A magnetic data recording system includes an electronically trainable neural network in the read channel. The neural network recognizes reproduced patterns of data bits regardless of distortion introduced by the recording and reproduction process. An electronically trainable analog neural network has weights which are set so that the network recognizes a limited number of bit patterns which are stored on a magnetic disk.

This invention relates to detecting data bit patterns reproduced from a magnetic storage medium and more particularly, to a neural network in the read channel of a magnetic disk drive.
Conventional pulse detectors used in disk drives convert the pre-amplified and equalized analog read head pulses into digital pulses. Two criteria are applied. The first criterion is that the individual pulse be above a certain amplitude, the "gating threshold". This is intended to avoid detection of lower level noise pulses. Once the first criterion is satisfied, the second criterion is that the first derivative of the pre-amplified and equalized analog read head pulses passes through zero, i.e., detection is at the actual peak of the signal.
If the pulses are crowded together to achieve higher density they mutually interfere with neighboring pulses. The gating threshold criterion may not be satisfied. This threshold must be lowered to the "new" threshold. However, this has the undesirable characteristic of being closer to the noise so that noise rejection suffers. In addition, the peaks of the pulses are pushed away from each other, making their detected position incorrect. Further, the nonlinearities inherent in the recording and playback process at points of high mutual pulse interference, called "intersymbol interference" or "ISI", cannot be compensated for by a linear equalizer. The purpose of the equalizer is to provide the corrective frequency response to cause closely-spaced pulses to be amplified more than widely spaced pulses. Linear equalizers can only correct for linear interference of pulses, not non-linear interferences. Such linear equalizers inherently emphasize higher frequency components, causing a degradation of the wideband signal-to-noise ratio, or "SNR".
Artificial neural systems (ANS) automatically learn to recognize categories of features based on experience. The approach is based on the simulation of biological systems of nerve cells. Each cell is called a "neuron" and systems of neurons are called "neural systems" or "neural networks". Neural networks are often simulated using large systems of ordinary differential equations where the response of a single neuron to inputs is governed by a single differential equation. See U.S. Pat. No. 4,906,940.
Algorithms for "training" these neural networks are well known and include the MADELINE and the back propagation procedures. See, for example, IEEE International Conference on Neural Networks, Sheraton Harbor Island, San Diego, CALIF. July, 24-27, 1988, MADELINE RULE II, by Winter & Widrow, pp. I-401 through I-408 and BASIC MECHANISMS, pp. 320-362.
Recently, electronically trainable analog neural networks have become available. See the data sheet for the Intel Corporation, 80170NX, "Electronically Trainable Analog Neural Network", (Experimental), Intel Order No. 290408-002.
It is an object of the present invention to use a neural network to recognize data bit patterns in the read channel of a magnetic disk or tape drive, when data is written at previously unachievably high densities along a track, exacerbating Intersymbol Interference and non-linear effects.

Neural network disk drive read channel pattern detector


Disclosed examples include switching power converters, control methods and ripple filter circuits in which first and second switches are connected in series across first and second DC bus nodes, with an inductor connected to a switching node joining the first and second switches and a storage capacitor between the inductor and the second DC bus node. A control circuit operates the switches to alternately transfer ripple energy from a DC bus capacitor of the DC bus circuit through the inductor to the storage capacitor, and then to transfer ripple energy from the storage capacitor through the inductor to the DC bus capacitor to regulate the ripple voltage of the DC bus circuit, and the control circuit provides hysteretic control of the absolute value of the inductor current between a first value and a higher second value during transfer of ripple energy between the DC bus capacitor and the storage capacitor.

Switching power converters include switches operated to convert electrical power from one form to another, including DC to AC converters such as switching inverters, AC to DC converters referred to as active rectifiers, DC to DC converters and AC to DC to AC converters. DC to AC and AC to DC switching converters typically include a DC bus circuit with a large bus capacitor to provide a smooth DC bus voltage. The switching operation of an active rectifier or switching inverter introduces high frequency voltage in the DC bus, as well as ripple voltage typically at twice the AC fundamental frequency (double-AC ripple) for single-phase applications. The DC bus capacitor needs to be very large in order to control the ripple voltage amplitude to deliver a smooth DC bus voltage to a DC source in an AC to DC converter or to provide a smooth DC bus voltage as an input to a switching inverter in a DC to AC converter. Conventional single-phase DC to AC converters suffer from a very low power density due to the need for large DC bus capacitance to control ripple voltage. Recent advancements in wide bandgap converter switches such as Gallium Nitride (GaN) and Silicon Carbide (SiC) devices have led to moderate server power supply power density improvements. The high frequency operation of GaN and SiC devices can reduce the size of passive AC filter inductors and capacitors in single-phase converters with respect to switching frequency noise. However, the sizing requirements of the DC bus capacitor which buffers double ac frequency energy is independent of the converter switching frequency and remains a significant barrier to increased power density in single-phase converters. Electrolytic capacitors have been employed to provide ripple voltage attenuation in the DC bus, but these electrolytic capacitors suffer from higher failure rate and shorter service life compared with other capacitor types. A need remains for reduced DC bus capacitance to improve power density in switching converters.

Switching converter with improved power density


The pressure-difference microphone is arranged in a housing, and there is provided in one of the housing walls a single opening, directed onto the front side of the microphone, for feeding voice commands which can be produced in the acoustic near field of the housing. According to the invention, the arrangement of the microphone and/or the air volume which surrounds the microphone in this case are such that the microphone can be irradiated with sound through the opening, using the pressure-difference principle.

The invention relates to a sound pick-up having a pressure-difference microphone, arranged in a housing, for converting acoustic signals which are produced in the acoustic near field of the sound pick-up into an electric signal.
The invention also relates to a remote control unit, in particular for wireless control of equipment by acoustic input of command signals having a pressure-difference microphone arranged in the housing of the remote control unit.
A known field of application of such sound pick-ups relates, for example, to voice communication in a noisy environment. On the basis of the pressure-difference principle applied in this case, sound produced in the acoustic far field of the sound pick-up can be faded out or at least reduced so far that words spoken in the acoustic near field of the sound pick-up can be transmitted virtually undistorted for the purpose of intelligibility.
Because of these properties, such sound pick-ups are also suitable for remote control devices with voice input of control commands, called voice commands below, into an appropriate remote control unit. However, it has been shown that breathing noises and the manner of pronunciation of specific command words can lead to misinterpretation of a voice commandxe2x80x94such as,xe2x80x9cpxe2x80x9d, in the case of a command word with a consonant which is pronounced hard.
It is therefore the object of the invention to improve intelligibility in the case of a sound pick-up and to improve the recognition of command words in the case of a remote control device with such a sound pick-up.
The invention is based on the idea of arranging a pressure-difference microphone in a housing, and of providing in one of the housing walls a single opening directed onto the front side of the microphone, for feeding voice commands which can be produced in the acoustic near field of the housing, the aim being to arrange the microphone in the housing in such a way that, and/or to form the air volume which is to surround the microphone, in such a way that the microphone can be irradiated with sound through the opening, using the pressure-difference principle.
This configuration of the sound pick-up has the advantage, moreover, that a wind shield or the like can additionally be arranged in a simple way between the opening and the microphone.


Example embodiments presented herein are directed towards a display assembly for an interior panel of a vehicle, corresponding method of use and a computer readable medium including instructions for operating the display assembly. The display assembly allows for the private viewing of multimedia content for occupants in a vehicle.

Many of today's vehicles comprise multimedia systems. A vehicle multimedia system provides various forms of content, for example video or audio, to occupants of the vehicle. Such multimedia systems can be especially beneficial for drivers of autonomous vehicles where driver distraction is not a safety concern in certain phases of operation.
An autonomous vehicle is one which is capable of sensing its environment and navigating without the use of human input. It is envisioned that such vehicles will be capable of transitioning from an autonomous driving mode and a manual driving mode, in which a driver manually operates the vehicle. It is further envisioned that such autonomous driving may only be allowed on preapproved or certified roads or zones. Thus, a vehicle's initial driving segment will likely require the human driver to control the vehicle and later transition to an autonomous driving mode. While in an autonomous driving mode, a driver of a vehicle may engage in activities which may not be possible while the vehicle is in a manual driving mode. Examples of such activities are resting, working or using multimedia applications.

Display assembly for an interior panel in a vehicle


A method of predicting photostability of coatings with various dopants on titanium dioxide pigment particles is disclosed. Calculations of the density of states show that a doped coating which reduces the density of states near the band edge or increases the density of states within the band gap of the pigment particles increases the photostability of the doped pigment.

Because of its high refractive index, titanium dioxide is used as a high-quality pigment in many sectors, e.g. plastics, coatings, paper and fibres. However, titanium dioxide is photoactive, meaning that undesired photocatalytic reactions occur as a result of UV absorption, leading to degradation of the pigmented material [The Chemical Nature of Chalking in the Presence of Titanium Dioxide Pigments, H. G. Völz, G. Kaempf, H. G. Fitzky, A. Klaeren, ACS Symp. Ser. 1981, 151, Photodegradation and Photostabilization of Coatings].
In this context, titanium dioxide pigments absorb light in the near ultraviolet range, the result being that electron-hole pairs are produced, which lead to the formation of highly reactive radicals on the titanium dioxide surface. The radicals produced in this way result in binder degradation in organic media. It is known from experimental investigations that hydroxyl ions play a dominant role in the photocatalytic process [Photocatalytic Degradation of Organic Water Contaminants: Mechanism Involving Hyroxyl Radical Attack, C. S. Turchi, D. F. Ollis, Journal of Catalysis 122, 1990, 178-192].
It is known that the photoactivity of TiO2 can be reduced by doping the TiO2 particles (e.g. with aluminium) or by means of inorganic surface treatment (e.g. by coating with oxides of silicon and/or aluminium and/or zirconium) [Industrial Inorganic Pigments, ed. by G. Buxbaum, VCH, New York 1993, Seite 58-60]. In particular, several patents describe the application of the most dense possible, amorphous layer of SiO2 to the particle surface, this being known as a "dense skin". The purpose of this skin is to prevent the formation of free radicals on the particle surface.
Wet-chemical methods for production of a dense SiO2 skin, and of a further Al2O3 coating on inorganic particles, particularly on TiO2, are described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,885,366, U.S. RE. 27,818 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,125,412. EP 0 245 984 B1 indicates a method which, as a result of simultaneous addition of a solution containing Na2SiO3 and a solution containing B2O3, can be performed at relatively low temperatures of 65 to 90° C.
SiO2 dense-skin treatments are also carried out in order to increase the abrasion resistance of glass fibres coated in this way and reduce the slipping properties of the fibres in the products manufactured. In this connection, U.S. Pat. No. 2,913,419 describes a wet-chemical method in which silicic acid is precipitated onto the particle surface together with polyvalent metal ions, such as Cu, Ag, Ba, Mg, Be, Ca, Sr, Zn, Cd, Al, Ti, Zr, Sn, Pb, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni.
The method according to US 2006/0032402 makes it possible to increase the photostability of dense-skin TiO2 pigments. It is based on the incorporation of Sn, Ti or Zr in the SiO2 skin applied by a wet-chemical process.
In addition to the known wet-chemical methods for coating the surface of TiO2 particles, there are also dry-chemical methods in which the dense SiO2 skin is deposited from the gas phase. In this case, during titanium dioxide production by the chloride process, a silicon compound, preferably SiCl4, is added to the TiO2 particle stream with a temperature of over 1,000° C., such that a uniform, dense SiO2 layer is formed on the particle surface.
EP 1 042 408 B1 describes a gas-phase method for surface coating with Si and B, P, Mg, Nb or Ge oxide.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Titanium dioxide pigment particles with doped, dense SiO


An information device identification system includes: a remote host holding unit that holds a specific remote host name; a receiving unit that receives an inquiry about an internet protocol (IP) address corresponding to one remote host name; a determining unit that determines whether or not the one remote host name received by the receiving unit matches the specific remote host name held by the remote host holding unit; an IP address responding unit that responds by transmitting, to a device, an IP address of an information device instead of the IP address indicating one remote host when the determining unit determines that the one remote host name matches the specific remote host name; and a device ID responding unit that responds by transmitting, to the device, data including information for instructing the device to connect to a predetermined redirect destination and specific information for uniquely identifying the information device.

Web advertisers perform targeting with the aim of presenting users who have accessed their webpages with information such as targeted advertisements which are suited to interests and choices of the users. The Web advertisers track a user by using an ID called an HTTP cookie issued to a browser, and creates a profile related to data on interests and choices of the user.
Recently, there has been a demand for more data on interests and choices of a user to be collected in order to present more appropriate information to the user. It is, however, not easy to know whether or not a user whose data on interests and choices are collected on a certain webpage and a user whose data on interests and choices are collected on another webpage are identical.
In light of this, for example, Patent Literature (PTL) 1 proposes a technique of collecting records of actions taken by a user on a first medium and associating identical users on the basis of user identification information specified upon logging in to a second medium.

Information device identification system, information device identification method, information device, non-transitory computer readable recording medium for use in a computer which can associate identical users with each other

Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.


The call number of a subscriber to be monitored is flagged in the service control point SCP with an indicator of one or more subscribers that are authorized to eavesdrop. When a communications link is set up, an identifier for the monitoring measure is transmitted to the exchange SSP, and a conference loop between the subscriber to be monitored, a calling or called second communications subscriber, and a third subscriber which is authorized to monitor is set up as soon as the identifier is known at the SSP.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention lies in the telecommunications field and, more specifically, to surveillance processes in telecommunications.
In particular, the present invention relates to a method for monitoring a communications link, in particular a telephone call, between two communications subscribers. At least one of the call participants is a subscriber to be monitored. The identifier (for example the IN number or the xe2x80x9cPersonal User Identityxe2x80x9d) of the subscriber(s) to be monitored is flagged. The flag contains an indication of which third communications subscriber or subscribers is/are to be authorized to monitor a communications link to the subscriber(s) to be monitored. If a subscriber under surveillance is called or calls a second communications subscriber, a conference loop between the subscriber which is to be monitored, the calling or called second communications subscriber and the communications subscriber authorized to monitor is set up. National and international laws require that operators of a public, and in future it is expected also of a private, network should permit so-called authorized agencies (police, secret service, etc.) to monitor the telecommunications traffic of persons under suspicion, in compliance with certain legal regulations for the protection of communications subscribers (for example court orders). While this is relatively easy to do in the local exchange of the subscriber to be monitored in the case of conventional fixed-line telephone networks by flagging the corresponding subscriber data record and setting up a type of conference loop to the authorized agency, in intelligent networks (IN) there is a basic problem. This results from the division of the functions of signaling and of voice traffic between different network components. In the case of IN calls, it is generally not defined in advance which exchanges (VSt) calls of a subscriber which is to be monitored will pass through. In addition, all the data that are required for the monitoring operation (including IN numbers and fixed-network call numbers of the communications parties) are not available at the same location.
My earlier PCT publication WO 97/41678 specifies a method for monitoring a communications link which is suitable for communications services with IN services. However, for each monitoring action on the INAP interface it may be necessary to transmit large quantities of data between the Service Control Point (SCP) and the exchange.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a method of monitoring a communications subscriber in an intelligent network, which overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known methods of this general type and which provides for an improved method for monitoring a communications link.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a method of monitoring a subscriber of an intelligent network, which comprises:
flagging an identifier of a subscriber to be monitored in a database, the flagging including an indication of a third communications subscriber authorized to monitor a communications link to the subscriber to be monitored;
upon an establishment of a communications link between the subscriber to be monitored and a second communications subscriber (subscriber A is being called or calls subscriber B), setting up a conference loop between the subscriber to be monitored, the second communications subscriber, and the third communications subscriber authorized to monitor the communications link between the subscriber to be monitored and the second subscriber;
transmitting, for subscribers of an intelligent network, characteristic subscriber data to an authorized, third communications subscriber; and
informing the exchange that has initiated the link to the database about the monitoring measure by transmitting an unambiguous identifier pointing to supplementary information necessary for the monitoring.
In other words, the procedure adopted here is as follows: the identifier (for example the IN number or the xe2x80x9cPersonal User Identityxe2x80x9d) of the subscriber which is to be monitored is flagged in the Service Control Point (SCP). This flagging contains, inter alia, an indication of which authorized agencies are provided with a monitoring facility. In an extension of the IN-specific protocol (INAP) between the SCP and the Service Switching Point (SSP) (usually in the transit exchange TE of the calling subscriber), the SSP is informed that a telephone call should be monitored. However, in this context, not all the supplementary information which is necessary for the monitoring operation such as (a) the start and end of the monitoring measure, (b) the designation of the addresses of the monitoring authorized agencies, and (c) order number, are transferred but rather just one unambiguous identifier. If this identifier is already known to the exchange in which the SSP is located (for example from an earlier monitoring operation), all the further necessary supplementary information is stored and a conference loop is set up to the authorized agency. The link data (fixed-network call numbers, IN numbers, time, duration of the call) and the contents of the call or of the data link are transferred online to the authorized agency. Otherwise, the exchange must interrogate the necessary supplementary information from the SCP or from another suitable database before the conference loop can be set up.
With this procedure according to the invention, the data transfer between the SSP and the SCP can be reduced to a minimum.
In accordance with an added mode of the invention, the conference loop is set up with the exchange that initiated the link to the database.
In accordance with an additional feature of the invention, the supplementary information necessary for the monitoring is stored at a central location, such as in the SCP. An extended INAP interface is used for the interrogation. However, it can also be stored in any other database at a central location so that the exchanges can access the information via a management interface.
A further advantageous refinement of the invention provides for the supplementary information to remain stored in the exchange even after the termination of the monitoring action. In this way, it is ready for later re-use and does not have to be explicitly requested again.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the unambiguous identifier is not known at the exchange, and the necessary supplementary information is requested with the exchange after receiving the identifier.
In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the supplementary information is stored in the exchange.
In accordance with again an added feature of the invention, the supplementary information is deleted after an end of a monitoring time period or upon receiving a deletion order. So that the storage capacity of the exchange is not overloaded, in particular by supplementary information for monitoring actions which have already terminated, it is advantageous if, for example, the exchange can be instructed by the SCP, by means of a delete instruction, to delete the stored supplementary information.
In accordance with an extended embodiment of the invention, the addresses of those exchanges that have stored supplementary information are stored at a central location. In this embodiment, the SCP or another suitable database in turn stores the time at which and the exchange to which supplementary information has been sent. In this context, cyclical deletion may also be carried out, that is to say those exchanges which have been sent the supplementary information a maximum (or the longest) time prior to that point can be requested to perform deletion. The deletion prevents monitoring information which in unimportant, because it is no longer current, from taking up memory location for the exchange.
In accordance with a concomitant feature of the invention, deletion orders are transmitted to those exchanges which have stored the supplementary information for the longest time.
The monitoring data which are determined (that is to say the communication which takes place between the communications subscribers) can, instead of being transmitted directly to the authorized agency or agencies, be alternatively transmitted to a device which knows the necessary supplementary information and which automatically informs the appropriate authorized agencies. This device can be another exchange or else a specialized monitoring device.
Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in method for monitoring a subscriber of an intelligent network, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.

Method of monitoring a subscriber of an intelligent network


A musical instrument comprises a keyboard assembly including juxtaposed keys and juxtaposed swing weight mechanisms, each of the keys correspondingly linked with each of the swing weight mechanisms. The keyboard assembly is supported on a key bed having an aperture which is elongate in the direction of the key juxtaposition. Actuating members are provided corresponding to the respective swing weight mechanisms each of which in turn actuates each corresponding key. The actuating members are disposed in a lower yoke having a channel member and flanges integrally manufactured by bending a metal plate. The flanges are fastened to the key bed across and over the aperture so that the actuating members penetrate the aperture toward the swing weight mechanism. The height of the channel member determines a relative position between the actuating members and the swing weight mechanism.

Known in the art are player pianos or the like apparatuses. A player piano is an acoustic piano wherein the keys are actuated by a built-in or an externally attached actuator unit including solenoid plungers or the like in accordance with the recorded music playing data such as punched holes on a piano roll and MIDI data on a storage medium, the keys in turn actuating the corresponding piano action hammers to strike the corresponding piano strings, thereby conducting an automatic performance of piano music. An example of such an actuator unit is disclosed in unexamined Japanese patent publication No. H11-184460.
Also known in the art are electronic musical instruments having electronic tone generators wherein the tone generators generate musical tones in accordance with music playing data to conduct an automatic music performance. The music playing data may preferably be of a MIDI format, and may be externally input (e.g. from a sequencer) or may be transferred from an external music work source via a communication network or via a storage medium to a music playing data processing circuit (sometimes further via an internal memory) so that the read-out music playing data control the tone generators to conduct an automatic music performance.
In the case of an electronic musical instrument, an automatic music performance can be conducted without actuating the keys in the keyboard, contrary to the case of an acoustic piano. Recently, however, there is a desire that the keys should move along with the tone generation by the tone generator circuits to visually enjoy the progressing automatic music performance in addition to aural enjoyment of the music. Electronic musical instruments having keys which move along with the progressing automatic music performance conducted by music performance data signals are disclosed, for example, in unexamined Japanese patent publication No. 2001-184054 and in unexamined Japanese patent publication No. 2005-55541.
In the first one of the above referenced publications, the solenoids for actuating the keys are provided near the rear end of the keys at the area away (as viewed from the player) from the swing fulcrum of the keys. In the acoustic piano, the swing fulcrum for the keys resides on the middle rail carrying balance pins according to the regular piano structure, and accordingly a space for placing the solenoid units can be easily prepared in the area away from the middle rail.
In the electronic piano disclosed in the second one of the above referenced publications, a key arm is extended from the key rearward than the swing fulcrum (pivot) of the key, and the rear end of the extended key arm is actuated by the solenoid plunger. This necessitates the space beyond the key and the size of the instrument body will be increased accordingly, and the general merit of an electronic piano as being compact will be impaired.
In the electronic piano disclosed in the third one of the above referenced publications, a swing weight mechanism is provided underneath the key and an actuator (a solenoid plunger) actuates the swing weight mechanism from below. This structure solves the problem of the size increase. However, there is a problem that the actuator and the key bed interfere with each other. In the case of an acoustic piano as in the first one of the above referenced publications, the key bed has a sufficient thickness so that a recess or recesses can be dug therein to accommodate actuators in place of providing through holes or an aperture in the key bed. In the case of an electronic keyboard musical instrument, however, the key bed need not be as thick as an acoustic piano and is usually of a thickness which is insufficient for digging a recess therein, so that an aperture or an opening should be provided in the key bed over an entire width of the keyboard to accommodate the actuators. The key bed is a member which supports the keyboard assembly and bears the player's downward pressing forces of striking the keys to play music, and therefore an aperture or an opening of a length which is almost as long as the entire width of the keyboard may deteriorate the robustness of the key bed, which in turn may deteriorate the robustness of the instrument body.

Electronic keyboard musical instrument having key actuators


A silver halide color reversal lightsensitive material comprising a transparent support and, superimposed thereon, a blue-sensitive emulsion layer unit, a green-sensitive emulsion layer unit and a red-sensitive emulsion layer unit, each of these units comprising at least two emulsion sub-layers having the same color sensitivity but different speeds from each other,. wherein the material contains a yellow dye in an amount of 0.15 to 1.0 g/m.sup.2 and satisfies the relationship: EQU 0.9.ltoreq..gamma.'/.gamma..ltoreq.1.25. wherein .gamma. and .gamma.' each represent a point-gamma value of a portion of the material giving a magenta density of 1.0 when the material was subjected to a development processing comprising an image-wise exposure step, a black and white development step, a reversal processing step, a color development step and a desilvering step thereby forming color reversal images, provided that .gamma. is the point-gamma value attained when a period of the black and white development step was set to the standard period, and .gamma.' is the point-gamma value attained when the period of the black and white development step was prolonged to attain a higher speed of 0.5 log E.

The present invention relates to a silver halide color reversal lightsensitive material. More particularly, the present invention is to provide a silver halide color reversal lightsensitive material having a push-processability favorable to users and relates to a silver halide color reversal lightsensitive material which is improved in sensitivity at high speed development, gradation, gradation balance and color balance.
In the color reversal image formation, a sensitivity regulation by prolonging the black and white development time during color reversal process is conducted in order to compensate for any under-exposure of a color photographic lightsensitive material. This sensitivity regulation is generally called "push-processing".
Various trials for enhancing the push-processability have been made. For example, the method of enhancing the push-processability with the use of a color reversal lightsensitive material in which a silver halide emulsion having fog nuclei inside silver halide grains is employed, is disclosed in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. (hereinafter referred to as JP-A-) 59-214852, JP-A's-60-170849, 60-170850, 60-170851, 60-170852, 60-170853, 63-193147 and 9-218485. Further, the method of enhancing the push-processability with the use of a color reversal lightsensitive material having colloidal silver contained in an interlayer combined with a silver halide emulsion layer, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,298,369 (JP-A-5-257243).
However, although the method of improving, for example, the sensitivity, highest density and color balance in the push-processing of a color reversal lightsensitive material is disclosed in the above literature, these techniques cannot be stated as being satisfactory with respect to the improvement of gradation and gradation balance when push-processing is performed.
Moreover, JP-A-7-225459 discloses the technique of improving the gradation balance and gradation change at push-processing by the use of a DIR compound, colloidal silver and an emulsion of internal latent image type. This push-processing is intended to attain a speed increase to about twofold, or pays attention to the gradation, color balance and gradation balance at a push-processing for attaining a speed increase to fourfold or more, or is intended to effect a sensitization with a speed of twofold (0.3 log E or less). However, the push-processing practically employed by most users ranges from 1.4-fold to less than fourfold in speed, and it has not yet been elucidated what kind of characteristic values must be possessed by a color reversal film capable of producing like images irrespective of any speed set within this range in the use thereof or how these can be attained.

Silver halide color reversal lightsensitive material


Methods for the diagnosis and the treatment of Cryptostrongylus pulmoni, a heretofore unrecognized microscopic roundworm, are described. The roundworm's unique life cycle prevents diagnosis by traditional stool analysis methods. The methods for diagnosis and treatment entail the administration of an aerosolized formulation of an anthelmintic agent. Additionally, the invention describes a new composition of thiabendazole, a known anthelmintic agent, for aerosolized administration that can be used for diagnosing and treating the infection caused by the roundworm.

Though most prevalent today in developing third-world countries, parasitic infections plague industrialized countries as well. Parasitic infections may not be as common as infections of bacterial and viral origin, but they can cause tremendous human suffering.
Numerous types of parasitic infections are treated each year in the United States, with toxoplasmosis, giardiasis, trichomoniasis, and pinworm infections among the most frequently encountered. [See generally, Medical Microbiology--An Introduction to Infectious Diseases, John C. Sherris ed., Ch. 44 (1984)]. Immunocompromised patients, such as Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) sufferers, are especially susceptible to certain types of parasitic infections.
The term "parasitism" denotes a relationship wherein a host organism is harmed in some way by the activities of another organism, the parasite. Thus, parasitism is distinguishable from other relationships where both organisms benefit (mutualism) or where one organism benefits and the other organism is not harmed (commensalism). Parisitism entails a prolonged and intimate relationship between the involved organisms. [See generally, Edward K. Markell & Marietta Voge, Medical Parasitology, Ch. 2 (5th ed. 1981)].
The intestinal roundworms represent one classification of parasites. The intestinal roundworms are also referred to as the intestinal nematodes; hence, the two terms may be used interchangeably. The details of the intestinal roundworms' structural characteristics and reproductive properties are well known. [See, e.g., J. Walter Beck & John E. Davies, Medical Parasitology, Ch. 8 (2d ed. 1976); Medical Microbiology--An Introduction to Infectious Diseases, Ch. 49, supra; and Edward K. Markell & Marietta Voge, Medical Parasitology, Ch. 8, supra].
Six intestinal roundworms have traditionally been recognized as infecting humans, affecting about 25% of the world's population. These intestinal roundworms are Enterobius vermicularis (the pinworm), Trichuris trichuria (the whipworm), Ascaris lumbricoides (the large roundworm), Necator americanus and Ancyclostoma duodenale (the hookworms), and Strongyloides stercoralis. The adult forms of each can persist for years in the lumen of the human gut, and the severity of illness produced from these intestinal roundworms is dependent upon their extent of adaptation to the human host. The manifestations of intestinal roundworm infection include malnutrition, anemia, gastrointestinal disturbances, and even death. [See Medical Microbiology--An Introduction to Infectious Diseases, Ch. 49, supra].
The modalities used to treat roundworm infection primarily involve oral administration of a pharmaceutical agent. Several oral agents are available in the United States to treat roundworm infections, including mebendazole (Vermox.RTM., Janssen), piperazine citrate, pyrantel pamoate (Antiminth.RTM., Pfizer), and thiabendazole (Mintezol.RTM., Merck).
Most pharmaceutical agents are effective against more than one species of roundworm, though different treatment regimens are often employed against different organisms. To illustrate, mebendazole can be used to treat both pinworm infection and hookworm infection (as well as infections caused by other roundworms). The regimen for treating pinworm infection (enterobiasis) generally entails administration of a single 100 mg dose; some clinicians suggest administration of a second 100 mg dose two weeks later. By comparison, treatment of hookworm infection usually is performed by administration of 100 mg given twice daily for three consecutive days; this regimen is repeated if the patient is not cured within 3-4 weeks. Thus, though the same drugs are often effective against several types of roundworms, different treatment regimens are frequently required. [See generally, AHFS Drug Information 94, Gerald K. McEvoy, ed., pp.39-41 (1994)].
Numerous adverse effects have been reported following administration of pharmaceutical agents used to treat roundworm infections. Though the newer agents generally are associated with fewer and less severe adverse effects, the adverse effects experienced with these newer agents still can interfere with the subject's normal functioning. For example, diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, drowsiness, and weakness, among others, have all been reported with mebendazole, an agent generally recognized as causing minimal adverse effects.
Finally, the anthelmintic agents have not eliminated parasitic infections as a health concern, even in developed countries like the United States. Again, to use mebendazole as an example, egg reduction percentages and/or cure rates of over 90% are generally achieved in patients suffering from enterobiasis, ascariasis, and certain species of hookworm infection. Similar egg reduction rates, as well as cure rates of about 70%, have been produced by mebendazole treatment in whipworm infection (trichuriasis). Thus, even when a roundworm has been identified and the concomitant drug-of-choice has been administered, it is still uncertain whether all vestiges of the infection will be eliminated.
Though the treatment modalities currently being utilized to combat parasitic infections have had some success, they have not eradicated parasitic infections. Furthermore, individuals are sometimes intolerant to pharmaceutical agents that are generally effective against the organism they harbor. Individuals may also suffer from infections caused by parasites that are not susceptible to any presently available treatment modality. Clearly, new treatment methods and agents would be welcomed by those plagued by parasitic infections who either cannot tolerate available treatment regimens or who harbor resistant organisms.

Methods of diagnosing and treating an intestinal and lung roundworm infection


The ground-drilling device comprises an elongated mount (10) comprising a track (11) for guiding a main carriage (25). The drive means for the main carriage (25) consists of a piston-cylinder unit (27) which extends below the track (11) under the main carriage and whose cylinder (28) is supported on the mount (10) via a link (29). The piston rod (30) engages the fore end of the main carriage (25). The piston-cylinder unit (27) does not project or only slightly projects beyond the rearward end of the mount (10).

The invention relates to a ground-drilling device comprising a main carriage displaceable on a mount.
In-case of ground-drilling devices, the rotatingly driven drill column is advanced toward the drill hole with a pressure force being generated during drilling. The drilling unit rotating the drill rod is arranged on a carriage displaceable along the track of a mount. Mostly, the mount is arranged on a vehicle and it can be pivoted about a horizontal axis in order to drill drill holes with different angles of inclination. Normally, the advancing force for the carriage is raised by a hydraulic motor driving a chain hoist which advances the carriage with a desired pressure force so that the drill rod is firmly pressed against the base of the drill hole. A chain drive, however, has the disadvantage that it requires a long stable chain having at least about twice the length of the mount. Such chain drives are susceptible to soiling and chain rupture. In particular, when concrete is to be introduced into the drill hole, there is the risk that the chain links are loaded with concrete. In addition, bulky reducing gears are typically required. Another disadvantage of the known chain drives for the advancement of the main carriage consists in that a chain drive operates jerky in the pitch of the chain links so that a sensitive smooth jerkless advancement is not possible. To withdraw the drill column out of the drill hole, a rapid drive is typically required which also requires the use of a bulky transmission (DE 29 24 393 C2).
The use of piston-cylinder units for the direct advancement of the main carriage on the mount has so far failed due to the fact that such a piston-cylinder unit has to project rearwardly far beyond the mount since the displacement track normally extends essentially over the entire length of the mount. Owing to a far-projecting piston-cylinder unit, the length of the ground-drilling device is substantially increased beyond the length of the mount.


This invention relates to the improvement of rubber-to-metal adhesion and adhesion retention in sulfur vulcanizable, metal reinforced rubber compositions via the use of metal acrylate and/or methacrylate adhesion promoters.

It is often desirable to reinforce rubber articles by incorporating therein metal reinforcing elements. For example, tires, conveyor belts, power transmission belts, timing belts, hoses and a variety of other rubber articles are often reinforced with metal wire. In order for rubber articles which are provided with steel reinforcing elements to function effectively, it is important that good adhesion between the rubber and the metal reinforcing elements be maintained. One of the most common methods of enhancing the adhesion of wire filaments to rubber is to coat the filament with another material, for example, pneumatic vehicle tires are often reinforced with cords prepared from steel filaments which are coated with brass. Normally, steel reinforcing elements are coated with a brass that is an alloy of copper and zinc. However, ternary brass alloys that are useful for coating steel reinforcing elements are also known by those skilled in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,347,290 discloses a ternary brass alloy which contains copper, zinc and cobalt. These and other ternary alloys, such as those containing copper, zinc and iron or tin are known to be effective in improving rubber to metal adhesion.
It is also known that various agents can be mixed into the rubber which will increase adhesion between the rubber and metal reinforcements imbedded in it. U.S. Pat. No. 3,894,903 discloses a process for improving the bonding of rubber to copper and copper alloys by incorporating into the rubber before vulcanization certain triazines, for example 2-N-hydroxyphenoxy-4-chloro-6-aminotriazine.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,991,130 and 3,905,947 disclose a method for improving adhesion between vulcanizable elastomeric compositions and metal surfaces by incorporating into the elastomer an organo-nickel salt and then subsequently vulcanizing the elastomeric composition while it is in contact with the metal surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,521,558 improves rubber adhesion to metal via the use of allyl phosphite and phosphate esters and various iminodiacetic acids and salts.
Cobalt complexes such as cobalt-mercaptobenzothiazole complexes as disclosed in UK Patent No. 914,787 have been used in natural and synthetic rubbers both as accelerators and to permit the rubber to be bonded more effectively to ferrous metals during vulcanization.
Acrylates have been added to various non-crosslinkable synthetic resin systems to improve adhesion to certain metals. For example, calcium acrylate was added to polyvinylchloride in Japan Kokai 52/3633 (Jan. 12, 1977) to improve the resin adhesion to soft steel sheet. Japan Kokai 50/77486 (Jun. 24, 1975) discloses the use of aluminum, zinc and/or calcium acrylates in non-curing PVC compositions to yield improved peel strengths with zinc wire. Polyolefin hot melt adhesives for aluminum were taught in Japanese Kokai 51/4223 (Jan. 14, 1976) to have bonding peel strength increased via the addition of zinc acrylate to the adhesive composition.
Metal diacrylates are known to function as cross-linking agents for rubbery material in the presence of various peroxide initiator systems. For example, Japanese Kokai 50/154386 (Dec. 12, 1975) discloses that adhesion to zinc-plated iron is good with EPDM/peroxide/carbon black compositions containing aluminum, zinc and/or calcium acrylate.
Similar results are taught in Japanese Patent 49/15947 (Apr. 18, 1974) which discloses a steel bonding composition containing rubber, a peroxide, carbon black and glycidyl methacrylate.
A two part liquid adhesive for steel plates is described in Japanese Kokai 58/23866 (Feb. 12, 1983) as containing an elastomer, a peroxide, an alkali metal and acrylic monomer.
Acrylates, at levels useful for promoting rubber adhesion to metal are not known to contribute to rubber crosslinking when sulfur curing systems are used.
Peroxide initiated curing systems for rubbery materials have proven to be unsatisfactory in the production of finished articles that are required to have extended flex life, for peroxide cured rubbers tend to crack when subject to repeated flexing. Additionally, peroxide curing systems tend to be expensive and because of their reactivity, they require careful handling to avoid the creation of a dangerous environment.
As a result, many industries, such as the tire and industrial belting industries prefer to use sulfur cure vulcanization systems for cross-linking rubber.

Metal acrylates as rubber-to-metal adhesion promoters


According to certain embodiments, a method (400) by an Operations, Administration, and Management (OAM) system (210) is provided for configuring a network node (115) to prioritize the collection of data. A configuration (250) for collecting performance management (PM data) is transmitted to the network node. The configuration (250) includes PM counters and priority information associated with at least one of the PM counters. Each PM counter is associated with a parameter to be measured by the network node (115). A report of data collected by the network node (115) is received. The report includes data collected based on the configuration transmitted by the OAM system (210) to the network node (115).

The Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) is currently working on standardization of Release 13 of the Long Term Evolution (LTE) concept. FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary architecture of the LTE system. As depicted, the LTE system includes radio access nodes (e.g., Evolved Node Bs (eNBs), Home eNBs—HeNBs, HeNB GW) and evolved packet core nodes (MME/S-GW). As it can be seen a S1 interface connects HeNBs/eNBs to the MME/S-GW and HeNBs to the HeNB GW, while an X2 interface connects peer eNBs/HeNBs, optionally via an X2 GW.
FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary management system. The network nodes also referred to as eNodeB, are managed by an Operations, Administration, and Management (OAM) system. As depicted, the OAM system is comprised of a network manager (NM) that manages one or more domain managers (DM). A DM may also be referred to as the operation and support system (OSS). Two network nodes are interfaced by an X2 interface. The interface between two DMs may be referred to as Itf-P2P but may not be applicable. The management system may configure the network node, as well as receive observations associated to features in the network nodes. For example, DM observes and configures network nodes, while NM observes and configures DMs, as well as network nodes via the DMs.
Using configurations via the DMs, NM, and related interfaces, functions over the X2 and S1 interfaces can be carried out in a coordinated way throughout the RAN, eventually involving the Core Network, such as, for example, MME and S-GWs.
In Network Sharing scenarios, different management architectures may exist. In this disclosure it is assumed that the Shared E-UTRAN has a single DM. Each Sharing operator can have their own operations, administration, and management (OAM) capabilities but information exchanged needs to be controlled by the Master operator.
Selected OAM capabilities for the Shared E-UTRAN, under the control of the Master E-UTRAN Operator, may be accessible by the Sharing Operator's OAM functions. This allows, for example, the Sharing Operator to i) test of communication path between the Sharing Operator's network elements and the Shared E-UTRAN, ii) obtain fault reports and iii) retrieve RAN resource usage information.
Recent studies in the area of LTE have looked at how operators can share common radio resources, according to identified RAN sharing scenarios. This area is often referred to as RAN Sharing or RAN Sharing Enhancements. Within this context of RAN Sharing Enhancements, proposals have been made to allow an operator to collect statistics about the data volumes consumed within a shared Radio Access Network (RAN) and collected per sharing operator, i.e., per Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) ID, and per Quality of Service (QoS) parameters. Some examples of proposals for reporting data volumes in RAN Sharing may include: R3-152126, Measuring resource usage for shared E-UTRAN (TeliaSonera); R3-152180, Proposed answers to SA5 and trade-off between complexity and filtering granularity (Alcatel-Lucent); R3-151634, Data Volume Reporting in RAN Sharing (Ericsson); R3-151599, Simplifications for implementation of data volume counters (Alcatel-Lucent); R3-151675, Introduction of QoS profiles in the measurements for RAN sharing (TeliaSonera AB); and R3-151848, Reply LS on RAN Sharing Enhancements for LTE (To: RAN3. The proposals describe approaches to a problem that was discussed in 3GPP RAN3 and that concerns how to collect Data Volume Reports on a per-sharing-operator basis and on a per-QoS-parameters basis.
The proposals consist of re-using performance management counters, such as the counters related to the performance of the RAN collected at the eNB and reported periodically and/or on an event basis to the OAM system. Specifically, counters related to one or all of the following parameters may be collected:                Data Volumes Per PLMN ID        Data Volumes Per UL/DL traffic direction        Data Volumes Per QoS Class Indicator (QCI) or group of QCIs        Data Volumes Per Allocation and Retention Priority (ARP) value or group of ARP        Data Volumes Per Guaranteed Bit Rate (GBR) Band, i.e. a range of target GBRs within which the bearer traffic has its target GBR
There are several drawbacks to the current approaches to data volume reporting in RAN sharing situations. For example, the total number of counters deriving from the required data volume filtering criteria may reach several hundred thousand filtering criteria counters or even millions of counters collected internally to the eNB. Even if a limit is imposed on the number of counters the eNB can report to the OAM system, two problems may still occur. First, an eNB may need to collect all the counters corresponding to the newly available filtering criteria in order to extract and report to the OAM the relevant data volumes. Second, even if the eNB collects data volumes only for the relevant counters that need to be reported to the OAM, the overall number of performance management (PM) counters to be collected may be too high for the eNB, resulting in some of the counters being corrupted.
In one example implementation, enhancements on new data volume reporting counters for RAN Sharing are being introduced to let operators participating in a shared RAN to appropriately charge each other on the basis of the data volumes consumed per QoS parameters. Therefore, these counters—specifically those counters that are used for billing purposes—should be collected in a reliable and robust way.
However, the current mechanisms to collect PM counters do not ensure such robustness. Indeed, in R3-151848, Reply LS on RAN Sharing Enhancements for LTE (To: RAN3; Cc: SA1, RAN2) (SA5, Nokia) it has been noted that current PM mechanisms support periodic (but not true real-time) measurement reporting only. The smallest measurement reporting period is 5 minutes. Additionally, as specified in TS 32.401, Performance Management (PM), Concept and Requirement (Release 13), v13.0.0 and TS 32.432, Performance Management, File Format Definition, (Release 12), v12.0.0, PM reporting may include a "suspect flag" indicating whether the measurement result is reliable in the measurement report. Thus, it may be recognized that the PM counters mechanism, to be used for reporting the new data volume reports for RAN Sharing, is subject to unreliability. For example, the reports could be corrupted, in which case a "suspect flag" would be set, indicating that the whole reporting period is affected.
Moreover, the eNB must retain performance measurement result data until they have been sent to, or retrieved by, the destination EM (Element Manager) and/or NM (Network Manager). Also as specified in TS 32.401, Performance Management (PM), Concept and Requirement (Release 13), v13.0.0, the storage capacity and the duration for which the data is retained at the eNB are Operator and implementation dependent.
As a result potential problems exist with respect to RAN sharing data volumes even though the data volumes may be used for cross sharing operator charging, such as, for example, helping operators settle a bill coming from consuming data at certain QoS levels on a shared RAN. However, PM counters are not designed to provide the reliability that charging data should be subject to.
Given that storage space and data retention duration is operator- and/or implementation-specific and may be limited, and given that there are numerous PM counters reported by the eNB to the OAM system, errors in the new data volume reports because of corruption, eNB internal limitations such as lack of memory, lack of processing resources, and the like may cause considerable damage to operators where the operators are not able to produce billing data for the whole time period covered by the corrupted data.

Systems and methods for prioritization of parameters for shared radio access network observability


A system, method and a computer-readable medium for creating texture exemplars from images are provided. The texture exemplars are created by receiving an image containing a plurality of pixels representing a plurality of textures, wherein each texture in the plurality of textures is configured to be selectable by a user, determining a desired texture in the plurality of textures contained within the image and defining a scale of the desired texture, generating a heat mapping of the image, wherein the heat mapping indicates location of the desired texture, generating, based on the heat mapping, a plurality of tiles corresponding to the defined scale of the desired texture, and generating an exemplar of desired texture.

Graphics are visual presentations on some surface, such as a wall, canvas, computer screen, paper, or stone to brand, inform, illustrate, or entertain. Examples of graphics include photographs, drawings, line art, graphs, diagrams, typography, numbers, symbols, geometric designs, maps, engineering drawings, or other images. Graphics can combine text, illustration, and color. Graphic design can include deliberate selection, creation, or arrangement of typography alone, as in a brochure, flier, poster, web site, or book without any other element.
Computer graphics sometimes can refer to representation and manipulation of image data by a computer, various technologies that can be used to create and manipulate images, images that are produced, digital synthesizing and manipulating of visual content, and/or many other things. Computers and computer-generated images touch many aspects of daily life. Computer imagery is found on television, in newspapers, in weather reports, in medical investigation and surgical procedures, as well as many other areas. Many powerful tools have been developed to visualize data. Computer generated imagery can be categorized into several different types: 2D, 3D, and animated graphics. As technology has improved, 3D computer graphics have become more common, but 2D computer graphics are still widely used. Computer graphics has emerged as a sub-field of computer science which studies methods for digitally synthesizing and manipulating visual content. Over the past decade, other specialized fields have been developed like information visualization, and scientific visualization more concerned with "the visualization of three dimensional phenomena (architectural, meteorological, medical, biological, etc.), where the emphasis is on realistic renderings of volumes, surfaces, illumination sources, and so forth, perhaps with a dynamic (time) component."
Computer graphics typically include various visual textures. An ability to model such visual texture is important in any computer graphics modeling system. The advent of digital photography has made natural images an important source for textures. Numerous texture synthesis techniques have been developed to generate arbitrarily large textures to be mapped onto digital models. However, texture synthesis methods require an input image that contains a single texture, called an exemplar. Artists must often tediously transform or assist in transforming the relevant parts of a natural image to obtain an exemplar.
Some conventional systems have attempted to improve an existing exemplar. These systems include inverse texture synthesis systems that start with globally varying texture image and accompanying control map and produce a more compact exemplar. However, these systems do not extract an exemplar from an unconstrained natural image. Other known systems have dealt with extracting textures from images and removal of the effects of non-planar and affine transformed surfaces. However, such systems require a large amount of user input to locate the desired textures.
Thus, conventional techniques have not been able to succeed in obtaining texture exemplars with desired speed, simplicity and accuracy. As such, there is a need for better way for obtaining texture exemplars that is capable of automatically, quickly, and accurately extracting desired texture from an image based on a simple user's input.

Systems and methods for creating texture exemplars


A display device includes a display array and a driving circuit. The display array includes at least one scan line. The driving circuit drives the display array and includes a timing controller and a gate driver. The timing controller controls a refresh rate of the display array at a first frequency or a second frequency, where the first frequency is higher substantially than the second frequency. The gate driver switches between supplying an enable voltage signal and a disable voltage signal to the scan line. Under the first or frequency, a corresponding first or second voltage difference exists between the enable voltage signal and the disable voltage signal. The first voltage difference is substantially greater than the second voltage difference, and the enable voltage signal has a same enable period.

In recent years, as picture quality and resolutions of screens improve, complexity of animations and images processed by a display card also increases. However, during processing of complex animations or images, a display card needs a relatively long time to perform computation, and when a computation time cannot match a refresh rate of a display, a phenomenon of discontinuous frames occurs. To resolve this problem, some display devices can dynamically adjust a refresh rate, so as to reduce the refresh rate when a display card performs complex computation, thereby maintaining smooth frame output.
However, under the limit of material characteristics, when a refresh rate is reduced, brightness of a screen is reduced accordingly, causing problems that frames of a display device have uneven brightness and flicker when the refresh rate changes. Therefore, how to maintain stable brightness of a screen during dynamic adjustment of a refresh rate is an research subject in the field.

Display device and driving method thereof


A router has a housing, from the underside of which a tool fitting for a milling tool connected with a drive extends, and a device for adjusting the milling depth, which is located in a tower of the housing, the device extending essentially in the direction of a vertical axis of the router and including an adjusting knob. It is provided that the device extends, at the maximum, to a plane formed by a top side of the housing.

The present invention generally relates to routers.
A generic router is made known in DE 41 39 759 A1. The router includes a housing, from the underside of which a tool fitting for a milling tool extends. The housing is connected with a base plate via two guide columns. The router includes a rod that cooperates with a rotary plate to roughly adjust the milling depth. To make fine adjustments of the milling depth, the housing may also be raised or lowered slightly relative to a guide column using a device for adjusting the milling depth.


The present invention provides a method for retransmitting a data packet in a packet network. Compressed data packets are sent from a first network entity to a second network entity. It is then determined if a compressed data packet has not been properly received at the second network entity. If the compressed data packet has not been properly received, the second network entity signals the first network entity to send an uncompressed version of the improperly received compressed data packet.

Current header compression is used on point-to-point (PPP) networks. Such compression reduces TCP/IP overhead from about 40 bytes to 4 bytes. In typical packet data networks, packets are often dropped at a selection distribution unit, due to the bottleneck provided on the over the air radio link. Dropped packets cause a lack of synchronization in the compression mechanism and lead to significant degradation of TCP throughput.
A common method of header compression is referred to as Van Jacobson header compression. Van Jacobson header compression works, in a general sense, based on delta-encoding between two end points in a PPP link. Each packet is sent with a sequence number. Rather than sending the sequence number in the header, the header includes a field that indicates the change in sequence number from the previous packet. This allows for compressed headers, due to the lessening of the data field required for the delta.
One problem associated with such a compression scheme is that if a packet gets dropped between end points in the PPP network, the delta information in the header relating to the sequence number is no longer valid. Successive packets are dropped because of a mismatch between the sequence number and the checksum. As a result, multiple packets are dropped, and the system does not right itself until the sender times out due to not receiving an acknowledgement from the receiver in time. Consequently, multiple packets are lost, and additional time is required to get the packet network re-synchronized.
Thus, a need exists for a method for retransmitting a data packet in a packet network which provides for increased reliability and fewer dropped packets.

Method for retransmitting a data packet in a packet network


A protective device (10) for protecting thermal interface material (30) spread on a central surface (512) of a bottom of a base (51) of a heat sink (50). The device includes a case (12) and a tab (18) extending from an edge of the case. The heat sink (50) has air channels (552) extending vertically therethrough and around the base. The case comprises an annular frame (120) and a cap (15) protruding downwardly from inside edges of the frame. The cap covers the thermal interface material. The frame is attached to the heat sink around the thermal interface material. The frame blocks portions of the air channels adjacent to the base, thereby to prevent dust or foreign particles from contaminating the thermal interface material through the air channels.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a protective device, and particularly to a cover for a heat sink to protect thermal interface material spread on the heat sink from contamination before the heat sink is assembled to a CPU or CPU module.
2. Description of Related Art
Electronic devices such as central processing units (CPUs) generate a lot of heat during normal operation. If the heat generated by the electronic devices is not properly dissipated, it can deteriorate their operational stability and damage associated electronic devices. Thus the heat must be quickly and efficiently removed to ensure the normal operation of these electronic devices. As shown in FIG. 5, a heat dissipation device 95a is used to be attached onto a top surface of a CPU (not shown) to remove heat therefrom. Thermal interface material 93a, such as thermal grease, is spread on a bottom of the heat dissipation device 95a. The thermal interface material 93a is used to fill gaps between the heat dissipation device 95a and the CPU. The thermal interface material 93a is used to ensure that the heat dissipation device 95a has an intimate contact with the CPU. A grease cover 90a is attached to the bottom of the heat dissipation device 95a to cover the thermal interface material 93a. Accordingly, during transportation, dust will not contaminate the thermal interface material 93a. However, air channels 952a which are formed between fins 950a of the heat dissipation device 95a still communicate the bottom of the heat dissipation device 95a with ambient air around the heat dissipation device 95a. Accordingly the thermal interface material 93a is easily to be contaminated by dust or foreign particles through the air channels 952a; when this happens, heat transfer performance of the thermal interface material 93a is deteriorated.
What is needed, therefore, is a protective device which can totally prevent dust or foreign particles from contaminating thermal interface material spread on a heat dissipation device.

Heat sink having protective device for thermal interface material spread thereon

Fu Zhun Precision Industry (Shen Zhen) Co., Ltd.


This invention provides a positioning apparatus which can safely stop a movable body irrespective of its driving status. This invention relates to a positioning apparatus which positions a movable body (4) of an exposure apparatus and includes a driver (2) which drives the movable body (4), a power source (3) which supplies power to the driver (2), and a controller (1). The controller (1) stops the power supply from the power source (3) to the driver (2) after the elapse of a time period, which is determined in accordance with the driving status of the movable body (4) driven by the driver (2), in response to a stop instruction signal (11) which instructs to stop the driving of the movable body (4).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an exposure apparatus and a method of manufacturing a device.
2. Description of the Related Art
A process of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes a lithography step of transferring by exposure a circuit pattern formed on an original onto a substrate. In the lithography step, the original and substrate are fixed on an original stage and substrate stage, respectively, and these stages are driven in synchrony by linear motors, thereby performing exposure. Recently, in order to improve the productivity and operating ratio of such an exposure apparatus, its size and operating speed have been increased. Along with such increases in the size and speed of the exposure apparatus, a safety measure for its built-in stages is becoming complex.
In the conventional exposure apparatus, an apparatus power source is disconnected as soon as a power shutdown signal is transmitted when a power shutdown switch or emergency stop switch is turned on. To stop a traveling stage in the exposure apparatus, a linear motor used to drive the stage is stopped by, for example, a regenerative brake.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-60614 discloses an exposure apparatus having an emergency stop switch of a two-step structure formed by a first-step switch for activating a brake mechanism, and a second-step switch for activating a power shutdown device. In the exposure apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-60614, when the emergency stop switch is turned on, the power shutdown device stops power supplied from a power source to a power driving system and the brake mechanism. The emergency stop switch has a two-step structure formed by the first-step switch for activating the brake mechanism, and the second-step for activating the power shutdown device, so that these two switches are activated with a predetermined time lag sufficient to stop traveling of a stage. First, the brake mechanism performs brake control of the power driving system as the first-step switch is activated. The second-step switch is activated a predetermined time after the activation of the first-step switch so that the power shutdown device stops power supplied from the power source to the power driving system and brake mechanism. Therefore, the power supply to the power driving system is stopped after traveling of the stage is stopped.
In the prior art, as soon as the power shutdown switch or emergency stop switch is turned on, an apparatus power shutdown request is enabled, and the power source of the apparatus main body is stopped. After the power supply from the power source to the linear motor is stopped, the regenerative brake is activated to stop the linear motor. In this case, the linear motor may damage upon colliding against, for example, its mechanical stopper depending on the position, moving velocity, and moving direction of the stage. In particular, since a stage with high inertia is operated at high speed along with increases in the size and complexity of the exposure apparatus, the risk of such damage is increasing.
The exposure apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-60614 uses a time lag of, for example, several hundreds of milliseconds between the activation of the brake mechanism and that of the power shutdown device. The stage may travel at high speed in activating the brake mechanism, and it may still travel at high speed even in activating the power shutdown device. To avoid this situation, the stage can be urgently decelerated within a predetermined time lag by changing the brake condition of the brake mechanism. However, the urgent deceleration may impose a heavy load on the stage, resulting in its deformation.

Exposure apparatus and method of manufacturing device


A dynamic common reference input (CMRI) signal may be provided to an operational amplifier, or “op-amp,” in an amplifier system to reduce the common mode ripple of the fully-differential op-amp, while adding little or no noise in the amplifier system. The dynamic CMRI signal may be controlled such that a common-mode component of two amplifier input nodes of the operational amplifier is made approximately independent of two input signals received at two system input nodes of the amplifier system. An amplifier system with the dynamic CMRI may be used in class-D amplifiers, such as amplifiers for audio systems that generate output for headphones or speakers.

Fully-differential amplifiers suitable for use as operational amplifiers ("op-amps") are one of the main building blocks in analog circuit design. Op-amps are used in many applications, such as analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), digital-to-analog converters (DACs), voltage reference generators, and sample-and-hold circuits. One example op-amp configuration from the prior art is shown in FIG. 1. Input signals 102 and 104 to op-amp 101 and output signals 106 and 108 from op-amp 101 may each include both a differential and a common mode (CM) signal. Op-amp 101 has a closed-loop structure, such that output signals 106 and 108 are related to the input signals 102 and 104. The common-mode (CM) voltage of the output signals 106 and 108 are set by a constant reference voltage VCM—ref applied as a common mode reference input signal 110. A common-mode variation at the input signals 102 and 104 is replicated as the common-mode input of the op-amp 101. This variation can degrade the performance in some applications, such as by reducing linearity of the op-amp 101. Some conventional solutions to this variation are described with reference to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3.
FIG. 2 is a circuit in accordance with prior art U.S. Pat. No. 6,603,356. The fully differential op-amp 101 of FIG. 1 is substituted with two differential-input single-ended output op-amps 201 and 202. The non-inverting input of the op-amps 201 and 202 are connected to a constant common-mode (CM) voltage Vcm. The Vcm signal maintains the input common-mode at a constant level to reduce the variation mentioned above. However, this conventional solution has at least two drawbacks. A first drawback is the use of two op-amps 201 and 202 that results in at least 3 dB additional noise compared to use of the single op-amp 101 of FIG. 1. A second drawback of this architecture is that by replacing one op-amp 101 with two op-amps 201 and 202, the total power and area consumption of the chip is larger.
FIG. 3 is a circuit of another conventional solution to the variation described above. A circuit 300 includes an input common-mode node that is sensed by DAC 302. The detected common-mode at the DAC 302 input is compensated by outputting signals to op-amp 301 from current sources embedded inside the DAC 302. One drawback of the circuit 300 is additional noise introduced by digital-to-analog converter (DAC) 302.
Shortcomings mentioned here are only representative and are included simply to highlight that a need exists for improved electrical components, particularly for operational amplifiers (or "op-amps") employed in consumer-level devices, such as mobile phones. Embodiments described herein address certain shortcomings but not necessarily each and every one described here or known in the art. Furthermore, embodiments described herein may present other benefits than, and be used in other applications than, those of the shortcomings described above.

Fully-differential operational amplifier system


A textile machine segment including a first or main roller (12) adapted to support and convey a travelling fibre web, associated second (16) and third (14) rollers cooperable with each other and at respective nips (24, 25) with the first roller as the three rollers rotate, to open the web and detach a mat of fibre tufts at the nip (25) between the first and second rollers and to return the tufts to the first roller at the nip (24) between the first and third rollers, and drive means (100) for rotating the rollers, wherein the drive means is arranged to rotate the second roller in a rotational direction that is the same as that of the first roller and opposite that of the third roller.

Roller carding is one of the principal means of carding textile fibres. The rollers are usually wound with card wire to provide a finely pinned surface that is used to reduce the clumps of fibre to individual fibres and eventually assemble them into either a web or a sliver. In the conventional design, the rollers have a specific relationship to each other in terms of diameter and direction of rotation. The roller that individualises the fibres is called a worker and rotates in the opposite direction as the larger cylinder that carries the fibre forward through the machine. The diameter of the worker roller is usually about 250 mm, including wire, and that of the cylinder on which it is located depends on the part of the card being considered, e.g., the breast may be about 1000 mm in diameter and the main cylinder up to 1500 mm diameter.
Operating in co-operation with the worker is a stripper roller. Strippers are usually about 150 mm in diameter and rotate in the same direction as the worker and in the opposite direction to the cylinder, usually with much higher surface speeds than the worker, but slower than that of the cylinder. The purpose of a stripper is to remove fibre from the worker and return it to the cylinder for further processing by workers. The important role of the stripper is to keep the pins of the worker free of fibre so that it can continue to tease open the clumps of fibre being presented by the cylinder. Stripping of the stripper by the cylinder is facilitated by the higher surface speed of the cylinder and the forward orientation of both sets of pins.
This method of opening fibre clumps needs to be contrasted with that of flats, which is the traditional technology of the short-staple industry. A major physical requirement for effective opening of short-staple fibres is for large numbers of pins on the working surface because of the fineness of the fibres. In practice, this has meant that bars, rather than rollers, have been used to support the pins because of the larger numbers that can be provided for. Flats can be either stationary or moving, but if stationary, fibre build-up in the pins is a major problem leading to a reduction in effectiveness. The advantage of moving flats is that fibre caught in the pins can eventually be removed thereby improving the opening efficiency while providing a capacity for the removal of trash. The disadvantage of removing fibre from the pins and not returning it to the system is the increased fibre loss.
Workers provide a number of benefits for carding compared with flats. Firstly, workers always operate at maximum opening efficiency because the pins are never loaded with fibre. Secondly, there is no loss of fibre from the system because all of the fibre that is 'worked' is returned to the cylinder. Thirdly, worker-strippers provide good blending and evenning because of feedback of opened fibre onto the feed. Fourthly, because each worker-stripper unit is independent, it is possible to use individual settings, speeds, and pinnings to optimise performance.
Nevertheless, there are well-recognised shortcomings of the traditional worker-stripper arrangement, viz., the low packing density of units because of the large diameters and the need to provide a wide clearance between a worker and the subsequent stripper to eliminate interference, i.e., robbing of fibre. More exactly, in worsted carding, worker diameters are typically about 250 mm and the clearance to the subsequent stripper is usually set at about 180 mm. When combined with a stripper diameter of 150 mm, the total arc of the cylinder required for proper operation is about 580 mm, which is a large proportion of the total arc. Another disadvantage is that there is no opportunity for removal of contaminants such as vegetable matter in wool, or trash in cotton, which is one disadvantage restricting the application of rollers to short-staple carding. Finally, it is difficult to fully enclose the workers because the backward facing pins cannot prevent fibre slipping off in the event of contact with the enclosure or any other surface.
The deficiencies of the traditional worker-stripper system are significant for textile carding whenever the quality of the web is directly important for the quality of the final product, such as in non-woven and woollen carding. These end-uses would benefit from the greater opening provided by more units. For worsted carding, where the product is a sliver that is subject to further processing, the disadvantage is that current machines are very large, the cost of which would be significantly lower if the size was reduced. In the case of short-staple carding, the impediments to using worker-strippers are the lack of trash removal facilities, the low density of units, and the difficulty of fully enclosing the rollers. Full enclosure of cotton cards is an essential requirement because of health and safety concerns.
It was therefore an object of the invention to at least in part address one or more of the above problems arising from the application of rollers to textile carding while preferably retaining benefits of the existing systems.

Modified worker operation in textile carding

Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation


A transmission arrangement is disclosed which facilitates compression of modem modulated facsimile signals for transmission on digital facilities. The presence of a facsimile call is detected and facsimile control messages are obtained by demodulating and interpreting the facsimile call control protocol. A controller is responsive to the obtained control messages for controlling a voiceband encoder to encode the control portion of the facsimile call and for controlling a so-called facsimile page demodulator to demodulate any facsimile page portions of the facsimile call to obtain a baseband digital bit stream. The presence of prescribed tone signals, i.e., echo protection tone (EPT) signals, is detected in the facsimile call. EPT control messages representative of the EPT signals are generated. The encoded control portion of the facsimile call and the baseband digital bit stream representative of the demodulated, i.e., compressed, facsimile page portion of the facsimile call are transmitted along with control information (as side information) and the EPT control messages to a receiver. At the receiver, a replica of the original modem modulated facsimile signal is reconstructed in response to the control information and by decoding the control portion of the facsimile call and by remodulating the digital bit stream representative of the facsimile page portion of the facsimile call. If EPT control messages are received, the corresponding echo protection tone signal is regenerated for inclusion in the remodulated facsimile signal.

Recently, efficienies have been realized in the digital transmission of facsimile calls by demodulation and remodulation of the page portion of the call. This enables that portion of the facsimile call to be efficiently transmitted over a digital transmission facility. One such arrangement is disclosed in U.S. patent application of D. O. Anderton and R. L. Daggett Ser. No. 428,560, filed Oct. 30, 1989.
In a prior arrangement, operation of a facsimile page demodulator in a transmitter and a facsimile page remodulator in a receiver is controlled in response to a control message in the facsimile control protocol. In certain facsimile arrangements, particular tone signals are transmitted after the facsimile control protocol message indicating that page data is imminent and before the actual page data arrives. These tone signals are called echo protection tones and are intended to prevent any echo suppressors in the transmission facility from attenuating the facsimile page data. In the prior facsimile demodulation and remodulation transmission arrangement, these tones were not regenerated. Consequently, any echo suppressors in the transmission facility could possibly attenuate the facsimile page data and, thus, corrupt the facsimile transmission. A possible result is that a facsimile machine may fail to receive the facsimile page data. This is extremely undesirable.

Echo protection tone detection and regeneration for digital transmission of facsimile calls