The present disclosure relates to a fast drying solvent-based inkjet ink composition for thermal inkjet printing, the ink composition comprising at least 40 weight percent base solvent, a solvent-compatible colorant, not more than 25 weight percent propellant, a decap controlling additive, and not more than 5 weight percent water. The present disclosure also relates to the method and system for inkjet printing with the above-described ink.

The present disclosure relates generally to the problem of achieving fast drying of a thermal inkjet ink on various substrates. There is currently a need for inkjet ink that dries quickly on non-porous and semi-porous materials.
Most of the thermal inkjet inks developed to date are designed to offer superior print quality on porous materials, such as paper (swellable and porous media) and cardboard, among others. These inks are fluids based predominantly in water, in combination with other specialty components, which include surfactants, biocides, humectants, and either a pigment or dye colorant or mixtures of both.
The drying mechanism of most water-based inkjet inks can be regarded as penetration driven, especially when applied to porous media. In contrast, the drying mechanism of inkjet inks on non-porous media is predominantly by evaporation of the ink components.
The use of aqueous-based inks for printing on porous, non-porous and semi-porous materials has been evaluated for industrial applications. Such industrial applications require the use of high speed printing and fast drying of the ink to meet the demands stemming from the high throughput required by the industrial situation. These can efficiently remove water from the printed media and consequently decrease the drying time of the ink. However, the heat radiators are expensive due to high energy costs. Furthermore, the heat has a negative impact on the properties of the media.
It has been found that media properties are altered when exposed to high heat conditions. For example, the media can lose its gloss, the paper can turn yellow, and the media can become deformed.
Fast drying ink compositions based on volatile ingredients have been reported using non-thermal inkjet technology. These include such inkjet technologies as piezoelectric inkjet (PIJ) and continuous inkjet (CIJ). Common ingredients found in these ink compositions include ketones (acetone, methylethylketone), esters (ethyl-, butyl-acetate), lower aliphatic chain alcohol (methanol), cyclic ethers (THF) and other highly volatile components used as the main solvent. However, the vast majority of these components has been regulated and has their use limited due to environmental considerations. Such environmental considerations relate to volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions and other environmental awareness initiatives. Furthermore, those skilled in the art recognize that the use of these types of ingredients in combination with thermal inkjet ink may have poor performance issues associated with poor drive bubble formation, decap-affected performance, materials compatibility problems, etc. Thus, inkjet inks compatible with thermal inkjet which are based on fast evaporating components have been unknown.

Fast-drying, solvent-based inkjet ink composition and a method and system for printing such inks

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


To provide a polymeric compound having superior charge-providing properties, the polymeric compound contains at least one unit represented by the following general formula (5).

In methods of forming images by electrophotography, electrostatic printing or the like, a developer charged electrostatically (hereinafter "toner") flies to the surface of a photosensitive drum by electrostatic force which accords with potential differences on the drum surface, and develops electrostatic latent images formed on the drum surface. Hence, it is necessary and indispensable to control charge characteristics of the toner. Then, as a method for providing the toner with proper charge characteristics, a method is known in which a surface layer of a developer bearing member (hereinafter also "developing roller") or the toner itself is incorporated with a charge control agent.
Conventionally, as negatively charging charge control agents, metal complexes of monoazo dyes, metal complexes of salicylic acid, alkylsalicylic acids or benzilic acid and so forth are used (PTL 1).
Recently, because of safety, concern about environments and a requirement for stabler charge characteristics, it is proposed to use as the charge control agent a resin having charge control function. In PTL 2, it is proposed that a resin having a sulfonic acid group is added to a surface layer of the developing roller to thereby make the toner improved in its uniformity of triboelectric charging and its running stability.
Meanwhile, in recent years, images to be reproduced are desired to be of much higher image quality, and faulty images have come into question, such that "fog" occurs where the toner comes into development at blank or white areas of images and that any streaky density non-uniformity occurs on images. What is a large factor of such a phenomenon is the occurrence of a toner having come charged to a polarity reverse to the desired charge polarity.
For the purpose of making a toner charged to a reverse polarity less occur or keeping the toner from being so charged, PTL 3 discloses therein an example in which a salicylic acid metal complex is used as a charge control agent, and PTL 4 discloses therein an example in which a polymeric compound composed of a monomer unit having a sulfonic acid group is used as a charge control agent. PTL 5 also discloses therein an example in which a polymeric compound to the polymeric backbone chain of which a salicylic acid unit is directly bonded is used in the toner.

Polymerizable monomer, polymeric compound, charge control agent containing the polymeric compound, and developer bearing member and toner which contain the charge control agent

Abstract: In the general formula (5), R1 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group; R2 to R4 each represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an alkoxy group, a hydroxyl group or a halogen atom, or R3 and R4 may combine each other to form a ring; and A represents a divalent linking group.


A spit holder assembly comprises a longitudinally oriented hollow body having a triangular cross section and opposite ends, and an outwardly directed transverse flange connected to the body between the opposite ends thereof. A lower portion of the body on one side of the transverse flange comprises a base constructed and arranged to fit within an opening in a worktable with the flange functioning as a stop. An upper portion of the body on the other side of the flange includes at least a pair of spaced apart longitudinally oriented slots constructed and arranged to receive and hold a spit.

The present invention relates to a spit holder assembly for holding rotisserie spits in an upright position for the purpose of placing food items to be cooked onto the spit prior to positioning the spit in the rotisserie.
Commercially available rotisseries are often used to cook chickens and the like for sale in retail and restaurant establishments. Henny Penny and Hobart are among the manufacturers who produce rotisseries for this purpose. Generally these rotisseries include a pair of spaced apart upright rotisserie wheels and spits are connected between the wheels for rotation during rotisserie operation. These spits are often lengthy and when chickens and other food items are impaled upon the spits they can be both heavy and bulky. Also, under some circumstances it is difficult for one person to impale a plurality of chicken on one spit. Accordingly, there is a real need for an arrangement that anchors the spit in a vertically oriented position so that the food can easily be impaled upon the spit prior to positioning between the spit wheels of the rotisserie.

Metal Masters Foodservice Equipment Co., Inc.


The present invention is directed to a stand 10 to be mounted to an article for example, the foldable-leg table. The stand 10 comprising a base portion 15, and a body portion 20 connected thereto, wherein the base portion 15 comprises a shaft having each end coaxially bent downward defining a leg 30, 30″ forming a semi-rectangle like frame. The body portion 20 perpendicularly connected to the base portion 15 in an off- center manner toward one of the two legs of the base portion. The body portion 20 comprising an outer body 40 telescopically encasing an inner body 45. The inner body 45 being longer and smaller in diameter than the outer body 40 and includes two spaced- apart stopper holes, a first stopper hole 50 and a second stopper hole 55 along its length and having an end connected to the base portion 15. The inner body 45 is able to slide in and out along the length of the outer body 40. The outer body 40 comprising spaced-apart multiple pairs of brackets assembled thereto permitting mounting of the outer body 40 to the underside or backside of the article to be fitted with the stand 10. The stand is able to extend or retracted as needed.

The present invention related to a stand, in particular a stand for use with a table with foldable legs.
In general, tables, especially the ones with foldable legs, for example, seminar tables or meeting tables or the like are demanded in a great number for each usage. This leads to the problem of storage. The legs of these tables are usually folded and lean against each other or stacked. As a result, problems including damages of the tabletop surface such as scratch marks from the table legs while being stacked are common. Further, collapsing or slippage of the stacked table or while leaning against each other are also common. This may cause injury to the operators.


Distributed systems, controllers and methods for processing information from a plurality of devices are provided. A distributed system includes a plurality of devices distributed in an environment. Each device has at least a communication capability for interchanging information with others of the devices and/or with a communication system. Each of at least some of the devices has one or more sensors for acquiring sensor data related to the environment proximate to the device. At least one of the communication system or one or more of the devices is configured as a controller configured to: select a subset of devices from among the plurality of devices, receive information based on the acquired sensor data of the selected subset, and combine the received information from the selected subset to determine a characteristic of the environment proximate to one or more of the devices.

Devices that are capable of acquiring, and in some cases locally processing, audio or multimedia information from their local environment have become ubiquitous over the past several years, and there is little reason to expect that such a trend will not continue. For example, "smart" cellular telephones (e.g., Apple iPhone.RTM., Android™-operating system based phones) have significant local processing capabilities as well as audio and video acquisition devices.

Information processing using a population of data acquisition devices


A tool for installing an underground pipeline below an existing structure such as a sidewalk or driveway. The tool consists of a steel casing, an auger within the casing, a soil drilling bit at the end of the auger, and an hydraulic motor for driving the auger. A selected length of plastic or steel pipe is slid onto the casing before drilling. After the drilling is completed, the casing, auger, and auger bit are withdrawn from the soil, leaving the pipe length embedded in the soil.

Provisional application sn. 60/037,612, filed Feb. 12, 1997 is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
This invention relates to the installation of underground pipelines. In particular, it relates to the installation of underground pipelines for utilities such as gas, water, sewer, telephone, and electricity.
In developed areas it is often necessary to lay the pipeline below existing structures such as sidewalks, driveways, and the like, where the width can vary widely. With present equipment it is necessary to break up the sidewalk or driveway, lay the pipeline, and then restore the structure.
One object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for quickly, precisely, and inexpensively installing a pipeline below a structure such as a sidewalk or driveway without breaking up the structure. Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the description and claims which follow, taken together with the appended drawings.

Tool for installing a pipeline under a structure


An interface device transmits a reactive power command depending on a power system from a voltage regulation device of the power system to a wind power generation apparatus electrically connected to the power system, and the wind power generation apparatus receives the reactive power command. Then, the wind power generation apparatus outputs reactive power according to a value obtained by adding, to a reactive power command, another reactive power command for suppression of voltage fluctuation caused by output power of the wind power generation apparatus.

The present invention relates to a wind power generation apparatus, a wind power generation system and a power system control apparatus for supplying to a power system necessary reactive power for the power system.
Normally, a wind power generation apparatus converts wind energy into rotational energy and generates rotational torque at a rotor of a generator. The apparatus produces electric power from induced torque, and outputs it to a power system, thereby converting the wind energy into active power and supplying the active power to user home and factories connected to the power system.
In addition to the active power consumed by resistor components, the power system includes reactive power consumed by inductor components and capacity components of power lines and loads. When the inductor components of power lines and loads are large, the voltage drops at the end of the loads of the system, and when the capacity components of loads are large, the voltage rise. Therefore, to maintain an appropriate value of the voltage, it is necessary to regulate the reactive power.
To attain this, the reactive power is normally regulated by adjusting the voltage of a generator of a system, tap-switching the transformer of a substation etc., and using a power capacitor, a branch reactor, a synchronous phase shifter, etc. In addition, since capacitors and inductance devices for various values are required to continuously control the value of reactive power using capacitors and inductance, there can be an apparatus to be used to continuously control the reactive power.
JP-A-2000-333373 and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20050046196 describe an apparatus which outputs reactive power to a power system.

Wind power generation apparatus, wind power generation system and power system control apparatus


A cordless telephone includes a base unit having a data generator which generates a digital data burst having a transition period, a data encoder which encodes the digital data burst, and a transmitter which transmits the encoded data burst; and a handset having a receiver responsive to and sampling the encoded data burst, and a synchronization device operatively coupled to the receiver for maintaining synchronization between the receiver and the transmitted encoded data burst in accordance with a characteristic of an expected time of transition of an incoming signal of the data encoder by comparing an actual time of transition to the expected time of transition and adjusting a sampling point of the transmitted encoded data burst by a one-sided majority vote of samples around the sampling point.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to cordless telephones, and more particularly to a cordless telephone which employs synchronization of large burst data transmission.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is quite common in the cordless telephone field to send digital information in data bursts. In traditional cordless telephone models where speech data is sent via analog transmission means, short digital data bursts are typically employed to transmit basic telephone commands from the telephone handset to the telephone base unit and vice versa. In digital cordless telephones, however, both command data and speech data are sent via short digital data bursts.
In most cordless telephones, the length of each data burst is limited in duration. Additionally, each data burst requires a relatively substantial amount of "overhead" as compared to the amount of information data actually transferred. For example, the data burst described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,073,932 (Yossifor et al) is 24 bits in length (excluding the "synchronization code" which is simply an alternating pattern of "1" and "0" used to stabilize the receiver hardware). Of these 24 bits, only five bits are used for command data, and the remaining bits are overhead.
Short data burst length and high overhead are not problematic for first generation cordless telephones due to the limited number of commands that need to be transferred between the telephone base unit and the telephone handset. However, in order to accommodate the increasing variety of services being offered by local telephone companies (e.g., Caller ID, Call-Waiting Caller ID, Caller ID Deluxe, Type 3 Telephones, etc.), it has become necessary to transmit larger streams of data from the base unit to the handset. For example, a cordless telephone user might want the ability to access Caller ID information through the handset either audibly through a speaker or visually via a text display. Moreover, these data streams often need to be transferred very quickly. Simply cascading several short data bursts in sequence will often require too much time to convey the required information due to the high overhead.
Current methods for receiving data burst transmissions are incapable of receiving long data bursts (i.e. 25 bytes or more) and/or are relatively costly to implement. The primary reason for being incapable of receiving long data bursts regards the difficulties in maintaining proper data burst synchronization between the transmitter and receiver.
In the prior art, synchronization of the transmitter and receiver is typically established only at the beginning of a data burst. Since steps are not taken during the remainder of the burst to adjust the synchronization of the signal, minor discrepancies between the transmitter and receiver clocks quickly accumulate, leading to a loss of synchronization in the form of bit-slippage (gaining or losing at least 1 bit) at the receiver.
This occurs even with cordless telephones which transmit speech data digitally. U.S. Pat. No. 5,434,905 (Maeda et al) provides an example of a digital cordless telephone which uses data bursts for both speech and data transmission. Since the synchronization is established only at the beginning of the data burst, the only way to maintain synchronization for any significant amount of time is to use crystal oscillators with extremely low tolerances in both the base unit and handset. In practice, this is a much too costly solution given the competitive nature of today's telecommunications market.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,436,937 (Brown et al) discloses a rather complex, hardware intensive method of maintaining data burst synchronization. Brown's invention is implemented using a multi-mode phase-locked loop circuit combined with an early/late bit transition accumulator. Although the multi-mode phase-locked loop circuit provides a way of maintaining synchronization between the handset and base unit throughout a data burst, it is too costly for use in cordless telephones.

Cordless telephone and method of synchronization for secure, high-speed, high-volume data transfer


A turbo encoded H-ARQ system and an error detection method are disclosed, and more particularly, a turbo encoded H-ARQ system and an error detection method that lower an undetected error probability and frame error rates by increasing the degree of an equivalent CRC generator polynomial by using a modified trellis termination. It has been made possible to obtain an equivalent CRC generator polynomial having higher degree than the related art CRC generator polynomial by employing a modified trellis termination. This achieved a lower undetected error probability than the related art undetected error probability by using an equivalent CRC generator polynomial having higher degree. This also achieved lower frame error rates, when the same number of overhead bits are used, due to the lower undetected error probability.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a turbo encoded Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest (ARQ) system and an error detection method and, more particularly, to a turbo encoded Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest (ARQ) system and an error detection method which lowers undetected error probability and frame error rates by modifying trellis termination and thus by increasing the degree of the equivalent Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) generator polynomial.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, as demand for high speed data transmission increases, a wireless communication system having high bandwidth efficiency and reliability is required. In order to satisfy such demand, a wireless communication system may employ a Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest (hereinafter, H-ARQ) method. The H-ARQ is a packet retransmission technique that assures high reliability communication by combining the Forward Error Correction (hereinafter, FEC) method and Automatic Repeat reQuest (hereinafter, ARQ) method.
Here, the FEC is a technique by which errors deemed to have occurred at the channel are corrected through the use of the structural characteristic of the code. The term 'forward' in the FEC is originated from the characteristics that, even if errors occur at a received frame, a receiver does not request additional information for correcting errors from the transmitter but, rather, corrects errors at the receiver independently to the maximum extent possible. That is to say, in the FEC, even if there are errors that have not been corrected after decoding, the decoding result is processed to the next step without a request for retransmission.
The H-ARQ transmits message symbols to be transmitted, parity symbols for error correction and parity symbols for error detection. The H-ARQ is divided into two types: type 1 H-ARQ and type 2 H-ARQ depending on what order the parity symbols are transmitted.
The type 1 H-ARQ is a method of transmitting message symbols, parity symbols for error correction and parity symbols for error detection together at the same time on every transmission. In type 1, because frames always having the same structure are transmitted, there is an advantage that the structure of the transmitter and the receiver is simple, although adaptability to a channel situation may be inferior.
On the other hand, the type 2 H-ARQ is a method of transmitting message symbols and parity symbols for error detection on the first transmission and transmitting parity symbols for error correction only when the receiver requests retransmission. Because the type 2 H-ARQ transmits parity symbols for error correction only when errors have occurred, the system operates flexibly by being adaptive to a channel situation and thus the overall efficiency of the system is superior to that of the type 1 H-ARQ.
Hereinafter, it will be explained with reference to FIG. 1 as to a turbo encoded H-ARQ system of the related art to which the H-ARQ is applied. Particularly, the system adopting the type 1 H-ARQ will primarily be explained.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram that illustrates a turbo encoded H-ARQ system in the related art.
The related art turbo encoded H-ARQ system comprises a transmitter (10) and a receiver (20). The transmitter (10) comprises a turbo encoder (11) that turbo-encodes packets to be transmitted, and the receiver (20) comprises a turbo decoder (21) that performs the FEC against errors included in received packets, and an error detector (22) detects whether errors are included in the corrected packets and transmits signals requesting retransmission of packets to the transmitter (10), if there are errors in the corrected packets.
Hereinafter, the operation of the related art turbo encoded H-ARQ system having the above-explained structure will be explained.
First, the transmitter (10) turbo-encodes a packet to be transmitted by using the turbo encoder (11) and transmits the turbo encoded packet through the channel to the receiver (20). In the type 1 H-ARQ, each transmitted packet includes additional bits for error correction and error detection.
Then, the receiver (20) receives the packet transmitted through the channel. Thereafter, the turbo decoder (21) performs FEC against errors included in the received packet.
The error detector (22) detects whether errors are included in the corrected packet and transmits a signal requesting retransmission of the packet to the transmitter (10) if there are errors in the corrected packet. In other words, if it is determined that no error exists in the corrected packet, an ACKnowledgment (hereinafter, ACK) signal is sent back to the transmitter (10). On the other hand, if it is determined that errors exist in the corrected packet, a Not AcKnowledgment (hereinafter, NAK) signal is sent back to the transmitter (10).
Accordingly, the transmitter (10) receives ACK signals and NAK signals, which are signals related to request for retransmission of packets, and retransmits relevant packets to the receiver (20) according to the relevant received signals. In other words, if the transmitter (10) receives an ACK signal, the transmitter does not retransmit any packet to the receiver (20). On the other hand, if the transmitter (10) receives a NAK signal, the transmitter retransmits a packet having the same structure as the packet transmitted previously by the transmitter to the receiver (20) (See e.g., S. Lin and J. Costello, Error Control Coding: Fundamentals and Applications. Prentice-Hall, 1985).
Particularly, if the Chase Combining, which performs decoding by considering a set of codes received on every transmission as one code having a lower code rate, is employed, the performance of type 1 H-ARQ is improved remarkably (See, D. Chase, "Code combining a maximum-likelihood decoding approach for combining an arbitrary number of noisy packets," IEEE Trans. Commun., vol. 33, No. 2, 385–393, May 1985).
On the other hand, it is known that a turbo code suggested first in 1993 by Berrou et al. shows the superior error correction performance, which approaches the Shannon Limit.
Hereinafter, one example of a turbo encoder (11) structure illustrated in FIG. 1 will be explained with reference to FIG. 2.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the structure of the related art turbo encoder (11) illustrated in FIG. 1.
In the related art turbo encoder (11), at least two Recursive Systematic Convolution Encoders (Hereinafter, "RSC encoders") (12, 13) are combined in parallel with an interleaver (14) in between RSC encoders.
Because residual errors after the turbo encoding are detected through the error detector (22) in the related art turbo encoded H-ARQ system illustrated in FIG. 1, the related art turbo encoded H-ARQ system has a lower error floor than pure turbo encoded systems.
On the other hand, a number of error detection methods that do not require additional overhead bits in the turbo encoded H-ARQ system have been suggested, for example, M. E. Buckley and S. B. Wicker, "The design and performance of a neural network for predicting turbo decoding error with application to hybrid ARQ protocols," IEEE Trans. Commun., vol. 48, No. 4, 566–576, April 2000, and P. Coulton, C. Tanriover, B. Wright, and B. Honary, "Simple hybrid type 2 H-ARQ technique using soft output information," Electron. Lett., vol. 36, No. 20, 1716–1717, September 2000. However, these error detection methods have higher undetected error probabilities than the CRC error detection method. The CRC error detection method adds parity symbols for error detection to message symbols to be transmitted and determines whether errors exist by using the structure of the parity symbol for error detection with the hard decision value made on the FEC encoded frame at a receiver. The parity symbol for error detection is added to the message symbol using a CRC encoder. The above-mentioned undetected error probability means the probability of making a wrong decision that errors do not exist in the frame in which errors actually exist. The high undetected error probability results in high frame error rates in H-ARQ systems.
Hereinafter, an explanation will be given with reference to FIG. 3 as to the related art CRC error detection method applied to a turbo encoded H-ARQ system.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the CRC error detection method in a related art turbo encoded H-ARQ system.
A turbo encoded H-ARQ system, to which the related art CRC error detection method applies, comprises a transmitter (10) and a receiver (20).
Here, the transmitter (10) comprises a CRC encoder (15), a turbo encoder (11) and a modulator (16). The CRC encoder (15) CRC encodes message symbols to be transmitted into new message symbols by adding parity symbols for error detection to the message symbols to be transmitted. The turbo encoder (11) turbo encodes the CRC encoded new message symbols. The modulator (16) modulates the CRC encoded and turbo encoded new message symbols to channel symbols and transmits the CRC encoded and turbo encoded new message symbols to the receiver (20).
The receiver (20) comprises a demodulator (23), a turbo decoder (21) and a CRC decoder (24). The receiver (20) receives the modulated channel symbols, demodulates the received channel symbols to CRC encoded and turbo encoded new message symbols. The turbo decoder (21) turbo decodes the demodulated CRC encoded and turbo encoded new message symbols to CRC encoded new message symbols. The CRC decoder (24) CRC decodes the turbo decoded frame, detects whether there are errors included in the CRC decoded frame and transmits a signal requesting retransmission of symbols to the transmitter (10) according to the existence of errors.
Hereinafter, an explanation will be given as to a turbo encoded H-ARQ system, having the above-explained structure, to which the related art CRC error detection method is applied.
First, the CRC encoder (15) in the transmitter (10) performs CRC encoding, generating new message symbols by adding parity symbols for error detection to message symbols to be transmitted, using a CRC generator polynomial.
In order to illustrate the CRC encoding, the sequence of the message symbol can be expressed as i(x) and the CRC generator polynomial can be expressed as gCRC(x). Then, assume that the CRC encoder (15) has the following CRC generator polynomial gCRC(x).gCRC(x)=1+c1x+c2x2+ . . . +cn−k−1xn−k−1+xn−k  [Equation 1]
Then, the CRC encoding process may be expressed as follows.
                                                                                i                  1                                                                  (                  x                  )                                            =                                                                    i                                                              (                      x                      )                                                                                x                                          n                      -                      k                                                                      +                                  P                                                        (                    x                    )                                                                                =                                                i                                                        (                    x                    )                                                                                g                    CRC                                                                          (                    x                    )                                                                                [                  Equation                                                              2                ]
Here, p(x) means the sequence of a parity symbol added to the ending part of a message symbol in the CRC encoder (15) and i1(x) means the sequence of the new message symbol to which the parity symbol is added through CRC encoding.
Thereafter, the turbo encoder (11) turbo encodes the CRC encoded new message symbols.
The modulator (16) modulates the CRC encoded and turbo encoded new message symbols to channel symbols and transmits the modulated channel symbols to the receiver (20). In other words, i1(x), the CRC encoded new message symbol at the CRC encoder (15), is turbo encoded at the turbo encoder (11), modulated to a channel symbol at the modulator (16) and transmitted to the receiver (20).
Then, the demodulator (23) in the receiver (20) receives the modulated channel symbols and demodulates the received channel symbols to the CRC encoded and turbo encoded new message symbols.
The turbo decoder (21) turbo decodes the demodulated CRC encoded and turbo encoded new message symbols and outputs a hard decision value made upon the frame of the CRC encoded new message symbols. At this time, the hard decision value outputted, after going through the channel and demodulation, from the turbo decoder (21) for FEC is as follows.
                                                                                i                  ^                                                                  (                  x                  )                                            =                                                                    i                    1                                                                          (                    x                    )                                                  +                                  e                                                        (                    x                    )                                                                                =                                                                    i                                                              (                      x                      )                                                                                g                      CRC                                                                                (                      x                      )                                                                      +                                  e                                                        (                    x                    )                                                                                [                  Equation                                                              3                ]
Here, î(x) is the sequence of a CRC encoded new message symbol, which has been turbo decoded, that is to say, has passed through the forward error correction. e(x) is the error sequence.
CRC decoder (24) CRC decodes the turbo decoded symbol frame, detects whether there are any errors in the CRC decoded frame and transmits a signal requesting retransmission of the symbol to the transmitter (10) according to the existence of errors.
More particularly, the CRC decoder (24) detects errors by dividing î(x) by gCRC(x), which is the CRC generator polynomial used in the CRC encoding. If the error sequence e(x) is zero (that is to say, if no error exists in the FEC processed frame), î(x) may be divided by gCRC(x) without any remainder. On the other hand, if the error sequence e(x) is not zero (that is to say, if errors exist in the FEC processed frame), diving î(x) by gCRC(x) leaves a remainder. In other words, e(x)mod gCRC(x) is left after the division.
Accordingly, the CRC decoder (24) transmits an ACK signal to the transmitter (10) based on the determination of the CRC decoder (24) that no error has occurred if î(x) may be divided by CRC generator polynomial gCRC(x) without any remainder. On the other hand, the CRC decoder (24) transmits a NAK signal to the transmitter (10) based on the determination of the CRC decoder (24) that errors have occurred if î(x) is not divided by the CRC generator polynomial gCRC(x).
When detecting errors using the CRC decoder (24) as described above, the detecting standard is as follows.
                                                                                i                    ^                                                                          (                    x                    )                                                                  mod                                                                                g                    CRC                                                                          (                    x                    )                                                              =                                                {                                                                                i                                                                          (                          x                          )                                                                                g                          CRC                                                                                (                          x                          )                                                                                +                                          e                                                                    (                        x                        )                                                                              }                                                mod                                                                                g                    CRC                                                                          (                    x                    )                                                                                =                                                e                                                        (                    x                    )                                                                  mod                                                                                g                    CRC                                                                          (                    x                    )                                                                                [                  Equation                                                              4                ]
According to the above description, the transmitter (10) receives ACK and NAK signals, which are signals related to request for retransmission of symbols, and retransmits message symbols to the receiver (20) according to the type of the received signals. In other words, if the transmitter (10) receives an ACK signal, the transmitter does not retransmit any message symbol to the receiver (20). On the other hand, if the transmitter receives a NAK signal, the transmitter retransmits to the receiver (20) a message symbol having the same structure with the message symbol previously transmitted.
There are problems in the above-described related art turbo encoded H-ARQ system in that additional overhead bits are required in order to achieve a low undetected error probability. Also, the throughput of the related art turbo encoded H-ARQ system is lowered as the number of overhead bits increases. Further, frame error rates are increased by the increase of the undetected error probability of the turbo encoded H-ARQ system if the number of overhead bits is maintained small in order to improve the throughput.

Turbo encoded hybrid automatic repeat request system and error detection method

Dept. of Management: Seoul National University


A system and method for enhanced security by incorporating RFID processing circuitry within a key switch assembly. The RFID key switch assembly includes four subassemblies; the key/tumbler assembly, rotating and stationary switch contacts, RFID Processing Circuitry and an electrical connection interface. The RFID Processing Circuitry incorporated in the key switch assembly reads RF signals transmitted from an RFID tag embedded in a key inserted into the key switch.

Radio frequency identification systems (RFID) can be used to detect and prevent inventory shrinkage and to perform inventory management functions in a variety of retail establishments, apparel and mass merchandisers, supermarkets, libraries, video stores, and the like. RFID technology provides an inexpensive and simple way to mark and identify physical objects using machine-readable information.
RFID systems can identify objects at greater distances than optical systems, store information into read/write tags, operate unattended, and read tags hidden from visual inspection for security purposes. RFID technology can be applied to identify electronic components, devices, and systems to provide functions such as, for example, security of the assets, inventory tracking of the assets, identification of the assets, and short distance communication between the assets.
RFID tags are currently integrated into electronic components, devices and systems at the component level (i.e., circuit chip circuit board etc.), the asset level (i.e., box, computer, etc.) or system level (i.e., network system, computer system, etc.). Often RFID tags are used in conjunction with key operated switches to add an enhanced security feature beyond that of the cut or shape of the key.
One of the problems with such prior art techniques is that circuitry involved in the processing of the RFID signal transmitted from RIFD tags is typically housed in a separate module from the key switch housing. The separate module adds to overall system package size, installation real estate, parts count, and assembly steps involved in the manufacturing and installation processes.
Based on the foregoing, a need exists to solve the multiple, separate module issue by incorporating all RFID processing circuitry directly into the housing of the key switch assembly itself, thereby enhancing security and limiting space requirements for the overall system.

RFID key switch with integrated key circuitry


A method of allocating excess space associated with a primary component includes determining the excess space associated with the primary component, identifying at least one information insert compatible with the excess space, providing an output advertising the excess space, and receiving a request in response to the output. The request may be based at least in part on the at least one information insert. The method also includes associating the at least one information insert with the primary component.

Embodiments of the present invention are related generally to systems and equipment used in processing mass mailings of consumer related information. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention are related to auctioning systems and methods for selecting information inserts to include with mass mailings.
A large number of companies and organizations provide direct mailings to various consumers and other recipients. These typically include a piece of information related to the particular recipient at a cost related to the weight of the piece of information and associated packaging. This approach can be costly. To spread the costs, a company sending a primary piece of information may assemble information from other venders and includes that information in with its mailings. However, excess white space and weight space of the mailing may still go unused. Thus, among other things, there exists a need in the art to address the aforementioned limitation.
Yet further, providing a large amount of irrelevant or less relevant direct mailings may cause recipients to disregard all direct mailings through believing that they are generally irrelevant and do not warrant reading. Additionally, a large amount of direct mailings are detrimental to the recipients and the public in general as they must be disposed of, and ultimately end up in land fills.
Some companies that already send direct mailings have found it advantageous to include various additional information with such mailings. As just one example, various credit card companies provide offers with statements that are sent to credit card holders. An ability to provide increased control over the recipients receiving a particular direct mailing can thus be useful to such companies. One such company, First Data Corporation, the assignee of the present invention sends millions of statements out each month to credit card users. In addition to these statements, various additional information is included with at least some of these statements. FDC has developed its First Data DecisionQuest® product that allows a credit card company processing with FDC to choose which information is to be included with a given statement.
In light of these developments, improvements are needed that allow the value of advertising space to be fully exploited.

Auction systems and methods for selecting inserts for direct mailings


A resonator can provide good loss characteristics by effectively suppressing power losses due to an edge effect. In addition, a filter, a duplexer, and a communication device incorporating the resonator are formed. In the resonator, a plurality of spiral lines are disposed on a surface of a dielectric substrate in such a manner that the inner and outer ends of the lines are aligned respectively along an inner periphery and an outer periphery which are centered around a central point on the substrate so that the lines do not cross each other. With this arrangement, the edge effect in the spiral lines is substantially canceled, by which power losses due to the edge effect can be effectively suppressed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to resonators, and more particularly, resonators formed by collecting a plurality of spiral lines, for use in microwave or millimeter-wave band communications. In addition, the invention relates to filters, duplexers, and communication devices incorporating the resonator.
2. Description of the Related Art
As an example of a resonator for use in microwave bands and millimeter-wave bands, a hairpin resonator is described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 62-193302. The size of the hairpin resonator can be reduced more than that of a straight-line resonator.
Additionally, another type of resonator capable of being made compact, a spiral resonator, is described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2-96402. In the spiral resonator, since a resonator line is formed of spiral shapes, a long resonant line can be arranged in a small area, with a resonant capacitor being provided as well, and a further reduction in the size of the resonator is achieved.
In the conventional resonator, since one resonator is formed by one half-wavelength line, an area where electrical energy concentrates and an area where magnetic energy concentrates are separately distributed on respective specified areas of a dielectric substrate. More specifically, the electrical energy is concentrated in proximity to the open-end portion of the half-wavelength line, and the magnetic energy is concentrated in proximity to the center thereof.
In such a resonator, an inevitable problem is a reduction in its characteristics due to an inherent edge effect of a micro-strip line. In other words, current concentrates in proximity to the external surface of the line. In this situation, since the current concentration occurs within a certain depth from the external surface of the line, even if the thickness of the line is increased, the problem of a power loss due to the edge effect cannot be solved.
Accordingly, in order to solve the problem described above, the present invention provides a resonator in which power losses due to the edge effect of a line are effectively suppressed. In addition, the invention provides a filter, a duplexer, and a communication device incorporating the resonator.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a resonator including a substrate and a set of lines comprising a plurality of spiral lines arranged thereon in such a manner that inner and outer ends of the spiral lines are distributed substantially along an inner periphery and an outer periphery of the set of lines respectively, the inner and outer peripheries being centered around a specified point on the substrate, and wherein the lines do not cross each other.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a resonator including a substrate and a set of lines comprising a plurality of spiral lines, each of the lines being in a position of rotational symmetry with respect to another spiral line. With this arrangement, when each line is seen in a cross-sectional view taken in the direction of the radius-vector (radius) of the set of lines, at the right and left sides of each spiral line, a line defining a point in each line through which current having substantially the same amplitude and phase flows through all of the lines is arranged at substantially a constant distance from a central point of the set of lines, with the result that an edge effect can be effectively suppressed.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a resonator including a substrate and a set of lines comprising a plurality of lines thereon, each line being indicated by a monotonically increasing or decreasing line in a polar-coordinate expression with one axis representing angles and the other axis representing radius vectors. Each line is arranged on the substrate in such a manner that the width of each line is within an angular width equal to or less than a value obtained by dividing 2xcfx80 radians by the number of lines n, and the width of the overall set of the lines is constantly within an angular width of 2xcfx80 radians or less at any arbitrary radius vector.
For instance, as shown in FIG. 2, when the position of the line is expressed in polar coordinates, in which the angle of the left end of a line at an arbitrary radius vector is xcex81 and the angle of the right end thereof at an arbitrary radius vector is xcex82, the angular width of the line is expressed by an equation xcex94xcex8=xcex82xe2x88x92xcex81. In this case, when the number of the lines is n, the angular width xcex94xcex8 of the line satisfies xcex94xcex8 2xcfx80/n. In addition, the angular width xcex8w of the overall set of the lines at an arbitrary radius vector rk is set to be 2xcfx80 radians or less.
With such a structure, a spiral line having the same shape as that of any given spiral line is disposed adjacent thereto. As a result, microscopically viewed, physical edges of the line are actually present, and a weak edge effect is generated at the edges of each line. However, the set of lines can be macroscopically viewed as a single line, so to speak. The right side of any given line is adjacent to the left side of another line having the same shape as that of the given line. As a result, the edges of the line in the line-width direction effectively disappear; in other words, the presence of the edge of the line becomes blurred.
Therefore, since current concentration at the edges of the line is very efficiently alleviated, overall power losses can be suppressed.
Furthermore, in one of the resonators described above, an electrode to which the inward end portions of the lines are connected may be disposed at the center of the set of lines. With this structure, the inward end portions of the lines, which are the inner peripheral ends thereof, are commonly connected by the electrode to be at the same potential. As a result, the boundary conditions of the inward end portions of the lines are forcibly equalized, so that the lines steadily resonate in a desired resonant mode, whereas a spurious mode is suppressed at the same time.
Furthermore, in the resonator of another aspect of the present invention, the equipotential portions of adjacent lines may be mutually connected by a conductor member. This arrangement permits the operation of the resonator to be stabilized without any influence on the resonant mode.
Furthermore, in the resonator of another aspect of the present invention, one end portion or both end portions of each of the plural lines may be grounded to a ground electrode.
In this situation, when only one end of each line is grounded, the resonator is a xc2xc-wavelength resonator. Accordingly, the desired resonant frequency can be obtained with only a short line-length so that the overall size of the resonator can be reduced. In addition, when both end portions of each line are grounded, electric field components at the grounded parts are zero, with the result that a good shielding characteristic can be obtained.
Furthermore, in the resonator according to another aspect of the present invention, each of the plurality of lines may be formed of folded lines. With this arrangement, the lines can be formed by using a simple structure that is obtainable by using film forming and micro-processing methods.
Furthermore, in the resonator according to another aspect of the present invention, the widths of the-plurality of lines and the distance between adjacent lines may be substantially equal from one end portion of the lines to the other end portion thereof. With this structure, the size of the resonator can be minimized.
Furthermore, in the resonator according to another aspect of the present invention, the width of each of the plurality of lines may be substantially equal to or narrower than the skin depth of the conductor material of the line. With -this structure, magnetic fluxes penetrate into each conductor line from both sides of the line and interfere with each other. Such interference realizes an even phase of the current density in the line. This means that the amount of ineffective current having a phase out of resonant phase can be reduced.
Furthermore, in the resonator according to another aspect of the present invention, each of the plurality of lines may be a thin-film multi-layer electrode formed by laminating a thin-film dielectric layer and a thin-film conductor layer. With this structure, the skin effect from the substrate interface in the film-thickness direction can be alleviated, which leads to further reduction in the conductor losses.
Furthermore, in the resonator according to another aspect of the present invention, a dielectric material may be filled in a space between adjacent lines of the plurality of lines. This can prevents short circuits between the lines, and when the lines are the above-described thin-film multi-layer electrodes, short circuits between the layers can be effectively prevented.
Furthermore, in the resonator according to another aspect of the present invention, at least one of the plurality of lines may be formed of a superconducting material. Since the resonator of the present invention has a structure in which a large current concentration due to the edge effect basically does not occur, the reduced loss-characteristics of a superconducting material can be fully used so as to operate the resonator with a high Q, at a level equal to or lower than a critical current density.
Furthermore, in the resonator according to another aspect of the present invention, the plurality of lines may be disposed on both surfaces of the substrate, and the periphery of the substrate may be shielded by a conductive cavity. With this arrangement, the symmetric characteristics of a resonant-electromagnetic field can be satisfactorily maintained, by which lower loss-characteristics can be obtained.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a filter including one of the above-described resonators, including a signal input/output unit. This permits a compact filter having reduced insertion losses to be produced.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a duplexer including the above filter used as either a transmitting filter or a receiving filter, or as both of the filters. This provides a compact duplexer having low insertion losses.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a communication device including either the filter or the duplexer, which are described above. This arrangement permits the insertion losses in an RF transmission/reception unit to be reduced, with the result that communication qualities such as noise characteristics and transmission speed can be improved.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of embodiments of the invention which refers to the accompanying drawings.

Resonator, filter, duplexer, and communication device


The present invention relates to an agent for reducing ischaemic damage to an organ, in particular to a heart and a brain, pharmaceutical compositions comprising said agent and the use of said agent for the treatment of ischaemic diseases to the heart and the brain. The agent comprises a substituted 4-phenyl-4-[1H-imidazol-2-yl]-piperidine derivative according to Formula (I)

In the framework of this application, ischaemia is defined as the reduction or loss of blood flow to a tissue, and associated therewith, the reduction or loss of e.g. oxygen suppletion to a tissue.
In the framework of this application, ischaemic damage is defined as the adverse effects associated with an ischaemic event, such as ischaemic necrosis or infarction. The metabolic events thought to underlie such cell degeneration and cell death comprise: energy failure through ATP depletion; cellular acidosis; glutamate release; calcium ion influx; stimulation of membrane phospholipid degradation and subsequent free-fatty-acid accumulation; and free radical generation.
There is a growing need for compounds that may provide protection against ischaemia and its associated adverse effects.
It has been found recently that certain highly specific delta-2 opioid receptor agonists can provide extended pharmacological induced ischaemic protection to the myocardium by a process similar to that which occurs in ischaemic preconditioning (IPC) (Govindaswami et al., in Proceedings of the 11th International Hibernation Symposium 2000, pp. 377-384, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Germany). Ischaemic preconditioning describes the phenomenon that a short period of ischaemia preconditions the heart such that a subsequent period of ischaemia causes less damage. In turn, this results in a smaller myocardial infarction and fewer arrhythmias. The mechanism is thought to be based on modifications in the function (opening) of the mitochondrial ATP-sensitive K-channel (mitoKATP). One known delta-2 agonist is DADLE (D-Ala2-D-Leu5-enkephalin) which has been shown to induce the same effect as ischaemic preconditioning on an organ. Therefore, the mode of action of both ischaemic preconditioning and chemical compounds must be seen as a trigger to activate a more basal or protective cellular mode. Since delta opioid receptors are found in most tissues, including heart and brain tissue, it may be expected that the compounds exerting an ischaemic protection to e.g. heart tissue, will do the same to brain tissue, and also for example, to lung, kidney of liver tissue.
At present, there are two main therapeutic areas where ischaemia plays a important role: cardiac ischaemia and cerebral ischaemia or stroke.
Cardiac Ischaemia
Cardiac surgery is always associated with controlled imposition of one or more episodes of ischaemia and reperfusion. In conventional cardiac surgery, the heart is stopped and cooled with a cardioplegic solution to reduce myocardial oxygen consumption such that it is possible to impose a longer period of ischaemia on the heart without too much damage. However, this requires maintenance of the blood circulation by a system of extra corporal circulation, which has several important drawbacks: it induces a significant inflammatory body reaction, it causes micro-embolisms and it thoroughly disturbs the coagulation and fibrinolytic system of the blood. Moreover, the micro-embolisms and non-pulsatile circulation during surgery with extra corporal circulation are responsible for suboptimal perfusion of vital organs such as the brain, kidneys and intestines. This results e.g. in an increased anaerobic metabolism (increased lactate in the postoperative period), impaired kidney function and confusion.
Owing to the development of local (mechanical) stabilizers, over the past several years, in order to avoid the aforementioned drawbacks, coronary surgery has been performed without the aid of extra corporal circulation. The disadvantage however is that the heart remains normothermic and has to perform mechanical work while regional ischaemia is imposed. At present, worldwide over 30% of coronary surgery is performed without the use of extra corporal circulation. For this application a cardioprotective agent would be extremely useful. Such an agent should be able to exert a protective action on the myocardial tissue using a basal cellular mechanism, thereby prolonging the period of imposed ischaemia.
In addition, there is a potential field of application in donor heart preservation, which is still a current problem, since the acceptable period of ischaemia is still limited to 4 to 6 hours. Also, cardiac surgery requiring complex reconstructions with long periods of intra-operative cardiac ischaemia can benefit from a cardioprotective agent in addition to the presently used cardioplegic arrest.
In general, there is a potential field of application in all surgical and percutaneous interventional procedures where the ischaemia-reperfusion sequence imposed upon any organ plays a role, such as, for example, transplant surgery, aneurysm surgery, vascular surgery for obstructive vascular disease and percutaneous interventions on stenosed coronary, carotic and peripheral arteries.
Particularly, there is a potential field of application for patients before undergoing anesthesia for any reason, in which conditions of reduced blood supply to organs apply, such as, for example in stable and unstable angina, or conditions that can be caused by the hemodynamic effects of anesthesia, such as loss of blood pressure, as well as for patients during the first hours from the onset of a hart attack before the definitive formation of blood cloths.
Cerebral Ischaemia
The brain, more than any other organ in the body, depends, for its survival and proper functioning, on a relatively constant supply of oxygenated blood. While comprising only 2% of the body's weight, the brain receives 15% of the heart's output of blood and consumes 20% of the oxygen used by the body. In addition, a constant supply of blood is required to provide the brain with glucose, the major energy substrate used by the brain to produce high energy phosphates such as ATP (see for instance WO 96/27380 (Interneuron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.)).
In the framework of this application, cerebral ischaemia is defined as the interruption or reduction of blood flow in the arteries feeding the brain, usually as a result of a blood cloth (thrombus) or other matter (embolus) occluding the arteries, resulting into an ischaemic stroke. As defined herein, ischaemic stroke is a syndrome, caused by a diverse etiologies, such as atherosclerotic cerebrovascular disease such as for example hypoperfusion and arteriogenic emboli; penetrating artery disease; cardiogenic embolism, such as, but not limited to, atrial fibrillation, valve disease and ventricular thrombi; cryptogenic stroke; and other more unusual causes, such as, for example prothrombic states, dissections, arteritis, migraine or vasospasm and drug abuse (see for instance Cardiovascular Thrombosis: Thrombocardiology and Thromboneurology, edited by M. Verstraete, V. Fuster and E. J. Topol, Second Edition, Lippincot-Raven Publishers, Philadelphia, 1998).
Stroke is the third cause of death in the US, and about 500,000 new cases occur every year. Worldwide, stroke is the number one cause of death due to the particularly high incidence of stroke in Asia. Ischaemic stroke is the most common form of stroke and is responsible for about 85% of all strokes.
There is a potential field of application in the case of stroke prevention in certain cases, e.g. during surgery where there exists a risk for an ischaemic event, in the reduction of ischaemic damage in case of a stroke, in reducing the extent of cerebral infarction subsequent to cerebral ischaemia and in the treatment of ischaemic stroke, in particular the acute treatment of stroke after an ischaemic event.

Abstract: the pharmaceutically acceptable acid or base addition salts thereof, the stereochemically isomeric forms thereof, the tautomeric forms thereof, the N-oxide forms thereof and the prodrugs thereof. In particular are claimed the compounds according to Formula (I) in which A=B is C═O or SO2, X is a covalent bond, R1 is alkyloxy, alkyloxyalkyl, Ar or NR9R10, wherein R9 and R10 each independently are hydrogen or Ar; or A=B and R1 together form a benzoxazolyl radical; p is zero, R3 is benzyl optionally substituted with hydroxy, alkyl or alkyloxycarbonyl and R4 and R5 each are hydrogen. The use of said agents has important clinical ramifications with regard to the reduction of ischaemic damage to an organ in a mammal, in particular to a heart and/or a brain, the prevention of coronary artery diseases in a mammal by inducing a cardioprotective effect and the treatment and prevention of stroke.


Techniques for validating identities are provided. A sign-on request is authenticated for a given principal. Attributes associated with that principal are acquired from an identity service and compared against local maintained attributes for that principal. If the identity-service acquired attributes match the local attributes, then the principal is validated for access. During principal access, selective events drive updates to the identity-service acquired attributes, and the comparison with the local attributes is performed again to determine whether the validated principal is to be invalidated or is to remain validated.

Commerce and affairs are increasingly being transacted over the Internet. That is, enterprises and individual users now have sufficient infrastructure and software services to conduct secure and insecure transactions.
One downside to this environment is that a single user often needs to have a plethora of identities for the variety of services and resources that the user consumes over the Internet. This can become a challenging and daunting situation and may often result in the user consuming less resources when that user forgets or mismanages his/her identities.
To solve this problem, a variety of single sign-on services have been offered to users over the Internet. Essentially, a user can sign-on to such a service and then access all the other services associated with the user; assuming those other services are registered with the single sign-on service. In this manner, the user does not have to manage each available service, which the user may need to supply credentials to for purposes of gaining access.
However, these single sign-on services still do not ensure user security when an intruder intercepts or acquires a particular credential of the user for a particular service. So, the user can still be exposed with each individual service being managed by a single sign-on service. Moreover, if an intruder gains the credentials necessary to access the single sign-on service, then every service of the user is exposed and vulnerable. This latter situation can be devastating to a user.
It is also worth noting that some user identities are associated with enterprises for which they work or are otherwise employed. Such users may also have access to services and resources, which if acquired by competitors or criminals could be extremely harmful to their enterprises.
Therefore, it is advantageous to provide techniques for regularly validating identities.


A quick connect coupling assembly for mounting an accessory tube to a mounting base having a stem connecting a ball to the base. The assembly includes a cylindrically shaped main body having a cavity formed therein for receiving the ball. A coupling sleeve has an orifice and a profiled cutout formed in the circumference of the sleeve. A spring is disposed on the main body and abutting the sleeve. A guiding mechanism is fixed to the main body and interacts with the orifice for compressing the spring and mounting the sleeve on the main body. The guiding mechanism aligns the cutout with the cavity when the sleeve and the main body are positioned in a receiving position for receiving the ball.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to a quick connect coupling that is used to mount a folding canopy or roof or other accessory on a boat/marine vessel, by support posts/tubes. More specifically, to a quick connect coupling for attaching to a mating ball.
2. Description of the Related Art
The present invention is a connector for connecting accessory items such as a folding canopy or roof on a boat/marine vessel, by support posts/tubes. Connectors/retainers are used generally in boats, for removably mounting items to the hull and/or deck of a boat. The connectors are usually mounted on gunwales of a boat. The support post has a ball shaped end that slides into the retainer. The retainers are typically a socket retainer that receive the ball of the support post of the canopy and locks it in place so that the ball cannot be removed from the socket without unlocking it. Once locked in the socket retainer, the ball is free to move and rotate in the retainer as much as the stem of the ball will allow. The retainers may have a c-shaped channel and include two mounting holes for attachment to a surface, such as the gunwale of a boat. Socket retainers are made of stainless steel and include a plastic insert in the area that receives and retains the ball. A removable pin is inserted through the socket retainer to lock the ball end in place. The removable pin may be attached to a lanyard to prevent it from being lost or misplaced. The pin may also include a spring-loaded ball that keeps the pin from being unintentionally removed by vibration or other non-intentional ways.
The disadvantages of a socket retainer as described above are that the pin must be fully removed from the retainer to remove or insert the ball end of the canopy support pole. This can lead to difficulties in setting up the canopy. It also affords the possibility of pin being lost if the lanyard fails or if no lanyard is provided. If the pin is not disposed in the socket retainer, the pin can cause noise and may damage the surface of the boat. Also the socket retainer requires an additional step to the secure the ball after the ball is in place. Inserting the pin on a boat that is pitching can be very difficult.


A pair of swim goggles for use during water activity, such as swimming. A pair of eyecups are worn by the user and held in place by a pair of elastic cords that encircle the user's head. The cords connect the eyecups together and a nose bridge therebetween. The cords are received within track portions on opposing sides of a centerline the eyecups and held in position by a plastic retainer. The cords are further positioned about the user's head and secured into position by a toggle lock engageable with the cords on the back of the user's head.

The present invention relates generally to swimming goggles used to protect the eyes during both leisure and competitive swimming activities. More particularly, the present invention relates to swim goggles worn during swimming that shield the eyes of a user from the water and which have improved adjustability.
Swim goggles have become popular in the mass market both for their protective capabilities, as they shield the user's eyes from water and chemicals therein as well as for their ability to permit the user the opportunity to wear corrective lenses while swimming. Swim goggles provide a sport user with the confidence to compete without the fear of injury or displacement to corrective contact lenses and the recreational user with the ability to reliably shield the user's eyes from the water. Swim goggles currently on the market provide a significant degree of comfort essential to a competitive swimmer but most such goggles are difficult to adjust while wearing them. Therefore, a need exists for a pair of swim goggles in which the user can precisely adjust the goggles with little effort and whereby there is provided a very comfortable custom fit about the head and nose.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to an improved pair of sport goggles which provide for protective capabilities through a superior comfort fit by utilizing a head strap comprised of flexible double cords that extend around the eyecups in order to interconnect the goggle eyecups and also to serve as an adjustable nose bridge. Although the invention may be best typified by describing its use in connection with competitive swim goggles, by no means are the goggles of the present invention limited to that particular application.
Swim goggles that use tubing as a head strap are well known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,390,373, issued Feb. 21, 1995, describes swim goggles that have two eyecups interconnected by a piece of resilient tubing that forms a nose bridge for the goggles. The goggles are held upon the head of the wearer by a single piece of tubing that forms a head strap. Both pieces of tubing are secured to the eyecups by inserting posts formed on the eyecups into holes formed in the ends of the tubing. This arrangement is subject to slippage and adjustment of both the nose bridge and head strap is time-consuming in that the goggles must typically be removed from the user to adjust them. The tubing may also come free from the posts.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,541,676, issued Jul. 30, 1996, describes a flexible headband for eyeglasses that uses a flexible rubber cord that has an adjustable clamp that the cord passes through for adjusting the headband. In this arrangement, the cord is attached to existing portions of eyeglasses and secures the eyeglasses around the head. Although the eyeglass frames are positioned securely on the user, such a structure is uncomfortable for the user as the nosepiece of the rigid frame is biased against his face.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,967, issued Sep. 4, 1990, describes a pair of sport eyeglasses that uses an adjustable flexible band to secure the eyeglasses to the user's head. The band includes a loop that binds the band together and provides a means for adjusting the fit of the eyeglasses on a user. This method of securement is also subject to slippage, but more importantly this design lacks stability and during vigorous sporting activities is prone to an amount of undesirable displacement and even dislodgement.
In view of the aforementioned need and the shortcomings of the prior art, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a pair of goggles which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art and which can be precisely adjusted with little effort and whereby there is provided a "custom" fit to the user.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a pair of goggles that utilize a doubled stretchable cord for as a head strap, the cord looping through a pair of eyepieces and interconnecting the eyepieces together while forming a nose bridge, such that the head strap adjusts both the fit of the goggle around the user's head and nose.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an eyecup structure for a set of goggles that maintains stability and comfort while the wearer is engaged in strenuous activity and retains a head strap that interconnects the eyecups together in place on the user.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a pair of sport goggles that can be quickly and precisely adjusted while being worn and whereby such adjustment is nearly automatic.
These and other object, features and advantages of the present invention will be clearly understood through a consideration of the following detailed description.


A data I/O line control circuit includes a control unit for outputting a control signal after a predetermined time from an activation of a column select signal, and a switching unit for selectively separating a pair of first sub-middle I/O lines, which is coupled to a pair of local I/O lines located at one side of the switching unit, from a pair of second sub-middle I/O lines, which is coupled to both the pair of the local I/O lines and a data bus sense amplifier located at the other side of the switching unit.

1. Technical Field
The embodiments described herein relate to a semiconductor integrated circuit and, more particularly, to a data I/O line control circuit and a semiconductor integrated circuit having the same.
2. Related Art
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional semiconductor integrated circuit includes a memory cell 110, a sense amplifier 120 to sense and amplify data from the memory cell 110, a column select transistor 130 to transfer the data loaded on a pair of bit lines BL and BLB to a pair of local I/O lines LIO and LIOB, an I/O switching unit 140 to transfer the data loaded on the pair of local I/O lines LIO and LIOB to a pair of middle I/O lines MIO and MIOB, and a data sense amplifier 150 to transfer the data loaded on the pair of middle I/O lines MIO and MIOB to a pair of global I/O lines GIO and GIOB.
One word line WL1 of a plurality of word lines in a bank is activated by an active command. Data which are stored in a cell (FIG. 1 illustrates one of a plurality of cells in the bank) to be connected to the word line WL1 are loaded on the pair of the bit lines BL and BLB through a charge sharing operation and thereafter the sense amplifier 120 senses and amplifies the loaded data on the pair of the bit lines BL and BLB. The data loaded on the pair of the bit lines BL and BLB, which is associated with a corresponding column address, of a plurality of bit line pairs connected to the word line WL1 are outputted based on a read command. Subsequently, a column select signal (YS) is activated and the data loaded on the pair of the bit lines BL and BLB are transferred to the pair of the local I/O lines LIO and LIOB. The data loaded on the pair of the local I/O lines LIO and LIOB are transferred to the pair of the middle I/O lines MIO and MIOB, and the data loaded on the pair of the middle I/O lines MIO and MIOB are inputted into the data bus sense amplifier 150 for the sense amplifying operation.
According to the conventional memory device, when the column select signal (YS) is activated, the charge sharing operations are conducted between the pairs of the local I/O lines LIO and LIOB, the middle I/O lines MIO and MIOB and the bit lines BL and BLB. When the potential levels of the local I/O lines LIO and LIOB, the middle I/O lines MIO and MIOB and the bit lines BL and BLB are in a core voltage Vcore (at this time, the bar lines LIOB, MIOB and BLB of the local I/O line LIO, the middle I/O line MIO and the bit line BL are in a ground voltage level), there is no problem. However, when the potential levels of the local I/O line LIO and the middle I/O line MIO are in the core voltage Vcore and the potential level of the bit line BL is in the ground voltage level and when the charges flow into the bit line BL from the local and middle I/O lines LIO and MIO, the potential level of the bit line BL is bounced, that is, a voltage bouncing is caused on the bit line BL.
Referring to FIG. 2, which is a wave form diagram of the semiconductor memory device of FIG. 1, at an active mode, the potential level of the pair of the bit lines BL and BLB is amplified by the sense amplifier 120 and then the bit lines BL and BLB are respectively amplified to the core voltage level and the ground voltage level from a starting voltage level of the precharge voltage level. The wave form "S1" is taken by a normal operation of the pair of the bit lines BL and BLB. Referring to the wave form of S1, during a section in which the column select signal (YS) is activated, the potential level of the bit line BL rises from the ground voltage level and drops to the ground voltage level due to an influence of the potential level of the local I/O line LIO and the middle I/O line MIO. This voltage bouncing of the bit lines does not cause a problem because the normal wave form of the potential level is obtained by a latch operation of the sense amplifier 120; however, in some cases, when such a voltage bouncing is abnormally big, an abnormal voltage bouncing (A in FIG. 2), in which the potential levels of the bit lines BL and BLB are changed as shown in the wave form "S2", may be caused because of the instant charge flowing from the local I/O line and the middle I/O line MIO.

Data I/O line control circuit and semiconductor integrated circuit having the same


A user inputs voice through a voice recognition program, a microphone and an A/D converter while pointing by use of a pointing gesture, touch pen or the like with reference to an image displayed on a display unit. For the result of recognition of the inputted voice, a processing or display indicated by a candidate having the first rank of reliability of recognition is performed and an indication showing a plurality of candidates having the second rank and the lower ranks than that is displayed in a menu form on a display screen. In the case where there is an error (that is, in the case where the processing or display indicated by the candidate having the first rank is not a processing intended by the user or the user makes an erroneous input), the error is corrected in such a manner that a correct input candidate is selected by a finger, pen or the like from the displayed menu of candidates having the second rank and the lower ranks than that and a processing operation or display associated with the selected candidate is performed again.

The present invention relates to a user interface such as a graphic editing system using voice or a voice application system having a display screen which is mounted on office automation (OA) equipment such as a personal computer, work station, word processor or the like. The form of input is not limited to the voice and may include an input method in which a directly obtained input signal is taken in a system once and a designated input is then settled through a recognition processing. The present invention provides simple means for processing an unintended error at the time of input in an information processing system which has input means in a composite form including a voice input as input means.
The present invention is directed to the processing of an erroneous input in a processing which uses voice input information and another input information in a composite form. The processing for correction of an erroneous input in such a composite input form does not exist in the prior art. Accordingly, an analogous technique concerning an error processing will now be shown using an example of the processing for correction of an erroneous input in the case where voice input means is used for the input of an instruction.
In the conventional apparatus having a plurality of input means consisting of a voice input, the voice input is merely used in lieu of a keyboard input or the like.
An example of a system using voice input means and performing a processing in accordance with the reliability of recognition of speech includes a ticket vending machine installed at the Shinagawa station of JR East Japan Railway Company which uses a speech recognition input and a touch panel input. The ticket vending machine recognizes inputted speech. In the case where the reliability of recognition of a candidate having the first rank of reliability as the result of recognition of the inputted speech is high, a processing is performed based on a recognized candidate. On the other hand, in the case where the reliability of recognition of the candidate having the first rank of reliability as the result of recognition of the inputted speech is low, an actual ticket issuance processing is performed after the candidate having the first rank of reliability and other candidates have been presented to a user so that the correct result of recognition from the presented candidates is selected by the user through a touch panel input or after a correct indication has been inputted by the user again.
The above-mentioned prior art has a problem that the processing of confirmation for the user must be performed or the input must be made again and hence a considerable time is required for the input of information. Further, there is a problem that even in the case where the reliability of recognition of inputted speech is low but the recognition agrees with the user's intention, the user is requested to confirm the result of recognition of inputted speech, that is, the user is forced to perform a troublesome operation.
Also, in the case where inputted speech is recognized erroneously with a high reliability and a processing started on the basis of the inputted speech has been performed, it is not possible to correct that processing or there are required the cancellation of the entire processing and the succeeding input operation which is to be done over again from the beginning.

Erroneous input processing method and apparatus in information processing system using composite input


A mediating apparatus is provided on an IP network, and stores an access control list (ACL) retained in a VPN gateway unit. The mediating apparatus: receives a retrieval request from a VPN client unit; acquires a private IP address of a communication unit by reference to ACL; searches DNS to acquire therefrom an IP address of the VPN gateway unit; generates a common key that is used for authentication between the VPN client unit and the VPN gateway unit and for encrypted communication therebetween; sends the IP address of the VPN gateway unit, the private IP address of the communication unit, and the common key to the VPN client unit; and sends the IP address of the VPN client unit and the common key to the VPN gateway unit.

A virtual closed network that is built up on the Internet is commonly called a Virtual Private Network (hereinafter abbreviated as VPN). The VPN is built using such a tunneling protocol as IPsec, L2TP or the like, and it is used for accessing a resource in a local area network (LAN) from a moving client via the Internet, or for interconnecting multiple physically dispersed local area networks via the Internet. In the case of authorizing a remote user to access a remote-access VPN, the following settings are required of both of the VPN client to access and the VPN gateway to be accessed.
VPN Client Unit:                IP address (global) of a VPN gateway unit        Mutual authentication information between the VPN gateway unit and a VPN client unit        Private IP address of the VPN client unit        Private IP addresses of a router and a name server (such as DNS,WINS) of an internal network of VPN (in the case of static setting on the part of the VPN client)
VPN Gateway Unit:                Mutual authentication information between the VPN gateway unit and the VPN client unit        Private IP address to be delivered to an authenticated VPN client unit and private IP addresses of the router and the name server in VPN (in the case of dynamic setting/posting on the part of VPN client)
In general, these settings affect security, and hence they must be done with security and with reliability, which places a heavy load not only on a VPN client unit user but also on a VPN administrator. And, when users accessible to this VPN change one after another, the burden of user management also becomes tremendous. Further, when a user accesses two or more VPNs, an authentication method, authentication information, and an IC card or similar authentication device for retaining them may sometimes differ for each VPN to be connected; the management therefor becomes a serious burden.
Occasionally the situation arises where the VPN client unit wants to temporarily exercise its granted VPN access authority in another VPN client unit. Further, in the case where the VPN client unit (A) is inside an NAT (Network Address Translation) segment or where it is a portable miniature device of severely limited power requirements, it is not proper to directly establish an encrypted channel for communication with the VPN gateway unit. In this instance, it is typical that another VPN client unit (D), which possesses the function of gateway from the NAT segment concerned to the Internet, takes the charge of establishing a tunnel to the VPN gateway. In this case, access control needs to be conducted for the VPN client unit (A), not for the VPN client unit (D). Thus, when the VPN client unit granted the access authority differs from the VPN client unit from which the tunnel starts, a mechanism for delegating authority is indispensable.
Moreover, depending on the property of the service offered by VPN, the VPN client unit user may sometimes want to avoid divulgence of personally identifiable information to the VPN service provider. On the other hand, the VPN service provider also wants, in many cases, to devote themselves to offering their primary services by outsourcing complicated operations such as handling client authentication information or similar personal information and management of members' admission and withdrawal. In this instance, the VPN service provider makes the outsourcer perform user authentication and verification of the access authority and introduce only valid users to the VPN service provider.
Secure distribution of the common key can be achieved by various methods (see patent documents 1 and 2, for instance). The method set forth in patent document 1 is a method that exchanges the common key between two or more communication units connected to a local area network; this method exchanges the common key via the gateway unit equipped with a DHC server function. More specifically, at the time of connecting the communication units to the local area network, the common key is exchanged simultaneously with acquisition of their IP addresses by DHCP. This permits exchanging the common key for encrypting communications in the local area network.
The method described in patent document 2 is a method by which, in the communication between the VPN client unit connected to the Internet and the communication unit connected to the local area network placed under the management of the VPN gateway unit, a common key is exchanged between the VPN client unit and the VPN gateway unit, and another common key is exchanged between the VPN gateway unit and the communication unit. This permits implementation of encrypted communication between the VPN client unit and the communication unit connected to the local area network without the need for a key exchange by an IKE or similar key exchange scheme between the VPN client unit and the communication unit connected to the local area network.
However, the method of patent document 1 limits the key distribution range to the local area network and the method of patent document 2 calls for pre-exchanging of the common key between the VPN client unit and the VPN gateway unit, and for these reasons, the management operations become complicated, for example, in the case where the admission and withdrawal of members of a society occur frequently. And either method does not provide a function of delegating access control to a third party and a function of allowing the VPN client unit to delegate encrypted communication processing to another reliable VPN client unit for access to the VPN gateway to which the VPN client unit is authorized to be connected. There are proposed various methods by which the VPN gateway side dynamically sets/posts the configuration management information, such as the private IP address to be delivered to the authenticated VPN client unit, private addresses of a router and a name server in VPN (see, for example, patent document 3, patent document 4, non-patent document 1, non-patent document 2, and non-patent document 3).
According to patent document 3, a management unit for management of setting information is provided, which logs in to a communication unit by presenting thereto its IP address and a log-in password to transfer the setting information. With this method, configuration management information, such as the private IP address and so on, can be distributed as setting information to the VPN client unit from the management unit corresponding to the VPN gateway unit. However, this method does not authenticate the VPN client unit that is a receiver—this poses a danger of impersonation attack by masquerading of the IP address and intermediator attack. Further, no mention is made of how the management unit performs authentication/access control when the VPN client unit issues a request for acquisition of the configuration management information.
Patent document 4, non-patent document 1, non-patent document 2 and non-patent document 3 all set forth methods of dynamic setting/posting of the configuration management information by such tunneling protocols as IPsec, PPP, L2TP, and the like. The present invention also makes an assumption that the function corresponding to the above-mentioned dynamic setting/posting is performed in the set-up phase of various tunnel protocols between the VPN client unit and the VPN gateway unit. But, according to the conventional systems, user authentication or access control and the dynamic setting/posting of the above-mentioned configuration management information are carried out as a single, integral operation at the time of tunnel set-up; in contrast thereto, according to the present invention, the user authentication and the access control are performed in a mediating apparatus to allow the VPN client unit and the VPN gateway unit to share a common secret, which is used to set up a tunnel between the VPN client unit and the VPN gateway unit, and then the configuration management information about the tunnel is dynamically set/posted from the VPN gateway unit. Besides, the VPN client unit A delegates the tunnel protocol processing for encrypted communication to another reliable VPN client unit D, by which it is possible to make a check of the access authority in the mediating apparatus for the source unit B. According to management convenience, part of the configuration management information on the tunnel, information for routing to the tunnel, or similar information about network operation, may be sent from the mediating apparatus to the VPN client unit. In this instance, the configuration management information sent from the mediating apparatus is set before or after tunnel setup in accordance with the kind of information. As an authentication and a certificate issuing method using a public key, there is proposed an SPKI (Simple Public Key Infrastructure) scheme (for example, non-patent document 4, and non-patent document 5), but it is not clear how to apply the scheme to the remote-access VPN.                Patent document 1: Japanese Patent Application Kokai Publication No. 2001-292135        Patent document 2: Japanese Patent Application Kokai Publication No. 2002-271309        Patent document 3: Japanese Patent Application Kokai Publication No. 2003-18163        Patent document 4: Japanese Patent Application Kokai Publication No. 2001-160828        Non-patent document 1: B. Patel, B. Aboba, S. Kelly, V. Gupta, "Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCPv4) Configuration of IPsec Tunnel Model," [online], published January, 2003. RFC3456, Internet Engineering Task Force, [Retrieved Mar. 17, 2003], Internet www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc3456.txt        Non-patent document 2: IPCP (RFC-1332)        Non-patent document 3: EAP (RFC-2284)        Non-patent document 4: C. Ellison, B. Frantz, B. Lampson, R. Rivest, B. Thomas, T. Ylonen, "SPKI Certificate Theory," [online], published September 1999, RFC2693, Internet Engineering Task Force, Internet www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2693.txt>        Non-patent document 5; C. Ellison, B. Frantz, B. Lampson, R. Rivest, B. Thomas, T. Ylonen, "Simple Public Key Infrastructure <draft-ieft-spki-cert-structure-0.6.txt>" [online], published Jul. 26, 1999, Internet Engineering Task Force, Internet world.std.com/˜cme/spki.txt

Remote access VPN mediation method and mediation device

Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation