A filtering device includes a container having an inlet for introducing liquid to be treated, an annular multi-layered prepacked screen assembly provided in the container and having an outlet for treated liquid. The screen assembly includes three or more cylindrical screens having different diameters and being coexially disposed in the container with their axes extending vertically in the container. An annulus is formed between the respective cylindrical screens. Two or more different filter materials performing different filtering functions are filled one in each of the annuluses between the cylindrical screens.

This invention relates to a filtering device and, more particularly, to a filtering device suitable for precision filtering in a state submerged in liquid to be treated. Liquid to be treated includes water for general uses, drinking water, river water, pool water and various other liquids.
Known in the art of filtering devices is one which comprises multi-layered filtering materials of different types provided in a single container through which liquid to be treated is subjected to different filtering operations. One example of such prior art filtering device is shown in FIG. 19. In this prior art filtering device, liquid to be treated is introduced into a container a through an inlet b provided in the upper portion of the container a. The liquid to be treated is spread over an upper filtering material layer d through distributors c. The upper filtering material layer d consists of coarse grains of anthracite and impurities of a relatively large diameter in the liquid to be treated are trapped by the anthracite layer. Then the liquid to be treated flows down through the lower filtering material layer e which consists of fine grains of garnet and impurities of a smaller diameter are trapped by the garnet layer. The treated liquid is collected by a collector screen f and discharged from an outlet g provided in the bottom portion of the container a.
Since most impurities in the liquid to be treated are trapped by the upper layer in this prior art filtering device, the anthracite grains of the upper layer tend to be easily blocked by the impurities and, therefore, frequent reverse washing of the upper layer is necessary. For this purpose, compressed air is blown into the upper and lower layers d and e through the collector screen f to stir the filtering material grains of the upper and lower layers d and e and thereby remove the impurities and then reverse washing water is forced into the upper and lower layers d and e through the collector screen f to wash away the impurities. This reverse washing must be performed accurately because otherwise the impurities, once removed from the anthracite grains but left in the container without being washed away, will fall on the surface of the upper layer d and are deposited thereon.
Another problem in this prior art filtering device is that, since the diameter of a filtering material of the upper layer d is generally larger than the diameter of a filtering material of the lower layer e, if the filtering material of the upper layer d is of the same specific gravity as the filtering material of the lower layer e, the filtering material of the upper layer which is of a larger diameter settles sooner than the filtering material of the lower layer e after stirring of the filtering materials made during the reverse washing operation with the undesirable result that the filtering material of the upper layer d is deposited under the filtering material of the lower layer e. For preventing occurrence of this phenomenon, in the prior art filtering device, coarse grains of anthracite which is of a smaller specific gravity than garnet are used in the upper layer d and fine grains of garnet are used in the lower layer e. Thus, selection of filtering materials for the upper and lower layers is limited by the specific gravity of the filtering material.
More importantly, the prior art filtering device has a relatively small effective filtering surface area in comparison with the size of the container in which the multi-layered filtering materials are provided.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a filtering device which has a larger effective filtering surface area than the prior art filtering device.
It is another object of the invention to provide a filtering device which is capable of reducing the amount of impurities deposited on the surface of a filtering material and thereby reducing frequency of a reverse washing operation.
It is another object of the invention to provide a filtering device in which selection of two or more different filtering materials can be made freely without being limited by the specific gravity of the filtering materials to be selected.
Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the description made heinbelow with reference to the accompanying drawings.
For achieving the above described objects of the invention, there is proivded a filtering device comprising a container having an inlet for introducing liquid to be treated, an annular multi-layered prepacked screen assembly provided in said container and having an outlet for treated liquid, said screen assembly comprising three or more cylindrical screens having different diameters and being coaxially disposed in said container with their axes extending vertically in said container, an annulus being formed between respective adjacent cylindrical screens, and two or more different filter materials performing filtering functions which are different from each other and being filled one in each of the annuluses between the cylindrical screens.
According to the invention, an overwhelmingly larger effective filtering surface area than the prior art filtering device is available owing to the structure of the filtering device as defined in the claim. For example, as will be described more fully later, more than ten times as large effective filtering surface area as the prior art filtering device can be obtained in a case of using a container having a diameter of 2 meters and a height of 2 meters.
Further, since screen assembly is vertically disposed in the container, the liquid to be treated enters the vertically disposed screen surfaces of the cylindrical screens. This allows some part of impurities in the liquid to be treated to fall to the bottom of the container due to gravity before entering the cylindrical screens with the result that the amount of impurities trapped by the filtering materials of the cylindrical screens is thereby reduced. As a result, frequency of a reverse washing operation for removing trapped impurities is reduced as compared to the prior art filtering device in which all impurities of the liquid to be treated are trapped by the filtering materials and the working efficiency of the filtering device can thus be improved. Impurities which have settled on the bottom of the container can be removed periodically by opening a drain port provided in the bottom of the container.
Since the filtering materials are prepacked in the cylindrical screens of the annular multi-layered prepacked screen assembly in the form of a cartridge, replacement of the filtering materials by new filtering materials can be made simply by replacing the entire screen assembly and this replacement work will be much easier and less time consuming than in the case of the prior art filtering device in which the filtering materials must be replaced one layer after another.
Since the two or more different filtering materials are partitioned from each other by the cylindrical screens, there is no likelihood of mixing of the different filtering materials with each other during the reverse washing operation. Accordingly, it is not necessary to select, as in the prior art filtering device, filtering materials of different specific gravity for preventing reverse resettling of the filtering materials and, therefore, any desired filtering materials of different filtering functions can be combined freely without considering the specific gravity of each filtering material. This will enable a combination of filtering materials which will achieve a more efficient filtering result at a reduced cost.
Furthermore, since impurities removed from the filtering materials by the reverse washing operation will be completely washed away or fall to the bottom of the container due to gravity and will never return to the surfaces of the filtering materials, efficiency of the reverse washing operation will be improved as compared to the case of the prior art in which some of impurities removed from the filtering materials tends to return to the surface of the filtering material on the upper layer due to gravity.
In one aspect of the invention, each of said cylindrical screens of the screen assembly has a closed cylindrical wall portion extending from one end of the cylindrical screen to form an annular chamber between the respective adjacent cylindrical screens, said annular chamber being continuous to said annulus between the adjacent cylindrical screens filled with the filter material and being unfilled with the filtering material and permitting free upward movement of the filter material within said annular chamber during reverse washing.
According to this aspect of the invention, the filtering materials can move upwardly within the annular chambers during reverse washing whereby turning over of the filtering materials filled in the entire annuluses between the cylindrical screens during reverse washing is permitted and removal of impurities from the filtering materials can thereby be facilitated.
In another aspect of the invention, a plurality of said annular multi-layered screen assemblies are provided in the container and the outlets of said screen assemblies being connected with a common outlet pipe.
In another aspect of the invention, a filtering device comprises a plurality of such filtering devices which are disposed in parallel, the inlets of liquid to be treated and the common outlet pipes of said filtering devices being connected respectively with common connecting pipes to form a module.
In another aspect of the invention, a filtering device comprises a plurality of such filtering devices forming a module, the common connecting pipes of said filtering devices being further connected respectively with common connecting pipes to form a larger module.
In another aspect of the invention, an innermost screen of said screen assembly comprises support rods extending in the axial direction of the screen and arranged generally cylindrically with a predetermined interval, and a cylindrical filter member attached fixedly on the outside of the support rods, and said filtering devices further comprises a vibrator including a shaft provided in the central portion of the screen coaxially with the screen and at least one leaf spring which is fixed in one end portion thereof to the shaft and is capable of abutting in the other end portion against a part of each of the support rods, and a drive unit for rotating at least one of the screen assembly and vibrator.
According to this aspect of the invention, by rotating at least one of the screen assembly and the vibrator, one end portion of the leaf spring sequentially abuts against each of the cylindrically arranged support rods and is disengaged therefrom and, by the impact of the leaf spring abutting against the support rods, slight vibration occurs in each support rod and the filter member which is fixed thereto. Powdery suspending solid particles of impurities in the liquid to be treated which tend to be deposited on the surface of the filter member as the liquid enters the filter member are shaken off from the surface of the filter member by this vibration, so that these suspending solids are kept away from the surface of the filter member whereby blocking of the filter member can be prevented. The filtering device therefore can prevent blocking of filter elements while continuing the filtering operation without stopping the filtering operation for reverse washing.
In another aspect of the invention, an outermost screen of said screen assembly comprises support rods extending in the axial direction of the screen and arranged generally cylindrically with a predetermined interval, and a cylindrical filter member attached fixedly on the inside of the support rods, and said filtering device further comprises a vibrator including a frame provided on the outside of the screen coaxially with the screen and extending in the axial direction of the screen and at least one leaf spring which is fixed in one end portion thereof to the frame and is capable of abutting in the other end portion against a part of each of the support rods, and a drive unit for rotating at least one of the screen assembly and vibrator.
According to this aspect of the invention, a similar effect of shaking off of solid particles of impurities by vibration can be obtained.
In another aspect of the invention, a filtering device further comprises flow creating means for creating, in said container, a flow of the liquid to be treated having a direction which is different from direction of a flow of the liquid to be treated into the screen assembly.
According to this aspect of the invention, a flow of the liquid to be treated having a direction which is different from direction of a flow of the liquid to be treated into the screen is created and powdery suspending solid particles of impurities in the liquid to be treated which tend to be deposited on the surface of the screen as the liquid enters the screen are washed away from the surface of the screen by this flow having the different direction from the flow into the screen, so that these suspending solid particles are kept away from the surface of the screen whereby blocking of the screen can be prevented. The filtering device therefore can prevent blocking of filter elements while continuing the filtering operation without stopping the filtering operation for reverse washing.
In another aspect of the invention, a filtering device further comprises a reverse washing tube provided coaxially in an innermost screen of said screen assembly and rotatably about the axis thereof, said reverse washing tube having an inlet for the treated liquid in one end portion thereof and an opening for discharging the treated liquid and introducing reverse washing water in the other end portion thereof and having a plurality of reverse washing water injecting holes at a predetermined interval in the axial direction of the tube, a liquid transfer tube communicating with the opening for discharging the treated liquid and introducing reverse washing water, a check valve provided on the side of the opening for discharging the treated liquid and introducing reverse washing water in the vicinity of the inlet for the treated liquid of said reverse washing tube for permitting flow of the treated liquid from said inlet into the reverse washing tube and prohibiting flow of the reverse washing water from inside of the reverse washing tube to said inlet, and means for rotating the reverse washing tube about its axis.
According to this aspect of the invention, by injecting pressurized reverse washing water from the reverse washing water injecting holes of the rotating reverse washing tube, reverse washing water is jetted out in a jet stream and this jet stream sequentially collides with the entire inner peripheral walls of the cylindrical screens thereby uniformly removing the impurities blocking the cylindrical screens.
In still another aspect of the invention, an outermost screen of said screen assembly is a wedge wire screen having a screen slit formed on the outside of the screen and having an opening which widens radially inwardly from the screen slit.
Preferred embodiments of the invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.


A slice consistency check method is presented including, for each slice of a plurality of slices (a) obtaining a first vote for ownership of that slice according to a filesystem manager configured to manage a set of filesystems stored on a set of sparse metavolumes, (b) obtaining a second vote for the ownership of that slice according to a first driver, the first driver being independent of the filesystem manager, (c) obtaining a third vote for the ownership of that slice according to a second driver, the second driver being independent of the filesystem manager and the first driver, and (d) assigning ownership of that slice based on a majority vote of the first vote for the ownership of that slice, the second vote for the ownership of that slice, and the third vote for the ownership of that slice.

In a data storage system, a filesystem typically is stored on a volume provided by the data storage system. In some advanced data storage systems, the volume on which the filesystem is stored is a sparse metavolume populated by data storage slices of a fixed size provisioned from a pool of slices. The pool of slices aggregates slices provided by storage volumes, known as Flare LUNs (FLUs). A system having a similar arrangement is described in further detail in U.S. Pat. No. 8,285,758, the contents and teachings of which are hereby fully incorporated herein by this reference.
Under various conditions, such as in response to a corruption event, a slice consistency check is performed in order ensure that each slice is properly assigned to the appropriate sparse metavolume and filesystem. The slice consistency check involves ascertaining the ownership of each slice in the system according to (1) a software layer responsible for allocating slices from the FLUs, (2) a slice map maintained by a software layer responsible for managing the sparse metavolume, and (3) a set of linked slice marks maintained by the software layer responsible for managing the sparse metavolume.

Techniques for performing slice consistency checks


Methods and systems are provided for recognizing names entered into a computer-generated document in the context of a plurality of spoken languages and for providing helpful actions to users upon the recognition of the entered names.

Since the advent of the computer and software age, software developers have attempted to provide helpful functionality to software users that is contextual in nature. For example, software has been developed for detecting that a user is entering a date into a computer-generated document as the user is typing the date. Before the user can complete the date, the software application popsup today's date to the user and offers to automatically complete the date for the user. Other software has been developed for offering users helpful actions in response to certain data entered by the user. For example, if the user's word processor application recognizes that the user has entered a date, the user may be offered an action that will launch the user's electronic calendar to allow the user to check appointments or to verify information in her calendar for the entered date.
It would be helpful to users to provide them with actions applicable to names entered in computer-generated documents such as contacts documents, word processing documents, spreadsheet documents, slide presentation documents, calendaring documents, and the like. Unfortunately, names are very difficult to recognize because often names are not distinguishable from any other word in a sentence. And, often names have particular meaning in a relation to the language context in which they are entered. Because of the great diversity of name origins, names may be typed into a document written in one language, for example English, but the name may have its origins in a separate language, for example Chinese.
In addition, modern desktop operating systems are provided with various localization features for improving usability for users throughout the world. For instance, some desktop operating systems provide support for multiple user interface languages. Through this type of support for multiple user interface languages, users can configure the user interface of the operating system, for example, a keyboard, to operate in any of a number of languages supported by the host operating system. Additionally, many application programs also support the use of multiple languages for international users. For example, a word processing program or spreadsheet application program may allow a user to create documents in English, Thai, Vietnamese, or other languages installed in the operating system and enabled by the user. Documents may also be created that contain text or other information in a combination of languages. In fact, international users of such applications frequently create documents that include text in more than one language. Different languages often have vastly different grammatical rules for presenting names. For example, some languages commonly place certain titles before names. Some languages commonly place province or location designation after names.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method and system for recognizing names entered into computer-generated documents according to a variety of different languages and language grammatical rules and for providing helpful actions to a user associated with recognized names. It is with respect to these and other considerations that the present invention has been made.

Methods and system for recognizing names in a computer-generated document and for providing helpful actions associated with recognized names


A circuit comprises two or more chains of components, each chain comprising a plurality of components serially connected by designated pins on each component and at least one chain including one or more components of another chain, the designated pins being designated for data for one or more specific purposes. A selector is included for selecting one chain from the two or more chains over which to data is to be sent. Another circuit comprises a chain of components serially connected by designated pins on each component, and two or more controllers, each controller capable of controlling the chain for one or more of the specific purposes. A wiring board for implementing the circuit is also provided.

Existing networking equipment cards have components that are JTAG (Joint Test Group Action Group) compliant, i.e. meet the requirements of IEEE Standard 1149.1. There are many uses for the chain of components created when JTAG compliant components are assembled together. For example, they can be used for programming devices such as Lattice clock drivers; programming serial EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory) and FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Arrays), both during manufacturing and while in service; CT (Combinational Testing) and interconnect testing during manufacturing; and ILA (Integrated Logic Analyzer) debug access to FPGAs.
One of the challenges in creating a JTAG architecture is that the preferred length of the chain and its starting and stopping point is different depending on the application. A chain which involves all of the JTAG components on a card is required for some manufacturing testing. However, for some applications, only some of the JTAG components may be required. Using a long chain that includes all of the JTAG components may limit the application by the restrictions of the components unnecessary to the application. For example, a component unnecessary to the application may run at slower speed than the necessary components or may be corrupted.
Furthermore, one standard chain structure may not satisfy all needs. In particular, using only one chain may not be the better option for the different functions that can be performed. For example, a shorter chain is more efficient for programming and ILA, while a long chain involving all components is better for testing. Furthermore, different applications may require different chain structures. For example, interconnect testing requires that the chain be controlled with external equipment connected through a header, while in-service upgrades of an EEPROM requires that the chain be controlled locally.


A plugging resistant, highly stable free-jet burner and method which provide Ultra-Low NOx emissions using (a) large free-jet ejection ports, (b) a wide tip-to-tip spacing, and (c) auxiliary stabilization tips in the throat of the burner which are highly resistant to plugging and also produce very low levels of NOx emissions.

Industrial burners are commonly used in process heaters, boilers, furnaces, incinerators, and other fired-heating systems to produce heat for petroleum refining, chemical production, petrochemical operations, and other large-scale industrial processes.
The processing units in today's refineries, chemical plants, and other facilities must be capable of operating for increasingly longer periods of time without the need to shut down for major repairs and maintenance. In fact, the maintenance cycles in many refineries and other facilities are now up to four years, or longer. Consequently, the continued, reliable operation of burners and other critical equipment for very long periods of time is also becoming increasingly important.
One of the main causes of down time for industrial burners occurs when the fuel ports of the burner tips become plugged with debris or residue. The plugging of the fuel ports can lead to reduced or completely restricted fuel gas flow.
Another issue with industrial burners is that they are increasingly required to produce lower levels of NOx and other emissions. Other conditions being equal, NOx emissions increase as the temperature of the combustion process increases. As the temperature of the burner flame increases, the stability of the covalent bond of the N2 in the burner air supply decreases, causing increased production of free nitrogen and thus also increasing the production of thermal NOx emissions. Consequently, in an ongoing effort to reduce NOx emissions, various types of burner designs and theories have been developed with the objective of reducing the peak flame temperature.
Thermal NOx reduction is generally achieved by slowing the rate of combustion. Since the combustion process is a reaction between oxygen and the burner fuel, the objective of delayed combustion is typically to reduce the rate at which the fuel and oxygen mix together and burn. The faster the oxygen and the fuel mix together, the faster the rate of combustion and the higher the peak flame temperature.
One type of low NOx burner which is very effective for slowing the rate of combustion and reducing peak flame temperatures is a free-jet burner. A free-jet burner will typically comprise: (i) a burner wall, (ii) an interior passageway for delivering a flow of air or other oxygen-containing gas out of the forward end of the burner wall, and (iii) a series of outer ejectors positioned to discharge fuel streams in free-jet flow outside of the burner wall to the burner flame. The flow momentum of the free-jet streams traveling outside of the burner wall entrains a significant amount of the gaseous products of combustion (flue gas) contained in the fired heating system, thereby recirculating the flue gas back into the combustion zone to form a diluted combustion mixture which burns at a lower peak flame temperature. This NOx reduction technique is referred to as Internal Flue Gas Recirculation (IFGR).
Unfortunately, as improved free-jet burners have been developed which provide lower and lower levels of NOx emissions, the plugging resistance of these burners generally has not improved. Rather, in some cases, the plugging resistance of the burners has deteriorated to some degree. One reason is that, in many cases, greater amounts of flue gas recirculation, further reductions in NOx emissions, and greater stability have been achieved by using a greater number of outer ejectors, having very small ejection ports (typically only 1/16th inch in diameter), which are placed close together (i.e., less than 2 inches apart and more preferably only 1.5 to 1.8 inches apart). The small ejection ports are necessary for preventing interference between the adjacent fuel flow streams and facilitating flue gas entrainment.
However, the small ejection ports required by the prior free-jet burners are prone to plugging. The small fuel ejection ports can be plugged by tiny debris and/or limited buildup. Consequently, fuel strainers are generally not effective for preventing plugging, particularly in systems which have high levels of debris due to the age of the fuel pipes and/or other factors.
The use of auxiliary burner tips in free-jet burners and in other burners has also been problematic in regard to both plugging and NOx emissions. An auxiliary burner tip is a gas tip which is used to enhance the stability of the main flame of a burner, particularly during upset conditions. Examples of upset conditions which can cause the burner flame to become unstable include, but are not limited to: (a) a reduction in the air flow to the burner to a sub-stoichiometric level, (b) a loss of temperature in the fired-heating system to a level below the minimum temperature required for igniting the fuel, or (c) the occurrence of pressure excursions in the fired-heating system.
In the auxiliary burner tips currently used in the art, the speed of combustion and the peak flame temperature of the tip are typically sufficiently high that the use of one or more auxiliary tips can contribute significantly to the NOx emissions of the burner. Moreover, the auxiliary tips currently used in the art for purposes of flame stabilization are particularly susceptible to plugging. The fuel gas ports of these tips are very small, typically 1/16th inch in diameter (i.e., a port flow area of only 0.0031 in2). As a result, auxiliary tips are prone to plugging, even after filtration.
If plugging occurs in an auxiliary burner tip which is used to maintain the stability of the burner flame, the localized temperature at the stability point can be reduced until the stability of the flame can no longer be maintained and the flame is lost. When a loss of flame occurs in one or more burners of a multiple burner heating system, significant safety concerns can arise, including the risk of an explosion.
Consequently, a need exists for an improved free-jet burner which is resistant to plugging and provides a high degree of flame stability. The improved free-jet burner will preferably also produce very low levels of NOx and other emissions which are comparable to, or better than, the Ultra-Low emissions levels of the free-jet burners currently used in the art.

Plugging resistant free-jet burner and method


The described embodiments relate to a slotted substrate and methods of forming same. One exemplary method patterns a hardmask on a first substrate surface sufficient to expose a first area of the first surface and forms a slot portion in the substrate through less than an entirety of the first area of the first surface. The slot portion has a cross-sectional area at the first surface that is less than a cross-sectional area of the first area. After forming the slot portion, the method etches the substrate to remove material from within the first area to form a fluid-handling slot.

Inkjet printers and other printing devices have become ubiquitous in society. These printing devices can utilize a slotted substrate to deliver ink in the printing process. Such printing devices can provide many desirable characteristics at an affordable price. However, the desire for more features at ever-lower prices continues to press manufacturers to improve efficiencies.
Currently, the slotted substrates can have a propensity to suffer malfunctions due to, among other things, ink occlusion within individual slots. Such malfunctions can decrease product reliability and customer satisfaction.
Accordingly, the present invention arose out of a desire to provide slotted substrates having desirable characteristics.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A new Petunia-Calibrachoa hybrid plant particularly distinguished by having a cherry rose flower color and semi-creeping plant growth habit, is disclosed.

The present invention comprises a new and distinct variety of Petunia-Calibrachoa (Petchoa) referred to by the variety name 'SAKPXC012'. Variety 'SAKPXC012' originated from a hybridization in Kakegawa, Japan in December 2007. The male parent was a proprietary hybrid calibrachoa line named 'CBR-1' (unpatented), which has a red flower color and a creeping plant habit. The female parent is a proprietary hybrid petunia line named 'AM5-264' (unpatented), which has a deep pink flower color and a mounding plant habit.
In December 2007, an F1 generation from the initial hybridization was grown and approximately 30 seeds were obtained. In February 2008, 30 seeds were sown and the plants were cultivated in a greenhouse. Segregation in the F1 generation resulted in plants having a rose and cherry rose flower color and a mounding and semi-creeping plant habits. In May 2008, a plant was selected from the group of plants that exhibited a cherry rose flower color and semi-creeping plant habit. The line was given the experimental name 'K2008-J-229'.
In July 2008, the selection was vegetatively propagated to produce rooted cuttings, and the plants were cultivated in an open field. In November 2008, the selection was observed to have its distinct characteristics remain stable. In February 2009, the selection was propagated again and plants were cultivated. In May 2009, it was confirmed that the distinct characteristics of the selection were fixed and stable. The selection was given the experimental name 'K2008-J-229'. The selection was later named 'SAKPXC012' and was found to reproduce true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation via vegetative cuttings in Salinas, Calif.

Petunia-Calibrachoa hybrid plant named ‘SAKPXC012’


An apparatus has an image content word holding unit for storing multimedia information, and content words each of which verbalizes a concept expressed in the multimedia information, and an associative word dictionary for storing content words, associative words associated with the content words, and non-associative words which one does not bilaterally associate with the content words in correspondence with each other. The apparatus acquires associative words corresponding to an input query word from the associative word dictionary, and searches multimedia information on the basis of the acquired associative words using a search processing unit. Also, the apparatus acquires non-associative words corresponding to the input query word from the associative word dictionary, and searches multimedia information on the basis of feature amounts corresponding to the acquired non-associative words using the search processing unit. A search result integration processing unit integrates first and second search results obtained by the search processing unit on the basis of the second search results.

The present invention relates to an information search apparatus and method for managing a plurality of kinds of multimedia information, and searching the managed multimedia information for desired multimedia information, and a computer readable memory.
As a conventional information search apparatus which searches multimedia information, e.g., images, an information search apparatus that obtains a required image by matching an input keyword with that corresponding to an image has been realized. Furthermore, an information search apparatus, which obtains an image, that cannot be obtained by full-word matching with an input keyword, by matching not only the input keyword but also an associated keyword associated with the input keyword with a keyword corresponding to an image, has also been realized. Moreover, an information search apparatus which obtains an image with similar color information by detecting a correspondence between the input keyword and color information using, e.g., color information of images is proposed.
However, with the conventional information search apparatus, the operator cannot designate query conditions for obtaining required search results with respect to a search request indicated by the input keyword, and cannot obtain search results he or she actually intended. For example, when a search request xe2x80x9csimplexe2x80x9d is input, and an xe2x80x9cadvancedxe2x80x9d image such as a rocket launching scene that gives an impression contrary to xe2x80x9csimplexe2x80x9d is managed among images having quiet color tone and giving xe2x80x9csimplexe2x80x9d impressionxe2x80x9d, such image is presented as an image that matches the search request xe2x80x9csimplexe2x80x9d. Similarly, when an image having xe2x80x9cshowyxe2x80x9d color information as color tone contrary to xe2x80x9csimplexe2x80x9d is managed among images having keywords that match an associative word xe2x80x9chandcraftxe2x80x9d of xe2x80x9csimplexe2x80x9d, such image is presented as an image that matches the search request xe2x80x9csimplexe2x80x9d.
The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and has as its object to provide an information search apparatus and method which can make an appropriate information search according to the designated search request, and a computer readable memory.
In order to achieve the above object, an information search apparatus according to the present invention comprises the following arrangement.
That is, there is provided an information search apparatus for managing a plurality of kinds of multimedia information, and searching the managed multimedia information for desired multimedia information, comprising:
an image content word holding unit for storing the multimedia information, and content words which verbalize concepts expressed in the multimedia information in correspondence with each other;
an associative word dictionary for storing the content words and non-associative words which do not evoke bilateral association with the content words in correspondence with each other;
input means for inputting a query word;
first search means for acquiring a non-associative word corresponding to the query word input by the input means from the associative word dictionary, and searching multimedia information on the basis of the acquired non-associative word;
second search means for extracting a feature amount corresponding to the query word input by the input means, and searching multimedia information on the basis of the extracted feature amount; and
integration means for integrating first and second search results obtained by the first and second search means on the basis of the first search results.
In order to achieve the above object, an information search method according to the present invention comprises the following arrangement.
That is, there is provided an information search method for managing a plurality of kinds of multimedia information, and searching the managed multimedia information for desired multimedia information, comprising:
the storage step of storing on a storage medium an image content word holding unit for storing the multimedia information, and content words which verbalize concepts expressed in the multimedia information in correspondence with each other, and an associative word dictionary for storing the content words and non-associative words which do not evoke bilateral association with the content words in correspondence with each other;
the input step of inputting a query word;
the first search step of acquiring a non-associative word corresponding to the query word input in the input step from the associative word dictionary, and searching multimedia information on the basis of the acquired non-associative word;
the second search step of extracting a feature amount corresponding to the query word input in the input step, and searching multimedia information on the basis of the extracted feature amount; and
the integration step of integrating first and second search results obtained in the first and second search steps on the basis of the first search results.
In order to achieve the above object, a computer readable memory according to the present invention comprises the following arrangement.
That is, there is provided a computer readable memory which stores a program code of an information search process for managing a plurality of kinds of multimedia information, and searching the managed multimedia information for desired multimedia information, comprising:
a program code of the storage step of storing on a storage medium an image content word holding unit for storing the multimedia information, and content words which verbalize concepts expressed in the multimedia information in correspondence with each other, and an associative word dictionary for storing the content words and non-associative words which do not evoke bilateral association with the content words in correspondence with each other;
a program code of the input step of inputting a query word;
a program code of the first search step of acquiring a non-associative word corresponding to the query word input in the input step from the associative word dictionary, and searching multimedia information on the basis of the acquired non-associative word;
a program code of the second search step of extracting a feature amount corresponding to the query word input in the input step, and searching multimedia information on the basis of the extracted feature amount; and
a program code of the integration step of integrating first and second search results obtained in the first and second search steps on the basis of the first search results.
In order to achieve the above object, an information search apparatus according to the present invention comprises the following arrangement.
That is, there is provided an information search apparatus for managing a plurality of kinds of multimedia information, and searching the managed multimedia information for desired multimedia information, comprising:
an image content word holding unit for storing the multimedia information, and content words which verbalize concepts expressed in the multimedia information in correspondence with each other;
an associative word dictionary for storing the content words, associative words associated with the content words, and non-associative words which do not evoke bilateral association with the content words in correspondence with each other;
input means for inputting a query word;
first search means for acquiring an associative word corresponding to the query word input by the input means from the associative word dictionary, and. searching multimedia information on the basis of the acquired associative word;
second search means for acquiring a non-associative word corresponding to the query word input by the input means, and searching multimedia information on the basis of the acquired non-associative word; and
integration means for integrating first and second search results obtained by the first and second search means on the basis of the first search results.
In order to achieve the above object, an information search method according to the present invention comprises the following arrangement.
That is, there is provided an information search method for managing a plurality of kinds of multimedia information, and searching the managed multimedia information for desired multimedia information, comprising:
the storage step of storing on a storage medium an image content word holding unit for storing the multimedia information, and content words which verbalize concepts expressed in the multimedia information in correspondence with each other, and an associative word dictionary for storing the content words, associative words associated with the content words, and non-associative words which do not evoke bilateral association with the content words in correspondence with each other;
the input step of inputting a query word;
the first search step of acquiring an associative word corresponding to the query word input in the input step from the associative word dictionary, and searching multimedia information on the basis of the acquired associative word;
the second search step of acquiring a non-associative word corresponding to the query word input in the input step, and searching multimedia information on the basis of the acquired non-associative word; and
the integration step of integrating first and second search results obtained in the first and second search steps on the basis of the first search results.
In order to achieve the above object, a computer readable memory according to the present invention comprises the following arrangement.
That is, there is provided a computer readable memory which stores a program code of an information search process for managing a plurality of kinds of multimedia information, and searching the managed multimedia information for desired multimedia information, comprising:
a program code of the storage step of storing on a storage medium an image content word holding unit for storing the multimedia information, and content words which verbalize concepts expressed in the multimedia information in correspondence with each other, and an associative word dictionary for storing the content words, associative words associated with the content words, and non-associative words which do not evoke bilateral association with the content words in correspondence with each other;
a program code of the input step of inputting a query word;
a program code of the first search step of acquiring an associative word corresponding to the query word input in the input step from the associative word dictionary, and searching multimedia information on the basis of the acquired associative word;
a program code of the second search step of acquiring a non-associative word corresponding to the query word input in the input step, and searching multimedia information on the basis of the acquired non-associative word; and
a program code of the integration step of integrating first and second search results obtained in the first and second search steps on the basis of the first search results.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures thereof.

Information search apparatus and method, and computer readable memory


A locking device for use in a bicycle brake system in order to retain a hand-operated brake lever thereof in a braked state includes a locking member of resilient material, and a bearing device for bearing the locking member on the brake lever. The brake system includes a mounting seat fixed on a bicycle handlebar for connecting a brake cable to the brake lever. The brake lever has a first end mounted pivotally to the mounting seat and turnable about a first axis. The locking member includes a pressure bearing portion, a pair of spaced bracing arm portions which extend traversely and respectively from two ends of the pressure bearing portion, and a pair of leg portions which extend inwardly and respectively from the bracing arm portions. The bearing device includes a pair of pivot holes formed in two opposite lateral walls of the brake lever to receive the leg portions therein such that the pressure bearing portion and the leg portions of the locking member are generally parallel to the first axis. The pivot holes are offset from a second axis which is parallel to the first axis so as to permit a first slight deformation of the two bracing arm portions to hold the bracing arm portions in an upright position relative to the brake lever.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a locking device, more particularly to a locking device for use in a bicycle brake system to retain a hand-operated brake lever of the brake system in a braked state.
2. Description of the Related Art
A bicycle used in either a circus or acrobatic performance includes a brake system with a hand-operated brake lever that can be retained at a braked state so that an acrobat can perform complex physical acts, such as somersaults and walking along the crossbar of the bicycle.
As illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2A, and 2B, a conventional locking device is shown together with a bicycle brake system 10 which includes a mounting seat 11 which is adapted to be fixed on a handlebar of the bicycle (not shown), and a hand-operated brake lever 12. A pivot 16 extends through holes formed through the first end 12A of the lever 12 and the seat 11, so that the second end 12B of the brake lever 12 can rotate about the pivot 16 in a clockwise direction upon actuation thereof in order to pull a brake cable 20 against the biasing action of the brake system 10, thereby achieving a braking effect. The conventional locking device includes a through hole unit which is formed through the seat 11 and which consists of a small-diameter hole section 112 and a large-diameter hole section 111, a locking bolt 13 inserted into the hole unit and prevented from disengaging from the seat 11 by means of a retainer ring 15 that is disposed in an annular groove of the small-diameter hole section 112, and a coil spring 14 sleeved around the locking bolt 13 so as to bias the latter in such a manner that the small-diameter section 131 of the locking bolt 13 is located in the hole unit while a portion of the large-diameter section 132 is exposed outwardly from the hole unit.
Referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B, when desired, the second end 12B of the lever 12 is pulled toward the handlebar of the bicycle (not shown) so as to rotate the same about the pivot 16 and correspondingly pulling the brake cable 20, thereby spacing a portion of the brake lever 12 adjacent to the first end 12A away from the seat 11. The locking bolt 13 is then pushed into the hole unit of the seat 11, wherein the large-diameter section 132 of the bolt 13 abuts against an abutment face 121 of the lever 12 so as to retain the latter in the braked state, i.e. retaining the lever 12 stationarily relative to the seat 11.
It is time-consuming to drill the hole unit through the seat 11 in order to mount the locking bolt 13 therein.

Locking device for a bicycle brake system

No. 20, Lane 666, Sec. 2, Chung-Cheng Rd.


An apparatus and process for retaining laser bars during a facet coating operation and releasing the bars after the conclusion of the facet coating operation. A multitude of spacers are positioned with laser bars therebetween. Each spacer includes an upper and lower fixture blade. The spacers are compressed together, thus sandwiching the laser bars, during the facet coating operation. After release of the compressive force, adhered laser bars are removed by moving one of the fixture blades relative to the other fixture blade. Movement can be along the longitudinal axis of the blades, perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, or rotation about a pivot axis. Further, movement can include elevation of one blade, or an end of one blade, relative to the other blade.

Semiconductor laser devices, such as double heterostructure laser diodes, are utilized in various applications, such as for optical sources in fiber optic communications. In the manufacture of such devices, double heterostructures are grown and processed on a wafer substrate by, for example, liquid phase epitaxy. The wafer is then cleaved into typically solid rectangular laser bars containing many laser diodes. The laser diodes are functional at the laser bar level, and therefore electrical testing is often performed at this level prior to dicing the individual laser diodes from the bars.
Each laser bar has two end faces, or facets, formed by cleaving during the cleaving process. Laser light is ultimately transmitted through the facets, so it is important for their surfaces to remain unperturbed and uncontaminated during handling of the laser bar. Following the cleaving operation on the wafer to form the laser bars, the facets are coated with an optical coating in a facet coating apparatus. A facet coat holding fixture is typically employed to retain the laser bar during the facet coating and also to transport the bar into and out of the facet coating apparatus.
FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a conventional facet coat holding fixture 10 for retaining a laser bar 20 during a facet coating operation. The fixture 10 includes a plurality of fixture blades 12. Each fixture blade 12 includes opposing sides 14, 16. A laser bar 20 is placed between a side 14 of one fixture blade 12 and a side 16 of another fixture blade 12. A compression device (not shown) provides a compressive force in the direction shown onto the fixture blades 12 such that the laser bars 20 are sandwiched therebetween.
Each laser bar 20 is a thin, solid rectangular bar having facets 26, 28 on opposing sides. Each laser bar 20 is of a small size. For example, typical dimensions of a laser bar 20 are on the order of 0.005 inches by 0.012 inches by 0.300 inches. Because of its small size, each laser bar 20 must be handled with care to avoid damaging it.
During the compression of the fixture blades 12, the flat side surfaces 14, 16 of two fixture blades 12 compress against two opposing non-facet sides of each laser bar 20. Once the compressive force is applied, the facets 26, 28 of the laser bars 20 can be coated.
After being transported outside of the facet coating apparatus, the compressive force is released from the fixture 10, thereby allowing separation of the laser bars 20 from the fixture blades 12. FIG. 2 shows an exaggerated separation of the fixture blades 12 for clarity of illustration.
Once a laser bar 20 becomes completely separated from a fixture blade 12, the laser bar 20 may be removed by way of a vacuum pick, robot arm, or other similar device for subsequent processing and testing operations.
One drawback to the facet coating operation is that optical coating applied to the facet surfaces 26, 28 of the laser bars 20 often seeps in between the non-facet surfaces of the laser bar 20 and the side surfaces 14, 16 of the fixture blades 12. The result of this seepage is that often, upon release of the compressive force from the fixture 10, a laser bar 20 will stick to one of the fixture blades 12, as shown for the middle laser bar 20 in FIG. 2.
If a laser bar 20 remains adhered to a fixture blade 12, an additional operation is then required to detach the laser bar 20 from the fixture blade 12. One example of such an additional operation includes manually shaking the fixture 10 to loosen the laser bar 20. Another example is physically prying the laser bar 20 from the fixture blade 12 with a pick or other similar device. Such operations result in a reduction in the yield of usable laser bars, since a number of the laser bars 20 become damaged when pried or shaken from the fixture blades 12. Typically, as many as half of the laser bars 20 may become damaged from these additional operations.

Method and apparatus for retaining and releasing laser bars during a facet coating operation


An output circuit includes: a first p-type transistor having a source connected to VDDH and a gate to which an input signal is fed; and a second p-type transistor having a source connected to the drain of the first p-type transistor, a drain connected to an output terminal, and a gate connected to a first node. A capacitor has one terminal to which the input signal is fed and the other terminal connected to the first node. A first n-type transistor has a source connected to VDDL, a drain connected to the first node, and a gate to which a signal corresponding to the input signal is fed. A second n-type transistor has a source and a gate both connected to VDDL and a drain connected to the first node.

The present disclosure relates to an output circuit used for a semiconductor integrated circuit device.
As semiconductor integrated circuit devices become finer and finer, the withstand voltage of their transistors is increasingly lowered: for example, transistors having a withstand voltage as low as 1.8 V are used as IO transistors for use in interface circuits that input/output signals from/to the outside. Such interface circuits are however sometimes required to have a configuration capable of inputting/outputting a signal having a voltage as high as 3.3 V, for example, depending on the specifications thereof and the like.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-9608 (FIGS. 1 and 2) (Patent Document 1) discloses a technology of configuring an output circuit that outputs a high-voltage signal outside using transistors that operate at low voltage. For example, in the circuit configuration in FIG. 1, cascaded p-type transistors 1 and 2 are placed between a high-voltage power supply and an output terminal, and cascaded n-type transistors 3 and 4 are placed between a ground power supply and the output terminal. A capacitor CP is provided between the gates of the p-type transistors 1 and 2, and a capacitor CN is provided between the gates of the n-type transistors 3 and 4.
Having the above circuit configuration, when an output signal Dout makes a transition to high level, rising of the gate potential RP of the p-type transistor 2 is curbed due to the coupling by the capacitor CP, whereby the rise of the output signal Dout is hastened. With this, rising of the drain-source voltage of the p-type transistor 2 is curbed. Likewise, when the output signal Dout makes a transition to low level, falling of the gate potential RN of the n-type transistor 3 is curbed due to the coupling by the capacitor CN, whereby the fall of the output signal Dout is hastened. With this, rising of the drain-source voltage of the n-type transistor 3 is curbed.


A thread scheduler identifies a thread operable to be scheduled by a scheduling policy for execution on the chip multiprocessor. The thread scheduler estimates, for the thread, a performance value that is based on runtime statistics of the thread for a shared resource on the chip multiprocessor. Additionally, the thread scheduler applies the performance value to the scheduling policy in order to reallocate processor time of the thread commensurate with the performance value under fair distribution of the shared resource on the chip multiprocessor. The thread scheduler also applies the performance value to the scheduling policy in order to reallocate processor time of at least one co-executing thread to compensate for the reallocation of processor time to the thread.

Multi-core processors ("chip multiprocessors") contain multiple processing cores that enable multiple application threads to run simultaneously on a single processor device. Such multi-core technology provides improved power efficiency and increased hardware utilization in comparison with conventional single-core processors. Furthermore, during execution, each processing core of the chip multiprocessor shares various resources that are not specifically dedicated to a single processing core. These shared resources include, for example, level 2 (L2) on-board cache devices, memory bus devices, direct memory access (DMA) devices, store buffers and the like. Typically, as in conventional multiprocessor systems, a computer's operating system manages and administers the application threads via a scheduling policy. The scheduling policy, in turn, determines when and for how long the particular application threads will execute on the various processing cores of the chip multiprocessor.

Methods and apparatus for scheduling threads on multicore processors under fair distribution of cache and other shared resources of the processors


A railway installation monitoring system may include: a laser generator that is provided on a train; a camera that is operated in connection with the laser generator so as to be capable of monitoring a railway installation and of acquiring image information data that is measured; a three-dimensional image information conversion device that uses the image information data acquired by the laser generator and the camera and converts the data into three-dimensional image information; a position determination unit that determines the position of the railway installation to be measured; a signal processing device that sends an operating command for the laser generator or/and the camera; and an overall data processing device that processes, analyzes, interprets, or stores the image information data, the three-dimensional image information, or the data transmitted from the position determination unit.

Field
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate, in general, to a system for monitoring a railway by synchronizing dynamic characteristics of a train moving along tracks and data for monitoring railway installations with a predetermined moving distance and, more particularly, to a system for monitoring a railway installation while repeatedly accumulating and processing data obtained by measuring a rail, a streetcar line, or a tunnel structure using a monitoring apparatus including a laser generator installed on a train, a camera for obtaining three-dimensional (3D) coordinates, and a measuring device that measures vibration of a train, etc.
Discussion of the Background
Railroad and streetcar lines should be always monitored for structural integrity and safety since subway trains or trains moving along tracks are likely to be derailed. However, it's challenging to thoroughly monitor railroads and streetcar lines for safety-assurance purposes since a moving distance is long and monitoring should be performed within a short period during which trains do not move. Thus, there is a need to develop a new method of monitoring railroads and streetcar lines. In the case of subway trains moving through a subway tunnel, deteriorating tunnel structures are major targets to be safety-checked. However, it is not easy to detect cracks occurring in a deteriorating tunnel. Thus, there is a need to develop a method of continuously safety-checking railway installations. Also, although data regarding a major position is measured and obtained, the data is difficult to compare and analyze with respect to a baseline when the data is not synchronized with a measurement position.
When railroads, streetcar lines, and tunnel structures are monitored, data thereof should be obtained at the same measurement position to exactly compare the data with a baseline. That is, a fine change in a rail may be detected when data obtained at the same measurement position is continuously compared with the baseline, but is difficult to detect when data obtained at a non-fixed measurement position is compared with the baseline. However, inconvenience may be caused to a user when the current method of the related art (e.g., a method of accumulatively estimating a distance based on a rotational speed of a wheel, a method of estimating a distance by performing integral calculation using an acceleration sensor, or a method of detecting a location based on an image) is used to detect the location of a train. Thus, since it is inevitable that an error will occur, a method of initializing data after a train is stopped may be used to compensate for accumulated errors.
If data is measured when a measurement position is not fixed, safety repair work is hardly influenced by a distance error when the position of a change in a tunnel structure (cracks, a falling object, etc.) is roughly detected, but is greatly influenced by a distance error when a tiny abnormal change occurs in a rail or a streetcar line.
Also, when an image is processed using a camera that has been frequently suggested as a data measuring device, the amount of light should be high to obtain an image and a surface of a metallic structure, such as a rail, should be corrected due to scattering of reflected light. When a scanning method involving a laser is used, a change in a tunnel structure can be effectively detected when a train moves at low speeds but the detection of the change in the tunnel structure is limited when the train moves at high speeds.
Korean registered patent No. 10-1111569 entitled "System and method for monitoring railway installation using tracked vehicle" discloses a railway installation monitoring system including an information obtaining device configured to obtain and store images of a tunnel structure, tracks, and a streetcar line while a monitoring camera installed in a tracked vehicle is moved and to store noise and vibration data collected using a sensor unit installed in the tracked vehicle, and a server unit configured to receive the data collected by the information obtaining device, store the data in a database, and provide images stored in the database and the data to a situation room terminal to check the images and the data.
However, the system described above is disadvantageous in that data regarding a rail, a streetcar line, sleepers, and a tunnel structure is difficult to synchronize to a measuring position. In particular, a distance error is likely to occur in the case of items for which precise distance measurement is required, such as a rail and a streetcar line.
Furthermore, since images are captured by a camera without consideration of a moving speed and distance of a train, the same image is likely to be repeatedly captured to decrease the efficiency of storing and increase a time required for a safety check.

Railway installation synchronization monitoring system


The present invention provides a human-machine interface where control is achieved without the use of buttons. By providing multiple knobs, the audio system maximizes functionality while minimizing cost and space requirements. Each knob is capable of two selection modes: a first selection mode provided by rotating the knob and a second selection mode provided by depressing the knob. The two selection modes correspond to ergonomic selection pairs for controlling the audio system. The reduced area required for controls allows for a larger display area; which provides the user with a more attractive display that can convey more information. When a change in a status, through knob manipulation is sensed by the audio system, the display automatically provides a menu that corresponds to the ergonomic pair assigned to that knob. The automated switching of menus minimizes navigation between screens, while providing full manipulation of that audio system function using a single knob control. The present invention also provides for the display to visually indicate which knob is being used.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to human-machine interfaces. More specifically, the present invention relates to a human-machine interface for controlling a radio which eliminates the need for buttons
2. Description of Related Art
Affordance is the ability of an interface to maintain a one-to-one relationship between controls and functions of the interface. Maximizing the affordance of an interface provides intuitive navigation and improves ease of use of the system. Currently, many interfaces have embraced the concept of affordance by associating buttons with different functions of the radio or graphically associating buttons with menu choices.
Today the affordance of many radio systems is limited by the cost of creating individual buttons and controls for each function. Additionally, as the number of controls increase, the cost and space required for the additional controls translates into higher cost and creates implementation problems for the design engineers. Often budget and space constraints drive a reduction in interface optimization, even for high end customers.
In view of the above, it is apparent that there exists a need for a human-machine interface having better ratio of functionality to user controls.

Radio human-machine interface using knobs and menu picks


An interactive mosaic channel video stream with indicators as to the action on a given video stream. The interactive mosaic channel is displayed on a video monitor, with a plurality of individual video feeds being presented at a given time, comprising a plurality of video cells presenting at least video information, each video cell associated with one of the plurality of individual video feeds, each video cell further comprising an area within the video cell reporting data related to the video feed, and a cursor, which can be moved between the plurality of video cells, for selecting at least one characteristic associated with a selected video cell, such that the user can then directly select a video program associated with the selected video cell.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to satellite video systems, and in particular, to a method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for interactive mosaic channel video streams.
2. Description of the Related Art
Satellite broadcasting of communications signals has become commonplace. Satellite distribution of commercial signals for use in television programming currently utilizes multiple feedhorns on a single Outdoor Unit (ODU) which supply signals to up to eight IRDs on separate cables from a multiswitch.
FIG. 1 illustrates a typical satellite television installation of the related art.
System 100 uses signals sent from Satellite A (SatA) 102, Satellite B (SatB) 104, and Satellite C (SatC) 106 that are directly broadcast to an Outdoor Unit (ODU) 108 that is typically attached to the outside of a house 110. ODU 108 receives these signals and sends the received signals to IRD 112, which decodes the signals and separates the signals into viewer channels, which are then passed to monitor 114 for viewing by a user. There can be more than one satellite transmitting from each orbital location.
Satellite uplink signals 116 are transmitted by one or more uplink facilities 118 to the satellites 102-104 that are typically in geosynchronous orbit. Satellites 102-106 amplify and rebroadcast the uplink signals 116, through transponders located on the satellite, as downlink signals 120. Depending on the satellite 102-106 antenna pattern, the downlink signals 120 are directed towards geographic areas for reception by the ODU 108.
Each satellite 102-106 broadcasts downlink signals 120 in typically thirty-two (32) different frequencies, which are licensed to various users for broadcasting of programming, which can be audio, video, or data signals, or any combination. These signals are typically located in the Ku-band of frequencies, i.e., 11-18 GHz. Future satellites will likely broadcast in the Ka-band of frequencies, i.e., 18-40 GHz, but typically 20-30 GHz.
As satellites 102-106 broadcast additional services and additional channels to viewers, viewers will like and expect to see programming on monitor 114 that relate to their specific needs and desires.

Mosaic channel video stream with interactive services


The present invention relates to a hearing aid, which allows a hearing aid user to discretely operate his/her hearing aid by applying a force to a portion of the ear carrying the hearing aid. A number of different functions of the hearing aid, such as turning a battery supply on/off, adjusting a volume control, selecting a particular pre-programmed listening program, etc., may be provided in a hearing aid according to the present invention—all without directly engaging the hearing aid or switches or potentiometers thereof. Furthermore, if the hearing aid is adapted for use within the ear canal, the present invention may provide user assistance so to allow simple and convenient removal of the aid from the ear canal.

Hearing aid technology continuously strives toward developing smaller hearing aids or hearing instruments. This development is helped by a continuous reduction in size for all components commonly utilised in hearing aids.
The advent of in-the-canal (ITC) type of hearing aids and completely-in-the-canal (CIC) type of hearing aids has brought several benefits to hearing aid users. Many users or potential users find it cosmetically attractive to wear an aid that may be completely contained within the ear canal, since this renders the aid invisible, at least in a majority of everyday situations.
Further, hearing aids of the ITC and CIC types provide acoustical benefits compared to a behind-the-ear (BTE) type of instrument. One benefit is improved directional hearing due to a major part of the outer ear being left unblocked by the ITC and CIC hearing aids, thereby preserving the natural directional properties of the outer ear.
While the cosmetic and acoustic improvements related to the use of ITC and CIC hearing aids are well recognised, there remain a number of practical problems related to the daily use and operation of these types of aids.
A hearing aid is usually provided with one or several control means, such as push buttons, switches, etc., which may be located on a face part of the hearing aid housing.
The control means may be adapted to provide a number of functions, such as turning the aid on/off, controlling a gain, changing between a number of predetermined listening programs, changing between a microphone signal and a telecoil signal, etc.
A first practical problem is the difficult operation of controlling means mounted on the face of the housing of the hearing aid. This problem originates from e.g. the inaccessible position of the hearing aid deep inside the ear canal, which normally makes it difficult for a user to find and properly operate the controlling means. The very limited available area of the face part of the aid further adds to this problem, since any controlling means must have very small physical dimensions to fit on the face of the housing. This problem is pronounced for elderly people, which constitute the majority of hearing aid users, since they often have reduced capability to perform the necessary tiny movements of the controlling means with their fingertips.
A second problem is that it may be very difficult for the user to remove an ITC and especially a CIC type aid from its clamped-in position in the ear canal.
A solution to the problem of removing the aid is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,381,484 wherein a pull-out string with beads is attached to a face part of a housing of a CIC aid. The beads provided on the string enables the user to get a firm grip on the string and apply the force necessary to release the aid.
This solution, however, creates a derived third problem, since, during the release process, an acoustic leakage path is inevitably created in the ear canal between the microphone mounted on the face part and a sound emitting transducer (receiver) of the hearing aid. This leakage path will usually make the hearing aid oscillate at a high frequency and at full output power, producing a sustained and highly irritating noise into the ear of the user until the battery supply is turned off, or the gain is turned down. Also, a string pointing out of the ear is not desirable for cosmetic reasons.

Hearing aid adapted for discrete operation


A half bridge step-up switching regulator is configured including an output voltage adjusting switch element Q1 for adjusting an output voltage; a synchronous switch element Q2, connected in series with the output voltage adjusting switch element Q1, that is complementary ON operated when the output voltage adjusting switch element Q1 is turned OFF; a voltage detecting section 10 for detecting the voltage at a connecting node of the switch elements in time of turn-OFF of the synchronous switch element; and a soft switch control section 20 for adjusting the timing of turn-OFF of the synchronous switch element Q2 based on the voltage fluctuation detected by the voltage detecting section 10 to perform zero current switching control.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a half bridge switching regulator configured by an output voltage adjusting switch element for adjusting an output voltage, and a synchronous switch element, connected in series with the output voltage adjusting switch element, that is complementary ON operated when the output voltage adjusting switch element is turned OFF.
2. Description of the Related Art
In this type of switching regulator, a soft switching method is adopted in which the output voltage adjusting switch element for adjusting the output voltage and the synchronous switch element that is complementary ON operated when the output voltage adjusting switch element is turned OFF are connected in series between input voltage terminals (in step-down regulator) or between output voltage terminals (in step-up regulator), and the synchronous switch element and the output voltage adjusting switch element are complementary ON/OFF operated by a switch control section to reduce switching loss and noise.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 07-46853 proposes a controlling method of performing, in a half bridge inverter configured by two switching elements, zero voltage switching and zero current voltage switching by providing a dead time with respect to the switching elements when switching each switching element ON/OFF as a soft switching inverter controlling method for reducing switching noise and switching loss and for controlling the output voltage by a constant switching frequency.
As shown in FIG. 1A, for instance, in a step-up switching regulator configured by an output voltage adjusting switch element Q1 for adjusting the output voltage and a synchronous switch element Q2 connected in series with the output voltage adjusting switch element Q1, the OFF timing of the synchronous switch element Q2 is determined by a map calculated value set, which is set in advance based on an input/output voltage values, to appropriately adjust the dead time.
This will be described in detail below. The step-up switching regulator is configured by the output voltage adjusting switch element Q1 for adjusting an output voltage Vout at an output voltage terminal OUT; a synchronous switch element Q2, connected in series with the output voltage adjusting switch element Q1, that is complementary ON operated when the output voltage adjusting switch element Q1 is turned OFF; a resonance circuit including a step-up coil L1 and a capacitor C1 that LC resonate in an aim of reducing the voltage Vds between the switch elements, which will be described later; and a bypass capacitor C2 for stabilizing the output voltage.
The output voltage adjusting switch element Q1 and the synchronous switch element Q2 are configured by n-channel MOS-FET, and a switch control section for switching each switch element ON/OFF by controlling the respective gate voltages of the output voltage adjusting switch element Q1 and the synchronous switch element Q2 is arranged.
The switch control section controls the switching regulator according to a timing chart shown in FIG. 1B. The switch control section determines a timing (TA1) to switch the output voltage adjusting switch element Q1 from ON to OFF based on the output voltage Vout. When the output voltage adjusting switch element Q1 is turned OFF, the voltage Vds between the switch elements rises, and the synchronous switch element Q2 is switched from OFF to ON at a timing (TA2) the voltage Vds between the switch elements and the output voltage Vout become equal.
The switch control section calculates the timing at which coil current IL, flowing through the step-up coil L1, that is reduced by turning ON the synchronous switch element Q2 becomes zero through map calculation, to be hereinafter described, and switches the synchronous switch element Q2 from ON to OFF at a timing (TA3) the calculated coil current IL becomes zero.
The output voltage adjusting switch element Q1 is switched from OFF to ON at a timing (TA4) the voltage Vds between the switch elements becomes zero. The switch control section controls the output voltage to be constant by repeating the basic operation described above.
In the basic operation described above, the timing of switching the synchronous switch element Q2 from ON to OFF, that is, the ON time t2 of the synchronous switch element in FIG. 1B can be obtained by [Eq. 1].
The maximum current Imax flowing through the step-up coil L1 in [Eq. 1] is obtained by [Eq. 2] based on the input voltage Vin at an input voltage terminal IN and time t0 defined by the OFF timing of the output voltage adjusting switch element Q1.
Therefore, the ON time t2 of the synchronous switch element is defined by the input voltage Vin and the output voltage Vout based on [Eq. 3] derived from [Eq. 1] and [Eq. 2].
                              t          2                =                              L            ·                          I              max                                                          V              out                        -                          V                              i                                                                                n                                                                        [                  Eq          .                                                    1                ]                                          I          max                =                                            V                              i                                                                                n                                      ·                          t              0                                L                                    [                  Eq          .                                                    2                ]                                          t          2                =                                            V                              i                                                                                n                                      ·                          t              0                                                          V              out                        -                          V                              i                                                                                n                                                                        [                  Eq          .                                                    3                ]
The switch control section includes map data of the output voltage Vout with respect to various input voltages Vin created in advance, and the ON time t2 of the synchronous switch element is calculated based on the map calculation of applying the input voltage Vin and the output voltage Vout obtained from the map data to [Eq. 3].
A complicating circuit must be built to detect the input/output voltage or perform the map calculation when controlling the OFF timing of the synchronous switch element based on the result of the map calculation, but a feedback control is not used, and thus the OFF timing of the synchronous switch element cannot be controlled at satisfactory accuracy.
Furthermore, the map data must be set so that the synchronous switch element is turned OFF before the current backflows from the output side to the power supply side to ensure safety of the circuit, and thus the switching noise and the switch loss cannot be sufficiently reduced.

Half bridge switching regulator and electronic device


The pneumatic radial tire comprises a carcass made of a ply of radially arranged cords toroidally extending between a pair of bead portions, a belt arranged outside the carcass in a radial direction of the tire, and a belt reinforcing layer of organic fiber cords arranged outside the belt in the radial direction of the tire, in which the organic fiber cord constituting the belt reinforcing layer has a strand construction and a twisting coefficient N.sub.t of 0.06-0.30 defined according to the equation. EQU N.sub.t =T.times.(0.139.times.D/2.rho.).sup.1/2 .times.10.sup.-3 (1). wherein. T: twisting number (turns/10 cm), PA1 D: total denier, PA1 .rho.: specific gravity (g/cm.sup.3).

In this type of the pneumatic radial tire, it is common that at least two belt layers, each a composite of steel cords arranged at a given inclination angle with respect to an equatorial direction of the tire and coated with rubber, are superimposed on a carcass to form a structure providing steering performance, wear resistance and the like in accordance with vehicle performance.
Recently, the running speed of the vehicle has increased with the advance in the improvement of expressway networks as well as higher output and performance of the vehicle, and it is strongly demanded to improve high-speed durability of a tire accompanied therewith.
For this end, there have been proposed various attempts for improving the high-speed durability of the tire. That is, the pushing-out of tread or shoulder in the tire through centrifugal force acting to the tread portion of the tire during high-speed running, and the formation of a standing wave are serious factors causing trouble for the tire. In order to suppress such a trouble, it is known to add belt reinforcing layer such as a so-called cap, layer or the like to an outside of the belt layer in a radial direction of the tire.
However, it is difficult to completely make up for a shortage of rigidity by a simple addition of the belt reinforcing layer. Consequently, the size growth of the tire in the radial direction during the high-speed running can not be sufficiently suppressed. For this end, it is attempted to improve the rigidity by increasing the number of the belt reinforcing layers. However, the increase of the belt reinforcing layer number increases the rubber thickness to bring about heat build-up or the increase of tire weight, so that the satisfactory high-speed durability can not be obtained.
Furthermore, when using the plural belt reinforcing layers, the dimensional stability of the tire from heat build-up is degraded. Also, the heat build-up becomes large, so that there is caused a problem of lowering the steering stability during running for a long time.
On the other hand, it has been attempted to improve rigidity by increasing an end count of cords embedded in rubber for the belt reinforcing layer. However, as the end count increases, a ratio of cords occupied per unit width in the radial section of the tire or a cord occupying ratio becomes large and a ratio of occupied rubber becomes relatively small. Hence the adhesion property of the cord lowers to induce separation failure or the like and hence there are caused a premature failure of tire and the like.
As compared with these attempts, it is effective to enhance a modulus of elasticity of the cord constituting the belt reinforcing layer. Concretely, it is known to use a high modulus material such as aromatic polyamide (aramid) fiber, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fiber or the like. As another means, JP-B-59-1601 proposes a method wherein polyamide fibers, polyester fibers or rayon fibers, particularly polyamide fibers are used to form a cord of single twisting structure having a twisting number of 10-40 turns/10 cm and then the resulting cords are used at an end count of 60-300 cords/10 cm in the belt reinforcing layer.
However, when cords of aramid fiber or the like having a low elongation are used as a cord for the belt reinforcing layer, there may be caused tire deformation or cord breakage due to the expansion of the tire during the tire build-up. On the other hand, when the tire expansion during the tire build-up is made small in order to prevent such disadvantages, since the thermal shrinkage of the aramid fiber cord is substantially zero, the cords undesirably move in a zigzag direction during the vulcanization of the tire.
When using the polyester fibers such as PET fiber or the like, since the modulus of elasticity is higher than that of the polyamide fiber, the size growth of the tire is suppressed. If they are used under high-speed running, the heat-resistant adhesion property to other parts of the tire is poor, from which separation failure is easily produced, which results in trouble with the tire.
Moreover, in case of using the single twisted cord is used, since there is a residual torque in the cord itself, the operability is poor in the weaving step and the dipping step with an adhesive, which is easy to produce troubles in tire production. Furthermore, the high-speed durability of the tire cannot be said to be satisfactory even if the twisting number and end count of the cord are defined to given values. Therefore, drastic measures are required.

Pneumatic radial tires with organic fiber cord belt reinforcing layer


The invention discloses a recording medium containing a compound shown by the following Formula (1)(Y1)n—Z1—(X)l—Z2—(Y2)m  Formula (1)

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a recording medium for use in ink jet recording, digital electrophotographic recording, sublimation transfer recording, heat-sensitive recording, and thermal transfer recording methods, and to a method for manufacturing such a recording medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various information processing systems have recently been developed along with rapid progress in information technology industries, and recording methods and recording apparatuses suitable for these information processing systems have been developed and put into practice.
Among these recording methods, ink jet recording methods have been widely used in homes as well as in offices, since these methods are advantageous in that they can be used to record images on various recording materials, in that printers for the methods are inexpensive and compact, and in that the methods are very quiet.
Resolution of ink jet printers has been increasing in recent years, and it has become possible to obtain "photorealistic" recorded matter with high image quality. Along with such improvements in the ink jet printers, various kinds of ink jet recording sheets have been developed.
Characteristics required for these ink jet printing sheets are generally the following items: (1) rapid drying (rapid ink-absorbing speed), (2) proper and uniform diameter of ink dots (no bleeding), (3) good granularity, (4) high circularity of dots, (5) high color density, (6) high chroma (being free of dullness), (7) good water resistance, light fastness and ozone resistance of printed portions, (8) high brightness of recording sheets, (9) good storability of recording sheets (no yellowing or bleeding of images even in long-term storage (excellent in prevention of bleeding over time), (10) substantially no deformation with good dimensional stability (sufficiently small curling), and (11) good running property in ink jet printers.
To use the ink jet recording sheets as photographic glossy paper sheets for obtaining photorealistic high-quality printed matter, the recording sheets are also required to have glossiness, surface smoothness and texture of printed paper sheets resembling that of silver salt photographs as well as the aforementioned characteristics.
An ink jet recording medium with an ink receiving layer having a porous structure has been developed and put into practice in recent years to improve the aforementioned characteristics. Such an ink jet recording medium has excellent ink receptivity (rapid drying ability) due to the porous structure, and high glossiness.
Moreover, use of organic acid has been proposed to improve image storability such as light fastness and gas resistance, and storability of recording sheets (for example, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) Nos. 2001-191639, H10-193779, H10-264506 and H06-316145). However, it has become clear that inclusion of organic acid in an image receiving layer results in formation of an image with decreased density.
Improvement of image storability and storability of recording sheets, and prevention of a decrease in color forming density are required for not only ink-jet recording media having an ink receiving layer, but also for digital electrophotographic recording media having a toner receiving layer, sublimation transfer recording media having a sublimation transfer image receiving layer, heat-sensitive recording medium having a heat-sensitive color-forming layer, and thermal transfer recording media having a thermal transfer image receiving layer.
Accordingly, there is a need for an image recording medium that has high storability and on which an image with high storability and high density can be formed and for a method for manufacturing such an image recording medium.

Recording medium and method for manufacturing recording medium

Abstract: wherein, in Formula (1): each of Z1 and Z2 indicates a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic ring which may have a hetero atom; X indicates —O—, —S—, —S—S—, or —C(R)2—; R indicates an alkyl group or a hydrogen atom; each of Y1 and Y2 indicates a sulfo group, a carboxyl group, a phosphono group, a carbonamide group, a sulfonamide group, or a quaternary ammonium salt; l indicates 0 or 1; and each of m and n indicates 0 or an integer of 1 or more, and at least one of m and n is an integer of 1 or more.