Methods, systems, and media for streaming video content using adaptive buffers are provided. In some embodiments, the method comprises: transmitting, from a user device to a server, a request to stream a video content item; receiving, at the user device from the server, a predicted abandonment distribution that indicates a plurality of likelihoods of a user of the user device stopping presentation of the video content item at a corresponding plurality of presentation time points of the video content item; receiving, at the user device from the server, a first portion of the video content item; storing the first portion of the video content item in a buffer of the user device having a first size; causing the video content item to be presented by the user device; determining a second size of the buffer based on the predicted abandonment distribution; modifying a size of the buffer to the second size; requesting a second portion of the video content item from the server based on the second size of the buffer; receiving the second portion of the video content item from the server; and storing the second portion of the video content item in the buffer of the second size while continuing presentation of the video content item.

Users frequently stream media content (e.g., videos, television programs, movies, music, etc.) from media content sharing services to user devices (e.g., mobile phones, tablet computers, smart televisions, media players, etc.). A user device streaming a media content item may buffer the media content item so that a portion of the media content is available for presentation in cases where a network connection used to stream the media content item drops in quality or lags. In many cases, a user device uses a fixed buffer size. In some such cases, a server may transmit portions of a media content item that are stored in the buffer that are not presented, for example, in cases where a user of the user device stops presentation of the media content item before the stored portions are presented. Transmitting portions of a media content item that are buffered but not presented can be a waste of resources, both for the server and the user device.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide new methods, systems, and media for streaming video content.


A portable radio telephone apparatus and including a first memory and a second memory for storing variable length records and validity confirmation indicators, indicating confirmed or unconfirmed validity, associated with each record, and memory defragmentation for identifying a first record in the first memory which is adjacent an available memory fragment; providing a second record in the second memory which is a duplicate of the first record having its validity confirmation indicator set to unconfirmed validity; setting the validity confirmation indicator of the second record to confirmed validity; setting the validity confirmation indicator of the first record to unconfirmed validity; providing a third record in the first memory at the location of said available memory fragment having its validity confirmation indicator set to unconfirmed validity; setting the validity confirmation indicator of the third record to confirmed validity; and setting the validity confirmation indicator of the second record to unconfirmed validity.

The present invention relates to memory defragmentation in a portable radio telephone apparatus.
It is common practice in portable radio telephone apparatus to store user names and numbers into records of fixed length. This is wasteful in memory terms as short record entries occupy the same amount as long record entries.
To overcome this problem, variable length records can be employed. Variable length records occupy approximately only the memory space of the record entries which they are required to store. Because of the nature of variable length records, repeated storing and deletion of records causes memory fragmentation which if left unchecked will eventually lead to loss of storage capacity. To prevent this from happening some form of memory management scheme must be carried out to defragment the memory and restore contiguous record storage. All possible defragmentation schemes must relocate the records within the memory space. Record relocation in the field, portable radio telephone apparatus is problematic because of the ever-present threat of the user disrupting the power supply by removing the battery. If the battery were removed during record relocation, record data is highly likely to be lost irretrievably.

Method and system for storing variable length records in the memory of a portable telephone through defragmentation


An extracorporeal lithotripter has a base mounted on wheels for movement about a floor or the like. There is an upright extensible support on the base caring a horizontal extensible support. The horizontal support has a swivel at its outer end with a pair of diverging arms pivotably carrying a truncated ellipsoidal reflector having an otherwise open end closed by a flexible membrane. A spark gap is disposed at the first focal point of the reflector. The second focal point is beyond the membrane and is to be placed on a kidney stone or the like to be disintegrated. Parts are manually movable, and an electric screw jack controls extension of the upright support. The movable parts are all locked by electric brakes except when a pushbutton switch is pushed and held to unlock the brakes for movement of the movable parts. The lithotripter is remarkably simple, rugged and inexpensive.

Surgery for kidney stones is traumatic to the patient in general, and specifically to the kidney operated upon. Typically, a kidney will withstand no more than three such surgical operations without shutting down. Extracorporeal shockwave lithotripters have in most cases rendered such surgery unnecessary. As is known, an ellipsoid of revolution has two focal points. A reflector comprises a truncated ellipsoid which has a pair of electrodes spaced apart to define a sparkgap precisely at the first focus point of the ellipsoid. A rubber or the like diaphragm covers the truncated, open end of the ellipsoidal reflector. The reflector is filled with water having a sufficient saline content to make it conductive. The reflector is positioned with the diaphragm at the end thereof against the patient's body such that the second focus point of the ellipsoidal reflector lies precisely on the kidney stone to be disintegrated. High voltage electrical pulses generate a series of sparks in the gap between the electrodes. Each such spark flashes a certain amount of water into steam, and may actually dissociate a certain amount of the water. A shockwave is generated which is reflected by the ellipsoidal reflector to focus precisely on the kidney stone. The shockwave energy passes through the water in the reflector, through the diaphragm, and through human tissue which is mostly water. Within an hour the kidney stone is usually reduced to fine particles that pass from the body along with the urine.
Such extracorporeal lithotripters are quite expensive, often measured in millions of dollars. This limits availability of such lithotripters to large hospitals and the like having sufficient capital to finance purchase of such lithotripters. In addition to the cost, most such lithotripters are interconnected with computers to effect positioning of the reflector and to control operation of the lithotripter. Many physicians are unfamiliar with computers and are somewhat "put off" in having/to use computer controlled devices.
Some of the prior art extracorporeal lithotripters have required that the patient and the reflector be immersed in a rather large water bath. Those that have not required immersion have generally required that the patient lie on his back on a table having a hole or recess therein to permit the reflector to approach his back from below. Electrical or electrical/mechanical devices of considerable complexity and cost have generally been required for proper positioning of the lithotripter reflector adjacent the patient's body.


Group management of video device playback provides a mechanism for shared playback of recorded video content. Digital video playback devices are linked to a central management system through network connections which manages the shared playback, or a peer-to-peer network connection is used without the central management system. One user may be responsible for all actions affecting content playback, or all users may be permitted to affect content playback, with certain actions of those users limited in type or quantity. Group membership and group member permissions can be accomplished using the digital playback device through interactive interfaces implemented by the digital video playback device, or can be accomplished using a personal computer coupled to the device or central management system. Users may comment on shared playback using interactive video-based commentary functionality that may provide a text channel or graphical images that may be selected from a set of pre-configured commentary items.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to consumer digital video playback devices, and more particularly to methods, systems and devices in which group viewing experiences are shared by providing group control and/or messaging capabilities.
2. Description of Related Art
Digital video playback devices, such as digital video recorder (DVRs), which may be in the form of a portable device such as a personal video recorder (PVR), a set-top box or a computer having a video interface and/or video capability provided from a digital or analog network source are in widespread use in households and other locations.
DVR technology has changed the way the typical person views video programs. By allowing the recording of video content according to a schedule, a DVR makes it possible for a person to view particular content on their own schedule. DVR technology has recently been extended to provide a network interface that can communicate over public and private networks, such as the Internet. Input capabilities have been similarly extended in DVRs, giving users a greater range of interaction ability with the device. The networking and extended input capabilities have provided such features as program-guide based scheduling of DVR recording.
Many video viewing experiences are enhanced when programs are viewed in a social setting. Sporting events and weekly serial programs, for example, lend themselves particularly to group viewing because the content of these programs usually sparks commentary by and/or competition/camaraderie between viewers. However, busy schedules and numerous commitments can make it difficult for groups to gather to view programs together.
When viewing programs in a group setting, viewers frequently manipulate prerecorded content by "pausing" live TV, rewinding, and fast-forwarding. Recently, DVR technology has provided the ability to effectively control "live" content in much the same manner. Control of the playback enhances the viewing experience in a group setting because it provides the ability to review content that has already been viewed, or skip over undesirable content, and allows for greater opportunity for each viewer to discuss the program content.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a method and system that allow viewers of video to collectively watch content in multiple locations while sharing the types of interaction with each other and the video program normally provided in a social setting.

Group control and messaging for digital video playback sessions

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


A method and apparatus for distributing work granules of a parent task among processes running on various nodes in a multi-processing computer system is provided. The parent task is divided into work granules of varying sizes based on the location of the data that must be accessed to perform the work granules. At least one process on each of the nodes that will be assisting in the execution of the parent task is initially assigned a work granule based on efficiency considerations. Such efficiency considerations may include, for example, the location of the data to be accessed relative to the process, the current I/O load of the devices on which data to be accessed is stored, and the relative sizes of the various work granules. When a process completes the work granule assigned to it, the process is assigned one of the remaining unassigned work granules. Again the work granule assignment is made based on efficiency considerations. This process continues until all of the work granules have been completed.

To fully utilize the computing power of a multi-processing system, a larger task (a "parent task") may be divided into smaller tasks ("work granules") which are then distributed to processes running on one or more processing nodes. Each node may contain multiple processors and multiple concurrent processes. The process that divides parent tasks into work granules and distributes the work granules to processes on the various processing nodes is referred to herein as the coordinator process.
Multi-processing computer systems typically fall into three categories: shared everything systems, shared disk systems, and shared nothing systems. The constraints placed on the coordinator process during the work granule distribution process vary based on the type of multi-processing system involved.
In shared everything systems, processes on all processors have direct access to all dynamic memory devices (hereinafter generally referred to as "memory") and to all static memory devices (hereinafter generally referred to as "disks") in the system. Consequently, a coordinator process in a shared everything system has few constraints with respect to how work granules may be assigned. However, a high degree of wiring between the various computer components is required to provide shared everything functionality. In addition, there are scalability limits to shared everything architectures.
In shared disk systems, processors and memories are grouped into nodes. Each node in a shared disk system may itself constitute a shared everything system that includes multiple processors and multiple memories. Processes on all processors can access all disks in the system, but only the processes on processors that belong to a particular node can directly access the memory within the particular node. Shared disk systems generally require less wiring than shared everything systems. However, shared disk systems are more susceptible to unbalanced workload conditions. For example, if a node has a process that is working on a work granule that requires large amounts of dynamic memory, the memory that belongs to the node may not be large enough to simultaneously store all required data. Consequently, the process may have to swap data into and out of its node's local memory even though large amounts of memory remain available and unused in other nodes.
In shared nothing systems, all processors, memories and disks are grouped into nodes. In shared nothing systems as in shared disk systems, each node may itself constitute a shared everything system or a shared disk system. Only the processes running on a particular node can directly access the memories and disks within the particular node. Of the three general types of multi-processing systems, shared nothing systems typically require the least amount of wiring between the various system components. However, shared nothing systems are the most susceptible to unbalanced workload conditions. For example, all of the data to be accessed during a particular work granule may reside on the disks of a particular node. Consequently, only processes running within that node can be used to perform the work granule, even though processes on other nodes remain idle.
To more evenly distribute the processing workload in a shared nothing system, the data can be redistributed such that the data that must be accessed for a particular parent task will be evenly distributed among many nodes. However, when data is redistributed to spread the data evenly between nodes based on one criteria, the redistribution may distribute the data unevenly based on another criteria. Therefore, a redistribution optimized for one parent task may actually decrease the performance of other parent tasks.
Databases that run on multi-processing systems typically fall into two categories: shared disk databases and shared nothing databases. A shared disk database expects all disks in the computer system to be visible to all processing nodes. Consequently, a coordinator process in a shared disk database may assign any work granule to a process on any node, regardless of the location of the disk that contains the data that will be accessed during the work granule. Shared disk databases may be run on both shared nothing and shared disk computer systems. To run a shared disk database on a shared nothing computer system, software support may be added to the operating system or additional hardware may be provided to allow processes to have direct access to remote disks.
A shared nothing database assumes that a process can only access data if the data is contained on a disk that belongs to the same node as the process. Consequently, a coordinator process in a shared nothing database can only assign a work granule to a process if the data to be processed in the work granule resides on a disk in the same node as the process. Shared nothing databases may be run on both shared disk and shared nothing multi-processing systems. To run a shared nothing database on a shared disk machine, a mechanism may be provided for logically partitioning the disks so that each of the disks is assigned to a particular node.
When run on a shared nothing computer system, the different types of databases experience different types of problems. For example, a shared nothing database is not able to distribute the work granules of a parent task to processes spread evenly between nodes when the data that will be accessed during the parent task (the "accessed data") is not evenly distributed among the nodes. Consequently, a process on a node within which resides a large portion of the data for a parent task may work a long period of time on a large work granule while processes on other nodes remain dormant after having completed small work granules. In addition, load skew may result when multiple processes are already executing on a node on which resides the data to be accessed in a large work granule.
The workload distribution within a shared nothing database system may become even more skewed as a consequence of component failure. Specifically, the processing nodes of a shared nothing system are often grouped so that each given node has a companion node that will assume the responsibilities of the given node if the given node fails. Thus, when the processing or memory component of a node fails, processes on the companion node of the failed node must perform all work granules that access data on disks of the failed node as well as all work granules that access disks that belong to itself. Assuming that work granules were distributed evenly among a set of nodes in an initial distribution, the fact that processes on the companion node of the failed node must perform twice the work of processes on the other nodes significantly skews the workload distribution.
Shared disk databases have the disadvantage that the coordinator process may assign a work granule that may be performed more efficiently by a process on one node to a process on another node. Specifically, in a shared nothing computer system, the amount of time required for a process within a node to access data on a disk within the same node (a "local access") is significantly less than the amount of time required for the same process to access data on a disk within another node (a "remote access"). However, under the assumption that processes on all nodes have equal access to all disks, the coordinator process in a shared database may assign a work granule that accesses data in a first node to a process running on a second node even if a process on the first node is available to perform the work granule.
Based on the foregoing, it is desirable to provide a system in which work granules are assigned to processes in a way that distributes the work of a parent task evenly and efficiently. It is further desirable to be able to assign to a process on a first node a work granule that accesses data on a second node if the second node is busy executing other processes, and to assign the work granule directly to a process on the second node if the second node is not busy executing other processes.

Method and apparatus for distributing work granules among processes based on the location of data accessed in the work granules


This biological sample measuring device has a finger groove (6) provided in the short-side direction of a main body case (1) at a position that is closer to a sensor mounting portion (4) than a display section (5) on the rear side of the main body case (1). An interface unit (7) is provided on the front side portion of the main body case (1) corresponding to the finger groove (6). The interface unit (7) has an enter key (7b) and a plurality of cross keys (7ca), etc., disposed at a specific spacing around the outer periphery of the enter key (7b). The enter key (7b) is provided so that it protrudes farther than the cross keys (7ca), etc., on the front side of the main body case (1). A controller (13) performs a reset operation when a plurality of keys are pressed.

Conventional biological sample measuring devices are configured as follows.
Specifically, a conventional biological sample measuring device comprises a main body case, a data reader and sensor mounting portion that are provided on a first end side in the lengthwise direction of the main body case, and a display section provided on the surface closer to the first end side in the lengthwise direction of the main body case (see Patent Literature 1, for example).
In the above configuration, when the conventional biological sample measuring device is used, first the user holds the second end side of the main body case and uses the data reader to read measurement technician ID data, patient ID data, and sensor ID data. Then, a sensor is mounted to the sensor mounting portion, after which the finger of the patient is pricked and the sensor is brought into contact with the pricked finger to supply blood to the sensor, so that the blood glucose level can be measured, for example.


A back light detecting method, a back light detecting device and an image pick-up camera for detecting a back light state in view of the pick-up state of a subject. Concerning a pixel other than the pixel within the brightness level between two slice levels given from the outside, its brightness level is integrated to distinguish a subject area AR.sub.M from a background area AR.sub.L. A back light state BLS is estimated from the area HIST.sub.M and the brightness level Y.sub.M of the subject area AR.sub.M. Thereby the back light state can be detected more correctly.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a back light detecting method, a back light detecting device and an image pick-up camera, in which a back light state is detected according to a subject image.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heretofore, in a video camera, a predetermined brightness is kept by taking feedback in which the brightness of a pick-up picture is detected and a diaphragm is adjusted so that a brightness level of this picture is kept in a predetermined reference level.
In such automatic exposure control, feedback is always effected so that the pick-up picture is to be a reference brightness level set previously. For example, in a picture with a back light in which there is the sun in a background of a subject, feedback in which the brightness level of the whole picture is controlled in low level owing to the sun having a remarkably high brightness level, thus the subject image become dark.
Therefore, in the conventional video camera, a back light state is detected and controlled so that the image becomes not dark more than need and the brightness of a subject image becomes in a medium level in the above state. In such conventional method, as a technique of detecting a back light state, it has been used that a picture is divided into a high brightness region and a low brightness region to detect being in back light when the difference of those brightness levels is large.
By the way, in case of detecting a back light state by using the above method, the back light state is detected only how a picture is divided into a high brightness region and a low brightness region in accordance with a fixed threshold value and those brightness levels are simply compared with each other. Thus more detailed gradation in the area detected having a low brightness and an area of each gradation have not been decision factors for a back light state.
Accordingly, if it is detected that both a small subject and a large background are in the range of low brightness level and the subject is brighter than the background for example, a back light correcting apparatus takes correction so that a brightness level of the background having a larger area and being dark becomes in suitable. As a result, there is a problem that the subject becomes in overexposure and brighter more than need.

Back light detecting method, back light detecting device and image pick-up camera


For use in actuating a cymbal or the like, there being an upright support stand and an upright rod associated with the stand and attached to the cymbal to move it vertically, and there being a foot activated pedal unit remote from the stand, the combination comprising a first frame associated with the stand, and a connector unit associated with the frame, said rod connected with said connector unit to be moved longitudinally upwardly and downwardly by said unit, an elongated rotary linkage extending laterally between said pedal unit and said connector unit, the connector unit configured to convert rotary motion transmitted by the linkage to longitudinal motion transferred to said rod.

This invention relates generally to operation of percussion equipment, and more particularly to use of foot activated pedal unit or units to control operation of cymbals, at a location or locations spaced at selected distance from the pedal unit or units. More particularly, it concerns provision of a rotary linkage to transmit motion of a pedal at a pedal unit to a remotely located cymbals disc, without need for a flexible cable, as in U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,500.
There is need for improvements in foot pedal control of cymbal apparatus, whereby use of a flexible cable motion transmission means is eliminated. Such cables introduce unwanted friction or drag in the mechanical motion transmission to the remote cymbal apparatus, and are also ungainly in a percussion instrument performance set-up. Also, there is need for low friction, tight, rotary coupling, between the pedal unit and the cymbals apparatus, to eliminate need for sliding, flexible cable endwise connection in such apparatus, and wherein a return spring is employed at the cymbal stand, in the motion coupling relation to the foot pedal unit.

Elongated linkage connected pedal unit and cymbals apparatus


A method for providing support for multiple control channels includes establishing an indirect data connection with a first network entity in an optical network. The method also includes establishing a first control channel with the first network entity. The first control channel has at least one unique source IP address. The method additionally includes transmitting a first control message to the first network entity via the first control channel. The first control message comprises a first unique source IP address.

An optical network uses optical signals to communicate information among the nodes of the network. This information often includes both data (e.g., a file that is being downloaded, packets carrying voices of a phone call, or the contents of a webpage) and signaling (e.g., commands or messages between nodes containing status or setup information). In some optical networks the data may be transferred using a data channel (e.g., a datalink) while the signaling is communicated using a control channel. In such an instance the control channel may be said to be out-of-band; that is the control channel is separate from the data channel. In some situations, such as in an optical network comprising several nodes, it may be desirable for a node to have multiple control channels. However, some protocols, such as the Link Management Protocol (LMP), have limited control in managing multiple control channels over a single physical interface.
Generic multi-protocol label switching requires out-of-band control channels in order to be able to control a non-IP based network element such as an optical network element. LMP maintains control channels which can be identified as a pair of unique IP addresses. Furthermore, LMP requires multiple or redundant control channels between two nodes for resiliency. However, LMP does not support multiple control channels between two indirectly connected nodes. One solution is to create generic routing encapsulation, or IP-in-IP tunnels, in order to achieve logical separation between a data channel and a control channel. However, this often requires universal support of the tunneling feature.

System and method for providing support for multiple control channels


A method for determining absolute orientation of a platform is disclosed. In one embodiment, a first sky polarization data set for a first time Ti is measured using a sky polarization sensor disposed on a platform. A second sky polarization data set is obtained at a second time Tj. A difference in orientation between the first sky polarization data set and the second sky polarization data set is determined using an orientation determiner. The difference in orientation is provided as at least one orientation parameter for the platform at time Tj. The at least one orientation parameter is used to provide a direction relative to a reference point on the platform.

Position determination is required for the execution of a variety of activities. Some survey and mapping activities include determining the position of objects in the world, either near the position determination device or some distance away. Other activities include navigation or stakeout, where the coordinates of a destination is known, and the operator is guided to that destination by iteratively determining the position of a device and comparing that position with the destination coordinate. The position determination process in optical surveying typically starts from a known location, called a Point of Beginning (POB). The POB may have 2 or 3 coordinates (e.g., X, Y, and Z coordinates), in a specified coordinate system. Such a coordinate system may be a local one, where the location of a given starting point is given in "northing and easting" and height relative to a predetermined datum, or in latitude, longitude and height, or altitude. A typical optical survey system is set up and leveled directly over the POB, and the vertical distance between the POB and the instrument is measured, often with a tape measure. The system uses a visual sighting instrument in the form of a telescope with a built-in electronic distance measurement system to sight to a target located away from the POB. The telescope is coupled to a set of angle measurement devices that give elevation angle (also known as pitch) and a horizontal angle. The raw horizontal angle is relative, not absolute. To convert these relative horizontal angles into absolute azimuths (that is, with respect to true north), the first operation is to measure the horizontal angle in a known direction. This is usually accomplished by sighting to another known reference point, known as the backsight. These measurements are made on a tripod platform which enables the survey instrument to be manually leveled so that the vertical axis of rotation for horizontal angle determination is aligned with the local gravity vector. Leveling also ensures that the elevation angle is absolute (i.e., with respect to local gravity). Alignment of a local vertical axis on the measurement device with the gravity vector has been the standard way to create a reference plane from which azimuth and elevation angles can be measured. After measuring the angles and distance to a target, well-known geometric calculations determine the location of the first target relative to the POB. The survey process may continue by moving the survey instrument to directly over the first target location, repeating the leveling process for the tripod mounting system, and continuing to sight to the next target, again obtaining a range distance and angles to the new target.
The underlying assumption in the above data collection process is that the local vertical axis is well-behaved and well known, and serves as the common orientation reference by establishing a locally horizontal plane and vertical axis to which all range and horizontal angle measurements are referenced. The process always requires a re-leveling step for the survey instrument at each new target location, and the vertical distance between the new POB and the instrument is re-measured. There is quite an art to setting the instrument up so that it is both level and vertically above the POB. This setup procedure is time-consuming, and is a source of error if not accomplished accurately.
It should be noted that handheld laser rangefinders commonly measure absolute orientation and elevation angle, without leveling and backsighting. However this is achieved through electronic tilt sensors and magnetometers, which deliver only low accuracy measurements of roughly one degree, and so are not suitable for high accuracy positioning applications.
Total stations for surveying and construction measure relative angles to an accuracy between 0.5 and 10 arc-seconds; additional errors can be introduced by mis-levelling and imprecise target sighting as described above.
The introduction of Global Positioning System (GPS) and Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) receivers significantly reduced the need for optical surveying, as a 3D position can be determined from a single measurement of the GNSS receiver at a desired target location. But when high accuracy positioning is desired, as in most survey applications, the GNSS antenna still needs to be precisely positioned over the desired spot on the ground, or over some other physical target. Since GNSS operational practice dictates keeping the antenna at a known distance vertically above a ground target, often on a pole or rod about 2 meters in length, a different kind of leveling activity must be performed as well. Again, leveling a pole requires a bubble-level indicator as in the case of a survey tripod, and takes some time to bring the pole into a vertical alignment with sufficient accuracy to meet survey requirements. Further, there are many circumstances where the GNSS receiver cannot be located exactly at or over the target point.
GNSS receivers often do not give high accuracy positions in environments where the satellites are not clearly in view, such as near buildings or trees. In such cases an optical instrument such as a total station can be used. Alternatively a GNSS receiver can be combined with a total station, where the GNSS position is used to avoid the need to find an existing local POB. However the operator of a combined GNSS total station still needs to level it and take a backsight reading.

Use of a sky polarization sensor for absolute orientation determination in position determining systems


A process for preparing silicon granules with a chlorine contamination below 50 ppm by weight by deposition of elemental silicon on silicon particles in a fluidized-bed reactor. This reaction has a heating zone below a reaction zone. The silicon particles, in the heating zone, are fluidized by means of an inert silicon-free carrier gas to produce a fluidized bed and are heated by means of microwave energy. The silicon particles are reacted within the reaction zone, a reaction gas made up of a silicon source gas and the carrier gas. The average temperature of the reaction gas in the reaction zone, while the gas is perfusing the fluidized silicon particles, is maintained at less than 900.degree. C. The average temperature of the fluidized silicon particles in the reaction zone, while they are being perfused by the reaction gas, is maintained at greater than 900.degree. C.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a process for preparing highly pure polycrystalline silicon in a fluidized-bed reactor by thermal decomposition or reduction, with hydrogen, of a silicon source gas.
2. The Prior Art
Highly pure polycrystalline silicon (polysilicon) is a starting material for the fabrication of electronic components and solar cells. It is obtained by thermal decomposition or reduction, with hydrogen, of a silicon source gas. This process is known to those skilled in the art as chemical vapor deposition, CVD. Worldwide, polysilicon is produced mainly in so-called Siemens reactors. The chemical vapor deposition of elemental silicon in these CVD reactors takes place on silicon rods, so-called thin rods. These rods are heated to more than 1000.degree. C. under a metal bell jar by means of electric current and are then exposed to a gas mixture consisting of hydrogen and a silicon source gas, for example trichlorosilane. As soon as the thin rods have grown to a certain diameter, the process sequence has to be interrupted, i.e. only batchwise operation rather than continuous operation is possible.
Most recently, attempts were made to obtain highly pure polycrystalline silicon as granules, hereinafter referred to as "silicon granules", in fluidized-bed reactors in the course of a continuous CVD process. Fluidized-bed reactors are preferred where solid surfaces are to be exposed extensively to a gaseous or vaporous compound. This will ensure an efficient operation. A gas mixture of a silicon source gas, for example trichlorosilane, and a silicon-free carrier gas, for example, hydrogen are known as the "reaction gas". If this reaction gas perfuses a fluidized bed comprising polysilicon particles, hereinafter referred to as "silicon particles", elemental silicon is deposited on the surface of these particles. These particles as a result, grow in size to produce granular polysilicon, hereinafter referred to as "silicon granules".
To provide the thermal conditions required for the CVD process, the fluidized-bed reactor is usually divided, via partitioning means, into two zones (See DE-43 27 308 C2):
1) a reaction zone within which the silicon source gas is deposited as polysilicon on the silicon particles at a specific reaction temperature, and
2) a heating zone within which a fraction of the silicon particles is fluidized by means of an inert, silicon-free carrier gas and is heated beyond the reaction temperature, for example by means of microwave energy.
In addition to the efficient operation of fluidized-bed reactors, a further advantage is that the polysilicon product is obtained in the form of granules which are approximately spherical. This free-flowing, granular polysilicon can immediately be transported and processed. On the other hand the rod-type product from the Siemens reactor first has to be crushed before it can be processed further, such as with the Czochralski process.
Notwithstanding these advantages, the use of a fluidized-bed reactor for preparing silicon granules often has drawbacks. In contrast to the polysilicon obtained by the Siemens process, the granules can be contaminated with chlorine, if chlorosilanes such as trichlorosilane are used as the silicon source gas. The contamination is trapped in the crystal lattice, and consequently cannot be removed even by annealing under a vacuum.
If there is further processing of the silicon granules by the Czochralski process, then a high chlorine contamination has adverse effects. For example there will be poor crystal quality of the single crystal pulled from the melt, due to the formation of gas bubbles in the silicon melt. There will also be concomitant splashing of the melt, and the formulation of chlorine-containing corrosive gases which destroy the pulling tool. These drawbacks are not observed with a chlorine contamination below 50 ppm by weight.
In principle there is no difference between the deposition of a gaseous silicon source gas on silicon rods in a Siemens reactor and on silicon particles in a fluidized-bed reactor. If the composition and the ratio of the reaction gas, the temperature of the silicon surfaces (rods or particles) and the reactor pressure are the same in both processes, there is the following result. The silicon granules from the fluidized-bed reactor nevertheless exhibit distinctly elevated chlorine contamination, compared with the rod-type polysilicon from the Siemens reactor.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,077,028 discloses that the chlorine contamination correlates inversely with the average deposition rate of elemental silicon on the silicon particles. Thus, as the deposition rate increases, the chlorine contamination decreases. According to this patent, a deposition rate greater than 0.4 .mu.m/min at a temperature greater than 1000.degree. C. is a prerequisite for a granular polysilicon product with a chlorine contamination below 20 ppm by weight.
However, operating a fluidized-bed reactor at a temperature of 1000.degree. C. does result in substantial, undesirable deposition of elemental silicon on the insides of the reactor walls. This causes the termination of the CVD process. Such a high reactor temperature is virtually unachievable industrially and ensures neither reliable nor efficient operation.

Process for preparing highly pure silicon granules


A waveguide structure is provided. The waveguide structure includes: a slot channel waveguide including first and second patterns, which are spaced apart from each other to define a slot; a first upper layer covering at least a portion of the slot channel waveguide; and a second upper layer covering the remaining portion of the slot channel waveguide. A thermo-optic coefficient (TOC) of the channel waveguide times a TOC of the second upper layer is a negative number.

The present invention disclosed herein relates to a photonic device, and more particularly, to a waveguide structure capable of reducing temperature-dependent wavelength shift (TDWS).
The present invention has been derived from research undertaken as a part of the information technology (IT) development business by the Ministry of Information and Communication and the Institute for Information Technology Advancement of the Republic of Korea [Project management No.: 2006-S-004-02, Project title: silicon based ultra high speed optical interconnection IC].
Optical interconnection technology can be used to realize a high speed bus of a semiconductor device such as a central processing unit (CPU). A wavelength-division-multiplexing (WDM) device capable of selectively dividing a predetermined wavelength of light is required to exchange signals through the optical interconnection technology.
Because a ring resonator can selectively extract light with a predetermined wavelength by the use of optical resonance phenomenon, it can be used for a WDM device. For example, a method of selectively extracting light with a predetermined wavelength is disclosed in a paper by W. Bogaerts et al. ("Compact Wavelength-Selective Functions in Silicon-on-Insulator Photonic Wires," IEEE J. Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics, vol. 12, no. 6, 2006.). In more detail, as illustrated in FIG. 1, this paper of W. Bogaerts discloses a method of minutely adjusting radii of rings 11, 12, 13, and 14 to selectively extract lights with various wavelengths λ1, λ2, λ3 and λ4 (that is, r1<r2<r3<r4).
However, silicon has a thermo-optic coefficient (TOC) of 0.00018/° C., which is about 18 times that of silica (SiO2). Herein, the TOC represents a change in refractive index with temperature. Accordingly, a silicon ring resonator has a TDWS ranging from about 80 pm/° C. to about 100 pm/° C., which may not be appropriate for an actual product.
To reduce such a high TWDS, a method of forming a channel waveguide using silica or polymer for a cladding may be considered. This method is effective in a silica WDM device, whereas it is not available for a WDM device based on silicon having a high TOC because this method cannot effectively suppress the TDWS in the silicon WDM device. Especially, most of an optical mode is distributed inside a silicon core in a channel waveguide structure of a silicon WDM device, and thus a method of forming a cladding of polymer may not effectively control the TDWS because only a portion of the optical mode is distributed in the cladding.
Furthermore, methods for suppressing TDWS for transverse magnetic (TM) mode was suggested before, but any method for effectively suppressing the TDWS for a transverse electric (TE) mode is not yet suggested. The TDWS suppression technique for the TE mode is essentially required in that silicon photonic devices mainly use a polarized light in the TE mode.

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute


A binocular includes first and second telescope systems, a focus adjustment mechanism and a diopter correction mechanism. The binocular is further provided with a shielding mechanism which selectively shields one of the telescope systems in response to a switch, and a locking mechanism which selectively locks one of the focus adjustment mechanism and the diopter correction mechanism in response to the switch.

The present invention relates to a binocular.
Conventionally, a binocular includes two (left and right) telescope systems, a focus adjustment mechanism for focusing the telescope systems, and a diopter correction mechanism for adjusting a diopter of the telescope systems. In general, the focus adjustment mechanism is constructed to move two lens groups which respectively belong to two telescope systems of the binocular, while the diopter adjustment mechanism is constructed to move a lens group which belongs to one of the telescope systems (for example, the right telescope system). The binocular is provided with a focus adjustment knob for operating the focus adjustment mechanism and a diopter correction knob for operating the diopter correction mechanism.
In case where the lens group moved by the diopter adjustment mechanism belongs to the right telescope system, the diopter correction process includes the following two stages. In a first stage, an observer observes an object with left eye (through the left telescope system) and operates the focus adjustment knob thereby to focus the left telescope system on the object. In a second stage, the observer observes the same object with right eye (through the right telescope system) and operates the diopter correction knob thereby to focus the right telescope system on the object.
However, since the observer must close right eye in the first stage and close left eye in the second stage, the diopter correction process is troublesome. Further, when the observer closes one eye, it may affect the diopter characteristics of the other eye, which lowers the accuracy in the diopter correction. Although it is alternatively possible to put an external cover on the binocular to shield one of the telescope systems, it also makes the diopter correction process troublesome.
Furthermore, if the observer mistakenly operates the focus adjustment knob in the second stage, it may change the focus of left telescope system which has been set in the first stage. In this case, it is necessary to repeat the first stage.


In a diagnostics system wherein a radiological image is generated of a patient who has been injected with a contrast agent, the arrival of the contrast agent bolus at the imaging site is identified either directly by detecting the contrast agent, or indirectly by detecting a dye injected with the contrast agent, so that a synchronization of the imaging exposures with the arrival of the contrast agent can be assured. If a dye is used, the dye can be an optically detectable dye which is injected via the contrast agent syringe in addition to the contrast agent. A densitometer identifies the arrival of the contrast agent or of the dye at a predetermined location of the patient, and controls triggering of the exposures.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a radiological diagnostics system of the type wherein a radiological image of an examination subject, who has been injected with a contrast agent, is generated.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For many radiological investigations, it is desirable to trigger the imaging exposure, after the injection of a bolus of contrast agent, at exactly the time of arrival of the bolus of contrast agent in the organ or body region of interest, in order to achieve optimum contrast and/or to completely image the bolus if the examination is a dynamic examination. A problem in obtaining such exact triggering is that the passage time of the intravenously injected bolus (usually injected into the vein of an arm) through the right atrium, right ventricle, circulation through the lungs, the left atrium and left ventricle and to the organ of interest varies greatly from patient to patient. In addition to being dependent on parameters such as the heart rate, which can be relatively easily acquired, this passage time is dependent on other parameters which cannot be reliably monitored. A current problem is to obtain such synchronization in the context of spiral computer tomography, wherein complete organs or body sections are to be examined in the shortest possible time, and thus exact synchronization of the imaging with arrival of the contrast agent bolus is necessary. Frequently, a portrayal of blood vessels (CT angiography) is also desired. The triggering problem, however, is present in all examinations which require an injection of a contrast agent.
The above problem has not been exactly resolved, but has heretofore been approximately resolved by relying on the experience of the physician or radiologist. The examining person acquires the appropriate experience through examination employing transillumination monitoring, for example in digital subtraction angiography. Recommendations for estimating the passage time after injection of the contrast agent bolus, primarily dependent on the pulse rate, have been developed on the basis of such examinations and other fundamental studies. Such procedural rules, however, provide only approximate suggestions, resulting in the imaging exposure being triggered too early or too late in many instances, particularly in the case of examining personnel with less experience. If the x-ray imaging is triggered prematurely, this results in an unnecessary increase in the radiation dose to the patient. If the x-ray imaging is triggered too late, the image of the bolus is not completely acquired, which can mean that the results of the examination are not useable, and the entire examination must be repeated. The problem does not lend itself to a procedural protocol which is applicable in all examinations since, for example, the circulation parameters of a patient can change very rapidly.

Radiological diagnostics system employing a contrast agent


A fluid transport device for compressing or pumping a work fluid comprises a rotating coupling having an off-center first gear, a fixed internal second gear of twice the pitch diameter of the first gear, and a housing having a diametrical channel with a sliding piston disposed therein. A crank-like connector rotatably coupled with the first gear has a depending lug engaged within a hole in the piston and acts to drive the piston to and fro within the channel. First and second chambers are defined to either side of the piston, with the terminal ends of the chambers defined by the wall of the housing each having an egress aperture and an ingress chamber. A slotted depending rim of the coupling alternately obturates the egress aperture of one chamber and the ingress aperture of the other in step with the intake and expulsion stroke of the piston in each chamber.

The present invention relates to a fluid transport device, and more particularly to a fluid transport device for compressing or pumping a work fluid and which is very suitable for refrigeration systems.
More conventional fluid displacement devices that are adaptable for use in refrigeration systems such as piston compressors or rotary compressors suffer from a number of deficiencies. In the case of the former, more complicated valve mechanisms are required along with inefficiencies in the use of space. While rotary compressors, such as the type characterized in having eccentric rotating cylinders have relatively lower compression and incur high rates of wear in their gating mechanisms. Yet other compressor types employing rotating scroll members through also achieving high compression and rotary efficiency, require very accurately dimensioned components that are difficult and expensive to manufacture.
Whereas, the fluid displacement device of the present invention achieves both high compression and the space efficiencies of a rotary type compressor system while still being inexpensive to manufacture. Further, the unique arrangement of the device enables a simplified and integral valve mechanism for controlling the intake and expulsion of work fluid.

Suite 1, 11F, 95-8 Chang Ping Road, Sec. 1


A method, electronic device, and system for remote text input in the electronic device are provided. A display signal may be outputted in the electronic device, displaying a text field for inputting text (e.g., by the user of the electronic device). A request for text input may be sent from the electronic device to another device (e.g., a communication device) which may be addressed by an identifier of the other device (e.g., a SIM of the communication device). The electronic device may then receive the requested text input from the other device (e.g., once the user of the other device enters the requested text).

While some electronic devices such as personal computers have specialized keyboards for text input, other electronic devices may not provide adequate user controls to input text. For example, some electronic devices may have only a remote control which is normally very simple and comprises only the main function of the electronic device, but not a keyboard for inputting text. Various solutions are available in the state of the art, but remain inadequate.
For example, many electronic devices (e.g., those with simple remote controls) may provide a display based keyboard. The keys of the keyboard are chosen by using four direction keys to navigate on the display based keyboard and a fifth key to confirm each selected keyboard key. This may keep the remote control simple without requiring any additional keys for the remote control, but text input is very time consuming and very often stops users from using functions of the TV requiring text input.
QWERTY-keyboards as used with personal computers can be connected wirelessly to the electronic device and provide an effective tool for text input. However, for most functions of the electronic device, a QWERTY-keyboard is much too complex and too big so that the advantages of the text input are offset by the disadvantages of this kind of remote control. In some cases the QWERTY-keyboards are reduced in size, which always raises the problem of the trade-off between size of a key and size of the remote control. In addition, the text input by the QWERTY keyboard can only be checked on a display of the electronic device so that the user has to change his view always between the display which may be far away and the keyboard. This is already a burden for people with good eyes, but becomes a serious barrier for person with different defects of vision for the distance and the vicinity.
An alternative method to input text is use of a number field. For example, number 1 (or key corresponding thereto) may be used to input A, B or C, the number 2 may be used to enter D, E or F, etc. This input method is well-known in mobile phones, but is used less and less with the rise of smartphones which also use a full keyboard. In addition, this method also requires controlling the input via the display of the device.
Recently, devices such as smartphones may be directly used as remote controls for the electronic device. This has the advantages that the user can use the text input well known to the user by daily use of a smartphone, and that the user can also see text input directly on the smartphone while typing. However, for each electronic device, the user has to download an application for the remote control of the electronic device. On the other side, the manufacturer of electronic devices being controlled has to offer for each type of smartphone or each type of operating system of a smartphone, an application and update the applications with each version of the smartphone operating system. Therefore the installation and maintenance of those applications are cumbersome for the manufacturer and the user.
Similar issues exist in various video signal devices, such as televisions, set-top boxes (STBs), video recorder, etc. In this regard, none of the presented solutions of the state of the art are suitable for text input.
Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditional approaches will become apparent to one of skill in the art, through comparison of such systems with some aspects of the present invention as set forth in the remainder of the present application with reference to the drawings.

Method, electronic device and system for remote text input


The simulated log fireplace apparatus housing forming a fire box having back, bottom, top wall, two side walls, and an open front containing at least one artificial log and simulated flame sheet. A blower directs air on to the flame sheet to simulate real flame movement. A colored light source provides color of real flames. The light source and blower are adjustable from a control panel under a top louver panel. The artificial log may include a translucent base log and ember bed with a light source beneath the translucent log. A window log having an aperture simulate a burning core. A transparent partition has a partially opaque area just above the simulated flame sheet provides the full depth of real fireplace. The apparatus may include electric blower heater, a crackle box, decorative simulated brick panels placed on back and side walls, metal screen, glass doors, vents and louvers.

This invention relates to apparatuses that simulate the appearance of a fireplace and more particularly an electric log fireplace that simulates the three dimensional visual effect of flames that is virtually indistinguishable from a real log burning fireplace.
Decorative artificial fireplaces and assemblies to install into existing fireplaces have been manufactured and sold in Canada and major countries in Europe for decades. However, in the United States interest in artificial electric fireplaces has been negligible due largely to the artificial appearance thereof as compared to a real log burning fire or a gas fired artificial log fire.
Presently, many different types of decorative electric log fireplaces assemblies being manufactured and sold worldwide. One of these assemblies has a simulated transparent fiberglass log illuminated with an electric bulb and a spinner inside the log to create a blinking affect. However, there are no simulated flames. A second type uses an opaque transparent plastic or Fresnel screen as a back projection screen when viewed from the front in which a log display is set low and in front of the screen. A third type uses a flat microwave in an attempt to provide a hologram appearance. A fourth type employs a Regency or Victorian fire basket filled with pieces of colored glass that reflect light from an electric light bulb and spinner beneath the pieces of colored glass. Finally, the fifth type uses a log with linear yellow and clear metal strips which resemble flame shapes and a blower to blow the strips in order to simulate the flames.
Unfortunately, these types of electric log fireplaces still result in an artificial fire appearance, particularly when a full size opaque plastic sheen is used as such a screen reduces the depth of a fireplace box to a narrow area. Although attempts have been made by some manufacturers to increase the visual effect of the fireplace depths by relying on reflective mirrors to reflect the logs thereby producing a virtual image of the logs appearing to increase the size of the fireplace box, the result is still a two dimensional flame appearance. Furthermore, a substantial loss of flame brightness results due to refraction of the light through the opaque plastic screens, which increases with increasing viewing angle, similar to the effect of visual experience with back projection televisions.
Thus, a need exists for an artificial log burning fireplace assembly that provides a three dimensional visual flame appearance of a real wood burning fireplace, particularly in terms of brightness, color and random movement of the flames.

Simulated log burning fireplace apparatus


Power consumption in a portable communication unit (101) is reduced by first transmitting at a first time, a message (701) at a first transmit power level to a repeater (103) on a first communication channel. At a second time the message (701) is repeated (903) by the repeater on a second communication channel, thereby transmitting a delayed message (703). The portable communication unit (101) tunes (807) to the second communication channel after transmitting all of the message (701), so as to receive at least part of the delayed message (703). The repeater (103) establishes a receive quality metric (705) for the message (701) and transmits (909) the receive quality metric after all of the delayed message (703) is transmitted. The portable communication unit receives and stores (809) the receive quality metric (705), and determines a second transmit power level for transmitting another message using the receive quality metric.

RF communications exist. These communications incorporate portable communication units ("portables") that are powered by rechargeable batteries to enable communications in various locations without requiring an external power supply. Unfortunately, after several hours of use, the battery discharges and must be recharged or replaced with a charged battery.
Several techniques for providing a battery-saving system for portables are known. One such system employs a push-to-talk (PTT) circuit wherein the transmitter of the portable is manually keyed by a push button or the like when it is desired to transmit a message, the transmitter normally being unkeyed when no message is being transmitted. Full-duplex systems may utilize voice activation circuits to key the transmitter only while the user is speaking. Other systems apply synchronization codes and tone codes to enable the unit to operate in a low-power consumption mode when not engaged in a call.
In full-duplex cellular systems, cellular telephones adjust their transmit power level continuously in response to commands from the infrastructure. By reducing the transmitter whenever possible in this way, battery charge is conserved. These power-level commands are received on a separate dedicated supervisory channel. In many conventional communications systems, communication channels are a sparse commodity, and the use of a dedicated channel to convey power-level commands is too expensive a price to pay for battery savings in a portable.
Accordingly, a method of providing battery savings that extends battery usage time in a portable unit without use of an additional channel is desired.

Reduction of power consumption in a portable communication unit


An improved thermal barrier coating for metal substrates such as superalloys is disclosed. The coating is a slurry composition, comprising spheres of zirconia, at least some of which are hollow, contained within a porous oxide matrix, such as aluminosilicate. The slurry composition can be applied by slurry casting or similar techniques to the desired surface. Coating methods are also described. In general, they involve the application of successive layers of variations of the slurry composition, with various curing techniques used between layers and after the final coating is applied. Another embodiment of this invention embraces a composite coating, comprising (i) an oxide matrix phase; (ii) zirconia spheres embedded in the oxide matrix; and (iii) a porous phase.

Metal parts which are exposed to high temperatures often require specially-formulated protective coatings. Aircraft engine parts are but one example. Combustion gas temperatures present in the turbine engine of an aircraft are maintained as high as possible for operating efficiency. Turbine blades and other elements of the engine are usually made of alloys which can resist the high temperature environment, e.g., superalloys, which have an operating temperature limit of about 1000.degree. C.-1100.degree. C. Operation above these temperatures may cause the various turbine components to fail and damage the engine.
The protective coatings, often referred to as thermal barrier coatings or "TBC"s, effectively increase the operating temperatures of the alloys which are used in high-temperature environments. Most of them are ceramic-based, e.g., based on a material like zirconia (zirconium oxide), which is usually chemically stabilized with another material such as yttria For a jet engine, the coatings are applied to the surfaces of turbine blades and vanes--usually over an intervening bond layer.
Techniques for depositing thermal barrier coatings like zirconia are known in the art. One method commonly used in the past is plasma-spraying. In this technique, an electric arc is typically used to heat various gasses such as air, nitrogen, or hydrogen to temperatures about 8000.degree. C. or greater. The gasses are expelled from an annulus at high velocity, creating a characteristic flame. Powder material is fed into the flame, and the melted particles are accelerated toward the substrate being coated.
Another technique for depositing thermal barrier coatings is physical vapor deposition (PVD). In one exemplary type of PVD, an ingot of the ceramic material being deposited on the substrate is placed in a chamber which is evacuated. The top end of the ingot is then heated by an intense heat source (from an electron beam or laser, for example), so that it melts and forms a molten pool. A portion of the very hot, molten ceramic evaporates and condenses on the substrate, and a coating is gradually built up as the ingot is raised to replenish the molten pool.
It's clear that there are many advantages to using plasma spray or PVD techniques to deposit thermal barrier coatings. In general, the coatings resulting from either technique are of good quality and durability. Each technique has various advantages over the other. For example, thermal barrier coatings deposited by PVD are normally thinner than those deposited by air plasma spraying, and therefore add less weight to an aircraft engine. They are also especially adherent to smooth, underlying surfaces. On the other hand, plasma-sprayed barrier coatings often provide better insulation than PVD coatings, and their durability in some situations is also exceptional.
However, both plasma spray and PVD exhibit some disadvantages. First, each technique primarily involves line-of-sight deposition. It's therefore very difficult--if not impossible--to coat surfaces in constricted areas. Furthermore, the coating of large parts by PVD is difficult because of size limitations for the required vacuum chambers.
Moreover, repairing TBC's by either technique is difficult. Complete disassembly of the part from attached structures is required for PVD, while partial disassembly of the part may be required for plasma spray. Repairs to the coatings may also require removal of the prior TBC from a large section of the part, along with possible removal of any underlying bond coat (which may also require replacement). Removal of these coatings can be laborious, as can preparation of the part surface for the replacement coatings.
In general, field repairs for TBC's are very difficult with either plasma spray or PVD. Each technique requires large, bulky equipment which is not designed for easy portability. Furthermore, the various factors involved in depositing high quality coatings by either technique may be difficult to maintain in the field.
Thus, it appears that improved methods for providing protective coatings on metal substrates would still be welcome in the art. These techniques would hopefully be especially suitable for the repairs of TBC's in the field, i.e., away from a fixed base which is usually present when large equipment must be used. Moreover, the techniques should be capable of use on small sections of a substrate, without having to strip all of the pre-existing coating from the part. The techniques should also require a minimum of large equipment, since the need for that equipment sometimes lowered productivity in prior art situations.
It's likely that the new coating processes envisioned here may require new coating formulations as well. It's important that these new formulations--once formed into TBC's--possess substantially the same quality as TBC's deposited by plasma spray or PVD. This is especially true when the substrate is a high-performance article like an aircraft engine part.

Coating composition for metal-based substrates, and related processes


A non-contacting rotary face seal assembly includes a first sealing member, including a first sealing face and a first magnetic element; and a second sealing member, including a second sealing face and a second magnetic element. The first and second magnetic elements of the first and second sealing members provide a magnetic repulsion force between the first and second magnetic elements such that the magnetic repulsion force separates the first and second sealing faces before hydrodynamic or hydrostatic forces associated with rotation of the second sealing member become sufficient to prevent the first and second sealing faces from contacting.

For many non-contacting seals, including various hydrodynamic and/or hydrostatic face and radial seals, the associated sealing faces are commonly in contact before operating conditions reach a certain limits. For hydrodynamic non-contacting seals, there is typically a minimum speed needed to create sufficient hydrodynamic force to separate the sealing faces. Below such a threshold speed—which is commonly encountered in connection with start-up or shut-down phases—the seal faces will often contact and/or rub against each other. For hydrostatic non-contacting seals, there is typically a minimum pressure difference that is required to separate the sealing faces. Before that pressure differential is reached, the seal faces are in contact.
There have been devices, such as aspirating seals, that use a spring force to bias the seal faces apart—i.e., to separate—and utilize the pressure differential to close the gap between seal faces. However, such seals commonly may exhibit a lack of film stiffness at critical pressure differential conditions, which can make such seal configurations less stable, particularly at low-pressure transition periods.


A novel receptor-type protein tyrosine phosphatase-.kappa. (RPTP.kappa.) protein or glycoprotein and the DNA coding therefor is expressed in a wide variety of mammalian tissues. The RPTP.kappa. protein or glycoprotein may be produced by recombinant means. Antibodies to the protein, methods for measuring the quantity of the protein, methods for screening compounds, such as drugs, which can bind to the protein and inhibit or stimulate their enzymatic activity, are provided. Further, methods for inhibiting homophilic binding of Type II RPTP, especially RPTP.kappa. molecules are provided.

Tyrosine phosphorylation of proteins is involved in an increasing number of cellular signalling events. It was originally implicated in signalling by paracrine- or autocrine-acting growth factors, and endocrine hormones such as insulin (see Yarden, Y. et al., Annu. Rev. Biochem. 57:443-478 (1988) for review). It is now clear that this posttranslational modification is also involved in diverse processes such as the activation of cells of the immune system by antigens (Klausner, R. D. et al., Cell 64:875-878), signalling by lymphokines (Hatakeyama, M. et al., 1991 Science 252:1523-1528 (1991); Mills, G. B. et al., J. Biol. Chem. 265:3561-3567 (1990)), and cellular differentiation and survival (Fu, X.-Y. 1992 Cell 70:323-335; Schlessinger, J. et al. 1992 Neuron 9:1-20; Velazquez, L. et al., 1992 Cell 70:313-322). In view of the diversity of processes in which tyrosine phosphorylation is involved, it is not surprising that links are also emerging with the process of cell adhesion and cell-cell contact.
The identification of several growth factor receptors and retroviral oncogenes as tyrosine-specific protein kinases indicated that protein phosphorylation on tyrosine residues plays a key role in cellular growth control. This notion has recently received support by the observation that the level of tyrosine phosphorylation of enzymes thought to play an important role in signal transduction (such as phospholipase C) correlates with their increased activity upon growth factor stimulation, thus establishing a functional role for tyrosine phosphorylation (Ullrich, A., et al., Cell 61:203-212 (1990)).
Most of the processes in which tyrosine phosphorylation is implicated involve the transduction of a signal through the cell membrane. In its best understood fashion, this can occur through dimerization-mediated activation of members of the receptor tyrosine kinase family by soluble ligands (reviewed in Ullrich, A. et al. 1990 Cell 61:203-212). However, modulation of receptor tyrosine kinase activity can also occur by membrane-bound ligands on neighboring cells, as in the case of the interaction between the sevenless kinase and the bride of sevenless protein (Rubin, G. M. 1991, Trends in Genetics 7:372-376). Recently, receptor-like tyrosine kinases were described with an extracellular domain similar to that of cell adhesion molecules of the CAM-family (e.g. Axl and Ark (O'Bryan, J. P. et al., 1991 Mol. Cell. Biol. 11:5016-5031; Rescigno, J. et al., 1991 Oncogene 6:1909-1913)). Such observations may implicate tyrosine phosphorylation as a more broadly used direct downstream effector mechanism for precise cell-cell recognition and signalling events. Members of the non-receptor family of tyrosine kinases have also in several instances been shown to be associated with other proteins with a trans-membrane topology, examples being the association of the Lck and Fyn kinases with the CD4 protein and T-cell receptor complex components respectively (Haughn, L. et al., 1992 Nature 358:328-331; Samelson, L. E. et al., 1992 Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 87:4358-4362; Veillette, A. et al., 1988 Cell 55:301-308). However, the mechanism by which kinase activity is modulated in these instances is not understood.
The degree and pattern of phosphorylation of tyrosine residues on cellular proteins are regulated by the opposing activities of protein-tyrosine kinases (PTKases; ATP: protein-tyrosine O-phosphotransferase, EC 18.104.22.168) and protein-tyrosine-phosphatases (PTPases; protein-tyrosine-phosphate phosphohydrolase, EC 126.96.36.199). The structural characteristics and evolution of PTKases as well as their role in the regulation of cell growth have been reviewed (Hunter, T., et al., Annu. Rev. Biochem. 54:897-930 (1985); Ullrich, A., et al., supra).


An algorithm for a (t.sub.1, t.sub.2)-tolerant code, and a method and apparatus for decoding same, for tolerating and detecting skewed transitions in a parallel asynchronous communication system without acknowledgement. Transitions sent at the same time in a parallel channel may arrive at different times, but the algorithm permits a limited degree of variation in transmission speeds between channels. Errors will be corrected and transmissions will be continuous as long as the values of t.sub.1 or t.sub.2 for the algorithm, as preselected by the user, are not exceeded. If they are exceeded, a desired control operation will generally be initiated. t.sub.1 is the maximum number of transmissions that may be missing from a first transmitted codeword when a transmission arrives from a second transmitted codeword, and t.sub.2 is the maximum number of transitions from the second codeword that may arrive before all transitions of the first codeword arrive.

If a communication system which consists of many parallel channels operates asynchronously and without acknowledgement, there is neither a clock signal received by the receiver nor an acknowledgement signal sent back to the transmitter. Each transmission consists of one or more transitions (i.e., "1" bits) which are transmitted at the same time. If the information bits from different channels do not arrive at the same time (e.g., because of a delay in one or more channels), the receiver may receive some "1" bits corresponding to a next transmission before the present transmission has been completed, a condition referred to as "skew".
A paper by T. Verhoeff entitled "Delay-insensitive Codes--An Overview", published in Distributed Computing, Vol. 3, pp. 1-8, 1988, suggests the use in a parallel asynchronous communication system of unordered vectors because they are "delay insensitive". However, the parallel asynchronous communication system he describes requires that an acknowledgement signal be sent by the receiver to the transmitter upon completion of each transmission and he does not disclose or suggest the use of vectors with Hamming distance properties which are unordered.
The above-identified related application [B] discloses a method for detecting (but not correcting) skewed transitions resulting from transitions from one transmission being intermixed with transitions of another transmission.
To fully understand unordered codes, it is best to consider an example. For a binary vector u of length n, u=u.sub.1,u.sub.2, . . . ,u.sub.n. The set of non-zero bits of vector u are hereafter referred to as the "support" of u. For instance, for n=6, if u=100101, the support of u is the set {1,4,6}. Two vectors u and v of length n are considered unordered when their supports are unordered as sets; i.e., neither of them contains the other. Thus, u=100101 and v=010101 are unordered because their corresponding supports are {1,4,6} and {2,4,6}. By contrast, the vector w=000101 which has a support of {4,6} would not be unordered relative to either u or v because its support {4,6} is a subset of the support of both u and v.
There is a need for a parallel asynchronous communication system which not only does not require acknowledgement between the receiver and transmitter when a transmission is completed, but also tolerates and corrects up to a preselected number of skewed transitions to permit continuous pipeline operation.

Coding method for skewed transition correction in parallel asynchronous communication systems

International Business Machines Corporation


The disclosure provides a method and an apparatus for configuring a Cell-Specific Reference Signal (CRS). The method includes: a cell is divided into a central area and a marginal area; a CRS is divided into a central CRS, a marginal CRS and a common CRS; a value that is obtained by adding a fixed first power value to a preset reference Energy Per Resource Element (EPRE) is configured as an EPRE value of the marginal CRS; a value that is obtained by subtracting a fixed second power value from the preset reference EPRE is configured as an EPRE value of the central CRS; and the reference EPRE is configured as the EPRE value of the common CRS. The disclosure can improve an SINR of a marginal area of a cell and enhance downlink performance of a UE in the marginal area of the cell, without affecting downlink performance of a UE in a central area of the cell.

In a fourth-generation mobile communication Long Term Evolution (LTE) system, a Reference Signal (RS) is a pilot signal known to a receiving end, facilitating the receiving end to implement channel estimation and relevant measurement. The RS plays a very import role in demodulation of receiving signals, elimination of interference, improvement of a Signal Interference Noise Ratio (SINR), cell reselection and handover of a User Equipment (UE, also referred to as terminal) and the like.
There are many types of RSs in LTE. A CRS transmitted to a UE from an Evolved NodeB (eNB) of LTE is a common RS, which is continuously broadcasted in a cell to facilitate all UEs in the cell to estimate and measure quality of a downlink channel of the cell.
Compared with in third-generation mobile communications, a single cell can obtain a higher spectrum efficiency in LTE. However, in a co-channel network consisting of multiple cells contiguously, inter-cell interference is very serious, which significantly reduces the spectrum efficiency. Therefore, LTE put forwards Inter Cell Interference Coordination (ICIC) technology, as shown in FIG. 1. A cell is divided into a cell central area and a marginal area (a white area represents a central area, and an area with a textured pattern represents a marginal area; in some ICIC schemes, a cell is also divided into three areas, i.e., an inner circle, a middle circle and an outer circle). FIG. 1 shows 7 cells (i.e., cell 1 to cell 7), in which cell 1 and each of the other 6 cells (i.e., cell 2 to cell 7) are adjacent to each other. A UE in the central area of a cell can use total transmission resources, while a UE in the marginal area (i.e., a switching area connecting a neighbour cell) of the cell can only use a part of transmission resources. Moreover, resources used by UEs in marginal areas of adjacent cells are different, that is, the resources are orthogonal to each other.
Transmission resources might be frequency-domain resources, for example, frequency bands. FIG. 2 shows ICIC based on frequency domain, in which the entire frequency band F can be used in the central area of a cell while only a part of the entire frequency band (for example, F1, F2, or F3) can be used in the marginal area of the cell. Moreover, frequency band used in marginal areas of adjacent cells are different. Transmission resources may also be time-domain resources, for example, time segments. FIG. 3 shows ICIC based on time domain, in which the entire time segment T can be used in the central area of a cell while only a part of the entire time segment (for example, T1, T2, or T3) can be used in the marginal area of the cell. Moreover, time segments used in marginal areas of adjacent cells are different.
During specific implementation of ICIC in LTE, a specific power is generally set for a "dedicated channel" of a UE according to an area in which the UE is located. For example, in the ICIC based on frequency domain, a specific power is set for a Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) allocated to a UE to bear UE dedicated data in a specific frequency band; in the ICIC based on time domain, specific powers are set for a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) and a PDSCH allocated to a UE to bear UE dedicated scheduling information and UE dedicated data in a specific time segment respectively. The specific setting is mainly to improve the power of marginal transmission resources and reduce the power of central transmission resources. However, no specific power is set for a common channel or common signal of all UEs in a cell, such as a Physical Broadcasting Channel (PBCH), a Physical Control Format Indicator Channel (PCFICH), a Physical Hybrid ARQ Indicator Channel (PHICH), a common PDCCH bearing scheduling information on a Broadcasting Channel (BCH) and a Paging Channel (PCH), a common PDSCH bearing data on a BCH and a PCH, and a CRS), that is, a reference power is adopted. The Energy per Resource Element (EPRE) of the CRS is generally a cell-level fixed value configured by a background network manager through network planning and network optimization, that is, the transmitting power of each Resource Element (RE) of the CRS is fixed and same by default.
However, the CRS would produce co-channel interference on other channels in a neighbour cell and which are on the same symbol with the CRS, such as a PDCCH and a PDSCH, this is because the CRS of a cell is generally staggered from that of a neighbour cell in frequency domain and no interference is generated between the CRSs. As shown in FIG. 4, each small square represents one RE, square T01 represents the RE of the CRS of cell 1, square T02 represents the RE of the CRS of cell 2, square D represents the RE of data, cell 1 and cell 2 are adjacent to each other, and the RE frequency domain position of the CRS of cell 1 is staggered from that of the CRS of cell 2. However, such configuration causes the CRS to conflict in frequency domain with a PDCCH, a PCFICH, a PHICH, a PDSCH or the like in a neighbour cell which is in the same symbol with the CRS, thereby producing co-channel interference. Since the CRS is continuously transmitted in time domain, frequency domain and spatial domain, interference impact does not allow to be ignored; particularly for a UE in the marginal area of a cell, interference is significant. According to theoretical analysis, system simulation and actual tests, even if in the condition of only one neighbour cell of no load, downlink throughput of a PDSCH for a UE in the marginal area of a cell would be reduced by half due to the interference of a CRS of a neighbour cell, and during inter-cell handover, the throughput is reduced more.

Method and apparatus for configuring cell-specific reference signal


The intervertebral implant comprises a frame-type cage (1) which is open at its top and base faces (11 and 12 respectively) with two lateral faces (13, 14), a front wall (15) and a rear wall (16). A rotating element (2) is mounted in the cage (1) so as to be capable of rotation. The outer surface of the rotating element (2) is provided with a helical structure (21). The helical structure (21) protrudes beyond the cover and base faces (11, 12) outside the confines of the cage (1). The front wall (15) has an aperture (17) for the introduction of a drive tool with which the rotating element (2) in the cage (1) can be made to rotate.

Intervertebral implants are used for the fusion of vertebral bodies, especially in the area of the lumbar spine. One or two implants are used for each intervertebral space.
Various types of such intervertebral implants are already known from the prior art. However, these have the following disadvantages:
So that the implant can be inserted into the intervertebral region, the relevant vertebra must be distended with suitable instruments; and PA1 there is a risk that the implant will sink into the end plates of the affected vertebra. PA1 secure against slipping; PA1 improved x-ray transparency; and PA1 compressibility of bone material that may have been introduced into the rotation element.

Intervertebral implant with cage and rotating element


Methods, apparatus, and business processes enabling individual chemists to design, order, and obtain data for multiple experiments or measurements in a timely and cost-effective manner. In particular implementations, the invention includes methods and apparatus for designing sets of custom experiments, ordering the execution of the experiments, communicating the order to a remote laboratory, executing the experiments at that laboratory using high-throughput technologies, and communicating the experimental results to the user.

This invention relates to a system and methods for conducting experimental research. Research and development is often the most expensive and unpredictable activity in a corporation. Well-equipped laboratories, highly skilled scientists, and high-risk programs are necessary components of R&D efforts. Unlike manufacturing, supply chains, marketing, or sales activities, it is difficult to control the output or efficiency of R&D. Inventions cannot be predicted and scheduled, and, thus, timelines in R&D are measured in years. In addition, research is typically undertaken by one-at-a-time experimental approaches, and, thus, the resulting costs per experiment associated with R&D are enormous.
For example, at the time this application is being filed, the average, fully burdened cost of a staff scientist and a research assistant in the United States is estimated to be $500,000. This pair of researchers would be extremely productive if they executed 1000 experiments per year. Therefore, the cost per experiment for this pair of researchers is at least $500.
As product development cycles continue to shrink in every industry, competition increases, and pressure to grow and build businesses mounts, R&D organizations must increase their innovation rate and productivity significantly. During the past decade, technologies have emerged in pharmaceutical research, chemicals research, and materials science research to improve the effectiveness of R&D. These technologies are based on high-throughput technologies that enable the execution of 100 to 10,000 times more experiments per unit time compared to traditional research approaches. High-throughput technologies merge automation, miniaturization, informatics, chemistry, and physics to create systems that rapidly synthesize, process, screen, and analyze compounds, mixtures, or compositions of matter. With these technologies, the cost per experiment can drop to tens of dollars and time scales can be reduced from years to weeks or months.
In general, access to high-throughput technologies is limited to large conglomerates that can afford to create specific technologies internally or to pay specialized companies for exclusive access. Even within large conglomerates, only a fraction of the R&D organization has access to these state-of-the-art research platforms. The main limitation to broad access is the overall expense in building a capability that enables the execution of at least 100,000 experiments per year. It is necessary to spend millions of dollars to build the capability and it is not possible to spend 1/10 or 1/100 the amount to get 1/10 or 1/100 of the experimental throughput.
Individual chemists within large and small organizations often cannot effectively access high-throughput technologies, yet these technologies are essential to compete and to increase R&D efficiency and the rate of innovation. Accordingly, there is a need for methodologies, apparatus, and/or business processes which enable chemists to design, order, and obtain data to a plurality of experiments or measurements in a timely and cost-effective manner.

Remote Execution of Materials Library Designs


A method and apparatus for treating an atherosclerotic target region of a coronary vessel in a patient are disclosed. The method includes delivering to the patient, a photoatherolytic compound, to cause accumulation of the compound in the target region, accessing the target region intraluminally with a guidewire, and advancing over the guidewire, a catheter having (i) a proximal main-body sleeve, (ii) a flexible, non-inflatable, translucent distal-end sleeve joined to the main-body sleeve at a catheter juncture, and (iii) an inner lumen extending through the two sleeves, said advancing being effective to position the catheter's distal-end sleeve within the target region. The guidewire is then removed and replaced by a fiber-optic bundle having a light-diffusing tip, until said tip is positioned adjacent the catheter juncture. After injecting a light-transmissive fluid through the catheter into the catheter's distal-end sleeve, the target vessel region is irradiated by passing a laser light beam through the fiber optic bundle.

Transluminal coronary angioplasty was introduced in the late 1970's as a nonsurgical treatment for obstructive coronary artery disease. Since its introduction, major advances in equipment and techniques have led to widespread use of the method for treating coronary artery disease and angina.
In a typical endovascular procedure the treatment device is brought in close proximity to the lesion. Because the diseased vessels are narrowed and often tortuous, the device must be able to navigate through tortuous vasculature and cross through tight lesions. For example, in an angioplasty procedure, typically a balloon catheter is advanced coaxially over a guidewire and forced through the lesion prior to dilation. In photodynamic therapy (PDT), a light source, typically a fiber optic needs to be brought to the lesion site where a photoinitiator compound was selectively taken up. In addition, the light needs to uniformly deliver over a relatively long length (˜2 cm) requiring the need of optical diffusers to spread out the light delivered through the fiber or fiber bundle.
Despite improvements in equipment and techniques, restenosis persists as the limiting factor in the maintenance of vessel patency in angioplasty, occurring in 30% to 50% of patients, and accounting for significant morbidity and health care expenditures. Post-angioplasty restenosis is a segmentally limited, wound healing response to a traumatization of the vascular wall.

Photoatherolytic catheter apparatus and method


In accordance with certain embodiments, a modular crankshaft features a connection system between modules that features opposed female receptacles. A pin having opposed beveled ends and hydraulic passages with it is inserted into the opposed receptacles. A pair of seals is disposed on the beveled ends and straddles a hydraulic fluid outlet. The crankshaft wall that defines each receptacle is designed to flex in response to applied hydraulic pressure between the seals on the tapered pin portion. A notch at the base of the receptacle in the crankshaft reduces stress concentration and enables the wall defining the crankshaft receptacle to come back when hydraulic pressure through the pin is removed. The opposed crankshaft receptacles are flanged to allow them to be pulled together over the pin. An interference fit results around the pin after the flanges are mated and the hydraulic pressure is removed.

The field of this invention is a crankshaft that is in modular form and more specifically relates to a connection technique that approaches the rigidity of a continuous crankshaft while allowing the flexibility to be in modular form.
Crankshafts are generally cast components that accommodate the required number of throws depending on the number of cylinders in the engine or compressor. In large compressor applications, a breakdown can be very expensive for the operator in the form of lost production or other process outage until repairs can be made, for instance. When the repair involves a crankshaft, the downtime can be lengthy because vendors seldom maintain an inventory of replacement crankshafts. Instead, when a replacement crankshaft is desired, it is manufactured from scratch, which can lead to delays and undesired downtimes.
One way to address the variety in the number of throws is to create a modular design where basic components can be assembled to each other to create the requisite configuration for a particular installation. The issue that doing this raises is how to fashion a connection that will be sufficiently rigid to address issues such as alignment, relative rotation and vibration, among other issues. Prior designs have attempted to connect modules with a splined male into female connection, as is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,537,971. The problem with this design is the bulkiness of the connection and the clearances in the splined connection that permit assembly but over time can wear to the point of permitting relative rotational movement that can cause vibration and even spline failure, for example. Another solution is depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 4,622,864. This technique freezes a pin and inserts this frozen pin into aligned bores to put the modules together. This process requires precise alignment of the pin to make sure that lubrication passages through it are not obstructed. In other respects, modular shafts that attach the modules together with threads are known, as shown in a rock breaking tool in U.S. Pat. No. 4,657,306.
Therefore, there exists a need for improved modular crankshaft connection techniques.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.