A system and method are realized which enables valid use of content by preventing unauthorized use of content which is caused by rewriting rights data. A structure is employed in which rights data including use-restriction information on content and DRM data including an encrypted content key are recorded in a digital data recording medium (media), and in which an integrity check value (ICV) for the DRM data can be stored in a recordable/playable area (protected area) by using only a dedicated IC. EKB distribution is used to execute the tree-structure key distribution to distribute keys for generating ICV-generation verifying keys. In this structure, unauthorized use of content by rewriting of the rights data is prevented.

At present, digital-data recordable media, such as digital audio tapes (DATs), compact discs (CDs), and digital video discs (DVDs), are distributed, and various types of content such as music data and picture data are recorded as digital data in the media and are widely distributed.
Such digital data differs from analog data, and is free from data deterioration due to data copying between recording media. If copying is limitlessly permitted, there is a possibility that the rights of a content-copyright holder and other content-related-right holders may be violated. For protecting the right of the digital data, there is the SCMS (Serial Copy Management System) as a copyright protection technology.
The SCMS (Serial Copy Management System) is a digital-data-copying restriction system. It allows only-one-generation (1-Generation) copying, and prohibits digital copying for two or more generations. Specifically, by recording, in digital-data-recorded media, a code representing copying only once, restriction of copying is performed based on the code.
Nevertheless, in one-generation copying control using the SCMS, based on the recorded code in the media which represents copying only once, that is, the bit state, it is determined whether or not copying is allowed. Accordingly, by using a device that can freely operate the bit, rewriting of the code is made possible, and many copies identical to the original data can be made. Therefore, in particular, PC-used (personal computer-used) copying of digital data such as CDs, which is free from restrictions of law, is actually free.
In addition, for systems for the purpose of protecting copyright that records/plays back content such as pictures and music, a system has been proposed in which content is encrypted and provided to a user and in which a key for decryption is provided to a normal user.
By way of example, there is a system configuration in which various types of content, such as music data, picture data, and game programs which are encrypted, are distributed to users by using the Internet or media such as CDs and DVDs and in which only a person identified as a normal user is provided with a means for decrypting the encrypted content, that is, a decryption key.
The encrypted data can be returned to usable decrypted data (plaintext) by decryption processing based on a predetermined procedure. Such a data encryption/decryption method is conventionally known in which an encryption key is used for information-encrypting processing and a decryption key is used for decrypting processing.
Among various types of examples of data encryption/decryption methods using an encryption key and a decryption key, there is a method as an example that is a so-called a common key cryptosystem. In the common key cryptosystem, by setting an encryption key for data-encrypting processing and a decryption key for data decryption to be common, and providing a normal user with a common key for the encryption processing and decryption, data accessing by a user having no key is excluded. A typical of this system is the DES (Data encryption standard)
The encryption key and the decryption key for the above encryption processing and decryption can be obtained by using a unidirectional function, such as the Hash function, based on, for example, a password or the like. The unidirectional function is a function in which reverse finding of its input from its output is very difficult. For example, by using a user-decided password as an input in an application of the unidirectional function, an encryption key and a decryption key are generated based on the output. It is substantially impossible to perform reverse finding of the password as the original data from the encryption key and the decryption key obtained as described above.
A system in which a process using the encryption key for use in encryption and a process using the decryption key for use in decryption have different algorithms is a so-called public key cryptosystem. The public key cryptosystem is a system in which unspecified users use an usable public key, and an encrypted document for a specified person is encryption-processed by using a public key issued by the specified person. The document encrypted by the public key becomes able to be decryption-processed by using only a secret key corresponding to the public key used in the encryption process. Since a secret key is possessed by a person who issues a public key, a document encrypted by the public key can be decrypted by only the person who possesses the secret key. One typical public key cryptosystem is the RSA (Rivest-Shamir-Adelman) cryptography. Use of such a cryptosystem enables a system in which encrypted content can be decrypted only for a normal user.
In this system, for example, a 2-bit EMI (Encryption Mode Indicator) is defined as copy control information. When the EMI is 00B (B indicates that the value before it is a binary number), it indicates that content is of a Copy-freely type, and when the EMI is 01B, it indicates that content is of a No-more-copies type in which the content may further not be copied. When the EMI is 10B, it indicates that content is of a Copy-one-generation type in which copying only once is allowed, and when the EMI is 11B, it indicates that content is a Copy-never type in which copying is prohibited.
When the EMI represents the Copy-freely or Copy-one-generation type, it is determined that content can be copied. Alternatively, when the EMI represents the No-more-copies or Copy-never type, it is determined that content cannot be copied. If management of the copy rule information is appropriately executed, copyright protection is realized.
However, even in the content providing system using encryption, if information on copying rules which is recorded on a medium such as a CD or a DVD is rewritten by an invalid user, a problem occurs in that copying ignoring the original copying rules becomes executable.

Information recording/playback device and method


A system for automated monitoring of pest insects having sensor units which include an insect electrocutor trap modified by the inclusion of electronic circuitry to sense, count and store the numbers of insects killed by it. The numbers of insects can be displayed at the electrocutor and/or transmitted to a remote computer that can acquire and time-stamp counts from thousands of distributed electrocutors for subsequent analysis and display. The data from the units is transmitted through a communications system which is organized into a two or more levels of multiplexing modules. Each multiplexing module has a plurality of inputs from next level multiplexing modules, with the exception of the last level multiplexing modules. The last level multiplexing modules have a plurality of inputs from sensor modules outputting data. A default condition is set up to allow transmission of address information from the computer to all the multiplexing modules to allow the programming of each multiplexing module to select one of its inputs. At the appropriate time, timing circuitry in the multiplexing modules reverse the direction of communication of the multiplexing modules to allow a single sensor module to transmit its data to the computer, in accordance with the address information.

1.Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a system for monitoring a population of flying insect pests, especially throughout agricultural products storage volumes. It includes sensor units having automated counting insect electrocutor traps and associated count storage registers which are connected to a central computer through a tree type communications system utilizing a plurality of spatially distributed addressable multiplexing modules to access a specific register out of a large number of registers.
2. Description of the Related Art
Monitoring in agricultural contexts is becoming increasingly important for providing information about the status of stored-commodities and their environments. Stored-product insect pests, especially moths, are of great concern because they infest a broad range of commodities, such as dried fruits, nuts and packaged goods, leading to the loss of consumer confidence as well as product damage.
The state of the art in monitoring store-product moths is the use of pheromone baited traps. These traps must be manually inspected for numbers of insects caught which is labor intensive and results in infestation level data being updated infrequently. Electrocutors with ultraviolet lamps attached to attract insects are also sold for monitoring purposes, but they have the same shortcomings as pheromone traps as well as the difficulty of counting fragmented insects after electrocution. For accurate monitoring, each insect caught should only be counted once. With pheromone traps, the insect might fly around for awhile before and even after entering the trap, which can present a possibility for repeat counts. Furthermore, pheromone traps need to be serviced regularly to remove trapped insects and to replenish the pheromone.
The recommended placement for trapping flying insects is high off the ground which is inconvenient for trap inspection. Traps in remote storage bins can also be difficult to reach and can even present danger to the inspector.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,275,523 (Baima et al., ""523) discloses a monitoring electrocutor trap which detects a discharge with a discharge detector connected to the trap which passes a signal to a transmitter which transmits it to a central receiver equipped with a discriminator for ignoring signals other than those from the transmitter and for passing the signals representing discharges to a pulse counter whereby a total of the number of insects trapped in a given time can be obtained at a central station without visiting each trap. The disclosed system further includes an astable circuit, which is interposed between the high voltage generator and a portable voltage source, such as an accumulator, operates to feed the high voltage generator from a battery at spaced intervals so as to lengthen the duration of the charge of the battery and therefore the duration of efficient operation of the device. The high voltage generator is capable of providing the high voltage even during those periods in which the astable circuit cuts off the supply from the battery. The signal transmitted to the central receiver can be a coded signal.
Monitoring is used to ascertain the efficacy of control measures, but some control methods, controlled atmospheres for example, are interrupted by or are inimical to trap inspectors.
In an integrated pest management system, the use of chemical treatments and other methods of insect control are dictated by the early and localized detection of infestations. Because of the physical distances involved in agricultural contexts, monitoring often involves inspecting many locations distributed over large areas. Automated monitoring systems involving computer acquisition of data from sensors distributed throughout stored-commodities eliminate the need for scheduling costly manual inspections and permits access to real-time data from all storage regions. These data can alert personnel to the need for control measures and can be input directly to expert management decision support systems. When electronic sensing is used, the practicality of monitoring is dictated by the economics of implementation. Often the major cost is not for the remote sensor hardware but rather is for the means of getting the data back into a computer at a central location. The direct approach of an individual cable for each sensor is physically unwieldy and economically impractical when hundreds or thousands of sensors are involved and the computer is thousands of feet away.
For example, W. J. Eradus discloses in Intelligent Sensors and Agriculture an xe2x80x9cAgrinetxe2x80x9d system where a master-slave relationship is set up between a computer and a plurality of sensors. The computer can poll every sensor to respond with measured data through a bus. However, Agrinet relies on the use of xe2x80x9cintelligent sensors.xe2x80x9d These sensors usually include microcomputers to provide multiplexing, signal processing and handling of communications. These xe2x80x9cintelligent sensorsxe2x80x9d are relatively expensive due to their complexity and thus limits the amount of sensors feasible for any one system.
John E. Judd discloses in a Sensor Highway A New Cost Effective Approach to Multiple Point Data Collections for Plant Machinery, a xe2x80x9csensor highwayxe2x80x9d system for collecting data from multiple point data collection sites. A controller sends a proper address code down one of three available buses connecting and powering a chosen sensor. The operator may then collect the data of that sensor. The sensor outputs are wired to a transducer adapter module (or TAM) which monitors incoming coded address data, provides connection to the sensors and provides an isolated direct two wire line to pre-conditioned sensors. The TAM is connected to the main highway via a branch of the sensor highway via a T adaptor or a pressed-on insulation displacement connector. However, the sensors of the sensor highway are limited to 250 per line and require multiple buses, increasing the amount of wiring necessary for the system and increasing its complexity and cost.
W. G. Gensler discloses another typical measurement system in the agricultural environment An Electrochemical Water System. Electronic equipment in the field make a multiplexed measurement from a probe. The data is serialized and encoded before being transmitted by an antenna. Again, the complicated structure for the transmission of the data results in a costly system which limits the number of sensors economically feasible.
While various methods have been developed for monitoring and trapping insects, there remains a need in the art for a system for remote monitoring of pest infestations which also eliminate the pest. The present invention provides a remote system for automatically counting flying insects as it kills them for monitoring infestation in many locations over large areas which is different from prior art methods.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a monitoring system for pest insects which automatically records data indicative of the insect population levels local to each of an array of sensor units distributed throughout an insect monitoring volume.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a monitoring system having at least one sensor unit which includes an insect electrocutor trap, a sense coil operatively connected to a high voltage generator which is connected to said insect electrocutor, a signal conditioning circuit and a digital count storage register wherein the circuit operatively connects the sense coil to the register.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a monitoring system having at least one sensor unit including an insect electrocutor trap and a digital register which is operatively connected in parallel to a digital transmission network and a central computer which reads the register.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a simple method and device for monitoring pest insects in many locations distributed over large areas having at least one sensor unit which includes an insect electrocutor trap that is operatively connected to a digital register, and a central computer connected through a digital transmission network.
Another object of the invention is to collect data efficiently from a specific group of sensor units each unit including an insect electrocutor trap among a large number of sensor units.
A further object of the invention is to collect data from the large number of sensor units each unit including an insect electrocutor trap which are monitoring the status of the stored-commodities.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a method for remotely sensing insects in a wide assortment of postharvest commodities wherein at least one sensor unit including an electrocutor trap, automatically counts an insect each time an insect flies through a metal set of parallel closely spaced, but not touching, metal grids on the trap and bridges across a high voltage which causes a current to flow through the insect and kills it. This method works best if all the sensors are operating continuously to detect insect activity. Individual sensor data can be locally reduced and accumulated as numbers of insects entering a trap. These numbers may be stored in digital registers and downloaded to a central computer at regular intervals. Digital transmission of the accumulated data is used to achieve accurate data communications over the long distances and potentially noisy environments encountered in storage facilities. Digital transmission is compatible with local accumulation of the reduced sensor data in digital registers (counters) and ease of acquiring this data by the digital computer. The registers should be addressable so that the computer can specify which register (of up to, for example, 1,048,576 registers) is being read. A priority in the design of the data transmission system is economic efficiency to minimize the cost, per sensor connected. Although slower than parallel communication, asynchronous serial computer communication with no control signals only requires a transmission (for addressing) and a reception (for sensor data) pathways. When the address and data lines are a pair of wires, the amount of wire is further reduced by a factor of two with a pathway time-sharing design so that after address information is transmitted by the computer, the pathways are reversed for the computer to receive the data. The amount of wire is also reduced by hardware multiplexing the pathways from the sensor registers so that only one register is connected to the serial port of the computer at a time. The sensor pathways are merged along the way to the computer by using spatially distributed multiplexing so that the pathways exhibit a tree structure with a single final pathway (trunk) connected to the computer. The minimization of wiring and other hardware is an important consideration where large numbers of sensors are utilized over large distances.
The distributed multiplexing is achieved by using a multi-level tree network and a modular approach. This allows for optimal customization as applied to different applications (not necessarily agricultural), including using any number of sensors in any spatial distribution. Each multiplexing level module contains a multiplexer that is programmed by one of several address bytes transmitted by the computer. When using an 8 to 1 multiplexer, the maximum number of sensor registers that can be addressed is 8n where n is the number of multiplexing module levels.
In addition to minimizing the amount of cable needed, another factor that makes the communications system according to the present invention unique and substantially less expensive (on a per sensor serviced basis) is its extremely efficient hardware design that uses a minimal amount of simple, commercially available IC chips to accomplish the task for which it is designed (i.e., random access addressing and reading thousands of remotely distributed digital registers by an inexpensive PC type computer). Expensive multiple microprocessors and DSP chips providing xe2x80x9cintelligentxe2x80x9d sensors with distributed signal processing are unnecessary.
Error detection and correction during acquisition of sensor data may be accomplished by performing consecutive addressing and readings of each sensor register. This capability has no associated hardware cost and the additional time needed is not a concern in most pest control systems. Long distance transmission may be accomplished using RS-422 protocol which permits module levels to be separated by up to 1200 m without the use of additional repeaters. However, in applications where large numbers of sensors are relatively close, different module levels can be more efficiently housed together in a single chassis without the need of a connecting RS-422 link.
To further minimize hardware and cable costs, no control signals (handshaking) are employed. As a result, the sensor data registers are not told when to send their contents back to the computer. To accommodate this, the sensor data registers are connected to sensor level modules which continually read and serially transmit all the stored data to the previous (last multiplexing level) modules. Address bytes transmitted from a computer set all the multiplexers in all the multiplexing level modules to select the appropriate data lines so that ultimately only the one xe2x80x9caddressedxe2x80x9d sensor level module has a through pathway back to the computer. The time-sharing of the bi-directional channels between modules is conducted by direction control circuitry in each of these modules. The default direction is for address bytes from the computer to propagate downstream through the modules to the last multiplexing level modules. As a result, data bytes being transmitted by the sensor level modules are normally unable to reach the computer. After all the address bytes have been transmitted by the computer and the multiplexers have been properly set, the direction control circuitry temporarily reverses the channels so that the data byte transmitted by the selected sensor level module can travel back to the computer.
Other advantages and objects of the invention will become apparent in conjunction with the following detailed description.

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of Agricultural


A demand side management control system and method for altering power consumption on an electrical device during specified periods of time (e.g., peak energy demand periods). The system includes a memory to store two or more power consuming function profiles corresponding to the one or more power consuming functions associated with the electrical device. The system also includes at least one processor coupled with the memory. The processor is programmed to receive a peak energy demand signal and access the power consuming function profiles associated with the electrical device. The processor identifies, based on the received peak energy demand signal, the one of two or more power consuming function profiles to be implemented in the electrical device. Finally, the processor periodically disables or operates at a reduced power level at least one power consuming function according to the identified power consuming function profile.

The field of the disclosure relates generally to altering power consuming functions on an electrical device, and more specifically to a system and method for altering power consuming functions on an electrical device during periods of peak energy demand.
In consideration of increasing fuel prices and high rates of energy usage at certain parts of the day (e.g., peak demand periods), electric utilities may be required to buy high cost energy (e.g., peaking energy) in order to supply their customers during these periods. Accordingly, electric utilities charge their customers higher rates during peak demand periods. By reducing energy usage during peak demand periods, utilities can achieve commercially significant cost savings by reducing their investment in peaking energy and overall generation.
More recently, various types of dynamic pricing, such as real-time energy pricing, have been introduced to the energy consumer. Dynamic pricing provides some market transparency that exposes consumers to demand-based variations in energy costs. Accordingly, consumers are encouraged to reduce their use of energy during periods of high demand, lowering their electric utility bill. The prevalence of dynamic pricing is growing as a means to mitigate power shortages. In this context, dynamic pricing is referred to as a "demand response". Utilities and their regulators have implemented demand response as programs, which provide incentives to reduce electrical demand during peak energy usage, when brownouts and power shortages are most likely. In some cases, these incentives are contingent upon a consumer maintaining energy usage below a threshold during certain hours or metering intervals. If the consumer fails to operate under this threshold, the incentives may be lost, penalties may be imposed, or both.

Demand side management control system and methods


A method and apparatus for injecting a nitrogen-oxide-reducing agent into an exhaust stream that has an injector unit for controlled injection of a reducing agent into the exhaust stream and an injection element that incorporates a micromechanical spray jet element.

This application claims the priority of German patent document 196 46 643.1, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to a system for injecting a nitrogen-oxide-reducing agent into an exhaust stream, especially for an internal combustion engine and an injection element for controlled injection of reducing agent into the exhaust stream.
In combustion processes with a surplus of air, catalytic reduction of the nitrogen oxides that are emitted is not possible without an additional reducing agent. As a remedy, so-called selective catalytic reduction is known from power plant design, in which a reducing agent, for example ammonia or water-dissolved urea, is injected into the exhaust stream upstream from a catalyst. The injected ammonia and/or the ammonia that is released during the pyrolysis of urea reduces the nitrogen oxides in the catalyst to form molecular nitrogen and water. Therefore, a selective catalytic nitrogen oxide reduction for internal combustion engines has also already been proposed, with a suitable reducing agent being injected by conventional injection technology into the combustion chamber or the adjoining exhaust line upstream from an exhaust catalyst. In addition, chemical and physical conditions can be created in the exhaust stream of an internal combustion engine that permit reduction of the nitrogen oxides contained therein, even without a catalyst. This method is termed selective non-catalytic reduction and following conventional injection of the reducing agent, requires that it first be evaporated, increasing the required residence time. It is therefore primarily suitable for engines operating at low rpm.
A system for injecting ammonia into the exhaust stream of a Diesel engine is known from Offenlegungsschrift EP 0 381 236 A1. In that document, a pressurized storage container is provided for the ammonia used as the reducing agent, together with a corresponding supply line and a conventional injection nozzle located upstream from a catalyst for injecting the ammonia into the exhaust stream. The moisture content and temperature of the intake air, fuel consumption, power, and exhaust temperature of the Diesel engine are determined by sensors. Depending on these input values, a control unit controls the quantity of ammonia injected into the exhaust stream by a control valve.
Patent DE 38 21 832 C1 describes an exhaust system for a piston engine with an exhaust turbocharger, said engine being designed for selective non-catalytic nitrogen oxide reduction. An injection element is located upstream of the exhaust turbocharger at a junction of various branches of the exhaust system, said element incorporating a plurality of nozzle openings. By means of a delivery pump, ammonia is added under pressure through an atomizer nozzle to a mixing chamber located upstream of the nozzle openings and mixed there with a carrier gas. The ammonia-carrier gas mixture is then sprayed through the nozzle openings into the exhaust stream under pressure, said pressure being generated by compressors that supply the carrier gas as well as compressed air. The nozzle can be located so that it is axially displaceable in the vicinity of the junction.
Offenlegungsschrift JP 3-206314 (A) teaches an injection device that serves to inject gaseous ammonia into the exhaust stream of a Diesel engine and is located upstream from an exhaust catalyst. A supply tank, with the aid of a compressed gas tank, feeds aqueous ammonia solution into heating tubes introduced transversely into an exhaust line, said tubes terminating in an evaporation-expansion chamber. The evaporation-expansion chamber located in the exhaust line is supplied with evaporated ammonia solution by the heating tubes. The heated gaseous ammonia passes from the evaporation-expansion chamber through a porous nozzle into the exhaust stream.
A conventional atomizer nozzle that can be used for injecting a reaction medium, urea for example, into an exhaust stream is described in Offenlegungsschrift EP 0 586 913 A2. A mixing chamber located outside the atomizer nozzle is supplied with gas under pressure and a liquid reaction medium. The reaction medium-gas mixture produced in the mixing chamber passes through a mixing line into a nozzle prechamber of the atomizer nozzle, provided with a screen. The mixture is accelerated through an intermediate nozzle and enters the main chamber of the atomizer nozzle where further mixing occurs. The reaction medium-gas mixture passes from the main chamber through nozzle openings into the exhaust stream upstream from a catalyst.
Micromechanical spray jet elements that have a plurality of fine nozzle openings through which a supplied fluid is delivered in the form of fine streams by means of a pulsed pressure produced locally in the vicinity of the nozzle openings are used in ink jet printers. To produce local pressure, electrical heating resistors are used in so-called "bubble jet" printers, while piezoelectrically actuated membranes are used in "piezo jet" printers. By means of the micromechanical spray jet element, ink or printing ink is sprayed onto paper, with the very small nozzle openings producing fine distribution and hence a high spatial resolution. Ink jet printer nozzles of these designs are described for example in Offenlegungsschriften DE 30 12 936 A1 and DE 195 31 740 A1.
The invention has as the technical problem to be solved the provision of a system with which a reducing agent can be added to the exhaust stream at relatively low cost and with comparatively good mixing.
The invention achieves this goal by providing a system with a micromechanical injection element and a reducing agent injection control unit. In this system, the nitrogen-oxide-reducing agent is injected into the exhaust stream of an internal combustion engine through a controllable injection unit that contains a micromechanical spray jet element that uses technology found in ink jet printers, with the reducing agent being sprayed controllably into the exhaust stream with good mixing through a plurality of fine nozzle openings in the form of fine streams by means of locally generated pulsed pressure. The use of micromechanical spray jet elements with local pressure generation limited to the nozzle opening area has a simple system design, without any pressure- carrying lines or separate pressure pumps. A reducing agent injection control unit controls the injection time and/or the volume of reducing agent injected into the exhaust stream of an internal combustion engine, at least as a function of the engine rpm, engine load, crankshaft angle, and/or exhaust temperature. By means of this injection that depends upon the operating parameters, good nitrogen oxide reduction in the exhaust stream is achieved and at the same time overdosage of reducing agent is avoided.
In one embodiment, heating resistance elements are specially provided in the vicinity of the respective nozzle openings as means for local pressure generation, by which elements the reducing agent supplied in liquid form is locally superheated and consequently injected in the form of fine vapor streams into the exhaust stream. Preliminary reactions that have a positive effect on later reduction of nitrogen oxides can be triggered during the injection process by virtue of injection in the vaporized state, and mixing of reducing agent with the exhaust stream is facilitated.
In another embodiment, the means for local pressure generation are designed specially as piezoelectrically operated membranes located in the vicinity of the respective nozzle openings. The use of a piezoelectrically operated spray jet element of this kind permits especially accurate metering of the injected reducing agent.
In another embodiment, the nozzle openings are distributed over a large area along the exhaust flow path. The reducing agent can therefore be added at relatively low cost to the exhaust stream, with comparatively good mixing and distribution.
In another embodiment, provision is made for selective non-catalytic nitrogen oxide reduction in an internal combustion engine such that the nozzle openings terminate in the combustion chamber and/or in the exhaust manifold and/or directly upstream from the exhaust turbine of an exhaust turbocharger, and the injection control unit triggers injection of reducing agent only when the exhaust temperature is higher than a predetermined minimum temperature. The temperature is chosen so that injection of reducing agent is prevented when the exhaust temperature is insufficient for nitrogen oxide reduction.
In another embodiment, provision is made for selective catalytic nitrogen oxide reduction by an exhaust catalyst located in the exhaust flow path such that the nozzle openings terminate in the exhaust flow path upstream of the catalyst and the control unit triggers injection of reducing agent only when the exhaust temperature is higher than a predetermined minimum.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

System for injecting nitrogen-oxide-reducing agents into an exhaust stream


Provided is an integrated circuit package which complementarily switches on/off a MOS transistor Q1 (first switch) and MOS transistor Q2 (second switch) in accordance with an output voltage Vout, and which externally outputs a pulse signal having a fixed on-duty D during a step-up/step-down mode. The integrated circuit package has a determination unit 61 for determining the impedance of an external component connected to an external pin P5 that outputs the pulse signal to the exterior during the step-up/step-down mode, and determining whether the external component is a third switch on the basis of the impedance determination result.

In idling-stop vehicles, where the engine is restarted frequently, in periods in which the engine is halted temporarily, vehicle-mounted equipment such as audio-visual equipment and air-conditioning equipment continues consuming electric power from the battery; thus, the drop in the battery voltage at the time of cranking (starting of the engine) is severer than ever. Using a step-up/down switching regulator that holds the output voltage against a drop in the input voltage (battery voltage) makes it possible to operate vehicle-mounted equipment normally even with a large drop in the battery voltage at the time of cranking.
Accordingly, the market of vehicle-mounted equipment is seeing increasing demand for step-up/down switching regulators.
Now, the configuration and operation of a common step-up/down switching regulator will be described. FIG. 23 is a diagram showing the configuration of a common step-up/down switching regulator.
The step-up/down switching regulator shown in FIG. 23 includes MOS transistors Q11 and Q12 acting as step-down switches, an inductor L11, MOS transistors Q13 and Q14 acting as step-up switches, an output capacitor C11, resistors R11 to R14, and a controller CNT11.
The controller CNT11 monitors an output voltage VOUT based on the output of a voltage division circuit composed of the resistors R11 and R12, and monitors a battery voltage VBAT, that is, an input voltage, based on the output of a voltage division circuit composed of the resistors R13 and R14.
When the battery voltage VBAT is higher than a first predetermined value A1, the controller CNT11 selects a step-down mode (see FIG. 24). In the step-down mode, the controller CNT11 turns on and off the MOS transistors Q11 and Q12 in accordance with the output voltage VOUT, keeps the MOS transistor Q13 off, and keeps the MOS transistors Q14 on. Thus, a first switching voltage VSW1, which is the voltage at the connection node between the transistors Q11 and Q12, and a second switching voltage VSW2, which is the voltage at the connection node between the transistors Q13 and Q14, behave as shown in FIG. 25A.
When the battery voltage VBAT is equal to or lower than the first predetermined value A1 but higher than a second predetermined value A2, the controller CNT11 selects a step-up/down mode (see FIG. 24). In the step-up/down mode, the controller CNT11 turns on and off the MOS transistors Q13 and Q14 in accordance with the output voltage VOUT, and turns on and off the MOS transistors Q11 and Q12 in accordance with the output voltage VOUT. Thus, the first switching voltage VSW1, which is the voltage at the connection node between the transistors Q11 and Q12, and the second switching voltage VSW2, which is the voltage at the connection node between the transistors Q13 and Q14, behave as shown in FIG. 25B.
When the battery voltage VBAT is equal to or lower than the second predetermined value A2, the controller CNT11 selects a step-up mode (see FIG. 24). In the step-up mode, the controller CNT11 keeps the MOS transistor Q11 on, keeps the MOS transistor Q12 off, and turns on and off the transistors Q13 and Q14 in accordance with the output voltage VOUT. Thus, the first switching voltage VSW1, which is the voltage at the connection node between the transistors Q11 and Q12, and the second switching voltage VSW2, which is the voltage at the connection node between the transistors Q13 and Q14, behave as shown in FIG. 25C.

Switching regulator and integrated circuit package


Atomic operation may be implemented in a processor system comprising a main memory and a power processor element (PPE) including a power processor unit (PPU) coupled to an external cache. The PPE may atomically load data from a lock-line in the main memory into a first location X in the external cache. A size of the data and the lock line may be larger than a data size for the standard atomic operations that may be performed with the PPE. The data may be reserved in a second location Y in the external cache.

Cell processors are a type of microprocessor that utilizes parallel processing. The basic configuration of a cell processor includes a "Power Processor Element" ("PPE") (sometimes called "Processing Element", or "PE"), and multiple "Synergistic Processing Elements" ("SPE"). The PPEs and SPEs are linked together by an internal high speed bus dubbed "Element Interconnect Bus" ("EIB"). Cell processors are designed to be scalable for use in applications ranging from the hand held devices to main frame computers. Cell processors may manage multiple tasks using a task management system based on a software concept referred to as "threads". A "thread" generally refers to a part of a program that can execute independently of other parts. Operating systems that support multithreading enable programmers to design programs whose threaded parts can execute concurrently.
A typical cell processor has one PPE and up to 8 SPE. Each SPE is typically a single chip or part of a single chip containing a main processor and a co-processor. Each SPE typically includes a synergistic processor unit (SPU) and a local store (LS). The PPE typically includes a power processor element (PPU) and one or more caches. All of the SPEs and the PPE can access a main memory, e.g., via the bus. The SPEs can perform parallel processing of operations in conjunction with a program running on the PPE. To coordinate processes executing in parallel on the SPE and PPE, atomic operations are often implemented. An atomic operation is one in which an SPU or PPU can read or write to a memory address (often referred to as an atomic) in a single operation while denying other processors access to the atomic. Atomic operations can be mutual exclusion (muxtex) "locked" operations or "lock-free" operations. In a mutex operation, a processor locks the atomic and prevents other processors from writing to it until it is unlocked. In a "lock-free" atomic operation, only one processor can write to the atomic address at a time, but other processors can write over what has been atomically written. Lock-free atomic operations utilize "reservation" operations that notify a processor making the reservation whether an atomic has been overwritten since the reservation was made.
A problem with atomic operations on prior art cell processors is that the PPU and SPU have different reservations sizes for atomic operations. These different atomic operation sizes are a result of different sized memory access capabilities of the PPU and SPU. The PPU's memory access is generally limited by the register size of the PPU core. The cell processor architecture does not define how large the atomic operation size is for the SPU. However, the SPU can access the main memory through a memory flow controller (MFC), which can transfer data in increments much larger than the register size of the PPU core. For example, in certain types of cell processors, the MFC for an SPU can transfer data into and out of main memory in 128 byte chunks (or smaller) but the PPU can transfer data in only 8 byte chunks (or smaller). The maximum PPU memory transfer size for a single operation is determined by the size of the PPU register set. The PPU register length is 64 bits, 8 bytes of 8 bits each. The MFC sets the SPU atomic size. The SPU local store is in the form of 16 byte, 128 bit registers. The SPU local store registers are not tied to any main memory address. The SPU communicates with memory through the MFC, which operates on 128 byte chunks. The MFC handles direct memory access (DMA) operations for both atomic and non-atomic operations for the SPU. In certain cell implementations, all atomic operations on the SPU are 128 bytes. However, non-atomic operations are also handled by the MFC and can range in size from 1 byte to 16 kilobytes. Thus, SPUs perform read with reservation and copy 128 bytes into their local stores. The reservation granule can be any size. It will logically work correctly as long as it is larger than the atomic access size.
It is very powerful that the SPU can work atomically on large chunks of data and it can potentially be quite crippling that the PPU can only work atomically on 8 bytes at a time. Such different sizes for atomic reservations can limit the features of a lock-free algorithm. Linked lists without mutex can be done using lock-free algorithms. However, if larger atomics are available, one can apply lock-free algorithms to more complex operations since more than one integer may be atomically modified at a time.
Thus, there is a need in the art, for a way to perform atomic operations with a cell processor where the PPE and SPE have different-sized register lines.

Atomic operation on non-standard sized data using external cache


An ergonomic adjustable gun stock having an elongate forearm portion with a longitudinal concave receiver channel in its upper surface for receiving the barrel of a gun, a butt portion extending rearwardly from the forearm portion, a vertically adjustable cheek piece, a longitudinally adjustable and removable auxilary hand gripping element on the underside of the butt portion, and an adjustable recoil butt pad assembly mounted on the rear end of the butt portion. The forearm and butt portions are generally rectangular polygonal configurations having a subtantially flat bottom surface and substantially flat opposed sides. The butt portion has a rounded top surface substantially parallel with its flat bottom surface. A thumb receiving aperture extends transversely through the butt portion near its forward end and defines a contiguous generally vertical handgrip portion adjoined to the forearm portion and a horizontal lower portion which also has a substantially flat bottom surface. The cheek piece is an inverted generally U-shaped member having a rounded top surface and contiguous laterally spaced parallel sides. The butt portion has a cheek piece receiving recess sized and shaped to slidably receive the cheek piece in a lowermost position, such that the outer periphery of the cheek piece is generally flush with the outer periphery of the butt portion in its lowermost position.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to gun stocks, and more particularly to an ergonomic adjustable gun stock for rifles that has a polygonal forearm portion, a polygonal butt portion, a thumb receiving aperture and handgrip portion, a vertically adjustable cheek piece, a longitudinally adjustable and removable hand-stop on the underside of the butt portion, and an adjustable recoil butt pad assembly mounted on the rear end of the butt portion.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Conventional gun stocks for rifles have a forearm portion, a butt portion, a handgrip portion, a comb or cheek piece mounted on the upper portion of the butt portion, and a recoil butt plate or butt pad mounted on the rear end of the butt portion.
The conventional forearm portion is rounded on the bottom and sides and the rounded bottom extends rearward and angularly downwardly from its front end and adjoins a pistol grip type handgrip portion which extends rearwardly and downwardly from the forearm portion. The conventional butt portion extends rearwardly from the handgrip portion and has rounded rounded bottom and top surfaces that diverge angularly outward along their length. The conventional recoil butt plate or butt pad is removably secured to the rear end of the butt portion with screws.
A problem with the rounded bottom and sides of the conventional forearm portion is that the rifle will tend to roll when supported on a support surface. Because the rounded bottom of the conventional forearm portion extends rearward and angularly downwardly from its front end, should the shooter slightly move the stock forward or rearward relative to the support surface, the inclination angle of the rifle barrel will change, and place the trajectory off-target. Thus, the shooter must use muscular tension to prevent the gun from rolling and prevent forward or rearward movement relative to the support surface.
A problem with the rearwardly and angularly downward extending pistol grip type handgrip portion of the conventional gun stock is that the wrist of the shooter must be angled relative to the forearm to grip the handgrip and pull the trigger. This angled wrist position produces in weaker squeezing action when pulling the trigger, muscular fatigue in the hand, fingers and wrist, and may result in wrist injury caused by the recoil action.
A problem with the rearward diverging rounded top and bottom surfaces of the conventional butt portion is that the bottom surface cannot be suitably supported on a flat surface since any slight forward or rearward movement will change the inclination angle of the rifle barrel and place the trajectory off-target. Also, there is no means on the butt portion which can be gripped with the shooters hand that is not holding the handgrip to facilitate maneuvering the rear portion of the stock to carry out various shooting tasks and allow the shooter to assume various holding stances and shooting positions.
Another problem with the angularly inclined top surface of the conventional butt portion is that it is fixed relative to the butt plate. In order to aim the rifle, the shooter places the butt plate against his or her shoulder and rests his or her cheek on the angular top surface of the butt plate. Since top surface extends angularly upward toward the butt plate at a fixed angle, the butt portion on which shooter rests his or her cheek may not comfortably fit or accomodate the shoulder, head and neck of shooters of different size. Thus, the shooter must often use the muscles of the head, neck and shoulder to proper position their cheek on the butt portion.
A problem with the conventional recoil butt plate or butt pad is that it is removably secured to the rear end of the butt portion with screws and must be completely removed and replaced with a different size plate or pad to properly fit the arm length of a particular shooter or in situations where a shooter may put on or remove a heavy jacket.
The present invention is distinguished over the prior art in general by an ergonomic adjustable gun stock that has an elongate forearm portion with a longitudinal concave receiver channel in its upper surface for receiving the barrel of a gun, a butt portion extending rearwardly from the forearm portion, a vertically adjustable cheek piece, a longitudinally adjustable and removable auxilary hand gripping element on the underside of the butt portion, and an adjustable recoil butt pad assembly mounted on the rear end of the butt portion. The forearm and butt portions are generally rectangular polygonal configurations having a subtantially flat bottom surface and substantially flat opposed sides. The butt portion has a rounded top surface substantially parallel with its flat bottom surface. A thumb receiving aperture extends transversely through the butt portion near its forward end and defines a contiguous generally vertical handgrip portion adjoined to the forearm portion and a horizontal lower portion which also has a substantially flat bottom surface. The cheek piece is an inverted generally Ushaped member having a rounded top surface and contiguous laterally spaced parallel sides. The butt portion has a cheek piece receiving recess sized and shaped to slidably receive the cheek piece in a lowermost position, such that the outer periphery of the cheek piece is generally flush with the outer periphery of the butt portion in its lowermost position.


In order to prevent the retrieval of data via the measurement of the power consumption in a data carrier provided with a data processing device, it is proposed to connect a load circuit to the power supply of the data carrier so as to influence the power consumption of the data carrier at least during security-relevant operations of the data processing device.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a data carrier with a data processing device as well as to an electronic component with a data processing device, for example for such a data carrier.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently doubts have been raised as regards the security of data carriers, it being stipulated that security-relevant data could be determined by monitoring the power consumption of such data carriers. It is true that during all logic operations, so also during sensible operations or sub-operations (for example cryptographic calculations) current power is consumed by switching operations in the logic circuitry in dependence on the result or logic level. Measurement of the power consumed by the circuit, therefore, could be used for an attack so as to find out secret data (key) by means of mathematical methods (correlations, power analysis).
It is an object of the invention to prevent such attempts from being successful.
This object is achieved in that a load circuit is connected to the power supply of the data carrier and is intended to influence the power consumption of the data carrier at least during security-relevant operations of the data processing device.
The power consumption that can be measured externally thus no longer corresponds to the power consumption of the data processing device alone, but also contains a further component which preferably is not directly related to the internal operations of the data processing device.
A particularly simple embodiment is obtained when the load circuit is constructed as a variable ballast resistor which in the simplest case may consist of a transistor or a network of series and parallel-connected transistors, connected to the same power supply lead in parallel with the data processing device. Different load states can be adjusted by appropriate control of the load resistor or load resistors.
A more complex embodiment is provided with a circuit arrangement which is constructed so as to be complementary to at least parts of the data processing device and can be controlled in parallel with the data processing device. Changes in the switching state, initiated during security-relevant operations, are thus carried out in a complementary fashion at the same time. Even if the power consumption should be different for different logic levels, in the ideal case the power consumption is constant because of the complementary switching states. However, because it cannot be detected from the outside what power consumption relates to the logic states actually involved in the security-relevant operations and what power consumption is involved in the complementary switching states which occur in parallel merely for the purpose of masking, it is not even necessary to pursue a constant power consumption. Therefore, it is not even necessary to construct all switching circuit components required for the security-relevant operations in a complementary fashion, but it suffices to make only a part of the circuit components complementary.
Preferably, the load circuit and the data processing device are integrated in a common circuit because the separation of the load circuit from the data processing data for the purpose of attempted discovery requires far more technical means than when these circuit components are arranged on the data carrier in a physically separated manner. The analysis of circuit elements actually involved in security-relevant operations is rendered more complicated notably when the circuit elements required are physically mixed with complementary circuit elements in one chip.

Data carrier with obscured power consumption


A synchronous and bi-directional power conversion module (140) for use in a variable frequency power conversion system (100) comprises a first input/output side (142) for AC power input/output and DC power source input; a second input/output side (144) for DC link connection; and an active power switching arrangement (Q1–Q6), which is controlled by a gating pattern to perform multi-mode power conversion. The active power switching arrangement (Q1–Q6) is controlled to convert DC link voltage from the DC link connection (144) to an AC load supply voltage during a forward power mode; convert AC input power from the first input/output side (142) to a regulated DC link voltage during an AC source input, reverse power mode; and convert DC input power from the first input/output to a regulated DC link voltage during a DC source input, reverse power mode.

As an alternative to conventional fixed frequency power generation systems, recent aerospace applications have utilized variable frequency generators that typically deliver electrical power at frequencies between 320 and 800 Hz. In one such application, a synchronous machine (e.g., a brushless synchronous machine) operates in a first mode as a generator to convert mechanical energy from a prime mover, such as a gas turbine engine, into variable frequency AC power and operates in a second mode as a main or auxiliary power unit starter to convert electrical power into mechanical power, which is supplied to the prime mover until it reaches a self-sustaining speed.
Traditionally, an auxiliary power unit (APU) start power system architecture has two main subsystems: a start power unit (SPU); and a start converter unit (SCU). FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional aircraft power system 10, which includes: a synchronous machine 20; an SCU 30; and an SPU 40. The SCU 20 includes a first inverter 32, which supplies multi-phase AC power to the synchronous machine 20 during a starter mode. The SCU 30 includes a second inverter 34 to provide the exciter power supply field for the synchronous machine 20.
The SPU 40 includes an AC to DC converter 42 and a DC to DC converter 44. When connected to an AC input power source during the starter mode, the AC-DC converter 42 converts AC power from the AC input power source (e.g., supplying 115 VAC) to a DC bus/link voltage, typically around 270 VDC or higher. In FIG. 1, the AC input power source is illustrated as an aircraft start ground panel 64. When connected to an on-board DC power source (battery) 62 or a ground-based DC power source (aircraft start ground panel 64) during the starter mode, the DC—DC converter 44 converts input DC power to the DC bus voltage. The DC input power is typically 28 VDC. During starter mode, the first inverter 32 converts DC power from the SPU 40 to a three-phase voltage for the stator windings of the synchronous machine 20. Furthermore, the second inverter 34 converts the DC power from the SPU 40 to an Exciter Power Supply (EXPS) voltage. The first inverter 32, the second inverter 34, the AC-DC converter 42, and the DC—DC converter 44 are typically provided as discrete units ("boxes"), thereby each requiring a separate DC link. Although not shown, the first inverter 32, the second inverter 34, and the DC—DC converter 44 include individual controllers in this conventional arrangement. In this arrangement, DC bus regulation is performed by a generator control unit (GCU, not shown), through a point of regulation either at the input three-phase AC power or at the DC bus.
During generator mode, the AC-DC converter 42 of the SPU 40 converts multi-phase AC power from the synchronous machine 20 into a DC bus voltage. The AC-DC converter 42 performs passive rectification and is comprised of a three-phase diode bridge in this conventional arrangement. The first inverter 32 of the SCU 30 converts the DC bus voltage to variable voltage (VV), fixed frequency (FF) or variable frequency (VF) power to supply aircraft load(s).
As illustrated, power flow in the conventional arrangement of FIG. 1 is not bi-directional and is managed using at least the following electrical contactors: a first contactor 50-1 between the synchronous machine 20 and the AC side of the first inverter 32; a second contactor 50-2 between the synchronous machine 20 and the AC side of the AC-DC converter 42; a third contactor 50-3 between the first inverter 32 and aircraft load(s); a fourth contactor 50-4 between external DC power source 64 and the DC—DC converter 44; a fifth contactor 50-5 between the external AC power source 64 and the AC side of the AC-DC converter 42; and a sixth contactor 50-6 between aircraft battery 62 and the DC—DC converter 44. Opened/closed states for these various electrical contactors to achieve different operating modes are shown below in Table 1, wherein "C" represents a closed contactor state and "O" represents an opened contactor state.
TABLE 1Different Modes of OperationStarter/Gen. Modes50-150-250-350-450-550-6SM Start Ground DCCOOCOOSM Start Aircraft DCCOOOOCSM Start Ground ACCOOOCOSM GenerateOCCOOO
This particular arrangement of electrical contactors is required in part due to uni-directional power flow requirements. Furthermore, thermal management and DC linking for the SCU 30 and the SPU 40 are fragmented. This is illustrated in FIG. 1 as separate heat sinks and DC links for SCU and SPU components (heat flow being represented as cross-hatched arrows). Separate connectors (power and discrete input/output) are typically required. Thus, overall system weight, volume, and cost are increased and reliability is reduced due to increased part count.

Electrical power system for multi-use power conditioning and engine start


A co-boresight refractive beam director for a full duplex laser communication terminal includes a chromatic beam steering element, such as a two or three prism Risley prism assembly, and a dispersion compensation mechanism (DCM) inserted in either the transmit or receive path. The DCM adjusts a beam direction of either the transmit or receive laser beam to compensate for a pointing difference introduced by the beam steering element due to a difference between the transmit and receive wavelengths. The DCM can include a tip/tilt mirror and actuator, which can be a commercially available FSM assembly. The beam steering element can be temperature stabilized. Position feedback sensors can increase DCM speed and accuracy. The pointing difference can be calculated and/or interpolated from a pre-established look-up table or fitted curve relating pointing differences to transmit and receive frequencies and the pointing direction of the beam steering element.

Due to an explosion in both civilian and military wireless communication, there is a growing need for high speed, reliable, secure, wireless communication of large amounts of data between communicating nodes. It should be noted that the term "wireless" is used throughout this disclosure to refer to any communication that does not depend on a physical link between sender and receiver. Hence, the term "wireless" as used herein excludes fiber optic communication as well as communication over copper wires.
Traditional communication by wireless radio frequencies suffers from several shortcomings, many of which arise from the wide geographic dispersion of typical radio emissions. Even when directional antennae and antenna arrays are used, radio signals are generally disbursed over large geographic areas, causing rapid attenuation of the signal strengths with distance, and also causing the signals to be relatively easy to intercept by unintended receivers. Due to the geographic overlap of radio communication signals, it is typically necessary to assign radio channels to specific frequency bands, which are often in limited supply. Furthermore, it is relatively easy for hostile antagonists to attempt to jam radio communications by transmitting radio signals at high energies that blanket a region of interest.
Laser communication offers an attractive wireless alternative to radio communication, especially when point-to-point communication is required over long distances, because the non-dispersed, extremely directional character of a laser communication beam intrinsically avoids most of the problems that are associated with radio communication. In particular, laser signals experience very little attenuation as a function of distance, because the signal energy remains tightly collimated in a beam. Also, there is no need to assign frequency bands to laser communication users, because interference between laser signal beams is avoided so long as two beams are not directed to the same recipient with very minimal angular separation. And laser communication security is intrinsically high, because interception of and interference with laser communications requires direct interception of a laser communication beam, and/or focusing jamming beams directly at an intended signal receiver.
Full duplex (simultaneous, bi-directional) laser communication can be implemented between terminals in a laser communication network to maximize network connectivity and bandwidth, and minimize handshake overhead. Typically, two laser wavelengths are implemented in each full duplex link between two communicating nodes in a laser communication network, whereby each of the nodes transmits on one of the two wavelengths and receives on the other. The two implemented wavelengths can generally be referred to as a "first" wavelength and a "second" wavelength. However, for simplicity of expression, the two wavelengths that are implemented in a full duplex laser communication link are sometimes referred to herein as the "red" and "blue" wavelengths, although any two wavelengths can be selected, including wavelengths that are not within the visible spectrum.
The two wavelengths of a laser communication link are typically selected such that the receive channel can be isolated from the transmit channel by a factor of 60 to 100 dB or more. In practice, this generally requires a separation between the "red" and "blue" wavelengths of not less than 3.2 nm. In some implementations, each of the message transmitting lasers that are implemented in a full duplex laser communication network is tunable between several, closely spaced wavelengths, thereby allowing the communication links in a laser communication network to be formed using different pairs of "red" and "blue" wavelengths. Generally speaking, however, each of the message transmitting lasers is limited to a group of closely spaced "red" wavelengths" or "blue" wavelengths, and is therefore either a "red" laser or a "blue" laser.
Often, the nodes in a full duplex laser communication network are configured to transmit and receive laser beams having wavelengths in the telecom International Telecommunications Union Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (ITU DWDM) 1555 nm band, which spans a range of approximately 1540-1570 nm, thereby enabling the terminals to implement commercial fiber-optic telecommunication devices and infrastructure.
Of course, due to the highly directional nature of laser beams, it is necessary for communicating nodes to precisely align their lasers with each other, and to maintain the alignment over time so as to effectively communicate. Typically, it is inconvenient or impossible to align laser beams by re-orienting the laser communication terminal as a whole, for example by re-orienting an entire satellite, aircraft, or ground station. Accordingly, a laser communication terminal is generally required to implement a beam director that can align the terminal with a remote node, such that transmitted laser beams are precisely directed to the remote node, and laser light received from the remote node is precisely directed onto a signal detector within the terminal. Typically, the initial pointing must be better than 2 milliradians, corresponding to the initial uncertainty volume for pointing the laser beam, with the pointing subsequently reduced by each terminal to just a few microradians.
Often, laser communication terminals implement a "co-boresight" architecture, whereby received laser light and transmitted laser light both pass through the same "shared" beam director. In principle, this co-boresight approach simplifies alignment between a laser communication terminal and a remote node, in that aligning the shared, co-boresight beam director with the remote node serves to align both the transmitted laser beam and the received laser light.
With reference to FIG. 1A, one approach is to implement a mirror 118 in the beam director 110, and to mechanically re-orient the mirror 118 as needed so as to provide alignment with a remote node. FIG. 1A is a simplified block diagram of a "red" laser communication terminal that includes a transmitting section 100, a receiving section 114 and a controller 148. The message transmitting section 100 includes a "red" laser 102 and high-power optical amplifier (HOPA) 108 that generate a transmitted laser communication beam 134 that is linear polarized. The transmitted beam 134 is directed by a mirror 104 to a polarized beam splitter or dichroic filter 122 that functions as a transmit/receive diplexer (TX-RX diplexer) and then into the beam director 110, which includes a quarter wave plate 132 that converts the linear polarized beam into circular polarization, followed by an additional fixed mirror 106 and a mechanically manipulated beam director mirror 118 that directs the transmitted beam 112 to the remote node. "Blue" circular polarized light 112 received from the remote node follows the same path in reverse through the beam director 110, being converted by the quarter wave plate 132 into linear polarized light that passes through the polarized beam splitter or dichroic filter 122 into the receiver 114, which includes a blue bandpass filter 116, a preamplifier 130 and a light detector 162.
While reflective beam directors 110 according to this approach can be effective, they typically consume a considerable amount of space. Also, this approach can be problematic for laser communication by an aircraft, because it can be necessary to implement the beam-directing mirror in a beam deflecting turret that protrudes into the airstream, which can lead to drag and boundary layer turbulence.
Another approach is to implement a refractive beam director, such as a Risley Prism Assembly (RPA). FIG. 1B illustrates refraction by a single prism 120 of an incoming laser beam 124 into an outgoing beam 126, where the two beams 124, 126 differ in direction by an angle a. By rotating 136 the prism 120 about the axis of the incoming beam 124, the direction of the outgoing beam 126 can be changed, with the family of all possible output beams 126 forming a surface of a cone. If the outgoing beam impinges on a target, rotation of the prism 120 causes the impact point of the beam to vary about a circle 128 on the target.
Of course, the single, rotatable prism 120 of FIG. 1B is not sufficient by itself to align a laser communication terminal with a remote node. Instead, with reference to FIGS. 1C and 1D, an RPA combines at least two prisms 120, 138 that are both independently rotatable about the axis of the incoming beam 124. In FIG. 1C, the two prisms 120, 138 are aligned such that the refraction of the beam 124 by the two prisms 120, 138 is cumulative, whereby that the total refraction angle is the sum of their separate refraction angles, i.e. a+b. In FIG. 1D the second prism 138 has been rotated such that the refraction of the beam 124 by the two prisms 120, 138 is subtractive, whereby that the total refraction angle is the difference between their separate refraction angles, i.e. a−b.
By rotating both of the prisms 120, 138, the impact point of the outgoing beam 126 on a target can be directed to any point within an annular region bounded by a maximum deflection circle 140 corresponding to a+b and a minimum deflection circle 142 corresponding to a−b. Typically, two prisms 120, 138 having the same dispersion angle a are implemented in an RPA, so that the minimum deflection circle is reduced to a central point, allowing the output beam 126 to be directed to a target anywhere within the disk defined by the maximum deflection circle 140. FIG. 1E is a simplified block diagram of a laser communication terminal similar to FIG. 1A, but in which a simple, 2-prism RPA 144 has been implemented in the beam director 110.
An RPA 144 can be an attractive choice for a beam director 110 in the case of an aircraft, because an RPA 144 can be conformally mounted on the aircraft skin or on a pod surface for optimal aero-optic considerations with minimal boundary layer turbulence. Of course, it can be desirable to use highly refractive materials to form the two prisms 120, 138 of the RPA 144, so as to provide a large maximum deflection angle with minimum size and weight of the RPA. In particular, it can be desirable to form the prisms 120, 138 from optical grade single crystal silicon, which has the highest optical index (circa 3.48) of any glass that can be used for an RPA. By leveraging this high refractive index of silicon, a 120-degree beam-steering cone (60 degree half-angle) can be realized in practice.
However, a simple two-prism RPA 144 as is shown in FIG. 1E may not be acceptable as the beam steering element in a co-boresight full duplex laser communication terminal, especially when the prisms 120, 138 are made from materials having high indices of refraction, because a two-prism RPA 144 is inherently "chromatic," in that the angle by which an incident laser beam 124 is refracted will depend on the wavelength of the laser beam. As noted above, in a full duplex co-boresight laser communication link it is necessary for both the "red" transmitted light and the received "blue" light (or vice versa) to be deflected through precisely the same angle by a "shared" co-boresight beam director 110.
Due to the dependence of the index of refraction on the wavelength of the light for virtually all materials, a simple 2-prism RPA 144 will necessarily refract "red" and "blue" light through slightly different angles, thereby giving rise to a "pointing difference" between the red and blue wavelengths. Accordingly, if a 2-prism RPA 144 in a beam director 110 is configured to precisely direct transmitted "red" light 112 to a remote node, as shown in FIG. 1E, then blue light 146 received from the remote node will be deflected by the RPA 144 through a slightly different angle (exaggerated in FIG. 1E) due to the pointing difference, and will not be properly aligned with the receiver 114 of the laser communication terminal.
Instead, with reference to FIG. 1F, an achromatic RPA having more than two prisms can be implemented to achieve refraction angles that are substantially independent of wavelength. An example is the achromatic RPA disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,140,941, also by the present Applicant, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes. In the example of FIG. 1F, the achromatic RPA implements a "pair of triplets" 156 of prisms 150, 152, 154, i.e. six prisms, where each of the "triplets" 156 comprises three prisms 150, 152, 154 that are made from different materials. While effective, an achromatic RPS is physically much thicker, larger, and heavier than equivalent single-material 2-prism RPA's 144 such as in FIGS. 1C-1E, resulting in substantial increase in the size and weight of the beam director 110.
What is needed, therefore, is a compact, lightweight refractive beam director that can be implemented as a co-boresight beam director of a full duplex laser communication terminal that uses different TX and RX wavelengths.

Refractive laser communication beam director with dispersion compensation

BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.


An artificial corundum crystal which can be put into practical use at low costs, and a process for producing the same. The artificial corundum crystal contains a seed crystal and has at least one crystal face selected from a {113} face, a {012} face, a {104} face, a {110} face, a {101} face, a {116} face, a {211} face, a {122} face, a {214} face, a {100} face, a {125} face, a {223} face, a {131} face, and a {312} face. The process for producing the artificial corundum crystal an artificial corundum crystal having a hexagonally dipyramidal includes forming with a seed crystal by a flux evaporation method of heating a sample containing a raw material and a flux to precipitate a crystal and grow the crystal by use of flux evaporation as a driving force.

In recent years, such monocrystals as are naturally present, which have a three-dimensional shape peculiar to the crystals, have been desired in various fields because of unknown properties thereof.
Examples of a method for producing an artificial corundum crystal include (1) the flame fusion method (Verneuil's technique) of dropping raw material powder of the corundum crystal into oxygen and hydrogen flame and simultaneously growing crystal grains; (2) the flux method of mixing raw material powder of the corundum crystal with an appropriate flux, melting the mixture in a crucible, and precipitating/growing the crystal while cooling the melted solution slowly, precipitating/growing the crystal while applying temperature gradient to the solution in the crucible, or precipitating/growing the crystal while vaporizing the flux; (3) the Czochralski method of melting raw material powder of the corundum crystal in a crucible, and pulling up the crystal from melt; and (4) a method of forming raw material powder of the corundum crystal into a shape, and then heating the shaped powder at a high temperature in a hydrogen gas atmosphere for a long time so as to sinter the powder.
In the flame fusion method (1), the growth rate of the crystal is large, so that the obtained crystal cannot be made into a high quality at ease. According to this method, a rodlike crystal is produced. Thus, at the time of actually using the crystal as a laser-oscillating material or the like, it is necessary to cut the produced rodlike crystal into a desired shape, and further the hardness of any artificial corundum crystal is high; accordingly, a problem that costs increase arises. While the artificial corundum crystal produced by this method contains no purities, natural corundum crystal contains impurities. Thus, they can easily be distinguished from each other. Consequently, the artificial corundum crystal has a drawback that it is very low in value as an ornament.
The Czochralski method (3) makes it possible to produce a crystal having a high purity. Accordingly, the crystal can be preferably used as a laser-oscillating material or the like. However, according to this method, a rodlike crystal is produced. Thus, at the time of putting the crystal into practical use, it is necessary to cut the rodlike crystal into a desired shape as described above, and further the hardness of any artificial corundum crystal is high; accordingly, a problem that costs increase arises. Furthermore, the artificial corundum crystal produced by this method has a high purity without containing any impurity, and is largely different from natural corundum crystal. Thus, the artificial corundum crystal has a drawback that the crystal is very low in value as an ornament. The Czochralski method is disclosed in, for example, the patent documents 1 and 2.
According to the method (4) of shaping followed by sintering, it is unavoidable to heat powder at high temperature for a long time. Thus, a large quantity of energy is needed, so as to cause a problem that costs increase. The method for the sintering is disclosed in, for example, the patent document 3.
It is known that according to the flux method (2), a tabular crystal can be obtained by using, as a flux, lithium oxide-lead oxide (fluoride), aluminum fluoride/sodium, lithium oxide-tungsten oxide-lead oxide (fluoride), bismuth oxide-lanthanum oxide-lead oxide (fluoride) or the like, and precipitating/growing a crystal while cooling the melted solution slowly. However, only a thin tabular crystal can be obtained. Thus, there arises a problem that costs increase when the crystal is put into practical use. The flux method is disclosed in, for example, the nonpatent literatures 1 and 2.
Among the corundum crystals, a dark red crystal to which chromium was added is generally called ruby. Since the amount of natural ruby produced is relatively low, there is need for a process for inexpensively producing an artificial corundum crystal near to natural ruby.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 7-277893
Patent Document 2: JP-A No. 6-199597
Patent Document 3: JP-A No. 7-187760
Nonpatent Literature 1: Elwell D., Man-Made Gemstones, Ellis Horwood Ltd., Chichester (1979)
Nonpatent Literature 2: Elwell D., Scheel H. J., Crystal growth from high-temperature solutions, Academic Press, London (1975)

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A pneumatic motor trigger actuator includes a trigger housing adapted to engage a pneumatic motor trigger of a pneumatic tool. A top plate is coupled to the trigger housing. A primary valve is coupled to the top plate and has an open configuration and a closed configuration. The primary valve is pneumatically coupled to the trigger housing such that air flow through the primary valve, when the primary valve is in the open configuration, enters the trigger housing and causes a plug to physically engage the motor trigger with sufficient force to move it to is fully engaged position. The primary valve includes a primary switch and an automatic stop switch. The primary switch is engagable by an operator to configure the primary valve in the open configuration. The automatic switch is engagable by an object to move the primary valve to the closed configuration when a predetermined condition is met.

Pneumatic tools are common throughout industry and are used in a wide variety of manufacturing settings. For example, pneumatic tools are prelevant in the aircraft manufacturing industry. One typical pneumatic tool used in the aircraft manufacturing industry is a hand held drilling unit. When drilling through an aircraft structure using a hand held drilling unit, an operator must maintain positive finger pressure against the start trigger of the drilling unit throughout the entire drilling cycle. While not necessarily significant under some conditions, when drilling through materials often used in the aerospace industry, it may take as long as six minutes to complete a single drilling cycle in this manner. Upon releasing the trigger, the trigger returns to its rest position and the pneumatic motor stops. The constant pressure maintained by the operator throughout a long drilling cycle may potentially cause hand and wrist fatigue.
Prior solutions to hand and wrist fatigue have involved either rotating attachments or engagement buttons that require cumbersome movement of the operator's hand. While these solutions may reduce the length of time required to maintain pressure on the trigger, the operator is still required to initially depress the trigger and then perform additional operations. Accordingly, significant hand and wrist fatigue still occur during repetitive and cyclical use of a hand held drilling unit. Moreover, with these prior solutions, the operator is required to disengage the rotating attachment or engagement buttons at the end of each use.


A continuous feed method for friction stir processing includes continuously feeding a tubular material having a first grain microstructure from a bulk source into a processing chamber, and forcing the tubular material between a die and a textured end portion of a mandrel as the tubular material is advanced through the chamber. The continuous feed method further includes rotating the mandrel within the tubular material while forcing the tubular material across the textured end portion to friction stir process the tubular material and transform a structure of the tubular material from the first grain microstructure to a second grain microstructure. The second grain microstructure is a finer equiaxed grain microstructure than the first grain microstructure. The method further includes converting the tubular material having the second grain microstructure into a stiffened sheet form.

The description provided in the background section should not be assumed to be prior art merely because it is mentioned in or associated with the background section. The background section may include information that describes one or more aspects of the subject technology.
Friction Stir Processing (FSP) is an agglomeration of methods that change the properties of metals and metal matrix composites (MMC) through localized Severe Plastic Deformation (SPD). The resultant Ultra Fine Grain (UFG) microstructure exhibits metallurgical properties that are superior to other mainstream thermomechanical processing methods. UFG enables higher ductility (formability), higher strength, and higher corrosion resistance. FSP is typically applied to the entire material "in bulk" whereas Friction Stir Welding (FSW) is applied only at seams of materials to be joined. In the simplest form, FSP would entail the use of a FSW to produce 100% overlapping on a given substrate or workpiece.
The description provided in the background section should not be assumed to be prior art merely because it is mentioned in or associated with the background section. The background section may include information that describes one or more aspects of the subject technology.

Continuous feed method for friction stir processing


A hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) feedback method includes: receiving, by a first equipment, a data subframe transmitted by a second equipment, wherein the data subframe comprises a first slot corresponding to a first type of service and a second slot corresponding to a second type of service; generating, by the first equipment, the HARQ feedback according to the data subframe, wherein the HARQ feedback includes a first feedback bit corresponding to the first slot and a second feedback bit corresponding to the second slot; and transmitting, by the first equipment, the HARQ feedback to the second equipment.

In a long-term evolution (LTE) system, in order to reduce symbol error rate of data transmission and thus improve the transmission quality, a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) mechanism is adopted by the LTE system.
In related arts, after receiving downlink data transmitted by a base station, a terminal detects whether the downlink data is received correctly, and then performs ACK/NACK feedback according to the detection result. Wherein, the terminal performs the ACK/NACK feedback in subframes, that is, all slots of one subframe correspond to a 1 bit of the ACK/NACK feedback information. When the received ACK/NACK feedback information indicates that the subframe is not received correctly, the base station re-transmits the subframe to the terminal until the subframe is received correctly.

HARQ feedback method, apparatus and system

BEIJING XIAOMI MOBILE SOFTWARE CO., LTD.


A laboratory lift mechanism includes a platen rotatably engaged with a base in a laboratory cabinet. The platen can support a heavy piece of laboratory equipment. Lift bags are engaged with the base and can be inflated to raise the base with the laboratory equipment.

Present principles understand that laboratory work often involves relatively heavy equipment that may from time to time need to be moved. For example, flow cytometry equipment such as Sony's SHA 800 used to identify/sort cells in biosamples can be heavy (e.g., 250 pounds or more) yet may require lab technicians to move the equipment for use or repair. This problem is often further complicated by the heavy equipment being disposed in the laboratory in a tight space such as a cabinet.


Methods and systems for providing for calling party name and/or other information corresponding to a wireless unit to be stored in association with an identifier of the wireless unit in a location register such as the home location register (HLR) in a network element of a wireless network. The network element is configured to accept and support the TR-1188, wireless intelligent network (WIN), or the like messaging processes. When a calling party uses a wireless unit to make a call to a wireline unit of a subscriber having calling name delivery service, the call is routed in a conventional manner to the service switching point (SSP) serving the calling line of the wireline unit. Based on the called party's status as a subscriber, the SSP uses the appropriate messaging process in a query/response exchange to obtain the calling party name and/or other information from the appropriate network element that includes the calling name (or other information) in or has access to an appropriate location register. The SSP then may provide the calling party name and/or other information for display on the wireline unit or associated display device.

The communications service known as calling name delivery or identification is popular with customers. Calling name delivery also may be referred to as calling name presentation (CNAP). A calling name delivery service provides identification of the calling party (e.g., personal name, company name, "restricted", "unavailable", etc.) and/or other information to the called party. In particular, a customer who subscribes to a calling name delivery service typically has a telecommunications unit or device that allows for the real-time display of a calling party name and/or other information associated with a received call. A calling name delivery service also may be referred to as an information delivery service, especially when the delivery service delivers information in addition to or other than a calling name.
The calling name delivery service generally provides calling name (and/or other information) for calls between wireline (also referred to as a landline) units. For example, assume Scott and Laura each have a wireline unit (such as a telephone) in their respective homes. Scott uses his home telephone to call Laura at home. Laura subscribes to a calling name delivery service, and thus, Scott's name appears on the display of Laura's home telephone when he calls Laura.
Unfortunately, the above-described process of calling name delivery is not applicable to a call from a wireless unit such as a cell phone or other mobile phone to a wireline unit. For example, assume Scott uses his car phone to call Laura at home. As noted, Laura subscribes to the calling name delivery service. But the communications system is unable to delivery Scott's name or other information associated with the received call to Laura's home telephone.
The principal reason the communications system is unable to delivery Scott's name when he is using his car phone is that there is no calling name database or other source available to provide Scolt's name associated with his cell phone for display on Laura's home telephone. In contrast, in the wireline example, a calling name database typically stores information associated with each calling line served in a region. But a wireless unit is not associated with a calling line in the physical sense that a wireline unit is associated with a calling line. Thus, information related to a wireless unit is not typically stored in a calling name database that includes information related to calling lines served in a general region. Scott's call from his car phone results in a display on Laura's home telephone that may read: "Information unavailable" or "out of area".
A subscriber to a calling name delivery service generally is not pleased to repeatedly receive the "information unavailable" or "out of area" notice on his or her display in association with a call. The subscriber may believe that he or she is not getting his or her money's worth in terms of the fees he or she pays for the calling name delivery service. Further, a subscriber to a calling name delivery service becomes accustomed to viewing the display of calling party information and feels frustrated when such information is not forthcoming.
Unfortunately, previous attempts to incorporate wireless units in a calling name delivery service have not proved entirely successful. As noted above, calling name information associated with a wireless unit is not generally incorporated in a calling name database used to find name or other information associated with a wireline unit. A calling name database includes entries that may be indexed based on the calling line on which a call originates. A wireless unit is not associated with a calling line. Thus, the characteristics of a wireless unit do not fit the entry format in a typical calling line database serving wireline units.
A separate database for wireless units has been suggested. For example, the wireless database may be set up to include entries so as to provide calling name and/or other information associated with a wireless unit whose owner is based within a "home" region. But, unlike a wireline Unit, a wireless unit is mobile and may operate outside its home region in a visited region. A wireless unit operating in a visited region is said to be "roaming". If the user of the wireless unit makes a call while roaming, the calling name delivery service may be unable to find any information about the roaming unit. The service again displays the "information unavailable" or "out of area" notice to the subscriber.
Moreover, given the nature of wireless units, the distribution and use of wireless units is generally more dynamic than that of wireline units. A customer may have the same wireline number (also referred to as a directory number or a telephone number) for years. But the same customer or household may have more than one wireless unit. A customer may lose or have his or her wireless unit stolen. A customer may buy new wireless units and discard the old ones as technology improves. A customer may switch relatively frequently upon contract expiration or for other reasons among wireless service providers and each time garner a new or different wireless unit.
This dynamic distribution and use of wireless units makes it difficult to keep track of wireless units. For example, assume a wireless database is set up to include entries so as to provide calling name and/or other information associated with a wireless unit. Also assume the problems associated with a roaming unit in the delivery of calling name service are solved or at least minimized. Entries in the wireless database need to be routinely and repeatedly updated so as to provide correct information in the calling name delivery service. With the dynamic distribution and use of wireless units, keeping up with the many changes to the entries in a wireless database is not an insignificant task. This task is complicated by the need to keep the calling name and/or other information regarding a wireless unit in the wireless calling name database in synchronicity with the information regarding the wireless unit in a home location register (HLR) of a mobile switching center (MSC) or other wireless network element. This synchronicity may be difficult to achieve and result in discrepancies between the wireless calling name database and the HLR.
Another previous attempt to incorporate wireless units in a calling name delivery service is described in the patent to Serbetcioglu et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,511,111, entitled "Caller Name and Identification Communication System with Caller Screening Option." Serbetcioglu et al. adds a feature server to an existing network. The network feature server intercepts an incoming call for a called subscriber and prompts the caller to either speak his or her name, or speak or punch a pin number. The called subscriber then is played the caller's spoken name or is provided with information that is associated with the pin number entered by the caller.
There are drawbacks to the use of Serbetcioglu et al.'s feature server. A drawback is that Serbetcioglu et al. requires that another element (the feature server) be added to the telecommunications network. In addition, in Serbetcioglu et al., calls must be routed for interception by the feature server. Thus, Serbetcioglu et al. requires re-routing of current patterns. Yet another drawback is that Serbetcioglu et al. generally does not provide information for all callers for display such as generally provided by calling name delivery services. Only those callers who have been previously entered by the called subscriber into the feature server may have their names displayed. Other "unknown" callers are requested to speak their names, and the caller's spoken name is delivered to the called subscriber. The delivery of a spoken name generally requires the called subscriber to listen on his or her handset or otherwise get more involved with the call than by simply glancing at the display unit for the name of the calling party.
Accordingly, there is a need for methods and systems that provide a calling party name and/or other information corresponding to a wireless unit where the wireless unit used to make a call to the wireline unit of a subscriber having a calling name delivery service.

Methods and systems for implementation of the calling name delivery service feature through use of a location register in a network element in a wireless network


Included are: a direct reduction furnace for reducing iron ore directly into reduced iron using a high-temperature reducing gas including hydrogen and carbon monoxide, an acid gas removal unit having an acid gas component absorber for removing, with an absorbent such as an amine-based solvent, acid gas components (CO2, H2S) in a reduction furnace flue gas discharged from the direct reduction furnace, and a regenerator for releasing the acid gas, and a degradation product removal unit for separating and removing a degradation product in the absorbent used by circulating through the absorber and the regenerator.

Iron ore such as fine ore and lump ore is reduced in solid phase at, for example, approximately 1000° C. by synthesis gas to obtain direct reduced iron (DRI: Direct Reduced Iron). The direct reduction iron making method is low in usage rate of a reducing gas in a reduction furnace. Therefore, reduction furnace flue gas is returned to the reducing gas flow to be reused. Accordingly, efficiency is increased.
Water (H2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2) that are produced in the reduction furnace are inert in the reduction furnace. Therefore, it is necessary to remove them for reuse. The water is removed in a cooler or scrubber, and the carbon dioxide in, for example, a removal unit with an amine-based solvent or the like (Patent Literature 1).

Direct reduced iron manufacturing system