A system and method are disclosed for augmenting a reading experience in a mixed reality environment. In response to predefined verbal or physical gestures, the mixed reality system is able to answer a user's questions or provide additional information relating to what the user is reading. Responses may be displayed to the user on virtual display slates in a border or around the reading material without obscuring text or interfering with the user's reading experience.

Mixed reality is a technology that allows virtual imagery to be fused with a real setting and real objects to produce a new environment where a user can see both physical and virtual objects in real time. A see-through, head mounted, mixed reality display device may be worn by a user to view the mixed imagery of real objects and virtual objects displayed in the user's field of view. A user may further interact with virtual objects, for example by performing hand or voice gestures to move the objects, alter their appearance or simply view them.
Conventionally, there has been little or no focus on the potential synergy of combining a mixed reality environment with book reading. When reading a real book, or an EBook presented over an electronic device, a user may have questions about the content of the book. Answering these questions typically requires either going to an electronic device if users are reading traditional books, or going to another program when reading an EBook. Typically when reading an EBook, the extra information obscures or even replaces the text the user is reading, requiring the user to switch back and forth between their book and the extra data. When reading a traditional book, the user must go retrieve another device and type in the data they are searching for.

Augmented books in a mixed reality environment


A system and method for lossless and/or progressive to lossless data coding (e.g., audio and/or image) is provided. The system and method employ a multiple factorization reversible transform component that provides quantized coefficients based, at least in part, upon a multiple factorization reversible transform. The multiple factorization reversible transform component can employ an N-point modulated lapped transform in accordance with one aspect of the present invention. The multiple factorization reversible transform component can comprise a modulation stage, a pre-FFT rotation stage, a complex FFT stage and a post-FFT rotation stage.

The amount of information available via computers has dramatically increased with the wide spread proliferation of computer networks, the Internet and digital storage means. With such increased amount of information has come the need to transmit information quickly and to store the information efficiently. Data compression is a technology that facilitates the effective transmitting and storing of information
Data compression reduces an amount of space necessary to represent information, and can be used for many information types. The demand for compression of digital information, including images, text, audio and video has been ever increasing. Typically, data compression is used with standard computer systems; however, other technologies make use of data compression, such as but not limited to digital and satellite television as well as cellular/digital phones.
As the demand for handling, transmitting and processing large amounts of information increases, the demand for compression of such data increases as well. Although storage device capacity has increased significantly, the demand for information has outpaced capacity advancements. For example, an uncompressed digital music source can require 5 megabytes of space whereas the same music can be compressed without loss and require only 2.5 megabytes of space. Thus, data compression facilitates transferring larger amounts of information. Even with the increase of transmission rates, such as broadband, DSL, cable modem Internet and the like, transmission limits are easily reached with uncompressed information. For example, transmission of an uncompressed music over a DSL line can take ten minutes. However, the same music can be transmitted in about one minute when compressed thus providing a ten-fold gain in data throughput.
In general, there are two types of compression, lossless and lossy. Lossless compression allows exact original data to be recovered after compression, while lossy compression allows for data recovered after compression to differ from the original data. A tradeoff exists between the two compression modes in that lossy compression provides for a better compression ratio than lossless compression because some degree of data integrity compromise is tolerated. Lossless compression may be used, for example, when compressing critical audio recording, because failure to reconstruct exactly the data can dramatically affect quality and analysis of the audio content. Lossy compression can be used with consumer music or non-critical audio recording where a certain amount of distortion or noise is tolerable to human senses.
Audio compression is an important technical problem. Most Web pages today host digital music, and digital music playing devices have become increasing popular these days.
Further, there are many existing schemes for encoding audio files. Several such schemes attempt to achieve higher compression rations by using known human psychoacoustic characteristics to mask the audio file. A psychoacoustic coder is an audio encoder which has been designed to take advantage of human auditory masking by dividing the audio spectrum of one or more audio channels into narrow frequency bands of different sizes optimized with respect to the frequency selectivity of human hearing. This makes it possible to sharply filter coding noise so that it is forced to stay very close in frequency to the frequency components of the audio signal being coded. By reducing the level of coding noise wherever there are no audio signals to mask it, the sound quality of the original signal can be subjectively preserved.
In fact, virtually all state-of-the-art audio coders, including the G.722.1 coder, the MPEG-1 Layer 3 coder, the MPEG-2 AAC coder, and the MPEG-4 T/F coder, recognize the importance of the psychoacoustic characteristics, and adopt auditory masking techniques in coding audio files. In particular, using human psychoacoustic hearing characteristics in audio file compression allows for fewer bits to be used to encode audio components that are less audible to the human ear. Conversely, more bits can then be used to encode any psychoacoustic components of the audio file to which the human ear is more sensitive. Such psychoacoustic coding makes it possible to greatly improve the quality of an encoded audio at given bit rate.
Psychoacoustic characteristics are typically incorporated into an audio coding scheme in the following way. First, the encoder explicitly computes auditory masking thresholds of a group of audio coefficients, usually a "critical band," to generate an "audio mask." These thresholds are then transmitted to the decoder in certain forms, such as, for example, the quantization step size of the coefficients. Next, the encoder quantizes the audio coefficients according to the auditory mask. For auditory sensitive coefficients, i.e., those to which the human ear is more sensitive, a smaller quantization step size is typically used. For auditory insensitive coefficients, i.e., those to which the human ear is less sensitive, a larger quantization step size is typically used. The quantized audio coefficients are then typically entropy encoded, either through a Huffman coder such as the MPEG-4 AAC quantization & coding, a vector quantizer such as the MPEG-4 TwinVQ, or a scalable bitplane coder such as the MPEG-4 BSAC coder.
In each of the aforementioned conventional audio coding schemes, the auditory masking is applied before the process of entropy coding. Consequently, the masking threshold is transmitted to the decoder as overhead information. As a result, the quality of the encoded audio at a given bit rate is reduced to the extent of the bits required to encode the auditory masking threshold information.
High performance audio codec brings digital music into reality. Popular audio compression technologies, such as MP3, MPEG-4 audio, Real™ and Windows Media Audio (WMA™), are usually lossy in nature. The audio waveform is distorted in exchange for higher compression ratio. In quality critical applications such as a recording/editing studio, it is imperative to maintain the best sound quality possible, i.e., the audio should be compressed in a lossless fashion. Since lossless compression ratio is usually limited, it is desirable that the lossless compressed bitstream be scaled to a lossy bitstream of high compression ratio. Most lossless audio coding approaches, simply build upon a lossy audio coder, and further encode the residue. The compression ratio of such approaches is often affected by the underlying lossy coder. Since the quantization noise in the lossy coder is difficult to model, the approaches usually lead to inefficiency in the lossless audio coding. Moreover, it is also more complex, as it requires a base coder and a residue coder. Some other approaches build the lossless audio coder directly through a predictive filter and then encode the prediction residue. The approaches may achieve good compression ratio, however, it is not compatible with existing lossy audio coding framework. Since the compression ratio of a lossless coder is rather limited, usually 2-3:1, the ability to scale a lossless bit stream is very useful. The bit stream generated by the predictive filter based lossless coder cannot be scaled. A lossy/residue coder can generate a bit stream with two layers, a lossy base layer and a lossless enhancement layer. However, the scaling cannot go beyond the lossy base layer. If further scaling in the lossless enhancement layer is required, it is necessary to match the design of the residue coder with that of the lossy coder, which causes significant complications. Some other approaches build the lossless audio coder directly through a predictive filter and then encode the prediction residue. Though achieving a good compression ratio, such approach is not compatible with existing lossy audio coding framework. Moreover, the resultant bitstream cannot be scaled.

Progressive to lossless embedded audio coder (PLEAC) with multiple factorization reversible transform


A metallic plate member having at least one through hole to be a part a common liquid reservoir of a liquid ejection head is provided. In a first die, a plurality of first projections are arrayed in a first direction with a fixed pitch. Each of the first projections is elongated in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The plate member is mounted on a second die, and a regulating member is inserted into the through hole. The first projections are pressed against a first region in a first face of the plate member which is adjacent to the through hole in the second direction, so as to generate a plastic flow of a material in the plate member into gaps defined between the first projections, while the plastic flow is regulated by the regulating member. A plurality of recesses formed by the first projections and a plurality of partition walls formed by the material flown into the gaps constitutes a part of the pressure generating chambers.

The present invention relates to a liquid ejection head, a method of manufacturing the same, and a mold used in the manufacturing method.
Forging work is used in various fields of products. For example, it is thought that a pressure generating chamber of a liquid ejection head is molded by forging metal material. The liquid ejection head ejects pressurized liquid from a nozzle orifice as a liquid droplet, and the heads for various liquids have been known. An ink jet recording head is representative of the liquid ejection head. Here, the related art will be described with the ink jet recording head as an example.
An ink jet recording head (hereinafter, referred to as "recording head") used as an example of a liquid ejection head is provided with a plurality of series of flow paths reaching nozzle orifices from a common ink reservoir via pressure generating chambers in correspondence with the orifices. Further, the respective pressure generating chambers need to form by a fine pitch in correspondence with a recording density to meet a request of downsizing. Therefore, a wall thickness of a partition wall for partitioning contiguous ones of the pressure generating chambers is extremely thinned. Further, an ink supply port for communicating the pressure generating chamber and the common ink reservoir is more narrowed than the pressure generating chamber in a flow path width thereof in order to use ink pressure at inside of the pressure generating chamber efficiently for ejection of ink drops.
According to a related-art recording head, a silicon substrate is preferably used in view of fabricating the pressure generating chamber and the ink supply port having such small-sized shapes with excellent dimensional accuracy. That is, a crystal surface is exposed by anisotropic etching of silicon and the pressure generating chamber or the ink supply port is formed to partition by the crystal surface.
Further, a nozzle plate formed with the nozzle orifice is fabricated by a metal board from a request of workability or the like. Further, a diaphragm portion for changing a volume of the pressure generating chamber is formed into an elastic plate. The elastic plate is of a two-layer structure constituted by pasting together a resin film onto a supporting plate made of a metal and is fabricated by removing a portion of the supporting plate in correspondence with the pressure generating chamber. Such a structure is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2000-263799A, for example.
Since the thickness of the partition wall is extremely thinned, it is hard to accurately obtain the recessed shape of the pressure generating chamber to uniformly set the liquid containing volume thereof. In particular, it is important to fabricate the partition wall to have a predetermined height as seen in the direction of the depth of the pressure generating chamber. By setting the partition wall to have a sufficient height, it is possible to maintain the liquid containing volume of the pressure generating chamber to have a predetermined value. Since the recessed shape is generally elongated in many cases, the length of the partition wall is accordingly increased. For this reason, it is important that the partition wall is to be accurately fabricated over an entire length in order to uniformly maintain the liquid containing volume.
Meanwhile, according to the above-described related-art recording head, since a difference between linear expansion rates of silicon and the metal is large, in pasting together respective members of the silicon board, the nozzle plate and the elastic plate, it is necessary to adhere the respective members by taking a long time period under relatively low temperature. Therefore, enhancement of productivity is difficult to achieve to bring about a factor of increasing fabrication cost. Therefore, there has been tried to form the pressure generating chamber at the board made of the metal by plastic working, however, the working is difficult since the pressure generating chamber is extremely small and the flow path width of the ink supply port needs to be narrower than the pressure generating chamber to thereby pose a problem that improvement of production efficiency is difficult to achieve.

Method and apparatus for manufacturing a liquid ejection head


It is an object of the present invention to improve accuracy in estimation of a state of a vehicle in order to achieve excellent ride comfort. An ECU (600) includes a reference vehicle model computation section (1100), which is configured to calculate a reference output by carrying out computation with respect to at least one of a plurality of state amounts in a planar direction and at least one of a plurality of state amounts in an up-down direction in an inseparable manner.

There has been known a technology for improving ride comfort of a vehicle by estimating a state of the vehicle and controlling the vehicle on the basis of the state estimated. This technology uses (i) a reference vehicle model for calculating a target value in vehicle control and (ii) an estimation vehicle model for estimating a state of the vehicle.
For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a technology in which a control amount by which a vehicle adjustment member is controlled is determined on the basis of an optimum feedback gain that has been preset in accordance with a dynamic model related to a height of a vehicle.
Further, Patent Literature 2 discloses a technology of obtaining an estimated yaw rate and a reference yaw rate on the basis of a model of a vehicle and controlling a steering characteristic on the basis of these yaw rates.

Suspension control device and suspension device


Fulvic acid as the active ingredient is used in the treatment or inhibition of multi-drug resistant bacteria, in particular NDM-1 bacteria producing carbapenemase or extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ES8L) resistant bacteria. The multi-drug resistant bacteria may be gram negative bacteria including, but not limited to, Klebsiella pneumoniae or Escherichia coli. The fulvic acid can be provided in combination with one or more antibiotics from the class of carbapenems or polymyxin antibiotics.

THIS invention relates to fulvic acid as the active ingredient for use in the treatment or inhibition of multi-drug resistant bacteria, in particular NDM-1 bacteria producing carbapenemase or extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) resistant bacteria. The invention further relates to fulvic acid as an active ingredient in combination with one or more antibiotics from the class of carbapenems or polymyxin antibiotics for use in the treatment of multi-drug resistant bacteria, in particular NDM-1 bacteria producing carbapenemase.
Fulvic acid is a fraction of the humic substances that are formed during the decay of plant and animal residues in the environment (MacCarthy at al., 1985) and that is soluble in water under all pH conditions. It is also generally of lower molecular size and weight and lower in colour intensity than humic acids also found in humic substances.
Typically, fulvic acids have been produced from bituminous coal using a controlled wet oxidation process (Bergh of al., 1997). These fulvic acids are referred to as oxifulvic acids. One such process for production of fulvic acids from coal was described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,912,256.
Such fulvic acids have been used in the treatment of inflammation, acne, eczema, and bacterial, fungal and viral infections such as described in International patent publication WO00/19999. Furthermore, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,999,202 and 5,204,368 disclose compositions containing fulvic acid, salt or a derivative thereof, which have bacteriostatic or bacteriocidal properties and are useful as disinfectants.
However, fulvic acids derived from oxidation of coal contain high concentrations of heavy metals including aluminium, mercury, cadmium, chromium and lead that are now known to be harmful to humans and should be avoided in pharmaceutical preparations. International patent publication WO2007/125492 discloses a fulvic acid composition derived from a carbohydrate source by a process of wet oxidation and a method of producing such a composition. As a result of the carbohydrate starting material, the fulvic acid produced from this process contains a low content of these harmful elements. Such a composition is described as being useful for pharmaceutical application.

Fulvic acid and antibiotic combination for the inhibition or treatment of multi-drug resistant bacteria


A programmable device can configure memory access parameters to optimize the performance of one or more of its memory units. A memory unit includes one or more programmable delay units connected with clock, control and/or data signals. The configuration data of the programmable device specifies delay values for each programmable delay unit. A programmable delay unit includes at least two signal paths having different timing characteristics. A switching circuit controlled by configuration data is used to select one of the signal paths as the output of the programmable delay unit. Programmable delay units can be connected in series or in parallel to increase the number of possible delays and/or to specify timing parameters of portions of the memory unit in absolute or relative terms. Programmable delay units can be used to vary the timing characteristics of the memory unit and to control the voltage split used to read data.

The present invention relates to the field of programmable devices, and the systems and methods for programming the same. Programmable devices, such as FPGAs, typically includes thousands of programmable logic cells that use combinations of logic gates and/or look-up tables to perform a logic operation. Programmable devices also include a number of functional blocks having specialized logic devices adapted to specific logic operations, such as adders, multiply and accumulate circuits, phase-locked loops, and one or more memory units. The logic cells and functional blocks are interconnected with a configurable switching circuit. The configurable switching circuit selectively routes connections between the logic cells and functional blocks. By configuring the combination of logic cells, functional blocks, and the switching circuit, a programmable device can be adapted to perform virtually any type of information processing function.
The configuration of the logic cells, functional blocks, switching circuit, and other components of the programmable device is referred to as configuration data. Configuration data can be stored in volatile or non-volatile memory on the programmable device. Additionally, configuration data can be provided and temporarily or permanently loaded into the programmable device during its manufacturing. Users can specify a user design and generate corresponding configuration data using compilation software tools. The user-created configuration data can be temporarily or permanently loaded into one or more programmable devices to implement the user design. If the user design is changed, updated configuration data can be loaded into the programmable device to implement the changed user design.
Typically, the memory units in programmable devices are designed with timing margins sufficiently large so that despite manufacturing variations and operating conditions, most programmable devices will operate correctly. Although this ensures that the programmable devices are very reliable, excessively large timing margins can result in memory units operating more slowly than necessary. For user designs requiring frequent memory accesses, the speed of the memory units is often a critical limiting factor.
It is therefore desirable for a programmable device to include memory access parameters that can be adjusted after the device is manufactured to maximize memory unit performance. It is desirable for the manufacturer to be able to set memory access parameters of the programmable device after manufacturing and for programmable device users to be able to set memory access parameters of the programmable device to meet the requirements of specific user designs. It is further desirable for the programmable device to implement adjustable memory access parameters with minimal additional overhead.


A fuel valve includes a cylindrical flow adjusting member having a cylindrical surface formed with two circumferentially extending V-shaped grooves for liquid fuel and air, respectively. The fuel valve further includes liquid fuel and air supply pipes having O-rings at their respective discharge ports which are kept in abutment with the cylindrical surface such that when the flow rate adjusting member is rotated to a position where the V-shaped grooves extend across and protrude from the respective O-rings, the discharge ports of the supply pipes communicate with the respective V-shaped grooves, so that liquid fuel and air flow. The depths, widths and positions of the respective V-shaped grooves are determined corresponding to an igniting position (preheating step), normal burning positions (high heat to low heat), and a discharge position such that the flow rates of liquid fuel and air can be adjusted in synchronization with each other.

Typically, burners such as those used outdoors include a fuel tank (such as a portable fuel bottle) containing fuel, a burner head and a flow rate adjusting valve. Fuel in the tank is fed to the burner head through the flow rate adjusting mechanism and burned. Such burners include the type in which vaporized fuel is taken out of the fuel tank and burned, and the type in which liquid fuel is taken out of the fuel tank, vaporized in a vaporizer, and the thus vaporized fuel is burned.
In order to control the flow rate of liquid fuel or vaporized fuel, a needle valve, a ball valve, or a regulator valve is ordinarily used.
As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,575,043, needle valves include a valve box, and a needle shaft and a valve seat both mounted in the valve box, the needle shaft being formed with a thread on the outer periphery and having a tapered tip, and the valve seat being formed with an orifice coaxial with the needle shaft. When the needle shaft is rotated about its axis in one or the other direction, the needle shaft is pushed into or pulled out of the orifice. When the needle shaft is pushed into or pulled out of the orifice, the gap between the tapered tip of the needle shaft and the inner wall of the orifice (which corresponds to the degree of opening of the valve) changes, making it possible to adjust the flow rate of fuel.
As disclosed in JP Patent Publication 2010-236686A, ball valves include a valve formed with a hole and having a shaft. By operating the shaft, it is possible to change the relative position between the hole and the gas passage, thereby changing the width of the flow passage corresponding to the degree of overlapping of the hole and the gas passage. It is thus possible to adjust the flow rate of fuel.
JP Patent Publication 6-235466A shows one of the above-described regulator valves which uses a diaphragm. This valve adjusts the flow rate of fuel by changing the pressure on the secondary side (outer side) relative to the pressure on the primary side (inner side).
After the flow rate has been adjusted, the fuel is fed to the burner through a fuel hose or directly from the fuel supply port of the fuel valve.
Especially if a liquid fuel is used as fuel for a burner and the fire power is adjusted by adjusting the flow rate of the liquid fuel, it is necessary to control the flow rate with high accuracy, because liquid fuel is expanded to 200 times or more of its original volume when vaporized, so that a slight change in the flow rate of liquid fuel can lead to a large change in fire power.
While it is necessary to vaporize liquid fuel in the vaporizer, while the vaporizer is not sufficiently heated immediately after the use of the burner, it cannot be vaporized. Thus, a preheating step is ordinarily carried to preheat the vaporizer by burning a small amount of liquid fuel impregnated in e.g. glass wool provided near the vaporizer.
Any of the above-mentioned needle valves, ball valves and regulator valves offers problems in stably adjusting the flow rate.
In a needle valve, the smaller the thread pitch, the shorter the distance by which the thread advances per unit rotational angle, and thus more finely it is possible to adjust the flow rate. But it is practically impossible to infinitely reduce the thread pitch because the smaller the thread pitch, the lower the resistance to e.g. wear. Thus, it is impossible to adjust the flow rate of liquid fuel in a sufficiently fine manner required for liquid fuel.
Thus, in a burner of the type in which liquid fuel is directly supplied from the fuel tank, the flow rate is ordinarily adjusted in two stages, i.e. a stage (1) in which the flow rate of liquid fuel is roughly adjusted using a needle valve at the fuel outlet port of the fuel tank, and a stage (2) in which after the liquid fuel has been vaporized, the flow rate of the vaporized fuel is finely adjusted by a valve for vaporized fuel which is provided near the burner. This complicates the entire device, increases the cost of the device, and makes it more difficult to operate the device.
It is possible to finely adjust the flow rate of fuel by reducing the diameter of the orifice of the fuel passage in a needle valve or a ball valve. But if a liquid fuel such as gasoline for motor vehicles is used, foreign matter such as soot tends to adhere to the inner wall of the orifice, thus clogging the orifice. Since regulator valves are complicated in structure and made up of a large number of parts, they are expensive and less durable.
The preheating step in which liquid fuel impregnated in e.g. glass wool is burned is extremely troublesome for inexperienced users. Soot tends to be produced during this preheating step, which could soil e.g. the burner and cooking utensils placed on the burner. Flames produced during this preheating step are weaker in force than flames produced by the burner and can be shaken by the wind. Thus, on a windy day, it is difficult to direct the flames produced during the preheating step at the burner (especially the vaporizer), thus making it difficult to sufficiently heat the vaporizer.


A porting layer takes software developed using a single threaded modeling tool to a multiple threaded environment. The single threaded modeling tool is used to model the software. The porting layer ports in variables into a multiple threaded operating environment by reference and not as variables so that each thread can access variables by reference.

Developing software to effectively use hardware, such as communication processors and system processors, of wireless devices is difficult. Wireless devices have limited memory storage capacity, making it desirable that software operating systems, interfaces and applications have a small footprint. However, using reduced footprint software design techniques limits the flexibility accorded to software designers.
To illustrate, one tool for producing software modeling language SDL code is TELELOGIC TAU. That tool allows for software programmers to produce a model of the software and the tool produces code from the model. TELELOGIC TAU has two potential code generators, C ADVANCED and C MICRO. C ADVANCED allows a software designer to use all the features of SDL. C MICRO limits the available features with the advantage of producing a smaller code footprint.
TELELOGIC TAU supports both light and tight integration. In light integration, the entire SDL system executes in a single thread. In tight integration, each SDL process becomes a thread. To minimize the code footprint, C MICRO is desirable to be used. However, C MICRO only supports light integration and, accordingly, multiple threads of execution are not supported. Accordingly, it is desirable to have code with a reduced footprint that supports multiple threads of execution.


Techniques, systems, and devices are disclosed for implementing a quasi-linear spin-torque nano-oscillator based on exertion of a spin-transfer torque on the local magnetic moments in the magnetic layer and precession of the magnetic moments in the magnetic layer within a spin valve. Examples of spin-torque nano-oscillators (STNOs) are disclosed to use spin polarized currents to excite nano magnets that undergo persistent oscillations at RF or microwave frequencies. The spin currents are applied in a non-uniform manner to both excite the nano magnets into oscillations and generate dynamic damping at large amplitude as a feedback to reduce the nonlinearity associated with mixing amplitude and phase fluctuations.

Electrons and other charged particles process spins as one of their intrinsic particle properties and such a spin is associated with a spin angular momentum. A spin of an electron has two distinctive spin states. Electrons in an electrical current may be unpolarized by having the equal probabilities in the two spin states. The electrons in an electrical current are spin polarized by having more electrons in one spin state than electrons in the other spin state. A spin-polarized current can be achieved by manipulating the spin population via various methods, e.g., by passing the current through a magnetic layer having a particular magnetization. In various magnetic microstructures, a spin-polarized current can be directed into a magnetic layer to cause transfer of the angular momenta of the spin-polarized electrons to the magnetic layer and this transfer can lead to exertion of a spin-transfer torque on the local magnetic moments in the magnetic layer and precession of the magnetic moments in the magnetic layer. Under a proper condition, this spin-transfer torque can cause a flip or switch of the direction of the magnetization of the magnetic layer.

Quasi-linear spin torque nano-oscillators


The present invention teaches a boot system for protecting plugs and connectors or receptacles for use in commercial and industrial environments or applications. A boot is provided for each of the plugs and connectors to be joined, with the boots being formed with triple-sealing cooperative surfaces which contact one another upon the boots being matingly joined. Each boot is further formed with stepped sealing means for receiving a cable to be wired to the device housed by the respective boot. Each boot is yet further formed with outer scalloped longitudinally extending surfaces adapted to receive the fingers of a user.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to the field of separable electrical connectors which can be joined to provide electrical circuits and more particularly to means and a method to provide an environmental seal about such separable connectors when joined to form an electrical joint.
2. Description of the Prior Art
According to present techniques when it is desired to protect an electrical joint, the components of such joint are placed in a weather proof housing with various seals for the housing components and cable entrances. Thus, the resulting joint may be much larger than required for the components joined. Alternatively, each of the components is provided with its required seal members and when two or more components are joined the resulting joint is larger than necessary since many sealing members are unnecessarily duplicated.
To reduce the size of the overall joint, an environmental seal can be cast or molded over the joint making separation of the joint components impossible and if joint repairs are necessary the seal and components must be separated from the respective cables and discarded.

Electrical joint environmental seal and method


A playback system in a digital cinema network synchronizes the presentation of visual and aural content by deriving timing information for packets of information that are conveyed in video and audio data streams, examining the timing information to determine if any misalignment between the two data streams is likely to be perceptible and, if the misalignment is deemed to be perceptible, introducing delays into one or both data streams to correct the misalignment. If the audio data stream precedes the video data stream, the audio data stream is delayed by an integer number of audio sample periods. If the video data stream precedes the audio data stream, the video data stream is delayed by an integer number of video frames and the audio data stream is delayed by an integer number of audio sample periods.

The concept of "digital cinema" includes the production, delivery and presentation of aural/visual material in auditoriums or theatres using digital technology. Digital cinema programs typically are distributed in a compressed and encrypted form on physical media such as DVD-ROM, tape or computer hard drives and can in principle be distributed by electronic transmission using satellite or other broadband communication paths.
Digital cinema playback systems control the processes required to make a digital cinematic presentation. These processes include receiving and storing the digital cinema program, decompressing and deciphering it into digital video and audio data streams that can be processed by digital content decoders, decoding the content of the data streams to obtain signals that may be used drive video displays and audio amplifiers, and controlling other facilities such as curtains or theatre lighting that are found in a theatre auditorium.
For a variety of business reasons it is necessary to convey and process video and audio content in separate data streams. For example, video data for one presentation may be distributed with multiple sets of audio data having different languages or differences in vulgarity of speech that affect the maturity rating of the presentation. At playback time, the appropriate audio data can be selected for presentation with the video data. The video data selected audio data are conveyed in independent streams to equipment for processing such as content decoding.
Typical digital cinema playback systems include several pieces of equipment that communicate with one another through an electrical network that is similar to many networks that are used to interconnect computers. These networks often conform to a standard that is commonly known as Ethernet, which is described in the IEEE 802.3 standard, using a communication protocol known as the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP). This choice of network and protocol can simplify the task of implementing a digital cinema playback system because the electrical and logical interfaces and procedures needed to use them are readily available and have relatively low cost. Unfortunately, the use of this type of network and protocol makes it difficult to synchronize the processing and presentation of the video and audio data streams.
A lack of synchronization between the video and audio data streams can introduce differences in the timing of events in the video and audio content that are intended to occur simultaneously. If the difference in timing is great enough, the result can be distracting to a viewer. Synchronization errors may be caused by timing errors in a playback systems or they may be caused by errors in control information conveyed within the video and audio data streams that control the operation of the playback systems. Control information errors may arise from a variety of sources including mistakes made during authoring or mastering of the video/audio content, conversions of the data streams from one data format or standard to another, and a difference in the lengths of the video and audio content, which introduces alignment errors when a presentation is switched from one program to another.
There are known methods for synchronizing audio and video data streams in a variety of contexts including the synchronization of streams that are conveyed in packets over networks such as IP networks. Many of these methods have been designed for use where network delays are unpredictable, packets of audio or video content are lost or received with errors, and competing network traffic is variable. Common approaches that are used to maintain synchronization between independent video and audio data streams include dropping or discarding packets of information from whichever data stream is behind the other, adjusting the speed of the processing clock for equipment that processes the data streams, and truncating processes that decode or recover data from received packets.
Unlike other applications for digital video and audio content, a digital cinema playback system should not drop or discard packets of video and audio content and the quality of the recovered video and audio content must kept at its highest level. Adjustment to the speed of processing clocks is either not possible in some implementations or is unattractive because it can introduce noticeable distortion in the presentations.

Maintaining synchronization of streaming audio and video using internet protocol

Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation


A control device for an internal combustion engine is a control device, applied to an internal combustion engine including an EGR cooler which includes a heat exchange body made of a material including SiC. The control device includes a control unit that controls a flow rate of coolant passing through an EGR cooler to be small in a case of a temperature of the coolant not less than a predetermined value in ending the coolant stop control of the coolant stop control unit, as compared with a case of a temperature of the coolant less than the predetermined value in ending the coolant stop control of the coolant stop control unit.

Conventionally, there is known EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) for recirculating a part of exhaust gas discharged from a cylinder of an engine body of an internal combustion engine to an intake passage. Moreover, there is conventionally known an EGR cooler as a device for cooling the exhaust gas recirculated to the cylinder. The EGR cooler is arranged in an EGR passage for recirculating the part of the exhaust gas discharged from the cylinder to the intake passage, and cools the exhaust gas passing through the EGR passage (hereinafter referred to as EGR gas in some cases) by a coolant. The internal combustion engine includes the EGR cooler, so it is possible to prevent the temperature of the EGR gas from being too high.
Patent Document 1 discloses a heat exchanger including a heat exchange body (which is called honeycomb structure in Patent Document 1) including plural gas passages. When the heat exchanger according to Patent Document 1 is arranged in the EGR passage such that the EGR gas passes through the heat exchange body according to Patent Document 1, the heat exchanger according to Patent Document 1 exerts the function as the EGR cooler. Also, Patent Document 1 discloses a material including SiC used as the material of the heat exchanger.
In caparison with a metal such as a stainless steel, SiC has a good thermal conductivity and a good corrosion resistance to the exhaust gas. When the heat exchanger including the heat exchange body made of the material including SiC according to Patent Document 1 is used as the EGR cooler, it can be considered to improve the cooling performance and the corrosion resistance of the EGR cooler.

Control device for coolant flow in an internal combustion engine


The invention relates to a method and a device for determining the parameters of a fluctuating flow of a fluid in a pipe, wherein at least three electrodes that are placed at a distance from one another in the direction of flow are provided in the periphery of the flow, wherein alternating voltage signals are fed to a first upstream transmission electrode arrangement and to a second downstream transmission electrode arrangement and the receiving signals generated by the displacement current are detected in a receiving electrode arrangement located between the transmission electrodes and subjected to a time-discrete cross-correlation. The throughput times of the fluctuations detected by the electrodes are determined on the basis of the results.

A large number of methods and corresponding devices are available for capacitive measuring of the filling level in containers. Capacitive sensors with contactless operation for the recognition of the filling level of a dielectric medium inside containers having nonmetallic walls are known and are used, for example, in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. DE 19949985 C2, for example, describes a sensor of this type. A construction consisting of a number of sensor fields arranged like a matrix is disclosed in DE 10008093 A1. A large number of capacitive sensors utilize stepped probes for determining the filling level (cf. DE 69001151 T2, DE 19938270 A1, DE 19757190 A1, DE 19721255 A1, or DE 19613813 C2) or other non-contactless methods (cf. DE 19754093 C2, DE 19516809 C1, or DE 10063557 A1). Moreover, methods for measuring a filling level using a plurality of capacitive sensors arranged next to one another along a filling path are known from DE 19916979 A1. U.S. Pat. No. 5,722,290 A describes the construction of a capacitive filling level meter having a ring oscillator. DE 69530863 T2 describes a filling level sensor, based on a transit time measurement, which can also be used as a linear path transducer. In EP 0760467 A1 too, there is described a method of measuring the filling level in a tube utilizing a capacitive method.
Methods and devices for the determination of density profiles in closed delivery devices are also known in the prior art. These methods include the class of electrical capacity tomography sensors (ECT). An example is shown in EP 0326266, in which appropriate reconstruction methods are also disclosed.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,568,874 A, an arrangement is disclosed in which the presence of a liquid is determined with the aid of at least three electrode rings, the sensitivity being decreased by conductive deposits in the tube. The arrangement is used not for velocity measurement, but exclusively for density measurement. Determination of the dielectric property of the stream of transported material at the observation sites. (Kein Satz)
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,568,874 A, the method of "active guarding" is used, in which the auxiliary electrodes are supplied with the potential of the receiving electrodes in order to avoid unwanted effects or to shift the sensitivity range. This is a complicated method as regards circuit technology.
A device for capacitive measurement involving a reduction of leakage field interference is described in DE 4442711 A1. Here again, controlled auxiliary (active guarding) electrodes are used, which is again accompanied by a corresponding outlay in terms of circuit technology.
Many methods and relevant devices have been disclosed for measuring the velocity of flow of a stream of transported material. For instance, DE 4025952 A1 describes the measurement of the velocity of flow of fine-grain bulk goods in a pneumatic or hydraulic suspension by means of a contactless measuring method implementing capacitive sensors. Here, two transmitting electrodes lie spatially opposite to a sensor electrode on the outside of a measuring tube, an AC voltage being applied out of phase to the transmitting electrodes. Downstream or upstream thereof, again two transmitting electrodes and a sensor electrode are provided, the voltage supply here being of a different frequency. Using phase-sensitive rectifiers and signal processing by means of cross correlation, random fluctuations are detected and from these conclusions are drawn as to the velocity of flow. A similar measuring configuration having two pairs of electrodes is known from DE 3909177 A1. Just as in the aforementioned document, the detection and evaluation of random fluctuations of the mass flow, in this case coal dust, take place after high signal amplification with the aid of phase-sensitive rectifiers and a transit time correlator.
A measuring arrangement described in WO 01/65212 A1 uses two annular capacity sensors, located at a distance from one another and surrounding a flow pipe externally, having at least three electrodes each. Flow parameters are obtained by detection of capacity changes of the two sensors and cross correlation.
The problem of the spatial averaging of fluctuations is also known in the prior art. In EP 0108876 A1, a device is described in which spatial averaging is carried out by distribution of the electrodes in a pseudo-random manner along the tube, in order, on the one hand, to obtain sufficiently strong signals and, on the other hand, to reduce the averaging effect.
In the case of known flow measurements, a dielectric property of the transported material is determined at at least two sites in the direction of flow. It is necessary for this dielectric property to exhibit temporal fluctuations at each observation site. These fluctuations of the dielectric property can be of natural origin (e.g. concentration variations in the case of a turbulent flow) or can be introduced intentionally (e.g. injection of another medium into the stream of transported material).
On account of the necessary spatial extent of the measuring devices (electrodes), averaging of the fluctuations is carried out, which in turn leads to attenuation of the signal resolution.
A further difficulty consists in the fact that due to the formation of leakage fields a wide sensitivity range is produced which extends beyond the desired observation range of the measuring system. In order to obtain an adequate signal resolution, the distance between the two observation sites must be large. On the other hand, a large distance, in particular in the case of turbulent flow conditions, means that fluctuations during the movement from an observation site upstream to an observation site downstream are greatly changed (rheological disintegration of the fluctuation), whereby the signal strength of the correlation result decreases.
In particular, the use of a plurality of electrodes, as is necessary in the determination of a profile, further leads to high circuit complexity, since it is necessary to determine a number of measured values.
The complex arrangement of electrodes, electronics, and screening leads to complex mechanical layouts, which are in general difficult to incorporate in existing units.

Method and device for determining parameters of fluctuating flow


An optical disk drive for determining a disk characteristic of an optical disk comprising an information layer comprising a substantially circular track is described. The optical disk drive has an optical pickup unit arranged to generate a beam, direct the beam to the optical disk for forming an incident beam, sense a reflected beam produced by the optical disk with a sensor upon receiving the incident beam with the sensor, produce a sensor output signal from sensing the reflected beam; a disk receiving device arranged to receive the optical disk; a motor arranged to provide a transition of the disk receiving device from a first mode to a second mode in at least one transition phase; and a controller arranged to receive the sensor output signal during at least one part of the at least one transition phase and perform at least part of determining the disk characteristic from at least the sensor output signal received during the at least one part of the at least one transition phase. The transition phase can be associated with moving the optical disk into the optical disk drive with a disk load motor. The transition phase can be associated with changing a rotational speed of the optical disk with a spindle motor. Determining the disk characteristic can include a disk recognition preparation.

Optical disks may generally be used as removable media for retrieving and storing digital information, e.g. data, audio and video. Optical disks may be classified into disk types according to disk generations into Compact Disc (CD), Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) and Blu-Ray Disc (BD). Optical disks may further or alternatively be classified into read-only (ROM) disks and writable disks. Writable disks may further be classified into recordable (R) and rewritable (RW, RE, RAM) disks. Currently trends include miniaturizing a spot diameter using a high numerical aperture (NA) objective lens and using increasingly shorter wavelength light sources.
An optical disk drive may be arranged to handle optical disks of multiple generations and multiple disk types. An optical disk drive may e.g. be arranged to read and write CD-generation disks, DVD-generation disks as well as BD-generation disks. An optical disk drive may further be arranged to read read-only disks of one or more disk generations, e.g. CD-ROM, DVD-ROM and BD-ROM disks. An optical disk drive may further be arranged to e.g. read and write a plurality of writable disks of one or more disk generations. An optical disk drive may further be arranged to e.g. read and/or write at least a plurality of DVD-types, e.g. DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW and DVD-Qflix disks, optionally in a plurality of speed grades.
Each disk type may require operation conditions specific for the disk type. E.g., an optical disk drive may be arranged to scan (read and/or write) a CD-generation disk with a infrared focussing spot using an infrared laser at a numerical aperture of e.g. 0.50 of an objective lens, a DVD-generation disk with a red focussing spot using a red laser at a numerical aperture of e.g. 0.65, and a BD-generation disk with a blue focussing spot using a blue-violet laser at a numerical aperture of e.g. 0.85. Additionally, other operation conditions, such as e.g. scanning velocity, write strategy parameters, servo system settings and read channel settings, may depend on the disk generation, on the disk type in general or on other disk characteristics. Other disk characteristics may e.g. comprise a disk reflectance, a number of information layers on the disk, an optical aberration induced by the optical disk in the optical disk drive (e.g. by disk tilt or other disk-induced aberrations), a start radius of a data area, or any other disk characteristic that may vary from one individual disk to another. For setting the operating conditions for scanning, i.e. reading and/or writing, an optical disk, the optical disk drive may thus be arranged to determine a disk characteristic, e.g. to perform a disk type detection. After the disk characteristic is determined, e.g. after the disk type is detected, the optical disk drive may set the corresponding operating conditions.
In starting-up of an exemplary known optical disk drive, e.g. after loading a new optical disk drive or after powering-on of the optical disk drive, the exemplary known optical disk drive is arranged for determining one or more disk characteristics of the optical disk loaded in the optical disk drive. The one or more disk characteristics typically comprises the disk type. This starting-up can consume considerable time, referred to as startup time, and may take e.g. several seconds in known optical disk drives.
With an exemplary known optical disk drive, determining the disk type comprises checking whether the optical disk comprises a wobble by checking a tracking error signal for the presence of a wobble signal while the optical disk is rotated at a constant, pre-determined disk speed. The absence of a wobble signal may be indicative for the disk type being one of a group of read-only disk types (ROM disk types). When a wobble signal is present, a wobble period may be determined, to discriminate whether the disk type is either a) a DVD-R or DVD-RW, b) a DVD+R, DVD+RW, c) a DVD-Qflix, or d) another unsupported DVD-type disk, as each of these disk types is standardized with its specific wobble period.
Known optical disk drives using known methods to determine a disk characteristic, e.g. to determine the disk type as described in the example above, may require a considerable time before determining the disk characteristic is complete, resulting in a considerable startup time.

Optical disk drive and method for use with an optical disk drive for determining the disk characteristic


A screw actuator comprises a nut having an internal helical formation and a screw having an external helical formation and rotatably received within the nut, relative rotational movement of the nut and screw causing axial movement of one of the nut and screw relative to the other of the nut and screw. The actuator further comprises a lubricant reservoir and a lubricant pressuriser for pressurising lubricant within the lubricant reservoir. A lubricant receiving chamber is formed in the nut. The screw extends through the lubricant receiving chamber. A lubricant supply passage fluidly connects the lubricant reservoir and the lubricant receiving chamber. A valve controls the flow of lubricant between the lubricant reservoir and the lubricant receiving chamber. A lubricant supply piston is received in the lubricant receiving chamber and is mounted on the external helical formation of the screw.

Screw actuators such as ballscrew actuators are used to translate a rotational input into an axial displacement with minimal friction losses. Ballscrew actuators are used in a variety of applications, including in aircraft where they may be used to move control surfaces such as flaps and slats, and aircraft engine nacelles, for example in a thrust reversing system.
Ballscrew actuators are lubricated in order to facilitate relative motion between a ballscrew, ballnut and balls. To effect lubrication, a lubricant, normally a lubricant grease, is injected into the interface between the ballscrew and the ballnut. Although seals are normally provided at either end of the ballnut, lubricant escapes from the interface which means that the lubricant must be re-injected into the interface by an operator at regular intervals. This is undesirable as it is necessary to perform a manual maintenance activity in order to effect this process, which is costly.
It is therefore desirable to supply lubricant in a way which requires less manual replenishment.


A process for the preparation of a polymer solution comprises the steps of: mixing a polymer with a solvent to swell the polymer in the solvent; cooling the swelled mixture; and then warming the cooled mixture to dissolve the polymer in the solvent. The present invention uses a polymer other than cellulose esters of lower fatty acids to form the polymer solution.

Polymers have been used in various technical fields. A polymer material such as a plastic film is formed by using a melt or solution of a polymer. A process of forming a polymer material comprises dissolving a polymer in a solvent to form a solution, forming a polymer material by using the solution, and drying the formed material by evaporating the solvent.
The solvent of a polymer is a liquid that can dissolve a polymer at a required concentration. The solvent also requires safety and an appropriate boiling point for evaporating the solvent from a formed polymer material. Recently, the solvent particularly requires safety of the human body and the environment. Therefore, it is now rather difficult to find out an appropriate solvent in liquids that can dissolve a polymer.
For example, methylene chloride has been used as a solvent of cellulose triacetate. However, the use of hydrocarbon halides such as methylene chloride has recently been restricted severely to protect the global environmental conditions. Further, methylene chloride may cause problems in the working environment.
On the other hand, acetone is a widely used organic solvent. Acetone has an appropriate boiling point (56.degree. C.). Further, acetone has few problems on the human body and the global environmental conditions, compared with the other organic solvents. However, cellulose triacetate has a poor solubility in acetone. Cellulose triacetate can be swelled in acetone, but is scarcely dissolved in acetone.
J. M. G. Cowie et al. report in Makromol., Chem., 143 (1971) 105-114, that cellulose acetate having a substitution degree in the range of 2.70 (acetic acid content: 60.1%) to 2.80 (acetic acid content: 61.3%) is dissolved in acetone by a specific process. The process comprises the steps of cooling the cellulose acetate in acetone to a temperature of -80 to -70.degree. C., and warming it to obtain 0.5 to 5 wt. % solution of the-cellulose acetate in acetone. The method of cooling a mixture of a polymer and a solvent to obtain a solution is hereinafter referred to as a cooling dissolution method.
The solution of cellulose acetate in acetone is also reported by K. Kamide et al., Textile Machinery Society, Vol. 34, 57-61 (1981). The report (written in Japanese) is entitled "Dry spinning process using acetone solution of triacetyl cellulose." In the report, the cooling dissolution method is applied to the art of fiber spinning. The experiments shown in the report examine the mechanical strength, the dyeing property and the cross sectional profile of the fiber obtained by the cooling dissolution method. In the report, 10 to 25 wt. % solution of cellulose acetate is used to form a fiber.

Process for the preparation of polymer solution


This application concerns an optical storage with an optical storage medium having a plurality of storage fields arranged in matrix fashion, wherein each storage field of this storage field matrix comprises a storage position matrix consisting of a number of storage positions arranged in matrix fashion, and an X/Y deflection system for random-addressing a storage position of a storage field of the storage field matrix responsive to an X- and a Y-control signal generated by a control unit, so that a light beam impinging on the X/Y deflection system is directed to a storage position of a storage field of the optical storage medium corresponding to the position of the X/Y deflection system. The invention provides for a beam multiplexer to be positioned intermediate the light source and the optical storage medium, by which an incident light beam is fanned into a number of light beams forming a light beam matrix such that each light beam of the light beam matrix is associated with one storage field of the storage field matrix of the optical storage medium, and that, responsive to the control of the X/Y deflection system by the X- and the Y-control signal, each light beam of the light beam matrix impinges on the corresponding storage position of the associated storage field of the storage field matrix, so that at any one time the associated light beam of the light beam matrix impinges on one of the plurality of storage fields.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns an optical storage with an optical storage medium consisting of a plurality of storage fields arranged in matrix fashion, wherein each storage field of this storage field matrix comprises a storage position matrix consisting of a plurality of storage positions arranged in matrix fashion, and an X/Y deflection system for random-addressing a storage position of a storage field of the storage field matrix responsive to an X- and a Y-control signal such that a light beam impinging on the X/Y deflection system is directed to a storage position of a storage field of the optical storage medium corresponding to the position of the X/Y deflection system resulting from the two control signals.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Matrix optical storage is known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,996,570. A disadvantage of the known optical storage is that two separate optical devices are required for reading items of data from and writing them into the storage medium. The use of an optical read means and an optical write means separate therefrom with regard to design and function leads to an elaborate design of the optical storage.
The write means used to write data into the optical storage medium has a laser, acting as a light source, which emits a spatially coherent and collimated light beam. Having passed through the electro-optic modulator, the laser beam is directed to the two-stage X/Y deflection system used to random-address the individual storage positions of the storage medium. A storage field deflecting means of the X/Y deflection system selects one of a plurality of storage fields arranged on the storage medium in matrix fashion. An acousto-optic storage position deflecting means of the X/Y deflection system, preceding the storage field deflecting means, serves to random-address a particular storage position of the storage field selected by the storage field deflecting means. Having passed through the two-stage X/Y deflection system, the deflected laser beam is directed to a semi-transparent mirror where it is reflected. The reflected light beam is led via a matrix lens array, by which it is focused, to the storage medium. The influence of the laser beam on a selected storage position of a storage field changes its physical state which is detected during reading by the read means of the optical storage.
The optical read means comprises a matrix light diode array positioned behind the storage medium and fitted with one light diode for each storage field of the storage field medium. The individual light diodes of the matrix light diode array are controlled by the control unit of the optical storage for random-addressing a storage field of the storage medium. The light emitted by a light diode of the matrix light diode array passes through the illuminated storage field of the storage medium to be focused by the matrix lens array preceding the storage medium and to be directed through the semi-transparent mirror to a lens system. This lens system enlarges the image of the illuminated storage field of the storage medium, which is generated by the light diode of the matrix light diode array. This elaborate lens array is necessary for sensing the individual storage positions of the imaged storage field of the storage medium by a detecting means of the optical read means. The detecting means has a plurality of detectors arranged in matrix fashion, the number and arrangement of which correspond to the configuration of the storage positions of one of the storage fields. Apart from separate read and write operations and the previously described disadvantages, this known storage has a number of unfavorable characteristics so that it fails to meet the requirements of up-to-date data processing systems. The storage field deflection means of the optical write means is made up of two mechanically rotatable mirrors which are adjusted by stepper motors. Such mechanical positioning of the rotatable mirrors, used for random storage field deflection, reduces the access speed to a particular storage field of the storage medium.
In addition, the mirror setting is not satisfactorily reproducible. Positioning tolerances which adversely affect the density of the storage positions of the storage medium are caused by mechanically positioning the rotatable mirrors of the storage field deflecting means. The individual storage positions of the storage medium have to be physically spaced such that the laser beam, taking account of positioning tolerances, invariably remains within the area the storage position assumes on the storage medium. In view of the tolerances resulting from mechanical beam positioning, it is impossible to use a highly integrated storage medium in which two neighboring storage positions are arranged closely adjacent to each other. In such a case, the positioning errors occurring in the known X/Y deflection system would lead to faulty access to storage positions and thus to faulty data.
A further disadvantage of the known optical storage in data processing systems is that the data to be stored in the individual positions of the storage medium can only be written in a bit-serial fashion. As a result, only one storage position can be accessed by suitably controlling the storage position and/or the storage field deflecting means. Such time-serial access to the positions of the storage medium falls short of the requirements to be met by the operating speed of up-to-date data processing systems and their interacting optical storages.


The invention includes an apparatus and method for displaying path metrics associate with nodes and links within a network. The method includes determining path metric values associated with the network. The method further includes displaying only the path metric values that fall within a predetermined set. The predetermined set can be adjustable by a network manager. The predetermined set can include an initial default value and be additionally adjusted by a network manager. The predetermined set associated with a particular node can be based upon a redundancy of paths available to the particular node.

Packet networking is a form of data communication in which data packets are routed from a source device to a destination device. Packets can be networked directly between a source node and a destination node, or the packets can be relayed through a number of intermediate nodes.
A wireless network can include a wireless device being connected to a network through a base station that is wired to the network. The wireless device can transmit data packets that are received by the base station and then routed through the network. The wireless network can include many base stations that are each wired to the network.
Wireless mesh networks can include many different wireless routing paths between access nodes of the mesh networks. The quality of the routing paths can vary greatly between access nodes of the mesh networks. Additionally, the quality of the routing paths can vary over time as transmission characteristics of the routing wireless paths vary over time.
A network manager could utilize wireless routing path information to determine desirable network configurations. Network configurations can include physical placements of the nodes, and the number of nodes included within the network.
It is desirable to have a wireless mesh network that can continually analyze the quality of routing paths through the wireless mesh network and conveys the quality of the routing paths to a network manager. Additionally, it is desirable that the network be able to provide suggestions to the network manager regarding configurations of the network.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and apparatus for monitoring and displaying routing metrics of a network


An exhaust system for an engine is provided herein. The exhaust system includes an emission control device and an exhaust manifold having a plurality of runners merging at a confluence section positioned upstream of the emission control device. The exhaust system further includes a mixer plate positioned in the confluence section, the mixer plate including a central opening and a plurality of louvered vents positioned axially around the central opening, the louvered vents having angled openings facing a common rotational direction.

Exhaust systems are used in combustion engines to manage exhaust gas produced through combustion operation in engine cylinders. The exhaust systems may include exhaust manifolds, emission control devices, mufflers, etc. However, vehicle designs may impose packaging constraints on the exhaust system to achieve a desired vehicle profile or compactness. However, these packaging constraints may be at odds with various functional characteristics of the exhaust system such as emission control device operation, turbine operation, back pressure generation, etc. For example, shortening an exhaust manifold may lead to increased back pressure generation and/or create uneven flow distribution for downstream components such as a catalyst. Therefore, trade-offs may be made between vehicle compactness and the functional characteristics of the exhaust system.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,997,071 discloses an exhaust flow distribution device positioned in a muffler upstream of an integrated exhaust aftertreatment device, such as a catalyst or diesel particulate filter. The flow distribution device disrupts the exhaust gas flow travelling through the muffler.
The Inventors have recognized several drawbacks with the exhaust flow distribution device discloses in U.S. Pat. No. 7,997,071. For example, the flow distribution device may not uniformly distribute exhaust gas. For instance, wakes may be generated behind the deflectors in the flow distribution device, thereby decreasing velocity distribution of the exhaust gas directly behind the flow distribution device. Furthermore, this device is suited to exhaust flows that are centrally discharged into a symmetric catalyst inlet cone, and not a compact exhaust manifold.
The inventors herein have recognized the above issues and developed an exhaust system for an engine. The exhaust system includes an emission control device and an exhaust manifold having a plurality of runners merging at a confluence section positioned upstream of the emission control device. The exhaust system further includes a mixer plate positioned in the confluence section, the mixer plate including a central opening and a plurality of louvered vents positioned axially around the central opening, the louvered vents having angled openings facing a common rotational direction.
The mixer plate may enable the exhaust gas flow provided to the downstream emission control device to be more evenly distributed. As a result, emission control device operation may be improved. Specifically, in one example, the tangential exhaust gas flow generated via the exhaust runners works in conjunction with the angled louvered vents to decrease velocity variability in the exhaust gas. As a result, the gas flow from the individual runners of the compact exhaust manifold are less likely to use separate zones of the catalyst brick, thereby improving the conversion efficiency of the emission control device. This is especially true when the air-fuel ratio from each cylinder is not stichiometric. Further, it will be appreciated that the mixer plate may not significantly increase backpressure in the exhaust manifold, which may degrade high load performance (e.g., full load performance), due to the central opening in the mixer plate. As a result, a compact exhaust manifold may be used in the exhaust system, if desired, without significantly increasing backpressure or decreasing the exhaust gas conversion efficiency in the emission control device. Thus, traditional trade-offs between desired characteristics in the exhaust system discussed above may be circumvented.
The above advantages and other advantages, and features of the present description will be readily apparent from the following Detailed Description when taken alone or in connection with the accompanying drawings.
It should be understood that the summary above is provided to introduce in simplified form a selection of concepts that are further described in the detailed description. It is not meant to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is defined uniquely by the claims that follow the detailed description. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages noted above or in any part of this disclosure. Additionally, the above issues have been recognized by the inventors herein, and are not admitted to be known.

Exhaust system including an exhaust manifold having an integrated mixer plate


A direct division modulator is provided. The direct division modulator includes a symbol mapper converting the input data from a binary bitstream to a desired frequency deviation, such as where the frequency deviation data encodes the information from the bitstream. A converter generates a divide value using the desired frequency deviation information, and a summer adds an average value to the divide value. A converter quantizes the divide value and shapes quantization noise associated with the quantized divide value. A divider modulates a reference signal with the quantized divide value and generates an output signal.

There are a number of approaches to solving the problem of modulating radio frequency (RF) carrier phase and frequency. The translational loop (TL), or offset phase-locked loop (PLL) uses a mixer in the feedback path of a transmit PLL to offset the output carrier frequency and an analog baseband I/Q data modulator in either the reference or feedback path of the transmit PLL to apply modulation. The primary drawback to the TL is that it requires well matched IF circuits that can occupy much more area than a design comprised primarily of digital blocks.
Another approach to modulating the output RF carrier is to apply the modulation via the feedback divider in a fractional-N PLL synthesizer. In this case a sigma-delta programmed multi-modulus divider is typically used to vary the loop output frequency and/or phase. The primary drawback to this architecture is that it requires careful calibration of the loop components and pre-emphasis filtering of the digital data in order to mitigate the distortion caused by the filtering in the PLL when the data bandwidth is greater than or comparable to the loop bandwidth. In some cases, this calibration can be more difficult by the fact that the fractional-N PLL bandwidth must be made narrower than the signal bandwidth in order to reject the shaped sigma-delta quantization noise and reference source noise.
In an integrated circuit with an integrated power amplifier (PA) in the modulation path, which causes temperature drift of loop components during a burst, the design requires either an adaptive pre-emphasis filter or a technique for adaptively adjusting the loop gain, both of which are non-optimal.

Method for modulating phase or frequency in a communication system using clock division


A valve train assembly for an engine comprising cylinders, each comprising a gas inlet and a gas outlet valve. A camshaft comprises a peripheral contour. A valve stroke adjusting device comprises a control shaft comprising control contours. An intermediate lever arrangement comprises an intermediate lever comprising a working curve which cooperates with a swivel lever, and an engagement element connected to a control contour. Each intermediate lever is connected to the peripheral contour. A transmission arrangement provides that an intermediate lever arrangement and a swivel lever arrangement is associated with each gas inlet valve. A control contour for an idle range is similar to a control contour for a full-load range. A control contour for a part-load range of a gas inlet valve of a shut-off cylinder comprises a section different to a control contour for a part-load range of the gas inlet valve of a remaining cylinder.

Valve train assemblies of the above type are widely known. Their function resides in adapting the combustion process to the respective load requirements via the valve stroke height, and thus via the filling level of the cylinders of the internal combustion engine and, correspondingly, to achieve a largely efficient and thus also low-emission combustion. It is further known that, in certain load ranges; and particularly in the part-load range, a certain number of cylinders can be completely shut off, e.g., in order to run a four-cylinder internal combustion engine by operating only two cylinders. The focus here is also on efficiency and emission optimization of the combustion process. Numerous techniques are known with respect to cylinder shut-off. These include e.g., switchable key plungers, rocker arms with lost motion function, as well as push cams with zero stroke contour. These technical concepts have the problem that the respective activation and deactivation of the corresponding valves of the cylinder that is to be shut off must be performed when the corresponding valves are in the closed state, i.e., between two work cycles. The internal combustion engine will consequently experience a distinct load jump which must be dampened. The theoretical degrees of efficiency and advantages will again be partially lost in this manner.
DE 10 2006 033 559 A1 describes a mechanically controllable valve train comprising two valve stroke adjustment devices which can be driven independently from each other so that the valve stroke adjustment devices can also be used to shut off the cylinder. The provision of independently operable valve stroke adjustment devices will, however, increase expenditure for assembly and thereby costs.

Mechanically controllable valve train assembly, internal combustion engine and method for operating an internal combustion engine


An FPD encapsulation apparatus at least comprises a chamber and a pressing mechanism. In this case, the chamber has an airtight space to provide a low-pressure environment, and the low-pressure environment is located inside the airtight space. The pressing mechanism is disposed within the chamber, and the pressing mechanism is operated in the low-pressure environment for pressing a second substrate to bind a first substrate and the second substrate. Furthermore, a method for encapsulating an FPD is disclosed. The method comprises providing a first substrate, forming an adhesive on the first substrate, providing a second substrate to align the first substrate and face to the adhesive, providing a low-pressure environment for the first and second substrates, and binding the first and second substrates to form the FPD.

1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a display encapsulation apparatus and method for encapsulating a display and, in particular, to a flat-panel display (FPD) encapsulation apparatus and method for encapsulating an FPD.
2. Related Art
Accompanying the development of electronic technology, displays have become lightweight and high efficiency, and are wildly spread. The dimensions of displays have decreased, especially flat-panel displays (FPDs) such as liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and organic light-emitting displays (OLEDs). OLEDs possess the advantages of self-emissive, full viewing angle, high power efficiency, easily manufactured, low cost, rapid response, and full color. Hence, OLEDs are rapidly becoming a major choice for flat panel display technology in the future. Those skilled in the art should know that OLEDs utilize the self-emissive properties of certain organic functional materials to achieve the object of display.
In general, an FPD is consisting of an electroluminescent substrate and a glass substrate. With reference to FIG. 1, an encapsulation process for binding the electroluminescent substrate and glass substrate includes the following steps of: providing a glass substrate (step 101), applying a adhesive on the glass substrate (step 102), providing an electroluminescent substrate (step 103), and pressing the glass substrate and electroluminescent substrate to bind the glass substrate and electroluminescent substrate (step 104).
The above mentioned encapsulation process is performed in an FPD encapsulation apparatus. Referring to FIG. 2A, a conventional FPD encapsulation apparatus 2 includes a chamber 21, a curing device 22, and a pressing mechanism 23. The chamber 21 has an airtight space, which is filled with inert gas to decrease moisture and oxygen. Thus, the electroluminescent substrate could be prevented from the moisture and oxygen, and have improved durability. The curing device 22 includes a supporting portion 221 and an UV light source 223. The supporting portion 221 is a quartz plate and is used to support the glass substrate. The UV light source 223 is located under the supporting portion. The pressing mechanism 23 is provided opposite to the curing device 22. One end of the pressing mechanism 23 is located in the chamber 21 and is movable. The electroluminescent substrate is attached to this end of the pressing mechanism 23, and is also movable in the chamber 21.
Referring to FIG. 2B, in step 101, a glass substrate 31 is placed on the supporting portion 221. In this case, a robot arm (not shown) is usually used to transfer the glass substrate 31 into the chamber 21, and the glass substrate 31 is positioned on the supporting portion 221.
With reference to FIG. 2C, in step 102, a dispensing mechanism (not shown) is employed to apply an adhesive 32 on the glass substrate 31. The adhesive 32, which is usually made of epoxy, is formed as a closed loop or frame or has a gap for air venting. As shown in FIG. 3A, the adhesive 32 is formed as a closed loop or frame on the glass substrate 31 to surround a portion of the FPD to be protected. As shown in FIG. 3B, the adhesive 32 is formed on the glass substrate 31 with one gap 321 or more. Thus, when pressing the glass substrate and/or electroluminescent substrate to bind the substrates, gas positioned between the substrates can be vented out through the gap 321. The gap 321 may then be closed during pressing the substrates.
Alternatively, the adhesive 32 can be dispensed on the glass substrate 31 with an additional dispensing apparatus. The glass substrate 31 with the adhesive 32 is then moved into the chamber 21 and positioned on the supporting portion 221. After the glass substrate 31 with the adhesive 32 is positioned on the supporting portion 221, the UV light source 223 emits an UV light beam. The UV light beam passes through the supporting portion 221 and the glass substrate 31, and then pre-cures the adhesive 32.
As shown in FIG. 2D, in step 103, the electroluminescent substrate 33 is attached to one end of the pressing mechanism 23. In this case, an additional robot arm is employed to move the electroluminescent substrate 33 into the chamber 21 and position the electroluminescent substrate 33 at one end of the pressing mechanism 23. This end of the pressing mechanism 23 is a suction plate for holding the electroluminescent substrate 33. In addition, this end of the pressing mechanism 23 can be a chuck for chucking the electroluminescent substrate 33.
Referring to FIG. 2E, in step 104, the pressing mechanism 23 moves down to press the glass substrate 31 and/or the electroluminescent substrate 33, and the glass substrate 31 and electroluminescent substrate 33 are then bound to each other via the adhesive 32. In this case, the electroluminescent substrate 33 aligns with the glass substrate 31 in advance, and the pressing mechanism 23 then moves by a screw or a pneumatic system. Before the glass substrate 31 and the electroluminescent substrate 33 are bound, the chamber 21 may be filled with inert gas so as to prevent moisture and oxygen from being encapsulated between the glass substrate 31, adhesive 32, and electroluminescent substrate 33.
After the glass substrate 31 and electroluminescent substrate 33 are bound, an UV light source 223 emits an UV light beam passing through the supporting portion 221 and glass substrate 31 to cure the adhesive 32.
During the encapsulating process of the glass substrate 31 and the electroluminescent substrate 33, the adhesive 32 is pressed, resulting in that the space between the glass substrate 31, adhesive 32, and electroluminescent substrate 33 decreases. Thus, the pressure of the space increases accordingly. In particular, when performing high temperature test, the residual gas in the space will be heated and expand. As a result, the pressure of the space becomes larger, which destroys the encapsulated structure of the glass substrate 31, adhesive 32, and electroluminescent substrate 33. Therefore, the durability of the FPD decreases.
In addition, during the process of pressing the glass substrate 31 and electroluminescent substrate 33, the space between the glass substrate 31, adhesive 32, and electroluminescent substrate 33 becomes smaller and smaller. Thus, the gas in the space may be vented out through the adhesive 32, resulting in bubbles or worm holes in the adhesive 32. The worm holes are the moving traces of the bubbles. Accordingly, the adhesive 32 may not stop the external moisture and oxygen properly. In other words, the external moisture and oxygen may facilely pass through the adhesive 32 having worm holes or bubbles, and the manufactured FPD will be damaged.
Since the adhesive 32 usually contains volatile materials, such as organic solvents, the volatile materials may be released from the adhesive 32. The FPD may suffer from the volatile materials. For example, the volatile materials may destroy the organic functional materials of the electroluminescent substrate 33. Thus, the dark spots of the FPD occur, and the durability of the FPD decreases.
Therefore, it is an important subjective of the invention to provide an FPD encapsulation apparatus and encapsulating method to control the pressure of the space between the glass substrate 31, adhesive 32, and electroluminescent substrate 33, and to avoid the bubbles or worm holes in the adhesive 32. Furthermore, the residual volatile materials, which include harmful gas, can be removed.

FPD encapsulation apparatus and method for encapsulating the same


Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture to improve watermark detection in acoustic environments are disclosed. An example apparatus includes at least one memory, instructions in the apparatus, and processor circuitry to execute and/or instantiate the instructions to encode a first symbol in a media file at a first symbol position on a first encoding layer of a multilayered watermark, and encode a second symbol in the media file at a second symbol position on a second encoding layer of the multilayered watermark, the first encoding layer and the second encoding layer including a plurality of symbol positions, one or more of the plurality of the symbol positions on at least one of the first encoding layer or the second encoding layer to be empty.

Watermarks can be embedded or otherwise included in media to enable additional information to be conveyed with the media. For example, audio watermarks can be embedded and/or included in the audio data/signal portion of a media stream, file, and/or signal to convey data, such as media identification information, copyright protection information, etc., associated with the media. These watermarks enable monitoring of the distribution and/or use of media, such as by detecting watermarks present in television broadcasts, radio broadcasts, streamed multimedia, etc., to identify the particular media being presented to viewers, listeners, users, etc. The information can be valuable to advertisers, content providers, and the like.
The figures are not to scale. In general, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawing(s) and accompanying written description to refer to the same or like parts.

Systems, apparatus, and methods to improve watermark detection in acoustic environments


A frame apparatus and method of stretching a flexible material over a frame apparatus. The frame apparatus includes a first frame assembly positioned adjacent a second frame assembly for relative movement to stretch a material positioned over the first frame assembly and attached to the second frame assembly. One preferred embodiment repositions the first frame assembly defining a first plane parallel to the second frame assembly defining a second plane in a direction approximately perpendicular to the second frame. A further preferred embodiment includes the second frame assembly positioned on a rear side of the first frame assembly. The first frame assembly and second frame assembly having a spreading mechanism for increasing the distance between at least part of the first frame assembly from at least part of the second frame assembly. A method for stretching a flexible material over the frame apparatus includes positioning the material over the first frame and attaching it to the second frame and increasing the distance between at least part of the first frame assembly from at least part of the second frame assembly to adjustably stretch the material.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to apparatus and method for stretching flexible material and more particularly for stretching flexible material over a rigid frame.
2. Description of Related Art
It is known to attach flexible material to a single frame apparatus. In such apparatus the material is placed on the frame and wrapped around the back where the material is attached to the frame by way of suitable known fasteners such as staples, grommets, hook and loop fasteners or the like. The prior method requires creating virtually equal tension at every point of attachment as the connection between the material and the frame is made.
One disadvantage with the previous method is that equal tension must be measured at every attachment point in order to avoid creating wrinkles of excess material at any point around the frame.
Another disadvantage of the prior method is that it requires numerous attachment points between the frame and the material in order to achieve uniform stretching of the material about the frame. The attachment mechanisms are devices utilizing complex hardware and are distracting to use for displaying applications.
A still further disadvantage of the prior method is that it is not possible to view the front of the material being stretched about the frame during the attachment process. That is, during attachment, the user must turn the frame to the reverse side, stretch the material and apply the fastener, all without the benefit of viewing the effects on the front of the material as it is being attached.
The present disclosure provides a frame apparatus and method of stretching a flexible material over a frame apparatus which overcomes the above noted disadvantages of the previous apparatus and methods. In a preferred embodiment, the presently disclosed frame apparatus requires no work at attachment points because the tension is created after the material is xe2x80x9chungxe2x80x9d on the frame. This embodiment requires many fewer attaching points than does mounting material on a conventional single frame unit. In a further preferred embodiment, the presently disclosed apparatus is connected to a plate, the plates then slidably positioned on the frame and adjusted for tension utilizing a spreading mechanism.
One advantage of the presently disclosed apparatus and method is that the material can be attached and removed easily from the frames.
Another advantage of the presently disclosed frame apparatus and method is that it is possible to observe the face of the canvas as tension is created in the material. In addition, the hardware attaching the material to the frame apparatus is concealed or minimized to reduce its ability to be viewed from the first side of the apparatus.

Frame apparatus and method for stretching flexible material


A desktop aquarium device with enhanced water filtration is provided. The aquarium device contains a base and a spherical tank. A filtering dish is installed inside the base. The filtering device provides a winding pathway for water to flow through. Along the pathway, biological filtering balls are placed. An air pump is also fixedly installed inside the base. The base is closed from the bottom by a bottom cover. The tank is locked to the base and the tank provides an aquatic environment. Inside the tank, there are a filtering device and a water outlet. Through the water filtration provided by the biological filtering balls along the water pathway inside the filtering dish, the water in the tank requires less frequent replacement, making the aquatic cultivation simpler and more convenient.

(a) Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to aquarium devices and, more particularly, to desktop aquarium devices with enhanced water filtration.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
People, as terrestrials, are constantly curious about the underwater world and aquatics. Therefore, aquatic cultivation mainly for the purpose of viewing and appreciation has rapidly grown in popularity in recent years. A conventional aquarium device 1 for observing aquatics and their activities, as shown in FIG. 1, usually contains a transparent tank 11, a water pump 12, a sump 13, and an air pump 14, all at the top of the tank 11. At the bottom of the tank 11, there are sand and stones 15 for landscaping.
To use the aquarium device 1, the sand and stones 15 are first laid at the bottom of the tank 11. The sump 13 is then installed at the top of the tank 11, and the water pump 12 is fixedly attached to the sump 13. When the foregoing components are at their places, the tank 11 is filled with an appropriate amount of water and electricity is supplied to activate the water pump 12. A water inlet 121 is extended from the bottom of the water pump 12 and into the tank 11 for a distance. When the water pump 12 is running, the water inside the tank 11 is pumped through the water inlet 121 and the water outlet 122, and into the sump 13. The sump 13 has several layers of skimmers 131 made of filtering cotton, active carbon, etc. The water pumped from the tank 11 by the water pump 12 is filtered by the skimmers 131 to remove debris such as remnants of feed and aquatic waste. The filtered water then flows back to the tank 11 via the water outlet 132 at the bottom of the sump 13. The air pump 14 at the top of the tank 11 supplies air into the water through an air outlet 141 buried in the sand and stones 15, so that the water in the tank 11 has enough dissolved oxygen for the aquatics to breathe.
The aquarium device 1, with the operation of the water pump 12 and the sump 13 to keep the water in the tank 11 clean, is able to provide an adequate environment for the aquatics. When the skimmers 131 of the sump 13 are not able to filter the water effectively, they are removed from the sump 13 and replaced with new skimmers 131. The sump 13 then recovers its filtering capability. The conventional aquarium devices have the following shortcomings.
First, the water in the tank 11 does not circulate well enough due to the limited pumping capability of the water pump 12, thereby, causing dead spaces (where water does not circulate) to develop inside the tank 11. These dead spaces would result in insufficient dissolved oxygen, which in turn would breed anaerobes, threatening the aquatics' health. When the amount of anaerobes is around 0.1 PPM, a stink that would compromise the health of the aquatics would be produced.
Secondly, the skimmers 131 in the sump 13 have a planar contact with the water. The skimmers 131 could not shatter the water to expel the stink and therefore the tank 11 requires frequent water replacement to maintain the water's cleanness. However, water replacement involves a significant amount of work. Additionally, aquatics are often hurt during the replacement process.
Accordingly, there is a need for a better aquarium device so that aquatic cultivation can be more convenient and simplified.

Aquarium device with enhanced water filtration