Apparatus and method for removing unwanted components of a signal received from a radar transmitter. The unwanted components lie in a clutter Doppler frequency band. Such components are removed by first sampling the received signal at a rate sufficient to cause components of the received signal in the clutter Doppler frequency band to be validly sampled and components of the received signal in a desired target Doppler frequency band to be invalidly sampled. A signal equivalent to the values of a polynomial fit to this sampled signal then provides an estimate of the unwanted clutter components. This estimate is subtracted from the original received signal to provide a signal with the unwanted clutter components removed. A significant improvement in receiver sensitivity as well as a reduction in dynamic range requirements of a post detection digital signal processor is achieved through the use of this invention.

The present invention relates generally to radar receivers, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for distinguishing between signals received from a desired target and those received from unwanted clutter.
It is well known that radars operate by transmitting a signal at a radio frequency (hereinafter referred to as the transmitted signal). The transmitted signal is reflected by a target and returned as a received signal. A received signal returned by a target moving radially with respect to the radar transmitter has a frequency different from that of the transmitted signal. The difference between the frequency of the transmitted signal and the received signal, known as the Doppler shift frequency, may be used to determine the range rate between the target and the transmitter. If several targets having different range rates are illuminated by the transmitted signal, the resulting received signals returned by each target are distributed within a band of Doppler shift frequencies. The location of the received signal returned by each target within the Doppler frequency band is thus a function of the range rate of the associated target. If the range rate of a particular desired target is greater (or less) than the range rate of certain other undesired targets, filtering techniques may be used to separate the received signal returned from the particular desired target from the received signals returned from undesired targets.
A problem occurs when the Doppler frequency of a desired target is close to the undesired target's Doppler frequency. This is particularly troublesome when the undesired targets include ground clutter, as received signals returned from ground clutter are often much more powerful than received signals returned from desired targets. In radars using a transmitted signal of the continuous wave (CW) type, one way to improve operation has been to use a bandpass filter with a passband including the expected Doppler frequency of a desired target and stopband which includes the expected Doppler frequency of the clutter. Sometimes both conditions cannot be met simultaneously. This may occur when detectability of hovering or low radial velocity objects such as helicopters is important. If digitally implemented, such bandpass filters often require the use of weighting having extremely low side lobes, such as the Blackman-Harris weighting described in Harris, F., "On the Use of Windows For Harmonic Analysis With a Discrete Fourier Transform", in Proceedings of the IEEE, vol. 66, No. 1, January 1978. The use of such weighting reduces sensitivity because the main lobe of the filter's frequency response becomes wider, and because a 3 db processing loss is introduced.
For radars using a pulsed transmitted signal, an additional disadvantage exists if the bandpass filter technique is used. Because such a filter normally has a relatively narrow bandwidth to effect the desired discrimination between desired and undesired signals, its temporal response will be longer than the duration of any return signal. This in turn has a negative effect on range resolution and detectability of targets at short range. One prior solution to this problem has been to use range gates to quantize the return signal into range intervals. U.S. Pat. No. 3,706,095 to Cherwek is an example of such a system where the return signal is first range gated before being fed to a bandpass filter. If range gates are used, they normally must be applied after detecting the pulsed transmitted signal, because clutter created at the harmonics of the code or pulse repetition interval will not otherwise be removed.
It is also known that improved performance can be achieved by using an adaptive filter to center the clutter stopband at the average clutter Doppler frequency within selected range cells. See for example U.S. Pat. No. 3,742,500 to N. Freedman and U.S. Pat. No. 3,987,442 to McLeod, Jr. The use of such adaptive filters requires an attendant increase in design complexity and cost.

Clutter removal by polynomial compensation


A pressure control valve equipped with a solenoid valve, in which a main valve body is provided with an air-supply chamber connected to a pressurized air source, a control pressure chamber into which pilot pressure is input, an output chamber connected to an air-pressure apparatus, and an air-supply valve which establishes contact between and isolates such air-supply chamber and such output chamber. Such pressure control valve further includes a pressure-adjusting piston which is urged one way by a pressure-adjusting spring and is urged the other way by such pilot pressure of such control pressure chamber, and a hollow exhaust valve rod is provided integrally with such pressure-adjusting piston to open or close such air-supply valve in accordance with such pilot pressure; and in which such solenoid valve supplying such pilot pressure to such control pressure chamber is attached to such main valve body. Such pressure control valve is characterized in that such valve body of such solenoid valve is fitted in one of an upper surface and a lower surface of such valve main body, in a position in which it is adjacent to such exhaust valve rod.

Conventionally, the brake devices in railroad vehicles have been provided with pressure control valves equipped with solenoid valves, in which a solenoid valve outputting brake command pressure matched with a brake pressure command signal output by a brake receiver is integrated with a pressure control valve, for example, a relay valve. Such pressure control valve receives the brake command pressure output by the solenoid valve, in a command pressure chamber in the form of pilot pressure and subjects such brake command pressure to volume amplification before outputting it to a brake cylinder. Such a system is taught, for example, in Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Application H.
In this pressure control valve equipped with a solenoid valve, the main valve body is provided with an air-supply chamber connected to a pressurized air source, a control pressure chamber into which the pilot pressure from the solenoid valve is input, an output chamber connected to the brake cylinder, and air-supply valve which selectively establishes contact between and isolates such air-supply chamber and output chamber. Such control valve further includes a pressure-adjusting piston which is urged one way by a pressure-adjusting spring and is urged the other way by the pilot pressure of the control pressure chamber. Additionally, there is a hollow exhaust valve rod provided integrally with this pressure-adjusting piston. The air-supply valve is opened or closed depending on the pilot pressure input into the control pressure chamber, and thus the compressed air supplied to the air-supply chamber can be supplied to the brake cylinder at a pressure corresponding to the pilot pressure.
Now, in such conventional pressure control valves equipped with a solenoid valve, such solenoid valve, which supplies the pilot pressure to the control pressure chamber, is disposed to the side of the main valve body. Thus, the projected planar surface area is large and a large amount of space is needed when it is mounted below the floor of a vehicle. There is, therefore, a problem in that the space below the floor of the vehicle cannot be used efficiently.

Pressure control valve equipped with a solenoid valve


A mobile driving device for driving a roller conveyor includes a chassis frame, a traction device mounted to the chassis frame, wherein the traction device is adapted to move the chassis frame on a supporting surface, a first drive unit mechanically coupled to the traction device to transmit a driving force to the traction device for moving the chassis frame on the supporting surface, a roller driving device mounted to the chassis frame, wherein the roller driving device is adapted to be mechanically coupled to one or a plurality of rollers of the roller conveyor, and a second drive unit mechanically coupled to the roller driving device for transmitting a conveying force to the roller driving device.

Roller conveyors are used in intralogistic applications for transporting goods along a pre-determined path. Typically, such roller conveyor may be used to convey any such goods directly, or to convey pallets, boxes or the like containing such goods.
A usual setup of a roller conveyor comprises a plurality of rollers being rotatably mounted in a frame. The axes of rotation of the rollers may be parallel to each other to setup a roller conveyor for a straight conveying direction. For a setup having a curved conveying direction, the axes of rotation of the rollers may be angular to each other and the rollers employed in such a curved path may have a conical shape.
A main advantage of such roller conveyors is the option to control the conveying action of a plurality of goods on said roller conveyor individually for each good to be conveyed and selectively for single rollers or groups of rollers. Usually, a roller conveyor is divided up into a plurality of conveyor zones and each conveyor zone may be driven individually to effect a conveying of goods placed in said zone and to convey said goods into an adjacent downstream zone. For example, a roller conveyor may be controlled to convey a plurality of goods in a block mode, wherein all goods in all conveyor zones are conveyed simultaneously or in a single mode wherein a single good or goods in a single conveyor zone is/are conveyed from one zone to the adjacent downstream zone only if the adjacent downstream zone is empty.
The individual and selective control of the conveying action in a roller conveyor requires a plurality of drive units to allow the individual control. Usually, a single conveyor zone comprises a single motor driven roller and a plurality of idle rollers. The single motor driven roller is employed for effecting the conveying action. To this regard, the motor driven roller itself effects a conveying action via its circumferential surface, namely the outer roller body. Further, the motor driven roller may drive the adjacent idle rollers of the conveyor zone by, e.g., a belt transmission arrangement at one end of the rollers.
In other embodiments, a motor is installed at each conveyor zone below a plurality of idle rollers to drive said idle rollers via a chain drive, belt drive, or the like from below. Generally this type of roller conveyor allows for effective conveying of goods such that multiple goods can be conveyed with high conveyor speed on such roller conveyors. However, the need for individual control and driving action of the multiple conveyor zones employed in such roller conveyor requires a significant number of drive units, control units and programming action to effect said conveying action. Further, whilst it is possible to design and setup such roller conveyors depending on the expected volume of goods to be conveyed therewith, it is generally not possible to adapt such roller conveyors in case of a change of such volume of goods without the need to reconfigure the roller conveyor and to thus interrupt the conveying action for a significant time. As a result herefrom, roller conveyors are usually designed to fulfil the expected maximum volume of goods to be conveyed. Much often, thus, the roller conveyors are driven over long time periods in a condition where only a small percentage of the capacity is used.
It is a general desire and the object of the invention to allow a fast change of the setup of a roller conveyor such as to allow efficient conveying of small or large volumes of goods.


In order to allow reception in which receive sensitivity does not depend upon polarization state in reception of a multi-level phase optical signal, in this optical reception method, a multi-level phase optical signal of a single polarization is separated into a first optical signal and a second optical signal of which polarizations are mutually orthogonal, the ratio of the power of the first optical signal to the power of the second signal is calculated, and the difference between the phase of the first optical signal and the phase of second optical signal is calculated as an amount of compensation, whereupon, on the basis of the ratio and the amount of compensation, the first optical signal and the second optical signal are combined using a maximal ratio combining method, and the amount of compensation is modified on the basis of the ratio.

Many coherent optical communication systems which use a multi-level modulation signal in order to increase transmission capacity in an optical communication system are disclosed. In these systems, a polarization diversity reception system in which a receiving sensitivity does not depend upon a polarization state is disclosed, like Non-patent literature (NPL) 1. In the system, a polarization beam splitter separates the multi-level modulation optical signal into two polarization optical signals which are mutually orthogonal. A 90-degree hybrid mixes each of separated optical signals with a local oscillation light, and outputs optical signals each corresponding to an in-phase component and an orthogonal component. A photo diode converts the optical signal outputted from each of the 90-degree hybrids into an electric signal.
In NPL 1, correction for change of the receiving sensitivity due to a polarization state of input signals is achieved by digital signal processing. Namely, in NPL 1, an arrangement is not performed in which a polarization plane of the optical signal is conformed to a base line of the polarization beam splitter.
In NPL 1, a Maximal-Ratio-Combining (MRC) method is employed as the digital signal processing correcting the change of the receiving sensitivity due to the polarization state of input signals. In NPL 1, specifically, a power ratio α and a phase difference δ of output signals Ex and Ey of the 90-degree hybrids are calculated. An original optical modulation signal Es is reproduced by the MRC as shown in the equation (1) below,ES=√{square root over (α)}e−jδEx+√{square root over (1−α)}Ey  (1)where j is an imaginary unit. The √{square root over (α)} in the first term of the equation (1) and the √{square root over (1−α)} in the second term thereof are correction terms for maximizing output power.
The e−jδ in the first term of the equation (1) represents a term for correcting the phase difference between Ex and Ey.

Optical reception method and optical receiver using maximal-ratio-combining method


A release mechanism including a fixed block with a rotating shaft for toilet lids is described. The release mechanism includes a shell, a fixed block, a rotating shaft, and a U-shaped clamping spring. The shell includes a notch for the rotating shaft. The fixed block includes a U-shaped recess that corresponds to the notch on the shell. The rotating shaft rests inside the U-shaped recess and the notch, connecting the toilet lid to the seat ring. The U-shaped clamping spring engages with the U-shaped recess and clamps the rotating shaft in place.

The present disclosure relates to toilet lid assemblies, and particularly to a release mechanism (i.e., a mechanism allowing the toilet lid to release from its engagement and move to an open or closed position), and a fixed block for connecting the toilet lid to the toilet seat.
A toilet's lid and seat ring are typically connected together by one or more rotating shafts positioned on each side of the bottom end of the lid. Rotating shaft holes are located on each side of the top end of the seat ring at positions that correspond to the rotating shafts, and are configured to receive the rotating shafts.
Conventional toilet lid assemblies include a toilet lid, a toilet seat, and a lid connection assembly. The lid connection assembly includes a shell that forms an integral piece with the lid, a fixed block, a rotating shaft and screws. The rotating shaft is typically a metal material and is fixed at the central position of the fixed block. The fixed block is typically a plastic material, and a rotating shaft installation hole is located at its central position. The tail portion of the rotating shaft extends out of the fixed block through the installation hole for engagement and installation with the rotating shaft hole on the toilet seat ring. The head portion and the central portion of the rotating shaft are positioned inside the fixed block, and the rotating shaft and the fixed block are configured to have a rigid connection. The fixed block and the shell are also rigidly connected by two screws, and thus the rotating shaft, the fixed block and the shell form a mutual rigid connection.
In this conventional lid connection assembly, the rotating shaft is locked inside the fixed block and cannot be removed. When the lid is flipped (i.e. when the lid is subject to a force far away from the seat ring) in this arrangement, the shell can break as a result of the internal structural stress. If the lid is to be dismantled, moreover, the fixed structure needs to be opened, which is very inconvenient.

Release mechanism and fixed block for toilet lids


Method of making and using a non-toxic food grade plastic humidifier and a kit of components. The method includes the steps of: introducing distilled water into an all natural membrane device; placing a dried product in an external sealable container; mounting the humidifier in the container; maintaining the humidifier inside the container until the product is moist enough for the liking of the user; removing the humidifier from the container; air drying the humidifier; and repeating the above steps as desired.

The present invention relates to methods of making and using a non-toxic food grade plastic humidifier and a kit of components therefor.
More particularly, the present invention relates to methods of making and using a non-toxic food grade plastic humidifier and a kit of components therefor, including the step of introducing distilled water into an all natural membrane device of the non-toxic food grade plastic humidifier.
It is a desideratum of the present invention to avoid the animadversions of conventional and present methods and devices, and at the same time to provide very convenient and easy to use methods of making and using a non-toxic food grade plastic humidifier and a kit of components therefor.

Methods of making and using a non-toxic food grade plastic humidifier and a kit of components therefor


This printing device includes a first supply roller and a second supply roller that supply the pair of ink ribbons; a first winding roller and a second winding roller that are pulled out from the first supply roller and the second supply roller and wind the pair of ink ribbons passing through a printing position; and a roller driving unit that rotates the first winding roller and the second winding roller. The roller driving unit includes one rotational driving device in which a rotating shaft is rotatable in a normal direction and a reverse direction, a first transmission mechanism that transmits only the rotation of the rotating shaft in the normal direction to the first winding roller, and a second transmission mechanism that transmits only the rotation of the rotating shaft in the reverse direction to the second winding roller.

It is required that printing devices that perform marking in tires are included in equipment that tests and inspects completed tires, such as tire uniformity machines that measure the non-uniformity of tires or balancing machines that measure the unbalance of tires.
In the printing devices, it is required that marks, such as circular shapes or triangular shapes, are dotted (marking is performed) at circumferential positions (phases) of a tire, which are determined from measurement results and criteria for determination, on a sidewall of the tire.
Various shapes and colors of the marks have been required in recent years, and a plurality of marks may be required for a tire.
As the types of positions where marking is performed in a tire, there are a type in which marking is required on determined phases of a tire, and a type in which marking is allowed to be performed on arbitrary phases on a sidewall.
In a case where a plurality of marks are formed in a tire, it is known that a plurality of marks are formed in a sidewall of a tire with positions being shifted from each other in a radial direction of the tire, and or a plurality of marks are formed with positions being shifted from each other in a circumferential direction. Increasing the number of marks by combining shifting the positions from each other in the radial direction of the tire and shifting positions from each other in the circumferential direction is also known.
For example, in Patent Document 1, as this type of printing device, a printing device has three marking pins, a supporting base that supports two heat transfer tapes (ink ribbons), an air cylinder that moves the supporting base, and an air cylinder that pushes out a marking pin toward a heat transfer tape that faces the marking pin.
As the air cylinder moves the supporting base, any one of the two heat transfer tapes faces the three marking pins.
One heat transfer tape is delivered from a first delivery reel, and is wound by a first winding reel (first winding roller) that is rotated by a first rotational driving device (roller driving unit). The other heat transfer tape is delivered from a second delivery reel, and is wound by a second winding reel (second winding roller) that is rotated by a second rotational driving device (roller driving unit).
In the printing device configured in this way, as the air cylinder pushes out each marking pin toward a heat transfer tape that faces the marking pin, the marking pin is pressed against the heat transfer tape and printing is performed in a tire.

Printing device and tire marking apparatus

MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES MACHINERY TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION


A method for secure key exchange. The method comprises receiving a request to certify a key from a communication partner at an interface between an access and tamper resistant circuit block and exposed circuitry. Within the access and tamper resistant circuit block, a first random private key is generated. A corresponding public key of the first random private key is derived, and a cryptographic digest of the public key and attributes associated with the first random private key is generated. The generated cryptographic digest is signed using a second random private key that has been designated for signing by one or more associated attributes. The public key and the signature are then sent to the communication partner via the interface.

Modern computing devices rely on secure means of exchanging information with other computing devices. In particular, users assume security for financial transactions, identity-based transactions, subscription services, etc. Each new mechanism for securing information provides a new opportunity for intentional security breaches. Often, these breaches are initiated using techniques that introduce malicious software that subverts one or more security measures taken by the device's makers. Measures for preventing such breaches are therefore increasingly important.

Secure key exchange using key-associated attributes


Burst pressure P of an insulating layer positioned immediately on a fuse layer is defined by using planar width W of fuse layer and thickness t of insulating layer. The value of the planar width W of fuse layer and the value of the thickness t of insulating layer are set such that the value of burst pressure P is at most about 1000 kg/cm.sup.2. The value of the thickness t and the value of the planar width W are set such that the value t/W is at least 0.45 and at most 0.91. Consequently, stable fuse blowing becomes possible while reducing manufacturing cost.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device having a fuse layer, and, more specifically, to a semiconductor device having a fuse layer in which an insulating layer positioned on the fuse layer is about 1 .mu.m in thickness.
2. Description of the Background Art
A redundancy circuit provided for repairing defects of a semiconductor device has been known. Generally, a fuse layer is formed together with the redundancy circuit, and the fuse layer is disconnected appropriately so as to replace a defective circuit with a redundant circuit.
FIG. 10 shows a specific structure of a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) as an example of a semiconductor device having a redundancy circuit. Referring to FIG. 10, a plurality of word lines WL extends in a row direction from respective row decoders 21 with word driver 22 interposed, in a memory cell array 20. A plurality of bit lines BL extend in a column direction from respective column decoders 23. Word lines WL and bit lines BL are arranged to cross each other. A memory cell MC is provided at each crossing point.
Outside the word lines WL, there is a spare word line SWL extending in the row direction from a spare decoder 24 with a spare word driver 25 interposed. At crossing points between spare word line SWL and the bit lines BL, spare memory cells SMC are provided.
Spare word line SWL, spare decoder 24 and spare word driver 25 constitute a so called redundancy circuit. A defective address comparing circuit 26 is connected to spare decoder 24, and a fuse layer is formed in defective address comparing circuit 26. The redundancy circuit is controlled by the fuse layer. A row address is input to defective address comparing circuit 26. FIG. 11 is a cross section showing the fuse layer portion and its periphery of the DRAM having such a structure. In FIG. 11, conductive layers other than the fuse layer 2 are not shown for the convenience of description.
Referring to FIG. 11, a fuse layer 2 is formed on a main surface of a semiconductor substrate 1 with an interlayer insulating layer 3a interposed. An insulating layer 3b of a silicon oxide, for example, is formed to cover fuse layer 2.
A defective circuit is repaired by appropriately disconnecting the above described fuse layer 2. Generally, laser is used to disconnect fuse layer 2. The principle of disconnecting fuse layer 2 by laser will be described.
Again referring to FIG. 11, fuse layer 2 is irradiated with laser 8. Consequently, laser is absorbed in fuse layer 2, and fuse layer 2 evaporates.
Consequently, insulating layer 3b is pushed up by the evaporating pressure of fuse layer 2 as shown in FIG. 12. When the evaporating pressure of fuse layer 2 attains to a prescribed value or higher, a crack 9 is generated in insulating layer 3b, as shown in FIG. 12. As the evaporating pressure generated by the evaporation of fuse layer 2 is further acts on the insulating layer 3b, insulating layer 3b positioned on fuse layer 2 is blown off, as shown in FIG. 13. Fuse layer 2 is disconnected through these steps.
As semiconductor devices has been miniaturized recently, planar width of the above described fuse layer 2 tends to be reduced. Therefore, there arises a problem that stable blowing of fuse layer 2 becomes difficult if the thickness t of insulating layer 3b on fuse layer 2 is as thick as about 1 .mu.m.
In view of the foregoing, U.S. Pat. No. 4,853,758 discloses a method for facilitating blowing of fuse layer 2. According to U.S. Pat. No. 4,853,758, there is formed a recess portion at the surface of insulating layer 3b immediately on fuse layer 2, so as to reduce thickness of insulating layer 3b immediately above the fuse layer 2. This allows stable blowing of fuse layer 2.
However, in order to form such a recess as described above at the surface of insulating layer 3b, a new process step such as selective etching of insulating layer 3b becomes necessary. This makes manufacturing process complicated, resulting in increased manufacturing cost.
Alternatively, when the thickness of insulating layer 3b on fuse layer 2 is as thick as 1 .mu.m or more, a method may be possible in which energy of the laser with which the fuse layer 2 is irradiated is increased. However, if the laser energy is set larger, there may possibly be a damage to the semiconductor substrate, for example underlying the fuse layer 2.

Semiconductor device having a fuse layer


A lighting device includes: a phosphor wheel; a color-combining prism including dichroic surfaces, the film surfaces of these dichroic surfaces being disposed to cross a center ray of luminous flux of fluorescence emitted from the phosphor wheel and to be orthogonal to a plane that contains the center ray; a blue laser; a red laser; and excitation light sources. When viewed from the direction perpendicular to the plane, the blue laser, red laser, and excitation light sources are arranged on one side of the center ray of the luminous flux of the fluorescence.

Patent Document 1 describes a projector that uses a phosphor as a light source.
The principle parts of the projector described in Patent Document 1 are made up by a light source device, a cooling fan, a display element, and projection-side optics.
The light source device includes a light-emitting device in which the fluorescent color is red, a light-emitting device in which the fluorescent color is green, a light-emitting device in which the fluorescent color is blue, and first and second dichroic mirrors that combine the fluorescent light of each color from these light-emitting devices.
Each light-emitting device includes a cylinder-shaped rotating body in which a phosphor layer is formed on the outer periphery, a drive source that rotates the rotating body, a collimator lens that converts the fluorescent luminous flux emitted from the phosphor layer to parallel luminous flux, an excitation light source, and a mirror that reflects excitation light from the excitation light source in the direction toward the phosphor layer. The excitation light that is reflected by the mirror is irradiated by way of the collimator lens onto the phosphor layer. The fluorescent light that is emitted from the phosphor layer is converted to parallel luminous flux by the collimator lens.
The blue fluorescent light that is emitted from the blue light-emitting device is entered to one surface of the first dichroic mirror and the green fluorescent light that is emitted from the green light-emitting device is entered to the other surface of the first dichroic mirror. The first dichroic mirror has the property of transmitting blue light but reflecting green light and thus combines the incident blue and green fluorescent light.
The fluorescent light (green and blue) that is combined in the first dichroic mirror is entered to one surface of the second dichroic mirror, and red fluorescent light that is emitted from the red light-emitting device is entered to the other surface of the second dichroic mirror. The second dichroic mirror has the property of transmitting blue and green light but reflecting red light and thus combines the incident blue, green, and red fluorescent light.
Each light-emitting device is arranged in a chamber that is supplied with an air current from a cooling fan. Each light-emitting device is cooled by supplying the air current from the cooling fan to each light-emitting device.
In the above-described projector, light from the light source device is irradiated to a display element, and the image formed in this display element is then projected onto a screen by projection-side optics.
In addition to the above-described projector, Patent Document 2 describes a projector that uses light-emitting diodes (LED) as a light source.
The projector described in Patent Document 2 has illumination optics that includes: a red LED array in which a plurality of red LEDs are arranged, a green LED array in which a plurality of green LEDs are arranged, a blue LED array in which a plurality of blue LEDs are arranged, and a cross dichroic prism that combines the luminous flux for each of the colors red, green, and blue from these LED arrays.
In the above-described projector, light from the illumination optics is irradiated into a digital micro-device (DMD) and the image formed by the DMD is projected onto a screen by projection lenses.

Lighting device and projection-type display device using the same including a color-combining prism


A controller for an electric machine, in particular for a linear motor, is disclosed. The electric machine or linear motor includes a first machine section with windings and a second machine section with permanent magnets. The controller includes a memory which can store one or more physical parameters, such as magnetic field parameters, that can be used to control the electric machine. The physical parameter(s) can be determined by having the electric machine perform one or more reference passes.

The present invention relates to a controller for an electric machine, in particular for a linear motor.
To ensure clarity, the term "electric machine" should not be limited in the disclosre to a linear motor, but should be construed to also include, for example, a torque motor or a synchronous motor or a synchronous generator.
Nothing in the following discussion of the state of the art is to be construed as an admission of prior art.
A motor controller and a method for controlling and operating electric machines, such as motors, to allow rapid and accurate control of movement of the electric machine is described, for example, in European Pat. No. EP 0 902 918 B1. The controller has a memory which stores at least one physical parameter, such as a magnetic field parameter, to control the electric machine or the linear motor. It is further known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,091,665 to provide a Hall sensor for determining the position of a machine or a machine section. The sensor for determining the position is hereby a separate element of the primary section.
Physical parameters of the afore-described type are described, for example, in Chapter 2 of the Operating Manual SIMUDRIVE 611 digital and/or SINUMERIK 840D/810D. An example of a physical parameter is a parameter that relates to the magnetic field of the permanent magnets. This parameter is referred to, for example, also as a force constant or a Force-Current-Ratio.
Technical advances require a much higher precision in controlling electric motors. If the underlying physical parameters on which the control of an electric machine is based change, then the quality of the control deteriorates. However, not every physical parameter that can be used to control an electric motor is subject to change during the operation of the electric machine. For example, the number of poles of the electric machine is a physical parameter which can be used in the controller. However, the number of poles will not change during operation of electric machine. However, this is different for, for example, the physical parameters that relate to the magnetization the permanent magnets. The strength of the magnetic field of permanent magnets can change, for example decrease, during the service life of the electric machine. The change in the magnetic field strength of permanent magnets of a motor section can also be influenced by environmental factors, for example an accumulation of dirt or of other magnetic materials that affect the magnetic field lines of the permanent magnets. Parameters that depend on the magnetic field strength of the permanent magnets and are stored in the controller for controlling the electric machine then no longer correspond exactly to the actual magnetic field strength produced by the permanent magnets.
As a result, the accuracy of the control of electric machine or the linear motor is changed. Moreover, a parameter then depends on the magnetic fields strength of a permanent magnet or on the air gap can be subject to manufacturing tolerances and therefore be from a corresponding parameter of a prototype of an electric machine or a linear motor.
It would therefore be desirable and advantageous to provide an improved controller for a motor and an improved method for parametrizing an electric motor, which obviates prior art shortcomings and is able to specifically allow a more precise control of the electric motor.

Controller for controlling an electric machine


A harvesting machine includes a feed mechanism configured for being driven in a forward direction to feed crops into the harvesting machine and a reverse drive mechanism for driving the feed mechanism in a reverse direction. The reverse drive mechanism includes a cam surface, a plurality of cam engagement members, and a plurality of pistons connected to the engagement members. One of the cam surface and the plurality of cam engagement members is operatively coupled to the feed mechanism. Controlled movement of the pistons in a first direction forces the cam engagement members into engagement with the cam surface to drive the feed mechanism in the reverse direction. Movement of each of the pistons in a second direction allows the feed mechanism to rotate in the forward direction.

Feed mechanisms are used by harvesting machines to convey and feed crops into the harvesting machine once the crops have been severed from the ground or other growing medium. Feed mechanisms vary in configuration depending upon the type of crop being harvested. For example, in combines, the feed mechanism typically includes a continuous chain or belt which is rotatably driven to carry corn, beans or other crops from the header into the threshing device of the combine.
During the intake of the crops into the harvesting machine, the crops frequently jam and prevent further intake of the crops. To dislodge the crops, harvesting machine feed mechanisms typically include a feeder reverser which drives the feed mechanism in a reverse direction. However, once the crops are dislodged, the feed mechanism must once again be driven in the forward direction to continue the intake of crops. As a result, the feeder reverser must be selectively engaged and disengaged with the feed mechanism to allow the feed mechanism to be driven in both the reverse direction and the forward crop intaking direction. This requirement is typically met by using a separate clutch which selectively engages and disengages the feeder reverser. Unfortunately, the separate clutch occupies precious space and increases the complexity and the cost of the harvesting machine.


A method of producing phase masks for automatically generating a layout for an integrated circuit includes the step of compacting a layout of an integrated circuit by processing a distance graph. A respective phase is allocated to at least some of a plurality of polygons in the layout in order to generate a phase mask, wherein the allocating step is performed during the processing of the distance graph.

The present invention relates to a method for producing phase masks during an automated process of generating a layout of an integrated circuit.
A main object when generating a layout of integrated circuits is always to accommodate as many circuit elements as possible on as small an area as possible in order to increase the speed at which the integrated circuits operate. At the same time costs are reduced, since costs depend to a considerable extent on the area of the integrated circuit. However, at the same time, specific technology-dependent minimum separations or spacing distances must be maintained between different conductive areas on the integrated circuit. These conductive areas are normally in the form of a polygon.
The use of phase masks in the manufacture of integrated circuits allows the chip designer to place layout polygons, in other words conductive areas on a specific plane in the integrated circuit, closer to one another than polygons having the same phase, which are normally referred to as polygons xe2x80x9cof the same color.xe2x80x9d For simplicity, the polygons in a phase mask are regarded as having different colors for respective phases.
In order to minimize the area of the integrated circuit, it is thus worthwhile to plan or select the coloring of the polygons, that is to say the phase allocation, such that (at least in areas in which the relevant mask plane is critical for area consumption), as far as possible, only polygons xe2x80x9cof different colorxe2x80x9d, that is to say polygons of different phases, are adjacent.
In the prior art, little use has so far been made of this potential for saving layout areas. Several methods, which color the polygons xe2x80x9calternatelyxe2x80x9d with regard to their two-dimensional extent, are used. Manual optimization processes can also be carried out, of course, for relatively small layout blocks.
The prior art on which the present application is based is described in the book xe2x80x9cLeaf cell and hierarchical compaction techniquesxe2x80x9d by Cyrus Bamji and Ravi Varadarajan, Boston, Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1997. This book provides a good overview of the most important methods and latest developments in the field of layout compacting.
Prior art methods which are related to the method according to the invention can be found in the article xe2x80x9cMethod of Designing Phase-Shifting Masks Utilizing a Compactorxe2x80x9d by K. Ooi, K. Koyama and M. Kiryu, Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, Volume 33, pages 6774-6778, 1994. Kazuko et al. integrate the phase allocation and layout compacting in a joint overall sequence. However, the phase masks are not generated directly during the compacting process, so that it is impossible to find the optimum allocation with regard to the area optimization result.
A further related prior art method can be found in the article xe2x80x9cInsertion of Jog Series in Layout Compactionxe2x80x9d by W. L. Schiele, Th. Krueger and M. C. Utesch, in the journal xe2x80x9cIntegrationxe2x80x9d, Volume 16, No. 2, pages 149-162, 1993. This article describes a method for introducing bends or jog points. The bending of lines or introduction of jog points in the layout can lead to a considerable reduction in area. The method described optimizes a graph, to which a longest path algorithm has previously been applied.
Published, Non-Prosecuted German Patent Application DE 196 25 894 A1 describes a method for producing photo masks, in which optical proximity effects are corrected by using a predetermined correction method to correct scanning data which are produced on the basis of mask data received from outside. The corrected scanning data are used to control a pattern exposure process for producing the pattern of a photo mask.
According to Published, Non-Prosecuted German Patent Application DE 196 42 050 A1, the packing density of a circuit is increased by using a phase-shifting mask which is formed of alternately configured phase shifters.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a method of producing phase masks which overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known methods of this general type and which achieves an optimum allocation of the phases to the individual polygons.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a method of producing phase masks for automatically generating a layout for an integrated circuit, which includes:
compacting a layout of an integrated circuit by processing a distance graph;
allocating a respective phase to at least some of a plurality of polygons in the layout for generating a phase mask; and performing the allocating step during the processing of the distance graph.
In other words, the object of the invention is achieved in that the allocation takes place at least partially during the processing of the distance graph, that is to say at the same point in the compacting algorithm at which the jog points or the bending of lines is introduced according to the prior art from Schiele et al. According to the invention, the phase allocation can in this case be used as an alternative to or in addition to the introduction of bends or jog points.
It is particularly preferable in this case if the allocation of at least some of the polygons is carried out during the course of the longest path algorithm.
In accordance with another mode of the invention, the respective phase is allocated to given ones of the polygons having no allocated phase yet, if a longest path can be further shortened with the longest path algorithm.
It is particularly preferred, that polygons are allocated different phases only when these polygons have already achieved the minimum separation or distance between polygons of the same phase.
These features of the invention make sure that limitations in the design options, which would later prevent an optimum allocation, are not introduced prematurely by an unnecessarily early definition of the phase of the individual polygons.
It is therefore particularly preferable for some of the polygons to be allocated the phases only in later steps.
Some of the polygons are preferably allocated a phase only after the automatic jog point generation.
It is furthermore preferable for some of the polygons to be allocated a phase only in later compacting steps, for example during the alternate one-dimensional compacting in the X and Y directions.
Finally, it may be advantageous for some of the polygons to be allocated a phase only in an independent method separate from the layout compacting.
Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a method of producing phase masks for automatically generating a layout for an integrated circuit, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments.

Method of producing phase masks in an automated layout generation for integrated circuits


A method for use by a telecommunication terminal (10) in checking whether a candidate RAND in an EAP/SIM RAND challenge is likely a replay, based on using a Bloom filter including a vector data structure (21) for determining (admittedly sometimes erroneously) whether the candidate RAND is in a set of previously used RAND values. The components of the vector data structure (21) are set to one or left at zero depending on whether pointers corresponding to the previously used RAND values point to them. The pointers can be hash functions or can be constructed from the previously used RAND values. To provide for smooth filter performance at points in time when the Bloom filter is full and cannot hold information for any new previously used RAND values, the vector data structure (21) is partitioned into more than one part, and only one part is reset and re-initialized at a time.

The GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) authentication system has a number of problems, such as the lack of network authentication, the lack of replay protection, and that only the network contributes to the cryptographic independence of session keys. The EAP/SIM (Extensible Authentication Protocol/Subscriber Identity Module) authentication specifies how GSM authentication can be used to provide authentication for WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) access in the IEEE 802.1X framework. EAP/SIM authentication is an extension to the EAP proposed by the IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force) enabling authentication and session key distribution using the GSM SIM.
The EAP/SIM mechanism specifies enhancements to GSM authentication and key agreement whereby multiple authentication triplets—a so-called RAND (random number) value, a root key Ki, and a 32-bit value SRES—can be combined to create authentication response and encryption keys of greater strength than the individual GSM triplets. The mechanism also introduces network authentication, user anonymity and a re-authentication procedure.
The current EAP/SIM authentication specification addresses some of the problems. Some problems remain, partly because they were not considered a concrete threat, and partly because their solutions were considered too complex. For example, the known solutions for replay protection were considered too complex. Recently, in a note posted on the EAP discussion list (S. Patel; Analysis of EAP SIM Session key Agreement; IETF EAP mailing list, May 29, 2003), S. Patel (of Lucent Technologies) discussed two problems in the EAP/SIM mechanism: using a simple active attack the 128-bit security level of EAP/SIM authentication can be reduced to the 64-bit security of GSM; and sessions are not independent, in the sense that if an attacker gets hold of an authentication triplet, it can force the terminal to use an encryption key known to the attacker.
To raise its security level from the 64-bit GSM level, EAP/SIM combines secret session keys from two or three authentication triplets. Patel's first attack is performed by repeating the same triplet as many times as needed by one EAP/SIM authentication.
Previously, it was shown that EAP/SIM security can be reduced to the GSM security level in case of a dual-mode terminal by implementing a false GSM base station that challenges the terminal by resending RAND values previously used in an EAP/SIM authentication (by the terminal). (The RAND is a 128-bit number used with a root key Ki (up to 128 bits) to generate a 64-bit key Kc and a 32-bit value SRES. The RAND, SRES, and Ki values are said to form a triplet.) Then by analyzing the encrypted GSM voice or data sent by the terminal, the attacker recovers the GSM encryptions keys. This is feasible in particular if the false base station forces the terminal to use the weak A5-2 GSM encryption algorithm. The reason why this attack works is that different session keys are not independent, which is also the main security problem in Patel's second attack. Patel's second attack typically involves reused triplets. If an attacker gets hold of fresh triplets, clearly nothing can be done.
The prior art does not provide a solution to the EAP/SIM authentication problems; in Patel's report a solution by storing all previous used RANDs is discussed but deemed impractical. (In UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) security, the replay problem of GSM has been taken into account and removed by a specification of a complex replay prevention method, which involves both HLR (Home Location Register) and the terminal.)

Replay prevention mechanism for EAP/SIM authentication


A liquid chromatographic system is provided including catalytically combining hydrogen and oxygen gases in the chromatography eluent stream in a catalytic gas elimination chamber, to form water and thereby reduce the gas content in the eluent stream. Also, a liquid ion chromatographic system in which the effluent from the detector is recycled to a membrane suppressor and then is mixed with a source of eluent for recycle to the chromatographic column.

Since it was introduced in 1975, ion chromatography has become a widely used analytical technique for the determination of anionic and cationic analytes in various sample matrices. In ion chromatography, dilute solutions of acids, bases, or salts are commonly used as the electrolytes in chromatographic eluents. Traditionally,
These eluents are prepared off-line by dilution with reagent-grade chemicals. Off-line preparation of chromatographic eluents can be tedious and prone to operator errors, and often introduces contaminants. For example, dilute NaOH solutions, widely used as the electrolytes in eluents in the ion chromatographic separation of anions, are easily contaminated by carbonate. The preparation of carbonate-free NaOH eluents is difficult because carbonate can be introduced as an impurity from the reagents or by adsorption of carbon dioxide from air. The presence of carbonate in NaOH eluents often compromises the performance of an ion chromatographic method, and can cause an undesirable chromatographic baseline drift during the hydroxide gradient and even irreproducible retention times of target analytes. Therefore, there is a general need for convenient sources of high purity acid, base, or salt for use as eluents in the ion chromatographic separations.
A number of approaches that utilize the electrolysis of water and charge-selective electromigration of ions through ion-exchange media have been investigated by researchers to purify or generate high-purity ion chromatographic eluents.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,045,204 describes that an impure acid or base is purified in an eluent generator while flowing through a source channel along a permselective ion exchange membrane which separates the source channel from a product channel. The membrane allows selective passage of cations or anions. An electrical potential is applied between the source channel and the product channel so that the anions or cations of the acid or base pass from the former to the latter to generate therein a base or acid with electrolytically generated hydroxide ions or hydronium ions, respectively. This system requires an aqueous stream of acid or base as a starting source or reservoir.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,036,921, 6,225,129, 6,316,271, 6,316,270, 6,315,954, and 6,682,701 describe electrolytic devices that can be used to generate high purity acid and base solutions by using water as the carrier. Using these devices, high purity, contaminant-free acid or base solutions are automatically generated on-line for use as eluents in chromatographic separations. These devices simplify gradient separations that can now be performed using electrical current gradients with minimal delay instead of using a conventional mechanical gradient pump. The use of high-purity eluents generated by the electrolytic eluent generators can significantly improve the performance of ion chromatographic methods.
United States Patent Application No. 2004/0048389 describes electrolytic devices for generating salt solutions. In these devices, an acid or base is generated in an aqueous solution by the steps of: (a) providing a source of first ions adjacent an aqueous liquid in a first acid or base generation zone, separated by a first barrier (e.g., anion exchange membrane) substantially preventing liquid flow and transporting ions only of the same charge as said first ions, (b) providing a source of second ions of opposite charge adjacent an aqueous liquid in a second acid or base generation zone, separated by a second barrier transporting ions only of the same charge as the second ions, and (c) transporting ions across the first barrier by applying an electrical potential through said first and second zones to generate an acid-containing aqueous solution in one of said first or second zones and a base-containing aqueous solution in the other one which may be combined to form a salt solution such as a solution of potassium carbonate. The advantages of using these electrolytic devices for eluent generation in ion chromatography were demonstrated.
The continuous operation of an ion chromatography system can consume a significant amount of eluents. The consistent preparation of such large amount of the eluent as well as the disposal of the used eluent can pose serious logistical challenges to the system operators in terms of costs and labor, especially in cases where unattended or less frequently attended operations are required. Even though it overcomes a number of issues associated conventional approaches of eluent preparation in ion chromatography, the use of on-line electrolytic eluent generation devices still requires a constant supply of high purity water from an external source for continuous operation and waste disposal issue remains.
To simplify ion chromatographic operations, minimize waste disposal, and reduce operating costs, it would be advantageous to provide a system capable of recycling prepared eluent or water used in the electrolytic eluent preparation.

Ion chromatography system using catalytic gas elimination


A system and method for capturing and placing a cardiac assist device on a heart. A cardiac assist device is delivered to a chest cavity of a being through an opening provided in a chest wall. A magnetically charged tether is provided at each corner or extremity of the cardiac assist device. Capture instruments magnetically couple with a corresponding tether. The magnetically coupled instruments and tethers then maneuver the cardiac assist device to a desired position about the heart. The cardiac assist device is then secured directly to the heart or to anchoring devices separately provided and secured to the heart.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to systems and methods for capturing and placing a cardiac assist device. More specifically, this invention relates to systems and methods for magnetically capturing, placing and securing a chronic heart failure passive restraint device around desired portions of a heart.
2. Prior Art
Heart failure syndrome is a highly debilitating and degenerative disorder resulting from damage to the heart muscle. The damage to the heart muscle may be caused by a number of conditions, including coronary artery disease, long standing hypertension, leaky heart valve(s), and infections.
Heart failure typically occurs when a weakened heart cannot pump an adequate amount of blood to meet the demands of the body's other organs and tissues. The defining characteristic in the progression of heart failure is that there is eventually a reduction of the heart's ability to meet the metabolic needs of the body.
Whatever the cause or source of damage, the heart's ability to pump adequate amounts of blood to support the body's needs is diminished, and the progressive deterioration of cardiac physiology and function begins. The inadequate supply of oxygen-rich blood often causes people with heart failure to experience shortness of breath and fatigue during even routine daily activities. As the condition progresses, the contraction rate of the heart increases in response to decreasing cardiac output. As a result, the chambers of the heart, particularly the ventricles of the heart, become increasingly enlarged as the heart tries to compensate for the inefficiencies. FIGS. 1a-1c show representative stages of progressive deterioration of a heart, wherein FIG. 1a shows a normal heart H with appropriately sized atrial chambers 1 and 2, and appropriately sized ventricular chambers 3 and 4, FIG. 1b shows slightly enlarged ventricular chambers 3 and 4, and FIG. 1c shows increasingly enlarged ventricular chambers 3 and 4. Ultimately, a complex process of damaging structural and functional changes to the heart results. Ventricular dilation results in thinning of the ventricular wall, which elevates the wall stress. This increase in wall stress leads to altered gene expression at the cellular level that results in attenuated adrenergic response, impaired myocyte function, cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, altered extracellular matrix production and cell death. This remodeling process continues as the body tries to continually compensate for ineffective pumping and eventually leads to heart failure.
The disease of heart failure is common, lethal, and expensive to treat. An estimated 5.1 million Americans have heart failure with approximately 500,000 new cases diagnosed each year. In 1999, an estimated $20.3 billion in directs costs were spent for the care of heart failure patients. Heart failure is also the most common cause of hospitalization for patients 65 years and older in the United States. The mortality rate is 50% at five years for patients diagnosed with heart failure, and to date, there are limited treatment alternatives available.
Certain cardiac disease treatment devices have been proposed to help alleviate the disease of heart failure. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,425,856 provides a cardiac constraint device comprised of a jacket made of biologically compatible material. The jacket is configured to surround a valvular annulus of the heart and at least the ventricular lower extremities of the heart. FIG. 1d illustrates how the jacket 20 may be positioned around the heart 10 to improve cardiac function. The jacket works on a passive, mechanical level to reduce periodic myocardial over-stretch and wall stress, and serves as a constant "reminder" to the heart of how it should perform. The jacket thus encourages down-regulation of increased local neurohormonal activity, and reduction or elimination of cardiomyocyte maladaptive gene expression. These actions may halt the progressive deterioration of the heart and may stimulate reverse remodeling of the heart. Once positioned as desired around the heart, the jacket 20 is sutured to the heart. Ideal positioning of the jacket around the heart has proved problematic, however, particularly where endoscopic tools and techniques are used.
An alternative procedure for surrounding a heart with a cardiac assist device proposes placing a rectangular sheet of mesh underneath the heart and then pulling corners of the mesh sheet up and around the heart. Each corner of the mesh sheet is provided with suture tethers that are pulled in a designated sequence in order to wrap the mesh sheet around the heart. The instruments used to grab the tethers of the mesh sheet are placed through different ports in the chest wall. Capturing and pulling the tethers securely in the desired sequence is time consuming however and prone to errors as the instruments used have limited maneuverability, and the tethers frequently pull free from the capturing instruments.
Therefore, a need exists for systems and methods that provide more reliable capture and placement of a cardiac implant or cardiac assist device about a heart.

Magnetic capture and placement for cardiac assist device


There are disclosed methods of making RFID transponder webs and intermediate webs such as RFID strap webs and antenna webs, as well as such webs per se.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to methods of making webs including antenna webs and RFID transponder webs and to RFID antenna webs.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
The following prior art is made of record: U.S. Pat. No. 4,910,499 and published U.S. Patent Application 2004/0215350A1.
In the field of radio frequency identification (RFID) to which this invention relates, an RFID chip is connected to an antenna to form a transponder into which data can be written and from which data can be read. It is known to make labels, tags, business forms, packaging and the like which incorporate such transponders. The chips are very small and require connection to antennas. To facilitate this connection, straps including chips are connected to the antennas. A strap includes an RFID chip and a pair of strap contacts or connecting elements used to connect the chip to an antenna. It is common to provide the straps in a wide web, wherein the straps are arranged close to each other in parallel columns and transversely extending rows. These wide strap webs have some residual adhesive on their electrically conductive side resulting from the manufacturing process and accordingly these wide strap webs are co-wound with an adhesive. The straps have a high density along and across the web. In order to use the narrow webs of straps, the straps must eventually be separated as by cutting them from the narrow strap web prior to connection to antennas. Alternately, an electrically conductive tape can be co-wound with the strap web.
It is known to use an electrically conductive thermoset adhesive film to interconnect flexible circuits to printed circuit boards or other flexible circuits. Conductive particles loaded into the adhesive allow interconnection through the adhesive thickness but are spaced far enough apart to be electrically insulating in the plane of the adhesive.


In a method of stapling layers of tissue within a body cavity, an engaging instrument is passed between a stapler cartridge and anvil and used to engage a region of tissue. The engaging instrument is retracted to move the engaged tissue into the stapling position, and driving staples from the cartridge through at least two layers of the engaged tissue. The method and associated system may be used to form plications in body tissue, such as stomach wall tissue. Staples simultaneously driven through tissue may simultaneously capture a reinforcing elements positioned adjacent the cartridge and/or anvil prior to stapling.

An anatomical view of a human stomach S and associated features is shown in FIG. 1A. The esophagus E delivers food from the mouth to the proximal portion of the stomach S. The z-line or gastro-esophageal junction Z is the irregularly-shaped border between the thin tissue of the esophagus and the thicker tissue of the stomach wall. The gastro-esophageal junction region G is the region encompassing the distal portion of the esophagus E, the z-line, and the proximal portion of the stomach S.
Stomach S includes a fundus F at its proximal end and an antrum A at its distal end. Antrum A feeds into the pylorus P which attaches to the duodenum D, the proximal region of the small intestine. Within the pylorus P is a sphincter that prevents backflow of food from the duodenum D into the stomach. The middle region of the small intestine, positioned 30 distally of the duodenum D, is the jejunum J.
FIG. 1B illustrates the tissue layers forming the stomach wall. The outermost layer is the serosal layer or "serosa" S and the innermost layer, lining the stomach interior, is the mucosal layer or "mucosa" MUC. The submucosa SM and the multi-layer muscularis M lie between the mucosa and the serosa.
Prior applications, including WO 2005/037152 (incorporated herein by reference in its entirety) describe methods according to which medical implants are coupled to tissue structures formed within the stomach. According to these applications, devices for inducing weight loss (e.g. by restricting and/or obstructing flow of food into the stomach, and/or by occupying a portion of the stomach volume) may be coupled to tissue tunnels or plications P (FIG. 2) formed from stomach tissue.
For example, U.S. application Ser. No. 11/439,461, Filed May 23, 2006, (incorporated herein by reference in its entirety), describes a Restrictive and/Or Obstructive Implant System for Inducing Weight Loss. In one embodiment, flexible loops 2 (FIG. 3) are coupled to tissue plications P (FIG. 2) formed in the gastroesophageal junction region of the stomach. An implant, such as a flow restrictive and/or obstructive implant 4 (FIG. 4), is passed through the loops 2 and thus retained in the stomach as shown in FIG. 5.
U.S. application Ser. No. 11/542,457, filed Oct. 3, 2006 discloses other implants, including a restrictive pouch having anchors extending from its outer surface. During implantation, the anchors are inserted to cutouts/holes formed in plicated tissue.
In other instances, tissue plications may themselves be sufficient to provide the necessary treatment. For example, the plications may be used to reduce stomach volume or form a flow restriction within the stomach. Two or more plications may be drawn together and retained in some way, such as to form a restriction and/or reduce stomach volume, as also described in U.S. application Ser. No. 11/542,457, filed Oct. 3, 2006.
Other types of implants may be coupled to such plications or other tissue structures for a variety of purposes. These implants include, but are not limited to gastric space occupiers, prosthetic valves for the treatment of gastro-esophageal reflux disease, gastric stimulators, pH monitors and drug eluting devices that release drugs, biologies or cells into the stomach or elsewhere in the GI tract. Such drug eluting devices might include those which release leptin (a hormone which creates feelings of satiety), Ghrelin (a hormone which creates feelings of hunger), octreotide (which reduces Ghrelin levels and thus reduces hunger), Insulin, chemotherapeutic agents, natural biologics (e.g. growth factor, cytokines) which aid is post surgery trauma, ulcers, lacerations etc. Still other implants might be of a type which might provide a platform to which specific cell types can adhere, grow and provide biologically-active gene products to the GI tract, and/or a platform for radiation sources that can provide a local source of radiation for therapeutic purposes, or provide a platform whereby diagnostic ligands are immobilized and used to sample the GI tract for evidence of specific normal or pathological conditions, or provide an anchor point for imaging the GI tract via cameras and other image collecting devices.
Prior applications listed above address the desirability of forming tissue plications, pockets or tunnels in a way that regions of serosal tissue (i.e. the tissue on the exterior surface of the stomach) are retained in contact with one another. Over time, adhesions formed between the opposed serosal layers create strong bonds that can maintain the plication over extended durations, despite the forces imparted on them by abdominal movement and implanted devices. More durable plications can be created by placing any of a number of materials and/or substances (e.g. injectable sclerosing agents) between the serosal surfaces prior to plicating the serosal surfaces together. One example of material suitable for this purpose is polypropolyene mesh, commonly used for hernia repair, which when inserted in the plication fold provides a durable anchoring position within the GI tract.
Regardless of the application for which a plication is being formed, it is highly desirable to form that plication using steps carried out from within the stomach using instruments passed down the esophagus, rather than using more invasive surgical or laparoscopic methods.
The present application describes endoscopic plicators which may be passed transorally into the stomach and used to plicate stomach tissue by engaging tissue from inside of the stomach and drawing it inwardly. A section of stomach wall tissue drawn inwardly will be referred herein as a "pinch" of tissue, although it may be drawn inwardly using suction or other means. In preferred embodiments, a retracting component draws tissue into the path of travel of a stapler head. Vacuum and/or mechanical retractors may be used for retraction. By drawing a portion of the stomach wall between the stapler head and anvil, the retracting component causes sections of serosal tissue on the exterior of the stomach to be positioned facing one another. The disclosed plicators deliver staples to secure the opposed sections of tissue to one another, but instead may deliver sutures or other means for maintaining contact between the tissue sections at least until serosal bonds form between them. The plicator may pass a mesh element and/or sclerosing agent through the stomach wall into position between the opposed regions of serosal tissue thus enhancing serosal bonding. Each of these steps may be performed wholly from the inside of the stomach and thus can eliminate the need for any surgical or laparoscopic intervention. Medical devices may then be attached to the anchor for retention within the stomach.
While this application describes plication systems and methods with respect to the formation of plications is stomach tissue, the embodiments described herein have equal applicability for forming plications in parts of the body within or outside the GI system.


A DC/DC converter includes a reactor, IGBT devices, a dead time generation unit, and a DC-CPU. The dead time generation unit operates in response to a reference signal for a duty ratio, to output first and second activation signals provided with an inactive period corresponding to a dead time preventing both of the IGBT devices from conducting. The DC-CPU corrects a tentative duty ratio calculated as based on a voltage control value, in accordance with a value of a current flowing through the reactor, to output the reference signal. Preferably the DC-CPU associates the value of the current of the reactor with three states and when the value approaches a value at which a state transitions to a different state, the DC-CPU gradually switches a correction value.

Japanese Patent Laying-open No. 2004-120844 discloses a control device for a boost converter used in combination with an inverter. This control device operates in response to a difference between a detected output voltage value and an output voltage control value to control a duty ratio of a converter switching device by feedback by proportional-plus-integral control.
The control device obtains the inverter's output power value by an operation circuit and compares the value with a predetermined value by a comparator to determine a path of a current of the converter and in accordance with a result of the determination outputs from a correction circuit an amount of correcting the duty ratio to minimize or prevent variation of the voltage of the converter.
In recent years, electric automobiles, hybrid automobiles, fuel cell automobiles and other similar automobiles that adopt an alternate current motor as a driving source for propelling the vehicle and mount therein an inverter device driving the alternate current motor, have made their appearances.
Some such vehicles mount therein batteries of two or more different voltages, such as a high voltage battery for driving a motor for propelling the vehicle and a low voltage battery for auxiliary machines.
Furthermore, when an automobile having a fuel cell mounted therein starts operation, the fuel cell outputs a voltage, which varies before a steady output is attained. Accordingly, combining the fuel cell with a secondary battery and connecting them together by a voltage converter for use is being studied to ensure steady driving power.
The fuel cell's output voltage and the secondary battery's output voltage both vary with the vehicle's state. Accordingly, the voltage converter connected therebetween operates to supply a current from the secondary battery to the fuel cell and vice versa in accordance with the power required for the vehicle.
Accordingly there is a demand for a voltage converter that can quickly output required voltage in accordance with the vehicle's acceleration, the road's inclination and the like.
Furthermore Japanese Patent Laying-open No. 2004-120844 discloses determining an amount of correcting a duty ratio in accordance with the power output from the inverter. For a system having a fuel cell connected adjacent to an inverter, however, the inverter's output voltage alone can be insufficient for obtaining a correct, optimum amount of correction.


A method for performing fluent playback control is provided, where the method is applied to an electronic device. The method includes the steps of: determining whether an out of synchronization status regarding audio playback and video playback occurs; and when it is detected that the out of synchronization status occurs, controlling jump timing of video playback according to at least one of scene change detection and standstill detection. For example, the scene change detection can be performed to determine whether a scene change exists, and when it is detected that the scene change exists, a jump operation of video playback is triggered. In another example, the standstill detection can be performed to determine whether a standstill phenomenon exists, in order to determine whether to delay triggering a jump operation of video playback. In another example, a temporary audio pause operation can be selectively performed. An associated apparatus is also provided.

The present invention relates to audio/video (A/V) playback control of an electronic device, and more particularly, to a method for performing fluent playback control, and to an associated apparatus.
According to the related art, a portable electronic device equipped with a touch screen (e.g., a multifunctional mobile phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a tablet, etc) can be utilized for playback of an A/V clip or an A/V program. In a situation where the A/V clip or the A/V program comprises a lot of encoded data to be decoded, some problems may occur. For example, because of the codec complexity, fluent playback at each moment may not be guaranteed, where this problem may occasionally occur when some parameters of the A/V clip or the A/V program (such as the resolution, media type, etc.) are beyond the supported specifications. In another example, the video playback may be delayed due to decoding capability deficiency of the portable electronic device (e.g. in a situation where the system is busy handling multiple tasks at the same time) since the decoding load of the video portion in the A/V clip or the A/V program is typically heavier than that of the audio portion in the A/V clip or the A/V program. It seems unlikely that some conventional methods can solve the aforementioned problems without introducing some side effects, where examples of the side effects mentioned above may comprise standstill and audio-distortion problems. The standstill problem typically means the time that a future image is decoded and displayed on the screen is too late and therefore this current displaying image stays for a longer period than the predefined one on the screen. The audio-distortion problem typically means the audio playback is distorted due to adjustment of the audio playback. In conclusion, the related art does not serve the end user well. Thus, a novel method is required for enhancing playback control of an electronic device.

Method for performing fluent playback control in response to decoding status, and associated apparatus


A system, method, and computer program product for implementing an algorithm for performing thin voxelization is disclosed. The thin voxelization algorithm receives a surface, maps the surface onto a plurality of volumetric picture elements (voxels), and generates a value for each voxel in the plurality of voxels that intersects with the surface. A voxel intersects with the surface when the surface intersects a crosshair shape associated with the voxel.

Conventional techniques for rendering three-dimensional (3D) models into two-dimensional (2D) images are directed towards projecting 3D surfaces onto a 2D image plane. The image plane is divided into a 2D array of pixels (picture elements) that represent values corresponding to a particular point in the image plane. Each pixel may represent the color of a surface at a point intersected by a ray originating at a viewing position that passes through the point in the image plane associated with the pixel. The techniques for rendering 3D models into 2D images include rasterization and ray-tracing.
Voxelization is a 3D equivalent to the 2D techniques discussed above. Instead of projecting 3D surfaces onto a 2D image plane, 3D surfaces are rendered onto a regular grid of discretized volume elements in a 3D space. A voxel (volumetric picture element) is a volume element, such as a cube, that represents a value of a 3D surface or solid geometric element at a point in the 3D space. There are multiple techniques for rendering 3D model data into a 3D image comprising a plurality of voxels.
Solid voxelization is one technique that is effective for use with 3D models that include objects defined as a closed mesh. For each object, a plurality of voxels that intersect the closed mesh are tagged and a value is calculated for each of the tagged voxels. However, 3D models in conventional graphics are typically defined using open meshes (i.e., thin surfaces). Because the surfaces do not have a thickness, it is possible that rendering algorithms tailored to solid voxelization may fail. A second technique, surface voxelization, is more suited to rendering of open meshes. Instead of calculating a value for each voxel enclosed within the mesh, values are only calculated for the voxels that intersect the surface of the mesh (i.e., excluding voxels enclosed within the mesh that do not intersect the surface of the mesh). Surface voxelization is useful in applications that need to retain the separation properties of a surface, such as techniques for generating computer generated graphics using ray-tracing with voxel data.
However, there are problems with conventional techniques for surface voxelization. For example, where the surface intersects with the corner of a voxel, conventional surface voxelization techniques may render the voxel even though the voxel does not contribute to the final result. Rendering unnecessary voxels decreases performance of the rendering system. Thus, there is a need for more accurate surface voxelization techniques that address this issue and/or other issues associated with the prior art.

System, method, and computer program product implementing an algorithm for performing thin voxelization of a three-dimensional model