A light source system includes an endoscope having an illumination section and an illumination control section connected to the endoscope and provided with a drive circuit that generates drive pulses for driving the light source, the light source system including: a type information generating section that generates type information regarding the endoscope; a signal generating section generates a signal indicative of a duty ratio of the drive pulses which is permitted to the illumination section; a light adjusting section that outputs light-adjusted drive pulses having a duty ratio not greater than a permissible duty ratio based on the type information and a limiting section that limits the light-adjusted drive pulses to have a duty ratio not greater than a duty ratio based on the signal from the signal generating section, and provides limited pulses to the drive circuit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light source system suitable for an endoscope.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has been widely used an endoscope which is configured such that the endoscope having an elongated shape is inserted into a body cavity or the like and observation of a region to be examined and various treatments thereof are performed. In such an endoscope, a light source system is adopted for picking up an image inside the cavity. As the light source system, a light emitting portion such as an LED may be provided at a distal end portion of an insertion portion of the endoscope. Such an LED emits light by drive pulses from a video processor for driving the endoscope.
The video processor is configured to control light emission of the LED by a PWM drive in which a duty ratio of the drive pulses is varied. Since the LED has a characteristic of causing temperature rise with the light emission, measures for heat dissipation are taken in the endoscope such as adopting a ceramic substrate having high heat conductivity, for example, in order to prevent the temperature rise of the LED. Further, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2007-252516, a technique of controlling a light amount of the LED in accordance with a detection result of a temperature sensor is adopted for heat generation control of the endoscope.
Incidentally, heat dissipation characteristics of the endoscopes are different for each endoscope. Therefore, the video processor is conventionally configured such that the temperature rise of the LED is not greater than a temperature defined for each endoscope by controlling a duty ratio of the drive pulses of the LED in accordance with the heat dissipation characteristic of each endoscope.
As mentioned, the heat dissipation characteristics change in accordance with types of the endoscopes. Therefore, the video processor detects a type of a connected endoscope and determines the duty ratio of the drive pulses based on a detection result.


Compounds containing a specific saturated or unsaturated branched chain terminal group; a polar leading group; and a long-chain aliphatic, non-cyclic, saturated or unsaturated, substituted or unsubstituted, hydrocarbon group linking them; and having anti-cancer, immunosuppression alleviation, immune boosting and anti-inflammation activity.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention is drawn to a group of compounds with specific structure, which possess anti-cancer activity. It also relates to their use in human and other mammalian subjects for cancer therapy, prevention, and immune boosting and inflammation functions.
2. Description of the Background
JP-A 04295423 and JP-B 07072134, each to Daiichi, disclose anti-cancer agents containing MeCHR(CH2)nCOOH wherein R is C1–C5 alkyl and n=4–22. U.S. Pat. No. 4,985,466 to Deguchi disclose a method for treating tumor susceptible to treatment with a wool fatty acid, or its reduced alcohol, metal salt or aliphatic ester derivative, or a wool alcohol, or its carboxylic acid, aliphatic ether or aliphatic ester derivative. Deguchi additionally disclose that it is characteristic of wool fatty acid and wool alcohol to contain a large quantity of iso- and anteiso-higher saturated aliphatic acids and alcohols.
However, none of the above prior art recognizes Applicant's discovery that the anti-cancer activity resides in a terminal branch structure and a leading end group per se directly linked at opposite ends, respectively, to a long chain group.
A group of specific iso- and anteiso-branched-chain fatty acids with significant anti-cancer effect has been described in Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 6,214,875. Such compounds as described in the above Applicant's U.S. patent, and derivatives thereof obtained by reacting the acid moiety thereof, are described in Applicant's U.S. application Ser. No. 09/647,918, which is a 371 application of PCT/US99/06525, filed Apr. 14, 1999, and which was published as WO 99/53086 on Oct. 21, 1999, which WO 99/53086 is hereby incorporated by reference.
These compounds have shown excellent cytotoxic activity through induction of apoptosis against a broad variety of cancer cells, including, but not limited to, leukemia, breast cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer, with extremely low toxicity to experimental animals.
Applicant's WO 01/59067 describes a group of anti-cancer compounds which are comprised of three parts: an end-terminal group, which is isopropyl, sec.-butyl, or tert.-butyl group; a leading group; and a long-chain aliphatic, non-cyclic, saturated or unsaturated, hydrocarbon group that links the end-terminal group and the leading group.
This specific group of compounds, described in WO 01/59067 is illustrated by the following three formulae (1), (2) or (3):

wherein n is an integer of at least 5, m is an even integer from 0 to 2b, inclusively, wherein b is the maximum number of unsaturated bonds on the long chain (a double bond is assigned as 1 and a triple bond is assigned as 2), and R can be any polar group.

Group of a novel anti-cancer compounds with specific structure


An electronic device is provided, including a plurality of electronic devices and a control module. The electronic devices are connected in a daisy-chain configuration and overlapped in a direction, in which the electronic devices use a transport protocol compatible with a thunderbolt interface to communicate with a host. The control module generates thermal designed power values corresponding to the electronic devices according to parameters of the electronic devices and controls performances of the electronic devices according to the thermal designed power values.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electronic systems, and in particular relates to electronic systems having thunderbolt interfaces.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, computers and networks make many innovative functions more effective. New peripheral devices, such as internet units and external storage unites, can easily be connected to computers or notebooks. However, the management of the performance (power) and temperature of the peripheral devices is not effective. Thus, there is a need for an electronic system and a performance control method to increase the stability of hosts and peripheral devices and decrease the power consumption of the peripheral devices.

Electronic systems and performance control methods


An apparatus mounted in the luggage compartment of a car and holding a collapsed wheelchair parallel to the rear door of the car. The apparatus comprises a base unit; a horizontal motion mechanism (HMM), and a vertical motion mechanism (VMM). The HMM includes a strong frame mounted by one end thereof to the base unit for horizontal rotation, and by the other end thereof to the VMM, a system of levers and one drive. The HMM performs about half-circle horizontal rotation of the strong frame out of the luggage compartment and, simultaneously, about quarter-circle horizontal rotation of the VMM in the opposite direction, whereby the VMM with the wheelchair is positioned outside of the car. By means of a lever mechanism and a second drive, the VMM transports the wheelchair to the front door of the car.

There are numerous devices for facilitating disabled drivers or passengers of a motor vehicle to transport a wheelchair with the vehicle and to take the wheelchair in and out of the vehicle. U.S. Pat. No. 5,746,563 discloses a sophisticated apparatus for transportation of a foldable wheel chair from the luggage compartment of a car to a position beside the front door of the car such that a disabled driver would be able to unfold the wheelchair and shift himself from the motor car onto the wheel chair without help of others. All mechanical parts needed for handling the wheel chair are disposed within the luggage compartment, such that the exterior appearance and the allover shape and properties of the car would not be changed. Further, the whole interior of the passenger compartment remains free for use.
This apparatus is disposed in the luggage compartment together with the collapsed wheelchair laid aside. Thus, it is suitable for use in so called "station wagon" or "estate" car where the wheelchair can be stored in horizontal position. The apparatus comprises three mechanisms and motor drives to perform the transportation:                an L-shaped lever mounted with one end on a vertical rotary drive on the floor of the luggage compartment for rotation in horizontal plane;        a pivotal joint on the other end of the L-shaped lever with a linear drive for pivoting the joint around a horizontal axis; and        a telescoping lever with a telescoping drive, the telescoping lever being mounted by an end thereof to the pivotal joint at an angle with respect to the horizontal axis of the latter, and having a grip for the wheelchair at the other end.
An additional drive is used for automatic lifting and lowering the lid of the luggage compartment.
The L-shaped lever performs rotation by 270° which requires the same space along the car's axis as perpendicular to it. Also, the L-shaped lever and the pivotal joint with its linear drive must be disposed clear above the threshold of the luggage trunk. That is why such apparatus can be mounted in spacious trunks with enough vertical clearance between the threshold and the closed lid.
An apparatus based on this patent but with modified construction has been on the market. In the modification, the single telescoping lever has been replaced by a two-arm articulated lever with two linear drives. The L-shaped lever rotates in an inclined plane in order to pass over the trunk threshold but the arrangement still requires a relatively deep trunk.

Mechanism for insertion of a wheelchair into a car


A protective case for a portable electronic device. The protective case including a plurality of storage compartments for retaining a series of items. The protective case includes a removable upper portion allowing unobstructed access to the portable electronic device camera and includes a plurality of corner accessories disposed within and forming the corners of the protective case.

The present invention relates to an improved protective case for a portable electronic device.
As the value of and function of portable electronic devices has increased, individuals have desired to protect their electronic devices using a protective case. Most portable electronic devices in use today include a camera. Cases designed to provide protection for portable electronic devices often leave the camera lens and flash fully exposed, allowing such exposed camera elements to be soiled and scratched.
Therefore, a protective case is needed that has the ability to protect the camera and camera components. Preferably this case includes additional storage compartments allowing a user the ability to maintain within the case essential everyday or desired items.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Portective case for portable electronic device with lens cover and storage compartments


Among other things, methods, systems and computer program products are disclosed for managing image files. In one aspect, a method includes displaying, at a data processing device, a preview of images available for import from a storage device, wherein each image is associated with a pair of corresponding image files comprising a compressed image file and a raw image file obtained from a single image capture. At the data processing device, both the raw image file and the compressed image file of the pair associated with at least one of the images are imported. At the data processing device, at least one of the pair of corresponding image files is identified as a master image file for the associated image. At the data processing device, the identified master image file for the associated captured image is displayed.

This application relates to digital image files.
When a user captures an image using a digital camera, for example, this single exposure can result in a pair of image files associated with the captured image. One of the pair is an image file in the raw format, which has not been processed or compressed and thus has all of the original image information available. The second file of the pair is a processed and/or compressed image file that typically has lost some of the pixel information compared to the raw image file. One example of the corresponding pair of image files is the RAW+JPEG pair, where JPEG is a common file format technology used by digital cameras. The RAW image file represents an unprocessed image file that retains all of the originally obtained pixel data. The JPEG image file is a compressed image file that, as a result of the compression, has lost some of the original pixel data of the captured image. The JPEG image file necessarily loses at least some pixel information because standard JPEG compression is lossy.
The JPEG image file may be visibly different from the RAW image file because the JPEG image file has gone through camera processing—for example, white balance processing, data compression and the like. For example, the JPEG image file may look more saturated than the RAW image file. The JPEG image file typically is a result of processing the RAW image by decreasing the dynamic range and performing compression. The resulting JPEG image file is small in size and easy to work with.
The RAW+JPEG pair format can allow a user to obtain two image files from a single exposure (e.g. capturing an image) on a camera device. After shooting a RAW image file on a camera device, a corresponding JPEG image file can be generated at the same time. The RAW+JPEG pair is not obtained from two different exposures in that the shutter of the camera is not fired twice, but rather the image is captured once and saved in the two different formats.

Managing raw and processed image file pairs


A sealing material for optical elements with excellent transparency, crack resistance, and heat resistance which can produce a cured product of the sealing material and a sealed optical element are provided. The sealing material for optical elements comprising a compound with a ladder structure, which contains a repeating unit of the following formula (A) in the molecule as a major component, the compound being obtained by condensing a compound (1) shown by the formula, R1Si(OR3)P(X1)3-p, and a compound (2) shown by the formula, R2Si(OR4)q(X2)3-q, at a molar ratio of 1:9 to 10:0 in the presence of a phosphoric acid catalyst,

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sealing material for optical elements capable of producing cured products which is excellent in transparency, crack resistance, and heat resistance, comprising a polysilsesquioxane compound as a major component, and to a sealed optical element comprising an optical element sealed by the cured product of the sealing material.
2. Description of Related Art
There are various types of optical elements including various lasers such as a semiconductor laser, light emitting devices such as a light emitting diode (LED), a photo acceptance unit, a composite light element, an optical integrated circuit, and the like. In recent years, an optical element of a blue light or a white light of which the peak wavelength of luminescence is short has been developed and is widely used. A rapid increase in brightness of light emitting devices with a short peak wavelength of luminescence tends to accompany an increase of the calorific power of the optical element.
An optical element is usually used as a sealed optical element in which the optical element is sealed with a cured product of a sealing material.
In general, a composition containing a transparent epoxy resin as a major component which can produce a cured product with excellent heat resistance and the like has been known as the sealing material for optical elements.
However, along with the increase in the brightness of optical elements in recent years, the cured products of the optical element sealing material are exposed to a high energy light and a high temperature generated by the optical elements, causing deterioration, which results in cracking and yellowing (coloration) of the cured products. Cracks produced in the cured sealing material make the optical elements unusable. The coloration reduces transparency and lowers the brightness of the optical elements.
In order to solve these problems, sealing materials for optical elements using a polysilsesquioxane compound as a major component have been proposed in Patent Documents 1 to 3. The polysilsesquioxane compounds disclosed in the Patent Documents 1 to 3 are claimed to produce a sealed optical element excelling in crack resistance and heat resistance.
However, it is sometimes difficult for the cured sealing materials for optical elements containing the polysilsesquioxane compounds disclosed in the Patent Documents 1 to 3 to sufficiently prevent yellowing and cracking when exposed to a high energy light or a high temperature generated by the optical elements. Therefore, development of a sealing material for optical elements which can produce a cured product exhibiting more excellent crack resistance and heat resistance has been desired.    [Patent Document 1] JP-A-2004-359933    [Patent Document 2] JP-A-2005-263869    [Patent Document 3] JP-A-2006-328231
The present invention has been achieved in view of this situation in commonly used technology and has an object of providing a sealing material for optical elements capable of producing a cured product which is excellent in crack resistance and heat resistance and is free from coloration or deterioration when exposed to high energy or a high temperature, and a sealed optical element comprising an optical element sealed by the cured product of such a sealing material.

Sealing material for optical element and sealed optical element

Abstract: wherein R1 represents a group having a reactive functional group, R2 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, R3 and R4 individually represents an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, X1 and X2 individually indicate a halogen atom, p and q individually represent an integer from 0 to 3, and l, m, and n individually represent 0 or an arbitrary integer, provided that l and n are not 0 at the same time.


The invention provides an optical device that enables a mutual electrical connection between the stacked semiconductor substrates to be realized with ease and high reliability and to provide for miniaturization. The optical device has a first semiconductor substrate having an optical part and a first pad, a second semiconductor substrate having an integrated circuit and a second pad which is stacked under the first semiconductor substrate, a through-hole continuously extending through the first and the second semiconductor substrate, and a conductive part so formed as to include the inside of the through-hole.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to an optical device, an optical module, a semiconductor apparatus and its manufacturing method, and an electronic apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
Miniaturization of semiconductor apparatus is in demand. For example, in optical modules of the imaging type, such as CCD and MOS, stack structure of an optical chip receiving optical signals and a semiconductor chip processing electric signals is known. See, for example, Japanese Published Patent No. Hei-10-229162. Many of such methods were accomplished by techniques of bonding a wire to achieve an electrical connection, but setting up a wire led to limiting the scope of miniaturization. Otherwise, it is possible to conceive a method of attaining high density and miniaturization by forming an integrated circuit on both surfaces of a semiconductor chip, while this necessitates a new manufacturing process and equipment, thus increasing cost and making it difficult to assure reliability.

Optical device, optical module, semiconductor apparatus and its manufacturing method, and electronic apparatus


The present invention sequentially and repeatedly accepts a plurality of types of information that can change with time, including position information obtained using a satellite signal, and correlates and records the accepted plurality of types of information with time information.

In recent years, a positioning technology that acquires position information using signals transmitted from a GPS (Global Positioning System) satellite has been widely utilized. In addition, the positioning technology may be utilized for relieving traffic congestion in an urban area by using the positioning technology for charging users of vehicles moving in the urban area, and the like.
On the other hand, while position information is utilized in more scenes, it is concerned that a fraud is committed by tampering the position information. Therefore, Patent Literatures 1 and 2 disclose a technology of using a quasi-zenith satellite (QZSS) together with a GPS satellite and preventing tampering of position information obtained by using signals transmitted by the satellites.

Position information processing system and position information processing apparatus


A system, such as a checkout station, for positively identifying items includes a reader that reads coded information affixed to an item. The system further includes a capture module, such as a camera. The capture module captures a visual characteristic of the item to be identified, such as the color, size, shape, or texture of the item. The visual characteristic of the item is compared with visual characteristics of candidate items stored within a database. If multiple items within the database are associated with the item to be identified, the images of the candidate items may be displayed to a user. The user may then select the candidate item that most resembles the item to be identified. The coded information of the item being identified is then compared with coded information of the selected item within the database. If the coded information of both items corresponds, the item is positively identified and is accepted for purchase by a consumer.

1. The Field of the Invention
The invention relates to devices, methods, and systems for improving customer service and reducing theft within a retail establishment. Specifically, the invention relates to devices, methods, and systems for properly identifying items within a retail establishment or the like.
2. The Relevant Art
Modern retail stores such as supermarkets generally have checkout lanes with equipment that optically scans coded identifiers affixed to the products being purchased. One example of a coded identifier that is commonly used by retail stores is a bar code. Bar codes are read by scanning equipment using reflected light to identify a coded identifier associated with an item.
Some of the checkout lanes may be designated for self-checkout. These permit a purchaser to self-scan his or her purchases substantially unattended. Self-checkout equipment reduces the number of store personnel required to check-out customers. Supermarkets especially view self-checkout as desirable because these stores are particularly sensitive to labor costs due to their typically low profit margins.
For most efficient operation, checkout systems use bar codes affixed to all items for sale in the store. Bar codes reduce the time a customer may have to wait to complete a purchase. Store personnel, or customers at self-checkout stations, quickly scan the bar code, and information about the item is instantly retrieved. The information may include the price, the name, the size, or other such information about the item.
Additionally, bar codes help stores keep an accurate record of inventory. Each time a bar code is scanned, an inventory record within a database may be updated. The update may include how many times during a day a particular bar coded item is scanned. Store personnel are able to tally purchases of certain items and take necessary action to maintain a proper inventory within the store.
Of course, bar codes are not the only form of coded identifiers. For example, coded identifiers may include magnetic tags. Magnetic tags may provide information such as the price of the item. Magnetic readers read the coded information from the magnetic tags and provide the information to store personnel, or to consumers at self-checkout stations.
Unfortunately, bar codes and other coded identifiers are fallible. A consumer may detach a bar code from an inexpensive item and affix the bar code over, or in place of, the bar code of a more expensive item. The consumer can then proceed to the checkout area and scan the item using the incorrect bar code. The pricing information is processed for a less expensive item, while the consumer leaves the store with the more expensive item. This form of theft can occur at self-checkout stations as well as regular checkout stations.
Alternatively, a consumer may practice "sweet hearting." When "sweet hearting," a consumer collaborates with an employee operating the checkout station. The employee scans a low price item such as a pack of gum, and a high priced item such as a package of steaks is then placed in the consumer's grocery bag in place of the gum. "Sweet hearting" may also take place at self-checkout stations. A consumer may scan items to avoid suspicion, while placing items that are more expensive in his/her bag without scanning the bar codes of the expensive items.
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional item identification system 100. Generally, the system 100 provides rapid identification of items 102 to facilitate checking a customer out at a retail point of sale. The system 100 provides pricing information for the items 102.
Each item 102 is marked with a unique coded identifier 104 such as a bar code symbol. A reader 106 optically recognizes the coded identifier 104. Generally, the reader 106 is installed at a point of sale station 108 such as a checkout station of a retail establishment. Other types of readers 106 such as portable units are also used for scanning coded identifiers 104 on irregular shaped or sized items 102.
To use the system 100, an item 102 is passed in close proximity to the reader 106. The reader 106 reads the coded identifier 104 using well known reflected light technology. The reader 106 communicates the coded identifier 104 to a controller 110 over a network connection 112, a cable, or another type of communication link. The controller 110 consults a database 114 for information associated with the coded identifier 104. That is, a match is made with an entry on a list 116 of coded identifiers 104. A variety of information associated with the coded identifier 104 may be stored in the database. The information may include a name for the item 102, a price for the item 102, a weight for the item 102, or the like.
If the coded identifier 104 is found in the list 116, the controller 110 communicates the information associated with the coded identifier 104 to a processor (not shown) that maintains a running total and handles a customer's transaction. In addition, the controller 110 communicates with an output device 118. Generally, if the item 102 is positively identified using the coded identifier 104, the controller 110 signals the output device 118 to produce an audible tone. If the item 102 is not positively identified using the coded identifier 104, the controller 110 signals the output device 118 to produce a different audible tone.
For clarity, only the basic operations of the reader 106, controller 110, database 114, and output device 118 have been described. Those of skill in the art will recognize a number of variations to a conventional system 100 beyond those described herein. For example, the database 114 and controller 110 may be remote or local in relation to the reader 106.
Conventional item identification systems 100 continue to have several problems. The system 100 relies on properly reading a coded identifier 104. If a coded identifier 104 is damaged or missing, generally an operator must manually enter a price for the item 102. In addition, because the system 100 relies on the coded identifier 104 to look up the correct price information, the system 100 may be fooled.
While some coded identifiers 104 are permanently affixed to a respective item 102, as discussed above, a customer may replace the coded identifier 104 with a coded identifier 104 from a different item 102 having a lower price. Consequently, the controller 110 may incorrectly associate the item 102 with the coded identifier 104 for the different item 102 and register the lower price. In this manner, a customer may get the higher priced item for the lower price and defraud the system 100.
What is needed is an apparatus, method, and system to accurately and positively identify items in order to improve identification and reduce occurrences of fraud as previously described. The apparatus, method, and system may function in conjunction with checkout stations that are operated by store personnel, or at self-checkout stations.

Apparatus, method, and system for positively identifying an item

International Business Machines Corporation


The invention relates to semicrystalline biorientated composite polyester films comprising a thick filled or unfilled layer and, on at least one of the faces of the layer (A), a coextruded polyester layer (B) whose thickness is less than that of the layer (A) and which has the following characteristics:. Rt.ltoreq.3 .mu.m PA1 Rt/Ra.ltoreq.10 PA1 mean diameter D 50=1.5 to 2.5 .mu.m PA1 monodispersity I=D 75-D 25.ltoreq.1.2. and contains a filler having the following characteristics:. These films can be used as protective sheets for the photopolymerizable layer of photopolymerizable elements.

The present invention relates to novel composite polyester films having particular surface properties and to their use as protective layers for photopolymer plates.
It is known that photosensitive elements, such as the photopolymer plates used for preparing printing plates and in particular flexographic printing plates, consist of at least one assembly comprising a layer of a photopolymerizable polymer deposited between a carrier and a protective film. In general, the carrier and the protective film consist of a metal film or of films or sheets of film-forming thermoplastic polymers. Polyester films, and in particular orientated polyester films containing several units derived from an alkylene terephthalate, are a preferred material for producing said carriers or protective films for photosensitive elements. The main role of the protective film is to protect the photopolymer layer from the damage which it might sustain during the handling and/or storage of the photopolymerizable elements; it also acts as a separator when the photopolymerizable plates are stacked. The protective film is separated from the photopolymerizable layer at the moment when the photopolymerizable elements are used. In this use, it has been found advantageous to give the photopolymerizable layer a surface topography such that the plating of the surface of the element on the glass plate of the printing machines and/or on the surface of the negatives is as complete as possible.
Such an objective can only be achieved rapidly if the air trapped between the photopolymerizable layer and the glass plate can easily escape when the polymerizable element is placed in position, i.e. if the photopolymerizable layer is sufficiently rough. The protective film can advantageously impart this roughness to said layer by the transfer effect if the surface of said film in contact with the photopolymerizable layer comprises several protuberances having substantially the same height and distributed uniformly over the surface of the protective film in contact with the photopolymerizable layer. Moreover, for certain applications (for example the manufacture of offset plates) for which the photopolymerizable layer is particularly thin (its thickness can be about 3 .mu.m), care should be taken to ensure that the rough surface of the protective film is devoid of peaks which would perforate the photopolymerizable layer. The production of polyester films having such surface properties involves the use of fillers which satisfy particular requirements in respect of their particle size, the particle size distribution and their ability not to reagglomerate when they are introduced into the polyester. Such fillers are generally introduced throughout the thickness of the protective film (so-called full-bulk film), in which case part of the fillers consumed, which does not participate in achieving the desired result, is totally wasted. Furthermore, the use of a high concentration of filler throughout the thickness of the film helps to make said film opaque, which does not allow the photopolymerizable layer to be seen through the protective layer. Finally, the scraps of full-bulk films containing a high concentration of fillers are difficult if not impossible to recycle.

Composite polyester films and their use as protective layers for photopolymer plates, and photopolymer plates comprising said films


An approximate positions-of-people determination means determines, for each partial area, approximate positions of people on an image on the basis of information about the partial area. A states-of-people estimation means, in addition to predicting the current states of particles from the states of particles indicating past states of people and stored in a storage means, adds new particles and evaluates the likelihood of the states of predicted particles and the added particles on the basis of an observation model generated for the observed people to update the weights of the particles, performs particle re-sampling at a probability proportional to the weights of those particles, and outputs the states of the obtained particles as a flow of people.

PTL 1 describes a device for specifying tracks of movement of each person. The device described in PTL 1 acquires a frame image from an imaging unit, and detects an upper body of each person being a subject from the frame image. When the device described in PTL 1 detects an area of an upper body of each person in consecutive frame images, the device specifies tracks of movement of each person by regarding areas between which a distance becomes smallest as a same person.
Further, PTL 2 describes a device that generates teacher data for use in learning a dictionary to be used in crowd state recognition processing, and a device that recognizes a crowd state within an image.
Further, PTL 3 describes a moving condition estimation device for estimating a quantity of monitoring targets for each local area of each image by using a plurality of timewise consecutive images, and estimating moving conditions of the monitoring targets from a time-series change in quantity estimated in the each local area.

People flow estimation device, people flow estimation method, and recording medium


A fabric sled for sliding upon snow has a composite contruction in which an interior cushioning assembly is enclosed within opposing top and bottom cover portions. The top cover portion is formed from a durable fabric material and the bottom cover portion is formed from a smooth, durable and waterproof material. The outer edges of the top and bottom cover portions enclosed by an outer edge and are stitched together around the perimeter of the sled along the outer edge to form an integral unit that contains the cushioning assembly.

The present invention relates generally to recreational sporting goods and, more particularly, to runnerless, flexible fabric-coated sleds.
Children have long enjoyed sliding down snow and ice-covered hills on a variety of vehicle types. The most traditional example of such a vehicle is the conventional sled featuring a wooden frame and steerable metal runners. Such sleds, however, are only useful on slopes covered with snow that has been firmly packed. These traditional sleds are relatively expensive and are bulky and heavy which makes them difficult to pull or carry up hills.
Lighter weight, runnerless sleds, such as toboggans, are also commonly used. Toboggans are long, flat-bottomed sleds made of thin boards curled at the front end. Toboggans overcome some of the problems of runnered sleds, but they are still relatively heavy, bulky and expensive. The prior art, however, features a number of additional runnerless sled variations.
Lightweight, saucer-shaped coaster sleds (such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,493,315 and 2,971,767) are made of rigid plastic or metal and perform admirably as sleds. Other sleds take the form of tub-shapes also made of rigid plastic or metal as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,603,870. While such designs are relatively lightweight and inexpensive, they are still bulky. As a result, such sleds are difficult to carry up snow-covered hills and are inconvenient to stow, for example, in an automobile or a garage. Furthermore, metal versions of the sleds are prone to denting, while the thinner plastic versions are prone to splitting or rupturing when overly and excessively flexed.
The top surfaces of the saucer and tub-shaped sleds are hard and smooth. Such a surface is difficult for a rider to maintain contact with and is uncomfortable as the shock from bumps and the like are transmitted directly to the rider. While cushions have been developed for use on such sleds, as well as toboggans, they have to be tied on with string-like loops that frequently come loose.
The addition of handles to these saucer and tub-shaped style sleds presents yet another problem in that the handles are attached by punching slots into the body of the sled and feeding a rope or similar material through the slots. Due to the single layer construction of this type of sled, the handle ends protrude along the bottom of the sled which corrupts the bottom surface profile of the sled and results in additional drag which, in turn, degrades downhill speed.
Other runnerless sleds involve a carpet-like sheet of relatively thin and flexible plastic, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,401,048. Although these inexpensive devices are lightweight and pliable for easy transport, their thinness does not provide a firm and smooth ground contact surface. Furthermore, the rider is not cushioned at all from the surface irregularities of the hill, which may create an uncomfortable ride.
Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a lightweight and compact sled which overcomes the aforementioned disadvantages of the prior art.
Another object of the invention is to provide a flexible sled that provides improved performance and has a cushion formed within the sled to provide a comfortable ride.
Another object of the invention is to provide a fabric-covered sled of composite construction that is economical to manufacture.

Fabric coated sled of composite construction


A method of forming and applying a diamond coating or other superhard coating to a tool, most preferably a downhole tool, such as a drill bit. A superhard powder is placed into slurry and then formed, preferably using a tape casting method, into a green tape that is capable of being handled and applied to a substrate. The tape is then applied to a desired surface on a part or tool, being affixed initially thereto by a suitable braze. The tape is then cured to the surface using a thermal cycle that transforms the tape into a solid diamond composite coating. In another aspect, diamond tape is combined with ceramic tape having electronic circuitry components integrated therein.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to the formation of diamond coatings and their application to drilling bits and other drilling tools. In particular aspects, the invention relates to techniques for preparing and applying such coatings using a tape casting procedure.
2. Description of the Related Art
Drilling tools, including bits, are typically formed of a steel core that is enclosed in a tungsten carbide shell. Hardfacing may be applied to portions of the outer surface of the bit or tool. Polycrystalline diamond (PCD) is used to protect those portions of a drill bit or other drilling tools that are subjected to the most extreme wear forces during drilling. Conventionally, PCD inserts are incorporated into the surface of the tool. Alternatively, diamond grit may be incorporated into the surface. In these instances, the diamond coatings or inserts are often prone to removal from the substrate during use within the borehole. A further problem associated with these techniques is the distribution of the diamond particles. Too few diamond particles concentrated in one area will lead to points of weakness and wear during intensive and sustained use within a borehole.
Traditionally, when small superhard particles are used to coat a substrate, they are first mixed into with a metal bonding matrix that might consist of cobalt powder or powder of another metal. This mixture is then sintered to consolidate it, and the consolidated mixture is applied to the substrate. This technique has a number of problems. First, the consolidated mixture must be maintained at a relatively high temperature during application to the substrate. This requirement adds a level of difficulty in handling during application to the substrate. Additionally, the viscous and non-uniform nature of the metal bonding matrix makes it difficult to achieve a uniform distribution of the superhard particles within the consolidated mixture.
U.S. patent application Publication No. 2002/0077054 A1 by Sung describes a method of applying a diamond coating to tools, such as diamond saws and the like. In the described method, diamond particles are disposed into a sheet of matrix support material. To accomplish this, a sheet of matrix support material is first formed from conventional powders, such as cobalt, nickel, iron, copper, bronze, or other suitable bonding agents. To form the sheet, a matrix powder is mixed with a binder to form a slurry. The slurry is poured onto a plastic tape and pulled underneath a blade or leveling device. The slurry is then cast into a plate with a desired thickness by adjusting the gap between the tape. Thus, while a tape casting method is employed, it is only utilized to create a thin film of binder material. Following this casting and formation process superhard inserts, or particles, are placed into the binder tape by disposing a template with many apertures over the already-cast tape of binder. The superhard particles are then spread over the template and into many of the apertures. Those particles that do not enter one of the apertures are then swept off of the template with a broom or the like. Those particles that are not swept away from the template are then pressed into the binder tape using a flat steel seating plate to seat the particles.
There are a number of weaknesses and drawbacks to Sung's method. First, even if done very carefully, the step of brushing unseated particles away from the template may move, or actually remove, some of the particles that are seated within apertures in the template. Additionally, some of the superhard particles may adhere to the template or to the seating plate rather than being pressed into the binder tape. As a result of these problems, there will inherently be gaps and weaknesses in the resulting coating.
Tape casting is a process that has been used for the creation of generally thin films and sheets, including ceramic substrates for capacitors, sensors, catalysts, and heat exchangers. Examples of conventional tape casting methods are found in Andreas Roosen, "Basic Requirements for Tape Casting of Ceramic Powders," Ceramic Transactions, Volume 1, Part B, Ceramic Powder Science, The American Ceramic Society, Inc. (1988). Typically in tape casting, a very thin tape is created and then dried immediately to evaporate solvents within the tape. The resulting tape may then be cut, punched, or scored, as required by its end use. To the inventors' knowledge, tape casting has not heretofore been utilized for the creation of diamond-based coatings or films.
Additionally, there are methods known for creating ceramic tapes and applying printed circuitry, including capacitors, electrodes, and other conductive components, thereupon. Printed circuitry tapes of this type are used, for example, in creating an oxygen sensor for use in the automotive industry, and other relatively light duty applications. A method for creating such a sensor is described in European Patent No. EP 0 134 709 B1 entitled "An Oxygen Sensor Element." Printed circuitry tapes are generally considered unsuitable for use upon the surfaces of downhole tools, such as drill bits and bottom hole assemblies, since there are not effective means for protecting the circuitry from being scraped off or being otherwise damaged by physical wellbore hazards or being quickly degraded by high temperatures and chemical hazards. A further obstacle to the potential use of printed circuitry tapes with downhole tools is the lack of adequate heat sinks that can be readily incorporated into the structure.
An improved method of effectively forming and applying diamond-based coatings would be desirable. Additionally, improved methods and systems for incorporating diamond-based coatings into coatings having layers of preprinted circuitry therein would be desirable.

Diamond tape coating and methods of making and using same


It is to heighten the heat collecting efficiency of a linear type solar heat collecting apparatus.

A so-called linear Fresnel solar heat collecting apparatus is known as a conventional linear type solar heat collecting apparatus formed by arranging solar-heat reflection lines in parallel.
An example of such a conventional linear type solar heat collecting apparatus is shown as Conventional Example 1 in FIG. 11a and FIG. 11b (see Non-patent Document 1 and Patent Document 1). In the linear Fresnel solar heat collecting apparatus of Convention Example 1, a plurality of reflection lines L1, L2, . . . are arranged in parallel on the ground, and reception lines C1, C2, . . . are arranged in parallel with the direction of the reflection lines at predetermined intervals above the reflection lines L1, L2, . . . in such a way as to extend like bridges across the reflection lines. In each reflection line L1, L2, . . . , many rectangular mirror plates H, H, . . . that serve as a heliostat are arranged, and, in each reception line C1, C2, . . . , receivers (solar heat collectors) R, R, . . . are arranged in parallel at a predetermined interval therebetween.
In FIG. 11b, the mirror plates H, H, . . . of each line have their turning angles that are individually controlled so as to turn on a central rotational shaft of each reflection line L1, L2, . . . , and reflect sunlight that has impinged on their specular surfaces, so that light reflected therefrom is received by a nearby receiver R. Heat of the reflected light received by the receiver R is converted into high-temperature water vapor via a heat medium. Each reflection line L1, L2, . . . and the receiver R are disposed in parallel in the south-north direction, and the angle of each reflection line undergoes a rotational adjustment in the east-west direction so that the mirror plates H, H, . . . disposed on each reflection line L1, L2, . . . track the movement of the sun and, as a result, light reflected therefrom is always collected near the receiver R.
The solar heat collecting apparatus is used in, for example, a solar thermal power generation system. A parabolic trough type solar thermal power generation system and a central tower type solar thermal power generation system have already been operated as commercial plants for the solar heat collecting apparatus used in the solar thermal power generation system. In the parabolic trough type solar thermal power generation system, a gutter-shaped parabolic mirror is used, and a heat medium (for example, oil) flowing through the pipe is heated while focusing sunlight on a pipe disposed at the focal position of the mirror, so that electric power is generated by the resulting thermal energy. In the central tower type solar thermal power generation system, a plane mirror provided with a sun tracker is used, and sunlight is collected while focusing sunlight on a solar heat collector of a tower disposed at its central part, so that electric power is generated by the resulting heat collected by a heat medium allowed to flow to the upper part of the tower.
The parabolic trough type solar thermal power generation system is comparatively low in cost, but is low in the temperature of a heated heat medium, and therefore, disadvantageously, has difficulty in achieving high efficiency, whereas the central tower type solar thermal power generation system is capable of obtaining a high-temperature heat medium, but needs a highly accurate light-collecting capability, and therefore, disadvantageously, is high in cost.
On the other hand, the linear Fresnel solar heat collecting apparatus is one of the solar heat collecting apparatuses to which the most attention is paid as a commercial plant for the solar thermal power generation system from the fact that the linear Fresnel solar heat collecting apparatus is more insusceptible to the wind, and has a less rigid, simpler structure, and is higher in land-use efficiency, and therefore can realize a lower power generation cost than the parabolic trough type or the central tower type solar heat collecting apparatus.
Although the linear Fresnel solar heat collecting apparatus is characterized by having a simpler structure and realizing a lower power generation cost than the parabolic trough type or the central tower type power generator as mentioned above, a problem resides in the fact that the optical loss of sunlight becomes great for the following causes, and it is difficult to obtain high light/heat-collecting efficiency.
The optical loss of sunlight is caused by, for example, the fact that a beam of incident light is kicked on a mirror plate (which is called "cosine loss"), the fact that a beam of light reflected by a mirror plate is intercepted by another mirror plate (which is called "blocking"), or the fact that a beam of light incident on a mirror plate is intercepted by another mirror plate (which is called "shadowing").
Among the causes of the optical loss, the occurrence of "cosine loss" and that of "blocking" are shown in FIG. 12 as an image. "Shadowing" is conspicuously caused especially when incident sunlight diagonally impinges on a mirror, and therefore "shadowing" is not shown in FIG. 12.
Such an optical loss is liable to become great when the inclination angle of a mirror H with respect to the ground level is great or when a change in the rotation angle of a mirror H is great in the angle adjustment of the mirror H performed in accordance with a sun altitude. In FIG. 12, for example, when a receiver R of the conventional linear Fresnel solar heat collecting apparatus is arranged in the south-north direction, rays of light reflected from mirror plates H, H, . . . are apparently radiated toward the single receiver R by inclining the mirror plates H, H, . . . , which have been arranged on the reflection line, in the east-west direction. Therefore, the inclination angle of a mirror with respect to the ground level becomes greater in proportion to an increase in distance of the mirror placed on the reflection line from the receiver R, and the optical loss caused by "cosine loss" and "blocking" is great.
Moreover, in order to follow the tracks of the sun from morning to evening, the mirror plate undergoes a great change in its adjustment angle greater than about Plus or minus an angle of 45 degrees in the east-west direction, and therefore the optical loss caused by "cosine loss" and "blocking" becomes great especially when the sun altitude is low in the morning and evening, and the amount of change of light-collection/heat-collection energy during a day is large. Therefore, the upper limit of temperature obtained as a result of a low degree of light convergence falls within 400 degrees to 500 degrees in water vapor, and a high temperature of 600 degrees or more cannot be obtained.
Additionally, even if many mirror plates are arranged on reflection lines in the east-west direction and even if a wide mirror installation space is provided, the above-mentioned optical loss becomes increasingly greater in mirror plates distant from a receiver, and therefore high light collecting efficiency cannot be obtained. Still additionally, a single receiver has its limitations on the number of mirror plates that radiate reflected light so as to be received by this receiver, and therefore, if many mirror plates are arranged in a wide range, there is a need to assign one reception line to each group of mirror plates the number of which is predetermined, and a receiver R is required to be provided for each reception line, and the heat of reflected light received by each receiver R must be gathered and taken out. For these reasons, the limit temperature obtained by the conventional linear Fresnel solar heat collecting apparatus has been about 500 degrees at the most.
As a method for reducing the above-mentioned optical loss, Patent Document 2 proposes a linear Fresnel solar heat collecting system in which both the longitudinal direction of each reflection line and the longitudinal direction of a receiver are arranged in parallel in the east-west direction. This system is described as Conventional Example 2. Briefly speaking, in the system of Conventional Example 2, each mirror plate H, H, . . . on each reflection line L1 (L2, L3, . . . ) is rotated only in the south-north direction without being rotated in the east-west direction with respect to the track of the sun so as to guide reflected light to the receiver, as shown in FIG. 13.
According to this method, the rotation angle of a mirror in the south-north direction is a small angle not exceeding several degrees during a day (morning and evening), and is a small angle of about Plus or minus an angle of 15 degrees during a year, and therefore the above-mentioned optical loss can be greatly reduced. Therefore, the total amount of heat-collection energy received by the receiver R can also be increased by arranging many mirror plates in the south-north direction and by increasing an installation space for the mirror plates.
However, in the system of Conventional Example 2, the angle of the mirror in the east-west direction cannot be adjusted, and therefore, especially when the sun altitude is low in the morning and evening, a linear light-collection range into which light is converged by the mirror plates greatly deviates from the receiver, and, disadvantageously, the heat-collection energy during a day greatly varies.
Additionally, in either of Conventional Examples 1 and 2, the conventional linear Fresnel solar heat collecting apparatus has a structure in which the reflection line and the receiver are arranged in parallel with each other, and therefore rays of light collected on the receiver become a linear irradiation range that is substantially uniform. Disadvantageously, in this irradiation range, the re-radiation of heat becomes great when the temperature rises to a high temperature of about 600 degrees, and the efficiency of the amount of heat absorbed by a heat medium is easily deteriorated.

Cross linear type solar heat collecting apparatus

Abstract: A plurality of reflection lines and one reception line are included. The reflection lines are arranged in parallel substantially in the south-north direction on earth. Each reflection line L1, L2, . . . has a heliostat 1. The heliostat 1 is composed of a plurality of mirror segments disposed in series on each reflection line L1, L2, . . . . The reception line C extends in the east-west direction perpendicular to the reflection lines L1, L2, . . . , and is disposed at a predetermined position above the reflection lines L1, L2, . . . . The reception line C has a single receiver. The mirror segments disposed on each reflection line L1, L2, . . . radiate reflected light of sunlight that has impinged on the mirror surface toward the reception line C. The receiver 2 disposed on the reception line C collects the heat of the reflected light of sunlight radiated from the mirror segments disposed on each reflection line.


A method is disclosed for a wireless communication device (WCD) configured to receive, using a combiner selected from a plurality of combiners available at the WCD, downlink transmissions from a wireless communication node (WCN) via a downlink transmission beam selected from a plurality of downlink transmission beams available at the WCN. The method comprises, for each of the plurality of combiners, estimating an interference level experienced at the WCD. The method also comprises transmitting a measurement signal on each of a plurality of uplink transmission beams for selection of the downlink transmission beam by the WCN. Each of the plurality of uplink transmission beams corresponds to a respective one of the plurality of combiners available at the WCD. A signal strength of the measurement signal on an uplink transmission beam is responsive to the estimated interference level for the corresponding combiner. Corresponding arrangement, WCD and computer program product are also disclosed.

In wireless communication, deployment of multiple antennas in wireless communication nodes (WCN; e.g., base stations, such as eNodeB or gNodeB, configured to operate in accordance with a Third Generation Partnership Project, 3GPP, standard or access points, AP, configured to operate in accordance with an IEEE802.11 standard) and wireless communication devices (WCD; e.g., user equipments, UEs, configured to operate in accordance with a Third Generation Partnership Project, 3GPP, standard or stations, STAs, configured to operate in accordance with an IEEE802.11 standard) typically results in a significant enhancement in terms of data rate. Such enhancement may, for example, be achieved by application of one or more of: spatial multiplexing, transmit diversity, receive diversity, and array processing gain.
Furthermore, in the framework of multiuser communication, multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) techniques may be used to establish space division multiple access (SDMA) systems where multiple WCDs are served at the same time using radio resources from one WCN or multiple coordinated WCNs (wherein—provided there is sufficient coordination between multiple WCNs—these WCNs can operate as a single multi-antenna transmitter). The downlink (DL) transmission of a SDMA system typically includes scenarios where a WCN concurrently transmits to a number of receiving WCD (downlink multiuser MIMO).
Efficient realization of downlink multiuser MIMO utilizes a combination of transmit beam-forming and receive combining techniques, as well as the spatial separation between the WCDs, and the WCN. An objective for downlink multiuser MIMO is the formation of multiple non-interfering symbol streams between the serving WCN and the multiple served WCDs using the same time and frequency resources, wherein the Inter-Stream Interference (ISI) is eliminated or at least suppressed using beam-forming. In typical example scenarios, the transmit beam-forming can efficiently suppress the ISI when the number of Radio Frequency (RF) chains at the WCN is larger than, or equal to, the number of total RF chains summed over the WCDs. However, some suppression leading to enhanced performance can be achieved whenever the WCN deploys transmit beam-forming and the WCDs deploy receive combining.
A problem with using transmit beam-forming is to select a proper (preferably optimal) transmit beam for transmission to a WCD, and a corresponding proper (preferably optimal) combiner at the WCD for receiving the selected transmission beam. Typically, the selection is performed using some type of training.
In frequency division duplexing (FDD), the training may comprise transmitting various DL beams (e.g., a beam sweep of all the available transmission beams) from the WCN for measurement and reporting by the WCD, wherein the selection of DL transmission beam is performed at the WCN based on the reports from the WCD.
In time division duplexing (TDD), where the uplink (UL) channel uses the same frequencies as the downlink (DL) channel, channel reciprocity can be exploited to reduce the training period compared to the training in FDD. This is typically achieved by transmitting UL beams corresponding to the available combiners from the WCD for selection of DL transmission beam at the WCN. However, in the presence of interference, the beam selection resulting from such approaches may be inferior.
Therefore, there is a need for alternative (and preferably improved) approaches of selection of the downlink transmission beam. Preferably, such approaches also include alternative (and preferably improved) ways of combiner selection for reception of the downlink transmission beam. The need is particularly relevant when these approaches are used based on a general assumption of channel reciprocity.

Signal strength scaling of an uplink measurement signal and corresponding uplink transmission beam according to an estimated interference level


Methodology for characterizing non-uniformity forces at a tire spindle, such as low and high speed radial force variations and high speed tangential force variations include the steps of measuring radial run out and radial or tangential force variations at high and/or low speeds. From such measurements, the contribution of a predetermined type of stiffness variation (e.g. radial, tangential, extensional, bending) to respective radial and/or tangential force variations can be determined. Signature analysis statistical methods may also be utilized to characterize such tire non-uniform forces for different steps and reference physical angles of a tire construction process. Based on the characterization of such tire non-uniform forces, additional process steps may further correspond to tire grading and/or sorting processes, physical tire modification processes and tire manufacturing processes. Tire correction mechanisms and/or feedback control in a tire manufacturing process preferably yield tires having radial run out and stiffness variation parameters that are out of phase for one or more harmonics, thus yielding a reduction in the non-uniformity forces such as radial and tangential force variations at a tire spindle.

One exemplary cause of vehicle vibrations at both high and low traveling speeds corresponds to force variations at respective tire spindle locations. This phenomenon is typically referred to as tire uniformity. Tire high speed uniformity (HSU) may be of particular interest as related to tire performance levels, since potential non-uniformity characteristics of a tire can produce a significantly greater amount of vibration at faster highway road speeds, such as those in excess of 25 mph.
High speed uniformity (HSU) has become a growing concern in the automobile industry, and thus many tire manufacturers are being pressured to implement HSU control. Tire HSU measurement, however, has been difficult and quite costly, making HSU industrial control very difficult.
A multitude of various tire parameters have conventionally been identified and measured in an effort to predict and control these force variations and any resultant undesirable levels of vibration. In accordance with aspects of the present invention, it is desired to combine multiple tire parameter measurements to predict or determine tire uniformity, including the radial and tangential force variations at both low and high speeds.
One known attempt at predicting tire HSU is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,396,438 (Oblizajek), which predicts HSU based on multiple low speed parameters such as radial run out (RRO), instantaneous rolling radius (IRR), and radial force variation (RFV) as obtained on low speed uniformity machines. Yet another example related to aspects of high speed uniformity is found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,065,331 (Fukasawa), which predicts higher order components of high speed uniformity based on low speed uniformity measurements. Low speed uniformity machines are well established and exist in all tire production lines. The above-referenced patents are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. In light of these previous attempts to predict HSU parameters and the current marketplace focus on controlling HSU levels, it is desired to provide improved technology for characterizing tire uniformity at both high and low speeds.
There are many contributing factors to tire HSU, and thus one of the biggest challenges in effectively controlling tire uniformity lies in being able to properly identify such contributing factors in order to control corresponding levels of tire force variation and vehicle vibration. It has been determined in accordance with the present subject matter how both radial run out (such as created by geometrical non-uniformity or mass uneven distribution) and tire stiffness variations can cause both radial and tangential force variations. As such, it is desired in accordance with the presently disclosed technology to provide features for determining the contributions of radial and tangential force variations to tire non-uniformity at multiple harmonic levels.
Although known technology for characterizing tire uniformity and affecting associated aspects of tire manufacturing have been respectively developed, no design has emerged that generally encompasses all of the desired characteristics as hereafter presented in accordance with the subject technology.

Tire uniformity through compensation between radial run out and stiffness variation


A method includes receiving characteristic information from a sensor. The characteristic information may be representative of a characteristic of a weight bearing structure of an aircraft when a force is applied to the weight bearing structure. The method includes determining a weight of the aircraft based on the characteristic information. The method includes receiving attitude information from an attitude sensor. The attitude information indicates whether the aircraft is situated on a level surface. The method includes determining a balance condition based on the attitude information and the weight of the aircraft. The balance condition indicates whether the weight of the aircraft is distributed evenly. The method includes generating an alert when the balance condition indicates that the weight of the aircraft is not distributed evenly.

Aircraft manufacturers are required to specify maximum certified take-off weights and aircraft center of gravity measurements. Prior to takeoff of an aircraft, a pilot of the aircraft or another member of the aircraft's crew may estimate a total aircraft weight to ensure that the aircraft is below the maximum certified take-off weight of the aircraft as specified by the aircraft's manufacturer. These estimates are typically performed using standardized passengers weights, which may lead to errors in the accuracy of the estimated weight of the aircraft. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has authorized the use of onboard weight and balance systems (OBWBS) to determine the weight of an aircraft and has outlined the requirements that the OBWBS systems must meet to be certified for use with commercial aircraft. Accordingly, there is a need for an OBWBS system that can be used as a primary method of determining the weight of an aircraft.


A display (100) comprising a plurality of LED chips (604), each LED chip (604) comprising a plurality of light emitting elements (606a-c). Each LED chip (604) is arranged such that a first light emitting element (606a) is configured to illuminate a sub-pixel, and a second light emitting element (606b) is configured to illuminate a sub-pixel using substantially the same wavelength of light as the first light emitting element. There is also described an LED chip, a display pixel, a controlling method, a computer device and a computer program for a display.

ILED (Inorganic Light Emitting Diode) displays provide an alternative to the better known LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) and the OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) displays. An ILED display does not have any of the negative qualities of LCD or OLED displays as its display sub-pixels are based on ILED light sources and has all the advantages of this class of device. This results in a display that has the better performance characteristics of an OLED type direct view display as well as the robustness, long-life and stability that is inherent to ILED technology.
Display pixel failure and need for repair presents additional complexity to the display manufacturing process. The number of acceptable malfunctioning pixels in a display is covered by ISO-13460-2. Most display manufacturers supply class 2 displays which allow no more than two malfunctioning pixels (always on or always off) per million pixels. This requires a display sub-pixel yield of 99.998%.
For a 1920×1080 display (FHD displays), which are becoming increasingly common in mobile phones, there are 2,073,600 display pixels. Therefore, in an ILED type display, 6,220,800 individual ILED chips must be packaged (an R, G and B for each display pixel). As each device must have both p and n contacts this results in 12,144,600 contacts that must be made. As per the ISO-13460-2 standard only 4 display sub-pixels may be malfunctioning. Therefore the required yield for LED devices and interconnection is 99.99996%. Achieving this target is a significant challenge in the development of ILED type displays.
To increase the yield of displays, redundancy for chips/interconnection failure is used. In standard designs, this is done by placing two ILED chips at each display sub-pixel. Using this solution a total 12,144,600 individual ILED devices must be fabricated and "pick-and-placed" during assembly of the display. Subsequently, or as part of the pick-and-place process, interconnection must be made to 24,289,200 contacts. This approach can successfully reduce the issue of device failure as the likelihood of two failed devices/interconnections in the same display sub-pixel is smaller than the risk with a single device/interconnection. However, there are implications for the cost and complexity of the system. In addition, the presence of multiple structures (i.e. other chips) in close proximity to an emitting ILED may results in unwanted reflections and other optical interference which affect the performance of the display. An example of this is the contrast-reducing light reflection that may be produced at the surface of the ILED chips.

Display, LED chip therefor, pixel therefor, controlling method therefor, computer program therefor


A high precision z-theta stage having a horizontal translation axis (z-axis) and a rotary axis (theta-axis) parallel with the translation axis comprises parallel spaced apart linear translation stages, a carriage supported between the parallel translation stages, and a rotation stage carried by the carriage between the parallel translation stages. Each brushless linear motor is connected to the carriage to apply translation forces in a horizontal plane intersecting the vertical center of gravity.

This patent relates to an improved high precision z-theta stage. The stage has a horizontal translation axis (z-axis) and a rotary axis (theta-axis) parallel with the horizontal translation axis. Stages of this type are described in our co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 10/830,979. The stage is especially designed for the manufacture of expandable stents for implantation in a human body or other cylindrical laser-machined components. The stents are manufactured from a tubular feedstock, such as stainless steel, nitanol, or plastic, and are provided with intricate circumferential patterns. Processes for machining the patterns out of the feedstock include laser machining in which a z-theta stage controlled by a CNC controller presents the feedstock to a laser beam for cutting away portions of the tubular feedstock. See U.S. Pat. No. 6,511,504 entitled "Expandable Stents and Method for Making Same" for a description of one stent manufacturing process. Due to the superior ability of the stage as described in our co-pending application to rapidly reposition without the need for setting delays, the throughput is so significantly increased that the ability of the rotation stage to dissipate heat limits further increase. It is an object according to this invention to overcome this limitation.

Water cooled high precision z-theta stage


At least one image pickup apparatus includes a plurality of pixels each including a photoelectric conversion unit, a charge storage unit, and an amplification unit. The charge storage unit includes a first charge storage unit, a second charge storage unit, and a third charge storage unit. In a first period from a first time to a second time, charges generated by the photoelectric conversion unit in the first period are transferred to the first charge storage unit and charges stored in the second charge storage unit and the third charge storage unit in a period preceding the first period are transferred to an input node of the amplification unit. In a second period from the second time to a third time, charges generated by the photoelectric conversion unit in the second period are transferred to the first charge storage unit and the third charge storage unit for storage.

Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to image pickup apparatuses, and, more particularly, to an image pickup apparatus including a plurality of charge storage units for storing charges generated by a photoelectric conversion unit.
Description of the Related Art
Image pickup apparatuses each including a charge storage unit capable of performing a global electronic shutter operation are known.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2009-296574 discloses an image pickup apparatus that includes pixels each including two charge storage units for storing charges generated by a single photoelectric conversion unit. These charge storage units are used for different frames.


One embodiment provides a method that includes determining candidate ontologies for alignment from multiple available knowledge bases. An initial target ontology is selected from the candidate ontologies and correcting the initial selected ontology with received refinement input. Concepts in the selected initial ontology are aligned with concepts of the target ontology using a deep learning hierarchical classification with received review input. A user is assisted to build, change and grow the selected initial ontology exploiting both the target ontology and new facts extracted from unstructured data.

Maintaining structured machine-readable data allows easy data sharing between people and software agents, data reuse, data analysis and data use. Therefore, converting unstructured data, such as natural language text, or tweets, into a structured knowledge base is a crucial step in many applications. There are many tools that extract named entities or lexicon items of interest for the users from free text. In some cases the extracted instances are maintained in a simple form, such as a flat lexicons, but in many cases a richer structural concept organization is needed. Ontologies are often used to represent rich machine-readable semantic knowledge. While they are a great way to formalize and share knowledge, there are very few domains where the conceptualization is unique: depending on the field, on the task at end and on the specific user, the representations and organizations can vary, while still being all correct (e.g., is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable). Moreover, any representation is subject to changes over time. However, to take advantage of any existing ready available knowledge, it is necessary to be able to connect the representation at hand to any existing and well defined ontology in the field. Once done, you can take advantage and reuse any available "facts" and enable interconnection across different applications. The challenge is to populate and maintain the user ontology with both relevant facts already available in structured form (other ontologies) as well as extracting new facts from unstructured data.

User-centric ontology population with user refinement


A method of manufacturing a bismuth oxide superconductor, wherein a molded body of a bismuth oxide superconducting substance comprising bismuth, an alkaline earth metal, copper, and oxygen or a precursor thereof is subjected to a heat treatment for producing a superconducting phase and then subjected to one step selected from (1) a step of cooling the heated body from 700.degree. C. to 200.degree. C. in an atmosphere having an oxygen partial pressure of not less than 0.1 atm at a cooling rate of not less than 10.degree. C./min, (2) a step of cooling the heated body from 700.degree. C. in an atmosphere having an oxygen partial pressure of less than 0.1 atm at a cooling rate of less than 10.degree. C./min, and (3) a step of cooling the heated body, and then performing a heat treatment for the cooled heated body in an atmosphere having an oxygen partial pressure of not more than 0.1 atm at a temperature from 700.degree. C. to 200.degree. C.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a bismuth type oxide superconductor.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, an oxide superconductor (to be abbreviated as a Y type oxide superconductor hereinafter) comprising a rare earth element, an alkaline earth metal, copper, and oxygen, for example, Y-Ba-Cu-O type oxide superconductor has been developed. However, since the yttrium (Y) type oxide superconductor absorbs moisture and is degraded within a short time period, it is very difficult to put the superconductor of this type into practical use. Recently, an oxide superconductor (to be abbreviated as a Bi type oxide superconductor hereinafter) comprising bismuth, an alkaline earth metal, copper, and oxygen has been found. This Bi type oxide superconductor does not absorb moisture nor is degraded unlike the Y type oxide superconductor. Therefore, extensive studies have been made in various fields in order to put the superconductor of this type into practical use.
The oxide superconductor of a Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O type or the like comprising Bi, an alkaline earth metal, copper, and oxygen has a high critical temperature (T.sub.C) and therefore is expected to be used in a wide range of applications. An oxide type superconductor molded body consisting of the above oxide superconductor has conventionally been manufactured as follows. That is, an oxide, a carbonate, and the like (e.g., a combination of Bi.sub.2 O.sub.3, SrCO.sub.3, CaCO.sub.3, CuO and the like) are used as materials, and these primary materials are mixed to obtain a desired composition. The resultant mixture is preburned to prepare a composite oxide. The prepared composite oxide is milled to obtain a secondary material powder. The secondary material powder is molded into a desired shape, sintered normally at a temperature of 800.degree. to 900.degree. C., and slowly cooled in the same atmosphere at a rate of 1.degree. to 2.degree.C./min, thereby manufacturing the molded body.
Although the oxide superconductor molded body manufactured by the above conventional method slightly contains a high-temperature phase having a critical temperature (T.sub.C) close to 110 to 120K, it also contains a low-temperature phase (85-K phase) having T.sub.C close to 85K, a phase having lower T.sub.C (50 to 60K), and non-superconducting phases of a Ca-Cu-O type, a Bi-Sr-O type, and the like.
The most widely studied method is a method of obtaining a so-called high-temperature phase having T.sub.C of 110 to 120K. In order to produce the high-temperature phase, however, a heating/sintering treatment must be performed for a very long time period. In addition, critical current density (to be abbreviated as J.sub.C hereinafter) of the high-temperature phase is low.
A so-called low-temperature phase having T.sub.C of 80 to 90K and high J.sub.C can be produced by performing a heating/sintering treatment for a comparatively short time period. However, variations in units of lots are very large, and it is difficult to stably obtain a high-performance phase.

Method of manufacturing bismuth type oxide superconductor


An illustrative example system includes at least one alertness detector that is configured to detect an alertness condition of a driver of a vehicle and an alertness condition of a passenger in the vehicle. A controller is configured to determine a sleep risk factor based on the alertness condition of the passenger. The controller is also configured to determine a likelihood that the driver is sleepy based on the alertness condition of the driver and the sleep risk factor. The controller is configured to control a feature of the vehicle to assist the driver when the determined likelihood satisfies a predetermined criterion.

Contemporary passenger vehicles include a variety of electronic components. Advances in technology have made it possible to include a variety of sensing and control features. For example, driver monitoring systems are capable of detecting when a driver is drowsy or asleep. Such systems often include a camera that provides image information regarding the driver's eyes. A computing device uses an algorithm to process the image information to make a determination regarding the driver's alertness or attention on the road. For example, if the image information indicates that the driver's eyes are frequently closing or the direction of the driver's gaze is not on the road in front of the vehicle, the system may determine that the driver is drowsy. Some such systems provide an alert to the driver under such circumstances.
One limitation of such systems is that they do not have predictive capability. Another shortcoming is that the determination of the driver's alertness is often based only on information regarding the driver's gaze.

Driver alertness monitoring including a predictive sleep risk factor


Calibration methods and structures are provided for pipelined analog-to-digital converter systems. They are arranged to process samples of the digital codes with an algorithm that is preferably configured to repeatedly update an estimate of the transfer function with the difference between one of the input signals and the analog equivalent of the corresponding digital code. The calibration methods and structures are further configured to calibrate the transfer function of the converter stage wherein the samples are selected in accordance with various steps. These steps can include the step of injecting dither signals into a flash portion and an MDAC portion of the converter stage to thereby maintain dynamic range. They can also include the step of limiting the samples to those processed through a selected subrange of the subranges. They can further include the step of limiting the samples to those in which the absolute value of the input signals is less that 0.25 of the selected subrange and the absolute value of the dither signals is less that 0.25 of the selected subrange. If the selected subrange is not a central subrange, the steps can further include the step of shifting the samples by a distance between the selected subrange and the central subrange.

1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates generally to pipelined converter systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
Pipelined analog-to-digital signal converter systems are often used in high-speed, high-resolution conversion applications. These systems generally realize a desired number of conversion bits with a cascade (i.e., a pipeline) of lower-resolution converter stages and thus achieve high resolution at sampling speeds that are difficult to realize with other converter systems. Each stage of a pipelined system quantizes that stage's input signal to a predetermined number of digital bits and forms an analog residue signal which is presented to a succeeding stage for further signal processing.
Errors are induced into the transfer functions of the residue signals of the converter stages by various effects. When the converter stages are realized with switched capacitors and amplifiers, for example, mismatches in the capacitors and low gain in the amplifiers can both degrade the accuracy of the transfer functions. In addition, low gain in amplifiers
Although calibration methods have been proposed to reduce transfer function errors, they have generally suffered from various defects. A major one of these is the loss of dynamic range in the transfer function of the converter stage that is being calibrated.

Calibration methods and structures for pipelined converter systems


An integrated circuit includes an aggressor wordline cache and logic that determines a candidate upper adjacent address and a candidate lower adjacent address of a target memory row corresponding to a read request to memory. When at least one of the candidate upper adjacent address or the candidate lower adjacent address are determined to be a victim row, the logic checks the aggressor wordline cache for a cache hit for the target memory row. When there is a cache hit in the aggressor wordline cache, the logic sends a corresponding cache line as a response to the read request, otherwise the logic causes a read of content from the memory. In certain examples, the logic includes a stored bit array and a hash function-based filter, which determines whether any of the candidate upper adjacent address and the candidate lower adjacent address are victim rows represented in the stored bit array.

Because of high memory intensive workloads and manycore systems, demand for high dynamic random access memory (DRAM) capacity is increasing more than ever. One way for increasing DRAM capacity is to scale down memory technology via reducing the proximity and size of cells and packing more cells in the same die area.
Recent studies show that because of high process variation and strong parasitic capacitances among cells of physically adjacent wordlines, wordline electromagnetic coupling (crosstalk) considerably increases in technology nodes below the 22 nm process node. Specifically, frequently activating and deactivating wordlines exacerbates the crosstalk among cells leading to disturbance errors in adjacent wordlines, thereby endangering reliability of future DRAM technology. Unfortunately, the wordline crosstalk opens a window for attackers to intentionally induce errors in the memory, such as main memory.
The current solutions for mitigating wordline crosstalk can be categorized to four main groups. The first group uses deterministic approaches to track frequently targeted wordlines, called aggressors, and then refresh their neighboring wordlines, called victim rows, as long as the number of wordline accesses reaches to the specific threshold, called the row hammering threshold. Note that the row hammering threshold is the minimum number of wordline accesses before the first error occurs. One solution for implementing the deterministic approach is to deploy counters uniformly across each DRAM bank and then each counter supervises a specific region of the DRAM bank. While this approach works efficiently for uniform memory access frequency, many counters would be underutilized for memory intensive workloads with high data-locality. To dynamically distribute counters within the memory bank, some systems track hot regions with high access frequency during consecutive refresh intervals and apply more counters to them in contrast to memory regions with less memory accesses.
The second group uses probabilistic approaches to refresh victim rows using a Random Number Generator (RNG) embedded in the memory controller. However, the accuracy of probabilistic approaches considerably depends on randomness of numbers generated by the RNG. Hence, they require true RNGs, which are known to be complex and to consume relatively large power.
The third group takes advantage of the fact that row hammer attacks depend on knowing the physical layout of adjacent wordlines so that the attack can predict the results of hammering and thereby exploit the bit-flipped results. In this regime, the proposed approach scrambles the physical wordline addresses making it difficult for attackers to know about the physical memory layout.
In contrast to hardware solutions, the fourth group takes advantage of software solutions to detect aggressor rows. Specifically, they use the last-level cache miss rate and row accesses with high temporal locality to mitigate wordline crosstalk. However, such systems sacrifice system performance and energy efficiency.

Method and apparatus for mitigating row hammer attacks


Provided herein is a method and apparatus for selective deep catalytic cracking of petroleum naphthas or other hydrocarbon feedstocks. The feed comprising the hydrocarbons to be cracked and steam, in well-defined proportions, is first sent into a precatalytic zone (Zone I) of a cracking reactor, preferably a tubular reactor. In a preferred embodiment, Zone I, contains beads of some catalytically mildly active porous material such as quartz or quartz doped with Cr—Al, is set at a temperature T1. The gas steam flows then through a catalyst bed, called Zone II, where the catalytic reaction takes place. Zone II is set at temperature T2 and contains a zeolite type catalyst, preferably ZSM5 zeolite or, most preferably, a hybrid zeolite catalyst. It is shown that by moderately increasing the temperature T1 of Zone I, it is possible to have an increased total conversion of n-hexane used as model molecule for petroleum naphthas and an increased yield of light olefins (and aromatics), when compared to the parent ZSM-5 zeolite catalyst The ethylene/propylene product ratio is closely dependent of the temperature T1, if all other reaction parameters are kept constant and can be widely varied (from 1.0 to 2.0 for instance) for a limited range of variation of temperature T1.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and related apparatus for catalytic steam cracking of hydrocarbons.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Steam cracking of hydrocarbons is one of the core processes in the petrochemical industry. Current world production of stream cracking products is estimated to reach 100 million metric tons/year of ethylene and propylene.
Basically, steam cracking comprises a step in which the hydrocarbon mixture to be transformed is mixed with steam and submitted to elevated temperatures in a tubular reactor, usually in the presence of one or more catalysts. The reaction temperature usually ranges from 700 to 900° C. according to the type of feedstock treated (the longer the hydrocarbon molecular structure, the lower the required temperature for cracking) while the residence time ranges from a few seconds to a fraction of second. The different resulting products, gaseous or liquid are then collected and separated. Thus, product distribution depends on the nature of the initial hydrocarbon mixture and the reaction conditions.
During steam cracking, light paraffins (ethane, propane and butane, obtained mainly by extraction from various natural gas sources) naphthas and other heavier petroleum cuts are broken down (cracked) into mainly:                i) light olefins: primarily ethylene and propylene,        ii) secondarily, depending on the feedstock employed, a C4 cut rich in butadienes and a C5+ cut with a high content of aromatics, particularly benzene,        iii) and finally hydrogen.
Since enormous quantities of hydrocarbons are steam cracked throughout the world, even small yield or product selectivity improvements may lead to substantial commercial advantages.
Common feedstocks in steam cracking operations are ethane and LPG in the U.S.A. and naphthas or gas oils in Europe. However, in recent years, the situation has changed dramatically with the U.S.A. moving towards the use of heavier hydrocarbon feedstocks.
Market demands are currently focussed on propylene and on some longer isolefins such as isobutene and isopentenes. The latter enter in the synthesis of alkyl ethers used as octane boosters for transportation fuels. However, currently available steam cracking technology is not sufficiently flexible to respond to these or other market trends.
More than ten years ago, the present inventor had developed a method for upgrading the products of propane steam cracking, see U.S. Pat. No. 4,732,881. This process comprised adding a small catalytic reactor to a conventional propane steam cracker. The catalysts used were based on hybrid zeolite catalysts, namely ZSM5 zeolite modified with Al and Cr. Significant increases in the yield of ethylene and aromatics were obtained.
However, the prior art has so far partially failed to develop a method providing simultaneously:
(a) enhanced production of commercially valuable products light olefins (ethylene and propylene) and aromatics, and
(b) higher production flexibility and selectivity for olefins, i.e. a wider range of variation for the ethylene/propylene ratio.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a novel method meeting these requirements.
Other objects and further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. It should be understood, however, that this detailed description, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, is given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art.

Method and apparatus for selective deep catalytic cracking of hydrocarbons


A basic pressure sensor of four fused silica discs and two defined interior cavities. The discs are bonded to one another by a cold metal film metallization. The film metallization in spaced apart discs define capacitor electrodes where a central metallization film is a common electrode and the other metallization films define separate capacitor electrodes.. For a high pressure capacitance pressure sensor, end cap discs are relatively thick and are supported by an annular ring surface on interior discs which also have a small central cavity. Pressure acting on the discs develops compressive forces which change the volume of the central cavities and the capacitance as a function of pressure.. For low pressure capacitance pressure sensors, the end caps are relatively thin and flex to change a capacitance relationship defined by the bonding films. A reference capacitor can be incorporated by use of an additional electrode disc.

It is well known that fused silica quartz has exceptional elastic characteristics that make it capable of being the basis for high accuracy pressure sensors. Its well known limitations, however, are fragility and low effective tensile strength. This becomes particularly critical in designing diaphragm operated high pressure capacitor sensors since any usable deflection of a diaphragm is also accompanied by stress levels in the diaphragm which can cause failure in the diaphragm material. The stress occurs when a diaphragm bends and develops compression and tensile forces in the quartz.
Another problem in constructing fused silica pressure sensors is bonding of quartz members to one another. Glass frits are generally used for this purpose but they have inferior properties relative to the properties of quartz silica. Glass frits also introduce temperature dependent stresses in the quartz because their expansion characteristics are significantly different from the extremely low values exhibited by fused silica quartz. Additionally, the glasses that are most suitable for bonding fused silica fire at very high temperatures (900 degrees Centigrade) and where metal films are utilized there is a great likelihood that extreme degradation of metal films used in the construction will occur.
It is an object of this invention to circumvent all of these limitations and create a low cost, high pressure, fused silica capacitance pressure sensor. The design also lends itself to low pressure sensor fabrication.


ICI canceling in an OFDM system includes taking a FFT of a wireless electrical signal to produce an OFDM signal; estimating a DC component of a frequency-selective channel in the OFDM system; obtaining an initial estimate of data symbols associated with data bits of the OFDM signal; correcting the data bits with a Viterbi decoder; encoding the corrected data bits to acquire corrected data symbols; re-estimating the DC component of the frequency-selective channel using the corrected data symbols; filtering the corrected data symbols and sub-carrier of the frequency-selective channel; calculating a first order differential function of the frequency-selective channel based on successive ones of the corrected data symbols; removing an ICI component from the calculated first order differential function; and re-estimating the data symbols as a function of the removed ICI component. The filtering occurs using a low pass filter comprising a bank of eight filters.

1. Technical Field
The embodiments herein generally relate to wireless communication systems, and, more particularly, to inter-carrier-interference (ICI) canceling in Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
OFDM has recently been widely adopted by many wireless communication standards due to its many advantages. One major advantage of OFDM is the effective conversion of a frequency-selective channel into a group of nearly flat sub-channels (carriers) that are easily equalized at the receiver. At high Doppler frequencies, inter-carrier-interference (ICI) occurs. This problem limits the performance of OFDM systems under high Doppler frequencies. Accordingly, there remains a need for a new ICI cancellation technique in OFDM systems.

Adaptive technique for inter-carrier-interference canceling in OFDM systems