A data processing system includes a data storage subsystem containing a plurality of data storage devices for reading and writing data on a plurality of data storage volumes. The data processing system is controlled by software to perform a method for recycling the data storage volumes containing a percentage of still valid data and a percentage of invalid data by transferring the still valid data on a plurality of input data storage volumes to one or more output data storage volumes. In accordance with the recycling method, the data processing system assigns a selected number of the data storage devices as input devices and a selected number of the data storage devices as output devices in a predetermined input/output ratio of the form m:k, where m is the number of input devices and k is the number of output devices. The system then commences transferring still valid data from input volumes mounted on the input devices to output volumes mounted on the output devices. As each volume is transferred, the system monitors the data transfer efficiency from the input devices to the output devices and adjusts the input/output ratio based on the measured data transfer efficiency.

1. Field Of The Invention
The present invention is directed generally to data storage in a computerized data processing system, and more particularly, to a recycling process in which valid data sets remaining on old data storage volumes are consolidated to new data storage volumes in order to reuse the old data storage volumes.
2. Description Of The Related Art
A common practice in computer data processing environments (from very small home computers to very large enterprise computers) is to store data sets (e.g. data and program files) onto removable, reusable serial media, such as a tape cartridge (volume). Usually, these data sets are copied or moved to the serial media from a direct access storage device (DASD) such as a disk drive. The process of managing space in primary storage (usually DASD) and secondary or tertiary storage (usually tape) is known as space management. In the MVS (multiple virtual storage) operating system for mainframe computers (MVS is a trademark of International Business Machines), space management for primary storage consists of: partial release, expiration, and migration (in that order). Space management for secondary storage consists of invalidation and recycle. Partial release is the act of releasing unused tracks at the end of a data set. Because MVS requires that all DASD data sets be pre-allocated, there is often the case where a data set is allocated larger than is necessary to hold the data. Partial release returns the unused portions of the data set to the system. Expiration is the act of removing old and unreferenced data sets from the system. When a data set expires, it is deleted from where it resides: Either primary storage or secondary storage. Migration is the act of moving infrequently used data sets from primary storage to secondary storage. The space management system controls when a data set gets migrated to secondary storage. Invalidation is the act of marking data so that it will not be copied during a subsequent recycle. Recycle is the act of copying all remaining valid data from a serially recording media to some other storage media.
The goal of space management is to make sure that storage is being used as effectively as possible. This is accomplished by establishing a storage hierarchy and moving data sets in the hierarchy according to their management classes. The procedures implemented by space management systems are similar to, but distinct from, the procedures known as backup and archival. Backing up is the act of periodically copying data sets, or portions thereof, from primary storage to backup storage in order to create one or more backup versions of the data sets which can be recovered following a disaster event. Archival is the act of saving a specific version of a data set (e.g., for record retention purposes) for an extended period of time. The data set is placed in archive storage pursuant to a command by the system administrator or system user. It does not occur automatically as is usually the case in a backup operation or a migration operation.
When data sets are written from primary storage to secondary storage, each secondary storage volume is written to capacity, removed and replaced with a new volume so that write operations can continued. To access an individual data set, the secondary storage volume is remounted and a high speed position is performed to the correct location.
A secondary storage volume can contain thousands of individual data sets. Over time, data sets become invalid because the data sets are either deleted by their owners, or automatically expired by the system based on age or usage criteria. However, when the secondary storage volume is stored on serial media, which does not have pre-defined, fixed length tracks or sectors as DASD does, the space occupied by the invalid data cannot be reclaimed by overwriting that space with new valid data. Because of variable data set size, compression and imperfections in the media itself, writing over the space freed by the deleted data with new data would run the risk of over-writing adjacent, still valid, data sets. A serial storage volume will thus decline in percentage of valid data, potentially starting out being totally filled with valid data (100% valid), declining to partially valid (1-99% valid) and ultimately becoming entirely invalid (0% valid). Because partially valid volumes are nonetheless "full" in the sense of not being able to accept more data, their storage capacity (of valid data sets) is diminished and it becomes necessary to reclaim the use of the space occupied by the no longer valid data sets.
To regain the use of serial storage media for storing new data, a reclamation process has evolved that transfers valid data from many full, no longer 100% valid volumes, to create a set of newer, fewer, 100% valid volumes. This is the recycle process referred to above. The recycle process moves all valid data from a number of full, partially-valid volumes and rewrites the data onto newer, fewer volumes, thus freeing up a number of volumes for reuse at the expense of using volumes containing only valid data. For example, if there existed ten volumes each with only 10% of the capacity valid, all of this valid data could be sequentially written onto a single volume, thus producing ten empty volumes and a single full volume. Recycle operations may be single tasking or multitasking. In a single tasking recycle operation, two tape drives are allocated. Data is read from a single partially valid input volume mounted on one drive and emptied into a single output volume mounted on the other drive. When the input volume is emptied of all valid data, another input volume is mounted and its valid data is written onto the single output volume. In a multitasking recycle operation, multiple input-to-output drive pairs are concurrently active. With allowance for potential inefficiencies, a multitasking recycle operation yields an enhancement in recycle performance in roughly the proportion of the number of tasks assigned to perform the recycle.
Another aspect of multitasking recycle operations is the concept of a "connected set." A connected set is one or more serially recorded volumes connected by valid spanned data sets. As a volume is being written to (i.e., filled) it sometimes occurs that a data set is partially written to one volume and completed on another volume. This is caused when the first volume is filled and insufficient space exists to complete the writing of the data set to the first volume. The data set is completed on a second volume and the volume pair represents a connected set of volumes. The connected set size (in number of volumes) could grow to any number of volumes if the second, third, etc. volumes are each forced to complete the writing of a data set on the next volume. The data set that is partially written on two or more volumes is called a spanned data set. Whenever a spanned data set is marked invalid, the connected chain is broken and two new connected sets are potentially created, i.e., those volumes still connected by valid spanned data sets to the volume where the spanned data set started are one connected set, and those volumes still connected by valid spanned data sets to the volume where the spanned data set terminated are another connected set. A typical recycle operation treats a connected set as an entity and determines percent valid properties as a function of the total connected set capacity.
One of the drawbacks of conventional recycle operations is that each task owns a dedicated input and output drive. This results in idle, unused drive capacity. For example, if thirty volumes are input and the data is consolidated over to ten output volumes, the output drive would be idle during the times that the input drive is mounting volumes, positioning to the next valid data set, and de-mounting the volumes. Likewise, the input drive would be idle during the times that the output drive must rewind, de-mount and then mount the next output volume. This delays the recycle process and renders the idle drives unavailable for reassignment to other secondary storage operations.
Accordingly, one cannot rely on conventional recycle processes when the efficient transfer of secondary storage data is required. What is needed is an efficient method for improving recycle throughput so that recycle operations are performed more rapidly and the drives used therein are released for other operations as soon as possible.

Dynamic reconfiguration of data storage devices to balance recycle throughput

International Business Machines Corporation


The invention includes an electric machine having a rotor, a stator and at least one electrical coil disposed in the machine and a source of coolant fluid in communication with the coil. The coil has concentric turns having spaces therebetween adapted to channel coolant flow between the concentric turns.

Electric machines are generally provided with at least one coil or winding. These coils are usually formed by one or more insulated conductors having many concentric turns. Depending on the design of the machine, the coil or coils must be cooled so as to keep their operating temperature within a desired range. However, the coils are usually cooled by air, oil or other coolant circulating over the exterior turns thereof. The turns of the coils that are inside may not contact the coolant as well, and may only be cooled through heat conduction with the turns closer to the effective heat transfer surface(s). Also, the shape of the coil conductors is typically optimized for electrical performance, which may not necessarily result in good heat transfer properties. It would therefore be desirable to improve the cooling of coils.

Cooled conductor coil for an electric machine and method


The invention relates to a method and to a device for processing and separating an imbricate formation of flexible, flat objects 10, in particular of folded printed products. The imbricate formation is influenced by way of a guide means 1 which at least in regions is inclined with respect to the horizontal such that the objects are differently inclined with respect to the vertical. The guide means 1 serve for reforming the flat objects of the imbricate flow in angle and alignment, wherein at its end there is effected a removal of individual or groups of flat objects. At the end of a guide surface 2 of the guide means 1 there is arranged a conveyor means 9 which serves for conveying away the isolated objects 10.

1. Technical Field
The invention relates to a method and to a device for processing and separating an imbricate formation of flexible, flat and flexible objects, in particular, printed products.
2. Prior Art
From the state of the art there are known various feeders and devices, specifically in order to isolate printed products or to grasp these individually and to transfer these products for further transport to a conveyor. The disadvantages of the state of the art are due to the counter-running movement pattern, the large inertia and friction forces and the abrupt directional change. With the machines used today the operations are not flowing, but have a static component. This means that a printed product to be processed is brought completely to a standstill in order to be then accelerated abruptly in another direction. This has a negative effect, particularly at high processing speeds.
From CH 324210 by Müller, entitled Anlegemasehine für die Pavier industrie, and published on 15 Sep. 1957, there is known, for example, a feeder machine for the paper industry. This serves for feeding folded printed sheets onto saddles of a feeder transport belt of a binding machine. The device is based on a drum which is arranged between a stack of folded printed sheets supported on an oblique plane and a transport belt with saddles. The printed sheets are arranged standing on their folds in the feed region. The drum which is arranged essentially tangentially to the frontmost printed sheet on its periphery, comprises a gripper by way of which the respective frontmost printed sheet of the ply is gripped and pulled off at the cut-edge side. Pulling-off the next printed sheet is only possible if the previous sheet has been completely removed from the stack. Each printed sheet is deflected and borne on the drum, and thrown off onto a saddle of the feed transport belt. With this device, in each case only one printed sheet is processed per operating cycle; this results in a limitation on the processing speed due to the basic operating principle. So that the printed sheet may be grasped, it is furthermore necessary for the drum of the gripper to carry out a counter-directed movement. With fast-running machines, this leads to high inertia forces. Due to the functioning principle on which it is based, this device is not suitable for processing large volumes, and furthermore, the separation at the cut-edge side is burdened with problems.
DE 2531262 by Güither Schick, entitled Hochleistungsanleger für Loseblatt oder gefalzte Lagen aus Papier oder ähntich biegsamen Werkstoffen and published on 25 Jan. 1977, shows a feeder for sheets or folded layers of paper or similarly flexible materials. Printed sheets, in the form of an imbricate flow (leading edge at the top) are moved along an oblique plane by way of a conveyor belt. The printed sheets on a further oblique plane are piled up into an obliquely set position and brought to a standstill. The respective lowermost printed sheet of the oblique ply is grasped by way of a wheel equipped with grippers and deflected by way of a deflection roller. By way of this, the printed sheets are pulled from the obliquely set position. In contrast to the device known from Hans Müller in CH 324210, the printed sheets are not pulled off individually, but are pulled of in the form of a continuous, imbricate flow. Due to the large deflection during the step of pulling-off, the printed sheets are excessively loaded. For isolating the printed sheets, a suggestion has been made to arrange an acceleration path after this.
EP 1055620 by Keller et al., and published on 29 Nov. 2000, of the same applicant shows a device for accommodating and for the further transport of flat, printed products. A multitude of grippers with associated suction members are attached along a revolving wheel. The printed sheets to be processed are arranged on a stack from which they are lifted by way of the suction members and brought into the active region of the grippers. The printed sheets are gripped by the grippers and subsequently deposited in the form of an imbricate flow and conveyed away by a conveyor. This device permits the gripping of printed sheets within very short distances, wherein the suction heads and products are aligned with one another.
EP 1086914 entitled DEVICE FOR TRANSPORTING FLEXIBLE AND FLAT PRODUCTS, by Egon Hänsch, published on 28 Mar. 2001, shows a device for the transport of flat products from a stationary stack positioned in a receiving location to a dispensing location. The device comprises a separating member, as well as a support element and a holding member which are arranged running around a shaft. The products are gripped individually, separated and transferred to a device that serves as an exit conveyance. With this device the products are also mechanically loaded.
WO 00/46135 entitled DEVICE FOR UNSTACKING A PILE OF FLAT OBJECTS, ESPECIALLY PRINTING PRODUCTS, by Willy Leu. published on 10 Aug. 2000, shows a device for reducing a stack of flat objects, in particular, printer's products. By way of a lift, the respective uppermost printed sheet is lifted from a stack and brought into the active region of a conveyor belt which serves for leading away the printed sheets in the form of an imbricate flow. The device is designed such that it is adaptable to the height of the stack. Although it is simplified in comparison to the state of the art, the device requires a control.
EP 0863099 entitled DEVICE FOR SEPARATING PILED PRINTED PRODUCTS, by Alex Keller, published on 9 Sep. 1998, shows a device for isolating stacked printer's products. The printed sheets to be processed are inserted below a stack by way of conveyor. From this stack the respective uppermost printed product is gasped by a gripper and led away individually. So that the printed sheets may be gasped, they are individually lifted by way of a lifting mechanism and brought into the active region of the gripper.
EP 0755886 entitled DEVICE FOR FEEDING PRINTED PRODUCTS TO A FURTHER WORK STATION, by Alex Keller, published on 29 Jan. 1997, shows a device for feeding folded printers' products to a location for further processing. Printed sheets supplied in an imbricate flow are led to a stacking location by way of a conveyor, where they are inserted below an intermediate stack. By way of a lifting member (e.g., a suction member) moved along a circumferential path, the respective uppermost printer's product is lifted at the fold's edge and brought into the active region of a conveyance. The conveyance uses a segmented roller and a circumferential belt which serves for pressing the printed products onto the segmented roller. The printed sheets are lifted one after the other and brought into the active region of the conveyance by which they are grasped and led away in the form of an imbricate flow.
DE 19627830 by Jürg Eberie, published on 6 Feb. 1997, shows a device for feeding printed products to a conveyance. A suction member arranged on the inside of a rotor engages through a recess when grasping a printers' product and draws a corner region into the interior of the rotor. The printers' product is then engaged at the bottom by a rotor arm and lifted farther in order to bring it into the active region of a conveyor. The printed products are conveyed away, either individually or in the form of an imbricate flow, by way of grippers.
EP 0675061 entitled "DEVICE FOR CONTINUOUSLY FEEDING FLAT ARTICLES TO A DELIVERY POINT", by Honegger et al., published on the 10th of Dec. 1997, shows a device for an uninterrupted supply of flat products to a dispensing location. The printers' products are led to the dispensing location by way of an endless conveyor belt. At the dispensing location the conveyor belt, at least in regions, is guided around a deflection roller and extends around the deflection wheel in an undershooting manner. The conveyor belt driven by a stepper motor and a deflection wheel form a conveying gap for the products to be processed which are arranged in an imbricate formation. The respective uppermost product of a partial stack is grasped by way of a suction head and lifted.
As may be deduced from the above-described documents, the devices known from the state of the art for separating printers' products have a relatively complicated construction, wherein the complexity is partly due to the control. Depending on the mentioned principles, the processing speed is furthermore limited so that the printed products are not excessively loaded and the processing steps are effected in a reliable manner. Most known devices are based on the fact that printed products that require further processing need to be brought completely to a standstill so that they may be grasped by a gripper or equivalent device. Inasmuch as fluent processing is desired, in the state of the art expensive designs, special controls, are required in order to be able to separate the printed products with high accuracy. A further disadvantage of conventional designs for continuous processing, i.e., if the printed product is not to be brought completely to a standstill, lies in the fact that (a limited) buffering with but short-term malfunctioning may be accommodated, in indeed if at all, by complicated sensors with control and regulation installations. For this reason as well as others, most devices envisage a "static" intermediate stack from which the printed products (that have previously been braked to a standstill or almost to a standstill) are accelerated, pulled off and isolated.

Method and a device for processing and separating an imbricate formation of flexible, flat objects


In a tape feeding apparatus used in bonding machines for semiconductor devices, both upper and lower tape clampers are driven upward and downward. Thus, during the tape feeding operation, the upper clamper and the lower clamper can be both withdrawn from a tape feeding path so that neither the upper surface nor the under surface of the tape contact the upper clamper nor the lower clamper. No scratches, etc. would occur in the tape. In addition, the bonding level of the tape is determined by the upper surface of the lower clamper during the tape clamping operation, thus securing high bonding precision.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tape feeding apparatus incorporated with a tape clamping mechanism used in, for example, tape bonding machines.
2. Prior Art
In conventional tape clamping mechanisms, an upper clamper (also called the "bonding guide") is positionally fixed, and a bonding tape is clamped by an up and down movement of the lower clamper only. This is described, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Publication (Kokoku) No. 2-1372 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (Kokai) No. 2-273949.
Generally, tab tapes used in the manufacture of semiconductor devices are formed with a copper foil pasted to the surface of a resin tape that has a thickness of approximately 50 to 125 microns. Accordingly, extremely large amounts of warping, torsion and undulation, etc. tend to occur. As a result, in the bonding areas where semiconductor pellets or bumps, etc. are bonded to the tape, it is necessary to apply a certain amount of tension to the tape so that the tape is kept almost flat when the bonding and feeding of the tape are performed.
However, since in the prior art described above the tape is fed with tension applied and is in contact with the upper clamper, rubbing scratches, etc. are occasionally formed on the upper surface of the tape during this feeding operation. In addition, though the upper surfaces of semiconductor pellets or bumps are bonded to the undersurface of the tape, bonding in the prior art is performed with the upper surface of the tape positioned against the undersurface of the upper clamper. In other words, the tape positioning in the prior art is made with reference to the upper surface thereof and not the undersurface. Accordingly, bonding quality tends to be poor.


A supporting surface and a touch screen member mounted to a plastic frame having a first vibration transmitting slot and at least two mounting slots. A pair of similar L-shaped poles is mounted in the frame in juxtaposition to define gaps between them. One of the poles constitutes a stationary pole and the other of the poles constitutes a movable pole. A winding is mounted on the stationary pole. The frame defines a vibration transmitting slot, and the touch screen member is attached to the frame by a tab that is press fitted into the vibration transmitting slot so that vibrations created by the movable pole can be transmitted via the vibration transmitting slot to the touch screen member. The additional slots defined by the frame and tabs defined by the supporting surface mutually coact for mounting the frame to the supporting member in a stationary position.

1. Field of the Invention
This present invention relates to a haptic solenoid and a haptic solenoid system to provide touch/sensory feedback to a user when a virtual button is depressed on a monitor or display screen, and more particularly, to a haptic solenoid system in an automobile environment.
2. Prior Art
Existing products for touch sense mainly available on the market include small motor devices that are used in cell phones and electronics/video games. Nothing is currently available or used in the automotive market. The main problem with existing products is that none are available or adapted for automotive markets. Also, haptic solenoids are known, but a problem with known designs is that during the short bursts of vibrational energy/motion, an audible clicking noise may be heard. Whereas in a noisy installation this would not be a problem, in an automobile this noise is undesirable as it can interfere with user chosen electronic sounds.


A method may include generating three-dimensional (3D) reservoir simulation data regarding a subsurface formation. The 3D reservoir simulation data may correspond to a plurality of reservoir properties at a predetermined timestep within a reservoir simulation. The method may include generating a 3D pixel dataset using the 3D reservoir simulation data. Each pixel of the 3D pixel dataset may be determined based on a plurality of reservoir property values. Each pixel of the 3D pixel dataset may include a red value, a green value, and a blue value that corresponds to three different reservoir property values out of the plurality of reservoir property values. The method may include generating a two-dimensional (2D) pixel dataset using the 3D pixel dataset. The 2D pixel dataset may correspond to a single video frame within various video frames.

Reservoir simulation data is typically stored uncompressed because while compressing the data may reduce the data's storage footprint, data compressed using traditional compression algorithms is unreachable unless the data is decompressed. As such, reservoir simulation data remains unavailable and unobservable unless the data is decompressed. Storing uncompressed and decompressed reservoir simulation data leads to increased storage requirements for any data including reservoirs characteristics and properties. In the case of reservoir simulation data illustrating oil saturation or pressure, petabytes of distributed storage may be required to adequately save the entirety of this information for a specific drilling site. Further, additional resources may be required if output frequency is increased, or model sizes relating to the stored data are increased. Currently, traditional compression algorithms (i.e., ZIP, gzip, or bzip2) are typically applied after the simulation is finished, and make the data unreadable without decompressing. Thus, there are currently no alternatives available that compress reservoir simulation data while the simulation is ongoing and that reduce output of reservoir simulation data while enabling observation and study of the reservoir simulation data.

Method and system for reducing output of reservoir simulation data


Disclosed are an apparatus and a method for extracting a highlight section of music. The apparatus for extracting a highlight section of music in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention includes a frame divider that divides an audio file into a plurality of frames having a predetermined sample length; an average energy signal calculator that calculates a signal representing the average magnitude of audio energy for a plurality of samples belonging to each frame for each frame of the plurality of frames; and a highlight section selector that extracts a low frequency signal from the signal representing the average audio energy magnitude for each frame and determines the highlight section from frame sections including maximum points of the low frequency signal.

1. Field of the Invention
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to an apparatus and a method for extracting a highlight section of music, and more particularly, to an apparatus and a method for extracting a highlight section of music capable of allowing listeners to rapidly check their preferred music, and even to easily check whether music about which there is no information suits their tastes.
2. Description of Related Art
Recently, with the rapid development of digital audio systems, people can listen to music anywhere and at any time. There are various types of music in various nations and epochs, and music has been used to realize various social goals such as entertainment, recreation, ceremony, information delivery, and the like. The amount of music that people can listen to nowadays is vast. Unlike in the past, because the public may own various and abundant music and easily access the music, searching for their preferred music or checking a specific portion of music demands professional capability or a considerable amount of physical time.
Recently, sound source providing service providers provide meta information (composers, singers, genres, tempos, release year, and the like) about various kinds of music so as to allow users to more rapidly check musical information. Meanwhile, Korean Patent No. 10-0597969, and the like, discloses a technology of providing a pre-listen service for a predetermined time from the start of music followed by the storage of audio files streamed online, in order to enable users to choose and store only the preferred music.
However, the meta information about music cannot convey the feeling of music to listeners, and the provision of the pre-listen service for a predetermined time from the start of music as described in Korean Patent No. 10-0597969, and the like, cannot convey the feeling of music when it reaches its climax.
In addition, some sound source providing service providers extract highlight sections that represent music so as to improve the convenience of music searching and provide the extracted highlight sections to the users, in which case the music providing speed may be slow, and moreover, the accuracy of the highlight sections may be low.
Therefore, a need exists for a method for allowing listeners to rapidly check the highlight sections of their preferred music and extracting highlights that are satisfactory as highlight sections for checking purposes.

Apparatus and method for extracting highlight section of music

ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE


An arrangement is provided for improving the performance of a computing system, specifically for improving the efficiency of code cache management for a system running platform-independent programs with a small memory footprint. The code cache of such a system is continuously monitored during runtime. When a condition warrants performing code cache management, the priority-based code cache management is performed based on selective code garbage collection. The code garbage collection is conducted selectively for dead methods in the code cache based on probabilities of the dead methods being reused.

1. Field
The present invention relates generally to cache and memory management and, more specifically, to code cache management for devices with a small memory footprint.
2. Description
Platform-independent programming languages such as Java and C# have gained significant market presence, especially for network-based applications. Typically, programs written in these languages are first compiled to codes in a platform-neutral distribution format called bytecodes. The bytecodes cannot directly run on any platform. They must be interpreted into instructions understandable by a specific platform. For Java programs, it is a Java Virtual Machine (JVM) that interprets bytecodes into instructions understood by the platform (for C# programs, Common Language Infrastructure (CLI) is the virtual machine). However, the interpretation by JVM usually imposes an unacceptable performance penalty for the execution of a bytecode because of the large runtime overhead processing required. A Just-In-Time (JIT) compiler has been designed to improve the JVM's performance. It compiles the bytecode of a given method into a native code of a platform before the method is first called. The native code of the method is stored in memory and any later calls to the method will be handled by this faster native code, instead of by the slower JVM's interpretation.
For devices with a small memory footprint, particularly mobile devices, a native code generated by a JIT compiler may be too big to fit in the memory. As a result, many manufacturers of such devices choose not to use JIT compilers and thus lose the performance advantage brought about by the JIT compilers. To use a JIT compiler for small memory devices, it is necessary to employ memory management mechanisms, which efficiently reuse memory space occupied by other native codes. When such memory management mechanisms are applied to a code cache where a native code is stored, they are usually referred to as Code Cache Management (CCM) mechanisms.
The issues of CCM are typically discussed as part of dynamic optimization problems, as discussed in "Code Cache Management Schemes for Dynamic Optimizers" by K. Hazelwood and M. D. Smith in the Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Workshop on Interaction between Compilers and Computer Architectures (INTERACT'02). One CCM scheme is Full Cache Flush (FCF). Under this scheme, upcoming codes begin filling a cache from the lowest address toward higher addresses. Once the cache is full, all the codes in the cache are flushed and the filling process is started again. Another CCM scheme is the Least-Recently Accessed Flush (LRAF), which flushes codes that have not been accessed recently when the cache is full. When the space freed by the least-recently accessed code is not enough to hold the upcoming code, the adjacent code(s) are flushed so that enough contiguous space can be made for the new code. Another CCM scheme is called Least-Frequently Accessed Flush (LFAF). The idea of LFAF is essentially the same as that of LRAF except that the least-frequently accessed code is the first candidate to be flushed. Yet another CCM scheme is Least-Recently Created Flush (LRCF) under which codes in a code cache are replaced in the same order as they are inserted. Yet another CCM scheme is Largest Element Flush (LEF), which first flushes the largest code (and the adjacent code(s) if more contiguous space is needed by the new code) to minimize the flush number. Yet another CCM scheme is the Best-Fit Element Flush (BFEF), which first flushes the code whose size is just enough (if not exactly same, then the smallest code whose size is larger than the new code size) for the new code.
When CCM schemes are applied to small memory systems running platform-independent programs (e.g., Java-like programs) with JIT compilers, recompilation rate of codes may increase. This is because a later code may call a previously compiled code that has already been flushed as a result of CCM. One goal of a CCM scheme for a small memory system running Java-like programs with a JIT compiler is to improve the efficiency of memory usage without significantly increasing the recompilation rate. Another goal is to reduce the overhead incurred by a CCM scheme because a large overhead can slow down the processing speed and thus compromises the possible performance improvement brought by the CCM scheme. The current available CCM schemes as mentioned above, however, can result in a higher recompilation rate and/or a large overhead, especially for small memory systems running Java-like programs. Therefore, a more efficient CCM scheme that can reduce the recompilation rate without adding much overhead is necessary to improve the performance of small memory systems running Java-like programs.


An electronic device for de-identifying dynamic biometric data of a user and an operation method thereof are disclosed. The method includes the operations of obtaining dynamic biometric data regarding a movement of a user; de-identifying the dynamic biometric data by distorting the dynamic biometric data; and transmitting the de-identified dynamic biometric data to a server.

Recently, as biometric technologies have evolved, various methods have been developed to identify biometrics of users. Also, services utilizing biometrics of users are also being developed. The biometrics of users may be divided into physiological biometrics such as fingerprint, hand, iris, face, DNA, and the like, and behavioral biometrics such as key stroke, signature, voice, gait, and the like.
If unique features of users are extracted from such biometrics, users may be identified using the features. For example, users may be identified through fingerprint recognition, iris recognition, and the like. In general, it is not easy to acquire physiological biometrics without the consent of users. However, dynamic biometrics such as movement of users, gait, etc., among biometrics related to behavior may be obtained without difficulty by observing users.
In particular, when a movement of a user is captured and displayed as an avatar in an open environment, since the movement of the user is directly exposed to the avatar, a movement of the avatar may be observed and then dynamic biometrics of the user may be obtained without regard to the user's intentions or permission.
Therefore, when the movement of the user is reconstructed and displayed in an open environment using the dynamic biometric data of the user, the biometrics of the user are exposed irrespective of the intention or permission of the user, which is a problem in terms of protection of personal information.

Electronic device and operation method thereof


Disclosed are methods and apparatus for facilitating recovery of a data connection that was established between an active router and a host. The data connection is a type of connection that tracks the sequence of data sent between the router and the host. This recovery may occur after a standby router takes over for the active router. For example, a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) connection between the active router and a host may be recovered after a router switchover (e.g., when the standby router takes over for the active router in a hot standby router protocol system). To accomplish this, at least one sequence number that is associated with data sent from the active router (to the host) is sent to the standby router, and at least one sequence number from data sent from the host is also sent to the standby router. For example, the sequence numbers correspond to the initial SYN packet sent by the active router and the SYN packet sent by the host in response to the active router's SYN packet. These two sequence numbers are obtained for each connection in which the active router is an endpoint. When the standby takes over for the previously active router, the new active router may then recover the connection by sending these two sequence numbers within an acknowledgement packet to the host. The host then responds with the correct sequence numbers for the connection, and the standby router can then continue data transmission to the host using the correct sequence numbers.

The present invention relates to networking technology. More particularly, the present invention relates to providing redundant and not-stop forwarding in a network through an active router and a standby router.
Local area networks (LANs) are commonly connected with one another through one or more routers so that a host (a PC or other arbitrary LAN entity) on one LAN can communicate with other hosts on different LANs. Typically, the host is able to communicate directly only with the entities on its local LAN segment. When it receives a request to send a data packet to an address that it does not recognize as being local, it communicates through a router (or other layer-3 device) which determines how to direct the packet between the host and the destination address. Unfortunately, a router may, for a variety of reasons, become inoperative (e.g., a power failure, rebooting, scheduled maintenance, etc.). Such potential router failure has led to the development and use of redundant systems, systems having more than one router to provide a back up in the event of primary router failure. When a router fails, the host communicating through the inoperative router may still remain connected to other LANs if it can send packets to another router connected to its LAN.
Various protocols have been devised to allow a host to choose a router from among a group of routers in a network. Two of these, Routing Information Protocol (or RIP) and ICMP Router Discovery Protocol (IRDP) are examples of protocols that involve dynamic participation by the host. However, because both RIP and IRDP require that the host be dynamically involved in the router selection, performance may be reduced and special host modifications and management may be required.
In a widely used and somewhat simpler approach, the host recognizes only a single "default" router. In this approach, the host is configured to send data packets to the default router when it needs to send packets to addresses outside its own LAN. It does not keep track of available routers or make decisions to switch to different routers. This requires very little effort on the host's part, but has a serious danger. If the default router fails, the host can not send packets outside of its LAN. This will be true even though there may be a redundant router able to take over because the host does not know about the backup. Unfortunately, such systems have been used in mission critical applications such as stock trading. The shortcomings of these early systems led to the development and implementation of a hot standby router protocol (HSRP) by Cisco Systems, Inc. of San Jose, Calif. A more detailed discussion of the earlier systems and of an HSRP type of system can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,473,599 (referred to herein as "the '599 patent"), entitled STANDBY ROUTER PROTOCOL, issued Dec. 5, 1995 to Cisco Systems, Inc., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes. Also, HSRP is described in detail in RFC 2281, entitled "Cisco Hot Standby Router Protocol (HSRP)", by T. Li, B. Cole, P. Morton and D. Li, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes.
HSRP forwards data packets from a host on a LAN through a virtual router. The host is configured so that the packets it sends to destinations outside of its LAN are always addressed to the virtual router. The virtual router may be any physical router elected from among a group of routers connected to the LAN. The router from the group that is currently emulating the virtual router is referred to as the "active" router. Thus, packets addressed to the virtual router are handled by the active router. A "standby" router, also from the group of routers, backs up the active router so that if the active router becomes inoperative, the standby router automatically begins emulating the virtual router. This allows the host to always direct data packets to an operational router without monitoring the routers of the network.
Non Stop forwarding (NSF) is the capability for system to maintain calls and their state even in the event of a hardware software fault on the active router. In order to achieve this, checkpointing is generally done between active and standby routers, such that all recent call states that are present on the active router are transferred to the standby router. Note that this needs to be done as soon as any state change occurs in the event of a catastrophic fault, e.g., a switchover occurs in which the standby router then becomes the active router.
The number of checkpointing transactions that are required to keep two processors in synchronization for most types of calls is limited. Generally, checkpointing transactions need to take place as a call is accepted into the system, as state changes occur during call setup (optional in many NSF highly available systems), once the call reaches steady state, and then at call termination. For the majority of call types there is no state change that requires checkpointing between the time the call reaches steady state and the time that the call terminates. However, there are some types of calls, such as TCP connections where one end terminates on a router, which are difficult to checkpoint in such a way that NSF may be achieved.
The TCP protocol provides for recovery from data that is damaged, lost, duplicated, or delivered out of order by the internet communication system. TCP Protocol is described in detail in RFC 793, entitled "Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)", by the Information Sciences Institute, University of Southern California, which RFC document is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes. This recovery mechanism is achieved by assigning a sequence number to the segment transmitted, and requiring a positive acknowledgement (ACK) from the receiving TCP endpoint. If the ACK is not received within a timeout interval, the segment is retransmitted. At the receiver, the sequence numbers (SEQ) are used to correctly order segments that may be received out of order and to eliminate duplicates. A transmit and receive window is maintained on each end of the connection and determines the valid range of SEQ and ACK numbers that will be accepted.
For a router which is the endpoint for a large number of concurrent TCP connections it may not be possible to continuously checkpoint the sequence and acknowledgment numbers that are transmitted in each TCP connection due to the speed of the data being transmitted. This is especially true if there are a large number of concurrent TCP connections for which the router is an endpoint. Hence, there is some state that cannot be preserved during switchover to the standby router. However, knowledge of the TCP sequence numbers is an essential component required for the operation of a TCP connection. The receiver will discard any packet that it receives that is not within its window of valid SEQ numbers. Likewise, the sender will discard an acknowledgement packet should the received ACK number not be in the valid window. Thus, the connection will be dropped if reasonably current sequence numbers are lost during the switchover.
In view of the above, it would be desirable to reliably provide recovery of a TCP connection terminated on a router after a router switchover event.

TCP sequence number recovery in a redundant forwarding system


A circuit breaker and panel system includes a panel including a base pan having a plurality of base pan electrical connections. A circuit breaker including a housing having a plurality of circuit breaker electrical connections arranged to contact the base pan electrical connections when the circuit breaker is coupled to the base pan. The circuit breaker is rotatably coupleable with the base pan via a pivot joint for engaging the plurality of base pan electrical connections with the plurality of circuit breaker electrical connections per a predetermined electrical connection coupling sequence. One of the housing and the base pan includes a protrusion and the other of the housing and the base pan includes a corresponding recess which, when engaged with each other, retain the housing to the base pan to prevent reverse rotational movement of the breaker with respect to the base pan.

In a conventional power distribution system, power from a utility may be fed to a load center which, in turn, feeds a series of branch circuits. To provide high-level protection for the branch circuits, the load center may include a main breaker to control the supply of power from the primary power supply to the branch circuits. To protect the individual branch circuits, the load center can include an individual circuit breaker for each branch circuit.
Conventional circuit breakers are typically coupled to an associated load center via wired and screwed connections. These connections couple the circuit breakers to the load center both electrically and mechanically. As will be appreciated, for load centers employing a large number of individual circuit breakers, the time involved in wiring each circuit breaker to the load center can be substantial.
It would be desirable to provide a circuit breaker and load center system in which the circuit breakers can be installed faster and more efficiently than the current screwed and wired arrangements. For example, it would be beneficial to provide a system that reduces overall wiring time. It would also be desirable to provide mechanical retention features (i.e., those that lock the breaker to the load center) that are separate from the electrical connections. Such a system should also be modular to enable multiple different panel configurations to be built using smaller modules.

Snap fit circuit breaker and load center system


A connector has means for preventing terminal fittings from being inserted in an inverted manner, and in which nothing protrudes from outer faces of these terminal fittings. Cut-away portions 17 are formed at a ceiling side of anterior ends of left and right side plates 11B of a box-shaped member 11 of a terminal fitting 10. Protrusions 34 are formed within a cavity 24 at anterior ends of left and right wall faces thereof, in locations somewhat removed from a wall face having a lance 26 formed thereon. These protrusions 34 are capable of fitting into the cut-away portions 17. When the terminal fitting 10 is correctly inserted, the protrusions 34 fit into the cut-away portions 17, and the terminal fitting 10 is pushed into a correct position and is retained by the lance 26. When the terminal fitting 10 is inserted in an inverted manner, the anterior end of the box-shaped member 11 strikes against the protrusions 34 before the terminal fitting 10 reaches the correct position. Consequently, the terminal fitting 10 is prevented from being inserted any further, and it is not retained by the lance 26.

The present invention relates to a connector provided with means for preventing terminal fittings from being inserted in an inverted manner.
One conventional means for ensuring that terminal fittings are inserted correctly into cavities formed in a connector housing comprises stabilizers protruding from specified locations of outer faces of the terminal fittings, and guiding grooves formed in corresponding wall faces of the cavities, the stabilizers being capable of sliding within these guiding grooves. When the terminal fittings are inserted correctly, the stabilizers slide within the guiding grooves as insertion progresses. When the terminal fittings are inserted in an inverted manner, the stabilizers strike against hole edges of openings of the cavities, thereby preventing insertion from continuing. An example of this type of terminal fitting provided with stabilizers is described in JP-8-45591.
In the conventional example which is provided with stabilizers and guiding grooves, the guiding grooves are cut away in the walls separating the cavities. Consequently, these walls must be thicker, i.e., the pitch of the cavities must be increased. As a result, the connector must be made larger in size.
Conventionally, in order to miniaturize a multi-pole waterproofed connector, separate rubber stoppers are replaced by a rubber stopper comprising a single sheet having a plurality of through holes therein. This sheet covers posterior faces of all the cavities, thereby waterproofing all the cavities in a collective manner. However, when stabilizers protrude from the terminal fittings, as in the case described above, the terminal fittings may damage inner circumference faces of the through holes of the collective rubber stopper into which they have been inserted, thereby decreasing the waterproofing reliability of the rubber stopper.
The present invention has taken the above problems into consideration, and aims to present a connector having a means for preventing terminal fittings from being inserted in an inverted manner, and in which nothing protrudes from outer faces of these terminal fittings.
According to the invention, there is provided an electrical connector comprising a housing, a cavity within said housing, and a terminal fitting insertable in said cavity, said terminal fitting being engageable by retention means at a predetermined insertion depth characterized in that the insertion end of said terminal fitting has a cut-away portion at one side, and said housing include a protrusion extending into said cavity at a corresponding side and for fitting within said cut-away portion at said predetermined insertion depth, whereby a predetermined orientation of said terminal fitting is assured.
Such an arrangement ensures that the terminal fitting can reach the desired insertion depth only if inserted in the correct orientation. No protrusions are required, the corresponding disadvantages are thus avoided, and the connector housing can be miniaturized.
Preferably the terminal fitting is tubular, and the cut-away portion comprises part of the tubular wall. In a preferred embodiment the terminal fitting is rectangular in cross-section at the insertion end.
An engagement member of the retention means may be constituted by an aperture or step in the tubular wall, and this engagement member is preferably provided on the same side of the terminal fitting as the cut-away portion.
In a preferred embodiment, cut-away portions are provided on either side of a resilient tongue of a female terminal fitting, the tongue comprising a contact member of the female fitting for engagement with a corresponding male terminal fitting.

Connector with incorrect fitting prevention means


A pallet for conveying pieces or components in assembly lines. The pallet includes a base structure, a rotatable platform above the base structure, a pair of vertical uprights, a pair of vertical columns respectively supported within said vertical uprights and an arch-shaped cross-member selectively engageable with the vertical columns. The arch cross-member selectively connected to an assembly component whereby the component may selectively be positioned at different heights and angular orientations to the platform and base for ease of access to the component by a user.

In modern assembly lines, particularly in the automotive field, pieces or basic components advance along a pallet conveyor line through a number of assembly stations, where further parts and components are subsequently assembled on the basic component carried by each pallet. The assembly operations are performed by operators and/or with the aid of automated assembly systems. In assembly lines of this type, there is the need of rendering the assembly operations as easy and quick as possible, both in order to increase productivity of the line and also in order to ensure that the workers can operate as much as possible without any physical stresses. Rendering the manual operations easy and convenient firstly achieves the advantage of a physical well-being of the operators and then it goes also to the advantage of productivity. Satisfying these needs in an optimal way also involves the capability of easily and quickly adapting the features of the assembly system to the physical features of the operators at each assembly station along the line.

Pallet for conveying pieces or components in assembly lines


An oscilloscope performs an in-circuit measurement of voltage across, and current through, a core winding of an inductor, and derives the actual B and H values with n number of turns, receives data indicative of the magnetic length of the circuit, and plots the B_H curve. The oscilloscope then derives the value of Saturation flux density (Bsat), Remnant flux density (Br), Permeability (μ), and Coercivity (Hc) from this B-H plot. Characterizing the operating region of the magnetic component while it operates in a Switch Mode Power Supply (SMPS) under test, provides information concerning the stability of the power supply that was heretofore unavailable.

Switching power supplies are aimed to operate at the maximum efficiency by operating at the higher switching frequency. This makes the design deviations and operating tolerance of the switching frequency stringent The operating switching frequency and its stability depends upon the magnetic components used as the part of Switching (Oscillating) element in the switch mode power supply.
Switching Power Supplies are expected to have very high reliability at different operating conditions, such as, Power-On state, Steady state, Load change-over and settling-down, Based design methodologies such as topologies, and Type of converter such as AC/DC and DC/DC.
During these modes of operation the current and voltage characteristics change. It is expected that magnetic components such as inductors, coupled inductors and transformers operate in stable condition such that power supply is not driven to an unstable condition.
For optimum performance, designers generally design magnetic components such as transformers and Inductors using the magnetic characteristics curve, popularly known as a hysteresis curve of the core material, that is supplied by magnetic component manufacturers. Each magnetic component is designed based on the operating voltage, current, topology, and type of converter, In an attempt to ensure that it will operate in the linear region of its hysteresis curve. Unfortunately, there is no mechanism available to verify the design under actual operating conditions.
The operating region of the magnetic components determines the stability of the switching power supply. The power supply operating voltage and current characteristics also depend on Power-on state, Steady state, Load-change state, Type of topology, and Type of converter.
It is extremely difficult, in view of the different scenarios of signal characteristics, to design a magnetic component and ensure that it will operate in a linear region.
What is needed is an apparatus and method to observe and measure the B-H characteristics of the magnetic component in an in-circuit operation.

In-circuit measurement of saturation flux density Bsat, coercivity Hc, and permiability of magnetic components using a digital storage oscilloscope


This invention provides an information processing apparatus for allowing a user to perform operation without any confusion concerning a device which implements a plurality of functions for one operation member in accordance with operation methods for the operation member. A system controller performs control to execute a predetermined function in response to the start of operation on an operation member and terminate execution of the predetermined function in response to the end of the operation. A timer function unit measures the time from the start of operation on the operation member. When a given operation finishes before the time measured by the timer function unit exceeds a predetermined time after the start of the operation, a notification about the operation method for the operation member is output.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus that controls a device in accordance with operation on an operation member, a method of controlling the apparatus, and a camera.
Description of the Related Art
It has often been the case that a plurality of types of functions are implemented in accordance with the operation times of one operation member. For example, a music player is controlled such that when the user presses a predetermined button for one sec or less, the player skips to the next tune, whereas when the user presses the button for one sec or more, the player performs fast forward playback during the press of the button (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-175099).
According to the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-175099, however, against the will to perform fast forward playback, since the user presses the button for a time shorter than required, the player skips to the next tune. This confuses the user because he/she does not know what has happened. This problem can occur in cameras and the like as well as music players like that disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-175099.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Information processing apparatus, method of controlling the same and camera


A two-dimensional absolute encoder includes a scale having marks arranged thereon along first and second directions different from each other, a detector configured to perform first detection that detects rows of a first number of marks arranged in the first direction and second detection that detects rows of a second number of marks arranged in the second direction, and a processor configured to determine absolute positions of the scale in the first and second directions based on outputs from the detector. Each of the marks has one of different characteristic values each corresponding to a combination of a quantized first code for indicating a position in the first direction and a quantized second code for indicating a position in the second direction, the number of the different characteristic values being smaller than the number of the combinations.

1. Field of the Invention
One disclosed aspect of the embodiments relates to a two-dimensional absolute encoder and a scale.
2. Description of the Related Art
Incremental and absolute encoders have been used, for example, to measure the position of a stage of a mechanical apparatus. The application of incremental encoders to the fields of machine tools and robots is particularly limited, because incremental encoders cannot obtain absolute position information without first detecting an origin. On the other hand, absolute encoders do not need to detect an origin because they may obtain absolute position information.
Typically, to obtain a position of an object in two dimensions (in the X and Y directions) using an absolute encoder, two absolute linear encoders are attached to respective orthogonal side faces of a stage. However, it is often required to mount a two-dimensional scale on one surface, such as an upper or lower surface, of the stage. As a two-dimensional scale having absolute codes, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-248489 discloses one in which two-dimensional patterns used to determine absolute positions are discretely arranged in a plane. In the two-dimensional scale disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-248489, to assign absolute position information to each grid region, the grid region is divided into a plurality of sub-regions (elements). Then, one of two types of code information, either white or black, is assigned to each sub-region.
PCT Japanese Translation Patent Publication No. 2008-525783 also discloses a two-dimensional scale in which two-dimensional patterns used to determine absolute positions are discretely arranged in a plane. In the scale disclosed in PCT Japanese Translation Patent Publication No. 2008-525783, color patterns of red, blue, green, and the like are arranged around each of measurement points spaced at regular intervals, so that absolute position information is expressed by the arrangement of the color patterns. In a two-dimensional scale disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-333498, a plane is divided into grid regions, each of which includes a two-dimensional quasi-random pattern portion and a two-dimensional code portion. An absolute encoder disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-333498 simultaneously detects two-dimensional quasi-random pattern portions and two-dimensional code portions, and determines a two-dimensional absolute position from the resulting two-dimensional image pattern.
The two-dimensional absolute encoders disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-248489, PCT Japanese Translation Patent Publication No. 2008-525783, and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-333498 all require a scale on which two-dimensional patterns each representing an absolute position are discretely arranged, and thus cannot easily achieve high resolution comparable to that of incremental encoders.

Two-dimensional absolute encoder and scale with marks each having one of a plurality of different characteristic values


A method for bending a tube in a pre-selected geometry includes deriving at least one processing parameter from the geometry, applying a thermal source circumferentially to the tube to heat the tube along at least one circumferentially directed path in accordance with the parameter and actively cooling the tube to a pre-selected temperature. The applying and active cooling steps are alternately performed a number of times. A system for bending the tube includes a thermal source for heating at least one region along the path on the tube, a tube advancing module for advancing the tube, an active cooling module for cooling the tube to a pre-selected temperature, a processing module to derive at least one processing parameter from the geometry and a control module configured to control the thermal source and active cooling module in accordance with the parameter. The alternate heating and cooling are performed a number of times.

The invention relates generally to manufacturing processes for tube bending and, more particularly, to laser tube bending.
Presently, mechanical bending techniques are generally used to bend tubes. Although mechanical tube bending systems can bend tubes quickly with acceptable radius control, these systems have a number of limitations. For example, mechanical bending usually requires dedicated fixtures, thereby increasing the expense of the process. Mechanical bending often causes thinning along the outside arc of the bend radius (the extrados), thereby necessitating in many cases the use of a heavier tube than would otherwise be required. In addition, mechanical bending around large radii often causes cross-section distortion, which reduces the cross sectional area of the bent tube (important if the tube is to carry a gas or fluid), as well as reducing rigidity. In addition it is difficult to create contiguous (one after another) or compound (out of plane) bends using mechanical bending techniques. Contiguous bends are difficult because bending dies by their nature often have inherent minimal requirements for straight sections before and after the bend. Out of plane bends are also limited to applications with specialty tooling. These restrictions are typically overcome by cutting segments of bent pipe and bonding to form the desired configuration—steps that add to manufacturing complexity, time and cost. Hydroforming has been applied to tube forming to alleviate some of the drawbacks of traditional mechanical bending, but the advantages are offset by high equipment costs and specialized tooling.
As an alternative to mechanical bending, thermal energy can be used to bend tubes. Thermal tube bending imparts permanent deformations and is a non-contact process that is free from the use of dies and the concomitant constraints of the mechanical countertype. The thermal mechanism employed is typically referred to as an "upsetting" mechanism that contracts or gathers (hence the term "upset") material at the point of heating. The judicious application of heating over large areas will shape the workpiece in a desired fashion, allowing for example tube sections to be formed into a variety of shapes.
The mechanism of thermal upsetting can be described as follows: consider a thin plate or sheet of material that expands upon heating, as do most engineering materials such as metals, thermoplastics, etc. If a heat source is applied to a region of the plate such that a small temperature gradient perpendicular to the surface is produced—i.e. the temperature is nearly constant through the thickness—a compressive stress will begin to develop in the plane of the sheet—given that buckling is not introduced—due to the thermal expansion of the heated material. At first, only elastic deformations are present, and if the thermal excursion is gentle enough, upon cooling, the plate will return to its original planar shape. If however the thermal energy continues to be applied—baring melting—the in-plane compressive stresses will yield the material and it will begin to plastically flow in compression in the plane of the plate. Because the through-thickness thermal gradient is very low, the plastic flow will be nearly homogenous in the thickness direction. During cooling the heated region will contract, and after complete cooling the region will exhibit a net contraction in the plane orientation and a net expansion in the thickness orientation due to the plastic flow. The mechanism can be effectively applied with moving heat sources (resulting in a predominant contraction transverse to the heating line) with various geometries. Any of a number of thermal energy sources may be used such as laser, induction, resistance, plasma, etc.
In laser tube bending, laser energy is usually scanned across the inside arc of the intended bend (the intrados) to heat the tube. The tube then is allowed to cool. The thermal stress causes plastic thickening and contraction of the scanned region as described above, while the opposing side maintains its original length, thereby causing the tube to bend toward the scanned region. Under favorable conditions, laser tube bending maintains both the outside arc thickness and tube cross section. Laser tube bending also minimizes the need for hard tooling, which can reduce costs and lead times significantly and permits users to create complex combinations or configurations of bends including out-of-plane or three-dimensional (3D) bends that would otherwise be prohibitively expensive to make by traditional methods.
Laser tube bending can be performed using either a rotational or an axial application of energy. For axial scanning, a specially shaped laser beam is directed along the axis of the tube. Axial scanning is generally suitable for large radius tube bending. For the rotational approach, laser energy is applied in the tube's circumferential direction at discrete intervals.
In addition, the rotational approach may be used for large radius tube bending but may be slower than axial tube bending. Usually, axial scanning is faster than rotational scanning. However, with axial scanning it can be difficult to control surface damage, in addition to being difficult to achieve small bending radii. Axial scanning is also particularly sensitive to the processing window and cooling of the tube. Beneficially, rotational tube bending provides improved, localized control of the bending, thereby providing improved accuracy. However, current rotational tube bending methods are quite slow.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a system and method for laser tube bending that have enhanced robustness and greater speed relative to existing systems and methods.


The present invention relates to stretchable webs having a plurality of elongated cells, and a retractive force mechanism to provide increased retractive force of the web when stretched in a given direction. The stretchable webs are useful in disposable garments such as diapers, bandages and other hygiene material so that the material fits closely without slipping off.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to stretchable webs and more particularly to a stretchable web for use in garments that are manufactured with materials of relatively low elasticity. The invention also relates to laminates including the stretchable webs, where the laminates have relatively low elasticity.
2. Description of Related Art
Stretchable Webs are useful in disposable and non-disposable garments for increasing comfort and fit of the garments. Such stretchable webs are used in armbands, waistbands and other panels of a garment. Stretchable webs may also be used throughout a garment to make the overall garment have a more comfortable drape.
Stretchable webs that typically are employed in disposable and non-disposable garments include elastic materials. A major drawback of elastic materials is the cost of manufacturing such materials. Therefore, it is desirable to have a stretchable web that is manufactured of lower cost materials that can perform as required for various applications. Another disadvantage of elastic materials is that elastic materials typically stretch in all directions, thus requiring extra care during processing.
Netting materials are known in the art that provide some elasticity, but are known to have poor retractive qualities. In other words, netting materials are known to extend easily when a biasing force is placed in a particular direction, but the retractive force is not sufficient to meet many applications where elastic materials are used. Therefore, it would be advantageous to have a netting material created of inelastic materials that have sufficient forces to replace more expensive elastic materials.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,452,063, to Curro et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses a three-dimensional apertured elastic web having elongated apertures. The web is stretchable in a direction perpendicular to the major axis of the elongated apertures. While affording good stretching characteristics, this three-dimensional web has poor recovery.
Other drawbacks of the three-dimensional web of the '063 patent include reduced stretchability properties due in part to the aspect ratio of the apertures (length of the major axis to the minor axis) being within the range of from about 1.5 to about 5. Moreover, because these 3-dimensional webs have polygonal shaped cells that can stretch in various directions, they require extra care during processing. Additionally, this three-dimensional web does not provide sufficient recovery after stretching in a given direction. Thus, the three-dimensional web would be of little use in closely fitting disposable garments such as diapers that require good stretchability as well as good recovery so that the garment fits closely without slipping.
The description herein of certain disadvantages associated with known materials, webs, methods, and apparatus is not intended to limit the invention to embodiments that do not include the known items. Indeed, various aspects of the invention may include one or more of the known materials, webs, methods, and apparatus without suffering from the disadvantages described herein.


A formulation to produce urethane linkages reacts cyclocarbonate groups with diamines. Aliphatic polyhydroxyl precursor molecules are first epoxidized. The invention does not require complete epoxidation, as it makes use of the un-epoxidized hydroxyl groups of the precursor molecule. These hydroxyl groups are combined with isocyanate groups of prepolymer molecules to form urethane links. The use of prepolymers increases the networking, flexibility, and impact-resistance of the final product. The known formulations for amine hardeners also require complete carbonation of the epoxy groups to form reactive cyclocarbonate groups, which are reacted with diamines to form an amine hardener. In the proposed invention, both cyclocarbonate and epoxy groups are used to combine with the different diamine molecules by making use of the different reactivities of aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, and aromatic amine groups. This procedure not only increases the networking in the final polyurethane, it ensures that there are enough reactive amines to form the amine hardener. In addition, the resulting urethane contains hydroxyl groups which impart water-compatibility. The amine hardener can then be combined with any commercial epoxy resin to form a polyurethane that is water-compatible, non-toxic, has a low viscosity, and a high degree of penetrance into a surface, and after curing is impact-resistant, abrasion-resistant, chemical-resistant, strong, and flexible.

This invention relates generally to polyurethane formulations. More particularly, it relates to a water-compatible urethane-containing amine hardener which produces a polyurethane when combined with an epoxy resin.
Polyurethanes are high molecular weight compounds which have a high degree of strength, hardness, and friction resistance. They are often used as adhesives, cements, and coatings. They are made of polymers which contain repeating urethane groups, as shown in FIG. 1.
Traditionally, polyurethanes may be produced by reacting diols with di-isocyanates, as shown in FIG. 3. U.S. Pat. No. 4,401,499 by Kaneko et. al discloses a method for producing a resin which reacts molecules containing hydroxyl groups with di-isocyanates to form temporary urethane polymers, which are noted for their stability and strength. Isocyanates, however, are highly toxic, non-stable substances because they react easily with water, such as moisture in the air. This method of producing polyurethane cannot be used in many applications, namely those involving direct contact with water.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,175,231 by Rappoport, incorporated herein by reference, describes a method for producing water-compatible polyurethanes which involves reacting oligomeric cyclocarbonates with diamines. This method begins with aliphatic polyepoxy molecules, which are used as precursors for cyclocarbonate-containing molecules. An example is Heloxy 84(copyright) produced by Shell Chemical Company. This product contains several epoxy functional groups. Since a desirable polyurethane coating comprises molecules attached to each other in a non-dissipated, three-dimensional network, it is preferable to have a precursor containing as many multi-functional epoxy groups as possible. However, the aliphatic polyepoxy molecules normally contain a number of residual hydroxyl groups that were not converted to epoxy groups, as epoxidation of aliphatic molecules is never 100% efficient due to the nature of the reaction commonly used. As a result, there are fewer epoxy groups available than desired, thus reducing the number of cyclocarbonate groups and possible links in the future polyurethane network. Although it is possible to increase the percentage of epoxy groups, it is more expensive and technically difficult to reach comprehensive epoxidation of aliphatic hydroxyl-containing compounds such as Heloxy 84(copyright).
In Rappoport""s method, the epoxy functional groups of Heloxy 84(copyright) are reacted with carbon dioxide to produce cyclocarbonate functional groups. The reaction is shown in FIG. 2. This reaction is also less than 100% efficient, leaving some epoxy groups unreacted. Like the residual hydroxyl groups mentioned above, these unreacted epoxy groups reduce the functionality of the urethane molecule and as a consequence, the number of links in the final polyurethane network. Typically, the conversion rate of epoxy groups to cyclocarbonate groups is only about 80-85% efficient at the soft conditions before xe2x80x9cstickingxe2x80x9d of the carbonation reaction occurs. In order to achieve comprehensive carbonation, a more extreme version of the reaction must be carried out. The temperature is raised from 100xc2x0 C. to 130xc2x0 C., the reaction time is increased from 1-1.5 hours to 5-6 hours, and a larger amount of catalyst, usually quaternary ammonium salts, is used. Though this reaction ensures that nearly all the epoxy groups have been turned into cyclocarbonate groups, it also produces undesirable side reactions and products. In addition, it is more expensive and time-consuming.
After the formation of cyclocarbonate functional groups, the molecules are reacted with diamines, such as Vestamine IPD (isophorone diamine) and Vestamine TMD (trimethyl hexamethylene diamine), both made by Hxc3xcls America, Inc. The reaction is shown in FIG. 4. These diamines contain two amine groups with different reactivities. For the isophorone diamine, the aliphatic amine groups are the more reactive amines, while the cycloaliphatic amine groups are the less reactive amines. The more reactive aliphatic amines are usually used to react with the cyclocarbonate groups of the molecules, thus forming urethane links. The less reactive cycloaliphatic amines are left unreacted. The urethane links form the basis for the urethane-containing amine hardener. The amine hardener is usually packaged and stored until it is time to create the polyurethane.
In order to create the polyurethane, the urethane-containing molecules of the amine hardener containing the unreacted less reactive cycloaliphatic amines are combined with an epoxy resin. These less reactive cycloaliphatic amines react with the epoxy resin to form the polyurethane. The polyurethane is then cured as a result of the hardener""s multifunctionality. Unfortunately, because all the more reactive amine groups have previously reacted, there is often a shortage of less reactive amine groups in the curing stage which leaves the reaction incomplete and weakens the structure of the final polyurethane.
In many epoxide resin-amine hardener formulations, reactions are carried out in the presence of organic solvents, which are volatile air pollutants and sometimes carcinogenic. These organic solvents also decrease the reactivity of the functional groups, thus reducing the degree of cross-linking.
Accordingly, it is the primary object of the present invention to improve the efficiency and lower the cost of amine hardener formulations and to overcome problems due to the incomplete epoxidation and carbonation reactions. It is another object of this invention to provide a variety of amine hardeners by formulating different combinations of the necessary structural units, which also allows control over the properties of the polyurethane to be produced. It is another object of the invention to remove hazardous components from the presence of polyurethane users at the final processing stage. Another object of the invention is to produce a superior polyurethane formulation, which is water-compatible, non-toxic, has a low viscosity, and has a high degree of penetrance into a surface (mainly porous) before curing, and is impact-resistant, abrasion-resistant, chemical-resistant, strong, and flexible after curing. It is a final object of the invention to provide a one-package polyurethane formulation, whereby the urethane-containing amine hardener and epoxy resin can be packaged together for a certain amount of time without reacting until needed.
These objects and advantages are attained by an improved urethane-containing amine hardener synthesis. Precursor aliphatic polyepoxies, such as Heloxy 84(copyright), contain a plurality of epoxy functional groups, as well as residual hydroxyl functional groups that were not converted to epoxy groups at the time of the Heloxy 84(copyright) synthesis from polyepoxy molecules. The proposed formulation for amine hardener synthesis makes use of the unconverted hydroxyl groups by reacting them with isocyanate groups on a prepolymer molecule to form a urethane-containing molecule. Although this reaction contains hazardous components, it is achieved under the supervision of specialists in sealed chemical equipment. Polyurethane users are not exposed to any chemical hazards.
As a result of the above modification, the epoxy-containing molecules bearing the mentioned hydroxyl groups are combined together by use of the prepolymer molecule. Consequently, the common functionality of the mixture is increased and a more complete, non-dissipated, three-dimensional network can be created at the curing stage. As is described in the known method, the epoxy groups are reacted with carbon dioxide to form cyclocarbonate groups. If this reaction is carried out at the more soft conditions, it is 80-85% efficient, thus leaving some epoxy groups unconverted. The proposed formulation for amine hardeners is able to make use of the unreacted epoxy groups by taking advantage of the different reactivities of diamine molecules, cyclocarbonate molecules, and epoxy molecules. Aliphatic amines have a high reactivity to both cyclocarbonate and epoxy functional groups, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. Cycloaliphatic amines have a lower reactivity but are still able to react with both cyclocarbonate and epoxy functional groups, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. Aromatic amines are the least reactive, as they are only able to react with epoxy functional groups, as shown in FIG. 9, but not with the cyclocarbonate groups. Thus, selectively reacting the aromatic amine groups with the unconverted epoxy groups on the urethane molecule renders them functional, but does not affect the cyclocarbonate groups. This reaction produces functional amine-containing molecules which are indifferent to cyclocarbonate groups at the ambient temperature, so that the two can coexist. However, after the addition of the epoxy resin to form the final polyurethane, the aromatic amines will be able to participate in the curing process.
The different reactivity of the amines is also used in the final stage of urethane-containing amine hardener synthesis. Modified diamines are used instead of the xe2x80x9cvirginxe2x80x9d ones used in the known method. By blocking the more reactive aliphatic amine groups of the isophorone diamine with a ketone, thus forming an amino-ketoxime, as shown in FIG. 10, it is possible to allow the less reactive cycloaliphatic amine groups to react with the cyclocarbonate functional groups first.
Interior urethane links are formed in this way. These molecules are stable and can be kept for a certain amount of time until the polyurethane is produced, due to the xe2x80x9chiddenxe2x80x9d more reactive aliphatic amine groups. These molecules also contain xe2x80x9chiddenxe2x80x9d hydroxyl groups near the urethane links which impart water-compatibility to the final hardener as a result of the urethane reaction.
To produce the final amine hardener which can react with an epoxy resin, the more reactive aliphatic amine groups must be deprotected. This is easily achieved with hydrolysis by water to remove the ketones. The regenerated more reactive aliphatic amine groups can then react with the epoxy functional groups of the epoxide resins. Any commercial aromatic epoxy resin may be used. In addition, the resulting amine hardener may be used in combination with other commercial polyamine hardeners such as di-ethylene-triamine or amino-amides to form amine hardeners with different characteristics.
The final amine hardener can be combined with an epoxy resin to form an especially water-compatible formulation which possesses impact-resistance, abrasion-resistance, chemical-resistance, strength, and flexibility after curing. This non-toxic polyurethane has a low viscosity and a high degree of penetrance into a surface, and as such can be used to coat, protect, and repair concrete, cement, wood, gypsum, and other porous surfaces. It can also be used for impregnation and reinforcement. Other uses include water-diluted coatings for wood and water-borne adhesives for silicate materials. Curing can take place at the ambient temperature. Polyurethane coatings produced by this invention are especially strong and flexible, due to the incorporation of the prepolymer molecules which form additional links in the final network, as well as increasing the functionality of the amine hardener.
In addition, the ability of this invention to make use of all three cyclocarbonate, epoxy, and hydroxyl functional groups not only increases the number of links in the final complete network, but also reduces time and cost factors in the synthesis of urethane-containing amine hardeners and the processing of amine hardener-epoxy resin formulations.

Water-compatible urethane-containing amine hardener


A printing device includes a location area acquirer that acquires a location area for a printing subject from a background image and a foreground image; a rough edge image acquirer that acquires a first edge image showing a rough contour of the printing subject; a precise edge image acquirer that acquires a second edge image showing a precise contour of the printing subject; a location position acquirer that acquires a position and a posture of the printing subject from the second edge image; a calculator that calculates, based on the position and the posture of the printing subject, a transform matrix usable to perform normalization such that the printing subject assumes a predetermined posture; and a printing data generator that creates printing data actually usable for printing, by use of an inverse matrix of the transform matrix, from printing data edited by an operator.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printing device and a printing method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, so-called flatbed-type printing devices are known. In a flatbed-type printing device, a printing head is moved, for example, in two directions perpendicular to each other in a plane with respect to a printing subject placed on a table. Such a flatbed-type printing device is used for performing printing on, for example, a printing subject such as a substantially rectangular business card, greeting card or the like. In the following description, the term "printing subject" is a "substantially rectangular sheet-type or plate-type printing subject such as a substantially rectangular business card, greeting card or the like", unless otherwise specified.
For performing printing on a printing subject by use of a flatbed-type printing device, the printing subject is placed on a table and then printing is performed. For accurate printing, the printing subject needs to be placed precisely at a predetermined position. This requires, for example, measuring the size of the printing subject beforehand, so that the position at which the printing subject is to be placed is determined accurately.
Such a work needs to be performed accurately. For an unexperienced operator, the work is time-consuming. This causes a problem that the printing requires a long time and the production cost is raised. There is also a problem that the work requires a great number of steps to be performed by an operator, which imposes a heavy load on the operator.
A technology for solving these problems is proposed by, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2007-136764. According to the technology disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2007-136764, a jig that can be secured to a table and accommodate a plurality of printing subjects at a fixed position is produced. For performing printing, the jig is secured to the table and a plurality of printing subjects are accommodated in the jig. The position in the jig at which each of the plurality of printing subjects is accommodated is predetermined. The position is input beforehand to a microcomputer that controls the printing device. This allows the position of each printing subject to be determined by the jig, so that printing is performed at predetermined positions of the printing subjects.
However, the above-described technology requires producing a jig in accordance with the shape or the size of a printing subject. This causes a problem that the production of a jig is time-consuming. In addition, even in the case where printing is to be performed on a small number of printing subjects, a jig needs to be produced. This causes a problem that in the case where printing is performed on a small number of printing subjects, the cost per printing subject is increased.
A conceivable measure for solving these problems is to acquire the position and the posture of the printing subject located on the table and determine the position at which the printing is performed based on the acquired information on the position and the posture. With this measure, the position and the posture of the printing subject may be acquired by extracting a difference between an image obtained when no printing subject is placed on the table and an image obtained when the printing subject is placed on the table. In other words, a so-called background subtraction method is usable. However, in the case where the table and the printing subject have similar colors or in the case where there is a shadow between the table and the printing subject, the background subtraction method does not provide the shape or the like of the printing subject accurately.
A technology for acquiring an accurate shape of an object (corresponding to the printing subject) by use of the background subtraction method is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent No. 4012200. According to this technology, a background image (corresponding to the image obtained when no printing subject is placed on the table) is captured at a plurality of time points, and the shape or the like of the object is acquired by use of the background images captured at the plurality of time points. However, this technology requires a great number of images having different levels of luminance since the luminance changes along with time. Use of such a great number of images requires a long time for image capturing and also a large memory capacity. A process of acquiring the position or the posture of the printing subject is also time-consuming. In addition, almost no ambient light is incident into the inside of the printing device. In such an environment where the luminance does not change almost at all, it is considered difficult to stably acquire the shape or the like of an object.


Monoclonal anti-myostatin antibodies that preferentially bind myostatin over GDF-11, have strong binding affinity to myostatin and are resistant to chemical degradation. The antibodies of the invention are useful for increasing muscle mass, increasing bone density, or for the treatment or prevention of various disorders in mammalian and avian species.

Myostatin, also referred to as growth differentiation factor-8 (GDF-8), is a member of the TGF-β superfamily of proteins, which shares structural similarities with other TGF-β family members. Myostatin is expressed largely in developing and adult skeletal muscle and functions as a negative regulator of skeletal muscle. Myostatin may also be involved in other physiological processes including preadipocyte differentiation to adipocytes, and, indirectly, with glucose homeostasis and inhibition of bone formation.
Growth differentiation factor-11, also referred to as GDF-11 or BMP-11, is the member of the TGF-β superfamily of proteins that is most homologous to myostatin. The amino acid sequence of the mature forms of human myostatin and GDF-11 are about 90% identical; however, GDF-11 is expressed in a wider range of tissues than is myostatin, including dental pulp, brain, heart, kidney and lung as well as muscle and adipose tissue. Human GDF-11 has recently been found to govern the temporal windows during which multipotent progenitors retain competence to produce distinct neural progeny.
There is a therapeutic need to specifically inhibit a myostatin activity while minimally inhibiting an activity of other TGF-β superfamily proteins, particularly GDF-11. Furthermore, there is a diagnostic need for an anti-myostatin antibody that minimally cross-reacts with another TGF-β superfamily protein, particularly GDF-11, in order to more accurately monitor or determine myostatin levels in a sample. Anti-myostatin antibodies that preferentially bind myostatin over GDF-11 are disclosed in International Publication Number WO 2005/094446. Humanized monoclonal antibodies which preferentially bind myostatin over GDF-11 are disclosed in International Publication Number WO 2007/044411.
Therapeutic antibodies may be subject to a variety of degradation reactions, e.g., deamidation or cleavage, that may occur in vivo or during manufacturing, formulation, storage and therapeutic use. For example, Asparagine (Asn) residues in antibodies or other polypeptides are particularly susceptible to cleavage in aqueous solution. Thus, there is a need for an anti-myostatin antibody that preferentially binds myostatin over GDF-11, has a strong binding affinity for myostatin (i.e., no greater than about 3×10−8 M) and is resistant to chemical degradation.


A method is provided for delivery of Multimedia Broadcast and Multicast Service (MBMS) over wireless systems. The method optimizes the number of paging messages sent over the air interface in order to enhance the overall system capacity. MBMS active Mobile Station User Equipments (UEs) track their locations to the granularity of a cell based on information sent by the system.

The development of Multimedia Broadcast and Multicasting Service (MBMS) is facing some technical difficulties for the delivery of these services because of the mobility of the subscriber unit (UE). The UE initiates Multicasting services by activating the corresponding packet data protocol (PDP) context and receives the appropriate acknowledgements. Then the UE, if not active in one of the multicasting services, reverts to an "Idle" mode of operation. The UE while being in "Idle" mode may receive services (e.g., voice calls) by listening to its paging channel. The system usually does not track the UE movements within a certain coverage area location area (LA) or routing area (RA). Therefore, in order to locate the UE, the system has to page in multiple cells which comprises the LA or RA. Some proposals for the Multicast services use the paging mechanism to locate the user (UE) for the delivery of a Multicasting service. This prior art solution, while simple, leads to a significant increase in paging traffic.

Method and apparatus for delivering multimedia multicast services over wireless communication systems