An ultrasonic processing apparatus is disclosed that supports an ultrasonic rod transducer without restricting the transmission of ultrasonic vibrations from the rod transducer to liquid in a processing tank. A support structure supports one or both converter heads of the rod transducer without restricting its vibration.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to ultrasonic apparatus and associated process methods for improving transmission of ultrasonic vibrations into liquids, and relates more specifically to mounting of ultrasonic transducers in a way that reduces or eliminates restrictions to the free flow of ultrasonic energy.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
One type of ultrasonic transducer is a rod transducer with an ultrasonic converter head located at one or both ends of a rod. Each ultrasonic converter head includes one or more piezoelectric devices that expand and contract with applied electrical voltage. The rod acts as a resonator that longitudinally transmits ultrasonic vibrations generated by the converter head(s). The rod transducer is intended for immersion into a liquid-filled tank so that the ultrasonic vibrations are transmitted to the liquid for processing in the tank. Rod transducers are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,200,666.
Rod transducers are commonly mounted to an inside wall of a tank. As shown in FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 1C, a rod transducer 10 is attached to a tank wall 12 using two brackets 14 and 16. One bracket 14 is securely tightened to firmly support one converter head 18 of the rod transducer 10. The other bracket 16 is loosely fitted to the other converter head 20 to hold the other end of the rod transducer 10 in place without unduly restricting the ultrasonic movement of the converter. A cable 22 connects the rod transducer 10 to a power source.
FIG. 2 shows a known configuration for mounting a single-ended rod transducer 30. This transducer has one converter head 32 located above a tank or vessel 34 and a rod 36 that extends downwardly into the tank. A transducer rod support arm 38 is clamped to the rod 36 to support the rod transducer 30 over the tank or vessel 34.
It is desirable to transmit as much of the ultrasonic vibrations from the rod transducer to the liquid in the tank as possible. What is needed is an improved supporting structure that improves the transmission of ultrasonic vibrations into the liquid instead of the supporting structure.

Unrestricted mounting of ultrasonic transducers


An automatic control system controls a controlled variable serving as an object 2 to be controlled so that the object 2 approaches a predetermined target value, by means of an optimum regulator 4. The automatic control system include: a gain setting section 48 for setting a gain; a comparing section 48 for comparing the target value with the controlled variable serving as the object; and a weight control section 50 for weighting the gain set by the gain setting section so as to increase the weight from 0 to 1 within a predetermined period of time and for deriving a corrected manipulated variable in response to the time when a difference between the target value and the controlled variable comes within a range of a predetermined percentage of the target value, so that the corrected manipulated variable is added to the manipulated variable derived by the optimum regulator. Thus, the gain is controlled so as to gradually increase only within a restricted range, so that it is possible to quickly and accurately control an object.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an automatic control system for use in a temperature control system for a semiconductor equipment, and an automatic control method using the same. More specifically, the invention relates to an automatic control system having an improved optimum regulator, and an automatic control method using the same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, in order to fabricate a semiconductor device such as an integrated circuit, it is required to repeatedly carry out various treatments, such as a film forming treatment at elevated temperatures, an oxidation and diffusion treatment and an etching treatment, with respect to an object to be processed, such as a semiconductor wafer.
For example, in the case of a sheet-type thermal treatment equipment, a semiconductor wafer mounted on a mounting table in a processing container is heated to a process temperature, e.g., a temperature of about 500.degree. to 600.degree. C., by heating means, e.g., a heating lamp, to carry out predetermined treatments, e.g., a film forming treatment and an oxidation treatment.
Thus, when a semiconductor wafer is treated at elevated temperatures, it is important whether the temperature of the wafer can be accurately maintained at a process temperature in order to ensure the uniformity of thermal treatment, and how the temperature of the wafer can be risen to the process temperature in order to obtain a high throughput and whether the process temperature can be maintained without causing overshoot.
With respect to the temperature control of a wafer, in place of a classical control theory wherein a control system is designed on the basis of frequency characteristics around a single input and a single output, a modern control theory suitable for a complicated system, such as a digital control of a system having multiple inputs and multiple outputs, has been used (e.g., see "Mechanical System Control"; Mar. 20, 1984; Ohm).
In this modern control theory, studies of optimum controllability and stability for controlling so as to minimize a performance function in a given specification have been actively made, and the state expression, which express the input-output relationship as well as the internal state, is used as the expression of the system.
In a method for designing a control system on the basis of an equation of state which expresses a state expression as an equation, a regulator for stabilizing a closed loop system and for improving the excessive characteristics thereof has been used. In this case, it is hardly possible to directly measure all the state variables. In this case, a state observer is used.
A typical automatic control system for use in a temperature control system for a semiconductor equipment will be described. FIG. 7 is a functional block diagram of an example of a typical automatic control system for use in a temperature control system for a semiconductor equipment.
In the diagram, reference number 2 denotes an object to be controlled, such as a wafer in a semiconductor equipment, and the temperature of this object is controlled. Reference number 4 denotes an optimum regulator for determining a matrix of feedback coefficients so as to minimize an appropriate performance function and for finding a compromise point of necessary equations. Reference numbers 8 and 10 denote an integrator gain and an integrator, respectively.
In addition, reference number 12 denotes a state stabilizer gain, and reference number 14 denotes a state observer. In the state feedback control, this system is a most basic system since the state is a minimum amount of information for determining the behavior of the system. In this system, the value of a state variable can not be directly measured according to circumstance. In such a case, the value of the state variable is presumed by means of the state observer 14 on the basis of the output of the object to be controlled, the output being able to be directly measured.
The temperature obtained via a thermocouple from the object 2 to be controlled, i.e., a controlled variable, is returned to an adder 6 and added therein so as to have a negative sign, so that the difference between the obtained temperature and a set temperature serving as a target value is derived. This difference is tempered by a gain of the integrator gain 8, and integrated by the integrator 10 to derive a manipulated variable.
On the other hand, a state variable, which can not be measured, is derived by means of the state observer 14 on the basis of the measured controlled variable. The derived state variable and the measured state variable are tempered by a gain of the state stabilizer gain 12 to derive a manipulated variable. The manipulated variable thus derived is added, in an adder 16, to the manipulated variable derived in the integrator 10, so that the temperature of the object 2 is controlled on the basis of the added amount. Furthermore, all of these operations are carried out by means of a software using a microcomputer or the like.
In a control system of this type, a single gain is generally set. In addition, most of actual systems are non-linear systems. In these systems, it is required to stably respond to all the control region, so that a stably operable maintenance gain is must be selected as a set gain.
That is, in a control region wherein the rate of state variation of the control system is higher than that of the control region, since there is an unstable factor for the control, a gain must be set so as not to immediately respond to a very fast change of state.
Therefore, it takes a lot of time until the controlled variable of the object to be controlled is stabilized after approaching a target value, so that there is a problem in that a sufficiently fast control can not be carried out.
In addition, in order to eliminate the aforementioned problem, if separate gains are provided for the respective temperature zones similar to conventional systems, a great number of parameters (state variable.times.temperature zone+.alpha.) must be provided, so that there is a problem in that the system has a complicated design.

Automatic control system and method using same


An anti-theft device for a golf club having a cover comprising an internal surface adapted to conform to a golf club hosel and a portion of a golf club shaft. One or more sensors are disposed within the internal surface of the cover and adapted to actuate between a passive state and an alarm alert state. An alarm is coupled to the one or more sensors, the alarm emitting a signal when the one or more sensors are actuated from the passive state to the alarm alert state. The one or more sensors are retracted in the passive state when the golf club hosel is housed within the cover. The one or more sensors are advanced in the alarm alert state when the golf club hosel is removed from the cover.

Theft of golf clubs has become commonplace, owing primarily to the expensive nature of golf clubs. As a result, golf clubs have either been secured to a display or have had various security devices attached to them. One significant limitation of prior art security devices that attach to the shaft of the golf clubs is that they do not prevent the theft of golf club heads themselves, which represent the more expensive component of a golf club.
What is therefore needed are security devices that prevent the theft of golf club heads separately from their associated shafts.


A track type work machine is provided including a roller frame having a rotatable idler mounted at an end thereof. A gas spring is operable to absorb selected loads on the idler, and is isolated from loads transverse to a reciprocation axis of the gas spring by a recoil system. A method of providing for load absorption from the idler is also provided. The method includes positioning a gas spring between the idler and a roller frame of the work machine, and operably coupling the idler to the gas spring to selectively transmit loads from the idler thereto.

Track type work machines are in widespread use in construction, mining, forestry, and similar industries. In particular, bulldozers, cranes and pavers are commonly seen track type work machines along roads, freeways and at construction sites. "Tracks" rather than wheels are typically used on work machines operating in environments where creating sufficient traction with conventional tires is problematic or impossible. Rather than rolling across a work surface on wheels, track type work machines utilize one or more tracks extending about a plurality of rolling elements. Such tracks are typically made up of a loop of coupled metal links having outer sides that engage the ground or work surface, and inner sides travelling about the rolling elements, which can include various drive rollers, support rollers, tensioners and "idlers."
An idler in a track type work machine is a rolling element that passively rolls against the track and supports the inner side of the track as it rolls about the idler. Traditionally, idlers included a smooth cylindrical outer surface that rolled along rails defined by the individual track links, or by the idler itself. Newer designs, however, often include a plurality of teeth that engage against the bushings that join the track links, similar to a gear wheel.
While contemporary idler designs offer numerous advantages over traditional, non-toothed idlers, they have given rise to various new problems and engineering challenges. Over the course of work machine operation, debris can more readily find its way between a toothed idler and track links than in a traditional design. As a result, debris such as a rock can actually become lodged between a portion of a track link and the teeth, or pockets between the teeth, of the rotating idler. Similar problems are associated with the toothed sprocket and track on the roller frame opposite the idler.
Lodging of a rock between the idler or sprocket and the track can effectively lengthen the distance traversed by the track, and/or increase the tension thereof having two possible outcomes. First, if the work machine track components are sufficiently robust, the rock will be crushed. Alternatively, the rock may actually strain the track and associated components to the point at which something breaks.
In an attempt to avoid the rock-crushing, track-breaking alternatives, designers have developed a variety of means to allow debris to simply roll through, for example by actually recoiling the idler, to lower or maintain the track tension. One design incorporates a coil spring with the track roller frame. The coil spring is positioned such that it can absorb recoil forces on the idler, such as while a rock is lodged between the idler or sprocket and the track. In general, it is desirable to limit the frequency of recoil events in the track system, as they tend to lead to excessive wear of the components. With a coil spring, recoil frequency would generally be limited by utilizing a coil spring having a relatively high spring constant such that it will only be compressed when a recoil force above a certain threshold is encountered.
While such a design is relatively simple, a particularly large, heavy-duty coil spring can be necessary to provide sufficient resistance to recoil.
In many work machine designs, known coil springs having a sufficient spring constant may not actually fit into the track roller frame, therefore being difficult or impossible to utilize. Such coil springs must also typically be surrounded by a steel structure on the roller frame for safety and protection of the spring itself. Further still, coil springs made of common known materials may not have a sufficiently linear spring force as a function of the degree of compression. In other words, it may become exceedingly difficult to further compress a coil spring when it is close to full recoil, confounding its intended purpose.
In recent years, designers have proposed various alternatives to the aforementioned coil spring designs, some meeting with significant success. One example of a non-coil-spring idler recoil design incorporates a combined pneumatic and hydraulic system to absorb loads on the idler. In such a design, recoil forces on the idler are absorbed by displacing hydraulic fluid, and simultaneously compressing gas in an accumulator. While these more modern designs offer certain advantages over coil spring designs, they must typically be connected with the work machine hydraulic system, requiring hydraulic lines to extend between the track assembly and the work machine body, a design that is both complex and apt to require frequent maintenance. One particular design utilizes a gas accumulator mechanically linked with the idler to absorb recoil forces thereon. U.S. Pat. No. 6,682,155 to Hoff, et al. is directed to one such system. Hoff, et al. describe a track tension adjustment actuator, operable to selectively reduce tension on the idler wheel in a track type work machine, especially when the work machine is traveling. The actuator of Hoff, et al. includes a hydraulic cylinder housing, and a recoil piston disposed within the cylinder housing and coupled with the idler wheel. The cylinder housing and recoil piston form a recoil chamber that is pressurized to urge the recoil piston away from the work machine drive wheel, tensioning the track. Another known design is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/325,362, now abandoned. The '362 disclosure is directed to a track tension adjustment mechanism, in particular a system, like Hoff, et al., wherein tension on an idler wheel of a track type work machine is reduced when the machine is traveling. The '362 disclosure includes a track tensioning system having an idler wheel, a drive wheel, and a drive track. A hydraulic motor is operable to advance the drive wheel, and an actuator having a recoil chamber is coupled with the idler wheel to urge the idler wheel away from the drive wheel and thereby tension the track. A controlled quantity of hydraulic fluid may be delivered to the actuator to adjust the track tension as needed.
While the above systems offer various advantages, particularly in that a relatively smaller, simpler recoil system can be made, high pressure gas accumulators have inherent sealing problems, particularly where they are subjected to side loads on pistons therein.
The present disclosure is directed to one or more of the problems or shortcomings set forth above.

Idler recoil and adjustment system for track type work machine


A wireless transfer device (100) is provided with: a transfer band control unit (13) for deciding upon a transfer band, on the basis of the result of a comparison of communication quality information pertaining to wireless communication, and a predetermined band control threshold value; a modulation scheme control unit (14) for deciding on a modulation scheme, on the basis of the result of a comparison of communication quality information and a predetermined modulation control threshold value; a transmission process unit (11) for controlling the transfer band for packet signals on the basis of the transfer band decided upon by the transfer band control unit (13), and outputting packet signals; and a wireless transceiver unit (12), for performing a modulation process on the packet signals output by the transmission process unit (11), doing so on the basis of the modulation scheme decided upon by the modulation scheme control unit (14). The band control threshold value and the modulation control threshold value are different values. In so doing, loss of high-priority packet signals, as well as transient fluctuations of transfer delay time, are avoided.

A wireless transfer device is known, in which a packet signal received from a wired transfer path is transmitted to an opposite station which is opposed via a wireless transfer path on a one-to-one basis and the opposite station outputs the packet signal to the wired transfer path again.
In a common technology on wireless transfer, if a multi-value number of a wireless modulation scheme is increased in the same wireless reception electric field level, wireless transfer capacity is increased and error tolerance of the wireless transfer path is deteriorated. On the contrary, if the multi-value number of the modulation scheme is decreased in the same wireless reception electric field level, the wireless transfer capacity is reduced and high error tolerance can be secured. Namely, if the multi-value number of the wireless modulation scheme is decreased in a situation in which the reception electric field level is reduced, though the wireless transfer capacity is reduced, high error tolerance can be obtained and line quality can be kept.
Generally, transmission capacity of the wireless transfer path tends to be small compared with the wired transfer path. However, since traffic is rapidly increased with recent rapid expansion of a mobile phone network and increase of data communication use, it is strongly desired to secure large transfer capacity in the wireless transfer path.
As one of techniques to secure larger transfer capacity of the wireless transfer path, an adaptive modulation function is known. When the multi-value number of the wireless modulation scheme is increased, compared with a normal operation condition, in a state in which the wireless reception electric field level is high and the line quality is high, larger transfer capacity can be acquired by using a wireless transfer device with the adaptive modulation function.
However, since the wireless transfer capacity which is used with modulation scheme changeover changes, the wireless transfer device with the adaptive modulation function needs to carry out suppression control of an amount of traffic to be sent to the wireless transfer path by following the change. If suppression control of the wireless transfer capacity and the amount of traffic is concurrently carried out when the control is carried out, traffic loss in transferring traffic and fluctuation of transfer delay time due to influence of transient buffering control, and the like, may occur.
Accordingly, in the wireless transfer device which transfers highly important traffic in which it is desirable not to generate traffic loss and fluctuation of transfer delay time, the problem is required to be solved.
Various proposals have been made, on a method for securing a reception electric field margin for maintaining a line by using the adaptive modulation function controlling the wireless modulation scheme, and for maintaining a transfer function of important traffic when the line quality of the wireless transfer path.
For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a method for monitoring the wireless transfer capacity and controlling a signal band to be transmitted to the wireless transfer path depending on change of the wireless transfer capacity, in the system in which the transfer capacity of the wireless transfer path on the basis of the adaptive modulation control. By carrying out the method, unnecessary traffic congestion situation can be avoided and transfer rate and transfer quality of an important traffic can be maintained.

Wireless transfer device and method for control of wireless transfer band


The present invention provides a platelet-containing composition prepared by contacting platelets with a medium for preserving. The medium comprises anticoagulant, cryoprecipitate and thrombin. The present invention also provides a method for long-term preservation of platelets, comprising the steps of: (a) adding an anticoagulant, cryoprecipitate, thrombin in normal saline; (b) adding a platelet-containing medium into the solution formed in step (a); and (c) lyophilizing the platelet-containing solution formed in step (b). Moreover, the present invention yet provides a medium for preserving non-nucleus cells.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to an innovative method and a medium for long-term preservation of platelets, red blood cells (RBC), and other non-nucleus cells in a powdered form. Also provided is a platelet-containing composition, prepared by contacting platelets with the medium for preserving.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Platelets are the smallest circulating blood cells in human body playing the role more than a plug to stop vascular leaks, but also having the ability to release a variety of growth factors that modulate cell growth and promote tissue repair and regeneration.
Since 1960's, scientists have focused attention upon methods of storing platelets in vitro, cumulating with at present an in solution storage capability in a medium of citrated plasma up to 5 days at 22□ at stable pH levels (pH 6.8-7.2) being achieved. In vitro studies further suggest that storage conveyance technology for platelet concentrates (PCs) is in solution within containers composed of polyolefin for periods up to 5-7 days at room temperature. However, the risk of bacterial contamination in solutions stored at room temperature for this period limits the time during which platelets may be used for transfusion to five days, as established by the FDA.
With blood shortages being increasingly common as the donor base declines and extensive restrictions on blood donation disqualify many donors, red blood cell (RBC) and platelet substitution have long been anticipated as an alternative to standard transfusions.
In particular, a variety of injuries involving excessive bleeding specifically call for the transfusion of platelets. However, due to the degradation of platelet functionality as a consequence current storage technologies, an effective approach for a long-term storage of functionally active platelets has never been succeeded up until now.
Maintaining the normal platelet form in terms of their functional and structural integrity throughout the entire preservation process is of critical importance to ensure their potency when called upon. This is reflected in a preservation process that does not alter the platelet's shape, prevents the excretion of activators and wards off aggregate during preparation and stabilization of the concentration. At molecular level, the ideal preservation process should also retain the glycoprotein Ib/IX, which serves as the receptor for von Willebrand factor, or glycoprotein IIb/IIIa, which serves as the receptor for fibrinogen. It's furthermore necessary for certain metabolic pathways which release messenger substance in response to the bindings of ligands to receptors and which set in motion physiological processes, for example secretion from α-granule, to remain intact. In order to fulfil their normal coagulation function after reconstitution, however, it is crucial to maintain normal intact membranes, functional enzymes, and preserve aggregation, release and phagocytosis responses, i.e. produce viable platelets.
Lyophilization of platelets provides an alternative preserving method that fulfils the above criteria. Lyophilized platelets can be stored at room temperature for an extended period of time and easily reconstituted for use. Moreover, lyophilization improves both shelf life and transportation logistics. In addition, creative approaches to RBC membrane modification, such as the enzymatic cleavage of ABH glycoproteins, may lead to a universal RBC. Advances in the understanding of platelet membrane behaviour at low temperatures may lead to extended platelet storage at refrigerator temperatures.
In view of the drawbacks of current preservation technologies, an effective new method and medium that extends both the quality and duration of the preservation of platelets, RBC and other non-nucleus cells are desperately needed. Therefore, the present invention that facilitates lyophilization of platelets will be a useful alternative for selected clinical applications and will lessen the dependence on marginally adequate blood supplies.

Medium comprising cryoprecipitate and method for preserving platelets, red blood cells and other cells without a nucleus


A method of operating a memory device includes; applying a pre-write voltage to a selected memory cell by applying a first voltage to a first signal line connected to the selected memory cell and a second voltage to a second signal line connected to the selected memory cell during a first set writing interval, wherein a level of the first voltage is higher than a level of the second voltage, and thereafter, applying a write voltage to the selected memory cell by applying a third voltage having a level lower than the level of the first voltage and higher than the level of the second voltage to the first signal line during a second set writing interval.

The inventive concept relates to memory devices, and more particularly, to resistive memory devices and methods of operating resistive memory devices.
As the demand for high capacity and low power consumption memory devices has increased, research into next-generation memory devices such as non-volatile memory devices that do not require a refresh operation has been actively conducted. Such next-generation memory devices are expected to have high integration density of the Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM), the nonvolatile data storage capabilities of flash memory, and the high data access capabilities of the static RAM (SRAM). Phase-change RAM (PRAM), Nano Floating Gate Memory (NFGM), Polymer RAM (PoRAM), Magnetic RAM (MRAM), Ferroelectric RAM (FeRAM), and Resistive RAM (RRAM) have been highlighted as some of the next-generation memory devices.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Resistive memory device and operating method


An apparatus and method for aerial chemical trimming of vegetation, the apparatus including an elongated boom suspended from an aircraft, a plurality of nozzles aligned vertically along one side of the boom, and a reservoir and pump coupled to a lower end of the boom for supplying an herbicide through the boom to the plurality of nozzles. In use, the boom is positioned alongside a row of vegetation to be trimmed and the herbicide is pumped from the reservoir, through the boom, to the nozzles and sprayed directly onto the vegetation. The boom is then moved along the row of vegetation.

Aerial spraying of chemicals to control vegetation is known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 5,137,233 discloses a method of aerial spraying of crops by airplanes with spray jets mounted below and trailing the wings. The method includes directing the spray jets at an acute angle with respect to the lower plane of the wing against a winglet deflection surface of covex shape. The winglet extends at a level distanced from the jet and tilted by an acute tangential angle with respect to the plane of the wing.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,889,776 discloses an apparatus for use with a container of liquid that is suspended from an aircraft flying over a ground target area. The container has an outlet through which the liquid is dropped from the container. The apparatus includes a diffuser configured to diffuse the liquid exiting the container outlet horizontally outward beyond the container into the air about the ground target, whereby the liquid is diffused over a correspondingly wide area.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,428,276 discloses a spraying device detachably connected to an aircraft, in particular a helicopter. The device includes a graduated tank, booms extending outwardly from the tank and wide-angle spray nozzles. A gasoline engine is affixed to a platform seated above the booms. The engine is attached to a pump which pumps the spraying liquid from the tank through the booms and out from the nozzles. The spray pattern is wide dispersal and directed toward the ground.
International Publication No. WO 2004/103063 describes an aerial saw apparatus suspended by a boom from a helicopter. The apparatus includes multiple saw blades, a power source, a pump and a tank. The power source, pump and tank are housed at the lower end of the boom. A series of spray nozzles are interspersed with the saw blades. The pump moves fluid to the spray nozzles where the fluid is sprayed directly on the blade teeth of the aerial saw.

Apparatus and method for aerial chemical trimming of vegetation


An emitter locator for locating an emitter transmitting an emitter signal includes a plurality of scatters and a base station. The plurality of scatterers are located at predetermined positions, where each scatterer includes a modulator configured to modulate an electrical signal on an antenna and configured to receive emitter signal and to modulate the emitter signal to generate a scattered signal. The base station is configured to receive a composite signal containing the emitter signal and a plurality of the scattered signals, where the base station includes a processor configured to separate the scattered signals from the composite signal and to identify relative power levels of the scattered signals to determine a location of the emitter. Advantages of the invention include the ability to locate emitters in an efficient and cost effective manner by using scatterers and a base station.

Emitters that transmit radio frequency (RF) electromagnetic radiation can take the form of many known devices. For example, mobile telephones, 2-way radios, surveillance electronics and RF tags all transmit RF electromagnetic radiation to communicate with a receiver.
Locating emitters is important for safety, emergency, security and inventory control reasons. For example, if a criminal is using a mobile telephone, pinpointing his location will assist the police in capturing him. In an emergency, locating a person transmitting a signal is important for rescuing him. For security, locating and eliminating surveillance electronics will insure that confidential discussions remain confidential. RF tags can be used for inventory control or locating products in a large warehouse that are have such tags attached to them.
One known technique for locating an emitter employs a directional antenna to identify the direction of the emitter source. Limitations to this technique are that the directional antenna must be physically moved about to identify the direction of the emitter source, multipath and large path loss variation can cause erroneous readings and no information is provided regarding the range to the unknown source.
Another known technique for locating an emitter employs a plurality of base stations. Each base station receives the emitter signal and measures the direction of arrival (DOA). The emitter location is then determined by triangulation based on the DOA. While this technique is fairly accurate, it still suffers from multipath and large path loss variation and it requires a significant hardware deployment of many base stations.
A goal of the invention is to overcome the identified limitations and to provide an efficient and cost effective apparatus and method for emitter location.

Apparatus and method for emitter location


A method and a recording device capable of selecting a preferred write strategy from a plurality of write strategies for an optical disc. The optical disc contains a characteristic value. The method includes: reading the characteristic value from the optical disc; selecting a first write strategy from the write strategies to be an active test write strategy according to the characteristic value of the optical disc; writing a test pattern onto the optical disc according to the active test write strategy; and reading the written test pattern from the optical disc, checking if the written test pattern satisfies a corresponding criterion, and utilizing the active test write strategy to be the preferred write strategy if the written test pattern satisfies the corresponding criterion.

The present invention relates to a recording device capable of writing data onto a recordable optical disc, and more specifically, to a method and a recording device capable of selecting a write strategy for recording data onto a recordable optical disc according to a characteristic value which is pre-grooved on the recordable optical disc.
In today's information technology era, optical recording products used for storing a large amount of information have become popular. There are various kinds of recordable optical discs utilized to store data, such as CD-R discs, CD-RW discs, DVD-R discs, DVD+R discs, DVD-RW, DVD+RW discs, DVD-RAM discs, etc. Although complying with recordable optical disc specification, discs produced by different manufacturers and composed of different materials may behave differently when exposed to the write pulse generated by different optical recording products. Therefore, such differences among the optical discs may result in different recording qualities of the same stored data. The recording qualities could be evaluated using various criteria, for example, jitter or bit error rate. Therefore, in order to solve the above-mentioned problem caused by variances between the discs' characteristics, a recording device has to choose an appropriate write strategy for each different kind of optical discs, respectively. In this way, optimal recording quality could be achieved.
Generally speaking, when a recording device according to the related art is going to record data onto an optical disc whose preferred write strategy is unknown, the recording device just adopts a default write strategy to write data onto the optical disc. Such recording process may lead to bad recording quality if the default write strategy is not appropriate for this specific kind of discs. Therefore, U.S. Patent Application Publication NO. US2003/0058765A1 "Method and recording device for selecting an optimized write strategy and recording medium for use by the method" has disclosed a method for selecting an optimal write strategy for a specific type of optical recording disc from a set of write strategies stored in a recording device. However, the above method consumes a large amount of time to write a plurality of test patterns respectively according to all the presently stored write strategies, and then selects an optimal write strategy based on the performance results of written test patterns on the optical disc. As a result, the write strategy selection is very time-consuming, which degrades the performance of the recording device.

Method and recording device capable of selecting a write strategy applied to an optical disc


A method for determining a sleeve and body pattern so that each sleeve is the same vertically as related to the body. The body is arranged so that the vertical height of an armhole between a shoulder point and an underarm point is equal in height of a set-in region of the sleeve pattern. The sleeves are joined to the body of the garment by a knitting process.

The present invention relates to a method of determining patterns or shapes of knitted segments for efficiency knitting a knit product, e.g. a sweater or cardigan, which is also known as an integral or whole garment, with the use of a knitting machine which performs a knitting action for yielding rows of major stitches, and more particularly, a method of determining a sleeve and a body pattern which are joined in a good fit.
In common, a body portion and a sleeve or other portion of a knit fabric are joined by sewing at the joining step succeeding the knitting step. This takes a considerable length of time in the production. Also, a resulting knitted product composed of the segment portions joined by sewing will exhibit less stretchability and if worse, may be torn apart along a joined seam in use.
For overcoming the foregoing drawback, modified methods have been introduced which incorporate an integral or whole garment knitting technique. One such method is proposed by the same applicant as of this specification, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication 2-229248(1990), in which each tubular sleeve portion is joined with a body portion during knitting action with the use of a flat knitting machine which has two pair of front and rear needle beds arranged in an upper position and a lower position respectively. front and rear sides respectively.
Since the set-in end of each sleeve portion is joined to the armhole of the body portion, the two seams have to be equal to each other in the number of stitches. The disadvantage of the method is that the two seams can be joined with difficulty while their armhole circumferential lengths only are measured to match. In action, optimum patterns or shapes of the sleeve and body portions for desired joining will be given through a series of experiments, which will result in the loss of time.
Hence, the method of knitting sleeve and body patterns of which shapes are determined after a number of trials is low in the productive efficiency and when modification is wanted in the shape, it has to use a troublesome cut-and-try technique.
In particular, if such sleeve and body patterns are joined while their length measurements are translated to stitches, it will be necessary, due to difference in the number of courses, to displace some stitches and/or adjust the number of lines. Therefore, an improved method of determining patterns for optimum joining has been wanted.

Method of determining sleeve and body patterns


An electronic apparatus casing that includes a casing body made from a magnesium or magnesium alloy material is provided. The external surface of this casing body is protected by a plurality of film layers. Specifically, a first layer of copper is formed on the casing body. Then, a second layer of nickel is formed on the first layer of copper. A third layer of a transparent glass is then formed on the second layer of nickel. Lastly, a fourth layer of silica is formed on the third layer of transparent glass. The combination of these layers functions to exhibit a corrosion resistance, an abrasion resistance as well as an external metallic feeling.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a case for an electronic device an a production method of the case, and particularly to an electronic device case made by using magnesium or a magnesium alloy and a production method thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A metal material or an alloy material having an excellent mechanical characteristic and showing an excellent touch feeling is widely used for an external casing material in various fields. Especially, a magnesium alloy material is the lightest material among practical materials, showing an excellent cutting property, a high strength/density ratio as well as an excellent die casting property, and its application for a casing has been examined in various fields such as computers, audio apparatuses, communication apparatuses, electronic apparatuses, and the like.
However, the magnesium alloy has an inferior resistance for corrosion and is easily oxidized in the atmosphere, forming a thin film on the surface, which deteriorates the external view. Especially when subjected to a precision cutting, corrosion resistance becomes a big problem.
For this, in order to improve the corrosion resistance and abrasion resistance of the magnesium alloy material, conventionally, anodizing and chemical conversion treatment has been carried out by using a heavy metal salt such as chromate (VI), manganate, permanganate or the like, and fluoride.
However, there arises a problem that the metal feeling is deteriorated where the anodizing or the chemical conversion treatment is carried out.
Use of heavy metal salts in anodizing or the chemical conversion treatment also brings about a problem of contamination of the environment.
There is also a finishing method of a magnesium alloy material by carrying out a shot blast to obtain a rough surface and then painting the rough surface. In this case, the metal feeling is completely lost.
As has been described above, use of a magnesium alloy material for a casing of an electronic apparatus has not been implemented in practice because of the aforementioned problems.

Electronic apparatus casing and electronic apparatus casing production method


A candle holder includes a housing having a mounting mechanism for mounting a candle to the housing. A display is connected to the housing for selectively displaying one of a plurality of numbers thereon, whereby the candle holder can be re-used for different occasions, such as birthdays and anniversaries, having different numbers associated therewith.

The present invention relates to candle holders and, more particularly, to a candle holder equipped with a digital display.
Candles having shapes in the form of numbers have been used for indicating the age of a person at a birthday party. While these candles enhance amusement at birthday parties or other occasions, the numbers physically shaped thereon cannot be modified or adjusted. As a result, these candles are not re-usable for another person having a different age and have typically been discarded after single use.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,706,523 discloses a birthday candle device equipped with a set of color-coded bands or disks for indicating the age of a person in accordance with an international numerical color code convention. Because the international color code convention is not well known to people in general, the person""s age encoded in the bands/disks is not readily recognizable.
U.S. Pat. No. Des. 132,571 discloses a set of candle holders having shapes in the form of numbers ranging from xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d to xe2x80x9c9xe2x80x9d. These candle holders have problems similar to those associated with the numerically shaped candles discussed above.
The present invention overcomes the disadvantages and shortcomings of the prior art discussed above by providing a new and improved candle holder. More particularly, the candle holder includes a housing having a mounting mechanism for mounting a candle to the housing. A display is connected to the housing for selectively displaying one of a plurality of numbers thereon, whereby the candle holder can be re-used for different occasions, such as birthdays and anniversaries, having different numbers associated therewith.


A towel fastener for a lounge chair for holding beach towels, in particular, firmly in place upon lounge chairs. The towel fastener for a lounge chair includes a clip support member being adapted to be mounted about a portion of a lounge chair and having a main tubular portion and a handle portion extending outwardly from the main tubular portion; and also includes a clip member being pivotally attached to the clip support member and having an curved fastening portion which is pivotally disposed about the main tubular portion and also having a handle portion; and further includes a biasing assembly being connected to the clip support member and to the clip member for biasing the curved fastening portion of the clip member upon the tubular portion of the clip support member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to towel fasteners for chairs and more particularly pertains to a new towel fastener for a lounge chair for holding beach towels, in particular, firmly in place upon lounge chairs.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of towel fasteners for chairs is known in the prior art. More specifically, towel fasteners for chairs heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 5,584,456; U.S. Pat. No. 5,829,832; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 298,711; U.S. Patent No. 510,468; U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,126; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,858,285.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new towel fastener for a lounge chair. The inventive device includes a clip support member being adapted to be mounted about a portion of a lounge chair and having a main tubular portion and a handle portion extending outwardly from the main tubular portion; and also includes a clip member being pivotally attached to the clip support member and having an curved fastening portion which is pivotally disposed about the main tubular portion and also having a handle portion; and further includes a biasing assembly being connected to the clip support member and to the clip member for biasing the curved fastening portion of the clip member upon the tubular portion of the clip support member.
In these respects, the towel fastener for a lounge chair according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of holding beach towels, in particular, firmly in place upon lounge chairs.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of towel fasteners for chairs now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new towel fastener for a lounge chair construction wherein the same can be utilized for holding beach towels, in particular, firmly in place upon lounge chairs.
The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new towel fastener for a lounge chair apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the towel fasteners for chairs mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new towel fastener for a lounge chair which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art towel fasteners for chairs, either alone or in any combination thereof.
To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a clip support member being adapted to be mounted about a portion of a lounge chair and having a main tubular portion and a handle portion extending outwardly from the main tubular portion; and also includes a clip member being pivotally attached to the clip support member and having an curved fastening portion which is pivotally disposed about the main tubular portion and also having a handle portion; and further includes a biasing assembly being connected to the clip support member and to the clip member for biasing the curved fastening portion of the clip member upon the tubular portion of the clip support member.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new towel fastener for a lounge chair apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the towel fasteners for chairs mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new towel fastener for a lounge chair which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art towel fasteners for chairs, either alone or in any combination thereof.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new towel fastener for a lounge chair which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new towel fastener for a lounge chair which is of a durable and reliable construction.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new towel fastener for a lounge chair which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such towel fastener for a lounge chair economically available to the buying public.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new towel fastener for a lounge chair which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new towel fastener for a lounge chair for holding beach towels, in particular, firmly in place upon lounge chairs.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new towel fastener for a lounge chair which includes a clip support member being adapted to be mounted about a portion of a lounge chair and having a main tubular portion and a handle portion extending outwardly from the main tubular portion; and also includes a clip member being pivotally attached to the clip support member and having an curved fastening portion which is pivotally disposed about the main tubular portion and also having a handle portion; and further includes a biasing assembly being connected to the clip support member and to the clip member for biasing the curved fastening portion of the clip member upon the tubular portion of the clip support member.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new towel fastener for a lounge chair that is easy and convenient to use.
Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new towel fastener for a lounge chair that prevents the user""s towel from being blown off the lounge chair.
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.


The invention described herein provides a flight crew with an easier and more intuitive way to control and monitor flight-control surfaces. Specifically, the invention displays all flight-control surfaces on a touch-screen display device located in an aircraft cockpit. The invention includes graphical and numerical position indicators to continuously display actual position information for flight-control surfaces. Additionally, the invention allows a flight crew to make flight-control surface adjustments through the touch-screen device. The invention further includes an engine performance indicator and a mode controller configured to display autopilot modes and to receive autopilot mode selections. A method is presented for controlling an aircraft flight-control surface via a touch screen device. The method includes receiving an indication of a flight-control surface and enabling selection of a position change. Based on the position change selection, the method includes verifying a corresponding movement and displaying an actual position of the flight-control surface.

The invention relates generally to the field of aircraft. More specifically, the invention relates to the field of instrument panels for aircraft.
Historically, avionics suppliers have displayed flight-control surface states on the Main Flight Display (MFD) and/or monuments located, typically, in the pedestal (such as the flap controller and rudder controller).
Previously, the mode controller was a separate piece of equipment mounted in the instrument panel. The engine indications were part of the Main Flight Display (MFD) for newer aircraft, or steam gauges for older aircraft.


A Flash memory that stores data, code, and parameters and performs parallel operations employs uniform-size blocks in array planes. A redundancy system for the Flash memory uses a CAM and a RAM for address comparison and substitution when replacing addresses corresponding to defective memory elements. The uniform block size allows block replacement where spare blocks in the array planes replace defective blocks. To reduce access delays from signal propagation through the CAM and RAM, part of the input address such as the row address goes directly to decoders while another part of the input address such as the block address goes to the CAM array for comparison.

Data storage Flash memories generally have uniform and small block sizes and often provide additional memory space for error correction codes (ECCs). For example, a NAND-type Flash memory typically provides 512 bytes of ECC memory (not useable for data) in every block containing 16 K bytes of data storage. These memories often have minimum pin counts with either serial or multiplexed interfaces and are often used in small Flash memory cards for portable applications. For long-term reliability, such memories typically provide real-time sector-mapping features similar to those found in Hard Disk Drives (HDDs). For example, NAND-type Flash memories, used in Smart Media Cards, specify that a small number of blocks may be invalid, due to one or more defective bits. The system design must be able to mask out the invalid blocks via address mapping. Such memories are sometimes called Mostly Good Memories (MGM) and typically guarantee a minimum of about 98% good bits.
Compact Flash (CF) and Multi Media Cards (MMCs) typically use NOR-type Flash memories that provide features to improve the endurance. For example, the memory may have an intelligent erase algorithm with verification to avoid over-stressing the oxide and improve program/erase (P/E) cycle endurance. Sector "tagging" (or sector hot counts) in such memories keep track of P/E cycling history so that the erase voltage can be set for each sector individually, according to the sector's P/E cycling history. In additional, such Flash memories generally provide real-time replacement of a sector after the sector has reached a pre-set lifetime maximum number of P/E cycles.
Flash memories for combined parameter, code, and data storage typically have asymmetric block sizes that are optimized to store different types of information. In general, these memories lack extra memory space for ECC and real-time sector-mapping capabilities but do provide parallel operations (POs) such as read-while-write (RWW) or read-while-erase (RWE), which allow a processor or another external device to write to or erase one part of the memory chip while reading from another part of the same memory chip. This capability increases system performance, and reduces overall system cost by eliminating additional memory chips such as system SRAM for program updates or EEPROM to store system parameters.
A 2001 ISSCC paper 2.3 titled "1.8v 64 Mbit 100 MHz Flexible Read While Write Flash Memory" (ISSCC Article), which is incorporated by reference in its entirety, describes a Flash memory device with flexible RWW capabilities based on a "Multiple Partition" architecture, which allows parallel operations for code and data. Intel's 1.8v Wireless Flash Memory Datasheet (28F640W18), which is also incorporated by reference in its entirety, further describes the memory described in the ISSCC Article.
FIG. 1 illustrates the layout of a 64-megabit device 100 shown in a die micrograph in the ISSCC paper. Memory device 100 has sixteen array planes 110-0 to 110-15, generically referred to as array planes 110. Each array plane 110 has the same storage capacity and specifically contains four megabits of storage. With the hardware partitioning of memory 100 into array planes 110, the user of memory 100 can initiate a write or erase operation in any one of the sixteen array planes 110 while simultaneously reading in any of the other fifteen array planes 110. In memory 100, the selected word and bit lines in the array plane selected for the write or erase operation are biased at the program or erase voltages; while the selected word and bit lines in the array plane selected for the read operation are biased at read voltages.
The erase, write, and read status of each array plane 110 is stored in an on-chip state-machine (not shown), and the user changes the erase, write, and read status of an array plane 110 by issuing commands to Flash memory 100. Memory 100 generally allows reading in one array plane while writing or erasing in another array plane. Table 1 shows some of the possible parallel operation scenarios for memory 100.
TABLE 1First operation inAllowed Parallel Operation in Another Array Planeone array plane:ReadProgramEraseIdleXXXReadXXProgramXEraseX
Memory 100 permits allocation of array planes 110 for specific purposes. An example allocation of the memory space uses four array planes 110 for an operating system (or Real Time OS), two array planes 110 for a boot sector, and the remaining ten array planes 110 for file management. With this allocation and the RWW capability, a CPU can simultaneously read code of the Real Time OS while writing or erasing data in the file management sections. The RWW architecture, in which a user can seamlessly access data across various array plane or partition boundaries, increases the overall system performance.
As shown in FIG. 1, one of array plane 110-0 is adapted for parameter storage, while fifteen array planes 110-1 to 110-15 are intended for main storage. More specifically, each of the 4-megabit array planes 110-1 to 110-15 contains eight 32-Kword "main" blocks, while the 4-megabit parameter array plane 100-0 contains eight 4-kword "parameters" blocks and seven 32-Kword main blocks. Each 32-Kword or 4-Kword block is independently erasable as a block.
The bulk of the storage capacity of memory 100 is in the main blocks and can store code or data. The parameter blocks in array plane 110-0 are smaller for more efficient storage of parameters because parameters generally come in smaller units and are more frequently updated. For example, in a MP3 player, data representing music comes in relatively large units that are efficiently stored in the main blocks, and control parameters such as directory information requires less storage but is more frequently changed. More conventional system using a data storage Flash memory would normally store parameters in a separate EEPROM to improve storage efficiency and allow access to parameters while accessing data. However, software techniques allow Flash memory 100 to emulate the word-rewrite functionality of EEPROMs. As a result, the asymmetrically blocked architecture enables code, parameters, and data integration within a single memory device.
Flash memories with similar parallel operation capabilities and asymmetric block architectures are described in the datasheet for the Simultaneous Operation Flash Memory (Am29DL323C) available from Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. and the datasheet for the Concurrent Flash (AT49BV1604 & AT49BV1614) available from Atmel, Inc. These datasheets are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
The 32 Meg bit device of AMD is divided into two banks, with bank 1 containing 8 megabits and bank 2 containing 24 Meg bits. Bank 1 is further segmented into fifteen 32-Kword blocks and eight 4-Kword blocks, while bank 2 is segmented into forty-eight 32-K word blocks. In actual application, the user can structure bank 1 to store data and boot code, and bank 2 to store control code. The command sequence that tells bank 1 to program or erase data blocks resides as executable codes in bank 2. While bank 1 is being programmed or erased, the system can continue to execute code from bank 2 to manage other system operations. Depending on system implementation, the CPU can also execute code from bank 1, and program or erase any of the blocks in Bank 2.
A 16-megabit memory device from Atmel, Inc. has a bank containing 12 megabits and a bank containing 4 megabits and allows a read operation in one bank while the other bank performs a write operation. Furthermore, the device has 40 blocks including thirty 32-Kword main blocks, eight 4-Kword parameter blocks, and two 16-Kword boot blocks.
One of the disadvantages of asymmetric block architectures is the inability to layout the arrays with symmetry and balance. For example, the 64-megabit memory of FIG. 1 has a layout in which array plane 110-0, which contains the parameter blocks, requires more integrated circuit area than do each of array planes 110-1 to 110-15. The parameter blocks contain less storage (i.e., fewer memory cells) than the main blocks do, and the parameter blocks require proportionally more overhead because of the need for a block select transistor per block. Block select transistors connect the local bit lines (within a block) to the global bit lines (across all blocks in the same array plane). For stacked-gate NOR Flash with negative-gate-channel-erase, additional overhead associated with the independent P-well inside a separate Deep N-well, is required for each block. Since the width of array planes 110-1 to 110-8 on the left side of memory 100 is less than the required width of array plane 110-0, part of array plane 110-0 is on the right side of memory 100 with array planes 110-9 to 110-15. Peripheral circuitry 120 is around the blocks of array plane 110-0 that are on the right side of memory 100. Additionally, Flash memory 100 has nine array planes 110-0 to 110-8 on the left side and only seven array planes 110-9 to 110-15 on the right side.
Memories with asymmetric block architectures and array layouts such as illustrated in FIG. 1 have significant drawbacks. In particular, since block sizes are non-uniform and hardwired, these memories cannot provide complete flexibility in array partitioning. Only specific array planes are adapted for storage of parameter data. Therefore, these memories are unable to support all applications optimally and efficiently. For example, if an application's boot information occupies 16-K words (or four 4-Kword parameter blocks), memory 100 will have four 4-Kword parameter blocks and seven 32-Kword main blocks remaining in parameter array plane 110-0. Then, if this particular application requires a total of twelve individual 4-Kword blocks to store parameters (that need frequent updates), the application must use up all of the remaining 11 blocks in parameter partition 110-0, and one of the eight main blocks in one of the fifteen array planes 110-1 to 110-15. The remaining seven main blocks in the array plane containing one block of parameters cannot be effectively used to store data because parallel operations cannot simultaneously access parameters and data from the same array plane. Accordingly, the memory space in the seven main blocks of the array plane containing one block of parameters becomes (effectively) unusable.
A memory with an asymmetric block architecture also requires more time to develop. In particular, an asymmetric block architecture would require additional time, manpower, and efforts to layout, simulate, and verify, and requires more effort and time to characterize and test the devices during prototyping and mass production
Asymmetric array layout is also undesirable because an asymmetric layout generally uses integrated circuit area inefficiently, which results in a larger die size and greater manufacturing costs. The asymmetric layout of FIG. 1, for example, requires longer global I/O lines running vertically between the left and right portions of array plane 110-0 and requires additional column related circuitry such as sense amplifiers, column decoders, and column pass devices, row decoders, and drivers. The longer global I/O lines affect die size and performance.
Asymmetric layouts also suffer from: non-uniform power and signal bussing, which will cause memory cells to exhibit different characteristics and performance across the array, e.g., the parameter blocks on the right may be more or less subject to noise from the periphery circuits.
In addition to problems with asymmetric layout, variation in the sizes of blocks has disadvantages. In particular, differences in memory cell characteristics or performance can arise from the differences in the sizes of p-wells. Having different block sizes that use a negative gate erase process generally cause p-well sizes to vary since the p-well sizes are proportional to the block sizes. The substrate resistance can vary with the size of the p-wells and cause differences in the characteristics of memory cells in different blocks.
Redundancy implementation in an asymmetric block architecture is also more complex. In conventional Flash memory redundancy and repair schemes, a defective memory element (either a word line or a bit line) is identified during testing, disabled, and replaced by a spare memory element. As a result, whenever an incoming address matches the defective memory element's address, a redundancy circuit causes selection of the spare memory element instead of the defective memory element. Providing both word line-based and bit line-based redundancy provides the small granularity for defect replacement, but the circuit implementation can be very complex (requiring substantial complication of the decoders), requires substantial layout overhead, and adversely affects speed because of additional circuitry required in the decoders. Partition-Level redundancy represents the largest granularity, and is not practical to implement. Block-Level redundancy offers a compromise between partition-level redundancy and bit line or word line level redundancy, but block-level redundancy is not practical for a memory having asymmetric block sizes.

Efficient redundancy system for flash memories with uniformly sized blocks


In registration of images in digitized subtracted angiography, X-rays irradiate a patient's body. A first digitized mask image is acquired without an injection of the contrast agent into the body, then the contrast agent is injected into the body, and a second digitized contrast image is acquired. The mask image is divided with regular geometrical patterns and a registration is made of the mask image relative to the contrast image through the use of landmarks defined at the corners of the geometrical patterns. These two images are subtracted after registration, and the subtracted image is displayed. The robustness of the landmarks is furthermore tested, and if the robustness is insufficient, a subdivision is made of the regular geometrical patterns.

An embodiment of the invention relates to a method for the registration or resetting of an image applied to digital subtracted angiography. The applicable field of the invention is that of medical imaging.
Angiography is the term applied to techniques used for the acquisition of images of blood vessels in an object or body, typically a patient's body. During the acquisition, the blood is opacified by means of a contrast agent making the vascular system visible in the direction of applied radiation, typically X-rays. Radiography is used for the acquisition of the angiography sequences. X-rays are sent out at a given rate and the images are digitized and then stored on a storage disk.
X-ray angiography is currently the reference examination in therapeutic vascular neuro-radiology. To be able to make a diagnosis, a physician must be able to extract information on the patient's vascular system from photographs of the patient. However, the blood vessels and blood have an absorption index that is substantially the same as that of the surrounding tissues.
Digital Subtracted Angiography (DSA) is a technique that substantially overcomes this limitation. The operational mode for DSA is as follows. A contrast agent, typically an iodide-based contrast agent, is injected into the patient's blood vessel. This agent is highly radio-opaque and enables a reading of the contrast in the vascular tissues. The angiography examination is based on the acquisition of two sequences. A first sequence is made without any contrast agent; it is known as a mask image sequence. A second sequence following the first sequence is made after the injection of the contrast agent; it is known as a sequence of opacified images or contrast images. These two sequences therefore ideally differ only by the presence of opacified blood vessels. A subtraction between these images then reveals the payload information.
However, owing to the patient's movements, both externally (the non-immobility of the patient, respiration, swallowing motions, etc.) and internally (cardiac motion, heart pulse, intestinal gases, etc.), the subtracted angiography images have artifacts that adversely affect the quality of the medical diagnosis. To eliminate these artifacts entirely, it is necessary to devise an automatic, robust and precise technique to correct the patient's movements. In this method, before subtraction, the mask image is registered relative to the opacified image by the application of local geometrical deformations to it. In one local example, these deformations are determined by the maximizing of a criterion of similarity.
With a rigid registration module, for each image that the user wishes to register, the user chooses a rectangular zone that will serve as an ROI (Region of Interest). A shift vector is then computed between the mask image and the corresponding contrast image on the basis of the chosen zone. The computation method is explained further below. This single vector is used to register the entire image.
Since the registration is rigid it therefore generally enables efficient registration only in the selected region. Indeed, the patient's movement is rarely uniform: two structures near the heart and the lungs may be located in a same image and will be respectively be influenced to a greater degree by the heartbeat and respiration. Furthermore, since the acquisitions are 2D projections of 3D structures, the motions of a near structure may be different from those of a distant structure. Nor can the rotational motions of the body be taken into account. This often results in the creation of troublesome artifacts outside the region of interest. The practitioner can therefore focus on only one small zone at a time. Furthermore, if the size of the region of interest is too great, artifacts may be created within this very zone, because the surface is then too great for a measurement of similarity to be significant. These deteriorations in image quality are not acceptable.
Another limitation is the obligation for the user to choose the region of interest, and the time that this operation takes. Indeed, for a many patients, a large number of images and the choice of several zones per image, this action of choosing the ROI becomes considerable.
Finally, if the measurement of similarity is unstable, the registration is not done. This situation can arise if the user has selected a homogeneous zone, where computation is impossible. This safety wall is a good thing in itself because it prevents the application of a wrong shift to the entire image but does not make possible to register all the zones desired. In this case, there is a further loss of time.
In view of these limitations, another solution was found to the problem of registration. This solution had to give a subtracted image of higher quality. Non-rigid or elastic registration algorithms were then proposed. The basic principle of these non-rigid algorithms is the search, relative to each pixel of the image, for an associated shift vector, for example by maximizing a criterion of similarity for each pixel. The computation of the shifts for each pixel by criterion of similarity is however very costly in computation time. Meijering et al., in "Image Enhancement in Digital X-Ray Angiography", Image Sciences Institute, Utrecht, Netherlands, chap. 2, 2000, has furthermore shown that another technique, known as the optical flow technique, is not applicable in the case of digital subtracted angiography.
To reduce computation time, a reduced set of control points, or landmarks, is then selected and a shift vector is then estimated for these control points. These shifts are then propagated to all the pixels of the image by interpolation. The computation time is then reduced.
The choice of the landmarks is then preferably done on the mask image in order to prevent a situation where one of them does not belong to the vascular system, and is thus properly revealed only in the contrast image and therefore does not appear in the mask image. The landmarks may be chosen in two ways: either by means of a regular spatial distribution (a grid), or by a definition according to their characteristics (uneven distribution).
The first method does not take account of the particular features of the image. The homogeneous zones of the image therein possess landmarks, whereas for them the shift vector is impossible to estimate while the highly non-homogeneous zones do not have enough landmarks therein to make a precise assessment of the shift vector.
The second method enables this problem to be resolved through an adequate and robust distribution of the landmarks. As a criterion of robustness, it is possible to choose a criterion of the gradient. Indeed, it can be seen that the subtraction artifacts appear in digital subtracted angiography in zones that are dense in structures.
For the computation of the shift vector, each landmark has an associated region of interest on which the computation of similarity will be done. It has been shown that the best results, taking account of the computation time as well as the visual quality, were obtained for a region of interest sized 48×48 pixels.
However, certain problems of registration remain. X-ray imaging comprises projections of a 3D image on a 2D image. This may prompt the appearance, between two acquisitions, of structures that have been concealed beforehand. Another problem is that of isophotes, namely lines of equal light intensity, such as those corresponding to the edge of a bone. The shifting of a pixel of this line is indeterminate if this motion is parallel to the isophote. Indeed, the question is how to determine the new position of a point among neighbors having the same intensity.
Another major problem persists with the method in which the choice of landmarks is made as a function of their characteristics. This problem is that of the determining of the landmarks concerned for the computation of interpolation of the shift of a pixel. In practice, for a pixel for which the shift has to be computed, it is necessary to determine all three landmarks forming the smallest possible triangle around this pixel. This determining process is very lengthy because, in principle, it is possible to envisage many candidate landmarks. For example if, by chance, four candidate landmarks are distributed at the four corners of a square, there are four triangles, hence four possible ways, of determining pixel shift vectors within the square.

Method for registration of an image applied to digital subtracted angiography

GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC


A method, a device, and a computer program product for parallel data transmission are provided in embodiments of the present disclosure. The method includes obtaining attributes of data to be transmitted from a first storage device to a second storage device and a network condition between the first storage device and the second storage device. The method also includes determining a number of concurrencies and a data slice size for use in parallel transmission of the data based on the attributes of the data and the network condition, and transmitting the data in parallel between the first storage device and the second storage device using the determined number of concurrencies and the data slice size. In embodiments of the present disclosure, during parallel data transmission, the appropriate number of concurrencies and data slice size can be selected according to attributes of data to be transmitted and an actual network condition.

A storage system refers to a system consisting of various storage devices for storing programs and data, hardware devices for controlling components and managing information scheduling, and various types of software, generally capable of storing a large amount of data. A data backup technology is usually used in the storage system to ensure the security of data storage. A redundant array of independent disks is a data backup technology that can combine a plurality of independent physical disks in different ways into an array of disks (i.e., a logical disk), thereby providing higher storage performance and higher reliability than a single disk.
Data transmission is a key indicator of modern data protection solutions, especially in large-scale data sets. The efficiency of data transmission is an important factor in data backup, data replication, disaster recovery, and so on. In general, data replication and virtual synthesis techniques can be used to avoid the transmission of duplicate data. In addition, parallel data transmission can also be used to increase the transmission speed. The parallel data transmission refers to making full use of network bandwidth by dividing to-be-transmitted data into several slices and establishing a plurality of streams for transmitting the slices in parallel.

Method, device, and computer program product for parallel data transmission using machine learning to determine number of concurrencies and data slice size


A system extending from a fuel injection valve to an air-fuel ratio sensor is modeled by using a first order response delay element. Parameters of the first order response delay element T, k are identified based on an input u(t) based on an input air-fuel ratio that occurs when the input air-fuel ratio is relatively sharply changed in accordance with an engine operation requirement, and an output y(t) of the air-fuel ratio sensor that changes in response to a change in the input air-fuel ratio. Then, an abnormality of characteristics (response rate and output) of the air-fuel ratio sensor is determined based on the identified parameter.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a device and a method of diagnosing abnormality of an air-fuel ratio sensor that detects the air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an internal combustion engine equipped with an exhaust gas purification system that uses a catalyst, it is indispensable to control the mixing proportion between air and fuel in a mixture that is burned in the internal combustion engine, that is, the air-fuel ratio, in order to effectively remove harmful components of exhaust gas through the use of the catalyst. In order to perform such a control of the air-fuel ratio, an air-fuel ratio sensor that detects the air-fuel ratio on the basis of the concentration of a specific component of exhaust gas is provided on an exhaust passageway of the internal combustion engine, and a feedback control is carried out so as to bring the detected air-fuel ratio closer to a predetermined target air-fuel ratio.
Incidentally, if the air-fuel ratio sensor has an abnormality, such as degradation, a failure, etc., the air-fuel ratio feedback control cannot be accurately executed, so that the exhaust gas emission deteriorates. Therefore, diagnosis of abnormality of the air-fuel ratio sensor has been conventionally conducted. Particularly, in the case of engines mounted in motor vehicles, the detection of abnormality of the air-fuel ratio sensor in a vehicle-mounted state (on board) is required by laws or regulations or the like in many countries in order to prevent the motor vehicles from running while emitting deteriorated exhaust gas.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-30358 (JP-A-2005-30358) discloses an abnormality detection device for an air-fuel ratio sensor that cyclically increases and decreases the air-fuel ratio through an open-loop control and that detects an abnormality of the air-fuel ratio sensor on the basis of the length or area of the locus of the air-fuel ratio sensor output that increases and decreases corresponding to the cyclical increases and decreases in the air-fuel ratio. Besides, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-68602 (JP-A-2004-68602) discloses an air-fuel ratio control device that recursively identifies a plant model representing a detection delay characteristic of the air-fuel ratio sensor, and that sets a control gain in the air-fuel ratio feedback control by using a parameter of the identified plant model. This control device stops the serial identification, when performing the diagnosis of response degradation of the air-fuel ratio sensor during the feedback control.
However, the technology described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-30358 (JP-A-2005-30358), while being able to discriminate whether the air-fuel ratio sensor itself is normal or abnormal, is not able to discriminate which one of the characteristics of the air-fuel ratio sensor is normal or abnormal. That is, although the air-fuel ratio sensor has a plurality of characteristics, the technology described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-30358 (JP-A-2005-30358) cannot discriminate which of the characteristics is abnormal.
Besides, the technology described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-30358 (JP-A-2005-30358) performs an active air-fuel ratio control of forcing the air-fuel ratio to increase and decrease for the abnormality detection of the air-fuel ratio sensor. However, a problem of this technology is that if the active air-fuel ratio control is carried out, deterioration of the exhaust gas emission is inevitable.
On the other hand, the technology described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-68602 (JP-A-2004-68602) diagnoses degradation of only the response rate, among the characteristics of the air-fuel ratio sensor. Although the air-fuel ratio sensor has other characteristics as well, the technology cannot discriminate whether or not there is abnormality with regard to the other characteristics. In the first place, the technology described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-68602 (JP-A-2004-68602) is a technology that relates to the air-fuel ratio control, and that is not specialized in the abnormality diagnosis of an air-fuel ratio sensor. Hence, the parameters of the recursively identified plant models are used to set control gains in the air-fuel ratio feedback control, and the recursive identification is stopped at the time of the response delay diagnosis about the air-fuel ratio sensor.

Abnormality diagnostic device and abnormality diagnostic method for air-fuel ratio sensor


Methods and devices for configuring and monitoring a search space of a PDCCH are provided. The specific solution includes: transmitting PDCCH configuration information to a UE, where the PDCCH configuration information is for indicating at least one search space of a PDCCH of the UE, and the search space is any one of the following types: a common search space; a group common search space, or a UE specific search space.

For 5th generation (5G) mobile communication, in the discussion of the standard of new radio access technology (NR), a user equipment (UE) needs to monitor multiple types of pieces of downlink control information (DCI). The UE can obtain the DCI by detecting, in a search space of the UE through blind detection, a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) transmitted by a network device.
However, in the related technologies, there is no specific solution for how to set search space for UE, which causes the UE to fail to receive multiple types of pieces of downlink control information in a timely and effective manner.

Methods and devices for configuring and monitoring search space of PDCCH


An RF signal processing device which includes a countermeasure set connected to the processing device. The RF signal processing device shifts an incoming RF signal by ninety degrees and combines the phase shifted RF signal with RF jamming signals from a jammer. The processing device next transmits the RF signal including the RF jamming signals from the jammer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to radio frequency signal processing. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and system which prevents the loss of RF signal phase and amplitude information when the data is being processed by a countermeasure system or the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the past, transmission of RF signal amplitude and phase information from a receiver antenna to an RF signal processing device always occurred by utilizing RF electrical cables to transfer the amplitude and phase information from the receiving antenna to the processing device. The RF signal is an electro-magnetic waveform received by the antenna and then converted to an equivalent RF electrical signal. Phase and amplitude information can easily change during the transfer due to cable problems and other deficiencies in an RF system. Cable leakage, temperature variations, amplifier stability and phase compilation problems are representative of the types of problems that can cause substantial variations in the transfer of RF signal amplitude and phase data using RF cables and RF electrical equipment.
Accordingly there is a need to develop an electrical RF signal transfer device which insures that phase and amplitude information are not compromised during transfer and processing of the RF signal by an RF signal device such an electronic countermeasure device.

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


In a coordinate input apparatus including the detection unit of a sensor unit (1R, 1L) arranged at a corner of a coordinate input region (4), a retroreflecting member (3) arranged at the peripheral portion of the coordinate input region (4) to retroreflect incident light, the light projecting unit of the sensor unit (1R, 1L) which projects light to the coordinate input region (4), and a control/arithmetic unit (2) which executes a coordinate acquisition operation for obtaining the coordinate position of a pointer (6) having a light-emitting function in the coordinate input region (4) on the basis of a light amount distribution obtained from the detection unit of the sensor unit (1R, 1L), a light-receiving IC (5) detects a light emission signal from the pointer (6), and the control/arithmetic unit 2 controls the coordinate acquisition operation on the basis of the detection result.

Conventionally, touch panels of various schemes have been proposed or introduced commercially as apparatuses which input coordinates by pointing on an input surface with a pointer or a finger. The touch panels are widely used because a PC or the like can easily be operated on the screen without using any special tool.
There are various schemes using, e.g., a resistive film or an ultrasonic wave. An apparatus using light is also disclosed (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,507,557). In this apparatus, a retroreflecting sheet is arranged outside the coordinate input surface. Light from a means for illuminating the input surface with light is reflected by the retroreflecting sheet, and a light amount distribution is detected by a light-receiving means. In this arrangement, the angle of a region shielded by a finger or the like in the input region is detected, thereby determining the coordinates of the shielded position, i.e., the input position.
Such a coordinate input apparatus is mounted on the surface of a rear projector or plasma display panel, and a PC window is displayed. Then, a large interactive display capable of operating a PC by a finger or a pointer or inputting the locus of handwriting can be formed.
In such an interactive arrangement, pointing on an icon or the like can easily be done by using a finger or a pointer. However, since the retroreflecting member has a height to some degree, there is an input height to some degree from the screen. When, e.g., a finger is used for input., the finger is detected before it reaches the screen. This poses no so serious problem if a position is simply designated by pointing. However, in inputting characters, dots or lines are connected together, and input is difficult.
As a countermeasure, for example, a plurality of threshold values are set, and the input depth is detected. Only cursor movement is done until the input depth has a predetermined value or more. If it is determined that the input depth has a predetermined value or more, the state is determined as pen-down. In this case, a line is drawn on the screen, or an icon is selected as if the left button of a mouse were clicked on, thereby reducing connection of lines and dots (e.g., Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-84106).
In this method, however, it is difficult to detect the pen-down state only when proper contact with the screen is obtained. That is, there may be a little difference from human sensation.
An apparatus is disclosed in which to reliably detect contact with the screen, a pointer is used, and a pen-down state is detected in accordance with its contact (e.g., Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-49466). In this method, the position pointing means on the pen uses a movable point. The light reflection characteristic is changed by moving the pen point, thereby obtaining pen-down information.
When this method is used, the pen-down state can be detected in accordance with contact with the screen. However, since the state is represented mechanically, it is difficult to send to the main body other pieces of information of the pointer, including, e.g., information corresponding to the right button of a mouse and information that represents the ID of a pen to cope with such an application that changes the pen color.
Other information may be sent by using an electromagnetic wave, infrared radiation, or ultrasonic wave. However, when a switch signal is transmitted by using an ultrasonic wave, reflection from objects around the device may occur in some device installation state so the reliability may be low. When an ultrasonic wave or electromagnetic wave is used, and devices are placed side by side, interference between adjacent devices may occur.
A method using infrared radiation can suitably be used for transmission/reception of various kinds of information such as pen-down information, side switch information, and ID information. In this method, even when reflection occurs, no problem is posed because the speed of infrared radiation is high. Even when devices are installed side by side, they can be shielded from each other by a very simple structure.
The above-described coordinate input apparatuses using retroreflection rarely use visible light that can disturb display. They also often use infrared light for coordinate detection. In this case, the light-receiving means in the imaging optical system for coordinate detection and the light-receiving means in the condensing optical system that receives the information of the pointer detect each other's light. For example, assume that during detection of reflected light from the retroreflecting member, the pointer emits light to transmit information near the light-receiving means in the imaging optical system for coordinate detection. At this time, the detection unit in the imaging optical system may detect the light, and a coordinate detection error may occur. Alternatively, if light from the pointer is strong, the light-receiving element in the imaging system may be saturated, and detection may become impossible.
Even when the condensing optical system which detects the optical signal from the pointer is designed not to directly face the light source for coordinate detection, light for coordinate detection may be reflected by a finger or the pointer near the light-receiving element in the condensing optical system and detected. In this case, no correct information can be obtained from the pointer.

Coordinate input apparatus and coordinate input method