In response to source code that represents instructions for dynamically allocating memory to objects, a compiler/interpreter produces instructions that implement a garbage collector. The garbage collector operates in garbage-collection cycles, which include parallel-execution operations such as locating reachable objects. Each thread maintains a respective task queue onto which it pushes identifiers of objects thus found and from which it pops those identifiers in order to begin the tasks of locating the further objects to which objects specified by the thus-popped identifiers refer. A thread's access to its respective task queue ordinarily occurs on a last-in, first-out basis, but the access mode switches to a first-in, first-out basis if the number of task-queue entries exceeds a predetermined threshold.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to computer processes that identify tasks dynamically. It particularly concerns maintaining lists of tasks thus identified.
2. Background Information
There are many types of computer operations that can be thought of as series of tasks. Sometimes some or most of the tasks to be performed are identifiable only dynamically. That is, some of the tasks can be identified only by performing others of the tasks. Examples of such tasks occur in what has come to be called "garbage collection." Garbage collection is the automatic reclamation of dynamically allocated memory. Byte code executed by a Java virtual machine, for instance, often calls for memory to be allocated for data "objects" if certain program branches are taken. Subsequently, a point in the byte-code program's execution can be reached at which there is no further possibility that the data stored in that dynamically allocated memory will be used. Without requiring the programmer to provide specific instructions to do so, the virtual machine executing the byte code automatically identifies such "unreachable" objects and reclaims their memory so that objects allocated thereafter can use it.
The general approach employed by the virtual machine's garbage collector is to identify all objects that are reachable and then reclaim memory that no such reachable object occupies. An object is considered reachable if it is referred to by a reference in a "root set" of locations, such as global variables, registers, or the call stack, that are recognized as being inherently reachable.
But an object is also reachable if it is referred to by a reference in a reachable object. So reachable-object identification is a recursive process: the identification of a reachable object can lead to identification of further reachable objects. And, if every reachable object so far identified is thought of as representing a further task, namely, that of identifying any further objects to which it refers, it can be seen that parts of the garbage-collection process include tasks that are only dynamically identifiable.
Now, a reachable object can contain references to more than one other object, and one or more of those may in turn contain multiple object references. So a list of objects (and thus tasks) identified in this fashion must be kept, and size to which such a list can grow is not knowable in advance. The list size is potentially prodigious, so the job of allocating space to the list can be correspondingly onerous.

Load-balancing queues employing LIFO/FIFO work stealing


A high voltage, high speed, and high repetition rate pulse generator solves the high pulse repetition rate limitations associated with RF power amplifiers. The pulse generator employs resonant techniques to provide current limiting features that allow for continued high voltage, high speed, and high repetition pulse rate operation of the pulse generator without impairment of the pulse generator during both short circuit and open circuit load conditions.

The invention relates generally to electronic power conversion and more particularly to a high voltage, high speed, high pulse repetition rate pulse generator using soft switching and pulse shaping technologies.
Generators capable of operating at high voltages, high speeds, and high pulse repetition rates have generally employed radio frequency (RF) power amplifiers and related technology to accomplish high voltage, high speed and high pulse repetition rate generation and transmission. Such RF power amplifiers are expensive to produce and suffer in reliability due to internal heat build-up during high pulse repetition rate generation. RF amplifiers also undesirably require significant real estate and generally have low electric efficiency. Further, RF power amplifier technology is not particularly suitable for generation of high pulse repetition rates due to thermal losses, among other things.
It would be both advantageous and beneficial to provide a high voltage, high speed, high pulse repetition rate pulse generator that solves the high pulse repetition rate limitations associated with RF power amplifiers. It would be further advantageous if the high voltage, high speed, high pulse repetition rate pulse generator were capable of continued operation without impairment of the pulse generator during both short circuit and open circuit load conditions.

High voltage, high speed, high pulse repetition rate pulse generator


Hazard suppression apparatus (10) is provided with a container (12) of suppression fluid and a non-explosive, pressurized gas-operated actuator assembly (16). The assembly (16) includes an actuator body (32) and first and second spaced apart rupture discs (36, 38) defining a zone (43) therebetween; the first disc (36) is preferably of bulged, scored configuration, whereas the second disc (38) is flat and has a series of vent openings (52) therethrough. A perforate, bar-type support (34) is positioned adjacent the second disc (38) and remote from the zone (43). A container (18) of high pressure actuating fluid is operatively coupled to the body (32) via a coupling unit (56) having an elongated, tubular nipple (58) equipped with a third rupture disc (62). A valve (70), adapted for connection with a hazard sensor is interposed between the container (18) and the coupling unit (56). In use, when a hazard is detected the solenoid valve (70) opens and a charge of high pressure actuating gas is delivered to the interdisc zone (43) by rupture of the third disc (62). This causes rapid rupture of the first disc (36) while the support (34) prevents premature opening of the second disc (36). After the first disc (36) ruptures, the pressure differential across second disc (38) causes it to rupture, thereby venting the contents of container (12) to the protected area.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is broadly concerned with improved non-explosive actuator assemblies forming a part of hazard suppression apparatus, and complete suppression apparatus of this type. More particularly, the invention pertains to such actuator assemblies including first and second spaced apart rupture discs operable, upon delivery of a charge of high pressure initiator fluid to the zone therebetween, to sequentially rupture and permit full venting of hazard suppression fluid from a container thereof; a perforate support is provided adjacent the face of the second disc remote from the zone in order to prevent premature rupturing of the second disc and assure reliable operation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Fire or explosion suppression systems typically include a container having a pressurized suppressant which is discharged into a protected area through a nozzle or outlet upon opening of a valve or opening a rupture disc. In the case of rupture discs, opening occurs when the pressure differential across the disc reaches a predetermined amount, known as the set or burst pressure. In a typical application, the pressure on one side of the disc is atmospheric and the set or burst pressure is on the order of 600-700 psig. Selection of material making up the rupture disc, as well as material thickness and disc modifications (e.g., bulging and/or lines of weakness) all influence the burst pressure.
It is also known to provide multiple disc actuator assemblies which are operatively coupled to a source of hazard suppression fluid. In one such design, a pair of spaced apart discs are provided, with the inner disc being perforated so that the zone between the discs is maintained at the same pressure as the fluid container. In order to rupture an assembly of this type, an electrically operated squib or initiator is placed through the sidewall of the actuator between the discs. This squib is provided with a side rupture disc in communication with the zone between the primary discs. In use, when a hazard is detected an electrical signal is sent to the squib which explosively ruptures the side-mounted disc. This in turn causes the imperforate outer disc to rupture, followed by rupturing of the inner perforated disc, i.e., the perforated disc is designed to withstand the pressure pulse generated by the squib long enough to allow burst of the outer imperforate disc.
In some applications however, electrically operated squibs or initiators are discouraged or even prohibited. For example, on oil rigs use of such squibs is considered a safety hazard, owing to the possibility of creating a large-scale explosion upon electrical actuation of the squib. It has been suggested to use other types of actuating mechanism in such cases, such as a source of high pressure inert gas, usually nitrogen. In systems of this type a solenoid valve is opened in response to sensing of a hazard, allowing the high pressure charge to rupture the side disc. However, it has been found that the pressure pulse generated by an inert gas charge differs considerably from that generated by a squib, and that as a consequence the prior multiple disc assemblies will not operate properly. Specifically, the perforate inner disc tends to initially burst causing the high pressure to be diffused into the contents of the fire suppression fluid container, with the result that the total system pressure is not sufficient to burst the outer imperforate. In short, the system fails.
There is accordingly a need in the art for improved pressurized fluid-operated hazard suppression apparatus, and particularly a fluid-type actuator assembly therefor, which assures that the discs of a multiple-disc actuator operate in the proper sequential order so as to assure rapid and reliable delivery of the suppression fluid to a protected area.

Non-fragmenting, non-explosive actuating valve mechanism for fire suppression apparatus


A thrust bias detection system for a mobile machine is disclosed. The mobile machine may have a first track assembly and a second track assembly. The thrust bias detection system may have a first wear sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of a first wear measurement of a first track link surface, and a second wear sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of a second wear measurement of a second track link surface. The thrust bias detection system may also have a controller in communication with the first and second wear sensors and configured to determine whether at least one of the first and second track assemblies has experienced thrust bias, based on the signals.

A mobile machine may be used to perform various types of work on different worksites, such as a construction site, a demolition site, a mining site, or a landfill site. For example, a bulldozer may be used to push soil and rock on a construction site. The bulldozer, as a track-type mobile machine, includes a tracked undercarriage with tracks on the left and right sides of the machine. Each of the tracks includes a chain formed by connecting a number of track links to one another, and connecting a number of track shoes to the chains. The tracks are supported and guided in movement by various driver, idler, and/or roller assemblies on both sides of the machine.
Operation of the mobile machine inevitably results in wear or damage to various components, including components of the undercarriage such as the track links, idler, and roller assemblies. For example, as a track assembly operates, a surface of each track link may wear away through contact with other components of the track assembly, machine, and/or outside materials (e.g., the ground). When a component experiences a certain amount of wear, the component has exceeded its usable lifetime and should be replaced. When the undercarriage as a whole experiences a certain amount of wear, an overhaul of the undercarriage may be necessary.
It is known to service or replace an undercarriage component, for example, when the component exceeds its expected lifetime (based on the age of the component or number of hours of use experienced by the component), or based on the results of inspection or evaluation of the component, in addition, wear sensors have been developed to monitor track wear. One such wear sensor is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication 2013/0255354 by Hawkins et al, published Oct. 3, 2013 ("the '354 publication"). In particular, the '354 publication includes a wear sensor for automated detection of problems with the bearings or lubrication of a roller assembly that may have occurred due to track wear. While these means may be suitable for detecting normal, expected wear of a track assembly, they may be less than optimal when certain less-common types of wear occur.
One such type of wear may occur as a result of thrust bias. Thrust bias, which may be caused by a machine condition that creates a lateral force on a track assembly, may cause accelerated wear at surfaces that would not normally be expected to experience such wear. This wear may reduce the useful lifetime of associated track components, causing expected lifetimes to be inaccurate and manual inspections to occur too late to save the associated parts. Further, reliance on wear sensors, such as the wear sensor of the '354 publication, that are not adapted to detect thrust bias wear may result in the problem going undetected.
The present disclosure is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above and/or other problems of the prior art.


A device includes one or more sensors, one or more processors, one or more sensors, and a memory. The memory has a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion. The first portion is allocated to storing instructions for execution by the one or more processors. The second portion is allocated to storing data generated by the one or more processor, and the third portion is allocated to storing data from the one or more sensors. The third portion being a first-in-first-out (FIFO) having one or more FIFO portions, The device further includes a control logic operable to allocate the first, second and third portions of the memory, wherein each of one or more FIFO portions is allocated to each of the one or more sensors. The size each of the FIFO portions depends on the bandwidth of the sensors and the number of sensors.

Various embodiments of the invention relate generally to a device using first-in-first-out (FIFOs) and particularly to configurable FIFOs.
FIFOs are common place in a variety of applications, sensors are no exception to such applications. Sensors, among other applications, often require multiple FIFOs, which increases the design area and increases power consumption. Additionally, other types of memory, such as static random access memory (SRAM) when used in conjunction with FIFOs, increases valuable memory real estate.
In sensor applications, conventional FIFOs are generally fixed in size thereby limiting their flexibility and wasting valuable memory space. For example, FIFOs used in a sensor application each correspond to a particular sensor and a fixed FIFO size fails to allow for the size of the FIFO to change and correspond to the requirements of an associated sensor.
There is thus a need for a configurable FIFO and a method and apparatus for using the same.

Multiple, per sensor configurable FIFOs in a single static random access memory (SRAM) structure


An automatic paper feeder comprises: a pick roller for picking out paper accommodated in a paper cassette; a separation roller to which a torque limiter is connected, and which separates the paper picked out by the pick roller to feed the paper one sheet at a time; means for moving the separation roller into contact with or away from the pick roller; a lifter for lifting the paper accommodated in the paper cassette to cause the paper to be moved into contact with or away from the pick roller; and means for driving the lifter. The means for moving the separation roller into contact with or away from the pick roller and the means for driving the lifter are realized by a single driving means.

The present invention relates to an automatic paper feeder for an image forming apparatus, such as a printer, a copying machine, and facsimile equipment.
FIG. 39 is a cross sectional view illustrating a conventional automatic paper feeder disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 221033/1990. In the drawing, reference numeral 1 denotes paper; 2 denotes a paper cassette for accommodating the paper 1; 3 denotes a pick roller for picking out the paper 1 in the paper cassette 2; 4 denotes a separation roller for separating the sheets of paper 1 picked out by the pick roller 3 and feeding the paper 1 one sheet at a time; and 5 denotes a coil spring serving as an urging means for causing the paper 1 in the paper cassette 2 to abut against the pick roller 3.
Next, a description will be given of the operation. A leading end portion of the paper 1 in the paper cassette 2 is pushed upward by the coil spring 5, and an uppermost sheet of paper 1 abuts against a lower surface portion of the pick roller 3. In addition, the separation roller 4 is disposed in such a manner as to rotate in contact with the pick roller 3. When the pick roller 3 is rotated in the traveling direction of the paper in the above-described state, the paper 1 is taken out from inside the paper cassette 2.
In cases where one sheet of paper 1 has been taken out from inside the paper cassette 2, since the force for transporting the paper 1 due to a frictional force between the pick roller 3 and the paper 1 is set in such a manner as to overcome the separating torque of the separation roller 4 acting in the direction of the arrow indicated by the broken line, the separation roller 4 rotates by following the rotation of the pick roller 3, thereby feeding the paper 1 to an ensuing step.
In the event that two sheets of paper 1 have been taken out from inside the paper cassette 2, since the separating torque of the separation roller 4 is set in such a manner as to overcome the frictional force between the two sheets of paper 1, the separation roller 4 separates the sheets of paper 1 by rotating in the direction of the arrow indicated by the broken line, thereby feeding only one sheet of paper 1 to the ensuing step.
However, with the arrangement of the automatic paper feeder shown in FIG. 39, since the separation roller 4 constantly abuts against the pick roller 3, the following drawback has been encountered. If the separated paper 1 is not returned to inside the paper cassette 2 and remains located in the vicinity of a paper separating portion 19, i.e., a portion of contact between the pick roller 3 and the separation roller 4, unless the rotation of the pick roller 3 is stopped immediately after a trailing end of the paper 1, fed out in the form of only one sheet after being separated, has passed the separating portion 19, an overlapped feeding of paper can occur in which the separated paper 1 remaining in the vicinity of the separating portion 19 is also transported by following the paper 1 fed out in the form of only one sheet after being separated.
In addition, since a rotational torque is constantly produced in the separation roller 4 in an opposite direction to the traveling direction of the paper 1, if the separation roller 4 is in the state in which the separation roller 4 constantly abuts against the pick roller 3, there is a possibility that a difference in speed can occur between the traveling speed of the paper 1 and the peripheral speed of the separation roller 4 at the surface of contact between the paper 1 and the separation roller 4 when one sheet of paper 1 is being transported. Hence, there has been a drawback in that defects, such as damage or roller scars caused to the paper 1, can occur due to the difference in speed.
In addition, with the arrangement of the automatic paper feeder shown in FIG. 39, since the leading end portion of the paper 1 in the paper cassette 2 is constantly pushed upward by the coil spring 5, and an uppermost sheet of paper 1 constantly abuts against a lower surface portion of the pick roller 3, there is a drawback in that an overlapped feeding of the paper can occur because there is always a possibility of the paper 1 in the paper cassette 2 being taken out while the pick roller 3 is rotating in the traveling direction of the paper 1.
In addition, since the arrangement provided is such that the paper 1 in the paper cassette 2 is pushed upward by the coil spring 5, and the paper 1 is made to abut against the lower surface portion of the pick roller 3,, the pressure-contacting force at the time when the paper 1 is brought into contact with the lower surface portion of the pick roller 3 is determined by the coil spring 5. Further, the pressure-contacting force varies depending on the amount of the paper 1 loaded in the paper cassette 2 and the kind of paper 1, so that there are limitations to the kinds of paper that can be used.
In addition, because the force with which the pick roller 3 takes out the paper 1 from the interior of the paper cassette 2 is unstable, there has been a problem in that the misfeeding of the paper can possibly occur.


A multi-layer printed wire board (PWB) structure optimized for improved drop reliability, reliable electrical connections under thermal load, and minimal thickness is provided, along with a mobile terminal, including the PWB. The PWB includes alternating conductive layers and insulative layers. The outermost three layers form an interconnect structure constructed of two conductive layers surrounding an insulative-coated conductive layer. The thicknesses of the various layers are optimized to have an increased resistance to mechanical shock resulting from, for instance, a drop onto a hard surface. In addition, the optimized PWB structure has a minimized thickness and an improved resistance to connection failures resulting from cyclical thermal loads.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to multi-layer printed wire boards (PWBs), such as for use in electronic devices, and more particularly to multi-layer PWBs for use in mobile terminals.
2. Description of Related Art
Multi-layer printed wire boards (PWBs) are the platform on which complex electronic components such as integrated circuits and a number of passive components, such as capacitors and resistors, are mounted. PWBs serve as a structural foundation and a hub for electrical connections for a variety of electronic devices. Specifically, multi-layer PWBs allow for a plurality of interconnected conductive layers to be packed into a compact space, and as such, they are useful in manufacturing portable electronic devices, including mobile terminals. Multi-layer PWBs must provide not only a compact hub for electrical connections but also a robust mechanical and electrical connection between the electronic components that make up a given device. Of particular interest in portable electronic devices is increasing the drop reliability of the PWB, or the ability of the PWB to maintain a physical and electrical connection between electronic components even after being subjected to the mechanical shock from a drop onto a hard surface, as users of portable electronic devices are unfortunately prone to do.
Originally, drop reliability of multi-layer PWBs was increased by simply increasing the overall thickness and stiffness of the multi-layer PWB. While this solution is effective in securing the mechanical and electrical connections between components on the PWB upon a mechanical shock, it has the negative result of making the miniaturization of the PWB more difficult. In this regard, portable electronic devices are continually being made smaller and, as such, it is desirable that the constituent components, such as the PWB, be similarly made smaller. In addition, thicker and stiffer multi-layer PWBs often suffer from decreased reliability under thermal load, since solder reliability and electrical connectivity under varying thermal load is decreased as the thickness of the multi-layer PWB is increased. This decreased reliability is due in part to the inability of the thick and stiff PWB to flex and conform to the subtly changing sizes and shapes of electrical components and their solder connections during thermal load cycles.
One conventional PWB that is utilized in mobile telephones has eight copper layers separated by dielectric layers or resin coated copper layers. Beginning from one surface of the PWB, a first outermost copper layer is disposed upon a resin coated copper layer which, in turn, is disposed upon a second copper layer. The second copper layer is disposed on a first dielectric layer which, in turn, is disposed on a third copper layer. The third copper layer is disposed upon a second dielectric layer which, in turn, is disposed upon a fourth copper layer. The fourth copper layer is disposed upon a third dielectric layer. The third dielectric layer is centrally located within the PWB and the PWB structure is effectively mirrored about the third dielectric layer. As such, the third dielectric layer is disposed upon a fifth copper layer which, in turn, is disposed upon a fourth dielectric layer. The fourth dielectric layer is disposed upon a sixth copper layer which, in turn, is disposed upon a fifth dielectric layer. The fifth dielectric layer is disposed upon a seventh copper layer which, in turn, is disposed upon a second resin coated copper layer. The second resin coated copper layer is disposed upon an eighth copper layer which forms the opposed surface of the PWB.
Typically, the dielectric layers are formed of a FR-4 glass fiber/epoxy material, such as an FR-4 glass fiber/epoxy material bearing the designation MCL-E-679F provided by Hitachi, Ltd. Additionally, the resin coated copper layers may be formed of a material bearing the designation MCF-6000E that is also provided by Hitachi, Ltd.
The copper layers may be electrically connected by means of vias through the resin coated copper layers and/or the dielectric layers. Based upon the various electrical connections and the components mounted upon the first and eighth copper layers, the PWB can therefore provide the desired functionality.
While this conventional PWB generally performs as desired, this PWB is thicker and stiffer than desired. In this regard, the first, second, seventh and eighth copper layers of a conventional PWB have a thickness between 25 um and 50 um with a nominal thickness of 35 um, while the third, fourth, fifth and sixth copper layers have a thickness of between 12 um and 19 um with a nominal thickness of 17 um. Additionally, the resin coated copper layers of a conventional PWB have a thickness of between 50 um and 70 um with a nominal thickness of 60 um, while each dielectric layer is quite thick and contributes substantially to the overall thickness of the PWB with a thickness between 125 um and 175 um and a nominal thickness of 150 um. In this regard, the thickness of the PWB contributes to the overall size of the mobile terminal and it would therefore be desirable to reduce the size of the PWB and, in turn, the size of the mobile terminal. Additionally, this conventional PWB has not performed as desired in terms of drop reliability. In other words, the PWB has a tendency to no longer function properly after a lesser number of drops than is desired. Since consumers are demanding increased reliability in portable electronic products, it is also desirable to improve the drop reliability of the PWB.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to have an optimized multi-layer PWB structure with an increased mechanical strength and drop reliability, while still maintaining a thin and flexible structure that is compact and less susceptible to connection failure under cyclical thermal loads.

Printed wire board and associated mobile terminal


Method of fabricating high density multilayer interconnect structures or flexible HDMI decals. The methods secure a top surface of an HDMI decal fabricated on a rigid substrate to a protective film layer which is in turn adhesively secured to a flat carrier. This structure is then demounted or delaminated from the rigid substrate. The bottom of the HDMI decal, with the protective film layer and flat carrier attached thereto, is secured to a mounting substrate using a relatively thick adhesive layer. After the HDMI decal is adhesively secured to the mounting substrate, the carrier and protective film layer are removed. The top surface of the HDMI decal thus remains flat after it is secured to the mounting substrate, and therefore connection of integrated circuit chips to contact pads on the top surface of the decal is ensured because this surface is flat. The carrier and protective film layer also protects the top surface of the decal while it is secured to the mounting substrate.

The present invention relates generally to high density multilayer interconnect (HDMI) structures, and more particularly, to an attachment method for assembling flexible HDMI decals comprising flexible fine line interconnect structures.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,699,245, entitled "Methods of Forming Two-Sided HDMI Interconnect Structures", assigned to the assignee of the present invention, discloses methods of forming double-sided high density multilayer interconnect structures. These inventions produce single- and double-sided HDMI structures that are useful in producing interconnection substrates for electronic components, three-dimensional flexible cables, membrane IC test boards and power devices, and the like that require fine line metallized conductors. The present invention improves upon these particular inventions.
No prior art is known that specifically relates to the present invention. An alternative to the present invention is to not use a protective film on the top surface of the HDMI decal. This structure would be subject to problems that the present invention avoids. More specifically, the top surface of the HDMI decal would not be flat after mounting to a carrier substrate which causes problems when mounting integrated circuit chips to the top surface of the HDMI decal, and adhesive bleedout could encroach onto the top surface of the decal preventing electrical connection of the decal to its mounting substrate. The protective film also serves to prevent mechanical damage to the top of the HDMI decal during delamination of the HDMI decal from the substrate and through the decal mounting process.
Consequently, it is an objective of the present invention to provide for an improved attachment method for assembling flexible HDMI structures that provides a flat surface for mounting integrated circuit chips. It is also an objective of the present invention to provide for an improved attachment method for assembling flexible HDMI structures that eliminates problems of adhesive bleedout encroaching onto the top surface of the decal which would prevent electrical connection of the decal to its mounting substrate. It is an additional objective of the present invention to protect the top of the HDMI decal from mechanical damage.

Attachment method for assembly of high density multiple interconnect structures


A method for combining layers of an image represented using an intermediate format receives at least two layers from the plurality of layers to be combined and estimates resources required to combine the received layers using a first combining operation. The first combining operation comprises at least rasterizing data of the received layers. The method attempts to combine the received layers using a second combining operation to produce an output in the intermediate format. In response, the method generates a combined layer for the image by combining the received layers in accordance with a selected one of the first combining operation (merge & flatten) and the second combining operation (merge). The selected combining operation is based on success of the attempt. Desirably the method is performed within a printer apparatus where limited memory and/or computing resources are available for image rendering which could otherwise limit the rendering of complex pages.

A computer application being executed by a computing device typically provides a page to a device for printing and/or display in the form of a description of the page, with the description provided to device driver software of the device in a page description language (PDL), such as Adobe® PDF or Hewlett-Packard® PCL. The PDL provides descriptions of objects to be rendered onto the page, as opposed to a raster image of the page to be reproduced, for example by printing onto a hard copy medium such as paper, or display upon a video display device. Equivalently, a set of descriptions of graphic objects may be provided in function calls to a graphics interface, such as the Graphical Device Interface (GDI) in the Microsoft Windows™ operating system, or X-11 in the Unix™ operating system, as used in many computing devices. The page is typically rendered for printing and/or display by an object-based graphics system, also known as a Raster Image Processor (RIP).
A PDL-based printer must be able to reliably handle PDL input of high complexity. However it is not always possible to interpret highly complex PDL input in its entirety prior to pixel generation in view of the typically limited memory and processor resources available in a printer system. Consequently, several methods have been utilized to enable PDL printers to process highly complex input PDL jobs prior to final pixel generation.
One of such method involves dividing a complex PDL input into batches of foreground objects which are scan-converted and composited onto a background bitmap. The resultant bitmap may be compressed and be used as the background bitmap for subsequent foreground object batches. The increased processing of compressed bitmaps will impact on the overall performance as each bitmap has to be decompressed before compositing. Furthermore, compression artefacts are also likely to be introduced to the compositing operation, and this will consequently degrade the quality of the final output. Even if a lossless compression technique is used, this method will require a large amount of memory to store the background bitmap. Other similar methods divide the page into strips and batch objects according to these strips, but they suffer the same disadvantages.
Other methods convert a batch of consecutive PDL input objects to an intermediate representation, such as a fillmap. FIG. 1 is a schematic flow diagram that demonstrates the top-level processing of this method. The batch fillmaps are merged into a merged fillmap to reduce memory usage. Due to the lossless and compact nature of fillmaps, the merged fillmap will often lead to a good saving of system resources while preserving the original quality of the PDL data. Thus, this method overcomes performance and quality degradation that is seen in other bitmap based approaches. Although this method works well for many common test cases, resources may still run out during the merging process for some unusual cases. For example, when the number of unique fill compositing sequences generated from overlapping translucent objects in a PDL input exceeds a predetermined threshold associated with available printer system resources, the merging process will run out of resources (typically memory resources) for keeping (storing) the fill compositing sequence after merging. Without a means of recovery, this drawback is catastrophic in a system such as a printer, especially considering that printers do not usually have many system resources available. When resources are exhausted, the printer will have no choice but to halt the printing of the PDL data and possibly leave the user with a printed page with incorrect output.
The disadvantages of such methods include high computational complexity, high memory storage requirements, degraded output quality and a potential out-of-resources condition in unusual cases. Consequently, what is needed is a method for processing input objects using limited resources with efficiency while maximising the quality of the generated pixel output.

Method of processing graphics with limited memory


The present invention relates to a micro-hotplate device comprising a frame, a membrane, an active area comprising at least one active layer, and a heating structure designed to heat said active layer, said heating structure having concentric tracks and comprising inner tracks (20) and inner spaces (22) and outer tracks (24) and outer spaces (26) as being the one or two tracks and spaces located the furthest away from the center of the heating structure, characterized in that said outer tracks (24) are designed to be located closer to their neighboring tracks and/or are designed to have a width which is lower than those of the inner tracks (20), the width and the spacing of said inner tracks (20) being substantially constant.

MEMS-based micro-hotplates are more and more often used in applications such as miniature flow sensors or gas sensors, the detection principle of which is relying on the temperature elevation of the surrounding gas and/or of an active functional layer. The small size of these micro-sensors offers advantages when integrating in portable devices. However, in such applications not only the small size but also the low power consumption is a key parameter because of its direct consequence on battery lifetime of the portable instrument. For this reason, significant research and development has been carried out, aiming to maximize the efficiency of these sensors, i.e. to maximize sensitivity, selectivity, stability, and speed of response while minimizing the power consumption of the micro-hotplate.
Micro-hotplates are typically based on a membrane structure extending across a rigid frame, on which a resistive heating structure is deposited in order to heat the active area of the membrane to a given desired temperature. The temperature uniformity of the active area is a critical factor for good sensor efficiency, i.e. for an optimum usage of the consumed power which has to be kept as low as possible.
The temperature uniformity can be optimized by using an appropriate pattern for the heating structure.
The most common and straightforward heating resistor pattern used for micro-hotplates is a simple meander of constant width and constantly spaced tracks as illustrated e.g. in EP 0859536 or WO 02/080620. This type of heater represents a nearly uniform heat source but yields a non-uniform temperature distribution due to the conductive heat losses through the membrane to the cold frame. FIG. 1 shows the type of temperature profile obtained across a micro-hotplate by using a uniform heat source (Curve A) compared with the ideally sought uniform temperature profile (Curve B) in the active area (with a target temperature of 500° C. in this example).
In order to correct this lack of temperature uniformity, two strategies have been investigated principally:                to increase the thermal conductivity within the active area by the use of an additional heat spreading plate in order to locally facilitate heat transfer by conduction in the plane of the membrane and thus reduce temperature gradients in the active area;        to locally tune the dissipated heat by varying the heater's section and/or its location.
The heat spreading plates of the first strategy can be for example silicon islands located underneath the membrane (e.g. WO 00/75649 or "CMOS microhotplate sensor system for operating temperatures up to 500° C." by Graf et al., Sensors and Actuators B 117 (2006) 346-352) or an additional metal plate located between two dielectric layers between the heater and the active layer (e.g. GB 2464016). This approach reduces more or less efficiently the temperature gradients in the active area, depending on the thermal conductance of the heat spreading plate. However, in any case, the fabrication of this additional heat spreading plate represents a considerable increase in the process complexity, the number of process steps, as well as the risks linked to thermo-mechanical stresses in multiple-layer structures working at high temperatures. Also, this heat spreading plate represents an additional thermal mass that increases the thermal inertia of the micro-hotplate and hence also its thermal response time which is a major drawback for applications where these hotplates are used in cycle mode, e.g. when they are used as IR emitters in IR absorption gas sensors.
The second strategy does not present these drawbacks as it only looks to vary the shape of an already present layer and thus does not require any additional layer, neither any additional process step and also does not increase the thermal mass of the volume to be heated. Various empirical attempts have been made to improve the temperature uniformity of micro-hotplates by local tuning of the dissipated heat. One approach consists in creating one or more hollows in the heater tracks (e.g. EP 1273908, or US 2004/118202) in order to locally, in the hollow, suppress the heat source and in the same time increase the heat dissipation at the borders of the hollow due to the local forced concentration of the current lines. Another approach consists in heating only the periphery of the active area (see for example U.S. Pat. No. 7,279,692 or "Fabrication and characterization of micro-gas sensor for nitrogen oxides gas detection" by Lee et al./Sensors and Actuators B 64 (2000) 31-36). Both of these two first approaches yield typically temperature profiles with a more or less important temperature drop in the non-heated center like illustrated by Curve C in FIG. 1. Other approaches consist in varying the track's section by decreasing progressively the track width from the center to the border of a snail-shaped heater track (EP 2278308) or, to the opposite, by increasing this track width towards the border of the active area (WO 2007/026177). Other designs also combine a variable track width with variable track spacing ("Optimization of a wafer-level process for the fabrication of highly reproducible thin-film MOX sensors" by Elmi et al., Sensors and Actuators B 131 (2008) 548-555). All these very different and even partly contradictory solutions as well as studies like "Design and optimization of a high-temperature silicon micro-hotplate for nanoporous palladium pellistors" (Lee et al. Microelectronics Journal 34 (2003) 115-126) illustrate well the empirical trial and error method used to design these micro-hotplate heaters.
Therefore there are, at the present time, no adequate solutions, for obtaining good temperature uniformity in the active area of the micro-hotplates in order to increase the accuracy, efficiency, and reliability of the sensors using such micro-hotplates.

Micro-hotplate device and sensor comprising such micro-hotplate device


A computing device generates an initial data visualization according to a visual specification that specifies a data source, a plurality of visual variables, and a plurality of data fields from the data source. The device determines a visualization region based on a display size of the initial data visualization. The device generates a modified data visualization from the initial data visualization according to the determined visualization region, including: (i) identifying a plurality of elements of the initial data visualization, (ii) for each element of the plurality of identified elements, determining a respective semantic weight for the respective element, (iii) grouping the elements into one or more element layers according to the determined semantic weights, (iv) computing spatial metrics for the elements, and (v) executing one or more generalization operations on the elements in accordance with the one or more computed spatial metrics. The computing device displays the modified data visualization.

Data visualization applications enable a user to understand a data set visually, including distribution, trends, outliers, and other factors that are important to making business decisions. Some data sets are very large or complex, and include many data fields. Various tools can be used to help understand and analyze the data, including dashboards that have multiple data visualizations. However, some functionality may be difficult to use or hard to find within a complex user interface.
In the context of presenting data visualizations, resizing is particularly critical when engaging with a dashboard presented using limited screen real-estate (e.g., on a smart watch or a mobile phone), and/or when visualizations created on one display must then be rendered on a different sized display. A major challenge associated with developing techniques that facilitate resizing and creating multi-scale visualizations is the significant number of variations that must be considered to represent a rescaled visualization effectively. A visualization author may need to represent every detail of the visualization at a given display size, while also taking into account every possible combination of the display properties, such as resolution, size, and aspect ratio.
General resizing techniques such as uniform scaling and scale-and-stretch can be easily applied to resizing a visualization, but they tend to make the visualization illegible and increase the amount of visual clutter at smaller scales. Such resizing also does not consider semantic information that should be conveyed in data. Hence, it is crucial for visualization techniques to support a smarter way to automatically adapt visual representations so that the viewer can read the chart more easily, regardless of the particular display size.


A polymer surfactant for improving engine oil emulsion properties of a lubricating composition mixed with water and/or fuel contamination, particularly at very cold temperatures, is described herein. In approaches, selected polymeric and functionalized compounds can impart both robust emulsion properties and simultaneously deliver good low temperature fluidity for lubricating compositions that may contain residual amounts of water and/or fuel contamination. Lubricating compositions including such surfactants demonstrate robust properties at temperatures down to about −30° C.

In certain operating conditions, water and fuel can accumulate in a lubricating composition, such as in lubricants within an engine oil sump. In cold environmental conditions, this residual contamination can pose challenges for efficient engine operation. For instance, a frozen water phase or emulsion of oil, water, and fuel with high viscosity can reduce proper engine lubrication, and in some extreme circumstances, result in engine damage. Problems may occur due to frozen or high viscosity lubricating fluids that could hinder oil suction by an engine oil pump through an oil pick up tube.
Often during normal engine operations, residual fuel and/or water may accumulate in engine oils in many modern passenger cars. An exemplary mechanism by which water may accumulate in the crankcase is if the driving patterns are such that during operation of the engine, the crankcase does not heat up to 100° C. so that any water present can boil and evaporate. This undesired contamination, while minimal, can be further exasperated in cold, or extreme cold, operating conditions and/or when frequent start/stop cycles are accumulated without allowing the engine to reach normal operating temperature where any residual water and/or fuel will leave the oil sump through evaporation.
A further exemplary mechanism of water contamination may be when the fuel contains an alcohol, such as ethanol. A common ethanol-blended fuel is E85, which is a blend of 85 volume % ethanol and 15 volume % gasoline. Although ethanol will readily dissolve water, water will separate from blends of gasoline and ethanol when the solubility limit in ethanol is reached. The amount of water required for this phase separation varies with temperature. This water-ethanol phase can compete with the blended oil for bonding to the metal engine parts. As a result, the engine will not have enough lubrication which can cause engine damage. Hence, maintaining emulsion stability of alcohol-gasoline mixed fuel with lubricating oil compositions is a primary concern.
This problem can also be particularly challenging in the operation of hybrid vehicles or vehicles having automatic engine stop functionality when the vehicle is at rest. As these types of vehicles become more prominent, it can be expected that the prevalence of water and/or fuel contaminating the oil sump may become more prevalent as well.
When an engine oil, water and fuel are mixed it can generate an emulsion phase. If the emulsion is homogeneous and stable, it can still provide lubrication for engine operations. However, if the emulsion is not stable, it will separate into water and oil phases with water at the bottom of the pan. When the water alone is pumped into the engine, it cannot provide enough lubrication for engine operation and can lead to engine problems. Furthermore, if the car is stored in a very low temperature environment, the water phase or emulsion can freeze or become viscous and starting the car in such instances can risk engine damage due to oil starvation.

Polymeric surfactants for improved emulsion and flow properties at low temperatures


The present invention provides improved devices for inserting solid materials under a tissue, the devices particularly containing a penetration guide means designed to facilitate the implantation by limiting the insertion of the implants to positions under and substantially parallel to the plane of the tissue.

The prior art provides a number of mechanisms for implanting materials, particularly medically applicable materials, in an animal. U.S. Pat. No. 4,451,253 (Harman) teaches an implant injector with a stable obturator held secured within the injector body and a retractable, hollow needle or trocar. In its initial position the needle is extended such that an implant rests inside the needle against the distal end of the stable obturator. After the needle is injected into the desired position, the retractable needle is withdrawn along the obturator to uncover and deposit the implant. U.S. Pat. No. 4,820,267 (Harman), U.S. Pat. No. 4,846,793 (Leonard et al.) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,994,028 (Leonard et al.) disclose devices with hollow, needle-like cannulas for implantation of a plurality of solid, elongated medicinal pellets. These devices are designed such that a user slides a manually engageable knob along the body of the instrument to move a plunger through the needle and dispense the pellets. U.S. Pat. No. 4,661,103 (Harman) teaches a similar device with a slotted barrel element to slidably mount an integral magazine for multiple implant pellets. U.S. Pat. No. 4,871,094 (Gall et al.) provides an implantation device which utilizes a syringe-like, distally-protruding coaxial plunger and a side-loading opening for placing implants in the injector. The Gall et al. devices also include a staggered channel passing through the external surface of the device's body, with each section of the channel corresponding roughly in length to that of the implants. A laterally protruding knob on the plunger slides between points within the staggered channel to facilitate implantation of one pellet at a time. U.S. Pat. No. 4,900,304 (Fujioka et al.) teaches another standard plunger, side-loading implantation device. The Fujioka et al. device differs in its side-loading activity from that seen in the Gall et al. device, above, in that the loading port is located in the side of the device's needle or trocar member, which is loaded with implants prior to being inserted into the body of the injector. U.S. Pat. No. 4,402,308 (Scott) describes an implant injector having a hollow, slotted needle or trocar rotatably mounted inside a sheath, the sheath being retractable to expose any portion of the slotted needle. U.S. Pat. No. 4,941,874 (Sandow et al.) provides for a transparent implantation device with a protective covering to protect the plunger rod and prevent it from falling out. U.S. Pat. No. 4,753,636 (Free) teaches a syringe-style implant injector in which a tab-like clip is releasably secured to positions on the obturator to regulate its forward progress and limit each implantation to a single implant pellet. U.S. Pat. No. 4,147,164 (Behney) directs a method of placing shape correcting implants into canine ears. Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,385,554 (Brimhall) teaches a wing-shaped pair of extensions for a catheter inducer which facilitates the gripping of the needle.
In addition, the prior art has addressed some means and methods for inserting devices into tissues at reasonably prescribed angles. U.S. Pat. No. 2,577,481 (Piechaczek) set forth an apparatus comprising, generally, a flattened base to be placed against a patient's skin and adjustable means for altering the angle at which a hypodermic needle passes through the plane of the base. Similarly, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,024,665 and 4,966,589 (both to Kaufman) describes a composite catheter assembly which secures the body and needle of an inserting device such that its angle of penetration into the body is substantially maintained during operation. U.S. Pat. No. 5,192,271 (Kalb et al.) discloses a device for delivering an injection to a penis, the device comprising a ring designed to encircle the penis, the ring having one or more tubular extensions protruding from the ring such that a hypodermic needle passing through the tube and ring is guided to the central erectile tissue. U.S. Pat. No. 5,395,317 (Kambin) provides a method of treating a herniated disc, the method including a jig which utilizes substantially parallel channels in a jig and an original guide passing through one channel to align subsequent linear devices and direct them toward the desired location in relation to the disc. U.S. Pat. No. 4,403,987 (Gottinger) discloses an injection aid comprising, in general terms, a hypodermic syringe, an angled ramp means, and a slidable base, the base being designed to secure the syringe and slide down the ramp means at the prescribed angle to make a desired injection into a limb.U.S. Pat. No. 3,324,854 (Reese) and U.S. Pat. No.2,660,169 (Malm) disclose syringe attachments which protrude from the needle end of a syringe and allow the user to guide the syringe's needle into a specified, upraised portion of skin. Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,300,079 (Niezink et al.) teaches a spring operated injector designed to implant objects such as transponders used for identifying hogs. The injector utilizes a positioning means comprising a pin which is set against a body as a guide for an insertion needle to be passed parallel to the pin and into and out of the body.
While the devices of the prior art provide means for inserting a solid subcutaneous implant into a patient or certain means for determining the angle at which an injection or implantation is made, none limits the angle of insertion such that the device or materials they are designed to implant can be placed only at the desired depth underneath and substantially parallel to the surface of the tissue.

Medical device for the placement of solid materials


Novel methods and compositions for selective killing of cells by activation of PKR are disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, a method is provided for causing cell death in a targeted population of cells that includes the steps of: selecting a nucleotide sequence at a single genetic locus in the targeted population that is absent from the equivalent locus in a population of non-targeted cells; obtaining one or more anti-sense RNA having sequence homology with the locus in the targeted population; permitting the anti-sense RNA to hybridize with an RNA transcribed from the locus in the targeted population so as to form a contiguous double stranded RNA for interacting with PKR. The activation of PKR gives rise to selective cell death in the targeted population.

Double stranded RNA dependent protein kinase (PKR) is a member of a family of kinases that phosphorylates the alpha subunit of protein synthesis initiation factor, eIF-2 (eIF-2α) and plays a role in the translational down regulation of gene expression (Clemens et al. Mol. Biol. Rep. 1994; vol. 19: 210-10). Activation of PKR involves two molecules binding in tandem to double stranded RNA and then phosphorylating each other in an intramolecular event. (Wu et al. 1997, J. Biol. Chem 272:1291-1296). PKR has been implicated in processes that rely on apoptosis as control mechanisms in vivo including antiviral activities, cell growth regulation and tumorigenesis (Donze et al. EMBO J. 1995, vol. 14: 3828-34; Lee et al. Virology 1994, vol. 199: 491-6; Jagus et al. Int. J. Biochem. Cell. Biol. 1989, vol. 9: 1576-86).
The alpha subunit of protein synthesis initiation factor is responsible for binding the initiating methionyl-tRNA (Met-tRNAf), together with a molecule of GTP, and placing Met-tRNAf on native 40S ribosomal subunits (Pain, Eur. J. Biochem 1996, vol. 236; 747-771). During the course of this process GTP is hydrolyzed to GDP and inorganic phosphate, and when eIF-2 leaves the ribosome later in initiation (at the 60S subunit joining stage), it does so as an inactive eIF-2.GDP complex. Regeneration of active eIF-2 requires the exchange the GDP for a new molecule of GTP, catalyzed by the guanine nucleotide exchange factor eIF-2α (Pain, 1996). When eIF-2 becomes phosphorylated by PKR the initiation factor acquires an increased affinity for eIF-2α resulting in sequestration of the latter in an inactive complex. Consequently, the rate of guanine nucleotide exchange on both phosphorylated and unphosphorylated eIF-2 is decreased, as the concentration of available eIF-2α present in cell is reduced with respect to eIF-2, resulting in inhibition of polypeptide chain initiation. Not only does PKR activity have an effect on global rate of protein synthesis, but it may also selectively inhibit the translation of specific mRNAs that for various reasons have a greater than average requirement for active eIF-2 in the cell.
Regulation of protein synthesis through activated PKR arises from the interaction of PKR with double stranded RNA (dsRNA). The activation of PKR by dsRNA depends on the concentration and size of the dsRNA. In particular, PKR is activated by low levels of dsRNA and inhibited by higher levels of dsRNA. This gives rise to a characteristic bell-shaped curve for activation of the enzyme as a function of dsRNA concentration (Clemens et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 1975; 72(4):1286-90; Levin D H. et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 1980; 77(2):832-6 5). With respect to size of dsRNA, it has been found that molecules shorter than 30 base pairs (bp) in size fail to form a stable complex with PKR and do not activate the enzyme. Molecules longer than 30 bp bind and activate the enzyme, with an efficiency that increases with increasing chain length, reaching a maximum at about 85 bp. Analysis of complexes between dsRNA and PKR suggests that at maximal packing, the enzyme interacts with as little as a single helical turn of dsRNA (11 bp) but under conditions that allow activation, the binding site protects about 80 bp of duplex (Manche et al. Mol. Cell. Biol. 1992, vol. 12:5238-48).

Selective killing of cells by activation of double-stranded RNA dependent protein kinase-PKR

Yissum Research Development Company of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem


An electrical system for controlling the operation of a heat exchanger unit, thermostat therefor and methods of making the same are provided, the system having a first electrical power source, the system having an electronic control logic unit operatively interconnected to the first power source to operate the heat exchanger unit in relation to data selectively entered into the electronic control logic unit and being maintained by the electronic control logic unit as long as the electronic control logic unit is receiving electric power, the system having a second electrical power source for supplying electrical power to the electronic control logic unit to maintain the data thereof when the first electrical power source ceases to supply electrical current to the electronic control logic unit even for a relatively long period of time, the second electrical power source comprising a capacitor unit.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a new electrical system for controlling the operation of a heat exchanger means and to a new thermostat for such a system as well as to a new method of making such a system and a new method of making such a thermostat.
2. Prior Art Statement
It is well known to provide an electrical system for controlling the operation of a heat exchanger means, the system having a first electrical power source, the system having an electronic control logic unit operatively interconnected to the first power source to operate the heat exchanger means in relation to data means selectively entered into the electronic control logic unit and being maintained by the electronic control logic unit as long as the electronic control logic unit is receiving electrical power, the system having a second electrical power source for supplying electrical power to the electronic control logic unit to maintain the data means thereof when the first electrical power source ceases to supply electrical power to the electronic control logic unit even for a relatively long period of time, the second electrical power source comprising a battery, such as a rechargeable battery.
For example, see Perkins, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,948,441 for an example of a thermostat having a rechargeable battery as a back-up second electrical power source and while this patent does not disclose an electronic control logic unit, see the Hart, U.S. Pat. No. 5,102,042 for a disclosure of such an electronic control logic unit for a thermostat.
It is also well known that capacitors have been utilized for short-term electrical power back-up, such as to maintain operation for a few minutes while batteries are changed or to cover brief power outages of a few seconds or less. However, applicant is not aware of any use of capacitors as a possible replacement for a battery in an electronic thermostat.

Electrical system for controlling the operation of a heat exchanger unit, thermostat therefor and methods of making the same


A litter box assembly has a two piece litter box, each piece having an open end and a support frame in which the open ends are pivotally mounted to each other and to the support frame. Elevating support legs are affixed to the support frame and depend therefrom, the legs being held in fixed rigid position by spacers and braces. The supporting legs form an assembly having an open front, a rear, and two sides, with the open front allowing insertion and withdrawal of a waste or trash container.

In general, litter boxes for use by, for example, cats, comprise an open box like structure which is filled with a litter of granular material. Cats instinctively use such boxes to relieve themselves of their waste, which, over a period of time, becomes odoriferous. Such litter boxes are generally placed within the house or other building and, as a consequence, require periodic cleaning, to abate the odor. Some makers of the litter material incorporate a deodorant therein, which, at least to some extent, retards odor emissions. However, the animal waste must be removed periodically and clean litter material added.
There are numerous ways in which the litter box is cleaned and the litter replenished, the gamut thereof extending from a simple scoop to extremely complex mechanism such as those shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,378,461B1 of Thaler, U.S. Pat. No. 6,401,661B1 of Emery, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,588,369B2 of Carlisi, as well as numerous others. These complex arrangements are not only apparently too expensive for the ordinary homeowner, but apparently can only be justified where there are large numbers of cats to be accommodated. As a consequence, effort has been directed toward simplification of the litter box cleaning or emptying mechanism. Such mechanisms are generally directed to dumping the contents of the litter box into a waste receptacle while avoiding any contact with the operator's hands, in other words, a reasonably simple and clean method of emptying the litter box is achieved. Such arraignments are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,848,394B1 of Sexton and U.S. Pat. No. 6,997,137B1 of Ricke. The Sexton patent is a special interest for its simplicity and ease of use. In the Sexton patent, the litter box sits atop a waste receiving box having a trash bag contained therein. When the litter box is lifted up, the floor thereof, which comprises first and second opposed trap doors, is opened and the waste litter drops into the trash bag. The assembly comprises an outer shell which contains the trash bag and an inner shell which contains the litter and which fits snugly within the outer shell, thereby holding the hinged trap doors of the floor of the inner shell closed. When the inner shell is lifted up from the outer shell, the trap doors have room in which to swing open, and then the litter drops into the trash bag, which is then removed and replaced by a fresh bag. The inner shell is then reinserted into the outer shell, which action closes the trap doors, and fresh litter is then introduced into the inner shell.
In most, if not all of the apparatuses, thus far discussed, one very important consideration appears to have been virtually ignored. In general, the boxes rest upon the floor, thus making it difficult for elderly people or people confined to wheel chairs or otherwise handicapped in such a way that stooping and lifting are difficult and often very painful. In the Ricke patent, the apparatus comprises a cabinet having a litter pan on the top thereof and pivotally mounted at one end to the cabinet. When the end opposite the pivoted end is lifted, an open slot is formed adjacent the pivoted end and the litter is dumped into a trash receptacle in the bottom of the cabinet. Thus, the litter box can be emptied by a person without requiring him or her to stoop or squat in order to clean the box. Because the litter in the Ricke arrangement has some distance to drop, it is necessary to have some sort of guiding arrangement. Further, a certain amount of dirty litter is likely, over time, to fall into the cabinet. The cabinet itself is a piece of furniture and apparently is unusually heavy. Further, the floor of the litter box adjacent its pivot end fits snugly against the inner wall of the cabinet. Thus a certain amount of precision is required to prevent a small gap from spilling litter. On the other hand, the Ricke patent has an elevated litter box, which enables those people having various handicaps, as pointed out before, to empty the litter box without having to bend over, stoop, or lift a heavy box.
What is apparently missing in the prior art is a lightweight, simple but efficient elevated litter box structure, that can be moved to different locations, and that can be broken into component parts when not needed and readily re-assembled when subsequently needed, and wherein the litter box itself is supported by a lightweight structure.


A hopper car discharge outflow is controlled by closure members, at least one of which is movable. The doors are hingeless, being mounted on four bar linkages, such that the distal edge of the doors sweeps predominantly horizontally while the proximal edge of the door moves predominantly upwardly. The doors move through noncircular arcs, such that the size of the vertically projected door opening is abnormally large compared to the clearance heights of the door. The doors are driven by a longitudinal shaft that is mounted within the center sill. It drives a set of single input, double output bell cranks that drive adjacent pairs of doors, and that employs an over-center toggle to hold the doors in the closed position when the car is laded. The actuators may be mounted in shelters midway along the car, and may be offset from the centersill. The actuators may be mounted predominantly vertically such that gravity may obviate the need for a secondary lock. The doors of a transverse car need not all be of the same size. The over center may include a manual release having a fulcrum with a progressive decrease in mechanical advantage.

There are many kinds of rail road cars for carrying particulate material, be it sand or gravel aggregate, plastic pellets, grains, ores, potash, coal or other granular materials. Many of those cars have an upper opening, or accessway of some kind, by which the particulate is loaded, and a lower opening, or accessway, or gate, or door by which the particulate material exits the car under the influence of gravity. While the inlet opening need not necessarily have a movable gate, the outlet opening requires a governor of some kind that is movable between a closed position for retaining the lading while the lading is being transported, and an open position for releasing the lading at the destination. The terminology "flow through" or "flow through rail road car" or "center flow" car, or the like, may sometimes be used for cars of this nature where lading is introduced at the top, and flows out at the bottom.
Discharge doors for coal gondola cars or other bottom dumping cars may tend to have certain desirable properties. First, to the extent possible it is usually desirable for the door opening to be large so that unloading may tend to be relatively fast, and for the sides of any unloading chute to be relatively steep so that the particulate will tend not to hang up on the slope. Further, to the extent that the door can be large and the slope sheets steep, the interior of the car may tend to have a greater lading volume for a given car length. Further still, any increase in lading achieved will tend to be at a relatively low height relative to Top of Rail (TOR) and so may tend to aid in maintaining a low center of gravity. A low center of gravity tends to yield a better riding car that is less prone to derailment, and perhaps less prone to cause as much wear or damage to tracks.

Railroad car and door mechanism therefor


The apparatus and method for monitoring real time road conditions of the present invention includes providing remote units with computers having GPS receivers for detecting location, and sensors for detecting environmental information. Each remote unit includes a transceiver which transmits the time stamped located and environmental information via a wireless communication system to a base station, where the information is processed and stored. The stored information at the base station may be accessed by telephone via a voice response unit, to permit a consumer to determine real time environmental conditions of a particular location within a region.

Every winter, drivers in areas of the country such as the upper midwest face hazardous driving conditions due to snow and ice accumulation on road surfaces. While every attempt is made by state, county, and city road crews to keep the roads safe, the scope of the task in changing weather conditions can be overwhelming. Drivers with the need to travel are unable to obtain comprehensive, accurate, up-to-date information on road conditions, resulting in journeys being taken in unsafe conditions, with an increased risk of accidents.
While many states provide a telephone "hot line" describing road conditions, the information is based upon observation only, and is not detailed, or necessarily scientifically accurate as to a wide variety of data. For example, observation alone cannot necessarily determine the road temperature, the ambient temperature, nor the time delay since the road had been last plowed, sanded, or salted. In addition, visual observation is necessarily confined to widely spaced apart locations, since a state patrol office has duties more important than radioing the road and weather conditions along each mile of road.
Another drawback of the current system of advising consumers as to road conditions is the fact that only major interstates and highways are described, and the road condition descriptions must necessarily cover very large sections of road, covering hundreds of miles, with only a very general description of road condition (i.e. "50%-100% snow and ice covered").

Method for tracking real time road conditions


A system for use during a medical or surgical procedure on a body. The system generates an image representing the position of one or more body elements during the procedure using scans generated by a scanner prior or during the procedure. The image data set has reference points for each of the body elements, the reference points of a particular body element having a fixed spatial relation to the particular body element. The system includes an apparatus for identifying, during the procedure, the relative position of each of the reference points of each of the body elements to be displayed. The system also includes a processor for modifying the image data set according to the identified relative position of each of the reference points during the procedure, as identified by the identifying apparatus, said processor generating a displaced image data set representing the position of the body elements during the procedure. The system also includes a display utilizing the displaced image data set generated by the processor, illustrating the relative position of the body elements during the procedure. Methods relating to the system are also disclosed. Also disclosed are devices for use with a surgical navigation system having a sensor array which is in communication with the device to identify its position. The device may be a reference frame for attachment of a body part of the patient, such as a cranial reference arc frame for attachment to the head or a spine reference arc frame for attachment to the spine. The device may also be a localization frame for positioning an instrument relative to a body part, such as a localization biopsy guide frame for positioning a biopsy needle, a localization drill guide assembly for positioning a drill bit, a localization drill yoke assembly for positioning a drill, or a ventriculostomy probe for positioning a catheter.

The invention relates generally to systems which use and generate images during medical and surgical procedures, which images assist in executing the procedures and indicate the relative position of various body parts and instruments. In particular, the invention relates to a system for generating images during medical and surgical procedures based on a scan taken prior to or during the procedure and based on the present position of the body parts and instruments during the procedure.
Image guided medical and surgical procedures comprise a technology by which scans, obtained either pre-procedurally or intra-procedurally (i.e., prior to or during a medical or surgical procedure), are used to generate images to guide a doctor during the procedure. The recent increase in interest in this field is a direct result of the recent advances in scanning technology, especially in devices using computers to generate three dimensional images of parts of the body, such as computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
The majority of the advances in diagrammatic imaging involve devices which tend to be large, encircle the body part being imaged, and are expensive. Although the scans produced by these devices depict the body part under investigation with high resolution and good spatial fidelity, their cost usually precludes the dedication of a unit to be used during the performance of procedures. Therefore, image guided surgery is usually performed using images taken preoperatively.
The reliance upon preoperative images has focused image guidance largely to the cranium. The skull, by encasing the brain, serves as a rigid body which largely inhibits changes in anatomy between imaging and surgery. The skull also provides a relatively easy point of reference to which fiducials or a reference system may be attached so that registration of pre-procedural images to the procedural work space can be done simply at the beginning, during, or throughout the procedure. Registration is defined as the process of relating pre-procedural or intra-procedural scan of the anatomy undergoing surgery to the surgical or medical position of the corresponding anatomy. For example, see Ser. No. 07/909,097, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,383,454 the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
This situation of rigid fixation and absence of anatomical movement between imaging and surgery is unique to the skull and intracranial contents and permits a simple one-to-one registration process as shown in FIG. 1. The position during a medical procedure or surgery is in registration with the pre-procedural image data set because of the absence of anatomical movement from the time of the scan until the time of the procedure; in effect, the skull and it's intracranial contents comprise a "rigid body," that is, an object which does not deform internally. In almost every other part of the body there is ample opportunity for movement within the anatomy which degrades the fidelity by which the pre-procedural scans depict the intra-procedural anatomy. Therefore, additional innovations are needed to bring image guidance to the rest of the body beyond the cranium.
The accuracy of image guided surgery relies upon the ability to generate images during medical and surgical procedures based on scans taken prior to or during the procedure and based on the present position and shape of the body parts during the procedure. Two types of body parts are addressed herein: 1) structures within the body that do not change shape, do not compress, nor deform between the process of imaging and the medical procedure, which are termed "rigid bodies," and are exemplified by the bones of the skeleton; and 2) structures within the body that can change shape and deform between the process of imaging and the medical procedure structures are termed "semi-rigid bodies," and are exemplified by the liver or prostate. Both types of body parts are likely targets for medical or surgical procedures either for repair, fusion, resection, biopsy, or radiation treatment. Therefore, a technique is needed whereby registration can be performed between the body parts as depicted pre-procedurally on scans and the position and shape of these same body parts as detected intra-procedurally. This technique must take into account that movement can occur between portions of the body which are not rigidly joined, such as bones connected by a joint, or fragments of a broken bone, and that shape deformation can occur for semi-rigid bodies, such as the liver or prostate. In particular, the technique must be able to modify the scanned image dataset such that the modified image dataset which is used for localization and display, corresponds to position and/or shape of the body part(s) of interest during a medical or surgical procedure. A key to achieving this correspondence is the ability to precisely detect and track the position and/or shape of the body part(s) of interest during the medical or surgical procedure, as well as to track instruments, - - - or radiation used during the said procedure.

Surgical navigation systems including reference and localization frames


A plasma display includes a plasma display having a plurality of X electrodes and Y electrodes arranged alternately, and a plurality of M electrodes respectively formed between the X and Y electrodes, and a plurality of insulated address electrodes crossing the X, Y, and M electrodes. A common coupling line is formed on the plasma display panel and is coupled to a first voltage, the common coupling line coupling the X electrodes in common. A Y electrode driver applies a waveform for driving the Y electrode. An M electrode driver applies a waveform for driving the M electrode. A flexible printed circuit couples the M electrode driver and the M electrodes.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plasma display and a driving method thereof.
(b) Description of the Related Art
Recently, liquid crystal displays (LCDs), field emission displays (FEDs), and plasma displays have been actively developed. Among flat panel devices, plasma displays have better luminance and light emission efficiency as compared to the other types, and they also have wider view angles. Therefore, plasma displays have come into the spotlight as substitutes for conventional cathode ray tubes (CRTs) in large displays of greater than 40 inches.
A plasma display is a flat display that uses plasma generated via a gas discharge process to display characters or images, and tens to millions of pixels are provided thereon in a matrix format, depending on its size. Plasma displays are categorized into DC plasma displays and AC plasma displays, according to supplied driving voltage waveforms and discharge cell structures.
Since the DC plasma displays have electrodes exposed in the discharge space, they allow a current to flow in the discharge space while the voltage is supplied, and therefore they problematically require resistors for current restriction. On the other hand, since the AC plasma displays have electrodes covered by a dielectric layer, capacitances are naturally formed to restrict the current, and the electrodes are protected from ion shocks in the case of discharging. Accordingly, they have a longer lifespan than the DC plasma displays.
FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an AC PDP, and FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the PDP of FIG. 1. An X electrode 3 and a Y electrode 4, disposed over a dielectric layer 14 and a protection film 15, are provided in parallel and form a pair with each other under a first glass substrate 11. The X and Y electrodes are made of transparent conductive material, and bus electrodes 6 made of metal are respectively formed on the surfaces of the X and Y electrodes 3 and 4.
A plurality of address electrodes 5 covered with a dielectric layer 14′ are installed on a second glass substrate 12. Barrier ribs 17 are formed in parallel with address electrodes 5, on dielectric layer 14′ in between address electrodes 5, and phosphor 18 is formed on the surface of dielectric layer 14′ and on both sides of barrier ribs 17. First and second glass substrates 11 and 12 having a discharge space 19 between them are provided facing each other so that Y electrode 4 and X electrode 3 may cross address electrode 5. Address electrode 5 and a discharge space 19 formed at a crossing part of Y electrode 4 and X electrode 3 form a discharge cell 20.
FIG. 3 shows a conventional plasma display electrode arrangement diagram. The plasma display electrode has an m×n matrix configuration, with address electrodes A1 to Am in a column direction, and Y electrodes Y1 to Yn and X electrodes X1 to Xn in a row direction, alternately. Discharge cell 20 shown in FIG. 3 corresponds to the discharge cell 20 shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 shows a conventional plasma display driving waveform diagram. Each subfield includes a reset period, an address period, and a sustain discharge period. The reset period erases wall charge states of a previous sustain discharge, and sets up the wall charges in order to stably perform a next address. In the addressing period, the cells that are turned on and the cells that are not turned on in a panel are selected, and wall charges are accumulated to the cells that are turned on (i.e., the addressed cells). In the sustain discharge period, discharge for actually displaying pictures on the addressed cells is performed by alternately applying sustain discharge voltages to the X and Y electrodes.
The operation of the conventional plasma display driving method during the reset period will now be described in more detail. As shown in FIG. 4, the reset period includes an erase period, a Y ramp rising period, and a Y ramp falling period.
(1) Erase Period (I)
During this period, a falling ramp that gently falls from a sustain discharge voltage Vs to a ground potential (0V) is applied to the Y electrode while the X electrode is biased with a constant potential Vbias, thereby eliminating the wall charges formed in the previous sustain discharge period.
(2) Y Ramp Rising Period (II)
During this period, the address electrode and the X electrode are maintained at 0V, and a ramp voltage gradually rising from voltage Vs to voltage Vset is applied to the Y electrode. While the ramp voltage rises, weak resetting is generated to all the discharge cells from the Y electrode to the address electrode and the X electrode. As a result, the negative wall charges are accumulated to the Y electrode, and concurrently, the positive wall charges are accumulated to the address electrode and the X electrode.
(3) Y Ramp Falling Period (III)
In the latter part of the reset period, a ramp voltage that gradually falls from voltage Vs to the ground potential is applied to the Y electrode under the state that the X electrode maintains constant voltage Vbias. While the ramp voltage falls, weak resetting is generated again at all the discharge cells.
However, the sustain discharge operation is concurrently performed on all the discharge cells in the conventional plasma display after the address operation, from the first Y electrode to the last Y electrode, is complete. Therefore, since insufficient priming particles are generated in the discharge cells when a first sustain discharge pulse is applied after an address period in the conventional plasma display, bad discharge is generated.
Also, since the waveform applied to the Y electrode (to which waveforms for resetting and scanning are additionally applied) during the reset period is different from the waveform applied to the X electrode in the conventional plasma display, the circuit for driving the Y electrode is different from the circuit for driving the X electrode. Accordingly, no impedance matching on the driving circuits of the X and Y electrodes is performed, the waveforms alternately applied to the X and Y electrodes in the sustain discharge period are distorted, and bad discharges occur.

Plasma display and driving method thereof


A closed-loop control of a servo motor in which multiple closed-loop terms of a motor command are adaptively tuned and selectively activated to achieve both stable operation and improved performance. The motor command includes a first term proportional to an error signal, a second term based on the integral of the error signal, and a third term based on the rate of change of the measured feedback signal, and representing the kinetic energy of the system. The first term is continuously active, whereas the second term is only activated when the rate of change of the measured feedback signal is below a threshold, and the third term is only activated when the error signal is within a reference window, thereby allowing relatively high gains while ensuring stable operation. In applications involving an oscillatory load, changes in system response are detected based on variation in the rate of change of the measured feedback signal for purposes of adaptively adjusting the predefined gains and references, thereby eliminating the need to measure various ambient, system or load parameters that affect system performance and stability. Various other features of the control include a technique for reducing stress and energy consumption during anticipated stalling, processing techniques for sampling the feedback signal and identifying background noise, and biasing the system to zero error during static operation.

This invention relates to a closed-loop servo control, and more particularly to a control having closed-loop terms which are adaptively tuned and selectively activated to provide both stable operation and improved performance.
Servo controls are employed in a wide variety of applications for maintaining the actual value of a controlled parameter in agreement with a desired or commanded value. In many applications, the control may be characterized as closed-loop, in that the actual value of the controlled parameter is measured and compared to the desired value to form an error signal, which in turn, determines the magnitude and direction of effort required to bring the actual value into agreement with the desired value. For example, in an application in which the position of a motor-driven actuator is to be controlled, the actual position of the motor or actuator is typically measured to form a position error signal, which in turn, is used to control the motor direction and torque, with the objective of driving the error signal substantially to zero. Such a control is generally referred to as a proportional control since the control effort is determined in proportion to the measured error. Stability and performance can be enhanced by additionally adjusting the effort in relation to the integral of the error (so-called integral control) and/or the derivative of the error (so-called derivative control). In general, integral control is used to eliminate small errors that persist over a period of time, while derivative control is used to increase the effort in response to sudden increases in the error signal.
While the above-described control techniques can be used to achieve reasonably fast and stable servo performance, calibrating the closed-loop gains can be a very difficult and time consuming process, particularly in applications involving a wide range of operating conditions and non-linear loading. In an automotive environment, for example, the control has to be designed to achieve reasonably fast and stable performance over wide ranges of ambient temperature and operating voltage. One approach is to tune the control gains to ensure stable operation in a worst-case condition, such as high temperature/high voltage. However, this approach is a compromise by definition, and results in poor overall performance. Another approach is to adjust the control gains on-the-fly by table look-up based on various system measurements. However, this approach requires increased system expense and a considerable calibration effort that has to be repeated if the system design changes. Even under the most favorable conditions, the performance of the control is typically compromised to ensure stability.
Accordingly, what is needed is a closed-loop servo control that provides both stable operation and improved performance, with minimal system expense and calibration effort.
The present invention is directed to an improved closed-loop control of a servo motor in which multiple closed-loop terms are adaptively tuned and selectively activated to achieve both stable operation and improved performance, as compared to conventional closed-loop controls. According to the invention, the motor command includes a first term proportional to an error signal, a second term based on the integral of the error signal, and a third term based on the rate of change of the measured feedback signal, and representing the kinetic energy of the controlled parameter. The first term is continuously active, whereas the second term is only activated when the rate of change of the measured feedback signal is below a reference rate of change, and the third term is only activated when the error signal is within a reference window, thereby allowing relatively high gains while ensuring stable operation. In applications involving an oscillatory load, changes in system response are detected based on variation in the rate of change of the measured feedback signal for purposes of adaptively adjusting the predefined gains and references, thereby eliminating the need to measure the various ambient, system or load parameters that affect system performance and stability. Various other features of the control include a technique for reducing stress and energy consumption during anticipated stalling, processing techniques for sampling the feedback variable and identifying background noise, and biasing the system toward zero error during static operation.


Methods and apparatus provide for accumulating bit streams from four partial products and producing a carry-save output pair, including: producing the save, S, portion of the carry-save output pair, in accordance with the following Boolean expression: S=d3 XOR ((d0 XOR d1) XOR (d2 XOR Cin)), wherein d0, d1, d2, d3 are the bit streams from the four partial products, and Cin is a carry in bit stream receivable from an adjacent compression circuit of an overall partial product reduction array.

The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for combining partial products produced by, for example, a Booth multiplier or array multiplier.
Many of the processes performed by information handling systems and the like involve the multiplication of binary numbers. In a multiplication function, there exists a multiplicand and a multiplier. As is well known in the art, binary numbers are multiplied through a process of multiplying the multiplicand by the first bit of the multiplier. Next, the multiplicand is multiplied by the second bit of the multiplier, shifting the result one digit and adding the products. This process is continued until each bit of the multiplier has been multiplied by the multiplicand.
Each of the products produced by multiplying the multiplicand by a bit of the multiplier produces a number which is referred to as a partial product. The partial products generated during the multiplication of the multiplier binary number and the multiplicand binary number may be produced using, for example, a Booth encoding algorithm, an array multiplier, or the like. The resulting product is formed by accumulating the partial products propagating the carries from the rightmost columns to the left. This process is referred to as partial product accumulation.
Conventional approaches for aggregating or accumulating partial products may require a significant number of cycles. As the addition of two N-bit binary numbers is proportional to O(log2(N)), simple addition is not a preferred technique to obtain the summation. There are numerous Carry-Save addition techniques in existence in the prior art to perform the summation of the partial products of a multiplication process. These Carry-Save addition techniques involve the conversion of 3-bit numbers to 2-bit numbers represented by C (carry) and S (sum). This conversion is sometimes referred to as 3 to 2 compression. The 3 to 2 compressors may be cascaded to obtain higher order compressors, such as 4 to 2 compressors. 3 to 2 compressors and 4 to 2 compressors may in turn be cascaded to obtain even higher order compressors, which are called reduction arrays.
It has been discovered that the propagation delay through a reduction array may significantly impact the throughput of a processing system, particularly where there are a large number of partial products to be computed. Thus, a need has now been identified for a reduction array technique that enjoys a lower propagation delay as compared with conventional implementations.

Methods and apparatus for providing a reduction array