A regional lock-state control system for operation within a region, includes a server, a plurality of mobile devices and a plurality of lock assembles. The server is configured to initiate a lock-state event. The mobile devices are each configured to receive a wireless lock-state directive from the server upon the lock-state event, and send a wireless lock lock-state directive to the server. The lock assemblies are each configured to receive a lock-state command associated with the lock-state directive from the plurality of mobile devices, and are each configured to transmit an advertisement that includes data on a lock-state.

The present disclosure relates to a lock system, and more particularly, to a regional lock-state control system generally operable within a predefined region.
Traditionally, regional lock-state control systems, such as a lockdown system, may be used in predefined areas. Examples of such areas may be buildings, college campuses, and others. Upon a predefined event, all locks (e.g., door locks) that are part of the lockdown system may be automatically locked via a central controller. Unfortunately, once a lockdown event has occurred, the location of people in the area may not be well known.


A recording medium that stores a game program processing the progress of a puzzle game and a battle game is provided. When executed on a computer including an input surface capable of detecting a touch operation of a user, the game program executes instructions. The instructions include determining whether or not a puzzle selected by the touch operation satisfies predetermined conditions, determining whether or not puzzles selected by the touch operation by drawing a locus on the input surface have the same attribute as one of the predetermined conditions, and displaying a game content for use in the battle game on a screen of the puzzle game when it is determined that the predetermined conditions are satisfied.

With the spread of electronic devices such as smartphones and tablet terminals, in addition to games for home video game machines, games for electronic devices are being actively developed. For example, as disclosed in PUZZLE & DRAGONS (Registered Trademark), Internet (www.gungho.jp/pad/), games in which characters compete with one another are being developed.
FIG. 5 is a schematic view illustrating a game screen of a game of the related art represented by a game disclosed in PUZZLE & DRAGONS. As illustrated in FIG. 5, a region A1 where a puzzle is displayed and a region A2 where the process of a battle between characters is displayed are separated on the game screen. For this reason, a battle with characters is only based on a secondary result of solving a puzzle, and a strategic characteristic and a sense of immersion when solving a puzzle are degraded.
It could therefore be helpful to provide a recording medium storing a game program capable of realizing a highly interesting strategic game with puzzles linked with battles between characters.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Fusion of neural networks is performed by obtaining a first neural network and a second neural network. The first and the second neural networks are the result of a parent neural network subjected to different training. A similarity score is calculated of a first component of the first neural network and a corresponding second component of the second neural network. An interpolation weight is determined for the first and the second components by using the similarity score. A neural network parameter of the first component is updated based on the interpolation weight and a corresponding neural network parameter of the second component to obtain a fused neural network.

The present invention relates to fusing neural networks. More specifically, the present invention relates to fusing two or more neural networks having different characteristics.
A machine learning model, such as a neural network, is trained to improve the accuracy of output of the model. In a technical field such as automatic speech recognition (ASR), several methods for combining models having different characteristics to obtain synergistic effects have been researched. For example, joint training of neural networks is a method that connects an output layer or a middle layer of one neural network to a layer of another neural network and trains the entire neural network including these neural networks. In other examples, there are methods to interpolate posterior probabilities obtained from several neural networks (posterior-level combination), or to select output by majority rule from several neural networks (output-level combination). However, these methods are computationally expensive as they require more resources than using a single neural network.

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


A pulsed fiber laser and associated electronics contained in a miniature package is disclosed. The Pulsed Fiber Laser Source (PFLS) can be a single-stage high gain master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) type fiber laser source. The PFLS can include a distributed feedback (DFB) laser, a narrowband optical filter, a broad area high-power pump diode, and Erbium/Ytterbium (Er/Yb) double cladding doped fiber. Input electrical pulses drive the DFB laser diode to emit optical pulses that are then amplified by the optical amplifier. Active and passive cooling elements may be incorporated for continuous operation without rest time. Passive cooling for intermittent pulsed applications allows the laser source to be miniaturized by eliminating active cooling elements and associated power supplies and controllers. Low duty cycle relaxes drive requirements and further reduces the size. The PFLS can be used for long distance ranging, communication by retro-modulation, and communication in presence of atmospheric attenuation.

Wireless signaling applications, including optical signaling applications, can be limited by the level of transmit power as well as the level of receiver sensitivity. Improving receiver sensitivity allows for greater link margins for a given transmit power level. Similarly, increasing the transmit power level can increase link margins for a given receiver sensitivity. Extremely high-power laser pulses can be used to improve the performance of many Free-Space Optical (FSO) applications. Examples of FSO applications include, but are not limited to, ranging to cooperative and non-cooperative targets, and communicating by retro-modulation at long ranges and in the presence of atmospheric attenuations.
Optical ranging can be performed, for example, in a system that transmits a modulated or pulsed optical signal towards a target. The system can then receive a signal reflected by the target. The system can determine a range based in part by determining the time for the optical signal to traverse the distance to the target and return. FSO communication systems can modulate an optical source with a data signal. A remote receiver can receive the optical signal to extract the data. Typical FSO communication systems use continuous wave (CW) or on-off keying (OOK) modulation because of their low-optical power.
However, most presently available high-power optical sources, such as those having output optical power levels on the order of kilo watts, have limited FSO applications because of their large sizes, high electrical power consumptions, and eye-safety constraints. A large physical size of an optical source can make the source unsuitable for portable applications. Similarly, high electrical power consumption makes the optical source unsuitable for mobile applications due to the size of an associated power source needed to supply electrical power to the unit. Furthermore, high power optical sources pose potential eye-safety hazards. Additional controls can be added to a high power optical source to help alleviate the eye-safety hazards. However, the additional controls used to satisfy eye-safety constraints typically compound the physical size and power consumption problems associated with presentaly available high power optical sources.
It is desirable to have a high power optical source that is capable of integration into a system for use in a portable application. It would be advantageous to maximize optical power while minimizing physical size and electrical power consumption. Additionally, such an optical source should satisfy safety constraints, such as those associated with eye safety.


A method for at least apparently reducing the effects of network lag is provided. For a networked interactive game system including at least one local game system and at least one remote game system, distributed game play of an interactive game with at least an apparent reduction of network lag at the local game system is allowed. An input command which was generated by a local user of the local game system that controls a local object is intercepted. Furthermore, at least state data of a remote object that was determined in a network simulation of a previous game frame is retrieved. Interaction data of the local object for a local simulation of an immediately previous game frame may also be retrieved. A local simulation of the first game frame is generated based on the input command, the state data, and the interaction data.

In most video games, a game engine runs according to the rules of the game taking into account user input and presenting an animated display that is responsive to the user input. For example, if the user presses a button that is a "jump" button according to the game rules, then the game engine would animate a character such that it appears to jump. The display of a video game is generally a video sequence presented to a display capable of displaying the video sequence. The video sequence typically comprises a plurality of frames. By showing frames in succession in sequence order, simulated objects appear to move. The game engine typically generates frames in real-time response to user input for non-networked game play, so rendering time is often constrained. As used herein, "frame" refers to an image of the video sequence.
Online video games and other interactive applications can involve multiple users who interact or communicate with each other. There is a demand to produce interactive video games with real-time capabilities for networked game play, that timely respond to a user's inputs such that the user's movement of a joystick causes a character in a scene to move and the movement appears to the user to be in real-time.
An issue for real-time systems in the context of networked game play is network latency. Network latency is the time required to deliver network packets from one node within the network to another node. In a client-server model, one host on the network, the server, acts as a central communications hub for all the other hosts or clients. Typically the server is authoritative, and is responsible for routing communication between the several clients. All game play information must first be communicated to the server before being relayed back to the client nodes. In these systems, each client node sends out user input signals to the server. The server collects user input data from all participating nodes, generates a simulation and/or state information of the objects within the game, and delivers the results to each client node. The back-and-forth communication and server-side processing required for each frame of the game can create problems that prevent the game from playing sufficiently fast. Essentially, all of the client nodes must wait for the simulation information to be provided by the server. The communications between the server and client(s) are also subject to network latency.
In the peer-to-peer networking topology, the client nodes in the network communicate directly with one another. Peer-to-peer applications largely distribute the responsibility for the simulation or application among the peers. Essentially, each peer node performs the same simulation as the other peer nodes. By performing the simulations locally, the peer nodes are not dependent on the simulation processing performed by the server of the client-server model. As a consequence of moving the responsibility of generating the simulations on the local systems, this topology requires synchronization to ensure the states between the peer nodes are in harmony. Typically, the synchronization of game states among the peer nodes necessitates the local node to generate a simulation for a particular frame only when inputs from all peer nodes are received for that frame. Thus, each peer node must wait for communication of input signals by other peers. Moreover, the communications between the peer nodes are also subject to network latency. To the extent network latency is noticeable to a user, real-time interactivity is impaired. Ideally, the user should not perceive any network lack of responsiveness.
In any networking scenario, the sending and receiving of inputs for each frame can produce large amounts of network traffic. Networks however have a limited capacity to convey information, and multiple computers and applications must share that limited resource. For example, networks such as the Internet connect several computers with network links having a limited bandwidth that is shared among the many computers, each of which wants to maximize its usage of available bandwidth. When attempted data rates exceed the network capacity to convey that data, the network congests and the effective network capacity becomes a small fraction of the theoretical capacity, producing network latency. Where latency is significant, interactive video games are impractical and interactions between users across the network are significantly degraded.

Local frame processing to apparently reduce network lag of multiplayer deterministic simulations


A differential gear unit has a pinion gear that can spin as well as revolve, a differential case that has a pinion retaining portion that supports the pinion gear, and a pair of side gears that mesh with the pinion gear. Frictional force generated at a portion where the pinion gear contacts the pinion retaining portion when the rotation speed of one side gear is faster than the rotation speed of the other side gear is different from the frictional force generated between the pinion gear and the pinion retaining portion when the rotation speed of the one side gear is slower than the rotation speed of the other side gear.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a differential gear unit, and more particularly, to a differential gear unit that uses a pinion gear.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2007-113747 (JP-A-2007-113747), for example, describes a related differential gear unit.
The differential gear unit described in JP-A-2007-113747 is a torque-sensitive differential gear unit in which pinion gears are retained by a differential case. However, with this differential gear unit there is the problem that differential-limiting force appropriate for the driving state of the vehicle is unable to be generated simply by limiting the differential based on torque.


A method and system for reducing Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) carrier tracking loop ambiguities comprising: receiving a plurality of GNSS satellite signals with a first antenna in operable communication with a first tracking device and a second antenna in communication with a second tracking device in at least one GNSS receiver; and sharing of data between the first tracking device and the second tracking device. The sharing is configured to facilitate a commonality in a carrier phase derived in the first and second tracking devices. The sharing also results in a cancellation of the commonality when a difference phase is formed between a carrier phase from the first tracking device and a carrier phase from the second tracking device.

The determination of the orientation of an object's axes relative to a reference system is often of interest. Depending on the application, the orientation and reference system may be in two dimensions (2D) or in three dimensions (3D). In the case of two-dimensional systems, terms such as azimuth, heading, elevation, pitch, and inclination may be used in place of attitude.
There are many techniques in use to measure 2D and 3D attitude. Common techniques include using a magnetic compass to reference the object of interest to the local gravitational field, optical techniques to reference the object of interest to an earth-based or star-based reference frame, accelerometers to measure relative attitude or changes in attitude, and optical and mechanical gyroscopes for also measuring relative attitude. The merits of each technique are best judged according to the specific application or use. Likewise, each technique also exhibits disadvantages that may include accuracy, cost, and ease of use.
Recently, attitude determination using highly accurate space-based radio navigation systems has become possible. Such a radio navigation system is commonly referred to as a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). A GNSS includes a network of satellites that broadcast radio signals, enabling a user to determine the location of a receiving antenna with a high degree of accuracy. To determine the attitude of an object, it is simply necessary to determine the position of two or more receiving antennas that have known placements relative to an object. Examples of GNSS systems include Navstar Global Positioning System (GPS), established by the United States; Globalnaya Navigatsionnay Sputnikovaya Sistema, or Global Orbiting Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS), established by the Russian Federation and similar in concept to GPS; and Galileo, also similar to GPS but created by the European Community and slated for full operational capacity in 2008.
Should it be necessary to improve the accuracy, reliability, or confidence level of an attitude or position determined through use of a GNSS, a Satellite-Based Augmentation System (SBAS) may be incorporated if one that is suitable is available. There are several public SBAS that work with GPS. These include Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS), developed by the United States' Federal Aviation Authority, European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS), developed by the European Community, as well as other public and private pay-for-service systems.
Currently the best-known of the available GNSS, GPS was developed by the United States government and has a constellation of 24 satellites in 6 orbital planes at an altitude of approximately 26,500 km. The first satellite was launched in February 1978. Initial Operational Capability (IOC) for the GPS was declared in December 1993. Each satellite continuously transmits microwave L-band radio signals in two frequency bands, L1 (1575.42 MHz) and L2 (1227.6 MHz). The L1 and L2 signals are phase shifted, or modulated, by one or more binary codes. These binary codes provide timing patterns relative to the satellite's onboard precision clock (synchronized to other satellites and to a ground reference through a ground-based control segment), in addition to a navigation message giving the precise orbital position of each satellite, clock correction information, and other system parameters.
The binary codes providing the timing information are called the C/A Code, or coarse acquisition code, and the P-code, or precise code. The C/A Code is a 1 MHz Pseudo Random Noise (PRN) code modulating the phase of the L1 signal and repeating every 1023 bits (one millisecond). The P-Code is also a PRN code, but modulates the phase of both the L1 and L2 signals and is a 10 MHz code repeating every seven days. These PRN codes are known patterns that can be compared to internal versions in the receiver. The GNSS receiver is able to compute an unambiguous range to each satellite by determining the time-shift necessary to align the internal code to the broadcast code. Since both the C/A Code and the P-Code have a relatively long "wavelength"—approximately 300 meters (or 1 microsecond) for the C/A Code and 30 meters (or 1/10 microsecond) for the P-Code, positions computed using them have a relatively coarse level of resolution.
To improve the positional accuracy provided by use of the C/A Code and the P-Code, a receiver may take advantage of the carrier component of the L1 or L2 signal. The term "carrier", as used herein, refers to the dominant spectral component remaining in the radio signal after the spectral content resulting from the modulating PRN digital codes has been removed (e.g., from the C/A Code and the P-Code). The L1 and L2 carrier signals have wavelengths of about 19 centimeters and 24 centimeters, respectively. The GPS receiver is able to track these carrier signals and measure the carrier phase to a small fraction of a complete wavelength, permitting range measurement to an accuracy of less than a centimeter.
A technique to improve accuracy is realized by differencing GPS range measurements—known as Differential GPS (DGPS). The combination of DGPS with precise measurements of carrier phase leads to differential position accuracies of less than one centimeter root-mean-squared (i.e., centimeter-level positioning). Such accuracies are sufficient to determine the attitude of an object with 2 or more GPS GNSS antennas, typically spaced from 0.2 meters to 2 meters apart.
Accurate differential carrier phase is a primary concern for attitude determination or other precise GNSS positioning. Carrier phase data is available by tracking the carrier phase on either the L1 or L2 GPS signal. Navigation data is BPSK modulated onto both the L1 and the L2 carrier at a 50 Hz rate and, as such, the input carrier phase is subject to a 180 degree phase reversal every 20 milliseconds and the absolute phase can be inverted. The data modulation is removed from the carrier by means of a tracking loop known as a Costas loop.
A Costas loop results in a 180 degree phase ambiguity. That is, the Costas loop is just as likely to phase lock so that the binary 1's come out as binary 0's, and vice versa. The 180 degree phase ambiguity is of concern since it introduces an ambiguity of ½ of a carrier wavelength in the measured carrier phase. The wavelength of the L1 carrier is about 19 cm and the ½ cycle ambiguity is thus equivalent to 9.5 cm of measured phase.
Typically, in GPS receivers, the ½ cycle ambiguity is resolved by looking at certain data bits within the navigation message that are of a known value. If the bit is inverted over its known value, then the Costas loop is locked to the opposite phase and ½ cycle's worth of phase must be added to (or subtracted from) the measured carrier phase in order to maintain whole cycle phase alignment. It is of little consequence whether the ½ cycle is added or subtracted from the measured phase since, regardless, a whole cycle ambiguity is still present that must be removed by methods such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,469,663 and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/243,112, entitled Attitude Determination Exploiting Geometry Constraints, to Whitehead et al., filed Oct. 4, 2005.
One problem that arises is that known data bits, such as those in the navigation message's preamble, arrive only so often. For example, the preamble itself is sent once every six seconds as the start of a 300 bit long sub-frame (see ICD-GPS-200). Other bits within the navigation message are known, or can be inferred from past data, but there are still many bits which are not known or which may not be predicted with 100% confidence. If the Costas loop is stressed (due to multipath fading, foliage attenuation, signal blockage, and the like) while the unknown bits are arriving, it may undergo a 180 degree phase shift that is not immediately detected. Hence, a ½ cycle error will arise in the measured phase that will persist until the next known data bit arrives. This may then reduce the accuracy in heading, pitch, or roll if the measured phase is used in an attitude determining device.
A further complication of a Costas loop is that the probability for a cycle slip is significantly higher when using a Costas loop as opposed to a conventional Phase Lock Loop (PLL). This is because the Costas loop is mathematically equivalent to a squaring loop that tracks the carrier phase at twice the carrier frequency. Phase tracking errors greater than 90 degrees may cause cycle slips in a Costas loop whereas phase errors of up to 180 degrees may be tolerated when using a PLL.
In an attitude system, such as that disclosed in Whitehead et al., the carrier phases arriving at two or more separate antennas are differenced with one another to create a differential carrier phase. The process of taking the difference cancels common mode errors such as satellite clock error and errors caused by propagation delays as the GNSS signal travels through the ionosphere and troposphere.
What is needed then is a Costas loop method that results in common ½ cycle ambiguity for carrier phases measured at both a master antenna and one or more slave antennas for a particular satellite. Being common, the ½ cycle ambiguity will cancel in the differential carrier phase.
Secondly, what is also needed is a method to make up for the loss of performance of a Costas loop over a conventional PLL. Again, since differencing is deployed, it is desirable that any cycle slips that arise on a carrier signal tracked from one antenna be present in the carrier signal tracked by a different antenna. Such cycle slips will cancel in the difference and will not affect the attitude or heading.
Thirdly, a method is needed that yields common, noise-induced effects in each individually tracked carrier phase so that the common-mode effects cancel in the differential carrier phase. A method with the aforementioned properties is applied to carrier tracking loops receiving data at two or more antennas that experience roughly similar motion or motion for which relative dynamic effects are low. The method further has the ability to track rapid clock-induced carrier phase when a common clock is employed.

Carrier track loop for GNSS derived attitude


Blood filtration devices and methods of filtering are disclosed. In part, a blood filtration device is provided comprising a housing defining an interior periphery. The device includes a rotating structure mounted within the interior periphery and defining with the housing an annular gap within the interior periphery, an inlet fluid path for allowing a blood product to flow into the annular gap, and the rotating structure including an exterior surface that includes a filter membrane. The filter membrane has a coating thereon comprising an insitu condensation product of a first electrophilically active, high molecular weight polyalkylene oxide and a second high molecular weight bifunctional diamino-polyoxyalkylene oxide derivative.

In processing whole blood for therapeutic administration to patients, it is desirable to separate the various cellular components. In particular, it is desirable to remove leukocytes because of their role in mediating immunologic reactions which can cause adverse clinical events such as allosensitization. For a review of adverse clinical sequellae to transfusion, see Sekiguchi, et al., Leucocyte-depleted blood products and their clinical usefulness, Ch. 5, pg. 26-33, from The Role of Leucocyte Depletion in Blood Transfusion Practice (1988). Furthermore, leukocytes are unessential for therapeutic supplementation of cell deficiencies in patients involving platelets and red cells. Thus, filter systems have been devised for passaging blood cells in order to remove leukocytes while allowing platelets or red blood to pass through for subsequent recovery.
There have been a number of approaches reported for leukocyte depletion. U.S. Pat. No. 4,330,410 discloses a packed fiber mass with leukodepletion properties comprising fibers of cellulose acetate, acrylonitrile, polyamide, or polyester. U.S. Pat. No. 4,925,572 discloses use of a gelatin coating to inhibit red blood cell (RBC) and platelet adhesion. Leukodepletion is accomplished primarily through physical entrainment of the cells in the fiber body, and adhesion of RBCs and platelets results from the gelatin coating. U.S. Pat. No. 4,936,998 discloses a strategy for leukodepletion in which a hydrophilic monomer containing hydroxyl or amido groups and functional nitrogen-containing groups such as primary or secondary amino groups is coated onto a filter matrix of known fibers such as polyester, polyamide, etc.
Modification of fiber surfaces has also been used to obtain materials with improved cell separation properties. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,130,642 discloses a packed column in which the packing material comprises an Egyptian cotton which has been de-fatted and bleached so that RBC readily pass through the column.
Some separation strategies involve multiple steps. U.S. Pat. No. 4,925,572 discloses a multistep method comprising an upstream porous element for removal of gels, a second element of finer porosity for removal of aggregated matter, and a final filtration step involving common fibers to which surface tension-reducing and improved wetting are obtained by radiation grafting of biocompatible moieties. Further description of leukodepletion methods is contained in Rikumaru, et al. Advanced methods for leucocyte removal by blood filtration, Ch. 6, pgs. 35-40, from The Role of Leucocyte Depletion in Blood Transfusion Practice (1988).
It is of utmost importance in designing leukodepletion strategies in which one goal is to obtain good recoveries of platelets and RBCS, to achieve separations without activating platelets or complement. It is also important that any coatings utilized to enhance the separations not be leached into solution, since the recovered cells are intended for intravascular administration to patients. One approach embodies a filter composed of a porous polymer material with continuous pore structure having a coating combining a nitrogen-containing functional group with a polyethylene oxide chain having 2-15 repeating units (See Jap. Kokai Patent Application No. Hei 5[1993]-194243). This material is said to entrap leukocytes while giving high yields of platelets.
The use of polyalkylene oxide polymers is well-known in the construction of biocompatible materials, because of its low biological activity in activating cellular and humoral components of blood, and in stimulating immune responses. However, the inertness of the polyalkylene oxide polymers may also interfere with the degree of separation that can be obtained with cell separation filters, unless combined with functional groups that enhance separation parameters. A suitable combination of coating components has not heretofore been developed which is efficacious for cell separations from whole blood as distinct from semi-purified cell suspension mixtures.

Blood cell separation devices having a membrane with particular coating


Methods and apparatus are provided for a charging receptacle lock. The method includes receiving a speed of the vehicle, and receiving sensor data indicating a position of a door covering a receptacle associated with the charging system of the vehicle. The receptacle adapted to receive a connecting device of an external power supply. The method includes outputting one or more control signals to move a lock pin associated with the receptacle between a first, extended position and a second, refracted position based on the speed of the vehicle and the position of the door.

Certain vehicles, such as electric or hybrid electric vehicles, include a charging receptacle that enables the vehicle to be connected to an external power supply. To reduce the chance of hardware damage, generally, the vehicle must be immobilized during the charging process. In certain instances, an electric park brake may be applied to immobilize the vehicle for charging, however, the electric park brake may not be effective to immobilize the vehicle for charging in all situations.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide improved systems and methods for charging an electric or hybrid electric vehicle, which ensures immobilization in all charging situations. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.

Systems and methods for charging receptacle lock


A voltage generation circuit comprises a reference voltage generation circuit; a differential amplifier; an output node; a P-channel MOS transistor; a first resistor series; a second resistor series; a third resistor series; and a selection control circuit. A reference voltage generated by the reference voltage generation circuit is input to a first input terminal of the differential amplifier. The first resistor series is connected between a drain of the P-channel MOS transistor and the output node. The second resistor series is connected between the output node and a second input terminal of the differential amplifier. The third resistor array is connected between the second input terminal of the differential amplifier and a ground. The selection control circuit controls such that a sum of the resistances of the first resistor series and the second resistor series is constant.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a voltage generation circuit for generating a plurality of voltages in a stepped-up manner and a semiconductor memory device including the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional semiconductor memory device generates a voltage necessary for writing, erasing or reading data by an internal voltage generation circuit within a chip since the power has now become provided by a single power supply. The internal voltage generation circuit is constructed to be capable of setting a plurality of voltage levels in a stepped-up manner.
The internal voltage generation circuit includes a voltage adjusting circuit for adjusting a power externally provided to a desired output voltage level.
For setting a plurality of voltage levels in a stepped-up manner, a conventional semiconductor memory device requires as many transfer gates as voltage levels to be set (see, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2001-242949).

Voltage generation circuit and semiconductor memory device including the same


An apparatus for providing self-aligned optical coupling between an opto-electronic substrate and a fiber array, where the substrate is enclosed by a transparent lid such that the associated optical signals enter and exit the arrangement through the transparent lid. The apparatus takes the form of a two-part connectorized fiber array assembly where the two pieces uniquely mate to form a self-aligned configuration. A first part, in the form of a plate, is attached to the transparent lid in the area where the optical signals pass through. The first plate includes a central opening with inwardly-tapering sidewalls surrounding its periphery. A second plate is also formed to include a central opening and has a lower protrusion with inwardly-tapering sidewalls that mate with the inwardly-tapering sidewalls of the first plate to form the self-aligned connectorized fiber array assembly. The fiber array is then attached to the second plate in a self-aligned fashion.

Many types of opto-electronic modules comprise a number of separate optical and electrical components that require precise placement relative to one another. A silicon (or glass) carrier substrate (sometimes referred to as an interposer) is generally used as a support structure to fix the location of the components and may, at times, also provide the desired electrical or optical signal paths between selected components. As the components are being assembled on the interposer, active optical alignment may be required to ensure that the integrity of the optical signal path is maintained. In most cases, a "lid" is placed over and attached to the populated interposer substrate to enclose the assembly.
The optical input/output paths to the assembly are generally maintained along a common plane, with a fiber array containing several individual fibers typically used as the optical signal path between the interposer and the external communication environment. Most configurations utilize a fiber array and connector assembly that need to be aligned with an associated opto-electronic module on an individual basis. An active alignment process is generally used to attach the fiber array to the module's enclosed interposer, with the two components moved relative to one another until an optimum amount of coupled optical power is recognized.
There are situations, however, where it would be preferable to utilize a passive coupling arrangement that automatically aligns the fiber array with the interposer upon attachment (i.e., self-aligned) and, perhaps, is also able to be removed and re-inserted while maintaining the integrity of the alignment.

Self-aligning optical connector assembly


Apparatuses and methods for temperature and process corner sensitive control of power gated domains are described. An example apparatus includes an internal circuit; a power supply line; and a power gating control circuit which responds, at least in part, to a first change from a first state to a second state of a control signal to initiate supplying a power supply voltage from the power supply line to the internal circuit, and continue supplying the power supply voltage from the power supply line to internal circuit for at least a timeout period from a second change from the second state to the first state of the control signal, in which the timeout period represent temperature dependency.

High performance and reduced power consumption are important factors for semiconductor devices, especially for mobile applications. For various integrated circuit (IC) components, power gating has emerged as a technique for mitigating subthreshold leakage in low threshold voltage transistors, logic blocks, circuits, and other devices. In a power gated configuration, groups of transistors, logic blocks, circuits, etc. may be selectively coupled and decoupled from a power supply. In this way, the specific groups of transistors, logic blocks, circuits, etc. may be selectively provided power on an individual basis, as controlled by a power gating circuit. Typically, the power gating circuit couples each of the groups via low leakage, high threshold voltage switches, such as a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) switch, controlled by power gating controllers. For example, a low-leakage P-type metal-oxide-semiconductor (PHOS) transistor may be utilized as a header switch to shut off first supply voltage to the parts of a circuit in a standby state, while a low-leakage N-type metal-oxide-semiconductor (NMOS) transistor may be used as a sleep transistor shutting off second supply voltage.

Systems, methods, and apparatuses for temperature and process corner sensitive control of power gated domains


Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a touch display panel and a touch display apparatus, which can reduce a width of a bezel of the touch display apparatus and meet a requirement for a narrow bezel of the touch display apparatus. The touch display panel comprises: a plurality of first electrode lines disposed in a first direction; a FPC located above or below a display area; and first electrode wirings each electrically connected to the respective first electrode line correspondingly, wherein each of the first electrode wirings is led from a side of the display area which is close to the FPC and is electrically connected to the FPC. In this solution according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, each of the first electrode wirings is directly led from the side of the display area which is close to the FPC and would not occupy a width of a bezel; therefore the bezel of the touch display apparatus can be designed as narrower, which greatly meets the requirement for the narrow bezel of the touch display apparatus.

As compared with a keyboard and a mouse, a touch display panel provides better convenience to users as an inputting media. In various touch display panel, a mutual-capacitance touch display panel is more and more popular in consumers because of its advantages of high sensitivity and multi-point array touching.
The mutual-capacitance touch display panel comprises a group of driving electrode lines and a group of detecting electrode lines disposed as being intersected and insulated with each other, and it needs (m+n) electrode wirings to be electrically connected to a Flexible Printed Circuit (FPC) if there are n driving electrode lines and m detecting electrode lines, wherein n is a natural number being greater than 1, and m is a natural number being greater than 1. Its basic principle is as follows: applying a voltage to the driving electrode line and detecting a variation in a signal on the detecting electrode line. An X-direction coordinate is determined by the driving electrode line while a Y-direction coordinate is determined by the detecting electrode line. As detecting, the driving electrode lines in the X-direction are scanned row-by-row, the signal on each of the detecting electrode lines is read when each row of driving electrode lines is scanned, and all intersection points at each row and column can be scanned by one round of scanning, and thus m*n signals are obtained totally. Such a detection method can determine coordinates of a plurality of points in detail, and therefore a multi-point touch can be realized. Its equivalent circuit model comprises, as illustrated in FIG. 1, a signal source 101, a resistance 103 of a driving electrode line, a mutual-capacitance 102 between the driving electrode line and a detecting electrode line, a parasitic capacitance 104 between the driving electrode line, the detecting electrode line and a common electrode layer, a resistance 105 of the detecting electrode line, and a detection circuit 106. When a finger touches, a part of current flows into the finger, which is equivalent to the change in the mutual-capacitance between the driving electrode line and the detecting electrode line, so that the coordinates of the multiple points can be determined by detecting a slight change in the current caused thereby at a detection end.
As illustrated in FIG. 2, in an existing touch display panel, each of the driving electrode lines 11 is electrically connected to the FPC 15 below a display area 14 via a respective electrode wiring 13 located in a bezel area 12. The issue in the know panel is in that the electrode wirings are disposed in the bezel area and occupy a certain width of the bezel, which impairs a trend of narrow bezel for the touch display apparatus and can not meet the requirements for a narrow bezel of the touch display apparatus.

Touch display panel and touch display apparatus

Beijing BOE Optoelectronics Technologies Co., Ltd.


A visual markup to voice markup transcoding system, method and machine readable storage. The basic method can include identifying at least one heading in visual markup; creating a corresponding menu item in voice markup; further creating a text block in the voice markup for text associated with the identified heading; and, linking the text block with the menu item in the voice markup. Additional headings can be identified in the visual markup; and, each of the creating, further creating and linking steps can be repeated for each identified additional heading. Notably, the visual markup can be formatted according to the hypertext markup language (HTML), and the voice markup is formatted according to the voice extensible markup language (VXML).

1. Statement of the Technical Field
The present invention relates to markup transcoding and more particularly to transcoding visual markup into voice markup.
2. Description of the Related Art
The graphical user interface (GUI) transformed modern computing by providing a man-machine interface which could facilitate computer-human interactions regardless of the expertise of the end user. In consequence, visually accessible applications, including Web browsers, have provided a vehicle through which vast quantities of data can be presented and randomly digested by end-users. Vocally accessible applications, by comparison, have not experienced the same accelerated growth. Specifically, the physical limitations of the audio user interface (AUI) inhibit the comprehension of data which has not been presented in sequence. Rather, most voice applications are limited to the serial presentation data.
Traditional voice applications have incorporated an AUI based upon a menu-structure. These traditional voice applications more often than not provide static data from a fixed hierarchical menu format. Though difficult to program, once implemented the traditional voice application can be quite effective, though limited merely to static data. To enjoy the same advantages of visually accessible applications, however, voice applications ought to capitalize on data which can be captured from a variety of dynamically changing data sources, including those data sources disposed about the Internet.
Unlike the case of those voice applications which incorporate strictly static data, however, in the case of voice applications which incorporate dynamic data, the traditional fixed menu structure can prove problematic. Moreover, even when dynamic data is incorporated in a menu-based scheme, the dynamic data typically is authored directly from the data source into voice application markup, for instance using VoiceXML. Clearly, the cost of ownership of such an application proportionally relates to the maintenance of a link between the data source and the voice markup.
To facilitate the maintenance of dynamically changing data source links, transcoding processes both have been proposed and implemented, as is described in Michael K. Brown, Stephen C. Glinski, Brian C. Schmult, Web Page Analysis for Voice Browsing (2000). In a conventional transcoding process, a set of rules can be applied to a source document, each rule facilitating the transformation of markup from one format to another. For example, in a conventional transcoding process, hypertext markup language can be converted to VoiceXML. In particular, as described both in United States Patent Application Publication No. US 2001/0037405 A1 and also in U.S. patent application Publication No. US 2002/0007379 A1, elements in an HTML document can be matched to corresponding elements in the target wireless markup language (WML) document.
Though transcoding can be an effective technology for routinely transforming ordinary content from one type of markup formatting to another, transcoding in of itself cannot resolve the problem of effectively presenting randomly positioned content in a visual application within the menu-based structure of an AUI in a vocally accessible application. More particularly, Web pages typically are two-dimensional and graphically oriented. Web pages capitalize on the ability of the human eye to access data randomly in a visual document using graphical cues such as image, color and tabular layout to attract attention.
The random placement of content in an AUI, however, does not lend itself well to the listener who must digest data sequentially as it is read, not randomly as the eye perceives the content. In particular, the relatively short attention span of the average end-user, when combined with the inability of the end-user to quickly re-scan input in a voice application menu structure can inhibit the retention of audibly comprehensible content. In consequence, what is needed is an improved system and methodology for transcoding visual content into voice content so that the listener can easily navigate to the most pertinent information.

Deriving menu-based voice markup from visual markup

International Business Machines Corporation


A method for the electrochemical synthesis of dinitro compounds is disclosed. The method comprises using an anode to oxidize an inactive chemical mediator, such as a ferrocyanide (Fe(CN)6−4) ion, to an active chemical mediator or oxidizing agent, such as a ferricyanide (Fe(CN)6−3) ion, in the presence of a differential voltage. The oxidizing agent reacts with a nitro compound and a nitrite ion to form a geminal dinitro compound. The anode may continuously oxidize ferrocyanide to regenerate active ferricyanide, thus keeping sufficient amounts of ferricyanide available for reaction.

Geminal dinitro compounds are precursors for energetic plasticizers used in the manufacture of explosive materials and propellant compositions for defense and industrial applications. For example, 2,2-dinitro-1-propanol (DNPOH) is used in the synthesis of energetic plasticizer compounds, such as bis(dinitropropyl)-acetal (BDNPA) and bis(2,2-dinitropropyl)-acetal/bis(2,2-dinitropropyl)formal (BDNPF). Geminal dinitro compounds may be synthesized from a nitroparaffin starting material. The synthesis of the geminal dinitro compound DNPOH from the nitroparaffin starting material 2-nitroethane involves the following two chemical reactions:CH3CH2NO2+NO2−→CH3CH(NO2)2  (Reaction 1)CH3CH(NO2)2+H2CO→CH3CH(NO2)2CH2OH  (Reaction 2)As shown in Reaction 1, 2-nitroethane is converted to 1,1-dinitroethane by oxidative nitration of the nitro substituted carbon. Condensation of 1,1-dinitroethane with formaldehyde results in the formation of DNPOH, as shown in Reaction 2. Reaction 2 is a well established reaction having yields exceeding 95%.
The oxidative nitration of the nitroparaffin shown in Reaction 1 is an industrially significant reaction in the synthesis of geminal dinitro compounds. One method of forming geminal dinitro compounds is by chemical oxidation of the 2-nitroethane. The oxidizing source for the nitration reaction is conventionally provided by a primary chemical oxidizer. As the primary chemical oxidizer is used during the reaction, a secondary chemical oxidizer is used to regenerate the primary chemical oxidizer to perform additional reactions. Thus, formation of geminal dinitro compounds by chemical oxidation results in a large volume of corrosive, inorganic salt waste. Moreover, the reaction volume is limited by the amount of chemical oxidizer available.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,997,504 to Shechter et al. describes a method of preparing a gem polynitro compound by reacting a nitronate salt and silver or mercury ions. The nitronate salt of a primary or secondary nitroparaffin is reacted with silver nitrate and an inorganic nitrite to produce a geminal dinitro compound and metallic silver.
C. M. Wright and D. R. Levering, "Electrolytic Preparation of Gem-Dinitroparaffins," Tetrahedron, 19(Suppl. 1):3-15 (1963), describes an electrolytic process for the preparation of geminal dinitroparaffins via electrolytic oxidative substitution of a nitro compound salt using a silver (Ag) mediator as follows:R C—NO2+Ag+→RĊ—NO2+Ag0  (Reaction 3)RĊ—NO2+NO2−→RC—(NO2)2−  (Reaction 4)RC—(NO2)2−+Ag+→RC—(NO2)2+Ag0  (Reaction 5)The silver anode is electrolytically oxidized to generate silver ions which react with nitrite ions and ethylnitronate ions to form 1,1-dinitroethane and silver metal, as shown in Reaction 3. This initial electron transfer creates a radical from the nitroparaffin ion. Nucleophilic attack on this radical by a nitrite ion (NO2−) generates a dinitro-intermediate, such as that shown in Reaction 4. The dinitro-intermediate is oxidized to the geminal dinitro compound, as shown in Reaction 5.
After prolonged electrolysis, the deterioration of the silver anode and precipitation of silver powder in the bottom of the anode compartment was observed. Thus, this electrolytic process may be impractical for industrial use due to the high cost of the silver consumed during the reaction.
Komblum et al., "Oxidative Substitution of Nitroparaffin Salts," J. Org. Chem, 48:332-337 (1983) describes that α,α-dinitro compounds, α-nitro sulfones, and α-nitro nitriles are obtained when nitroparaffin salts are coupled to nitrite, benzenesulfinate, and cyanide ions by the agency of potassium ferricyanide. The amount of potassium ferrocyanide limits the amount of dinitro compound that may be synthesized.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,910,322 to Grakauskas et al., describes a method for converting nitroalkanes to gem-dinitro compounds using oxidative nitration. An organic nitro compound is reacted with a source of nitrite ions in the presence of a chemical oxidizing agent, such as sodium persulfate (Na2S2O8) and potassium persulfate (K2S208), and a catalytic amount of an alkali metal ferricyanide. The chemical oxidizing agent is consumed during the reaction, adding additional expense and creating substantial waste to the process.
Despite the existence of methods known in the art for chemically synthesizing geminal dinitro compounds, there remains a need in the art for methods that produce substantial yields of geminal dinitro compounds while reducing or eliminating waste and expense. Thus, improved methods of performing oxidative nitration reactions are desirable.

Methods for performing electrochemical nitration reactions


A guard ring having a center bore mounts on a face of a spindle of a machine tool having a taper socket drive, and a bore for receiving and driving a tool holder. A drive between the guard ring and the tool holder engages before a power drawbar of the machine tool spindle engages the tool holder. The guard ring is of an axial length such that the tool holder is within the center bore of the guard ring before the tool holder is driven by the power drawbar of the machine tool.

The present invention relates to a guard ring used during coupling of a tool holder to a power drawbar of a machine tool spindle that shields the facing surfaces of a tool flange and spindle face that move together as the tool holder is tightened in place.
Presently machine tools using a standard taper drive tool system with a power drawbar to pull the tool holder and tool into the tapered socket on the spindle. The tool holder has a flange that surrounds the tapered shank of the tool holder which moves close to contact with the spindle face. The space between the flange and surface is close enough to pinch a careless finger.
Another problem with a standard tool system is that the power drawbar can rotate the tool holder when the threads of the drawbar and tool holder engage, which in the standard system, is before the tool holder is drivably engaged with the spindle. Particularly if the threads bind, the torque on the tool holder can cause it to spin and release from hand holding force.
Thus a guard for that not only covers the gap under the spindle face but also provides driving engagement between the spindle and tool before the drawbar and tool holder threads engage eliminates those problems.


An oxidation ditch wastewater treatment and denitrification system is provided, comprising an oxidation ditch, including a central channel, having an inlet end, an outlet end, a bottom and two sidewalls; an aeration channel, having an inlet end fluidly connected to the outlet end of the central channel, an outlet end fluidly connected to the inlet end of the central channel, a bottom and two sidewalls; and a denitrification channel, having an inlet end fluidly connected to the outlet end of the central channel, an outlet end fluidly connected to the inlet end of the central channel, a bottom and two sidewalls; an aerator, positioned in the aeration channel; and at least one circulation device, positioned in the oxidation ditch and adapted to circulate wastewater from the inlet end of the central channel to the outlet end of the central channel, from the inlet end of the aeration channel to the outlet end of the aeration channel, and from the inlet end of the denitrification channel to the outlet end of the denitrification channel.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to oxidation ditch wastewater treatment systems and, more particularly, to oxidation ditch wastewater treatment systems which address denitrification of wastewater.
2. Prior Art
Due to the desire to more completely treat wastewater before discharging it back into the ecosystem, an increasing emphasis has been placed on the removal of primary aquatic nutrients, phosphorus and nitrogen, during the wastewater treatment process. Because of increased concerns over nitrogen compounds released in wastewater treatment plant effluent, governmental nitrification requirements are being implemented more broadly than phosphorus removal.
In an oxidation ditch activated sludge wastewater treatment; system, wastewater is circulated around a continuous oxidation ditch, with air being added at some point in the ditch in order to encourage microorganisms to aerobically decompose the waste in the wastewater. The circulating aerated wastewater is known as mixed liquor. Typically, aeration is provided by devices such as vertical turbines, brush rotors, or air diffusors, which are positioned at a convenient point in the ditch. During aerobic decomposition the microorganisms utilize oxygen in the decomposition of the waste. Very little biological activity takes place with regard to nitrogen compounds during aerobic decomposition. However, as the mixed liquor moves away from the aeration device and oxygen is depleted by the microorganisms, an anoxic zone develops in a small portion of the mixed liquor in the ditch just prior to the point of aeration. If the influent to the system enters at the upstream limit of the anoxic zone, some of the wastewater carbon source is used for denitrification in the anoxic zone, with the microorganisms feeding on the nitrogen compounds in lieu of the absent oxygen compounds.
The limit of the anoxic zone is a function of the dissolved oxygen in the ditch, which varies according to the characteristics of the influent and the amount of aeration provided. Because of this variance, as well as the fact that the activated sludge process must typically strive to achieve a high dissolved oxygen content, the single anoxic zone is unable to achieve adequate nitrogen removal. Further, if intrachannel clarification is employed in the oxidation ditch, the anoxic zone can be in the area of the ditch used for intrachannel clarification. Denitrification can then occur within the intrachannel clarifier, with the released nitrogen gas causing sludge to float within the clarifier. Thus, external nitrogen removal systems are used in conjunction with the oxidation ditch. These external systems, such as batch reactor systems, require equipment, land and tank capacity external to the ditch as well as additional energy to establish flow between the oxidation ditch and the nitrogen removal system.

Oxidation ditch wastewater treatment and denitrification system


According to a presently preferred embodiment of the present invention, a method for processing a incoming signal comprising the steps of selecting from a first signal a first plurality of bits of signal information to be processed, selecting from a second signal a second plurality of bits of signal information to be processed, reading the first plurality of bits of signal information into contiguous memory space so as to form a first word, reading the second plurality of bits of signal information into contiguous memory space so as to form a second word, causing a first logical AND operation to be performed on the second word with a mask, causing a first logical OR operation between the first word and the complement of the mask, causing a first EXCLUSIVE OR operation between the first word and the complement of the second word, causing a second logical AND operation between the results of the first EXCLUSIVE OR operation and the complement of the mask, subtracting the results of the first logical AND operation from the results of the first logical OR operation, and causing a second EXCLUSIVE OR operation to be performed on said results of the first subtraction operation with the results of the second AND operation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus useable for the real-time processing of video signals and other signals requiring digital processing.
2. The Background Art
With the rise in demand for increasingly complex electronic devices, such as computers performing video signal processing functions, it is often required that large quantities of data be manipulated by common operations, to lighten or darken an image, merge two images together, etc.
Signals requiring manipulation often contain a great deal of information, such as when an NTSC signal is being operated upon to produce various effects. A digital NTSC signal produces approximately 10.4 million pixels per second, and each pixel contains information for three colors, red, green, and blue. Thus, a digital NTSC signal results in more than 31 million pieces of digital data per second.
A typical computer CPU speed of 200 MHz having to process more than 30 million pieces of digital video data per second, results in less than seven CPU clock cycles available each second for processing each color component for each pixel. In order to provide a smooth transition during real-time video processing, it is necessary that processing of each frame be completed prior to its display. Thus, speed of processing is extremely important in real-time signal processing applications.
In modern day computers, memory operations are the slowest operations performed, with the typical read or store operation requiring a full clock cycle in which to be executed. With the number of operations being performed on a real time video signal as seen above, it is critical that even the most simple operations be performed in the most efficient manner. However, signal processing systems, though useful for their intended purposes, often do not optimize processing functions so that memory operations are minimized. It would therefore be beneficial to provide a signal processing system and methods for its use which perform specialized processing functions while minimizing the number of transfers into and out of memory.
In addition to limiting the number of memory operations performed, it is often desirable to reduce the number of discrete operations performed in a given period of time. Typically, repetitive operations are performed sequentially rather than in parallel. Performing signal processing operations on many bytes of simultaneously often reduces the amount of time required to perform those signal processing operations on the entire set of data as compared to the amount of time which might be required to perform those same operations when performed sequentially. It would therefore be beneficial to provide an apparatus and method which processes several bytes of data simultaneously.
In video processing operations, such as when decoding a video signal using the MPEG-II compression standard, or when scaling or rotating images, it is necessary to combine the incoming signal being processed with other internally generated signal data in order to achieve a given result. The present invention is only concerned with the difference of two signals when the overflow that may result is ignored, such as when subtracting the angular component of one vector from another.
In the prior art, 8-bit signal information from the incoming signal, such as pixel information, was subtracted from other 8-bit information, one 8-bit byte at a time. This method, while use for its intended purposes, utilizes the processor inefficiently, and fails to optimize memory operations.
In the discussion that follows, memory refers to any memory used by a Central Processing Unit to perform operations. The data being manipulated is typically real-time graphical image data, but may instead be any type of signal data requiring similar processing.
To illustrate the method of the prior art, a difference will be computed using a first set of four 8-bit bytes of signal data such as pixel information and subtracting from it a second set of four 8-bit bytes, resulting in a difference output.
FIG. 1 is a flow chart of the prior art method of computing a difference of one set of signal data from another set of signal data, each set comprising four 8-bit bytes each.
Referring to FIG. 1, at step 10, a data byte from the first group of signal data is loaded into memory. At step 12, a data byte from the second group of data is loaded into memory. Step 14 then subtracts the data byte in the second group from the data byte from the first group, ignoring any overflow condition. The method proceeds at step 16 when the processor causes the result of step 16 to be written into memory. The method continues at step 18 where it is determined if all four differences have been computed. If not, the method proceeds again with step 10. If yes, the method ends.
In order to compute the difference of the two signals as seen above, one memory operation was required for the loading of each data byte, for a total of eight load operations. A total of four subtraction operations were required to compute the differences, and a total of 4 store operations were required to store each result into memory. Since each memory operation takes approximately one clock cycle to complete, the entire method of computing the differences of the two signals using the prior art method requires a minimum of 16 operations being performed in no less than twelve clock cycles.

Apparatus and method for computing a difference in a digital processing system


Embodiments of the invention relate to an error concealment unit for providing an error concealment audio information for concealing a loss of an audio frame in an encoded audio information. The error concealment unit provides a first error concealment audio information component for a first frequency range using a frequency domain concealment. The error concealment unit also provides a second error concealment audio information component for a second frequency range, which includes lower frequencies than the first frequency range, using a time domain concealment. The error concealment unit also combines the first error concealment audio information component and the second error concealment audio information component, to obtain the error concealment audio information. Other embodiments of the invention relate to a decoder including the error concealment unit, as well as related encoders, methods, and computer programs for decoding and/or concealing.

In recent years there is an increasing demand for a digital transmission and storage of audio contents. However, audio contents are often transmitted over unreliable channels, which brings along the risk that data units (for example, packets) comprising one or more audio frames (for example, in the form of an encoded representation, like, for example, an encoded frequency domain representation or an encoded time domain representation) are lost. In some situations, it would be possible to request a repetition (resending) of lost audio frames (or of data units, like packets, comprising one or more lost audio frames). However, this would typically bring a substantial delay, and would therefore involve an extensive buffering of audio frames. In other cases, it is hardly possible to request a repetition of lost audio frames.
In order to obtain a good, or at least acceptable, audio quality given the case that audio frames are lost without providing extensive buffering (which would consume a large amount of memory and which would also substantially degrade real time capabilities of the audio coding) it is desirable to have concepts to deal with a loss of one or more audio frames. In particular, it is desirable to have concepts which bring along a good audio quality, or at least an acceptable audio quality, even in the case that audio frames are lost.
Notably, a frame loss implies that a frame has not been properly decoded (in particular, not decoded in time to be output). A frame loss can occur when a frame is completely undetected, or when a frame arrives too late, or in case that a bit error is detected (for that reason, the frame is lost in the sense that it is not utilizable, and shall be concealed). For these failures (which can be held as being part of the class of "frame losses"), the result is that it is not possible to decode the frame and it is needed to perform an error concealment operation.
In the past, some error concealment concepts have been developed, which can be employed in different audio coding concepts.
A conventional concealment technique in advanced audio codec (AAC) is noise substitution [1]. It operates in the frequency domain and is suited for noisy and music items.
Notwithstanding, it has been acknowledged that, for speech segments, frequency domain noise substitution often produces phase discontinuities which end up in annoying "click"-artefacts in the time domain.
Therefore, an ACELP-like time domain approach can be used for speech segments (e.g., TD-TCX PLC in [2] or [3]), determined by a classifier.
One problem with time domain concealment is the artificial generated harmonicity on the full frequency range. An annoying "beep"-artefacts can be produced.
Another drawback of time domain concealment is the high computational complexity in comparison to error-free decoding or concealing with noise substitution.

Hybrid concealment method: combination of frequency and time domain packet loss concealment in audio codecs

Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.


An antenna assembly includes an antenna. The antenna assembly includes at least one interrupted loop or rod of electrically conducting material and a printed circuit board (PCB). At least a part of the PCB together with the at least one interrupted loop or rod of electrically conducting material forms the antenna.

An antenna is a transducer designed to transmit and/or receive radio waves. That is, an antenna converts radio frequency electrical currents into electromagnetic waves and vice versa. Physically, an antenna is an arrangement of one or more electrical conductors that is arranged to generate a radiating electromagnetic field in response to an applied alternating voltage and the associated alternating electric current, or that can be placed in an electromagnetic field so that the field will induce an alternating current in the antenna and a voltage between its terminals.
Portable radio communication electronic devices, such as mobile phones, typically include an antenna that is connected to electrically conducting tracks or contacts on a printed circuit board by soldering or welding. Manufacturers of such electronic devices are under constant pressure to reduce the physical size, weight and cost of the devices and improve their electrical performance. This low cost requirement dictates that the electronic device and its antenna should be simple and inexpensive to manufacture and assemble. An antenna, such as a coil-type antenna, may however be quite complex, time-consuming and costly to manufacture. Soldering or welding an antenna to a printed circuit board may also be a complex, time-consuming and costly process, especially if antenna space is less than optimal. Furthermore, soldered and welded connections are prone to failure during the manufacture and use of the device. These failures (caused by vibration, shock, thermal or mechanical stress) result in higher manufacturing costs due to the higher number of rejects occurring during the manufacture of the devices and in higher costs due to warranty claims and customer dissatisfaction when the devices are in use.


A touch panel (4) and an operation part (30) are provided on display means (2). A permanent magnet (52) is mounted on a push button (32), and a magnetic metal plate (58) is mounted on a support frame (36). When the push button (32) starts to be pushed down toward the touch panel (4), the push button (32) moves toward the touch panel (4) against magnetic attractive force of the permanent magnet (52) and the magnetic metal plate (58), and an operation forward end part (46) operates a touch switch (4a). Stroke feeling results from this movement. Further, the aforementioned magnetic attractive force abruptly reduces in an initial period of this movement, and an operator of the push button (32) can attain click feeling. Since the stroke feeling and the click feeling are caused in the operation of the push button (32), operability is improved while making the best use of such an advantage that the touch panel (4) is of a thin type.

A touch panel is well-known in the art as a typical switch of a thin type. In brief, the touch panel is a panel-type switch which has at least one switch part and can operate it with a substantially zero push-in stroke, or a panel-type switch having at least one switch part which can be operated by touching or lightly pushing the same.
In relation to touch panels, there are 1) a resistor film type (this is also called a transparent electrode type. Identical for the rest) opposing upper and lower transparent electrodes to each other between a transparent thin plate with a small space, 2) a photoelectric type cutting off or damping light outgoing from a light emitting device and entering a photodetector with a finger or the like, 3) an ultrasonic wave type of cutting off or damping ultrasonic waves outgoing from an ultrasonic oscillation device and entering a receiving device, and the like.
A touch panel 4 shown in FIG. 1 is of the resistor film type, and in brief, it is formed by providing at least one switch part which is turned on by being pushed from the exterior lightly (namely, with a substantially zero stroke) between transparent thin plates. In detailed description, this touch panel 4 is formed by superposing a transparent thin plate 10 having a plurality of opening portions 12 on a transparent thin plate 6 which is formed with a transparent electrode 8 on its upper surface, and superposing a transparent thin plate 16 which is formed with a transparent electrode 18 on its lower surface further thereon. The transparent electrodes 8 and 18 may be a plurality of stripy electrodes which are perpendicular to each other, or one electrode, e.g., the transparent electrode 18 may be a plurality of electrodes and the other electrode, e.g., the transparent electrode 8 may be a common electrode. The transparent thin plates 6 and 16 have flexibility since the same are thin plates. However, the lower transparent thin film 6 may not have flexibility.
Switch parts 4a are formed in portions of the respective opening portions 12, and when the portion of a desired opening portion 12 is lightly pushed from the transparent thin plate 16 side in this example, the transparent thin plate 16 and the transparent electrode 18 in the pushed portion are deflected so that the transparent electrode 18 comes into contact with the lower transparent electrode 8 through the opening portion 12 to be electrically turned on. However, the size, shape, number etc. of the respective switch parts 4a are arbitrary, and a plurality of small switch parts 4a may be electrically connected in parallel with each other to be employed as a single integrated switch part.
It is possible to form a display panel with switches by superposing such a touch panel 4 on a display panel 2 having an information display function as shown in FIG. 2, for example. Such a display panel with switches is disclosed in JP-U-61,723 (1986), for example. The display panel 2 is typically a liquid crystal display.
On the display panel 2, display regions 2a displaying contents selected by operation of the switch parts 4a such as control contents in an FA apparatus, destinations in a ticket-vending machine or the like, for example, are formed around lower portions of the switch parts 4a of the touch panel 4 in general, as shown in FIG. 3, for example. Thus, selection-operation of a desired switch part 4a is made easy.
The aforementioned touch panel 4 has such an advantage that the same is extremely thin with a thickness of about 1 mm at the most as a whole, while there is such a problem that the push-in stroke for the switch part 4a is extremely small at about zero (in more concrete terms, about 0.1 to 0.2 mm) and hence displacement thereof cannot be recognized by a human finger and hence "stroke feeling" of operating the switch parts 4a cannot be attained. The stroke feeling is also called "operation feeling".
When the stroke feeling cannot be attained, the person who has operated any switch part 4a may feel so uneasy that he repeatedly and excessively strongly presses/operates the switch part 4a although the switch part 4a has already been turned on since he has felt no operation of the switch part 4a. Particularly when he pushes it with a globe, he can attain absolutely no stroke feeling.
The aforementioned photoelectric and ultrasonic wave type touch panels are also operated by touching surfaces thereof etc. with a finger (i.e., with a zero push-in stroke), and hence stroke feeling cannot be attained.
A display panel with switches shown in FIG. 4 is proposed as that solving the problem of such a stroke feeling shortage of the touch panel. Such a technique is disclosed in JP-A-644,857 (1994), for example.
This display panel with switches has a structure obtained by providing a switching unit 20 on each display region 2a of the aforementioned display panel 2 respectively.
Each switching unit 20 comprises a housing 22, a transparent push button 24, a switching mechanism 26 which is operated by this push button 24, and an image guide 28. The switching mechanism 26 has an electrical contact and a return spring for returning this electrical contact and the push button 24 (both are not shown). The image guide 28 is formed by bundling and integrating a plurality of optical fibers, whereby the display content of the display panel 2 can be floated up to an upper surface of this image guide 28. Such an image guide 28 is provided, for the purpose of preventing such a situation that the distance between the surface of the display panel 2 and the push button 24 inevitable increases due to the provision of the switching mechanism 26 and the display content of the display panel 2 is displayed in a considerably deep portion of the push button 24 to become inconspicuous in this state.
While stroke feeling can be attained in this display panel with switches since a push-in stroke for the push button 24 can be ensured to some extent, the thickness of the switching unit 20 is large since the mechanical switching mechanism 26 is employed, and hence the image guide 28 is necessary for the aforementioned reasons and there are the following problems following this: Namely, the image guide 28 is formed by bundling a plurality of optical fibers as described above, and the picture quality is coarse and fine-grained display is difficult since there is a limit in increase of the number of the optical fibers. Further, light is emitted from upper end surfaces of the optical fibers forming the image guide 28 only in a range of about 70 degrees from just above at the most, and hence the display content of the display panel 2 is hard to recognize from an oblique direction. Further, such an image guide 28 is so high-priced that the overall display panel with switches is also high-priced.
A situation in case of employing such a conventional display panel (control panel) with switches for a control panel is now described.
In a control panel which is employed in a factory or the like, information necessary for a human for performing operation, driving, recognition, monitoring, maintenance and the like on a system which is constructed by machines equipment and the like is integrated, and the control panel is importantly placed as a man-machine interface mediating between the human and the machines.
Therefore, it is desired that the control panel is a man-machine interface which is friendly to the human and considerate toward a human engineering aspect capable of providing handiness, in order to reliably, efficiently and safely work the system.
While a skilled operator performs operation/driving of a system in a factory etc. in a control panel in a system such as an FA apparatus, a general human operates an apparatus as an operator in a system such as a ticket-vending machine in the yard of a railway station, for example, and it is extremely important to attain improvement of handiness and operability. The ticket-vending machine or the like is also referred to as a control panel in the broad sense here.
There are two necessary and indispensable man-machine interface functions for the control panel in the aforementioned system as viewed from the human who is an operator, and one is that the human recognizes the state of the machine and the other is that the human operates the machine.
Namely, it is a basic operation that the state in the system is displayed on the control panel by a display, the human recognizes and decides the displayed information, and the human operates the operation apparatus of the machine.
Therefore, to improve handiness as a control panel can be expressed in other words that improvement of operability for the human and improvement of recognition for the human, i.e., improvement of displayability is important.
Information displayed on the control panel includes fixed information in which the display content is fixed and variable information which can freely change the display content, and conventional examples of devices utilizing these information display means are described with reference to FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 respectively.
FIG. 5 shows an example comprising variable information display means, indicating a panel surface of a control panel CPI which is generally used at present.
On the panel surface, a liquid crystal display as a display panel 2 for displaying information such as a control content in an FA apparatus or the like is provided.
The liquid crystal display is an example of a display panel which can freely change the display screen by setting of a program of software, i.e.. which can perform display of variable information.
And, a touch panel 4 is set on the display panel 2, in such a structure that a plurality of switch parts 4a comprised in this touch panel 4 are opposed to and superposed on display regions of the display panel 2 respectively.
Such a touch panel 4 used in a conventional touch panel type display device TPD has such a property that stroke feeling cannot be attained as already described. Thus, the operator may feel so uneasy that he repeatedly presses/operates the switch part 4a although the switch part 4a has already been turned on since he has felt no operation of the switch part 4a.
In order to remove such uneasy feeling of the operator, a liquid crystal display displaying variable information is employed as a display panel DP while an operation switch assembly consisting of illuminant push button switches ISW comprising name plates or membrane switches MSW printed/noted on surface parts is separately provided around the liquid crystal display for attaining stroke feeling in pressing/operation as a panel surface of a control panel CP2 shown in FIG. 6. for example. These name plates and printing/noting function as fixed information display means.
In such a device employing a liquid crystal display and an operation switch assembly together, however, the panel surface increases in size since an operation switch group is separately provided in the marginal part of the liquid crystal display although stroke feeling can be attained, while it is necessary to make the number of the operation switches increase in response to the information number in order to display numerous information since the operation switch assembly is limited to display of fixed information, and the device increases in size.
Further, it is necessary to compare and operate the display screen and the operation switches since the operation switch assembly is separately set in the marginal part of the liquid crystal display, and a malfunction easily takes place and operability is extremely inferior.
In addition, it is necessary to remake a panel surface which is responsive to the number of the assembled operation switches when change of the specification of the control panel or the like takes place, leading to increase in cost along, with increase of the operation step number.
As in the above description, numerous display is enabled in an operation display device of a small panel surface in the touch panel type display device shown in the example of FIG. 5 since the same can attain diversification of display information and operation information by program setting of software, while the so-called operability is inferior since the human cannot have an operating sense, and we cannot help saying that consideration is insufficient also in view of human engineering.
On the other hand, a switching device assembly is arranged for fixed information in addition to the variable information display device in the example of the control panel shown in FIG. 6, and hence operability for the human is by far improved by employing these switches, and the human can attain an operating sense. However, it comes to that an extremely large number of switches are arranged in the periphery of the variable information display device, and the control panel increases in size since a large area is necessary, and compaction is made difficult.
As described above, a case of only variable information or only fixed information is rare as information displayed on the control panel, and cases where variable information and fixed information coexist are rather general such that various types of apparatuses are arranged as in the control panel surface shown in the example in FIG. 6 in most cases.
In case of looking at the overall panel surface, therefore, there is a restriction on layout with respect to arrangement of apparatuses for display of variable information and apparatuses for a display operation of fixed information and the like as shown in FIG. 6, while neat feeling is hard to attain and it comes to a complicated impression since designs etc. are absolutely different, and it cannot be said sufficient in human sensitivity engineering.

Switching device of thin type and display device with switch


A network component comprising at least one processor configured to implement a method comprising transparently snooping a path control message comprising a first path identifier, wherein the path control message is sent between a plurality of routers and is not intended for the network component, analyzing a plurality of frames each comprising a second path identifier, and diverting at least some of the frames away from at least one of the routers, wherein the second path identifier in the diverted frames matches the first path identifier. Included is a method comprising configuring a bypass path by snooping a control frame comprising a label switched path (LSP) identifier, and routing a plurality of data frames associated with the LSP identifier to the bypass path without routing any subsequent control frames associated with the LSP identifier to the bypass path.

Modern communications and data networks are comprised of nodes that transport data through the network. The nodes may include routers, switches, bridges, or combinations thereof that transport the individual data packets or frames through the network. Some networks may offer data services that forward data frames from one node to another node across the network without using pre-configured routes on intermediate nodes. Other networks may forward the data frames from one node to another node across the network along pre-configured or pre-established paths.
Bypasses, such as express bypasses, are sometimes used in packet networks to create a direct path between two nodes when the traffic volume between the two nodes exceeds certain capacity. For example, when traffic volume between two Provider Edge (PE) nodes is close to a capacity limit, an express bypass can be created between the two PE nodes to reduce switching burden on the intermediate (or transit) nodes in the middle of the network. Unfortunately, bypasses change the topology of the network and can lead to undesirable changes in routing behavior within the network.

Transparent bypass and associated mechanisms


A needle assembly has distal and proximal ends. The needle assembly comprises a body element having distal and proximal ends, an attachment means configured to be attached to a medication delivery device, a button element which is movable from a first position to a second position, and a needle configured to move to the distal direction, when the button element is moved from the first position to the second position.

A medication delivery device may comprise a housing containing a cartridge which contains medication. A membrane may be located at the distal end of the cartridge and a bung may be located at the proximal end of the cartridge. A delivery needle assembly, which comprises a needle, may be attached to the housing so that the needle punctures the membrane. The medication can be expelled through a needle of the delivery needle assembly. A drive mechanism of the medication delivery device is configured to push the bung along the cartridge so that the medication is expelled through the needle. The delivery needle assembly is suitable to administer the medication to a patient.
The drive mechanism may comprise a piston which pushes the bung to the distal direction. When a predetermined dose of medication is delivered, the piston moves in the distal direction, wherein the piston moves forward a distance which corresponds to the predetermined dose value. The bung should move forward the same distance to ensure that the predetermined dose value is delivered. However, the piston may not lie against the bung before first use. In this case the distance of the piston would not correspond with the distance of the bung, so that a wrong dose would be delivered. First use means use of the medication delivery device to administer a first dose from the cartridge to the patient.
Prior to first use of the medication delivery device, the user should prime the medication delivery device. Priming means that a priming dose is delivered before first use. The priming dose is not injected to the patient. The priming dose value may be less than a dose value which is injected to the patient. After priming the piston lies against the bung, so that the correct to dose can be delivered.
Some users fail to prime the medication delivery device before use. It is an aim of the invention to provide means for overcoming this.

Needle assembly and medication delivery system


A laser driver mechanism for image reproduction maintains linear operation over a wide frequency an dynamic range of amplitude-modulated input signals by means of a first feedback loop and a second feedback loop. The second feedback loop contains a first amplifier coupled to receive the input signals and an output coupled to a second amplifier that drives an injection laser diode. A photodetector is coupled downstream of and external to a sealed unit in which the injection laser diode emitter, an associated photodetector of the first feedback loop and beam extraction optics are housed. The photodetector of the second loop has an output coupled to the second amplifier, so that the second feedback loop serves to compensate for non-linearities in the laser driver including those of the first feedback loop. Because the second photodetector is supported externally of the sealed unit, the feedback path from the second photodetector effectively forms an outer loop feedback path relative to the first feedback path, so that the ambient operating conditions of the second photodetector are not affected by the operation of the laser. The sealed unit is mounted in a module that effectively equalizes the cross-sectional spatial distribution of optical energy within the light beam emitted by the injection laser diode and ensures that the spatial cross-section of the image spot seen by the photodetector is effectively constant regardless of laser output beam intensity. For precision scanning of the recording medium, the laser output beam is scanned by a linearly swept galvanometer.

Image reproduction systems, such as high resolution laser recorders, customarily modulate the output of an electro-optic output device, such as a laser, with an image-representative analog input signal, a prescribed characteristic (e.g. amplitude or pulse width) of which varies in accordance with the value of a pixel to be reproduced. In order to faithfully replicate each pixel of an original image, it is necessary that the mechanism for controlling the exposure of a pixel-associated region of the hard copy medium accurately (linearly) track the input data over the dynamic range of the input signal.
Modulation of the optical beam may be accomplished separately of the beam generator itself. For example, the output beam of a stable output device, such as a helium-neon laser, may be modulated by controllably adjusting the amount of light passing though a separate optical attenuator, such as an acousto-optic or electro-optic modulator positioned downstream of the laser. Alternatively, the beam may be modulated by controlling the drive current to the laser itself (for example, by controlling the drive current to an injection laser diode).
Where modulation of the laser output beam is accomplished by a device separate from the laser, the drive circuitry is complex, so that the overall size and cost of the system is necessarily high. Where the (drive current to) the laser is (amplitude) modulated, steps must be taken to compensate for the non-linearity of the operation of the laser over the wide dynamic range of the image signal. An example of such a non-linear output vs. drive current characteristic, for the case of an injection laser diode, is illustrated in FIG. 1 as having a relatively gradual slope similar to that of a light emitting diode at the low end 11 of its operational power range and a relatively steep slope similar to that of an injection laser diode at the upper end 13 of its power range (e.g. from a hundred microwatts to several milliwatts).
To compensate for this slope differential and the knee 15 between the two regions 11 and 13, the laser drive circuit customarily contains a classical high gain feedback loop which monitors the optical output and compares it to the input signal. The difference between these two signals is then amplified and fed to the laser. Unfortunately, while such a feedback loop provides some degree of linearity improvement in the laser output characteristic, its principal control mechanism is the use of a drive amplifier having a very large gain. The requirement of a high gain imposes significant bandwidth requirements on the drive amplifier, which will either be impractical to achieve, or will limit the speed of the optical output waveform. Therefore, since there exists a practical limit between gain and bandwidth (i.e. the gain-bandwidth product of an amplifier has a finite limit), the use of a single feedback loop has a limit on the gain and bandwidth that can be achieved. There are also several practical shortcomings of the component hardware used in the feedback loop.
More particularly, in order to provide compact modularity and prevent the integrity of the monitored output beam from being compromised, the laser emitter device, the feedback photodetector and its associated beam extraction optics are customarily housed in a sealed unit in close physical proximity to each other. Because of this compact arrangement, the temperature of the photodetector is increased by heat given off by the laser emitter, which imparts an unwanted operational variation into the feedback loop. Secondly, the beam extraction optics is such that the spatial cross section of the monitored beam seen by the photodetector changes with laser output intensity. Thus, although employing an amplitude modulated injection laser diode may reduce the size and cost of the system (as contrasted with pulse width modulation of a separate, hardware intensive helium-neon laser unit), compensation for the inherent non-linear operational characteristic of the laser diode has its own set of problems.

Dual feedback path linearization of current modulated laser with dual amplifier circuit


A method for an internal combustion engine includes the steps of collecting exhaust gas in a volume (502) and flowing exhaust gas out of the volume in a first and a second portions (504). The first portion forms a tailpipe gas stream (506), and the second portion forms an EGR gas stream (508). The tailpipe gas stream goes through a turbine (510), and is heated in a heat exchanger (512). The heat exchanger transfers thermal energy out of the EGR gas stream (516) to heat the tailpipe gas stream. The EGR gas stream is recirculated into an intake of the internal combustion engine (518).

Internal combustion engines generate heat during operation that is released into the environment through exhaust gas emissions. Modern emission controls systems may utilize energy, in the form of heat from the exhaust gas, to operate various components, for example, Diesel Particulate Filters (DPF). In other cases, heat may be undesirable and removed by use of other components and systems.
One example of a case where additional heat is desirable for the operation of an engine is the operation of a DPF, which depends on a reaction that occurs internally to the DPF and burns particulates that have accumulated therein. Some engines incorporate thermal shielding on their exhaust systems to contain exhaust heat and make it available for emissions components. Heat makes the regeneration of the DPF more efficient. One example of a case where removal of heat is required for proper operation of the engine is in an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system, which recirculates cooled exhaust gas into an intake of the engine. EGR systems typically use exhaust gas coolers to remove heat from an exhaust gas stream during recirculation.
Even though heat input may be desirable for some engine systems, heat removed from other systems that is typically rejected back to the engine is undesirable. Heat rejected and/or generated internally to the engine is removed from the engine by a cooling system. Typical cooling systems promote efficient operation of the engine and protect heat sensitive systems. Thermally conductive fluids, that include for instance oil or engine coolant, carry heat collected from within the engine and/or engine components to a radiator, which then expels the heat to the environment.
Accordingly, there is a need for heat management in an engine that reduces undesirable internal heat load to the engine.

International Engine Intellectual Property Company, LLC