A message is simultaneously broadcast to multiple systems on a 1-wire bus. A first addressed communication session is established between a microprocessor and a first 1-wire I/O expander via a 1-wire bus, where the first 1-wire I/O expander is electrically coupled to a first system. The first 1-wire I/O expander is placed into “fast access mode”, and then removed from the 1-wire bus by opening a switch to the 1-wire bus. A second addressed communication session is established between the microprocessor and a second 1-wire I/O expander before the switch recloses, where the second 1-wire I/O expander is electrically coupled to a second system. The second 1-wire I/O expander is then placed into “fast access mode”. In response to the timer expiring and the switch reclosing, an unaddressed message is broadcast from the microprocessor to the first and second systems via the first and second 1-wire I/O expanders.

The present disclosure relates to the field of electronic circuits, and specifically to 1-wire electronic circuits. Still more particularly, the present disclosure relates to broadcasting a message to multiple systems on a 1-wire electronic circuit.
A 1-wire system is a communications bus system that provides low-speed communication to devices on a single data wire. Although a 1-wire bus actually has two wires, one for data and one for ground, there is only one wire for data, and thus the name "1-wire". A 1-wire system, due to its low speed, is used for simple functions, such as identifying a system on a 1-wire bus, providing rudimentary control signals, transmitting temperature and date readings, transmitting periodical logging readings, etc.

Lenovo Enterprise Solutions (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.


A reference size when data of a data field is laid out in a page is decided on the basis of the data display sizes of data fields having the same data field name in a plurality of types of records. A data field having a data display size corresponding to the decided reference size is chosen from the data fields having the same data field name in the plurality of types of records. Data of the data field is laid out in the page on the basis of the data display size of the chosen data field.

The necessity for CRM (Customer Relationship Management) and one-to-one marketing has recently received a great deal of attention due to factors such as shortening of the product life as varieties of products are produced, and customer's orientation to customized services as the use of the Internet spreads. These methods try to raise the customer satisfaction, win new customers, and keep customers.
One-to-one marketing is a kind of database marketing which creates a database of individual attribute information including the age, gender, hobby, preference, and purchase log of a customer, analyzes the contents of the database, and makes a proposal complying with customer's needs. A typical method of this marketing is variable printing. These days, a variable printing system which customizes a document for each customer and outputs the document has been developed along with the development of the DTP (Desk Top Publishing) technique and the pervasion of digital printing apparatuses. The variable printing system needs to create a customized document in which contents of a different amount for each customer are optimally laid out.
Generally, when such a customized document is to be created by the variable printing system, containers are laid out in a document. The container is a drawing area for drawing contents (drawing contents (e.g., an image and text)), and is also called a field area.
A desired customized document (called a template) can be created by performing work of laying out containers in a document and associating a database with the layout (associating various contents in the database with the containers). The contents of the customized document can be changed (made variable) by properly switching contents in the containers in the customized document (changing the association). Such a document is called a variable data document, and a printing system using the variable data document is a variable printing system.
In a conventional variable printing system, the size of a container associated with a text or image serving as contents is fixed. When contents in the database are inserted (flowed) into a container and the data amount is larger than the container size, the following problems arise. That is, if the data is a text, overlapping of the text in the container occurs. If the data is an image, clipping of the image by the container occurs. When the data amount is smaller than the container size, no proper display may be obtained such that a gap appears between the container and its internal contents.
In order to solve these problems, there is proposed an automatic layout system which changes the container size in accordance with the information amount. The automatic layout system can flexibly set the container sizes of a text and image. Some automatic layout systems can provide a flexible container size and change a container to a large size in accordance with the data amount to be inserted. There is also proposed a technique of, when data of a text which cannot fall within a fixed container size is inserted, adjusting (reducing) the font size of the text and displaying all the text within a container.
When, however, the size of a container is increased, the container overlaps another container in a document. In adjusting the font size of a text, the font size becomes excessively small when the amount of text to be processed is large. In order to solve these problems, as another technique of changing the layout, a technique of downsizing a container adjacent to a target container when the target container increases in size is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-129658 (paragraph 0049, FIG. 8) "Layout Designing Apparatus".
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-092820 proposes a technique of manually adjusting a layout result which is greatly different from an original in format and size as a result of an automatic layout process based on the original, editing an inserted character string one by one, comparing the editing result with the original, and when no difference between them is detected, completing editing.
The layout designing apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-129658 manages the priorities of layout materials, lays out materials in the order of priorities, and decides the layout. That is, the layout designing apparatus only decides the order of laying out target materials each serving as a layout unit. In this case, an area for a layout material of the lowest priority always becomes narrow, and a layout desired by the user cannot be obtained.
The apparatus in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-129658 is limited to a so-called DTP technique of editing inserted content data itself to adjust the whole layout, and laying out fixed content data.
In the variable printing system as a purpose of the present invention, editing of content data inserted into a container means editing of content data stored in a database, which makes variable printing insignificant.
Hence, the layout need be adjusted not by adjusting content data itself, but by optimally adjusting the size of a container for inserting content data on the basis of the inserted content data. There is also a need to more efficiently perform operation for this adjustment.
In this technical field, a mechanism has been devised which dynamically lays out each record by making containers push each other on the basis of the size of data inserted (flowed) into each container laid out in a page. By adopting this mechanism, the layout can be changed for each record, and a printed material which minimizes a gap and overflow can be obtained.
However, with the mechanism of dynamically laying out each record, the operator cannot recognize the layout before a printed material is output. The layout can be previewed before printing, but it is not practical to preview all pages because the database may hold thousands of records in variable printing.
For this reason, demands arise for creating the design of a template while allowing the operator to recognize the layout to a certain degree when a dynamic layout is applied.

Information processing apparatus, control method therefor, and program


A computer provided with an intelligent battery 52 for charging/discharging, the intelligent battery 52 supplying power to a main system unit, wherein the intelligent battery 52 includes: a voltage measuring circuit 70 for measuring a battery voltage of the intelligent battery 52; a current measuring circuit 63 for measuring a charging/discharging current of the intelligent battery 52; a temperature measuring circuit 90 for measuring a temperature of the intelligent battery 52; and a CPU 62 for periodically reading the battery voltage measured by the voltage measuring circuit 70, the charging/discharging current measured by the current measuring circuit 63, and the temperature measured by the temperature measuring circuit 90 so as to manage a capacity deterioration of the battery due to a storage deterioration and a cycle deterioration, and wherein the main system unit includes an embedded controller 41 for receiving information about the capacity deterioration from the CPU 62 of the battery.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electric device containing a battery that can be used by repeating charging/discharging, and particularly it relates to an electric device that can accommodate capacity deterioration of the battery.
2. Prior Art
Various electric devices including information terminals such as notebook-type personal computers (notebook PCs), PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants), MD (Mini Disc) drives and video cameras, are supplied with power not only directly through a commercial main but also from a battery that can be used by repeating charging/discharging. Nickel-hydrogen batteries or nickel-cadmium batteries are employed as batteries used in the electric devices because of their large capacity and low price. The batteries used in the electric devices also include lithium-ion batteries, which have higher energy density per unit weight than the nickel-cadmium batteries, and lithium-polymer batteries, which use solid polymer instead of liquid electrolyte.
Users strongly desire to know accurately a life of a battery such as nickel-hydrogen battery, nickel-cadmium battery, lithium-ion battery or lithium-polymer battery, because operating time of the battery decreases after the life of the battery has expired. Accordingly, some conventional electric appliances indicate data such as voltage, current, and capacity of its battery to inform a user of time to exchange the battery.
Problems to be Solved by the Invention:
However, since conventional indication of voltage, current and capacity (%) only shows basic data, it is difficult for a user to properly determine a presence of abnormality in the battery or an exchange time of the battery.
Deterioration of a battery can be known from Full Charge Capacity (total capacity). It is possible to know a deterioration degree of a battery by monitoring a change in Full Charge Capacity of the battery. Conventionally, however, it has not been possible to exactly monitor Full Charge Capacity unless the battery, after charged to 100% of capacity, discharges completely to about 0% of capacity (3%, for example). Thus, an exact deterioration degree of the battery can be only known after the battery charging followed by complete discharging. Accordingly, for example, it may take about half a day to get a deterioration degree of a battery in a device, and thus it takes time and effort.
Furthermore, when Full Charge Capacity of a battery is monitored and its deterioration degree is notified to a user, the notified deterioration degree cannot be accurate unless complete discharging is performed just before the notification. Users seldom use batteries to a completely discharged state. Therefore, in order to obtain an exact deterioration degree, it is required to instruct a user to use a battery by charging to 100% capacity and completely discharging. However, usability of a device is not good if complete discharging is required to measure a deterioration degree of its battery.
The present invention solves the technical problems described above.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Electric device with intelligent battery system therein


Methods and apparatus for providing a passive non-redundant signal distribution system including a passive combiner coupled to the first and second controlled signal sources to receive first and second signals, the combiner having an output, and a passive splitter coupled to the combiner output to provide reference signals to signal sinks, all to provide reliable dissemination of a reference signal despite failures of signal generation or distribution.

As is known in the art, conventional high availability radar systems include at least two identical reference signal generation and distribution systems. Each component needing a reference signal receives a copy of the signal from each of the reference distribution systems to allow continued operation despite a failure in generating or distributing the reference signal. Components receiving the reference signal are called sinks herein.
FIG. 1 shows a prior art signal distribution system 100 having first and second identical signal sources 112a, b, each driving a respective one of first and second identical active splitters 114a, b. A first signal generation and distribution system comprises the first signal source 112a and the first active splitter 114a, and a second signal generation and distribution system comprises the second signal source 112b and the second active splitter 114b. Signal sinks 116a-N receive signals from both the first and second signal generation and distribution systems. As can be seen, the redundant signal distribution systems enable the sinks to receive a reference signal while meeting a required availability despite failures.
There are a number of disadvantages to this traditional approach. One disadvantage is the cost of duplicating distribution and reception systems. A technical disadvantage is that the two distribution systems necessarily differ in manufacturing tolerances and errors, requiring radar calibration for each system, thus increasing the amount of radar timeline occupancy required to calibrate the radar. Radar calibration refers to the continuous process whereby hardware imperfections are compensated for to enable the radar to generate sharp beams with low sidelobes and deep nulls, despite manufacturing variations and subsequent changes due to component aging, temperature variation, power supply voltage variation, and the like.
Another disadvantage is that prior-art signal distribution systems include active components, thus reducing reliability and increasing cost, complexity and sensitivity to temperature variations. Yet another disadvantage is that each and every component requiring a reference signal must be equipped to accept and choose between or combine at least two reference signals, thus at least doubling the expense and complexity of the component's signal reception interface.
There are alternate prior-art approaches where a single distribution system is driven by a pair of sources through a complicated redundant switching arrangement, but it can be difficult to find an adequate approach because the switches themselves are active and/or mechanical, and thus of limited reliability.

Methods and apparatus for highly reliable signal distribution


This invention provides a medical device in which its lubricity is continually maintained and its safety is guaranteed.. Particularly, it provides a medical device in which lubricity is generated on at least a portion of its surface when the device is contacted with body fluids or exposed to physiological aqueous conditions, wherein the lubricity-generating portion is formed by thermoforming.

Tissue injuries such as mucosal injury, vascular injury and the like occur when general medical devices composed of plastics, metals, ceramics and the like are inserted into the living body and contacted strongly with biological tissues. In concrete terms, when a catheter, a guide wire, an endoscope, a rectal thermometer probe or the like is inserted into a blood vessel, a digestive organ or the like hollow organ until it reaches the intended position, various tissue injuries including mucosal injury and vascular injury occur which give patients pain and cause prolongation of therapeutic period. Also, in some cases, a medical device cannot be inserted into the intended position due to its large insertion resistance. In consequence, in order to lessen these injuries or reduce the insertion resistance, various measures have been taken in the prior art for example by using a low friction material as the base material, coating the device surface with oils which give lubricity or with a hydrophilic polymer or fixing a hydrophilic polymer to the surface making use of covalent bond, ionic bond and the like chemical bonds.
Illustrative examples of the low friction material include polyethylene, polyacetal, fluorocarbon resin and the like, and those of the lubricity-providing oil include silicone oil, olive oil, glycerol and the like. With regard to the method for fixing a hydrophilic polymer to the material surface, JP-B-59-19582 discloses a method in which polyvinyl pyrrolidone or the like is fixed making use of isocyanate group (the term "JP-B" as used herein means an "examined Japanese patent publication"), JP-A-59-81341 discloses a method in which two or more hydrophilic polymers are fixed also making use of isocyanate group (the term "JP-A" as used herein means an "unexamined published Japanese patent application") and JP-A-58-193766 discloses a method in which polyethylene oxide is fixed also making use of isocyanate group. However, such low friction materials are not effective in sufficiently preventing tissue injuries, and continual presence of lubricity cannot be obtained by the method in which oils or hydrophilic polymers are used. Also, since a substance having high reactivity (isocyanate group or the like) is used in the fixation of a hydrophilic polymer to the surface, it is probable that the substance when remained will cause a problem due to its toxicity. In addition, when the method in which an oil or a hydrophilic polymer is used is employed in the production process of medical devices, the process becomes complex due, for example, to the increased number of operation steps.
Thus, as has been described in the foregoing, the prior art methods for adding lubricity to the surface of a medical device have disadvantages in that production process of the device becomes complex, its lubricity cannot be maintained continually and when chemicals having high reactivity are used, its safety cannot be maintained depending on a situation.

Thermoformed medical device with lubricious modified polyethylene oxide layer


A heat sink includes a plate for engaging on an integrated circuit device and having a number of fins. A fastener blade is engaged in the fins and includes two hooks for engaging with the device and for securing the plate to the device without threading fasteners. The fastener blade has a middle protrusion engaged with the plate for resiliently forcing the plate to engage with the device. A cover is secured to the fins for forming an air passage between the plate and the cover and a fan is secured to the cover for drawing air through the gaps formed between the fins.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heat sink, and more particularly to a heat sink for an integrated circuit.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typical heat sinks include a fan device for securing to and for cooling an integrated circuit. Various kinds of heat sinks have been developed and are required to be secured to the integrated circuit with screw fastening or threading devices. However, when securing the heat sink to the integrated circuit by the threading devices, the user may not precisely determine the threaded engagement of the threading device; i.e., the threading device may be over threaded or may not be tightly threaded into place, such that the user may not really know whether the elements have been tightly assembled together or not. In addition, the user may not know whether the elements have been damaged due to over threading or not.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional heat sinks.

3F., No. 3, Lane 38, Sec. 4, Chong Hsin Road


A method for making fire retardant material including fire retardant cellulosic insulation is described. The method includes an arrangement for adding one or more feedstocks and a fire retardancy chemical compound to a common blend tank prior to feedstock drying. The one or more feedstocks may include at least one virgin pulp stock feed and at least one recycled material stock feed. The amount and type of both the virgin feedstock and the recycled material feedstock is selectable. Old newsprint (ONP) may be one type of recycled material feedstock. Another suitable type of recycled material feedstock is old corrugated containers (OCC). The method further includes retaining the fiber feedstock and the chemical compound together for enough time to ensure adherence or impregnations of enough of the chemical to the fibers after the drying process. Fluffing or fiberizing of the treated fibers may be accomplished under less severe conditions than ordinarily employed when making conventional cellulose insulation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to making fire retardant materials. More particularly, the present invention relates to making fire retardant insulation. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to insulation made with cellulosic material. Further, the present invention relates to a method of making cellulosic insulation using a combination of virgin wood fiber feedstock and/or de-inked and/or re-pulped recycled feedstock.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Insulation is widely used for the purpose of passive thermal control in a broad range of applications, with building insulation being a particularly substantial application. Inorganic fiberglass has been the most common type of material used to make insulation. Fiberglass insulation is provided in blanket and blown fiber form, with the thickness of the blanket or the blown fiber fill determinative of insulative effectiveness.
Concerns over the in-situ (installed) effective performance of fiberglass as well as the product's limited fire retardant characteristics and environmental characteristics, which are now regulated under the Federal National Toxicological standards, have raised public and governmental concerns over its continued use as a thermal insulation product. Organic cellulosic insulation has been considered as one type of alternative to fiberglass and can be desirable for that purpose, particularly in regard to its environmental suitability and thermal efficiency. Currently, cellulosic insulation is made from recycled feedstock, with recycled newsprint being the primary feedstock. Other types of materials have been considered in order to increase the volume of available feedstock, such as cardboard, wood construction debris and the like.
Cellulose insulation is made in part using existing papermaking machinery and methods. Specifically, cellulose feedstock in the form of used paper, ordinarily in the form of printed newspaper, is ground or otherwise mechanically made into small pieces. In order to ensure that the cellulosic insulation conforms to fire retardant standards, the pieces are mixed and mashed together with a fire retardant chemical, which is usually a boron-based chemical in powder (i.e., solid) form that is not particularly effective at adhering to cellulose fibers. The chemical used tends to be either boric acid or borax, or an amalgamation of the two (which will be referred to herein as borate). The treated pieces may then optionally be fluffed to reduce its overall bulk density and improve its suitability for application.
Cellulosic insulation has not been widely adopted as a suitable alternative to fiberglass insulation for several reasons. First, the cost of the fabrication method mentioned above is too high to make it economically competitive. Second, the conventional recycled material used as feedstock is not adequate to produce enough material to meet market demand as a replacement for fiberglass. In addition, the method of converting various types of recycled feedstock can significantly affect the processing cost. Third, the method of joining the fire retardant material to the cellulose pieces requires the use of a considerable amount of the treatment material, in the case of powdered treatment material, such as the most commonly used pulverized borate, and the poor adhesion between the two materials.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,534,301 and 6,025,027 to Shutt and U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,386,119 and 4,454,992 to Draganov describe the use of liquid borate as a means to reduce the amount of borate needed to cover cellulose insulation fibers. However, the processes described in those patents involve the application of the liquid borate to the fibers after they have been substantially manufactured, including through the dewatering stage. This method is of limited commercial value and may not adequately address the difficulty in joining the fire retardant chemical to the fibers.
Therefore, what is needed is a system and related method for making cellulosic insulation in a cost competitive way. What is also needed is such a system and related method that can be used with new feedstocks instead of or in addition to, conventional material (specifically, recycled newsprint). Further, what is needed is a system and related method to improve the fire retardant application method and fire retardant material retention on or in the cellulosic material.

Method for making fire retardant materials and related products

University of Maine System Board of Trustees


A sustained duration trigger sprayer capable of dispensing at least 3 mL of product over a time period of about 3 seconds utilizing a force-to-actuate of between about 10 pounds and about 15 pounds. The trigger sprayer includes an enlarged piston bore and piston and an elongated trigger lever creating a high output fluid displacement with a 0.5 inch displacement distance. The container bottle and/or the sprayer shroud are contoured to provide a gripping area opposing the terminal end of the trigger lever wherein the gripping distance in from the gripping area to the terminal end of the trigger lever is no greater than 3.3 inches.

Field of the Invention: The invention relates to trigger sprayers and more particularly to trigger sprayer constructions and configurations to provide a sustained duration spray or a spray lasting longer than traditional trigger sprayers.
State of the Art: Trigger sprayers are well known and are commonly used as delivery devices to deliver a product, such as a liquid, from a container to a surface or an area in which the product is desired. For example, trigger sprayers may be used to apply cleaning agents to hard surfaces or to deliver air freshener to a volume of air or area of fabric. The use and applications for such devices are well known.
Typically, the actuation of a trigger sprayer will dispense about 1.5 cc of fluid or less. In many examples, conventional trigger sprayers deliver 1.0 cc or less of fluid per stroke of the trigger sprayer lever. While such distribution of product—1.0 cc or a slight bit more per stroke—is typically sufficient for users, there are times in which additional product is required or desired. For instance, in some cases there may be a large surface area that needs to be cleaned, requiring multiple "strokes" or actuations of the trigger sprayer to dispense sufficient product to cover the given area. Similarly, when using trigger sprayers with air freshener, a user may be required to stroke the trigger sprayer multiple times to obtain a desired application or dispersion of product from a container to which the trigger sprayer is connected.
Although a user may actuate a trigger sprayer multiple times to obtain a desired output, there is a need for trigger sprayers having a larger output per stroke. Furthermore, there is a desire to have a better user experience with trigger sprayers for traditional and nontraditional applications.

Sustained duration trigger sprayers and methods for making the same


A harmonic suppression device includes a power converter that generates a harmonic suppression current that is an electric current for suppressing a harmonic current flowing in a power line and outputs the generated harmonic suppression current to the power line, a communication unit that exchanges signals with other harmonic suppression devices, and a controller that controls the power converter based on a signal received by the communication unit.

A harmonic suppression device, which is referred to as an active filter, is a device provided between a power supply and a load to suppress a harmonic current generated in the load including a power conversion circuit.
The harmonic suppression device extracts a harmonic component included in a power supply current, generates an electric current in a phase reverse of that of the component, and outputs the generated current toward the power supply so as to suppress a harmonic current. Therefore, the harmonic suppression device detects a harmonic component of an electric current flowing in a power supply line using a sensor attached to the power supply line and generates an electric current that cancels the detected harmonic component. Generally, the sensor is attached to the power supply line of the load to which the harmonic suppression device is applied, that is, a wiring line connecting between a power line connected to a power supply source and the load. In a case where two or more loads are connected in parallel, by provision of a sensor on the side of the power supply source of a power line connected with these loads, the harmonic suppression device can collectively suppress the harmonic components flowing from the two or more loads to the power line. In addition, it is possible that two or more harmonic suppression devices are provided in parallel similarly to the loads and these harmonic suppression devices suppresses the harmonic components flowing from the two or more loads to the power line.
As a conventional system for suppressing a harmonic current by applying a harmonic suppression device, there is a harmonic suppression system described in Patent Literature 1.

Harmonic suppression device and harmonic suppression system


A system and method are disclosed for a cache IP that includes registers that are programmed through a service port. Service registers are selected from the registers to define an address range so that all cache lines within the address range can be flushed automatically using a control signal sent to a control register.

A cache is a common feature for improving the performance and reducing the power consumption of an on-chip processing system. The cache buffers copies of data close to the processing elements that manipulate the data, e.g. CPUs, GPUs, etc. Caches include relatively small memory arrays that have a short access time and increase system performance by reducing average memory latency. When the processing element writes data to memory, the cache can intercept the writes and only update the cache content. The memory can be updated later, for instance if the modified cache line is evicted, or explicitly through a cache maintenance operation called a flush. Flushing a line of the cache consist in copying the line in memory if the line is dirty, then marking the line as invalid. Typically, caches will store data structures which will be stored in memory at contiguous addresses, between a start address and an end address. After the processing element has finished working with a data structure, if it is required that the memory is updated with the latest values of the said data structure, all cache lines containing part of that data structure need to be flushed. This can be done line by line through a software running on a processing element, but this is taking time from the processing element. Therefore, what is needed is a system and method that allows selection and identification of an address range in a cache IP that can be controlled using a command sent to control register, so that the cache itself automatically flushes all cache lines containing data that belongs to the address range.

System and method for configurable cache IP with flushable address range


Telephone call identification service that safeguards the privacy of an originating station (calling party), while providing useful identifying information to a destination station (called party), is achieved by an encryption process. The encryption process includes combining the originating number with the telephone number of the destination station to form a message. Thereafter, the message is encrypted using the Data Encryption Standard (DES) or the Rivest, Shamir, Adleman (RSA) encryption algorithm to form ciphertext which is transmitted to the destination station. Using either encryption process, the ciphertext is reversible. A telephone switching office, preferably equipped with an electronic program-controlled switching system, executes the encryption algorithm and safeguards the keys used for encryption and decryption. When reversibility of the ciphertext is deemed to be undesirable, the telephone switching office uses modulo n processing of the ciphertext to render it non-reversible.

Transmitting the telephone number of an originating station (calling party) to a destination station (called party) was initially hailed to be an important advance in protecting the privacy of victims of obscene and harassing phone calls. Repeated telemarketing calls could be avoided and even computers would be better protected by an ability to refuse calls from all but a few originating stations. Additionally, recognition of the telephone number of the originating station could be used to provide distinctive ringing-a special ringing signal that occurs when the originating number matches a telephone number stored within the call identification equipment.
A number of patents have issued which illustrate implementations of calling line identification service (Caller I.D.). For example U.S. Pat. No. 4,551,581, issued to C. A. Doughty on Nov. 5, 1985, discloses an apparatus and method used at a telephone company office for identifying and forwarding the telephone number of the calling party during a silent interval between ringing; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,924,496, issued to R. Figa et al. on May 8, 1990, discloses a telephone station that detects and displays the originating number as well as the name of the party associated therewith.
Although this technology is growing rapidly, it has not been universally embraced because of concerns surrounding the privacy of the calling party. And while it would be frivolous to contend that the privacy rights of the caller exceed those of the person being called, particularly when harassment or telemarketing is the reason for the call, the State of Pennsylvania has ruled that Caller I.D. violates both the state's wiretap act (nearly identical to federal statutory provisions) and privacy rights guaranteed by the Pennsylvania and U.S. Constitution. Pennsylvania's ruling responds to a number of legitimate situations where calling party privacy is entitled to greater protection including: calls to "help-lines," anonymous crime-stop information, and persons under protective custody or at a shelter. Additionally, persons with unlisted telephone numbers may be entitled to greater privacy because they pay a premium that others who allow their name, address and phone number to be published, do not.
One scheme for protecting the privacy of callers is provided by a service wherein callers first dial a "1-900" number that is automatically answered with a voice instruction to wait for dial tone and then enter "1," area code, and the number to be called. Although such traceless telephone services avoid transmission of the calling party's actual telephone number, the cost of such services is high and they appear to thwart any privacy rights that the called party might have.
Another scheme for protecting the privacy of callers is a service known as "call blocking" wherein, for a fee, a subscriber's telephone number is not forwarded. Indeed, this particular service represents the natural evolution of unlisted telephone number service. Unfortunately, the mere existence of techniques for protecting one's privacy might not be a suitable safeguard to overcome challenges based on a Constitutional right. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide Caller I.D. service while safeguarding the right of privacy for each of the parties.

Caller identification system with encryption


A system for identifying the time remaining for a bottled gas supply to lapse. Such bottled gas supplies include those used for gas grilles, scuba, nitrogen for electron microscopes, and any other environment in which a bottled gas is used. The system reads the pressure and optionally the temperature of the gas container, the readings of which are read by a microprocessor, optionally first pre-processed in a conversion module, and converted into a display for the user identifying the time during which the gas contents remaining will last. In various systems, it may be desirable to program the microprocessor, such as with input from a keyboard and/or cd-rom, with parameters regards specifics of the gas or the container, or to simply processing by assuming a certain temperate correlation and thereby eliminate the need for a temperature transducer.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a system and method for displaying to a user of a canned gas (whether used as fuel, for breathing, or the like) the time remaining for use of the gas in the container.
2. The State of the Art
The afore-mentioned applications are directed to oxygen requirements for jet aircraft, and more specifically to determining, after an emergency depressurization, the proper flight level (FL; altitude to fly) to balance the the fuel reserve and the oxygen reserve under such conditions. After an emergency depressurization, if the plane can make an alternate airport at a FL100 (10,000 foot elevation), there is no need for emergency oxygen; only at higher flight levels is oxygen required. However, the higher a jet flies, the less fuel is required. So there is a balance between the amount of emergency oxygen and the amount of fuel in order for the plane to reach an alternate airport during an emergency.
One method for providing an indication to the pilot(s) of the oxygen remaining is to sense the pressure, and preferrably also the temperature, of the pressurized gas source. These measurements are then used, in combination with a microprocessor, to calculate the volume of gas (e.g., liters) in the gas container. As gas it used, the pressure and temperature of the source change; sampling of this information over time provides a lapse rate. Alternatively, an actual flow meter can be used to measure the flow of gas, and sampled over time via the microprocessor, a lapse rate can be determined. The combination of the lapse rate and the calculated amount of gas remaining provides an indication of the duration for which the remaining gas will last.
It is this duration which is the subject matter of the instant specification. Bottled compressed gas is used for various endeavors and in various industries: acetylene for welding; nitrogen for electron microscopes; oxygen (or modified oxygen, containing nitrogen and/or helium) for scuba and for firefighters; and hydrocarbons for domestic heating and hot water, for powering vehicles, and for cooking; among others.

Method for indicating duration of gas supply remaining and providing result to user thereof


In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to monitor athletic performance. In some embodiments, one or more control circuits and sensors are used to analyze performance as it compares to music tempo that is played during an exercise session or class, which may be done both directly and/or indirectly. In one embodiment, athletic performance during an exercise period is monitored and compared to the tempos of music played, where the music tempo is identified by one of measuring the actual tempo of the music played and/or obtaining the tempo from a database or otherwise associating the selection(s) played with an identified tempo of the music itself. In another embodiment, the music tempo is indirectly identified or analyzed, such as by analyzing the performance or cadence of a group of exercisers and comparing the performance parameters sensed to obtain a benchmark tempo from which to compare individual users.

Many individuals find it desirable to listen to music while exercising or performing other fitness-related activities. Such exposure to music may positively impact athletic performance, such as, for example, by improving performance output and/or duration of a workout. For example, songs having a higher tempo may encourage the individual to work harder while exercising. Music also may improve an exercise experience, which may encourage participants to increase the frequency of their exercise endeavors.
While it is known to provide music during exercise classes, individuals respond differently to music exposure, in part, as a result of fitness levels, overall health, and music preferences, among other factors. Indeed, like many personal preferences people may respond to some songs differently, and given the impact of music exposure on performance, it would be beneficial for individuals to understand what type of music positively impacts their individual performance, and to what extent.
Elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions and/or relative positioning of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments of the present invention. Certain actions and/or steps may be described or depicted in a particular order of occurrence while those skilled in the art will understand that such specificity with respect to sequence is not actually required. The terms and expressions used herein have the ordinary technical meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressions by persons skilled in the technical field as set forth above except where different specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein.

System, apparatus, and method for monitoring athletic or exercise performance


A method of embedding a semiconductor chip in a support plate and an embedded structure thereof are proposed. A first dielectric layer having a reinforced filling material is provided, and a semiconductor chip is mounted on the first dielectric layer. A support plate having an opening and a second dielectric layer having a reinforced filling material are provided. The first dielectric layer mounted with the semiconductor chip, the support plate, and the second dielectric layer are pressed together, such that the semiconductor chip is received in the opening of the support plate, and the dielectric layers fill in a gap between the semiconductor chip and the opening of the support plate. The reinforced filling material of the dielectric layers can maintain flatness and consistency of the semiconductor chip embedded in the support plate, and fine circuits can be fabricated on the support plate by build-up and electroplating processes.

Along with developments of the semiconductor packaging technology, there have been produced many different packaging types of semiconductor devices. In the semiconductor device, a semiconductor chip is mounted on a package substrate or lead frame, and then electrically connected to the package substrate or lead frame; subsequently, an encapsulant is fabricated to encapsulate the chip and form a package. Ball Grid Array (BGA) package involves an advanced type of the semiconductor packaging technology, which is characterized by the use of a package substrate whose front side is mounted with a semiconductor chip and whose back side is implanted with a grid array of solder balls using a self-alignment technique. This allows more input/output (I/O) connections to be accommodated on the same unit area of a chip carrier (i.e. package substrate), so as to meet the requirement for a highly integrated semiconductor chip, such that the entire package can be electrically connected to an external device by means of the solder balls.
Referring to the conventional BGA semiconductor package, the semiconductor chip is mounted on the front side of the substrate and electrically connected to the substrate by a wire-bonding or flip-chip technique; then, the solder balls are implanted on the back side of the substrate to provide the I/O connections. Although the requirement for a large number of I/O connections is met, during high-frequency usage or high-speed operation, the quality of electrical performance cannot be maintained due to the excessively long electrically conductive path in such BGA package. Furthermore, the conventional packaging technology requires multiple connection interfaces, therefore increasing the fabrication cost thereof.
Accordingly, in order to effectively improve the electrical performance for the requirement of the next generation of products, there has been proposed to embed chips in a substrate and establish direct electrical connection between the chips and substrate so as to shorten the electrically conductive path and reduce signal losses and signal failures as well as improve the performance at high-speed operate.
Referring to FIG. 1, in order to embed a chip in an opening of a circuit board, firstly, at least one semiconductor chip 11 is mounted on a carrier film 10 in an upside-down manner that an active surface 110 of the chip 11 is attached to the carrier film 10. Subsequently, the carrier film 10 mounted with the chip 11 is attached to a support plate 12 having a predetermined opening 120, allowing the chip 11 to be received in the opening 120 of the support plate 12. The carrier film 10 is used to maintain flatness and height consistency of electrode pads 111 formed on the active surface 110 of the chip 11, such that electrical connection between the active surface 110 of the chip 11 and the support plate 12 can be effectively established after removing the carrier film 10.
In the above method, although the height consistency of the electrode pad 111 on the active surface 110 of the chip 11 is well maintained, when the chip 11 mounted on the carrier film 10 is embedded in the opening 120 of the support plate 12, an alignment error between the chip 11 and the opening 120 of the support plate 12 may occur due to expansion/contraction of the carrier film 10 during a temperature cycle of semiconductor device fabrication processes, thereby degrading the reliability of subsequent fabrication processes. Furthermore, the use of the carrier film 10 not only increases the fabrication cost but also may generate and release organic substances during high-temperature fabrication processes to contaminate the chip 11 mounted thereon.
FIG. 2 shows another method of embedding a semiconductor chip 21 in an opening 220 of a support plate 22. The semiconductor chip 21 is placed into the opening 220 of the support plate 22 one by one. Then, a resin 20 having a copper foil 200 is pressed onto the support plate 22 embedded with the chip 21 to allow the resin 20 to encapsulate the chip 21; or alternatively, the resin 20 can be directly filled in the opening 220 of the support plate 22 to fix the chip 21.
However, by the above method, the fabricated structure may have poor flatness due to the direct application of the resin 20 and makes it hard to be used in an advanced integrated circuit product. Moreover, although the resin 20 having the copper foil 200 may provide height consistency for an active surface 210 of the chip 21, it is not suitable for fabrication of fine circuits since an etching technique is employed to perform circuit fabrication on the copper foil 200. Furthermore, the number of circuit layers needs to be increased to meet the requirements of advanced products, such that the fabrication cost is increased while the size miniaturization of the product is not facilitated as a consequence.

Method of embedding semiconductor chip in support plate and embedded structure thereof

Phoenix Precision Technology Corporation


A thin-film Light Emitting Diode (LED) and methods of manufacturing the same are disclosed. Specifically, the thin-film LED is provided with an epitaxial layer having a proton implantation that controls the size of the active volume. Controlling the size of the active volume enables the thin-film LED to enjoy decreased rise and fall times, thereby achieving a thin-film LED that is useable for transmission in high transmission rate communication systems.

Up to now, the only fast Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) available are volume emitters. The output power of these volume-emitting LEDs is increased by a Bragg reflector at the rear side or at both sides (e.g., resonant cavity LED). Volume emitters are somewhat limited in that they will always have a larger form factor than their thin-film counterparts.
In the meantime, the progress at High Brightness LEDs (HB-LEDs) is enormously high. These HB-LEDs are designed for use in illumination, specifically in fields of use such as: light bulb replacement; automotive bulbs; and backlighting for flat screen televisions and projectors. All of these high output power LEDs are based on the thin-film manufacturing process. A significant disadvantage to using thin-film LEDs is that they are extremely slow in time behavior. The red thin-film LEDs (e.g., approximately 650 nm) are especially slow. Accordingly, the thin-film LEDs are severely limited in that they can only be used in plastic optical fiber data-rate transmission systems where transmission speeds are no more than 5-10 Mbit/s.

Avago Technologies General IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.


An archery target having a first and a second elongated support plate extending parallel to one another between a respective first and second plate ends. Each of the support plate having a support-plate length, inner surfaces facing one another and outer surfaces opposed to the inner surfaces. Each plate further including a strap opening. The target further including a plurality of elongated foam sheets extending parallel to one another to form a foam laminate having side surfaces parallel to the sheets and end surfaces transverse to the sheets. The side surfaces each facing one of the inner surfaces of the support plates and defining a foam laminate length that is shorter than the support-plate length. The foam laminate further including a front surface extending between the plates having an arrow receiving zone. The target including at least one compression strap extending about the outer surfaces of the plates and through the strap openings such that the strap is spaced from the first and second ends of the plates wherein the strap urges the support plates toward the foam laminate and maintains the support plates relative to the foam laminate.

As is known, a wide variety of materials can be used as an archery target. However, the chosen material must allow the arrow to enter the target but not fully penetrate the target. Essentially, the target must stop the arrow without damaging the arrow while presenting the user with a mark or other visual element to aim toward and gauge one's aim. In this respect, archery arrows are reusable and, therefore, it is advantageous that arrows shot into the targets are not damaged.
Over the years, natural products, such as hay or straw, have been used as archery targets. This includes use of hay or straw as the portion of the target that stops the arrow. A printed target can be placed over the straw to produce the mark or other visual target for aiming. While these natural materials can be used to stop arrows, exposure to the environment will quickly deteriorate and weaken the natural material, and arrows can be difficult to remove from this type of material. Further, the penetration by the arrow quickly breaks down the structure of the material reducing the stopping characteristics of the natural material. As can be appreciated, an arrow that substantially penetrates the stopping material can be difficult to remove and may need to be removed from the backside of the target.
In order to overcome the problems with natural materials, manmade materials have been used to replace the natural material discussed above. The manmade material can be weather resistant and can effectively stop the arrow. However, prior art targets utilizing manmade materials also breakdown too quickly and can damage the arrow. Layered materials have been found to fray on the edges and allow moisture to penetrate the layers. This results in trapped moisture within the target that can reduce the effectiveness of the target and which causes the arrows to be exposed to excessive moisture. As can be appreciated, a wet arrow must be dried before it is shot a second time.
Another problem with prior art targets is heightened probability of damaging the arrow and/or the heightened probability of target failure. In this respect, no mater what material is used, the material must form a stable target area. Natural materials, such as hay bails, utilize twine as a binder to hold the hay or straw together. Manmade materials still need a binder to hold the layers together. Further, the binder should be configured in a way that it does not damage the arrow. As a result, there are tradeoffs between binders with superior structural characteristics and binders that will yield to an arrow so that the arrow is not damaged if the arrow strikes the binder. Prior art targets have not achieved the optimal balance between structural characteristics and minimal arrow damage.
Even yet another problem with prior art targets is stability. In this respect, an arrow traveling at high speeds has a significant amount of momentum. This momentum impacts that target when the arrow strikes the target. The target must be capable of remaining substantially stationary upon impact, or the user must realign the target if the target moves and/or tips over. While a lightweight target may be easier to move, it can easily tip over and can rotate upon impact by the arrow.


A method for forming crystallographically coherent precipitates of vanadium dioxide in the near-surface region of sapphire and the resulting product is disclosed. Ions of vanadium and oxygen are stoichiometrically implanted into a sapphire substrate (Al.sub.2 O.sub.3), and subsequently annealed to form vanadium dioxide precipitates in the substrate. The embedded VO.sub.2 precipitates, which are three-dimensionally oriented with respect to the crystal axes of the Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 host lattice, undergo a first-order monoclinic-to-tetragonal (and also semiconducting-to-metallic) phase transition at .about.77.degree. C. This transformation is accompanied by a significant variation in the optical transmission of the implanted region and results in the formation of an optically active, thermally "switchable" surface region on Al.sub.2 O.sub.3.

Substances in which both sensing and actuating capabilities are coupled by an intrinsic control mechanism are sometimes referred to as "smart" materials. For instance, a thin film of vanadium dioxide (VO.sub.2) deposited on a substrate is a classic example of a "smart" surface. VO.sub.2 undergoes a phase transition at a relatively low temperature. This phase transition is accompanied by extraordinary changes in the electronic and optical properties of VO.sub.2. In particulate or bulk form, VO.sub.2 undergoes a first-order monoclinic-to-tetragonal, and semiconducting-to-metallic phase transition, at temperatures of approximately 73.degree. C. to 68.degree. C. When a VO.sub.2 film is coated onto a transparent substrate, and illuminated so that the film absorbs sufficiently intense laser light, the resulting temperature increase can induce a rapid semi-conducting-to-metal phase transformation. The presence of the metallic VO.sub.2 phase then produces a reflecting surface, that subsequently strongly attenuates further transmission of the incident laser radiation through the coated substrate. Accordingly, the VO.sub.2 film performs both sensing and actuating functions through coupled intrinsic properties of the material.
Due to the reversible character of these changes, VO.sub.2 thin films have been investigated as active layers for a variety of applications. These applications include: self-protecting support windows, erasable optical data recording, thermal sensors, and coatings for energy-efficient windows.
In conventional thin-film systems, a continuous VO.sub.2 film is deposited on a surface of a substrate. As a result, thin layers of the VO.sub.2 on the surface of the substrate are exposed to environmental degradation and contamination. In addition, because of the two dimensional orientation of the film, cross talk or strain problems occur between a "switched" and "unswitched" region. Another difficulty occurs from the poor adhesion between the film and the substrate, which results in the degradation of optical properties at the interface of the film and the substrate.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a multi-layer composite system consisting of an optically active phase such as VO.sub.2 and a durable host medium, which protects the three-dimensional orientation of optically active precipitates relative to the host medium, enhancing) the optical properties which can be obtained, including a well-defined variation in the optical reflectivity between "switched" and "unswitched" states.

VO.sub.2 precipitates for self-protected optical surfaces

The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy


According to example embodiments, a high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) includes a channel layer having a 2-dimensional electron gas (2DEG), a channel supply layer on the channel layer, a source electrode and a drain electrode spaced apart from each other on one of the channel layer and the channel supply layer, at least one channel depletion layer on the channel supply layer; a gate electrode on at least a part of the channel depletion layer, and at least one bridge connecting the channel depletion layer and the source electrode. The channel depletion layer is configured to form a depletion region in the 2DEG. The HEMT has a ratio of a first impedance to a second impedance that is a uniform value. The first impedance is between the gate electrode and the channel depletion layer. The second impedance is between the source electrode and the channel depletion layer.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates to a high electron mobility transistor, and/or more particularly to a high electron mobility transistor having a normally-off characteristic.
2. Description of Related Art
A nitride semiconductor device may be used as a power device for power control. In a power conversion system, an efficiency of the power device may affect the efficiency of the entire system. Examples of power devices include a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) or an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT), which are based on silicon (Si). However, increasing the efficiency of Si-based power devices may be limited by Si properties and/or manufacturing processes. Other examples of power device include power devices using a III-V group-based compound semiconductor, such as a high electron mobility transistor (HEMT). The HEMT may include a heterojunction structure of a compound semiconductor.
HEMTs may include semiconductor layers having different electrical polarization characteristics, wherein one semiconductor layer having a relatively high polarizability may induce a 2-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) in the other semiconductor layer. Since the 2DEG may be used as a channel, the HEMT may have a high electron mobility. Also, HEMTs may include a compound semiconductor having a wide band gap. Thus, a breakdown voltage of the HEMT may be higher than that of a general transistor. The breakdown voltage of the HEMT may increase in proportion to a thickness of a compound semiconductor layer including 2DEG, for example, a gallium nitride (GaN) layer. Also, a normally-off function may be desired for a normal operation of the power device.


In a method for applying a curable liquid using an inkjet printing method, a gloss level is controlled by first applying a first layer of liquid and curing the first layer. Having thus obtained a layer having known properties, a second layer is applied on the first layer. Droplets of the second layer are uncured for a predetermined period of time allowing the droplets to spread and coalesce to form a layer having a smooth and flat surface such to provide a desired gloss level, in particular a high gloss. Further, a printing apparatus configured to perform the method is provided.

It is known to use inkjet printing technology to apply droplets of a recording liquid such as an ink image-wise on a recording medium to form an image on the recording medium. Such recording medium may be paper or may be any other suitable recording medium.
For certain applications, the recording medium may be such that common inks such as water-based inks are not suited and it is well known to use for such applications curable inks, in particular curable by irradiation of a suitable radiation. A commonly used radiation for curing is UV-radiation.
The curable recording liquids are applied in droplets by ejection from an inkjet print head and stay in a liquid-phase after application on the recording medium. The droplets may spread and even coalesce with neighboring droplets, depending on the particular properties of the recording liquid and/or recording medium, while they are in such liquid phase. After a predetermined period of time after application, the droplets are cured by irradiation of a suitable radiation. The irradiation may be controlled based on an amount of radiation per unit of time and a duration of irradiation, thus by controlling a total dose of radiation. After curing the recording liquid adheres to the recording medium and has solidified.
A disadvantage of the known method of application is that the resulting gloss level (i.e. a high gloss, low gloss or matt finish) depends on the properties of the recording medium and/or the properties of the recoding liquid and/or other properties such as printing parameters, including but not limited to a recording liquid temperature at the time of application. Controlling such properties and related control parameters to obtain a controlled gloss level is difficult and even unpredictable, requiring trial and error to obtain a desired gloss level. Such trial and error is of course undesirable.
Moreover, the recording liquid may be a translucent or transparent recording liquid, such as a varnish. Such recording liquid may be applied with the intention to generate a high gloss. Using such recording liquid, it is desirable that the resulting gloss level is independent from the recording medium.

Method of applying a curable liquid and apparatus for performing the method


The case cable management has a shell, a circuit board, multiple sockets and a cover. The shell has a bottom board and a sidewall. The circuit board is attached securely to the bottom board of the shell. The sockets are mounted through the sidewall of the shell and have multiple terminals connected securely to the circuit board. The cover covers the shell. Multiple power lines are mounted through the sidewall of the shell to connect the circuit board and sockets to a power supply and cables from computer apparatuses are connected to the sockets to receive electric power. Different cables can be distinguished clearly and conveniently for simplified cable routing to avoid confusion and facilitate replacement.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cable management, especially to a case cable management having simplified cable routing for a computer.
2. Description of the Prior Arts
Computers have become important tools in our daily lives. To achieve different requirements for users, many apparatuses are installed in a case and include hard disk, expansion cards, optical drives such as but not limited to CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read-Only Memory), DVD, holographic drive or the like. All these apparatuses have cables for connection to a power supply to receive electric power. However, increasing a number of installed apparatuses increases a number of connection cables inside the case. The intertwined cables are inconvenient when overhauling, replacing or expanding an apparatus.
A conventional cable management for computer is a binding cable thread. The binding cable thread is helically entwined to form a hollow tube and can bind many cables. However, when one apparatuses must be fixed, the binding cable thread must be entirely unwound. After completing repair, the user should helically re-entwine the binding cable thread. Further, adding another cable is inconvenient when expanding apparatuses. Moreover, encircling a binding cable thread in a small case is difficult.
To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a case cable management to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.


A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture determine a path on a network. A Global search is commenced for one or more Global paths on the network. Thereafter, when a turn restriction on a first node on the network exists, a hidden node that is not reachable from the first node due to the turn restriction is detected. A Local search commences from the hidden node in a reverse direction creating a Local search path. When the Local search can connect to the Global search, the Local search path is converted to a new Global path, and added as an alternative to the Global search.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to network search algorithms, and in particular, to a method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for improving the handling of turn restrictions in a network search algorithm.
2. Description of the Related Art
Computer systems are often used to provide directions or paths to a destination. To provide the best/shortest path to a destination, network trace algorithms are commonly used. Network trace algorithms such as a standard Dijkstra algorithm and A* algorithm operate on a model (referred to as a net trace model) in the form of a mathematical graph that is constructed using links (that represent street/road segments) and nodes (that represent intersection and road ends). However, when turn restrictions are introduced, which represent physical and/or legally enforced restrictions (e.g., "no left turn"), the algorithm(s) potentially miss some best paths because the turn restrictions can hide a path that could be followed if the node (intersection) was entered via another link (road). In other words, if a turn restriction is encountered at a node, a node that may be reached but for the turn restriction (referred to as a hidden node) may not be examined. However, such a hidden node may be reached via a different link/road. Accordingly, the best/shortest path may not be found. To address such turn restrictions, a transformed graph approach may be utilized. However, this approach has several disadvantages. These problems may be better understood by describing network search algorithms, turn restrictions, and the transformed graph approach.
Network Search Algorithms
Dijkstra's algorithm was introduced in 1959 and provides a method for solving the shortest-path problem. In a network, it is frequently desired to find the shortest path between two nodes. The weights attached to the edges can be used to represent quantities such as distances, costs, or times. Dijkstra's algorithm is used to find the minimum distance from one given node of a network, called the source node or start node, to all the nodes of the network. In general, the distance along a path is the sum of the weights of that path. The minimum distance from node A to node B is the minimum of the distance of any path from node A to node B. Thus, all paths and their associated distances (also referred to as costs) are determined and the minimum path is then determined.
The A* algorithm is very similar to Dijkstra, but it uses a heuristic function to help prioritize what nodes are searched next. This results in far fewer total nodes being examined before a specific destination node is found. If the heuristic guarantees to always underestimate the actual value, then it can be shown that applying the heuristic continues to find the best route. An example of a heuristic function that satisfies this requirement is the straight-line distance from the examined node to the end point.
Turn Restrictions
Turn restrictions ate part of the net trace model. They are based on network data and are loaded from a database at the same time as the other model information (links and nodes). Each turn restriction identifies a case where it is prohibited to continue a route from one link to another at a specific node. Further, turn restrictions are typically used to represent real life traffic restrictions at specific intersections, where one or more turns are not allowed.
Although turn restrictions may have been supported in the prior art, and all the calculated routes may "obey" them correctly, there is a limitation. The problem with the prior art processing of turn restrictions is that a turn restriction may prevent a full expansion of a node. In other words, not all links leading out of a node may be considered for the best path, depending on which link was used to arrive at the node. Once the node is expanded, however, under the prior art, a re-entry to the same node (via a different link) is prevented, so that some 'best routes' may not be found.
Transformed Graph Approach
The transformed graph approach for handling turn restrictions is more fully described in T. Caldwell, On finding Minimum Routes in a Network with Turn Penalties, Communications of the ACM 4(2), 1961, which is incorporated by reference herein. In the transformed graph approach, a road network is transformed into a new network. During this transformation, links in the road network become nodes in the transformed network. Additionally, any two nodes in the transformed network are connected by links if: (1) the corresponding links in the road network are connected at a common node; and/or (2) there is no turn restriction prohibiting traversal from between the corresponding links in the road network.
One advantage of the transformed graph approach is that search algorithms can be used without modification on the transformed network to find minimum cost routes that honor all turn restrictions. However, there are many disadvantages. For example, the original network must be transformed either ahead of time, or at runtime. Further, routes calculated from the transformed network must be translated back into the original network. Additionally, the transformed network is significantly larger than the original network. Accordingly, since runtime performance of the search algorithm is a function of network size, the search algorithms run significantly slower on the transformed network than on the original network.


An arithmetic processing section executes an arithmetic process on a flicker correction signal output from a flicker correction signal outputting section and corresponding to the flicker component contained in a video signal of each of specific periods and the video signal of each of the specific periods to form a corrected video signal of the specific period corrected for the flicker component of the specific period for the video signal of each of the specific periods formed as a succession of specific periods and containing a flicker component as supplied from a video signal generating section in response to a correction error signal of each of the specific periods supplied from a correction error detecting section.

Image pickup apparatus (video cameras) comprising an imaging signal generating section adapted to generate imaging output signals corresponding to the image of a subject obtained by way of an optical system that contains a solid-state imaging element and acquire video signals representing the image of the subject according to the imaging output signals have been and being popularly marketed. The solid-state imaging element contained in the imaging signal generating section arranged in such an image pickup apparatus includes light receiving parts, each of which performs an operation of photoelectric conversion upon receiving light from the subject by way of the optical system and accumulates the signal charges obtained as a result of the operation, a charge sending out section for sending out the signal charges accumulated in the light receiving part and an output part for generating imaging output signals according to the signal charge sent out from the charge sending out section.
The charge sending out section of a solid-state imaging element may be formed by using a charge coupled device (CCD) adapted to sequentially transfer the signal charges accumulated in the light receiving parts and read out from the light receiving parts, a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) adapted to send out the signal charges accumulated in the light receiving parts according to a switching operation or some other device. An image pickup apparatus comprising a solid-state imaging element having a charge sending out section formed by using a CCD, or a so-called CCD image sensor, is normally referred to as CCD camera, whereas an image pickup apparatus comprising a solid-state imaging element having a charge sending out section formed by using a CMOS, or so-called CMOS image sensor, is normally referred to as CMOS camera.
Meanwhile, when an image is picked up by an image pickup apparatus under a light source that periodically flickers such as a fluorescent lamp, the picked up image shows periodical light and dark stripes to consequently give rise to a phenomenon of flowing light and dark stripes in the image. Otherwise, the entire image becomes periodically light and dark from frame to frame. This is a phenomenon called flicker, which constitutes an inevitable problem when an image is picked up by an image pickup apparatus comprising an image sensor adapted to pick up an image with shifted timings of accumulating electric charges under a flickering light source.
Conventionally, an image sensor shifts timings of accumulating electric charges on a frame by frame basis or on a line by line basis. Generally, a system of matching the timing of electric charge accumulation on a frame by frame basis is referred to as global shutter system, whereas a system of matching the timing of electric charge accumulation on a line by line basis is referred to as rolling shutter system. While CCD image sensors provided with a global shutter system have been in the main stream, CMOS image sensors are attracting attention because they consume less electric power and can be manufactured with a reduced number of parts at low cost. CMOS image sensors are more often than not provided with a rolling shutter system from the structural viewpoint. With either of the systems, flicker appears due to the difference of timing of electric charge accumulation when an image is picked up under a light source that flickers, although the mode of flicker may differ between a frame flicker where an entire frame become light or dark from frame to frame and a line flicker where an image flickers on a line by line basis.
FIG. 1 illustrates how the amount of the electric charge accumulated in a sensor changes when the global shutter system is employed and FIG. 2 illustrates an image that flickers from frame to frame when the global shutter system is employed, while FIG. 3 illustrates how the amount of the electric charge accumulated in a sensor changes when the rolling shutter system is employed and FIG. 4 illustrates an image that flickers on line by line basis.
For instance, when picking up an image by means of a CMOS camera and the light source that illuminates the subject flickers with a period that corresponds to the period of the AC power supply, e.g. a period equal to ½ of the period of the AC power supply, such as a fluorescent lamp, the video signals formed on the basis of the imaging output signals from the solid-state imaging element can contain a flicker component that appears as periodic rises and falls of the luminance level. Such a flicker component contained in video signals is produced as the amount of the electric charges accumulated in the light receiving parts of the solid-state imaging element, which accumulate signal charges for a predetermined period and sends out the accumulated signal charges in each predetermined period, periodically changes under the influence of the periodic fluctuations of the luminance of the light source illuminating the subject.
When the luminance of the light source illuminating a subject periodically fluctuates as indicated by X in FIG. 3 while a signal charge is accumulated in light receiving part Ln, which is a row of light receiving elements for accumulating a signal charge corresponding to a line period of a video signal in a solid-state imaging element section S, in a period (a+b) extending over period a and period b, and then a signal charge is accumulated in light receiving part Ln+1, which is a row of light receiving elements for accumulating a signal charge corresponding to the next line period of a video signal in the solid-state imaging element section S, in a period (b+c) extending over period b and period c (c=a), the amount of the signal charge accumulated in the light receiving part Ln in the period a+b is proportional to the sum of area Aa and area Ab (area Aa+Ab) and the amount of the signal charge accumulated in the light receiving part Ln+1 in the period b+c is proportional to the sum of area Ab and area Ac (area Ab+Ac). Each of the period a and the period c corresponds to a line period of the video signal and each of the period a+b and the period b+c corresponds to a frame period of the video signal.
Thus, the light receiving part Ln and the light receiving part Ln+1 show the same duration for an electric charge accumulation time (exposure time) but the timing of the electric charge accumulation time of the latter part is shifted from the timing of the electric charge accumulation time of the former part by a period corresponding to a line period of the video signal. In the case of FIG. 3, the period of fluctuations of the luminance of the light source illuminating the subject (½ of the period of the AC power supply) and the frame period of the video signal do not show a relationship that one is integer times of the other.
As clearly seen from FIG. 3, the area Aa+Ab and the area Ab+Ac commonly include the area Ab and hence the difference between them is equal to the difference between the area Aa and the area Ac. Therefore, the amount of the signal charge accumulated in the light receiving part Ln in the period a+b and the amount of the signal charge accumulated in the light receiving part Ln+1 in the period b+c show a difference that corresponds to the difference between the area Aa and the area Ac.
In this way, the amount of the signal charge that corresponds to a line period of the video signal and is accumulated in the light receiving part, which is a row of light receiving elements for accumulating a signal charge corresponding to a ling period and sending it out in the solid-state imaging element section S, periodically changes according to the periodic fluctuations of the luminance of the light source illuminating the subject. Then, the periodic change in the amount of the signal charge that is accumulated in the light receiving part and corresponds to a line period of the video signal appears as periodic fluctuations of the luminance level of the video signal to make the video signal contain a flicker component.
The image of a frame period that is reproduced according to the video signal that contains such a flicker component typically shows light and dark stripes running along the lines (in the horizontal direction) in FIG. 4.
Under these circumstances, several proposals have been made to date for flicker correction of reducing the clicker components contained in the video signal obtained from an image pickup apparatus comprising a solid-state imaging element when the image pickup apparatus is operated to pick up an image of a subject illuminated by a fluorescent lamp.
One of such proposals is known to those skilled in the art. According to the proposal, the flicker component contained in a video signal is reduced by making an electric charge accumulation period, which corresponds to a frame period of the video signal, of each light receiving part of the solid-state imaging element section for accumulating a signal charge corresponding to a line period of the video signal and sending it out equal to integer times of the flicker period of the fluorescent lamp so as to make the amount of the signal charge accumulated in a light receiving part substantially always show a constant level.
According to another proposal as described in Jpn. Pat. Appln. Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-004382, when the field rate (twice of the frame rate) of the video signal is 60 Hz and the field period is 1/60 sec while the power supply frequency of the fluorescent lamp is 50 Hz and the flicker period of the fluorescent lamp is 1/100 sec so that the fluorescent lamp flickers five times in every three field periods of the video signal and hence a same flicking pattern is repeated with a period equal to the three field periods of the video signal, the video signal is accumulated in a memory means by an amount corresponding to the number of field periods that by turn corresponds to the period of repetition of the flicker component or the integrated value thereof and the flicker component contained in the video signal is approximated by a sinusoidal wave signal. Then, the flicker component contained in the video signal is reduced by utilizing the characteristics of the sinusoidal wave signal and the video signal accumulated in the memory means or the integrated value thereof.

Flicker correcting method, flicker correcting circuit, and imaging device using them


A system and method for charging a battery is provided. The method includes applying an excitation current pulse to the battery to determine the battery type and whether the battery is capable of holding a charge. To charge the battery, a series of current pulses are applied in groups with the average current being reduced for each succeeding group to take advantage of changing battery charge acceptance. When the voltage of the battery matches a predetermined value, application of the current pulse groups is ended. A single current pulse is then applied to complete the battery charge.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method for charging a battery.
2. Background Art
A wide variety of systems and methods exist for charging batteries. They cover the range from charging small batteries used for electronic devices, to nickel-metal-hydride batteries used to power a traction motor in an electric vehicle. Many battery charging methods include the application of a constant current, constant voltage, a combination thereof. These methods tend to be relatively easy to implement; however, they typically cannot be used to charge a battery very rapidly and efficiently. Recently, a number of rapid battery charging systems and methods have been developed.
One such system and method is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,500,584 issued to Shimomoto on Mar. 19, 1996. The method described in Shimomoto involves the use of a three stage charging process. The second process is where a "quick charging process" occurs. During the second process, a number of current pulses are applied to the battery. The pulses are defined by the application of a large current, followed by a charging suspension. The pulses are applied until a charge-end voltage is attained. One limitation of charging a battery by this method, is that it does not account for changes in battery charge acceptance throughout the charging process, for example, by reducing the current applied to the battery as the voltage gets closer to the charge-end voltage.
Another method and apparatus for charging batteries is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,680,031 issued to Pavlovic et al. on Oct. 21, 1997. The method described in Pavlovic et al. uses a series of positive current pulses to charge a battery using a charging cycle made up of three different regions. The average current applied to the battery decreases over the three regions. In order to regulate the charging current, the method of Pavlovic et al. uses a value of a resistance free voltage. The resistance free voltage is not measured directly, but rather, requires two different voltage readings, two different current values, and the application of an equation which utilizes the relationship between the voltages, the currents, and the resistance free voltage.
Therefore, a need exists for a system and method for charging batteries that is capable of varying the charge applied to the battery to take advantage of the change in battery charge acceptance, and is capable of doing so using a single, measured parameter without requiring multiple parameter measurements and the application of an equation based on a relationship between the measured parameters.

System and method for charging a battery


A system that schedules requests and receives scheduling requests from multiple users. The system receives a given scheduling request from a portable device associated with a given user, such that the given scheduling request is associated with a question to be asked by the given user. Next, the system queues the scheduling requests and selectively couples the given user to a communication channel, which allows the given user to ask the question.

The present invention relates to techniques for scheduling requests during presentations.
Question-and-answer sessions are a popular format for exchanging information. However, in a forum with a large and/or a geographically distributed audience, such as a large lecture hall or during an on-line (Internet-based) presentation, it can be difficult to manage this exchange of information. For example, in a large lecture hall audience members can only ask questions if they are proximate to a microphone. Consequently, only a small subset of interested audience members may be able to ask questions.
Moreover, in a question-and-answer session it is often difficult for a moderator to guide the discussion and/or to emphasize interesting subject matter when the questions are not known in advance. However, when the questions are known in advance, such as when they are written down, it is difficult to have a dynamic interaction between a speaker and the audience members during the question-and-answer session.

Method and apparatus for scheduling requests during presentations


A conformation-switching fluorescent protein probe for detection of alpha synuclein oligomers using an alpha synuclein (αS) variant, PG65 (SEQ ID NO: 4), together with a conformation-sensitive fluorescent molecule to create a molecular probe for rapid, specific, and quantitative detection of αS oligomers.

1. Technical Field
The present invention is generally related to the use of intrinsically disordered proteins as conformation-switching biosensors, and more specifically related to the use of an alpha synuclein (αS) variant, PG65, together with conformation-sensitive fluorescence to create a molecular probe for rapid, specific and quantitative detection of αS oligomers, which are the major toxic aggregate forms in Parkinson's disease.
2. Prior Art
Aggregation of a synuclein (αS), which is a 140-amino acid, structurally flexible, intrinsically disordered protein (IDP), is central to the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD).1 αS aggregation involves a molecular process of monomeric αS self-assembling to form αS oligomeric forms followed by further stacking into large fibrillar αS aggregates2. The distinct αS aggregate assemblies display different, yet similar, conformations and exert a varying extent of biological effects.3 Despite its scientific and biomedical importance, the exact nature of αS aggregation is poorly understood, in part due to the limited capability to detect structurally similar yet different αS assemblies specifically and reliably.4
The non-β amyloid component domain (E61-V95, NAC) of αS is critical in αS self-assembly.5 Within the NAC domain, hydrophobic residues with high β sheet potentials (referred to as HNAC in FIG. 1A) are connected by residues with high turn potentials (referred to as the linker region in FIG. 1A).6 αS monomers are irregularly structured.1 αS oligomers are soluble aggregates which may possess β sheet structures.7 αS oligomers may display different structures depending on size (e.g., low molecular weight (LMW) vs. high molecular weight (HMW) αS oligomers).7a A structural variation can also exist between HMW αS oligomers formed under different incubation conditions.7b αS oligomers can further aggregate to αS fibrils exhibiting cross β sheet structures8 which are similar, but not necessarily identical to β sheet conformations found in αS oligomers.7b,9 In particular, arrangements of β strands in β sheets differ between oligomers and fibrils of αS7b, as is the case with other amyloid proteins.10
It is widely accepted that β sheet-structured αS oligomers are the major toxic agents in PD7,11. Neither early diagnostics nor disease-modifying drugs are currently available for PD, and specific detection of αS oligomers is quintessential to develop relevant strategies as well as to better understand a molecular basis of PD. A rapid-responsive rather than overnight-long platform is preferred for detection of αS oligomers due to their structurally transient nature.7b,12 Such detection should also benefit high-throughput assays to identify therapeutic agents specifically inhibiting αS oligomerization rather than αS fibrillization. Note that compounds inhibiting αS fibrillization are not necessarily effective at inhibition of αS oligomerization13 and incomplete prevention of αS fibrillization may result in an accumulation of αS oligomers. Quantitative detection of αS oligomers is essential for correct profiling of oligomeric states. Unfortunately, many, if not all, molecular probes responding to αS oligomers are also responsive to αS fibrils.4 Indeed, rapid-responsive, quantitative, αS oligomer-specific detection methods are currently unavailable.
A known peptide probe for diagnostics and therapeutics is shown in European Patent Publication No. EP 2156181 A2 to Cindy S. Orser et al. A known method for the detection of conformationally altered proteins is shown in European Patent No. EP 1700096 B1 to Eugene Davidson et al. Known dyes for analysis of protein aggregation are shown in European Patent Publication No. EP 2507319 A2 to Anatoliy Balanda et al. Known methods, compositions, and kits for detecting protein aggregates are shown in European Patent No. EP 2019836 B1 to Karl J Guegler.
A known peptide probe for rapid and specific detection is shown in US Patent Publication No. US 20130017615 A1 to Jin Ryoun Kim et al. A known sensor device for determining protein aggregation is shown in European Patent Publication No. EP 1556704 A1 to David Allsop et al. Known methods of preventing, treating and diagnosing disorders of protein aggregation are shown in European Patent No. EP 1608350 B1 to Joanne Mclaurin. Known alpha synuclein aggregation assays are shown in European Patent Publication No. EP 1366368 A2 to Daniel Benjamin et al. A known protein stability assay using a fluorescent reporter of protein folding is shown in US Patent Publication No US 20110129935 A1 to Patrick Schaeffer.
Known compounds for use in the detection of neurodegenerative diseases are shown in US Patent Publication No. US 20120251448 A1 to Franz F. Hefti et al. Known antibodies to alpha synuclein are shown in US Patent Publication No. US 20130072663 A1 to Tamie J. Chilcote et al. A known probe for analyzing protein-protein interaction and method of analyzing protein-protein interactions with the use of the same is shown in European Patent No. EP 1229330 B1 to Takeaki Ozawa et al.
Accordingly, there is a need for a conformation-switching fluorescent protein probe for detection of alpha synuclein oligomers and to the use of an alpha synuclein (αS) variant, PG65, together with conformation-sensitive fluorescence to create a molecular probe for rapid, specific and quantitative detection of αS oligomers. It is to these needs and others that the present invention is directed.

Conformational-switching fluorescent protein probe for detection of alpha synuclein oligomers


The invention relates to a method for reducing the computational overhead of bicubic interpolation while still providing a similar level of accuracy. The invention takes into account the fact that sampled points surrounding a point whose value is to be determined have respective first, second and third order effects on the calculated value. The invention combines linear interpolation, ignoring points having a third order effect, with cubic interpolation of points having a first and second order effect to derive the value.

The present invention relates to a method and component for interpolating data.
In the area of image and video processing, there is frequently a need to create new images by re-sampling an original image.
Typical instances are:
a) zooming-in, where there is a need to create more pixels than in the original image;
b) Image-rotation, where new pixels overlap 2 or more of the original pixels; and
c) Image-distortion (morphing), where the aim may be to correct lens aberration (barrel, pin-cushion distortion) or even to deliberately introduce distortion.
Several two-dimensional techniques for computing new pixel-values are well known, and used frequently. The most commonly met ones are:
a) Nearest-neighbour
b) Bilinear
c) Bicubic
Nearest-neighbour is extremely simple. It consists of sampling the pixel nearest to the centre of the desired new pixel, and using that value. Unfortunately, it has the undesirable effect of introducing xe2x80x98jaggiesxe2x80x99 or xe2x80x98staircasingxe2x80x99. Consider the case of a horizontal line, 1 pixel wide. This appears to the eye as a perfect, straight line (which it is). If re-sampled using nearest-neighbour, a very-slight image-rotation of a degree or so will convert this line into a highly visible staircase. Further operations will enhance this effect, and can even cause break-up of the original line. This form of interpolation is not considered further, as the quality is very poor.
Bilinear is more complex. It consists of taking the 4 pixels which surround, the position of the new pixel, and computing a new pixel-value based on these 4 neighbours. Whichever pixel is nearest to the new one has most weight. If the new pixel is right in the middle of the 4 neighbours, then it will end up being the average of the 4 pixels. This technique is a considerable improvement on nearest neighbour, but still has some draw-backs. It has the effect of blurring the original image, and losing contrast, as the new pixel""s computed value will never lie outside the min-max range of the 4 neighbours.
Bicubic is recognised as being the xe2x80x98bestxe2x80x99 quality, as it applies a curve-fit to the pixel-values, and so is attempting to re-construct the original waveform which gave rise to the sampled pixel-values in the original image. Unfortunately, bicubic interpolation is recognised as being expensive computationally.
The present invention provides a new type of interpolation, a hybrid linear-bicubic interpolation, which achieves the quality of a bicubic interpolation, but using some 80% of the computation of traditional bicubic interpolation.
According to the invention there is provided a method of determining an interpolated value for a point lying between second and third rows of an array comprising at least four rows of spatially related points each having respective values, said method comprising the steps of: linearly interpolating between a first two points on said first row to determine a first value at a first location; cubically interpolating between a second two points on said second row in accordance with the rate of change of values at said second two points on said second row to determine a second value at a second location; cubically interpolating between a third two points on said third row in accordance with the rate of change of values at said third two points on said third row to determine a third value at a third location; linearly interpolating between a fourth two points on said fourth row to determine a fourth value at a fourth location; said first, second, third and fourth locations forming a transverse row intersecting said point; and cubically interpolating between said second and third locations in accordance with the rate of change of values at said second and third locations determined according to said first and fourth values to determine said interpolated value.

Hybrid-linear-bicubic interpolation method and apparatus

International Business Machines Corporation