A disc playback apparatus includes a decoder 15 for decoding audio files respectively corresponding to different data formats, which are stored in a storage unit, on the basis of a file attribute preset thereto, and for playing back the decoded audio files, and a control unit 16 for determining a file attribute of data read from the storage unit when starting the decoding and playback process on a basis of the file attribute set to the decoder, and for, when the file attribute differs from the file attribute set to the decoder, holding address information about the read data, and, after stopping the reading of subsequent data, changing the setting of the file attribute made for the decoder and then restarting to read the data by using the address information held thereby.

Each of CD-DA (Compact Disc Digital Audio) and dts-CD (Digital Theater System Compact Disc) is specifications which define a music file recorded in a CD recording medium. CD-DA has a feature that sound quality does not degrade by virtue of digital sound recording of a piece of music using a PCM (Pulse Code Modulation) method having a sampling frequency of 44.1 kHz and 16-bit quantization. In contrast, a dts-CD is a medium recorded according to the dts-CD format specifications, and cannot be played back via an analog output of a general CD player, but can be used to reproduce a high-quality signal of 5.1 channels via a digital output using a decoder for DTS.
Recently, users have become able to acquire music files transmitted through network electric delivery by downloading them, and have mixedly recorded these music files which may have different data formats into a single disc frequently to listen to them.
By the way, data which comply with each of above-mentioned CD-DA and dts-CD specifications are recorded into a CD recording medium, and it is difficult for any playback equipment to identify whether a CD recording medium is a CD-DA medium or a dts-CD medium without analyzing actual data recorded in the CD recording medium. A conventional playback apparatus inputs data recorded in a disc to a decoder and discriminates whether the disc is of CD-DA type or dts-CD type from a response of the decoder.
However, because this method requires much time before the media type is determined and an audio is then outputted, there is a case in which the user doubts that the CD medium is a defective or the playback apparatus is out of order. A further problem with the conventional playback apparatus is that even if the conventional playback apparatus judges that the disc is of dts-CD type when discriminating whether the disc is of CD-DA type or dts-CD type from the response of the decoder, the conventional playback apparatus cannot output the audio correctly when data yet to be played back, except the data inputted to the decoder, are based on the CD-DA specifications. Furthermore, the same problem arises in playback of data having the same extension.
Conventionally, a playback apparatus that detects a stream synchronizing signal immediately before inputting data read from a CD to a decoder in order to judge whether a digital acoustic signal recorded in the CD is a PCM digital acoustic signal or a stream signal compression-coded at a variable-length bit rate, such as a signal based on MP3 (MPEG Audio Layer level 3), is known (for example, refer to patent reference 1). The conventional playback equipment judges the type of the data by detecting the stream synchronizing signal, and counts the amount of data so as to determine the next-time address. When the counter reaches a predetermined value, the conventional playback apparatus judges that the digital acoustic signal is a stream signal, whereas when the counter does not reach the predetermined value, the conventional playback equipment restarts the detection of the synchronizing signal from an address leading the determined address.    [Patent reference 1] JP, 2005-259220, A
However, according to the technology disclosed by above-mentioned patent reference 1, while it can be judged whether or not the digital acoustic signal is a stream signal before the digital acoustic signal is decoded, it is necessary to count the amount of data regardless of whether the counter reaches the predetermined amount. Furthermore, because the conventional playback apparatus has to carryout the detection of the synchronizing signal again when the counter does not reach the predetermined amount, the conventional playback apparatus requires useless time until it outputs an audio and therefore does not prevent a bad influence from being exerted on the playback starting time. Thus, the technology does not provide any solution to the case in which the user doubts that the CD medium is a defective or the playback apparatus is out of order.
The present invention is made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a disc playback apparatus that shortens the playback starting time so as to prevent the user from doubting that the disc playback apparatus is out of order.


According to an embodiment, a system can comprise a processor and a memory that can store executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations. The operations can include communicating with a core network device of a core network by employing a first wireless connection to a first base station device communicatively coupled to the core network device. The operations can further include establishing a second wireless connection with a user equipment to enable the user equipment to communicate with the core network device. The operations can further include communicating a first control message and a second control message to the user equipment, wherein the first control message comprises first parameters associated with the first wireless connection and the second control message comprises second parameters associated with the second wireless connection.

Modern communications can use chains of interconnected base stations to connect with a user device. Traditionally, user devices can receive control messages when base station conditions change, e.g., based on interference or signal quality. Further, when user devices have to transition from one base station to another, resource intensive handover procedures can degrade performance.
Based on the rapid development of distributed communications links, unnecessary handovers can be triggered at user equipment, and as a result, benefits of the new approaches may not be fully realized.

Wireless control plane having centralized and distributed control messages


A cover 20 is attached to connector body 10, and has a connecting and supporting member 30 engageable with a receiving member 16. Once engaged the member 30 cannot be removed. The connecting and supporting member 30 can be released only by breaking a breakable member 32. Consequently the connection of the cover 20 with the connector body 10 is maintained with certainty. In a preferred embodiment a part of the breakable member 31 is retained after breaking, this giving evidence that the cover has been removed.

It is frequently the case that a tamper evident connector is required between electrical components in order to give evidence that the electrical connection has been released. Such a tamper evident connection can show unauthorised interference with an electrical connection and may also be useful in discouraging accidental disconnection.
A tamper evident connection is useful where electrical continuity must be maintained except for maintenance purposes, for example to permit a computer memory to be re-set, or a capacitive electrical storage to be deliberately discharged so as to avoid an electrical shock.
In order to, for example, start an appliance by means of a starting switch, a connector connected to a circuit on the switch side is connected to a connector connected to a circuit on the appliance side, making terminal fittings of both the connectors establish contact electrically, the appliance beginning to operate after the operation of the switch causes a starting signal to be sent.
In such a device, in the state where the connectors are in a separated state, since the terminal fittings are exposed towards the exterior along the connecting faces of the connectors, there is a possibility of foreign matter entering the interior of the female connector and of foreign matter getting attached to the male terminal fitting.
Accordingly it is desirable to cover the connecting faces of the connectors in order to protect them, and to uncover them when necessary. A cover may be envisaged that could be clamped on so as to cover the connecting faces of the connectors. However, merely clamping on the cover may be insufficiently secure. Moreover, although it is conceivable that a locking arm be provided on the cover and the locking arm be fitted to the connector so as to lock the cover thereon and to prevent separation, since in a locking means it is normally the case that a locking release operation can be carried out, there is always a possibility of the cover being separated due to deliberate or inadvertent release of the lock.
As described above, in the conventional device there is no suitable means for effecting with certainty the maintenance of an attached state of a member corresponding to a connecting portion that is connected to a terminal fitting in a connector. Taking the above problem into consideration, the present invention aims at providing a connector that can maintain with certainty an attached state of a member corresponding to a connecting portion that is connected to a terminal fitting in a connector.


An apparatus for conveying bags along a path which includes a plurality of work stations. The conveyor apparatus includes a plurality of conveyor assemblies. Each of the conveyor assemblies includes opposed belt assemblies, one of which is laterally displaceable. Opposed belts of the opposed belt assemblies are contiguous for grasping the sides of the bags and transporting the bags in a generally upright orientation as the belts are driven in synchronism.

In machines such as those for packaging parenteral infusion bags, the bags are fed into and moved through a series of work stations by a single conveyor which extends through the machine along a bag transport path. The packaging machine is cycled such that the conveyor is intermittently arrested at selected stations so as to allow, for example, the simultaneous filling of one series of bags at one station and the sealing of another series of bags at an adjacent station. The conveyor is then advanced and the filling and sealing process is repeated on other bags on the conveyor.
The use of a single conveyor extending the length of the packaging machine has a drawback in that it requires the operations at the various stations such as filling and sealing of the bags to occur simultaneously. As a result, the packaging machine can cycle no faster than the time required to effect the slowest operation such as filling or sealing, thus adversely affecting the production rate and efficiency of the packaging machine.
What is needed is a conveying apparatus which does not require the operations at the various stations to occur simultaneously so as to increase the production rate and efficiency of the machine.


An apparatus and method for constructing a data unit that includes a buffer status report (BSR) such that when BSR triggering is performed, the size(s) of the necessary sub-header(s) are also to be considered together in addition to the BSR size. There is a checking unit that checks whether any padding region is available in a MAC PDU that was constructed, a comparing unit that compares the number of padding bits with the size of a buffer status report (BSR) plus its sub-header, and a processing unit that cooperates with the checking unit and the comparing unit to trigger a buffer status report (BSR) procedure if the number of padding bits is larger than the size of the BSR plus its sub-header, including the BSR and its sub-header in the MAC PDU, and setting an LCID in the sub-header to indicate a BSR is included, the BSR having been triggered due to padding. Using such apparatus allows the sub-header(s) to be inserted (included) into the MAC PDU (or transport block (TB) or other data unit).

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for constructing a data unit that includes a buffer status report (BSR). In the related art, buffer status reporting was performed, but radio resources were unnecessarily wasted. As such, the related art technologies do not sufficiently address such issues, and thus do not offer appropriate solutions.

Apparatus and method for constructing a data unit that includes a buffer status report


A network system comprising logical work and protect Connection Termination Points. Performance Monitoring (PM) records are provided by generating for each work Connection Termination Point (CTP) a work bit vector and a protect bit vector. The work bit vector keeps track of severely errored seconds (SES) occurrences at the work CTP only when the work CTP is selected. The protect bit vector keeps track of severely errored seconds (SES) occurrences at the protect CTP only when the protect CTP is selected. Processing the work bit vector and the protect bit vector provides accurate PM records.

In a communication network, a Connection Termination Point (CTP) refers to a logical end point of a sub-network connection or link connection. A network element, such as a switch, may provide redundancy by configuring one or more CTPs as a protect CTPs, where other CTPs may be referred to as work CTPs. For example, N work CTPs and one protect CTP may be grouped together, where if any one of the work CTPs in the group goes down, the protect CTP may be utilized in place of that work CTP until it is up again.
A Performance Monitoring (PM) record or table may be used to keep track of the performance of a work CTP. A PM record may be needed to ensure that a client is receiving the level of service contracted to the client. For example, a PM record may include such performance data as: UAS-C, unavailable seconds for the circuit (from the equipment); UAS-P, unavailable seconds for the path (from the equipment); SES, severely errored seconds (from the equipment); ES, errored seconds (from the equipment); OSS, out of service seconds, determined by the SLM (Service Layer Manager), which are those seconds where the service is not routed; SS, suspect seconds, from the equipment and the SLM, which are those seconds where the SLM was not able to collect data and/or the data is suspect; and TTS, total time in seconds the circuit was provisioned during the time interval. The above data may be recorded with a granularity of 15-minute bins or time intervals.
In a protection group, there are PM records for each CTP, where the performance counters run continuously. This allows the monitoring of each CTP individually where a work CTP will have its own PM record and a protect CTP will have its own PM record. However, from the PM records of the work and protect CTPs alone, it is difficult to measure the service disrupt time when any switching or mesh activities occur with respect to the circuit under consideration. It is expected that obtaining such data at the SLM level will lead to inaccurate performance determination.

Correlation of performance monitoring records for logical end points within a protected group


A method can include receiving an input signal that includes an input image having an original edge, applying multiple one-dimensional (1D) Digital Transient Improvement (DTi) algorithms to the input image, summing each result of the application of each of the 1D DTi algorithms to the input image, and providing an output signal that includes an output image having an enhanced edge that results from the applying and summing and corresponds to the original edge.

After the upscaling of a smaller image for display on high-resolution devices, edges within the upscaled image are often blurry (or blurrier) compared to images that are at the correct resolution or a higher resolution. In order to create sharper edges, image processing routines can use sharper scaling filters or a peaking circuit subsequent to the scaler. However, both of these techniques result in edges that have ringing (e.g., a thin ghosting or outline along sharp edges). In order to create sharp edges without ringing, non-linear edge enhancement or Digital Transient Improvement (DTi) algorithms are typically used.
FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a DTi system 100 in which a signal is received by an input component 102 and then upscaled by way of a scaling component 104. The upscaled signal is then processed by an edge enhancement and peaking component 106. The resulting signal is then transmitted by an output component 108.
Traditional one-dimensional (1D) Digital Transient improvement (DTi) algorithms are generally designed to provide additional sharpness along edges without introducing overshoot (e.g., overcorrection) or ringing (e.g., halo effect). However, this is a non-linear process that, when applied to edges that are not orthogonal to the filter, generally causes the edges to be overly processed, resulting in a non-smooth image (e.g., having jaggedness effects referred to as "jaggies") instead of a smooth image.
There are several techniques that have been applied to provide edge enhancement without overshoot. For example, one technique includes the performing of a peaking operation on the signal and subsequently eliminating the ringing by way of a median filter. Such a median filter is applied to the peaked signal, a delayed version of the original signal, and an advanced version of the original signal. An example of this technique is illustrated by FIGS. 2A-2C, which are described below.
FIG. 2A illustrates a first signal capture 200A in which there is an edge 202A, before application of any peaking or filtering to the corresponding signal. FIG. 2B illustrates a second signal capture 200B in which there is an edge 202B representing the edge 202A of FIG. 2A after peaking and delayed and advanced versions thereof. FIG. 2C illustrates a third signal capture 200C in which there is a media filter result 202C corresponding to the original edge 202A of FIG. 2A.
An additional technique is described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,590,302 ("the '302 patent), which describes an image edge enhancement system and method. The '302 patent is hereby incorporated by reference herein.
While the techniques noted above may be effective for horizontal and vertical edges, such processes tend to degrade image quality in situations where image edges are at an odd angle.
FIGS. 3A-3B illustrate an example of the impact of applying a 1D DTi algorithm to a proper anti-alias edge. Whereas an edge 300A (FIG. 3A) has a smooth appearance, a resulting edge 300B (FIG. 3B) represents the edge 300A of FIG. 3A no longer having a smooth appearance due to such applying.
Traditional methods of adjusting a given technique based on the angle of the edge are complex due to the inherent difficulty in determining the angle itself. Further, the filter becomes more complex when the angles are not 0, 45, 90, or 135 degrees. Also, simply applying two 1D DTi algorithms at 0 and 90 degrees is likely to further increase the amount of jaggedness, e.g., vis a vis simply applying one algorithm or the other.
Accordingly, there remains a need for improved DTi techniques.

Two-dimensional digital transient improvement


In an example implementation, a smart cart system may include a cart including a frame and an item holder supported by the frame and configured to transition between an open position and a storage position that is more compact than the open position. The smart cart system may include a motivator configured to provide a motive force to the cart, a power source coupled with the motivator, and a charging interface attached to the frame of the cart and that interacts with a cart charging system of a cart storage rack to charge the power source. The smart cart system may also include a user interface device, a computing device, and a smart cart controller operable on the computing device to receive information describing an attribute of an item and provide information describing the attribute of the item for presentation by the user interface device.

The present specification generally relates to improving the customer experience of a user by providing an intelligent, automated shopping cart and associated methods and systems.
Current carts, such as shopping carts, may be pushed or pulled while carrying items. They may be heavy and difficult to push and do not provide assistance to users interacting with the carts. Machinery, such as fork lifts, exists to move larger loads or pallets of items; however, these are not suitable for use by the public, for example, in a retail environment.
Attempts to bridge the gap between ordinary push carts and automated machinery have been bulky, not user friendly, and have required significant maintenance, for example, by requiring large amounts of storage space, manual battery replacement or charging, and failing to facilitate user interaction with the cart, a retail computer, or external devices.


A surgical positioning device for supporting the body of a patient in a selected lateral position comprises a bag made of flexible, air-impermeable material filled with a charge of elastically deformable expanded polystyrene beads, and includes a valve for evacuating air from the bag such that the bag forms a rigid structure to support the patient's body in the selected position. An inflatable pillow is attached to the upper edges of the bag at the center thereof such that when inflated, the pillow supports the patient's axilla and eliminates pressure, thereby to prevent injury to the patient's brachial plexus.

Vacuum actuated positioning aids or devices are utilized in the operating room for positioning patients in the supine, prone and lateral positions. They are most frequently used when the patient is in the lateral position, i.e., on his or her side, for a multitude of surgical procedures, such as brain, chest, kidney, shoulder and hip surgery, to name but a few. The devices typically comprise a flexible air impervious bag containing small, elastically deformable particles or beads which consolidate into a rigid mass when the bag is evacuated. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,762,404 to Sakita. Devices according to the Sakita patent are sold by Olympic Medical, 5900 First Avenue South, Seattle, Wash. 98108, under the trademark Vac-Pac.RTM., and are available in a variety of sizes.
Devices of this type are typically filled with thousands of tiny, elastically deformable, generally spherical, plastic beads. When a device of this type is in the soft (unevacuated) condition, the beads are free to move around so that the device can be molded to the patient's body. When air is removed (using a vacuum source), atmospheric pressure forces the beads together into a solid mass, comfortably positioning, yet immobilizing the patient in the selected position. Allowing air back into the device returns it to its initial soft condition, ready for re-use.
Currently available positioning aids, however, suffer from a variety of deficiencies. Principal among them is their lack of adequate brachial plexus protection when an anaesthetized patient is immobilized in the lateral position. When an anaesthetized patient is placed in the lateral position and immobilized using one of these devices, the brachial plexus must be protected from stretching and compression. Otherwise serious injury is possible.
Also, currently available aids are not able to be attached to the operating table in a safe and efficient manner. Currently available aids are also not provided with disposable, waterproof slipcovers or shells to protect them from being soiled during surgery.
It is thus the principal object of the present invention to provide an improved vacuum actuated surgical positioning aid that will provide the patient with adequate brachial plexus protection when in the lateral position.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a positioning aid as aforesaid that can easily be secured to the operating table to maintain the immobilized anaesthetized patient in a safe condition.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a positioning aid as aforesaid with a disposable, waterproof protective slipcover or outer shell, which is easily attached and can protect the device from being soiled, thereby to allow the device to be reused many times.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a method of supporting the body of an anaesthetized patient in a selected lateral position, which will provide adequate protection to the patient's brachial plexus.


A beam current adjuster for an ion implanter includes a variable aperture device which is disposed at an ion beam focus point or a vicinity thereof. The variable aperture device is configured to adjust an ion beam width in a direction perpendicular to an ion beam focusing direction at the focus point in order to control an implanting beam current. The variable aperture device may be disposed immediately downstream of a mass analysis slit. The beam current adjuster may be provided with a high energy ion implanter including a high energy multistage linear acceleration unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a high energy ion implanter.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a semiconductor device production process, an important process is generally performed in which ions are implanted into a semiconductor wafer in a vacuum state so as to add impurities to crystals of the semiconductor wafer. Accordingly, a conductive property is changed so that the semiconductor wafer becomes a semiconductor device. An apparatus used in this process is generally called an ion implanter that accelerates impurity atoms as ions for the semiconductor device and implants impurity atoms into the semiconductor wafer.
Hitherto, an apparatus for performing a high energy ion implantation by further deeply implanting an ion beam into the semiconductor wafer has been used with the high integration and the high performance of the semiconductor device. Such an apparatus is particularly called a high energy ion implanter. As an example, there is known a method of configuring an ion beam acceleration system by a tandem type electrostatic accelerator.
(Batch Type)
Further, a batch treatment type high energy ion implanter with a radio frequency linear accelerator for performing a radio frequency acceleration has been used for many years.
The batch treatment type ion implantation is a method of uniformly implanting ions into wafers while several tens of silicon wafers are loaded on the outer periphery of an aluminum disk having a diameter of about 1 m and the disk is rapidly rotated by 1000 revolutions per minute. In order to prevent the pop-out state of the wafer by a centrifugal force, the wafer loading portion of the disk has an angle of about 5° with respect to a rotation surface (a surface perpendicular to a rotation shaft). The batch treatment type ion implantation method has a problem in which an implantation angle (an angle at which the ions are incident to the wafer) is different by about 1° between the center and the end of the wafer (the implantation angle deviation) due to the above-described angle and the rotation of the wafer.
In general, a die on the wafer has an ion implantation performing region and a non-ion implantation performing region, and the non-ion implantation performing region is covered by an organic substance called a photoresist. Since the ions do not need to penetrate the photoresist during the implantation, the photoresist to be coated during the high energy ion implantation is much thickened. In the ion implantation performing region, the photoresist is excluded by lithography. However, when the integration degree is high and the implantation region is minute, the ions are perpendicularly implanted to a bottom of a deep hole surrounded by an upright photoresist wall. In the ion implantation in the structure having a high aspect ratio, the high precision of implantation angle is demanded.
In particular, in a case where a high-quality imaging device such as a CCD is produced, the resolution increases with the deep ion implantation, and hence the sensitivity is improved. For this reason, a super high energy ion implantation (3 to 8 MeV) is also performed. In this case, the allowed implantation angle error is about 0.1°, and a batch type apparatus with a large implantation angle deviation may not be used.
(Single Wafer Type High Energy Ion Implanter)
Therefore, a single wafer type high energy ion implanter has been practically realized in recent years. In the batch type, the ion beam is uniformly implanted in the horizontal direction in a manner such that the beam is fixed and the wafer moves (the rotation on the disk). On the contrary, in the single wafer type, the beam moves (so that the beam scans in the horizontal direction) and the wafer is fixed. In this type, when the scan beam is collimated, the implantation dose may be uniform within the wafer surface, and the implantation angle may be also uniform. Accordingly, the problem of the implantation angle deviation may be solved. Furthermore, the dose uniformity in the vertical direction is realized by moving the wafer at a constant velocity in both types, but the angle error does not occur in accordance with the movement.
In addition, since the single wafer type ion implanter does not uselessly consume the silicon wafer when a small number of wafers are treated, the single wafer type ion implanter is suitable for a small lot multi-product production, and hence a demand therefor has been increased in recent years.
Here, in the production of the high-quality imaging device, there is a need to meet various difficult demands in which the angle precision is needed, the metal contamination needs to be removed, the implantation damage (the residual crystal defect after the annealing) needs to be small, and the implantation depth precision (the energy precision) needs to be good. Accordingly, even the single wafer type ion implanter has many points to be improved.
In the single wafer type high energy ion implanter of the related art, the tandem type electrostatic accelerator or the radio frequency acceleration type heavy ion linac (the linear accelerator) has been used as the high energy acceleration type.
The downstream side of the acceleration system is provided with an energy filtering magnet, a beam scanner, and a parallelizing (parallelization) magnet that collimates a scan orbit by a magnetic field. Then, the beam has the same incident angle (implantation angle) with respect to the wafer at any scan position due to the parallelizing magnet. The ion energy is up to about 3 to 4 MeV.
Further, in a part of the (single wafer type) medium current ion implanter used in the energy region (10 to 600 keV) lower than that of the high energy ion implanter, an electric field parallel lens is used which collimates the scan orbit by the electric field (the electrode). Since the electric field parallel lens may collimate the scan orbit while keeping the symmetry of the orbit, the angle precision is more critically treated compared to the parallelizing magnet. Further, in this apparatus, an electric field type deflection electrode called an AEF (Angular Energy Filter) is attached to the vicinity of the wafer. Since the ions subjected to a change in charge state during the transportation of the beam or the particles generated in the beamline are removed by the AEF, a highly pure beam may be supplied.

High energy ion implanter, beam current adjuster, and beam current adjustment method

Sumitomo Heavy Industries Ion Technology Co., Ltd.


Devices and method for photo acoustically detecting a gas are disclosed. In one illustrative embodiment, a gas sensor includes an optical cavity defined by one or more optical segments separating at least two mirrors. A photo acoustic cell, configured to receive a gas from the surrounding environment, is provided at least partially within one or more of the optical segments of the optical cavity. One of the at least two mirrors is configured to couple electromagnetic radiation into the optical cavity and to interact with the gas. A detector is acoustically coupled to the photo acoustic cell to detect absorption of the electromagnetic radiation by the gas.

Gas sensors are widely used in many diverse applications, including commercial applications, military applications, and private applications. The sensitivity of such gas sensors can vary, and the type of gas sensor used for a particular application is often selected depending on the required sensitivity. In some applications, it may be desirable to detect gas concentrations as low as a few parts per billion, or even less. Many commercially available gas sensors do not have a high enough sensitivity to detect these and other gas concentrations.

Cavity enhanced photo acoustic gas sensor


An embodiment of a spoken intent detection device includes technology to detect a phrase in an electronic representation of an audio stream based on a pre-defined vocabulary, associate a time stamp with the detected phrase, and classify a spoken intent based on a sequence of detected phrases and the respective associated time stamps. Other embodiments are disclosed and claimed.

Automatic speech recognition (ASR) systems may be found in many devices and environments including home, work, and vehicles. Some ASR systems include wake on keyphrase technology. For example, AMAZON products may utilize the phrase "ALEXA," GOOGLE products may utilize the phrase "OK, GOOGLE," APPLE products may utilize the phrase "HEY SIRI." A suitably configured device in the local environment may listen for the keyphrase and when the keyphrase is detected the spoken request may be sent along for further processing.

Time asynchronous spoken intent detection


A hand-held dental instrument for intraoral abrading of teeth includes a light-weight body made from a high temperature material and having internal bores or passageways for permitting fluid flow through the body. A rotatable nozzle assembly having internal fluid conduits therein is coupled to a distal end of the body such that a chamber is formed between the nozzle and the body. The chamber maintains fluid communication between an internal bore which is radially offset from a central axis bore of the body and an internal conduit of the nozzle assembly such that the nozzle can be rotated a full 360 degrees with respect to the body. The nozzle assembly includes a primary discharge port for directing flow of the air/abrasive material mixture and a secondary discharge port for directing a stream of liquid to a surface to be abraded. The primary discharge port of the nozzle head is preferably larger in diameter than the secondary discharge port and is disposed at an angle with respect to the secondary discharge port to meet at a point forward of the nozzle head. The handpiece is also provided with its own self-contained abrasive material supply which may be connected to the body or may be contained within the body. The abrasive material supply includes a coaxial pick-up tube and canister.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a hand-held dental instrument for intraoral abrading of teeth.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Use of hand-held dental abrading tools utilizing a pressurized slurry of bicarbonate, water and air to clean, polish and/or remove biofilm and heavy stains on the teeth is well known in the dental industry. Such tools operate by directing a gaseous stream mixed with an abrasive material to the tooth surface to be cleaned. The gaseous medium, (often compressed air), and small solid particles comprising the abrasive material are supplied to the tool and are mixed so that the abrasive material becomes entrained within the gaseous medium. The mixture is then discharged through a nozzle upon activation of the tool by the operator. Water is also often provided to dissolve the abrasive material and wash it from the surface of the tooth being abraded. Water may be mixed with the abrasive material internally within the tool or a stream of water may be separately directed from the nozzle to the surface being cleaned. Unfortunately, most polishing tools are somewhat expensive, bulky, prone to clogging and/or are not sterilizable by autoclaving. Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a hand-held dental abrading instrument which is easy to manufacture, reliable in operation, easy to grasp and manipulate and fully sterilizable by autoclaving.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a low-cost, easily manufactured dental abrading instrument which is easily grasped and manipulated within the confines of a patient""s mouth.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a handpiece for a dental abrading instrument which is sterilizable by standard autoclaving techniques.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a dental abrading instrument having a fully rotatable nozzle which can be gripped comfortably between the thumb and forefinger of the user and which is easily removed and replaced by another similar nozzle when needed.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a dental abrading instrument having a nozzle which provides optimal mixing of a pressurized abrasive stream with a water stream outside and forward of the tip of the nozzle to create a polishing slurry.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a dental abrading instrument having a self-contained abrasive material supply having means for effectively entraining the abrasive material within a pressurized gaseous medium which is relatively simple and less prone to clogging.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a dental abrading instrument having its own light-weight flexible supply cord which is adapted to connect to any existing dental office air/water supply system.
The present invention is a low-cost, reliable compact dental abrading instrument which alleviates the above-mentioned drawbacks. Generally, the instrument includes a light-weight body made from a high temperature material and having internal passageways for permitting fluid flow through the body. A rotatable nozzle having internal fluid conduits therein is mounted on a distal end of the body such that a chamber is formed between the nozzle and the body. The chamber maintains fluid communication between the internal bores of the body and the internal conduits of the nozzle such that the nozzle can be rotated a full 360 degrees with respect to the body.
The body and the nozzle are formed with a coaxial arrangement of cooperative counterbores and barrel sections such that the chamber is defined by a space formed between the body and the nozzle. Preferably, the nozzle is provided with coaxial barrel portions which cooperate with counterbores formed in the body so that the chamber is defined by a space formed between a bottom surface of a larger outer counterbore and a top surface of a larger barrel section fitting therein. Alternatively, a single barrel portion may be provided on an interconnect face of the nozzle which fits within a smaller counterbore formed in the body so that the chamber is defined by a space formed between a bottom surface of a larger outer counterbore formed in the body and the interconnect face of the nozzle. In either embodiment, the body and the nozzle both include primary internal passageways which are axially aligned and in fluid communication with each other and further include secondary internal passageways which are each in fluid communication with the chamber. The primary passageways permit fluid flow of an air/abrasive material mixture and the secondary passageways permit fluid flow of a liquid stream.
The instrument is provided with a unique three-piece nozzle assembly comprising a nozzle grip having a plurality of internally formed passageways therein, a nozzle head having a plurality of discharge ports formed therein and a plurality of elongate extension tubes connecting the internal passageways of the nozzle grip to the discharge ports of the nozzle head. The nozzle arrangement includes a primary conduit terminating at a primary discharge port of the nozzle head for directing flow of the air/abrasive material mixture, and a secondary conduit terminating at a secondary discharge port of the nozzle head for directing a stream of liquid to a surface to be polished. The primary discharge port of the nozzle head is preferably larger in diameter than the secondary discharge port and is disposed at an angle with respect to the secondary discharge port so that the streams of the air/abrasive mixture and the liquid converge at a point a desired distance from the nozzle head discharge ports. In a preferred embodiment, the nozzle grip has a hexagonal cross-section for ease of manipulation. The nozzle assembly is easily removable from the body and may be replaced by another similar nozzle assembly so that the instrument can continue to be used while the previously used nozzle is being sterilized. Additionally, one or both of the elongate extension tubes may be made removable and separately sterilizable to permit enhanced internal cleaning of the nozzle components.
The instrument includes its own light-weight flexible supply line which is adapted to connect to any existing dental office air/water supply system. Differently designed adapters are provided to permit fluid communication between the body of the instrument, the respective conduits of the supply line and the air/ water supply system of the dental office. Depending on the dental office system, an appropriate adapter is selected and installed on the fluid supply line by the user thus permitting connection to any existing dental office air/water supply system.
The instrument also includes a self-contained abrasive material supply which may be connected to the body or which may form a part of the body itself. The supply may comprise an intake or pick-up tube, a cap and a canister which is connected to an abrasive material supply port of the body. The intake tube has a first end generally disposed within the canister and a second end cooperatively coupling the canister to the body. The intake tube is comprised of an inner sleeve, having a first fluid conduit formed therein, and an outer sleeve surrounding the inner sleeve and forming an annular fluid conduit between the inner and outer sleeves. Fluid enters the canister through the first conduit of the inner sleeve, agitates and becomes mixed with the abrasive material in the canister and exits the canister through the annular fluid conduit. The inner and outer sleeves are connected at the first end and the outer sleeve includes at least one opening through a wall thereof for fluidly connecting the canister chamber to the annular fluid outlet conduit.
Alternatively, the body of the instrument itself may form the abrasive material supply. In this embodiment, an abrasive material is contained within a chamber formed by a hollow portion of the body into which an inlet tube and an outlet tube extend. A gaseous fluid enters the chamber through the inlet tube, agitates and becomes mixed with the abrasive material in the chamber and exits the chamber through the outlet tube.
A preferred form of the handpiece, as well as other embodiments, objects, features and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments thereof which is to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


A hand tool such as a multi-bladed folding knife incorporates a lock back mechanism t hat is interconnected with springs extending parallel to the knife body and with pins that interconnect the springs. The springs apply biasing force via the pins to the lock back mechanism associated with the primary blade, and also on secondary blades if used.

Many types of hand tools such as knives and multitools incorporate folding mechanisms that allow an implement to be moved between a folded position in which the implement is safely stowed in the tool handle, and an extended position in which the implement is ready for work. One typical example of such a folding tool is a knife having a folding blade. The knife handle typically has two opposed handle portions defining a blade-receiving groove. A blade pivots on a shaft attached to the handle such that in a folded position the blade is stowed with the cutting portion of the blade retained safely in the groove, and such that in an extended position the blade is extended away from the handle, ready for use. Foldable knifes are ubiquitous.
To increase the safety of folding tools such as knives, many such tools incorporate locking mechanisms of one type or another. When the knife blade pivots into the open position, it's pivotal movement is stopped with a blocking mechanism such as a transverse blade stop pin housed in the handle. Often a locking mechanism is included that prevents the blade from unintentionally pivoting back from the open into the closed position. There are many types of locking mechanisms. One common type is a "liner lock." This kind of mechanism relies upon a resilient lever formed as part of a handle liner. When the blade is pivoted to the open or extended position, the resilient lever engages a cooperatively formed shoulder on the blade and thereby locks the blade in the open position. Another typical locking mechanism is a cross-bolt mechanism such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,822,866. As detailed in the '866 patent, which describes an automatic opening knife, the cross-bolt mechanism includes a locking body that has a cylindrically tapered side wall portion. When the blade is extended to the open position, the tapered side wall portion of the locking body is urged by a compression spring into a locking position in which the locking body wedges between an engagement surface on the blade and a bore in the handle to lock the blade in the open position.
There are other types of blade locks in addition to the locking mechanisms just described. Another common type of locking mechanism is called a "lock back" mechanism. While there are variations in the structure for a lock back, in most lock back mechanisms a latch bar held between the handles at the upward side thereof pivots on a pivot pin extending through the latch bar and having opposite ends connected to the handle halves. When the blade or other implement is in the extended position, a spring mounted in the rearward portion of the handle (between the handle halves) applies upwardly directed pressure on the latch bar rearward of the pivot, urging the forward end of the latch bar—that is, the end of the latch bar on the opposite side of the pivot pin from the spring—into a locking engagement with the blade. The forward end of the latch pin typically includes a portion that engages a notch in the blade tang. The blade is unlocked by pushing downwardly on the rearward end of the latch pin at a notch in the handles—against the spring force, to cause the forward end of the latch bar to pivot upwardly and disengage the blade tang. It will be appreciated that a significant amount of space is required to house the springs and associated structures used to drive such lock back mechanisms.
A very traditional multi-bladed folding knife known as the "Whittler Pattern" has three blades: a single primary cutting blade on one end, and two secondary blades on the other end. While these knives have been manufactured for many years, given structural constraints it has been difficult to make such knives with reliable locking mechanisms for the primary cutting blade.
There is a need therefore for improved locking mechanisms for folding hand tools, and in particular improved lock back mechanisms. Lock back mechanisms for multi-blade folders such as the Whittler Pattern are needed.
The present invention relates to a hand tool—typically embodied as a knife—that incorporates a lock back-type locking mechanism for securely locking the implement such as a blade in the open position, and for releasing the lock to allow the implement to be folded back into the closed position.

Folding tool with blade locking mechanism


A method and system are provided for reducing the peak factor in a multi-carrier communication system, the data being transmitted on m channels comprising, in the transmission of data in the form of a frame, a step in which a number d of desynchronization symbols are introduced at the start of each of the frames, the number d being chosen as a function of the transmission channel number concerned.

HF links notably offer a capacity outside of the line of sight or BLOS which makes it possible to implement long or even very long haul communications without requiring the use of a satellite.
The technical context of the present invention relates, more particularly, to the use of a plurality of HF channels (so-called multi-carrier usage) as proposed in the standard MIL STD 188-110B Annex F known to a person skilled in the art, in which is described the use of two 3 KHz or general-purpose carriers described in the patent application filed by the Applicant under the No FR 10/04650 which proposes considering the use of a plurality n of conventional channels or paths with a typical width of 3 KHz bandwidth or more, that can also be channels such as those proposed in the standard MIL STD 110-188C Annex D, with bandwidths of 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21 or 24 kHz.
The long-haul communication capability (in BLOS mode) of the HF links relies on the reflection of the HF waves (which range typically from 2 to 30 MHz) on the layers of the ionosphere, layers whose qualities are not stable in time and in space, which leads to strong propagation channel variations. To this channel instability is also added the ever-present possibility of different interfering factors, intentional or otherwise, in particular at night when the usable part of the HF spectrum is less great.
Despite its instability, the channel offers the interest of allowing for long-haul communications without it being necessary to first deploy a complicated or costly infrastructure, unlike satellite communications for example. When its better stealth is also considered, this explains why the professionals are seeking to increase the bit rates offered on the HF links. A solution has been proposed in the abovementioned patent application for considering the use of a plurality n of 3 KHz channels, contiguous or not, in order to achieve higher useful bit rates (above 20 kb/s) for the users of the HF band.
According to Shannon's theorem, the bit rate can be augmented either by augmenting the spectral efficiency or by augmenting the band used. At the present time with the HF systems already operating with high spectral efficiency, the decisive gain is expected of bandwidth augmentation strategies. Two main approaches can be envisaged:                a widening of the standard channel structure, as proposed in the standard MIL STD 188-110 revision C which provides for the use of channels up to 24 KHz bandwidth,        the use of a plurality of standard channels, typically 3 KHz, concatenated in order to constitute a sufficient bandwidth, as proposed in the Applicant's two patent applications FR 10 04560 and FR 11 03083. This approach is compatible with the use of widened channels, since such channels can also be concatenated.
The first approach raises the problem of the availability of the bandwidth, and the lower efficiency in the case of operation on a partially occupied band.
The second approach, which makes it possible to select channels of good quality, raises the problem of the peak factor, that is to say the variation of the amplitude of the signal, between its maximum value (peak) and its average value. Also traditionally referred to is the ratio between the peak value and the average value (or Peak-to-Average Power Ratio, PAPR) for operating correctly with the power amplifier.
One technical problem that is posed is therefore as follows: how to limit the peak factor of a multi-carrier wave form to allow for an effective use of unconnected bands for one and the same HF or other wide band link and therefore to allow for the use of multi-carrier wave forms that are compatible with the current spectral allocations in the HF band or for other frequencies.
The state of the art on the issue of reducing the peak factor, as known to the Applicant, proposes different techniques cited hereinbelow.
A first technique is to use single-carrier solutions having a lower back-off factor than multi-carrier solutions. These single-carrier-based solutions prove complex to equalize in high bandwidth cases. Typically, it is currently difficult to produce an equalizer on an ionospheric HF channel with good performance levels beyond a useful bandwidth of 12 KHz. They also pose the problem of the availability of the bandwidth concerned, the use of a single-carrier requiring a contiguous allocation, whereas, in multi-carrier cases, it is possible to envisage the use of a set of non-contiguous sub-bands, as is described in the abovementioned patent application FR 10 04560.
Another technique is the use of modulations with low peak factors, of continuous phase modulation, or CPM, type. These solutions pose the problem of their significant spectral width, high shoulders, and therefore their non-conformity to the standard radio masks, save by requiring very high spectral occupancies, which are not envisaged currently in HF mode.
Another technique is the use of clipping solutions. The main fault with these techniques is that they degrade the signal. With the signal having been degraded by the clipping and filtering operations, the performance levels are naturally degraded, this degradation generally being corrected by the function-adapted correcting coding in conjunction with a cost in terms of transmitted useful bit rate.
The use of coding-based solutions makes it possible to effectively reduce the power dynamic of the signal. However, the major drawback with these solutions is the reduced spectral efficiency naturally induced by the coding techniques.
The signal addition-based solutions are effective for reducing the power dynamic of the signal. Numerous solutions exist in this field, their main defect being that they degrade the energy yield of the transmitter because the added signal does not convey any useful information.
Another technique is to use constellation extension-based solutions. These solutions by definition modify the constellation to be transmitted, thus modifying the Euclidian distance between the points of the reference constellation. Consequently, the performance levels are naturally degraded.
Other, more basic solutions, such as reducing the amplification power or working with modulations with a lower peak factor, such as phase shift keying (PSK) instead of quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) involve greatly reducing the useful bit rate that can be offered and are therefore not retained.
The prior art solutions do not therefore make it possible to obtain a reduction of the peak factor without degrading the signal, using a greater bandwidth or modifying the transmitted signal.

Method and system for desynchronizing channels in multi-carrier communication systems


A system and a method to control the motion of envelopes within a postage printing module to accommodate the use of slower print techniques and to achieve high throughput in a mail processing system. Envelopes transported in a mail processing system are diverted into two or more parallel print paths. At the parallel postage printing modules envelopes are processed according to a motion profile in which the envelope is decelerated from a transport velocity to a slower printing velocity. After the printing operation has been completed, the envelope is accelerated back to the transport velocity and transferred to a downstream module, where the parallel print paths are merged back into a single print path. The print head is preferably geared to operate in synchronism with the print transport. Further, upon the occurrence of an error condition, such as a jam, the print transports for the parallel paths are decelerated to a stop in such a manner as to preserve the spacing between subsequent envelopes to be the same as if no error condition had occurred. Displacement motion of the print transport during a stoppage or restarting is therefore controlled as a predetermined function, or set of functions, of the displacement of other modules in the system.

Inserter systems such as those applicable for use with the present invention, are typically used by organizations such as banks, insurance companies and utility companies for producing a large volume of specific mailings where the contents of each mail item are directed to a particular addressee. Also, other organizations, such as direct mailers, use inserts for producing a large volume of generic mailings where the contents of each mail item are substantially identical for each addressee. Examples of such inserter systems are the 8 series and 9 series inserter systems available from Pitney Bowes Inc. of Stamford Conn.
In many respects, the typical inserter system resembles a manufacturing assembly line. Sheets and other raw materials (other sheets, enclosures, and envelopes) enter the inserter system as inputs. Then, a plurality of different modules or workstations in the inserter system work cooperatively to process the sheets until a finished mail piece is produced. The exact configuration of each inserter system depends upon the needs of each particular customer or installation.
Typically, inserter systems prepare mail pieces by gathering collations of documents on a conveyor. The collations are then transported on the conveyor to an insertion station where they are automatically stuffed into envelopes. After being stuffed with the collations, the envelopes are removed from the insertion station for further processing. Such further processing may include automated closing and sealing the envelope flap, weighing the envelope, applying postage to the envelope, and finally sorting and stacking the envelopes.
Current mail processing machines are often required to process up to 18,000 pieces of mail an hour. Such a high processing speed may require envelopes in an output subsystem to have a velocity in a range of 80–85 inches per second (ips) for processing. Consecutive envelopes will nominally be separated by a 200 ms time interval for proper processing while traveling through the inserter output subsystem. At such a high rate of speed, system modules, such as those for sealing envelopes and putting postage on envelopes, have very little time in which to perform their functions. If adequate control of spacing between envelopes is not maintained, the modules may not have time to perform their functions, envelopes may overlap, and jams and other errors may occur. In particular, postage meters are time sensitive components of a mail processing system. Meters must print a legible postal indicia on the appropriate part of the envelope to meet postal regulations. The meter must also have the time necessary to perform the necessary bookkeeping and calculations to ensure the appropriate funds are being stored and printed.
A typical postage meter currently used with high speed mail processing systems has a mechanical print head that imprints postage indicia on envelopes being processed. Such conventional postage metering technology is available on Pitney Bowes R150 and R156 mailing machines using model 6500 meters. The mechanical print head is typically comprised of a rotary drum that impresses an ink image on envelopes traveling underneath. Using mechanical print head technology, throughput speed for meters is limited by considerations such as the meter's ability to calculate postage and update postage meter registers, and the speed at which ink can be applied to the envelopes. In most cases, solutions using mechanical print head technology have been found adequate for providing the desired throughput of approximately five envelopes per second to achieve 18,000 mail pieces per hour.
However, use of existing mechanical print technology with high speed mail processing machines presents some challenges. First, some older mailing machines were not designed to operate at such high speeds for prolonged periods of time. Accordingly, solutions that allow printing to occur at lower speeds may be desirable in terms of enhancing long term mailing machine reliability.
Another problem is that many existing mechanical print head machines are configured such that once an envelope is in the mailing machine, it is committed to be printed and translated to a downstream module, regardless of downstream conditions. As a result, if there is a paper jam downstream, a conventional mailing machine could cause collateral damage. At such high rates, jams and resultant damage may be more severe than at lower speeds. Accordingly, improved control and lowered printing speed, while maintaining high throughput rate in a mechanical print head mailing machine could provide additional advantages.
Controlling throughput through the metering portion of a mail producing system is also a significant concern when using non-mechanical print heads. Many current mailing machines use digital printing technology to print postal indicia on envelopes. One form of digital printing that is commonly used for postage metering is thermal inkjet technology. Thermal inkjet technology has been found to be a cost effective method for generating images at 300 dpi on material translating up to 50 inches per second. Thus, while thermal inkjet technology is recognized as inexpensive, it is difficult to apply to high speed mail production systems that operate on mail pieces that are typically traveling in the range of up to 80 ips in such systems.
As postage meters using digital print technology become more prevalent in the marketplace, it is important to find suitable substitutes for the mechanical print technology meters that have traditionally been used in high speed mail production systems. This need for substitution is particularly important as it is expected that postal regulations will require phasing out of older mechanical print technology meters, and replacement with more sophisticated meters. Although digital print technology exists that is capable of printing the requisite 300 dpi resolution on paper traveling at 80 ips, such devices are so expensive as to be considered cost prohibitive. Accordingly, it would be beneficial to have a solution that would allow lower velocity digital print technology, like thermal inkjet technology, to be utilized with the high speed mail production systems.
Some systems that have been available from Pitney Bowes for a number of years address some related issues. These systems utilize R150 and R156 mailing machines with model 6500 postage meters installed on an inserter system. The postage meters operate at a slower velocity than that of upstream and downstream modules in the system. When an envelope reaches the postage meter module, a routine is initiated within the postage meter. Once the envelope is committed within the postage meter unit, this routine is carried out without regard to conditions outside the postage meter. The routine decelerates the envelope to a printing velocity. Then, the mechanical print head of the postage meters imprints an indicia on the envelope. After the indicia is printed, the envelope is accelerated back to close to the system velocity, and the envelope is transported out of the meter.
Using the R150 or R156 mailing machines in this manner postage can be printed on envelopes at a lower print velocity. However, problems still occur for systems operating at higher velocities, such as 80 ips. At this higher speed, the time interval between consecutive envelopes is so short that the R150 and R156 machines cannot reset itself in time to print an indicia on a second envelope. To solve this problem, Pitney Bowes has offered a solution for number of years utilizing two mailing machines arranged serially in the envelope transport path. A diagram of this prior art system is depicted in FIG. 1.
In this serial mailing machine solution, envelopes are transported along transport path 10. When a first of a series envelopes reaches the first serial mechanical mailing machine 11, the first envelope is decelerated for a printing operation by postage meter 14. After printing is complete, the first envelope is carried away from the first serial machine 11 via transport 12 to the second serial mechanical mailing machine 13.
At the second mailing machine 13, the first envelope is typically decelerated to the print velocity. However, since an indicia has already been printed on the first envelope, no printing operation is performed by the second postage meter 15. The first envelope is then accelerated back to the system velocity and carried out of the serial postage printing arrangement.
The motion control of deceleration and acceleration at the second postage meter 15 without performing a print operation is done in order to maintain the displacements of consecutive envelopes in the system. Failure to subject subsequent envelopes to the same displacements may result in one envelope catching up to the other and causing a jam.
Following the first envelope, a second envelope arrives at the first mailing machine 11. The second envelope is subjected to the deceleration and acceleration motion profile. In a high speed system, however, the first postage meter 14 may not have had time to reset to print another indicia. Accordingly, the second envelope passes through the first mailing machine 11 without a printing operation. The second envelope is then passed via transport 12 to the second mailing machine 13 where it is again decelerated to the print velocity. This time, mailing machine 13 does perform a printing operation and an indicia is printed on the second envelope by postage meter 15. Mailing machine 13 then accelerates the envelope back to the system velocity, and the second envelope is carried away downstream.
In this manner, some of the shortcomings of conventional mailing machines are avoided by allowing the serial mailing machines 11 and 13 to alternately take turns printing indicia on every-other envelope. One disadvantage of this serial arrangement is that it remains very sensitive to gaps sizes between consecutive envelopes. Gaps between subsequent envelopes are shortened every time a lead envelope undergoes the printing motion profile. If an error occurs in the processing to make the gap size smaller than expected, envelopes can catch-up to one another, and a paper jam can result. Also, the R150 and R156 mailing machines are a bit too long to have time to carry out printing motion profile before the arrival of the next envelope, and to still have some margin for error in the arrival of a subsequent envelope. As a result, envelopes can be passed off between sets of nips that are not going at the same speed, creating potential for pulling or buckling. Accordingly, a solution with better space utilization and that is less sensitive to gap size variation is desirable.
Another problem with conventional postage meters used in high speed inserter systems is that they are inflexible in adjusting to conditions present in upstream or downstream meters. For example, if the downstream module is halted as a result of a jam, the postage meter will continue to operate on whatever envelope is within its control. This often results in an additional jam, and collateral damage, as the postage meter attempts to output the envelope to a stopped downstream module.

Parallel processing high speed printing system for an inserting system


An apparatus for supporting the ankle-shin area of pant legs having a “W” shaped bar with a first loop and a second loop on each end and a strap having each end connected to each loop respectively. The strap has an adjustment buckle coupled to it for adjusting the tension on the strap.

People have used rubber bands, strings and the like for years to hold their pant legs in place, whether to hold their pant legs off the ground, out of the way to allow riding a bike without a chain guard or to help keep the pant legs up to prevent the shoes or boots from staining the pant legs. This presents an unsightly appearance to the viewing public.
There is therefore a need for a device or apparatus that will perform this function while providing a colorful style in different sizes without having the person present an unsightly appearance. Such an apparatus has to be simple to use, and be an accessory to the style of clothing a person may wear. Therefore, to meet this style requirement there is a need for an improved apparatus for providing this style requirement.


A method of performing a Real-Time Communication in Web-browsers (RTCWEB) identity authentication based on an authentication of a non-RTCWEB compliant Identity Provider (IdP) server comprising receiving, by an RTCWEB IdP client, an RTCWEB identity authentication request from a user agent, creating a session resource with a Relying Party (RP) client, wherein the RP client guards the session resource, instructing the user agent to authenticate with the RP client by employing a non-RTCWEB identity protocol to access the session resource, receiving authentication results from the non-RTCWEB compliant IdP server via the RP client, and sending an RTCWEB authentication to the user agent via the session resource.

Web based applications have been developed to support video and/or audio calls between user devices. For example, a local user may wish to call a remote user via a web browser. The user may employ a web based application with a user interface. The user may interact with the interface to determine that the remote user is available. The user may then make the call. The remote user may then accept or deny the call request. Various security protocols may be employed to assure the local user that the party appearing as the remote user is actually the remote user and not a malicious entity and vice versa. Real-Time Communication in Web-browsers (RTCWEB) may be a standardized protocol suite, which may support web based user to user interaction. However, RTCWEB may not be completely backwards compatible with legacy security devices as such security devices may not support all protocols required for full RTCWEB functionality.

Adapting federated web identity protocols


Apparatus and methods store error recovery data in different dimensions of a memory array. For example, in one dimension, block error correction codes (ECC) are used, and in another dimension, supplemental error correction codes, such as convolutional codes, are used. By using separate dimensions, the likelihood that a defect affects both error recovery techniques is lessened, thereby increasing the probability that error recovery can be performed successfully. In one example, block error correction codes are used for data stored along rows, and this data is stored in one level of multiple-level cells of the array. Supplemental error correction codes are used for data stored along columns, such as along the cells of a string, and the supplemental error correction codes are stored in a different level than the error correction codes.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention generally relate to integrated circuits. In particular, embodiments of the invention relate to memory circuits.
2. Description of the Related Art
Flash memory is a form of erasable and reprogrammable non-volatile memory. In a flash memory, memory cells are arranged in "blocks" for erasure. After a block has been erased, it is ready for programming if desired. NOR flash memory is a type of flash memory that offers access to individual bytes for retrieval of data, but has relatively low density.
NAND flash memory is a type of flash memory that offers relatively high density. The high density is achieved in part by forming columns of cells connected in series. In addition, with NAND flash memory, data is retrieved in relatively large groups of bytes, such as a page of data. For example, a page can correspond to a row or to a portion of a row in an array.
For example, a memory array of cells for storing data is typically arranged in a 2-dimensional array of rows and columns. These arrays can vary greatly in size. When the cells of the array are capable of holding 2 or more levels, that is, multiple levels or two or more bits of data per cell, the array effectively holds data in 3 dimensions.
In a typical array for NAND flash memory, sources and drains of flash cells are arranged in series (source to drain) and referred to as columns. Along rows are "word lines" that control the gates of cells. Data is typically accessed a row at a time, with one bit from each column. The word line for the row to be read is set to a particular voltage for reading the stored state(s) of the cells. Different voltage levels can be used for multiple-level cells. The other row lines for the other cells of the columns are set to turn "on" the cells to permit the reading of the stored state(s) of the cells of the row through the corresponding cells in the columns.
The number of bytes per row can vary in a very wide range as can the number of bytes in a "page." Some manufacturers define a page by a certain amount of data, so that, for example, two pages of data can correspond to one word line (row). For the purposes described herein, a "page" of data corresponds to the amount of data that is written to or read from the NAND flash memory array during a write cycle or read cycle. In one example, 2,112 bytes are retrieved by activation of a word line. Of these 2,112 bytes, 2,048 are data bytes and 64 are spare bytes, which are typically used for error correction codes (ECC), wear-leveling information, or other overhead data. Error correction codes increase the robustness of the stored data. Typically, a form of block code is used to generate the error correction codes, such as cyclic redundancy check (CRC) checksums, Reed-Solomon error correction, or the like. These error correction codes detect if there were errors in the reading of the data bytes and can typically correct errors in the data bytes provided that the errors do not exceed the capability of the error correction code.
Flash memory has many uses. Examples include flash memory hard drives (replacements for hard drives), USB flash drives or thumb drives, mobile phones, digital cameras, digital media players, games, memory cards, navigation devices, personal digital assistants, computers, or the like. Within limits, the error correction codes can correct many errors in the data in the data bytes. However, beyond these limits, data with errors cannot typically be corrected. For example, if a word line fails, then there can be problems reading data for the entire row. This typically results in too many errors for the error correction codes to correct. Depending on the criticality of the data, the effects of uncorrectable errors in data can range from inconvenient to catastrophic.

Error recovery storage along a nand-flash string


A gun propellant having reduced sensitivity to impact and improved burning ate, comprising crystallized NNHT particles admixed with a binder and at least one plasticizer. In a preferred embodiment, the binder is a nitrocellulose binder and the plasticizer is a liquid nitramine plasticizer. A preferred liquid nitramine plasticizer is selected from the group of ethyl nitrato ethyl nitramine and methyl nitrato ethyl nitramine. The propellant of this invention may be used or alone or may also include a quantity of RDX propellant. The propellant is suitable to be formulated for an artillery application or for a tank system.

There is continued interest in the defense industries to prepare new materials with high energy properties. It is of interest that the new materials would be similar to RDX, but much more insensitive from a safety standpoint to shaped charge jet attack. As a result, a considerable amount of work has been done over this last decade to develop new insensitive munitions or insensitive high explosives using new ingredients.
Both nitroguanidine and RDX have seen wide use as ingredients for gun, rocket and explosive formulations. Each material has advantages and disadvantages which tend to direct the end use application for each. RDX is extensively used because of its energy and low cost, but, it is more sensitive to shaped charge jet attack. Nitroguanidine, which also has the potential for low cost production, is a relatively insensitive material, but suffers from a comparatively low energy content.
Neither system meets all the goals and objectives of modern systems. No amount of formulation effort can really change the inherent nature of RDX or nitroguanidine. For that reason, the prior art does not contain an appropriate propellant which is safe and effective in use, particularly for artillery and tank gun uses.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a gun propellant suitable for both artillery and tank guns.
Another object of this invention is to provide a propellant system with increased energy and with insensitivity to shaped charge jet attack.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide improved impetus values and increased energy while keeping temperatures below tank and artillery application thresholds.
Other objects will appear hereinafter.

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


A moist heat unit for applying heat to therapeutic moist heat packs includes a stainless steel tank for receiving water and the heat packs. The stainless steel tank is mounted in an insulating jacket having a stainless steel liner and a heat insulating outer cover, and the tank is mounted to create a continuous space between the tank and the stainless steel liner of the insulating jacket. A silastic, silicone rubber electric resistance heating assembly is bonded externally to the bottom of the stainless steel tank and is designed to provide wattage within a range of from 10 to 15 watts per square inch. The tank is closed by an insulated cover having an inner lining of stainless steel.

Moist heat packs for applying heat to localized body areas for therapeutic purposes, are normally constructed of heavy fabric, such as cotton canvas duck, and are filled with absorbent material which retains and provides moist heat for at least thirty minutes. In the past, moist heat packs have been heated with hot water in a stainless steel tank, since stainless steel may be effectively cleaned when the water is drained from the tank. However, stainless steel is a relatively poor heat conductor, and since the tanks are usually deep (11 inches-30 inches in depth), internally mounted electric dishwasher type calrod, electrical resistance heaters have been used to heat the volume of water within the tank. In a dishwasher with detergent and water circulation under pressure, calrod electrical resistance heaters are effective heating elements, but in a moist heat unit with standing water, dirt and sediment collects on the calrod electrical resistance heaters and they are difficult to access for cleaning. As dirt builds up, the calrod electrical resistance heater corrode, burn out and must be replaced. Also, if water is allowed to evaporate and the calrod electrical resistance heater is energized for a period of time in a dry tank, it is likely to fail.
Past attempts to use silicone rubber type electric resistance heating pads to the bottom of a stainless steel tank for a moist heat unit have failed, for at the minimum wattage needed to effectively penetrate the large area of stainless steel and heat and hold heat dissipating water at a temperature in the range of 150-180.degree. F., the heaters delaminated from the tank. Even at wattages as low as 31/2 watts per square inch, delamination occurred.

Heating unit for therapeutic moist heat packs


A vehicle with a omni-directional cab having a circular frame revolvably coupled to a chassis having an axle, wheels and passenger seats. Two independent drive wheels located on an axis through the center of the cab are mounted at the same distance from a central vertical axis through the cab. Each wheel is powered independently and can rotate at variable speeds in either direction. The cab is capable of movement in any direction by rotating the axis of the drive wheels to a position which is perpendicular to the desired direction of travel. The cab can spin about its vertical axis such that the axis of the drive wheels can be oriented at any direction without changing the original footprint of the space that the frame occupies over the ground. Thus, the combined cab/chassis assembly can rotate about the vertical midpoint of the chassis axle.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a wheeled vehicle designed to turn about a central vertical axis. In particular, the invention relates to powered utility riding vehicles of the type useful for moving persons and their belongings within an airport terminal, amusement park, zoo, malls, parking lots and other crowded locations where rotation-in-place steering is advantageous.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Within the transportation and entertainment industries, people moving carts are often routed through crowded and busy terminals, yards or parking lots. Space is normally at a premium, resulting in limited maneuvering space. Conventional people movers typically resemble long, wide golf carts with several back seats. They are configured with two axles, one in front, the other in the rear. The rear axle is fixed to the frame of the vehicle and provides motive force via a pair of dual wheels. The front axle provides for vehicle steering via two steerable wheels which simultaneously pivot with a limited angular range.
Because there is a fixed distance between the fixed rear drive axle and the front steerable axle, a turning radius exists that far exceeds the space actually occupied by the vehicle itself. The longer the distance between front and rear axles, the larger the turning radius that is required to change directions of the vehicle. A large turning radius makes maneuvering around tight areas difficult and often dangerous. In an area where movement is constrained, a people mover with a small turn radius is advantageous.
For example, in an airport terminal, a people mover operator must often move in reverse to maneuver in tight spaces. Operators are required to look over their shoulders in order to back up. In a congested location, hazards from reversing are increased. It is often difficult, even for a skilled operator, to perform a three-point U-turn in a narrow and crowded terminal; it may be necessary to jockey back and forth many times in order to complete a U-turn.
In an airport where people are routinely moved about, any increase in maneuvering efficiency and safety amounts to significant cost savings. It is desirable, therefore, to have a vehicle with greater maneuverability to enhance the safety of the operator, the passengers and the surrounding pedestrians.
Vehicles which have increased maneuverability are known in the art. For example, an omni-directional vehicle arranged for moving people through airports is disclosed U.S. Pat. No. 6,581,703, issued to Hammonds (Jun. 24, 2003), illustrated herein as FIGS. 1-2. The Hammonds circular omni-directional people mover has two drive wheels (212) capable of independent powered forward and reverse rotation disposed along a common horizontal axis (218), which provides a zero turn radius about center vertical axis (216) for unsurpassed maneuverability. A circumferential bench seat (272) provides for carrying passengers. As shown in FIG. 3, the Hammonds omni-directional vehicle may also be used to tow a number of trailers equipped for carrying luggage. An omni-directional tractor (310) with drive wheels (312) is removably coupled to a first trailer (311) using a trolley hitch (302) that freely slides along an outer circular rail (338) of the tractor. Each trailer also includes an outer circular rail and trolley hitch for towing a subsequent trailer. However, a "train" of carts as illustrated in FIG. 3 may not be ideal for use within crowded airport terminals for moving persons between gates. In some situations, a more traditionally shaped vehicle may be preferable to these vehicles.
3. Identification of Features Provided by Some Embodiments of the Invention
A primary object of the invention is to provide a service vehicle for transporting people which is designed and arranged for enhanced maneuverability.
Another object of the invention is to provide a service vehicle for transporting people that can turn on the spot and be of the smallest physical size relative to the space it occupies.
Another object of the invention is to provide a service vehicle for transporting people which reduces the risk of accidents which may result in damage or injury to pedestrians, passengers or operating personnel.
Another object of the invention is to provide a vehicle for moving people from one location to another location which obviates the need for the operator to drive in a reverse direction.

People moving vehicle with reduced turn radius having omni-directional cab


A chitosan starting material is combined with a dilute organic acid to produce a chitosonium ion complex. The chitosonium ion complex is then cast, sprayed, extruded, or otherwise processed to produce filaments, coatings, fibers, or the like. Heat is then used to convert the chitosonium ion complex into a N-(C.sub.1-30)acyl glucose amine polymer.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention is generally related to a low-cost, safe, and effective method for forming crack-free, conformal coatings and/or fibers of chitin.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Chitin is an unbranched .beta.(1.fwdarw.4) linked polymer of 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-glucose (N-acetyl-D-glucosamine) and has the following chemical structure: ##STR1##
Chitin is a material used principally by insects and marine animals for structural purposes. Chitin is typically obtained from marine waste products such as the shells of crab, shrimp, prawn, and krill, but can be obtained from a wide variety of other sources including arthropod exoskeletons and the cell walls of different forms of fungi. Chitin is insoluble in water and most commonly used solvents. The insolubility of chitin makes it difficult to process and makes formation of fibers, films, and other products therefrom problematical using prior art processing methodologies.
Consequently, more common is the reshaping and regenerating of chitosan, the acid-soluble deacetylation product of chitin. Chitosan regeneration always involves treatment with alkali so as to neutralize carboxylic acid anions, and this produces chitosan which continues to be soluble in mild acids. Chitin, by contrast, is insoluble in all common solvents, with the exception of dimethyl acetamide anhydrous ca. 8% lithium chloride, DMAc/LiCl.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,217,823 to Thor discloses a chitin processing methodology for producing articles such as filaments, films, tubes, ribbons, threads, and the like. In essence, Thor describes a methodology whereby chitin is first converted to a chitin xanthate using a caustic alkali solution and carbon disulfide. The chitin xanthate is a viscous dispersion that is subsequently processed by extrusion into a coagulating bath, such as sulphuric acid and ammonium sulphate. The chitin is regenerated in the coagulating bath and assumes a gel-like consistency. The articles are then produced by various drying operations. Thor also makes provisions for combining chitin and cellulose materials. However, the Thor methodology suffers from several drawbacks. First, caustic alkali solutions and carbon disulfide must be utilized, and this presents severe environmental, health and safety problems and increases the cost of processing vessels which must withstand the harsh environment. Second, the treatment of chitin with alkali promotes the partial conversion of chitin to chitosan, which becomes soluble in dilute acid if sufficiently deacetylated. Third, the Thor process requires the application of dissolution, filtration and regeneration technology that is being abandoned by the rayon fiber industry for environmental reasons and reasons of process complexity. This makes it improbable that the fabrication of suitable chitin articles by the xanthate method will be practical on an industrial scale.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,029,727 to Austin describes the formation of high strength chitin films and fibers in a four step process. First, chitin is dissolved with a blend of dichloroacetic acid and an anhydrous organic solvent. Second, chitin is coagulated using an excess amount of an organic liquid that is a non-solvent for chitin. Third, the coagulated article is neutralized with an alkaline reagent. This may again promote chitin deacetylation with formation of acid-soluble chitosan if conditions are sufficiently harsh. Fourth, cold drawing is used to orient the chitin fibrils. The Austin methodology is not environmentally sound since it requires the use of organic reagents which present disposal and other problems. In addition, like Thor, Austin requires multiple reagents to be used in the methodology.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,021,207 to DeLucca et al. discloses the formation of chitin acetate fibers. DeLucca is similar to U.S. Pat. No. 4,029,727 to Austin in that organic liquids are utilized to dissolve or disperse the chitin, to enable processing.
Chitosan is the product of deacetylation of chitin. It is an amorphous solid which is more soluble in water, having a pH below 6, than chitin, but it usually requires the use of aqueous organic acids to attain solubility. Chitosan is of nearly identical structure to chitin, except that it is de-acetylated. The chemical structure of chitosan is as follows: ##STR2## Because chitosan is more easily solubilized and processable, a great deal of researchers and industrialists have experimented with and/or used chitosan coatings in a wide variety of applications.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,309,534 to Austin describes a process for preparing renatured chitosan having particular optical rotation characteristics. Chitosan is aged in aqueous acid for a period of weeks. During this time period a chitosan partial acetate is formed, and the salt slowly loses the acetic acid during aging. Thereafter, the chitosan/partially deacetylated chitin is poured out as a film and immersed in dilute base, such as sodium bicarbonate, to neutralize the acetic acid and regenerate the chitosan film as the free base.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,283,064 to Suzuki et al. dislcoses the formation of chitosan coatings on medicament capsules. Chitosan is dissolved in acetic acid and is applied to medicament in a mold. The acetic acid is neutralized by inserting the mold in dilute sodium hydroxide. The neutralization step regenerates the chitosan film, and the film is subsequently dried.
Various researchers have discussed blending chitosan with cellulose to produce biodegradable films (See, for example, Isogai et al., Carb. Poly., 19:25-28 (1992), Hosokawa et al., Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 29:800-805 (1990), Hosokawa et al., Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 30:788-792 (1991), and Hasegawa et al., J. Appl. Poly. Sci. 45:1873-1879 (1992)).
Chitosan films are not advantageously employed in many circumstances. Unlike chitin, chitosan is a soluble entity (e.g., it can be solubilized in mild acids, especially acetic and other carboxylic acids, but also to a limited extent in HCl and HNO.sub.3, if the pH is maintained at about 4.0-6.0. Chitosan is not soluble at pHs above 7.0). Thus, the integrity of chitosan films and fibers is more easily compromised. What is needed is an improved method for preparing chitin films and fibers. The possible applications of chitin films and fibers are almost limitless.
As is discussed in Hirano et al., Science News Vol.144 page 74, chitin may have applications in chromatography, photosensitive materials, biomedical fibers and films, immunoadhesives, drug carrier and delivery mechanisms, dopants in dyes, and in antithrombogenic materials.

Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.


An instrument and a method of detecting a target element in a multi-layer thin coating. Lα, Lβ and Lγ x-rays are caused to be emitted from the target element (preferably lead paint) with excitation radiation. Upon detecting the emitted x-rays, an areal concentration of the target element is calculated using Lα and Lβ intensities once, and then using the Lβ and Lγ intensities once, by reference to a single layer model; By combining the two concentrations calculated using single layer model, a more accurate concentration can be calculated for the target element in the multi-layered surface coating.

The instant invention is directed to an instrument and method of measuring the concentration of a target element in a multi-layer, thin coating and, more particularly, to such an instrument and method that is capable of measuring non-destructively the lead concentration on a surface coating.
Lead paint was used widely around 1920 due to its durability. Later, lead pigments were found to be a health hazard. It was banned from use since 1978. Old buildings need to be checked for lead paint to make sure it is safe for kids, thus it is necessary to have a non-destructive method for detecting the lead concentration from a surface.
A lead K line based instrument can be used to measure the lead concentration. K lines have very high energy (75 keV and 85 keV). They can travel through many layers of covering material with very little loss. Thus, by simply measuring the K line x-ray intensity, lead concentration can be determined. However, many drawbacks are associated with K line based instruments. Thus:                (a) First, K line x-ray intensity is very weak and the measurement error can be large (when the test time is fixed). When the lead concentration is low (around 1 mg/cm2), the large statistical error makes the reading unreliable.        (b) Even if the lead paint is on the opposite side of the wall or is covered by another layer of dry wall (after deleading), lead can still be detected, erroneously reporting a lead hazard when it is totally safe.        (c) A radioactive isotope source is present (needed to generate high energy x-rays to excit lead K shell electrons).        (d) L line x-rays have much less energy. Its escape depth is much shorter. Ten layers of regular paints on top of lead paint will reduce the lead L line intensities by more than 90%. Thus an L line based instrument is a surface lead detector. For single-layered lead paint, there is a well established method for measuring the surface lead concentration from lead Lα and Lβ lines (as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,274,688 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,396,529). The lead paint can be on top of the surface or buried by non-lead containing material, and this method works accurately. However, when the paint contains multiple layers of lead paint, the method fails badly.        (e) The current action level for deleading is 1.0 mg/cm2 and the trend is moving lower. Thus the most critical lead range is from 0 to 1.5 mg/cm2. In this range, the large statistic error of K line based reading is a real problem. On the other hand, buildings that are 100 years old are likely to have multiple layers of lead paint, the limitation of the lead L line based prior art makes the instrument based on the technology useless for those buildings.
The present disclosure provides a solution that targets the needs of and meets the following primary objectives:                (a) Reliably and non-destructively determining whether or not the amount of lead is less than the action level (current action level is 1.0 mg/cm2);        (b) Handling both single layer and multi-layer lead paint coatings; and        (c) Operate without using a radioactive source.

Instrument and method of measuring the concentration of a target element in a multi-layer thin coating