A method for reproducing compression-encoded video data of an MPEG format by: selecting a user level and a multiplexing level as one level among several levels according to kinds of video data for a sequence and GOP (group of picture) unit to be set as a reproducing level for the user data of the MPEG specification when the video data is compression-encoded according to the MPEG specification; checking whether the reproducing level is set in the user data for sequence in the compression-encoded video data; comparing the user level and the multiplexing level of the reproducing level with an assigned level input by a user corresponding to one of the plurality of levels when the reproducing level is set in the corresponding sequence; halting decoding when the assigned level is not suitable for the reproducing level; checking whether the reproducing level is set in the user data for GOP of the corresponding sequence when the reproducing level is not set in the corresponding sequence or the assigned level is suitable for the reproducing level of the corresponding sequence; comparing the reproducing level with the assigned level when the reproducing level is set in the corresponding GOP; decoding the corresponding GOP when the reproducing level is not set in the corresponding GOP or the assigned level is suitable for the reproducing level of the corresponding GOP; and skipping the corresponding GOP without decoding when the assigned level is not suitable for the reproducing level of the corresponding GOP.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for reproducing compression-encoded video data, and more particularly, to a method for reproducing encoded video data by decoding video data which is compression-encoded according to an MPEG (moving picture experts group) specification.
The present application for a method for reproducing compression-encoded video data is based on Korean Application No. 37067/1995.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, the MPEG specification is an international specification for image-compression technology, providing a compression algorithm to video data. The specification is widely used in reproducing apparatus using an optical disk, an optomagnetic disk or a DVCR (digital video cassette recorder) tape and a network such as an ATM (asynchronous transfer mode). The MPEG image compression algorithm fundamentally consists of DCT (discrete cosine transform), quantization, variable length coding, and motion compensation. Information is arranged in a bit string to be transmitted while being compressed to a six level hierarchial structure according to certain sequences and rules. A GOP (group of picture) layer, which is a basic unit for random access of an image, is present under a sequence layer which is the uppermost layer. A picture layer is present under the GOP layer. Each picture is composed of slice layers, and each slice is composed of macroblock layers, which is a basic unit for motion compensation. The macroblock is composed of block layers which is a basic unit for DCT processing.
The format of such MPEG video data is illustrated in FIG. 1 which schematically shows the picture layer with respect to one sequence. The largest data unit in the MPEG video data is a sequence. Generally, a single sequence encompasses the entire film. Alternatively, a plurality of sequences, separated based on story content, constitutes one film. As shown in FIG. 1, each sequence consists of a sequence header and at least one GOP, and one GOP is made up of at least one picture. The sequence header includes various kinds of information commonly applied to the entire sequence, i.e., a size in a horizontal direction, a size in a vertical direction, bit rate and picture rate. Also, the sequence header may include user data starting with a user data start code, as shown in FIG. 2. The GOP is a group which is composed of the GOP header and the pictures. As shown in FIG. 2, the user data starting with the user data start code can be additionally included. Also, the sequence header starts with a sequence header code and the GOP header starts with a group start code. The picture header starts with a picture start code and the sequence ends with a sequence end code. Though defined for use in the MPEG specification, the user data is not actually being used since its specific usage and parameters are not defined.
FIG. 3 illustrates a decoder which is commonly employed to reproduce compression-encoded video data according to the MPEG specification. The decoder comprises a data input buffer 300 for buffering input compression-encoded video data to the MPEG, a variable length decoder (VLD) 302 for performing variable length decoding with respect to the bufferred video data, an inverse-quantizing portion 304 for inverse-quantizing the variable-length-decoded data, an inverse DCT (IDCT) 306 for performing inverse-DCT with respect to the inverse-quantized data, a motion compensation portion 308 for providing compensation in accordance with motion compensation information, a frame buffer 310 for storing the decoded data, a switching portion 312 for controlling the motion compensation and a digital video output, and a micro processor unit (MPU) 314 for controlling the entire decoder.
The MPEG video data as shown in FIG. 1 is decoded by a processing sequence as shown in the flow chart of FIG. 4. The MPEG video data to be decoded is input to the data input buffer 300 of FIG. 3 and passes via the VLD 302 while information necessary for decoding is interpreted by the MPU 314. Based upon such information, the MPU 314 controls the decoder for decoding the MPEG video data.
More specifically, the MPU 314 of FIG. 3 starts decoding a GOP unit after obtaining necessary information by interpreting a sequence header, which is the first step 400 of the video processing sequence of FIG. 4. Subsequently, the MPU 314 interprets the GOP header in a step 402 and performs decoding with respect to each picture in steps 404 and 406.
In the decoding of a picture unit, the data input to the data input buffer 300 passes the VLD 302 and the variable-length-coded data is decoded. After the output of the VLD 302 is rearranged by a block unit, inverse-quantization is performed in the inverse-quantizing portion 304, and the inverse-quantized data passes the IDCT portion 306 while the inverse-DCT is performed. After the data passes through these processes, the picture data having moving information proceeds to the motion compensation step in motion compensation portion 308. If the data has no information for the motion compensation, decoding ends and the picture is output without further processing. The motion compensation is achieved while the MPU 314 controls the switching portion 312 according to the determination of whether the output of the frame buffer 310 is transmitted as a digital video output or used in performing motion compensation in the motion compensation portion 308.
After decoding one picture as mentioned above, the MPU 314 determines whether the next data is the picture start code, and if so, continuously repeats decoding on successive picture units. If the next data is not the picture start code, it is determined whether the next data is the group start code in a step 408. If the data is determined to be the group start code, decoding with respect to the GOP in steps 402 through 406 continues. If the next data is not the group start code, this indicates that the sequence header may be present. A check for the sequence header is performed in a step 410. If the sequence header code is detected, the sequence decoding of the steps 400 through 408 repeats as described above, and if not, it is confirmed whether the sequence end code is generated in a step 412 to end the decoding process.
In the above data structure, when video data having various contents for interaction with a user is being multiplexed, the multiplexing is performed on the basis of a sequence unit. In other words, to continuously reproduce the separate fragments of the story of one MPEG video data, which varies according to the user's selection, it should be possible to use video data of various contents for multiplexing. In the conventional technology as described above, the multiplexing is performed based on the sequence unit as the story is divided by this unit. It is generally known that a part of one sequence is used for multiplexing according to the content of the story. The implementation of multiplexing by content in this manner has been difficult because a large amount of data is required, resulting in a considerable waste of a recording or transmitting medium. In addition, it is difficult to skip the reproduction of a particular portion of the video based on the suitability of the contents for a user based on the user's age or other characteristics. It has not yet been suggested to implement such multiplexing and user programming functions without deviating from the MPEG specification.

Method for reproducing compression-encoded video data


A system and method for efficiently processing and managing data stored in a queue. A processing device may process the data stored in the queue. Queue protocols can be applied to the queue to efficiently process and manage data stored in the queue. Queue protocols may facilitate efficient use of processing resources that process the data stored in one or more queues. A queue protocol may include at least a first protocol for facilitating transfer of data in the queue to another queue processed by another processing device or a second protocol for inhibiting transfer of data in the queue to another queue.

Data structures can collect and store data. For example, a queue can store data in a particular order, and the stored data can be processed at a later time. However, management of processing the data stored in the queue is often inefficient or burdensome on processing resources (e.g., a processor).

System and method for dynamic queue management using queue protocols


A soft magnetic film composed of an alloy represented by the formula FeNiRe is used for forming a lower core layer and/or an upper core layer. Since having a high saturated magnetic flux density, a high resistivity, superior corrosion resistance, and a small loss in a high frequency signal region, the FeNiRe alloy can be used for forming a highly reliable thin film magnetic head.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a soft magnetic film which is used as a core material, a magnetic pole material, or the like of a thin film magnetic head and which is composed of an FeNiRe alloy having both a high resistivity and a high saturated magnetic flux density, and to a thin film magnetic head using the soft magnetic film described above.
2. Description of the Related Art
In planar magnetic elements such as a thin film magnetic head or a thin film inductor, a NiFe alloy (permalloy) has been used as a magnetic material in many cases.
Since, for example, the NiFe alloy mentioned above has relatively superior soft magnetic properties and is easily obtained by plating, the NiFe alloy has become one of magnetic materials which are frequently used.
However, concomitant with recent improvement in high frequency current performance of a planar magnetic element, an eddy current loss in a high frequency current region becomes a problem.
In order to reduce the eddy current loss, a soft magnetic film having a high resistivity is advantageously used.
For example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 8-212512 (Patent publication 1), in order to reduce the eddy current loss in high frequency recording, a thin film magnetic head composed of a soft magnetic film having a resistivity of 40 μΩ·cm or more is disclosed, in which the soft magnetic film is formed by adding molybdenum (Mo) to a binary NiFe alloy.
Patent Publication 1
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 8-212512 (pp. 11 to 12, and FIGS. 16 to 18)
Patent Publication 2
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 9-63016 (pp. 5 to 6, and FIG. 5)
Patent Publication 3
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-235911 (pp. 3 to 4, and FIG. 1)
Patent Publication 4
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-58364
However, according to the FeNiMo alloy film disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 8-212512, when the composition ratio of Fe to Ni is more than 60%, the saturated magnetic flux density Bs is rapidly decreased. As a result, the saturated magnetic flux density Bs of the FeNiMo alloy film disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 8-212512 is decreased to 1.6 tesla (T) or less. From a theoretical point of view, when the Fe content of an FeNiMo alloy film is increased, the saturated magnetic flux density thereof is also increased; however, it is believed that, according to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 8-212512, a stable FeNiMo alloy film having a composition ratio of Fe to Ni of more than 60% cannot be formed. According to the patent described above, this FeNiMo alloy is formed by direct current plating.
In addition, according to Patent Publications 2 to 4, although FeNiMo alloy films are also disclosed, both of them are not stable FeNiMo alloy films having a composition ratio of Fe to Ni of more than 60%.
However, concomitant with the recent trend toward higher recording density, in order to improve recording density, it has been desired that the saturated magnetic flux density Bs is further increased.
In addition, there has been a problem in that an FeNiMo alloy, which is composed of NiFe and Mo incorporated thereinto, has inferior corrosion resistance to that of a NiFe alloy.

FeNiRe soft magnetic film and thin film magnetic head using the same for simultaneous adjustment of resistivity and saturated magnetic flux density


A foldable head restraint assembly, including: a bracket assembly adapted for fixed disposition in a seat back; a head restraint support for mounting a bun assembly above the seat back, the head restraint support pivotally mounted to the bracket assembly so as to be pivotally movable relative to the bracket assembly in at least first and second directions between upright and folded positions; at least one biasing element biasing the head restraint support into one of the upright and folded positions; and at least one rotary damper which retards the motion of the head restraint support during at least a portion of the head restraint support's pivotal movement in at least one of the first and second directions.

Head restraint assemblies, which generally comprise a headrest component—commonly called a bun—adjustably supported above a seat-back, protect a vehicle occupant from serious injury due to sudden acceleration or deceleration of the vehicle. Conventionally, head restraint assemblies for at least front row vehicle seats are of the "high pivot" type—i.e., they permit adjustment of the headrest component forwardly and/or rearwardly relative to the seat-back in order to permit their proper positioning for the occupant. Adjustment is typically accomplished with a ratchet-style mechanism which permits the headrest component to be moved into one of a plurality of positions, each defined by the ratchet mechanism. Upon occupant actuation of a release means (such as, for instance, a button or lever), the ratchet mechanism is released to permit the head restraint to move under spring bias to either a full-forward—or folded—position or a full-upright position, depending upon the design of the head restraint assembly. From the folded position, the headrest component can be moved rearwardly toward the full-upright position while, from the full-upright position, the head restraint can be moved forwardly toward the forward position. According to either design, actuation of the release means causes the headrest component to move into one of the full-upright or folded positions with considerable force and speed. Ultimately, this force results in excessive wear on the components of the head restraint assembly, thereby prematurely reducing the operable lifetime of the assembly.
In second and third row vehicle seats, by contrast, the head restraint assemblies are typically cam-locked in an upright position and are not adjustable between the upright and folded positions. With increasing frequency, second and third row vehicle seats are also of the "STOW-AND-GO" type, according to which the seat and its associated headrest component are folded into essentially horizontal, stowed positions which provide greater interior storage room in the vehicle. In these "STOW-AND-GO" type systems, actuation of a release means causes the headrest component to be urged, under spring bias, into the folded position at a high rate of speed. Movement of the headrest component at this high rate is particularly necessary in applications where the release means is actuated simultaneously, or nearly simultaneously, with the movement of the vehicle seat back into the folded position. In such applications, it is important that the headrest component be in its folded position before the vehicle seat back reaches its folded position. Otherwise, the headrest component will abut the seat ahead of it and interfere with movement of the vehicle seat back into its folded position. In these applications as well, the force of motion of the head restraint assembly ultimately results in excessive wear on the head restraint assembly, thereby prematurely reducing its operable lifetime.


A noise resistant switch control circuit is provided. The circuit includes a low pass filter configured to couple to a first terminal of a switch and a first voltage clamp coupled to the low pass filter. The first voltage clamp is configured to couple to a control terminal of the switch and limit a voltage of the control terminal relative to the first terminal to within a first clamping range. The circuit includes a second voltage clamp coupled to an input terminal of the switch control circuit. The second voltage clamp is configured to couple to the control terminal of the switch. The second voltage clamp is further configured to reduce a level of a control voltage coupled to the second voltage clamp. The circuit includes a bias device configured to couple to the control terminal of the switch and to impress a biasing voltage to the control terminal.

An electrically noisy environment can wreak havoc on electronic circuits. For example, with a switched capacitor level shifter, electrical noise on switch control terminals or on other switch terminals can cause switches to activate when they shouldn't, or not activate when they should, thereby disrupting operation of the capacitors that are being switched. Charge can get transferred when the charge should not be transferred, because a switch is activated when the switch should not be activated. Charge can fail to get transferred when the charge should be transferred, because a switch is deactivated when the switch should be active. Because of situations like this, incorrect voltages can be placed on the capacitors, decreasing or ruining accuracy of any voltage measurement of a level-translated voltage. Problems such as these are particularly seen in electronic circuits in electric or hybrid automobiles, as well as other types of electric vehicles whether land, water, or air based.
It is within these contexts that the embodiments arise.

Bias circuit for a switched capacitor level shifter


There is disclosed a rearward closure assembly for an automotive vehicle. The assembly includes a rear panel and a rearward roof panel that can be moved along track guides that extend from a rear portion of the vehicle to the top of the vehicle. The rear panel can be translated from a first position to a second position such that the rear panel and roof panel are generally opposing and parallel to each other to open a lower portion of a rearward passageway of the vehicle. Thereafter, the rear panel and the roof panel can be translated above a top portion of the vehicle to open an upper portion of the rearward passageway.

The present invention relates to a rearward closure assembly for an automotive vehicle.
It is known in automotive vehicles to employ hinged closure panels for providing access to the cabin of the vehicle through a rearward passageway of the vehicle. It is also known that the panels are typically hinged along one of their edges for swinging rotation about an axis substantially coincidental with such edge. Such hinged closure panels thus require clearance space into which panels may swing thereby limiting the practical location where such vehicles can be used. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a rearward closure assembly that requires reduced clearance space for opening and closing.
The present invention is for a rearward closure assembly for selectively opening and closing a rearward passageway of an automotive vehicle. The automotive vehicle includes a top portion, a first and second side portion and a rear portion wherein the rear portion includes a rearward passageway. The closure assembly includes a first and second track guide, a generally rectangular rear panel, a generally rectangular rearward roof panel and a motor. The first track guide extends generally parallel and adjacent to the first side portion of the vehicle and extends from the top portion of the vehicle to the rear portion of the vehicle. The second track guide extends generally parallel and adjacent to the second side portion of the vehicle and extends from the top portion of the vehicle to the rear portion of the vehicle. The rear panel and the roof panel are supported by the first and second track guides. The rear panel is moveable along the track guides from a first flush position covering a lower portion of the passageway to a second position generally opposing the roof panel thereby opening the lower portion of the passageway. The rear panel is further moveable along the track guides from the second position to a third position generally opposing the top portion of the vehicle. The roof panel is moveable from a first flush position covering an upper portion of the passageway to a second position generally opposing the top portion of the vehicle thereby opening the upper portion of the passageway. The motor is suitably linked to at least one of the rear and roof panels for assisting in moving the at least one of the rear and roof panels to its respective positions.

Rearward closure assembly for an automotive vehicle


In a saddle tube for a bicycle frame, especially a racing bicycle frame, the bottom bracket end (22) of the saddle tube is wider in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction (24) of the frame than in the longitudinal direction (24) of the frame. According to the invention, the saddle tube (18) has a flat portion (32) at the chain ring side.

The invention relates to a saddle tube for a bicycle frame, in particular for a racing bicycle frame. The invention further relates to a bicycle frame, in particular for a racing bicycle frame, with a saddle tube.
A conventional bicycle frame comprises a top tube and a down tube interconnected through a fork receiving element. Further, the bicycle frame comprises a saddle tube that is arranged in the rear part of the bicycle frame and connected with the top tube and the down tube. The connection between the saddle tube and the down tube may be effected via a bottom bracket receiving element. A saddle post carrying the saddle is slipped into the saddle tube from above. Especially with racing bicycles, high bending loads occur in the saddle tube.
From CH 26 65 40 it is known to configure a saddle tube such that the cross section tapers towards the bottom bracket. Moreover, the saddle tube is of transverse oval shape so that at the bottom bracket end of the saddle tube the width of the saddle tube is larger in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the frame than in the longitudinal direction of the frame. Thereby, the forces and moments occurring are supposed to be absorbed or transmitted better. Since the maximum width of the saddle tube at the bottom bracket end thereof is limited especially because of the chain ring and of the required pivoting space for the derailer, the saddle tube described in CH 26 65 40 has reduced dimensions only in the longitudinal direction of the frame, yet is not larger in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the frame than conventional bicycles. Regarding the occurring bending loads especially at the bottom bracket end of the saddle tube, the transverse oval design illustrated in CH 26 65 40 does not create any improvement in this respect.
Studies have shown that the bending loads are the highest at the bottom bracket end of the saddle tube, i.e. at the end of the saddle tube facing the bottom bracket, which is usually connected with the bottom bracket receiving element. The bending loads decrease steadily to the top, i.e. towards the saddle post end or towards the top tube. The bending loads occurring in the saddle tube are transferred into the bottom bracket receiving element, whereby the stiffness of the bottom bracket is influenced. Therefore, the saddle tube should have a diameter as large as possible. However, the diameter is limited at its bottom bracket end since sufficient space has to be provided for pivoting the chain derailer. In the central part of the saddle tube, the diameter is limited as well, since otherwise, the rear wheel would drag at the saddle tube. Increasing the saddle tube diameter in this portion would thus require an extension of the rear section, which might have negative effects on the driving behavior of the bicycle. Thus, known saddle tubes have a maximum outer diameter of 35 mm.
It is an object of the invention to provide a saddle tube, which can improve the stiffness of the bottom bracket.
According to the invention, the object is achieved with the features of claim 1.
At its bottom bracket end, the saddle tube of the invention is wider in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the frame or to the traveling direction than in the longitudinal direction. Preferably, the saddle tube is at least partly designed in a transverse oval shape at its bottom bracket end. By widening the saddle tube transverse to the longitudinal direction of the frame, the flexural rigidity of the saddle tube can be improved. This also causes an improvement in the stiffness of the bottom bracket. Since, according to the invention, the saddle tube has been widened only transverse to the longitudinal direction of the frame and preferably has a common width in the longitudinal direction of the frame, the rear wheel will not drag at the saddle tube even without a rearrangement of the rear structure.
In order to retain the position of the chain rings and the position of the chain derailer, the saddle tube has a flat portion on the chain ring side, i.e. on the side facing the chain ring when mounted. A saddle tube which, without a flat portion, would have a width of 45-55 mm, preferably 48-52 mm, transverse to the longitudinal direction of the frame, is flattened to a width of 35-40 mm, preferably 36.5-38.5 mm.
The width of the saddle tube in the longitudinal direction of the frame preferably is 30-40 mm, and particularly preferred 32.5-37.5 mm.
Since the present configuration of the saddle tube is chosen such that the width of the saddle tube in the traveling direction or in the longitudinal direction of the frame is maintained and is not reduced and, in addition, the saddle tube is widened transverse to the longitudinal direction of the frame, considerably larger forces and moments can be absorbed by the saddle tube especially in the area of the bottom bracket. Here, due to the present configuration, especially the flattening of the saddle tube on the chain side, it is guaranteed that the usual frame geometries, such as the design of the rear structure, can be maintained. This is of great importance for the driving behavior. Owing to the present flat portion at the bottom bracket end of the saddle tube, no changes have to be applied to the structure of the chain rings and the derailers and, especially of the shifting system. Thus, the present configuration of the saddle tube allows to obtain a better absorption of forces and moments, as well as an increase in the bottom bracket stiffness without entailing consequential costs or negative effects caused by a necessary restructuring of other components.
Preferably, the saddle post end, i.e. the end of the saddle tube into which the saddle post is slipped, is of circular cylindrical shape. Here, the diameter of the saddle tube is preferably constant over a portion at the saddle post end. Preferably, this portion has a length of at least 8 cm, preferably at least 10 cm, and particularly preferred at least 12 cm. The outer diameter of the saddle tube in the portion at the saddle post end preferably is 32-38 mm. The inner diameter is adapted to the outer diameter of the saddle post, with the saddle posts being used preferably having large diameters, the presently most common saddle post with the largest diameter having an outer diameter of about 31.6 mm. Due to the round shape of the saddle tube in this portion, a simple and low-cost clamping of the saddle post is possible.
In a portion at the bottom bracket end, the saddle tube preferably also has a constant cross section in the longitudinal direction. Preferably, the cross section is constant for a length of more than 8 cm, particularly preferred more than 12 cm, and most preferred more than 15 cm. The transition between the portion at the bottom bracket end and the portion at the saddle post end of the saddle tube may be continuous. Preferably, the transition portion is substantially conical. The flat portion provided at the bottom bracket portion of the saddle tube preferably extends into the transition portion. Preferably, the flat portion extends to the boundary between the transition portion and the saddle post portion of the saddle tube. Here, it is most preferred to have the flat portion configured such that a smooth transition between the transition portion and the saddle post portion is realized.
Irrespective of the above-described preferred dimensions of the saddle tube, the width of the present saddle tube decreases from the bottom bracket towards the saddle post end. Here, the outer dimension may decrease continuously or in single steps, so that the outer dimensions transverse to the traveling direction are constant in the bottom bracket portion, decrease continuously in the transition portion and are constant again in the saddle post portion. Preferably, the outer dimensions of the saddle post tube never increase starting from the bottom bracket. If the outer dimensions in the individual portions are constant, the invention provides that the transition between these portions is preferably smooth. Further, this portion includes no edges to avoid augmented bending loads in these portions.
The present saddle tube may be made of plastic material, in particular a fiber reinforced plastic material, and most preferred carbon, the manufacturing preferably employing corresponding mold.
Likewise, the saddle tube may be made of a metal material, preferably aluminum. Here, a common tube is used which has a smaller diameter in the saddle post portion than in the bottom bracket portion. For example, the diameter of the saddle tube in the saddle post portion is 35 mm and 42.5 mm in the bottom bracket portion. A conical transition portion is provided in between. Such a tube is preferably made by flaring a cylindrical tube with a constant outer diameter. This may be done by inserting or driving a corresponding die into the tube. Depending on the configuration, the die is either conical or has a conical portion corresponding to the transition portion and a cylindrical portion corresponding to the bottom bracket portion. Irrespective of the diameters selected, the bottom bracket portion of the saddle tube is given an oval shape in a next manufacturing step, e.g. by pressing. For example, the oval shape imparted has a large width of 50 mm and a small width of 35 mm. Subsequently, in the next manufacturing step, a flat portion is formed by pressing the corresponding surface. Pressing the flat portion is preferably effected such that the distance between the flat portion and a longitudinal axis of the saddle tube in the bottom bracket portion corresponds to the radius or half the diameter of the saddle tube in the saddle post portion. For an outer diameter at the saddle post end of 35 mm, this distance thus amounts to 17.5 mm.
It is an essential advantage of the present saddle tube, as studies have shown, that compared to a conventional saddle tube with a constant diameter of 35 mm, the bottom bracket stiffness can be increased by about 20% when a saddle tube according to the invention is used. This is true for identical weights, the wall thickness of the saddle tube even decreasing in the bottom bracket portion because of the increase of circumference.
Due to the flat portion provided according to the invention on the chain ring side, a material thickening is produced in this region when the saddle tube is made of metal material, such as aluminum. This is particularly advantageous for fastening the derailer. Therefore, a greater wall thickness is provided in the region of the flat portion also when manufacturing the present saddle tube from plastic material. With saddle tubes of plastic material, or especially carbon, the derailer may be fastened by gluing. In addition to or instead of gluing, the chain derailer may be attached by riveting. This is also preferred for metal saddle tubes.
Further, the invention is directed to a bicycle frame, in particular a racing bicycle frame, comprising a top tube and a down tube connected with the top tube through a fork receiving element. A saddle tube is provided between the top tube and the down tube, the saddle tube and the down tube possibly being connected by a bottom bracket receiving element. As described above, the saddle tube is configured or developed according to the present invention.
The bicycle frame has a top tube 10 connected to a down tube 14 through a fork receiving element 12. In the embodiment illustrated, the down tube 14 is connected with a saddle tube 18 through a bottom bracket receiving element 16. The saddle tube 18 has its saddle post end 20, i.e. the end of the saddle tube 18 into which a saddle post carrying a saddle can be inserted, connected with the top tube 10. In the embodiment illustrated, the saddle tube 18 is connected at the opposite end, the bottom bracket end 22, with the bottom bracket receiving element 16. The bottom bracket end 22 may also be connected with the down tube 14. Further, it is also possible to make a connection with the down tube 14 and the bottom bracket receiving element 16. According to the invention, at the bottom bracket end 22, the saddle tube 18 has a width b transverse to the longitudinal direction 24 of the frame that is larger than the width a in the longitudinal direction 24 of the frame (FIG. 7). In the embodiment shown, this is a partly transverse oval portion.
At the saddle post end 20, the saddle tube 18 has a saddle post portion 26 and it has a bottom bracket portion 28 at its bottom bracket end 22. A transition portion 30 is provided between both portions 26, 28. The bottom bracket portion 28 has a constant cross section over its entire length, as illustrated in FIG. 7. The saddle post portion 26 also has a constant cross section over its entire length. The same is round as shown in FIG. 5. The transition portion 30 is substantially conical and tapers from the bottom bracket portion 28 towards the saddle post portion 26.
In the embodiment illustrated, the smaller width a in the bottom bracket portion 28 of the saddle tube 18 corresponds to the diameter of the saddle post portion 26.
According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the saddle tube 18 has a flat portion 32 at least in the bottom bracket portion 28 to provide sufficient space for the chain rings and the derailer levers. In the embodiment shown, the flat portion is 7.5 mm, relative to a full oval. This means that, with respect to the longitudinal side 34 of the saddle tube, a distance Bi (FIG. 7) is 25 mm and a distance b2 is 17.5 mm, i.e. the radius of the saddle tube in the saddle post portion 26 (FIG. 5). Preferably, the flat portion is within the range of 5-9 mm. The flat portion preferably extends both over the bottom bracket portion 28 and the transition portion 30. Here, the flat portion preferably extends over more than half of the entire length of the saddle tube.
Preferably, the flat portion also extends into the transition region 30, so that, the side view of FIG. 4, the flat portion smoothly passes into the saddle post portion 26. At the chain ring side, a surface line extending in the longitudinal direction of the saddle post portion 26 thus lies in the plane of the flat portion.


A planar microwave line is provided, having a dielectric substrate and a planar arrangement of a first microstrip conductor and at least one additional microstrip conductor, in which a gap between the first microstrip conductor and the additional microstrip conductor permits an electromagnetic coupling, a first region in which the microwave line has a first direction, a second region in which the microwave line has a second direction, and a transition region in which a change from the first direction to the second direction occurs. The microwave line is characterized in that the adjacent edges of the first microstrip conductor and of the additional microstrip conductor in the transition region are equal in length and do not cross.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a planar microwave line having a dielectric substrate and a planar arrangement of a first microstrip conductor and at least one additional microstrip conductor, in which a gap between the first microstrip conductor and the additional microstrip conductor permits an electromagnetic coupling, to a first region in which the microwave line has a first direction, to a second region, in which the microwave line has a second direction, and to a transition region in which a change from the first direction to the second direction occurs. The invention relates further to a method for guiding a microwave, which propagates in this type of microwave line.
2. Description of the Background Art
This type of microwave line is known from DE 29 43 502, which corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 4,383,227. This publication relates to suspended microstrip lines, which are therein understood to be a joining of two parallel metal surfaces, a dielectric substrate placed parallel to and between the surfaces, and a first strip-shaped conductor placed on a first surface of the substrate. According to DE 29 43 502, a second strip-shaped conductor is to be placed on the surface of the substrate, the conductor which runs primarily parallel to the first conductor and can be coupled to the conductor electromagnetically. For a curve in the line, this publication stipulates interrupting the first and the second conductor by a slot in a direction of a bisector of the deflection angle and connecting the first and the second conductors crosswise. This should keep the length of both lines equal along the curve. The crosswise connection occurs with the aid of a first connection running within the conductor plane and with the aid of a second connection, which runs outside the conductor plane and is realized in the form of a conducting jumper.
It is also known that discontinuities in the signal path such as open ends, feed-throughs through the dielectric, wave resistance jumps, crossing of lines, or directional changes, for example, breaks in the path of lines, produce distortions in the electromagnetic fields, which corrupts transmitted signals.
For example, coplanar microwave lines without an associated ground plane on a substrate side, which is opposite to the substrate side with the planar microstrip lines, with straight routing exhibit very good high-frequency properties. With directional changes, as occur, for example, in a routing in arcs, on the contrary, undesirable signal corruptions and shifts in the electrical ground-zero point occur.
The prior-art microwave line with the interruptions and the conducting jumper extending from the plane into the third dimension also exhibits discontinuities and thereby undesirable wave resistance increases.

Planar microwave line having microstrip conductors with a directional change region including a gap having periodic foldings


The spectral energy characteristic of a discharge lamp is controlled by changing the density of the fill substance. The spectral characteristic can be shifted while substantially maintaining its shape by changing the density of the fill. A sulfur or selenium containing discharge lamp which is operated at a pressure of at least about 1 atmosphere contains a low ionization potential substance in the fill. Characteristics which are improved are one or more of spatial color uniformity, extinguishing characteristics, and bulb starting reliability. Particular substances which are added to the fill are alkali metal containing substances, III B metal containing substances, and alkaline earth metal containing substances. When light is reflected back into the bulb, the light which is re-emitted is stronger in the higher wavelengths.

One aspect of the present invention relates to an improved visible lamp, and particularly to such a lamp which has a controllable spectral output.
As is well known, the color of the light which is provided by a lamp is determined by the spectral energy distribution of the emitted radiation. In general, visible light sources emit over the spectral range of 350-750 nanometers.
It is desirable to be able to control the "tint" of a lamp which nominally emits over the entire visible spectrum. For example, for certain applications it may be desirable for the light to be tinted red, while for certain other applications, a green tint may be preferred. In addition to being able to provide different lamps having different tints, it is also desirable to be able to vary the tint or spectral emphasis of the light which is emitted by a particular lamp during operation.
In the prior art, discharge lamps are typically provided with different spectral emphases by employing fill additives. For example, a metal halide lamp which is doped with thallium emphasizes the green part of the spectrum, whereas one which is doped with sodium would emphasize the yellow. One disadvantage of such lamps is that a different additive or combination of additives must be used to make each differently tinted lamp, thus introducing manufacturing complexities. Additionally, due to the fact that different fill substances have different aging characteristics, the spectra of lamps using additives are prone to change over time.
Another approach to modifying the color output of a lamp is to use external filters. However, such devices inevitably reduce the efficacy of the overall lamp system. It is also known that incandescent lamps can be made more red by reducing the operating temperature of the filament, but this also has the effect of reducing the lamp efficacy.
Additionally, the above schemes which are known to the prior art change the color emphasis of the light output by changing the shape of the overall spectral distribution, i.e., by emphasizing one portion of the spectrum but not others. However, it has been found that for certain applications, it is advantageous to change the color emphasis while retaining substantially the same shape for the overall spectral distribution. For example, in red/green/blue (RGB) color reproduction systems such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) high definition television, it is desirable to provide a lamp having a spectral energy distribution which can emphasize the blue or red without substantially distorting the shape of the overall distribution.
In U.S. applications Ser. No. 779,718, filed Oct. 23, 1991, Ser. No. 604,487, filed Oct. 25, 1990, Ser. No. 882,410, filed May 13, 1992 and Ser. No. 08/071,027, filed Jun. 3, 1993, now Pat. No. 5,404,076, all of which are incorporated herein by reference, a new type of discharge lamp is disclosed which uses a fill which contains a sulfur or selenium containing substance. The fill is present at a pressure of at least about 1 atmosphere, and is excited at a relatively high power density. The lamp produces a molecular spectrum in the visible part of the spectrum at a relatively high efficacy and has exhibited a long lifetime and a stable color output over time.
While the lamp disclosed in the prior applications has many advantageous properties, when not used in accordance with an aspect of the present invention, the spectral output or color temperature may vary around the periphery of the bulb. It is of course desirable for many applications, for the spectral output to be uniform around the bulb surface, so that all portions of the illuminating energy appear to be the same color.
It has also been found that the above-described spatial "color separation" effect may become more pronounced when the discharge lamp is operated at low power levels. Furthermore, at such power levels the bulb may extinguish or the discharge may retreat from the bulb walls.

Sulfur/selenium lamp with improved characteristics


A control device for a variable valve mechanism that avoids the overheating an actuator while reducing adverse effects on the driveability of a vehicle. The actuator adjusts the lift of an intake valve by moving a drive element, and a sensor is used to determine whether the actuator will overheat. A control unit stops the drive element if the lift adjusted by the actuator is equal to or larger than a first predetermined value, when the control unit determines that the actuator will overheat. The actuator may be an electric actuator. In this case, the actuator maintains the drive element in a fixed position when supply of electric power to the actuator is interrupted. The control unit stops the drive element, and interrupts the supply of electric power to the actuator.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a control device and method for a variable valve mechanism. More specifically, the invention relates to a control device for a variable valve mechanism that changes the operating characteristic of at least one of an intake valve and an exhaust valve in an internal combustion engine.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. JP-A-2004-183591 describes a control device for an internal combustion engine with a variable valve mechanism. When the actuator that drives the variable valve mechanism of the internal combustion engine overheats, the control device fixes the valve lift at the maximum value, and controls the amount of intake air using only a throttle valve, to stop the and suppress the overheating of the actuator. After the temperature of the actuator has decreased, the normal control resumes.
However, if the valve lift is fixed at the maximum value immediately after it is determined that the actuator overheats, the amount of intake air suddenly increases. As a result, a driver may feel vibrations (torque shock) due to the change in engine torque. Also, if the valve lift is suddenly set to an optimum value instead of the maximum value when the normal control is resumed, the driver may feel a torque shock.
The above-described patent publication does not describe any control for preventing the torque shock.

Control device and method for variable valve mechanism


A control system for a compressor is provided. The control system includes a controller and first and second control portions. The first control portion is configured to assess an actual temperature of an evaporator and a target temperature of the evaporator and to generate a first compressor speed command signal. The second control portion includes a pressure calibration value and is configured to receive a pressure reading of the climate system, to compare the pressure reading to the pressure calibration value and to generate a second compressor speed command signal. The controller device includes data and is configured to receive the first compressor speed command signal and the second compressor speed command signal and to transmit a control signal to the compressor for causing the compressor to operate at a commanded compressor speed based on the first compressor speed command signal, the second compressor speed command signal, and the data.

1. Technical Field
The embodiments described herein relate to a system and method for controlling the speed of a compressor.
2. Background Art
Climate systems conventionally include a compressor that moves and pressurizes refrigerant flowing through the climate system. Accordingly, these compressors operate at a particular speed to accommodate cooling demands.
In many conventional climate systems, the compressor operates at either a full-on mode or a full-off mode. That is, the speed of the compressor cannot be varied from a designated compressor speed. Such compressors render the climate system inefficient at meeting some cooling demands as some cooling demands require a compressor speed that differs from the designated compressor speed.
Alternatively, in some cases such as electric air conditioning compressors, the climate system may vary the compressor speed. However, it is commonly known that these systems also possess operating inefficiencies.
The embodiments described herein were conceived in view of these and other disadvantages of conventional climate systems.

Method and control system for a compressor that is operable with a climate system


Unstructured data is received from a plurality of sources to facilitate risk analysis. The unstructured data comprises a plurality of bodies of text. Each body of text from the unstructured data is deconstructed into individual terms. The individual terms from each body of text are converted into a structured form. The individual terms in the structured form are categorized according to a comparison of the structured form to another structured form. The individual terms in the structured form are quantified according to at least the categorization of the individual terms.

Information about risks an organization faces or could face is documented in a variety of systems and sources. This information usually contains unstructured information (i.e., bodies of text) and is not typically easy to quantify and automatically analyze. The information is typically written to allow readers to understand the intended message. While a reader may read small bodies of separate texts, it is impracticable for a reader to read and summarize many bodies of text in a reasonable amount of time.


A method is provided for preventing denial-of-service attacks on hosts attached to a subnet, where the attacks are initiated by a remote node over an external network. The method is performed by a router which forwards packets between the external network and the subnet. The router receives a packet for forwarding to a destination address in an address space of the subnet according to the IPv6 protocol and looks up the destination address in a Neighbor Discovery (ND) table. The ND table is populated by operations on the subnet that were completed prior to receipt of the packet. Entries in the ND table store address information of the hosts that have been verified by the router to be active. The router forwards the packet to the destination address if the destination address is stored in the ND table. Otherwise, the packet is discarded.

The Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) is designed to address the issue of address exhaustion in Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4). In conjunction with expanding the address space from 32 bits to 128 bits, IPv6 introduces a number of changes. For example, IPv6 increases the number of bits that is used to number the hosts in a subnet, and moves from a media-based Address resolution Protocol (ARP) to an IP-based Neighbor Discovery protocol. IPv6 subnets are defined by the standards to have at least 64 bits for numbering the hosts, where before a subnet might have 6 to 12 bits for numbering the hosts.
Operators and security analysts have noticed a problematic effect of the new larger subnets. The numbering space for a subnet is now 16 quintillion entries. Clearly, no subnet will use any noticeable fraction of these entries.
One problem with the larger subnet is that a remote attacker could send a series of packets to a subnet, addressed to different randomly chosen potential hosts. In the current practice, this would cause the border router to send into the subnet a stream of neighbor discovery packets, and to create cache entries for this information. As the table space in the router is limited, this attack can easily overrun the available table space, and cause the router to lose track of actual hosts, and to prevent new legitimate hosts from registering.
There are existing techniques that remediate this attack in certain scenarios, such as when the subnet is a subscriber subnet using Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet (PPPoE). However, there is no general prophylactic approach for preventing the attack.

Preventing neighbor-discovery based denial of service attacks


An in-cabin cup holder which holds a cup includes a recess with a bottom that is formed on a bottom surface of the cup holder and that supports the cup from below, an opening that is formed on a holder bottom surface around the recess with the bottom, and a lens that covers the opening from above and that emits light from below. An edge of the opening of the holder bottom surface protrudes upward, and a rib-shaped protrusion that surrounds an upper end of the edge from an outer side is formed on a lower surface of the lens.

In many cases, a cup holder which holds a cup of a drink or the like is provided near a console of a vehicle. For example, in JP 2015-229455 A, a cup holder is formed by forming a recess on a shift lever case of the console.
In addition, JP 2015-229455 A discloses that a light guide member is provided at a bottom portion of the cup holder, and an inside of the cup holder is illuminated by diffusing light from the light guide member.
When the cup holder is formed from a plurality of components, there may be cases where liquid drops from a connection portion of the components; for example, from an attachment portion of the light guide member. In this case, the liquid may flow around the cup holder and drop to the component below, and the component below may be adversely affected. In particular, this becomes problematic when an electronic component such as an ECU is present below the cup holder.


Methods of producing populations of predominantly astrocytes, neurons or oligodendrocytes are provided. In addition, methods of treating mammals having astroglial tumors, oligodendrocyte tumors, or neuronal tumors are provided.

Regulation of gene expression during development occurs at multiple levels as indicated by the recent identification of numerous cis-regulatory sequences, transcription complexes, microRNAs (miRNAs), and additional classes of non-coding RNAs. miRNAs are small, single-stranded RNAs that play important roles in proliferation, differentiation, tumorigenesis, and apoptosis via their ability to silence target genes. miRNAs function primarily as repressors of gene expression, typically acting at the level of translational regulation of gene expression. miRNAs can also promote mRNA degradation and, in quiescent cells, activate translation. The ability of miRNAs to regulate large sets of target genes may provide "developmental switches" during lineage differentiation of various cell types including stem cells.

Methods for regulating neural differentiation

The Regents of the University of Michigan


A layer configuration prediction method is provided and includes: a specimen production step of producing multiple specimens by depositing layers of a material in configurations different from each other; a specimen measurement step of performing, on each specimen, measurement to acquire a texture parameter corresponding to a texture; a learning step of causing a computer to perform machine learning of a relation between each of the specimens and the texture parameter; a setting parameter calculation step of calculating a setting parameter corresponding to the texture set to a computer graphics image; and a layer configuration acquisition step of providing the setting parameter as an input to the computer having been caused to perform the machine learning, and acquiring an output representing the layering pattern of layers of the material corresponding to the setting parameter.

Conventionally, a building apparatus (3D printer) configured to build an object by using an inkjet head has been known (for example, refer to Patent Literature 1). In such a building apparatus, for example, the object is built by additive manufacturing of layering a plurality of ink layers formed by the inkjet head.
Patent Literature 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2015-071282

Layer configuration prediction method and layer configuration prediction apparatus

NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CORPORATION CHIBA UNIVERSITY


An illumination device for an optical viewing apparatus has a light source including a first individual light source and a second individual light source arranged in a plane. The first individual light source has a first midpoint and the second individual light source has a second midpoint. An axial direction is defined by a vector from the second midpoint to the first midpoint. An illumination optical unit defines an optical axis which is arranged perpendicularly to the plane and intersects the plane at an intersection point. The light source is imaged toward infinity by the illumination optical unit. The first individual light source has an extent along the axial direction. The midpoint is offset by an amount (Δ) in a positive direction along the axial direction relative to the intersection. The relationship 0.1*L1≦Δ≦1*L1 is satisfied for the offset.

A midpoint of an individual light source can be defined for example geometrically as an area centroid of a light exit surface of the individual light source. Alternatively, a midpoint of an individual light source can also be defined optically as that point in a light exit surface of the individual light source at which a luminance of the emitted light radiation has a maximum. In the context of the present invention, an extent of an individual light source in a predefined axial direction is generally defined as an extent of a light exit surface of the individual light source in the predefined axial direction through a midpoint of the individual light source, the midpoint being defined as above, for example. In particular, the first extent L1 of the first individual light source is defined as the extent of a light exit surface of the first individual light source in the direction of the first axial direction A1 through the midpoint M1 of the first individual light source.
In the course of the use of an optical viewing apparatus, for example of a surgical microscope, different illumination requirements may occur during operation.
In ophthalmo-cataract surgery, for example, it may be necessary to be able to change very rapidly a plurality of properties of the illumination device, such as, for example, the size of the illumination spots, the illumination angles and/or the brightness of the illumination depending on the respective operation situation. The combination of a plurality of properties of an illumination device constitutes a particular challenge under the confined space conditions of a surgical microscope.
Limits are imposed on the miniaturization of illumination devices which emit high light powers. The light emission of a light source is dependent on its light-emitting surface. Mechanical or electrical aspects, such as mechanical mounting or current supply, additionally have to be taken into account when light sources are combined. Thermal properties also limit miniaturization.

Illumination device for an optical viewing apparatus


A shared cache in a computer system for caching both system memory information and alternative memory information. The present invention includes cache management logic, a cache memory with a plurality of cache lines and a and a cache tag memory. The cache tag memory comprises an address field and status bits for indicating a status of corresponding information in cache memory. The status bits, when interpreted as a group, indicate the status of the corresponding information in cache memory as well as whether the information in the corresponding cache line is related to the alternative memory or the system memory.

Today's integrated circuit and computer system designers must carefully weigh tradeoffs between functionality, space and performance in their designs. For example, computer memory subsystem designers have many variables to consider when designing the cache memory architecture of the memory subsystem. Each decision regarding the cache memory architecture will have an impact on overall memory subsystem performance. Generally, the designer's goal is to design a high performance memory subsystem using as little space (e.g. silicon) as possible.
Cache memories are very fast local storage memory arrays used by the central processing unit (CPU). Cache memories are usually significantly faster than main system memory based on their access time and close proximity to the CPU and are, therefore, useful in increasing overall system performance. Recently and/or frequently accessed instructions or data are stored in cache memory on the assumption that they will be used soon. By storing this information in a cache memory, it can be accessed more quickly than going to slower system memory or disk.
Cache memories generally comprise data cache memory, tag memory and cache management logic. Data cache memory is a block of fast memory (usually static random access memory or SRAM) for storage of data and/or instructions and is usually referred to as the "data cache RAM". It should be noted that the word "information" in reference to the contents of a cache memory is used herein to indicate either data or instructions stored in the cache memory. Also, the word "shared" in reference to a cache memory is used herein to indicate that information from two memories, a RAM and an alternative memory in one embodiment, is stored in the same cache memory.
Tag memory comprises a cache tag for each line of cache memory. Tag memory usually comprises a block of SRAM for storing the original logical address of the information stored in the corresponding area of the data cache RAM. In other words, the address stored in the tag memory indicates where the corresponding information in the cache memory originated from in the case of information written to the cache memory from another memory. When the information is written to the cache memory from the CPU, the tag indicates the address in memory that the information is destined for. In many cases, tag memory stores only part of the address. The remainder of the address is indicated by the location in cache memory where the information is stored. For example, a cache memory with cache lines 0-FF may be used to store information from logical address FFFF in main system memory in cache line FF. The cache tag corresponding to that particular location in cache memory would contain the address FF. Thus, the original logical address of information stored in a cache memory can be determined from the cache tag and the location of the information in cache memory in many cache configurations.
Tag memory may also include additional status bits for use by the cache management logic. Examples of status bits used may include a "least recently used" or "LRU" bit to indicate the information that was accessed last in the case of a set associative cache memory. A "valid" bit may be used to indicate whether the corresponding information is valid or a "modify" bit may be used to indicate whether the corresponding information in cache memory has been modified so that it is no longer consistent with the information in system memory or an alternative memory.
Tag memory is often referred to as "tag RAM" or simply the "cache tag". The address portion of the tag RAM is frequently 14 or more bits wide and may include one or more status bits. Generally, there is a cache tag for each line in the corresponding cache memory. Today's cache memories frequently comprise 4000 or more lines. Thus, the tag RAM can be a very sizable portion of the overall cache memory.
Cache management logic performs many functions related to the reading and writing of cache memory. For example, the cache management logic reads the cache tag including both the address and the status bits to determine whether an item in memory requested by the CPU is present in the cache memory. The general architecture and operation of data cache RAM, tag RAM, and cache management logic are well known to those of ordinary skill in the art.
Cache memory is used to store frequently used data and/or instructions for the computer system processor. The information in cache memory is associated with (either is stored from or will be written to) an external memory in the computer system often referred to as main or system memory. Some computer systems, however, are designed with both system memory (usually dynamic random access memory or DRAM) and an alternative memory (usually also DRAM). This alternative memory may be accessible only in a particular mode of the computer system during operation. It is desirable to have a cache memory available to cache both system memory information and alternative memory information to improve system performance.
Prior art systems have approached this design issue in various ways. One method is to use two separate cache memories: one for the system memory and one for the alternative memory. This design is costly in terms of efficiency, space and memory as it requires not only two data cache RAMs, but also two cache tag RAMs and potentially, separate cache control logic.
Another approach shares one cache memory between two memories with non-overlapping logical addresses. In other words, all logical addresses of one memory are different from all logical addresses of the second memory. The cache control logic is able to distinguish between information related to the system memory and information related to the alternative memory based on the address of the information alone. This approach does not work, however, where the logical addresses of the two memories are the same or overlap. General cache control logic only provides for interpretation of address and status fields in the cache tag to manage information reads and writes. Where the logical addresses of two separate memories are the same and they share one cache memory, another method must be used to distinguish between information related to the system memory and information related to the alternative memory.
Where the logical addresses of the system memory and an alternative memory are the same, some prior art designs have added an extra bit to the cache tag to indicate whether the cache information associated with that specific tag corresponds to system memory or to the alternative memory. This method requires an increase in the size of the tag RAM by at least one bit per cache memory line. Cache memories are frequently 256 Kbytes, 512 Kbytes or larger and can contain 4096 or more cache memory lines. Even with an increase of only one bit per cache tag per line, this method can be costly in terms of silicon space.
Another prior art approach uses one of the existing address bits in the cache tag to indicate whether the corresponding cache information is associated with the system memory or the alternative memory. This method is similar in operation to the method described above, but instead of adding an extra bit, this method effectively reduces the cacheable memory. For example, a cache memory with a cache tag providing for 32 bit addresses is capable of addressing 4 gigabytes of memory. When one of the cache tag bits is used to indicate the memory with which the information is associated, the cache memory and the information in the cache tag are only able to indicate 31 bits of address information. 31 bits of address information is capable of addressing only 2 gigabytes of memory thereby effectively cutting the memory addressability of the cache memory in half.
Still another approach is to use one cache memory to cache both memories in a mutually exclusive manner. In other words, the cache memory is used only for system memory when the computer system is in one mode and only for alternative memory when the computer system is in another mode. Using this method, there is no concern for overlapping information that has the same logical address, but there is still a penalty. This method requires that the cache memory is flushed and any inconsistent information is written to the appropriate memory each time the system changes modes. Flushing the cache memory and writing any changed information to memory may require many computer execution cycles and have a measurable impact on overall system performance. This is especially true if the computer system switches between modes frequently.
As will be shown, the present invention provides a method and apparatus for caching two memories that may have the same or overlapping logical addresses in the same cache memory. The present invention provides the advantage of maintaining the size of the address portion of the cache tag, and thus, the amount of cacheable memory, without increasing the overall cache memory size. Additionally, the present invention does not require flushing of the cache memory when switching between modes that utilize the two memories.

Method and apparatus for distinguishing system memory data from alternative memory data in a shared cache memory


A spectral electrotherapy device and a method of controlling the same are introduced, wherein a central processing unit provides a control signal for controlling the switching operation of an output driver to generate output voltage, thereby controlling output features of the spectral electrotherapy device. The control signal provided by the central processing unit to a switching unit uses central frequency f0 as a standard to thereby define the bandwidth of the central frequency f0 with difference Δf and define the points in time of the next change in the central frequency f0 and the difference Δf with first and second time intervals t1, t2, respectively. Values of the central frequency f0, the difference Δf, the first time interval t1, the second time interval t2 are generated from a dynamic parameter generating unit in different points in time. Electrical stimulation thus performed on the human body is complete and comprehensive.

Conventional Chinese medical treatments, such as acupuncture and tuina, which achieve efficacy by stimulating acupuncture points of the human body, improve as a result of technological advancement, thereby developing electrotherapy devices which stimulate acupuncture points of the human body by an output voltage to therefore achieve a known level of efficacy and provide users with an alternative to conventional Chinese medical treatments.
Electrotherapy devices come in three types: low-frequency (below 1 kHz) electrotherapy devices, medium-frequency (1 kHz˜100kHz) electrotherapy devices, and high-frequency (above 100 kHz) electrotherapy devices. Low-frequency and medium-frequency electrotherapy devices are commercially available. For instance, low-frequency electrotherapy devices operate by Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) and Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS), whereas medium-frequency electrotherapy devices work with a vector interference electrotherapy apparatus and a medium-frequency modulated electrotherapy device.
Electrotherapy effectuates stimulation of the human body's nerves, muscles, and cells with appropriate electrical signals (which depend on parameters, such as voltage level, frequency, duty cycle, and stimulation duration.) Electrotherapy is a therapeutic technique derived from an acupuncture theory based on a combination of rehabilitation medical engineering and traditional Chinese medicine. According to traditional Chinese medicine and rehabilitation theory, acupuncture points lie beneath the skin of the human body and have a specific depth and scope.
Electrotherapy devices pass output signals to the human body through the human skin. From the perspective of electricity, impedance features of the human skin originate in "capacitive impedance." Hence, equivalent features of the human skin are quite similar to that of a "capacitor," and therefore they can be described with the following mathematical equations: Xc=1/ωc, ω=2πf, where f denotes frequency, and Xc denotes capacitive impedance, wherein frequency is inversely proportional to capacitive impedance. Therefore, the higher the frequency of an output signal of an electrotherapy device, the lower the impedance of the human skin, such that the output signal can reach the human body's tissues. Conversely, the lower the frequency of the output signal of the electrotherapy device, the higher the impedance of the human skin, such that the output signal acts on the surface of the skin rather than goes deep into the human body's tissues.
Therefore, the effective depth of electrotherapy devices depends on the frequency of the output signal. During their electrotherapy session, conventional electrotherapy devices always make their carrier waves operate at a fixed frequency. For "a plurality of" outputs of vector interference electrotherapy devices to produce interference effect (for preventing the human body's self-adaptation to an output voltage with a fixed frequency), it is necessary that the frequencies of its two outputs approximate to each other. Therefore, from the perspective of effective depth analysis, the electrotherapy effect results from a change in a small range of frequencies. After use for a while, although it postpones the human body's self-adaptation to the output voltage, the human body's self-adaptation will occur anyway.
Therefore, conventional electrotherapy devices are subject to limits because of the design of carrier wave frequency. As a result, during their electrotherapy session, they are confined to a specific effective depth (the depth below the skin) and therefore are not changeable, and in consequence areas other than the acting area cannot be fully stimulated. For instance, since their carrier wave frequency is fixed, conventional electrotherapy devices are subject to limits in both effective depth and scope. As a result, in the course of electrotherapy, stimulation is restricted to trigger points or acupuncture points of a specific depth, and in consequence stimulation cannot fully affect trigger points or acupuncture points which are nearby and have different depths. In another aspect, since electrotherapy produces stimulation effect by an output voltage with a frequency, as described above, from the perspective of the human body, after identical frequencies or similar frequencies have persisted for a period of time, the human body undergoes self-adaptation and thereby adapts to the frequency, and in consequence the stimulation effect of electrotherapy dwindles greatly. To circumvent the human body's adaptation to a fixed pulse frequency, vector interference electrotherapy devices adopt mutual interference of two frequencies to block the self-adaptation mechanism of the human body. However, vector interference electrotherapy devices are still confronted with problems, for example, the human body's adaptation to the effective depth, acting scope, and long use, as well as drawbacks, for example, the two outputs cause the electrotherapy devices to incur high manufacturing costs and require high power consumption.
Moreover, conventional electrotherapy devices have further drawbacks. For instance, in the course of generating an output voltage, the switching speed is so low that the waveform of the pulse generated is inconspicuous, thereby compromising the effect of electrical stimulation. In addition, conventional electrotherapy devices control pulse strength (voltage level) by the adjustment performed with a built-in variable resistor of the switching unit, and in consequence it is difficult for electrotherapy devices to perform adjustment for the sake of fine variations, thereby rendering it difficult for users to perform adjustment in order to attain an appropriate electrical stimulation level (i.e., voltage level). Furthermore, the switching unit of conventional electrotherapy devices is likely to generate residual heat and therefore the operating temperature of the electrotherapy devices is usually high. Therefore, it is important to overcome the aforesaid drawbacks of the conventional electrotherapy devices.

Spectral electrotherapy device and method of controlling the same


This specification describes an apparatus for carrying out a method of making a multi-walled pipe in the shape of a tube having a helical configuration. The apparatus is made up of an extruder with multiple dies. These multiple dies include at least two concentric arcuate dies that are radially spaced apart and a plurality of relatively straight dies that radially connect the concentric arcuate dies. The apparatus includes means for cooling the extrudate to solidify it into a usable condition. Means are provided to cause the multi-wall pipe to have a helical configuration, that is, apparatus is provided that arranges the pipe as a whole into a structure that has a circumferential component and a longitudinal component to its orientation; e.g. a helix. The longitudinal orientation is accomplished by providing apparatus that causes the pipe to proceed downstream in the direction of its longitudinal axis. In one embodiment of this invention, the extrudate is pulled longitudinally down stream. The circumferential component of the orientation of the multi-walled pipe can be accomplished by either one of two apparatus elements. First, the extrudate can be twisted (that is rotated circumferentially while it is being pulled down stream). This can be accomplished with a single piece of apparatus as shown. Thus, a longitudinal and a circumferential movement can be applied to the molten extrudate by twisting the solidified extrudate downstream of the cooling apparatus. This same configuration can be accomplished by extruding the multi-walled pipe through rotating dies whereby the extrudate is given a circumferential orientation even before it emerges from the extruder die and the circumferentially rotated pipe can then be longitudinally pulled downstream.

Cores for all kinds of rolled goods, such as plastic film, carpeting, paper products, and the like, are well known. In many instances, these cores are simply hollow cylindrical rolls of cardboard or other materials. In other cases, these cores may be solid plastic, wood or metal rods.
In one very old patent, U.S. Pat. No. 3,627,221, there is described a decorative end plug for rolled paper, such as newsprint. The end plug is made up of a centrally located opening for receiving an axially disposed shaft, a generally flat, solid, disc like portion 16 disposed radially about the shaft receiving axial opening 18, and a peripheral rim portion 20 disposed radially around the disc portion 16. From a consideration of FIG. 1 of this patent, it appears that a core 12 of the paper roll 10 is intended to fit about the rim portion 20. Put another way, the described end plug is intended to fit within the core of the roll of paper and the shaft (unnumbered) that will support the assembly is intended to pass through the axial opening 18 in the end plug.
The peripheral rim portion 20 of this disclosed end plug appears to be composed of a "U" shaped member that is made up of two concentric elements 26 and 30 that form the arms of the "U". A series of webs 34 and 36 appear to span the top of the "U". These webs and the arms of the "U" are so arranged as to form generally triangular areas or cells 38. This end plug is intended to help to support the ends of the paper roll on its cylindrical paper core. The depicted end plug is generally flat in cross section and is not disclosed to pass axially all the way through the paper roll or its cylindrical paper core. In fact, this end plug is characterized by having a diameter that is substantially larger than its depth, that is, it is a disk-like shape rather than a tube-like shape. The end plug is said to taper inwardly in thickness from its periphery toward the central opening in order to increase its resiliency during its insertion into the end of the paper roll. The '221 patent says that the depicted flat, disc like end cap may be made of molded plastic, such as polyethylene. It is clear that the depicted end cap is not suited to have paper or other flat goods rolled up on it, but is only suited to be inserted into the end of an already made roll of paper or the like. Despite the support that the end plug of the '221 patent may give to the ends of the internal tubular paper central tube, the paper core 12 must be self supporting and able to withstand the weight of the paper rolled thereon over substantially the whole of its length.
It is to be noted that the '221 patent states that the disclosed end plug is intended to help protect the already made roll from damage during loading and unloading and during transit, not during the making of the roll of paper. This distinguishes that end plug of the prior art from the core structure of the instant invention which is intended for use in creating the roll of flat goods, especially stretch or shrink wrap plastic film (hereafter generally referred to as shrink wrap plastic film). The crush stress that is applied to the core by shrink wrap plastic film is substantially greater that what is applied by newsprint, and this stress increases with the amount of shrink wrap film that is wound on the central core. It increases further with the shrinkability of the film being wound and with the speed of winding of the film. Therefore, modern wrapping techniques use solid cores to support most industrial sized rolling of flat goods, from carpet to plastic film.
Solid wood plastic or steel rollers are quite heavy and add to the shipping costs of the material rolled on them. Further, solid cores of these materials are expensive and, although efforts at recycling have been attempted, they have not met with great success. The cost of the cores must then be added to the cost of the material that is wrapped on the cores. It is obvious that making the cores hollow and thin walled will substantially reduce their weight, and therefore their cost, and will also reduce the weight of the entire rolled product whereby reducing shipping costs as well. The problem with using hollow cores, however, is that hollow tubes necessarily have lower crush strength than solid cylinders of the same diameter and material. Further, and the thinner the walls of hollow cores, the less is their crush resistance. It has therefore been thought that the tradeoff between the weight and cost of the core and the crush strength of the core was just something the art had to accept, with the proper core selected for each application.

Apparatus for making a multi-walled tubular structure


A tine connection device for removably connecting a tine to an elongate tine bar in an agricultural harvesting machine wherein the device comprises a mounting base that is contoured to simultaneously engage the tine bar and a mounting portion of the tine and in combination with a contoured clamp fastener, restrain the mounting portion of the tine in a predetermined position relative to the tine bar. The mounting base and clamp fastener further enable a plurality of tines to be easily and uniformly connected to a tine bar while the specific contours of the mounting base and clamp fastener in adjacent contact with the tine serve to reduce stress concentrations thereby promoting extended tine service life.

This invention relates generally to agricultural machines having a rotatable pick-up reel for lifting crop from the ground into the machine, and, more particularly, to an improved device for connecting individual tines to rotating bars of the pick-up reel.
Pick-up reels used in agricultural machine comprise a plurality of parallel tine bars arranged in a cylindrical pattern which is rotated about a central axis. Individual tines are connected to the bars and extend generally outwardly to engage the crop material. The tine bars may be individually rotated dependent upon the reel rotational position vary the position of the tines relative to the reel rotational position, such as for folding the tines inwardly at a point in the rotation to release the crop material for feed into the machine. Tines are typically connected to the tine bars using a variety of bolts, clips, or cast mounts, all of which increase the total part count of the reel and hence, increase production costs. On reels used in agricultural balers, the connection of the tine to the tine bar is subjected to higher loadings compared to reels used to urge a standing crop into a cutterbar. In baler applications, the tines are required to engage and lift crop material from a windrow on the ground and raise the material to a height at which it can be fed into the baler. These increased tine loads require more robust tine mounts connecting tines to tine bars.
One particular tine mount used by common assignee to this application comprises a bolt, clip, and casting to connect tines to the tine bars. The casting is necessary to provide a sufficient contact area between the tine and the tine bar to adequately distribute stresses. Aside from a high part count for reels using this connection assembly, these mounts have demonstrated a tendency to erode the tine at the clip interface leading to premature tine failures.
It would be advantageous to have an improved mounting device for attaching a tine to a tine bar in a pick-up reel that provides a suitably robust connection, reduces the part count compared to known devices, and reduces the risk of erosion or fretting of the tine by the tine mount device during operation.


A roll paper cutting apparatus in a printer whereby printed roll paper which has been printed and released can be cut certainly and smoothly with a simple structure. For this purpose, this roll paper cutting apparatus has a paper cutter comprising bite teeth which are provided on at least one of end portions thereof so as to start to cut released roll paper when it is held by an operator's hand, and cut teeth which are provided on a region different from a region of the bite teeth, the bite teeth and the cut teeth being located along a straight line, wherein the bite teeth are formed in such a manner that an angle between a line perpendicular to a row of the cut teeth and an outside surface contour line of each of the bite teeth is smaller than an angle between an inside surface contour line of the tooth on the other side and the perpendicular line. Preferably, the bite teeth have smaller pitches than the cut teeth.

1. Industrial Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a roll paper cutting apparatus for a small-sized facsimile terminal unit for domestic use, a small-sized electronic calculator (desk calculator) with a printer, or the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 5 illustrates a cutting section of a roll paper cutting apparatus provided in a conventional small-sized facsimile terminal unit for domestic use or a small-sized electronic calculator (desk calculator) with a printer. In FIG. 5, reference numeral 31 denotes a paper cutter, and 32 denotes roll paper which has been printed at a printing section (not shown) and released. The paper cutter 31 has uniform teeth of an angular shape, as shown in the drawing, or a similar shape, which are continuously formed along a straight line.
Next, the function of this structure will be explained.
The roll paper 32 can be cut by contacting the roll paper 32 with teeth of the paper cutter 31 at a position [R], and continuing to draw the roll paper 32 in a direction indicated by the arrow A. The roll paper 32 can be cut similarly by drawing it in a direction indicated by the arrow B.
However, the conventional roll paper cutting apparatus has a problem that when the roll paper 32 is brought into contact with the teeth of the paper cutter 31 at the position [R] and the roll paper 32 is drawn in the direction of the arrow A, the roll paper 32 slides on the teeth of the paper cutter 31 at the beginning of cutting operation of the roll paper 32 so that the roll paper 32 can not be cut quickly.
The roll paper 32 can be easily cut, if cutting operation is started with a small angle [.alpha.] between the roll paper 32 and the teeth of the paper cutter 31. However, there is another problem with this approach in that the roll paper 32 will not be easily bitten at the beginning of cutting operation so that it can not be cut without difficulty.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


An optical disk device has a recording information management portion which detects a distribution of a recorded region R and an unrecorded region M based on reflection light received by an optical head and an access target setting circuit which determines an access target of an optical head so as to make access to a target position of a recording layer of an optical disk while avoiding the unrecorded region M based on the detected distribution of the regions. Since an access is made while passing through only the recorded region R, a servo operation can be stabilized.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical disk device. More particularly, the present invention relates to an optical disk device and an access method for the optical disk device for making reliable access while avoiding an unrecorded region during optical-head access.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, an optical disk device such as DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) has been developed and widely known. In such an optical disk device or the like, there is a demand for high operational reliability, usability, or the like.
As an example of such an optical disk device, in an optical disk device described in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2000-251271, the following technique is disclosed. In the case of an interlayer jump of a double-layered disk, if a target address position is at the inner periphery than a current address position, a seek operation is carried out up to a radial position of the same recording layer which corresponds to the target address position. Then, an interlayer jump is carried out and reaches the target address position. On the other hand, in the case where a target address position is at the outer periphery than a current address position, an interlayer jump is carried out at the current address position, and then, a seek operation is carried out for the target address position.
In other words, in a reproduction type optical disk, an optical disk having a plurality of layers has been developed and made popular. Similarly, there is proposed a recording type optical disk having a plurality of recording layers on one side from a demand for increasing the capacity of data to be recorded in an optical disk. In the case where the disk thus has a plurality of recording layers, a transmission rate of a shallower recording layer must be increased in order to maintain the reflection index of each recording layer to be substantially constant. As a result, the reflection index to be maintained constant is reduced, and an optical disk is produced so that the reflection index of each layer is substantially equal to this low reflection index. Thus, signal levels of a variety of signals are lowered, and an S/N ratio is degraded.
On the other hand, in a recording layer, the reflection indexes of an unrecorded region and a recorded region differ depending on disk characteristics. The disk characteristics include two characteristics, i.e., a characteristic in which the reflection index is reduced by data recording as in DVD-RAM or the like and a characteristic in which the reflection index is increased by such recording. In general, a change in this reflection index is greater than twice or half. In the boundary region between a recorded region R and an unrecorded region M, a variety of signals are affected by the change in this reflection index. In particular, in the case where precise servo is required, there is a possibility that such an effect of change results in a large disturbance.
Thus, as in the conventional reproduction type optical disk device, when an interlayer jump is carried out in order to make access to a specific target position on a storage region, if the center axes of the recording layers are not aligned in a double-layered disc, an interlayer jump destination may be the unrecorded region M. In such a case, there is a problem that the disk is affected by the boundary region or a signal level which depends on the region in an unstable state after a jump, and a servo state becomes unstable.
Further, in the case of a recording type optical disk, in order to record/reproduce information, it is required that a response time from a time when a recording/reproduction request occurs to a time when a recording/reproduction operation is started is fast. Since different adjustments are required depending on the recorded region R and the unrecorded region M, it is believed that an access method in which only the recorded region R requiring minimal adjustment is passed is stable. However, as in the conventional device, according to a rectangular access method for connecting a current address position to a target address position with the shortest distance, it is not guaranteed that a region in which an interlayer jump has been carried out with the shortest distance is always a recorded region. Thus, there is a problem that, when the unrecorded region M is passed, the servo state becomes unstable.
In addition, if focusing unintentionally occurs in the unrecorded region M due to runaway or track deviation which occurs during an access or due to focus deviation, the signal levels differ depending on the recorded region R and the unrecorded region M as described above. Thus, track pull-in action cannot be carried out, and an operation of restoring to the recorded region R cannot be carried out smoothly.
In other words, as described above, in the conventional optical disk device, when an access to the recording region of an optical head is instructed, there is a case in which the unrecorded region M whose reflection index or the like differs from that of the recorded region R is passed when an access to a target position is made with the shortest distance. Thus, there is a problem that the servo state becomes unstable.

Optical disk device and access method for optical disk device


A transmission arrangement for motor vehicles has a planetary gear set acting as an axle step-up and reversing gear. The planet gears of the planetary gear set have two sets of teeth at different diameters. Synchronizing rings are arranged to minimize the structural space required. A housing for a following differential is connectable either with the planet gear carrier or else with a ring gear meshing with the larger planet gears by way of a sliding sleeve. The transmission has a continuously variable section preceding the planetary gearing.

This invention relates to transmission arrangements for vehicles such as motor vehicles having a planetary gear set providing axle step-up and reverse shifting and to drive systems utilizing such transmission arrangements.
German Patent No. 33 30 303 discloses a transmission arrangement in the form of an axle step-up and reverse shifting system having a planetary gear set which includes planet gears provided with two sets of teeth of different diameters. To shift between the two directions of rotation, the transmission arrangement has a first shift position in which a planet gear carrier is connected to a driven gear and the single ring gear of the planetary gear set is connected to a stationary housing. In a second shift position, the ring gear is connected to the driven gear and the planet gear carrier is connected to the housing. This arrangement requires two sliding sleeves and corresponding synchronizing couplings.