A method for the improvement of appearance and performance characteristics of turf surfaces includes the steps of applying from about 0.1 to about 0.5 percent by weight of discrete fiber materials (14) selected from the group consisting of man-made fiber forming substances to turf growing and turf containing areas (10) and then working the discrete fiber materials into the areas. Working may allow a first portion of the fiber materials to be carried beneath the surface (11) of the area so as to promote reinforcement and anchoring of the turf (12) at the root zone level and a second portion to be at least partially exposed above the surface of the area, so as to remain visible with the turf. A related method for the improvement of appearance and performance characteristics of turf surfaces is also provided for turf propagated in previously barren surfaces.

In general, a variety of materials have been blended with soils to enhance or improve the properties thereof. In early highway construction, soil and rocks were mixed to provide a more stable, free draining, better performing roadbed. Lime has routinely been added to clay and silty soils to reduce their plasticities and to reduce their swelling potential. Portland cement has been added to several types of soils, being mixed in place or in a batch plant for achieving an improved highway base material. More recently, woven synthetic materials have been places in horizontal layers of soil in order to achieve steep, stable earth slopes.
Examples of the last technique, involving the use of so-called geotextiles, have been described in the patent literature. U.S. Pat. No. 3,934,421, for instance, is directed toward a matting of continuous thermoplastic filaments that are bonded together at intersections. When placed in loose soil, the matting provides increased vertical load bearing capacity and resistance to lateral deformation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,002,034 also discloses a matting, anchored to the ground, for preventing erosion. The matting is a multi-layered composite providing an uppermost layer having the finest fibers and least pore spaces and a ground side layer having the thickest fibers and greatest pore spaces.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,329,392 provides a layered matting designed to inhibit rearrangement of soil particles. The matting comprises self-spun synthetic polymer filaments with macrofibers forming a web, a filter layer of finer fibers bonded thereto and an intermediate layer of other fibers therebetween. The mat has use below water level to control erosion.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,421,439 is directed toward woven fabric, comprising filaments such as polyester, polyamides and polyolefins. The fabric is positioned beneath sand, gravel, stones, clay, loam and the like at a depth of at least 10 cm. The invention is based on the particular construction of the fabric which gives it improved load bearing performance.
Another unique configuration geotextile material is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,472,086. The material is used as a reinforcement for the construction of roadways and on slopes and river banks to control erosion.
Despite the wide-spread use of man-made or synthetic filaments in fabrics, matting and the like as a reinforcement for soil, the foregoing patents have not taught the use of individual fiber blended with the soil.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,790,691 and 4,867,614, however, do teach the addition of individual fibers or bundles or discrete synthetic textile materials, as opposed to textile fabrics, which are blended with all forms of soil to improve the engineering properties of the soil. Practice of these patents facilitates construction at roadways, highways, building sites, parking areas and the like by stabilizing the soil and improving the load bearing capabilities thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,819,933, similarly discloses the use of a mixture comprising sand and individual strands of synthetic fibers to produce a relatively soft, non-grassed, playing surface for equestrian and sports events.
Nevertheless, no one has previously punched textile fibers directly into soil. Consequently, improving the appearance and playing characteristics of turfed surfaces in this manner appears not to have been investigated heretofore.

Methods for improving appearance and performance characteristics of turf surfaces


Apparatus for routing a resilient cable of specified length, such as an electric power transmission cable, across a rotary joint between first and second members, wherein the first member is supported for rotation with respect to the second member. The apparatus includes a first guide element disposed to rotate with the first member, for guiding a first component or portion of a cable along a first arcuate path of specified radius, the length of the first cable component disposed to vary as the first member rotates. The apparatus further includes a second guide element, in fixed relationship to the second member, for guiding a second component of the cable along a second arcuate path, the length of the second cable component disposed to vary in inverse relation to the length of the first cable component. The first and second guide elements are mounted in spaced-apart relationship, to provide a spacing therebetween which is selected to form a third component of the cable, extending between the first and second cable components, into a loop of specified configuration. The first and second guide elements are provided with first and second annular channels, respectively, each arcuate cable path lying along a portion of one of the annular channels.

The invention disclosed and claimed herein generally pertains to apparatus for routing or directing a cable across a rotary joint, that is, a joint between first and second members wherein the first member is supported for rotation with respect to the second member. More particularly, the invention pertains to apparatus of such type for use with cables which are very resilient, such as high voltage electric cables having rubberized insulation. Even more particularly, the invention pertains to apparatus of the above type which can simultaneously route a plurality of cables across the rotary joint.
It is frequently necessary in X-ray equipment to provide means for moving the X-ray tube, or other X-ray source, through multiple degrees of freedom. The user of the equipment is thereby enabled to move the tube into virtually any position desired, in the course of performing X-ray exams. In one class of X-ray equipment, referred to as mobile or portable X-ray systems, the X-ray tube and collimator are mounted by means of gimbals which allow them to rotate about two intersecting axes. The gimbals are joined to the end of a telescoping horizontal arm which can be extended radially. The arm is supported on a carriage which is moveable along a column, and the column is rotatable with respect to a base or the like. By providing a tube mounting arrangement of such type, the X-ray tube can be positioned as required, at any position within its range of motion. Mobile X-ray systems provided with such tube mounting arrangement are exemplified by a product of the General Electric Company, the assignee herein, which is known as the AM-4 X-ray Unit. This product comprises an X-ray machine mounted on a wheeled carriage and provided with a drive motor and steering controls. The unit can thus be easily moved, for example, from one room to another in a hospital. Mobile systems of this type are of increasing interest to hospitals and other X-ray users, and are, accordingly, of increasing commercial importance.
A difficulty which arises, in tube mounting arrangements of the above type, is that it is necessary to attach electric cables to the X-ray tube in order to generate X-rays. Generally, two cables are required, one for the tube anode and the other for the tube cathode. These cables must be routed so that they do not impede the positioning of the X-ray source. In addition, they must not extend too far from the equipment. Otherwise, they may create a hazard when the equipment is moved, or may become snagged on an obstruction and be damaged. The traditional solution to this problem has been to provide mounting points for the cables, and to leave loops of loose cable between the mounting points to accommodate the motion of respective components of the tube mounting arrangement.
In mobile X-ray systems of the type described above, the voltage required for the tube, which is on the order of 75,000 volts, is generally provided by an X-ray generator mounted on the base. Thus, the cables extending between the generator and the X-ray tube, mounted on the column, are coupled across a rotary joint between the base and column, as referred to above. It is desirable, in X-ray systems of the above type, to allow the column to rotate through an arc of 270.degree. in a clockwise direction, from a zero angle reference, and also to rotate through an arc of 270.degree. in a counter clockwise direction therefrom. Thus, the column must be able to rotate through a total angle of 540.degree. relative to the base. In the conventional solution referred to above, enough extra cable must be provided to enable the cable to wrap around and around the column, as the column is rotated through its range. However, when the column is rotated into a position which is near or at its zero angle reference position, the extra cable will become loose or slack and hang in loops. If the slack cable is accessible to persons or objects proximate to the X-ray system, hazards of the type referred to above will be created. However, providing structure to protectively enclose the slack or excess cable would add cost to the X-ray system, and could interfere with its operation.

Apparatus for routing resilient cable across rotary joint


A disclosed keyboard includes a housing with a base member, a top plane member, and a membrane switch installed inside the housing. The membrane switch has a first resin sheet, a second resin sheet, and a spacer resin sheet arranged between the first and second resin sheets. The membrane switch includes a UWB flat antenna that has an antenna element pattern formed on the first resin sheet, a microwave transmission line extending from the antenna element pattern, and a ground pattern arranged in a position facing the antenna element pattern.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a keyboard and a membrane switch for a keyboard, and more particularly to, for example, a wireless type keyboard and a membrane switch for a wireless type keyboard.
2. Description of the Related Art
Keyboards which are used as input devices for computers include a type having a keyboard connected to a computer with a cord or the like and a wireless type having, for example, a built-in transmission circuit and an antenna for performing wireless communications with a computer.
The wireless type keyboards have different transmission distances depending on the transmission circuit of the wireless keyboard. For example, there are long distance type wireless keyboards transmitting data (signals) at long distances (e.g. several tens of meters) and short distance type wireless keyboards transmitting data (signals) at short distances (e.g. no more than ten meters). The long distance type wireless keyboards are mainly used outdoors and the short distance type wireless keyboards are mainly used indoors (e.g. inside the house or office).
The conventional short distance type wireless keyboard uses radio waves in a narrow bandwidth and has a center frequency of approximately 300 MHz. The short distance type wireless keyboard includes a rod-shaped antenna. Since the rod-shaped antenna occupies a large amount of the small space inside the keyboard, only a single antenna can be installed in the keyboard.
The conventional short distance type wireless keyboard has two problems. The first problem is that the data transmission speed is insufficient due to the narrow bandwidth of the radio waves. The second problem is that fading may be caused by the environment surrounding the keyboard since only a single antenna can be installed in the keyboard. This results in low reliability in the data transmission from the keyboard to the main body of the computer.

Keyboard and membrane switch for keyboard


A method and system provides for path maximum transmission unit (PMTU) discovery (PMTUD) for a multicast distribution implemented in a network using bit indexed explicit replication (BIER) architecture. The network has a set of bit forwarding routers (BFRs) that form a BIER domain including at least one ingress BFR (BFIR) and a set of egress BFRs (BFERs). The method improves efficiency of the PMTUD by limiting probe packet traffic. The method includes selecting a BFER from the set of BFERs in the BIER domain to be processed, generating a probe packet to the selected BFER using a current MTU, sending the probe packet to the selected BFER, and updating the current MTU and adding BFERs identified by a response to the probe packet to the set of BFERs in the BIER domain to be processed.

In networks such as Internet Protocol (IP) networks, when a host seeks to transmit a sizable amount of date to a target destination in the network the data is transmitted as a set of datagrams. In most cases it is more efficient to send the data using the largest possible datagrams such that these datagrams do not have to be fragmented at any point along the path from the host to the destination. Fragmentation occurs on hops along the route where an MTU is smaller than the size of the datagram. To avoid such fragmentation the MTU for each hop along a path from a host to a destination must be known to select an appropriate datagram size. Such MTU determination along a specific path is referred to as path MTU discovery or PMTU discovery (PMTUD).
Current PMTUD mechanisms are primarily targeted to work on point-to-point paths, i.e. unicast paths. These mechanisms use packet fragmentation control by disabling fragmentation of the probe packet. As result, a transient node that cannot forward a probe packet due to it being too large for the MTU of the next hop, instead sends an error message back to the ingress node of the path being tested. If the probe packet successfully traverses the path then the egress node responds with a positive notification. Thus, through a series of iterations where the probe packet size is incrementally reduced and/or increased, the ingress node of the path can discover a PMTU of the particular path. Packet fragment control works in Internet Protocol v4 Networks, however, IPv6 networks do not support fragmentation.
Bit indexed explicit replication (BIER) is a multicast forwarding architecture that is designed to efficiently handle multicast without requiring an explicit tree-building protocol or the maintenance of flow state by intermediated nodes. Routers in network that support BIER are referred to as Bit-Forwarding Router (BFR). A BIER domain consists of BFRs that are uniquely identified by BFR-id. An ingress border router, a Bit Forwarding Ingress Router (BFIR), inserts a Bit Mask Set (BMS) into a packet. Each targeted egress node, a Bit Forwarding Egress Router (BFER), is represented by Bit Mask Position (BMP) in the BMS. A transit or intermediate BIER node, a BFR, forwards BIER encapsulated packets to BFERs, identified by respective BMPs, according to a Bit Index Forwarding Table (BIFT) built based on domain-wide Bit Forwarding Tree (BFT).
The existing solutions for PMTUD are inefficient for point-to-multipoint paths constructed for multicast traffic. Probe packets must be flooded through the whole set of multicast distribution paths over and over until the very last egress responds with a positive acknowledgement.

MTU discovery over multicast path using bit indexed explicit replication


Debounce and lockout filters include an input part for receiving a plurality of input signals from switches, a microprocessor and an output part. The filters simultaneously process a plurality of input binary signals in parallel according to a sequence of mask values which individually adjust the filter response function for each of the individual filter channels. A multichannel filter has a filter simultaneously filtering each input signal of a plurality of input signals, the filter including a plurality of independent filter channels, each independent filter channel filtering a corresponding input signal of the plurality of input signals to produce a corresponding output signal of a plurality of output signals. The multichannel filter also has a mechanism for independently adjusting a filter response time of each independent filter channel.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for debouncing electrical signals. In particular, this invention relates to a filter for simultaneously processing multiple noisy signals to produce multiple corresponding debounced signals.
2. Description of the Related Art
Within copiers or other systems, there are a large number of binary input signals used to control the system. These signals come from sensors or switches in the system. Most switches and some sensors suffer from a phenomenon called bounce when changing state.
FIG. 1 shows a simple switch circuit 10 containing switch 12, voltage source 14 and resistor 16. Output voltage V will depend on the switch state of switch 12. When the switch is changed from an open to a closed state, current flows through the resistor and the voltage V at the output increases from zero volts to the voltage of the voltage source 14. When the switch is changed from a closed state to an open state, the voltage V at the output returns to zero volts.
FIG. 2 shows a graph of the voltage V as a function of time T. When switch 12 is changed from an open state to a closed state at time T.sub.0 the output voltage V attains the voltage of the voltage source 14 after undergoing a noisy transition as shown in FIG. 2. When processed through digital circuits, the noisy signal of output voltage V becomes a binary signal (having an on state and an off state). The binary signals often have a significant bounce time as shown in FIG. 14. Without proper filtering, the bouncing signal shown in FIG. 14, may be interpreted by a machine as multiple actuations of switch 12.
Many modern systems are controlled by microprocessors. When a bouncing signal is input to a microprocessor controlled system, the bouncing signal can cause a number of problems for the software running on the microprocessor if the bouncing signal is not properly filtered. A debounce filter, whether implemented in hardware or software, waits until the input signal has stabilized for a specific period of time before changing the output signal from the filter. The software controlled microprocessor then uses the filtered signal as the control signal for the microprocessor controlled system. Such a debounce filter has a debounce filter time delay as shown in FIG. 5.
A complication in designing large systems arises from two properties. The first is that different switches and sensor types are often characterized by different bounce times, thus requiring different filters and different filter characteristics. The second is that a large system often imposes different timing requirements, such as the maximum tolerable delay, on the signals coming from the several switches and sensors in the system. Therefore, it is often necessary to process signals from different switches through different filter types to produce the corresponding filtered signals.
One method of filtering input signals is a two sample approach where two samples are sequentially taken and compared. If the two samples agree, then the value of the two samples is output as the filter output.
In another method of filtering input signals, the input voltage V is sampled at a regular rate. If the input sampled signal changes state, then a counter is incremented at the sample rate as long as the input signal differs from the present filter output. When the counter reaches a particular maximum value, then the filter output changes. If the input signal changes back to the present filter output value while the counter is still being incremented, then the counter is reset. In this method it is necessary to have a counter for every signal input to be debounced. In a microprocessor based filter system, this results in a large use of RAM and significant execution time for every input.
FIG. 6 is a timing diagram for the method using a counter where the counter is set to 6. This method is superior to the two sample approach in that more samples are taken, reducing the chance of incorrect reporting. However, this method uses even more time than the two sample approach.

Method and apparatus for debouncing signals


A server or Internet service provider computer selects a soliciting merchant and an outputting merchant based on various factors. In one embodiment, the soliciting merchant is selected if its activity rate (e.g. sales rate) is low. The outputting merchant provides offers for bonuses to customers on behalf of the soliciting merchant. The bonus is provided to the customer in exchange for consummating a transaction with the soliciting merchant. Thus, the soliciting merchant benefits from the increased patronage such offers encourage.

Merchants rarely experience consistent levels of sales. It is more typical that a merchant will experience periods of low sales activity interspersed with brief periods of high sales activity. Inconsistent sales activity, such as during cyclic or seasonal periods, makes it difficult for merchants to make inventory and pricing decisions. Merchants would like to entice customers to visit the business, particularly during periods of low sales activity. Merchants would particularly like to entice each customer to participate in transactions, such as purchases or simply visiting the store, more frequently.
It is difficult for a merchant to respond quickly to changing conditions. For example, if sales activity is low in the morning, the merchant cannot successfully advertise in time to attract customers that same morning. Since the merchant typically cannot know precisely when it will need customers (i.e. "slow days") and when customers will be in abundance, attracting customers at optimal times is difficult or impossible.
It would be advantageous to provide a method and apparatus that allow a business to more effectively attract customers at desirable times.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and apparatus for defining routing of customers between merchants


A line whose toll is the lowest is calculated directly out of lines existing in each position within a private network on the basis of a telephone call toll data of each station so that trunks of all stations can be accessed through a local station trunk or a trunk line. Namely, the telephone call toll data is stored in each exchange and a central exchange within the private network or in a main storage unit within an external calculator of each station so that the data can be transmitted from the line whose toll is the lowest.

1. Field of invention
The present invention relates to a method and a system for selecting and transmitting an optimum route, and particularly a method and a system for selecting and transmitting an optimum route which bypasses a line of the minimum toll on the basis of telephone call toll data.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a rate of dependence upon an optimum route selection LCR (Least Cost Routing)ARS (Automatic Route Selection)!/AAR (Automatic Alternate Routing) service by a private electronic exchange network and a private communication line provider in a station line transmission and a trunk line transmission has been increased with a development of communication network and an increase of communication quantity and communication cost and so on.
An accurate LCR/AAR route selection unit has been demanded for reducing more expenses as the rate of dependence upon the services is increased.
A selection unit for selecting an automatic route/bypass and a station line transmission unit for executing a transmission on the basis of the selection are provided with the LCR/AAR route selection unit.
In a private network of an electronic exchange provided with the above-mentioned LCR/AAR route selection unit, a selective transmission has been executed in order that the line was defined like the next second line, the third line and so on, when a use order of an available line of a corresponding destination, for instance, the first line could not be used since the line was busy.
On the other hand, in an enterprise using a private network of the above-mentioned electronic exchange, a selection of a line on the basis of a correct telephone call toll data for each route/line in each position of exchange installation and an update of the telephone call toll on the basis of the latest telephone call toll data in each position have been demanded.
Besides, it has been demanded that the toll is compared in a line used by a user of the exchange and the available line, and a line to be subscribed newly and a line to be cancelled are determined correctly, as the communication network used by the user is diversified.
Further, it also has been demanded that a frame of the line which can be selected is reduced and a quality of telephone call is improved according to a degree of demand of quality for the line of a transmitter, when a difference exists in the quality of the line to be selected.
In a private network using the LCR (ARS/AAR) transmission unit, a bypass unit for comparing the toll on the basis of the telephone line toll data when each position is regarded as a transmission position for the destination to be transmitted, and bypassing the position within the private network which will be the minimum toll also has been demanded due to the above-mentioned circumstances.
Besides, it also has been demanded that the bypass unit is provided with a storage unit for storing a telephone call data of local station so as to maintain the telephone call toll data of the local station and an inquiry unit for inquiring the telephone call toll through a data line for each position so as to select an optimum line for every transmission.
Further, it also has been demanded that the bypass unit is provided with means which is capable of transmitting and receiving the telephone call toll data within the local station through the data line in an arbitrary transmitting position, and updating the latest data anytime, when the telephone call toll data is provided for every transmitting position.
Moreover, it also has been demanded that the bypass unit is provided with a comparison unit for comparing the telephone call toll similarly for all of the available lines every time the transmission is executed so as to determine the line to be subscribed newly and the line to be canecelled correctly.
This has been demanded for making it possible to sum up the telephone call toll in a short period of time, for instance, by summing up the virtual telephone call toll for the line which is supposed to be the minimum telephone call toll if it is subscribed when the transmission is executed from the existing line, with the telephone call toll according to the existing line corresponding to the telephone call.
On the other hand, also in a common household telephone, the telephone call toll can be compared and it will be possible to execute a line subscription contract for reducing the telephone use toll, if the household telephone is capable of calculating a virtual telephone call toll.
Further, to put it more concretely, the 93342 number Official Report of Patent Disclosure in 1991 exists as an example of a system to which the route selection process described hereinbefore is adopted. The 290093 number Official Report of Patent Disclosure in 1987 exists as an example of a system for selecting an arbitrary relay network from a public telephone to talk over the telephone. Besides, the 136596 number Official Report of Patent Disclosure in 1991 exists as an example of a method for selecting an optimum telephone call toll line.
In the system disclosed in the 93342 number Official Report of Patent Disclosure in 1991, it is judged whether or not a subscriber number provided for every subscriber conforms with a dialed number.
A public network subscriber number is converted into a private network subscriber number, when the subscriber number conforms with the dialed number.
At this moment, a telephone call in which a private exchange subscriber number is transmitted to a private exchange to bypass the private exchange can be executed, since a line of a trunk line is acquired.
On the other hand, a nonnumerical dial figure is transmitted to the public network after acquiring the line of the relay line, when the subscriber number does not conform with the dialed number. At this moment, the telephone call bypassing the public network is executed.
For this reason, in the system disclosed in the 93342 number Official Report of Patent Disclosure in 1991, it is possible to provide a route selection processing system in a communication system in which both of the public network and the private network can be used by judging whether or not the subscriber number conforms with the dialed number.
Besides, a database in which toll data according to route of a telecommunications undertaker connected to the private exchange network is stored is provided for the system disclosed in the 136596 number Official Report of Patent Disclosure in 1991.
Each of the exchanges is capable of inquiring of the database about a telephone number of the telecommunications undertaker whose telephone call toll will be the lowest, acquiring the most inexpensive telecommunications undertaker number from the database and adding the number to the dial number to execute a transmission, for instance, when the transmission is executed outside of the private exchange network.
Namely, in the system, a demand for retrieving the telecommunications undertaker number of the minimum telephone call toll transmitted from the exchange is received with the data of the dial number through a communication control unit.
At this moment, in the control unit within the exchange, the telephone call toll data according to route of each undertaker concerning a transmission area is retrieved from a memory table in which a transmitter number of a receiving data is set as a key for every transmission area.
However, in the conventional system described hereinbefore, the problems listed hereinafter could not be solved.
(1) Time and cost mount up to a large sum.
Namely, a correct comparison based on the telephone call toll data concerning the available lines was not always executed from each position within the private network, even if the data concerning the selection order of the above-mentioned lines was inputted, when a public line transmission through a private line was allowed, and the comparison was often executed in accordance with an exchange user's subjective and improper judgment.
(2) Communication cost exceeds the minimum communication cost which is realizable essentially.
For instance, when the data concerning the line and selection order are prepared reflecting the latest telephone call toll data, it will take a lot of time and cost to prepare these data.
Further, in the related art, the data for judging the lines to be subscribed and the lines to be cancelled were not stored previously in storage means, and means which makes it possible to sum up securely the data for reducing the communication cost according to line by using a traffic information of the exchange itself and network maintenance and an accounting information did not exist.
Accordingly, in the above-mentioned related art, there is the possibility that the communication cost exceeds the minimum communication cost which is realizable essentially, since the line selection is not executed on the basis of the data for judging the lines to be subscribed and the lines to be cancelled, the traffic information of the exchange itself and network maintenance, the accounting information and so on.
(3) It was impossible to update and sum up the latest telephone call toll data in a short period of time.
Besides, in the related art, it was impossible to update and use the telephone call toll data on the basis of the latest telephone call toll data in a short period of time.
(4) It is impossible to determine the subscription line in which the telephone call toll can be the lowest.
Further, in the related art, it was impossible to determine the subscription line in which the telephone call toll could be the lowest from the latest line use circumstances.

Method and system for selecting and transmitting optimum route


A system that facilitates desirable orientation of a display on a machine data reader comprises a keypad that is moveable with respect to a body of the machine data reader, the keypad utilized to relay information to the machine data reader. The system further comprises a component that senses a position of the keypad, and a component that orients the display based at least in part upon the sensed position of the keypad.

Barcode scanners are known to be effective tools in sales environments. Prior to barcode scanners, labels (e.g., numbers, letters, or a combination thereof) were placed upon individual products that identified such products. A compilation of the labels and their corresponding products was utilized by a salesperson to determine which items were being sold in order to accurately determine inventory. Upon arrival of new products to the sales establishment, a new compilation of labels and products required generation to effectively determine available inventory. For example, each new product was manually counted and typically entered into a table. A summation of the products was added to remaining products having substantially similar labels. Compiling inventory data included laboriously reviewing products and labels and creating a table that illustrated a number of products represented by particular labels. Such a system is time consuming and susceptible to human error, as labels can be easily misread or entered incorrectly into a table.
Barcode scanners were introduced to help mitigate some of the above deficiencies related to inventory maintenance. Each product was delivered with a barcode (e.g., a graphical object that encodes information as alternating dark and light portions) that identified a particular product. Via scanning the barcodes of products sold, products could automatically be deducted from inventory through utilization of a barcode scanner and a computing component. Furthermore, products brought to a particular store could be scanned and automatically added to a list of inventory. However, those barcode scanners were stationary due to their size. Thus double-checking inventory still required manually counting products in the sales area. Furthermore, entering products into an inventory database required moving products to an area with a barcode scanner.
Today, barcode scanners have a wide range of applications. For instance, examples of barcode scanners can be found in almost every department store, grocery store, and convenience store and are utilized in connection with selling products (e.g., price determination) and maintaining inventory. Furthermore, barcodes and barcode scanners are currently employed in factory and warehouse settings that utilize barcodes in connection with inventory and production control. Moreover, barcodes have been added to drivers' licenses and other identification cards, wherein the barcodes contain data relating to the person being identified (e.g., age, height, weight, birth date, . . . ). As technology has advanced, barcode scanners have become portable and include memory and a display. For example, a couple engaged to be married can go to a department store to generate a gift registry and simply be given a portable barcode scanner. Thereafter, the couple can scan items that they wish to be added to their registry, and a display within the barcode scanner will illustrate which item(s) they have added. Moreover, typical barcode scanners are equipped with memory that can store the registry list, which can later be transferred to a more permanent data store.
Wearable barcode scanners have also been developed, wherein a user that typically requires use of both hands can still utilize a barcode scanner. For example, the barcode scanner can be associated with a strap that wraps around a user's arm and secures such barcode scanner to the arm. Therefore, the user has ability to use both arms when the employment of the barcode scanner is not required. These wearable barcode scanners, however, are designed to be worn on a particular arm, as a keypad for entering data into the barcode scanner is associated with such scanner. However, if a user desires to utilize the scanner on the other arm, the keys and display will be approximately 180 degrees displaced from a desirable orientation. Furthermore, a user utilizing the keypad will have at least part of the display blocked by a hand when the barcode scanner is not on an arm that the scanner was particularly designed for. These barcode scanners are subject to errors in entering and/or reviewing data, as the keypad is not desirably oriented and a display can be partially blocked and/or not oriented desirably.
In view of at least the above, there exists a strong need in the art for a system and/or methodology that enables a keypad and display to be adjusted as desirably by a user.


A shaker/dispenser dispenses crushed chip particles of discrete sizes for sprinkling directly on food as pourable condiments of discrete sized particles of the remnants of the crushed potato chips. Each potato chip of pre-determined thickness is crushed and crumbed into fine, medium and coarse crumbs of varying particle sizes. The chip crumb particles have a variety of flavors, salt and vinegar, cheese and onion, sour cream and chives, eggs and bacon, etc. The system provides selected potato chip condiments in sliced components for crushing and forming the particles of the desired sizes. In an alternate embodiment, the condiments are packaged in either a self-opening single use pouch or in a shaker/dispenser with a mill lid.

Potato chips are traditionally cooked, deep fried, fried, baked, kettle fried, flavored, cooled, and packaged in airtight bags filled with nitrogen to prolong shelf life by excluding oxygen and infiltration of ambient air.
Potato chips are not to be confused with instant potato flakes, hydrogenated potato flakes, mainly used to make mashed potatoes.
Among related prior art patents include U.S. Pat. No. 6,500,474 B2 of Cross, which discloses a multi-textured food product, using crushed potato chips in a combined food base, which is textured and covered with a liquid coating and includes fat substances, such as a sour cream and onion dip forming a coating. The product has a central food core, and a solid or semi-solid fat based coating and external shell.
European Patent Application Specification number 0295320B1 of Willard describes enhancing the flavor of processed potatoes using a variety of additives in a timed heat process.
Neither prior art patent is related to the production of potato chip crumb condiments.


A golfing apparatus determines the carrying distance of a golf ball which has a golfer has struck and includes a speed measuring mechanism, either an acoustic trigger or an optical trigger, a correlator and a display. The speed measuring mechanism has a boresight disposed at angle in the range of zero degrees to twenty five degrees with respect to level ground so that it can be aimed at the struck golf ball while in flight. Either the acoustic trigger or the optical trigger is electrically coupled to the speed measuring mechanism and turns on the speed measuring mechanism in response to either the sound of the struck golf ball or the sight of the golf club striking the golf ball, respectively. The speed measuring mechanism measures the component of the speed of the golf ball which is parallel to the boresight. The correlator is electrically coupled to the speed measuring mechanism and correlates the measured component of the speed of the golf ball for each club with an empirically derived multiplier for use in determining the carry distance of the golf ball. The display is electrically coupled to the correlator and displays the carry distance of the golf ball so that the golfer can determine how far the golf ball which he has hit will carrying in flight.

1. Field of the Inventions
The present invention relates to a golfing apparatus for determining the carry distance of a golf ball in flight and more particularly to a golfing apparatus which incorporates a doppler radar unit, a correlating circuit and a club-selecting mechanism.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,858,922, entitled Method and Apparatus for Determining the Velocity and Path of Travel of a Ball, issued to Jerome Santavaci on Aug. 22, 1989, teaches two velocity sensing devices which are disposed on opposite sides of the proposed path of travel of a ball. The electromagnetic energy beams from two velocity sensing devices are directed at acute angles to the proposed path of travel. The two velocity sensing devices generate velocity signals which are averaged and converted to visible messages concerning the speed of the ball and its likely distance of travel had its flight not been interrupted.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,136,394, entitled Golf Yardage Indicator System, issued to Joseph Jones, Steven J. Pang and Roland L. Woodard, Jr. on Jan. 23, 1979, teaches a golf distance indicator system which provides a measurement of the distance between a golfer and the green which he is approaching. The system includes a base unit mounted at or near the pin on the green and a remote unit carried by the golfer. Upon command, the remote unit transmits a radio pulse to the base unit. The base unit immediately returns an acoustic or sonic signal, preferably an ultrasonic signal, in response to the received radio pulse. The remote unit includes internal logic for determining the distance from the base unit to the remote unit from the time interval between the transmission of the radio pulse and the reception of the ultrasonic signal based upon the speed of sound waves through air. The remote unit also receives input wind conditions and determines range and direction corrections to the actual distance based upon these wind conditions. From the wind corrected distance, the remote unit automatically selects the proper club for the next shot.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,184,156, entitled Doppler Radar Device for Measuring Speed of Moving Objects, issued to Viktor A. Petrovsky, Lev G. Gassanov, Sergei M. Belyaev, Lev A. Kochetov, Vitaly L. Kryzhanovsky, Andrei A. Palamarchuk, Rafail J. Timraleev, Viktor D. Ushakov and Vitaly Parfenjuk on Jan. 15, 1980, teaches a doppler radar device for measuring the speed of moving objects, which includes a casing with an antenna, a transmitter-receiver unit, a data-processing unit enclosed therein, control elements and a power cable. The casing is formed with an elongated tubular section of heat-conducting material, the antenna and units being successively arranged along the casing and rigidly interconnected to enable thermal contact there between and the casing. The outer periphery of the units is shaped to correspond to the inner surface of the casing. The doppler radar device may also be used as a portable means for measuring the speed of landing aircraft (speed monitoring by ground personnel), the approach and mooring speeds of ships, the speed of objects during sporting events involving the use of various vehicles, the speed of moving objects in industrial use and the speed of mud-laden torrents.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,187,329, entitled Apparatus for Vehicular Speed Measurements, issued to Bernard J. Midlock on Jun. 1, 1965, teaches a transmitter-receiving unit which is provided for mounting within a cylindrical member similar to a siren or a spotlight for attachment to an automobile; one end of the cylinder is closed by the casing and the other end is closed by a dielectric plastic polystyrene radome cover which has a curved lens shaped surface to provide a rigid surface which will withstand the air pressure when mounted on a moving vehicle. There are various mobile Doppler radar devices for measuring the speed of moving objects and they are well known in the prior art.
The Doppler radar device of U.S. Pat. No. 3,187,329 includes a transmitter-receiver unit and an antenna which are mounted on the outside of a vehicle and a mechanism for processing and displaying information, i.e. the signals bouncing off a target object, which are arranged inside the vehicle. This Doppler radar device is rather bulky and generally limits the field of its application. There are also portable Doppler radar devices for measuring the speed of moving objects such, for instance, as the speedgun which CMI, Inc. manufactures. This portable Doppler radar device includes a transmitter, a receiver with its mixer accepting a portion of transmitter output as a reference (heterodyne) voltage, a Doppler-frequency amplifier and an actuator (speed data processing and display unit), all functional units are enclosed in a comparatively small casing. Current is drawn from a vehicular power source through a cable. Such devices may also be used as self-contained units operating from adequate and compact power sources (batteries). For example, the speedgun is a gun contained within a heavy casing and comprising two longitudinally detachable halves of intricate shape (aluminum alloy casings). Lugs inside the casing are used for securing functionally independent units; a transmitter-receiver unit with a heavy horn antenna having a surface large enough to dissipate heat generated while the oscillator is in operation; an amplifier and signal-shaping unit complete with a voltage regulator; and a data-processing and display unit (actuator) employing a comparatively large printed-circuit board. Control elements are provided both on the inside and outside of the casing and also on the power cable (on-off switch). The functional units contained within the casing are attached independently (parallel arrangement), the interconnection thereof being for the most part electrical. The printed-circuit board mounting the data-processing unit is protected with an electrostatic shield. With this arrangement, gaps are provided between the functional units to enable convectional rejection of heat generated in large amounts while the emission oscillator and voltage regulator are in operation. With such an arrangement, however, there is quite a number of limiting factors such as: failure to meet compactness requirements (modern trend towards portable small-size devices); failure to fully meet sealing requirements essential in using the devices under adverse weather conditions (rain, fog, snow, elevated humidity); failure to withstand vibration on moving objects such, for example, as civil ships; and failure to meet dynamic strength requirements essential, for example, in using the aforesaid device both as speed meter and a traffic controller's baton.
A narrow beam of radio waves is generated by the circuit and is transmitted by a directional antenna in a direction at a slight angle or parallel to the direction of a particular vehicle question. These radio waves are reflected back to the sending unit by the vehicle in question to vary the frequency of the reflected wave in proportion to the speed of the vehicle. The frequency of this latter signal may be amplified and converted by a frequency measuring circuit into miles per hour or other convenient units.
High frequency waves of approximately 10525 megacycles are radiated through the radome cover. A small quantity of such transmitted waves are reflected from the cover back to the receiver to serve as a local oscillator for mixing in a crystal mixer of the receiver. The Doppler modified reflected waves are reflected to the receiver from a vehicle and vary in frequency in dependence upon the speed of the vehicle. The waves beat in a crystal mixer of the receiver to provide a Doppler difference alternating frequency output depending upon the vehicular speed. The Doppler wave will hereinafter be referred to as an audio wave although it will be appreciated that it may be a sub-audio tone.
At a transmitted frequency of 10525 megacycles, the beat frequency Doppler signal will be 31.3 cycles per second for every mile per hour of vehicle speed. A detection of a vehicle travelling at 1, 10 or 100 miles per hour will produce audio signals of 31.3, 313 or 3130 cycles per second, respectively. The use of a different transmitted frequency will provide a different range of audio or sub-audio frequencies, and the detection of vehicles such as trains or airplanes as opposed to automobiles may make it desirable to utilize a different transmission frequency or a different audio band. However, such details are well known and are not a part of this invention. The audio wave is amplified in a group of transistor amplifiers which are stabilized against amplitude, temperature and voltage variations which are inherent in the environmental operation of the apparatus. The stabilized audio signal on line is fed into a normally blocked gated driver transistor which prohibits passage of any audio signal except when gated by audio signals of a desired magnitude. Such gating assures that undesired weak signals will not pass to the output. Doppler signals from vehicles which are not within the desired range of the apparatus will be of insufficient amplitude to gate the driver. Only Doppler signals of sufficient amplitude give reliable readings are permitted to pass through the driver. Weak signals from a swaying tree, or the like, are also controlled. The stabilized audio signal on line feed a gate which is controllably biased so that only audio signals of a predetermined magnitude will open the gate. The magnitude of the audio signal is determined by a gain control in the amplifier. The gate includes a transistor amplifier and rectifier connected to line for controlling a transistor multivibrator to control a clamp. The clamp is normally operated to prevent speed signals from passing through the gated driver. Operation of the gate circuit removes this clamping to permit signals to pass through driver. This gating operation exists for the duration of the input signal. Receipt of a sufficient desired amplitude of audio signal, as determined by the gain control operates the transistor amplifier-receiver and triggers multivibrator which operates the clamp and opens the gated driver by reducing the bias on line to allow the audio signal to be amplified and supplied to an amplitude clipper. The amplitude clipper is a zener diode which clips one half of the audio wave in one conductive direction and clips the other half of the wave at a predetermine voltage determined by the characteristics of the zener diode. The output of the clipper on line is then a series of substantially square wave pulses of constant amplitude having a frequency depending upon the speed of the detected vehicle. This series of pulses then passes through a frequency responsive network which provides a current output in proportion to the frequency of the input signals. This current output then controls a meter and/or recorder to provide a visual and/or graphic indication of speed. A cylindrical casing is provided to simulate a searching light or vehicle handlamp. A handle is connected to the casing for handling the apparatus while also serving as a support member and as an enclosure for the klystron oscillator. An opening is provided in the handle for providing leads for input connections to the klystron and output connections from the crystal mixer. Within the casing are individual transmitting and receiving antennas which essentially include two modified pill box antennas connecting wave guide members and a common sectoral horn. Pill box antennas are parabolic antennas which are symmetrically cut on both sides of their center point and then closed within two parallel plates to provide a high gain antenna having a highly directive beam. Such a cut parabolic or cylindrical reflector is a plate with the top portion serving as a reflector for received signals while the bottom portion serves as a reflector for transmitted signals. Three parallel plates serve to enclose the parabolic reflectors into transmitting and receiving modified pill box antennas for directing energy to or from the reflectors. The klystron oscillator and crystal rectifier assemblies are mounted directly upon the plates in contrast with conventional practice of having both of these elements at a remote location. This connection eliminates the need for coupling high frequency energy over long leads both to and from the antenna. Another advantage of mounting the klystron directly on the plate is that a relatively simple connection may be made to feed the antenna as will appear below. The klystron is a type VA-204 reflex manufactured by "Varian Associates" and is controllable in frequency by variation of the repeller voltage. The lower part of this tube has terminal pins for connection to heater and other voltage sources. The high frequency output voltage radiates directly from the top of this tube without connecting leads.
GB Patent No. 2 110545A, entitled Apparatus for Monitoring the Way in which Games Projectile is Struck, issued to Mervyn Beverly Hill on Jun. 22, 1983, teaches an apparatus which monitors the way in which a golf ball is struck. The apparatus includes either a very short range radar or a high speed video which detects the golf ball and a projector which provides a visual display of the golf ball as it is propelled. The apparatus has lateral boundary walls which diverge away from the tee and each of which has an impact absorbing covering such as netting, as does the end walls which includes a screen, the netting being in front of the screen, as considered by the player. The floor is sloped towards the player to provide a gravity collection arrangement whereby the golf balls once struck roll back towards the tee. The tee is on a raised part of the floor. The apparatus includes a slide projector for projecting an image of a fairway on the screen though a back projection system. Either the radar or the video projector is arranged behind the player in the line of flight so that the golf ball is detected and monitored in its flight, and the video projector projects the flight of the golf ball onto the screen so that the signal picked up by the very short range radar or video projector is projected onto the screen for the player to see. When the very short range radar device is used, it can detect the path and speed of the golf ball over the distance travelled from the tee to a point where the golf ball is captured by the absorbing netting, or material at end wall. Since the degree and direction of rotation about the vertical axis effects the amount of "draw" or "fade" the small amount of horizontal curvature of the short flight can be measured rather than trying to count or detect the degree of rotation. The speed of flight is derived either from the time of travel from the tee to back net either by employing electro/mechanical switches at two spaced-apart points or by the golf ball breaking two vertical light beam slits or by acoustics switch at the point of contact relating to the golf ball breaking a light beam at a suitable distance from the tee location. At the time of playback the speed information is also projected onto the screen.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,673,183, entitled Golf Playing Field with Ball Detecting Radar Units, issued to Francis B. Trahan on Jun. 6, 1987, teaches a golf playing arrangement which includes a fairway, a tee area at one end of the fairway, a plurality of radar ground surveillance units located on the fairway at successively greater distance from the tee area, a central processing unit, a video display terminal and a putting green adjacent the tee area. Each of the ground surveillance units detects golf balls moving on the ground in a predetermined circular area containing the unit. The central processing unit calculates and the computer terminal visually displays the distance of the unit furthest from the tee area which detects a golf ball moving therethrough, and the sum of a succession of such distances. This arrangement permits a golfer to play a golf-like game without the need to follow a golf ball from tee to green. In this golf playing arrangement a golfer is permitted to play a condensed game of golf in which they are required to walk only short distance between a tee and a green. Other prior art condensed golf games have permitted a player to simulate repeatedly hitting and following after a golf ball until the ball lands on the green as in a conventional game of golf, by hitting successive golf balls from a tee area, estimating the distance traveled by the golf ball each time it is hit, until the total distance which the golf ball has been hit equals a preselected distance to a theoretical green. In this prior art condensed game, the player would then walk over to an adjacent green to "putt out". Such a game is, for example, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,003,074, issued to B. E. Gage on Feb. 1, 1933. These art condensed games have a number of disadvantages. Since golf balls are often hit long distances such as from 100 to 100 yards, it can be quite difficult to see the final resting place of the golf ball and then estimate the distance it has travelled, even if distance markers are provided. It is also necessary to perform manual calculations of the accumulated distances successive golf balls are hit to reach the "green". Furthermore, if a number of persons are competing with each other, disagreements can arise as to these distances and the number of strokes which have been taken on a particular hole.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,086,630, entitled Computer Type Golf Game having a Visible Fairway Display, issued to Maxmilian Richard Speiser on Apr. 2, 1978, teaches a computer type golf game which includes a spot image golf ball simulator, and means for changing a scene display upon a screen on which the spot image golf ball simulator is projected in accordance with theoretical attained distance achieved with each successive play. The scene display is projected optically from a slide magazine type projector, in which certain slides are disposed in slide retaining recesses in the slide magazine having encoded information corresponding to specific data related to the fairway of an individual hole, whereby when the first side pertaining to that hole is positioned for projection, this information is transferred to program a computer, whereby sides to projection position. The slides corresponding to certain fixed increments may be eliminated, in order to keep the total number of slides displaying the entire golf course within the capacity of the slide projector magazine. A mechanism is included for adding to the displayed indication of distance to the pin the additional distance made necessary by driving a golf ball laterally with respect to the principal axis of the fairway when the attained yardage has already approached a predetermined distance from the pin. Scene display pictures correspond to views seen from points in field in the direction toward the pin, permitting a forward, side and reverse approach to the pin, where necessary. The embodiment provides not only for a visual representation of the approximate lay of the golf ball, but numeric displays showing information relative to how far the golfer has progressed toward the pin with each hole, and other displays indicating a lay to the left or right of the fairway as well. A mechanism is provided for conditioning signals received from the golf ball intercepting net whereby spurious signals are eliminated.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,898,388, entitled Apparatus and Method for Determining Projectile Impact Locations, issued to Bryce P. Beard, III, James W. Kluttz and Edgar P. Roberts, Jr. on Feb. 6, 1990, teaches an apparatus which determines projectile impact locations and, in a specific application, to determining a golfer's performance in using a particular club, such as a specific iron. The apparatus has an array of a plurality of vibration sensors distributed in a predetermined pattern in a target area, each of which generates a signal indicative of the sensing of vibration, a processor connected for receiving sensor signals generated and for processing received sensor signals for determining a location of projectile impact relative to the locations of sensors in the target area and for generating an electrical location signal, and a display connected with the processor for receiving the location signal and for displaying to an observer a representation of the location of projectile impact in the target area.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,440,482 and 4,490,814, entitled Sonic Autofocus Camera Having Variable Sonic Beamwidth, issued to Edwin K. Shenk on Apr. 3, 1984 and Dec. 25, 1984, teaches a sonic ranging system that includes an ultrasonic, capacitance-type transducer having a multiple segment backplate whose sonic beam angle is automatically correlated to the field-of-view angle of the image forming lens.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,447,149, entitled Pulsed Laser Radar Apparatus, issued to Stephen Marcus and Theodore M. Quist on May 8, 1984, teaches a pulsed laser radar apparatus utilizing a Q-switched laser unit to generate laser pulse signals including a low intensity trailing tail. The trailing tail is utilized to provide a local oscillator signal that is combined with the target return signal prior to detection in a heterodyne detector unit.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,437,032, entitled Sensor for Distance Measurement by Ultrasound, issued to Egon Gelhard on Mar. 13, 1984, teaches a sensor for performing the distance measuring in accordance with the ultrasound-echo principle, in particular for determining and indicating approaching distances between vehicles and obstacles in close range with an ultrasound transmitter and receiving converter for emitting the ultrasound signals and for receiving the ultrasound signals reflected by the obstacles. The converter consists of an insulated-type transformer with piezo-ceramic resonator disposed thereon, characterized in that dampening material for preventing the energy rich ultrasound emission or reception is provided on the inside of the membrane of the insulator-type transformer on two horizontally opposite disposed circular segments.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,464,738, entitled Sonar Distance Sensing Apparatus, issued to Stanislaw B. Czajkowski on Aug. 7, 1984, teaches a distance sensing apparatus which is provided in the form of a case housing electronic equipment including a piezoelectric transducer for radiating pulsed sonic or ultrasonic signals along a measurement path through a sound horn which creates a narrow beam. Reflected signals received back through the horn are received by the transducer and converted into electric measurement signals. A time measurement device is providing for determining the time lapse between radiation of a pulse and receipt of a reflected signal so as to provide a distance signal which will be representative of the path distance between the apparatus and the surface which will trigger a display to give a distance reading. An important feature of the apparatus is that the electronic circuitry will include an amplifier which will increase the amplification of the electrical signals carried by a reflected pulse at a function of time lapsed from the radiation of a measurement signal pulse so as to compensate for the attenuation of the received signal.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,281,404, entitled Depth Finding Apparatus, issued to Ray E. Morrow, Jr. and Richard W. Woodson on Jul. 28, 1981, teaches a hand held, self-contained depth finding device which is immersible into water for transmitting and receiving sonic impulses in the direction the device is aimed. The device includes a hand grip carrying a battery cartridge and an external trigger for operating a power switch within the waterproof interior. A liquid crystal display registers the measured depth in feet.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,914,734, entitled Intensity Area Correlation Addition to Terrain Radiometric Area Correlation, issued to Robert J. Love and Richard I. Campbell on Apr. 3, 1990, teaches a system which combines intensity area correlation for use with terrain height radar and infrared emissivity systems to give a simultaneous three-mode map matching navigation system. The infrared system senses passive terrain emissions while the height finding radar measures the time between transmission of a radar signal to the ground and receipt of a radar return. The intensity correlator uses the radar returns to sense changes in the reflection coefficient of the terrain. Map matching all three modes simultaneously provides an accurate, highly jam resistant position determination for navigation update.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,805,015, entitled Airborne Stereoscopic Imaging System, issued to J. Copeland on Feb. 2, 1989, teaches an imaging system which includes widely-spaced sensors on an airborne vehicle providing a base-line distance of from about five to about 65 meters between the sensors. The sensors view an object in adjacent air space at distances of from about 0.3 to 20 kilometers. The sensors may be video cameras or radar, sonar infrared or laser transponders. Two separate images of the object are viewed by the spaced sensors and signals representing each image are transmitted to a stereo display so that a pilot/observer in the aircraft has increased depth perception of the object.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,914,639, entitled Sonar Doppler System with a Digital Adaptive Filter, issued to Earl R. Lind and Francis C. Jarvis on Apr. 3, 1990, teaches a doppler sonar speed measuring system incorporating a digital adaptive filter responsive to the difference in newly received raw speed data and previously received speed data to determine the amount and sign of change of the previously received data. The allowable amount of change increases to a maximum allowed value if the sign of the change remains the same on successive received data as under acceleration conditions and reduces to a minimum value when the sign changes on successive received data.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,935,742, entitled Automatic Radar Generator, issued to Jonathan Marin on Jun. 19, 1990, teaches an autonomous radar transmitting system transmits radar signals which simulate the presence of a police-manned radar station. A controller runs pseudo-randomizing programs to select the width of a radar pulse transmitted as well as the time lapse between subsequent pulses. The radar output of the system is therefore sufficiently random to prevent a detecting circuit from identifying it in the time it takes for a motorist with a radar detector to reach the radar source. This system is battery powered and a photovoltaic panel is provided to recharge the battery, thus giving the system a long lifespan. Also provided is an infrared detector through which infrared signals may be input to the controller.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,913,546, entitled Range Finder, issued to Shinji Nagaoka, Koji Sato and Yuji Nakajima on Apr. 3, 1990, teaches a range finder which projects an infrared light beam to an object and the light beam reflected from the object is detected by a split photosensor. The photosensor is made up of two photodiodes connected in opposite polarity relationship so that a differential photocurrent produced by the diode pair is amplified. The reflected light beam is tracked so that the photosensor provides a zero output, and the distance to the object is determined from the time needed to detect the zero photosensor output.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,831,604, entitled Ultrasonic Range Finding, issued to James A. McKnight and Leslie M. Barrett on May 16, 1989, teaches a range finding equipment which includes a manipulator carries a pair of send-receive ultrasonic transducers arranged back to back so as to direct ultrasound signals towards reflectors associated with the structural components to be monitored. The transducers are pulsed with signals derived by gating a few cycles of a sustained reference signal of sine wave form and the resulting echo signals can be used to provide transit time and phase displacement information from which the spacing between the reflectors can be derived with a high degree of precision.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,141, entitled Sonic Distance-measuring Device, issued to Joel S. Novak and Natan E. Parsons on Aug. 28, 1990, teaches a sonic distance-measuring device for use in air which includes three transducers in an array of transducers, which are driven in a predetermined phase relationship so as to achieve a beam width that is substantially less than that which can be achieved by any of the transducers individually. To enable the user to aim the device effectively, a lamp is provided to shine along the sonic beam and thus help the user direct the beam at a desired target. To conserve energy and increase the ability to distinguish the light beam from ambient light, the lamp is pulsed rather than driven steadily.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,675,854, entitled Sonic or Ultrasonic Distance Measuring Device, issued to Jurgen Lau on Jun. 23, 1987, teaches a sonic or ultrasonic distance measuring device which includes an electroacoustic transducer which operates alternately as transmission transducer for the transmission of sonic or ultrasonic pulses and as reception transducer for the reception of the reflected echo pulses. Connected to the transducer is a signal processing circuit which includes an amplifier with controllable gain and a threshold value discriminator. A gain control circuit controls the gain of the amplifier during a predetermined period after the start of each transmission pulse in accordance with a stored function which is fixed in accordance with the dying-down behavior of the transducer so that the electrical signals originating from the dying-down of the transducer after amplification are smaller than the threshold value of the threshold value discriminator but are as close as possible to the threshold value. As a result the evaluation of echo pulses which occur during the dying-down of the transducer is possible.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,858,203, entitled Omni-directional distance measurement system, issued to Per K. Hansen on Aug. 15, 1989, teaches an omni-directional distance measurement system which transmits and receives ultrasound waves using as many as four transmitting-receiving transducers having specially shaped beamwidths. Through the use of four such ultrasonic transducers, the system may be set up to obtain any beam-width from 5 degrees up to 360 degrees in both the horizontal and vertical planes. The omni-directional distance measurement system is able to detect the distance and direction to up to four objects in a prescribed work area at any one time and may also detect the speed of any one of the objects if desired.


For making in a parallel computer system an interconnection network transfer data sequences, each composed of consecutive packets, from input ports (17) to a destination port indicated among output ports (19) by a routing address specified by a leading packet of each data sequence, control registers (31) hold the routing address of a privileged sequence determined by arbiters (39) in response to such addresses held in the control registers and stored in control buffers (33). Data of the consecutive packets of the privileged sequence are simultaneously stored in and produced from data buffers (37). Controlled by the arbiters, input selectors (41, 43) select the data for delivery to the destination port through output buffers (55) and output selectors (57) controlled by a selector operating arrangement (59-63). When the data of the consecutive packets are not yet wholly stored in the data buffers, the input selectors select only those already stored in the data suffers and then select the data of remaining ones of the consecutive packets as soon as they reach the data buffers.

This invention relates to an interconnecting network for use in a parallel computer system in transferring between a processor unit and a memory unit consecutive packets representative of data.
A recent trend in electronic digital computers is to use as a parallel computer system a great number of computer units in parallel. The parallel computer system comprises a plurality of processors collectively as a processor unit and a plurality of memories as a memory unit. Data sequences are bidirectionally transferred between the processor unit and the memory unit through interconnection networks.
In the manner described in an invited paper contributed by Takao Takeuchi and two others to the IEICE Transactions, Volume E 74, No. 4 (April 1991), pages 752 to 760, under the title of "Switch Architectures and Technologies for Asynchronous Transfer Mode", each data sequence is transmitted through an interconnection network as consecutive packets. Various interconnection networks are already known. Each interconnection network has a first plurality of input ports and a second plurality of output ports. The first plurality may be equal to the second plurality.
As will later be described in more detail, the data sequences are supplied to the input ports. Each data sequence comprises a leading packet among the consecutive packets to specify one of the output ports that should be supplied with the data sequence under consideration.
Control buffers are connected to the input ports, respectively, to store the leading packets of the data sequences. Data buffers are connected to the input ports, respectively. Each data buffer stores the leading packet and others of the consecutive packets of the data sequence supplied to one of the input ports that is connected to the data buffer in question. The leading packet and the others of consecutive packets are stored collectively as stored packets. A selector unit is connected to the data buffers and to the output ports to select one of the data buffers that should deliver the stored packets to a certain one of the output ports.
Each of arbiters, equal in number to the control buffers, is connected to the control buffers and to the selector unit. With reference to the leading packets stored in the control buffers to specify one of the output ports in common as a destination port, the arbiters determine one of the data buffers at a time that should deliver the stored packets as output packets to the destination port. In this manner, the arbiters give a priority right for each of the output ports to one of the data sequences to make this one of the data sequences serve as a privileged sequence. The interconnection network serves as a cross-point device operable in machine cycles.
If the privileged sequence and a different sequence of the data sequences are supplied to two of the input ports earlier and later in one machine cycle to have a destination port in common, the selector unit selects the stored packets of the privileged sequence. Having produced these stored packets as the output packets, the selector unit selects the stored packets of the different sequence. If the privileged sequence consists of N consecutive packets, where N represents a natural number, the consecutive packets of the different sequence must be kept in the data buffer therefor during N machine cycles. In this manner, this conventional interconnection network is operable with an unduly long blocking time of overloading the interconnection network. The conventional interconnection network has a low throughput or internal link speed to adversely affect performances of the processor unit and of the parallel computer system.

Network for transferring consecutive packets between processor and memory with a reduced blocking time


A high leadcount surface mount IC package. The IC package of the present invention includes a plastic molded compound which is localized over the surface of the die, such that it covers the interconnections of the die. The package includes a leadframe having many leads. The leads are supported using a ring support structure.

Packaging of electronic devices provides mechanical support, protection of the electronic circuitry components, and a medium for interconnecting the chip to a circuit board for use in a system. As systems become smaller, a need exists to make packages as small as possible.
The packaging process begins with the fabrication of a crystalline semiconductor material, usually silicon or gallium arsenide. Individual dies (i.e., chips) are formed on the wafer at the same time. Then the wafer is separated into single dies. One limit in making small packages is the size of the dies (e.g., the size of the silicon).
Each of the individual dies is typically packaged in a chip carrier. External connections on the chip carrier package allow for the chip to be mounted on a printed wiring board. The chip carrier is electrically connected to the printed wiring board by surface mounting the chip carrier directly to the mounting surface.
There are a variety of sizes for packages. For instance, thickness of the individual packages varies between different packages. For example, while some packages are only 1 mm think, other packages range up to 5 mm thick. Generally, for packages having leads, the smaller the number of leads that a package has, the thinner the package is itself. The disparity in package thicknesses is due to the use of more molding compound for packages having a greater number of leads. The added molding is required to hold the many leads rigid. Thinner packages do not have some of the reliability problems of larger packages.
The primary problem with larger packages is their susceptibility to cracking during the solder reflow process. The cracking results from moisture which has been absorbed by the plastic. During the solder reflow process, the package heats up to 240.degree.-260.degree. F., causing the absorbed water to turn to steam. The steam causes pressure to build up within the plastic, and the plastic cracks in order to relieve the pressure (i.e., the steam).
To prevent the cracking of the package, the package is protected from moisture. One method of protecting the package from the effects of moisture is to bake the packages at lower temperatures. By baking the package at a lower temperature, the moisture has an opportunity to be released by the plastic molding. This baking step is referred to as the preheat stage. Since the moisture is not trapped in the package, cracking is less likely. Also to prevent the further infiltration of moisture into the package, the chips are stored in moisture proof bags. The bags contain desiccant to keep the humidity within the bag to a minimum while the chips are being stored. The desiccant absorbs excess moisture. However, if the bag has been punctured or has been stored for too long a period of time, then the bag is likely to have absorbed moisture. Whether moisture has entered the storage bag is indicated by a color change in moisture sensitive material which is also included in the bag. Even with these precautions, the packages are baked gently upon removal from the bag before they are mounted on the board to insure against moisture and its effects. The performance of these procedures does not ensure that the packages are moisture free. Thus, even though these precautions are undertaken, damaged chips still may be produced.
When packages are thin, they are less likely to crack. Thin packages are less likely to crack because the packages are too thin to hold or contain a substantial amount of moisture and the preheat stage is enough to drive all of the moisture out of the package. Therefore, at the high temperature of the reflow stage, cracking does not occur because there is an insignificant amount of moisture remaining in the plastic molding.
Another problem associated with larger packages is that larger residual stresses are generated. In other words, large amounts of molding compound induce stresses in the die which the structure cannot support. The residual stresses occur in any molding operation and are accentuated by a mismatch of the thermal expansion between the leadframe, which is generally copper, the molding compound, and the silicon, all of which produce stresses and warpage. As a result, the package warps, resembling a "potato chip". Thus, it is desirable to make the package thin and small (in the x,y dimension) to decrease the die stresses.
As will be shown, the present invention comprises a thin small integrated circuit package. The package of the present invention comprises a thin molding compound locally around the die with a separate support for the leadframe to keep the leads in position.


Apparatus for dumping the contents of a container, for example, a drum, includes a first frame for receiving tines of a fork lift, a second frame for receiving a drum pivotally mounted on the first frame and a latch secured to the second frame. The latch is held by a normally extended spring in a first position latching the first frame and the second frame together. The latch includes a latch pin which extends downward below the bottom of the drum when the drum is raised from the ground for emptying. The raised drum is moved forward into position so that the latch pin engages an upper edge of a receptacle for receiving contents of the drum. As the raised drum is moved further forward with the latch pin still engaging the upper edge of the receptacle, the latch moves into a second position compressing the spring and releasing the second frame from latched engagement with the first frame. This allows the drum to pivot on the first frame to an inverted position for emptying. The inverted drum is moved rearward until its open edge strikes the upper edge of the receptacle and the drum is rotated thereabout until it regains an upright latched position. A method for using the apparatus is also described.

There has long been a need for a simple, economical device for raising and inverting a container such as a steel drum, for dumping the contents, and for reversing the container to the original position.
Corbin U.S. Pat. No. 4,385,860, describes a drum dumping attachment for a fork lift truck in which the drum is caused to pivot by engagement of a forwardly projecting finger with the rim of a receptacle for the drum contents. Locking pins, which are manually removable, prevent unwanted pivoting. The receptacle must have a rearwardly projecting tripping projection on its upper edge to engage the forwardly projecting finger on the device.
Glewwe, U.S. Pat. No. 3,893,579, and Kvalheim, U.S. Pat. No. 4,405,278, describe devices which are not simple. The Glewwe device is attached to a fork lift truck. Kvalheim describes a self-emptying dump box which engages a bracket attached to an upper edge of the receptacle for the contents of the dump box.

Apparatus for dumping the contents of a drum


A method of providing communication service, includes receiving user identification information and first communication service criteria. The user identification information identifies a user, while the first communication service criteria describe a first communication service requested by the user. The method also includes generating a first communication service order based on the first communication service criteria. The first communication service order includes the user identification information and the communication service criteria;

Technological advancements of recent years have made sophisticated and diverse telecommunication systems, including voice over IP (VoIP) telephones and high-speed internet connections, practical options for filling the voice and data communication needs of small-businesses and independent professionals, such as doctors and attorneys. As prices continue to fall on communication systems and the complexity of such systems continues to increase, customer knowledge and understanding of the underlying components and services is becoming an increasingly significant barrier to new customers entering the telecommunications market. Additionally, because advanced telecommunication systems can include a diverse collection of components utilizing communication services from a number of different service providers, initiation of service can be an extremely time-consuming process for the end user. Moreover, the number of different components and service providers that must be integrated for an advanced telecommunication system can create significant problems with compatibility.

Method and system for operating a communication service portal

Abstract: The method further includes selecting premise equipment for the user and generating an equipment order, wherein the equipment order includes the user identification information and identifies the selected premise equipment. Additionally, the method includes transmitting the first communication service order to a first service provider and transmitting the equipment order to an equipment provider.


Data shared by plural processes of a program are identified and identification information is affixed to the shared data. When the program is linked by a linker, only the shared data to which identification information is affixed are extracted and a shared data area is created for the shared data. During program execution, this shared data area is prevented from being and the main memory is referred to or updated or the cache is invalidated prior to access of the shared data area by the linker. An address of data in a processor is computed from an address of the data in another processor based on a specific expression.

1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technology for creating load modules for a program that is executed by a multiprocessor computer system.
2) Description of the Related Art
Most present day computer systems are provided with a plurality of multiprocessors to which parts of a program are distributed in order to enhance a processing efficiency. The multiprocessors can be broadly categorized into shared-memory multiprocessors and distributed-memory multiprocessors.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a computer system that employs a shared-memory multiprocessor system. Each of the n number of processor elements (hereinafter, "PE") 100 has a processor 101 and a cache 102.
The cache 102 is much smaller than the main memory but has a cache memory that can perform high speed reading and writing. The cache 102 carries out reading from or writing to cache memory or the main memory in response to a read write request from the processor 101. When carrying out reading and writing, the cache 102 keeps a copy of the contents (value) of the memory area of the main memory that was read from or written to the cache memory in order to use the locality of reference at the time of program execution. Therefore, reading and writing can be carried out speedily by accessing the cache memory and by avoiding having to access the main memory.
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a computer system that employs a distributed-memory multiprocessor system. The n number of processor elements (PE #1 to PE #n) 200, each of which includes a processor 201 and a memory 202, are connected via an interconnection network 203.
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of memory space definition in the computer system shown in FIG. 2. Each processor 201 reads from and writes to the memory 202 of its own processor element 200.
In the systems that utilize distributed-memory multiprocessors, programs based on single-program multiple-data (SPMD) programming are mainly executed by using a transmitting mechanism, such as a message-passing interface (MPI).
FIG. 4 shows a sample program. The program is distributed in n number of memories 202 and each part of the program is executed by the respective processor 201. Even though a single program is being executed, the process branches according to the an identification number (ID) of the process element 200 and parallel processing by the n number of processor element 200 takes place.
For instance, in the sample program of FIG. 4, 'my_rank' is the ID. In the processor element other than that in which my_rank=0, the process under 'if' is executed. In the processor element in which my_rank=0, the process under 'else' is executed.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart that explains process steps of a load-module creation for the sample program shown in FIG. 4. First, a source code of the program is converted into an assembly code using a compiler (steps S501 to S503). An object is created from the assembly code using an assembler (steps S504 to S506). Plural objects are linked using a linker to create a load module for the program (steps S507 to S510).    (1) The shared-memory multiprocessor system needs to solve the problem of preservation of cache consistency as described in detail below:
Even though the processing speed of the system is enhanced by providing a cache 102 for each processor in a multiprocessor system, there is a disadvantage to it. When plural cache memories are involved, there is a possibility that the memory area value determined by the same address may not match between the cache memories and the main memory. As a result of this, when any of the processors accesses any memory area of the main memory, always the latest value secured in that memory area is returned, thereby causing what is known as a cache coherence problem.
Conventionally, the coherence problem was countered by providing a physical mechanism called 'cache consistency mechanism'. This mechanism is based on the cache consistency protocol that monitors the location of data (hereinafter "shared data") read and written by different processes of a program, prevents caching of old data prior to updation, and preserves cache consistency.
FIG. 6 is an explanatory drawing that shows a memory map in the case in which cache consistency is preserved using the cache consistency mechanism. A text area 600 holds instruction strings of a program, and a data area 601 holds data (both private and shared data) that is read or written by the program.
Both the areas, that is, the text area 600 and the data area 601, are cache target areas. In other words, data in the text area 600 and the data area 601 can be copied in the cache memory. Consequently, the shared data is copied in the cache memory of each of the plural processors that execute part of the program and the value of all the cache memory is made consistent with that of the main memory by this cache consistency mechanism.
However, this method of using a hardware as a cache consistency mechanism for maintaining consistency between the values of cache memory and the main memory can prove to be a complex proposition and is bound to make the processor circuitry bulky.
This did not pose much of a problem in the past as shared-memory multiprocessors were mainly used in high-end products. However, if shared-memory multiprocessors are to be made popular by providing them in printers, digital cameras, digital televisions, and the like, it is imperative that the processors are not made bulky or heavy for the only purpose of maintaining cache consistency. Also, the product cost should not go up because of the number of processors used.    (2) The distributed-memory multiprocessor system needs to solve the problem of solution for address straddling memory space as described in detail below:
The system employing distributed-memory multiprocessor shown in FIG. 2 is built using plural chips (and plural boards) due to limitations in the semiconductor integrated circuit technology that existed in the past. However, due to advancements in the semiconductor technology in recent years, it has become possible to pack plural processor elements 200 in one chip.
Conventionally, when it was not possible to pack plural processor elements in one chip, data transfer was done by packet transmission system. However, when plural processor elements are packed in one chip, the data exchange between the processor element 200 via the interconnection network 203 can be speedily performed by employing the shared-memory for storing and loading of data. The system in which a shared memory that allows reading from and writing to by plural processors is provided is called a distributed shared-memory multiprocessor system.
FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a computer system that employs a distributed shared-memory multiprocessor system. Unlike the distributed-memory multiprocessor system shown in FIG. 2, the distributed shared-memory multiprocessor system has two types of memory 702, namely, a shared memory (SM) that can be accessed by processors of other processor elements as well, and a local memory (LM) that can be accessed by only that processor which is contained in the same processor element.
FIG. 8 is an explanatory drawing that shows an example of memory space definition in the distributed shared-memory microprocessor system shown in FIG. 7. The shared memory of the first processor element (PE #1) is allocated in an overlapping manner in the memory space of the processor element PE #0 and the processor element PE #1.
Let us assume that the shared memory of the processor element PE #1 is allocated at the address 0x3000 in the memory space of the processor element PE #0 and at the address 0x2000 in the memory space of processor element PE #1. With this assumption, when the processor element PE #0 writes data to the address 0x2000, the processor element PE #1 can read the same data from the address 0x3000, thus effecting data transfer between the processor element PE #0 and the processor element PE #1.
The memory of processor elements PE #1 through PE #n is allocated in the memory space of processor element PE #0. Therefore, the processor element PE #0 is capable of referring or altering the data in the shared memory of the other processor elements. However, as the memory of other processor elements are not physically allocated in the memory space of the processor elements PE #1 through PE #n, these processor elements can refer or alter data in only their own local memory and shared memory.
Like the computer system using the distributed-memory multiprocessor system, the computer system employing the distributed shared-memory multiprocessor system can also execute the program, shown in FIG. 4, based on single-program multiple-data programming.
However, whether it is a distributed-memory multiprocessor system or a distributed shared-memory multiprocessor system, the entire program is distributed on each of the processor elements, even though only a part of the program is executed by each of the processors. Since the entire program needs to be stored in each processor element, memory requirement of the processor element increases, which results in increase in cost.
The problem of storing the entire program in all the processor elements can be circumvented, at least in the distributed-memory multiprocessor system, by creating programs based on multiple-program multiple-data programming (MPMD) instead of single-program multiple-data.
Unlike the single-program multiple-data programming in which a program resides in all the processor elements, in multiple-program multiple-data based programming, separate programs to be executed by specific processor elements are created. FIG. 9 is a sample program executed by the processor element PE #0 and FIG. 10 is a sample program executed by the processor elements PE #1 through PE #n. As the program to be executed by a particular processor element is exclusive to that processor element, requirement of memory can be reduced to that extent. The load modules of these programs are created according to the sequence of steps shown in the flowchart in FIG. 5.
On the other hand, in the distributed shared-memory multiprocessor system, data stored in an area is accessed by plural processor elements. The address in the memory space of the area being accessed is different for each processor element. Consequently, when resolving addresses using the linker, the address has to be changed for each processor unit even though the same area is accessed. However, in the conventional linker this function is not available.
As a result, all the programs that can be run in a computer system with the distributed shared-memory multiprocessor system can only be created by single-program multiple-data programming. Consequently, in the distributed shared-memory multiprocessor system, even though there may be portions of the program that will not be executed by a particular processor element, the entire program needs to be distributed in all the processor elements necessitating more memory.

Method and apparatus for creating a load module and a computer product thereof