To reduce processing load or processing time required for compression and encryption of data. Data to be compressed, such as image data, is divided into specified block sizes by am image divider (10). A quantizer (12) references a quantization table (14) to quantize each of these blocks of data. The result of this quantization is entropy encoded by an entropy encoder (16) referencing a coding table (18) to acquire compressed data. An encryptor (20) encrypts the quantization table (14) and coding table (18) used in the quantization and encoding using a specified encryption method. A multiplexor (24) gathers together the encrypted data acquired as a result together with the compressed data in a specified format.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a compression/encryption device for carrying out data compression and a decompression/decryption device corresponding to the compression/encryption device.
2. Related Art
Recently, the use of image data has become more and more common with the spread of digital cameras and scanned electronic documentation. There has also been a trend towards high definition image data, as a result of which the data size for a single image has tended to increase.
On the other hand, with image data there is an accompanying risk of data disclosure due to interception on the internet or as a result of being viewed by unauthorized persons. In order to deal with this type of problem, a method of encrypting image data is effective. For example, if encryption is carried out using an en encryption method such as triple DES or AES, data integrity is considered to be protected.
However, there is a problem that the amount of processing expended by these safe encryption methods results in a significantly increased processing time (or CPU load) in proportion to the data size. The same is true for decryption methods. It also goes without saying that as the number of data items increases, the processing time is increased in proportion.
Addressing this type of problem, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-open No.2000-115551 discloses an encryption method that reduces the amount of processing involved in encryption by dividing a single image into a plurality of blocks, encrypting only some blocks, and computing a difference from the encrypted blocks for the remaining blocks.
Also, Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei. 6-125553 discloses an encryption method that reduces the amount of processing involved in encryption by only encrypting a direct current component when carrying out DCT (Discrete Cosine Transform) transformation on the image data.
Further, Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2002-190798 discloses an encryption method that reduces the overall processing load involved in encryption by carrying out encryption using strong encryption means for parts of the data having high importance based on predetermined analysis rules, and then carrying out weak encryption processing on other sections of the data.
However, the method disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open No.2000-115551 only carries out reliable encryption processing on part of the image data to be encrypted, while it is also necessary to compute a difference between remaining portions and the encrypted portions, which means that for a large amount of data the overall processing amount will not always decrease.
Moreover, with the method disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 6-125553, since a dc component occupies a constant amount of the overall data (normally 1/64), there is a problem that the amount of processing involved in encryption is also increased in proportion to the data size.
Further, since the method disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2002-190798 can only be applied to data that is defined as a predetermined priority in each section of the image, there is a problem that the data the method can be applied to is limited.
As can be seen, in the related art, there is a problem in that the processing load (or processing time) for the amount of processing expended on encryption processing increases as the data size increases, and that for unknown formats there is no effect.
Encryption of image data has been given above by way of example, but the same problems also apply to data other than image data.

Device for compression and encryption, and device for decompression and decryption


A communication system is provided, which comprises a data conversion module and a framer. The data conversion module is configured to receive a first plurality of data streams. The data conversion module is also configured to provide a second plurality of data streams. Each of the second plurality of data streams comprises first data units, channel identifiers, and format indicators. Each of the first data units is associated with one of the channel identifiers and one of the format indicators. The format indicators are based on variable bandwidths of data streams. The framer is configured to receive the second plurality of data streams. The framer is also configured to identify channel information of the second plurality of data streams. The framer is also configured to allocate the second plurality of data streams into one or more self-describing superframes.

The communications downlink between a satellite and its ground station often has a maximum data rate limit that is a fraction of what the satellite, is capable of sourcing. Satellite Payload Mission Processors (PMPs) are used on board the satellites to collect, transform, and forward digital data streams from multiple sensors located on board. Each of these data streams can vary in data rate and duration depending on the data source and the mission profile.
The data streams need to be framed to establish a time epoch as well as rate-adapted in a flexible and efficient manner in order to aggregate the maximum efficiency in bandwidth of an active number of data streams onto the downlink. Furthermore, a ground controller may change the bits of significance or data rate of one or more of the digital data streams being collected during a mission. To quickly facilitate such a change, it is desirable to reconfigure only the PMP and have the rest of the data stream processing electronics use information embedded in each data stream to automatically reconfigure and adapt to such a change in the digital data stream's content and data rate with minimal data loss.


A system and method are provided for determining in real time, the radio refractive index structure of the atmosphere. The method may be characterized as comprising the steps of: transmitting a radio frequency signal over a predetermined path; receiving the radio frequency signal; detecting the strength of the radio frequency signal; determining a radio propagation factor from the strength of the radio frequency signal; determining a base height function of the atmosphere; and employing the radio propagation factor in the base height function to determine a trapping layer base height of the atmosphere which represents the radio refractive index structure of the atmosphere.

The present invention relates to a method for determining the radio refractive index ("RRI") structure of the atmosphere, and more particularly, to a method for determining the RRI structure of the atmosphere by detecting the strength of a radio frequency (RF) signal propagated over a predetermined path.
The radio refractive index of a medium such as the atmosphere is defined as n=c/v, where c is the speed of light in a vacuum and v is the speed of a radio wave in the medium. A typical value of n for air at the earth's surface is 1.000340. In the radio-wave propagation field, a dimensionless quantity, M, called the modified refractivity is defined as M=[n-1+h/a].times.10.sup.6, where h is the height above the surface of the earth and a is the radius of the earth. In the example given above, where n=1.000340 and h=0, M=340. However, it is not the numeric value of M which is important, but rather the change in M as a function of a change in altitude which determines the characteristic of the radio refractive index structure that bears on the prediction of radio wave propagation through the atmosphere. The relation of M as a function of height describes the vertical RRI structure of the atmosphere at a particular location.
The vertical characteristics of the radio refractive index structure of the atmosphere influence the propagation of radio waves over a large range of frequencies by causing the path of the radio waves to bend or refract as they pass through adjacent layers of the atmosphere. It is important to know the radio refractive index structure of the atmosphere in order to predict the performance of a wide variety of radio equipment. An example of a system that uses the radio refractive index structure for such purposes is given in U.S. Pat. No. 4,125,893 entitled "Integrated Refractive Effects Prediction System," incorporated herein by reference.
Present methods for determining the vertical structure of the radio refractive index generally require direct measurement of atmospheric properties at various altitudes. Examples of systems deployed to make such direct measurements include balloon-borne radiosondes that measure pressure, temperature, and humidity, and also include aircraft-mounted refractometers that measure the radio refractive index and altitude. However, all direct sensing methods have the disadvantages of being expensive, logistically complex, and incapable of providing a real time determination of the radio refractive index structure.
Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown an example of a modified refractivity versus height profile 10, represented by a solid line. Data used to construct the modified refractivity profile 10, presented by way of example in FIG. 1, were derived from radiosonde measurements taken off the coast of the Point Loma area of San Diego, California. The profile 10 is ideally approximated by three linear and serially connected segments 12, 14, and 16, shown as dashed lines which together idealize the modified refractivity versus height profile 10 (the segment 14 and the profile 10 are substantially coincident).
Each of the segments 12, 14, and 16 represent successive layers of the atmosphere, where each layer is characterized as having a modified refractivity which varies linearly with altitude. For example, the layer 12 represents the modified refractivity of a layer of the atmosphere adjacent to the earth having a radio refractive index which increases linearly with increasing altitude up to an altitude referred to as the trapping layer base height. The segment 14 represents the modified refractivity of a second layer of the atmosphere which is coterminous with the first layer at the trapping layer base height. However, the modified refractivity of the second layer decreases linearly with increasing altitude starting from the maximum modified refractivity of the first layer. The segment 16 represents the modified refractivity of a third layer of the atmosphere which increases linearly with increasing altitude starting from the minimum modified refractivity of the second layer.
Five modified refractivity parameters are used to construct the three segments 12, 14, and 16 which represent the RRI structure of the atmosphere. These refractivity parameters are: 1) an M-unit versus height gradient (slope) of the lowest segment 12; 2) an M-unit versus height gradient of the highest segment 16; 3) a total M-unit excursion, where the M-unit excursion represents the difference of M between the maximum and minimum altitude, M.sub.14 of the second segment 14; 4) a vertical thickness, h.sub.14, of the second segment 14; 5) and a height z of the base of the second segment 14, which is usually the height of the base of a temperature inversion layer, also referred to as the trapping layer base height. Of the five parameters, the trapping layer base height is the dominant factor for influencing many propagation effects. The radio refractive index structure for the San Diego, CA example is shown in FIG. 1 to have a trapping layer base layer height of about 620 meters.
Thus, it may be appreciated that a need exists for a system and method for readily determining the radio refractive index structure of the atmosphere, and more particularly, for determining the base height of a temperature inversion layer in real-rime.

Method and system for inferring the radio refractive index structure of the atmosphere from radio measurements

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


This invention relates to a deep remediation injection system for in-situ remediation of contaminated soil and ground water capable of progressive penetration both vertically and horizontally in contaminated soil and ground water having a soil penetrating lance for injecting air and oxygen and liquid with suspended biologicals into the contaminated soil as said soil penetrating lance is inserted for penetration in the soil, an air compressor for compressing air and delivering the air under pressure to the soil penetrating lance on one end, a liquid pump for pressurizing the liquid and suspended biologicals and delivering said liquid and suspended biologicals under pressure to the soil penetrating lance on one end, a gas connector control for connecting the gas compressor to the lance and for controlling the compressed gas flow, and a liquid connector means for connecting the liquid pump to the lance and controlling the pressurized liquids; and the method of developing a treatment grid both as to the depth of treatment and as to spacing of penetration holes in said contaminated soil, activating a compressed gas source for injection, and activating a pressured water source for injection, driving the soil penetrating lance into the contaminated soil, stopping said lance penetration at levels of penetration for time sufficient to treat the soil, and driving the soil penetrating lance into said contaminated soil to the next stop for treatment until the whole in-situ remediation site has been treated.

The prior arts use of biologicals for soil and water remediation is well developed but their means of delivery varied widely. For example some applications have used large boring devices to drill holes in the contaminated soil and set casing into the hole but leave the hole open at the bottom to receive the treatment biologicals for biological remediation. This type of remediation is a very expensive system and very cumbersome and required large equipment. This type of bioremediation system also does not provide a fine adjustment of the remediation process because it relies upon a few large holes and not many small ones to tightly control the treatment area.
Also the prior art using the drilled holes and set casing required large drilling equipment to make the holes and large pipe handling equipment to set the pipe in the holes.
Yet another problem with the large bore hole biological approach is that it requires open ground and no structure overhead so that a drilling machine can be brought in to drill the hole. Thus in these type applications if any structure was in the way it would have to be removed in order to drill the hole and set the casing. This large bore hole biological approach could not therefore be used under slabs or foundations or under storage tanks without the removal of the structure.
There have even been cases where high pressure gas and oxygen have been added to the set casing hole to help drive the biologicals out into the surrounding soil to effect treatment. In some cases this approach using high pressure and large volumes has caused the contaminates to migrate and only spread the contaminates to other areas. The very concept of treatment relied upon migration to effect the bioremediation from it injection source. Also if and when high pressure was applied to the bore holes there has been a tendency to over pressure near the hole and have under pressure occur further out from the hole, again relying on the passive migration to adjust the imbalance.
In some cases the prior art has provided trenches or drilled in collection lines at the bottom of these contaminated areas to collect the contaminates driven to these drilled in collection lines for the purpose of collecting the driven contaminate for above ground treatment and reinjection back into the ground after treatment.
Also in the prior art are many other forms of remediation such as the removal of the contaminated soil to be delivered to a treatment site for incineration to burn off the contaminates and leave only clean soil after the process. This has been a very expensive process for remediation and cost is a very important factor in the remediation business for those firms who must be involved in remediation. It also can have the pollution side effect of vapor and air pollution while the soil is being removed and moved to the incineration site if not controlled, but the control adds cost to the process also.
Yet other prior art has used biologicals instead of incineration of the hauled off dirt at a remote treatment site in a controlled above ground treatment of the contaminated soil. This approach has many pollution problems such as possible water pollution and air pollution, and is also very expensive. It clearly means handling the soil twice, once on removal and once on completed treatment, just as incineration does.
Most of the prior art was and is designed and used in solo applications and does not work with the other remediation techniques. For example the removal of contaminated soils to a treatment site for bioremediation of soil would not generally work with or in conjunction with the bored hole and casing approach of bioremediation except in the case of a requirement of double treatment of the contaminated soil.

In-situ deep remediation injection system and method


A silicon oxide film is formed on a target substrate by CVD, in a process field configured to be selectively supplied with an Si-containing gas, an oxidizing gas, and a deoxidizing gas. This method alternately includes first to fourth steps. The first step is arranged to perform supply of the Si-containing gas to the process field while stopping supply of the oxidizing and deoxidizing gases to the process field. The second step is arranged to stop supply of the Si-containing, oxidizing, and deoxidizing gases to the process field. The third step is arranged to perform supply of the oxidizing and deoxidizing gases to the process field at the same time, while stopping supply of the Si-containing gas to the process field. The fourth step is arranged to stop supply of the Si-containing, oxidizing, and deoxidizing gases to the process field.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for forming a silicon oxide film by CVD on a target substrate including a metal surface, and particularly to a film formation technique used for a semiconductor process. The term "semiconductor process" used herein includes various kinds of processes which are performed to manufacture a semiconductor device or a structure having wiring layers, electrodes, and the like to be connected to a semiconductor device, on a target substrate, such as a semiconductor wafer or a glass substrate used for an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or FPD (Flat Panel Display), by forming semiconductor layers, insulating layers, and conductive layers in predetermined patterns on the target substrate.
2. Description of the Related Art
In manufacturing semiconductor devices for constituting semiconductor integrated circuits, a target substrate, such as a semiconductor wafer, is subjected to various processes, such as film formation, oxidation, diffusion, reformation, annealing, and etching. In order to perform these various processes, a vertical heat processing apparatus of the batch type is known, in which a number of wafers are processed together for, e.g., a film formation process (for example, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publications No. 9-246257 and No. 2002-9009).
FIG. 6 is a structural view schematically showing a conventional vertical film formation apparatus (CVD apparatus). As shown in FIG. 6, the apparatus includes a vertical process container defining a process field in which target substrates or semiconductor wafers W are horizontally supported at intervals in a vertical direction. The wafers W are heated at a predetermined temperature, e.g., within a range of about 600 to 700° C., by a heater 6 disposed around the process container 2. An Si-containing gas, such as monosilane or dichlorosilane (DCS), and an oxidizing gas, such as O2 or N2O gas, are supplied from below the process field by a film formation gas supply section 8. Further, the interior of the process container 2 is vacuum-exhausted by a vacuum exhaust system 12 through an exhaust port 10 formed at the top of the process container 2. The process field is thus set at a predetermined pressure and a predetermined temperature to form a silicon oxide film on the wafers W by CVD.
There is a case where the surface of a metal material (metal surface), such as a metal electrode, metal interconnection, or metal gate electrode, is exposed on a wafer W. In this case, when an oxide film, such as a silicon oxide film, is formed on the wafer, the metal surface is oxidized and thereby deteriorated as regards electric characteristics. For this reason, conventionally, in such a case, a barrier layer, such as a silicon nitride film or metal nitride film, is first formed on the metal surface. Since the metal surface is covered with the barrier layer, the metal surface is prevented from being oxidized in forming the oxide film.
Incidentally, there is a method of intermittently supplying a film formation gas into a process container to laminate oxide films of an atomic layer level or molecular layer level. Film formation methods of this kind are called ALD (Atomic Layer Deposition) or MLD (Molecular Layer Deposition). Also in ALD and MLD, where an oxide film is formed on a wafer including a metal surface, it is necessary to first cover the metal surface with a barrier layer.
As described above, according to conventional film formation methods, where a silicon oxide film is formed on a wafer including a metal surface, a barrier layer is formed in advance. Consequently, it is necessary to add a step of forming this barrier layer and thus increase the number of manufacturing steps. Further, the barrier layer is formed of a nitride film, such as a silicon nitride film, which has a high tensile stress. This stress may deteriorate some of the electric characteristics of a semiconductor device.

Method and apparatus for forming silicon oxide film


An in-ground pool with an inflatable flange and a non-rigid flexible body to permit the body to conform to the interior surface of a hole. The pool is designed with an exterior circumferential flange which is placed around the ledge of a hole dug in sand or soil which positions the body of the pool over the interior surface of the hole. The pool may then be filled with water with the interior surface of the hole acting as lateral support for the pool. The flange is secured to the ground with stakes which engage the flange and are driven into the ground around the exterior perimeter of the flange. When it is desired to remove the pool, the water is removed and the flange deflated so that the pool may be folded for storage and/or transport.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a portable pool, and, more specifically, to a portable pool having a flange and a flexible body capable of being placed over an in-ground hole and conforming to the interior surface thereof to provide the pool with lateral and base support.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Very large bodies of water pose a substantial risk of drowning to small children. Children can be overtaken by waves or pulled out to deep water by an undertow. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an area for small children to enjoy aquatic activities near large bodies of water without the danger of being overtaken by waves or pulled out to deep water.
Collapsible pools and pools having flexible sides are well-known in the art. Patents on such pools include U.S. Pat. No. 2,529,872, U.S. Pat. No. 4,597,113, U.K. Patent Application 3GB2,037,580, and U.S. Pat. No. 2,443,440.
The '872 patent discloses a collapsible pool provided with a buoyant marginal wall. To prevent water from escaping from the pool, the marginal wall is tapered radially downward and outward.
The '113 patent discloses an inner perimeter wall which tapers radially downward and outward.
The '580 patent discloses an inflatable pool with a flexible base and a flexible inflatable perimeter wall which does not taper radially downward and inward. Indeed, the perimeter wall would likely taper radially downward and outward when filled with water.
The '440 patent discloses an inflatable pool with flexible sides which taper radially downward and outward.
Although all of the above-described devices are adapted to provide a collapsible swimming pool, they all include flexible walls which provide marginal lateral stability and would quickly empty if a downward force were applied to the walls. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a collapsible pool within a hole provided in the ground so that the flexible walls would be provided with support by the interior surface of the hole. To increase the stability and integrity of the perimeter of the hole, the hole could be tapered downwardly and inwardly at least somewhat to prevent the ledge from collapsing down into the hole as weight is exerted thereupon.
In none of the aforementioned patents, however, is there taught or suggested means for constructing a collapsible pool with walls which taper inwardly and downwardly. Indeed, even if the walls of the aforementioned devices were modified to taper inwardly and downwardly, they would not be able to contain water above ground. Water would be positioned "over" the lower portion of the sidewalls tending to collapse the flexible sidewalls and making the pool prone to tipping. Accordingly, such a modification to the sidewalls of the aforementioned pools would defeat their direct intended use. The difficulties encountered in the prior art discussed hereinabove are substantially eliminated by the present invention.


A method and system for managing a communication session is provided. The communication session is associated with multiple communication devices. The method includes learning (304) a set of derived acoustic features of an audio communication signal that is associated substantially only with one user of a communication device. The method also includes receiving (306) a communication session signal. The communication session signal is an audio signal that includes a combination of audio communication signals. Each audio communication signal of the audio communication signals is associated with a user of a communication device of the multiple communication devices. The method includes modifying (308) the communication session signal based on the set of derived acoustic features.

Today, the need for establishing audio-conferencing sessions between one or more users present at different geographical locations is increasing, since the geographical area in which the companies conduct business is expanding continuously. This has resulted in the extensive use of audio conferencing devices in these audio-conferencing sessions. Examples of such audio-conferencing devices include, but are not limited to, a telephone, a computer, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), and a laptop.
During an audio-conferencing session, each user of the audio-conferencing device involved in the audio-conferencing session may communicate with multiple users of other audio-conferencing devices. These multiple users can be present at different geographical locations. For example, some users involved in the audio-conferencing session may be present at Seattle, while some users may be present at Boston. These users may be connected through a network. Examples of the network include The Internet, a wired network, and a wireless network. In one scenario, multiple users in an organization can communicate in an audio-conferencing session through an enterprise network.
Sometimes, during an audio-conferencing session, some users may speak with a volume level that is undesirable to some other users involved in the audio-conferencing session. As a result, a particular user may find it difficult to listen to other users involved in the audio-conferencing session. Moreover, when this speaker speaks at volume beyond a certain level, the user may not be able to completely understand and listen clearly and what the speaker is saying in the audio-conferencing session. This degrades the overall quality of communication in the audio-conferencing session. As a result, the overall objective of the audio-conferencing session may not be achieved.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated, relative to other elements, to help in improving an understanding of the embodiments of the present invention.

Method and system for managing a communication session


The present invention relates to improved covalent coupling of two or more entities such as biomolecules, polymer compositions, organic/inorganic molecules/materials, and the like, including their combinations, through one or more novel reactive groups attached to linker groups of 2–1000 atoms length. The present invention also contemplates the use of bifunctional bridge molecules to link two or more entities, wherein the functional groups of the bridge molecules are the novel reactive groups of the present invention.

The immobilization of entities (such as enzymes, antibodies, proteins, DNA, nucleotides, PNA, carbohydrates, fatty acids, lectins, peptides, receptors, chromophores, fluorophores, chemiluminescent compounds, dendrimers, J or H aggregates, cells, bacteria, viruses, whole prokaryotic or eukaryotic organisms, membranes (synthetic or natural), fullerenes, nanotubes and the like) can be achieved by simple covalent reaction with an activated solid surface. For example, particles (e.g., micro- and nano-spheres; metal particles comprised of one or more metals with any size, shape, or composition; semiconductor particles, molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPS), magnetic particles; or dyed materials) or microtiter plates are a common solid matrix in many immobilization systems. Preparing and maintaining the active, functionalized surface is an important factor to assure immobilization of sufficient biological material for development of a sensitive assay. Current immobilization procedures of biomolecules on solid surfaces generally involve reactions of an activated amino or carboxyl group derivatized solid surface with amino- or thiol-modified biomolecules. After activation, or after introduction of a functionalized spacer, these groups offer direct attachment sites. Most of these functional groups (such as NHS esters, isothiocyanates, etc.) are prone to hydrolysis in an aqueous environment and become non-reactive (i.e., chemically inactive) in a matter of less than an hour.
Reactive or functionalized microspheres are conventionally produced via copolymerization of suitably functionalized monomers, or via post-chemical modification of preformed microspheres. Post-functionalization is a popular method for preparing reactive particles as earlier described by Upson (J. Polym. Sci., Polym. Symp. 1985, 72, 45).
In the last three decades the advancements in the field of affinity chromatography, solid-phase synthesis, and immobilization of bio-macromolecules, such as proteins, oligonucleotides and the like, have led to microsphere-based biomedical applications.
More recent work on the production and evaluation of a variety of tailor-made particles has been reported by several groups including Margel et al., (J. Polym. Sci. 1991, A-29, 347–355; Anal. Biochem. 1981, 128, 342–350), Ugelstad et al., (Makromol. Chem. 1979, 180, 737–44; Adv. Colloid Interface Sci. 1980, 13, 102–140), and Rembaum et al. (Br. Polym. J. 1978, 10, 275–280; J. Macromol. Sci. Chem. 1979, A-13, 603–632). A review by R. Arshady, (Biomaterials, 1993, 14, 5–15) describes the synthesis and physico-chemical properties of reactive and labeled microspheres.
Assays based on fluorescent microspheres for multiplexed analysis have been reported by several groups (Fulton et al., Clin. Chem. 1997, 43, 1749–56; Kettman et al., Cytometry, 1998, 33, 234–43; McDade et al., Med. Dev. Diag. Indust. 1997, 19(4), 75–82; McHugh, Methods Cell Biol. 1994, 42, 575–95; Nikiforov et al., Nucleic Acid Res. 11994, 22, 4167–75; U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,449,562; 5,981,180; 6,046,807; 6,057,107; 6,268,222; 6,366,354; 6,411,904; 5,736,330; 6,139,800).
Fray et al. have reported a strategy in which particles are pre-activated with hydrolysis-resistant aldehyde functional groups but low reaction yields of <8% have been observed with these microspheres (Bioconjugate Chem. 1999, 10, 562–71). Milton of Beckman Coulter, Inc. has reported a reaction between an acyl fluoride activated polymer-surface and an amino derivatized biomolecule at room temperature (U.S. Pat. No. 6,146,833; Nov. 14, 2000). The use of fluorophenyl resins in the solid phase synthesis of armides, peptides, hydroxamic acids, amines, urethanes, carbonates, sulfonamides and alpha-substituted carbonyl compounds has been published (WO 99/67228).
Medvedkin et al. have used sulfo-tetrafluorophenyl activated esters in peptide synthesis and demonstrated their reactivity combined with good stability under aqueous storage conditions (Bioorg. Khim. 1995, 21(9), 684–90). Apparently, the pre-activation of polystyrene surfaces with this reagent has not yet been reported prior to the present application.
Hoechst claimed the use of reactive vinyl sulfone (VS)-modified dyes for dyeing of cellulose and wool fibers in 1950 (DBP 960,534). A review by Siegel gives a complete account of reactive dyes based on vinyl sulfones (VS) and its protected 2-sulfatoethyl and 2-thiosulfatoethyl sulfones (E. Siegel in The Chemistry of Synthetic Dyes Vol. VI, (Ed. K Venkataraman); 2–108, Academic Press, 1972). Sterling Winthrop Inc, has demonstrated modification of proteins with PEG-supported vinyl sulfone (U.S. Pat. No. 5,414,135).
The most frequently used method to immobilize biomolecules (such as oligonucleotides, proteins, or carbohydrates) onto fluorescent microspheres is by activating surface carboxy groups. The activation requires excess EDC and a coupling pH of 4 to 6. The reaction involves the intermediate formation of an activated O-acylurea derivative between the carbodiimide and carboxyl functions. A subsequent nucleophilic attack by the primary nitrogen of the amino-groups of the biomolecule brings about the formation of the amide linkage with the release of the substituted urea. The optimum pH for the formation of O-acylurea is about pH 4–5. The intermediate has an extremely short half-life and rapidly undergoes hydrolysis or rearranges to give the N-acylurea adduct. The primary amino group of the nucleophile is predominantly protonated at about pH 4–5 and is thus mostly unreactive. These limitations can severely restrict coupling yields. At low pH, the nucleic acid bases undergo intensive protonation. Such type of protonation induces a DNA melting that exposes the hydrophobic core of the helix, enhancing nonspecific hydrophobic interactions with the solid matrix. Despite these drawbacks, EDC-mediated coupling currently is the major mode of covalent immobilization of biomolecules to solid surfaces. (Hermanson, G. T. in Bioconjugate Techniques, Academic Press; N.Y. 1996; Andreas Frey et. al., Bioconjugate Chem. 1999, 10, 562–71; Maxime A. Gilles et. al., Anal. Biochem., 1990, 184, 244–48; Vivien W. F. Chan et. al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Communications., 1988, 151(2), 709–16; Ivan L. Valuev et al., Biomaterials, 1998, 19, 41–43.)
The citations of the various references described above and throughout this application are not to be taken as admissions that these references constitute prior art for the present invention. However, each of the cited references is incorporated in its entirety by reference in the present application.

Functionalized compositions for improved immobilization


Provided are an image forming apparatus and an image forming method which are capable of obtaining an image of a measured object using a relatively simple structure in a short time. In the image forming apparatus, an electromagnetic wave generated by an electromagnetic wave generator is emitted to the measured object through a spatial modulation unit for spatially modulating a signal intensity. An electromagnetic wave that has passed through the measured object is measured by an electromagnetic wave detecting unit. A measurement signal is processed by a signal processing section based on a reference signal synchronized with the signal intensity modulated by the spatial modulation unit. The image is formed by an image acquisition section.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and an image forming method, and more particularly, to an image forming apparatus and an image forming method which are used to generate an image of an object with an electromagnetic wave including at least one frequency of a frequency region from 30 GHz to 30 THz (referred to as a terahertz (THz) wave in this specification).
2. Description of the Related Art
Up to now, a method of generating a terahertz image of an object based on a signal of a terahertz wave has been proposed (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H08-320254). According to the method, the terahertz wave is focused on a specific region of the object. The object is moved such that the focus point passes through each of multiple spatially separated regions of the object. Respective transmitted signals propagating through the spatially separated points of the object are collected. The signals are processed to generate the image of the object.
In the case of imaging using the method, in order to increase the intensity of the terahertz wave to improve an S/N ratio, the terahertz wave is focused on a single point of the object. However, when the terahertz wave is focused on the single point, it is necessary to scan all the regions of the object with a point beam, so the imaging takes a long period of time.
Therefore, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H08-320254 describes a method involving irradiating the entire object with a terahertz beam and focusing the beam that has passed therethrough on a focal plane THz detector array by a lens system to perform imaging at once. However, the focal plane THz detector array is a two-dimensional array of THz dipole antennas, so a lock-in amplifier is required for each element to perform the imaging. Because the lock-in amplifier is a device which requires a space, when as many lock-in amplifiers as the number of elements used for the focal plane THz detector array are prepared, an apparatus becomes very large in size. Thus, methods of easily performing imaging using a small-size apparatus in a short time have been expected.
A method using, as a terahertz wave detector, a pyroelectric sensor array which operates at normal temperature and has a small size has been studied as one of the methods of easily performing imaging using a small-size apparatus in a short time. The pyroelectric sensor array is sensitive to infrared light, but the sensitivity to the terahertz wave is not sufficient and the response characteristic is insufficient, so long-time averaging is performed to increase the S/N ratio. Therefore, according to the method, it is difficult to perform short-time imaging.
An imaging system and an imaging method which are used for imaging with the terahertz wave have been proposed (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-508333). In the imaging method, an interference pattern is generated using multiple terahertz wave sources and a signal thereof is detected by an interferometer array including multiple spaced detectors. A Fourier component on the Fourier-transform plane is produced based on the detected signal and then inverse-Fourier-transformed for image reconstruction. However, the method provides a spatial THz imaging technique capable of simultaneously detecting THz waves from the multiple THz wave sources within a wide "field of view", so the multiple THz wave sources are necessary.

Image forming apparatus and image forming method


A parking meter and an electric charging meter are combined in a single apparatus. The combined charging/parking meter may be coin-operated or may be operated using an information-bearing card such as a cash card, a debit card or an IC card. In particular, the charging/parking meter includes a device for receiving and verifying a medium of payment, a device for selecting and visibly indicating some combination of parking time and electric power to be had in exchange for the medium of payment, and a charging device for connecting to and supplying power to an electric car charger inlet. The charger/parking meter may further include a fast-charge setting device for causing the charging device to operate in a fast-charge mode when an amount of parking time selected is insufficient in accordance with a normal charging mode to supply an amount of electric power selected. In addition, the charging/parking meter may further include a current limiting device for preventing overcharging and a communication device for connecting the charging/parking meter to a remote installation. The meter may be used to read various information from a vehicle and send the information to a government entity.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the recharging of electric cars and more particularly to an electric charging/parking meter for recharging electric cars.
2. State of the Art
In the present era of increased environmental consciousness, considerable attention is being directed toward electric cars as an alternative to conventional cars. Legislation is presently being considered in some jurisdictions that would require a percentage of all new vehicles sold to have no tail pipe emissions. Despite continuing research, however, the range of a typical electrical car is no more than about 60 miles. In many major metropolitan areas where electric cars are most needed to improve air quality, 60 miles is less than many peoples, daily commute. Even if the range of electric cars is improved, there will remain a need to provide for recharging of a car's battery away from where the car is garaged.
In contrast to conventional cars for which numerous service stations are conveniently located, for electric cars, the prospects for establishment of numerous electric service stations appear dim. For one thing, since electricity is such a commonly available commodity, the incentive for operating an electric service station is not high. Furthermore, unlike conventional cars which can have their tanks quickly filled up, the recharging of an electric car's battery takes a relatively long time. Therefore electric service stations, besides being impractical because of the amount of space that would be required to accommodate a significant number of vehicles given their charging-time requirements, would also be inconvenient for the driver who would have to wait for the battery to recharge.
The present invention addresses the foregoing difficulties.


A technique for implementing a center key in a capacitive sense radial slider interface without use of center mechanical button. A user interaction with an array of capacitive sensors within the radial slider interface is sensed. It is determined whether at least a threshold number greater than one of the capacitive sensors within the array are concurrently actuated by the user interaction. A center key actuation is registered if at least the threshold number of the capacitive sensors are concurrently actuated.

Computing devices, such as notebook computers, personal data assistants ("PDAs"), and mobile handsets, have user interface devices, which are also known as human interface devices ("HID"). One type of user interface device that has become more common is a capacitive sense interface. This technology is often referred to as capacitive touch-sense technology; however, this term is a misguided term since the user need not actually physically touch the interface to operate the technology. Rather, the user need only bring a conductive object (e.g., a finger) in close proximity to the capacitive sense interface.
Capacitive sense interfaces may assume a variety of shapes and sizes. FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional circular slider interface 105 having a center mechanical button 110. The illustrated circular slider interface 105 includes eight radial capacitive sensors 115 encircling a mechanical button 110 and an attached processing device 120. The radial capacitive sensors 115 are grouped in an annulus shape about mechanical button 110. Radial capacitive sensors 115 are electrically isolated and spatially distinct from mechanical button 110. Processing device 120 monitors capacitive changes in each of radial capacitive sensors 115 to register user interactions with circular slider interface 105. Processing device 120 may also monitor mechanical button 110 to register a mechanical actuation.
Circular sliders may be used to convey absolute positional information of a conductive object, such as to emulate a mouse in controlling cursor positioning on a display or to emulate a scrolling function of a mouse. Circular sliders may also be used to actuate one or more functions associated with various sensing elements of the circular slider.

Uninterrupted radial capacitive sense interface


The present invention discloses a code scanning device including a code scanner, a supporting member and a data processing and controlling unit. The unit is configured for receiving data information of a scanned code and determining whether or not the data information is correct. If correct, the unit stops scanning of the code scanner and controls the supporting member to move so that a next code is shifted to a scanning position. Wherein when the data information is incorrect or the unit fails to receive data information, the unit controls the code scanner to keep on scanning, and when scanning time exceeds a second predetermined time and the unit fails to receive correct data information, the unit stops scanning and controls the supporting member to move so that a next given code is shifted to the scanning position. The scanning device has an improved scanning speed and a high scanning reliability.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to scanning devices and scanning methods, more particularly, to a code scanning device available for a biochemical analyzer and a code scanning method using the same.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
At present, code scanning devices are widely applied in various instruments, such as biochemical analyzers for scanning codes of specimens/reagents, and can automatically input information of specimens/reagents (e.g., bar codes). In typical biochemical analyzers or published patent documents, the code scanning devices mainly utilize one of three code scanning models as follows: a static scanning model, a dynamic scanning model, and a combination thereof.
A typical static scanning model includes the following steps. A specimen/reagent table of a biochemical analyzer is driven to rotate so that a given code to be tested moves to a scanning position. The given code having information of the specimen/reagent to be registered can be read out by a code scanner in the biochemical analyzer. A control unit of the biochemical analyzer transmits an action command to the code scanner. The code scanner scans the given code when the given code is still.
FIG. 1 illustrates a time schedule graph of scanning the given code. A test-tube in a supporting member (i.e., the specimen/reagent table) takes moving time Mt to move from a waiting position to a scanning position. When the specimen/reagent table stops movement, i.e., the code is still, the control unit transmits an action command to the code scanner so that the code scanner works from an off state. When the code scanner scans the code for a certain period Rt, the control unit transmits a command of ending the scanning to the code scanner so as to stop scanning the given code, thereby completing this current scanning period. Then, the control unit controls the specimen/reagent table to rotate so that a next given code is shifted to the scanning position, thereby being ready for a next scanning process.
A typical dynamic scanning model includes the following steps. A specimen/reagent table is driven to rotate so that the given code to be tested moves to the scanning position. The control unit transmits an action command to the code scanner. The code scanner scans the given code when the given code is moving.
FIG. 2 illustrates a time schedule graph of scanning the given code using the dynamic scanning model. The test-tube in the supporting member (i.e., the specimen/reagent table) takes moving time Mt to move from the waiting position to the scanning position. The code scanner takes scanning time Rt to scan the code. When the code scanner scans the code for a certain time, the control unit transmits a command of ending the scanning to the code scanner so as to stop scanning the given code, thereby completing this current scanning period. Then, the control unit controls the specimen/reagent table to rotate so that a next given code is shifted to the scanning position, thereby being ready for a next scanning process.
A typical dynamic and static scanning combined model has properties of the static scanning model and the dynamic scanning model. The dynamic and static scanning combined model includes the following steps. The specimen/reagent table is driven to rotate so that the given code to be tested moves to the scanning position. When the code is moving, the code scanner scans the given code. When the specimen/reagent table arrives at the scanning position and then is still, i.e., the code is also still, the code scanner keeps on scanning the code for a certain time.
FIG. 3 illustrates a time schedule of scanning the given code using the dynamic and static scanning combined model. The test-tube in the supporting member (i.e., the specimen/reagent table) takes the moving time Mt to move from the waiting position to the scanning position. The code scanner takes the scanning time Rt for scanning the code. The code scanner scans the given code when the given code is moving. The control unit transmits an action command to the code scanner before the code is still, i.e., during the moving of the code. Thereby, the code scanner begins to scan the code. When the code is still, the code scanner keeps on scanning the code for a certain time. After the code scanner scans the code for total scanning time Rt, the control unit transmits a command of ending the scanning to the code scanner so as to stop scanning the code, thereby completing this current scanning period. Then, the control unit controls the specimen/reagent table to rotate so that a next given code is shifted to the scanning position, thereby being ready for a next scanning process.
In the three methods, the scanning period is constant. That is, the scanning time in each scanning process is constant. Generally, the scanning period is defined to be relatively longer, in order to ensure that the code scanner has stable scanning performance. However, when the code scanner successfully scans the code and transmits data information of the code to the control unit and the control unit determines that the data information is correct, the code scanner still keeps on scanning the code until the constant scanning period is over. Thus, the scanning time is unduly increased, the speed of inputting information into the biochemical analyzer is lowered, and the service life of the code scanner is reduced.

Code scanning device and code scanning method using the same

SHENZHEN MINDRAY BIO-MEDICAL ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.


Electronic components on a substrate may be shielded using electromagnetic shielding structures. Insulating materials may be used to provide structural support and to help prevent electrical shorting between conductive materials and the components. The shielding structures may include compartments formed using metal fences that surround selected components or by injection molding plastic. The shielding structures may be formed using metal foil wrapped over the components and the substrate. Electronic components may be tested using test posts or traces to identify components that are faulty. The test posts or traces may be deposited on the substrate and may be used to convey test signals between test equipment and the components. After successful testing, the test posts may be permanently shielded. Alternatively, temporary shielding structures may be used to allow testing of individual components before an electronic device is fully assembled.

This relates generally to mitigating radio-frequency interference and, more particularly, to electromagnetic shielding structures that help isolate radio-frequency circuitry from radio-frequency interference.
Electronic devices such as computers, cellular telephones, and other devices often contain circuitry that requires electromagnetic shielding. For example, some electronic devices include radio-frequency transceiver circuits that are susceptible to radio-frequency interference. Electronic devices may also include memory and other components that use clock signals during normal operation. If care is not taken, signals from one circuit may interfere with the proper operation of another circuit. For example, a clock signal or a clock signal harmonic that falls within the operating band of a radio-frequency receiver may cause undesirable interference for a radio-frequency transceiver.
To protect from electromagnetic interference, circuits such as radio-frequency transceivers are typically enclosed within metal radio-frequency (RF) shielding cans. The metal of the shielding cans blocks radio-frequency signals and helps shield the enclosed components from electromagnetic interference (EMI). In a typical configuration, integrated circuit components are covered by RF shielding cans after being mounted on a printed circuit board.
Conventional arrangements in which radio-frequency shielding cans are mounted to a printed circuit board can help to reduce electromagnetic interference, but may be undesirably bulky. This may limit the effectiveness of radio-frequency shielding can arrangements in situations such as those in which compact shielding is desired.
It would therefore be desirable to provide improved radio-frequency shielding structures.

Electromagnetic shielding structures for selectively shielding components on a substrate


The disclosure provides methods and apparatuses for detecting two-touch events with a five-wire resistive touch sensor comprising an active layer and a sensing layer. The methods include, while a first voltage gradient is generated across an active layer of the sensor, measuring a first voltage of a sensing layer electrode and a current across the sensor. The methods further include, while the second voltage gradient is generated across the active layer, measuring a second voltage of the sensing layer electrode and a second current across the sensor. The first and second currents are compared to a respective threshold. A two-touch event is detected based on the comparison.

Touch sensor devices sense touch contact position on the sensor in one or two dimensions. The touch contact is caused by a finger or other object (e.g., stylus) touching the surface of the touch sensor. Typical touch sensors sense touch in two dimensions (e.g., X-axis and Y-axis coordinates of a contact position). One common touch sensor device is a touch sensor which combines touch sensor capabilities with display capabilities. Touch sensors may be single-touch or multi-touch devices. For example, a two-touch capable touch sensor can resolve and distinguish two concurrent touch contact positions. Single-touch device, on the other hand, means that the touch sensor is only capable of detecting a single touch event at a given time. A "gesture" is a function activated by moving the touch contact position or positions along the surface of the sensor in a pattern that corresponds to a function, where the pattern is detected by the device. The device then performs the corresponding function. For multi-touch sensors the most commonly used multi-touch gestures are "pinch," "zoom" and "rotate," which are two-touch gestures.
One type of touch sensor technology is the "resistive" touch sensor. Resistive touch sensors typically comprise first and second slightly separated layers of transparent material. The first layer may be referred to as the "front" layer herein and the second layer may be referred to as the "rear" layer herein. The front layer overlies the rear layer. The front layer has enough flexibility that it can bend slightly when touched. The two layers of the touch sensor typically each have a face coated with a conductive material, and the conductive faces of the layers face each other (with a slight separation).
Touch sensors are often used in "touchscreen" devices, in which the touch sensor is integrated with a display screen. For touch screen devices, the conductive coating is typically transparent. A common conductive coating used in touch screens is Indium Tin Oxide (ITO). A gas, typically air, fills the slight separation between the layers. Additionally, a layer of spaced apart microdots may be disposed between the two layers to maintain the separation when not being touched, but also allowing the front layer to be pushed to contact the rear layer during a touch.
Resistive touch sensors are traditionally single-touch devices. The most popular styles of resistive touch sensors are known as "four-wire" and "five-wire" resistive touch sensors. "8-wire" touch sensors are also available. The terms "four-wire," "five-wire," and "8-wire" refer to the 4, 5 or 8 wire electrical connections between the touch sensor and the controller or control electronics.
Typically, for resistive touch screens electrodes are positioned at or near the edges of the ITO layers. The electrodes are used to apply different voltages to either edge of one ITO layer and set up a voltage gradient. While the gradient is set up on the one (active) ITO layer, the electrode(s) on the other ITO layer samples the voltage to detect touch position. Voltage gradients are alternatingly set up in two orthogonal directions (e.g., X and Y axis directions). A touch event causes the ITO layers to contact each other at the touch position(s), and the measured voltage changes due to the contact. Samples are taken alternatingly in synchronization with voltage gradients being set up in the two orthogonal directions, allowing the "sensing" ITO layer to sense the voltage during both gradient directions and therefore determine the touch position.
By sensing the voltages using electronics with a relatively high impedance input, the effect of any resistance of ITO of the sensing layer can be arranged to introduce negligible inaccuracy into determination of the touch position. Having only a connection to high input impedance electronics, the sensing layer essentially behaves passively.
ITO can be categorized both as a ceramic and as an alloy. It typically has less long-term durability against deformation compared to the nonconductive transparent substrate(s) of the layers coated by the ITO. After perhaps hundreds of thousands of touches and/or abusive touches and/or firm contact with rigid objects, microscopic cracks form in the ITO of the front touch sensor layer because this is the layer that gets slightly deformed during contact.
In a "four-wire" resistive touch sensor, a first of the two layers is used to set up a voltage gradient in a first direction (e.g., horizontal) and the second of the two layers performs the voltage/position sensing. The second layer is used to set up the voltage gradient in a second direction (e.g., vertical) while the first layer performs the voltage/position sensing. Thus, each of the conducting layers continuously alternates between functioning as the "active" and "sensing" layer. The electrodes for one conductive layer may extend along the top and bottom edges for setting up the vertical voltage gradient, and electrodes for the other conductive layer may extend along the left and right edges for setting up the horizontal gradient. These electrode pairs alternate between: (1) being used to set up voltage gradients; and (2) being used to sense voltage at the touch contact position.
Over time, the repeated deformations of the front layer during touch events may create micro-cracks or other imperfections in the conductive coating. The micro-cracks or other imperfections typically do not cause significant effects for the high impedance sensing layer functionality. On the other hand, such micro-cracks or other imperfections can negatively affect the voltage gradient when the front layer functions as the "active" layer. Thus, in a "four-wire" touch sensor, the ability of the device to accurately detect touch position along one axis (X or Y) may degrade over time.
In a typical "five-wire" style resistive touch sensor, a first conductive layer is consistently used to perform the high impedance voltage/position sensing while a second layer is consistently used to set up the voltage gradients, where the voltage gradients alternate between the two directions (i.e., X and Y gradients). Thus, the first layer is consistently the "sensing" layer, while the second layer is consistently the "active" layer. Typically, the first (sensing) layer is the front layer, while the second (active) layer is the rear layer. In typical five-wire style resistive touch sensors, a sensing layer electrode connects to the sensing layer to perform the voltage sensing, and four active layer electrodes are positioned at each of the four corners of the rear conductive layer. The four drive (corner) electrodes set up alternating horizontal and vertical voltage gradients in the rear conductive layer.
The touch sensor typically includes linearizing features connecting between the active layer electrodes. The linearizing features may provide graduated fractions of the driven electrode voltage biasing at multiple points around the periphery of the active layer.
If built from the same materials, a five-wire resistive touch sensor and four-wire touch resistive touch sensor may initially have practically indistinguishable performance and characteristics. However, once micro-cracks have formed, the voltage gradient in the front layer may become distorted for a four-wire touch sensor. Therefore, sensed voltages may no longer represent touch position as accurately as when the four-wire touch sensor was new. In five-wire resistive touch sensors, micro-cracks caused in the front (sensing) layer do not cause distortion in the voltage gradients of the rear (active) layer. Furthermore, since the voltage sensing uses electronics with high input impedance, minor changes in resistance of the front (sensing) conductive layer may have only negligible effects. Thus, a five-wire touch sensor may be more durable than a four-wire touch sensor with similar materials and construction.
As noted above, resistive touch sensors are typically single-touch devices. However, the multi-touch devices (such as multi-touch capacitive touch sensors) allow for a wider range of touch functionality due to the ability to sense multiple concurrent touches and multi-touch gestures. It would be desirable to combine multi-touch functionality with the durability of five-wire resistive touch sensors. However, the traditional voltage gradient measurements five-wire touch sensors described above cannot resolve the positions of two touch events. Instead, these measurements correspond to the average of the x and y ordinates of the two touch contact positions.

Methods for two-touch detection with resistive touch sensor and related apparatuses and systems


System and method for remotely managing mobile devices. A virtual instance mobile device is maintained for each physical mobile device to be managed. Each virtual instance mobile device is executable in a computer runtime environment and includes a hardware emulation component configured to emulate the hardware components of the corresponding physical mobile device and a software emulation component corresponding to the software components of the physical mobile device, which is executable within the context of the hardware emulation component. Synchronization between the virtual instance mobile devices and their corresponding physical mobile devices is maintained, and data obtained from the physical mobile devices is stored. The physical mobile devices are remotely managed by utilizing their corresponding virtual instance mobile devices respectively.

In a manner similar to personal computers and laptops, business enterprises increasingly rely on mobile and handheld devices. Indeed, the capabilities and uses of mobile devices have moved beyond voice communications and personal information management applications to a variety of communications- and business-related functions including email, browsing, instant messaging, enterprise applications, and video applications. For example, the functionality of many mobile devices have been extended to include cellular and wireless local area network (WLAN) communications interfaces, as well as virtual private network (VPN) and other client applications. Furthermore, mobile devices used in enterprises may also include enterprise applications used by workers in the field or otherwise.
Deployment, management and configuration of mobile and handheld devices in enterprise environments, however, present certain challenges. For example, the vast and constantly changing variety of mobile device types, functions and capabilities presents challenges to configuration, provisioning and troubleshooting. Moreover, the increasing capabilities and integration of mobile devices present challenges to network security.
Various management systems have been developed to remotely manage mobile devices in an enterprise environment, including, for example, data protection and synchronization, device security, application deployment, etc. A few such management systems employ the concept of a virtual device or virtual device domain, where a device management system maintains data associated with one or more mobile devices and allows users to change the data for the mobile device. The device management system synchronizes the data maintained for the mobile device and the data stored on the mobile device itself to help remotely manage the mobile devices. The virtual mobile devices maintained by such device management systems, however, are merely snapshot images of their corresponding physical mobile devices, representing the states of corresponding physical mobile devices at a particular instant. These virtual mobile devices are not executable entities that emulate the operations and/or functionalities of the physical mobile device.

Virtual instance architecture for mobile device management systems


A cache memory system and a caching method for a tile-based rendering may be provided. Each of cache lines in the cache memory system may include delayed-replacement information. The delayed-replacement information may indicate whether texture data referred to at a position of an edge of a tile is included in a cache line. When a cache line corresponding to an access-requested address is absent in the cache memory system, the cache memory system may select and remove a cache line to be removed from an associative cache unit, based on delayed-replacement information.

1. Field
Example embodiments relate to a cache memory system and a caching method, and particularly, to a cache memory system and a caching method for a tile-based rendering.
2. Description of the Related Art
An object-based rendering (OBR) or a tile-based rendering (TBR) may be used for rendering an image.
The OBR scheme may be utilized as an important algorithm by a desktop graphic processing unit (GPU), since the OBR has intuitive processing, and designing of hardware for the OBR is easy.
The OBR may perform rendering based on an object. Accordingly, the OBR may induce a random access to an external memory, for example, a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) for each pixel in a pixel pipeline end.
The TBR may divide a screen area into tiles, and may perform rendering based on a tile. According to the TBR, an external memory may be accessed once per tile. The tiles may be rendered using a quick internal memory, and a rendered result may be transmitted to an external memory.
Therefore, the OBR may be at a disadvantage when compared to the TBR, in terms of power consumption and memory consumption.

Cache memory system for tile based rendering and caching method thereof

Industry-Academia Cooperation Group of Sejong University


A pay-for-use office machine, such as a digital copier, monitors and logs chargeable machine activities on a dynamically changeable session basis and generates a session activity report based on the logged activities during the session. The report enables capture of revenue value from an office machine by a pay-for-use service provider by summarizing activities so that costs associated with the activities can be assessed to the customer at a point-of-sale (POS) terminal. The report may be generated in hardcopy form by the office machine or may be transferred to the POS terminal electronically. The session activity report may include variable costing information for each chargeable activity.

The disclosure relates to tracking and reporting of pay-for-use office machine usage, such as a print/copy machine. More particularly, an internally generated machine usage activity log is provided as a report for individual users of a pay-for-use office machine for services to enable accurate tracking and billing of customer usage on a session basis.
Internal auditrons on many print/copy machines are capable of tracking machine usage on a machine or customer account basis. However, currently there is no provision within a print/copy machine, such as a digital copier or multifunction device, to generate a usage report for the user's activity when the copier is used as a pay-for-print/copy machine by customers to track and report on individual customer's usage for payment purposes. Known payment processes for pay-for-use office machines such as a print/copy machine include a manual entry process completed by a user on a pre-printed form. Additional known solutions include association of a separate activation device, such as a card reader (for debit, credit or pre-paid account cards) or a coin machine, to enable activation of the machine for a predetermined number of copy/print service activities by pre-paid funding.
There are many problems with the currently implemented systems to enable pay-for-print/copy machine usage and billing. The need for a separate activation device for each machine adds cost and complexity to each copy/print machine. It also adds to the potential downtime of the machine due to malfunction of the activation device. Additionally, when more than simple copying is involved, there is a need for complex printer/copier interaction with the activation device to allow for different levels of service pricing.
There are also problems with a manually entered customer reporting system. Foremost, there is a large potential for underreporting of copy services actually completed. Additionally, there is a large potential for inaccurate or incomplete manual entry of the customer's activities, particularly when many different services can be obtained. Because of these deficiencies, large losses of revenue are to be expected by businesses providing self-service pay-for-print/copy services.

Printed user activity at digital copier or network-connected device for pay-for-print/copy customers


A work vehicle may include a chassis, a ground-engaging blade, a sensor, and a controller. The ground-engaging blade may be movably connected to the chassis via a linkage configured to allow the blade to be raised or lowered relative to the chassis. The sensor may be connected to the chassis at a fixed relative position to the chassis and configured to provide a pitch signal indicative of a rotational velocity in a pitch direction. The controller may be configured to receive the pitch signal and send a command to raise or lower the blade, the command based on a first gain and the pitch signal when the pitch signal indicates a rotational velocity in a first direction and based on a second gain and the pitch signal when the pitch signal indicates a rotational velocity in a second direction.

Work vehicles with ground-engaging blades may be used to shape and smooth ground surfaces. Such work vehicles may be supported by wheels or tracks which may encounter raised and lowered features on the ground as the work vehicles move, which cause the work vehicle to pitch forwards (downwards) or backwards (upwards). This pitching may be transmitted to the ground-engaging blade, causing it to move upwards and downwards and create unintended vertical variations on the ground surface instead of a smooth surface. This effect may be amplified for those work vehicles with a ground engaging blade in front of the work vehicles' tires or tracks, as unintended pitching of the vehicle may cause the blade to create ground variations which then cause further unintended pitching when encountered by the tires and tracks. If this self-reinforcing effect goes uncorrected by an operator, it may create a "washboard" type surface on the ground.

Blade stabilization system and method for a work vehicle


A photonic switch for switching an incoming light beam from a first path to a second path, the photonic switch comprising a light sensitive material with a refractive index able to be changed by an induced light.

There are many different optical switches presently proposed. The attractions of using all-optical switches are significant. All-optical switches steer light pulses among different fiber spans without converting them into electrical signals. They promise to relieve potential capacity bottlenecks, reduce costs, and make it easier for operators of telecommunications system to deploy future developments in transmission technology.
But reaping these rewards means taking some big risks. In particular, the switching fabric that will form the basis of most all-optical switches is at an early stage of development They include arrays of tiny tilting mirrors, liquid crystals, bubbles, holograms, and thermo and acousto-optics. At present, however, none of them are close to being ready for widespread deployment in carrier networks.
MEMS (microelectro-mechanical systems) based switches use minuscule mechanisms sculpted from semiconductor materials such as silicon. They're already in widespread use in other industries and are starting to be used in components for telecommunications equipment.
In the field of optical switches, MEMS switches are used in a variety of ways. These include arrays of tiny tilting mirrors, which are either two-dimensional ("2D") or three-dimensional ("3D").
In a typical 2D array, the mirrors simply flap up and down in the optical equivalent of a crossbar switch. When they're down, light beams pass straight over them. When they're up, they deflect the beam to a different output port. 3D subsystems can support thousands of ports in theory, but this hasn't been proven in practice. Their switching speed is relatively slow. It is under 10 milliseconds for 4×4 and 8×8 switches. But the switching time increases to 20 ms for the larger 16×16 devices.
The presence of moving parts raises questions about mechanisms sticking, wearing out, or being damaged by vibration. Losses increase substantially if multiple subsystems have to be linked together.
With holography-based switches, an electrically energised Bragg grating (a series of stripes of different refractive index materials, each of which reflects a specific wavelength of light) is created in the form of a hologram inside a crystal. When voltage is applied, the Bragg grating deflects the light to the output port. With no voltage, the light passes straight through. Each input fiber requires a row of crystals, one for each wavelength on the fiber. Such switches have high scalability and are suitable for switches with many thousands of ports; have very fast switching speeds; and can switch from one wavelength to another in a few nanoseconds. They are potentially reliable as they have no moving parts; have low losses, and have good port-to-port repeatability as there is no path dependency within the switch.
However, high voltages are required, placing demands on the electronic supply equipment. Also, they can't compete with MEMS switches when handling groups of wavelengths being switched together from one fiber to another.
Thermo-optical technology is used for making small optical switches—typically in the 1×1, 1×2, and 2×2 range. It's a planar technology, so larger switches can be formed by integrating basic 1×2 components on the same wafer.
There are two basic types of thermo-optic switch: a digital optical switch (DOS) and interferometric switches. Interferometric switches have the advantage of being more compact, but are wavelength sensitive. For this reason they usually require some form of temperature control.
Size is limited not by optical losses, but by the power consumed in switching. Therefore, scalability is high. But the switching speed depends on how fast it is possible to heat the material. Polymer switches typically achieve a switching speed of a few milliseconds. Silica is usually slower, at around 6 to 8 ms. As there are no moving parts they are potentially reliable. However, repeated heating and cooling may limit the life of switches. Silica has very low losses, but polymer losses are higher.
Port-to-port repeatability in good, and polymer-based switches require very low switching power, typically 5 milliwatts. Silica switches consume about 100 times more power.
The progress in the development of optical computers is severely hindered due to the lack of appropriate materials to design the fast responding photonic switches, which can be operated with the help of light beams. The field of biomolecular electronics is currently focusing on finding the remedy to this problem through the adoption of suitable biological materials for this purpose.


A motor having two series of distribution ducts each having two groups of ducts. The displacement selector is able to occupy a large displacement position in which the first groups of distribution ducts of the first series are connected to a main duct while the second groups are connected to the other main duct, and a small displacement configuration in which the first group of distribution ducts of the first series is connected to a main duct, the second group of distribution ducts of the first series is connected to the other main duct and a bypass connection exists between the first and the second group of distribution ducts of the second series. The device has a restriction in order, in the small displacement configuration, to restrict this bypass connection.

The present invention relates to a device for managing the displacement of a hydraulic motor having at least two operationally active displacements and able to be connected to two main ducts, for admission and exhaust respectively, the motor comprising two series of ducts each having a first and a second group of distribution ducts, the management device comprising a displacement selector able to occupy at least a large displacement position in which the first groups of distribution ducts of the first and second series are connected to one of the main ducts, while the second groups of distribution ducts of the first and second series are connected to the other main duct, and a small displacement configuration in which the first group of distribution ducts of the first series is connected to one of the main ducts, while the second group of distribution ducts of the first series is connected to the other main duct and a by-pass connection is provided between the first group of distribution ducts of the second series and the second group of distribution ducts of the second series.
The hydraulic motor to which the inventive management device is applied can be used, for example, for the translational movement of a machine or the movement of a tool carried by a machine.
Generally speaking, the speed required for such hydraulic motors is becoming increasingly high, in particular to ensure rapid transfer of the machine between two sites for use of the latter, or for transfer of the tool between two working positions. These motors must therefore be capable of both generating a high torque in order to be able to correctly perform the functions of the machine or of the tool under working conditions, and having a high output speed, for the reasons indicated above.
In order to achieve these two aims, the admission to a hydraulic motor could be provided by a pump of very large dimensions, allowing in particular a high fluid delivery to drive the motor at high speed with a displacement allowing a high output torque to be obtained. However, it would be extremely costly to be forced in this way to over-dimension the pumps and, moreover, it is frequently a requirement that the noise and consumption are minimised for the drive motors of such pumps, which are generally diesel type heat engines or gas engines, something that is at variance with such overdimensioning.
So, it is becoming necessary to allow the hydraulic motor to develop a high torque and to operate at high speed as a function of need, without over-dimensioning the pumps used to supply the motors or the heat engines that drive these pumps.
For these reasons, the hydraulic motor to which the invention is applied has two different displacements, in particular a large displacement developing a high torque for the working of the machine or the tool driven by this motor, and a small displacement allowing operation at higher speed. The constraints mentioned above mean that the small displacement is generally quite significantly reduced in relation to the large displacement, with the motor developing a low torque in this small displacement. In particular, the motor may even have three, or more, displacements, with the smallest displacement being used to ensure a rapid travel of the machine or the tool driven by this motor.
It is known that the braking of such a hydraulic motor can, at least in part, be performed in a hydrostatic fashion, by pressure build-up in the exhaust ducts. The hydrostatic braking efficiency obviously depends on the torque developed by the motor. However, as indicated above, in their smallest displacement, used for rapid travel, the motors develop a relatively low torque, so that there is a risk of the hydrostatic braking efficiency not being guaranteed at low displacement.
Moreover, as has also been indicated above, an effort is made to use, for driving the hydraulic motor feed pump, a less noisy heat engine that is as small as possible. A diesel motor fitted with a turbo-compressor is often used.
During hydrostatic braking, the pressure increases in the return branch of the pump, until it becomes higher than the pressure in the banking up branch, used to feed the motor. As a consequence, the hydraulic motor becomes a pump and the pump becomes a motor, thereby tending to drive the thermal engine which normally serves to drive it. The hydrostatic braking efficiency then depends on the holding torque that can be developed by this heat engine. However, the use of low noise and small dimension heat engines obviously limits the holding torque and the speed of rotation that they are capable of providing. As a consequence, the hydrostatic braking can subject the motor normally used to drive the pump to stresses for which the latter is not designed.
Similarly, and for this same reason, there is a risk of the hydrostatic braking not being properly ensured and/or damage to certain parts of the transmission. In order to limit the risks of damage to the heat engine driving the pump during hydrostatic braking, U.S. Pat. No. 6,338,247 proposes that the admission circuit of the hydraulic motor is fitted with holding valves which are normally open but which partially close when the pressure in the return branch increases too much under the effects of the hydraulic braking. This partial closure causes a loss of load in the return branch and avoids the pump being subjected to excessive pressures and the drive motor of this pump being excessively stressed.
These valves are fitted on the main ducts of the circuit, or at least on the duct that serves as the exhaust for the motor in forward gear. Moreover, if the motor is in small active displacement the braking torque is low and the braking is less efficient. In fact, this system aims to avoid damaging the pump and its drive motor but it does not solve the problem of the inadequate braking at low displacement.
The aim of the invention is to remedy the abovementioned disadvantages by proposing a device for managing the operation of a hydraulic motor that allows, despite the constraints mentioned above, hydrostatic braking to be ensured under favourable conditions, for a simple installation.
This aim is achieved thanks to the fact that the device of the invention comprises restriction means which are able, in the small displacement configuration, to restrict said by-pas connection.
In the small displacement configuration, only the distribution ducts of the first series normally contribute towards delivering the engine torque, since the first and second groups of these ducts are connected to the two different main ducts. So, the small displacement of the motor corresponds to that of the cylinders connected to these distribution ducts of the first series. On the other hand, the first and second groups of distribution ducts of the second series are normally by-passed by being connected together and are therefore at the same pressure such that the corresponding partial displacement is inactive.
According to the invention, in particular when a hydrostatic braking torque in addition to that which would be possible using only the small displacement is necessary, the abovementioned by-pass connection can be restricted. The first and second groups of distribution ducts of the second series are thus placed under different pressures, thereby generating a supplementary torque which is added to the torque generated by this small active displacement and thereby allowing the desired hydrostatic braking torque to be obtained without increasing the holding pressure at the pump. At the same time the motor remains active at small displacement since the first and second groups of main ducts of the first series remain connected, respectively, to each of the main ducts. The total holding torque obtained is therefore higher than that which the small displacement would allow, without restriction of the by-pass connection. The desired hydrostatic braking is therefore obtained without excessive stressing of the motor driving the pump with dissipation of the braking power in the hydraulic motor due to the fact that the by-pass connection is restricted.
The device according to the invention acts selectively on the small displacement, that is to say in the high speed configuration where the need for an additional holding braking torque exists.
It may be decided to integrate the inventive device into the motor, in which case it acts directly at the level of the distribution ducts thereby allowing a compact arrangement.
As a variant, the device of the invention can be external to the motor, acting on the connection between the main ducts of the motor and the main ducts of the circuit. In the latter case the inventive device can even be common to a number of motors, for example two motors on the same vehicle axle.
Advantageously, the device comprises a by-pass selector arranged in the by-pass connection which is able, from an initial position in which it allows a substantially freely open by-pass connection, to be displaced in order to restrict said connection by a restriction.
In its first position the by-pass selector can thereby allow normal functioning at small displacement, while it can be moved in order to restrict the by-pass connection when hydrostatic braking is necessary although the motor is operating at small displacement.
Advantageously, the by-pass connection comprises a first connecting section able to be connected to the first group of distribution ducts of the second series and a second connecting section able to be connected to the second group of distribution ducts of the second series, and the selector comprises a drawer arranged in a bore hole having at least a first and a second opening connected, respectively, with the first and the second connecting sections such that the drawer is able, depending on its position, to establish a substantially free communication or a restricted communication between said sections. These connecting sections may be within the motor, in the event that the inventive device is within the motor. Otherwise, these connecting sections are connected to the respective groups of distribution ducts via the intermediary of the main ducts of the motor to which these distribution ducts are connected.
The selector thus has a simple construction and is easily operated between its various positions.
Advantageously the device comprises a displacement selector which can occupy a large displacement position in which the first groups of distribution ducts are able to communicate together while the second groups of distribution ducts are able to communicate together and occupy a small displacement position in which the first group of distribution ducts of the second series is able to communicate with at least the second group of distribution ducts of the second series. The displacement selector may be internal or external to the motor or even, in the latter case, common to several motors.
Advantageously, said second groups of distribution ducts are able to communicate together in both displacement selector positions.
According to a first embodiment, the displacement selector and the by-pass selector are two different selectors, and in its small displacement position the displacement selector can establish the by-pass connection in which the by-pass selector is arranged.
The displacement selector can be designed and operated in the conventional way while the by-pass selector is operated solely when a restriction of the by-pass connection is necessary, particularly in order to ensure hydrostatic braking at small displacement.
According to another embodiment, the displacement selector and the by-pass selector form a common selector which can occupy a small displacement position with restricted by-pass in which said common selector establishes a restricted communication between the first group of distribution ducts of the second series and the second group of distribution ducts of the second series or between the first group of distribution ducts of the second series and the second groups of distribution ducts of the first and second series.
This common selector has the advantage of allowing an extremely compact design.
Advantageously, the common selector comprises a drawer in a bore hole having at least a first opening connected to the first group of distribution ducts of the first series, a second opening connected to the first group of distribution ducts of the second series and a third opening connected to the second group of distribution ducts of at least the second series; in the large displacement position, said common selector establishes a communication between said first and second openings, isolating these from the third opening; in the small displacement position, the common selector establishes a substantially free communication between the second and third openings isolating these from the first opening and, in the small displacement position with restricted by-pass, the common selector establishes a restricted communication between the second and third openings, isolating these from the first opening.
Advantageously, the displacement position with restricted by-pass is a position of the common selector that is in between the large and small displacement positions of said common selector.
In this case, the design and operation of the common selector can be particularly simple since, from the unrestricted small displacement position in which the by-pass connection is completely free, this connection is restricted in the intermediate position then, as the selector continues its movement, the by-pass connection can disappear in order to ensure large displacement operation.
Advantageously, the restriction of the by-pass connection varies progressively according to the position of the by-pass selector.
The restriction of the by-pass connection can also be in proportion, in particular to the necessary hydrostatic braking torque.
Advantageously, the second groups of distribution ducts of the first and second series are permanently connected together, and the by-pass selector comprises a drawer whose movement control means comprise on the one hand a control chamber connected to the first group of distribution ducts of the second series and on the other a return spring with an antagonistic effect on that of the pressure within said chamber.
So, depending on the calibration of the return spring, the by-pass connection can be automatically restricted when the pressure in the second groups of distribution ducts connected together increases under the effect of hydrostatic braking.
Advantageously, the device comprises a non-return valve able to allow an unrestricted connection between said first and second sections in the direction of circulation of the fluid from the first group of distribution ducts of the second series towards the second groups of distribution ducts.
In particular when the engine has a preferred direction of operation, such a non-return valve is advantageous for allowing short-circuiting of the restriction at small displacement, in the direction of circulation of the fluid corresponding to the non-preferred direction of operation of the motor.
Advantageously, the device has a mechanical brake for the moor and means of operating the motor braking able, when the motor is in small displacement operation, to operate in succession a restriction of the by-pass connection and activation of the mechanical brake.
When it is necessary to brake the machine or tool driven by the motor, for instance, first hydrostatic braking is ensured then, if necessary, additional braking by activation of the mechanical brake.
Advantageously, the device comprises means for operating the braking of the motor that are able, as a function of a braking command and motor operation parameters, to order an initial step of the braking in which the fluid delivery in the main ducts is modified (in particular by being lowered by a reduction in the lower displacement of the pump) and, as a function of the operating situation of the motor at the end of this initial step, to operate at least a second braking step in which the by-pass connection is restricted, allowing in particular limitation of the maximum pressure in the return branch.
Advantageously, the device has means for controlling the position of the by-pass selector that are able, when there is a braking command, to order the movement of said selector so as to control a variable representative of the operation of a vehicle driven by the motor according to a set-point.

Device for managing the displacement of a hydraulic motor or a group of hydraulic motors


Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a controller to cause a people meter to emit a prompt for input of audience identification information at a first time and determine a first audience count based on the input, an audio detector to determine a second audience count based on signatures generated from audio data captured in the media environment, and a comparator to cause the people meter to not emit the prompt for at least a first time period after the first time when the first audience count is equal to the second audience count.

Media monitoring companies, also referred to as audience measurement entities, monitor user interaction with media devices, such as smartphones, tablets, laptops, smart televisions, etc. To facilitate such monitoring, monitoring companies enlist panelists and install meters at the media presentation locations of those panelists. The meters monitor media presentations and transmit media monitoring information to a central facility of the monitoring company. Such media monitoring information enables the media monitoring companies to, among other things, monitor exposure to advertisements, determine advertisement effectiveness, determine user behavior, identify purchasing behavior associated with various demographics, etc.
The figures are not to scale. In general, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawing(s) and accompanying written description to refer to the same or like parts.
Unless specifically stated otherwise, descriptors such as "first," "second," "third," etc. are used herein without imputing or otherwise indicating any meaning of priority, physical order, arrangement in a list, and/or ordering in any way, but are merely used as labels and/or arbitrary names to distinguish elements for ease of understanding the disclosed examples. In some examples, the descriptor "first" may be used to refer to an element in the detailed description, while the same element may be referred to in a claim with a different descriptor such as "second" or "third." In such instances, it should be understood that such descriptors are used merely for identifying those elements distinctly that might, for example, otherwise share a same name.

Methods and apparatus to determine an audience composition based on voice recognition