This invention is directed to provision of high-performance inertial sensor that can sustain SNR even in an environment where vibration disturbance exists. A vibration type inertial sensor comprises: two deadweights (2, 3); means (C1, C2, C3, C4, +vd, −vd) for displacing the two dead weights in the anti-phase; two sets of electrodes (C5, C6, C7, C8) for detecting, as capacitance changes, the displacements of the two dead weights; and a C/V converting unit (53) for converting the capacitance changes of the electrodes to electric signals. In the vibration type inertial sensor, a set of electrodes (e.g., C5 and C8), which exhibit an increased electrostatic capacitance therebetween in the case where the two dead weights (2, 3) are displaced in the anti-phase, are electrically connected to each other, and a set of electrodes (e.g., C6 and C7), which exhibit a reduced electrostatic capacitance therebetween in the foregoing case, are electrically connected to each other, and further these sets of electrodes are connected to the C/V converting unit (53).

Well known types of angular rate sensors (gyro sensors) include: mechanical type sensors that utilize the precession of a rotating body; optical type sensors that utilize changes in time to receive laser beams travelling within a rotating enclosure; and fluid type sensors that spray a sensing gas onto a heated wire in an enclosure and detecting the sprayed gas amount variations caused by rotation of the enclosure through temperature of the wire.
Recently, there is a soaring demand for angular rate sensors used for car navigation systems, a vehicle's antiskid brake systems, balance control systems for bipedal robots and mono-wheel vehicles and other systems to detect the orientation and the attitude of vehicles. Compared with the aforementioned types of sensors, inexpensive, light and compact vibration type angular rate sensors (Patent Literature 1) are going mainstream. The vibration type angular rate sensors are configured to, when an angular velocity is exerted on an oscillator vibrating in a predetermined reference direction, detect a new vibration component (hereinafter referred to as "angular velocity vibration component") based on a Coriolis force in a detecting direction orthogonal to the reference direction and output angular velocity information based on the detected vibration component.
In the case of a car navigation system, for example, a GPS (Global Positioning System), which monitors current location, can detect the macroscopic changes in a traveling direction of a vehicle, but cannot follow abrupt direction changes at an intersection or the like. To detect abrupt direction changes, some car navigation systems employ a method for detecting the turning movement of the vehicle in the form of angular velocity and tracing the angle of how much the vehicle has turned by using the values of the time integral of the angular velocity.
In the case of an antiskid brake system of a vehicle, as another example, a value (command value) obtained by a steering angle sensor installed in a steering wheel is compared with an output value (measured value) obtained by an angular rate sensor built in the antiskid brake system to determine whether the car is skidding. Based on the comparison results, the engine output and braking force of the respective four wheels are controlled so as to stop skidding.
In yet another example, balance control systems in mono-wheel vehicles and bipedal robots need to always control the balance of the vehicles and robots to prevent side toppling, side rolling and keep their proper attitude. The balance control system employs a method for controlling the balance with an angular rate sensor or an accelerometer as follows. When a vehicle or a robot is rotated or has the center of gravity shifted by wind, inclination, loads or other factors, the angular rate sensor or accelerometer measures the rotation or the displacement of the center of gravity to move the wheels toward the rotational direction or control an actuator positioned in the direction in which the center of gravity has shifted to generate larger force, thereby keeping the vehicle or robot in balance.
By the way, in the vibration type angular rate sensors, motion components of an oscillator in a detecting direction are not limited to Coriolis force derived from angular velocity. When the sensor is mounted in a vehicle, a robot or the like, unwanted acceleration components, such as sudden shock and vibrations caused by other factors than angular velocity, are often added to the sensor. Since such unwanted acceleration components, of course, appear as noise for angular velocity to be originally detected, it is needless to say that when the angular rate sensor is used to detect the orientation and attitude of a vehicle, the unwanted acceleration components directly cause deterioration of the detection accuracy. Patent Literature 2 and Patent Literature 3 disclose sensors having two dead weights (oscillators) combined so as to oscillate in anti-phase with each other in a reference vibration direction and outputting the difference between angular velocity vibration component waveforms of the respective sensors as a final angular velocity waveform. The oscillators oscillated in anti-phase produce anti-phase angular velocity oscillation components, but the aforementioned unwanted acceleration components appear as in-phase components. The in-phase acceleration components are offset by taking the differential waveform, and only the necessary angular velocity vibration components are left, thereby improving detection accuracy.


This invention relates to reconfigurable spatial light modulators (SLM) incorporating a scatter plate. Computer generated diffraction patterns or holograms may be loaded on the (SLM) either as a single frame or as a series of frames for observation by an observer. In a preferred embodiment both an electrically addressable spatial light modulator (EASLM) and an optically addressable spatial light modulator (OASLM) are used. The (OASLM) may be formed of several smaller (OASLMs) arranged in a matrix format. The faster (EASLM) forms a light pattern on sub-areas of the large (OASLM) in turn to give a large display. The scatter plate is arranged at the output of the (SLM) nearest an observer. This scatter plate has a known characteristic and serves to increase the field of view and/or reduce the number of pixels required to give a holographic or two dimensional displays. Prior to producing a display, the diffraction patterns, holograms, or image in the computer is modified to take account of the properties of the scatter plate; a modified computer generated diffraction pattern, hologram, or image is then displayed to an observer. The system may also be used for optical switching.

Re-configurable SLMs based on liquid crystal (and other types of) devices are widely used for controlling and manipulating optical beams. In diffractive mode they may be used for three dimensional (3D) imaging [BROWN, C V and STANLEY, M, UK Patent Application GB2330471, Production of Moving Images for Holography] and for routing optical signals in telecommunications networks [See for example ROSES (Re-configurable Optical Switches) website, http://www-g.eng.cam.ac.uk/photonics/rose1.html].
The SLM.modulates the complex amplitude of an incoming wave front (i.e. changes its phase and/or amplitude), which causes it to propagate in the desired manner. The SLM generally comprises a liquid crystal panel containing a number of individually addressed pixels, onto which a diffraction pattern or Computer Generated Hologram (CGH) is written [CAMERON, C D et al, SPIE Conference on Critical Technologies for the Future of Computing (San Diego, USA), July-August 2000, Computational Challenges of Emerging Novel True 3D Holographic Displays].
CGH 3D display systems typically use a computer to generate and/or store electronic copies of the hologram. This hologram is then replayed on an SLM which is switched to modulate (in transmission or reflection) light from a source which then passes through suitable replay optics, thereby providing a visible three-dimensional image to observers.
For many image generation applications, especially holographic 3D image generation, it is important to maximise the image size and/or the range of angles over which the image can be viewed. Conventionally, this is achieved by increasing the spatial frequency content of the hologram, which increases the achievable diffraction angle of the modulated beam and/or increasing the number of pixels in the SLM. In order to produce satisfactory images, SLMs containing of the order of 1010 pixels may be required. An increased spatial frequency is also desirable for many other applications utilising diffractive SLMs, such as optical switching.
HAINES and BRUM [Proceedings of the IEEE (Letters), p 1512-3, August 1967, A Technique for Bandwidth Reduction in Holographic Systems] proposed using a ground glass scatter plate as a means of enhancing the viewing angle without having to increase the spatial frequency content. The principle was successfully demonstrated using a conventional fixed, photographically recorded hologram of a point source hologram (note: the scatter plate is used in both the recording and re-construction stage). KOMAR [SPIE Vol 120, p 127, 1977, Progress on the Holographic Movie Process in the USSR] discussed the use of the scatter-plate technique as a means of producing holographic "movies" in which the viewing angle was big enough for a large audience to see the 3D images. He concluded that the technique caused unacceptable degradation in the image quality.
The main factor preventing the introduction of reconfigurable computer generated holograms (CGH) in many applications is the number of addressable, reconfigurable pixels required in such devices. This is particularly important in the area of 3D image generation.
To ensure adequate fields of view (FOV) and image sizes, conventional approaches typically need a CGH having a pixel count several orders of magnitude higher than that required to produce image resolutions that the human visual system can perceive. The simple relationFOV.I˜n λ/4  (1)(where n is the number of pixels across the display in the plane where the FOV is specified, I is image width, and λ is the wavelength of light generating the real image) shows that, for typical applications (e.g. FOV=±30°, I=0.05 m), ˜1010 pixels are required to be addressed. This number is enormous. Any method allowing a pixel count reduction, without significantly compromising perceived image qualities, will have great effect on the practicality of such systems.Statement of Invention.
The above problem of a very large pixel count is reduced, according to the present invention, by the use of a scatter plate of known feature composition together with a computer generated diffractive pattern or hologram calculated to pre-compensate for effect of the scatter plate.
According to this invention, a reconfigurable spatial light modulator system comprises:    a controller for holding a compensated pattern;    a first spatial light modulator having a plurality of addressable pixels controlled by the controller each pixel being capable of modulating incident light and collectively replicating the compensated pattern;    a scatter plate of known characteristics for scattering light from the first spatial light modulator;    optical means for directing light scattered by the scatter plate and presenting a pattern to a receiver;    the compensated pattern being related to both the scatter plate characteristics and to the pattern presented to the receiver.
The scatter plate may be a simple binary phase pseudo random diffuser and may have a number of pixels much greater than the number of pixels on the first SLM. Other formats may be used. For example multi level pseudo random devices and diffusers with periodic structures.
The first spatial light modulator may be an electrically addressable liquid crystal spatial light modulator (EASLM) operable either in transmissive or reflective mode.
The optical means may be a lens system, e.g. a Fourier Transforming lens.
The system may include a second SLM which receives modulated light from the first SLM; the scatter plate 5 is associated with the second SLM in such systems. This second SLM may be optically addressable (OASLM) having substantially the same or different number of addressable pixels as the first SLM, and may be of greater dimensions to give a magnified image or smaller dimensions to provide increased spatial frequency. Alternatively, the second SLM may be formed by a number of individual OASLMs arranged in a x,y matrix or tiled configuration. When the second SLM has a tiled configuration, then scanning means are included for directing scattered light to different tiled areas in turn.
The controller may be a computer having memory for storing basic images and calculating means for providing compensated pattern from basic images to take account of scattering by the scatter plate. The basic images may be obtained by scanning of actual objects, in a manner analogous to forming holographic images in film material, conventional holography as in U.S. Pat. No. 6,078,392, direct to digital holography, or by calculation as in computer aided design (CAD) processes. Alternatively the computer may have a memory unit for storing images previously processed elsewhere, and then read out into the SLM as required.
The system may display holographic images directly to one or more observers. Alternatively, the system may further include a receiver, which may be an array of detector elements, a bundle of optical fibres, a screen onto which an image is projected for observation by one or more observers. The light source may be ambient light, or light from a single or multiple light sources such as one or more optical fibres or lasers.
According to this invention a method of providing a holographic image to an observer includes the steps of:    providing a holographic engine for storing a computer generated hologram pattern of an image to be displayed    providing a spatial light modulator having a large number of addressable pixels each capable modulating light under the control of the engine    controlling the spatial light modulator so that the observer receives a holographic image;Characterised By    providing a light scattering plate of known characteristics to modify light from the spatial light modulator;    calculating and providing a compensated computer generated hologram pattern of an image to compensate for the known characteristics of the scattering plate so that an observer receives a holographic image.
The compensated CGH pattern may be calculated using direct binary search algorithm.
According to another aspect of this invention a method of increasing the range of diffraction angles from a computer designed diffraction structure includes the steps of:    providing a holographic engine for storing a computer generated pattern of a structure to be displayed;    providing a spatial light modulator having a large number of addressable pixels each capable of modulating light under the control of the engine;Characterised By    providing a light scattering plate of known characteristics to modify light from the spatial light modulator;    calculating and providing a compensated computer generated hologram pattern of a diffractive structure to compensate for the known characteristics of the scattering plate so that an increased range of diffraction angles are obtained.


A multi-member Bluetooth device for communicating data with a remote Bluetooth device is disclosed including: a main Bluetooth circuit and an auxiliary Bluetooth circuit. In the period during which the auxiliary Bluetooth circuit operates at a relay mode, the main Bluetooth circuit receives packets transmitted from the remote Bluetooth device, and the auxiliary Bluetooth circuit does not sniff packets transmitted from the remote Bluetooth device. But the auxiliary Bluetooth circuit switches from the relay mode to a sniffing mode if the data type of packets transmitted from the remote Bluetooth device changes. In the period during which the auxiliary Bluetooth circuit operates at the sniffing mode, the auxiliary Bluetooth circuit sniffs packets issued from the remote Bluetooth device while the main Bluetooth circuit receives packets transmitted from the remote Bluetooth device.

The disclosure generally relates to a Bluetooth technology and, more particularly, to a multi-member Bluetooth device capable of adaptively switching operation mode in response to data type change of received packets.
A multi-member Bluetooth device is a Bluetooth device formed by multiple Bluetooth circuits cooperating with each other, such as, a pair of Bluetooth earphones, a set of Bluetooth speakers, or the like. When the multi-member Bluetooth device connects to another Bluetooth device (hereinafter referred to as a remote Bluetooth device), the remote Bluetooth device treats the multi-member Bluetooth device as a single Bluetooth device. The conventional multi-member Bluetooth device configures one of member circuits to be a main Bluetooth circuit for conducting a bidirectional data transmission with the remote Bluetooth device, and configures other member circuits to be auxiliary Bluetooth circuits.
In practical applications, the data type of packets transmitted from the remote Bluetooth device to the multi-member Bluetooth device may change as the operation scenario changes. For example, when the remote Bluetooth device utilizes the multi-member Bluetooth device to playback video data, the packets transmitted from the remote Bluetooth device to the multi-member Bluetooth device are usually multimedia data with a sequence number. However, when the remote Bluetooth device transmits data required for updating the firmware or versions of programs to the multi-member Bluetooth device, the packets transmitted from the remote Bluetooth device to the multi-member Bluetooth device are usually non-multimedia data without having sequence numbers, such as, program data, update modules, or the like.
When the data type of the packets issued from the remote Bluetooth device changes, if the cooperation between the main Bluetooth circuit and the auxiliary Bluetooth circuit does not adjust adaptively, it may easily degrade the overall operating performance of the multi-member Bluetooth device, reduce the standby time of the multi-member Bluetooth device, cause inconvenience in the usage, or even unable to complete specific operation (e.g., firmware update).

Multi-member bluetooth device capable of adaptively switching operation mode in response to data type change of received packets


A method for implementing a memory. The memory is implemented as a directory structure comprising a tree-shaped hierarchy having nodes at several different levels, wherein an individual node can be (i) a trie node comprising an array wherein an individual element may contain the address of a lower node in the tree-shaped hierarchy and wherein an individual element may also be empty, the number of elements in the array corresponding to a power of two, or (ii) a bucket containing at least one element so that the type of an individual element in the bucket is selected from a group including a data unit, a pointer to a stored data unit, a pointer to another directory structure and another directory structure. To optimize storage space occupancy and memory efficiency, trie nodes are maintained in the directory structure in such a way that (1) in a trie node, the number of empty elements is smaller than or equal to half the number of elements in said node or alternatively the number of elements pointing to other trie nodes is greater than a fourth of the number of elements in the node, and (2) the number of addresses in the trie node pointing to other trie nodes is smaller than or equal to half the number of elements in the node, wherein when condition (1) is false the node is halved and when condition (2) is false the node is duplicated. This method also relates to a structure in which buckets are not employed.

The present invention generally relates to implementation of an associative memory, particularly to implementation of an associative memory based on a digital trie structure. The solution in accordance with the invention is intended for use primarily in connection with central memory databases. Suitable applications particularly include databases in which a large number of retrievals are made but in which there are only a small number of insertions or deletions compared to retrievals. Such applications include home location registers (HLR) in mobile communications networks and geographical information systems (GIS) used in map applications.
The prior art unidimensional directory structure termed digital trie (the word xe2x80x9ctriexe2x80x9d is derived from the English word xe2x80x9cretrievalxe2x80x9d) is the underlying basis of the principle of the present invention. Digital tries can be implemented in two types: bucket tries, and tries having no buckets.
A digital bucket trie structure is a tree-shaped structure composed of two types of nodes: buckets and trie nodes. A bucket is a data structure containing a number of data units or a number of pointers to data units or a number of search key/pointer pairs (the number may include only one data unit, one pointer or one key/pointer pair). A trie node, on the other hand, is an array guiding the retrieval, having a size of two by the power of k (2k) elements. If an element in a trie node is in use, it refers either to a trie node at the next level in the directory tree or to a bucket. In other cases, the element is free (empty).
Search in the database proceeds by examining the search key (which in the case of a subscriber database in a mobile telephone network or a telephone exchange, for instance, is typically the binary numeral corresponding to the telephone number of the subscriber) k bits at a time. The bits to be searched are selected in such a way that at the root level of the structure (in the first trie node), k leftmost bits are searched; at the second level of the structure, k bits next to the leftmost bits are searched, etc. The bits to be searched are interpreted as an unsigned binary integer that is employed directly to index the element array contained in the trie node, the index indicating a given element in the array. If the element indicated by the index is free, the search will terminate as unsuccessful. If the element refers to a trie node at the next level, k next bits extracted from the search key are searched at that level in the manner described above. As a result of comparison, the routine branches off in the trie node either to a trie node at the next level or to a bucket. If the element refers to a bucket containing a key, the key stored therein is compared with the search key. The entire search key is thus compared only after the search has encountered a bucket. Where the keys are equal, the search is successful, and the desired data unit is obtained at the storage address indicated by the pointer of the bucket. Where the keys differ, the search terminates as unsuccessful.
A bucketless trie structure has no buckets, but reference to a data unit is effected from a trie node at the lowest level of a tree-shaped hierarchy, called a leaf node. Unlike buckets, the leaf nodes in a bucketless structure cannot contain data units but only pointers to data units. Also a bucket structure has leaf nodes, and hence trie nodes containing at least one pointer to a bucket (bucket structure) or to a data unit (bucketless structure) are leaf nodes. The other nodes in the trie are internal nodes. Trie nodes may thus be either internal nodes or leaf nodes. By means of buckets, the need for reorganizing the directory structure can be postponed, as a large number of pointers/data units can be accommodated in the buckets until a time when the need for reorganization arises.
The solution in accordance with the invention can be applied to a bucket structure as well as a bucketless structure. In the following, bucket structures will nevertheless be used as examples.
FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a digital trie structure in which the key has a length of 4 bits and k=2, and thus each trie node has 22=4 elements, and two bits extracted from the key are searched at each level. Buckets are denoted with references A, B, C, D . . . H . . . M, N, O and P. Thus a bucket is a node that does not point to a lower level in the tree. Trie nodes are denoted with references IN1 . . . IN5 and elements in the trie node with reference NE in FIG. 1.
In the exemplary case of FIG. 1, the search keys for the buckets shown are as follows: A=0000, B=0001, C=0010, . . . , H=0111, . . . and P=1111. In this case, a pointer is stored in each bucket to that storage location in the database SD at which the actual data, e.g. the telephone number of the pertinent subscriber and other information relating to that subscriber, is to be found. The actual subscriber data may be stored in the database for instance as a sequential file of the type shown in the figure. The search is performed on the basis of the search key of record H, for example, by first extracting from the search key the two leftmost bits (01) and interpreting them, which delivers the second element of node IN1, containing a pointer to node IN3 at the next level. At this level, the two next bits (11) are extracted from the search key, thus yielding the fourth element of that node, pointing to record H.
Instead of a pointer, a bucket may contain (besides a search key) an actual data file (also called by the more generic term data unit). Thus for example the data relating to subscriber A (FIG. 1) may be located in bucket A, the data relating to subscriber B in bucket B, etc. Thus in the first embodiment of an associative memory, a key-pointer pair is stored in the bucket, and in the second embodiment a key and actual data are stored, even though the key is not indispensable.
The search key may also be multidimensional. In other words, it may comprise a number of attributes (for example the family name and one or more forenames of a subscriber). Such a multidimensional trie structure is disclosed in international application No. PCT/FI95/00319 (published under number WO 95/34155). In said structure, address computation is performed in such a way that a given predetermined number of bits at a time is selected from each dimension independently of the other dimensions. Hence, a fixed limit independent of the other dimensions is set for each dimension in any individual node of the trie structure, by predetermining the number of search key bits to be searched in each dimension. With such a structure, the need for memory circuit requirement can be curbed when the distribution of the values of the search keys is known in advance, in which case the structure can be implemented in a static form.
Often, however, the situation is such that the distribution of the search key values is not known in advance. In such a case, the structure disclosed in the above patent application will not give an optimum result in view of storage space occupancy, as the number of bits to be searched in each dimension is a predetermined constant.
If the possibility of reorganizing the structure in accordance with the current key distribution to be optimal in terms of efficiency and storage space occupancy is desired, the size of the nodes must vary dynamically as the key distribution changes. When the key distribution is uniform, the node size may be increased to make the structure flatter. On the other hand, with non-uniform key distributions in connection with which storage space occupancy will present a problem in memory structures employing dynamic node size, the node size can be maintained small, which will enable locally a more uniform key distribution and thereby smaller storage space occupancy.
With dynamic changing of node size, however, a problem will be presented by the fact how the structure of the memory is to be maintained to optimize the memory efficiency (speed) and storage space requirement in accordance with the current key distribution.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a solution to the above problem and to provide a method wherewith the required memory space can be maintained as small as possible when the distribution of the search key values is not known in advance, and wherewith the memory operations and memory management can at the same time be maintained as efficient as possible.
This objective is achieved with solutions defined in the independent claims. The first of these discloses a structure employing buckets and the second a structure not employing buckets.
The idea of the invention is first of all to use in address computation the above-stated principle, in accordance with which the number of bits searched in the nodes (node size) is changed dynamically, and thus the tree-shaped structure is changed in accordance with the current key distribution. Additionally, the idea is to incorporate into such a structure maintenance of trie node size (or internal node size in a bucketless case) to be implemented on certain logical conditions, and this is mainly effected by maintaining the fill rates of the trie nodes (internal nodes) and the number of pointers pointing to other trie nodes (internal nodes) at an optimum level. On account of the maintenance, the memory structure of the invention is automatically adapted to the current key distribution so that the above objects are achieved.
The solution in accordance with the invention also ensures effective performance of set operations, as the structure is an order-preserving digital trie.

Method for implementing an associative memory based on a digital trie structure


An oxygen sensor includes a sensing element detecting an oxygen concentration in a measurement gas that flows in a pipe, a cylindrical protector which covers an outside of the sensing element and whose top end portion projects toward an inside of the pipe. An outside diameter D of the protector and a projection amount L of the protector inside the pipe are set so that a ratio of the product of the outside diameter D and the projection amount L (D×L) to a cross-sectional area S of a flow passage of the pipe becomes substantially smaller than or equal to 2.5%.

The present invention relates to an oxygen sensor which detects oxygen concentrations in measurement gas that flows in a pipe.
In recent years, there have been proposed and developed various oxygen sensors, and one oxygen sensor has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 11-337513 (hereinafter is referred to as "JP11-337513"). In JP11-337513, an outside of a sensing element is covered with a protector, and this sensing element is inserted into an exhaust pipe with the sensing element covered in the protector. Then, these sensing element and protector are fixed to an inside of exhaust pipe such that exhaust gas flows into the protector from an inflow hole and touches the sensing element.


The invention features a method of playing a card game using a deck of numbered cards. Each player is dealt a predetermined number of cards, so that each player possesses a card set, or “hand” of cards. The remaining cards form a draw pile, and one card from the draw pile is turned face up to start a separate discard pile. The object of the game is for each player to remove cards from its card set by discarding a card that is either a multiple or a divisor of a card shown on the top of a common discard pile.

Games are primarily for amusement of adults and children. For those games having more than one participant, the amusement factor is based on a combination of social interaction and the competitive element required to play a game. Because card games are interesting, exciting, and even challenging, they are often able to hold and maintain the attention of players for hours at a time. Beyond simply the pure enjoyment of card games, card games provide an opportunity for people to join together in fun and fellowship. Although many well-known card games are played by great numbers of people today, one finds that many of the card games commercially available today are designed around like and similar concepts. Put simply, many commercially available card games are very much alike and do not provide for stimulating and entertaining gaming. There is and continues to be a need for more exciting, challenging and entertaining card games.
Common card games include poker, hearts, bridge, and rummy. The principle mechanics or method of any game is based on: 1) preliminary general information about the subject of the game and game hardware, including alternative formats or modes of playing the game, and objects, equipment, or media required for playing the game (e.g., cards, dice, chips, tokens, game board, number or object spinner, computer, etc.), required number of players, typical time duration of play; 2) a detailed set of rules and step-by-step procedures specifying a competition, including the permissible actions of and information available to each participant; 3) the criteria for ending the game, typically based on completion of specific tasks, an accumulation of a pre-set number of points, or attainment of a score. Often, game mechanics include information relating to the probabilities with which chance events may occur, since an important property of nearly every game involves the occurrence of chance or random events. A mathematical game indicates that the mechanics is based on utilizing mathematical operations, such as multiplication and/or division of numbers for completing specific tasks.


A blanket having one pocket permanently attached to the top planar surface along one elongated edge thereof and a plurality of additional pockets permanently attached to either the top or bottom planar surface, each along one an elongated edge thereof such that only one pocket is present along any elongated edge, the inside surfaces of the pockets consisting of different fabric patterns from each other, and which pockets are shaped and dimensioned such that when one of the pockets is turned inside out the remainder of the blanket can be folded, rolled and tucked into the pocket to convert the blanket into a pillow.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a blanket that converts into a pillow.
2. Background of the Invention
Compact storage of blankets and pillows has been attained through many different methods. Most such devices use either a separate cover or bag in which the folded blanket can be place. The use of such means makes it easy for the user to misplace the cover or bag. Other known means for converting a blanket to a pillow require the use of zippers, drawstrings, snaps, or other such means to retain the blanket in its pillow form. However, the blanket may lose some of its comfort through the use of means such as bulky zippers and snaps. Further, these means can detract from the decorative nature of the converted blankets.
The purpose of this invention is to provide a blanket that can convert into a pillow without the need for additional covers or the use of hard or bulky fasteners. Additionally, the invention provides the user with multiple decorative options, which is not present in the known art.
One convertible comforter in the known art is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,457,829 to Elliot. This substantially rectangular comforter is quilted and includes a pocket 16 formed from a substantially rectangular piece of unquilted material fixed to the front side of the comforter 12 at the center of the shorter edge 13. The comforter converts by turning the pocket 16 inside out and folding, rolling and tucking the remainder of the comforter into the inverted pocket. This comforter provides the user with only a single option with regard to the decorative look of the comforter in its pillow form. Therefore, there still exists a need for an easily convertible comforter that provides multiple decorative options to the user.


An optical transmission network is disclosed that classifies digital broadcast channel data according to virtual channel connection (VCC) before transmission. In the optical transmission network, an optical signal receiver converts an optical signal from an optical line terminal (OLT) into an ATM cell that is classified according to the VCC. A VCC-based ATM cell classifier detects header information and a payload part from the classified ATM cell of each VCC. PID analyzers receive a payload part of an ATM cell corresponding to one VCC from the VCC-based ATM cell classifier, extract PID of each broadcast channel from digital broadcast channel data included in the payload part, and output specific broadcast channel data in the broadcast channel data included in the payload part. A switch receives broadcast channel data output from the PID analyzers and switches the received broadcast channel data to a broadcast channel desired by each subscriber. The controller updates broadcast channel information by receiving header information of the classified ATM cell of each VCC from the VCC-based ATM cell classifier, receives the broadcast channel desired by the subscriber, and controls the PID analyzers to output the desired broadcast channel according to VCC information with the desired broadcast channel included therein so that the output broadcast channel is matched to the subscriber.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a broadcasting service using an optical transmission network, and in particular, to a broadcasting service using an ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) optical transmission network.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional digital broadcasting services may deliver broadcast data to a plurality of subscribers using an optical transmission network.
A conventional analog broadcasting service delivers all the channel data to a subscriber, and the subscriber then selects a desired channel through a TV receiver or a set-top box to receive a broadcasting service. However, unlike the analog broadcasting service, the digital broadcasting service cannot transmit all the channel information to the subscriber so that he or she can select a desired channel. This is because in the digital broadcasting service, each channel is required to be transmitted at about 20 Mbps for HD (High Definition) TV and at about 3 to 6 Mbps even for SD (Standard Definition) TV. Therefore, as the number of the channels is increased, the transmission to the subscriber would require a rate of several hundreds or higher of Mbps. Therefore, it is not practical or possible to deliver all the channel information to the subscriber.
Accordingly, the digital broadcasting service receives channel information desired by a subscriber from an optical line terminal (OLT) or an optical network unit (ONU) and transmits only his or her desired channel data to the subscriber.
In this arrangement, switching between a digital broadcast channel and a subscriber for connecting the digital broadcast channel to the subscriber becomes important.
FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a conventional optical transmission network for a digital broadcasting service. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the conventional optical transmission network includes an optical line terminal (OLT) 11 for electro-optic converting digital broadcast data provided from a broadcasting service provider. The converted digital broadcast data are grouped into one optical signal to provide a digital broadcasting service to a subscriber 13. An optical network unit (ONU) 12 is used to deliver information from the OLT 11 to the subscriber 13. An optical cable connects the OLT 11 to the ONU 12.
The ONU 12 includes an SDH (Synchronous Digital Hierarchy)-to-ATM processor 103 for converting an optical signal including digital broadcast data received from the OLT 11 into an electric signal in an ATM format, an ATM cell classifier 104 for classifying digital broadcast data according to channels, a broadcast channel information processor 101 for processing broadcast channel information provided from the OLT 11, a controller 102 for controlling each element, and a switch 105 for switching the classified digital broadcast data of each channel to each subscriber.
In operation, each of several broadcasting service providers transmits digital broadcast data to the OLT 11 via each virtual channel connection (VCC). The VCC refers to a communication channel on a virtual path (VP) which is a path obtained by grouping several strands of channels into a sheaf. The OLT 11 converts the digital broadcast data into SDH-formatted optical signal, and transmits the SDH-formatted optical signal to the ONU 12. In the ONU 12, the SDH-to-ATM processor 103 converts the SDH-formatted digital broadcast data transmitted by the OLT 11 into an ATM-formatted digital broadcast data. The ATM-formatted digital broadcast data is classified by the ATM cell classifier 104 into digital broadcast data from each channel. The digital broadcast data from each channel is applied to the switch 105 and then switched to the subscriber 13 at the request of the subscriber 13. The digital broadcast data classified into ATM cell does not include broadcast channel information for corresponding digital broadcasting, and a broadcast channel information processor 101 is included to process such broadcast channel information.
The broadcast channel information is delivered from the OLT 11 through a separate line. The broadcast channel information delivered to the broadcast channel information processor 101 also includes broadcasting station information corresponding to a program ID (PID) contained in digital broadcast data. In this manner, it is possible to update a channel that is added, changed and deleted optionally by the OLT 11 or the broadcasting service provider.
However, the conventional method has the following two problems.
First, an increase in the number of digital broadcast channels increases the number of output channels of the ATM cell classifier 104 that classifies digital broadcast data according to broadcast channels. This means that the switch 105 must switch the increased number of channels. In general, a high-capacity switch having a large number of inputs and outputs is complicated in operation and expensive in cost. In addition, if the number of channels is increased beyond the available capacity of the switch 105, the switch 105 must be replaced with a new one, causing a service problem.
Second, in the conventional optical transmission network for digital broadcasting, each ONU has PID information for digital broadcast data of each channel through Ethernet, and the changed digital broadcast channel information is artificially updated from the OLT 11 to the ONU 12 during addition or deletion of a digital broadcast channel and rearrangement of a broadcast channel. However, during addition of a new digital broadcast channel or deletion of an existing digital broadcast channel and/or rearrangement of a broadcast channel, the changed digital broadcast channel information is artificially provided from the OLT 11 to the ONU 12. Thus, during addition of a new digital broadcast channel or deletion of an existing digital broadcast channel and/or rearrangement of a broadcast channel, the subscriber 13 may fail to receive information about the change unless the information is artificially updated to the ONU 12. In addition, the broadcast channel information is transmitted through a separate line, requiring additional hardware (e.g., line).

Apparatus and method for switching broadcast channel using VCC information

Maetan-Dong, Yeong Tong-Gu, Suwon-Si, Gyeonggi-Do


A vehicle geometry for rollover crush resistance is created by determining a center of mass providing a roll axis and establishing a roof line contact surface spaced from the center of mass by a hoop radius substantially equal to a major radius of roll contact from the roll axis. As a first embodiment, the roof line contact surface is established in original designs for vehicles as a monocoque structure. As a second embodiment, provided as an original equipment manufacture (OEM) item or retrofit structural assembly, an arcuate member shaped as a byte of the hoop radius is employed and is mounted between two side rails with additional structural supports for the arcuate member on a nominally flat roofline.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to vehicle rollover protection. In particular, the invention relates specifically to a roof geometry for increased rollover crush resistance and a structure for integration or retrofit in vehicles to provide an enhanced structural capability for the protective geometry.
2. Description of Prior Art
Rollovers have been and continue to be a significant cause of occupant fatalities and serious injuries. When a vehicle rolls over the laws of physics induce the roll about a longitudinal roll axis which passes through the center of mass of the vehicle. As the vehicle rolls, it touches down on each corner of the vehicle when viewed from the front as in FIGS. 1A and 1B. A vehicle like a sport utility vehicle (SUV) 2 shown in FIG. 1A and a passenger car 3 shown in FIG. 1B have different aspect ratios and therefore the roll radius 5 to the corners varies considerably. The radius from the Center of Mass (CoM) also varies to the various surfaces of each vehicle and is usually shorter to the top of the vehicle, represented by radius 6, than to the corners created by the sides and roof line, represented by radius 7.
The sequence of a rollover involves the vehicle moving laterally in the direction of travel, tipping towards the ground and contacting the roof rail on the near side (the first side to contact) and then contacting the second or far side roof, then the far side wheels, before continuing around to the near side wheels. The near side contact usually produces forces oriented into the near side pillars, limiting the extent of their deformation. The far side forces are typically more lateral and therefore more easily bend the pillars. Between the first near side contact at maximum radius, the flat of the roof can contact the ground. The CG falls towards the ground before being forced to rise as the far side corner with the larger radius rolls over the ground. If the roof is strong enough it does raise the CG, but if not, it collapses. The difference between the radii to the flat and the corner is a measure of the aggressivity of the structure.
Prior art rollover protection structures such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,662,177 issued to Notestine et al on Nov. 23, 1971 or 4,900,058 issued to Hobrecht on Feb. 13, 1990 which are designed for aftermarket retrofit on vehicles which may be more subject to rollover conditions such as four wheel drive vehicles, sport utility vehicles or pickup trucks employ geometric designs that require significant vertical structural elements that intrude into the cabin or usable space in the vehicle interior or must be affixed outside the normal outline of the vehicle to achieve the necessary support as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,338,112 issued to Gilliland on Mar. 4, 2008.
It is therefore desirable to maintain the rolling radius from the corner and across the flat which significantly reduces far side deformation. Additionally, it is desirable to support the roof at the major radius with a strongly cord supported bow, to transfer loads from side to side bringing the strength of pillars on both sides into play for each roof rail contact.

Vehicle rollover protection roof geometry and structure

Safety Engineering International, L.L.C.


A solid ink stick loader verifies position and orientation of an ink stick prior to an ink stick identification operation. The solid ink stick loader includes an identification code detector located proximate an ink stick insertion area, the identification code detector being oriented to obtain an identification code positioned on the ink stick in a predetermined location, a first displaceable member located proximate the ink stick insertion area, the first displaceable member being movable between a first position and a second position, a second displaceable member located proximate the ink stick insertion area, the second displaceable member being movable between a third position and a fourth position, and a sensor coupled to at least one of the first displaceable member and the second displaceable member to generate a verification signal in response to the ink stick being in a position and orientation in the ink stick insertion area that enables the identification code detector to obtain the identification code from the ink stick, the sensor being coupled to the identification code detector to provide the verification signal to the identification code detector and enable the identification code detector to obtain the identification code from the ink stick.

Solid ink or phase change ink imaging devices, hereafter called solid ink printers, encompass various imaging devices, such as printers and multi-function devices. These printers offer many advantages over other types of image generating devices, such as laser and aqueous inkjet imaging devices. Solid ink or phase change ink printers conventionally receive ink in a solid form, either as pellets or as ink sticks. A color printer typically uses four colors of ink (yellow, cyan, magenta, and black). The solid ink pellets or ink sticks, hereafter referred to as ink, sticks, or ink sticks, are delivered to a melting device, which is typically coupled to an ink loader, for conversion of the solid ink to a liquid. A typical ink loader includes multiple feed channels, one for each color of ink used in the imaging device. Each feed channel directs the solid ink within the channel towards a melting device located at the end of the channel. Each melting device receives solid ink from the feed channel to which the melting device is connected and heats the solid ink impinging on it to convert the solid ink into liquid ink that is delivered to a print head for jetting onto a recording medium or intermediate transfer surface.
Each feed channel may have a corresponding insertion opening to receive solid ink sticks. Alternatively, a solid ink jet printer may have a common insertion port in which solid ink sticks are loaded and then delivered to the channel that corresponds to the loaded ink stick. In both types of loading systems, the ink stick may be identified by detecting encoded indicia on the stick and comparing the detected data to data stored in the printer. The stored data identifies the ink sticks that are configured for use in the printer and the color of the ink sticks. Only if the detected data corresponds to the stored data is an ink stick accepted by the printer or released from the insertion opening or port to a feed channel in the printer.
In printers having an insertion opening for each feed channel, keyed openings may be placed over the insertion ports to help ensure a printer user properly places and orients ink sticks of the correct color or series in a feed channel. To accomplish this goal, each keyed opening has a unique shape. The ink sticks of the color corresponding to a particular feed channel have a shape corresponding to the shape of the keyed opening. The keyed openings and corresponding ink stick shapes exclude from each ink feed channel ink sticks of all colors except the ink sticks of the proper color for the feed channel. Unique keying shapes for other factors are also employed in keyed openings to exclude from a feed channel ink sticks that are formulated or intended for other printer models.
As the number of pages printed per minute increases for solid ink printers so does the demand for ink in the printer. To supply larger amounts of ink to printers, the cross-sectional area of the feed channels may be increased. Consequently, the insertion openings for the channels and the keyed plates covering the openings are likewise enlarged. These larger openings enable smaller solid ink sticks to pass through without engaging the keyed plates over the openings. Thus, solid ink sticks that do not conform to the appropriate color for a feed channel can be loaded into the feed channel and delivered to the melting device at the end of the feed channel. Even if the smaller stick is the correct color for the feed channel, its size may impair the ability of the stick to cooperate with guiding structure within the feed channel. Likewise, as common insertion ports increase in size, ink stick not configured for use in the printer may be inserted in the port. As long as these sticks have an identification code that corresponds to a code stored in the memory of an identification code detector, these sticks may be used in the printer. Thus, ensuring insertion ports in a solid ink printer are loaded only with ink sticks configured for transport within the feed channel is a desirable goal.

System and method for verifying position of an object before identifying the object


A control box (11) for a dual-fuel internal-combustion engine (6) is actuated automatically by an oil-pressure switch (16) when activated by a manual switch (30) that directs power from a battery (29) or other engine-electrical component to a current distributor such as a 24-volt bus (49) for operating control-box components that include an under-current sensor (36) for preventing use of gaseous fuel in addition to liquid fuel under no-load and low-load conditions, an over-current sensor (39) for preventing use of gaseous fuel in addition to liquid fuel under excessive-load conditions, an intake-air sensor (17) for preventing use of gaseous fuel with liquid fuel when there is inadequate supply of air, a liquid-fuel-supply sensor (22) for preventing use of gaseous fuel with liquid fuel when there is inadequate supply of liquid fuel, and an exhaust-gas-temperature monitor (23) for shutting down dual-fuel mode when exhaust heat is excessive. Red LED lights (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46) warn of system faults. The engine does not shut down when one or more parameters fail. Professional resetting is required in order to alert operators of possible dangers when the system has been shut down from excessive exhaust-gas heat.

This invention relates to control and monitoring systems for dual-fuel engines.
Gaseous fuels such as various grades of natural gas and gaseous derivatives of various forms of hydrocarbons have been used in combination with liquid hydrocarbon fuels such as low-end hydrocarbons, commonly known as diesel or jet fuel, and high-end hydrocarbons, commonly known as gasoline, in compression-ignition engines particularly, and to some extent in electrical-ignition engines. Because of their gaseous state, the gaseous hydrocarbon fuels mix more thoroughly with air oxidizer and, therefore, combust more completely, faster and generally at higher temperatures than the liquid hydrocarbon fuels, even though their density of hydrocarbons is lower than for liquid hydrocarbon fuels. Additionally, the higher speed and completeness of combustion of the gaseous hydrocarbon fuels aids completeness and speed of combustion of the liquid hydrocarbon fuels. Results include (a) increased output power from relatively low-cost and globally more abundant gaseous hydrocarbon fuels, (b) increased power per consumption of the liquid hydrocarbon fuels, (c) lower exhaust pollution, and (d) conservation of less abundant liquid hydrocarbon fuels that generally cost more to produce.
Engine problems occur, however, in relation to control of dual-fuel systems. A major problem is the higher combustion heat related to the advantages of dual fuel. The control problems are preventable with sufficient monitoring and regulation of the particular engine functions, including ultimately terminating supply of the gaseous fuel without shutting off the engine in the event of higher combustion heat than supportable by a cooling system of the engine.
There are known means and methods for monitoring and controlling dual-fuel engines, but none with the effectiveness, reliability and low cost made possible by this invention.
Examples of different but related monitoring and control technologies for dual-fuel engines are described in the following patent documents. U.S. Pat. No. 5,890,459, issued to Hedrick, et al. on Apr. 6, 1999, described a dual-fuel engine having three separate injectors in diesel-engine cylinders for separately timed and controllably metered injection of diesel fuel and gaseous fuel. U.S. Pat. No. 5,370,097, issued to Davis on Dec. 6, 1994, described a dual-fuel control system and method having an actuation controller of gaseous and liquid fuel conveyed to an internal-combustion engine in response to a sensor of rotational speed and a sensor of exhaust temperature of the engine. U.S. Pat. No. 5,379,740, issued to Moore, et al. on Jan. 10, 1995, described a dual-fuel, pre-compression injection system and method for controlling flow of liquid and gaseous fuel through the same lines into an engine inlet manifold from separate tanks. U.S. Pat. No. 4,909,209, issued to Takahasi on Mar. 20, 1990, described injecting LP gas from an LP cylinder into a diesel-engine air inlet through an injector nozzle in response to minimum engine heat and rotational speed. U.S. Pat. No. 4,641,625, issued to Smith on Feb. 10, 1987, described a computerized control system for controlling injection rates of liquid and gaseous fuel to a dual-fuel engine. U.S. Pat. No. 4,619,240, issued to Bedford, et al. on Oct. 28, 1986, described control of dual-fuel injection rates by computerized control in response to pressure in a fuel line for primary fuel intermediate a fuel pump and an injector. U.S. Pat. No. 4,603,674, issued to Tanaka on Aug. 5, 1986, described control of rates of injection of gaseous and liquid fuels to a dual-fuel engine in computerized response to difference between actual engine speed and a predetermined rate of speed per rate of injection of a primary fuel. U.S. Pat. No. 4,597,364, issued to Young on Jul. 1, 1986, described timing injection of a gaseous fuel into cylinders that are next in line for combustion. U.S. Pat. No. 2,714,883, issued to Metzger on Aug. 9, 1955, described means for stopping a dual-fuel engine by shutting off all fuel in order to purge the engine as a result of failure of any one of a plurality of engine components or functions such as low oil pressure, excessive water-jacket temperature, excessive rotational speed and failure of air supply.

ITG Innovative Technology Group Corporation


A golf putter having a handle and a putter head, the putter head having formed on its bottom surface, three spherical supports for elevation of the putter head above the putting surface, there being formed in the bottom of the putter head, a recessed channel between the spherical supports to aid in the passage of irregularities and debris on the putting surface from the ball-striking surface to the trailing surface.

1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to an improved golf putter which improves the orientation of the club head when striking the golf ball so as to improve putting accuracy.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the prior art, there are many designs for golf putters which attempt to aid the golfer in the alignment of putts for better accuracy and for improving the manner in which the putter intracts with the golf ball during the putting stroke. There is, however, a need for a golf putter which performs the above-identified aids for the golfer, but also is capable of interacting with the putting surface so as to aid the golfer in moving the putter head in a straight line so as to improve putting accuracy.


A pseudo-random bit generator using at least one N-round Feistel construction that uses random functions. A block of data is permuted and divided into a stream word and a modification word. The stream word is used to build the pseudo-random bitstream. The modification word is used to modify a selected element of a random function used in a Feistel construction. When a single Feistel construction is used, its random functions are dynamically changed by the modification words as they are generated. When a plurality of Feistel constructions are used, the random functions of a selected inactive construction are modified by modification words generated by an active construction. When all of the elements of all of the functions of the inactive construction have been modified, the active and inactive functions are exchanged.

Unlike most modern public-key ciphers, whose security relates to some long-studied mathematical problem that is believed to be difficult to solve (e.g., the factoring or finding discrete logarithms of large integers), the security of most modern symmetric-key pseudo random bit generators (PRBG) do not relate to any widely-studied, hard-to-solve problems. Rather, known PRBGs (e.g., implemented as stream ciphers) are generally designed in an ad hoc fashion to resist known cryptanalytic attacks. As a consequence, the design, analysis and implementation of reliably secure PRBGs is regarded as exceptionally difficult, and is often regarded as more of an art than a science.
The lack of a system and method for developing efficient PRBGs whose reliability and security can be understood or expressed analytically has resulted in the deployment of PRBGs whose security properties have been discovered to be considerably weaker than expected. The discovery of a new weakness in a PRBG undermines security of systems in which it is used, and results in inconvenience and economic loss if the discovered weakness is severe enough to warrant replacing the cipher.
A more serious problem arises if the cipher's user is unaware of a weakness that has been discovered by a third party. This weakness may be exploited without the knowledge of the user to undermine the security of the user's systems for an indeterminate amount of time. This can lead to the unauthorized modification of information (such as the dollar amounts of transfers specified by electronic funds transfer (EFT) messages) and/or the disclosure of confidential and/or sensitive information to unauthorized third parties (e.g., the disclosure of a trade secret.) Such security compromises can cause significant damage to the user and to third parties who rely upon the security of the cipher indirectly (e.g., account holders at a bank that uses EFT protected by the cipher.)
A PRBG with known security properties would eliminate much of the uncertainty surrounding the cipher's security. This would substantially reduce the risk of discovering an unexpected weakness in the cipher, allowing users to rely upon it with more confidence. A cipher with security properties known to be strong would reduce the risk of unauthorized modification and/or compromise of confidential and/or sensitive information. Michael R. Garey and David S. Johnson, Computers and Intractability: A Guide to the Theory of NP-Completeness, Freeman, 1979.
Known PRBGs tend to be conceptually complex. They are often characterized by "magic" constants (i.e., apparently arbitrary constants that have a poorly understood effect on the security of the cipher), irregular structures, and awkward bit-level operations that are inefficient and expensive to implement on computers and/or in telecommunications systems. It is virtually impossible to mathematically comprehend the justifications for many of the various parameters in a typical cipher. These features of known PRBGs can lead a user to improperly implement the cipher in software and/or hardware. Improperly implementing even a single step in some ciphers can render them far less secure.
Cryptanalytic attacks against known PRBGs have often been successfully carried out using known mathematical techniques. For example, the linear feedback shift register algorithm can be compromised by the algebraic manipulation of a few bits of output. A PRBG that cannot be successfully attacked with known mathematical techniques would be more secure than many known PRBGs.
The goal of a PRBG is to provide a cryptographically secure sequence of bits (a "bitstream") that, when applied as a stream cipher, can be added to a cleartext to produce ciphertext and subtracted from the ciphertext to recover cleartext. Cryptographic PRBGs are also used to generate key material and other constants as part of more complex cryptographic protocols.
An ideal cryptographic bit generator is one in which there is no relationship between any one subset of bits in the bitstream and any other subset of bits in the bitstream. That is, the most efficient (compact) representation of the bitstream is simply a complete list of all the bits in the sequence. Such a bit generator is said to be unconditionally secure because knowing any subset of the generated bits does not provide sufficient information to predict the contents of any other subset of generated bits.
In practice, a mathematical function is used to generate a pseudo random stream of bits based upon a small number of bits that comprise the secret state of the generator (e.g., a seed). The most efficient stream generator functions suffer from the disadvantages of complexity and poorly understood security properties, as described above.
It is possible to use a block cipher construction to build a PRBG. One commonly used method is output feedback, in which the previous output of a block cipher is used to provide both the next input to the block cipher and the current stream output. Another known method is counter mode, in which an increasing counter is used as the input to the block cipher and the current stream output is simply the output of the block cipher.
The goal of a block cipher is to provide a reversible transformation on blocks of bits. More precisely, block ciphers are reversible pseudo random permutations that map each of the 2.sup.n possible inputs to a unique n-bit output value. An ideal block cipher would be a completely random permutation, i.e., the only possible representation of the transformation would be a list that completely maps each possible input to an output, and vice versa. This is called a "random function." An example of such a random function for three bit blocks (each of which was selected at random) is as follows:
______________________________________ INPUT 000 001 010 011 100 101 110 111 OUTPUT 010 111 000 110 100 001 011 101 ______________________________________
A truly random function is said to be unconditionally secure because there is no correlation between any one subset of mappings and any other, i.e., the most compact representation of the function is simply a list of all of its mappings of inputs to outputs. Truly random functions can be cumbersome to represent in computer-readable memory for practical block ciphers, and hence are often replaced with pseudo-random functions (PRF) that map inputs to outputs in an apparently random fashion in accordance with a prescribed method. For the most part, only the method (and not the complete listing) of a PRF need be stored in computer-readable memory, resulting in a more efficient implementation of the cipher. The drawback is that a PRF is not unconditionally secure.
A known block cipher is the Feistel construction. H. Feistel, "Cryptography and Computer Privacy." Scientific American, Vol. 228, 1973. The Feistel primitive is shown symbolically as follows:
______________________________________ X = A.vertline.B /*cleartext*/ A = A + f.sub.e B = B + A X = B.vertline.A /*ciphertext*/ ______________________________________
X=A.vertline.B indicates that block of data X has two concatenated halves A and B (".vertline." indicates concatenation). Entry f.sub.e of PRF f is added in this embodiment bitwise modulo-2 (represented by the "+" operator) to A. The result replaces A, which is then added to B modulo-2, resulting in a new value for B. The positions of A and B are switched and concatenated to form a permuted X=B.vertline.A. The primitive can repeated again any number of times using a different PRF each time. Each instance that the primitive is invoked is called a "round." An symbolic representation of a four round Feistel construction is as follows:
______________________________________ X = L.vertline.R /*cleartext*/ R = R + f.sub.1 (L) L = L + f.sub.2 (R) R = R + f.sub.3 (L) L = L + f.sub.4 (R) X = L.vertline.R /*ciphertext*/ ______________________________________
Here, f.sub.1, f.sub.2, f.sub.3 and f.sub.4 are secret pseudo random functions. For a four round, 2n-bit Feistel construction using four n-bit functions a 2n-bit block is divided into a right half R and a left half L in step 1. In step 2, the n-bit left half L of a 2n-bit block X is permuted with a pseudo random function f.sub.1 and added to the n-bit right half R of the block. The result becomes the new right half R. In step 3, the permuted right half R is permuted with another PRF f.sub.2 and added to left half L. The result becomes the new left half L. In step 4, the L is permuted with another PRF f.sub.3 and added to R, the result of which becomes the new R. In step 5, R is permuted with PRF f.sub.4 and added to L, the result of which becomes the new L. In step 6, an enciphered block X=L.vertline.R is obtained.
In order to decipher a block enciphered with the Feistel primitive, the order of the steps of the primitive are reversed and carried out on the enciphered block. This is shown for the Feistel primitive as follows:
______________________________________ X = B.vertline.A /*ciphertext*/ B = B + A A = A + PRF X = A.vertline.B /*cleartext*/ ______________________________________
In order to decipher blocks enciphered with multiple rounds, the rounds should be reversed in reverse order, the most recently used round first. In other words, if the primitive is applied in the sequence r1, r2, . . . , r5, the reverse primitive should be applied in the order r5, r4, . . . , r1 to decipher the block. This is shown as follows:
______________________________________ X = L.vertline.R /*ciphertext*/ L = L + f.sub.4 (R) R = R + f.sub.3 (L) L = L + f.sub.2 (L) R = R + f.sub.1 (L) X = L.vertline.R /*cleartext*/ ______________________________________
Luby and Rackoff showed that if the PRF in an at least four-round Feistel construction are themselves secure, then the resulting permutation is secure. M. Luby and C. Rackoff, "How to Construct Pseudo random Permutations from Pseudo random Functions." SIAM J., Comput., 17 (1988), 373-386. However, Luby and Rackoff provided no information on how to determine if an arbitrary PRF is in fact secure. Thus, a system and method that uses functions known to be secure in an at least four-round Feistel construction will produce permutations that are known to be secure.
The Feistel construction cipher is advantageous because its security (using at least 3 rounds, more preferably at least 4 rounds, and most preferably at least 6 rounds) is closely related to the difficulty of solving the Numerical Matching with Target Sums (NMTS) problem, an NP-Complete problem for which there are no known mathematical techniques to analytically solve. In other words, the only known way to compromise a Feistel construction cipher of three or more rounds is by brute force (e.g., trying all possibilities.)
The security of a stream cipher is partly determined by the period length of the secure bitstream. The bitstream period length is the number of blocks that can be generated before the sequence begins to repeat itself. When the sequence repeats itself, it can be cryptanalytically attacked using known methods. For a block size of 2n there are 2.sup.2 n different blocks, and thus a period length of 2.sup.2 n. The larger the block size, the longer the bitstream period length, and the more secure the PRBG stream cipher. Although increasing the block length increases the security of the bitstream, increasing block length also increases processing time and requires more computer-readable memory, reducing the efficiency of the stream cipher.
A better PRBG stream cipher would possess the advantage of having known security properties such as those disclosed by Luby and Rackoff for the Feistel construction, and be able to be efficiently and practically implemented on computers within the present state of the art.

System and method for constructing a cryptographic pseudo random bit generator


An accessory for attachment to a wheeled vehicle such as a bicycle includes a body portion and a mounting portion. The mounting portion has a V-shaped groove for receiving a wide range of shapes and sizes of frame tubing, wheel hubs, and the like. The groove has first and second portions separated by a notch to engage curved tubing with at least two contacts. A pair of cable ties secures the accessory to the tubing or the hub. A plurality of interchangeable mounting portions can be provided for mounting the accessory to the bicycle in different orientations. When a light is secured to a wheel, the accessory can be a battery holder secured to the hub on an opposite side of the hub from the light to offset weight of the light. The wheel can be balanced with proper radial positioning of the light and the battery holder.

Battery-powered accessories such as headlamps, tail lamps, and the like have been designed for use with bicycles since at least as early as 1900. Most battery-powered accessories designed for use with bicycles incorporate the battery and accessory in a single integrated unit such as a headlamp or tail lamp. In these specific applications, the integrated unit including the battery holder is generally designed for a specific mounting location on the bicycle (such as the handlebar for a headlamp), and as a result is generally designed for mounting only at that specific location. For example, handlebar-mounted, battery-operated headlamps are very common and typically incorporate a mount that can only be secured to a tube having a diameter in the limited range of 20 mm to 30 mm which are the typical diameters for bicycle handlebars. Furthermore, it is not possible to use the batteries in a typical integrated headlamp or tail lamp to power any separate device. Some bicycle accessories have separate battery holders that are mounted separate from the powered accessory—again most common are headlamps and tail lamps. Some of these separate battery holders are designed to mount to the frame tubing of the bicycle. These previous devices, however, are limited in where they can be mounted on the bicycle and/or the types of bicycles to which they can be mounted.
U.S. Pat. No. 559,801 to Hoffman, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein in its entirety by reference, shows a handlebar-mounted headlamp with a separate battery holder. The battery holder mounts using straps that are specifically designed for fitting the corner between the top tube and head tube of the bicycle frame. This was a convenient mounting location for a headlamp on a bicycle of that time. Today's bicycles feature a wide range of frame designs and geometries, such that this type of battery holder mount would not be assured to fit on all modern bicycles.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,439,430 to Lyhne, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein in its entirety by reference, shows a weatherproof battery holder for bicycles that clamps to a frame tube. The invention includes a metal mounting strap permanently attached to the device. The battery holder is generally round and is strapped to a generally round bicycle tube. No provision is described for preventing the holder from sliding or rotating or twisting out of place after being attached, which is an inherent problem of clamping two round (cylindrical) objects together parallel to each other. Also, no provision is described for attaching the holder to bicycle frame tubing of significantly different sizes.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,339,060 to Braida, Jr., the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein in its entirety by reference, shows a battery holder that clamps to a frame tube with a metal adjustable-length clamp. However, the portion of the holder that contacts the bicycle frame is curved to match what is described as a "typical" bicycle frame tube. This overcomes some of the mounting limitations of the Lyhne invention. However, modern bicycles have a wide range of frame tube sizes and shapes, so this battery holder will not fit many modern bicycle frame tubes as it must inherently be curved to fit a particular diameter of frame tube. The holder is also designed to hold a single large, square 6 volt lantern battery which is far too large to be mounted in many of the locations such as, for example, the hub of a wheel, between the rear wheel and the bicycle frame tube, on a rear stay, or on the handlebar.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,597,031 to Tsuyama, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein in its entirety by reference, shows a clamp with an integrated strap allowing a range of tubing sizes to be clamped. However, the strap must be long enough to accommodate the maximum tubing size to be attached, and this means when a significantly smaller tube is attached the excess strap will flap around or require bundling. Alternatively, the excess strap can be cut off, precluding any later re-attachment to a larger tube.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,572,249 to Bailey, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein in its entirety by reference, shows another type of integrated strap which is in common use today, and having similar limitations to the Tsuyama design. This strap also has a small size of contact area between the device and the mount, so it is only suitable for attachment of relatively small and light weight items.
U.S. Pat. No. 626,627 to Middlekauff, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein in its entirety by reference, shows a battery holder and lamp which connects to a bicycle with a clamp. The clamp is not well described, but appears to be a C-clamp. This type of clamp can only fit a limited range of tubing sizes (typically within 20% of the design size). Fitting additional smaller diameters requires an insert be placed between the tubing and the clamp. Fitting additional diameters larger than the design size is not possible with this type of clamp.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,736,921 to Zane, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein in its entirety by reference, shows a type of C-clamp which is commonly used today for bicycle accessories. This type of clamp requires screws and nuts to attach to the frame, which can be relatively expensive. Also, this type of clamp can only fit a limited range of tubing sizes. This attachment method is widely used despite its limitations. For example see U.S. Pat. No. 6,446,922 to hie and U.S. Pat. No. 6,431,422 to Moore, the disclosures of which are expressly incorporated herein in their entireties by reference, that show other uses of this type of clamp with a bicycle accessories.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,332,183 to Kagayama, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein in its entirety by reference, shows a style of clamp that is also common today for mounting headlamps with integrated batteries to a bicycle handlebar. This type of clamp, like the c-clamp discussed above is limited in the range of tube sizes to which it can be attached, and requires inserts to fit smaller tube sizes.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,568,838, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein in its entirety by reference, shows a handlebar-mounted light with a cam-locking clamp. This type of clamp is expensive and can't accommodate as wide a range of tube sizes.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,597,225 to Davis, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein in its entirety by reference, shows a battery holder designed to fit the water-bottle holder of a common bicycle. This is convenient for some applications, however it generally requires that the battery be nearly as large as a common bicycle water bottle and prevents free use of the water-bottle holder for holding water bottles. Water bottle holders are also present on most bicycles in only one or two locations, which may not be the desired location for a battery or other accessory—for example, this location may require a considerably longer wire to reach the powered device.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,286,982 to Tashiro and U.S. Patent Publication Number 2009/0261134 A1 to Tetsuka et al., the disclosures of which are expressly incorporated herein in their entireties by reference, show battery holders that mount to bolt holes in the bicycle frame. Thus the mounting location is limited to available bolt holes in the frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,135,229 to Modurkay, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein in its entirety by reference, shows a bicycle wheel light with hub-mounted battery holder. The round battery holder is strapped to the round hub in a way which does not fix the battery holder from rotating and sliding around.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,305 to Deed, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein in its entirety by reference, shows a bicycle wheel light with hub-mounted battery holder. The battery holder is of a clamp-on type so it can only be secured to a limited range of hub diameters.
While these prior accessory mounts may be effective at mounting to a specific location of a specific bicycle, they are not effective at attaching accessories to a wide range of different diameters and shapes of components of a wide variety of different bicycle frames and wheels. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved bicycle accessory mount.

Universal mount battery holder for bicycles


The present disclosure relates to methods, apparatus or systems for inciting a user consuming an immersive content to rotate the immersive rendering device in the direction of a region of interest. According to the present principles, an object representative of a character is inserted in the field of view of the user. The character is computed in a way it looks in the direction of the region of interest from its location in the immersive content. In addition, face and body attitude of the character may reflect an emotion that is associated with the region of interest, for example scare, happiness or interest. The user will naturally be incited at looking in the direction indicated by the inserted character.

An immersive content item is a content item that is made to be displayed around a user, so that the user has the feeling to be in the middle of the content. Immersive content may be a three-dimensional computer graphic imagery content (3D CGI), a volumetric video or a video mapped to a three-dimensional convex surface such as a sphere, a cube or a cylinder. Besides, a large two-dimension image of which the user could only see a part, by the means of a cropping for example, is also an immersive content; the user has to control the rendering device in order to see a not actually displayed part of the content.
Immersive content items are rendered by immersive rendering devices. For example, Head-Mounted Displays (HMD) are display devices, worn on the head or as part of a helmet, that have a small display optic in front of one eye (monocular HMD) or each eye (binocular HMD). They are advantageously adapted to consume immersive content items. In such a device, only a part of the video is displayed. The displayed part of the video content is updated according to the user head pose by the mean of an integrated Motion Unit Measurement (including a gyroscope) for instance and/or a pose estimating system using, for instance, cameras. A smartphone or a tablet may also render an immersive content. The displayed part is updated according to the orientation, and eventually according to the location, of the device.
The advent of such devices allows the user to watch a 4π steradians content by the means of movements, for instance head rotations. If such a feature may appear as a real improvement in terms of immersion in the content, as the user is watching at only a part of the content, he may not look at the direction he should look at a given moment. Indeed, as the user can gaze all around him, he may miss some important highlights of the narration because he is watching at another part of the content at the moment the narrative event happens.
According to the background art, it is known that forcing a virtual camera panning in order to make the user look toward the direction he has to look to, is a very efficient solution. However, it is well known that this solution has the drawback to make users sick and, as a consequence, to deteriorate the user's quality of experience. Pseudo-haptics methods degrading the content in the direction to avoid are known. They have the drawback to degrade the rendered images and so to modify the author's work and to alter the user's experience. Methods controlling a discrepancy between the aiming direction of the device controlled by the user's movement and the aiming direction of a virtual camera capturing the part of the scene to render are also an existing solution. They have the drawback of limiting the possible direction in which the user can look to.
There is a lack for a solution that friendly incites a user to look toward a direction (or a region) of interest without limiting his freedom of not following the incitement and without degrading his viewing experience.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and apparatus for inciting a viewer to rotate toward a reference direction when consuming an immersive content item


An organogold nonlinear optical chromophore includes gold(I) complexed with a benzothiazolyl-substituted fluorophore and optionally an organophosphine ligand or an N-heterocyclic carbene ligand.

Late d-block σ-organometallics have received sustained attention for excited-state properties that come about, in part, through the heavy-atom effect. When a heavy metal is covalently embedded in a conjugated organic chromophore, long-lived triplet excited states can be populated owing to the metal's spin-orbit coupling. The resulting complexes are phosphorescence emitters, often with radiative lifetimes in the microsecond range near 200 K. Potential applications include oxygen sensing, photodynamic therapy, solar energy harvesting, light-emitting diode construction, low-power upconversion, and nonlinear optics. More specifically, organometallic complexes have been extensively researched as chromophores for organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) both as colored displays and white light emitting materials for use in solid-state lighting technology (WOLEDs). Currently, two techniques are applied to generate white light and both are multicomponent: The first is a combination of red, green, and blue emission and the second employs use of complimentary emission, such as blue and orange. This leads to an often-complicated device fabrication/doping process to produce white light.
Several studies have emerged in an effort to realize single-component coordination compounds that emit white light both in solution and the solid state. The pursuit for such compounds has spanned from transition metal small molecules to heavy metal containing polymers. Much work on this problem has focused on platinum(II) and iridium(III) species.
A true single-component white emitter has been realized from two different iridium(III) based polymeric systems. Both systems were achieved by a combination of incorporating red, blue, and green emitting chromophores into the same polymeric backbone as well as combining singlet and triplet emitting chromophores to span the visible region. Both polymers demonstrated white emission through both photoluminescence and electroluminescence.
Platinum(II) compounds have also been achieved as a single-component white emitter. A variety of platinum(II) alkynyl compounds have been synthesized that demonstrated white light emission through combining monomeric and eximeric states to produce high energy blue and lower energy orange emission simultaneously in poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) matrix.
Gold(I) and gold(III) complexes, though understudied, have also been explored. A trinuclear gold(I) cluster that achieved white light emission by regulating aggregation has been synthesized. The emission color could be tuned ultimately from monomer excimer equilibria where the excimer formation is facilitated by aurophilic interactions. Four gold(III) aryl complexes have also been synthesized, where three are white light emitters by CIE 1931 coordinates in dichloromethane solution and somewhat less so in PMMA films. White light emission can be achieved through controlling the amount of combined blue fluorescence and orange phosphoresce to yield emission covering the visible spectrum and therefore attaining white light.

Organogold nonlinear optical chromophores


A control method according to one aspect of the technology is for use where a power supply of an apparatus having a first application and a second application is turned off during display of a screen of the second application and remains off, the first application being used to view a program, the second application being different from the first application. The control method includes: in a case where a power button is pressed, turning on the power supply of the apparatus to start simultaneously the second application and to display the screen thereof; and in a case where a channel selection button is pressed, turning on the power supply of the apparatus to start simultaneously the first application and to display an image of the program distributed on a selected channel.

Recent years have seen the widespread use of television receivers (TVs) incorporating an OS (Operating System) for the TV, such as the so-called modern OS.
Installed in such TVs are various applications operating on the TV OS, including an application for viewing TV programs, applications for viewing videos distributed over the Internet, and applications for playing games. The user operates menu screens to start a desired application and make use of its various functions.


An agricultural rake especially designed for gathering wide swaths of agricultural field crops into windrows prior to baling is provided. The rake includes a primary frame, a pair of secondary rake frames pivotally and shiftably mounted to the primary frame, and a plurality or bank of radially-tined wheel rakes supported by the secondary frames. The secondary rake frames are free to pivot in a plane perpendicular to the direction of travel to prevent undo stress on the frames. Both the angle of deployment of the secondary frames as well as the distance between the frames is adjustable to accommodate different swath widths and windrow sizes. A unique rake suspension assembly provides for the easy shifting of the rake bases between the raking and transport positions while providing for desired tensioning of the rakes during raking operations and elevating the rake frames during transport. In an embodiment, castors are included to support the rake suspension assembly. Adjustable braking is provided to limit the oscillation of the castors during operation.

A primary goal in the harvesting of hay is to dry the hay as soon as possible and remove it from direct exposure to sunlight. The hay must be dried before storage to avoid the problems of mold and spontaneous combustion. Exposing the cut hay to sunlight longer than is required to adequately dry it, however, results in unacceptable deterioration of the protein level (and therefore nutritive value) of the hay.
Typically, hay is harvested into approximately five foot swaths along the ground, and is exposed to sunlight for the initial stage of the drying process. The swaths of hay are then raked into narrow windrows to remove most of the hay from direct contact with the moist ground. The windrow enhances more air circulation within the hay, thereby hastening the drying process.
Rakes have long been used for forming swaths into windrows. Early rakes included relatively movable support frame members to control or adjust operational positions of the rake. Examples of such rake implements are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,925,702, 2,982,081 and 3,108,424.
Improvements in rake implements are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,077,189 (to Hering) and 4,245,458 (to Smith), disclosing plural rakes and telescoping adjustment structures for adjusting the width and size of windrows and the spacing of the rakes. The twin rakes disclosed in the patent to Hering include pivot hinges for the rake support structure to permit the rakes to float and to raise the outer end of the rakes into a transport position.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,723,401 (to Webster et al.) discloses a raking implement wherein a 4-bar linkage, including a hydraulically operated control link, enables an operator to steer wheels that support frame arms. A stabilizer mechanism is provided to limit the extent of pivotal movement of the frame arms. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,183,198 (to Sligter) and 4,214,428 (to Caraway) disclose other rakes for forming single large windrows for baling hay into large roll-type bales. These rakes have a V-shape formed by two groups of rakes attached to a frame. The relative position of the groups may be varied.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,231,218 (issued to Delgado and assigned to Vicon Espana S.A.) discloses a rake for matching the unevenness and slopes of the ground. The rake has a wheeled main frame, a subframe formed by relatively independently pivotable arms fastened to the main frame, two board supports pivotally connected with the subframe, and rake boards arranged on the board supports.
Another improvement of the agricultural rake is represented by the Bi-Fold Hay Rake disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,947,631 (to Kuehn). The Kuehn rake includes two rake supporting frames attached to one transport frame. The supporting frames are pivotally attached to the transport frame at the rear end thereof and are supported by a pair of extensible support braces.
While the above cited patents represent improvements and advances in agricultural raking implements, there are several inadequately addressed or unaddressed problems. First, as the cost of raising crops increases, it is of paramount importance to increase the efficiency of agricultural activities. Efficiency can be increased by reducing the number of passes through a field required to gather hay like crops into windrows. Thus, it is an object of the present invention to increase efficiency by providing a rake implement that enables gathering a wider swath of crop material in one pass.
A rake designed to gather wider swaths requires a frame for supporting individual rake components adequately and adjustably, yet without involving a complicated, interengaging plurality of support frame members. Additionally, it would be helpful to be able to control a rake without requiring complicated control or manipulation systems for selecting working positions.
Another difficulty is adequately isolating the rake implement from the irregularities and roughness of the ground or field surface on which it is being used. This problem is compounded by the need to gather the valuable crop as completely as possible, while providing a means for preventing damage to the rake caused by irregular ground. Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved wheel rake that increases efficiency and minimizes maintenance cost.
Additional unmet needs include the need for a structurally uncomplicated rake implement so that the owner easily may perform routine maintenance. The implement should be able to be drawn or transported safely and easily to and from fields, along standard highways and through relatively narrow gates and building doors. The implement should be able to be operated conveniently and easily by a minimum number of operational control levers or devices.
It is clear that there is a need for an efficient, simple and durable rake that substantially improves the efficiency of gathering field crops prior to baling them for storage, minimizes maintenance problems and provides for safe, efficient use and transport.