A resectoscope for internal surgery generally comprising an operating handle having extendible instruments such as a cutting tool, viewing means such as a telescope and a light conduit and passageways to supply and remove aspirating fluid to lubricate and to wash the surgical site wherein said extendible instruments are contained within a tube divided in cross section by longitudinal wall into first and second sectors, said first sector being smaller than the second sector and containing the viewing means and providing a passageway for the supply of as pirating fluid, said second sector containing the cutting tool and providing a large passageway for the removal of aspirating fluid and surgical morsels for collection and optionally having a valving mechanism activated by retraction or extension of the cutting tool.

1. Field of Art
This invention relates to the field of surgical equipment for use in the practice of medicine and, in particular, relates to an improved resectoscope.
2. Prior Art
A conventional resectoscope for internal surgery generally comprises an operating handle with two sections that slide forward and backward relative to one another under the control of an operator using finger and thumb grips; various extensions protruding from one or the other of the handle sections (for relative movement) which may include a cutting instrument, a telescope for viewing the site of the surgery, a light conduit to illuminate the site, and a means for providing an aspirating fluid to lubricate and to wash the site, and a pair of coaxial tubes which contain the extendible parts and shield them from the patient except at the distal end of the tubes. The inner tube extending from the handle typically encloses the telescope, light conduit, and cutting instrument. An outer tube or atraumatic meatus stopper surrounds the inner tube. The aspirating fluid may wash the tip of the telescope to maintain clear viewing, distend flesh about the cutting instrument, collect surgical morsels from the cutting instrument, and carry them back through the resectoscope to a collection device where the morsels may be filtered from the fluid. Other attachments are known, for example, a video camera may be connected to the telescope to display the surgical site on a television monitor. The cutting instrument may be one of many known types such as: a cutting loop, a roller ball, a roller bar, or an electrode. Electric circuits may be provided within the resectoscope tubes to power such instruments. Examples of prior art patents disclosing similar devices are discussed below.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,835,842, and 3,850,175, relate to endoscopic urological devices that provide a conduit for the inflow of clear irrigating fluid to the operative field, and an outflow conduit for removing turbid fluid from the field using suction. The conduits are formed by providing an inner sheath within an outer sheath.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,176,677 relates to a surgical instrument with a hand piece, a vibration source to effect cutting of tissue, a telescope, and an irrigation system. It discloses the use of an ultrasonic surgical device that provides both irrigation and aspiration as well as tip rotation. An electro-cauterizing current is provided in the cutting tip of a cutting instrument. A telescope near the cutting tip permits the surgeon to view the tissue. Irrigation of the site with aspirating fluid is provided through a luer fitting to improve visibility through the telescope and to wash tissue back through a hollow tip into a suitable collection vessel.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,456,689 relates to a tissue resection device in which tissue morsels are removed from the cutter through an aspiration lumen within the shaft. As the aspirated fluid is withdrawn, the morsels from the surgery are trapped and separated from the aspirated fluid by a filter screen. The viewing tube is surrounded by the inflow passageway and the morsels are withdrawn through a tube which supports the cutting instrument.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,201,731 relates to a resectoscope for prostate surgery with a rotating cutting element mounted within an outer tube. In addition to the rotating cutting blade, there is a laser light beam fed through an optic filament to cut and coagulate the resected area. Irrigation is provided to the area between inner and outer tubes and is withdrawn through the inner tube. The surgeon can view the cutting operation through a telescope provided through the cutting element. The chips or morsels of tissue are withdrawn with the irrigation fluid through the inner tube.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,929 discloses an aspiration device with side valves for reducing whistling noise when the aspirator is under pressure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,527,331 relates to a tissue resection device having a rigid tube with second drive tube rotatably located within it and a cutting head mounted on the drive tube. Resection is achieved by either conventional cutting or electrocautery. An optic fibre is used for viewing. The morsels removed by the cutter are extracted immediately through the aspiration lumen in the rotating shaft. A disposable cartridge filters the surgical debris.
Other patents of interest include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,542,928; 5,542,918; 5,542,917; 5,540,683; 5,540,679; 5,540,678; 5,540,658; 5,540,656; 5,536,234; 5,314,438; 5,313,949; 5,133,713; 5,000,185; and 4,681,106.
There is a limit in the size of a resectoscope which is determined by the comfort of the patient and the manipulation requirements of the surgeon. This size limitation becomes significant when one wishes to remove surgical morsels for testing and further examination. For example, an outer tube, which contains all the various elements that extend into a patient, may be about 8 to 9 mm in outside diameter. An inner tube may be about 7 mm in outside diameter. A standard telescope may be about 3-3.5 mm. The conventional structure of concentric inner and outer tubes provides a passage between them of significant cross-sectional area, but the radial difference between the tubes is small. Without going into further detail, it may be appreciated that the conventional structure limits the free space for passage of aspirating fluid and it may become blocked when the fluid from the surgical site contains clots, coarse debris, and tissue.
The present invention is directed to a novel structure of a resectoscope to increase the ability to transmit aspirating fluid and surgical debris through the resectoscope. The new structure does not have an inner tube and outer tube, but, rather, one tube divided in cross section by a longitudinally extending wall into a first segment and a second, larger, segment to form passageways for the aspirating fluid and the parts of the resectoscope that extend to the surgical site. The first passageway is sized to carry a telescope and a light conduit and to provide some free space for incoming clear, aspirating fluid. The second passageway occupies the balance of the cross section of the tube for the removal of surgical debris.
More precisely, one embodiment of the invention is a resectoscope for surgery at an internal surgical site comprising:
an operating handle having a first section and a second section, which slide longitudinally in relation to one another to selected positions in a range between a most forward position and a most rearward position;
a tube, extending from the second section of the operating handle, divided in cross section by means of a longitudinally extending wall into first and second segments;
the first segment of the tube containing a viewing means connected to the second section of the operating handle and extending along the length of the first sector of the tube, and providing an open passageway adjacent the viewing means for the supply of aspirating fluid to the surgical site;
the second segment of the tube containing a cutting tool connected by an extension means to the first section of the operating handle, the extension means having a sufficient length to extend the cutting tool to a distal end of the second segment of the tube when the first and second sections are at the most rearward position and to extend the cutting tool beyond the distal end at the most forward position of the sections, and providing a passageway for removal of aspirating fluid and surgical morsels.
In another embodiment described hereafter the second passageway has a valve mechanism to control the flow of outgoing aspirating fluid and surgical debris.


The invention is directed to a rotor blade for a wind turbine. The rotor blade has a rotor blade main body which delimits a rotor blade cavity. A rotor blade tip is connected fixedly to the rotor blade main body. The rotor blade tip has a drainage bore which is coupled fluidically to the rotor blade cavity and which is open toward a suction side surface of the rotor blade tip, so that, via the drainage bore, fluid from the rotor blade cavity drains to the outside at the suction side surface of the rotor blade tip. The invention is also directed to a rotor blade tip.

Current trends in the wind energy industry are leading to longer and longer rotor blades, for example rotor blades with a length of over 80 m. The rotor blades are produced from fiber composite materials and are hollow on the inside. Correspondingly large quantities of air are situated within these cavities. The water bound in the air can condense on the inner side of the rotor blades under corresponding conditions, for example changes in temperature, et cetera, which leads to water accumulations in the rotor blade. This water has to be able to flow out of the rotor blade to avoid consequential damage. One problem exists for example with lightning strikes, in which the briefly high current can lead to abrupt evaporation of the condensed water in the interior of the rotor blade. The vapor pressure built up by the evaporation can cause mechanical damage in the interior of the rotor blade.
The rotation of the rotor blade during the operation of the wind turbine results in the water accumulating typically in the region of the blade tip owing to centrifugal force. One possible solution for removing the water in the region of the blade tip is a drainage bore, which is formed typically at an angle to the pitch axis. The bore extends through the laminate and/or through a metallic blade tip receptor up to the end edge of the rotor blade. The rotor blade has only a small profile thickness in the region of the blade tip. Consequently, the diameter of the drainage bore is limited, with the disadvantage that, in the blade region in front of the bore, there may accumulate dirt, for example manufacturing residues and adhesive residue, which blocks the relatively small bore, with the result that water cannot flow away reliably. Moreover, depending on temperature and air pressure, a negative pressure can be formed in the blade, the negative pressure making it difficult for the entry hatches on the blade root to be opened or even damaging these.

Rotor blade for a wind turbine and rotor blade tip


A method of drying condensate from the heat exchanger of a vehicle's air conditioning system after operation in order to thwart odor buildup is provided. The method comprises first determining that the engine of the vehicle has been switched off and that the air conditioning system of the vehicle was in operation prior to the engine being switched off. If these two conditions are met, the blower of the vehicle's air conditioning system is operated on a predetermined time schedule to draw air through the heat exchanger and through the air conditioning duct work to dry condensate from the heat exchanger and from interior surfaces of the duct work. In this way, the growth of fungus and bacteria that cause odor is thwarted.

Automotive air conditioning systems are provided in most vehicles to cool the passenger compartment of the vehicle during hot weather. In general, automotive air conditioning systems comprise a compressor coupled to the engine that compresses a refrigerant to its liquid state. The compressed liquid refrigerant is then delivered to a heat exchanger within the duct work of the air conditioning system, where it is allowed to expand and cool the exchanger. A blower forces air across the heat exchanger and into the passenger compartment of the vehicle. As the air passes through the cold heat exchanger, it is cooled and the latent heat that was contained in the air is transferred to the refrigerant within the heat exchanger. Thus, the passenger compartment receives cool air. The heated refrigerant is then passed through a radiator where it is cooled and then delivered back to the compressor where the cycle begins anew.
As warm air passes through the heat exchanger of an automotive air conditioning system to be cooled, water vapor contained in the warm air condenses on the surfaces of the heat exchanger. During normal operation of the vehicle, the water vapor that condenses on the heat exchanger simple runs to the bottom of the exchanger and is drained from the air conditioning system onto the roadway. However, when the vehicle's engine is shut off and the air conditioner is no longer in operation, the water that has condensed on the heat exchanger begins to evaporate within the duct work of the air conditioning system and, as a result, a damp dank atmosphere is created. Such an atmosphere is ideal for the growth of mold, mildew, and other fungus and bacteria within the duct work of the system and particularly on the moist and wet surfaces of the heat exchanger. The growth of such organisms, in turn, results in a stale and unpleasant odor within the passenger compartment itself and can lead to airborne spores and other organisms that are unhealthy for the occupants of the vehicle.
In the past, there have been attempts to address the problems of fungus and bacteria buildup within automotive air conditioning systems. U.S. Pat. No. 5,385,028 of Gavlak, for example, discloses a method of eliminating odor in a heat pump system of a vehicle. The Gavlak method comprises determining when operation of the vehicle has been discontinued by sensing the removal of the ignition key from the ignition switch and by sensing the release of pressure from the seats of the vehicle indicating that passengers have disembarked. When these two criteria have been met, a reversing valve is activated to reverse the flow of refrigerant through the heat pump system of the vehicle in a direction opposite to the direction in which it had been flowing. As the refrigerant flows in the reverse direction, the blower of the system is activated to blow moisture off of internal surfaces of the system. The reversing of refrigerant flow tends to heat the heat exchanger, thereby accelerating the evaporation of moisture therefrom, whereupon blower operation tends to remove the moisture from the system.
While the method and apparatus of Gavlak may function adequately to dry a vehicle air conditioning system, it is nevertheless plagued with a variety of problems and shortcomings inherent in its design. One of the main problems with the Gavlak solution resides in its complexity. For example, in order to operate, the Gavlak device must be coupled to the ignition switch of the vehicle in such a way that removal of the ignition key can be detected. Furthermore, Gavlak requires that pressure sensors be installed in the seats of the vehicle in order to determine when passengers have disembarked from the vehicle. In addition, the device of Gavlak must be coupled to a reversing valve in order to reverse the coolant through the heat pump system of the vehicle and must also be coupled to the blower of the system so that the blower can be operated under the appropriate circumstances.
The complexity of Gavlak is particularly troublesome in cases where the device of Gavlak is to be retrofitted onto vehicles that were not provided from the factory with such functions. In these instances, proper installation of the Gavlak device is so complex that many average mechanics are unable to complete the installation and specially trained mechanics who usually work directly for automotive companies are required. Because of such labor costs and because of the complexity of the Gavlak device including its various sensors and switches, the Gavlak method is expensive to implement such that most vehicle owners will not afford to have the device installed.
General Motors also provides an air conditioner delay blower control module that can be installed as a retrofit on GM vehicles. However, this device, like that disclosed in Gavlak, is extremely complex and requires electrical connection to no less than seven or eight components of the vehicle's electrical and air conditioning systems. Thus, for the same reasons discussed above, the preexisting General Motors device is also prohibitively complex and expensive.
Accordingly, there exists a continuing and heretofore unaddressed need for a reliable method of eliminating the growth of fungus such as mold, mildew, and other organisms within a vehicle's air conditioning system to eliminate the odor and other undesirable consequences thereof. Such a method and apparatus should be relatively inexpensive so that it is affordable as a retrofit on existing vehicles, should operate reliably and conveniently for many years, and should be extremely simple to install so that even the most modest auto mechanic can provide installation services. It is to the provision of such a method and apparatus that the present invention is primarily directed.

Method and apparatus for odor elimination in vehicle air conditioning systems


A processing device processes data with use of one or more data blocks shared with a plurality of external processing devices. The device includes a processor, and a shared data storage unit that stores, respectively in one or more storage areas thereof, one or more data blocks to be shared with one or more external processing devices. An output unit outputs, when the processor makes an access request to write data in a part of one of the data blocks, a block identifier identifying the one of the data blocks, and the data pertaining to the access request. An input unit judges whether to share external data outputted from one of the external processing devices, based on a block identifier outputted from the one of the external processing devices, and only when judging affirmatively, causes the shared data storage unit to store the external data.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a multiprocessor system, and particularly to a technique for sharing data among processors.
2. Background Art
As a method for sharing data among a plurality of processors in a multiprocessor system, the following method (so-called tightly-coupled multiprocessor system) is known. Data to be shared is stored in a single shared memory, and processors access this shared memory so as to share the data with one another.
This method has an advantage that the identity of shared data used by processors can be easily maintained. On the other hand, this method is problematic in that, as processors increase in number, they are more likely to contend with one another for accessing the shared memory, which results in lowering of the processing efficiency of the entire system.
This is particularly problematic in processes that require real-time performance, such as a process to receive digital broadcasting data, e.g. image data, transmitted from a broadcast station, and to decode the data for display.
As a means for solving this problem, the following method (so-called loosely-coupled multiprocessor system) is known. Each processor has a dedicated memory for storing therein a copy of shared data, and each accesses its own dedicated memory. (e.g. Patent Documents 1 and 2).
FIG. 30 shows a conventional data-sharing method used in the loosely-coupled multiprocessor system.
As shown in FIG. 30, a dedicated memory 3A is used by a processor 1A, a dedicated memory 3B by a processor 1B, and a dedicated memory 3C by a processor 1C. Each dedicated memory has a predetermined shared area for storing therein a copy of shared data.
When an access request is transmitted from each processor to access its dedicated memory, a memory control device 4 controls bus selection circuits 5A-5C according to whether the access request is to write data in the shared area in the dedicated memory.
For example, when an access request from the processor 1A is a write request to write data in its shared area, the memory control device 4 controls the bus selection circuits 5A-5C to write the data in the shared areas of the dedicated memories 3A-3C. When the access request from the processor 1A is a request to write data in other area than its shared area or to read out data from either of the areas, the memory control device 4 controls the bus selection circuits 5A-5C to access solely the dedicated memory 3A.
As a result, when the shared data in the dedicated memory of one of the processors is updated, the shared data in the dedicated memory of each of the remaining processors is also updated. Therefore, the identity of the shared data can be maintained. In addition, it is only when a write request is made to write data in the shared area in the dedicated memory of one of the processors, the shared data in the dedicated memory of each of the remaining processors is updated. This reduces the possibility of occurrence of access contention.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 61-122771
Patent Document 2: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 3-127248

Processor, processing system, data sharing processing method, and integrated circuit for data sharing processing

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.


A method of enhancing the ability of cattle and swine to resist diseases caused by microorganisms which comprises the steps of adding an antimicrobial effective amount in a range of 0.01 to 0.2% by weight of bile powder to a livestock feed and administering the livestock feed prepared to the cattle and swine. The method may also comprise adding a pharmaceutical effective amount of one of the following: licorice, garlic or quillaja powders or extracts thereof to the livestock feed.

The present invention relates to a livestock feed and a feed additive containing safe natural materials having a weight gain effect and an improving effect of the health of livestock.
There are many problems to be solved in the field of livestock breeding, one of which is an economical loss caused by various diseases of livestock due to a deterioration of a sanitary environment. As a countermeasure against livestock diseases, especially caused by microbes, there have been applied various additives in feed such as synthetic antimicrobial or antibiotic substances, and vaccinations in livestock farms, but they have not been working efficiently against the various infectious diseases of livestock except in a few cases. Also excessive medication sometimes cause a reduction of productivity due to the unexpected side effects of the additives. Accordingly, there has been a need for some safe and labor-saving disease preventing measure, because of depreciation of commercial value of livestock products due to residual medicines therein.
It is almost impossible to resolve all the diseases of livestock farms by using vaccination and antibiotic medicines. If it could be done, it would require a large amount of expense and medicine. Also, there is another problem to be resolved on the side effects of medicines and residual medicines in the products, when those medicines are widely used.

Method of enhancing the ability of cattle and swine to resist Aujesky's disease

National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations


An input/output request sent from a host is once cued through a channel adapter and is then transferred to a resource manager and is cued, and the cuing is distributed. Even if sequential input/output requests of the host are separated through a distribution processing to a plurality of paths, they are recognized on the device controller side and a countermeasure is taken. In the case in which a path from the host to the device controller is caused to be redundant into an operation system and a standby system, a path confirmation command is issued to the device drivers of a standby system path in order to confirm that the standby system path is normally operated or not. When the issuance of the input/output request is transferred to another path, a command for releasing the reserve of a transfer path is issued from another path. In the case in which one path of a device driver of an operation system causes a fault, switching to the use of the path of the device driver of the standby system is carried out to implement a load balance through the same processing distribution driver as that obtained before the generation of the fault. Even if a difference in a channel transfer rate is made between the host and the device controller, a higher transfer rate can be maintained.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a device controller and an input/output system for processing an input/output request for a physical device such as a disk array from various hosts such as a main frame or a open system host, and more particularly to a device controller and an input/output system for optimizing cuing for an increase in the input/output request, the correspondence of a sequential access attended with path switching, switching to a standby system during the generation of faults, and furthermore, maintenance of a transfer rate for a channel fault, respectively.
2. Background Art
Currently, a device controller for controlling an input/output processing for a device such as a disk array has been improved in function, performance and reliability. Importance has been attached to the fact that the device controller can be connected to a host system in various fields such as a UNIX or a personal computer in addition to a conventional large-sized computer. However, there have been some problems to be solved in order to connect the device controller to various hosts. Referring to a first problem, an input/output request (I/O command) is issued to the device controller simultaneously from various hosts so that a load concentrates on a queue management resource for storing and managing the input/output request from the hosts, thereby giving a bottleneck. The device controller comprises a channel adapter for each port for physically connecting a plurality of hosts, a resource manager for collectively processing the input/output requests sent from the hosts, and a device adapter for controlling each physical device. The contents of the input/output requests sent from the hosts are analyzed by the channel adapter and the requests are exactly transferred to the resource manager. The resource manager stores the input/output request sent from the channel adapter in a cue table (queue) provided on a cue control section in the resource manager and sequentially issues the input/output request to the device adapter to be an object. The device adapter issues the input/output request to the device and returns a response to the resource manager. The resource manager carries out the exclusive management of an input/output during an operation in the device controller, the cue management of the input/output request for the device, and array control if the device controller is an array disk. Thus, the contents of the input/output requests sent from the hosts are analyzed by the channel adapter and the requests are exactly transferred to the resource manager. In such circumstances that the number of hosts simultaneously issuing a plurality of input/output requests is increased, the input/output requests of the hosts are accumulated in a cue control section in the resource manager, and the overhead of the cue control to be carried out by the resource manager becomes a bottleneck in the device controller.
Moreover, in the case in which the device controller according to the present invention is connected to open system hosts as various hosts, it is desirable that an input/output request sent from a host application should be divided into a plurality of paths through a processing distribution driver to take a load balance and to build such an environment that a specific path does not become a bottleneck. The input/output request sent from the host application of the open system host is distributed into each of the device drivers of the paths through the processing distribution driver, and furthermore, the input/output request sent from each host adapter is issued to the device controller. Thus, the paths are built by a load distribution driver, thereby reducing the bottleneck of the paths connected to the host and the device controller. However, there is one problem. More specifically, the input/output requests are distributed so that sequential recognition which has conventionally been operated in the device controller cannot be carried out. A conventional sequential input/output request is decided to be a sequential input/output request when the address of the input/output request is ensured and is found to have the continuity of an address by a comparison with a last command. When the device controller decides the sequential input/output request, it is possible to implement an operation mode effective for the sequential input/output request for a prefetch operation, plural area simultaneous read and write or the like. However, the input/output request takes the load balance by the processing distribution driver. Therefore, when the input/output requests are issued separately through the paths, a mechanism for detecting the sequential input/output request is not operated.
In the case in which the device controller is connected to the open system host to build the input/output system, the path is divided redundantly into an operation system path and a standby system path in order to enhance the reliability of the system. For example, a host application input/output request provided in the open system host is issued to the device driver of the operation system path by a path switching driver and is transferred to the host adapter of the device controller. In the case in which a fault is generated on a path connected to the device driver of the operation system, the use of the operation system path on which the fault is generated is stopped by the path switching driver and the issuance of the input/output request is transferred to the device driver set to the standby system. However, path connected to the standby system device driver breaks down while it has not been used for a long period of time. When the operation system breaks down so that the processing is transferred to the standby system, such a fault that the standby system is not operated might be generated.
In the case in which the input/output request sent from the host application of the open system host is divided redundantly into the operation system path and the standby system path and is issued to the device controller, a countermeasure against a release processing of a reserve linked to the device controller is not clear if a fault is generated on the operation system path and the standby system path is started to be utilized when the operation system path is used to maintain a specific device in a reserve state. More specifically, the input/output request sent from the host application provided in the open system host is issued to the device driver of the operation system by the path switching driver. When a fault is generated on the operation system path connected to the device driver, the path switching driver stops the use of the path of the operation system and the issuance of the input/output request is started in the device driver set through the standby system path. At this time, however, in the case in which the host application reserves a specific device through the device driver of the operation system, a processing reservation conflict is to be responded to the path provided under the standby system device driver which acts as another path so that redundancy of the path is blocked because the device controller controls the reserve for each path.
In the open system host, the input/output request sent from the host application is distributed into a plurality of paths through the processing distribution driver, thereby taking a load balance. Moreover, in the case in which one path of the device driver breaks down, residual paths can be used to distribute the input/output request sent from the host application through the processing distribution driver, thereby taking a load balance. However, a host system causing a fault on a path decreases the number of paths to be an object of processing distribution due to the fault as compared with other normal host systems. Referring to the whole system, therefore, there is a problem in that an input/output processing becomes a path bottleneck so that performance is deteriorated. In the input/output system for processing an input/output request sent from a host to a physical device through the device controller, furthermore, there is a problem in that a lower transfer rate is applied if a difference is made between the transfer rate of a host adapter on the host side and the transfer rate of a channel adapter on the device controller side.

Device controller and input/output system


When there is an inquiry about a deficiency point from a user who received a print product, a service provider side can properly deal with the inquiry. A server receives warning information on an edit process generated when the edit process not satisfying a preset condition is performed and edit data generated in the edit process, and associates with each other and registers the warning information and edit data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to technologies of, for example, creating album data at a user terminal by using template data and transmitting the data from the user terminal to an external apparatus on a network to order an album.
2. Related Background Art
A user terminal such as a personal computer can download template data from a server and edit an album by attaching contents such as image data and character data to template data.
Data edited at the user terminal is transmitted to a server, the server transfers the received edited data to a print site, and a print company providing the print site creates a print product of the album.
The template data downloaded from the server to the user terminal is suitable for editing a high quality print product. However, depending upon edited image data and character data, a final print product may become deficient such as an unclear image and an inability of entering all characters.
If contents having a possibility of degrading the quality of a print product are entered in an album, a user is warned at the editing stage.
However, irrespective of warning, some users request a service provider to make a print product. In this case, the print product sent to the user is deficient and the user inquires the service provider about the deficient point. On the side of the service provider, a history of warning at the editing stage is not managed so that the inquiry cannot be dealt properly.

Information processing apparatus and method for managing order data of on-line orders, program for the same


A p type well is formed on an n type substrate and photodiode and VCCD regions are repeatedly at predetermined intervals in turns on the surface of the p type well.. In an interline transfer image sensor, the p type well is formed on the n type substrate and the photodiode and VCCD region of predetermined intervals are repeatedly formed in turn on the surface of the p type well. The p.sup.+ type channel ion stop layer is formed at both edges of the VCCD region and the pinning voltage is applied to the p.sup.+ type channel stop layer. Accordingly, the variable potential of the potential contour of the VCCD region is increased and the storing capacity of the charge and the efficiency of the charge transfer are maximized side by side.

The present invention relates to a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) image sensor, and more particularly to an interline transfer CCD image sensor.
In general, an interline transfer CCD image sensor is formed on a plane to be corresponded with 1:1 for a photodetection sensor and a signal transfer region, and is applied to a household system, such as a television receiver or a cam-coder, which comparatively does not require a high degree of image stability, rather than to broadcasting equipment or military equipment, which do require a high degree of image force or stability.
With reference to FIG. 3 through FIG. 6, a conventional interline transfer CCD image sensor will be described below.
Hereinafter, each of the odd numbered horizontal lines, in which the photodiodes 31 are arranged, are referred to as an odd horizontal line, and each of the even numbered horizontal lines are referred to as an even horizontal line.
FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of a conventional interline transfer CCD image sensor. Each photodiode 31 is respectively connected to a corresponding buried channel VCCD (Vertical Charge Coupled Device) region 32 so as to transfer an image signal charge to the VCCD region 32 in one direction only. Each VCCD region 32 is operatively connected to an HCCD (Horizontal Charge Coupled Device) 33, to simultaneously transfer image signal charges transferred from each photodiode 31 to the HCCD by a conventional four phase clocking operation in accordance with 1st through 4th clock signals V.sub..phi.1 .about.V.sub..phi.4.
Further, an output gate 34, a floating diffusion region 35, a reset gate electrode 36 and a reset drain 37 are connected in turn to the output side of the HCCD region, and a sense amplifier 38 is connected to the floating diffusion region 35.
FIG. 4 shows a portion of a layout diagram of the CCD image sensor of FIG. 3. A channel stop region 39 is formed between VCCD region 32 and photodiode 31. Odd gate electrode 40, which is connected to receive first and second VCCD clock signals V.sub..phi.1 .about.V.sub..phi.2, is formed on the upper side of channel stop region 39 and VCCD region 32, to connect to each transfer gate 41 of the photodiodes 31 arranged on the odd horizontal line. Even gate electrode 42, which is connected to receive third and fourth VCCD clock signals V.sub..phi.3 .about.V.sub..phi.4, is formed on the upper side of the VCCD region 32 to connect to each transfer gate 43 of the photodiodes 31 arranged on the even horizontal line.
Since odd gate electrode 40 and even gate electrode 42 must be the same type, they can be successively, repeatedly formed, and odd gate electrode 40 and the even gate electrode 42 are electrically isolated through insulating material (not shown).
Further, each transfer gate 41, 43 and each odd and even gate electrode 40, 42 is formed from polysilicon material. Odd gate electrode 40 is formed at the lower side and at the upper side of the photodiode 31 of the odd horizontal line, and consists of the second odd gate electrode 40b connected to each transfer gate 41 of the photodiode 31, to which is applied the first VCCD clock signal V.sub..phi.1, and formed at each odd horizontal line.
The even gate electrode 42 is formed at the lower side and at the upper side of the photodiodes 31 of the even horizontal line. The first gate electrode 42a, which is connected to receive the fourth VCCD clock signal V.sub..phi.4, and which consists of the second even gate electrode 42b, connected to the transfer gate 43 of the photodiodes 31, which connected to receive the third VCCD clock signal V.sub..phi.3, and formed at each even horizontal line.
Further, the two fields, designated as even and odd are generated by the first through the fourth VCCD clock signals V.sub..phi.1 .about.V.sub..phi.4. The operation of the clocking of the VCCD region will be discussed later herein in detail.
FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view taken along the line a-a' of FIG. 4. A p type well 45 is formed on the n type substrate 44. The n type VCCD region 32 of the n type photodiodes 31, forming the even horizontal line, is successively arranged in a predetermined interval and in a connected shape through the channel stop region 39. The transfer gate 43, for transferring the charge, is formed above the upper side of well 45 between and above each photodiode 31 and each corresponding VCCD region 32. The second even gate electrode 42b, which is connected to receive the 3rd VCCD clock signal V.sub..phi.3, is formed at the upper side of each VCCD region 32 to connect to each transfer gate 43 of the photodiodes 31 of the even horizontal line.
The p.sup.+ type thin film 46 is formed on the surface of each photodiode 31 to ordinarily apply the initial bias. The conventional interline transfer CCD image sensor is operated as follows.
The image sensor charge generated at the photodiodes 31 by the VCCD clock signal voltage applied to the gate electrode 42 of FIG. 5, is transferred to the VCCD region, and successively is transferred to the HCCD region 33 shown in FIG. 3. At this time, the potential contour out of the VCCD region 32 is changed, as shown in FIG. 6, with the potential contour of the line b-b' of FIG. 5. Namely, in FIG. 6, it is known that the potential contour is gradually brought down when the VCCD clock signal voltage is reduced from the voltage V.sub.1 to the V.sub.5.
However, it is known that the potential contour of the VCCD region is not reduced further even though the voltage of the VCCD clock signal is reduced to less than the voltage V.sub.3, as shown in FIG. 6, because the p type well 45 of FIG. 5 is connected to receive a OV voltage by connection to ground bias as is channel stop region 39. Here, the voltage magnitude at which point the potential contour is not reduced further, is ordinarily called the pinning voltage (Vp: Pinning Voltage).
Consequently, the conventional interline transfer CCD image sensor shown in FIG. 5, even though the VCCD clock signal voltage is actually reduced less than the voltage V.sub.3,V.sub..phi.1, this negative voltage is only applied to the insulation film (not shown, but formed between the surface of VCCD region 32 and the gate electrode 42) and has no effect in the VCCD region 32.
Ultimately, the controlling extent is narrow for controlling the transfer efficiency of the image signal charge out of the VCCD region in accordance with need of the user.
The conventional art as above cannot reduce the pinning voltage, even though a large negative voltage is applied to the gate electrode, because the pinning voltage is only determined by the VCCD output signal. Therefore, since the transfer width of the potential contour out of VCCD region has this limitation, the storage capacity of the image signal charge and the efficiency of the charge transfer cannot be maximized.
The above conventional art is discussed in an article entitled A Very Small "Super-8 Format CCD Imager for a Single-Chip Color Camera" published at page 1446 of the IEEE Transaction on Electron Devices, VOL. 38, NO. 5, in May 1991.

Structure of a CCD image sensor particularly on an interline transfer method


An electrical connector comprises a dielectric spacing element having elongate through holes and a forward end surface; a plurality of parallel, elongate conductive contacts arranged in respective through holes of the spacing element, the conductive contacts providing electrical connections; an outer body arranged about the spacing element and the conductive contacts, the outer body having a longitudinal position fixed relative to the dielectric spacing element and having a forward end for engagement with a mating connector; and a collar slidably mounted about the outer body. The collar has an engagement position in which a forward surface of the collar is positioned in front of the forward end of the outer body for mechanically coupling the connector with the mating connector and a retracted position in which the forward surface of the collar is positioned behind the forward end surface of the spacing element for cleaning access to the conductive contacts. The connector further comprises means, such as a resilient member, for maintaining the collar in the retracted position.

There is frequently a need for electrical equipment to be used in dirty, dusty or other extreme environments. Although the provision of exposed electrical connectors in equipment intended for such environments can sometimes be effectively minimized, in many applications exposed connectors are essential for providing desired functionality.
An example of electrical equipment which is designed to be suitable for use in extreme conditions is military equipment carried by infantry personnel. Such equipment includes radio communications devices and navigation and vision enhancement systems. Increasingly this equipment is connected to a computer pack which includes a microprocessor for coordinating interoperability of the equipment.
There is a requirement for the equipment carried by infantry personnel to be provided with exposed electrical connectors, that is to say connectors on the outside of sealed equipment enclosures. In particular, the equipment typically has a modular design so that different personnel can carry different items of equipment. It is important that items of equipment which are not required by an individual can be detached from the rest of the equipment so as to minimize carried weight. Furthermore, the provision of exposed electrical connectors is desirable as it facilitates the substitution of items of equipment for repairs and routine servicing.
A significant problem in the design of an electrical connector for use with such military equipment is the need to maintain reliable electrical connections in dirty, dusty or other extreme environments. This problem is particularly challenging where, as is typically the case, the connector is used for carrying low voltage data signals which tend to be highly sensitive and susceptible to degradation caused by environmental conditions.
There is also a general desire for such electrical connectors to be "breakaway" connectors, that is to say capable of disengaging in response to an axial disengaging force. Such connectors help to prevent damage to equipment and/or personal injury when electrical cables are accidentally snagged. The provision of "break-away" functionality, however, exacerbates the above-described problem because clamping mechanisms and the like cannot be used.


An outdoor rated assembly is configured to blind mate opposing fiber optic connectors. An outdoor rated adapter has a first non-outdoor rated fiber optic connector and an outdoor rated connector has a second non-outdoor rated fiber optic connector. The opposing connector and adapter are mated to form an outdoor rated assembly to protect the two internal fiber optic connectors from moisture and debris. The outdoor rated assembly has a safety spring assembly to prevent the outdoor connector components from separating and to support a push/pull attachment and release of the outdoor connector from the outdoor adapter.

The prevalence of the Internet has led to unprecedented growth in communication networks. Consumer demand for service and increased competition has caused network providers to continuously find ways to improve quality of service while reducing cost.
Certain solutions have included deployment of outdoor rated connectors and adapters, called an assembly in the present invention, that each contain and protect non-outdoor rated fiber optic connectors. These outdoor rated devices undergo frequent reconfiguration as network density within a city changes. There is a need for an outdoor rated connector and outdoor rated adapter that can mate two non-outdoor rated opposing fiber optic connectors, where the mating is a blind mate. A blind mate occurs when two opposing fiber optic connectors, one male and one female are mated within an enclosure, such as the outdoor connector and outdoor adapter. The user cannot see the actual mating, so at an endface of the opposing connectors, the ferrules may be twisted, debris may be caught or housings may jam, and the user can only determine an improper connection by perform a signal test on the optical path. This is not desired because the user has to break open the communication path on either side of the mated fiber optic connectors resulting in further network disruption, additional expenditure of manpower and possible other damage that may go undetected.
So to improve the reliability of communication infrastructure, which depends on secure connections between components, such as cable segments, network equipment, and communication devices, a new and improved outdoor rated assembly is needed. Such mated connections are continually exposed to dust, dirt, moisture, and/or other contaminants that may infiltrate the fiber optic connectors and degrade performance or even sever the connection between components. Conventional connection assemblies, such as typical fiber optic connectors, are generally not capable of providing an adequate seal to fully prevent the ingress of unwanted fluids (for instance, water) or solid contaminants. Fiber optic network segments are particularly vulnerable because fiber optic connections require extremely precise termination and alignment between connected components and cable segments that may be disrupted by the presence of fluid or solid contaminants. As such, fiber optic network segments connected using conventional technology are very susceptible to performance and/or availability degradation over time.
Accordingly, telecommunication network providers would benefit from an outdoor rate assembly capable of maintaining a sealed and secure connection configured to prevent the ingress of unwanted materials into the outdoor rated assembly. An additional benefit is an outdoor rated adapter that can be blind-mated to an opposing outdoor rated connector. A further need is not losing components to ensure a quick reconnect, when the outdoor rated connector and adapter is disconnected. Limiting separation of parts of the connector helps prevent lost components, or unnecessary debris entering the inner area of the housing when the user is working outside during snow, wind or rain conditions.

Outdoor rated assembly configured to blind mate opposing fiber optic connectors therein with a safety spring assembly


A hydraulic floor jack includes a rectangular frame with side flanges and having an extended control handle with a control lever. A pivotal lifting mechanism is mounted on the frame including a pair of parallel lift arms having rearward ends interconnected by a lateral push bar. The forward ends of the lift arms are pivotable upward for lifting a load as the push bar is translated forward within a pair of longitudinal “U” channel tracks attached to the inner side flanges. A hydraulic cylinder is secured at the rearward end of the frame for pushing the lateral push bar forward, and for releasing the lateral push bar rearward along the tracks. The safety mechanism includes a toothed rack bar secured on the vertical wall of the tracks. The lateral push bar has bore holes in the ends thereof. A cylindrical dog is slidably supported within each of the bore holes and has a distal end that is extendable for engaging a tooth of the rack bar. The dogs are biased into the extended position and includes linkage for releasing each dog from the rack bar by actuating the control lever

The invention relates to a commercial system for lifting and supporting an object i.e. a corner of an automobile; particularly to a two part jacking system including an improved robust power unit that can be used to place and elevate an improved robust jack stand. The inventor of the present invention is a pioneer of the two part jacking system and holds numerous patents for two part jacking systems, some of which are described below.
Briefly, the commercial two part jacking system consists of a mobile power unit and a set of separate mechanical jack stands. Examples of the two part jacking system and mobile power unit are described in detail in Re. 32,715; U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,589,630 and 6,986,503. Some examples of the jack stands are described in detail in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,553,727; 5,110,089; 5,183,235 and 5,379,974. The stands are capable of being vertically extended and retracted from the garage floor or road surface and, when extended, can be locked in place at a desired position by a ratchet and pawl assembly. The power unit has a wheeled mobile chassis adapted to carry a plurality of the jack stands, and has a pair of lift arms adapted to mate with the outermost jack stand for placement and removal.
In use, the commercial mobile power unit is operated from its handle. It is maneuvered under a vehicle to place a jack stand in a desired location for lifting and supporting the vehicle. The power unit is activated from the handle, and the jack stand is then extended vertically to the desired height, thus lifting the vehicle on the stand. By operating the controls at the end of the handle, the operator can cause the power unit to disengage from the stand, and the stand will remain locked in its extended supporting position under the vehicle.
After the stand is raised and locked in place supporting the vehicle, or other load, in an elevated position, the power unit lift arms are lowered and the power unit is disengaged from the stand and pulled away, leaving the stand in position supporting the load. Another jack stand, carried within the chassis, is automatically transferred to the forward end the chassis for placement at another desired location of the vehicle or for use in lifting and supporting another vehicle.
To lower the vehicle and remove the stand, the power unit is maneuvered to re-engage with the stand. The engagement causes any existing jack stands carried within the chassis to be automatically transferred rearward within the chassis. By manually operating a control at the end of the handle, the operator can cause the power unit to re-engage with the stand, and to disengage the ratchet locking mechanism of the stand, and to lower the stand to its original position. The power unit remains engaged with the stand and can be pulled away from the vehicle with the stand carried within the chassis.
The original commercial power units were adapted to carry up to four jack stands within the chassis. Additional jack stands could be acquired to reload the power unit, so that a single power unit could be utilized to efficiently place and actuate numerous jack stands. It was found that many commercial users would utilize all of their available jack stands, and the power unit was thereafter useless until another jack stand was available to be extracted and reused. The present inventor developed a slide forward bridge that adapted the power unit to function as a load-lifting jack to more fully utilize the power unit. This invention is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 6,779,780 entitled Lift Bridge For Use With a Power Unit and a Load Lifting Jack, along with several other patents related to additional features of the lifting system.
In the development of these lifting devices, several design challenges were presented that led to improved, innovative components and assembles of the present invention.
One such design challenge of the jack stand related to a lifting plate raised by the ends of a pair of lift arms on the power unit would sometime shift during lifting, and required redesign of these mating components so they would be self-aligning.
Another design challenge of the jack stand related to a locking mechanism that retained the second frame during elevation of the control frame was not reliable and had a short life, and required redesign with specific new cam angles, materials and heat treating specifications.
Another design challenge of the power unit related to the original hydraulic ram operating on the middle of the lift arms and required excessive and pivotal travel. A new design pushing directly on the rear of the lift arms, and retained within rugged retaining channels was developed.
Another design challenge was to improve the control features of the handle during use, and to improve the handle for movement of the power unit and for compact storage of the handle on the power unit for shipping and when the power unit was not in use.
Another design challenge was that a manual lift bridge should be provided for the basic power unit, stored at a first position on the power unit; and readily available to be placed at a second position on the forward ends of the lift arms, so that the basic power unit could also function as a load lifting jack.
Another design challenge related to the lift arms of the power unit having an extruded recessed channel in the upper surface for retaining a compression spring for advancing the automatic-slide-forward-bridge. The lift arms were difficult to manufacture, had a high scrap rate and were thus not robust to produce. Also, the slide-forward bridge was difficult to produce, was difficult to assemble, and was not as smooth in operation as desired. A new slide-forward bridge for the mobile commercial power unit needed to be developed.
Another design challenge resulted from the redesign of the retaining channels for the rearward ends of the lift arms. This led to the design of a new safety mechanism to lock the rear ends in position when the power unit was functioning as a load lifting jack.
In view of the foregoing design challenges, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved commercial power unit having components that are robust to manufacture and assemble.
It is another object to provide an improved jack stand that has a self aligning lift plate.
It is another object to provide an improved jack stand with a reliable locking mechanism between the extendable frames.
It is another object to provide a power unit with improved controls for the jack stand.
It is another object to provide an improved handle for the power unit for control of the jack stand; and for positioning the handle for movement, shipment and storage of the power unit.
It is another object to provide a manual two-position bridge component that can be reliable and durable in use and can be stored on the power unit.
It is another object to provide and an automatic-slide-forward-bridge assembly having components that are robust to produce and assemble, and that are reliable and durable in use.
It is another object to provide an improved durable safety mechanism for a hydraulic jack and for the power unit when it is used with the bridge directly as a load lifting device.

Commercial lifting device-safety mechanism


In example embodiments, a technique is provided to determine the similarity between two terms. For example, example embodiments may store a meta-model semantic network that includes a first and second term. Further, both the first and second terms are respectively associated with model and meta-model information. A request to calculate a term similarity value is received. A term similarity value expresses a correlation between the first term and the second term. The term similarity value is then calculated based on a comparison of the model and the meta-model information associated with the first and second terms.

Current software development environments and platforms present a number of technical challenges to the management of such environments and platforms for developers or other end-users. These technical challenges arise from the ever increasing complexity of the system landscapes, where required information may be distributed and scattered across many information sources. These distributed information sources may contain information that is required by an end-user to manage, operate, and understand an enterprise and its development environments and platforms. For example, such distributed information may include the terminology used within an enterprise to represent enterprise concepts, such as, for example, a product.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example prior art software development environment 100 in which an end-user may be required to deal with a number of different and heterogeneous information sources 104, 106, and 108 that together are accessible via an information repository 110 of a software development platform. Business applications are examples of the information sources 104, 106, and 108. The information repository 110 may be accessed, for example, by the end-user utilizing a computer system 112 that is communicatively coupled to the information repository 110 via a network 114 (e.g., the Internet, a Wide Area Network (WAN) or a Local Area Network (LAN)).
The information stored in information sources 104, 106, 108 may include terminology related to particular concepts. However, the information sources 104, 106, 108 may each use different terms to represent the same concepts. Further, the terminology utilized in information sources 104, 106, 108 may not be maintained by a single entity. For example, one data source may be maintained by one corporate department and another data source may be maintained by another department.
Where terms are used inconsistently by an enterprise, a number of technical challenges are presented to the end-users. To illustrate, a search engine may search information sources 104, 106, 108 using an indexer that links information (e.g., documents) to predefined terms. However, where multiple terms are used for a single concept, there is a risk that the indexer will not link all the terms to the document. Accordingly, to find a document, the user must use the same term used to by the indexer.
To link inconsistent terms to a single concept, it is common to provide a semantic network. For example, such a semantic network may link all the product names assigned to a product to the single concept of the product. Where multiple terms are linked to the same concept, the terms may be considered synonyms, and a search engine may perform a search using the synonyms of a term submitted by the user. However, such an approach relies on an expert to properly link the various terms to the appropriate concept. Where the expert is a human, the semantic network approach then suffers from human error.

Calculating term similarity using a meta-model semantic network


A system and method for performing set partitioning to recover M-ary modulated digital data symbols. The set partitioning technique reduces the complexity of sub-optimal algorithms in communications systems such as wireless communication systems utilizing PML, SPML, and APML algorithms. The system and method reduces the number of searches in a system by choosing an average value for the transmitted signals in the system.

Current state of the art mobile communication technologies (e.g., cellular phones) employ complex computational algorithms to decode digital data which is transmitted as M-ary modulated digital data. Signal processing devices in mobile devices must decode the data in real time. Further, the signal processing devices typically operate using battery power. Thus, the computational capacity of the signal processing devices within the receiver is limited. Accordingly, it is necessary to simplify the computations while still maintaining the robust characteristics of the decoding algorithms.
In wireless communications systems, the VA and DFE are common techniques used as equalizer in the receiver. The VA is the optimum approach and at the same time, its computational complexity and memory requirements is proportional exponentially to the length of the channel impulse response. This is sometimes impossible for systems either because the channel impulse response is very long or there are power limitations and it is not possible to have large size of memory. On the other hand, the DFE has minimum requirements in terms of the memory and computational complexity, but its performance is not as well as the VA. The PML algorithm is sub optimal and there is a trade-off between complexity and the performance. The new set partitioning technique allows the designer to have more flexibility in terms of the trade-off for M-ary signal set systems.
One optimal solution to decode the data symbols is the use of the Viterbi algorithm (VA). However, the computational complexity of the Viterbi algorithm increases exponentially with the length of the channel impulse response (CIR). This is obviously not practical to implement for channels with long impulse responses. Another solution is the use of a decision feedback equalizer (DFE) which is computationally less demanding than the Viterbi algorithm. However, where the system experiences multi-path fading, the performance of this equalizer may not be acceptable. Accordingly, a new approach is required which has capable performance and manageable computational complexity.

Set partitioning for sub-optimal decoding


A moving object recognition apparatus includes: a feature image extraction unit that extracts feature image portions for enabling the moving object to be determined from the moving image; a position detection unit that detects position information of the moving object in time series from the moving image, the position information based on which the feature image portion is extracted; a determination unit that determines identity of the feature image portions extracted from the moving object; and a track information retention unit that retains the time-series position information linked to the moving object having the feature image portion having the identity based on the determination.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a technique of recognizing a moving object such as a person or an automobile in a moving image and in particular to a technique capable of avoiding confusion between moving objects and precisely tracking and recognizing each moving object.
2. Description of the Related Technique
A moving image photographed by a camera is used in various applications such as tracking the motion of each customer in a store and managing efficient commodity product placement in addition to security management.
The usages of the moving image include not only a mode in which an image is simply monitored and recorded, but also a mode in which the moving object such as a person shown in the moving image is recognized and tracked for monitoring and recording the motion of the moving object. For example, a region in which some motion exists is detected and photographed by a video camera provided on a ceiling and the person shown in the photographed moving image is tracked.
For example, a technique of extracting and tracking persons from the image photographed by a plurality of cameras and counting the number of persons passing through a predetermined determination line so that the number of persons can be precisely measured without being affected by back-and-force and side-to-side person overlap is known. (Refer to JP-A-10-049718. )
For example, the following technique is known as a technique that can be used for tracking persons in a moving image:
A technique of detecting a skin color region in an image, thereby recognizing the required portion of the face of a person, etc., is known; the technique can be used to detect a person in an image and the face of each person. (Refer to JP-A-2000-105819. )
Processing of recognizing the object image of the face of a person, etc., can be performed by determining the similarity degree between the object image and a provided reference image. A technique is known wherein once a face is detected from a moving image frame, a face image subjected to parallel move or rotation move from the position of the face is generated and the similarity degree between the generated face image and a reference image is determined; the technique can be used to detect the face of the person in the image (further the person). (Refer to JP-A-2002-269546. )
Normalization processing of converting an object image geometrically under a predetermined condition is previously performed, whereby the number of the reference images for comparison can be lessened. As for the normalization processing, a technique of detecting the difference between the image to be processed and the image after subjected to normalization based on an illumination pattern and performing normalization processing using the detection result is known. One example of such conventional technique is disclosed in: "Rotation Invariant Neural Network-Based Face Detection, H. A. Rowly, S. Baluja, and T. Kanade Proceedings of IEEE Conference on Comp-44", which will be referred to as "Rotation Invariant Neural Network".
A technique of extracting feature points from a face image and making a comparison with a provided template based on the feature points to conduct personal authentication from the face image is known; the technique can be used to determine whether or not two face images are identical. One example of such conventional technique is disclosed in: "Laurens Wiskott, Jean-Marc Fellous, Norbert Krouger and Christoph von der Malsburg, Face Recognition by Elastic Bunch Matching Proc. 7th Intern. Conf. on Computer Analysis of Image and Patterns 1997", which will be referred to as "Face Recognition by Elastic Bunch Matching".
A technique of mapping pattern information representing a face into a predetermined space so as to increase the individual difference and making a comparison with a provided template in the space to conduct personal authentication from the face image is known; the technique can be used to determine whether or not two face images are identical. One example of such conventional technique is disclosed in: "Matthew A. Turk and Alex P. Pentland, Eigenfaces for Recognition Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience Vol. 3, No. 1, pp. 71-86 (1991)", which will be referred to as "Eigenfaces for Recognition".
A technique of identifying the individual using the individual difference of the three-dimensional shape of the face rather than conducting personal authentication based on the shapes and placement of the feature portions of the eyes, nose, mouth, etc., of the face is known; the technique can be used to determine whether or not two face images are identical. (Refer to JP-A-2-311962. )

Moving object recognition apparatus for tracking a moving object based on photographed image


A transmission/reception method and apparatus in an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM)-based wireless communication system are provided, in which a data transmitter adaptively selects a multiplexing scheme according to a code rate of the transmission packet or an effective SNR of a wireless channel for a corresponding terminal, when transmitting a packet data channel. The adaptive multiplexing scheme is equal in concept to a scheme of adaptively implementing unitary precoding. The unitary precoded multiplexing includes Orthogonal Frequency code Domain Multiplexing (OFCDM), Fast Fourier Transform-Spread-OFDM (FFT-S-OFDM), Fast Frequency Hopping-OFDM (FFH-OFDM), and the like. The method and apparatus adaptively selects the multiplexing scheme and transmits/receives data using the selected multiplexing scheme, thereby improving reception performance of the packet data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a communication system using a multiple access scheme. More particularly, the present invention relates to a transmission/reception method and apparatus for selecting an optimal multiplexing scheme according to data transmission conditions and transmitting data using the selected multiplexing scheme to improve reception performance of data transmitted in a system that transmits/receives data using an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM)-based multiple access scheme.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, in the field of wireless communication systems, active research is being conducted on Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM), which is useful for high-speed data transmission over wireless channels. OFDM, a scheme for transmitting data using multiple carriers, is a kind of Multi-Carrier Modulation that converts a serial input symbol stream into parallel symbols and modulates each of the symbols with a plurality of orthogonal sub-carriers, such as, sub-carrier channels, before transmission.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a structure of a transmitter for a general OFDM system.
Referring to FIG. 1, the transmitter for the general OFDM system includes a channel encoder 101, modulator 102, serial-to-parallel (S/P) converter 103, Inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT) unit 104, parallel-to-serial (P/S) converter 105, and cyclic prefix (CP) inserter 106.
The channel encoder 101 performs channel encoding on an input information bit stream. Generally, a convolutional encoder, turbo encoder, or low density parity check (LDPC) encoder is used as the channel encoder 101.
The modulator 102 performs quaternary phase shift keying (QPSK), 8 phase shifting key (PSK), or 16 quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) on the output of the channel encoder 101. Although not illustrated in FIG. 1, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that a rate matching unit for performing repetition and puncturing functions can be added between the elements 101 and 102.
The S/P converter 103 has a function for converting the signal output from the modulator 102 into a parallel signal. The IFFT unit 104 performs IFFT calculation on the output of the S/P converter 103.
The P/S converter 105 converts the output of the IFFT unit 104 back into a serial signal. The CP inserter 106 has a function for attaching a cyclic prefix (CP) to the output signal of the P/S converter 105.
There is a modified OFDM multiplexing scheme in which a transmitter performs Hadamard transform on modulation symbols in a frequency domain before transmission. This scheme is generally called Multi-Carrier Code Domain Multiplexing (MC-CDM) or Orthogonal Frequency Code Domain Multiplexing (OFCDM).
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a structure of a general Unitary Precoded OFDM transmitter.
Referring to FIG. 2, the general Unitary Precoded OFDM transmitter includes a channel encoder 201, modulator 202, unitary precoder 203, S/P converter 204, Inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT) unit 205, P/S converter 206 and CP inserter 207.
The channel encoder 201 performs channel encoding on an input information bit stream. Generally, a convolutional encoder, turbo encoder, or LDPC encoder is used as the channel encoder 201.
The modulator 202 performs QPSK, 8PSK, or 16QAM modulation on the output of the channel encoder 201. Although not illustrated in FIG. 2, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that a rate matching unit for performing repetition and puncturing functions can be added between the elements 201 and 202.
The unitary precoder 203 is a common unitary precoder, and various examples of unitary precoding will be described later with reference to FIGS. 3A to 3C.
The S/P converter 204 has a function of converting the output of the modulator 202 into a parallel signal. The IFFT unit 205 performs IFFT calculation on the output of the S/P converter 204.
The P/S converter 206 converts the output of the IFFT unit 205 back into a serial signal. The CP inserter 207 has a function of attaching a CP to the output signal of the P/S converter 206.
FIGS. 3A to 3C are diagrams illustrating multiple examples of the unitary precoder of FIG. 2. FIG. 3A is a diagram illustrating a unitary precoder in which Hadamard transform is used.
Referring to FIG. 3A, the unitary precoder includes a symbol demultiplexer (DEMUX) 311, a Walsh function covering unit 312, and a Walsh summer 313.
The symbol DEMUX 311 converts the serial signal output from the modulator 202 of FIG. 2 into a parallel signal. The Walsh function covering unit 312 performs a process of Walsh-covering or spreading each of modulation symbols output from the symbol DEMUX 311 by a Walsh code with a predetermined length. The Walsh summer 313 performs a process of summing up the outputs (that is, outputs spread by each Walsh function) of the Walsh function covering unit 312.
FIG. 3B is a diagram illustrating a unitary precoder in which Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) is used.
Referring to FIG. 3B, the unitary precoder includes a symbol DEMUX 321, an FFT unit 322, and a P/S converter 323.
The symbol DEMUX 321 converts the serial signal output from the modulator 202 of FIG. 2 into a parallel signal. The FFT unit 322 performs FFT transform on the output of the symbol DEMUX 321. The P/S converter 323 converts the parallel signal output from the FFT unit 322 into a serial signal.
FIG. 3C is a diagram illustrating a unitary precoder in which Fast Frequency Hopping (FFH) is used.
Referring to FIG. 3C, the unitary precoder includes a symbol DEMUX 331, an FFH linear processor 332, and a P/S converter 333.
The symbol DEMUX 331 converts the serial signal output from the modulator 202 of FIG. 2 into a parallel signal. The FFH linear processor 332 performs FFH liner transform on the output of the symbol DEMUX 331. The FFH is a technology for mapping different sub-carriers every OFDM sample. The P/S converter 333 converts the parallel signal output from the FFH linear processor 332 into a serial signal.
Of the foregoing conventional Unitary Precoded OFDM multiplexing schemes, the Hadamard precoded OFDM scheme of FIG. 3A will be referred to as an Orthogonal Frequency Code Division Multiplexing (OFCDM) scheme, and the FFT precoded OFDM of FIG. 3B will be referred to as an FFT Spread OFDM (FFT-S-OFDM) scheme. In addition, the FFH precoded OFDM scheme of FIG. 3C will be referred to as a Fast Frequency Hopping-OFDM (FFH-OFDM) scheme.
FIG. 4 is a diagram of a brief description of a concept of the general FFH introduced in FIG. 3A.
Referring to FIG. 4, a description will be made of a FFH technique by comparing the existing frequency hopping technique with the FFH technique for one OFDM symbol time for an FFT size of M=4.
In FIG. 4, reference numeral 401 denotes a multi-carrier modulation apparatus for performing the existing per-symbol frequency hopping technique for a 4-OFDM sample time. Reference numerals 405 to 408 denote FFH multi-carrier modulation apparatuses.
In the existing frequency hopping technique shown in the left of FIG. 4, input data is identical for a 4-OFDM sample time and output signals are output one by one every sample time. Because the existing frequency hopping technique maps fixed sub-carriers in a one-OFDM symbol time, the blocks denoted by reference numerals 401 to 404 are identical for a 4-OFDM sample time.
However, in the FFH technique shown in the right of FIG. 4, mapping between sub-channel data and actual sub-carriers is changed by an M:M switch every sample time. Sub-carriers to which a first sub-channel denoted by reference numeral 405 is mapped are mapped in order of [1 4 2 3], sub-carriers to which a second sub-channel denoted by reference numeral 406 is mapped are mapped in order of [4 3 1 2], sub-carriers to which a third sub-channel denoted by reference numeral 407 is mapped are mapped in order of [2 1 3 4], and sub-carriers to which a fourth sub-channel denoted by reference numeral 408 is mapped are mapped in order of [3 2 4 1]. This mapping pattern is called a hopping pattern for each sub-channel.
As described above, compared with the Unitary Precoded OFDM technology, the OFDM technology shows higher performance at a low code rate. However, compared with the OFDM technology, the Unitary Precoded OFDM technology exhibits higher performance at a very high code rate, such as, a 4/5 code rate. Despite these characteristics, the common mobile communication system undesirably uses one of the OFDM and Unitary Precoded OFDM technologies for the packet data transport channels.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved adaptive data multiplexing method in an OFDMA system and transmission/reception apparatus that uses OFDM and unitary precoded OFDM technologies.

Adaptive data multiplexing method in OFDMA system and transmission/reception apparatus thereof


A system for detection of at least one designated wake-up word for at least one speech-enabled application. The system comprises at least one microphone; and at least one computer hardware processor configured to perform: receiving an acoustic signal generated by the at least one microphone at least in part as a result of receiving an utterance spoken by a speaker; obtaining information indicative of the speaker's identity; interpreting the acoustic signal at least in part by determining, using the information indicative of the speaker's identity and automated speech recognition, whether the utterance spoken by the speaker includes the at least one designated wake-up word; and interacting with the speaker based, at least in part, on results of the interpreting.

A system may be speech enabled, allowing users to interact with the system via speech, for example, by allowing users to speak commands to control the system. Engaging a speech-enabled system often requires users to signal to the speech-enabled system that the user intends to interact with the system by speaking. For example, a speech-enabled system may be configured to begin recognizing speech after a manual trigger, such as a button push (e.g., a button of a physical device and/or a button within a user interface of a speech recognition software application), launch of an application, or other manual interaction with the system, is provided to alert the system that speech following the manual trigger is directed to the system. However, manual triggers complicate the interaction with the speech-enabled system and, in some cases, may be inconvenient or impossible to use (e.g., when the user's hands are otherwise occupied, such as when operating a vehicle, or when the user is too remote from the system to manually engage with the system or an interface thereof).
To address the inconvenience (and often inapplicability) of manual triggers, some speech-enabled systems allow for voice triggers to be spoken to begin engaging with the system, thus eliminating at least some (if not all) manual actions and facilitating generally hands-free access to the speech-enabled system. A voice trigger may comprise a designated word or phrase (e.g., "Hello Dragon") that is spoken by the user to indicate to the speech-enabled system that the user intends to interact with the system (e.g., to issue one or more commands to the system). A voice trigger is also referred to herein as a "wake-up word" or "WuW." After a wake-up word has been detected, the system begins recognizing subsequent speech spoken by the user. In most cases, unless and until the system detects the wake-up word, the system will assume that acoustic input received from the environment is not directed to or intended for the system and will not process the acoustic input further. As such, it is important that a speech-enabled system be able to detect, with a relatively high degree of accuracy, when a wake-up word has been uttered.

Techniques for wake-up word recognition and related systems and methods


The disclosed embodiments relate to a system and method for message suppression. The system comprises a memory that is adapted to store a data element corresponding to a failure notification and to store a corresponding timestamp. Also included in the system is an interface adapted to receive the failure notification, create the corresponding timestamp, store the data element and the timestamp corresponding to the failure notification in the memory, send a message corresponding to the failure notification, suppress the sending of subsequent messages corresponding to the failure notification until a predetermined condition occurs, receive a notification to cancel the suppression of subsequent messages corresponding to the failure notification, and send subsequent messages corresponding to the failure notification in response to failure notifications received after the notification to cancel the suppression of subsequent messages.

This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art, which may be related to various aspects of the present invention that are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
Since the introduction of the first personal computer ("PC") over 20 years ago, technological advances to make PCs more useful have continued at an amazing rate. Microprocessors that control PCs have become faster and faster, with operational speeds eclipsing a gigahertz (one billion operations per second) and continuing well beyond.
Productivity has also increased tremendously because of the explosion in the development of software applications. In the early days of the PC, people who could write their own programs were practically the only ones who could make productive use of their computers. Today, there are thousands and thousands of software applications ranging from games to word processors and from voice recognition to web browsers.
The Evolution of Networked Computing
In addition to improvements in PC hardware and software, the technology for making computers more useful by allowing users to connect PCs together and share resources between them has also seen rapid growth in recent years. This technology is generally referred to as "networking." In a networked computing environment, PCs belonging to many users are connected together so that they may communicate with each other. In this way, users can share access to each other's files and other resources, such as printers. Networked computing also allows users to share Internet connections, which may result in significant cost savings. Networked computing has revolutionized the way in which business is conducted across the world.
Not surprisingly, the evolution of networked computing has presented technologists with some challenging obstacles along the way. One obstacle of connecting computers that use different operating systems ("OSes") is making them communicate efficiently with each other over a network. Each different OS (or even variations of the same OS) has its own idiosyncrasies of operation and configuration. The interconnection of computers running different OSes presents significant ongoing issues that make day-to-day management of a computer network challenging.
Another significant challenge presented by the evolution of computer networking is the sheer scope of modern computer networks. At one end of the spectrum, a small business or home network may include a few client computers connected to a common server that may provide a shared printer and/or a shared Internet connection. On the other end of the spectrum, a global company's network environment may require interconnection of hundreds or even thousands of computers across large buildings, a campus environment, or even between groups of computers in different cities and countries. Such a configuration would typically include a large number of servers, each connected to numerous client computers.
Further, the arrangements of servers and clients in a larger network environment could be connected in any of a large number of topologies that may include local area networks ("LANs"), wide area networks ("WANs") and metropolitan area networks ("MANs"). In these larger networks, a problem with a server (a failed hard drive, corrupted system software, failed network interface card or OS lock-up, for example) has the potential to interrupt the operation of a large number of workers who depend on network resources to complete certain tasks efficiently. Needless to say, companies devote considerable time and effort to keep their networks operating to maximize productivity.
To keep computer systems operating and to resolve network problems as fast as possible, many computer systems may include automatic failure detection and correction hardware and/or software. If a problem, such as a hard drive failure, occurs, a message may be automatically sent to a member of the network support team. These automated messages may include messages to a telephone or pager. Automated failure messages may also be sent to network personnel via email. If a computing resource that is used by a large number of client systems experiences a problem, many duplicate messages to the network support team may be generated. These redundant messages may take up computer network resources, while providing little or no tangible benefit.

Error message suppression system and method

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


The present invention discloses a cleaning patch and method thereof for cleaning a residual toner in a developing unit. The cleaning patch is composed of a plurality of cleaning regions. Each cleaning region includes a plurality of cleaning toner point alternately arranged in a row, which may reduce the absorbed toner in each cleaning region to improve the image quality.

1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a cleaning patch and method thereof for cleaning a toner. More explicitly, the invention pertains to a cleaning patch and method thereof for cleaning a residual toner in a developing unit.
2. Related Art
Electrophotographic image systems utilize the principle of ElectroPhotoGraphy (EPG) to print images. The EPG involves several steps: charging, exposure, developing, transferring, and fusing.
When the image forming device prints an image, a high-voltage corona charging unit distributes negative charges all over the surface of a photoreceptor. This is the charging step. In the exposure step, the image to be printed is converted into an optical signal and irradiated using a light-emitting diode (LED) or a laser on the photoreceptor that is already charged with negative charges. The irradiated region has a higher potential than the un-irradiated region. Such a potential difference is used to represent the potential image, also called the latent image.
The developing step starts right after the required latent image is formed on the photoreceptor. The developing unit has the toners with the same potential as the un-exposed region. The toners cannot adhere onto the un-exposed region due to the repulsive electrostatic force. However, they are attracted to the exposed region with a higher potential. Therefore, the exposed region is disposed with toners.
Once the developing step is finished, the toners adhered on the photoreceptor are transferred to paper. This is the transferring step. In this step, a transfer roller is used to distribute positive charges on the back of the paper. Thus, the toners on the photoreceptor are transferred onto the paper. Finally, a heat roller and a pressure roller are used to fix the toners on the paper. This is the fusing step. A cleaning station then cleans the cleaning patch on the photoreceptor after transferring step.
In order to prevent the residual toners from a previous developing from affecting the current developing, the photoreceptor can be provided with a cleaning patch during the developing step, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,687,473. That patent only discloses the idea of effectively removing possible residual toners in order not to pollute the developing step, thus improving the image quality. It does not explicitly disclose the implementation method.
Therefore, it is imperative to provide a method that can evenly distribute residual toners on a cleaning patch in order not to pollute the developing step and increase the efficiency of the cleaning station to remove the toner from the photoreceptor.

Cleaning patch for an image forming apparatus


A navigation system is provided with an application programming interface to enable efficient integration of a navigation solution into a navigation platform. The system includes a client-server architecture and the API is implemented with a standardized set of request and response functions defined in the client and server, respectively. The API includes a rapid prototyping interface component for enabling development of a navigation solution independent of a particular navigation platform. An information discovery and exchange interface component enables the navigation platform (client) to discover and retrieve the information available from the navigation solution (server) navigation solution.

Navigation systems may be onboard vehicle systems or portable devices, such as designated handheld units or mobile phones executing navigation applications. Often, in the case of a vehicle navigation system, the system is part of a larger infotainment system, which provides entertainment and information services to the vehicle user. Navigation systems typically include a navigation platform and an underlying navigation core application, also termed a navigation solution. The navigation platform typically includes hardware architecture and a software framework, including an operating system, and related user-interfaces to support execution of, and user interaction with, the navigation solution. The navigation solution is typically the "back end" software and related databases that provide core navigation functionality, such as, route planning and guidance, and map, address and point of interest (POI) information.
Navigation systems, especially vehicle navigation systems, have developed into complex and tailored systems that have historically been developed by original equipment manufacturers (OEM's) as embedded information systems in which the navigation platform and navigation solution are both developed and built together as a unitary system. A more recent trend has been for OEM's to take advantage of external navigation solution expertise and look to outside vendors for navigation solutions. In a typical development cycle, a navigation or infotainment system OEM may design a new navigation platform based on requirements defined by a customer, such as a vehicle manufacturer. The navigation system OEM will, in turn, require a tailored navigation solution that is able meet specific requirements for integration into the navigation platform. The step of integrating the navigation solution is often complex and involved, since the navigation platform is configured to interface with the navigation solution in a specific and complex way. Accordingly, a particular provider-developed navigation solution will be specifically tailored for a particular OEM navigation platform and will require the platform to interface with the solution in a very specific and often complex way. A navigation system OEM who has relied upon a particular provider for a navigation solution may be somewhat committed to that provider for procurement of future solutions. The economics of navigation system development are thus characterized by added costs and inefficiencies, which could be reduced if more flexibility were provided for integrating navigation solutions into navigation platforms.
Another problem relates to different respective development cycles of navigation platforms and navigation solutions. Navigation platform development may cycle with yearly or vehicle model cycles while navigation solution development cycles are not so limited and are typically more rapid. New technologies may enable frequent upgrades to features and functionality in a navigation solution. On the other hand, integrating such features and functionality into the navigation system might have to wait until the next generation navigation platform is developed. As an example, consider a navigation solution that has been upgraded with appropriate database information to provide a new lane recommendation feature, which suggests the best traffic lane to a user. In the current technological and economic environment, adding such a feature to an OEM navigation system would usually require significant modification to or even complete re-design of the navigation platform in order to access the new feature. It would therefore be advantageous to provide a way for a navigation platform to discover and integrate new functionality available in a navigation solution.
Yet another problem is that the performance and compatibility of a navigation solution usually cannot be fully assessed until the navigation solution is integrated into a host navigation platform. Similarly, navigation system OEM's have difficulty testing compatibility of the navigation solution with the platform until both the platform and the solution are finalized. As such, it would be desirable to enable the prototyping of navigation solutions to proceed without dependency on the development of a host navigation platform.
Thus, there is a need in the art for improvements that address the aforementioned problems and facilitate more efficient and flexible integration of navigation solutions into navigation platforms. The aforementioned shortcomings and others are addressed by navigation systems and related methods according to aspects of the invention.

HARMAN INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRIES, INCORPORATED