The present application is directed to a memory-access-multiplexing memory controller that can multiplex memory accesses from multiple hardware threads, cores, and processors according to externally specified policies or parameters, including policies or parameters set by management layers within a virtualized computer system. A memory-access-multiplexing memory controller provides, at the physical-hardware level, a basis for ensuring rational and policy-driven sharing of the memory-access resource among multiple hardware threads, cores, and/or processors.

The development and evolution of modem computing has, in many ways, been facilitated by the power of logical abstraction. Early computers were manually programmed by slow and tedious input of machine instructions into the computers' memories. Over time, assembly-language programs and assemblers were developed in order to provide a level of abstraction, namely assembly-language programs, above the machine-instruction hardware-interface level, to allow programmers to more rapidly and accurately develop programs. Assembly-language-based operations are more easily encoded by human programmers than machine-instruction-based operations, and assemblers provided additional features, including assembly directives, routine calls, and a logical framework for program development. The development of operating systems provided yet another type of abstraction that provided programmers with logical, easy-to-understand system-call interfaces to computer-hardware functionality. As operating systems developed, additional internal levels of abstraction were created within operating systems, including virtual memory, implemented by operating-system paging of memory pages between electronic memory and mass-storage devices, which provided easy-to-use, linear memory-address spaces much larger than could be provided by the hardware memory of computer systems. Additional levels of abstractions were created in the programming-language domain, with compilers developed for a wide variety of compiled languages that greatly advanced the ease of programming and the number and capabilities of programming tools with respect those provided by assemblers and assembly languages. Higher-level scripting languages and special-purpose interpreted languages provided even higher levels of abstraction and greater ease of application development in particular areas. Similarly, block-based and sector-based interfaces to mass-storage devices have been abstracted through many levels of abstraction to modem database management systems, which provide for high-available and fault-tolerant storage of structured data that can be analyzed, interpreted, and manipulated through powerful high-level query languages.
In many ways, a modem computer system can be thought of as many different levels of abstractions along many different, often interdependent, dimensions. More recently, powerful new levels of abstraction have been developed with respect to virtual machines, which provide virtual execution environments for application programs and operating systems. Virtual-machine technology essentially abstracts the hardware resources and interfaces of a computer system on behalf of multiple virtual machines, each comprising one or more application programs and an operating system. Even more recently, the emergence of cloud computing services can provide abstract interfaces to enormous collections of geographically dispersed data centers, allowing computational service providers to develop and deploy complex Internet-based services that execute on tens or hundreds of physical servers through abstract cloud-computing interfaces. Despite the many layers of abstraction present in virtualized computing systems, physical hardware operation may nonetheless impact and constrain operations at higher levels of abstraction. Slow memory access due to conflicts between processors in multi-processor systems, for example, may degrade performance and constrain operations of virtual machines in virtualized computer systems. Researchers and developers of computer hardware and virtualization technologies continue to develop methods, systems, and technologies that ameliorate physical-hardware constraints and conflicts that propagate upward, through virtualization layers, to degrade performance of virtual machines.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A stalk roll for a corn head row unit has a conical seat and a spherical seat for mounting the stalk roll on a stalk roll driveshaft of a row unit. Each row unit has a drive shaft with a corresponding conical portion and a threaded fastener with a corresponding spherical portion for capturing the stalk roll on the drive shaft between mating conical shaft and stalk roll portions toward one end and mating spherical shaft and fastener portions at the other stalk roll end.

Corn heads are used with a combine base unit to permit the harvesting of corn. Corn heads include a frame and a toolbar extending across the width of the frame to which row units and optional chopping units are attached. Each row unit includes two adjacent stalk rolls mounted for rotation on adjacent rotating shafts extending from a row unit gearcase. The stalk rolls are long and slender, cantilevered forward and generally horizontal from the row unit gearcase on which they are mounted. The two stalk rolls define a gap therebetween into which corn stalks are inserted during operation. Each of the stalk rolls are fixed to a respective rotating shaft that extends from the front of a row unit gearcase.
One current technique for fixing a stalk roll to a corn head gearcase output shaft employs two bolts and two nuts as well as a set of double roll pins to fix the axial location of the stalk roll on the shaft. Another known technique employs a long bolt having a conic (frustoconical) contact surface engaging a conic stalk roll seat at one end of the stalk roll and a conic surface on the output shaft engaging a conic surface toward the other stalk roll end. The axis of conic engagement at one end is rarely perfectly coaxial with the axis of conic engagement near the other end. As the bolt is tightened, a bending moment is introduced. If the shaft stiffness prevents bending, one or both of the contact surfaces will have point contact, not full conic surface compliance, thus having an increased tendency to loosen or fail.
The gearcase output shafts drive the stalk rolls in a direction that pulls the corn stalks downward between the two rolls and pulls off the ears of corn on the stalks. As the stalk rolls rotate and pinch the corn stalks therebetween, they experience fluctuating loads in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the rolls and shafts. These fluctuating loads can loosen the threaded fasteners that secure the stalk rolls to their rotating shafts. What is needed is a stalk roll that does not loosen as easily. What is also needed is a stalk roll that can be easily removed while still providing this better attachment.
What is also needed is a stalk roll that can be held in closer concentric alignment to the shaft on which it is supported in order to maintain a constant spacing between itself and the adjacent stalk roll shaft.

Stalk roll for use in an agricultural harvesting machine


An inclined lift device for transporting an individual passenger includes a rail, a carriage adapted for being movable along the rail, a drive mechanism coupled to the carriage for moving the carriage along the rail, and a support secured to the carriage for supporting the individual passenger. The rail has at least one retaining surface and a guide surface. The carriage includes a housing pivotally coupled to the rail about an axis spaced from the guide surface, a retaining mechanism pivotally coupled to the housing about the axis and a follower coupled to the housing and spaced from the axis by a predetermined distance. The retaining mechanism engages said at least one retaining surface of the rail to retain the carriage relative to the rail during movement of the carriage along the rail. The follower engages the guide surface to pivot the carriage about the axis based upon a distance between the guide surface and the axis.

1. Field of the Invention.
The present invention relates generally to inclined lift devices for individually transporting passengers in ascending and descending directions along a stairway or other inclined surface. More particularly, the present invention relates to an inclined lift device having a passenger support that is maintained at a preselected constant incline while the passenger support is moved along a curved rail or a rail having varying degrees of inclination.
2. Description of the Prior Art.
Inclined lift devices, such as stairway chairlift devices, are utilized for individually transporting persons who have difficulty in ascending or descending stairs and other inclined surfaces. Typical stairway chairlift devices include a track or rail supported along the inclined surface and a carriage with a passenger support driven along the rail so as to ascend or descend the inclined surface. The rail typically guides movement of the carriage up and down the inclined surface. The rail and the carriage also cooperate to maintain the passenger support and the accompanying passenger at a preselected constant incline angle while the passenger moves up or down the inclined surface to protect the passenger from falling off of the passenger support.
Maintaining the passenger support at a constant incline angle has previously required the development of rail structures unique to each particular inclined surface being ascended or descended by the lift device. For example, different rail configurations are typically required to travel up and over landings, around corners and around curves of various stairways. Each unique rail design consequently requires a corresponding unique carriage adapted to move along the rail at a preselected constant incline angle along the rail. As a result, conventional inclined lift devices have required extensive custom made rails and carriages which are expensive to design, build, install, maintain and re-use.


A changeable display sign system which comprises a track component having a mechanism for securing track component horizontally to a support surface, a plurality of indicia panels and a mechanism for suspending the indicia panels in a removable manner from the track component, wherein the indicia panels will hang down from the track component to be viewed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display sign, and more particularly, a changeable display sign system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous innovations for display signs have been provided in the prior art that will be described. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they differ from the present invention.
A FIRST EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 1,779,190, Issued on Oct. 21, 1930, to Send teaches a display sign comprising a supporting means, upwardly facing channel members secured thereto in spaced and parallel relation, a sign character having its lower edge receivable in the lower channel and its upper edge receivable beneath the upper channel, and a downwardly facing retaining channel having one side receivable in the upper channel and its other side adapted to overlap the upper edge of the sign character.
A SECOND EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 3,883,967, Issued on May 20, 1975, to Barnes teaches a framed backing panel with opposed, vertically spaced groove means which respectively receive the upper and lower edges of character plates. The distance between the bases of the upper and lower groove means is sufficiently greater than the height of the character plates, that when any character plate is raised to abut the base of the upper groove, the lower edge of that character plate will clear the lip of the lower groove, whereupon the character plate may be removed from the sign. To prevent unauthorized removal of character plates, an unobtrusive locking strip is longitudinally removably disposed in the upper groove between the base and the upper edges of the character plates. Means may be provided to prevent removal of the locking strip. The panel frame is preferably T-slotted to provide a convenient fastener mount for mounting the sign.
A THIRD EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,553,345, Issued on Nov. 19, 1985, to Bercier et al. teaches a display letter mounting arrangement for use in an open face sign having a flat forward, or display, surface. Each letter, or alphanumeric character, is provided on an individual flat panel which is inserted between generally horizontally oriented, parallel, upper and lower tracks. A high contrast, or illuminated, background screen is provided aft of the planar arrangement of letter panels which are positioned immediately adjacent one another. Each panel includes an opaque partition secured to a lateral edge of the panel along the length thereof so as to be positioned between immediately adjacent panels on the sign in an overlapping manner. Each partition, or inter-panel strip, has a cross section in the form of an "h", with the recessed portion thereof securely attached to the lateral edge of a panel permitting the extended portion of the partition to engage and overlap the proximal edge portion of an immediately adjacent panel. The partition eliminates inter-panel light leaks and provides for more stable letter mounting. The arrangement of the present invention is particularly adapted for reverse-type letters in combination with an illuminated, or high contrast, background.
A FOURTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,357,701, Issued on Oct. 25, 1994, to Grate teaches an enlarged figure panel for attachment to an attraction board that has a planar panel which is adapted to fit over the outer surfaces of the rails defining the channels of the attraction board. A plurality of offset flanges which extend parallel to the surface of the panel are adapted to fit under the upper and lower lips of the tracks of at least one channel of the attraction board for attaching the figure board thereto. A U-shaped spring or a tab is also provided to prevent the figure panel from being blown out of a track of an attraction board by wind.
A FIFTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,367,800, Issued on Nov. 29, 1994, to Nelson teaches an Interchangeable display system that includes a mounting for a display element, the mounting includes a support backing and upper, center and lower face panels mounted to the support backing and spaced forwardly of the support backing with two elongated slots extending lengthwise between the respective face display elements and which cooperates with the upper slot, and a lower mounting hook on the back of the display element cooperates with the lower slot so that the two hooks retain the display element and can slide along the respective slots to assemble and disassemble the display element in position in front of the mounting. The display element itself may have face panels separated by a slot so that a superimposed display element provided with a mounting hook on the back thereof can be mounted in front of the display element.
A SIXTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,202, Issued on Aug. 6, 1996, to Brugger teaches a changeable letter for signs as a part of an illuminated sign or copy board system which provides different appearances when the changeable letters are alternately backlit or frontlit. The letter, understood to include letters, symbols and numerals, includes a translucent plate and first, second or additional layers of opaque, indicia-defining material applied thereto. The second layer is preferably of a lighter color than the first layer, and when superposed thereon, presents the appearance of a lighter colored letter surrounded by a darker border. However, when the letter is backlit as it would appear at nighttime positioned on an illuminated sign, the letter presents a black or otherwise darkened appearance surrounded by the lighted portion of the sign.
A SEVENTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,704,147, Issued on Jan. 6, 1998, to Rellinger teaches a magnetic letter board assembly having a magnetic letter board and removably magnetically secured magnetic graphic indicia bodies, wherein the front surface of the board has a pair of inwardly converging walls and a wall bridging the inwardly converging walls, and the graphic indicia bodies have a recess formed with a pair of inwardly converging walls and a bottom wall bridging the inwardly converging walls conforming to the walls and bridging wall of the board, for cooperative removable securement of the indicia bodies on the board. The graphic indicia bodies comprises of magnetic flexible integrally formed graphic indicia and background members formed to fit the board.
AN EIGHTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,832,643, Issued on Nov. 10, 1998, to Delaquila et al. teaches a display sign that includes a translucent, planar back panel attached to a front, open portion of a generally rectangular housing which contains a light source. Disposed on a front surface of the back panel in a vertically spaced manner are a first plurality of parallel, linear, horizontally aligned tracks, or rails. The display sign further includes a plurality of front panels each having a respective second plurality of horizontally aligned, vertically spaced, linear tracks on an aft surface thereon. Each of the second tracks is adapted to engage a respective one of the first tracks on the front of the sign's back panel for securely and removably attaching the front panels to the back panel. The depth of each of the second tracks, or the extent each of the second tracks extends outwardly from the aft surface of a front panel, is the same for all tracks on a given front panel, with the depth of the tracks on adjacent panels being different. This difference in the depth of the support tracks on adjacent front panels allows the front panels to be positioned in an edge-overlapping manner on the back panel where the overlapping portions of an adjacent pair of front panels prevent light leaks between the panels. The alphanumeric or graphic display on the front panels may be disposed over the sets of interlocking tracks and may extend to the edges of the front panels to provide a continuous full view image on the front of the sign.
It is apparent now that numerous innovations for display signs have been provided in the prior art that are adequate for various purposes. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, accordingly, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.


A shoe cleaning apparatus for use with a vehicle includes a brush assembly having at least one brush unit thereon. A mounting arm includes a first end extending from the brush assembly and a second end selectively coupled to a hitch receiver of the vehicle in an installed position. The mounting arm further includes a hinge for moving the brush assembly between an operating position and a storage position. The mounting arm includes an upper portion coupled to the hitch receiver and a lower portion laterally offset from the upper portion toward a ground surface. The lower portion is coupled to the brush assembly. The hinge is disposed on the lower portion of the mounting arm. A stepped portion extends perpendicularly between the upper portion and the lower portion. The brush assembly rotates from a substantially parallel relationship with the ground surface in the operating position to an upright position substantially perpendicular to the ground surface in the storage position.

Shoes are typically provided with a traction consistent to improve grip for a desired surface. For example, cleats are incorporated on outdoor athletic shoes such as soccer, football and track for example. Similarly, golf shoes are provided with spikes or soft spikes for improving a golfers grip with the ground while swinging. A similar strategy is used for construction shoes. A large traction surface is usually provided having deep grooves for negotiating variable terrain.
While these shoes provide improved traction on a given surface, they tend to encourage ground material to become lodged or stuck in the traction detail of the shoe. In this way, grass, mud, dirt, gravel and other debris can build up on the traction over time which can degrade the performance of the shoe and become a nuisance. As a result, it is difficult to keep a vehicle interior clean when using dirty shoes. In particular, in order to prevent the debris from being tracked into a vehicle it is necessary to adequately remove the debris from the shoes or remove the shoes altogether prior to entering the vehicle. Such a requirement can be awkward and inconvenient.


The Umbrella Semi-Trailer Drag Reducer is a device that reduces tractor-trailer aerodynamic drag, saving energy and reducing fuel consumption. The design includes a number of features similar to an umbrella, including flexible skin, metal ribs, quick-acting deployment, and compact stowage. The Umbrella Semi-Trailer Drag Reducer is designed to minimize installed cost, be robust and vandal resistant, and reduce the time needed for deployment to only a few seconds. The design includes two independent, paraboloid, mirrored halves, one mounted to each door. The bottom of each mirrored half is open, with a profile similar to one quadrant of an umbrella. Wide-throw hinges accommodate the collapsed stowed drag reducer. Turnbuckles maintain taught skin. The design allows easy retrofit for most existing semi-trailers. The drag reducer is mounted high above the road surface, with no part protruding beyond the top or sides of the semi-trailer.

Semi-trailer drag is a well known phenomenon and there are numerous patents aimed at minimizing its effects. Reviewed drag reducers include U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,569,983; 2,737,411; 3,425,740; 4,006,932; 4,116,482; 4,142,755; 4,236,745; 4,601,508; 4,682,808; 4,702,509; 4,978,162; 5,058,945; 5,236,347; 5,498,059; 5,823,610; 6,092,861; 6,309,010; 6,409,252; 6,467,833; 6,595,578; and Patent Application Publication US 2003/0205913 A1.1. Because of the large number of miles driven by the U.S. tractor-trailer trucking fleet, a widely adopted semi-trailer drag reducer, even of small efficiency, would yield significant industry cost savings, reduced carbon footprint, and reduced dependence on imported and domestic fossil fuels.
Tractor airfairings (i.e., front cab roof mounted devices) are now almost universally installed on American long-haul tractor-trailers, but there is no corresponding acceptance of rear-mounted drag reducers. Tractor airfairings are configured and installed in many shapes and sizes, presumably of different aerodynamic efficiencies. Similarly, prior artwork of patented drag reducers has varied shapes and sizes, but none of these drag reducers are seen on American Interstate highways. Aerodynamic efficiency, apparently, is not the primary reason for lack of industry acceptance of drag reducers.
There are three obvious properties that any drag reducer must include, in addition to providing an aerodynamic benefit, to be commercially successful.
First, the drag reducer must be installed at minimum cost. Costs are recovered a gallon of fuel saved at a time. To achieve a viable payback, materials must remain cost effective.
Second, a successful design must be robust and vandal resistant. Complicated machinery or electronics, air scoops or pumps, and moving parts of all kinds must be minimized to avoid costly maintenance. While tractors rarely sit idle, semi-trailers frequently sit empty in all types of environments, sometimes for extended periods. Components of any perceived significant value are subject to extreme weather conditions and would be prey to vandals.
Third, the time and effort required to deploy or collapse and stow the drag reducer must be minimized. A single person (the driver) typically opens and closes the semi-trailer doors while standing on the road surface. The doors must be able to rotate a full 270 degrees and lay flat as semi-trailers are routinely backed into enclosed docks for loading and unloading.
When an aerodynamically designed drag reducer can be installed economically, is of robust design, and is able to be deployed and stowed quickly, only then will industry acceptance be assured. The Umbrella Semi-Trailer Drag Reducer uniquely satisfies these demands.


A first embodiment of a circuit configured to be coupled to a network controller and a network is disclosed. The first embodiment includes a first circuit configured to receive bits of data from the network at a first frequency. The first embodiment also includes a second circuit, coupled to the first circuit. The second circuit is configured to generate, to the network controller, a first signal synchronous with a second frequency when the first circuit receives a predetermined number of bits. In response to the first signal, the network controller is configured to latch, at a second frequency, the predetermined number of bits. A second embodiment of a circuit configured to be coupled to a network controller and to a network is provided. The second embodiment includes a first circuit configured to transmit bits of data (bits) to the network at a first frequency. The second embodiment includes a second circuit, coupled to the first circuit. The second circuit is configured to generate a first signal, synchronous with a second frequency, to the network controller when the first circuit transmitted to the network a predetermined number of bits. In response to the first signal, the network controller is configured to generate to the first circuit, at a second frequency, a number of bits equal to the predetermined number.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electronic circuits. More specifically, the present invention relates to a circuit interfacing between a computer system and a network.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Typically, network controllers are used to carry out conversion and transfer between ordinary payload data (residing in a system memory of a computer system) and frames transmitted to or received from a network upstream or downstream. One such network controller may be an Intel Pro 100-A Fast Ethernet controller (including a Media Access Control Circuit (Big MAC) that has a part number 202513-302) made by Intel Corporation of Santa Clara, Calif. An Ethernet controller carries out the above-mentioned conversion and transfer of data, producing Ethernet frames that may be transmitted upstream at frequencies different than the frequency at which the Ethernet controller typically operates. The Ethernet controller also handles frames transmitted thereto downstream at frequencies different than the frequency at which the Ethernet controller operates.
A serial downstream rate at which data packets may be transmitted to an Ethernet controller may be 30 Megabits/second (MB/s), while a serial upstream rate at which data packets may be transmitted to the network may be 128 kilobits/second (KB/s). These rates are subject to change depending on the modulation technology and frequency bandwidth used. Since the downstream transmission rate exceeds 10 MB/s, an ordinary 10 MB/s Ethernet controller may not be adequate for this type of application. While more advanced Ethernet controllers are switch selectable, to operate at either 100 MB/s or 10 MB/s, they do not provide the flexibility for transmitting data upstream or receiving data downstream at frequencies other than 10 MB/s or 100 MB/s. If the downstream or upstream frequencies are different from the frequency at which the Ethernet controller operates, data may be lost in the process of transmission or receipt. Additionally, some Ethernet controllers, including the Big MAC, typically transmit or receive data in parallel, i.e., transmit or receive a nibble of data (four bits) at one time, although data is transmitted to or received from the network in serial form.
It is desirable to provide a circuit that interfaces between a network controller and a network that permits conversion of data from parallel to serial format and vice versa. It is also desirable to provide a circuit that interfaces between a network and a network controller that transfers data to or from the network controller from or to a network, where the frequencies at which data is transmitted to or received from the network differ from the frequency at which the network controller operates.

Network controller adapter that prevents loss of data received or transmitted


A turbine engine component includes an electron beam-physical vapor deposition thermal barrier coating covering at least a portion of a substrate. The thermal barrier coating includes an inner layer having a columnar-grained microstructure with inter-columnar gap porosity. The inner layer includes a stabilized ceramic material. The thermal barrier coating also includes a substantially non-porous outer layer, covering the inner layer and including the stabilized ceramic material. The outer layer is deposited with continuous line-of-sight exposure to the vapor source under oxygen deficient conditions. The outer layer may further comprise a dopant oxide that is more readily reducible than the stabilized ceramic material. During deposition, the outer layer may also have an oxygen deficient stoichiometry with respect to the inner layer. Oxygen stoichiometry in the outer layer may be restored by exposure of the coated component to an oxidizing environment.

Turbine engines are used as the primary power source for various kinds of aircrafts. The engines are also auxiliary power sources that drive air compressors, hydraulic pumps, and industrial gas turbine (IGT) power generation. Further, the power from turbine engines is used for stationary power supplies such as backup electrical generators.
Most turbine engines generally follow the same basic power generation procedure. Compressed air is mixed with fuel and burned, and the expanding hot combustion gases are directed against stationary turbine vanes in the engine. The vanes turn the high velocity gas flow partially sideways to impinge on the turbine blades mounted on a rotatable turbine disk. The force of the impinging gas causes the turbine disk to spin at high speed. Jet propulsion engines use the power created by the rotating turbine disk to draw more air into the engine and the high velocity combustion gas is passed out of the gas turbine aft end to create forward thrust. Other engines use this power to operate one or more propellers, electrical generators, or other devices.
Many turbine engine and aeroengine components such as blades, guide vanes, combustor cans, and so forth are formed from a superalloy, and are often coated with a thermal barrier coating to extend the component life. Since a temperature gradient is produced across the thermal barrier coating during engine operation, the engine component functions at a reduced temperature with respect to the operating environment. In addition to providing a thermal barrier, if the coating material has a thermal expansion coefficient that differs from that of the underlying component material, the coating material typically is processed to have porosity that provides high in-plane compliance to accommodate a thermal expansion mismatch.
Both the protective properties and the in-plane compliance for the thermal barrier coating may be adversely affected if the engine component is exposed to some types of environmental contaminants. One class of contaminants that may potentially reduce a thermal barrier coating's protective and compliance characteristics includes dust, comprising oxides of calcium, magnesium, aluminum, silicon, and mixtures thereof, which are commonly referred to as CMAS. Another class of contaminants that can wick into porous thermal barrier coatings is molten sulfate salts, such as sodium sulfate, which is a constituent of sea salt. Molten CMAS and sulfate salts may penetrate the pores or channels in a thermal barrier coating. Upon cooling, the penetrated contaminates solidify and thereby reduce the coating's in-plane compliance. Cracking, fragmentation, and spalling in the thermal barrier coating may result from the reduced ability to tolerate compressive strain.
Hence, there is a need for a substrate coating that has thermal barrier properties, high in-plane compliance and is resistant to contamination and penetration from environmental contaminants such as CMAS that exist in a high temperature system. There is a further need for efficient methods for manufacturing a component that includes such a coating.

Thermal barrier coating resistant to penetration by environmental contaminants


A bait station is formed of a single unitary member which is folded to bring a first portion into contact with a second portion. An intermediate portion connects the first and second portions. The bait station includes a pair of passageways which lead from opposite edges of the bait station to a central recess portion. A block of rodenticide material is located in the recess portion and the passageways are angled to prevent access to the rodenticide material by children.

The prior art related to pest control includes the following U.S. patents.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,953,868 to Chambers for a Device for Safely Administering Poison to Insects, Rodents and the Like, shows a poison carrying base which is connected to a protective cover. An opening between the base and the cover allows insects and rodents to eat the poison while preventing children from getting at the poison.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,658,536 to Baker for a Bait Station, shows a device with the overall configuration of a capital letter H. Openings are provided at the ends of the arms of the H and bait containing bins are located on either side of the central connecting passageway between the arms of the H. The location of the bait containing bins makes access by children difficult.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,841,669 to Demarest et al. for an Insect Bait Device, shows a feeding device which is formed by joining two substantially identical housing portions to form an enclosure. The portions are joined by sonic welding, radio frequency welding, solvent welding, or heat sealing. The housings contain an insect bait pad which is held on a ledge which is formed within the enclosure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,048,225 to Brandi for an Insect Feeding Station shows a device which has a base for carrying poison and a cover. The base has a luminous color under the poison to make removal of the poison easily detectable and outer walls with openings to allow entrance by an insect and walls or baffles to prevent access to the poison by a probe.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,960,585 to Demarest, et al. for a Bait Station for Crawling Insects shows a base with a cover fastened to the base. The base includes a bait cup with a bait cup wall. The cover includes a shell that defines a walkway between the shell and the bait cup wall. The shell also includes a roof that spans the space defined by the shell wall. An antechamber is defined by a side support and by the shell wall. The floor of the antechamber is continuous with the floor of the walkway. A door in the shell admits insects into the antechamber and the side support restricts straight line access to the bait cup.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,618,983 B1 to Spragins for an Insect Baiting and Trapping Station includes a base, a cover and an insert which is locked between the base and the cover. The insert is in the form of a glueboard to which inserts a stick or a tray. The tray holds a toxic bait or attractant that the insect takes back to its nest. The base and the cover are locked together with a resilient catch and the device requires two hands to open the cover.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,807,768 B1 to Johnson et al., for a Bait Station with a Screw-Off Child Resistant Lid has a base with a cylindrical sidewall with three openings to passageways which lead to an internal feeding chamber containing rodent bait. The passageways are configured to provide multiple rodent feeding positions at the feeding chamber. A dome-shaped lid covers the base and has finger recesses for gripping the lid. The lid and the base have resiliently deformable portions which lock the lid and the base to prevent a child from opening the lid.
Despite the developments of the prior art, there remains a need for an effective bait station which is capable of controlling pests.


A semiconductor device is fabricating using a photoresist mask pattern, and selectively removing portions of a liner nitride layer in a cell region and a peripheral circuit region. A modified FinFET is formed to reduce the influence of signals transmitted by adjacent gate lines in a cell region. A double FinFET and a substantially planar MOSFET are formed in a core region and in a peripheral region, respectively, concurrently with the formation of the modified FinFET.

1. Field of Invention
Embodiments exemplarily described herein relate to semiconductor devices and methods of fabricating semiconductor devices, and more particularly to a method of fabricating FinFET devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the semiconductor manufacturing industry, efforts are continuously made to reduce the size of semiconductor devices. As the size of semiconductor devices decrease, the degree to which the semiconductor devices can be integrated together improves and the production yield increases. The performance of semiconductor devices desirably improves, in terms of reduced power consumption of the semiconductor device, as semiconductor devices decrease in size.
Undesirably, however, the length of channels in semiconductor devices (e.g., CMOS devices) can be shortened as the size of the semiconductor device decreases. If the channel length is excessively shortened, a short channel effect can occur, thereby decreasing semiconductor device performance. Drain induced barrier lowering (DIBL) is a typical short channel effect, and a potential barrier between the drain and source regions as the channel length is shortened. As a drain voltage increases, a depletion region around the drain region increases and an electric field of the drain region reduces a channel potential barrier so that an off-state of the semiconductor device increases or a leakage current between the source and drain regions increases.
In order to overcome the limitations described above a three-dimensional FinFETs have been developed.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a structure of a conventional FinFET.
Referring to FIG. 1, a gate electrode 5 covers three surfaces of a fin-shaped active region 2 of a semiconductor substrate 1. A gate dielectric layer 4 is disposed between the gate electrode 5 and the fin-shaped active region 2. An isolation layer (not shown) is also provided. As shown, the conventional FinFET structure is an extending multi-gate structure and may allow improved gate control.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the fin-shaped active region 2 shown in FIG. 1.
Referring to FIG. 2, gate lines 5a are formed over the fin-shaped active region 2 and the gate lines 5b extend down into an isolation layer 3 so as to contact sidewalls of the fin-shaped active region 2. As the size of the semiconductor device decreases, a distance between the gate lines 5a and 5b is reduced. In the event that a misalignment occurs, a gate line (e.g., gate line 5b), which should not otherwise contact the fin-shaped active region 2, contacts the sidewall of the active region 2 or is formed on the active region 2. Thus, when the portion of the gate line 5b penetrating the isolation layer 3 contacts the sidewall of the active region 2 as shown in FIG. 2, the transistor formed on the active region 2 will be undesirably influenced by a signal transmitted by gate line 5b.
Often, both a FinFET and a planar MOSFET are formed together to improve an integration density of a semiconductor device. For example, a FinFET is formed in a cell region of a semiconductor device while a planar MOSFET is formed in a peripheral region of the semiconductor device. Furthermore, multiple FinFET structures may be fabricated in a semiconductor device, causing an upper surface of an active region to be uneven. Because the upper surface of the active region is uneven, the FinFET and planar MOSFET structures must be formed in the cell and peripheral regions, respectively, using separate masks. When separate masks are used to form FinFET and planar MOSFET structures, fabrication processes for the resultant semiconductor device can become undesirably complicated.

Semiconductor device and method of fabricating the same


When an original document is placed on the lift tray, a timer is reset and starts counting a predetermined time (S12). Whether an alignment device is moved to adjust the original documents loaded on the lift tray in, for example, the widthwise direction transverse to the transportation direction is then determined (S13). If a change in the detected width of the original documents is detected (S13 returns Yes), control returns to S12 and the timer is reset and started again (S12). If there is no change in the detected width of the original documents in S13, control waits for the timer set in S12 to time out (S14). If the timer reaches the predetermined time set in S12 (S15 returns Yes), the lift tray is driven up by the lift motor (S16) and rises until the top limit sensor turns on (S17).

The timing at which the pickup roller picks an original document from the document table in a conventional original document reading device is controlled to the moment at which the roller contacts the top of the document held on the document table after the pickup roller begins descending. This shortens the time between the start of pickup roller movement and paper feeding, and thus improves the paper feed rate.
Another example of a conventional original document reading device has a stack height sensor for sensing the thickness of a stack of original documents placed on the document table. This original document reading device determines how far to move the lift plate based on the detected stack height, and then drives and stops a motor to raise or lower the lift plate the determined distance and thus prevent damage to the device when a problem with the lift plate is detected.
To improve the ease of use for the operator, the operating mode of the original document lifting member in yet another example of a conventional original document reading device can be selectively set to either of two modes: a first operating mode in which the original document lifting member rises immediately after an original is placed on the paper feeding table, and a second operating mode in which the original document lifting member rises when the start button is pressed after detecting that an original document is on the paper feeding table.
These conventional original document reading devices address the need to improve the paper feed rate, prevent damage to the document table, and improve the ease of use to some degree, but these reading devices are not necessarily easy to use.
The present invention is directed to these problems, and an object of the invention is to provide an original document reading device that is easier for the operator to use.


The invention relates to a method for producing a catalytic composition, wherein the catalytic composition has a high activity and selectivity with regard to the oxidation of CO and a reduced activity with regard to the oxidation of NO. The invention also relates to the catalyst produced using the method according to the invention. Finally, the invention is directed towards an exhaust-gas cleaning system which comprises the catalyst according to the invention.

In the early days of exhaust-gas cleaning of combustion engines, only the exhaust gases from petrol engines were cleaned with three-way catalysts (TWC). The nitrogen oxides are reduced with the reductive hydrocarbons (HC) and carbon monoxide (CO). For this, the petrol engine is always driven under approximately stoichiometric conditions (λ=1). This cannot always be guaranteed precisely in this way, with the result that the conditions in the exhaust gas always fluctuate around λ=1. In other words, the catalyst is exposed alternately to an oxidative or a reductive gas atmosphere.
For about 15 years, attempts have also been made to aftertreat the exhaust gases from diesel engines with catalysts. The exhaust gas from diesel engines contains carbon monoxide, unburnt hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides and soot particles as air pollutants. The unburnt hydrocarbons comprise paraffins, olefins, aldehydes and aromatics. Unlike the petrol engine, the diesel engine always runs with an excess of oxygen and thus the catalyst is never exposed to reductive conditions. This has the following consequences:                1. The oxygen storage capacity of the catalyst material does not play the same role as with the TWC.        2. The noble metal particles are not always reduced again to metal of oxidation state 0.        3. The nitrogen oxides cannot be fully reduced when there is an excess of oxygen with the hydrocarbons (HC) present in the exhaust gas and CO.        4. The hydrocarbons and CO can be oxidized both with oxygen and with NOx.
Diesel exhaust gases are much colder than exhaust gases from petrol engines and contain oxygen in a concentration between 3 and 10 vol.-%, which is why the catalytic activity of the catalyst on average is not always sufficient to oxidize HC and CO. In partial-load operation, the exhaust-gas temperature of a diesel engine lies in the range between 100 and 250° C. and only in full-load operation does it reach a maximum temperature between 550 and 650° C. In contrast, the exhaust-gas temperature of a petrol engine lies between 400 and 450° C. in partial-load operation and, in full load, can rise to up to 1000° C. It is therefore an aim to achieve as low as possible a CO light-off temperature.
In past years, diesel particle filters (DPF) have increasingly been introduced onto the market. These are normally fitted downstream of the DOCS. Soot is collected and oxidized in the DPF. The oxidation of soot is much more possible with NO2 than with oxygen. Thus, the more NO2 is contained in the gas stream after the DOC, the more soot continuously reacts. Thus, there has been a tendency in past years to oxidize as much NO to NO2 as possible in the DOC. But NO2 is an even more toxic gas than NO, with the result that this shift towards increased nitrogen oxide emissions manifests itself in a very negative way. An increasing NO2 concentration due to DOC is also already detectable in cities. Thus, the trend is returning to a limiting of the oxidation of NO to NO2.
Markedly reduced emissions of nitrogen oxides have thus also been prescribed for the Euro VI standard. It will be possible to achieve these either only by means of NOR-trap catalysts or by means of a selective catalytic reduction by means of ammonia.
SCR (selective catalytic reduction) denotes the selective catalytic reduction of nitrogen oxides from exhaust gases of combustion engines and also power stations. Only the nitrogen oxides NO and NO2 (called NOx in general) are selectively reduced with an SCR catalyst, wherein NH3 (ammonia) is usually admixed for the reaction. The closer the NO/NO2 ratio is to 1:1, the more efficiently such an SCR reaction runs, thus a substantial oxidation of NO to NO2 is necessary for this. Only the harmless substances water and nitrogen form as reaction product in the SCR reaction.
The transportation of ammonia in compressed-gas bottles is a safety risk for use in motor vehicles. Therefore precursor compounds of ammonia which are broken down in the exhaust-gas system of the vehicles accompanied by the formation of ammonia are customarily used. For example the use of AdBlue®, which is an approximately 32.5% eutectic solution of urea in water, is known in this connection. Other ammonia sources are for example ammonium carbamate, ammonium formate or urea pellets.
However, a problem is that such an SCR catalyst is difficult to retrofit, or retrofitting is associated with extremely high costs, as many additional components and control systems are necessary. Accordingly, particle filters are today predominantly retrofitted in diesel vehicles without downstream SCR catalyst, wherein excess NO2 that is not required for the particle oxidation leaves the exhaust-gas system and is introduced into the environment. It would thus be advantageous to be able to set the quantity of NO2 produced more precisely.
The oxidation of NO to NO2 takes place in an upstream oxidation catalyst which is thus necessary for an optimum degree of efficiency of the DPF.
The basis of the catalytic exhaust-gas cleaning in a diesel engine is thus clearly the upstream oxidation catalyst which is to have an efficient oxidation action for CO and HC. This is achieved for example by reducing the CO light-off temperature. However, the NO oxidation tendency is to be reduced in order to emit as little NO2 as possible. On the other hand, as far as possible, so much NO2 is to form that a particle filter (without subsequent SCR catalyst) is provided with enough NO2.
It is known in the state of the art (see for example U.S. Pat. No. 5,157,007 A1) that catalysts with TiO2 as support material and V2O5 as catalytically active component have a lower activity with regard to the oxidation of NO to NO2. However, vanadium is toxic and can be introduced into the environment via the exhaust-gas system. In addition, vanadium also reduces the activity vis-à-vis the CO oxidation and thus is not desired for this reason also.
In the publication SAE 2005/01-0476 (Rhodia), it is clear that above all support materials with smaller interactions with Pt(II), e.g. aluminium oxide and zirconium oxide, make possible very low light-off temperatures for the oxidation of CO. Because of the larger BET surface area of aluminium, aluminium oxide is preferably used for DOC applications.
One way of reducing the light-off temperature for CO as much as possible can be found in the patent application EP 706817 A1 from Umicore. EP 706817 A1 describes a DOC catalyst with Pt on an Al/Si mixed oxide (in the best case 5% Si).
The further development using an H+ and Na+ zeolite is disclosed in EP 800856 B1, where light-off temperatures of approximately 150° C. for CO are already achieved.
A further improvement is described in EP 1129764 B1, where very finely distributed Pt particles with an average oxidation state of the Pt<2.5 form by a calcining by means of injection into a flame. It is to be borne in mind that combustion exhaust gases can contain a wide variety of components, such as CO, nitrogen oxides and residual hydrocarbons. In addition, combustion exhaust gases can also contain different quantities of oxygen depending on the guidance of the combustion. The gas mixture can thus be reductive or oxidative.
Although the injection of a platinum precursor into a flame results in a catalyst that has a good activity with regard to a CO oxidation, the oxidation activity with regard to the oxidation of NO to NO2 cannot be controlled with this method. Thus, there is still a need for catalysts with as low as possible a light-off temperature for CO and, at the same time, a low activity and selectivity for the oxidation of NO to NO2.
The object of the present invention was therefore to provide such catalysts.

Vanadium-free diesel oxidation catalyst and method for its production


An image forming apparatus includes, an image forming device, a transporting device, a first medium holding device, and a second medium holding device. The image forming device forms an image on a print medium unwound from a roll. The transporting device is configured to transport the unwound print medium on a transport path facing the image forming device. The first medium holding device is disposed upstream of the image forming device in a medium transporting direction, and configured to hold the print medium on the transport path and retract to an open position for opening the transport path. The second medium holding device is disposed downstream of the image forming device in the medium transporting direction, and configured to hold the print medium on the transport path and retract to an open position for opening the transport path.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, particularly to an image forming apparatus using a rolled print medium.
2. Related Art
An image forming apparatus, such as a label printer, performs printing on a print medium having an adhesive surface with no release liner attached thereto, such as an adhesive tape or a label sheet with no backing sheet, (hereinafter also referred to as a linerless label sheet), and thereafter cuts the print medium into print medium pieces (hereinafter also referred to as label pieces) of a desired length.
A printer that performs printing on labels temporarily attached to a label continuum may include, for example, a label holding device that suppresses flapping of the label continuum fed from a storage space storing the label continuum to a printing position by holding the label continuum between the label holding device and a guide plate. The label holding device includes an upper cover for opening and closing an upper part of the storage space and a label holder attached to the upper cover. When the upper cover closes, the label holder moves to a position at which the label holder and the guide plate hold therebetween the label continuum. When the upper cover opens, the label holder moves upward with the upper cover.
In general, a print medium such as a linerless label sheet is unwound from a roll and set on a transporting device. Since no release liner is attached to the adhesive surface of the print medium, the print medium is peeled off from the roll. Such peeling of the print medium causes a leading end portion of the print medium to curl in the opposite direction to the winding direction of the roll. When the print medium with such a relatively large curl is set on the transporting device, it is desirable to perform the setting of the print medium while removing the curl, and simplify the operation of setting the print medium.
The above-described label holding device is capable of holding the print medium. However, the label holder moves with the opening or closing movement of the upper cover. When the upper cover is closed, therefore, the print medium is not visible, and thus whether or not the print medium is correctly set is not ascertainable. Further, the setting of the print medium involves opening and closing the entire upper cover, which affects operability.

Image forming apparatus with medium holding devices retractable to access transport path


The present system provides an on the fly simple to complex 6DOF registration approach using the direct method. On the fly means it does not require training time, a user points a phone/camera to a planar surface and can start tracking it instantly. Simple to complex means the system performs registration in multiple levels of complexity from 2DOF to 6DOF. By increasing the complexity model the system enables more surfaces to be tracked and for surfaces that are tracked the system can avoid local minima solution providing a more robust and accurate 6DOF tracking. Even surfaces that are very weak in features can be tracked in 6DOF and virtual content can be registered to them. The system enables playing Augmented Reality games on low-end devices such as mobile phones on almost any surface in the real world.

It is sometimes desired to allow a person to combine virtual reality with a real world surface. For example, a user may point the camera of a computer or smart-phone or tablet at a wall and the wall will appear on the display of the camera device. In addition, some virtual object will appear in the image as well, and appear as if it is part of the real world environment, such as, for example, a basketball hoop appearing to be affixed to the wall. This is referred to as Augmented Reality.
Augmented Reality is a process that combines Computer Vision and Computer Graphics to present augmented information on view of the real world. It creates the illusion that the added information resides in the real world. This information can be helpful for applications such as navigation, education, entertainments and games.
To achieve accurate registration of information, Computer Vision methods are used to register regions of interest between camera frames. Based on those registered regions the desired information is registered. The Computer Vision method will usually try to estimate the camera pose in real time.
When triggering an application on a certain surface in order to see augmented information on that surface it is possible to calculate the relative camera pose between the pose of the camera when the application was triggered to its poses in consecutive camera frames. When the information presented is 3D content it is extremely important to register the camera frames correctly (which are 2D by nature). Small errors in the 2D registration will be reflected in large misalignments of the 3D content. Augmented Reality applications are real time applications by their nature. In real time applications computation speed and efficient algorithms are extremely important.
Augmented Reality applications and applications for entertainment and games are usually targeting a mass audience. In those cases it cannot be assumed the user is trained by any mean to use the application. It follows the registration should work on many different surfaces and in many different realistic scenarios.
The registration process used for Augmented Reality on planar surfaces is known as planar tracking or homography tracking. In the past, planar tracking or homography tracking has been done in contexts such as aligning different patches taken from space satellites. In Augmented Reality the goal in many cases is displaying 3D content registered in real time to a real world surface or environment. One prior art approach tries to identify strong local features in the image (such as corners) and track those local features as the camera is moving to register the image. With a sizable amount of local features on the real world surface, it is possible to track the plane reliably and in real time. The local features approach can only work on surfaces that are well textured which limits the usability of the application.
Another approach (sometime called the direct approach) tries to use all the pixels in the image and match between frames. The methods using the direct approach tend to be computationally intensive and are typically unable to deal with significant illumination changes. In addition, the approach has been limited in the number of degrees of freedom (DOF) that are available.
Six degrees of freedom registration means the relation between the camera and the planar surface on which information is being augmented is practically the full range of motions one can expect and in particular: moving the camera up and down, left and right, forward and backward and tilting it both in rotation and skewed angles with respect to the surface being imaged. The same applies the other way around meaning moving the surface with respect to the camera. 2DOF registration accommodates only for a limited set of motions and in particular up and down and left and right. Different degrees of freedom can be defined in between these two but only 6DOF supports the full set of motions that can be done in reality.
Only a few efforts have been done to register content to a plane in 6DOF using the direct approach and most of the existing work registers with less than 6DOF. The existing 6DOF methods are usually sensitive to local minima which means they fail for no visible reasons as the camera moves around. Existing 6DOF methods are usually theoretical and have not matured to robust products that are stable and can support a system for the mass market. Existing 6DOF methods have not applied a gradually growing complexity model (from 2DOF to 6DOF) so given a surface they will either work or not depending on the appearance of the plane limiting the amount of surfaces around us that can be used to trigger the augmented experience.

Systems and methods for efficient 3D tracking of weakly textured planar surfaces for augmented reality applications


A connector for a composite communications cable includes a connector body, a contact post mounted within the connector body, a compression sleeve that is received within a rear end of the connector body and an optical fiber passage at a front end of the connector.

Coaxial cables are a known type of electrical cable that may be used to carry radio frequency ("RF") signals. Coaxial cables are widely used as transmission lines in cable television networks. FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a conventional coaxial cable 10 that has been partially cut apart to reveal its internal structure. As shown in FIG. 1, the coaxial cable 10 has a center conductor 12 that is surrounded by a dielectric spacer 14. A tape 16 may be bonded to the outside surface of the dielectric spacer 14. A metallic electrical shield 18, which typically comprises braided shielding wires and, optionally, one or more electrical shielding tapes (not shown in FIG. 1), surrounds the center conductor 12, dielectric spacer 14 and tape 16. The electrical shield 18 serves as an outer conductor of the coaxial cable 10. Finally, a cable jacket 20 surrounds the electrical shield 18 to complete the coaxial cable 10.
Fiber optic cables are also well known in the art. Fiber optic cables typically include one or more optical fibers, one or more strength members such as, for example, aramid fibers or other strength yarns, and a protective outer jacket. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional fiber optic cable 32. As shown in FIG. 2, the fiber optic cable 32 includes a glass (silica) core 34, a glass cladding 36, and a protective coating 38 that is typically a polymer layer such as an acrylic or other plastic layer that is integral with the core 34 and cladding 36. A jacket 40 surrounds and protects the optical fiber 32. While not shown in FIG. 2, it will be appreciated that additional components are routinely included in fiber optic cables such as strength yarns, buffer tubes, additional optical fibers, etc. A wide variety of fiber optic communications cables are known in the art, including ribbon cables, loose tube cables, cables that include a single optical fiber, cables that include multiple optical fibers, etc.
Optical fibers typically include a glass core 34 and glass cladding 36 that may be easily damaged if the cable is bent at too tight of an angle or otherwise subjected to excessive force, and hence fiber optic cables tend to be much more susceptible to damage than are coaxial cables. As such, fiber optic cables routinely include strength members such as fiberglass or aramid fibers that protect the optical fibers, and often also include buffer tubes which protect the optical fibers and/or allow the optical fibers to move relative to the other components of the cable. Optical fibers that can move relative to the buffer tube are referred to as "loosely-buffered" optical fibers, whereas "tightly-buffered" optical fibers are optical fibers that include a plastic (or other) material that is extruded directly onto the optical fiber (e.g., onto an acrylate coating of the optical fiber) such that the buffer layer is bonded to the optical fiber and forms an integral structure therewith. The buffer layer that is provided on a tightly-buffered optical fiber is typically about 250-325 microns thick, and the overall diameter of a tightly-buffered optical fiber (including the buffer layer) may be, for example, about 900 microns.
Cable television networks refer to communications networks that are used to transmit cable television signals and signals relating to other services such as broadband Internet and/or Voice-over-Internet Protocol ("VoIP") telephone service between a service provider and a plurality of subscribers. Typically, the service provider is a cable television company that may have exclusive rights to offer cable television services in a particular geographic area. The subscribers in a cable television network may include, for example, individual homes, apartments, hotels, businesses, schools, government facilities and various other entities.
Most conventional cable television networks comprise hybrid fiber-coaxial networks. In these networks, fiber optic cables are typically used to carry signals from the headend facilities of the service provider to various distribution points. These fiber optic cables may support very high bandwidth communications, and thus may provide an efficient mechanism for distributing signals throughout a service area. However, fiber optic cabling and the related equipment that are used to transmit optical signals can be substantially more expensive than coaxial cable and the related equipment that is used to transmit electrical RF signals throughout a cable television network. Consequently, less expensive coaxial cable is typically used at least in the so-called "drop" sections of a cable television network in order to carry the signals into neighborhoods and/or into individual homes, apartment complexes, businesses and other subscriber premises. Electronic interface units are located throughout the cable television networks that are used convert the optical signals into electrical signals and vice versa.

Connectors for composite fiber optic/coaxial cables and related connectorized cables and methods


The invention relates to a method for generating a large static image M(n), such as a sprite or a mosaic, from a video sequence. This method first comprises, in view of a first accretion step, an estimation of the motion parameters related to the video objects of the sequence, with respect to the previously generated static image. Each video objects is then warped on the basis of said parameters, and the warped video objects are blended with the previously generated static image. According to the invention, said method also comprises (nxe2x88x921) further accretion steps, but applied this time to the same video sequence considered in the reverse order. Each additional accretion step itself includes a warping sub-step, based on each successive video object considered in said reverse order and on the corresponding motion parameters already estimated, and a blending sub-step, pixel-based or region-based weighting coefficients being then computed in order to be taken into account during the blending steps.

The invention relates to a method for generating a large static image, such as a sprite or a mosaic, from a video sequence including successive video objects VOs, said method comprising, in view of the accretion of said static image, the steps of:
(A) estimating motion parameters related to the current video object V0(n) of the sequence, with respect to the previously generated static image;
(B) warping said current video object V0(n), on the basis of said estimated motion parameters;
(C) blending the warped video object WV0(n) thus obtained with said previously generated static image; and to a corresponding device. This invention may be useful in relation with the MPEG-4 and MPEG-7 standards.
The descriptors and description schemes that will be standardized within the frame of MPEG-7 (MPEG-7 has for object to standardize within some years generic ways to describe multimedia content) will allow fast and efficient retrieval of data, on the basis of various types of features such as text, color, texture, motion and semantic content. In this MPEG-7 context, a mosaic can also play a useful role, as it will be shown.
Sequences, video shots and key-frames follow a hierarchical structure: a video shot is a particular sequence which shows a single background, while a key-frame is a visual representation in only one image of this shot. A visual representation of a video sequence can be obtained by the extraction of key-frames from a previous shot partition of the whole sequence. The process then chooses as key-frame one image of each shot, so that it only shows 25 a part of the video shot that may not be the most reliable one for representation. A mosaic seems however to be a better choice than a key-frame, when it is wanted to show the whole video shot in a single panoramic view of background information. As explained for instance in the article xe2x80x9cEfficient representations of video sequences and their applicationsxe2x80x9d, M. Irani and al., Signal Processing: Image Communication, vol.8, 1996, pp.327-351, a mosaic image is a kind of large static image constructed from all frames in a scene sequence, giving a panoramic view of said scene. From this panoramic view, it is then possible to extract for instance the main features of the sequence, such as chrominance or luminance histograms, objects shapes, global motion parameters, and so on (all these features constitute relevant standard descriptors for MPEG-7 and are useful for MPEG-7 compliant search engines).
The definition of a mosaic may be compared to that of a sprite, as used in the context of the MPEG-4 standard. A sprite is a large static image composed of the pixels in an object visible through an entire sequence. This static image forms a panoramic view whose some portions may not be visible in some frames because of foreground objects or camera motion. If all the relevant pixels throughout the entire sequence are collected, a complete panoramic view (called background sprite) is obtained, which can be efficiently transmitted (or stored) and used later for re-creating portions of frames.
As described for instance in the case of a sprite in the document WO 98/59497 (but this description can be applied to the case of a mosaic), three main steps may compose a sprite or mosaic generation (in the following, the generic word xe2x80x9cstatic imagexe2x80x9d will be therefore used in place of sprite or mosaic). A motion estimation step is first provided, in order to find the motion parameters that will allow to merge correctly a current frame F(n) with the static image M(nxe2x88x921) already composed of the previous frames F(1), F(2), . . . , F(nxe2x88x921). The inverse parameters are then computed, so that the current frame may be compensated in the direction of these inverted parameters ; this second step is also called warping. The warped current frame F(n) is finally blended with M(nxe2x88x921) in order to form a new accreted static image M(n), with which the next incoming frame F(n+1) will be merged, and so on.
However, an observation of the obtained static image may lead to consider that some parts of said static image are not clean. For instance, some parts of a moving object have not been completely removed.
It is therefore an object of the invention to propose a method allowing to generate a static image without such artefacts.
To this end, the invention relates to a method such as described in the introductory paragraph of the description and which is moreover characterized in that:
(1) said method also comprises (nxe2x88x921) further accretion steps applied to the same video sequence considered in the reverse order, each additional accretion step itself including a warping sub-step, based on each successive video object considered in said reverse order and on the corresponding estimated motion parameters, and a blending sub-step, provided between the warped video object thus considered and the static image generated at the end of the previous accretion step.
It is another object of the invention to propose a static image generation device for carrying out said method.
To this end, this invention relates to a device for generating a large static image, such as a sprite or a mosaic, from a video sequence including successive video objects VOs, said device comprising, in view of the accretion of said static image in a first accretion stage:
(A) a motion estimation circuit, provided for estimating a motion information related to the relative motion between the current video object VO(n) of the sequence and the previously generated static image;
(B) a first warping circuit, provided for defined on the basis of said current video object and said motion information a warped video object WVO(n);
(C) a first blending circuit, provided for blending the warped video object WVO(n) thus obtained with said previously generated static image, said previously generated static image being thus updated by replacement by the new one;
characterized in that it also comprises at least a further accretion loop including a second warping circuit, a second blending circuit provided for blending the warped video object thus obtained with the previously generated static image, and a memory for storing said generated static image, said memory and said second warping and blending circuits being organized for carrying on the updated static image available at the output of the first blending circuit (nxe2x88x921) additional accretion steps taking into account on the one hand the same video sequence but considered in the reverse order and on the other hand the estimated motion information corresponding to each concerned video object of said reverse sequence, and, between said warping and blending circuits of said first accretion stage or of anyone of said further accretion loops, means for computing for each picture element a weighting coefficient correlated to the error between the warped video object and the generated static image and taken into account by the blending circuit during the blending step.

Static image generation method and device


A seat slider device may include a lower rail attachable to a body of a vehicle; a belt arranged along a longitudinal direction of the lower rail and having both ends thereof fixed; and an upper rail attachable to a seat, slidably engaging with the lower rail, and including an actuator configured to feed the belt. The actuator may be configured to apply a drive force on a lower surface of the belt.

A seat slider device that moves (slides) a seat by an actuator is known. A seat slider device described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-210113 arranges a lead screw inside its lower rail. On the other hand, an upper rail thereof is provided with a screw nut that engages with the lead screw, and a motor and a worm gear that rotate the screw nut. When the screw nut is rotated by the motor and the worm gear, the upper rail (that is, a seat) moves along with the screw nut.
The seat slider device described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-210113 is provided with a shutter that covers an opening of the lower rail so as to prevent dust from adhering to the lead screw. The shutter has a shape of an endless belt and is hung between rollers arranged at respective ends of the lower rail. The opening is closed by an upper portion of the shutter extending between the pair of rollers. A hole is provided in the shutter, and the upper rail protrudes upward from inside of the lower rail through the hole. As such, the shutter moves following the upper rail when the upper rail moves.


A mechanical pressure application system for applying a tailored pressure distribution to a plurality of structural components is provided. Each structural component has a first surface, and each first surface is configured to interface with the first surface of another of the structural components at a contact area. A base and at least one tooling block are configured to removably couple to the structural components. Each at least one tooling block includes a first surface configured to be positioned proximate at least one of the plurality of structural components. A second surface of each tooling block is configured to receive at least one forcing member. At least one biasing mechanism is configured to apply a predetermined load to the at least one forcing member, such that a force is transmitted from the at least one forcing member through the tooling block to a corresponding portion of the contact area.

The field of the disclosure relates generally to applying pressure to structural components, and, more particularly, to systems and methods for applying a tailored pressure distribution to structural components.
At least some known structural applications involve an application of pressure to at least one interface between a plurality of structural components. For example, at least some known structures are formed by bonding together a plurality of structural components, and the bonding area between the components is subjected to an elevated pressure for a period of time. The structural components may include one or more of a composite structural component and a metallic structural component. An elevated temperature also may be applied during at least part of such a process to facilitate curing a bonding layer.
At least some known bonded structures are formed using a pressurized autoclave. For example, an air-tight vacuum bag is placed around at least part of the structure surrounding the bonding area, and the pressurized autoclave supplies both the elevated pressure and the elevated temperature for the bonding process. However, the bagging process required for such known techniques is labor-intensive and susceptible to failure, especially for relatively geometrically complex structural components. For example, structural components that include curved surfaces, angled pieces, and/or complex contours present a higher probability in tearing the bag, which results in one or more of re-bagging, a failed final assembly, repair or replacement of one or more involved structural components, and a need to repeat other labor- and material-intensive steps in a structural assembly process. Alternatively, at least some known bonded structures are formed using a press, but the use of a press is not practical for at least some known structures, such as relatively large or geometrically complex structures. Moreover, both a bag and a press are capable of applying only a constant pressure distribution.

System and method for applying pressure to structural components


A 3D ultrasound image generating apparatus and method includes a volume-data generator to generate 3-dimensional (3D) volume data based on at least one cross-sectional image with respect to a body tissue of a subject, and a controller that generates the final 3D image having the adjusted 3D effect by volume rendering the 3D volume data based on the input stereo-depth value when a stereo-depth value used to adjust the 3D effect of a final 3D image generated based on the 3D volume data is input.

1. Technical Field
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a 3-Dimensional (3D) medical image generating apparatus and method which enable adjustment in the 3D effect and spatial effect of a medical image.
2. Background
Studies of medical image appliances are actively underway with an increased interest in healthcare. Examples of medical image appliances may include an X-ray imaging apparatus, X-ray fluoroscopy apparatus, Computerized Tomography (CT) scanner, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) apparatus, Positron Emission Tomography (PET) apparatus, and ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.
The medical image appliances display a 2D medical image, 3D medical image, 3D stereoscopic medical image, or the like.
A medical image appliance to display a 3D stereoscopic medical image generates a left image corresponding to the left eye of a viewer and a right image corresponding to the right eye, and displays the left and right images simultaneously. The viewer may view a 3D stereoscopic medical image by wearing, e.g., 3D stereoscopic glasses.
The left image and the right image are generated based on a distance between human left and right eyes. That is, the left image and right image are generated under the assumption that the distance between human left and right eyes is 6.5 cm.
The aforementioned data on the distance between human left and right eyes is statistically obtained data. Thus, when left and right images are simultaneously displayed on a display, the 3D effect and spatial effect of a resulting 3D stereoscopic medical image may differ for each viewer, and some viewers may suffer from dizziness when viewing the 3D stereoscopic medical image. Also, it may be necessary for a viewer to maintain a predetermined distance from the display to easily view the 3D stereoscopic medical image, which may restrict the viewer's movement.

Medical image generating apparatus and medical image generating method


A CSSX (Extended Cascading Style Sheets) file including non-CSS (Cascading Style Sheet) extensions is used to define and reference variables and inheritance sets. A CSSX file compiler determines a value of the defined variable, modifies the CSSX file by replacing all references to the defined variable with the value, and generates the CSS file from the modified CSSX file. The inheritance set is defined in the CSSX file and includes a reference to a previously defined CSS rule set. The CSSX file compiler defines a new CSS rule set as a function of the determined attributes included in the previously defined CSS rule set of the defined inheritance set and generates the CSS file including the newly defined CSS rule set.

Cascading Style Sheet (CSS) is a stylesheet language used to describe the presentation of a document written in a markup language (e.g., HTML or XHTML). CSS most common application is to style web pages, but the language can be applied to any kind of XML document. The CSS specifications are maintained by the World Wide Web Consortium.
Traditionally, CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) have been authored with little emphasis on cross-product code sharing. CSSs for each product have been self-contained and isolated. When a set of web products want to use a common set of user interface guidelines, each product team would implement the guidelines (with varying interpretations and coverage) in its own CSSs thereby duplicating efforts and making it harder for the user interface guidelines to evolve.
For example, web products often want to implement themeing. Themeing allows developers to have the ability to apply a given theme (a set of text color, background color, background images, etc) to any or all products. The CSS standard's model is not adequate to represent such a system due to the lack of support for variables and inheritance. A few product teams have used server-side technologies to inject variables into CSS. However, that approach makes CSS considerably harder to author and localize because the system is restricted in the types of modifications it can make to CSS generation and there is no consistent way for defining, accessing and overriding theme resources like images.
Additionally, localizing CSS is an expensive process where product CSS is given to localizers and they modify and return localized CSS. Examples of localized CSS styles include fonts, text sizes, colors, and text styles (e.g., italics, bold). In general, the localizer often modifies CSS without actually seeing the output and the actual product testing happens after the CSS is handed back to the product team. This makes the process error prone, time consuming and expensive.


Method of producing a bromine compound having an aliphatic unsaturated bond which includes reacting a compound having an aliphatic unsaturated bond represented by the following general formula (1) with bromine: EQU R.sup.1 --O--Ar.sup.1 --Y--Ar.sup.2 --O--R.sup.2 (1). to produce a bromine compound represented by the following formula (2): EQU R.sup.3 --O--Ar.sup.1 --Y--Ar.sup.2 --O--R.sup.4 (2). wherein Ar.sup.1, Ar.sup.2 and Y are the same as defined in the above general formula (1) , and R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are groups obtained by saturating the unsaturated groups of R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 in the above general formula (1) with bromine, respectively.. The reaction is carried out in the presence of a solvent which is inactive in the reaction, and a substantial amount of the heat of reaction is removed from a reaction system by the vaporization of the solvent or bromine. A high-purity bromine compound in high yield which is useful as flame retardant, can be obtained.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of producing a bromine compound by brominating a compound having an aliphatic unsaturated bond. More specifically, it relates to a method of producing a high-purity bromine compound from a compound having an aliphatic unsaturated bond industrially advantageously.
2. Prior Art
Generally speaking, the bromination reaction of an aliphatic unsaturated group is frequently used for the synthesis of brominated derivatives in the field of organic chemistry. However, reaction heat must be removed from a reaction system because heat generated by the reaction is strong. Therefore, the operation of adding bromine little by little in a mild condition by cooling the reaction system is generally employed.
For instance. JP-B 49-39655 (the term "JP-B" as used herein means an "examined Japanese patent publication") discloses a method of producing .beta.,.gamma.-dibromopropylbenzene and teaches that a reaction is carried out at a low temperature at which a secondary reaction does not occur when bromine is added.
JP-A 55-111429 (the term "JP-A" as used herein means an "unexamined published Japanese patent application") discloses that a diallyl ether obtained from 2,2-bis{(4-hydroxy-3,5-dibromo)phenyl}propane and allyl chloride is brominated in a halogenated aromatic hydrocarbon as solvent, teaches that this bromination is carried out at a temperature of 10 to 30.degree. C., particularly 15 to 25.degree. C. and specifies in Examples that bromine is added at a temperature of about 20.degree. C. under cooling.
JP-A 50-30853 discloses a solid recovery method and teaches that bromine is added dropwise at a temperature of 20.degree. C. or lower to carry out a reaction between the bromine and 2,2-bis{(3,5-dibromo-4-allyloxy)phenyl}propane in Examples.
JP-A 7-173092 teaches that bromine is added dropwise at a reaction temperature of 10 to 20.degree. C. in 1 hour to carry out a reaction between the bromine and 2,2-bis{(3,5-dibromo-4-allyloxy)phenyl}propane so as to obtain a 2,3-dibromopropyl compound.
Further, JP-A 7-316087 discloses as an example that bromine is added dropwise to a methylene chloride solution of 2,2-bis{(3,5-dibromo-4-allyloxy)phenyl}propane in 1 hour while the reaction temperature is controlled to 24 to 27.degree. C. by using a cooling pipe.
Meanwhile, JP-B 50-23693, for example, disclose as an example that bromine is reacted with bis{(3,5-dibromo-4-allyloxy)phenyl}sulfone at the boiling point of methylene chloride by dissolving the compound in methylene chloride in the bromination of bis{(3,5-dibromo-4-allyloxy)phenyl}sulfone.
JP-A 3-271267 and JP-A 4-234354 disclose the bromination of bis{(3,5-dibromo-4-allyloxy)phenyl}sulfone and teach that bromine is added to a methylene chloride solution of the above compound at 39.degree. C. or 40.degree. C. in 1 hour and at 35 to 39.degree. C. in 1.5 hours, respectively. In these methods, the reaction is carried out in a reactor having a cooling pipe.
In all of the methods disclosed by these publications, the reaction is a small-scale laboratory-level reaction, a flask is frequently used as a reactor, and reaction heat is removed by cooling the reactor itself in most cases. These publications disclose conditions and means for carrying out the laboratory level reaction but not concrete conditions and means for removing a large amount of generated reaction heat effectively and for obtaining a high-purity bromine compound at a high yield on an industrial scale.
To carry out the bromination of a compound having an aliphatic unsaturated bond, particularly to carry out the introduction of many bromine atoms on an industrial scale, a large amount of generated reaction heat must be removed effectively. The development of means and an apparatus for this is desired. When reaction heat is not removed effectively, bromine must be supplied little by little and hence, the reaction time is prolonged, resulting in lowered yield and purity.


An apparatus for detecting cracks in a flip-chip die which comprises an emitter (2) coupled to the die (1) for emitting energy along an axis, a probe (3) located on the die for receiving the energy, and a device (19) coupled to the probe for detecting the energy along the axis.

During the manufacture of flip-chip dies, it is important to detect fine cracks in these dies, including vertical cracks. These cracks can form during the making of the die itself, or during the removal process when separating the die from a ceramic substrate. Standard acoustic microscopy has been used in the past in an attempt to detect these cracks. However, because standard acoustic microscopy uses only planar waves from above the sample which are traveling downward, vertical cracks in a die might be impossible to detect, as they may have little or no cross-sectional area in the z-axis.
Another problem that exists is the construction of the transducer. Because the transducer must be capable of both transmitting and receiving acoustic energy signals in a single device, this leads to increased complexity and costs during its manufacture. Also, because the flip-chip dies are often encapsulated with a plastic or other material which have differing acoustic energy velocities, usually at least two different frequencies of acoustic energy are propagated during the testing process. Further, because the size of a flip-chip die is steadily decreasing, and with it a need to detect smaller and smaller cracks, this leads to a requirement for higher level frequencies of acoustic energy for testing. These factors all contribute to increased costs for the manufacture of transducers that possess the necessary capabilities.

Method and apparatus for detecting cracks in a flip-chip die using passive scanning-head microscopy


An auger type ice making machine having an auger composed of an auger body integrally formed thereon with a helical blade and a support shaft united with a lower end of the auger body, the auger being mounted for rotary movement with an evaporator housing and connected at its support shaft to an output shaft of a drive mechanism for rotation therewith, wherein the support shaft of said auger is composed of a cylindrical joint member formed in a predetermined axial length and having a joint portion formed to be coupled with the output shaft for rotation therewith and a columnar support member coupled with an internal bore of the joint member, and wherein the columnar support member is formed with a conical recess tapered upward from its lower end and positioned concentrically with the internal bore of the joint member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an auger type ice making machine and more particularly to an improvement of an auger adapted for use in the ice making machine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Provided in a conventional auger type ice masking machine is an auger of the type composed of an auger body integrally formed thereon with a helical blade and a support shaft united with a lower end of the auger body. The auger is mounted for rotary movement within an evaporator housing of the ice making machine and connected at its support shaft to an output shaft of a drive mechanism for rotation therewith. When rotated by operation of the drive mechanism, the auger scrapes ice crystals frozen on the internal surface of the evaporator housing and advances the scraped ice crystals upward for discharge.
In general, the support shaft of the auger is coaxially united with the lower end of the auger body by friction welding. The support shaft of the auger is formed by machining a solid columnar metallic material and is connected to the output shaft of the drive mechanism by means of a spline joint coupled with external splines respectively formed on the output shaft and support shaft. Alternatively, an internal spline formed in the support shaft is coupled with an external spline formed on the output shaft.
Since the support shaft of the auger is formed separately from the auger body and united with the lower end of the auger body coaxially therewith by friction welding, it is required to preliminarily form an extra portion on the upper end of the support shaft to be removed as burrs during the process of friction welding. The extra portion on the upper end of the support shaft becomes useless after united with the auger body. This results in an increase of the manufacturing cost of the auger.
In the case that the internal spline of the support shaft is coupled with the external spline of the output shaft without using the spline joint for connection to the output shaft, it is required to form the internal spline on the internal periphery of the support shaft. To form the internal spline in the support shaft, special machining such as electric discharge machining is required. This also results in an increase of the manufacturing cost of the auger.