An apparatus and method for sealing an open end of a cardboard-based container containing a powder. A transporter is configured to transport a flow of containers to and from an inductive welding unit. The transporter includes a feeding arrangement to separate the containers and a main conveyor member to convey the spaced containers. A movable gripping arrangement is configured to simultaneously grip at least two containers and simultaneously transfer these containers from the main conveyor member to the welding unit. The welding unit is configured to simultaneously fasten a lid to each of the simultaneously transferred containers.

Equipment for sealing a cardboard based container containing, for instance, a heat sensitive food product powder is known from e.g. EP0074343. Such equipment normally includes a welding unit where a lid is applied to the container in a gas-tight manner by inducing welding energy and melting a weldable, plastic layer that forms part of the container and/or the lid. Such a welded joint is well known to be capable of being gas tight.
Often both the container and the lid form multilayer structures where cardboard forms a supporting layer and where a weldable layer made of a plastic film is applied to the inside of the lid and container. In particular for food products, the layer structure usually includes an aluminium foil arranged between the cardboard and the plastic layer. Typically, a high frequency current energy is induced in the aluminium layer, which foil thereby gets heated and in turn melts the plastic film. Automated equipment of this type further comprises transporting means configured to transport a flow of containers to and from the welding unit.
Equipment for manufacturing of the container, for filling the containers and for applying an additional, outer lid is usually arranged in connection to the sealing equipment.
An important issue in this context is the production rate, i.e. the number of containers per, say, minute that can be supplied with a lid. To be commercially successful, the apparatus used for applying the lids must allow for a high production rate.
A problem when trying to increase the production rate of conventional equipment is that the weldable layer does not get sufficient time to heat up, cool and harden before the containers are removed and transported away from the welding unit. This often results in a damaged and leaking joint. Various heating and cooling devices, as well as different weldable material, have been proposed for carrying out the welding step more quickly but their performance has not been satisfactory.
Thus. there is still a need for equipment of the above mentioned type that allow for a higher production rate.

Apparatus and method for sealing a cardboard-based container


An improved ballistic structure is disclosed wherein aramid filaments of the structure are maintained under tension.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to ballistic structures and particularly to ballistic structures which include high tenacity continuous filament yarns.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,574,105, issued Mar. 4, 1986 on the application of J. G. Donovan, discloses a ballistic structure of woven aramid yarn plies in combination with nonwoven plies. There is no suggestion of placing any of the plies under tension.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,114,653, issued May 19, 1992 on the application of Schuerhoff et al., discloses cast pre-stressed concrete reinforced by yarns of continuous individual, parallel, filaments under tension embedded in a matrix of resin, in turn, embedded in the concrete.


A full-flash A/D converter, including a differential amplifier circuit row and a voltage comparison circuit row, has an adjusting circuit 107 for making the output dynamic range of differential amplifier circuits accurately fall within the input dynamic range of voltage comparison circuits. The adjusting circuit 107 includes a reference voltage generation circuit 119, which has therein voltage generation circuits 122 whose resistors are connected in series. By this series connection, the area of the voltage generation circuits 122 is reduced, while the output dynamic range of the differential amplifier circuits A1 to Am+1 in the differential amplifier circuit row 102 accurately falls within the input dynamic range of the voltage comparison circuits Cr1 to Crm+1 in the voltage comparison circuit row 103. Furthermore, half-circuits in the voltage generation circuits 122 are used to generate reference voltages, whereby the area of the voltage generation circuits is reduced further.

FIG. 7 shows the configuration of a conventional A/D converter. The A/D converter shown in FIG. 7 is a full-flash A/D converter and includes a referential voltage generation circuit 601, a differential amplifier circuit row 602, a voltage comparison circuit row 603, and an encoder 605.
The referential voltage generation circuit 601 divides a voltage between a high-voltage reference voltage supplied to a high-voltage terminal 601H and a low-voltage reference voltage supplied to a low-voltage terminal 601L by m+1 resistors R1 to Rm+1, thereby generating m+1 referential voltages VR1 to VRm+1. The generated referential voltages VR1 to VRm+1 are input to the differential amplifier circuit row 602. The differential amplifier circuit row 602 has m+1 differential amplifier circuits A1 to Am+1. Each of these differential amplifier circuits simultaneously amplifies a differential voltage between an analog signal voltage AIN input from an analog signal voltage input terminal 604 and a corresponding one of the referential voltages VR1 to VRm+1 and outputs a positive output voltage and a negative output voltage, which are complementary voltages. The voltage comparison circuit row 603 has m+1 voltage comparison circuits Cr1 to Crm+1. Each of these voltage comparison circuits Cr1 to Crm+1 simultaneously compares the magnitudes of the positive and negative output voltages from a corresponding one of the differential amplifier circuits provided in the previous stage. The encoder 605 converts the m+1 comparison results output from the voltage comparison circuit row 603 and outputs a digital data signal DOUT having a predetermined resolution from a digital data output terminal 606.
The conventional A/D converter having the above-described parallel structure has the advantage of being capable of performing high-speed A/D conversion over various A/D converters, such as integrating A/D converters, serial-parallel A/D converters, and pipeline A/D converters, while having a disadvantage in that as the resolution increases, the number of differential amplifier circuits and the number of voltage comparison circuits are increased to cause the A/D converter to consume more power and occupy a larger area.
As an A/D converter in which this disadvantage has been overcome, a technique is disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example, in which voltage interpolation is performed by dividing the outputs of differential amplifier circuits by resistors or the like. In this technique, a voltage between the output voltages of each two adjacent differential amplifier circuits is interpolated, and the interpolated voltages are used in voltage comparison by voltage comparison circuits. Thus, as compared with a case in which no interpolation is performed, the number of differential amplifier circuits decreases by a factor of the interpolation bits, thereby reducing the power consumption and the occupied area.
Furthermore, an A/D converter which uses dynamic voltage comparison circuits as voltage comparison circuits is also disclosed by Patent Document 2, for example, as an A/D converter in which power consumption is reduced further. In this technique, dynamic voltage comparison circuits which do not need a constant current are used in place of high-speed operation, highly-responsive, constant-current voltage comparison circuits which are used in typical A/D converters, thereby enabling a significant reduction in power consumption.
In recent years, as semiconductor devices have been downsized, power supply voltage has been set at low levels. As a result, the input dynamic range of voltage comparison circuits has narrowed, imposing limits on the output dynamic range of differential amplifier circuits. This produces a problem in that due to variations in power supply voltage, in temperature, and in transistor characteristics, etc., the output dynamic range of the differential amplifier circuits changes and no longer matches the input dynamic range of the voltage comparison circuits, causing degradation of the accuracy of the A/D converter.
As an A/D converter in which this problem has been overcome, Patent Document 3, for example, discloses a technique for adjusting the output dynamic range of differential amplifier circuits to the input dynamic range of voltage comparison circuits. FIG. 8 shows the configuration of the A/D converter disclosed in Patent Document 3. The A/D converter shown in FIG. 8 is a full-flash A/D converter and includes a referential voltage generation circuit 701, a differential amplifier circuit row 702, a voltage comparison circuit row 703, an encoder 705, and an adjusting circuit 707.
The referential voltage generation circuit 701 divides a voltage between a high-voltage reference voltage supplied to a high-voltage terminal 701H and a low-voltage reference voltage supplied to a low-voltage terminal 701L by m+1 resistors R1 to Rm+1, thereby generating m+1 referential voltages VR1 to VRm+1. The generated referential voltages VR1 to VRm+1 are input to the differential amplifier circuit row 702. The differential amplifier circuit row 702 has m+1 differential amplifier circuits A1 to Am+1. Each of these differential amplifier circuits A1 to Am+1 simultaneously amplifies a differential voltage between an analog signal voltage AIN input from an analog signal voltage input terminal 704 and a corresponding one of the referential voltages VR1 to VRm+1 and outputs a positive output voltage and a negative output voltage, which are complementary voltages. The voltage comparison circuit row 703 has m+1 voltage comparison circuits Cr1 to Crm+1. Each of these voltage comparison circuits Cr1 to Crm+1 simultaneously compares the magnitudes of the positive and negative output voltages from a corresponding one of the differential amplifier circuits provided in the previous stage. The encoder 705 converts the m+1 comparison results output from the voltage comparison circuit row 703 and outputs a digital data signal DOUT having a predetermined resolution from a digital data output terminal 706. The configuration discussed so far is the same as the configuration of the previously described A/D converter.
The adjusting circuit 707, which is the key feature of the technique disclosed in Patent Document 3, includes a differential amplifier circuit replica 708, a voltage comparison circuit replica 709, a reference voltage output circuit 710, an operational amplifier circuit 711, an average voltage generation circuit 712, and a low pass filter 717. The differential amplifier circuit replica 708 has the same structure as the differential amplifier circuits A1 to Am+1 that form the differential amplifier circuit row 702. Two input voltages to the differential amplifier circuit replica 708 are the same voltage Vo, and the differential amplifier circuit replica 708 outputs a differential amplifier circuit common mode voltage 713. The voltage comparison circuit replica 709 has the same structure as the voltage comparison circuits Cr1 to Crm+1 that form the voltage comparison circuit row 703. The differential amplifier circuit common mode voltage 713 is input to the voltage comparison circuit replica 709. And a positive output voltage and a negative output voltage from the voltage comparison circuit replica 709 are input to average voltage generation resistors a712a and b712b, respectively, in the average voltage generation circuit 712, and a voltage comparison circuit common mode voltage 714, which is the average voltage of those positive and negative output voltages, is obtained. The reference voltage output circuit 710 outputs a reference voltage 715 falling within a predetermined range including the voltage comparison circuit common mode voltage 714 when the output dynamic range of the differential amplifier circuits A1 to Am+1 and of the differential amplifier circuit replica 708 is within the input dynamic range of the voltage comparison circuits Cr1 to Crm+1 and of the voltage comparison circuit replica 709. The operational amplifier circuit 711 receives the voltage comparison circuit common mode voltage 714 output from the average voltage generation circuit 712 and the reference voltage 715 output from the reference voltage output circuit 710 and outputs a feedback control voltage 716 so that the voltage comparison circuit common mode voltage 714 and the reference voltage 715 match. The feedback control voltage 716 is connected to the low pass filter 717. The low pass filter 717, which is composed of a filter resistor 717R and a filter capacitor 717C, removes a high-frequency component from the feedback control voltage 716 to obtain a post-low-pass-filtering feedback control voltage 718. The post-low-pass-filtering feedback control voltage 718 is fed back to the differential amplifier circuit replica 708 and to the differential amplifier circuits A1 to Am+1.
The reference voltage output circuit 710 includes a reference voltage generation circuit 719, a decoder 720, and a selection circuit 721. The reference voltage generation circuit 719 includes one or more voltage generation circuits 722 represented by reference marks Vref1 to Vrefn. Each voltage generation circuit 722 generates a different voltage that can be the reference voltage 715, and the generated voltage is connected with a corresponding one of the taps of the selection circuit 721. The decoder 720 receives an externally supplied control signal 723 indicated by a reference mark CS and outputs a selection signal 724 for controlling the selection circuit 721 according to the control signal 723. Thus, the reference voltage 715 is adjustable by the control signal 723.
The voltage comparison circuits Cr1 to Crm+1 have a circuit configuration shown in FIG. 3, for example. This circuit is a dynamic voltage comparison circuit characterized by high-speed operation and low power consumption, and the detailed operation thereof will be described later. On the other hand, the voltage generation circuits 722 disclosed in Patent Document 3 has a circuit configuration shown in FIG. 9, for example. This is almost the same as the configuration of the voltage comparison circuits Cr1 to Crm+1. The differences between the voltage comparison circuits Cr1 to Crm+1 and the voltage generation circuits 722 are as follows: an input transistor section 301 in the voltage comparison circuits Cr1 to Crm+1, which is composed of NMOS transistors, is replaced in the voltage generation circuits 722 with a resistor section 801 composed of two resistors R0a and R0b; a positive feedback section 302 in the voltage comparison circuits Cr1 to Crm+1 is replaced with a diode connection section 802 in the voltage generation circuits 722; reset sections 303 in the voltage comparison circuits Cr1 to Crm+1 are replaced with switch sections 803; and the gate terminals of the transistors forming the reset sections 303 in the voltage comparison circuits Cr1 to Crm+1 are connected with a clock terminal CLK, while the gate terminals of the transistors forming the switch sections 803 in the voltage generation circuits 722 are connected with a signal, which is always at the "High" level when the A/D converter operates. The gate terminal of a PMOS transistor m3a is connected to a reference voltage output terminal VREF.
The two resistors R0a and R0b in each voltage generation circuit 722 are connected at one end thereof to the source terminals of NMOS transistors m1a and m1b, respectively, of the diode connection section. The other end of each of the two resistors R0a and R0b in the voltage generation circuit 722 is connected with a ground voltage VSS. If the values of the two resistors R0a and R0b in each voltage generation circuit 722 included in the reference voltage generation circuit 719 differ from one voltage generation circuit 722 to another, the voltage generation circuits 722 can produce different voltages.
The configuration described above enables the output dynamic range of the differential amplifier circuits to accurately fall within the input dynamic range of the voltage comparison circuits, even if power supply voltage, temperature, transistor characteristics, or the like vary. It is thus possible to prevent the accuracy of the A/D converter from decreasing due to those variations. In addition, the reference voltage 715 is adjusted according to the received external control signal 723, whereby the operation margin can be increased further.    Patent Document 1: Japanese Laid-Open Publication No. 4-43718    Patent Document 2: Japanese Laid-Open Publication No. 2003-158456    Patent Document 3: Japanese Laid-Open Publication No. 2006-87064


A stapler with staple quantity indicator for notifying a user when only a predetermined amount of staples are left in a stapler. The stapler with staple quantity indicator includes a base, a cover pivotally coupled to the base, and a guide track pivotally coupled to the base and positioned between the cover and the base. The guide track is adapted for receiving staples therein. The guide track has opposite front and rear ends. The rear end is pivotally coupled to the base. A sliding block is slidably disposed in the guide track for pushing the staples towards the front end of the guide track. The sliding block is biased towards the front end of the guide track. A quantity indicating system detects when less than a predetermined amount of staples are left in the guide track. The quantity indicating system comprises an indicator light and a power source in electrical communication with the indicator light. The indicator light emits visible light when less than a predetermined amount of staples remain in the guide track.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to staplers and more particularly pertains to a new stapler with staple quantity indicator for notifying a user when only a predetermined amount of staples are left in a stapler.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of staplers is known in the prior art. More specifically, staplers heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 4,386,725; U.S. Pat. No. 5,441,191; U.S. Pat. No. 4,506,819; U.S. Pat. No. 2,973,519; U.S. Pat. No. 2,227,826; and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 361,025.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new stapler with staple quantity indicator. The inventive device includes a base, a cover pivotally coupled to the base, and a guide track pivotally coupled to the base and positioned between the cover and the base. The guide track is adapted for receiving staples therein. The guide track has opposite front and rear ends. The rear end is pivotally coupled to the base. A sliding block is slidably disposed in the guide track for pushing the staples towards the front end of the guide track. The sliding block is biased towards the front end of the guide track. A quantity indicating system detects when less than a predetermined amount of staples are left in the guide track. The quantity indicating system comprises an indicator light and a power source in electrical communication with the indicator light. The indicator light emits visible light when less than a predetermined amount of staples remain in the guide track.
In these respects, the stapler with staple quantity indicator according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of notifying a user when only a predetermined amount of staples are left in a stapler.


This invention relates to an improved controlling apparatus of an umbrella which includes an opening slice, a closing slice, and an L-shape slice in a handle of the umbrella. A button on the handle can be pressed to control the opening slice or the closing slice moved inward to open or close the umbrella. Since the L-shape slice will be pushed downward before the button is pressed to open the umbrella, it is possible to prevent from any mistake when in opening operation of the umbrella.

An umbrella, which is capable of being opened or closed automatically has been widely used. One of the known umbrellas includes two buttons to control an opening means and a closing means in a handle of the umbrella for operating the umbrella to be opened or to be closed automatically. Different control apparatus has different effect when being used. It is known that most prior umbrellas are usually with a possibility in missing contact with the closing button when a user is going to open the umbrella. Under this mistake, the control apparatus would be damaged and broken and the umbrella can not be used anymore.


A computer-based fully customizable training system for companies and organizations that includes personalized training modules incorporating employee information within the training module. The system provides authorized company representatives the ability to edit and/or augment the training content from a web browser according to the company""s specific needs. Online, user-friendly training is provided in an educational and enjoyable format. With this system, an organization""s representative(s) may create versions of the training modules specifically for employees of that organization. A further advantage is a cost-effective training program that is significantly less expensive than printed manuals, videos, CD-ROMs, etc.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention is related to on-line Internet web-based training modules. In particular the invention offers on-line compliance training for companies with compliance training needs. The invention provides online training modules via a web-site to provide a convenient, customizable and cost-effective solution to a company""s compliance-training needs.
2. Description of Related Art
Training is an integral part of an effective compliance program. Most companies that have done compliance training to date have used print-based workbooks, live or videotaped presentations by outside consultants, or computer-based training on CD-ROM. Each of these methods poses logistical problems of distribution and monitoring, especially taking into consideration corporate mergers and acquisitions that may result in very large enterprises and an increasingly mobile workforce.
Most experts agree that live, small-group training by skilled instructors is the most effective approach, but this is often impractical, especially in large companies with offices all over the country or the world. Currently distribution of training materials within companies of all sizes and locales can be expensive and difficult and inconsistent. One-size-fits-all training programs can deliver confusing messages and information to employees in varying fields and positions within a company and/or may not be relevant to a person""s position in the company and to the company""s business. Legal or regulatory changes may cause the need to distribute new workbooks or videotapes throughout the enterprise, incurring more cost or outdating previously distributed distributed materials. Furthermore, with these current training methods, use and comprehension of the training content is difficult to monitor and report as needed.
Providing compliance training online makes sense for many reasons. The Internet allows for immediate, inexpensive distribution of training materials within companies of all sizes and locales. Web-based training content delivers a consistent message to all employees and can be customized according to the invention to offer each employee examples and quiz questions that are relevant to that person""s position in the company and to the company""s business. Training materials can be updated to reflect legal or regulatory changes almost instantaneously and without the need to distribute new workbooks or videotapes throughout the enterprise. Use and comprehension of the training content can be centrally monitored in real time and charted or reported as needed.
The training modules according to the invention are readily distinguishable from the generic, one-size-fits-all programs offered by others. The invention has an ability to deliver a consistent message to all employees. Furthermore, employees have the convenience to xe2x80x9cattendxe2x80x9d whenever their schedules permit. A means of updating training content is available to account for legal or regulatory changes. The invention has centralized administration and monitoring of employee participation and comprehension. A capacity for customization and personalization makes the content more relevant to each employee""s day-to-day responsibilities, and thus a more engaging and effective educational experience.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a means for dynamically generated training content to give each user an employee-specific, company-specific and industry-specific educational experience.
It is a further object of the invention to personalize training modules by incorporating employee information within the training module.
It is another object of the invention to provide a company representative the ability from any web browser to customize a training module by editing and/or augmenting the content according to the company""s specific needs.
It is a further object of the invention to offer user-friendly training online that is educational and enjoyable.
Another object of the invention is to enable a company representative to create versions of the training modules specifically for employees of the company.
A further advantage provided by the invention is a cost-effective training program that is significantly less expensive than printed manuals, videos, CD-ROMs, etc.


A method and arrangement are proposed for introducing a CO2 composition into a subterranean geological formation for storage of CO2 therein. The CO2 composition is initially injected into the formation using a first set of injection parameters at which the CO2 composition is a supercritical fluid having first viscosity and density values. The injection parameters are then modified such that the CO2 composition is injected into the formation using at least one second set of injection parameters at which the CO2 composition is a supercritical fluid having second viscosity and density values that are different from said first viscosity and density values, wherein said injection parameters include the injection temperature, injection pressure and hydrocarbon content of the CO2 composition.

The increase of CO2 in the atmosphere is thought to have a major influence on global climate. It is therefore desirable that the emission of anthropogenic CO2 into the atmosphere is reduced. The capture and storage of CO2 provides a way to avoid emitting CO2 into the atmosphere, by capturing CO2 from sources such as oil and natural gas processing plants and power plants, transporting it and injecting it into deep rock formations. At depths below about 800-1000 m, CO2 is in a supercritical state that provides potential for efficient utilization of underground storage space. It is considered likely that injecting CO2 into deep geological formations at carefully selected sites will enable storage for long periods of time with a predicted 99% of the CO2 being retained for 1000 years. CO2 can remain trapped underground by virtue of a number of mechanisms, including trapping below an impermeable, confining layer (caprock), retention as an immobile phase trapped in the pore spaces of the storage formation, dissolution in in situ formation fluids, absorption onto organic matter in coal and shale and by reacting with minerals in the storage formation and caprock to carbonate materials. Suitable fields for long-term storage include depleted oil and gas reservoirs, saline formations, which are deep underground porous reservoir rocks saturated with brine and possibly coal formations.
An extensive review of existing CO2 Capture and Storage (CCS) projects and technology is given in the IPCC Special report on Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage (CCS) ("Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage", IPCC, 2005, editors: Metz et al., Cambridge University Press, UK; also available at: http://www.ipcc.ch). The paper SPE 127096 "An overview of active large-scale CO2 storage projects", I. Wright et al. presented at the 2009 SPE International Conference on CO2 capture, Storage and Utilization held in San Diego, Calif., USA 2-4 Nov. 2009 provides a more recent update on existing large-scale CO2 storage projects. Of the commercial scale projects reviewed in these documents, the most significant in terms of cumulative volume injected are the Sleipner and In Salah projects.
US 20100116511 A1 discloses a method for permanent storage of CO2 compositions in a subterranean geological formation, where the conditions are continuously adapted such that the composition is injected in supercritical state. Said document also describes an arrangement for injection of CO2 in the formation, which consists of a conduit having an injection port and means for control of the injection parameters with the possibility of changing the parameters.
The Sleipner CGS Project is located 250 km off the Norwegian coast and is operated by StatoilHydro. The CO2 is stored in supercritical state in the Utsira formation at a depth of 800-1000 m below the sea surface. CO2 produced during natural gas processing is captured and subsequently injected underground. CO2 injection started in October 1996 and by 2008, more than ten million tons of CO2 had been injected at a rate of approximately 2700 tons per day. A shallow long-reach well is used to take the CO2 2.4 km away from the producing wells and platform area. The injection site is placed beneath a local dome of the top Utsira formation.
The In Salah CCS Project is an onshore project for the production of natural gas located in the Algerian Central Sahara. The Krechba Field produces natural gas containing up to 10% of CO2 from a number of geological reservoirs. CO2 is stripped from the gas and re-injected into a sandstone reservoir at a depth of 1800 m enabling the storage of 1.2 Mt of CO2 per year.
While the global capacity to store CO2 deep underground is believed to be large, the opening of a new storage site is inevitably costly as it requires an assessment of potential risk to humans and the ecosystem. It is thus desirable that existing sites are exploited to maximum capacity. Yet current estimates suggest that the existing mechanisms used to inject supercritical CO2 into deep storage sites result in only around 2% of the pore volume of the geological storage site being utilized for CO2 sequestration. This is believed to be due to the uneven sweep of the injected CO2 in subterranean formations, which leads to a phenomenon called "fingering" in which the CO2 injection front is highly uneven with small areas of high penetration surrounded by areas in which the CO2 has not penetrated at all. Pursuing current practices will result in the loss of considerable storage volume in available storage sites.
In view of this state of the art it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved method for the permanent storage of CO2 in subterranean geological formations.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide methods which allow for a more efficient use of the storage capacity of geological formations, for permanent storage of CO2.

Methods for storing carbon dioxide compositions in subterranean geological formations


One semiconductor device includes a command receiver receiving the command signal to generate a first internal command signal, and a latency control circuit activating a second internal chip select signal after elapse of first cycles of a clock signal since a first internal chip select signal is activated. The latency control circuit activates a second control signal when the chip select signal is maintained in an inactive state during second cycles of the clock signal that is larger than the first cycles. The command receiver is activated based on a first control signal. The first control signal is activated in response to the first internal chip select signal. The first control signal is deactivated in response to the second control signal.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and an information processing system including the same, and more particularly to a semiconductor device that can issue a command signal and the like at timing different from that of a chip select signal and an information processing system including the same.
Description of Related Art
Semiconductor memory devices typified by a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) receive an address signal and a command signal supplied from a controller, and access the memory cell array based on the signals. The address signal and the command signal are enabled when a chip select signal supplied from the controller is activated. In principle, the controller therefore needs to issue the address signal and the command signal with the chip select signal activated.
DDR4 (Double Data Rate 4) DRAMs have recently been proposed as DRAMs even faster than DDR3 (Double Data Rate 3) DRAMs DDR4 DRAMs support a new function called "CS_n to command address latency (CAL latency)". The CAL latency means that the controller supplies an address signal and a command signal to a semiconductor device after a predetermined time (predetermined latency) since the controller supplies a chip select signal to the semiconductor device and the semiconductor device receives the address signal and the command signal after a predetermined time (predetermined latency) since the reception of the chip select signal. That is, the CAL latency is a function that allows input of the address signal and the command signal after a lapse of a predetermined latency since the reception of the chip select signal with respect to the semiconductor device. Such a function can be used to grasp the input timing of the address signal and the command signal on the semiconductor device (semiconductor memory device) side. Address receivers and command receivers can thus be deactivated in periods where the address signal and the command signal are not input. This allows a reduction in power consumption.
A semiconductor device that can issue a command signal and the like at timing different from that of a chip select signal is also described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-285674.
What timing to change the address receivers and the command receivers from an inactive state to an active state after a lapse of the CAL latency since the activation of the chip select signal, and what timing to change the receivers from an active state to an inactive state, may be determined in consideration of the CAL latency and power consumption. There are three important factors concerned, including the power consumption of the receivers, the power consumption caused by control signals for controlling the activation and deactivation of the receivers, and the value of the CAL latency.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-285674 discusses that an enable signal is activated at timing ½ clock cycles after the activation of a chip select signal, and the enable signal is deactivated at timing one clock cycle later according to the semiconductor device described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-285674, the enable signal has a waveform that changes with the chip select signal. If the chip select signal changes frequently in a short period, the enable signal also changes frequently in a short time. In such a case, the semiconductor device fails to provide a sufficient effect for reducing power consumption including the charging and discharging currents of the enable signal. The reason is that the enable signal, supplied to a large number of address receivers and command receivers, is a high-load internal signal in the semiconductor device.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method for controlling a semiconductor device having CAL latency function


Message traffic is balanced between a plurality of alternative message routes connecting a plurality sites in an electronic messaging system by assigning a cost to each potential message route between the plurality of sites. The cost defines a desired relative frequency of usage for the corresponding message route. A weight is calculated for each potential message route based on its assigned cost of connecting one site to another site. A message route between the one site and the other site is chosen based on the collective calculated weights and a message is transmitted over the chosen message route from one site to the other site.

This invention relates to regulating the flow of information between electronic mail ("e-mail") servers within a local area network ("LAN").
A typical e-mail system as shown in FIG. 1 includes one or more interconnected servers 101 each serving one or more clients 103 (e.g., individual workstations). A client in turn may interact with an end-user--a human operator that seeks to use the e-mail system to communicate with other end-users, for example. The collection of interconnected servers 101 and their respective clients 103 constitute a single "site" 105 which may communicate with one or more other sites within the same LAN. A site is delimited by a unique e-mail address space--that is, each server 101 within a single site 105 shares the same e-mail address space.
In a typical application of an e-mail system, an end-user uses an associated client 103 connected to a particular server 101 within site 105 to send an e-mail message, or some other type of information packet, to another end-user who may be connected through a client to the same server or to a different server. The server on which the message originates is the "originating" server and the server that receives the message is the "destination" server. The destination server may be within the same site (the "local" or "source" site) as the originating server or at a different site (a "remote" or "destination" site).
Each server within a site has a direct communication path 107 to every other server within that same site. This allows messages to be delivered in a single "hop" between any two servers within the site. A mechanism that may be used to transport messages from one server to another, either within a single site or across site boundaries, is the remote procedure call ("RPC"). An RPC passes the thread of execution from one memory address space to another memory address space while maintaining program context. Two servers that may communicate directly with each other using an RPC are said to have direct RPC connectivity. The RPC protocol is discussed in detail in "Microsoft RPC Programming Guide," John Shirley and Ward Rosenberry, O'Reilly & Associates, Inc., Sebastopol, Calif., 1995, which is incorporated herein by reference.
A conventional e-mail system such as that shown in FIG. 2 employs a "one-to-one" intersite connectivity model in which every server in site 205 has direct RPC connectivity (via communication paths 107) with every server in site 215. The one-to-one connectivity model, while acceptable for LANs having only a few sites, does not scale up gracefully and thus is not well suited as a general model for intersite communications. As more sites are added to the LAN, the number of direct communication paths required to maintain one-to-one intersite connectivity increases dramatically and quickly becomes unmanageable if the number of sites grows to more than just a few.
In the two site configuration of FIG. 2, for example, eight separate communication paths are necessary to maintain one-to-one connectivity between site 205 and site 215. If a third site having four servers were added to the LAN, the number of communication paths required to maintain one-to-one intersite connectivity would increase to 32--a fourfold increase through the addition of just one extra site. The amount of network and operating system resources that are consumed by the managment of these connections would increase proportionately with the total number of connections maintained. Moreover, a substantial amount of manual administrative overhead is imposed on the system administrator who must keep the list of servers in the remote sites up to date with respect to the actual servers present in those sites. Consequently, the burden imposed on the e-mail system's resources quickly would become unmanageable if the number of sites in FIG. 2 was increased beyond just 2 or 3.
In any multi-site e-mail system, a system administrator is faced with a challenge of determining an efficient and cost-effective manner of transporting e-mail traffic from one site to another. What is needed is a set of tools and techniques that facilitate efficient intersite communications in a LAN having an arbitrarily large number of sites.

Load balancing between E-mail servers within a local area network


In a II system display apparatus, in a normal display mode, a parallax component image is divided into pieces corresponding to respective columns for a parallax interleaved image. The component image is obtained by subjecting a subject to perspective projection in a vertical direction and to orthographic projection in a horizontal direction. In a compressed and emphasized display mode, the component image is divided into pieces corresponding to respective columns. The component image is obtained by subjecting the subject to perspective projection in both vertical and horizontal directions. In a multiview compatible mode, the component image is divided into pieces corresponding to respective columns so that the same piece is provided for a plurality of adjacent columns. The component image is obtained by subjecting the subject to perspective projection in both vertical and horizontal directions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of displaying a three-dimensional image, a method of capturing a three-dimensional image, and an apparatus that displays a three-dimensional image.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various systems are known for apparatuses that display three-dimensional images, i.e. stereoscopic images, and that can display motion pictures, that is, three-dimensional displays. In recent years, there has been a growing demand particularly for a system of a flat panel type which does not require the use of specific viewing exclusive glasses or the like. Some three-dimensional motion picture display apparatuses of this kind utilize the principle of holography, which is difficult to put into practical use. In a known system that can display three-dimensional images relatively easily, a parallax barrier (also referred to as a ray control element) is installed immediately before a direct-vision or projection type display apparatus, for example, a display panel (display apparatus) such as a liquid crystal display apparatus or a plasma display apparatus which has fixed pixel positions; the parallax barrier controls light rays from the display panel so that the rays are directed to an observer.
The parallax barrier controls light rays so that different images can be viewed even at the same position on the parallax barrier by varying angle. Specifically, a slit or a lenticular sheet (cylindrical lens array) is used to provide only lateral parallax (horizontal parallax). A pinhole array or a lens array is used to provide vertical parallax in addition to lateral parallax. Systems using the parallax barrier are further classified into a binocular system, a multiview system, a super-multiview system (a multiview system to which super-multiview conditions are added), and an integral imaging system (simply referred to as an II system below). The basic principle of these systems is substantially the same as that of a system invented about ten years earlier and used for three-dimensional photographs.
The integral imaging system (II system) is described using terms for three-dimensional photography. Accordingly, some documents refer to it as integral photography (also referred to as IP below).
The II system is characterized by having a high degree of freedom for a viewpoint position and enabling easy three-dimensional viewing. A display apparatus with a high resolution can be relatively easily implemented using an II system having only horizontal parallax and not having vertical parallax (simply referred to as a one-dimensional II system or 1D-II system). In contrast, the binocular or multiview system provides only a narrow range of viewpoint positions at which the observer can three-dimensionally view images, that is, a narrow viewing area. Thus, disadvantageously, this system fails to allow the observer to see images easily. However, the binocular or multiview system is the simplest configuration for three-dimensional image display apparatuses. This system also has the advantage of allowing display images to be easily created.
In general, the difference between the II system and the lenticular sheet (LS) system is a plane on which pixels are present, that is, an image plane or a focal plane. However, in a practical design, particularly with a large number of pixels, the difference between the image plane and the focal plane is at most 0.1 mm even without any aberration. It is thus difficult to distinguish the image plane from the focal plane owing to a limit on accuracy. It is also difficult to determine whether light rays are converged at a viewing distance, owing to the limit on accuracy. The term II system, as used in the specification, means a system which does not involve the distinction based on the pixel position on the image plane and on the focal plane but which uses an arbitrary (continuous) lateral (substantially horizontal) viewpoint position at which a normal three-dimensional image is visible at the viewing distance. Further, the term multiview system means a system which is not equivalent to the LS system (does not require the convergence of light rays) and with which at the viewing distance, the normal three-dimensional image is visible at a lateral viewpoint position determined on the basis of interocular distance.
With either the II system or the multiview system, the viewing distance is normally finite. Accordingly, a display image is created so that a perspective projection image at that viewing distance is actually visible. With the II system providing only horizontal parallax and not providing vertical parallax, if the horizontal pitch of the parallax barrier is an integral multiple of the horizontal pitch of the pixel, a set of parallel rays is produced (referred to as parallel-ray II below). Further, the parallel-ray II system provides a correctly projected three-dimensional image by displaying on a display surface a parallax interleaved image obtained by dividing a parallax component image into pieces corresponding to respective pixel arrays, the parallax component image having been perspectively projected at a specified viewing distance in the vertical direction and orthographically projected in the horizontal direction, and then appropriately arranging the pieces.
It is difficult to implement an image capture apparatus that photographs images by varying the projection method and projection central distance between the vertical direction and the horizontal direction because in particular, orthographic projection requires a camera or lens having the same size as that of a subject. Accordingly, to obtain orthographic projection data through image capture, it is practical to convert perspective projection image capture data into divided and arranged image data. In addition, for example, a method is known which interpolates image data using EPI (epipolar plane image).
With the II system, as disclosed in J. Opt. Soc. Am. A vol. 15, p. 2059 (1998), the front- and rear-side reproducible ranges of a three-dimensional image display apparatus are relatively narrow; typical values are about 10 cm in each direction. However, to eliminate restrictions on the position of an object to be displayed, it is necessary to increase the degree of freedom in the front- and rear-side reproducible ranges of the three-dimensional image display apparatus. Some multiview systems that synthesize perspective projection images to form a three-dimensional image display perspective-projection three-dimensional images in which the front and rear sides are emphasized (three-dimensional images which are compressed in a rear-side direction and which have nulls close to the camera). However, with the parallel-ray II system that forms orthographic projection images into a three-dimensional image, no three-dimensional images such as those described above have been created and no methods for creating such images have been found.
The parallel-ray II system advantageously provides easier-to-see images than the binocular system. However, the parallel-ray II system uses a complicated image format in terms of the projection method or division and arrangement method. The binocular and multiview system performs the simplest display of three-dimensional images and thus uses a simple image format. For actual photographing, it is possible to combine parallax component images captured using two cameras arranged in the horizontal direction, as they are. Since some stereoscopic contents are intended for the binocular system, a display apparatus for the parallel-ray II system can desirably deal with a perspective-projection two-image image format, that is, desirably has upward compatibility. To deal with this format, it is possible to interpolate binocular data to display easy-to-see images for the II system. However, it is difficult to interpolate or extrapolate a large number of instances of parallax component images on the basis of a small number of, i.e., two parallax component images for the binocular system. No known methods enable a display apparatus for the parallel-ray II system to display binocular data substantially as it is.
As described above, the conventional three-dimensional image display apparatus for the parallel-ray II system fails to appropriately deal with stereoscopic contents in a variety of image formats, particularly contents obtained through perspective projection.

Method for displaying three-dimensional image, method for capturing three-dimensional image, and three-dimensional display apparatus


The disclosure relates to ceramic-body-forming batch materials comprising at least one pore former and inorganic batch components comprising at least one silica source having a specified particle size distribution, methods of making ceramic bodies using the same, and ceramic bodies made in accordance with said methods. The disclosure additionally relates to methods for reducing pore size variability in ceramic bodies and/or reducing process variability in making ceramic bodies.

Ceramic bodies, such as aluminum titanate and cordierite ceramics, may be used in a variety of applications. For example, such bodies are viable for use in the severe conditions of exhaust gas environments, including, for example as catalytic converters and as diesel particulate filters. Among the many pollutants in the exhaust gases filtered in these applications are, for example, hydrocarbons and oxygen-containing compounds, the latter including, for example, nitrogen oxides (NOx) and carbon monoxide (CO), and carbon based soot and particulate matter.
Ceramic bodies exhibit high thermal shock resistance, enabling them to endure the wide temperature variations encountered in their application, and they also exhibit other advantageous properties for diesel particulate filter applications, such as, for example, high porosity, low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), resistance to ash reaction, and a modulus of rupture (MOR) adequate for the intended application.
With engine management schemes becoming more and more sophisticated, and with catalyst compositions ever changing, there exists a need for the ability to vary or tailor the properties of these ceramic bodies, for example their pore size, porosity, pore size distribution, and microstructure. Moreover, there is a need for methods to make ceramic bodies having these desirable properties. Additionally, there is a need for methods to reduce pore size variability in ceramic bodies and/or reduce process variability in making ceramic bodies.
While pore formers may be selected to produce a range of porosity and/or pore size in a ceramic body based on their shape and size, they may be expensive and can make extrusion and drying difficult, including often requiring complicated firing cycles to burn out the pore former without cracking the underlying parts.
The inventors have now discovered novel ceramic-body-forming batch materials, ceramic bodies, and methods of making the same that may allow for the ability to vary or tailor the properties of these ceramic bodies, for example their pore size, porosity, pore size distribution, and microstructure.

Ceramic body forming batch materials comprising silica methods using the same and ceramic bodies made therefrom


A nonpneumatic tire includes a tread portion, an upper ring, and a plurality of spokes extending radially downward from the upper ring. Each spoke is configured to carry a load while in tension and while in compression. The upper ring and the plurality of spokes are part of a unitary component constructed of a single material. Each spoke terminates at a lower end having a spoke mount with an opening configured to engage a corresponding hub mount. Each spoke is under substantially no tension when the tread portion is not in contact with a ground surface and when each spoke mount is disengaged from its corresponding hub mount. Each spoke is under tension when the tread portion is not in contact with the ground surface and when each spoke mount is engaged with its corresponding hub mount.

Various tire constructions have been developed which enable a tire to run in an uninflated or underinflated condition. "Run flat tires" may continue to operate after being punctured and experiencing a complete or partial loss of pressurized air for extended periods of time and at relatively high speeds. Non-pneumatic tires do not require inflation and may be particularly useful in off-road applications and in locations where it would be difficult to repair or replace a tire. Some known non-pneumatic tires include a plurality of spokes extending between an inner hoop and an outer hoop.

Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC


A touch recognition apparatus of a curved display according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a curved screen on which an image is displayed. A transparent plate is disposed behind the curved screen. An infrared lamp is provided in a lateral side of the transparent plate and irradiating infrared light. A uniformity tape is bonded or coated onto the lateral side of the transparent plate and irradiates the infrared light irradiated from the infrared lamp to the curved screen while spreading the infrared light to the transparent plate. An infrared camera is configured to photograph an infrared image reflected from the curved screen.

With development of vehicle functions, various input devices for controlling the vehicle functions have been also developed. Recently, a method of using a touch screen for a cluster or an audio video navigation (AVN) of vehicles has been applied.
In general, since the touch screens provided in the vehicles are positioned ahead of a driver's seat, the spatial use is not efficient. Further, the touch screens are limited for a curved shape of mounting locations in the vehicles.
The curved displays mounted in the vehicles require a device for recognizing a touch by a user but not recognizing a touch by an object. For such a demand, a technology for recognizing a touch by a user using infrared light, has been used in a related art.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a common curved display that recognizes a user touch for curved displays according to the related art. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating the relationship between a curved screen and an infrared lamp according to the related art.
As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a curved display apparatus according to the related art includes a curved screen 10, a projector 20 disposed behind the curved screen 10 and projecting an image to the curved screen 10, an aspheric mirror 30 reflecting the image projected from the projector 20, and a reflective mirror 40 transferring the image reflecting from the aspheric mirror 30 to the curved screen 10.
In order to recognize a touch by a user on the curved screen 10, infrared light is emitted from an infrared lamp 70 behind the curved screen 10, and an infrared image reflecting from the curved screen 10 is photographed by an infrared camera 50. Whether the user has touched the curved screen 10 is determined by analyzing the photographed infrared image.
However, according to the related art, since the infrared light is irradiated to the entire region of the curved screen, a large amount of light from the infrared lamp 70 is required.
A diffuser needs to be provided at rear side of the curved screen, since it is difficult for the infrared light to be uniformly irradiated to the entire region of the curved screen. Therefore, the manufacturing cost of the curved display apparatus is increased.
Further, since the infrared light is not uniformly irradiated to the entire region of the curved screen, sensitivity of determining whether a user touches the curved screen 10 is not uniformly maintained.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention, and therefore, it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

Touch recognition apparatus of curved display


To accurately set a detection axis of a sensor even when the sensor is attached to an inclined surface, provided is: a sensor responsive to an operation to a predetermined detection axis. A sensor device accommodates this sensor 1 and is a lead provided for conduction between a terminal of this sensor device and a mounting board. A mold for fixing the sensor device to set the detection axis of the sensor and a bottom surface of the mold with a desired angle is also provided.

Patent Document 1 discloses a pressure sensor of related art that detects a pressure based on a deformation amount of a diaphragm. The pressure sensor according to Patent Document 1 is structured so that a silicon substrate having a diaphragm functioning as a movable electrode is joined with a glass substrate so that one surface of the diaphragm is sealed to provide a pressure reference room.
The diaphragm deflects in accordance with a difference between, under a usage environment, an external pressure and a reference pressure in the pressure reference room to have a contact with a dielectric material layer on a glass substrate. Under the dielectric material layer of the glass substrate, opposed electrodes are formed. In this manner, a change of the contact area depending on an external pressure is detected as a change in the interelectrode capacity, thereby providing a function of a pressure sensor. The pressure sensor having the structure as described above is called as a touch mode capacitive pressure sensor and has a high detection sensitivity and a high pressure resistance.
Patent Document 1JP-A-2002-214058
In the above-described pressure sensor, a silicon substrate can be joined with a glass substrate by an anodic bonding. This anodic bonding does not involve gas generation in contrast with a junction using jointing material (e.g., brazing material) and thus is suitable for accurately setting a reference pressure in the pressure reference room. This anodic bonding is also a method that is suitable for accurately specifying a gap between a movable electrode and opposed electrodes (dielectric material layer).
However, this anodic bonding requires the substrates to be heated. This causes, when to-be-joined substrates have different thermal expansion coefficients, a problem of an in-plane distortion in the substrates. The diaphragm in particular tends to deform and thus is easily influenced by such a distortion, which may cause fluctuation in the characteristics.


An object recognition apparatus sets each of keypoints extracted from a typical image and one of keypoints extracted from an input image, having scale invariant features similar to each other, as a typical corresponding point and an object corresponding point matching with each other, and produces a position vector directed from a typical reference point of the typical image to each typical keypoint. The apparatus determines a position of an object reference point in the input image from a position of each object corresponding point and the vector of the typical corresponding point matching with the object corresponding point. When the positions of the object reference point are concentrated, the apparatus judges that an object picture having the object corresponding points in the input image matches with the typical image, and the apparatus recognizes the picture as an object indicated by the typical image.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an object recognition apparatus which recognizes an object picture existing in an input image as an object indicated by a typical image when the object picture matches with the typical image.
2. Description of Related Art
Various techniques for recognizing a picture of an input image matching with a registered typical image have been proposed. For example, keypoints are extracted from an input image, an image feature at each keypoint is calculated, and each calculated feature is compared with image features at keypoints extracted from a typical image. In response to this comparison, it is judged whether an object matching with the typical image exists in the input image.
This method of comparing features of keypoints in an input image with features of keypoints in a typical image has been disclosed in both a patent document (Published Japanese Patent First Publication No. 2006-65399) and a non-patent document ("Distinctive Image Features from Scale-Invariant Keypoints" written by David G. Lowe, International Journal of Computer Vision, 2004). More specifically, features are set to be invariant to image scaling (i.e., image enlargement and reduction) and rotation. Therefore, even when a size or position in rotation of an object picture existing in an input image differs from a typical image of an object, the object picture can be recognized as the object.
In this comparing method, image smoothing using the Gaussian function is performed for an input image. More specifically, a plurality of smoothed images corresponding to respective scales of the Gaussian function are calculated from an input image. A DoG (difference-of-Gaussian) filter is applied to the smoothed images corresponding to the different scales to obtain a plurality of DoG images, and extremal values are detected from the DoG images. A point (i.e., pixel) of each extremal value is set as a candidate for a keypoint (herein after, called keypoint candidate). The scale of each DoG image having at least one extremal value is used later to calculate a feature at the point of the extremal value. In the same manner, the input image is reduced or minified at each of the reduction ratios to obtain reduced images, other DoG images are calculated from each of the reduced images, and other keypoint candidates of the input image are detected from the other DoG images.
In this detection of the keypoint candidates, there is a probability that some of the keypoint candidates cause an opening problem. To solve this problem, keypoints having lower contrasts and keypoints located on edges are removed from the keypoint candidates to extract stable keypoints from the input image.
Thereafter, an image feature is calculated for each extracted keypoint. The image feature of each keypoint contains a feature element invariant to image scaling, scale information required for the calculation of the scale invariant feature, and information (i.e., rotation information) indicating a rotation of an image within a predetermined area around the keypoint. The predetermined area is determined according to the scale information. As described in detail in the documents, the scale invariant feature is invariant to image scaling (i.e., image enlargement and reduction) and rotation. Therefore, even when an object picture matching with a typical image exists in an input image at any size or rotational position, the object picture can be recognized as the object.
In the matching operation, a scale invariant feature at each keypoint of the typical image is compared with scale invariant features of all keypoints in the input image. When features of some keypoints in the input image are the same as or similar to respective features of keypoints in the typical image, it can be judged that an object picture matching with the typical image exists in the input image.
For example, the number of keypoints existing in a typical image is equal to 100, and keypoints having the same or similar features as or to respective features of the keypoints of the typical image are extracted from an input image. When the number of keypoints extracted from the input image is equal to 90 or more, a picture of an object matching with the typical image exists in the input image at a high probability. Therefore, the object picture can be recognized as the object. In contrast, when the number of keypoints extracted from the input image is equal to 10 or less, a picture of an object matching with the typical image exists in the input image at a low probability. Therefore, no object indicated by the typical image is recognized.
However, even when a picture of an object matching with a typical image actually exists in an input image, it is sometimes difficult to sufficiently extract keypoints of the object from the input image. In this case, because the number of keypoints of the object extracted from the input image becomes small, it is sometimes misjudged that no object matching with the typical image exists in the input image.
For example, in case of the occurrence of occlusion, picture of a remarked object matching with a typical image is hidden behind a picture of another object in an inputted image, so that the remarked object is partially shown in the input image. In this case, although the object picture matching with the typical image exists in the input image, keypoints of the remarked object cannot sufficiently be extracted from the input image. As a result, the number of keypoints of the remarked object extracted from the input image becomes small.
Further, when an object picture is shown at an extremely small size in an input image, keypoints of an object cannot be sufficiently extracted from the input image. That is, when the object picture shown in an input image has almost the same size as that of a typical image of the object, the number of keypoints of the object extracted from the input image becomes almost equal to the number of keypoints of the typical image. In contrast, when the object picture is extremely small in size in comparison with the typical image, resolution in the object picture is very low. Therefore, the number of keypoints of the object extracted from the input image becomes very small.
As described above, in the object recognition, using the scale invariant features of the keypoints, an object picture matching with a typical image in an input image is preferably recognized as an object having the typical image, regardless of image scaling (i.e., image enlargement and reduction) or rotation. However, when an object picture matching with a typical image is set in a specific condition (occlusion, extremely small size or the like) in an input image, a small number of keypoints having the same or similar features as or to respective features of keypoints of the typical image are extracted from the input image. Therefore, it is sometimes misjudged that no object picture matching with the typical image exists in the input image.

Apparatus for recognizing object in image


Apparatus for covering an opening in a pipe and sealing a gas or fluid leak includes first and second pipe engaging blocks coupled to a frame. With the second block fixedly mounted to the frame and the first block movable along the frame by means of a hydraulic cylinder coupled thereto, the first block is positioned over and seals the leak under the force of hydraulic pressure. The frame includes first and second mounting arrangements for attaching an articulated boom such as on a backhoe to either an end of the frame (for positioning the apparatus in a generally upright orientation) or to an intermediate portion of the frame (for positioning the apparatus in an inclined orientation). The position of the second block along the length of the frame is adjustable depending upon the diameter of the pipe. A guide rod couples the movable first block to the frame to ensure linear displacement of the first block and proper alignment between the first and second blocks during engagement of the pipe. An attachment arrangement is also provided for mounting the apparatus to the entrenching bucket of a backhoe.

Pipelines are used extensively in industry for the transport of gases and fluids under pressure. The integrity of these pipelines is of critical importance from an environmental, safety and economic perspective. Considerable effort and expenditures are made for the purpose of detecting and repairing leaks in these pipelines.
A prior art approach to repairing and sealing a pipeline leak makes use of a sealing gasket applied over the leaking portion of the pipe and a clamp for drawing and compressing the gasket in sealing engagement with the pipe. The gasket is relatively thin and when forced into position over the leaking hole in the pipe is generally in a highly stretched condition and is subject to rupture. The clamp used to position the gasket about the leak is generally comprised of various sections which require assembly and tightening by mechanical means before use. The assembly of the clamp delays sealing of the leak and allows for continued leakage of the gas or fluid.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,487,857 discloses a gas clamp for clamping and sealing off a leak in a gas or fluid carrying pipe. The clamp includes a pair of resilient force blocks, with one of the blocks coupled to and displaced by a hydraulic ram with a plunger. The gas clamp is hand-held and includes a hand-operated pump in combination with a hydraulic fluid accumulator for pressurizing the hydraulic ram and displacing its plunger as well as the force block to which it is coupled. This clamping device requires manual manipulation and positioning by two workers who are positioned close to the gas or fluid leak and thus may be subject to considerable hazard.
The present invention addresses the aforementioned limitations of the prior art by providing a pipe seal for covering an opening in a pipe and sealing a gas or fluid leak which allows for remote manipulation and positioning of the sealing device for increased safety and ease of handling.


A host data processing system includes a data storage system having a cache memory and a back end storage. In response to a detection of an event failure during an input/output (I/O) request from the host data processing system to the data storage system, the data associated with the I/O request is forwarded to the back end storage data, and a copy of the data associated with the I/O request is sent to the cache memory. A determination is made as to whether or not there is an acknowledgement from the back end storage regarding the receipt of the data associated with the I/O request. If there is an acknowledgement from the back end storage regarding the receipt of the data associated with the I/O request, the data associated with the I/O request is flushed from the cache memory, and the received acknowledgement is routed to the host data processing system.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to data storage systems in general, and in particular to controllers within data storage systems. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a controller for controlling data storage within a data storage system.
2. Description of Related Art
A data processing system typically includes a processor subsystem having at least one central processing unit (CPU), an input/output (I/O) subsystem, a memory subsystem and a bus subsystem. The memory subsystem of the data processing system typically includes a data storage system having a controller connected to a back end storage. The controller controls the flow of data between the data processing system and the back end storage. The controller includes a cache memory that is typically implemented by static memories. During operation, the cache memory serves as a temporary store for data associated with a write I/O request.
Some controllers have two cache memories. The two cache memories can be operated in a flip-flop manner in which one cache memory is being loaded with data from the data processing system while the other cache memory flushes data to the back end storage. Alternatively, the two cache memories can be operated in a mirrored manner in which each cache memory stores a copy or image of the data before the acknowledgement is returned to the data processing system. The two cache memories are designed so that the risk of failure of or loss of access to both images is minimized.
For the most part, prior art data storage systems do not readily meet the increasingly stringent reliability demands and failure tolerances imposed by many software applications. In particular, responses to I/O requests in such data storage systems can be poorly defined in the wake of a failure that disrupts the processing of I/O requests. Accordingly, it would be desirable to improve the failure tolerance of data storage systems without compromising reliability and data availability.

Method and apparatus for controlling data storage within a data storage system

International Business Machines Corporation


Packages are formed for holding containers that extend through a bottom panel of the package. Braces are provided for at least partially securing the containers in the package.

The present invention generally relates to packages or cartons for holding and displaying containers. More specifically, the invention is directed to a package having one or more braces that engage the containers and at least partially restrain movement of the containers held by the package.
Packages or cartons for engaging upper portions of containers are known. The containers are typically inserted through apertures in a bottom panel of the package and secured by engaging a radially protruding part of the containers. One such package is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,223,891 to Bakx. Existing packages, however, may not sufficiently brace the containers, may be difficult to erect, and/or may occupy too much board space, which results in higher costs of construction. As such, a need exists for an improved package for holding and displaying containers.


A motor pylon system adapted for use with an airborne power generations system is disclosed. The pylons may support turbine driven generators for wind based electrical power generation which also function as electric motors in some aspects. The pylons may be designed to provide side force useful for turning a tethered flying wing flying in a circular cross wind flight path. The pylons may be designed to minimize air flow disruptions over the main wing.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method of flying tethered flying vehicles.
Description of Related Art
Crosswind kite systems comprising tethered wings (kites) can extract useful power from the wind for purposes such as, for example, generating electricity, lifting or towing objects or vehicles, etc. To provide or use consistent power, it may be desired to fly the kite in repeating trajectories (i.e., a limit cycle). It may also be desired to maintain the kite aloft and flying consistent trajectories during a large range of environmental conditions such as high wind speeds, large gusts, turbulent air, or variable wind conditions. However, take-off and landing of such kites can present difficulties, as the kites may not be well adapted for landings similar to that of an aircraft. Therefore, a mode of operation is desired so that a kite system can take-off, land, and operate safely in high and changing winds.

Motor pylons for a kite and airborne power generation system using same


A display device and a method of manufacturing the same. The display device includes: a substrate; and a reflection member that is disposed on a surface of the substrate and has a first thickness in a first reflection region corresponding to a light-emitting region and a second thickness in a second reflection region corresponding to a non-light-emitting region.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a display device and a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional display devices have recently been replaced by portable thin flat panel display devices. These portable thin flat panel display devices have the advantage of size and weight as compared to conventional displays.
The above information disclosed in this Related Art section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

Display device and method of manufacturing the same

Samsung-ro, Giheung-gu, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do


A rearview mirror system for a vehicle includes an interior rearview mirror assembly having a mounting structure, an electrical actuator and a reflective element. The mounting structure may be configured to be detachably mounted at an attachment element adhered to an inner surface of the vehicle windshield. The mounting structure is adjustable relative to the vehicle windshield to generally vertically adjust a nominal setting of a rearward field of view of the reflective element. The electrical actuator is operable to adjust the reflective element in order to vertically and horizontally adjust a rearward field of view of the reflective element. The interior rearview mirror assembly may include an imaging sensor having a forward field of view through the vehicle windshield. The forward field of view of the imaging sensor may not be adjusted when the electrical actuator adjusts the rearward field of view of the reflective element.

Conventional vehicle memory mirror systems typically include one or more exterior mirror assemblies which are equipped with electrically operated motors that provide for repositioning of the mirror assemblies' reflective elements with respect to one or more axes. Particularly for exterior sideview mirrors, it is known to incorporate memory-positioning systems so that a driver of a vehicle may select a desired position of the exterior sideview mirror by simply pushing a button. Less known, but currently available, are memory mirror systems, which include-memory positions not only for the exterior sideview mirror assemblies but further, for the interior rearview mirror assembly. Incorporated into each of these mirror assemblies is a drive mechanism, which provides for the memory positions for each of the reflective elements in the mirror assemblies.
A conventional interior mirror assembly for a memory mirror system typically includes a housing with a pivotal portion, such as a casing, and a fixed portion, such as a mounting arm or structure, which mounts the casing to a windshield on, for example a mounting button, as is known in the art. A reflective element assembly is supported in the pivotal portion or casing by an electrical actuator. Heretofore, the actuator or drive mechanisms that have been incorporated into these interior rearview mirror assemblies necessarily add weight to the pivotal portion and, further, result in crowding out of other accessories or features which may be incorporated into the interior rearview mirror casing. While such memory mirror systems (which include both exterior and rearview mirror assemblies) are known, they are not widely used. It has been found that the weight of the motor, especially in interior mirror assemblies, has impacted the vibration performance of the mirror assembly. In addition, as the interior rearview mirror assembly has been more recently targeted as a location for storing or holding a multitude of electronic and electrical devices and accessories the space in the interior mirror assembly casing has become more coveted.
Given the increasing number of components that are desirable in an interior rearview mirror assembly, there has been an increasing need to maximize the available space in the interior rearview mirror assembly. While the weight of the electronic devices do not significantly affect the vibration characteristics of the interior rearview mirror assembly, the increasing number of electronic devices require more and more space. When coupled with the concern for the vibration performance of the interior rearview mirror assemblies of vehicle memory mirror systems, perhaps the disadvantages associated with the weight of the driving mechanism and, furthermore, the crowding out of the space within the casing has discouraged such use of designs.
Consequently, there is a need for an interior rearview mirror assembly that is suitable for a vehicle memory mirror system and yet provides ample space for a multitude of electronic devices or accessories within the casing of the interior rearview mirror assembly while exhibiting reduced vibration as compared to interior rearview mirror assemblies of conventional memory mirror systems.

Vehicle interior rearview mirror assembly with actuator


A backlight module comprises a baseboard, at least one light-emitting element and a heat-dispersing member. The baseboard has at least one through-hole. The light-emitting element is installed in one of the through-holes and is electrically connected to a surface of the baseboard. The heat-dispersing member adjacent to the baseboard can contact the light-emitting elements directly.

FIG. 1 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a backlight module in accordance with the prior art. The prior backlight module has a plurality of light-emitting elements 100′, a substrate 400′ and a metal circuit board 200′ with a heat dispersing portion 300′.
The light-emitting elements 100′ comprise LEDs electrically connected to the metal circuit board 200′. The metal circuit board 200′ is fixed on one side of the substrate 400′, wherein the heat dispersing portion 300′ disposes on a surface of the metal circuit board 200′ opposite to the substrate 400′.
Heat generated from the light-emitting elements 100′ is directed to the heat dispersing portion 300′ through an isolating material of the metal circuit board 200′ and then dispersed by air. To enable highly efficient heat dissipation from the light-emitting element 100′, a substance between the light-emitting element 100′ and the heat dispersing portion 300′ must exhibit good thermal conductivity. However, the isolating material of the metal circuit board 200′ located between the light-emitting elements 100′ and the heat dispersing portion 300′ has high thermal resistance that resists heat conduction.
To resolve this, a substance with better thermal conductivity is applied to manufacture the metal circuit board 200′, but doing so increases the cost of the metal circuit board 200′ of the backlight module. Furthermore, a traditional display panel has other circuits, such as a circuit 601 ′ used for driving the light-emitting elements 100′ or a circuit 602′ used for driving the panel. Each of the circuits must be configured on an individual substrate first and then assembled to the metal circuit board 200′ and panel 500′ via wires 700′, respectively. Assembling these circuits consumes additional labor and space to manufacture a display panel, and the complex arrangement of the wires 700′ causes the display panel to be difficult to maintain. In addition, the arrangement of the substrate 400′ and the metal circuit board 200′ causes the display panel to be too thick to comply with customer expectations.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a thin backlight module with more thermal conductivity.


Line-by-line dataform readers and methods are enabled to operate with reduced buffer memory capacity. Storage and retention of image data are controlled on an interactive basis by concurrent analysis while lines of image data are coupled from a linear scanner. In a first embodiment lines of image data are analyzed for recognition of a feature unique to a type of dataform. Upon successful feature recognition a series of earlier and later lines of image data adequate to include a complete dataform image are retained in memory for decoding purposes. Prior to successful feature recognition, as lines of image data exceeding a limited memory storage capacity are received the earliest stored lines are discarded on a first-in-first-out basis. In a second embodiment, a buffer memory has a storage capacity adequate to store only a partial dataform image. Upon successful dataform feature recognition the type and size of the dataform are determined and decoding of the earliest lines including dataform image data is initiated, before the full dataform image is stored. As decoding progresses, the earliest lines of dataform image data are discarded as later lines of dataform image data are still being coupled from the scanner. Cost and power usage are lowered by reduction of required memory capacity.

Arrangements for use of dataforms, such as two-dimensional (2-D) bar codes, MaxiCodes, matrix codes, etc., are well known and increasing. A dataform, defined as a machine-readable image may be printed or otherwise placed on a surface for subsequent reading and decoding to recover data originally encoded into the dataform. Readers wherein a reflected image of a dataform is focused on a two-dimensional array of photo sensors for storage of a dataform image provide certain advantages. Readers of a second general type wherein a dataform image is stored into memory on a line-by-line or similar piece-by-piece basis can provide advantages in cost and simplicity. Such a reader may, for example, comprise a line scanner (e.g., including a linear array of CCD sensors) which is moved relative to the dataform to provide image data on a line-by-line basis. The present invention provides improvements particularly useful in this second type of dataform reader.
A first prior form of a line-by-line dataform reader is arranged to read 2-D bar codes, such as PDF417 or Supercode stacked codes, on a full codeword basis. After each line scan, an attempt is made to decode codewords for that scan line. If a codeword is found, the reader stores the decoded codeword for later output after the entire bar code has been decoded. The image data is not retained.
A second form of line-by-line dataform reader, to which the invention is applicable, is arranged to use image data from successive individual scan lines to assemble a full image of the dataform in memory. Decoding is then based on use of such stored image. In this type of reader one dimension of image storage is based on the number of pixels represented by a 1-D scanner device, such as a linear array of CCD sensors. Generally, a line of CCD sensors forming such a 1-D scanner device must be wide enough to cover the width of a dataform of interest along a first direction with adequate resolution to enable decoding. The scanner device then, by relative motion, is moved across the dataform along a second direction normal, or essentially normal, to the first direction.
This is represented conceptually in FIG. 1. The operator activates 1-D scanner device A at the position shown ahead of MaxiCode B and then moves device A in direction C, which represents a direction normal to the length of scanner device A. As noted, one dimension of image storage, such as a buffer memory, has a pixel position for each pixel position of device A, e.g., one pixel for each CCD sensor. Scanner device A may typically provide 1024 pixels, or some fraction or multiple thereof. This pixel capability must be selected on the basis of the resolution required to read dataforms of the complexity expected to be encountered. The required storage capacity of the buffer memory is thus determined by the number of scanner pixels and the number of lines of image data to be stored in order to scan and decode a single dataform.
FIG. 2 is a graphical representation of a buffer memory in simplified form. Once the pixel capacity of the scanner device is selected (horizontal row of pixel squares) the line capacity along the arrow coordinate must be determined (vertical columns of pixel squares). It will be apparent that if a large number of buffer memory rows of pixel storage are provided, there will be a high probability that all portions of a dataform will be scanned by an operator and there will be a corresponding high memory and processing cost. Conversely, for a small number of buffer memory rows of pixel storage memory cost and storage processing cost will be low, but portions of the dataform may not be scanned into memory by an operator. This is illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B. In FIG. 3A, if the operator triggers the scanner at T=0, which is ahead of dataform B in this example, a buffer memory large enough to store lines of image data for the entire image area D will be adequate to capture the entire dataform image. However, if in FIG. 3B a small buffer memory capable of storing image data only for area E is provided, the dataform image may be only partially captured before the buffer memory is full. Decoding would then be unsuccessful and the operator would have to repeat scanning in order to attempt to capture the complete dataform. Prior types of bar code readers may attempt to minimize this problem by incorporating a larger buffer memory. However, this solution is costly and results in increased power consumption. It also requires extended processing times for decoding, because image processing must be carried out for a larger buffer memory area.
Pursuant to the invention it is realized that, as conceptually indicated in FIG. 3C, a small buffer memory (adequate to provide storage for only image area E) can be successfully utilized. This will be possible if it can be arranged to store and retain lines of incoming image data of interest, in preference to lines of image data which do not contain dataform information and thus are not of interest.
Objects of the invention are, therefore, to provide new and improved dataform readers and methods able to utilize a linear array of photosensitive devices to read complex dataforms for successful decoding and, more particularly, dataform readers and methods providing one or more of the following capabilities:
operation with limited memory capacity, with interactive control of data retention based on concurrent analysis of incoming image data; PA1 operation with first-in-first-out data retention, with interactive analysis to determine image data of interest; PA1 operation with a memory capacity smaller than would be required to store an entire image of a dataform; PA1 operation with image data storage retention based on identification of relevant dataform image data; PA1 operation with image data storage retention based on identification of the type of dataform for which image data is stored; and PA1 operation based on location of a dataform image within image data, determination of an area of interest including the dataform image, and retention of image data for only a limited area including the area of interest. PA1 the memory has (i) a capacity to store a number of lines of image data adequate to store a complete image of the dataform, (ii) a default FIFO mode in which the earliest stored line of image data is discarded when a line in excess of the number of lines of memory capacity is coupled from the sensor, and (iii) a retain mode selectable to retain a specified series of lines of image data; and PA1 the locator is further responsive to successful feature recognition to place the memory in a retain mode to retain (without discard) identified series of lines of image data for use in decoding the dataform. PA1 (a) providing successive lines of image data, including lines representative of illumination reflected from a dataform; PA1 (b) storing successive lines of the image data in a memory having a capacity to store a number of lines of image data; PA1 (c) concurrently with step (b), analyzing successive lines of the image data to provide recognition of a feature of the dataform upon storage of a reference line of image data; and PA1 (d) upon recognition of such feature, identifying a series of lines of image data to be used for decoding the dataform. PA1 (e) retaining in memory each line of the series of lines of image data until such line is processed for decoding of the dataform; and PA1 (f) discarding from memory an earliest line of image data upon storage of a later line of image data in excess of the number of lines of storage capacity, provided the earliest line is one of: a line of image data not included in the series of lines; a line of image data which has already been processed for decoding of the dataform.

Dataform readers using interactive storage and analysis of image data


A phase delay line comprises a phase-locked loop, a duty-cycle adjusting ring and a voltage-sharing to time-sharing converter, wherein the phase-locked loop and the duty-cycle adjusting ring form a loop, and one output of the phase-locked loop is connected with the input of the voltage-sharing to time-sharing converter. The voltage can be precisely divided, and the number of the phases can be easily controlled and expanded. The band gap reference technology enables the working points not affected by the temperature. The negative feedback mechanism of the phase-locked loop determines the period, phase, duty-cycle of the sawtooth wave are same with the reference clock. The ascending and descending time of the sawtooth wave are precisely equal.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to integrated circuit, and more particularly to a kind of phase delay line.
2. Description of Related Arts
The multi-phase clock signals with the same frequency produced by the phase delay line are widely used for data acquisition. The conventional delay line mainly includes a plurality of RC delay units connected in series. The process ununiformity causes the mismatch between R and C, which results in the different delays of different phase delay units. Therefore, it is impossible to increase or decrease the phase numbers by inserting or taking off delay unit.

High-Tech Incubation Park, Chengdu, Sichuan Province

IPGoal Microelectronics (SiChuan) Co., Ltd.