A method of identifying content in a distributed computing system. The method receives an image or audio signal in a first device in the distributed computing system, such as a cell phone or other wireless device. In this device, the method performs an analysis of characteristics of the signal to identify portions of the signal from which to derive a content identifier. The method then sends the portions to a second, remote device in the distributed computing system, such as a server. The server further processes the portions to derive a content identifier, which in turn, is used to look up data corresponding to the content, such as a Uniform Resource Locator. In the case of a wireless telephone network, for example, the method distributes the task of identifying content signals captured through the microphone or camera on the phones in the network.

Digital watermarking is a process for modifying physical or electronic media to embed a hidden machine-readable code into the media. The media may be modified such that the embedded code is imperceptible or nearly imperceptible to the user, yet may be detected through an automated detection process. Most commonly, digital watermarking is applied to media signals such as images, audio signals, and video signals. However, it may also be applied to other types of media objects, including documents (e.g., through line, word or character shifting), software, multi-dimensional graphics models, and surface textures of objects.
Digital watermarking systems typically have two primary components: an encoder that embeds the hidden watermark in a host media signal, and a decoder that detects and reads the embedded watermark from a signal suspected of containing a watermark (a suspect signal). The encoder embeds a watermark by altering the host media signal such that the alterations are substantially imperceptible to viewers or listeners of the rendered signal, yet machine readable. The reading component analyzes a suspect signal to detect whether a watermark is present. In applications where the watermark encodes information, such as a multi-symbol message, the reader extracts this information from the detected watermark.
Several particular watermarking techniques have been developed. The reader is presumed to be familiar with the literature in this field. Particular techniques for embedding and detecting imperceptible watermarks in media signals are detailed in the assignee's U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,614,914, 6,590,996 and 6,122,403, which are hereby incorporated by reference.
Decoding a digital watermark from an image can be a computationally complex process, particularly when the watermark is designed to survive geometric distortions and distortions due to printing and image capture through an image capture device. The computational complexity of the decoding process makes it a challenge to implement the decoding process efficiently on hand held computing devices, such as Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) and cell phones.
This same challenge arises for decoding audio watermarks from an audio stream, particularly a digitized version of audio captured from ambient audio through a microphone. It also arises for decoding video watermarks from a video stream.
This document describes a method of progressively decoding a digital watermark on a distributed computing platform. The distributed nature of the decoding process enables the computations of a decoding operation to be distributed to two or more devices, such as a client device and a server computer. The progressive nature of the decoding process reduces bandwidth and computation requirements because it progressively passes more detailed image data as necessary to perform an accurate reading operation of the embedded watermark.
In one implementation, a client device equipped with a digital camera, such as a PDA or cell phone, captures a digital image of a watermarked object, and pre-filters the image to isolate a portion of the image data suspected of containing a digital watermark. The pre-filter de-correlates a portion of the image data suspected of containing a digital watermark from the remaining host image signal using a predictive filter. The client then quantizes the filtered data and progressively transmits the quantized data to a watermark decoder.
The progressive transmitter sends image data as necessary to achieve a valid decoding operation. To reduce bandwidth requirements, the transmitter starts with the most highly quantized version of the filtered image, and sends lesser quantized versions until the watermark decoder completes a successful decoding operation.
As it receives the quantized image data, the watermark decoder buffers it until it receives enough to perform a decoding operation. It provides feedback to the progressive transmitter about the results of the decoding operations to regulate the transfer of image data. For example, if a watermark is not detected in highly quantized data, it signals the transmitter to send more detailed image data. Or, alternatively, if the decoder concludes that it is unlikely to be able to extract the watermark message, it may signal the transmitter to send image data from a subsequent frame.
Once decoding is complete, the watermark decoder initiates an action associated with the decoded watermark message. This action may include using the watermark message to look up data or program instructions to forward to the client or another server.
One aspect of the invention is a method of identifying content in a distributed computing system. The method receives an image or audio signal in a first device in the distributed computing system, such as a cell phone or other wireless device. In this device, the method performs an analysis of characteristics of the signal to identify portions of the signal from which to derive an identifier. The method then sends the portions to a second, remote device in the distributed computing system, such as a server. The server further processes the portions to derive a content identifier, which in turn, is used to look up data corresponding to the content, such as a Uniform Resource Locator. In the case of a wireless telephone network, for example, the method distributes the task of identifying content signals captured through the microphone or camera on the phones in the network.
Further features will become apparent with reference to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings.


An antenna may include a primary reflector having a ring focus; a feed body along an axis of the primary reflector, the feed body including a circular waveguide coaxial with the axis of the primary reflector; a sub-reflector disposed facing an end of the circular waveguide; and a generally cylindrical stem extending from a center of the sub-reflector into the circular waveguide to form a section of annular waveguide. A sub-reflector support may mechanically connect a perimeter of the sub-reflector and an outside surface of the feed body. The sub-reflector, the stem, and the feed body may be collectively configured to couple microwave energy between the annular waveguide and the primary reflector.

1. Field
This disclosure relates to antennas for satellite communications earth stations.
2. Description of the Related Art
Satellite communications systems use one or more orbiting satellite to relay communications between a pair of earth stations. Each earth station typically consists of a transmitter and a receiver coupled to a highly directional antenna. A common form of antenna for transmitting to and receiving from a satellite consists of a parabolic dish reflector and a feed network. Given the large distance between each earth station and the satellite, each earth station must be configured to transmit a relatively high power signal and to receive a very low power signal. To ensure that transmission from a first earth station does not interfere with reception at a second proximate earth station, earth station antennas must be designed to have very low side lobe and back lobe radiation.
Earth station antennas typically have either a center-feed or an offset-feed. In a typical center-feed antenna, the feed network is located along the axis of the parabolic reflector, and thus blocks a portion of the reflector aperture. In an offset-feed antenna, the reflector is an off-axis portion of a parabolic dish and the feed network is located to one side where it does not block a portion of the reflector aperture. Center feeds are commonly used with large diameter reflectors, since the feed network may block only a negligible portion of the reflector aperture. Offset feeds are commonly used with small reflectors where a center feed network would block a substantial portion of the reflector aperture.
Since the feed network of an offset-feed antenna is located to the side of the reflector, an offset-feed antenna occupies a larger volume than a center-feed antenna for equivalent reflector aperture. In some applications, such as portable or mobile earth stations, an antenna may be mounted on a gimbal configured to point the antenna at any desired angle within a hemisphere. In this case, an offset-feed antenna will sweep a substantially larger volume than a center-feed antenna of equivalent aperture, and thus require a substantially larger radome.
In this patent, the term "circular waveguide" means a waveguide segment having a circular cross-sectional shape. Similarly, the term "annular waveguide" means a waveguide segment having a cross-sectional shape of an annulus between two concentric circles. In this patent, the term "port" refers generally to an interface between devices or between a device and free space. A port of a waveguide device may be formed by an aperture in an interfacial surface to allow microwave radiation to enter or exit a waveguide within the device.
Elements in the drawings are assigned three-digit reference numbers where the most significant digit indicates the figure number where the element was introduced. An element not described in conjunction with a figure may be presumed to be the same as a previously-described element having the same reference number.

Compact low sidelobe antenna and feed network


A safety device for preventing accidental injury from hypodermic needles comprises an extension for attachment to a standard medical syringe. A standard hypodermic needle attaches to the opposite end of the extension and the extension has an inner cavity for conveying fluid between the syringe and the needle. An outer cover is disposed about the extension for sliding along the length of the extension to cover the needle. The safety device is easily modified to perform as a system for collecting blood or other fluid from a patient by adding a special needle and a blood collection holder at the back end of the extension. In this configuration, the outer cover guards the standard needle and the blood collection holder covers the special needle to prevent accidental injury or disease transmission.

The prior art in the attempt to develop a device to protect care-givers from needle sticks includes U.S. Pat. No. 4,170,993 to Alvarez, which describes a sliding intravenous needle carrier assembly. This patent covers a different application than the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,425,120 to Sampson, U.S. Pat. No. 4,702,738 to Spencer, U.S. Pat. No. 4,723,943 to Spencer, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,693,708 to Wanderer all show needle protection systems. In each of these cases, the needle protection cover is designed to cover the syringe body. This increases the size of the syringe body and may cover or obscure the measurement graduations printed on the side of the syringe. Also in each of these cases, the syringe body must be modified to make the syringe cover function as intended. Standard syringes are not usable with these devices.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,966,592 to Burns is similar to the Sampson, Spencer '738, and Spencer '943 patents, in that the needle protection cover passes over the syringe barrel with the same disadvantages noted. It is different than the previous three patents in that it uses a spring to activate the needle cover and has an override feature. It has two major disadvantages. The first is that the device relies on the friction fit of a collar to hold the needle protection system in place on the syringe. The system can slip off and render the syringe unsafe. The second major disadvantage is that the pin that controls the device's operation passes through an open slot, so that the operator or a foreign object may interfere with the function of the safety system by obstructing the slot during operation.
The Jennings U.S. Pat. No. 4,693,708 shows a blood sampling system which has a needle cover that slides over the outside of a piston sleeve to cover the needle after the sample has been taken. The needle cover is manually operated and must be fully extended before the unit is completely safe.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,695,274 issued to Fox shows a needle hub with a protective cover mounted on a syringe. This device must be manually activated to uncover the needle for use. After use, the operator must manually push the outer cover to its locked position. Two embodiments of this device are shown. One embodiment has an external slot where the operator's hand or a foreign object can obstruct the safe operation of the device. In the other embodiment, the needle cover slides over the syringe barrel, thereby obstructing the graduations appearing on the barrel.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,804,371 to Vaillancourt shows a completely different concept, where the needle cover mounts on the hub of a needle which in turn is attached directly to a syringe. This device has a spring to push a small cap over the end of the exposed needle. This design does not lock in the safe position, and the needle cover is really only a guide to allow the operator to reinstall the original needle cap.

Hypodermic needle safety device with sliding outer cover


A rotary disk valve has a valve body provided with an annular valve seat section defining a central opening to be removably closed by a valve disk. The valve disk is supported by a drive assembly which includes a drive shaft mounted on the valve body and supporting a drive link for rotation with the shaft. The link mounts a valve disk support shaft which extends slidably through a slot in a bracket secured to the valve disk. The bracket mounts a guide cam follower pin arranged to engage a guide cam secured to the valve body. The arrangement of drive shaft, valve disk support shaft, bracket slot and guide cam and follower is such that rotation of the drive shaft through 180.degree. in one direction first moves the valve disk from open position disposed in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of the central opening in the valve body to an intermediate position spaced from but parallel to the valve seat surface, and then moves the valve disk linearly into sealing engagement with the valve seat section of the valve body. Reverse rotation of the drive shaft moves the valve disk from open to closed position.

This invention relates to butterfly valves, and more particularly to a valve of improved construction and operation.
Butterfly valves have several problems inherent in their design. Most significant is the adverse generation of particulate matter resulting from the outside diameter of the valve disk scrubbing against the valve liner in order to effect a seal. Additionally, this type of sealing is quite prone to leaking. Still further, replacement of the valve liner requires substantially complete disassembly of the valve. A typical butterfly valve is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,521,857.
Attempts to improve the effectiveness of butterfly valves have included the association therewith of the structure and function of poppet valves. Some of these hybrid butterfly valves have improved sealing effectiveness, but have not overcome the adverse generation of particulates. Some interfere with flow of material through the valve, while others allow only one-way flow. All involve complex and costly constructions which are not suitable for vacuum and sterile applications. Typical of these hybrid butterfly valves are those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,118,078; 4,921,212; 4,817,916; 3,065,950; and 2,673,061.


In a mobile communication network, a controlling node receives capability information from a mobile terminal, indicating positioning methods supported by the mobile terminal and selectability of the positioning methods. In response to a location request message from a client terminal requesting the location information of a target mobile terminal, the controlling node transmits a first control message via a wireless node to the target mobile terminal, containing a copy of requested accuracy of the location information, if the capability information indicates that the target mobile terminal is capable of selecting positioning methods. The mobile terminal performs measurement according to a positioning method that satisfies the requested accuracy. Otherwise, the controlling transmits a second control message to the mobile terminal, specifying a positioning method. In this case, the mobile terminal performs measurement according to the specified positioning method.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to location systems, and more specifically to a location system in which a number of positioning methods are selectively used depending on accuracy requested by a LCS (LoCation Service) client terminal.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the location system as standardized by 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) TS 25.305, a number of positioning methods are used, including Cell-ID method, OTDOA (Observed Time Difference Of Arrival), and A-GPS (network-assisted Global Positioning System). The system is made up of a core network and a W-CDMA radio access network (RAN) in which the radio network controller (RNC) is responsible for controlling a number of base stations to establish connections to mobile terminals. When a client terminal transmits a location request to the location system by specifying accuracy of the location of a target mobile terminal or UE (user equipment) terminal, the request is passed through the core network to the RNC, one of the positioning methods is selected according to the requested accuracy and/or the positioning capability of the target UE terminal to perform measurement and position calculation and returns a location report message to the client terminal.
Since all traffic to and from mobile terminals is concentrated on the RNC and the selection of a positioning method is a complex, time-consuming process, the processing burden is significant when the network is under heavy traffic load.
In addition, no consideration has been taken of other factors to select a positioning method, such as the environment of the target UE terminal. As a result, if a target mobile user is located in a place such as underground shopping areas where GPS satellites are not observable and if the RNC selects A-GPS according to the requested accuracy, the location request results in a useless traffic, unnecessarily consuming network resources.

Location system and method for operating mobile terminal as a responsible location for selecting a positioning method


Embodiments of the present invention provide methods, an image processing device, a computer network and a simple network printer wherein a simple network printer without RIP capability is enabled to print a print job that includes raster image processor instructions. In one embodiment of the method of the present invention, the steps include receiving and storing, by the simple network printer, a broadcast from a raster image processor (RIP)-enabled unit announcing the RIP-enabled unit's capabilities and, upon receiving a RIP print job request from a source, requesting the RIP-enabled unit to proxy the print job and send the print job in simple format to the simple network printer for printing.

The present invention relates to network printing systems and more particularly, to network printing systems that provide for distributed transfer of data from a high level language into dots or pixels in a printer or imagesetter.
Typically network printing systems include at least one printer, at least one client computer, and at least one server distributed over the network. Networking systems may be of a LAN, WAN, token ring, ethernet, TCP/IP or other type. A client computer prepares data for a document or an image or a combination thereof and transmits the data over the network to a server that is linked to a desired printer. Various printers typically may have different printing capabilities. Where a print job requires specific capabilities, some network printing systems provide centralized and distributed management of the printing system so that the print job is routed to a printer that can handle the job.
A new print job typically has one or more electronically stored files along with print attributes for the files, The print attributes provide processing information for the files, typically in a job ticket or in conjunction with a job ticket.
Early printers received pages of data that were decomposable into a set number of lines, each having a preset number of character spaces. When printing, first the data was encoded using a Page Description Language (PDL), which determined the look of the printed page. Each command of the PDL corresponded to a feature of the printer. Such printers generally were called simple printers since simple PDLs were utilized.
Printers became more sophisticated, thus requiring more complex PDLs for controlling the printing. The increased complexity tended to cause development of printers that were more directly related to specific PDLs in accordance with the desired printing capabilities. Thus, applications then needed to be complex enough to accommodate a variety of printers, each of which had specific PDLs that it accommodated. Concomitant with the increased complexity of the applications, the cost of printers increased.
Before the advent of laser printers, the design of a PDL was straightforward. The hardware of the target printer had a limited number of capabilities, each capability having a command that controlled it. For example, Raster Image Processors (RIPs) were used to produce pixelmaps or bitmaps for higher languages for data written in the Postscript language. However, the hardware of a laser printer places dots onto the paper. In order to communicate the information for placing dots onto a full page at 9600 baud, i.e., about eight million bits, over fifteen minutes would be required. By putting a processor into the laser printer, the processor converted the data in PDL language to the eight million bits needed by the laser printer. However, since laser printers can print any combination of graphics, font styles and sizes, and since PDLs had typically had only limited instructions, new PDLs had to be developed. Some vendors developed common PDLs for particular printers, and some vendors just revised the whole set of PDLs. Programs for directing one printer often did not direct another printer properly. In particular, fonts needed to be designed with a bitmap for each size and orientation of each font. Data had to be converted to dots, typically using a RIP.
Complex languages were developed to allow descriptions of pages in addition to providing control of printers. Print image files such as a Postscript, Tagged Image File Format (TIFF), RIP, Portable Document Format (PDF) or Printer Control Language (PCL) file provided information on the location of the print image file within the network printing system and the location of the source file from which the print image file was generated to permit the user to modify the contents of the print image. The Postscript language is described in Adobe Systems Incorporated, Adobe PostScript Language Reference Manual, Addison-Wesley (2d ed., .COPYRIGHT. 1990). TIFF format is Tagged Image File format that is used for exchanging bitmapped images (generally scans) between applications. RIP format is Raster Image Processor format in which information is rasterized into a series of dots by an imagesetter or the like for transferring an image onto film or paper. PDF format is Portable Document Format that is available from Adobe Systems Incorporated at San Jose, Calif. PCL is a Printer Control Language available from Hewlett-Packard Company of Palo Alto, Calif. A Printer Control Language file typically specifies objects to be displayed and related information. For example, a PostScript object can include a pixel map defining a pattern of pixels to be displayed, the selected font, and/or font size or it can reference an outline curve that defines a shape to be marked in mathematical terms.
However, the use of the complex languages increased the cost of the printers that utilized such languages. Postscript, for example, divides the objects of a page into three categories: graphics, text and images, wherein graphics are represented mathematically as lines, text is represented by characters described as a mathematical outline, and images are represented as bitmaps. There is a need for methods, an image processing device, a computer network and a simple network printer wherein a simple printer is enabled to utilize the capabilities of the high-end printer or imaging system that has greater printing capabilities than the simple printer.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


An image forming device includes: a fixing unit fixing a toner image to a paper sheet after image formation; a conveying path conveying the paper sheet toward and from the fixing unit; a cooling fan disposed at a position facing the conveying path that is downstream relative to the fixing unit in a paper conveying direction; a casing where the cooling fan is accommodated; a first discharge port discharging cooling air from the cooling fan toward a part of the conveying path that is upstream in the paper conveying direction relative to an end portion of the conveying path in the conveying path, which is downstream relative to the fixing unit; and a duct guiding the cooling air from the cooling fan in a direction toward the end portion of the conveying path, which is different from a direction that the cooling air flows in the first discharge port.

The present disclosure relates to an image forming device, and particularly, to a technology for cooling a paper sheet and preventing water droplets from adhering.
As a general image forming device, a device using an electrophotographic method is well known. The electrophotographic method includes five processes, for example, a charging process in which a photoreceptor having no electrical charge is uniformly charged, an exposure process in which laser light is emitted to an electrically charged photoreceptor surface based on a copy document, and a latent image of the document is formed on the photoreceptor surface, a developing process in which the latent image is visualized with toner, a transfer process in which a toner image formed by visualization is transferred to a recording medium such as a paper sheet placed on a transfer belt, and a fixing process in which the transferred toner image is fixed to the recording medium.
Here, in the fixing process, when the toner is fixed to the paper sheet, heat above a high temperature of 100 to 180° C. and pressure are applied to the paper sheet by a fixing unit. However, when the paper sheet that underwent the fixing process is discharged to a discharge tray, and several tens of sheets of paper overlap at a high temperature, heat of the paper sheet does not dissipate, and the toner that was fixed once is attached to other overlapping sheets of paper. Such a situation is highly likely to occur as a printing speed increases. When the printing speed increases, a fixing temperature increases, the discharged sheets of paper are successively stacked, and a time for which the discharged paper sheet is exposed to outside air decreases.
In addition, when heat is applied to the paper sheet, moisture contained in the paper sheet is evaporated to water vapor, and becomes water droplets that adhere to a component configured to convey the paper sheet, and the water droplets accumulate on the component. Therefore, when the accumulated water droplets adhere to the paper sheet, there is a problem in that a printed image is blurred. In particular, since the paper sheet does not pass a conveying path or a conveying roller (for example, a switchback roller) for double-sided printing when single-sided printing is performed, water droplets are likely to accumulate.
As technologies for preventing water droplets from accumulating, for example, there is a technology for condensing and collecting generated water vapors. A technology for releasing the generated water vapors to an atmosphere is also proposed. In addition, recently, it is considered to be effective to provide a cooling fan and apply cooling air to a location that needs to be cooled.


A photoconductive imaging member is provided comprising a substrate, an optional hole blocking layer, a charge generation layer, and a charge transport layer. The charge generation layer includes a charge generating material and a binder, wherein the binder comprises an electron transport material chemically attached to a polymeric binder material.

The present disclosure relates, in various exemplary embodiments, to photoconductive imaging members. In particular, the present disclosure relates to charge generation layers for photoconductive imaging members wherein the charge generation layers comprise a novel binder composition. More specifically, disclosed herein is a charge generation layer for a photoconductive imaging member comprising a photogenerating pigment and a binder, the binder comprising a modified binder material comprising an electron transport material chemically attached to a polymeric binder material.
In the art of electrophotography, an electrophotographic imaging member or plate comprising a photoconductive insulating layer on a conductive layer is imaged by first uniformly electrostatically charging the surface of the photoconductive insulating layer. The plate is then exposed to a pattern of activating electromagnetic radiation, for example light, which selectively dissipates the charge in the illuminated areas of the photoconductive insulating layer while leaving behind an electrostatic latent image in the non-illuminated areas. This electrostatic latent image may then be developed to form a visible image by depositing finely divided electroscopic toner particles, for example from a developer composition, on the surface of the photoconductive insulating layer. The resulting visible toner image can be transferred to a suitable receiving member such as paper. This imaging process may be repeated many times with reusable photosensitive members.
Electrophotographic imaging members are usually multilayered photoreceptors that comprise a substrate support, an electrically conductive layer, an optional hole blocking layer, an optional adhesive layer, a charge generating layer, a charge transport layer, and optional protective or overcoating layer(s). The imaging members can take several forms, including flexible belts, rigid drums, etc. For most multilayered flexible photoreceptor belts, an anti-curl layer is usually employed on the back side of the substrate support, opposite to the side carrying the electrically active layers, to achieve the desired photoreceptor flatness.
One type of multi-layered photoreceptor that has been employed as a belt in electrophotographic imaging systems comprises a substrate, a conductive layer, a charge blocking layer, a charge generating (photogenerating) layer, and a charge transport layer. The charge transport layer often comprises an activating small molecule dispersed or dissolved in a polymeric film forming binder. Generally, the polymeric film forming binder in the transport layer is electrically inactive by itself and becomes electrically active when it contains the activating molecule. The expression "electrically active" means that the material is capable of supporting the injection of photogenerated charge carriers from the material in the charge generating layer and is capable of allowing the transport of these charge carriers through the electrically active layer in order to discharge a surface charge on the active layer. The multi-layered type of photoreceptor may also comprise additional layers such as an anti-curl backing layer, required when layers possess different coefficient of thermal expansion values, an adhesive layer, and an overcoating layer. Commercial high quality photoreceptors have been produced which utilize an anti-curl coating.
As more advanced, complex, highly sophisticated, electrophotographic copiers, duplicators and printers are developed, greater demands are placed on the photoreceptor to meet stringent requirements for the production of high quality images. To enhance photoreceptor performance, it is desirable to enhance the electrical properties of the photoreceptor. Charge generation layer sensitivity is one particular parameter that is desirable to enhance or improve for improved photoreceptor performance.
One way to enhance charge generation layer sensitivity is by the composition of the photogenerating pigment. For example, the sensitivity of the charge generation layer may be enhanced by mixing high and low sensitivity pigments.
Other attempts to enhance the sensitivity of the charge generation layer have included doping the charge generation layer with electron transporting materials (ETMs). That is, electron transports are physically mixed with a composition comprising a photogenerating pigment and a polymeric binder. Doping the charge generating layer with an electron transport material, however, is limited in its effectiveness to tune or enhance the sensitivity of the charge generation layer. Without being bound to any particular theory, the limited or variable results achieved by doping the charge generation layer with electron transport materials may be due to dispersion-distribution problems. In particular, the tuning effect achieved by physical addition of electron transport materials to a charge generation layer composition may be compromised by the distance between the electron transport materials and the pigment within the solution. That is, because they are free to move around in solution and during the coating process, the electron transport materials do not end up in close enough proximity to the pigment in the final coating to have a significant effect on the sensitivity of the charge generation layer.
It is therefore desirable to provide a charge generation layer with enhanced sensitivity. It is further desirable to provide a way to tune or selectively enhance the sensitivity of a charge generation layer. Along these lines, it is desirable to provide a charge generation layer composition having enhanced sensitivity in a photoconductive imaging member.

Imaging member comprising modified binder


A biomaterial composition for the resorption/substitution of organic supporting tissues, including 20-75 wt. % of an inorganic phase consisting of particles that include either hydroxyapatite (A) optionally mixed with tricalcium phosphate .beta. (B), or calcium-titaniumphosphate (Ca(Ti).sub.4 (PO.sub.4).sub.6) (C), and 80-25 wt. % of a liquid phase including an aqueous solution of a water-soluble biocompatible polymer that is cross-linkable under the effect of the pH of the medium. The composition is sterilizable, injectable and curable in biological media to form a biomaterial for replacing supporting tissues.

Bony substitutes based on calcium phosphate particles and a biological adhesive are known from the state of the art.
Thus, G. Daculsi et al. have described in Ann. Oto. Rhino. Laryngol. 101:1992 the effectiveness of a calcium phosphate two-phase microporous composition for obliterating the mastoid cavity.
The same authors have also reported the effectiveness of a two-phase calcium phosphate macroporous composition for surgical repair of long bones (Journal of Biomedical Materials Research, Vol. 24, 379-396) and in vertebral arthrodeses (Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research, 248, 1989, 169-175).
The usefulness of calcium phosphates in odontology has been demonstrated in a number of articles: A. Jean et al. in Cells and materials 1993; 3: 193-200. "Pulpal response to calcium phosphate materials. In vivo study of Calcium Phosphate materials in Endodontics"; B. Aliot-Licht et al. in Arch. Oral Biol. 1994; 39: 481-489 "Comparative effect of calcium hydroxide and hydroxyapatite on the cellular activity of human pulpal fibroblasts. An in vivo approach."
Furthermore, JP 3 011 006 describes a cement for hard tissues including an inorganic phase consisting of at least 60% of alpha tricalcium phosphate and of hydroxy-apatite and/or a calcium monophosphate, and a liquid phase including carboxymethyl cellulose.
However, such a composition exhibits the disadvantage, due to the excessive solubility of .alpha. tricalcium phosphate, of not being sufficiently stable to permit a process of resorption/substitution of the hard tissue. Furthermore, such a composition is liable to give rise to detrimental inflammatory processes. Furthermore, this mixture constitutes a calcium ionomer which is not suitable for injection after a few minutes, due to hardening of the mixture as soon as it is made up. This combination exhibits a double instability, a contraction in volume with release of water after several days and, above all, a drop in viscosity after sterilization of the mixture in the autoclave. It does not make it possible to produce a material which is "ready for use", sterile and injectable.

Biomaterial composition and method for preparing same

Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (C.N.R.S.)


A method of forming multiple gate oxide thicknesses on active areas that are separated by STI isolation regions on a substrate. A first layer of oxide is grown to a thickness of about 50 Angstroms and selected regions are then removed. A second layer of oxide is grown that is thinner than first growth oxide. For three different gate oxide thicknesses, selected second oxide growth regions are nitridated with a N2 plasma which increases the dielectric constant of a gate oxide and reduces the effective oxide thickness. To achieve four different gate oxide thicknesses, nitridation is performed on selected first growth oxides and on selected second growth oxide regions. Nitridation of gate oxides also prevents impurity dopants from migrating across the gate oxide layer and reduces leakage of standby current. The method also reduces corner loss of STI regions caused by HF etchant.

Complimentary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) field effect transistor (FET) technology involves the formation of n-channel FETs (NMOS) and p-channel FETs (PMOS) to form low current and high performance integrated circuits. These devices contain a substrate having various electrically isolated active areas that are separated by regions of insulating material such as shallow trench isolation (STI) features or field oxide isolation (FOX). A gate oxide which is normally silicon dioxide is grown on the substrate in active areas and then a polysilicon gate electrode is formed on the gate oxide. Ion implantation is then typically used to form source/drain regions in the substrate adjacent to the channel which is below the electrode and gate oxide. For example, boron can be implanted to form p-channels and arsenic can be implanted to form n-channels. The final steps in the process of forming the device consist of depositing an insulating layer on the substrate and forming contacts to the source/drain regions and to the gate electrodes.
The thickness of the gate oxide is critical to the performance of the device. There is a constant need for thinner oxides to allow a higher speed device with lower power consumption. Current technology requires gate oxide thicknesses of about 50 Angstroms or less. One concern associated with a thin gate oxide is that it will not be thick enough to prevent migration of impurities such as boron dopant from occurring between the gate electrode and channel regions which will degrade the device performance. U.S. Pat. No. 6,197,647 describes a method of depositing a thin gate oxide thickness of 5 to 15 Angstroms followed by deposition of a polysilicon layer that contains nitrogen to inhibit the migration of impurities across the gate oxide layer.
For ultra thin silicon dioxide gates, leakage current will increase tremendously as thickness is reduced. This will cause a large current in the standby mode (IOFF) and a large standby power consumption, thereby making products with these devices commercially unacceptable.
Another concern associated with thin gate oxides is that an excessively high voltage applied to the gate electrode can cause a gate breakdown resulting in a short circuit between the gate electrode and source region. A thicker gate oxide will allow a higher breakdown voltage but at the expense of a slower speed for the circuit. To partially alleviate the thickness requirement, a dual gate oxide technology has been developed that consists of thicker oxides in circuits such as I/O applications where higher speed is not needed. A higher voltage of about 5 V can be applied and the thicker oxide will provide good reliability. A second gate oxide thickness that is thinner than the first is used to form integrated circuits that require high speed. These circuits typically operate at a lower voltage of about 2 V.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,261,972 mentions that dual oxide thicknesses can be formed by means of a nitridation of the substrate in active areas where growth of a thinner oxide thickness is desired. The two different oxide thicknesses are grown simultaneously in the same chamber because growth on the nitrogen implanted active area is retarded compared to growth on an active area without a nitrogen implant. A drawback to this approach is that after nitrogen is introduced into the active channel region in the silicon substrate, significant mobility degradation occurs. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,080,682 and 6,232,244 also involve nitridation of a substrate and deposition of a blocking layer to prevent loss of nitrogen during a subsequent annealing process in formation of dual gate oxide thicknesses. Nitridation also has a negative impact on the quality of the silicon interface with silicon dioxide.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,171,911, a method of forming a dual gate oxide is described. Gate oxides are formed in separate steps and a second thinner oxide thickness is grown after removing a previous thicker growth in regions where a thinner thickness is desired. Another feature of this patent is that the annealing step is performed in a hydrogen atmosphere to reduce the native oxide thickness and improve its quality. A native oxide of 10 Angstroms or less generally forms on a substrate if the surface is exposed to air. Contaminants are removed in the annealing process and the layer is densified from about 10 Angstroms to about 4 Angstroms with improved uniformity.
Oxides are generally grown in a thermal oxidation furnace using a dry oxygen ambient at a temperature of between 600° C. and 800° C. Other methods of forming thin thermal oxides are by RTO (rapid thermal oxidation) or by ISSG (in-situ steam generation).
With the introduction of system on a chip (SOC) technology, there is a need to form multiple gate oxide thicknesses on a substrate to enable the fabrication of multiple circuits with different functions that can all perform at once. For example, circuits for I/O connections with a relatively thick gate oxide of about 50 Angstroms, circuits for high speed devices with a relatively thin gate oxide thickness of about 20 Angstroms and circuits for low power devices with intermediate gate oxide thicknesses are required to operate simultaneously on a substrate. In some cases, more than three different oxide thicknesses may be necessary. Methods of generating more than two oxide thicknesses usually require etch back of unwanted oxide regions resulting in undesirable STI corner loss. Moreover, a large gate leakage is observed on the thinnest oxides. Therefore, an improved method of making multiple gate oxide thicknesses is needed. The improved method should minimize STI corner loss caused by etching, lower the leakage current for thin oxide layers, and prevent boron mobility between the gate electrode and underlying channel. An improved process will also avoid nitridation of a silicon substrate that leads to a poor silicon/silicon oxide interface and reduced ion mobility.
A recent technology called embedded DRAM or e-DRAM involves a combination of memory and logic functions on a chip. Memory circuits require an effective gate oxide thickness of about 50 Angstroms while low power circuits require an effective gate oxide thickness of 12 to 15 Angstroms and high performance circuits need an effective gate oxide thickness in the range of 8 to 12 Angstroms. Traditional ultra-thin silicon dioxide gates are unacceptable because of a high leakage current and a high mobility of doped impurities such as boron between the gate electrode and channel regions. Therefore, an improved method of making e-DRAM devices is needed so that higher performance can be combined with high reliability to satisfy the demand of new technologies.

Method of generating multiple oxides by plasma nitridation on oxide

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.


Systems and methods for receiving image information with spectral components in the visible and near infrared (NIR) spectral ranges and separating the image information in the visible spectral range from the image information in the NIR spectral range is described. The separation of the of the visible and NIR spectral range image information may be performed using a colorimetric calibration matrix. The colorimetric calibration matrix may be determined based at least in part on training image information with a known tristimulus matrix.

In certain imaging systems, such a cameras on mobile computing platforms, silicon (Si) based image sensors, such as charge couple device (CCD) or complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensors, may be used for image capture. The bandgap of Si, at Eg=1.1 electron volts (eV), corresponds to 1125 nanometers (nm) wavelength, which is within the near-infrared (NIR) spectral region. Therefore, the Si material of Si-based image sensors are sensitive up to a wavelength of about 1125 nm. The spectral sensitivity of these Si-based image sensors may correspond to an optical wavelength range from about 350 nm to about 1125 nm. This may enable the acquisition of spectral information at the visible spectral range corresponding to wavelengths of about 380 nm to about 780 nm and the NIR spectral range corresponding to wavelengths of about 780 nm to about 1125 nm.
For most applications, the spectral information associated with a visible range of wavelengths of about 380 nm to 780 nm is used to generate images. In these applications, the capture of NIR spectral information may introduce haze, noise, or otherwise degrade the image in the visible spectral range. Therefore, Si-based image sensor often have NIR filters provided thereon to prevent the detection of radiation in the NIR frequency range for most applications. The NIR filters, by design, filter out spectral information that may otherwise be captured by the Si-based image sensor. Furthermore, the NIR filters may introduce merit, such as processing and/or material merit during manufacture of the Si-based image sensors.

Systems and methods for image processing using visible and near-infrared spectral information


The present invention discloses an electronic package to contain and protect an integrated circuit (IC) chip. The electronic package further includes a leadframe, a flexible circuit or PCB type of substrate. The leadframe, flexible circuit or PCB type substrate further includes solder contacts, which are aligned with via holes in the molding layers on the top and bottom sides of the package. These via holes are for placing solder paste or solder balls from above and below for electrical access to the IC chip. These solder balls provide access for electrical testing after the package is mounted on a motherboard. They also provide the connection points for stacking multiple packages vertically.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the electronic package. More particularly, this invention relates to a package configuration to provide low cost high performance electronic device packages that allows on-board testing and options for attaching electrical shielding, heat spreader or stack of multiple packages for highly integrated portable electronic products.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For conventional molded plastic packages using leadframe for interconnection substrates, packages such as QFP, SOIC, PLCC or SOJ, the IC chip and chip interconnects by either wire bonding or implementing a flip chip configuration, the packages are molded into square or rectangular body. All electrical paths are extended to outside of the molded plastic body along the perimeter of the plastic body. Since the outer lead pitch (OLP), typically 1 mm or greater, along the perimeter of the molded plastic body limits the connection density, for electronic devices that have large number of external electrical paths along the perimeters, it is generally required to make the plastic body to have a relatively large size. Presently, for a quad flat package (QFP), a practical limit is two hundred and eight (208), using 1.27 mm OLP. Furthermore, extended pins outside of the plastic body along the perimeters are very vulnerable to damage from handling or testing.
Plastic ball grid array (PBGA) was developed to address the issues caused by the limitation of the pin count for the conventional leadframe packages. In a PBGA package, the IC chip and the interconnecting wires or metal traces are bonded onto a PCB type of substrate. A plastic molding compound is used to encapsulate the IC chip and the interconnections on only one side of the substrate. All electrical signals are connected through via holes opened through the substrate to solder balls on the other side of substrate. Since the solder balls can be arranged in area array format, the number of signal connections can be much higher than that of the QFP packages. Therefore, a PBGA package that has a few hundreds of solder balls is quite common at the present packages. But, for one side molded BGA, the top and bottom structures are not symmetrical. As the bending or warping could occur throughout the hot processing steps or upon the heat cycles that occurs in the operational environment, it creates great stress onto IC chip and caused reliability vulnerability. Furthermore, all solder balls are placed under the substrate. Many of their connecting traces are routed through multi-layers inside of the motherboard, without any top surface pads. Thus, in most cases, individual PBGA cannot be probed or tested after it has been mounted on the motherboard.
For all existing molded packages, the electrical signal paths are either along the perimeters or from the bottom of molded body. For connections of these configurations, connections from the top of the molded body cannot be made for stacking or testing purposes. Therefore, a need still exits in the art to provide new and improved packaging configurations and also manufacturing procedures for resolving the above discussed problem and difficulties.
Additionally, the PBGA packages are still limited by the high cost of the substrate materials. The conventional quad flat pack (QFP) packages are not amiable to stacking to achieve a three-dimensional packaging configuration. Therefore, a need still exits in the art to provide low cost and improved packaging configurations and also manufacturing procedures for resolving the above discussed problems and difficulties.

Package with solder-filled via holes in molding layers


A multifunction switch assembly includes a handle having an actuator mounted at an inner end. The actuator and handle are pivotally mounted in a housing. First and second return springs mounted in the housing bias the actuator towards the neutral position from the left and right turn positions, respectively. The first return spring preferably imparts a higher force against the actuator than the second return spring, in order to counter the effects of gravity acting upon the handle. The first and second return spring preferably both impart opposite forces on the actuator when in the neutral position in order to eliminate play.

The present invention relates generally to a multifunction switch assembly and more particularly to a multifunction switch assembly with an improved turn signal cancel system having two return springs returning an actuator and to handle a neutral position.
Known multifunction switch assemblies generally comprise a handle having an actuator mounted at an inner end. The actuator includes two detent fingers spring biased outwardly from the actuator into detents formed in a housing. The handle and actuator are pivotally mounted in the housing among a left turn position, a neutral position and a right turn position. A spring mounted in the actuator near the pivot point engages surfaces in the housing to bias the actuator and handle toward the neutral position from either the left turn or right turn position.
There are several drawbacks to the current return spring design. First, the size of the actuator must be large to accommodate the return spring. Second, since the spring is mounted close to the pivot point, a very strong spring must utilized in order to compensate for the lack of leverage. Third, since the same spring is utilized to the return the handle and actuator from both the left and right turn positions to the neutral position, the spring must have a higher force in order to push the handle up against gravity from the left turn position to the neutral position. However, the spring is then of a higher force than necessary for returning the handle from the right turn position to the neutral position, since the force is acting in the same direction as gravity acting upon the handle. Further, in the neutral position, the spring does not impart forces upon the handle and actuator in opposite directions. As a result, a user may perceive "play" in the handle in the neutral position.

Multifunction switch assembly with improved turn signal cancel system


An organic light emitting display device includes a display panel including red sub-pixels, green sub-pixels, first blue sub-pixels, and second blue sub-pixels. A data drive unit receives an image signal and outputs a plurality of data output signals. A demultiplexer distributes the data signals to the red sub-pixels, the green sub-pixels and either the first blue sub-pixels or both the first and second blue sub-pixels in response a drive selection signal. A control unit processes raw image data and provides an image signal to the data drive unit, and detects image data belonging to a first color gamut and a second color gamut from the image data, determines a first blue drive area belonging to the first color gamut and a mixed drive area belonging to the second color gamut, and provides the appropriate selection signal to the demultiplexer to increase efficiency and extend useful life of the display.

Field
Exemplary embodiments relate to an organic light emitting display device, and more particularly, to an organic light emitting display device having improved display quality.
Discussion of the Background
Recently, there have been demands for reductions in the weight and thickness of monitors, televisions, portable display devices and the like. In response to such demands, existing cathode ray tube (CRT) display devices have been replaced with flat panel display devices, such as liquid crystal display (LCD) devices or organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display devices. Since the flat panel OLED display devices have high response speed, low power consumption and wide viewing angles, they have been increasingly considered for use as a next generation flat panel display device.
An organic light emitting display device is configured to include at least an organic light emitting material corresponding to red, green and blue light. Such an organic light emitting material can be degraded depending on the usage time, which may become a factor that determines the whole useful life of the organic light emitting display device.
In general, among the organic light emitting materials of a blue color, the useful life of the blue-series organic light emitting material is relatively short as compared to the organic light emitting materials of other colors. In order to ensure a long service of the display device, there is a need to improve the useful life of the blue-series organic light emitting material. Moreover, among the blue-series organic light emitting materials, a lighter sky blue-series organic light emitting material has a longer useful life than that of a darker deep blue-series organic light emitting material. Further, since the sky blue-series organic light emitting material has higher energy efficiency compared to the deep blue-series organic light emitting material, it has an advantage of reducing the power consumption of the organic light emitting display device. However, since the sky blue-series organic light emitting material has color reproducibility which is inferior to the deep blue-series, it is difficult to express a rich and natural color.
Meanwhile, in the case of the organic light emitting display device using the deep blue-series organic light emitting material, while it has excellent color reproducibility and generally superior display quality, it has problems due to the low energy efficiency and the short useful life of the display device due to the material's shorter useful life.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the inventive concept, and, therefore, it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.


A mobile terminal and system search method for the same are provided. The present invention enables a rapid system search with minimized battery consumption after a system loss. The system search method, using a search parameter specifying a first search time S0 and search periods (Do+S1) of a wait time Do and search time S1, includes performing, when the mobile terminal experiences a system loss, an initial system search to search for a system to use for the first search time S0 and increasing, when a system to use is found during the first search time S0, the first search time S0 to reset the search parameter.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system search method in a communication system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a mobile terminal and method for performing a system search that minimizes battery consumption after a system loss.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, to establish a communication channel, a mobile terminal selects a base station of a mobile communication system for synchronization, and acquires system information from the selected base station. The mobile terminal notifies the base station of its location and registration information using the acquired system information, establishes the communication channel and receives call-related services.
Here, the term "system" refers to a communications infrastructure that is managed by a mobile network operator to provide mobile communication services to mobile terminals. The system may use analog technology, digital cellular technology, Personal Communications Service (PCS) technology and the like.
When a system loss occurs, owing to a loss or failure of the communication channel with a base station, a mobile terminal performs a system search according to a preset system search parameter. That is, the mobile terminal attempts to reestablish the same or another communication channel with a base station by searching for a system. According to the preset system search parameter, the mobile terminal performs an initial system search for a first search time period. If no system is found during the first search time period, the mobile terminal transitions to a power-saving mode (e.g. sleep mode) and then performs a system search for a second search time period. The second search time period corresponds to a preset search period composed of the duration of the power-saving mode and the duration of the system search. This second search time period may be repeated if necessary.
According to a conventional search parameter, the first search time is set to be longer than the second search time. Hence, even if no system is found during the first search time, battery power is still rapidly consumed. Alternatively, if the first search time is set to be shorter, battery power can be saved. However, the system search is more likely to be unsuccessful, and service quality of the mobile communication system can be degraded.

System search method and mobile terminal performing the same


An electric stringed instrument for enhancing the musical or artistic performance of a user is provided. The instrument includes a body with a cutout such that a center portion of the body is open, a neck affixed to an outer edge of the body, and a plurality of strings having first ends operably connected to the neck and second ends operably connected to the body, the plurality of strings being oriented such that the strings extend over the cutout of the body. The user may maneuver the instrument and strum the plurality of strings on any portion of the strings located within the cutout of the body, thereby enhancing the sound of the instrument and the performance of the user.

The embodiments herein relate generally to electric stringed instruments. More specifically, embodiments of the invention relate to a bass guitar for enhancing a user's musical performance.
Electric stringed instruments such as the bass guitar comprise a variety of components including a body, neck, strings, bridge and one or more pickups. There exist base guitar bodies with a variety of shapes and colors. However, these current base guitar designs are limited because the bodies all comprise a solid and continuous block of wood that covers the entire area below the strings. This design can negatively affect the musician's artistic style and/or performance because the user cannot pluck or strum the strings from behind without striking the body of the guitar with a pick or the user's fingers and/or thumb. Further, the use of a solid and continuous block of wood for the guitar body contributes to greater manufacturing costs for the instrument.
As such, there is a need in the industry for a bass guitar with a modified body design that overcomes the limitations of the prior art. In particular, there is a need for a bass guitar body, which enhances the musical and/or artistic performance of the user.

Bass guitar to enhance the musical performance of a user


A method for transmitting from a multi-antenna station and a multi-antenna station is provided. The station is provided with a reference antenna and a diversity antenna. During the operation of the method, one of the antennae is selected to be stronger in the event of power unbalance between the diversity and reference antennae. Greater transmission power is assigned for the diversity antenna than the reference antenna when the diversity antenna is only phase adjusted. Greater transmission power is assigned for the reference antenna than the diversity antenna when the reference antenna is amplitude adjusted.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to transmission from a station provided with multiple antennae. The station may be, for example, a base station of a cellular communication system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Multi-antenna transmission and/or reception can be used in a communication system providing wireless communications between stations. Communication systems adapted to provide wireless communication for mobile users are well known. The wireless communication media can be provided between a base station of a communication network and a user equipment. A mobile user equipment is often referenced to by the term mobile station. Wireless communication may also be provided between two user equipment, between two stations of a communication network or between a satellite based station and another station.
A wireless communication system can be used for various types of communication, such as for voice communication or data communication. A wireless system may provide circuit switched or packet switched services or both. In packet switched services data (e.g. speech data, user data, video data or other data) is communicated in data packets. The development in the wireless communication has lead to systems that are capable of transporting data in substantially high data rates i.e. the so called high speed data (HSD).
In a cellular system the mobile user equipment may access the communication network via access entities referred to as cells, hence the name cellular system. One skilled in the art knows the basic operational principles and elements of a cellular network and these are therefore not explained herein in any greater detail. It is sufficient to note that a cell can be defined as an radio access entity that is served by one or several base stations (BS) serving mobile station user equipment (UE) via a wireless interface therebetween. Examples of the cellular networks include networks that are based on access systems such as the CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access), WCDMA (Wide-band CDMA), TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access), FDMA (Frequency Division Multiple Access), or SDMA (Space Division Multiple Access) and hybrids thereof.
A mobile user equipment (UE) may communicate simultaneously with a plurality of antenna branches of a base station. FIG. 1 shows an example where a user equipment 1 is receiving signals from two antenna branches 3, 4 of a base station 2. This type of transmission arrangements are sometimes referred to as tx diversity.
The mobile user equipment and the base may transmit to each other data such as control messages, user data and so on. The messages may, for example, be feedback messages. The feedback messages may relate to the tx diversity. The following will discuss a more detailed example that relates to a third generation wideband code division multiple access (3G WCDMA) system.
In WCDMA based systems the above referred high speed data may be enabled e.g. by means of the so called high speed downlink packet access (HSDPA) technology. At the present it is assumed that in the high speed downlink packet access (HSDPA) each user equipment receiving data on a high speed downlink shared channel (HS-DSCH) also has an associated dedicated channel (DCH) allocated. The dedicated channel may be mapped to a dedicated physical channel (DPCH). The DPCH is typically divided into dedicated physical data channel (DPDCH) and dedicated physical control channel (DPCCH) both in the uplink and the downlink. Data such as the power control commands, transport format information, and dedicated pilot symbols are transmitted on the DPCCH. Information such as diversity feedback information may be transmitted on DPCCH in the uplink. It shall be appreciated that although the HSDPA has been specified for use in the WCDMA, similar basic principles may be applied to other access techniques.
Use of the so called closed loop transmit diversity modes have been defined e.g. in the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) technical specification 25.214 version 5.2.0 which was released on Sep. 2002 and titled 'Group Radio Access Network; Physical layer procedures (FDD) (Release 5)'. A specific reference is made herein to paragraph 7 'Closed loop mode transmit diversity' on pages 43 to 51 of this document wherein two different closed loop modes are proposed. These modes are referenced to in the specification as 'closed loop Mode 1' and 'closed loop Mode 2'.
The general principles of closed loop mode transmit diversity for DPCH transmission can be seen from FIG. 1. Channel coding, interleaving and spreading may be done in a per se known manner, e.g. as in non-diversity mode. As the skilled person is familiar with these operations and they are not essential for the understanding of the invention, they are not described in any greater detail.
In the transmission from the base station 2, a spread complex valued signal is fed to both transmission antenna branches 3 and 4 of the base station 2. The signals are weighted with antenna specific weight factors w1 and w2 at multipliers 7 and 8. The weight factors can be described briefly as being the corresponding phase adjustments in the closed loop mode 1 and phase and amplitude adjustments in closed loop mode 2. These factors are determined by the user equipment 1, and may be signalled to the base station 2 on the uplink DPCCH. Typically the weight factors would be complex valued signals (i.e.,wi=ai+jbi).
For the closed loop mode 1 different orthogonal dedicated pilot symbols are sent on the 2 different antennae 3 and 4. For closed loop mode 2 the same dedicated pilot symbols are sent on both antennae. The transmissions may occur on the DPCCH.
The mobile user equipment 1 may choose from a closed loop mode specific set of transmission weights complex weight factors w1 and w2. The weight factors are typically chosen such that they should maximize the received power at the mobile user equipment. The power can be writtenP=wHHHHw,                 where
  w  =      [                                        w            1                                                            w            2                                ]  is the weight vector,
  H  =            [                                                  h              1                                                          h              2                                          ]        =          [                                                  h                              1                ,                1                                                                        h                              2                ,                1                                                                          ⋮                                ⋮                                                              h                              1                ,                L                                                                        h                              2                ,                L                                                        ]      is the channel matrix,                hi,j is the jth multipath component of the channel between transmission (tx) antenna iε[1,2] and the mobile user equipment, and L is the number of multipath components.
The mobile user equipment 1 then feeds back to the base station 2 the selected complex weight factors. This may occur on the uplink (UL) dedicated physical control channel (DPCCH).
At the base station 2 the same complex valued signal is then fed to both transmitting antenna branches 3 and 4. The antennae are then weighted with antenna specific weight factors w1 and w2. One of the transmission antennae is weighted by the so called real weight factor w1. This means that the antenna is not rotated from the phase thereof, i.e. the antenna is not phase adjusted. Such an antenna, which is not phase adjusted, will be called in this specification as the reference antenna.
The other antenna is weighted by the weight factor w2. This antenna is phase adjusted as the phase thereof is rotated. Such a phase adjusted antenna will be referenced to in this specification as the diversity antenna.
Introduction of these modes has proven to improve downlink performance in the multi-antenna arrangements. A reason for the improvement is utilization of the feedback information at the base station. As explained above, the feedback information is determined by the mobile user equipment i.e. the mobile station (MS) based on signals it receives from the base station (BS). Therefore the feedback information should, in theory, reflect accurately the manner the mobile user equipment receives from the base station.
However, use of the feedback makes the closed loop modes sensitive to non-idealities that are likely to occur in real life implementations. For example, both closed loop modes may suffer from non-idealities such as feedback errors, feedback delay, multi-path propagation and so on.
Various antenna verification algorithms may be used to minimize the performance loss caused by feedback errors. In general terms, the antenna verification can be defined as a process by means of which the receiving station may verify that it receives in the requested manner from the transmitting station. One of the basic principles of these verification algorithms is that they try to detect any feedback errors. If an error is detected, an appropriate corrective action may then be taken.
An undetected feedback error may severely degrade the performance of the communication system. As a result of the feedback errors the decoding of the received signals is accomplished by using wrong knowledge of the effective channel at the receiver.
The antenna verification algorithms may utilize dedicated channel estimates. The channel estimates are typically based on dedicated pilot signals transmitted from the base station. In the closed loop mode 1 the dedicated pilots are tx-antenna specific. In closed loop mode 2 the same dedicated pilot is transmitted from both tx-antennas. As the tx-weighting is applied also on the dedicated pilot signals, the dedicated channel estimate(s) contain information regarding the effective channel and the weights used for transmission.
The verification is typically performed based on signals from the diversity antenna.
Antenna verification can be used to mitigate, for example, the following problem. To be able to decode the received signal correctly, the receiver should have the knowledge of the effective channel at the receiver. The dedicated channel estimate contains the information of the used tx-weight. Therefore, if the decoding of the signal is done by using dedicated channel estimates, there is no need to verify the used tx-weights.
The discontinuous DPCH pilot signals are typically transmitted with lower power than continuous primary common pilot channel (CpiCH) signals. Therefore it is considered as more desirable from the system performance point of view to use CpiCH estimates instead of the DPCH estimates. However, when the effective channel is formed by using the CpiCH estimates, information about the used tx-weights should somehow be made available. This is so since the CpiCH signal is not tx-weighted. If the receiving station uses wrong assumption of the effective channel in the decoding (i.e., effective channel is created by using wrong assumption of the used tx-weights), this may result, among other things, bit errors as wrong symbols are detected.
One skilled in the art is familiar with the basic principles of the antenna verification and various possibilities for verifying antennas. For example, a straightforward verification algorithm may be employed wherein a 4-hypothesis test is applied per a slot for the closed loop mode 1. A possibility is to use a simplified beam verification (SBV) that requires only a 2-hypothesis test per slot. For the closed loop mode 2, antenna verification can also be performed, for example using a 16-hypothesis test per slot. As explained above, for closed loop mode 2, the same pilot sequence is transmitted on both antennas for DPCCH. Those interested will find a more detailed description of the above examples from Annex A of the above referenced third generation partnership project (3GPP) specification TS25.214, version 5.2.0 of Sep. 2002.
In the ideal case where the transmission power is equally divided between the antenna branches the choice of the diversity antenna should not have any significant influence to the performance of the closed loop modes. However, non-idealities are likely to be present at the transmitter side. These may cause constant power offset i.e. unbalance between the antenna branches. In such circumstances there may be a need for selection of an appropriate diversity antenna. This may be required especially in order to improve the performance.

Transmissions from a station with multiple antennae


A network includes a plurality of wirelessly interconnected self-organizing network (SON) devices for relaying signals in a self-organizing network and a field device for originating output signals. The sensor is configured to transmit the output signals to at least one of the SON devices, and the SON devices do not originate signals but only relay signals originated externally. At least one of the SON devices is self-powered by harvesting energy from an adjacent energy source.

The present invention relates to signal transmission systems, and more particularly, to networks having a self-powered device for relaying signals.
Self-organizing networks are wireless signal transmission networks that enable single-hop and multi-hop transmission of signals between points in the network. The term "motes" denotes relays that are capable of wirelessly receiving and transmitting signals in the self-organizing network. Motes and similar devices can be communicably linked to sensors and other types of signal generating and receiving components. These self-organizing networks enable flexible transmission of signals, and can be used in process facilities and other plant settings to relay data between desired locations. This data can be collected by one or more sensors and transmitted via the network to one or more data collection and/or data processing locations.
Networks of motes or similar devices provide numerous advantages with regard to the installation of signal transmission networks by reducing the amount of wiring required to establish such a network. The cost savings in reducing time- and skill-intensive installation tasks can be significant. By eliminating the need for signal transfer across communication wires, the wireless relay capabilities of network devices can be particularly advantageous in locations where access for making wired communication line connections is limited. However, providing a power supply to such network devices can still be difficult. In locations where hard wiring is difficult, network devices generally cannot be connected to an electrical grid in a conventional manner. Even where conventional electrical grid connection can be made, the wiring required to make such a connection is labor-intensive and may be undesirably costly. Moreover, on-board energy storage in the form of batteries, fuels, etc. provides only a finite energy supply, and the replacement of batteries and the replenishment of fuels, etc. is inconvenient. Yet, operation of a wireless self-organizing network depends on providing an adequate power supply to the network devices.
The present invention provides a self-powered device network with self-organizing network devices capable of harvesting energy from an adjacent energy source to provide power.


An X-ray diagnostics apparatus for tomosynthesis has a radiation emitter and a reference object exclusively connected thereto so that the reference object has a fixed reference relationship to the radiation emitter. It is thus possible to determine the spacing of the radiation emitter from the radiation receiver and from the examination subject, the radiation angle and the transirradiation direction on the basis of the signals obtained from the radiation receiver upon transirradiation of the reference subject without having the reference object representing an impediment in the region of the examination subject.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to an X-ray diagnostic apparatus for a tomosynthesis, and in particular to an apparatus of the type employing a reference object in the radiation beam proceeding from the radiation emitter.
2. Description of the Prior Art
PCT application WO 93/22 893 discloses a method with which it is possible to reconstruct an exposure of an examination subject without the projection angle .alpha. and the geometrical arrangement of the radiation emitter and radiation receiver and the focal plane being known. According to this method, a reference object of radiation-absorbing material having a known size and a known spacing from the radiation receiver is provided in the region of the radiation receiver, this reference object being projected onto the radiation receiver in every individual projection. The geometrical arrangement and the two-dimensional projection angle .alpha. for each individual projection can be determined on the basis of the two-dimensional spatial imaging of the reference on the radiation receiver.
A holder for positioning a radiation emitter of an X-ray diagnostic apparatus for tomosynthesis is disclosed in German OS 44 14 689, corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 5,598,454. A bracket is coupled to the holder, at which--as viewed in the radiation propagation direction--a spherical reference object is arranged in front of the examination subject and a radiation receiver is arranged behind the examination subject. The spacing of the radiation from the reference object and from the radiation receiver, as well as the angle .alpha. of a ray beam emitted by the radiation emitter relative to a reference axis of the holder mechanism, are prescribed by the holder. It is also known to arrange the radiation source so as to be adjustable in a housing to which a positioning means for the reference object and the radiation receiver can be coupled.
In such known tomosynthesis systems, because the reference object is disposed in front of the examination subject and is mounted on a bracket connected to the holder for the radiation receiver, the reference object can constitute a nuisance or an impediment in setting up the apparatus and conducting the examination.

X-ray diagnostics apparatus for tomosynthesis having a reference object in fixed relationship to a radiation emitter


A method and system for migration of multi-tier virtual application across different clouds hypervisor platforms. The principal object of the embodiment is to provide migration of multi-tier virtual application from one vendor to another vendor cloud platforms. Another object of the embodiment is to convert entire multi-tier virtual application of a source vendor cloud platforms, along with the virtual machines, configuration and properties into a format suitable for a destination vendor cloud platforms. Another object of the embodiment is to verify the migrated application after completion of conversion and migration.

With advances in hardware virtualization and computing along with availability of high capacity networks, cloud computing is emerging as the future of computing technology. Cloud computing provides access to third party software and services on web and generally has a pay as per usage basis system. End users access the cloud applications using appropriate application programming interfaces.
There are several vendors providing cloud platforms. Even though cloud computing provides end users with a lot of advantages, the lack of interoperability between different cloud vendors restricts end users from using services of other cloud vendors. Each vendor, currently in the fray, have their own formats and data model for the application deployment and management in cloud, leading to vendor locking and prohibits user from using cloud services of other vendors. Also due to lack of standardization in cloud computing, each vendor cloud operates and stores applications and data in different manner. The technology used in each vendor cloud platform is also different. Users find it difficult to process/migrate/share applications between two clouds. Although migration tools are available for migrating virtual machines from one hypervisor or cloud to a destination hypervisor or cloud, complex multi-tier applications may not migrate completely as completely different formats may be used in the destination hypervisor or cloud and applications may be running on multiple virtual machine with different properties and configurations.

Method and system for migration of multi-tier virtual application across different clouds hypervisor platforms


In a waterproof connector, relief portions are notched in an insertion-side end of a packing, and when the packing is fitted on an inner tubular portion of a male connector housing, support post portions of a lock arm, formed on the outer periphery of the inner tubular portion, pass through the relief portions, respectively. With this arrangement, the lock arm can be disposed closer to the front end of the male connector housing, and therefore the housing can be formed into a compact size in accordance with the minimum size of the inner tubular portion for receiving and holding connection terminals.

This invention relates to a waterproof connector suitably used, for example, for interconnecting wire harnesses in an automobile, and more particularly to an improved packing for forming a watertight seal between fitting portions of connector housings.
FIGS. 8 to 10 show the construction of a conventional waterproof connector.
The waterproof connector 1 shown in these Figures is disclosed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. Hei 7-142116, and is used for interconnecting wire harnesses in an automobile.
In this waterproof connector 1, a watertight seal between a male connector housing 2 and a female connector housing 3 is formed by a packing 4 interposed between the male and female connector housings 2 and 3.
The male and female connector housings 2 and 3 are molded of a synthetic resin having an excellent insulating property, and the packing 4 is molded of synthetic rubber or the like which is easily elastically deformable.
The male connector housing 2 includes an inner tubular portion 7 having terminal receiving chambers 6 for respectively receiving and holding connection terminals (not shown), an outer tubular portion 12 formed around the inner tubular portion 7 to form a fitting space 10 therebetween for receiving a generally-tubular, housing fitting portion 8 of the female connector housing 3, and a lock arm 17 which has a support post portion 14 (see FIG. 10) extending upright from the outer peripheral surface of the inner tubular portion 7, and an arm portion 15 extending from a distal end of the support post portion 14 in a direction of fitting and withdrawing of the two connector housings relative to each other (that is, in a direction (right-left direction in FIG. 10) of the axis of the inner tubular portion 7).
As shown in FIG. 8, the lock arm 17 is provided at the upper side of the inner tubular portion 7. As shown in FIG. 10, the arm portion 15 of this lock arm 17 is connected to the distal end of the support post portion 14 at its central portion in the direction of fitting and withdrawing of the two connector housings relative to each other, and when a rear end 15a of the arm portion 15 is depressed as indicated by arrow "a", the arm portion 15 is pivotally moved or turned about a fulcrum defined by a portion where the arm portion 15 is connected to the support post portion 14, so that a front end of the arm portion 15 is lifted as indicated by arrow "b".
The female connector housing 3 includes the generally-tubular, housing fitting portion 8 for being inserted into the fitting space 10, and has a retaining hole 8a which is retainingly engaged with an engagement projection 15b, formed on the front end of the arm portion 15, when the housing fitting portion 8 is inserted a predetermined amount into the fitting space 10. The retaining hole 8a is formed through an distal end portion of the housing fitting portion 8.
Although not shown in the drawings, terminal receiving chambers, corresponding respectively to those of the inner tubular portion 7, are formed in an inner end portion of the housing fitting portion 8.
The packing 4 is beforehand mounted on the outer periphery of the inner tubular portion 7, and closes a gap between the housing fitting portion 8 inserted in the fitting space 10, and the inner tubular portion 7, thereby forming a watertight seal between the fitting portions of the connector housings. The packing 4 includes a tubular portion 19 fitted on the outer peripheral surface of the inner tubular portion 7 in intimate contact therewith, and retaining pawls 23 which extend radially outwardly from an insertion-side end 19a of the tubular portion 19, and are engaged respectively in packing retaining holes 21 formed in the outer tubular portion 12, the insertion-side end 19a being held against an inner end wall of the fitting space 10.
The pair of retaining pawls 23 are formed respectively on opposite (right and left) sides of the tubular portion 19 at the insertion-side end 19a.
A pair of protuberances 19b are formed on that portion of the outer peripheral surface of the tubular portion 19 disposed adjacent to a front end thereof, and these protuberances 19b enhance the intimate contact of the packing 4 with the housing fitting portion 8. Grooves 19c are formed in the inner peripheral surface of the tubular portion 19, and are engaged respectively with projections 25 formed on the outer peripheral surface of the inner tubular portion 7.
In the above waterproof connector 1, before the male and female connector housings 2 and 3 are fitted together, the packing 4 is fitted on the inner tubular portion 7 of the male connector housing 2, as shown in FIG. 9.
For fitting the packing 4, the packing 4 is first fitted on the distal end portion of the inner tubular portion 7, and then end surfaces 23a of the retaining pawls 23 are pushed by a jig or the like until the insertion-side end 19a of the tubular portion 19 is brought into engagement with the inner end wall of the fitting space 10, with the retaining pawls 23 received respectively in the packing retaining holes 21 in the male connector housing 2.
Thereafter, the housing fitting portion 8 of the female connector housing 3 is inserted into the fitting space 10, so that the gap between the housing fitting portion 8 and the inner tubular portion 7 is closed by the packing 4, thereby forming a watertight seal between the fitting portions.
When the housing fitting portion 8 is inserted a predetermined amount into the fitting space 10, the engagement projection 15b of the lock arm 17 is engaged in the retaining hole 8a formed in the female connector housing 3, thereby locking the two housings in a mutually-fitted condition, as shown in FIG. 10.
For releasing the mutual fitting between the housings, the rear end 15a of the lock arm 17 is depressed in the direction of arrow "a", so that the engagement projection 15a is disengaged from the retaining hole 8a, and in this condition the female connector housing 3 is withdrawn from the male connector housing 2.
The retaining pawls 23, formed on the tubular portion 19 at the insertion-side end 19a, are engaged respectively in the packing retaining holes 21 in the male connector housing 2, and therefore the packing 4 will not be disengaged from the male connector housing 2 during the operation of releasing the mutual fitting between the housings.
In the installation of wire harnesses in a vehicle, it is not easy to secure a sufficient space for mounting and receiving connectors and so on. Therefore, it is always important that the connector, used for connecting the wire harnesses together, should have a compact design.
In the above waterproof connector 1, however, the support post portion 14 of the lock arm 17 formed on the male connector housing 2 must be disposed rearwardly of the insertion-side end 19a of the packing 4 (that is, adjacent to the rear end of the male connector housing 2), as clearly seen from FIG. 10. The support post portion 14 need to have a predetermined thickness to have a required strength.
As a result, there has been encountered a problem that the axial length of the male connector housing 2 is increased, so that the size of the housing is increased.