A scanner for reading two-dimensional optical information sets is described which includes a housing for supporting a photosensitive array associated with an optical string adapted to focus optical information on the array. Also provided are array and optical string controls for controlling the array and optical string such that the output of selected images on the array are processed via pattern recognition means. Images recognized to contain decodable optical information are displayed and highlighted by a display. In this fashion a user is assisted in aiming, recognizing, confirming the decodability, and decoding images of optical information incident on the array.

1. Technical Field
The present invention is directed to optical information readers and more particularly to readers adapted to selectively decode two-dimensional optical information sets.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional bar code symbols have small data storage capacities. This reduces the utility of conventional bar code scanner and reader systems. For example, the 11 digit Uniform Pricing Code found on most supermarket items acts as an identifying number which may be utilized to access information in a database. Codes of this type do not carry information along their vertical axis, and are therefore, less prone to skewing errors during decoding.
Two-dimensional bar code symbols or "portable data files" have recently been developed. With codes of this type access to a database is not required since the code contains the information which would normally be keyed for in a database. Since reliance on a database is not required, information may be accessed and exchanged more readily and reliably. However, in order to decode two-dimensional codes a more sophisticated apparatus is required. This is primarily true since normal vertical code redundancy is not present, making code registration, orientation, and condition very important.
Several two-dimensional coding standards have been proposed, e.g., Code 49, 16K, Identicode MLC-2D, and Code PDF417. While such codes are capable of storing information such as price, name of product, manufacturer, weight, expiration date, inventory data, shipping information, and the like; apparatus which assist the user in aiming and decoding two-dimensional codes are not currently available. For example, two dimensional codes might consist of a stack of conventional linear codes. Each line may contain different information, such as (1) pricing information, (2) product name, (3) name of the manufacturer, (4) product weight, (5) expiration date, (6) inventory data, (7) shipping information, and the like. Additionally, a user may require the ability to selectively store or send portions of the decoded bar code symbol.
3. Objects of the Invention
Therefore, it is a principal object of the present invention is to provide a scanner adapted to selectively read two-dimensional optical information sets.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a scanner adapted to selectively read two-dimensional optical information sets in ambient light.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a scanner adapted to selectively read two-dimensional optical information sets from a wide range of distances.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a scanner adapted to selectively read two-dimensional optical information sets while assisting a user in aiming the reader.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a scanner adapted to selectively read two-dimensional optical information sets which is economical to manufacture and durable in use.
Finally, another object of the present invention is to provide a scanner adapted to selectively read two-dimensional optical information sets which is efficient in operation, simple in construction, easy to use, and trouble free. These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Reader for decoding two-dimensional optically readable information


A display device may include a display panel that includes a first region and a second region. The display device may include a controller that may receive a first gamma value and a second gamma value, use the first gamma value or a third gamma value to generate first image data, use the first gamma value and the second gamma value to generate a fourth gamma value, and use the fourth gamma value to generate second image data. The display device may include a data driver that may use the first image data and the second image data to generate a first data voltage set and a second data voltage set. The first region may use the first data voltage set to display a first portion of an image. The second region may use the second data voltage set to display a second portion of the image.

(a) Technical Field
The present invention relates to a display device and a method for correcting a gamma deviation of the display device.
(b) Description of the Related Art
A display device, such as a liquid crystal display, may form an electric field by applying different electric potentials to a pixel electrode and a common electrode, thereby controlling an arrangement of molecules, e.g., liquid crystal molecules, to control light transmission. Accordingly, images may be displayed.
A liquid crystal display may be produced through several processes, which may include one or more of a thin film transistor (TFT) substrate process, an opposite substrate process, and a liquid crystal layer process. The TFT substrate process may have more influence on picture quality of the liquid crystal display than other processes. The TFT substrate process may include cleaning, deposition, photolithography, etching, stripping, inspection, and repair. A gamma characteristic of the liquid crystal display may be determined according to the TFT substrate process.
During the TFT substrate process, one or more of the cleaning, deposition, photolithography, and etching steps may be substantially non-uniformly performed across a substrate, given limitations of one or more of the related facilities. As a result, picture quality dispersion, such as gamma dispersion, may occur, and picture quality associated with left and right regions of the substrate may be substantially inconsistent with picture quality associated with a center region of the substrate. The above information disclosed in this Background section is for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention. The Background section may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

Display device and method for correcting gamma deviation


An assembly couples first and second backplanes together. The first backplane is configured to carry first electrical backplane signals among a first set of circuit boards. The second backplane is configured to carry second electrical backplane signals among a second set of circuit boards. The assembly includes a first switch configured to convey at least some of the first electrical backplane signals between circuit boards of the first set of circuit boards. The assembly further includes a second switch configured to convey at least some of the second electrical backplane signals between circuit boards of the second set of circuit boards. The assembly further includes a fiber optic cable joining the first and second switches together. The first and second switches are configured to exchange fiber optic signals through the fiber optic cable thus forming a cohesive backplane interconnect system between the first and second sets of circuit boards.

A typical data storage system stores and retrieves data on behalf of one or more external hosts. One conventional data storage system includes multiple front-end director circuits, multiple back-end director circuits, cache memory, and disk drives. The director circuits (or simply directors) reside on circuit boards, e.g., four directors per director circuit board. Similarly, the cache memory resides on circuit boards, e.g., a fixed number of megabytes (MB) of high-speed volatile memory per memory circuit board.
The directors move data into and out of the cache memory. In particular, the front-end directors operate as interfaces between the external hosts and the cache memory by moving data between the hosts and the cache memory. Similarly, the back-end directors operate as interfaces between the cache memory and the disk drives by moving data between the cache memory and the disk drives.
In one version of the above-described conventional data storage system, the director circuit boards and the memory circuit boards connect to a backplane interconnect that provides four multi-drop buses. The directors access the cache memory by coordinating use of the four multi-drop buses. Since there exists four multi-drop buses, different directors can simultaneously use different buses thus achieving higher bandwidth. Furthermore, each director has access to each of the multi-drop buses for fault tolerance purposes, i.e., there is another bus available if one particular bus fails.
In another version of the above-described conventional data storage system, the director circuit boards and the memory circuit boards connect to a backplane interconnect that provides a point-to-point communications pathway between each director circuit board and each memory circuit board. The point-to-point communications pathways between the director circuit boards and the memory circuit boards alleviate bus contention issues (e.g., delays in waiting for an available bus), thus reducing communications latencies between directors and the cache memory. Additionally, multiple pathways exist from each front-end director to the disk drives, through the cache memory and the back-end directors, thus providing for higher bandwidth and fault tolerance.

Methods and apparatus for forming a cohesive backplane interconnect system


In one respect, there is provided a method for analog-to-digital conversion. The method may include: receiving, at an analog-to-digital converter, an analog signal; determining, based on a total distortion caused by at least a sampler and an encoder, a sampling rate below the Nyquist rate and/or a quantization rate; and converting, by the analog-to-digital converter, the received analog signal to a digital signal by at least sampling at the determined sampling rate, when operation at the determined sampling rate does not worsen the total distortion. Related systems and articles of manufacture are also disclosed.

An analog signal may be continuous in both value and time. That is, an analog signal may be associated with a value (e.g., amplitude) for every instant in time. Moreover, an analog signal may take on any value from an infinite set of possible values (e.g., all real numbers  or all real  numbers within a limited range). By contrast, a digital signal may be a discrete-time sequence of values from a finite set of values.
Thus, in order to convert an analog signal to a digital signal, the analog signal may be sampled at a certain sampling rate fs. For example, the value (e.g., amplitude) of the analog signal may be determined at each uniformly placed sampling interval
  T  =      1          f      s      (e.g., every x microseconds). Converting an analog signal to a digital signal may further include encoding each sample of the analog signal. Specifically, a quantizer (e.g., scalar, vector) may be applied to map the value of each sample from an infinite set of values to a finite set of values.
Analog to digital conversion may introduce distortion that prevents perfect or alias-free reconstruction of an original analog signal from its digital representation. According to the Shannon-Nyquist sampling theorem, the fidelity of a reconstructed analog signal relative to the original analog signal may depend on the sampling rate applied during analog-to-digital conversion. In particular, the theorem proposes that a bandlimited analog signal may be perfectly reconstructed from uniform samples of the signal taken at a sampling rate at or above the Nyquist rate fNy, where fNy is twice the bandwidth B of the analog signal. As such, conventional analog-to-digital converters are typically configured to avoid distortion by sampling at or above the Nyquist rate fNy=2B.

The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University


A new method of forming contact or via openings is achieved. A photoresist layer is formed and patterned top of layers of insulating materials overlying a semiconductor substrate. An isotropic etch is performed etching both vertically and horizontally a portion of the insulating layers. The photoresist is pulled back via a pure isotropic etch. Since the resist is being etched threedimensionally, an overhang resist profile is formed at the top of the opening. The opening is completed by anisotropically etching the remainder of the contact or via opening. The overhang part of the resist is recessed back gradually during etching. The oxide is exposed gradually through and together with the resist recessing back. The step formed after the first isotropic etch will be exposed to the anisotropic etch and will be etched into a slope.

(1) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the manufacture of integrated circuits, and more particularly, to a process of creating a contact or via opening which allows for improved metal step coverage in the manufacture of integrated circuits.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
The problem of poor metal step coverage within a contact or via opening is an important one in the art. If the metal coating within the opening is too thin, it can cause the resistance within a contact opening to be too high for the circuit to work properly. Current practice calls for the formation of contact or via openings with stepped or sloped sides rather than vertical sides to improve the metal step coverage.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,372,034 to Bohr describes a wet anisotropic etch followed by a dry anisotropic etch, resulting in a "teacup" shape which is wide and sloping at the top and narrow at the bottom, as shown in FIG. 1A. This shape solves the step coverage problem at the top of the opening, but the problem still exists at the bottom. Another method in current practice is the resist pull technique in which a first etching creates a step in the oxide layer, then an oxygen plasma is used to pull back the resist exposing an oxide stair, as in FIG. 1B. Finally, an anisotropic etch chops the stair into a sloped pattern, as shown in FIG. 1C. One problem with this approach is fencing on the sidewall. That is, the first etching creates a polymer which remains on the sidewalls of the opening after the resist pull back step. This polymer acts as a resist mask to block the final anisotropic etch resulting in an oxide fence or shell within the opening. Another problem is the restriction of the resist pull back to 0.15 micrometers per side. This occurs since the etch rate for the resist is normally two times faster than the pull back to keep a margin of resist to prevent etching through to the oxide.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,814,041 to Auda, 4,824,767, to Chambers et al, 4,832,788 to Nemiroff, 4,908,333 to Shimokawa et al, and 4,980,316 to Huebner all describe various methods of forming contact openings.

Enhancing step coverage by creating a tapered profile through three dimensional resist pull back

Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing PTE Ltd.


An improved microforce sensing system is provided. The microforce sensing system includes: a force sensor configured to detect a contact force exerted on a contact tip of the cantilever and operable to generate a signal indicative of the contact force, where the cantilever is constructed from a polyvinylidene fluoride material in the form of a substantially rectangular plate or other suitable shapes; and a processing circuit adapted to receive the signal from the force sensor and operable to determine the contact force exerted on the tip by integrating the signal from the force sensor.

Manufacturing processes which are capable of quickly and cheaply assembling micro-electrical-mechanical systems (MEMS) and other micro-scale devices have not been developed, partly because, at the micro-scale, structures are fragile and easily breakable. They typically break at the micro-Newton (μN) force range- a range that cannot be felt by a human operator assembling microstructure with tweezers and microscopes, and is not reliably measureable by the existing force sensors during assembly. As a result, it is extremely difficult to manipulate parts for assembly at that scale. Moreover, this situation decreases the overall yield and is driving up the cost of MEMS.
Sensing mechanisms have been developed for use in sensing contact force in microassembly/micromanipulation. For example, strain gauges, piezoresistive effect, piezomagnetic effect and capacitive sensors have been developed, with resolutions in the range of sub-mN or mN. Optical techniques have higher resolution, in the range of nanoNewton (nN), but are more expensive and usually have narrow dynamic range. Mostly, PZT-based (i.e., lead zirconium titanate) piezoelectric force sensors have also been developed. Here, more suitably, the resolution of force sensor based on piezoelectric effect is in the range of μN generally.
The present invention addresses the development of a PVDF-based micro force sensing system. With respect to PZT-based piezoelectric force sensors, PVDF has excellent sensitivity and better dynamic properties such as low-Q response, an extremely wide frequency, and broad dynamic range and compliance than the commonly used sensor material PZT. Typically, PVDF has low modulus but with a relatively high electromechanical coupling coefficient. Therefore, the piezoelectric polymer PVDF is an ideal force transduction material for developing a high sensitivity micro force sensing system.
Thus, the present invention affords a current feasible and versatile solution in force sensing for microassembly, through the use of PVDF-based force sensor as a sensing device during the process of microassembly. With respect to the PZT-based piezoelectric force sensors, the piezoelectric polymer PVDF is a more ideal sensing device because of its low-Q response, flexible, light weight, ease of use, easy to shape, and high sensitivity. Based on the piezoelectric effect and the mechanics of material for highly sensitive bending cantilever beam structure, the present invention provides both the models and the structures of the 1-D, 2-D and 3-D PVDF high sensitivity force sensors. By equipping the 1-D, 2-D or 3-D PVDF-based force sensors at the front of the micromanipulator, the micro contact force exerted at the sensor tip can be detected and then extracted and amplified by a processing circuit. Furthermore, the processed signals will be fed back to the controller for regulating the contact/impact force to a safety margin on-line during microassembly.

Board of Trustees operating Michigan State University


A user terminal is disclosed that communicates in a narrow band that is narrower than a minimum bandwidth for use supported in an existing LTE (Long Term Evolution) system. The user terminal includes a receiver that receives downlink control information and a controller that controls a scheduling unit of a downlink data signal and/or an uplink data signal based on command information included in the downlink control information. A radio base station is also disclosed that communicates in a narrow band that is narrower than a minimum bandwidth for use supported in an existing LTE (Long Term Evolution) system. The radio base station includes a transmitter that transmits downlink control information and a controller that controls scheduling of a downlink data signal and/or an uplink data signal, wherein the downlink control information includes command information that is used to control a scheduling unit of the downlink data signal and/or the uplink data signal.

In the UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) network, the specifications of long term evolution (LTE) have been drafted for the purpose of further increasing high speed data rates, providing lower delays and so on (see non-patent literature 1). Also, successor systems of LTE (referred to as, for example, "LTE-A" (LTE-Advanced), "FRA" (Future Radio Access), "4G," "5G," and so on) are under study for the purpose of achieving further broadbandization and increased speed beyond LTE.
Now, accompanying the cost reduction of communication devices in recent years, active development is in progress in the field of technology related to machine-to-machine communication (M2M) to implement automatic control of network-connected devices and allow these devices to communicate with each other without involving people. In particular, 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) is promoting the standardization of MTC (Machine-Type Communication) for cellular systems for machine-to-machine communication, among all M2M technologies (see non-patent literature 2). User terminals for MTC (MTC UE (User Equipment)) are being studied for use in a wide range of fields such as, for example, electric meters, gas meters, vending machines, vehicles and other industrial equipment.

User terminal, radio base station and radio communication method


An exemplary battery pack cover includes a polymer layer and a metallic layer grounded to a chassis of an electric vehicle. An exemplary method includes shielding battery cells of a battery pack against electromagnetic interference and thermal energy using a multilayer cover that is grounded to a chassis of an electrified vehicle.

Generally, electrified vehicles differ from conventional motor vehicles because electrified vehicles can be selectively driven using one or more battery-powered electric machines. Conventional motor vehicles, by contrast, are driven exclusively by an internal combustion engine. Electric machines can drive the electrified vehicles instead of, or in addition to, the internal combustion engines. Example electrified vehicles include all-electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), fuel cell vehicles, and battery electric vehicles (BEVs).
A powertrain of an electrified vehicle typically includes a battery pack having battery cells that store electrical power for the electric machine. The battery pack can be exposed to electromagnetic interference and thermal energy. Materials that can provide electromagnetic and thermal shielding can be costly.

Battery pack cover for an electrified vehicle


An electric vehicle charging and discharging system according to the present invention includes: a charge and discharge unit capable of charging a battery mounted on an electric vehicle and discharging the battery; a first communication unit that acquires a vehicle identification number of the electric vehicle and a dischargeable capacity value indicating a dischargeable amount of power of the battery from the electric vehicle when the electric vehicle is connected with the charge and discharge unit; and a display unit that displays the vehicle identification number and the dischargeable capacity value acquired by the first communication unit.

In recent years, with increasing use of electric vehicles such as electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), home power converters for charging batteries for driving mounted on electric vehicles have been increasingly used. Furthermore, vehicle-to-home (V2H) systems typified by an electric vehicle charger and discharger for using power stored in a battery for driving mounted on an electric vehicle for household loads have also been increasingly used. Hereinafter, charging and discharging of a battery for driving mounted on an electric vehicle will also be referred to as charging and discharging of the electric vehicle.
In addition, with increasing use of home energy management systems (HEMSs), it is getting possible to monitor home energy usage by a special remote controller or a display device, such as a smart phone or a tablet, of a user. Patent Literature 1 teaches an energy display system capable of displaying power consumption of household loads and power consumption of charging an electric vehicle on each of grid power and generated power.

Energy display system, display device, and energy display method


A tire air pressure monitoring system is provided that comprises a transmitting device, a receiving device, and a tire identification number registration device. The transmitting device is mounted on a wheel of a vehicle, and configured and arranged to wirelessly transmit a signal indicative of at least tire air pressure information of a tire coupled to the wheel and a tire identification number assigned to the wheel. The receiving device is mounted on the vehicle, and configured and arranged to receive the signal transmitted from the transmitting device. The tire identification number registration device is configured to estimate a position of the wheel with respect to the vehicle based on correlation information corresponding to an extent of a correlation between strength of the signal and a tire rotational angle of the wheel, and to register the tire identification number with the position of the wheel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tire air pressure monitoring system configured and arranged to estimate positions of wheels with respect to a vehicle based on electrical waves received by a receiver that is configured and arranged to receive radio waves from transmitters respectively coupled to the wheels.
2. Background Information
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2003-175711 discloses a conventional tire air pressure monitoring system in which a reception device for processing received data is configured and arranged to identify a wheel provided with a transmitter when the transmitter sends radio wave based on a voltage pattern induced in a receiving antenna of the reception device by the radio wave from the transmitter.
In view of the above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that there exists a need for an improved tire air pressure monitoring system. This invention addresses this need in the art as well as other needs, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.


Precise timing information produced by a block average module may be provided to signal processing circuitry. A sample period value generator may produce samples of the input data period values. A progressive block averaging computation may be applied to the generated input data period value samples. The output of the progressive block averaging computation may be used as the precise input sample rate information. The precise input sample rate information may in turn drive a signal processing application. The precision of the clock information may be increased with an increase in startup overhead.

The present invention is directed to methods and apparatus for generating precise timing information for use in signal processing applications, and more particularly to performing progressive block averaging on arbitrary input sample period values.
High precision timing information is generally provided to a signal processing or re-sampling circuitry using a phase-locked loop (PLL). The PLL may receive a feedback signal from a First-In-First-Out (FIFO) memory. The feedback signal may indicate to the PLL whether the read rate of the data from the FIFO (e.g., output sample rate) is too high or too low relative to the incoming sample rate. The PLL may then adjust the clock period accordingly to provide precise timing information. As defined herein precise timing information is the information (e.g., clock signals) that indicates the ideal conditions (e.g., clock rate) for processing incoming data signals. The FIFO circuit may be used to buffer the incoming data signal stream to allow the output of the FIFO to be read at an appropriate time.
A precise ratio between the input/output sample rates may be needed for further signal processing (e.g., re-sampling). For example, an audio/video signal processing circuit may be configured to processes data using a particular clock signal. However, the processing circuit may receive the data from a system which may use a different clock signal. Accordingly, a PLL albeit this difference, may help to provide the relative timing information. The signal quality of the processed (e.g., re-sampled) output may be directly proportional to the precision and accuracy of the timing information.
Although PLL devices can be used to generate precise clock information, they lack a simple implementation because they require complex multiplier circuits. Each stereo channel (in audio applications) may require its own PLL and may further increase the complexity of these designs.
The PLL designs may lack the ability to produce precise clock information quickly. This is because PLL designs may have a high start-up time (e.g., time to lock) when designed for low bandwidth applications and thus substantial time may be lost for the initial precise clock information generation. Further, the time to lock is non-deterministic and may vary on the condition of the input signal or data stream. Moreover, because PLL designs or similar feedback mechanisms oftentimes have a high start-up overhead they are limited in their ability to provide precise timing information for high number of bits of resolution (e.g., 20 or more).

Methods and apparatus for generating precise timing information using progressive block averaging


A fixing device, including a fixing rotary body including a first heat source, a pressing rotary body including a second heat source, and a control device configured to cause, at a time of warm-up of the fixing device, the fixing rotary body to rotate while causing at least one of the first heat source and the second heat source to generate heat, and to allow, after a surface temperature of the fixing rotary body has risen to a preselected warm-up temperature, a sheet pass or a printing to be executed and cause, if a sheet pass is not executed, the fixing rotary body to rotate for a preselected period of time.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrophotographic copier, printer, facsimile apparatus or similar image forming apparatus and more particularly to a fixing device for use in an image forming apparatus and including a fixing roller, a press roller, a heat roller having a heat source thereinside and a fixing belt passed over the fixing roller and press roller.
2. Description of the Background Art
A fixing device applicable to an image forming apparatus is disclosed in, e.g., Japanese Patent Application No. 2003-307963. The fixing device taught in this document is configured to achieve various purposes including reducing a warm-up time to a stand-by state and a buildup time from the stand-by state, speeding up fixation, stabilizing the output of a power supply, and reducing power consumption. The document proposes an image forming apparatus using such a fixing device also. A controller included in the fixing device controls the turn-on and turn-off of the individual heater connected to a power supply. More specifically, at the time of warm-up, buildup and printing, the controller turns on only the heater of the heat roller to thereby apply a sufficient amount of heat to the fixing belt, which is turning, via said heat roller. Further, in a stand-by state, the controller turns on the heaters of the heat roller and press roller in order to maintain the temperature of the heat roller and press roller. In this manner, the controller of the above fixing device turns on or turns off each heater at a particular timing.
Generally, in a conventional fixing device, a fixing roller and a press roller rotatable in pressing contact therewith each are provided with a surface layer formed of rubber, but a heat roller, accommodating a heater therein, is not provided with such a surface layer in order to have a small thermal capacity. While sharp thermal response is achievable if the heat roller is provided with a small thermal capacity small and if the heater of the heat roller is caused to generate a great amount of heat in a continuous sheet-pass mode, this scheme is unable to reduce power consumption. To reduce the power consumption of the fixing device and therefore the total power consumption of an entire image forming apparatus, the amount of heat to be generated by each of the heaters of the fixing roller and press roller is made smaller than the amount of heat to be generated by the heater of the heat roller.
However, the problem with the conventional fixing device stated above is that the heat roller, having a smaller thermal capacity than the fixing roller and press roller, is greatly effected by the temperatures of the fixing roller and press roller via the fixing belt at the beginning of a sheet-pass after the stand-by mode. More specifically, if the temperature of the fixing roller or that of the press roller is lowered in, e.g., the stand-by mode in which the fixing belt remains in a halt, the temperature of the fixing belt is low at the beginning of a sheet pass and therefore degrades fixation.
In light of the above, it is necessary to maintain the temperatures of the fixing roller and press roller above a preselected temperature in the stand-by mode. However, although the fixing roller and press roller both receive heat from the fixing belt via their surface layers at the time of start-up of the fixing device because the belt is turned, the temperatures of the fixing roller and press roller are lowered after the stop of movement of the belt partly because the amount of heat output from the heater is small and partly because the fixing roller and press roller each have a great thermal capacity.

Fixing device to reduce warm-up time and apparatus using same


A method of compact messaging between a schema-based service and a device over a network, the device and the service having a predetermined knowledge of element descriptors shared between the device and the service based on a structured definition language. The method comprises the steps of: establishing communication between the service and the device; preparing a compact message including element data values by removing the element descriptors associated with the element data values; maintaining an order of the element data values based on a predetermined sequence of the element descriptors and the element data values; placing the element data values in respective delimiters for differentiating between adjacent ones of the element data values, the delimiters indicating a start and an end of a given sequence of the element data values; and sending the compact message over the network for subsequent interpretation upon reception using the shared predetermined knowledge of the element descriptors.

This application relates generally to network communications and communication devices and in particular to compacting messages for transfer to and from such devices.
As communication devices and the communication networks in which they are configured to operate continue to evolve, device users expect a wider range of functions from their devices. Modern mobile devices often enable such functions as web browsing, information downloading, and the like, that have typically been supported on larger and more powerful personal computers (PCs). However, PCs generally have larger and faster processors than wireless devices, and access to communication resources and power supplies that are less limited than those available on the wireless device. Further, applications become larger as computing power on PCs increases, thereby negating some of the resource advantages of PCs.
Supporting these types of functions and applications on wireless devices is not just a matter of porting a software application or operating system to the wireless devices. The underlying protocols, transfer mechanisms, and data formats upon which these functions are based are not often optimized for wireless communications. For example, eXtensible Markup Language (XML) is quickly becoming one of the most common schemes for exchanging data between different computer systems, but is characterized by a relatively large document size and thus is not suitable for transfer over wireless or other narrowband communication systems. Transfer of large amounts of data consumes limited device resources, both in the wired and wireless devices, including both communication resources and power resources. Therefore, there remains a need for more efficient transfer of information to and from network devices.
The systems and methods as disclosed herein provide compact messaging in network communications to obviate or mitigate at least some of the above presented disadvantages.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System and method of compact messaging in network communications by removing tags and utilizing predefined message definitions


For restoring purposes, a discharge apparatus (1) has a gas spring (53) and for the displacement of dead volumes a filling body (70) which, like two valve bodies (23, 54) movable against one another of two valves (21, 55) with different functions, can be formed by a single component. An exposed operating ram or plunger (20), which surrounds an outlet channel (19) and is contact-free over most of its length, is constructed in one piece with a pump piston (17) and a nozzle core (48) of an outlet opening (8), while being directly connected to the spring (53). This gives high operational reliability of the discharge apparatus (1) with a simple construction.

The invention relates to a dispenser, with which one or more media can be discharged singly or in mixed form by manual force or by pressure. The medium can have a random aggregate state or random consistency and can be liquid, gaseous, pulverulent, pasty, etc.
Appropriately, said discharge apparatus has a size so that it can be carried in one hand or is suitable for one-handed operation. It can at least partly be made from a plastically shaped material, which instead of being metallic, is preferably nonmetallic, such as an injection molding plastic. It is advantageous with such discharge apparatuses to provide at least one ram to be moved manually or either in pressure-dependent or path-dependent manner, or both, for the discharge operation because it is then possible to bring about a reliable mounting of all the associated functional parts and a force transfer between remote positions. Fitting is made easier; medium guidance is improved; and functional controls can be obtained during the discharge operation. If the ram has an elastically deformable shaft portion, the ram can be guided on the associated dispenser body by at least one dimensionally more stable shaft portion axially adjacent thereto. However, this construction leads to larger dimensions, and also, the stronger shaft portion must be so strongly dimensioned over a significant length that under the conventionally occurring operating loads it does not elastically deform.

Media dispenser with elastically deformable plunger


A system and method for detecting anomalies in mission-critical environments. The method includes: parsing at least one received data set into a text structure; isolating a protocol language of the at least one received data set, wherein the protocol language is a standardized pattern for communication over at least one protocol; generating at least one document from the contents of the received at least one data set, wherein the at least one document includes at least one parsed text structure referencing a unique identifier, and wherein the at least one parsed text structure is organized within the at least one document according to a natural language scheme; detecting insights in the generated documents; extracting rules from the detected insights; and detecting anomalies by applying the extracted rules.

Machine-to-machine communication is widespread over many systems, environments, and disciplines. Financial and banking systems, applying transactions and services, industrial (SCADA) environments, where different machines communicate with each other, communication networks, telecommunication networks, and other systems, each implement machine-to-machine communication via unique configurations and for unique purposes.
Machine-to-machine communication may also be implemented using Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). APIs allow for the development of software compatible with existing systems by standardizing the resources, functions, and other development elements available to programmers. By distributing an API, a software developer can expand the potential uses of an application to include integration with other applications. An example of an API application is a software interface provided by a weather forecasting organization which allows web developers to include a weather module, maintained by the weather forecasting organization, in a website.
Many environments including, without limitation, financial systems, are mission-critical environments. Ensuring correct continuing operation of such systems is as much a part of employing such systems as is the initial implementation. In such environments, anomalies may be classified into two major categories: operational and intentional. Operational anomalies occur due to malfunctions or failures in certain elements of a system, bugs, and so on. Intentional anomalies are usually caused by cyberattacks. As anomalies may imply substantial impact in mission-critical environments, detecting anomalies, preferably in real-time, is crucial to the success of continued operations.
Solutions to anomaly-detection problems in mission-critical environments employing network language processing (NeLP) may be found in the related art. The application of NeLP methods to anomaly detection first requires consideration of an exchange between machines as a "conversation," conducted in a "language" known to the machines. In such a case, specifically, the communication protocol over which the machines communicate, or the channel and protocols standardized by an API, is the "language". To further the goal of solving anomaly-detection problems using NeLP, tools from the natural language processing (NLP) discipline can be applied to detect anomalies in mission critical environments and to increase the system's detection rate and to reduce its false alarm rate.
Further advancing the language-based approach to anomaly detection by protocol analysis, statistical language modeling (SLM) is a technique used to estimate the distribution of letters, words, or phrases in natural language as accurately as possible. The SLM approach aims to estimate the likelihood that sequences of words appear in the language (i.e., estimate the probability distributions over all possible sentences in the language). The probability estimation of different words and word sequences can highlight patterns of behavior of the communications in the network, or of communications via channels standardized by an API, in the same manner as the technique might estimate the likelihood that a pattern of words recurs in a novel. Applying patterns detected may lead to generation of rules which may describe the normal behavior of the network.
Anomaly detection techniques may also be applied to improve the security of API implementations. As the percentage of web-enabled applications containing exposed APIs increases, the amount of API surface area vulnerable to attack is expected to increase as well. Current API security techniques include the manual patching of bugs and backdoors. This technique requires significant time and effort, as bugs and backdoors must be identified, fixes must be created, and those fixes must be pushed to an API update. Furthermore, as client software may depend on one particular version of an API, altering the structure or resources of the API may cause discontinuities in client application availability.
Two major measures are used to indicate the quality of an anomaly detection system, the false alarm rate, the number of times an anomaly detection mechanism indicates an anomaly, where in reality the tested system performs well, divided by the total number of anomaly indications, and the miss detection rate, the ratio between the number of times anomalies were missed by the detection mechanism and the total numbers of anomalies that occurred. The target is, of course, to minimize these two numbers.
It would therefore be advantageous to provide anomalies detection solutions for mission critical networks and especially telecommunications networks.

Method and apparatus for detecting anomalies in mission critical environments


A transducer is disclosed for sensing flow of a fluid. The transducer includes means for applying a heat pulse to the fluid and at least one temperature sensor. The temperature sensor is adapted to detect a decaying response to the heat pulse to provide an indication of the flow. The decaying response may be detected by comparing measured voltages at a set moment in time or by comparing measured times at a set voltage threshold. A method for sensing flow of a fluid is also disclosed.

Various calorimetric flow transducers have been proposed previously. One type is represented by a hot-wire anemometer, in which a thin wire is heated by passage of an electric current, while its electrical resistance is sensed. When the wire is placed within a flowing fluid, typically a gas, a cooling effect of the fluid changes resistivity of the wire, which resistivity provides a measure of velocity of the flowing fluid. Variations of this principle include thin-film and semiconductor implementations.
In another type of calorimetric flow transducer, thermal energy is injected into a fluid at a constant rate, typically by means of an electrical heater. Fluid flowing near the heating element is raised in temperature, and the rise in temperature of the fluid is detected by an electrical sensor (refer U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,028,689, 4,501,144 and 6,314,807 and WO91/19170). This differs from the hot-wire anemometer in that a temperature-rise of the fluid, rather than the cooling effect of the fluid, is detected. The temperature-rise may be sensed downstream from the heater, using a thermistor for example. Improved versions of this principle utilize two temperature-sensors, one upstream of the heater, or co-located with it, and one downstream or spaced some distance from it. A comparison or differential measurement is made between the two temperature-sensors. This arrangement makes the transducer less susceptible to variations in ambient temperature of the associated fluid.
In a transit-time calorimetric flow transducer, heat is applied in the form of a thermal pulse, typically from an electrical heating element driven by an electrical pulse (refer U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,458,709 and 6,289,746). A bolus of heated fluid is carried downstream as part of overall flow. At some time subsequent to the applied pulse, a downstream sensor detects a temperature increase above the prevailing, or ambient, fluid temperature. After a further time-delay, the downstream sensor detects a fall in temperature, when most of the heated fluid has passed. These events may be called the leading and falling edges of the temperature pulse. Generally, there is some mixing of the heated fluid with unheated fluid, so that the thermal pulse passing the downstream sensor is spread out in time, or dispersed, compared with the upstream applied pulse. The transit-time transducer has a disadvantage of requiring access to the fluid stream in two places: a site where thermal energy is injected, and a downstream site for temperature-sensing.


A lens includes a bottom face, a light incident face defined in the bottom face, a plurality of light reflective faces connecting the light incident face with the bottom face, and a light emerging face opposite to the light incident face. The light incident face includes a first face and a plurality of second faces alternating with the light reflective faces. The light reflective faces are flat faces parallel to an optical axis of the lens. An LED unit using the lens is also disclosed.

1. Technical Field
The disclosure generally relates to lenses and LED (light emitting diode) units using the lenses, and more particularly, to a lens having a plurality of light reflective faces and an LED unit using the lens.
2. Description of Related Art
Nowadays LEDs (light emitting diodes) are applied widely in various applications for illumination. The LED is a highly pointed light source. Thus, the LED is generally used with a lens to modulate the light distribution thereof. However, the typical lens cannot effectively converge the light emitted from the lens, resulting in significant intensity difference between the light at the optical axis and the light adjacent to the optical axis. Thus, the light intensity at a central area of the light distribution is not uniform enough.
What is needed, therefore, is a lens and an LED unit using the lens which can address the limitations described.


Spectral imaging apparatus and methods are disclosed. In one embodiment, a spectral imaging apparatus includes a spectral imaging apparatus includes a diffraction grating having one or more entrance apertures formed therein, a collecting reflecting element for reflecting said incident radiation to a diffractive surface of said diffraction grating, and a reimaging system adapted to provide a spectral image at a focal surface. The collecting reflecting element may include an aspherically-shaped portion, and the entrance apertures may be distributed along a straight or a non-straight axis. Alternately, optical fibers may be disposed in the entrance apertures. The spectral image provides a spectrum of radiation such that a first portion of the spectrum of radiation from a first region can be distinguished from a second portion of the spectrum of radiation from a second region.

Spectral imagers, including spectral imagers and the like, are becoming an important tool in remote sensing for military and commercial applications. A simple, robust, high quality imager suitable for virtually any visible and infrared region does not currently exist. There are also applications where spectra of individual and physically displaced samples are required. These applications may include, for example, obtaining simultaneous absorption or fluorescence spectra of large numbers of biological or pharmaceutical samples, as well as the emission spectra of large numbers of stars.
Three typical problems that arise in designing an imaging spectrometer where light passing through an entrance slit is to be diffracted by a grating parallel to the slit are: (1) reducing or eliminating astigmatism over the spectrum on the image plane; (2) removing field curvature from the spectrum focused onto the image plane; and (3) obtaining good spatial resolution of the entrance slit, including reducing or eliminating astigmatism at different field angles from points on the entrance slit.
Although desirable results have been achieved using prior art apparatus and methods, there is room for improvement. For example, prior art devices may be mechanically sensitive, and may have a reduced capacity to obtain spectra from various physically separated spatial regions. Therefore, novel apparatus and methods that at least partially mitigate these effects would be useful.


A projector and a dust detection device for an air filter thereof. The projector comprises a lamp, a fan, an filter, and a dust detection device. The lamp comprises a housing with an inlet and an exit. The fan is disposed in front of the inlet of the housing, and generates airflow to dissipate heat produced by the lamp. The air filter is disposed in front of the exit of the housing, and filters the airflow passing around the lamp. The dust detection device is disposed behind the air filter, and detects the state of the filtered airflow.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a projector and a dust detection device for an air filter thereof, and in particular, to a projector with an air filter that can be timely changed.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a projector, a fan provides a predetermined amount of airflow to dissipate heat from a high temperature lamp. Due to safety reasons, an air filter is additionally disposed in front of an outlet of the lamp. When the projector exposed to particulates over a long period, accumulation thereof may be great enough to reduce the airflow of the fan. As a result, the temperature of the lamp cannot be reduced normally, thus damaging the projector.

Dust detection device for air filter and projector utilizing the same


A primer composition has blended therein an organic silicon compound having in a molecule at least one group of the formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 is a monovalent hydrocarbon group or a group represented by QSi( R.sup.4 O).sub.a (R.sup.5).sub.3-a, Q is a divalent organic group, R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 each are a monovalent hydrocarbon group, a is an integer of 0 to 3, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 each are a hydrogen atom or a monovalent hydrocarbon group, and n is 0, 1 or 2. The primer composition is a useful adhesive since it is effective for joining silicone elastomers and similar adherends to supports such as paint coated metals and resins.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a primer composition useful for bonding adherends such as silicone elastomers to substrates such as coated metals.
2. Prior Art
Among conventional building exterior wall materials, metal members surface coated with paint compositions of fluorine resin, urethane resin or acrylic resin systems are widely utilized. Often sealants such as room temperature vulcanizable silicone elastomers of the condensation type are jointed to these coated metal members. It is also a common practice to join room temperature vulcanizable or heat curable silicone elastomers to polycarbonates, polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) resins, ABS resins and acrylic resins which are commonly used in electric and electronic applications. The recent spreading use of plastic materials in a wider variety of industrial fields raises many demands. It is one of such demands to join silicone elastomers to plastic substrates.
Silicone elastomers, however, do not provide a sufficient bond to coated metals, polycarbonates, PBT resins, acrylic resins, and other plastic materials. It is then a common practice to previously coat substrates with primer compositions based on silanes or hydrolysis condensates thereof before silicone elastomers are joined to the substrates.
A number of primer compositions have been proposed for joining silicone elastomers to substrates. For example, Japanese Patent Application Kokai (JP-A) No. 32030/1977 discloses a composition comprising a tetraorganotitanate, an epoxy group-containing alkoxysilane, an unsaturated bond-containing organic silicon compound, a platinum compound, an organic solvent-soluble polymer, and an organic solvent. Japanese Patent Publication (JP-B) No. 2107/1986 or U.S. Pat. No. 4,332,844 discloses a composition comprising an alkoxy group-containing organic silicon compound, an organic titanium compound, and a hydrosilyl group-containing organic silicon compound. These primer compositions fail to achieve a satisfactory joint in some cases. In addition, the demand for a long-lasting joint is increasing. There is a need to have a primer composition having improved bond ability and bond durability.


A multi-tiered encryption system efficiently regulates the use of encryption keys to encrypt and decrypt data. The system can include one or more encryption tiers. Each encryption tier can include a computing node programmed to service encryption and/or decryption requests and a key store to store encryption keys. At a root encryption tier, an unencrypted root encryption key can be stored in the key store. Each subsequent encryption tier includes encryption keys that are encrypted by encryption keys stored at a lower encryption tier. The encryption tiers collectively implement an encryption policy in which keys are automatically created and rotated such that a requesting device can request encryption services from the multi-tiered encryption system and receive the encryption services independent of key creation or key rotation and without access to the unencrypted root encryption key.

Often, one electronic device transmits sensitive data to another electronic device. To protect such data, an electronic device may encrypt the sensitive data before transmission. Once the transmission reaches the intended recipient, the intended recipient may decrypt the transmitted data to extract the sensitive data. In some cases, the electronic devices may request an external service to perform the encryption and decryption via a network. Encryption and decryption can be processor intensive, so requesting an external service to perform such services can allow the electronic devices to dedicate resources to other necessary processes.
Devices, such as hardware security modules (HSMs), can house external encryption and decryption services. In some instances, HSMs operate by encrypting or decrypting data using one or more keys. HSMs may also operate under a set of encryption policies. Encryption policies mandate how the data is handled and how the keys are used. For example, the encryption policies may dictate how a service is supposed to operate if a key is compromised.
While offloading encryption and decryption to HSMs may ease the burden placed on electronic devices, HSMs may introduce additional constraints. For example, the encryption policies enforced by HSMs may limit the total amount of data that can be encrypted, the total number of encrypt operations for a single key, or the total amount of time a key can be used. In addition, because the HSMs are accessed over a network, requesting and receiving encrypted or decrypted data can be latency sensitive. Finally, HSMs can be expensive to implement and operate.

Multi-tiered encryption system for efficiently regulating use of encryption keys


A cleaning method removes a silicon oxide film by plasma from a member that is provided in a processing container of a plasma processing apparatus and having the silicon oxide film formed on its surface. The cleaning method includes: supplying a processing gas into the processing container; generating plasma of the processing gas that is supplied into the processing container; and applying bias power that draws ions in the plasma of the processing gas to the member. A ratio of a value of the bias power to a pressure in the processing container is 1.0 W/mTorr or less.

In a semiconductor manufacturing process, a plasma processing apparatus has been widely used to perform a plasma processing for the purpose of deposition or etching of a thin film. Examples of the plasma processing apparatus include a plasma chemical vapor deposition (CVD) apparatus for performing a thin film deposition processing and a plasma etching apparatus for performing an etching processing.
In such a plasma processing apparatus, it is important to protect a member provided in a processing container from plasma when various types of plasma processing are performed in the processing container. Therefore, a silicon oxide film serving as a protective film may be formed on a surface of the member provided in the processing container.
However, when various types of plasma processing are performed in the processing container, the silicon oxide film serving as the protective film is consumed by gas such as a fluorine-containing gas remaining in the processing container. Therefore, in the plasma processing apparatus, a cleaning processing that removes the silicon oxide film from the member provided in the processing container is regularly performed. The silicon oxide film is removed using, for example, plasma.
A method of drawing ions in plasma by controlling a pressure in a processing container has been proposed as a method of removing the silicon oxide film by plasma from a member provided in the processing container. See, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication Nos. 2002-057149 and 2005-243765.

Cleaning method and plasma processing apparatus


A debris shedding buoy having a float body with a top and a bottom is provided. The buoy includes a slide rail, adapted for slidable engagement to a mooring line, is attached to the bottom of the float body. The slide rail is located in a generally centered position beneath the float body and is oriented in a first direction. A rudder device is affixed to the float body and adapted to produce a stabilizing force to maintain the float body in a quasi stable orientation with respect to a current direction, with the first direction being generally aligned to the current direction. Debris lodging against the float body overcomes the stabilizing force produced by the rudder device, causing the float body to rotate from the quasi stable orientation to a second orientation to shed the debris whereupon the float body rotates back to the quasi stable orientation.

Marker buoys for marine use are generally known. Such buoys often include a marker beacon and/or a bell and are commonly used to mark navigable channels or unseen underwater hazards.
One known buoy includes a float having a super-structure which extends above the water line of the buoy. A bell is attached to the super structure. A pair of fins are attached beneath the float. The first fin orients the float in the direction of the current, and the second fin, which is set at an angle from the first fin, causes the buoy to swerve from side to side and off its center of gravity to incline the float and super structure carrying the bell. An anchor line maintains the buoy in position. The movement of the buoy is sufficient to throw the clapper of the bell off center, causing a constant ringing of the bell.
Another known buoy includes a near spherical body with a central battery space for a battery. A light assembly is affixed to a mast which extends upward from the body, and is connected to the battery. An eye is provided at the lower end of the spherical body and connected to an anchor chain.
Another known buoy includes a buoyant body with a tow bar assembly located on the side of the body. A mast extends upwardly from the buoyant body and a light is affixed to the top of the mast. An eye at the end of a control line is slidably disposed on the tow bar and when the control line is pulled, the eye slides upwardly along the tow bar until it engages a bight, allowing the buoy to be moved sideways through the water while remaining substantially upright.
A common problem with all of the known buoys is that debris carried by the current can become lodged against the buoy, which can be detrimental to the buoy. If enough debris collects it can break the buoy loose from its mooring, possibly submerge the buoy or otherwise adversely affect its function.
The present invention is a result of observation of the shortcomings of the prior art buoys and efforts to solve them.


Embodiments of a protective helmet have a cushioning outer multilayer structure with at least two cushioning layers of materials having different densities and different geometric layouts, a multilayer hard inner structure attached to the interior surface of the cushioning multilayer structure, and an innermost cushioning structure attached to the inner surface of the multilayer hard inner structure. The multilayer hard inner structure is formed from at least two spaced layers of hard material and a layer of cushioning material therebetween. The innermost cushioning structure may be a multilayer structure similar to the outer multilayer structure with at least two cushioning layers of materials having different densities and different geometric layouts. The innermost cushioning structure may include sensors, optionally in a separate layer, and a thermal-control layer. A flexible thin cover extending around an outer surface of said shell and with or without graphics may be provided.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates to helmets. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to protective helmets having enhanced protective performance characteristics. The present disclosure has application to football helmets, ice-hockey helmets, baseball helmets, motorcycle helmets, riot helmets, military helmets and other similar helmets, although it is not limited thereto.
2. State of the Art
Head trauma resulting from sports and other activities is a common occurrence. Generally, head trauma occurs when an object impacts the head, thereby transferring energy to the head. The most common head trauma resulting from sports is a concussion, which occurs when the brain bangs inside the skull and is bruised. To reduce the incidence of concussion, it is common practice to wear a protective helmet. Protective helmets are ostensibly designed to deflect and absorb energy transmitted by impact to the helmet, thereby diminishing the risk of head and brain injury resulting from the impact.
Protective athletic helmets have been worn for almost a century, and have evolved from sewn leather, to helmets having molded plastic outer shells with suspension webbing or other head fitting structures such as foam pads, air bladders, or padded molding on their interior. Despite the evolution of the protective helmets, the reported rate of concussions has been increasing amongst student and professional athletes in many sports. While some experts have attributed this increase to better reporting and diagnosis, other experts have attributed the increase to increased forces generated as competitive athletes continue to increase in size (mass) and increase their ability to accelerate.
What has not been necessarily considered is that the increase in concussions actually may be attributable to the structure of the evolved protective helmets. In particular, the molded hard plastic helmets have not been shown to absorb energy effectively as they tend to transmit pressure waves, and in helmet to helmet contact situations may actually add to trauma. In addition, the evolved protective helmets have a considerable weight that may lead to other injuries.
It is also known that head trauma resulting in traumatic brain injury (TBI) has become a common occurrence in the military. A common cause of TBI is damage caused by explosive devices such as improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
TBI injuries fall into several categories that may have different symptoms. Mild TBI (MTBI), commonly referred to as a concussion, is a brief loss of consciousness or disorientation ranging up to thirty minutes. Although brain damage may not be visible on an MRI or CAT scan, common symptoms of MTBI include headache, confusion, lightheadedness, dizziness, blurred vision, ringing in the ears, fatigue or lethargy, behavioral or mood changes, and trouble with memory, concentration or attention. Severe traumatic brain injury is associated with loss of consciousness for over thirty minutes or amnesia. Symptoms of severe TBI include all those of MTBI as well as headaches that increase in severity or do not abate, repeated vomiting or nausea, convulsions or seizures, dilation of the eye pupils, slurred speech, weakness or numbness in the extremities, loss of coordination, and increased confusion or agitation. TBI injuries can cause lasting physical and cognitive damage.
Presently, the U.S. army utilizes the Advanced Combat Helmet (ACH) that incorporates ballistic fiber such as KEVLAR (a trademark of DuPont of Wilmington, Del.), TWARON (a trademark of Teijin Twaron, B.V. of the Netherlands), or ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). The ACH has a suspension system including a rear suspension system to which a ballistic "nape pad" is attached. The nape pad is intended to reduce soldier deaths from shrapnel wounds to the neck and lower head.
Despite the introduction of the ACH, TBI injuries continue to be a major cause of concern.


Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture consistent with the present invention coordinate distribution of shared memory to threads of control executing in a program by using a cooperative synchronization protocol. The protocol serializes access to memory by competing threads requesting assignment of memory space, while allowing competing threads that have already been assigned memory space, to share access to the memory. A designated area of memory assigns the memory to requesting threads. The protocol is an application level entity and therefore does access the operating system to serialize the memory allocation process.

Multi-threading is the partitioning of a computer program that performs a particular process into logically independent "threads" of control that can execute in parallel. Each thread includes a sequence of instructions and data used by the instructions to carry out a particular program task, such as a computation or input/output function.
Although a single processor can execute instructions of only one thread at a time, the processor can execute multiple threads in parallel by, for example, executing instructions corresponding to one thread until reaching a selected instruction, suspending execution of that thread, and executing instructions corresponding to another thread, until all threads have completed. In this scheme, as long as the processor has begun executing instructions for more than one thread during a given time interval all executing threads are said to be "running" during that time interval, and multi-processing is achieved.
A process includes multiple threads operating out of a common address space. Processes may be configured such that portions of their address space are shared, that is, are mapped to a common physical location, or a memory. Multiple threads within a process share portions of that memory address space. It is possible for more than one thread to believe it has sole access to a portion of memory and for it to perform a series of reads and writes to an area of memory while another thread is performing reads and writes to the same area of memory. Such concurrent operation by competing threads may confuse operation of a process. Therefore, in a shared memory environment the shared memory must be allocated to each thread based on a coordination technique ensuring that only one thread has access to an area of shared memory at a time.
Current memory allocation techniques assign address space to threads in one of two ways: distribution or mutual exclusion. Distribution techniques partition shared memory into equal-sized blocks and assign the memory blocks to threads as requested. Each memory block must be large enough to meet the memory requirements of the thread requiring the most memory. Total memory requirements are dictated by the maximum demand for access to shared memory of a given thread multiplied by the total number of threads involved. This method is particularly wasteful when individual threads do not require similar amounts of shared memory. Even slight differences in the threads' memory requirements can have a significant impact on the total memory requirement.
Mutual exclusion techniques, which may be implemented in hardware or software, coordinate use of shared memory among threads by reading and writing shared variables and pointers referring to the shared addresses. Implementation of these techniques requires accessing the operating system, which is both slow and expensive.
In a mutual exclusion implementation the operating system only permits one thread at a time to access shared memory. Shared memory is assigned to a thread by exchanging signals between threads, such that a thread can be forced to stop at a specified point during execution until it has received a specific signal. More specifically, the operating system may allow a thread to access shared memory by locking the shared memory, allocating the memory for exclusive use of the thread, and unlocking the memory once the thread has completed the memory operation.
While the memory area is locked other threads are prevented from accessing it until the lock has been removed. This method is an acceptable way of allocating memory for one-time or infrequent operations, for example, the one-time startup required by a process. However, computing generally requires execution of operations that occur hundreds or even thousands of times per second, for example, when many threads are modifying a common memory area by performing a "write" operation. For such operations this method of locking and unlocking shared memory creates bottlenecks in system performance. As the number of threads making demands on system performance increases, the likelihood of a system bottleneck increases. This of course negatively impacts system performance.

Protocol for coordinating the distribution of shared memory


Systems and methods may be used to generate and use a structured form representation and structured metadata. The structured form representation and structured metadata may include information relevant to a particular context and may be used to update document templates, import new documents and update document versions into software, automate data entry for document completion, update records to include new and or updated information, and provide other functionality of an information service.

Software applications may process a variety of digital forms, for example, compliance forms designed to comply with government regulations. To facilitate more efficient and accurate form completion and use data included in the forms, it would be advantageous to provide a capability to automatically generate a structured, machine-readable representation of forms and other documents. For example, generating a document representation that includes a structured file using the Portable Document Format (PDF). This capability would streamline adapting software processes for completing forms to handle new documents and updated form versions.
It would also be desirable to provide a capability to generate a structured, machine-readable representation of form metadata (i.e., the values input into a digital form). A structured representation of form metadata would enable information collected by a form to be rapidly transferred to a new document and modified over time to keep the information up to date. Additionally, rule-based approaches to document processing are not scalable since rule-based approaches typically require adaptation of the rules when applied to new or different contexts. Therefore, a new approach is needed to provide document processing capabilities that are extensible to a wide variety of forms and form metadata.

System and method for determining a structured representation of a form document utilizing multiple machine learning models


A monolithic, three-dimensional (3D) integrated circuit (IC) device includes a sensing layer, a memory layer, and a processing layer. The sensing layer includes a plurality of carbon nanotube field-effect transistors (CNFETs) that are functionalized with at least 50 functional materials to generate data in response to exposure to a gas. The memory layer stores the data generated by the plurality of CNFETs, and the processing layer identifies one or more components of the gas based on the data generated by the plurality of CNFETs.

Gas detection is critical for a wide range of impactful applications ranging from healthcare (e.g., point-of-care diagnostics based on breath analysis), to threat detection (e.g., discovering hidden explosives or chemical weapons), to toxin detection (e.g., detecting fentanyl, an extremely potent and dangerous synthetic opioid). However, these applications present major challenges for conventional sensing systems today. State-of-the-art gas chromatography and mass spectrometry systems are large, high power (i.e., not wearable or handheld), and expensive.
Alternatively, developing highly-specific portable gas sensors that are engineered to react with specific threats requires: (1) precision chemistry (which is not scalable to detect arbitrary toxins), (2) dedicated sensors and hardware for each toxin (or analogues of the same toxin), and (3) a priori threat knowledge (e.g., one can only detect what the chosen sensor is designed to detect, so unexpected or unknown toxins/analogues cannot be detected). Furthermore, while canines are often effective, they (1) require extensive training and (2) expose the canine and handler to dangerous environments. "Electronic noses" are a powerful concept, yet current inceptions are inadequate (e.g., limited number and breadth of sensors on a chip, and they create a "data deluge" without embedded local processing of the data).

Monolithic 3D integrated circuit for gas sensing and method of making and system using


Call control for originating and terminating calls in a visited circuit-switched subsystem (CS) or home multimedia subsystem (MS) as well as transferring calls between the visited CS and the home MS may be anchored at a continuity control function (CCF) in the home MS. Call signaling for the call may be passed through the CCF. When the user element is homed to the home MS and served by the visited CS, the bearer path for the call is established based on the relative proximity of the home MS and the visited CS. When a local MS is more proximate to the visited CS, the bearer path may be routed through a gateway in the local MS, instead of through the gateway in the home MS. When the home MS is sufficiently proximate to the visited CS, the bearer path is routed through the gateway in the home MS.

Packet communications have evolved to a point where voice sessions, or calls, can be supported with essentially the same quality of service as that provided by circuit-switched communications. Packet communications are generally supported over packet subsystems, which were initially supported by local area networks, but are now supported by wireless local area networks (WLANs). Using WLAN access, user elements can support voice sessions using packet communications while moving throughout the WLAN. As such, WLAN access provides users the same freedom of movement within a WLAN as cellular access provides users within a cellular environment.
In many instances, the coverage areas provided by WLANs and cellular networks are complementary. For example, a WLAN may be established within a building complex in which cellular coverage is limited. Given the localized nature of WLAN coverage, cellular networks could bridge the coverage gaps between WLANs. Unfortunately, WLAN access technology is independent of cellular access technology. Cellular networks generally support circuit-switched communications, and WLANs support packet communications. As such, user elements have been developed to support both cellular and WLAN communications using different communication interfaces. With these user elements, users can initiate and receive calls via the cellular network and WLAN using the respective communication interfaces.
In co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/378,776, filed Mar. 17, 2006, and entitled CIRCUIT-SWITCHED AND MULTIMEDIA SUBSYSTEM VOICE CONTINUITY, which is incorporated herein by reference, applicant has proposed moving a user element's service control, including call control, from a cellular network to a multimedia subsystem (MS), such as the Internet Protocol (IP) Multimedia Subsystem (IMS). As such, call control is provided by the MS irrespective of whether the user element is using cellular or WLAN access for the call. For clarity and conciseness, a cellular network providing circuit-switched communications is referred to as circuit-switched subsystem (CS), and a WLAN providing packet communications is assumed to be part of or associated with the MS. In general, wireless communication techniques having relatively limited range, such as WLAN techniques, are referred to as local wireless communication techniques. Thus, local wireless communication techniques support packet-based communications, wherein cellular communication techniques will generally support circuit-switched communications. Further, the wireless access for local wireless techniques are of a limited range with respect to cellular access techniques.
Call control for originating and terminating calls in the CS or MS as well as transferring calls between the CS and MS is anchored at a continuity control function (CCF) in the MS. All call signaling for the call is passed through the CCF. The CCF is a service provided in the user element's home MS and anchors the user element's active CS calls and MS sessions to enable mobility across the CS and MS while maintaining CS calls or MS sessions.
For CS calls, the CCF operates to anchor the bearer path for calls originated or terminated through the CS by the user element at a media gateway, which is controlled by a media gateway controller of the home MS. The CCF employs Third Party Call Control function to provide call control in the CS. For MS calls, the CCF provides call control by interacting with the user element and a remote endpoint to establish a bearer path directly between the user element and the remote endpoint through the MS. The CCF is addressable using public service identities (PSI). In the CS, a directory number associated with the CCF is used for routing call signaling messages within the CS. In the MS, a uniform resource location (URL) associated with the CCF is used for routing call signaling messages within the MS. In the following description, 3GPP TS 24H.008 (DTAP) is used in the CS, while the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) is used in the MS to effect origination, termination, and transfer of calls. Those skilled in the art will recognize other applicable and useful protocols as substitutes for DTAP and SIP.
Turning now to FIG. 1, a communication environment 10 is illustrated where a home MS 12H and a visited CS 14 support communications for a user element 16. The user element 16 includes a CS client 18 and an MS client 20, which are configured to support circuit-switched communications via the visited CS 14 as well as packet communications via the home MS 12H, respectively. For communications within the visited CS 14, a visited mobile switching center (VMSC) 22 will support circuit-switched communications for the user element 16. The VMSC 22 may interact with the home MS 12H via a media gateway controller (MGC) 24H and an associated media gateway (MG) 26H, both of which are affiliated with the MS 12H.
The home MS 12H may include various functions or entities, including an interrogating and serving call/session control function (I/S-CSCF) 28, a CCF 30, an application server (AS) 32, and a home subscriber service (HSS) 34. Notably, the interrogating CSCF provides the standard I-CSCF functions and the serving CSCF provides standard S-CSCF functions. These functions are represented in the I/S-CSCF 28 for conciseness. Further, the HSS 34 may have a presence in both the visited CS 14 and the home MS 12H. The HSS 34 may include a home location resource component for home CS. Call/session control functions (CSCFs) in the home MS 12H generally act as SIP proxies and provide various functions in association with call control, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. In operation, an interrogating CSCF (I-CSCF) may interact with the HSS 34 to identify the serving CSCF (S-CSCF), which will be assigned to support a given user element. The HSS 34 may maintain an association between a user element 16 and a particular CCF 30 that is assigned to the user element 16. As such, the HSS 34 will assist in identifying a serving CSCF for the user element 16, as well as keep an association between a particular CCF 30 and the user element 16. The CCF PSI for the user element 16 may be provisioned in the user element 16 to enable the user element 16 to initiate transfers and the like controlled by the CCF 30. Alternatively, the CCF PSI may be transferred to the user element 16 upon network registration.
Depending on whether the user element 16 is registered in the home MS 12H, different techniques may be used to access the home MS 12H. When the user element 16 is registered in the home MS 12H, the user element 16 will have an S-CSCF assigned to it, and will use that S-CSCF to access the CCF 30. When the user element 16 is not registered in the home MS 12H, a temporary S-CSCF may be assigned to the user element 16, and the temporary S-CSCF will be used to access the CCF 30.
The application servers 32 may be invoked and placed within the call signaling path to implement any number of features or services. When a particular application service provided by an application server 32 is invoked, all signaling for the associated call or session is passed through the application service, which has the opportunity to process call signaling messages as necessary to implement the desired service. Notably, the CCF 30 acts like a service, and as such, the I/S-CSCF 28 will operate to pass all call signaling messages for the call through the CCF 30, thereby allowing the CCF 30 to act as an anchor for the call.
In FIG. 1, the user element 16 is engaged in a call supported by the CS client 18 and controlled by the CCF 30. As such, call signaling for the call passes through the VMSC 22, media gateway controller 24H, I/S-CSCF 28, CCF 30, and perhaps application server 32, if a service is invoked, on its way toward a remote endpoint 36. Notably, the access signaling leg, which is provided by the visited CS 14, is anchored at the CCF 30 and extends through the I/S-CSCF 28, media gateway controller 24H, the VMSC 22, and CS client 18 of the user element 16. The remote signaling leg toward the remote endpoint 36 is anchored in the CCF 30 and extends through the I/S-CSCF 28 and the application server 32. In this configuration, the CCF 30 can maintain control of the call and provide any necessary call processing during the call. Further, if a call transfer is required, the CCF 30 maintains the remote signaling leg and establishes a new access signaling leg.
The bearer path for the call illustrated in FIG. 1 extends from the CS client 18 through the VMSC 22 and media gateway 26H on its way toward the remote endpoint 36. Notably, the media gateway controller 24H cooperates with the media gateway 26H, such that a circuit-switched connection may be established between the media gateway 26H and the CS client 18 via the VMSC 22. The packet session may be established for the call from the media gateway 26H through the home MS 12H toward the remote endpoint 36.
With reference to FIG. 2, a call supported by the MS client 20 of the user element 16 is represented. Notably, the call does not extend through the visited CS 14, and will not employ the services of the VMSC 22, media gateway controller 24H, or media gateway 26H. Instead, the MS client 20 will support call signaling directly with the home MS 12H, and in particular with the CCF 30 via a serving-CSCF (S-CSCF) 40. Notably, the I/S-CSCF 28 and the S-CSCF 40 may represent the same CSCF or different CSCFs, depending on how the user element 16 registers with the home MS 12H.
As illustrated, call signaling is anchored in the CCF 30, wherein an access signaling leg is provided between the CCF 30 and the MS client 20 via the S-CSCF 40. A remote signaling leg is supported between the remote endpoint 36 and the CCF 30 via the S-CSCF 40 and any desired application servers 32 that may provide additional services in association with the call. The bearer path will extend from the MS client 20 toward the remote endpoint 36 via the home MS 12H, without traveling through the visited CS 14 (FIG. 1). Again, the CCF 30 anchors the call, such that if transfer is required, the remote signaling leg toward the remote endpoint 36 can be maintained, while the access signaling leg may be changed to facilitate the transfer from the home MS 12H to the visited CS 14. For transfer of calls between the visited CS 14 and the home MS 12H, the access signaling legs illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 will be changed to support the transfer, while the remote signaling leg is maintained by the CCF 30.
When the user element 16 is originating a call, the CCF 30 appears as a service provided by an application server, such as the application server 32. The CCF 30 may be invoked as the first service in a chain of services. When the user element 16 is terminating a call, the CCF 30 is invoked as the last service in a chain of services. By locating the CCF 30 with respect to the other services in this manner, other applications associated with the call are anchored by the CCF 30 as part of the remote signaling leg of the call, and are therefore not impacted by transfers affecting the access signaling leg.
The MSISDN or other user element identifier is owned and controlled by the home MS 12H to enable anchoring of incoming calls intended for the user element 16 at the CCF 30. Incoming calls destined for the user element 16 and originated from the visited CS 14, the public switched telephone network (PSTN), or other MS can be anchored at the CCF 30 by setting up routing functions at the originating service nodes, such that incoming calls intended for the user element 16 are delivered to the home MS 12H. As such, the CCF 30 can take the necessary steps to find the user element 16 and route the call to the user element 16, even if the user element 16 is in the visited CS 14 when the call arrives.
As indicated, the HSS 34 may store filter criteria associated with the CCF 30 as part of the user element's subscription profile. The CCF filter criteria is downloaded to the currently assigned S-CSCF (28 or 40) as part of the initial filter criteria to use when the user element 16 registers with the home MS 12H. This filter criteria is generally executed at the S-CSCF 40 (or 28) upon initiation of a call or session from the user element 16 or upon receipt of an incoming session intended for the user element 16. These filter criteria will instruct the S-CSCF 40 (or 28) to invoke the CCF 30 to control at least the bearer path for the call or session.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, when the user element 16 is being served by the visited CS 14, which is located a relatively long distance from the home MS 12H, routing the bearer path to the media gateway 26H in the home MS 12H may induce some backhaul inefficiencies. As such, the bearer path may be indirectly routed between the user element 16 and the remote endpoint 36 through the media gateway 26H instead of being more directly routed through the visited CS 14 and more local networks.
Accordingly, there is a need for a technique to effectively support calls for the user element 16 over both the visited CS 14 and the home MS 12 at the CCF 30. In conjunction, there is a further need to construct a more efficient bearer path between the user element 16 and the remote endpoint 36 when the visited CS 14 is located a relatively long distance from the home MS 12H.


Apparatus and method for transfer and application of an offset, heat release decal to an article surface. A thin, supported, silicone membrane is indexed through successive work positions where the membrane is heated, picks up a heated decal and brings the decal into contact with the article surface for printing.

Heat release decals customarily include a design layer supported on a substrate which is usually a paper sheet. An intermediate adhesive layer may be provided between the design layer and the paper sheet. That layer is solid at ambient temperature and softenable when heated. This permits separation of the design layer and the paper sheet, either during pickup of the decal or after its application to an article being decorated.
Heat release decals, as well as equipment for their application to ware, have been in use for many years. This is especially true for direct applied decals. There, the decal is brought into contact with the ware being decorated, and the design layer is applied by heat and contact pressure. Pressure may be applied by a rubber roller or pressure pad. Heat may be supplied by a heated pressure or print pad, for example, by an electrically heated pad. Alternatively, heat may be supplied by preheated ware.
Recently, an offset heat release decal process has been proposed where the decal is preheated on a platen. The design layer of the preheated decal is picked up from the decal paper substrate by a silicone print pad, The design layer is then transferred to the ware and applied by pressing the silicone print pad into contact with the ware. A feature of such a process is ability to design the print pad for use with curved or otherwise irregular surfaces.
Such a process holds forth much promise. However, certain problems limit its use. These involve primarily temperature control and material selection.
The design layer must separate from the carrier paper during pickup. This means that the temperature of the decal must be raised sufficiently to soften the adhesive layer. However, the adhesive must not become so hot that it becomes too fluid. It is evident that close temperature control must be exercised.
The transfer pad presents even more of a problem. The pad is normally of substantial size such that its temperature cannot be quickly changed. During decal pickup, the pad temperature must be sufficiently high so that the pad does not act as a heat sink and freeze the adhesive layer. However, some heat will be lost during transfer, and even more as the decal is applied to the ware. The ware, of course, will be at ambient temperature to freeze the adhesive on the surface of the ware, thereby permitting release of the decal from the pressure pad.
The net effect is that the transfer pad must be reheated between cycles. Because of its substantial size, this is relatively time consuming. This slows the rate at which the machine can be operated.
The material problem is one of selecting a suitable silicone material for the silicone transfer pad. On the one hand, the silicone must be relatively soft and deformable, that is, have a low durometer reading. This is necessary to avoid ware fracture when pressure is applied during decal application. However, most silicone materials of this nature do not have good release properties. In summary then, the problem is effecting a compromise between good chemical properties for decal release and good physical properties to avoid ware damage.
It is a basic purpose of my invention to provide a novel apparatus and process for offset heat release decal application that avoids the problems just discussed. Another purpose is to provide an apparatus and process where transfer of the decal is less dependent on the nature of the pressure pad.


A system and method are provided for detecting artificially generated load on a search system. The system may include a load monitoring component for monitoring a current load for comparison with an expected load. The system may additionally include an abnormality detection component for detecting an abnormality when the monitored load exceeds an expected amount by a predetermined threshold. The system may further include an analysis component for determining if the monitored load is an artificial load.

Through the Internet and other networks, users have gained access to large amounts of information distributed over a large number of computers. In order to access the vast amounts of information, users typically implement a user browser to access a search system. The search system responds to an input user query by returning one or more sources of information available over the Internet or other network.
Online services build search systems designed to handle expected user load. The search systems are typically built to a capacity to exceed the expected amount of legitimate load in order to provide some level of buffer. However, the higher the capacity, the greater the cost and complexity of the system, so it is highly desirous to not provide more capacity that will realistically be necessary.
Illegitimate load, which may be defined as load on a search system that is not serving the business purposes of the system, can cost a large amount of money to support and can also cause system performance problems. A particular type of illegitimate load is termed a Denial Of Service (DOS) attack. A DOS attack is artificially generated load explicitly developed to disrupt service of legitimate users.
Illegitimate load may raise costs by forcing a search system to repeatedly access more expensive resources in a time-consuming manner. For example, search systems typically store results for popular queries in a cache that is easily and quickly accessed. An attacker may generate multi-word randomized queries for which the search system will not have results stored in the cache, thus forcing the search system to access an index system for each query. The index system may include at least one small index and at least one large index. Accessing the large index will typically require the largest amount of computation and cause the search system to incur the greatest expense. A skilled attacker may formulate queries for which the search system will have to access the larger index.
In some search systems, a substantial portion of all search requests may occupy more than five hundred machines for a period of time. Across many computers, ten to one hundred computer minutes may be required for a single request that is well-crafted to require computation.
Generally, an extraordinarily high number of search queries may indicate an attempt to cause system disruption through a DOS attack. The DOS attacks may fall into two categories. A malicious attack may occur when a user attempts to bring down or reduce the capacity of a site for a malicious purpose such as a financial purpose. A non-malicious attack may occur when a user dominates the search system for non-malicious reasons. For instance, a researcher may implement multiple computers at a very high rate to research a topic through a search system.
It is also possible that this abnormally high number or search queries is not a synthetic event such as a DOS attack, but is rather the result of a natural event causing the abnormally high traffic. Accordingly, a solution is needed that determines whether a number of queries is abnormal and further determines whether a high traffic event is natural or artificial.

System and method for detection of artificially generated system load