In a method for imaging with nuclear magnetic resonance, magnetic resonance signals are read out under the influence of a magnetic gradient field. A direction of a gradient of the gradient field is modified such during the reception. The k-space trajectory proceeds along a curved path. The magnetic resonance signals are sampled with a variable sampling rate and are digitized. The sampling rate is varied such that an occupation density of k-space with samples is essentially uniform. Interpolation samples that are arranged on a rectangular grid in k-space are generated from the samples by interpolation. The interpolation samples are subjected to a Fourier transformation for generating image data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a method for imaging with nuclear magnetic resonance given a k-space trajectory proceeding on a curve.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For image generation with nuclear magnetic resonance, magnetic resonance signals are spatially encoded with magnetic gradient fields before and during their reception. The spatial encoding means that k-space is occupied with signals, k-space being defined via the time integral of the gradient fields. The signals in k-space are then subjected to a Fourier transformation whose result is supplied to an image presentation. In certain fast pulse sequences, particularly given the echo-planar method, the gradient fields are additionally rapidly switched during the reception of the magnetic resonance signals. For example, the amplitude of a first gradient field is sinusoidally modified given a constant amplitude of a further gradient field whose gradient is aligned perpendicular to the gradient of the first gradient field. A sinusoidal signal occupancy thus occurs in the k-space.
European Application 0 076 054 discloses a method for imaging with nuclear magnetic resonance using the echo-planar sequences wherein sinusoidal gradients are employed. In order to avoid image distortions, the sampling of the received magnetic resonance signals ensues equidistantly in k-space. This corresponds to a non-equidistant sampling of the received magnetic resonance signals in the time domain. Since the sampling must ensue on a serpentine-like trajectory along the lines of the Cartesian k-space grid, the fastest possible sampling of k-space cannot be achieved. Other properties such as, for example, the motion sensitivity thus are also essentially defined.
German OS 40 03 547 discloses how the image information can be distortion-corrected by a sampling with a constant sampling rate in the time domain. The constant sampling rate denotes a non-equidistant occupancy of k-space with signals given a sinusoidal trajectory in k-space. The non-equidistant signals are then imaged onto a rectangular grid by an interpolation. The following Fourier transformation then yields image data for a non-distorted presentation. The sampling of the received magnetic resonance signal must allow the sampling theorem to be satisfied for the highest frequency to be sampled. Given the constant sampling rate employed, however, this means that other regions of the magnetic resonance signal are highly over-sampled.
An object of the present invention is to provide a method for imaging with magnetic resonance wherein the reconstruction of the image data from the received magnetic resonance signals can be implemented with reduced outlay.
The object is achieved with the following method steps: Magnetic resonance signals are read out under the influence of a magnetic gradient field with the direction of a gradient of the gradient field being modified during the reception, so that the k-space trajectory proceeds on a curve. The magnetic resonance signals are sampled with a variable sampling rate and the samples are digitized. The sampling rate is varied such that an occupation density of k-space with samples is essentially uniform. The inventive method yields a two-fold advantage in view of the outlay for the reconstruction of the image data. First, the variable sampling rate makes it possible always to optimally implement a sampling that satisfies the sampling theorem, so that substantially fewer raw data are generated compared to a constant sampling. However, the samples do not yet lie on a rectangular grid, so that interpolation data must still be generated with an interpolation procedure. Due to the uniform occupancy of k-space with samples that has ensued as a result of the same sampling density, a sampling density correction is not required and a processing step is thereby eliminated. This is true for 2D as well as 3D trajectories wherein the gradient amplitudes are varied during the reception phase (readout), for example given rosette-shaped sampling (Lissajou figure trajectory) or given projection sampling. More general sampling trajectories such as, for example, Archimedean spirals yield shorter sampling times with a given gradient power (amplitude and rise time) and have a more beneficial motion susceptibility. These trajectories, however, do not traverse the grid points of the Cartesian k-space grid.
In an embodiment, the k-space trajectory proceeds helically. The middle of the k-space is thereby sampled first, his defining the contrast in the imaging. Important image information in the imaging of rapidly changing events thus can be acquired first.
In another embodiment, the interpolation is implemented as sinc interpolation. This interpolation can be implemented especially simply when k-space is occupied with identical sampling density. Values of the sinc function weighted with the corresponding samples that arise at the grid points are added and thus yield the interpolation values.

Method for imaging with nuclear magnetic resonance given a k-space trajectory proceeding on an irregular grid


A conic funnel integrally connected to a supporting planar platform in combination with an essentially flat disposable filter that is transformed into a three-dimensional conic configuration disposed to be inserted into the conic funnel. The apex of the conic funnel is truncated and projected through a first circular orifice at the approximate center of the supporting planar platform such that an effluent is focused into a receiving vessel upon which the supporting planar platform is placed. A second orifice vents air displaced by the effluent. A tab-like member and/or handle are used to hold or hang the apparatus. The apparatus has special applications for brewing beverages such as coffee by using nonproprietary nonpreformed low-cost generic circular paper filters such as those used in consumer coffeemakers as well as eliminating auxiliary laboratory equipment needed to vertically hold Buchner type funnels.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a conic funnel integrally connected to a supporting planar platform in combination with a disposable filter means.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Truncated cones constituting funnels of various sizes and configurations have been known in their geometric configurations since classical antiquity to anyone familiar with the works of Euclid, see for example, The Thirteen Books of the Elements, Volume III, Book XI, Definition 24, pg. 262, Definition 18, pg. 270, Sir Thomas Heath, ed. Second Edition, revised, Dover Publications, Inc. New York, 1956.
Simple plastic funnels of a variety of sizes are readily available in the consumer market for household kitchen use as well as in do-it-yourself auto stores for directing motor oil into a valve cover of an engine or pouring gasoline into the filler tube.
Laboratory funnels of various configurations made of polyethylene, glass, or ceramics and of the Buchner type are well known in the chemical arts for filtering a variety of substances with various types of disposable porous filter means as well as filters integrated into the design of the funnel with orifices of various diameters to separate particulates from a mother liquid.
Circular filters such as those used in consumer coffeemakers are readily available as are basket type apparatuses that are removable from the parent coffeemaker for recharging the coffeemaker for subsequent brewing.

Conic funnel integrally connected to a supporting planar platform


A non-lighttight carrier for an unexposed film roll has a body having three closed sides and an open side. The body has at least one open end. The body has a curved inner wall. The body has a plurality of external, longitudinally extending rib members. A convolute, flexible guide member is joined to the body. The guide member is disposed in the open side. The guide member and body define a space for the film roll and a film access slot. A camera has slots that engage the rib members.

The so-called single or one time use cameras, have become increasingly popular with the consuming public. These cameras include a lighttight plastic camera body containing a supply of film which is exposed by the consumer. The camera body and the contained film is then returned in its entirety to the photofinisher who removes the film for processing.
It is beneficial in terms of cost and time for the photofinisher to easily remove the film from the camera in normal light conditions, therefore single use cameras are of the prewind type in which a photographic filmstrip, such as from a 35 mm film magazine is first prewound into an unexposed film roll so that the film is advanced back into the lighttight magazine as exposures are taken by the consumer. The lighttight magazine can then be removed by the photofinisher under ambient lighting conditions.
In the normal production of typical single-use or one-time use cameras, such as those manufactured by Eastman Kodak Company and Fuji Film Photo Ltd., among others, the 35 mm film cartridge has a leader portion of a contained filmstrip protruding from the body of the cartridge. This leader portion can then be cinched up to a takeup spool after the remainder of the camera has been completely assembled. The camera is then lighttightly sealed and a winding mechanism, such as a motor, engages an end of the take-up spool in order to prewind the film onto the take-up spool by rotating the spool and thereby pulling the film from the cartridge. This prewinding procedure allows the filmstrip to be assembled into the camera in ambient light. Such a procedure is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,972,649, among others.
With the advent of so-called "thrust" type (often referred to as APS) film cartridges, however, the procedure of cinching up the leader portion to a takeup spool for prewind or initially for film advance is not required. In the design of this type of cartridge, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,359,378, among others, there is no protruding leader of the contained filmstrip existing outside of the cartridge.
Rather, an active light lock which can selectively be opened or closed maintains the film contained within the cartridge from being fogged by ambient light. To advance the filmstrip out of the cartridge, the active light lock must first be opened which opens a film exit door of the cartridge and permits film to be thrust from the confines of the cartridge by rotation of a film spool contained within the cartridge.
The prewinding of film, therefore, requires the opening of the light lock prior to thrusting the film from the cartridge across the exposure gate and onto a take up spool or roll core which must be accessed in some way to pull the remainder of film from the cartridge. This necessitates a need to prewind film under limited light conditions, that is, in a darkroom. In addition, and though thrust cartridges eliminate the need to manually cinch up the protruding leader, the thrusting mechanism is not intended for the complete prewinding of a filmstrip from a cartridge.
Japanese Kokai 6-130568A entitled: FILM LOADING METHOD FOR THRUST TYPE CARTRIDGES filed Nov. 16, 1992 describes apparatus and a method for prewinding film in a single use camera using a thrust-type cartridge which like conventional single use cameras requires a spool or mandrel to load the film into the film roll chamber. It would be beneficial, however, to provide an effective means for prewinding both thrust and conventional type film cartridges which obviates the need for a take-up spool or other take-up means in the film roll chamber.


An irradiation device includes a first LED row having a plurality of LEDs aligned in one row and electrically connected in series, and a second LED row having a plurality of LEDs aligned in one row and electrically connected in series. The first LED row and the second LED row are aligned adjacent to each other in a direction that crosses an array direction of the LEDs of the first LED row. A direction of current flowing in the first LED row is opposite to a direction of current flowing in the second LED row.

Technical Field
The present invention relates to an irradiation device equipped with a plurality of LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) and an image recording device equipped with that irradiation device.
Related Art
With FIG. 4 of Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2012-20482, noted is an ultraviolet irradiation device for which provided in a plurality of rows are groups formed from a plurality of LEDs aligned in a row in the diagonal direction. With each group, a plurality of LEDs are electrically connected in series, and ultraviolet rays are emitted from each LED by power being provided from one side (the A side) to the other side (the B side). In other words, with this ultraviolet irradiation device, the power provision directions of all the groups are aligned.

Irradiation device and image recording device


A quadrupole responder for an OQR-type gravity gradiometer comprises a housing, and a mass quadrupole positioned within the housing. The mass quadrupole has a pair of sides, and also has a center of mass between the sides. The quadruple responder further comprises at least two torsion spring flexures. The torsion spring flexures are provided by pins connecting each side of the mass quadrupole to the housing. The torsion spring flexures provide an axis of rotation which passes through the center of mass of the mass quadrupole and through both torsion spring flexures.

Gravity gradiometers have existed for many years and are used to measure variations in the gradients of the earth's gravitational field. Gravity gradiometers may be used in exploration for minerals and hydrocarbons, since deposits of these things in the earth, and variations in the underground structure containing the deposits, produce variations in gravity and in the gravitational gradients which if interpreted correctly can lead to valuable discoveries. The ability to operate a gravity gradiometer in a moving vehicle is desirable, since doing so can greatly decrease the amount of time needed to carry out a survey of a given site.
The variations in the gravity gradients which must be measured are extremely small in magnitude and therefore require very sensitive, low noise instruments with very repeatable response characteristics. Moreover, when the gravity gradiometer is mounted in a moving vehicle, the signals due to these gravity gradient changes are very small in comparison to the undesirable responses of the instrument produced by accelerations and rotational motions of the vehicle on which the instrument is mounted.
The reported performance of present commercially operating airborne gravity gradiometers is currently limited to an error level of about three to four Eotvos (1 E=a gradient of 10−9 meters per second squared per meter, approximately 10−10 g per meter) at a signal averaging time of six seconds, when operating in very low-turbulence flying conditions, with performance degrading as turbulence increases. Although this performance has been sufficient to hint at the potential usefulness of airborne gravity gradiometry, improvement to a performance level of 1 E averaged once per second is believed to be required for widespread successful application in mineral exploration.
A known form of gravity gradiometer which has the laboratory demonstrated potential to provide this performance gain is the so-called orthogonal quadrupole responder (also referred to here as an OQR, and also known as the cross-component gravity gradiometer). In the OQR, two orthogonally oriented mass quadrupoles (also referred to here as balance beams), each being a body whose mass is distributed in such a way that it has non-equal mass quadrupole moments along two axes that are orthogonal to each other and to a desired rotation axis, are attached to a housing springs whose mutual alignment defines the desired rotation axis, thus comprising quadrupole responders (also sometimes called angular accelerometers). The balance beams rotate differentially (in opposite directions) in response to changes in certain gravity gradient tensor components, but rotate in common mode (both in the same direction) in response to rotational acceleration motions of the housing. Thus, in principle, when the housing is mounted in a vehicle the OQR separates the weak gravity gradient signals from the much larger noise due to vehicle angular accelerations.
Early versions of a rotating version of an OQR gravity gradiometer design have been disclosed by Weber, Zipoy and Forward in U.S. Pat. No. 3,722,284, and by Robert L. Forward, "Future lunar gravity measurements," Earth, Moon, and Planets, Volume 22, No. 4 (1980) pp. 419-433, and by Lautzenhiser in U.S. Pat. No. 4,215,578. Ho Jung Paik, in "Superconducting tensor gravity gradiometry for satellite geodesy and inertial navigation," The Journal of the Astronautical Sciences, Volume XXIX, No. 1, pp. 1-18, January-March 1981, presented a description of a Cross Component Gradiometer (discussion on p. 7, and FIG. 4), which is topologically equivalent to Forward's design, but which utilizes superconducting materials, inductive gap-sensing coils and SQUID transducers in order to achieve a high signal to noise ratio without needing to have the entire instrument rotate. A later version also employing superconducting materials is disclosed by Van Kann and Buckingham in U.S. Pat. No. 5,668,315, and is described as an OQR by Van Kann et al., "Laboratory tests of a mobile superconducting gravity gradiometer", Physica B, Volume 165 (1990) pp. 93-94. In Moody, Paik & Canavan, "Principle and performance of a superconducting angular accelerometer", Review of Scientific Instruments, Volume 74, Issue 3 (2003) pp. 1310-1318, details of a built and tested superconducting angular accelerometer are described, a pair of which can be used to form an OQR gravity gradiometer.
Existing examples of OQR gravity gradiometers make use of cryogenic temperatures, both to permit the use of SQUID (Superconductive Quantum Interference Device) based detection of the quadrupole responders' motion, and to achieve almost perfectly elastic behavior in the torsional springs on which the mass quadrupoles are mounted. Van Kann and Buckingham described one such OQR gravity gradiometer in U.S. Pat. No. 5,668,315. Another version is first described in E. R. Canavan, M. V. Moody, H. J. Paik, R. V. Duncan, and J. A. Demko "Superconducting Gravity Gradiometer for Airborne Survey," presented at the American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting (San Francisco, December, 1995), and further detailed in Moody, M. V. and Paik, H. J., "A superconducting gravity gradiometer for inertial navigation", in Proc. IEEE 2004 Position Location and Navigation Symposium (PLANS 2004), April 2004, pp. 775-781. Still, another version is described in French, J. B. et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,360,419. At temperatures significantly above cryogenic temperatures, including standard room temperature, all polycrystalline materials exhibit creep and hysteresis effects which degrade instrument response repeatability (which is, for example, why some high quality gravity meters are constructed of amorphous fused quartz, which exhibits much lower creep and hysteresis).
Current non-rotating OQR-type gravity gradiometers join their balance beams to their housings using springs which are in the form of a "microscopically" thick web. Being very thin, such a web will have a small cross-sectional area, resulting in large stresses in the web material in response to housing accelerations; hence such webs are fragile and are prone to breaking. It has proven difficult to achieve requisite dimensional tolerances when manufacturing that type of web flexure. Importantly, a web, when stressed by accelerations of the moving aircraft or vehicle, will undergo anisoelastic deformation (as described below), leading to undesirable nonlinear errors (sometimes referred to as noise) being imposed on the gradiometer signal.

Gravity gradiometer with torsion flexure pivots


A wake vortex alleviator is provided. The wake vortex alleviator produces rapid variations in the position of vortices emanating from aerodynamic surfaces by using an active flap that moves span-wise back and forth along the outboard section of the surface. Rapidly moving the flap back and forth in a slot at an appropriate frequency will cause the vortex to oscillate, resulting in interaction between other vortices and subsequent destruction much earlier than it would occur naturally. The slot is positioned near the aerodynamic surface trailing edge and generally transverse to a chord line of the aerodynamic surface. The flap can be moved using a variety of actuators to position, translate and stow the flap. The oscillation frequency and position are guided by information feedback according variations in lift in the aerodynamic surface, such as wind gusts. The flaps can control yaw, roll and pitch of the aerodynamic surface.

The goal in today's aviation market is to improve airport capacity. Heavy aircraft produce very strong vortices when flying at low speed during takeoff and landing, thus creating potential hazards for following aircraft. Consequently, the wake vortex hazard has become the limiting factor in airport capacity.
Flying aircraft leave a system of vortices trailing behind as a necessary consequence of the generation of lift. For large transport aircraft, these vortices typically coalesce into a pair of counter-rotating vortices. The strength of the vortices is proportional to the weight of the aircraft and inversely proportional to the aircraft speed. Therefore, a heavy aircraft produces very strong vortices when it is flying at low speed during takeoff and landing. Under turbulent atmospheric conditions, trailing vortices are diffused rapidly and pose little hazard. However, when the atmosphere is calm or weakly turbulent the vortices can pose a major hazard. The vortices are strong enough that they can cause loss of control and/or physical damage to following aircraft, where several accidents have been attributed to the wake vortex hazard. Currently, to manage this problem large longitudinal spacing between aircraft and large lateral spacing between parallel runways are required to avoid any chance of a wake vortex being encountered by a trailing aircraft. As a result of these rules, the wake vortex hazard has become the limiting factor in airport capacity.
Two counter-rotating vortices eventually interact with one another, causing them to link and destroy one another. This process is caused by instabilities and is well known. The problem is that these instabilities build up slowly, and under natural conditions it takes a long time and distance for the instability to lead to vortex destruction.
The concept of causing early wingtip vortex destruction by exciting instabilities is of paramount interest. Investigation of several different "perturbators" that produce disturbances in the vortex core has been documented. A Kármán vortex street occurs naturally whenever flow passes over a bluff body at sufficiently high Reynolds number. The Kármán vortex street is a repeating pattern of swirling vortices caused by the unsteady separation of flow over bluff bodies. A bluff body such as a cylinder or a flat plate will periodically shed alternating sign vortices. When a vortex is shed, an unsymmetrical flow pattern forms around the wing, which therefore changes the pressure distribution. This means that the alternate shedding of vortices can create periodic forces on the wing surface, causing it to vibrate. If the vortex shedding frequency is similar to the natural frequency of a wing, it causes resonance. With aircraft this periodic force is highly undesirable. These vortices are perpendicular to the flow direction, and thus also perpendicular to the wingtip vortex. Passive, fixed-position vortex shedding perturbators mounted near the trailing edge of wings, such as a bluff body or a transverse jet, that are positioned in the flow have been studied to determine if the Kármán vortex street will be embedded in the tip-vortex core to cause periodic perturbations to the tip vortex, thus exciting natural instabilities of the vortex system for early destruction. By choosing the size of the bluff body correctly, the perturbations will be the correct wavelength to excite instability in the tip vortex core to make the vortex core diameter larger. These perturbators attached to wings that have two or more lifting surfaces were determined to have a high parasitic drag when deployed and limited to exploiting instability of only a single vortex core, causing that core to increase in size. Having a bluff body protrude into the flow to induce disturbances will cause two problems. First, it will increase the drag of the wing significantly. This may be of less concern if it is intended to be deployed only during takeoff and landing. However, takeoff requires maximum engine thrust and is hindered by the added drag. Secondly, by its very nature the bluff body perturbator will cause vibrations of the wing and the entire aircraft, which may have similar unwanted resonance consequences as mentioned above.
Accordingly, there is a strong need to develop new ways to minimize wake vortex hazards for reducing the large longitudinal spacing between aircraft and large lateral spacing between parallel runways to avoid any chance of wake vortices being encountered by trailing aircraft and thus improve airport capacity
What is needed is a way to produce rapid variations in the position of each vortex. Rapid variations will cause the vortex emanating from each wing to oscillate resulting in interaction between the two vortices and subsequent destruction much earlier than it would occur naturally.

Translating active Gurney flap to alleviate aircraft wake vortex hazard

The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University


A ruler assembly includes a ruler to which a connecting member is pivotably connected and a magnifying member is pivotally connected to the connecting member so as to have a series of graduations defined on the ruler magnified through the magnifying member when the magnifying member is located in parallel to the ruler.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a ruler assembly and, more particularly, to a ruler assembly having a ruler to which a supporting plate and a magnifying member are foldably disposed thereto.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
A ruler is used to mark an object, for example a wooden board, at a desired point so that a user, a carpenter for example, can precisely cut or saw the wooden board into sectors with an identical length. A conventional ruler has two longitudinal sides and at least one of two sides thereof has marks thereon so that a user may mark an object at a certain length according to the graduations on the ruler. However, the graduations on the ruler are very close to each other so that it is difficult to mark an object precisely.
The present invention intends to provide a ruler assembly which has a magnifying member connected to the ruler so as to mitigate and/or obviate the above-mentioned problems.


The present disclosure is a system for monitoring power that has a unified polyphase distribution transformer monitoring (PDTM) device that interfaces with at least three electrical conductors electrically connected to a transformer. In addition, the PDTM device measures a current and a voltage of each of the three electrical conductors. Additionally, the system has logic that calculates values indicative of power corresponding to the transformer based upon the currents and the voltages measured and transmit data indicative of the calculated values.

Power is generated, transmitted, and distributed to a plurality of endpoints, such as for example, customer or consumer premises (hereinafter referred to as "consumer premises"). Consumer premises may include multiple-family residences (e.g., apartment buildings, retirement homes), single-family residences, office buildings, event complexes (e.g., coliseums or multi-purpose indoor arenas, hotels, sports complexes), shopping complexes, or any other type of building or area to which power is delivered.
The power delivered to the consumer premises is typically generated at a power station. A power station is any type of facility that generates power by converting mechanical power of a generator into electrical power. Energy to operate the generator may be derived from a number of different types of energy sources, including fossil fuels (e.g., coal, oil, natural gas), nuclear, solar, wind, wave, or hydroelectric. Further, the power station typically generates alternating current (AC) power.
The AC power generated at the power station is typically increased (the voltage is "stepped up") and transmitted via transmission lines typically to one or more transmission substations. The transmission substations are interconnected with a plurality of distribution substations to which the transmission substations transmit the AC power. The distribution substations typically decrease the voltage of the AC power received (the voltage is "stepped down") and transmit the reduced voltage AC power to distribution transformers that are electrically connected to a plurality of consumer premises. Thus, the reduced voltage AC power is delivered to a plurality of consumer premises. Such a web or network of interconnected power components, transmission lines, and distribution lines is often times referred to as a power grid.
Throughout the power grid, measurable power is generated, transmitted, and distributed. In this regard, at particular midpoints or endpoints throughout the grid, measurements of power received and/or distributed may indicate information related to the power grid. For example, if power distributed at the endpoints on the grid is considerably less than the power received at, for example, distribution transformers, then there may be a system issue that is impeding delivery of power or power may be being diverted through malice. Such power data collection at any of the described points in the power grid and analysis of such data may further aid power suppliers in generating, transmitting, and distributing power to consumer premises.


Embodiments are directed to a method of performing autonomous learning for updating input features used for an artificial intelligence model, the method comprising receiving updated data of an information space that includes a graph of nodes having a defined topology, the updated data including historical data of requests to the artificial intelligence model and output results associated with the requests, wherein different categories of input data corresponds to different input nodes of the graph. The method may further comprise updating edge connections between the nodes of the graph by performing path optimizations that each use a set of agents to explore the information space over cycles to reduce a cost function, each connection including a strength value, wherein during each path optimization, path information is shared between the rest of agents at each cycle for determining a next position value for each of the set of agents in the graph.

In today's technological environment, artificial intelligence (e.g., machine learning) models may be used to predict or detect outcomes from known inputs. For example, a prediction can be used when an outcome has not occurred yet, or detection can occur when an object is classified (e.g., an image). The models may involve using a learning algorithm to better evaluate input data over time, by optimizing a model's output to a known pattern in training data in order to improve the model's accuracy.
In many cases, the artificial intelligence model may detect an outcome that is based on static information, such as identifying images or navigating through an unchanging environment. In such cases, the artificial intelligence model may iteratively become better at achieving its goal, and may begin quickly predicting or detecting outcomes based on known features. However, in some cases, it is desired for an artificial intelligence model to operate in a dynamically changing environment, in which predictive features may vary from week to week, month to month, etc.
For example, an artificial intelligence model may be developed for routing messages in a communication network. In such an instance, the learning algorithm may begin to determine the quickest route for each message that needs to be sent. However, the speed of each communication channel in the network may vary over time or some of the network nodes within a route may become corrupted or unusable. In another example, an artificial intelligence model may be developed for an automated motor vehicle designed to autonomously explore a new planet. The terrain and climate of the planet may vary dramatically, and may require the spacecraft to adapt and control its own systems in an optimal manner.
Therefore, it is desirable for a machine learning algorithm that detects new features in a dynamically changing environment.

Autonomous learning platform for novel feature discovery


The present invention provides a manufacturing method of a TFT substrate structure, which includes sequentially forming a first passivation layer, a planarization layer, and a first transparent conductive film and then first subjecting the first transparent conductive film to patterning to form a first pixel electrode and thereafter, a photolithographic process is applied to the planarization layer for exposure and thus forming a first via located above and corresponding to a drain terminal, followed by using the planarization layer as a self-aligning mask to apply dry etching to the first passivation layer for etching to form a second via that corresponds to the first via, whereby residues of the first transparent conductive film in the first and second vias can be effectively prevented and product yield is enhanced. Further, on mask can be saved to prevent reduction of aperture ratio caused by misalignment thereby improving the production efficiency, reducing production cost, and increasing cost-related competition power of products.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of display technology, and in particular to a manufacturing method of a thin-film-transistor (TFT) substrate structure.
2. The Related Arts
A liquid crystal display (LCD) comprises an enclosure, a liquid crystal panel arranged in the enclosure, and a backlight module mounted in the enclosure. The liquid crystal panel is generally composed of a color filter (CF) substrate, a thin-film transistor (TFT) array substrate, and a liquid crystal layer filled between the two substrates. The CF substrate and the TFT substrate have inner surfaces facing each other and provided with transparent electrodes. The liquid crystal display is operated by providing an electric field to control the direction of liquid crystal molecules in order to change the state of polarization, and polarizers are involved to selectively to allow an optic path to pass or be blocked to thereby achieve the purpose of displaying.
The fringe field switching (FFS) technology is one of the techniques that have bee recently developed for improve image quality of LCDs and satisfies the requirements for both high transmittance and large view angle. FIG. 1 is a schematic view, in a sectioned form, showing a conventional TFT substrate of an FFS liquid crystal display panel, which comprises a base plate 100, a buffer layer 200 formed on the base plate 100, a gate terminal 300 formed on the buffer layer 200, a gate insulation layer 400 formed on the buffer layer 200 and covering the gate terminal 300, an island-like conductor layer 500 formed on the gate insulation layer 400, a source terminal 600 a the drain terminal 700 formed on the gate insulation layer 400 and respectively in contact with two side portions of the island-like conductor layer 500, a first passivation layer 800 formed on the gate insulation layer 400, the island-like semiconductor layer 500, the source terminal 600, and the drain terminal 700, a planarization layer 900 formed on the first passivation layer 800, a first pixel electrode 1000 formed on the planarization layer 900, a second passivation layer 1100 formed on the planarization layer 900 and the first pixel electrode 1000, and a second pixel electrode 1200 formed on the second passivation layer 1100. A via 1300 is formed in the second passivation layer 1100, the planarization layer 900, and the first passivation layer 800 to be located above and correspond to the drain terminal 700. The second pixel electrode 1200 is set in contact with the drain terminal 700 through the via 1300.
Referring to FIGS. 2-9, a known method for manufacturing the TFT substrate structure of the FFS liquid crystal display panel comprises the following steps:
Step 1: as shown in FIG. 2, providing a base plate 100 and depositing a buffer layer 200 on the base plate 100 and depositing a first metal layer on the buffer layer 200 and subjecting the first metal layer to patterning to form a gate terminal 300;
Step 2: as shown in FIG. 3, depositing a gate insulation layer 400 on the buffer layer 200 and the gate terminal 300 and depositing an oxide semiconductor layer on the gate insulation layer 400 and subjecting the oxide semiconductor layer to patterning to form an island-like semiconductor layer 500;
Step 3: as shown in FIG. 4, depositing a second metal layer on the gate insulation layer 400 and the island-like semiconductor layer 500 and subjecting the second metal layer to patterning to form a source terminal 600 and a drain terminal 700;
Step 4: as shown in FIG. 5, depositing a first passivation layer 800 on the gate insulation layer 400, the island-like semiconductor layer 500, the source terminal 600, and the drain terminal 700 and forming a first via 810 in the first passivation layer 800 to be located above and correspond to the drain terminal 700;
Step 5: as shown in FIG. 6, forming a planarization layer 900 on the first passivation layer 800 and forming a second via 901 in the planarization layer 900 to be located above and correspond to the first via 810;
Step 6: as shown in FIG. 7, depositing a first transparent conductive film on the planarization layer 900 and coating a photoresist layer 1101 on the first transparent conductive film,
wherein since the first and second vias 810, 910 are of a great depth, the photoresist layer 1101 may easily accumulate in the first and second vias 810, 910;
Step 7: as shown in FIG. 8, subjecting the photoresist layer 1101 to exposure and development,
wherein specifically, during the exposure and development, the portion of the photoresist layer 1101 that accumulates within the first and second vias 810, 910 may be susceptible to incomplete development, leading to residues of the photoresist layer 1101 remaining in the first and second vias 810, 910; and
Step 8: as shown in FIG. 9, with the photoresist layer 1101 as a shielding layer, subjecting a portion of the first transparent conductive film that is not shielded by the photoresist layer 1101 to etching so as to form a first pixel electrode 1000,
wherein since the portion of the first transparent conductive film located in the first and second vias 810, 910 may be covered by residues of the photoresist, it may not be completely removed in the etching process and the portion of first transparent conductive film may be left in the first and second vias 810, 910 and may thus affect a subsequent operation, leading to a negative influence on the quality of the TFT substrate.
Thus, in view of the problems and shortcomings of the known method, it is desired to provide an improved TFT substrate structure manufacturing method to overcome the problems of the known techniques.

Manufacturing method of TFT substrate structure

SHENZHEN CHINA STAR OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


A pump for rapidly discharging irrigation fluid to a surgical site. The pump includes a cabinet with an opening. Inside the pump there is a static plate and a dynamic plate that extends towards/retracts from the static plate. The space between the plates is a bag well in which a bag containing irrigation fluid can be inserted/replaced through the cabinet opening. A lid covers the opening. A sensor monitors the open/closed state of the lid. A drive motor actuates the dynamic plate. A control unit regulates the actuation of the motor. Only when the lid sensor determines that the lid is closed does the control unit actuate the motor. The dynamic plate can be placed in various open positions relative to the static plate so bags containing different volumes of fluid can be used with the pump.

During the course of certain medical and surgical procedures, there is sometimes a need to provide a relatively high volume flow of irrigating fluid to the site of the body of the patient at which the procedure is being performed. For example, sometimes this fluid flow is required during the performance of an endoscopic surgical procedure. In an endoscopic surgical procedure, an elongated tube is directed to a surgical site within a patient through an opening called a portal. Other surgical instruments are directed to the surgical site through other portals. The surgeon views the surgical site through the endoscope. Based on the image viewed, the surgeon manipulates the other surgical instruments in order to perform the desired surgical procedure. In an endoscopic surgical procedure, as opposed to an open cut procedure, less of the patient's body is cut open to access the surgical site. This minimal opening of the patient's body both lessens the extent to which the patient's internal organs and tissue are open to infection and the extent to which the patient has to heal after surgery.
Two types of endoscopic surgical procedures are laparoscopic procedures and arthroscopic procedures. In a laparoscopic surgical procedure, a specialized type of endoscope, a laparoscope, and companion surgical instruments are used to perform minimally invasive surgery within the abdominal cavity of the patient. In a laparoscopic surgical procedure, it is sometimes necessary to provide a large volume of irrigating fluid to wash out and clear the surgical site. An arthroscopic surgical procedure is a procedure that is performed endoscopically on the musculo-skeletal system of the patient. In an arthroscopic surgical procedure, it is sometimes necessary to provide a large volume of irrigating fluid in order to distend the tissue at the surgical site and/or to clear away debris from the surgical site.
Many high volume irrigation pumps presently available are constructed to have what are referred to as pressure closets. A pressure closet is a space that is typically located between the front face of the pump and a complementary lid. Internal to the pump is an inflatable bladder that expands into the pressure closet. This pump is used by placing a bag containing the irrigating fluid into the pressure closet. When irrigating fluid is desired, compressed air is supplied to the bladder to cause its expansion into the pressure closet and against the bag. The action of the bladder working against the bag compresses the bag so as to force the fluid in the bag out of the pump, through an attached tube and into the patient. Thus, by using pumps of this type, a flow of sterile fluid at flow rates traditionally between, for example, 3.0 lt./min. and 4.5 lt./min., can be obtained.
There are some disadvantages associated with the presently available pumps used to provide the above flow rates. For example, as mentioned above, many of the presently available pumps function by inflating a bladder integral with the pump. The air used to inflate this bladder is supplied from the hospital's internal air supply source. Thus, whenever use of this type of pump is required during a surgical procedure, an air line must be connected between an outlet in the surgical suite and a complementary inlet on the pump. The introduction of this air line into the surgical suite adds to the overall clutter in the suite that the surgical staff needs to avoid. Additionally, special adapters are needed to connect with various surgical suite outlets.
Moreover, in order to set up many popular pumps for operation the staff must: insure the air line is connected to the wall outlet; open the door to the pressure closet; hang the bag; shut the door; latch the door shut; set the desired pressure; and actuate a power switch. Once a bag is emptied, the staff must unlock the door and open it in order to remove the bag. Requiring the surgical staff to perform all these different steps makes both mounting the bag in the pump and then removing the empty bag a time-consuming process.
Moreover, many current pumps are provided with transparent doors to their pressure closets. In theory, this type of door allows the surgical staff to look at a bag to visually determine the extent to which it has been emptied. However, as a consequence of the bag being pressed against the door, and the fact that both the bag and the fluid are transparent, it is often difficult to quickly determine the volume of fluid in a partially emptied bag. Surgical personnel are often left with two options if it is not immediately clear how much fluid remains. First, the personnel may have to temporarily stop performing the surgical procedure and focus their attentions on accurately determining the extent to which the bag has been emptied.
Alternatively, the personnel can continue performing the surgical procedure based on an estimate that the bag contains a sufficient amount of fluid for the next time a high volume discharge of fluid is required.
In order to facilitate the efficient use of surgical supplies, bags containing different volumes of the sterile fluid are available. Two of the most popular sized bags contain either 1 lt. or 3 lt. of fluid. Unfortunately, many presently available pumps are designed to force fluid out of a single size of bag. In order to reduce the amount of equipment in an operating room, typically, only a single pump is present. If, for a particular procedure, only a pump for a 1 lt. bag is available and large amounts of fluid are required, the surgical personnel will then have to spend an inordinate amount of time removing empty bags and replacing them with full ones. If, for a particular procedure, a 3 lt. bag pump is provided and only a relatively small volume of fluid is required, the unspent contents of the bag will, after the procedure, go to waste.


A dispatch method and system for Long-duration Processing Batch Equipment (LPBE). The system includes LPBE, a plurality of equipment tools preceding the LPBE, and a dispatch unit. The LPBE retrieves equipment candidates having capabilities compatible with those of the LPBE from among the equipment tools, and selects one candidate. Lots corresponding to the selected candidate are then retrieved, grouped and sorted to obtain a plurality of batches, and at least one of the batches is designated as a reserve batch. Thereafter, the selected candidate performs a process corresponding to the capability on the reserve batch, and forwards the processed batch to the LPBE.

The present invention relates to manufacturing management, and particularly to a dispatch method and system for Long-duration Processing Batch Equipment (LPBE) that reserves lots at preceding steps in the manufacturing process.
In semiconductor manufacturing, LPBE, such as furnace equipment utilizes long process time and batch process. As it requires several hours to rework defective lots, processing quality and manufacture scheduling are important.
The manufacturing department controls process quality by defining processing time constraints for each lot passing through LPBE. The time between tracking out from the preceding step's equipment and tracking in to the subsequent step's equipment for each lot should conform to the processing time constraint. Before entering LPBE, lots must enter the preceding step's equipment for removal of residual particles in advance. In practice, each preceding step's equipment provides lots for different LPBE. Since there is no mechanism between the preceding step's equipment and LPBE to manage lot dispatch and stream, the quantity of dispatched lots for each LPBE may differ. Therefore, the utilization rate of LPBE having fewer lots may be decreased, and those having more lots may be delayed, undermining the processing time constraint, such that the lots needs to be reworked, thereby wasting processing resources.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.


A preform and methods for making the preform, as well as containers made by blow molding an additive manufactured preform.

Additive Manufacturing (AM) describes technologies that build 3D articles by adding layer-upon-layer of one or more materials. The term AM encompasses many technologies including subsets like 3D printing, Rapid Prototyping (RP), Direct Digital Manufacturing (DDM), layered manufacturing and additive fabrication. Common to AM technologies is the use of a computer, 3D modeling software (Computer Aided Design or CAD), machine equipment, and layering material. For example, a CAD sketch may be used to provide data to equipment that lays downs or adds successive layers of liquid, powder, sheet material, polymer, or other material, in a layer-upon-layer fashion to fabricate a 3D article. Advantages of 3D printing articles include less material usage, lower labor costs, lower machine operation costs, and the ability for rapid prototyping of designs.
However, there are many challenges that must be considered when using AM to produce a bottle or container. For example, it can be difficult to use AM to produce a bottle with enough strength to be used commercially.
Currently, many containers are produced through a blow molding process. In the blow molding process, a preform can be manufactured through extrusion molding or injection molding. The preform is then inflated by adding pressurized air through the inlet of a mold cavity of the desired container shape. Blow molding can be used to produce containers of a variety of plastics, such as high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polystyrene (PS), poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC), and polylactic acid (PLA).
Many polymers, such as PET, achieve biaxial molecular orientation upon the stretching experienced during blow molding processes to manufacture containers. Biaxial molecular orientation is a physical alignment of the polymer chains in a regular configuration. Polymers that have achieved biaxial molecular orientation can demonstrate improved bottle impact strength, transparency, surface gloss, stiffness, and gas-barrier performance. Thus, many containers are first molded into a preform and then blow molded into the final container to achieve biaxial molecular orientation. Stretching a preform during the blow molding process also allows for a thinner container wall, which can save on material usage.
However, 3D printed containers do not have the impact strength, stiffness, and gas permeability to be effectively utilized as containers for commercial products because the polymers do not achieve biaxial orientation. Thus, there is a need for a container that combines the benefits of 3D printing with the improved properties demonstrated once a polymer achieves biaxial orientation. As such, the present invention is directed to new preforms made by AM.

Preforms for blow molding and additive manufacturing thereof


An apparatus and method provides for thermally bonding a textile web while supporting the web continuously from the lay down point until the web is thermally bonded. The apparatus includes a heated transfer roll adjacent an endless moving belt. The transfer roll is located outside the belt loop on the opposite side of the belt from a guide roll. The belt passes around a first portion of the transfer roll with the web sandwiched between the belt and transfer roll. The heated transfer roll heats the web and the web is transferred to the transfer roll. The web is then directed through a nip formed by a calender roll positioned adjacent a second portion of the transfer roll for thermally bonding the web.

Various types of nonwoven fabrics are produced by thermally bonding textile strands made from thermoplastic resins. Thermally bonded nonwoven fabrics of this type are used, for example, in disposable diapers, catamenial products, wipes, surgical drapes, clothing, carpets, wall coverings, house wrap, upholstery and packaging, to name but a few applications.
Many of the above-noted types of nonwoven fabrics may be produced by the well known spunbonding process in which a thermoplastic polymer is extruded through a spinneret to form a multiplicity of continuous filaments, and the filaments of molten polymer are solidified and then drawn or attenuated, typically by a high velocity fluid, and then randomly deposited on a collection surface, such as a moving belt, to form a web. The filaments are then bonded to give the web coherency and strength. The bonding may be achieved by passing heated air, steam or other gas through the web, or by direct application of heat and pressure, such as through the use of heated calender rolls.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,070,218 and 4,668,566 illustrate a spunbonding process wherein calender rolls are used to thermally bond a spunbonded web. As shown, after the web is formed on the endless forming belt, it is removed from the belt and directed into the nip of a heated calender. The web passes unsupported from the forming belt to the calender, and is thus subjected to tension in this unsupported span. U.S. Pat. No. 4,668,566 shows the use of compaction rolls on the forming belt for slightly compacting the filaments to improve the integrity of the unbonded web prior to drawing the web in an unsupported condition. However, because of the tension which is applied to the web in the unsupported span, there remains the possibility for stretching, necking-down, or even breakage of the web in this area.
With the foregoing in mind, it is an object of the present invention to overcome the limitations of the prior apparatus and methods for thermally bonding a textile web with calender rolls.
A further object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus that allows for operation at a high throughput while reducing the likelihood of necking down or breaking the web and associated yield losses.

Apparatus and method for thermally bonding a textile web


An apparatus and method for portable solar panel assemblies configured to enable the unit to be transported by multiple means in order to provide both grid tied and off grid power as needed. Solar panel assemblies are configured to have a range of rotation of approximately 0 to 25 degrees in two directions to allow efficient sunlight capture. The solar panel assembly in the closed position will allow for more compact and aerodynamic profile when being transported.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to solar power and solar panels and, more particularly, to portable and/or mobile solar panels.
2. Background Art
The embodiments herein relate to solar panel assemblies configured so as to be relocated by multiple means, including but not limited to trailer, freight container, and air lifted. More specifically, the teachings herein can be used to charge banks of batteries, and/or used as portable power plants during emergencies and be fully deployed as full time grid tied power plant as well. It has become apparent in light of recent natural disasters, terrorist attacks and military deployments that power outages in areas of concern can happen suddenly. There is a need for emergency management responders and military personnel to have portable power plants that are self sustaining and reliable even under adverse conditions. Fossil fuels for engine based power generators are not always available. Also, a heavy transport means is not always available. Therefore, a stand alone, self sustaining system that can be easily transported is needed.


Media content is provided for remote playback over a packet-based network. According to an example embodiment of the present invention, a host server authenticates remote users and further processes media content requests from authenticated remote users by directing or otherwise facilitating the delivery of requested media content from a user's media content source to a remote playback device. The remote playback device is classified and the media content is selectively configured at one or both of the media content source and the host server in accordance with the classification, prior to delivery to the remote playback device. Communications among the host server, remote playback device and media content source are over the packet-based network.

Data communications over a variety of networks, such as packet-based networks, mobile telephone networks and others have increased at an astonishing rate over recent years. Generally, the affordability and availability of computers, telephones, wireless devices and other network access appliances has made their use prevalent in a variety of applications. Further, the availability network access, such as Internet access, in more environments and involving a multitude of communication mediums has increased dramatically, such that network access has become widely available and convenient.
As access to packet-based networks such as the Internet becomes easier, convenient and readily available, the demand for the use of these networks for transferring media content such as images, audio, email, video and text has increased. In this regard, the number of network subscribers, media content providers, and requests by those subscribers for media content transfer, streaming media content and other content are growing exponentially. Users are increasingly relying upon such networks for media content transfer, and are further placing higher expectations on their ability to access content at different locations using a multitude of different devices in a flexible, controllable manner. For instance, Internet access is evolving in application to implementation with a multitude of devices, such as mobile telephones, portable media playback devices, home audio and/or video media devices and systems, navigation systems, personal wireless devices and of course, notebook and desktop computers.
Media content (e.g., audio, images or video) has evolved in application, is often stored electronically and is readily transferable over packet-based networks as described above. For example, the storage of music and/or video in rewritable electronic media has become a popular method in which to maintain and access media collections. For video applications, digital recording and storage of television and personal video collections has become popular, as has the streaming (via the Internet) of stored video. Similarly, audio is often stored in electronic media, transferred to portable devices or streamed via the Internet using a packet-based approach to provide the audio to an Internet device such as a computer.
In many applications, remote access to media content by users owning or subscribing to the media content, or by guests with whom a user wishes to share her or his content, is desirably flexible and controllable. Further, such access is desirably implemented with a multitude of different types of media playback devices. For example, owners of digital audio content often desire access to their content with a variety of different devices, such those described in connection with example Internet access devices above. However, previous approaches to media access and sharing have been limited by the relative inability to controllably provide media content, and to provide media content that is accessible with different device types.
Effectively and efficiently making content and other media content readily accessible across a myriad of playback devices has been challenging in the face of the advancement of technologies and trade channels that use or could use network-based media transfer.

Device classification for media delivery


In an example implementation, a reagent storage system for a microfluidic device includes a microfluidic chamber formed in a microfluidic device. A blister pack to store a reagent includes an electrically conductive membrane barrier adjacent to the chamber. A thinned region is formed in the membrane barrier, and a conductive trace is to supply electric current to heat and melt the thinned region. Melting the thinned region is to cause the membrane barrier to open and release the reagent into the chamber.

Lab-on-a-chip (LOC) devices enable the scaling down of laboratory functions to a miniaturized environment. The implementation of LOC devices involves the integration of a variety of components into a very small form factor. While research using LOC devices often focuses on human diagnostics and DNA analysis, LOC devices are applicable for laboratory analysis in a variety of technological fields including chemical analysis, environmental monitoring, medical diagnostics, pharmaceutical testing, and so on. LOC devices enable multiple analyses to be performed on a single chip using very small volumes of fluid. The use of LOC devices can improve diagnostic and analytical outcomes and reduce costs associated, for example, with reduced sample volumes, parallel analysis of different samples, reduced human error, faster response times, ease of use, compactness, expendability, and so on.
Throughout the drawings, identical reference numbers designate similar, but not necessarily identical, elements.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A method of determining the optimum route from a source to a destination node in an ATM network utilizing fuzzy logic processing to determine the optimum route based on a set metrics that may or may not be related to each other. The invention utilizes well known fuzzy logic techniques to perform optimization and calculations based on intuitive rules rather then complex mathematical solutions. The method of the invention can be applied to routing algorithms to determine the optimum route when it is desired to optimize the route based on a large number of metrics, attributes and/or parameters. The fuzzy logic processing is divided into two phases each having its own set of rules that the input data is applied against. Fuzzy logic processing is performed for all candidate routes wherein the route chosen is the one having a maximum link quality.

The present invention relates generally to data communications networks and more particularly relates to a method for optimizing PNNI routing decisions over multiple parameters utilizing fuzzy logic.
Currently, there is a growing trend to make Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) networking technology the base of future global communications. ATM has already been adopted as a standard for broadband communications by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and by the ATM Forum, a networking industry consortium.
ATM originated as a telecommunication concept defined by the Comite Consulatif International Telegraphique et Telephonique (CCITT), now known as the ITU, and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) for carrying user traffic on any User to Network Interface (UNI) and to facilitate multimedia networking between high speed devices at multi-megabit data rates. ATM is a method for transferring network traffic, including voice, video and data, at high speed. Using this connection oriented switched networking technology centered around a switch, a great number of virtual connections can be supported by multiple applications through the same physical connection. The switching technology enables bandwidth to be dedicated for each application, overcoming the problems that exist in a shared media networking technology, like Ethernet, Token Ring and Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI). ATM allows different types of physical layer technology to share the same higher layerxe2x80x94the ATM layer.
ATM uses very short, fixed length packets called cells., The first five bytes, called the header, of each cell contain the information necessary to deliver the cell to its destination. The cell header also provides the network with the ability to implement congestion control and traffic management mechanisms. The fixed length cells offer smaller and more predictable switching delays as cell switching is less complex than variable length packet switching and can be accomplished in hardware for many cells in parallel. The cell format also allows for multi-protocol transmissions. Since ATM is protocol transparent, the various protocols can be transported at the same time. With ATM, phone, fax, video, data and other information can be transported simultaneously.
ATM is a connection oriented transport service. To access the ATM network, a station requests a virtual circuit between itself and other end stations, using the signaling protocol to the ATM switch. ATM provides the User Network Interface (UNI) which is typically used to interconnect an ATM user with an ATM switch that is managed as part of the same network.
The current standard solution for routing in a private ATM network is described in the Privale Network Node Interface (PNNI) Phase 0 and Phase 1 specifications published by the ATM Forum. The previous Phase 0 draft specification is referred to as Interin Inter-Switch Signaling Protocol (IISP). The goal of the PNNI specifications is to provide customers of ATM network equipment some level of multi-vendor interoperability.
As part of the ongoing enhancement to the ATM standard by work within the ATM Forum and other groups, the Private Network to Network Interface (PNNI) protocol Phase 1 has been developed for use between private ATM switches and between groups of private ATM switches. The PNNI specification includes two categories of protocols. The first protocol is defined for the distribution of topology information between switches and clusters of switches where the information is used to compute routing paths within the network. The main feature of the PNNI hierarchy mechanism is its ability to automatically configure itself within the networks in which the address structure reflects the topology. The PNNI topology and routing techniques are based on the well-known link state routing technique.
The second protocol is effective for signaling, i.e., the message flows used to establish point-to-point and point-to-multipoint connections across the ATM network. This protocol is based on the ATM Forum User to Network Interface (UNI) signaling with mechanisms added to support source routing, crankback and alternate routing of source SETUP requests in the case of bad connections.
With reference to the PNNI Phase 1 specifications, the PNNI hierarchy begins at the lowest level where the lowest level nodes are organized into peer groups. A logical node in the context of the lowest hierarchy level is the lowest level node. A logical node is typically denoted as simply a node. A peer group is a collection of logical nodes wherein each node within the group exchanges information with the other members of the group such that all members maintain an identical view of the group. When a logical link becomes operational, the nodes attached to it initiate and exchange information via a well known Virtual Channel Connection (VCC) used as a PNNI Routing Control Channel (RCC).
Hello messages are sent periodically by each node on this link. In this fashion the Hello protocol makes the two neighboring nodes known to each other. Each node exchanges Hello packets with its immediate neighbors to determine its neighbor""s local state information. The state information includes the identity and peer group membership of the node""s immediate neighbors and a status of its links to its neighbors. Each node then bundles its state information in one or more PNNI Topology State Elements (PTSEs) which are subsequently flooded throughout the peer group.
PTSEs are the smallest collection of PNNI routing information that is flooded as a unit among all logical nodes within a peer group. A node topology database consists of a collection of all PTSEs received, which represent that particular node""s present view of the PNNI routing topology. In particular, the topology database provides all the information required to compute a route from the given source node to any destination address reachable in or through that routing domain.
When neighboring nodes at either end of a logical link begin initializing through the exchange of Hellos, they may conclude that they are in the same peer group. If it is concluded that they are in the same peer group, they proceed to synchronize their topology databases. Database synchronization includes the exchange of information between neighboring nodes resulting in the two nodes having identical topology databases. A topology database includes detailed topology information about the peer group in which the logical node resides in addition to more abstract topology information representing the remainder of the PNNI routing domain.
During a topology database synchronization, the nodes in question first exchange PTSE header information, i.e., they advertise the presence of PTSEs in their respective topology databases. When a node receives PTSE header information that advertises a more recent PTSE version than the one that it has already or advertises a PTSE that it does not yet have, it requests the advertised PTSE and updates its topology database with the subsequently received PTSE. If the newly initialized node connects to a peer group then the ensuing database synchronization reduces to a one way topology database copy. A link is advertised by a PTSE transmission only after the database synchronization between the respective neighboring nodes has successfully completed. In this fashion, the link state parameters are distributed to all topology databases in the peer group.
Flooding is the mechanism used for advertising links whereby PTSEs are reliably propagated node by node throughout a peer group. Flooding ensures that all nodes in a peer group maintain identical topology databases. A short description of the flooding procedure follows. PTSEs are encapsulated within PNNI Topology State Packets (PTSPs) for transmission. When a PTSP is received its component PTSEs are examined. Each PTSE is acknowledged by encapsulating information from its PTSE header within the acknowledgment packet that is sent back to the sending neighbor. If the PTSE is new or of more recent origin then the node""s current copy, the PTSE is installed in the topology database and flooded to all neighboring nodes except the one from which the PTSE was received. A PTSE sent to a neighbor is periodically retransmitted until acknowledged.
Note that flooding is an ongoing activity wherein each node issues PTSPs with PTSEs that contain updated information. The PTSEs contain the topology databases and are subject to aging and get removed after a predefined duration if they are not refreshed by a new incoming PTSE. Only the node that originally originated a particular PTSE can re-originate that PTSE. PTSEs are reissued both periodically and on an event driven basis.
As described previously, when a node first learns about the existence of a neighboring peer node which resides in the same peer group, it initiates the database exchange process in order to synchronize its topology database with that of its neighbor""s. The database exchange process involves exchanging a sequence of database summary packets that contain the identifying information of all PTSEs in a node topology database. The database summary packet performs an exchange utilizing a lock step mechanism whereby one side sends a database summary packet and the other side responds with its own database summary packet, thus acknowledging the received packet.
When a node receives a database summary packet from its neighboring peer, it first examines its topology database for the presence of each PTSE described within the packet. If the particular PTSE is not found in its topology database or if the neighboring peer has a more recent version of the PTSE then the node requests the PTSE from the particular neighboring peer or optionally from another neighboring peer whose database summary indicates that it has the most recent version of the PTSE.
A corresponding neighboring peer data structure is maintained by the nodes located on either side of the link. The neighboring peer data structure includes information required to maintain database synchronization and flooding to neighboring peers.
It is assumed that both nodes on either side of the link begin in the Neighboring Peer Down state. This is the initial state of the neighboring peer for this particular state machine. This state indicates that there are no active links through the neighboring peer. In this state, there are no adjacencies associated with the neighboring peer either. When the link reaches the point in the Hello protocol where both nodes are able to communicate with each other, the event AddPort is triggered in the corresponding neighboring peer state machine. Similarly when a link falls out of communication with both nodes the event DropPort is triggered in the corresponding neighboring peer""s state machine. The database exchange process commences with the event AddPort which is thus triggered but only after the first link between the two neighboring peers is up. When the DropPort event for the last link between the neighboring peers occurs, the neighboring peer state machine will internally generate the DropPort last event closing all state information for the neighboring peers to be cleared.
It is while in the Negotiating state that the first step is taken in creating an adjacency between two neighboring peer nodes. During this step it is decided which node is the master, which is the slave and it is also in this state that an initial Database Summary (DS) sequence number is decided upon. Once the negotiation has been completed, the Exchanging state is entered. In this state the node describes is topology database to the neighboring peer by sending database summary packets to it.
After the peer processes the database summary packets, the missing or updated PTSEs can then be requested. In the Exchanging state the database summary packets contain summaries of the topology state information contained in the node""s database. In the case of logical group nodes, those portions of the topology database that where originated or received at the level of the logical group node or at higher levels is included in the database summary. The PTSP and PTSE header information of each such PTSE is listed in one of the node""s database packets. PTSEs for which new instances are received after the exchanging status have been entered may not be included in any database summary packet since they will be handled by normal flooding procedures.
The incoming data base summary packet on the receive side is associated with a neighboring peer via the interface over which it was received. Each database summary packet has a database summary sequence number that is implicitly acknowledged. For each PTSE listed, the node looks up the PTSE in its database to see whether it also has an instance of that particular PTSE. If it does not or if the database copy is less recent, then the node either re-originates the newer instance of the PTSE or flushes the PTSE from the routing domain after installing it in the topology database with a remaining lifetime set accordingly.
Alternatively, if the listed PTSE has expired, the PTSP and PTSE header contents in the PTSE summary are accepted as a newer or updated PTSE with empty contents. If the PTSE is not found in the node""s topology database, the particular PTSE is put on the PTSE request list so it can be requested from a neighboring peer via one or more PTSE request packets.
If the PTSE request list from a node is empty, the database synchronization is considered complete and the node moves to the Full state.
However, if the PTSE request list is not empty then the Loading state is entered once the node""s last database summary packet has been sent but the PTSE request list is not empty. At this point, the node now knows which PTSE needs to be requested. The PTSE request list contains a list of those PTSEs that need to be obtained in order to synchronize that particular node""s topology database with the neighboring peer""s topology database. To request these PTSEs, the node sends the PTSE request packet which contains one or more entries from the PTSE request list. The PTSE request list packets are only sent during the Exchanging state and the Loading state. The node can send a PTSE request packet to a neighboring peer and optionally to any other neighboring peers that are also in either the Exchanging state or the Loading state and whose database summary indicate that they have the missing PTSEs.
The received PTSE request packets specify a list of PTSEs that the neighboring peer wishes to receive. For each PTSE specified in the PTSE request packet, its instance is looked up in the node""s topology database. The requested PTSEs are subsequently bundled into PTSPs and transmitted to the neighboring peer. Once the last PTSE and the PTSE request list has been received, the node moves from the Loading state to the Full state. Once the Full state has been reached, the node has received all PTSEs known to be available from its neighboring peer and links to the neighboring peer can now be advertised within PTSEs.
A major feature of the PNNI specification is the routing algorithm used to determine a path for a call from a source user to a destination user. The routing algorithm of PNNI is a type of link state routing algorithm whereby each node is responsible for meeting its neighbors and learning their identities. Nodes learn about each other via the flooding of PTSEs described hereinabove. Each node computes routes to each destination user using the information received via the PTSEs to form a topology database representing a view of the network.
Using the Hello protocol and related FSM of PNNI, neighboring nodes learn about each other by transmitting a special Hello message over the link. This is done on a continual periodic basis. When a node generates a new PTSE, the PTSE is flooded to the other nodes within its peer group. This permits each node to maintain an up to date view of the network.
Once the topology of the network is learned by all the nodes in the network, routes can calculated from source to destination users. A routing algorithm commonly used to determine the optimum route from a source node to a destination node is the Dijkstra algorithm. The Dijkstra algorithm is used to generate the Designated Transit List which is the routing list used by each node in the path during the setup phase of the call. Used in the algorithm are the topology database (link state database) which includes the PTSEs received from each node, a Path List comprising a list of nodes for which the best path from the source node has been found and a Tentative List comprising a fist of nodes that are only possibly the best paths. Once it is determined that a path is in fact the best possible, the node is moved from the Tentative List to the Path List.
The algorithm begins with the source node (self) as the root of a tree by placing the source node ID onto the Path List. Next, for each node N placed in the Path List, N""s nearest neighbors are examined. For each neighbor M, the cost of the path from the root to N to the cost of the link from N to M is added. If M is not already in the Path List or the Tentative List with a better path cost, M is added to the Tentative List.
If the Tentative List is empty, the algorithm terminates. Otherwise, a search is performed for the entry in the Tentative List with the minimum cost. That entry is moved to the Path List and the examination step described above is repeated.
Currently, fuzzy logic systems are being used in more and more applications. Fuzzy logic, based on fuzzy set theory (a generalization of classical set theory), permits the operational and control laws of a system to be expressed linguistically using words. Many times, such a system out performs systems based on traditional mathematical approaches. The main strength of fuzzy set theory is that it performs well when dealing with imprecision.
In classical set theory, an item is either part of a set or is not, without any room for partial membership. Fuzzy logic permits partial set membership and permits gradual transitions between being a full member of a set and fully being not a member of a set. Fuzzy logic permits partial truth and partial falseness. For example, the statement. xe2x80x9cThe car is traveling fastxe2x80x9d can have a range of truthfulness, depending on the speed of the car. If the car is traveling 30 mph the statement may be 40% true but if it is traveling 50 mph it may be 70% true. Thus, the path from falseness to truth is gradual.
The degree to which a variable is a member of a set is denoted by a degree of membership variable. Each fuzzy logic input variable and each output variable has an associated degree of membership function. Membership varies from 0 to 1, inclusive, and is the degree (usually represented by xcexc) that is termed the truth value and represents the degree to which an assertion is true.
The PNNI protocol, widely implemented in ATM networks, performs source routing to from source to destination nodes. The routing algorithm in PNNI generates the data path, i.e., the VC, between the source and destination. The routing algorithm selects one or more optional or candidate routes to the destination based on a criteria such as number of hops to the destination. The routing algorithm then determines the best or optimum route from among a plurality of possible optional routes using an optimization technique that examines one or more metrics, attributes and/or parameters associated with each optional route. Note that a metric is defined as an entity that accumulates, e.g., CTD while an attribute is a property of the network, e.g., an address, link capacity, node attributes, etc.
The number of optimizations metrics and attributes can vary according to the algorithm and/or protocol in use. Ideally, more than just a few of these should be taken into consideration when selecting a route since a route is characterized by many metrics, attributes and parameters as the link load, cell delay, cell delay variation, etc. When the number of metrics, attributes and/or parameters is few, e.g., one or two, the solution to the routing problem is relatively simple. Numerous methods of resolving the best or optimum route are well known in the networking art. Such well known techniques include, but are not limited to, methods that utilize one or more weighted averages and method that optimize based on the shortest path from one point to another.
The task of finding the optimum route becomes much more complicated, however, when the number of optimization parameters becomes larger than one or two. In a large group of metrics, attributes and parameters, it is typically the case that the individual members of the group relate very little with each other with each having varying degrees of importance in the determination of the route. For example, consider determining the best or optimum route based on the consideration of ten metrics, attributes and parameters. Each one having a different importance to the optimization process and each being totally unrelated to the others in meaning.
Performing routing decisions based on this data becomes a very complicated mathematical problem especially when the decision models the metrics, attributes and parameters as a non linear system whose behavior varies with time.
The present invention is a method of determining the optimum route from a source node to a destination node in an ATM network. The method utilizes fuzzy logic processing to determine the optimum route based on a set of metrics that may or may not be related to each other. The invention utilizes well known fuzzy logic techniques to perform optimization and calculations based on intuitive rules rather then complex mathematical solutions.
As an example, the method of the invention can be applied to PNNI routing in ATM networks. The PNNI protocol functions to route the data path between the source and destination using source routing techniques. Various criteria are used by the routing algorithm to determine the optimum path. The method of the invention can be used by the routing algorithm to determine the optimum route when it is desired to optimize the route based on a large number of metrics, attributes and/or parameters. The example described hereinbelow considers a set of nine metrics for evaluating each proposed route.
The fuzzy logic processing is divided into two phases. Each phase has its own set of rules that the input data are applied to. The first set of rules are used to divide the metrics into a smaller number of groups wherein each group contains metrics that relate to each other in some way. Crisp output values are calculated for each of the resulting groups. These values are then input to the second phase set of rules. The outputs generated are defuzzified and a single crisp output value is obtained. The centroid and weighted-average techniques in combination with the membership function for the output values are used to perform defuzzification. The output value generated represents an indication of the link quality on a scale of 0 to 100, for example.
A different set of metrics is processed for each optional route being considered by the routing algorithm. For each set a link quality value is determined. Once processing for all candidate routes s complete, the route having the maximum link quality indication is chosen and the route is configured.
There is provided in accordance with the present invention a method of optimizing the routing from a source node to a destination node based on a plurality of metrics, the method comprising the steps of providing a membership function for each metric to be considered in the optimization, providing a membership function for each fuzzy output to be generated, fuzzifying a set of crisp input values corresponding to the plurality of metrics so as to yield a set of fuzzy input values, applying the set of fuzzy input values to a fuzzy logic rule base so to yield a set of fuzzy output values, defuzzifying the set of fuzzy output values so as to yield a crisp output value indicative of the link quality associated with a particular candidate route, repeating the steps of fuzzifying, applying and defuzzifying for each candidate route to be considered and selecting the route having a maximum link quality indication as a final routing decision.
The step of defuzzifying comprises the step of utilizing a centroid technique to obtain crisp values for each rule within the fuzzy logic rule base triggered by the set of fuzzy input values or may comprise the step of utilizing a weighted-average technique to obtain a single crisp value from a plurality of crisp values generated from rules within the fuzzy logic rule base triggered by the set of fuzzy input values.
The method further comprises the step of dividing the set of metrics into a plurality of groups, wherein each group corresponds to one or more metric and is represented by a single fuzzy input value. The method further comprises the step of implementing the selected route utilizing the metrics corresponding thereto. The fuzzy logic rule base may embody different weights assigned to individual metrics.
There is also provided in accordance with the present invention a method of optimizing the routing from a source node to a destination node based on a plurality of metrics, the method comprising the steps of providing a membership function for each metric to be considered in the optimization, providing a membership function for each fuzzy output to be generated, dividing the plurality of metrics into one or more groups, fuzzifying a set of crisp input values corresponding to each group of metrics so as to yield a first plurality of sets of fuzzy input values, applying each first set of fuzzy input values to a first fuzzy logic rule base so to yield a first set of fuzzy output values, each group having an associated different first fuzzy logic rule base, defuzzifying the first set of fuzzy output values so as to yield a first crisp output value, fuzzifying the first crisp output value of each group so as to yield a second plurality of sets of fuzzy input values, applying each second set of fuzzy input values to a second fuzzy logic rule base so to yield a second set of fuzzy output values, defuzzifying the second set of fuzzy output values so as to yield a second crisp output value indicative of the link quality associated with a particular candidate route, generating a crisp output value indicative of the link quality for each candidate route to be considered and selecting the route having a maximum link quality indication as a final routing decision.

Method of optimizing routing decisions over multiple parameters utilizing fuzzy logic


An apparatus which provides for servo regulation of a yarn furnisher for a circular knitting machine which permits the knitting machine to operate at a higher speed, controls and varies the tension of the yarn supplied to a knitting machine, and provides a two-bagging unit receptacle for the directing and receiving of the knitted products.

This invention is directed towards improvements in the operational speed of circular knitting machines.
The speed and efficiency of the circular knitting process is often limited by external constraints unrelated to the actual knitting process. Among these limitations are the speed and tension in which yarn is supplied to the knitting machine, the ability of the knitting machine to be coordinated with the availability of raw materials, as well as the ability of a knitting machine to continue operation while the finished product is being removed.
Such limitations have heretofore limited the operation of circular knitting machines to relatively low speeds. Therefore, there is much room for improvement in the art of knitting machines.

Yarn feed device for knitting machine having separator means for hosiery fabric