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11504083

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure generally relates to the field of medical technology, and more particularly, relates to systems and methods for determining one or more target examination parameters for a target examination to be performed on a subject. BACKGROUND Before an examination is performed on a subject (e.g., a patient), the subject usually needs to provide examination information such as the name, the age, the gender, a type of the examination, a target portion of the subject to be examined, etc. A user (e.g., an operator or a doctor) can determine one or more examination parameters for the examination to be performed on the subject. In some cases, the one or more parameters can be unsuitable for the examination to be performed on the subject. The user may sometimes need to correct at least one of the one or more examination parameters and perform the examination on the subject again. The examination may be, for example, a medical examination such as a scan on the subject using an imaging device. To perform the scan on the target portion of the subject, the user often needs to position the subject in the imaging device and determine a target region (i.e., an examination parameter) that includes the target portion of the subject to be scanned using a laser indicator or a radiation field indicator of a beam limiter. This may cause inconvenience to the subject and/or increase the workload of the user. Therefore, it is desired to provide systems and methods for more accurately and efficiently determine one or more examination parameters for an examination on a subject. SUMMARY According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a method is provided. The method may be implemented on a computing device having at least one processor and at least one non-transitory storage medium. The method may include obtaining height data of a subject. The method may further include determining, based on the height data of the subject, a target region corresponding to a target portion of the subject for a scan on the subject by an imaging device. The target portion may be within the target region. The method may further include determining, based on the target region, a plurality of movement parameters associated with the imaging device. The plurality of movement parameters may include at least one start position and at least one end position associated with one or more components of the imaging device. In some embodiments, the determining, based on the height data of the subject, a target region corresponding to a target portion of the subject to be scanned by an imaging device may include obtaining a database including a plurality of datasets, wherein each of the plurality of datasets may include height data and a plurality of candidate regions corresponding to a plurality of candidate portions associated with a plurality of candidate height data; determining one or more target datasets from the plurality of datasets, wherein the height data in the one or more target datasets is closest, among the plurality of datasets, to the height data of the subject; and determining the target region based on one or more candidate regions in the one or more target datasets that correspond to the target portion. In some embodiments, the method may further include determining that the height data of multiple target datasets, among the plurality of datasets, is closest to the height data of the subject. The determining the target region based on one or more candidate regions in the one or more target datasets that correspond to the target portion may include identifying, in the multiple target datasets, multiple candidate regions corresponding to the target portion; and determining, based on the multiple candidate regions corresponding to the target portion, an average region as the target region. In some embodiments, the method may further include determining a difference between the height data in the one or more target datasets and the height data of the subject; comparing the difference with a threshold; and in response to a determination that the difference is greater than the threshold, correcting the target region. In some embodiments, the method may further include storing the height data of the subject and the target region corresponding to the target portion of the subject in the database. In some embodiments, the method may further include comparing a size of the target region and a size of a maximum scanning range of a single scan by the imaging device; and in response to a result that the size of the target region is greater than the size of the maximum scanning range of a single scan by the imaging device, causing the imaging device to perform, based on the plurality of movement parameters, a plurality of sub-scans on the target portion to obtain a plurality of images, wherein the plurality of movement parameters include a plurality of start positions corresponding to the plurality of sub-scans and a plurality of end positions corresponding to the plurality of sub-scans; and generating a panoramic image by stitching the plurality of images. In some embodiments, the method further include causing one or more components of the imaging device to move according to the plurality of movement parameters to obtain a simulated region to be scanned on the subject and determining whether the simulated region matches the target portion of the subject. The method may further include in response to a determination that the simulated region does not match the target portion of the subject, correcting at least one of the plurality of movement parameters. In some embodiments, the method may further include identifying the simulated region using at least one of a laser indicator or a radiation field indicator of a beam limiter. In some embodiments, the determining, based on the target region, a plurality of movement parameters associated with the imaging device may include determining a position of the subject in the imaging device, and determining the plurality of movement parameters based on the target region and the position of the subject in the imaging device. According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a system is provided. The system may include at least one non-transitory storage medium including a set of instructions and at least one processor in communication with the at least one non-transitory storage medium. When executing the set of instructions, the at least one processor may be directed to cause the system to obtain height data of a subject. The at least one processor may be further directed to cause the system to determine, based on the height data of the subject, a target region corresponding to a target portion of the subject for a scan on the subject by an imaging device. The target portion may be within the target region. The at least one processor may be further directed to cause the system to determine, based on the target region, a plurality of movement parameters associated with the imaging device. The plurality of movement parameters may include at least one start position and at least one end position associated with one or more components of the imaging device. According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a system is provided. The system may include an obtaining module, configured to obtain height data of a subject. The system may further include a determination module, configured to determine, based on the height data of the subject, a target region corresponding to a target portion of the subject for a scan on the subject by an imaging device. The target portion may be within the target region. The system may further include a scanning module, configured to determine, based on the target region, a plurality of movement parameters associated with the imaging device. The plurality of movement parameters may include at least one start position and at least one end position associated with one or more components of the imaging device. According to still another aspect of the present disclosure, a non-transitory computer readable medium is provided. The non-transitory computer readable medium may include at least one set of instructions. When executed by at least one processor of a computing device, the at least one set of instructions may direct the at least one processor to obtain a database including a plurality of datasets. Each of the plurality of datasets may include height data and a plurality of candidate regions corresponding to a plurality of candidate portions associated with a plurality of candidate height data. The at least one set of instructions may further direct the at least one processor to determine one or more target datasets from the plurality of datasets. The height data in the one or more target datasets may be closest, among the plurality of datasets, to the height data of the subject. The at least one set of instructions may further direct the at least one processor to determine the target region based on one or more candidate regions in the one or more target datasets that correspond to the target portion. According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a method for determining one or more target examination parameters is provided. The method may be implemented on a computing device having at least one processor and at least one non-transitory storage medium. The method may include obtaining target examination information of a subject and generating one or more initial examination parameters based on the target examination information. The method may further include obtaining one or more historical examination parameters associated with the subject and updating at least one of the one or more initial examination parameters based on the one or more historical examination parameters to obtain one or more target examination parameters. The one or more target examination parameters may be used for performing a target examination on the subject. In some embodiments, the obtaining one or more historical examination parameters of the subject may include obtaining one or more first historical examination records associated with the subject; determining whether the one or more first historical examination records include one or more second historical examination records matching the target examination information; and in response to a determination that the one or more first historical examination records include one or more second historical examination records matching the target examination information, obtaining the one or more historical examination parameters from the one or more second historical examination records. In some embodiments, the obtaining the one or more historical examination parameters from the one or more second historical examination records may include determining whether only one second historical examination record matches the target examination information; and in response to a determination that only one second historical examination record matches the target examination information, obtaining the one or more historical examination parameters from the only one second historical examination record. In some embodiments, the obtaining the one or more historical examination parameters from the one or more second historical examination records may include assessing, for each of the one or more second historical examination records, a degree of similarity between examination information of an examination corresponding to the second historical examination record and the target examination information; identifying, from the one or more second historical examination records, a third historical examination record of an examination that has, among the one or more second historical examination records, a highest degree of similarity with the target examination information; and obtaining the one or more historical examination parameters from the third historical examination record. In some embodiments, the assessing, for each of the one or more second historical examination records, a degree of similarity between examination information of an examination corresponding to the second historical examination record and the target examination information may include comparing, for each of the one or more second historical examination records, a time when an examination corresponding to the second historical examination record occurred and a time of the target examination. The identifying a third historical examination record of an examination that has, among the one or more second historical examination records, a highest degree of similarity with the target examination information may include designating a second historical examination record of an examination that, among the one or more second historical examination records, occurred at a time closest to the time of the target examination as the third historical examination record. In some embodiments, the assessing, for each of the one or more second historical examination records, a degree of similarity between examination information of an examination corresponding to the second historical examination record and the target examination information may include comparing, for each of the one or more second historical examination records, a parameter of interest of a device used in an examination corresponding to the second historical examination record and a corresponding parameter of a device to be used in the target examination. In some embodiments, the comparing, for each of the one or more second historical examination records, a parameter of interest of a device used in an examination corresponding to the second historical examination record and a corresponding parameter of a device to be used in the target examination may include determining that for each examination that corresponds to one of the one or more second historical examination records, the parameter of interest of a device used therein is different from the corresponding parameter of the device to be used in the target examination; and in response to a determination that for each examination that corresponds to one of the one or more second historical examination records, the parameter of interest of a device used therein is different from the corresponding parameter of the device to be used in the target examination, comparing a time when each of one or more examinations corresponding to the one or more second historical examination records occurred and a time of the target examination. The identifying a third historical examination record of an examination that has, among the one or more second historical examination records, a highest degree of similarity with the target examination information may include designating a second historical examination record of an examination that, among the one or more second historical examination records, occurred at a time closest to the time of the target examination as the third historical examination record. In some embodiments, the comparing a parameter of interest of a device used in an examination corresponding to each of the one or more second historical examination records and a corresponding parameter of a device to be used in the target examination may include determining that the parameter of interest of a device used in only one examination corresponding to one of the one or more second historical examination records is the same as the corresponding parameter of the device to be used in the target examination. The identifying a third historical examination record of an examination that has, among the one or more second historical examination records, a highest degree of similarity with the target examination information may include designating a second historical examination record corresponding to the only examination using the device whose parameter of interest is the same as the corresponding parameter of the device to be used in the target examination as the third historical examination record. In some embodiments, the comparing a parameter of interest of a device used in an examination corresponding to each of the one or more second historical examination records and a corresponding parameter of a device to be used in the target examination may include determining that for each of more than one examination that corresponds to more than one second historical examination records of the one or more second historical examination records, the parameter of interest of a device used therein is the same as the corresponding parameter of the device to be used in the target examination; and in response to a determination that for each of more than one examination that corresponds to more than one second historical examination of the one or more second historical examination records, the parameter of interest of a device used therein is the same as the corresponding parameter of the device to be used in the target examination, comparing a time when each of the more than one examination occurred and a time of the target examination. The identifying a third historical examination record of an examination that has, among the one or more second historical examination records, a highest degree of similarity with the target examination information may include designating a second historical examination record of an examination that, among the more than one second historical examination records corresponding to the more than one examination each using a device whose parameter of interest is the same as the corresponding parameter of the device to be used in the target examination, occurred at a time closest to the time of the target examination as the third historical examination record. In some embodiments, the comparing, for each of the one or more second historical examination records, a parameter of interest of a device used in an examination corresponding to the second historical examination record and a corresponding parameter of a device to be used in the target examination may include determining that, for each of more than one examination that corresponds to more than one second historical examination records of the one or more second historical examination records, the parameter of interest of a device used therein is the same as the corresponding parameter of the device to be used in the target examination; and in response to a determination that for each of more than one examination that corresponds to more than one second historical examination records of the one or more second historical examination records, the parameter of interest of a device used therein is the same as the corresponding parameter of the device to be used in the target examination, comparing, for each of the more than one examination, at least one position parameter associated with the examination and at least one position parameter associated with the subject to be used in the target examination. The identifying a third historical examination record of an examination that has, among the one or more second historical examination records, a highest degree of similarity with the target examination information may include determining whether for only one examination among the more than one examination each using the device whose parameter of interest is the same as the corresponding parameter of the device to be used in the target examination, at least one position parameter associated with the subject used therein is the same as the at least one position parameter associated with the subject to be used in the target examination; and in response to a determination that for only one examination among the more than one examination each using the device whose parameter of interest is the same as the corresponding parameter of the device to be used in the target examination, at least one position parameter associated with the subject used therein is the same as the at least one position parameter associated with the subject to be used in the target examination, designating a second historical examination record corresponding to the only one examination as the third historical examination record. In some embodiments, the comparing, for each of the one or more second historical examination records, a parameter of interest of a device used in an examination corresponding to the second historical examination record and a corresponding parameter of a device to be used in the target examination may include determining that for each of more than one examination that corresponds to more than one second historical examination of the one or more second historical examination records, the parameter of interest of a device used therein is the same as the corresponding parameter of the device to be used in the target examination; and in response to a determination that for each of more than one examination that corresponds to more than one second historical examination of the one or more second historical examination records, the parameter of interest of a device used therein is the same as the corresponding parameter of the device to be used in the target examination, comparing at least one position parameter associated with the subject in the more than one examination and at least one position parameter associated with the subject in the target examination. The identifying a third historical examination record of an examination that has, among the one or more second historical examination records, a highest degree of similarity with the target examination information may include determining whether for each of multiplemultiple examinations among the more than one examination each using a device whose parameter of interest is the same as the corresponding parameter of the device to be used in the target examination, at least one position parameter associated with the subject used therein is the same as the at least one position parameter associated with the subject to be used in the target examination; and in response to a determination that for each of multiplemultiple examinations among the more than one examination each using a device whose parameter of interest is the same as the corresponding parameter of the device to be used in the target examination, at least one position parameter associated with the subject used therein is the same as the at least one position parameter associated with the subject to be used in the target examination, comparing a time when each of the multiple examinations occurred and a time of the target examination, and designating a second historical examination record of an examination that, among the multiple examinations each using a device whose parameter of interest is the same as the corresponding parameter of the device to be used in the target examination and having at least one position parameter associated with the subject that is the same as the at least one position parameter associated with the subject to be used in the target examination, occurred at a time closest to the time of the target examination as the third historical examination record. In some embodiments, the comparing, for each of the one or more second historical examination records, a parameter of interest of a device used in an examination corresponding to the second historical examination record and a corresponding parameter of a device to be used in the target examination may include determining that for each of more than one examination that corresponds to more than one of the one or more second historical examination records, the parameter of interest of a device used therein is the same as the corresponding parameter of the device to be used in the target examination; and in response to a determination that for each of more than one examination that corresponds to more than one of the one or more second historical examination records, the parameter of interest of a device used therein is the same as the corresponding parameter of the device to be used in the target examination, comparing at least one position parameter associated with the subject in the more than one examination and at least one position parameter associated with the subject in the target examination. The identifying a third historical examination record of an examination that has, among the one or more second historical examination records, a highest degree of similarity with the target examination information may include determining whether for each examination of the more than one examination each using a device whose parameter of interest is the same as the corresponding parameter of the device to be used in the target examination, at least one position parameter associated with the subject used therein is different from the at least one position parameter associated with the subject to be used in the target examination; and in response to a determination that for each examination of the more than one examination each using a device whose parameter of interest is the same as the corresponding parameter of the device to be used in the target examination, at least one position parameter associated with the subject used therein is different from the at least one position parameter associated with the subject to be used in the target examination, comparing a time when each of the multiple examinations occurred and a time of the target examination, and designating a second historical examination record of an examination that, among the more than one second historical examination records corresponding to the more than one examination each using a device whose parameter of interest is the same as the corresponding parameter of the device to be used in the target examination, occurred at a time closest to the time of the target examination as the third historical examination record. In some embodiments, the parameter of interest of the device may include a device model. In some embodiments, the method may further include storing the one or more examination parameters of the target examination of the subject. In some embodiments, the computing device may include a data recorder. In some embodiments, the target examination may be a scan on the subject by an imaging device. The target examination information of the subject may include height data and a target portion of the subject to be scanned by the imaging device. The one or more target examination parameters may include a target region corresponding to the target portion of the subject. The target portion may be within the target region. In some embodiments, the method may further include determining, based on the target region, a plurality of movement parameters associated with the imaging device, wherein the plurality of movement parameters include at least one start position and at least one end position associated with one or more components of the imaging device. In some embodiments, the determining, based on the target region, a plurality of movement parameters associated with the imaging device may include determining a position of the subject in the imaging device; and determining the plurality of movement parameters based on the target region and the position of the subject in the imaging device. According to still another aspect of the present disclosure, a system for determining one or more target examination parameters is provided. The system may include at least one non-transitory storage medium including a set of instructions and at least one processor in communication with the at least one non-transitory storage medium. When executing the set of instructions, the at least one processor may be directed to cause the system to obtain target examination information of a subject and generate one or more initial examination parameters based on the target examination information. The at least one processor may be further directed to cause the system to obtain one or more historical examination parameters associated with the subject and update at least one of the one or more initial examination parameters based on the one or more historical examination parameters to obtain one or more target examination parameters, wherein the one or more target examination parameters are used for performing a target examination on the subject. According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a system for determining one or more target examination parameters is provided. The system may include an acquisition module, configured to obtain target examination information of a subject and obtain one or more historical examination parameters associated with the subject. The system may further include a parameter generation module, configured to generate one or more initial examination parameters based on the target examination information. The system may further include a parameter updating module, configured to update at least one of the one or more initial examination parameters based on the one or more historical examination parameters to obtain one or more target examination parameters. The one or more target examination parameters may be used for performing a target examination on the subject. According to still another aspect of the present disclosure, a non-transitory computer readable medium is provided. The non-transitory computer readable medium may include at least one set of instructions for determining one or more target examination parameters. When executed by at least one processor of a computing device, the at least one set of instructions may direct the at least one processor to obtain target examination information of a subject; generate one or more initial examination parameters based on the target examination information; obtain one or more historical examination parameters associated with the subject; and update at least one of the one or more initial examination parameters based on the one or more historical examination parameters to obtain one or more target examination parameters, wherein the one or more target examination parameters are used for performing a target examination on the subject. Additional features will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following and the accompanying drawings or may be learned by production or operation of the examples. The features of the present disclosure may be realized and attained by practice or use of various aspects of the methodologies, instrumentalities and combinations set forth in the detailed examples discussed below.

11233888

BACKGROUND The present disclosure relates to data exchange between two wireless devices that are able to form a short-range wireless connection. BACKGROUND OF THE RELATED ART A computing device, such a smartphone, may wirelessly exchange data with a short-range wireless-enabled device, such as a set of Bluetooth headphones. The short-range wireless connection between the two devices may be maintained as long as the distance between the two devices does not exceed the limited range of the radio waves of the wireless transmission. However, when the distance between the devices exceeds the range of the wireless transmission, the connection between the two devices may become either lost or ineffective for the exchange of data. In the example of a smartphone and a set of short-range wireless headphones, a user of the two devices may set down the smartphone and wear the short-range wireless headphones as the user walks out of transmission range of the smartphone. As a result, the user may experience a loss of audio quality and eventual loss of audio output from the short-range wireless headphones. BRIEF SUMMARY Some embodiments provide a computer program product comprising a non-volatile computer readable medium and non-transitory program instructions embodied therein, the program instructions being configured to be executable by a processor to cause the processor to perform operations. The operations comprise causing a source device to communicate with a destination device over a direct short-range wireless connection between the source device and the destination device, causing the source device to communicate over a local area network to identify a participating device that is connected to the local area network and is able to form a second short-range wireless connection with the destination device, and causing the source device to communicate with the destination device through the participating device by sending data over the local area network to the participating device for forwarding to the destination device over the second short-range wireless connection. Some embodiments provide an apparatus comprising at least one non-volatile storage device storing program instructions and at least one processor configured to process the program instructions, wherein the program instructions are configured to, when processed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform operations. The operations comprise communicating with a destination device over a direct short-range wireless connection between the source device and the destination device, communicating over a local area network to identify a participating device that is connected to the local area network and is able to form a second short-range wireless connection with the destination device, and communicating with the destination device through the participating device by sending data over the local area network to the participating device for forwarding to the destination device over the second short-range wireless connection. Some embodiments provide a computer program product comprising a non-volatile computer readable medium and non-transitory program instructions embodied therein, the program instructions being configured to be executable by a processor to cause the processor to perform operations. The operations comprise receiving, via a local area network, a local area network packet from a source device, the local area network packet comprising an encapsulated short-range wireless connection packet addressed to a destination device. The operations further comprise establishing a direct short-range wireless connection with the destination device, extracting the short-range wireless connection packet from the local area network packet, and forwarding the short-range wireless connection packet to the destination device via the direct short-range wireless connection.

11356672

COPYRIGHT NOTICE A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. TECHNICAL FIELD The disclosed embodiments relate generally to video processing, more particularly, but not exclusively, to video coding. BACKGROUND The consumption of video content has been surging in recent years, mainly due to the prevalence of various types of portable, handheld, or wearable devices. Typically, the video data or other media content is encoded at the source into an encoded (compressed) bit stream, which is then transmitted to a receiver over a communication channel. It is important, however, to control the bit rate of encoded bit streams in order to ensure that various constraints of the sender, the receiver, and/or the communication channel are met. For instance, it may be desirable to keep the bit rate of the encoded video frames below a certain maximum bit rate so as to prevent buffer overflow or to accommodate a bandwidth limitation. This is the general area that embodiments of the disclosure are intended to address. SUMMARY Described herein are systems and methods that can control video coding. A video encoder can obtain a target rate to encode an image data unit such as an image frame, wherein the image data unit is to be encoded based on a rate control model with one or more model parameters. The video encoder can determine values of the one or more model parameters for the rate control model based on an encoding of one or more reference image data units using one or more reference coding parameters. Then, the video encoder can determine values of one or more coding parameters for encoding the image data unit, based on the rate control model with the one or more determined model parameters, and use the one or more determined coding parameters to encode the image data unit. Also described herein are systems and methods that can control video coding. A video encoder can obtain an image frame, wherein the image frame comprises a plurality of coding block groups, wherein each coding block group includes one or more coding blocks and each coding block group is associated with a coding control model. Furthermore, the video encoder can determine values of one or more coding parameters, for a first coding control model associated with a first coding block group, based on a bit allocation for the first coding block group, and use the first coding control model with the one or more determined coding parameters to encode the first coding block group.

11424997

BACKGROUND The present disclosure relates generally to information handling systems, and more particularly to providing secure access to a network management domain provided for information handling systems. As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems. Information handling systems are sometimes provided by a “modular” computing system in a chassis, which allows groups of modular computing systems to be utilized to form a logical chassis management domain that is often referred to as a Multi-Chassis Management (MCM) group. Within such MCM groups, a system management domain may be created to manage the modular computing systems in the MCM group, with a “lead” modular computing system operating to manage the “member” modular computing systems via the system management domain. Furthermore, each modular computing system may include one or more Input/Output (I/O) modules that are configured to provide a network management domain for that modular computing system. As discussed further below, the inventors of the present disclosure have developed systems and methods for synchronizing the network management domain with the system management domain provided for an MCM group to provide a single network management domain for the system management group, rather than multiple network management domains that result in different management access points for the networking fabric within the system management domain, and those systems and methods are described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/731,946, filed on Dec. 31, 2019, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety. However, in addition to the network management domain provided for the system management domain requiring high availability, access to such network management domains must be secured to prevent unauthorized access to the MCM group. Conventional MCM group configuration systems do not provide any means for securing communications between a system management domain and a network management domain provided for a single modular computing system, much less for a group of modular computing systems that have had their network management domain synchronized with their system management domain. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a secured network management domain access system that addresses the issues discussed above. SUMMARY According to one embodiment, an Information Handling System (IHS) includes a processing system; and a memory system that is coupled to the processing system and that includes instructions that, when executed by the processing system, cause the processing system to provide a first management module that includes: an enclosure controller that is coupled via a first communication channel to each of at least one I/O module that is configured to provide network management domain, wherein the enclosure controller is configured to: retrieve master I/O module secured access information via the first communication channel from a master I/O module that is included in the at least one I/O module; and a first management service that is coupled to the enclosure controller via a second communication channel and to each of the at least one I/O module via a third communication channel, wherein the first management service is configured to: retrieve the master I/O module secured access information from the enclosure controller via the second communication channel; and perform validation operations with the master I/O module via the third communication channel such that the first management service may securely access the network management domain via the master I/O module.

11507869

FIELD Aspects of the invention relate to the field of communication management, and more particularly, to processing and posting data traffic to destinations that are selected via predictive modeling and analytics. BACKGROUND The processing of data traffic, such as, for example, business leads, often entails identifying consumers that might be interested in certain products or services, and providing information about such consumers, to potential suppliers of the products or services (hereinafter “service providers” or “suppliers”). Information about consumers that have expressed interest in particular products or services may be referred to as a “lead.” A standard way to collect online leads is by having the consumers fill out forms on a website. The forms are used by the consumers to provide information about the customer and/or information about the product or service that the consumer desires. A lead distribution system may analyze the information provided by the consumers, and select one or more service providers to post the lead. For example, a consumer who is looking for a loan may fill out a loan-request form from a loan application website. The information provided in the loan-request form may then be sent to one or more banks or other financial institutions, as leads to those institutions. Thus, what is desired is system and method for computing a likelihood of success for leads in a real-time environment where, based on such computing, lead traffic is directed to service providers that are predicted to produce optimal results. The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention, and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known to a person of ordinary skill in the art. SUMMARY Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a method for generating and deploying a machine learning model for a real-time environment. A processor receives, via a graphical user interface, user selected coefficients and training data, and invokes a first machine learning algorithm for generating a first machine learning model based on the received coefficients and training data. The processor tests accuracy of predictions by the first machine learning model, and determines that the accuracy of predictions of the first machine learning model is below a threshold value. In response to determining that the accuracy of predictions is below the threshold value, the processor evaluates a particular criterion. In response to the particular criterion being satisfied, a second machine learning algorithm is invoked for generating a second machine learning model based on the received coefficients and training data. The second machine learning model is deployed instead of the first machine learning model for making real-time predictions based on incoming data. In one embodiment, the incoming data is received from a plurality of sources, and the second machine learning model is invoked for predicting a likelihood of success associated with the incoming data from a particular source of the plurality of sources. The incoming data from the particular source is transmitted to a destination in response to determining the likelihood of success. According to one embodiment, the destination is selected from a plurality of destinations, and the method further includes calculating values for the plurality of destinations; dynamically ranking the plurality of destinations based on the calculated values; and selecting the destination based on the ranking. According to one embodiment, each of the values is calculated based on predicting a likelihood of success resulting from the incoming data from the particular source being transmitted to each of the plurality of destinations. According to one embodiment, a signal is received from the destination in response to transmitting the incoming data. In response to receiving the signal, a second destination of the plurality of destinations is identified based on the ranking, and the incoming data is transmitted to the second destination. According to one embodiment, the first machine learning model is a generalized linear model (GLM) associated with a first link function. According to one embodiment, the second machine learning model is at least one of a principal component regression or a Bayesian GLM. According to one embodiment, the criterion is size of the training data, wherein the criterion is satisfied in response to determining that the size of the training data is below a threshold size. According to one embodiment, the likelihood of success includes a likelihood of selling the incoming data to the destination. According to one embodiment, the second machine learning model is invoked for predicting a likelihood of success associated with the incoming data from a second source of the plurality of sources. A determination is made that the likelihood of success is below a threshold amount. The incoming data from the second source is filtered out in response to determining that the likelihood of success is below the threshold amount. According to one embodiment, the incoming data from the second source is refrained from being transmitted to the destination in response to the filtering out. Embodiments of the present disclosure are also directed to a system for generating and deploying a machine learning model for a real-time environment. The system comprises a processor and a memory, where the memory stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: receive, via a graphical user interface, user selected coefficients and training data; invoke a first machine learning algorithm for generating a first machine learning model based on the received coefficients and training data; test accuracy of predictions by the first machine learning model; determine that the accuracy of predictions of the first machine learning model is below a threshold value; in response to determining that the accuracy of predictions is below the threshold value, evaluate a particular criterion; in response to the particular criterion being satisfied, invoke a second machine learning algorithm for generating a second machine learning model based on the received coefficients and training data; deploy the second machine learning model instead of the first machine learning model for making real-time predictions based on incoming data; receive the incoming data from a plurality of sources; invoke the second machine learning model for predicting a likelihood of success associated with the incoming data from a particular source of the plurality of sources; and transmit the incoming data from the particular source to a destination in response to determining the likelihood of success. These and other features, aspects and advantages of the embodiments of the present disclosure will be more fully understood when considered with respect to the following detailed description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings. Of course, the actual scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims.

11237303

TECHNICAL FIELD The disclosure relates to a light-distribution adjustment sheet that may be used for apparatuses such as a television apparatus, and to a display unit including this sheet. BACKGROUND ART Liquid crystal molecules have birefringence, and have refractive index anisotropy, or a property that a refractive index varies depending on a passing direction of light. A liquid crystal display is a display unit that uses the liquid crystal molecules as an optical switch, and displays an image by electrically operating transmission and blocking of light, with utilization of a change in the refractive index due to a change in molecular sequence (alignment) of the liquid crystal molecules caused by application of an electric field. In the liquid crystal display, polarized light is used as the light to pass therethrough. Out of the light passing through a liquid crystal layer having a certain thickness, obliquely-advancing light has a long passage distance in the liquid crystal layer and is readily affected by the change in the refractive index due to the liquid crystal molecules, which may result in, for example, a significant change in a vibration axis of the polarized light. This change in the vibration axis of the polarized light lowers a function as the optical switch (blocking/transmission) and display characteristics (in particular, contrast) of the liquid crystal molecules. In particular, influence thereof is noticeable as viewed in an oblique direction. For the liquid crystal display, various liquid crystal modes have been developed to reduce the anisotropy of the refractive index due to the liquid crystal molecules. In each of the various liquid crystal modes, an inner structure of a display panel is devised. But effects thereof are far from sufficient. For example, in an MVA (multi-domain vertical alignment) mode, a plurality of regions that vary in alignment direction of liquid crystal molecules may be formed (alignment division thereof is performed) in one pixel unit. The refractive index anisotropy may be reduced by averagely neutralizing the alignment direction. But an effect of improving a viewing angle characteristic in the oblique direction may be low. In an IPS (in-plane switching) mode, a change in optical characteristics due to a viewing angle is reduced by constantly rotating liquid crystal molecules in a plane with respect to a substrate. But an effect thereof is noticeably low in a certain direction. In addition, in recent years, the number of pixels has increased due to upsizing and higher definition of display units, and greater complexity of the inner structure has caused an increase in costs of patterning and other processes. Therefore, a method of improving the viewing angle characteristic in an outside of the display panel has been developed. For example, JP 2001-42365A discloses a liquid crystal display in which a lens sheet is disposed on a front face of a liquid crystal panel. In the lens sheet, columnar lenses or prismatic prism lenses are arranged in one direction. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Although the anisotropy of the refractive index is reduced to some extent, however, the liquid crystal display having the above-described configuration fails to provide sufficient improvement in the viewing angle characteristic. It is therefore desirable to provide a light-distribution adjustment sheet and a display unit that allow for enhancement in a viewing angle characteristic. A light-distribution adjustment sheet according to an embodiment of the technology includes a protrusion that protrudes in one direction. The protrusion includes a first region including a curved surface, and a second region including a flat surface. In the light-distribution adjustment sheet according to the embodiment of the technology, the protrusion protrudes in one direction, and includes the first region including the curved surface, and the second region including the flat surface. This makes it possible to adjust a light-distribution direction of light that enters from side on which the protrusion is disposed. A display unit according to an embodiment of the technology includes a display panel and a light-distribution adjustment sheet. The light-distribution adjustment sheet is provided on the display panel, and includes a protrusion that protrudes toward the display panel. The protrusion includes a first region including a curved surface, and a second region including a flat surface. In the display unit according to the embodiment of the technology, the light-distribution adjustment sheet is disposed on the display panel. The light-distribution adjustment sheet includes the protrusion. The protrusion protrudes toward the display panel, and includes the first region including the curved surface, and the second region including the flat surface. This allows for adjustment of a light-distribution direction of light emitted from the display panel toward a front face. According to the light-distribution adjustment sheet and the display unit of the respective embodiments of the technology, the light-distribution adjustment sheet is disposed on the display panel. The light-distribution adjustment sheet includes the protrusion. The protrusion protrudes in one direction (for example, toward the display panel), and includes the first region including the curved surface, and the second region including the flat surface. This allows for the adjustment of the light-distribution direction of the light that enters from the side on which the protrusion is disposed (the light emitted from the display panel). Hence, it is possible to enhance a viewing angle characteristic of the display unit. It is to be noted that the effect described herein is not necessarily limitative, and may be any of effects described in the disclosure.

11374853

TECHNICAL FIELD The technology discussed below relates generally to wireless communication networks, and more particularly, to interworking with legacy radio access technologies. Embodiments can enable techniques for providing connectivity to next generation core networks. INTRODUCTION Wireless access networks are widely deployed to provide various wireless communication services such as telephony, video, data, messaging, broadcasts, and so on. Wireless access networks may be connected to other wireless access networks and to core networks to provide various services, such as Internet access. For example, current fourth generation (4G) wireless access and core networks, such as the Long Term Evolution (LTE) network, provide Internet Protocol (IP) packet-switching services that may support wireless downlink data rates up to 1 Gbit/second. However, plans are underway to develop new fifth generation (5G) networks that will support even higher data rates and increased traffic capacity, while also supporting different types of devices (i.e., Machine-to-Machine) and providing lower latency. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SOME EXAMPLES The following presents a summary of one or more aspects of the present disclosure, in order to provide a basic understanding of such aspects. This summary is not an extensive overview of all contemplated features of the disclosure, and is intended neither to identify key or critical elements of all aspects of the disclosure nor to delineate the scope of any or all aspects of the disclosure. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of one or more aspects of the disclosure in a form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later. Various aspects of the disclosure relate to mechanisms for interworking between legacy and next generation radio access technologies (RATs) in a communication network. In some examples, a connectivity request originated by a user equipment towards a legacy core network may be transferred to a next generation core network. This can occur when the user equipment supports the RAT of the next generation core network. In some examples, a connectivity request originated by a user equipment towards a next generation core network may be processed by the next generation core network. In some examples, a handover from a legacy access network to a next generation access network may be performed via a next generation core network and a legacy core network. In some examples, a handover from a next generation access network to a legacy access network may be performed via a next generation core network and a legacy core network. In one aspect, a method of wireless communication in a wireless communication network at a user equipment (UE) is disclosed. The method can include transmitting a connectivity request to a first core network via a first wireless access network utilizing a first radio access technology (RAT). The first RAT can provide connectivity to one or more data networks via the first core network based on one or more corresponding Data Network Session (DNS) connections, each including one or more data flows. The connectivity request can include a first indication indicating whether the UE supports an inter-RAT handover initiated by the UE that is from the first RAT to a second RAT. The second RAT can provide connectivity to the one or more data networks via a second core network based on one or more corresponding Packet Data Network (PDN) connections. The method can further include receiving a second indication from the first core network indicating whether the first core network supports the inter-RAT handover initiated by the UE. Another aspect of the disclosure provides a user equipment (UE) within a wireless communication network. The UE can include a transceiver, a memory, and a processor coupled to the transceiver and the memory. The processor and the memory can be configured to transmit a connectivity request via the transceiver to a first core network via a first wireless access network utilizing a first radio access technology (RAT). The first RAT can provide connectivity to one or more data networks via the first core network based on one or more corresponding Data Network Session (DNS) connections, each including one or more data flows. The connectivity request can include a first indication indicating whether the UE supports an inter-RAT handover initiated by the UE that is from the first RAT to a second RAT. The second RAT can provide connectivity to the one or more data networks via a second core network based on one or more corresponding Packet Data Network (PDN) connections. The processor and the memory can further be configured to receive a second indication from the first core network via the transceiver. The second indication can indicate whether the first core network supports the inter-RAT handover initiated by the UE. Another aspect of the disclosure provides a user equipment (UE) within a wireless communication network. The UE can include means for transmitting a connectivity request to a first core network via a first wireless access network utilizing a first radio access technology (RAT). The first RAT can provide connectivity to one or more data networks via the first core network based on one or more corresponding Data Network Session (DNS) connections, each including one or more data flows. The connectivity request can include a first indication indicating whether the UE supports an inter-RAT handover initiated by the UE that is from the first RAT to a second RAT. The second RAT can provide connectivity to the one or more data networks via a second core network based on one or more corresponding Packet Data Network (PDN) connections. The UE can further include means for receiving a second indication from the first core network indicating whether the first core network supports the inter-RAT handover initiated by the UE. Another aspect of the disclosure provides a non-transitory computer readable-medium storing computer executable code. The non-transitory computer-readable medium can include code for causing at least one processor of a user equipment (UE) to transmit a connectivity request to a first core network via a first wireless access network utilizing a first radio access technology (RAT). The first RAT can provide connectivity to one or more data networks via the first core network based on one or more corresponding Data Network Session (DNS) connections, each including one or more data flows. The connectivity request can include a first indication indicating whether the UE supports an inter-RAT handover initiated by the UE that is from the first RAT to a second RAT. The second RAT can provide connectivity to the one or more data networks via a second core network based on one or more corresponding Packet Data Network (PDN) connections. The non-transitory computer-readable medium can further include code for causing the at least one processor of the UE to receive a second indication from the first core network indicating whether the first core network supports the inter-RAT handover initiated by the UE. Examples of additional aspects of the disclosure follow. In some aspects, the method can further include transmitting a set of capabilities to the first core network. The set of capabilities can include an indication of whether the user equipment supports connectivity to the second RAT. In an aspect, the set of capabilities can include values for at least a portion of Quality of Service (QoS) parameters for the second RAT. In some aspects, the method can further include establishing a DNS connection of the one or more DNS connections between the user equipment and a data network of the one or more data networks over the first wireless access network via the first core network. In an aspect, the method can further include establishing one or more initial data flows for the DNS connection. Each of the one or more initial data flows can be served by a respective user plane gateway in the first core network and each of the one or more initial data flows can be associated with a different Internet Protocol (IP) address of the user equipment. In an aspect, the method further can further include initiating a handover of the DNS connection from the first wireless access network to a second wireless access network associated with the second RAT, and receiving mapping information indicating a respective mapping between each of the one or more data flows of the DNS connection and a respective corresponding PDN connection of the one or more PDN connections and a respective corresponding Generic Tunneling Protocol (GTP) tunnel within the respective corresponding PDN connection for communicating over the second wireless access network. In an aspect, a first PDN connection can include two or more of the data flows, each mapped to a different corresponding GTP tunnel within the first PDN connection. In an aspect, the method can further include encapsulating a first packet data unit of a data flow of the one or more data flows into a second packet data unit of the respective corresponding PDN connection based on the mapping information. In some aspects, the method can further include initiating a make before break handover from the first wireless access network to a second wireless access network associated with the second RAT. These and other aspects of the invention will become more fully understood upon a review of the detailed description, which follows. Other aspects, features, and embodiments of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, upon reviewing the following description of specific, exemplary embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying figures. While features of the present invention may be discussed relative to certain embodiments and figures below, all embodiments of the present invention can include one or more of the advantageous features discussed herein. In other words, while one or more embodiments may be discussed as having certain advantageous features, one or more of such features may also be used in accordance with the various embodiments of the invention discussed herein. In similar fashion, while exemplary embodiments may be discussed below as device, system, or method embodiments it should be understood that such exemplary embodiments can be implemented in various devices, systems, and methods.

11227188

COPYRIGHT NOTICE A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material to which a claim for copyright is made. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but reserves all other copyright rights whatsoever. BACKGROUND It is becoming increasingly common for network sites to employ computer-based decision systems to customize content provided to users via web pages, web applications, and mobile device applications. For example, a decision system may employ a software system, referred to as a rules engine, that executes rules in a runtime production environment to approve/disapprove users for accounts, determine which products/services to offer to users and make other decisions that affect the content provided to users. The rules may be based on regulations, company policies and other rules sources. Decision systems may utilize machine-learning predictive models in making decisions. Training machine learning models, however, can be a computationally intensive task. The computationally laborious task of developing a production model is further compounded by the requirement to train many ancillary models not used in production but for the purposes of performance validation and hyper parameter tuning. This process may demand significant amounts of computational and developer time to manage the workflow in a statistically sound manner. Typically, computer systems for training, validating and tuning machine learning models implement a serial process in which a model is trained, its out-of-sample performance is measured, and parameters are tuned and the cycle repeats itself. This can be accomplished serially on local machines or cloud-based machines. However, this process is time intensive and may result in long lead times before a machine learning model can be deployed into a production environment. In some cases, machine learning models are developed by data scientists and then turned over to engineers to productionize the model—that is implement the model in a production environment. Data scientists often develop machine learning models using data that is of a different format or from different sources than the data that will be used in the production environment. Consequently, productionizing a machine learning model often requires substantial reprogramming of the production environment.

11270314

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates generally to systems and methods for providing electronic notifications to client devices, and more particularly, to systems and methods to generate and transmit interactive push notifications for authenticated interactions. BACKGROUND Users can access multiple services using mobile devices. For example, through mobile devices users can access entertainment, banking, food delivery, and information services. Accessing these mobile services normally requires some form of user identification and authentication. For example, before a user can access banking information through a mobile device, the user must provide a password and/or other authentication information to confirm the user's identity. This authentication is essential to prevent fraud, protect user's privacy, and provide personalized services. Although authentication processes are normally not very burdensome, in some situations the additional steps required for authentication may deter access to the mobile services. For example, a user may choose not to use a mobile service because the user forgot authentication credentials, such as the user name and password combination. Further, the user may be unavailable to provide authentication information. For instance, a user wearing gloves may be unable to use fingerprint authentication. These barriers to access the mobile services may dissuade the user from accessing the mobile service and frustrate the user experience. Authentication barriers to access mobile services are exacerbated in time-sensitive scenarios, in which the user wants to quickly access the mobile service. For example, credit card transactions at a point of sale (POS) are expected to take a few seconds. Therefore, during credit card payments, the additional steps required for authentication frequently deter use of the mobile service. For instance, when a credit card is declined at the POS, the user may desire to access a banking application in a mobile device to resolve the issue. However, the added time and effort required to launch an application, authenticate the user, and then address the problem, can be too troublesome at the POS. Credit card users are accustomed to completing payment transactions within a couple seconds and users may be unwilling to perform all the authentication steps. To the detriment of the credit card issuer's reputation and business, the user, in such situations, may prefer to finalize payment with a different credit card or cash. The disclosed systems and methods for generating and transmitting interactive push notifications for quick authenticated interactions address one or more of the problems set forth above and/or other problems in the prior art. SUMMARY One aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a system for providing notifications to client devices. The system may include one or more processors; and one or more storage devices storing instructions that, when executed, may configure the one or more processors to perform operations. The operations may include receiving a transaction notification from a third party; identifying a user account associated with the transaction notification; generating a push notification with a payload. The payload may include instructions to display a message; instructions to display an interactive icon; and a resource identifier associated with the interactive icon. The resource identifier may include a message ID encoding an interactive session identifier the user account; and an action ID encoding a requested action. The operations may also include transmitting the push notification to a client device associated with the user account; receiving a first indication indicating a user interaction with the interactive icon, the first indication including the resource identifier; and updating the user account based on the action request. Another aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform operations. The operations may include receiving, from a third party, a transaction notification; identifying a user account associated with the transaction notification; generating a push notification with a payload, the payload may include instructions to display a message; instructions to display an interactive icon; and a resource identifier associated with the interactive icon. In some embodiments, the resource identifier may include a message ID encoding an interactive session identifier the user account; and an action ID encoding a requested action. The operations may also include transmitting the push notification to a client device associated with the user account; receiving an indication of a user interaction with the interactive icon, the indication including the resource identifier; and updating the user account based on the action request. Yet another aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a computer-implemented method for providing notifications to client devices. The method may include: receiving, from a third party, a transaction notification; identifying a user account associated with the transaction notification; generating a push notification with a payload. The payload may include instructions to display a message; instructions to display an interactive icon; and a resource identifier associated with the interactive icon. The resource identifier may include a message ID encoding the user account, an interactive session identifier; and an action ID encoding a requested action. The operations may also include transmitting the push notification to a client device associated with the user account; receiving an indication of a user interaction with the interactive icon, the indication including the resource identifier; and updating the user account based on the action request.

11229535

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to a shock-absorbing twisting structure, and more particularly to a structure that reduces impact in an up-down direction and also reduces twisting impact and enables easy adjustment of a twisting angle to enhance security and comfortableness of walking for a prosthesis user. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART A prosthesis is generally an artificial limb that is used to functionally replace a damaged limb or to aesthetically modify the outside appearance of a damaged limb. For an artificial limb, in addition to the structure of knee joint, a shock-absorbing twisting structure is also a key issue of design, because in addition to impact in an up-down direction generated during walking and moving on different types of roads, there is also twisting impact generated in a direction (such as a radial direction) other than the up-down direction. Such impact must be reduced with a shock-absorbing twisting structure in order to maintain dynamic balance for an artificial limb to take the place of a natural limb for the purposes of supporting and walking. U.S. Pat. No. 6,645,253 provides a vacuum pump and a shock absorber for an artificial limb, of which a structure is made primarily for cushioning and shock absorption in an up-down direction; however, no twisting structure is provided to handle twisting impact that is generated in a direction other than the up-down direction due to variations of terrain and road condition during walking. Apparently, the known patent is incapable of reducing and cushioning twisting impact. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An objective of the present invention is to provide a shock-absorbing twisting structure that reduces impact in an up-down direction and also reduces twisting impact. To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides a structure that comprises a first seat and a second seat, wherein the first seat comprises an elastic member, a stop member being arranged at one side of the first seat; and the second seat is formed with a receiving chamber that is fit over the first seat, such that the elastic member is set in elastic engagement with and is supported between the first seat and the second seat, a main axle penetrating through the second seat and received in the first seat to set the second seat in a rotatable condition, an elastic unit being arranged at each of two sides of the receiving chamber and the stop member. As such, during walking, the elastic member is acted upon by a force and is thus compressed, and through an effect of elastic regulation achieved with the elastic property of the elastic member, an effect of cushioning and shock absorbing in an up-down direction is provided. The first seat and the second seat, upon acted on by a force, may twist and rotate relative to each other and through an effect of elastic twisting resulting from elastic regulation achieved with the elastic unit, impact in an up-down direction caused by walking can be reduced and twisting impact acting in a direction other than the up-down direction resulting from variations of terrain of walking and road condition can also be reduced. Further, a user is allowed to adjust an elastic pushing force provided by the elastic unit in order to make adjustment of a twisting angle between the first seat and the second seat. A detailed description will be provided below with reference to an embodiment and the attached drawings.

11336145

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present disclosure relates to a motor. BACKGROUND A motor is known in which a plurality of windings is connected via a connecting wire. For example, JP 2011-30406 A describes a motor provided with a three-phase winding group. In the motor as described above, it is necessary to form a plurality of windings and connecting wires connecting the windings from one conducting wire, which may take time and effort to manufacture the motor. On the other hand, for example, a configuration is conceivable in which two conducting wires are drawn from each of the windings and each of the drawn conducting wires is connected to a bus bar or the like. However, in this case, since two conducting wires are drawn from one winding, the distance between the conducting wires drawn from the windings tends to be shorter than when the connecting wire is provided. Therefore, there is a possibility that the drawn conducting wires may come in contact with each other to cause a short circuit. When a short circuit occurs between the windings, current may not flow normally to the windings, and torque generated in the direction to inhibit the rotation of the rotor may increase. Therefore, the efficiency of the motor may be reduced. SUMMARY One example embodiment of a motor of the present disclosure includes a rotor including a shaft disposed along a center axis, a stator facing the rotor via a clearance in a radial direction, and a plurality of first bus bars electrically connected to the stator on one axial direction side of the stator. The stator includes a stator core including a circumferentially extending core back and a plurality of teeth radially extending from the core back, and a plurality of coils that is defined by a wound conducting wire and each of which is mounted on the plurality of teeth. A first conducting wire and a second conducting wire which are both respective ends of the conducting wire extend to one axial direction side from each of the plurality of coils. The plurality of first bus bars is neutral point bus bars connecting two or more of the first conducting wires as neutral points. The second conducting wire is connected to a power supply that supplies power to the stator. In each of the coils, the first conducting wire and the second conducting wire are located on both respective sides of the teeth in the circumferential direction when viewed along the axial direction. The first conducting wire is located on one radial direction side relative to a radial center of the coil. The second conducting wire is located on another radial direction side to the radial center of the coil. According to example embodiments of the present disclosure, it is possible to prevent a short circuit between coils in a motor while reducing the time and effort required to manufacture the motor. The above and other elements, features, steps, characteristics and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the example embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.

11476445

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to Republic of Korea Patent Application No. 10-2019-0094998 filed on Aug. 5, 2019, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND Field The present disclosure relates to a display device, and more particularly, to a display device which minimizes moisture permeation through a planarization layer and a bank to improve a deterioration of an organic light emitting diode. Description of the Related Art As display devices which are used for a monitor of a computer, a television, or a cellular phone, there are an organic light emitting display device (OLED) which is a self-emitting device and a liquid crystal display device (LCD) which requires a separate light source. An applicable range of the display device is diversified to personal digital assistants as well as monitors of computers and televisions and a display device with a large display area and a reduced volume and weight is being studied. Further, recently, a flexible display device which is manufactured by forming a display element and a wiring line on a flexible substrate such as plastic which is a flexible material so as to be capable of displaying images even though the display device is bent or rolled like a paper is getting attention as a next generation display device. SUMMARY An object to be achieved by the present disclosure is to provide a display device which reduces moisture which permeates into the display device. Another object to be achieved by the present disclosure is to provide a display device which improves the deterioration of an organic light emitting diode due to moisture. Still another object to be achieved by the present disclosure is to provide a display device which improves a contact resistance between a contact unit which supplies a low potential power voltage to a cathode and the cathode. Objects of the present disclosure are not limited to the above-mentioned objects, and other objects, which are not mentioned above, can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following descriptions. In order to achieve the above-described object, according to an aspect of the present disclosure, a display device includes a substrate which includes a display area and a non-display area adjacent to the display area, a first planarization layer which is at least partially disposed in the display area, a second planarization layer which is disposed in the non-display area and is spaced apart from the first planarization layer, a contact unit disposed between the first planarization layer and the second planarization layer in the non-display area, and a cathode which extends from the display area to the non-display area to be electrically connected to the contact unit. Accordingly, the first planarization layer and the second planarization layer are spaced apart from each other so that a path through which moisture permeates into the display area through the second planarization layer may be blocked. In order to achieve the above-described object, according to another aspect of the present disclosure, a display device includes a substrate which includes a display area, a plurality of routing areas extending from the display area, and a plurality of contact areas disposed between the plurality of routing areas, a plurality of flexible films which is electrically connected to the plurality of routing areas at one end of the substrate, a first planarization layer which is disposed in the display area, some of the plurality of routing areas adjacent to the display area, and some of the plurality of contact areas adjacent to the plurality of routing areas, a second planarization layer which is disposed in the plurality of contact areas and is spaced apart from the first planarization layer, a cathode which is disposed in the display area, some of the plurality of routing areas adjacent to the display area, and some of the plurality of contact areas adjacent to the display area, and a contact unit which is disposed in each of the plurality of contact areas and is electrically connected the cathode. The plurality of routing areas is radially disposed with respect to the plurality of flexible films and the plurality of contact areas is radially disposed with respect to the display area. Therefore, the moisture which permeates into the first planarization layer through the second planarization layer is reduced to improve the reliability of the display device. Other detailed matters of the exemplary embodiments are included in the detailed description and the drawings. According to the present disclosure, designs of a planarization layer and a bank which have a moisture absorbing property are changed to reduce the deterioration of the organic light emitting diode due to the moisture. According to the present disclosure, a planarization layer of a display area and a planarization layer of a non-display area are spaced apart from each other to reduce the permeation of the moisture into the display area through the planarization layer. According to the present disclosure, the planarization layer and the bank are disposed in the non-display area to improve a step coverage of a contact unit to supply a low potential power voltage and lower a resistance of a cathode. The effects according to the present disclosure are not limited to the contents exemplified above, and more various effects are included in the present specification.

11500763

BACKGROUND Large-scale computing systems, such as those associated with network-based production services, have become widely available in recent years. Examples of such systems include online merchants, internet service providers, online businesses such as photo processing services, corporate networks, cloud computing services, web-based hosting services, etc. These entities may maintain large numbers of computing devices (e.g., thousands of hosts) which are hosted in geographically separate locations and which are configured to process large quantities (e.g., millions) of client requests daily or even hourly. Complex systems may include many services that interact with one another in a variety of ways. Automated testing of such services is an increasingly important part of the software development process. A suite of automated tests may be run to verify the expected operation of software. In some circumstances, tests referred to as canary tests may be used to verify the proper functioning of production software. Canary tests may be performed repeatedly over time to mimic customer behavior with respect to the software. Canary tests may be used for early identification of problems with the software.

11244824

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates generally to methods of depositing thin films. In particular, the disclosure relates to processes for the deposition of films comprising doped amorphous silicon. BACKGROUND Amorphous silicon is widely used in semiconductor devices, flat-panel displays, and solar cells. There remains a key technical challenge for the development of amorphous silicon deposition process with conformality (i.e., good step coverage) or gap-fill performance in high aspect-ratio features. A conventional LPCVD process is limited to high temperature (>550° C.) and low pressure, and, therefore, exhibits poor step coverage and/or gap-fill performance; PECVD processes also do not give good step coverage and/or gap-fill performance. The atomic layer deposition (ALD) of tungsten thin films exhibits very long incubation delay's on silicon, silicon dioxide and titanium nitride services due to poor nucleation performance. A nucleation layer is usually used to mitigate this issue. Conventionally, ALD WSixor WBxis deposited by WF6/Si2H6and WF6/B2H6, respectively. However, WF6is directly exposed to the substrate surface (e.g., Si, SiO2) and damages the substrate. Therefore, there is a need in the art for methods of depositing metal films with high conformality at lower temperatures. SUMMARY One or more embodiments of the disclosure are directed to processing methods comprising exposing a substrate surface to a silicon precursor and a dopant to form a doped amorphous silicon layer having a thickness. A metal layer is formed on the doped amorphous silicon layer. Additional embodiments of the disclosure are directed to stacks comprising a substrate having an oxide surface. A glue layer is on the oxide surface; the glue layer comprises TiN. A doped amorphous silicon layer is on the glue layer and comprises one or more of boron, phosphorous, arsenic or germanium. A metal layer is on the doped amorphous silicon layer and comprises one or more of tungsten or molybdenum. Further embodiments of the disclosure are directed to processing methods comprising providing a silicon substrate having a silicon oxide surface. A glue layer is formed on the silicon substrate. The glue layer comprises TiN with a thickness in the range of about 1 Å to about 30 Å. A doped amorphous silicon layer is formed on the glue layer by exposing the glue layer to a silicon precursor comprising disilane and a dopant comprising diborane. The substrate is maintained at a temperature less than or equal to about 100° C. A metal layer is formed on the amorphous silicon layer.

11361701

BACKGROUND Field of Invention The present invention relates to a driving circuit and a driving method. More particularly, the present invention relates to a driving circuit and a driving method which include a pulse amplitude modulation circuit and a pulse width modulation circuit. Description of Related Art In a display, thin-film transistors (TFTs) located at different positions will receive driving signals with different delay, and thus there will be non-uniformity in the brightness of the display. Specifically, when the gray level is low, the brightness uniformity may drop to below 80%. Because the driving signals received by TFTs located at different positions cannot be cut off at the same time, other solution is needed to solve the brightness non-uniformity issue. SUMMARY The invention provides a driving circuit, including a pulse amplitude modulation circuit and a pulse width modulation circuit. The pulse amplitude modulation circuit is configured to control a strength of a driving signal. The pulse amplitude modulation circuit includes a first transistor, a first capacitor, and a second transistor. The first capacitor's first terminal is electrically connected to the first transistor's gate terminal. The second transistor's first terminal is electrically connected to the first capacitor's first terminal, and its second terminal is electrically connected to the first transistor's second terminal. The pulse width modulation circuit is configured to control a lasting time of the driving signal. The pulse width modulation circuit includes a second capacitor, a third transistor, and a fourth transistor. The third transistor's gate terminal is electrically connected to the second capacitor's second terminal. The fourth transistor's first terminal is electrically connected to the third transistor's gate terminal, its second terminal is electrically connected to the third transistor's second terminal, and its gate terminal is electrically connected to the second transistor's gate terminal and configured to receive a first control signal. The invention also provides a driving method configured to drive a pixel circuit. The driving method includes: in a first mode, adjusting a voltage of a pulse width modulation voltage feed-in end of the pixel circuit and fixing a voltage of a pulse amplitude modulation voltage feed-in end of the pixel circuit; and in a second mode, fixing the voltage of the pulse width modulation voltage feed-in end, and adjusting the voltage of the pulse amplitude modulation voltage feed-in end. The voltage of the pulse width modulation voltage feed-in end controls a lasting time of a driving signal, and the voltage of the pulse amplitude modulation voltage feed-in end controls a strength of the driving signal. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are by examples, and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.

11357781

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates generally to compounds that are inhibitors of p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases (MAPKs) proteins, and more particularly, but not exclusively, to compounds that inhibit p38α MAPK protein by binding to a pocket near the ED substrate-docking site of p38α MAPK, and methods of using such compounds as treatments for disease. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases (MAPKs), contribute to pathogenesis of many diseases, but the currently available p38 catalytic inhibitors (e.g., SB203580) are poorly effective and cause toxicity possibly due to activity against non-inflammatory p38 isoforms (e.g., p38β) and loss of p38α-dependent counterregulatory responses (e.g., MSK1/2). Accordingly, new therapeutics and methods of treatment are needed in the field both to address selective inhibition of p38α MAPK and to selectively block certain p38α MAPK functions to preserve critical counterregulatory and homeostatic functions with application for the treatment of inflammatory and oncologic diseases. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In one embodiment, the invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition including a therapeutically effective amount of a p38α MAPK inhibitor for the treatment or prevention of a disease alleviated by inhibiting certain p38α MAPK activities in a patient in need thereof, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate, hydrate, cocrystal, or prodrug thereof, and a physiologically compatible carrier medium, wherein the p38α MAPK inhibitor is a compound capable of binding to a pocket near the ED substrate-docking site of p38α MAPK. In one embodiment, the binding pocket is defined at least by residues R49, H107, L108, and K165 in p38α MAPK. In one embodiment, the binding pocket is defined by residues R49, H107, L108, M109, G110, A157, V158, E163, L164, and K165 in p38α MAPK. In some embodiments, the p38α MAPK inhibitor is a compound of Formula 1 or Formula 2, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate, hydrate, cocrystal, or prodrug thereof: wherein in Formula 1 and Formula 2, Q is —CH— or N; each of R1, R2, R3, and R4is independently hydrogen or optionally substituted alkyl, alkoxy, aryl, or heteroaryl; R5is —SO2—, —CH(OH)—, —O—, or —N(CH3)—; each of R10and R10′is independently —OH, —NH2, or —SH; L1is —CH2—, —C(CH3)2— or —C(CH2CH2)—; each of L2and L3is independently —CH2—, —CH2CH2—, or —CH2CH2CH2—; each of L4, L5, and L5′is independently —NHCO—, —CONH—, —SO2NH—, —NHSO2—, or —CH═CH—; each of L6and L6′is independently an optionally substituted C1-C6alkyl chain; and Ar1is an optionally substituted aryl or heteroaryl ring. In some embodiments, Ar1is a six member ring. In some embodiments, the p38a MAPK inhibitor is a compound of Formula 11, Formula 12, Formula 13, or Formula 14, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate, hydrate, cocrystal, or prodrug thereof: wherein in Formula 11, Formula 12, Formula 13, and Formula 14, Q is —CH— or N; each of R1, R2, R3, R4, R6, R7, R8, and R9is independently hydrogen or optionally substituted alkyl, alkoxy, aryl, or heteroaryl; R5is —SO2—, —CH(OH)—, —O—, or —N(CH3)—; L1is —CH2—, —C(CH3)2, or —C(CH2CH2)—; each of L2and L3is independently —CH2—, —CH2CH2—, or —CH2CH2CH2—; L4is —NHCO—, —CONH—, —SO2NH—, —NHSO2—, or —CH═CH—; Ar1is an optionally substituted aryl or heteroaryl ring; and X is a halogen. In some embodiments, Ar1is a six member ring. In some embodiments, the p38α MAPK inhibitor is a compound of any one of Formulas 1001 to 1256 as defined in Table 1, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate, hydrate, cocrystal, or prodrug thereof: In some embodiments, the p38α MAPK inhibitor is a compound of Formula UM101, or a compound of Formula UM60: In one embodiment, the p38α MAPK inhibitor is a p38α MAPK selective inhibitor. In some embodiments, the disease is cancer or an inflammatory disease. In other embodiments, the disease is rheumatoid arthritis, a cardiovascular disease, multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), or acute lung injury (ALI). In some embodiments, the cancer can be acoustic neuroma, adenocarcinoma, angiosarcoma, astrocytoma, basal cell carcinoma, bile duct carcinoma, bladder carcinoma, brain cancer, breast cancer, bronchogenic carcinoma, cervical cancer, chordoma, choriocarcinoma, colon cancer, colorectal cancer, craniopharyngioma, cystadenocarcinoma, embryonal carcinoma, endotheliocarcinoma, ependymoma, epithelial carcinoma, esophageal cancer, Ewing's tumor, fibrosarcoma, gastric cancer, glioblastoma multiforme, glioma, head and neck cancer, hemangioblastoma, hepatoma, kidney cancer, leiomyosarcoma, liposarcoma, lung cancer, lymphangioendotheliosarcoma, lymphangiosarcoma, medullary carcinoma, medulloblastoma, melanoma, meningioma, mesothelioma, myxosarcoma, nasal cancer, neuroblastoma, oligodendroglioma, oral cancer, osteogenic sarcoma, ovarian cancer, pancreatic cancer, papillary adenocarcinoma, papillary carcinoma, pinealoma, prostate cancer, rabdomyosarcoma, rectal cancer, renal cell carcinoma, retinoblastoma, sarcoma, sebaceous gland carcinoma, seminoma, skin cancer, squamous cell carcinoma, stomach cancer, sweat gland carcinoma, synovioma, testicular cancer, small cell lung carcinoma, throat cancer, uterine cancer, Wilm's tumor, blood cancer, acute erythroleukemic leukemia, acute lymphoblastic B-cell leukemia, acute lymphoblastic T-cell leukemia, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, acute megakaryoblastic leukemia, acute monoblastic leukemia, acute myeloblastic leukemia, acute myelomonocytic leukemia, acute nonlymphocytic leukemia, acute promyelocytic leukemia, acute undifferentiated leukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, chronic myelocytic leukemia, hairy cell leukemia, multiple myeloma, heavy chain disease, Hodgkin's disease, multiple myeloma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, polycythemia vera, or Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia. In one embodiment, the invention relates to a method of inhibiting p38α MAPK, the method including contacting the p38α MAPK with a compound capable of binding to a pocket near the ED substrate-docking site of p38α MAPK, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate, hydrate, cocrystal, or prodrug thereof. In one embodiment, the binding pocket is defined at least by residues R49, H107, L108, and K165 in p38α MAPK. In one embodiment, the binding pocket is defined by residues R49, H107, L108, M109, G110, A157, V158, E163, L164, and K165 of p38a MAPK. In some embodiments, the compound is of Formula 1 or Formula 2, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate, hydrate, cocrystal, or prodrug thereof, wherein in Formula 1 and Formula 2, Q is —CH— or N; each of R1, R2, R3, and R4is independently hydrogen or optionally substituted alkyl, alkoxy, aryl, or heteroaryl; R5is —SO2—, —CH(OH)—, —O—, or —N(CH3)—; each of R10and R10′is independently —OH, —NH2, or —SH; L1is —CH2—, —C(CH3)2, or —C(CH2CH2)—; each of L2and L3is independently —CH2—, —CH2CH2—, or —CH2CH2CH2—; each of L4, L5, and L5′is independently —NHCO—, —CONH—, —SO2NH—, —NHSO2—, or —CH═CH—; each of L6and L6′is independently an optionally substituted C1-C6alkyl chain; and Ar1is an optionally substituted aryl or heteroaryl ring. In some embodiments, Ar1is a six member ring. In other embodiments, the compound is of Formula 11, Formula 12, Formula 13, or Formula 14, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate, hydrate, cocrystal, or prodrug thereof, wherein in Formula 11, Formula 12, Formula 13, and Formula 14, Q is —CH— or N; each of R1, R2, R3, R4, R6, R7, R8, and R9is independently hydrogen or optionally substituted alkyl, alkoxy, aryl, or heteroaryl; R5is —SO2—, —CH(OH)—, —O—, or —N(CH3)—; L1is —CH2—, —C(CH3)2, or —C(CH2CH2)—; each of L2and L3is independently —CH2—, —CH2CH2—, or —CH2CH2CH2—; L4is —NHCO—, —CONH—, —SO2NH—, —NHSO2—, or —CH═CH—; Ar1is an optionally substituted aryl or heteroaryl ring; and X is a halogen. In some embodiments, Ar1is a six member ring. In some embodiments, the compound is of Formulas 1001 to 1256, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate, hydrate, cocrystal, or prodrug thereof. In one embodiment, the compound is of Formula UM101, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate, hydrate, cocrystal, or prodrug thereof. In another embodiment, the compound is of Formula UM60, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate, hydrate, cocrystal, or prodrug thereof. In one embodiment, the compound selectively inhibits p38a MAPK. In some embodiments, inhibition of p38α MAPK does not result in loss of a p38α-dependent counterregulatory response. In one embodiment, the p38α-dependent counterregulatory response relates to mitogen- and stress-activated protein kinase-1 (MSK1), or MSK2. In some embodiments, inhibiting p38α MAPK stabilizes an endothelial or epithelial barrier function. In other embodiments, inhibiting p38α MAPK reduces inflammation. In some embodiments, inhibiting p38α MAPK mitigates LPS-induced lung injury. In other embodiments, inhibiting p38α MAPK regulates leukocyte trafficking. In one embodiment, inhibiting p38α MAPK regulates cytokine expression. In one embodiment, the invention relates to a method of treating or preventing a disease alleviated by inhibiting the p38α MAPK protein in a patient in need thereof, the method including administering to the patient a therapeutically effective amount of a p38α MAPK inhibitor, wherein the p38α MAPK inhibitor is a compound capable of binding to a pocket near the ED substrate-docking site of p38α MAPK, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate, hydrate, cocrystal, or prodrug thereof. In one embodiment, the binding pocket is defined at least by residues R49, H107, L108, and K165 in p38α MAPK. In one embodiment, the binding pocket is defined by residues R49, H107, L108, M109, G110, A157, V158, E163, L164, and K165 in p38α MAPK. In some embodiments, the p38α MAPK inhibitor is a compound of Formula 1 or Formula 2, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate, hydrate, cocrystal, or prodrug thereof, wherein in Formula 1 and Formula 2, Q is —CH— or N; each of R1, R2, R3, and R4is independently hydrogen or optionally substituted alkyl, alkoxy, aryl, or heteroaryl; R5is —SO2—, —CH(OH)—, —O—, or —N(CH3)—; each of R10and R10′is independently —OH, —NH2, or —SH; L1is —CH2—, —C(CH3)2— or —C(CH2CH2)—; each of L2and L3is independently —CH2—, —CH2CH2—, or —CH2CH2CH2—; each of L4, L5, and L5′is independently —NHCO—, —CONH—, —SO2NH—, —NHSO2—, or —CH═CH—; each of L6and L6′is independently an optionally substituted C1-C6alkyl chain; and Ar1is an optionally substituted aryl or heteroaryl ring. In one embodiment, Ar1is a six member ring. In some embodiments, the p38α MAPK inhibitor is a compound of Formula 11, Formula 12, Formula 13, or Formula 14, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate, hydrate, cocrystal, or prodrug thereof, wherein in Formula 11, Formula 12, Formula 13, and Formula 14, Q is —CH— or N; each of R1, R2, R3, R4, R6, R7, R8, and R9is independently hydrogen or optionally substituted alkyl, alkoxy, aryl, or heteroaryl; R5is —SO2—, —CH(OH)—, —O—, or —N(CH3)—; L1is —CH2—, —C(CH3)2, or —C(CH2CH2)—; each of L2and L3is independently —CH2—, —CH2CH2—, or —CH2CH2CH2—; L4is —NHCO—, —CONH—, —SO2NH—, —NHSO2—, or —CH═CH—; Ar1is an optionally substituted aryl or heteroaryl ring; and X is a halogen. In one embodiment, Ar1is a six member ring. In other embodiments, the p38α MAPK inhibitor is a compound of Formulas 1001 to 1256, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate, hydrate, cocrystal, or prodrug thereof. In one embodiment, the p38α MAPK inhibitor is a compound of Formula UM101, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate, hydrate, cocrystal, or prodrug thereof. In another embodiment, the p38α MAPK inhibitor is a compound of Formula UM60, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate, hydrate, cocrystal, or prodrug thereof. In one embodiment, the p38α MAPK inhibitor is a p38α MAPK selective inhibitor. In some embodiments, the p38α MAPK inhibitor is administered in a dosage unit form. In one embodiment, the dosage unit comprises a physiologically compatible carrier medium. In some embodiments, the disease is cancer or an inflammatory disease. In other embodiments, the disease is selected from the group consisting of rheumatoid arthritis, a cardiovascular disease, multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and acute lung injury (ALI). In one embodiment, the cancer is selected from the group consisting of acoustic neuroma, adenocarcinoma, angiosarcoma, astrocytoma, basal cell carcinoma, bile duct carcinoma, bladder carcinoma, brain cancer, breast cancer, bronchogenic carcinoma, cervical cancer, chordoma, choriocarcinoma, colon cancer, colorectal cancer, craniopharyngioma, cystadenocarcinoma, embryonal carcinoma, endotheliocarcinoma, ependymoma, epithelial carcinoma, esophageal cancer, Ewing's tumor, fibrosarcoma, gastric cancer, glioblastoma multiforme, glioma, head and neck cancer, hemangioblastoma, hepatoma, kidney cancer, leiomyosarcoma, liposarcoma, lung cancer, lymphangioendotheliosarcoma, lymphangiosarcoma, medullary carcinoma, medulloblastoma, melanoma, meningioma, mesothelioma, myxosarcoma, nasal cancer, neuroblastoma, oligodendroglioma, oral cancer, osteogenic sarcoma, ovarian cancer, pancreatic cancer, papillary adenocarcinoma, papillary carcinoma, pinealoma, prostate cancer, rabdomyosarcoma, rectal cancer, renal cell carcinoma, retinoblastoma, sarcoma, sebaceous gland carcinoma, seminoma, skin cancer, squamous cell carcinoma, stomach cancer, sweat gland carcinoma, synovioma, testicular cancer, small cell lung carcinoma, throat cancer, uterine cancer, Wilm's tumor, blood cancer, acute erythroleukemic leukemia, acute lymphoblastic B-cell leukemia, acute lymphoblastic T-cell leukemia, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, acute megakaryoblastic leukemia, acute monoblastic leukemia, acute myeloblastic leukemia, acute myelomonocytic leukemia, acute nonlymphocytic leukemia, acute promyelocytic leukemia, acute undifferentiated leukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, chronic myelocytic leukemia, hairy cell leukemia, multiple myeloma, heavy chain disease, Hodgkin's disease, multiple myeloma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, polycythemia vera, and Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia.

11287630

BACKGROUND The present invention relates to imaging technology and more particularly to systems and methods for scanning integrated circuits using single-point single photon detector and imaging the integrated circuits using a per-pixel value. Hot-carrier photon emission from very large scale integration (VLSI) circuits has been employed for localizing and identifying failures in circuits. With the introduction of Emission Microscopy, hot-carrier photon emission soon became an essential instrument for physical failure analysis by localizing hot-spot emission, shorts, non-uniform quiescence/stand-by current of the chip (IDDQ), etc. More advanced extensions have also been added to this technique in recent years, based, for example, on the detection of the Light Emission due to Off-State Leakage Current (LEOSLC): circuit logic states mapping, power grid drop calculation, circuit internal temperature and gate self-heating measurements, etc. In 1995, the concept of Picosecond Imaging for Circuit Analysis (PICA), also called Time-Resolved Emission (TRE), was introduced and used. This technique permits the observation in time of the faint near-infrared (NIR) light pulses emitted by hot carriers during the switching transitions of complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) transistors. From the optical waveforms, it is possible to extract propagation delays, signal skews and other timing problems in a non-invasive and very effective way. These features dictated the immediate widespread adoption of PICA by the testing and diagnostic community. Emissions can be measured in a static way (integrated in time) or dynamically (timing waveforms). The continuous trend of the modern semiconductor industry towards smaller devices and lower supply voltages is causing significant changes in the intensity and spectrum shift of the light emitted by present CMOS generation. In particular, the progressive shift of the spectral distribution of emitted light towards longer wavelengths pushed for the development of innovative photodetectors. Although promising, all prototypes of new imaging photodetectors so far developed have significant disadvantages (such as high noise, hot-spots, non-uniformity, high time jitter) that precluded their adoption for PICA measurements. In fact, manufacturing even single pixel photodetectors with low noise and low jitter is complicated and leads to a very low yield, and high cost. The manufacturing technology does not seem mature enough to yield arrays of such photodetectors to create a performing imaging photodetector. BRIEF SUMMARY The evolution and improvement of PICA capabilities may be influenced by different photodetectors adapted to measure the arrival time of the photons compared to a reference signal (trigger). Some detectors like the MEPSICRON S-25™ photo-multiplier tube (PMT) may be employed because of their capability of measuring the spatial coordinates of the position at which the photon arrives in addition to the instant in time. This permits the creation of images in time (movies) of the evolution of the light of the chip, thus simplifying the interpretation of data. However, the low sensitivity of such photodetectors in the Near-Infrared (NIR) region of the emission spectrum mostly limited the technique to the observation of light pulses coming from field effect transistors (FETs) in older technology nodes or elevated supply voltage. Moreover, the emission from the p-type FET (p-FET) is more than one order of magnitude weaker than n-type FETS (n-FETs) and shifted towards longer wavelengths, i.e., lower photon energy. As a consequence, the delay and skews can be calculated only between logic gates having the same signal phase, and in particular in correspondence to the falling edge of the logic gate output, when the strongest emission from n-FETs occurs. Two photodetectors that demonstrate significantly better Quantum Efficiency (QE) in the NIR region of the spectrum, lower noise and lower time jitter are the Superconducting Single Photon Detector (SSPD) and the InGaAs Single Photon Avalanche Diode (SPAD). Although all these photodetectors offer only single-point detection capability as opposed to the imaging capability of the S-25 PMT, they permit a significant reduction of the acquisition time for the light pulses produced by n-FETs (e.g., a reduction of more than 1,000,000 times). Moreover the photodetectors permit the observation of the light pulses emitted by the weaker p-FETs (corresponding to the rising edge of a logic gate output signal). This simplifies and extends the capabilities of Picosecond Image for Circuit Analysis (PICA) techniques allowing the evaluation of signal pulse width, duty cycle, as well as the delay and skews between signals with different phases. The loss of imaging capability is a significant limiting factor for various reasons. In particular, time resolved imaging of the emission permits measurement of several transistors or gates at the same time during a single acquisition, eases the interpretation of the data collected, allows the experienced user to pinpoint areas of interest for the measurements, permits failures in unexpected areas to be visible in an image, simplifies the development of test patterns and greatly simplifies alignment to the layout. For all these reasons, significant effort is devoted to develop new imaging and timing photodetectors with improved NIR sensitivity: e.g., InGaAs photo-cathodes or arrays of single pixel photodetectors are needed. In accordance with present embodiments, a method of generating a pseudo image of a device under test (DUT) comprises receiving a plurality of locations of interest corresponding to locations on the DUT, applying a voltage to the DUT, generating a time-resolved waveform corresponding to each the location of interest, determining a frequency domain transformation of the time-resolved waveforms, analyzing the frequency domain transformations at certain intervals to determine a value for each of the locations of interest using a respective one of the time-resolved waveforms, and generating the pseudo image comprising pixels, wherein each pixel of the pseudo image has the value of a respective one of the locations of interest. According to one embodiment, a method of generating a pseudo image of a device under test (DUT) comprises receiving a plurality of locations of interest corresponding to locations on the DUT, applying a voltage to the DUT, generating a time-resolved waveform corresponding to each the location of interest, determining a time domain representation of the time-resolved waveforms, analyzing the time domain representations at certain intervals to determine a value for each of the locations of interest using a respective one of the time-resolved waveforms, and generating the pseudo image comprising pixels, wherein each pixel of the pseudo image has the value of a respective one of the locations of interest. As used herein, “facilitating” an action includes performing the action, making the action easier, helping to carry the action out, or causing the action to be performed. Thus, by way of example and not limitation, instructions executing on one processor might facilitate an action carried out by instructions executing on a remote processor, by sending appropriate data or commands to cause or aid the action to be performed. For the avoidance of doubt, where an actor facilitates an action by other than performing the action, the action is nevertheless performed by some entity or combination of entities. One or more embodiments of the invention or elements thereof can be implemented in the form of a computer program product including a computer readable storage medium with computer usable program code for performing the method steps indicated. Furthermore, one or more embodiments of the invention or elements thereof can be implemented in the form of a system (or apparatus) including a memory, and at least one processor that is coupled to the memory and operative to perform exemplary method steps. Yet further, in another aspect, one or more embodiments of the invention or elements thereof can be implemented in the form of means for carrying out one or more of the method steps described herein; the means can include (i) hardware module(s), (ii) software module(s) stored in a computer readable storage medium (or multiple such media) and implemented on a hardware processor, or (iii) a combination of (i) and (ii); any of (i)-(iii) implement the specific techniques set forth herein. Techniques of the present invention can provide substantial beneficial technical effects. For example, one or more embodiments may provide for: generating a pseudo image of a device under test (DUT) at a time interval corresponding to an activation of an element of the DUT. These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments thereof, which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

11266053

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present disclosure generally relates to agricultural implements and, more particularly, to systems and methods for de-plugging ground engaging tools with one or more fluid flows when material accumulation is detected. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is well known that, to attain the best agricultural performance from a field, a farmer must cultivate the soil, typically through a tillage operation. Modern farmers perform tillage operations by pulling a tillage implement behind an agricultural work vehicle, such as a tractor. Tillage implements typically include one or more ground engaging components configured to rotate relative to the soil as the implement is moved across the field. For example, certain implements include one or more harrow disks, leveling disks, rolling baskets, and/or the like. Such ground engaging component(s) loosen and/or otherwise agitate the soil to prepare the field for subsequent planting operations. During tillage operations, field materials, such as residue, soil, rocks, and/or the like, may accumulate on ground engaging tools of the implement. Such accumulation of field materials may inhibit operation of the ground engaging tools in a manner that prevents the tools from providing adequate tillage to the field. For instance, material accumulation between adjacent disk blades can result in a plugged condition in which the rotation of the disk blades relative to the ground is slowed or even stopped, thereby hindering the performance of such tools. In such instances, the operator may be required to take a corrective action to remove the plugged or accumulated field materials from the tools. For example, in certain methods, the operator raises the tool out of the ground and manually removes the plugged or accumulated field materials. Manual removal can be a tedious and time consuming process. Accordingly, an improved system and method for de-plugging ground engaging tools of an agricultural implement would be welcomed in the technology. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Aspects and advantages of the technology will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be obvious from the description, or may be learned through practice of the technology. In one aspect, the present subject matter is directed to a system for de-plugging ground engaging tools of an agricultural implement. The system includes a ground engaging tool configured to be supported relative to a frame of an agricultural implement. The system also includes a pressurized fluid source. A fluid nozzle is in fluid communication with the pressurized fluid source such that pressurized fluid from the pressurized fluid source is flowable to the fluid nozzle. The fluid nozzle is oriented towards the ground engaging tool. In another aspect, the present subject mailer is directed to an agricultural implement that includes a frame. A plurality of ground engaging tools is mounted to the frame. The agricultural implement also includes a pressurized fluid source. A plurality of fluid nozzles is in fluid communication with the pressurized fluid source such that pressurized fluid from the pressurized fluid source is flowable the plurality of fluid nozzles. Each fluid nozzle of the plurality of fluid nozzles is oriented towards a respective one or more of the plurality of ground engaging tools. In an additional aspect, the present subject matter is directed to a method for de-plugging a ground engaging tool of an agricultural implement is provided. The agricultural implement includes a frame with the ground engaging tool configured to be supported relative to the frame. The method includes receiving, with a computing device, data indicative of material accumulation on the ground engaging tool, determining, with the computing device, when the ground engaging tool is plugged based on the received data, and, in response to the determination that the ground engaging tool is plugged, opening, with the computing device, a valve to flow pressurized fluid from a fluid nozzle towards the ground engaging tool. These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present technology will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the technology and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the technology.

11371671

The invention relates to a motor vehicle headlamp having a shielding screen for shielding from incident solar radiation, wherein the shielding screen is arranged between a lighting unit, which has at least one light source, and a projection optics optics. Said shielding screen has a light outlet aperture for light radiated by the light unit to the front, wherein the light emitted by the lighting unit is projected into the traffic space as a light image by means of the projection optics optics, and the shielding screen is located outside the focal plane of the projection optics optics. When a motor vehicle with its headlamps faces the sun, the solar radiation in combination with optical elements of the headlamp, such as lenses for example, can heat parts inside the headlamp so much that irreversible damage occurs due to the so-called burning-glass effect. For example, plastic parts may be burned or melted, or electronic components may be destroyed. Therefore, various measures have been devised to counteract the harmful burning-glass effect. In particular, an attempt have been made to make the rays of the sun located higher over the horizon harmless by means of specially designed screens, wherein a screen of this kind is shown and described, for example, in DE 10 2005 021 704 A1. Document DE 10 2013 214 990 A1 shows a lens holder in the form of a conical tube, which is provided with a metal coating inside to prevent damage to this lens holder caused by solar radiation. In order to further reduce the heating of the lens holder, it may additionally comprise grooves in the area of the metal coating. If a shielding screen of the present type is arranged in front of a light unit, e.g. an LED light source module, wherein the shielding screen comprises a light outlet aperture for light radiated by the lighting unit to the front, scattered light occurs as a disturbing side effect at the edges of the light outlet aperture, which was produced normally by punching out of a metal sheet, thereby undesirably influencing the light image projected onto the street. It should be noted that in this description, the term shielding screen is applied to denote a covering used to avoid the burning-glass effect of the sun, wherein this cover does not necessarily have to be made of sheet metal. Rather, the covering may also consist of plastic, and the shielding screen, whether it is made of metal or plastic, may comprise a radiation-absorbing coating so that light or heat radiation is absorbed on the shielding screen. It is an object of the invention to reduce this effect, thereby improving the quality of the light image. This object is achieved by means of a motor vehicle headlamp of the above-mentioned type, in which, according to the invention, deflective structures are formed on at least a portion (or portions) of the border of the light outlet aperture of the shielding screen, thus causing a deflection of the undesired scattered light in the light image emitted by the lighting unit. By virtue of the invention, light emitted by the lighting unit or light source of the headlamp is no longer reflected at the border of the light outlet aperture of the shielding screen towards the projection optics, thus enabling a significant reduction of undesirable scattered light in the light image projected onto the street. In an embodiment that is simple on manufacturing and technically related level, it may be provided that the border of the light outlet aperture of the shielding screen, at least a portion thereof, comprises a bevelled edge as the deflective structure, wherein the bevel running across the thickness of the shielding screen is tilted towards the optical axis and the lighting unit at a specified angle. An embodiment is particularly inexpensive and easy to manufacture where the border of the light outlet aperture of the shielding screen is angled in the direction of the lighting unit at least in some portions and is tilted against the optical axis, thereby being angled at a specified angle in an angling. Another effective embodiment of the invention is distinguished in that the deflective structures are shaped as a plurality of spikes, to deflect disturbing marginal beams coming from the lighting unit. In this case, it has been found to be expedient if 20 to 400 spikes, in particular 50 to 200, spikes, are provided on one side of the border along the longitudinal expansion of the light outlet aperture. The invention is particularly expedient in the case of a headlamp where an auxiliary optics is arranged in the beam path between the light source and the shielding screen. From an optical and visually advantageous view, it is favorable if the shielding screen is arranged in front of the focal plane of the projection lens. The invention also offers special advantages if the light source comprises a number of LEDs arranged in a matrix. In a tried and tested embodiment, the shielding screen is made of metal. On the other hand, in other cases, it may be advantageous to have the shielding screen made of plastic. In both cases, it is often recommended for the shielding screen to comprise a radiation-absorbing coating in order to absorb and not reflect light or heat radiation.

11525309

BACKGROUND Wear-resistant, polycrystalline diamond compacts (“PDCs”) are utilized in a variety of mechanical applications. For example, PDCs are used in drilling tools (e.g., cutting elements, gage trimmers, etc.), machining equipment, bearing apparatuses, wire-drawing machinery, and in other mechanical apparatuses. PDCs have found particular utility as superabrasive cutting elements in rotary drill bits, such as roller-cone drill bits and fixed-cutter drill bits. A PDC cutting element typically includes a superabrasive diamond layer commonly known as a diamond table. The diamond table is formed and bonded to a substrate using a high-pressure/high-temperature (“HPHT”) process. The PDC cutting element may be brazed directly into a preformed pocket, socket, or other receptacle formed in a bit body. The substrate may often be brazed or otherwise joined to an attachment member, such as a cylindrical backing. A rotary drill bit typically includes a number of PDC cutting elements affixed to the bit body. It is also known that a stud carrying the PDC may be used as a PDC cutting element when mounted to a bit body of a rotary drill bit by press-fitting, brazing, or otherwise securing the stud into a receptacle formed in the bit body. Conventional PDCs are normally fabricated by placing a cemented carbide substrate into a container with a volume of diamond particles positioned on a surface of the cemented carbide substrate. A number of such containers may be loaded into an HPHT press. The substrate(s) and volume(s) of diamond particles are then processed under HPHT conditions in the presence of a catalyst material that causes the diamond particles to bond to one another to form a matrix of bonded diamond grains defining a polycrystalline diamond (“PCD”) table. The catalyst material is often a metal-solvent catalyst (e.g., cobalt, nickel, iron, or alloys thereof) that is used for promoting intergrowth of the diamond particles. In one conventional approach, a constituent of the cemented carbide substrate, such as cobalt from a cobalt-cemented tungsten carbide substrate, liquefies and sweeps from a region adjacent to the volume of diamond particles into interstitial regions between the diamond particles during the HPHT process. The cobalt acts as a metal-solvent catalyst to promote intergrowth between the diamond particles, which results in formation of a matrix of bonded diamond grains having diamond-to-diamond bonding therebetween. Interstitial regions between the bonded diamond grains are occupied by the metal-solvent catalyst. Despite the availability of a number of different PDCs, manufacturers and users of PDCs continue to seek PDCs with improved mechanical properties. SUMMARY Embodiments of the invention relate to PDCs including a PCD table in which at least one Group VIII metal is alloyed with at least one alloying element to improve the thermal stability of the PCD table. In an embodiment, a PDC includes a substrate and a PCD table including an upper surface spaced from an interfacial surface that is bonded to the substrate. The PCD table includes a plurality of diamond grains defining a plurality of interstitial regions. The PCD table further includes an alloy comprising at least one Group VIII metal and at least one metallic alloying element that lowers a temperature at which melting of the at least one Group VIII metal begins. The alloy includes one or more solid solution phases comprising the at least one Group VIII metal and the at least one metallic alloying element and one or more intermediate compounds comprising the at least one Group VIII metal and the at least one metallic alloying element. The alloy is disposed in at least a portion of the plurality of interstitial regions. The plurality of diamond grains and the alloy of at least a portion of the PCD table collectively exhibiting a coercivity of about 115 Oersteds (“Oe”) or more. In an embodiment, a method of fabricating a PDC is disclosed. The method includes providing an assembly having a PCD table bonded to a substrate, and at least one material positioned adjacent to the PCD table. The PCD table includes a plurality of bonded diamond grains defining a plurality of interstitial regions, with at least a portion of the plurality of interstitial regions including at least one Group VIII metal disposed therein. The at least one material includes at least one alloying element that lowers a temperature at which melting of the at least one Group VIII metal begins. The method further includes subjecting the assembly to an HPHT process at a first process condition effective to at least partially melt the at least one alloying element of the at least one material and alloy the at least one Group VIII metal with the at least one alloying element to form an alloy that includes one or more solid solution phases comprising the at least one Group VIII metal and the at least one metallic alloying element and one or more intermediate compounds comprising the at least one Group VIII metal and the at least one metallic alloying element. The plurality of diamond grains and the alloy of at least a portion of the polycrystalline diamond table collectively exhibiting a coercivity of about 115 Oe or more. Other embodiments include applications utilizing the disclosed PDCs in various articles and apparatuses, such as rotary drill bits, machining equipment, and other articles and apparatuses. Features from any of the disclosed embodiments may be used in combination with one another, without limitation. In addition, other features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art through consideration of the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.

11411051

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to a photoelectric conversion element, an image pickup element, a laminated image pickup element, and a solid-state image pickup device. BACKGROUND ART An image pickup element using an organic material (organic photodiode) can photoelectrically convert only a specific color (wavelength band). Then, because of having such a feature, when the organic photodiode is used as an image pickup element in a solid-state image pickup device, a sub-pixel is constituted by a combination of an on-chip color filter (OCCF) and an image pickup element. It is possible to obtain a structure (laminated image pickup element) in which the sub-pixels are laminated on one another. Such a structure is impossible in a past solid-state image pickup device in which the sub-pixels are two-dimensionally arranged. Therefore, since incident light can be received at a high efficiency, the promotion of high sensitivity of the solid-state image pickup device is expected. In addition, since mosaic processing is not required, there is an advantage that a false color does not occur. The organic photodiode used in the solid-state image pickup device and the image pickup element has the same or similar structure as or to that of various organic thin film solar cells. Heretofore, a structure utilizing p-n junction or p-i-n junction (for example, JP 2006-033942A), a structure utilizing a bulk-hetero structure (for example, JP 2007-123707A), and a structure utilizing a buffer layer (for example, JP 2007-311647A and JP 2007-088033A) has been well known as the structure of the organic photodiode, and have exclusively aimed at enhancing the photoelectric conversion efficiency. CITATION LIST Patent Literature [PTL 1] JP 2006-033942A [PTL 2]JP 2007-123707A [PTL 3]JP 2007-311647A [PTL 4]JP 2007-088033A Non Patent Literature [NPL 1] Chem. Rev. 107, 953 (2007) SUMMARY Technical Problem Now, a diffusion distance of excitons of the almost organic materials are 20 nm or less, and a conversion efficiency thereof is generally low as compared with that of the inorganic solar cell represented by silicon. In addition, in general, as compared with the case of the silicon system semiconductor material, the organic material is high in resistance, and low in mobility and carrier density (for example, refer to Chem. Rev. 107, 953 (2007)). Therefore, the organic photodiode has not yet depicted the characteristics which bears comparison with those of the photodiode using the past inorganic material represented by silicon. However, the organic material having a high absorption coefficient as compared with the photodiode using the silicon system semiconductor material exists, and thus the promotion of the high sensitivity is expected in the photodiode using such an organic material. Since the absorption coefficient is a physical quantity which is uniquely defined in silicon, the enhancement of the characteristics by the absorption coefficient cannot be attained in the photodiode using the silicon system semiconductor material. Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to provide an image pickup element (including a laminated image pickup element) and a photoelectric conversion element each using an organic material having excellent optical absorption properties, and a solid-state image pickup device provided with such an image pickup element. Solution to Problem An image pickup element according to a first aspect of the present disclosure for attaining the object described above or a photoelectric conversion element according to the first aspect of the present disclosure is constituted by laminating at least a first electrode, an organic photoelectric conversion layer, and a second electrode in order, and the organic photoelectric conversion layer includes a first organic semiconductor material having the following structural formula (1). Here, R1and R2are each groups independently selected from hydrogen, an aromatic hydrocarbon group, a heterocyclic group, a halogenated aromatic group, or a fused heterocyclic group, and have an optional substituent, the aromatic hydrocarbon group is an aromatic hydrocarbon group selected from the group consisting of a phenyl group, a naphthyl group, an anthryl group, a phenanthryl group, a pyrenyl group, and a benzopyrenyl group, the heterocyclic group is a heterocyclic group selected from the group consisting of a pyridyl group, a pyradyl group, a pyrimidyl group, a quinolyl group, an isoquinolyl group, a pyrrolyl group, an indolenyl group, an imidazolyl group, a thienyl group, a furyl group, a pyranyl group, and a pyridonyl group, the halogenated aromatic group is a halogenated aromatic group selected from the group consisting of a phenyl group, a naphthyl group, an anthryl group, a phenanthryl group, a pyrenyl group, and a benzopyrenyl group, and the fused heterocyclic group is a fused heterocyclic group selected from the group consisting of a benzoquinolyl group, an anthraquinolyl group, and a benzothienyl group. An image pickup element according to a second aspect of the present disclosure for attaining the object described above, or a photoelectric conversion element according to the second aspect of the present disclosure is constituted by laminating at least a first electrode, an organic photoelectric conversion layer, and a second electrode in order, and the organic photoelectric conversion layer includes a first organic semiconductor material having the following structural formula (2): A laminated image pickup element of the present disclosure for attaining the object described above is constituted by laminating at least two image pickup elements according to the first aspect and the second aspect of the present disclosure. A solid-state image pickup device according to a first aspect of the present disclosure for attaining the object described above is provided with a plurality of image pickup elements according to the first aspect and the second aspect of the present disclosure. In addition, a solid-state image pickup device according to a second aspect of the present disclosure for attaining the object described above is provided with a plurality of laminated image pickup elements of the present disclosure. Advantageous Effect of Invention In the image pickup element according to the first aspect and the second aspect of the present disclosure, the photoelectric conversion element according to the first aspect and the second aspect of the present disclosure, the image pickup element constituting the laminated image pickup element of the present disclosure, and an image pickup element constituting the solid-state image pickup device according to the first aspect and the second aspect of the present disclosure (hereinafter, those are collectively referred to as “the image pickup device, etc. of the present disclosure” in some cases), using the material expressed by either the structural formula (1) or the structural formula (2) and having the high hole mobility in the organic photoelectric conversion layer enables the photoelectric conversion efficiency and the carrier mobility to be greatly enhanced. It should be noted that the effect described in this description is merely the exemplification(s), and is by no means limited. In addition, the additional effect(s) may be offered.

11452585

The invention relates to a device for measuring a relative position and/or relative movement of a mandible relative to a maxilla of a patient. The device comprises a transmitter coil for emitting an electromagnetic measurement field and at least one sensor, which is at least connected to the mandible. Furthermore, the device comprises an analysis unit, which determines the relative position and/or relative movement of the mandible relative to the maxilla on the basis of the sensor signals. The invention also relates to a corresponding method using this device, and also a device for simulating and transferring a measured relative movement from the method and a holding unit for at least one maxilla sensor and/or at least one mandible sensor. Digital or physical impressions of the mandible and of the maxilla of a patient are required in dental technology for greatly varying purposes. One typical type of physical impression is, for example, the use of an impression apparatus, in particular an impression tray, wherein an impression of the maxilla teeth including soft tissue or the mandible teeth including soft tissue, respectively, is pressed into an impression material. It is also possible to acquire digital imprints of the teeth of the maxilla and the mandible by means of intraoral scanners and digital image processing. Both types of generating the impressions of maxilla or mandible, respectively, have the restriction, however, that neither an articulation, in particular the intercuspation, nor the movement of the mandible in relation to the maxilla can be depicted. However, it is necessary, for example, when manufacturing dental prostheses to also take into consideration this movement of the mandible in relation to the maxilla. For this reason, the relationships between mandible, maxilla, and the mandibular joint are measured via aids, for example face bows, etc., and transferred to digital (virtual) or real articulators. However, these methods are comparatively inaccurate because of the indirect measurement of the movement. The movement can thus only be simulated according to estimates here. A method and a device for three-dimensional movement analysis of tooth surfaces of the maxilla in relation to the mandible are presented in document DE 102 18 435 A1. The device has a maxilla sensor, which is arranged on a face bow and records the movement of a bite plate, which is fixedly connected to the maxilla. Furthermore, the device has a mandible sensor, which is fixedly connected mechanically to the mandible via an accessory. A position and thus also a movement of the mandible relative to the maxilla can be recorded by analysis of the signals of the maxilla sensor and the mandible sensor via a referencing of the sensors relative to the maxilla and to the mandible. Document DE 11 2005 000 700 T5 discloses a device for measuring a position of a mandible relative to a maxilla, wherein magnetic field sensors and magnetic field generators are arranged in the mouth of the patient to determine the positions. The invention is based on the object of proposing a device and a method for measuring a relative position and/or relative movement of a mandible relative to a maxilla of a patient, which are distinguished by a high measurement accuracy. This object is achieved by a device as described herein, a method as described herein, a device for simulating and transferring a measured relative movement as described herein, and a holding unit for at least one maxilla sensor (OS1) and/or at least one mandible sensor (US1) as described herein. Preferred or advantageous embodiments of the invention result from the dependent claims, the following description, and the appended figures. The subject matter of the invention is a device which is suitable and/or designed for measuring a relative position and/or relative movement of a mandible relative to a maxilla of a patient. The mandible preferably comprises no teeth, at least one tooth, several teeth, or all teeth. Alternatively or additionally, the maxilla comprises no teeth, at least one tooth, preferably several teeth, in particular all teeth. The device is used for the purpose of determining the relative position of the mandible relative to the maxilla of the patient. If multiple such relative positions are recorded in a chronological sequence, the device can thus also be used for the purpose of determining a relative movement of the mandible relative to the maxilla of the patient. The device is based on an electromagnetic measuring principle. The device thus comprises at least one or precisely one transmitter coil, which is designed for emitting, in particular for generating, an electromagnetic measurement field. The transmitter coil is preferably placed in such a manner that the electromagnetic measurement field is overlaid and/or can be overlaid with a head of the patient, in particular the region of the mandible and the maxilla. The device comprises at least one or precisely one mandible sensor, which is arranged intraorally, i.e., in the oral cavity, in particular completely in the oral cavity. The mandible jaw sensor is possibly arranged alternately on the teeth or on a mandible accessory of the mandible in each case. The latter is implemented in particular if no teeth are present at the desired positions. Furthermore, the device preferably comprises at least one or precisely one maxilla sensor, wherein the maxilla sensor is also arranged intraorally, i.e., in the oral cavity, in particular completely in the oral cavity of the patient. In the same manner as the mandible sensor, the maxilla sensor can be arranged on the teeth or on a maxilla accessory of the maxilla, in particular for the case in which no teeth are present at the desired position. The mandible is the important jaw metrologically, because it moves. The mandible sensor therefore records the relative movement. The maxilla sensor preferably forms a reference sensor to the mandible sensor. The maxilla sensor can additionally eliminate a head movement by computation via a computer program. This is also conceivable without a sensor, and therefore the mandible sensor can also record a relative movement without reference sensor in the maxilla. The mandible sensor and the maxilla sensor—also referred to in summary hereafter as sensors—are designed as position sensors for respectively determining a position, in particular an absolute position, in the measurement field and/or relative to the transmitter coil. In particular, the sensors are designed to determine at least three translational degrees of freedom. Such position sensors, which can determine a position in an electromagnetic measurement field, in particular an alternating measurement field, are known, for example, from document WO 97/36192 A1 or from document EP 1 303 771 B1, the disclosure content of which is incorporated in the present application via referencing. Furthermore, the device comprises an analysis unit, which is particularly preferably designed as a digital data processing unit, for example a computer, microcontroller, etc., which is designed for determining the relative position and/or relative movement of the mandible relative to the maxilla on the basis of the positions determined by the sensors. After the sensors have been fixedly connected to the mandible or maxilla, respectively, and the positions can be acquired via the analysis unit, the position, in particular the relative position and/or relative movement between maxilla and mandible, is easily determinable from the provided data. The position of the sensors is preferably determined via an additional sensor unit (probe), and therefore they are referenceable in the analysis unit. It is an advantage in this case that the sensors are arranged intraorally and thus no extensions or other apparatuses are required, which could corrupt the measurement result. Rather, the positions are recorded directly where they are most accurate, namely at the teeth of the mandible or the maxilla, respectively, or—if these teeth are not present—via accessories, which are also arranged close by. The metrology about the sensors, which are designed in particular as magnetic field sensors, has become established in the meantime, and therefore large measurement inaccuracies are also not to be expected here. The device therefore represents a measuring system, via which the relative position and/or relative movement of mandible to maxilla can be recorded very accurately with a high accuracy and a low constructive expenditure. A maxilla sensor (OS1) is preferably arranged and/or arrangeable intraorally on the teeth (O1-O8) or intraorally on a maxilla accessory of the maxilla (OK), In the case of a toothless jaw, the maxilla accessory of the maxilla (OK) and the mandible accessory of the mandible (UK) are preferably respectively designed as a bite plate for setting a vertical position (condyle position). In this case, a bite plate is arrangeable on the maxilla and/or a bite plate is arrangeable on the mandible, wherein the respective bite plate is preferably U-shaped. The respective bite plate preferably has one centrally arranged pin or multiple pins, wherein at least the pin has a ball having a threaded borehole, in which the pin is arranged such that it is at least vertically adjustable. The ball is held on the respective bite plate by jaws and is movable in an articulated manner. The ball is fixedly connected in this case to a foot, which is incorporated into the plate material. The vertical height is set by the dental technician according to mean values from the literature, for example for the maxilla OK 18 to 20 mm, for the mandible UK 16 to 18 mm. The ball advantageously enables the bite plate to be set in the maxilla on the ala-tragus line and on the bipupillary line. Subsequently, the Ok bite plate is locked using a hex key. The ball in the mandible remains freely movable in this case until the patient has found a position. The UK bite plate screw is tightened thereafter. Finally, the two plates are fixed with one another occlusally using silicone. In the scope of the invention, it is proposed that the transmitter coil is arranged extraorally, in particular adjacent to the head or above the head of the patient. The measurement field therefore penetrates the head of the patient. The transmitter coil is particularly preferably arranged in a stationary manner and/or independently of the patient. This stationary arrangement of the transmitter coil independently of the patient has the advantage that the transmitter coil cannot move during the measurement and thus forms a very accurate reference. The invention is based on the consideration that the magnetic field is applied more homogeneously if it is generated by a transmitter coil which does not have to be integrated into the oral cavity of the patient, but rather can be arranged outside the oral cavity nearly without any installation space restriction. It is also possible without the installation space restriction to select the power for the measurement field freely or nearly freely. Both advantages ultimately result in a more stable measurement field and thus more accurate measurement results. The transmitter coil can generate the measurement field via alternating current or via a pulsating direct current. In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the transmitter coil is arranged laterally diagonally with respect to or above the patient or the measurement space in which the patient is to be positioned. In particular, the measurement field radiates through a cheek of the patient originating from the transmitter coil. This positioning has the advantage that only tissue parts of the patient have to be penetrated by the measurement field. In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the sensors are moreover designed to determine at least two rotational degrees of freedom, preferably all three rotational degrees of freedom, or six degrees of freedom (three translational degrees of freedom and three rotational degrees of freedom) in the measurement field. The sensors are designed in particular as five DOF sensors (degrees of freedom) or even as six DOF sensors. In the design as five DOF sensors, all three translational degrees of freedom and two rotational degrees of freedom can be acquired. In the design as six DOF sensors, all three translational degrees of freedom and all three rotational degrees of freedom can be acquired. An improved measurement in turn takes place due to the acquisition of the rotational degrees of freedom, and therefore the measurement accuracy of the device can be further increased. In one exemplary embodiment, the sensors consist of two 5 DOF sensors, which thus become a 6 DOF sensor. Therefore, two measurement points in the mandible and two measurement points in the maxilla, i.e., four measurement points in the x, y, and z directions, can be recorded, to determine a relative movement therefrom. In one particularly preferred configuration of the invention, alternately precisely two five DOF sensors or precisely one six DOF sensor are respectively arranged on the maxilla and on the mandible. In particular, precisely one six DOF sensor is arranged on the maxilla and precisely one six DOF sensor is arranged on the mandible. In one preferred embodiment of the invention, one sensor, in particular one six DOF sensor, is respectively arranged in each case on the mandible and on the maxilla, in the premolar region, in particular diametrically opposing. If the mandible sensor is arranged on the right, the maxilla sensor is then positioned on the left or if the mandible sensor is arranged on the left, the maxilla sensor is then positioned on the right. The measurement accuracy is further improved by this arrangement, in particular in conjunction with the laterally arranged transmitter coil. In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the smallest distance between the respective sensor and the tooth on which the sensor is arranged is preferably less than 0.5 cm and in particular less than 0.3 cm. Due to the close positioning of the sensors on the teeth, measurement errors because of distances or extensions between the sensors and the teeth are avoided. In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the device has one holding unit per jaw, wherein the holding units are fastened on the mandible and/or on the maxilla and accommodate the respective sensors. The holding units thus form a mechanical connection between the teeth and the sensors. Alternatively thereto, the sensors can also only be fastened by material bonding on the jaw and/or on the teeth of the jaw. The respective holding units on the maxilla (OK) and/or the mandible (UK) are particularly preferably formed as a sensor shoe, which can be adhesively bonded onto the respective teeth. The holding unit according to the invention for at least one maxilla sensor (OS1) and/or at least one mandible sensor (US1), in particular for use in the mentioned device for measuring a relative position and/or relative movement of the mandible (UK) relative to a maxilla (OK) of a patient, is fastenable on the maxilla (OK) and/or on the mandible (UK). The holding unit is preferably designed as a sensor shoe, which can be adhesively bonded onto the respective teeth or onto a mandible accessory or bite plate of the mandible (UK) or a maxilla accessory or bite plate of the maxilla (OK). The sensor shoe has at least one curved surface region and/or at least one position marking. The position marking is preferably formed as an indentation or recess in the curved surface region of the sensor shoe facing away from the respective tooth. More preferably, the position marking is formed as a conical recess, the tip of which defines a zero point of the relationship of the sensor to the relative position and/or relative movement of the mandible (UK) relative to the maxilla (OK). In this case, the tip of the position marking is in a direct relationship to a planar surface region around the recess of the sensor shoe, wherein the sensor position is defined in relation to the relative position and/or relative movement of the mandible (UK) relative to the maxilla (OK). The position marking is preferably arranged centrally on the sensor shoe. The sensor shoe has at least one curved surface region facing toward the respective tooth or teeth and is designed for the interlocking accommodation of a maxilla sensor (OS1) and/or a mandible sensor (US1). In one particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the device comprises a digitizing unit for creating a digital, three-dimensional model of the maxilla and/or the mandible, wherein the holding units and/or the sensors are modeled in the model. For example, the digitizing unit can be designed as an intraoral scanner. In other embodiments of the invention, the maxilla and the mandible of the patient can also be mechanically or physically impressed and subsequently digitized in a 3D scanner. In both embodiments, however, it is provided that the holding unit and/or the sensors are also impressed and/or digitized, and therefore the relative position between the sensors and/or holding units and the maxilla and the mandible are unambiguously determined. Alternatively thereto, a further sensor unit (probe) is used. The position of the sensors in the mouth can therefore be determined and transferred into the digitizing unit. The sensor unit is in particular a sensor tip, using which an orientation point is recorded at each of at least 3 retrievable points. These points then reference to the sensors. Corresponding software computes the position of the adhesively bonded sensors. In this manner, it is then possible during the subsequent data processing to determine not only the relative position and relative movement of the sensors in relation to one another as a movement of the mandible relative to the maxilla, but rather to model the contour of the teeth of the maxilla and the contour of the teeth of the mandible relative to one another. A further subject matter of the invention relates to a method for determining the relative position and/or the relative movement of a mandible relative to a maxilla of the patient, wherein a device is used as was described above and/or as claimed in any one of the preceding claims. It is provided in the method that the sensors are arranged on the mandible and on the maxilla and sensor signals of the sensors are recorded. In a following step, a determination of the relative position and/or relative movement between the maxilla and the mandible is carried out on the basis of the sensor signals. The method optionally comprises a step of creating a digital, three-dimensional model of the maxilla and/or the mandible, wherein the holding unit and/or the sensors are modeled in the model. In a further step, the data of the sensors are fused with the model of the maxilla and the mandible, in particular in the analysis unit, and therefore a model of the maxilla and the mandible is formed in various relative positions and/or in relative movement in relation to one another. In particular, the model comprises a movement sequence, wherein the movement sequence comprises multiple complex individual movement sequences such as opening, closing, chewing, etc. In this manner, movement paths of the mandible relative to the maxilla can be determined. A device according to the invention for simulating and transferring a measured relative movement of a mandible (UK) relative to a maxilla (OK) of a patient from the mentioned method comprises a receiver for receiving a digital, three-dimensional model of the maxilla (OK) and/or the mandible (UK), wherein the holding units or sensor shoes and/or sensors for receiving data are positioned in the model,

11282553

BACKGROUND Memory devices are typically provided as internal, semiconductor, integrated circuits in computers or other electronic devices. There are many different types of memory including volatile and non-volatile memory. Volatile memory can require power to maintain data and includes random-access memory (RAM), dynamic random-access memory (DRAM), and synchronous dynamic random-access memory (SDRAM), among others. Non-volatile memory can provide persistent data by retaining stored data when not powered and can include NAND flash memory, NOR flash memory, read only memory (ROM), Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM (EEPROM), Erasable Programmable ROM (EPROM), and resistance variable memory such as phase change random access memory (PCRAM), resistive random-access memory (RRAM), and magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM), 3D XPointm memory, among others. Memory cells are typically arranged in a matrix or an array. Multiple matrices or arrays can be combined into a memory device, and multiple devices can be combined to form a storage volume of a memory system, such as a solid-state drive (SSD), a Universal Flash Storage (UFS™) device, a MultiMediaCard (MMC) solid-state storage device, an embedded MMC device (eMMC™), etc. A memory system can include one or more processors or other memory controllers performing logic functions to operate the memory devices or interface with external systems. The memory matrices or arrays can include a number of blocks of memory cells organized into a number of physical pages. The memory system can receive commands from a host in association with memory operations, such as read or write operations to transfer data (e.g., user data and associated integrity data, such as error data and address data, etc.) between the memory devices and the host, erase operations to erase data from the memory devices, or perform one or more other memory operations. Memory is utilized as volatile and non-volatile data storage for a wide range of electronic applications, including, for example, personal computers, portable memory sticks, digital cameras, cellular telephones, portable music players such as MP3 players, movie players, and other electronic devices. Memory cells can be arranged into arrays, with the arrays being used in memory devices. Many electronic devices include several main components: a host processor (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU) or other main processor); main memory (e.g., one or more volatile or non-volatile memory device, such as dynamic RAM (DRAM), mobile or low-power double-data-rate synchronous DRAM (DDR SDRAM), etc.); and a storage device (e.g., non-volatile memory (NVM) device, such as flash memory, read-only memory (ROM), an SSD, an MMC, or other memory card structure or assembly, or combination of volatile and non-volatile memory, etc.). In certain examples, electronic devices can include a user interface (e.g., a display, touch-screen, keyboard, one or more buttons, etc.), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a power management circuit, a baseband processor or one or more transceiver circuits, etc.

11352566

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Technical Field The present invention relates generally to enhanced coal processing, and, more specifically, to analysis, formulation, and processing of carbonaceous materials as part of the coal processing. 2. Description of the Related Art Coal processing systems are known in the art. Coal processing systems involving the production of coke have been known to include both “recovery” and “non-recovery methods. For example, a coal processing method is known in the art as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,785,447 issued to Eatough et al. That patent sets out concepts related to clean coal processing such as continuously producing a high-grade of coke from low-grade materials without causing a pollution problem. In certain contemporary coal processing embodiments, a non-recovery system may be constructed. For example, in a non-recovery coal processing system, the coal processing may use incidental materials that may be produced during processing, such as gas, tar or oil, as a fuel to support the heating that may be required in coke production. The following disclosure relates to improvements in the art that capitalize on, among other things, environmental concerns. SUMMARY An advanced coal processing system has been discovered that performs analysis, formulation, and processing on the fly by a method as disclosed herein. Upon viewing the present disclosure, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that variations of analysis, formulation, and processing of carbonaceous materials demonstrate principles according to the present invention. For example, in one inventive embodiment, a method is disclosed for producing custom carbonaceous materials. The method includes introducing a first source of carbonaceous material as a first feedstock into a former. This first feedstock is then modified such that the properties of the carbonaceous material allow for production of at least one transitory output. This transitory output is analyzed to determine if further modifying is desirable to produce the desired carbonaceous material output. In variations of this method, a second source of carbonaceous material can serve as a second feedstock, the second source of carbonaceous material being a tar feedback from the carbonaceous material output. In another variation of the disclosed embodiment, the method produces at least one transitory feedstock input from tar material that has been produced from the first source of carbonaceous material. This transitory feedstock assists in determining properties of future system feedstock materials. In yet another variation of the disclosed embodiment, the method includes producing a custom carbonaceous material known as BTX (benzene, toluene, and xylene). A second embodiment of the present invention includes another method for processing carbonaceous materials. The method includes introducing a first source of carbonaceous material as a first feedstock into a mixer. Then, a second source of carbonaceous material is introduced as a second feedstock into the mixer. Of note, the second feedstock is one of the outputs of the processing of the first source of carbonaceous materials. These carbonaceous materials are mixed into a single feedstock of carbonaceous materials that is customized into a predetermined material composition, and this predetermined mixture is then pyrolyzed in a pyrolyzer to produce a custom carbonaceous output. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, another method is disclosed for producing custom carbonaceous materials. The method includes introducing carbonaceous feedstock materials into a mixer with other feedstock materials. These feedstock materials are formed and heated. The feedstock materials are then modified based on an output of the heating of the feedstock materials. This output could also arise from cooling the feedstock materials as well. The foregoing is a summary and thus contains, by necessity, simplifications, generalizations, and omissions of detail; consequently, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. Other aspects, inventive features, and advantages of the present invention, as defined solely by the claims, will become apparent in the non-limiting detailed description set forth below.

11489936

INTRODUCTION The inventors believe there is need in the art for technology that is capable of satisfying the needs for consumers of image data such as video who desire access to images in a more timely and efficient manner than is currently available. For example, many media outlets such as television news organizations are desirous of attaining a wide variety of video of news events but are faced with the dilemma of satisfying such demand with a pool of on-staff human capital that is dwindling. As another example, television or movie producers may desire a specific shot of a distant location, but cannot justify the cost or time required to send one of their photographers to go and shoot such a location. As yet another example, advertisers may want access to a variety of images (such as images for an ad campaign which show people interacting with the advertised products), but lack a way of easily obtain such images. To solve this problem, the inventors disclose a practical application of technology where the global positioning system (GPS) satellites in orbit around the earth are leveraged to find camera-equipped people who are physically located near locations from which images are desired. In accordance with an example embodiment, the inventors disclose a computer system where a server maintains a database that tracks current locations for a number of image providers based on where a plurality of GPS-enabled mobile computing devices carried by such image providers are located. The server can receive image requests from image requesters, where these image requests include a location where the requested image is to be captured. The server can then determine which of the image providers are to be automatically notified of an image request based on a geographical relationship between the location for the image request and the current locations of the image providers as reflected in the database. As an example of a geographical relationship, the server may require that the image location be within a specified distance of the current location for the videographer in order to notify that videographer of the image request. Thus, the server can act as an interface portal that automatically links image requests tied to locations with nearby people who are capable of fulfilling the image requests. In a preferred embodiment, the image data sought by image requesters from image providers is video of a news event. Moreover, in additional example embodiments, the GPS locations for the mobile computing devices can be used in combination with various data structures processed by the computer system to select which image providers will receive notifications about image requests in a granularly intelligent manner. According to a first example, each image provider can be associated in a database with a geographic criterion indicative of a travel distance or travel time that reflects how far and/or how long each image provider is willing to travel to fulfill an image request. The computer system can then use the geographic criteria associated with the image providers when deciding which image providers will be notified of an image request (e.g., comparing a distance between an image provider's current GPS location and a location for an image request with a travel distance limitation associated with that image provider to decide whether that image provider is to be notified about the image request). According to a second example, each image request can include a field that defines a value for a geographic criterion indicative of a travel distance or travel time. The computer system can then use the geographic criteria associated with the image requests when deciding which image providers will be notified of an image request. By defining such geographic criteria on a per-image request location, image requesters can take into consideration the nature of each image request when deciding how wide of a net to cast for potential image providers. According to a third example, each image requester can be associated in a database with a geographic criterion indicative of a travel distance or travel time that reflects how wide of a net to cast around the image requests of each image requester. The computer system can then use the geographic criterion associated with a given image requester when deciding which image providers will be notified of an image request from that image requester. These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon review of the teachings in the following description and drawings.

11397502

BACKGROUND It is becoming increasingly popular to record video during law enforcement activities, such as by using wearable cameras, in-car dash cameras, and/or the like. Even though large amounts of video may be collected using these techniques, the videos are often subject to disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) or similar laws or policies. To comply with such laws while maintaining the privacy of depicted individuals, sensitive information is commonly redacted from the videos before disclosure. Public agencies are becoming inundated with FOIA requests once video capture is rolled out. Using existing tools, it often takes several hours to redact a few minutes of video, as video data must be reviewed and redacted for minors, undercover officers, innocent bystanders, and other sensitive information. Furthermore, audio data also must be redacted for names, addresses, and any other sensitive information. It has become such a huge burden that some public agencies have publicly stated that they are considering ending video capture projects as they cannot support the requests. What is needed are methods and systems that help reduce the amount of time needed to redact videos in response to public records requests. SUMMARY This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This summary is not intended to identify key features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. In some embodiments, a system for processing digital video data is provided. The system comprises at least one digital video camera and at least one computing device configured to provide an evidence management system. The evidence management system is configured to receive one or more digital video files from the at least one digital video camera; store the digital video files in a storage location protected from public access; redact information from the digital video files to create redacted digital video files; and store the redacted digital video files in a storage location available to public access. Redacting information from the digital video files includes applying a blur filter to an entirety of visual content of the digital video files. In some embodiments, a computer-implemented method for automatically redacting records captured by recording devices is provided. A computing device receives a command to redact a data record, wherein the data record includes a digital video file. The computing device applies a blur filter to an entire visual field of the digital video file to create a redacted data record. The computing device stores the redacted data record in a staging location, and access to redacted data records is provided. In some embodiments, a computing device configured to automatically redact records captured by recording devices is provided. The computing device is configured to receive a command to redact a data record captured by a recording device; apply a blur filter to the data record to create a redacted data record; store the redacted data record in a staging location; and provide access to redacted data records.

11431250

BACKGROUND Technical Field This disclosure is directed to electronic circuits, and more particularly, to voltage regulator circuits. Description of the Related Art Voltage regulators are commonly used in a wide variety of circuits in order to provide a desired voltage to particular circuits. To this end, a wide variety of voltage regulator circuits are available to suit various applications. Linear voltage regulators are used in a number of different applications in which the available supply voltages exceed an appropriate value for the circuitry to be powered. Another type of voltage regulator is a switched-mode voltage regulator, more commonly referred to a switching power supply, or alternatively, a DC-DC converter. Switching power supplies can be subdivided into two categories, buck converters and boost converters. A buck converter, from its supply to its load, steps down an input voltage, while stepping up current. A boost converter, from its supply to its load, steps up the input voltage while stepping down the current. A basic switching power supply includes a switch, an energy storage element (such as an inductor), and a diode. Operation in a basic switching power supply includes an on state (when the switch is closed) and an off state (when the switch is open). During the on state, the energy storage element begins to store energy. For example, when the energy storage element is an inductor, current increases and responsive thereto, the inductor produces an opposing voltage across its terminals. During the off state, the switch is open and the inductor becomes a current source. Over time, the changing voltage of the switching power supply is averaged out to a substantially DC voltage. SUMMARY A voltage regulator having a multi-level, multi-phase architecture is disclosed. In one embodiment, a circuit includes a two-level buck converter and an N-level buck converter each coupled to an output node, wherein N is an integer value of three or more. During operation, the two-level buck converter provides one of two possible voltages to a first inductor. The N-level buck converter provides, during operation, one of N voltages to a second inductor. The first and second inductors each convert respectively received voltages to currents, which are provided to a common output node. A control circuit controls the activation of transistors in each of the two-level and N-level buck converters in such a manner as to cause the voltage on the output node to be maintained at a desired level. In various embodiments, the circuit may include multiple instances of the two-level buck converter, the N-level buck converter, or both. Some embodiments may also include one or more M-level buck converters coupled to the output node, wherein M is an integer value of three or more and different than N.

11242926

BACKGROUND Field Without limitation to a particular field of technology, the present disclosure is directed to transmissions configured for coupling to a prime mover, and more particularly to transmissions for vehicle applications, including truck applications. Transmissions serve a critical function in translating power provided by a prime mover to a final load. The transmission serves to provide speed ratio changing between the prime mover output (e.g. a rotating shaft) and a load driving input (e.g. a rotating shaft coupled to wheels, a pump, or other device responsive to the driving shaft). The ability to provide selectable speed ratios allows the transmission to amplify torque, keep the prime mover and load speeds within ranges desired for those devices, and to selectively disconnect the prime mover from the load at certain operating conditions. Transmissions are subjected to a number of conflicting constraints and operating requirements. For example, the transmission must be able to provide the desired range of torque multiplication while still handling the input torque requirements of the system. Additionally, from the view of the overall system, the transmission represents an overhead device—the space occupied by the transmission, the weight, and interface requirements of the transmission are all overhead aspects to the designer of the system. Transmission systems are highly complex, and they take a long time to design, integrate, and test; accordingly, the transmission is also often required to meet the expectations of the system integrator relative to previous or historical transmissions. For example, a reduction of the space occupied by a transmission may be desirable in the long run, but for a given system design it may be more desirable that an occupied space be identical to a previous generation transmission, or as close as possible. Previously known transmission systems suffer from one or more drawbacks within a system as described following. To manage noise, robustness, and structural integrity concerns, previously known high output transmission systems use steel for the housing of the transmission. Additionally, previously known high output transmissions utilize a large countershaft with high strength spur gears to manage the high loads through the transmission. Previously known gear sets have relatively few design degrees of freedom, meaning that any shortcomings in the design need to be taken up in the surrounding transmission elements. For example, thrust loads through the transmission, noise generated by gears, and installation issues such as complex gear timing issues, require a robust and potentially overdesigned system in the housing, bearings, and/or installation procedures. Previously known high output transmissions, such as for trucks, typically include multiple interfaces to the surrounding system (e.g. electrical, air, hydraulic, and/or coolant), each one requiring expense of design and integration, and each introducing a failure point into the system. Previously known high output transmissions include a cooler to protect the parts and fluids of the transmission from overheating in response to the heat generated in the transmission. Previously known high output transmissions utilize concentric clutches which require complex actuation and service. Accordingly, there remains a need for improvements in the design of high output transmissions, particularly truck transmissions. SUMMARY An example transmission includes an input shaft configured to couple to a prime mover, a countershaft having a first number of gears mounted thereon, a main shaft having a second number of gears mounted thereon, a shifting actuator that selectively couples the input shaft to the main shaft by rotatably coupling at least one of the first number of gears to the countershaft and/or coupling the second number of gears to the main shaft, where the shifting actuator is mounted on an exterior wall of a housing, and where the countershaft and the main shaft are at least partially positioned within the housing. Certain further embodiments of an example transmission are described following. An example transmission includes an integrated actuator housing, where the shifting actuator is operationally coupled to the integrated actuator housing, and where the shifting actuator is accessible by removing the integrated actuator housing; a number of shifting actuators operationally coupled to the integrated housing actuator, where the number of shifting actuators are accessible by removing the integrated actuator housing; where the shifting actuator is mechanically coupled to the integrated actuator housing; and/or where a number of shifting actuators are mechanically coupled to the integrated housing actuator. An example transmission includes a clutch actuator accessible by removing the integrated actuator housing; where the clutch actuator is a linear clutch actuator; the example transmission further including a clutch actuator housing; where the linear clutch actuator is positioned at least partially within the clutch actuator housing; and where the clutch actuator housing coupled to the integrated actuator housing and/or included as a portion of the integrated actuator housing; where the integrated housing actuator includes a single external power access, and/or where the single external power access includes an air supply port. An example transmission includes the integrated actuator housing defining power connections between actuators operationally coupled to the integrated actuator housing; where the integrated actuator housing is mounted on a vertically upper side of the transmission; where the shifting actuators are accessible without decoupling the input shaft from the prime mover; where the integrated actuator housing is accessible without decoupling the input shaft from the prime mover; where the linear clutch actuator is pneumatically activated; where the linear clutch actuator has a first extended position and a second retracted position, and where the linear clutch actuator includes a near zero dead air volume in the second retracted position; where the dead air volume includes an air volume on a supply side of the linear clutch actuator that is present when the linear clutch actuator is retracted; and/or where the linear clutch actuator has a first extended position and a second retracted position, and where the second retracted position is stable over a selected service life of a clutch operationally coupled to the linear clutch actuator. An example transmission includes a driveline having an input shaft, a main shaft, and a countershaft that selectively couples the input shaft to the main shaft, a housing element with at least part of the driveline positioned in the housing, where the housing element includes aluminum, and where the transmission is a high output transmission. Certain further embodiments of an example transmission are described following. An example transmission includes the transmission having no cooler; where the countershaft selectively couples the input shaft to the main shaft using helical gear meshes, and/or where the helical gear meshes provide thrust management; where the housing does not takes thrust loads from the driveline; where the helical gear meshes further provide thrust management such that a bearing at a low speed differential position in the transmission takes thrust loads from the driveline; and/or where the bearing taking thrust at a low speed differential position is a bearing operationally coupled to the input shaft and the main shaft. An example transmission further includes a planetary gear assembly coupled to a second main shaft, where the planetary gear assembly includes helical gears; where the planetary gear assembly provides a thrust load in response to power transfer through the planetary gear assembly; where the first main shaft is rotationally coupled to the second main shaft; where the transmission does not include taper bearings in the driveline; where the countershaft is a high speed countershaft; where the transmission includes a number of high speed countershafts; and where a first gear ratio between the input shaft and the countershaft, a second gear ratio between the countershaft and the main shaft, have a ratio where the second gear ratio is greater than the first gear ratio by at least 1.25:1, at least 1.5:1, at least 1.75:1, at least 2:1, at least 2.25:1, at least 2.5:1, at least 2.75:1, at least 3:1, at least 3.25:1, at least 3.5:1, at least 3.75:1, at least 4:1, at least 4.25:1, at least 4.5:1, at least 4.75:1, at least 5:1, at least 6:1, at least 7:1, at least 8:1, at least 9:1, and/or at least 10:1. An example transmission includes a driveline having an input shaft, a main shaft, and a countershaft that selectively couples the input shaft to the main shaft, and a low loss lubrication system. Certain further embodiments of an example transmission are described following. An example transmission includes the low loss lubrication system having a dry sump; the low loss lubrication system having a lubrication pump assembly positioned within the transmission; the low loss lubrication system including a lubrication pump rotationally coupled to the countershaft, and/or where the countershaft is a high speed countershaft; a lubrication sleeve positioned at least partially within the main shaft, and/or where the lubrication sleeve is an unsealed lubrication sleeve. An example transmission includes a driveline having an input shaft, a main shaft, and a countershaft that selectively couples the input shaft to the main shaft, a countershaft that includes a number of gears mounted thereon, and a power take-off (PTO) access positioned in proximity to at least one of the number of gears. Certain further embodiments of an example transmission are described following. An example transmission includes the PTO access being an 8-bolt PTO access; the transmission including an aluminum housing; the transmission further having a first end engaging a prime mover and a second end having an output shaft, and a second PTO access positioned at the second end; where the transmission is an automated manual transmission; and/or a second countershaft, where the PTO access is positioned in proximity to the countershaft or the second countershaft. An example transmission includes an input shaft configured to couple to a prime mover, a countershaft having a first number of gears mounted thereon, a main shaft having a second number of gears mounted thereon, where the first number of gears and the second number of gears are helical gears, and where the transmission is a high output transmission. Certain further embodiment of an example transmission are described following. An example transmission includes an aluminum housing, where the main shaft and the countershaft are at least partially positioned in the housing; a bearing pressed into the housing, where the helical gears manage thrust loads such that the bearing pressed into the housing does not experience thrust loads; where the first number of gears and second number of gears include a shortened tooth height and/or a flattened top geometry. An example clutch assembly includes a clutch disc configured to engage a prime mover, a pressure plate having a clutch biasing element, where the clutch engagement member couples to a clutch actuation element at an engagement position, and where a clutch adjustment member maintains a consistent engagement position as a face of the clutch disc experiences wear. Certain further embodiments of an example clutch assembly are described following. An example clutch assembly includes the clutch adjustment member having a cam ring operable to rotate in response to clutch disc wear; a pressure plate defining the clutch biasing element and the clutch adjustment member; the pressure plate further defining access holes for the clutch adjustment member; the clutch assembly further including an anti-rotation member operationally coupled to the clutch adjustment member to enforce one-way movement of the clutch adjustment member; and/or the pressure plate further defining at least one access channel for the anti-rotation member. Architectures for high output, high efficiency, low noise and otherwise improved automated transmissions are disclosed herein, including methods, systems, and components for automated truck transmissions. Such methods and systems may include, among other things, a pair of high speed, twin countershafts. Architectures for 18-speed (including 3×3×2 architectures with three gear boxes) and 12-speed (including 3×2×2 architectures with three gear boxes) are disclosed. In embodiments, such methods and systems include methods and systems for thrust load cancellation, including cancellation of loads across a helical or sun gear used in at least one gear box of the transmission. In embodiments, enclosures, such as for the clutch and various gears are configured such that enclosure bearings are isolated from thrust loads, among other things allowing for use of lightweight materials, such as die cast aluminum, for various components of the transmission, without compromising performance or durability. A low-loss lubrication system may be provided for various components of the transmission. In embodiments, clutch actuation (including for a linear clutch actuator that may actuate movement of a use a horseshoe, or off-axis, clutch actuator) and gear shift actuation for an automated truck transmission are handled through an integrated electrical and mechanical assembly, which may be mounted in a mounted transmission module (MTM) on the transmission, and which may use a common, integrated air supply for pneumatic actuation of clutch and gear systems, optionally employing integrated conduits, rather than hoses, to reduce the free volume of air and thereby enhance the efficiency, reliability and performance of the gear and clutch actuation systems. The MTM may include a linear clutch actuator, position sensor and valve banks for gear and clutch actuation. Gear systems, including substantially circular gears and helical gears, may be optimized to reduce noise and provide smooth shifting. Circular gears may have substantially flat teeth, may be wormwheel-ground to provide smooth surfaces, and may be provided with profiles optimized to provide optimized sliding velocity of engagement during gear shifts. The transmission may power power-take off (PTO) interfaces, optionally including multiple PTO interfaces. An example method includes an operation to provide a first opposing pulse, the first opposing pulse including a first predetermined amount of air above an ambient amount of air in a first closed volume, where pressure in the first closed volume opposes movement of a shift actuator in a shift direction, an operation to provide a first actuating pulse, the first actuating pulse including a second predetermined amount of air above an ambient amount of air in a second closed volume, where pressure in the second closed volume promotes movement of the shift actuator in the shift direction, and an operation to release pressure in the first closed volume and the second closed volume in response to determining a shift completion event. Certain further operations of the example method are described following, any one or more of which may be included in certain embodiments. The example method further includes: an operation to provide the first actuating pulse as two split pulses, where a first one of the two split pulses is smaller than a first one of the two pulses; where a second one of the two split pulses includes an amount of air substantially equal to the first predetermined amount of air; and/or where the first one of the two split pulses includes an amount such as: between one-tenth and one-fourth of a total amount of air provided by the two split pulses, less than 40% of a total amount of air provided by the two split pulses, less than 33% of a total amount of air provided by the two split pulses, less than 25% of a total amount of air provided by the two split pulses and/or less than 20% of a total amount of air provided by the two split pulses. The example method further includes: the first opposing pulse is performed at least 100 milliseconds (msec) before the first actuating pulse; the first actuating pulse is performed within a 200 msec window; an operation to determine that a synchronizer engagement is imminent, and to provide the first opposing pulse in response to the imminent synchronizer engagement; providing the second predetermined amount of air by determining the second predetermined amount of air in response to a velocity of a shift actuator and a target velocity of a shift actuator; an operation to determine that a synchronizer is in an unblocked condition, and to provide a second opposing pulse in response to the synchronizer being in the unblocked condition; where determining that a synchronizer is in an unblocked condition includes an operation such as: determining that a speed differential between engaging shafts is lower than an unblocking threshold value, determining that a speed differential between engaging shafts is within a predetermined unblocking range value, determining that a synchronizer engagement time value has elapsed, and/or determining that a shift actuator position value indicates the unblocking condition. The example method further includes: an operation to determine that a synchronizer is in an unblocked condition, and to provide a second opposing pulse in response to the synchronizer being in the unblocked condition; where determining that the synchronizer is in an unblocked condition includes at least one operation such as: determining that a speed differential between engaging shafts is lower than an unblocking threshold value, determining that a speed differential between engaging shafts is within a predetermined unblocking range value, determining that a synchronizer engagement time value has elapsed, and/or determining that a shift actuator position value indicates the unblocking condition. The example method further includes: where the first actuating pulse includes a pulse-width-modulated operation; an operation to determine a shift actuator position value, and to modify a duration of the first actuating pulse in response to the shift actuator position value; an operation to determine a shift actuator position value, and to modulate the first actuating pulse in response to the shift actuator position value; where the shift actuator position value includes at least one of: a quantitative position description of the shift actuator; a quantitative velocity description of the shift actuator; and/or a shift state description value corresponding to the shift actuator; where the shift state description value includes at least one of: a neutral position; a neutral departure position; a synchronizer engagement approach position; a synching position; a synchronizer unblock position; an engaged position; and/or a disengaging position. Certain further operations of the example method are described following, any one or more of which may be included in certain embodiments. The example method further includes where the first actuating pulse includes a shaped air provision trajectory; where the first actuating pulse includes at least one operation to open and close a binary pneumatic valve; an operation to determine at least one shaft speed value, and to determine the predetermined first air amount in response to the at least one shaft speed value; an operation to determine an air supply pressure value, and to determine the predetermined first air amount in response to the air supply pressure value; an operation to determine at least one temperature value, and to determine the predetermined first air amount in response to the at least one temperature value; an operation to determine the predetermined first air amount in response to at least one of: at least one shaft speed value, an air supply pressure value, and/or at least one temperature value; an operation to determine at least one shaft speed value, and to determine a timing of the predetermined first air amount in response to the at least one shaft speed value; an operation to determine an air supply pressure value, and to determine a timing of the predetermined first air amount in response to the air supply pressure value; an operation to determine at least one temperature value, and to determine a timing of the predetermined first air amount in response to the at least one temperature value; an operation to determine a timing of the predetermined first air amount in response to at least one value such as: at least one shaft speed value, an air supply pressure value, and/or at least one temperature value; an operation to determine a reflected driveline inertia value, and to determine the predetermined first air amount in response to the reflected driveline inertia value; an operation to determine a reflected driveline inertia value, and to determine a timing of the predetermined first air amount in response to the reflected driveline inertia value; determining the predetermined first air amount in response to at least one value such as: at least one shaft speed value, an air supply pressure value, at least one temperature value, and/or a reflected driveline inertia value. Certain further operations of the example method are described following, any one or more of which may be included in certain embodiments. An operation to determine a timing of the predetermined first air amount in response to at least one value such as: at least one shaft speed value, an air supply pressure value, at least one temperature value, and/or a reflected driveline inertia value; an operation to determine a shift actuator position value, and to adjust at least one of the first actuating pulse and the first opposing pulse in response to the shift actuator position value; where adjusting includes interrupting the first actuating pulse and/or the first opposing pulse to synchronize pressure decay in the first closed volume and the second closed volume; an operation to determine a shift actuator position value, and adjusting the first actuating pulse and/or the second opposing pulse in response to the shift actuator position value, and/or where adjusting includes interrupting the first actuating pulse and the second opposing pulse to synchronize pressure decay in the first closed volume and the second closed volume; where modulating the first actuation pulse includes reducing the second predetermined amount of air in response to the shift actuator position value being a shift state description value, and/or reducing the first actuating pulse in response to the shift state description value; where reducing the first actuating pulse includes limiting an air pressure build-up in the second closed volume; where first shift actuator position value includes a shift state description, and where modulating includes reducing the second predetermined amount of air in response to the shift state description indicating a synching position; where reducing the first actuating pulse includes limiting an air pressure build-up in the second closed volume; where providing the first actuating pulse is commenced before the providing the first opposing pulse is commenced. Certain further operations of the example method are described following, any one or more of which may be included in certain embodiments. The example method further includes an operation to provide a third opposing pulse, the third opposing pulse including a third predetermined amount of air above an ambient amount of air in a third closed volume, where pressure in the third closed volume opposes movement of a second shift actuator in a shift direction, an operation to provide a second actuating pulse, the second actuating pulse including a fourth predetermined amount of air above an ambient amount of air in a fourth closed volume, where pressure in the fourth closed volume promotes movement of the second shift actuator in the shift direction, and an operation to release pressure in the third closed volume and the fourth closed volume in response to determining a second shift completion event; and/or where the first opposing pulse, the third opposing pulse, the first actuating pulse, and the second actuating pulse are performed such that not more than one actuating valve is open simultaneously. Another example method includes an operation to engage a friction brake to a countershaft of a transmission, to track an engaged time of the friction brake, to determine a target release time for the friction brake, to determine a release delay for the friction brake in response to the engaged time, and to command a release of the friction brake in response to the release delay and the target release time. Certain further aspects of the example method are described following, any one or more of which may be included in certain embodiments. The example method further includes determining the release delay by determining a pressure decay value in a friction brake actuation volume; where determining the pressure decay value includes an operation to determine a pressure in the friction brake actuation volume; where determining the pressure decay value includes utilizing a pre-determined relationship between engaged time and pressure decay in the friction brake actuation volume; an operation to determine a speed differential between the countershaft and an engaging shaft, and to determine the target release time further in response to the speed differential; where the engaging shaft includes at least one shaft such as: an output shaft, a main shaft, and/or an input shaft; an operation to determine a lumped driveline stiffness value, and to determine the target release time further in response to the lumped driveline stiffness value; an operation to determine a target gear ratio value, and to determine the target release time further in response to the target gear ratio value; an operation to determine a friction brake disengagement dynamic value, and to determine the target release time further in response to the friction brake disengagement dynamic value; an operation to determine a vehicle speed effect, and to determine the target release time further in response to the vehicle speed effect; where the vehicle speed effect includes at least one effect such as: a current vehicle speed, an estimated vehicle speed at a gear engagement time, a vehicle acceleration rate, and/or a vehicle deceleration rate. An example apparatus includes a backlash indication circuit that identifies an imminent backlash crossing event at a first gear mesh, and a means for reducing engagement force experienced by the first gear mesh in response to the backlash crossing event. Certain non-limiting examples of the means for reducing engagement force experienced by the first gear mesh in response to the backlash crossing event are described following. An example means for reducing engagement force experienced by the first gear mesh further includes means for performing at least one operation such as: disengaging the first gear mesh during at least a portion of the backlash crossing event, disengaging a clutch during at least a portion of the backlash crossing event, and slipping a clutch during at least a portion of the backlash crossing event. An example apparatus includes the backlash indication circuit further identifying the imminent backlash crossing event by determining that a gear shift occurring at a second gear mesh is likely to induce the backlash crossing event at the first gear mesh, and where the means for reducing engagement force experienced by the first gear mesh further includes a means for disengaging the first gear mesh during at least of portion of the gear shift. An example apparatus includes the means for reducing engagement force experienced by the first gear mesh further including a first gear mesh pre-load circuit that provides a disengagement pulse command, where the apparatus further includes a shift actuator responsive to the disengagement pulse command; where the first gear mesh pre-load circuit further provides the disengagement pulse command before the backlash crossing event occurs; where the disengagement pulse command includes a fifth predetermined amount of air above an ambient amount of air in a fifth closed volume, and where pressure in the fifth closed volume promotes movement of the shift actuator in the disengagement direction; where the disengagement pulse command further includes a sixth predetermined amount of air above an ambient amount of air in a sixth closed volume, where pressure in the sixth closed volume opposes movement of the shift actuator in the disengagement direction; where the first gear pre-load circuit further determines the fifth predetermined amount of air and the sixth predetermined amount of air such that the shift actuator is urged into a neutral position in response to a release of engagement force; where the first gear pre-load circuit further provides the disengagement pulse command before a first backlash crossing of the backlash crossing event; and/or where the first gear pre-load circuit further provides the disengagement pulse command before a subsequent backlash crossing of the backlash crossing event. An example apparatus includes the backlash indication circuit further identifies the imminent backlash crossing event by performing at least one operation such as: determining that an imminent rotational direction of the first gear mesh in a transmission is an opposite rotational direction to an established rotational direction of the first gear mesh, determining that a speed change between a first shaft comprising gears on one side of the first gear mesh and a second shaft comprising gears on an opposing side of the first gear mesh is likely to induce the backlash crossing event, determining that a gear shift occurring at a second gear mesh is likely to induce the backlash crossing event at the first gear mesh, determining that a transmission input torque value is at an imminent zero crossing event, and/or determining that a vehicle operating condition is likely to induce the backlash crossing event. An example system includes and/or interacts with a prime mover providing motive torque, and the system includes a torque transfer path operatively coupling the motive torque to drive wheels, the torque transfer path including: a clutch that selectively decouples the prime mover from an input shaft of the torque transfer path, where the input shaft is operationally downstream of the clutch; a first gear mesh and a second gear mesh, each gear mesh having an engaged and a neutral position, and where both gear meshes in the engaged position couple the input shaft to the drive wheels, and where either gear mesh in the neutral position decouples the input shaft from the drive wheels; a first shift actuator that selectively operates the first gear mesh between the engaged and neutral position; a second shift actuator that selectively operates the second gear mesh between the engaged and neutral position; and a controller including: a vehicle state circuit that interprets at least one vehicle operating condition; a neutral enforcement circuit that provides a first neutral command to the first shift actuator and a second neutral command to the second shift actuator, in response to the vehicle operating condition indicating that vehicle motion is not intended. Certain example aspects of the example system are described following, any one or more of which may be included in certain embodiments. An example system further includes the at least one vehicle operation condition including at least one value such as: an engine crank state value, a gear selection value, a vehicle idling state value, and/or a clutch calibration state value; the vehicle state circuit further determining a vehicle stopped condition, and where the neutral enforcement circuit further provides the first neutral command and the second neutral command in response to the vehicle stopped condition; the controller further including a shift rail actuator diagnostic circuit that diagnoses proper operation of at least one shift rail position sensor in response to a vehicle speed value; the vehicle state circuit further interpreting at least one failure condition, and providing a vehicle stopping distance mitigation value in response to the at least one failure condition; the controller further including a clutch override circuit that provides a forced clutch engagement command in response to the vehicle stopping distance mitigation value; where the clutch override circuit further provides a forced clutch engagement command in response to the vehicle stopping distance mitigation value, and further in response to at least one value such as: a motive torque value representative of the motive torque, an engine speed value representative of a speed of the prime mover, an accelerator position value representative of an accelerator pedal position, a service brake position value representative of a position of a service brake position, a vehicle speed value representative of a speed of the drive wheels, and/or a service brake diagnostic value. Another example system includes a clutch that selectively decouples a prime mover from an input shaft of a transmission, a progressive actuator operationally coupled to the clutch, where a position of the progressive actuator corresponds to a position of the clutch, and a controller including: a clutch characterization circuit that interprets a clutch torque profile, the clutch torque profile providing a relation between a position of the clutch and a clutch torque value, a clutch control circuit that commands a position of the progressive actuator in response to a clutch torque reference value and the clutch torque profile, and where the clutch characterization circuit further interprets a position of the progressive actuator and an indicated clutch torque, and updates the clutch torque profile in response to the position of the progressive actuator and the indicated clutch torque. Certain further aspects of the example system are described following, any one or more of which may be included in certain embodiments. An example system includes the clutch torque profile including a first clutch engagement position value, and where the clutch control circuit further utilizes the first clutch engagement position value as a maximum zero torque position; where the clutch characterization circuit further interprets the clutch torque profile by performing a clutch first engagement position test, the clutch first engagement position test including: determining that an input shaft speed is zero, the clutch control circuit positioning the clutch at the first engagement position value, and comparing an acceleration of the input shaft speed to a first expected acceleration value of the input shaft speed; the clutch characterization circuit further performing the clutch first engagement position test a number of times; the clutch first engagement position test further including a friction brake control circuit that commands a friction brake to bring the input shaft speed to zero; where the clutch torque profile includes a second clutch engagement position value, and wherein the clutch control circuit further utilizes the second clutch engagement position value as a minimum significant engagement torque position; where the clutch characterization circuit further interprets the clutch torque profile by performing a clutch second engagement position test, the clutch second engagement position test including: determining that an input shaft speed is zero, the clutch control circuit positioning the clutch at the second engagement position value, and comparing an acceleration of the input shaft speed to a second expected acceleration value of the input shaft speed; where the clutch characterization circuit further performs the clutch second engagement position test a number of times; where the clutch second engagement position test further includes a friction brake control circuit that commands a friction brake to bring the input shaft speed to zero; where the clutch torque profile includes a first clutch engagement position value and a second clutch engagement position value, and/or where the clutch control circuit further utilizes the first clutch engagement position value as a maximum zero torque position and utilizes the second clutch engagement position value as a minimum significant engagement torque position. An example system further includes the clutch torque profile further including a clutch torque curve including a number of clutch position values corresponding to a number of clutch torque values, where each of the clutch position values is greater than the second clutch engagement position value; where the clutch characterization circuit further interprets the clutch torque profile by performing a clutch second engagement position test, the clutch second engagement position test including determining that an input shaft speed is zero, the clutch control circuit positioning the clutch at the second engagement position value, and comparing an acceleration of the input shaft speed to a second expected acceleration value of the input shaft speed, and adjusting the clutch torque curve in response to a change in the clutch second engagement position; where the clutch characterization circuit further determines that the clutch is operating in a wear-through mode in response to at least one of the first engagement position value and the second engagement position value changing at a rate greater than a clutch wear-through rate value; and/or where the controller further includes a clutch wear circuit that determines a clutch wear value in response to a clutch temperature value, a clutch power throughput value, and/or a clutch slip condition, and where the clutch characterization circuit further updates the clutch torque profile in response to the clutch wear value. An example method includes an operation to interpret a clutch temperature value, to interpret a clutch power throughput value, to interpret that a clutch is in a slip condition, and, in response to the clutch temperature value, the clutch power throughput value, and the clutch slip condition, to determine a clutch wear value. Certain further operations for the example method are described following, any one or more of which may be included in certain embodiments. An example method includes determining the clutch wear value includes accumulating a clutch wear index, the clutch wear index determined in response to the clutch temperature value, the clutch power throughput value, and the clutch slip condition; determining that a clutch is in a wear-through mode in response to the clutch wear index exceeding a wear-through threshold value; providing a clutch diagnostic value in response to the clutch wear index; and/or where providing the clutch diagnostic value includes at least one operation such as: providing a clutch wear fault value, incrementing a clutch wear fault value, communicating the clutch diagnostic value to a data link, and/or providing the clutch diagnostic value to a non-transient memory location accessible to a service tool. An example system includes a clutch that selectively decouples a prime mover from an input shaft of a transmission, a progressive actuator operationally coupled to the clutch, where a position of the progressive actuator corresponds to a position of the clutch, and a means for providing a consistent lock-up time of the clutch, the lock-up time comprising a time commencing with a clutch torque request time and ending with a clutch lock-up event. Certain non-limiting examples of the means for providing a consistent lock-up time of the clutch are described following. An example means for providing the consistent lock-up time of the clutch includes a controller having a clutch control circuit, where the clutch control circuit commands a position of the progressive actuator in response to a clutch torque reference value and the clutch torque profile to achieve the consistent lock-up time of the clutch; where the progressive actuator includes a linear clutch actuator; and/or where the linear clutch actuator includes a near zero dead air volume. An example means for providing the consistent lock-up time of the clutch further includes a controller having a launch characterization circuit, the launch characterization circuit structured to interpret at least one launch parameter such as: a vehicle grade value, a vehicle mass value, and/or a driveline configuration value; and/or where the driveline configuration value includes at least one value such as: a target engagement gear description, a reflected driveline inertia value, and/or a vehicle speed value. An example means for providing the consistent lock-up time of the clutch further includes a controller having a clutch control circuit, where the clutch control circuit commands a position of the progressive actuator in response to a clutch torque reference value, the clutch torque profile, and at least one launch parameter to achieve the consistent lock-up time of the clutch; and/or where the clutch control circuit further commands the position of the progressive actuator in response to a clutch slip feedback value. An example means for providing the consistent lock-up time of the clutch further includes a controller having a clutch control circuit, where the clutch control circuit commands a position of the progressive actuator in response to a clutch torque reference value, the clutch torque profile, and/or a clutch slip feedback value. An example system further includes the clutch torque request time including at least one request condition such as: a service brake pedal release event, a service brake pedal decrease event, a gear engagement request event, and/or a prime mover torque increase event; and/or where the clutch lock-up event includes a clutch slip value being lower than a clutch lock-up slip threshold value. An example method includes an operation to interpreting a motive torque value, a vehicle grade value, and a vehicle acceleration value; to determine a first correlation including a first correlation between the motive torque value and the vehicle grade value, to determine a second correlation between the motive torque value and the vehicle acceleration value, and to determine a third correlation between the vehicle grade value and the vehicle acceleration value, an operation to adapt an estimated vehicle mass value, an estimated vehicle drag value, and an estimated vehicle effective inertia value in response to the first correlation, the second correlation, and the third correlation, an operation to determine an adaptation consistency value, and in response to the adaptation consistency value, to adjust an adaptation rate of the adapting, and an operation to iteratively perform the preceding operations to provide an updated estimated vehicle mass value. Certain further operations of the example method are described following, any one or more of which may be included in certain embodiments. An example method includes adapting by one of slowing or halting adapting of the estimated values in response to the first correlation, the second correlation, and the third correlation having an unexpected correlation configuration; adapting by increasing or continuing adapting the estimated values in response to the first correlation, the second correlation, and the third correlation having an expected correlation configuration; where the expected correlation configuration includes a positive correlation for the first correlation and the second correlation, and a negative correlation for the third correlation; where the expected correlation configuration further includes a linearity value corresponding to each of the first correlation, the second correlation, and the third correlation; where the adapting includes one of slowing or halting adapting the estimated values in response to the first correlation, the second correlation, and the third correlation having an unexpected correlation configuration; where the unexpected correlation includes a negative correlation for the first correlation and/or the second correlation, and/or a positive correlation for the third correlation. An example method includes adjusting the adaptation rate by increasing or holding an adjustment step size in the estimated vehicle mass value, the estimated vehicle effective inertia value, and/or the estimated vehicle drag value in response to the adaptation performing at least one operation such as: monotonically changing each estimated value, and/or and monotonically changing at least one estimated value and holding the other estimated value(s) at a same value; where adjusting the adaptation rate includes decreasing an adjustment step size in estimated vehicle mass value, the estimated vehicle effective inertia value, and/or the estimated vehicle drag value in response to the adaptation changing a direction of adaptation in at least one of the estimated values; and/or where the adjusting the adaptation rate is performed in response to the changing the direction being a change greater than a threshold change. An example method includes an operation to determine that a shift rail position sensor corresponding to a shift actuator controlling a reverse gear is failed, to determine that a gear selection is active requiring operations of the shift actuator, and in response to the gear selection and the failed shift rail position sensor, performing in order: commanding the shift actuator to a neutral position, confirming the neutral position by commanding a second shift actuator to engage a second gear, wherein the second shift actuator is not capable of engaging the second gear unless the shift actuator is in the neutral position, and confirming the second shift actuator has engaged the second gear, and commanding the shift actuator into the gear position in response to the gear selection. Certain further operations of the example method are described following, any one or more of which may be included in certain embodiments. An example method includes determining the shift rail position sensor is failed by determining the shift rail position sensor is failed out of range; where determining the shift rail position sensor is failed includes determining the shift rail position sensor is failed in range; and/or where determining the shift rail position sensor is failed in range includes, in order: commanding the shift actuator to the neutral position, commanding the shift actuator to an engaged position, determining if the shift actuator engaged position is detected, in response to the shift actuator engaged position not being detected, confirming the neutral position by: commanding the shift actuator to the neutral position, commanding a second shift actuator to engage a second gear, where the second shift actuator is not capable of engaging the second gear unless the shift actuator is in the neutral positon, and confirming the second shift actuator has engaged the second gear, and determining the shift rail position sensor is failed in range in response to the neutral position being confirmed, and determining a shift rail operated by the shift actuator is stuck in response to the neutral position not being confirmed. An example system includes a transmission having a solenoid operated actuator, and a controller including: a solenoid temperature circuit that determines an operating temperature of the solenoid, a solenoid control circuit that operates the solenoid in response to the operating temperature of the solenoid, where the operating includes providing an electrical current to the solenoid, such that a target temperature of the solenoid is not exceeded. Certain further aspects of the example system are described following, any one or more of which may be included in certain embodiments. An example system includes the solenoid temperature circuit further determining the operating temperature of the solenoid in response to an electrical current value of the solenoid and an electrical resistance value of the solenoid; the solenoid temperature circuit further determining the operating temperature of the solenoid in response to a thermal model of the solenoid; the solenoid operated actuator including a reduced nominal capability solenoid; the solenoid operated actuator including at least one actuator such as: a clutch actuator, a valve actuator, a shift rail actuator, and a friction brake actuator; and/or where the solenoid control circuit further operates the solenoid by modulating at least one parameter such as: a voltage provided to the solenoid, a cooldown time for the solenoid, and/or a duty cycle of the solenoid. An example system includes a transmission having at a pneumatic clutch actuator, a clutch position sensor configured to provide a clutch actuator position value, and a controller including: a clutch control circuit that provides a clutch actuator command, where the pneumatic clutch actuator is responsive to the clutch actuator command, and a clutch actuator diagnostic circuit that determines that a clutch actuator leak is present in response to the clutch actuator command and the clutch actuator position value. Certain further aspects of the example system are described following, any one or more of which may be included in certain embodiments. An example system includes the clutch actuator diagnostic circuit further determining the clutch actuator leak is present in response to the clutch actuator position value being below a threshold position value for a predetermined time period after the clutch actuator command is active; where the clutch actuator diagnostic circuit further determines the clutch actuator leak is present in response to the clutch actuator position value being below a clutch actuator position trajectory value, the clutch actuator position trajectory value including a number of clutch actuator position values corresponding to a plurality of time values; and the system further including a source pressure sensor configured to provide a source pressure value, and where the clutch actuator diagnostic circuit further determines the clutch actuator leak is present in response to the source pressure value. An example system further includes a transmission having at least one gear mesh operatively coupled by a shift actuator, and a controller including a shift characterization circuit that determines that a transmission shift operation is experiencing a tooth butt event, the system further including a means for clearing the tooth butt event. Certain non-limiting examples of the means for clearing the tooth butt event are described following. An example means for clearing the tooth butt event includes the controller further including a shift control circuit, where the shift control circuit provides a reduced rail pressure in a shift rail during at least a portion of the tooth butt event, where the shift rail is in operationally coupled to the shift actuator. An example means for clearing the tooth butt event includes the controller including a clutch control circuit, where the clutch control circuit modulates an input shaft speed in response to the tooth butt event, and/or where the clutch control circuit further modulates the input shaft speed by commanding a clutch slip event in response to the tooth butt event. An example means for clearing the tooth butt event includes the controller including a friction brake control circuit, where the friction brake control circuit modulates a countershaft speed in response to the tooth butt event. An example means for clearing the tooth butt event includes a means for controlling a differential speed between shafts operationally coupled to the gear mesh to a selected differential speed range, where the selected differential speed range includes at least one speed range value such as: less than a 200 rpm difference; less than a 100 rpm difference; less than a 50 rpm difference; about a 50 rpm difference; between 10 rpm and 100 rpm difference; between 10 rpm and 200 rpm difference; and/or between 10 rpm and 50 rpm difference. An example system includes a clutch that selectively decouples a prime mover from an input shaft of a transmission, a progressive actuator operationally coupled to the clutch, where a position of the progressive actuator corresponds to a position of the clutch, and a means for disengaging the clutch to provide a reduced driveline oscillation, improved driver comfort, and/or reduced part wear. Certain non-limiting examples of the means for disengaging the clutch are described following. An example means for disengaging the clutch includes a controller having a clutch control circuit that modulates a clutch command in response to at least one vehicle operating condition, and where the progressive actuator is responsive to the clutch command; where the at least one vehicle operating condition such as: a service brake position value, a service brake pressure value, a differential speed value between two shafts in a transmission including the clutch and progressive actuator, and/or an engine torque value; and/or where the clutch control circuit further modulates the clutch command to provide a selected clutch slip amount. These and other systems, methods, objects, features, and advantages of the present disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment and the drawings. All documents mentioned herein are hereby incorporated in their entirety by reference. References to items in the singular should be understood to include items in the plural, and vice versa, unless explicitly stated otherwise or clear from the text. Grammatical conjunctions are intended to express any and all disjunctive and conjunctive combinations of conjoined clauses, sentences, words, and the like, unless otherwise stated or clear from the context.

11379287

BACKGROUND Providing hands on training can be difficult and can result in operational inefficiencies. Additionally, as the workforce ages and experienced workers retire, there can be discontinuities in the transfer of knowledge and skills to less experienced workers. SUMMARY Embodiments of the present disclosure are related to training one or more of machine learning algorithms in a virtual reality environment for error detection and/or correction and/or for employing one or more trained machine learning models in an augmented reality environment to detect and/or correct user errors. In accordance with embodiments, a system for error detection in a virtual reality and/or augmented reality environment is disclosed. The system includes a virtual reality device, one or more non-transitory computer-readable media, and processing device. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing a data structure corresponding to a set of tasks and instructions for training one or more machine learning algorithms. The processing device can execute the instructions to: generate a virtual reality scene model to simulate a real-world, physical location; render the virtual reality scene model on the virtual reality device to immerse a user of the virtual reality device in the virtual reality scene model; capture actions of the user simulating a performance of the set of tasks; train the one or more machine learning algorithms to detect differences between the actions of the user and the set of tasks to generate one or more trained machine learning models; and deploy the one or more trained machine learning models in the virtual reality environment and/or an augmented reality environment. In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a method for error detection in a virtual reality environment and/or an augmented reality environment is disclosed. The method can include defining a data structure corresponding to a set of tasks; generating a virtual reality scene model to simulate a real-world, physical location; rendering the virtual reality scene model on a virtual reality device to immerse a user of the virtual reality device in the virtual reality scene model; capturing actions of the user simulating a performance of the set of tasks; training one or more machine learning algorithms to detect differences between the actions of the user and the set of tasks to generate one or more trained machine learning models; and deploying the one or more trained machine learning models in the virtual reality environment and/or an augmented reality environment. In accordance with embodiments, a non-transitory computer-readable medium is disclosed, wherein execution of the instructions by a processing device causes the processing device to: generate a virtual reality scene model to simulate a real-world, physical location; render the virtual reality scene model on the virtual reality device to immerse a user of the virtual reality device in the virtual reality scene model; capture actions of the user simulating a performance of the set of tasks; train the one or more machine learning algorithms to detect differences between the actions of the user and the set of tasks to generate one or more trained machine learning models; and deploy the one or more trained machine learning models in the virtual reality environment and/or an augmented reality environment. In accordance with embodiments, the set of tasks can have a hierarchical tree structure that define an ordered sequence of the tasks in the set and/or can include at least one of audible cues, user movements, or user interaction with objects. In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, input can be from an observer of the user simulating the performance of the set of tasks, where the input corresponds to the actions of the user and the set of tasks, and/or where the input from the observer is utilized in training the one or more machine learning algorithms. In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, the processing device is programmed to capture the actions of the user by capturing an audible output of the user, a movement of the user, and/or an interaction between the user and a virtual object. In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, the processing device or a different processing device can be programmed to: capture actions of the user or a different user in a real-world, physical location, the user or the different user utilizing an augmented reality device; execute the one or more trained machine learning models to determine whether the actions of the user or the different user are deviating from the set of tasks; and generate a feedback signal to correct the user or the different user in the augmented reality environment based on the one or more trained machine learning models determining at least one of the actions is deviating from a corresponding task in the set of tasks. The actions of the user of the different user can be captured by capturing an audible output of the user, a movement of the user or the different user, and/or an interaction between the user or the different user and an actual object. The one or more trained machine learning models can include a first trained machine learning model and a second trained machine learning model. The first trained machine learning model can be executed to determine deviations in the audible output and the second trained machine learning model can be executed to determine deviations in the movement of the user or the different user and in the interaction between the user or the different user and the actual object. The one or more trained machine learning models can identify the actions of the user or the different user and determine whether the actions as identified are occurring at a desired time. In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, the processing device or a different processing device can be programmed to: capture the actions of the user or a different user in the virtual reality scene model, the user or the different user utilizing the virtual reality device; execute the one or more trained machine learning models to determine whether the actions of the user or the different user are deviating from the set of tasks; and generate a feedback signal to correct the user or the different user in the virtual reality environment based on the one or more trained machine learning models determining at least one of the actions is deviating from a corresponding task in the set of tasks. Any combination and/or permutation of embodiments is envisioned. Other objects and features will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed as an illustration only and not as a definition of the limits of the present disclosure.

11253278

FIELD This invention relates to devices intended for removing acute blockages from blood vessels. Acute obstructions may include clot, misplaced devices, migrated devices, large emboli and the like. Thromboembolism occurs when part or all of a thrombus breaks away from the blood vessel wall. This clot (now called an embolus) is then carried in the direction of blood flow. An ischemic stroke may result if the clot lodges in the cerebral vasculature. A pulmonary embolism may result if the clot originates in the venous system or in the right side of the heart and lodges in a pulmonary artery or branch thereof. Clots may also develop and block vessels locally without being released in the form of an embolus—this mechanism is common in the formation of coronary blockages. The invention is particularly suited to removing clot from cerebral arteries in patients suffering acute ischemic stroke (AIS), from coronary native or graft vessels in patients suffering from myocardial infarction (MI), and from pulmonary arteries in patients suffering from pulmonary embolism (PE) and from other peripheral arterial and venous vessels in which clot is causing an occlusion. SUMMARY According to the invention there is provided a clot removal device for removing clot from a body vessel comprising an expandable structure and an elongate member, the elongate member having a proximal end and a distal end, the elongate member being connected to the expandable structure at its distal end, the expandable structure having a constrained delivery configuration, an expanded clot engaging deployed configuration, and an at least partially constrained clot pinching configuration, at least a portion of the expandable structure being configured to engage clot in the expanded deployed configuration and to pinch clot on movement from the deployed configuration to the clot pinching configuration. In one case the expandable structure comprises a clot pinching structure which is configured to pinch clot on movement from the deployed configuration to the clot pinching configuration. In one embodiment the expandable structure comprises a main body portion and a clot pinching structure and wherein a diameter of the clot pinching structure is less than a diameter of the main body portion. The clot pinching structure may be located at a proximal end of the expandable structure. In one case the clot pinching structure is substantially tubular. The clot pinching structure may be of spiral form. The spiral may extend for 360° and may have an outer diameter of about 5 mm and a spiral pitch of about 14 mm. In some cases, a longitudinal centre axis of the distal barrel section is offset from a centre line of the spiral or may be at an angle to the centre line of the spiral. In one embodiment the clot pinching structure comprises a plurality of clot-receiving cells, a cell comprising struts extending between crowns, the struts being configured to pinch clot located in the cell as the device is moved from the expanded deployed configuration to the at least partially constrained clot pinching configuration. In one case adjacent struts define a channel which narrows distally towards the crown joining the struts. Adjacent struts may define a necked region there between which is configured to close as the device is moved to the clot pinching configuration. In one embodiment the crowns of adjacent cells are offset along the longitudinal axis of the device. Adjacent struts may be of differing lengths. In one case the cell has a proximally facing crown and a distally facing crown and wherein the proximally facing crown has a diameter which is larger than a diameter of the distally facing crown. In one embodiment the size of a clot-receiving cell towards a proximal end of the clot pinching structure is smaller than a cell towards a distal end of the clot pinching structure. In some cases, adjacent struts comprise at least one bend or undulation, the bends are configured so that the bends in adjacent struts inter engage as the device is moved to the clot pinching configuration. The strut may comprise a plurality of bends along the length thereof. The bends may be located towards a distal end of the strut. In some embodiments the expandable structure is of a shape memory material such as Nitinol. In some cases, the ratio of a diameter of the main body portion to a diameter of the clot pinching structure is from 1.5:1 to 4:1, in some cases from 2:1 to 3:1. In one case the diameter of the main body portion is about 4.5 mm or 5 mm and the diameter of the clot pinching structure is about 2 mm. The device may comprise a radiopaque marker at a transition between the main body portion and the clot pinching structure. A longitudinal axis of the main body portion may be co-linear with a longitudinal axis of the clot pinching structure. In some cases, a longitudinal axis of the clot pinching structure is offset from a longitudinal axis of the main body portion. In one embodiment the device has a longitudinal axis which extends through the main body portion and the clot pinching structure extends around the longitudinal axis in a spiral. According to the invention there is also provided a clot removal device for removing organised clot from a body vessel the device comprising an expandable tubular structure and an elongate member, the elongate member comprising a proximal end and a distal end, the expandable tubular structure comprising a network of interconnected struts, said network configured to engage with clot in an expanded state, the network configured such that in the expanded state at least a portion of the network interpenetrates the clot, the network further configured such that when the network is collapsed from a state of interpenetration with the clot that at least a portion of the network pinches at least a portion of the clot. Also provided is a device as described above wherein the elongate member is configured to retract the network with the network both interpenetrating the clot and at least a portion of the network effecting a pinch on at least a portion of the clot. According to the invention there is also provided a clot removal device for removing organised clot from a body vessel the device comprising an expandable tubular structure and an elongate member, the elongate member comprising a proximal end and a distal end and the elongate member connected to the tubular structure at its distal end, the expandable tubular structure configured to interpenetrate the organised clot when deployed into contact with the organised clot, the expandable tubular structure further comprising a plurality of first and second strut members interconnected at only one end, each pair of struts comprising a spring element biased to an expanded configuration and at least one first spring element comprising a soft spring element and at least one second spring element comprising a firm spring element such that the collapse of the tubular structure is asymmetric the asymmetric collapse of the structure effecting a pinch on a portion of the organised clot that is in interpenetration with at least a portion of the first spring element. According to the invention there is also provided a clot removal device for removing clot from a body vessel the device comprising an expandable structure and an elongate member, the elongate member comprising a proximal end and a distal end and the elongate member connected to the expandable structure at its distal end, the expandable structure comprising at least a first cell and at least one second cell each of said first and second cells comprising a collapsed delivery configuration and a deployed expanded configuration and in the expanded configuration each cell further comprising an orifice, the expandable structure configured to interpenetrate the clot, said interpenetration of the clot comprising the extrusion of at least a portion of the clot through at least one of said first cells, such that the orifice of at least some of the cells is configured to allow at least a portion of the clot body to interpenetrate the structure. According to the invention there is also provided a clot retrieval device for removing occlusive clot from a blood vessel comprising a clot engaging element, the clot engaging element having a constrained delivery configuration and an expanded deployed configuration, the clot engaging element being configured to exert an outward radial force when deployed within a lumen whose inner diameter is lower than that of the expanded deployed configuration, said outward radial force varying in a generally sinusoidal pattern along the length of the clot engaging element. Also provided is a clot retrieval device as described above wherein the generally sinusoidal pattern comprises a wave pattern, and the amplitude of the wave pattern is generally consistent along the length of the device. Also provided is a clot retrieval device as described above wherein the generally sinusoidal pattern comprises a wave pattern, and the amplitude of the wave pattern decreases along the length of the device, being higher at the proximal end and lower at the distal end of the device. Also provided is a clot retrieval device as described above in which the clot engaging element comprises a plurality of adjacent segments, and the radial force of at least two adjacent segments differs from each other. Also provided is a clot retrieval device as described anywhere above comprising a distal clot fragment protection section. Alternatively, or additionally a distal fragment protector is provided which may be mounted on a separate shaft extending through the device In some embodiments the distal end of the elongate member is connected to the proximal end of the expandable structure. There may be a proximal joint between the elongate member and the expandable structure. The proximal joint may comprise a step at the distal end of the elongate member. In one case the proximal joint comprises a locking collar for engagement with the elongate member and a proximal end of the expandable structure. In one case the proximal end of the expandable structure comprises a recess or slot which is configured for engagement with the step at the distal end of the elongate member. In one case the expandable structure comprises two or more legs which are configured for location partially around the step. In some embodiments a longitudinal axis of the elongate member is radially offset from a longitudinal axis of the collar. There may be a bond such as an adhesive bond or weld between the collar and the elongate member and between the collar and the proximal end of the expandable structure. In some cases, the device comprises a radiopaque marker at the distal end of the expandable structure. There may be two or more radiopaque markers at the distal end of the expandable structure, wherein the radiopaque markers are longitudinally offset from one another. In some cases, the expandable structure comprises a distal main body portion and a proximal clot pinching structure and the device comprises two or more radiopaque markers at a transition between the main body portion and the clot pinching structure. The radiopaque markers at the transition are longitudinally offset from one another. According to the invention there is provided a method of removing occlusive clot from a blood vessel comprising the steps of: providing a clot retrieval device having a clot engaging section, the device having a constrained delivery configuration and an expanded deployed configuration; advancing a microcatheter across an occlusive clot; loading the device into the microcatheter and advancing to a distal portion of the microcatheter; retracting the microcatheter to deploy the device and engage the clot engaging section with the clot; re-advancing the microcatheter to re-sheath at least a portion of the clot engaging section; and retrieving at least a portion of the device and the captured clot into a retrieval catheter. Also provided are additional variants of this method, including: a method as described above in which the retrieval catheter is an intermediate catheter; a method as described above in which the retrieval catheter is a balloon guide catheter, or a guide catheter, or a sheath; a method as described above wherein the act of re-sheathing a portion of the clot engaging section causes a portion of the clot to be pinched within a cell of the clot engaging section; a method as described above wherein the clot retrieval device is configured to pinch at least a portion of the clot; a method as described above comprising pulling the device proximally after deployment of the device within the clot; a method as described above comprising delaying pushing of the device distally after deployment to further embed in the clot prior to re-sheathing; a method as described above comprising pulling the device proximally into a larger vessel before retrieval into a retrieval catheter. A further method is provided comprising a method of dislodging and removing occlusive clot from a blood vessel segment comprising the steps of: providing a clot retrieval device wherein the clot retrieval device comprises a monolithic tubular structure and an elongate member, the monolithic tubular structure located at the distal end of the elongate member, the monolithic tubular structure having a most constrained delivery configuration, a partially collapsed pinching configuration and a clot engaging deployed configuration; engaging the occlusive clot with the monolithic tubular structure by expanding the monolithic tubular structure from its most constrained delivery configuration to its clot engaging deployed configuration with the elongate member extending through a proximal portion of the vessel segment and exterior of the patient, partially collapsing the monolithic tubular structure from the clot engaging deployed configuration to the partially collapsed pinching configuration to effect a pinch on at least a portion of the occlusive clot, restraining the monolithic tubular structure in the partially collapsed pinching configuration, dislodging the clot from the site of occlusion and removing it from the vessel segment by retracting the monolithic tubular structure while maintaining the restraint. Also provided is a method of treating a patient with an occluded vessel, the occlusion comprising an organised clot the method comprising the steps of:—providing a clot retrieval device and a removal catheter wherein the clot retrieval device comprises an expandable element and an elongate member, the expandable element located at the distal end of the elongate member, the expandable element having a fully collapsed delivery configuration, a fully expanded deployed configuration and the expandable element comprising a clot pinching substructure the clot pinching substructure configured to pinch at least a portion of the clot body as the expandable element is at least partially collapsed from the fully expanded configuration, the removal catheter comprising a collar at its distal end, delivering the clot retrieval device to the occluded vessel through a micro catheter in its collapsed configuration, deploying the expandable element into contact with at least a portion of the clot, while maintaining the position of the elongate member steadfast, advancing along the elongate member the removal catheter, engaging the collar of the removal catheter with the expandable element and effecting the pinching substructure so as to pinch at least a portion of the organised clot, withdrawing in unison from the vessel the removal catheter and the clot retrieval device, while maintaining engagement between the collar and the expandable element, and removing the clot retrieval device, the removal catheter and the pinched occlusive clot from the patient. In some embodiments the act of retrieving at least a portion of the device and captured clot into a retrieval catheter includes the step of aspirating through the retrieval catheter. In some cases, the act of re-sheathing a portion of the clot engaging section causes a portion of the clot to be pinched within a cell of the clot engaging section. In some embodiments the method comprises pulling the device proximally after deployment of the device within the clot. In some cases, the method comprises delaying pushing of the device distally after deployment to further embed in the clot prior to re-sheathing. In some embodiments the method comprises pulling the device proximally into a larger vessel before retrieval into a retrieval catheter.

11338729

BACKGROUND Field of the Various Embodiments The disclosed embodiments relate generally to autonomous vehicles and, more specifically, to techniques for communicating autonomous vehicle actions. Description of the Related Art When driving a vehicle on a road, a human driver may encounter various situations where he or she may engage in non-verbal communication with other people sharing the road. For example, at an intersection with a four-way stop, drivers of vehicles stopping the intersection may look at each other to coordinate a sequence of driving through the intersection. As another example, a driver of a vehicle may perform an arm waving gesture to a pedestrian attempting to cross at an unmarked intersection to signal that the driver is yielding to the pedestrian. As a further example, a driver of one vehicle may perform an arm waving gesture to a driver of another vehicle behind him, to signal the another driver that she may proceed with a passing maneuver. In recent years, there has been increased interest and growth in the field of autonomous driving technologies (e.g., self-driving, driverless, or autonomous vehicles). Autonomous driving technologies offer great promise in various transportation applications, including for example trucking and vehicles for hire. However, a drawback of autonomous driving technologies is that these technologies typically do not communicate vehicle driving actions outside of the vehicle. A human vehicle driver is absent or not otherwise actively involved in operation of a vehicle operated by autonomous driving technologies. Without involvement of the human driver, the non-verbal communications with other drivers and pedestrians that help coordinate road sharing are absent. Accordingly, human drivers and pedestrians are typically unaware and uncertain of what driving actions a vehicle operated by autonomous driving technologies may perform. With this lack of awareness, certainty, and coordination, sharing the road with vehicles operated by autonomous driving technologies becomes difficult. As the foregoing illustrates, what is needed are more effective techniques for communicating actions to be performed by an autonomous vehicle. SUMMARY One embodiment sets forth a computer-implemented method including receiving an intended driving action associated with an autonomous vehicle, determining an intent communication scenario associated with the autonomous vehicle, and based on the intent communication scenario, causing a visualization indicating the intended driving action to be projected onto a roadway. Further embodiments provide, among other things, one or more computer-readable storage media and a system configured to implement the methods set forth above. A technical advantage and improvement of the disclosed techniques is that intended actions of an autonomous vehicle on the road are communicated to human drivers and pedestrians in proximity. Accordingly, the human drivers and pedestrians can coordinate their actions with the intended actions of the autonomous vehicle, thereby facilitating more effective sharing of the road between humans and autonomous vehicles. Another technical advantage and improvement is that the intended actions may be communicated by in-proximity vehicles and/or devices, in addition or alternatively to the autonomous vehicle. This increases the communication capability of the system and facilitates more effective communication of the intended actions.

11414546

FIELD The present invention relates to a resin composition and an electric insulating sheet. BACKGROUND Conventionally, attempts to produce a laminated sheet by laminating a specific resin film onto a polyester fiber non-woven fabric so as to produce a sheet having a different function from the function of the polyester fiber non-woven fabric alone have been made (see Patent Literature 1 below). CITATION LIST Patent Literature Patent Literature 1: JP 2012-254591 A SUMMARY Technical Problem Polyester resins have comparatively high heat resistance among general resins. Therefore, polyester fiber non-woven fabrics are widely used in applications that require heat resistance. In the case of forming a laminated sheet by bonding sheets having excellent heat resistance to each other, if the sheets are bonded by an adhesive having low heat resistance such as a pressure-sensitive adhesive, the laminated sheet may possibly have low heat resistance. Therefore, in the case of forming a laminated sheet using a polyester fiber non-woven fabric and a resin film, it is required to directly adhere the polyester fiber non-woven fabric and the resin film to each other by thermal adhesion without using such a pressure-sensitive adhesive or the like. As a stator in a large motor, components such as electric insulating sheets are required to have heat resistance. Therefore, a laminated sheet obtained by bonding sheets having excellent heat resistance such as aramid paper and a polyethylene naphthalate film to each other with an epoxy adhesive is used for such an electric insulating sheet of this type. If there is a resin composition that has good thermal adhesiveness to fiber materials such as aramid paper, the thickness of such an electric insulating sheet of this type can be reduced. However, a resin composition having excellent heat resistance and excellent thermal adhesiveness to fiber materials such as a polyester fiber non-woven fabric and aramid paper has not been found. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a resin composition having excellent heat resistance and excellent thermal adhesiveness, so as to provide an electric insulating sheet having excellent heat resistance. Solution to Problem In order to solve the aforementioned problem, the present invention provide a resin composition containing: a polyether sulfone resin as a main component of its resin components; and one or two or more types of resins other than the polyether sulfone resin as accessory components thereof, wherein the accessory components include at least a phenoxy resin, and when the accessory components have a melt viscosity at 300° C. of η0(Pa·s), and the polyether sulfone resin has a melt viscosity at 300° C. of η1(Pa·s), the resin composition satisfies Relational expression (1) below: η0≥(η1·100)  (1). Further, in order to solve the aforementioned problem, the present invention provides an electric insulating sheet including: a polyester fiber non-woven fabric; and a resin film laminated onto the polyester fiber non-woven fabric, wherein the polyester fiber non-woven fabric and the resin film are thermally adhered to each other, the resin film has at least a surface that is thermally adhered to the polyester fiber non-woven fabric and is formed by a resin composition containing a polyether sulfone resin, the resin composition contains the polyether sulfone resin as a main component of its resin components and one or two or more types of resins other than the polyether sulfone resin as accessory components thereof, the accessory components include at least a phenoxy resin, and when the accessory components have a melt viscosity at 300° C. of η0(Pa·s), and the polyether sulfone resin has a melt viscosity at 300° C. of ηn1(Pa·s), the resin composition satisfies Relational expression (1) below: η0≥(η1·100)  (1).

11497825

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a scent diffuser and more particularly a scent diffuser having an ergonomic cap and capable of holding more fragrance. Scent diffusers are known in the art and typically involve a fragrance pad that has absorbed a fragrant liquid being exposed to a heat element. Exposure to the heat causes the liquid to evaporate and disperse a scented gas. While useful, replacing and or reloading pads is difficult because it's hard to remove the pads and it's also easy to insert the diffuser in a power source upside down where the pad is below the heating source. Also, current diffusers are limited in the amount of fragrance that can be used. Accordingly, a device that addresses these deficiencies is needed in the art. An objective of the present invention is to provide a scent diffuser that is more ergonomical to use. Another objective of the present invention is to provide a scent diffuser that holds more fragrance. These and other objectives will be apparent to those skilled in the art based upon the following written description, drawings and claims. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An ergonomic scent diffuser includes a first housing connected to a second housing and a cap removeably connected to the second housing. The first housing has electrical components adapted to transmit power from a power source to a heating element disposed within the second housing. The cap has depressions on the top and the bottom adjacent an outer end to provide an ergonomic grip. Extending from the outer end of the cap through a chamber and beyond an inner end of the cap are a pair of guide rails and a pair of retention members. The guide rails are positioned to align with and be slidably received within guide grooves of the second housing. The retaining member is positioned to receive and retain the fragrance emitting member. Preferably, the fragrance emitting member is a resilient solid block molded into a protective tray. The tray prevents user error resulting in melted fragrance fusing components of the unit together. The tray also prevents the block from losing shape when heated and then cooled.

11241591

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to ultrasound devices, and more particularly to an acoustic module and a control system for operating an ultrasound device incorporating an acoustic waveguide. Ultrasound devices have been developed for use in a variety of therapeutic applications. These devices produce ultrasound or acoustic energy that can be applied to the human body for therapeutic purposes. For example, there are a variety of conventional ultrasound devices used to apply acoustic energy to the skin to promote the generation of new collagen that has the effect of reducing fine lines, wrinkles and sagging skin. Typical handheld ultrasound devices include a transducer to generate the ultrasound energy and a lens to provide proper focus to the ultrasound energy. Often, the transducer and lens are situated in an acoustic module that houses the transducer and lens and includes a contact membrane (or other surface) configured to directly engage the target. The intervening space between the lens and the contact membrane is typically filled with a liquid, such as water, that functions as a medium for the ultrasound energy to travel from the lens to the contact membrane. Bubbles and other imperfections within the water (or other liquid medium) can affect the acoustic field and negatively impact operation of the device. This has proven to be a significant drawback because experience has revealed that it is difficult to keep bubbles from forming within water and other liquid mediums between the lens and the contact membrane. Another significant drawback is that water has the potential to freeze, for example, during warehouse storage, transportation and other stages of distribution. Freezing water expands, which can rupture the water vessel and allow thawed water to leak out and render the product non-functional. Other manufacturing issues present additional practical issues that can negatively impact device performance—perhaps most notably by impairing consistency and reducing uniformity of acoustic fields generated by the device. For example, it can be difficult to secure the transducer to the lens without imperfections. Imperfections in the interface between the transducer and the lens can have a negative impact on performance in various ways, for example, by reducing uniformity in acoustic output or by reducing efficiency. To illustrate, in some devices, the transducer is secured to the lens by epoxy or other adhesives. In many applications, gaps or variations in the thickness of the epoxy can have a substantial negative impact on performance. Further, even seemingly small differences in the location at which the transducer is affixed to the lens can impair performance. As a result of these and other practical difficulties, it can be difficult to produce a handheld ultrasound device that operates at optimal efficiency or provides uniform acoustic output across its head. It can also be difficult to maintain consistency in the acoustic fields generated by each separately manufactured ultrasound device. A number of additional complications can be presented by the membrane used to contain the liquid. As one example, it can be difficult and costly to provide a membrane that satisfies the desired tolerance requirements. As another example, the membrane can have a negative effect on the ability of the system to detect when it is properly coupled with the target. Further, the membrane can effect in temperature rise and its thickness can affect efficiency and power draw. The design of ultrasound devices is further complicated by the fact that conventional ultrasonic transducers generate a significant amount of thermal energy. Too much heat can have a negative impact on the electronic components of the device. It can also make it uncomfortable to place the device against human skin. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a solid waveguide for use with a handheld ultrasonic device. The transducer is joined to the solid waveguide so that acoustic energy produced by the transducer is communicated directly into the waveguide. In one embodiment, the interface between the transducer and the waveguide is curved. In one embodiment, the waveguide has an exposed contact surface intended to be placed in contact with the target. The contact surface may be curved to help in focusing the acoustic energy and to provide a surface particularly well-suited to receive an ultrasound gel. The transducer interface surface and the contact surface may be concentric. The transducer may be a piezo ceramic transducer that vibrates in response to the application of electrical power. The solid waveguide may be manufactured from a single piece of aluminum. In one embodiment, the solid waveguide may include an epoxy or adhesive ridge that surrounds the transducer. The ridge may be formed by epoxy or adhesive that has been forced out from between the transducer and the waveguide when transducer is affixed to the waveguide. The waveguide may include a small rib configured to forming the oozing epoxy or adhesive into the desired ridge. In one embodiment, the solid waveguide includes a transducer surface having a pocket that is configured to receive the transducer. The pocket may be defined as a shallow recess in the surface of the solid waveguide. The recess may be curved to facilitate mounting of the transducer in the desired curved shape. In one embodiment, the ultrasound head incorporating the solid waveguide includes a thermal absorbing material that undergoes a phase change in response to the heat energy created during normal use of the ultrasound device. The thermal absorbing material may be disposed in a cavity disposed behind the transducer and solid waveguide. The thermal absorbing material may be any of a wide variety of phase change materials (“PCM”), such as paraffin, PCM wax, microencapsulated PCMs or other high heat capacity materials. The use of thermal absorbing materials, such as PCMs, is optional and the present invention may be implemented without PCMs or other thermal absorbing materials. In one embodiment, the solid waveguide includes an integral skirt that extends rearwardly to form an enclosure that defines a cavity behind the transducer. With this embodiment, the solid waveguide may form the head of the acoustic module or the solid waveguide may be contained within a separate outer housing. The cavity may include a heat sink and/or contain a thermal absorbing material, such as a PCM. Alternatively, the cavity may be empty, which would still allow some level of heat transfer through air convection. In one embodiment, the solid waveguide is disposed within a separate acoustic enclosure. In such embodiments, the solid waveguide may include wings that extend rearwardly to provide improved heat transfer. The wings may include a plurality of fins that increase surface area and improve thermal transfer. The wings may be formed integrally with the solid waveguide or they may be separately manufactured and later joined to (or placed in contact with) the solid waveguide. In one embodiment, the solid waveguide is incorporated into an actively vented acoustic module. In this embodiment, a micro-fan may be disposed within the cavity in the acoustic module to move air through the enclosure to provide improved cooling. The fan may be configured to move air into the acoustic module through an inlet and out of the acoustic module through an outlet. The inlet and outlet may be covered by air permeable membranes that allow air, but not water or debris to pass. If the acoustic module includes a heat sink, the fan, inlet and outlet may be arranged so that air is moved over the fins or other features of the heat sink. In another embodiment, the acoustic module includes a transducer, a lens and a solid waveguide. In this embodiment, the lens may be situated between the transducer and the solid waveguide. The lens may help to focus the ultrasound energy before transmitting it to the waveguide. In one embodiment, the lens is manufactured from aluminum and the solid waveguide is manufactured from a plastic with appropriate acoustic properties, such as Rexolite® plastic. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a control method for improving uniformity in the acoustic output of an acoustic module. Generally, the method involves implementing a frequency sweep during the application of operating power to the transducer. The frequency sweep may extend across a predefined uniformity scan window. The uniformity scan window may include the operating point of the acoustic module. By sweeping through a range of frequencies while applying operating power, the system can dramatically improve overall acoustic uniformity. In one embodiment, the uniformity sweep can occur continuously and repeatedly while the controller is providing operating power to the transducer. In other embodiments, the uniformity sweep can be discontinuous. In one embodiment, the uniformity scan window is centered on the operating point of the acoustic module. In one embodiment, the uniformity scan window may have a step size and step time. The step size and step time may be predetermined or may be determined on an acoustic module-by-acoustic module basis. For example, the step size and or step time may be determined based on the uniformity scan window. The step size and/or step time may be selected to provide a generally linear sweep or to provide a non-linear sweep, such as a random sweep. In one embodiment, the method is implemented by separately determining the uniformity scan window for each acoustic module following production of that acoustic module. The method of determining the uniformity scan window may include the steps of (a) applying power to the acoustic module at a variety of different frequencies, (b) determining the efficiency of the acoustic module at the various applied frequencies and (c) selecting the uniformity scan window to be a window that is as large as possible without exceeding a predetermined efficiency loss. In one embodiment, the step of determining the efficiency of the acoustic module at various applied frequencies may include the step of comparing the efficiency of the acoustic module at its operating point with the efficiency of the acoustic module at the various applied frequencies. In one embodiment, the comparison step may include determining the percent efficiency loss at each of the various applied frequencies as compared to the operating point. The predetermined efficiency loss may vary from application to application, but in one embodiment may be about 5%. The present invention provides a simple and effective solid waveguide. The solid waveguide helps to overcome limitations presented by devices that incorporate a fluid filled acoustic module. The solid waveguide will not produce bubbles or other imperfections in response to temperature and pressure changes. Further, certain materials that can be used to form the solid waveguide, such as aluminum, exhibit significantly less variation in acoustic properties in response to temperature variation than is generally found with conventional liquid medium. The solid waveguide can include curved surfaces that control the focus of the acoustic energy. Coaxial curved surfaces can provide efficient and effective transmission of acoustic energy from the transducer, through the waveguide to desired focal line. The waveguide may include slots that reduce fringe interference, while also providing a mounting slot for heat sink components, when desired. The acoustic module may include an enlarged space reward of the transducer/waveguide assembly to address thermal management issues. For example, a heat sink, an active ventilation system and/or phase change materials can be incorporated into the acoustic module in this space. Further, the system may provide improved uniformity of acoustic transmission by incorporating a uniformity scan algorithm that compensates for variations in the transducer and waveguide by performing a frequency sweep while applying operating power. These and other objects, advantages, and features of the invention will be more fully understood and appreciated by reference to the description of the current embodiment and the drawings. Before the embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the details of operation or to the details of construction and the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention may be implemented in various other embodiments and of being practiced or being carried out in alternative ways not expressly disclosed herein. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including” and “comprising” and variations thereof is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items and equivalents thereof. Further, enumeration may be used in the description of various embodiments. Unless otherwise expressly stated, the use of enumeration should not be construed as limiting the invention to any specific order or number of components. Nor should the use of enumeration be construed as excluding from the scope of the invention any additional steps or components that might be combined with or into the enumerated steps or components. Any reference to claim elements as “at least one of X, Y and Z” is meant to include any one of X, Y or Z individually, and any combination of X, Y and Z, for example, X, Y, Z; X, Y; X, Z; and Y, Z.

11306131

INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY Incorporated by reference in its entirety herein is a computer-readable nucleotide/amino acid sequence listing submitted concurrently herewith and identified as follows: One 52,252 Byte ASCII (Text) file named “740419 ST25.txt,” dated Sep. 27, 2018. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Adoptive cell therapy (ACT) involves the transfer of reactive T cells into patients, including the transfer of tumor-reactive T cells into cancer patients. Adoptive cell therapy using T-cells that target human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-A2 restricted T-cell epitopes has been successful in causing the regression of tumors in some patients. However, patients that lack HLA-A2 expression cannot be treated with T-cells that target HLA-A2 restricted T-cell epitopes. Such a limitation creates an obstacle to the widespread application of adoptive cell therapy. Accordingly, there exists a need for improved immunological compositions and methods for treating cancer. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention provides an isolated or purified T cell receptor (TCR) having antigenic specificity for a) melanoma antigen family A (MAGE A)-3 in the context of HLA-A1 or b) MAGE-A12 in the context of HLA-Cw7. The invention further provides related polypeptides and proteins, as well as related nucleic acids, recombinant expression vectors, host cells, and populations of cells. Further provided by the invention are antibodies, or antigen binding portions thereof, and pharmaceutical compositions relating to the TCRs of the invention. Methods of detecting the presence of cancer in a host and methods of treating or preventing cancer in a host are further provided by the invention. The inventive method of detecting the presence of cancer in a host comprises (i) contacting a sample comprising cells of the cancer with any of the inventive TCRs, polypeptides, proteins, nucleic acids, recombinant expression vectors, host cells, populations of host cells, or antibodies, or antigen binding portions thereof, described herein, thereby forming a complex, and (ii) detecting the complex, wherein detection of the complex is indicative of the presence of cancer in the host. The inventive method of treating or preventing cancer in a host comprises administering to the host any of the TCRs, polypeptides, or proteins described herein, any nucleic acid or recombinant expression vector comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding any of the TCRs, polypeptides, proteins described herein, or any host cell or population of host cells comprising a recombinant vector which encodes any of the TCRs, polypeptides, or proteins described herein, in an amount effective to treat or prevent cancer in the host.

11235204

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a golf ball comprising a paint film. DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART A paint film is formed on a surface of a golf ball body. Conventionally, it has been proposed to improve the performance of the golf ball by improving the paint film and controlling the viscoelasticity property of the golf ball. For example, JP 2014-14383 A discloses a golf ball comprising a golf ball body and a paint film formed on a surface of the golf ball body, wherein a storage modulus (E′) of the paint film at a temperature range of from 120° C. to 150° C. is 1.00×107dyn/cm2or more and 1.00×108dyn/cm2or less, and a loss tangent (tan δ) of the paint film at 10° C. is 0.050 or more, wherein the storage modulus (E′) and the loss tangent (tan δ) are measured with a dynamic viscoelasticity measuring apparatus under specific conditions. JP 2017-209298 A discloses a golf ball comprising a golf ball body and a paint film covering the golf ball body, wherein a loss tangent tan δ obtained by measuring a dynamic viscoelasticity of the paint film has a peak temperature of 50° C. or less and a peak height of less than 0.8. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION However, the prior golf balls do not necessarily have satisfactory spin performance on approach shots, and there is still room for improvement in the spin performance on approach shots under a wet condition. In addition, in the prior arts, the spin performance on approach shots under a condition that there is grass between the golf ball and the club face was not investigated. The present invention has been made in view of the abovementioned circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a golf ball having excellent spin performance on approach shots under a wet condition and excellent spin performance on approach shots under a condition that there is grass between the golf ball and the club face. The present invention that has solved the above problem provides a golf ball comprising a golf ball body and a paint film composed of at least one layer and formed on a surface of the golf ball body, wherein an outermost layer of the paint film located at the outermost layer of the golf ball contains a base resin and a porous filler, the base resin contains a polyurethane obtained by a reaction between (A) a polyisocyanate composition and (B) a polyol composition containing a urethane polyol as a polyol component, the porous filler contains SiO2in an amount of 50 mass % or more as a constituent component, and a loss tangent (tan δ) of the outermost layer of the paint film measured with a dynamic viscoelasticity measuring apparatus under following conditions has a peak temperature in a range of from −40° C. to 40° C.: <measurement conditions> measuring mode: tensile mode measuring temperature: −100° C. to 150° C. temperature increasing rate: 4° C./min oscillation frequency: 10 Hz measuring strain: 0.1%. According to the present invention, a golf ball having excellent spin performance on approach shots under a wet condition and excellent spin performance on approach shots under a condition that there is grass between the golf ball and the club face is obtained.

11524269

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This is a U.S. National Phase Application under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Patent Application No. PCT/JP2017/023742, filed Jun. 28, 2017, which claims priority of Japanese Patent Application No. 2016-237861, filed Dec. 7, 2016. The entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a mixing impeller and the like for mixing a treatment target in a lateral treatment apparatus. BACKGROUND As a conventional technique, chemical reaction apparatuses are known in which a blade-like member or the like is arranged on a rotational shaft extending in a flow direction of a lateral reactor (see JP 2016-237861 A, for example). SUMMARY However, conventional techniques are problematic in that it may be difficult to properly mix a treatment target. For example, when mixing a treatment target such as a liquid or a powder that flows, the surface of the treatment target may be partially raised due to the mixing. For example, during mixing, the side of a treatment target on which a mixing blade is pulled upward out of the treatment target may be raised, and the side thereof on which the mixing blade is pushed into the treatment target may be lowered, resulting in an inclination of the surface of the treatment target. When the surface is raised or inclined, the treatment target may adhere to a wall face or the like that has not been in contact with the treatment target when the mixing is not performed, in a vessel in which treatment target is placed. When the treatment target adheres, the adhering portion of the treatment target may be dried or burnt due to the heating of the vessel. There is a problem that such a dried or burnt treatment target is mixed into a treatment target that is being mixed. Furthermore, especially in flow-type reactors or the like having a partition plate as shown in, for example, FIG. 2 of JP 2016-237861 A above, when the surface of a treatment target is raised due to mixing as described above, a treatment target that is not stably retained in an area defined by the partition plate may flow from the raised portion over the partition plate into an adjacent area, and thus, compared with a case in which the surface is prevented from being raised and the treatment target is allowed to naturally flow over the partition plate, there is a problem that the time during which the treatment target is retained in an area defined by the partition plate is unlikely to be kept uniform and the treatment time on the treatment target is unlikely to be kept uniform, and thus it is not possible to perform uniform treatment. On the other hand, even in a case in which the treatment target is prevented from being raised, by suppressing movement and the like of the treatment target due to mixing, there is a problem that it is not possible to perform uniform treatment on the treatment target if the treatment target cannot be sufficiently mixed. The present invention was arrived at in order to solve the above-described problems, and it is an object thereof to provide a mixing impeller and the like capable of properly mixing a treatment target. The present invention is directed to a mixing impeller including multiple blade pairs each having two blades, wherein the blades included in the multiple blade pairs are attached around a rotational shaft extending in a lateral direction, so as to be positioned at a same position in an axial direction of the rotational shaft, the two blades of each blade pair each have a shape that is symmetric about a symmetry plane that is a plane perpendicular to the rotational shaft, and the two blades of each blade pair are formed so as to extend from the rotational shaft side toward an outer circumferential side, which is a side opposite to the rotational shaft side, and blade outer portions that are on the outer circumferential side are bent toward a side on which the two blades face each other. With this configuration, it is possible to properly mix a treatment target by suppressing raising of the treatment target while allowing the treatment target to flow. Furthermore, the mixing impeller of the present invention is such that each blade outer portion is bent so as to form an obtuse angle with a portion extending from the rotational shaft side toward a bent portion at which the blade outer portion is bent, of the blade including the blade outer portion. With this configuration, it is possible to properly mix a treatment target by suppressing raising of the treatment target. Furthermore, the mixing impeller of the present invention is such that, in the two blades of each blade pair, at least bent sections of portions that are bent toward the facing side are provided with openings. With this configuration, it is possible to properly release the outside air captured by the treatment target. Furthermore, the mixing impeller of the present invention is such that, in the two blades of each blade pair, portions that are bent toward the facing side and that intersect the symmetry plane are provided with slit-like openings. With this configuration, it is possible to properly release the outside air captured by the treatment target. Furthermore, the mixing impeller of the present invention is such that, in each portion extending from the rotational shaft side toward a bent portion at which the blade outer portion is bent, of the two blades of each blade pair, a portion that intersects the symmetry plane is bent so as to project toward a side opposite to the side on which the two blades face each other. With this configuration, it is possible to cause the outside air captured by the treatment target to accumulate on the side opposite to the projecting portion of the blade. Furthermore, the mixing impeller of the present invention is such that each blade is attached to the rotational shaft so as to have an opening between the portion extending from the rotational shaft side toward the bent portion of the blade, and the rotational shaft. With this configuration, it is possible to release the outside air that has been captured by the treatment target accumulating on the blade, from the opening into the treatment target. Furthermore, the mixing impeller of the present invention is such that the mixing impeller further includes plate-like members attached to both sides of the blades. With this configuration, it is possible to increase the efficiency of the mixing. Furthermore, the mixing impeller of the present invention is such that the plate-like members attached to both sides of the blades have a shape extending to sides in which the blades are bent and conforming to bending of the blades. With this configuration, it is possible to increase the efficiency of the mixing. The present invention is directed to a treatment apparatus including: a treatment vessel with a shape extending in a lateral direction; one or more partition plates arranged inside the treatment vessel so as to intersect a direction in which the treatment vessel extends, and arranged so as to have an opening between the partition plates and an upper face of an internal portion of the treatment vessel; a rotational shaft arranged inside the vessel in a direction in which the vessel extends; and the above-described mixing impeller, in one or more areas defined by the one or more partition plates inside the vessel. With this configuration, it is possible to properly mix a treatment target. Accordingly, for example, it is possible to perform treatment while suppressing a deterioration in the quality. With the mixing impeller and the like according to the present invention, it is possible to properly mix a treatment target.

11247181

BACKGROUND Purification, particularly of aqueous solutions, is critical in several industrial processes, as well as for basic life sustaining processes (e.g., water purification for drinking). While a variety of products are available, each has problems with one or more of efficiency, cost, and longevity. In addition, current products often are only suitable for a single type of purification and are often not reusable. What is needed are improved purification compositions and strategies. SUMMARY The present specification describes, among other things, technologies including new and optimized biomimetic routes to fabricate biomaterial-based multilayer membranes, for example for purification (e.g., filtration) or aqueous solutions. Surprisingly, the present inventors found that the use of weakly associated nanofibrils and nanocrystals allow for the formation of highly ordered networks useful for, inter alia, purification (e.g., filtration) or aqueous solutions. Accordingly, in various embodiments, provided compositions include little or no chemical interaction, rather, simple physical association is used. In some embodiments, provided compositions may include multilayer membranes with well-organized multilayer structures, e.g., through silk nanofibrils (SNF) self-assembly and in-situ hydroxyapatite (HAP) biomineralization. For example, in some embodiments, provided compositions (e.g., low-cost SNF/HAP membranes) may exhibit universal water purification capability, including for dyes, proteins and nano-colloids. Moreover, in some embodiments, provided compositions (e.g., membranes) can be formed from SNF/HAP dispersions under a short processing time, enabling the fabrication of multi-type purification membranes, such as pressure-derived filtration membranes and syringe ultrafilters. Additionally or alternatively, provided compositions, such as SNF/HAP membranes, can be used to remove metal ions from an aqueous solution, which may not be possible using other nanofiltration membranes. The metal ion contaminants that are removed can also be reused or recycled by simple, green routes, to avoid secondary pollutants. The technologies described herein may have a range of potential applications, such as waste-water treatment, nanotechnology, food industry and life sciences. In some embodiments, the present invention provides compositions including at least one pliable layer comprising a plurality of silk fibroin nanofibrils, and at least one rigid layer comprising a plurality of mineral crystals, wherein each rigid layer is associated with at least one pliable layer. In some embodiments, a composition may be or comprise a film/membrane, a tube, a powder, a fiber (e.g., electrospun fiber, non-woven fiber), and/or a foam. In some embodiments, the present invention also provides methods of making provided compositions. In some embodiments, the present invention provides methods including the steps of providing silk fibroin nanofibrils in at least one pliable layer, growing a plurality of mineral crystals on the silk fibroin nanofibrils such that the crystals form at least one rigid layer, and forming an insoluble membrane. In some embodiments, the forming occurs via one or more of vacuum filtration, injection, cylinder extrusion, and compression. In some embodiments, at least one pliable layer of a provided composition is porous. In some embodiments, the pores have an average diameter between 1 and 20 nm (e.g., 3-15 nm). In some embodiments where there are two or more pliable layers, one layer may be porous where at least one other layer is substantially non-porous. In some embodiments where there are two or more pliable layers, each pliable layer is porous. In some embodiments, at least one rigid layer is porous. In some embodiments, the pores have an average diameter between 5-100 nm (e.g., 10-50 nm). In some embodiments where there are two or more rigid layers, one layer may be porous where at least one other layer is substantially non-porous. In some embodiments where there are two or more rigid layers, each rigid layer is porous. Any of a variety of peptide or protein-based nanofibrils may be useful in accordance with certain embodiments. In some embodiments, the pliable layer comprises one or more (e.g., two or more) of silk (e.g., silkworm silk, spider silk, recombinant silk), silk fibroin, silk-elastin, amyloid, collagen, nanochitin, nanocellulose, andsilaffin. As is described herein, any of a variety of nanofibril dimensions are particularly suited for certain applications (e.g., wherein expected contaminants for removal are of a certain size or size range, for example). In some embodiments, the silk fibroin nanofibrils have an average aspect ratio of between 1:10 and 1:1,000. In some embodiments, nanofibrils are not spherical (e.g., not nanoparticles). As described herein, the filtration characteristics of various embodiments varies based, inter alia, on the thickness of one of more of the pliable layers in a provided composition. In some embodiments, at least one pliable layer has a thickness between 10 nm and 1,000 um. As described herein, the filtration characteristics of various embodiments varies based, inter alia, on the thickness of one of more of the rigid layers in a provided composition. In some embodiments, at least one rigid layer has a thickness between 10 nm and 1,000 um. As described herein, any of a variety of mineral crystals are contemplated as within the scope of the present invention. Selection of particular mineral crystals may depend on the intended use of a particular embodiment. Parameters which would be considered by one of skill in the art in selecting the appropriate mineral crystal for particular rigid layer(s), include, but are not limited to desired size of the crystals, desired load bearing capacity of the crystals or composition, and ability to interest (or not interact) with particular contaminants in a solution. In some embodiments, the mineral crystals are or comprise calcium nanocrystals, titanium nanocrystals (e.g., for medical implants), gold nanocrystals (e.g., modulating heating capacity), silver nanocrystals (e.g., antimicrobial applications), graphene nanocrystals, graphene oxide nanocrystals, silica nanoparticles, or any other reactive inorganic material (e.g., catalysis, self-cleaning). In some embodiments, the calcium nanocrystals are hydroxyapatite crystals or calcium carbonate crystals. As is described herein, pliable and/or rigid layers of provided compositions may be formed via any appropriate method. For example, in some embodiments, at least one layer of the composition is formed via one or more of vacuum filtration, injection, cylinder extrusion, and compression. As is described herein, provided compositions comprising 2 or more pliable layers and/or two or more rigid layers are specifically contemplated and highly desirable in certain embodiments. For example, in some embodiments, a composition comprises at least two pliable layers (e.g., at least 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or more pliable layers). By way for further example, in some embodiments, a composition comprises at least two rigid layers (e.g., at least 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or more rigid layers). In some embodiments, a provided composition may be substantially insoluble (e.g., in an aqueous solution). In some embodiments, a provided composition may be at least partially soluble (e.g., in an aqueous solution). In some embodiments, a provided composition may be substantially fully soluble (e.g., in an aqueous solution), for example, in a multi-layer composition to facilitate a desired release profile on of one or more active agents. As is described herein, in some embodiments, provided compositions may be useful for filtering any of a variety of potential contaminant(s) or other undesired component(s) from a solution (e.g., an aqueous solution). For example, in some embodiments, a provided composition may be useful for removing one or more heavy metals from a solution. In some embodiments, has a removal capacity for gold (Au3+) of at least 130 mg/g of membrane. In some embodiments, a provided composition has a removal capacity for copper (Cu2+) of at least 60 mg/g of membrane. In some embodiments, a provided composition has a removal capacity for nickel (Ni2+) of at least 60 mg/g of membrane. In some embodiments, a provided composition has a removal capacity for chromium (Cr3+) of at least 120 mg/g of membrane. In some embodiments, removal capacity is assessed at substantially atmospheric pressure. As used in this application, the terms “about” and “approximately” are used as equivalents. Any citations to publications, patents, or patent applications herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety. Any numerals used in this application with or without about/approximately are meant to cover any normal fluctuations appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the relevant art. Other features, objects, and advantages of the present invention are apparent in the detailed description that follows. It should be understood, however, that the detailed description, while indicating embodiments of the present invention, is given by way of illustration only, not limitation. Various changes and modifications within the scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the detailed description.

11241408

PRIORITY APPLICATION The present application is the U.S. national phase under 35 U.S.C. 371 of international patent application number PCT/AU2017/050850 filed on Aug. 11, 2017, which designated the U.S., and which draws priority from Australian Patent No. 2016903184, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention generally relates to water-dispersible compositions of bioactive lipophilic compounds, particularly relating to water dispersible compositions of fatty acids, their esters and triglycerides, to compounds useful for the preparation of such compositions, to methods of preparing such compounds and compositions, and to the use of such compositions as therapeutics, complementary medicines and cosmetics. BACKGROUND The cells of the small intestine are covered with a microscopically fine water film so that the cells can directly absorb substances that are soluble in this water film. The bio-availability of water soluble substances, such as sugar, salts, and certain water-soluble vitamins (for instance Vitamin C) is therefore at an optimum. However, fat soluble substances—such as fatty acids—are unable to penetrate the water film. Indeed, many important bioactive compounds are highly lipophilic and are suited to dissolution in non-polar solvents, while being substantially insoluble or only partially soluble in aqueous solvents. The lack of solubility of a bioactive compound in aqueous media is an important factor limiting its therapeutic use or use in clinical applications, making it difficult to efficiently administer the compound to a patient. When administered in the form of an oil solution or some kind of water and/or oil suspension or emulsion, lipophilic compounds typically show a poor bio-availability, meaning a low concentration and a long build-up time of the compound in the systemic circulation. The physiological process conducted by the body in an attempt to absorb these lipophilic compounds of value is known as micelle formation. Through interaction with chemicals carried in bile, the lipophilic species can be ‘enveloped’ in a micelle. The chemicals act as surfactants and are molecules formed from a long lipophilic tail with a hydrophilic head. A typical micelle in aqueous solution forms an aggregate with the hydrophilic “head” regions in contact with surrounding solvent, sequestering the hydrophobic single-tail regions in the micelle centre. The micelle can then be dispersed in the bulk solvent by virtue of the hydrophilic head groups that form the outer layer of the micelle. However, the micelle formation in the small intestine occurs at a time delay, being after the release of bile secretion (bile juice) and enzymes of the pancreas. Yet the rest of the digestive processes (transport, etc.) continue without interruption during the comparatively lengthy micelle formation process in the small intestine. This results in a significant proportion of the micelles being expelled as waste by the body because the micelles are formed too late in the digestion process and thus pass beyond the small intestine. The result of this is a very low bio-availability of fat-soluble substances, being typically approximately 15-25 percent of the consumed amount. In order to ensure that a sufficient amount of the particular lipophilic substances are taken up by the body to actually produce a therapeutic benefit, they are typically required to be taken in amounts greater than 1 gram daily. This is partly due to their low aqueous solubility and thus low ability to be taken up by the body during digestion. There are also certain people who, due to medical reasons, cannot form micelles, even further lowering their body's absorption of essential lipophilic species. Further, old age is also known to reduce the ability of a person's digestive tract to take up a range of important chemicals, including fatty acids or other lipophilic compounds enclosed in micelles. Bioactive lipophilic compounds in need of increased solubility to aid in absorption by the body can belong to various therapeutic categories, such as certain vitamins, antibiotics, free radical scavengers, immunosuppressants and some fatty acids. Various approaches to achieve the solubility and improve the bio-availability of these and other lipophilic compounds are known in the prior art, including formation of water-soluble complexes. One particularly important class of bioactive lipophilic compound is the Omega-3 fatty acid group—particularly the Omega-3 fatty acids derived from fish oils, such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). EPA, DHA, DPA and ALA are used, in conjunction with dietary changes, to assist in the lowering and continued control of triglyceride levels. EPA is also known or considered to be an effective treatment for a number of medical conditions and has been found to reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes, slow the build-up of atherosclerotic plaque and reducing angina. However, the typical Western diet does not typically provide sufficient levels of Omega-3 fatty acids, necessitating the use of supplements to provide the required amounts. Therefore it would be advantageous to provide optimised compositions of bioactive lipophilic compounds, particularly relating to compositions of Omega-3 fatty acids, including EPA, DHA, DPA and ALA, that provide an increased bioavailability of the Omega-3 fatty acid. This would overcome at least some of the disadvantages of previously known approaches in this field, or would provide a useful alternative. DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION These and other advantages are met with the present invention, which in one broad form comprises water-dispersible composition comprising at least one source of Omega-3, and micelle-promoting agents comprising one or more of carrier oils, solvents, emulsifiers and antioxidants, wherein the composition promotes at least a twofold increase in bioavailability of the Omega-3 source. In an embodiment of the present invention, the composition promotes at least a threefold increase in bioavailability of the Omega-3 source. In a further embodiment of the present invention, the composition promotes at least a fourfold increase in bioavailability of the Omega-3 source. In an embodiment of the present invention, the percentage composition of the Omega-3 source and at least one micelle-promoting agents is such that, dispersed in an aqueous environment, the composition forms a population of micelles with a mean population diameter of about 1 to 20 micrometres. More preferably, the mean population diameter of the micelles is less than about 15 micrometres. In a preferred embodiment, the mean population diameter of the micelles is greater than about 5 micrometres. More preferably, the mean population diameter of the micelles is greater than about 10 micrometres. In a most preferred embodiment of the present invention, the mean population diameter of the micelles is between about 12 to 13 micrometres. In an embodiment of the present invention, the percentage population of micrometres with a diameter of less than 10 micrometres is greater than 20%. More preferably, the percentage population of micrometres with a diameter of less than 10 micrometres is greater than 30%. In a most preferred embodiment of the present invention, the percentage population of micrometres with a diameter of less than 10 micrometres is greater than 40%. In an embodiment of the present invention, the Omega-3 Source comprises at least one Omega 3 fatty acid selected from eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Preferably, the Omega 3 fatty acid is present in one or more forms selected from fatty acids, ethyl esters, triglycerides and phospholipids. In an embodiment of the present invention, the carrier oil is selected from one or more of medium chain triglycerides, long chain triglycerides, caprylic and/or capric triglycerides, coconut oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, olive oil, sesame oil, soybean oil, peanut oil, castor oil and oleic acid. In an embodiment of the present invention, the solvent is selected from one or more of citrus oil, ethanol, ethyl oleate, glycerine, glyceryl mono-oleate, limonene, polyethylene glycol 300, polyethylene glycol 400, polyethylene glycol 600 and propylene glycol. In an embodiment of the present invention, the emulsifier is selected from one or more of hydrogenated castor oil, lecithin, macrogolglycerol hydroxystearate, oat oil polar lipids, phosphatidylcholine, poloxamers, polyoxyl 35 castor oil, polyoxyl 40 castor oil, polysorbate 20, polysorbate 60, polysorbate 80 and polyglycerol esters of fatty acids. In an embodiment of the present invention, the antioxidant is selected from one or more of Lecithin, ascorbyl palmitate, d alpha-tocopherol, dl-alpha-tocopherol, d-alpha-Tocopheryl acetate, dl-alpha-Tocopheryl acetate, d-alpha-Tocopheryl acid succinate, dl alpha-Tocopheryl acid succinate, Vitamin E and derivatives thereof, Olive polyphenols and Algal polyphenols. In an embodiment of the present invention, the composition further comprises an excipient. Preferably, the excipient is selected from one or more of Colloidal silica, Corn starch, Hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC), Maltodextrin, Magnesium stearate, Magnesium hydroxide, Microcrystalline cellulose, dextrin, sorbitol, mannitol and Trehalose. In an embodiment of the present invention, the water-dispersible composition comprises at least one Omega-3 source, from 10% to about 90% by weight, and one or more of at least one carrier oil, up to about 70% by weight; at least one solvent, up to about 20% by weight; at least one emulsifier, up to about 30% by weight; and at least one antioxidant, up to about 0.01% by weight. In an embodiment of the present invention, the water-dispersible composition comprises at least one Omega-3 source, from 80% to about 87% by weight, and one or more of at least one carrier oil, up to about 11% by weight; at least one solvent, up to about 10% by weight; at least one emulsifier, up to about 11% by weight; and at least one antioxidant, up to about 0.1% by weight. In an embodiment of the present invention, the water-dispersible composition comprises at least one Omega-3 source, at about 87% by weight; at least one solvent, at about 9.75% by weight; and at least one emulsifier, at about 3.25% by weight. In an embodiment of the present invention, the water-dispersible composition comprises at least one Omega-3 source, at about 85% by weight; at least one carrier oil, at about 2.25% by weight; at least one solvent, at about 2.25% by weight; at least one emulsifier, at about 10.48% by weight; and at least one antioxidant, at about 0.02% by weight. In an embodiment of the present invention, the water-dispersible composition comprises at least one Omega-3 source, at about 80% by weight; at least one carrier oil, at about 10.5% by weight; at least one emulsifier, at about 9.4% by weight; and at least one antioxidant, at about 0.1% by weight. In an embodiment of the present invention, the water-dispersible composition comprises at least one Omega-3 source, at about 85% by weight; at least one carrier oil, at about 4.8% by weight; at least one solvent, at about 4.8% by weight; at least one emulsifier, at about 4.9% by weight; and at least one antioxidant, at about 0.5% by weight. In an embodiment of the present invention, the water-dispersible composition comprises at least one Omega-3 source, from 5% to about 70% by weight, and one or more of at least one carrier oil, up to about 45% by weight; at least one solvent, up to about 10% by weight; at least one emulsifier, up to about 15% by weight; and at least one antioxidant, up to about 0.01% by weight; wherein the composition further comprises an excipient from 30% to about 90% by weight.

11452249

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to carriers for reversibly immobilizing one or more objects, and more particularly to carriers for reversibly immobilizing one or more objects comprising a frame and a film attached to the frame. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A carrier tape is a tape used in tape and reel applications for carrying objects, particularly electronic components, such as integrated circuit dies, for purposes of manufacturing and transportation. Various approaches have been developed for providing carrier tapes. In a first approach, carrier tapes are produced including embossed pockets distributed along the carrier tapes. Typically, a carrier tape is custom-designed for the object that will be carried by the tape. For a given carrier tape, each pocket is embossed precisely to fit the object to be carried by the tape, which will be distributed as one object per pocket. This is in order to restrict movement of the objects within the pockets, during use of the carrier tape for carrying the objects, until release of the objects from the pockets. Typically, the carrier tapes are formed from a sheet of rigid plastic. The pockets are embossed in the rigid plastic by a process termed “thermoforming,” resulting in embossed cavities in the rigid plastic into which the objects can be placed, secured, and carried. The use of such carrier tapes for transporting objects presents problems. One problem is that, since the embossed cavities are formed in a rigid plastic, if an embossed cavity is larger than the object to be transported, then the object may be free to move and/or tilt within the embossed cavity, potentially resulting in “rattling,” including lateral movement and/or a change in orientation of the object. Preferably, an embossed cavity should be designed to fit its corresponding object closely, so that the object cannot move more than 0.5 mm to 1.0 mm laterally within the cavity, and cannot tilt more than 10 degrees in any direction. Considering integrated circuit dies in particular, achieving such a fit can be practical for dies having relatively large sizes, e.g. 4 mm×4 mm or greater. For smaller dies, though, it is difficult to emboss cavities that fit their corresponding object sufficiently closely to ensure prevention of rattling. This creates challenges with respect to later handling of the objects, for example with respect to picking and placing integrated circuit dies where intended. Another problem is that small objects can be ejected inadvertently from embossed cavities, in a process termed “trampolining,” when a cover tape is removed to allow release of objects from cavities. Generally, a cover tape must be applied to a carrier tape that includes embossed cavities in order to secure objects within the cavities. The cover tape protects the objects by keeping out foreign contamination, and by keeping the objects inside the embossed cavities. Unfortunately, for small objects in particular, such as small integrated circuit dies, when a cover tape is peeled from a carrier tape, for example during a die pick process, the small objects can be ejected inadvertently from the embossed cavities, due to their small size and weight. One approach for addressing the problems associated with carrier tapes that include precisely embossed pockets has been to apply a layer of adhesive onto cavities of a carrier tape so that objects placed in the cavities can be held in place without rattling or trampolining. This approach is taught in TDK Corporation's Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 11438/1981, which discloses applying a thermosetting adhesive to a surface of a tape. In accordance with this approach, an electronic circuit element series comprises a flat tape extending in a longitudinal direction and having a thermosetting adhesive applied onto a surface of the tape, and a plurality of electronic circuit elements held on the surface by the adhesive. Unfortunately, while the adhesive can be effective for holding the electronic circuit elements to the surface of the tape, TDK Corporation discloses problems with this approach in subsequent U.S. Pat. No. 5,089,314, stating that it is hard to release or extract the electronic circuit elements from the tape by the mounting head because the adhesive adheres to the entire bottom surfaces of the electronic circuit elements. The resulting adhesion is so strong as to prevent smooth picking, e.g. peeling, of the electronic circuit elements from the tape, and thus to prevent release of the electronic circuit elements. Other approaches involving use of adhesives in carrier tapes also have been disclosed. One approach has been to pattern adhesives on the carrier tapes so that the adhesives contact only partial portions of the surfaces of objects, such as dies, to be carried. This provides for easier peeling, and thus release, of dies from tapes. This approach is intended to account for fundamentally high holding forces of adhesives. Examples of this approach have been disclosed by Kawanishi et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,966,281, Gutentag-, U.S. Pat. No. 5,524,765, and Bird, U.S. Pat. No. 5,648,136. Another approach has been to lower tack force by using a UV cure adhesive that exhibits decreased tack after UV exposure, and conducting UV cure just before peeling dies from tapes. Examples of this approach have been disclosed by Chung, U.S. Pat. No. 6,938,783, and KR20150050551A. Another approach, which is currently being used in the electronic, medical, and photonics industries, involves use of silicone elastomers in place of adhesives to hold objects to a carrier tape. For example, Althouse, U.S. Pat. No. 5,682,731, discloses a carrier tape involving use of a silicone elastomer in place of an adhesive to hold objects corresponding to electronic or electrical devices. Silicone elastomer has a lower tack than an adhesive, and thus does not result in excessive adhesion. Silicone elastomer is undesirable for device contact, though. This is because silicone is a lubricant, and thus transfer of silicone to the corresponding devices can occur, which can lead to problems with downstream processing of objects. Also, these carrier tapes involve use of a support plastic film, also termed “sub-film,” on top of the carrier tape. Unfortunately, this results in the carrier tape having two rigid support films. This makes it difficult to peel dies from the carrier tape, because of full contact, as discussed above regarding the Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 11438/1981 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,089,314. This also prevents use of an ejector pin to push objects, such as dies, from the carrier tape, which is required in most die pick processes. Another approach involves use of pressure-sensitive adhesives. For example, Gutentag, U.S. Pat. No. 5,203,143, discloses use of a pressure sensitive adhesive tape in conjunction with an apertured carrier tape to receive, retain, and release small components in automated assembly processing. The pressure sensitive adhesive tape holds the small components and bonds to the apertured tape. Like previous approaches, the adhesive has a film support. Since the apertured tape has to withstand transportation and other handling, the adhesive strength must be substantial. No specifics are provided, though, leaving open the question of whether the adhesion may be excessive. Also, because of the high adhesive strength, the tape is mounted as two parallel rails along the apertured carrier tape. The opening between the rails provides a means to reduce die holding force, which is conceptually like the previous approaches of patterning an adhesive for partial contact. Similarly, Gutentag, U.S. Pat. No. 5,524,765, discloses use of a combination of adhesive tape and a flexible gel material to address the problem of excessive bonding to adhesive. The pressure sensitive adhesive used is the same as for prior U.S. Pat. No. 5,203,143, but the only composition provided for the gel is “curable liquid polymer.” Also, no description is given for how the gel would be bonded to the pressure sensitive adhesive. Accordingly, it is not clear how well this approach may work in practice. A need exists for an improved carrier for reversibly immobilizing one or more objects, such as an electronic component, a wafer, a semiconductor material wafer, a silicon wafer, an integrated circuit wafer, a die, a semiconductor material die, a silicon die, an integrated circuit die, a photonic component, a photodiode component, a light emitting diode component, a pharmaceutical product, a pharmaceutical pill, a pharmaceutical capsule, a crystalline material object, or a jewel. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A carrier for reversibly immobilizing one or more objects is provided. The carrier comprises (a) a frame having a major axis, a top surface, a bottom surface, and one or more openings through the frame along the major axis. The carrier also comprises (b) a film comprising a thermoplastic elastomer material and having a top surface and a bottom surface. The film is attached to the frame based on thermal bonding of the top surface of the film to the bottom surface of the frame, is under tension along the major axis of the frame, and is free to flex at the one or more openings through the frame. The top surface of the film comprises one or more exposed top surface portions that are accessible through the one or more openings through the frame. The one or more exposed top surface portions exhibit a holding force on stainless steel as per ASTM D1000 that is greater than that of the bottom surface of the film. In some examples, the frame has a width of 6.0 to 60 mm. In some examples, the frame has a thickness of 0.10 to 5.0 mm. In some examples, the one or more openings each have an opening area of 2.0 to 1,100 mm2. In some examples, the one or more openings, as seen from a top view, have a square shape, a rectangular shape, a circular shape, or an oval shape. Thus, in some examples, the frame has a width of 6.0 to 60 mm, the frame has a thickness of 0.10 to 5.0 mm, the one or more openings each have an opening area of 2.0 to 1,100 mm2, and/or the one or more openings, as seen from a top view, have a square shape, a rectangular shape, a circular shape, or an oval shape. In some examples, the frame comprises a plastic material. In some of these examples, the plastic material comprises one or more of polystyrene (PS), polycarbonate (PC), low density polyethylene (LDPE), high density polyethylene (HDPE), ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), polypropylene, or an engineering plastic. Also in some of these examples, the frame further comprises an additive that provides electrostatic discharge properties. The additive that provides electrostatic discharge properties can comprise, for example, one or more of a carbon nanotube, carbon black, a carbon fiber, a conductive polymer, a conductive powder, a conductive fiber, a metal salt, a lithium salt, an antistatic additive, or a modified urethane. In some examples, the frame further has sprocket holes along the major axis of the frame. In some examples, the film has a thickness of 0.00050 to 0.010 inches (0.013 to 0.25 mm). In some examples, the thermal bonding comprises melting the top surface of the film to the bottom surface of the frame. In some examples, the film is attached to the frame without use of adhesive or bonding agent. In some examples, the one or more exposed top surface portions are unsupported. Thus, in some examples, the film has a thickness of 0.00050 to 0.010 inches (0.013 to 0.25 mm), the thermal bonding comprises melting the top surface of the film to the bottom surface of the frame, the film is attached to the frame without use of adhesive or bonding agent, and/or the one or more exposed top surface portions are unsupported. In some examples, the thermoplastic elastomeric material of the film comprises one or more of thermoplastic urethane (TPU), thermoplastic co-polyesters (COPE), thermoplastic co-polyamides (COPA), thermoplastic olefin elastomer (e.g. copolymer of ethylene with one or more of propylene, butene, or octene), styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene (SEBS), styrene-ethylene-propylene-styrene (SEPS), styrene-ethylene-ethylene-butylene-styrene (SEEBS), styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS), styrene-isoprene-styrene (SIS), styrene-isobutylene-styrene (SIBS), poly(methyl methacrylate)-b-poly(n-butyl acrylate)-b-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA-b-PnBA-b-PMMA), or ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA). In some examples, the film further comprises one or more of a plasticizer, a reinforcing plastic, or an antioxidant. In some examples, the film further comprises an additive that provides electrostatic discharge properties. The additive that provides electrostatic discharge properties can comprise, for example, one or more of a carbon nanotube, carbon black, a carbon fiber, a conductive polymer, a conductive powder, a conductive fiber, a metal salt, a lithium salt, an antistatic additive, or a modified urethane. In some examples, the film is substantially free of silicone. In some examples, the film is substantially free of adhesive. Thus, in some examples, the film is substantially free of silicone, and the film is substantially free of adhesive. In some examples, the film exhibits one or more of the following properties: hysteresis of less than 9% when stretched up to 100%; elongation of greater than 400% at break; a tan Δ of less than 0.2 at room temperature (20° C.) when measured at 1 hertz; a primary Tglower than −20° C. when measured at 1 hertz; a Shore A durometer of less than 75 A; or a number average molecular weight (Mn) of a primary elastomer molecule of the thermoplastic elastomer material in final form being greater than 50,000 daltons. In some examples, the film has a one-layer structure having a uniform composition. In some examples, the film has a two-layer structure comprising a first layer and an opposite second layer attached to the first layer, the first layer and the second layer both having a uniform composition, the uniform composition of the first layer being different than the uniform composition of the second layer. In some examples, the film has a three-layer structure comprising a first layer, an opposite second layer, and a third layer between the first layer and the second layer, the third layer bonding the first layer and the second layer, the first layer and the second layer both having a uniform composition, the uniform composition of the first layer being different than the uniform composition of the second layer. In some examples, the one or more exposed top surface portions exhibit a holding force on stainless steel as per ASTM D1000 that is greater than that of the bottom surface of the film based on one or more of: the bottom surface of the film having a higher modulus than the one or more exposed top surface portions; or the bottom surface of the film being more texturized than the one or more exposed top surface portions. In some examples, the one or more exposed top surface portions of the top surface of the film exhibit a holding force on stainless steel as per ASTM D1000 of less than 1.0 ounce per inch (less than 11 g/cm). In some examples, the one or more exposed top surface portions do not include push-out holes. A tape and reel carrier device also is provided. The carrier device comprises (a) a carrier. The carrier device also comprises (b) a reel. In accordance with the carrier device, the carrier is a carrier as described above. Thus, the carrier comprises (a) a frame having a major axis, a top surface, a bottom surface, and one or more openings through the frame along the major axis. The carrier also comprises (b) a film comprising a thermoplastic elastomer material and having a top surface and a bottom surface. The film is attached to the frame based on thermal bonding of the top surface of the film to the bottom surface of the frame, is under tension along the major axis of the frame, and is free to flex at the one or more openings through the frame. The top surface of the film comprises one or more exposed top surface portions that are accessible through the one or more openings through the frame. The one or more exposed top surface portions exhibit a holding force on stainless steel as per ASTM D1000 that is greater than that of the bottom surface of the film. Also in accordance with the carrier device, the carrier can embody the various examples of the carrier as described above. Thus, for example, in some examples the frame has a width of 6.0 to 60 mm, the frame has a thickness of 0.10 to 5.0 mm, the one or more openings each have an opening area of 2.0 to 1,100 mm2, and/or the one or more openings, as seen from a top view, have a square shape, a rectangular shape, a circular shape, or an oval shape. Also in some examples, the frame comprises a plastic material, and in some of these examples, the frame further comprises an additive that provides electrostatic discharge properties. Also in some examples, the frame further has sprocket holes along the major axis of the frame. Also in some examples, the film has a thickness of 0.00050 to 0.010 inches (0.013 to 0.25 mm), the thermal bonding comprises melting the top surface of the film to the bottom surface of the frame, the film is attached to the frame without use of adhesive or bonding agent, and/or the one or more exposed top surface portions are unsupported. Also in some examples, the thermoplastic elastomeric material of the film comprises one or more of thermoplastic urethane (TPU), thermoplastic co-polyesters (COPE), thermoplastic co-polyamides (COPA), thermoplastic olefin elastomer (e.g. copolymer of ethylene with one or more of propylene, butene, or octene), styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene (SEBS), styrene-ethylene-propylene-styrene (SEPS), styrene-ethylene-ethylene-butylene-styrene (SEEBS), styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS), styrene-isoprene-styrene (SIS), styrene-isobutylene-styrene (SIBS), poly(methyl methacrylate)-b-poly(n-butyl acrylate)-b-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA-b-PnBA-b-PMMA), or ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA). Also in some examples, the film further comprises one or more of a plasticizer, a reinforcing plastic, or an antioxidant, and/or the film further comprises an additive that provides electrostatic discharge properties. Also in some examples, the film is substantially free of silicone, and/or the film is substantially free of adhesive. Also in some examples, the film exhibits one or more of the following properties: hysteresis of less than 9% when stretched up to 100%; elongation of greater than 400% at break; a tan Δ of less than 0.2 at room temperature (20° C.) when measured at 1 hertz; a primary Tglower than −20° C. when measured at 1 hertz; a Shore A durometer of less than 75 A; or a number average molecular weight (Mn) of a primary elastomer molecule of the thermoplastic elastomer material in final form being greater than 50,000 daltons. Also in some examples, the film has a one-layer structure, a two-layer structure, or a three-layer structure as described above. Also in some examples, the one or more exposed top surface portions exhibit a holding force on stainless steel as per ASTM D1000 that is greater than that of the bottom surface of the film based on one or more of: the bottom surface of the film having a higher modulus than the one or more exposed top surface portions; or the bottom surface of the film being more texturized than the one or more exposed top surface portions. Also in some examples, the one or more exposed top surface portions of the top surface of the film exhibit a holding force on stainless steel as per ASTM D1000 of less than 1.0 ounce per inch (less than 11 g/cm). Also in some examples, the one or more exposed top surface portions do not include push-out holes. Also in accordance with the carrier device, the carrier is a tape, and the carrier is wound around the reel. In some examples, the tape and reel carrier device further comprises one or more objects reversibly immobilized on the one or more exposed top surface portions of the top surface of the film of the carrier. In some of these examples, the one or more objects are reversibly immobilized based on the one or more exposed top surface portions conforming to a shape of the one or more objects. Also in some of these examples, the one or more exposed top surface portions each have an exposed surface area, and the one or more objects that are reversibly immobilized occupy 70% of the exposed surface area. Also in some of these examples, the one or more objects are reversibly immobilized on the one or more exposed top surface portions at an average frequency of less than or equal to one of the objects per exposed top surface portion. Also in some of these examples, the one or more objects are reversibly immobilized on the one or more exposed top surface portions at an average frequency of greater than one of the objects per exposed top surface portion. Also in some of these examples, the one or more objects comprise one or more of an electronic component, a wafer, a semiconductor material wafer, a silicon wafer, an integrated circuit wafer, a die, a semiconductor material die, a silicon die, an integrated circuit die, a photonic component, a photodiode component, a light emitting diode component, a pharmaceutical product, a pharmaceutical pill, a pharmaceutical capsule, a crystalline material object, or a jewel. In some examples, the tape and reel carrier device further comprises a cover tape having a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the bottom surface of the cover tape is reversibly attached to the top surface of the frame. A method of use of a carrier for reversibly immobilizing one or more objects to the carrier also is provided. In accordance with the method of use, the carrier is a carrier as described above. Thus, the carrier comprises (a) a frame having a major axis, a top surface, a bottom surface, and one or more openings through the frame along the major axis. The carrier also comprises (b) a film comprising a thermoplastic elastomer material and having a top surface and a bottom surface. The film is attached to the frame based on thermal bonding of the top surface of the film to the bottom surface of the frame, is under tension along the major axis of the frame, and is free to flex at the one or more openings through the frame. The top surface of the film comprises one or more exposed top surface portions that are accessible through the one or more openings through the frame. The one or more exposed top surface portions exhibit a holding force on stainless steel as per ASTM D1000 that is greater than that of the bottom surface of the film. Also in accordance with the method of use, the carrier can embody the various examples of the carrier as described above. Thus, for example, in some examples the frame has a width of 6.0 to 60 mm, the frame has a thickness of 0.10 to 5.0 mm, the one or more openings each have an opening area of 2.0 to 1,100 mm2, and/or the one or more openings, as seen from a top view, have a square shape, a rectangular shape, a circular shape, or an oval shape. Also in some examples, the frame comprises a plastic material, and in some of these examples, the frame further comprises an additive that provides electrostatic discharge properties. Also in some examples, the frame further has sprocket holes along the major axis of the frame. Also in some examples, the film has a thickness of 0.00050 to 0.010 inches (0.013 to 0.25 mm), the thermal bonding comprises melting the top surface of the film to the bottom surface of the frame, the film is attached to the frame without use of adhesive or bonding agent, and/or the one or more exposed top surface portions are unsupported. Also in some examples, the thermoplastic elastomeric material of the film comprises one or more of thermoplastic urethane (TPU), thermoplastic co-polyesters (COPE), thermoplastic co-polyamides (COPA), thermoplastic olefin elastomer (e.g. copolymer of ethylene with one or more of propylene, butene, or octene), styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene (SEBS), styrene-ethylene-propylene-styrene (SEPS), styrene-ethylene-ethylene-butylene-styrene (SEEBS), styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS), styrene-isoprene-styrene (SIS), styrene-isobutylene-styrene (SIBS), poly(methyl methacrylate)-b-poly(n-butyl acrylate)-b-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA-b-PnBA-b-PMMA), or ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA). Also in some examples, the film further comprises one or more of a plasticizer, a reinforcing plastic, or an antioxidant, and/or the film further comprises an additive that provides electrostatic discharge properties. Also in some examples, the film is substantially free of silicone, and/or the film is substantially free of adhesive. Also in some examples, the film exhibits one or more of the following properties: hysteresis of less than 9% when stretched up to 100%; elongation of greater than 400% at break; a tan Δ of less than 0.2 at room temperature (20° C.) when measured at 1 hertz; a primary Tglower than −20° C. when measured at 1 hertz; a Shore A durometer of less than 75 A; or a number average molecular weight (Mn) of a primary elastomer molecule of the thermoplastic elastomer material in final form being greater than 50,000 daltons. Also in some examples, the film has a one-layer structure, a two-layer structure, or a three-layer structure as described above. Also in some examples, the one or more exposed top surface portions exhibit a holding force on stainless steel as per ASTM D1000 that is greater than that of the bottom surface of the film based on one or more of: the bottom surface of the film having a higher modulus than the one or more exposed top surface portions; or the bottom surface of the film being more texturized than the one or more exposed top surface portions. Also in some examples, the one or more exposed top surface portions of the top surface of the film exhibit a holding force on stainless steel as per ASTM D1000 of less than 1.0 ounce per inch (less than 11 g/cm). Also in some examples, the one or more exposed top surface portions do not include push-out holes. The method of use comprises a step of: (1) placing one or more objects on the one or more exposed top surface portions of the top surface of the film of the carrier, thereby reversibly immobilizing the one or more objects to the carrier. In some examples, the one or more objects are reversibly immobilized based on the one or more exposed top surface portions conforming to a shape of the one or more objects. In some examples, the one or more exposed top surface portions each have an exposed surface area, and the one or more objects that are reversibly immobilized occupy ≤70% of the exposed surface area. Thus, in some examples, the one or more objects are reversibly immobilized based on the one or more exposed top surface portions conforming to a shape of the one or more objects, and the one or more exposed top surface portions each have an exposed surface area, and the one or more objects that are reversibly immobilized occupy ≤70% of the exposed surface area. In some examples, one of the objects is reversibly immobilized per exposed top surface portion. In some examples, two or more of the objects are reversibly immobilized per exposed top surface portion. In some examples, the one or more objects comprise one or more of an electronic component, a wafer, a semiconductor material wafer, a silicon wafer, an integrated circuit wafer, a die, a semiconductor material die, a silicon die, an integrated circuit die, a photonic component, a photodiode component, a light emitting diode component, a pharmaceutical product, a pharmaceutical pill, a pharmaceutical capsule, a crystalline material object, or a jewel. In some examples, the method of use further comprises a step of: (2) applying a cover tape having a top surface and a bottom surface to the carrier, wherein the bottom surface of the cover tape is reversibly attached to the top surface of the frame. In some of these examples, the method further comprises steps of: (0) unwinding the carrier from a reel; and (3) winding the carrier around a reel. In some of these examples, the method of use further still comprises steps of: (4) unwinding the carrier from a reel; (5) removing the cover tape from the carrier; and (6) removing the one or more objects from the carrier. In some of these examples, the removing of the one or more objects from the carrier is accomplished by picking the one or more objects from the carrier. In some examples, the carrier is used during one or more of a manufacturing process or a transportation process. A method of making a carrier also is provided. In accordance with the method of making, the carrier is a carrier as described above. Thus, the carrier comprises (a) a frame having a major axis, a top surface, a bottom surface, and one or more openings through the frame along the major axis. The carrier also comprises (b) a film comprising a thermoplastic elastomer material and having a top surface and a bottom surface. The film is attached to the frame based on thermal bonding of the top surface of the film to the bottom surface of the frame, is under tension along the major axis of the frame, and is free to flex at the one or more openings through the frame. The top surface of the film comprises one or more exposed top surface portions that are accessible through the one or more openings through the frame. The one or more exposed top surface portions exhibit a holding force on stainless steel as per ASTM D1000 that is greater than that of the bottom surface of the film. Also in accordance with the method of making, the carrier can embody the various examples of the carrier as described above. Thus, for example, in some examples the frame has a width of 6.0 to 60 mm, the frame has a thickness of 0.10 to 5.0 mm, the one or more openings each have an opening area of 2.0 to 1,100 mm2, and/or the one or more openings, as seen from a top view, have a square shape, a rectangular shape, a circular shape, or an oval shape. Also in some examples, the frame comprises a plastic material, and in some of these examples, the frame further comprises an additive that provides electrostatic discharge properties. Also in some examples, the frame further has sprocket holes along the major axis of the frame. Also in some examples, the film has a thickness of 0.00050 to 0.010 inches (0.013 to 0.25 mm), the thermal bonding comprises melting the top surface of the film to the bottom surface of the frame, the film is attached to the frame without use of adhesive or bonding agent, and/or the one or more exposed top surface portions are unsupported. Also in some examples, the thermoplastic elastomeric material of the film comprises one or more of thermoplastic urethane (TPU), thermoplastic co-polyesters (COPE), thermoplastic co-polyamides (COPA), thermoplastic olefin elastomer (e.g. copolymer of ethylene with one or more of propylene, butene, or octene), styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene (SEBS), styrene-ethylene-propylene-styrene (SEPS), styrene-ethylene-ethylene-butylene-styrene (SEEBS), styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS), styrene-isoprene-styrene (SIS), styrene-isobutylene-styrene (SIBS), poly(methyl methacrylate)-b-poly(n-butyl acrylate)-b-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA-b-PnBA-b-PMMA), or ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA). Also in some examples, the film further comprises one or more of a plasticizer, a reinforcing plastic, or an antioxidant, and/or the film further comprises an additive that provides electrostatic discharge properties. Also in some examples, the film is substantially free of silicone, and/or the film is substantially free of adhesive. Also in some examples, the film exhibits one or more of the following properties: hysteresis of less than 9% when stretched up to 100%; elongation of greater than 400% at break; a tan Δ of less than 0.2 at room temperature (20° C.) when measured at 1 hertz; a primary Tglower than −20° C. when measured at 1 hertz; a Shore A durometer of less than 75 A; or a number average molecular weight (Mn) of a primary elastomer molecule of the thermoplastic elastomer material in final form being greater than 50,000 daltons. Also in some examples, the film has a one-layer structure, a two-layer structure, or a three-layer structure as described above. Also in some examples, the one or more exposed top surface portions exhibit a holding force on stainless steel as per ASTM D1000 that is greater than that of the bottom surface of the film based on one or more of: the bottom surface of the film having a higher modulus than the one or more exposed top surface portions; or the bottom surface of the film being more texturized than the one or more exposed top surface portions. Also in some examples, the one or more exposed top surface portions of the top surface of the film exhibit a holding force on stainless steel as per ASTM D1000 of less than 1.0 ounce per inch (less than 11 g/cm). Also in some examples, the one or more exposed top surface portions do not include push-out holes. The method of making comprises a step of: (1) extruding a film extrusion composition comprising the thermoplastic elastomer material onto the frame, thereby forming the film. The film becomes attached to the frame during the extruding based on thermal bonding, thereby forming the carrier. In some examples, the extruding is accomplished by use of a melt flex-lip extrusion die. In some examples, the thermal bonding comprises melting the top surface of the film to the bottom surface of the frame. In some examples, the film is attached to the frame without use of adhesive or bonding agent. Thus, in some examples, the extruding is accomplished by use of a melt flex-lip extrusion die, the thermal bonding comprises melting the top surface of the film to the bottom surface of the frame, and/or the film is attached to the frame without use of adhesive or bonding agent. In some examples, the extruding comprises moving the frame at a first velocity, and forming the film at a second velocity, the first velocity being greater than the second velocity, the film thereby being under tension along the major axis of the frame upon attachment to the frame. In some examples, the method of making further comprises a step of: (2) punching sprocket holes in the frame, along the major axis of the frame. In some examples, the method of making further comprises a step of: (3) winding the carrier around a reel.

11342568

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2018-172312, filed Sep. 14, 2018, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. BACKGROUND Field The present disclosure relates to a fuel cell vehicle and a method using the fuel cell vehicle. Related Art For example, JP 2002-063695A discloses a system configured to send and receive stock information and location information between each mobile vending vehicle and a supplier vehicle used to supply commodities or between each mobile vending vehicle and a home base and to give an instruction to supply commodities to a mobile vending vehicle that has less commodities in stock.Patent Literature 1: JP2002-063695A The system described above manages the stock information of the mobile vending vehicle but does not take into account the remaining amount of a fuel. When a fuel cell vehicle is used as a mobile vending vehicle or the like, hydrogen used as a fuel may be consumed for applications other than driving; for example, electric power generated by the fuel cell may be used for business. In the current state, there are only a small number of hydrogen stations. In some cases, a large amount of hydrogen may thus be required for the fuel cell vehicle to be driven to a nearest hydrogen station. There is accordingly a likelihood that the fuel cell vehicle fails to reach a nearest hydrogen station after termination of business, due to insufficiency of hydrogen for driving. SUMMARY According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a fuel cell vehicle. This fuel cell vehicle comprises a fuel cell; a hydrogen tank configured to supply hydrogen to the fuel cell; a driving motor driven with electric power generated by the fuel cell; a power feeder configured to supply the electric power generated by the fuel cell to an external load; and a controller configured to control an operation mode of the fuel cell vehicle between a drive mode that supplies electric power to the driving motor and a power feed mode that supplies electric power to the power feeder. The controller is configured to: obtain current location information with regard to a current location of the fuel cell vehicle, supply position information with regard to a supply position where the fuel cell vehicle receives a supply of hydrogen, a fuel consumption of the fuel cell vehicle in the drive mode, a remaining amount of hydrogen stored in the hydrogen tank, and a consumed amount of hydrogen per unit time in the power feed mode; use the current location information and the supply position information to calculate a required amount of hydrogen that is required for the fuel cell vehicle to drive from the current location to the supply position in the drive mode; use the required amount of hydrogen, the remaining amount of hydrogen, and the consumed amount of hydrogen per unit time in the power feed mode to calculate a power feedable period that denotes a time period when the fuel cell vehicle is operable in the power feed mode without causing the remaining amount of hydrogen to become less than the required amount of hydrogen; and display information with regard to the power feedable period.

11415150

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a 371 nationalization of international patent application PCT/EP2019/063678 filed May 27, 2019, which claims priority under 35 USC § 119 to European patent application EP 18174614.0, filed May 28, 2018 and to European patent application EP 18201263.3 filed Oct. 18, 2018. The entire contents of each of the above-identified applications are hereby incorporated by reference. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS There are shown FIG. 1a first embodiment of a fluid pump according to the invention in an axial section view, FIG. 2a second embodiment of a fluid pump according to the invention in an axial section view, FIG. 3a third embodiment of a fluid pump according to the invention in an axial section view, FIG. 4a diagram which illustrates the protection from contact by the safety bearing, FIG. 5a fourth embodiment of a fluid pump according to the invention, and FIG. 6a fifth embodiment of a fluid pump according to the invention.

11402750

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a curable composition for imprinting, a method of manufacturing a cured product pattern, a method of manufacturing a circuit substrate, and a cured product. 2. Description of the Related Art In an imprinting method, a curable composition is irradiated with light to be photocured through a light-transmitting mold or a light-transmitting substrate, and then the mold is released. As a result, a fine pattern is transferred to the photocured product. In this method, imprinting can be performed at room temperature. Therefore, the method is applicable to the precision machining field of ultrafine patterns such as preparation of semiconductor integrated circuits. Recently, the development of a new method such as a nanocasting method having advantageous effects of both methods together or a reversal imprinting method for manufacturing a three-dimensional laminate structure has been reported. As the curable composition for imprinting, for example, compositions disclosed in JP2010-083970A, WO2015/137438A, JP2015-071741A, and JP2013-095833A are known. On the other hand, as one imprinting method, a method called “Step and Flash Imprint Lithography System:S-FIL system) or “Step and Repeat Process” is known (JP2005-533393A). SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the step and repeat process, as described below in detail, light (flare light) may leak to an adjacent portion during exposure such that a curing reaction of a curable composition for imprinting in a peripheral region progresses. In this case, the imprinting of the cured adjacent portion does not progress appropriately such that defects of a pattern may occur. For curing control, for example, the exposure dose during imprinting may be reduced. In this case, however, a curable composition for imprinting in the exposed portion may be insufficiently cured, and defects such as collapse may occur in a transfer pattern. An object of the present invention is to solve the above-described problems and to provide a curable composition for imprinting capable of inhibiting an excessive reaction caused by light leak, a method of manufacturing a cured product pattern, a method of manufacturing a circuit substrate, and a cured product. The present inventor conducted an investigation in order to achieve the object and found that the object can be achieved by mixing a polyfunctional polymerizable compound, a photopolymerization initiator, and an ultraviolet absorber and/or a polymerization inhibitor in specific amounts. Specifically, the above-described object can be achieved using the following means <1>, preferably <2> to <15>. <1> A curable composition for imprinting that satisfies the following A to C: A: the curable composition comprises a polyfunctional polymerizable compound having a polymerizable group equivalent of 150 or higher; B: the curable composition comprises a photopolymerization initiator; and C: the curable composition satisfies at least one of a condition that a content of an ultraviolet absorber in which a light absorption coefficient at a maximum emission wavelength of an irradiation light source is 1/2 or higher of a light absorption coefficient of the photopolymerization initiator is 0.5 to 8 mass % with respect to non-volatile components or a condition that a content of a polymerization inhibitor is 0.1 to 5 mass % with respect to the non-volatile components. <2> The curable composition for imprinting according to claim1, further comprising: a solvent. <3> The curable composition for imprinting according to <1> or <2>, in which a weight-average molecular weight of the polyfunctional polymerizable compound is 1,000 or higher. <4> The curable composition for imprinting according to any one of <1> to <3>, in which the ultraviolet absorber includes any one of a benzophenone ultraviolet absorber, a benzotriazole ultraviolet absorber, or a cyanoacrylate ultraviolet absorber. <5> The curable composition for imprinting according to any one of <1> to <4>, in which a ratio of the light absorption coefficient of the ultraviolet absorber to the light absorption coefficient of the photopolymerization initiator is 1/2 to 3/2. <6> The curable composition for imprinting according to any one of <1> to <5>, further comprising: a release agent. <7> The curable composition for imprinting according to any one of <1> to <6>, in which a content of the polyfunctional polymerizable compound is 50 mass % or higher with respect to all polymerizable compounds. <8> The curable composition for imprinting according to any one of <1> to <7>, in which a content of the photopolymerization initiator is 0.5 to 5 mass % with respect to the non-volatile components. <9> The curable composition for imprinting according to any one of <1> to <8>, in which in a case where the curable composition for imprinting is applied to a silicon substrate at a thickness of 80 nm and is irradiated with light having a wavelength of 365 nm at an exposure dose of 10 mJ/cm2in an atmosphere having an oxygen concentration of 3%, a reaction rate of a polymerizable group is 50% or lower. <10> The curable composition for imprinting according to any one of <1> to <9>, that is used for a step and repeat process. <11> A method of manufacturing a cured product pattern using the curable composition for imprinting according to any one of <1> to <9>, the method comprising: performing an imprinting method through a step and repeat process. <12> The method of manufacturing a cured product pattern according to <11>, in which the curable composition for imprinting is applied to an adhesion layer. <13> The method of manufacturing a cured product pattern according to <11> or <12>, in which the curable composition for imprinting is applied to a substrate using a spin coating method. <14> A method of manufacturing a circuit substrate comprising: the method of manufacturing a cured product pattern according to any one of <11> to <13>. <15> A cured product which is formed of the curable composition for imprinting according to any one of <1> to <10>. With the present invention, it is possible to provide a curable composition for imprinting capable of inhibiting an excessive reaction caused by light leak, a cured product, and a method of manufacturing a cured product pattern. In particular, it is also possible to provide a curable composition for imprinting that can be suitably used for a nanoimprinting process of a step and repeat process, a cured product, and a method of manufacturing a cured product pattern.

11432526

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a National Stage of International Application No. PCT/EP2018/061177 filed May 2, 2018, claiming priority based on European Patent Application No. 17 169 253.6 filed May 3, 2017. TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an excrement-drying installation for livestock barns, as claimed in the preamble of claim1. PRIOR ART It is known from the prior art that excrement arising in livestock barns such as, for example, in poultry barns, is treated, in particular dried. A facility which comprises an excrement transportation belt and an aeration device is known from EP 0 047 043. The aeration device extends so as to be parallel to the excrement transportation belt and exposes the excrement lying on the excrement transportation belt to dry air such that said excrement dries. The aeration device herein extends across the entire length of the excrement transportation belt. It is disadvantageous in the system according to EP 0 047 043 that the aeration device introduces a very large amount of air across the entire length of the excrement transportation belt. On account thereof, a lot of energy is used, this representing a disadvantage in economic terms. Moreover, the excrement is not particularly well aerated. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION Proceeding from this prior art, the invention is based on an object of providing a method as well as a device which overcome the disadvantages of the prior art. In particular, the method, or the device, respectively, is to be operated in an economical manner. This object is achieved by the subject matter of claim1. Accordingly, an excrement-drying device for livestock barns such as poultry barns comprises an excrement transportation belt for conveying the excrement along a conveying direction, wherein the excrement transportation belt extends across a conveying length and has an upper side for receiving the excrement, and a drying unit having at least one dispensing element which for drying the excrement has at least one air nozzle or a multiplicity of air nozzles for spraying air onto the excrement lying on the excrement transportation belt. The upper side of the excrement transportation belt for receiving the excrement is divided into a plurality of excrement transportation belt portions which lie behind one another in the conveying direction. Each of the excrement transportation belt portions occupies a sub-area of the entire upper side. The at least one dispensing element is disposed in such a manner that said dispensing element acts on an operative region which in terms of area corresponds to said sub-area. On account thereof, the excrement by way of the conveyor installation is moved into the operative region of the drying unit, or of the dispensing device, respectively, and can be dried therein. As the air used for drying acts only across an excrement transportation belt portion which corresponds to part of the entire upper side of the excrement transportation belt, the advantage results, that not the entire length of the excrement transportation belt is exposed to air. The arrangement of an air intake duct which extends across the entire length of an excrement transportation belt is dispensed with. On account thereof, the system can be produced and also operated in a more economical manner. Moreover, the air inflow is improved on account of the corresponding arrangement, this allowing the excrement to dry more rapidly. The system can be advantageously operated because the excrement transportation belt can be moved onward in a cycled manner, and thus, excrement transportation belt portion by excrement transport belt portion can be moved in a cycled manner into the operative region of the drying unit, or of the dispensing device, respectively. Furthermore, the advantage results, that the volumetric flow of the air can be chosen so as to be higher than in the case of facilities in which the aeration device extends across the entire length of the excrement transportation belt, because less consideration has to be paid to potential air turbulences which lead to a draft in the barn. This has the advantage that the creation of ammonia on account of slow drying can be counteracted, wherein the livestock situated in the barn are simultaneously protected against a harmful draft. The excrement-drying device is preferably operated over 24 hours, this becoming advantageous for the drying of the excrement. In particular, less ammonia is formed. This operation in turn is rendered economically possible because the air is introduced only selectively to an excrement transportation belt portion of the upper side of the excrement transportation belt. On account of the 24 hour operation, a further advantage results, in that the excrement is dried before the formation of ammonia becomes most intense. The installation of an exhaust air purification system can be dispensed with on account of the reduction in the formation of ammonia. Nevertheless, an exhaust air purification system can still be arranged, depending on the dimensions. On account of the 24 hour operation, a further advantage results, in that the amount of excrement lying on the excrement transportation belt becomes smaller in comparison to facilities which are moved once per day. The term “upper side” is understood to be the area on which the excrement lies and which in the installed position is oriented upward. The excrement transportation belt is preferably a conveyor belt. The term “excrement transportation belt portion” is understood to be a sub-region, or a sub-area, respectively, of the entire upper side of the excrement transportation belt. According to a first variant, the drying unit is disposed above the excrement transportation belt and acts thus on the excrement transportation belt. In other words, the upper side of the excrement transportation belt for receiving the excrement is divided into a plurality of excrement transportation belt portions that lie behind one another in the conveying direction. The at least one dispensing element is disposed in such a manner that only one of said excrement transportation belt portions is sprayed with air. According to a second variant, the drying unit is disposed above a drying belt which is configured separately from said excrement transportation belt, wherein the drying belt preferably has a length which corresponds to that of said excrement transportation belt portion. The drying belt adjoins said excrement transportation belt and is supplied by the latter with excrement to be dried. The advantage of the separate drying belt in the present case is that the drying belt can be configured for the actual drying. In particular, the drying belt can be provided with an opening, for example, this facilitating the drying. The excrement transportation belt portion preferably extends across the entire width and across a sub-length of the excrement transportation belt. The excrement transportation belt portion thus has a width which corresponds to that of the excrement transportation belt, and said excrement transportation belt portion has a length which corresponds to part of the total length of the excrement transportation belt. The at least one dispensing element is preferably disposed in such a manner that the entire width of the excrement transportation belt, or of the drying belt, respectively, is capable of being sprayed with air. The at least one dispensing element particularly preferably extends across said sub-area, or within the excrement transportation belt portion, respectively, and is in particular disposed in such a manner that the entire width of the excrement transportation belt, or of the drying belt, respectively, is capable of being sprayed with air. However, not the entire length of the excrement transportation belt is sprayed with air. By spraying the entire width it is ensured that the excrement to be dried is capable of being sprayed with air well in the excrement transportation belt portion, or on the drying belt, respectively. The dispensing element preferably extends only across a sub-length of the excrement transportation belt, or across the drying belt, respectively, the latter having a length which corresponds to the sub-length. A sub-length represents a fraction of the conveying length of the excrement transportation belt. The dispensing element can extend in the conveying direction and/or transversely to the conveying direction across said sub-length of the excrement transportation belt, or across the drying belt, respectively. The width of the excrement transportation belt, or of the drying belt, respectively, is preferably between 0.5 and 3.5 meters, in particular between 1 and 2.8 meters. The dispensing element is preferably disposed so as to be locationally fixed in relation to the excrement transportation belt, or the drying belt, respectively, wherein the excrement transportation belt, or the drying belt, respectively, moves relative to the fixed dispensing element. The dispensing element is thus fixed in relation to the excrement belt, or to the drying belt, respectively, this enabling the dispensing element to be supplied with air in a simpler manner. Moreover, only the excrement transportation belt, or the drying belt, respectively, is displaced, which due to its configuration is anyway suitable for this purpose, on account of which the drying unit can be configured in a comparatively simple manner. The at least one dispensing element is preferably disposed in the end region of the excrement transportation belt. The end region of the excrement transportation belt is the region where the excrement drops from the excrement transportation belt. This means that the excrement transportation belt portion in which the excrement is dried essentially represents the end of the excrement transportation belt. This is advantageous because the drying unit can be disposed at the periphery of a barn or even outside the barn, this again being advantageous in terms of the issue of drafts. In a first embodiment, the at least one dispensing element extends from the end of the excrement transportation belt, or of the drying belt, respectively, against the conveying direction. In a second embodiment, the at least one dispensing element extends across the excrement transportation belt from one or both sides of the excrement transportation belt, or of the drying belt, respectively, transversely to the conveying direction. The at least one dispensing element in a variant of the first and the second embodiment can also be disposed in a serpentine shape or a meandering shape. According to the first or the second embodiment, respectively, the at least one dispensing element extends preferably parallel to and/or transversely to the conveying direction in a spaced apart manner from the upper side of the excrement transportation belt, or of the drying belt, respectively. According to the first or the second embodiment, respectively, the at least one dispensing element has the shape of a pipe. The pipe can have a circular or an oval or an angular cross-section. The air nozzles herein penetrate the side wall of the pipe. A plurality of nozzles are preferably disposed in the direction of the pipe axis, in particular so as to be uniformly spaced apart. A nozzle is preferably understood to be an opening or a hole through which air can exit. According to the first or the second embodiment, respectively, the pipe preferably extends along a longitudinal axis which is configured as a straight line. According to the first or the second embodiment, respectively, a multiplicity of dispensing elements are preferably disposed. On account thereof, the air can be distributed in an optimal manner over the excrement transportation belt portion, or the drying belt, respectively. According to the first or the second embodiment, the dispensing elements are preferably disposed so as to be mutually parallel. In a first variant, the dispensing elements run parallel to the conveying direction. In a second variant, the dispensing elements run transversely to the conveying direction. Dispensing elements, independently of the orientation thereof, are disposed in such a manner that the entire operative region is sprayed with air by said dispensing elements. According to the first or the second embodiment, respectively, the dispensing elements preferably are arranged in a uniformly spaced apart manner. In the first embodiment, the dispensing elements, starting from the center of the excrement transportation belt, or of the drying belt, respectively, are particularly preferably arranged in a uniformly spaced apart manner beside one another. In the first embodiment, the distance between the upper side of the excrement transportation belt, or of the drying belt, respectively, and the dispensing elements, when viewed transversely to the conveying direction, preferably decreases toward the outside as the distance from the center of the excrement transportation belt, or of the drying belt, respectively increases. On account thereof, the distribution of air can be optimized. In the second embodiment, the distance between the upper side of the excrement transportation belt, or of the drying belt, respectively, and the dispensing elements is substantially consistent among all dispensing elements. According to the first or the second embodiment, respectively, a plurality of nozzles, when viewed in the direction of the dispensing element, thus preferably in the direction of the conveying direction and/or transversely to the conveying direction, are preferably disposed at a spacing of 2 to 5 centimeters between each other. According to the first or the second embodiment, the nozzles preferably have a diameter of 4 to 20 millimeters. The nozzle can also be configured as a nozzle slot. According to a third embodiment, the at least one dispensing element is disposed so as to be lateral to the excrement transportation belt, or beside the excrement transportation belt, respectively, wherein the at least one air nozzle sprays the excrement transversely to the conveying direction. The at least one dispensing element, when viewed in the conveying direction, lies beside the excrement transportation belt. Said third embodiment has the advantage that a larger installation space is available with respect to the configuration of the dispensing element. An additional advantage lies in that an improved airflow can be achieved. According to the third embodiment, a plurality of dispensing elements are preferably disposed behind one another in the direction of the conveying direction. On account thereof, the operative region, or said sub-area, respectively, can be enlarged. The dispensing elements are preferably disposed on both sides to the left and the right of the excrement transportation belt. This means that at least one dispensing element acts from the left on the excrement transportation belt, and at least one further dispensing element acts from the right on the excrement transportation belt. The dispensing elements in terms of the conveying direction are particularly preferably disposed in a mutually alternating manner. This means that a dispensing element disposed on the right side is offset in relation to a dispensing element disposed on the left side. The arrangement is particularly preferably such that the airflow of the one dispensing element does not interfere with the airflow of the other dispensing element. The dispensing elements on the left and the right are preferably always mutually offset at the same spacing. The intermediate spacing between two dispensing elements on the same side corresponds substantially to the length of one dispensing element, or is slightly larger or slightly smaller than the latter. Comprehensive spraying of said sub-area with air can thus be achieved. In another variant, the dispensing elements are disposed in a mutually opposite manner. The dispensing elements according to the third embodiment preferably comprise air nozzles in the shape of slots, or in the shape of sequentially disposed nozzle openings, wherein the air nozzles are oriented in the conveying direction. The dispensing elements according to the third embodiment preferably comprise at least one ventilator which suctions ambient air and dispenses the latter by way of the air nozzles. A plurality of ventilators are preferably disposed per dispensing element. The at least one dispensing element is preferably disposed so as to be locationally fixed in relation to the excrement transportation belt, or to the drying belt, respectively, wherein the excrement transportation belt, or the drying belt, respectively, moves relative to the fixed dispensing element. The respective advantages have already been discussed herein. The air is preferably at the ambient temperature. Alternatively, the air may also be heated. To this end, a heat exchanger, in particular an air heat exchanger, can be used. The volumetric flow of the air dispensed by the dispensing element is preferably 100 to 700 m{circumflex over ( )}3/hour per square meter of area. The drying unit preferably comprises a collector pipe which is fluidically connected to the at least one dispensing element according to the first or the second embodiment, respectively, wherein the at least one dispensing element is supplied with air by way of the collector pipe. The collector pipe is preferably orthogonal to the at least one dispensing element. In the first embodiment, the collector pipe at the end of the excrement transportation belt, or of the drying belt, respectively, is preferably transverse to the conveying direction. In the second embodiment, the collector pipe preferably runs so as to be parallel to the conveying direction and is preferably disposed beside the excrement transportation belt, or the drying belt, respectively. A ventilator by way of which air is conveyed into the collector pipe is preferably disposed in or on the collector pipe. The ventilator is in particular a pressurized ventilator. The air can be barn air or barn air mixed with external air. The cross section of the collector pipe corresponds substantially to the sum of all cross sections of the dispensing elements. The diameter of the collector pipe, or the length of the sides in the case of a rectangular cross section of the collector pipe, respectively, is preferably in the range from 200 to 600 millimeters. Said excrement transportation belt portion, or the drying belt, respectively, when viewed in the conveying direction preferably has a length of 3 meters to 6 meters, or up to 10 meters. However, the excrement transportation belt portion, or the drying belt, respectively, can also be longer. Depending on the width of the belts, the operative region is accordingly preferably between 3 to 25.0 m{circumflex over ( )}2. The length of said excrement transportation belt portion, when viewed in the conveying direction, is preferably chosen in such a manner that in case of one complete revolution of the excrement transportation belt within 24 hours at a dwell time of 1 to 6 hours each excrement transportation belt portion comes to lie once below the at least one dispensing element. The dwell time can also be in the range from 1 hour to 4 hours. Said conveying length of the excrement transportation belt is preferably at most 140 meters or at most 100 meters, in particular at most 70 meters. In the case of comparatively long facilities, it is conceivable for two or a plurality of excrement-drying installations to be disposed behind one another. The conveying length is preferably an integer multiple of the sub-length. The excrement-drying installation furthermore preferably comprises a measuring device for determining the degree of drying of the excrement, wherein the measuring device is disposed in the operative region of the dispensing element. The measuring device has the advantage that the excrement transportation belt upon reaching a desired degree of drying In one particularly preferred variant a plurality of excrement transportation belts, or drying belts, having associated dispensing elements are disposed on top of one another. A mesh base, or a closed base, is preferably disposed above the excrement transportation belt in the installed position. The at least one dispensing element is preferably disposed above the excrement transportation belt, or the drying belt, respectively. The excrement-drying installation furthermore preferably comprises a controller by way of which the excrement transportation belt is actuatable in such a manner that the excrement transportation belt, or the drying belt, respectively, is in each case displaceable in a cycled manner by one advancing length which corresponds to a fraction of the entire conveying length. Preferably, said advancing length of one cycle preferably corresponds substantially to the length of said excrement transportation belt portion when viewed in the conveying direction. This means that in each case one excrement transportation belt portion of the excrement transportation belt is advanced into the operative region per cycle, and a subsequent excrement transportation belt portion of the excrement transportation belt is subsequently advanced into the operative region. A barn installation comprises an excrement-drying installation according to the description above, and furthermore, when viewed in the conveying direction, a pelletizing device disposed downstream of the excrement drying installation, the dried excrement being capable of being compressed so as to form pellets by way of said pelletizing device A method for operating an excrement-drying installation according to the description above is characterized in that the excrement transportation belt having the excrement lying thereon is moved in a cycled manner by said excrement transportation belt portion such that a first excrement transportation belt portion having excrement to be dried comes to lie in the operative region of said dispensing element, wherein the excrement transportation belt after a specific dwell time is moved onward by said excrement transportation belt portion in the conveying direction such that a second excrement transportation belt portion having excrement to be dried comes to lie in the operative region of said dispensing element, wherein the dried excrement of the first excrement transportation belt portion is discharged from the excrement transportation belt. A method for operating an excrement-drying installation according to the description above with the separate drying belt is characterized in that the the excrement transportation belt having the excrement lying thereon is moved in a cycled manner by said excrement transportation belt portion such that the excrement is moved onto the separate drying belt, such that the excrement to be dried comes to lie in the operative region of said dispensing element, wherein the drying belt after a specific dwell time is moved onward by said excrement transportation belt portion in the conveying direction such that excrement of a second excrement transportation belt portion comes to lie in the operative region of said dispensing element, wherein the dried excrement of the first excrement transportation belt portion is discharged from the drying belt. Said dwell time is preferably in the range from 1 to 6 hours, in particular in the range from 1 to 4 hours. The method is preferably carried out over a period of 24 hours. Further embodiments are specified in the dependent claims.

11436815

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2019-0163965 filed on 10 Dec. 2019 in Korea, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE Field of the Disclosure The present disclosure relates to object detection and, more particularly, to a method and an apparatus for limiting an object detection area. Related Art Object detection is a technology used in many application areas such as intelligent monitoring and surveillance system or autonomous navigation and refers to a computer vision task that detects positions and types of various objects in an image. In general, object detection converts an image into a feature map, generates a lot of candidate areas that may have an object in the corresponding image, and performs image classification and actual area prediction by using feature map information corresponding to each candidate area. Conventional object detection methods have a problem that the whole image is searched for existence of objects irrespective of their possibility of being present in the respective areas and thereby unnecessary computations are introduced and the time required for object detection is increased. Also, since images recorded by a camera are now commonly expressed with a high resolution of 640×480 pixels or more, as the resolution of an input image becomes higher, a more amount of computations are required for performing object detection, which makes it difficult to perform object detection in real-time in a mobile environment characterized by low computational performance. REFERENCES Patents (Patent 1) Korean Patent Application Publication No. 10-2017-0039465 (System and Method for Collecting Traffic Information Using Real-time Object Detection, Pusan National University, Apr. 11, 2017) SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE To solve the problem above, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a method for limiting an object detection area in a mobile system equipped with an image sensor so that the time required for object detection may be reduced and thereby object detection may be performed even in the mobile environment. To solve the problem above, another object of the present disclosure is to provide an apparatus for limiting an object detection area in a mobile system equipped with an image sensor so that the time required for object detection may be reduced and thereby object detection may be performed even in the mobile environment. However, it should be noted that technical objects to be achieved by the present disclosure are not limited to those described above but may be extended in various ways without departing from the technical principles and scope of the present disclosure. To solve the problem above, a method for limiting an object detection area in a mobile system equipped with an image sensor according to one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises receiving an image obtained with respect to a detection target object from the image sensor and receiving sensor information from a rotation detection sensor only when the mobile system is equipped with the rotation detection sensor—the sensor information includes at least one of 3-axis angular velocity and steering information, wherein the steering information includes a steering angle and a speed; determining rotation of the mobile system by using at least one of the sensor information and motion vectors; and if it is determined that the mobile system is rotating, limiting an object detection area by using at least one of the sensor information and the motion vectors. According to one aspect, the rotation detection sensor may include at least one of gyroscope and On Board Diagnostics (OBD). According to one aspect, the determining rotation of the mobile system may determine the rotation according to whether magnitude of one of the 3-axis angular velocities is equal to or larger than a predetermined reference value. According to one aspect, the determining rotation of the mobile system may determine the rotation according to whether the steering angle and the speed are equal to or larger than the respective predetermined reference values. According to one aspect, the motion vectors may be calculated by using position changes of one or more objects within a sampled area of the image, and the determining rotation of the mobile system may determine the rotation according to whether magnitude of an average of the motion vectors is equal to or larger than a predetermined reference value. According to one aspect, the limiting an object detection area may limit the object detection area to an area corresponding to a rotation direction of the mobile system within the image. According to one aspect, the receiving sensor information may further receive position information from GPS. According to one aspect, the limiting an object detection area may limit an object detection area according to road conditions around a current location obtained from a database in which road information is recorded. According to one aspect, the limiting an object detection area may limit the object detection area to a third area combining a first area limited by using at least one of the sensor information and the motion vectors and a second area limited according to road conditions around a current location obtained from the database in which road information is recorded. According to one aspect, the determining rotation of the mobile system may determine rotation of the mobile system by using the motion vectors when the mobile system is not equipped with the rotation detection sensor, determine rotation of the mobile system by using the 3-axis angular velocity when the sensor information is the 3-axis angular velocity, determine rotation of the mobile system by using the steering information when the sensor information is the steering information, and determine rotation of the mobile system when the sensor information includes both of the 3-axis angular velocity and the steering information. To solve the problem, an apparatus for limiting an object detection area in a mobile system equipped with an image sensor according to another embodiment of the present disclosure may comprise a sensor information receiving unit receiving an image obtained with respect to a detection target object from the image sensor and receiving sensor information from a rotation detection sensor only when the mobile system is equipped with the rotation detection sensor—the sensor information includes at least one of 3-axis angular velocity and steering information, wherein the steering information includes a steering angle and a speed; a rotation determining unit determining rotation of the mobile system by using at least one of the sensor information and motion vectors; and an object detection area limiting unit limiting an object detection area by using at least one of the sensor information and the motion vectors if it is determined that the mobile system is rotating. According to one aspect, the rotation detection sensor may include at least one of gyroscope and On Board Diagnostics (OBD). According to one aspect, the rotation determining unit may determine the rotation according to whether magnitude of one of the 3-axis angular velocities is equal to or larger than a predetermined reference value. According to one aspect, the rotation determining unit may determine the rotation according to whether the steering angle and the speed are equal to or larger than the respective predetermined reference values. According to one aspect, the motion vectors may be calculated by using position changes of one or more objects within a sampled area of the image, and the rotation determining unit may determine the rotation according to whether the average of the motion vectors is equal to or larger than a predetermined reference value. According to one aspect, the object detection area limiting unit may limit the object detection area to an area corresponding to a rotation direction of the mobile system within the image. According to one aspect, the sensor information receiving unit may further receive position information from GPS. According to one aspect, the object detection area limiting unit may limit an object detection area according to road conditions around a current location obtained from a database in which road information is recorded. According to one aspect, the object detection area limiting unit may limit the object detection area to a third area combining a first area limited by using at least one of the sensor information and the motion vectors and a second area limited according to road conditions around a current location from the database in which road information is recorded. According to one aspect, the rotation determining unit may determine rotation of the mobile system by using the motion vectors when the mobile system is not equipped with the rotation detection sensor, determine rotation of the mobile system by using the 3-axis angular velocity when the sensor information is the 3-axis angular velocity, determine rotation of the mobile system by using the steering information when the sensor information is the steering information, and determine rotation of the mobile system when the sensor information includes both of the 3-axis angular velocity and the steering information. To solve the problem above, in a computer-readable recording medium storing a computer program including commands by which a computer commands a mobile system equipped with an image sensor to limit an object detection area according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, the computer program includes commands by which the computer commands: to receive an image obtained with respect to a detection target object from the image sensor and receive sensor information from a rotation detection sensor only when the mobile system is equipped with the rotation detection sensor—the sensor information includes at least one of 3-axis angular velocity and steering information, wherein the steering information includes a steering angle and a speed; to determine rotation of the mobile system by using at least one of the sensor information and motion vectors; and to limit an object detection area by using at least one of the sensor information and the motion vectors if it is determined that the mobile system is rotating.

11286869

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-103237 filed on Jun. 15, 2020, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND 1. Technical Field The present disclosure relates to an engine device. 2. Description of Related Art In the related art, as an engine device of this type, an engine device including a first purge passage, a second purge passage, a supply passage, and a purge control valve is proposed. The first purge passage purges an evaporated fuel gas containing an evaporated fuel to the downstream side of an intake pipe of the engine with respect to a throttle valve. The second purge passage purges the evaporated fuel gas to the upstream side of the intake pipe with respect to of a compressor of a supercharger using an ejector that generates a negative pressure based on a boost pressure from the supercharger. The supply passage supplies the evaporated fuel gas generated in a fuel tank to the first purge passage and the second purge passage. The purge control valve is provided in the supply passage (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2019-052561 (JP 2019-052561 A)). In the engine device above, an intake pipe pressure on the downstream side of the intake pipe with respect to the throttle valve is compared with a pressure generated by the ejector, and which of the first purge passage or the second purge passage is used for purging the evaporated fuel gas is detected. SUMMARY In the engine device as described above, there may be a case where the evaporated fuel gas is spontaneously distributed and flow to the first purge passage and the second purge passage due to the pressure on the downstream side of the intake pipe with respect to the throttle valve, etc. In this case, there is a demand for capability to estimate a flow rate of the evaporated fuel gas flowing to each of the first purge passage and the second purge passage. An object of the engine device according to the present disclosure is to make it possible to estimate the flow rate of the evaporated fuel gas in each of the first purge passage and the second purge passage when the evaporated fuel gas flows to the first purge passage and the second purge passage. The engine device according to the present disclosure has adopted the following means in order to achieve the main object above. An engine device according to the present disclosure includes: an engine that includes a throttle valve disposed in an intake pipe and outputs power through explosive combustion in a combustion chamber using a fuel supplied from a fuel tank; a supercharger including a compressor disposed on an upstream side of the intake pipe with respect to the throttle valve; an evaporated fuel processing device including a supply passage that branches into a first purge passage connecting to a downstream side of the intake pipe with respect to the throttle valve and a second purge passage and supplies an evaporated fuel gas containing an evaporated fuel generated in the fuel tank to the intake pipe via the first purge passage and the second purge passage, an ejector having an intake port connecting to a return passage connecting to the intake pipe between the compressor and the throttle valve, an exhaust port connecting to an upstream side of the intake pipe with respect to the compressor, and a suction port connecting to the second purge passage, and a purge control valve provided in the supply passage; and a control device. In the engine device, when a predetermined condition that the evaporated fuel gas that passes through the purge control valve flows to the first purge passage and the second purge passage is satisfied, the control device estimates a flow rate ratio of a first passage flow rate to a second passage flow rate based on a relationship between a throttle post pressure being a pressure on the downstream side of the intake pipe with respect to the throttle valve and an ejector pressure being a pressure of the suction port of the ejector, the first passage flow rate being a flow rate of the evaporated fuel gas flowing in the first purge passage and the second passage flow rate being a flow rate of the evaporated fuel gas flowing in the second purge passage, and estimates the first passage flow rate and the second passage flow rate based on the flow rate ratio and a valve passing flow rate being a flow rate of the evaporated fuel gas that passes through the purge control value. In the engine device according to the present disclosure, when the predetermined condition that the evaporated fuel gas that passes through the purge control valve flows in the first purge passage and the second purge passage is satisfied, the flow rate ratio of the first passage flow rate to the second passage flow rate is estimated based on the throttle post pressure being a pressure on the downstream side of the intake pipe with respect to the throttle valve and the ejector pressure being a pressure of the suction port of the ejector. The first passage flow rate is a flow rate of the evaporated fuel gas flowing in the first purge passage. The second passage flow rate is a flow rate of the evaporated fuel gas flowing in the second purge passage. The first passage flow rate and the second passage flow rate are estimated based on the flow rate ratio and a valve passing flow rate being a flow rate of the evaporated fuel gas that passes through the purge control value. With the processing above, the first passage flow rate and the second passage flow rate can be estimated more appropriately. In the engine device according to the present disclosure, when the purge that supplies the evaporated fuel gas to the intake pipe is performed, the control device may control the purge control valve based on a required purge rate and estimate the valve passing flow rate based on an intake air amount and the required purge rate. With the processing above, the valve passing flow rate can be estimated. In the engine device according to the present disclosure, the control device may set the flow rate ratio such that the first passage flow rate becomes larger as the throttle post pressure becomes smaller (becomes larger as a negative pressure) than the ejector pressure. With the processing above, the flow rate ratio can be estimated more appropriately. In the engine device according to the present disclosure, when the predetermined condition is satisfied, the control device may estimate the flow rate ratio based on a relationship between the throttle post pressure and the ejector pressure and a relationship between a sectional area of the first purge passage and a sectional area of the second purge passage. With the processing above, the flow rate ratio can be estimated more appropriately. In the engine device according to the present disclosure, the predetermined condition may include a condition in which the throttle post pressure and the ejector pressure are negative pressures. In this case, in estimation processing in which, when the throttle post pressure is less than a threshold, the control device estimates a purge that supplies the evaporated fuel gas to the intake pipe does not include a second purge that supplies the evaporated fuel gas to the intake pipe via the second purge passage, and when the throttle post pressure is equal to or more than the threshold, the control device estimates that the purge includes the second purge, the control device may continue the estimation that the purge includes the second purge until a predetermined time elapses when the throttle post pressure falls below the threshold from a state of being equal to or more than the threshold, and the predetermined condition may further include a condition in which the control device estimates that the purge includes the second purge. With the processing above, whether the predetermined condition is satisfied can be determined more appropriately. In the engine device according to the present disclosure, the control device may determine which of a first purge and a second purge is a dominant purge based on the ejector pressure and a value obtained by adding an offset amount based on a sectional area of the second purge passage with respect to a sectional area of the first purge passage to the throttle post pressure, the first purge supplying the evaporated fuel gas to the intake pipe via the first purge passage and the second purge supplying the evaporated fuel gas to the intake pipe via the second purge passage, and the control device may further estimate the flow rate ratio based on the dominant purge when the predetermined condition is not satisfied. In this case, the control device may determine the dominant purge based on the ejector pressure and the value obtained by adding the offset amount based on the sectional area of the second purge passage with respect to the sectional area of the first purge passage to the throttle post pressure. With the processing above, the dominant purge can be estimated more appropriately. Here, the “sectional area” may be represented by a pipe diameter. In this case, the control device may set the offset amount such that an absolute value of the offset amount as a negative value becomes larger as an absolute value of the throttle post pressure as a negative value becomes larger. This is based on the fact that an influence of the sectional area of the second purge passage with respect to the sectional area of the first purge passage becomes larger as the absolute value of the throttle post pressure as the negative value becomes larger. In the engine device according to the present disclosure, the control device may estimate the ejector pressure based on a boost pressure that is a pressure in the intake pipe between the compressor and the throttle valve, and a drive duty of the purge control valve. With the processing above, the ejector pressure can be estimated more appropriately.

11381110

BACKGROUND Field The described aspects generally relate to power retransmissions in a mesh network. Related Art A mesh network is a network that includes electronic devices that communicate with each other wirelessly. In a mesh network, devices (sometimes called nodes) connect directly, dynamically and non-hierarchically to as many other nodes as possible and cooperate with one another to efficiently route data. Mesh networks can be useful to gather data collected from sensor networks. In such networks, sensor devices detect conditions of nearby environments. For example, the sensor devices can be deployed in storage spaces, where the sensor devices detect occupancy statuses or a presence of an object of the storage devices. The sensor devices can also be deployed in medical facilities, where the tag devices monitor statuses of patients. In some aspects, the sensor devices transmit gathered information, such as the occupancy statuses and the patient statuses, to a source device. In some aspects, the electronic devices of the mesh network are wireless devices. The electronic devices can be powered by internal batteries. However, the internal batteries have limited capacity and also require replacement or wired charging from time to time. The replacements and charging can be costly and troublesome. Wireless power transmission is the transmission of electrical energy without wires as a physical link. Various techniques for wireless power charging exist. For example, power transmission may be made via radio waves, including microwaves. However, power transmission falls off quickly as the distance between a source and target device increases. For this reason, over distances, power transmission via radio waves often amounts to little more than trickle charging. Improved methods of charging sensor devices in a mesh network are needed. SUMMARY Some aspects of this disclosure relate to apparatuses and methods for implementing power retransmissions in a mesh network. For example, systems and methods are provided for wireless power retransmissions between devices in the mesh network. Some aspects of this disclosure relate to a device comprising a wireless transceiver configured to receive a radio frequency (RF) emission from a source device, an energy-harvesting unit configured to charge the first device wirelessly, using a first part of the RF emission, and a processor communicatively coupled to the transceiver. The processor is configured to modulate the first part of the RF emission based on information detected by the device and determine that an energy level of the device is above a threshold. The processor is further configured to transmit, in response to determining that the energy level is above the threshold, using the wireless transceiver, the modulated first part of the RF emission to the source device. The processor is further configured to transmit, in response to determining that the energy level is above the threshold, using the wireless transceiver, a second part of the RF emission wirelessly to another device to charge the other device. Some aspects of this disclosure relate to a method of operating a device communicating with a source device. The method comprises receiving an RF emission from the source device and charging the first device wirelessly using a first part of the RF emission. The method further comprises modulating the first part of the RF emission based on information detected by the device and determining that an energy level of the device is above a threshold. The method further comprises transmitting the modulated first part of the RF emission to the source device and transmitting a second part of the RF emission wirelessly to another device to charge the other device, in response to determining that the energy level is above the threshold. Some aspects of this disclosure relate to a system comprising a source device, a first device, and a second device. The source device is configured to transmit an RF emission wirelessly to the first device. The first device is configured to receive the RF emission from the source device and charge the first device wirelessly, using a first part of the RF emission. The first device is further configured to transmit a second part of the RF emission wirelessly to a second device. The second device is configured to receive the second part of the RF emission and charge the second device wirelessly, using the second part of the RF emission. This Summary is provided merely for purposes of illustrating some aspects to provide an understanding of the subject matter described herein. Accordingly, the above-described features are merely examples and should not be construed to narrow the scope or spirit of the subject matter in this disclosure. Other features, aspects, and advantages of this disclosure will become apparent from the following Detailed Description, Figures, and Claims.

11278491

RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a § 371 national stage of PCT International Application No. PCT/EP2019/057074, filed Mar. 21, 2019, designating the United States and claiming priority of EPO Application No. EP18382190.9, filed Mar. 21, 2018, the contents of each of which are hereby incorporated by reference into this application. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to intravaginal devices comprising progesterone, process for making such devices and uses of said devices. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Progesterone (pregn-4-ene-3,20-dione; C21H30O2) belongs to a class of hormones called progestogens. It is the major naturally occurring steroid and is a precursor in the biosynthesis of other steroids, particularly glucocorticoids, androgens and estrogens. Progesterone is produced in high amounts in the ovaries (by the corpus luteum) from the onset of puberty to menopause, and is also produced in smaller amounts by the adrenal glands after the onset of adrenarche in both males and females. To a lesser extent, progesterone is produced in nervous tissue, especially in the brain, as well as in adipose tissue. During human pregnancy, progesterone is produced in increasingly high amounts by the ovaries and placenta. At first, during the luteal phase or secretory phase of the menstrual cycle and in the early pregnancy, the source is the corpus luteum, however, after the 8th week of pregnancy, production of progesterone shifts to the placenta. Progesterone readies the uterus for implantation of an embryo, helping the endometrium to be thicker and to become more vascular, preparing it to accommodate the fertilized egg. It also plays several roles in gestation, including breast enlargement of pregnant woman, inhibition of uterine contractility, immunological protection of the embryo, and inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis. Progesterone has been used in the treatment of a number of clinical disorders such as dysfunctional uterine bleeding, endometriosis, endometrial carcinoma, benign breast disease, threatened miscarriage, pre-eclampsia, perimenopausal symptoms and luteal phase defect. Progesterone is likewise used for luteal phase support in assisted reproductive techniques, also known as assisted conception. Unfortunately, not all women of reproductive age can become naturally pregnant. Many of said women turn to Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) to achieve pregnancy. There are, at least, three main types of ART: in vitro fertilization (IVF), which involves extracting the eggs, fertilizing them in the laboratory, and transferring resulting embryos to the uterus through the cervix; gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT), which involves placing unfertilized eggs and sperm into the woman's fallopian tubes using a laparoscope through an abdominal incision; and zygote intra-fallopian transfer (ZIFT) involves extracting the eggs, fertilizing them in the laboratory, and using a laparoscope to place the fertilized egg(s) into a woman's fallopian tubes. Among ART procedures are also considered intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), an IVF technique where a single sperm is injected directly into an egg; and frozen embryo transfer (FET), where an embryo that has been frozen (cryopreserved) is thawed and then transferred to the uterus/fallopian tube of a woman. For many women, in conjunction with ART, steps must be taken to prime the uterus for embryo implantation. There have been many tools developed to aid in this process, amongst which exogenous progesterone supplementation stands out. Progesterone is often externally supplied during the luteal phase and sometimes even beyond the luteal phase, although progesterone supplementation continuing beyond proper transformation of the endometrium into secretory phase is not strictly necessary. The goal of progesterone supplementation is in most cases to assist a corpus luteum that may have become compromised in ART procedures and cannot provide sufficient amounts of progesterone to achieve endometrial transformation into the secretory phase. Different progesterone preparations are known in the art. Progesterone may be administered orally, however due to its rapid clearance by the liver (hepatic first-pass effect), its bioavailability in the circulation, and particularly in the uterus, is low, leading to considerable inefficacy of oral progesterone formulations. Furthermore, in order to achieve sufficient levels of intrauterine progesterone that ensure endometrial proliferation, an administration of high doses of oral progesterone is necessary, which inevitably leads to build-up of progesterone metabolites in the blood which can in turn produce unwanted side-effects. Intra-muscular (IM) progesterone is widely used, and although high serum levels can be achieved with IM administration, progesterone delivered in such a way is subject to uterine metabolism before exerting its therapeutic effect (uterine first pass effect) and its efficacy is thus considerably reduced. Furthermore, IM administration requires daily injections and is painful, uncomfortable, and inconvenient for patients. Vaginal administration of progesterone generally results in higher endometrial progesterone levels when compared to the above administration routes, and in lower serum levels when compared to IM-delivered progesterone, and may therefore provide more efficient treatments with reduced systemic side-effects. Different types of progesterone vaginal administration are known. Vaginal progesterone gel is less painful and easier to use than IM progesterone, but also requires daily dosing, may be messy, and due to potential leakage, may not provide a full dose with every application. The use of progesterone vaginal inserts for tablet delivery is also known but again requires administering high doses of progesterone at least once daily. Vaginal micronized progesterone capsules are also known but require multiple daily administration that can be cumbersome for patients and may lead to treatment discontinuation. Another known type of vaginal formulation is intravaginal rings. Intravaginal rings are designed to provide continuous release of progesterone and thus generally do not require daily, or even frequent, application of the formulation (i.e. replacing the ring daily or frequently), offering improved patient comfort. U.S. Pat. No. 5,869,081 discloses the use of vaginal rings containing progesterone to prepare the endometrium for embryo implantation in a series of women patients. Zegers-Hochschild et al. (Human Reproduction, 2000, 15(10), 2093-2097) further report the clinical use of one of such vaginal rings to successfully achieve pregnancy in a series of patients who suffered premature ovarian failure or lack of response to ovarian stimulation. Stadtmauer et al. (Fertility and Sterility, 2013, 99(6), 1543-1549) similarly report that administration of a weekly progesterone vaginal ring is effective for luteal supplementation and progestational support as part of ART treatments for women with infertility. International patent application WO 2009/099586 likewise reports the use of vaginal rings comprising progesterone along with a hydrocarbon or glycerol esters of a fatty acid for treating a luteal phase defect. Clinical studies which employ progesterone rings for ensuring adequate endometrial proliferation, generally record vaginal bleeding in patients at some point throughout the treatment, particularly during the first weeks of said treatment. This is the case for the above mentioned vaginal rings. Bleeding is generally associated to low levels of intrauterine progesterone and is sometimes addressed during treatment by administering additional progesterone to the patient. However, increasing progesterone levels is not a particularly desirable solution due to possible side effects that can arise from build-up of progesterone or from metabolites therefrom. On the other hand, it should be taken into account that, even if it may not be a sign of pregnancy complication, bleeding always worries the patients and it can lead to an unnecessary medical consultation. Thus, it is always desirable to provide a treatment that avoids or minimizes bleeding during early pregnancy. A constant need exists to develop new, alternative formulations which overcome the drawbacks of existing dosage forms of progesterone. In particular, it seems rather necessary to develop formulations which provide low plasma levels of progesterone whilst maintaining therapeutic efficacy, improving the safety/comfort profile for patients and minimizing bleeding during early pregnancy. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present inventors unexpectedly found that vaginal devices comprising progesterone in polymorphic form I or progesterone displaying a high percentage of polymorphic form I are effective in transforming the endometrium into secretory phase whilst minimizing or not increasing the risk of vaginal bleeding. As a consequence, progesterone can be supplied to patients without the need to replace the device or to add another progesterone formulation during treatment (at least until endometrial transformation into secretory phase is reported). Preferably the vaginal devices of the invention comprise progesterone in low amounts providing low progesterone serum levels. Therefore, the present invention is directed to an intravaginal device comprising progesterone, wherein at least 75% of said progesterone is in polymorphic form I. Another aspect of the invention refers to a process for making a vaginal device according to the present invention, comprising the steps of:a) Mixing progesterone, wherein at least 75% of the progesterone is in polymorphic form I, with a pharmaceutically acceptable polymeric composition.b) Curing the mixture resulting from step a) at a temperature of 120° C. or lower. The present inventors have also discovered that reducing the amount of progesterone in the devices of the invention to levels lower than those generally employed in devices of the previous art results in intravaginal devices which can be employed to successfully transform the endometrium into secretory phase and maintain pregnancy whilst minimizing, or even avoiding, vaginal bleeding in pregnant women. Thus in a particular embodiment, the device of the invention comprises from 17.4% to 2.9% wt progesterone with respect to the total weight of the device, more preferably from 11.6% to 2.9% wt progesterone, even more preferably from 8.7% to 2.9% wt progesterone. The present inventors have surprisingly found that vaginal devices prepared according to the process of the invention are stable during at least 3 years under normal (room temperature) and accelerated (up to 30° C.) storage conditions, exhibit significant lesser “blooming” (migration to the surface of the ring) of progesterone, contribute to a lesser “burst” effect (initial excessive release) of progesterone and show a slower release of progesterone in vitro. A different aspect of the invention refers to the use of the intravaginal device of the invention in the treatment of infertility in a female subject. Yet another aspect relates to the use of the intravaginal device of the invention in the treatment of symptoms of the perimenopause. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the device is an intravaginal ring.

11346814

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a resonator and to a method of operation of a resonator. The invention has particular, but not exclusive, applicability to a bulk acoustic wave resonator (BAWR), such as a thin film bulk acoustic wave resonator (FBAR) or a solidly mounted resonator (SMR). Such resonators are of use in sensor applications and sensor systems, such as in gravimetric-based sensing. Related Art It is known that FBARs and SMRs are of interest, for example, in the manufacture of gravimetric sensors, such as gravimetric biosensors. The selective attachment or adsorption of species at the surface of the sensor reduces the resonant frequency of the device. FBARs and SMRs are of particular interest for this application due to the potential for these devices to have high quality factor (Q), to allow relatively small shifts in resonant frequency to be detected, and as such are considered to be potentially more sensitive than quartz crystal microbalances (QCM). Typical QCM devices have resonant frequencies in the range 5-20 MHz, whereas BAWR devices can be formed with resonant frequencies of the order of 1.5 GHz. This significant rise in resonant frequency provides the key to increased sensitivity. The present inventors have realised that resonators of the type discussed above may be manufactured to be exceptionally sensitive to the mass loading changes which they are designed to detect, but also may be sensitive even to very small changes in temperature or other environmental changes such as pressure changes. WO 2013/088163, originating from the inventors' research group, discloses one approach to design a sensor based on a resonator device so that detectable resonances behave differently in response to temperature changes than in response to mass loading changes. In this way, WO 2013/088163 proposes that changes in the resonant frequency can be attributed to the correct cause, effectively providing an increase in sensitivity to mass loading by allowing the effect of temperature change to be stripped out. The approach taken in WO 2013/088163 is to provide a first layer formed of a piezoelectric material with a second layer formed of SiO2beneath the first layer and acoustically coupled with the first layer. During operation of the sensor, a first layer resonant frequency is detected, associated with the first layer, and a combination resonant frequency is detected, associated with a combination of the first and second layers. The temperature coefficient of frequency of the first layer is different to that of the second layer. Operation of the device involves detecting a shift in one or both of the first layer resonant frequency and the combination resonant frequency. It is then possible to identify a portion of the shift caused by a temperature change at the sensor, and to identify another portion of the shift caused by a mass loading change at the sensor. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The approach taken in WO 2013/088163 is still considered to be of utility in identifying features of the shift in resonance behaviour that may be attributed to temperature variations at the resonator. However, the thermal properties of the SiO2layer are strongly influenced by the deposition conditions during manufacture. Similarly, variations in the deposition of any of the layers (and in particular of the top electrode) are seen. It can therefore be difficult to ensure reproducibility of the resonance response from one resonator to another. It would also be advantageous to provide a resonator with a simpler mechanism providing corresponding split resonance behaviour. The present invention has been devised in order to address at least one of the above problems. Preferably, the present invention reduces, ameliorates, avoids or overcomes at least one of the above problems. Accordingly, in a first preferred aspect, the present invention provides a resonator for the detection of a mass analyte, the resonator having:a piezoelectric layer formed of a piezoelectric material;a first resonator region and a second resonator region each occupying a corresponding region of the piezoelectric layer;electrodes disposed to apply a driving signal to the piezoelectric layer to generate bulk acoustic waves, the electrodes being common to the first resonator region and the second resonator region;in operation, the first resonator region having a first resonant frequency and the second resonator region having a second resonant frequency;wherein the first resonator region and the second resonator region differ from each other in that the first resonator region is adapted to receive a mass analyte for the mass analyte selectively to attach to a surface of the first resonator region, wherein, in operation, attachment of the mass analyte selectively at the first resonator region causes a greater frequency shift in the first resonant frequency than in the second resonant frequency. In a second preferred aspect, the present invention provides a sensor device comprising an array of resonators according to the first aspect. In a third preferred aspect, the present invention provides a method for detecting a mass analyte, the method comprising providing a resonator having:a piezoelectric layer formed of a piezoelectric material;a first resonator region and a second resonator region each occupying a corresponding region of the piezoelectric layer;electrodes disposed to apply a driving signal to the piezoelectric layer to generate bulk acoustic waves, the electrodes being common to the first resonator region and the second resonator region, the method further comprisingoperating the resonator to detect a first resonant frequency, corresponding to the first resonator region, and a second resonator frequency, corresponding to the second resonator region;selectively receiving a mass analyte at the first resonator region, attachment of the mass analyte selectively at the first resonator region causing a greater frequency shift in the first resonant frequency than in the second resonant frequency. The first, second and/or third aspect of the invention may have any one or, to the extent that they are compatible, any combination of the following optional features. The preferred embodiments of the present invention provide useful advantages in terms of simplicity of construction and operation. The provision of the first resonator region, whose resonant frequency is intended to shift on attachment of the mass analyte, and the second resonator region, on which mass analyte is not intended to attach, allows the effect of attachment of the mass analyte to be distinguished from other environmental effects that should affect each resonator region similarly. For this reason, it is advantageous that the first and second resonator regions are formed as parts of the same resonator. This allows the construction and operation of the first and second resonator regions, and their local environment, to be as similar as possible other than the features that adapt the first resonator region to have the mass analyte attach to the first resonator region. Preferably, therefore, the first and second resonator regions are disposed adjacent each other as parts of the same resonator. The resonator preferably has a small size. This is useful for reasons of miniaturization and fabrication, but also provides advantages in terms of the uniformity of the local environment to which the first and second resonator regions are exposed. For example, the first and second resonator regions are preferably disposed contiguously with each other. They may have a combined areal size (footprint area, when viewed in plan view) of at most 1 mm2. Preferably, the resonator is of a type in which the electrodes sandwich the piezoelectric layer. There is typically a lower electrode on one side of the piezoelectric layer and an upper electrode on the opposing side the piezoelectric layer. In alternative embodiments, it is possible for the bottom electrode to be omitted, as shown for example inFIG. 1. In this case the resonator operates via capacitive coupling. Preferably, the first and second resonant frequencies are each greater than 0.5 GHz. More preferably, the first and second resonant frequencies are each greater than 1 GHz. Providing a high frequency resonator allows the sensitivity of the device to be improved. The resonator may be, for example, a solidly mounted resonator (SMR) with an acoustic wave reflector structure arranged under the piezoelectric layer and electrodes. The resonator may alternatively have a diaphragm configuration. In operation, preferably none of the mass analyte attaches to the second resonator region. This may be assisted, for example, by the provision of a shield to shield the second resonator region from the mass analyte. The first resonator region may comprise a mass analyte receiving layer. The mass analyte receiving layer may comprise a metal layer. Where the resonator has an upper electrode formed over the piezoelectric layer, the mass analyte receiving layer may be formed over the upper electrode. In contrast, a corresponding mass analyte receiving layer is preferably not formed at the second resonator region. In some embodiments, it is preferred for the resonator to be selectively sensitive to one or more specific mass analytes. In that case, there may be provided binding sites at the first resonator region for selectively attaching to the mass analyte. The binding sites preferably provide the required selectivity for the one or more specific mass analytes. Preferably, the binding sites are provided at the mass analyte receiving layer. The mass analyte receiving layer may comprise gold. Gold is readily functionalised to provide suitable binding sites. In some embodiments, the mass analyte is a biologic species. For example, the present invention is of interest for the detection of biomarkers such as cancer biomarkers. In other embodiments, the resonator may be adapted to detect other mass analytes. For example, the resonator may be adapted to detect the thickness of a deposited layer in a thin film deposition system or process. In that case, the resonator may be located so that the mass analyte (the material being deposited) is received at the first resonator region but not at the second resonator region. This selective deposition may be assisted by the use of a shield to shield the second resonator region. Another example of a similar embodiment is where the mass analyte comprises particulate matter (PM), for example from the atmosphere, the resonator being of use for determining air quality. In the sensor device, the array of resonators may be formed on a single chip. This allows the device to be fabricated in a manner that allows the resonators to have as uniform a construction and operation as possible. However, in the array, different resonators may be adapted to be sensitive to different mass analytes, allowing the device to provide measurements of different mass analytes. It is preferred that the resonator is used as a gravimetric-based sensor having a mass sensitivity of about 10−15g or better. Preferably, the method further comprises:detecting a shift in one or both of the first and second resonant frequencies and carrying out one or both of (i) and (ii):(i) identifying a portion of the shift caused by an environmental change at the sensor other than attachment of the mass analyte selectively at the first resonator region; and(Ii) identifying another portion of the shift caused by attachment of the mass analyte selectively at the first resonator region. The environmental change may for example be a temperature change at the resonator. The mass analyte may be carried to the resonator in a fluid, such as a liquid or gas. The resonator may be operated in contact with a liquid (such as an aqueous-based liquid) and/or in contact with a gas (such as air). The resonator may be operated in transverse shear mode (TSM) or in transverse longitudinal mode (TLM). As will be understood, the first and second resonator regions are in effect connected in parallel, rather than in series. In operation, even before the mass analyte is received at the first resonator region, the first and second resonant frequencies are preferably different to each other. This allows the different resonant frequencies to be tracked from the beginning of the method, even before the mass analyte is received at the first resonator region. The difference in the first and second resonant frequencies is attributable to the mass analyte receiving layer at the first resonator region. Further optional features of the invention are set out below.

11482962

BACKGROUND 1. Field The present disclosure relates to an on-vehicle motor-driven compressor. 2. Description of Related Art International Publication WO2017/170817 discloses a common mode choke coil used in an inverter device that drives an electric motor in an on-vehicle motor-driven compressor. The covering of the common mode choke coil by a conductor causes induced current to flow into the conductor when a normal mode current flows. Thus, by converting the induced current into thermal energy, a damping effect is gained. When the entire choke coil is covered by the conductor, heat may be likely to be trapped inside. If a portion that is not covered by the conductor is provided in order to enhance the heat radiation performance, induced current may not flow readily. This may reduce the damping effect. It is an object of the present disclosure to provide an on-vehicle motor-driven compressor including a filter circuit that is excellent in heat radiation performance and damping effect. SUMMARY This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. An on-vehicle motor-driven compressor that achieves the above-described object includes a compression unit configured to compress fluid, an electric motor configured to drive the compression unit, and an inverter device configured to drive the electric motor. The inverter device includes an inverter circuit configured to convert direct-current power into alternating-current power and a noise reducer provided on an input side of the inverter circuit, the noise reducer being configured to reduce a common mode noise and a normal mode noise that are included in the direct-current power prior to being input to the inverter circuit. The noise reducer includes a common mode choke coil and a smoothing capacitor that configures a low pass filter circuit together with the common mode choke coil. The common mode choke coil includes an annular core, a first winding wound around the core, a second winding wound around the core, the second winding being spaced apart from and opposed to the first winding, an annular conductor that extends over the first winding and the second winding and covers the core, and an insulating layer located between an inner circumferential surface of the conductor and outer surfaces of the first winding and the second winding. The conductor is tubular and belt-shaped. The core includes an exposed portion that is not covered by the conductor. The insulating layer is tubular and belt-shaped. An entirety of the conductor is arranged within a range between opposite ends of the insulating layer. Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of example the principles of the invention.

11238092

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is based on and claims priority wider 35 USC § 119 from Japanese Patent Application No. 2018-163692 filed on Aug. 31, 2018, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein. BACKGROUND Technical Field The present disclosure relates to an image processing device, an image processing system, and a vehicle that presents images to an occupant of a vehicle. Related Art Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2002-181559 discloses a scenery display device that is capable of displaying scenery in a desired direction at a desired location, that is capable of automatically searching for a location with optimal scenery, that is capable of researching the scenery at a location prior to traveling, to the destination, and that is capable of providing visual scenery guidance for any location in coordination with travel. Note that in autonomous-driving vehicles, an occupant who is freed up from driving has more freedom in their activities, and may desire something out of the ordinary, such as to view scenes from the past while traveling. However, in the scenery display device described in JP-A No. 2002-181559, although real scenery can be simulated and displayed, there is no function to display scenes from the past. SUMMARY In consideration of the above circumstances, an object of the present disclosure is to provide an image processing device, an image processing system, and a vehicle capable of presenting an occupant with scenes from the past by displaying past images that are relevant to the location of a vehicle while traveling. An image processing device of a first aspect includes a storage section that stores image data related to a position information-appended image that is appended with position information relating to an imaging location, a search section that searches for one or more items of the image data including the position information within a predetermined range of a current position of a vehicle, and a selection section that selects a position information-appended image related to image data found by the search section, as an image to be displayed in the vehicle. The “predetermined range” may include a range within a fixed distance from the current position of the vehicle, a route to be taken by the vehicle, or the like. In the image processing device of the first aspect, the position information-appended image configured by an image captured in the past and appended with the position information is stored in the storage section. The image processing device has a function of searching for one or more items of the image data including the position information that fall within the predetermined range of the current position of the vehicle, and displays a position information-appended image related to the found image data in the vehicle. The image processing device of the first aspect displays past images that are relevant to the location of the vehicle during travel, enabling scenes from the past to be presented to an occupant. In an image processing device of a second aspect, the selection section selects an image to be displayed in the vehicle based on a preference of an occupant of the vehicle. The image processing device of the second aspect is capable displaying an image in the vehicle that reflects the interests of an occupant. In an image processing device of a third aspect, the selection section selects an image to be displayed in the vehicle according to an attribute of an occupant onboard the vehicle. “An attribute of an occupant” refer to characteristics enabling one or plural occupants to be distinguished. For example, in, the image processing device of the third aspect, an individual ID is set as an attribute for each onboard occupant. Moreover, for example, in cases in which a family is onboard, the image processing device sets distinguishing information indicating the family as an attribute, and in cases in which a group of friends is onboard, the image processing device sets distinguishing information indicating the friends as an attribute. The image processing device of the third aspect enables images tailored to the occupant or occupants onboard the vehicle to be displayed. An image processing device of a fourth aspect further includes a collection section that collects a past image captured in the past, and in a case in which the position information is appended to image data, related to the past image, the storage section stores the past image as a position information-appended image. The image processing device of the fourth aspect is capable of displaying, a greater variety of images in the vehicle by collecting a position information-appended image from an external source. In an image processing device of a fifth aspect, the collection section collects a normal image, which is a past image that is not appended with the position information, and the image processing device further includes an information appending section that compares the normal image against the position information-appended image stored in the storage section, and in a case in which the normal image and the position information-appended image stored in the storage section are similar, appends the position information of the similar position information-appended image to the normal image. The image processing device of the fifth aspect is capable of appending position information even in a case in which a collected image has not been appended with the position information by referencing a previously collected position information-appended image. In an image processing device of a sixth aspect, the collection section collects a normal image, which is a past image that is not appended with the position information, and the image processing device further includes an acquiring-appending section that compares the normal image against an online image acquired from the Internet, and in a case in which the normal image and the online image acquired from the Internet are similar, acquires the position information corresponding to the similar online image and appends the acquired position information to the normal image. The image processing device of the sixth aspect is capable of appending position information even in cases in which a collected image has not been appended with the position information by referencing an online image with an identifiable imaging location. An image processing system of a seventh aspect includes the image processing device of any one of the first aspect to the sixth aspect, and a vehicle including a display device wherein the vehicle includes a reception section that receives the image data selected in the image processing device from the image processing device, and an output section that outputs the image data to the display device in a case in which display in the vehicle of an image related to the image data is permitted. The image processing system of the seventh aspect is capable of displaying past images when an occupant is freed up from driving, such as when the vehicle is stationary, or during autonomous-driving. This enables occupant safety to be assured. A vehicle of an eighth aspect includes the image processing device of any one of the first aspect to the sixth aspect, a display device, and an output section that outputs the image data, selected in, the image processing device, to the display device in a case in which display in the vehicle of an image related to the image data is permitted. The vehicle of the eighth aspect is capable of displaying past images when an occupant is freed up from driving, such as when the vehicle is stationary, or during autonomous-driving. This enables occupant safety to be assured. The present disclosure is capable of presenting scenes from the past to an occupant by displaying past images that are relevant to the location of a vehicle while traveling.

11519380

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a generating device and, more particularly, to a sea wave (or ocean wave) generating device. 2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, the climate change problem has become more serious so that it is more important to develop the renewable energy. In addition to the solar energy and the wind power, marine energy is also one of the most promising items of the renewable energy. Therefore, power generation devices that use tides, ocean waves, ocean temperature difference, salt difference or the like, as a power are constantly developed. The marine power generation devices have to withstand an impact of the sea waves, so that it is important to facilitate the operator repairing the marine power generation devices. However, it is not easy for the operator to repair or replace the conventional marine power generation devices on the sea, thereby causing disturbance to the developer. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a sea wave generating device that facilitates maintenance on the sea. In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a sea wave generating device comprising a floating base, a generating assembly, a driving assembly, and a guiding housing. The floating base includes a base body and a cover plate. The base body defines a base chamber directed upward. The cover plate is secured on a top of the base body and covers the base chamber. The generating assembly includes a frame, a lower magnetic wheel pivotally mounted on the frame, a power generator mounted on the frame, and a transmission set mounted on the frame. The frame is secured to a bottom of the base chamber. The transmission set is connected between the lower magnetic wheel and the power generator. The driving assembly includes an upper magnetic wheel pivotally mounted on a top of the cover plate, and a blade wheel secured on the upper magnetic wheel. The upper magnetic wheel is arranged above the lower magnetic wheel and is coaxial with the lower magnetic wheel. The upper magnetic wheel and the lower magnetic wheel are attracted magnetically with each other. The blade wheel is coaxial with the upper magnetic wheel. The guiding housing includes a housing body detachably secured to the base body. The housing body has an inside provided with a guiding wall. The guiding wall defines an inlet flow channel and a receiving chamber. The inlet flow channel has a first end connected to an outside of the housing body and a second end connected to the receiving chamber. The inlet flow channel tapers gradually from the outside of the housing body toward a side of the receiving chamber. The housing body has a bottom provided with multiple first outlets. The guiding wall has a bottom provided with a second outlet connected to the receiving chamber. The bottom of the housing body rests on the cover plate closely. The bottom of the guiding wall rests on the cover plate closely. The driving assembly is mounted in the receiving chamber. The blade wheel has a periphery corresponding to an intersection of the inlet flow channel and the receiving chamber. Thus, the sea wave generating device floats on the sea to receive the sea wave. When the sea wave is introduced through the inlet flow channel into the receiving chamber, the inlet flow channel has a tapered shape to increase the flow speed of the seawater into the receiving chamber, so that the accelerated seawater impacts and drives the blade wheel which drives the upper magnetic wheel which magnetically drives the lower magnetic wheel which drives the transmission set which drives the power generator so that the power generator is operated to generate an electric power. According to the primary advantage of the present invention, the guiding housing is removed from the floating base easily and quickly to facilitate maintenance of the sea wave generating device. According to another advantage of the present invention, the generating assembly and the driving assembly are modularized so that the generating assembly and the driving assembly are detached, dismantled, replaced and repaired easily and conveniently. Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

11445127

BACKGROUND The following relates generally to image processing, and more specifically to setting the white balance of an image. White balance refers to the process of altering the color cast of an image. For example, colors may be altered so that objects which appear white to the eye are rendered white in an image. The white balance of an image is related to the “color temperature” of a light source, which refers to the relative warmth or coolness of white light. In some cases, digital cameras can have difficulty performing automatic white balancing. If the image is not properly white balanced, it can create unsightly blue, orange, or even green color casts. The problem can be exacerbated if a scene is illuminated with multiple different light sources such as a natural light source and one or more artificial light sources. That is, one object of an auto white balance algorithm is to find the color temperature of the ambient illumination. When a scene has more than one light source, each object may be affected by different illumination (or by a mixture of multiple illuminations), which can interfere with the auto white balance algorithm. Therefore, there is a need in the art for improved systems and methods for performing white balance on a digital image. SUMMARY A method, apparatus, non-transitory computer readable medium, and system for setting the white balance of an image are described. Embodiments of the method, apparatus, non-transitory computer readable medium, and system may receive image data comprising a plurality of exposures, generate a plurality of white balance values based on merge information from a high dynamic range (HDR) merge of the exposures, and adjust a white balance of each pixel of the image data based on the white balance values.

11402469

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) This application is a national phase filing under 35 C.F.R. § 371 of and claims priority to PCT Patent Application No. PCT/EP2017/063365, filed on Jun. 1, 2017, which claims the priority benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119 of British Patent Application No. 1609640.6, filed on Jun. 2, 2016 and British Patent Application No. 1707117.6, filed on May 4, 2017, the contents of each of which are hereby incorporated in their entireties by reference. Some embodiments relate to a system and method for the detection of targets using a radar system. More particularly, it relates to a system and method for detecting multi-rotor unmanned aerial vehicles, commonly referred to as drones. Over the last few years the availability of model helicopters, remote piloted air systems (RPAS), Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), multi-rotors and similar remote controlled aircraft of various types and sizes has increased dramatically, partially due to the decreasing cost of the technology that enables them to be flown without a great deal of skill and training. Such aircraft (herein otherwise referred to generally as drones) are often bought as toys, but they are often capable of carrying payloads such as cameras or other relatively light objects. This capability makes them useful for transporting objects into difficult to access locations, or carrying out monitoring or surveillance work. It has not taken long for them to be used for socially undesirable or illegal tasks. A growing problem is the use of drones to deliver contraband into prisons, by flying the drone over a wall and landing it in an exercise yard or similar area. Other undesirable uses of drones include incursions into protected airspace, or invasion of privacy at sensitive areas. A requirement has therefore arisen to be able to detect the use of drones. There has been developments in this area. Acoustic sensors may be useful at very close range, but their utility deteriorates in noisy, urban environments. Video systems, including infra-red imaging systems, are useful for confirming a detected presence of a drone, but also suffer when in visually cluttered environments or in poor weather and darkness, and again often have difficulty detecting drones at longer ranges (such as more than several tens of metres), A wide angle lens provides good angular coverage but is unable to sense the drone at the longer ranges, whereas telephoto lenses provide good performance at long distances, but only with a very narrow field of view. Radar systems can be used, but as the velocity of drones is so variable, and is often zero, they can easily get removed by the clutter filtration that radars often use to remove returns from static objects. Their velocities, and flight characteristics also often match birds, and so radars have been prone to high false alarm rates when used against drones. “Fixed/Rotary Wings Classification/Recognition” by G Collot, Proc. CIE International Conference on Radar 1991 discusses the use of radar to identify types of rotary wing aircraft. Some embodiments therefore provide a means for detection of drones that ameliorates at least some of the disadvantages of the related art. Some embodiments provide a drone detection radar including a transmitter, receiver and a processor, wherein the processor is adapted to analyse signals transmitted by the transmitter, reflected from a target and received by the receiver, and to identify, from information present on the reflected returns, the presence of a drone, by identification, within Doppler information on the returns, of:i) Doppler signals being characteristic of rotating parts of a motor;ii) Doppler signals being characteristic of rotating parts of a blade; and,by identification from temporal information in the reflected returns:iii) signals being characteristic of flashing of the blade of a drone; wherein the target is assumed to be a drone if signals i, ii, and iii are present above respective predetermined thresholds. Thus, some embodiments provide a system wherein, for a drone detection to be confirmed, three different characteristics of the signal need to be detected. Related art systems may detect temporal signals characteristic of blade flash, due to the blade changing its Radar Cross Section (RCS) as it rotates, and may use the detections to identify a particular type of helicopter. However, some embodiments, which are configured to also detect Doppler returns from the motor and the blade, is used to detect the initial presence of a drone, and also provides for a greater surety that the target is a drone, rather than some other object having rotating features. Some embodiments also provide for the detection of drones that may be hovering, or may otherwise have a very low radial velocity to the radar, where normal Doppler detection of signals from the body of the target is not practicable. However, signal returns from the body of a drone may also be used as a secondary, or additional confirmation of the presence of a relevant target. Also, such body signal returns may be used in combination with the other returns to aid identification of the type of drone being detected. It will be appreciated that blade flash includes a repetitive temporal sequence of peaks, wherein the peak signal return occurs when the blade presents itself tangentially to the radar, either when moving towards, or away from it. Thus, when a blade, including two aerofoils between a central motor connection point, is attached to a motor, a blade flash will occur twice for every revolution of the motor (combining the reflection from the receding part of the blade with that from the approaching part), whereas when a blade having three aerofoils is attached to a motor then a blade flash will occur six times for every motor revolution, with separate peaks for each approaching and receding part of the blade as it comes face-on (i.e. tangential) to the radar. The blade flash manifests itself as a large increase (for a short time, dependent upon the angular velocity of the rotor) in the RCS of the blade, and hence a large increase in the amplitude of the Doppler signals being returned from the blade. Typical blade flash rates for small (e.g. hobbyist) drones lie between 30 Hz and 150 Hz, although it will be appreciated that such drones vary in size, rotor length, number of rotors, and hence rotor speed, and will also vary depending upon the flight conditions. Advantageously, embodiments may extend to a system further including a database of different drone models, the database having information relating to at least one of motor Doppler returns, blade Doppler returns, temporal blade flash measurements, and typical rotor angular velocities and blade lengths (and hence rotor tip speeds) of said different models, and wherein the system is arranged to compare the returns from the target with the information in the database, to identify a model of the target drone from those in the database. The database may retain the information in a coded, or statistical form, and the comparison may include of a comparison of statistical representations of the target returns, or a processed version thereof, and the information within the database. A rotation rate (or, synonymously, angular velocity) may be inferred from blade flash measurements, and from any a-priori knowledge that narrows down the likely type or manufacturer of the target drone. The radar system advantageously further includes a digitiser arranged to digitise the returns from the receiver, and to conduct further processing, such as may be done in the processor, upon the digitised signals. The motors used to power the blades on small (e.g. hobbyist) drones tend to be brushless DC motors, with metallic rotating parts. When the motor is rotating, it will be appreciated by the skilled person that the motor will have lower Doppler frequencies than the blade. This is due to the motor having lower radial velocity than a blade connected thereto, for any given rotation speed. However, the metallic nature of the motor generally gives it a larger radar cross section (RCS) compared to the blade, which is often made from a plastic or composite material. This can lead to a characteristic pattern, in Doppler frequency, of the returns therefrom. At the lower Doppler frequencies, the motor therefore provides a relatively high signal, and at the higher Doppler frequencies the blade provides a reduced level, but still detectable signal, from reflections of the transmitted signal from different parts of the blade, each having their own radial velocities. These will be dependent upon, inter-alia, the size of the blade, and its rotation speed. Therefore, the system may, in some embodiments, be arranged to look for a pattern in Doppler space matching the above description, and, if found, to recognise this as a detection of both the motor and the blade Doppler signals. Preferably or advantageously, the radar is arranged to dwell for at least 50 ms on a region. More preferably or advantageously the radar is arranged to dwell for at least 70 ms, or 100 ms. It will be appreciated that a greater dwell time will allow a finer resolution in Doppler frequency to be measured, leading to improved detection of lower frequency signals, and their harmonics. The identification of Doppler frequency signals corresponding to (i) and (ii) above may advantageously include of identification of harmonic structure within a lower frequency region (in absolute numerical terms) of Doppler returns from the target, and non-harmonic signals at a higher frequency region (again in absolute numerical terms) of the Doppler returns from the target, commensurate with frequencies expected from the Doppler velocity of a drone motor and blade respectively. Alternatively, the identification of the signals corresponding to (i) and (ii) above may includes identification of an amplitude profile in an envelope signal of Doppler frequency returns from the target, the amplitude profile having a greater amplitude at lower frequencies commensurate with motor returns from a drone, stepping to a lower amplitude at higher frequencies commensurate with blade returns from a drone. The envelope may be obtained in any convenient manner, e.g. by averaging a plurality of Doppler frequency returns over a period, such as at least 50 ms, 70 ms, or 100 ms. The Doppler signals may conveniently be obtained through a Fourier transform of the returns from the receiver, and wherein the Fourier transform is arranged to provide frequency information relating to Doppler velocities of at least 15 m/s for the returns in (i), and at least 100 m/s for the returns in (ii). Advantageously, the identification of (iii) may include analysing a temporal sequence of amplitude returns of a length long enough to capture at least 5, and more preferably or advantageously at least 20 revolutions of the rotation of a typical drone motor, and to perform time domain peak distribution analysis thereon. Advantageously, the radar is arranged to detect a temporal flash rate between 30 Hz and 150 Hz. It has been found that this range is commensurate with that expected from hobbyist drones. The blade flash signal may be found for example by analysis of the temporal signal from the receiver. Advantageously, some embodiments may be configured to infer a position within the Doppler returns of an expected return from a body of a drone by assuming it to be approximately midway between corresponding positive and negative frequency characteristics of returns from a drone motor or blade. Such body returns may be removed by an earlier clutter filter, and so not be present in the signal at this point. However, the body return will sit approximately centrally within the Doppler frequency profile of returns from a motor or body. Thus, the radial velocity of the drone body may be likewise inferred from this. Advantageously, the radar may be adapted to tag a track of a previously unidentified target as a drone if the target is at some point identified as a drone. This allows tracks of objects that are being recorded by the radar to be confirmed (or otherwise) as targets, and thence to treat the whole track as that of a drone. It may thus be analysed to see for example where it has previously been, to gain an idea as to where it originated. Some embodiments provide a method of detecting a drone using a radar as claimed in any preceding claim, including: a) obtaining reflected radar returns from a target; b) analysing Doppler frequency information within the returns to identify Doppler frequency signals characteristic of reflections from a motor in a drone; c) analysing Doppler frequency information within the returns to identify Doppler frequency signals characteristic of reflections from a blade on a drone; d) analysing temporal information within the returns to identify amplitude signals characteristic of blade flash from a drone; e) providing an indication that the target is a drone if the analysis in steps b), c) and d) all identify signals that are above respective predetermined thresholds. Advantageously, the analysis, in this embodiment, in steps (b) and (c) may include identification of harmonic structure within a lower frequency region of Doppler returns from the target, and non-harmonic signals at a higher frequency region of the Doppler returns from the target, commensurate with frequencies expected from the Doppler velocity of a drone motor and blade respectively. Advantageously, the analysis in step (d) of this embodiment includes analysing a temporal sequence of amplitude returns of a length long enough to capture at least 5, and more preferably or advantageously at least 20 revolutions of the rotation of a typical drone motor and to perform time domain peak distribution analysis thereon.

11223047

This nonprovisional application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2018-067961 filed on Mar. 30, 2018, with the Japan Patent Office, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. BACKGROUND Field The present disclosure relates to a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery and a method of producing a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery. Description of the Background Art Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2017-130451 describes the following: using cellulose nanofibers as a binder for an electrode composite material in a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery enables strong adhesion between the particles of the electrode active material and also between the electrode active material and the current collector. SUMMARY In the non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2017-130451, the following phenomenon shown inFIG. 2may occur: when a nail6penetrates into a battery in the direction of the black arrow and passes through an electrode (a positive electrode1and a negative electrode2) and through a separator3, detachment may occur primarily between the electrode and separator3(between negative electrode2and separator3inFIG. 2). When detachment occurs this way, there is a high possibility of both positive electrode1(a positive electrode current collector11) and negative electrode2(a negative electrode current collector21) coming into contact with nail6(as shown inFIG. 2), potentially leading to a flow of a short-circuit current (shown by the white arrow) and the resulting heat generation. An object of the present disclosure is to provide a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery in which a flow of a short-circuit current upon nail penetration may be mitigated. In the following, the technical structure and the effects according to the present disclosure are described. It should be noted that part of the action mechanism according to the present disclosure is based on presumption. Therefore, the scope of claims should not be limited by whether or not the action mechanism is correct. [1] A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes an electrode array and an electrolyte solution. The electrode array includes a positive electrode that includes a positive electrode current collector and a positive electrode composite material layer disposed on a surface of the positive electrode current collector; a negative electrode that includes a negative electrode current collector and a negative electrode composite material layer; and a separator that is interposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode. The electrode array includes cellulose nanofibers. At least one of the peel strength between the positive electrode current collector and the positive electrode composite material layer and the peel strength between the negative electrode current collector and the negative electrode composite material layer is smaller than both the peel strength between the separator and the positive electrode composite material layer and the peel strength between the separator and the negative electrode composite material layer. The greater of the peel strength between the positive electrode current collector and the positive electrode composite material layer and the peel strength between the negative electrode current collector and the negative electrode composite material layer is at least 1.5 times greater than the smaller of the two. FIG. 1is a conceptual sectional view of the electrode array for illustrating the action mechanism according to the present disclosure.FIG. 1conceptually shows a partial cross section of an electrode array5in a thickness direction of electrode array5, and inFIG. 1, a nail6has penetrated into the non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery according to the present disclosure (which may be simply referred to as “battery” hereinafter) in the direction of the black arrow and has passed through an electrode (a positive electrode1and a negative electrode2) and through a separator3. Referring toFIG. 1that illustrates the non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery according to [1] above, cellulose nanofibers4link to inner walls of pores in both the electrode composite material layer (a positive electrode composite material layer12, a negative electrode composite material layer22) and separator3, both of which are porous; as a result, the bonding strength between the electrode composite material layer and separator3(between positive electrode composite material layer12and separator3, and between negative electrode composite material layer22and separator3) is increased. It should be noted thatFIG. 1is merely a conceptual view, in which a plurality of shorter cellulose nanofibers being linked together are schematically shown as a single cellulose nanofiber4. Therefore, the dimensions of cellulose nanofibers4inFIG. 1are not related to the fiber diameter or the fiber length of the cellulose nanofibers according to the present disclosure. The bonding strength of the electrode current collector (a positive electrode current collector11, a negative electrode current collector21) is not greatly improved by the cellulose nanofibers because the surface of the electrode current collector is smooth and dense (with no pores). Therefore, the bonding strength between the electrode current collector and the electrode composite material layer (between positive electrode current collector11and positive electrode composite material layer12, and between negative electrode current collector21and negative electrode composite material layer22) is not increased and is smaller than the bonding strength between the electrode composite material layer and separator3. This means that one of (or both) the interface between positive electrode current collector11and positive electrode composite material layer12and the interface between negative electrode current collector21and negative electrode composite material layer22has the smallest bonding strength (peel strength) of all the bonding strengths within electrode array5. As a result, upon penetration of nail6into electrode array5, detachment is likely to occur only at the interface with the smallest peel strength (inFIG. 1, at the interface between negative electrode current collector21and negative electrode composite material layer22). When detachment occurs this way, it is highly likely that positive electrode1is sandwiched between two negative electrodes2(as shown inFIG. 1) and thereby negative electrode2alone comes into contact with nail6. In that case, a flow of a short-circuit current caused by nail6in contact with both positive electrode1and negative electrode2is mitigated. When the site of contact between nail6and components of electrode array5is regulated this way, a flow of a short-circuit current upon nail penetration may be mitigated. If the bonding strength between positive electrode current collector11and positive electrode composite material layer12is equal to the bonding strength between negative electrode current collector21and negative electrode composite material layer22, however, it is highly likely that detachment occurs at both the interface between positive electrode current collector11and positive electrode composite material layer12and the interface between negative electrode current collector21and negative electrode composite material layer22upon penetration of nail6into electrode array5. When detachment occurs this way, it is highly likely that both positive electrode1and negative electrode2come into contact with nail6and thereby a flow of a short-circuit current tends to occur. In the non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery according to [1] above, the greater of the peel strength between positive electrode current collector11and positive electrode composite material layer12and the peel strength between negative electrode current collector21and negative electrode composite material layer22is at least 1.5 times greater than the smaller of the two; in other words, the bonding strength between positive electrode current collector11and positive electrode composite material layer12differs by at least a predetermined amount from the bonding strength between negative electrode current collector21and negative electrode composite material layer22. In this configuration, it is highly likely that detachment occurs at only either the interface between positive electrode current collector11and positive electrode composite material layer12or the interface between negative electrode current collector21and negative electrode composite material layer22upon penetration of nail6into electrode array5. Therefore, it is highly likely that only either positive electrode1or negative electrode2comes into contact with nail6(as shown inFIG. 1) and in that case, a flow of a short-circuit current caused by nail6in contact with both positive electrode1and negative electrode2is mitigated. As discussed above, a flow of a short circuit upon nail penetration is mitigated within the non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery according to the present disclosure. [2] The non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery according to [1] above may include an ionic liquid. The reason is as follows: carrying out a step of impregnating the electrode array with an ionic liquid containing the cellulose nanofibers dissolved therein (cellulose nanofiber solution) may increase the bonding strength between the electrode composite material layer and separator3, and this step allows the ionic liquid to remain within the non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery. [3] In the non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery according to [1] or [2] above, the cellulose nanofiber content rate is preferably not lower than 10 vol % and not higher than 30 vol % of the total pore volume of the electrode array. With the cellulose nanofiber content being too low, the effect of mitigating a short circuit upon nail penetration is not obtained. With the cellulose nanofiber content being too high, the cellulose nanofibers may interfere with the movement of Li ions and battery resistance may increase. [4] A method of producing the non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery according to [1] above includes the steps, in the sequence set forth, of: placing the electrode array in a casing; impregnating the electrode array with a cellulose nanofiber solution, the cellulose nanofiber solution containing an ionic liquid and the cellulose nanofibers dissolved in the ionic liquid; and injecting the electrolyte solution into the casing. The cellulose nanofiber content rate of the cellulose nanofiber solution is not lower than 4 mass % of the amount of the ionic liquid. According to the method of producing a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery according to [4] above, impregnation of electrode array5with the cellulose nanofiber solution followed by injection of the electrolyte solution into the casing makes the electrolyte solution function as a poor solvent and thereby causes deposition of the cellulose nanofibers. As shown inFIG. 1, cellulose nanofibers4link to inner walls of pores in both the electrode composite material layer (positive electrode composite material layer12, negative electrode composite material layer22) and separator3, both of which are porous; as a result, the bonding strength between the electrode composite material layer and separator3may be increased. With the cellulose nanofiber content being too low, the effect of mitigating a short circuit upon nail penetration is not obtained. Therefore, the cellulose nanofiber content rate of the cellulose nanofiber solution is not lower than 4 mass % of the amount of the ionic liquid. [5] In the method according to [4] above, the cellulose nanofiber content rate of the cellulose nanofiber solution is preferably lower than 20 mass % of the amount of the ionic liquid. With the cellulose nanofiber content being too high, the cellulose nanofibers may interfere with the movement of Li ions and battery resistance may increase. The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present disclosure when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

11410152

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to computer systems in which and, more particularly, to computer systems employed in connection with integrating data with client applications. SUMMARY In one embodiment there is a method implemented at an electronic device configured to display user interfaces and user interface components on a display of the electronic device. The device may invoke a host application executed at the electronic device. The device may display, using the host application, a first host user interface on the display, the first host user interface including a first host user interface component associated with a child application separate and distinct from the host application. The device may, in response to a selection of the first host user interface component in the first host user interface by an end user, (i) invoke, using the host application, the child application executed at the electronic device; (ii) transmit, using the host application, a request for data associated with a child user interface component to the child application; (iii) transmit, using the child application, the request for data associated with the child user interface component to a child application server connected to the child application, wherein the data associated with the child user interface component is inaccessible by the host application; (iv) receive, using the child application, the data associated with the child user interface component from the child application server; and (v) display the child user interface component on the display. In one embodiment, there is an electronic device comprising a display; one or more memory units each operable to store at least one program; and at least one processor communicatively coupled to the one or more memory units, in which the at least one program, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to perform one or more steps. The processor may invoke a host application executed at the electronic device. The processor may display, using the host application, a first host user interface on the display, the first host user interface including a first host user interface component associated with a child application separate and distinct from the host application. The processor may, in response to a selection of the first host user interface component in the first host user interface by an end user: (i) invoke, using the host application, the child application executed at the electronic device; (ii) transmit, using the host application, a request for data associated with a child user interface component to the child application; (iii) transmit, using the child application, the request for data associated with the child user interface component to a child application server connected to the child application, wherein the data associated with the child user interface component is inaccessible by the host application; (iv) receive, using the child application, the data associated with the child user interface component from the child application server; and (v) display the child user interface component on the display. In one embodiment, there is a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a processor, perform one or more steps at an electronic device configured to display user interfaces and user interface components on a display of the electronic device. The processor may invoke a host application executed at the electronic device. The processor may display, using the host application, a first host user interface on the display, the first host user interface including a first host user interface component associated with a child application separate and distinct from the host application. The processor may, in response to a selection of the first host user interface component in the first host user interface by an end user: (i) invoke, using the host application, the child application executed at the electronic device; (ii) transmit, using the host application, a request for data associated with a child user interface component to the child application; (iii) transmit, using the child application, the request for data associated with the child user interface component to a child application server connected to the child application, wherein the data associated with the child user interface component is inaccessible by the host application; (iv) receive, using the child application, the data associated with the child user interface component from the child application server; and (v) display the child user interface component on the display. In some embodiments, the child user interface component is a child user interface displayed and controlled by the child application and data displayed on the child user interface and data received via the child user interface is inaccessible by the host application. In some embodiments, the host application is a retailer-specific application, the child application is a financial services application, the child user interface is a financial services user interface displayed and controlled by the financial services application, the financial services user interface displays data associated with a retailer-specific financial account associated with the end user, and the data associated with the retailer-specific financial account associated with the end user is inaccessible by the retailer-specific application. In some embodiments, displaying the child user interface component includes: providing, using the child application, the data associated with the child user interface component to the host application; generating the child user interface component based on the data associated with the child user interface component; and displaying, using the host application, the child user interface component on the display. In some embodiments, the host application is a retailer-specific application, the child application is a financial services application, and the data associated with a child user interface component includes data associated with a retailer-specific credit account. In response to a determination that the data associated with the retailer-specific credit account meets end-user-specific offer criteria, displaying the child user interface component includes displaying a first offer to the end user to use the retailer-specific credit account to make a purchase; and in response to a determination that the data associated with the retailer-specific credit account does not meet end-user-specific offer criteria, displaying the child user interface component includes displaying a second offer to the end user to request a credit limit increase for the retailer-specific credit account to make a purchase. In some embodiments, the child application is configured to receive personal information provided by the end user, where the personal information is inaccessible by the host application, and the request for data associated with the child user interface component transmitted from the child application includes the personal information provided by the end user. In some embodiments, the data associated with the child user interface component received by the child application from the child application server is based on the personal information provided by the end user that is inaccessible by the host application.

11493439

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Technical Field The present disclosure relates to spectral optical sensing instruments and methods and, in particular, to systems and methods for spectro-radiometric calibration of such optical sensing instruments. Description of Related Art An objective of hyperspectral imaging is, from a distance, to produce an image of a scene with each pixel containing the spectral distribution of reflectivity or emissivity for objects in the scene. Such hyperspectral images can be used to differentiate between objects in captured images which, to the eye, may appear to be identical. In particular, hyperspectral imaging methods account for spectral distribution of an illumination source and intervening atmosphere to produce images showing an absolute reflectivity for surfaces of objects within captured images. Hyperspectral imaging originated for airborne collection of ground targets from directly overhead. In order to capture and analyze such overhead images Quick Atmospheric Correction (“QUAC”) methods were developed, by Spectral Sciences Incorporated, to calculate or estimate the absolute reflectivity without measuring spectro-radiometric properties of illumination sources (e.g., downwardly directed radiation). In such QUAC-based systems, there was no direct measurement of the illumination source by an actual sensor focused on the object or surroundings. QUAC method-based optical systems work relatively well for airborne-collected ground scenes containing a statistically diverse mix of vegetation and manmade materials. QUAC-based systems do not work well for a horizontal view path containing sky and manmade materials. Another method for eliminating atmospheric effects in hyperspectral imaging systems, known as In Scene Atmospheric Correction (“ISAC”), treats the reflective and emissive portions of the spectrum differently. In ISAC-based processes, a scene is assumed to contain a certain number of pixels having an emissivity close to unity, referred to as gray bodies. In systems incorporating ISAC, captured images of a scene are processed to identify a predetermined number of pixels for gray bodies having spectral profiles most closely resembling a black body. The temperature of the identified pixels can be estimated by matching curves to a standard Plank curve. A difficulty when using ISAC-based systems alone is determining the portion of radiance reaching the sensor due to object emissivity and temperature compared to the portion of the detected radiance reflected from the object. The optical sensing systems and methods disclosed herein are intended to address difficulties of optical systems employing methods such as QUAC and ISAC. For example, these optical sensing systems and methods can produce hyperspectral images accurately reproducing the object spectral characteristics, especially exploiting the improvements in sensor sensitivity. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to an aspect of the disclosure, an optical sensing system includes at least one electro-optical sensor having an adjustable field of view; at least one reflective member with a diffuse reflector surface positioned within the field of view of the at least one electro-optical sensor; and at least one controller. The at least one controller is configured to generate calibration parameters for the at least one electro-optical sensor based on data for at least one exposure detected by the electro-optical sensor when the diffuse reflector surface is within the field of view of the at least one electro-optical sensor. According to another aspect of the disclosure, a method for calculating calibration parameters for at least one electro-optical sensor, includes steps of: obtaining at least one exposure of a diffuse reflector surface by the at least one electro-optical sensor; determining an intensity count for a plurality of pixels for at least one spectral band for the at least one exposure with the diffuse reflector surface within a field of view of the at least one electro-optical sensor; and calculating calibration parameters for the at least one electro-optical sensor based on the determined intensity counts for the plurality of pixels. According to another aspect of the disclosure, a method for directly measuring reflectivity of objects in a scene with at least one electro-optical sensor includes steps of: obtaining at least one exposure with a diffuse reflector surface within a field of view of the at least one electro-optical sensor; determining an intensity count for a plurality of pixels for at least one spectral band for the at least one exposure with the diffuse reflector surface within the field of view of the at least one electro-optical sensor; adjusting the field of view of the at least one electro-optical sensor so that a scene having an object to be identified is within the adjusted field of view; obtaining at least one exposure of the scene by the at least one electro-optical sensor; determining an intensity count for a plurality of pixels for the at least one spectral band for the obtained at least one exposure of the scene; and dividing the intensity counts for pixels including the object to be identified by the intensity counts for pixels including the diffuse reflector surface to provide a direct measure of reflectivity of a surface of the object to be identified. Examples of the present invention will now be described in the following numbered clauses: Clause 1: An optical sensing system comprising: at least one electro-optical sensor comprising an adjustable field of view; at least one reflective member comprising a diffuse reflector surface positioned within the field of view of the at least one electro-optical sensor; and at least one controller configured to generate calibration parameters for the at least one electro-optical sensor based on data for at least one exposure detected by the electro-optical sensor when the diffuse reflector surface is within the field of view of the at least one electro-optical sensor. Clause 2: The system of clause 1, wherein the calibration parameters for the at least one electro-optical sensor are representative of an amount of spectral/radiometric illumination from the atmosphere in exposures captured by the at least one electro-optical sensor. Clause 3: The system of clause 1 or clause 2, wherein the data for the at least one exposure detected by the at least one electro-optical sensor comprises an intensity count for a plurality of spatial pixels for at least one spectral band detected by the at least one electro-optical sensor. Clause 4: The system of clause 3, wherein the at least one spectral band is between 400 nm and 2.5 μm. Clause 5: The system of clause 3 or clause 4, wherein the calibration parameters are based on data for a plurality of exposures detected by the electro-optical sensor, and wherein the intensity count for each of the plurality of spatial pixels for each spectral band is an average intensity count for each of the plurality of exposures. Clause 6: The system of any of clauses 1-5, wherein the electro-optical sensor comprises a panning mechanism for adjusting the field of view of the electro-optical sensor, such that the field of view of the electro-optical sensor can be repositioned from a first position, in which the diffuse reflector surface is within the field of view, to a second position, in which the diffuse reflector surface is not within the field of view. Clause 7: The system of clause 6, wherein an object to be identified is within the field of view of the at least one electro-optical sensor in the second position. Clause 8: The system of clause 6 or clause 7, wherein the at least one controller is configured to cause the panning mechanism to automatically move the field of view of the electro-optical sensor between the first position and the second position. Clause 9: The system of any of clauses 1-8, wherein the at least one reflective member comprises a diffuse reflector mirror. Clause 10: The system of any of clauses 1-9, further comprising an arm supporting the at least one reflective member, which holds the at least one reflective member a fixed distance from the at least one electro-optical sensor. Clause 11: The system of any of clauses 1-10, further comprising a protective cover mounted to the at least one reflective member, the at least one protective cover being configured to transition between an extended position, in which the at least one protective cover is over the diffuse reflector surface, and a retracted position, in which the at least one protective cover is spaced apart from the diffuse reflector surface exposing the diffuse reflector surface to the field of view of the electro-optical sensor. Clause 12: The system of clause 11, wherein the at least one controller is configured to cause the at least one protective cover to automatically retract to the retracted position when the reflective member is within the field of view of the at least one electro-optical sensor. Clause 13: The system of clause 11 or clause 12, further comprising at least one narrow band illumination source connected to the protective cover, wherein the at least one controller is configured to adjust a position of the field of view of the at least one electro-optical sensor so that the narrow band illumination source is within the field of view, thereby also positioning the at least one reflective member within the field of view of the at least one electro-optical sensor. Clause 14: The system of any of clauses 1-13, wherein after the calibration parameters are calculated, the at least one controller is configured to: adjust a position of the field of view of the at least one electro-optical sensor so that an object to be identified is within the field of view; and cause the at least one electro-optical sensor to detect data for the at least one exposure when the object to be identified is within the field of view of the at least one electro-optical sensor. Clause 15: The system of clause 14, wherein the data for the at least one exposure when the object to be identified is within the field of view comprises an intensity count for each of a plurality of pixels for at least one spatial band. Clause 16: The system of clause 15, wherein the at least one controller is configured to determine an absolute reflectivity for each pixel for the object to be identified based on the calibration parameters, the intensity count for each of the plurality of pixels, and, optionally, a dark level for the plurality of pixels. Clause 17: The system of clause 16, wherein the at least one controller is configured to compare the determined absolute reflectivity for each pixel for the object to be identified to reflectivity values for known objects to identify the object to be identified. Clause 18: The system of any of clauses 1-17, further comprising at least one temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the diffuse reflector surface of the at least one reflective member. Clause 19: The system of clause 18, wherein the at least one temperature sensor is mounted to the at least one reflective member. Clause 20: The system of clause 18 or clause 19, wherein the at least one temperature sensor is spaced apart from the reflective member, the system further comprising a thermally conductive member extending between the diffuse reflector surface and the at least one temperature sensor, so that a temperature of the diffuse reflector surface is measured by the spaced apart temperature sensor. Clause 21: The system of clause 19 or clause 20, wherein the at least one electro-optical sensor comprises at least one infrared sensor configured to detect infrared radiance. Clause 22: The system of clause 21, wherein the calibration parameters for the infrared sensor are based, at least in part, on data detected by the at least one infrared sensor, a temperature of the diffuse reflector surface measured by the at least one temperature sensor, and known emissivity of the diffuse reflector surface at the measured temperature. Clause 23: A method for calculating calibration parameters for at least one electro-optical sensor, comprising: obtaining at least one exposure of a diffuse reflector surface by the at least one electro-optical sensor; determining an intensity count for a plurality of pixels for at least one spectral band for the at least one exposure with the diffuse reflector surface within a field of view of the at least one electro-optical sensor; and calculating calibration parameters for the at least one electro-optical sensor based on the determined intensity counts for the plurality of pixels. Clause 24: The method of clause 23, wherein the calibration parameters for the at least one electro-optical sensor are representative of an amount of spectral/radiometric illumination from the atmosphere in exposures captured by the at least one electro-optical sensor. Clause 25: The method of clause 23 or clause 24, further comprising detecting dark levels in pixels of the at least one exposure, wherein calculating the calibration parameters comprises removing the detected dark levels from the determining intensity counts for the plurality of pixels. Clause 26: The method of any of clauses 23-25, further comprising adjusting the field of view of the at least one electro-optical sensor and obtaining at least one exposure for a scene including an object to be identified. Clause 27: The method of clause 26, further comprising processing the obtained at least one exposure of the scene, based on the calibration parameters, to determine an absolute emissivity for the object to be identified. Clause 28: The method of any of clauses 23-27, wherein the at least one electro-optical sensor comprises an infrared sensor. Clause 29: A method for directly measuring reflectivity of objects in a scene with at least one electro-optical sensor, the method comprising: obtaining at least one exposure with a diffuse reflector surface within a field of view of the at least one electro-optical sensor; determining an intensity count for a plurality of pixels for at least one spectral band for the at least one exposure with the diffuse reflector surface within the field of view of the at least one electro-optical sensor; adjusting the field of view of the at least one electro-optical sensor so that a scene comprising an object to be identified is within the adjusted field of view; obtaining at least one exposure of the scene by the at least one electro-optical sensor; determining an intensity count for a plurality of pixels for the at least one spectral band for the obtained at least one exposure of the scene; and dividing the intensity counts for pixels including the object to be identified by the intensity counts for pixels including the diffuse reflector surface to provide a direct measure of reflectivity of a surface of the object to be identified. Clause 30: The method of clause 29, further comprising detecting a dark level in pixels of exposures captured by the sensor, and subtracting the determined dark level from the intensity count for pixels including the object to be identified. Clause 31: The method of clause 29 or clause 30, wherein the at least one electro-optical sensor comprises an infrared sensor. Clause 32: The method of clause 31, further comprising determining a temperature of the diffuse reflector surface, and calculating a portion of radiance due to the temperature of the diffuse reflector surface. Clause 33: The method of clause 32, further comprising subtracting the calculated radiance due to temperature from the intensity counts for pixels in exposures of the diffuse reflector surface.

11219673

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to nanoparticles complexed with biomacromolecule agents configured for treating, preventing or ameliorating various types of disorders, and methods of synthesizing the same. In particular, the present invention is directed to compositions comprising nanoparticles (e.g., synthetic high density lipoprotein (sHDL)) carrying biomacromolecule agents (e.g., nucleic acid, peptides, glycolipids, etc.), methods for synthesizing such nanoparticles, as well as systems and methods utilizing such nanoparticles (e.g., in diagnostic and/or therapeutic settings). BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Peptide and nucleic acid based drugs have tremendous potential as the next generation therapeutics. Despite their huge potential, their clinical translation has been challenging, partially due to lack of drug delivery platforms that can efficiently deliver the drugs to the site of action while protecting the cargo materials against enzymatic degradation in vivo. One prime example is in the area of cancer vaccines; numerous clinical trials have been performed using defined tumor associated antigen peptides, but they have failed to demonstrate clinical efficacy because soluble peptides do not sufficiently reach the site of action (e.g., lymphoid tissues) and fail to generate strong immune responses. Improved compositions and techniques for stable and targeted delivery (e.g., in vitro or in vivo) of biomacromolcules (e.g., peptides, nucleic acids, glycolipids) are needed. SUMMARY Despite the tremendous potential of peptide-based cancer vaccines, their efficacy has been limited in humans. Recent innovations in tumor exome sequencing have signaled the new era of “personalized” immunotherapy with patient-specific neo-antigens (see, e.g., Yadav, M. et al. Nature 515, 572-576 (2014); Kreiter, S. et al. Nature 520, 692-696 (2015); Schumacher, T. N. & Schreiber, R. D. Science 348, 69-74 (2015)), but a general methodology for stimulating strong CD8α+ cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses remains lacking. Experiments conducted during the course of developing embodiments for the present invention demonstrated that preformed high density lipoprotein-mimicking nanodiscs can be readily coupled with antigen (Ag) peptides and adjuvants, producing stable, ultrasmall nanoparticles that markedly improve Ag/adjuvant co-delivery to lymphoid organs and achieved sustained Ag presentation on dendritic cells. Strikingly, it was shown that these nanodiscs elicited up to 41-fold greater frequency of CTLs than soluble vaccines and even 9-fold greater than perhaps the strongest adjuvant in clinical trials (i.e. CpG in Montanide) (see, e.g., Speiser, D. E. et al. J. Clin. Invest. 115, 739-746 (2005); Fourcade, J. et al. J. Immunother. 31, 781-791 (2008)). Moreover, it was shown that the nanodisc platform can be easily adapted to neoantigens, generating potent anti-tumor immunity. Such results represent a new powerful approach for cancer immunotherapy and more broadly, suggest a general strategy for personalized nanomedicine. Such results have significant clinical importance, as these nanodiscs, with an established manufacturing procedure and excellent safety profiles in humans, can drastically improve co-delivery of antigens and adjuvants to LNs, sustain antigen presentation on DCs, and drive T-cell responses with potent anti-tumor efficacy. As the majority of tumor mutations are unique to each patient, cancer vaccines would require a personalized approach (see, e.g., Yadav, M. et al. Nature 515, 572-576 (2014); Kreiter, S. et al. Nature 520, 692-696 (2015); Schumacher, T. N. & Schreiber, R. D. Science 348, 69-74 (2015)). Coupled with the recent technical innovations in neo-antigen screening, this approach provides powerful yet facile strategies for producing cancer vaccines designed for each patient. Furthermore, this platform technology is generally applicable for personalized therapeutics with a wide range of bioactive molecules and imaging agents. Accordingly, in certain embodiments, the present invention provides methods for making a personalized neoplasia vaccine for a subject diagnosed as having a neoplasia. The present invention is not limited to particular methods for making a personalized neoplasia vaccine for a subject diagnosed as having a neoplasia. In some embodiments, such methods comprise obtaining a biological sample of the neoplasia from the subject; identifying a plurality of mutations in the neoplasia; analyzing the plurality of mutations to identify one or more neo-antigenic mutations predicted to encode neo-antigenic peptides, the neo-antigenic mutations selected from the group consisting of missense mutations, neoORF mutations, and any combination thereof; and producing a personalized neoplasia vaccine, wherein the personalized neoplasia vaccine comprises a microparticle or nanoparticle complexed with one or more neo-antigenic peptides specific for the analyzed and identified neo-antigenic mutations predicted to encode neo-antigenic peptides. In some embodiments, the nanoparticle is further complexed or admixed with an adjuvant. In some embodiments, the identifying further comprises sequencing the genome, transcriptome, or proteome of the neoplasia. In some embodiments, the size of the microparticle is between 0.5 microns to 100 microns. In some embodiments, the one or more neo-antigenic peptides range from about 5 to about 50 amino acids in length. In some embodiments, the one or more neo-antigenic mutations peptides range from about 15 to about 35 amino acids in length. In some embodiments, the one or more neo-antigenic peptides range from about 18 to about 30 amino acids in length. In some embodiments, the one or more neo-antigenic peptides range from about 6 to about 15 amino acids in length. In some embodiments, the adjuvant is selected from the group consisting of CPG, polyIC, poly-ICLC, 1018 ISS, aluminum salts, Amplivax, AS15, BCG, CP-870, 893, CpG7909, CyaA, dSLIM, GM-CSF, IC30, IC31, Imiquimod, ImuFact IMP321, IS Patch, ISS, ISCOMATRIX, Juvlmmune, LipoVac, MF59, monophosphoryl lipid A, Montanide IMS 1312, Montanide ISA 206, Montanide ISA 50V, Montanide ISA-51, OK-432, OM-174, OM-197-MP-EC, ONTAK, PepTel®, vector system, PLGA microparticles, imiquimod, resiquimod, gardiquimod, 3M-052, SRL172, Virosomes and other Virus-like particles, YF-17D, VEGF trap, beta-glucan, Pam3Cys, Aquila's QS21 stimulon, vadimezan, and AsA404 (DMXAA). In some embodiments, the adjuvant is any derivative of an adjuvant (e.g., cholesterol-modified CpG). The methods are not limited to a particular nanoparticle. In some embodiments, the average size of the nanoparticle is between 6 to 500 nm. In some embodiments, the nanoparticle is a sHDL nanoparticle. In some embodiments, the sHDL nanoparticle comprises a mixture of at least one phospholipid and at least one HDL apolipoprotein or apolipoprotein mimetic. In some embodiments, the average size of the nanoparticle is between 6 to 500 nm. In some embodiments, the average particle size of the sHDL nanoparticle is between 6-70 nm. In some embodiments, the phospholipid is selected from the group consisting of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC), dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[3-(2-pyridyldithio) propionate] (DOPE-PDP), 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphothioethanol, 1,2-di-(9Z-octadecenoyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[4-(p-maleimidophenyl)butyramide], 1,2-dihexadecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[4-(p-maleimidophenyl)butyramide], 1,2-dihexadecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[4-(p-maleimidomethyl)cyclohexane-carboxamide], 1,2-di-(9Z-octadecenoyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[4-(p-maleimidomethyl)cyclohexane-carboxamide], phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylethanolamine, and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the HDL apolipoprotein is selected from the group consisting of apolipoprotein A-I (apo A-I), apolipoprotein A-II (apo A-II), apolipoprotein A4 (apo A4), apolipoprotein Cs (apo Cs), and apolipoprotein E (apo E). In some embodiments, the HDL apolipoprotein mimetic is an ApoA-I mimetic. In some embodiments, the ApoA-I mimetic is described by any of SEQ ID NOs: 1-336. In certain embodiments, the present invention provides methods for treating a subject diagnosed as having a neoplasia with a personalized neoplasia vaccine. The present invention is not limited to particular methods for treating a subject diagnosed as having a neoplasia with a personalized neoplasia vaccine. In some embodiments, such methods comprise obtaining a biological sample of the neoplasia from the subject; identifying one or more mutations in the neoplasia; analyzing the plurality of mutations to identify one or more neo-antigenic mutations predicted to encode expressed neo-antigenic peptides, the neo-antigenic mutations selected from the group consisting of missense mutations, neoORF mutations, and any combination thereof; producing a personalized neoplasia vaccine, wherein the personalized neoplasia vaccine comprises a microparticle or nanoparticle complexed with one or more neo-antigenic peptides specific for the analyzed and identified neo-antigenic mutations predicted to encode neo-antigenic peptides; and administering the personalized neoplasia vaccine to the subject, thereby treating the neoplasia. In some embodiments, the personalized neoplasia vaccine is coadministered with an adjuvant. In some embodiments, the nanoparticle is further complexed or admixed with an adjuvant. In some embodiments, the identifying further comprises sequencing the genome, transcriptome, or proteome of the neoplasia. In some embodiments, the one or more neo-antigenic peptides range from about 5 to about 50 amino acids in length. In some embodiments, the one or more neo-antigenic mutations peptides range from about 15 to about 35 amino acids in length. In some embodiments, the one or more neo-antigenic peptides range from about 18 to about 30 amino acids in length. In some embodiments, the one or more neo-antigenic peptides range from about 6 to about 15 amino acids in length. In some embodiments, the adjuvant is selected from the group consisting of CPG, polyIC, poly-ICLC, 1018 ISS, aluminum salts, Amplivax, AS15, BCG, CP-870, 893, CpG7909, CyaA, dSLIM, GM-CSF, IC30, IC31, Imiquimod, ImuFact IMP321, IS Patch, ISS, ISCOMATRIX, Juvlmmune, LipoVac, MF59, monophosphoryl lipid A, Montanide IMS 1312, Montanide ISA 206, Montanide ISA 50V, Montanide ISA-51, OK-432, OM-174, OM-197-MP-EC, ONTAK, PepTel®, vector system, PLGA microparticles, imiquimod, resiquimod, gardiquimod, 3M-052, SRL172, Virosomes and other Virus-like particles, YF-17D, VEGF trap, beta-glucan, Pam3Cys, Aquila's QS21 stimulon, vadimezan, and AsA404 (DMXAA). In some embodiments, the adjuvant is any derivative of an adjuvant (e.g., cholesterol-modified CpG). The methods are not limited to a particular nanoparticle. In some embodiments, the average size of the nanoparticle is between 6 to 500 nm. In some embodiments, the nanoparticle is a sHDL nanoparticle. In some embodiments, the sHDL nanoparticle comprises a mixture of at least one phospholipid and at least one HDL apolipoprotein or apolipoprotein mimetic. In some embodiments, the average particle size of the sHDL nanoparticle is between 6-70 nm. In some embodiments, the phospholipid is selected from the group consisting of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC), dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[3-(2-pyridyldithio) propionate] (DOPE-PDP), 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphothioethanol, 1,2-di-(9Z-octadecenoyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[4-(p-maleimidophenyl)butyramide], 1,2-dihexadecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[4-(p-maleimidophenyl)butyramide], 1,2-dihexadecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[4-(p-maleimidomethyl)cyclohexane-carboxamide], 1,2-di-(9Z-octadecenoyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[4-(p-maleimidomethyl)cyclohexane-carboxamide], phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylethanolamine, and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the HDL apolipoprotein is selected from the group consisting of apolipoprotein A-I (apo A-I), apolipoprotein A-II (apo A-II), apolipoprotein A4 (apo A4), apolipoprotein Cs (apo Cs), and apolipoprotein E (apo E). In some embodiments, the HDL apolipoprotein mimetic is an ApoA-I mimetic. In some embodiments, the ApoA-I mimetic is described by any of SEQ ID NOs: 1-336. In some embodiments, the personalized neoplasia vaccine is coadministered with an an anti-immunosuppressive or immuno stimulatory agent. In some embodiments, the anti-immunosuppressive or immuno stimulatory agent is selected from the group consisting of anti-CTLA antibody, anti-PD-1, anti-PD-L1, anti-TIM-3, anti-BTLA, anti-VISTA, anti-LAG3, anti-CD25, anti-CD27, anti-CD28, anti-CD137, anti-OX40, anti-GITR, anti-ICOS, anti-TIGIT, and inhibitors of IDO. In certain embodiments, the present invention provides a composition comprising a microparticle or nanoparticle complexed with one or more neo-antigenic peptides, wherein each of the one or more neo-antigenic peptides is specific for a neo-antigenic mutation identified from a neoplasia biological sample obtained from a subject. In some embodiments, the subject is a human being. In some embodiments, the size of the microparticle is between 0.5 microns to 100 microns. In some embodiments, the average size of the nanoparticle is between 6 to 500 nm. In some embodiments, the one or more neo-antigenic peptides range from about 5 to about 50 amino acids in length. In some embodiments, the one or more neo-antigenic peptides range from about 15 to about 35 amino acids in length. In some embodiments, the one or more neo-antigenic peptides range from about 18 to about 30 amino acids in length. In some embodiments, the one or more neo-antigenic peptides range from about 6 to about 15 amino acids in length. In some embodiments, the nanoparticle is further complexed or admixed with an adjuvant. In some embodiments, the adjuvant is selected from the group consisting of CPG, polyIC, poly-ICLC, 1018 ISS, aluminum salts, Amplivax, AS15, BCG, CP-870, 893, CpG7909, CyaA, dSLIM, GM-CSF, IC30, IC31, Imiquimod, ImuFact IMP321, IS Patch, ISS, ISCOMATRIX, Juvlmmune, LipoVac, MF59, monophosphoryl lipid A, Montanide IMS 1312, Montanide ISA 206, Montanide ISA 50V, Montanide ISA-51, OK-432, OM-174, OM-197-MP-EC, ONTAK, PepTel®, vector system, PLGA microparticles, imiquimod, resiquimod, gardiquimod, 3M-052, SRL172, Virosomes and other Virus-like particles, YF-17D, VEGF trap, beta-glucan, Pam3Cys, Aquila's QS21 stimulon, vadimezan, and AsA404 (DMXAA). In some embodiments, the adjuvant is any derivative of an adjuvant (e.g., cholesterol-modified CpG). In some embodiments, the nanoparticle is a sHDL nanoparticle. In some embodiments, the sHDL nanoparticle comprises a mixture of at least one phospholipid and at least one HDL apolipoprotein or apolipoprotein mimetic. In some embodiments, the HDL apolipoprotein is selected from the group consisting of apolipoprotein A-I (apo apolipoprotein A-II (apo A-II), apolipoprotein A4 (apo A4), apolipoprotein Cs (apo Cs), and apolipoprotein E (apo E). In some embodiments, the phospholipid is selected from the group consisting of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC), dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[3-(2-pyridyldithio) propionate] (DOPE-PDP), 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphothioethanol, 1,2-di-(9Z-octadecenoyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[4-(p-maleimidophenyl)butyramide], 1,2-dihexadecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[4-(p-maleimidophenyl)butyramide], 1,2-dihexadecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[4-(p-maleimidomethyl)cyclohexane-carboxamide], 1,2-di-(9Z-octadecenoyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[4-(p-maleimidomethyl)cyclohexane-carboxamide], phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylethanolamine, and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the HDL apolipoprotein mimetic is an ApoA-I mimetic. In some embodiments, the ApoA-I mimetic is described by any of SEQ ID NOs: 1-336. In some embodiments, the average particle size of the sHDL nanoparticle is between 6-70 nm. Moreover, the present invention relates to nanoparticles complexed with biomacromolecule agents configured for treating, preventing or ameliorating various types of disorders, and methods of synthesizing the same. In particular, the present invention is directed to compositions comprising synthetic high density lipoprotein (sHDL) nanoparticles carrying biomacromolecule agents (e.g., nucleic acid, peptides, glycolipids, etc.), methods for synthesizing such sHDL nanoparticles, as well as systems and methods utilizing such sHDL nanoparticles (e.g., in diagnostic and/or therapeutic settings). As such, in certain embodiments, the present invention provides methods for inhibiting a target gene in a cell, comprising introducing into the cell a composition comprising siRNA encapsulated within a sHDL nanoparticle, wherein the siRNA is capable of inhibiting the target gene by RNA interference, wherein the siRNA comprises two RNA strands that are complementary to each other. In some embodiments, the siRNA is modified with cholesterol at the 3′ sense strand. In some embodiments, the cell is in vivo, in vitro, or ex vivo. In some embodiments, the cell is within a human being. In some embodiments, an imaging agent is encapsulated within the sHDL nanoparticle. In certain embodiments, the present invention provides methods for reducing serum LDL-C levels in patient, comprising administering to the patient a therapeutically effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition comprising a PCSK9 siRNA encapsulated within a nanoparticle, wherein the PCSK9 siRNA is capable of inhibiting the PCSK9 gene by RNA interference, wherein the PCSK9 siRNA comprises two RNA strands that are complementary to each other, wherein inhibiting of the PCSK9 gene results in reduction of serum LDL-C levels in the patient. In some embodiments, the patient is a human patient. In some embodiments, the PCSK9 siRNA is modified with cholesterol at the 3′ sense strand. In some embodiments, an imaging agent is encapsulated within the nanoparticle. In some embodiments, the nanoparticle is selected from the group consisting of sHDL nanoparticle, fullerenes, endohedral metallofullerenes buckyballs, trimetallic nitride templated endohedral metallofullerenes, single-walled and multi-walled carbon nanotubes, branched and dendritic carbon nanotubes, gold nanorods, silver nanorods, single-walled and multi-walled boron/nitrate nanotubes, carbon nanotube peapods, carbon nanohorns, carbon nanohorn peapods, liposomes, nanoshells, dendrimers, microparticles, quantum dots, superparamagnetic nanoparticles, nanorods, cellulose nanoparticles, glass and polymer micro- and nano-spheres, biodegradable PLGA micro- and nano-spheres, gold nanoparticles, silver nanoparticles, carbon nanoparticles, iron nanoparticles, a modified micelle. In some embodiments, the nanoparticle is a sHDL nanoparticle. In certain embodiments, the present invention provides methods for treating coronary heart disease in a patient through reducing serum LDL-C levels in the patient, comprising administering to the patient a therapeutically effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition comprising a PCSK9 siRNA encapsulated within a nanoparticle, wherein the PCSK9 siRNA is capable of inhibiting the PCSK9 gene by RNA interference, wherein the PCSK9 siRNA comprises two RNA strands that are complementary to each other, wherein inhibiting of the PCSK9 gene results in reduction of serum LDL-C levels. In some embodiments, the patient is a human patient. In some embodiments, the PCSK9 siRNA is modified with cholesterol at the 3′ sense strand. In some embodiments, an imaging agent is encapsulated within the nanoparticle. In some embodiments, the nanoparticle is selected from the group consisting of sHDL nanoparticle, fullerenes, endohedral metallofullerenes buckyballs, trimetallic nitride templated endohedral metallofullerenes, single-walled and multi-walled carbon nanotubes, branched and dendritic carbon nanotubes, gold nanorods, silver nanorods, single-walled and multi-walled boron/nitrate nanotubes, carbon nanotube peapods, carbon nanohorns, carbon nanohorn peapods, liposomes, nanoshells, dendrimers, microparticles, quantum dots, superparamagnetic nanoparticles, nanorods, cellulose nanoparticles, glass and polymer micro- and nano-spheres, biodegradable PLGA micro- and nano-spheres, gold nanoparticles, silver nanoparticles, carbon nanoparticles, iron nanoparticles, a modified micelle. In some embodiments, the nanoparticle is a sHDL nanoparticle. In some embodiments, the sHDL nanoparticle comprises a mixture of at least one phospholipid and at least one HDL apolipoprotein or apolipoprotein mimetic. In certain embodiments, the present invention provides methods for inducing a natural killer T cell-mediated immune response in a cell comprising exposing the cell to a composition comprising an αGalCer glycolipid encapsulated within a nanoparticle, wherein such exposure results in the induction of a natural killer T cell-mediated immune response. In some embodiments, the cell is an in vivo cell, an ex vivo cell, or an in vitro cell. In some embodiments, the nanoparticle is selected from the group consisting of sHDL nanoparticle, fullerenes, endohedral metallofullerenes buckyballs, trimetallic nitride templated endohedral metallofullerenes, single-walled and multi-walled carbon nanotubes, branched and dendritic carbon nanotubes, gold nanorods, silver nanorods, single-walled and multi-walled boron/nitrate nanotubes, carbon nanotube peapods, carbon nanohorns, carbon nanohorn peapods, liposomes, nanoshells, dendrimers, microparticles, quantum dots, superparamagnetic nanoparticles, nanorods, cellulose nanoparticles, glass and polymer micro- and nano-spheres, biodegradable PLGA micro- and nano-spheres, gold nanoparticles, silver nanoparticles, carbon nanoparticles, iron nanoparticles, a modified micelle. In some embodiments, the nanoparticle is a sHDL nanoparticle. In certain embodiments, the present invention provides methods for inducing an immune response to an antigen comprising administering to a subject in need an effective amount of a composition comprising an nanoparticle, wherein the antigen is complexed with the nanoparticle, wherein an adjuvant is complexed or admixed with the nanoparticle. In some embodiments, the antigen is against PCSK9. In some embodiments, the antigen is against gp100 melanoma. In some embodiments, the antigen is selected from the group consisting of a peptide based antigen, a protein based antigen, a polysaccharide based antigen, a saccharide based antigen, a lipid based antigen, a glycolipid based antigen, a nucleic acid based antigen, an inactivated organism based antigen, an attenuated organism based antigen, a viral antigen, a bacterial antigen, a parasite antigen, an antigen derived from an allergen, and a tumor antigen. In some embodiments, the antigen is a tumor antigen selected from the group consisting of alpha-actinin-4, Bcr-Abl fusion protein, Casp-8, beta-catenin, cdc27, cdk4, cdkn2a, coa-1, dek-can fusion protein, EF2, ETV6-AML1 fusion protein, LDLR-fucosyltransferaseAS fusion protein, HLA-A2, HLA-A11, hsp70-2, KIAAO205, Mart2, Mum-1, 2, and 3, neo-PAP, myosin class I, OS-9, pml-RARα fusion protein, PTPRK, K-ras, N-ras, Triosephosphate isomeras, Bage-1, Gage 3,4,5,6,7, GnTV, Herv-K-mel, Lage-1, Mage-A1,2,3,4,6,10,12, Mage-C2, NA-88, NY-Eso-1/Lage-2, SP17, SSX-2, and TRP2-Int2, MelanA (MART-I), gp100 (Pmel 17), tyrosinase, TRP-1, TRP-2, MAGE-1, MAGE-3, BAGE, GAGE-1, GAGE-2, p15(58), CEA, RAGE, NY-ESO (LAGS), SCP-1, Hom/Mel-40, PRAME, p53, H-Ras, HER-2/neu, BCR-ABL, E2A-PRL, H4-RET, IGH-IGK, MYL-RAR, Epstein Barr virus antigens, EBNA, human papillomavirus (HPV) antigens E6 and E7, TSP-180, MAGE-4, MAGE-5, MAGE-6, p185erbB2, p180erbB-3, c-met, nm-23H1, PSA, TAG-72-4, CA 19-9, CA 72-4, CAM 17.1, NuMa, K-ras, β-Catenin, CDK4, Mum-1, p16, TAGE, PSMA, PSCA, CT7, telomerase, 43-9F, 5T4, 791Tgp72, α-fetoprotein, 13HCG, BCA225, BTAA, CA 125, CA 15-3 (CA 27.29BCAA), CA 195, CA 242, CA-50, CAM43, CD68KP1, CO-029, FGF-5, G250, Ga733 (EpCAM), HTgp-175, M344, MA-50, MG7-Ag, MOV18, NB70K, NY-CO-1, RCAS1, SDCCAG16, TA-90 (Mac-2 binding proteincyclophilin C-associated protein), TAAL6, TAG72, TLP, and TPS. In some embodiments, the adjuvant is a dendritic cell targeting molecule. In some embodiments, the adjuvant is CpG. In certain embodiments, the present invention provides methods for inducing an immune response to an antigen comprising administering to a subject in need an effective amount of a composition comprising a nanoparticle, wherein the antigen is complexed with the nanoparticle. In some embodiments, the antigen is against PCSK9. In some embodiments, the nanoparticle is further complexed or admixed with an adjuvant. In some embodiments, the nanoparticle is co-administered with an adjuvant. In some embodiments, the nanoparticle is selected from the group consisting of sHDL nanoparticle, fullerenes, endohedral metallofullerenes buckyballs, trimetallic nitride templated endohedral metallofullerenes, single-walled and multi-walled carbon nanotubes, branched and dendritic carbon nanotubes, gold nanorods, silver nanorods, single-walled and multi-walled boron/nitrate nanotubes, carbon nanotube peapods, carbon nanohorns, carbon nanohorn peapods, liposomes, nanoshells, dendrimers, microparticles, quantum dots, superparamagnetic nanoparticles, nanorods, cellulose nanoparticles, glass and polymer micro- and nano-spheres, biodegradable PLGA micro- and nano-spheres, gold nanoparticles, silver nanoparticles, carbon nanoparticles, iron nanoparticles, a modified micelle. In some embodiments, the nanoparticle is a sHDL nanoparticle. In some embodiments, the adjuvant is a dendritic cell targeting molecule. In some embodiments, the adjuvant is CpG. In some embodiments, the adjuvant is selected from the group consisting of CPG, polyIC, poly-ICLC, 1018 ISS, aluminum salts, Amplivax, AS15, BCG, CP-870, 893, CpG7909, CyaA, dSLIM, GM-CSF, IC30, IC31, Imiquimod, ImuFact IMP321, IS Patch, ISS, ISCOMATRIX, Juvlmmune, LipoVac, MF59, monophosphoryl lipid A, Montanide IMS 1312, Montanide ISA 206, Montanide ISA 50V, Montanide ISA-51, OK-432, OM-174, OM-197-MP-EC, ONTAK, PepTel®, vector system, PLGA microparticles, imiquimod, resiquimod, gardiquimod, 3M-052, SRL172, Virosomes and other Virus-like particles, YF-17D, VEGF trap, beta-glucan, Pam3Cys, Aquila's QS21 stimulon, vadimezan, and AsA404 (DMXAA). In some embodiments, the adjuvant is any derivative of an adjuvant (e.g., cholesterol-modified CpG). In some embodiments, the antigen is conjugated to the outer surface of the nanoparticle. In some embodiments, the adjuvant is conjugated to the outer surface of the nanoparticle. In some embodiments, the adjuvant is encapsulated within the nanoparticle. In some embodiments, the composition is co-administered with a chemotherapeutic agent. In some embodiments, the chemotherapeutic agent is one or more of the following: aldesleukin, altretamine, amifostine, asparaginase, bleomycin, capecitabine, carboplatin, carmustine, cladribine, cisapride, cisplatin, cyclophosphamide, cytarabine, dacarbazine (DTIC), dactinomycin, docetaxel, doxorubicin, dronabinol, epoetin alpha, etoposide, filgrastim, fludarabine, fluorouracil, gemcitabine, granisetron, hydroxyurea, idarubicin, ifosfamide, interferon alpha, irinotecan, lansoprazole, levamisole, leucovorin, megestrol, mesna, methotrexate, metoclopramide, mitomycin, mitotane, mitoxantrone, omeprazole, ondansetron, paclitaxel (Taxol®), pilocarpine, prochloroperazine, rituximab, tamoxifen, taxol, topotecan hydrochloride, trastuzumab, vinblastine, vincristine and vinorelbine tartrate. In certain embodiments, the present invention provides compositions comprising a nanoparticle, wherein an antigen is complexed with the nanoparticle. In some embodiments, the nanoparticle is further complexed or admixed with an adjuvant. In some embodiments, the antigen is derived from a self-antigen. In some embodiments, the antigen is against PCSK9. In some embodiments, the antigen is against gp100 melanoma. In some embodiments, the antigen is selected from the group consisting of a peptide based antigen, a protein based antigen, a polysaccharide based antigen, a saccharide based antigen, a lipid based antigen, a glycolipid based antigen, a nucleic acid based antigen, an inactivated organism based antigen, an attenuated organism based antigen, a viral antigen, a bacterial antigen, a parasite antigen, an antigen derived from an allergen, and a tumor antigen. In some embodiments, the antigen is a tumor antigen selected from the group consisting of alpha-actinin-4, Bcr-Abl fusion protein, Casp-8, beta-catenin, cdc27, cdk4, cdkn2a, coa-1, dek-can fusion protein, EF2, ETV6-AML1 fusion protein, LDLR-fucosyltransferaseAS fusion protein, HLA-A2, HLA-A11, hsp70-2, KIAAO205, Mart2, Mum-1, 2, and 3, neo-PAP, myosin class I, OS-9, pml-RARα fusion protein, PTPRK, K-ras, N-ras, Triosephosphate isomeras, Bage-1, Gage 3,4,5,6,7, GnTV, Herv-K-mel, Lage-1, Mage-A1,2,3,4,6,10,12, Mage-C2, NA-88, NY-Eso-1/Lage-2, SP17, SSX-2, and TRP2-Int2, MelanA (MART-I), gp100 (Pmel 17), tyrosinase, TRP-1, TRP-2, MAGE-1, MAGE-3, BAGE, GAGE-1, GAGE-2, p15(58), CEA, RAGE, NY-ESO (LAGS), SCP-1, Hom/Mel-40, PRAME, p53, H-Ras, HER-2/neu, BCR-ABL, E2A-PRL, H4-RET, IGH-IGK, MYL-RAR, Epstein Barr virus antigens, EBNA, human papillomavirus (HPV) antigens E6 and E7, TSP-180, MAGE-4, MAGE-5, MAGE-6, p185erbB2, p180erbB-3, c-met, nm-23H1, PSA, TAG-72-4, CA 19-9, CA 72-4, CAM 17.1, NuMa, K-ras, β-Catenin, CDK4, Mum-1, p16, TAGE, PSMA, PSCA, CT7, telomerase, 43-9F, 5T4, 791Tgp72, α-fetoprotein, 13HCG, BCA225, BTAA, CA 125, CA 15-3 (CA 27.29BCAA), CA 195, CA 242, CA-50, CAM43, CD68KP1, CO-029, FGF-5, G250, Ga733 (EpCAM), HTgp-175, M344, MA-50, MG7-Ag, MOV18, NB70K, NY-CO-1, RCAS1, SDCCAG16, TA-90 (Mac-2 binding proteincyclophilin C-associated protein), TAAL6, TAG72, TLP, and TPS. In some embodiments, the adjuvant is a dendritic cell targeting molecule. In some embodiments, the adjuvant is an immunostimulatory agent that activates dendritic cells. In some embodiments, the adjuvant is CpG. In some embodiments, the adjuvant is selected from the group consisting of CPG, polyIC, poly-ICLC, 1018 ISS, aluminum salts, Amplivax, AS15, BCG, CP-870, 893, CpG7909, CyaA, dSLIM, GM-CSF, IC30, IC31, Imiquimod, ImuFact IMP321, IS Patch, ISS, ISCOMATRIX, Juvlmmune, LipoVac, MF59, monophosphoryl lipid A, Montanide IMS 1312, Montanide ISA 206, Montanide ISA 50V, Montanide ISA-51, OK-432, OM-174, OM-197-MP-EC, ONTAK, PepTel®, vector system, PLGA microparticles, imiquimod, resiquimod, gardiquimod, 3M-052, SRL172, Virosomes and other Virus-like particles, YF-17D, VEGF trap, beta-glucan, Pam3Cys, Aquila's QS21 stimulon, vadimezan, and AsA404 (DMXAA). In some embodiments, the adjuvant is any derivative of an adjuvant (e.g., cholesterol-modified CpG). In some embodiments, the antigen is conjugated to the outer surface of the nanoparticle. In some embodiments, the adjuvant is conjugated to the outer surface of the nanoparticle. In some embodiments, the adjuvant is encapsulated within the nanoparticle. In some embodiments, the nanoparticle is selected from the group consisting of sHDL nanoparticle, fullerenes, endohedral metallofullerenes buckyballs, trimetallic nitride templated endohedral metallofullerenes, single-walled and multi-walled carbon nanotubes, branched and dendritic carbon nanotubes, gold nanorods, silver nanorods, single-walled and multi-walled boron/nitrate nanotubes, carbon nanotube peapods, carbon nanohorns, carbon nanohorn peapods, liposomes, nanoshells, dendrimers, microparticles, quantum dots, superparamagnetic nanoparticles, nanorods, cellulose nanoparticles, glass and polymer micro- and nano-spheres, biodegradable PLGA micro- and nano-spheres, gold nanoparticles, silver nanoparticles, carbon nanoparticles, iron nanoparticles, a modified micelle. In some embodiments, the nanoparticle is a sHDL nanoparticle. In certain embodiments, the present invention provides comprising siRNA encapsulated within a nanoparticle, wherein the siRNA is capable of inhibiting a target gene by RNA interference, wherein the siRNA comprises two RNA strands that are complementary to each other. In some embodiments, the siRNA is modified with cholesterol at the 3′ sense strand. In some embodiments, an imaging agent is encapsulated within the nanoparticle. In some embodiments, the nanoparticle is selected from the group consisting of sHDL nanoparticle, fullerenes, endohedral metallofullerenes buckyballs, trimetallic nitride templated endohedral metallofullerenes, single-walled and multi-walled carbon nanotubes, branched and dendritic carbon nanotubes, gold nanorods, silver nanorods, single-walled and multi-walled boron/nitrate nanotubes, carbon nanotube peapods, carbon nanohorns, carbon nanohorn peapods, liposomes, nanoshells, dendrimers, microparticles, quantum dots, superparamagnetic nanoparticles, nanorods, cellulose nanoparticles, glass and polymer micro- and nano-spheres, biodegradable PLGA micro- and nano-spheres, gold nanoparticles, silver nanoparticles, carbon nanoparticles, iron nanoparticles, a modified micelle. In some embodiments, the nanoparticle is a sHDL nanoparticle. In certain embodiments, the present invention provides comprising a PCSK9 siRNA encapsulated within a nanoparticle, wherein the PCSK9 siRNA is capable of inhibiting the PCSK9 gene by RNA interference, wherein the PCSK9 siRNA comprises two RNA strands that are complementary to each other. In some embodiments, the PCSK9 siRNA is modified with cholesterol at the 3′ sense strand. In some embodiments, an imaging agent is encapsulated within the nanoparticle. In some embodiments, the average size of the nanoparticle is between 6 to 500 nm. In some embodiments, the nanoparticle is selected from the group consisting of sHDL nanoparticle, fullerenes, endohedral metallofullerenes buckyballs, trimetallic nitride templated endohedral metallofullerenes, single-walled and multi-walled carbon nanotubes, branched and dendritic carbon nanotubes, gold nanorods, silver nanorods, single-walled and multi-walled boron/nitrate nanotubes, carbon nanotube peapods, carbon nanohorns, carbon nanohorn peapods, liposomes, nanoshells, dendrimers, microparticles, quantum dots, superparamagnetic nanoparticles, nanorods, cellulose nanoparticles, glass and polymer micro- and nano-spheres, biodegradable PLGA micro- and nano-spheres, gold nanoparticles, silver nanoparticles, carbon nanoparticles, iron nanoparticles, a modified micelle. In some embodiments, the nanoparticle is a sHDL nanoparticle. In certain embodiments, the present invention provides comprising an αGalCer glycolipid encapsulated within a nanoparticle. Such methods and compositions are not limited to particular size, type or kind of nanoparticles. In some embodiments, the nanoparticle is selected from the group consisting of sHDL nanoparticle, fullerenes, endohedral metallofullerenes buckyballs, trimetallic nitride templated endohedral metallofullerenes, single-walled and multi-walled carbon nanotubes, branched and dendritic carbon nanotubes, gold nanorods, silver nanorods, single-walled and multi-walled boron/nitrate nanotubes, carbon nanotube peapods, carbon nanohorns, carbon nanohorn peapods, liposomes, nanoshells, dendrimers, microparticles, quantum dots, superparamagnetic nanoparticles, nanorods, cellulose nanoparticles, glass and polymer micro- and nano-spheres, biodegradable PLGA micro- and nano-spheres, gold nanoparticles, silver nanoparticles, carbon nanoparticles, iron nanoparticles, a modified micelle. In some embodiments, the nanoparticle is a sHDL nanoparticle. In some embodiments, the sHDL nanoparticle comprises a mixture of at least one phospholipid and at least one HDL apolipoprotein or apolipoprotein mimetic. In some embodiments, the HDL apolipoprotein is selected from the group consisting of apolipoprotein A-I (apo A-I), apolipoprotein A-II (apo A-II), apolipoprotein A4 (apo A4), apolipoprotein Cs (apo Cs), and apolipoprotein E (apo E). In some embodiments, the HDL apolipoprotein is selected from preproapoliprotein, preproApoA-I, proApoA-I, ApoA-I, preproApoA-II, proApoA-II, ApoA-II, preproApoA-1V, proApoA-1V, ApoA-IV, ApoA-V, preproApoE, proApoE, ApoE, preproApoA-1Milano, proApoA-IMilano ApoA-1Milano preproApoA-IParis, proApoA-IParis, and ApoA-IParis and peptide mimetics of these proteins mixtures thereof. In some embodiments, the phospholipid is selected from the group consisting of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC), dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[3-(2-pyridyldithio) propionate] (DOPE-PDP), 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphothioethanol, 1,2-di-(9Z-octadecenoyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[4-(p-maleimidophenyl)butyramide], 1,2-dihexadecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[4-(p-maleimidophenyl)butyramide], 1,2-dihexadecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[4-(p-maleimidomethyl)cyclohexane-carboxamide], 1,2-di-(9Z-octadecenoyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[4-(p-maleimidomethyl)cyclohexane-carboxamide], phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylethanolamine, and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the HDL apolipoprotein mimetic is an ApoA-I mimetic. In some embodiments, the ApoA-I mimetic is described by any of SEQ ID NOs: 1-336. In some embodiments, the average particle size of the sHDL nanoparticle is between 6-70 nm. In certain embodiments, the present invention provides methods for inducing an immune response to one or more antigens comprising administering to a subject in need an effective amount of a composition comprising a nanoparticle, wherein the one or more antigens is complexed with the nanoparticle, wherein an adjuvant is complexed with the nanoparticle. In certain embodiments, the present invention provides compositions comprising nanoparticle, wherein one or more antigens is complexed with the nanoparticle, wherein an adjuvant is complexed with the nanoparticle. In some embodiments, the average size of the nanoparticle is between 6 to 500 nm. In some embodiments, the one or more antigens is against PCSK9, M30, M27, Adpgk, and ASMTNMELM. In some embodiments, the one or more antigens are conjugated to the outer surface of the nanoparticle. In some embodiments, the adjuvant is selected from the group consisting of CPG, polyIC, poly-ICLC, 1018 ISS, aluminum salts, Amplivax, AS15, BCG, CP-870, 893, CpG7909, CyaA, dSLIM, GM-CSF, IC30, IC31, Imiquimod, ImuFact IMP321, IS Patch, ISS, ISCOMATRIX, Juvlmmune, LipoVac, MF59, monophosphoryl lipid A, Montanide IMS 1312, Montanide ISA 206, Montanide ISA 50V, Montanide ISA-51, OK-432, OM-174, OM-197-MP-EC, ONTAK, PepTel®, vector system, PLGA microparticles, imiquimod, resiquimod, gardiquimod, 3M-052, SRL172, Virosomes and other Virus-like particles, YF-17D, VEGF trap, beta-glucan, Pam3Cys, Aquila's QS21 stimulon, vadimezan, and AsA404 (DMXAA). In some embodiments, the adjuvant is any derivative of an adjuvant (e.g., cholesterol-modified CpG). In some embodiments, the adjuvant is conjugated to the outer surface of the nanoparticle. In some embodiments, the adjuvant is encapsulated within the nanoparticle. In some embodiments, the nanoparticle is selected from the group consisting of sHDL nanoparticle, fullerenes, endohedral metallofullerenes buckyballs, trimetallic nitride templated endohedral metallofullerenes, single-walled and multi-walled carbon nanotubes, branched and dendritic carbon nanotubes, gold nanorods, silver nanorods, single-walled and multi-walled boron/nitrate nanotubes, carbon nanotube peapods, carbon nanohorns, carbon nanohorn peapods, liposomes, nanoshells, dendrimers, microparticles, quantum dots, superparamagnetic nanoparticles, nanorods, cellulose nanoparticles, glass and polymer micro- and nano-spheres, biodegradable PLGA micro- and nano-spheres, gold nanoparticles, silver nanoparticles, carbon nanoparticles, iron nanoparticles, a modified micelle. In some embodiments, the nanoparticle is a sHDL nanoparticle. In some embodiments, the nanoparticle is sHDL, wherein the sHDL nanoparticle comprises a mixture of at least one phospholipid and at least one HDL apolipoprotein or apolipoprotein mimetic. In some embodiments, the HDL apolipoprotein is selected from the group consisting of apolipoprotein A-I (apo A-I), apolipoprotein A-II (apo A-II), apolipoprotein A4 (apo A4), apolipoprotein Cs (apo Cs), and apolipoprotein E (apo E), wherein the phospholipid is selected from the group consisting of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC), dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[3-(2-pyridyldithio) propionate] (DOPE-PDP), 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphothioethanol, 1,2-di-(9Z-octadecenoyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[4-(p-maleimidophenyl)butyramide], 1,2-dihexadecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[4-(p-maleimidophenyl)butyramide], 1,2-dihexadecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[4-(p-maleimidomethyl)cyclohexane-carboxamide], 1,2-di-(9Z-octadecenoyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[4-(p-maleimidomethyl)cyclohexane-carboxamide], phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylethanolamine, and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the HDL apolipoprotein mimetic is an ApoA-I mimetic, wherein the thiol-reactive phospholipid is dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[3-(2-pyridyldithio) propionate] (DOPE-PDP). In some embodiments, the ApoA-I mimetic is described by any of SEQ ID NOs: 1-336. Additional embodiments will be apparent to persons skilled in the relevant art based on the teachings contained herein.

11365228

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Cellular signaling initiated by fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) controls important physiological processes during normal embryonic development and homeostasis in adult animals. Accordingly, a variety of diseases are caused by genetic disruption or aberrant regulation of FGF-dependent cell signaling pathways. The 22 members of the FGF family stimulate their cellular responses by binding to the extracellular domains of four members of the fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFRs), which are a family of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs). Canonical FGFs activate FGFRs through paracrine or autocrine mechanisms, in a process that requires the action of an FGF ligand together with heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPG) that function as critical co-receptors for FGFs. This requirement for HSPGs distinguishes FGFRs from most other RTKs, which are typically activated directly by specific growth factor binding to the extracellular domains of a cognate receptor. Receptor dimerization is crucial for FGFR activation as with other RTKs. In contrast with other growth factors such as EGF and PDGF, however, canonical FGFs can stimulate FGFR dimerization only when bound to HSPGs. FGFR dimerization leads to kinase activation and trans-phosphorylation of specific tyrosine residues in the receptor cytoplasmic domain. This, in turn, triggers stimulation of multiple signaling pathways, either through direct association of signaling molecules with activated FGFR or through indirect interactions mediated by closely associated docking proteins such as FRS2 and Gab1, specialized in recruiting unique complements of signaling proteins. FGF19, FGF21, and FGF23 stand out from the canonical FGFs by exhibiting hallmarks of circulating hormones, and are thus termed endocrine FGFs. FGF19 and FGF21 both function as hormones that bind specifically to receptors located in liver, fat tissue, and the hypothalamus and regulate metabolic functions such as bile acid synthesis and lipogenesis, and also stimulate insulin sensitivity, energy expenditure and weight loss. The target organs of FGF23 are kidney and parathyroid—FGF23 binding stimulates urinary phosphate excretion and decreases parathyroid hormone levels, respectively. Unlike canonical FGFs that require HSPG to activate FGFRs, endocrine FGFs do not have this requirement, but instead are specifically dependent on Klotho co-receptors for FGFR activation. There are two Klothos, encoded by different genes. α-Klotho is required for FGF23-dependent signaling, and β-Klotho is essential for FGF19- or FGF21-dependent signaling in specific tissues and organs. Although different FGFRs are expressed throughout the body, expression of Klotho proteins is limited to specific tissues—α-Klotho expression is confined to the kidney and parathyroid, whereas β-Klotho expression is limited to adipose tissue, liver, pancreas and hypothalamus. Both Klotho proteins are membrane receptors composed of an N-terminal extracellular region and a single transmembrane spanning region followed by a short cytoplasmic region. Each Klotho extracellular region contains tandem domains that share sequence similarity with the glycoside hydrolase family of enzymes. Amino acid sequence alignments indicate that one of the two catalytic amino acid residues of each of Klotho's glycoside hydrolase-like domains (GH domain) were substituted at some point in its evolution, indicating that Klotho's GH domains are deficient in enzymatic activity and can be defined as pseudo-enzymes. However, several reports have suggested that α-Klotho has some detectable enzymatic activity. There is a need in the art to identify compositions and methods that can be used to modulate (e.g. inhibit or stimulate) the activity of FGF receptors and the signaling pathways activated by endocrine FGFs. In certain embodiments, these compositions and methods are useful in treating, ameliorating and/or preventing diseases (such as, but not limited to, metabolic diseases and/or cancer) associated with endocrine FGFs. The present invention fulfills these needs. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention provides a non-natural soluble construct that prevents or minimizes the binding of at least one selected from the group consisting of a FGF receptor (FGFR), FGF19, and FGF21, to β-Klotho. In certain embodiments, the β-Klotho is on the surface of a mammal's cell. In certain embodiments, the construct is at least selected from the group consisting of an antibody, nanobody, recombinant protein, and small molecule. In other embodiments, the construct is at least one selected from the group consisting of an antibody and a recombinant peptide. In yet other embodiments, the antibody is at least one selected from the group consisting of a polyclonal antibody, monoclonal antibody, humanized antibody, synthetic antibody, heavy chain antibody, human antibody, biologically active fragment of an antibody, and any combinations thereof. In certain embodiments, the construct recognizes and binds to at least one amino acid residue of FGF19 or FGF21 that binds to β-Klotho, thus preventing FGF19 or FGF21 binding to β-Klotho. In certain embodiments, the construct recognizes and binds to at least one amino acid within the amino acid residues 169-209 in FGF21 (SEQ ID NO:3). In certain embodiments, the construct recognizes and binds to at least one amino acid within the amino acid residues 186-209 in SEQ ID NO:3. In certain embodiments, the construct recognizes and binds to at least one amino acid within the amino acid residues 170-216 in FGF19CT(SEQ ID NO:2). In certain embodiments, the construct recognizes and/or binds to at least one amino acid residue of β-Klotho that binds to FGF19 or FGF21, thus preventing β-Klotho binding to FGF19 or FGF21. In certain embodiments, the construct recognizes and/or binds to one or more amino acids within the amino acid residues 379-942 in β-Klotho (SEQ ID NO:1). In certain embodiments, the construct recognizes and/or binds to one or more amino acids within amino acids 379-380, 392-394, 419-422, 431, 434-435, 438, 532, 643-647, 692-694, 696-697, 743, 745, 764, 768, 824, 826, 829, 832, 845, 847-851, 853, 862, 889, 931-932, 939-940, and 942 in SEQ ID NO:1. In certain embodiments, the construct recognizes and binds to at least one amino acid residue of β-Klotho that binds to a FGFR, thus preventing β-Klotho binding to the FGFR. In certain embodiments, the construct recognizes and/or binds to one or more amino acids within the extracellular region of human β-Klotho (amino acid residues 53-983 of SEQ ID NO:1), or a fragment thereof. In certain embodiments, the construct recognizes and/or binds to one or more amino acids within the fragment of the extracellular region of human β-Klotho comprising amino acid residues 533-575 of SEQ ID NO:1. In certain embodiments, the construct comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of a FGF19 polypeptide and FGF21 polypeptide that is capable of binding to and sequestering β-Klotho on the surface of a mammal's cell. In other embodiments, the construct comprises amino acid residues 169-209 of SEQ ID NO:3 (FGF21CT). In yet other embodiments, the construct comprises amino acid residues 170-216 of SEQ ID NO:2 (FGF19CT). In certain embodiments, the construct comprises a β-Klotho polypeptide that is capable of binding to and sequestering at least one selected from the group consisting of FGF19 and FGF21. In other embodiments, the β-Klotho polypeptide comprises the extracellular region of human β-Klotho (amino acids 53-983 of SEQ ID NO:1), or a fragment thereof. In yet other embodiments, the Klotho polypeptide comprises the fragment of the extracellular region of human β-Klotho comprising amino acids 379-942 of SEQ ID NO:1. In certain embodiments, the construct comprises a β-Klotho polypeptide that is capable of binding to a FGFR. In other embodiments, the construct comprises the extracellular region of human β-Klotho (amino acid residues 53-983 of SEQ ID NO:1), or a fragment thereof. In yet other embodiments, the construct comprises amino acid residues 533-575 of SEQ ID NO:1. The invention further provides a soluble construct comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of a FGF19 polypeptide and FGF21 polypeptide that binds to β-Klotho more tightly than at least one selected from the group consisting of wild-type FGF19 and wild-type FGF21. In certain embodiments, the at least one selected from the group consisting of FGF19 polypeptide and FGF21 polypeptide has at least one mutation in its C-terminal domain. In other embodiments, the FGF21 polypeptide has a mutation in at least one residue selected from the group consisting of V188, R203 and L194. In yet other embodiments, the FGF21 polypeptide has at least one mutation selected from the group consisting of R203W and L194F. In yet other embodiments, The invention further provides a construct that simultaneously binds to an exposed epitope on FGF21CTand an exposed epitope on β-Klotho in a FGF21CT-β-Klotho complex, thus stabilizing the FGF21CT-β-Klotho complex. In certain embodiments, the construct is at least one selected from the group consisting of an antibody, nanobody, recombinant protein, and small molecule. In other embodiments, the construct is at least one selected from the group consisting of an antibody and a recombinant peptide. In yet other embodiments, the antibody is selected from the group consisting of a polyclonal antibody, monoclonal antibody, humanized antibody, synthetic antibody, heavy chain antibody, human antibody, biologically active fragment of an antibody, and any combinations thereof. A construct comprising a β-Klotho binder fused to at least one selected from the group consisting of a FGF19 polypeptide and FGF21 polypeptide, wherein the construct has at least one selected from the group consisting of FGF19 stimulatory activities and FGF 21 stimulatory activities. In certain embodiments, the construct of the invention is fused to a stability enhancing domain. In other embodiments, the stability enhancing domain comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of albumin, thioredoxin, glutathione S-transferase, and a Fc region of an antibody. In yet other embodiments, the polypeptide and the stability enhancing domain are linked through a polypeptide comprising about 1-18 amino acids. The invention further provides a method of treating and/or preventing endocrine FGF-related diseases or disorders in a mammal in need thereof. In certain embodiments, the method comprises administering to the mammal a therapeutically effective amount of a construct that modulates interaction of at least one selected from the group consisting of FGF19 and FGF21 with β-Klotho on the surface of a cell of the mammal. In other embodiments, the construct prevents or minimizes binding of at least one selected from the group consisting of FGF19 and FGF21 to β-Klotho on the surface of the mammal's cell. In other embodiments, the disease or disorder comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of liver cancer and colon cancer. In yet other embodiments, the construct binds more tightly than at least one selected from the group consisting of wild-type FGF19 and wild-type FGF21 to β-Klotho on the surface of the mammal's cell. In yet other embodiments, the disease or disorder comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of obesity, diabetes, pancreatitis, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). In certain embodiments, the mammal is human. In other embodiments, the construct is administered by at least one route selected from the group consisting of inhalational, oral, rectal, vaginal, parenteral, intracranial, topical, transdermal, pulmonary, intranasal, buccal, ophthalmic, intrathecal, and intravenous. In yet other embodiments, the mammal is further administered at least one additional drug that treats or prevents the disease and/or disorder. In yet other embodiments, the construct and the at least one additional drug are co-administered. In yet other embodiments, the construct and the at least one additional drug are co-formulated.

11426691

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure relates to filter assemblies, for example air cleaner assemblies, and components and features thereof, and methods of assembly and use. The filter assemblies comprise a housing having a removable and replaceable filter cartridge therein. Various features of filter housings and/or the cartridges are described, which can provide for advantage. Methods of assembly and use are described. BACKGROUND Air or other gas filtering is desirable in a number of systems. A typical application is in the filtration of intake air to internal combustion engines. Another is in the filtration of crankcase ventilation filter assemblies. Typically, such systems comprise filter assemblies having a serviceable filter cartridge therein. After a period of use, filter media within a filter housing requires servicing, either through cleaning or complete replacement. Typically, for an air cleaner or crankcase ventilation filter assembly used with an internal combustion engine, for example on a vehicle, the filter media is contained in a removable and replaceable, i.e. serviceable, component, typically referred as a filter element or cartridge. The filter cartridge is configured to be removably sealed within the air cleaner, in use. Improvements in filter arrangements relating to assembly, serviceability, use are desirable. The filter cartridge can be provided as a primary filter cartridge or a secondary filter cartridge. The air cleaner assembly can contain only a primary filter cartridge or both a primary filter cartridge and a secondary filter cartridge. SUMMARY Filter assembly (such as air cleaner assemblies or crankcase ventilation filter assemblies) features and components are described. Also described are methods of assembly and use. The filter assemblies generally comprise a housing having a filter cartridge removably positioned therein. An example assembly includes a first filter cartridge and a second filter cartridge, wherein the first filter cartridge has a first sealing structure configured for sealing against a portion of a housing and having a sealing surface, and wherein the second filter cartridge has a second sealing structure configured for sealing against the second filter cartridge sealing surface. In one embodiment, the first sealing structure is an outwardly directed radial seal while the second sealing structure is an inwardly directed radial seal. Each of the first and second filter cartridges may be provided with features for ensuring proper alignment of the cartridges with respect to the housing and outlet cover. As each of the first and second filter cartridges is provided with an axially deviating seal structure, proper alignment is beneficial in ensuring that a proper seal is achieved. The filter cartridges can be provided with extension members that extend from an open end cap of the cartridges. In one example, the extension members are provided with axially extending, radial facing recesses that are received by corresponding ribs associated with the outlet cover. In one example, the extension members are provide with a guide member that provides a low friction surface with the outlet cover which enables for self-alignment of the filter cartridges. In one example, both such features are provided. Each of these features provides an installer with a tactile feedback that allows the user to feel whether the filter cartridge is properly aligned and inserted with respect to the housing outlet cover. There is no specific requirement that an air cleaner assembly, component therefor, or feature thereof include all of the detail characterized herein, to obtain some advantage according to the present disclosure.

11400442

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of priority of German Patent Application no. 10 2019 100 983.9, filed Jan. 19, 2019, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE Field This application relates to chemical processes, specifically, processes for making catalysts suitable for vanadium-phosphorus oxide catalysts. Technical Background Maleic anhydride is a chemical intermediate of great economic importance. It is used, for example, in the production of alkyd and polyester resins, either alone or in combination with other acids. In addition, it is also a versatile intermediate for chemical synthesis, for example for the synthesis of γ-butyrolactone, tetrahydrofuran and 1,4-butanediol, which are in turn used as solvents or can be processed further to give polymers, for example polytetrahydrofuran or polyvinylpyrrolidone. The production of maleic anhydride is generally carried out by partial oxidation of butane in the gas phase by means of molecular oxygen or by means of a gas containing molecular oxygen in the presence of a vanadium-phosphorus oxide catalyst (VPO catalyst) containing vanadyl pyrophosphate (VPP). Vanadyl pyrophosphate in pure form comprises vanadium in a valency of +4 and is particularly suitable for the production of maleic anhydride from unbranched saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbons having at least four carbon atoms. Both fixed-bed reactors and fluidized-bed reactors are employed. VPO catalysts have only a low intrinsic activity in the reaction of n-butane to give maleic anhydride. For this reason, a large amount of catalyst is necessary for a satisfactory conversion. In addition, VPO catalysts are among the most expensive base metal catalysts, mainly because of the high costs of the starting materials for them. Consequently, it is desirable to improve the performance (activity and selectivity) and lifetime of VPO catalysts. It is known from the prior art that the performance of VPO catalysts can be improved by addition of foreign elements to the VPO phase, for example by addition of molybdenum (Mo promoter or Mo doping). U.S. Pat. No. 5,929,256 discloses the synthesis of an active molybdenum-modified vanadium-phosphorus catalyst for producing maleic anhydride. Here, a compound containing significant proportions of 5-valent vanadium is reacted with a 5-valent phosphorus-containing compound in an alcoholic medium which is suitable for reducing the vanadium to an oxidation state below 5. Here, molybdenum is incorporated into the reaction product, forming a solid, molybdenum-modified precursor composition. The alcohol is removed in order to obtain a dried solid molybdenum-modified precursor composition. Shaped bodies which contain the dried solid molybdenum-modified precursor compound are shaped. The dried and shaped molybdenum-modified precursor compositions are activated in order to convert them into the active catalyst. DE 10 2014 004786 A1 relates to a catalyst which contains a vanadium-phosphorus oxide and an alkali metal and in which the proportion by weight of alkali metal in the vanadium-phosphorus oxide is in the range from 10 to 400 ppm, based on the total weight of the vanadium-phosphorus oxide, a process for the production thereof and also the use of the catalyst for the gas-phase oxidation of hydrocarbons, especially for the production of maleic anhydride. DE 2611290 A1 relates to a vanadium-phosphorus-oxygen catalyst complex which is characterized in that it comprises vanadium, phosphorus and Me as active main components in an atomic ratio of from 1:0.90 to 1.3:0.005 to 0.4, where Me is U, W or a mixture of elements selected from the group consisting of Zn, Cr, U, W, Cd, Ni, B and Si. A process for producing maleic anhydride, characterized in that a feed composed of straight-chain C4-hydrocarbons in the vapour phase is contacted at elevated temperatures with oxygen and the vanadium-phosphorus-oxygen catalyst complex, is also disclosed. SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE In one aspect, the disclosure relates to a process for producing a VPO catalyst containing molybdenum and a vanadyl pyrophosphate phase, the process including:a) providing a reaction mixture comprising a V(V) compound, a P(V) compound, an Mo compound, a reducing agent and a solvent,b) reducing the V(V) compound by means of the reducing agent at least in parts to give vanadyl hydrogenphosphate in order to obtain an intermediate suspension,c) filtering the intermediate suspension from step b) in order to obtain an intermediate,d) drying of the intermediate at a temperature of not more than 350° C. in order to obtain a dried intermediate ande) activating of the dried intermediate at a temperature above 200° C., wherein not more than 0.2% by weight of water, based on the weight of the reaction mixture, is present in step a) and no water is withdrawn during the reduction in step b). In another aspect, the disclosure relates to a VPO catalyst that is able to be produced by the process of the invention and contains molybdenum and a vanadyl pyrophosphate phase. In another aspect, the disclosure relates to methods for oxidizing butane to maleic anhydride using the catalysts of the disclosure.

11260357

FIELD The field is fluidized beds and particularly catalyst cooler fluidization for a catalytic regenerator such as in a fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) unit and MTO. BACKGROUND FCC technology has undergone continuous improvement and remains the predominant source of gasoline production in many refineries. This gasoline, as well as lighter products, is formed as the result of cracking heavier, higher molecular weight, less valuable hydrocarbon feed stocks such as gas oil. In its most general form, the FCC process comprises a reactor that is closely coupled with a regenerator, followed by downstream hydrocarbon product separation. Hydrocarbon feed contacts catalyst in the reactor to crack the hydrocarbons down to smaller molecular weight products. During this process, coke tends to accumulate on the catalyst. Coke must be burned off of the catalyst in a regenerator. When a catalyst is exposed to oxygenates, such as methanol, to promote a reaction to olefins in a methanol to olefins process (MTO), carbonaceous material is generated and deposited on the catalyst. Accumulation of coke deposits interferes with the catalyst's ability to promote the MTO reaction. As the amount of coke deposit increases, the catalyst loses activity and less of the feedstock is converted to the desired olefin product. The step of regeneration removes the coke from the catalyst by combustion with oxygen, restoring the catalytic activity of the catalyst. The regenerated catalyst may then be exposed again to oxygenates to promote the conversion to olefins. Conventional regenerators typically include a vessel having a spent catalyst inlet, a regenerated catalyst outlet and a combustion gas distributor for supplying air or other oxygen containing gas to the bed of catalyst that resides in the vessel. Cyclone separators remove catalyst entrained in the flue gas before the gas exits the regenerator vessel. There are several types of catalyst regenerators in use today. The conventional bubbling bed regenerator typically has just one chamber in which air is bubbled through a dense catalyst bed. Spent catalyst is added and regenerated catalyst is withdrawn from the same dense catalyst bed. Relatively little catalyst is entrained in the combustion gas exiting the dense bed. Two-stage bubbling beds and combustor regenerators have two chambers. In a two-stage bubbling bed regenerator, spent catalyst is added to a dense bed in a first, upper chamber stage and is partially regenerated with air. The partially regenerated catalyst is transported to a dense bed in a second, lower chamber stage and completely regenerated with air. The completely regenerated catalyst is withdrawn from the second chamber. Complete catalyst regeneration can be performed in a dilute phase, fast-fluidized, combustion regenerator. Spent catalyst is added to a lower chamber and is transported upwardly by air under fast fluidized flow conditions while completely regenerating the catalyst. The regenerated catalyst is separated from the flue gas by a primary separator upon entering into an upper chamber in which regenerated catalyst and flue gas are disengaged from each other. Catalyst coolers have been used to cool regenerated catalyst and permit the regenerator and the reactor to operate under independent conditions. In catalyst coolers, hot regenerated catalyst is cooled by indirect heat exchange with water in nested cooler tubes which partially vaporizes to steam. The steam is removed from the catalyst cooler for other uses; whereas, the cooled catalyst is returned to the regenerator. Fluidization air is required in the catalyst cooler to keep the catalyst flowing and to promote the heat transfer. Catalyst coolers are typically fluidized by fluidization lances suspended in the catalyst cooler from a fluidization manifold located in the top of the cooler. The long fluidization lances hang down to near the bottom of the nested cooler tubes. The fluidization manifold is supported on top of the nested cooler tubes. A supply nozzle to the fluidization manifold is attached to the shell of the cooler, so is anchored in place. The nested cooler tubes and the fluidization manifold grow upward relative to the supply nozzle due to thermal expansion. Therefore, the fluidization manifold has to be flexible enough to accommodate this thermal growth. Shut downs of a regenerator are costly due to the fact that product is not being made during shut down. Hence, shut downs should be minimized to maximize profitability. If catalyst cooler operation is interrupted, the catalyst bed in the cooler must be re-fluidized. Improved ways of designing and operating catalyst coolers are sought. SUMMARY We have discovered a process and apparatus for supplying fluidization gas to a catalyst cooler from below the catalyst bed. A fluidization header is located below the catalyst bed in an outlet manifold that collects and discharges vaporized water from the cooler tubes. The fluidization header suspended in the catalyst cooler can now be omitted. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description of the invention, figures and claims provided herein.

11435317

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to the field of measurement apparatus and methods. Some aspects of the disclosure relate to eddy current sensing and eddy current arrays. BACKGROUND ART Eddy current is a electromagnetic phenomenon that has been utilized to inspect materials for cracks, corrosion, porosity, and may other defect types. Eddy current sensing is governed by the diffusion equation of magnetoquasistatic fields. As such, the eddy current sensor's proximity to the object to be inspected (i.e., “liftoff”) significantly affects the sensor's response signal. The defect detection capability thus becomes unacceptable at larger liftoffs. Practical applications exists where liftoffs above just several thousandths of an inch result in unacceptable defect detection performance. Eddy current sensors can be built with one or more measurement channels. Eddy current arrays have a number of sense elements. The defect signal produced by eddy current arrays varies with the transverse position of the sense elements of the array relative to the defect. If a sense element passes directly over the defect the element generally produces a larger response than if the element is not centered on the defect. Generally the smallest element responses are observed when the array passes over the defect with the defect falling directly between two sense elements. SUMMARY Methods and apparatus are disclosed for improving performance for an eddy current sensor. The sensor may be mounted to a mechanical support that provides variable stiffness along the surface. By varying the stiffness the sensor may better conform to the surface of a complex part to be inspected. Improving the conformance of the sensor to the curvature of the part reduces the liftoff of the sensor. Under most conditions reduced liftoff improves the defect detection performance of the sensor. The stiffness of the mechanical support can be varied by including captured volumes within the mechanical support. These volumes may simply be void (typically air filled) or filled with another material of a different stiffness. By varying the size, location, fill material, and spacing of these captured volumes the stiffness observed at the sensor mounting surface can be varied in ways that improve conformance to a complex part. The mounted sensor may be scanned along a complex part while measurement data is collected. The variable stiffness at the sensor surface may allow the sensor to maintain conformity with the complex part even if the curvature of the part varies along the scan path. The sensor measurements can be processed to enhance observability of defects. Multivariate inverse methods based on physics based models may be used to isolate material response from the sensor response due solely to liftoff. The material response can be enhanced by accounting for the transverse position of the sense elements relative to any defects in the inspected part. Generally the transverse location of the defect is not known a priori. A signature library is used to process the measurement data from multiple adjacent sense elements (or equivalently adjacent passes of the sensor. The signature library contains a set of multi-channel defect signatures. Each defect signature can be made from the measured response of selected measurement channels when the sensor passes over the defect at different relative transverse locations. The measurement data is correlated with each of the signatures. Assuming a defect is present, the correlation will generally be largest with the signature having the closest transverse defect position as the measurement data. Advantageously a given defect will have approximately the same maximum correlation value regardless of the transverse position of the defect in a given scan. Some aspects relate to a sensor cartridge comprising a sensor and a mechanical support. The mechanical support has a surface to which the sensor is secured. A first component of the mechanical support may be made with a first material and may have a plurality of captured volumes. The captured volumes are devoid of the first material. The surface to which the sensor is secured may thus have variable stiffness which improves conformity of the sensor cartridge to a feature of a test object when the sensor cartridge is pressed against the feature. The capture volumes may be holes, pits, internal pores, and the like. The captured volumes may be empty or filled with a material having a different stiffness than the first material. In the case of holes, the holes may each have the same or different cross-sections. For example the holes may include a first hole having a first cross-section and a second hole having a second cross-section, the first cross-section being different from the second cross-section in terms of size, shape, or both. As another example, the holes may all have circular cross-sections of the same size. The maximum cross-sectional dimension of the holes may be any suitable size, in some applications between 1 and 5 mm, though other applications the dimension may be even larger or smaller. In some embodiments all the holes are axial and aligned in the same direction. In some embodiments of the sensor cartridge, the sensor is an eddy current sensor array. An array may comprise a series of sense elements along one axis or direction. In some embodiments the array is perpendicular (or substantially perpendicular) to the axis of holes in the mechanical support. Thus if the sensor cartridge is scanned in a direction parallel to the axis of the holes the sensor array provides the greatest lateral coverage. In another embodiment, the sensor is at a 45 degree angle to the axis of the holes. Other angles can also be used such as between 35 and 55 degrees. This orientation, particularly when combined with a second sensor array at 90 degrees relative to the first (and negative 45 degrees relative to the hole axis), can provide improved crack detection when crack orientation is unknown or varies more than, say, plus/minus 20 degrees. In some embodiments the sensor cartridge includes a second component made of a second material. The second material may have a greater stiffness than the first material. The second component may abut a second surface of the first component, the second surface having a normal that is substantially parallel to the axis of the holes. In some embodiments the sensor mounting surface has a first flat region joined to a second flat region by a curved region. For example, similar to the shape of a fillet. The angle between the first flat region and second flat region may be between 20 and 170 degrees. The stiffness along the sensor mounting surface may be greater in the curved region than in both the first flat region and the second flat region. In some embodiments the mechanical support includes a second component made of a second material stiffer than the first material, the second component can have a wedge-shape that points towards the curved region of the first surface. This wedge, in combination with the stiffness of the second material can increase the stiffness in the surved region as compared to the flat regions. Another aspect relates to a system for defect detection. The system comprises a sensor array, an encoder, a memory unit, an instrument, and a correlation module. The sensor array has a plurality of sense elements. The encoder is configured to record a spatial position of the sensor array. The memory unit stores a signature library. The signature library has a plurality of defect signatures. Each defect signature in the signature library has, on a first number of channels, a defect response as a function of spatial position. The first number is two or more. The instrument is configured to collect measurements from each of the plurality of sense elements of the sensor array as a function of the spatial position obtained from the encoder. The correlation module correlates, as a function of spatial position, the measurements from a subset of sense elements with each defect signature in the signature library. The subset of sense elements has the same number of sense elements as the defect signatures have channels. In some embodiments, the subset of sense elements are adjacent sense elements among the plurality of sense elements in the sensor array. In some embodiments, the plurality of sense elements consists of a second number of sense elements, and the correlation module performs the correlation for a third number of subsets of sense elements, wherein the third number is equal to the second number minus the first number plus one. The correlation module may be further configured to determine a maximum correlation value from among the first number of correlations determined for each spatial position for each subset and store the maximum correlation value in the memory unit, and the system further comprises a display configured to output a visual representation of the maximum correlation values. For example, the display may represent the correlations in the form of a B-scan or C-scan image. In some embodiments, the correlation module is further configured to determine a maximum correlation value from among the first number of correlations determined for each encoder position and store the maximum correlation value in the memory unit. In some embodiments, each of the plurality of defect signatures has the same spatial length and each channel of each signature has zero mean. The system may further include a measurement preprocessing module that is configured to resample the measurements to have a measurement spacing equal to that of the defect signatures; to define measurement sets from the measurements to be correlated by the correlation module with each measurement set having the spatial length; and (iii) to remove from each measurement set its mean so that each measurement set has zero mean. In some embodiments the system includes a multivariate inverse method module that applies a model based inverse method to the measurements to estimate a material property to be correlated with the signatures of the signature library. In some embodiments, the sensor array is an eddy current sensor array having a common drive winding shared by the plurality of sensing elements. In some embodiments, the sensor array is a capacitive sensor array having one or more drive electrodes and where each sense element is a sense electrode. In some embodiments, the plurality of sense elements consists of a second number of sense elements, and the instrument collects measurements from the second number of sense elements using a second number of parallel measurement channels. The parallel measurement channels of the instrument may simultaneously measure a real part and an imaginary part of the respective measurement. In some embodiments, the signature library stored in the memory unit comprises defect signatures obtained at a plurality of liftoffs. In some embodiments, the signature library is a first signature library for a first frequency, the memory unit stores a second signature library having defect signatures obtained at a second frequency, the instrument collects measurements at the first and second frequencies, and the correlation module correlates measurements at the first frequency with the defect signatures of the first signature library and correlates measurements at the second frequency with the defect signatures of the second signature library. Another aspect relates to a method of inspecting a test object. The method includes an act of pressing a sensor cartridge into a concave surface of the test object, the sensor cartridge comprising a sensor with a plurality of sensing elements and a mechanical support, wherein the pressing elastically deforms the mechanical support from a relaxed state, wherein a radius of curvature of the mechanical support is smaller than a radius of curvature of the concave surface, to a compressed state, wherein the mechanical support conforms to the concave surface. The method also includes an act of collecting measurement data from the sensor cartridge. In some embodiments, the method further comprises an act of scanning the sensor cartridge axially along the concave surface of the test object. During the scanning the collecting of measurement data repeats a plurality of times. In some embodiments, the mechanical support comprises a plurality of holes axially aligned with an axis of the radius of curvature of the mechanical support. In some embodiments, the concave surface of the test object is a fillet formed at the joint of a first surface and a second surface having an angle that varies axially along the fillet, and during the scanning the mechanical support maintains conformity with the concave surface of the test object. In some embodiments, the test object is an engine component. The concave surface of the engine component may be a root radius of a blade. The concave surface may be a fillet of a fir tree region of the engine component. In some embodiments, the test object is a welded part with a weld crown, and the concave surface is a first concave surface along one side of the weld crown that joins into a first base material. The weld crown may include a second concave surface along another side of the weld crown that joins into a second base material, and the pressing comprises pressing the sensor cartridge into both the first and second concave surfaces. The scanning may include scanning at least two sense elements along the first base material and at least two sense elements long the second base material. The foregoing is a non-limiting summary of the invention, which is defined by the attached claims.

11330925

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an apparatus arranged for facilitating donning a garment comprising a cuff on a part of a human body. BACKGROUND In this document, the embodiments of the present invention are often described in relation to gloves, such as disposable and/or sterile gloves. However, the present invention is not limited to usage in connection with gloves. Instead, the present invention may be generally utilized for donning essentially any type of garment on essentially any body part. Disposable gloves are today used by employees in a number of different areas, such as e.g. in the health care sector and the food industry. Disposable gloves are typically worn to protect the hands of the user and/or to prevent spreading of bacteria and other agents. Due to stricter hygienic requirements and safety aspects, the use of disposable gloves is increasing and is likely to continue to increase in the future. SUMMARY One disadvantage with using disposable gloves is that it may be difficult and time consuming to put them on, especially if the gloves are tight and/or the hands are damp. In addition, the risk of damaging a glove when it is being put on is high. These drawbacks may not be that severe for persons which only occasionally uses disposable gloves. However, a lot of persons working with disposable gloves need to regularly change gloves. For example, a nurse typically puts on a new pair of gloves for each new patient, and a person working behind a deli counter puts on a new pair of gloves for each new customer. Hence, in certain professions, many glove changes are performed per day per employee. If each of these glove changes is time consuming, there are major time losses and thereby costs associated with the changing of disposable gloves. The use of disposable gloves in environments with strict hygienic requirements poses additional challenges related to contamination. When disposable gloves are put on manually, the user typically needs to touch the outside of the disposable gloves. Although care is exercised, it may be difficult to avoid touching areas of the disposable glove which is later going to come in contact with e.g. a patient or food. Hence, there is a high risk that disposable gloves are contaminated as they are being put on. To avoid the above described disadvantages related to applying and changing disposable gloves, machines which automatically apply gloves on the hands of a user have been developed. This type of machines is hereafter referred to as glove donning machines. Typically, a conventional glove donning machine uses vacuum or suction to inflate the glove and allow the hand to be inserted into the glove. One disadvantage with using vacuum or suction is the noise produced by the vacuum pump. In addition, it is difficult to control the suction power such that the glove can be opened properly. Other types of known glove donning machines rely on complex movement of mechanical parts and requires advance mechanical structures which may be prone to malfunction. Consequently, there is a need for an improved glove donning machine. An objective of embodiments of the present invention is to provide a solution which mitigates or solves the drawbacks and problems of prior art. The above and further objectives are achieved by the subject matter of the independent claim. Further advantageous implementation forms of the present invention are defined by the dependent claims and other embodiments. According to an aspect of the invention, the above mentioned and other objectives are achieved with an apparatus arranged for facilitating donning a garment comprising a cuff on a part of a human body; characterized by a garment fetching arrangement arranged for fetching a garment from a garment storage and placing the garment in a donning position; at least one cuff opening arrangement arranged to open a cuff of the garment in the donning position, and comprising a first and a second cuff opening assembly, each of the first and second cuff opening assemblies comprising:a first arm comprising a first proximal end and a first distal end, the first arm being rotatable around a first geometrical axis;a second arm comprising a second proximal end and a second distal end, the second arm being rotatable around a second geometrical axis; wherein the first and second arms are arranged to rotate around the first and second geometrical axes, respectively, between an initial position and an opening position, and said first and second geometrical axes are arranged with an angle α to each other, said angle α being selected such that the first and second distal ends are at a first initial distance from each other in the initial position, and are separated to a first opening distance from each other in the opening position, when the first and second arms are rotated around the first and second geometrical axes, respectively, the first opening distance being greater than the first initial distance. An advantage with the apparatus according to the aspect is that the first and the second cuff opening assemblies can expand a cuff of a garment using rotating arms, i.e. the first and second arms rotating around their first and second geometrical axes, respectively. Thereby, an automated expansion of the cuff of the garment can be achieved which is both simple and fast. The use of rotating arms further allows the apparatus to be made compact as the arms can be moved around their own axes. A further advantage is that the first and second distal ends can be rotated and separated from each other in one movement. Thereby, a substantial expansion of the cuff of the glove can be achieved in a simple and fast way. According to an embodiment of the invention, the first arm is arranged to rotate around a first shaft extending along the first geometrical axis; and the second arm is arranged to rotate around a second shaft extending along the geometrical axis. An advantage with this embodiment is that the first and second shafts can be fixed in relation to each other with only the first and second arms rotating. Thereby, a simple construction is achieved. According to an embodiment of the invention, the first arm is arranged to rotate together with a rotatable first shaft extending along the first geometrical axis and being rotatable around the first geometrical axis; and the second arm is arranged to rotate together with a rotatable second shaft extending along the second geometrical axis and being rotatable around the second geometrical axis. An advantage with this embodiment is that the first and second arms can be integrated with the first and second shafts, respectively. Thereby, a flexible construction is achieved, allowing e.g. the arms and shafts to be hollow such that an air tube can be led through a shaft and further out through an arm. According to an embodiment of the invention, the first and second distal ends are inserted into a cuff of a garment placed in the donning position when the first and second arms are rotated around the first and second geometrical axes, respectively, from the initial position to the opening position. An advantage with this embodiment is that the cuff of the garment is expanded by the rotation of the arms inside the garment. According to an embodiment of the invention, a first and a second distal end of the first and second arms of the first cuff opening assembly are at a second initial distance from a first and a second distal end of the first and second arms of the second cuff opening assembly, respectively, in the initial position; the first and second distal ends of the first cuff opening assembly are at a second opening distance from the first and second distal ends of the second cuff opening assembly, respectively, in the opening position; and the second opening distance is greater than the second initial distance. An advantage with this embodiment is that the first and second arms of the first and second cuff opening assemblies, respectively, are separated in two directions by the above mentioned rotational movement, which efficiently opens the cuff to facilitate donning. According to an embodiment of the invention, the first and second distal ends of the first and second arms of the first cuff opening assembly and the first and second distal ends of the first and second arms of the second cuff opening assembly in the initial position defines an initial area; and the initial area is smaller than an area of an opening of the garment in its relaxed state. An advantage with this embodiment is that the first and second arms of the first and second cuff opening assemblies, respectively, are close together in the initial position and can thereby easily be inserted into the opening/cuff of the garment. According to an embodiment of the invention, the first and second distal ends of the first and second arms of the first cuff opening assembly and the first and second distal ends of the first and second arms of the second cuff opening assembly in the opening position defines an opening area; and the opening area is greater than an area of an opening of the garment in its relaxed state. An advantage with this embodiment is that the first and second arms of the first and second cuff opening assemblies, respectively, are separated from each other in the opening position such that the cuff of the garment is expanded, whereby donning is facilitated. According to an embodiment of the invention, the first arm comprises a first proximal part and a first distal part being resiliently connected to each other; and the second arm comprises a second proximal part and a second distal part being resiliently connected to each other. An advantage with this embodiment is that the first and second arms are more flexible and can provide a large/substantial movement within a small space/cabinet of the apparatus, whereby a compact apparatus is provided. According to an embodiment of the invention, at least one of the first proximal part and the first distal part and the second proximal part and the second distal part, respectively, are resiliently connected by means of one or more in the group of: at least one spring joint; and a resilient material of at least one of the first and second arms. According to an embodiment of the invention, in the initial position, the first and second distal parts of the first cuff opening assembly are in contact with the first and second distal parts of the second cuff opening assembly, respectively, such that the first distal part of the first cuff opening assembly are at a first initial angle to the first proximal part of the first cuff opening assembly; the second distal part of the first cuff opening assembly are at a second initial angle to the second proximal part of the first cuff opening assembly; the first distal part of the second cuff opening assembly are at a third initial angle to the first proximal part of the second cuff opening assembly; the second distal part of the second cuff opening assembly are at a fourth initial angle to the second proximal part of the second cuff opening assembly. An advantage with this embodiment is that the first and second distal parts of the first and second arms, respectively, can be arranged to allow the first and second arms to easily be inserted into the opening/cuff of the garment in the initial position. According to an embodiment of the invention, in a subsequent position the first and second distal parts of the first and second cuff opening assemblies are in contact with an inside of the cuff of the garment, such that the first distal part of the first cuff opening assembly are at a first subsequent angle to the first proximal part of the first cuff opening assembly; the second distal part of the first cuff opening assembly are at a second subsequent angle to the second proximal part of the first cuff opening assembly; the first distal part of the second cuff opening assembly are at a third subsequent angle to the first proximal part of the second cuff opening assembly; the second distal part of the second cuff opening assembly are at a fourth subsequent angle to the second proximal part of the second cuff opening assembly. An advantage with this embodiment is that the angles between the first and second distal parts are affected by the force created when the cuff opening assemblies are in contact with the inside of the garment in the subsequent position. According to an embodiment of the invention, the first subsequent angle is greater than a first initial angle; the second subsequent angle is greater than a second initial angle; the third subsequent angle is greater than a third initial angle; the fourth subsequent angle is greater than a fourth initial angle. An advantage with this embodiment is that the first and second arms are arranged to expand the garment in the subsequent position to facilitate donning. According to an embodiment of the invention, when the subsequent position corresponds to the opening position, the first subsequent angle, the second subsequent angle, the third subsequent angle, and the fourth subsequent angle are approximately 180 degrees. An advantage with this embodiment is that the first and second arms are providing a large/substantial expansion of the garment in the opening position. Furthermore, the first and second arms are straight, i.e. the angle is 180 degrees, in the opening position which, means that they are out of the way for a hand as the garment is donned on the hand of a user. According to an embodiment of the invention, the first and second arms of the first and second cuff opening assemblies, respectively, are coupled with a first coupling means, such that the first and second arms rotates synchronously around the first and second geometrical axes, respectively. An advantage with this embodiment is that a synchronized and smooth rotation of the first and second arms can be achieved. According to an embodiment of the invention, at least one of the first and second arms of the first cuff opening assembly is coupled to at least one of the first and second arms of the second cuff opening assembly with a second coupling means, such that the first and second arms of the first and second cuff opening assemblies rotate synchronously around their respective geometrical axes; and the first and second arms of the first cuff opening assembly rotates in a first rotation direction and the first and second arms of the second cuff opening assembly rotates in a second rotation direction, the second rotation direction being opposite to the first rotation direction. An advantage with this embodiment is that a synchronized and smooth rotation of the first and second arms of the first and second cuff opening assemblies, respectively, can be achieved. According to an embodiment of the invention, the at least one cuff opening arrangement further comprises: at least one rotation providing means coupled to at least one of the first and second arms of the first and second cuff opening assemblies, arranged to cause the rotation of at least one of the first and second arms of the first and second cuff opening assemblies between the initial position and the opening position. According to an embodiment of the invention, the at least one rotation providing means includes: at least one rod coupled to at least one of the first and second arms of the first and second cuff opening assemblies; wherein when the at least one rod is in a first position, the first and second arms of the first and second cuff opening assemblies are in the initial position; and when the at least one rod is in a second position, the first and second arms of the first and second cuff opening assemblies are in the opening position. An advantage with this embodiment is that the rotational movement is provided by a mechanical rotation means, which is reliable and dependable. According to an embodiment of the invention, the at least one rotation providing means comprises: at least one displacement means coupled to the at least one rod and arranged to displace the at least one rod between the first and second positions. According to an embodiment of the invention, the apparatus further includes a first cuff opening arrangement and a second cuff opening arrangement; wherein at least one rod of the first cuff opening arrangement is coupled to a at least one rod of the second cuff opening arrangement; the at least one rotation providing means comprises: a displacement means coupled to one or more of the at least one rod of the first or second cuff opening arrangements and arranged to displace the at least one rod of the first and second cuff opening arrangements, respectively, between the first and second positions. An advantage with this embodiment is that a synchronized rotation of the first and second arms of the first and second cuff opening arrangements, respectively, can be achieved. According to an embodiment of the invention, the at least one rotation providing means comprises: at least one rotary engine coupled to at least one of the first and second arms of the first and second cuff opening assemblies; wherein the at least one rotary engine is arranged to rotate the first and second arms of the first and second cuff opening assemblies from the initial position to the opening position. An advantage with this embodiment is that the rotational movement is provided with an electrical rotation means which requires little maintenance. According to an embodiment of the invention, the at least one rotation providing means comprises: at least two rotary engines which are synchronized such that the first and second arms of the first and second cuff opening assemblies rotate synchronously around their respective geometrical axes. An advantage with this embodiment is that a synchronized rotation of the first and second arms of the first and second cuff opening arrangements, respectively, can be achieved. According to an embodiment of the invention, the garment fetching arrangement utilizes suction for fetching the garment from the garment storage and placing the garment in the donning position. An advantage with this embodiment is that suction provides a simple, dependable, and proven way of attaching the garment to the fetching arrangement. Suction is further gentle on the garment. According to an embodiment of the invention, the garment fetching arrangement comprises: at least one end section; and a disc arranged inside the end section at a distance from an end of the end section; wherein the disc comprises one or more holes through which air can flow. An advantage with this embodiment is that the risk that both sides of the garment is attached to the fetching arrangement is reduced. Further applications and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description.

11417331

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to the technical field of smart home, and in particular, to a method and a device for controlling a terminal, and a computer readable storage medium. BACKGROUND With the rapid development of society, people receive new household concepts constantly. Smart home, as one of the development directions of modern homes, has attracted widespread attention. In recent years, voice recognition technology and gesture recognition technology have been widely used in smart home devices, due to their conveniences. For example, air conditioners can be adjusted through the voice recognition technology or gesture recognition technology. However, if multiple voice instructions and gesture instructions are received within a short time period, the settings may be incorrect due to instruction conflicts. SUMMARY An objective of the present disclosure is to provide a method and a device for controlling a terminal, and a computer readable storage medium, which aims that control instructions are received, and in response to a determination that there exists conflict among control instructions, the control instruction with the highest credibility is sent to the control terminal after the credibility of each control instructions is determined, thereby avoiding settings from conflicting. In order to achieve the above objective, the present disclosure provides a method for controlling a terminal, including the following operations: obtaining recognition results corresponding to control signals after receiving the control signals, and determining whether control instructions corresponding to the recognition results conflict, each control signal including at least one of a voice signal or a gesture signal; determining a credibility of each control instruction in response to a determination that there exists conflict among control instructions; and sending the control instruction with highest credibility to a control terminal. In some embodiments, the operation of “determining a credibility of each control instruction” includes: comparing the control instruction corresponding to each recognition result with a pre-stored control instruction; and calculating a matching degree between the control instruction corresponding to each recognition result and the pre-stored control instruction, and determining the credibility of the control instruction according to the matching degree. In some embodiments, the operation of “calculating a matching degree between the control instruction corresponding to each recognition result and the pre-stored control instruction” includes: extracting a keyword of the control instruction corresponding to each recognition result; and calculating a coincidence degree between the keyword of the control instruction corresponding to each recognition result and a keyword of the pre-stored control instruction to obtain the matching degree between the control instruction corresponding to each recognition result and the pre-stored control instruction. In some embodiments, the operation of “determining whether control instructions corresponding to the recognition results conflict” includes: determining a terminal to be controlled corresponding to each recognition result; obtaining an instruction set corresponding to the terminal to be controlled after the terminal to be controlled corresponding to the recognition result is consistent; and determining whether the control instruction corresponding to each recognition result matches a control instruction of the instruction set, when the control instruction of the instruction set matching the control instruction corresponding to each recognition result is not consistent, it is determined that the control instructions corresponding to the recognition results conflict. In some embodiments, after the operation of “there exists conflict among control instructions”, the method further includes: outputting a prompt message of whether to resend the control instruction; and determining the credibility of each control instruction after no confirmation instruction is received within a preset time period. In some embodiments, after the operation of “determining a credibility of each control instruction”, the method further includes: judging whether types of the control instructions are identical in response to a determination that the credibility of each control instruction is consistent; and sending the control instruction of a preset type to the control terminal in response to a determination that the types of the control instructions are different. In some embodiments, after the operation of “sending the control instruction with highest credibility to a control terminal”, the method further includes: outputting a prompt message configured to skip responding to the control instruction. In order to achieve the above objective, the present disclosure further provides a device for controlling a terminal, including a memory, a processor, a program for controlling the terminal stored on the memory and executable on the processor, the program, when executed by the processor, implements the operations of the method as described above. In order to achieve the above objective, the present disclosure further provides a computer readable storage medium. The computer readable storage medium stores a program for controlling a terminal, the program, when executed by a processor, implements the operations of the method as described above. The present disclosure provides a method and a device for controlling a terminal, and a computer readable storage medium. First, obtaining recognition results corresponding to control signals after receiving the control signals, and determining whether control instructions corresponding to the recognition results conflict, each control signal including at least one of a voice signal or a gesture signal; then determining a credibility of each control instruction in response to a determination that there exists conflict among control instructions; and sending the control instruction with highest credibility to a control terminal. As such, when control instructions are received and there exists conflict among control instructions, the control instruction with the highest credibility is sent to the control terminal after the credibility of each control instructions is determined, thereby avoiding settings from conflict.

11374194

RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a National Phase of PCT Patent Application No. PCT/CN2019/119433 having International filing date of Nov. 19, 2019, which claims the benefit of priority Chinese Patent Application No. 201910913666.9 filed on Sep. 25, 2019. The contents of the above applications are all incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein in their entirety. FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present disclosure relates to the field of organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panel technology, and particularly to a standable OLED display device. Organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panels can be folded or rolled up due to its flexibility, so that a display device with a large-sized OLED panel has good portability. However, in current technology, it is still necessary to develop a display device that can change between a planar state and a standing state. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a standable organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display device that can change between a planar state and a standing state, so as to solve the problem in the prior art. In order to solve the above technical problem, the present disclosure provides a standable OLED display device comprising a first shell, a second shell, a support plate, four first rods, and an OLED panel. The first shell comprises a first shell body, a plurality of first sliders, and a plurality of first chutes. The first sliders and the first chutes are alternately disposed on the first shell body. The second shell comprises a second shell body, a plurality of second sliders, and a plurality of second chutes. The second sliders and the second chutes are alternately disposed on the second shell body. Each of the first sliders partially slides in a corresponding second chute, and Each of the second sliders partially slides in a corresponding first chute. The support plate is disposed between the first shell and the second shell and on a same plane as the first shell and the second shell. Two of the four first rods are rotatably connected to the first shell and the support plate, and the other two of the four first rods are rotatably connected to the second shell and the support plate. The OLED panel is disposed on the support plate, the first shell, and the second shell. Two opposite sides of the OLED panel are inserted in the first shell and the second shell, respectively. In an embodiment, when the first sliders and the second sliders completely slide into the corresponding first chutes and the corresponding second chutes, the four first rods respectively rotate toward a direction perpendicular to the first shell or the second shell, the support plate rises parallel to the first shell and the second shell, and the standable OLED display device is changed from an initial planar state to a standing state. In an embodiment, the standable OLED display device further comprises two spiral springs respectively disposed in the first shell and the second shell, and respectively connected to the two opposite sides of the OLED panel. The spiral springs are configured to make the OLED panel closely contact the first shell, the second shell, and the support plate. In an embodiment, the standable OLED display device further comprises two pulleys respectively disposed in the first shell and the second shell, which are used to reduce friction between the OLED panel and the first shell and friction between the OLED panel and the second shell. In an embodiment, the standable OLED display device further comprises two rotating shafts respectively disposed on two opposite sides of the support plate, which are used to reduce friction between the OLED panel and the support plate. In an embodiment, when the standable OLED display device is in the standing state, the standable OLED display device is placed on a plane using the first shell and the second shell as a bottom, or using the two first rods disposed on a same side of the standable OLED display as a bottom. In an embodiment, when the standable OLED display device is changed from the standing state to the initial planar state, the first shell and the second shell slide away from each other via the first sliders, the first chutes, the second sliders, and the second chutes until the first shell and the second shell are restricted from sliding by the four first rods and the support plate. In an embodiment, the standable OLED display device further comprises four second rods, wherein two of the four second rods are rotatably connected to the first shell and the support plate, and the other two of the four second rods are rotatably connected to the second shell and the support plate. In an embodiment, when the standable OLED display device is in the planar state, the four second rods are parallel to the first shell and the second shell. When the standable OLED display device is changed from the initial planar state to the standing state, the four second rods respectively rotate toward a direction perpendicular to the first shell or the second shell. In an embodiment, when the standable OLED display device is in the standing state, the standable OLED display device is placed on a plane using the first shell and the second shell as a bottom, or using the two first rods and the two second rods disposed on a same side of the standable OLED display as a bottom. In the standable OLED display device provided by the present disclosure, the first shell and the second shell can slide away from or close to each other via their sliders and chutes, and the support plate are correspondingly moved up or down in parallel via the first rods and/or the second rods. Therefore, the standable OLED display device can be changed between the planar state and the standing state. Furthermore, when the standable OLED display device is changed between the planar state and the standing state, the two spiral springs respectively disposed in the first shell and the second shell correspondingly rollup or release the OLED panel so that the OLED panel always closely contacts the first shell, the second shell, and the support plate. In addition, when the standable OLED display device is changed between the planar state and the standing state, the two pulleys respectively disposed in the first shell and the second shell respectively reduce the friction between the OLED panel and the first shell and the friction between the OLED panel and the second shell, and the two rotating shafts respectively disposed on the two opposite sides of the support plate reduce the friction between the OLED panel and the support plate.

11264811

BACKGROUND A typical mobile device is powered by a number of batteries connected in series, Series connection of the batteries produces a voltage that is a multiple of a single battery. The voltage provided by the series connected batteries is generally reduced using a voltage regulator (e.g., a switch-mode voltage regulator) that powers the electronic circuits of the mobile device. The regulator output voltage may be substantially lower than that output by the batteries.

11499809

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present disclosure relates generally to the field of tape measures. The present disclosure relates specifically to a tape measure with a protective bumper located below the tape blade opening. Tape measures are measurement tools used for a variety of measurement applications, including in the building and construction trades. Some tape measures include a graduated, marked blade wound on a reel and a retraction system for retracting the blade onto the reel. In some tape measure designs, the retraction system is driven by a coil or spiral spring that is tensioned, storing energy as the tape is extended, and that releases energy to spin the reel, winding the blade back onto the reel. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One embodiment of the disclosure relates to a tape measure with a bumper coupled to the housing. The bumper defines a shoulder and a recess portion. The shoulder extends outward away from a front face of the tape measure further than the recessed portion. The tape measure comprises an elongate tape blade that transits an opening in the housing. A hook assembly is coupled to an end of the tape blade. The hook assembly comprises an upper hook that extends above the tape blade and a lower hook that extends below the tape blade. In a specific embodiment, the upper blade comprises a pair of wings that extend above the tape blade and away from the primary axis of the elongate tape blade. The upper hook extends above the blade defining an upper hook height, and the recess portion defines a recess width as the perpendicular distance measured between a front face of the tape measure housing and an inner surface of the tape hook. In one embodiment, a ratio of the upper hook height to the recess width is between 4:1 and 8:1. More specifically the ratio is between 4.5:1 and 7:1, even more specifically the ratio is between 5:1 and 6:1, and even more specifically the ratio of the upper blade height to the recess width is 5.5:1. In one embodiment, the hook comprises a protrusion and a recessed portion that collectively define an inner surface. The protrusion extends closer to the tape measure housing than the recessed portion. Another embodiment of the invention relates to a tape measure including a housing comprising a tape opening and a bumper extending below the tape opening. The bumper includes a recess surface located at least partially above the tape opening and a shoulder portion having an exterior surface. The recess surface is setback from the exterior surface of the shoulder portion defining a gap distance. The tape measure includes a reel rotatably mounted within the housing and an elongate blade wound around the reel. The elongate blade has an inner end coupled to the reel and an outer end extending out of the tape opening. The tape measure includes a hook assembly coupled to the outer end of the elongate blade. The tape measure includes a retraction system coupled to the reel, and the retraction system drives rewinding of the elongate blade on to the reel. Another embodiment of the invention relates to a tape measure include a housing, a tape opening defined in the housing and a bumper coupled to the housing. The bumper includes a recess surface located at least partially above the tape opening, and an impact corner located below the tape opening. The impact corner is located in front of the recess surface defining a gap distance measured in the horizontal direction between the impact corner and the recess surface. The tape measure includes a reel rotatably mounted within the housing and an elongate blade wound around the reel. The elongate blade has an inner end coupled to the reel and an outer end extending out of the tape opening. The tape measure includes a hook assembly coupled to the outer end of the elongate blade and a retraction system coupled to the reel. The retraction system drives rewinding of the elongate blade on to the reel. Another embodiment of the invention relates to tape measure including a housing, a tape opening defined in the housing and an impact protective corner extending below the tape opening. The tape measure includes a reel rotatably mounted within the housing and an elongate blade wound around the reel. The elongate blade has an inner end coupled to the reel and an outer end extending out of the tape opening. The tape measure includes a hook assembly coupled to the outer end of the elongate blade. The hook assembly includes an upper hook extending above the elongate blade and a lower hook extending below the elongate blade. A rear surface of the upper hook is setback from a rear surface of the lower hook defining a hook recess distance. The tape measure includes a retraction system coupled to the reel, and the retraction system drives rewinding of the elongate blade on to the reel. Additional features and advantages will be set forth in the detailed description which follows, and, in part, will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the description or recognized by practicing the embodiments as described in the written description and claims hereof, as well as the appended drawings. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary. The accompanying drawings are included to provide further understanding and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate one or more embodiments and, together with the description, serve to explain principles and operation of the various embodiments.

11525531

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS Not Applicable. STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT Not Applicable NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT Not Applicable. BACKGROUND This disclosure relates to the field of metal pipe such as may be used in drilling wells. More specifically, the disclosure relates to seals used in connector with such pipes having insulated electrical conductors therein so as to exclude fluids from creating an electrical short circuit between the electrical conductor and the metal pipe. Canadian Patent No. 3,002,675 assigned to the assignee of the present disclosure, describes a structure and a method for making metal pipe having therein an insulated electrical conductor. Such pipe may be used, for example, in well drilling in the same manner as conventional thread connected, segmented drill pipe, with the additional feature of the insulated electrical conductor to provide a power and signal channel. Such power and signal channel can provide the ability to operate certain types of equipment in a well during drilling and at substantially higher power capacity and rate at which signals may be communicated between the surface and such equipment using other power and signal devices. Described generally, pipe made according to the '675 patent comprises assembling electrical contacts to each end of a selected length of electrical conductor. The electrical conductor is formed so that it can be radially expanded without plastic deformation, while at the same time being correspondingly longitudinally shortened when inserted into a segment of the metal pipe. The segment of the metal pipe may have features machined on its interior surfaces to retain the electrical contacts in place longitudinally. The interior surface of the pipe segment may be covered with an insulating layer to electrically isolate the conductor from the pipe segment. An important aspect of the foregoing pipe is a seal disposed in at least one longitudinal end of one of the pipe segments. Such seal excludes fluid from entering a space between the electrical contacts and the interior wall of the pipe segment. Such spaces exist because of the structure of the electrical contacts and corresponding interior surfaces of the pipe section. Such seal has as functional criteria: as little effect as possible on handing, and use of the pipe including as assembled and disassembled; and as completely as practical consistent with the foregoing, excluding fluid from entering the above described spaces. It is also desirable for such seal to avoid closing relief paths for thread lubricant (pipe dope) applied during assembly of pipe segments to each other by threading. SUMMARY One aspect of the present disclosure is a pipe segment having an insulated electrical conductor. A pipe segment according to this aspect includes a first electrical contact disposed at one end of an electrical conductor on an interior of the pipe segment from a male threaded connection on one end to a female threaded connection on the other end of the pipe segment. A second electrical contact is disposed on the other end of the insulated electrical conductor. The first electrical contact makes electrical connection with the second electrical contact in an adjacent segment when the male connection on one pipe segment is engaged to the female connection on the adjacent pipe segment. A seal disposed on an interior of an insulating layer on an interior wall of each respective pipe segment provides a space beyond the end of the seal to enable inward flexure of the seal under pressure such that lubricant extruded by connecting the male threaded end and the female threaded end is pressure relieved. In some embodiments, the seal comprises elastomer. In some embodiments, wherein the elastomer comprises polyurethane or nitrile rubber. In some embodiments, wherein at least one of the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact comprises a groove, and the seal comprises an internal shoulder to engage the groove. In some embodiments, the seal comprises an external lip whereby energized seal contact with an interior wall of the space is maintained after inward flexure of the seal. Some embodiments further comprise at least one relief port in at least one of the first and the second electrical contact. Other aspects and possible advantages will be apparent from the description and claims following.

11248772

TECHNICAL FIELD This application is related generally to color lighting arrangements, and more specifically, to methods, systems, and devices that mix light from different color LEDs. BACKGROUND Current schemes that include color mixing of light, for example, provided by color mixing projectors offered by Abor Scientific, includes the overlapping of three projected color circles from three red, green, and blue (RGB) light emitting diodes (LEDs) or related light sources, resulting in a color mixing pattern containing up to seven color mixing regions. However, this is not very efficient in terms of creating color mixing regions. BRIEF SUMMARY In one aspect, a pyramidal mirror assembly color mixing light comprises three or more mirror on a pyramid structure, three or more color light sources with heatsinks, a speaker for playing music, a circuit board that controls the operations of the color mixing light and communicates with users through wired or wireless control devices, and a power supply that supplies electricity to the circuit board. The color mixing is for a creating multicolor pattern, generating color shadows when illuminating objects, and creating color contents. The color light sources can be adjusted individually to change the colors of the multicolor pattern. In some embodiments, three or more white light sources can be added to the pyramidal mirror assembly color mixing light for regular illumination. In some embodiments, the mirrors are pivotable so that the shape, size, and color of the color mixing pattern can be changed. In some embodiments, the mirrors are Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) mirror arrays to control color at a pixel level so that color contents can be created. In some embodiments, the multicolor pattern can be steered to a desired position by a beam steering mechanism such as a Fresnel prism pair. In some embodiments, the colors of the color pattern can be controlled by music. in some embodiments, the pyramidal mirror assembly color mixing light can be controlled by wireless devices, holographic controller, and other hand gesture controller devices. In some embodiments, a wide beam color mixing light comprises three or more colored LEDs with heatsinks, a clear or transparent window, a speaker for playing music, a circuit board that controls the operation of the color mixing light and communicates with users through wired or wireless devices, a power supply that supplies power to the circuit board; the color LEDs can be placed on vertices of an equilateral triangle mesh configuration; the brightness of the color LEDs can be individually control to generate radiation of various mixing color; the task of the wide beam color mixing light is to generate a color mixing radiation from three or more color LEDs for illumination, generating color shadows, and creating color contents. In some embodiments, the color LEDs and their heatsinks are driven by linear motion mechanisms to change their spacings so that the color shadows can move, change shapes and colors dynamically. In some embodiments, the wide beam color mixing light is used in a chandelier light to create multicolor shadows from the crystals. In some embodiments, microshutter arrays or liquid crystal attenuator arrays or other light attenuator arrays can be placed over the color LEDs for generating color contents. In some embodiments, the microshutter array or the liquid crystal attenuator arrays can be constructed on a geodesic dome structure to mitigate the pixel elongation effect for edge pixels. In some embodiments, the output color of the wide beam color mixing light can be controlled by the music played on its speaker. In some embodiments, the wide beam color mixing light is controlled by wireless devices, holographic controller, and other hand gesture controller devices. In other aspect, a narrow beam color mixing light comprises of three or more color LEDs with heatsinks, a speaker for playing music, a clear window, a beam steering mechanism for steering the multicolor pattern, a circuit board that controls the operation of the color mixing light, a power supply for supplying power to the color mixing light; the color light sources can be adjusted individually to create different colors for the multicolor pattern; the task of the narrow beam color mixing light is to provide a steerable, deformable, and color changing multicolor pattern and to create color shadows. In some embodiments, the color LEDs with their heatsinks move back and forth by linear motion mechanism for changing shape, color, and size of the multicolor pattern. In some embodiments, microshutter arrays or liquid crystal attenuator arrays or other light attenuator arrays can be placed over the color LEDs for generating color contents. In some embodiments, the narrow beam color mixing light is controlled by wireless devices, holographic controller, and other hand gesture controller devices. In some embodiments, geodesic microshutter arrays or geodesic liquid crystal attenuator arrays or other geodesic light attenuator arrays can be placed in front of the color LEDs for color mixing light to create color contents. In some embodiments, an aperture plate with various aperture shape is positioned on the aperture of color mixing lights to create multicolored projections. In another aspect, a holographic controller comprises a holographic projector device that projects a holographic control panel, a camera that captures user's hand gesture to identify user's control command, a beam splitter that brings the camera FOV and holographic controller FOV in the same direction so that the user can see the holographic control panel and place the hand gesture at the same place, a processor for processing hand gesture image and identifying control command. In another aspect, a color mixing light system comprises a pyramidal mirror assembly comprising three or more mirrors constructed and arranged in a pyramid structure; and three or more color light source modules, wherein the pyramidal mirror assembly divides the light beams from the color light source modules so that a first portion is reflected by the mirrors and a second portion extends beyond the mirrors to collectively form a multicolor pattern comprising plurality of overlapping color regions on a surface. In some embodiments, the color mixing light system further comprises a controller that controls an operation of the color mixing light and provides communications between the color mixing light system and remote control mobile devices via wired or wireless network. In some embodiments, the controller includes an electronic circuit that controls the color light source modules individually to change colors of the multicolor pattern. in some embodiments, an output of the color light source modules at the pyramidal mirror assembly produces color mixing for forming the multicolor pattern and color shadows of illuminated objects at the surface. In some embodiments, the color mixing light system further comprises three or more white light source modules added to the pyramidal mirror assembly color mixing light. In some embodiments, the color mixing light system further comprises a controller that pivots the mirrors so that a shape, size, intensity, color, or a combination of characteristics of the color mixing pattern can be changed. In some embodiments, the mirrors include Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) mirror arrays that control a color of an output of the color light source modules at a pixel level. In some embodiments, the color mixing light system further comprises a beam steering mechanism for steering the multicolor pattern to a desired position. In some embodiments, the beam steering mechanism includes a Fresnel prism pair. In some embodiments, the color mixing light system further comprises an audio speaker for outputting music that controls the colors of the color pattern. In some embodiments, the color light source modules comprises color light sources and heat sinks. In some embodiments, a color light source module comprises a lens, a microshutter array, and a color light source. In some embodiments, a color light source module comprises a lens and a color LED array. In some embodiments, color mixing light system has an outer mirror that reflects the portion of light beam that misses the pyramid mirror toward the center region to increase color mixing regions. In some embodiments, the color mixing light system is controlled by at least one of a wireless devices, a holographic controller, or other hand gesture controller device. In another aspect, a wide beam color mixing light comprises three or more color LED modules with heatsinks; a clear or transparent window; a speaker for playing music; a circuit board that controls the operation of the color mixing light and communicates with users through wired or wireless devices; and a power supply that supplies power to the circuit board, wherein the color LED modules are positioned on vertices of an equilateral triangle mesh configuration. In some embodiments, the brightnesses of the color LED modules are individually controlled to generate radiation of various mixing color, and wherein a task of wide beam color mixing light includes generating a color mixing radiation from the color LED modules for illumination, generating color shadows, and creating color contents. In some embodiments, the color LED modules and heatsinks are driven by linear motion mechanisms to change their spacings so that the color shadows can move, change shapes and colors dynamically. In some embodiments, the wide beam color mixing light is constructed and arranged for use in a chandelier light to create multicolor shadows from crystals of the chandelier light. In some embodiments, the color LED modules further comprise color LEDs, microshutter arrays, liquid crystal attenuator arrays, or other light attenuator arrays positioned over the color LED modules for generating color contents according to a pixel level color mixing operation. In some embodiments, the color LED modules in the wide beam color mixing light further comprise lenses, color LEDs, microshutter arrays, liquid crystal attenuator arrays, or other light attenuator arrays positioned over the color LEDs for generating color contents according to a pixel level color mixing operation. In some embodiments, the color LED modules in the wide beam color mixing light further comprise lenses, color LED arrays for generating color contents according to a pixel level color mixing operation. In some embodiments, the microshutter array or the liquid crystal attenuator arrays are constructed on a geodesic dome structure to mitigate the pixel elongation effect for edge pixels. In some embodiments, the output color of the wide beam color mixing light is controlled by the music played on the speaker. In some embodiments, the wide beam color mixing light further comprises a controller that exchanges control signals with wireless devices, a holographic controller, and other hand gesture controller devices. In another aspect, a narrow beam color mixing light system comprises three or more color LED modules including heatsinks; a speaker for playing music; a clear window; and a beam steering mechanism for steering the multicolor pattern; and a circuit board that controls the operation of the color mixing light, wherein the color LED modules are adjusted individually to create different colors for the multicolor pattern, a narrow beam color mixing light output provides a steerable, deformable, and color changing multicolor pattern, and color shadows and produced. In some embodiments, the color LED modules move back and forth by a linear motion mechanism for changing a shape, color, and size of the multicolor pattern. In some embodiments, the color LED modules of the narrow beam color mixing light further comprise color LEDs, microshutter arrays, liquid crystal attenuator arrays, or other light attenuator arrays positioned over the color LED modules for generating color contents. In some embodiments, the color LED modules in the narrow beam color mixing light further comprises color LED arrays for generating color contents. In some embodiments, the narrow beam color mixing light system further comprises a controller that exchanges control signals with wireless devices, a holographic controller, and other hand gesture controller devices. In some embodiments, the narrow beam color mixing light system further comprises geodesic microshutter arrays, geodesic liquid crystal attenuator arrays, or other geodesic light attenuator arrays positioned in front of the color LED modules for color mixing light to create color contents. In some embodiments, the narrow beam color mixing light system further comprises an aperture plate with various aperture shape placed on an aperture of the color mixing lights to create multicolored projections. In another aspect, a holographic controller comprises a holographic projector device that projects a holographic control panel, a camera that captures user's hand gesture to identify user's control command, a beam splitter that brings the camera. FOV and holographic controller FOV in the same direction so that the user can see the holographic control panel and place the hand gesture at the same place, a processor for processing hand gesture image and identifying control command.

11420765

BACKGROUND Commercial aircraft are struck by lightning more than once per year on average. Such strikes typically occur during the climb and descent phases of flight while an aircraft is in heavily charged regions of clouds. A typical aircraft at cruising speed flies further than its own length in the time it takes a lightning strike to begin and end, so a lightning bolt may initially strike a forward portion of the aircraft and reattach itself to several portions of the aircraft before it exits the tail or other rear portion of the aircraft. A single bolt of lightning can contain the equivalent of 200,000 amps of electricity that seeks the path of least electrical resistance through an unprotected aircraft, causing burns on exterior surfaces of the aircraft, melted components, and other structural damage (direct effects) that can compromise the aircraft's structural integrity and transient voltages and induced magnetic fields that interfere with data and signal cables and damage and even destroy onboard electronics (indirect effects). Aircraft with highly conductive aluminum fuselages quickly conduct away current from lightning strikes and therefore rarely suffer significant direct effects from lightning. Aluminum fuselages also protect against the entrance of electromagnetic energy into cabling and electronic components and therefore don't experience significant indirect effects either. But newer lightweight aircraft built primarily of less conductive composite materials do not readily conduct away electrical currents and shield cabling and electronic components from electromagnetic forces and therefore require lightning strike protection (LSP) systems. Such LSP systems often include conductive components applied to or embedded in the exterior of an aircraft's fuselage to create electrically conductive paths on the exterior surfaces of the aircraft. For alleviating indirect effects of lightning, LSP systems may include conductive cables, metal rods, and electrically conductive brackets placed near internal wiring and cabling to create internal current return paths and for grounding and shielding the wires and cables. Unfortunately, these internal components add undesired weight to aircraft, thus reducing the aircraft's efficiency and range, and occupy valuable space in the aircraft that could be used for other purposes. SUMMARY The present invention solves at least some of the above-described problems and other related problems by providing an improved lightning strike protection (LSP) system for aircraft with fuselages and/or other components formed primarily of composite materials. The LSP system minimizes or eliminates both the direct and indirect effects of lightning strikes on the aircraft and reduces AC resistivity without adding excessive weight to the aircraft and without occupying valuable space within the aircraft. An embodiment of the LSP is installed in an aircraft having a fuselage formed at least partially of composite panels attached to frames, stringers, and/or other structures. The aircraft further includes power cabling and data and signal wires that run along interior surfaces of the fuselage and elsewhere inside the aircraft. The LSP system of the present invention broadly comprises an external current return network and an internal current return network. The external current return network provides a low impedance path on or in the exterior of the aircraft for directing lightning currents through and out of the aircraft. The external current return network also protects components internal to the aircraft from direct lightning strikes. In one embodiment, the external current return network comprises a conductive foil material adhered to, or embedded within, the outer surface of the fuselage. The internal current return network provides a low impedance path on or in the innermost surface of the aircraft fuselage and elsewhere inside the aircraft to provide a parallel path for lightning currents. The internal current return network also eliminates electromagnetic interference with data and signal cables and provides a continuous zero voltage reference plane throughout the aircraft. The internal current return network comprises a wide plane of conductive foil material adhered to, or embedded within, an innermost surface of the fuselage and other portions of the aircraft formed primarily of composite materials. The conductive foil material is provided in wide planar sheets, and in one embodiment, is formed of expanded copper foil mesh. The internal current return network is preferably installed in all areas or zones of the aircraft where cables and wires are routed so that cables and wires may be routed in a path on or directly adjacent to the internal current return network. Routing the cables close to the current return network plane reduces the voltages and currents induced on the cables caused by lightning, radio interference, crosstalk and other electromagnetic phenomena. In some embodiments, separate sheets of the wide plane conductive foil material are applied to different areas or zones within the aircraft, and the multiple separate sheets are interconnected by interconnecting sheets or strips of the conductive foil material or other electrical conductors. The internal current return network is also electrically connected to the external current return network in as many locations as possible. At a minimum, the internal current return network in each section or area of the aircraft is connected to the external current return network using two low impedance connections at least every 3 meters. One particular embodiment of the internal current return network comprises a first wide planar layer of electrically conductive foil placed over a first interior surface of the fuselage near a front portion of the aircraft. The first wide planar layer of electrically conductive foil covers interior surfaces of some of the panels, frames, and stringers of the fuselage and is placed alongside or underneath power cabling and data and signal wires. The internal current network further comprises at least a second wide planar layer of electrically conductive foil placed over a second interior surface of the fuselage near a rear portion of the aircraft. As with the first wide planar layer, the second wide planar layer of electrically conductive foil covers interior surfaces of some of the panels, frames, and stringers of the fuselage and is placed alongside or underneath power cabling and data and signal wires. The current network further comprises an interconnecting layer or strip of electrically conductive foil that connects the first wide planar layer of electrically conductive foil with the second wide planar layer of electrically conductive foil to create a continuous current return network between the front portion of the aircraft and the rear portion of the aircraft. Other embodiments of the internal current return network can be installed in the wings of an aircraft or any portion of an aircraft formed primarily of low conductive materials. Constructing the internal current return network with wide planes of expanded metal foil rather than metal rods, cables or brackets significantly increases the surface area of the current return network for a given weight. Increasing the surface area allows the internal current return network to more effectively and efficiently provide a safe conductive path for lightning currents. Lightning is often composed of very high frequency electricity. At very high frequencies, the current in a conductor is carried almost exclusively on the conductor's exterior surface. By using a thin, wide, planar material as the current return network, a much larger conductive surface area is available to carry high frequency lightning currents without wasting weight on thicker, heavier conductors that carry little to no current in their interior portions. Another embodiment of the invention includes a method of creating the above-described internal current return network and similar internal current return networks in an aircraft. The method comprises applying a first wide planar layer of electrically conductive foil over a first interior surface of the aircraft adjacent data and signal wires and near a front portion of the aircraft. The method further comprises applying a second wide planar layer of electrically conductive foil over a second interior surface of the aircraft adjacent data and signal wires and near a rear portion of the aircraft. The method further comprises electrically connecting the first wide planar layer of electrically conductive foil with the second wide planar layer of electrically conductive foil to create a continuous internal current return network between the front portion and the rear portion of the aircraft. The method further comprises electrically connecting the continuous internal current return network to an external current return network so as to create parallel current return networks on the outside and inside of the aircraft's fuselage. This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described in the detailed description below. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the embodiments and the accompanying drawing figures.

11309542

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2016-0166888, filed on Dec. 8, 2016, and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2017-0167526, filed on Dec. 7, 2017, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosures of both of which are incorporated herein in their entireties by reference. BACKGROUND 1. Field One or more embodiments relate to a nickel (Ni)-based active material for a lithium secondary battery, a method of preparing the same, and a lithium secondary battery including a positive electrode having the Ni-based active material. 2. Description of the Related Art With the development of portable electronic devices and communication devices, there is an increasing desire to develop lithium secondary batteries having a high energy density. Lithium nickel manganese cobalt composite oxide, lithium cobalt oxide, and the like have been widely utilized as positive active materials of lithium secondary batteries. However, when these positive active materials are utilized, cracks may occur in primary particle units as a result of repeated charging and discharging so that a lithium secondary battery may have a short lifespan (e.g., long-term lifespan), a high resistance, and an unsatisfactory capacity. SUMMARY An aspect according to one or more embodiments is directed toward a nickel (Ni)-based active material for a lithium secondary battery in which occurrence of cracks is suppressed by reducing the stress caused by a volume change during charging and discharging. An aspect according to one or more embodiments is directed toward a method of preparing the Ni-based active material. An aspect according to one or more embodiments is directed toward a lithium secondary battery having a long lifespan by including a positive electrode including the Ni-based active material. Additional aspects will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the presented embodiments. According to one or more embodiments, a Ni-based active material for a lithium secondary battery includes a porous inner portion having closed pores and an outer portion, wherein the porous inner portion has a density less than that of the outer portion, and the nickel-based active material has a net density of 4.7 g/cc or less. According to one or more embodiments, a method of preparing a Ni-based active material for a lithium secondary battery includes preparing the above described nickel-based active material by subjecting a mixture of a lithium precursor and a metal hydroxide to a primary heat treatment under an oxidizing gas atmosphere at 600° C. to 800° C. The method may further include pretreating the mixture of the lithium precursor and the metal hydroxide under an oxidizing gas atmosphere at 400° C. to 700° C. for 1 to 3 hours before the primary heat treatment. According to one or more embodiments, a lithium secondary battery includes a positive electrode including the Ni-based active material for a lithium secondary battery.

11237516

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 from Japanese Patent Application No. 2019-159885, filed on Sep. 2, 2019, the entire subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND Technical Field The following description is related to an image forming apparatus. Related Art Image forming apparatus having a housing, a drawer, and a cartridge containing a photosensitive drum, is known. The drawer may be movable between an inner position, in which the drawer is located inside the housing, and an outer position, in which the drawer is located outside the housing. The cartridge may be detachably attached to the drawer to move along with the drawer. SUMMARY While the cartridge is detachable from the image forming apparatus, a user may wish to protect the photosensitive drum in the cartridge when the cartridge is detached from the image forming apparatus. The present disclosure is advantageous in that an image forming apparatus having a cartridge, which is detachable and in which a photosensitive drum may be protected while the cartridge is detached from the image forming apparatus, is provided. According to an aspect of the present disclosure, an image forming apparatus, having a housing, a drawer, and a cartridge, is provided. The drawer is movable between an inner position, in which the drawer is located inside the housing, and an outer position, in which the drawer is located outside the housing. The cartridge is attachable to the drawer. The cartridge includes a photosensitive drum rotatable about an axis extending in a first direction, and a drum cover movable with respect to the photosensitive drum between a first position, in which the drum cover covers a part of the photosensitive drum, and a second position, in which the part of the photosensitive drum is exposed. The drawer includes a guide configured to guide the cartridge in a second direction, when the cartridge is being attached to the drawer, the second direction intersecting with the first direction, and a contacting portion configured to contact the drum cover and move the drum cover from the first position to the second position in a state where the cartridge is being guided by the guide. The housing includes a stopper configured to, in the state where the cartridge is being guided by the guide, stop the cartridge from separating from the guide in a third direction, which intersects with the first direction and with the second direction.

11295133

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application claims the priority benefit of Taiwan application serial no. 108130804, filed on Aug. 28, 2019. The entirety of the above-mentioned patent application is hereby incorporated by reference herein. TECHNICAL FIELD The disclosure relates to an interaction display method and an interaction display system. BACKGROUND A transparent display may be including a transmissive transparent display and/or a projection transparent display. The transparent display has the characteristics of transparency, lightness, and thinness, which may combine a virtual image displayed on the display with a scene of the real world, giving the user an intuitive visual experience. The transparent display may be widely used in applications such as car head-up displays, vending machines, merchandise windows, museum exhibits, sightseeing vehicle tours, etc. Viewers not only may see a real object through the transparent display, but also may see the information superimposed on or displayed around the transparent display, and even interact, through a biometric tracking technique or a touch technique, with information displayed on the transparent display. Although a directional interaction display method combining a display technique and a biometric tracking technique or a touch technique has gradually appeared in various applications, these techniques still need to be improved. For example, an interaction display system may combine a plurality of human features or touch points to identify user interaction intentions, thereby providing display information that meets user expectations. However, when a plurality of users interact with the interaction display system at the same time, the interaction display system may detect many human features and many touch points, but the interaction display system may not correctly pair these human features or touch points, causing the interaction display system to be prone to directivity confusion. In other words, under the condition that the human body features and touch points of the same user are correctly paired may the user's pointing direction be correctly estimated to provide display content that meets the user's expectations. For example,FIG. 1is a schematic diagram of interaction between a transparent display10and a plurality of users. If the interaction display system pairs an eye feature E1of a user A1to a touch point T1given by another user B1to a display plane S1, the interaction display system generates an incorrect pointing direction V1. The interaction display system displays object information (i.e., a caterpillar) of a target object Obj1behind the transparent display10according to the incorrect pointing direction V1, and may not display, according to a correct pointing direction V2, object information of a target object Obj2that meets the user A1's expectations. SUMMARY An embodiment of the disclosure provides an interaction display method adapted for an interaction display system including a transparent display, at least one image sensing device, and a processing device. The interaction display method includes the following steps. An image data of a plurality of operators is captured by the image sensing device. The processing device performs the following steps. At least one local feature and at least one global feature of the operators are extracted from the image data, and at least one projection point on a display plane of the transparent display is detected, wherein the projection point is generated in response to an interactive behavior of the operators. Each of the local features and each of the global features are paired. Each of the projection points and each of the global features are paired. A pointing direction of one of the operators is determined according to a pairing result between each of the local features and each of the global features and a pairing result between each of the projection points and each of the global features. An embodiment of the disclosure provides an interaction display system, including a transparent display, at least one image sensing device, and a processing device. The processing device is coupled to the transparent display and the image sensing device. The image sensing device captures an image data of a plurality of operators. The processing device is configured to perform the following steps. At least one local feature and at least one global feature of the operators are extracted from the image data and at least one projection point on a display plane of the transparent display is detected, wherein the projection point is generated in response to an interactive behavior of the operators. Each of the local features and each of the global features are paired. Each of the projection points and each of the global features are paired. A pointing direction of one of the operators is determined according to a pairing result between each of the local features and each of the global features and a pairing result between each of the projection points and each of the global features. Several exemplary embodiments accompanied with figures are described in detail below to further describe the disclosure in details.

11535516

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to methods and reagents for remediating heavy metal-contaminated solid waste, soil, sediments, and related material at mines and othering sites. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Environmental pollution due to heavy metals in soil, mining residues, and other solid wastes is a serious problem. Groundwater contamination resulting from the leaching out, mobilization and entry of heavy metal species into the water table is of particular concern. The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA; 42 U.S.C. § 6901 et seq.) directs the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish controls on the management of hazardous wastes, from the point of generation, through transport, storage, and disposal. Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations provides the regulatory framework for complying with RCRA. RCRA identifies eight heavy metals that warrant particular concern—whether in elemental, ionic, or covalent species form—because of their toxicity to human and other life: arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury, selenium, and silver. Although selenium and trace amounts of chromium are needed for human health, all eight metals are toxic at some level. The EPA regulates the allowable limits for these metals in the parts-per-million range: 1-5 ppm, depending on the metal; 0.2 ppm for mercury. Other heavy metals, not governed by RCRA, can also pose a threat to the environment and human health. The Clean Water Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Superfund Amendments, the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986 (“EPCRA”), and other federal laws govern the release and risks posed by numerous hazardous substances, including metals outside the RCRA8, such as aluminum, copper, iron, manganese, nickel, vanadium, and zinc. Numerous methodologies exist for addressing solid wastes contaminated with heavy metals. They vary widely in their effectiveness, suitability for a given site, breadth of metal-specific efficacy, and cost. Converting characteristically hazardous RCRA waste into non-hazardous waste is a goal often aimed for, yet seldom achieved. Key questions include: Where should the solid waste be treated, on-site or off-site? Should the waste be removed for treatment, or treated in situ? How close is the waste to an aquifer or other environmentally sensitive area? What is the pH of the waste? What is the propensity for the waste to be impacted by ambient conditions—water runoff, rainfall, snowfall, snow melt, flood waters, etc.—which may lower the pH of the waste? Most proven technologies are effective on only a few of the RCRA8metals, due to the problematic chemistry of specific metals. Historic research and technology developments are also limited, often restricted to the RCRA8metals (and the RCRA solid waste evaluation test methods), and inadequate for large contaminated sites. Preferred treatment remedies typically revert to cement and/or other pozzolanic agents, which are not only costly but also contribute significantly to waste volume and mass expansion, and create an end-product prone to long-term deleterious effects from prolonged exposure to acidic and other conditions typically found in a landfill, conditions that neutralize the alkaline metallic-hydroxide species and degrade the physical immobilization properties of the treated material. Engineered repositories using on-site and other aggregate materials for their construction have typically been designed and constructed in efforts to provide long-term management of these materials. Unfortunately, this remedy does not address the issues of acid-generating properties of the materials being interned, leaving long-term risk of metal release stemming from contact with impacted site groundwater, acid rain, other mine-related waters that can intrude into or percolate down through the repository structure. When materials have been treated before onsite management, suitable treatment technology selection options have been limited to cement or other pozzolanic additives. These rely on the formation of hydroxides and the physical immobilization of the metal contaminants of concern. Without addressing the acid generation properties of the materials, these physical immobilization strategies are subject to degradation over time, and will allow the release of metals when exposed to acidic fluids. These immobilized materials can also degrade as a result of sulfide species present in the material, which can continue to generate acid. Other technologies that are selected to treat heavy metals are typically based on performance for RCRA metals in general, and are often limited in their ability to reduce long-term leachability of all metals, and especially those hazardous metal substances that are not subject to RCRA regulation under the toxicity rule for hazardous waste. Examples, such as manganese, copper, zinc, and others are either non-reactive to these technologies, or as stated above, subject to mobilization with contact or exposure to acidic conditions. Prior remediation methods that provide sulfide, phosphate, hydroxide, pozzolans, sulfate, carbonates and/or mixtures and variations of these do not address metals with multivalent states such as arsenic, chromium, manganese, iron, and others in conjunction with those metals that are most often present in divalent form regardless of pH or oxidizing or reducing conditions. The same prior art does not disclose the importance of oxidizing conditions to treat metals such as manganese, ferrous iron, arsenic, and others, thus limiting the breath of the technology with respect to these metals, as they affect chemical conditions associated with long-term and repeated exposure to acidic conditions from various site fluids, the generation of “new acid” in the treated material body mass. Furthermore, non-RCRA8metals have not been adequately researched or actually addressed as part of the broad-spectrum of metals found in materials at mine sites or other types of sites and wastes where such metals may be present, despite the fact that non-RCRA metals also contribute to the suite of hazardous substances that can cause risk or actual harm to human health or the environment with their migration. For a given mining, industrial, or other site contaminated with heavy metals, a threshold question is whether the concentration of heavy metals is low enough that the waste can be treated and then disposed of in a non-hazardous waste landfill (relatively inexpensive), or higher, requiring the waste to be treated and then disposed of in a RCRA Subtitle C hazardous waste landfill (potentially extremely expensive). For large sites contaminated with heavy metals, there may also be a need to stabilize the site in situ to prevent or minimize further leaching of heavy metals into the immediate vicinity of the site, and to protect the water table against heavy metal intrusion. To determine the concentration of leachable heavy metals, one measures heavy metal concentration using a leachability test. The EPA publication “Test Methods for Evaluating Solid Waste: Physical Chemical Methods,” referred to as “EPA Publication SW-846,” the “SW-846 Compendium,” or simply “SW-846,” describes analytical methods for sampling and analyzing waste and other materials. The 1000 Series is directed to waste characteristics and leaching/extraction methods. Although most of the methods described in SW-846 are intended as guidance, the method defined parameters (MDPs) are mandated by the RCRA regulations in Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). MDPs are physical or chemical properties of materials determined with specific methods used to evaluate whether the materials comply with certain RCRA Subtitle C regulations. MDPs can only be determined by the methods prescribed in RCRA regulations because the methods are set by the federal regulations. The “toxicity characteristic” of solid waste is a mandatory defined parameter. See 40 CFR § 261.24. As provided in SW-846, Test Method 1311 (Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (“TCLP”); Revision 0, 1992) is an analytical method used to distinguish between hazardous and non-hazardous waste, and a MDP test method under the framework mandated by RCRA and SW-846. The procedure described in Test Method 1311 is used to prepare a sample of waste for analysis, and the concentration of RCRA heavy metals is then quantified in the resultant sample extract. If any metal concentration in the TCLP extract equals or exceeds the toxicity characteristic limit for that specific metal, the waste must be classified as hazardous. See 40 CFR § 261.24. The TCLP test (Test Method 1311) was devised by the EPA and promulgated to evaluate how waste material and heavy metals in that waste would interact with acidic landfill leachate and the physical conditions found in non-hazardous landfills. For solid waste, heavy metals that leach in excess of the RCRA limit will cause the waste to be considered hazardous, because the heavy metals could leach into the landfill leachate and, if the landfill is of poor integrity, into groundwater underlying the landfill. The TCLP test utilizes one of two extraction fluids. Extraction Fluid #1 is made by adding glacial acetic acid to reagent-grade water, adding sodium hydroxide, and diluting with additional water. The final solution has a pH of 4.93+/−0.05 standard units (S.U.). Extraction Fluid #2 is made by diluting glacial acetic acid with water. The final solution has a pH of 2.88+/−0.05 S.U. TCLP Test Method 1311 calls for the extraction of a representative sample of the solid waste using one of the two fluids based on the buffering capacity of the waste being tested. Importantly, the method looks at the response of a solid waste sample (and the RCRA metals it hosts) to a synthetic landfill leachate fluid that contains acetate, in acidic conditions generated from the typical anaerobic biological processes that occur in sanitary landfills characterized by high levels of organic materials, water, and a lack of oxygen. While appropriate for evaluating heavy metal leachability and solubility in municipal solid waste landfills, TCLP Test Method 1311 is not readily applicable to heavy metal-bearing solid waste that is not intended for disposal in a sanitary/municipal waste landfill and/or will not be exposed to acetate, but that still needs to be safely managed for long-term duration. Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) is a fluid generated at locations where sulfide and metals have been removed historically from geologic formations in the exploitation and recovery of valuable metals such as gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, and others. Acidic drainage is a naturally occurring process that propagates when metallic sulfides, often iron pyrite, are exposed to water and oxygen. In the presence of acidophilic bacteria that exist in acidic conditions where oxygen, sulfide, and/or ferric ion are available, the reaction accelerates to increase the yield of sulfuric acid (acidity and sulfate). Acidity causes metals in solids to further dissolve, and converts sulfide to sulfate if oxygen is available. AMD is the fluid that drains from such mines, but also from undeveloped natural formations containing sulfide or iron minerals where conditions exist to initiate the acid formation and dissolution of hosted metals. At mine sites, whether abandoned, legacy, inactive, or active, the formation of acidic and other mine drainages that contain soluble metals continues to be a significant source of hazardous metal substance loading to down-gradient water and the environment. While many mine sites were initially explored and subsequently exploited in order to recover a specific metal or mineral, most resource deposits contain a broad-spectrum of metals that can become mobile when exposed to acid mine drainage. In addition, and as allowed under the Bevill Amendment to RCRA, mine materials and residuals that leach hazardous metal substances are all too often exempt from solid waste management RCRA regulation, and contribute contaminant loading to the surrounding environment. As such, Test Method 1311 is not a technically appropriate test method for evaluating the leachability and solubility of hazardous metal substances at mine locations or sites impacted with mining activities where acidic conditions exist or could be generated due to pyritic conditions. At such sites, of course, heavy metals can be leached from their host materials when exposed to groundwater, surface water run-off, percolation, snow melt, creek or river water, flood water, seeps, or other such fluids. Regardless of the legal regulations, leachable metal substances will always respond to chemical, geochemical, engineering, and other forces, including gravity and migration principles of a fluid, creating risk and potential harm to human health and the environment. Alternative leaching tests are available for evaluating heavy metal-bearing solid materials in accordance with EPA SW-846. Two methods that are suitable for evaluating the leachability of heavy metals from materials containing hazardous substances that may be managed on a site include SW-846 Test Method 1312 (Synthetic Precipitation Leaching Procedure—SPLP), Test Method 1320 (Multiple Extraction Procedure—MEP), and modified versions of each. With these methods, as published in EPA SW-846, the extract fluids are prepared from solutions of sulfuric and nitric acids. While these acids are constituents of acid rain, sulfuric acid is very common to acid mine and acid rock drainage. SPLP-approved fluids are chosen from one of two fluids that attempt to replicate the ratio of sulfuric and nitric acids in acid rain common to the eastern and western United States. Test Method 1320 provides for ten (10) sequential extractions of the same sample aliquot using fresh SPLP fluid appropriate for the region of the country where a particular site and waste material is located. Another series of EPA testing procedures includes SW-846 Test Methods 1313 through 1316, developed and evaluated by the EPA's National Risk Management Research Laboratory (NRMRL). These methods, referred to as the Leaching Environmental Assessment Framework (LEAF), include integrated test procedures, data analysis and evaluation considerations, and an array of support utilities for making environmental management decisions under a comprehensive framework. As described in the EPA publication EPA-600/R-10/170, November 2010, “Background Information for the Leaching Environmental Assessment Framework (LEAF) Test Methods”, Test Method 1313 evaluates “Liquid-Solid Partitioning as a Function of Extract pH for Constituents in Solid Materials using a Parallel Batch Extraction Procedure.” Test Method 1314 evaluates “Liquid-Solid Partitioning as a Function of Liquid-Solid Ratio for Constituents in Solid Materials using an Up-flow Percolation Column Procedure.” Test Method 1315 applies to “Mass Transfer Rates of Constituents in Monolithic or Compacted Granular Materials using a Semi-dynamic Tank Leaching Procedure,” and Test Method 1316 applies to “Liquid-Solid Partitioning as a Function of Liquid-Solid Ratio for Constituents in Solid Materials using a Parallel Batch Extraction Procedure”. While each of these LEAF methods has the potential to apply to the technology of the present invention and the subsequent management of treated materials, the extract fluids used in the LEAF test methods do not incorporate critical components of acidic fluids or contain heavy metals found at mining and other sites. They utilize reagent-grade nitric acid, potassium hydroxide, reagent-grade high-purity water, and/or calcium chloride as specified for each specific test method and relative to the nature of the matrix being tested to evaluate the leachability of metals. These reagents, their high grade of purity, and the various compositions of the eluents used for the LEAF methods are not common to site conditions where material treated by the invention would be managed. Indeed, although sulfuric acid is quite often encountered in acid rain and/or acids generated at mine sites, it is not provided as a reagent in the LEAF testing methodology, nor are other minerals that are typically found in the environment. Consequently, the LEAF methods cannot adequately address actual chemical conditions found at project sites, or the potential interrelationship and contact between site fluids and their chemical properties and those of the material treated by the invention. Although the LEAF program methods are comprehensive, integrated, and will provide significant information related to how heavy metals leach out of various materials under different test conditions, they will not accommodate actual conditions or the specific chemistry of fluids that may continually inundate mining and other waste (and the heavy metals contained therein) at a site where invention-treated material may be managed for the long term or the chemical exposures such solid material would or could encounter. Regardless of argued applicability to invention-treated material for its on-site post-treatment management, and based on the chemistry of the invention reagents that include an oxidizer, and other mineral-precipitating enhancements, treated metals hosted within treated material will retain their stability with exposure to LEAF test procedures and protocols. Germane to the current invention and the site conditions where invention-treated material would be managed and subjected are the more rigorous Test Methods 1312 and 1320 when they are properly modified and applied. Both methods allow for modified versions of extraction fluids where eluents can be obtained from a similar or actual site where material will be treated. Examples include groundwater, storm water run-off, snow melt, acid creek or river water, or acid mine/rock drainage from the site where the solid material may be located. While Test Method 1312 is a “one” extraction sample preparation step, Test Method 1320 is intended to evaluate a material's hosted constituents' response to repeated and robust exposure to the conditions imparted by the eluent fluid and the abrasion derived from sample tumbling by particle-to-particle contact. If test results from a modified Test Method 1320 (using site fluids as eluent) show that the heavy metals remain stably retained in the test sample even after ten (10) serial, sequentially modified Test Method 1312 extractions (modeling 1000-year exposure to the fluid), site managers and professionals that design remedies for mining and other sites where heavy metals exist will have the ability and favorable professional comfort levels to design long-term material management into the remedial program for the given site, knowing that materials treated by the invention will remain stable to site conditions they may repeatedly encounter over a prolonged duration. The preferred extraction fluid to be used in the modified methods is actual fluid from the site where the invention is to be applied, and may include acidic creek water or acid mine drainage. Using this in the modified Test Method 1320, the previous fluid of a completed extraction is separated from the solid sample after tumbling, analyzed for target metals, and a new aliquot of the site fluid is applied to the extracted solid for the next serial extraction. In this repeated manner, the invention-treated material is subjected to fresh site fluid and its constituents (i.e. acidity, heavy metals, others) as it would likely encounter in actual site conditions. This is unlike the LEAF program where lab-purity reagent is added to the fluid to maintain proper test method conditions in parallel extractions of differentiated test fluids. Furthermore, the presence and behavior of heavy metals within the actual site fluid can be evaluated as a result of contact with the treated material, a benefit being that the treated material of the invention removes metals from the fluid thus enhancing the quality of site waters. Despite years of effort, and a vast body of prior art intended to address RCRA and hazardous metal substances contamination in industry and the environment, there remains a need for safe and effective methods for treating historic mining related materials that are impacted with a broad-spectrum of leachable heavy metals, acidity from site materials and other materials that may also contain heavy metals, precipitation sourced fluids, and/or other factors that lead to heavy metal leaching. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a treatment technology for stabilizing solid materials containing heavy metals that can leach as a result of long-term exposure and contact with acidic fluids common to mining sites and other sites that contain leachable heavy metals, but also to landfill leachate as defined under RCRA. The chemistry of landfill leachate containing acetic acid is much different than that of acid rain or mine drainages that contain sulfuric acid, particularly as those fluids affect the solubility and leachability of heavy metals. The technology includes a method and reagent system for treating leachable metal species in solids, soils, and other wastes using an oxidizer, phosphate, and hydroxide in order to convert a broad-spectrum of metals to more reactive forms, convert these and others in the material to less leachable forms, bring the contaminated material into compliance with various statutes and regulations (including RCRA, the federal regulations related to RCRA, and related EPA directives and guidelines relating to land disposal and waste management), and minimize the release of leachable heavy metals to the environment when exposed to acidic and other fluids common to mine sites, whether active, inactive, legacy, abandoned or otherwise for long-term duration. In a first aspect of the invention, a reagent system is provided and includes an oxidizer, a soluble phosphate (PO43−), and an alkali hydroxide or hydroxide source such as a caustic soda (NaOH), potash (KOH) or lime (CaO). When admixed with heavy metal-containing material (and water, as needed), the reagent system will preferentially reduce the leachability of heavy metals and form an end product—precipitates and complexes of low metal solubility—that remain stable within the host solid matrix for long durations in acidic and abrasive conditions. The end product will not only retain the metals it contains within the solid mass, but also remove heavy metals that may be carried by the leaching fluid that may come in contact with the processed material. Residual solid materials common to historic mining operations and exploitation of mineral reserves that host leachable heavy metals, such as aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, lead, manganese, nickel, selenium, silver, zinc, and others are sources of hazardous substances that migrate from abandoned, legacy, and active mine sites. These heavy metals in particular, and especially metals with multiple ionic valence states such as arsenic, chromium, iron, manganese and selenium, cause unique management difficulties. The present invention reduces the solubility of these and other metals and their leachability from solid mine residuals such as tailings, overburden, waste rock and ore, ore residuals, beneficiated solids from ore processing, sediments, water treatment residual solids, other solid waste, and similar impacted materials when exposed to acid rain, acid mine drainage, mine water seepage, precipitation run-off, snow melt, creek flood water, landfill leachate, and the like, and when such fluids are acidic and/or also contain hazardous heavy metal substances as defined by 15 USCS § 1261 (f), [Title 15. Commerce and Trade; Chapter 30; CERCLA Section 101(14); Sections 311 and 307(a) of the Clean Water Act; Section 101(14) of 40 CFR 261.20 under RCRA; and other environmental laws. In a second aspect of the invention, a method for reducing the solubility and leachability of heavy metals—in elemental, ionic, or covalent species form—found in mining waste and similar solid materials is provided. In one embodiment, the method includes the step of admixing a reagent system as described herein with heavy metal-contaminated waste (and water, as needed). The result is an end product having reduced leachability heavy metals, even when exposed to mine influenced waters, acidic fluids, or acid-generating properties of solids material, such as pyritic bearing residuals, common to materials found at mining sites. The method can be used to lower the leachability of RCRA8metals as well as other heavy metals. The method and reagent system for treating leachable metal species in solids, soils, and other wastes uses the combination of an oxidizer, phosphate, and alkali hydroxide or hydroxide source in order to convert a broad-spectrum of metals to more reactive forms; convert these and others in the waste material to less leachable forms; bring the contaminated material into compliance with various statutes and regulations, not only including The Resource Conservation Recovery Act (42 U.S.C. § 6901 et seq.), Title 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations, and related United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) directives and guidelines relating to land disposal and waste management; and minimize the release of leachable heavy metals to the environment when exposed to acidic and other fluids common to mine sites, whether active, inactive, legacy, abandoned or otherwise for long-term duration. While the invention was devised to reduce the leachability of the wide range of heavy metals found at mine sites, it is also similarly suited and applicable to a wide range of other materials and metal-bearing wastes. Examples include those sites or materials that contain or host heavy metals that will leach from the source matter when exposed to acidic or other wet conditions, including landfill leachate, acid rain, groundwater, percolation, and/or tide water intrusion. The invention is particularly well suited for remediating metals such as iron and manganese and others that have multiple valence states based on oxidation/reduction characteristics of the materials and their source.

11454625

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to the field of respiratory viral pathogen testing. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a rapid mechanism and method for respiratory viral pathogen testing. BACKGROUND Conventionally, viral testing is aimed to identify a specific virus. In most situations, identifying a specific virus allows for the collection of epidemiological data and the opportunity for targeted treatment. For example, a patient diagnosed with a viral infection due to influenza might be provided with a prescription of antiviral medication. However, for the vast majority of respiratory viruses, identifying the specific virus provides little benefit, as the treatment, including supportive care, does not change. As such, testing causes unnecessary cost and burden on the healthcare system. Similarly, there is currently little to no utility in screening asymptomatic individuals, outside of a pandemic or other unique situation. In the setting of a pandemic, such as when a novel virus is involved, there is typically a lapse in development, production, and distribution of novel viral detection agents. This time delay allows for viral spread without epidemiologic data. Further complicating the scenario are asymptomatic carriers, such as with the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Identifying asymptomatic carriers has proven to be a unique challenge, and the lack of identification of asymptomatic carriers undoubtedly contributes to disease spread. For example, a person who is admitted to the hospital, without clinical evidence of a respiratory virus, might in fact be carrying, and spreading, the COVID-19 virus. Due to testing limitations, including availability, cost, resource utilization, and time delay until test result, these individuals entering the hospital are typically not screened. They might be admitted to the hospital and spread the disease, unbeknownst to them and the numerous hospital employees they encounter. A similar scenario occurs even when cursory screening is deployed. For example, in the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic people were being screened for the virus by answering a screening questionnaire and testing for the presence of a fever. This screening is low yield, especially when considering asymptomatic carriers. Innumerable scenarios such as the above could be described. The present technology is directed to and addresses the issues identified above. SUMMARY According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a rapid testing mechanism for respiratory viral pathogens includes a filter material positioned to capture exhaled breath particles from a respiratory tract. A portion of the filter material is impregnated with a pathogen binding adsorptive reagent. When the exhaled breath particles pass through the filter material, the following occur: when the binding adsorptive reagent reacts, a positive test for respiratory viral pathogens is indicated by the filter material; and when the pathogen binding adsorptive reagent does not react, a negative test for respiratory viral pathogens is indicated by the filter material. According to another aspect, a method of testing for respiratory viral pathogens includes steps of impregnating at least a portion of a filter material with a pathogen binding adsorptive reagent and capturing exhaled breath particles from a respiratory tract with the filter material. A positive test for respiratory viral pathogens is indicated by the filter material when the pathogen binding adsorptive reagent reacts. A negative test for respiratory viral pathogens is indicated by the filter material when the pathogen binding adsorption reagent does not react. The details of one or more embodiments of the subject matter described in this specification are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, aspects, and advantages of the subject matter will become apparent from the description, the drawings, and the claims.

11422006

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings illustrate implementations of the concepts conveyed in the present document. Features of the illustrated implementations can be more readily understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Like reference numbers in the various drawings are used wherever feasible to indicate like elements. Further, the left-most numeral of each reference number conveys the FIG. and associated discussion where the reference number is first introduced. Where space permits, elements and their associated reference numbers are both shown on the drawing page for the reader's convenience. Otherwise, only the reference numbers are shown. FIGS. 1A-1C, 4A-4F, 5A, 5B, and 7-10show perspective views of example devices in accordance with some implementations of the orientation sensing concepts. FIGS. 2A-2C and 3A-3Dshow sectional views of example devices in accordance with some implementations of the orientation sensing concepts. FIG. 6Ashows an exploded perspective view of an example device in accordance with some implementations of the orientation sensing concepts. FIG. 6Bshows an elevational view of an example device in accordance with some implementations of the orientation sensing concepts.

11303778

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to electronic communication and, more particularly, to facsimile communication. Description of the Related Art Traditionally, fax (short for facsimile) is the telephonic transmission of scanned printed material (both text and images). The original document is scanned into a fax machine and the contents are processed as a single fixed graphic image that is converted into a bitmap, which is then transmitted through the telephone system. A receiving fax machine converts the coded image before printing a paper copy. Originally, the scanned data was transmitted using an analog signal, but now, the data is more commonly transmitted via a digital signal. A fax can also be sent over IP (Facsimile over Internet Protocol (FoIP)), where a digitalized image is sent over an IP network using JPEG compression. More recently, a fax can be sent and received without using a traditional physical fax. For example, a fax can be sent and received via a personal computer using computer software or an internet fax service. The capabilities of a fax machine can be categorized based on several indicators, such as group, class, data transmission rate, and conformance with ITU-T recommendations. The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) is an international standards body for telecommunications. Specifically, the ITU Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T) publishes different recommendations for the transmission of fax over a network. For example, T.30 is an ITU recommendation that specifies the session management procedures that support the establishment of a fax transmission, and T.38 is an ITU recommendation for allowing the transmission of fax over IP networks in real time. The ITU also publishes fax protocols. For example, Group 3 protocol, first published in 1980, specifies the switched analog network and is an all-digital procedure. In addition, Group 3 allows two stations to agree on such things as transmission speed and page size. Further, the Group 3 protocol may be specified in several standards, such as T.4 and T.6, which specify the image transfer protocols and T.30. Facsimile protocols do not describe a specific implementation; therefore, different vendors have slightly different implementations of a fax protocol resulting in some fax devices having more difficulty with one type of fax board or soft fax than another. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to fax board incompatibility and circumvention and provide a novel and non-obvious method, system, and computer program product for increasing the likelihood of success of facsimile transmissions. In an embodiment of the invention, a transmission context for an incoming facsimile is determined. Thereafter, it is determined whether a prior facsimile of the same transmission context had been unsuccessfully transmitted. In response to determining that there had been a prior unsuccessful transmission for the facsimile of the same transmission content, a configuration of a fax server is changed or a different fax server is selected to transmit the facsimile to a designated fax recipient. The facsimile is transmitted subsequent to the changing of the configuration of the designated fax server or the selection of the different fax server. Further, a database is updated with information about the transmission context, configuration, and/or fax server once the facsimile has been transmitted successfully or unsuccessfully. In another embodiment of the invention, a facsimile management system is provided. The system includes a session initiation protocol (SIP) proxy executing in memory of a computer and a fax server coupled to the SIP proxy as well as a database coupled to both the fax server and SIP proxy. The SIP proxy includes a SIP proxy module that contains program code enabled to determine a transmission context for an incoming facsimile and to determine whether a prior facsimile of the same transmission context had been unsuccessfully transmitted by the designated fax server. The SIP proxy module further includes program code enabled to determine whether to change hardware in response to determining that there had been a prior unsuccessful transmission for the facsimile of the same transmission context and to change the equipment in response to determining that the equipment needs to be changed. Additionally, the SIP proxy module includes program code to update the database with information related to the transmission context and hardware. The facsimile management system further includes a fax server module executing in memory of the fax server. The fax server module includes program code to determine whether to change a configuration of the fax server and to change the configuration of the fax server in response to determining such a change is needed. Thereafter, the database is updated with the changed configuration and the corresponding transmission context. In yet another embodiment of the invention, a record is written to a database that indicates a selected configuration of a fax server during a failed attempt at transmitting a fax image by a fax server. Additionally, a new fax image to be transmitted to a recipient, a specified fax sender, and at least a portion of a phone number is received in the memory of the fax server. Thereafter, a current selected configuration stored for the specified fax sender is retrieved and the database is queried to determine whether the retrieved current selected configuration of the specified fax sender matches a record in the database. On condition that a match is found, it is established that a prior facsimile transmitted by the specified fax sender was unsuccessful, but if no match is found, the fax server transmits the new fax image. In another embodiment of the invention, a facsimile management system can be provided. The system includes a fax server coupled to a database as well as a fax server module executing in the memory of the fax server. The fax server module includes program code that when executed by a processor of the fax server enables the fax server to respond to a failed attempt at transmitting a fax image by the fax server by writing a record to the database that indicates a selected configuration of the fax server during the failed attempt, receive in a memory of the fax server each of a new fax image to be transmitted to a recipient, a specified fax sender, and also at least a portion of a phone number, and retrieve into the memory of the fax server, a current selected configuration stored for the specified fax sender. The fax server module further includes program code which when executed by the processor of the fax server further enables the fax server to query the database to determine whether the retrieved current selected configuration of the specified fax sender matches a record in the database, and on condition that a match is found, establishes that a prior facsimile transmitted by the specified fax sender was unsuccessful, but on condition that no match is found, transmits the new fax image by the fax server. In yet another embodiment of the invention, an incoming facsimile number transmitting a fax image by a carrier is monitored. Upon a determination that a threshold failure rate is met or exceeded, the current carrier is changed to a new carrier by changing a record to indicate the new carrier in a database storing records and correlates the carrier to the incoming facsimile number. Additional aspects of the invention will be set forth in part in the description that follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The aspects of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.

11303608

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates generally to point-of-sale (POS) systems for retail stores, and more particularly to POS systems for dynamically assigning IP addresses to peripheral devices. BACKGROUND To facilitate customer payments, retail merchants typically use either a fully-integrated payment system or a semi-integrated payment system. In both systems, sensitive customer data (e.g., credit card data) is sent to the merchants' payment processing center via a Point-of-Sale (POS) network. However, there are some differences in how such data is communicated. For example, with fully-integrated payment systems, a Personal Identity Number (PIN) pad is directly connected to a POS terminal—not the POS network. So connected, any data communicated between the PIN pad and the POS network, including the customers' sensitive data, first passes through the POS terminal. This means that the PIN pad does not require its own unique IP address because the POS terminal is the device that communicates with the POS network. With semi-integrated payment solutions, the PIN pads are still connected to the POS terminal; however, they are also directly connected to the POS network. This allows the PIN pad to send the customers' sensitive data directly to the merchants' payment processing centers (e.g., a payment switch) in the POS network without first having to route the data through the POS terminal. However, it also means that the PIN pad requires its own unique IP address.

11272194

COPYRIGHT AUTHORIZATION A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by any one of the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. TECHNICAL FIELD The invention relates generally to video and other digital media coding and decoding. BACKGROUND With the increased popularity of DVDs, music delivery over the Internet, and digital cameras, digital media have become commonplace. Engineers use a variety of techniques to process digital audio, video, and images efficiently while still maintaining quality. To understand these techniques, it helps to understand how the audio, video, and image information is represented and processed in a computer. I. Representation of Media Information in a Computer A computer processes media information as a series of numbers representing that information. For example, a single number may represent the intensity of brightness or the intensity of a color component such as red, green or blue for each elementary small region of a picture, so that the digital representation of the picture consists of one or more arrays of such numbers. Each such number may be referred to as a sample. For a color image, it is conventional to use more than one sample to represent the color of each elemental region, and typically three samples are used. The set of these samples for an elemental region may be referred to as a pixel, where the word “pixel” is a contraction referring to the concept of a “picture element.” For example, one pixel may consist of three samples that represent the intensity of red, green and blue light necessary to represent the elemental region. Such a pixel type is referred to as an RGB pixel. Several factors affect quality, including sample depth, resolution, and frame rate (for video). Sample depth is a property normally measured in bits that indicates the range of numbers that can be used to represent a sample. When more values are possible for the sample, quality can be higher because the number can capture more subtle variations in intensity and/or a greater range of values. Images with higher resolution tend to look crisper than other images and contain more discernable useful details. Video with higher frame rate tends to mimic the smooth motion of natural objects better than other video, and can similarly be considered to contain more detail in the temporal dimension. For all of these factors, the tradeoff for high quality is the cost of storing and transmitting the information in terms of the bit rate necessary to represent the sample depth, resolution and frame rate, as Table 1 shows. TABLE 1Bit rates for different quality levels of raw videoBits Per PixelResolutionFrame RateBit Rate(sample depth times(in pixels,(in frames(in millions ofsamples per pixel)Width × Height)per second)bits per second)8 (value 0-255,160 × 1207.51.2monochrome)24 (value 0-255, RGB)320 × 2401527.624 (value 0-255, RGB)640 × 48030221.224 (value 0-255, RGB)1280 × 720601327.1 Despite the high bit rate necessary for sending high quality video (such as HDTV), companies and consumers increasingly depend on computers to create, distribute, and play back high quality content. For this reason, engineers use compression (also called source coding or source encoding) to reduce the bit rate of digital media. Compression decreases the cost of storing and transmitting the information by converting the information into a lower bit rate form. Decompression (also called decoding) reconstructs a version of the original information from the compressed form. A “codec” is an encoder/decoder system. Two categories of compression are lossless compression and lossy compression. Lossless compression reduces the bit rate of information by removing redundancy from the information without any reduction in fidelity. For example, a series of ten consecutive pixels that are all exactly the same shade of red could be represented as a code for the particular shade of red and the number ten as a “run length” of consecutive pixels, and this series can be perfectly reconstructed by decompression from the code for the shade of red and the indicated number (ten) of consecutive pixels having that shade of red. Lossless compression techniques reduce bit rate at no cost to quality, but can only reduce bit rate up to a certain point. Decreases in bit rate are limited by the inherent amount of variability in the statistical characterization of the input data, which is referred to as the source entropy. Entropy coding is another term for lossless compression. In contrast, with lossy compression, the quality suffers somewhat but the achievable decrease in bit rate is more dramatic. For example, a series of ten pixels, each being a slightly different shade of red, can be approximated as ten pixels with exactly the same particular approximate red color. Lossy compression techniques can be used to reduce bit rate more than lossless compression techniques, but some of the reduction in bit rate is achieved by reducing quality, and the lost quality cannot be completely recovered. Lossy compression is often used in conjunction with lossless compression—in a system design in which the lossy compression establishes an approximation of the information and lossless compression techniques are applied to represent the approximation. For example, the series of ten pixels, each a slightly different shade of red, can be represented as a code for one particular shade of red and the number ten as a run-length of consecutive pixels. In decompression, the original series would then be reconstructed as ten pixels with the same approximated red color. II. Quantization According to one possible definition, quantization is a term used for an approximating non-reversible mapping function commonly used for lossy compression, in which there is a specified set of possible output values, and each member of the set of possible output values has an associated set of input values that result in the selection of that particular output value. A variety of quantization techniques have been developed, including scalar or vector, uniform or non-uniform, and adaptive or non-adaptive quantization. A. Scalar Quantizers According to one possible definition, a scalar quantizer is an approximating functional mapping x→Q[x] of an input value x to a quantized value Q[x].FIG. 1shows a “staircase” I/O function (100) for a scalar quantizer. The horizontal axis is a number line for a real number input variable x, and the vertical axis indicates the corresponding quantized values Q[x]. The number line is partitioned by thresholds such as the threshold (110). Each value of x within a given range between a pair of adjacent thresholds is assigned the same quantized value Q[x]. For example, each value of x within the range (120) is assigned the same quantized value (130). (At a threshold, one of the two possible quantized values is assigned to an input x, depending on the system.) Overall, the quantized values Q[x] exhibit a discontinuous, staircase pattern. The distance the mapping continues along the number line depends on the system, typically ending after a finite number of thresholds. The placement of the thresholds on the number line may be uniformly spaced (as shown inFIG. 1) or non-uniformly spaced. A scalar quantizer can be decomposed into two distinct stages. The first stage is the classifier stage, in which a classifier function mapping x→A[x] maps an input x to a quantization index A[x], which is often integer-valued. In essence, the classifier segments an input number line or data set.FIG. 2ashows a generalized classifier (200) and thresholds for a scalar quantizer. As inFIG. 1, a number line for a real number variable x is segmented by thresholds such as the threshold (210). Each value of x within a given range such as the range (220) is assigned the same quantized value Q[x].FIG. 2bshows a numerical example of a classifier (250) and thresholds for a scalar quantizer. In the second stage, a reconstructor functional mapping k→β[k] maps each quantization index k to a reconstruction value β[k]. In essence, the reconstructor places steps having a particular height relative to the input number line segments (or selects a subset of data set values) for reconstruction of each region determined by the classifier. The reconstructor functional mapping may be implemented, for example, using a lookup table. Overall, the classifier relates to the reconstructor as follows: Q[x]=β[A[x]](1). The distortion introduced by using such a quantizer may be computed with a difference-based distortion measure d(x−Q[x]). Typically, such a distortion measure has the property that d(x−Q[x]) increases as x−Q[x] deviates from zero; and typically each reconstruction value lies within the range of the corresponding classification region, so that the straight line that would be formed by the functional equation Q[x]=x will pass through every step of the staircase diagram (as shown inFIG. 1) and therefore Q[Q[x]] will typically be equal to Q[x]. In general, a quantizer is considered better in rate-distortion terms if the quantizer results in a lower average value of distortion than other quantizers for a given bit rate of output. More formally, a quantizer is considered better if, for a source random variable X, the expected (i.e., the average or statistical mean) value of the distortion measureD=Ex{d(X−Q[X])} is lower for an equal or lower entropy H of A[X]. The most commonly-used distortion measure is the squared error distortion measure, for which d(|x−y|)=|x−y|2. When the squared error distortion measure is used, the expected value of the distortion measure (D) is referred to as the mean squared error. B. Dead Zone+Uniform Threshold Quantizers According to one possible definition, a dead zone plus uniform threshold quantizer [“DZ+UTQ”] is a quantizer with uniformly spaced threshold values for all classifier regions except the one containing the zero input value (which is called the dead zone [“DZ”]). A DZ+UTQ has a classifier index mapping rule x→A[x] that can be expressed based on two parameters.FIG. 3shows a staircase I/O function (300) for a DZ+UTQ, andFIG. 4ashows a generalized classifier (400) and thresholds for a DZ+UTQ. The parameter s, which is greater than 0, indicates the step size for all steps other than the DZ. Mathematically, all siare equal to s for i≠0. The parameter z, which is greater than or equal to 0, indicates the ratio of the DZ size to the size of the other steps. Mathematically, s0=z·s. InFIG. 4a, z is 2, so the DZ is twice as wide as the other classification zones. The index mapping rule x→A[x] for a DZ+UTQ can be expressed as: A⁡[x]=sign⁡(x)*max⁡(0,⌊xs-z2+1⌋),(2) where └.┘ denotes the smallest integer less than or equal to the argument and where sign(x) is the function defined as: sign⁡(x)={+1,⁢for⁢⁢x≥0,-1,⁢for⁢⁢x<0.(3) FIG. 4bshows a numerical example of a classifier (450) and thresholds for a DZ+UTQ with s=1 and z=2.FIGS. 1, 2a, and2bshow a special case DZ+UTQ with z=1. Quantizers of the UTQ form have good performance for a variety of statistical sources. In particular, the DZ+UTQ form is optimal for the statistical random variable source known as the Laplacian source. In some system designs (not shown), an additional consideration may be necessary to fully characterize a DZ+UTQ classification rule. For practical reasons there may be a need to limit the range of values that can result from the classification function A[x] to some reasonable finite range. This limitation is referred to as clipping. For example, in some such systems the classification rule could more precisely be defined as: A⁡[x]=sign⁡(x)*min⁡[g,max⁡(0,⁢⌊xs-z2+1⌋)],(4) where g is a limit on the absolute value of A[x]. In much of the theoretical analysis presented herein, consideration of clipping is omitted as it unduly complicates the analysis without advancing the explanation. Moreover, although the clipping shown in the above example is symmetric about zero, the clipping does not need to be symmetric, and often is not exactly symmetric. For example, a common clipping range would be such that the value of A[x] is limited to some range from −2Bto +2B−1 so that A[x] can be represented as an integer using a two's complement representation that uses B+1 bits, where B+1 may be equal to 8 or 16 or another particular selected number of bits. C. Reconstruction Rules Different reconstruction rules may be used to determine the reconstruction value for each quantization index. These include the optimal reconstruction rule and the single offset reconstruction rule (of which the mid-point reconstruction rule is an example).FIG. 5shows reconstruction points according to different reconstruction rules for a particular shape of a source probability distribution function f(x). For a range of values between two thresholds tjand tj+1, the reconstruction value rj,midaccording to the mid-point reconstruction rule bisects the range (thus, rj,mid=(tj+tj+1)/2). For the example probability distribution function shown inFIG. 5, this fails to account for the fact that values to the left of the mid-point are more likely than values to the right of the mid-point. The reconstruction value rj,optaccording to the optimal reconstruction rule accounts for the probability distribution. In general, a probability distribution function [“pdf”] indicates the probabilities for the different values of a variable. One possible definition of the optimal reconstruction value rj,optfor each region between two neighboring thresholds tjand tj+1for a pdf f(x) can be expressed as: rj,opt=miny-1⁢∫tjtj+1⁢d⁡(x-y)⁢⁢f⁡(x)⁢dx.(5) Assuming that the pdf f(x) for a given source is symmetric around zero, one possible definition of the optimal reconstruction rule of a DZ+UTQ for a symmetric, difference-based distortion measure d(|x−y|) is: β⁡[k]={miny-1⁢∫0z⁢⁢s2⁢[d⁡(x-y)+d⁡(y-x)]⁢f⁡(x)⁢dx,for⁢⁢k=0,sign⁡(k)⁢miny-1⁢∫z⁢⁢s2+(k-1)⁢sz⁢⁢s2+k⁢s⁢d⁡(x-y)⁢⁢f⁡(x)⁢dx,for⁢⁢k≠0.,(6) where y is the quantized value Q[x], and where the rule finds the quantized value Q[x] that results in the smallest distortion according to the distortion measure. Typically, the optimal quantized value for β[0] is equal to 0, and that will be assumed to be true for the remainder of this description. For minimizing mean squared error, the optimal reconstruction rule sets the reconstruction value for each region equal to the conditional mean of the input values in that region. Stated more precisely, the optimal reconstruction value rj,optfor the region between two neighboring thresholds tjand tj+1for a pdf f(x) when using the mean squared error distortion measure is given by rj,opt=∫tjtj+1⁢x·f⁡(x)⁢dx∫tjtj+1⁢f⁡(x)⁢dx.(7) According to one possible definition for a DZ+UTQ, the single-offset reconstruction rule is based on an offset parameter Δ, where ordinarily 0<Δ≤s/2, and the rule is: β⁡[k]={0,for⁢⁢k=0,sign⁡(k)⁡[(k+z2-1)⁢s+Δ],for⁢⁢k≠0..(8) The mid-point reconstruction rule is a special case of the single-offset reconstruction rule, specified by Δ=s/2. Mid-point reconstruction is commonly used for convenience due to its simplicity. And, in the limit as s becomes very small, the performance of the mid-point rule becomes optimal under a variety of well-behaved mathematical conditions. D. Specifying Reconstruction Values, Constructing Classifiers Standards and product specifications that focus only on achieving interoperability will often specify reconstruction values without necessarily specifying the classification rule. In other words, some specifications may define the functional mapping k→β[k] without defining the functional mapping x→A[x]. This allows a decoder built to comply with the standard/specification to reconstruct information correctly. In contrast, encoders are often given the freedom to change the classifier in any way that they wish, while still complying with the standard/specification. Numerous systems for adjusting quantization thresholds have been developed. Many standards and products specify reconstruction values that correspond to a typical mid-point reconstruction rule (e.g., for a typical simple classification rule) for the sake of simplicity. For classification, however, the thresholds can in fact be adjusted so that certain input values will be mapped to more common (and hence, lower bit rate) indices, which makes the reconstruction values closer to optimal.FIG. 6shows such adjusted thresholds for a classifier (600). The original thresholds (such as old tj) are situated halfway between the reconstruction points. The thresholds are moved outward on the number line, away from 0. Before the adjustment, a marginal value (shown between the old tjand the new tj) is mapped to rj. After the adjustment, the marginal value is mapped to r0. The decoder performs reconstruction without knowledge of the adjustments done in the encoder. For optimal encoding, an encoder may adjust quantization thresholds to optimally fit a given set of reconstruction values as follows. The probability pjfor the source random variable X to fall within a range j between tjand tj+1(where tj+1>tj) for a source pdf f(x) is: pj=∫tjtj+1⁢f⁡(x)⁢dx,(9) and the number of bits necessary to represent an event with probability pjin an ideal lossless communication system may be quantified as: hj=log2⁢1pj,(10) where the hjis expressed in terms of bits. The total entropy of the classifier is then given by H=∑j⁢pj·hj⁢⁢bits.(11) In general, if the encoder is required to use bjbits to indicate the selection of the reconstruction value rj, the encoder may evaluate and optimize its thresholds according to minimization of the rate-distortion relation D+λR , where D indicates distortion, R indicates bit usage, and λ is a tuning parameter for favoring a particular selected balance between distortion and bit rate. For each particular threshold tj+1between two points rjand rj+1, the encoder can set tj+1to the x that satisfies: d(x−rj)+λbj=d(x−rj+1)+λbj+1(12). In an ideal design, bjwill be approximately equal to hj, and modern lossless coding techniques can be used to very nearly achieve this goal. In a design using some non-ideal lossless coding technique to represent the output of the classifier, bjmay have some other value. Note in summation that optimal decision thresholds can be selected using equation (12), that optimal reconstruction values can be selected using equation (5) or (7), and that optimal bit usage can be computed by setting bjequal to hjas given by equation (10) or to the number of bits used in some other lossless code (such as a Huffman code designed using equation (9) or a fixed-length code). In some highly-optimized scalar quantizer system designs, reconstruction values (initially uniformly spaced) are analyzed to adjust thresholds in encoder analysis, then use of the adjusted thresholds is analyzed to set the number of bits needed to represent the output of the classifier using lossless coding and to set the reconstruction values in decoder analysis. The new reconstruction values are then analyzed to adjust thresholds, and so on, until the thresholds and/or reconstruction values stabilize across iterations. III. Compression and Decompression Systems In general, video compression techniques include “intra-picture” compression and “inter-picture” compression, where a picture is, for example, a progressively scanned video frame, an interlaced video frame (having alternating lines for video fields), or an interlaced video field. For progressive frames, intra-picture compression techniques compress individual frames (typically called I-frames or key frames), and inter-picture compression techniques compress frames (typically called predicted frames, P-frames, or B-frames) with reference to preceding and/or following frames (typically called reference or anchor frames). Both intra and inter-picture compression techniques often use a reversible frequency transform operation, which generates a set of frequency domain (i.e., spectral) coefficients. For intra-picture compression, the transform is typically applied to a block of samples. For inter-picture compression, the transform is typically applied to a block of motion-compensation prediction residual information. A discrete cosine transform [“DCT”] is a type of frequency transform. The resulting blocks of transform coefficients are quantized and entropy encoded. A decoder typically entropy decodes and reconstructs transform coefficients (e.g., DCT coefficients) that were quantized and performs an inverse frequency transform such as an IDCT. A. Intra-compression in Windows Media Video, Version 8 [“WMV8”] Microsoft Corporation's Windows Media Video, Version 8 [“WMV8”] includes a video encoder and a video decoder. The WMV8 encoder uses intra-frame and inter-frame compression, and the WMV8 decoder uses intra-frame and inter-frame decompression. FIG. 7illustrates block-based intraframe compression (700) of a 8×8 block (705) of samples in a frame in the WMV8 encoder. The WMV8 encoder here splits a frame into 8×8 blocks of samples and applies an 8×8 DCT (710) to individual blocks such as the block (705). The encoder quantizes (720) the DCT coefficients (715), resulting in an 8×8 block of quantized DCT coefficients (725). For example, the encoder applies a uniform, scalar quantization step size to each coefficient. Further encoding varies depending on whether a coefficient is a DC coefficient, an AC coefficient in the top row or left column, or another AC coefficient. The encoder encodes the DC coefficient (726) as a differential from the DC coefficient (736) of a neighboring 8×8 block, which is a previously encoded top or left neighbor block. The encoder entropy encodes (740) the differential. The entropy encoder can encode the left column or top row of AC coefficients as differentials from a corresponding column or row of a neighboring 8×8 block.FIG. 7shows the left column (727) of AC coefficients encoded as differentials (747) from the left column (737) of the neighboring (actually situated to the left) block (735). The encoder scans (750) the 8×8 block (745) of predicted, quantized AC DCT coefficients into a one-dimensional array (755) and then entropy encodes the scanned coefficients using a variation of run length coding (760). The encoder selects an entropy code from one or more run/level/last tables (765) and outputs the entropy code. A WMV8 decoder (not shown) produces a reconstructed version of the original block (705). The decoder determines the DC predictor for the DC coefficient and decodes the DC differential. In particular, the following pseudocode illustrates the DC differential decoding process in WMV8. DCDifferential = vlc_decode( )if (DCDifferential == ESCAPECODE)DCDifferential = flc_decode(8)DCSign = flc_decode(1)if (DCSign == 1)DCDifferential = -DCDifferential The WMV8 decoder combines the DC differential with the predictor for the DC coefficient to reconstruct the DC coefficient. The decoder entropy decodes the AC coefficients using one or more run/level/last tables, and scans the coefficients back into a two-dimensional array. The WMV decoder computes a predictor for the top row or left column of AC coefficients if appropriate. The decoder inverse quantizes the coefficients and performs an IDCT. While DC differential coding and decoding as in WMV8 provide good performance in many scenarios, there are opportunities for improvement. In particular, DC differential coding and decoding as in WMV8 are not easily applied for smaller quantization sizes. This is because at the smaller quantization sizes, VLC code table size for DC differentials becomes inefficiently large for many devices for practical applications. B. Video Codec Standards Various standards specify aspects of video decoders as well as formats for compressed video information. These standards include H.261, MPEG-1, H.262 (also called MPEG-2), H.263, and MPEG-4. Directly or by implication, these standards may specify certain encoder details, but other encoder details are not specified. Different standards incorporate different techniques, but each standard typically specifies some kind of inverse frequency transform and entropy decoding. For information, see the respective standard documents. SUMMARY In summary, the detailed description is directed to various techniques and tools for video encoding and decoding. Some described tools and techniques relate to coding of DC coefficients in video and other digital media coding. More particularly, the techniques and tools relate to signaling for DC coefficients at small quantization step sizes. Other described tools and techniques relate to other features of video encoding and decoding. The techniques and tools can be used in combination or independently. According to a first set of tools and techniques, a tool such as a video encoder or decoder processes a first code that indicates a DC differential for a DC coefficient and a second code that indicates a value refinement for the DC differential. For example, a video encoder encodes the DC coefficient based at least in part on the first and second codes. Or, a video decoder reconstructs the DC coefficient during decoding based at least in part on the first and second codes. According to a second set of tools and techniques, a tool such as a video encoder or decoder processes a VLC for a first DC differential for a first DC coefficient at a first quantization step size. The tool uses a VLC table that indicates DC differentials for DC coefficients at and above a second quantization step size larger than the first quantization step size. According to a third set of tools and techniques, a tool such as a video encoder or decoder processes a code for a DC differential for a DC coefficient, where the code is a FLC having a length that varies depending on quantization step size. For example, the FLC indicates a refinement value for the DC differential. Or, when an escape code is used for the DC differential, the FLC indicates a value for the DC differential. Additional features and advantages will be made apparent from the following detailed description of various embodiments that proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.

11353148

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to sealing systems used for forming pipe joints in plastic pipelines in which a sealing element and a companion restraint element are installed within a preformed raceway provided in a belled pipe end of a section of pipe used to form the pipe joint. Description of the Prior Art Pipes formed from thermoplastic materials including polyolefins such as polyethylene, polypropylene and PVC are used in a variety of industries. For example, such pipes are commonly used in municipal water and sewer applications. In forming a joint between sections of pipe, the spigot or male pipe end is inserted within the female or socket pipe end. The actual manufacture of the mating sections of plastic pipe typically involves the reforming (belling) of the end of the pipe by reheating and shaping to some desired profile to provide a means of mating with the opposing end of the next pipe. The art of forming sockets (also called bells) on plastics pipes is well established, and there are numerous processes and methods in the literature. An annular, elastomeric ring or gasket is typically seated within a groove or “raceway” formed in the socket end of the thermoplastic pipe to assist in forming a sealed pipe joint between adjoining sections of pipe. As the spigot is inserted within the socket, the gasket provides the major seal capacity for the joint. In recent years, pipe systems employing the so called “PVC-O” pipe have become increasingly popular. The designation “PVC-O” stands for polyvinylchloride oriented, sometimes referred to simply as molecularly oriented pipe, or “MOP.” It is well established in the literature that molecular orientation of plastics can provide enhanced mechanical properties for plastic pipe of the type under consideration, and such materials are commonly used for plastics pipes. The molecularly oriented thermoplastic materials enhance the strength of the article in certain directions by orienting the molecules in the plastic material in such directions. Orientation is achieved by drawing or stretching the material under appropriate conditions of temperature, such that a strain (i.e. deviation from the originally formed dimensions) is induced in the plastics material to cause alignment of the molecules, and thereafter cooling the material while drawn to lock in that strain. A number of methods have been proposed whereby this principle is applied to plastic pipes, in particular in order to enhance their strength under internal pressure by circumferential and/or axial forces, or by external forces acting on the pipeline. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,428,900, shows a pipe of oriented thermoplastic polymeric material having an integral socket which is manufactured by expanding a tubular blank. The tubular blank is heated by circulation of hot water to a temperature at which deformation will induce orientation of the polymer molecules. The blank is then expanded radially outward against a mold by application of internal pressure. U.S. Pat. No. 5,449,487, shows an apparatus and method for orienting plastic pipe. A heated pipe is oriented radially by means of a conically widening mandrel which is located downstream of the plastic extruder. The above examples are intended merely to be illustrative of the general state of the art in the manufacture of molecularly oriented pipe. Whether the pipeline system in question is the more ordinary PVC pipeline, or the more exotic PVC-O pipeline, it is often desirable to provide a “restrained joint” to insure that the spigot or male pipe end and the female or socket end do not separate due to internal or external forces, such as hydraulic forces that exist inside the pipeline, or external forces, such as bends in the direction of the pipeline, earthquakes or ground movement, and the like. This need exists for both pipe sections having pre-formed sockets, as well as pipe ends in which the sealing and restraint system is integrally installed during manufacture in a “Rieber” style pipe belling operation. The present invention is specifically directed toward joint restraints to be installed in existing pre-formed pipe sockets. The problem of providing a sealing and restraint system is exacerbated in the case of PVC-O pipe joints in that the prevalent socket end is often provided with an “Anger Raceway” for receiving the sealing gasket. Since an advantage of PVC-O pipe is that it can be thinner with the same type strength as traditional PVC pipe, the Anger Raceway has a different geometry than the traditional socketed grooves provided in the more traditional “Rieber” gasket sealing systems for traditional PVC pipe. This geometry has proved to be more difficult problem from the standpoint of providing a securely sealed joint than the traditional PVC pipe joint. One approach to joining molecularly oriented pipe with a “restrained joint” was presented in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2011/0062700 to Corbett, Jr., assigned to the assignee of the present invention. That publication disclosed a method for joining molecularly oriented pipe in which a coupling is provided which is formed of a material other than molecularly oriented pipe, such as ordinary PVC pipe. The coupling is formed as a tubular body with a combination sealing and restraint mechanism located in each of two opposing end openings of the coupling that seal and restrain mating plain spigot ends of the molecularly oriented pipe. Because the coupling is made of a material such as ordinary PVC, the sealing and restraint mechanisms can be installed in internal grooves provided in the coupling interior during normal pipe belling operations without introducing unacceptable levels of stress or strain into the product. While providing a workable solution, that approach had the disadvantage of requiring more coupling components, adding to the cost of each joint in the pipeline system. Other approaches to the problem have included the use of metal segments embedded in the rubber of the sealing element or in a combination of rubber and plastic. See, in this regard, the Forsheda patent publication EP 2 664 833A1 which shows a pipe seal for sealing a joint between a first pipe a second pipe, said pipe seal comprising a carrier member and a sealing member attached to the carrier member. The carrier member comprises at least one retaining insert for gripping the second pipe (42). Also, see U.S. Pat. No. 7,618,071, issued Nov. 17, 2009, to Jones et. al, assigned to the assignee of the present invention, which shows various versions of a restraint system for joining plastic pipe. The restraining/sealing mechanism includes a relatively rigid gripper ring and a companion sealing ring which are received within one or more mating grooves provided in the belled end of a female pipe. The gripper ring and sealing ring can be combined or attached, or they can be separate members located in the same retaining groove or separate grooves in the female belled pipe end. Despite these advances in the art, there are presently no other commercially available solutions which address all of the above problems known to Applicant. The existing solutions have a limited pressure range and, in the case of molecularly oriented pipe are often less than satisfactory due, in part, to the hard and relatively brittle nature of the molecularly oriented pipe. A need continues to exist, therefore, for improved techniques for manufacturing and joining plastic pipe and, particularly molecularly oriented pipe, which techniques take into account the unique properties of these types of molecularly oriented plastic materials. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A sealing and restraint system is shown for joining a first longitudinal section of plastic pipe to a second longitudinal section of plastic pipe to form a secure pipe joint. Each of the sections of plastic pipe each has a spigot for mating with a socket end of a next adjacent pipe section, the socket ends each being preformed with an internal raceway formed adjacent a mouth opening thereof which is formed during the manufacture of the pipe section. A sealing element is installed within the raceway of the socket end of one section of plastic pipe, the sealing element comprising an elastomeric sealing ring having a periphery and having a protruding ear located at one circumferential location about the periphery thereof. The sealing element can conveniently be installed by temporarily collapsing the sealing element inwardly upon itself and positioning the sealing element in the raceway, and thereafter allowing the sealing element to return to a normal uncollapsed state. A companion restraining element is also located within the raceway of the socket end of the same section of pipe, the restraining element comprising a hardened gripping ring having an external peripheral surface and an internal peripheral gripping surface. The griping ring is provided with an opening gap at one circumferential location about the periphery thereof. The gripping ring has an external diameter and an internal diameter, and wherein the opening gap in the gripping ring can be forced closed to thereby temporarily decrease the external diameter of the gripping ring, so that it can be positioned within the pre-existing raceway in the socket end of the plastic pipe. The protruding ear of the sealing ring engages and fits within the opening gap in the gripping ring when the gripping ring is installed within the raceway of the socket end of the section of plastic pipe. Engagement of the protruding ear within the opening gap serves to prevent extrusion of the sealing ring within the gap in the gripping ring and also limits closure of the gripping ring after engagement of the spigot end with the socket pipe end as the pipe joint is assembled. Preferably, the sealing ring and the gripping ring are provided with interlocking profiles which help to ensure retention of the sealing ring by the gripping ring after the sealing ring and gripping ring have been installed in the raceway within the socket end of the plastic pipe. In one preferred version of the invention, the sealing ring is formed as an annular gasket body made of a resilient elastomeric material, the annular gasket body having a leading nose region, an inner circumferential region and an outer circumferential region. The annular gasket body is installed within the raceway in the socket end of the plastic pipe so that the outer circumferential region forms a seal with the raceway and the inner circumferential region terms a sealing surface for an exterior surface of the mating spigot pipe end, and wherein a circumferential groove region is formed on the inner circumferential region of the gasket body which engages with a mating surface provided on the gripping ring to form the interlocking profile. Preferably, the gripping ring has a leading nose region and a trailing tail region, as viewed in profile, the external peripheral surface of the gripping ring including a conical region which interfaces with a mating conical surface provided in the raceway of the socket pipe end at a given interface angle, the interface angle being in the range from about 10 to 30 degrees, most preferably from about 15 to 20 degrees. The external peripheral surface of the gripping ring is preferably provided with a sharp circumferential protrusion which limits forward displacement of the gripping ring as it contacts the socket raceway, to thereby restrict the amount the gripping ring grips the pipe spigot end as the joint is being assembled. An improved method is also shown for joining a first longitudinal section of plastic pipe to a second longitudinal section of plastic pipe to form a secure pipe joint using the previously described components of the sealing and restraint system and will be further described in the detailed description which follows. The two sections of plastic pipe can be molecularly oriented plastic pipe. Additional objects, features and advantages will be apparent in the written description which follows.

11329607

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 of European patent application no. 19202634.2, filed Oct. 11, 2019 the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein. FIELD The disclosure relates to a square wave oscillator circuit. BACKGROUND RC square wave oscillators are simple circuits that generate a square wave signal, which may for example be used as a clock signal. The frequency of the signal depends on the values of the resistor (R) and capacitor (C) in the oscillator. For integrated circuits (ICs) such oscillators have limited use because the absolute accuracy of an RC product is generally poor, resulting in an output frequency that is very unpredictable, with an accuracy of perhaps 20% or worse. Although absolute values for resistors and capacitors in IC processing can be inaccurate, repeatability can be high. Matching between resistors and capacitors in ICs can therefore be more accurate. In various situations there may be a requirement for a signal, such as a clock signal, with a time period that is accurately related to an RC product, where the R and C values are component values within the same IC. FIG. 1shows the principle of operation of a conventional square wave RC oscillator100. A capacitor COSCis alternately charged and discharged with a current VAB/ROSC, which is controlled by the generated clock signal. The output clock signal101(see alsoFIG. 2) has two phases H and L, which control the switches102,103,104. This results in a triangular waveform104(see alsoFIG. 2) across the capacitor COSCwith a nominal peak to peak amplitude VABand an output frequency of 1/2ROSCCOSC. Here, VAB=VA−VB, where VAand VBare the voltages at which the comparator105switches. The clock period of the square wave signal101, TCLK=2COSCVAB/ICH, where ICHis the charge/discharge current, determined by VAB/ROSC. The clock period TCLKis therefore equal to 2ROSCCOSC. There are several sources of error in implementing a square wave oscillator of the type described above. Firstly, if the switching frequency is high and the charge/discharge currents small, the value of the capacitor COSCwill need to be small, resulting in a small VAB. If, for example, the clock frequency is of the order of 10 MHz (TCLK=100 ns), the charge/discharge current will be 5 μA and the capacitor COSCwill be 5 pF, resulting in VABbeing 50 mV. The voltage VABcan be increased when decreasing COSC, but this will result in parasitic capacitances becoming more significant. Increasing the charge/discharge current may also be possible, but higher currents can be problematic in IC design. A second problem relates to inaccurate switching levels caused by time delays if VABis small (e.g. 50 mV). The comparator105switches when VIN>VAin charge mode or when VIN<VBin discharge mode. However, an excess differential input voltage is required to cause the comparator105output to switch between states. This excess voltage is effectively added to VABin determining the clock frequency. To keep this error small, the gain of the comparator105can be made high, which requires multiple amplifier stages. This will, however, introduce a larger error caused by a time delay between the moment the input voltage VINpasses the switching level and the moment the circuit changes between charging and discharging. Due to this, the actual switching levels, shown as VHIGHand VLOWinFIG. 3are not the same as the designated switching levels VAand VB. Time delays tdaand tdbare added to the period TCLK. In addition, the amplitude of the triangular waveform104is increased, resulting in a longer charge/discharge time. These effects may result in more than a 10% increase in the resulting oscillator period time. A third problem relates to inaccurate switching levels caused by offsets. The oscillator circuit ofFIG. 1has only one comparator105. Any offset voltage at the input will not affect the output frequency. If the high level switching occurs at VA+VOFFSET, then the low level switching will occur at VB+VOFFSET. The difference then remains VA−VB=VAB. There are however many implementations that make use of two comparators, one for the high level VAand one for the low level VB. This solves many other problems like not having to switch between VAand VBall the time at the (sensitive) input of the comparator. In the case of two comparators however, the input offset of the comparators does affect the accuracy of the output frequency. The above mentioned errors all result in deviations from the actual switching levels VHIGHand VLOWwith the intended switching levels VAand VB. Other sources of errors can affect the slope of the triangular waveform at the capacitor COSC. A fourth problem relates to inaccuracy in the charge/discharge slope caused by parasitic capacitances. As mentioned above, all components that are connected to the capacitor COSChave parasitic capacitances by themselves, which will add to the value COSCin the formula for the output clock period. If, for instance the designer had a reason to choose for a two comparator solution (often the case) the input offset voltages would be kept small by increasing the size of the comparator input transistors. These larger transistors would however have larger input capacitances that would affect the accuracy of the charge/discharge slope. For the accuracy of the slope, the input transistors should be small, thereby introducing more offset voltage. A fifth problem relates to inaccuracy in the charge/discharge slope caused by inaccuracy in the charge and discharge current. This is a general problem that can be solved with good engineering practice such as by cascoding and other techniques. Finally, a sixth problem relates to inaccuracy caused by charge injection. Each time a (MOS-transistor) switch closes or opens, some charge is injected or withdrawn from the nodes it is connected to. This will result in a voltage step401at each switching point, as shown inFIG. 4, which results in a deviation from an ideal triangular waveform. If an NMOS switch is closed, this is done by lifting the voltage at its gate, so charge will be injected at the source and drain nodes. When it is opened, the gate voltage is pulled low and charge is withdrawn from these nodes. For PMOS-switches it is the other way around. Charge injection can be compensated by the use of dummy switches connected at the same nodes. The switches at the comparator reference input that are needed in case of a ‘one comparator oscillator’ can cause a lot of harm at this sensitive (high_Z) node. As explained, this is the reason that often two comparators are used, resulting in the earlier mentioned offset problem. Conventional solutions to the above mentioned problems that result in a deviation from the intended slope and the effects of charge injection include good engineering practices like cascoding current sources, using dummy switches for compensation of charge injection and using two comparators with larger input transistors to reduce offset. A conventional solution to problems that result in a deviation from the triangle amplitude (for example in terms of offset and time delay) is trimming, i.e. making some components adjustable in order to adjust the output frequency later in the application. Trimming is, however, suboptimal and cannot correct for deviations caused by temperature, supply voltage variation, aging and, when trimming is performed in the same way for an entire batch, deviation between different specimens. SUMMARY In accordance with the present disclosure, there is provided a circuit for generating a square wave signal having first and second voltage output levels, the circuit comprising:a comparator having an output and first and second inputs;a switching circuit configured to provide an oscillatory waveform at the first input of the comparator; anda feedback circuit arranged to sample the first input of the comparator each time the output square wave signal switches between the first and second voltage output levels and to compare this sampled voltage with first and second reference voltages to adjust a voltage provided to the second input of the comparator. In some examples, the switching circuit may comprise:a first capacitor connected between the first input of the comparator and a common connection;a first switch connected between the first input of the comparator and a first current source, the first switch configured to connect the first current source to charge the first capacitor when the output square wave signal is at the first voltage level; anda second switch connected between the first input of the comparator and a second current source, the second switch configured to connect the second current source to discharge the capacitor when the output square wave signal is at the second voltage level. The feedback circuit may comprise:a sampler having an input connected to the output of the comparator and configured to provide a first sampling pulse when the output of the comparator changes from the first voltage level to the second voltage level and a second sampling pulse when the voltage at the output of the comparator changes from the second voltage level to the first voltage level;a first amplifier having a first input connected to the first input of the comparator via a third switch configured to close upon receiving the first sampling pulse from the sampler and a second input connected to a first reference voltage source;a second capacitor connected between the first input of the first amplifier and the common connection;a second amplifier having a first input connected to the first input of the comparator via a fourth switch configured to close upon receiving the second sampling pulse from the sampler and a second input connected to a second reference voltage source;a third capacitor connected between the first input of the second amplifier and the common connection; anda fifth switch connected between the second input of the comparator and outputs of the first and second amplifiers, the fifth switch configured to alternately connect the second input of the comparator to the output of the first amplifier and the output of the second amplifier. In some examples, the fifth switch may be configured to connect the second input of the comparator to the output of the first amplifier when the output of the comparator is at the first voltage level and to the output of the second amplifier when the output of the comparator is at the second voltage level. In alternative examples, the fifth switch may be configured to connect the second input of the comparator to the output of the first amplifier when the output square wave signal is at the first voltage level and to the output of the second amplifier when the output square wave signal is at the second voltage level. The outputs of the first and second amplifiers may be connected to the fifth switch via respective first and second low pass filters. The low pass filters serve to remove switching spikes from the signals provided to the fifth switch. In some examples the RC oscillator circuit may be configured to provide a triangular waveform to the first input of the comparator, i.e. where the charge and discharge rates of the first capacitor are equal and opposite. In alternative examples the RC oscillator circuit may be configured to provide a different waveform where the charge and discharge rates are different and the resulting waveform is asymmetric. Any oscillatory waveform where the peak to peak amplitude determines the output period may alternatively be applied as an input waveform to the comparator. The first and second current sources may be configured to provide a current having a magnitude equal to a difference between the first and second reference voltages divided by a first resistor. The amplitude of the waveform provided as an input to the comparator is accurately fixed by negative feedback provided by sampling the input when the output changes. At the moment the comparator output changes between high and low, a sample is taken from the waveform signal. These samples are compared with the intended peak values, defined by the reference voltage levels, and the comparator switching levels are adjusted by a feedback loop to make the measured amplitude the same as the intended amplitude. The circuit therefore addresses the problems outlined above, in particular those relating to errors that affect the amplitude of the input waveform. The oscillator circuit may be incorporated into an integrated circuit that comprises an analog to digital converter configured to output a digital value corresponding to a ratio between a first input voltage and a second input voltage, wherein the output square wave signal of the oscillator circuit is provided as a clock signal to the analog to digital converter. The first input voltage may be a reference voltage and the second input voltage may be temperature dependent, such that the output digital value of the analog to digital converter corresponds to a temperature. These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from, and elucidated with reference to, the embodiments described hereinafter.

11277245

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application is based on PCT filing PCT/EP2018/071382, filed Aug. 7, 2018, which claims priority to EP 17185809.5, filed Aug. 10, 2017, the entire contents of each are incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND Field The present disclosure relates to telecommunications apparatus and methods. Description of Related Art The “background” description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description which may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly or impliedly admitted as prior art against the present invention. Recent generation mobile telecommunication systems, such as those based on the 3GPP defined UMTS and Long Term Evolution (LTE) architectures, are able to support a wider range of services than simple voice and messaging services offered by previous generations of mobile telecommunication systems. For example, with the improved radio interface and enhanced data rates provided by LTE systems, a user is able to enjoy high data rate applications such as mobile video streaming and mobile video conferencing that would previously only have been available via a fixed line data connection. In addition to supporting these kinds of more sophisticated services and devices, it is also proposed for newer generation mobile telecommunication systems to support less complex services and devices which make use of the reliable and wide ranging coverage of newer generation mobile telecommunication systems without necessarily needing to rely on the high data rates available in such systems. Future wireless communications networks will therefore be expected to routinely and efficiently support communications with a wider range of devices associated with a wider range of data traffic profiles and types than current systems are optimised to support. For example it is expected future wireless communications networks will be expected to efficiently support communications with devices including reduced complexity devices, machine type communication (MTC) devices, high resolution video displays, virtual reality headsets and so on. Some of these different types of devices may be deployed in very large numbers, for example low complexity devices for supporting the “The Internet of Things”, and may typically be associated with the transmissions of relatively small amounts of data with relatively high latency tolerance. In view of this there is expected to be a desire for future wireless communications networks, for example those which may be referred to as 5G or new radio (NR) system/new radio access technology (RAT) systems, as well as future iterations/releases of existing systems, to efficiently support connectivity for a wide range of devices associated with different applications and different characteristic data traffic profiles. One example area of current interest in this regard includes the so-called “The Internet of Things”, or IoT for short. The 3GPP has proposed in Release 13 of the 3GPP specifications to develop technologies for supporting narrowband (NB)-IoT and so-called enhanced MTC (eMTC) operation using a LTE/4G wireless access interface and wireless infrastructure. More recently there have been proposals to build on these ideas in Release 14 of the 3GPP specifications with so-called enhanced NB-IoT (eNB-IoT) and further enhanced MTC (feMTC), and in Release 15 of the 3GPP specifications with so-called further enhanced NB-IoT (feNB-IoT) and even further enhanced MTC (efeMTC). See, for example, [1], [2], [3], [4]. At least some devices making use of these technologies are expected to be low complexity and inexpensive devices requiring relatively infrequent communication of relatively low bandwidth data. It is further expected some of these types of device may be required to operate in areas of relatively poor coverage, for example, in a basement or other location with relatively high penetration loss (e.g. for smart meter type applications), or in remote locations (e.g. for remote monitoring applications), and this has given rise to proposals for enhancing coverage, for example using repeat transmissions. The increasing use of different types of terminal devices associated with different traffic profiles and requirements for coverage enhancement gives rise to new challenges for efficiently handling communications in wireless telecommunications systems that need to be addressed. SUMMARY Respective aspects and features of the present disclosure are defined in the appended claims. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary, but are not restrictive, of the present technology. The described embodiments, together with further advantages, will be best understood by reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

11403457

COPYRIGHT NOTICE A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates generally to database and machine learning systems, and more specifically to a system and method for identifying a referral identifier in a document for extraction of a referral object and addition of the referral object to textual annotated corpora having the document. BACKGROUND The subject matter discussed in the background section should not be assumed to be prior art merely as a result of its mention in the background section. Similarly, a problem mentioned in the background section or associated with the subject matter of the background section should not be assumed to have been previously recognized in the prior art. The subject matter in the background section merely represents different approaches, which in and of themselves may also be inventions. A database system can store data or information. In a customer relationship management (CRM) database, for example, this data or information can include help manuals, written articles, assistance requests and solutions, and other materials. Other systems may store other types of documents that include content of relevance to particular users. This data and information in a database system can be stored in the form of electronic records or digital objects. When a user is interested in accessing data or information stored by database system that is related to a specific document, the user typically submits a search query, which may include a statement of importance to the user entered using a search bar, voice interface, or similar user interface tool. The database system responds with a query result for one or more search results, which may identify documents and/or text within documents based on the submitted query. However, search systems typically only search the text and content of the document. The search systems do not identify other content that may be referenced by a document but not directly included within the document, such as a link to another resource or object external to the document.

11476561

TECHNICAL FIELD The invention relates to a radar antenna arrangement having a plurality of transmitting elements and having a plurality of receiving elements, wherein the transmitting elements in a transmitting arrangement and the receiving elements in a receiving arrangement are each arranged in fields of a regularly hexagonally parqueted surface, and wherein an associated virtual antenna arrangement of virtual antenna elements results from the geometric convolution of the transmitting arrangement with the receiving arrangement. BACKGROUND Radar antenna arrangements of the type mentioned above are known from the prior art, for example from Dahl et al.: “MIMO Radar Concepts based on Antenna arrangements with Fractal Boundaries”, Proceedings of the 13th European Radar Conference, 2016, pages 41-44 or Biallawons et al.: “MIMO concept for the imaging radar of the radar warning and information system RAWIS”, 11th European Conference on Synthetic Aperture Radar EUSAR 2016, pages 75-78. Such radar antenna arrangements are often implemented as patch antenna arrangements, which assuming suitable control and evaluation of the transmitting arrangement and the receiving arrangement can, for example, be electronically swiveled by controlling the transmitting elements with appropriate phase delays, resulting in radiation directions deviating from the main radiation direction. The advantage of the plurality of transmitting elements and receiving elements, in particular when they are operated according to the MIMO principle, i.e. independently of each other, is that each combination of a transmitting element with each receiving element generates a virtual antenna element, so that with m receiving elements and n transmitting elements a maximum of n*m virtual antenna elements result, whose positions are derived from the geometric convolution of the positions of the transmitting elements in the transmitting arrangement with the positions of the receiving elements in the receiving arrangement. In plain language, the geometric convolution of the structures of the transmitting arrangement and receiving arrangement is a shifting and superimposition operation, whereby the transmitting arrangement or the receiving arrangement is shifted to the individual positions of the receiving elements or the individual positions of the transmitting elements, resulting in the sum of the positions of the virtual antenna arrangements. The virtual antenna arrangement necessarily has a larger aperture than the apertures of the receiving arrangement and the transmitting arrangement and characterizes the imaging properties of the radar antenna arrangement when operated according to the MIMO principle. SUMMARY The object of the present invention to provide such radar antenna arrangements which have the best possible angular resolution and also electronic ability to be swiveled, wherein the properties are as isotropic as possible, i.e., independent of direction. The previously derived object is achieved in the radar antenna arrangement mentioned at the beginning in that the receiving elements in the receiving arrangement and the transmitting elements in the transmitting arrangement are arranged such that the virtual antenna elements in the virtual antenna arrangement are arranged without overlap. This requirement ensures that the yield of virtual antenna elements in the virtual antenna arrangement is maximized, which has a positive effect on angular resolution and (electronic) ability to swivel. In an advantageous design of the radar antenna arrangement, it is provided that the transmitting elements and the receiving elements are arranged without overlap in fields of a common regularly hexagonally parqueted surface. This offers, above all, constructional advantages, since there can be no overlaps of or collisions between positions of transmitting elements and receiving elements. This is also advantageous with regard to the electrical contacting of transmitting elements and receiving elements, which must always be carried out, since this design specification ensures minimum distances between transmitting elements and receiving elements. According to a preferred design, the radar antenna arrangement further provides that a plurality of transmitting elements form a transmitting element group or that a plurality of receiving elements form a receiving element group, wherein the radar antenna arrangement comprises a plurality of similar transmitting element groups or receiving element groups. A radar antenna arrangement designed according to this stipulation has partial advantages due to the resulting recurring structures in the virtual antenna arrangement. Another advantage is that recurring structures in the radar antenna arrangement also enable recurring structures in the implementation of the radar electronics. Furthermore, advantageous possibilities also arise in the desired implementation of radar antenna arrangements with special symmetry properties. In particular, in this respect, a further advantageous design is characterized in that the plurality of similar transmitting element groups or the plurality of similar receiving element groups are arranged such that the transmitting arrangement and/or the receiving arrangement have a rotational symmetry of 60° or a rotational symmetry of 120°. Such a symmetry is also transferred to the virtual antenna arrangement due to the geometric convolution of the transmitting arrangement with the receiving arrangement, which has an effect on the directional independence of the radiation and reception characteristics of the radar antenna arrangement if the geometric design of the transmitting element groups and/or the receiving element groups is cleverly chosen. When considering whether a particular arrangement of multiple receiving element groups and/or of multiple transmitting element groups is considered to exhibit rotational symmetry, a mathematically strict or a less strict definition of rotational symmetry may be used. In the mathematically strict definition, both the positions and the orientations of the receiving and/or transmitting element groups are considered. With the mathematically weaker definition only the positions of the receiving and/or transmitting element groups are considered, the orientation of the receiving and/or transmitting element groups does not play a role, the receiving and/or transmitting element groups are thus considered each for itself as concentrated in one point. In a further preferred design of the radar antenna arrangement, it s provided that a predominant number of the transmitting elements of the transmitting arrangement is/are arranged alone or grouped in transmitting element groups with several transmitting elements on a transmitting circular circumference, in particular is/are arranged regularly distributed on the transmitting circular circumference. This has the advantages that, due to the circular shape, the greatest possible directional independence is realized and, at the same time, a maximum aperture is also implemented, both for the transmitting arrangement and for the virtual antenna arrangement. Specifically, it is provided that all but three of the transmitting elements of the transmitting arrangement are arranged on the transmitting circular circumference, in particular completely all transmitting elements of the transmitting arrangement are arranged on the transmitting circular circumference. This all applies accordingly, of course, to the receiving elements as well, which is why this is not repeated again here in a formulated manner. In principle it applies to all characteristics, which are assigned to the transmitting arrangement or the receiving arrangement, that then corresponding considerations are also always valid for the receiving arrangement and/or the transmitting arrangement. A further preferred radar antenna arrangement is characterized in that the receiving elements of the receiving arrangement are arranged within a receiving circle circumference, in particular wherein the receiving circle circumference is identical with the transmitting circle circumference, or wherein the receiving circle circumference is smaller than the transmitting circle circumference, preferably arranged concentrically to the transmitting circle circumference. In this way, compact arrangements can be implemented which also exhibit good directional independence. Arrangements can also be implemented in which the receiving arrangement is located within the transmitting arrangement and is practically surrounded by it. Exactly the same considerations are as stated above correspondingly valid for reversed roles of transmitting and receiving elements, which will not be explicitly emphasized in the following. A further radar antenna arrangement has certain advantageous features in that three transmitting elements each form a closely packed triangular transmitting element group and a total of six of these transmitting element groups are evenly distributed on the transmitting circle circumference, in particular with a further one of these transmitting element groups being arranged in the center of the transmitting circle circumference. It has also proved advantageous that the receiving elements are arranged loosely contiguously, wherein each receiving element is surrounded by six unoccupied fields of the regularly hexagonally parqueted surface and wherein each receiving element is adjacent to two receiving elements either via at least one adjacent unoccupied field of the regularly hexagonally parqueted surface or via at least two directly and also mutually adjacent unoccupied fields of the regularly hexagonally parqueted surface. It may additionally be provided that unoccupied fields are provided in the center of the arrangement in the regularly hexagonally parqueted surface, these unoccupied fields forming a triangular shape in sum. Another preferred design is characterized in that a transmitting element group or the transmitting arrangement comprises three transmitting elements, wherein the three transmitting elements are densely packed, i.e., each transmitting element is immediately adjacent to the other two transmitting elements, or wherein the three transmitting elements enclose a common unoccupied field of the regularly hexagonally parqueted surface, or wherein the three transmitting elements enclose three immediately adjacent unoccupied fields of the regularly hexagonally parqueted surface, wherein the three transmitting elements form the vertices of an equilateral triangle. In another advantageous radar antenna arrangement, a transmitting element group or the transmitting arrangement comprises four transmitting elements, wherein three of the transmitting elements form the vertices of an equilateral triangle and the fourth transmitting element is placed in the center of the equilateral triangle. In yet another advantageous radar antenna arrangement, a transmitting element group or the transmitting arrangement comprises five transmitting elements, wherein three transmitting elements are arranged in three linearly adjacent arrangements, i.e., flat side to flat side, and wherein two transmitting elements are arranged perpendicularly symmetrically thereto in adjacent arrangements, i.e., tip to tip. In this respect, it is further advantageous if three transmitting element groups are provided which are arranged 120° rotationally symmetrically and have an additional common transmitting element to which the transmitting element groups. With regard to the radar antenna arrangement with a total of five transmitting elements, it is provided in an alternative design that the five transmitting elements are loosely connected in the same configuration, i.e., three elements linearly, in addition two elements symmetrically perpendicularly, wherein each transmitting element is surrounded by six unoccupied fields of the regularly hexagonally parqueted surface. A preferred feature of a radar antenna arrangement is that the number of transmitting elements to the number of receiving elements is in the ratio 3 to 4. This makes it possible to use corresponding electronic components which provide connections in the same ratio and which are available in large quantities at comparatively low prices; such components are frequently used in the automotive sector, for example.

11319554

INCORPORATION OF SEQUENCE LISTING The sequence listing that is contained in the file named “SEMB030WO_ST25.txt”, which is 8 kilobytes as measured in Microsoft Windows operating system and was created on Sep. 27, 2018, is filed electronically herewith and incorporated herein by reference. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the field of agriculture and more specifically to methods and compositions for producing pepper plants exhibiting improved resistance to a broad range of cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) strains, and in particular improved resistance against resistance-breaking CMV (rbCMV) strains that are infectious on pepper lines with the dominant CMV resistance locus on chromosome 2, often referred to as cmr-1. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Disease resistance is an important trait in agriculture, particularly for the production of food crops. Although disease resistance alleles have been identified in pepper plants, efforts to introduce these alleles into cultivated lines are hindered by a lack of specific markers linked to the alleles, linkage drag that leads to unacceptable plant quality and a lack of broad spectrum resistance. The use of marker-assisted selection (MAS) in plant breeding methods has made it possible to select plants based on genetic markers linked to traits of interest. However, accurate markers for identifying or tracking desirable traits in plants are frequently unavailable even if a gene associated with the trait has been characterized. These difficulties are further complicated by factors such as polygenic or quantitative inheritance, epistasis and an often incomplete understanding of the genetic background underlying expression of a desired phenotype. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present disclosure provides a cultivated variety of aCapsicum annuumplant comprising an introgressed allele on chromosome 8 that confers increased resistance to resistance-breaking cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) strains relative to a plant lacking the introgression. In certain embodiments the introgressed allele is flanked by Marker1 (SEQ ID NO:5) and Marker4 (SEQ ID NO:16) in the plant. In further embodiments the introgressed allele is located between 32,904,383 bp and 2,992,472 bp of chromosome 8 in public pepper genome sequence Pepper.CM334v1.55. In other embodiments the resistance comprises resistance to CMV isolate “Bucheon.” In particular embodiments the plant is homozygous for the introgressed allele. In additional embodiments the introgressed allele comprises the resistance haplotype of HAS-ZF17-4448, wherein a sample of seed comprising the resistance haplotype was deposited under ATCC Accession Number PTA-124434. The present disclosure also provides a seed that produces a cultivated variety of aCapsicum annuumplant comprising an introgressed allele on chromosome 8 that confers increased resistance to resistance-breaking cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) strains relative to a plant lacking the introgression. Additionally, the present disclosure provides a plant part of a cultivated variety of aCapsicum annuumplant comprising an introgressed allele on chromosome 8 that confers increased resistance to resistance-breaking cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) strains relative to a plant lacking the introgression. In certain embodiments the plant part is a cell, a seed, a root, a stem, a leaf, a fruit, a flower, or pollen. The present disclosure further provides a method for producing a cultivated variety of aCapsicum annuumplant with improved resistance to resistance-breaking cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) strains, comprising introgressing into the plant a chromosomal segment from chromosome 8 that confers resistance to resistance-breaking cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) strains relative to a plant lacking the introgression. In some embodiments the introgressing comprises crossing a plant comprising the chromosomal segment with itself or with a secondCapsicum annuumplant of a different genotype to produce one or more progeny plants, and selecting a progeny plant comprising the chromosomal segment. In other embodiments selecting a progeny plant comprises detecting at least one allele flanked by Marker1 (SEQ ID NO:5) and Marker4 (SEQ ID NO:16) on chromosome 8. In yet other embodiments selecting comprises detecting Marker1 (SEQ ID NO:5) or Marker4 (SEQ ID NO:16). In further embodiments the progeny plant is an F2-F6progeny plant. In particular embodiments the crossing comprises backcrossing, which in certain embodiments comprises from 2-7 generations of backcrosses. In selected embodiments the introgressed allele comprises the resistance haplotype of HAS-ZF17-4448, wherein a sample of seed comprising the resistance haplotype was deposited under ATCC Accession Number PTA-124434. The present disclosure additionally provides aCapsicum annuumplant produced by a method comprising introgressing into the plant a chromosomal segment from chromosome 8 that confers resistance to resistance-breaking cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) strains relative to a plant lacking the introgression. Thus, the present disclosure also provides a method of producing food or feed comprising obtaining a cultivated variety of aCapsicum annuumplant comprising an introgressed allele on chromosome 8 that confers increased resistance to resistance-breaking cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) strains relative to a plant lacking the introgression, or a part thereof, and producing the food or feed from the plant or part thereof. The present disclosure further provides aCapsicum annuumplant obtainable by a method comprising the step of introgressing into a plant a resistance to resistance-breaking cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) strains allele, wherein the resistance allele is defined as located in a genomic region flanked by Marker1 (SEQ ID NO:5) and Marker4 (SEQ ID NO:16) on chromosome 8. In certain embodiments the introgressing comprises backcrossing. In other embodiments the introgressing comprises marker-assisted selection. In yet other embodiments the introgressing comprises assaying for the resistance to resistance-breaking cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) strains. The present disclosure also provides a method of selecting aCapsicum annuumplant exhibiting resistance to resistance-breaking cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) strains, comprising crossing a cultivated variety of aCapsicum annuumplant comprising an introgressed allele on chromosome 8 that confers increased resistance to resistance-breaking cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) strains relative to a plant lacking the introgression with itself or with a secondCapsicum annuumplant of a different genotype to produce one or more progeny plants, and selecting a progeny plant comprising the introgressed allele. In certain embodiments selecting the progeny plant comprises identifying a genetic marker genetically linked to the introgression. In additional embodiments selecting the progeny plant comprises identifying a genetic marker within or genetically linked to a genomic region flanked in the genome of the plant by Marker1 (SEQ ID NO:5) and Marker4 (SEQ ID NO:16) on chromosome 8. In particular embodiments selecting comprises detecting Marker1 (SEQ ID NO:5) or Marker4 (SEQ ID NO:16). In further embodiments the progeny plant is an F2-F6progeny plant. In yet further embodiments producing the progeny plant comprises backcrossing.

11291378

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure generally relates to analysing and processing of biological signals, and, more specifically, to an apparatus and a method for measuring a photoplethysmogram. BACKGROUND Recent consumer's interest in personal health has led to a variety of personal health monitoring devices being offered on the market. For example, wearable devices for monitoring personal health are well known in the art. One such example includes a device, which uses photoplethysmogram (PPG) technology for deriving various health monitoring related information such as respiration, pulse, oxygen saturation, user's movement and the like. A PPG is often obtained by using a pulse oximeter which illuminates the skin and measures changes in light absorption. A pulse oximeter monitors the perfusion of blood to the dermis and subcutaneous tissue of the skin. Typically, a PPH measurement setup (oximeter) uses at least one photon emitting diode (LED) and a photodiode configured to receive reflected LED light from the at least one LED. The at least one LED and the photodiode both are configured to be in contact with the user's skin. Therefore, there exists a possibility that user's movement may cause the LED to move or sift from its desired position, which may result in addition of ambient light to the photodiode while collecting the reflected LED light. The ambient light may cause artifacts in the PPG signals, which is generally addressed by using a direct current (DC) offset technique. However, the DC offset should be applied tactfully on the PPH signals since such adjustment can distort the signal quality. Further, such wearable devices are battery operated, and electronic components therefor, mainly, the LED and photodiode, consume substantial amount of electrical energy during operation. Moreover, such devices are configured to operate continuously, i.e. to continuously monitor and measure user's health parameters. This requires either use of a powerful or heavy duty battery or quick replacement of battery for the continuous operation of such devices. Therefore, in light of the foregoing discussion, there exists a need to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks of power efficient operation of such devices and application of DC offset without distorting signal quality while measuring PPH. SUMMARY The present disclosure seeks to provide an apparatus for measuring photoplethysmogram. The present disclosure also seeks to provide a method for measuring photoplethysmogram. In one aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides an apparatus for measuring photoplethysmogram, the apparatus comprising:a ring structure with at least one photon source and at least one photon detector positioned on an inner surface of the ring structure; anda controller configured tomeasure a preliminary photoplethysmogram during a first time period by taking a first number of samples,determine a form factor from said preliminary photoplethysmogram,determine an inter beat interval from said preliminary photoplethysmogram, anduse the form factor and the inter beat interval to determine a second number of samples to be taken during a second time period of measurement of the photoplethysmogram and the distribution of the samples to be taken in function of time. In another aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a method for measuring photoplethysmogram. The method comprises steps of:measuring a preliminary photoplethysmogram during a first time period by taking a first number of samples;determining a form factor from said preliminary photoplethysmogram;determining an inter beat interval from said preliminary photoplethysmogram;using the form factor and the inter beat interval to determine a second number of samples to be taken during a second time period of measurement of the photoplethysmogram and the distribution of the samples to be taken in function of time. Embodiments of the present disclosure substantially eliminate or at least partially address the aforementioned problems in the prior art, and provides an apparatus and a method for measuring photoplethysmogram using an adaptive sampling rate. Additional aspects, advantages, features and objects of the present disclosure would be made apparent from the drawings and the detailed description of the illustrative embodiments construed in conjunction with the appended claims that follow. It will be appreciated that features of the present disclosure are susceptible to being combined in various combinations without departing from the scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims.

11462176

BACKGROUND This disclosure relates to a display device, and specifically to a display device with bonding pads where each bonding pad receives data signals for multiple columns of micro organic light emitting diode (OLED) pixels. A display device is often used in a virtual reality (VR) or augmented-reality (AR) system as a head-mounted display (HMD) or a near-eye display (NED). The display device may include an array of OLED pixels that emits light. To display a high resolution image, the display device may include a large number of OLED pixels in the array that are driven with a high frame rate. As a result of high frame rate, there may be signal settling errors that cause deterioration in image quality. Further, HMD and NED need to be portable and compact to be worn by users, so there is limited space on a chip for arranging bonding pads and signal lines for routing data signals and timing control signals for operating the pixels. To reduce area of the chip, adjacent bonding pads may be disposed with a smaller pitch in between or arranged into rows. However, these alternative layouts involve a complex process flow for manufacturing and may result in yield loss. Further, when bonding pads are placed close to each other, there may be an increase in signal noise due to crosstalk. Alternatively, a larger chip may be used to fit the large number of OLED pixels, signal lines, and bonding pads, but using a larger chip increases the cost and size of the display device. SUMMARY Embodiments relate to a display device including a display element with a plurality of pixels and a display driver circuit that generates data signals for the display element, where the display element includes a plurality of bonding pads each of which receives data signals for multiple columns of pixels in the display element. Since one bonding pad is used for receiving data voltages for multiple columns of pixels that each includes multiple columns of subpixels, the display element includes a demultiplexer and sample and hold circuits for providing data signals for driving the columns of pixels in a time-divisional manner. The demultiplexer routes data signals for a column of pixels to a corresponding sample and hold circuit that samples data signals at the bonding pad, stores the sampled data signal value, and sends the stored value to the column of pixels for driving the column of pixels. In some embodiments, the display element includes a first source driver that drives a first column of pixels and a second source driver that drives a second column of pixels that are connected to the same bonding pad. Each of the first source driver and the second source driver is connected to a set of sample and hold circuits. The set of sample and hold circuits is connected in parallel between the corresponding source driver and the bonding pad, where the set of sample and hold circuits includes a plurality of capacitors that stores data signals for the corresponding column of pixels, a first set of switches that connects or disconnects the capacitors and the bonding pad to sample and store the data signal value in the capacitors, and a second set of switches that connects or disconnects the capacitors and the corresponding source driver to send the stored value to the column of pixels. At a given time, no more than one of the first set of switches may be closed at a time to charge no more than one capacitor at a time. However, a switch from the first set of switches and a switch from the second set of switches may be closed at the same time such that a period during which one capacitor is charged overlaps with a period during which another capacitor transfers data voltage to the source driver, allowing for a compact operation time of the display device.

11505484

TECHNICAL FIELD This present disclosure is directed at systems, processes, and techniques for treating a saltwater containing one or more volatile compounds. BACKGROUND Saltwaters with a high concentration (e.g., >60,000 mg/L) of total dissolved contents are generally prohibited from direct surface discharge. Example high salinity saltwaters include concentrated brines generated as a byproduct of reverse osmosis (RO), flue gas desulfurization wastewaters, and flowback and produced water generated as a byproduct of oil or gas production. Managing these high salinity saltwaters is a challenge for industry. RO concentrated brines generated as a byproduct of seawater desalination are currently discharged into the ocean, disrupting the salinity of the neighboring marine environment and possibly polluting the ocean with RO pretreatment chemicals. However, it is not feasible to discharge RO concentrated brines generated from inland brackish water desalination into the ocean. Additionally, in the oil and gas industry, only a small portion of flowback and produced water may be reused for subsequent oil/gas extraction; most flowback and produced water are disposed of in a large evaporation pond or by injecting them into an underground disposal well, raising environmental and social concerns. Minimum liquid discharge (MLD) or zero liquid discharge (ZLD) desalination technologies, which often use thermal energy to evaporate water and to reduce or eliminate the volume of a saltwater, have been used as alternative options to dispose of high salinity saltwaters. SUMMARY According to a first aspect, there is provided a process for treating a saltwater containing volatile compounds, the process comprising: evaporating the saltwater to produce a concentrated brine having a salt concentration higher than the saltwater and a first gaseous stream comprising water vapor and gaseous volatile compounds; condensing at least some of the water vapor and gaseous volatile compounds to produce a contaminated condensate and to release a latent heat of condensation; biologically removing at least some of the volatile compounds from the contaminated condensate to produce a purified water with a lower concentration of the volatile compounds than the contaminated condensate; heating the purified water using at least some of the latent heat; and evaporating at least some of the heated purified water to produce a second gaseous stream. The process may further comprise discharging into the atmosphere the second gaseous stream. The process may further comprise filtering the purified water. The filtering may comprise applying at least one of microfiltration and ultrafiltration without applying reverse osmosis. The process may further comprise polishing the purified water using an activated carbon unit. The process may further comprise heating at least one of the saltwater and the purified water by transferring at least some sensible heat from the contaminated condensate to the at least one of the saltwater and the purified water such that the contaminated condensate is cooled to a temperature below 40° C. before the at least some of the volatile compounds are biologically removed from the contaminated condensate. At least some of the sensible heat and latent heat may be used to heat and evaporate at least some of the purified water. The volatile compounds may comprise volatile organic compounds and ammonia. The evaporating to produce the first gaseous stream may evaporates less than 15% of the ammonia and at least 80% of the volatile organic compounds of the saltwater into the first gaseous stream. The process may further comprise adjusting the pH of the saltwater such that the pH is in a range of 3.5 to 7.0 during the evaporating of the saltwater. The process may further comprise maintaining a preset biodegradation capacity of a biological treatment unit used to biologically remove the volatile compounds by supplying an organic compound to the biological treatment unit. The biological removing of the volatile compounds may be performed aerobically. The evaporating of the saltwater may be performed using a humidifier unit and the condensing may be performed using a dehumidifier unit. The process may further comprise supplying a carrier gas to the humidifier unit while the humidifier unit is used to evaporate the saltwater to produce the first gaseous stream. The condensing of the first gaseous stream in the dehumidifier unit may produce an at least partially dehumidified carrier gas. The process may further comprise re-using at least some of the at least partially dehumidified carrier gas produced by the dehumidifier unit as the carrier gas for the humidifier unit. According to another aspect, there is provided a system for treating a saltwater containing volatile compounds, the system comprising: a first evaporation unit to receive the saltwater and configured to evaporate the saltwater to produce a concentrated brine having a salt concentration higher than the saltwater and a first gaseous stream comprising water vapor and gaseous volatile compounds; a condenser fluidly coupled to the first evaporation unit to receive the first gaseous stream and configured to condense at least some of the water vapor and gaseous volatile compounds to produce a contaminated condensate and to release a latent heat of condensation; a biological treatment unit fluidly coupled to the condenser to receive the contaminated condensate and configured to remove at least some of the volatile compounds from the contaminated condensate to produce a purified water with a lower concentration of the volatile compounds than the contaminated condensate; and a second evaporation unit fluidly coupled to the biological treatment unit to receive the purified water and thermally coupled to the condenser such that at least some of the latent heat is transferred into and used to evaporate at least some of the purified water to produce a second gaseous stream. The condenser may comprise a first heat exchanger to which the second evaporation unit is thermally coupled. The biological treatment unit may comprise at least one of an activated sludge reactor, a moving bed biofilm reactor, and a membrane bioreactor. The second evaporation unit may be an evaporative cooling tower. The system may further comprise a second heat exchanger fluidly coupled to the first evaporation unit and the condenser. The second heat exchanger may be configured to receive the saltwater and the contaminated condensate and transfer sensible heat from the contaminated condensate to the saltwater such that the contaminated condensate is cooled to a temperature below 40° C. prior to entering the biological treatment unit. The system may further comprise a solids management unit fluidly coupled to the first evaporation unit to receive the concentrated brine and configured to separate from the concentrated brine at least some solids generated during evaporating of the saltwater. The system may further comprise a filter unit fluidly coupled to the biological treatment unit and the second evaporation unit and configured to filter the purified water entering the second evaporation unit by applying at least one of microfiltration and ultrafiltration without applying reverse osmosis unit. The system may further comprise an activated carbon unit fluidly coupled to the filter unit and the second evaporation unit and configured to remove residual volatile organic compounds in the purified water entering the second evaporation unit. The first evaporation unit and the condenser may comprise a humidifier unit and a dehumidifier unit, respectively. The humidifier unit may comprise a packing with a surface material comprising one or more of ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene copolymer, fluorinated ethylene-propylene, perfluoroalkoxy polymer, and polytetrafluoroethylene. The humidifier unit may be configured to receive a carrier gas and to facilitate evaporation of the saltwater into the carrier gas to produce the first gaseous stream. The dehumidifier unit may be configured to condense at least some water and at least some of the volatile compounds in the first gaseous stream to produce an at least partially dehumidified carrier gas. The system may further comprise a gas circulation conduit fluidly coupling an outlet of the dehumidifier unit and an inlet of the humidifier unit for circulating the at least partially dehumidified carrier gas from the dehumidifier unit to the humidifier unit for re-use as the carrier gas. This summary does not necessarily describe the entire scope of all aspects. Other aspects, features and advantages will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon review of the following description of specific embodiments.

11509911

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure describes embodiments generally related to video coding. BACKGROUND The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent the work is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure. Video coding and decoding can be performed using inter-picture prediction with motion compensation. Uncompressed digital video can include a series of pictures, each picture having a spatial dimension of, for example, 1920×1080 luminance samples and associated chrominance samples. The series of pictures can have a fixed or variable picture rate (informally also known as frame rate), of, for example 60 pictures per second or 60 Hz. Uncompressed video has significant bitrate requirements. For example, 1080p60 4:2:0 video at 8 bit per sample (1920×1080 luminance sample resolution at 60 Hz frame rate) requires close to 1.5 Gbit/s bandwidth. An hour of such video requires more than 600 GBytes of storage space. One purpose of video coding and decoding can be the reduction of redundancy in the input video signal, through compression. Compression can help reduce the aforementioned bandwidth or storage space requirements, in some cases by two orders of magnitude or more. Both lossless and lossy compression, as well as a combination thereof can be employed. Lossless compression refers to techniques where an exact copy of the original signal can be reconstructed from the compressed original signal. When using lossy compression, the reconstructed signal may not be identical to the original signal, but the distortion between original and reconstructed signals is small enough to make the reconstructed signal useful for the intended application. In the case of video, lossy compression is widely employed. The amount of distortion tolerated depends on the application; for example, users of certain consumer streaming applications may tolerate higher distortion than users of television distribution applications. The compression ratio achievable can reflect that: higher allowable/tolerable distortion can yield higher compression ratios. A video encoder and decoder can utilize techniques from several broad categories, including, for example, motion compensation, transform, quantization, and entropy coding. Video codec technologies can include techniques known as intra coding. In intra coding, sample values are represented without reference to samples or other data from previously reconstructed reference pictures. In some video codecs, the picture is spatially subdivided into blocks of samples. When all blocks of samples are coded in intra mode, that picture can be an intra picture. Intra pictures and their derivations such as independent decoder refresh pictures, can be used to reset the decoder state and can, therefore, be used as the first picture in a coded video bitstream and a video session, or as a still image. The samples of an intra block can be exposed to a transform, and the transform coefficients can be quantized before entropy coding. Intra prediction can be a technique that minimizes sample values in the pre-transform domain. In some cases, the smaller the DC value after a transform is, and the smaller the AC coefficients are, the fewer the bits that are required at a given quantization step size to represent the block after entropy coding. Traditional intra coding such as known from, for example MPEG-2 generation coding technologies, does not use intra prediction. However, some newer video compression technologies include techniques that attempt, from, for example, surrounding sample data and/or metadata obtained during the encoding/decoding of spatially neighboring, and preceding in decoding order, blocks of data. Such techniques are henceforth called “intra prediction” techniques. Note that in at least some cases, intra prediction is only using reference data from the current picture under reconstruction and not from reference pictures. There can be many different forms of intra prediction. When more than one of such techniques can be used in a given video coding technology, the technique in use can be coded in an intra prediction mode. In certain cases, modes can have submodes and/or parameters, and those can be coded individually or included in the mode codeword. Which codeword to use for a given mode/submode/parameter combination can have an impact in the coding efficiency gain through intra prediction, and so can the entropy coding technology used to translate the codewords into a bitstream. A certain mode of intra prediction was introduced with H.264, refined in H.265, and further refined in newer coding technologies such as joint exploration model (JEM), versatile video coding (VVC), and benchmark set (BMS). A predictor block can be formed using neighboring sample values belonging to already available samples. Sample values of neighboring samples are copied into the predictor block according to a direction. A reference to the direction in use can be coded in the bitstream or may itself be predicted. Motion compensation can be a lossy compression technique and can relate to techniques where a block of sample data from a previously reconstructed picture or part thereof (reference picture), after being spatially shifted in a direction indicated by a motion vector (MV henceforth), is used for the prediction of a newly reconstructed picture or picture part. In some cases, the reference picture can be the same as the picture currently under reconstruction. MVs can have two dimensions X and Y, or three dimensions, the third being an indication of the reference picture in use (the latter, indirectly, can be a time dimension). In some video compression techniques, an MV applicable to a certain area of sample data can be predicted from other MVs, for example from those related to another area of sample data spatially adjacent to the area under reconstruction, and preceding that MV in decoding order. Doing so can substantially reduce the amount of data required for coding the MV, thereby removing redundancy and increasing compression. MV prediction can work effectively, for example, because when coding an input video signal derived from a camera (known as natural video) there is a statistical likelihood that areas larger than the area to which a single MV is applicable move in a similar direction and, therefore, can in some cases be predicted using a similar motion vector derived from MVs of neighboring area. That results in the MV found for a given area to be similar or the same as the MV predicted from the surrounding MVs, and that in turn can be represented, after entropy coding, in a smaller number of bits than what would be used if coding the MV directly. In some cases, MV prediction can be an example of lossless compression of a signal (namely: the MVs) derived from the original signal (namely: the sample stream). In other cases, MV prediction itself can be lossy, for example because of rounding errors when calculating a predictor from several surrounding MVs. Various MV prediction mechanisms are described in H.265/HEVC (ITU-T Rec. H.265, “High Efficiency Video Coding”, December 2016). Out of the many MV prediction mechanisms that H.265 offers, described herein is a technique henceforth referred to as “spatial merge.” Referring toFIG. 1, a current block (101) comprises samples that have been found by the encoder during the motion search process to be predictable from a previous block of the same size that has been spatially shifted. Instead of coding that MV directly, the MV can be derived from metadata associated with one or more reference pictures, for example from the most recent (in decoding order) reference picture, using the MV associated with either one of five surrounding samples, denoted A0, A1, and B0, B1, B2(102through106, respectively). In H.265, the MV prediction can use predictors from the same reference picture that the neighboring block is using. SUMMARY Aspects of the disclosure provide methods and apparatuses for video coding at a decoder. In an embodiment, a method of video coding at a decoder is provided. In the method, a coded video bitstream including a current picture is received. A determination is made as to whether a current block in a current coding tree unit (CTU) included in the current picture is coded in intra block copy (IBC) mode based on a flag included in the coded video bitstream. In response to the current block being determined as coded in IBC mode, a block vector that points to a first reference block of the current block is determined; an operation is performed on the block vector so that when the first reference block is not fully reconstructed or not within a valid search range of the current block, the block vector is modified to point to a second reference block that is in a fully reconstructed region and within the valid search range of the current block; and the current block is decoded based on the modified block vector. In an embodiment, the fully reconstructed region and the current block are in the same tile, slice, or tile group; In an embodiment, the performing the operation includes performing a modulo operation on each of an x component and a y component of the block vector based on a size of the current CTU. In an embodiment, the performing the operation includes performing a modulo operation on an x component of the block vector based on a multiple of a size of the current CTU. The operation further includes performing a modulo operation on a y component of the block vector based on the size of the current CTU In an embodiment, the performing the operation modifies the block vector only when the first reference block is not fully reconstructed or not within the valid search range of the current block. In an embodiment, the performing the operation does not modify the block vector when the first reference block is fully reconstructed and within the valid search range of the current block. In an embodiment, the valid search range of the current block includes the current CTU. In an embodiment, the performing the operation modifies the block such that an offset of the first reference block relative to a CTU including the first reference block is the same of an offset of the second reference block relative to the current CTU. In an embodiment, the performing the operation includes clipping the block vector so that the clipped block vector points to the second reference block that is at a boundary of the valid search range of the current block when the first reference block is not fully reconstructed or not within the valid search range of the current block. Aspects of the disclosure provide apparatuses configured to perform any of the above methods. Aspects of the disclosure also provide non-transitory computer-readable storage mediums storing instructions which when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform any of the above methods.

11303475

PRIORITY This application claims priority of European patent application EP 19 179 849.5 filed on Jun. 13, 2019, which is incorporated by reference herewith. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a remote access and control system, especially for test and measurement setups and a corresponding remote access and control method. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Generally, in times of an increasing globalization within the scope of measurements and the related increasing number of remote measurement sites, there is a growing need of a remote access and control system for test and measurement setups and a corresponding remote access and control method. According to document DE 100 18 651 A1, mobile radiotelephones which are suitable for data transmission are used for remote-controlling electronic measuring devices whose functions can be regulated through a microprocessor. Said mobile radiotelephones can also be used to remote-transmit the measuring data of the measuring device. Disadvantageously, establishing and maintaining the respective remote control connection is complex and expensive, which leads to a reduced measurement efficiency. Accordingly, there is a need to provide a remote access and control system for test and measurement setups and a corresponding remote access and control method in order to allow for performing measurements in a remote manner, thereby ensuring a high efficiency of the measurement. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to a first aspect of the invention, a remote ACCESS and control system for test and measurement setups is provided. The remote access and control system comprises at least one virtual network, wherein the at least one virtual network is persistently defined as a set of test and measurement instruments and accompanying hardware. Advantageously, in this manner, complexity can be reduced, which leads to an increased measurement efficiency. Further advantageously, the above-mentioned persistent definition may comprise a persistent definition to different network configurations and/or substituted measurement instruments. It is further noted that the above-mentioned accompanying hardware may comprise at least one of a computer, a virtual machine, or the combination thereof. As a further advantage, particular users can be given access to a particular virtual network without being given access to the whole network. Furthermore, the particular users can get access to the necessary measurement instruments only. According to a first preferred implementation form of the first aspect of the invention, the remote access and control system further comprises at least one remote system preferably comprising at least a part of the set of test and measurement instruments and accompanying hardware. Additionally, the remote access and control system is configured to grant an access level to the at least one remote system to the at least one virtual network. Advantageously, said access level can be customized if necessary, thereby increasing measurement efficiency. In this context, customization may comprise at least one of allowing ethernet, allowing SCIPI, allowing ethernet according to the SCIPI standard, mounting a shared network drive, or any combination thereof. According to a second preferred implementation form of the first aspect of the invention, the at least one remote system is configured to have not access to the complete respective physical network with respect to the at least one virtual network. Advantageously, for instance, measurement efficiency and security can further be increased. According to a further preferred implementation form of the first aspect of the invention, the at least one virtual network is configured to allow at least one virtual network connection. In addition to this or as an alternative, the remote access and control system is configured to set up a connection with at least one particular measurement device of the set of test and measurement instruments and accompanying hardware in order to control the at least one particular measurement device or the respective measurement site. Advantageously, for instance, this allows application engineers to assist customers with configuring their devices. In this context, it is noted that it might be particularly advantageous if said connection comprises or is based on a virtual instrument software architecture (VISA) connection. According to a further preferred implementation form of the first aspect of the invention, with respect to at least one access account for at least one particular remote system originating outside an entities internal network preferably of the at least one remote system, the remote access and control system is configured to give specific access rights to at least one particular virtual network preferably of the at least one virtual network. Advantageously, for example, an application engineer may only get access sometimes. According to a further preferred implementation form of the first aspect of the invention, the specific access rights are limited to at least one of at least one specific port, a package inspection firewall, specific data, time, or any combination thereof. Advantageously, access rights can precisely be specified, thereby increasing measurement efficiency. In this context, it is noted that it might be particularly advantageous if the at least one specific port comprises or is a port for the hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP), preferably port80. According to a further preferred implementation form of the first aspect of the invention, the at least one remote system is configured to bridge over a large geographical distance. Advantageously, for instance, measurement efficiency can further be increased. According to a further preferred implementation form of the first aspect of the invention, the at least one remote system is configured to transmit at least one test sequence to at least one particular measurement device of the set of test and measurement instruments and accompanying hardware. Advantageously, for example, the occurrence of errors can be reduced, thereby increasing measurement efficiency. According to a further preferred implementation form of the first aspect of the invention, the remote access and control system further comprises a web-based dashboard. In this context, the web-based dashboard is configured to allow access to multiple-authenticated users. Additionally or alternatively, the web-based dashboard is configured to show at least one of the respective measurement setup preferably comprising at least a part of the set of test and measurement instruments and accompanying hardware, the corresponding measurement displays of the respective measurement setup, measurement data belonging to the respective measurement setup, or any combination thereof. Advantageously, for instance, the web-based dashboards allows for an increased measurement efficiency. According to a further preferred implementation form of the first aspect of the invention, the remote access and control system is configured to inform at least one particular measurement device of the set of test and measurement instruments and accompanying hardware that the at least one particular measurement device is part of a respective measurement site. In addition to this or as an alternative, the remote access and control system is configured to instruct the at least one particular measurement device to give access to its measurement data. Advantageously, for example, measurement efficiency can further be increased. According to a further preferred implementation form of the first aspect of the invention, the remote access and control system further comprises at least one remote storage. In this context, the remote access and control system is configured to update the corresponding measurement data from at least one particular measurement device of the set of test and measurement instruments and accompanying hardware to the at least one remote storage in the form of at least one remote instrument profile. Advantageously, the at least one remote storage may especially comprise or be a cloud storage. According to a further preferred implementation form of the first aspect of the invention, the at least one remote instrument profile comprises at least one of I/Q data, at least one waveform, at least one saved setting, at least one script, at least one matlab script, at least one test script, at least one screenshot, other data, or any combination thereof. Advantageously, for instance, the measurement efficiency can further be increased. According to a further preferred implementation form of the first aspect of the invention, in the case that at least one new measurement device is substituted for at least one particular measurement device of the set of test and measurement instruments and accompanying hardware, the remote access and control system is configured to update the at least one new measurement device with the respective remote instrument profile of the at least one particular measurement device. Advantageously, for example, measurement failures can further be reduced, which leads to an increased measurement efficiency. According to a further preferred implementation form of the first aspect of the invention, in the case that the at least one particular measurement device is moved or acquires a different IP address, the at least one particular measurement device is configured to reach out to the corresponding measurement site on the at least one remote storage to authenticate automatically and/or to become part of the respective measurement site. Advantageously, each device in the virtual network knows it is part of that network. Further advantageously, the network definition, preferably the network definition on the at least one remote storage or the cloud, knows the identifier of each device. According to a second aspect of the invention, a remote access and control method for test and measurement setups is provided. The remote access and control method comprises the step of employing at least one virtual network, wherein the at least one virtual network is persistently defined as a set of test and measurement instruments and accompanying hardware. Advantageously, in this manner, complexity can be reduced, which leads to an increased measurement efficiency. Further advantageously, the above-mentioned persistent definition may comprise a persistent definition to different network configurations and/or substituted measurement instruments. It is further noted that the above-mentioned accompanying hardware may comprise at least one of a computer, a virtual machine, or the combination thereof. As a further advantage, particular users can be given access to a particular virtual network without being given access to the whole network. Furthermore, the particular users can get access to the necessary measurement instruments only. According to a first preferred implementation form of the second aspect, the remote access and control method further comprises the step of configuring the at least one virtual network to allow at least one virtual network connection. Advantageously, for example, also multiple connections are possible. According to a second preferred implementation form of the second aspect, the remote access and control method further comprises the step of setting up a connection with at least one particular measurement device of the set of test and measurement instruments and accompanying hardware in order to control the at least one particular measurement device or the respective measurement site. Advantageously, for instance, this allows application engineers to assist customers with configuring their devices. According to a further preferred implementation form of the second aspect, the remote access and control method further comprises the step of configuring at least one remote system to bridge over a large geographical distance. Advantageously, for example, measurement efficiency can further be increased. According to a further preferred implementation form of the second aspect, the remote access and control method further comprises the step of configuring the at least one remote system to transmit at least one test sequence to at least one particular measurement device of the set of test and measurement instruments and accompanying hardware. Advantageously, for instance, the occurrence of errors can be reduced, thereby increasing measurement efficiency. According to a further preferred implementation form of the second aspect, the remote access and control method further comprises the step of employing a web-based dashboard, wherein the web-based dashboard is configured to allow access to multiple-authenticated users. Advantageously, for example, the web-based dashboards allows for an increased measurement efficiency.

11506950

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the priority benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-047846, filed on Mar. 18, 2020. The entirety of the above-mentioned patent application is hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of this specification. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to an optical waveguide element which is a functional element using an optical waveguide such as an optical modulation element, and an optical waveguide device using such an optical waveguide element. DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART In a high-speed and large-capacity optical fiber communication system, optical transmission apparatus incorporating a waveguide type optical modulator are often used. Among them, an optical modulation element using LiNbO3(hereinafter, also referred to as LN) having an electro-optical effect as a substrate is widely used in the high-speed and large-capacity optical fiber communication system, because the optical modulation element using LN can realize wide-band optical modulation characteristics with less optical loss as compared with an optical modulation device using a semiconductor material such as indium phosphide (InP), silicon (Si), or gallium arsenide (GaAs). In response to the recent trend of increasing transmission capacity, modulation methods in optical fiber communication systems use mainly multi-level modulation such as quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK) or dual polarization-quadrature phase shift keying (DP-QPSK) or a modulation format in which polarization multiplexing is incorporated into the multi-level modulation. On the other hand, the acceleration of spreading of Internet services in recent years has led to a further increase in communication traffic, and studies on further miniaturization, wider bandwidths, and lower power consumption in optical modulation elements are still in progress. As one method for miniaturization, widening a bandwidth, and lower power consumption of such an optical modulation element, for example, an optical modulation element using a rib type optical waveguide (hereinafter, a rib type optical modulation element) is being studied (for example, refer to Patent Literature 1). The rib type optical waveguide is an optical waveguide in which an effective refractive index of a rib portion is made higher than that of other portions by processing a substrate made of LN (an LN substrate) such that it becomes thinner and further thinning other portions (for example, to a substrate thickness of 10 μm or less) while leaving a desired strip portion (a rib) by dry etching or the like. On the other hand, in optical modulation elements, a light receiving element for monitoring an amount of light propagating in the optical waveguide of the optical modulation element is provided for the purpose of detecting a state of bias point variation according to a so-called drift phenomenon and/or for the purpose of controlling an amount of output modulated light. As such an optical modulation element, there is a conventionally known one in which a light receiving element is provided on a portion at which an amount of light is to be observed in an optical waveguide formed by diffusing a high refractive index material into a substrate (refer to Patent Literature 2). In this optical modulation element, evanescent waves emitted from the optical waveguide is detected by the light receiving element by disposing a light receiving surface of the light receiving element formed on a small piece of a light receiving element substrate such as a semiconductor, such that the light receiving surface is close to the optical waveguide. However, since a size of the light receiving element substrate on which the light receiving element is formed is several to several tens of times larger than a width of the above-described rib type optical waveguide, when the above-described conventional configuration is applied to an optical modulation element configured as a rib type optical waveguide as it is, the light receiving element cannot be stably held on the rib type optical waveguide.FIG. 13is a diagram schematically showing this state.FIG. 13shows a cross section of a surface of an optical waveguide substrate1302, on which a rib type optical waveguide1300is formed, which is orthogonal to an extending direction of the rib type optical waveguide1300. The optical waveguide substrate1302is supported by a support substrate1310such as glass. A light receiving element1304configured of a light receiving part1308formed on a light receiving element substrate1306is mounted on an upper portion of the rib type optical waveguide1300. Thus, an intensity of light propagating through the rib type optical waveguide1300can be monitored by the light receiving element1304. Here, the light receiving element substrate1306is generally configured so that a width thereof (a width measured in a left-right direction in the drawing) is several to several tens of times larger than the width of, for example, the rib type optical waveguide1300(for example, the size of the light receiving element substrate is several hundred μm, while the width of the rib is about 1 μm). Therefore, a rotational moment centered on the rib type optical waveguide1300is generated in the light receiving element1304, and the light receiving element1304may be tilted to the left on the rib type optical waveguide1300at the time of manufacture and/or due to deterioration over time, for example, as shown in the drawing. As a result, since the light receiving element1304and the rib type optical waveguide1300are not close to each other, sufficient evanescent waves are not input to the light receiving element1304, and a monitoring sensitivity of the intensity of light becomes equal to or less than a permissible range. Further, when a temperature change occurs, a distance between the light receiving element1304and the rib type optical waveguide1300fluctuates, the monitor sensitivity fluctuates, and problems such as instability over time may occur. Further, when the optical waveguide substrate1302is processed such that the optical waveguide substrate1302becomes as thin as having a thickness of about several μm as described above, not only stress may be generated in the rib type optical waveguide1300, but also stress may be generated in a portion of the optical waveguide substrate1302corresponding to a peripheral portion of the rib type optical waveguide1300, due to the light receiving element1304being tilted on the rib type optical waveguide1300. As a result, mechanical damage such as cracking may occur in the optical waveguide substrate1302during manufacturing or over time. Patent Literature 2 disclosures a technique in which, in an optical modulation element configured using an optical waveguide formed by diffusing a high refractive index material into a substrate, a pedestal for disposing a light receiving element is formed by diffusing the same high refractive index material in the vicinity of the optical waveguide in a predetermined pattern. However, although the configuration described in Patent Literature 1 is effective in a diffusion type optical waveguide, it does not provide a solution for stable arrangement of the light receiving element on the rib type optical waveguide as described above. PATENT DOCUMENTS [Patent Literature 1] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2011-075917[Patent Literature 2] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2010-224064 SUMMARY From the above-described background, in an optical waveguide element using a rib type optical waveguide, it is desired to realize a configuration capable of stably and accurately monitoring light propagating in the rib type optical waveguide. According to an aspect of the disclosure, there is provided an optical waveguide element including a rib type optical waveguide provided on an optical waveguide substrate and configured of a convex portion protruding in a thickness direction of the optical waveguide substrate and extending in a plane direction of the optical waveguide substrate, and a light receiving element configured of a light receiving part formed on a light receiving element substrate disposed on the rib type optical waveguide and configured to receive a part of light propagating through the rib type optical waveguide, wherein the light receiving element substrate is supported by at least one first convex portion having the same height as that of the rib type optical waveguide provided on the optical waveguide substrate. According to another aspect of the disclosure, at least one second convex portion may be provided on the optical waveguide substrate at input waveguide side of the light receiving part in a light propagation direction of the rib type optical waveguide. According to another aspect of the disclosure, the second convex portion may extend in the plane direction of the optical waveguide substrate, and at both end portions thereof in an extending direction, a distance between one end portion facing the input waveguide side of the rib type optical waveguide and the rib type optical waveguide may be configured to be smaller than a distance between the other end opposite to the one end portion and the rib type optical waveguide. According to another aspect of the disclosure, the second convex portion may have the same height as that of the rib type optical waveguide. According to another aspect of the disclosure, at least one of the second convex portions may be the first convex portion which supports the light receiving element substrate. According to another aspect of the disclosure, the rib type optical waveguide may terminate at a lower portion of a light receiving range of the light receiving part. According to another aspect of the disclosure, the light receiving element may include a plurality of light receiving parts provided on the light receiving element substrate, and the light receiving element substrate may be disposed at a position at which each of the plurality of light receiving parts receives a part of light propagating in each of a plurality of rib type optical waveguides different from each other. According to another aspect of the disclosure, the optical waveguide substrate may have a thickness of 5 μm or less. According to another aspect of the disclosure, there is provided an optical waveguide device including any one of the optical waveguide elements, a housing configured to accommodate the optical waveguide element, an input optical fiber configured to cause light to be incident to the optical waveguide element, and an output optical fiber configured to guide output light emitted by the optical waveguide element to outside of the housing. According to another aspect of the disclosure, a drive circuit which drives the optical waveguide element, or the drive circuit and a digital signal processor may be provided inside the housing. According to yet another aspect of the disclosure, there is provided an optical transmission apparatus including the optical waveguide device described above in which the drive circuit is provided inside the housing, and a digital signal processor disposed outside the housing. According to the disclosure, in an optical waveguide element using a rib type optical waveguide, it is possible to stably and accurately monitor light propagating in the rib type optical waveguide.

11470090

This application is related to the following applications, the entire contents of each of which is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein:U.S. application Ser. No. 16/836,813, inventors Hyunsuk Han, et al., titled “Conditionally-Deferred Authentication Steps For Tiered Authentication”, filed Mar. 31, 2020; andU.S. Prov. Appln. No. 63/003,207, inventors Hyunsuk Han, et al., titled “Secure Content Management Through Authentication”, filed Mar. 31, 2020. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to protecting sensitive information for authentication-based applications, and, more specifically, to downgrading the authentication level of a given client session while maintaining at least some authentication-based privileges for the client session. BACKGROUND Many applications, including applications for banking, shopping, government, etc., utilize sensitive information that is personally-identifying for users (PII). Examples of PII include full name, social security number, place of birth, birth date, mother's maiden name, email, phone number, physical address, etc. To protect such information, applications generally require user authentication via a username and password prior to allowing a user to navigate application content. Many times, additional authentication steps (AAS), such as knowledge-based authentication (KBA) or multi-factor authentication (MFA) in addition to username/password login, are also required in order to perform restricted actions, such as viewing or editing PII. Requirement of AAS before allowing a user to access an application works to prevent cyber-attacks, such as credential stuffing attacks that use known combinations of usernames and passwords to get unauthorized access to authentication-based applications. KBA requires correct responses to one or more questions that require knowledge that would normally be held by the user, such as questions involving PII, credit bureau data, addresses that have been associated with the user, etc. MFA adds one or more additional factors, or evidence of identity, to user authentication. For example, an additional factor used for MFA may be a onetime password (OTP) that is sent to an email or telephone number associated with the user, use of a magic link (i.e., passwordless authentication), requests for biometric authentication (such as fingerprint, face ID, retina scan), etc. Generally, a request for AAS, also referred to as an AAS challenge, is issued after the user has logged into an application by providing a username and password, or in conjunction with the user logging into the application. As such, an AAS challenge creates an extra hurdle for users to enter and navigate the application. This additional hurdle generally decreases click-through and conversion rates, which reduces the likelihood of the application enlisting the user for the application. The decrease in user interest in an application because of extra hurdles to application navigation can have significant financial impact on entities that offer services or products via the application, or on entities that make revenue based on click-throughs and conversions via the application. To increase the attractiveness of authentication-based applications, it would be desirable to remove or delay AAS challenges as much as possible. One way to reduce the required AAS for an application is to allow a user to waive AAS requirements, either in general or when requests originate from a trusted device. However, waiving AAS requirements produces a vulnerability in application security, which may leave the user's PII open for attack. Delayed, rather than waived, AAS avoids introduction of vulnerability to application security, but it can be expensive to retrofit an established application to delay AAS. For example, delayed AAS may be based on tracking the AAS requirements of different restricted pages in an application using intermediate status flags for login requests. However, retrofitting a system to handle the new status flags can be very costly. Accordingly, it would be beneficial to allow existing applications to delay AAS challenges as much as possible without requiring costly modifications to the application system. Furthermore, even when authentication is required for client session establishment, authenticated client sessions are generally at risk of being attacked. For example, while a user is fully authenticated to an online bank application from a personal laptop, the user leaves the laptop unattended (for even a short amount of time). During the period of inattention, anyone could use the authenticated client session to steal or manipulate data on the client account. Some applications mitigate the risk of attack on authenticated user sessions by having relatively short session expiry, e.g., logging a client out of the application when there is a short period of client inactivity. While shortened sessions mitigate the possibility of account takeover or data breach, the short session times may lead to poor user experience given that users may be unintentionally logged out of a session because of brief inactivity. Poor user experience can result in significant financial impact on certain business models. Thus, it would be beneficial to mitigate the risk of data breach post-authentication without risking poor user experience by logging users out of authenticated sessions after brief periods of inactivity. The approaches described in this section are approaches that could be pursued, but not necessarily approaches that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated, it should not be assumed that any of the approaches described in this section qualify as prior art merely by virtue of their inclusion in this section. Further, it should not be assumed that any of the approaches described in this section are well-understood, routine, or conventional merely by virtue of their inclusion in this section.

11392390

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to the field of computers, and more particularly to a method for automatically booting a computer to run an alternative operating system from a removable device. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Modern computers rely on a few technology standards in order to boot an operating system (OS). Basic Input/Output Systems (BIOS) and Unified Extensible Firmware Interfaces (UEFI) are two of those well-established technologies that many computer manufacturers rely on to have their systems boot into an OS. Presently, UEFI in particular is applied in the vast majority of new computer systems produced and sold. While these technologies, and UEFI in particular, work well when booting the main OS of the computer, there are multiple issues encountered when attempting to boot the same computers to alternative or secondary operating systems carried on removable storage devices. Computer systems certified for Microsoft's Windows 8 OS and for higher versions do support the booting of operating systems from removable devices through UEFI-based techniques. However, this is achieved through a custom firmware titled User Interface included in the Windows OS on the computer and is not a generic mechanism. Furthermore, testing reveals that some computer systems do not boot reliably from removable devices despite their Microsoft certification. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present disclosure provides a method of booting a Windows OS-based computer to run an alternative operating system from a removable device by applying a sequence of several different automated and manual booting techniques. The combination of different booting techniques involved in the present method provides for a simplified and automated booting flow for the user and maximizes the likelihood of such computers to successfully boot into the alternative operating system from a removable device. The automated booting techniques utilized in the present method avoid using the custom firmware User Interface that is built into Windows OS versions8and higher. In order to have a Windows-based computer boot into the alternative operating system residing on a removable device, the user launches a dedicated application (referred to hereon as RFMS) for booting guidance. RFMS allows the user to boot into the alternative OS through a simplified and automated user interface. RFMS makes the proper determination of the booting technique to be used on a computer, configures the computer accordingly, and then restarts it. Upon the subsequent booting of the computer back into the Windows OS (after having succeeded or failed to boot the alternative OS from the removable device) RFMS automatically starts up, determines whether the alternative OS successfully started, and provides the user with further simplified user interface to:a) use the same automated booting technique to reboot the computer into the alternative OS again if the prior attempt was successful;b) utilize the subsequent suitable automated booting technique to reboot the computer into the alternative OS;c) guide the user into manual booting into the alternative OS if all suitable automated booting techniques have failed. The method uses a combination of the following booting techniques to increase the likelihood of booting a Windows-based computer into an alternative operating system carried on a removable device:On UEFI-based Windows PC's:Direct HDD UEFI bootingUSB UEFI booting (with and without port adjustment)Bcdedit tool-based bootingGuidance for users to manually boot into OS from the removable device through BIOS menuOn non-UEFI PC's with Windows Vista or higher:Grub4Dos-based bootingGuidance for users to manually boot into OS from the removable device through BIOS menuOn Windows XP-based PC's:boot.ini-based booting (on Win XPs)Guidance for users to manually boot into OS from the removable device through BIOS menu. The booting techniques are applied by RFMS in a priority order mentioned above for each type of Windows-based computing device. If one booting technique fails to boot the computer into the alternative operating system carried on a removable device, the guiding RFMS application automatically starts upon reboot into the host Windows OS and displays a user interface which guides the user to the subsequent booting attempt with the next technique in the priority list. The process of attempting to boot into the alternative OS, and later having the computer boot back into Windows and the RFMS application guiding the user, further continues until the user decides to exit the RFMS application. The present disclosure also provides a computer readable medium stored on a removable device comprising computer instructions that when executed enables a computer running a standard operating system to automatically boot into an alternative operating system stored on the removable device. The present disclosure also provides a removable device storing a computer readable medium comprising computer instructions for automatically booting a computer running a standard operating system into an alternative operating system. In an embodiment, the removable device is a removable USB device. Other removable devices may be used as known to persons skilled in the art. All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

11405209

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from Korean Patent Application No. 10-2018-0078975, filed on Jul. 6, 2018, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present disclosure relates to a technology for authenticating a user through an authentication scheme that is determined differently according to space reliability of an authentication-processing space, which is a space in which authentication of the user is processed. 2. Description of the Prior Art The development of IT devices, the expansion of various Fintech businesses, and the advent of the Internet of Things (IoT) form a boundless network world in which people and things are closely connected and thus interact with each other. The hyper-connected age, in which everything surrounding us communes with each other through communication on the basis of the Internet of Everything (IoE), is coming. As the Internet environment expands from PCs to mobile devices, the use of Internet banking and simple payment services increases, and various Fintech businesses appear, protection of information and authentication for payment are not optional but absolutely necessary. The conventional authentication scheme that we mainly use at present is a scheme using an ID and a password. The ID and password scheme authenticates the user by sharing an ID and a password between the user and a server. Thereafter, authentication such as a One-Time Password (OTP) or an accredited certificate has been introduced and markets based thereon have formed. The development of authentication scheme may improve security but also reduce convenience, and thus there is a trade-off relationship therebetween. Particularly, as the exposure of authentication environments has recently increased in the mobile environment, it is important to guarantee an authentication scheme for removing security threats and also securing convenience. Accordingly, the present disclosure proposes a new authentication scheme for guaranteeing both security and convenience in a mobile environment. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present disclosure has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems with the prior art, and an aspect of the present disclosure is to authenticate a user through an authentication scheme that is determined differently according to the reliability of an authentication-processing space, which is a space in which user authentication is processed. In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, an apparatus for controlling authentication is provided. The apparatus includes: a processor configured to process authentication of a user; a memory configured to store at least one command executed through the processor, wherein the at least one command includes: an identification command of identifying an authentication-processing space, which is a space in which the authentication of the user is processed; a determination command of determining space reliability for the authentication-processing space on the basis of a correlation between the authentication-processing space and the user; and a control command of authenticating the user through an authentication scheme that is determined differently according to the space reliability for the authentication-processing space. Specifically, the correlation between the authentication-processing space and the user may be based on the number of times that at least one of the user and other users who are associated with the user visit the authentication-processing space, and the determination command includes determining that the space reliability for the authentication-processing space is higher as the number of visits is larger. Specifically, the other users may include users who the user registers as acquaintances and users located in the same space as the user. Specifically, a weighted value for determining the space reliability for each visit of the authentication-processing space may be assigned to the other users, and the weighted values may be determined based on at least one of a number of times that it is identified that the user and the other users are located in an identical space in each visit and the time during which it is identified that the user and the other user are located in the same space in each visit. Specifically, the determination unit may determine space reliability by assigning a weighted value for each visit time point at which the user and the other users visit the authentication-processing space in each visit. Specifically, the control command may include omitting, when the user authentication is successful, additional user authentication required within an allowable distance from the authentication-processing space and within an allowable time after the time point at which the authentication is successful according to a preset additional authentication condition. Specifically, the additional authentication condition may be set to be a wider allowable distance and a longer allowable time as the space reliability is higher. In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, a method of operating an authentication control device is provided. The method includes: an identification step of identifying an authentication-processing space, which is a space in which the authentication of the user is processed; a determination step of determining space reliability on the basis of a correlation between the authentication-processing space and the user; and a control step of authenticating the user through an authentication scheme that is determined differently according to the space reliability for the authentication-processing space. Specifically, the correlation between the authentication-processing space and the user may be based on the number of times that at least one of the user and other users who are associated with the user visit the authentication-processing space, and the determination command may include determining that the space reliability for the authentication-processing space is higher as the number of visits is larger. Specifically, the other users may include users who the user registers as acquaintances and users located in the same space as the user. Specifically, a weighted value for determining the space reliability for each visit of the authentication-processing space may be assigned to the other users, and the weighted values may be determined based on at least one of a number of times that it is identified that the user and the other users are located in an identical space in each visit and a time during which it is identified that the user and the other user are located in the same space in each visit. Specifically, when the user authentication is successful, the control step may include omitting additional user authentication required within an allowable distance from the authentication-processing space and within an allowable time after the time point at which the authentication is successful according to a preset additional authentication condition. According to an authentication control device and a method of operating the same according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, it is possible to increase security and convenience in user authentication by authenticating a user through an authentication scheme that is determined differently according to space reliability of an authentication-processing space, which is a space in which user authentication is processed.

11393795

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION Korean Patent Application No. 10-2020-0019002, filed on Feb. 17, 2020, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, and entitled: “Semiconductor Package,” is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. BACKGROUND 1. Field Embodiments relate to a semiconductor package. 2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a package technology aiming at achieving lightening and miniaturization has been actively researched. A package on package (POP) semiconductor package may include different semiconductor chips, and may have a backside circuit in a semiconductor package structure. SUMMARY Embodiments are directed to a semiconductor package, including a redistribution substrate including a first redistribution structure; a frame on the redistribution substrate, the frame including a first vertical connection conductor and a second vertical connection conductor that are electrically connected to the first redistribution structure, the frame having a through-hole; a first semiconductor chip in the through-hole, and having a first active surface, on which a first connection pad is disposed, and a first inactive surface that opposes the first active surface, the first connection pad being connected to the second vertical connection conductor by the first redistribution structure; a second semiconductor chip on the first semiconductor chip, and having a second active surface, on which a second connection pad is disposed, and a second inactive surface that opposes the second active surface; an encapsulant on the redistribution substrate, and encapsulating at least a portion of the frame, the first semiconductor chip, and the second semiconductor chip; a second redistribution structure on the encapsulant; a conductive wire electrically connecting the second connection pad and the second vertical connection conductor; and a vertical connection via penetrating a portion of the encapsulant and electrically connecting the second redistribution structure and the first vertical connection conductor. Embodiments are also directed to a semiconductor package, including a redistribution substrate including a first redistribution structure; a frame on the redistribution substrate, the frame including a first vertical connection conductor and a second vertical connection conductor that are electrically connected to the first redistribution structure, the frame having a through-hole; a first semiconductor chip in the through-hole, and including a first connection pad electrically connected to the first redistribution structure; a second semiconductor chip on an upper surface of the first semiconductor chip, and including a second connection pad electrically connected to the second vertical connection conductor through a conductive wire; an encapsulant encapsulating at least a portion of the frame, the first semiconductor chip, and the second semiconductor chip; and a second redistribution structure on the encapsulant, and electrically connected to the first vertical connection conductor. A thickness of the first semiconductor chip may be greater than a thickness of the second semiconductor chip. A width of the first semiconductor chip may be greater than a width of the second semiconductor chip. An upper surface of the second semiconductor chip may be located at a level that is higher than an upper surface of the frame. Embodiments are also directed to a semiconductor package, including a lower semiconductor package, an upper semiconductor package on the lower semiconductor package, and a conductive bump electrically connecting the lower semiconductor package to the upper semiconductor package. The lower semiconductor package may include a redistribution substrate including a first redistribution structure, a frame on the redistribution substrate, the frame including a first vertical connection conductor and a second vertical connection conductor that are electrically connected to the first redistribution structure, the frame having a through-hole, a first semiconductor chip in the through-hole, and including a first connection pad electrically connected to the first redistribution structure, a second semiconductor chip on an upper surface of the first semiconductor chip, and including a second connection pad electrically connected to the second vertical connection conductor through a conductive wire, an encapsulant encapsulating at least a portion of the frame, the first semiconductor chip, and the second semiconductor chip, and a second redistribution structure on the encapsulant, and electrically connected to the first vertical connection conductor. The upper semiconductor package may include a redistribution member including redistribution pads electrically connected to the second redistribution structure, a third semiconductor chip on the redistribution member and electrically connected to the redistribution pads, and an encapsulating member encapsulating the third semiconductor chip. A thickness of the first semiconductor chip may be greater than a thickness of the second semiconductor chip. A width of the first semiconductor chip may be greater than a width of the second semiconductor chip. An upper surface of the second semiconductor chip may be located at a level that is higher than an upper surface of the frame.

11451237

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present disclosure relates to a sample and hold circuit and method, especially to a sample and hold circuit and method capable of amplifying an input signal. 2. Description of Related Art In an analog-to-digital conversion process, a programmable gain amplifier (PGA) amplifies an input analog signal and then provides the amplified signal for an analog-to-digital converter (ADC); afterwards, the ADC converts the amplified signal into a digital signal. However, a PGA usually includes an operational amplifier, one or more resistors, and one or more capacitors, and therefore occupies a large circuit area and consumes a lot of power. If an input analog signal can be amplified with an existing circuit (e.g., a sample and hold circuit) of an ADC instead of a PGA, an analog-to-digital conversion process can be realized cost-effectively. In addition, even though an input analog signal is amplified by a PGA, a further amplification is still helpful. More specifically, in consideration of the limitation on the output swing of a PGA, if an existing circuit (e.g., a sample and hold circuit) of an ADC further amplifies an amplified signal from the PGA, the efficacy of the whole analog-to-digital conversion process will be better. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present disclosure is to provide a sample and hold circuit and method capable of amplifying an input signal. An embodiment of the sample and hold circuit of the present disclosure includes a control circuit, a first input switch, a first set of switches, a first capacitor array, a second input switch, a second set of switches, and a second capacitor array. The control circuit is configured to generate a first input switch control signal and a first set of switch control signals, and to generate a second input switch control signal and a second set of switch control signals. The first (second) input switch is configured to be turn on according to the first (second) input switch control signal in a sample phase and thereby transmit a first (second) input signal, and is configured to be turned off according to the first (second) input switch control signal in a hold phase. The first (second) set of switches is configured to operate according to the first (second) set of switch control signals. The first (second) capacitor array includes first (second) capacitors coupled to the first (second) input switch and the first (second) set of switches. In the sample phase, top electrodes of the first (second) capacitors receive the first (second) input signal through the first (second) input switch, and all bottom electrode(s) of at least a part of the first (second) capacitors receive(s) the second (first) input signal through the first (second) set of switches. In the hold phase, the top electrodes of the first (second) capacitors do not receive the first (second) input signal, all bottom electrodes of the first (second) capacitors receive a first (second) group of reference signals through the first (second) set of switches, and the first (second) capacitors provide a first (second) sample voltage on the top electrodes of the first (second) capacitors by charge redistribution. In an exemplary implementation, the first and second input signals are a pair of differential signals, and they are opposite to each other when the common-mode voltage is the ground voltage; since the top electrode(s) and the bottom electrode(s) of the at least a part of the first (second) capacitors receive the first (second) input signal and the second (first) input signal in the sample phase respectively, the signal strength of a signal sampled by the at least a part of the first (second) capacitors is two times the signal strength of the first (second) input signal, and this achieves the effect of signal amplification. An embodiment of the sample and hold method of the present disclosure includes the following steps: in a sample phase, receiving a first (second) input signal with top electrodes of first (second) capacitors, and receiving a second (first) input signal with all bottom electrode(s) of at least a part of the first (second) capacitors; and in a hold phase, stopping receiving the first (second) input signal with the top electrodes of the first (second) capacitors, receiving a first (second) group of reference signals with all bottom electrodes of the first (second) capacitors, and then providing a first (second) sample voltage on the top electrodes of the first (second) capacitors by charge redistribution. In an exemplary implementation, the first and second input signals are a pair of differential signals, and they are opposite to each other when the common-mode voltage is the ground voltage; since the top electrode(s) and the bottom electrode(s) of the at least a part of the first (second) capacitors receive the first (second) input signal and the second (first) input signal in the sample phase respectively, the signal strength of a signal sampled by the at least a part of the first (second) capacitors is two times the signal strength of the first (second) input signal, and this achieves the effect of signal amplification. Another embodiment of the sample and hold method of the present disclosure includes the following steps: in a sample phase, receiving a first (second) input signal with top electrodes of first (second) capacitors, and receiving a first (second) reference signal with all bottom electrode(s) of at least a part of the first (second) capacitors; and in a hold phase, stopping receiving the first (second) input signal with the top electrodes of the first (second) capacitors, receiving a first (second) group of reference signals with all bottom electrodes of the first (second) capacitors, and then providing a first (second) sample voltage on the top electrodes of the first (second) capacitors by charge redistribution. In an exemplary implementation, the first and second input signals are a pair of differential signals, and they are opposite to each other when the common-mode voltage is the ground voltage; and the first (second) reference signal is X times the second (first) input signal, wherein the X is a positive integer. In this exemplary implementation, since the top electrode(s) and the bottom electrode(s) of the at least a part of the first (second) capacitors receive the first (second) input signal and the first (second) reference signal in the sample phase respectively, the signal strength of a signal sampled by the at least a part of the first (second) capacitors is (1+X) times the signal strength of the first (second) input signal, and this achieves the effect of signal amplification. These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments that are illustrated in the various figures and drawings.

11468956

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) to Korean patent application number 10-2020-0087830, filed on Jul. 15, 2020, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND 1. Technical Field The present disclosure relates to an electronic device, and more particularly, to a memory device and a method of operating the memory device. 2. Related Art A storage device is a device that stores data under the control of a host device, such as a computer or a smartphone. A storage device may include a memory device in which data is stored and a memory controller controlling the memory device. The memory device may be a volatile memory device or a non-volatile memory device. A volatile memory device is a memory device that stores data when power is supplied and loses the stored data when the power supply is cut off. Volatile memory devices may include static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), and the like. A non-volatile memory device is a memory device that does not lose data when power is cut off. Non-volatile memory devices may include read only memory (ROM), programmable ROM (PROM), electrically programmable ROM (EPROM), electrically erasable and programmable ROM (EEPROM), flash memory, and the like. SUMMARY An embodiment of the present disclosure is directed to a memory device having high reliability by improving a threshold voltage distribution and a method of operating the memory device. A memory device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include: a plurality of memory cells; a peripheral circuit configured to perform a program operation of storing data in the plurality of memory cells, which includes a plurality of program loops each including an operation of applying a program voltage to a selected word line commonly connected to the plurality of memory cells and a verify operation of applying at least one verify voltage among verify voltages respectively corresponding to target program states of the plurality of memory cells; and control logic configured to control the peripheral circuit so that the at least one verify voltage increases according to a program loop of the plurality of program loops during the program operation. A memory device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include: a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells connected to a plurality of word lines; a peripheral circuit configured to perform a program operation including a plurality of program loops each program loop including an operation of applying a program voltage to a selected word line among the plurality of word lines and a verify operation of applying some verify voltages among verify voltages respectively corresponding to target program states of the plurality of memory cells; and control logic configured to control the peripheral circuit to determine a voltage level of the some verify voltages based on the number of target program states corresponding to the some verify voltages and perform the program operation using the determined some verify voltages. A method of operating a memory device that performs a program operation of storing data in a plurality of memory cells is provided, the program operation including a plurality of program loops each including a program voltage application operation and a verify operation, the method including: applying a program voltage to a word line commonly connected to the plurality of memory cells; and applying, in the verify operation, verify voltages respectively increased by step voltages over verify voltages applied in a verify operation of a previous program loop. The step voltages may be determined based on the number of target program states corresponding to verify voltages to be applied to the word line and voltage levels of the verify voltages applied in the verify operation of the previous program loop. A memory device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include: a plurality of memory cells; a peripheral circuit configured to perform a program operation of storing data in the plurality of memory cells, which includes a plurality of program loops each including an operation of applying a program voltage to a selected word line commonly connected to the plurality of memory cells and a verify operation of applying at least one verify voltage among verify voltages respectively corresponding to target program states of the plurality of memory cells; and control logic configured to control the peripheral circuit so that some of at least two verify voltages applied to the selected word line have a negative voltage level and some have a positive voltage level during the verify operation.

11399082

BACKGROUND An enterprise, such as a business, may use a messaging system (e.g., a stateful messaging system) at the center of an Information Technology (“IT”) infrastructure (such as a cloud-based or on-premises infrastructure. As used herein, the phrase “messaging system” may refer to, for example, an Enterprise Messaging System (“EMS”) or protocol that lets organizations to send semantically precise messages between computer systems. A messaging system may promote a loosely coupled architectures that are facilitated by the use of structured messages (such as Extendible Mark-up Language (“XML”) or JavaScript Object Notation (“JSON”)) and appropriate protocols (such as Data Distribution Service (“DDS”), Microsoft Message Queuing (“MSMQ”), Advanced Message Queuing Protocol (“AMQP”) or Simple Object Access Protocol (“SOAP”) with web services). In many cases, a messaging system may be associated with mission-critical, asynchronous message buffers, stream and event processing engines, connectivity, etc. and use message brokers provide important service qualities that are required for delivery guarantees (such as an “exactly once, in order” guarantee). As a result, the messaging system needs to always be available (e.g., a High Availability (“HA”)) system that utilizes disaster recovery) even when handling heavy message loads, substantial message sizes, and increasing message rates. Besides “vertical” scaling (adding more resources to a messaging systems host machine), which usually cannot be maintained beyond a certain load, “horizontal” scaling across multiple cloud resources may be able to support increasing workloads. There are several problems with current approaches to messaging systems, including scalability, availability, and migration. For horizontal scaling or load balancing, coordination between brokers is required. That is usually done through a so-called HA “broker network” which essentially is a point-to-point coordination between all (n*(n−1))/2 pairs of brokers. However, the overhead of such a mechanism is costly in terms of performance. Even worse, in practice the coordination in such a broker network often negatively impacts the stability and availability of a messaging system (e.g., because the nodes are busy coordinating the requests between the different brokers of the messaging system). Moreover, existing (or “legacy”) single broker messaging systems may need a migration path to a scalable solution that does not cause significant downtime and that can be reconfigured during runtime. It would therefore be desirable to provide collaborative message broker scaling and migration in a secure, automatic, and efficient manner. SUMMARY According to some embodiments, methods and systems may provide load balancing for an HA messaging system in a multi-tenant High Availability (“HA”) computing environment. A client node may execute an application that communicates with a first messaging service component of a first broker node in a server segment and a second messaging service component of a second broker node in the server segment. A load balancing component is coupled to the client node, and a first virtual provider entity for the first messaging service component is coupled to the load balancing component. The first virtual provider entity may represent a first HA message broker pair, including: (i) a first leader message broker entity, and (ii) a first follower message broker entity to take control when there is a problem with the first leader message broker entity. A shared database is accessible by the first broker node, the first HA message broker pair, and the second broker node, and includes an administration registry data store. Some embodiments comprise: means for executing, by a client node in an application segment, an application that communicates with a first messaging service component of a first broker node in a server segment and a second messaging service component of a second broker node in the server segment; means for providing a load balancing component in the server segment and coupled to the client node; means for representing, by a first virtual provider entity for the first messaging service component, a HA first message broker pair, the first pair including: (i) a first leader message broker entity, and (ii) a first follower message broker entity to take control when there is a problem with the first leader message broker entity; and means for accessing, by the first broker node, the HA first message broker pair, and the second broker node, a shared database, the shared database including an administration registry data store. Some technical advantages of some embodiments disclosed herein are improved systems and methods to provide collaborative message broker scaling and migration in a secure, automatic, and efficient manner.

11338016

TECHNICAL FIELD Methods pertain to treatment or mitigation of depression, particularly depression-Parkinson's disease (PD) co-morbid condition. Particularly, methods comprise administering Carboxyl-terminal domain of the heavy chain of tetanus toxin (Hc-TeTx) or any atoxic fraction of the tetanus toxin or the coding sequence of the Hc-TeTx in treatment or mitigation of depression. BACKGROUND The toll extracted by clinical depression, characterized by a despondent feeling, loss of interest in pleasurable activities, guilt, worthlessness, and trouble concentrating, is of immense medical concern. This is because the prevalence is relatively high. In the U.S. alone, approximately 16 million people or 7% of the adults are afflicted with major depressive disorder, which may also include abnormalities in appetite and sleep and loss of productivity and suicidal ideation. The actual suicide rate, estimated at 1 million worldwide, not only affects the afflicted individual but also the family and friends and at times the entire community (P. E. Greenberg, A. A. Fournier, T. Sisitsky, et al., The economic burden of adults with major depressive disorder in the United States, (2005 and 2010) J Clin Psychiatry, 76 (2015), pp. 155-162). Although our understanding of the highly complex neurobiological circuitry of mood regulation remains far from complete, it is known that the symptoms of depression are diverse and vary from patient to patient. In addition, a number of drugs developed over the past six decades such as, tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (NRIs), and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have offered significant relief to at least some of the patients (M. R. Levinstein, B. A. Samuels, Mechanisms underlying the antidepressant response and treatment resistance, Front Behav Neurosci, 8 (2014), pp. 208). These medications, however, based on biogenic amine theory of depression, which posits that a decrease in these neurotransmitters is the primary cause of the disorder, have several major drawbacks. These include: limited efficacy, delayed onset and various undesirable side effects, some of which may be persistent (A. J. Rush, Targeting treatments for depression: what can our patients tell us? Epidemiol. Psychiatr Sci, 26 (2017), pp. 37-39; J. Ben-Sheetrit, D. Aizenberg, A. B. Csoka, et al., Post-SSRI sexual dysfunction: clinical characterization and preliminary assessment of contributory factors and dose-response relationship. J Clin Psychopharmacol, 35 (2015), pp. 273-278). Hence more rapid onset antidepressants with wider efficacy and lower side effects are urgently needed. Recent elucidation of significant contribution of neurotrophic factors and inflammatory processes in mood regulation/dysregulation, has pointed new approaches in development of more effective antidepressants. In this regard, several natural and synthetic compounds with anti-inflammatory properties and ability to increase neurotrophic factors, particularly brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) have been proposed as potential novel antidepressants (L. L. Hurley, Y. Tizabi, Neuroinflammation, neurodegeneration, and depression. Neurotox. Res, 23 (2013), pp. 131-144; O. Kalejaiye, B. Getachew, C. L. Ferguson, et al., Alcohol-Induced Increases in Inflammatory Cytokines Are Attenuated by Nicotine in Region-Selective Manner in Male Rats. J Drug Alcohol Res, (2017), pp. 6: 236036; C. N. Bodnar, J. M. Morganti, A. D. Bachstetter, Depression following a traumatic brain injury: uncovering cytokine dysregulation as a pathogenic mechanism. Neural Regen Res., 13 (2018), pp. 1693-1704; R. S. Duman, BDNF, 5-HT, and anxiety: identification of a critical periadolescent developmental period. Am. J. Psychiatry, 174 (2017), pp. 1137-1139). However, no study on the C-terminal domain of the heavy chain of tetanus toxin (Hc-TeTx) as a potential antidepressant has been conducted. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present inventors have conducted an extensive research and have discovered that the C-terminal domain of the heavy chain of tetanus toxin (Hc-TeTx) has antidepressant effects in an animal model of depression and can be effective in treating depression, particularly depression associated with Parkinson's disease (PD). The present inventors have discovered that Hc-TeTx resulted in a dose-dependent decrease in immobility score, whereas the open field locomotor activity (OFLA) was not affected. Concomitant with the behavioral effects, the inventors have discovered an increase in central brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) but a decrease in tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha (TNF-alpha) in the hippocampus and the frontal cortex, two areas intimately associated with mood regulation (J. Jin and S. Maren, Prefrontal-hippocampal interactions in memory and emotion. Frontiers Systems Neuroscience, 9 (2015), pp. e170; Getachew, S. R. Hauser, A. B. Csoka et al., Role of cortical alpha-2 adrenoceptors in alcohol withdrawal-induced depression and tricyclic antidepressants. Drug Alcohol Depend., 175 (2017), pp. 133-139). These results indicate long lasting antidepressant effects of Hc-TeTx and suggest potential utility of Hc-TeTx in depression, particularly PD-depression co-morbidity. Characteristics described above, other characteristics, and advantages of the invention are clearly revealed with reference to the descriptions below and accompanying drawings.