subsystems of different vendors by providing an open-system interface supporting an open-system building network, like BACnet or Echelon.
While open-system BMSs address customer demands for choice and interoperability for managing building subsystems, modern BMSs do not fully address the complex requirements of modern building operators. The EXCEL BUILDING SUPERVISOR (XBS) v. 1.4.2, marketed by Honeywell, Inc., is an example of a BMS, which is typically used to locally manage and control a building, including accessing dynamic data detected from points and meters within the building, viewing historical dynamic data, setting schedules for turning specific points on or off, viewing alarms when the dynamic data fails to satisfy an acceptable condition, and issuing control commands to points in the building. The term xe2x80x9cpointsxe2x80x9d refers to sensors and actuators on various building subsystems.
The BMS data provided by a typical building information system, however, is severely limited in quantity and scope, consisting essentially of dynamic BMS data and BMS attributes. The dynamic (or time-varying) data is detected from or provided to points, meters, and controllers within one or more buildings and stored within the BMS device itself. The BMS attributes typically include an 8-character identifier of the point, meter, or controller; a type characteristic (e.g., digital input, digital output, analog input, analog output); alarm conditions; priority characteristics; and status flags. The BMS data provided by a building management system is not stored in a relational database and is not readily available for use by other non-BMS applications. Furthermore, the BMS does not provide or store configuration data (e.g., describing a particular site, a building, a piece of equipment, and/or a point (or meter) on that equipment) that is also of interest to a building operator. As such, a BMS does not facilitate integration of other needed data and services, such as remotely sending alarms to an email address of a building operator or owner to warn of detected problems with a particular piece of equipment in a particular building. This exemplary functionality is generally outside the scope of a BMS.
Because it is desirable to integrate the data and functionality from a BMS with data and functionality available from other systems, additional data, tools and services are needed to more fully meet these requirements. Furthermore, in some circumstances, a building operator may manage a building remotely or contract with a third party building management company to manage multiple buildings at different geographical locations. A need exists for a remotely accessible building information system that supports the integration of new data, tools and services with a building management system. It is also desirable to provide a relational combination of BMS data and configuration data in a building information system to support expanded capabilities exceeding those of a typical building management system.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment, a method of managing a building information system including a building management system and a building management system network coupled to one or more buildings is provided. Building management system data associated with a piece of equipment on the building management system network is provided. Configuration information associated with the piece of equipment is also provided. A database relationship is established between the building management system data and the configuration information.
In accordance with another preferred embodiment, a computer-readable storage medium storing a data structure for use in a building information system including a building management system program module and a building management system network coupled to one or more buildings is provided. Building management system data is associated with a piece of equipment coupled to the building management system network. One or more building management system database objects stores the building management system data associated with the piece of equipment couple to at least one of the buildings on the building management system network. A building information system configuration object storing configuration information is associated with the piece of equipment. A mapping structure establishes a database relationship between the building management system data of the building management system database object and the configuration information of the building information system configuration object.
In accordance with yet another embodiment. a computer system for managing a building information system, which includes a building management system and a building management system network. is provided. The computer system is coupled to one or more buildings and comprises one or more building management system database objects storing dynamic building management system data associated with a piece of equipment on the building management system network. A configuration database object stores configuration information associated with the piece of equipment. A mapping structure establishes a database relationship between the dynamic building management system data of the building management system database objects and the configuration information of the configuration database object. A processor executes a program module accessing the building management system database object in combination with the configuration database object, based on the database relationship.

Database for a remotely accessible building information system


This application relates to a synchronization circuit for synchronizing signals used in a threshold implementation operation process performing in an S-box of an encryption circuit. In one aspect, the synchronization circuit includes an enable signal generator configured to generate an enable signal. The synchronization circuit may also include a synchronization unit included in an encryption circuit and located inside an S-box that performs a threshold implementation operation that calculates by dividing bits of an input signal into bits equal to or greater than the number of bits of the input signal. The synchronization unit may be configured to synchronize signals used in a threshold implementation operation process based on the generated enable signal.

In an encryption circuit such as an advanced encryption standard (AES), a malicious attacker may steal sensitive information such as key values.
Particularly, among attackers' attack methods, a side channel attack (SCA) is an attack method of using additional information such as electromagnetic waves or power consumption generated while an algorithm is running without being directly involved in the algorithm, and differential power analysis (DPA) or correlation power analysis (CPA), which analyzes a correlation between input data and power consumption to use the correlation in an attack, is widely used due to a strong attack capability.

Synchronization circuit for threshold implementation of S-box

Korea University Research and Business Foundation


A process burden for code processing is reduced by the present system and method while possibly avoiding the lowering of image quality. When compensating for motion prediction by using a multi-reference frame while sequentially changing the pixel-based sizes of motion compensating blocks, a size-reduced block is generated depending upon a motion compensating block having the greatest pixel-based size to be taken as the uppermost layer among the pixel-based sizes. Thereafter, motion vector search ranges are determined respectively within the reference frame images, on the basis of a plurality of size-reduced reference images reduced in size respectively corresponding to the size-reduction ratios of the size-reduced blocks and the size-reduced blocks. Using the determined search range, an optimal motion vector is detected while sequentially changing the pixel-based sizes of the motion compensating blocks. This can detect a motion vector by only a limited search range within the reference frame image.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for compensating for motion prediction, which is suitably applicable to an image coding apparatus for transmitting, for example, motion picture signals over networks, such as the Internet.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image coding apparatus, conventionally, is configured to digitize a motion image signal supplied from an external source and then carries out code processing on it conforming to a predetermined image-coding scheme, thereby generating image-compressed information.
The foregoing image-coding scheme is a known image coding scheme, called MPEG, standardized for the purpose of coding a general-use image by the Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) of ISO/IEC, and the image-coding scheme, called H.26* (i.e., H.261, H.262, . . . ), standardized aiming at coding a television-conference image.
Meanwhile, the recent widespread use of personal digital assistants (PDA's) including cellular phones gives rise to the need for an image-coding scheme to realize still higher coding efficiency. In order to cope with this, the standardization of another image-coding scheme, called JVT (Joint Model of Enhanced-Compression Video Coding) (hereinafter, this is called a JVT coding scheme), is currently being pushed forward by the MPEG and ITU entities.
Under the JVT coding scheme, when carrying out motion-prediction compensation, motion vectors can be searched over the macro-block having vertically horizontally 16×16 pixels with the use of four kinds of size patterns (hereinafter, this is referred to as a macro-block mode) TP1-TP4, e.g. four sets of motion compensating blocks comprising one set of pixel blocks having a size of vertical/horizontal 16×16 pixels (hereinafter, this is referred to as motion compensating blocks), two sets of motion compensating blocks each having a size of vertical/horizontal 8×16 pixels, two sets of motion compensating blocks each having a size of vertical/horizontal 16×8 pixels, or four sets of motion compensating blocks each having a size of vertical/horizontal 8×8 pixels, as shown in FIG. 16. Each of the motion compensating blocks related to these macro-block modes TP1-TP4 can independently have the motion vectors.
Furthermore, concerning the four sets of motion compensating blocks related to the macro-block mode TP4, motion vectors can be searched on each of the four sets of the compensating blocks by use of four kinds of sub-size patterns (hereinafter, this is referred to as a sub-macro block mode) TP5-TP8, e.g. one set of motion compensating blocks having a size of vertical/horizontal 8×8 pixels, two sets of motion compensating blocks each having a size of vertical/horizontal 4×8 pixels, two sets of motion compensating blocks each having a size of vertical/horizontal 8×4 pixels, or four sets of motion compensating blocks each having a size of vertical/horizontal 4×4 pixels. Each of the motion compensating blocks related to these sub-macro block modes can independently have the motion vectors.
Accordingly, under the JVT coding scheme, one macro-block can have 16 motion vectors in maximum (see, for example, Draft ISO/IEC 14496-10:2002 (e)), the entire contents of which being incorporated herein by reference.
Meanwhile, under the JVT coding scheme, when compensating for motion prediction, it is possible to hold a group SF of a plurality of reference frame images. It is possible to carry out a block matching by using two or more reference frame images SF1, SF2 and SFn−1 existing prior (past) to an objective frame image OF to be code-processed, a block matching by using two or more reference frame images (not shown) existing subsequent (future) to an objective frame image OF, or a block matching by using two or more reference frame images (not shown) existing at around an objective frame image OF. The group SF of reference frame images held as the referential candidates is referred to as a Multiple Reference Frame (see, for example, Draft ISO/IEC 14496-10:2002(e)). Furthermore, the JVT coding scheme adopts optimized motion-prediction compensation called Rate-Distortion Optimization (hereinafter, this is referred to as RD optimization). By RD optimization, all the macro-blocks of an objective frame image OF can be block-matched with the group SF of a plurality of reference frame images (FIG. 16), thereby determining a difference value (distortion) in a difference absolute-value sum or the like. Taking into account a quantizing function (Lagrange multiplier for motion vectors) and generation code amount of motion vector difference, a motion vector is searched for which can generate a minimum code amount, thereby enhancing the coding efficiency for motion vectors See DRAFT ISO/IEC 14496-10: 2002(E), and
Rate-Distortion Optimization for Video Compression (G. Sullivan and T. Wiegand, IEEE Signal Processing Magazine, 1998-11), the entire contents of which being incorporated herein by reference.
Meanwhile, in the coding apparatus employing the foregoing JVT coding scheme, while all the macro-blocks are changed to motion compensating blocks in various pixel-based sizes (FIG. 16) between the macro-block entirety and a group SF of a plurality of reference frame images, reference is made to a generation code amount table representative of a generated code amount of motion vector difference and further a quantizing function (Lagrange multiplier for motion vectors) is determined besides a difference value (distortion), thereby carrying out a motion-prediction compensation. Thus, the present inventors have recognized that there is a drawback that process burden is increased due to code processing.

Method and apparatus for compensating for motion prediction


An apparatus and method for a through cutting machining steady rest comprising a base plate fixed to a vertical support plate where an adjustable workpiece cradle may be adjusted to support a desired workpiece to be machined. A pair of opposing articulating side arms pivotally mounted upon the vertical plate wherein articulation of a fastening means will clampingly engage the side arms upon the desired workpiece. The side arms are engaged at points leaving a gap between the side arms for machining of the workpiece between the side arms. Rollers are implemented upon the ends of the side arms and along the came of the workpiece cradle to allow for a fixed axial hold of the workpiece while allowing the workpiece to be rotated around its longitudinal axis for further machining without the need of unclamping and repositioning the workpiece on the steady rest.

Machining is a process whereby a piece of material is cut into a desired final shape and size by a controlled material removal process. In traditional machining processes, machining took, such as lathes, milling machines, drill press, or others are used with sharp cutting tools to remove material to achieve a desired shape. Machining requires attention to many details for a workpiece to meet the specifications set out in the engineering drawings or blueprints. There is a present problem in achieving the correct finish or surface smoothness on a machined workpiece as poor surface finish, evident by an undulating, or irregular finish or the appearance of waves on the machined surfaces of the workpiece, is caused by incorrect clamping of a workpiece.
With typical workpiece clamping devices, a bar or chain is implemented above the workpiece to grip and hold it in place for machining. Use of such a bar or chain prevents machining tools from machining the workpiece at the contact point of the gripping device, requiring the gripping device to be released, the workpiece moved, and the gripping device to be reattached before the workpiece can be further machined. Releasing and repositioning of the workpiece can lead to inaccuracy of machining.
Further, with typical machining devices, the contact of machining tools will cause the workpiece to shift away from the pressure of the tool. An example of such a case being when a drilling, or machining tool is brought from above to contact a workpiece wherein the pressure from the drill or machining tool will deflect the workpiece away from the clamping means allowing it to shift. Such movement causes inaccurate machining, poor surface finish on the machined piece, and an increased cost in producing a machined workpiece.
Another disadvantage of typical workpiece clamping devices is that machining may only take place upon the upper surfaces of the workpiece. Attempting to machine completely through a workpiece risks damage to the steady rest which the workpiece is positioned upon.


Disclosed is a waterproof camera in which a watertightness of an interior of a camera body or a lens tube is maintained during a state where zooming is not performed by a zooming knob defined as a zooming manipulation member. When the lens tube is advanced and retracted by zooming, although the zooming knob is manipulated, a gap serving as an air hole is formed with this manipulation, and the interior of the camera body or the lens tube communicates with the outside air. This prevents such a state that a drive resistance of the lens tube increases. The camera does not require a special filter or the like as provided in the prior art waterproof camera, the filter being disposed in the gap serving as the air hole.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a waterproof camera of a daily-use water resistant type which incorporates a lens tube advancing and retracting apparatus in the direction of an optical-axis.
2. Related Background Art
In the daily-use water resistant type of conventional camera having a photographing lens tube which advances and retracts, the camera is kept in a watertight state. Hence, an internal volume of the watertight camera changes with the advancing and retracting movements based on a zooming drive of the photographing lens tube and a collapsible driving action thereof, and an internal pressure is thereby varied. A resistance force during the drive of the lens tube largely changes due to the variation in the internal pressure thereof. Besides, there exists a possibility in which the internal pressure becomes negative with respect to the outside air, and the watertightness can not be kept. To cope with this, according to a drip-proof camera disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. 113137/1988, a breeze hole is formed in a main frame of the camera having the advanceable/retractable photographing lens tube, and a filter composed of a non-water-permeable but air-permeable material (e.g., GORE TEX (brand name) made by JAPAN CORE TEX Corp.) is disposed therein. The above-mentioned inconvenience is thus eliminated.
However, the above-stated drip-proof camera disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. 113137/1988 involves the use of the filter of the expensive material exhibiting both the non-water-permeability and air-permeability. This is disadvantageous in terms of cost. An additional inconvenience is such that because of using the above-mentioned filter, the water droplets which have mistakenly entered the camera during an exchange of the film can not be discharged from the camera and therefore remain inside.