The present disclosure is generally directed to an aircraft including an aircraft body having a number of body frame members on an outboard portion of the aircraft body, a wing assembly extending through a portion of the aircraft body. At least one pair of an attachment member and an attachment strap member are fixedly attached to an upper surface of the wing assembly proximate the portion of the aircraft body at a location of one of the number of body frame members. A number of fasteners fixedly attach the aircraft body via at least one body frame member to one attachment member and a corresponding attachment strap member, thereby securing the aircraft body to the wing assembly.

A significant portion of aircraft final assembly time is spent in joining the wing assembly to the aircraft body. Conventional wing-to-body installation attaches frame stub beams to fasteners used to splice the outboard wing box to the center wing box as well as to a vertical flange connecting the aircraft body skin to the wing box. The interface to the wing box includes both body stub beams and the wing box stringer details and fastener patterns. The aircraft body side panel frames are split in two to allow a lower frame segment to become a loose integration piece at the wing to body integration position. This configuration results in added frame weight due to the aircraft body frame splice. Also, the secondary fuel barrier application process contains hazardous fumes, and cannot be fully completed until after this installation is complete. This places an expensive and complex process in the wing to body integration location.
As the foregoing discussion suggests, current methods of joining wings to bodies in aircraft can be both time-consuming and costly, with the added downside that the additional body weight from the numerous fastening systems reduces aircraft performance and fuel efficiency. Accordingly, new methods and systems for joining aircraft wings to bodies that require less time and less structural reinforcement would be desirable. It is with respect to these and other considerations that the disclosure herein is presented.

Methods and apparatus for attaching an aircraft wing assembly to an aircraft body


A modular play mat includes a plurality of modules that have cooperating fastening means to permit the modules to be removably connected together in different configurations. The cooperating fastening means preferably are hook and loop type fasteners located on the edges of the various modules.

Play mats for children, and in particular babies, are extremely popular. These play mats generally are padded to provide a soft, cushioned surface for the baby to lie on. Preferably the play mats are colorfully decorated to provide a pleasing appearance to the child.
Prior art play mats known to applicant are unitary, padded members. The are commonly square, rectangular, or round, and, by virtue of being a unitary construction, are of a fixed size and dimension. This imposes some limitations on the use of the mat. For example, if there is a need to put the child in an area of the room having limited space that is too small for the play mat, it may not be possible to use the play mat. In addition, the fact that the play mat is of a fixed size and dimension precludes varying the size, dimension or configuration, which might have the effect of providing added visual stimulation for the child.
The present invention overcomes a number of drawbacks of the prior art, unitary play mats.


A bicycle shift control device is provided with a stroke length control arrangement that allows the rider to selectively regulate at least one shift operating member between a single gear shifting operation position and a multiple gear shifting operation position. In the illustrated embodiment, the bicycle shift control device has a gear shifting mechanism that is operated by a pair shift operating members (levers). The stroke length control arrangement selectively limits movement of the shift operating member in a range of movement between the rest position and an intermediate actuating position by preventing the shift operating member from being moved past the intermediate actuating position to the fully actuating position.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a bicycle shift control device. More specifically, the present invention relates to a bicycle shift control device that allows the rider to selectively regulate between a single gear shifting and a multiple gear shifting operation in a single progressive shifting operation.
2. Background Information
Bicycling is becoming an increasingly more popular form of recreation as well as a means of transportation. Moreover, bicycling has become a very popular competitive sport for both amateurs and professionals. Whether the bicycle is used for recreation, transportation or competition, the bicycle industry is constantly improving the various components of the bicycle. In particular, control devices for braking and/or shifting have been extensively redesigned in recent years.
Currently, there are many types of cable operated shifting devices currently being installed on bicycles. For example, some cable operated shifting devices have a pair of shift levers and a cable winding mechanism that rotates via a ratchet mechanism. Some conventional cable operated shifting devices of this type are configured such that the shift lever can be move to cause the cable winder to rotate via the ratchet mechanism in one direction by one gear at a time. As a result, the cable is wound around the cable winder, and a shift is made by the shift mechanism from one gear to the next gear. Operation of the other shift lever causes the ratchet mechanism to be released and the cable winder to rotate in the other direction by one gear at a time. As a result, the cable that was wound on the cable winder is played out, and a shift is made in the opposite direction by the shift mechanism. More recently, some cable operated shifting devices have been developed that allow multiple gear shifts in a single operation of one or both of the shift levers. One example of a bicycle shift control device with multiple gear shifting in a single progressive shifting operation is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US2004/0144193A (assigned to Shimano, Inc.). However, with theses multiple gear shift control devices, the rider some times will accidentally shift two gears when only a single gear shift was desired. Thus, some riders prefer to have a bicycle shift control device that only moves one gear at a time in a single progressive shifting operation.
In view of the above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that there exists a need for an improved bicycle shift control device. This invention addresses this need in the art as well as other needs, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.


Scrap rubber is decomposed in a reactor. The decomposition products are separated into gaseous products and carbon residue. The gaseous products are heated to 1200-1300° C. to decomposition primarily resins and asphaltenes, oil is isolated, atomized to a droplet size of 0.2-2.0 mm, mixed in a ratio of 1:(0.05-3.0) with the carbon residue, which is ground to 0.1-1.0 mm, and thermally decomposed into carbon black with an atomic hydrogen-to-carbon ratio (H:C) in the range of 0.02-0.07 and gases. Ash and volatile compounds are removed from the carbon residue. Carbon black is separated from the ash. The heat given off during combustion of part of the oil is spent on the formation of carbon black, the flash heating of the carbon residue and the removal of volatile substances therefrom, said volatile substances being subjected to intensive heating in the absence of oxygen using heated carbon black particles and oil combustion products.

There is a known method of recycling of waste tires and rubber components, in which the raw material is thermally treated being placed into an extractor filled with oil products at a temperature of 260-290° C., rubber is completely dissolved, after which the obtained rubber modified bitumen is drained, and the residue of soot and mineral components and metal cord are washed with gasoline solvent, which is then steamed away; after that, the solid residue is crushed and metal cord and soot are extracted from it (see RF Patent No. 2153415, publ.  2000, No. 17).
A disadvantage of the said method is high energy consumption determined both by the need to heat an extractor with waste and oil products to a temperature of 260-290° C. and by the use of steam, the generation of which requires energy consumption.
Material disadvantages of the said method are the need to wash the remainder of soot and metal cord with gasoline solvent, which then has to be regenerated, and low quality of the soot produced containing a large (up to 15% wt) quantity of ashes as mineral components, which requires additional separation of soot from ash components to improve its quality performances.
There is a known method of soot production from polymer compounds including pyrolysis of solid carbon-containing raw materials, waste polymer compounds, at 400-1500° C. forming a solid carbon residue and releasing vapor-and-gas products, and subsequent crushing of the carbon residue in the vapor-and-gas product flow at 350-500° C.
The waste pyrolysis is carried out in a vapor-and-gas environment, which is a vapor-and-gas mixture containing, % vol:
Superheated steam35-50Carbon dioxide 5-10Carbon monoxide1-3Oxygen0.1-2.0NitrogenOther
The vapor-and-gas products are subjected to thermal decomposition at 1400-1500° C. (USSR Cert. of Authorship No. 747868, publ.  1980, No. 26).
Among the disadvantages of the said method is high energy consumption determined by the high temperature of the pyrolysis process reaching 1500° C., emissions of gaseous pollutants to the environment during the thermal decomposition of vapor-and-gas products, and low quality of the soot produced due to impurities in the form of ashes.
There is a known method of thermal processing of waste tires and a plant for its embodiment ensuring production of a solid carbon residue (soot) with the following performances: iodine number (ml/100 g)=112; light transmission of toluene extract (%)=98; dibutyl phthalate adsorption (ml/100 g)=93; reusable. In this method, pyrolysis of waste tires is carried out in a reactor at 550-800° C., in the environment of a reduction gas obtained in the reduction gas generator by burning hydrocarbon-containing gases, and the pyrolysis products are separated. At least some of the gaseous pyrolysis products leaving the reactor with liquid hydrocarbon vapors are fed to the reduction gas generator and thermal unit. At least some of the flue gases leaving the thermal unit are fed to the reduction gas generator and the reactor (see RF Patent No. 2269415 publ.  2006, No. 5).
The disadvantages of this method are high energy consumption for processing determined by the need to obtain reduction gas by incomplete combustion of hydrocarbons, high emissions of toxic compounds into the environment, and complex implementation of the process.
The closest to the claimed invention is the method of soot production from rubber waste (see RF Patent No. 2276170, publ.  2006, No. 13) that we adopted as the prototype.
The method includes thermal decomposition of the said waste in a vapor-and-gas environment, division of decomposition products into vapor-and-gas products and solid carbon residue, and carbon residue crushing.
Oil is released from the vapor-and-gas products by condensation, to be thermally decomposed into soot and gases at 900-2000° C., while the vapor-and-gas products after the oil removal are burnt together with the crushed carbon residue, and soot is released from the combustion products by filtering.
After the release of oil together with crushed carbon residue, the vapor and gas products are burnt at the air excess factor of 0.4-0.9.
Prior to crushing, metal is released from the carbon residue by magnetic separation.
Oil thermal decomposition gases are burnt, and the combustion products are used as heat transfer agent for external heating of the reactor.
Among the disadvantages of this method are high specific energy consumption for production of 1 kg of soot, since a large part of the carbon residue is burnt without soot generation together with vapor-and-gas products, and high emissions of polluting combustion products into the environment, due to large quantities of substances to be burnt: gases of thermal decomposition of oil, vapor-and-gas products, and some of the crushed carbon residue.
Another disadvantage of such method is a low quality of the soot obtained, since with a part of crushed carbon residue burnt away, the carbon content in the generated soot decreases, and the ash content increases.

Method of production of soot from rubber waste

Zakrytoe Aktsionernoe Obschestvo “Nauchno-Proizvodstvennoe Ob'edinenie Innovatekh”


A parking sensor apparatus has a microprocessor and multiple ultrasonic sensors. The microprocessor uses a time division transmitting method to control only one ultrasonic sensor to output an ultrasonic detecting signal. In addition, after one ultrasonic detecting signal is output, all ultrasonic sensor are controlled to be in receiving status. Therefore, the microprocessor receives the reflected detecting signals from the ultrasonic sensors and obtains preset distances defined between adjacent ultrasonic sensors to calculate the shortest distance between the vehicle and the obstacle. Further, since only one ultrasonic sensor outputs the ultrasonic detecting signal at a time point, the microprocessor clearly determines that the reflected detecting signal is corresponding to the present ultrasonic sensor, that is controlled to output the ultrasonic detecting signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a detecting obstacle method and apparatus using the same, especially to a signal-transmitting and multi-receiving method of detecting obstacle and parking sensor apparatus using the same.
2. Description of Related Art
A vehicle has a rear parking sensor apparatus to detect an obstacle behind the vehicle and determine a distance from the sensor to the obstacle with ultrasonic sound when backing a vehicle. The parking sensor apparatus operates on principles similar to radar but operates at ultrasonic frequencies rather than radio frequencies. The parking sensor apparatus outputs an ultrasonic detecting signal to detect whether any obstacle is behind the rear of the vehicle and a transmitting route of the ultrasonic detecting signal is like a horn sharp.
In general, the parking sensor apparatus is attached to the rear of the vehicle and has a controller and two ultrasonic sensors. When the parking sensor apparatus is turned on, the controller controls one of them to transmit a first ultrasonic detecting signal and then waits to receive the first ultrasonic detecting signal reflected by an obstacle through the present operative ultrasonic sensor until a preset period is ended. Then the controller controls to the other ultrasonic sensor to transmit a second ultrasonic detecting signal and then waits to receive the second ultrasonic detecting signal reflected through the present operative ultrasonic sensor.
Based on the foregoing description, the controller alternatively controls two ultrasonic sensors to detect whether any obstacle exists behind the rear of the vehicle since the parking sensor apparatus uses a time division detecting method. The time division detecting method prevents all ultrasonic sensors from interfering with multiple reflected detecting signal, that are output from the all ultrasonic sensors at the same time.
However, when the time division detecting method is used to another parking sensor apparatus having at least four ultrasonic sensors, the parking sensor apparatus may require more time to determine the obstacle, that is existed behind the vehicle.
For example, if the controller needs t=60 ms to complete one transmitting and receiving procedure for each ultrasonic sensor, a driving period for each ultrasonic sensor is about 4t=4×60=240 ms. When one obstacle suddenly exits in a second detecting area of the second ultrasonic sensor and the second transmitting and receiving procedure is just ended, the obstacle is detected after 240 ms. That is, if the speed of the vehicle is 20 km/hr to back along a straight line, the obstacle is detected after the vehicle has to back 1.3 m since the obstacle exists in the second detecting area. Therefore, when the parking sensor apparatus having at least four ultrasonic sensors uses the time division detecting method, the parking sensor apparatus may require more time to determine the obstacle.

Signal-transmitting and multi-receiving method of detecting obstacle and parking sensor apparatus using the same


A condensate trap upstream of an engine cylinder is provided. The condensate trap includes a condensate containment shelf positioned within an outlet manifold of an air cooler, above a lower side of the outlet manifold, and extending from a first lateral side of the outlet manifold to a second lateral side of the outlet manifold, the condensate containment shelf and a outlet port housing forming a condensate restriction in direct fluidic communication with an outlet port of the outlet manifold.

Compressors are used in engine intake systems to increase the density of the intake air. Consequently, the combustion output may be increased, emissions may be decreased, and/or fuel economy may be increased. However, compressing intake air also increases the temperature of the intake air. This increase in air temperature decreases air density, thereby diminishing some of the gains achieved via compression of the intake air. Therefore, air coolers positioned downstream of compressors may be used to decrease the temperature of compressed intake air in boosted engines. Air coolers may also be used in conjunction with other systems in the vehicle such as exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) systems to decrease the temperature of the exhaust gas delivered to the intake system.
Air coolers, such as charge air coolers, may be designed for specific engine applications. Specifically, the size and geometry of air flow passages in air coolers may be sized for a specific engine or vehicle. When the air coolers are uniquely sized for an engine, the applicability of the air cooler is decreased. For example, if a specified air cooler were used in another engine or vehicle configuration, the engine may experience misfires due to condensation build up caused by the mis-sizing. As a result, combustion efficiency may be decreased. Furthermore, misfires may be exacerbated when the intake air has a high humidity, a large amount of torque is requested by the vehicle operation (e.g., open throttle conditions), and/or during a downshift in a transmission.
The inventors herein have recognized the above issues and developed a condensate trap upstream of an engine cylinder is provided. The condensate trap includes a condensate containment shelf positioned within an outlet manifold of an air cooler, above a lower side of the outlet manifold, and extending from a first lateral side of the outlet manifold to a second lateral side of the outlet manifold, the condensate containment shelf and a outlet port housing forming a condensate restriction in direct fluidic communication with an outlet port of the outlet manifold.
The condensate containment shelf enables condensate to be accumulated during certain operating conditions. Additionally, the condensate restriction reduces the flowrate of the accumulated condensate into the outlet port. As a result, flowrate of condensate into downstream cylinders is reduced, thereby increasing combustion efficiency and reducing emissions. Furthermore, the likelihood of misfires caused by an excess amount of moisture in the cylinders during combustion is also reduced.
In one example, the condensate containment shelf may be arranged at a non-perpendicular angle with regard to a vertical axis. In this way, the shelf passively directs condensate formed in upstream cooling passages to a lower portion of the condensation trap.
The above advantages and other advantages, and features of the present description will be readily apparent from the following Detailed Description when taken alone or in connection with the accompanying drawings.
It should be understood that the summary above is provided to introduce in simplified form a selection of concepts that are further described in the detailed description. It is not meant to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is defined uniquely by the claims that follow the detailed description. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages noted above or in any part of this disclosure. Additionally, the above issues have been recognized by the inventors herein, and are not admitted to be known.

Air cooler having a condensation trap and method for air cooler operation


An asymmetry compensator for a partial response maximum likelihood (PRML) decoder, which is utilized to remove and eliminate the asymmetric component of the regenerating signal read from the optical recording medium, thereby effectively solving the problem of the asymmetry of the optical disk regenerating signal. The compensator includes an offset controller and a gain controller. The offset controller determines the central level of the regenerating signal thus to adjust the offset of the regenerating signal while the gain controller is arranged to adjust the gain of the regenerating signal.

1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to an asymmetry compensator, and in particular to an asymmetry compensator, which can be utilized in a Partial Response Maximum Likelihood (PRML) Decoder for adjusting the gains and the offsets of asymmetric components of the regenerating signal read from an optical recording medium.
2. Related Art
In general, the optical recording medium is utilized to record the data on the disk by optical means, and to read the data stored on the disk by optical means. As such, the device utilized to read the data stored on the optical recording medium is usually referred to as a signal regenerating device, it mainly comprises: a read/write head for reading/writing the data, a preamplifier, a waveform equalizer, a data detecting circuit, and a decoder.
Usually, in reading the data stored on the optical recording medium, the value of the data is determined by the size of the burned area. However, when the burned area is exceeding 'large' or exceeding 'small', the distinct asymmetry will appear in the optical disk regenerating signal, which affects the error occurrence rate of the regenerating signal of the optical disk, for example, PRSNR, SbER, which is utilized as an important indicator for indicating the optical disk error rates. Among them, PRSNR is disclosed by NEC, SbER is disclosed by Toshiba of Japan respectively.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,324,144 discloses a technology of eliminating the asymmetry, wherein the difference of numbers of the positive and negative signal is utilized to adjust the offset of the regenerating signal. However, to PRML, the adjustment of the offset is not able to entirely compensate the asymmetry in the signal. In addition, if this asymmetry were severe, the application of this technology would increase the difficulties in discriminating the signal.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,754,160 discloses another technical means, wherein the offset is obtained by comparing the signal of PRML with the regenerating signal of the optical disk. However, this means is less sensitive to the offset, and it needs additional hardware to record the regenerating signals, thus increasing the hardware complexity and expense.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,798,363 discloses another technical means, wherein in addition to adjusting the offset by the difference of numbers of the positive and negative signal, the offset is further adjusted by the symmetry of the short T signal. However, to the PRML, the adjustment of the offset alone is not capable of compensating the asymmetry entirely, for it needs the signal of the Viterbi decoder as the feedback signal, thus making the realization of the hardware even more difficult.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,693,863 discloses another technical means, in which the compensation of the asymmetry is achieved by adjusting the quantified level of A/D. However, the utilization of the analog circuit tends to have the problem of adjustment difficulties.
In addition, in the early open published No. 20030169665 discloses a technology, which is utilized to integrate the gain adjuster and the equalizer as a single unit, thus to reduce the hardware required, and the gain is adjusted by making use of the Viterbi feedback signal. However, the integration of gain adjuster and equalizer as a single unit increases the complexity of the circuit design, yet the offset has not been adjusted.
In other documents related to this subject, for example, as disclosed in "A study of Asymmetry Compensation for Partial-Response Maximum-Likelihood Detection in Optical Recording Media" (Sony paper, 1998), the offset of the signal is obtained by making use of the successive 6T, and then it is transmitted to the Viterbi decoder. However, the signals of succession are required, when it is not the case, then the correct offset can not be obtained. In another related document "Decision-directed adaptive nonlinear canceller for optical read channels" (Cirrus paper, 2001) is disclosed a technical means, the compensation signal output is obtained through the equations, yet in this process a set of predetermined input digital signals are required. In other related documents, for example, "Adaptive Signal Processing Method Using PRML For High Density Optical Disks" (Hitachi Ltd. 2002 IEEE), "Combined adaptive controlled PRML signal processing for high density optical disk" (Toshiba Corp. 2002 IEEE), "Adaptive Partial-Response Maximum-Likelihood Detection in Optical Recording Media" (Sony Corp. 2002 IRRR), the asymmetry of the RF (optical disk regenerating signal) is disclosed, and the solution of the asymmetry is by varying the level of the maximum-likelihood decoder. However, by doing so other problems are derived and have just yet to be solved, such as the convergence, the stability, and the interval between level and level of the optical disk regenerating signal.
To solve the asymmetry problem of the optical disk regenerating signal, the adjustment of the offset or the adjustment of the gain is utilized in the prior art, yet the asymmetry correction of the signal must be achieved by offset adjustment and gain adjustment simultaneously, as such to obtain the correct and precise regenerating signal. Nevertheless, for this problem, the prior art does not have proper solution.

Asymmetry compensator for partial response maximum likelihood (PRML) decoder

Industrial Technology Research Institute


According to some embodiments, a document processing unit may receive information associated with a document to be processed. The document processing unit might comprise, for example, a printer, scanner, copier, facsimile machine, or multi-function device. The document processing unit may then automatically analyze the received information in view of at least one pre-determined document policy. The document processing unit may then automatically determine, based on the analysis, whether to apply a policy action, associated with the pre-determined document policy, to the processing of the document. For example, the document processing unit might prevent a document from printing.

A document processing unit may facilitate an exchange of information. For example, an employee may use a printer or copier to create multiple copies of a memo or report to be distributed to other employees of the company. As another example, a child might use a scanner to capture a page of a book and then send that captured image to his or her friends as an email attachment.
Note that it may be desirable to limit or otherwise control the distribution of certain types of information. For example, a company might want to prevent employees from printing or copying confidential business information, such as trade secrets or personal information (e.g., employee salaries or customer Social Security numbers). As another example, a parent might want to help a child avoid the creation or copying of certain documents.
In some cases, a business might establish a rule or policy about printing, copying, or otherwise distributing information. For example, a company policy handbook might let employees know that the printing or copying of inappropriate information is not permitted. Even with such an approach, however, employees might forget the policy or mistakenly create documents that violate the policy. Thus, it can be very difficult to monitor and control the processing of documents, especially when a relatively large number of people, documents, and/or document processing units are involved.

Document policies for a document processing unit


In order to cancel an offset caused by a variation of a signal inputted from an optical pickup, variations of elements in an integrated circuit, etc., a calibration circuit which generates and feeds back an offset adjustment amount that makes the offset zero by a comparison with a reference value, and an offset adjustment circuit that makes the offset zero using the fed-back control signal are provided in an analog front-end LSI. The offset adjustment by the calibration circuit is automatically done in response to commands supplied from a digital signal processing LSI, a host control device, etc. On the other hand, as for a signal on which arithmetic processing such as gain control, addition and subtraction, is performed, the offset adjustment is performed by sending the offset adjustment amount obtained by an arithmetic operation performed by software processing of the digital signal processing LSI to the analog front-end.

An optical disk apparatus (hereinafter called DVD apparatus) that performs reproduction and recording of a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk) is generally provided with an analog front-end LSI which amplifies each of signals outputted from an optical pickup and thereafter takes a difference in signal strength therebetween, thereby obtaining a tracking error signal and a focus error signal of the disk. The DVD apparatus is also provided with a servo control circuit. The servo control circuit drives a motor and an actuator that move the optical pickup and a lens holder based on these error signals, to allow the optical pickup to follow each track of the optical disk and move, thereby performing control for applying a light beam to an accurate position.
In the analog front-end LSI which processes each signal inputted from the optical pickup, a differential amplifier which amplifies a servo system signal and an op amplifier which constitutes an arithmetic unit which performs arithmetic processing between the signals, have offsets due to a variation of the signal of the optical pickup, variations in the manufacture of each circuit, etc., thus causing a case where accurate servo control may not be performed. Since the characteristics differ depending on the type of pickup to be used and an unbalance occurs in each signal due to an assembly error, a balance adjustment circuit or the like for striking a balance between the signals is provided in a signal processor of a servo system. A system for generating the servo system signal needs to perform offset control such that the signal is brought to a desired level. Therefore, the analog front-end LSI is provided with an offset adjustment circuit.
An outline of an offset adjustment system for a servo signal in a conventional analog front-end LSI is shown in FIG. 10. In a DVD apparatus to which the offset adjustment system of FIG. 10 is applied, an arithmetic unit 210 of the analog front-end LSI200 performs arithmetic processing on each signal inputted from an optical pickup 100. A balance adjustment circuit and other circuits 230 for performing other various signal processing perform signal processing such as a balance adjustment between the signals and other various signal processing, and outputs a servo system signal. Thereafter, an AD converter 310 of a digital signal processing LSI300 converts the signal to a digital signal, and an offset amount is calculated by software processing performed by a microcomputer (CPU) or the like operated in accordance with a program. Then, the digital signal processing LSI300 generates a control signal (adjusted value) such that a desired offset is reached, and supplies the same to the analog front-end LSI200, where the control signal is held in a register (or memory) 290, whereby the offset is adjusted. Incidentally, as the invention related to a DVD apparatus in which the signal from the optical pickup 100 is converted into a digital signal after having subjected to arithmetic processing, and an offset adjustment is performed by software processing, there is known the invention described in, for example, the following patent document 1.    Patent Document 1:    Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-348843

Optical disk apparatus, signal processing semiconductor integrated circuit constituting the same, and operation method


A camera creates successive digital images of a scene, and computes a stability measure estimate blur in a final photograph of the scene. The camera combines information such as lens focal length, focus distance, scene brightness value, and shutter speed to determine alternate camera settings that may reduce the blur. The camera communicates to the photographer suggested camera setting changes that may reduce the blur. The communication may optionally happen before the final photograph is taken or after, and may take one of several forms. The camera may optionally be a digital camera. The setting change suggestions may optionally be stored in an image file with a final digital photograph.

Image blur is a common problem in photography. Some common causes of blur in a photograph are subject motion, camera motion (shake), and focusing errors. Blur is a particular problem for casual or amateur photographers who may not know how to diagnose the causes of blur or how to change their photographic technique to improve their results. As new consumer camera models are being produced with zoom lenses capable of very long focal lengths, blur due to camera shake is especially troublesome.
Various devices and techniques have been proposed to help address the problem of image blur due to camera shake. For example, Murakoshi (U.S. Pat. No. 4,448,510) uses an accelerometer to detect camera shake, and provides an indication to the user of the camera if the acceleration exceeds a threshold level.
Satoh (U.S. Pat. No. 6,101,332) also senses camera shake, and combines the shake information with other camera parameters to estimate how much image blur might result. A set of light emitting diodes communicates the estimate to the photographer.
Another approach has been to automate the camera operation, and let the camera choose settings that will minimize blur. For example, Bolle et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,301,440) applies a variety of image analysis techniques in an attempt to improve several aspects of photographs.
Each of these approaches has its drawbacks. The above techniques may require the addition of expensive electro-mechanical components to a camera, thereby increasing the camera cost. The techniques may address only one potential cause of image blur. The techniques give the camera user little guidance about how to improve her photographs, and in fact, additional automation that reduces the photographer's control of the camera may even add to the mystery of why a particular photograph is blurred.
A solution to the problem of image blur is needed that also addresses these difficulties.

Camera shake warning and feedback system that teaches the photographer

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


Color space models are developed using designed experiments of pigment and binder ratios of a plurality known paint formulations for correlating color coordinates in a three-dimensional color space and paint constituents. Capabilities of the paints are determined by limits placed upon the constituents. Each color space model is used to return respective constituent apportionments for achieving predetermined color coordinates. Constituent apportionments within the respective limits correspond to paint formulations within the color space capability of the corresponding known paint formulation. When all such respective constituent apportionments are within the respective limits for each known paint formulation, the predetermined color coordinates are achievable and within a common color space capability of the known paint formulations.

Pigmented surface coating, or paint technology, is widely employed in the automotive industry. Original equipment manufacturers, including vehicle assemblers and suppliers, consume tremendous quantities of paints, the majority of which are applied to interior trim components, exterior body panels and other visibly exposed surfaces. While the varieties of paint technologies are numerous, perhaps the most widespread general variety includes liquid paints comprising pigments carried in a binder base. Other varieties include powder coatings including epoxy paints.
Automotive applications present a variety of challenges to paint technology. Apart from the physical performance objectives such as durability and application characteristics, consistent color matching capability remains a major challenge. This challenge is particularly acute in modern day automotive assembly plants where painted components arrive from various locations in pre-painted condition for final assembly with other remotely painted components to a vehicle having panels and major surfaces painted in an on-site paint facility. Even the on-site paint facility may produce panels which are preferably treated as fungible components for retrieval and assembly to the vehicle without regard for particular paint production runs. Smooth vehicle assembly operations may be significantly hindered by shortfalls in color matching capabilities resulting in subjective component substitution and swapping out of panels in an attempt to achieve an aesthetically pleasing color match among the integrated vehicle components, panels and surfaces.
Additionally, apart from a variety of performance objectives and color matching capability, flexibility to market place demands remains a major challenge. Historically, color preferences tend to run in cycles and when a color loses its appeal or uniqueness, the customer's desires and demands change also. Such color preferences may be fleeting, and by the time a paint is brought to market, the preferences may have changed or waned. Unfortunately, a substantial developmental lead time affects the vehicle manufacturer's response flexibility to the temporal nature of the customer's color preferences. The lead time is generally attributed to pre-production requirements including performance validation testing and other physical properties testing. Also, it is recognized that the paint color selection and release for production process, particularly at the conception stage, relies heavily upon subjective judgment of the paint "alchemists" on how best to achieve a paint formulation for achieving a desired color.

Method of formulating paint through color space modeling


A hexagonal ferrite magnetic powder having an average tabular diameter of from 15 to 28 nm, a coercive force (Hc) of from 2,000 to 5,000 Oe (from 160 to 400 kA/m), a switching field distribution (SFD) of from 0.3 to 0.7 and a D70/D50 of from 1.05 to 1.25. This magnetic powder can be obtained by melting and quenching starting materials to obtain an amorphous product, and thermally treating the product, which comprises increasing a temperature at a rate of 300 to 500° C./hr in a temperature range of 550 to 600° C. in the thermal treatment before the temperature reaches the thermally treating temperature.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hexagonal ferrite magnetic powder, a method for producing the same and a magnetic recording medium. More particularly, it relates to a hexagonal ferrite magnetic powder which provides good output characteristics and yields a reduced noise and which is adapted for a magnetic recording medium for high-density recording reproducible by a highly sensitive head such as an MR head or a GMR head. Also, the invention relates to a magnetic recording medium containing the hexagonal ferrite magnetic powder in the magnetic layer.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the field of magnetic recording, a magnetic head based on the principle of electromagnetic induction (induction type magnetic head) has been used and spread. However, the induction type magnetic head is becoming insufficient for use in the presently required reproduction of high-density records. That is, when the number of coil turns of a reproduction head is increased in order to obtain a larger reproduction output, there results an increased inductance and an increase in resistance in high frequency region, leading to a problem of reduction in reproduction output. Thus, in recent years, a reproduction head based on the principle of MR (magnetic reluctance) has been proposed and used for a hard disc or the like. The MR head yields a reproduction output several times as much as that of the induction type magnetic head and, since no induction coils are used, device noises such as impedance noise are markedly reduced. Therefore, a large SN ratio can be obtained.
On the other hand, the improvement of high-density recording characteristics can also be made by reducing magnetic recording medium noise having conventionally been hidden behind the device noises.
In order to attain such object, there has been proposed, for example, a magnetic recording medium comprising a non-magnetic support having provided thereon a magnetic layer containing a hexagonal ferrite magnetic powder dispersed in a binder (see, for example, JP-A-10-312525).
Also, the improvement of the hexagonal ferrite magnetic powder is disclosed in the following JP-A-10-92618 and Japanese Patent No. 1,652,829. The JP-A-10-92618 discloses a hexagonal ferrite magnetic powder having an average particle size of from 30 to 40 nm, a specific surface area measured by the BET method of from 30 to 70 m2/g, an SFD of 0.9 or less, and a probability of existence of particles having an average article size of 10 nm or less of 5% or less. Also, the Japanese Patent No. 1,652,829 discloses a method of producing a hexagonal ferrite according to the glass crystallization method, which comprises heating the temperature at a rate of 200° C./hr in the step of heating an amorphous product at a temperature of 775 to 800° C. to crystallize hexagonal ferrite to thereby depress the maximum particle size to 0.3 μm or less.
However, these related techniques have failed to provide a magnetic recording medium adapted for a high-density recording as high as about 1 Gbpsi, which is a presently required level.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Hexagonal ferrite magnetic powder, method for producing the same and magnetic recording medium


A method of forming a uniform color filter array. In one embodiment, a first compensation layer is formed over a non-planar color filter array and is patterned to form material structures. A second compensation layer is blanket deposited over the first layer. A technique, such as etching or polishing, is then performed to remove the first and second compensation layers, creating a substantially planar color filter array surface. In another embodiment, the planar color filter array is formed in a recessed trench.

There are a number of different types of semiconductor-based imaging devices including charge coupled devices (CCD's), photodiode arrays, charge injection devices (CID's), hybrid focal plane arrays, and complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) imagers. Current applications of solid-state imaging devices include cameras, scanners, machine vision systems, vehicle navigation systems, video telephones, computer input devices, surveillance systems, auto focus systems, star trackers, motion detector systems, image stabilization systems, and other image acquisition and processing systems.
Solid state imaging devices include an array of pixel cells, which converts light energy received through an optical lens into electrical signals. Each pixel cell contains a photosensor for converting a respective portion of a received image into an electrical signal. The electrical signals produced by the array of photosensors are processed to render a digital image.
Imaging device pixel cells are sensitive to light in the visible spectrum. Naturally, however, the pixel cells used in digital imaging are essentially black and white (light and dark) images. To capture color images, the spectral components of incident light must be separated and collected. To this end, multiple band-pass color filters are imposed in front of the image sensor cells over the photosensitive areas of the cells. Color filters are typically pigmented or dyed material that will only pass a narrow band of visible light, e.g., red, blue, or green. For most low cost CMOS or CCD imaging devices, the color filters are integrated with the pixel cells in a patterned array. A common example of a color filter pattern is the tiled color filter array illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,971,065, and commonly referred to as "the Bayer pattern" color filter. The color filters allow what would otherwise be black and white image sensors to produce color images.
As shown in FIG. 1, the Bayer pattern 15 is an array of repeating red (R), green (G), and blue (B) filters. Half of the filters in the Bayer pattern 15 are green, like green filter 3, while one quarter are red and the other quarter are blue. As shown, the pattern 15 repeats a row of alternating red and green color filters followed by a row of alternating blue and green color filters.
The Bayer patterned filters (or other patterns) may be deposited on top of an array of pixel cells 22 in the manner shown in FIG. 2. Specifically, an array of pixel cells 22 is formed in a semiconductor substrate 10. Each of the pixel cells 22 has a photosensitive element 12, which may be any photon-to-charge converting device, such as a photogate, photoconductor or photodiode. The color filter array 15 is typically formed over a metal layer 18 in the imager 20, separated from the photosensitive element 12 by insulating layers like an interlevel dielectric layer (ILD) 14 and a passivation layer 16. The metal layer 18 may be opaque and used to shield the area of the pixel cells 22 that is not intended to be light sensitive. Convex lenses 21 are formed over the color filter array 15. In operation, incident light is focused by the lenses 21 through the filter array 15 to the appropriate photosensitive element 12.
One problem associated with conventional color filter arrays is illustrated in FIG. 3. As shown, a color filter array 99 often has a non-uniform surface. This variation can be caused, for example, by the inherent non-uniformity caused by spin-coating the color filter array material on any surface of the imager 20. In fact, it can be seen in FIG. 3 that the surface unevenness occurs in two ways: (1) within an individual color filter and (2) among color filters within the array.
The first variation, i.e., variations within one color filter, is shown in FIG. 3 at pixel 51, which has a severe dip in the material used for the individual color filter. Specifically, the material has a greater thickness at the edges for this pixel than it does in the center. This type of variation in the color filter material surface is most common in the color filters formed during the latter part of the color filter array formation. Specifically, the first color filters formed on a flat surface can typically achieve sufficiently even surfaces; however, those filters formed after the first color filters are in place may exhibit unevenness due to the thickness variation achieved during reflow of the material. The variation of material thickness within any one color filter may be as great as 2000 Angstroms, depending on the particular characteristics of the color filter material.
Conventional color filter arrays 99 may also suffer from non-uniformity across the surface of the entire array (i.e., variation among pixel sensor cells within one die). This phenomenon is illustrated by dashed line 103 on FIG. 3, where the height of the color filters near the center of the array (HCA) may be greater than the height of the color filters near either outside end of the array (HEA). Within one die, this pixel-to-pixel variation can be caused by resist flow-over during processing of the color filter material causing the non-uniform distribution of color filter material. The across-array surface unevenness may have a variation of about 400-500 Angstroms of height differential from the center to sides of the array.
The surface unevenness can cause problems for an imaging device 20 (FIG. 2) having the uneven color filter array. For example, an uneven surface does not create a solid foundation for a microlens array, which is typically constructed over the color filters, and is less stable with an uneven foundation. In addition, an uneven color filter array can cause imaging efficiency reduction by creating additional fixed pattern noise or a shading effect. Specifically, fixed pattern noise, which is a spatial variation in pixel output values under uniform illumination, results from the variation of color filter material within one pixel cell. An undesirable shading effect occurs as the result of non-planarity of the color filter array over the entire surface of the array. Thus, having an color filter array with even topography can advantageously help to create a solid foundation for microlenses, reduce fixed pattern noise, and decrease undesirable shading of a reproduced image.
A conventional technique for dealing with the uneven topography of color filter arrays is to form an additional planarization layer over the surface of the color filter array, and use the flat planarization layer as a flat surface for the formation of microlenses. This additional planarization layer, however, adds to the stack height of the imaging device, disadvantageously resulting in additional space between the microlenses and the photosensor below.
In addition, known methods for providing even surfaces in semiconductor integrated circuit processing may not be effective for dealing with the uneven surface in a color filter array. Specifically, both chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) and etching techniques utilize reference surfaces to remove unwanted materials. For example, if etching were performed on the color filter array 99 of FIG. 3, the result would likely be that a uniform amount of thickness would be removed from each of the color filters, leaving the overall surface uneven. The lack of a planar reference surface makes these known techniques ineffective, and does not rectify the additional problems with uneven color filters discussed above.
Accordingly, a color filter array having an even surface and a simple and effective method of forming the same are desired.

Method of forming a uniform color filter array


A new cultivar of Cannabis plant named ‘MR2018002’ that is characterized by about 6% THC and 13% CBD by dry weight and resistance to microbial growth.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Cannabis (Cannabis sativa) cultivar designated as 'MR2018002'.
'MR2018002' is a selection resulting from a controlled-cross between a male unnamed plant of Cannabis sativa variety of unknown background (unpatented) and a female unnamed plant of Cannabis sativa variety of unknown background (unpatented). The plants were grown in Markham, Ontario, Canada.
Seeds from the cross were sown and grown at an indoor Cannabis facility in Markham, Ontario, Canada. The plants were flowered under standard indoor environment conditions with High Pressure Sodium lamps. The plants were screened for a number of traits including tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) levels, yield, flowering time, disease resistance and flower morphology. An individual plant having about 6% THC and 13% CBD by dry weight and resistance to microbial growth was chosen to be 'MR2018002'.
In September 2016, 'MR2018002' was first asexually propagated by apical stem cuttings approximately 10 cm long and having multiple auxiliary meristems, in Markham, Ontario, Canada. 'MR2018002' is stable and reproduces true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction. This cultivar has increased resistance to microbial growth for enhanced cultivation and production of flower yield and extracts thereof.


A dynamic random access memory (DRAM) device that is selectively operable in a normal write mode, in a block write mode, or in a blocked flash write mode in accordance with a mode select signal. In the preferred embodiment, each column of a 512.times.512 DRAM is divided into eight superblocks of 64 columns, each superblock being in turn divided into eight blocks of 8 columns each. An address decoder decodes the most significant column address bits A8-A6 to provide a group select signal specifying a 64-bit superblock, the next most significant column address bits A5-A3 to provide a block select signal specifying a 8-bit block, and the least significant column address bits A2-A0 to provide a cell select signal specifying a particular column. In the normal write mode, data is written to the specified column in the specified block in the specified superblock. In the block write mode, the same data is simultaneously written to selected columns in the specified block in the specified superblock. In the blocked flash write mode, the same data is simultaneously written to selected blocks in the specified superblock. An 8-bit data input line (D7-D0) is used to provide bits that select columns in the block write mode or blocks in the blocked flash write mode.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to semiconductor memories, and more particularly to the writing of a constant value to a plurality of addresses simultaneously. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to the fast writing of a constant value to a plurality of column-wise contiguous cells of the memory.
2. Background and Related Art
Computer graphics display systems, e.g., scientific workstations, are widely used to generate two-dimensional (2D) representations of three-dimensional (3D) data for scientific, engineering, manufacturing, and other applications. The image displayed on the screen is stored in a memory called the frame buffer. The frame buffer is usually comprised of both Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) and Video Random Access Memory (VRAM), as is known to those skilled in the art. The rate at which new data may be written to the frame buffer determines the system's performance.
However, the performance perceived by the user is based on other factors in addition to the rate at which new image data is written to the frame buffer. For example, the amount of time spent refreshing the dynamic memory devices and scanning the image to the screen adds to the perceived amount of time required to render new data. Additionally, prior to drawing a new frame, the data in the frame buffer must be erased to provide a "clean" drawing area. The amount of time required to clear the portion of the frame buffer associated with the current application's window also adds to the total perceived time for rendering an image.
Many graphics adapters are "single buffered," meaning that there is only one bank of VRAM associated with the image on the screen. As a result, the user often sees the old image being cleared and the new image being generated because the buffer being altered and the buffer being scanned to the monitor are the same entity. Consequently, in a single-buffered system, time spent clearing the buffer greatly detracts from the front-of-screen image quality. The image quality is generally resolved by double-buffering the frame buffer; where one buffer (the update buffer) is used to generate the next image, while a second buffer (the display buffer) is displayed. Once rendering to the update buffer is complete, the buffers are swapped (usually during the monitor's vertical retrace period--the time spent waiting for the electron beam to be repositioned to the top of the screen for the next refresh). The data in the new update buffer is then erased, and the next image is rendered. In the case of a double-buffered system, the time required to clear the old image simply adds to the overall perceived rendering time.
Clearing operations are not only used to initialize the frame buffer prior to generating the screen (i.e., once per frame). Some graphics primitives require multiple passes through the hardware and the use of auxiliary bit planes in the frame buffer to tag certain pixels. Either before or after such a primitive is rendered, the auxiliary planes must be initialized. The time spent initializing the auxiliary planes also adds to the perceived rendering time of an image.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,961,171 Pinkham and Balistreri describe a memory in which there exists an on-chip data register that may be used during ensuing write operations. On standard VRAM devices, this register is commonly known as the "color register." The use of this register is further described by Pinkham and Balistreri in U.S. Pat. No. 4,807,189, wherein they describe a means of writing the data in the color register to multiple adjacent cells. This function has been adopted in the VRAM industry as "block write." Yet another function using the color register is defined by Kamisaki in U.S. Pat. No. 5,003,510 wherein he discloses writing the value in the color register to all cells in a given memory row. This function is known to those skilled in the art as "flash write." U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,961,171; 4,807,189; and 5,003,510 are incorporated herein by reference.
In single-window (or non-windowed) systems, such as the IBM 5086 Model 2, flash write is particularly valuable in that it allows the screen to be cleared rapidly. Assuming that all 512 rows of the VRAM are cleared and that each flash write consumes 160 nanoseconds (ns), it requires only 82 microseconds (.mu.s) to clear the entire frame buffer (window). The advent of windowed environments, such as those supported on the IBM RISC System/6000.RTM. (RISC System/6000 is a registered trademark of IBM Corporation), has reduced the utility of flash write because windows may occupy any sub-region of the screen, and do not map to a whole number of rows in memory. In the most time-consuming case, pixel locations within a window must be cleared (set to a constant) one at a time. Relative to flash write, this represents a 512-fold decrease in performance (there are 512 columns in a row of a standard VRAM). Block write partially addresses this issue. Block write allows a plurality of cells within a group, or "block", of cells with common most-significant bits of their address (i.e., a group of adjacent cells aligned to a given power of 2) to be written simultaneously. The most common mode of block write allows any or all of 4 contiguous column addresses to be written simultaneously as masked by 4 bits of the data bus. Some memory devices now offer 8-column block write, i.e., data may be written to any subset of the 8 columns within the selected block based on 8 bits of the data bus. Thus, there is a 128-fold (64-fold in 8-column block write parts) depreciation in the pixel-per-second clearing performance of windowed systems using block write versus flash write. As an example, it requires 648 .mu.s to clear a 900.times.720 window (a common window size). This assumes 40 nanoseconds (ns) per block write cycle, 8-column block write, and a 5-way memory interleave as is common in many workstations. (Five 8-column block write VRAMs can render 40 pixels every 40 ns, or 1 pixel per nanosecond, and there are 648,000 pixels in a 900.times.720 window.) Further increases in bandwidth past 8-column block write is not likely because of the pins required to control the column selects would out-grow the width of the data bus.

Blocked flash write in dynamic RAM devices

International Business Machines Corporation


An image reading device includes a light source, an imaging element and a control unit. The light source irradiates light on a document. The irradiated light of the light source reflected by the document is incident on the imaging element. The control unit is configured to, if the document is an ordinary document having no light-emitting screen, set a light amount of the irradiated light of the light source at a predetermined reference value and is configured to, if the document is a special document having a light-emitting screen, reduce the light amount of the irradiated light of the light source to become lower than the reference value.

The technology of the present disclosure relates to an image reading device and an image forming apparatus provided with the image reading device.
In general, in an image reading device, the light of a light source is irradiated on a document placed on a contact glass. The light irradiated on the document is reflected. Some of the scattering light is condensed by an imaging lens and is incident on an imaging element (CCD). In the imaging element, the amount of the incident light is converted to charges. The density of an image is determined depending on the amount of charges.

Image reading device and image forming apparatus


A test pattern generating apparatus includes an extractor configured to extract a plurality of layout parameters (elements) of a circuit under test based on gate net information and layout information of the circuit, and to link the layout parameters (elements) with corresponding fault models respectively. A weight calculator is configured to calculate a weight for each fault model linked with the layout parameters (elements) for both a plurality of undetected faults of the fault model and a plurality of faults detected by a plurality of test patterns, based on process failure (defect) information and layout parameter (element) information. An automatic test pattern generator is configured to generate the test patterns in accordance with the weight of each fault model linked with the layout parameters (elements).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a test technology of semiconductor integrated circuits, and more particularly, relates to a test pattern generating apparatus, a method for automatically generating test patterns, and a computer program product for executing an application for a test pattern generating apparatus capable of automatically generating the test patterns.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, a large-scale integrated circuit (LSI) called a system on chip (SOC) has been widely developed. The LSI is frequently manufactured by use of a deep sub-micrometer (DSM) process using metal wires having a width less than or equal to 0.2 μm to 0.1 μm. With respect to the LSIs manufactured by the DSM process, it frequently occurs that elements and processes that have been not problems become serious problems at the sub-micrometer level. Similar problems occur to random logic circuits (logic circuit blocks arranged by connections of combinational logic gates and memories such as flip-flops and latch circuits), which are the subject of the present invention. In the past, a methodology in which test patterns are manually generated (performed as a function test), an automatic test pattern generation (ATPG) methodology in which test patterns are automatically generated by utilizing a scan test technique, and a built-in self test (BIST) methodology in which a test circuit for performing a test is embedded in a LSI have been known for generating test patterns for device under test (DUT). The quality of the test patterns is evaluated by a fault coverage that is a proportion of the number of single stuck-at faults detected by the test patterns to single stuck-at faults (having a number of 2N when there are N nodes or input/output terminals of primitive cells), each one of which is assumed at a node (wire) between basic cells or an input/output terminal of a primitive cell inside the DUT, being fixed to either power supply potential (VDD) or ground potential (GND) of the DUT. The necessary test quality is regarded as being achieved by improving the fault coverage to a required level (95% for instance). In order to cope with the DSM process, it is necessary to increase the required fault coverage closer to 100% (98% for instance). However, with respect to LSIs manufactured by the DSM process, achieving sufficient test quality by only utilizing the stuck-at fault model is difficult.
An essential problem of the concept of the fault coverage of the stuck-at fault model is that the fault coverage only considers the rate of a number of detected faults to the number of supposed faults for the gate net of LSI not having the layout information. Accordingly, it is impossible to obtain correlation of the calculated fault coverage with high precision though it is possible to expect a correlation of the calculated fault coverage (test quality) with fault occurrence of an actual LSI to a certain extent. Furthermore, it is impossible to set appropriate criteria of test quality, so that test patterns tend to be more than necessary. Since it is impossible to add test patterns to highly possible faults based on layout information, sometimes the expected test quality cannot be obtained regardless of the resources for generating and adding test patterns.
Regarding the problem mentioned above, a weighting technique of associating appropriate layout information (layout parameters) with faults, and of estimating the result of a fault simulation as weighted fault coverage has been proposed. As a result, it is possible to improve the precision of correlating process failure rate by adding an appropriate layout weight to a fault following the stuck-at fault model, by executing a fault simulation, and obtaining weighted fault coverage. Moreover, it is possible to effectively reduce resources of adding test patterns by giving clear priority so as to detect undetected faults.
Another essential problem associated with a test utilizing the stuck-at fault model is that the coverage of detected basic faults, such as wire shorts (bridge faults) is unclear though it is possible to check detection of faults of connection nodes or input/output terminals of primitive cells in DUT. Some experimental results in which these basic faults are secondarily detected by improving coverage of stuck-at faults has been reported. However, since improvement of test quality is very difficult in a DSM process, it is difficult to obtain predetermined test quality. With respect to the problem mentioned above, a tool for extracting bridge faults from layout information, and for executing a fault simulation and the ATPG has been recently marketed. Furthermore, in the DSM process, it is necessary to consider an open fault model and a delay fault model.
The test patterns are individually generated in essence only by accumulating a combination of fault models and layout parameters required for maintaining quality of LSIs manufactured by the DSM process. Accordingly, the test pattern size (test pattern length), and the test period (test cost) in a shipping test, greatly increases. However, a technique of effectively reducing test pattern size for the combination of the fault models and the layout parameters has not been proposed.

Test pattern generating apparatus, method for automatically generating test patterns and computer program product for executing an application for a test pattern generating apparatus


A ZVS boost converter can include a boost inductor coupled to a DC voltage bus, a main switch configured to selectively store energy from the DC voltage bus in the boost inductor and deliver the stored energy to a load, a synchronous rectifier, and a resonant circuit coupled across the main switch. The resonant circuit can allow for zero voltage switching of the main switch and the synchronous rectifier switch. The resonant circuit can be a series resonant RC circuit. The boost converter can be operated in a continuous current mode, with the main switch operated at a constant frequency with a variable duty cycle to maintain output voltage regulation and the synchronous rectifier operated complementarily to the main switch. The duty cycle of the main switch can be controlled using a current window controller. The ZVS boost converter may be incorporated in a power factor corrected AC-DC converter.

Boost converters are one type of switching power converters used to provide regulated power sources for a variety of electronic devices. As the power requirements of electronic devices increase, efficiency of the power converters becomes more and more important. One disadvantage of conventional boost converters is that the main switch is turned on with a relatively high voltage across the switch. The high voltage across the switch corresponds to energy stored in the drain to source capacitance of the switching device (e.g., a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor a/k/a MOSFET). The energy stored in this drain to source capacitance is discharged when the switch is closed and is essentially wasted.
In other types of switching converters, zero voltage switching ("ZVS") has been implemented to reduce such losses. Despite the interest in ZVS converters, particularly for continuous current mode DC-DC boost converters with power factor correction, the inventor is not aware of a boost converter implementation with zero voltage switching for all switching devices. However, such a converter is disclosed herein, which can provide for increased efficiency and power density.

Continuous conduction boost converter with zero voltage switching and power factor correction


A real time in situ system and method for monitoring solutions, such as basic hydrogen peroxide (BHP) and other laser fuel solutions, is provided. Raman spectroscopy is applied to a solution of interest to provide substantially real time and in situ characterization of the solution. In one embodiment, OOH− and H2O2 Raman peaks are monitored in real time and in situ for determination of BHP composition.

Laser beams are generated by means of a population inversion consisting of an unstable abundance of molecules having excited high energy electronic states which release photons as they decay to the equilibrium lower energy states of the optically active media.
In high energy chemical lasers, the excited electronic states are generated by a chemical reaction. For example, one such reaction involves the use of excited molecular oxygen, hereinafter referred to as singlet delta oxygen (SDO) or O2(1Δ), in combination with an optically active media or lasing substance, such as iodine or fluorine.
One method presently in use for generating a stream of SDO involves a chemical reaction between chlorine gas and a basic solution of hydrogen peroxide, hereinafter referred to as basic hydrogen peroxide (BHP). The excited oxygen can then be added to a suitable lasing medium and the mixture passed through an optical resonator/cavity to bring about a lasing action.
These lasers have been found to be very useful but improved performance characteristics, especially in the area of materials supply and efficiency, is desirable. In particular, a number of problems in the supply, storage, and maintenance of the BHP reactant material has limited the use of these chemical lasers in military and airborne applications.
For example, a high-performance tactical laser weapon requires a laser with rapid fire capability. Many lasers, such as chemical oxygen iodine lasers (COILs) (e.g., the Advanced Tactical Laser (ATL) Advanced Component Technology Demonstration (ACTD)), can operate only in a short lasing burst limited by the supply of BHP. In the ATL, the airborne laser (ABL), and the EC-COIL laser systems, each laser burst is separated by a longer time period during which spent and excess BHP is recycled and/or regenerated to support another lasing burst. This limits the utility of laser weapons and hence their potential.
In order to improve the efficiency of BHP supply via recirculation and/or regeneration, it is essential to provide the laser fuel "status" in real time to permit the user to know the condition of the fuel prior to lasing and during recycling or regeneration. Currently, a system or method for real time in situ monitoring of BHP solution (for concentration or component analysis or diagnostics) is not available. Instead, BHP characterization currently requires batch sampling of BHP before and after reaction followed by titrations to determine the solution content, thereby requiring hours of labor and cost and resulting in great inefficiencies in the BHP supply.
Thus, a real time and in situ system and method for monitoring or analyzing a solution including hydrogen peroxide (e.g., BHP) is highly desirable and advantageous.

Real time in situ monitoring of a solution


A method for attaching a proximity probe offset to an axis defining an extension cable. The method includes a sensing element; a cylindrical part molded with a moldable material; a recess configured in one of two opposing ends defining the cylindrical part to receive the sensing element; a first and a second ferrule each extending from opposing surfaces defining an exterior of the cylindrical part, a first axis defining the first and second ferrules being offset from a second axis defining the cylindrical part; and an extension cable operably attached to the sensing element via the first and second ferrules, the sensing element being disposed offset relative to the extension cable.

The present invention relates to proximity probes, and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for an eddy current probe for limited space applications that also allows for automated manufacture thereof.
Monitoring and diagnosing the status of rotating and reciprocating machinery start with accurate and dependable measurements from a transducer and its associated electronics and then proceed to other sophisticated analyzing apparatus for reduction and display. One such transducer is a proximity transducer which may be utilized for, inter alia, monitoring the vibration characteristics of a rotating shaft of a machine. In this environment, the transducer must operate under very adverse physical, chemical and mechanical conditions and it is often very difficult to replace such transducers. Thus, there is an ongoing effort to make the proximity transducer one of the most reliable parts of the monitoring system.
Typically, the proximity transducer, in conjunction with associated electronics, outputs a signal correlative to the spacing between an object or "target" (the rotating shaft of the machine) and a sensing coil of the proximity transducer. It is critical that the length or spacing between the target and the sensing coil of the proximity transducer remains within the linear range of the transducer for providing accurate and reliable measurements when in operation. Thus, one hallmark for providing accurate and reliable measurements relies on providing a transducer which is impervious to the predations of the environment and which does not consume an inordinate amount of the linear range of the transducer.
Standard eddy current probe designs are typically a forward mount design with a probe tip in-line with an extension cable. However, an in-line, forward mount tip does not allow the probe to be mounted in extremely tight locations such as in-between critical machine components and a target surface being measured.
Probes designed for limited space mounting applications are very specific to each application, and currently involve a number of labor intensive, manually operated processes to manufacture them. For example, a typical right angle or small, limited space mounting probe includes hand machined non-conductive components for the tip, a hand wound sensing coil, and a hand mixed, manually applied epoxy to encapsulate the tip for attachment to a stainless steel probe case. The probe case is used to operably mount the tip to the machine.
Thus, a limited mounting space probe that may be utilized in a wide variety of limited mounting space applications while reducing manual labor intensive operations for the manufacture thereof is desired.

Method and apparatus for automated manufacture of a probe tip


A communication system (600) has a first processor (210) and a second processor (220). The first processor (210) has a first number of address bits (e.g., A=5) to select a first device (651), and the second processor (220) has a second number of address bits (e.g., B=4 to select a second device (661). The processors (210, 220) are coupled to the devices (651, 661) by a shared bus (640) with a total number of bit lines (641-648) which is smaller than or equal to the sum of the first and second numbers of bits (e.g., N=8). The bit lines (641-648) are assigned to a first outer set (641-643), a second outer set (646-648) and to an inner set (644-645). LSB-bits from the first processor (210) are coupled to the first outer set (641-643), LSB-bits from the second processor (220) are coupled to the second outer set (646-648), and MSB-bit of first and second processors (210, 220) are multiplexed to the lines of the inner set (644-645).

The present invention generally relates to communication systems, and, more particularly, to a communication system having a communication controller and multiple physical interfaces, and to a method.
In many communication systems, a physical interface (e.g., a xe2x80x9cPHYxe2x80x9d, or xe2x80x9cphysical layer devicexe2x80x9d) connects a communication channel (e.g., fiber optic line, phone line, radio link) to a communication processor. For example, the system operates in the Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) in which the channels transfer data in cells (e.g., blocks of bytes). In such cases, the communication processor (xe2x80x9cATM layer unitxe2x80x9d) can be either a cell processor or a Segmentation and Reassembly (SAR) unit. Preferably, a single processor can serve multiple (e.g., n) PHYs. In the terms of ATM, processor, PHYs and channels belong to the so-called physical layer. Many references are dedicated to ATM, such as [1] Reif O. Onvural: xe2x80x9cAsynchronous Transfer Mode, Performance Issuesxe2x80x9d, Second Edition, Artech House Boston and London, 1995, ISBN 0-89006-804-6, especially chapter 2.4 xe2x80x9cPhysical Layerxe2x80x9d; [2] The ATM Forum, Technical Committee: xe2x80x9cUtopia Level 2, Version 1.0xe2x80x9d, June 1995, [FIG. 2.3B with a single ATM (communication processor) and multiple PHYs]; [3] U.S. Pat. No. 5,485,456 to Shtayer et al.; and [4] U.S. Pat. No. 5,418,786 to Loyer et al.
Coupling multiple PHYs to a single ATM layer can require additional pins to the processor and packages which is not desirable. The present invention seeks to provide systems which mitigate or avoid these and other disadvantages and limitations of the prior art.

Communication system with communication controller and multiple physical interfaces, and method


Code compression techniques and decompression architectures for embedded systems are disclosed, providing good compression ratio while improving decompression time for VLIW instructions and reducing bus power consumption. The invention includes two fixed-to-variable (F2V) length code compression schemes based on a reduced arithmetic code compression algorithm combining arithmetic coding with probability models; a static probability model using static coding and semi-adaptive coding using a Markov model. Multi-bit decompression methods for the F2V techniques are presented, together with a parallel decompression scheme that tags and divides a compressed block into smaller sub-blocks. The Markov model provides better compression ratio, but the static model has a less complicated decompression unit design. The invention also includes two variable-to-fixed (V2F) length coding algorithms, one based on Tunstall coding and another on arithmetic coding. The V2F algorithms are also combined with a static model and a Markov model.

Embedded computing systems are space and cost sensitive. Memory is one of the most restricted resources, posing serious constraints on program size. For example, in a high-end hard disk drive application, an embedded processor occupies a silicon area of about 6 mm2, while the program memory for that processor takes 20 to 40 mm2. Reducing program size, therefore, could result in significant savings in terms of cost, size, weight, and power consumption. In VLIW architectures where a high-bandwidth instruction pro-fetch mechanism is required to supply multiple operations per cycle, reducing code size and providing fast decompression speed are critical to overcoming the communication bottleneck between memory and CPU.
Data compression is a mature field. However, most of the existing state-of-art data compression algorithms cannot be applied to code compression directly. Compressed code must be decompressed during program execution, implying that random access in decompression is necessary since code has branch, jump and call instructions altering flow of the program.
Existing statistical code compression algorithms are mostly variable-to-variable coding or fixed-to-variable coding, meaning the decompression procedure is sequential, since the decompressor does not know where to start decompressing the next symbol until the current symbol is fully decompressed. Because VLIW machines have long instruction words, existing code compression algorithms, which are very difficult to parallelize, introduce very long delays into instruction execution during decompression.
VLIW architectures are attractive due to hardware simplicity and compiler technique advances. VLIW architectures have been widely adopted in a number of high-performance microprocessors in different application areas, from DSP (Texas Instrument's TMS320C6x family and Lucent Technology's StarCore) and VSP (e.g., Philips Semiconductor's TriMedia), to general-purpose microprocessors such as Intel's Itanium, which adopts the IA-64 architecture. Even though VLIW processors have gained a lot of popularity recently, code compression techniques targeting VLIW architectures have not been studied as extensively as in RISC architectures.
Traditional VLIW architectures need more program memory because they require rigid instruction format and/or special pack/unpack operations. To address the program memory issue, modern VLIW processors have flexible instruction formats. Unfortunately, dictionary code compression techniques proposed to date work for rigid instruction formats only. Further, flexible instruction formats mean each sub-instruction within the long instruction word must not necessarily correspond to a specific functional unit. This eliminates most NOP instructions found in code for rigid VLIW architectures, making the code denser. Some VLIW-based architectures introduced in the last three years, such as StarCore's SC 140, use mixed-width instruction sets (supporting both 16-bit and 32-bit instructions). In this case, the processor uses short instructions when the full range of instruction options is not necessary, and reserves use of the longer instructions for performance-critical software sections requiring the full power of the architecture. These efforts result in VLIW code that is less compressible.
Code density is not the only design goal for embedded systems, power is also a concern. Bus power consumption is a major part of the total system power consumption. Instruction bus power optimization has not, however, been intensively explored, since the instruction bus is normally considered rigid and unchangeable.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need in the art for code compression techniques to ease the memory constraint problem in embedded systems while minimizing bus power consumption, techniques applicable to the flexible instruction formats of VLIW processors and operational with a fast decompression scheme providing random access during decompression with minimal delay to instruction execution.

code compression algorithms and architectures for embedded systems


An occlusive dressing consisting essentially of a soft, pliant, fluid absorbent adhesive barrier layer, a thin elastomeric backing layer along one side of the barrier layer, and a removable release sheet covering the opposite skin-contacting surface of the barrier layer. The release sheet is divided into two immediately adjacent separable sections disposed along opposite sides of a predetermined line of separation. Each separable section includes an extended tab which projects outward beyond a perimeter of the skin-contacting surface of the barrier layer for permitting removal of the separable sections without touching or contaminating the exposed surface of the barrier layer. When the line of separation is defined by a series of alternating slits and connecting segments which normally hold the separable sections in contiguous relation, the extended tabs facilitate tearing the separable sections apart.

Occlusive and adhesive wound dressings are well known in which the adhesive material takes the form of a pliant water-absorbing, hydrocolloid-containing "barrier" material having both wet and dry tack. The outer surface of the barrier layer is usually covered with by a thin backing layer of polymeric film or foam which is preferably highly stretchable so that the backing layer may expand to accommodate the increased volume of the dressing's barrier layer as it absorbs exudate from a wound site. Reference may be had to U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,738,257, 4,477,325, and 4,231,369 for details of wound dressings embodying such features.
The skin-contacting surface of such a barrier layer is normally maintained in a clean and sterile condition until application by means of one or more release sheets. Such sheets are commonly formed of siliconized paper and, to facilitate their removal from the barrier layer, are frequently arranged in pairs meeting along one or more lines of separation extending across the dressing. A user simply peels away the release sheets along each line of separation, thereby exposing the barrier surface for application to the wound area.
One disadvantage of such a construction is that the barrier material may be exposed, dry out, and lose its dry tack along the line of separation, even during relatively short periods of storage. Also, the more liquid or semi-liquid constituents of the barrier material (e.g., polyisobutylene) may tend to bleed through the release sheet along the line of separation and, at the very least, cause an unsightly discoloration of the release sheet along that line. Even if the edges of the sheets are carefully positioned so that they are disposed in abutting contact at the time of manufacture, the soft pliant character of the barrier material, and its characteristic ability to swell in the presence of moisture because of its hydrocolloid content, may result in separation of the edges during an interval prior to use. Furthermore, locating the edges in contiguous or abutting relation renders the seam practically invisible, thereby making separation and removal of the release sheets all the more difficult. Thus, if it is possible to maintain the opposing edges of the release sheets in abutting relation prior to use, the removal of those sheets is rendered more difficult and, on the other hand, if such edges are spaced apart during manufacture, or become spaced apart during storage, drying, discoloration and degradation of the barrier material and of the edges of the release sheet may result.
It is therefore an important aspect of this invention to provide a hydrocolloid-type occlusive dressing for the care of skin wounds in which the barrier layer is protected by release sheet means composed of at least two sections meeting along a line of separation. That line is defined by a series of alternating slits and connecting segments. The integral connecting segments join the two sections together and maintain opposing edges of the slits in abutting or contiguous relation until the release sheet sections are removed, at which time the connecting segments become torn or ruptured. Until the segments are so torn, the release sheet sections remain connected and prevent the skin barrier material from drying, discoloring, degrading and bleeding outwardly along the line of separation.
The sizes of the slits and connecting segments are important because the purpose of the connecting segments is to keep the edges of the release sheet sections in closed condition, despite the pliant character of the adhesive barrier material over which the release sheet sections extend, while at the same time allowing the sections to be peeled away from the barrier layer and away from each other as easily as if such connecting segments were not present. In general, it has been found that the slits should each have a length within the range of about 5 to 25 mm and the connecting segments should each be of a length within the range of about 0.1 to 1.0 mm. Preferred ranges are 6 to 16 mm and 0.3 to 0.7 mm, respectively. When such dimensions are embodied in a paper release sheet covering a pliant barrier layer, it has been found that the connecting segments may be easily torn apart as the release sheet sections are peeled from the barrier layer but, until the time of release sheet removal, the dimensions and spacing of the segments should effectively maintain the slits in closed condition.
Since the slits are normally maintained in closed condition, the actual line of intended separation may not be readily visible to a user. However, at least one of the release sheet sections is provided with a visible locator stripe alongside the line of separation, thereby revealing the location of the line to a user preparing to peel the release sheet sections away from the barrier layer and, as part of the process, to tear or rupture the connecting segments that have maintained the edges of the slits in closed condition.
In manufacture of the product, the release sheet should be slitted and imprinted before being applied to the adhesive surface of the barrier layer. The slitting should constitute a clean cutting operation which forms sharply-cut edges for the slits without displacing or dislodging any appreciable amount of material from the sheet, so that the flexibility of the sheet, which is formed of paper or other easily-tearable material, helps insure that the edges of the slit flex towards an abutting relation after the sheet has advanced past the cutting blade. During the next step in which the slitted and imprinted sheet is applied to the surface of the barrier layer, it is believed that the soft, pliant character of the barrier layer contributes in urging the edges into contiguous relation should such edges have become slightly separated or misaligned following the slitting operation.
While it is believed that separation and removal of the adjoining sections of the release sheet may easily be accomplished, there is a possibility that the user may inadvertently contact and contaminate the sterile barrier layer. For example, a user may insert his or her fingernail between the sections to initiate separation and removal of those sections and thereby contact and contaminate the barrier layer. Such problems become particularly troublesome if the connecting segments of the separation line are adjacent to the edge of the dressing which is the point at which a user would typically initiate removal of the release sheet sections from the barrier layer. While it is conceivable that a user could use a sterile knife or other object to initiate removal of the sections, it is believed that the extra step of obtaining a sterile instrument would be impractical and inconvenient.
Another important aspect of this invention therefore lies in providing the release sheet with gripping means for permitting separation and removal of the release sheet sections without contacting or contaminating the underlying sterile barrier layer. The gripping means may take the form of extended tabs which are provided adjacent to the line of separation and project outward beyond a perimeter of the skin-contacting surface of the barrier layer for facilitating removal of the separable sections from the barrier layer.
In one embodiment, the tabs are provided along a common edge of the release sheet and have inner edges which are spaced apart by a predetermined gap which coincides with the line of separation. The gap between the tabs allows for manufacturing tolerances so that, as long as the line of separation intersects the gap at some point, the tabs will be provided on opposite sides of the line of separation. Preferably, the gap between the tabs has a width of approximately 2 to 5 mm.
In another embodiment, one of the tabs is provided along one edge of the release sheet while the other tab is provided on an opposite edge of the release sheet. The tabs are generally asymmetrical and have inner edges spaced from the line of separation by edge portions. The edge portions have a combined length of approximately 2 to 5 mm which provides a tolerance for placement of the tabs on each side of the line of separation.
The tabs advantageously have arcuate portions which generally project in directions parallel to the edges of the dressing for providing a large gripping portion for the user. The arcuate portions allow the user to positively grip the tabs between a finger and the thumb and provide the user with sufficient leverage to separate and remove the sections of the release sheet from the barrier layer.
Preferably, one of the separable sections of the release sheet is substantially larger than the other separable section. In use, the user may prepare the dressing for application by holding the dressing down on a flat surface by pressing on the smaller section and then pulling the tab on the larger section to remove that section and expose the majority of the skin-contacting surface of the barrier layer. The user then inverts the dressing over a wound site and applies the exposed barrier layer to the wound site while leaving the smaller section of the release sheet slightly upturned. The user then grips the tab on the smaller section and removes it for exposing and applying the remainder of the barrier layer to the wound site.
The dressing is made by forming a release sheet which is divided into two immediately adjacent sections by a line of separation and then applying the release sheet to the barrier layer. The release sheet and barrier layer are then die cut so that the release sheet includes extended tabs which are adjacent to the line of separation and project beyond a perimeter of the skin-contacting surface of the barrier layer.
Other features, advantages, and objects of the invention will become apparent from the specification and drawings.

Occlusive dressing with release sheet having extended tabs