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11255474

FIELD OF THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention relate to a tubular joint. In this description and the subsequent claims, the term “fluid” refers to a flowing medium in gaseous or liquid form. Consequently, the expression “fluid-tight seal” implies a seal that is liquid-tight as well as gas-tight. Development within offshore oil and gas exploration in the recent decades has been directed to subsea installations for processing and transport of oil and gas. These subsea installations replace the traditional platforms, where oil and gas were transported up to the platform for further processing and transport. This development of subsea production, processing and transport systems has resulted in an increasing need for tubular joints suitable for subsea use, e.g. for joining fluid conduits belonging to interconnectable processing modules or pipe sections in a fluid-tight manner. It has been realized that seals based on corrosion resistant metallic materials are suitable for use in subsea applications. One known type of tubular joint is provided with a metallic seal ring positioned between tapered inner sealing surfaces of two adjacent tubular members for sealing therebetween. Such a sealing arrangement is very effective for sealing against internal fluid pressure within the tubular members. A tubular joint for subsea use may be provided with a double barrier seal in order to achieve additional reliability of the joint, both in an environmental context and in order to improve production stability. A tubular joint provided with a double barrier seal is for instance previously known from WO 2012/038799 A1. The tubular joint disclosed in WO 2012/038799 A1 comprises a metallic seal ring having a first outer sealing surface designed to mate with a tapered inner sealing surface of a first tubular member and a second outer sealing surface designed to mate with a tapered inner sealing surface of a second tubular member to form a primary seal upon clamping of the tubular members to each other, wherein a secondary seal is formed by a first annular seal member of elastomeric material interposed between the seal ring and the first tubular member and a second annular seal member of elastomeric material interposed between the seal ring and the second tubular member. If the tapered sealing surface of one of the tubular members is damaged and no longer capable of forming a fluid-tight seal with the corresponding sealing surface of the metallic seal ring, the sealing integrity may be maintained under the effect of the secondary seal formed by the elastomeric annular seal members. In a tubular joint of the above-mentioned type, the sealing integrity may be lost if the opposite end faces of the two tubular members are slightly separated from each other in a situation when the tubular joint is subjected to high bending load. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of embodiments of the present invention is to provide a solution to the above-mentioned problem. According to embodiments of the invention, this object is achieved by a tubular joint having the features defined in claim1. The tubular joint of an embodiment of the present invention comprises:a first tubular member and a second tubular member, the first tubular member having an end face configured to face a corresponding end face of the second tubular member;a clamping device for clamping the tubular members to each other with the end face of the first tubular member in contact with the end face of the second tubular member; andan annular sealing element to be received in an annular groove formed by a first annular recess in the end face of the first tubular member and an opposite second annular recess in the end face of the second tubular member, wherein the sealing element comprises an annular metallic body which has a first outer sealing surface designed to mate with a first tapered sealing surface provided in said first annular recess and a second outer sealing surface designed to mate with a second tapered sealing surface provided in said second annular recess upon clamping of the tubular members to each other,wherein the tubular joint is characterized in:that the sealing element comprises an annular first spring-energized polymeric seal member mounted to the metallic body and configured to be in sealing contact with a first radially extending sealing surface provided in said first annular recess radially inwardly of the first tapered sealing surface when the tubular members are clamped to each other;that the sealing element comprises an annular second spring-energized polymeric seal member mounted to the metallic body and configured to be in sealing contact with a second radially extending sealing surface provided in said second annular recess radially inwardly of the second tapered sealing surface when the tubular members are clamped to each other; andthat the spring-energized polymeric seal members are configured to be prestressed upon clamping of the tubular members to each other. The outer sealing surfaces on the metallic body and the associated tapered sealing surfaces on the tubular members form a primary seal for the internal and external fluid pressure of the tubular joint, whereas the spring-energized polymeric seal members and the associated radially extending sealing surfaces on the tubular members form a secondary seal for the internal and external fluid pressure of the tubular joint. Owing to the flexibility and the prestressing of the spring-energized polymeric seal members, the spring-energized polymeric seal members will be capable of maintaining sealing integrity, i.e. capable of remaining in fluid-tight contact with the associated radially extending sealing surfaces on the tubular members, in a situation when the opposite end faces of the two tubular members are slightly separated from each other. One embodiment of the invention is characterized in:that the metallic body has a central base part, a flexible first flange and a flexible second flange, wherein the first and second flanges are located opposite each other and connected to the base part at opposite ends thereof and wherein said first and second outer sealing surfaces of the metallic body are provided on the base part;that first spring-energized polymeric seal member is mounted to the first flange of the metallic body;that second spring-energized polymeric seal member is mounted to the second flange of the metallic body; andthat the flanges of the metallic body are configured to be prestressed upon clamping of the tubular members to each other. The flexibility and the prestressing of the flanges of the metallic body will improve the ability of the spring-energized polymeric seal members to maintain sealing integrity in a situation when the opposite end faces of the two tubular members are slightly separated from each other. Another embodiment of the invention is characterized in:that the first flange of the metallic body comprises a first contact surface configured to be pressed against the first radially extending sealing surface upon clamping of the tubular members to each other;that the second flange of the metallic body comprises a second contact surface which is located opposite said first contact surface and configured to be pressed against the second radially extending sealing surface upon clamping of the tubular members to each other;that the first spring-energized polymeric seal member comprises an annular polymeric body which is configured to project beyond said first contact surface when the sealing element is in an unloaded state; andthat the second spring-energized polymeric seal member comprises an annular polymeric body which is configured to project beyond said second contact surface when the sealing element is in an unloaded state. Hereby, it is ensured that the spring-energized polymeric seal members will be prestressed when the flanges of the metallic body are prestressed by being clamped between the end faces of the tubular members upon clamping of the tubular members to each other. Further advantages of the tubular joint according to embodiments of the present invention will appear from the dependent claims and the following description.

11415480

TECHNICAL FIELD The subject matter of this invention relates to fluid flow sensing and measurement systems, and more particularly to a self-charging Internet of Things (IoT) based system for sensing and measuring water flow and leaks in household appliances such as toilets and the like. BACKGROUND As water resources become more scarce and expensive, water management in large facilities such as apartments, hotels, etc., will continue to become more and more important. Among the challenges facility owners and managers face is to ensure that water waste and water damage is minimized. One area where water waste is commonplace involves leaking water fixtures such as toilets. A simple slow leak may go undetected for some time as the toilet will continue to operate, but will repeatedly discharge water as though it was partially flushed. More involved leaks could result in an overflow situation causing significant flood damage to the water fixture and facility. SUMMARY Aspects of the disclosure provide a system that converts water flow energy into electrical power to recharge the system's battery. In one aspect, a self-charging sensor (SCS) is disclosed for sensing and measuring water flow and detecting leaks in commercial and residential water fixtures and appliances such as toilets. In aspect, a self-charging sensor (SCS) is disclosed, having: a housing that includes: a rechargeable battery; a turbine module having a multi-wheel offset impeller adapted to be driven by a fill tube via an inlet port during an event, wherein a rotation of the turbine module generates electricity that recharges the rechargeable battery; and a processing module that collects count data associated with the rotation during the event; and an attachment component adapted to seat the housing on an overflow tube. A further aspect provides a toilet, comprising: an overflow tube; a fill tube; and a self-charging sensor (SCS), having: a housing that includes: a rechargeable battery; a turbine module having a multilevel impeller having offset wheels that are adapted to be driven by a fluid flow from the fill tube via an inlet port during an event, wherein a rotation of the impeller causes the turbine module to generate electricity that recharges the rechargeable battery; and a processing module that collects count data associated with the rotation during the event; and an attachment component adapted to seat the housing on the overflow tube. A further aspect provides self-charging sensor (SCS), having: a housing that includes: a rechargeable battery; a turbine module having an impeller adapted to be driven by a fluid flow via an inlet port during an event, wherein a rotation of the impeller causes the turbine module to generate electricity that recharges the rechargeable battery; and a processing module that collects count data associated with the rotation during the event; and an attachment component adapted to seat the housing on an overflow tube, wherein a center of gravity of the housing is substantially above a cross-sectional center point of the overflow tube when seated. A further aspect discloses a unique turbine design capable of deriving sufficient energy from water flow at a wide range of speeds and pressures common in water fixtures for residential and commercial applications. A further aspect discloses a water sensing probe capable of measuring water quality metrics related to water quality issues in water fixtures. Further, these probes can be configured to function directly using a printed circuit board. A further aspect discloses an interface for attaching the SCS to the top of an overflow tube over the center of the opening. One or more adaptors are provided capable of attaching to a wide range of types, sizes and shapes. A further aspect of the SCS allows for local control via a user push button. A further aspect of the SCS is that it can be installed in an open configuration, i.e., a toilet, or a closed configuration, e.g., in line with a clothes washer, dishwasher, fire suppression or cooling system. A further aspect of this design is that it can work for any fluid or consumable in the building, e.g., refrigeration and cooling system, electricity (AC or DC), heating oil or any petroleum product. A further aspect of the device is the use of wireless communication that can be accomplished via traditional RF, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth techniques, plus newer technologies such as Long Range (LoRa) Wireless, Z-Wave and Zigby.

11462208

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to dialog systems and, more particularly, to techniques for implementing a correction model to correct output from automatic speech recognition in a dialog system and to thereby reduce the propagation of errors made during automatic speech recognition in the dialog system. BACKGROUND An increasing number of devices now enable users to interact with the devices directly using voice or spoken speech. For example, a user can speak to such a device in a natural language, and in doing so, the user can ask a question or make a statement requesting an action to be performed. In response, the device performs the requested action or responds to the user's question using audio output. Since interacting directly using voice is a more natural and intuitive way for humans to communicate with their surroundings, the popularity of such speech-based systems is growing at an astronomical rate. BRIEF SUMMARY The present disclosure relates to techniques for implementing a correction model to reduce the propagation of errors made during automatic speech recognition in a dialog system. The correction model may operate in the workflow between an automatic speech recognition (ASR) subsystem and a semantic parser subsystem to reduce errors output by the ASR subsystem and thus received by the semantic parser subsystem, or the correction model may be integrated into the semantic parser subsystem to enable the semantic parser subsystem to map erroneous ASR subsystem output to an appropriate logical form. In some embodiments, a correction system trains a correction model, which may but need not be integrated with a corrective semantic parser. To this end, the correction system may access training data intended for training the semantic parser subsystem, where the training data may include tuples, each tuple including an original utterance and a logical form representing that original utterance. For each such tuple, the correction system may generate a set of speeches, where each speech is an audio file or portion of an audio file, and where the set of speeches represent variations in how the original utterance can be spoken. For each such speech, the correction system may apply an ASR subsystem to determine an output utterance, resulting in a set of output utterances corresponding to the set of speeches representing the original utterance. In some embodiments, the ASR subsystem is the same ASR subsystem used during regular operation of the dialog system. In some embodiments, the correction system trains a correction model with corrective tuples, each corrective tuple including an output utterance and the corresponding original utterance. As such, the correction model may be trained to map an utterance output by the ASR subsystem to a corrected utterance. In another embodiment, the correction system trains a corrective semantic parser with corrective tuples, each including an output utterance and the logical form of the corresponding original utterance. As such, the corrective semantic parser may be trained to map an utterance output by the ASR subsystem to the logical form of a corrected utterance; thus, a correction model is in effect integrated into the semantic parser. In some embodiments, during operation of the dialog system, output from the ASR subsystem is corrected by the correction model prior to being input to the semantic parser subsystem, or the corrective semantic parser implicitly corrects such errors in determining a logical form. Thus, errors in output from the ASR subsystem are reduced and are therefore not propagated throughout the dialog system. The foregoing, together with other features and embodiments will become more apparent upon referring to the following specification, claims, and accompanying drawings.

11459861

FIELD The present disclosure relates to flow control devices for use with injection valves that inject gas into production tubing of hydrocarbon wells. More specifically, present disclosure relates to various reverse flow check valves that prevent reverse flow through such injection valves. BACKGROUND Well bores of hydrocarbon wells extend from the surface to permeable subterranean formations (‘reservoirs’) containing hydrocarbons. These well bores are drilled in the ground to a desired depth and may include horizontal sections as well as vertical sections. Well casing (e.g., large diameter steel piping) is typically inserted into the well bore. Disposed within the well casing is a string of production piping/tubing, which has a diameter that is less than the diameter of the well casing. The production tubing may be secured within the well casing via one or more packers, which may provide a seal between the outside of the production piping and the inside of the well casing. The production tubing typically provides a continuous bore from the production zone to the wellhead through which oil and gas can be produced. The flow of fluids, from the reservoir(s) to the surface, may be facilitated by the accumulated energy within the reservoir itself, that is, without reliance on an external energy source. In such an arrangement, the well is said to be flowing naturally. When an external source of energy is required to flow fluids to the surface the well is said to produce by a means of artificial lift. Artificial lift may be achieved using a mechanical device inside the well (e.g., pump) or by decreasing the weight of the hydrostatic column in the production tubing by injecting gas into the liquid within the production tubing. The injection of gas to decrease the weight of a hydrostatic column is commonly referred to as gas lift, which is artificial lift technique where compressed gas is injected into production tubing to reduce the hydrostatic pressure within the production tubing (e.g., to a pressure below the inlet of the production tubing). The reduced pressure in the production tubing allows liquid therein to rise to the surface more readily. In one gas lift arrangement, high pressure gas is injected into an annular space (i.e., annulus) between the well casing and the production tubing. At one or more predetermined locations along the length of the production tubing, gas lift flow control valves permit the gas in the annulus to enter the production tubing. The principle of gas lift is that high-pressure gas is injected into casing migrates into the production tubing through one or more gas lift flow control valves thereby reducing the density of the fluids in the production tubing. The gas lift flow control valves control the flow of pressurized gas from the well casing through a valve port into an interior of the production tubing. Mechanical elements of a gas lift system (e.g., multiple gas lift flow control valves) may allow surface injection pressure to open or close different gas lift flow control valves at different pressures (e.g., at different depths) or open all gas lift flow control valves. SUMMARY In an arrangement, a flow control device for injecting gas in a down-hole application is provided. The flow control device includes an elongated injection housing having an upper end and a lower end. An upper external seal extends around an outside surface of the injection housing at a first location along the length of the housing and a lower external seal extends around the outside surface of the injection housing at a second location along the length of the housing. An inlet port extends though the sidewall of the injection housing between the upper external seal and the lower external seal. A first reverse flow check valve is disposed within the interior of the injection housing. Typically, the first reverse flow check valve is disposed along a length of the injection housing between the inlet port and the lower external seal. A second reverse flow check valve disposed is proximate to the lower end of the injection housing. The second reverse flow check valve is disposed along in a flow path though the injection housing between the inlet port and an outlet port in series with the first reverse flow check valve. In another arrangement, a reverse flow check valve assembly for a down-hole gas injection device is provided. The check valve assembly includes an annular housing having an inlet end and an outlet end. Injection gases flow through an interior of the housing between the inlet end and the outlet end. An annular valve seat is disposed within the interior of the housing. A check dart also disposed within the interior of the housing is configured to move between a closed position where a valve head is seated against the valve seat and an open position where the valve head is spaced from the valve seat. At least one fluid flow path extends around the check dart and fluidly connects the inlet end of the housing and the outlet end of the housing when the check dart is in the opening position. The at least one fluid flow path extends through the housing at a location outward of an outer periphery of the valve head allowing fluid to flow around the check dart assembly rather than through the check dart assembly.

11310909

TECHNICAL FIELD A first group of aspects relates to a printed wiring line, an electronic device, a touch panel, a printed wiring line formation method, and a touch panel production method. A second group of aspects relates to a gravure plate, a printed wiring line, an electronic device, a printed wiring line formation method, and an electronic device production method. BACKGROUND ART The background art corresponding to the first group of aspects will be described first. In recent years, a printing method excellent in productivity and manufacturing cost has been used to form an electrode pattern or a wiring pattern included in various electronic devices, such as a touch panel, a membrane switch, and a liquid crystal display. Gravure offset printing is considered suitable for micropattern formation. Gravure offset printing uses a gravure plate having recesses corresponding to a predetermined printing pattern, a doctor blade which fills the recesses in the gravure plate with ink, and a blanket which rotates in contact with the gravure plate and receives ink from the doctor blade. The predetermined printing pattern is printed on a printing material by transferring ink shifted on the blanket onto the printing material. An edge of the doctor blade is pressed against the gravure plate under predetermined pressure. The doctor blade fills the recesses in the gravure plate with ink and squeegees excess ink on the surface of the gravure plate by sliding relatively to the gravure plate. According to gravure printing, for example, when a longitudinal direction of a recess of a printing pattern formed in a gravure plate coincides with a blade width direction of a doctor blade, a phenomenon may occur in which a tip of the doctor blade sinks in the recess. The sinking of the doctor blade causes uneven squeegeeing or squeegeeing of part of ink in the recess. This leads to a printing failure, such as non-transfer or an imperfect shape. Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 2011-148190 (hereinafter referred to as “Patent Literature 1”) discloses an inking method for avoiding a printing failure due to sinking of a doctor blade.FIGS. 1A, 1Band2show a squeegeeing process and a device configuration used for performance of squeegeeing, respectively, disclosed in Patent Literature 1. InFIG. 2, reference numeral11denotes a base; reference numeral12denotes a linear guide; and reference numeral13denotes a movable table which can travel along the linear guide12. An alignment mechanism14which can change an angle in a horizontal plane is provided on the movable table13, and a fixed stage15is provided on the alignment mechanism14. The fixed stage15holds a planar gravure plate16. When the gravure plate16moves with travel of the movable table13along the linear guide12, a doctor blade17which extends in a horizontal direction orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the linear guide12comes into contact with the gravure plate16from above the gravure plate16. Squeegeeing is performed by sliding the doctor blade17relatively to a plate surface of the gravure plate16. According to Patent Literature 1, a printing pattern18in the gravure plate16has divided sections delimited along a movement direction (an X direction inFIGS. 1A and 1B) of the movable table13. InFIGS. 1A and 1B, two divided sections18aand18bare set. A main direction19aor19bof a groove pattern provided in each of the divided sections18aand18bis calculated for the divided section18aor18bon the basis of information, such as groove angles (that is, directions in which grooves extend), the number of grooves, and groove widths. In other words, the main direction is a direction with which the most groove angles coincide. When the doctor blade17is to come into contact with the divided section18a, as shown inFIG. 1A, the gravure plate16is rotated by the alignment mechanism14before squeegeeing in the divided section18asuch that the main direction19aof the groove pattern is not parallel with a blade width direction of the doctor blade17. Since the blade width direction of the doctor blade17is not parallel with the main direction19aof the groove pattern, a tip of the doctor blade17is unlikely to sink in a groove. When the doctor blade17is to come into contact with the divided section18bwith travel of the movable table13, as shown inFIG. 1B, the gravure plate16is rotated by the alignment mechanism14before squeegeeing in the divided section18bsuch that the main direction19bof the groove pattern is not parallel with the blade width direction of the doctor blade17. Similarly, the tip of the doctor blade17is unlikely to sink in a groove. The method according to Patent Literature 1 is summarized as follows. Divided sections are predetermined by delimiting a printing pattern in a gravure plate along a movement direction of a movable table, and a main direction of a groove pattern is obtained for each divided section. The gravure plate is rotated relatively to a doctor blade before squeegeeing in each divided section such that a blade width direction of the doctor blade is not parallel with the main direction of the groove pattern in the divided section with which the doctor blade is to come into contact. A tip of the doctor blade is unlikely to sink in a groove, which prevents occurrence of a printing failure. The method disclosed in Patent Literature 1 requires the tiresome task of delimiting a printing pattern in a gravure plate in advance and obtaining a main direction of a groove pattern in advance in each divided section. Additionally, a conventional printing apparatus cannot be used without change, and a new printing apparatus having an alignment mechanism is needed. In addition, the method disclosed in Patent Literature 1 is not applicable to roll-type gravure offset printing. Since control is just performed such that a blade width direction of a doctor blade is not parallel with a main direction of a groove pattern, the possibility of establishment of a parallel relationship between the doctor blade and the groove pattern cannot be completely eliminated. It is thus impossible to completely avoid sinking of a doctor blade. The background art corresponding to the second group of aspects will now be described. In recent years, a printing method has been used to form an electrode pattern or a wiring pattern of various electronic devices, such as a touch panel, a membrane switch, and an organic EL display. Printing methods are excellent in productivity and advantageous in terms of manufacturing cost. Gravure offset printing, in particular, is drawing attention as a method suitable for formation of a high-precision pattern. Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 2013-70005 (hereinafter referred to as “Patent Literature 2”) discloses forming a wiring pattern by gravure offset printing.FIG. 11shows a gravure offset printing machine described in Patent Literature 2. Patent Literature 2 discloses printing by the following processes (1) to (3) using a gravure offset printing machine10. (1) After alignment of a substrate12with use of an alignment camera11, a first intaglio plate13as a cylinder is filled with conductive ink by a doctor blade14. The first intaglio plate13has a thin-line pattern engraved therein, and the thin-line pattern is filled with the conductive ink. (2) The conductive ink is transferred from the first intaglio plate13onto a blanket16which is attached to a blanket cylinder15to perform printing on the substrate12. (3) A second intaglio plate17as a cylinder is then filled with conductive ink by a doctor blade18. The conductive ink is transferred from the second intaglio plate17onto the blanket16to perform printing on the substrate12. The second intaglio plate17has a thick-line pattern engraved therein, which is larger in line thickness than the thin-line pattern of the first intaglio plate13. The thick-line pattern is filled with the conductive ink. A thin-line pattern from the first intaglio plate13and a thick-line pattern from the second intaglio plate17are combined on the substrate12to form a printing pattern. The printing pattern is then hardened by baking to complete printed matter. When conductive ink is left on a blanket in the course of formation of a wiring pattern by gravure offset printing using conductive ink, the following printing failures may occur:a) predetermined conductive ink is not transferred onto a substrate, and a transferred pattern is chipped; andb) the conductive ink left on the blanket is added to conductive ink to be transferred from a gravure plate to cause a printing failure, such as bleeding or an imperfect shape, in a printing pattern on the substrate. The amount of conductive ink charged into a recess in a gravure plate increases with an increase in the width of a printed wiring line, and a printing failure as described above is more likely to occur. As a way to avoid such a printing failure, it is conceivable to control printing conditions in accordance with wiring widths. In the case of a configuration using gravure plates (that is, intaglio plates), like the gravure offset printing machine10shown inFIG. 11, printing conditions can be controlled by using different gravure plates depending on wiring widths. A configuration including gravure cylinders to use gravure plates, however, induces an increase in complexity and size of a printing apparatus. Control of printing conditions in such a printing apparatus is tiresome. SUMMARY A first group of aspects includes a printed wiring line, an electronic device, a touch panel, a printed wiring line formation method, and a touch panel production method. Aspects included in the first group of aspects will be enumerated. <Aspect 1> A printed wiring line formed on a substrate. The printed wiring line connects two different points on the substrate which are connectable by another printed wiring line with a shape of a straight-line segment and has a shape corresponding to at least one of:1) a shape with no linear part parallel to the straight-line segment;2) a shape in which line segments are connected in series, each line segment having a shape with no linear part parallel to the straight-line segment;3) a shape having a part parallel to the straight-line segment and a part not parallel to the straight-line segment, length of the part parallel to the straight-line segment being not more than half of length of the straight-line segment; and4) a shape in which line segments are connected in series, each line segment having a shape having a part parallel to the straight-line segment and a part not parallel to the straight-line segment. <Aspect 2> Printed wiring lines including at least two printed wiring lines formed parallel to each other on a substrate. The at least two printed wiring lines each have a same shape,one of the at least two printed wiring lines connects two different points on the substrate which are connectable by another printed wiring line with a shape of a straight-line segment and has a shape corresponding to at least one of:1) a shape with no linear part parallel to the straight-line segment;2) a shape in which line segments are connected in series, each line segment having a shape with no linear part parallel to the straight-line segment;3) a shape having a part parallel to the straight-line segment and a part not parallel to the straight-line segment, length of the part parallel to the straight-line segment being less than length of the part not parallel to the straight-line segment; and4) a shape in which line segments are connected in series, each line segment having a shape having a part parallel to the straight-line segment and a part not parallel to the straight-line segment, andthe at least two printed wiring lines are arranged so as to coincide with each other when the at least two printed wiring lines are shifted in a direction orthogonal to the straight-line segment. <Aspect 3> The printed wiring line according to aspect 1, in whichthe printed wiring line includes at least a group of corner parts which protrude toward one side of the straight-line segment, andeach corner part included in the group of corner parts has features:a) an area of intersection of an imaginary straight extension of one edge part of the corner part and an imaginary straight extension of the other edge part thereof, exclusive of sides of the area of intersection, includes at least a part of an outer printing border which is a printing border defining the corner part and is located on a side where the corner part protrudes; andb) the at least part of the outer printing border includes a line segment parallel to the straight-line segment or a line segment forming a convex shape toward a side opposite to the side where the corner part protrudes. <Aspect 4> The printed wiring lines according to aspect 2, in whichthe one of the at least two printed wiring lines includes at least a group of corner parts which protrude toward one side of the straight-line segment, andeach corner part included in the group of corner parts has features:a) an area of intersection of an imaginary straight extension of one edge part of the corner part and an imaginary straight extension of the other edge part thereof, exclusive of sides of the area of intersection, includes at least a part of an outer printing border which is a printing border defining the corner part and is located on a side where the corner part protrudes; andb) the at least part of the outer printing border includes a line segment parallel to the straight-line segment or a line segment forming a convex shape toward a side opposite to the side where the corner part protrudes. <Aspect 5> A printed wiring line formed on a substrate, in whichthe printed wiring line connects two different points on the substrate which are connectable by another printed wiring line with a shape of a straight-line segment, and further the printed wiring line has a shape in which first linear parts and second linear parts are alternately series-connected, the first linear parts being not parallel to the straight-line segment and the second linear parts being not parallel to the straight-line segment and different from the first linear parts,the printed wiring line includes at least a group of corner parts which protrude toward one side of the straight-line segment, andeach corner part included in the group of corner parts has the feature that an outer printing border which is a printing border defining the corner part and is located on a side where the corner part protrudes has a shape forming a chevron toward the side where the corner part protrudes. <Aspect 6> Printed wiring lines including at least two printed wiring lines formed parallel to each other on a substrate, in whichthe at least two printed wiring lines each have a same shape,one of the at least two printed wiring linesa) connects two different points on the substrate which are connectable by another printed wiring line with a shape of a straight-line segment,b) has a shape in which first linear parts and second linear parts are alternately series-connected, the first linear parts being not parallel to the straight-line segment and the second linear parts being not parallel to the straight-line segment and different from the first linear parts, andc) includes at least a group of corner parts which protrude toward one side of the straight-line segment,the at least two printed wiring lines are arranged so as to coincide with each other when the at least two printed wiring lines are shifted in a direction orthogonal to the straight-line segment, andeach corner part included in the group of corner parts has the feature that an outer printing border which is a printing border defining the corner part and is located on a side where the corner part protrudes has a shape forming a chevron toward the side where the corner part protrudes. <Aspect 7> An electronic device including a printed wiring line according to aspect 1. <Aspect 8> An electronic device including printed wiring lines according to aspect 2. <Aspect 9> A touch panel including:a conductor layer including rows of sensor electrodes and lead wiring lines, the rows of sensor electrodes being formed of hardened conductive ink and arrayed in a rectangular sensor region, and the lead wiring lines being led out from the rows of sensor electrodes, in whicheach of the rows of sensor electrodes is formed of a mesh which is composed of line segments not parallel to a short side of the sensor region and not parallel to a long side thereof,each of the lead wiring lines has a same shape,at least one of the lead wiring lines connects two different points on a substrate which are connectable by another printed wiring line with a shape of a straight-line segment and has a shape corresponding to at least one of:1) a shape with no linear part parallel to the straight-line segment;2) a shape in which line segments are connected in series, each line segment having a shape with no linear part parallel to the straight-line segment;3) a shape having a part parallel to the straight-line segment and a part not parallel to the straight-line segment, length of the part parallel to the straight-line segment being less than length of the part not parallel to the straight-line segment; and4) a shape in which line segments are connected in series, each line segment having a shape having a part parallel to the straight-line segment and a part not parallel to the straight-line segment, andthe lead wiring lines are arranged so as to coincide with each other when the lead wiring lines are shifted in a direction orthogonal to the straight-line segment. <Aspect 10> The touch panel according to aspect 9, in whichthe one of the lead wiring lines includes at least a group of corner parts which protrude toward one side of the straight-line segment, andeach corner part included in the group of corner parts has features:a) an area of intersection of an imaginary straight extension of one edge part of the corner part and an imaginary straight extension of the other edge part thereof, exclusive of sides of the area of intersection, includes at least a part of an outer printing border which is a printing border defining the corner part and is located on a side where the corner part protrudes; andb) the at least part of the outer printing border includes a line segment parallel to the straight-line segment or a line segment forming a convex shape toward a side opposite to the side where the corner part protrudes. <Aspect 11> A method for forming a printed wiring line according to aspect 1, including:a step of printing the printed wiring line by gravure printing, in whichin the step, a recess which defines the printed wiring line, the recess being formed in a gravure plate, is filled with conductive ink by moving a doctor blade, which is set such that a blade width direction is parallel to the straight-line segment, in a direction orthogonal to the blade width direction. <Aspect 12> A method for forming printed wiring lines according to aspect 2, including:a step of printing the printed wiring lines by gravure printing, in whichin the step, recesses which define the printed wiring lines, the recesses being formed in a gravure plate, are filled with conductive ink by moving a doctor blade, which is set such that a blade width direction is parallel to the straight-line segment, in a direction orthogonal to the blade width direction. <Aspect 13> A method for forming a printed wiring line according to aspect 3, including:a step of printing the printed wiring line by gravure printing, in whichin the step, a recess which defines the printed wiring line, the recess being formed in a gravure plate, is filled with conductive ink by moving a doctor blade, which is set such that a blade width direction is parallel to the straight-line segment, in a direction parallel to a direction orthogonal to the blade width direction and toward the group of corner parts. <Aspect 14> A method for forming printed wiring lines according to aspect 4, including:a step of printing the printed wiring lines by gravure printing, in whichin the step, recesses which define the printed wiring lines, the recesses being formed in a gravure plate, are filled with conductive ink by moving a doctor blade, which is set such that a blade width direction is parallel to the straight-line segment, in a direction parallel to a direction orthogonal to the blade width direction and toward the group of corner parts. <Aspect 15> A method for forming a printed wiring line according to aspect 5, including:a step of printing the printed wiring line by gravure printing, in whichin the step, a recess which defines the printed wiring line, the recess being formed in a gravure plate, is filled with conductive ink by moving a doctor blade, which is set such that a blade width direction is parallel to the straight-line segment, in a direction parallel to a direction orthogonal to the blade width direction and toward the group of corner parts. <Aspect 16> A method for forming printed wiring lines according to aspect 6, including:a step of printing the printed wiring lines by gravure printing, in whichin the step, recesses which define the printed wiring lines, the recesses being formed in a gravure plate, are filled with conductive ink by moving a doctor blade, which is set such that a blade width direction is parallel to the straight-line segment, in a direction parallel to a direction orthogonal to the blade width direction and toward the group of corner parts. <Aspect 17> A method for producing a touch panel according to aspect 9, including:a step of printing the lead wiring lines by gravure printing, in whichin the step, recesses which define the lead wiring lines, the recesses being formed in a gravure plate, are filled with the conductive ink by moving a doctor blade, which is set such that a blade width direction is parallel to the straight-line segment, in a direction orthogonal to the blade width direction. <Aspect 18> A method for producing a touch panel according to aspect 10, including:a step of printing the lead wiring lines by gravure printing, in whichin the step, recesses which define the lead wiring lines, the recesses being formed in a gravure plate, are filled with the conductive ink by moving a doctor blade, which is set such that a blade width direction is parallel to the straight-line segment, in a direction parallel to a direction orthogonal to the blade width direction and toward the group of corner parts. A second group of aspects includes a gravure plate, a printed wiring line, an electronic device, a printed wiring line formation method, and an electronic device production method. Aspects included in the second group of aspects will be enumerated. The ordinal number for an aspect is reset, and the aspects below are sequentially numbered from one. <Aspect 1> A gravure plate which is used for gravure offset printing and in which a recess defining printed wiring line is formed, in whichprojections are formed on at least a part of a bottom surface of the recess. <Aspect 2> The gravure plate according to aspect 1, in whicha top of each of the projections is located between a surface of the gravure plate which comes into contact with a blanket and the bottom surface of the recess, inclusive of the surface of the gravure plate and exclusive of the bottom surface of the recess. <Aspect 3> The gravure plate according to aspect 1, in whichone of the projections is present in a width direction of the recess, and the projections are formed in a row in a longitudinal direction of the recess. <Aspect 4> The gravure plate according to aspect 2, in whichone of the projections is present in a width direction of the recess, and the projections are formed in a row in a longitudinal direction of the recess. <Aspect 5> The gravure plate according to aspect 1, in whichat least a part of the recess connects two different points on the gravure plate which are connectable by another recess with a shape of a straight-line segment and has a shape corresponding to at least one of:1) a shape with no linear part parallel to the straight-line segment;2) a shape in which line segments are connected in series, each line segment having a shape with no linear part parallel to the straight-line segment;3) a shape having a part parallel to the straight-line segment and a part not parallel to the straight-line segment, length of the part parallel to the straight-line segment being not more than half of length of the straight-line segment; and4) a shape in which line segments are connected in series, each line segment having a shape having a part parallel to the straight-line segment and a part not parallel to the straight-line segment. <Aspect 6> The gravure plate according to aspect 2, in whichat least a part of the recess connects two different points on the gravure plate which are connectable by another recess with a shape of a straight-line segment and has a shape corresponding to at least one of:1) a shape with no linear part parallel to the straight-line segment;2) a shape in which line segments are connected in series, each line segment having a shape with no linear part parallel to the straight-line segment;3) a shape having a part parallel to the straight-line segment and a part not parallel to the straight-line segment, length of the part parallel to the straight-line segment being not more than half of length of the straight-line segment; and4) a shape in which line segments are connected in series, each line segment having a shape having a part parallel to the straight-line segment and a part not parallel to the straight-line segment. <Aspect 7> The gravure plate according to aspect 3, in whichat least a part of the recess connects two different points on the gravure plate which are connectable by another recess with a shape of a straight-line segment and has a shape corresponding to at least one of:1) a shape with no linear part parallel to the straight-line segment;2) a shape in which line segments are connected in series, each line segment having a shape with no linear part parallel to the straight-line segment;3) a shape having a part parallel to the straight-line segment and a part not parallel to the straight-line segment, length of the part parallel to the straight-line segment being not more than half of length of the straight-line segment; and4) a shape in which line segments are connected in series, each line segment having a shape having a part parallel to the straight-line segment and a part not parallel to the straight-line segment. <Aspect 8> The gravure plate according to aspect 4, in whichat least a part of the recess connects two different points on the gravure plate which are connectable by another recess with a shape of a straight-line segment and has a shape corresponding to at least one of:1) a shape with no linear part parallel to the straight-line segment;2) a shape in which line segments are connected in series, each line segment having a shape with no linear part parallel to the straight-line segment;3) a shape having a part parallel to the straight-line segment and a part not parallel to the straight-line segment, length of the part parallel to the straight-line segment being not more than half of length of the straight-line segment; and4) a shape in which line segments are connected in series, each line segment having a shape with a part parallel to the straight-line segment and a part not parallel to the straight-line segment. <Aspect 9> The gravure plate according to aspect 5, in whichthe at least part of the recess includes at least a group of corner parts which protrude toward one side of the straight-line segment, andone or more of the projections are formed at each corner part included in the group of corner parts. <Aspect 10> The gravure plate according to aspect 6, in whichthe at least part of the recess includes at least a group of corner parts which protrude toward one side of the straight-line segment, andone or more of the projections are formed at each corner part included in the group of corner parts. <Aspect 11> The gravure plate according to aspect 7, in whichthe at least part of the recess includes at least a group of corner parts which protrude toward one side of the straight-line segment, andone or more of the projections are formed at each corner part included in the group of corner parts. <Aspect 12> The gravure plate according to aspect 8, in whichthe at least part of the recess includes at least a group of corner parts which protrude toward one side of the straight-line segment, andone or more of the projections are formed at each corner part included in the group of corner parts. <Aspect 13> A printed wiring line formed of conductive ink on a substrate, in whichthe printed wiring line includes recesses which are surrounded by the conductive ink, one of the recesses being present in a width direction of the printed wiring line and the recesses forming a row in a longitudinal direction of the printed wiring line, orthe printed wiring line has a contour line asymmetric with respect to the longitudinal direction of the printed wiring line. <Aspect 14> The printed wiring line according to aspect 13, in whichat least a part of the printed wiring line connects two different points on the substrate which are connectable by another printed wiring line with a shape of a straight-line segment and has a shape corresponding to at least one of:1) a shape with no linear part parallel to the straight-line segment;2) a shape in which line segments are connected in series, each line segment having a shape with no linear part parallel to the straight-line segment;3) a shape having a part parallel to the straight-line segment and a part not parallel to the straight-line segment, length of the part parallel to the straight-line segment being not more than half of length of the straight-line segment; and4) a shape in which line segments are connected in series, each line segment having a shape having a part parallel to the straight-line segment and a part not parallel to the straight-line segment, andthe at least part of the printed wiring line includes the recesses or the at least part of the printed wiring line has the contour line. <Aspect 15> An electronic device including a printed wiring line according to aspect 13. <Aspect 16> An electronic device including a printed wiring line according to aspect 14. <Aspect 17> A method for forming a printed wiring line by gravure offset printing, including:a step of transferring conductive ink onto a blanket using a gravure plate having projections formed on at least a part of a bottom surface of a recess defining the printed wiring line. <Aspect 18> A method for producing an electronic device using a method according to aspect 17. Effects According to the first group of aspects, occurrence of a printing failure due to sinking of a doctor blade in a recess in a gravure plate can be prevented, which allows satisfactory gravure printing of a wiring pattern or a conductor layer. According to the second group of aspects, occurrence of a printing failure due to conductive ink left on a blanket can be prevented, which allows improvement in printing quality.

11509882

The present application is a 371 of PCT Application No. PCT/CN2019/102570, filed on Aug. 26, 2019, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to the field of display technologies, and more particularly to a three-dimensional display apparatus and a virtual reality device. BACKGROUND Virtual reality (VR) is a hot technology in the field of display in recent years. Focal plane display is a three-dimensional (3D) display technology developed for the VR. SUMMARY Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a three-dimensional display apparatus and a virtual reality device, and provide a novel three-dimensional stereoscopic display structure based on focal plane display. The technical solutions are as follows. At least one embodiment of the present disclosure provides a three-dimensional display apparatus. The apparatus includes: a display layer and a transmissive phase modulator; wherein the transmissive phase modulator is disposed on a light exit side of the display layer; and the transmissive phase modulator includes a plurality of modulation units, wherein each of the modulation units is configured to perform phase modulation on light received by the modulation unit, and is configured such that a picture displayed by the display layer is presented as a contiguous curved virtual image after being processed by the transmissive phase modulator. Exemplarily, the transmissive phase modulator includes two first electrode layers opposite to each other, and a first liquid crystal layer disposed between the two first electrode layers. Exemplarily, the transmissive phase modulator further includes first alignment films disposed on both sides of the first liquid crystal layer respectively, and directions of initial long axes of liquid crystal molecules in the first liquid crystal layer are the same. Exemplarily, at least one of the two first electrode layers of the transmissive phase modulator includes a plurality of electrode blocks distributed in an array, wherein each of the electrode blocks corresponds to a modulation unit. Optionally, the three-dimensional display apparatus further includes an optical path adjustment liquid crystal cell disposed between the display layer and the transmissive phase modulator; wherein the optical path adjustment liquid crystal cell includes two second electrode layers opposite to each other, and a second liquid crystal layer disposed between the two second electrode layers; and the optical path adjustment liquid crystal cell further includes second alignment films disposed on both sides of the second liquid crystal layer respectively, and directions of initial long axes of liquid crystal molecules in the second liquid crystal layer are the same. Exemplarily, the display layer is an OLED display layer; and the three-dimensional display apparatus further includes: a linear polarizer disposed on the light exit side of the display layer, wherein a polarization direction of light emitted from the OLED display layer after passing through the linear polarizer is the same as the initial long axis direction of the liquid crystal molecules in the transmissive phase modulator. Exemplarily, the display layer is an LCD display layer; and the LCD display layer includes a display substrate, and a linear polarizer disposed on a light exit side of the display substrate, and a polarization direction of light emitted from the LCD display layer is the same as the initial long axis direction of the liquid crystal molecules in the transmissive phase modulator. Exemplarily, the display layer includes a plurality of pixels, and each of the modulation units corresponds to a fixed number of pixels in the plurality of pixels. At least one embodiment of the present disclosure provides a virtual reality device. The device includes: the three-dimensional display apparatus as described above; and an eyepiece corresponding to a light exit side of a transmissive phase modulator in the three-dimensional display apparatus. Optionally, the virtual reality device further includes: a control apparatus, configured to acquire a 3D picture to be displayed, control a display layer in the three-dimensional display apparatus to display on the basis of the 3D picture to be displayed, and control each of modulation units of the transmissive phase modulator to perform phase modulation on light received by the modulation unit. Optionally, the control apparatus is configured to identify a voltage corresponding to each of the modulation units of the transmissive phase modulator on the basis of the 3D picture to be displayed; and control each of the modulation units of the transmissive phase modulator to operate by adopting the voltage corresponding to the modulation unit. Optionally, the control apparatus is configured to identify coordinates of a pixel of the 3D picture corresponding to each of the modulation units on the basis of the 3D picture to be displayed; and identify a voltage corresponding to each modulation unit on the basis of the coordinates of the pixel of the 3D picture corresponding to the modulation unit.

11341668

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application is a U.S. National Phase of International Application No. PCT/JP2019/026991 entitled “RANGING CAMERA,” and filed on Jul. 8, 2019. International Application No. PCT/JP2019/026991 claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2018-135167 filed on Jul. 18, 2018 and Japanese Patent Application No. 2018-199370 filed on Oct. 23, 2018. The entire contents of each of the above-listed applications are hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes. TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention generally relates to distance measuring cameras for measuring a distance to a subject, in particular to a distance measuring camera for measuring a distance to a subject based on an image magnification ratio between at least two subject images respectively formed by at least two optical systems whose changes of magnitudes of the subject images according to the distance to the subject are different from each other. BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY Conventionally, there is proposed a distance measuring camera for measuring a distance to a subject by imaging the subject. As such a distance measuring camera, a stereo camera type distance measuring camera including two or more pairs of an optical system for collecting light from a subject to form a subject image and an image sensor for converting the subject image formed by the optical system to an image data (for example, see patent document 1). The stereo camera type distance measuring camera as disclosed in the patent document 1 calculates a parallel disparity (disparity in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis direction) between the two subject images respectively formed by the two optical systems arranged so as to be shifted from each other in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis direction and calculates the distance to the subject based on a value of the parallel disparity. This stereo camera type distance measuring camera cannot accurately calculate the distance to the subject when the parallel disparity between the subject images is small. Thus, it is necessary to arrange the two optical systems so as to be largely spaced apart from each other in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis in order to sufficiently increase the parallel disparity between the subject images. This makes it difficult to reduce a size of the distance measuring camera. Further, when the subject is located at a near distance from the distance measuring camera, there may be a situation that a feature point of the subject image for calculating the parallel disparity exists in one of two obtained image data and does not exist in the other one of the two obtained image data due to a relationship of visual fields of the two obtained image data. In order to avoid this situation, it is necessary to arrange the two optical systems so as to be close to each other. However, if the two optical systems are arranged so as to be close to each other, the parallel disparity between the subject images decreases and thus accuracy of the distance measurement reduces. Therefore, it is difficult to accurately calculate the distance to the subject located at the near distance from the distance measuring camera with the distance measurement based on the parallel disparity between the subject images. To address this problem, an image magnification ratio type distance measuring camera for calculating a distance to a subject based on an image magnification ratio between two subject images (ratio between magnifications of the two subject images) has been proposed by the inventor of the present invention and others. The image magnification ratio type distance measuring camera uses two optical systems configured so that changes of magnifications of subject images respectively formed by the two optical systems according to the distance to the subject are different from each other and calculates the distance to the subject based on the image magnification ratio between the two subject images (the ratio between the magnifications of the two subject images) respectively formed by the two optical systems (see patent document 2). In this image magnification ratio type distance measuring camera, the parallel disparity between the subject images is not utilized for calculating the distance to the subject. Thus, even if the two optical systems are arranged so as to be close to each other, the image magnification ratio type distance measuring camera can accurately calculate the distance to the subject. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the size of the distance measuring camera. Further, since the image magnification ratio between the subject images can be accurately obtained even when the subject is located at the near distance from the distance measuring camera, the image magnification ratio type distance measuring camera can accurately calculate the distance to the subject located at the near distance. The image magnification ratio between the subject images is calculated from a ratio between sizes of the two subject images. In order to obtain the sizes of the subject images, it is necessary to detect a plurality of feature points of the subject image (for example, both edge portions of the subject to be measured in a height direction or a width direction of the subject) in image data obtained by imaging the subject image and measure a distance between the feature points in the image data. Further, in order to obtain the image magnification ratio between the subject images, it is necessary to obtain sizes of same parts of the two subject images. Therefore, after detecting the plurality of feature points of one of the subject images, it is necessary to perform a corresponding feature point detection process for detecting a plurality of feature points of the other one of the subject images respectively corresponding to the plurality of detected feature points of the one of the subject images. The corresponding feature point detection process as described above is generally performed by searching an entire area of the image data obtained by imaging the other one of the subject images. However, the search for the entire area of the image data requires a long processing time and thus a processing time for the corresponding feature point detection process becomes long. As a result, there is a problem that a processing time for calculating the distance to the subject based on the image magnification ratio between the subject images becomes long. RELATED ART DOCUMENT Patent Documents JP 2012-26841AJP 2017-241896 Problem to be Solved by the Invention The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problem of the conventional art. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a distance measuring camera which can reduce a processing time for calculating a distance to a subject based on an image magnification ratio between subject images by performing search for a plurality of feature points with an epipolar line based on an epipolar geometry in a corresponding feature point detection process for detecting the plurality of feature points of one of the subject images respectively corresponding to a plurality of feature points of the other one of the subject images. Means for Solving the Problems This object is achieved by the present inventions as defined in the following (1) to (7). (1) A distance measuring camera, comprising: a first imaging system including a first optical system for collecting light from a subject to form a first subject image and a first image sensor for imaging the first subject image to obtain a first image containing the first subject image; a second imaging system including a second optical system for collecting the light from the subject to form a second subject image and arranged so as to be shifted from the first optical system in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis direction of the first optical system and a second image sensor for imaging the second subject image to obtain a second image containing the second subject image; a size obtaining part for detecting a plurality of feature points of the first subject image in the first image and measuring a distance between the plurality of feature points of the first subject image to obtain a size of the first subject image and detecting a plurality of feature points of the second subject image in the second image respectively corresponding to the plurality of feature points of the first subject image and measuring a distance between the plurality of feature points of the second subject image to obtain a size of the second subject image; and a distance calculating part for calculating a distance to the subject based on an image magnification ratio between a magnification of the first subject image and a magnification of the second subject image which is obtained as a ratio between the size of the first subject image and the size of the second subject image obtained by the size obtaining part, wherein the size obtaining part detects the plurality of feature points of the second subject image in the second image by searching pixels on a plurality of epipolar lines in the second image respectively corresponding to the plurality of feature points of the first subject image. (2) The distance measuring camera according to the above (1), wherein the size obtaining part derives the plurality of epipolar lines in the second image respectively corresponding to the plurality of feature points of the first subject image based on a model in which characteristics and arrangements of the first imaging system and the second imaging system are taken into consideration. (3) The distance measuring camera according to the above (2), wherein each of the epipolar lines in the second image respectively corresponding to the plurality of feature points of the first subject image is represented by the following equation (1). yv2=(G1⁢G6-G2⁢G5)⁢xu2+G3⁢G6-G4⁢G5G1⁢G4-G2⁢G3⁢⁢where⁢⁢{G1=EP2⁢L1⁡(R32⁢yv1+R31⁢xu1)+K1⁡(EP2⁢D+L2)G2=EP1⁢EP2⁡(R32⁢yv1+R31⁢xu1)+EP2⁢K1⁢R33G3=-K2⁢L1⁡(R12⁢yv1+R11⁢xu1)+K1⁢K2⁢PxG4=-K2⁢EP1⁡(R12⁢yv1+R11⁢xu1)-K1⁢K2⁢R13G5=-K2⁢L1⁡(R22⁢yv1+R21⁢xu1)+K1⁢K2⁢PyG6=K2⁢EP1⁡(R22⁢yv1+R21⁢xu1)-K1⁢K2⁢R23xu1=x1-u1yv1=y1-v1xu2=x2-u2yv2=y2-v2K1=f1·(f12-EP1·f1+EP1·aFD⁢⁢1)PS1·(aFD⁢⁢1-f1)K2=f2·(f22-EP2·f2+EP2·aFD⁢⁢2)PS2·(aFD⁢⁢2-f2)L1=f12-EP1·f1L2=f22-EP2·f2(1) where “x1” and “y1” are respectively x and y coordinates of arbitrary one of the plurality of feature points of the first subject image in the first image, “x2” and “y2” are respectively x and y coordinates of a feature point of the second subject image in the second image corresponding to the arbitrary one of the plurality of feature points of the first subject image, “Px” and “Py” are respectively values in x and y directions of a parallel disparity between a front principal point of the first optical system and a front principal point of the second optical system, “D” is a depth disparity in the optical axis direction of the first optical system or the second optical system between the first optical system and the second optical system, “PS1” is a pixel size of the first image sensor, “PS2” is a pixel size of the second image sensor, “f1” is a focal length of the first optical system, “f2” is a focal length of the second optical system, “EP1” is a distance from an exit pupil of the first optical system to an image formation position of the first subject image when the subject is located at an infinite distance point, “EP2” is a distance from an exit pupil of the second optical system to an image formation position of the second subject image when the subject is located at the infinite distance point, “aFD1” is a distance from the front principal point of the first optical system to the subject when the first subject image is in best focus on an imaging surface of the first image sensor, “aFD2” is a distance from the front principal point of the second optical system to the subject when the second subject image is in the best focus on an imaging surface of the second image sensor, “u1” and “v1” are respectively x and y coordinates of an optical axis of the first optical system in the first image, “u2” and “v2” are respectively x and y coordinates of an optical axis of the second optical system in the second image, and “R11”, “R12”, “R13”, “R21”, “R22”, “R23”, “R31”, “R32” and “R33” are components of a rotation matrix of the second imaging system with respect to the first imaging system. (4) The distance measuring camera according to the above (1), wherein the first optical system and the second optical system are configured so that a change of the magnification of the first subject image according to the distance to the subject is different from a change of the magnification of the second subject image according to the distance to the subject. (5) The distance measuring camera according to the above (4), wherein the first optical system and the second optical system are configured so that a focal length of the first optical system and a focal length of the second optical system are different from each other, and thereby the change of the magnification of the first subject image according to the distance to the subject is different from the change of the magnification of the second subject image according to the distance to the subject. (6) The distance measuring camera according to the above (4) or (5), wherein the first optical system and the second optical system are configured so that a distance from an exit pupil of the first optical system to an image formation position of the first subject image formed by the first optical system when the subject is located at an infinite distance point is different from a distance from an exit pupil of the second optical system to an image formation position of the second subject image formed by the second optical system when the subject is located at the infinite distance point, and thereby the change of the magnification of the first subject image according to the distance to the subject is different from the change of the magnification of the second subject image according to the distance to the subject. (7) The distance measuring camera according to any one of the above (4) to (6), wherein a depth disparity in the optical axis direction of the first optical system or the second optical system exists between a front principal point of the first optical system and a front principal point of the second optical system, and thereby the change of the magnification of the first subject image according to the distance to the subject is different from the change of the magnification of the second subject image according to the distance to the subject. Effects of the Invention The distance measuring camera of the present invention performs the search for the plurality of feature points with the epipolar line based on the epipolar geometry in a corresponding feature point detection process for detecting the plurality of feature points of one of the subject images respectively corresponding to the plurality of feature points of the other one of the subject images. Therefore, it is possible to reduce a processing time for calculating the distance to the subject based on the image magnification ratio between the subject images.

11378110

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The disclosures made herein relate generally to structural devices used for transmission of flowable materials and, more particularly, to systems, devices, apparatuses and methods adapted for modifying fluid flow attributes of flowable fluid material within a fluid flow conduit such as a pipe, tube, hose or the like. BACKGROUND The practice of flowing liquid (i.e., a type of flowable fluid material) through a fluid flow conduit is well known. Such fluid flow can be required for any number of applications and through any number of different types of fluid flow conduits. In the simplest of applications, fluid flow through a fluid flow conduit may be for the sole purpose of fluid transmission from a source of the fluid to a delivery device at a desired delivery location. To this end, it is well known that fluid flow conduits can include straight and curved (e.g., bent) segments to facilitate routing of the fluid from the source to the delivery location. A flexible fluid flow conduit is a particular form of a fluid flow conduit. Flexibility enables the flexible fluid flow conduit to include one or more curved segments that are selectively or incidentally formed by (temporarily or permanently bending (e.g., manually or mechanically) all or a portion of the flexible fluid flow conduit. Examples of flexible fluid flow conduit include, but are not limited to, hoses and tubing that are made from and/or in a manner that permits all of a portion of the fluid flow conduit to bend or be bent. A hose such as that used to flow water that is made from rubber, an elastomer, a resilient polymeric material or the like is a prime example of a flexible fluid flow conduit. Although flexible fluid flow conduits have exceptional utility resulting from their bendability, bends in fluid flow conduits (similarly to bends in rigid fluid flow lines) are well known to create fluid flow losses. Bends inherently require flowing fluid to change direction which amplifies fluid interaction with the interior surface of the fluid flow conduit. This amplified interaction correspondingly increases frictional losses between the flowing fluid and the interior surface of the fluid flow conduit. These frictional losses cause the flow velocity of the bulk fluid flowing through the fluid flow conduit to decrease, thereby resulting in a corresponding increase in backpressure within the fluid flow conduit. Laminar flow results from frictional between the interior surface of a fluid flow conduit and a generally straight flowing fluid. As shown inFIG. 1, conventional (i.e., non-modified/straight flowing) flow of liquid5(i.e., a flowable material) within a flow passage10of a fluid flow conduit15has a flow profile characterized by laminar flow effect (i.e., laminar flow20). The laminar flow effect is characterized by a parabolic flow profile resulting from a laminar boundary layer along an interior surface defining the flow passage10of the fluid flow conduit15. Liquid5at the surface of the flow passage10exhibits considerable friction and zero flow velocity, thereby reducing velocity of the liquid5even at a considerable distance from the surface of the flow passage10. In association with this reduced velocity, the laminar flow effect is known to increase backpressure within a fluid flow conduit and result in head loss and heating of a fluid flowing therethrough. Therefore, a device that can be used with flexible fluid flow conduits to overcome adverse flow considerations arising from one or more bends in such flexible fluid flow conduits would be beneficial, desirable and useful. SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE Embodiments of the disclosures made herein are directed to a device particularly useful with flexible fluid flow conduits. Such devices are adapted for mitigating adverse flow considerations arising from one or more bends in a fluid flow conduits. These adverse flow considerations are generally characterized as enhanced laminar flow and associated increased backpressure arising from reduced flow velocity caused by the one or more bends. Beneficially, a fluid flow modifying device in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosures made herein enables flow of flowable material (e.g., a liquid) within a flow passage of a fluid flow conduit to have a rotational flow profile. Such a rotational flow profile advantageously reduces frictional losses associated with laminar flow and with directional change of fluid flow. In one or more embodiment, a fluid flow modifying device comprises a tubular body made from a respective resilient polymeric material and a plurality of flow diverters each made from a respective resilient polymeric material. Each of the respective resilient polymeric material have a resiliency enabling flexibility of the respective portion of the fluid flow modifying device. Each of the flow diverters is attached at an outer edge portion thereof to an inner surface of the tubular body and extending outwardly therefrom. All of the flow diverters extend at least partially along an entire length of the tubular body in a helical manner. Each flow is detached from each other flow diverter over at least a portion of a length thereof. In one or more embodiments, a one-piece fluid flow modifying device comprises a plurality of flow modifying device elements each made from at least one resilient polymeric material. The at least one resilient polymeric material has a resiliency enabling flexibility of the respective portion of the fluid flow modifying device. The plurality of flow modifying device elements comprises a tubular body and a plurality of flow diverters. The tubular body has an outer surface and an inner surface. The plurality of flow diverters are each attached at an outer edge portion thereof to the inner surface and extending outwardly therefrom. All of the flow diverters extend at least partially along an entire length of the tubular body in a helical manner. Each flow diverter is detached from each other flow diverter over at least a portion of a length thereof. In one or more embodiments, a fluid flow modifying device comprises a plurality of flow modifying device elements each made from at least one resilient polymeric material. The at least one resilient polymeric material has a resiliency enabling flexibility of the respective portion of the fluid flow modifying device. All of the flow modifying device elements are unitarily formed with each other as a one-piece body. The plurality of flow modifying device elements comprises a tubular body and a plurality of helical vanes. The tubular body has an outer surface and an inner surface. The plurality of helical vanes each attached at an outer edge portion thereof to the inner surface and extend outwardly therefrom. All of the helical vanes extend along an entire length of the tubular body. Each helical vane is detached from each other helical vane over an entire length thereof along an entire length of the tubular body. Each of the helical vanes has an identical cross-sectional profile as each other helical vane, extends from the inner surface in a skewed manner and has a width greater than an inner radius of the tubular body such that the inner edge portion of each helical vane overlaps the inner edge portion of each adjacent one of the helical vanes. The tubular body includes a plurality of spaced apart protrusions extending outwardly from the outer surface thereof and each of the protrusions is in the form of a ring extending at least partially around a circumference of the tubular body. In one or more embodiments, each flow diverter is detached from each other flow diverter over an entire length thereof. In one or more embodiments, each flow diverter is in implemented in the form of a helical vane. In one or more embodiments, the tubular body is made from a different resilient polymeric material than the flow diverters. In one or more embodiments, the tubular body is made from a resilient polymeric material having a lower durometer than the resilient polymeric material of the flow diverters. In one or more embodiments, the tubular body and the flow diverters are unitarily formed with each other as a one-piece body. In one or more embodiments, each of the flow diverters has an identical cross-sectional profile as each other flow diverter, extends from the inner surface of the tubular body in a skewed manner and has a width greater than an inner radius of the tubular body such that the inner edge portion of the flow diverters overlap an adjacent one of the flow diverters. In one or more embodiments, the tubular body and the flow diverters are unitarily formed with each other as a one-piece body. In one or more embodiments, the tubular body includes a plurality of spaced apart protrusions each extending outwardly from the outer surface thereof. In one or more embodiments, each of the protrusions is in the form of a ring extending at least partially around a circumference of the tubular body. These and other objects, embodiments, advantages and/or distinctions of the disclosures made herein will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification, associated drawings and appended claims.

11278494

BACKGROUND Field This disclosure relates generally to commercial manufacturing processes for making multivesicular liposomes using independently operating tangential flow filtration systems. Description of the Related Art Bupivacaine is a versatile drug that has been shown to be efficacious for a wide variety of indications, including: local infiltration, peripheral nerve block, sympathetic nerve block, and epidural and caudal blocks. It may be used in pre-, intra- and post-operative care settings. Bupivacaine encapsulated multivesicular liposomes (Exparel®) has been approved in the US and Europe for use as postsurgical local analgesia and as an interscalene brachial plexus nerve block to produce postsurgical regional analgesia, providing significant long-lasting pain management across various surgical procedures. Particularly, Exparel® has had great success in the market in part due to the ability to locally administer bupivacaine multivesicular liposomes (MVLs) at the time of surgery and extend the analgesic effects relative to other non-liposomal formulations of bupivacaine. Such extended release properties of bupivacaine MVLs allow patients to control their post-operative pain without or with decreased use of opioids. Given the addictive nature of opioids and the opioid epidemic that has been affecting countries around the world, there is an urgent need for new and improved large scale productions of Exparel® to meet the substantial and growing market demand. SUMMARY Some aspects of the present disclosure relate to a crossflow filtration system comprising:a diafiltration vessel; anda plurality of independently operating crossflow modules, each crossflow module of the plurality of independently operating crossflow modules comprising at least one filter array, each filter array comprising a plurality of hollow fiber filters, wherein each crossflow module of the plurality of independently operating crossflow modules is connected to a retentate conduit, a permeate conduit, and a rotary lobe pump. In some embodiments, the crossflow filtration system may be used in the microfiltration and/or diafiltration step of the commercial process described herein. Some aspects of the present disclosure relate to a process for preparing bupivacaine encapsulated multivesicular liposomes in a commercial scale, the process comprising:(a) mixing a first aqueous solution comprising phosphoric acid with a volatile water-immiscible solvent solution to form a water-in-oil first emulsion, wherein the volatile water-immiscible solvent solution comprises bupivacaine, at least one amphipathic lipid and at least one neutral lipid;(b) mixing the water-in-oil first emulsion with a second aqueous solution to form a water-in-oil-in-water second emulsion;(c) removing the volatile water-immiscible solvent from the water-in-oil-in-water second emulsion to form a first aqueous suspension of bupivacaine encapsulated multivesicular liposomes having a first volume;(d) reducing the first volume of the first aqueous suspension of bupivacaine encapsulated multivesicular liposomes by microfiltration to provide a second aqueous suspension of bupivacaine encapsulated multivesicular liposomes having a second volume;(e) exchanging the aqueous supernatant of the second aqueous suspension with a saline solution by diafiltration to provide a third aqueous suspension of bupivacaine encapsulated multivesicular liposomes having a third volume; and(f) further reducing the third volume of the third aqueous suspension by microfiltration to provide a final aqueous suspension of bupivacaine encapsulated multivesicular liposomes having a target concentration of bupivacaine;wherein all steps are carried out under aseptic conditions. Some aspects of the present disclosure relate to a composition of bupivacaine encapsulated multivesicular liposomes (MVLs) prepared by a commercial scale process, the commercial scale process comprising:(a) mixing a first aqueous solution comprising phosphoric acid with a volatile water-immiscible solvent solution to form a water-in-oil first emulsion, wherein the volatile water-immiscible solvent solution comprises bupivacaine, 1,2-dierucoylphosphatidylcholine (DEPC), 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3 phospho-rac-(1-glycerol) (DPPG), and at least one neutral lipid;(b) mixing the water-in-oil first emulsion with a second aqueous solution to form a water-in-oil-in-water second emulsion;(c) removing the volatile water-immiscible solvent from the water-in-oil-in-water second emulsion to form a first aqueous suspension of bupivacaine encapsulated MVLs having a first volume;(d) reducing the first volume of the first aqueous suspension of bupivacaine encapsulated MVLs by microfiltration to provide a second aqueous suspension of bupivacaine encapsulated MVLs having a second volume;(e) exchanging the aqueous supernatant of the second aqueous suspension with a saline solution by diafiltration to provide a third aqueous suspension of bupivacaine encapsulated MVLs having a third volume; and(f) further reducing the third volume of the third aqueous suspension by microfiltration to provide a final aqueous suspension of bupivacaine encapsulated MVLs having a target concentration of bupivacaine;wherein all steps are carried out under aseptic conditions; andwherein the erucic acid concentration in the composition is about 23 μg/mL or less after the composition is stored at 25° C. for one month. Some aspect of the present disclosure relates to a composition of bupivacaine encapsulated multivesicular liposomes (MVLs), comprising: bupivacaine residing inside a plurality of internal aqueous chambers of the MVLs separated by lipid membranes, wherein the lipid membranes comprise 1,2-dierucoylphosphatidylcholine (DEPC), 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3 phospho-rac-(1-glycerol) (DPPG), and at least one neutral lipid; and an aqueous medium in which the bupivacaine encapsulated MVLs are suspended; wherein the composition has an initial pH of about 7.0 to about 7.4, and wherein erucic acid concentration in the composition is about 23 μg/mL or less after the composition is stored at 25° C. for one month. Some additional aspect of the present disclosure relates to a composition of bupivacaine encapsulated multivesicular liposomes (MVLs) prepared by a commercial scale process, the commercial scale process comprising:(a) mixing a first aqueous solution comprising phosphoric acid with a volatile water-immiscible solvent solution to form a water-in-oil first emulsion, wherein the volatile water-immiscible solvent solution comprises bupivacaine, 1,2-dierucoylphosphatidylcholine (DEPC), 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3 phospho-rac-(1-glycerol) (DPPG), and at least one neutral lipid;(b) mixing the water-in-oil first emulsion with a second aqueous solution to form a water-in-oil-in-water second emulsion, wherein the second aqueous solution comprises lysine and dextrose;(c) removing the volatile water-immiscible solvent from the water-in-oil-in-water second emulsion to form a first aqueous suspension of bupivacaine encapsulated MVLs having a first volume;(d) reducing the first volume of the first aqueous suspension of bupivacaine encapsulated MVLs by microfiltration to provide a second aqueous suspension of bupivacaine encapsulated MVLs having a second volume;(e) exchanging the aqueous supernatant of the second aqueous suspension with a saline solution by diafiltration to provide a third aqueous suspension of bupivacaine encapsulated MVLs having a third volume; and(f) further reducing the third volume of the third aqueous suspension by microfiltration to provide a final aqueous suspension of bupivacaine encapsulated MVLs having a target concentration of bupivacaine;wherein all steps are carried out under aseptic conditions; andwherein the internal pH of the bupivacaine encapsulated MVLs in the composition is about 5.50. In some embodiments, the internal pH is measured after the composition has been stored at about 2-8° C. for at least 3 months, 6 months or 9 months. Some additional aspect of the present disclosure relates to a composition of bupivacaine encapsulated multivesicular liposomes (MVLs), comprising: bupivacaine residing inside a plurality of internal aqueous chambers of the MVLs separated by lipid membranes, wherein the lipid membranes comprise 1,2-dierucoylphosphatidylcholine (DEPC), 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3 phospho-rac-(1-glycerol) (DPPG), and at least one neutral lipid; and an aqueous medium in which the bupivacaine encapsulated MVLs are suspended; wherein the internal pH of the bupivacaine encapsulated MVLs is about 5.50. In any aspects of the disclosure described herein, the composition of bupivacaine MVLs is suitable for human administration without further purification.

11513648

INTRODUCTION The present invention relates to touch-sensor detector systems and methods incorporating an interpolated variable impedance touch sensor array and specifically to such systems and methods for force-aware interaction with handheld display devices on one or more surfaces of the device. The systems and methods disclosed herein utilize a touch sensor array configured to detect proximity/contact/pressure via a variable impedance array electrically coupling interlinked impedance columns coupled to an array column driver and interlinked impedance rows coupled to an array row sensor. The array column driver is configured to select the interlinked impedance columns based on a column switching register and electrically drive the interlinked impedance columns using a column driving source. The variable impedance array conveys current from the driven interlinked impedance columns to the interlinked impedance columns sensed by the array row sensor. The array row sensor selects the interlinked impedance rows within the touch sensor array and electrically senses the interlinked impedance rows state based on a row switching register. Interpolation of array row sensor sensed current/voltage allows accurate detection of touch sensor array proximity/contact/pressure and/or spatial location. The gesture recognition systems and methods using variable impedance array sensors include sensors disclosed in the following applications, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety: U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/599,365 titled SYSTEM FOR DETECTING AND CONFIRMING A TOUCH INPUT filed on May 18, 2017; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/653,856 titled TOUCH SENSOR DETECTOR SYSTEM AND METHOD filed on Jul. 19, 2017; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/271,953 titled DIAMOND PATTERNED TOUCH SENSOR SYSTEM AND METHOD filed on Sep. 21, 2016; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/499,090 titled CAPACITIVE TOUCH SENSOR SYSTEM AND METHOD filed on Sep. 27, 2014 and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,459,746 on Oct. 4, 2016; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/499,001 titled RESISTIVE TOUCH SENSOR SYSTEM AND METHOD filed on Sep. 26, 2014 and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,465,477 on Oct. 11, 2016; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/224,003 titled SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MANIPULATING A VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT filed on Jul. 29, 2016 and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,864,461 on Jan. 9, 2018; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/223,968 titled SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MANIPULATING A VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT filed on Jul. 29, 2016 and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,864,460 on Jan. 9, 2018; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/470,669 titled SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETECTING AND CHARACTERIZING FORCE INPUTS ON A SURFACE filed on Mar. 27, 2017; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/476,732 titled HUMAN-COMPUTER INTERFACE SYSTEM filed on Oct. 5, 2017.

11246634

FIELD OF THE INVENTION Various embodiments of the present invention pertain to implants attachable to bones, and in particular to methods and devices for coupling an intramedullary nail to a bone.

11346647

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to a shape measurement device, and more specifically, to a shape measurement device capable of preventing impact from being transmitted to a pivot by being easily removed along the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis when impact is applied thereto. BACKGROUND ART A shape measurement device is a device that quickly and accurately measures the shape of an object to obtain three-dimensional spatial coordinates as shape information about the object. The shape measurement device is used to evaluate processing precision by comparing the result of shape measurement of a processed product or part with the designed shape dimensions, or used for reverse engineering of a product without design data such as drawings. An exemplary shape measurement device is disclosed in Korean Patent No. 10-1546835 titled “SHAPE MEASUREMENT APPARATUS.” FIG. 1is a perspective view showing the configuration of a conventional shape measurement device in the disclosed publication. As shown in the figure, the conventional shape measurement device includes a measurement arm support10and a measurement arm20detachably coupled to the measurement arm support10. Here, a pivot (not shown) for pivotably supporting a body coupling block13is provided in a coupling region between the body coupling block13and a support body11. The measurement arm part20is moved along the X-axis and Y-axis while being coupled to the body coupling block13of the measurement arm support10, and is rotated about the Z-axis by the pivot (not shown). A stylus27provided at the end of the arm25is moved along an object to be measured. When impact is applied to the measurement arm20during measurement of the shape, the impact is transmitted to the pivot (not shown), causing damage to the pivot (not shown). In order to address this issue, the conventional shape measurement device has a structure in which the measurement arm20and the measurement arm support10are coupled by magnetic force, and the measurement arm20is removed from the measurement arm support10when subjected to impact. A front magnet23bis provided on a front surface of a block accommodation groove23a, and a side magnet23cis provided on a side surface thereof. In addition, a front magnet coupling plate13bis provided on the front surface of the body coupling block13, a top magnet coupling plate13ais provided on the top surface, and a side magnet coupling plate13cis provided on the side surface. As shown inFIG. 2, the magnets23b,23cand23dand the magnet coupling plates13b,13cand13aarranged in three directions with the body coupling block13and the body23coupled to each other are coupled in place by magnetic force, and are separated when external force greater than the magnetic force is applied thereto. In the conventional shape measurement device, since the body23is bent in an “” shape, it is easily removed when external force is applied thereto in the Y-axis and Z-axis directions. However, when the force F2directed toward the stylus27acts in the X-axis direction, the bent portion may hit the body coupling block13and thus fail to be removed, and the impact may be transmitted to the pivot (not shown). In addition, since the magnets are arranged in three directions, the conventional shape measurement device may increase the cost of parts and takes a lot of time in connecting parts. DISCLOSURE Technical Problem Therefore, the present disclosure has been made in view of the above problems, and it is one object of the present disclosure to provide a shape measurement device capable of preventing impact from being transmitted to a pivot by being easily removed from a measurement arm support when external force is applied regardless of the direction in which the force is applied. It is another object of the present disclosure to provide a shape measurement device configured in a simple structure to reduce manufacturing cost. The above objects and various advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent to those skilled in the art from preferred embodiments of the present disclosure. Technical Solution The shape measurement device includes a stylus131configured to contact an object to be measured; a measurement arm130configured to support the stylus131to allow the stylus131to contact the object to be measured; a measurement arm part120configured to support the measurement arm130; and a measurement arm support110configured to support the measurement arm part120to allow the stylus131to move along an outer shape of the object to be measured, wherein the measurement arm support110includes a support body111provided with a movement rail113formed on a top surface thereof, the measurement arm part120moving along the movement rail113; a body coupling block115coupled to the movement rail113to move along the movement rail and detachably coupled to the measurement arm part120, the body coupling block having a position-fixing groove116formed in a central area thereof; and a first magnet part117and a second magnet part118coupled to opposite sides of the body coupling block115in an embedded manner, wherein the measurement arm portion120includes a body121provided with a block accommodation groove123to accommodate the body coupling block115; a position-fixing member125coupled to a lower surface of the body121defining the block accommodation groove123, the position-fixing member being brought into contact with and supported by the position-fixing groove116when the body coupling block115is accommodated in the block accommodation groove123; and a first magnet coupling plate127and a second magnet coupling plate128provided on opposite sides of the block accommodation groove123and coupled to the first magnet part117and the second magnet part118by magnetic force to couple the body121to the body coupling block115. According to one embodiment, opposite sides of the positioning groove116are provided with inclined surfaces having different inclination angles, wherein an inclined surface arranged to face the stylus131between the inclined surfaces has an inclination angle allowing the inclined surface to be circumscribed to the position-fixing member125. According to one embodiment, each of the first magnet part117and the second magnet part118includes a pair of magnets arranged along a longitudinal direction of the body coupling block115to be inclined at a predetermined angle; a metal plate coupled to a lower portion of the pair of magnets, wherein each of the first magnet coupling plate127and the second magnet coupling plate128has a tip facing the stylus131, the tip being obliquely cut to form an horizontal inclined end, wherein opposite sides of each of the first magnet coupling plate127and the second magnet coupling plate128are provided with vertical inclined surfaces formed to be inclined in a vertical direction. According to one embodiment, when the measurement arm part120is coupled to the body coupling block115, each of the first magnet coupling plate127and the second magnet coupling plate128may be placed at a position within ⅓ to ½ of a total diameter of the magnets from a point where the horizontal inclined ends contact the magnets. According to one embodiment, the position-fixing member may have a cross section having one of a circular shape, a polygonal shape, a spherical shape, or hemispherical shape. Advantageous Effects In a shape measurement device of the present disclosure, a body coupling block of a measurement arm support is coupled to a measurement arm part by the magnetic force of a first magnet part and a second magnet part disposed on the top surface thereof. Here, the first magnet part and the second magnet part each have a pair of magnets disposed to be inclined to apply magnetic force to the measurement arm part in the X-axis and Y-axis directions. Accordingly, the same effect as in the conventional device requiring arrangement of a plurality of magnets in different directions may be obtained. In addition, since a position-fixing member of the measurement arm part is supported in contact with a position-fixing groove of the body coupling block in a circumscribing manner, the position along the X-axis may be fixed. Accordingly, even when opposite sides of the block accommodation groove are formed to be open, the position on the X-axis may be fixed, and the issue raised with the conventional block accommodation groove, which is formed in a “” shape and is thus not removable in the X-axis direction, may be addressed. Further, since the position-fixing member is designed to slide along the circumscribing inclined surface and an inclined surface when subjected to impact, damage to the surface of the body coupling block may be minimized.

11236998

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS Not Applicable STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT Not Applicable THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT Not Applicable INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM Not Applicable STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR Not Applicable BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the Invention The disclosure relates to alignment devices and more particularly pertains to a new alignment device for aligning a pair of substrates. (2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98 The prior art relates to alignment devices. Prior art alignment devices may comprise lights, inclinometers, levels, angle sensors, and the like. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a first bar, a second bar, and a fastener. A spirit level is engaged to a first end of the first bar and extends bidirectionally therefrom. The second bar is rotationally engaged by a first terminus to a second end of the first bar. The fastener, which is rotationally engaged to the first bar and the second bar, is positioned to engage the first bar and the second bar selectively and fixedly. The second bar is configured to be positioned on a mating surface of a first substrate, such as a bell housing, positioning a user to rotate the first bar relative to the second bar so that the spirit level indicates horizontal. The user then is positioned to engage the fastener to fixedly position the second bar relative to the first bar. Upon positioning the second bar on a mating face of a second substrate, such as a transmission, the user is positioned to orient the second substrate so that the spirit level indicates horizontal, wherein the mating face of the second substrate is aligned with the mating surface of the first substrate. There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.

11310218

BACKGROUND For a device to provide access to certain protected resources (e.g., local resources such as an application running on the device, or remote resources such as a protected server on a network) to a user of the device, the user typically needs to provide a password. The password is used to authenticate (e.g., on the device itself, by a remote device, etc.) the user of the device and verify that the user is allowed to access the resource. Typically, the user enters a password into a user interface (UI) (e.g., sign-in form) running on the device, the UI having a text field for password entry. Data for the UI, including a password entered in the text field, is conventionally stored in a portion of memory associated with the UI on the device while the UI is running, and further may be stored unsecured (e.g., in clear text). Accordingly, the UI data, including the entered password may be vulnerable to an attacker. For example, the attacker can access and dump out the contents of the portion of memory associated with the UI, such as while the UI is running, or if the UI fails to flush its associated memory, and from the dump out of the contents find out the password.

11285524

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS Not applicable. STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT Not applicable. BACKGROUND Elongate tubulars are used in many industrial applications, such as, for example, oil and gas drilling and production. In particular, in oil and gas drilling operations, a drill bit is threadably attached at one end of a tubular and then is rotated (e.g., from the surface, downhole by a mud motor, etc.) in order to form a borehole within a subterranean formation. As the bit advances within the subterranean formation, additional tubulars are attached (e.g., threadably attached) at the surface, thereby forming a drill string which extends the length of the borehole. BRIEF SUMMARY Some embodiments disclosed herein are directed to a tubular member including a central axis, a first end, a second end opposite the first end, an upset region between and axially spaced from the first end and the second end, and a first outer diameter axially spaced midway between the first end and the upset region. The upset region includes a second diameter which is larger than the first diameter, does not include a weld joint, and includes redistributed material from the tubular member. Additionally, some embodiments herein are directed to a method including coupling a tubular member to a die assembly, the tubular member includes a central axis, a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and an upset region between and axially spaced from the first end and the second end. In an embodiment, the method includes defining a cavity between the die assembly and the upset region. Additionally, some embodiments may include applying an axial load to the tubular member, and expanding an outer diameter of the tubular member into the cavity along the upset region. Still other embodiments disclosed herein are directed to a system for manufacturing a tubular member. The tubular member includes a central axis, a first end, a second end, a throughbore extending between the first end and the second end, and an outer surface extending between the first end and the second end. The outer surface includes a central portion that is spaced from the first end and the second end along the axis. In some embodiments, the system includes a mandrel configured to be inserted within the throughbore and a die assembly including a cavity. The die assembly is configured to be disposed about the outer surface such that the central portion is aligned with the cavity. In addition, the system may further include a ram configured to apply a load to the tubular member along a central axis of the tubular member to expand the central portion of the outer surface into the cavity to form an upset region along the tubular member. Embodiments described herein comprise a combination of features and characteristics intended to address various shortcomings associated with certain prior devices, systems, and methods. The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical characteristics of the disclosed embodiments in order that the detailed description that follows may be better understood. The various characteristics and features described above, as well as others, will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description, and by referring to the accompanying drawings. It should be appreciated that the conception and the specific embodiments disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes as the disclosed embodiments. It should also be realized that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the principles disclosed herein.

11229000

BACKGROUND The deployment of multiple access point (APs) in a large facility is a complex undertaking. The deployment requires balancing of numerous factors in determining the best location of each of a large number of access points. Further, the planned placement of the access points may require modification as new conditions are discovered or as changes occur within the facility. Further, once the access points are installed, later determining the precise location of each access point for servicing or replacement can be challenging. The access points may be well hidden behind walls, ceilings, and other structures, thus requiring that the access points be located based upon recorded information or through a search process. For example, the location of access points may be determined based on an access point map if such map exists. However, generation of an access point map is difficult and labor-intensive, and the map may be inaccurate or out of date when the map is actually needed. If a map of access points is unavailable or is unhelpful because of inaccuracy, then the determination of the location of access points may require electronic search means, such as use of a spectrum analyzer. A search for access points in this manner is extremely time consuming, and may not be helpful if an access point has failed, or if a particular signal is difficult to track.

11233967

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an AD conversion circuit, an imaging device, and an endoscope system. Description of Related Art Physical quantity detection semiconductor devices having sensors sensitive to externally input electromagnetic waves (light, radiation, etc.) are used in various fields. A physical quantity is converted into an electrical signal by a sensor. For example, a sensor in an imaging device is a pixel. Generally, electrical signals of a reference level and a signal level are read from the sensor. For example, the reference level in the imaging device is a reset level. In an endoscope system using an imaging device, it is important to reduce the size of the imaging device in order to reduce the size of a scope. For this reason, a CCD type imaging device has been generally used. However, since the output of the CCD type imaging device is analog, the length of the scope becomes long, so degradation of image quality due to superimposition of noise has been problematic. In recent years, in order to solve this problem, a digital-output CMOS type imaging device in which an AD conversion circuit is built has been used. As an AD conversion circuit (ADC) of an imaging device, a single-slope-type ADC (SS-type ADC) is generally used. The SS-type ADC compares an analog signal given to one input terminal of a comparator with a reference signal given to the other input terminal of the comparator. The reference signal decreases or increases as time passes. The SS-type ADC performs AD conversion by measuring the length of time until the voltage of the analog signal and the voltage of the reference signal match each other. After voltages of two input terminals of a differential amplifier included in the comparator are reset, the comparator starts comparison. Through the resetting, the voltages of the two input terminals become almost the same. There is a case in which some variation remains in the voltages of the two input terminals after the resetting. For this reason, there is a case in which the output of the comparator is not inverted or a malfunction occurs in which the output of the comparator is inverted immediately after the reference signal is input. An SS-type ADC that is able to prevent the above-described malfunction is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application. First Publication No. 2006-340044. In the ADC disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2006-340044, after voltages of two input terminals of a differential amplifier included in a comparator are reset, a predetermined voltage is applied to the input terminal to which a reference signal is to be given. Thereafter, changing the reference signal is started and the comparator starts comparing a voltage of an analog signal with a voltage of the reference signal. In the ADC disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2006-340044, since the predetermined voltage is applied to the input terminal to which the reference signal is given, the voltage of the input terminal to which the reference signal is given becomes higher than the voltage of the input terminal to which the analog signal is given. For this reason, the output of the comparator is surely inverted after the comparator starts comparing the voltages. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to a first aspect of the present invention, an AD conversion circuit includes a comparator, a reset circuit, a measurement circuit, and a first signal generation circuit. The comparator that includes a first input terminal to which a first analog signal and a second analog signal are input and a second input terminal to which a reference signal having a voltage that is configured to gradually change is input. The comparator is configured to compare a first voltage of the first input terminal with a second voltage of the second input terminal. The comparator is configured to output a signal that represents a result of comparing the first voltage with the second voltage. The comparator is configured to complete comparing the first voltage with the second voltage when an amount of the first voltage and an amount of the second voltage satisfy a predetermined condition. The reset circuit is configured to reset a voltage of the first input terminal of the comparator and a voltage of the second input terminal of the comparator when the second analog signal is input to the first input terminal of the comparator. The measurement circuit is configured to measure a length of time from a timing at which the comparator starts comparing the first voltage with the second voltage to a timing at which the comparator completes comparing the first voltage with the second voltage. The first signal generation circuit is configured to generate the second analog signal having a third voltage higher or lower than a voltage of the first analog signal. The first analog signal is input to the first input terminal of the comparator after the voltage of the first input terminal of the comparator and the voltage of the second input terminal of the comparator are reset. The comparator is configured to start comparing the first voltage with the second voltage after the first analog signal is input to the first input terminal of the comparator. A voltage of the reference signal gradually decreases when the third voltage of the second analog signal is higher than the voltage of the first analog signal. The voltage of the reference signal gradually increases when the third voltage of the second analog signal is lower than the voltage of the first analog signal. According to a second aspect of the present invention, an imaging device includes the AD conversion circuit, a plurality of pixels, a column circuit, and a second signal generation circuit. The plurality of pixels that are disposed in a matrix shape and are configured to output a first pixel signal having a signal level and a second pixel signal having a reset level. The column circuit is disposed so as to correspond to one or more columns in an array of the plurality of pixels and is configured to generate a difference signal in accordance with a difference between the reset level and the signal level. The second signal generation circuit is configured to generate the first analog signal on the basis of the difference signal and the second analog signal. According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect, the second signal generation circuit may include a differential amplifier, a first resistance element, and a second resistance element. The differential amplifier may include a first input terminal, a second input terminal, and an output terminal. Each of the first resistance element and the second resistance element may include a first terminal and a second terminal. The difference signal may be input to the first input terminal of the differential amplifier. The first terminals of the first resistance element and the second resistance element may be connected to the second input terminal of the differential amplifier. The second analog signal may be input to the second terminal of the first resistance element. The second terminal of the second resistance element may be connected to the output terminal of the differential amplifier. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect, the column circuit may include a first capacitance element configured to hold the difference signal. The second signal generation circuit may include a differential amplifier and a second capacitance element. The differential amplifier may include a first input terminal, a second input terminal, and an output terminal. The second capacitance element may include a first terminal and a second terminal. The difference signal may be input to the second input terminal of the differential amplifier. The first terminal of the second capacitance element may be connected to the second input terminal of the differential amplifier. The second terminal of the second capacitance element may be connected to the output terminal of the differential amplifier. A signal that is based on the second analog signal may be input to the first input terminal of the differential amplifier. According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, an imaging device includes the AD conversion circuit, a plurality of pixels, a column circuit, and a second signal generation circuit. The plurality of pixels that are disposed in a matrix shape and are configured to output a first pixel signal having a signal level and a second pixel signal having a reset level. The first pixel signal and the second pixel signal are sequentially input to the first input terminal of the comparator as the first analog signal. According to a sixth or seventh aspect of the present invention, in any one of the second to fifth aspects, an endoscope system includes the imaging device.

11453519

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a national phase of PCT/EP2019/074564, filed Sep. 13, 2019, and claims priority to German Patent Application No. 10 2018 215 854.1, filed Sep. 18, 2018, the entire contents of both of which are hereby incorporated by reference. FIELD OF APPLICATION AND PRIOR ART The invention relates to a method and to a device for feeding products from a first process to a second process in a packaging plant. Various processes, such as filling, closing or cartoning, for example, are carried out in a packaging plant. It is known for separate machines or modules to be provided for each of the individual processes. Products or precursors (hereunder generally referred to as products) are conveyed according to the requirements in each machine or each module. Before, during or after the individual processes, the products are conveyed at a conveying speed and arrangement that is typically determined by the process. The individual processes herein may render different conveying speeds or arrangements of the products necessary or expedient. OBJECT AND SOLUTION It is the object of the invention to provide a method and a device for feeding products from a first process to a second process in a packaging plant, wherein the products from the first process are provided with a first placing pattern, and wherein at least the first placing pattern is variable. According to a first aspect, a method for feeding products from a first process to a second process in a packaging plant is provided, wherein a buffer device is provided between the first process and the second process, wherein the buffer device has a closed conveying section having a receiving position for receiving products in receiving groups from the first process, and having a transfer position for transferring products in transfer groups to the second process, and a plurality of conveying units which at least in portions along the conveying section can be driven in a mutually independent manner, and wherein the products from the first process are in each case provided in receiving groups with a variable first placing pattern, the method comprising the following steps a) providing empty conveying units for receiving the receiving groups at the receiving position of the buffer device, wherein conveying units which in terms of their number and arrangement correspond to the associated first placing pattern are provided for each receiving group to be relocated, b) displacing loaded conveying units along the buffer device downstream of the receiving position so as to form a product stream while ungrouping the receiving groups, and c) providing loaded conveying units at the transfer position of the buffer device, wherein loaded conveying units which in terms of their number and arrangement correspond to an associated second placing pattern are provided for each transfer group to be relocated. According to a second aspect, a device for feeding products from a first process to a second process in a packaging plant is provided, wherein the products from the first process can be provided in receiving groups with a variable first placing pattern, said device comprising a buffer device which is provided between the first process and the second process, wherein the buffer device has a closed conveying section having a receiving position for receiving products in receiving groups from the first process, and having a transfer position for transferring products in transfer groups to the second process, and a plurality of conveying units which at least in portions along the conveying section can be driven in a mutually independent manner, and a control installation which is specified and configured for actuating the conveying units such that a) empty conveying units for receiving the receiving groups can be provided at the receiving position of the buffer device, wherein conveying units which in terms of their number and arrangement correspond to the associated first placing pattern can be provided for each receiving group to be relocated, b) loaded conveying units can be displaced along the buffer device downstream of the receiving position so as to form a product stream while ungrouping the receiving groups, and c) loaded conveying units can be provided at the transfer position of the buffer device, wherein loaded conveying units which in terms of their number and arrangement correspond to an associated second placing pattern can be provided for each transfer group to be relocated. According to the invention, conveying units for each relocating procedure of one receiving group from the first process to the buffer device are provided only at those locations of the receiving position where a product is to be received. The conveying units are subsequently individually displaced such that a product stream is formed, wherein the assignment of the products to one receiving group is cancelled. Transfer groups for the subsequent second process can then be formed from the product stream. Exactly one receiving position and exactly one transfer position are provided in one design embodiment. In other design embodiments, more than one receiving position and/or more than one transfer position are provided. A design having a plurality of transfer positions herein can be advantageous in particular, for example so as to transfer products from a first process operating at a higher rate to a slower second process, wherein the processing by the second process takes place in multiple tracks. In one design embodiment, the conveying units each have dedicated drives. In other design embodiments, the conveying units are passive units, wherein the conveying section is actuated so as to apply to the conveying units driving forces in order for the conveying units to be moved along the conveying section. The conveying section and the conveying units particularly preferably form linear motors, wherein the conveying section has a stator device and the conveying units each have one or a plurality of permanent magnets. A design of the buffer device in such a manner as a linear motor system has the advantage that the conveying units can be individually and precisely actuated. Moreover, tracing of products is possible on account of the products being displaced in conveying units such that it can be established in which transfer groups products from a specific receiving group have been transferred, despite the receiving groups being cancelled. It is obvious to the person skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to two processes and, in deviating design embodiments, more than one process feeds products to the buffer device and/or products from the buffer device are transferred to more than one process. Likewise, the definitions “first” and “second” serve only for differentiating the individual components or processes and characterize neither any relevance nor any order of the components or processes. In one design embodiment, the receiving groups and/or the transfer groups are relocated in groups, for example by means of a gripping installation. On account of the conveying units being provided in a variable manner so as to correspond to the variable first placing pattern at the receiving position, group-wise relocating is possible without empty conveying units, that is to say conveying units without any picked-up product making their way into a region downstream of the receiving position, to the transfer position of the device and thus to the second process. Likewise, group-wise relocating of the products provided in the conveying units to the second process is possible in groups in the case of a variable second placing pattern without products being relocated at positions in the second process where no products are desired. In advantageous design embodiments, all first placing patterns of the groups of products provided by the first process can be represented by a matrix having at least one column and at least one row, wherein, depending on the current placing pattern, all positions of the matrix are occupied, or individual or a plurality of positions of the matrix have a gap. Group-wise relocating of the products herein is possible by means of a gripping installation, for example, which has one gripping unit for each position of the matrix. If no product is disposed at a position of the matrix, this does not affect a relocation procedure of the remaining products of the group. Depending on the embodiment, the gripping installation carries out, for example, a linear movement, a rotary movement, or a combined movement, for relocating the group of products. It is also conceivable herein that the group of products is distorted while being relocated, that is to say that a spacing of the products within the group is varied. In one design embodiment, defective products are ejected before or when being transferred to the buffer device, wherein the first placing pattern has a gap at the position of the products ejected or to be ejected. In one design embodiment herein it is provided that the products to be ejected are gripped conjointly with the products to be relocated. The products to be ejected, when relocating the first group of products, are repositioned to a location at the receiving position where no conveying unit is provided, so that the products can be rejected under the influence of gravity. In other design embodiments, the products are ejected prior to being relocated, wherein the gripping unit assigned to that position grips into a “void”. In one design embodiment, the products are provided by the first process so that the products as a stream are individually disposed behind one another in the conveying direction, wherein in one design embodiment a receiving group is captured as a receiving group of products that are disposed behind one another in the conveying direction and is relocated to the buffer device. In advantageous design embodiments, the first process provides the products so as to be in rows disposed behind one another in a conveying direction, wherein the receiving group comprises at least one row. In one design embodiment, the receiving group comprises exactly one row, wherein products to be ejected or gaps by virtue of products already ejected may be present at individual positions of the row. In another design embodiment, the receiving groups of products comprises N rows, where N is greater than or equal to two, wherein the conveying units at least at the receiving position are disposed in N tracks and the N rows are relocated into the conveying units disposed in N tracks. In one design embodiment, the conveying section across the entire profile has N tracks, wherein relocating from the N tracks to N subsequent processes or in transfer groups having N rows is conceivable. In other design embodiments, the N tracks are at least partially converged. In one design embodiment, a number of products in the transfer group to the second process corresponds to a nominal number of products in the receiving group, wherein any potential gaps in the placing pattern of the receiving group are closed when the conveying units are moved along the conveying section. In other design embodiments, the at least one transfer group of products is provided with a variable second placing pattern. The first placing pattern and the second placing pattern may deviate from one another. In one design embodiment, the products in the receiving group and the transfer group are in each case disposed in one row, wherein the rows are of identical length, but at least one group has a gap at regular or irregular spacings. In other design embodiments, the products in the receiving group and the transfer group are disposed in rows of dissimilar length. The loaded conveying units are at least temporarily moved individually along the conveying section so as to enable the products from the first placing pattern to convert to the second placing pattern. The products herein are preferably conveyed along the conveying section in a continuous product stream. The method and/or the device can be advantageously used for linking various processes in one packaging plant. For example, the method and/or the device can be used in the production and packaging of beverage capsules, comprising a capsule-filling machine and a cartoner. A first process herein is carried out by means of the capsule-filling machine. Filled and closed capsules are provided by the capsule-filling machine. The products are provided in rows disposed behind one another in a conveying direction, for example. It is an objective that correctly filled and closed capsules are exclusively supplied to the cartoner. In order for this to be guaranteed, the products are checked prior to being transferred and when substandard refused before or when being transferred to the buffer device, for example. In this case, a placing pattern of the receiving group of products has gaps. Group-wise relocating to the buffer device without empty conveying units being transported from the receiving position to the transfer position of the buffer device and leading to undesirable flaws in subsequent processes is possible by providing the conveying units so as to correspond to a placing pattern. When cartoning, the capsules can be converted to an individual placing pattern, depending on the packaging requirements. This is possible in an effective manner since the products fed from the capsule-filling machine are converted to a flawless reproducible order in the buffer device.

11325200

FIELD The present disclosure relates to a wire feeding system for feeding a wire, and also to a welding system including the wire feeding system. BACKGROUND A consumable electrode type welding system performs welding by using a welding wire fed as an electrode. In such a system, a wire feeding apparatus and a welding torch are connected to each other via a long torch cable so as to allow welding to be performed in a wider area. However, a longer torch cable gives greater resistance to the welding wire being fed, and prevents the welding wire from being moved smoothly. This causes an arc to be unstable. As a method for solving the problem, a structure for feeding a welding wire is provided near an end of the feeding path of the welding wire. This structure pulls the welding wire to apply tension so as to reduce the feed resistance of the welding wire. Such a feeding system for a welding wire is referred to as a push-pull feeding system. An example of a push-pull feeding system is disclosed in JP-A-2006-907. A pull-side feed mechanism for pulling a welding wire may be mounted on a welding torch. Alternatively, the mechanism may be configured as a pull feeder disposed at a position near the welding torch along the feeding path. The welding torch is held by an operator to perform welding during a welding process. For this reason, it is desirable that the welding torch be compact and lightweight. Also, when the operator moves from one welding spot to the next, the pull feeder is carried to the next welding spot along with the welding torch. Accordingly, it is also desirable that the pull feeder be compact and lightweight. Thus, the welding torch and the pull feeder do not have their respective power supplies for motors and other power supplies for microcomputers for controlling the motors, but share a single power supply for both the motors and the microcomputers. Also, for reduction in size and weight, the power capacity of the power supply is kept relatively low. In such a configuration, a problem may arise when a command is issued to greatly change the feeding speed of the welding wire. For example, the feeding speed of the welding wire may be greatly changed when the feeding speed is changed along the switching of welding conditions or when a transition to slowdown occurs due to an arc break process. When a command is issued to greatly change the feeding speed, the voltage drops due to the transient response of the motor. As a result, the voltage of the power supply may drop and the voltage supplied to the microcomputer may run short. In this case, an error of voltage abnormality of the power supply may be detected and the supply of the welding power may stop, or the microcomputer may be unable to maintain its operation. FIGS. 12A-Dillustrate a result of simulation regarding the state of the pull-side feed mechanism, in which a speed command for the feeding speed of the welding wire is decreased.FIG. 12Ashows a temporal change of the speed command,FIG. 12Bshows a temporal change of the rotation frequency (rotation per unit time) of the motor,FIG. 12Cshows a temporal change of the drive current from the power supply, andFIG. 12Dshows a temporal change of power supply voltage. When the speed command decreases at t0, the rotation frequency of the motor is decreased to correspond to the speed command. During a transient period in which the motor rotation frequency decreases, a large drive current flows from the power supply. This is because a reverse current is supplied to the motor in order to greatly decrease the rotation frequency of the motor. Since a large drive current flows from the power supply, the power supply voltage is greatly lowered. A greater decrease in the speed command causes a greater decrease in the power supply voltage. When the power supply voltage falls below the threshold value, an error indicating a voltage abnormality is detected. When the power supply voltage further decreases, the microcomputer is reset due to insufficient voltage. Similarly, when the speed command indicates an increase in the feeding speed, the power supply voltage decreases in the transient period in which the rotation frequency of the motor rises. SUMMARY The present disclosure has been proposed under the circumstances described above, and an object of the present disclosure is to provide a wire feeding system for push-pull feeding, where the system is capable of preventing a decrease in the power supply voltage on the pull side when the feeding speed of the welding wire is changed. Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a welding system including the above-noted wire feeding system. According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a wire feeding system that includes: a first feeder provided with a first feeding motor that feeds a wire in a wire feeding direction; a second feeder spaced apart from the first feeder in the wire feeding direction and provided with a second feeding motor that feeds the wire in the wire feeding direction; and a controller that controls a rotation speed of the first feeding motor based on a first speed command and controls a rotation speed of the second feeding motor based on a second speed command, where the controller gradually changes the second speed command over time when an amount of change of the second speed command is not within a predetermined range. According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a welding system that includes: a welding torch; a welding power-supply apparatus that supplies power to the welding torch; and a wire feeding system of the first aspect for feeding the wire to the welding torch. According to the present disclosure, when the controller is to change the feeding speed of the wire, and the amount of change of the second speed command is not within the predetermined range, the controller does not change the second speed command but rather gradually change the second speed command over time. This prevents the voltage of the power supply of the second feeder from being lowered at the time of changing the feeding speed of the wire. As a result, even when the power supply for supplying power to the second feeding motor also supplies power to the microcomputer for controlling the rotation of the second feeding motor, the voltage supplied to the microcomputer is prevented from lowering. Other features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the detailed description given below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

11532367

TECHNICAL FIELD Embodiments of the disclosure relate generally to memory sub-systems, and more specifically, relate to managing programming convergence associated with memory cells of a memory sub-system. BACKGROUND A memory sub-system can include one or more memory devices that store data. The memory devices can be, for example, non-volatile memory devices and volatile memory devices. In general, a host system can utilize a memory sub-system to store data at the memory devices and to retrieve data from the memory devices.

11353422

BACKGROUND Chemical sensors may be installed in a wellbore to determine properties of downhole fluids, including composition, concentration, and partial pressure, among others. Chemical sensors may be integrally or otherwise connected to an optical waveguide. A string of chemical sensors may be installed in the wellbore to provide information at various locations. In the wellbore, chemical sensors may degrade over time for various reasons and may require continuous or periodic recalibration and/or refreshing of constituent analytical reagents along a chemical sensor string. Periodic recalibration of these chemical sensors may be necessary due to their exposure to high temperature corrosive aqueous fluids found in both flowing and stagnant cavities along a wellbore. Additionally, deposits may form on or around the chemical sensors due to their contact with various heavy hydrocarbons and/or other fluids commonly present downhole. These deposits may form layers on top of the sensor element. Such deposits may cause a slower response for the chemical sensors or may cause them to have an incorrect reading.

11514934

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE Field of the Disclosure Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to a dual free layer (DFL) two dimensional magnetic recording (TDMR) read head. Description of the Related Art Two dimensional magnetic recording (TDMR) read heads generally have a first sensor, oftentimes referred to as a lower reader and a second sensor, oftentimes referred to as an upper reader. The readers each have lower and upper shields with an insulating reader separation gap (RSG) therebetween. Both the top reader and the bottom reader are substantially identical, each comprising two free layers to be dual free layer (DFL) readers or sensors. In DFL reader operation, the two free layers or each reader are individually stabilized longitudinally by an anti-ferromagnetically coupled (AFC) soft bias (SB) and biased transversally by a permanent magnet or a rear hard bias (RHB) structure from the stripe back edge of the sensor. A transverse bias field of TDMR read heads is determined by the remnant magnetization (Mr) times thickness (t) product (i.e., Mr*t) of the RHB structure. Since a saturation magnetization, Ms, and thus, the Mr of the RHB is quite limited (e.g., as compared to the Ms of the soft bias), a thicker RHB is generally required to achieve the desired transverse bias field. The thicker RHB needed results in an increased topography along the reader stripe height (SH) direction. The large topography poses a challenge to TDMR DFL reader designs, as the large topography limits the read head's capacity in down track spacing (DTS), somewhat offsetting the intrinsic narrow shield-shield (S-S) advantage of DFL readers. A wide DTS can cause the two readers to become misaligned at large skew, thereby limiting the fraction of the disk accessible in TDMR mode. As such, the lower reader and the upper reader may perform asymmetrically with different performance and reliability. Therefore, there is a need in the art for an improved TDMR read head. SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure generally relates to a dual free layer (DFL) two dimensional magnetic recording (TDMR) read head. The read head comprises a first sensor, a first rear hard bias (RHB) structure disposed adjacent to the first sensor, an upper shield disposed over the first sensor and first RHB structure, a lower shield disposed over the upper shield, a second sensor disposed over the lower shield, and a second RHB structure disposed adjacent to the second sensor. A first surface of the first sensor is substantially flush or aligned with a first surface of the first RHB structure. A first surface of the second sensor is substantially flush or aligned with a first surface of the second RHB structure. The upper shield extends linearly from a media facing surface into the read head. The first RHB structure is positioned by over-milling for a greater amount of time into the first lower shield than the second RHB structure. In one embodiment, a read head comprises a first lower shield, a first upper shield over the first lower shield, a first sensor disposed at a media facing surface (MFS) between the first lower shield and the first upper shield, the first sensor comprising a first surface disposed adjacent to the first upper shield, a first rear hard bias (RHB) structure disposed adjacent to the first sensor between the first lower shield and the first upper shield, the first RHB structure being recessed from the MFS, wherein a first surface of the first RHB structure is substantially aligned with the first surface of the first sensor, a second lower shield disposed over the first upper shield, a second sensor disposed at the MFS between the second lower shield and the second upper shield, the second sensor comprising a first surface disposed adjacent to the second lower shield, and a second RHB structure disposed adjacent to the second sensor adjacent to the second lower shield, the second RHB structure being recessed from the MFS, wherein a first surface of the second RHB structure is substantially aligned with the first surface of the second sensor. In another embodiment, a read head comprises a first lower shield, a first sensor disposed at a media facing surface (MFS) on the first lower shield, a first rear hard bias (RHB) structure disposed adjacent to the first sensor, the first RHB structure being recessed from the MFS, a first upper shield over the first sensor and the first RHB structure, the first upper shield extending substantially linearly from the MFS into the read head, a read separation gap disposed over the first upper shield, the read separation gap extending substantially linearly from the MFS into the read head, a second lower shield disposed over the read separation gap, a second sensor disposed at the MFS on the first lower shield, a second RHB structure disposed adjacent to the second sensor, the second RHB structure being recessed from the MFS, and a second upper shield over the second sensor and the second RHB structure. In yet another embodiment, a read head comprises a first lower shield, a first upper shield over the first lower shield, a first dual free layer (DFL) sensor disposed at a media facing surface (MFS) between the first lower shield and the first upper shield, the first sensor comprising a first surface disposed adjacent to the first upper shield, a first rear hard bias (RHB) structure disposed adjacent to the first sensor between the first lower shield and the first upper shield, the first RHB structure being recessed from the MFS, wherein a first surface of the first RHB structure is substantially aligned with the first surface of the first sensor, a read separation gap disposed over the first upper shield, the read separation gap extending substantially linearly from the MFS into the read head, a second lower shield disposed over the read separation gap, a second DFL sensor disposed at the MFS on the first lower shield, and a second RHB structure disposed adjacent to the second sensor, the second RHB structure being recessed from the MFS, wherein a down-track spacing between the first sensor and the second sensor is about 80 nm.

11265356

RELATED APPLICATION DATA This applications claims the benefit of Swedish Patent Application No. 1830058-2, filed Feb. 22, 2018, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION The technology of the present disclosure relates generally to wireless communications among electronic devices in a network environment and, more particularly, to methods of providing and employing network assistance during dynamic streaming of data containing multiple segments, and related devices. BACKGROUND In a network, such as a cellular or mobile network, a client may receive streaming data content that includes multiple data segments. Each data segment may correspond to data which represents a period of time for the streaming data. Further, multiple segments available at the streaming data source may represent the same period of time, but may represent different versions of the content for the given time period. A client requesting segments from the video source may request multiple segments to be transmitted via the network. Hence, the data stream from the source to the client may consist of multiple segments being transmitted simultaneously or at least in close connection to each other. Transmitting each data segment in the network requires a portion of the available system capacity even though some segments may be more important than others based on the needs of the client. Exemplary problems that arise with such a multi-segment data stream can be seen in the implementation of a virtual reality (VR) data stream. One problem is that the VR stream can contain multiple segments representing the same time period, but having different importance depending on a user's field of view. In this situation, a low priority VR stream segment would potentially use valuable bandwidth that would be more effectively utilized with a higher priority segment. This may lead to stalling of media playback in the users field of view and dissatisfaction in the viewer experience. It will be appreciated that other issues and technical implementation challenges may be addressed by the disclosed techniques. There exists a need to improve multi-segment data streaming through a cellular or mobile network. SUMMARY Disclosed are features that may enhance the quality of experience (QoE) of data streaming services in situations where the data includes a plurality of data segments. The disclosed features may improve the QoE specifically when operating on a network where transmission capability is varying over time, and/or where spectrum resources are shared among multiple users, for example in a wireless mobile or cellular network according to any appropriate set of standards such as those promulgated by 3GPP. According to one aspect of the disclosure, a method of streaming data with a streaming client comprises establishing a network assistance (NA) session with a network element for streaming data from a data source; receiving data from the data source, the data comprising a plurality of data segments; assigning relative priorities indicative of at least two different transmission priorities to at least two different data segments of the plurality of data segments; and informing the network element of the relative priorities. According to one embodiment of the method, the method further comprises receiving a network assistance response that comprises information indicative of recommended rates for one or more of the relative priorities. According to one embodiment of the method, the method further comprises requesting, from the data source, the at least two different data segments corresponding to the respective recommended rates. According to one embodiment of the method, the method further comprises assigning a highest priority indicative of a highest priority request for an upcoming data segment reception. According to one embodiment of the method, the method further comprises receiving a recommended rate for the upcoming data segment. According to one embodiment of the method, the method further comprises receiving an acknowledgement message indicating whether the recommended rate for the upcoming data segment was assigned as a highest available rate by the network element in response to the highest priority request. According to one embodiment of the method, the method further comprises receiving information specifying an allocation of network resources dedicated for at least one of communication with the network element or downloading the data. According to one embodiment of the method, the information specifying an allocation of network resources comprises at least one of an access point name, a quality of service indicator, an IP address, a mobile cell ID, or a radio access technology. According to one embodiment of the method, the network element is configured to provide a NA service that supports network assistance under dynamic adaptive streaming over hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) (DASH), the network element being a DASH-aware network element (DANE). According to one embodiment of the method, the NA service uses standard server and network assisted DASH (SAND) message envelopes. According to one embodiment of the method, the data represents a virtual reality (VR) environment (78), and each segment of the plurality of segments represents a tile (80) of the VR environment. According to one embodiment of the method, the relative priorities are assigned based on a user's field of view (FOV) with respect to the VR environment. According to one embodiment of the method, assigning relative priorities to the at least two different segments comprises assigning a first priority to an in-FOV tile and/or a second priority to a peripheral FOV tile, and/or a third priority to an out of FOV tile. According to one embodiment of the method, the first priority corresponds with a first recommended rate, the second priority corresponds with a second recommended rate, and the third priority corresponds with a third recommended rate, wherein the first recommended rate corresponds to higher quality video than the second recommended rate, and the second recommended rate corresponds to higher quality video than the third recommended rate. According to another aspect of the disclosure, a method of providing network assistance (NA) by a network element during streaming of data from a data source to a streaming client, comprises establishing a network assistance (NA) session with the streaming client; receiving from the streaming client a network assistance request that comprises relative priorities pertaining to at least two different segments of data; and responding to the streaming client with a network assistance response that provides a recommended rate for at least one of the relative priorities. According to one embodiment of the method, the method further comprises receiving a highest priority request for an upcoming data segment. According to one embodiment of the method, the method further comprises responding to the highest priority request with a recommended rate for the upcoming data segment. According to one embodiment of the method, responding to the high priority request includes sending an acknowledgement message indicating whether the recommended rate for the upcoming data segment was assigned as a highest available rate in response to the highest priority request. According to one embodiment of the method, the method further comprises providing the streaming client with information specifying an allocation of network resources dedicated for at least one of communication with the network element or downloading the data. According to one embodiment of the method, the information specifying an allocation of network resources comprises at least one of an access point name, a quality of service indicator, an IP address, a mobile cell ID, or a radio access technology. According to one embodiment of the method, the network element is configured to provide a NA service that supports network assistance under dynamic adaptive streaming over hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) (DASH), the network element being a DASH-aware network element (DANE). According to one embodiment of the method, the NA service uses standard server and network assisted DASH (SAND) message envelopes. According to one embodiment of the method, the data represents a virtual reality (VR) environment, and each segment of the one or more segments represents a tile of the VR environment. According to one embodiment of the method, the relative priorities correspond to a user's field of view (FOV) with respect to the VR environment. According to one embodiment of the method, the recommended rates associate a first recommended rate with an in field of view (FOV) tile, and/or a second recommended rate with a peripheral FOV tile, and/or a third recommended rate to an out of FOV tile, wherein the first recommended rate corresponds to higher quality video than the second recommended rate, and the second recommended rate corresponds to higher quality video than the third recommended rate.

11246089

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to wireless communications, and specifically relates to network slicing in a fifth generation (5G) system. 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. Fifth generation (5G) network architecture developed by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) supports network slicing. For example, a common physical infrastructure can be partitioned into multiple slices of logical networks. Different network slices can have different supported features and network function optimizations, and thus can be adapted to different use cases. A specific network slice can be identified by a parameter called S-NSSAI, short for “single network slice selection assistance information”. An S-NSSAI can include two portions: a slice/service type (SST) indicating an expected network slice behavior in terms of features and services, and optionally, a slice differentiator (SD) that complements the SST to differentiate among multiple network slices of a same slice/service type. SUMMARY Aspects of the disclosure provide a method of registering to slices with mapped single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI) alone in a 5G system (5GS). The method can include, upon a user equipment (UE) entering a visited public land mobile network (VPLMN), the UE having a first packet data network (PDN) connection or a first protocol data unit (PDU) session that is to be transferred to the VPLMN and associated with a first home public land mobile network (HPLMN) S-NSSAI, determining whether the UE has a first VPLMN S-NSSAI applicable in the VPLMN corresponding to the first HPLMN S-NSSAI. In response to the UE not having the first VPLMN S-NSSAI applicable in the VPLMN corresponding to the first HPLMN S-NSSAI, a registration request message can be transmitted to register to a slice of the VPLMN for transferring the first PDN connection or the first PDU session to the VPLMN. The registration request message can include the first HPLMN S-NSSAI as a first mapped S-NSSAI for indicating the slice of the VPLMN to which the UE intends to register for transferring the first PDN connection or the first PDU session. In an embodiment, the first HPLMN S-NSSAI is included in a requested mapped network slice selection assistance information (NSSAI) information element (IE). In an embodiment, the first PDN connection is established in S1 mode when the UE operates in a single registration mode, and the UE is performing an intersystem change from S1 mode to N1 mode to the VPLMN. In another embodiment, for the first PDU session that is to be transferred to the VPLMN, the UE is performing mobility from N1 mode to N1 mode from another VPLMN to the VPLMN. In a further embodiment, for the first PDU session that is to be transferred to the VPLMN, the UE is performing mobility from N1 mode to N1 mode from the HPLMN to the VPLMN. In an embodiment, in response to the UE not having any S-NSSAI applicable in the VPLMN, the requested mapped NSSAI IE does not include any S-NSSAIs. In an embodiment, the requested mapped NSSAI IE does not include any S-NSSAI applicable in the VPLMN. In an embodiment, the UE has a second VPLMN S-NSSAI applicable in the VPLMN for a second PDN connection or a second PDU session that is to be transferred to the VPLMN and associated with a second HPLMN S-NSSAI. The registration request message further includes a requested NSSAI IE that includes (1) the second VPLMN S-NSSAI applicable in the VPLMN for indicating a slice to which the UE intends to register for transferring the second PDN connection or the second PDU session, and (2) the second HPLMN S-NSSAI as a second mapped S-NSSAI corresponding to the second VPLMN S-NSSAI applicable in the VPLMN. An embodiment of the method can further include receiving a registration accept message including an allowed NSSAI IE that includes an allowed S-NSSAI for the slice of the VPLMN to which the UE intends to register and the mapped S-NSSAI corresponding to the allowed S-NSSAI, and associating the allowed S-NSSAI and first mapped S-NSSAI with a PDU session that is established in the VPLMN and corresponds to the first PDN connection or the first PDU session. Aspects of the disclosure further provide an apparatus including circuitry. The circuitry is configured to, upon a UE entering a VPLMN, the UE having a first PDN connection or a first PDU session that is to be transferred to the VPLMN and associated with a first HPLMN S-NSSAI, determine whether the UE has a first VPLMN S-NSSAI applicable in the VPLMN corresponding to the first HPLMN S-NSSAI. In response to the UE not having the first VPLMN S-NSSAI applicable in the VPLMN corresponding to the first HPLMN S-NSSAI, the circuitry can further transmit a registration request message to register to a slice of the VPLMN for transferring the first PDN connection or the first PDU session to the VPLMN. The registration request message can include the first HPLMN S-NSSAI as a first mapped S-NSSAI for indicating the slice of the VPLMN to which the UE intends to register for transferring the first PDN connection or the first PDU session. Aspects of the disclosure further provide a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions implementing the method of registering to slices with mapped S-NSSAI alone in a 5GS.

11398752

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates generally to wireless charging of batteries, including batteries in mobile computing devices, and more particularly to detection of foreign objects during a charging operation. BACKGROUND Wireless charging systems have been deployed to enable certain types of devices to charge internal batteries without the use of a physical charging connection. Devices that can take advantage of wireless charging include mobile processing and/or communication devices. Standards, such as the Qi standard defined by the Wireless Power Consortium enable devices manufactured by a first supplier to be wirelessly charged using a charger manufactured by a second supplier. Standards for wireless charging are optimized for relatively simple configurations of devices and tend to provide basic charging capabilities. Improvements in wireless charging capabilities are required to support continually increasing complexity of mobile devices and changing form factors. For example, there is a need for improved wireless transmission power control, including detection of foreign objects that may affect wireless transmission of power when placed on or near a charging device.

11513769

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a data acquisition system, an input device, a data acquisition apparatus, and a data combining apparatus. The present application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2018-070000 filed on Mar. 30, 2018, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Description of Related Art In facilities such as plants and factories, a data acquisition system is used to collect and store measurement data. The main devices that make up the data acquisition system are, for example, an input device and a recorder. Here, the recorder is an example of a data acquisition apparatus. The input device measures field data such as voltage and temperature at a predetermined cycle and holds the measurement value until the next measurement. The measurement data such as measurement values are automatically sent to the recorder after the input device has measured, or the recorder gathers the measurement data via communication and the recorder displays and records the measurement data. Therefore, the input device itself does not need to have a function to measure time (real time clock), a function for managing time, and a function for storing measurement data. Therefore, it is impossible to later retrieve the measurement data from the input device, or to check the measurement data by operating the input device or the like, using a device such as a personal computer (PC), for example. The recorder collects the measurement data transmitted from the input device, writes the measurement data into its own memory, and then saves the measurement data as recorded data. However, the recorder does not manage which input device the saved recording data was sent from. A data acquisition apparatus saving measurement data in an internal memory and automatically saving the measurement data in an external medium is disclosed in the following literature: “1.1.3 Reliably saving recorded data” on pages 1 to 4 of Technical Information, Introduction of various functions of data acquisition system GM, TI 04L55B01-01JA, Jun. 26, 2017, 3rd edition (YK), TI 04L55B01-01JA, Yokogawa Electric Corporation, [Searched on Mar. 1, 2018], the Internet <URL:https://y-link.yokogawa.com/download/document/ti/TI04L55B01-01JA.pdf> In the system configuration as described above, in a case where an abnormal event such as communication abnormality occurs in a case where the recorder collects the measurement data, measurement data may not be collected. Also, recorded data is lost during the period in which the recorder cannot collect the measurement data. A method of duplexing recorders has also been used so as to later find what kind of state the measurement data of an input device was in a period in which measurement data was missing. In the duplexing method, for example, using the two recorders, measurement data obtained in one of the input devices is collected and stored in both of the two recorders. Therefore, in a case where a measurement data loss time period occurs in one of the recorders, measurement data during that period could be found later with the other of the recorders. In the prior art, in a case where the recorders are duplexed described above, an example of processing procedure in each of the devices is as follows. The two recorder are referred to as a recorder A and a recorder B for the sake of convenience. The input device measures the field data at a predetermined timing. The input device then sends measurement data to each of the recorder A and the recorder B. Thereafter, when the measurement timing comes again, the input device measures the field data again. Hereinafter, the above will be repeated. On the other hand, the recorder A receives the measurement data transmitted from the input device. Then, the recorder A writes the measurement data received from the input device into its own memory and holds the measurement data. At this time, the recorder A writes the time when measurement data was received into the memory in a form related to the measurement data by referring to the timekeeping function managed by itself. Thereafter, the recorder A repeats receiving measurement data from the input device and saving the received measurement data. At a certain timing, due to an abnormal state, the recorder A cannot receive measurement data from the input device. This causes loss of measurement data in the recorder A. After the abnormal situation is resolved, the recorder A resumes reception of measurement data from the input device and storage of the measurement data. Finally, the recorder A stores the measurement data, which is to be saved, into a data file, and ends the processing. Also, like the recorder A, the recorder B receives the measurement data transmitted from the above input device. Then, the recorder B writes the measurement data received from the input device into its own memory and holds the measurement data. The recorder B also writes the time at the time of reception of the measurement data into the memory in association with the measurement data by referring to the timekeeping function managed by the recorder B itself. In the recorder B, no abnormal condition like that occurred in recorder A occurs, Therefore, the measurement data loss does not occur in the recorder B. Thereafter, the recorder B repeats the reception of the measurement data from the input device and the storage of the received measurement data. Finally, the recorder B stores the measurement data, which is to be saved, into a data file, and ends the processing. In a case where the input device, the recorder A, and the recorder B perform the above processing, the administrator of the data acquisition system can collate the data file generated by the recorder A with the data file generated by the recorder B. As a result, the administrator collates the time and the measurement data recorded in each data file with each other, and recognizes that there is a measurement data loss period in the recorder A. In addition, the administrator can supplement measurement data missing in the data file of the recorder A from the data file of the recorder B. The input device itself does not have a means for confirming the measurement data later. That is, the input device itself does not have a memory for storing measurement data, for example. Therefore, in order to be able to confirm the situation even after a measurement data loss period occurs in a certain recorder, it was necessary to multiplex the data acquisition system with at least another recorder. As a result, the cost of the system increased. The measurement data sent from the input device to the recorder is not associated with a time. For this reason, time management relating to measurement data is exclusively dependent on the recorder side. Therefore, in a case where recorders are duplexed, it was necessary to strictly synchronize the real time clock between those two recorders in a scene where time consistency between the two recorders is strictly required. As a result, a burden was imposed on the functional configuration of the data acquisition system and the labor of maintenance and management. The recorder does not have the function of detecting the loss of measurement data. Therefore, in order to detect data loss, the administrator had to compare data files outputted by multiple recorders with each other after the incident. Even in the case of multiplexing recorder, there is a possibility that data loss may occur simultaneously in all multiplexed recorder. In this case, the administrator cannot complement the data missing part from the data of the recorders. Here, the main cause of occurrence of data loss is due to communication error between the input device and the recorder. In the case of wired communication, the frequency of occurrence of communication errors is extremely lower than in the case of wireless communication, so that data defects rarely occur simultaneously in all of the multiplexed recorders. However, in recent years, with the introduction of wireless communication into the input devices, the frequency of communication errors between the input device and the recorder becomes higher than before, so that data loss could really occur simultaneously in all of the multiplexed recorders. Therefore, the effect of multiplexing is becoming poorer than in the case of conventional wired communication. As described in the prior art, when any abnormality occurs between the input device and the recorder, a measurement data loss period occurs on the recorder side. As a need for the data acquisition system, there is a need to collect measurement data without missing data. Furthermore, there is a need to complement measurement data that could not be acquired if there is a measurement data missing period. Furthermore, there is also a need to know the situation of measurement data in the measurement data loss period. However, the prior art has the following problems. As already described with respect to the prior art, multiplexing the recorder has mainly a cost problem. Therefore, in preparation for data loss on the recorder side, it is conceivable to provide a memory in the input device and store measurement data and time information in the memory in association with each other. However, for that purpose, it is necessary for the input device to have a real time clock function. However, in order to realize the function of the real time clock on the input device side, it is necessary to solve various problems such as cost of electronic parts, placement restriction on the circuit board of the input device, power consumption during operation, and the like. In particular, increasing the cost of an inexpensive input device is a big problem. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A data acquisition system according to as aspect includes an input device, a data acquisition apparatus, and a data combining apparatus. The input device includes a data measurer configured to acquire measurement data by performing measurement, generate sequence information representing a sequence of the acquired measurement data, and transmit the measurement data and the sequence information to the data acquisition apparatus, and a first storage configured to store, as first data, the measurement data and the sequence information in association with each other. The data acquisition apparatus includes a data collector configured to, when the data collector receives the measurement data and the sequence information from the input device, generate time information in association with the measurement data and the sequence information, and when the data collector fails to receive a pair of the measurement data and the sequence information from the input device, generate data loss information indicating that the measurement data and the sequence information could not be received from the input device, and a second storage configured to store, as second data, the measurement data and the sequence information in association with the time information, and store the data loss information passed from the data collector. The data combining apparatus includes a data combiner configured to acquire the first data stored in the first storage, acquire the second data stored in the second storage, collate the sequence information included in the first data and the sequence information included in the second data, and replace the data loss information with the measurement data in the first data associated with a result of the collation, thereby generating combined data obtained by combining the first data and the second data. Further features and aspects of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiment with reference to the attached drawings.

11535681

STATEMENT REGARDING SEQUENCE LISTING The Sequence Listing associated with this application is provided in text format in lieu of a paper copy and is hereby incorporated by reference into the specification. The name of the text file containing the Sequence Listing is BLBD_093_01WO_ST25.txt. The text file is 9 KB, was created on Dec. 13, 2018, and is being submitted electronically via EFS-Web, concurrent with the filing of the specification. BACKGROUND Technical Field The present invention relates to sickled β-globin (βS) antibodies or antigen binding fragments thereof. Description of the Related Art Hemoglobinopathies are the most prevalent inherited diseases worldwide and result from abnormal β-globin synthesis or structure. Hemoglobinopathies are a diverse group of inherited blood disorders that involve the presence of abnormal hemoglobin molecules resulting from alterations in the structure and/or synthesis of hemoglobin. Normally, hemoglobin consists of four protein subunits: two subunits of β-globin and two subunits of α-globin. Each of these protein subunits is attached (bound) to an iron-containing molecule called heme; each heme contains an iron molecule in its center that can bind to one oxygen molecule. Hemoglobin within red blood cells binds to oxygen molecules in the lungs. These cells then travel through the bloodstream and deliver oxygen to tissues throughout the body. The most common hemoglobinopathies include sickle cell disease, β-thalassemia, and α-thalassemia. Sickle cell disease includes any symptomatic anemic condition which results from sickling of red blood cells. Sickle cell anemia βS/βS, a common form of sickle cell disease (SCD), is caused by Hemoglobin S (HbS). HbS is a tetramer of two βS globin sununits and two α-globin subunits. HbS is generated by replacement of glutamic acid (E) with valine (V) at position 6 in β-globin, noted as Glu6Val or E6V. The E6V position refers to the amino acid position in the final protein product because the first amino acid is removed after translation. Replacing glutamic acid with valine causes the abnormal HbS subunits to stick together and form long, rigid molecules that bend red blood cells into a sickle (crescent) shape. The sickle-shaped cells die prematurely, which can lead to a shortage of red blood cells (anemia). In addition, the sickle-shaped cells are rigid and can block small blood vessels, causing severe pain and organ damage. BRIEF SUMMARY The invention generally provides improved anti-sickled-globin antibodies and fragments thereof. The antibodies or antigen binding fragments thereof can be used to detect βS. βSis generated by replacement of glutamic acid (E) with valine (V) at position 6 in β-globin, noted as Glu6Val or E6V. The E6V position refers to the amino acid position in the final protein product because the first amino acid is removed after translation. In various embodiments, the anti-βS-globin antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof comprises a variable light chain sequence comprising CDRL1-CDRL3 sequences set forth in SEQ ID NOs: 1-3, and a variable heavy chain sequence comprising CDRH1-CDRH3 sequences set forth in SEQ ID NOs: 4-6. In particular embodiments, the antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof recognizes the βS, E6V mutation. In certain embodiments, the anti-βS-globin antibody or antigen binding fragment that binds the human βS-globin polypeptide is an scFv. In particular embodiments, the anti-βS-globin antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof comprises one or more light chain CDRs as set forth in any one of SEQ ID NOs: 1-3 and/or one or more heavy chain CDRs as set forth in any one of SEQ ID NOs: 4-6. In some embodiments, the anti-βS-globin antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof comprises a variable light chain sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 7 and/or a variable heavy chain sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 8. In various embodiments, a conjugate, comprises an anti-βS-globin antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof contemplated herein and a means for detection. In various embodiments, a conjugate, comprises an anti-βS-globin antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof contemplated herein and a detection means. In various embodiments, a conjugate, comprises an anti-βS-globin antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof contemplated herein and a detectable label. In some embodiments, the detectable label is selected from the group consisting of: a hapten, a fluorescent dye, a fluorescent protein, a chromophore, a metal ion, a gold particle, a silver particle, a magnetic particle, a polypeptide, an enzyme, a luminescent compound, or an oligonucleotide. In particular embodiments, the detectable label is a fluorescent dye selected from the group consisting of: Oregon Green®, Pacific Blue™, Pacific Orange™, Pacific Green™, Cascade Blue™, Cascade Yellow™, Lucifer Yellow™, Marina Blue™, and Texas Red® (TxRed). In certain embodiments, the detectable label is an AlexaFluor®(AF) dye selected from the group consisting of: AF350, AF405, AF488, AF500, AF514, AF532, AF546, AF555, AF568, AF594, AF610, AF633, AF635, AF647, AF680, AF700, AF710, AF750, AF790, and AF800. In some embodiments, the detectable label is a QDot® selected from the group consisting of: Qdot®525, Qdot®565, Qdot®585, Qdot®605, Qdot®655, Qdot®705, and Qdot®800. In particular embodiments, the detectable label is a DyLight™ Dye (DL) selected from the group consisting of: DL549, DL649, DL680, and DL800. In certain embodiments, the detectable label is a hapten selected from the group consisting of: fluorescein or a derivative thereof, fluorescein isothiocyanate, carboxyfluorescein, dichlorotriazinylamine fluorescein, digoxigenin, dinitrophenol (DNP), trinitrophenol (TNP), and biotin. In particular embodiments, the detectable label is a Cy Dye selected from the group consisting of: Cy2, Cy3, Cy3.5, Cy5, Cy5.5, Cy7, and Cy 7.5. In some embodiments, the detectable label is a fluorescent molecule selected from the group consisting of: Phycoerythrin (PE, R-Phycoerythrin (RPE)), B-Phycoerythrin (BPE), Peridinin Chlorophyll (PerCP), Allophycocyanin (APC), and C-Phycocyanin. In particular embodiments, the detectable label is a fluorescent dye selected from the group consisting of: Atto 390, Atto 425, Atto 465, Atto 488, Atto 495, Atto 514Atto 520, Atto 532, Atto 550, Atto 565, Atto 590, Atto 594, Atto 610, Atto 620, Atto 633, Atto 647, Atto 655, Atto 665, Atto 680, Atto 700, Atto 725, Atto 740, Super Bright™ 436, Super Bright™ 600, Super Bright™ 645, Super Bright™ 702, Super Bright™ 780, Brilliant™ Violet 421, Brilliant™ Violet 480, Brilliant™ Violet 510, Brilliant™ Violet 605, Brilliant Violet™ 650, Brilliant Violet™ 711, Brilliant Violet™ 786, Brilliant™ Ultraviolet 395 (BUV395), Brilliant™ Ultraviolet 496 (BUV496), Brilliant™ Ultraviolet 563 (BUV563), Brilliant™ Ultraviolet 661 (BUV661), Brilliant™ Ultraviolet 737 (BUV737), Brilliant™ Ultraviolet 805 (BUV805), Brilliant™ Blue 515 (BB515), Brilliant™ Blue 700 (BB700) and IR Dye 680, IR Dye 680LT, IR Dye 700, IR Dye 700DX, IR Dye 800, IR Dye 800RS, and IR Dye 800CW. In certain embodiments, the detectable label is a tandem fluorescent dye selected from the group consisting of: RPE-Cy5, RPE-Cy5.5, RPE-Cy7, RPE-CF594, RPE-AlexaFluor® tandem conjugates; RPE-Alexa610, RPE-TxRed, APC-H7, APC-R700, APC-Alexa600, APC-Alexa610, APC-Alexa750, APC-Cy5, APC-Cy5.5, and APC-Cy7. In certain embodiments, the detectable label is a fluorescent protein selected from the group consisting of: GFP, eGFP, BFP, CFP, YFP, DsRed, DsRed2, mRFP, mBanana, mOrange, dTomato, tdTomato, mTangerine, mStrawberry, mCherry, mPlum, and mRaspberry. In particular embodiments, the detectable label is an enzyme selected from the group consisting of: alkaline phosphatase, horseradish peroxidase, luciferase, and β-galactosidase. In certain embodiments, the detectable label comprises a radionuclide selected from the group consisting of: carbon (14C), chromium (51Cr), cobalt (57Co), fluorine (18F), gadolinium (153Gd, 159Gd), germanium (68Ge), holmium (166Ho), indium (115In, 113In, 112In, mIn), iodine (125I, 123I, 121I), lanthanium (140La), lutetium (177Lu), manganese (54Mn), molybdenum (99 Mo), palladium (103 Pd), phosphorous (32 P), praseodymium (142 Pr), promethium (149Pm), rhenium (186Re, 188Re), rhodium (105Rh), rutheroium (97Ru), samarium (153Sm), scandium (47Sc), selenium (75Se), (85Sr), sulphur (35S), technetium (99Tc), thallium (201Ti), tin (113Sn, 117Sn), tritium (3H), xenon (133Xe), ytterbium (169Yb, 175Yb), and yttrium (90Y). In particular embodiments, a hybridoma comprising an antibody contemplated herein is provided. In various embodiment, a polynucleotide encoding an antibody or antigen binding fragment thereof is contemplated.

11438636

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for processing video signal. BACKGROUND ART Recently, demands for high-resolution and high-quality images such as high definition (HD) images and ultra-high definition (UHD) images have increased in various application fields. However, higher resolution and quality image data has increasing amounts of data in comparison with conventional image data. Therefore, when transmitting image data by using a medium such as conventional wired and wireless broadband networks, or when storing image data by using a conventional storage medium, costs of transmitting and storing increase. In order to solve these problems occurring with an increase in resolution and quality of image data, high-efficiency image encoding/decoding techniques may be utilized. Image compression technology includes various techniques, including: an inter-prediction technique of predicting a pixel value included in a current picture from a previous or subsequent picture of the current picture; an intra-prediction technique of predicting a pixel value included in a current picture by using pixel information in the current picture; an entropy encoding technique of assigning a short code to a value with a high appearance frequency and assigning a long code to a value with a low appearance frequency; etc. Image data may be effectively compressed by using such image compression technology, and may be transmitted or stored. In the meantime, with demands for high-resolution images, demands for stereographic image content, which is a new image service, have also increased. A video compression technique for effectively providing stereographic image content with high resolution and ultra-high resolution is being discussed. DISCLOSURE Technical Problem An object of the present invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for efficiently splitting an encoding/decoding target block in encoding/decoding a video signal. An object of the present invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for splitting an encoding/decoding target block into blocks of a symmetric type or an asymmetric type in encoding/decoding a video signal. An object of the present invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for splitting an encoding/decoding target block to comprise a polygonal shaped partition. An object of the present invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for variably selecting the number of partitions of the encoding/decoding target block. The technical objects to be achieved by the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned technical problems. And, other technical problems that are not mentioned will be apparently understood to those skilled in the art from the following description. Technical Solution A method and an apparatus for decoding a video signal according to the present invention may determine whether to divide a current block with quad tree partitioning, and divide the current block into four partitions based on a vertical line and a horizontal line when it is determined that the current block is divided with the quad tree partitioning. Here, at least one of the vertical line and the horizontal line may divide the current block asymmetrically. A method and an apparatus for encoding a video signal according to the present invention may determine whether to divide a current block with quad tree partitioning, and divide the current block into four partitions based on a vertical line and a horizontal line when it is determined that the current block is divided with the quad tree partitioning. Here, at least one of the vertical line and the horizontal line may divide the current block asymmetrically. In the method and the apparatus for encoding/decoding a video signal according to the present invention, a first indicator indicating whether at least one of the vertical line or the horizontal line is to be used for asymmetric partitioning may be decoded/encoded, and a second indicator may be decoded/encoded to specify a location of the vertical line or the horizontal line when the first indicator indicates that the vertical line or the horizontal line is used for the asymmetric partitioning. In the method and the apparatus for encoding/decoding a video signal according to the present invention, the current block may be divided into four partitions by two horizontal lines and one vertical line which dividing one of three blocks divided by the two horizontal lines, or by two vertical lines and one horizontal line which dividing one of three blocks divided by the two vertical lines. In the method and the apparatus for encoding/decoding a video signal according to the present invention, whether to divide the current block with binary tree partitioning may be determined when it is determined that the current block is not divided with the quad tree partitioning, and the current block may be divided into two partitions when it is determined that the current block is divided with the binary tree partitioning. In the method and the apparatus for encoding/decoding a video signal according to the present invention, whether polygon binary tree partitioning is to be applied to the current block may be determined, and when the polygon binary tree partitioning is applied to the current block, the current block may be divided into a rectangular shaped partition and a polygonal shaped partition. In the method and the apparatus for encoding/decoding a video signal according to the present invention, the polygonal shaped partition may be divided into sub-partitions of rectangular shapes and prediction on the polygonal shaped partition is performed for each sub-partition. In the method and the apparatus for encoding/decoding a video signal according to the present invention, the current block may be divided by a vertical line or a horizontal line dividing the current block into two partitions, and the vertical line or the horizontal line may divide the current block asymmetrically. The features briefly summarized above for the present invention are only illustrative aspects of the detailed description of the invention that follows, but do not limit the scope of the invention. Advantageous Effects According to the present invention, encoding/decoding efficiency can be improved by efficiently splitting an encoding/decoding target block. According to the present invention, encoding/decoding efficiency can be improved by splitting an encoding/decoding target block into blocks of a symmetric type or an asymmetric type. According to the present invention, encoding/decoding efficiency can be improved by splitting an encoding/decoding target block to comprise polygonal shaped partition. According to the present invention, encoding/decoding efficiency can be improved by variably selecting the number of partitions of the encoding/decoding target block. The effects obtainable by the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned effects, and other effects not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description below.

11251344

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This U.S. nonprovisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2019-0033138 filed on Mar. 22, 2019 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. BACKGROUND The present inventive concepts relate to light emitting devices, and more specifically to a white light emitting module. Development of light emitting devices has been accelerated due to high demand. Such light emitting devices are in widespread use in illumination, display devices, and light sources. Light emitting devices may impact circadian rhythms. Circadian rhythms refer to physical, mental, and behavioral changes that follow a daily cycle. These changes respond to light and darkness in the environment. Sleeping at night and being awake during the day is an example of a light-related circadian rhythm. Circadian rhythms are found in most living things, including animals, plants, and many tiny microbes. There has recently been a need for lighting devices that consider human biorhythms, such as circadian rhythms, and other human elements such as retinal sensitivity. For example, there is a need for such human-friendly light emitting devices capable of being used in light emitting diode (LED) lighting devices. SUMMARY Some exemplary embodiments of the present inventive concepts provide a white light emitting module for human-friendly illumination. According to some exemplary embodiments of the present inventive concepts, a white light emitting module that emits a third white light may comprise: a first light emitting package that emits a first white light; and a second light emitting package that emits a second white light. The first white light and the second white light may be mixed to produce the third white light. The first light emitting package may include: a first light emitting device that emits a first blue light having a first peak wavelength; and a first wavelength conversion part that encapsulates the first light emitting device and converts at least a portion of a wavelength of the first blue light into the first white light. The second light emitting package may include: a second light emitting device that emits a second blue light; a third light emitting device that emits a third blue light, the second blue light having the first peak wavelength and the third blue light having a second peak wavelength; and a second wavelength conversion part that encapsulates the second light emitting device and the third light emitting device, the second wavelength conversion part converting at least a portion of each wavelength of the second blue light and the third blue light into the second white light. A color temperature of the first white light may be 1,500 K to 3,000 K. A color temperature of the second white light may be 4,000 K to 10,000 K. The first peak wavelength may be between 445 nm and 455 nm. The second peak wavelength may be between 465 nm and 495 nm. The third white light may have a relative intensity ranging from 0.2 to 1.1 of the second peak wavelength with respect to the first peak wavelength. According to some exemplary embodiments of the present inventive concepts, a white light emitting module that emits a third white light may comprise: a first light emitting package that emits a first white light; and a second emitting package that emits a second white light. The first white light and the second white light may be mixed to produce the third white light. The first light emitting package may include: a first light emitting device that emits a first blue light having a peak wavelength between 445 nm and 455 nm; a first wavelength conversion part that encapsulates the first light emitting device and converts at least a portion of a wavelength of the first blue light into the first white light; and a filter member that filters the first blue light and absorbs a wavelength band of 570 nm to 590 nm from the first blue light. The second light emitting package may include: a second light emitting device that emits a second blue light and a third blue light, the second blue light having a first peak wavelength; a third light emitting device that emits the third blue light having a second peak wavelength; and a second wavelength conversion part that encapsulates the second light emitting device and the third light emitting device, the second wavelength conversion part converting at least a portion of each wavelength of the second blue light and the third blue light into the second white light. A temperature of the first white light may be in a range of 1,500 K to 3,000 K. A color temperature of the second white light may be in a range of 3,000 K to 10,000 K. A temperature of the third white light may be in a range of 1,500 K to 10,000 K. Within the range of 1,500 K to 3,000 K, the third white light may have a relative intensity equal to or less than 50% of the wavelength band between 570 nm and 590 nm to a reference light whose color temperature is the same as that of the third white light. According to some embodiments of the present inventive concepts, a light emitting module comprises: a first light emitting package that emits a first white light; and a second light emitting package that emits a second white light having a different color temperature than the first white light, wherein the first light emitting package includes: a first light emitting device that emits a first colored light; and a first wavelength conversion part that converts at least a portion of the first colored light into at least a portion of the first white light, and wherein the second light emitting package includes: a second light emitting device that emits a second colored light; and a second wavelength conversion part that converts at least a portion of the second colored light into at least a portion of the second white light. The first light emitting package is configured to emit the first white light with a first Melanopic Daylight Equivalent Factor (MDEF) index, and the second light emitting package is configured to emit the second white light with a second MDEF index that is higher than the first MDEF index. Details of other exemplary embodiments are included in the description and drawings.

11216978

TECHNICAL FIELD The present application relates to a system and method for recalibrating an augmented reality experience using physical markers. BACKGROUND Augmented reality refers to the augmentation of a live view of the physical world with computer-generated digital information and images in real time. Therefore, unlike virtual reality, which utilizes a totally digital environment, augmented reality generates a composite view including the existing environment as well as other artificial elements. Augmented reality can work with any device including a camera and display. Specifically, environments captured through the camera can be displayed with three-dimensional (3D) virtual text, objects, and characters overlaid on to them. Augmented realities can be developed with a specific augmented reality development platform. Apple Inc. and Google LLC developed such platforms for their mobile devices, ARKit and ARCore, respectively. Other augmented reality development platforms may also be utilized, e.g., Wikitude, DeepAR, EasyAR, ARToolKit, Kudan, Maxst, Vuforia, NyARToolkit. The augmented reality development platforms allow applications running on the mobile device to track the digital world to the physical world using a combination of a camera and motion sensors (e.g., accelerometer and gyroscope). However, over time, the digital world representation can start to drift from the physical world. Further, this drift can be amplified over larger distances as the user of the mobile device moves around in a bigger space, e.g., car lot, mall, etc. Further, although mobile devices utilize the global positioning system (GPS) to determine the location of the particular mobile device, GPS hasn't been as effective for tracking much smaller changes in distances. For example, GPS isn't as useful when the change in distance is a few feet or inches. Further, other tracking technologies, such as radio frequency identification (RFID) and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), fail to accurately track such small changes as well. Accordingly, there is a need to occasionally reset the digital representation to realign to the physical world using known physical locations that can map directly to the digital representation.

11391990

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application is a § 371 national phase application based on PCT Patent Application No. PCT/CN2018/116773, filed on Nov. 21, 2018, which is based upon, claims the benefit of, and claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 201810150701.1, filed on Feb. 13, 2018, the contents thereof being incorporated by reference in their entirety herein. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure generally relates to the field of display technologies, and more particularly, to a total reflection display device and a plastic frame component. BACKGROUND With the development of display technologies and rapidly increasing demand for outdoor wearables, outdoor display technologies have attracted more and more attention. As a new type of display devices, total reflection display devices have attracted wide attention. When ambient light is bright enough, display may be implemented only using the ambient light, such that power consumption of the display devices during display may be reduced to a certain extent, which conforms to users' requirements for low power consumption and long standby time in display devices. However, when the ambient light is weaker (for example, at night), the total reflection display devices have the problem of producing a poor display effect. In order to solve the above problem, the related art proposes a solution of adding a front optical system into the total reflection display device, wherein the front optical system includes a light-emitting diode (LED) and a front light guide plate (LGP) placed on a display side of the display panel, etc. SUMMARY Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a plastic frame component and a total reflection display device, which can improve problems in related technologies. To achieve the above objective, the embodiments of the present disclosure adopt following technical solutions. According to an aspect, there is provided a plastic frame component for matching up with a total reflection display component to form a total reflection display device. The total reflection display component has a display surface configured to render an image, wherein the plastic frame component includes: a first frame strip, configured to match with a side edge of the display component to support the display component; a light source, disposed on the first frame strip and configured to emit light; and an optical path adjuster, disposed on the first frame strip. The first frame strip includes a first portion and a second portion that are connected to each other, wherein the first portion and/or the second portion accommodate/accommodates the light source and the optical path adjuster, such that the first portion can protrude from the side edge of the display component and go beyond the display surface after the plastic frame component is assembled with the total reflection display component, and such that the light emitted by the light source shines onto a display area of the display component after being adjusted by the optical path adjuster. For example, the first portion and the display surface of the display component or the second portion enclose a gap whose opening faces toward a side of the display component, and the optical path adjuster and the light source are disposed in the gap. For example, in the gap, a surface of the first portion that is opposite to the display surface and is away from the display component includes an inclined surface. An angle formed between the inclined surface and a plane where the display surface of the display component is ranges from 60° to 90°, and the light source is disposed on the inclined surface. For example, the first portion and the second portion form an optical channel configured to transmit light, where a first end of the optical channel is positioned on a side wall of the first portion facing toward a side of the display component, and a second end of the optical channel is positioned in the second portion. The light source is positioned at the second end of the optical channel, and the optical path adjuster is positioned at the first end of the optical channel. For example, the optical channel includes an optical cavity and a reflective layer covering a surface of the optical cavity. An opening of the optical cavity is positioned on a side wall of the first portion facing toward a side of the display component, and the optical cavity extends from the opening to a bottom end of the second portion. For example, the first portion has an extension portion extending from a position at which the optical path adjuster is fixed to a first direction, and a surface of the extension portion opposite to the display surface is configured to reflect the light emitted from the light source. The first direction is a direction in which a non-display area of the display component directs to the display area. For example, the plastic frame component further includes at least one second frame strip. An upper end portion of the second frame strip goes beyond the display surface of the display component after the plastic frame component is assembled with the display component. An angle formed between a side wall in the upper end portion of the second frame strip adjacent to the display component and the display surface is an acute angle, and the side wall in the upper end portion of the second frame strip adjacent to the display component is configured to reflect the light emitted by the light source. For example, the side wall in the upper end portion of the second frame strip adjacent to the display component is a recessed curved surface. For example, the optical path adjuster is a lens strip, and at a light emission side of the lens strip, an angle formed between the lens strip and the display surface of the display component is an obtuse angle. The lens strip is shaped like an arch rising in the first direction. Alternatively, the lens strip includes a first sub-lens strip and a second sub-lens strip positioned on a side of the first sub-lens strip away from the display component. The first sub-lens strip is shaped like an arch rising in a second direction, and the second sub-lens strip is shaped like an arch rising in the first direction. The second direction is opposite to the first direction. For example, at the light emission side of the lens strip, an angle formed between the lens strip and the display surface of the display component ranges from 90° to 120°. For example, the optical path adjuster is a lens strip, and at a light emission side of the lens strip, an angle formed between the lens strip and the display surface of the display component is greater than or equal to 90°. A light emission surface of the lens strip is divided into a first strip region, a second strip region, and a third strip region in a third direction. The light emission surface of the lens strip has a plurality of strip-shaped first microstructures in a portion of the first strip region. The light emission surface of the lens strip is a curved surface protruding in the first direction in a portion of the second strip region. The light emission surface of the lens strip has a plurality of strip-shaped second microstructures in a portion of the third strip region. The first microstructure is configured to deflect a portion of incident light rays in the third direction, and the second microstructure is configured to deflect a portion of the incident light rays in a fourth direction. The first direction is a direction in which the non-display area of the display component directs to the display area. The third direction is a direction in which a back surface of the display component directs to the light emission surface. The fourth direction is opposite to the third direction. For example, at the light emission side of the lens strip, an angle formed between the lens strip and the display surface of the display component ranges from 90° to 120°. For example, the first microstructure includes a plane between which and a thickness direction of the lens strip there is provided with an included angle ranging from 0° to 60°, and the first microstructure further includes a curved surface that is in contact with the plane adjacent to the curved surface and bulges in the third direction. The second microstructure includes a plane between which and the thickness direction of the lens strip there is provided with an included angle ranging from 0° to 60°, and the second microstructure further includes a curved surface that is in contact with the plane adjacent to the curved surface and bulges in the fourth direction. For example, a light incident surface of the lens strip is composed of a plurality of protruded hemispherical surfaces. Alternatively, the light incident surface of the lens strip is composed of a plurality of strip-shaped curved surfaces protruding toward the first direction or the second direction. The second direction is opposite to the first direction. For example, the number of the first frame strip is one. Alternatively, the number of the first frame strips is two, and the two first frame strips are positioned on two opposite sides of the display component. For example, if the display component is a rectangular display component, the first frame strip matches up with a shorter edge of the rectangular display component. Alternatively, the two first frame strips match up with two shorter edges of the rectangular display component. According to another aspect, there is provided a total reflection display device, which includes: a total reflection display component, having a display surface configured to render an image; and the aforementioned plastic frame component.

11430435

BACKGROUND Speech recognition systems have progressed to the point where humans can interact with computing devices using their voices. Such systems employ techniques to identify the words spoken by a human user based on the various qualities of a received audio input. Speech recognition combined with natural language understanding processing techniques enable speech-based user control of a computing device to perform tasks based on the user's spoken commands. The combination of speech recognition and natural language understanding processing techniques is referred to herein as speech processing. Speech processing may also involve converting a user's speech into text data which may then be provided to various text-based software applications. Speech processing may be used by computers, hand-held devices, telephone computer systems, kiosks, and a wide variety of other devices to improve human-computer interactions.

11313777

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The invention relates in general to the field of tribology. Related Art The field of tribology involves the study of friction and wear on materials. Such study is typically conducted by bringing together (in contact with one another) two or more objects (made of materials of interest), initiating a relative motion between the two objects is started, and measuring the resulting friction is measured. Over time a “wear” track may be created or formed on at least one of the objects as a result of damage caused by the two objects' materials rubbing against each other. There are many different configurations of mechanical testers used for the purposes of such study, each performing a specific dedicated test. The implementation of the present invention addresses a unique piece of equipment that allows the user to perform measurements of friction and wear in materials and lubricants by subjecting these materials and lubricants to a high-frequency reciprocating motion. Typically, the equipment used for measuring friction and wear is dedicated to a particular test type or test configuration. Examples of this include, without limitation, the configurations referred to in the art as block-on-ring, pin/ball/disk-on-disk, and reciprocating pin/ball on flat. The first type represents a test configuration having or defining a horizontal rotary axis (axis of rotation). Here, a ring-shaped specimen (referred to as a ring, for simplicity of illustration) is connected to a horizontally located drive shaft, a block of another specimen (material) is pushed radially with a known force against the edge of the ring, and the friction force or torque formed between the ring and a block is measured. Thereafter, a coefficient of friction can be calculated from the known load (the normal force) and the measured frictional load. Similarly, for the ball-on-disk, pin-on-disk or disk-on-disk test configurations, a disk of a given material is mounted to a rotating shift that is vertically oriented. A ball or pin of a second material is then brought into contact with the spinning face of this disk on or at a certain radius. A measured normal force is then applied, and the frictional force between the ball or pin and the spinning disk is measured. Alternatively, the face of a fixed disk can be brought into contact with the face of the spinning disk. In this configuration the two disks are axially aligned. The third type of test is a reciprocating-type test. In this configuration, an eccentric crank arm is used to transfer a rotary motion on a vertical axis to a reciprocating motion in a plane normal to the vertical rotary axis. In this case, the reciprocating motion follows a velocity profile that is substantially sinusoidal. A test specimen (flat) is mounted on the reciprocating plane and again a ball or pin is brought into contact with a known normal force. The resulting frictional force is measured and the coefficient can be measured. While traditionally these tests were all carried out on dedicated test machines, co-owned U.S. Pat. No. 6,418,776 disclosed a universal tester in which alternative modules containing a motor and drive were available for use in different test configurations. As discussed, a replaceable module plate (that included a self-contained drive means with a motor was attached to the base. This universal tester was further improved, as described in co-owned U.S. Pat. No. 9,752,969, as an instrument capable of performing measurements in all above-described configurations with a single rotary drive and optional software that was configured automatically for the test at hand. The disclosure of each of U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,418,776 and 9,752,969 is incorporated herein by reference. The current invention relates to a non-obvious combination of auxiliary structural elements configured to improve the instrument further and enable the friction and wear measurement of materials and lubricants at very various speeds of relative movement of the materials with respect to one another (and, in one specific case—at high-speed relative reciprocating movement). SUMMARY Embodiments of the invention provide an apparatus for measurement of wear and friction characteristics of a material sample. Such apparatus includes a sample holder (having a first end and a second end, the second end dimensioned to hold the material sample); a bushing dimensioned to accommodate the sample holder therein to permit reversible repositioning of the sample holder along a first axis of the bushing; a horizontal force sensor connected to the bushing; a vertical force sensor operably connected to the sample holder at a first end thereof. In substantially any implementation, the horizontal force sensor may include a piezo-electric element. The apparatus additionally includes a rod pusher configured to contact the first end in operation of the apparatus; and an apparatus sub-system configured to at least reduce an amplitude of a tilting motion of the sample holder with respect to the first axis caused when a relative motion is present between the sample and an auxiliary body brought in contact with the sample. Such apparatus-subsystem includes at least one of a) a linear vertical bearing disposed in the bushing and separating the sample holder from the bushing and b) a horizontally-sliding element disposed between the rod pusher and the vertical force sensor. Alternatively or in addition, the apparatus may include an electrical motor configured to generate a rotational motion and a cam configured to transform such rotational motion onto the relative motion between the sample and the auxiliary body. (In one case, the cam is configured to transform such rotational motion into at least one of (i) a linear reciprocating motion along a second axis that is substantially transverse to the first axis and (ii) a motion along a curve in a plane substantially transverse to the first axis.) In substantially any implementation, the apparatus may include sensors configured to measure a temperature of at least one of the sample and the auxiliary body. Embodiments of the invention additionally provide the method for conducting a measurement of wear and friction characteristics of a material sample with the above-mentioned apparatus that includes the sample holder, the bushing dimensioned to accommodate the sample holder therein, the horizontal force sensor connected to the bushing, and the vertical force sensor connected to the sample holder at a first end of the sample holder. Such method includes the steps of establishing contact between the material sample held in the sample holder at a second end of the sample holder and an auxiliary body; and carrying out at least one of the following operations: a) applying a vertical force to the first end with a rod pusher of the apparatus to reposition the sample holder vertically with respect to the bushing and with respect to a linear vertical bearing separating the sample holder from the bushing; and b) transferring the vertical force to the vertical force sensor through a horizontally-sliding element positioned between the rod pusher and the vertical force sensor, to at least reduce an amplitude of a tilting motion of the sample holder with respect to a first axis of the bushing caused when a relative motion between the sample and the auxiliary body is present. In any embodiment the method may include generating the relative motion in a plane substantially transverse to the first axis along which the act of applying the vertical force is carried out. (The above-identified relative motion may be one of a linear reciprocating motion along a second axis that is substantially transverse to the first axis and a motion along a curve in the plane transverse to the first axis of the bushing.) In at least one implementation, the act of applying the vertical force to the first end of the sample holder includes applying the vertical force to the sample holder that, in absence of the vertical force, is slidably retained in the linear vertical bearing in a fixed position. Alternatively or in addition, the method may include at least one of: a) causing repositioning of the horizontally-sliding element in the plane substantially transverse to the first axis (along which the applying the vertical force is carried out) as a result of generating the relative motion; and b) causing such repositioning while measuring a temperature of at least one of the sample and the auxiliary body. Alternatively or in addition, the apparatus may include first and second horizontally-sliding elements positioned between the rod pusher and the vertical force sensor, while the method additionally includes the steps of causing repositioning of at least one of first and second horizontally-sliding elements in the plane substantially transverse to the first axis along which the act of applying the vertical force is carried out. Alternatively or in addition, embodiments of the invention provide (in an apparatus for testing wear and friction characteristics of a material, wherein the apparatus includes a sample holder, a clamp for engagement of the sample holder, a horizontal force sensor connected to the clamp, and a vertical force sensor connected to the sample holder) the improvement that comprises at least one of a vertical linear bearing between the sample holder and the clamp and a horizontally-sliding element between the vertical force sensor and the sample holder. In substantially any implementation, such horizontal force sensor may include a piezo-electric element.

11537300

BACKGROUND Technical Field This application concerns identifying allocated blocks in a storage system, particularly the most recently allocated page in storage that maps logical addresses to physical addresses on disk. Description of Related Art A distributed storage system may include a plurality of storage devices to provide data storage to a plurality of hosts. The plurality of storage devices and the plurality of hosts may be situated in the same physical location, or in one or more physically remote locations. The storage devices and the hosts may be connected to one another over one or more computer networks. To respond to a host request, the storage system determines the logical addresses corresponding to the data desired by the host. The storage system must determine the corresponding physical locations on disk to access the data. The relationships between logical and physical addresses may be stored in a map. Such information may be considered metadata, and thus stored on a metadata tier of storage. The storage system may allocate pages of storage for storing the map. It is noted that the terms “storage device(s)”, “drive(s)”, and “disk(s)” are employed herein interchangeably, even though it is well known that not all physical storage devices or drives include rotating disks. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One aspect of the current technique is a method for identifying allocated blocks in a storage system. The method includes retrieving a value associated with a most recent reinitialization of the storage system. The method also includes identifying, for a tier of user data storage in the storage system, a page of storage with the value and a marker indicating that the page marks an end of storage that has been allocated for the tier of user data storage. The method further includes allocating storage from a page immediately preceding the identified page. The value retrieved may be a timestamp. To identify the page of storage with the value and the marker, an anchor page for the tier of user data storage may be determined and a pointer to a page may be retrieved from the anchor page. The page associated with the pointer is verified for including the value and the marker. If the page does not include the value, the marker, or both, searching may be conducted for a page that does include the timestamp and the marker. Determining the anchor page for the tier of user data storage may include accessing a superblock associated with the tier of user data storage to retrieve a pointer to an anchor page. The method may include determining that all of the storage on the page immediately preceding the identified page has been allocated; writing the value and the marker to the page immediately succeeding the identified page; and allocating storage from the identified page. On the identified map, the value and the marker may be overwritten with structures for the map. The method may include reinitializing the storage system, and storing, for each tier of user data storage, a value associated with the reinitialization of the storage system in a superblock, an anchor page, and a page with the marker. Another aspect of the current technique is a system with at least one processor. The at least one processor is configured to retrieve a value associated with a most recent reinitialization of the storage system; identify, for a tier of user data storage in the storage system, a page of storage with the value and a marker indicating that the page marks an end of storage that has been allocated for the tier of user data storage; and allocate storage from a page immediately preceding the identified page. The at least one processor may be configured to perform any other processes in conformance with the aspect of the current techniques described above.

11472625

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to methods and systems for maintaining temperature-sensitive materials within a desired temperature range for a period of time and relates more particularly to a novel method and system for maintaining temperature-sensitive materials within a desired temperature range for a period of time. There is a continuing need for systems that can maintain temperature-sensitive materials within a desired temperature range for an extended period of time. For example, many pharmaceuticals, foods, medical devices, beverages, and other temperature-sensitive materials must be maintained within a particular temperature range (such as, for example, +2° C. to +8° C.) in order to prevent the spoilage of such materials. As can readily be appreciated, the maintenance of such materials within a desired temperature range while such materials are being transported can be challenging. One way to maintain temperature-sensitive materials within a desired temperature range is by positioning the temperature-sensitive materials within a thermal shipper. Typically, a thermal shipper comprises a thermally insulated container and one or more preconditioned passive temperature-control members (e.g., ice packs, gel packs, phase-change material (PCM) packs, and the like) that are placed within the thermally insulated container with the temperature-sensitive materials. As can readily be appreciated, the efficacy of the thermal shipper depends, in part, on the thermally insulating quality of the thermally insulated container. The thermally insulating quality of the thermally insulated container, in turn, depends, in part, on the type of insulating material of which the container is made, with some thermal insulating materials exhibiting superior thermal insulating properties as compared to other thermal insulating materials. For example, some thermal insulating materials, such as vacuum insulated panels (VIP), tend to have comparatively greater thermal insulating properties (i.e., comparatively high “R-values”) whereas other materials, such as expanded polystyrene (EPS) and expanded polypropylene (EPP), tend to have comparatively lesser thermal insulating properties (i.e., comparatively low “R-values”), and still other materials, such as polyurethane foam, tend to have thermal insulating properties that are intermediate to those of VIP and EPS/EPP (i.e., comparatively intermediate “R-values”). However, not unsurprisingly, materials with higher R-values tend to be more expensive than materials with lower R-values. As a result, when designing a thermally insulated container, one often has to make a decision as to whether to select a material with a comparatively higher R-value or to select a material with a comparatively lower price. Documents that may be of interest may include the following, all of which are incorporated herein by reference: U.S. Pat. No. 10,287,085 B2, inventor Kuhn, which issued May 14, 2019; U.S. Pat. No. 9,828,165 B2, inventors Ranade et al., which issued Nov. 28, 2017; U.S. Pat. No. 9,429,350 B2, inventor Chapman, Jr., which issued Aug. 30, 2016; U.S. Pat. No. 9,366,469 B2, inventor Chapman, Jr., which issued Jun. 14, 2016; U.S. Pat. No. 9,045,278 B2, inventors Mustafa et al., which issued Jun. 2, 2015; U.S. Pat. No. 8,938,986 B2, inventors Matta et al., which issued Jan. 27, 2015; U.S. Pat. No. 8,607,581 B2, inventors Williams et al., which issued Dec. 17, 2013; U.S. Pat. No. 8,250,882 B2, inventors Mustafa et al., which issued Aug. 28, 2012; U.S. Pat. No. 7,257,963 B2, inventor Mayer, which issued Aug. 21, 2007; U.S. Pat. No. 6,875,486 B2, inventor Miller, which issued Apr. 5, 2005; U.S. Pat. No. 6,482,332 B1, inventor Malach, which issued Nov. 19, 2002; U.S. Pat. No. 6,116,042, inventor Purdum, which issued Sep. 12, 2000; U.S. Pat. No. 5,924,302, inventor Derifield, which issued Jul. 20, 1999; U.S. Pat. No. 5,899,088, inventor Purdum, which issued May 4, 1999; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2019/0210790 A1, inventors Anthony Rizzo et al., which published Jul. 11, 2019; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2020/0002075 A1, inventors TzeHo Lee et al., which published Jan. 2, 2020; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2018/0320947 A1, inventors Jain et al., which published Nov. 8, 2018; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2018/0093816 A1, inventors Longley et al., which published Apr. 5, 2018; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2017/0121097 A1, inventors Pranadi et al., which published May 4, 2017; U.S. Patent Application No. US 2017/0082344 A1, inventors Tansley, which published Mar. 23, 2017; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2016/0362240 A1, inventors Ferracamo, Jr., which published Dec. 15, 2016; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2011/0290792 A1, inventors Krzak et al., which published Dec. 1, 2011; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2009/0078708 A1, inventor Williams, which published Mar. 26, 2009; PCT International Publication No. WO 2018/213348 A2, published Nov. 22, 2018; PCT International Publication No. WO 2015/044668 A1, published Apr. 2, 2015; and PCT International Publication No. WO 97/12100 A1, published Apr. 3, 1997. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel method and system for maintaining temperature-sensitive materials within a desired temperature range for a period of time. According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a system for maintaining temperature-sensitive materials within a desired temperature range for a period of time, the system comprising (a) a product box, the product box being shaped to comprise a plurality of sides, wherein adjoining sides of the product box meet at an edge; (b) at least one passive temperature-control member, the at least one passive temperature-control member comprising at least one phase-change material, wherein the at least one passive temperature-control member is positioned relative to the product box so that the at least one phase-change material does not cover any edges of the product box; (c) an insulated container, the insulated container being shaped to include a plurality of sides, wherein adjoining sides of the insulated container meet at an interior edge and at an exterior edge, wherein the plurality of sides collectively define a cavity for receiving the product box and the at least one passive temperature-control member, the insulated container comprising a first insulating material and a second insulating material, wherein the first insulating material has a comparatively higher R-value, wherein the second insulating material has a comparatively lower R-value, and wherein the insulated container is devoid of the first insulating material between the interior edge and the exterior edge of adjoining sides. In a more detailed feature of the invention, the product box may be rectangular in shape and may comprise six sides. In a more detailed feature of the invention, the at least one passive temperature-control member may comprise a plurality of passive temperature-control members. In a more detailed feature of the invention, the product box may have six sides, and the at least one phase-change material may be positioned along an exterior portion of each of the six sides of the product box but not along any of the edges. In a more detailed feature of the invention, the at least one phase-change material may be exactly one type of phase-change material. In a more detailed feature of the invention, the at least one phase-change material may comprise a plurality of different types of phase-change material. In a more detailed feature of the invention, the first insulating material may comprise a vacuum insulated panel, and the second insulating material may comprise at least one material selected from the group consisting of expanded polystyrene, expanded polypropylene, and a polyurethane foam. In a more detailed feature of the invention, the first insulating material may comprise a polyurethane foam, and the second insulating material may comprise at least one material selected from the group consisting of expanded polystyrene and expanded polypropylene. In a more detailed feature of the invention, the insulated container may comprise an outer receptacle, an inner receptacle, and a plurality of panels; the inner receptacle may be disposed within the outer receptacle; the plurality of panels may be disposed between the inner receptacle and the outer receptacle; each of the outer receptacle and the inner receptacle may comprise the second insulating material; and the plurality of panels may comprise the first insulating material. According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a system for maintaining temperature-sensitive materials within a desired temperature range for a period of time, the system comprising (a) a product box, the product box being shaped to comprise a plurality of sides, wherein adjoining sides of the product box meet at an edge; (b) at least one passive temperature-control member, the at least one passive temperature-control member comprising at least one phase-change material, wherein the at least one passive temperature-control member is positioned relative to the product box so that the at least one phase-change material covers the edges of the product box; (c) an insulated container, the insulated container being shaped to include a plurality of sides, wherein adjoining sides of the insulated container meet at an interior edge and at an exterior edge, wherein the plurality of sides collectively define a cavity for receiving the product box and the at least one passive temperature-control member, the insulated container comprising a first insulating material and a second insulating material, wherein the first insulating material has a comparatively higher R-value, wherein the second insulating material has a comparatively lower R-value, and wherein the insulated container is devoid of the second insulating material between the interior edge and the exterior edge of adjoining sides. In a more detailed feature of the invention, the product box may be rectangular in shape and may comprise six sides. In a more detailed feature of the invention, the at least one passive temperature-control member may comprise a plurality of passive temperature-control members. In a more detailed feature of the invention, the product box may have six sides, and the at least one phase-change material may be positioned along an exterior portion of each of the six sides of the product box and along all of the edges. In a more detailed feature of the invention, the at least one phase-change material may be exactly one type of phase-change material. In a more detailed feature of the invention, the at least one phase-change material may comprise a plurality of different types of phase-change material. In a more detailed feature of the invention, the first insulating material may comprise a vacuum insulated panel, and the second insulating material may comprise at least one material selected from the group consisting of expanded polystyrene, expanded polypropylene, and a polyurethane foam. In a more detailed feature of the invention, the first insulating material may comprise a polyurethane foam, and the second insulating material may comprise at least one material selected from the group consisting of expanded polystyrene and expanded polypropylene. In a more detailed feature of the invention, the insulated container may comprise a base, a cover, and a plurality of panels; the base and the cover may jointly define a receptacle; the plurality of panels may be disposed within the receptacle; each of the base and the cover may comprise the first insulating material; and the plurality of panels may comprise the second insulating material. According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for maintaining temperature-sensitive materials within a desired temperature range for a period of time, the method comprising the steps of (a) providing a product box and at least one passive temperature-control member, the product box being shaped to comprise a plurality of sides, wherein adjoining sides of the product box meet at an edge, the at least one passive temperature-control member comprising at least one phase-change material; (b) positioning the temperature-sensitive materials within the product box; (c) determining if the edges of the product box where adjoining sides meet are covered by the at least one phase-change material; (d) wherein, if the edges of the product box where adjoining sides meet are not covered by the at least one phase-change material, positioning the product box and the at least one phase-change material in a first insulated container, the first insulated container being shaped to include a plurality of sides, wherein adjoining sides of the first insulated container meet at an interior edge and at an exterior edge, wherein the plurality of sides collectively define a cavity for receiving the product box and the at least one passive temperature-control member, the first insulated container comprising a first insulating material and a second insulating material, wherein the first insulating material has a comparatively higher R-value, wherein the second insulating material has a comparatively lower R-value, and wherein the first insulated container is devoid of the first insulating material between the interior edge and the exterior edge of adjoining sides; and (e) wherein, if the edges of the product box where adjoining sides meet are covered by the at least one phase-change material, positioning the product box and the at least one phase-change material in a second insulated container, the second insulated container being shaped to include a plurality of sides, wherein adjoining sides of the second insulated container meet at an interior edge and at an exterior edge, wherein the plurality of sides collectively define a cavity for receiving the product box and the at least one passive temperature-control member, the second insulated container comprising a first insulating material and a second insulating material, wherein the first insulating material has a comparatively higher R-value, wherein the second insulating material has a comparatively lower R-value, and wherein the second insulated container is devoid of the second insulating material between the interior edge and the exterior edge of adjoining sides. In a more detailed feature of the invention, the product box may be rectangular in shape and may comprise six sides. In a more detailed feature of the invention, the at least one passive temperature-control member may comprise a plurality of passive temperature-control members. In a more detailed feature of the invention, the product box may have six sides, and the at least one phase-change material may be positioned along an exterior portion of each of the six sides of the product box. In a more detailed feature of the invention, the at least one phase-change material may be exactly one type of phase-change material. In a more detailed feature of the invention, the at least one phase-change material may comprise a plurality of different types of phase-change material. In a more detailed feature of the invention, the first insulating material may comprise a vacuum insulated panel, and the second insulating material may comprise at least one material selected from the group consisting of expanded polystyrene, expanded polypropylene, and a polyurethane foam. In a more detailed feature of the invention, the first insulating material may comprise a polyurethane foam, and the second insulating material may comprise at least one material selected from the group consisting of expanded polystyrene and expanded polypropylene. In a more detailed feature of the invention, the first insulated container may comprise an outer receptacle, an inner receptacle, and a plurality of panels; the inner receptacle may be disposed within the outer receptacle; the plurality of panels may be disposed between the inner receptacle and the outer receptacle; each of the outer receptacle and the inner receptacle may comprise the second insulating material; and the plurality of panels may comprise the first insulating material. In a more detailed feature of the invention, the second insulated container may comprise a base, a cover, and a plurality of panels; the base and the cover may jointly define a receptacle; the plurality of panels may be disposed within the receptacle; each of the base and the cover may comprise the first insulating material; and the plurality of panels may comprise the second insulating material. For purposes of the present specification and claims, various relational terms like “top,” “bottom,” “proximal,” “distal,” “upper,” “lower,” “front,” and “rear” may be used to describe the present invention when said invention is positioned in or viewed from a given orientation. It is to be understood that, by altering the orientation of the invention, certain relational terms may need to be adjusted accordingly. Additional objects, as well as features and advantages, of the present invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description or may be learned by practice of the invention. In the description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part thereof and in which is shown by way of illustration various embodiments for practicing the invention. The embodiments will be described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is best defined by the appended claims.

11288100

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/969,839, filed May 3, 2018, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD This disclosure relates generally to network management and, more specifically, to utilizing multiple cloud services. BACKGROUND Cloud services providers deliver powerful capabilities which enable users to easily access computing resources at a cost. Processing, storage, content delivery, and other local and network functions benefit from the sharing-based economies of scale produced using cloud technology. The complexity required to efficiently utilize cloud services can inhibit some companies and individuals from taking advantage of all the benefits that cloud services provide. Learning the complexity and investing in utilizing a particular cloud service solution also “locks in” users to a particular environment, decreasing flexibility and competition. This disclosure is directed to solving one or more of the problems in the existing technology. SUMMARY In an aspect, a cloud service management system comprises an engine configured to allocate a task among two or more disparate cloud services according to a running mode. The two or more disparate cloud services include a dedicated solution and a shared solution. The running modes include a dedicated mode configured to direct the tasks to the dedicated solution, a serverless mode configured to direct the tasks to the shared solution, and a hybrid mode configured to direct the tasks to a combination of the dedicated solution and the shared solution. The engine is further configured to direct an agent associated with a virtual machine of the dedicated solution to execute the tasks if the tasks are allocated according to the dedicated mode or the hybrid mode, and provide task parameters to a gateway associated with the shared solution if the tasks are allocated according to the serverless mode or the hybrid mode. The engine accesses the task parameters during allocation and the task parameters include common parameters and proprietary parameters. Further, the common parameters are common to two or more disparate cloud services, and the proprietary parameters are unique to one of the cloud services. In another aspect, a method comprises accessing a plurality of task parameters. The task parameters include common parameters and proprietary parameters; the common parameters are common to two or more disparate cloud services, and the proprietary parameters are unique to one of the cloud services. The method further comprises determining a running mode for a task based on the task parameters. The running mode is one of a dedicated mode configured to direct the tasks to the dedicated solution, a serverless mode configured to direct the tasks to the shared solution, and a hybrid mode configured to direct the tasks to a combination of the dedicated solution and the shared solution. The method further comprises directing an agent associated with a virtual machine of the dedicated solution to execute the tasks if the task is allocated according to the dedicated mode or the hybrid mode, and providing task parameters to a gateway associated with the shared solution if the task is allocated according to the serverless mode or the hybrid mode. According to yet another aspect, a cloud service management system includes non-transitory computer readable media storing instructions. The instructions, when executed by a processor perform aspects, comprise accessing a plurality of task parameters. The task parameters include common parameters and proprietary parameters the common parameters are common to two or more disparate cloud services, and the proprietary parameters are unique to one of the cloud services. The instructions when executed further comprise determining a running mode for a task based on the task parameters, wherein the running mode is one of a dedicated mode configured to direct the tasks to the dedicated solution, a serverless mode configured to direct the tasks to the shared solution, and a hybrid mode configured to direct the tasks to a combination of the dedicated solution and the shared solution. The instructions when executed further comprise directing an agent associated with a virtual machine of the dedicated solution to execute the tasks if the task is allocated according to the dedicated mode or the hybrid mode, and providing task parameters to a gateway associated with the shared solution if the task is allocated according to the serverless anode or the hybrid mode. 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 to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to limitations that solve any or all disadvantages noted in any part of this disclosure.

11417066

BACKGROUND Miniaturization of consumer electronics with sophisticated graphics capabilities and expansive computing power has augmented the activities one can engage in via consumer electronics and in particular, portable electronics such as smart phones, tablets, and the like. The advancements in technologies also have brought science fiction into reality. Further, portable electronics or other electronics devices now generally include a large variety of sensing capabilities. These capabilities can be utilized to further enhance the users' augmented reality experiences.

11258063

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application is a national phase entry under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Application No. PCT/KR2018/007962 filed Jul. 13, 2018, which claims priority from Korean Patent Application No. 10-2017-0089262, filed on Jul. 13, 2017, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a method of preparing a positive electrode active material, and more particularly, to a method of preparing a lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide-based positive electrode active material having excellent productivity, quality uniformity, and physical properties. BACKGROUND ART Demand for secondary batteries as an energy source has been significantly increased as technology development and demand with respect to mobile devices have increased. Among these secondary batteries, lithium secondary batteries having high energy density, high voltage, long cycle life, and low self-discharging rate have been commercialized and widely used. Various lithium transition metal oxides, such as LiCoO2, LiNiO2, LiMnO2, LiMn2O4, LiFePO4, and Li(NiaCobMnc)O2(where a, b, c are each independently atomic fractions of oxide constituent elements, wherein 0<a<1, 0<b<1, 0<c<1, and a+b+c=1), have been developed as a positive electrode active material for a lithium secondary battery. Among these oxides, Li(NiaCobMnc)O2has recently been actively studied because Li(NiaCobMnc)O2is advantageous in that it may be used for high capacity and high voltage. A conventional lithium nickel manganese cobalt-based oxide has been prepared by a method in which, after a precursor, such as a nickel-manganese-cobalt hydroxide, and a lithium raw material, such as lithium hydroxide or lithium carbonate, are mixed, the mixture is added to a crucible and calcinated at a high temperature of about 750° C. to about 950° C. However, with respect to such a conventional method, since a volume is increased while the nickel-manganese-cobalt precursor and the lithium raw material are mixed, amounts of raw materials, which may be added to the crucible, are reduced and, as a result, productivity may be reduced. If an amount of each raw material subdivided, which is added to the crucible, is increased to increase the productivity, calcinating does not uniformly occur, and thus, quality deviation of positive electrode active materials formed in the same crucible largely occurs after the calcinating. Also, there is a limitation in that unnecessary gas, such as CO2, is generated during the calcinating process to adversely affect the quality of the positive electrode active material. Thus, there is a need to develop a method of preparing a lithium nickel manganese cobalt-based positive electrode active material having excellent productivity and uniform and good quality. PRIOR ART DOCUMENT (Patent Document 1) Korean Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. 2005-0083869 (published 2005 Aug. 26) DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION Technical Problem An aspect of the present invention provides a method of preparing a lithium nickel manganese cobalt-based positive electrode active material having excellent productivity, because it is possible to obtain a larger amount of the positive electrode active material than a conventional method in a crucible with the same volume, and having uniform and good quality. Technical Solution According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of preparing a positive electrode active material which includes: forming a pre-calcinated mixture by adding a reaction mixture including a lithium raw material and a nickel-manganese-cobalt precursor to a first crucible and performing a primary heat treatment at a temperature of 500° C. to 800° C.; and, after discharging the pre-calcinated mixture from the first crucible, adding the pre-calcinated mixture to a second crucible and performing a secondary heat treatment at a temperature of 700° C. to 1,000° C. to form a lithium nickel manganese cobalt-based positive electrode active material, wherein a volume of the pre-calcinated mixture formed after the primary heat treatment is 20% to 50% of a volume of the reaction mixture added to the first crucible. In this case, the lithium raw material may include at least one selected from the group consisting of a lithium hydroxide and a lithium carbonate, and the nickel-manganese-cobalt precursor may include at least one selected from the group consisting of a nickel manganese cobalt hydroxide, a nickel manganese cobalt oxyhydroxide, a nickel manganese cobalt carbonate, and a nickel manganese cobalt organic complex. Also, the reaction mixture may further include a doping raw material, and the doping raw material may include oxides, hydroxides, sulfides, oxyhydroxides, or halides, which include at least one element selected from the group consisting of W, Cu, Fe, V, Cr, Ti, Zr, Zn, Al, In, Ta, Y, In, La, Sr, Ga, Sc, Gd, Sm, Ca, Ce, Nb, Mg, B, and Mo, or a mixture thereof. An amount of the pre-calcinated mixture added to the second crucible may be 2 to 10 times an amount of the pre-calcinated mixture formed in the first crucible. The first crucible may be a crucible formed of a material that may be used at a temperature of 800° C. or less and, for example, may be a stainless steel crucible, a nickel crucible, or an alloy crucible, and the second crucible may be an aluminum crucible. In the present invention, the primary heat treatment may be performed for 1 hour or more, and the secondary heat treatment may be performed for 2 hours or more. Also, at least one of the primary heat treatment and the secondary heat treatment may be performed in an air atmosphere. Furthermore, the preparation method of the present invention may further include adding a doping raw material to the second crucible before the secondary heat treatment and/or milling or classifying the pre-calcinated mixture before the pre-calcinated mixture is added to the second crucible. The lithium nickel manganese cobalt-based positive electrode active material prepared by the preparation method of the present invention may be represented by Formula 1 below. Li1+x[NiaMnbCOcM11−a−b−c]1−xO2[Formula 1] In Formula 1, −0.2≤x≤0.2, 0<a<1, 0<b<1, and 0<c<1, and M1includes at least one selected from the group consisting of W, Cu, Fe, V, Cr, Ti, Zr, Zn, Al, In, Ta, Y, La, Sr, Ga, Sc, Gd, Sm, Ca, Ce, Nb, Mg, B, and Mo. Advantageous Effects Since a preparation method of the present invention may form a pre-calcinated mixture having a reduced volume compared to a reaction mixture by performing a primary heat treatment on the reaction mixture at a temperature of 500° C. to 800° C., a relatively larger amount of the pre-calcinated mixture may be contained in a crucible for a secondary heat treatment, and thus, productivity is excellent. Specifically, according to the preparation method of the present invention, a yield 2 to 6 times higher than that of a conventional method using single calcinating may be obtained in a crucible with the same volume. Also, according to the preparation method of the present invention, since unnecessary gas, such as CO2, or moisture is released during a primary heat treatment process and a secondary heat treatment is performed in a state in which these by-products are removed, there is no degradation of calcinating atmosphere due to gas release during the secondary calcinating and, as a result, an oxygen concentration in a calcinating furnace is relatively highly maintained. Thus, it is advantageous in preparing a positive electrode active material having excellent life characteristics. Furthermore, according to the preparation method of the present invention, non-uniformity in the quality of the positive electrode active material depending on a position in the crucible may be effectively eliminated.

11479470

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention generally relates to three-dimensional boron-rich clusters, the use of such clusters as substrates in a variety of photophysical processes and biomimetic functions, and methods of their manufacture, and of the manufacture of atomically precise nanoparticles therefrom. BACKGROUND Polyhedral carboranes are boron-rich molecular clusters that are often described as three-dimensional (3D) analogs to benzene. (See, e.g., Grimes, R. N.Carboranes,2nd ed.; Elsevier: Oxford, 2011; and Spokoyny, A. M.Pure Appl. Chem.2013, 85, 903, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.) Their unique delocalized 3D aromatic bonding, high stability, and potential for site-selective functionalization make them attractive building blocks for tunable pharmacophores, unique ligand scaffolds, and building blocks for materials applications. (See, e.g., Issa, F. et al.,Chem. Rev.2011, 111, 5701; McArthur, S. G. et al.,Inorg. Chem. Front.2015, 2, 1101; Bohling, L. et al.,Eur. J. Inorg. Chem.2016, 2016, 403; Jude,H., J. Am. Chem. Soc.2005, 127, 12131; Farha, O. K. et al.,J. Am. Chem. Soc.2007, 129, 12680; Thomas, J. C. et al.,Chem. Mater.2015, 27, 5425; Yao, Z.-J. et al.,J. Organomet. Chem.2015, 798, 274; Douvris, C. & Ozerov, O. V.,Science2008, 321, 1188; Julius, R. L. et al.,Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A2007, 104, 4808; Endo, Y. et al.,Itai, A. Chem. Biol.2001, 8, 341; Lugo, C. A. et al.,Inorg. Chem.2015, 54, 2094; Shi, C. et al.,Angew. Chem.2013, 125, 13676; Lee, Y.-H. et al.,J. Am. Chem. Soc.2015, 137, 8018; and Joost, M. et al.,J. Am. Chem. Soc.2014, 136, 14654, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.) SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Novel three-dimensional molecular clusters and methods of their synthesis are provided. Various embodiments are directed to metal-free photooxidants comprising an icosahedral dodecaborate consisting of B12(OR)12where R is an alkyl, unsubstituted, or substituted benzyl substituent. In some such embodiments R is at least one of either an alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted benzyl substituent. Other embodiments are directed to methods for photo-mediated (co)polymerization including:introducing a solution of a monomer and an icosahedral dodecaborate consisting of B12(OR)12where R is an alkyl, unsubstituted, or substituted benzyl substituent; andilluminating the solution with an energetic emission. In some such embodiments R is at least one of either an alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted benzyl substituent. In other such embodiments the monomer(s) contains an alkene or epoxide. In still other such embodiments the monomer(s) is selected from the group of substituted or unsubstituted styrenes, terpenes, cycloaliphatic epoxides, norbornenes, vinyl ethers, vinyl esters, methacrylates, acrylamides, hydrocarbons, maleic anhydrides, and various derivatives of molecules containing either activated or unactivated alkenes, or epoxides. Still other embodiments are directed to a transition metal complex ligands including a 1, 1′-bis(o-carborane) consisting of [(C2H10B10)−]2. Yet other embodiments are directed a transition metal complex ligands including a substituted 1, 1′-bis(o-carborane) consisting of (C2H9B10R2)2, where R is selected from the group consisting of: alkane, alkene, alkyne, alcohol, aryl, ether, halide, aldehyde, carboxylic acid, ester, amide, amine, nitrile, isocyanate, thiol and arene. In some such embodiments the ligand is coordinated with a transition metal (M) at the CH group, and wherein the transition metal is selected from the group consisting of: Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Re, Os, Ir, Pt and Au. In other such embodiments the transition metal complex ligand further includes a bidentate ligand containing two N-M bonds. In still other such embodiments the transition metal complex ligand further includes a monoanionic ligand containing a C-M or B-M bond. In yet other such embodiments the monoanionic ligand is an acetylacetone. In still yet other such embodiments the transition metal complex ligands may be used a dopants in organic light emitting diode materials. Still yet other embodiments are directed to transition metal complex carboranyl-aryl ligands consisting of C2H8B10R2X, where R is selected from the group consisting of: alkane, alkene, alkyne, alcohol, aryl, ether, halide, aldehyde, carboxylic acid, ester, amide, amine, nitrile, isocyanate, thiol and arene; and where X is a substituted or unsubstituted aryl. In some such embodiments the aryl is a pyridine. Still yet other embodiments are directed to molecular scaffolds for forming atomically precise nanomolecules comprising an icosahedral dodecaborate consisting of B12(OR)12, where R is a perfluoroaryl terminated linker. In some such embodiments the dodecaborate is perfunctionalized with one or more alkyl or substituted aromatic perfunctionalization groups, and each of the perfluoraryl terminated linkers is attached to the dodecaborate through said perfunctionalization groups. In other such embodiments one or more of the fluorine atoms of the perfluoroaryl terminated linkers is substituted with a thiol-containing molecule or macromolecule. In still other such embodiments the thiol-containing macromolecule is a peptide such that the molecular scaffold is an organomimetic cluster nanomolecule. In yet other such embodiments the molecular scaffold is PEGylated. In still yet other such embodiments the thiol-containing molecules are recognition moieties. In still yet other such embodiments the recognition moieties are glycoconjugates. In still yet other such embodiments the glycoconjugates are linked with one or more molecules selected from the group consisting of proteins, peptides, lipid and saccharides. In still yet other such embodiments the molecular scaffold forms an organomimetic cluster nanomolecule that functions as one of an antibody, protein, histone or viral mimic. In still yet other such embodiments the molecular scaffold further comprises a viral scaffold and at least one fluorescent moiety, and wherein the molecular scaffold operates as a viral assay. In still yet other such embodiments the viral scaffold is a gp41 viral scaffold. In still yet other such embodiments the histone mimic comprises a periodic arrangement of cationic lysine residues separated by one or more helix-promoting hydrophobic amino acids. Still yet other embodiments are directed to methods for forming atomically precise nanomolecules including: providing an icosahedral dodecaborate scaffold consisting of B12(OR)12appending one or more of the hydrogens on the dodecaborate scaffold with one or more perfluoroaryl terminated linkers; conjugating one or more thiol containing molecules or macromolecules onto one or more of the perfluoraryl terminated linkers a nucleophilic aromatic substitution. In some such embodiments the method further includes perfunctionalizing the dodecaborate scaffold with one or more alkyl or substituted aromatic perfunctionalization groups prior to appending the one or more perfluoraryl terminate linkers thereto. Still yet other embodiments are directed to a covalent organic framework comprising two-dimensional carborane-containing polymer sheets. In some such embodiments a plurality of receptor molecules are appended to the covalent organic framework. In other such embodiments the receptor molecules are sugars or peptides. Still yet other embodiments are directed to a method of forming a covalent organic framework including:providing a plurality of carboranes;forming a plurality of difunctionalized cyanocarbones therefrom via acid-mediated trimerization;forming a two-dimensional carborane-containing polymer sheet via an ionothermal polymerization; andfunctionalizing one or more of the carbon-hydrogen vertices of the two dimensional carborane-containing polymer sheet. In some such embodiments the functionalization comprises appending one or more receptor molecules onto the carbon-hydrogen vertices. Additional embodiments and features are set forth in part in the description that follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the specification or may be learned by the practice of the invention. A further understanding of the nature and advantages of the present invention may be realized by reference to the remaining portions of the specification and the drawings, which forms a part of this disclosure.

11304024

BACKGROUND The use of mobile devices, such as smartphones, is nearly ubiquitous. Many of these mobile devices include the capability to determine their physical location. That is, the mobile device is capable of determining its location in the physical world. Conventionally location determination is typically accomplished by using Global Positioning Systems (GPS), some form of triangulation or interpolation of multiple radio signals, interne protocol (IP) geo-location, or some combination thereof. A collection of so-called location-based services (LBS) are emerging that take advantage of the location-detection capability of the mobile devices that so many people are carrying with them each day. For example, LBSs include targeted advertising, social networking, locating friends (“check-ins”), photo tagging, life logging, location-based games, fitness monitoring, and others. Location-based services may include vehicle or parcel tracking as well. With the ubiquitous nature of the mobile devices comes the ubiquitous use of the mobile applications (“apps”) on such devices. Typically, a user downloads such apps from application distribution platforms and installs the apps on the mobile device.

11375128

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to the field of exposure processing technologies, and in particular, to a method for obtaining exposure compensation values of a high dynamic range image, a terminal device and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. BACKGROUND Nowadays, various terminal devices have become a must-have for users' daily life, and users can perform various functions through the terminal devices. For example, a high dynamic range (HDR) image is captured using a camera in a terminal device. Among them, HDR is obtained by fusing three images of a normal exposure image, an underexposed image, and an overexposed image. In the actual disclosure process, when the user uses the camera to take a high dynamic range image, the terminal device usually first takes a normal exposure image of the shooting area by using an Auto Exposure Control (AEC), and then according to a preset underexposed value and a preset overexposed value to capture an underexposed image and an overexposed image of the same area. The captured normal exposure image, underexposed image and overexposed image are then combined by image fusion technology to obtain a high dynamic range image. However, due to a large difference between actual shooting environments, when shooting a high dynamic range image in the above manner, it may cause the shot image to be overexposed or underexposed, so that the final image has a low quality and effect. SUMMARY This disclosure is intended to address at least some of the technical deficiencies described above. Therefore, a first object of the present disclosure is to provide a method for obtaining exposure compensation values of a high dynamic range image, which can adaptively determine the exposure compensation amount of the captured image according to different shooting scenes, so as to dynamically adjust exposure compensation of the captured image as good as possible, which improves the quality of the captured image as well as the users' experience. A second object of the present disclosure is to provide a terminal device for obtaining exposure compensation values of a high dynamic range image. A third object of the present disclosure is to provide a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. In order to achieve the above object, the method for obtaining exposure compensation values of a high dynamic range image according to an embodiment of a first aspect of the present disclosure includes: determining a relationship between brightness values and pixel ratios in different color channels corresponding to a current scene; determining an underexposure degree and an overexposure degree of the current scene, according to a preset normal exposure brightness threshold, a preset pixel ratio threshold, and the relationship between brightness values and pixel ratios; and determining an underexposure compensation value and an overexposure compensation value of the current scene, according to the underexposure degree and the overexposure degree of the current scene. In order to achieve the above objective, a terminal device according to an embodiment of a second aspect of the present disclosure includes: a memory, a processor, and a camera module; the camera module configured to take an image of a current scene; and the memory configured to store executable program codes, the processor, configured to read executable program codes stored in the memory to execute a program corresponding to the executable program codes, thereby to implement the method for obtaining exposure compensation values of a high dynamic range image of the first aspect of the present disclosure. In order to achieve the above object, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to an embodiment of the third aspect of the present disclosure stores instructions that, upon execution on a processor, cause the processor to perform operations including: determining a number of color channels corresponding to a current scene, wherein the color channels each comprising a number of relationships between brightness values and pixel ratios; and determining an underexposure compensation value and an overexposure compensation value of the current scene, according to a preset normal exposure brightness threshold, a pixel ratio threshold, and the relationships between brightness values and pixel ratios. A relationship between brightness values and pixel ratios in different color channels corresponding to a current scene is determined, for example, there are a number of color histograms corresponding to the current scene, wherein the color channels each includes relationship between brightness values and pixel ratios; an underexposure degree and an overexposure degree of the current scene, according to a preset normal exposure brightness threshold, a preset pixel ratio threshold, and the corresponding relationships between different brightness values and pixel ratios, are determined; an underexposure compensation value and an overexposure compensation value of the current scene, according to the underexposure degree and the overexposure degree of the current scene, are determined. Therefore, when exposure compensation is performed on the captured image, it is possible to adaptively determine the exposure compensation amount of the captured image according to different shooting scenes, so as to dynamically adjust exposure compensation as good as possible for the captured image, thereby enabling the captured image to be more clearly display the details of the image, and more realistically reflect a real visual effect of the current scene, improving the quality of the image, as well as the users' experience. The aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will be set forth in part in the description as follows or learned by practicing the disclosure.

11226717

TECHNICAL FIELD Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to man-machine interaction technologies, and more particularly, to a user interface display method and device, apparatus and storage medium. BACKGROUND Generally, a smartphone usually has a plurality of application programs installed thereon. When there are multiple application programs running in the background, users can switch one of the application programs to run in the foreground. In related art, there is proposed an application program switching method which includes the following steps. For example, during running an application program A in the foreground, if a first tap signal on a menu key is received, the smartphone displays a thumbnail page on which thumbnails of several application programs running in the background are displayed; when a second tap signal on the thumbnail corresponding to an application program B is received, the smartphone switches the application program B to the foreground. SUMMARY Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a user interface display method and device, apparatus and storage medium, in order to solve the technical problem that the application program switching method in related arts needs a plurality of man-machine interaction operations, and the man-machine interaction efficiency is low. The technical solutions of the present disclosure are as follows: According to an aspect, there is provided a user interface display method, including: displaying a first user interface for a first application program in a main display region; displaying a program icon of a second application program in an auxiliary display region; and when a first operation signal on the program icon is received, displaying a floating window on the first user interface, wherein the floating window is used to display a second user interface for the second application program. According to another aspect, there is provided a user interface display device, including: a first display module configured to display a first user interface for a first application program in a main display region; a second display module configured to display a program icon of a second application program in an auxiliary display region; wherein the second display module is further configured to, when a first operation signal on the program icon is received, display a floating window on the first user interface, wherein the floating window is used to display a second user interface for the second application program. According to another aspect, there is provided a terminal, including a processor and a memory, wherein the memory stores at least one instruction, and the at least one instruction is configured to be executed by the processor to implement the user interface display method according to the first aspect. According to another aspect, there is provided a computer-readable storage medium having at least one instruction stored thereon, wherein the at least one instruction is configured to be executed by a processor to implement the user interface display method according to the first aspect.

11225833

BACKGROUND A need for a ladder with a guardrail locking system has been present for a long time to assist the user in safely using ladders. This invention is directed to solve these problems and satisfy the long-felt need. SUMMARY A ladder with one or more guardrails with its locking system is presented herein. The ladder also has a guardrail on or near the top of the ladder may prevent a user from accidently falling off the ladder. The ladder has a first pair of side rails with a first set of steps located in-between the first pair of side rails and a second pair of side rails with a second set of steps located in-between the second pair of side rails. The first pair of side rails has a first pair joining sections and the second pair of side rails has a second pair joining sections so that the first pair of side rails and the second pair of side rails are rotatably attached with a pair of joining hinges wherein the joining hinges may be using a joining pin, a bolt or other acceptable joining methods at each of the joining hinge. The first guardrail with a pair of arms are rotatably attached to the first pair joining sections and second pair joining sections by the pair of joining hinges of the ladder. The first pair joining sections comprises of a pair of first rotatable areas and the second pair joining section comprises of a pair of second rotatable areas, and the first pair joining sections further comprises of one or more locking points wherein one or more locking keys attached to the first guardrail engages one or more of the locking points to prevent the first guardrail from rotating freely. To make the ladder easier to open and close with security, each of the first rotatable areas and second rotatable areas may be flat and round so that the first pair joining sections and second pair joining sections are slidably joined together by the pair of joining pins. To prevent the latter from arbitrarily open and close, one or more of the locking points are distributed on the edges of the first rotatable area to receive the locking keys of the first guardrail wherein the locking point may be formed by an indentation, slot, depression or protrusion into the edge of the first rotatable area. For a preferred embodiment, the locking keys has a locking protrusion to engage one of the locking points. In addition, the locking key may have a locking button with the locking protrusion located on the first guardrail to slidably move the locking protrusion to engage and disengage one of the locking points. For an improved design, the locking protrusion of the locking key is a protrusion pin that slidably engages and disengages one of the locking points. The ladder may have a second guardrail attached to the first guardrail so that a user of the ladder can be guarded (or surrounded) by a guardrail all around, providing 360 degrees of guardrail around the person. The second guardrail may be rotatably attached to the pair of arms of the first guardrail. To better protect the user, the second guardrail comprises of a guardrail lock slidably attached to the second guardrail that prevents the second guardrail from freely rotating about the first guardrail. The guardrail lock has a stopping edge to help prevent the guardrail lock from sliding freely on the second guardrail and overlaps both the corresponding arm of the first guardrail and the corresponding arm of the second guardrail. Moreover, the guardrail lock may be slidably adjustable so that the guardrail lock can be pushed over, including but not limited to left and right or back and forth motion, to not overlap or cover the corresponding arm of the first guardrail so the guardrail lock does not engage the arm of the first guardrail. Furthermore, the guardrail lock may be adjustable by having a slider that may be used to push the guardrail lock sideways. The ladder further comprises of a foldable stand attached to one of the steps of the first pair of side rails and attached to one of the steps of the second pair of side rails, wherein the foldable stand may be folded or bent at about the middle of the stand. The advantages of the embodiments of the ladder described herein, including but not limited, are: (1) helps the user of the ladder to more securely stand on the stand guarded by the first guardrail on one side, (2) helps the user of the ladder to more securely stand on the stand guarded by the first guardrail on two opposite sides, (3) helps the user of the ladder to more securely stand on the stand guarded by the first guardrail on all sides, (4) securely lock the guardrails so the guardrails do not freely move about while the user is working on the ladder, (5) the user may adjust the first guardrail and the second guardrail while standing on the ladder, and (6) the ladder and the guardrails can easily folded for storage. Although the present invention is briefly summarized, a better understanding of the invention can be obtained by the following drawings, detailed description and appended claims.

11360675

BACKGROUND Technical Field This application relates to improving rebuild for a data storage system. Description of Related Art Computer systems may include different resources used by one or more host processors. Resources and host processors in a computer system may be interconnected by one or more communication connections. These resources may include, for example, data storage devices. These data storage systems may be coupled to one or more servers or host processors and provide storage services to each host processor. Multiple data storage systems from one or more different vendors may be connected and may provide common data storage for one or more host processors in a computer system. A host processor may perform a variety of data processing tasks and operations using the data storage system. For example, a host processor may perform basic system I/O operations in connection with data requests, such as data read and write operations. Host processor systems may store and retrieve data using a storage device containing a plurality of host interface units, disk drives, and disk interface units. The host systems access the storage device through a plurality of channels provided therewith. Host systems provide data and access control information through the channels to the storage device and the storage device provides data to the host systems also through the channels. The host systems do not address the disk drives of the storage device directly, but rather, access what appears to the host systems as a plurality of logical disk units. The logical disk units may or may not correspond to the actual disk drives. Allowing multiple host systems to access the single storage device unit allows the host systems to share data in the device. In order to facilitate sharing of the data on the device, additional software on the data storage systems may also be used. Such a data storage system typically includes processing circuitry and a set of disk drives (disk drives are also referred to herein as simply “disks” or “drives”). In general, the processing circuitry performs load and store operations on the set of disk drives on behalf of the host devices. In certain data storage systems, the disk drives of the data storage system are distributed among one or more separate disk drive enclosures (disk drive enclosures are also referred to herein as “disk arrays” or “storage arrays”) and processing circuitry serves as a front-end to the disk drive enclosures. The processing circuitry presents the disk drive enclosures to the host device as a single, logical storage location and allows the host device to access the disk drives such that the individual disk drives and disk drive enclosures are transparent to the host device. Disk arrays are typically used to provide storage space for one or more computer file systems, databases, applications, and the like. For this and other reasons, it is common for disk arrays to be structured into logical partitions of storage space, called logical units (also referred to herein as LUs or LUNs). For example, at LUN creation time, storage system may allocate storage space of various storage devices in a disk array to be presented as a logical volume for use by an external host device. This allows a disk array to appear as a collection of separate file systems, network drives, and/or volumes. Moreover, data storage systems employ various logical structures in memory for organizing data, including logical structures such as a namespace, a mapper, virtual layer blocks (VLBs), and physical layer blocks (PLBs). A namespace is configured to organize storage objects such as LUNs and file systems, and to track logical addresses of the storage objects such as address offsets into LUNs, file system addresses, and so on. A mapper is configured to map the logical addresses of the storage objects in the namespace to virtualization spaces (also referred to herein as “virtual pointers”) in the respective VLBs. For example, such a mapper may include multiple pointer arrays in a mapping hierarchy configured as a multi-level tree. Further, the lowest level of the multi-level tree may include an array of leaf pointers, each pointing to one of multiple virtual pointers in a respective VLB. Each such virtual pointer in the respective VLB is configured to point to data, such as a data block, in a respective PLB. Additionally, data storage systems employ various techniques to assure high availability in the event of system failures. In one example, a storage device may experience a media error, in which stored data becomes corrupted and cannot be read from storage. In another example, the stored data may be tainted due to malfunction of the storage device, namely, the storage device may be writing to storage improperly and erroneously. To protect against possible data and/or metadata loss due to a physical drive failure, the data storage system can be configured such that at least some of its physical drives belong to a redundant array of independent (or inexpensive) disks (RAID) group, which is a storage device array created by logically binding a set of physical drives together. Such a RAID group can represent a logically contiguous address space distributed across a set of physical drives. Further, different RAID levels can be employed to provide varying degrees of fault tolerance for physical drive failures within the RAID group. It is noted that the terms “storage device(s)”, “drive(s)”, and “disk(s)” are employed herein interchangeably, even though it is well known that not all physical storage devices or drives include rotating disks. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One aspect of the current technique is a method for improving rebuild for a storage system. The method includes comparing a generation number of a PLB with a generation number of a partition corresponding to the PLB, and rebuilding data in the PLB based on the comparison. Data in the PLB may be rebuilt when the generation number of the PLB is equal to a generation number of the partition corresponding to the PLB. The method may also include receiving a write request pertaining to the PLB when a storage device corresponding to the PLB is unavailable; obtaining the generation number of the partition corresponding to the PLB; and setting the generation number of the PLB to the generation number of the partition corresponding to the PLB. The generation number of the PLB may be stored in a PLB descriptor. An indicator that data in the PLB is invalid may be set. The generation number of the PLB stored in the PLB descriptor may be compared to the generation number of the partition. The method may also include completing a rebuild cycle of the partition corresponding to the PLB, and incrementing the generation number of the partition. Another aspect of the current technique is a system, with a processor, for improving rebuild in a storage system. The processor is configured to compare a generation number of a PLB with a generation number of a partition corresponding to the PLB. The processor is also configured to rebuild data in the PLB based on the comparison. The processor may be configured to perform any other processes in conformance with the aspect of the current techniques described above.

11262881

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application claims priority from and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2019-0084605, filed on Jul. 12, 2019, which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes as if fully set forth herein. BACKGROUND Field Embodiments of the invention relate generally to a display device, and more specifically, to an input sensing unit and a display module including the same. Discussion of the Background A display device includes a display area, on which an image is displayed. The display area may have having a regular shape, such as a rectangular or circular shape, but also may have an irregular shape. For example, the display device may display an image through the display area having various shapes and surface areas. Also, the display device may include an input sensing unit that senses a touch event. The input sensing unit includes a sensing area, on which sensing electrodes are disposed. The sensing area may overlap the display area and a non-sensing area disposed adjacent to the sensing area, and signal lines may be disposed on the sensing area. The sensing area may have an irregular shape. The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for understanding of the background of the inventive concepts, and, therefore, it may contain information that does not constitute prior art. SUMMARY Input sensing units and a display module including the same constructed according to embodiments of the invention have improved sensing reliability with respect to an external input. Additional features of the inventive concepts will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the inventive concepts. A display module according to an embodiment includes a display panel, and an input sensing unit disposed on the display panel and having a sensing area and a non-sensing area adjacent to the sensing area, the input sensing unit including a plurality of first conductive patterns overlapping the sensing area, extending in a first direction, and arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and a plurality of second conductive patterns overlapping the sensing area, electrically insulated from the first conductive patterns, extending in the second direction, and arranged in the first direction, in which at least one first conductive pattern of the first conductive patterns includes a first pattern and a second pattern, the second pattern having a partial shape of the first pattern and disposed adjacent to the non-sensing area, and the second pattern has a line width greater than that of the first pattern in a plan view. The first conductive patterns may be divided into a first regular group and a first irregular group adjacent to the first regular group, and each of first conductive patterns in the first irregular group may correspond to the one first conductive pattern. The first irregular group may include two outermost first conductive patterns in the sensing area. The second patterns of the first conductive patterns in the first irregular group may have different line widths from each other. The first patterns of the first conductive patterns in the first irregular group may have the same line width. The first conductive patterns of the first regular group may have the same shape. The first conductive patterns of the first irregular group may have shapes different from each other. Each of the first pattern and the second pattern may be formed in plural, and the second patterns may include first sub-patterns and second sub-patterns facing each other with the plurality of first patterns interposed therebetween. At least one second conductive pattern of the second conductive patterns may include a third pattern and a fourth pattern, the fourth pattern having a partial shape of the third pattern and disposed adjacent to the non-sensing area, and the fourth pattern may have a line width greater than that of the third pattern in a plan view. The second conductive patterns may be divided into a second regular group and a second irregular group adjacent to the second regular group and having different shapes, and each of second conductive patterns in the second irregular group may correspond to the one second conductive pattern. The second conductive patterns of the second regular group may have the same shape, and the second conductive patterns of the second irregular group may have different shapes from each other. The first pattern and the third pattern may have the same line widths, and the second pattern and the fourth pattern may have line widths different from each other. Each of the first conductive patterns and the second conductive patterns may have a mesh shape. The line width of the second pattern may be in a range of 1.0 to 2.5 times of the line width of the first pattern. The display panel may include a substrate, a display element layer disposed on the substrate, and an encapsulation layer disposed on the display element layer, and the input sensing unit may be directly disposed on the encapsulation layer. A display module according to another embodiment includes a display panel, and an input sensing unit disposed on the display panel and having a sensing area and a non-sensing area adjacent to the sensing area, the sensing area including a first sensing area and a second sensing area protruding from the first sensing area in a first direction in a plan view, the input sensing unit including a plurality of first conductive patterns overlapping the first sensing area, extending in the first direction, and arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, a plurality of second conductive patterns overlapping the first sensing area, electrically insulated from the first conductive patterns, extending in the second direction, and arranged in the first direction, and a notch conductive pattern overlapping the second sensing area, in which the notch conductive pattern has a line width greater than that of each of the second conductive patterns in a plan view. Each of the first conductive patterns, the second conductive patterns, and the notch conductive pattern may have a mesh shape, and each of the first conductive patterns and each of the second conductive patterns may have the same line width. The second sensing area may include a first sub-sensing area and a second sub-sensing area spaced apart from the first sub-sensing area and facing the first sub-sensing area in the second direction, and the notch conductive pattern may include a first notch sensing pattern overlapping the first sub-sensing area and a second notch sensing pattern overlapping the second sub-sensing area. A distance between the first sub-sensing area and the second sub-sensing area in the second direction may be in a range of 20% to 50% of the sum of a length of the first sub-sensing area and a length of the second sub-sensing area in the second direction. An input sensing module according to still another embodiment includes a plurality of first conductive patterns extending in a first direction and arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and a plurality of second conductive patterns electrically insulated from the first conductive patterns, extending in the second direction, and arranged in the first direction, in which at least one of the first conductive patterns includes a first pattern and a second pattern having a partial shape of the first pattern, and the second pattern has a line width greater than that of the first pattern in a plan view. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.

11490506

BACKGROUND Field This disclosure is generally related to differential transmission lines on printed circuit boards (PCBs). More specifically, this disclosure is related to a system and method that controls transmission line impedance while compensating for timing skews on differential transmission lines. Related Art A pair of differential transmission lines can include two conductive paths of equal length, with signals on the two paths being equal in amplitude but opposite in polarity. On a high-density PCB, due to spatial constraints, a pair of differential transmission lines can experience multiple bends and turns along its path, resulting in possible timing skews between the true or positive (denoted as “P”) and complementary or negative (denoted as “N”) signals. Conventional timing-skew compensation approaches can result in non-uniform impedance distribution along the pair of differential transmission lines.

11285593

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electric stapler, more especially to an electric stapler having safety mechanism. Description of the Prior Art Normal staplers include mechanical staplers and electric staplers. The electric staplers are easier to strike the staple out than the mechanical staplers, but the force of striking of the electric staplers is also much higher than the mechanical staplers. Thus, the electric staplers are more dangerous. To improve the safety, safety mechanism is usually included in the electric stapler. A common safety mechanism is a two-stage trigger button. When the trigger button is pressed at the first stage, a resistance from the trigger button can inform the user that the striking mechanism has been unlocked. The user has to exert larger force to strike the staple out. Thus, accidentally striking is prevented. Another safety mechanism shown in patent TW 303772 has a safety button beside the trigger button. The trigger button can be triggered only when the safety button is unlocked. However, the safety mechanisms mentioned above have some disadvantages. First, accidentally striking cannot be prevented because the trigger button is closed to the safety button, or the trigger button and the safety button are the same button. Second, when the trigger button and the safety button are pressed at the same time by other objects, the staple may be struck out accidentally. Third, if the safety button is designed to be difficult to unlock, the stapler becomes inconvenient to use. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The main object of the present invention is to provide an electric stapler which is able to prevent from accidently striking. In addition, the user can be informed whether the stapler is strikable or not. To achieve the above and other objects, an electric stapler of the present invention includes a main body, a handle, a power mechanism, a striking assembly, and a safety mechanism. The main body has a receiving space and a staple outlet. The receiving space communicates the staple outlet. The receiving space is adapted for receiving at least one staple. The handle is connected to the main body. The handle has a moving portion. The moving portion is movable between an original position and an unlock position with respect to the main body. The moving portion is located at the original position normally. The power mechanism is disposed on one of the main body and the handle. The striking assembly includes a striking mechanism and a trigger switch. The striking mechanism is arranged in the receiving space and is electrically connected to the power mechanism. The striking mechanism is adapted for striking the at least one staple out along a striking direction via the staple outlet. The trigger switch is arranged on the handle and is electrically connected to the striking mechanism to trigger the striking mechanism to strike the at least one staple. The striking mechanism has a strikable state and a locking state. The trigger switch is striggerable to drive the striking mechanism to strike the at least one staple out when the trigger switch is at the strikable state, and the trigger switch is deactivated to be unable to strike the at least one staple out when the trigger switch is at the locking state. The safety mechanism is arranged between the main body and the moving portion of the handle. The safety mechanism is electrically connected to the trigger switch. The safety mechanism is at a locking mode to make the trigger switch at the locking state when the moving portion of the handle is at the original position. The safety mechanism is at an unlock mode to make the trigger switch at the strikable state when the moving portion of the handle is at the unlock positon. A direction from the original position toward the unlock position is defined as a moving direction, and an angle between the moving direction and the striking direction is smaller than 90 degrees. To achieve the above and other objects, an electric stapler of the present invention includes a main body, a handle, a power mechanism, a striking assembly, and a safety mechanism. The main body has a receiving space and a staple outlet. The receiving space communicates the staple outlet. The receiving space is adapted for receiving at least one staple. The handle is connected to the main body. The handle has a moving portion. The moving portion is movable between an original position and an unlock position with respect to the main body. The moving portion is located at the original position normally. The power mechanism is disposed on one of the main body and the handle. The striking assembly includes a striking mechanism and a trigger switch. The striking mechanism is arranged in the receiving space and is electrically connected to the power mechanism. The striking mechanism is adapted for striking the at least one staple out along a striking direction via the staple outlet. The trigger switch is arranged on the moving portion of the handle and is electrically connected to the striking mechanism to trigger the striking mechanism to strike the at least one staple. The striking mechanism has a strikable state and a locking state. The trigger switch is striggerable to drive the striking mechanism to strike the at least one staple out when the trigger switch is at the strikable state. The trigger switch is deactivated to be unable to strike the at least one staple out when the trigger switch is at the locking state. The safety mechanism is arranged on the handle. The safety mechanism is electrically connected to the trigger switch. The safety mechanism has a locking mode and an unlock mode. The trigger switch is at the locking state when the safety mechanism is at the locking mode, and the trigger switch is at the strikable state when the safety switch is at the unlock mode. When the moving portion of the handle is at the striking position and the trigger switch is at the strikable state, the trigger switch drives the striking mechanism to strike the at least one staple out. A direction from the original position toward the unlock position is defined as a moving direction, and an angle between the moving direction and the striking direction is smaller than 90 degrees. The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, which show, for purpose of illustrations only, the preferred embodiment(s) in accordance with the present invention.

11322344

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a National Stage filing under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Application No. PCT/PL2019/000070, filed Aug. 21, 2019, which claims the benefit of Polish Patent Application No. P.426786 filed Aug. 24, 2018, which applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. The subject of the invention is a method and device for reducing contamination in a plasma reactor, especially contamination by lubricants, particularly for plasma processing of materials. The method and device for the control of contaminants in the plasma reactor are known from the European patent application no. EP0425419. The method involves the use of electrostatic, electromagnetic, mechanical, thermal, pressure, hygroscopic or chemical means to eliminate particle contamination in situ in the plasma reactor system, mainly used in plasma etching, very sensitive to contamination coming from the outside of the system as well as from internal chemical and mechanical sources. One variant of the method is that a plasma purification process is performed by applying RF voltage in order to set the plasma in the reactor, followed by a periodical RF voltage switching for a short period of time and RF voltage reapplication, providing cyclical momentary breaks in RF voltage and plasma as well as continuous alternating RF voltage application with short breaks until completion of the plasma process. The RF power supply unit is periodically keyed. The plasma reactor system includes control electronics for generating impulses for the RF voltage source. Another variant is to create a pre-process plasma, which is a glow discharge of RF type in an electrodeless inductive reactor, in which there is only a plasma sheath type density gradient resulting from ambipolar diffusion and a temperature gradient in the direction of gas flow. In this variant, the plasma is induced by a coil supplied with energy from the power supply, which is fed into the chamber to remove water formed by the fragmentation of hydrated components such as OH or hydrocarbon impurities in the feed gases. In this solution, water, oxygen or absorbed organic chemicals are reduced when operating the reaction gas, and water or absorbed organic chemicals are reduced inside the plasma by exposing them to CF4or NF6plasma. The essence of the method according to the invention is that the polluted gas pumped out of at least one vacuum chamber with reduced pressure in the form of a plasma lamp is purified in at least one purifying plasma lamp, in which between the anode of the purifying plasma lamp and the cathode of the purifying plasma lamp a glow discharge is initiated, favorably particles of the lubricants are cracked and the partially polymerized processed heavy particles of lubricants are accumulated in a buffer tank and later are discharged outside the pumping system. The essence of the device according to the invention is that at least one chamber with a reduced pressure in the form of a plasma lamp is connected with at least one purifying plasma lamp and a buffer tank connected to a vacuum pump, in addition, a vacuum tube connecting plasma lamps with a purifying plasma lamp is equipped with a valve dosing the gaseous admixture medium to plasma lamps, from which radiation is then directed to the processed material. Favorably, the purifying plasma lamps are connected by a vacuum tube in series. Favorably, the first and the second plasma purifying lamps are connected to the power supply in parallel. Favorably, the purifying plasma lamp is a purifying H-type electrodeless plasma lamp, which is connected to a radio frequency power generator. Favorably, the purifying plasma lamp is a purifying E-type electrodeless plasma lamp, which is connected to a radio frequency power generator. The device for reducing contamination in a plasma reactor, especially contamination by lubricants, according to the invention, which uses purifying plasma lamps, makes it possible to guarantee a long service life of process plasma lamps, which in practice extends it even a thousand times. Application of the invention to vacuum processes of microelectronics may result in further multiplication of atomic purity of the process allowing to achieve new technical limits, previously considered impossible to be reached. In processes requiring particularly high purity, it is worth using at least one lamp of the electrodeless type located closest to valve V, from the inside of which the electrodes were removed and placed outside, shaping them in a way that using the energy of radio waves could generate plasma discharge type E (in an electric field) or type H (in a magnetic field).

11269563

BACKGROUND Field Certain embodiments of the present invention may relate to implementing high-speed connections for logical drives. Description of the Related Art Digital information has been traditionally stored on hard disk drives. Hard disk drives may store digital information using at least one rotating disk that includes magnetic material. The digital information may be written onto and read from the at least one rotating disk by a magnetic head. Because traditional hard disk drives typically use moving/mechanical components, these traditional hard disks would be prone to mechanical failure after extended use. Therefore, solid-state drives have become an increasingly popular replacement for hard disk drives. Solid-state drives are generally considered to be storage devices that store digital information using integrated circuit assemblies, without the use of moving/mechanical components. SUMMARY According to a first embodiment, a method can include receiving, by an electronic component, data from a first device. The data is received via a first protocol. The method can also include converting the data to be transmitted via a second protocol. The second protocol is a high-speed proprietary or standard protocol. The method can also include transmitting the data via the second protocol to a second device. In the method of the first embodiment, the electronic component comprises a gasket module. In the method of the first embodiment, the first device includes a logical drive that is at least one of a hard drive, a hard-drive platter, and a half-platter, and the second device includes a gasket module. In the method of the first embodiment, the first device includes a gasket module, and the second device includes a processor of a processor layer. In the method of the first embodiment, the first protocol includes a SAS or PCIe protocol, and the second protocol includes an optical communication protocol. In the method of the first embodiment, the first protocol includes an optical communication protocol, and the second protocol includes an electrical protocol. According to a second embodiment, an apparatus can include at least one processor. The apparatus can also include at least one memory including computer program code. The at least one memory and the computer program code can be configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus at least to receive data from a first device, wherein the data is received via a first protocol. The apparatus can also be caused to convert the data to be transmitted via a second protocol. The second protocol is a high-speed proprietary or standard protocol. The apparatus can also be caused to transmit the data via the second protocol to a second device. In the apparatus of the second embodiment, the apparatus includes a gasket module. In the apparatus of the second embodiment, the first device includes a logical drive that is at least one of a hard drive, a hard-drive platter, and a half-platter, and the second device comprises a gasket module. In the apparatus of the second embodiment, the first device includes a gasket module, and the second device comprises a processor of a processor layer. In the apparatus of the second embodiment, the first protocol includes a SAS or PCIe protocol, and the second protocol comprises an optical communication protocol. In the apparatus of the second embodiment, the first protocol includes an optical communication protocol, and the second protocol comprises an electrical protocol. According to a third embodiment, a computer program product can be embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium. The computer program product configured to control a processor to perform a method according to the first embodiment.

11295619

FIELD OF INVENTION The invention belongs to the field of information technology, and particularly involves a data patching method, device, equipment and storage medium for parking lots. BACKGROUND OF INVENTION Due to the surge in the number of vehicles and the lack of long-term consideration of vehicle parking in the early planning for domestic cities, the number of parking spaces in hot spot areas in large and medium-sized cities in China is far fewer than that of vehicles entering parking lots, which causes unnecessary waste of time and energy and even traffic jams when vehicles are looking for parking spaces. It is difficult to increase the parking spaces in these areas in the short term, so it is important to improve the utilization rate of parking spaces in these areas. To improve the utilization rate of parking spaces, it is necessary to push real-time parking information to vehicles in need to help them find parking spaces rapidly, namely, Parking Guidance and Information (PGIS) proposed by researchers. However, historical and real-time data of parking spaces in most urban parking lots are not recorded. The lack of such parking data results in the failure of PGIS to play the role of parking guidance. In addition, the establishment of a complete urban parking data network system in a short time requires high economic and time costs. The current best solution is to patch the data of parking lots to reduce the cost of providing data for PGIS. At present, researches of traffic data patching mainly focus on the generation of dynamic traffic, namely traffic flow data generation, while there are few researches on static traffic data, namely parking data patching. Among the existing data modification schemes, the patching methods based on historical time series data are highly dependent on the prior knowledge of parking lots. When a parking lot lacks a lot of parking data or even has no data, data patching cannot be realized with the common interpolation method. The data modification method based on spatial characteristics can reduce the demand for prior knowledge of parking lots to some extent, but the choice of spatial dimension is often limited to the latitude and longitude information of geographic space. Due to low malleability of spatial characteristics, it is difficult to conduct accurate patching of urban parking data. SUMMARY OF INVENTION The invention provides a data patching method, device, equipment and storage medium for parking lots to solve the problems that the data patching method in the existing technology for parking lots relies on the prior knowledge of parking lots, and that the accuracy of data patching for parking lots is not high. On the one hand, the invention provides a data patching method for parking lots, which comprises the following steps: Obtaining a pre-collected collection of urban parking lots, calculating the spatial similarity between two parking lots according to the spatial characteristics and preset spatial similarity measurement model of each parking lot in the said collection of urban parking lots. The said parking lots comprise parking lots to be patched and sample parking lots; Clustering the said parking lots into different clusters according to the spatial similarity between two parking lots, and calculating the corresponding spatial similarity probability of each parking lot cluster; Calculating the data similarity between two sample parking lots in the same parking lot cluster, and calculating the data similarity probability of the said parking lot clusters under the similar spatial condition according to the data similarity between two sample parking lots and the spatial similarity probability corresponding to the said parking lot clusters; Patching data of the parking lots to be patched in the said parking lot clusters according to the parking data of the said sample parking lots in the said parking lot clusters and the preset recurrent GANs when the data similarity probability under the similar spatial condition exceeds the probability threshold. On the other hand, the invention provides a data patching device for parking lots, which comprises: Spatial similarity computing unit is used to obtain a pre-collected collection of urban parking lots, calculate the spatial similarity between two parking lots according to the spatial characteristics and preset spatial similarity measurement model of each parking lot in the said collection of urban parking lots. The said parking lots comprise parking lots to be patched and sample parking lots; Spatial similarity probability computing unit is used to cluster the said parking lots into different clusters according to the spatial similarity between two parking lots, and calculate the corresponding spatial similarity probability of each parking lot cluster; Data similarity probability computing unit is used to calculate the data similarity between two sample parking lots in the same parking lot cluster, and calculate the data similarity probability of the said parking lot clusters under the similar spatial condition according to the data similarity between two sample parking lots and the spatial similarity probability corresponding to the said parking lot clusters; and Data patching unit is used to patch data of the parking lots to be patched in the said parking lot clusters according to the parking data of the said sample parking lots in the said parking lot clusters and the preset recurrent GANs when the data similarity probability under the similar spatial condition exceeds the probability threshold. In addition, the invention also provides a kind of computing equipment, which comprises a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and capable of running on the said processor, which executes the said computer program to implement said steps of the aforesaid data patching method for parking lots. In addition, the invention also provides a computer readable storage medium, which stores a computer program, which is executed by the processor to implement the said steps of the aforesaid data patching method for parking lots. The invention comprises the following steps: calculating the spatial similarity between two parking lots according to the spatial characteristics and preset spatial similarity measurement model of parking lots in the collection of urban parking lots, clustering parking lots into different clusters according to the spatial similarity, calculating the corresponding spatial similarity probability of parking lot clusters, calculating the data similarity between two sample parking lots in the same parking lot cluster, calculating the data similarity probability of the parking lot clusters under the similar spatial condition according to the data similarity and the spatial similarity probability corresponding to the parking lot clusters, patching data of the parking lots to be patched in parking lot clusters through recurrent GANs when the data similarity probability under the similar spatial condition exceeds the probability threshold, thus to conduct accurate data patching on parking lots to be patched without relying on the prior knowledge of the parking lots to be patched, which effectively saves the economic and time costs of setting up data acquisition equipment in parking lots to be patched.

11394151

FIELD This disclosure is generally directed to a sealed connector system that includes a multi pin lay out and a coaxial cavity. More specifically, it relates to primary locks with terminal serviceability features for mixed connection coaxial cables. BACKGROUND Coaxial connectors are widely used in the automotive industry to transmit high speed signals between systems and subsystems in an automobile. Other types of vehicles also use coaxial cables in the same manner. As vehicles continue to become “smarter” the use of coaxial cables in vehicles is bound to increase dramatically in the future. FIGS. 1-3illustrate a conventional coaxial connector100having a male connector101(shown inFIG. 3) and a female connector102(shown inFIG. 2) as known in the prior art. An exploded view of a conventional female connector is shown inFIG. 2and includes an outer housing assembly120, an inner housing140, a terminal assembly200, a stuffer110, and seal retainer130. The outer housing assembly120contains connector locking features. The TPA stuffer110contains primary lock features112and includes provisions for a wire seal and interface seal114. The seal retainer130supports the stuffer110and wire/interface seal114. The inner housing140includes a primary lock reinforcing features and lock features for the stuffer110and the seal retainer130. An exploded view of a conventional male connector is shown inFIG. 3and likewise includes a retainer130′, a stuffer TPA110′, a terminal assembly with wire seal200′, and an inner housing assembly with seal140′. The TPA stuffer110′ once again includes contains primary lock features112′. The inner housing140′ includes a primary lock reinforcing features and lock features for the stuffer TPA110′ and the seal retainer130′. With respect to the female connector102, the assembly sequence is designed in such a way that the outer housing assembly120and inner housing140is assembled together first. The stuffer TPA110with an interface seal114is then inserted from wire exit side of the inner housing140to keep it in a pre-lock position. The terminal assembly200with wire seal is then inserted into the assembly which is locked by the primary lock features112integrated with the stuffer110. The stuffer110is now pushed further in an axial mating direction inside the inner connector assembly120and outer connector assembly140until it reaches the final lock position. The reinforcing ribs on the inner housing140provide support for the primary lock features112on the stuffer110and protects it from any failures caused during connector assembly engagement. The seal retainer130is assembled to provide support for the wire seal. It also supports the stuffer110being pushed from final lock to pre-lock due to high forces exerted during connector assembly engagement. The male connector101shown inFIG. 3is assembled in a similar fashion. The current arrangement and assembly, described above, has many deficiencies or disadvantages. Included among the deficiencies or disadvantages, is the fact that the stuffer110and the interface seal114are added components used to seal and protect the terminal cavity from water penetration. These extra components add to the cost of manufacture and also increase the assembly cycle time. Additionally, when the terminal needs servicing, the entire stuffer assembly must be removed after removal of the seal retainer. The result is an increased amount of time and complexity during terminal service. Yet another disadvantage is that conventional type coaxial cavities cannot be combined with a multi pin layout connection. SUMMARY A connector apparatus includes a housing, and a primary lock reinforcement. The housing includes at least one substantially cylindrical coaxial cavity therein. The coaxial cavity has a first end, a second end, and a locking finger. At least one stop is located proximate the second end. A locking finger is positioned intermediate the first end and the second end. The locking finger includes a locking tab, and an unlocking surface. The locking finger is formed to be flexible and capable of flexing between a lock position and an unlock position. The locking finger is biased toward the lock position. The primary lock reinforcement is placed in the housing and has an opening therein corresponding to the second end of the cylindrical coaxial cavity. In one embodiment, the coaxial cavity includes a tubular section, and the locking finger formed from the sidewall of the tubular section. The tubular section has a first pair of substantially parallel slits in the sidewall which are substantially parallel to an axis of the at least one substantially cylindrical coaxial cavity. The tubular section also has a second pair of substantially parallel slits in the sidewall which are substantially parallel to an axis of the at least one substantially cylindrical coaxial cavity and collinear with the first pair of slits. A major portion of the locking finger is formed between the first pair of slits and the second pair of slits. The distance between the first pair of slits and the second pair of slits in the sidewall acts as a pivot area for the locking finger, in one embodiment. In another embodiment, the unlocking surface includes an unlocking channel. The unlocking channel is inclined with respect to the outer surface of the tubular portion of coaxial cavity in the housing. The primary lock reinforcement includes a guide channel aligned with the unlocking channel on the locking finger. The primary lock reinforcement also includes an opening on a connector side of the primary lock reinforcement corresponding to the guide channel. The guide channel and the unlocking channel are sized to receive an elongated unlocking tool. In another embodiment, there is another locking finger. In other words, there are two locking fingers. The two locking fingers are formed on opposite sides of the coaxial cavity. The coaxial cavity also has a sealing surface is formed near the first end of the coaxial cavity. In still another embodiment, the connector apparatus has a second coaxial cavity. In still a further embodiment, the connector apparatus includes a plurality of elements for connecting other types of electrical contacts. The primary lock reinforcement further includes a first connector surface, and a second interior surface which includes an alignment scoop to engage corresponding features in the housing. In one embodiment the connector is a female connector, and in another embodiment the connector is a male connector. A connector assembly includes a housing having at least one substantially cylindrical coaxial cavity therein, the coaxial cavity further includes a first end, and a second end. The cylindrical coaxial cavity has at least one stop located proximate the second end. The cylindrical coaxial cavity also has a first locking finger intermediate the first end and the second end, and a second locking finger intermediate the first end and the second end. The second locking finger is on the opposite side of the coaxial cavity from the first locking finger. Both the first locking finger and the second locking finger also include a locking tab, and an unlocking surface. The locking finger is formed to be flexible and capable of flexing between a lock position and an unlock position. The locking finger biased toward the lock position. The connector assembly also includes a coaxial cable including a terminal end. The terminal end includes an end that abuts the stop at the second end of the coaxial cavity, and a locking rib for engaging the locking tab of the locking finger. The connector assembly also includes a primary lock reinforcement, which is placed in the housing. The primary lock reinforcement has an opening therein corresponding to the second end of the cylindrical coaxial cavity. The unlocking surface on the flexible locking finger includes an annular unlocking channel. The primary lock reinforcement includes a connector side, and an interior side. The interior side includes annular guide channels which align to the annular unlocking channel on the locking tab. The unlocking channel is inclined toward the coax terminal from the second end of the cylindrical coaxial cavity. The connector assembly can also include a coax removal tool having a first elongated prong and a second elongated prong. The connector side includes a first opening for the first annular guide channel, and a second opening for the second annular guide channel. The first prong and the second prong are inserted each prong travels down the annular guide channel to the annular unlocking channel in each of the flexible locking fingers to disengage the locking tabs from the locking rib on the coax terminal which releases the coax from the cylindrical coaxial cavity.

11324298

FIELD OF THE INVENTION A hair treatment apparatus including a pliable sheet having a width and length positionable on a head of a wearer to engage a hairline between an arcuate top edge and an arcuate bottom edge with a pair of ends correspondingly disposed on opposite sides of a head of a wearer and methods of using a hair treatment apparatus. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Treating hair involves applying a hair treatment composition to the shafts and roots of the hairs on a scalp. Hairs along the hairline can be shorter than the hairs on the remainder of the scalp and may positionally avoid contact with the hair treatment composition by extending up or away from the scalp, and consequently, away from the hair treatment composition. When the hairs along the hairline extend up or away from the scalp, the resulting effect can be non-uniform treatment of the hairs on the scalp, with untreated or partially treated hairs occurring along the hairline. Therefore, an advantage can be provided by the instant inventive apparatuses and methods which positionally maintain the hairs along the hairline in contact with the hair treatment composition resulting in greater uniformity of treatment of all the hairs on a scalp. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, a broad object of the present invention can be to provide a hair treatment apparatus including one or more of: a pliable sheet having a width defined by an arcuate top edge and an arcuate bottom edge and a length disposed between a pair of ends, the pliable sheet positionable on a head of a wearer to engage a hairline between the arcuate top edge and the arcuate bottom edge and the pair of ends disposed on opposite sides of the head of the wearer. Another broad object of the present invention can be to provide a method of making a hair treatment apparatus including one or more of: obtaining a pliable sheet of material, cutting said sheet of material to a width disposed between an arcuate top edge opposite an arcuate bottom edge and to a length arcuately extending between a pair of ends, whereby said pliable sheet has a configuration positionable on the head of a wearer to engage a hairline between the arcuate top edge and the arcuate bottom edge with a pair of ends disposed on opposite sides of the head of the wearer. Another broad object of the present invention can be to provide a method of hair treatment, including one or more of: applying a hair treatment composition to hairs on a scalp, obtaining a hair treatment apparatus including a pliable sheet having a width defined by an arcuate top edge and an arcuate bottom edge and a length disposed between a pair of ends; positioning the hair treatment apparatus overlaying a hairline of the scalp between the arcuate top edge and the arcuate bottom edge of the pliable sheet, and disposing the pair of ends on opposite sides of the head of the wearer, and removing the hair treatment apparatus from the hairline of the scalp of the wearer. Another broad object of the present invention can be to provide a kit for a hair treatment including one or more of: a hair treatment apparatus including one or more of a pliable sheet having a width defined by an arcuate top edge and an arcuate bottom edge and a length arcuately extending between a pair of ends, the pliable sheet positionable on a head of a wearer to engage a hairline between the arcuate top edge and the arcuate bottom edge and dispose a pair of ends on opposite sides of the head of a wearer, and a hair treatment composition. Naturally, further objects of the invention are disclosed throughout other areas of the specification, drawings, photographs, and claims.

11425605

BACKGROUND Asymmetric links have the potential for channel misalignment using existing Wideband Automatic Link Establishment (WALE) (e.g., Fourth Generation (4G) automatic link establishment (ALE)) protocol for communications between high frequency (HF) radios. Existing 4G ALE is described in INTEROPERABILITY AND PERFORMANCE STANDARDS FOR MEDIUM AND HIGH FREQUENCY RADIO SYSTEMS, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE INTERFACE STANDARD, MIL-STD-188-141D, Dec. 22, 2017, (N.B., Appendix G “Wideband Automatic Link Establishment System”), all of which is incorporated herein in its entirety and hereinafter referred to as “MIL-STD-188-141D”. The current 4G ALE call linking protocol of MIL-STD-188-141D implicitly requires a perfect alignment of the 16-element sub-channel vectors of both radios, but there is currently no mechanism to avoid channel misalignment. SUMMARY In one aspect, embodiments of the inventive concepts disclosed herein are directed to a system. The system may include a first high frequency (HF) radio and a second HF radio. The first HF radio may be configured to utilize a wideband automatic link establishment (WALE) to setup a call between the first HF radio and the second HF radio. The WALE may be used in part for managing a first channel assigned to the first HF radio and a second channel assigned to the second HF radio. Each of the first and second channel may be characterized by a multiple element sub-channel vector. Each sub-channel vector element may describe a sub-channel of one of the first or second channel. The first HF radio may be assigned a first channel bandwidth spanning a first number of sub-channels that is one of even or odd. The second HF radio may be assigned a second channel bandwidth spanning a second number of sub-channels that is the other of even or odd. The first HF radio may have a first assigned frequency based on the first number of sub-channels being the one of even or odd. The second HF radio may have a second assigned frequency based on the second number of sub-channels being the other of even or odd. A position of the first assigned frequency within the multiple element sub-channel vector for the first HF radio may be misaligned from a position of the second assigned frequency within the multiple element sub-channel vector for the second HF radio by half of a width of a sub-channel by default. The first HF radio may be configured to initiate a WALE link setup handshake with the second HF radio by sending a link setup request to the second HF radio. The link setup request may include a first equipment capability code indicative of the first HF radio having the first assigned frequency based on the first number of sub-channels being the one of even or odd. The second HF radio may be configured to: receive the link setup request; determine that the position of the first assigned frequency and the position of the second assigned frequency are misaligned by half of the width of the sub-channel by default based on the first equipment capability code; and configure negotiated transmit and receive bands of the second HF radio to account for the offset of half of the width of the sub-channel. In a further aspect, embodiments of the inventive concepts disclosed herein are directed to a method. The method may include: utilizing, by a first high frequency (HF) radio, a wideband automatic link establishment (WALE) to setup a call between the first HF radio and a second HF radio, wherein the WALE is used in part for managing a first channel assigned to the first HF radio and a second channel assigned to the second HF radio, each of the first and second channel characterized by a multiple element sub-channel vector, each sub-channel vector element describing a sub-channel of one of the first or second channel, wherein the first HF radio is assigned a first channel bandwidth spanning a first number of sub-channels that is one of even or odd, wherein the second HF radio is assigned a second channel bandwidth spanning a second number of sub-channels that is the other of even or odd, wherein the first HF radio has a first assigned frequency based on the first number of sub-channels being the one of even or odd, wherein the second HF radio has a second assigned frequency based on the second number of sub-channels being the other of even or odd, wherein a position of the first assigned frequency within the multiple element sub-channel vector for the first HF radio is misaligned from a position of the second assigned frequency within the multiple element sub-channel vector for the second HF radio by half of a width of a sub-channel by default; initiating, by the first HF radio, an WALE link setup handshake with the second HF radio by sending a link setup request to the second HF radio, the link setup request including a first equipment capability code indicative of the first HF radio having the first assigned frequency based on the first number of sub-channels being the one of even or odd; receiving, by the second HF radio, the link setup request; determining, by the second HF radio, that the position of the first assigned frequency and the position of the second assigned frequency are misaligned by half of the width of the sub-channel by default based on the first equipment capability code; and configuring, by the second HF radio, negotiated transmit and receive bands of the second HF radio to account for an offset of half of the width of the sub-channel.

11282343

FIELD OF THE INVENTION Embodiments are generally related to sports and event betting. Embodiments are also related to online gaming and wagering. Embodiments are additionally related to systems and methods that allow users utilizing remote devices to wager on events of any type in a data network accessible gaming environment facilitated by one or more network servers and based on particular parameters such as, for example, the location of the user and/or other data. BACKGROUND Betting on sports and other events is a multi-billion dollar business. Casinos, for example, have large sports and event betting parlors for attracting bettors. These parlors display the bets that a person may make on various sporting or types of events. Bets are placed on most major sports including professional and college football, soccer, baseball, basketball, auto racing, and ice hockey, as well as cricket and rugby. Further, bets are placed on various sports tournaments, including the NCAA Men's and Women's Basketball Championships and World Cup Soccer. Also, bets may be placed on other types of events including a selection of the winner of a reality television show (e.g., the Survivor reality show), election results, weather events, when the first person lands on Mars, the winner of the next United States Presidential election, or any other type of event. In general, gambling is the wagering, or betting, of money or something of material value (referred to as “the stakes”) on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods. Typically, the outcome of the wager, or bet, is evident within a short period. The term “gaming” in this context typically refers to instances in which the activity has been specifically permitted by law. The two words are not mutually exclusive; i.e., a “gaming” company offers (legal) “gambling” activities to the public. This distinction is not universally observed in the English-speaking world, however. For instance, in the UK, the regulator of gambling activities is called the Gambling Commission (not the Gaming Commission). Also, the word gaming is frequently used to describe activities that do not involve wagering, especially online. While almost any game can be played for money, and any game typically played for money can also be played just for fun, some games are generally offered in a casino setting. Gaming can also be accomplished for non-monetary prizes, such as coupons, “points” that can be redeemed for merchandise or discounts and other promotional or recreational purposes. Fixed odds betting and parimutuel betting frequently occur at many types of sporting events, and political elections. In addition, many bookmakers offer fixed odds on a number of non-sports related outcomes; for example, the direction and extent of movement of various financial indices, the winner of television competitions such as Big Brother, and election results. Interactive prediction markets also offer trading on these outcomes; with “shares” of results trading on an open market. One of the most widespread forms of gambling involves betting on horse or greyhound racing. Wagering may take place through parimutuel pools, non-parimutuel betting arrangements, or bookmakers may take bets personally. Parimutuel wagers, for example, pay off at prices determined by support in the wagering pools, while bookmakers pay off either at the odds offered at the time of accepting the bet; or at the median odds offered by track bookmakers at the time the race started. Parimutuel betting (from the French language, Pari Mutuel or mutual betting) is a betting system in which all bets of a particular type are placed together in a pool, taxes and a house “take” or “vig” are removed by the gaming sponsor or organizer, and payoff odds are calculated by sharing the pool among all winning bets. In some countries, it is known as the Tote after the totalisator, which calculates and displays bets already made. Parimutuel and/or non-parimutuel betting systems are utilized in gambling events, such as horse racing, greyhound racing, jai alai, etc., and most sporting events of relatively short duration in which participants finish in a ranked order. A modified parimutuel system has also been adapted for use in some lottery games. Betting on team sports has become an important service industry in many countries. For example, millions of Britons play the football pools every week. In addition to organized sports betting, both legal and illegal, there are many side-betting games played by casual groups of spectators, such as NCAA Basketball Tournament Bracket Pools, Super Bowl Squares, Fantasy Sports Leagues with monetary entry fees and winnings, and in-person spectator games like Moundball. Arbitrage betting is a theoretically risk-free betting system in which every outcome of an event is bet upon so that a known profit will be made by the bettor upon completion of the event, regardless of the outcome. Arbitrage betting is a combination of the ancient art of arbitrage trading and gambling, which has been made possible by the large numbers of bookmakers in the marketplace, creating occasional opportunities for arbitrage. One can also bet with another person that a statement is true or false, or that a specified event will happen (a “back bet”) or will not happen (a “lay bet”) within a specified time. This occurs in particular when two people have opposing but strongly held views on truth or events. Not only do the parties hope to gain from the bet, they place the bet also to demonstrate their certainty about the issue. Some means of determining the issue at stake must exist. Sometimes the amount bet remains nominal, demonstrating the outcome as one of principle rather than of financial importance. A multiplayer video game is one within which more than one person can play in the same game environment at the same time. Unlike most other games, computer and video games are often single-player activities that pit the player against preprogrammed challenges and/or AI (artificial intelligence)-controlled opponents, which often lack the flexibility and ingenuity of regular human thinking. Multiplayer components allow players to enjoy interaction with other individuals, be it in the form of partnership, competition or rivalry, and provide them with a form of social communication that is almost always missing in single-player oriented games. In a variety of different multiplayer game types, players may individually compete against two or more human contestants, work cooperatively with a human partner(s) in order to achieve a common goal, supervise activities of other players, or engage in a game type that incorporates any possible combination of the above. Multiplayer games typically require the players to share resources of a single game system or use networking technologies that allow players to play together over greater distances. SUMMARY The following summary is provided to facilitate an understanding of some of the innovative features unique to the disclosed embodiment and is not intended to be a full description. A full appreciation of the various aspects of the embodiments disclosed herein can be gained by taking the entire specification, claims, drawings, and abstract as a whole. It is, therefore, one aspect of the disclosed embodiments to provide methods and systems that allow users of remote communication and display devices (e.g., smartphones, tablet computing devices, laptop computers, home computers, servers, etc.) to view gaming event information, including any of video, statistics and online betting options, and also enable betting based on the location of the user and other parameters. In one embodiment, a GPS-based or other location detection based method and system can be implemented, wherein when a user logs onto the system from a location using a mobile device (e.g., tablet, laptop, smart phone, Wi-Fi enabled computer, etc.), the location of the user is determined and sent to the system so that the system is aware of where the user is located. Based on that location, the system knows (1) whether use of the system is legal/allowed in that jurisdiction; (2) if legal/allowed, what limits exist in that location on the types/amounts of bets as prescribed by laws and regulations; and (3) based on those prescribed limits, the options presented to the user are conformed to the laws and regulations that apply. In another embodiment, a GPS-based or other location detection based method and system can be implemented wherein when a user logs onto the system from a location using a mobile device (e.g., tablet, laptop, smart phone, Wi-Fi enabled computer, etc.), the location of the user is sent to the system so that the system knows where the user is located. Based on that location, the system will know (1) what the requirements are for a user to participate in that jurisdiction (e.g., age, disclosures/disclaimers that must be presented, notices that must be provided and verified, etc.); (2) utilize methods to verify that the user is qualified (e.g. age verification) and; (3) making any necessary reports or disclosures that the proper notices were provided and verified to have been read, understood and agreed upon by the user to ensure a user is qualified to participate. In yet another embodiment, a GPS-based or other location detection based method and system ca be implemented wherein when a user logs onto the system from a location using a mobile device (e.g., tablet, laptop, smart phone, Wi-Fi enabled computer, etc.), the location of the user is sent to the system so it knows where the user is located. Based on that location, the system will know (1) whether use of the system is taxed in that jurisdiction; (2) if taxed, the system will calculate the user's taxes or the system owner's taxes and ensure that the taxes are properly accounted for any paid, either by deducting the taxes from the user's account or ensuring that the system operator's taxes are reported In another embodiment, at certain random or pre-determined intervals, the user may be required to verify that it (the user) is a person using the system and not a machine. In yet another embodiment, the GPS based or other location based system can be used to identifying other users who are located in a location that permits gaming with the first user. For example, if the first user initiates a parimutuel betting game within a venue, but gaming is only permitted inside the venue, the GPS-based or other location detection-based system can identify other users located within the venue who can participate in that game. It should be appreciated that the disclosed embodiments can apply to any form of online gaming using mobile devices and not just micro-betting. “Micro-betting” as discussed herein is for exemplary or illustrative purposes only and is not considered a limiting feature of the disclosed embodiments. In general, the GPS or other location-based method and system can be used to choose the correct method to, for example, calculate taxes owed in jurisdictions where gambling is legal and to report/pay those taxes. Such a GPS or other location-based method system can be used to choose from various authorization forms to ensure only persons legally authorized to gamble in a location are allowed access to the site. In addition, such a GPS or other location-based method/system can be used to choose from various available forms of gambling that are legal in the jurisdictions. The disclosed GPS or other location based method/system or service can be employed to authorize particular gambling types (e.g., blackjack, poker, horse racing, sports betting, etc.) that are legal in the jurisdiction. In addition, operations can be implement to impose on the gambling, limits prescribed in the jurisdiction (e.g., amount of bets, amount of losses, number of bets, etc.). It is another aspect of the disclosed embodiments to provide for systems and methods that allow users of remote devices to wager on events of a competitive entertainment event occurring in a gaming environment via access to a network server over a data network. It is another aspect of the disclosed embodiments to provide for systems and methods that allow users of portable device to securely wager on events of a competitive entertainment event occurring in a gaming environment, such as a casino or sports venue, via access through transponders deployed throughout the venue to a network server managing secure wagering. It is another aspect of the disclosed embodiments to provide for systems and methods that allow users of portable device to securely wager on events of a competitive entertainment event occurring in a gaming environment, such as a casino or sports venue, via access to a network server managing secure wagering where images of data are displayed on a wearable device such as data-enabled eyeglasses or eyewear (e.g., GoogleGlass, etc.) or a head mounted display. It is another aspect of the disclosed embodiments to provide for systems and methods that allow users of portable device to securely wager on events of a competitive entertainment event occurring in a gaming environment, such as a casino or sports venue, via, for example, access through secure transponders delayed throughout a venue to a network server managing secure wagering wherein images of data are displayed on data-enabled glasses (e.g., GoogleGlass, etc.) with data from at least one of a portable electronic device (eg., smartphone or tablet computer) carried by a user or directly from secure transponders. It is still a further aspect of the disclosed embodiments to provide methods and systems including the use of Google glasses that can be used to view data (bets, scores, status, video) while watching the live venue or while the event is playing on a big screen. The user will still place bets on a tablet or smartphone, that is also in data communication with the Google glasses. Google glasses are going to be hot wearable technology in the near future and will most certainly be used for everything including gaming applications and within venues such as sports stadiums, casinos, concert halls, and so forth. It is yet another aspect of the disclosed embodiments to provide systems and methods wagering in association with computer games (e.g., like Madden NFL, FIFA Soccer/Football, and even Call of Duty). In such a scenario, the venue would be virtual but the play would be just as real. Since many gamers play interactively over a network, they can place bets and microbets with each other during the game to enhance play. And the game can accompany or a real game, thereby permitting gamers to expand upon reality (e.g., simulate outcomes if different plays were run). Also, the computer game can be used as a platform for receiving other betting opportunities (from other real ongoing games, from other ongoing video games, etc.) during play. Another feature would be to add fantasy platforms, such as Yahoo! Fantasy Baseball. It is also an aspect of the disclosed embodiments to provide a system for betting on outcomes occurring during an event via computing devices such as smartphones, tablets, laptop computers, personal computers, and so on. Such a system can include a server for brokering wagers occurring during events and at least one remote device in communication with the server requesting placement of wagers occurring during the event. It is another aspect of the disclosed embodiments that remote devices include desktop computers, laptop computers, set-top boxes, gaming consoles, Internet-enabled High Definition Televisions Sets (HDTVs) and portable wireless handheld devices such as Smartphones, PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants) and proprietary portable devices rented to users at a venue. It is still another aspect of the disclosed embodiments that wagering includes the commitment or exchange of credits, coupons or electronic cash for a microbet. It is a further aspect of the disclosed embodiments that communications between remote devices and servers brokering wagers be secured. It is another aspect of the disclosed embodiments is to authenticate users of portable devices including requiring user entry of any combination of user name, user information, user age, passwords, biometrics, security codes to enable registration and secure access to gaming services provided by servers brokering wagers. Authentication can include in some instances determination of the user's location based on the device's GPS location or its communication of a with a network to assure that the user is allowed to engage in gaming from the determined location. It is another aspect of the disclosed embodiments to determine a location of a user based on the location of a portable electronic device (e.g., smartphone or tablet, etc.) to determine if the user is allowed to engage in microgaming. The location can be determined by GPS (Global Positioning System) or utilizing network access information, such as IP addresses, or triangulation based on device communication with cellular antennaes. A user's age can also be determined and then the user authenticated during subsequent sessions. Authentication of age can be based on biometrics read from a user, where biometrics can be obtained during initial set up when the user's age can be confirmed in person or remotely by gaming authorities or other controlling parties. Authorization of a user to engage in microgaming can be thus determined based on a user's age, the user's location, applicable laws for a given location, betting limits, and other established gaming rules. In another embodiment, user name and passwords can be utilized to enable registration and secure access to personal accounts and account credit balances stored on servers providing gaming services to remote devices. In another embodiment, one or more services can be implemented, which include a wagering module for brokering wagers transmit confirmation data via the data network to the remote device (or devices) that a particular bet or wager has been placed. In still another embodiment, a video display of the remote device can display video from a sports venue, along with player/team information and statistics, and wagering data and input fields accessible by the remote device user. In another embodiment, a video display on or associated with the remote device can provide wagering data and input fields accessible by a remote device user and a user interface on the remote device enable user interaction with wagering input fields by a remote device user.

11321312

BACKGROUND Document searching has long been a common computing task. Given a corpus of documents and given some search text that specifies desired information, the goal of document searching is to identify the documents in the corpus that are most relevant to the search text. While the form of the documents and the search text can vary, as can the notion of relevance, the general idea is to retrieve the pieces of information (e.g., documents) that are most likely to bear on the search text. Prior techniques that have focused merely on the standalone statistical properties of words, for instance TF-IDF, have been inadequate because they fail to capture word similarities. Such techniques may also fail to account for misspellings and spelling variations of a same word. While traditional search techniques such as keyword searching are often adequate for literal word searching and may even allow for spelling variations, these approaches often have not recognized polysemic terms (words having multiple orthogonal meanings). More generally, for large corpuses—which are increasingly common—simple word-based searching algorithms often miss relevant results and include irrelevant results. In view of these shortcomings and others, a variety of techniques based on artificial intelligence (AI) and natural language processing (NLP) have been applied to the search problem. Most of these newer techniques have relied on the use of auxiliary structures such as controlled vocabularies (dictionaries and thesauri) and ontologies. Controlled vocabularies and ontologies allow broader terms, narrower terms, and related terms to be incorporated into user queries. Controlled vocabularies are one way to overcome some of the limitations of Boolean keyword queries. Additional auxiliary structures of general interest, such as the large synonym sets of WordNet (a concept model based on auxiliary structures), have been implemented by reusing retrieval models and data structures of classical information retrieval. However, this approach involves complex algorithms for segmentation, reorganization and linking. Later approaches have implemented grammars to expand the range of semantic constructs. There remains a need for text searching that is efficient, able to account for spelling variations, and yet able leverage the power of deep contextualized word representations. SUMMARY The following summary is included only to introduce some concepts discussed in the Detailed Description below. This summary is not comprehensive and is not intended to delineate the scope of the claimed subject matter, which is set forth by the Claims presented below. A text vectorizer is provided to compute vectors for respective text units. The text vectorizer computes a given vector for a given text unit by: (i) computing word vectors for respective words in the text unit; (ii) computing phrase vectors for respective phrases in the text unit; and (ii) combining the word vectors and the phrase vectors to produce the given vector for the given text unit. For a corpus of documents, the text vectorizer computes corpus vectors for the respective corpus documents. Search text is received, and, based thereon, the text vectorizer computes a search vector for the search text. Search scores are then computed for respective corpus documents by comparing the search vector with the corpus vectors of the respective corpus documents. Many of the attendant features will be explained below with reference to the following detailed description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.

11245604

TECHNICAL FIELD Embodiments described herein generally include techniques to support multiple interconnect protocols for a common set of interconnect connectors. BACKGROUND As computing systems are advancing, the components therein are becoming more complex. As a result, the interconnect architecture to couple and communicate between the components is also increasing in complexity to ensure bandwidth and latency requirements are met for optimal component operation. Furthermore, different market segments need different interconnect architectures to suit the market's needs and different interconnect connections. For example, these computing systems may provide various processing capabilities that require different add-in cards having physical resources. These add-in cards that may be coupled with the baseboard and may require any number of different interconnect protocols. However, connector space on the baseboard may be limited and a single connector typical supports on a single or limited number of interconnect protocols. Thus, embodiments may be directed to solving these and other problems.

11294471

BACKGROUND Consolidation of device features or technological convergence is in an increasing trend. Technological convergence describes the tendency for different technological systems to evolve toward performing similar tasks. As people use more devices, the need to carry those devices, charge those devices, update software on those devices, etc. becomes more cumbersome. To compensate for these problems, technology companies have been integrating features from different devices into one or two multi-functional devices. For example, cellular phones are now capable of accessing the Internet, taking photographs, providing calendar functions, etc. The consolidation trend is now affecting the design and functionality of devices generally used in the home. For example, audio receivers can access the Internet, digital video recorders can store or provide access to digital photographs, etc. The television in home audio/video systems remains a cornerstone device because the display function cannot be integrated into other devices. As such, consolidating home devices leads to integrating features and functionality into the television. The emergence of the Smart Television (Smart TV) is evidence of the trend to consolidate functionality into the television. A Smart TV is generally conceived as a device that integrates access to the Internet and Web 2.0 features into television sets. The Smart TV represents the trend of technological convergence between computers and television sets. The Smart TV generally focuses on online interactive media, Internet TV, on-demand streaming media, and generally does not focus on traditional broadcast media. Unfortunately, most Smart TVs have yet to provide seamless and intuitive user interfaces for navigating and/or executing the various features of the Smart TV. As such, there are still issues with the consolidation of features and the presentation of these features in Smart TVs. SUMMARY There is a need for an Intelligent TV with intuitive user interfaces and with seamless user interaction capability. These and other needs are addressed by the various aspects, embodiments, and/or configurations of the present disclosure. Also, while the disclosure is presented in terms of exemplary embodiments, it should be appreciated that individual aspects of the disclosure can be separately claimed. In accordance with the disclosure, a remote control for a television can include one or more hotkeys having an assigned function that depends on one or more of a currently selected silo and panel displayed by the television. The panel can be a function of the currently selected silo. A currently assigned function(s) of the hotkey(s) can be displayed by the television. The remote control can include one or more silo button(s). The silo button(s) can correspond to one or more of Live TV, video on demand, a media center and a software application center. The remote control can include one or more of (a) a global panel button to provide a user with access to one or more of silos, notifications, a web browser, and/or a system setting and (b) an application panel button to display an application panel comprising information relating to one or more software applications. A first function of a hotkey can be activated by the hotkey in a first state of the television while a different second function can be activated by the hotkey in a different second state of the television. A first function of the hotkey can be activated by the hotkey when a user focus is at a first screen position while a different second function can be activated by the hotkey when the user focus is at a different second screen position. The remote control can include a moveable joystick that, when manipulated, causes a window on a screen of the television to be displaced a proportional amount. The window can include, for example, one or more of information related to a currently displayed image and/or content, a browse request, and a search request. The remote control can include a social network button to select automatically and publish, by a social network service, content displayed by the television, the content being published to a social network and/or on line community. The remote control can include a social network button to turn up and/or turn down a social volume visualization rendered by the television. Typically, the social volume visualization is in the form of one or more displayed images containing information about a social network-linked contact of the viewer or user. The present disclosure can provide a number of advantages depending on the particular aspect, embodiment, and/or configuration. The use of hotkeys can provide a more versatile remote control. The dynamically assigned functions can effectively provide a more capable remote control while substantially minimizing the number of required buttons and remote control size. These and other advantages will be apparent from the disclosure. The phrases “at least one”, “one or more”, and “and/or” are open-ended expressions that are both conjunctive and disjunctive in operation. For example, each of the expressions “at least one of A, B and C”, “at least one of A, B, or C”, “one or more of A, B, and C”, “one or more of A, B, or C” and “A, B, and/or C” means A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, or A, B and C together. The term “a” or “an” entity refers to one or more of that entity. As such, the terms “a” (or “an”), “one or more” and “at least one” can be used interchangeably herein. It is also to be noted that the terms “comprising”, “including”, and “having” can be used interchangeably. The term “automatic” and variations thereof, as used herein, refers to any process or operation done without material human input when the process or operation is performed. However, a process or operation can be automatic, even though performance of the process or operation uses material or immaterial human input, if the input is received before performance of the process or operation. Human input is deemed to be material if such input influences how the process or operation will be performed. Human input that consents to the performance of the process or operation is not deemed to be “material.” A “blog” (a blend of the term web log) is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse-chronological order. A “blogging service” is a blog-publishing service that allows private or multi-user blogs with time-stamped entries. The term “cable TV” refers to a system of distributing television programs to subscribers via radio frequency (RF) signals transmitted through coaxial cables or light pulses through fiber-optic cables. This contrasts with traditional broadcast television (terrestrial television) in which the television signal is transmitted over the air by radio waves and received by a television antenna attached to the television. The term “channel” or “television channel,” as used herein, can be a physical or virtual channel over which a television station or television network is distributed. A physical cannel in analog television can be an amount of bandwidth, typically 6, 7, or 8 MHz, that occupies a predetermine channel frequency. A virtual channel is a representation, in cable or satellite television, of a data stream for a particular television media provider (e.g., CDS, TNT, HBO, etc.). The term “computer-readable medium,” as used herein, refers to any tangible storage and/or transmission medium that participate in providing instructions to a processor for execution. Such a medium may take many forms, including but not limited to, non-volatile media, volatile media, and transmission media. Non-volatile media includes, for example, NVRAM, or magnetic or optical disks. Volatile media includes dynamic memory, such as main memory. Common forms of computer-readable media include, for example, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, or any other magnetic medium, magneto-optical medium, a CD-ROM, any other optical medium, punch cards, paper tape, any other physical medium with patterns of holes, a RAM, a PROM, and EPROM, a FLASH-EPROM, a solid state medium like a memory card, any other memory chip or cartridge, a carrier wave as described hereinafter, or any other medium from which a computer can read. A digital file attachment to e-mail or other self-contained information archive or set of archives is considered a distribution medium equivalent to a tangible storage medium. When the computer-readable media is configured as a database, it is to be understood that the database may be any type of database, such as relational, hierarchical, object-oriented, and/or the like. Accordingly, the disclosure is considered to include a tangible storage medium or distribution medium and prior art-recognized equivalents and successor media, in which the software implementations of the present disclosure are stored. The term “enhanced television” refers to a collection of specifications developed under the OpenCable project of CableLabs (Cable Television Laboratories, Inc.) that define an ETV Application consisting of resources (files) adhering to the Enhanced TV Binary Interchange Format (EBIF) content format as well as PNG images, JPEG images, and PFR downloadable fonts. An ETV application is normally delivered through an MPEG transport stream and accompanies an MPEG program containing video and audio elementary streams. An “ETV Application” is a collection of resources (files) that include one or more EBIF resources that represent viewable information in the form of pages. Two forms of a given ETV Application may be distinguished: (1) an interchange form and (2) an execution form. The interchange form of an ETV Application consists of the resources (files) that represent the compiled application prior to its actual execution by an ETV User Agent. The execution form of an ETV Application consists of the stored, and possibly mutated forms of these resources while being decoded, presented, and executed by an ETV User Agent. An “ETV User Agent” is a software component that operates on a set-top box, a television, or any other computing environment capable of receiving, decoding, presenting, and processing an ETV Application. This component usually provides, along with its host hardware environment, one or more mechanisms for an end-user to navigate and interact with the multimedia content represented by ETV Applications. The term “high-definition television” (HDTV) provides a resolution that is substantially higher than that of standard-definition television. HDTV may be transmitted in various formats, namely 1080p—1920×1080p: 2,073,600 pixels (approximately 2.1 megapixels) per frame, 1080i (which is typically either 1920×1080i: 1,036,800 pixels (approximately 1 megapixel) per field or 2,073,600 pixels (approximately 2.1 megapixels) per frame or 1440×1080i:[1] 777,600 pixels (approximately 0.8 megapixels) per field or 1,555,200 pixels (approximately 1.6 megapixels) per frame), or 720p—1280×720p: 921,600 pixels (approximately 0.9 megapixels) per frame. As will be appreciated, “frame size” in pixels is defined as number of horizontal pixels×number of vertical pixels, for example 1280×720 or 1920×1080. Often the number of horizontal pixels is implied from context and is omitted, as in the case of 720p and 1080p, “scanning system” is identified with the letter “p” for progressive scanning or “I” for interlaced scanning, and “frame rate” is identified as number of video frames per second. For interlaced systems an alternative form of specifying number of fields per second is often used. For purposes of this disclosure, high-definition television” is deemed to include other high-definition analog or digital video formats, including ultra high definition television. The term “internet television” (otherwise known as Internet TV, Online Television, or Online TV) is the digital distribution of television content via the Internet. It should not be confused with Web television—short programs or videos created by a wide variety of companies and individuals, or Internet protocol television (IPTV)—an emerging internet technology standard for use by television broadcasters. Internet Television is a general term that covers the delivery of television shows and other video content over the internet by video streaming technology, typically by major traditional television broadcasters. It does not describe a technology used to deliver content (see Internet protocol television). Internet television has become very popular through services such as RTE Player in Ireland; BBC iPlayer, 4oD, ITV Player (also STV Player and UTV Player) and Demand Five in the United Kingdom; Hulu in the United States; Nederland 24 in the Netherlands; ABC iview and Australia Live TV in Australia; Tivibu in Turkey; iWanTV! in the Philippines. The term “internet protocol television” (IPTV) refers to a system through which television services are delivered using the Internet protocol suite over a packet-switched network such as the Internet, instead of being delivered through traditional terrestrial, satellite signal, and cable television formats. IPTV services may be classified into three main groups, namely live television, with or without interactivity related to the current TV show; time-shifted television: catch-up TV (replays a TV show that was broadcast hours or days ago), start-over TV (replays the current TV show from its beginning); and video on demand (VOD): browse a catalog of videos, not related to TV programming. IPTV is distinguished from Internet television by its on-going standardization process (e.g., European Telecommunications Standards Institute) and preferential deployment scenarios in subscriber-based telecommunications networks with high-speed access channels into end-user premises via set-top boxes or other customer-premises equipment. The term “silo,” as used herein, can be a logical representation of an input, source, or application. An input can be a device or devices (e.g., DVD, VCR, etc.) electrically connected to the television through a port (e.g., HDMI, video/audio inputs, etc.) or through a network (e.g., LAN WAN, etc.). Rather than a device or devices, the input could be configured as an electrical or physical connection to one or more devices. A source, particularly a content source, can be a data service that provides content, (e.g., a media center, a file system, etc.). An application can be a software service that provides a particular type of function (e.g., Live TV, Video on Demand, User Applications, Photograph display, etc.). The silo, as a logical representation, can have an associated definition or property, such as a setting, feature, or other characteristic. The term “panel,” as used herein, can mean a user interface displayed in at least a portion of the display. The panel may be interactive (e.g., accepts user input) or informational (e.g., does not accept user input). A panel may be translucent whereby the panel obscures but does not mask the underlying content being displayed in the display. Panels may be provided in response to a user input from a button or remote control interface. The term “screen,” as used herein, refers to a physical structure that includes one or more hardware components that provide the device with the ability to render a user interface and/or receive user input. A screen can encompass any combination of gesture capture region, a touch sensitive display, and/or a configurable area. The device can have one or more physical screens embedded in the hardware. However a screen may also include an external peripheral device that may be attached and detached from the device. In embodiments, multiple external devices may be attached to the device. For example, another screen may be included with a remote control unit that interfaces with the Intelligent TV. The term “media” of “multimedia,” as used herein, refers to content that may assume one of a combination of different content forms. Multimedia can include one or more of, but is not limited to, text, audio, still images, animation, video, or interactivity content forms. A “smart TV”, sometimes referred to as connected TV or hybrid TV, (not to be confused with IPTV, Internet TV, or with Web TV), describes a trend of integration of the Internet and Web 2.0 features into television sets and set-top boxes, as well as the technological convergence between computers and these television sets/set-top boxes. The devices have a higher focus on online interactive media, Internet TV, over-the-top content, as well as on-demand streaming media, and less focus on traditional broadcast media than traditional television sets and set-top boxes The term “television” is a telecommunication medium, device (or set) or set of associated devices, programming, and/or transmission for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome (black-and-white) or colored, with or without accompanying sound. Different countries use one of the three main video standards for TVs, namely PAL, NTSC or SECAM. Television is most commonly used for displaying broadcast television signals. The broadcast television system is typically disseminated via radio transmissions on designated channels in the 54-890 MHz frequency band. A common television set comprises multiple internal electronic circuits, including those for receiving and decoding broadcast signals. A visual display device which lacks a tuner is properly called a video monitor, rather than a television. A television may be different from other monitors or displays based on the distance maintained between the user and the television when the user watches the media and based on the inclusion of a tuner or other electronic circuit to receive the broadcast television signal. The term “Live TV,” as used herein, refers to a television production broadcast in real-time, as events happen, in the present. The term “standard-definition television” (SDTV) is a television system that uses a resolution that is not considered to be either high-definition television (HDTV 720p and 1080p) or enhanced-definition television (EDTV 480p). The two common SDTV signal types are 576i, with576interlaced lines of resolution, derived from the European-developed PAL and SECAM systems; and 480i based on the American National Television System Committee NTSC system. In the US, digital SDTV is broadcast in the same 4:3 aspect ratio as NTSC signals. However, in other parts of the world that used the PAL or SECAM analog standards, standard-definition television is now usually shown with a 16:9 aspect ratio. Standards that support digital SDTV broadcast include DVB, ATSC and ISDB. Television signals are transmitted in digital form, and their pixels have a rectangular shape, as opposed to square pixels that are used in modern computer monitors and modern implementations of HDTV. The table below summarizes pixel aspect ratios for various kinds of SDTV video signal. Note that the actual image (be it 4:3 or 16:9) is always contained in the center 704 horizontal pixels of the digital frame, regardless of how many horizontal pixels (704 or 720) are used. In case of digital video signal having 720 horizontal pixels, only the center 704 pixels contain actual 4:3 or 16:9 image, and the 8 pixel wide stripes from either side are called nominal analogue blanking and should be discarded before displaying the image. Nominal analogue blanking should not be confused with overscan, as overscan areas are part of the actual 4:3 or 16:9 image. The term “video on demand (VOD),” as used herein, refers to systems and processes which allow users to select and watch/listen to video or audio content on demand. VOD systems may stream content, to view the content in real time, or download the content to a storage medium for viewing at a later time. The term “satellite positioning system receiver” refers to a wireless receiver or transceiver to receive and/or send location signals from and/or to a satellite positioning system, such as the Global Positioning System (“GPS”) (US), GLONASS (Russia), Galileo positioning system (EU), Compass navigation system (China), and Regional Navigational Satellite System (India). The term “display,” as used herein, refers to at least a portion of a screen used to display the output of the television to a user. A single physical screen can include multiple displays that are managed as separate logical displays. Thus, different content can be displayed on the separate displays although part of the same physical screen. The term “displayed image,” as used herein, refers to an image produced on the display. A typical displayed image is a television broadcast or menu. The displayed image may occupy all or a portion of the display. The term “display orientation,” as used herein, refers to the way in which a rectangular display is oriented by a user for viewing. The two most common types of display orientation are portrait and landscape. In landscape mode, the display is oriented such that the width of the display is greater than the height of the display (such as a 4:3 ratio, which is 4 units wide and 3 units tall, or a 16:9 ratio, which is 16 units wide and 9 units tall). Stated differently, the longer dimension of the display is oriented substantially horizontal in landscape mode while the shorter dimension of the display is oriented substantially vertical. In the portrait mode, by contrast, the display is oriented such that the width of the display is less than the height of the display. Stated differently, the shorter dimension of the display is oriented substantially horizontal in the portrait mode while the longer dimension of the display is oriented substantially vertical. The term “module,” as used herein, refers to any known or later developed hardware, software, firmware, artificial intelligence, fuzzy logic, or combination of hardware and software that is capable of performing the functionality associated with that element. The terms “determine,” “calculate” and “compute,” and variations thereof, as used herein, are used interchangeably and include any type of methodology, process, mathematical operation or technique. The term “touch screen” or “touchscreen” refer to screen that can receive user contact or other tactile input, such as a stylus. The touch screen may sense user contact in a number of different ways, such as by a change in an electrical parameter (e.g., resistance or capacitance), acoustic wave variations, infrared radiation proximity detection, light variation detection, and the like. In a resistive touch screen, for example, normally separated conductive and resistive metallic layers in the screen pass an electrical current. When a user touches the screen, the two layers make contact in the contacted location, whereby a change in electrical field is noted and the coordinates of the contacted location calculated. In a capacitive touch screen, a capacitive layer stores electrical charge, which is discharged to the user upon contact with the touch screen, causing a decrease in the charge of the capacitive layer. The decrease is measured, and the contacted location coordinates determined. In a surface acoustic wave touch screen, an acoustic wave is transmitted through the screen, and the acoustic wave is disturbed by user contact. A receiving transducer detects the user contact instance and determines the contacted location coordinates. The term “web television” is original television content produced for broadcast via the World Wide Web. Some major distributors of web television are YouTube, Myspace, Newgrounds, Blip.tv, and Crackle. The term “display” refers to a portion of one or more screens used to display the output of a computer to a user. A display may be a single-screen display or a multi-screen display, referred to as a composite display. A composite display can encompass the touch sensitive display of one or more screens. A single physical screen can include multiple displays that are managed as separate logical displays. Thus, different content can be displayed on the separate displays although part of the same physical screen. The terms “instant message” and “instant messaging” refer to a form of real-time text communication between two or more people, typically based on typed text. The term “internet search engine” refers to a web search engine designed to search for information on the World Wide Web and FTP servers. The search results are generally presented in a list of results often referred to as SERPS, or “search engine results pages”. The information may consist of web pages, images, information and other types of files. Some search engines also mine data available in databases or open directories. Web search engines work by storing information about many web pages, which they retrieve from the html itself. These pages are retrieved by a Web crawler (sometimes also known as a spider) —an automated Web browser which follows every link on the site. The contents of each page are then analyzed to determine how it should be indexed (for example, words are extracted from the titles, headings, or special fields called meta tags). Data about web pages are stored in an index database for use in later queries. Some search engines, such as Google™, store all or part of the source page (referred to as a cache) as well as information about the web pages, whereas others, such as AltaVista™, store every word of every page they find. The term “module” as used herein refers to any known or later developed hardware, software, firmware, artificial intelligence, fuzzy logic, or combination of hardware and software that is capable of performing the functionality associated with that element. Also, while the disclosure is presented in terms of exemplary embodiments, it should be appreciated that individual aspects of the disclosure can be separately claimed. The terms “online community”, “e-community”, or “virtual community” mean a group of people that primarily interact via a computer network, rather than face to face, for social, professional, educational or other purposes. The interaction can use a variety of media formats, including wikis, blogs, chat rooms, Internet forums, instant messaging, email, and other forms of electronic media. Many media formats are used in social software separately or in combination, including text-based chatrooms and forums that use voice, video text or avatars. The term “remote control” refers to a component of an electronics device, most commonly a television set, DVD player and/or home theater system for operating the device wirelessly, typically from a short line-of-sight distance. Remote control normally uses infrared and/or radio frequency (RF) signaling and can include WiFi, wireless USB, Bluetooth™ connectivity, motion sensor enabled capabilities and/or voice control. A touchscreen remote control is a handheld remote control device which uses a touchscreen user interface to replace most of the hard, built-in physical buttons used in normal remote control devices. The term “satellite TV” refers to television programming delivered by the means of communications satellite and received by an outdoor antenna, usually a parabolic reflector generally referred to as a satellite dish, and as far as household usage is concerned, a satellite receiver either in the form of an external set-top box or a satellite tuner module built into a TV set. The term “social network service” is a service provider that builds online communities of people, who share interests and/or activities, or who are interested in exploring the interests and activities of others. Most social network services are web-based and provide a variety of ways for users to interact, such as e-mail and instant messaging services. The term “social network” refers to a web-based social network. The term “gesture” refers to a user action that expresses an intended idea, action, meaning, result, and/or outcome. The user action can include manipulating a device (e.g., opening or closing a device, changing a device orientation, moving a trackball or wheel, etc.), movement of a body part, in relation to the device, movement of an implement or tool in relation to the device, audio inputs, etc. A gesture may be made on a device (such as on the screen) or with the device to interact with the device. The term “gesture capture” refers to a sense or otherwise a detection of an instance and/or type of user gesture. The gesture capture can occur in one or more areas of the screen, A gesture region can be on the display, where it may be referred to as a touch sensitive display or off the display where it may be referred to as a gesture capture area. The term “electronic address” refers to any contactable address, including a telephone number, instant message handle, e-mail address, Universal Resource Locator (“URL”), Universal Resource Identifier (“URI”), Address of Record (“AOR”), electronic alias in a database, like addresses, and combinations thereof. It shall be understood that the term “means,” as used herein, shall be given its broadest possible interpretation in accordance with 35 U.S.C., Section 112, Paragraph 6. Accordingly, a claim incorporating the term “means” shall cover all structures, materials, or acts set forth herein, and all of the equivalents thereof. Further, the structures, materials or acts and the equivalents thereof shall include all those described in the summary of the invention, brief description of the drawings, detailed description, abstract, and claims themselves. The preceding is a simplified summary of the disclosure to provide an understanding of some aspects of the disclosure. This summary is neither an extensive nor exhaustive overview of the disclosure and its various aspects, embodiments, and/or configurations. It is intended neither to identify key or critical elements of the disclosure nor to delineate the scope of the disclosure but to present selected concepts of the disclosure in a simplified form as an introduction to the more detailed description presented below. As will be appreciated, other aspects, embodiments, and/or configurations of the disclosure are possible utilizing, alone or in combination, one or more of the features set forth above or described in detail below.

11524921

FIELD The present invention generally relates to composite materials containing hemp and nanocellulose. BACKGROUND Hemp is a variety of theCannabis sativaplant species that is grown specifically for the industrial uses of its derived products. Hemp is one of the fastest growing plants and was one of the first plants to be spun into usable fiber 10,000 years ago. Hemp can be refined into a variety of commercial items including paper, textiles, clothing, biodegradable plastics, paint, insulation, biofuel, food, and animal feed. “Hempcrete” is bio-composite material, a mixture of hemp hurds (shives) and lime (possibly with sand and/or pozzolans) used as a material for construction and insulation. Hempcrete is easier to work with than traditional lime mixes and acts as an insulator and moisture regulator. It lacks the brittleness of concrete and consequently does not need expansion joints. The result is a lightweight insulating material. However, the typical compressive strength of hempcrete is about 1 MPa, which is over an order of magnitude lower than the compressive strength residential-grade concrete. Hempcrete walls must be used together with a frame of another material that supports the vertical load in building construction, due to low density and strength. There is a desire to improve the properties of hempcrete with a material that is natural, renewable, and sustainable. There is also a desire to provide composites containing hemp that have expanded commercial uses beyond construction materials, such as engineered parts, coatings, containers, textiles, and so on. SUMMARY Some variations of the invention provide a composite material comprising nanocellulose and hemp or a hemp-derived component. In some embodiments, the composite material consists essentially of nanocellulose and hemp or a hemp-derived component. The composite material may contain one or more hemp components selected from the group consisting of hemp bast fibers, hemp inner fibers, hemp shives, hemp leaves, hemp seeds, ground hemp, and combinations thereof. In certain embodiments, the composite material contains substantially pure hemp. In some embodiments, the composite material contains chemically modified hemp and/or chemically modified hemp components. In some embodiments, the nanocellulose contains hydrophobic nanocellulose particles, such as lignin-coated nanocellulose particles or lignin-containing nanocellulose particles. In some embodiments, the nanocellulose particles include hydrophilic nanocellulose particles. The nanocellulose may include cellulose nanocrystals, cellulose nanofibrils, cellulose microfibrils, or a combination thereof. The source of the nanocellulose is not limited. In some variations, the nanocellulose is obtained from a process of fractionating biomass in the presence of an acid catalyst, a solvent for lignin, and water to generate cellulose-rich solids, hemicelluloses, and lignin; separating the cellulose-rich solids from the hemicelluloses and the lignin; and then mechanically refining the cellulose-rich solids to generate the nanocellulose particles. In some variations, the nanocellulose is obtained from a process of pretreating biomass in the presence of steam or hot water to generate cellulose-rich solids and hemicelluloses; separating the cellulose-rich solids from the hemicelluloses; and then mechanically refining the cellulose-rich solids to generate the nanocellulose particles. The composition of the composite material may vary widely. In some embodiments, the nanocellulose is present at a concentration from about 0.1 wt % to about 99.9 wt % of the composite material, and the hemp or hemp-derived component is present at a concentration from about 0.1 wt % to about 99.9 wt % of the composite material. In certain embodiments, the composite material contains at least 10 wt % nanocellulose, or at least 10 wt % hemp or hemp-derived component(s), or both at least 10 wt % nanocellulose and at least 10 wt % hemp or hemp-derived component(s). In some embodiments, the composite material further comprises one or more additives selected to modify mechanical, thermal, chemical, and/or electrical properties of the composite material. For example, the composite material may include an additive selected from the group consisting of lime, sand, gravel, crushed stone, slag, recycled concrete, geosynthetic aggregates, and combinations thereof. In certain embodiments, the additive is lime and the composite material is in the form of a construction block, panel, or other building object. The present invention provides many types of composite materials and objects containing those materials. Embodiments include a construction block, panel, or other object comprising nanocellulose and hemp or a hemp-derived component; an engineered part comprising nanocellulose and hemp or a hemp-derived component; a fire-resistant object comprising nanocellulose and hemp or a hemp-derived component; a coating comprising nanocellulose and hemp or a hemp-derived component; a container comprising nanocellulose and hemp or a hemp-derived component; a textile composition comprising nanocellulose and hemp or a hemp-derived component; and a fabric material comprising nanocellulose and hemp or a hemp-derived component. Some variations of the invention provide a process of producing a composite material (as disclosed herein), the process comprising: (a) obtaining nanocellulose; (b) obtaining hemp or a hemp-derived component; and (c) blending the nanocellulose with the hemp or hemp-derived component, thereby forming a composite material comprising the nanocellulose and the hemp or hemp-derived component.

PP33877

Botanical classification:Hydrangea paniculata. Varietal denomination: ‘GRHPLS’. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofHydrangea paniculataand will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, ‘GRHPLS’. ‘GRHPLS’ represents a new panicleHydrangea, a perennial shrub grown for landscape use. The newHydrangearesulted from a controlled breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Valkenburg, The Netherlands. The objectives of the breeding program were to develop new cultivars ofHydrangea paniculatawith sturdy stems, healthy foliage, and unique flower colors. The Inventor made crosses in 2011 between unnamed and unpatented proprietary plants ofHydrangea paniculatain the Inventor's breeding program as both the female parent and male parent. The exact characteristics of the parents are unknown as seeds were pooled and sown from several crosses. ‘GRHPLS’ was selected as a single unique plant in summer of 2014 from the resulting seedlings of the above crosses. Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by stem cuttings by the Inventor in summer of 2014 in Valkenburg, The Netherlands. Asexual propagation by stem cuttings has determined that the characteristics of the new cultivar are stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent the characteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combination distinguish ‘GRHPLS’ as a unique cultivar ofHydrangea.1. ‘GRHPLS’ exhibits inflorescences with flowers that are creamy white in color and remain creamy white as they mature (they do not turn pink).2. ‘GRHPLS’ exhibits a very compact and densely branched plant habit.3. ‘GRHPLS’ exhibits dense panicles with sturdy sterile flowers. ‘GRHPLS’ can be most closely compared to theHydrangea paniculatacultivars ‘Limelight’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,874), ‘GRHP08’ (not patented) and ‘Silver Dollar’ (not patented). ‘Limelight’ is similar to ‘GRHPLS’ in having dense flower panicles and a well-branched plant habit (floriferous). ‘GRHP08’ is similar to ‘GRHPLS’ in inflorescence color and in having a compact plant habit. ‘GRHP08’ differs from ‘GRHPLS’ in having longer stems and becoming taller in height when grown in the landscape, slighter larger and more pointed inflorescences, and a slightly more open plant habit. ‘Silver Dollar’ is similar to ‘GRHPLS’ in being floriferous and in having a well-branched plant habit. ‘Limelight’ and ‘Silver Dollar’ both differ from ‘GRHPLS’ in having less compact plant habits and flowers that change to a light pink color as they mature.

11415178

CROSS-REFERENCE This application claims priority to German patent application no. 10 2020 211 035.2 filed on Sep. 2, 2020, the contents of which are fully incorporated herein by reference. TECHNOLOGICAL FIELD The disclosure is directed to a method for assembling a tapered roller bearing and an assembly unit for this purpose. BACKGROUND In particular with larger and/or specially configured tapered roller bearings, the assembling of a tapered roller bearing as such and/or with installation into the installation environment of the tapered roller bearing requires a distinct method and/or precautions. SUMMARY An aspect of the present disclosure is therefore to provide an improved method for the assembling of a tapered roller bearing and an improved assembly unit for this purpose. The assembly unit includes a first rolled-on surface element including a flange, tapered rollers that are disposed on the first rolled-on surface element and supported by the flange, and an assembly aid. During the assembly process, the first rolled-on surface element, which can be an inner ring, for example, is placed on an end side. The tapered rollers are placed on the first rolled-on surface element such that they abut by their end surface against the flange. During further assembly steps, the flange serves to hold the tapered rollers so that they cannot slip from the first rolled-on surface element. In particular if a segmented cage for the rollers, or roller spacers disposed between the rollers, do not include a structure that holds together the assembly unit in an essentially vertically oriented main axis of the rolled-on surface element, due to the force of gravity the tapered rollers can tip away from the first rolled-on surface element. In order to be able to assemble the tapered roller bearing without the tapered rollers tipping away, the assembly aid is configured to contact the tapered rollers on an end region of the tapered rollers, and to enclose the tapered rollers annularly so that the assembly unit holds together until an assembly of the tapered roller bearing. The assembly aid thus holds the tapered rollers against the first rolled-on surface element and counteracts the force of gravity so that the tapered rollers do not tip out. The assembly aid is furthermore configured to be slipped off during the assembling of the assembly unit by contact with a second rolled-on surface element for the tapered rollers. The second rolled-on surface element can be, for example, a housing or an outer ring. In this way the assembly aid can be removed in a simple manner. In the assembled state, the tapered roller bearing then includes, as usual, the first rolled-on surface element, the second rolled-on surface element and tapered rollers disposed therebetween. According to one embodiment, the assembly aid is disposed such that it contacts the tapered rollers in the transition region from tapered roller jacket (e.g., the frustoconical rolling surface of the roller) to tapered roller end side (e.g., the circular end faces of the roller). In particular, the assembly aid contacts the tapered rollers on the tapered roller end side on which the tapered rollers abut against the flange. Here the assembly aid can be particularly simply slipped off by the installation of the second rolled-on surface element. At this point the assembly aid simultaneously counteracts the force of gravity that can cause a tipping-out of the tapered rollers. According to a further embodiment, the assembly aid includes an inner ring and an outer ring, wherein the inner ring contacts the tapered rollers and in particular is not configured closed, and wherein the outer ring is disposed around the inner ring and is configured to close the inner ring. Since the inner ring is not configured closed, it can be laid or snapped around the tapered rollers in a simple manner. According to a further embodiment, the inner ring is formed from a material that is configured to protect the tapered roller surfaces from damage and has a required softness. The material can include, for example, rubber, plastics, or the like. This ensures that the tapered roller surfaces are not damaged during assembly. The outer ring can be formed from a material that provides a mechanical strength and retaining forces. For example, the outer ring can be configured as PET packing tape or the like. Such a PET tape is stable and ensures during the assembling that the inner ring remains against the tapered rollers and holds them against the inner rolled-on surface element. After the assembling, when the assembly aid is slipped off, the PET tape can be simply cut through and removed, whereby the inner ring of the assembly aid, which is not closed, can also be removed. According to a further embodiment, the assembly unit includes a cage, in particular a segmented cage, that is configured to guide the tapered rollers and to prevent a mutual contact of the rollers. The use of such a segmented cage represents advantages with respect to the weight, but the tapered rollers are not held by the cage against the rolled-on surface element, which, however, is achieved by the assembly aid described here. The cage can be formed in particular from a plastic, in particular polyetheretherketone (PEEK). Such a plastic cage provides a light, but nonetheless stable cage. In addition, the segment cage can be fiber-reinforced. The reinforcing fibers may include in particular glass fibers, carbon fibers, or the like. In this way, the segment cage is further reinforced. According to a further embodiment, the segmented cage includes a plurality of cage segments distributed in the circumferential direction for receiving exactly one tapered roller or a plurality of tapered rollers. In particular in the case for exactly one tapered roller, tapered rollers with a cage segment of this type, and tapered rollers not disposed in a cage segment, are alternatingly disposed in the circumferential direction. Alternatively each tapered roller can also be provided with such a cage segment, or a combination of the above is possible. These cage segments have the advantage that weight is saved since not every tapered roller is provided with a cage segment. This is specifically disadvantageous during assembly since the tapered rollers are not held by the cage against the first rolled-on surface element, but this is remedied by the assembly unit proposed here including the assembly aid. According to a further embodiment, the tapered roller bearing forms at least a part of a main shaft bearing assembly of a wind turbine, in particular a wind turbine in the megawatt range. The main shaft bearing can include a further tapered roller bearing employed in a corresponding manner in a back-to-back arrangement or a face-to-face arrangement. According to a further embodiment, the inner diameter of the tapered roller bearing is greater than 0.5 m, in particular greater than 1 m. Especially in such large bearings, it is advantageous to use segmented cages, as they are described above, since weight can thereby be saved. By using the above-described assembly aid, it is possible to securely install the tapered roller bearing in the wind turbine. For example, the first rolled-on surface element, which can be an inner ring, can be pushed onto a hub of the main shaft bearing assembly. The second rolled-on surface element can form a housing of the main shaft bearing assembly. According to a further aspect, a method is disclosed for assembling a tapered roller bearing using an assembly unit as it is described above. The method includes the following steps: providing the assembly unit described above, pushing the first rolled-on surface element of the assembly unit, including first rolled-on surface element, tapered rollers, and assembly aid, onto a shaft or hub, pushing a second rolled-on surface element onto the tapered rollers, and slipping off the assembly aid by the second rolled-on surface element. The features and advantages described above with respect to the assembly unit correspondingly apply to the method and vice versa. According to a further embodiment, the method additionally includes the further steps of: separating at least one part of the assembly aid and removing the assembly aid. For example, the assembly aid, or at least a part, for example, the outer ring, can be separated by a cutting tool or the like and subsequently removed from the assembly unit. According to a further embodiment, the pushing on of the first and of the second rolled-on surface element is effected in the vertical direction with the assembly unit correspondingly set up on its end side. This means that the tapered rollers abut against the flange, and the flange is disposed below in the vertical direction. The second rolled-on surface element is then applied from above in the vertical direction onto the assembly unit set up on its end side. Further advantages and advantageous embodiments are specified in the description, the drawings, and the claims. Here in particular the combinations of features specified in the description and in the drawings are purely exemplary, so that the features can also be present individually or combined in other ways. In the following the invention is described in more detail using the exemplary embodiments depicted in the drawings. Here the exemplary embodiments and the combinations shown in the exemplary embodiments are purely exemplary and are not intended to define the scope of the invention. This scope is defined solely by the pending claims.

11263404

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE Conversational artificial intelligence (AI) systems allow users to interact with computers in a natural way, using conversation instead of typing, mouse clicks, swiping, etc. Conversational AI systems typically work by using natural language (NL) processing techniques to extract a structure of intent and entities from a user utterance. Using the intent and entities, the platform is able to create dialogs with the user to act as a bridge with external services (e.g., first party services such as an internal mail server or third party services such as a public weather information server, etc.). For example, if a user were to utter “schedule a meeting tomorrow with my development team,” the system would discern that the intent is to schedule a meeting with entities described as development team. The platform would for example fulfill the user intent by launching a meeting dialog using a human natural language, contact any necessary external services (e.g., calendar invite, contact lookup, etc.) and abstract any interactions that need to be done in those services (e.g., provide specific time, place, contact details, etc.). The system might respond, e.g., with voice, text or rich attachments that contain information to present to the user as a result of an interaction. Most conversational AI platforms however use an imperative programming method in which all the implementation details and steps are hardcoded in the software. Changing any of the AI concepts (e.g., dialogs, responses, services, etc.) requires software changes and re-deployment of the software. Imperative programming requires that the developer provide explicit statements for each step of a task that needs to be executed to the system. Accordingly, scaling conversational AI to be able to handle hundreds of different dialogs introduces a significant complexity and maintainability overhead. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE Aspects of this disclosure provide a conversational AI system, method and program product in which technical complexity is reduced and flexibility is increased by utilizing a graph-based declarative programming model to implement dialogs. Declarative programming is a programming paradigm, i.e., a style of building the structure and elements of computer programs, which expresses the logic of a computation without describing its control flow. Declarative programming describes the desired outcome without detailing the actual steps of accomplishing each task. Task details are instead left to a service performing the execution. The present approach accordingly utilizes graphs to implement unique dialogs, which visually describe the operational and conversational requirements for different user requests (i.e., intents). In the present approach, when a user inputs a message, the service determines the intent, e.g., “meeting setup,” and retrieves and processes an associated graph. The graph can be configured to implement the necessary requirements using nodes and edges to, e.g., perform slot filling to obtain missing information (e.g., date and time), contact an external service (e.g., a calendar service), return a formatted response, suggest another intent (e.g., “prepare for meeting”), etc. In contrast to declarative programming, prior approaches rely on imperative programming that requires the developer to code algorithms in explicit steps. For example, when implementing an AI dialog for a “Meeting,” a prior system would strictly adhere to a process flow that: (1) checks that the user intent is related to the “Meeting” dialog; (2) passes the intent and entities through a series of decision (e.g., if-then-else) statements to see what needs to be done; (3) contacts a “Calendar” external service using a defined external call to get any information related to the specific intent; (4) finds the appropriate response template through a series of decision (e.g., if-then-else) statements; (5) fills the response template with external data or decision data from the above flow; (6) sends a response to the user; and (7) provides a suggestion to the user to prepare before the next meeting. Using a declarative approach, rather than imperative, creating unique dialogs to address user requests can be implemented in a much simpler fashion. A first aspect of the disclosure provides a conversational artificial intelligence (AI) system that utilizes a graph-based declarative programming model. The system includes a natural language (NL) interface the receives NL user inputs from a message queue and an intent analyzer that determines an intent of a received NL user input and loads a graph associated with the intent. Once loaded, a graph traversal manager having traversal logic is utilized to traverse the graph first along a start path from an intent node to a dialog node, then traverse an ask path to a question node to obtain missing entity data, then traverse a contacts path to a service node to execute an external service and return a fulfillment response based on submitted intent and entity data, then traverse a replies with path to a response node to create a formatted fulfillment response that is forwarded to the message queue. A second aspect of the disclosure provides a method for implementing a conversational artificial intelligence (AI) system that utilizes a graph-based declarative programming model. Steps of the method include: receiving a natural language (NL) user input from a message queue; determining an intent of a received NL user input and loading a graph associated with the intent; traversing the graph first along a start path from an intent node to a dialog node; traversing the graph from the dialog node along any specified ask paths to question nodes to obtain missing entity data; traversing a contacts path to a service node to execute an external service and return a fulfillment response based on submitted entity data; traversing a replies with path to a response node to create a formatted fulfillment response; and forwarding the formatted fulfillment response to the message queue. A third aspect of the disclosure provides a computer program product stored on a computer readable storage medium, which when executed by a computing system, implements a conversational artificial intelligence (AI) system that utilizes a graph-based declarative programming model. The computer program product includes: program code for receiving a natural language (NL) user input in a message queue; and program code for determining an intent of a received NL user input and for loading a graph associated with the intent. Also included is program code for traversing the graph first along a start path from an intent node to a dialog node; program code for traversing the graph from the dialog node along any specified ask paths to question nodes to obtain missing entity data; program code for traversing a contacts path to a service node to execute an external service and return a fulfillment response based on submitted entity data; program code for traversing a replies with path to a response node to create a formatted fulfillment response; and program code for forwarding the formatted fulfillment response to the message queue. A fourth aspect of the disclosure provides a computing system comprising a memory and at least one processor in communication with the memory. The at least one processor is configured to receive a natural language (NL) input from a message queue, determine an intent of a received NL input, and retrieve a graph associated with a determined intent, the graph being a declarative programming model defined by one or more paths and one or more nodes. Based on traversing the one or more paths and one or more nodes of the graph and entity data associated with the received NL input, the at least one processor generates and returns a response to the received NL input. The illustrative aspects of the present disclosure are designed to solve the problems herein described and/or other problems not discussed.

11536067

TECHNICAL FIELD This patent disclosure relates generally to a counterbalance system for an upward acting door and, more particularly, to a counterbalance system using an array of spring assemblies. BACKGROUND Upward acting doors such as, but not limited to, garage doors ride along a track system to open and close. Often the doors are heavy and a counterbalance system is used to make it easier to open and/or close the door. A shaft used as part of the counterbalance system may have a drum attached to the shaft. A cable is attached to the drum and the door. When the door is closed, the cable is spooled off of the drum, and when the door is opened, the cable is wound onto the drum. The cable is in tension to exert an upward force on the door to counter the weight of the door. Springs are attached to the shaft to impart a torque on the shaft to twist the shaft (and thus also the drum). It is this torque originating from the springs that is imparted to the shaft that puts the cable under tension to exert an upward force on the door. Because doors vary greatly in size and weight, typical counterbalance systems use springs of various sizes and spring constants to achieve a desired amount of counterbalance for a particular door. Having to have on hand springs of various sizes and spring constants may be cumbersome for an installer. Further, some heavy doors may require large springs that are ungainly in size and/or shape. There may not always be room in a garage or other space hosting an upward acting door for awkwardly sized springs. In view of these challenges, it would be desirable to have a counterbalance system that could be compact and/or make use of standard spring sizes and/or reduces a number of spring sizes and/or constants to achieve a desired amount of counterbalancing for a variety of doors. SUMMARY The foregoing needs are met to a great extent by embodiments in accordance with the present disclosure, which, in some embodiments describe a counterbalance system that imparts torque on a shaft. The shaft is operably coupled to an upward acting door and the weight of the door imparts a torque on the shaft in a direction opposite to torque imparted on the shaft from the counter balance system. In effect, the counterbalance system helps to mitigate the weight of the door to allow easier opening and closing of the door. In one aspect, the disclosure describes a system for exerting torque on a shaft. The system includes: a spring assembly having; a spring; a companion member to the spring, wherein at least one of the spring and the companion member is in compression and the other of the spring and companion member is in tension; connecting structure for transmitting a force associated with the spring outside of the gear assembly; and a gear train for connecting the connecting structure to the shaft to apply torque to the shaft. In another aspect, the disclosure describes a system for exerting torque on a shaft. The system includes: a plurality of spring assemblies arranged in an array around the shaft, each spring assembly having; a spring; connecting structure for transmitting a force associated with the spring; and a gear train for connecting the connecting structure to the shaft and configured to apply the force associated with the spring to the shaft in the form of torque on the shaft. The disclosure also provides, in another aspect, a method of exerting torque on a shaft. The method incudes: arranging a plurality of spring assemblies in an array around the shaft, each spring assembly having; a spring; connecting structure for transmitting a force associated with the spring; attaching a gear train to the connecting structure; and configuring the gear train to apply the force associated with the spring to the shaft in the form of torque on the shaft. There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, certain embodiments of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof herein may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional embodiments of the invention that will be described below and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of embodiments in addition to those described and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein, as well as the abstract, are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Additional features, advantages, and aspects of the disclosure may be set forth or apparent from consideration of the following detailed description, drawings, and claims. Moreover, it is to be understood that both the foregoing summary of the disclosure and the following detailed description are exemplary and intended to provide further explanation without limiting the scope of the disclosure as claimed.

11346714

FIELD OF THE APPLICATION This application generally relates to systems and methods for hyperspectral/multispectral imaging. BACKGROUND Hyperspectral/multispectral spectroscopy is an imaging technique that integrates multiples images of an object resolved at different narrow spectral bands (e.g., narrow ranges of wavelengths) into a single data cube, referred to as a hyperspectral/multispectral data cube. Data provided by hyperspectral/multispectral spectroscopy allow for the identification of individual components of a complex composition through the recognition of hyperspectral/multispectral signatures for individual components within the hyperspectral/multispectral data cube. Hyperspectral/multispectral spectroscopy has been used for a variety of applications, ranging from geological and agricultural surveying to military surveillance and industrial evaluation. For example, satellite hyperspectral/multispectral imaging has been used in mineral exploration, environmental monitoring and military surveillance. (See, Bowles J. H. et al., Imaging Spectrometry III; 1997: Proc SPIE 1997. p. 38-45; Riaza A. et al., Inteml J Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation Special issue: Applications of imaging spectroscopy 2001; 3-4:345-354; Thenkabail P. S. et al., Remote Sens Environ 2000; 71 (REMOTE SENS ENVIRON):158-182; and Tran C. D., Fresenius J Anal Chem 2001; 369(3-4):313-9, the contents of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties for all purposes.) Hyperspectral/multispectral spectroscopy has also been used in medical applications to assist with complex diagnosis and predict treatment outcomes. For example, medical hyperspectral/multispectral imaging has been used to accurately predict viability and survival of tissue deprived of adequate perfusion, and to differentiate diseased (e.g. tumor) and ischemic tissue from normal tissue. (See, Colarusso P. et al., Appl Spectrosc 1998; 52:106A-120A; Greenman R. I. et al., Lancet 2005; 366:1711-1718; and Zuzak K. J. et al., Circulation 2001; 104(24):2905-10; the contents of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties for all purposes.) Despite the great potential hyperspectral/multispectral spectroscopy holds for medical imaging, several drawbacks have limited its use in the clinic setting (Kester R. T. et al., J. Biomed. Opt. 16, 056005 (May 10, 2011)). For example, medical hyperspectral/multispectral instruments are costly, typically tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars, due to the complex optics required to resolve images at a plurality of narrow spectral bands. The cost and inconvenience of using hyperspectral/multispectral imaging for routine screening and/or monitoring of medical conditions is further increased by the requirement that subjects visit a clinical environment with a hyperspectral/multispectral imaging device. This incurs administrative costs, medical professional service costs, and further clogs the clinical environment. Thus, there is an unmet need in the field for less expensive and more rapid means of hyperspectral/multispectral imaging. The present disclosure meets these and other needs by providing devices, methods, and systems for performing hyperspectral/multispectral imaging with external devices. SUMMARY The present disclosure addresses the above-identified shortcomings by providing an attachment device that attaches to an external device. The external device can be, for example, a smart phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), an enterprise digital assistant, a tablet computer, or a digital camera. In a typical embodiments, the attachment device attaches (e.g., clips or screws on) to the external device. In one embodiment, the external device is a smart phone and the attachment device clips onto the smart phone. The attachment device is a self-contained casing in its own right. In one embodiment the self-contained casing of the attachment device comprises a cover that is affixed to a backing. The cover has first and second windows while the backing has matching third and fourth windows in the sense that the first and third windows form a first optical path with light entering the third window passing through the first window while the second and fourth windows form a second optical path with light entering the second window passing through the fourth window. Inside the casing of the attachment device there is a movable filter housing. The movable filter housing has a plurality of filters and movement of the filter housing is driven by a motor. In this way, the filters of the filter housing selectively intercept the first optical path in accordance with an imaging regimen electronically stored in the casing interior. The imaging regimen communicates instructions, via a communications interface of the attachment device, to an imager and light source of an external device, to which the attachment device is attached, thereby controlling these components in accordance with the regimen. Now that an overview of the present disclosure has been provided, specific detailed embodiments are provided. Attachment Embodiments One such embodiment provides an attachment device comprising a cover, having a first optical window and a second optical window, and a backing, having a third optical window and a fourth optical window. The cover is affixed onto the backing thereby forming a casing having an interior. The first and third optical window form a first optical path within the casing interior, in which light entering the third optical window passes through the first optical window. The second and fourth optical window form a second optical path within the casing interior, in which light entering the second optical window passes through the fourth optical window. A filter housing, in the interior of the casing, comprises a plurality of filters. Each filter in the plurality of filters characterized by a wavelength range in a plurality of wavelength ranges. The filter housing is movable along or about an axis to thereby selectively intercept the first optical path. A first filter in the plurality of filters is characterized by a first wavelength range in the plurality of wavelength ranges. The first filter is transparent to the first wavelength range and opaque to other wavelengths in at least the visible spectrum. A second filter in the plurality of filters is characterized by a second wavelength range in the plurality of wavelength ranges, where the second filter is transparent to the second wavelength range and opaque to other wavelengths in at least the visible spectrum. The first wavelength range is other than the second wavelength range. In some embodiments, the first wavelength range overlaps the second wavelength range. In some embodiments, the first wavelength range does not overlap the second wavelength range. A motor, in the interior of the casing, is configured to move the filter housing. A circuit board, also in the interior of the casing, comprises non-transitory instructions for implementing at least a portion of a hyperspectral/multispectral imaging regimen. The instructions for implementing the hyperspectral/multispectral imaging regimen include instructions for driving the motor in accordance with the hyperspectral/multispectral imaging regimen. The attachment device further includes a communications interface, configured to send instructions to an external device. The external device comprises a two-dimensional imager and a light source. The instructions sent by the attachment device control the two-dimensional imager and the light source in accordance with the hyperspectral/multispectral imaging regimen. The attachment device is attached to the external device. The attachment device further includes a source of power, in the interior of the casing, to power the circuit board, the motor, and the communications interface. In some embodiments, the second optical window or the fourth optical window comprises a first light source polarizer that polarizes light in the second optical path. In some embodiments, the second optical window or the fourth optical window comprises a first homogenizer that homogenizes light in the second optical path. In some embodiments, the two-dimensional imager of the external device is a charge-coupled device (CCD), a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS), a photo-cell, or a focal plane array. In some embodiments, the plurality of filters comprises at least one bandpass filter. In some embodiments, the plurality of filters comprises at least one longpass filter or at least one shortpass filter. In some embodiments, the hyperspectral/multispectral imaging regimen comprises instructions for driving the filter housing to a first position in which the first filter selectively intercepts the first optical path. The hyperspectral/multispectral imaging regimen further comprises instructions for communicating instructions, via the communications interface, to the light source to power on. The hyperspectral/multispectral imaging regimen further comprises instructions for communicating instructions, via the communications interface, to the two-dimensional imager to acquire a first image of light passing through the first optical path when the filter housing is in the first position. The hyperspectral/multispectral imaging regimen further comprises instructions for driving, after the first image is acquired, the filter housing to a second position in which the second filter selectively intercepts the first optical path and the first filter no longer intercepts the first optical path. The hyperspectral/multispectral imaging regimen further comprises instructions for communicating instructions, via the communications interface, to the two-dimensional imager, to acquire a second image of light passing through the first optical path when the filter housing is in the second position. In some embodiments, the communication interface comprises a wireless signal transmission element and instructions are sent in accordance with the hyperspectral/multispectral imaging regimen to the external light source by the wireless signal transmission element. In some embodiments, the wireless signal transmission element is selected from the group consisting of a Bluetooth transmission element, a ZigBee transmission element, and a Wi-Fi transmission element. In some embodiments, the communication interface comprises a first communications interface and instructions are sent in accordance with the hyperspectral/multispectral imaging regimen to the external light by a cable coupled to the first communications interface source and a second communications interface of the external device. In some embodiments, the communications interface comprises a first communications interface and the housing attaches to the external device thereby bringing the first communications interface in direct physical and electrical communication with a second communications interface of the external device thereby enabling instructions to be sent directly to the second communications interface from the first communications interface in accordance with the hyperspectral/multispectral imaging regimen. In some embodiments, the external device is selected from the group consisting of a smart phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), an enterprise digital assistant, a tablet computer, and a digital camera. In some embodiments, the external device further comprises a display, and the hyperspectral/multispectral imaging regimen further comprises instructions for displaying an image captured by the two-dimensional imager, in accordance with the hyperspectral/multispectral imaging regimen, on the housing display. In some embodiments, the housing display is a touch screen display and the displayed image is configured to be enlarged or reduced by human touch to the touch screen display. In some embodiments, the housing display is used for focusing an image of a surface of a subject acquired by the two-dimensional imager. In some embodiments, the attachment device has a maximum power consumption of less than 15 watts, less than 10 watts, or less than 5 watts. In some embodiments, the source of power for the attachment device is a battery (e.g., a rechargeable battery). In some embodiments, the communications interface of the attachment device comprises a first communications interface, and attachment of the housing to the external device brings the first communications interface in direct physical and electrical communication with a second communications interface of the external device thereby enabling instructions to be sent directly to the second communications interface from the first communications interface in accordance with the hyperspectral/multispectral imaging regimen. In some such embodiments, the source of power is a battery and the battery is recharged through the first communications interface by electrical power obtained from the second communications interface of the external device. In some embodiments, the first and second filters are characterized by corresponding first and second central wavelengths, and the first and second central wavelengths are separated by at least 10 nm, or by at least 25 nm. In some embodiments, the first and second filters are characterized by corresponding first and second central wavelengths, and the first and second central wavelengths are separated by at least 50 nm. In some embodiments, the first and second filters are characterized by corresponding first and second central wavelengths, and the first and second central wavelengths are separated by at least 100 nm. In some embodiments, the first filter is a shortpass filter and the second filter is a longpass filter. In some embodiments, the instructions sent via the communications interface to the light source to power on instruct the light source to power on for no longer than one second, no longer than 500 milliseconds, or no longer than 250 milliseconds. In some embodiments, the plurality of filters comprises four or more bandpass filters, with each bandpass filter in the four or more bandpass filters characterized by a different central wavelength. In some embodiments, the plurality of filters comprises six or more bandpass filters, with each bandpass filter in the six or more bandpass filters characterized by a different central wavelength. In some embodiments, the plurality of filters comprises eight or more bandpass filters, with each bandpass filter in the eight or more bandpass filters characterized by a different central wavelength. In some embodiments, the first wavelength range is 40 nm or less and the second wavelength range is 40 nm or less. In some embodiments, the first wavelength range is 20 nm or less and the second wavelength range is 20 nm or less. In some embodiments, the first wavelength range is 10 nm or less and the second wavelength range is 10 nm or less. In some embodiments, the non-transitory instructions for implementing the hyperspectral/multispectral imaging regimen are stored in one or more memory chips of the circuit board. In some embodiments, the communications interface is configured to receive the instructions for implementing a hyperspectral/multispectral imaging regimen from the external device and the at least portion of the regimen is stored in one or more memory chips of the circuit board. In some embodiments, the filter housing comprises a filter wheel and the motor drives the filter wheel about the axis to thereby selectively intercept the first optical path with a predetermined one of the filters in the plurality of filters. In some embodiments, the filter housing comprises a filter strip, and the motor drives the filter strip along the axis to thereby selectively intercept the first optical path with a predetermined one of the filters in the plurality of filters. Non-Transitory Computer Readable Storage Medium Embodiments. Another aspect of the present disclosure provides a non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions for execution by one or more processors to perform a hyperspectral/multispectral imaging regimen comprising providing motor step function instructions that instruct a motor to move a filter housing in a casing to a first position. The filter housing comprises a plurality of filters. The first position causes a first filter in the plurality of filters to selectively intercept a first optical path through a casing housing the plurality of filters. The first filter is transparent to a first wavelength range and opaque to other wavelengths in at least the visible spectrum. The hyperspectral/multispectral imaging regimen further comprises instructing a light source to power on and subsequently or concurrently instructing a two-dimensional imager to acquire a first image of light passing through the first optical path when the filter housing is in the first position. the hyperspectral/multispectral imaging regimen further comprises providing motor step function instructions that instruct the motor to move the filter wheel to a second position, after the first image is acquired. The second position causes a second filter in the plurality of filters to selectively intercept the first optical path (and causes the first filter to no longer intercept the first optical path). The second filter is transparent to a second wavelength range and opaque to other wavelengths in at least the visible spectrum. The first wavelength range is other than the second wavelength range. The hyperspectral/multispectral imaging regimen instructs the two-dimensional imager to acquire a second image of light passing through the first optical path when the filter wheel is in the second position. The hyperspectral/multispectral imaging regimen combines at least the first image and the second image to form a hyperspectral/multispectral image. In some embodiments, the two-dimensional imager is a charge-coupled device (CCD), a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS), a photo-cell, or a focal plane array. In some embodiments, the plurality of filters comprises at least one bandpass filter. In some embodiments, the plurality of filters comprises at least one longpass filter or at least one shortpass filter. In some embodiments, the motor step functions are communicated wirelessly in accordance with a transmission protocol (e.g., Bluetooth, ZigBee, or 802.11). In some embodiments, the method further comprises displaying the first image, the second image or the hyperspectral/multispectral image. In some embodiments, the first and second filters are characterized by corresponding first and second central wavelengths, and the first and second central wavelengths are separated by at least 10 nm or by at least 25 nm. In some embodiments, the first filter is a shortpass filter and the second filter is a longpass filter. In some embodiments, the first and second filters are characterized by corresponding first and second central wavelengths, and the first and second central wavelengths are separated by at least 50 nm, or by at least 100 nm. In some embodiments, the instructions to power the light source on instruct the light source to power on for no longer than one second, for no longer than 500 milliseconds, or for no longer than 250 milliseconds. In some embodiments, the plurality of filters comprises four or more bandpass filters with each bandpass filter in the four or more bandpass filters characterized by a different central wavelength. In some embodiments, the plurality of filters comprises six or more bandpass filters with each bandpass filter in the six or more bandpass filters characterized by a different central wavelength. In some embodiments, the plurality of filters comprises eight or more bandpass filters, with each bandpass filter in the eight or more bandpass filters characterized by a different central wavelength. In some embodiments, the first wavelength range is 40 nm or less and the second wavelength range is 40 nm or less. In some embodiments, the first wavelength range is 20 nm or less and the second wavelength range is 20 nm or less. In some embodiments, the first wavelength range is 10 nm or less and the second wavelength range is 10 nm or less. In some embodiments, the filter housing comprises a filter wheel, and the motor drives the filter wheel about an axis to thereby selectively intercept the first optical path with a predetermined one of the filters in the plurality of filters. In alternative embodiments, the filter housing comprises a filter strip and the motor drives the filter strip along an axis to thereby selectively intercept the first optical path with a predetermined one of the filters in the plurality of filters. Disclosed Methods. Another aspect of the present disclosure provides a method for performing a hyperspectral/multispectral imaging regimen at a device comprising one or more processors, memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors, a light source, a communications interface, and a two-dimensional imager. The device is attached to an attachment device and the one or more programs singularly or collectively communicate, through the communications interface, motor step function instructions that instruct a motor of the attachment device to move a filter housing of the attachment device in a casing of the attachment device to a first position. The filter housing comprises a plurality of filters, the first position causes a first filter in the plurality of filters to selectively intercept a first optical path through the filter housing, and the first filter is transparent to a first wavelength range and opaque to other wavelengths in at least the visible spectrum. The one or more programs further singularly or collectively instruct the light source to power on. The one or more programs further singularly or collectively instruct the two-dimensional imager to acquire a first image of light passing through the first optical path when the filter wheel is in the first position. The one or more programs further singularly or collectively communicate, through the communications interface, motor step function instructions that instruct the motor to move the filter housing to a second position, after the first image is acquired. The second position causes a second filter in the plurality of filters to selectively intercept the first optical path. The second filter is transparent to a second wavelength range and opaque to other wavelengths in at least the visible spectrum. The first wavelength range is other than the second wavelength range. The one or more programs further singularly or collectively instruct the two-dimensional imager to acquire a second image of light passing through the first optical path when the filter wheel is in the second position. The one or more programs further singularly or collectively combine at least the first image and the second image to form a hyperspectral/multispectral image. In some embodiments, the two-dimensional imager is selected a charge-coupled device (CCD), a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS), a photo-cell, or a focal plane array. In some embodiments, the plurality of filters comprises at least one bandpass filter. In some embodiments, the plurality of filters comprises at least one longpass filter or at least one shortpass filter. In some embodiments, the communication interface comprises a wireless signal transmission element and the motor step function instructions are sent by the wireless signal transmission element. In some embodiments, the wireless signal transmission element is a Bluetooth transmission element, a ZigBee transmission element, or a Wi-Fi transmission element. In some embodiments, the communications interface comprises a first communications interface, and the device attaches to the attachment device thereby bringing the first communications interface in direct physical and electrical communication with a second communications interface of the attachment device thereby enabling instructions to be sent directly to the second communications interface from the first communications interface. In some embodiments, the device is a smart phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), an enterprise digital assistant, a tablet computer, or a digital camera. In some embodiments, the device further comprises a display, and device, and the one or more programs singularly or collectively direct for the display of the first image, the second image, or a hyperspectral/multispectral image on the display. In some such embodiments, the display is a touch screen display, and the displayed image is enlargeable or reducible by human touch to the touch screen display. In some embodiments, the display is configured for focusing an image of a surface of a subject acquired by the two-dimensional imager. In some embodiments, the attachment device has a maximum power consumption of less than 15 watts, less than 10 watts, or less than 5 watts. In some embodiments, a source of power for the attachment device is a battery (e.g., a rechargeable battery). In some embodiments, the communications interface comprises a first communications interface, attachment of the device to the attachment device brings the first communications interface in direct physical and electrical communication with a second communications interface of the attachment device thereby enabling the motor step function instructions to be sent directly to the second communications interface from the first communications interface, a source of power of the attachment device is a battery, and the battery is recharged through the first communications interface by electrical power obtained from the second communications interface of the external device. In some embodiments, the first and second filters are characterized by corresponding first and second central wavelengths, and the first and second central wavelengths are separated by at least 10 nm or by at least 25 nm. In some embodiments, the first and second filters are characterized by corresponding first and second central wavelengths, and the first and second central wavelengths are separated by at least 50 nm or by at least 100 nm. In some embodiments, the first filter is a shortpass filter and the second filter is a longpass filter. In some embodiments, the instructing the light source to power on instructs the light source to power on for no longer than one second, for no longer than 500 milliseconds, or for no longer than 250 milliseconds. In some embodiments, the plurality of filters comprises four or more bandpass filters with each bandpass filter in the four or more bandpass filters characterized by a different central wavelength. In some embodiments, the plurality of filters comprises six or more bandpass filters with each bandpass filter in the six or more bandpass filters characterized by a different central wavelength. In some embodiments, the plurality of filters comprises eight or more bandpass filters with each bandpass filter in the eight or more bandpass filters characterized by a different central wavelength. In some embodiments, the plurality of filters includes at least four bandpass filters with central wavelengths selected from 520±3 nm, 540±3 nm, 560±3 nm, 580±3 nm, 590±3 nm, 610±3 nm, 620±3 nm, and 660±3 nm. In some embodiments, the plurality of filters includes at least five bandpass filters with central wavelengths selected from 520±3 nm, 540±3 nm, 560±3 nm, 580±3 nm, 590±3 nm, 610±3 nm, 620±3 nm, and 660±3 nm. In some embodiments, the plurality of filters includes at least six bandpass filters with central wavelengths selected from 520±3 nm, 540±3 nm, 560±3 nm, 580±3 nm, 590±3 nm, 610±3 nm, 620±3 nm, and 660±3 nm. In some embodiments, the plurality of filters includes at least seven bandpass filters with central wavelengths selected from 520±3 nm, 540±3 nm, 560±3 nm, 580±3 nm, 590±3 nm, 610±3 nm, 620±3 nm, and 660±3 nm. In some embodiments, the plurality of filters includes at least eight bandpass filters with central wavelengths selected from 520±3 nm, 540±3 nm, 560±3 nm, 580±3 nm, 590±3 nm, 610±3 nm, 620±3 nm, and 660±3 nm In some embodiments, the first wavelength range is 40 nm or less and the second wavelength range is 40 nm or less. In some embodiments, the first wavelength range is 20 nm or less and the second wavelength range is 20 nm or less. In some embodiments, the first wavelength range is 10 nm or less and the second wavelength range is 10 nm or less. In some embodiments, the filter housing comprises a filter wheel and the motor drives the filter wheel about an axis to thereby selectively intercept the first optical path with a predetermined one of the filters in the plurality of filters. In alternative embodiments, the filter housing comprises a filter strip, and the motor drives the filter strip along an axis to thereby selectively intercept the first optical path with a predetermined one of the filters in the plurality of filters.

11340969

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a processing system and a program thereof. BACKGROUND ART In recent years, in applications that leverage ample computing environments such as cloud and utilize data transmitted from client terminals such as servers, a high-performance processing system capable of dispersing a load while distributing a large amount of diverse data to appropriate applications has been desired. In the background art in the above field, Patent Literature 1 discloses that a load balancer is prepared for each application, multiple processing servers for executing application data processing are deployed under the load balancer, and a load balancing is performed (FIG. 1). Further, in Patent Literature 1, multiple applications are deployed in one processing server, and resources are dynamically allocated among the multiple applications according to load data and performance data on the applications, thereby being capable of leveraging computer resources among the applications different in a peak load period (paragraphs 0004, 0025). CITATION LIST Patent Literature PTL 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2008-234651 SUMMARY OF INVENTION Technical Problem With the use of the load dispersion system disclosed in Patent Literature 1, the load of data allocated to the applications can be efficiently dispersed by the multiple processing servers. However, when various data transmitted from the client terminals is distributed to the load dispersion device of an appropriate application, there may be a need to analyze a protocol different according to the application, and the load on the data distribution process cannot be ignored. In other words, in the above case, the load of a series of data distribution processing for analyzing the protocol of a layer 7 level of the received data, identifying the application, and distributing the data to the load dispersion device according to the identified application, for distributing the data to the load dispersion device increases. A device (for example, a load balancer capable of performing processing at the layer 7 level) that performs the data distribution processing becomes a bottleneck, and even if the number of processing servers is large, a large amount of data cannot be processed at all in the first place. Incidentally, for example, HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol) REST (Representational State Transfer), MQTT (MQ Telemetry Transport), and the like are included as the protocol type at the layer 7 level. On the other hand, Patent Literature 1 discloses routing to the load dispersion device by cluster aliasing (paragraph 0015), but there is no disclosure of a technology relating to a protocol analysis and an application identification process. Also, in order to eliminate the bottleneck of the device that performs the data distribution process, it is conceivable that a load balancer that distributes the data to a device that performs multiple data distribution processes by the protocol analysis of a layer 4 level is deployed in front of a device that performs the data distribution process. However, the number of devices increases, which leads to an increase in cost. The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a load dispersion processing system capable of dispersing a load of a data distribution process by a processing server in addition to dispersion of processing of data. Solution to Problem In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a processing system including a data distribution device and a plurality of processing servers, in which the data distribution device receives data including information identifying an application program and transfers the received data or a message generated from the received data to any one of the plurality of processing servers, the processing server includes: a server determination information storage unit that stores registration information on an application program of each of the plurality of processing servers and load information on each of the plurality of processing servers; and an application-specific transfer determination information storage unit that stores a condition to be transferred peculiar to the application program, and the processing server receives the data or the message including the information identifying the application program, the processing server generates the message from the received data upon determining that the received data or message is data, the processing server identifies the application program from the received message upon determining that the received data or message is the message, the processing server selects any processing server from the plurality of processing servers based on the information stored in the server determination information storage unit and the application specific transfer determination information storage unit, the processing server executes the identified application program upon determining that the selected processing server is the processing server in question, and the processing server transfers the received or generated message to the selected processing server upon determining that the selected processing server is not the processing server in question. Advantageous Effects of Invention According to the present invention, the load distribution processing system in which the processing server can also distribute a load of the data distribution process, in addition to the dispersion of the data processing.

11533573

TECHNICAL FIELD This disclosure relates generally to hearing devices and, more specifically, to hearing devices including a portion that extends at least partially into a user's ear canal, a sound-producing electroacoustic transducer and one or more sensors. BACKGROUND Hearing devices including hearing aids and earphones among other devices having a sound-producing electroacoustic transducer, such as a balanced armature receiver, and an ear tip for insertion into a user's ear canal are known generally. A sound-producing electroacoustic transducer is also referred to herein as a receiver or speaker. Receiver-in-canal (RIC) devices among others are electrically connected to a behind-the-ear (BTE) unit by an electrical cable. Other hearing devices may be wholly contained on or in the ear. The overall size of such devices and particularly the ear-fitting portion thereof is constrained by the need to fit within the user's ear canal thus limiting the ability to integrate other components. The objects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will become more fully apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon careful consideration of the following Detailed Description and the appended claims in conjunction with the drawings described below.

11459099

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure relates, in general, to aircraft operable to transition between a forward flight mode and a vertical takeoff and landing flight mode and, in particular, to aircraft having M-wings that enable thrust vectoring of leading apex mounted propulsion assemblies. BACKGROUND Fixed-wing aircraft, such as airplanes, are capable of flight using wings that generate lift responsive to the forward airspeed of the aircraft, which is generated by thrust from one or more jet engines or propellers. The wings generally have an airfoil cross section that deflects air downward as the aircraft moves forward, generating the lift force to support the airplane in flight. Fixed-wing aircraft, however, typically require a runway that is hundreds or thousands of feet long for takeoff and landing. Unlike fixed-wing aircraft, vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft do not require runways. Instead, VTOL aircraft are capable of taking off, hover and landing vertically. One example of VTOL aircraft is a helicopter which is a rotorcraft having one or more rotors that provide lift and thrust to the aircraft. The rotors not only enable hover and vertical takeoff and landing, but also enable, forward, backward and lateral flight. These attributes make helicopters highly versatile for use in congested, isolated or remote areas where fixed-wing aircraft may be unable to takeoff and land. Helicopters, however, typically lack the forward airspeed of fixed-wing aircraft. A tiltrotor aircraft is another example of a VTOL aircraft. Tiltrotor aircraft generate lift and propulsion using proprotors that are typically coupled to nacelles mounted near the ends of a fixed wing. The nacelles rotate relative to the fixed wing such that the proprotors have a generally horizontal plane of rotation for vertical takeoff, hover and landing and a generally vertical plane of rotation for forward flight, wherein the fixed wing provides lift and the proprotors provide forward thrust. In this manner, tiltrotor aircraft combine the vertical lift capability of a helicopter with the speed and range of fixed-wing aircraft. Tiltrotor aircraft, however, typically suffer from downwash inefficiencies during vertical takeoff and landing due to interference caused by the fixed wing. A further example of a VTOL aircraft is a tiltwing aircraft that features a rotatable wing that is generally horizontal for forward flight and rotates to a generally vertical orientation for vertical takeoff and landing. Propellers are coupled to the rotating wing to provide the required vertical thrust for takeoff and landing and the required forward thrust to generate lift from the wing during forward flight. The tiltwing design enables the slipstream from the propellers to strike the wing on its smallest dimension, thus improving vertical thrust efficiency as compared to tiltrotor aircraft. Tiltwing aircraft, however, are more difficult to control during hover as the vertically tilted wing provides a large surface area for crosswinds typically requiring tiltwing aircraft to have either cyclic rotor control or an additional thrust station to generate a moment. SUMMARY In a first aspect, the present disclosure is directed to an aircraft having a vertical takeoff and landing fight mode and a forward flight mode. The aircraft includes an airframe with first and second M-wings having first and second pylons extending therebetween, each M-wing having a pair of leading apexes with swept forward and swept back portions extending therefrom at a swept angle. A propulsion system includes a plurality of propulsion assemblies each attached to the airframe proximate one of the leading apexes. The propulsion assemblies each have a rotor assembly with a tilting degree of freedom. A flight control system is operable to control the propulsion assemblies including tilting the rotor assemblies to generate variable thrust vectors. In the vertical takeoff and landing fight mode, the aircraft operates responsive to thrust-borne lift from the propulsion system. In the forward flight mode, the aircraft operates responsive to wing-borne lift in a biplane orientation. In some embodiments, the swept angles of the swept forward portions of the M-wings may be generally congruent with the swept angles of the swept back portions of the M-wings. In certain embodiments, the propulsion system may be a versatile propulsion system. In some embodiments, the propulsion assemblies may be interchangeably attachable to the airframe. In such embodiments, the propulsion assemblies may be mechanically coupled to the airframe, electrically coupled to the airframe, fluidically coupled to the airframe and/or communicably coupled to the airframe. In some embodiments, the airframe may include a plurality of stanchions positioned proximate the leading apexes with each of the propulsion assemblies attached to one of the stanchions such that the stanchions provide standoff between the propulsion assemblies and the M-wings. In certain embodiments, the propulsion assemblies may be line replaceable units. In some embodiments, the flight control system may be operable to independently control each of the propulsion assemblies. In certain embodiments, the maximum angle of the thrust vectors may be between about ten degrees and about thirty degrees. In other embodiments, the maximum angle of the thrust vectors may be between about fifteen degrees and about twenty-five degrees. In further embodiments, the maximum angle of the thrust vectors may be about twenty degrees. In certain embodiments, a pod assembly may be selectively attached to the airframe. In such embodiments, the airframe may be rotatable about the pod assembly such that the pod assembly remains in a generally horizontal attitude in the vertical takeoff and landing fight mode, the forward flight mode and transitions therebetween. Also, in such embodiments, in the vertical takeoff and landing flight mode, the first wing may be forward of the pod assembly and the second wing may be aft of the pod assembly and, in the forward flight mode, the first wing may be below the pod assembly and the second wing may be above the pod assembly in the biplane orientation. In a second aspect, the present disclosure is directed to an aircraft having a vertical takeoff and landing fight mode and a forward flight mode. The aircraft includes an airframe with first and second M-wings having first and second pylons extending therebetween, each M-wing having a pair of leading apexes with swept forward and swept back portions extending therefrom at a swept angle. A propulsion system includes a plurality of propulsion assemblies each attached to the airframe proximate one of the leading apexes. A flight control system is operable to control the propulsion assemblies. A pod assembly is selectively attachable to the airframe. In the vertical takeoff and landing fight mode, the first wing is forward of the pod assembly, the second wing is aft of the pod assembly and the aircraft operates responsive to thrust-borne lift from the propulsion system. In the forward flight mode, the first wing is below the pod assembly, the second wing is above the pod assembly and the aircraft operates responsive to wing-borne lift in a biplane orientation. In some embodiments, the airframe may include a plurality of stanchions each positioned proximate one of the leading apexes, each of the propulsion assemblies may be attached to one of the stanchions and the stanchions may provide standoff between the propulsion assemblies and the M-wings. In such embodiments, in the biplane orientation, the first wing may have a high wing configuration and the second wing may have a low wing configuration. In certain embodiments, the propulsion system may be a versatile propulsion system wherein the propulsion assemblies are interchangeably attachable to the airframe as line replaceable units.

11373351

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to Japanese Patent Application No. 2019-058896, filed on Mar. 26, 2019. The above application is hereby expressly incorporated by reference, in its entirety, into the present application. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image processing method, a program, and an image processing system and particularly, to a content for enjoying kanji. 2. Description of the Related Art Kanji is unusual for foreigners who visit Japan and particularly do not usually use kanji. Kanji may be provided on products such as clothing and postcards as a target of appreciation. In addition, electronic contents in which kanji is composited are loved and purchased by foreigners. Examples of a way of making foreigners enjoy kanji include creation of a seal in which kanji in Japanese and alphabets are used on a seal surface, creation of a kanji name by arranging one or more corresponding phonetically equivalent characters in correspondence with pronunciation of a foreign name, and the like are exemplified. However, in any of the examples, an original text is translated, or kanji itself presented to foreigners is individually considered by Japanese people. JP5545507B discloses a seal creation apparatus that processes a sample image in which a user is captured as a subject. In JP5545507B, a composite image that is generated by setting the sample image as a foreground and setting a composition image as a background is disclosed. JP6232662B discloses a photograph imaging game machine that generates a composite image in which a photograph image and a plurality of editing images are composited. In JP6232662B, the composite image that is generated by setting the photograph image as a foreground and setting the editing images as a background is disclosed. JP5574031B discloses a composite image in which a semi-transparent foreground image in which a character is displayed on the entire image is superimposed on a captured image. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION However, contents for making foreign tourists and the like visiting Japan conveniently enjoy kanji are not present. In addition, while JP5545507B, JP6232662B, and JP5574031B disclose the composite image generated by compositing the captured image and the composition image or the like, the composite image is simply enjoyed by randomly selecting a combination of the captured image and the composition image or the like in any of JP5545507B, JP6232662B, and JP5574031B, and the image and kanji are not enjoyed as a whole. The present invention is conceived in view of the above matter. An object of the present invention is to provide an image processing method, a program, and an image processing system for enjoying an image and kanji as a whole. In order to achieve the object, the following aspects of the invention are provided. An image processing method according to a first aspect is an image processing method comprising an image analysis step of analyzing an image and extracting an object from the image, a kanji string decision step of deciding a kanji string that includes one or more kanji characters related to the object, a layout decision step of deciding a layout in which the kanji string is composited with the image as a decided layout, and a composition step of generating a composite image by compositing the kanji string with the image based on the decided layout, in which in the layout decision step, a layout in which the object is set as a foreground of the composite image and the kanji string is set as a background of the composite image is decided as the decided layout. According to the first aspect, the kanji string related to the object included in the acquired image is extracted, and the kanji string is composited with the image by setting the object as a foreground and setting the kanji string as a background. Accordingly, the kanji string can be composited with the image including the object without degrading visibility of the object, and the image and the kanji can be enjoyed as a whole. A subject such as a person, a natural structure, and a building in the image may be applied to the object included in the image. A background such as emptiness and a scene in the image may be applied to the object. In the image analysis step, one object may be extracted from a plurality of objects, or two or more objects may be extracted. Kanji used in the Japanese language may be applied to the kanji. Kanji used in a foreign country such as China may be applied to the kanji. Examples of the kanji string related to the object include a kanji string that represents details of the object, a kanji string that represents an image of the object, a kanji string that is imaginable from the object, and the like. The layout may include information of a position of the object. The layout may include information of a position of the kanji string in the image. a color of the kanji string, a font of the kanji string, and the like. Coordinate values in the image may be applied to the information of the position of the object, the information of the position of the kanji string, and the information of the position of the alphabet character string. A second aspect may be configured such that in the image processing method of the first aspect, in the layout decision step, a layout in which an outline character is applied to the kanji string is decided as the decided layout. According to the second aspect, the composite image in which both of the object and the kanji string are highlighted and excellent design quality is obtained in the composite image may be generated. An aspect in which a character region is transparent may be employed as the outline character. In such an aspect, a non-object that is a background of the kanji string in the composite image excluding the object in the image may be visually recognized. A third aspect may be configured such that in the image processing method of the second aspect, in the layout decision step, a layout in which semi-transparency is applied to a background of the outline character is decided as the decided layout. According to the third aspect, in the composite image, the non-object excluding the object in the image from which the object is extracted may be visually recognized. A fourth aspect may be configured such that in the image processing method of the second aspect or the third aspect, in the layout decision step, a layout in which at least a part of a non-object excluding the object in the image is seen through the kanji string to which the outline character is applied is decided as the decided layout. According to the fourth aspect, the entire composite image may be visually recognized. A fifth aspect may be configured such that in the image processing method of any one aspect of the second aspect to the fourth aspect, in the layout decision step, a layout in which a part of the outline character is superimposed on a background of the outline character is decided as the decided layout. According to the fifth aspect, the object is highlighted in the composite image. A sixth aspect may be configured such that in the image processing method of any one aspect of the first aspect to the fifth aspect, in the layout decision step, a layout in which the kanji string is arranged away from a subject of the image is decided as the decided layout. According to the sixth aspect, visibility of the subject in the composite image may be secured. Further, a layout in which the kanji string is arranged away from the object of the image may be decided as the decided layout in the layout decision step. That is, the subject may be the object. Moreover, the subject may be an object (another object) other than the object included in the image. Furthermore, the subject or the object may include an animal, a building and so on, as well as at least one person. The subject of the image is a region that is focused in the image. For example, an example of the subject is a person. The subject may be the object or the non-object. A seventh aspect may be configured such that in the image processing method of any one aspect of the first aspect to the fifth aspect, in the layout decision step, a layout in which the kanji string is superimposed on a subject of the image is decided as the decided layout. According to the seventh aspect, the kanji string may be highlighted in the composite image. Further, a layout in which the kanji string is superimposed on the object of the image may be decided as the decided layout in the layout decision step. That is, the subject may be the object. Moreover, the subject may be an object (another object) other than the object included in the image. Furthermore, the subject or the object may include an animal, a building and so on, as well as at least one person. An eighth aspect may be configured such that the image processing method of any one aspect of the first aspect to the seventh aspect further comprises a printing step of printing the composite image using a printing apparatus (printer). According to the eighth aspect, a printed material on which the composite image is printed may be provided. Accordingly, the kanji can be enjoyed using the printed material. A ninth aspect may be configured such that the image processing method of any one aspect of the first aspect to the eighth aspect further comprises an alphabet character string decision step of deciding an alphabet character string related to a meaning of the kanji string, in which in the layout decision step, a layout in which the alphabet character string is composited with the image is decided as the decided layout. According to the ninth aspect, foreigners and the like who have difficulty in understanding the meaning of the kanji string may understand the meaning of the kanji string. Accordingly, foreigners and the like who have difficulty in understanding the meaning of the kanji string can enjoy the kanji. Here, in the composition step, the composite image may be generated by compositing the kanji string and the alphabet character string with the image based on the decided layout. A foreign word such as an English word that represents the meaning of the kanji string may be applied to the alphabet character string. The alphabet character string may include a specific sign and the like such as a hashtag. Examples of the alphabet character string related to the kanji string include an alphabet character string that represents the meaning of the kanji string, an alphabet character string that represents an image of the kanji string, an alphabet character string that is imaginable from the kanji string, and the like. The layout may include information of a position of the alphabet character string in the image, a color of the alphabet character string, a font of the alphabet character string, and the like. A tenth aspect may be configured such that in the image processing method of the ninth aspect, in the layout decision step, a layout in which an outline character is applied to the alphabet character string is decided as the decided layout. According to the tenth aspect, in the composite image, the alphabet character string is highlighted in the same manner as the kanji string. In addition, in the composite image, integrity between the alphabet character string and the kanji string is obtained. An eleventh aspect may be configured such that in the image processing method of the tenth aspect, in the layout decision step, a layout in which semi-transparency is applied to a background of the outline character is decided as the decided layout. According to the eleventh aspect, in the composite image, the non-object excluding the object in the image from which the object is extracted may be visually recognized. A twelfth aspect may be configured such that in the image processing method of the tenth aspect or the eleventh aspect, in the layout decision step, a layout in which at least a part of a non-object excluding the object in the image is seen through the alphabet character string to which the outline character is applied is decided as the decided layout. According to the twelfth aspect, the entire composite image may be visually recognized. A program according to a thirteenth aspect is a program causing a computer to implement an image analysis function of analyzing an image and extracting an object from the image, a kanji string decision function of deciding a kanji string that includes one or more kanji characters related to the object, a layout decision function of deciding a layout in which the kanji string is composited with the image as a decided layout, and a composition function of generating a composite image by compositing the kanji string with the image based on the layout, in which the layout decision function decides a layout in which the object is set as a foreground of the composite image and the kanji string is set as a background of the composite image as the decided layout. According to the thirteenth aspect, the same effect as the first aspect can be obtained. In the thirteenth aspect, the same matters as the matters specified in the second aspect to the twelfth aspect can be appropriately combined. In this case, a constituent performing a process or a function specified in the image processing method can be perceived as a constituent of the program for performing the corresponding process or function. An image processing system according to a fourteenth aspect is an image processing system comprising an image analysis unit that analyzes an image and extracts an object from the image, a kanji string decision unit that decides a kanji string which includes one or more kanji characters related to the object, a layout decision unit that decides a layout in which the kanji string is composited with the image, and a composition unit that generates a composite image by compositing the kanji string with the image based on the layout, in which the layout decision unit decides a layout in which the object is set as a foreground of the composite image and the kanji string is set as a background of the composite image. According to the fourteenth aspect, the same effect as the first aspect can be obtained. In the fourteenth aspect, the same matters as the matters specified in the second aspect to the twelfth aspect can be appropriately combined. In this case, a constituent performing a process or a function specified in the image processing method can be perceived as a constituent of the image processing system performing the corresponding process or function. A fifteenth aspect may be configured such that the image processing system of the fourteenth aspect further comprises a printing unit that prints the composite image. According to the fifteenth aspect, a printed material on which the composite image is printed may be provided. Accordingly, the kanji can be enjoyed using the printed material. An image processing system according to a sixteenth aspect is an image processing system connected through a network. The system comprises an image analysis unit that analyzes an acquired image and extracts an object from the image, a kanji string decision unit that decides a kanji string which includes one or more kanji characters related to the object, a layout decision unit that decides a layout in which the kanji string is composited with the image, and a composition unit that generates a composite image by compositing the kanji string with the image based on the layout, in which the layout decision unit decides a layout in which the object is set as a foreground of the composite image and the kanji string is set as a background of the composite image. According to the sixteenth aspect, the same effect as the first aspect can be obtained. In the sixteenth aspect, the same matters as the matters specified in the second aspect to the twelfth aspect can be appropriately combined. In this case, a constituent performing a process or a function specified in the image processing method can be perceived as a constituent of the image processing system performing the corresponding process or function. A seventeenth aspect may be configured such that the image processing system of the sixteenth aspect further comprises a printing apparatus (printer) that is connected through the network and prints the composite image. According to the seventeenth aspect, a printed material on which the composite image is printed may be provided. Accordingly, the kanji can be enjoyed using the printed material. An eighteenth aspect may be configured such that in the image processing system of the seventeenth aspect, the printing apparatus (printer) includes the image analysis unit, the kanji string decision unit, the layout decision unit, and the composition unit and prints the composite image based on the image. According to the eighteenth aspect, the printing apparatus (printer) may acquire the image of a processing target from a terminal apparatus, generate the composite image based on the acquired image, and provide the printed material on which the composite image is printed to the user. A nineteenth aspect may be configured such that the image processing system of the seventeenth aspect or the eighteenth aspect further comprises a server apparatus that is connected through the network and includes the image analysis unit, the kanji string decision unit, the layout decision unit, and the composition unit. According to the nineteenth aspect, the composite image can be generated using the server apparatus connected to the network. According to the present invention, the kanji string related to the object included in the acquired image is extracted, and the kanji string is composited with the image by setting the object as a foreground and setting the kanji string as a background. Accordingly, the kanji string can be composited with the image including the object without degrading visibility of the object, and the image and the kanji can be enjoyed as a whole.

11376843

The invention relates to a method of nozzle failure detection in an ink jet printer having a plurality of ejection units each of which comprises a nozzle and an associated liquid chamber with an electromechanical transducer for energizing a pressure wave in the liquid chamber so as to expel an ink droplet from the nozzle, the method comprising steps of nozzle failure detection to be performed, for each ejection unit, with a given minimum detection frequency, wherein each nozzle failure detection step comprises:energizing the transducer with a detection waveform that does not lead to the ejection of a droplet but creates a pressure fluctuation that is sensitive to whether or not the ejection unit is in a malfunction state; andmeasuring the pressure fluctuation in order to detect the malfunction state. A known inkjet print head comprises a number of ejection units, wherein each ejection unit comprises a liquid chamber for holding an amount of liquid. Commonly, the liquid is an ink, such as a solvent-based or water-based ink, a hot-melt ink at an elevated temperature or a UV-curable ink, but the liquid may be any other kind of liquid. Other examples include liquids that need to be accurately dosed. Each ejection unit of the inkjet print head further comprises an electromechanical transducer operatively coupled to the liquid chamber for generating a pressure wave in the liquid held in the liquid chamber. A well-known electromechanical transducer is a piezo-actuator, comprising two electrodes and a layer of piezo-electric material arranged therebetween. When an electric field is applied by application of a voltage over the electrodes, the piezo-material mechanically deforms and the deformation of the piezo-actuator generates the pressure wave in the liquid. Other kinds of electromechanical transducers are also known for use in an inkjet print head, such as an electrostatic actuator. Each ejection unit further comprises a nozzle in fluid communication with the liquid chamber. If a suitable pressure wave is generated in the liquid in the liquid chamber, a droplet of the liquid is expelled through the nozzle. If the liquid is an ink, the droplet may impinge on a recording medium and form an image dot on the recording medium. A pattern of such image dots may form an image on the recording medium as well-known in the art. A known disadvantage of the above-described inkjet print head is the susceptibility to malfunctioning of the ejection units. In particular, it is known that an air bubble may be entrained in the nozzle or in the liquid chamber. Such an air bubble changes the acoustics of the ejection unit and as a consequence a droplet may not be formed when the pressure wave is generated. Another known cause for malfunctioning is dirt particles (partly) blocking the nozzle. The presence of dirt does not only block the liquid flow, but also changes the acoustics. It is well-known in the art to sense a residual pressure wave in the liquid. After the generation of a pressure wave, the acoustics of the ejection unit result in a residual pressure wave that damps over time. Sensing and analyzing this residual pressure wave provides detailed information on the acoustics of the ejection unit. A comparison between the acoustics derived from the residual pressure wave and the acoustics of an ejection unit in an operative state allows to derive the operating state of the ejection unit. Moreover, it is known to determine a cause for a malfunctioning state from the residual pressure wave, if a malfunction state is derived. A disadvantage of the known method for detecting an operating state is the time needed for sensing the residual pressure wave and the time needed for analysis of the residual pressure wave. Due to this relatively long period needed for sensing and analyzing, it is not possible to perform the analysis for each ejection unit after each droplet ejection. Moreover, even if there would be sufficient time between consecutive droplet ejections, the computational power needed to analyze each ejection unit after each droplet ejection would be so high, that this would not be commercially feasible. A method of the type defined in the opening paragraph has been disclosed in WO 2016/113232 A1. In this method, after generating a pressure wave in the liquid, the electromechanical transducer is actuated to suppress the residual pressure wave in the liquid. Such a suppression of the residual pressure wave is commonly also referred to as quenching. After quenching, an amplitude of the residual pressure wave in the liquid is sensed. Based on the sensed amplitude, it is determined that the ejection unit is either (i) in an operative state if the amplitude of the residual pressure wave is below a threshold or (ii) in a malfunctioning or at least failure-prone state if the amplitude of the residual pressure wave is above the threshold. Quenching is known from the prior art for removing any residual pressure wave in an ejection unit in order to prepare the ejection unit for a next droplet ejection. A residual pressure wave affects a subsequently generated pressure wave and hence affects a subsequent droplet in size, speed, and/or any other property. Quenching is known to ensure droplet formation without influence from a previous droplet formation. The method described in the cited document is based on the consideration that a quench pulse, i.e. an actuation pulse applied to the electromechanical transducer for quenching the residual pressure wave, is highly adapted to the residual pressure wave that normally remains after actuation in a well-functioning (operative) liquid chamber. The acoustics of the liquid chamber are known, and based on such known acoustics the quench pulse has been designed. Such a quench pulse is usually tuned with respect to timing and amplitude and often also with respect to a number of other parameters. If tuned correctly, only then a residual pressure wave with a very low amplitude remains. So, in general, any residual pressure wave remaining after the quench pulse should have a very low amplitude, as the quench pulse has been designed to do so. If the acoustics of the liquid chamber change due to the presence of dirt particles or a gas (usually air) bubble or any other cause, the quench pulse will not be able to lower the amplitude of the residual pressure wave sufficiently. Under certain circumstances, the quench pulse may even increase the amplitude of the residual pressure wave. Sensing an amplitude and merely evaluating the value of the amplitude by comparison with a (low) threshold takes a relatively short period of time and requires relatively little computational power. The pressure wave used for detecting the condition of the ejection unit may be such that a suitable residual pressure wave is generated, while no droplet is expelled (i.e. a non-ejecting pressure wave). Then, using a corresponding quench pulse, such residual pressure wave may be quenched and the method according may be carried out without expelling a droplet. Such embodiment allows to easily and quickly detect the operating state of an ejection unit, and the detection waveform may be fine-tuned so as to optimize the sensitivity of the residual pressure wave for the operative or malfuction condition of the ejection unit. Thus, the method allows to verify the operating state of an ejection unit even during a print job, in particular between two droplets ejected during the print job, e.g. while a gap between two successive recording sheets passes the print head or in a time period in which the image contents of the image to be printed require that the ejection unit is silent. In a multi-pass print process, it is generally sufficient if the occurrence of a nozzle failure is detected at some time at or before the end of a scan pass, because it is still possible to compensate for the nozzle failure i.e. to camouflage the visible artefact caused by the nozzle failure, by activating neighboring nozzles in a subsequent scan pass. In a single-pass process, however, it is important that a nozzle failure is detected as soon as possible after it has occurred, so that a failure compensation algorithm can be activated as soon as possible. A not compensated nozzle failure may result in a visible artefact which cannot be eliminated later. It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a method of nozzle failure detection which permits to detect a nozzle failure already a short time after it has occurred. In order to achieve this object, the method according to the invention comprises:defining a mask pattern that is independent of image contents to be printed, said mask pattern defining positions of blank pixels on a dark background such that the blank pixels are distributed over the image area so finely that they are hardly perceptible to the human eye; andwhen an image is being printed, performing the nozzle failure detection steps for each ejection unit at timings at which the respective nozzles are on pixel positions that belong to the mask pattern. The invention utilizes the method of fast nozzle failure detection (FFD) that has been described above for performing the failure detection steps “on the fly” while an image is being printed. Since no droplet can be ejected during the failure detection step, this detection step will itself produce an artefact, i.e. a blank pixel (white in case of black-and-white printing and a pixel with the wrong color in the case of color printing) in the printed image. However, since the failure detection can be accomplished in a very short time, the resulting artefact will extend only over a very small number of adjacent pixels. Ideally, the detection is so fast that only a single pixel position will be affected. Then, when the pixel positions that are affected by the failure detection steps are selected in accordance with the mask pattern, the artefact consists only of isolated blank pixels that are evenly distributed over the image area and are therefore practically imperceptible. Indepedently of the image contents to be printed, the mask pattern can be defined such that each ejection unit is tested for possible nozzle failures with a certain minimum detection frequency so that the time delay between the occurrence of a nozzle failure and the detection of that failure will never exceed the period that corresponds to the maximum detection frequency. Then, once the nozzle failure has been detected, suitable counter-measures such as nozzle failure compensation and/or elimination of the nozzle failure may be performed, so that, even in a single-pass process, the artefacts produced by nozzle failures will be confined to relatively short pixel lines the length of which corresponds to the delay time between occurrence and detection of the nozzle failure. Useful further developments of the invention are indicated in the dependent claims. Additional failure detection steps may be performed for each ejection unit at pixel positions where, in view of the image contents to be printed, the unit is inactive anyway. This will increase the average detection frequency even further. In one embodiment, a nozzle failure compensation algorithm is called-up immediately when a nozzle failure for a particular ejection unit has been detected. It will be observed that the very fast nozzle failure detection steps discussed above can in most cases provide only a “yes” or “no” answer to the question whether the ejection unit is in a malfunction state. In order to obtain more detailed information on the nature and cause of malfunction, a more thorough and time-consuming analysis of the residual pressure wave would be necessary. As long as the exact nature of the malfunction is not yet known, it cannot be excluded that the malfunction is due to a partial clogging of the nozzle, resulting in the ejection of a droplet with a certain aberration. Since this may cause an artefact that would be difficult to compensate, it may be preferred to disable the ejection unit completely and to rely only upon the failure compensation in order to obtain a predictable result. Meanwhile, one or more non-printing pulses may be applied to the transducer of the malfunctioning ejection unit in order to analyze the residual pressure wave in greater detail so as to identify the nature of the malfunction. Then, suitable maintenance operations such as purging the nozzle or wiping the nozzle face of the print head may be initiated on the next occasion, e.g. at the end of the current scan pass or when a printed page has been completed. Thanks to high sensitivity of the fast failure detection step, it is even possible to detect events in which a very small air bubble has been drawn into the nozzle, the air bubble being still too small to cause a malfunction. However, if the ejection unit is kept operating in such a case, the air bubble tends to grow and eventually cause a malfunction. When the more detailed analysis of the residual wave(s) reveals that such a situation has occurred, the ejection unit may be disabled temporarily, and it may be attempted to cause the air bubble to shrink and eventually disappear by energizing the transducer with wave forms that are specifically shaped for that purpose. In this way, the invention permits to some extent even a nozzle failure preemption. In color printing, the mask patterns used for the different color components may be identical or differ from one another. In the latter case, the blank pixels will not be white but show only a color deviation.

11369834

FIELD The present disclosure pertains generally to the field of exercise, and the illustrated embodiments relate to an exercise assembly capable of several configurations that can be easily assembled, disassembled and transported. BACKGROUND Society continues to place increased value on health and fitness, and experts emphasize that exercise is an important aspect of health and fitness. A form of exercise growing in popularity is training that utilizes the exerciser's own bodyweight as the source of resistance. Some common forms of this type of resistance training include not only push-ups, chin-ups, and pull ups, but also exercises using ropes, straps, bars, balls, boxes and platforms. Often this equipment is located at a specialty fitness studio or a specified area within a gym. Some individuals have dedicated space within their homes for this equipment. However, many people may not have the time or ability to travel to a studio or gym. In addition, people may not have space in their homes to store or use this equipment. Travelers may also want to be able to perform these exercises within the comfort of their hotel rooms or accommodations. A solution has been sought to assist these people. SUMMARY This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts that are further described herein below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in limiting the scope of the claimed subject matter. In some examples, an exercise handle is provided. The exercise handle includes an elongated body having a first and a second end and one or more sidewalls between the first end and the second end. The exercise handle has an opening in the first end and a second opening in the second end. The handle has a third opening and a fourth opening in the one or more sidewalls. In other examples, an exercise apparatus is provided. The exercise apparatus includes an elongated body having a first and a second end and one or more sidewalls between the first end and second ends. The exercise apparatus has a first opening in the first end and a second opening in the second end. The apparatus also has a third and fourth openings located on the one or more sidewalls. The exercise apparatus also has at least one insert that can be inserted into the first or second openings and also inserted into the third or fourth openings. In other examples, a method of assembling an exercise apparatus is provided for an apparatus having an elongated body having a first and a second end, and one or more sidewalls between the first and second ends, a first opening in the first end, a second opening in the second end, a third and a fourth opening located on the one or more sidewalls, and a first insert located in said first opening and a second insert located within said second opening. The method involves removing the first insert from the first opening and inserting the first insert into the third opening and removing the second insert from the second opening and inserting the second insert into the fourth opening.

11251560

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a terminal position assurance member. In particular, the invention is directed to a terminal position assurance member with multiple latches to allow the terminal position assurance member to be used with different connector housings. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Various electrical connectors are designed for multi-pin connections. The electrical connectors may be mated to mating connectors terminated to wires or mounted on circuit boards. Such multi-pin connectors are generally assembled by coupling terminals to wires, then loading the terminals into terminal receiving cavities in a connector housing. Generally, there are retention features on the terminals and/or in the cavities that are engaged once the terminals reach a designated position within the length of the cavities in order to prevent the terminals from backing out of the cavities unintentionally during use of the connector. Sometimes the retention features fail to prevent the terminals from exiting the cavities, such as if the retention features are dysfunctional or the terminals were not inserted far enough into the cavities to properly engage the retention features. If a respective terminal is not properly retained within a cavity, when the electrical connector is mated to a mating connector, a corresponding mating terminal may not connect properly to the subject terminal. For example, the incoming mating terminal may drive the terminal back out of the housing, preventing a proper electrical connection between the terminal and the mating terminal. While many terminals may be positioned in the housing of the connector, even a single missed electrical connection may compromise the functionality of the entire connector system and the devices they connect. Electrical connectors in the art have attempted to prevent terminals from unintentional movement in the cavities by adding a restraining device or terminal position assurance device. For example, a device may be added to a rear of the housing that is configured to act as a barrier and/or push any terminals that are not at the designated position further into the respective cavities towards the designated position. Often such terminal position assurance members are a separate member which is inserted into a connector housing in the direction of insertion of the terminals into the cavities to prevent withdrawal of the electrical terminals disposed in the terminal cavities. While known terminal position assurance members are beneficial, a different configuration of the terminal position assurance members is required for each differently configured housing, thereby resulting in many different part numbers and many molds being required for the manufacture of the terminal position assurance members. It would, therefore, be beneficial to provide a terminal position assurance member with multiple latches to allow the terminal position assurance member to be used with different connector housings, thereby reducing manufacturing and inventory costs. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An embodiment is directed to a terminal position assurance member for use with an electrical connector. The terminal position assurance member includes a terminal engagement section with terminal engaging projections. At least one first latch arm extends from the terminal engagement section. At least one second latch arm extends from the terminal engagement section and is spaced from the at least one first latch arm. The at least one first latch arm engages a portion of a first electrical connector to secure the terminal position assurance member to the first electrical connector when terminals of the first electrical connector are properly positioned. Alternatively, the at least one second latch arm engages a portion of a second electrical connector to secure the terminal position assurance member to the second electrical connector when terminals of the second electrical connector are properly positioned. An embodiment is directed to a terminal position assurance member for use with an electrical connector. The terminal position assurance member includes a terminal engagement section. At least one first latch arm extends from the terminal engagement section. At least one second latch arm extends from the terminal engagement section and is spaced from the at least one first latch arm. The at least one first latch arm has a first length and the at least one second latch arm has a second length. The second length is greater than the first length. The at least one first latch arm engages a portion of a first electrical connector to secure the terminal position assurance member to the first electrical connector when terminals of the first electrical connector are properly positioned. Alternatively, the at least one second latch arm engages a portion of a second electrical connector to secure the terminal position assurance member to the second electrical connector when terminals of the second electrical connector are properly positioned. An embodiment is directed to a terminal position assurance member for use with an electrical connector. The terminal position assurance member includes a terminal engagement section. A pair of first latch arms extend from the terminal engagement section. The first latch arms having lead-in surfaces and locking shoulders. At least one second latch arm extends from the terminal engagement section. The at least one second latch arm has a lead-in surfaces and a locking shoulder. The first latch arms have a first length and the at least one second latch arm have a second length, the second length being greater than the first length. Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following more detailed description of the preferred embodiment, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.

11371032

PRIORITY This application is a U.S. national application of the international application number PCT/FI2019/050423 filed on Jun. 4, 2019 and claiming priority of Finnish application number 20185511 filed on Jun. 5, 2018 the contents of all of which are incorporated herein by reference. REFERENCE TO A SEQUENCE LISTING This application contains a sequence listing as an ASCII text file identified by the file name “Sequence_listing_PI100853.txt” created on Nov. 16, 2020 and having a size of 23.0 kb, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present application relates to a polypeptide having beta-glucosidase activity, polynucleotides and nucleic acid constructs encoding those polypeptides and compositions comprising such polypeptides. The application also relates to methods of producing such polypeptides and hosts for production. In addition, the invention relates to a method of hydrolysing biomass, a method for synthesis of oligosaccharides and/or aryl-glycosides and/or alkyl-glycosides and a use of the polypeptide here described in hydrolysis or synthesis of glycosides. BACKGROUND β-glucosidases (beta-D-glucoside glucohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.21) cleave the beta-glycosidic linkages in di- and oligo-glucosaccharides and several other glycoconjugates to release non-reducing terminal glycosyl residues, glycoside and oligosaccharides. Typical microbial beta-glucosidases show broad substrate specificity and they can hydrolyse a wide range of substrates with different bonds such as β(1→4), β(1→3), β(1→6), α(1→4), α(1→3), and α(1→6) linkage. Beta-glucosidases have been classified into glycoside hydrolase (GH) families GH1, GH3, GH5, GH9, GH30 and GH116 based on their amino acid sequences. Most β-glucosidases belonging to GH1 family are predominately intracellular enzymes. β-glucosidase have several industrial applications. They are involved in cellulolytic enzyme mixtures for fuels and chemicals production from lignocellulosic materials. Beta-glucosidases are also employed in industry for hydrolysis of bitter compounds during juice extraction and liberation of aroma from wine grapes. In flavor industry, beta-glucosidases are the key enzymes in the enzymatic release of aromatic compounds from glucosidic precursors present in fruits and fermenting products. Lignocellulose is an abundant and renewable biomaterial usable for production bioethanol, biofuels and other bio-based components for industry. A proper saccharification is needed for efficient and economic production of biofuels and providing monomers for other bio-based components. β-glucosidases are also used in food processing and as a flavor enzyme to enhance the flavor of wine, tea and fruit juice. Beta-Glucosidases play an important role in flavor liberation from glucosylated (β-glucosides conjugated) precursors in fruits and other plant tissues. Cleavage of phenolic and phytoestrogen glucosides from fruits and vegetables is also carried out by applying this enzyme to extract medicinally important compounds and to enhance the quality of beverages. Beta-glucosidases can improve the organoleptic properties of citrus fruits. In addition to several hydrolytic applications, beta-glucosidases can be used in synthesis of stereo- and regiospecific glycosides or oligosaccharides, which are in turn potentially useful as functional materials, nutraceuticals, or pharmaceuticals because of their biological recognition, signalling mechanisms, and antibiotic properties. Furthermore, beta-glucosidases can be used to synthetise disaccharides, such as sophorose or gentiobiose to act as inducers of cellulase synthesis in fungi. Some beta-glucosidases can also synthetise xylobiose or xylotriose that act as inducers for hemicellulase synthesis in fungi. WO 2014059541 discloses enzymes having activities relating to biomass processing and/or degradation andT. aurantiacusenzyme having beta-glucosidase activity. WO 2013181760 discloses enzymes having activities relating to biomass processing and/or degradation andAureobaisdium pullulanseenzyme having beta-glucosidase activity. There is thus a continuous a need for novel β-glucosideses suitable for industrial use and production. SUMMARY An aspect of the invention is a polypeptide having beta-glucosidase activity. Characteristic features of said polypeptide are given in claim1. Another aspect of the invention is an isolated polynucleotide. Characteristic features of said polynucleotide are given in claim5. Another aspect of the invention is a nucleic acid construct. Characteristic features of said nucleic acid construct are given in claim6. Another aspect of the invention is a recombinant host. Characteristic features of said host are given in claim7. Another aspect of the invention is a composition. According to the invention said composition comprises the polypeptide here described. Another aspect of the invention is a method of producing the polypeptide here described. According to the invention said method comprises steps ofa. cultivating the recombinant host of claim6under conditions conducive for production of the polypeptide; andb. recovering the polypeptide. Another aspect of the invention is a method of hydrolysing biomass. According to the invention said method comprises steps of contacting said biomass with the polypeptide described here or a composition described here. Another aspect of the invention is a method for synthesis of oligosaccharides and/or aryl-glycosides and/or alkyl-glycosides. According to the invention said method comprises steps of contacting carbohydrate material with the polypeptide described here or a composition described here. Another aspect of the invention is a use of the polypeptide here described in hydrolysis or synthesis of glycosides. The main embodiments are characterized in the independent claims. Further embodiments are disclosed in the dependent claims and the description. The features recited in dependent claims and in the embodiments are mutually freely combinable unless otherwise explicitly stated.

11318266

2 STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT Not Applicable 3 SEQUENCE LISTING Not Applicable 4 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 4.1 Field of the Invention The present technology relates to one or more of the detection, diagnosis, treatment, prevention and amelioration of respiratory-related disorders. In particular, the present technology relates to medical devices or apparatus, and their use and may include devices for directing treatment gas to a patient's respiratory system. 4.2 Description of the Related Art 4.2.1 Human Respiratory System and its Disorders The respiratory system of the body facilitates gas exchange. The nose and mouth form the entrance to the airways of a patient. The airways include a series of branching tubes, which become narrower, shorter and more numerous as they penetrate deeper into the lung. The prime function of the lung is gas exchange, allowing oxygen to move from the air into the venous blood and carbon dioxide to move out. The trachea divides into right and left main bronchi, which further divide eventually into terminal bronchioles. The bronchi make up the conducting airways, and do not take part in gas exchange. Further divisions of the airways lead to the respiratory bronchioles, and eventually to the alveoli. The alveolated region of the lung is where the gas exchange takes place, and is referred to as the respiratory zone. See “Respiratory Physiology”, by John B. West, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 9th edition published 2011. A range of respiratory disorders exist. Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), a form of Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB), is characterized by occlusion or obstruction of the upper air passage during sleep. It results from a combination of an abnormally small upper airway and the normal loss of muscle tone in the region of the tongue, soft palate and posterior oropharyngeal wall during sleep. The condition causes the affected patient to stop breathing for periods typically of 30 to 120 seconds duration, sometimes 200 to 300 times per night. It often causes excessive daytime somnolence, and it may cause cardiovascular disease and brain damage. The syndrome is a common disorder, particularly in middle aged overweight males, although a person affected may have no awareness of the problem. See U.S. Pat. No. 4,944,310 (Sullivan). Cheyne-Stokes Respiration (CSR) is a disorder of a patient's respiratory controller in which there are rhythmic alternating periods of waxing and waning ventilation, causing repetitive de-oxygenation and re-oxygenation of the arterial blood. It is possible that CSR is harmful because of the repetitive hypoxia. In some patients CSR is associated with repetitive arousal from sleep, which causes severe sleep disruption, increased sympathetic activity, and increased afterload. See U.S. Pat. No. 6,532,959 (Berthon-Jones). Obesity Hyperventilation Syndrome (OHS) is defined as the combination of severe obesity and awake chronic hypercapnia, in the absence of other known causes for hypoventilation. Symptoms include dyspnea, morning headache and excessive daytime sleepiness. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) encompasses any of a group of lower airway diseases that have certain characteristics in common. These include increased resistance to air movement, extended expiratory phase of respiration, and loss of the normal elasticity of the lung. Examples of COPD are emphysema and chronic bronchitis. COPD is caused by chronic tobacco smoking (primary risk factor), occupational exposures, air pollution and genetic factors. Symptoms include: dyspnea on exertion, chronic cough and sputum production. Neuromuscular Disease (NMD) is a broad term that encompasses many diseases and ailments that impair the functioning of the muscles either directly via intrinsic muscle pathology, or indirectly via nerve pathology. Some NMD patients are characterised by progressive muscular impairment leading to loss of ambulation, being wheelchair-bound, swallowing difficulties, respiratory muscle weakness and, eventually, death from respiratory failure. Neuromuscular disorders can be divided into rapidly progressive and slowly progressive: (i) Rapidly progressive disorders: Characterised by muscle impairment that worsens over months and results in death within a few years (e.g. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) in teenagers); (ii) Variable or slowly progressive disorders: Characterised by muscle impairment that worsens over years and only mildly reduces life expectancy (e.g. Limb girdle, Facioscapulohumeral and Myotonic muscular dystrophy). Symptoms of respiratory failure in NMD include: increasing generalised weakness, dysphagia, dyspnea on exertion and at rest, fatigue, sleepiness, morning headache, and difficulties with concentration and mood changes. Chest wall disorders are a group of thoracic deformities that result in inefficient coupling between the respiratory muscles and the thoracic cage. The disorders are usually characterised by a restrictive defect and share the potential of long term hypercapnic respiratory failure. Scoliosis and/or kyphoscoliosis may cause severe respiratory failure. Symptoms of respiratory failure include: dyspnea on exertion, peripheral oedema, orthopnea, repeated chest infections, morning headaches, fatigue, poor sleep quality and loss of appetite. Otherwise healthy individuals may take advantage of systems and devices to prevent respiratory disorders from arising. 4.2.2 Therapies Nasal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) therapy has been used to treat Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). The mechanism of action is that continuous positive airway pressure acts as a pneumatic splint and may prevent upper airway occlusion by pushing the soft palate and tongue forward and away from the posterior oropharyngeal wall. Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) provides ventilatory support (pressure support) to a patient through the upper airways to assist the patient in taking a full breath and/or maintain adequate oxygen levels in the body by doing some or all of the work of breathing (e.g., mechanical work of breathing). The ventilatory support is provided via a patient interface. NIV has been used to treat CSR, OHS, COPD, MD and Chest Wall disorders. Invasive ventilation (IV) provides ventilatory support to patients that are no longer able to effectively breathe themselves and may be provided using a tracheostomy tube. High Flow therapy (HFT) is the provision of a continuous, heated, humidified flow of air to an entrance to the airway through an unsealed or open interface at flow rates similar to, or greater than peak inspiratory flow. HFT has been used to treat OSA, CSR, COPD and other respiratory disorders. One mechanism of action is that the high flow rate of air at the airway entrance improves ventilation efficiency by flushing, or washing out, expired CO2from the patient's anatomical deadspace. HFT is thus sometimes referred to as a deadspace therapy (DST). Another form of flow therapy is supplemental oxygen therapy, whereby air with an elevated percentage of oxygen is supplied to an entrance to the airway through an unsealed interface. 4.2.3 Systems One known device used for treating sleep disordered breathing is the S9 Sleep Therapy System, manufactured by ResMed. Ventilators such as the ResMed Stellar™ Series of Adult and Paediatric Ventilators may provide support for invasive and non-invasive non-dependent ventilation for a range of patients for treating a number of conditions such as but not limited to NMD, OHS and COPD. The ResMed Elisée™ 150 ventilator and ResMed VS III™ ventilator may provide support for invasive and non-invasive dependent ventilation suitable for adult or paediatric patients for treating a number of conditions. These ventilators provide volumetric and barometric ventilation modes with a single or double limb circuit. A treatment system may comprise a Positive Airway Pressure (PAP) device/ventilator, an air circuit, a humidifier, a patient interface, and data management. 4.2.4 Patient Interface A patient interface may be used to interface respiratory equipment to its user, for example by providing a flow of air. The flow of air may be provided via a mask to the nose and/or mouth, a tube to the mouth or a tracheostomy tube to the trachea of the user. Depending upon the therapy to be applied, the patient interface may form a seal, e.g. with a face region of the patient, to facilitate the delivery of gas at a pressure at sufficient variance with ambient pressure to effect therapy, e.g. a positive pressure of about 10 cmH2O. For other forms of therapy, such as HFT, the patient interface may not include a seal sufficient to facilitate delivery to the airways of a supply of gas at a positive pressure of about 10 cmH2O. 4.2.5 Respiratory Apparatus (PAP Device/Ventilator) Examples of respiratory apparatuses include ResMed's S9 AutoSet™ PAP device and ResMed's Stellar™ 150 ventilator. Respiratory apparatuses typically comprise a pressure generator, such as a motor-driven blower or a compressed gas reservoir, and are configured to supply a flow of air to the airway of a patient, typically via a patient interface such as those described above. In some cases, the flow of air may be supplied to the airway of the patient at positive pressure. The outlet of the respiratory apparatus is connected via an air circuit to a patient interface such as those described above. 4.2.6 Humidifier Delivery of a flow of air without humidification may cause drying of airways. Medical humidifiers are used to increase humidity and/or temperature of the flow of air in relation to ambient air when required, typically where the patient may be asleep or resting (e.g. at a hospital). As a result, a medical humidifier is preferably small for bedside placement, and it is preferably configured to only humidify and/or heat the flow of air delivered to the patient without humidifying and/or heating the patient's surroundings. 5 BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE TECHNOLOGY The present technology is directed towards providing medical devices used in the diagnosis, amelioration, treatment, or prevention of respiratory disorders having one or more of improved comfort, cost, efficacy, ease of use and manufacturability. A first aspect of the present technology relates to apparatus used in the diagnosis, amelioration, treatment or prevention of a respiratory disorder. Another aspect of the present technology relates to methods used in the diagnosis, amelioration, treatment or prevention of a respiratory disorder. Another aspect of the present technology relates to the provision of a dead space therapy comprising a controlled generation a flow of air towards a patient's respiratory cavity for flushing expired gas (CO2) from the patient's anatomical deadspace. Another aspect of the present technology relates to the provision of a pressure therapy comprising a controlled generation of pressurized air at a patient's respiratory system, (e.g., pressure support therapy to mechanically assist with patient respiration). Another aspect of the present technology relates to methods of providing such a pressure therapy and such a dead space therapy simultaneously. Another aspect of the present technology relates to apparatus configured for provision of such a pressure therapy and such a dead space therapy simultaneously or alternatively. Some versions of the present technology may include a method for controlling a supply of air to a patient's airways for a respiratory therapy. The method may include identifying, by one or more controllers, a predetermined pressure and a predetermined flow rate of the air to be provided to a patient via a patient interface. The method may include determining, with a plurality of sensors, a pressure and a flow rate of the air being provided to the patient via the patient interface. The method may include controlling, by the one or more controllers, a first flow generator and a second flow generator, each flow generator being configured to provide a flow of the air to the patient interface, so as to simultaneously control the pressure and the flow rate of the air at the patient interface to correspond with the predetermined pressure and the predetermined flow rate, respectively. In some method versions, the controlling the first flow generator and the second flow generator may include adjusting output of at least one of the first flow generator and the second flow generator. The patient interface may include a projection portion configured to conduct a flow of the air into a naris of the patient and a mask portion configured to apply pressure of the air to the patient. The mask portion may be a nasal mask. The mask portion may include nasal pillows. The method may include detecting a continuous mouth leak, and reducing the predetermined pressure upon detecting the continuous mouth leak. The first flow generator may provide the flow of the air through the projection portion of the patient interface and the second flow generator may apply pressure of the air to the mask portion of the patient interface. At least one, or both, of the predetermined pressure and the predetermined flow rate may vary over a period of time corresponding to a breathing cycle of the patient. The predetermined flow rate may be constant for at least some predetermined period of time and/or the predetermined pressure may be constant during the predetermined period of time. The mask portion of the patient interface further may include a vent. In some versions, the method may include limiting the predetermined flow rate to be less than a maximum flow rate. The maximum flow rate may be a vent flow rate minus a peak expiratory flow rate of the patient. The simultaneously controlling of the pressure and the flow rate may further include controlling an adjustment of the vent. The vent may include an active proximal valve. The simultaneously controlling of the pressure and the flow rate may be performed so as to provide the patient with a positive airway pressure therapy and a deadspace therapy. The positive airway pressure therapy may be a ventilation therapy. The method may include determining, by the one or more controllers, the predetermined pressure and the predetermined flow rate so as restrict the predetermined pressure and the predetermined flow rate to a curve of equal efficacy. The method may include calculating, in a controller of the one or more controllers, a target ventilation based on anatomical deadspace information and a deadspace therapy reduction value. The method may include generating, in a controller of the one or more controllers, a cardiac output estimate by controlling a step change in the predetermined flow rate of the air and determining a change in a measure of ventilation in relation to the step change. The method may include initiating, by the controller of the one or more controllers, the controlling of the step change in the predetermined flow rate of the air in response to a detection of sleep. Some versions of the present technology may include a system for delivery of a flow of air to a patient's airways. The system may include a first flow generator and a second flow generator, each configured to provide air to a patient via a patient interface. The system may include one or more controllers. The one or more controllers may be configured to determine a pressure and a flow rate of the air being provided to the patient via the patient interface with a plurality of sensors. The one or more controllers may be configured to control the first flow generator and the second flow generator so as to simultaneously control the pressure and the flow rate of the air at the patient interface to correspond with a predetermined pressure and a predetermined flow rate, respectively. In some versions, the system may include the patient interface, wherein the patient interface may include a projection portion configured to conduct a flow of the air into a naris of the patient and a mask portion configured to apply pressure of the air to the patient. The mask portion may be a nasal mask. The mask portion may be nasal pillows. The first flow generator may conduct the flow of the air through the projection portion and the second flow generator may apply pressure of the air to the mask portion. The plurality of sensors may include a flow rate sensor and a pressure sensor. An output of the first flow generator may be measured by the flow rate sensor and an output of the second flow generator may be measured by the pressure sensor. The one or more controllers may be configured to maintain at least one of the predetermined pressure and the predetermined flow rate at a constant value for at least some period of time. The one or more controllers may be further configured to vary at least one of the predetermined pressure and the predetermined flow rate over a period of time corresponding to a breathing cycle of the patient. The mask portion of the patient interface may include a vent. The one or more controllers may be configured to limit the predetermined flow rate to be less than a maximum flow rate. The one or more controllers may be configured to determine the maximum flow rate by subtracting a peak expiratory flow rate of the patient from a vent flow rate. The vent may be an adjustable vent and the one or more controllers may be configured to control the adjustable vent so as to control the pressure and the flow rate. The adjustable vent may include an active proximal valve. The simultaneous control of the pressure and the flow rate of the air may provide the patient with a positive airway pressure therapy and a deadspace therapy. The positive airway pressure therapy may be a ventilation therapy. In some versions, the one or more controllers may be configured to determine the predetermined pressure and the predetermined flow rate so as to restrict the predetermined pressure and the predetermined flow rate to a curve of equal efficacy. The one or more controllers may include one controller configured to control the first flow generator and the second flow generator. The one or more controllers may include a first controller configured to control the first flow generator and a second controller configured to control the second flow generator. The first controller may be configured to obtain the flow rate of the air being provided by the second flow generator. The second controller may be configured to obtain the pressure of the air being provided by the first flow generator. In some cases, a controller of the one or more controllers may be configured to compute a target ventilation based on anatomical deadspace information and a deadspace therapy reduction value. A controller of the one or more controllers may be configured to generate a cardiac output estimate by controlling a step change in the predetermined flow rate of the air and determining a change in a measure of ventilation in relation to the step change. The controller of the one or more controllers may be configured to initiate control of the step change in the predetermined flow rate of the air in response to a detection of sleep. Some versions of the present technology may include a system for delivery of a flow of air to a patient's airways. The system may include a flow generator configured to provide air to a patient via an air circuit and a patient interface. The system may include an adjustable vent. The system may include one or more controllers. The one or more controllers may be configured to determine a pressure and a flow rate of the air being provided to the patient via the patient interface with a plurality of sensors. The one or more controllers may be configured to control the flow generator and the adjustable vent so as to simultaneously control the pressure and the flow rate of the air at the patient interface to correspond with a predetermined pressure and a predetermined flow rate, respectively. In some versions, the system may include the patient interface. The patient interface may include a projection portion configured to conduct a flow of the air into a naris of a patient and a mask portion configured to apply pressure of the air to the patient. The adjustable vent may be part of the mask portion of the patient interface. The plurality of sensors may include a pressure sensor for determining a measured pressure of the air. The plurality of sensors may include a flow rate sensor for determining a measured flow rate of the air through the projection portion of the patient interface. In some cases, at least one of the pressure sensor and the flow rate sensor may be located at an output of the flow generator. In some cases, at least one of the pressure sensor and the flow rate sensor may be located at the patient interface. The one or more controllers may be configured to maintain at least one, or both, of the predetermined pressure and the predetermined flow rate at a constant value for a period of time. The one or more controllers may be further configured to vary the predetermined pressure in accordance with a breathing cycle of the patient. The simultaneous control of the pressure and the flow rate of the air may provide the patient with a positive airway pressure therapy and a deadspace therapy. The positive airway pressure therapy may be a ventilation therapy. The one or more controllers may be configured to determine the predetermined pressure and the predetermined flow rate to restrict the predetermined pressure and the predetermined flow rate to a curve of equal efficacy. In some versions, the system may further include a variable resistance in the air circuit, wherein the one or more controllers may be configured to control one or more of the pressure and the flow rate of the air by adjusting the resistance of the variable resistance. In some cases, a controller of the one or more controllers may be configured to compute a target ventilation based on anatomical deadspace information and a deadspace therapy reduction value. A controller of the one or more controllers may be configured to generate a cardiac output estimate by controlling a step change in the predetermined flow rate of the air and determining a change in a measure of ventilation in relation to the step change. The controller of the one or more controllers may be configured to initiate control of the step change in the predetermined flow rate of the air in response to a detection of sleep. Some versions of the present technology may include a method for controlling a supply of air to a patient's airways for a respiratory therapy. The method may include identifying, by one or more controllers, a predetermined pressure and a predetermined flow rate of the air to be provided to a patient via an air circuit and a patient interface. The method may include determining, with a plurality of sensors, a pressure and a flow rate of the air being provided to the patient via the patient interface. The method may include controlling, by the one or more controllers, a flow generator configured to provide the air to the patient interface, and an adjustable vent so as to simultaneously control the pressure and the flow rate of the air at the patient interface to correspond with the predetermined pressure and the predetermined flow rate, respectively. The patient interface may include a projection portion configured to conduct a flow of the air into a naris of the patient and a mask portion configured to apply pressure of the air to the patient. The flow generator may provide the flow of the air through the projection portion of the patient interface thereby applying pressure of the air to the mask portion of the patient interface. The method may include maintaining, by the one or more controllers, at least one of the predetermined pressure and the predetermined flow rate at a constant value for a period of time. The method may include varying, by the one or more controllers, the predetermined pressure in accordance with a breathing cycle of the patient. The simultaneous control of the pressure and the flow rate of the air may include control of a positive airway pressure therapy and a deadspace therapy. The positive airway pressure therapy may be a ventilation therapy. In some versions, the method may include determining, by the one or more controllers, the predetermined pressure and the predetermined flow rate so as to restrict the predetermined pressure and the predetermined flow rate to a curve of equal efficacy. The controlling of the adjustable vent comprises adjusting, by the one or more controllers, a venting characteristic of the adjustable vent in synchrony with the patient's breathing cycle so as to maintain the pressure of the air at the patient interface to correspond with the predetermined pressure. The method may include adjusting, by the one or more controllers, a resistance of a variable resistance in the air circuit so as to control one or more of the pressure and the flow rate of the air. The method may include calculating, in the one or more controllers, a target ventilation based on anatomical deadspace information and a deadspace therapy reduction value. The method may include generating, in the one or more controllers, a cardiac output estimate by controlling a step change in the predetermined flow rate of the air and determining a change in a measure of ventilation in relation to the step change. The method may include initiating, by the one or more controllers, the controlling of the step change in the predetermined flow rate of the air in response to a detection of sleep. In yet another aspect of the present technology, a supply of air to a patient's airways may be controlled in connection with a respiratory therapy. The respiratory therapy may include identifying, by one or more controllers, a predetermined pressure and a predetermined flow rate of air to be provided to a patient via a patient interface; determining, by one or more sensors, a pressure and a flow rate of the air being provided to a patient via a patient interface; and controlling, by the one or more controllers, a first flow generator and a second flow generator, so as to simultaneously control the pressure and the flow rate of the air to correspond with the predetermined pressure and the predetermined flow rate, respectively. Controlling the first flow generator and the second flow generator may include adjusting an output of at least one of the first flow generator and the second flow generator. In addition, the patient interface may include a projection portion configured to conduct a flow of the air into a naris of the patient and a mask portion configured to apply pressure of the air to the patient. The first flow generator may conduct the flow of the air through a projection portion of the patient interface and the second flow generator may apply pressure from the air to a mask portion of the patient interface. In still another aspect, at least one of the predetermined pressure and the predetermined flow rate may vary over a period of time corresponding to a breathing cycle of the patient. The predetermined flow rate may also be constant for at least some predetermined period of time and the predetermined pressure may be constant during the predetermined period of time. In another aspect, the patient interface may include a vent, and simultaneously controlling the pressure and the flow rate may include controlling an adjustment of the vent. The vent may include an adjustable proximal valve. In still another aspect, simultaneously controlling the pressure and the flow rate may be performed so as to provide the patient with a pressure therapy and a deadspace therapy. In another aspect, a system for delivery of a flow of air to a patient's airways may include a first flow generator and a second flow generator for providing air to a patient respiratory interface and one or more controllers configured to: determine a pressure and a flow rate of the air with a plurality of sensors, and control the first flow generator and the second flow generator so as to simultaneously control the pressure and the flow rate of the air at the patient interface. The patient interface may include a projection portion configured to conduct a flow of the air into a naris of the patient and a mask portion configured to apply pressure of the air to the patient. In addition, the first flow generator may conduct the flow of the air through the projection portion and the second flow generator may apply air pressure to the mask portion. The plurality of sensors may include a flow sensor and a pressure sensor, and an output of the first flow generator may be measured by the flow sensor and an output of the first flow generator may be measured by the pressure sensor. The controllers may be configured to maintain at least one of the pressure and the flow rate at a constant for at least some period of time. The controllers may also be configured so that at least one of the pressure and the flow rate is variable over a period of time. The patient interface may include an adjustable vent and the one or more controllers may be further configured to control the adjustable vent. In still another aspect, a system for delivery of a flow of air to a patient's airways may include a flow generator for providing air to a patient via a patient interface, an adjustable vent, and one or more controllers. The one or more controllers may be configured to determine a pressure and a flow rate of the air with one or more sensors and control at least one of the flow generator and the adjustable vent so as to simultaneously control and vary the pressure and the flow rate of the air over a breathing cycle of the patient. The patient interface may include a projection portion configured to conduct a flow of the air into a naris of a patient and a mask portion configured to apply pressure of the air to the patient. The adjustable vent may be a part of the mask portion of the patient interface. The system may also include a pressure sensor for determining a measured pressure of the air corresponding to the pressure of the air at the mask portion of the patient interface and a flow sensor for determining a measured flow rate of the air through the projection portion of the patient interface. At least one of the pressure sensor and the flow sensor may be located at an output of the flow generator or at the patient interface. In addition, the controllers may be configured to vary the pressure in accordance with a detected breathing cycle. The flow generator may also include a first flow generator and a second flow generator. Of course, portions of the aspects may form sub-aspects of the present technology. Also, various ones of the sub-aspects and/or aspects may be combined in various manners and also constitute additional aspects or sub-aspects of the present technology. Other features of the technology will be apparent from consideration of the information contained in the following detailed description, abstract, drawings and claims.

11493445

FIELD The present invention relates to systems and methods for detecting failure or deteriorated performance of an optical signal detector, such as a fluorometer, and, in particular, systems and methods employing fluorescent materials carried on an instrument within which the fluorometer is employed to detect fluorescent signals emitted by sample materials. BACKGROUND None of the references described or referred to herein are admitted to be prior art to the claimed invention. Diagnostic assays are widely used in clinical diagnosis and health science research to detect or quantify the presence or amount of biological antigens, cell abnormalities, disease states, and disease-associated pathogens, including parasites, fungi, bacteria and viruses present in a host organism or sample. Where a diagnostic assay permits quantification, practitioners may be better able to calculate the extent of infection or disease and to determine the state of a disease over time. Diagnostic assays are frequently focused on the detection of chemicals, proteins, polysaccharides, nucleic acids, biopolymers, cells, or tissue of interest. A variety of assays may be employed to detect these diagnostic indicators. Detection of a targeted nucleic acid sequence frequently requires the use of a probe having a nucleotide base sequence that is substantially complementary to the targeted sequence or its amplicon. Under selective assay conditions, the probe will hybridize to the targeted sequence or its amplicon in a manner permitting a practitioner to detect the presence of the targeted sequence in a sample. Probes may include, for example, a label capable of detection, where the label is, for example, a radiolabel, a fluorophore or fluorescent dye, biotin, an enzyme or a chemiluminescent compound. Because the probe hybridizes to the targeted sequence or its amplicon in a manner permitting detection of a signal indicating the presence of the targeted sequence in a sample, the strength of the signal is proportional to the amount of target sequence or its amplicon that is present. Accordingly, by periodically measuring, during the amplification process, a signal indicative of the presence of amplicon, the growth of amplicon overtime can be detected. Based on the data collected during this “real-time” monitoring of the amplification process, the amount of the target nucleic acid that was originally in the sample can be ascertained. To detect different nucleic acids of interest in a single assay, different probes configured to hybridize to different nucleic acids and to emit detectibly different signals can be used. For example, different probes configured to hybridize to different targets can be formulated with fluorophores that fluoresce at a predetermined wavelength (i.e., color) when exposed to excitation light of a prescribed excitation wavelength. Assays for detecting different target nucleic acids can be performed in parallel by alternately exposing the sample material to different excitation wavelengths and detecting the level of fluorescence at the wavelength of interest corresponding to the probe for each target nucleic acid during the real-time monitoring process. Parallel processing can be performed using different signal detecting devices constructed and arranged to periodically measure signal emissions during the amplification process, and with different signal detecting devices being configured to generate excitation signals of different wavelengths and to measure emission signals of different wavelengths. Suitable signal detecting devices include fluorometers, such as the fluorometer described below. One embodiment of an automated nucleic acid diagnostic instrument is configured to process numerous samples carried in multiple receptacles, and each fluorometer is configured to take fluorometric readings from the receptacles as they are indexed past the fluorometer, for example, once every 2 seconds. Thus, 1800 times for each hour of operation of the instrument, each fluorometer generates an excitation signal that is directed at the sample receptacle and measures the emission signal emitted by the contents of the receptacle, generating an electrical signal that is proportional to the intensity of the emission signal. A malfunction (device failure and/or deteriorated performance) by a fluorometer during operation of the instrument will cause errors in the fluorometric readings generated by that fluorometer and thereby cause errors in the diagnostic results. Such malfunctions may be due to mechanical and/or electrical failures that occur during operation of the fluorometer. While the operation of the fluorometers can be checked during routine maintenance of the instrument, such opportunities for testing are rare, since the testing can only be performed when the instrument is shut down. Ideally, the instrument is operated continuously for extended periods of time for maximum throughput. Therefore, it becomes impractical and non-cost-effective to repeatedly shut the instrument down to perform fluorometer functionality testing. Accordingly, a need exists for means and methodologies for periodically confirming the proper functionality of the fluorometers during the operation of the nucleic acid diagnostic instrument. SUMMARY The present invention provides systems and methods for self-checking an optical signal detector, such as a fluorometer, to detect failure or deteriorated performance of the signal detector, wherein self-checking can be performed during normal use of the detector in a dynamic instrument in which the detector is employed and without requiring that the detector be removed from the instrument or that operation of the instrument be interrupted. Aspects of the invention are embodied in a system for monitoring the performance of a fluorometer in a dynamic environment. The system includes a fluorometer, a support comprising two or more fluorescent standards, and a drive mechanism. The fluorometer comprises two or more channels, each channel includes a separate light source, an optical focus and filter assembly, and an optical signal detector, and each channel is configured to focus the light source at a detection zone. Each fluorescent reference standard of the support corresponds to a single channel of the fluorometer, and the support is arranged to accommodate two or more removable reaction vessels. The drive mechanism is configured to adjust the relative horizontal positioning between the reference standards and the fluorometer such that each of the two or more fluorescent reference standards can be positioned in or out of optical communication with its corresponding channel of the fluorometer. Aspects of the invention are further embodied in a method of monitoring fluorometer performance in a dynamic system comprised of (a) a fluorometer comprising two or more channels, each channel having a separate light source, optical focus and filter assembly, and optical signal detector, and wherein each channel is configured to focus the light source at a detection zone, (b) a support comprising two or more fluorescent reference standards, each fluorescent reference standard corresponding to a single channel of the fluorometer, wherein the support is arranged to accommodate two or more removable receptacle vessels, and (c) a drive mechanism configured to adjust the relative horizontal positioning between the reference standards and the fluorometer such that each of the two or more fluorescent reference standards can be positioned in or out of optical communication with its corresponding channel of the fluorometer. The method comprises the steps of moving the support with respect to the fluorometer with the drive mechanism to position each of the two or more fluorescent reference standards into optical communication with the corresponding channel of the fluorometer; and using the fluorescent reference standard for monitoring the performance of the fluorometer. According to further aspects of embodiments of the invention, the fluorescent reference standard is positioned in optical communication with the corresponding channel of the fluorometer and out of focus relative to the detection zone. According to further aspects of embodiments of the invention, the two or more fluorescent reference standards are positioned in a linear arrangement on the support. According to further aspects of embodiments of the invention, the support comprises two or more linear arrangements of two or more fluorescent reference standards. Each linear arrangement may comprise a set of fluorescent reference standards having emission characteristics that differ from each of the other linear arrangements of fluorescent reference standards. Furthermore, one or more of the fluorescent reference standards in the linear arrangement may have emission characteristics that differ from one or more other fluorescent reference standards in the linear arrangement, and adjacent fluorescent reference standards in the linear arrangement may have different emission characteristics. The support may comprise three linear arrangements of fluorescent reference standards, and at least one of the linear arrangements may comprise a set of fluorescent reference standards having emission characteristics that differ from the two other linear arrangements of fluorescent reference standards. According to further aspects of embodiments of the invention, each of the fluorescent reference standard is comprised of fluorescent plastic, and the fluorescent reference standard may be pink, green, blue, or amber plastic. According to further aspects of embodiments of the invention, only one of the two or more fluorescent reference standards can be positioned in optical communication with one of the two or more channels of the fluorometer at a time. According to further aspects of embodiments of the invention, the fluorescent reference standard may be positioned between about 1% to 99% closer to its corresponding channel relative to the detection zone, between about 20% to 80% closer to its corresponding channel relative to the detection zone, or between about 60% to 90% closer to its corresponding channel relative to the detection zone. According to further aspects of embodiments of the invention, the fluorescent reference standard may be positioned between about 1% to 99% further from its corresponding channel relative to the detection zone, between about 20% to 80% further from its corresponding channel relative to the detection zone, or between about 60% to 90% further from its corresponding channel relative to the detection zone. In another embodiment, the fluorescent reference standard is positioned at the same distance from its corresponding channel as the distance between the channel and the detection zone. According to further aspects of embodiments of the invention the fluorometer is stationary, and the drive mechanism is configured to adjust the relative horizontal positioning between the reference standards and the fluorometer by adjusting the horizontal positioning of the support. According to further aspects of embodiments of the invention, the support comprises a rotatable carousel, the fluorometer is fixed with respect to the carousel, and the drive mechanism is configured to adjust the relative horizontal positioning between the reference standards and the fluorometer by effecting angular movement of the carousel around a central axis. The drive mechanism may comprise a motor and a drive belt configured to transfer rotational motion from a drive shaft of the motor to the carousel. The fluorescent reference standards maybe positioned on an outer surface of the carousel and may be embedded in an outer surface of the carousel. According to further aspects, the carousel comprises a circular disk having a center corresponding to the central axis and a plurality of spokes extending outwardly relative to the central axis, and the fluorescent reference standards are located on one or more of the spokes. The spokes may be in a non-radial orientation with respect to the central axis. Further aspects of the invention include two or more fluorometers. Each fluorometer comprises two or more channels, each channel includes a separate light source, an optical focus and filter assembly, and an optical signal detector, and each channel is configured to focus the light source at a detection zone. Each fluorometer may have a different light source, optical focus and filter assembly, and optical signal detector such that each fluorometer emits a different excitation signal and detects a different emission signal. According to further aspects of embodiments of the invention, each channel of the fluorometer has a different light source, optical focus and filter assembly, and optical signal detector such that each fluorometer emits a different excitation signal and detects a different emission signal. According to further aspects of embodiments of the invention, the channels of the fluorometer are arranged in an alternating manner such that adjacent channels emits different excitation signals and detect different emission signals. According to further aspects of the invention, using the fluorescent standard for monitoring the performance of the fluorometer comprises measuring the intensity of the fluorescent emission of the fluorescent reference standard and comparing the measured intensity to a predetermined baseline fluorescent intensity of the fluorescent reference standard for that fluorometer. According to further aspects of embodiments of the invention, only one fluorescent reference standard is in optical communication with its corresponding channel at a time. According to further aspects of embodiments of the invention, the system further comprises two or more receptacle vessels containing reaction materials, and the method further comprises monitoring the progress of a reaction occurring in each receptacle vessel with the fluorometer. According to further aspects of embodiments of the invention, monitoring the performance of the fluorometer occurs in sequence with monitoring the progress of the reaction occurring in each of the two or more receptacle vessels. Further aspects of the invention are embodied in a system for monitoring reactions within a plurality of receptacle vessels. The system includes an incubator having a temperature-controlled chamber, a movable receptacle carrier disposed within the temperature-controlled chamber, one or more fixed fluorometers, one or more fluorescent reference standards, and a controller. The receptacle carrier is configured to carry a plurality of receptacle vessels and to move the receptacle vessels within the temperature-controlled chamber. Each fluorometer is configured to measure a fluorescent emission and is positioned with respect to the receptacle carrier to measure fluorescent emissions from receptacle vessels carried on the receptacle carrier into an operative position with respect to each fluorometer. The fluorescent reference standards are mounted on the receptacle carrier. The controller is configured to control operation of the receptacle carrier and the one or more fluorometers. The controller is configured to move the receptacle carrier with respect to the one or more fluorometers to place a receptacle vessel into an operative position with respect to each fluorometer. The controller then activates each fluorometer to measure the fluorescent emission intensity from the sample contained in the receptacle vessel that is in the operative position with respect to the fluorometer and determines a characteristic of the reaction based on the measured fluorescent emission intensity from the sample contained in the receptacle vessel. The controller then moves the receptacle carrier with respect to the one or more fluorometers to place a fluorescent standard into optical communication with at least one fluorometer and activates the fluorometer to measure the fluorescent emission intensity of the fluorescent standard that is in optical communication with the fluorometer. The controller then determines a deviation of the measured fluorescent emission intensity of the fluorescent standard from an expected fluorescent emission intensity. If the deviation exceeds a threshold, the controller generates an error signal, and if the deviation does not exceed a threshold, the controller continues operation of the instrument. Furthermore in an instrument configured to determine a characteristic of a sample from the intensity of a fluorescent emission from the sample, wherein the sample is contained in a receptacle vessel that is carried on a movable receptacle carrier, and the intensity of the fluorescent emission is measured by a fluorometer that is fixed with respect to the receptacle carrier and is constructed and arranged to measure the intensity of fluorescent emission from a sample contained in a receptacle vessel that is moved by the receptacle carrier into a detection zone with respect to the fluorometer, further aspects of the invention are embodied in an automated method for detecting failure or deteriorated performance of the fluorometer with a fluorescent reference standard mounted on the receptacle carrier. The receptacle carrier is moved with respect to the fluorometer to periodically place the receptacle vessel into the detection zone of the fluorometer, and a plurality of measurements of the intensity of the fluorescent emission from the sample contained in the receptacle vessel are taken with the fluorometer. After taking a plurality of measurements, the receptacle carrier is moved with respect to the fluorometer to place the fluorescent reference standard into optical communication with the fluorometer, and a test measurement of the emission intensity of the fluorescent reference standard is taken with the fluorometer. A deviation of the test measurement from a predetermined baseline emission intensity of the fluorescent reference standard is determined. If the deviation determined exceeds a threshold, an error signal is generated. If the deviation does not exceed the threshold, operation of the instrument is continued by repeating the steps of taking a plurality of measurements from a sample, taking a test measurement of the fluorescent reference standard, and determining whether a deviation between the test measurement and the baseline exceeds the threshold until a stop condition is reached. According to a further aspect of the invention, determining the baseline emission intensity comprises the steps of moving the receptacle carrier with respect to the fluorometer to place the fluorescent reference standard into optical communication with the fluorometer before taking a plurality of measurements of fluorescent emission from samples, taking an initial measurement of the fluorescent emission intensity of the fluorescent reference standard with the fluorometer, and storing the initial measurement as the predetermined baseline emission intensity. These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art after considering the following detailed description, appended claims and accompanying drawings.

11435381

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATION The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) to Korean application number 10-2020-0160878, filed on Nov. 26, 2020, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND 1. Technical Field Various embodiments generally relate to a noise removing circuit, an operation method thereof, and an integrated circuit including the same, and more particularly, to a noise removing circuit capable of detecting noise which occurs in a supply voltage, an operation method thereof, and an integrated circuit which is driven based on the detection result. 2. Related Art In general, an integrated circuit including a semiconductor device and a semiconductor memory device receives a supply voltage from the outside, and performs various operations. The integrated circuit includes a driving circuit mounted therein, the driving circuit being configured to perform various functions. The driving circuit also receives the supply voltage, and performs an operation. Therefore, when noise occurs in the supply voltage, the driving circuit may not perform a smooth operation. Furthermore, the integrated circuit may not perform a smooth operation either. SUMMARY In an embodiment, a noise removing circuit may include: a reference voltage control circuit, a noise detection circuit, a noise calculation circuit, and a loading control circuit. The reference voltage control circuit may be configured to perform a noise detection sequence operation based on noise detection sequence information, and control a reference voltage based on a counting value. The noise detection circuit may be configured to compare a supply voltage and the reference voltage, and generate a counting value corresponding to noise which has occurred in the supply voltage. The noise calculation circuit may be configured to generate a loading control signal corresponding to the noise by performing an operation on the counting value and the reference voltage. The loading control circuit may be configured to control a loading value for the supply voltage based on the loading control signal. In an embodiment, an operation method of a noise removing circuit may include the steps of: performing a noise detection sequence operation on a supply voltage; performing an operation on peak voltage information and frequency information on noise detected through the noise detection sequence operation; and controlling a loading value for the supply voltage based on a loading control signal generated in the step of performing the operation on the peak voltage information and the frequency information, and removing noise which has occurred in the supply voltage. In an embodiment, an integrated circuit may include: a driving circuit, and a noise removing circuit. The driving circuit may be configured to receive a supply voltage and perform a preset operation. The noise removing circuit may include: a reference voltage control circuit, a noise detection circuit, and a loading control circuit. The reference voltage control circuit may be configured to perform a noise detection sequence operation based on noise detection sequence information, and control a reference voltage based on a counting value. The noise detection circuit may be configured to compare the supply voltage and the reference voltage, and generate a counting value corresponding to noise which has occurred in the supply voltage. The noise calculation circuit may be configured to generate a loading control signal corresponding to the noise by performing an operation on the counting value and the reference voltage. The loading control circuit may be configured to control a loading value for the supply voltage based on the loading control signal. In an embodiment, a noise removing circuit may include: a reference voltage control circuit for performing noise detection using noise detection sequence information, and controlling a reference voltage using a counting value; a noise detection circuit for comparing a supply voltage and the reference voltage, and generating the counting value; and a noise calculation circuit for using the counting value and the reference voltage to provide a loading control signal for removing noise.

11399199

TECHNICAL FIELD This disclosure relates to video encoding and video decoding. BACKGROUND Digital video capabilities can be incorporated into a wide range of devices, including digital televisions, digital direct broadcast systems, wireless broadcast systems, personal digital assistants (PDAs), laptop or desktop computers, tablet computers, e-book readers, digital cameras, digital recording devices, digital media players, video gaming devices, video game consoles, cellular or satellite radio telephones, so-called “smart phones,” video teleconferencing devices, video streaming devices, and the like. Digital video devices implement video coding techniques, such as those described in the standards defined by MPEG-2, MPEG-4, ITU-T H.263, ITU-T H.264/MPEG-4, Part 10, Advanced Video Coding (AVC), ITU-T H.265/High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC), and extensions of such standards. The video devices may transmit, receive, encode, decode, and/or store digital video information more efficiently by implementing such video coding techniques. Video coding techniques include spatial (intra-picture) prediction and/or temporal (inter-picture) prediction to reduce or remove redundancy inherent in video sequences. For block-based video coding, a video slice (e.g., a video picture or a portion of a video picture) may be partitioned into video blocks, which may also be referred to as coding tree units (CTUs), coding units (CUs) and/or coding nodes. Video blocks in an intra-coded (I) slice of a picture are encoded using spatial prediction with respect to reference samples in neighboring blocks in the same picture. Video blocks in an inter-coded (P or B) slice of a picture may use spatial prediction with respect to reference samples in neighboring blocks in the same picture or temporal prediction with respect to reference samples in other reference pictures. Pictures may be referred to as frames, and reference pictures may be referred to as reference frames. SUMMARY In general, this disclosure describes techniques for chroma intra prediction units, such as example techniques for extending the smallest chroma intra prediction units. The example techniques may be used with the versatile video coding (VVC) standard, high efficiency video coding (HEVC) standard, or other video coding standards. The example techniques are not limited to video coding standards and may be available for video coding generally. According to one example, a method includes determining that a block of the video data is formatted in accordance with a 4:4:4 video coding format; determining that the block of the video data is encoded in an intra prediction mode; determining that a smallest chroma intra prediction unit (SCIPU) is disabled for the block in response to determining that the block has the 4:4:4 video coding format; decoding the block of the video data based on the determination that the SCIPU is disabled; and outputting decoded video data comprising a decoded version of the block. According to another example, a device for decoding video data includes a memory configured to store video data and one or more processors implemented in circuitry and configured to determine that a block of the video data is formatted in accordance with a 4:4:4 video coding format; determine that the block of the video data is encoded in an intra prediction mode; determine that a smallest chroma intra prediction unit (SCIPU) is disabled for the block in response to determining that the block has the 4:4:4 video coding format; decode the block of the video data based on the determination that the SCIPU is disabled; and output decoded video data comprising a decoded version of the block. According to another example, a computer-readable storage medium stores instructions that when executed by one or more processors cause the one or more processor to determine that a block of the video data is formatted in accordance with a 4:4:4 video coding format; determine that the block of the video data is encoded in an intra prediction mode; determine that a smallest chroma intra prediction unit (SCIPU) is disabled for the block in response to determining that the block has the 4:4:4 video coding format; decode the block of the video data based on the determination that the SCIPU is disabled; and output decoded video data comprising a decoded version of the block. According to another example, an apparatus for decoding video data includes means for determining that a block of the video data is formatted in accordance with a 4:4:4 video coding format; means for determining that the block of the video data is encoded in an intra prediction mode; means for determining that a smallest chroma intra prediction unit (SCIPU) is disabled for the block in response to determining that the block has the 4:4:4 video coding format; means for decoding the block of the video data based on the determination that the SCIPU is disabled; and means for outputting decoded video data comprising a decoded version of the block. The details of one or more examples are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages will be apparent from the description, drawings, and claims.

11522470

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION Pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 119(a), this application claims the benefit of earlier filing date and right of priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2017-0034838, filed on Mar. 20, 2017, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a display apparatus that generates vibration. 2. Description of the Related Art There are various kinds of display panels for generating images, for example, liquid crystal displays (LCDs), plasma display panels (PDPs), electro-luminescent displays (ELDs), vacuum fluorescent displays (VFDs), organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays, etc. A display apparatus equipped with a display panel and a vibration unit for generating vibration has been developed. The vibration unit is a sound output device (e.g. a speaker) or a haptic device (e.g. a linear motor) that enables a user to feel tactile vibration. Representative examples of the vibration unit include a moving-coil device (e.g. a moving-coil speaker), which generates vibration energy by applying current to a coil, and a piezoelectric vibration device (e.g. a piezoelectric actuator), which generates vibration energy using the piezoelectric effect. The piezoelectric effect is the ability of certain materials, such as ceramics, etc., to generate an electric charge when mechanical stress is applied thereto, and, conversely, to expand or contract when electrical energy is applied thereto. As materials used to manufacture a piezoelectric vibration device, lead zirconate titanate (Pb(Ti, Zr)O3)(PZT), barium titanate (BaTiO3), lead titanate (PbTiO3), lithium niobate (LiNbO3), quartz (SiO2), etc. are well known. In a conventional display apparatus, a diaphragm for a device for generating acoustic or tactile vibration (the moving-coil device or the piezoelectric vibration device) is disposed so as to be spaced apart from the display panel. It is known that the frequency range audible by a human being is from 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz and that the frequency of sounds generated in daily life does not usually exceed 10,000 Hz. If a relatively high range within the frequency range from 20 Hz to 16,000 Hz is defined as a high frequency range and a relatively low range is defined as a low frequency range, the human voice in daily life falls within the low frequency range. Further, the frequency that a human being can perceive using the sense of touch also falls within the low frequency range. It is possible to manufacture a lighter and smaller piezoelectric vibration device than a moving-coil device. However, the magnitude of output in the low frequency range of the piezoelectric vibration device is smaller than that of the moving-coil device. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The prior art has a problem in that the immersion level of a viewer is decreased due to a distance between a display panel for outputting images and a position at which vibration is generated by a vibration device. It is a first object of the present invention to solve this problem with the prior art and to increase the immersion level of a viewer. The prior art has a problem in that the realism of an image is degraded due to a long distance between a sound generation position in the image that a viewer visually recognizes (e.g. a person's mouth in the image) and a position from which a sound that the viewer acoustically perceives comes (a sound image). It is a second object of the present invention to solve this problem with the prior art and to minimize the distance between the visual sound generation position and the acoustical sound generation position. In the prior art, when a user touches a display panel of a display apparatus, which is put in a case, to generate vibration (for example, when a user grabs a smartphone with one hand and touches a display panel of the smartphone with the other hand), the magnitude of the tactile vibration that the user feels at the contact point between the display panel and the user is smaller than the magnitude of the tactile vibration that the user feels at the contact point between the case and the user. Therefore, the prior art has a problem in that the correlation between the image and the vibration is reduced and a perceived disconnect between the image and the vibration occurs. It is a third object of the present invention to solve this problem with the prior art and to minimize the distance between the visual vibration generation position (the position of the image) and the tactile vibration generation position. The prior art has a problem in that the magnitude of output in the low frequency range of the piezoelectric vibration device is relatively small. It is a fourth object of the present invention to solve this problem with the prior art and to further increase the magnitude of the vibration output in the low frequency range for a given applied voltage. The prior art has a problem in that a moving-coil device having a large volume must be used in order to greatly increase the magnitude of output in the low frequency range, leading to an increase in the volume or the thickness of the display apparatus. It is a fifth object of the present invention to solve this problem with the prior art. It is a sixth object of the present invention to increase the efficiency of the vibration output in the high frequency range while accomplishing the above objects. The prior art has a problem in that it is difficult to greatly increase the output only in a specific sub-range in the low frequency range using a conventional piezoelectric vibration device. It is a seventh object of the present invention to solve this problem with the prior art and to greatly amplify an increase in the magnitude of output in a predetermined specific sub-range in the low frequency range. It is an eighth object of the present invention to enable a designer to easily determine a specific sub-range in which an increase in the magnitude of output is greatly amplified. It is a ninth object of the present invention to enable a designer to predetermine a plurality of specific sub-ranges in which an increase in the magnitude of output is greatly amplified. It is a tenth object of the present invention to perform control so as to selectively realize amplification in any one or all of the plurality of predetermined sub-ranges. Objects to be accomplished by the invention are not limited to the above-mentioned objects, and other objects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description. In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, the above and other objects can be accomplished by the provision of a display apparatus including a display panel, a supporter attached to a rear surface of the display panel, and at least one piezoelectric vibration unit. The piezoelectric vibration unit includes a fixing portion attached to the supporter and a cantilever portion overhanging from the supporter. The piezoelectric vibration unit may be formed in a rectangular shape when seen from rear side. The cantilever portion may overhang in a direction parallel to any one side of the rectangular shape. The cantilever portion may overhang in a direction parallel to a long side of the rectangular shape. A front surface of the fixing portion is attached to a rear surface of the supporter. The cantilever portion may be spaced apart from the rear surface of the display panel. The cantilever portion may have a predetermined overhanging length being greater than or equal to a fixing length of the fixing portion. The cantilever portion may have a predetermined overhanging length being greater than to a fixing length of the fixing portion. the overhanging length and the fixing length are measured in a direction in which the cantilever portion overhangs. The overhanging length may be at least four times as large as the fixing length. The piezoelectric vibration unit may have a thickness from 0.6 mm to 1 mm. A sum of the overhanging length and the fixing length may be from 35 mm to 45 mm. The cantilever portion may have an overhanging length of 20 mm or more. More preferably, the overhanging length of the cantilever portion may be 30 mm or more. The piezoelectric vibration unit may include a one-directional cantilever portion extending from the fixing portion in one direction and a other-directional cantilever portion extending from the fixing portion in a direction perpendicular to the one direction or in a direction opposite the one direction. The cantilever portion may overhang from adjacent sides or opposite sides of the supporter. The cantilever portion may overhang from two adjacent sides of the supporter. The cantilever portion may overhang from two opposite sides of the supporter. The piezoelectric vibration unit may include a first-directional cantilever portion extending from the fixing portion in a first direction, a second-directional cantilever portion extending from the fixing portion in a direction perpendicular to the first direction, and a third-directional cantilever portion extending from the fixing portion in a direction opposite the first direction. The piezoelectric vibration unit may further include a fourth-directional cantilever portion extending from the fixing portion in a direction opposite the second direction. The cantilever portion may overhang from three or more sides of the supporter. The cantilever portion may overhang from three sides of the supporter. The cantilever portion may overhang from all sides of the supporter. The at least one piezoelectric vibration unit may include a plurality of piezoelectric vibration units, and the plurality of piezoelectric vibration units may include cantilever portions having predetermined overhanging lengths, at least two of the overhanging lengths being different from each other. The at least one piezoelectric vibration unit may include a plurality of piezoelectric vibration units, and the plurality of piezoelectric vibration units may include a first piezoelectric vibration unit including a first cantilever portion overhanging a first overhanging length and a second piezoelectric vibration unit including a second cantilever portion overhanging a second overhanging length, which is different from the first overhanging length. The plurality of piezoelectric vibration units may include a first piezoelectric vibration unit comprising a first cantilever portion and a first fixing portion, a second piezoelectric vibration unit comprising a second cantilever portion and a second fixing portion, and a third piezoelectric vibration unit comprising a third cantilever portion and a third fixing portion. The first cantilever portion may overhang from a first side of the supporter, and the second cantilever portion may overhang from a second side of the supporter opposite the first side. The third cantilever portion may overhang from at least a third side of the supporter. the cantilever portion may comprise a one-directional cantilever portion which overhangs from the first side of the supporter and a other-directional portion which overhangs from the second side of the supporter. The display apparatus may further include a control unit performing control such that electric energy is selectively applied to the first piezoelectric vibration unit and the second piezoelectric vibration unit. The first cantilever portion of the first piezoelectric vibration unit may overhang in a direction opposite a direction in which the second cantilever portion of the second piezoelectric vibration unit overhangs. The first cantilever portion of the first piezoelectric vibration unit may overhang from a first side of the supporter, and the second cantilever portion of the second piezoelectric vibration unit may overhang from a second side of the supporter opposite the first side. The first overhanging length may be greater than the second overhanging length, and the fixing portion of the first piezoelectric vibration unit may have a fixing length shorter than a fixing length of the fixing portion of the second piezoelectric vibration unit. The supporter may include a plurality of levels, and the plurality of piezoelectric vibration units include a first piezoelectric vibration unit attached to a first level of the plurality of levels, and a second piezoelectric vibration unit attached to a second level of the plurality of levels. The supporter may include a first base attached to the rear surface of the display panel, a second base disposed behind the first base while being spaced apart from the first base, and a connection portion connecting the first base and the second base so as to support the second base. The plurality of piezoelectric vibration units may include a piezoelectric vibration unit attached to the first base and a piezoelectric vibration unit attached to the second base. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a display apparatus includes a display panel, a supporter attached to a rear surface of the display panel, and first to nthpiezoelectric vibration units attached to the supporter. Each of the first to nthpiezoelectric vibration units includes a fixing portion attached to the supporter and a cantilever portion overhanging from the supporter. The cantilever portion of each of the first to nthpiezoelectric vibration units has an overhanging length different from an overhanging length of the cantilever portion of at least one of remaining ones of the first to nthpiezoelectric vibration units. Here, n is a natural number of 2 or more. The display apparatus may further include a control unit performing control such that electric energy is selectively applied to the first to nthpiezoelectric vibration units. N may be a natural number of 3 or more. The cantilever portion of the first piezoelectric vibration unit may overhang in a direction opposite a direction in which the cantilever portion of the second piezoelectric vibration unit overhangs, and the supporter may be formed to extend lengthwise in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the cantilever portion overhangs so as to provide an area to which the third piezoelectric vibration unit is attached. In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, a display apparatus includes a display panel, a first supporter attached to a rear surface of the display panel, and a second supporter attached to the rear surface of the display panel and spaced apart from the first support. The display apparatus includes a first piezoelectric vibration unit including a first fixing portion attached to the first supporter and a first cantilever portion overhanging from the first supporter by a first overhanging length. The display apparatus includes a second piezoelectric vibration unit including a second fixing portion attached to the second supporter and a second cantilever portion overhanging from the second supporter by a second overhanging length. The first overhanging length and the second overhanging length are different from each other.

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FIELD The present application is generally related to the field of methods for determining a virtual teeth setup for prosthetic driven planning or orthodontic planning. The application is also related to the field of methods for segmenting intra-oral surface scans. BACKGROUND The prosthetic restoration of missing or corrupted teeth greatly affects the quality of life since teeth have a large influence on one's social interactions and well-being. This is due to the important functions of teeth, such as food digestion, speech and maintaining the shape of the lower face. A routinely used, reliable and well established technique for prosthetic restoration of teeth is based on dental implants. Dental implant based treatments target a functional and aesthetic outcome with minimal discomfort for the patient and short treatment times. A careful and detailed planning of the dental implants, as well as adequate tools to transfer the planning to the operating room are key factors for the success of the entire treatment. The accurate assessment of the patient's anatomy, often based on 3D medical images, is a prerequisite for such a planning. Various software systems exist for this task. These enable the clinician to work out an image guided digital planning of the dental implant treatment. An essential concept in the implant planning procedure is the diagnostic teeth setup. A teeth setup is a collection of teeth, typically placed on a plaster model, in a similar setup compared to the anatomical situation of the patient. A diagnostic teeth setup contains the designed crowns of the teeth to be restored by prosthetic means. It is an important tool for anticipating on the outcome of the prosthetic treatment, and as such can provide input on the necessary means to reach the outcome. Additionally, it enables recognition of existing possibilities and limitations of the prosthetic treatment. The teeth to be restored by prosthetic means are positioned and shaped in a manner that is ideal both with respect to functional requirements, as well as aesthetic requirements. The most important functional requirements are a functional positioning and appropriate anatomical design of the teeth, and a correct resulting occlusion. The aesthetic requirements serve the purpose of not being able to discriminate between existing teeth and teeth restored by prosthetic means. The most important aesthetic requirements are a realistic positioning and modelling, similar type and characteristics to the remaining existing teeth, a naturally looking emergence profile and naturally looking papillae. These aesthetic requirements can be enhanced by the dynamic behaviour of the facial tissues, e.g. the smile. With the advent of Computer Aided Design/Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAD/CAM) into the dental laboratories, a significant amount of work of the dental technician is shifted from manual towards digital processing. Likewise, the use of a manually sculpted diagnostic teeth setup on a plaster model has been replaced by a digitally designed teeth setup using surface scanned plaster models. A digitally designed teeth setup is advantageous both from a cost and time perspective. The resulting design can be exported as a three-dimensional surface model and milled or printed to serve as a try-on or as a final restoration. A specific manual step of interest is the separation of the different teeth in a plaster dental cast. This step is essential in a digital setting as well. Therefore, the dental technician should be able to separate the different teeth in the digitized intra-oral surface of the patient. Separation of the intra-oral digital surface of the patient is commonly called segmentation. In general, the objective of surface segmentation is to partition a surface into a number of meaningful disjoint regions, thereby delineating anatomical structures of interest. Since manual segmentation methods are very time-consuming, can suffer from significant inter- and intra-operator variability and user fatigue, there is a strong need for automated or semi-automated surface segmentation algorithms. (Semi-)automated surface segmentation algorithms can as such provide the dental technician with an indispensable tool facilitating a large set of applications. In literature already a number of publications exist presenting various (semi-)automated segmentation algorithms for digital dental surfaces. One example is “A medial point cloud based algorithm for dental cast segmentation” (Kustra et al., Proc. Intl Conf. on Consumer Electronics (ICCE), pp. 331-334, 2014). The methods presented in the prior art publications all directly make use of the intra-oral digital surface of the patient. Most of the dental implant planning software systems enable the clinician to import this diagnostic teeth setup into the planning software. In this case, the diagnostic teeth setup provides an essential input to the clinician during the treatment planning phase, as it allows for a truly bidirectional (or patient driven) planning. A bidirectional planning indicates the integration of detailed prosthetic and anatomical information of the patient in the implant planning phase. In this description the term ‘virtual ideal teeth setup’ is used instead of the term digital diagnostic teeth setup. This allows discriminating between the outcome of the presented algorithm and a teeth setup created by a dental technician. Furthermore, the term virtual ideal teeth setup has a broader meaning as the remaining teeth of the patient are contained in the solution as well. In the literature some related approaches have been presented. In the paper “Bayes reconstruction of missing teeth” (J. Sporring et al., J. Math. Imaging Vis. 31(2-3), pp. 245-254, 2008) statistical shape models with increased flexibility are applied. The paper presents a method to reconstruct the surface of a corrupted crown based on its remaining shape or on the shape of its neighbouring crowns using a set of predefined landmarks and a missing data problem approach. However, to be effective this approach requires the user to indicate on a surface representation of a patient's intra-oral region an important number of anatomical landmarks used for fitting the models. Application WO2008/128700 describes a method for automated or semi-automated planning of a tooth setup. This method makes use of data of the dental area to be treated as well as of the face of the respective patient. Using a set of rules based on facial properties as well as the existing teeth, an initial tooth setup can be modified. At least one facial picture is required in the proposed method. Furthermore, the predefined rules can be subjective and not generally applicable (e.g. dependent on the origin of the patient). In US2013/282351 a method is described for determining virtual tooth restorations based on scan data and a model database. The model database contains a number of parametrized tooth models for each tooth type. A virtual tooth restoration is obtained by fitting the model database to the specific case at hand in an iterative manner. The need for an elaborate model database makes the method more demanding from a computational point of view. The shape and pose of the estimated prosthethic crown restorations is not optimal and requires (significant) further manual refinement by the user. Therefore there is a need for a method/algorithm for providing the user with one or more prosthetic crown restorations, whereby there is a reduced need for further refinement, such that these prosthethic restorations can be used for implant planning and/or directly as provisional restorations. SUMMARY It is an object of embodiments of the present invention to provide for an approach for estimating one or more pieces of information needed for performing a dental restoration for an at least partially edentulous patient. It is another object of embodiments of the invention to provide for a method for producing a dental restoration. It is a further object of embodiments of the invention to provide for a method for the placement of a dental restoration. It is also an object of embodiments of the invention to provide for a method for estimating at least one element of a shape, position and orientation of at least one tooth from a digitized intra-oral surface for an at least partially edentulous patient. The above objective is accomplished by the solution according to certain embodiments of the present invention. Certain embodiments of the present invention relate to a method for obtaining an estimation of the shape, position and/or orientation of one or more existing teeth of a patient or of one or more teeth to be included in a dental restoration destined to replace one or more missing teeth in a partially edentulous patient. The method preferably involves the use of a computing unit equipped to receive and process image information, preferably including 3D image information, including surface mesh representations, and digital medical image information, such as X-ray data, CT scan data and MRI data amongst others. It is further preferred that said computing unit is operationally connected to input devices and a display. Typically, the method involves the use of a user interface for receiving required user input and for presenting any information, including image information, used or generated by said method. In short, the method of certain embodiments of the present invention involves the fitting of a virtual teeth setup to a digitized surface mesh of an intra-oral region of the patient, wherein said virtual teeth setup comprises separated surface meshes of individual teeth positioned in a dental arch or segment thereof. Preferably, said virtual teeth setup is a so-called ‘mean virtual teeth setup’, which is based on the computed mean shape, position and/or orientation for the teeth in a multitude of virtual teeth setups obtained by digitizing a multitude of intra-oral surfaces and separating the surface meshes of the individual teeth from said digitized surfaces, while maintaining their respective shape, position and orientation within the dental arch. In case the method of certain embodiments of the present invention is used for estimating the shape, position and/or orientation of a tooth or teeth to be included in a said dental restoration, said digitized intra-oral region of the patient should comprise the region of the missing teeth next to at least one remaining tooth, which can be used by the fitting algorithm of certain embodiments of the present invention to fit the virtual teeth setup to the patient's intraoral situation. The fitting algorithm eventually provides an adapted virtual teeth setup matching the patient's intraoral situation and approaching an ideal or ‘natural’ teeth setup. The shape, position and/or orientation of a tooth or teeth to be included in a dental restoration can subsequently be estimated based on the shape, position and/or orientation of the tooth or teeth in said adapted virtual teeth setup, which correspond to the patient's missing teeth. Typically, the method of certain embodiments of the present invention involves displaying the teeth of the adapted virtual teeth setup on a surface representation of the patient's intraoral situation allowing a practitioner to visually inspect the estimates as proposed by the method of certain embodiments of the present invention. Such visual representation on a surface representation of the patient's intraoral situation is particularly useful when virtually planning the position and orientation of dental implants in a patient's jaw using an image guided digital planning system such as NobelClinician™. Indeed, this visual information on the shape, position and orientation of the tooth or teeth of an eventual restoration allows the practitioner to consider this information while planning the position and orientation of the implants in view of an optimal clinical and aesthetic result. In case the method is used to estimate the shape, position and/or orientation of one or more existing teeth said digitized intra-oral region of the patient should at least comprise the teeth for which such estimation is needed, however, the presence of additional teeth of the patient in said region may also be used by the fitting algorithm and may contribute to the accuracy of the estimation. The fitting algorithm eventually provides an adapted virtual teeth setup matching the patient's one or more existing teeth. The shape, position and/or orientation of each of said one or more patient's existing teeth can subsequently be estimated based on the respective shapes, positions and/or orientations of the corresponding teeth in said adapted virtual teeth setup. Interestingly, said adapted virtual teeth setup comprises separated surface meshes of individual teeth. In consequence, said virtual teeth setup also provides a representation of the patient's intraoral situation wherein the teeth are segmented, which allows to virtually manipulate the position and orientation of the individual teeth. As such the method according to certain embodiments of the present invention provides a valuable tool in the planning of orthodontic interventions. In a first main aspect certain embodiments of the present invention provide a computer assisted method for estimating at least one element of a shape, position and orientation of a dental restoration for a partially edentulous patient using a digitized representation of an intra-oral surface of a patient. Typically, the method of certain embodiments of the present invention involves the estimation of the position, orientation and/or shape of at least one tooth of said dental restoration. This method generally comprises following steps:indicating one or more teeth requiring a dental restoration, for which an estimation of said at least one element is needed, and indicating a remaining tooth or remaining teeth available for estimating. Typically, a user can indicate said teeth requiring a dental restoration and said remaining teeth by inputting the anatomical names of the teeth or the teeth positions in accordance with a dental chart corresponding to the dentition of the patient. In a particular embodiment a user interface is provided allowing the user to indicate said teeth by selecting the corresponding teeth in a representation of a dental chart.providing a virtual teeth setup comprising teeth corresponding to the one or more teeth requiring said dental restoration as well as teeth corresponding to the selected remaining tooth or teeth, wherein said virtual teeth setup comprises separated surface meshes of individual teeth positioned in a dental arch or segment thereof. Preferably, said virtual teeth setup corresponds to a same dentition as that of the patient. It is further preferred that said virtual teeth setup is a so-called mean virtual teeth setup, which is based on the computed mean shape, position and orientation for the teeth in a multitude of virtual teeth setups obtained by digitizing a multitude of intra-oral surfaces and separating the surface meshes of the individual teeth from said digitized surfaces, while maintaining their shape, position and orientation within the dental arch. Preferably, said multitude of digitized intra-oral surfaces are obtained from individuals, which in view of the governing dental insights are considered to have a near-ideal teeth setup.providing a digitized surface mesh of an intra-oral region of said patient comprising said selected remaining tooth or teeth and the region of the one or more teeth requiring said dental restoration. Typically, such digitized surface mesh of an intra-oral region of the patient is obtained by scanning a dental impression of the patient's teeth and soft tissue or by scanning a cast of such impression. Alternatively, said digitized surface mesh is derived from medical image data, such as from CT scan data of a patient's intraoral cavity or more preferably from scanning said intra-oral region using an intra-oral scanner.Optionally, aligning said digitized surface mesh of the intra-oral region of the patient with said virtual teeth setup. Aligning said digitized surface mesh with said virtual teeth setup preferably involves the matching of one or more landmarks on at least one tooth, preferably on at least two teeth, more preferably on at least 3 teeth of said digitized surface mesh with one or more corresponding landmarks on corresponding tooth or teeth of the virtual teeth setup. In order to enable such matching of landmarks it is preferred that a user indicates such one or more landmarks on one or more teeth of the digitized surface mesh wherein said landmarks correspond with predefined landmarks on the virtual teeth setup. In a particular embodiment said one landmark is the midpoint of the upper crown surface.applying and optimizing an energy function, representing a quality measure for said virtual teeth setup, to adapt said virtual teeth setup to the intra-oral anatomical situation of the patient, said adaptation comprising adapting the virtual teeth setup to one or more of said selected one or more remaining teeth in said digitized surface mesh of the intra-oral region of said patient given a statistical model, which describes for a given dentition or segment thereof a probability distribution for at least the shapes of individual teeth, the relations between shapes of neighbouring teeth and/or relations between positions and/or orientations of neighbouring teeth, said energy function comprising a first measure indicative of a fit between said patient's anatomy and said adapted virtual teeth setup, and a second measure indicating a probability of said adapted virtual teeth setup given said statistical model. Typically, optimizing said energy function is an iterative process, wherein said energy function is repeatedly applied on intermediate virtual teeth setups in order to obtain an adapted virtual teeth setup resulting from said optimized energy function, which approaches an ideal teeth setup for said patient. The optimisation process may be continued until the change between subsequent iterations falls below a given threshold, preferably a user set threshold. Alternatively, the optimisation process may be continued until a maximum number of iterations is reached, preferably this number is set by the user. In a particular embodiment, the optimisation continues until the change between subsequent iterations falls below a given threshold, preferably a user set threshold or until a maximum number of iterations, said maximum preferably being set by the user, is reached, whichever occurs first. This approach enables to obtain a near ideal solution in most cases while at the same time controlling the run time of the algorithm.estimating said at least one element of said shape, position and orientation of said dental restoration using the adapted virtual teeth setup resulting from said optimized energy function. Typically, the position, orientation and/or shape of the tooth or teeth of the dental restoration requiring estimation are estimated from the position, orientation and/or shape of the corresponding tooth or teeth of the adapted virtual teeth setup. The proposed solution indeed allows obtaining an estimation of the shape, position or orientation, or a combination thereof, of a dental restoration. More particularly, in certain embodiments, the present method allows providing such estimation of the shape, position and/or orientation for each of the individual teeth in such restoration. These estimates are typically based on the respective shapes, positions and/or orientations of the corresponding tooth or teeth in said adapted virtual teeth setup resulting from said optimized energy function. As explained above in a first step of the present method the user indicates one or more teeth which need an estimation of shape and/or position and/or orientation, as well as one or more remaining teeth which can be used for carrying out the estimation. Typically, said teeth, which need an estimation of shape and/or position and/or orientation, correspond to one or more of the patient's missing teeth to be replaced by said restoration. The present method adopts an energy based approach, wherein an energy function is formulated, that serves as a quality measure for a given virtual teeth setup in view of the intra-oral situation of the patient as provided by a digitized surface mesh of the intra-oral region of said patient comprising said selected remaining tooth or teeth and the region of the one or more teeth requiring said dental restoration. The energy function is applied and optimized to adapt a virtual teeth setup to the specific case at hand, i.e. to the indicated remaining tooth/teeth as provided in said digitized surface mesh of the patient's intra-oral situation. The energy measure comprises at least a measure indicative of the fit between the patient's anatomy and the virtual teeth setup and a measure accounting for the probability of the virtual teeth setup given the model as mentioned above. The virtual teeth setup algorithm according to certain embodiments of this invention enables a clinician to design a dental restoration in a semi-automated manner. The dental restoration may be a prosthetic crown, bridge or denture. The shape, position and/or orientation of a tooth or teeth to be included in a dental restoration can subsequently be estimated based on the shape, position and/or orientation of the tooth or teeth in said adapted virtual teeth setup, which correspond to the patient's missing teeth. Typically, the method of certain embodiments of the present invention involves displaying the teeth of the adapted virtual teeth setup on a surface representation of the patient's intraoral situation allowing a practitioner to visually inspect the estimates as proposed by the method of certain embodiments of the present invention. In a preferred embodiment a tooth of the virtual teeth setup is represented, preferably in relation to a surface representation of the patient's intraoral situation, by at least one of a translation vector, a rotation matrix and a polygonal surface mesh representing the shape of said tooth. Advantageously all three are used in the representation. Doing so allows for an improved flexibility and adaptability of such represented tooth. Indeed, such representation of the tooth within a user interface enabling the user to modify the position, orientation or shape of the represented tooth enables a clinician to introduce minor modifications to the proposed solution in view of for instance constraints associated with the implants or because of personal aesthetic preferences of the patient. Such modifications can subsequently be stored for later use in the planning of a maxillofacial intervention or for the design and/or production of an eventual dental restoration. Furthermore, these modifications can also be used to generate an updated estimation of said one element of a shape, position and orientation of a dental restoration as described below. In a particular embodiment the method of the present for estimating a dental restoration comprises further steps of updating an initially estimated one element of a shape, position and orientation of a dental restoration. In a first step such re-estimation comprises receiving user input modifying at least one of a shape, position and orientation of a tooth requiring dental restoration as estimated for said tooth using the adapted teeth setup resulting from the optimized energy function of said initial estimation. A following step involves applying and optimizing a second energy function, representing a quality measure for said adapted virtual teeth setup, to further adapt said adapted virtual teeth setup to the intra-oral anatomical situation of the patient. This further adaptation comprises adapting the adapted virtual teeth setup to said selected one or more remaining teeth in the digitized surface mesh of the intraoral region of the patient considering the constraint provided by said user-inputted modification for a said tooth and given the previously specified statistical model. The second energy function preferably comprises a first measure indicative of a fit between said patient's anatomy and said further adapted virtual teeth setup given said constraint, and a second measure indicating a probability of said further adapted virtual teeth setup given said statistical model. Finally, the at least one element of said shape, position and orientation of said dental restoration is re-estimated using the further adapted virtual teeth setup resulting from said optimized second energy function. Said inputted modification of at least one of a shape, position and orientation for a tooth requiring restoration can be used as a hard or soft constraint in said further adaptation. When it is used as a hard constraint the updated estimation shall comprise the received modifications as inputted. However, when it is used as a soft constraint an updated estimation is generated comprising a solution in between the initial estimation and the inputted modification. The first measure of the energy function typically comprises a landmark term indicative of a distance between corresponding landmarks on the virtual teeth setup and on the digitized surface mesh of the patient's intra-oral region. Alternatively, said first measure comprises a surface term indicating, for points of said virtual teeth setup, a distance to the digitized surface mesh of the patient's intra-oral region. In one embodiment the surface term is derived from a diagnostic teeth setup. Advantageously, said first measure of the energy function comprises both a landmark and a surface term. The second measure of the energy function is typically composed of three separate terms, one for each of the three possible constituting parts of the statistical model, said terms respectively take into consideration the probability distribution for the shapes of individual teeth, the relations between shapes of neighbouring teeth and/or relations between positions and/or orientations of neighbouring teeth. The energy function may further comprise a contact point term providing a measure for a distance between contact point sets of neighbouring teeth. In certain embodiments the energy function also comprises a symmetric pose term giving a symmetry measure for the position and/or orientation of two contralateral teeth. The energy function may further comprise a symmetric shape term giving a symmetry measure for the shape of two contralateral teeth. Advantageously, the energy function takes into account one or more heuristic rules defining a relation between the positions of predefined landmarks on the teeth of a said virtual teeth setup, preferably of an adapted virtual teeth setup. Advantageously, the energy function takes into account one or more heuristic rules defining a relation between distances in-between predefined landmarks on the teeth of a said virtual teeth setup, preferably of an adapted virtual teeth setup. An important element to consider in the design of a dental restoration is the occlusion between the restoration and the antagonist teeth, in view of this it is advantageous when the energy function also comprises an antagonist overlap term to penalize overlap of teeth with an antagonist surface. In another embodiment the method comprises a first postprocessing step to prevent neighbouring teeth from overlapping with each other by iteratively detecting maximal overlapping points and modifying the shapes of said overlapping teeth to remove said overlap. In another embodiment the method comprises a second postprocessing step to take into account a shape of an antagonist crown of a tooth in said adapted virtual teeth setup by defining occlusal contact points and deforming the shape of said tooth to obtain desirable occlusal contact at said defined contact points. In another embodiment the method comprises fitting of one or more corresponding crowns from a library to one or more teeth of an adapted virtual teeth setup. The fitting of such library teeth to a tooth of the adapted virtual teeth setup, which corresponds to a tooth to be included in a dental restoration has the advantage that it allows to regain certain anatomic tooth details that may have been lost in the optimization procedure when they have not been captured by the statistical models describing the shape of individual teeth. In one embodiment the method for estimating comprises a step of planning a dental implant based treatment based on the obtained estimation of the at least one element of shape, position and orientation. Advantageously, the method comprises exporting the estimated at least one element of the dental restoration. The method then preferably comprises a step of producing the dental restoration or a part thereof based on the exported estimated at least one element of the dental restoration. In another aspect of certain embodiments the invention relates to a method for performing a dental restoration, wherein the estimation of the at least one element of shape, position and orientation is used, obtained from the method as previously described. In another aspect of certain embodiments the invention relates to a program, executable on a programmable device containing instructions, which when executed, perform the method as previously described. In another aspect of certain embodiments the invention relates to a method for producing a dental restoration, comprising estimating at least one element of shape, position and orientation of the dental restoration with the method as described above, and producing the dental restoration using the estimated at least one element. In another aspect the invention relates to a dental restoration produced with this method. In another aspect of certain embodiments the invention relates to a method for placement of a dental restoration, comprising estimating at least one element of shape, position and orientation of said dental restoration with the method as described, and placing the dental restoration using the estimated at least one element. In a second main aspect of certain embodiments the present invention provides a computer based method for estimating at least one element of a shape, position and orientation of one or more teeth from a digitized intra-oral surface of a patient. This method comprises following steps:receiving user input indicating the one or more teeth which require said estimation. Typically, a user can indicate said teeth by inputting the anatomical names of the teeth or the teeth positions in accordance with a dental chart corresponding to the dentition of the patient. In a particular embodiment, a user interface is provided allowing the user to indicate said teeth by selecting the corresponding teeth in a representation of a dental chart.providing a virtual teeth setup comprising teeth corresponding to said one or more teeth requiring said estimation, wherein said virtual teeth setup comprises separated surface meshes of individual teeth positioned in a dental arch or segment thereof. Preferably, said virtual teeth setup corresponds to a same dentition as that of the patient. It is further preferred that said virtual teeth setup is a so-called mean virtual teeth setup, which is based on the computed mean shape, position and orientation for the teeth in a multitude of virtual teeth setups obtained by digitizing a multitude of intra-oral surfaces and separating the surface meshes of the individual teeth from said digitized surfaces, while maintaining their shape, position and orientation within the dental arch. Preferably, said multitude of digitized intra-oral surfaces are obtained from individuals, which in view of the governing dental insights are considered to have a near-ideal teeth setup.providing a digitized surface mesh of an intra-oral region of said patient comprising said one or more indicated teeth requiring said estimation. Typically, such digitized surface mesh of an intra-oral region of the patient is obtained by scanning a dental impression of the patient's teeth and soft tissue or by scanning a cast of such impression. Alternatively, said digitized surface mesh is derived from medical image data, such as from CT scan data of a patient's intraoral cavity or more preferably from scanning said intra-oral region using an intra-oral scanner.Optionally, aligning said digitized surface mesh of the intra-oral region of the patient with said virtual teeth setup. Aligning said digitized surface mesh with said virtual teeth setup preferably involves the matching of one or more landmarks on at least one tooth, preferably on at least two teeth, more preferably on at least 3 teeth of said digitized surface mesh with one or more corresponding landmarks on corresponding tooth or teeth of the virtual teeth setup. In order to enable such matching of landmarks it is preferred that a user indicates such one or more landmarks on one or more teeth of the digitized surface mesh wherein said landmarks correspond with predefined landmarks on the virtual teeth setup. In a particular embodiment said one landmark is the midpoint of the upper crown surface.applying and optimizing an energy function, representing a quality measure for said virtual teeth setup, to adapt said virtual teeth setup to the intra-oral anatomical situation of the patient, said adaptation comprising adapting the virtual teeth setup to said one or more indicated teeth in said digitized surface mesh of the intra-oral region of said patient given a statistical model, which describes for a given dentition or segment thereof a probability distribution for at least the shapes of individual teeth, the relations between shapes of neighbouring teeth and/or relations between positions and/or orientations of neighbouring teeth, said energy function comprising a first measure indicative of a fit between said patient's anatomy and said virtual teeth setup, and a second measure indicating a probability of said adapted virtual teeth setup given said statistical model. Typically, optimizing said energy function is an iterative process, wherein said energy function is repeatedly applied on intermediate virtual teeth setups in order to obtain an adapted virtual teeth setup resulting from said optimized energy function, which approaches an ideal teeth setup for said patient. The optimisation process may be continued until the change between subsequent iterations falls below a given threshold, preferably a user set threshold. Alternatively, the optimisation process may be continued until a maximum number of iterations is reached, preferably this number is set by the user. In a particular embodiment, the optimisation continues until the change between subsequent iterations falls below a given threshold, preferably a user set threshold or until a maximum number of iterations, said maximum preferably being set by the user, is reached, whichever occurs first. This approach enables to obtain a near ideal solution in most cases while at the same time allowing controlling the run time of the algorithm.estimating said at least one element of said shape, position and orientation for said at least one tooth using said adapted virtual teeth setup in accordance with said optimized energy function. Typically, the position, orientation and/or shape of said tooth or teeth requiring estimation are estimated from the position, orientation and/or shape of the corresponding tooth or teeth of the adapted virtual teeth setup. The proposed approach makes use of a template dental arch with individual teeth, also termed virtual teeth setup, which is fit to the digitized intra-oral situation of the patient. In consequence, the obtained adapted virtual teeth setup provides a digitized surface mesh representing the intra-oral region of the patient wherein said one or more teeth are available as separated or segmented surface meshes of individual teeth. This has a number of advantages. First, full crown information is available, whereas the segmentation results obtained by prior art methods lack information at the level of the interstices. Some of these prior art methods try to estimate the shape of the crowns at the interstices in a separate step. However, the approach according to certain embodiments of this invention is able to estimate the shape at the interstices in a single step. Moreover, due to the nature of the proposed technique, this estimation is based on knowledge acquired from an extensive training data set of crowns. Second, certain embodiments of the present invention are robust against artefacts present in the digital intra-oral surface scans resulting from the digitization technique, e.g. holes, intersections, etc. Third, this method can provide for each tooth in said adapted virtual teeth setup a shape, position and orientation, which might be very useful for further applications, e.g. orthodontics. The virtual teeth setup provides a representation of the patient's intraoral situation or part thereof wherein the teeth are segmented, which allows to virtually manipulate the position and orientation of the individual teeth. As such this method provides a valuable tool in the planning of orthodontic interventions. The first measure of the energy function used in the method according to this second main aspect typically comprises a landmark term indicative of a distance between corresponding landmarks on the virtual teeth setup and on digitized surface mesh of the patient's intra-oral region. Alternatively, said first measure comprises a surface term indicating, for points of said virtual teeth setup, a distance to the digitized surface mesh of the patient's intra-oral region. In one embodiment the surface term is derived from a diagnostic teeth setup. Advantageously, said first measure of the energy function comprises both a landmark and a surface term. The second measure of the energy function used in the method according to this second main aspect is typically composed of three separate terms, one for each of the three possible constituting parts of the statistical model, said terms respectively take into consideration the probability distribution for the shapes of individual teeth, the relations between shapes of neighbouring teeth and/or relations between positions and/or orientations of neighbouring teeth. The energy function may further comprise a contact point term providing a measure for a distance between contact point sets of neighbouring teeth. In certain embodiments of the method according to this second main aspect, the energy function also comprises a symmetric pose term giving a symmetry measure for the position and/or orientation of two contralateral teeth. The energy function may further comprise a symmetric shape term giving a symmetry measure for the shape of two contralateral teeth. Advantageously, the energy function used in the method according to this second main aspect takes into account one or more heuristic rules defining a relation between the positions of predefined landmarks on the teeth of a said virtual teeth setup, preferably of an adapted virtual teeth setup. Advantageously, the energy function takes into account one or more heuristic rules defining a relation between distances in-between predefined landmarks on the teeth of a said virtual teeth setup, preferably of an adapted virtual teeth setup. In another embodiment the method according to this second main aspect comprises a first postprocessing step to prevent neighbouring teeth from overlapping with each other by iteratively detecting maximal overlapping points and modifying the shapes of said overlapping teeth to remove said overlap. In a particular embodiment the method according to this second embodiment of the present invention comprises in further steps generating a virtual modification of at least one element of a shape, position and orientation of one or more teeth in a said digitized intraoral surface of a patient. The generation of such virtual modification comprises in an initial step the receipt of user input virtually modifying one of the shape, position and orientation of an indicated tooth as estimated for a said tooth using the adapted teeth setup resulting from the optimized energy function of the initial estimation. A following step involves applying and optimizing a second energy function, representing a quality measure for the adapted virtual teeth setup, to further adapt the adapted virtual teeth setup to said user-inputted virtual modification of the intraoral anatomical situation of the patient. This further adaptation comprising adapting the adapted virtual teeth setup to said one or more indicated teeth in said digitized surface mesh of the intra-oral region considering the constraint provided by the inputted modification for a said tooth and given the previously specified statistical model. The second energy function preferably comprises a first measure indicative of a fit between the patient's anatomy and the further adapted virtual teeth setup given said constraint, and a second measure indicating a probability of said further adapted virtual teeth setup given said statistical model. Finally, the at least one element of said shape, position and orientation of one or more teeth in said digitized intra-oral surface of a patient is re-estimated using the further adapted virtual teeth setup resulting from said optimized second energy function. An inputted modification of at least one of a shape, position and orientation of an indicated tooth can be used as a hard or soft constraint in said further adaptation. When it is used as a hard constraint the updated estimation shall comprise the received modifications as inputted. However, when used as a soft constraint an updated estimation is generated comprising a solution in between the initial estimation and the inputted modification. The statistical model used in the methods of the first and second aspect of certain embodiments of the invention are typically constructed by performing a training phase. Said training phase preferably comprises following steps:providing a multitude of virtual teeth setups corresponding to a collection of digital surface meshes of teeth setups obtained from different individuals, which each preferably have a near-ideal teeth setup. It is further preferred that in said virtual teeth setups the individual teeth are available as separated surface meshes,computing a mean virtual teeth setup from said multitude of virtual teeth setups. Preferably, said virtual teeth setups are aligned to a same reference frame prior to the computing of said mean setup.computing from said multitude of virtual teeth setups the probability distribution for at least the shapes of individual teeth, the relations between shapes of neighbouring teeth and/or relations between positions and/or orientations of neighbouring teeth. Said multitude of virtual teeth setups used in the training phase are typically obtained in a first step by scanning dental impressions of teeth and soft tissue of different individuals sharing a same dentition or by scanning casts of such impressions. Alternatively, said multitude of virtual teeth setups are derived from medical image data, such as from CT scan data of the intraoral cavity of different individuals or more preferably from scanning the dental arch using an intra-oral scanner. Preferably, said individuals are considered to have a near-ideal teeth setup in accordance to the governing dental insights. Thereafter, the individual teeth surfaces are segmented out of the acquired surface representations in order to obtain said multitude of digital surface meshes of different, preferably near-ideal, teeth setups and wherein the individual teeth are available as separated surface meshes. Preferably, in a final step the interstices in said digital surface meshes are inspected and if needed completed at said interstice level. It is further preferred that said methods according to the first and second main aspect of certain embodiments of the invention comprise an optimization of the energy function using a line search method. Further aspects of certain embodiments of the present invention relate to the following items.A. Method for estimating at least one element of a shape, position and orientation of a dental restoration for an at least partially edentulous patient, the method comprisingselecting a tooth or teeth which need an estimation of said at least one element of said dental restoration and selecting a remaining tooth or teeth available for estimating,applying an energy function, representing a quality measure of a virtual teeth setup comprising said one or more remaining teeth and at least one tooth requiring said dental restoration, to adapt said virtual teeth setup to one or more of said selected one or more remaining teeth of said patient given a statistical model describing at least one of a shape of individual teeth of said virtual teeth setup, relations between shapes of neighbouring teeth of said virtual teeth setup and/or relations between position and/or orientation of neighbouring teeth of said virtual teeth setup, said energy function comprising a first measure indicative of a fit between said patient's anatomy and said virtual teeth setup, and a second measure indicating a probability of said virtual teeth setup given said statistical model,estimating said at least one element of said shape, position and orientation of said dental restoration resulting from said energy function.In particular, this item A of certain embodiments of the invention relates to a computer assisted method for estimating at least one element of a shape, position and orientation of a dental restoration for a partially edentulous patient, the method comprisingindicating one or more teeth requiring a dental restoration, for which an estimation of said at least one element is needed, and indicating a remaining tooth or remaining teeth available for estimating,providing a virtual teeth setup comprising teeth corresponding to the one or more teeth requiring said dental restoration as well as teeth corresponding to the selected remaining tooth or teeth, wherein said virtual teeth setup comprises separated surface meshes of individual teeth positioned in a dental arch or segment thereof;providing a digitized surface mesh of an intra-oral region of said patient comprising said selected remaining tooth or teeth and the region of the one or more teeth requiring said dental restoration;applying and optimizing an energy function, representing a quality measure for said virtual teeth setup, to adapt said virtual teeth setup to the intra-oral anatomical situation of the patient, said adaptation comprising adapting the virtual teeth setup to one or more of said selected one or more remaining teeth in said digitized surface mesh of the intra-oral region of said patient given a statistical model, which describes for a given dentition or segment thereof a probability distribution for at least the shapes of individual teeth, the relations between shapes of neighbouring teeth and/or relations between positions and/or orientations of neighbouring teeth, said energy function comprising a first measure indicative of a fit between said patient's anatomy and said adapted virtual teeth setup, and a second measure indicating a probability of said adapted virtual teeth setup given said statistical model,estimating said at least one element of said shape, position and orientation of said dental restoration using the adapted virtual teeth setup resulting from said optimized energy function.B. Method for estimating as in A, wherein said second measure of said energy function is composed of three separate terms corresponding to said shape of said individual teeth, said relations between said shapes of said neighbouring teeth and said relations between said position and/or orientation of said neighbouring teeth, respectively.C. Method for estimating as in A or B, wherein a state is assigned to each of said virtual teeth setup, said state being active, passive or idle.D. Method for estimating as in any of the previous items, comprising a postprocessing step to prevent neighbouring teeth from overlapping with each other by iteratively detecting maximal overlapping points and modifying said tooth shape to remove said overlap.E. Method for estimating as in any of the previous items, comprising a postprocessing step to take into account a shape of an antagonist crown by defining occlusal contact points and deforming said shape of said tooth to obtain perfect occlusal contact at said defined contact points.F. Method for estimating as in any of the previous items, comprising a fitting of a crown from a library.G. Method for estimating as in any of the previous items, comprising a step of planning a dental implant based treatment based on the obtained estimation of said at least one element of shape, position and orientation.H. Method for estimating as in any of the previous items, comprising a step of exporting said estimated at least one element of said dental restoration. Optionally, this comprises a step of producing said dental restoration based on said exported estimated at least one element of said dental restoration.I. Method for performing a dental restoration, wherein the estimation of said at least one element of shape, position and orientation is used, obtained from the method as in any of items A to H.J. Method for producing a dental restoration, comprisingestimating at least one element of shape, position and orientation of said dental restoration with the method as in any of items A to H,producing said dental restoration using said estimated at least one element.K. Method for placement of a dental restoration, comprisingestimating at least one element of shape, position and orientation of said dental restoration with the method as in any of items A to H,placing said dental restoration using said estimated at least one element.L. Method for estimating at least one element of a shape, position and orientation of at least one tooth from a digitized intra-oral surface for an at least partially edentulous patient, said method comprisingselecting a tooth or teeth which need an estimation of said at least one element of said at least one tooth,applying an energy function, representing a quality measure of a virtual teeth setup comprising said at least one tooth, to adapt said virtual teeth setup given a statistical model describing at least one of a shape of individual teeth of said virtual teeth setup, relations between shapes of neighbouring teeth of said virtual teeth setup and/or relations between position and/or orientation of neighbouring teeth of said virtual teeth setup, said energy function comprising a first measure indicative of a fit between said digitized intra-oral surface and said virtual teeth setup, and a second measure indicating a probability of said virtual teeth setup given said statistical model,estimating said at least one element of shape, position and orientation of said at least one tooth resulting from said energy function.In particular, this item L of certain embodiments of the invention relates to a computer based method for estimating at least one element of a shape, position and orientation of one or more teeth from a digitized intra-oral surface of a patient, said method comprisingindicating the one or more teeth which require said estimation,providing a virtual teeth setup comprising teeth corresponding to said one or more teeth requiring said estimation, wherein said virtual teeth setup comprises separated surface meshes of individual teeth positioned in a teeth arch or segment thereof;providing a digitized surface mesh of an intra-oral region of said patient comprising said one or more indicated teeth requiring said estimation;applying and optimizing an energy function, representing a quality measure for said virtual teeth setup, to adapt said virtual teeth setup to the intra-oral anatomical situation of the patient, said adaptation comprising adapting the virtual teeth setup to said one or more indicated teeth in said digitized surface mesh of the intra-oral region of said patient given a statistical model, which describes for a given dentition or segment thereof a probability distribution for at least the shapes of individual teeth, the relations between shapes of neighbouring teeth and/or relations between positions and/or orientations of neighbouring teeth, said energy function comprising a first measure indicative of a fit between said patient's anatomy and said virtual teeth setup, and a second measure indicating a probability of said adapted virtual teeth setup given said statistical model,estimating said at least one element of said shape, position and orientation for said at least one tooth using said adapted virtual teeth setup resulting from said optimized energy function.M. Method according to item L wherein said adapted virtual teeth setup provides a digitized surface mesh representing the intra-oral region of said patient wherein said one or more teeth are available as separated surface meshes of individual teeth.N. Method for estimating as in item M, comprising a step of planning an orthodontic treatment based on the obtained estimation of said at least one element of position and orientation.O. Method for estimating as in item M or N, comprising a step of exporting said estimated at least one element of said orthodontic treatment.P. Method for estimating as in any of the previous items, wherein a tooth of said virtual teeth setup is represented by at least one of a translation vector, a rotation matrix and a polygonal surface mesh representing the shape of said tooth.Q. Method for estimating as in any of the previous items, wherein said first measure comprises a landmark term indicative of a distance between corresponding landmarks on said virtual teeth setup and on said patient's anatomy.R. Method for estimating as in any of the previous items, wherein said first measure comprises a surface term indicating, for points of said virtual teeth setup, a distance to an anatomical surface mesh representing an intra-oral situation of said patient.S. Method for estimating as in claim R, wherein said surface term is derived from a diagnostic teeth setup.T. Method for estimating as in any of the previous items, wherein said energy function comprises a contact point term providing a measure for a distance between contact point sets of neighbouring teeth.U. Method for estimating as in any of the previous items, wherein said energy function comprises a symmetric pose term giving a symmetry measure for the position and/or orientation of two contralateral teeth.V. Method for estimating as in any of the previous items, wherein said energy function comprises a symmetric shape term giving a symmetry measure for the shape of two contralateral teeth.W. Method for estimating as in any of the previous items, wherein said energy function takes into account one or more heuristic rules defining a relation on a position of predefined landmarks on teeth of said virtual teeth setup.X. Method for estimating as in any of the previous items, wherein said energy function takes into account one or more heuristic rules defining a relation on distances between predefined landmarks on teeth of said virtual teeth setup.Y. Method for estimating as in any of the previous items, wherein said energy function comprises an antagonist overlap term to penalize overlap of teeth with an antagonist surface.Z. Method for estimating as in any of the previous items, wherein a training phase is performed to construct said statistical model.AA. Method for estimating as in item Z, wherein said training phase is performed using surface scans.BB. Method for estimating as in claim Z or AA, wherein data resulting from said training phase are mirrored using a mirror plane derived from anatomical landmarks.CC. Method for estimating as in claim AA or BB, wherein from a surface mesh of said dental casts individual teeth surfaces are extracted.DD. Method for estimating as in item CC, wherein said extracted teeth surfaces are completed at interstice level.EE. Method for estimating as in any of claims Z to DD, wherein said data resulting from said training phase are positioned in a same reference frame.FF. Method for estimating as in item EE, wherein said positioning involves computing a mean virtual teeth setup and positioning said mean virtual teeth setup.GG. Method for estimating as in any of the previous items, further comprising an optimization of said energy function using a line search method.HH. Method for estimating as in any of the previous items, wherein applying said energy function comprises an optimization over at least one element of a shape, position and orientation of said one or more remaining teeth of said first measure and said second measure.II. Method for estimating as in any of the previous items, wherein applying said energy function comprises an optimization over said at least one element of said dental restoration of said second measure.JJ. Program, executable on a programmable device containing instructions, which when executed, perform the method as in any of the previous items.KK. Dental restoration produced with the method as in item J. For purposes of summarizing certain embodiments of the invention and the advantages achieved over the prior art, certain objects and advantages of certain embodiments of the invention have been described herein above. Of course, it is to be understood that not necessarily all such objects or advantages may be achieved in accordance with any particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, for example, those skilled in the art will recognize that certain embodiments of the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other objects or advantages as may be taught or suggested herein. The above and other aspects of certain embodiments of the invention will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiment(s) described hereinafter.

11363772

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to the field of corn breeding. In particular, the invention relates to corn seed and plants of the hybrid variety designated CH011046, and derivatives and tissue cultures thereof. Description of Related Art The goal of field crop breeding is to combine various desirable traits in a single variety/hybrid. Such desirable traits include greater yield, better stalks, better roots, resistance to insecticides, herbicides, pests, and disease, tolerance to heat and drought, reduced time to crop maturity, better agronomic quality, higher nutritional value, and uniformity in germination times, stand establishment, growth rate, maturity, and fruit size. Plant breeding techniques take advantage of how a plant is naturally pollinated. There are two general methods of pollination. A plant is self-pollinated when pollen from one flower is transferred to the same flower or another flower of the same plant. A plant is cross-pollinated when pollen comes to it from a flower of a different plant. Corn plants (Zea maysL.) can be bred by both self-pollination and cross-pollination. Both types of pollination involve the corn plant's flowers. Corn has separate male and female flowers on the same plant, which are located on the tassel and the ear, respectively. Natural pollination occurs in corn when the wind blows pollen from the tassels to the silks that protrude from the tops of the ear shoot. Plants that have been self-pollinated and selected for type over many generations become homozygous at almost all gene loci and produce a uniform population of true breeding progeny, i.e., a homozygous plant. A cross between two such homozygous plants produces a uniform population of hybrid plants that are heterozygous for many gene loci and phenotypically uniform. The development of uniform corn plant hybrids requires developing homozygous inbred plants, crossing these inbred plants, and evaluating these crosses. Pedigree breeding and recurrent selection are examples of breeding methods used to develop hybrid parent plants from breeding populations. Those breeding methods combine the genetic backgrounds from two or more inbred plants or various other broad-based sources into breeding pools from which new inbred plants are developed by selfing combined with phenotypic or genotypic selection. The new inbred plants are crossed with other inbred plants and the hybrids produced by these crosses are evaluated for commercial potential. North American farmers plant tens of millions of acres of corn at the present time and there are extensive national and international commercial corn breeding programs. A continuing goal of these corn breeding programs is to develop corn hybrids that are based on stable inbred plants and have one or more desirable characteristics. To accomplish this goal, the corn breeder must select and develop superior inbred parental plants. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In one aspect, the present invention provides a corn plant of the hybrid variety designated CH011046. Also provided are corn plants having all the physiological and morphological characteristics of the hybrid corn variety CH011046. A hybrid corn plant of the invention may further comprise a cytoplasmic or nuclear factor that is capable of conferring male sterility or otherwise preventing self-pollination, such as by self-incompatibility. Parts of the corn plant of the present invention are also provided, for example, pollen obtained from a hybrid plant and an ovule of the hybrid plant. The invention also concerns seed of the hybrid corn variety CH011046. The hybrid corn seed of the invention may be provided as a population of corn seed of the variety designated CH011046. In a further aspect, the invention provides a composition comprising a seed of corn variety CH011046 comprised in plant seed growth media. In certain embodiments, the plant seed growth media is a soil or synthetic cultivation medium. In specific embodiments, the growth medium may be comprised in a container or may, for example, be soil in a field. In another aspect of the invention, the hybrid corn variety CH011046 comprising an added heritable trait or genetic modification is provided. The heritable trait may comprise a genetic locus that comprises a dominant or recessive allele. In certain embodiments of the invention, the genetic locus confers traits such as, for example, male sterility, waxy starch, herbicide resistance, insect resistance, resistance to bacterial, fungal, nematode or viral disease, and altered fatty acid, phytate or carbohydrate metabolism. In certain embodiments, the genetic locus that confers herbicide resistance may confer resistance to herbicides such as, for example, imidazolinone herbicides, sulfonylurea herbicides, triazine herbicides, phenoxy herbicides, cyclohexanedione herbicides, benzonitrile herbicides, 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase-inhibiting herbicides, protoporphyrinogen oxidase-inhibiting herbicides, acetolactate synthase-inhibiting herbicides, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid synthase-inhibiting herbicides, bromoxynil, nicosulfuron, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), dicamba, quizalofop-p-ethyl, glyphosate, or glufosinate. The genetic locus may be a naturally occurring corn gene introduced into the genome of a parent of the variety by backcrossing, a natural or induced mutation, or a transgene introduced through genetic transformation techniques. When introduced through transformation, a genetic locus may comprise one or more transgenes integrated at a single chromosomal location. In further embodiments, a single locus conversion of one or both of the parental varieties of the hybrid corn variety CH011046 comprises a heritable genetic modification to the genome of one or both of the parental varieties. A heritable genetic modification may comprise, for example, an insertion, deletion, or substitution of a nucleotide sequence. In certain embodiments, a single locus may comprise one or more genes or intergenic regions integrated into or mutated at a single locus or may comprise one or more nucleic acid molecules integrated at the single locus. In particular embodiments, a single locus conversion may be generated by genome editing such as through use of engineered nucleases, as is known in the art. Examples of engineered nucleases include, but are not limited to, Cas endonucleases, zinc finger nucleases (ZFNs), transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), and engineered meganucleases, also known as homing endonucleases. Naturally occurring nucleases can also find use for genome editing. In specific embodiments, endonucleases, both naturally occurring and engineered, may utilize any polypeptide-, DNA-, or RNA-guided genome editing systems known to the skilled artisan. In yet another aspect of the invention, a hybrid corn plant of the variety designated CH011046 is provided, wherein a cytoplasmically-inherited trait has been introduced into said hybrid plant. Such cytoplasmically-inherited traits are passed to progeny through the female parent in a particular cross. An exemplary cytoplasmically-inherited trait is the male sterility trait. Cytoplasmic-male sterility (CMS) is a pollen abortion phenomenon determined by the interaction between the genes in the cytoplasm and the nucleus. Alteration in the mitochondrial genome and the lack of restorer genes in the nucleus will lead to pollen abortion. With either a normal cytoplasm or the presence of restorer gene(s) in the nucleus, the plant will produce pollen normally. A CMS plant can be pollinated by a maintainer version of the same variety, which has a normal cytoplasm but lacks the restorer gene(s) in the nucleus, and continues to be male sterile in the next generation. The male fertility of a CMS plant can be restored by a restorer version of the same variety, which must have the restorer gene(s) in the nucleus. With the restorer gene(s) in the nucleus, the offspring of the male-sterile plant can produce normal pollen grains and propagate. A cytoplasmically inherited trait may be a naturally occurring maize trait or a trait introduced through genetic transformation techniques. In another aspect of the invention, a tissue culture of regenerable cells of a plant of variety CH011046 is provided. The tissue culture will preferably be capable of regenerating plants capable of expressing all of the physiological and morphological characteristics of the variety, and of regenerating plants having substantially the same genotype as other plants of the variety. Examples of some of the physiological and morphological characteristics of the variety CH011046 include characteristics related to yield, maturity, and kernel quality, each of which is specifically disclosed herein. The regenerable cells in such tissue cultures may, for example, be derived from embryos, meristematic cells, immature tassels, microspores, pollen, leaves, anthers, roots, root tips, silk, flowers, kernels, ears, cobs, husks, or stalks, or from callus or protoplasts derived from those tissues. Still further, the present invention provides corn plants regenerated from the tissue cultures of the invention, the plants having all the physiological and morphological characteristics of variety CH011046. In still another aspect, the invention provides a method of producing hybrid corn seed comprising crossing a plant of variety CV045443 with a plant of variety CV478906. In a cross, either parent may serve as the male or female. Processes are also provided for producing corn seeds or plants in which the processes generally comprise crossing a first parent corn plant with a second parent corn plant, wherein at least one of the first or second parent corn plants is a plant of the variety designated CH011046. In such crossing, either parent may serve as the male or female parent. These processes may be further exemplified as processes for preparing hybrid corn seed or plants, wherein a first hybrid corn plant is crossed with a second corn plant of a different, distinct variety to provide a hybrid that has, as one of its parents, the hybrid corn plant variety CH011046. In these processes, crossing will result in the production of seed. The seed production occurs regardless of whether the seed is collected or not. In one embodiment of the invention, the first step in “crossing” comprises planting, often in pollinating proximity, seeds of a first and second parent corn plant, and in many cases, seeds of a first corn plant and a second, distinct corn plant. When the plants are not in pollinating proximity, pollination can nevertheless be accomplished by transferring a pollen or tassel bag from one plant to the other as described below. A second step comprises cultivating or growing the seeds of said first and second parent corn plants into plants that bear flowers (corn bears both male flowers (tassels) and female flowers (silks) in separate anatomical structures on the same plant). A third step comprises preventing self-pollination of the plants, i.e., preventing the silks of a plant from being fertilized by any plant of the same variety, including the same plant. This can be done, for example, by emasculating the male flowers of the first or second parent corn plant, (i.e., treating or manipulating the flowers so as to prevent pollen production, in order to produce an emasculated parent corn plant). Self-incompatibility systems may also be used in some hybrid crops for the same purpose. Self-incompatible plants still shed viable pollen and can pollinate plants of other varieties but are incapable of pollinating themselves or other plants of the same variety. A fourth step may comprise allowing cross-pollination to occur between the first and second parent corn plants. When the plants are not in pollinating proximity, this is done by placing a bag, usually paper or glassine, over the tassels of the first plant and another bag over the silks of the incipient ear on the second plant. The bags are left in place for at least 24 hours. Since pollen is viable for less than 24 hours, this assures that the silks are not pollinated from other pollen sources, that any stray pollen on the tassels of the first plant is no longer viable, and that the only pollen transferred comes from the first plant. The pollen bag over the tassel of the first plant is then shaken vigorously to enhance release of pollen from the tassels, and the shoot bag is removed from the silks of the incipient ear on the second plant. Finally, the pollen bag is removed from the tassel of the first plant and is placed over the silks of the incipient ear of the second plant, shaken again and left in place. Yet another step comprises harvesting the seeds from at least one of the parent corn plants. The harvested seed can be grown to produce a corn plant or hybrid corn plant. The present invention also provides corn seed and plants produced by a process that comprises crossing a first parent corn plant with a second parent corn plant, wherein at least one of the first or second parent corn plants is a plant of the variety designated CH011046. In one embodiment of the invention, corn seed and plants produced by the process are first generation hybrid corn seed and plants produced by crossing an inbred with another, distinct inbred. The present invention further contemplates seed of an F1hybrid corn plant. Therefore, certain exemplary embodiments of the invention provide an F1hybrid corn plant and seed thereof, specifically the hybrid variety designated CH011046. Such a plant can be analyzed by its “genetic complement.” This term is used to refer to the aggregate of nucleotide sequences, the expression of which defines the phenotype of, for example, a corn plant, or a cell or tissue of that plant. A genetic complement thus represents the genetic makeup of a cell, tissue or plant. The invention thus provides corn plant cells that have a genetic complement in accordance with the corn plant cells disclosed herein, and plants, seeds and diploid plants containing such cells. Plant genetic complements may be assessed by genetic marker profiles, and by the expression of phenotypic traits that are characteristic of the expression of the genetic complement, e.g., marker typing profiles. It is known in the art that such complements may also be identified by marker types including, but not limited to, Simple Sequence Repeats (SSRs), Simple Sequence Length Polymorphisms (SSLPs) (Williams et al.,Nucleic Acids Res.,18:6531, 1990), Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNAs (RAPDs), DNA Amplification Fingerprinting (DAF), Sequence Characterized Amplified Regions (SCARs), Arbitrary Primed Polymerase Chain Reaction (AP-PCR), Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphisms (AFLPs) (European Patent Application Publication No. EP0534858), and Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) (Wang et al.,Science,280:1077, 1998). In still yet another aspect, the present invention provides hybrid genetic complements, as represented by corn plant cells, tissues, plants, and seeds, formed by the combination of a haploid genetic complement of a corn plant of the invention with a haploid genetic complement of the same or a different variety. In another aspect, the present invention provides a corn plant regenerated from a tissue culture that comprises a hybrid genetic complement of this invention.

11323305

TECHNICAL FIELD The invention relates to network telemetry sensors. BACKGROUND A computer network is a collection of interconnected computing devices that exchange data and share resources. In a packet-based network, such as the Internet, computing devices communicate data by dividing the data into small blocks called packets, which are individually routed across the network from a source device to a destination device. The destination device extracts the data from the packets and assembles the data into its original form. Network telemetry sensors in the computer network may collect network telemetry data and may stream the network telemetry data to one or more collectors. The network telemetry data can be used to gather operational statistics for monitoring the health of the computer network. SUMMARY In general, techniques are described for early detection of pauses or interruptions in streaming of network telemetry data to a collector. A network telemetry sensor may be provisioned to monitor a network element of a computer network, such as a logical or physical interface of a network device in the computer network, and to collect network telemetry data regarding the network, such as statistics associated with the monitored network element. As the network telemetry sensor collects network telemetry data, the network telemetry sensor may stream the collected network telemetry data to a collector for use by, e.g., a network administrator to manage the computer network based on the network telemetry data. When a network sensor pauses streaming of network telemetry data to the collector (or such streaming is otherwise interrupted), the collector does not receive the statistics of the network element monitored by the network telemetry sensor, thereby potentially depriving a network administrator of important data that is used by the network administrator to manage the computer network. Early detection of interruptions of network telemetry data may enable network administrators to more quickly investigate the cause of the pause in the streaming of network telemetry data and to more quickly fix any issues with the network telemetry data and/or the computer network, thereby decreasing the amount of network telemetry data that is not collected by the collector. In general, a network telemetry sensor may operate in one of at least two working modes to stream network telemetry data to a collector: a periodic streaming mode or an on-change mode. When a network telemetry sensor operates under a periodic streaming mode, the network telemetry sensor may periodically send network telemetry data to a collector according to a reporting interval (e.g., every 30 seconds) regardless of whether the value included in the network telemetry data has changed. For example, if the network telemetry data includes a count of the number of packets received at a network interface, a network telemetry sensor operating in the periodic streaming mode may periodically send the count of the number of packets received at the network interface to a collector regardless of whether the count of the number of packets received at the network interface has changed. When a network telemetry sensor operates in an on-change mode, the network telemetry sensor may send network telemetry data to a collector only when the value included in the network telemetry data has changed. For example, if the network telemetry data includes a count of the number of packets received at a network interface, a network telemetry sensor operating in the on-change mode may send the count of the number of packets received at the network interface to a collector only upon a change in the count of the number of packets received at the network interface. To troubleshoot a network telemetry sensor operating in the periodic streaming mode, a network engineer may capture network packets and/or continuously monitor the sensor statistics of the network telemetry sensor to determine whether the network telemetry sensor is sending network telemetry data. To troubleshoot a network telemetry sensor operating in the on-change mode, a network engineer may generate trigger on-change events to activate the network telemetry sensor for data streaming, and may capture network packets and/or continuously monitor the sensor statistics of the network telemetry sensor to determine whether the network telemetry sensor is sending network telemetry data in response to such on-change events. As such, a network engineer may have to know the working mode of a network telemetry sensor in order to troubleshoot the telemetry sensor. However, when a collector sends a request to subscribe to network telemetry data, the collector may request that the network telemetry sensor collecting and streaming the network telemetry data operate in a target-defined mode. When the collector specifies that the network telemetry sensor operate in the target-defined mode, the working mode of the network telemetry sensor might not be specified by the collector. Instead, a network device associated with the network telemetry sensor may determine the working mode of the network telemetry sensor based on other factors or conditions. As such, a network administrator or a network engineer working to manage the computer network may not have definitive knowledge of the working mode of the network telemetry sensor. Not having definitive knowledge of the working mode of the network telemetry sensor may make it difficult to make accurate network planning decisions, as a network telemetry sensor operating in a periodic streaming mode may typically generate a larger volume of network traffic in a computer network compared with a network telemetry sensor operating in an on-change mode. Furthermore, not having definitive knowledge of the working mode of the network telemetry sensor may make it difficult to determine whether a pause or interruption in the streaming of network telemetry data by a network telemetry sensor is indicative of an error in the streaming of network telemetry data the network telemetry sensor. For example, if the collector does not receive network telemetry data from a network telemetry sensor having a target-defined working mode for an extended period of time, such as more than thirty seconds, the collector may not have any information regarding whether a pause in the streaming of network telemetry data by a network telemetry sensor is indicative of an error in the streaming of network telemetry data the network telemetry sensor. If the network telemetry sensor is operating in an on-change mode, the network telemetry sensor may simply not have detected any changes in the value included in the network telemetry data and thus has correctly paused sending of network telemetry data to the collector until the value in the network telemetry data changes. On the other hand, if the network telemetry sensor is operating in a periodic streaming mode, the network telemetry sensor may be working correctly and may simply be waiting for the end of an associated reporting interval to send network telemetry data to the collector. Aspects of this disclosure include techniques that enable a collector to definitely determine the working mode of a network telemetry sensor that streams network telemetry data to the collector. In one such technique, a network telemetry sensor may include, in the network telemetry data sent to the collector, an explicit indication of the working mode of the network telemetry sensor. For example, the network telemetry sensor may include, in the network telemetry data sent to the collector, an explicit indication (e.g., in the form of a flag or a bit set within the telemetry data) of whether the working mode of the network telemetry sensor is a periodic streaming mode or an on-change mode. Including an explicit indication of the working mode of the network telemetry sensor in the network telemetry data sent to the collector may enable network administrators and engineers to more accurately make network planning decisions and to better determine whether a pause in the streaming of network telemetry data by a network telemetry sensor is indicative of an error in the streaming of network telemetry data the network telemetry sensor. In this way, the techniques of this disclosure enables network administrators to more quickly determine early on whether there is an error in the computer network that caused the pause in the streaming of network telemetry data by a network telemetry sensor, thereby enabling network administrators to more quickly investigate the cause of the pause in the streaming of network telemetry data and to more quickly fix any issues with the network telemetry data and/or the computer network, thereby decreasing the amount of network telemetry data that is not collected by the collector. In an example, this disclosure describes a method that includes receiving by a computing device from a collector device, a request to subscribe, in a target-defined mode, to network telemetry data regarding a network element associated with the computing device; in response to receiving the request, provisioning, by the computing device, a network telemetry sensor to collect the network telemetry data regarding the network element; and sending, by the computing device to the collector device, the network telemetry data collected by the network telemetry sensor, wherein the network telemetry data indicates a working mode of the network telemetry sensor. In an example, this disclosure describes a computing device that includes a memory; and processing circuitry in communication with the memory and configured to: receive, from a collector device, a request to subscribe, in a target-defined mode, to network telemetry data regarding a network element associated with the computing device; in response to receiving the request, provision a network telemetry sensor to collect the network telemetry data regarding the network element; and send, to the collector device, the network telemetry data collected by the network telemetry sensor, wherein the network telemetry data indicates a working mode of the network telemetry sensor. In an example, this disclosure describes a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with instructions that, when executed, cause one or more programmable processors of a computing device to: receive, from a collector device, a request to subscribe, in a target-defined mode, to network telemetry data regarding a network element associated with the computing device; in response to receiving the request, provision a network telemetry sensor in a working mode to collect the network telemetry data regarding the network element; and send, to the collector device, the network telemetry data collected by the network telemetry sensor, wherein the network telemetry data indicates the working mode of the network telemetry sensor. The details of the techniques are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the techniques will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

11216756

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention generally relates to web portal applications, and more particularly, to a method and system for mapping portal applications in a multi-tenant environment. BACKGROUND A web portal is a site that provides, for example, a single function via a web page or site. Web portals often function as a point of access to information on the World Wide Web. Portals present information from diverse sources in a unified way. Additionally, web portals allow, e.g., partners, employees and customers to chose their user experience, with personalized applications based on role, context, actions, location, preferences and/or team collaboration needs. The present invention uses a more narrow definition of web portal, in that it refers to Web servers that support the portlets technology. Portlets are pluggable user interface components that are managed and displayed in a web portal. The latest portlets definition was done by the Java Specification Request (JSR) 168. Portlets produce fragments of markup code that are aggregated into a portal page. Typically, following the desktop metaphor, a portal page is displayed as a collection of non-overlapping portlet windows, where each portlet window displays a portlet. Hence a portlet (or collection of portlets) resembles a web-based application that is hosted in a portal. Some examples of portlet applications are email, weather reports, discussion forums, and news. Portal servers are becoming more and more popular in hosted multi-tenant systems. A tenant is a subscriber to the web hosting environment and utilizes a web portal. For example, the tenant may be an enterprise which purchases information technology (IT) infrastructure, e.g., an organization. Moreover, it should be understood that the tenant is not the user of the web portal. Rather, it is the end-user (or client), e.g., a member of the organization, who utilizes the web portal. Multi-tenancy refers to the architectural principle, where, for example, a single instance of software runs on a software-as-a-service (SaaS) vendor's servers, serving multiple tenants, e.g., organizations. With a multi-tenant architecture, a software application may be designed to virtually partition its data and configuration so that each client organization works with a customized virtual application instance or virtual portal. That is, virtual portals are logical portals that share, for example, the same hardware and software installation. A virtual portal server, for example, an IBM® WebSphere® Portal server, allows the creation and management of multiple virtual portals. (IBM and WebSphere are trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation in the United States, other countries, or both.) Other portal servers have similar functionality with different names, such as, for example, Sharepoint® portal SiteArea, and eXo. (Sharepoint is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other countries.) The virtual portals may be established by partitioning a single installation into independent, logical servers. End users are unable to distinguish whether their request is served by a full portal installation or by a virtual portal, which has been defined within the shared environment. Virtual portals simplify administration, for example, by reducing the number of parallel installations, and they help avoid the requirement for redundant hardware. Tenants may be charged a fee for usage of the web portal server, e.g., for a portlet application. The amount of the fee may be determined with usage metering of, e.g., a portal server and/or a portlet application. However, in multi-tenant systems, for example, the same server and in some cases the same portal applications may be shared between several tenants. Within this context, the portlet application's usage continues to require usage metering information for input to the tenant's remuneration determination. Therefore, the usage metering information needs to be associated with the corresponding tenant. There are several methods for associating usage metering data with a corresponding tenant. Some of these methods include authentication-based mapping, general HTTP or SOAP request parameter-based mapping, and application separation. However, these approaches have various disadvantages. For example, authentication-based mapping assumes access to a common authentication database. However, in many cases the authentication may be done by a third party component without access to the common authorization database. Thus, with this scenario, the third party component cannot perform the authentication-based mapping. Furthermore, the addition of HTTP or SOAP request parameters has the drawback of requiring changes in the Web Service stack or application level code changes. Additionally, application separation prevents application/middleware sharing and, thus, limits the multi-tenancy options. SUMMARY In a first aspect of the invention, a method is implemented in a computer infrastructure having computer executable code tangibly embodied on a computer readable medium. The computer executable code tangibly embodied on a computer readable medium is operable to associate each of a plurality of tenants with a respective virtual portal and individually meter virtual portal usage at each respective virtual portal. Additionally, the computer executable code is operable to determine a fee amount for the each of the plurality of tenants based on the individually metered virtual portal usage. In another aspect of the invention, a system comprises a virtual portal creation tool configured to create a distinct virtual portal associated with each individual tenant. Furthermore, the system comprises a hosting security tool configured to allow a user of an individual tenant to access the individual tenant's distinct virtual portal. Additionally, the system comprises a logging/metering tool configured to perform a metering of usage of the individual tenant's distinct virtual portal. Further, the logging/metering tool is configured to determine a remuneration amount for the individual tenant based on the metering. In an additional aspect of the invention, a computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having readable program code embodied in the medium is provided. The computer program product includes at least one component operable to associate each of a plurality of tenants with one of a corresponding plurality of virtual portals and individually meter virtual portal usage at each of the plurality of virtual portals. Additionally, the at least one component is operable to determine a remuneration amount for the each of the plurality of tenants based on the individually metered virtual portal usage.

11291532

TECHNICAL FIELD The disclosure relates generally to the field of dental computer-aided design (CAD), and specifically to dental CAD automation using deep learning. BACKGROUND Recently, CAD/CAM dentistry (Computer-Aided Design and Computer-Aided Manufacturing in dentistry) has provided a broad range of dental restorations, including crowns, veneers, inlays and onlays, fixed bridges, dental implant restorations, and orthodontic appliances. In a typical CAD/CAM based dental procedure, a treating dentist can prepare the tooth being restored either as a crown, inlay, onlay or veneer. The prepared tooth and its surroundings are then scanned by a three dimensional (3D) imaging camera and uploaded to a computer for design. Alternatively, a dentist can obtain an impression of the tooth to be restored and the impression may be scanned directly, or formed into a model to be scanned, and uploaded to a computer for design. Current dental CAD still relies heavily on manual labor. Minimizing the amount of manual labor involved in the CAD of those restorations is of high interest. The ultimate goal is to provide a fully-automatic solution capable of delivering acceptable designs without any human interference. In order to build such a highly autonomous dental CAD system, a high level of expertise needs to be integrated into the software. One way to do this is to develop a comprehensive set of rules that would include all the nuances known to the experienced dental professionals and formulating it in a way machines can understand. However, each dental restoration is unique and certain decisions that are made by dental technicians are very hard to define rigorously. Therefore, this is a very tedious task, and obviously feasible only when this set of rules can be provided. A different approach which recently gained popularity in the machine learning (ML) community is based on an idea to build a system which is capable of learning from a large number of examples without explicit formulation of the rules. This method is commonly referred to as deep learning (DL), which is used with certain amount of success in speech recognition (e.g., Siri), computer vision (e.g., Google+), automatic offering (e.g., Amazon) to name a few. With the availability of large amounts of data and increased computational power, problems that seemed intractable just a couple years ago are now addressable. DL allows very large deep neural networks (DNNs) to be trained using massive amounts of data. SUMMARY Disclosed is a computer-implemented method for recognizing dental information. The method includes training, using a plurality of dentition training data sets, a deep neural network to map one or more dental features in at least one portion of each dentition training data set from the plurality of dentition training data sets to one or more highest probability values of a probability vector. Each training data set can be a set of real dentition data derived from scanning a 3D model of a patient's dentition or from a direct intraoral scan of the patient's teeth. Embodiments of the method further include: receiving a patient's scan data representing at least one portion of the patient's dentition data set; and identifying, using the trained deep neural network, one or more dental features in the patient's scan data based on one or more output probability values of the deep neural network. The deep neural network is also trained to map locations of the one or more dental features in the at least one portion of each dentition training data set to a highest location probability value of a location probability vector. Embodiments of the method further include determining locations of the identified one or more dental features in the patient's scan data based on output probability values. The location of an identified dental feature can be the location of a prepared tooth that is ready to receive a crown. Embodiments of the method further include generating a contour of a crown for the prepared tooth based on the identified one or more dental features and the locations of the identified one or more dental features in the patient's scan data. Also disclosed is a computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium having computer program logic recorded thereon for enabling a processor-based system to recognize dental information and to design a dental restoration from the recognized dental information. The computer program product includes: a first program logic module for enabling the processor-based system to train a deep neural network to map one or more dental features in at least one portion of each dentition training data set from the plurality of dentition training data sets to one or more highest probability values of a probability vector; a second program logic module for enabling the processor-based system to receive a patient's scan data representing at least one portion of the patient's dentition data set; and a third program logic module for enabling the processor-based system to identify one or more dental features in the patient's scan data based on one or more output probability values of the deep neural network. Also disclosed is a system for fabricating a dental restoration from a patient's dentition data. The system includes a dental restoration client, a 3D modeling module, and a 3D module fabricator. The dental restoration client is configured to receive, from a user interface, an input indicating a selection of a dental restoration type to be fabricated. An example of a dental restoration type is a crown. The 3D modeling module can be on the same machine as the dental restoration client. Alternatively, the 3D modeling module can be on a local network or can be remotely located on a remote server. The 3D modeling module is configured to receive a dentition data set of a patient, which can be generated by scanning a 3D impression or model of the patient's teeth. The 3D modeling module is also configured to select a deep neural network pre-trained by a group of dentition training data sets designed for a restoration model that matches the selected dental restoration type. For example, if the selected dental restoration type is a crown, then a deep neural network that is pretrained by a group of dentition training data sets specifically designed for mapping crowns is selected. The 3D modeling can then use the patient's dentition data set as an input to the selected pre-trained deep neural network. The 3D modeling can then generate an output restoration model using the selected pre-trained deep neural network based on the patient's dentition data. Finally, the 3D fabricator is configured to fabricate a 3D model of the selected dental restoration type using the output restoration model generated by the 3D modeling module. The 3D fabricator can be a milling machine or a 3D printer. One or more of the system components/modules (e.g., the dental restoration client, the 3D modeling module, and the 3D module fabricator) can reside on the same local network or can be remotely located from each other. Also disclosed is a computer-implemented method for recognizing dental information associated with a digital dental model of dentition. Embodiments of the method include training, by one or more computing devices, implemented by one or more processors of a system to map a plurality of training scan models representing at least a portion of each one of a plurality of patients' dentitions to a probability vector. The probability vector includes probability of the at least a portion of the dentition belonging to each one of a set of multiple categories. The deep neural network is trained so that the category of the at least a portion of the dentition represented by the training dental models corresponds to the highest probability in the probability vector. Embodiments of the method also include receiving a dental model representing at least a portion of a patient's dentition. Embodiments of the method further include recognizing dental information associated with the dental model of the at least a portion of the patient's dentition by applying the trained deep neural network to determine a category of the at least a portion of the patient's dentition represented by the received dental model. The category of dentition or dental feature can include a lower jaw, an upper jaw, a prepared jaw, an opposing jaw, a set of tooth numbers, and dental restoration types. The restoration types can include crowns, inlays, bridges, and implants. Embodiments of the method further include preprocessing, by one or more computing devices, the training data set(or training data set) representing at least a portion of each one of a plurality of patients' dentitions by generating depth maps from the training three dimensional (3D) scan data. The depth map can be generated by converting 3D coordinates of each point of the 3D scan data into a distance value from a given plane to each of the point. The depth map can also be generated as a bitmap image and for each pixel of the image the depth is encoded. Embodiments of the method further include segmenting, by one or more computing devices, each of the training dental models into different portions of each patient's dentition that represents different categories. Embodiments of the method further include segmenting, by one or more computing devices, the dental model into different portions of the patient's dentition that represents different categories prior to recognizing the dental information associated with the dental model. Also disclosed is a computer-implemented method for recognizing dental information from scan data of dentition. The method includes training, by one or more computing devices, a deep neural network implemented by one or more processors of a system to map training data set representing at least a portion of each one of a plurality of patients' dentitions to a probability vector. The probability vector can include a probability of each dental feature being present in the at least a portion of the dentition. The disclosed method can train deep neural network to detect a certain dental feature being present in the at least a portion of the dentition based on the highest probability in the probability vector. Embodiments of the method also include: training, by one or more computing devices, the deep neural network implemented by one or more processors of a system to determine a location of the certain dental feature being present in the at least a portion of the dentition; and receiving, by one or more computing devices, scan data representing at least a portion of a patient's dentition. Embodiments of the method further include detecting whether a dental feature is present in the at least a portion of the patient's dentition data set using the trained deep neural network. A dental feature can be an aspect or a feature of tooth surface anatomy that includes, but not limited to, buccal and lingual cusps, distobucall and mesiobuccal inclines, distal and mesial cusp ridges, distolingual and mesiolingual inclines, an occlusal surface, and buccal and lingual arcs. A dental feature can include one of a set of teeth with corresponding tooth numbers. A dental feature can include a dental preparation, and one of a lower jaw and an upper jaw. Further, a dental feature can include one of a prepared jaw and an opposing jaw. Still further, a dental feature can include one of a set of dental restorations with different types. Still further, a dental feature can include a margin line. Also disclosed are computer-implemented methods for recognizing dental information from scan data of a dentition. The method includes: training, by one or more computing devices, a deep neural network implemented by one or more processors of a system to detect a location of a dental feature present in the at least a portion of the dentition; receiving, by one or more computing devices, scan data representing at least a portion of a patient's dentition; and detecting, by one or more computing devices, whether the at least a portion of the dentition the dental feature is present by applying the trained deep neural network. Also disclosed are computer-implemented methods for performing qualitative evaluations of restoration designs. Embodiments of the method include training a deep neural network to detect identified types of restoration design defects. The deep neural network is trained so that, once a defect is found, the system will provide feedback to a restoration design module that an identified design aspect requires improvement. Embodiments of the method include deep neural networks that are trained to perform qualitative evaluations of restoration contour, restoration margin line fit, restoration fit relative to contact areas of adjacent teeth, and restoration fit relative to occlusal contacts with teeth of the opposing jaw. Embodiments of the method further include performing qualitative evaluations of restoration designs and using the output of the evaluation to assign a final evaluation grade that is used by the system to determine a further processing option for the restoration design. The features and advantages described in the specification are not all inclusive and, in particular, many additional features and advantages will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art in view of the drawings, specification, and claims. Moreover, it should be noted that the language used in the specification has been principally selected for readability and instructional purposes, and may not have been selected to delineate or circumscribe the disclosed subject matter.

11445176

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to video coding incorporating Reference Picture Resampling (RPR) coding tool. In particular, the present invention relates to constraining RPR parameters to alleviate the worst-case memory bandwidth. BACKGROUND AND RELATED ART The High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) standard has been developed under the joint video project of the ITU-T Video Coding Experts Group (VCEG) and the ISO/IEC Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) standardization organizations, and is especially with partnership known as the Joint Collaborative Team on Video Coding (JCT-VC). The emerging video coding standard development, named Versatile Video Coding (VVC), has taken place in recent year as a next generation video coding beyond HEVC. VVC supports Reference Picture Resampling (RPR) as a tool for adaptive streaming services to support on-the-fly upsampling and downsampling motion compensation. Techniques related to adaptive streaming services are reviewed as follows. Reference Picture Resampling (RPR) During the development of VVC, according to “Requirements for a Future Video Coding Standard”, “the standard shall support fast representation switching in the case of adaptive streaming services that offer multiple representations of the same content, each having different properties (e.g. spatial resolution or sample bit-depth).” In real-time video communication, allowing resolution change within a coded video sequence without inserting an I picture can not only adapt the video data to dynamic channel conditions or user preference seamlessly, but also remove the beating effect caused by I pictures. A hypothetical example of Adaptive Resolution Change (ARC) with Reference Picture Resampling (RPR) is shown inFIG. 1, where the current picture (110) is predicted from reference pictures (Ref0120and Ref1130) of different sizes. As shown inFIG. 1, reference picture Ref0(120) has lower resolution than the current picture (110). In order to use reference picture Ref0as a reference, Ref0has to be up-scaled to the same resolution as the current picture. Reference picture Ref1(130) has higher resolution than the current picture (110). In order to use reference picture Ref1as a reference, Ref1has to be down-scaled to the same resolution as the current picture. To support the spatial scalability, the picture size of the reference picture can be different from the current picture, which is useful for streaming applications. Methods for supporting Reference Picture Resampling (RPR), which is also referred as Adaptive Resolution Change (ARC), has been studied for inclusion into VVC specification. At the 14th WET meeting in Geneva, several contributions on RPR were submitted for discussion during the meeting. When RPR is used, a picture size ratio is derived from the reference picture width and height and the current picture width and height. The picture size ratio is constrained to be within a range of [⅛ to 2]. In other words, the picture size ratio is between ⅛ and 2 inclusive. The picture width/height in luma samples can be signaled in the bitstream, such as PPS, and the semantics are shown as follow. pic_width_in_luma_samples specifies the width of each decoded picture referring to the PPS in units of luma samples. pic_width_in_luma_samples shall not be equal to 0, shall be an integer multiple of Max(8, MinCbSizeY), and shall be less than or equal to pic_width_in_luma_samples. When subpics_present_flag is equal to 1 or ref_pic_resampling_enabled_flag equal to 0, the value of pic_width_in_luma_samples shall be equal to pic_width_in_luma_samples. pic_height_in_luma_samples specifies the height of each decoded picture referring to the PPS in units of luma samples. pic_height_in_luma_samples shall not be equal to 0 and shall be an integer multiple of Max(8, MinCbSizeY), and shall be less than or equal to pic_height_max_in_luma_samples. When subpics_present_flag is equal to 1 or ref_pic_resampling_enabled_flag equal to 0, the value of pic_height_in_luma_samples shall be equal to pic_height_max_in_luma_samples. When the picture size of the current picture and reference pictures are specified, the following constraint shall be satisfied. This constraint limits the picture size ratio of the reference picture to the current picture to be within the range of [⅛, 2]. Let refPicWidthInLumaSamples and refPicHeightInLumaSamples be the pic_width_in_luma_samples and pic_height_in_luma_samples, respectively, of a reference picture of a current picture referring to this PPS. It is a requirement of bitstream conformance that all of the following conditions are satisfied:pic_width_in_luma_samples*2 shall be greater than or equal to refPicWidthInLumaSamples.pic_height_in_luma_samples*2 shall be greater than or equal to refPicHeightInLumaSamples.pic_width_in_luma_samples shall be less than or equal to refPicWidthInLumaSamples*8.pic_height_in_luma_samples shall be less than or equal to refPicHeightInLumaSamples*8. In VVC, a scaling ratio and scaling offsets for RPR are derived from the syntax information signaled in PPS. The PPS syntaxes are shown in the following table. TABLE 1Picture parameter set RBSP syntax forscaling ratio and scaling offsetsDescriptorpic_parameter_set_rbsp( ) {pps_pic_parameter_set_idue(v)pps_seq_parameter_set_idu(4)pic_width_in_luma_samplesue(v)pic_height_in_luma_samplesue(v)conformance_window _flagu(1)if( conformance_window_flag ) {conf_win_left_offsetue(v)conf_win_right_offsetue(v)conf_win_top_offsetue(v)conf_win_bottom_offsetue(v)}scaling_window_flagu(1)if( scaling_window_flag ) {scaling_win_left_offsetue(v)scaling_win_right_offsetue(v)scaling_win_top_offsetue(v)scaling_win_bottom_offsetue(v)}... The semantic of the syntaxes are described as follows. scaling_window_flag equal to 1 specifies that the scaling window offset parameters are present in the PPS. scaling_window_flag equal to 0 specifies that the scaling window offset parameters are not present in the PPS. When ref_pic_resampling_enabled_flag is equal to 0, the value of scaling_window_flag shall be equal to 0. scaling_win_left_offset, scaling_win_right_offset, scaling_win_top_offset, and scaling_win_bottom_offset specify the offsets, in units of luma samples, that are applied to the picture size for scaling ratio calculation. When scaling_window_flag is equal to 0, the values of scaling_win_left_offset, scaling_win_right_offset, scaling_win_top_offset, and scaling_win_bottom_offset are inferred to be equal to 0. The value of scaling_win_left_offset+scaling_win_right_offset shall be less than pic_width_in_luma_samples, and the value of scaling_win_top_offset+scaling_win_bottom_offset shall be less than pic_height_in_luma_samples. The variables PicOutputWidthL and PicOutputHeightL are derived as follows: PicOutputWidthL=pic_width_in_luma_samples−(scaling_win_right_offset+scaling_win_left_offset). PicOutputHeightL=pic_height_in_luma_samples−(scaling_win_bottom_offset+scaling_win_top_offset). fRefWidth is set equal to PicOutputWidthL of the reference picture RefPicList[i][j] in luma samples and fRefHeight is set equal to PicOutputHeightL of the reference picture RefPicList[i][j] in luma samples. RefPicScale[i][j][0]=((fRefWidth<<14)+(PicOutputWidthL>>1))/PicOutputWidthL RefPicScale[i][j][1]=((fRefHeight<<14)+(PicOutputHeightL>>1))/PicOutputHeightL. RefPicIsScaled[i][j]=(RefPicScale[i][j][0] !=(1<<14))∥(RefPicScale[i][j][1] !=(1<<14)). While RPR adds flexibility to the coded video bitstream, the motion compensation associated with the scaling of RPR causes increase in computation complexity as well as memory bandwidth. In order to alleviate the worst case memory bandwidth, the present invention discloses methods and apparatus to constrain the parameters related to RPR. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Method and apparatus of coding a video sequence to alleviate a worst case memory bandwidth increase associated with motion compensation, are disclosed, wherein a Reference Picture Resampling (RPR) mode is supported. According to the method, a bitstream corresponding to encoded data of the video sequence is generated at an encoder side or received at a decoder side, wherein the bitstream comprises one or more syntaxes related to the RPR mode when the RPR mode is enabled, and scaling information for the RPR mode is derived using first information comprising said one or more syntaxes, and wherein said one or more syntaxes are constrained by taking into account a value corresponding to Max(8, (minimum coding block size for a luma component)). A target picture of the video sequence is encoded, at the encoder side, or decoded at the decoder side, utilizing the scaling information when the RPR mode is enabled for the target picture. In one embodiment, the minimum coding block size for the luma component is indicated by syntax MinCbSizeY. In one embodiment, the syntaxes comprise a first syntax corresponding to current picture width in luma samples and a second syntax corresponding to maximum picture width in the luma samples. In one embodiment, the syntaxes are constrained to cause ((the current picture width−Max(8, MinCbSizeY))*scaling window width of reference picture in the luma samples) to be smaller than or equal to (the maximum picture width*scaling window width of the current picture). In one embodiment, the syntaxes comprise a first syntax corresponding to current picture height in luma samples and a second syntax corresponding to maximum picture height in the luma samples. In one embodiment, the syntaxes are constrained to cause ((the current picture height−Max(8, MinCbSizeY))*scaling window height of reference picture in the luma samples) to be smaller than or equal to (the maximum picture height*scaling window height of the current picture). In one embodiment, the bitstream complies with a bitstream conformance requirement that said one or more syntaxes are constrained by disregarding the interpolation filter for the motion compensation, and said one or more syntaxes are constrained by taking into account the value corresponding to Max(8, (the minimum coding block size for the luma component)). In one embodiment, the bitstream complies with a bitstream conformance requirement that (the maximum picture width*scaling window width of the current picture) to be greater than or equal to ((the current picture width−Max(8, MinCbSizeY))*scaling window width of reference picture in the luma samples). In one embodiment, the bitstream complies with a bitstream conformance requirement that (the maximum picture height*scaling window height of the current picture) to be greater than or equal to ((the current picture height−Max(8, MinCbSizeY))*scaling window height of reference picture in the luma samples).

11378495

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to detection methods, systems, and devices, and more particularly to methods, systems, and devices that temporarily increase the concentration of target agents, for example particles, in proximity to a sensor thereby improving agent detection and identification. 2. Description of Related Art Conventional sensing technologies capable of detecting chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear agents are limited by range, volume, and environment. Agencies within the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Homeland Security, such as Edgewood Chemical Biological Center, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, U.S. Coast Guard, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, rely on sensors to protect people, animals, and food products from contamination and to impede drug trafficking and smuggling of banned items. In many cases, sensors are used for early detection of possible chemical/biological agents, providing early warning of these threats. However, as good as conventional sensor technology has become, there are still significant limitations that hinder security and military operations. For example, ion and mass spectrometry separates ions based on their mobility and mass-to-charge ratio and can detect trace amounts of fentanyl wiped off a surface. Colorimetric sensor arrays change color when exposed to chemical aerosols, and microcantilever devices produce a measurable deflection due to the gas causing a chemical reaction, surface stress, or resonant frequency change. For liquids, methods such as fluorescence quenching for explosive detection and microfluidics for medical diagnosis have shown much promise. Despite these advances, a universal challenge remains—these sensors are proximity limited. They must be placed close to the target chemical or the chemical must be placed directly on the sensor, and detection is only possible if the chemical is present in sufficient concentrations. This is a significant limitation of current sensing technology because the location and/or presence of target chemicals is often unknown, such as in the detection of narcotics at an airport or explosives in the field. Moreover, a more advanced challenge is the detection of contaminants underwater, an application that would be useful for port and harbor security, pipeline management, and securing public drinking water. However, contaminants (such as chlorine and salt) present in liquids (i.e., drinking water and seawater) cause existing underwater sensors to degrade over time, requiring the sensor to be replaced or recalibrated. With these challenges still outstanding, is thus an intention of the present invention to take significant innovative steps toward countering traditional limitations associated with sensors used for chemical detection. A biomimetic nose capable of detecting trace amounts of agents both in air and in liquids and at distances greater than currently possible is an object of the present invention. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention includes methods, systems, and devices that provide enhanced chemical detection and characterization. It employs machine learning algorithms to continually improve agent characterization and also mimics animal sniffing. Although conventional detection methods (e.g., long inhales or exposure to stagnant air) face limitations regarding sample proximity and sensing time, the present invention fills this gap. In another exemplary embodiment, an attachment (end effector) allows for enhanced chemical detection underwater. Higher quality sensors can enhance machine olfaction. The present invention is a valuable, versatile tool for CBRN threat detection in air and underwater with applications ranging from military use (such as maritime and active combat operations) to critical infrastructure protection to general environmental monitoring. Briefly described, in an exemplary form, the present invention is a device that takes advantage of the unique fluid dynamics involved when oscillating flow across a sensor or sensor array. The way in which a gas is moved across the sensors provides a new time-variant source of information about an agent(s) of interest in the gas, in many circumstances, air. This new source of information can be used in machine learning algorithms to speed up the time and accuracy of agent classification and identification. This innovative feature does not rely on the sensor being completely reset between measurements, which allows for the possibility of continuous air monitoring. Such continuous monitoring can be used to identify when an environment has deviated from a prior steady-state level such as is the case when an unwanted agent enters the environment. In exemplary embodiments, the agent(s) are chemicals and the gas sensored is air. An attachment (end effector) to the device can be used to identify agents of interest in liquids with air monitoring sensors. The level of separation between the sensors and the liquid reduces the chance of biofouling. To provide a large enough sample volume of air, a bubble must be pushed into the liquid and then sucked back across the sensors. Therefore, the bubble must be stable in the liquid—not pinch off from the end effector. A good application of this is in the collection of bacteria or other types of airborne biomass. Such airborne “particles” are able to be detected by microfluidic devices which need the bacteria to be suspended in a liquid. In such a case it is important to get the bacteria from the air onto a surface which can then be scrubbed off into a liquid for sensing once enough concentration has accumulated on the surface. The unique shape of the present invention's end effector (based off the star nose mole) can secure the bubble in place while keeping the maximum amount of surface area exposed to the liquid. The present invention preferably works with many types of sensor, not just metal oxide Figaro TGS 2610 chemical sensors used in in exemplary discussions of the invention. In yet another exemplary embodiment, the technology of the present invention is used for the collection of (small) particles onto a substrate on the channel/tube wall. The same physical principles apply, but instead of there being an odor/chemical in the air (medium) that has to react on one or more sensors, the (small) particles “land” on a sensor more aptly called a “collector” in this embodiment. The size range for particles that this works best is approximately 10 micrometers or less in diameter. Such small particles are light enough that they follow the air's flow profile in a very similar way that odor molecules do (after all, chemicals have mass albeit a very small amount). During the transition from inhalation to exhalation, the small particles in the air slow down and have time to diffuse onto a given section of the wall or collector located on the wall. Then when the air is moved again, the particles farther downstream get brought into the collection region and the process repeats. The small odor/chemical molecules reach the sensor surface by following the flow and through diffusion. In such embodiments, the invention doesn't focus on sensing what the small particles in the air are (odor, chemicals, etc.), but focuses on collecting those particles on a specific surface (in chemical sensing that surface is a sensor). In this application, the present invention is a system comprising a port in fluid communication with a medium containing an agent, a station in fluid communication with the port, and a medium oscillation source to impart an oscillating flow of the medium through the station, wherein the station comprises a collection station for the collection of an amount of the agent over cycles of oscillation. In another exemplary embodiment, the present invention is an agent detection method comprising subjecting a sensor to oscillating flow of a medium containing an agent of interest, establishing a time-variant characteristic associated with the agent of interest from information received from the sensor, and detecting the agent of interest from evaluation of the time-variant characteristic. The sensor can comprise a single sensor, multiple sensors, and/or an array of sensors. The medium can be a gas or a liquid. The agent of interest can be a chemical, or more than one chemical. The method can further comprise employing one or more machine learning algorithms. The machine learning algorithm can be used to improve the speed of establishing the time-variant characteristic, and/or to improve the speed of detecting the agent of interest, and/or to improve the consistency of the oscillating flow. The method can further comprise continuously subjecting, establishing and detecting for a predetermined time period without sensor reset during the predetermined time period. The method can operate in a liquid, the method further comprises creating, in the liquid, a bubble of gas containing the agent of interest, and then subjecting the sensor to the oscillating flow of the gas in the bubble, wherein the bubble is stable in proximity to the sensor for a time sufficient to complete the step of subjecting the sensor to the oscillating flow. In another exemplary embodiment, the present invention is a system for agent detection comprising a port in fluid communication with a medium containing an agent of interest, a sensor station in fluid communication with the port, a medium oscillation source to impart an oscillating flow of the medium through the sensor station, and a processor for establishing a time-variant characteristic associated with the agent of interest from information received from the sensor station, and detecting the agent of interest from evaluation of the time-variant characteristic. The sensor station can comprise a single sensor, multiple sensors, and/or an array of sensors. The medium can be selected from the group consisting of a gas and a liquid. The agent of interest can be a chemical, or more than one chemical. The processor can further employ one or more machine learning algorithms. The present invention can be used in hospitals, which need to monitor if the air has changed to have something harmful in it. And in hydroponic greenhouses that need to know if something has happened to the interior air quality if something such as the door was left open and extraneous aerosols drifted in. These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading the following specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures.

11279516

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention is related to the field of articles for the transport of goods and, in particular, relates to a pallet having impact-resistant columns, wherein its columns are configured for the distribution of impact forces produced mainly by the forks of the forklifts, at the same time that their internal structure is deformed and compacted upon receiving impacts, so that the pallet is still functional although its columns have been permanently deformed and/or partially fractured. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Wood pallets have long been used to transport goods, particularly in the transport and packaging industries. Currently, the demand for plastic pallets has increased, since particular qualities of the material are exploited, especially that they are more resistant, hygienic, and generate less waste and environmental impact. Commercially, plastic pallets used for the storage and transport of various merchandise are lighter and more durable than wooden pallets. They have columns to provide greater support to the load placed, and entries between the columns to receive the forks or tines of a forklift, which can often impact the columns of the pallet generating damage and wear. It is desirable to reduce the impact caused by the forks during pallet manoeuvres, so that the damage caused to them is minimal and that the life of the pallet is prolonged. In the state of the art, two-piece pallets are known, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,874,428 B2, which have an upper and lower member, both with a plurality of ribs that confer strength and durability, but so far do not have a system that dampens the impact caused by the forks. On the other hand, there are pallets such as the one described in the US Patent Application No. US 2012/0325125 A1, which has two main pieces and several support members, where the upper deck has a plurality of ribs that form the upper portion of the columns, which in turn are hollow and do not have a mechanism that dampens the impact by forklift forks. Additionally, there are pallets such as those described in US Patent Application No. US 2008/0236903, which contemplate the injection of plastic foam with the aim of increasing the strength of the columns and making them more resistant to impact. However, there is no pallet that has a special structure that acts in conjunction with a plastic foam to absorb the impact generated. A problem that also occurs when using conventional plastic pallets, is when any of its columns is deformed and/or partially fractured by the impact of the fork of a forklift, which dramatically decreases its load capacity, to the point of making the pallet unusable most of the time. Therefore, there is a need for a plastic pallet that meets the aforementioned characteristics and that solves the technical problem of dampening the frequent impacts of forklift forks on the columns of the plastic pallet. Likewise, it is desirable to have a pallet that remains functional, despite having deformation and/or fracture in its columns. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an objective of the present invention to provide a pallet having impact-resistant columns, having a configuration for distributing the energy produced by an impact. Another objective of the present invention is to provide a pallet having impact-resistant columns, comprising a top deck, bottom deck, and optionally portions of plastic foam. Another objective of the present invention is to provide a pallet having impact-resistant columns, which can be used more than once to transport goods. Another objective of the present invention is to provide a pallet having impact-resistant columns, designed to reduce the effects of torque and flexion during use. Another objective of the present invention is to provide a pallet having impact-resistant columns, designed to reduce the weight thereof. A further objective of the present invention is to provide a pallet having impact-resistant columns, which remains functional, despite showing deformation and/or fracture in its columns,

11266669

BACKGROUND Cancer is characterized by cell proliferation without normal regulation by external signals, and the potential to invade and metastasize to other tissues. For many years chemotherapy has been a mainstay of treatment for various types of cancer. Conventional chemotherapy works essentially by poisoning rapidly dividing cells. As such, it has relatively low selectivity for cancer cells per se, resulting in the familiar side effects of hair loss, diarrhea and other forms of gastrointestinal upset, and marrow suppression. Such off-target side effects frequently become dose-limiting, and typically impose a constraint on treatment efficacy. For example, doxorubicin, also known as hydroxydaunorubicin, is a drug used in cancer chemotherapy. It is an anthracycline antibiotic, closely related to the natural product daunomycin. Like all anthracyclines, it works by intercalating DNA, with the most serious adverse effect being life-threatening heart damage. Doxorubicin is commonly used in the treatment of a wide range of cancers, including hematological malignancies, many types of carcinoma, and soft tissue sarcomas. Anticancer therapy would be greatly improved if it were selectively targeted to cancer cells. Many approaches have been proposed and developed with the goal of achieving selective targeting of cancer treatment agents. For example, cytotoxic agents have been linked to monoclonal antibodies and antigen-specific fragments thereof which are capable of binding specifically to certain tumor antigens. The effect of folate-targeted liposomal doxorubicin (FTL-Dox) has been well characterized in folate receptor (FR)-overexpressing tumors in vitro, particularly in KB human carcinoma cells. Riviere et al.J Drug Targeting19(1):14-24 (2011) investigated the antitumor activity of FTL-Dox injected intravenously into mice bearing KB tumors. Mice were administered a single intravenous injection of free Dox, nontargeted PEGylated liposomal Dox (PL-Dox), or FTL-Dox. FTLs and PLs accumulated similarly in tumor tissue, despite the faster clearance of FTLs from circulation. Mice treated with FTL-Dox (20 mg/kg) displayed greater inhibition of tumor growth, and almost a 50 percent increase in life span, compared to mice receiving PL-Dox (20 mg/kg). Riviere et al. concluded that while FTLs administered systemically have the potential to enhance the delivery of anticancer drugs in vivo, their removal by FR-expressing normal tissues may have to be blocked if the benefits of tumor targeting are to be realized. Membrane-bound proteases have recently emerged as critical mediators of tumorigenesis, angiogenesis, and metastasis. Fibroblast activation protein alpha (FAPα, or simply FAP; EC 3.4.21.-), also known as seprase or 170 kDa melanoma membrane-bound gelatinase, is a homodimeric integral membrane protein belonging to the serine protease family. Scanlan et al. (1994)Proc Natl Acad Sci USA91:5657-61; and WO 97/34927 (incorporated by reference). Normal adult tissues generally do not express detectable amounts of FAP. In contrast, FAP is expressed in reactive stromal fibroblasts of epithelial cancers, granulation tissue of healing wounds, and malignant cells of bone and soft tissue sarcomas. FAP is thought to be involved in the control of fibroblast growth or epithelial-mesenchymal interactions during development, tissue repair, and epithelial carcinogenesis. Significantly, most common types of epithelial cancers, including more than 90 percent of breast, non-small cell lung, and colorectal carcinomas, contain FAP-expressing stromal fibroblasts. Scanlan et al.Proc Natl Acad Sci USA91:5657-61 (1994). Because in adults its expression is restricted to pathologic sites, including cancer, fibrosis, arthritis, wounding, and inflammation, FAP can provide target specificity to therapeutic agents. U.S. Pat. No. 6,613,879 (incorporated by reference) to Firestone et al. discloses a prodrug that is capable of being converted into a cytotoxic or cytostatic drug by catalytic action of human FAP. The prodrug includes a cleavage site which is recognized by FAP. PCT Publication WO 2013/033396 (incorporated by reference) discloses a FAP-activated prodrug of a proteasome inhibitor, wherein the proteasome inhibitor is linked to a FAP substrate, such that when the proteasome inhibitor is released from the prodrug as a result of cleavage by FAP, the proteasome inhibitor inhibits the proteolytic activity of a proteasome with a Ki of 500 nM or less. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One aspect of the invention is a prodrug of an anthracycline or anthracycline derivative which is selectively cleaved and activated by fibroblast activating protein (FAP). In certain embodiments, the invention provides prodrugs of doxorubicin which are selectively cleaved and activated by FAP. In certain embodiments, the invention provides prodrugs of anthracyclines (such as doxorubicin) which are selectively cleaved and activated by FAP relative to (i.e., but not by) prolyl endopeptidase EC 3.4.21.26 (PREP). In certain embodiments, the invention provides a prodrug for fibroblast activation protein (FAP)-dependent release of an active drug agent, comprising an FAP substrate covalently linked to a drug agent via a bond or a self-immolative linker. Upon cleavage by FAP of the FAP substrate, the drug agent is released in its active form or in a form that is readily metabolized to its active form. The prodrug has less than 50% of the therapeutic activity of the active form of the drug agent, and more preferably less than 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95%, or even 98%. The FAP substrate has a kcat/Kmfor cleavage by FAP at least 10-fold greater than for cleavage by prolyl endopeptidase (EC 3.4.21.26; PREP), and even more preferably at least 100-fold, 1000-fold, 5000-fold, or even 10,000-fold greater kcat/Km. In certain embodiments, the prodrug may be further characterized by one or more of the following features:the prodrug has a therapeutic index that is at least 2 times greater than the therapeutic index of the agent, and more preferably at least 5, 10, 50, 100, 250, 500, 1000, 5000, or even 10,000 times greater;a larger percentage of the active drug agent is localized in the target tissue, i.e., the tissue expressing FAP, relative to the administration of the agent alone, when compared on an equivalent dose basis—i.e., the ratio of active drug agent localized to the target tissue relative to other tissue (such as blood, liver or heart) is at least 2 times greater for an equivalent dose of the prodrug relative to the agent alone, and preferably at least 5, 10, 100, or even 1000 times greater;the maximum tolerated dose of the prodrug is at least 2 times greater than the maximum tolerated dose of the agent alone, and even more preferably at least 5, 10, 100, or even 1000 times greater;the cell permeability of the prodrug is at least 50% less than the cell permeability of the agent, and even more preferably at least 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95%, 98%, 99%, or even 99.9% less; and/orthe circulating half-life of the prodrug is at least 25% longer than the circulating half-life of the agent alone, and even more preferably at least 50%, 75%, 100%, 150%, 200%, 500%, 750%, or even 1000% longer. In one embodiment, the prodrug is represented by the general formula or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein: R1represents (C1-C10)alkyl, (C1-C10)alkoxy (e.g., tert-butyloxy), (C1-C10)alkyl-C(O)—(C1-C10)alkyl, (C3-C8)cycloalkyl, (C3-C8)cycloalkyl(C1-C10)alkyl, aryl, aryl(C1-C10)alkyl, heteroaryl, or heteroaryl(C1-C10)alkyl, wherein any R1is optionally substituted with one or more substituents independently selected from the group consisting of halo, hydroxy, carboxylate, cyano, amino, nitro, and thio (—SH); or —C(═X)R1represents an N-terminally blocked alpha amino acid residue and X is O; R2represents H or a (C1-C6)alkyl; R3represents H or a (C1-C6)alkyl; R4is absent or represents one, two, or three substituents, each independently selected from the group consisting of (C1-C6)alkyl, —OH, —NH2, and halogen; X represents O or S; Cyt′, alone or in combination with -L-NH, represents an anthracycline or derivative thereof, less a hydrogen atom; and L represents a 4-8 member ring or a large hydrophobic group which is part of the anthracycline or derivative thereof and is recognized by FAP as a P′1residue; or L is a self-immolative linker which is metabolized after FAP cleavage to release Cyt′, wherein the prodrug is selectively converted in vivo to the anthracycline or derivative thereof by FAP+stromal cells. Without meaning to be bound to any particular theory or mechanism of action, the inventors believe the prodrugs disclosed herein are cleaved in situ by FAP to release anthracycline or related compounds, which then undergo spontaneous transformation into anthracycline or related compounds, thereby achieving targeted delivery to FAP-expressing cells of the anthracycline or anthracycline derivative. An aspect of the invention is a prodrug represented by Formula I or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein:R1represents (C1-C10)alkyl, (C1-C10)alkoxy (e.g., tert-butyloxy), (C1-C10)alkyl-C(O)—(C1-C10)alkyl, (C3-C8)cycloalkyl, (C3-C8)cycloalkyl(C1-C10)alkyl, aryl, aryl(C1-C10)alkyl, heteroaryl, or heteroaryl(C1-C10)alkyl, wherein any R1is optionally substituted with one or more substituents independently selected from the group consisting of halo, hydroxy, carboxylate, cyano, amino, nitro, and thio (—SH); or —C(X)R1represents an N-terminally blocked alpha amino acid residue, wherein X is O:R2represents H or a (C1-C6)alkyl;R3represents H or a (C1-C6)alkyl;R4is absent or represents a (C1-C6)alkyl, —OH, —NH2, or halogen;X represents O or S;L represents a bond, or —N(H)-L- represents a self-immolative linker; andCyt′ represents a radical of an anthracycline or derivative thereof. An aspect of the invention is a pharmaceutical composition, comprising a prodrug of the invention, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof; and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. An aspect of the invention is a method of treating a disorder characterized by fibroblast activation protein (FAP) upregulation, comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a prodrug of the invention, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. In an embodiment, the disorder characterized by FAP upregulation is selected from the group consisting of cancer (e.g., solid tumors), fibrosis, and inflammation. An aspect of the invention is a method of treating cancer, comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a prodrug of the invention, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

11398435

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is the U.S. national phase of PCT Application No. PCT/CN2019/128539 filed on Dec. 26, 2019, which claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 201910004229.5 filed on Jan. 3, 2019, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to the field of display technology, and in particular to a substrate, an alignment method and an alignment device. BACKGROUND In the production process of organic electroluminescent light emitting diode (OLED) display product, after a substrate motherboard is cut into a plurality of substrates, it is necessary to perform electrical detection on the substrate by using an electrical detection device. When performing electrical detection, the substrate is aligned with an alignment substrate by aligning an alignment mark on the alignment substrate with an alignment mark in a wiring area of the substrate, so that pins on the alignment substrate and the pins in the wiring area are automatically pressed together. However, in the manufacturing process of the substrate, the alignment mark in the wiring area of the substrate is often contaminated, which results in low accuracy of automatic pressing. SUMMARY In one aspect, one embodiment of the present disclosure provides a substrate including: an alignment mark and an auxiliary alignment mark. A shape of the auxiliary alignment mark is different from a shape of the substrate alignment mark. Further, the alignment mark is in a wiring area of the substrate; the alignment mark includes a first alignment mark and a second alignment mark, and the first alignment mark and the second alignment mark are axisymmetric with respect to a center line of the wiring area; and each of the first alignment mark and the second alignment mark is corresponding to at least one auxiliary alignment mark. Further, positional relationship between each of the first alignment mark and the second alignment mark and the at least one auxiliary alignment mark corresponding to the each of the first alignment mark and the second alignment mark, is fixed. Further, a distance between each of the first alignment mark and the second alignment mark and the at least one auxiliary alignment mark corresponding to the each of the first alignment mark and the second alignment mark, is fixed. One embodiment of the present disclosure provides an alignment method for aligning the above substrate with a fixed alignment substrate, the alignment method includes: capturing alignment marks of the alignment substrate by an image acquisition device and establishing a coordinate system on a plane where at least two alignment marks of the alignment substrate are located; capturing the alignment mark and/or the auxiliary alignment mark of the substrate by the image acquisition device and determining coordinates of the alignment mark of the substrate in the coordinate system; aligning the substrate with the alignment substrate according to the coordinates. Further, the alignment substrate employs the above substrate, and the alignment substrate further includes an auxiliary alignment mark having a shape different from a shape of the alignment marks of the alignment substrate; the capturing alignment marks of the alignment substrate by an image acquisition device, includes: capturing the alignment marks of the alignment substrate by the image acquisition device; when capturing fails, capturing the auxiliary alignment mark of the alignment substrate by the image acquisition device, and determining positions of the alignment marks of the alignment substrate according to positional relationship between the auxiliary alignment mark of the alignment substrate and the alignment marks of the alignment substrate. Further, the alignment substrate employs the above substrate, and the alignment substrate further includes an auxiliary alignment mark having a shape different from a shape of the alignment marks of the alignment substrate; the capturing alignment marks of the alignment substrate by an image acquisition device, includes: capturing at least two alignment marks of the alignment substrate by the image acquisition device; judging whether the captured at least two alignment marks of the alignment substrate meet a preset positional relationship between the at least two alignment marks of the alignment substrate; when the captured at least two alignment marks of the alignment substrate do not meet the preset positional relationship between the at least two alignment marks of the alignment substrate, judging that there is an error in capturing, capturing the auxiliary alignment mark of the alignment substrate by the image acquisition device, and determining positions of the alignment marks of the alignment substrate according to positional relationship between the auxiliary alignment mark of the alignment substrate and the alignment marks of the alignment substrate. Further, the capturing the alignment mark and/or the auxiliary alignment mark of the substrate by the image acquisition device and determining coordinates of the alignment mark of the substrate in the coordinate system, includes: capturing the alignment mark of the substrate by the image acquisition device; when capturing fails, capturing at least two of the auxiliary alignment mark of the substrate and other alignment marks of the substrate by the image acquisition device, and determining the coordinates of the alignment mark of the substrate in the coordinate system according to positional relationship between the alignment mark of the substrate and the at least two of the auxiliary alignment mark of the substrate and other alignment marks of the substrate. Further, the capturing the alignment mark and/or the auxiliary alignment mark of the substrate by the image acquisition device and determining coordinates of the alignment mark of the substrate in the coordinate system, includes: capturing at least two alignment marks of the substrate by the image acquisition device; judging whether the captured at least two alignment marks of the substrate meet a preset positional relationship between the at least two alignment marks of the substrate; when the captured at least two alignment marks of the substrate do not meet a preset positional relationship between the at least two alignment marks of the substrate, judging that there is an error in capturing, capturing the auxiliary alignment mark of the substrate by the image acquisition device, and determining the coordinates of the alignment mark of the substrate in the coordinate system according to positional relationship between the alignment mark of the substrate and at least two of the auxiliary alignment mark of the substrate and successfully captured alignment marks of the substrate. Further, the alignment mark of the substrate includes a first substrate alignment mark and a second substrate alignment mark, the first substrate alignment mark and the second substrate alignment mark are axisymmetric with respect to a center line of a wiring area of the substrate; the alignment mark of the alignment substrate includes a first alignment substrate alignment mark corresponding to the first substrate alignment mark, and a second alignment substrate alignment mark corresponding to the second substrate alignment mark; wherein the establishing a coordinate system on a plane where at least two alignment marks of the alignment substrate are located, includes: establishing the coordinate system on a plane where the first alignment substrate alignment mark and the second alignment substrate alignment mark are located, and calculating first coordinates of the first alignment substrate alignment mark in the coordinate system and second coordinates of the second alignment substrate alignment mark in the coordinate system; wherein the determining coordinates of the alignment mark of the substrate in the coordinate system, includes: determining third coordinates of the first substrate alignment mark in the coordinate system and fourth coordinates of the second substrate alignment mark in the coordinate system; wherein the aligning the substrate with the alignment substrate according to coordinates, includes: aligning the substrate with the alignment substrate according to the first coordinates, the second coordinates, the third coordinates and the fourth coordinates. Further, the aligning the substrate with the alignment substrate according to the first coordinates, the second coordinates, the third coordinates and the fourth coordinates, includes: rotating the substrate so that (Y1−Y5)=(Y2−Y6); moving the substrate in a Y-axis direction by a distance of (Y1−Y5) so that (Y1−Y5)=(Y2−Y6)=0; moving the substrate in an X-axis direction by a distance of (X1+X2−X5−X6)/2; wherein, when a calculation result of (X1+X2−X5−X6)/2 is a positive value, the substrate is moved towards a positive direction of the X axis by a distance of an absolute value of (X1+X2−X5−X6)/2; when the calculation result of (X1+X2−X5−X6)/2 is a negative value, the substrate is moved towards a negative direction of the X axis by a distance of an absolute value of (X1+X2−X5−X6)/2; wherein the first coordinates are (X5, Y5), the second coordinates are (X6, Y6), the third coordinates are (X1, Y1), and the fourth coordinates are (X2, Y2). One embodiment of the present disclosure provides an alignment device for performing the above alignment method, the alignment device includes: a processor configured to capture alignment marks of an alignment substrate by an image acquisition device and establish a coordinate system on a plane where at least two alignment marks of the alignment substrate are located; a calculator configured to capture an alignment mark and/or an auxiliary alignment mark of a substrate by the image acquisition device, and determine coordinates of the alignment mark of the substrate in the coordinate system; an aligner configured to align the substrate with the alignment substrate according to the coordinates. One embodiment of the present disclosure provides an alignment device including: a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored on the memory and executable on the processor; wherein the computer program is executed by the processor to implement steps of the above alignment method. One embodiment of the present disclosure provides a computer readable storage medium including a computer program stored thereon; wherein the computer program is executed by a processor to implement steps of the above alignment method.

11538737

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION Korean Patent Application No. 10-2020-0000864, filed on Jan. 3, 2020, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, and entitled: “Semiconductor Package,” is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. BACKGROUND 1. Field The present disclosure relates to a semiconductor package. 2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, interest in semiconductor packages having improved rigidity and heat dissipation characteristics has increased with the increase in performance of semiconductor chips. SUMMARY According to an aspect of embodiments, a semiconductor package includes a redistribution substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite each other, the redistribution substrate including a first redistribution layer, a semiconductor chip on the first surface of the redistribution substrate, the semiconductor chip including a connection pad connected to the first redistribution layer, at least one vertical connection conductor on the first surface of the redistribution substrate, the at least one vertical connection conductor being electrically connected to the connection pad of the semiconductor chip through the first redistribution layer, a core member including a first through-hole and at least one second through-hole, the first through-hole accommodating the semiconductor chip, and the at least one second through-hole accommodating the at least one vertical connection conductor, an encapsulant covering the semiconductor chip on the first surface of the redistribution substrate, the encapsulant filling the first through-hole and at least one second through-hole, and a redistribution member on the encapsulant, the redistribution member including a second redistribution layer electrically connected to the at least one vertical connection conductor, wherein the at least one vertical connection conductor and the core member include a same material, wherein a width of a lower surface of the at least one vertical connection conductor is narrower than a width of an upper surface of the vertical connection conductor, the lower surface of the at least one vertical connection conductor facing the redistribution substrate, wherein a width of a lower end of the first through-hole is greater than a width of an upper end of the first through-hole, and wherein a width of a lower end of the at least one second through-hole is greater than a width of an upper end of the at least one second through-hole, the lower ends of the first through-hole and at least one second through-hole facing the redistribution substrate. In addition, according to an aspect of embodiments, a semiconductor package may include a redistribution substrate including a first redistribution layer, a semiconductor chip disposed on the redistribution substrate and connected to the first redistribution layer, a vertical connection conductor disposed on the redistribution substrate, and electrically connected to the semiconductor chip through the first redistribution layer, a core member having a first through-hole accommodating the semiconductor chip and a second through-hole accommodating the vertical connection conductor, and an encapsulant covering at least a portion of the semiconductor chip, the vertical connection conductor, and the core member, and filling the first and second through-holes, wherein the vertical connection conductor has a cross-sectional shape, in which a side surface of the vertical connection conductor is tapered such that a width of a lower surface of the vertical connection conductor is narrower than a width of an upper surface of the vertical connection conductor, and the first and second through-holes have a cross-sectional shape tapered in a direction opposite to the vertical connection conductor, respectively. In addition, according to an aspect of embodiments, a semiconductor package may include a redistribution substrate including a first redistribution layer, a semiconductor chip disposed on the redistribution substrate, and having a connection pad connected to the first redistribution layer, a vertical connection conductor spaced apart from the semiconductor chip on the redistribution substrate, and electrically connected to the connection pad through the first redistribution layer, a core member having a first through-hole accommodating the semiconductor chip and a second through-hole accommodating the vertical connection conductor, an encapsulant disposed on the redistribution substrate and filling the first and second through-holes, respectively and covering an upper surface of the semiconductor chip and an external side surface of the core member, and a redistribution member disposed on an upper surface of the encapsulant, and having a second redistribution layer electrically connected to the vertical connection conductor, wherein the upper surface of the encapsulant is on the same plane as the upper surface of the vertical connection conductor and the upper surface of the core member, and a planar area of a lower surface of the vertical connection conductor is smaller than a planar area of the upper surface of the vertical connection conductor, and a planar area of a lower surface of the core member is smaller than a planar area of the upper surface of the core member.

11440629

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates generally to boat roll stabilizers for reducing the sideways rolling motion of a boat and, more particularly, to an improved braking system for controlled moment gyroscopes. BACKGROUND The sideways rolling motion of a boat can create safety problems for passengers and crew on boats, as well as cause discomfort to passengers not accustomed to the rolling motion of the boat. A number of technologies currently exist to reduce the sideways rolling motion of a ship. One technology currently in use is active fin stabilization. Stabilizer fins are attached to the hull of the ship beneath the waterline and generate lift to reduce the roll of the ship due to wind or waves. In the case of active fin stabilization, the motion of the ship is sensed and the angle of the fin is controlled based on the motion of the ship to generate a force to counteract the roll. Fin stabilization is most commonly used on large ships and are effective when the ship is underway. Fin stabilization technology is not used frequently in smaller boats and is generally not effective when the boat is at rest. Stabilizer fins also add to the drag of the hull and are susceptible to damage. Gyroscopic boat stabilization is another technology for roll suppression that is based on the gyroscopic effect. A control moment gyroscope (CMG) is mounted in the boat and generates a torque that can be used to counteract the rolling motion of the boat. The CMG includes a flywheel that spins at a high speed. A controller senses the attitude of the boat and uses the energy stored in the flywheel to “correct” the attitude of the boat by applying a torque to the hull counteracting the rolling motion of the boat. CMGs work not only when a boat is underway, but also when the boat is at rest. CMGs are also less expensive than stabilizer fins, do not add to the drag of the hull, and are not exposed to risk of damage. Although, CMGs are gaining in popularity, particularly for smaller fishing boats and yachts, this technology has some limitations. CMGs rely on a braking system to control the precession of the flywheel. In prior art CMGs, the design of the braking system constrains the precession of the flywheel to about +/−22 degrees, which may not be sufficient to effectively counter the rolling motion of the boat. Further, the resistance of the braking systems imposes limitations on the rate of precession, which affects the responsive of the CMG to the wave motion. SUMMARY The present disclosure relates to a gyroscopic boat roll stabilizer configured to be installed in a boat. The boat roll stabilizer comprises a gimbal, having a gimbal axis, an enclosure mounted to the gimbal and configured to precess about a gimbal axis, a flywheel assembly rotatably mounted inside the enclosure for generating a torque that is applied to counter a rolling motion of the boat, and a braking system for controlling precession of the enclosure. The braking system is configured to enable precession in the first and second directions of up to at least 45 degrees. According to another aspect of the disclosure, the braking system comprises a first actuator connected between the support frame and the enclosure to resist precession in a first direction about the gimbal axis, and a second actuator connected between the support frame and the enclosure to resist precession in a second direction about the gimbal axis. The first actuator and the second actuator both connect to the enclosure on the same side of a transverse plane including the gimbal axis, and on different sides of a frontal plane including the gimbal axis. According to another aspect of the disclosure, each actuator comprises a fluid cylinder and a lockout valve mounted to the fluid cylinder of the actuator. The lockout valve is movable between a locked position preventing precession of the enclosure and an unlocked position. The lockout valves are in fluid communication with the piston side of the fluid cylinders. In one embodiment, a manifold is disposed in a fluid flow path between the first and second actuators. A first port on each lockout valve is in fluid communication with the manifold, while a second port on each lockout valve is in fluid communication with the rod side of the fluid cylinder. A fluid line connects the first port of the lockout valve on the actuator to the manifold. According to another aspect of the disclosure, each of the actuators further comprises a bypass line connecting the second port of the lockout valve and configured to communicate fluid directly between the cylinder side and rod side of the fluid cylinder of the actuator without.

11420984

BACKGROUND Arginase is a manganese metalloenzyme that catalyzes the conversion of L-arginine to urea and L-ornithine. Two isoforms exist: Arginase 1 is a cytosolic enzyme predominantly found in hepatocytes where it plays a critical role in removing ammonia through urea synthesis, and Arginase 2, a mitochondrial enzyme highly expressed in kidney involved in production of ornithine, a precursor for polyamines and prolines important for cell proliferation and collagen production, respectively. Although L-arginine is not an essential amino acid as it can be provided through protein turnover in healthy adults, increased expression and secretion of arginases results in reduced L-arginine levels in various physiologic and pathologic conditions (e.g., pregnancy, auto-immune diseases, cancer). Immune cells, in particular, are sensitive to reduced L-arginine levels. T-cells, when faced with a low L-arginine microenvironment, reduce their proliferation rate and lower the expression of CD3ζ chain, IFNγ, and lytic enzymes resulting in impaired T-cell responsiveness. Dendritic cells respond to low L-arginine conditions by reducing their ability to present antigens, and natural killer cells reduce both proliferation and expression of lytic enzymes. Tumors use multiple immune suppressive mechanisms to evade the immune system. One of these is the reduction of L-arginine through increased levels of circulating arginase, increased expression and secretion of arginase by tumor cells, and recruitment of arginase expressing and secreting myeloid derived suppressor cells. Together, these lead to a reduction of L-arginine in the tumor microenvironment and an immune-suppressive phenotype. Pharmacologic inhibition of arginase activity has been shown to reverse the low L-arginine induced immune suppression in animal models. As such, there is a need for potent and selective arginase inhibitors to reverse immune suppression and re-activate anti-cancer immunity in patients, either as single agent, or in combination with therapies reversing additional immune-suppressive mechanisms. SUMMARY In one embodiment, disclosed is a compound of formula (I), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof: wherein R1is —NHR1a; R1ais —H or —C(O)CH(R1b)NH2; and R1bis —CH3or —CH(CH3)2. In one embodiment, disclosed is a compound of formula (Ia), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof: wherein R1is —NHR1a; R1ais —H or —C(O)CH(R1b)NHR1c; and R1bis selected from —H, —(C1-C4) alkyl and CH2OR1dand R1cis —H; or R1band R1c, together with the atom to which they are attached, form a 5-membered heterocyclic ring; and R1dis H or —CH3. In one embodiment, disclosed is a compound of formula (Ib), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof: wherein R1is —NHR1a; R1ais —H or —C(O)CH(R1b)NHR1c; and R1bis selected from —H, —(C1-C4) alkyl and CH2OR1dand R1cis —H; or R1band R1c, together with the atom to which they are attached, form a 5-membered heterocyclic ring; and R1dis H or —CH3. In one embodiment, disclosed is a compound of formula (II), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof: wherein R2is —OH or —NHR2a; R2ais —H or —C(O)CH(R2b)NH2; and R2bis —CH3or —CH(CH3)2. In one embodiment, disclosed is a compound of formula (IIa), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof: wherein R2is —OH or —NHR2a; R2ais —H or —C(O)CH(R2b)NHR2c; R2bis selected from —H, —(C1-C4) alkyl and CH2OR2dand R2cis —H; or R2band R2c, together with the atoms to which they are attached, form a 5-membered heterocyclic ring; and R2dis —H or —CH3. In one embodiment, disclosed is a compound of formula (IIb), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof: wherein R2is —OH or —NHR2a; R2ais —H or —C(O)CH(R2b)NHR2c; R2bis selected from —H, —(C1-C4) alkyl and CH2OR2dand R2cis —H; or R2band R2c, together with the atoms to which they are attached, form a 5-membered heterocyclic ring; and R2dis —H or —CH3. In some embodiments, disclosed is a compound of formula (III), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof: wherein R3is —CH3or —CH(CH3)2. In some embodiments, disclosed is a compound of formula (IIIa), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof: wherein R3is selected from —H, —(C1-C4) alkyl and —CH2OR3a; and R3ais —H or —CH3. In one embodiment, disclosed is a compound of formula (IIIb), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof: wherein R3is selected from —H, —(C1-C4) alkyl and —CH2OR3a; and R3ais —H or —CH3. In some embodiments, disclosed is a compound of formula (IV), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof: wherein R4is —OH or —NH2. In one embodiment, disclosed is a compound of formula (IVb), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof: wherein R4is —OH or —NH2. In some embodiments, disclosed is a compound of formula (V), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof: In one embodiment, disclosed is a compound of formula (Vb), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof: In one embodiment, disclosed is a compound of formula (VI), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof: wherein R6ais —H or —CH3; R6bis —C(O)C(R6cR6d)NH2; or —(C1-C3) alkyl which is substituted with 0 or 1 amino or —OR6e; and R6cis —(C1-C3) alkyl which is substituted with 0 or 1 amino or —OR6f; R6dis H or —CH3; and R6eand R6fare independently —H or —CH3. In one embodiment, disclosed is a compound of formula (VIb), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof: wherein R6ais —H or —CH3; R6bis —C(O)C(R6cR6d)NH2; or —(C1-C3) alkyl which is substituted with 0 or 1 amino or —OR6e; and R6cis —(C1-C3) alkyl which is substituted with 0 or 1 amino or —OR6f; R6dis H or —CH3; and R6eand R6fare independently —H or —CH3. In some embodiments, disclosed are the compounds of Table 1, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. In some embodiments, disclosed are pharmaceutical compositions comprising a compound of formula (I), (Ia), (Ib), (II), (IIa), (IIb), (III), (IIIa), (IIIb), (IV), (IVb), (V), (Vb), (VI), (VIb), including any subgenera or species thereof, or Table 1, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. In some embodiments, disclosed are methods of treating cancer comprising a compound of formula (I), (Ia), (Ib), (II), (IIa), (IIb), (III), (IIIa), (IIIb), (IV), (IVb), (V), (Vb), (VI), (VIb), including any subgenera or species thereof, or Table 1, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. In some embodiments, disclosed are compounds of formula (I), (Ia), (Ib), (II), (IIa), (IIb), (III), (IIIa), (IIIb), (IV), (IVb), (V), (Vb), (VI), (VIb), including any subgenera or species thereof, or Table 1, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, for treating cancer. In some embodiments, disclosed is the use of a compound of (I), (Ia), (Ib), (II), (IIa), (IIb), (III), (IIIa), (IIIb), (IV), (IVb), (V), (Vb), (VI), (VIb), including any subgenera or species thereof, or Table 1, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof in the manufacture of a medicament for use in treating cancer. In some embodiments, disclosed are pharmaceutical compositions comprising a compound of formula (I), (Ia), (Ib), (II), (IIa), (IIb), (III), (IIIa), (IIIb), (IV), (IVb), (V), (Vb), (VI), (VIb), including any subgenera or species thereof, or Table 1, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, for use in treating cancer. In some embodiments, disclosed are methods of treating a respiratory inflammatory disease comprising a compound of formula (I), (Ia), (Ib), (II), (IIa), (IIb), (III), (IIIa), (IIIb), (IV), (IVb), (V), (Vb), (VI), (VIb), including any subgenera or species thereof, or Table 1, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. In some embodiments, disclosed are compounds of formula (I), (Ia), (Ib), (II), (IIa), (IIb), (III), (IIIa), (IIIb), (IV), (IVb), (V), (Vb), (VI), (VIb), including any subgenera or species thereof, or Table 1, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, for treating a respiratory inflammatory disease. In some embodiments, disclosed is the use of a compound of (I), (Ia), (Ib), (II), (IIa), (IIb), (III), (IIIa), (IIIb), (IV), (IVb), (V), (Vb), (VI), (VIb), including any subgenera or species thereof, or Table 1, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof in the manufacture of a medicament for use in treating a respiratory inflammatory disease. In some embodiments, disclosed are pharmaceutical compositions comprising a compound of formula (I), (Ia), (Ib), (II), (IIa), (IIb), (III), (IIIa), (IIIb), (IV), (IVb), (V), (Vb), (VI), (VIb), including any subgenera or species thereof, or Table 1, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, for use in treating a respiratory inflammatory disease. In some embodiments, the aforementioned respiratory inflammatory disease is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or asthma.

11474253

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a beam-steering device and a method for operation of a beam-steering device, particularly for LIDAR systems using one or more light beam-steering stages to selectively deflect a light beam. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION LIDAR systems can be used in various applications, such as in vehicles, portable computer devices (e.g., smartphones, laptops, tablets) and augmented/virtual reality devices/systems, in order to image a field of view and locate objects within the field of view. A LIDAR system directs light outward over a range of angles and receives reflections of the light from objects. Many current LIDAR systems use a mechanical-scanning device, such as a gimbal or spinning disks or polygons in order to disperse outgoing light beams. However, such mechanical-scanning devices often come with resolution issues, maintenance issues, assembly issues and/or temperature dependence issues. Beam-steering devices using one or more steering stages are described in the U.S. Pat. No. 8,982,313, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. In a specific example of implementation, each steering stage includes a polarization grating with a director pattern that interacts with incoming light to deflect the light at a selected propagation angle. In the active version of the steering stage, the polarization grating includes a switchable liquid crystal layer having a periodic profile of spatially varying optical anisotropy, for example as provided by a birefringent liquid crystal material. The polarization grating is capable of diffracting incident light into three possible diffracted orders (0th, +1stand −1st) according to input polarization and applied voltage. More specifically, the polarization grating is switchable between at least two operational modes. The switching alters the periodic profile of the grating such that the grating interacts with incoming light differently in each operational mode. Accordingly, the switching provides a level of control over the direction of propagation of the light. The switching operation is characterized by an on mode and an off mode. The on mode is achieved by applying a voltage to the grating which induces a change to the periodic profile. For instance, the voltage can alter the profile such that the grating will no longer deflect the light at some angle. Rather the light will propagate along its incoming direction. The off mode is achieved by removing the voltage which allows the periodic profile to acquire its original configuration in which it deflects the light. As such, when voltage is applied to the grating, the light deflecting effect is negated. And when no voltage is applied, the periodic pattern deflects lights at an angle. That angle can be positive or negative depending on the polarization handedness of the incoming light beam. The polarization of the incident light introduced into the polarization grating is controlled by a polarization selector, which is also switchable. Typically, the polarization selector is placed before the polarization grating. The polarization selector may include a liquid-crystal layer operable to be switched between a first mode that does not substantially alter the polarization of the incident light and a second mode that alters the polarization state of light passing through it. In the passive version, the polarization grating is not switchable. The polarization selector is still switchable. In this version, the polarization grating is capable of diffracting incident light in two diffracted orders (+1st, −1st), the order selection being made by controlling the polarization of the incident light beam with the polarization selector. The switching operation of the polarization grating and/or of the polarization selector is not an instantaneous event. In other words, some time is required after a voltage is applied for the operational mode of the optical component to change. Similarly, when the voltage is removed a relaxation time is required for the optical component to revert back to its initial operational mode. Typically, the relaxation time is significantly longer than the switching on time. The relaxation time and the switching on time are transition periods during which the optical component does not behave as expected in terms of light transmission properties. It is therefore preferable not to rely on the optical component during those transitions for predictable light management performance. The consequence of the switching on time and the relaxation time is that the beam-steering rate is limited. Moving the beam from one step to the next step requires waiting for the switching on time and/or relaxation time to pass. For these and other reasons, there is a need to improve manufacturability, performance and use of LIDAR systems in aspects such as range, resolution, field-of-view, and physical and environmental robustness. It is therefore an objective of the invention to provide improved methods and systems for better management of the LIDAR apparatus using a beam-steering engine. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION As embodied and broadly described herein the invention provides a LIDAR apparatus for scanning a scene, comprising a transmitter stage for generating a light beam, a receiver stage and a beam-steering engine configured to steer the light beam to scan at least a portion of the scene. The beam-steering engine includes a first steering stage to steer the light beam by performing continuous deflection of the light beam and a second steering stage to steer the light beam steered by the first steering stage by performing stepwise deflection of the light beam steered by the first steering stage. As embodied and broadly described herein, the invention further includes a method for scanning a scene, comprising providing a LIDAR apparatus including a transmitter stage for generating a light beam, a receiver stage, a beam-steering engine configured to steer the light beam to scan at least a portion of the scene, the beam-steering engine including a first steering stage to steer the light beam by performing continuous deflection of the light beam and a second steering stage downstream the first steering stage to steer the light beam steered by the first steering stage by performing stepwise deflection of the light beam. The method includes deflecting the light beam by the first steering stage with a continuous motion and deflecting the light beam stepwise by the second steering stage to scan the scene and sensing an optical return with the receiver stage and generating an output conveying a representation of the scene. As embodied and broadly described herein, the invention further provides a LIDAR apparatus for scanning a scene, comprising a transmitter stage for generating a light beam, a receiver stage, a beam-steering engine configured to steer the light beam received from the transmitter stage to scan at least a portion of the scene, the beam-steering engine including an optical component, the beam-steering engine being responsive to steering commands to steer the light beam in a steering range by performing an angular deflection of the light beam in discrete steps within the steering range. The LIDAR apparatus further includes a controller comprising a data processor for receiving at an input data describing a sub-portion of the scene to be scanned by the LIDAR apparatus and deriving from the input data steering commands configured to operate the steering engine such that the light beam is directed at the sub-portion of the scene. As embodied and broadly described herein the invention further includes a method for scanning a scene, comprising generating a light beam, providing a beam-steering engine configured to steer the light beam to scan at least a portion of the scene, the beam-steering engine including an optical component, the beam-steering engine being responsive to steering commands to steer the light beam in a steering range by performing an angular deflection of the light beam in discrete steps within the steering range, receiving data describing a sub-portion of the scene to be scanned by the light beam, and processing the data with a data processing device to generate steering commands configured to operate the steering engine such that the light beam is directed at the sub-portion of the scene.

11230772

FIELD Embodiments described herein relate generally to a carbon dioxide electrolytic device and a method of electrolyzing carbon dioxide. BACKGROUND In recent years, depletion of fossil fuel such as petroleum or coal has been concerned, and expectation for sustainably-usable renewable energy has been rising. As the renewable energy, a solar cell, wind power generation, and the like can be cited. Because a power generation amount of these depends on weather and a natural situation, there is a problem that it is difficult to realize stable supply of electric power. For this reason, there has been made an attempt to store the electric power generated by the renewable energy in a storage battery, to thereby stabilize the electric power. However, when the electric power is stored, there are problems that a cost is required for the storage battery, and a loss occurs at a time of the storage. With respect to such points, attention is focused on a technology in which water electrolysis is performed by using the electric power generated by the renewable energy to produce hydrogen (H2) from water, or carbon dioxide (CO2) is electrochemically reduced to be converted into a chemical substance (chemical energy) such as a carbon compound such as carbon monoxide (CO), formic acid (HCOOH), methanol (CH3OH), methane (CH4), acetic acid (CH3COOH), ethanol (C2H5OH), ethane (C2H6), or ethylene (C2H4). When these chemical substances are stored in a cylinder or a tank, there are advantageous points that a storage cost of energy can be reduced, and a storage loss is also small, when compared to a case where the electric power (electric energy) is stored in the storage battery. As a carbon dioxide electrolytic device, for example, a structure in which an Ag nanoparticle catalyst is used as a cathode, a cathode solution and CO2gas are brought into contact with the cathode, and an anode solution is brought into contact with an anode is being studied. As a concrete configuration of the electrolytic device, for example, there can be cited a configuration which includes a cathode solution flow path disposed along one surface of the cathode, a CO2gas flow path disposed along the other surface of the cathode, an anode solution flow path disposed along one surface of an anode, and a separator disposed between the cathode solution flow path and the anode solution flow path. When a reaction of producing, for example, CO from CO2is performed for a long period of time by using the electrolytic device having such a configuration and, for example, by making a constant current flow through the cathode and the anode, there is a problem that a deterioration over time of a cell performance such that a production amount of CO is reduced or a cell voltage is increased occurs. For this reason, there has been demanded a carbon dioxide electrolytic device capable of suppressing the deterioration over time of the cell performance.

11459900

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Application No.2020-103654 filed on Jun. 16, 2020, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference. FIELD Embodiments of the present invention relate to a turbine stator blade used for a gas turbine. BACKGROUND In recent gas turbines, due to high temperature of working fluid, cooling medium is supplied to hollow portions of rotor blades and stator blades, which have a hollow cooling structure fabricated by precision casting. This prevents temperature rise due to heat transfer from the working fluid. In the case of stator blades of a gas turbine, the stator blades, which are each formed by one or a plurality of blade effective parts integrated by being sandwiched between an outer circumferential sidewall at radial outside and an inner circumferential sidewall at radial inside, are arranged circumferentially. The stator blade is supported by a casing from the radial outside by a front hook and rear hook protruding radially outward at the outer circumferential sidewall and engaged with the casing. The cooling medium is introduced from the casing side to the blade effective part through the outer circumferential sidewall. Therefore, a cooling medium space is formed circumferentially between the front hook and rear hook, which serves as a flow path connecting a supply flow path from the casing to the blade effective part of each stator blade. Here, among gas turbines, a CO2turbine requires the same cooling structure as a conventional gas turbines because operating temperature is as high as that of the conventional gas turbine, and the rotor blades and stator blades have hollow structure as described above. On the other hand, an operating pressure of the CO2turbine is as high as that of a steam turbine, and pressure difference generated at the rotor blades and stator blades, that is, a pressure difference between the cooling medium and the working fluid, or pressure difference between pressure in front and pressure behind the rotor blade, is as much as ten times higher than those of the conventional gas turbine. In the case of the steam turbine, for example, the rotor blades and stator blades are thick-walled and solid and are designed to withstand large pressure differences, but the CO2turbine cannot take the same approach as the steam turbine because the rotor blades and stator blades are required to have the cooling structure as described above. Thus, the stator blade of the CO2turbine is used under high-temperature and high-pressure conditions that are more severe in strength than those of the conventional gas turbine. The stator blade is attached to the casing with hooks. In the stator blade of the CO2turbine, wall-thicknesses of a portion of the outer circumferential sidewall, which supports the blade effective part at a radially outer end portion of the blade effective part, and wall-thicknesses of the hook, which extends radially outward at the outer circumferential sidewall and is coupled to a casing hook, are thicker compared to the conventional gas turbine, because they are used under high-pressure conditions as described above. As a result, when comparing stiffness of the blade effective part with that of the outer circumferential sidewall, the stiffness of the outer circumferential sidewall is relatively higher. In the outer circumferential sidewall, large metal temperature difference is produced between a portion that is exposed to the high-temperature working fluid during operation and a portion such as hook portion that is exposed to the low-temperature cooling medium. Therefore, there has been a problem that when thermally deformed, thermal stress at a root of the blade effective part, that is, a portion attached to the outer circumferential sidewall, becomes high, leading to damage. In solving this problem, to reduce deterioration of turbine performance is another problem

11280275

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an internal combustion engine, and more particularly, it relates to an internal combustion engine including a controller configured or programmed to perform a control to warm a combustion chamber before the first ignition. BACKGROUND ART In general, an internal combustion engine including a controller configured or programmed to perform a control to warm a combustion chamber before the first ignition is known. Such an internal combustion engine is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2009-299538, for example. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2009-299538 discloses an engine including a control device configured or programmed to perform a control to warm a combustion chamber before the first ignition by motoring, and a variable valve timing mechanism. The control device is configured or programmed to uniformly set the closing timing of an intake valve to be more advanced than the reference timing (during steady operation) by the variable valve timing mechanism at the time of motoring. Thus, the engine closes the intake valve early on the bottom dead center side and retains a large amount of intake air in a cylinder so as to compress the intake air and raise the temperature in the cylinder. When the temperature in the cylinder rises, a fuel is effectively atomized, and thus an exhaust gas immediately after the first explosion is reduced. PRIOR ART Patent DocumentPatent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2009-299538 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Problem to be Solved by the Invention However, in the engine disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2009-299538, at the time of motoring, the closing timing of the intake valve is uniformly set to be more advanced than the reference timing (during steady operation), and it is difficult to perform an appropriate control to reduce the exhaust gas according to the environmental temperature of the engine. That is, in the engine described in Patent Document 1, the variable valve timing mechanism is not controlled in consideration of the environmental temperature such as cold start. The present invention has been proposed in order to solve the aforementioned problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide an internal combustion engine capable of performing an appropriate control to reduce an exhaust gas according to the environmental temperature of the internal combustion engine. Means for Solving the Problem In order to attain the aforementioned object, an internal combustion engine according to an aspect of the present invention includes an internal combustion engine body including an intake valve and an exhaust valve, and a controller configured or programmed to perform a control to set a rotational speed of the internal combustion engine body to a predetermined rotational speed based on an environmental temperature at a time of starting the internal combustion engine body, and perform a control to drive the internal combustion engine body at the set predetermined rotational speed during a time period until when fuel is supplied to a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine body and first ignition is performed. As described above, the internal combustion engine according to this aspect of the present invention includes the controller configured or programmed to perform a control to set the rotational speed of the internal combustion engine body to the predetermined rotational speed based on the environmental temperature at the time of starting the internal combustion engine body, and perform a control to drive the internal combustion engine body at the set predetermined rotational speed during the time period until when the fuel is supplied to the combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine body and the first ignition is performed. Accordingly, for example, when the environmental temperature is low (in the case of cold start), it is possible to effectively warm the inside of the combustion chamber due to friction between a cylinder and a piston and inertia supercharging when the rotational speed of the internal combustion engine body is set to be particularly high, and thus an appropriate control to reduce an exhaust gas can be performed according to the environmental temperature of the internal combustion engine. When the inside of the combustion chamber is warmed, atomization of the fuel is promoted, and the exhaust gas generated at the time of the first ignition can be reduced. The aforementioned internal combustion engine according to this aspect preferably further includes a variable valve mechanism configured to adjust an opening-closing timing of the intake valve under control of the controller, and the controller is preferably configured or programmed to perform a timing control to set a closing timing of the intake valve based on the predetermined rotational speed such that a largest amount of outside air is introduced. According to this structure, the (largest amount of) outside air can be effectively introduced into the combustion chamber in consideration of inertia supercharging based on the rotational speed of the internal combustion engine body and intake pulsation, for example. Consequently, the pressure in the combustion chamber is effectively increased such that the inside of the combustion chamber can be effectively warmed, and thus a more appropriate control to reduce the exhaust gas can be performed according to the environmental temperature of the internal combustion engine. In the aforementioned structure in which the timing control is performed, the controller is preferably configured or programmed to continue the timing control until a first cycle in which the fuel is supplied to the combustion chamber and the first ignition is performed, and to control the variable valve mechanism to restore a valve timing of the intake valve to that during steady operation in second and subsequent cycles. In the second and subsequent cycles, the intake amount is increased due to the influence of recirculation of an EGR gas, for example, as compared with the first cycle, and thus it is necessary to set the valve timing to the predetermined valve timing. Therefore, with the structure described above, the timing control can be continued for a longer time as compared with a case in which the timing control is finished only at the initial stage of a period before the first ignition, and thus the inside of the combustion chamber can be more effectively warmed. Consequently, a more appropriate control to reduce the exhaust gas can be performed according to the environmental temperature of the internal combustion engine. The aforementioned internal combustion engine according to this aspect preferably further includes a variable valve mechanism configured to adjust an opening-closing timing of the intake valve under control of the controller, and the controller is preferably configured or programmed to close the intake valve on a retardation angle side of an intermediate phase between a bottom dead center and a top dead center while a piston moves from the bottom dead center to the top dead center during the time period until when the fuel is supplied to the combustion chamber and the first ignition is performed. According to this structure, a gas in the cylinder, the temperature of which has risen due to the friction between the piston and the cylinder, for example, can be blown back to the intake pipe side for a relatively long time during movement of the piston from the bottom dead center to the top dead center. That is, the high-temperature gas can be blown back to the intake pipe side for a time longer than at least half of the time required for the piston to move from the bottom dead center to the top dead center. Consequently, atomization of the fuel can be effectively promoted, and thus unburned fuel can be reduced while the exhaust gas can be reduced. Thus, the fuel injection amount at the time of cold start can also be reduced. The exhaust gas can be reduced, and thus the amount of precious metal used as a catalyst may be reduced. In this case, the controller is preferably configured or programmed to close the intake valve at the top dead center or in a vicinity of the top dead center during the time period until when the fuel is supplied to the combustion chamber and the first ignition is performed. According to this structure, the high-temperature gas in the cylinder can be blown back to the intake pipe side for a longer time while the piston moves from the bottom dead center to the top dead center. Consequently, atomization of the fuel can be promoted more effectively. In the aforementioned internal combustion engine according to this aspect, the controller is preferably configured or programmed to supply the fuel to the combustion chamber and perform the first ignition at a timing at which a temperature in the combustion chamber exceeds a predetermined set temperature based on an estimation logic for estimating the temperature in the combustion chamber. According to this structure, the estimation logic is used such that the controller does not need to perform a calculation to determine the timing for the first ignition, and thus the control load on the controller can be reduced. In this case, the estimation logic preferably includes a map showing a relationship between the temperature in the combustion chamber and driving duration of the internal combustion engine body at the predetermined rotational speed. According to this structure, with the map showing the relationship between the temperature in the combustion chamber and the driving duration (motoring duration) of the internal combustion engine body at the predetermined rotational speed, the timing for the first ignition can be easily determined without performing a complex calculation. The aforementioned internal combustion engine according to this aspect preferably further includes a temperature sensor to measure a temperature in an intake pipe, and the controller is preferably configured or programmed to supply the fuel to the combustion chamber and perform the first ignition at a timing at which the temperature measured by the temperature sensor exceeds a predetermined set temperature. According to this structure, the timing at which the fuel is supplied to the combustion chamber and the first ignition is performed can be accurately determined with the temperature sensor. In the aforementioned internal combustion engine according to this aspect, the environmental temperature preferably includes at least one of a temperature of outside air around the internal combustion engine body or a temperature of cooling water of the internal combustion engine body. According to this structure, a control to warm the inside of the combustion chamber can be performed before the first ignition with a temperature sensor that measures the temperature of the outside air around the internal combustion engine body or a temperature sensor that measures the temperature of the cooling water of the internal combustion engine body, which is generally provided in an internal combustion engine. The aforementioned internal combustion engine according to this aspect preferably further includes a hybrid drive motor to drive a piston, and the controller is preferably configured or programmed to set the rotational speed of the internal combustion engine body to the predetermined rotational speed based on the environmental temperature at the time of starting the internal combustion engine body, and to control the hybrid drive motor to drive the internal combustion engine body at the set predetermined rotational speed during the time period until when the fuel is supplied to the combustion chamber and the first ignition is performed. According to this structure, motoring is performed by the hybrid drive motor such that an appropriate control to reduce the exhaust gas can be performed according to the environmental temperature of the internal combustion engine.

11507343

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The disclosure is related to consumer goods and, more particularly, to methods, systems, products, features, services, and other elements directed to media playback or some aspect thereof. BACKGROUND Options for accessing and listening to digital audio in an out-loud setting were limited until in 2003, when SONOS, Inc. filed for one of its first patent applications, entitled “Method for Synchronizing Audio Playback between Multiple Networked Devices,” and began offering a media playback system for sale in 2005. The Sonos Wireless HiFi System enables people to experience music from many sources via one or more networked playback devices. Through a software control application installed on a smartphone, tablet, or computer, one can play audio in any room that has a networked playback device. Additionally, using the control device, for example, different songs can be streamed to each room with a playback device, rooms can be grouped together for synchronous playback, or the same song can be heard in all rooms synchronously. Given the ever growing interest in digital media, there continues to be a need to develop consumer-accessible technologies to further enhance the listening experience.

11408995

BACKGROUND Radars are useful devices that can detect and track objects. Relative to other types of sensors, like a camera, a radar can provide improved performance in the presence of different environmental conditions, such as low lighting and fog, or with moving or overlapping objects. Accordingly, radar provides many advantages for autonomous-driving applications or driver-assistance applications. Sometimes, however, interference or noise in the external environment can cause the radar to report an erroneous detection (i.e., a false detection). Some techniques may increase a detection threshold to reduce a probability of the erroneous detection occurring. However, this can also make the radar less sensitive to detecting small-sized objects or objects at farther distances. SUMMARY Techniques and apparatuses are described that implement lateral-bin monitoring for radar target detection. In particular, a radar system, which is mounted to a moving platform, divides a region of interest that is associated with at least one side of the moving platform into multiple lateral bins. The radar system maps locations of detections to the lateral bins, and monitors respective quantities of consecutive frames in which detections occur within the lateral bins. The radar system determines that at least one object is present within one of the lateral bins responsive to a quantity of consecutive frames having detections within the lateral bin being equal to a threshold. By waiting for a lateral bin to have detections across multiple consecutive frames, the radar system can minimize the false alarm rate without reducing sensitivity. The threshold can also be dynamically adjusted based on a speed of the moving platform and/or a speed of the object. In this way, the radar system can respond quickly with a low false alarm rate whether detecting fast-moving or stationary objects. Aspects described below include a method performed by a radar system that is mounted to a mobile platform. The method includes the radar system defining a region of interest that is on at least one side of the mobile platform. The region of interest comprises a plurality of lateral bins having lengths that span at least a portion of the at least one side of the mobile platform. The method also includes transmitting and receiving a radar signal that propagates through at least a portion of the region of interest, the radar signal comprising multiple frames. The method additionally includes monitoring a quantity of consecutive frames of the multiple frames that have detections located within at least one lateral bin of the plurality of lateral bins. The detections are determined from the received radar signal. Responsive to the quantity of consecutive frames with detections being greater than or equal to a threshold, the method includes determining that at least one object is present within the at least one lateral bin. Aspects described below also include an apparatus comprising a radar system with at least one antenna array, a transceiver coupled to the antenna array, and a processor coupled to the transceiver. The transceiver is configured to transmit and receive a radar signal using the antenna array. The radar signal propagates through at least a portion of a region of interest. The radar signal comprises multiple frames. The processor is configured to define the region of interest. The region of interest is on at least one side of the apparatus. The region of interest comprises a plurality of lateral bins with lengths that span at least a portion of the at least one side of the apparatus. The processor is also configured to monitor a quantity of consecutive frames of the multiple frames that have detections located within at least one lateral bin of the plurality of lateral bins. The detections determined from the received radar signal. The processor is additionally configured to determine that at least one object is present within the at least one lateral bin responsive to the quantity of consecutive frames with detections being greater than or equal to a threshold. Aspects described below also include computer-readable storage media comprising computer-executable instructions that, responsive to execution by a processor, implement a lateral-bin monitoring module. The lateral-bin monitoring module is configured to accept multiple radar data cubes that are respectively associated with multiple frames of a radar receive signal. The lateral-bin monitoring module is also configured to monitor quantities of consecutive frames having detections located within respective lateral bins. The detections are determined based on the multiple radar data cubes. The quantities of consecutive frames comprise a particular quantity of consecutive frames having detections located within a particular lateral bin of the respective lateral bins. The lateral-bin monitoring module is configured to determine that at least one object is present within the particular lateral bin responsive to the particular quantity of consecutive frames with detections being greater than or equal to a threshold. Aspects described below also include a system with means for performing lateral-bin monitoring for radar target detection. This summary is provided to introduce simplified concepts for performing lateral-bin monitoring, which are further described below in the Detailed Description and Drawings. For ease of description, the disclosure focuses on automotive radar systems; however, the techniques are not limited to automobiles. The techniques also apply to radars of other types of vehicles, systems, and moving platforms. This summary is not intended to identify essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended for use in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

11448420

BACKGROUND The present disclosure relates, in exemplary embodiments, to air duct dampers. More particularly, exemplary embodiments relate to air dampers with controllable resolution at lower flow rates. Air dampers are mechanical valves used to permit, block, and control the flow of air in air ducts. Conventional dampers typically comprise a circular blade having an axle passing through the diameter of the blade, the ends of the axle being rotatingly mounted in the air duct wall. The diameter of the blade is marginally smaller than the diameter of the circular (or other cross-sectional shape) air duct so that, when the blade is in the closed position, all, or essentially all airflow is blocked, with no air passing between the edge of the blade and the air duct interior wall. A motor or other control mechanism is associated with the axle and, when actuated, rotates the axle, which causes the blade to rotate between an open, closed, or partially open position so as to permit controllable flow of air through the duct. A sensor or multiple sensors are disposed proximate to the damper for measuring airflow. The sensor is connected to a processor, which actuates the motor that controls the blade rotation, thus controlling the airflow required. For many uses, conventional dampers are sufficient. However, air ducts used in certain critical room environments, for example, with exhaust valves, supply valves, room balance systems, and the like, require accurate control of airflow, particularly when the static pressure in the ductwork is high, tiny movements of the blade damper can result in significant changes in airflows. When a conventional damper blade is rotated from an initial closed position to a slightly open position, there is a tendency for a large volume of air to immediately be allowed to pass through the damper area, such volume being relatively uncontrollable. When the static pressure in the ductwork is high even tiny movements of the blade damper can result in significant changes in airflow. There is not enough control over the blade with the actuator to create movements small enough that proper control is maintained. It would be desirable to have a damper blade that would permit a more controllable flow of air at the nearly closed (or nearly open) position; i.e., at lower airflow requirements and more so at higher pressures. SUMMARY One implementation of the present disclosure is an air damper assembly for an air duct having an interior wall and an exterior wall. The air damper assembly includes a damper plate having a periphery and multiple teeth spaced at least partially around and extending from the periphery. The multiple teeth vary in length from a maximum to a minimum over a span of approximately 90 degrees around the periphery. The air damper assembly further includes an axle assembly fixedly coupled to the damper plate and rotatably coupled to the air duct. Rotation of the axle assembly causes the damper plate to rotate within the air duct between a fully open position and a fully closed position to increase or decrease a flow of fluid through the air duct. In some embodiments, the damper plate includes a first airfoil member having multiple teeth made of a first material; and a second airfoil member having multiple teeth made of second material, the second material having a greater stiffness than the first material. In other embodiments, the damper plate further includes a third airfoil member having multiple teeth made of a third material, the third material having a greater stiffness than the second material. In some embodiments, each of the teeth includes a resilient portion proximate the periphery and a flexible portion. The resilient portion has a greater stiffness than the flexible portion. In some embodiments, the damper plate includes a gasket configured to contact the interior wall of the air duct when the damper plate is in the fully closed position. In some embodiments, a portion of the multiple teeth contact the interior wall of the air duct when the damper plate is in the fully closed position. In some embodiments, a portion of the multiple teeth contact the interior wall of the air duct when the damper plate is in a partially closed position. In some embodiments, a portion of the multiple teeth are fabricated from polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon). In some embodiments, a portion of the multiple teeth are fabricated from a metal having a plastic coating. In some embodiments, the axle assembly includes a first shaft member and a second shaft member. Each of the first shaft member and the second shaft member includes a slot configured to receive the damper plate. In some embodiments, the axle assembly includes a shaft member configured to be fastened to the damper plate using a bracket component and multiple rivets. In some embodiments, the air damper assembly includes a damper control assembly configured to drive rotation of the axle assembly. In other embodiments, the damper control assembly comprises a pressure sensor, a motor, and an actuator. Another implementation of the present disclosure is a method for controlling a flow of fluid through an air duct. The method includes receiving a target airflow setpoint, receiving an airflow measurement from a pressure sensor, and generating a command to rotate a damper plate to a position setpoint between a fully open position and a fully closed position based at least in part on the target airflow setpoint and the airflow measurement. The damper plate has a periphery and multiple teeth spaced at least partially around and extending from the periphery. The multiple teeth vary in length from a maximum to a minimum over a span of approximately 90 degrees around the periphery. The method further includes driving the damper plate to the position setpoint. In some embodiments, a portion of the multiple teeth contact the interior wall of the air duct when the damper plate is in the fully closed position. In some embodiments, a portion of the multiple teeth contact the interior wall of the air duct when the damper plate is in a partially closed position. In some embodiments, the damper plate includes a first airfoil member having multiple teeth made of a first material; and a second airfoil member having multiple teeth made of second material, the second material having a greater stiffness than the first material. In other embodiments, the damper plate further includes a third airfoil member having multiple teeth made of a third material, the third material having a greater stiffness than the second material. In some embodiments, each of the teeth includes a resilient portion proximate the periphery and a flexible portion. The resilient portion has a greater stiffness than the flexible portion. Yet another implementation of the present disclosure is a method of providing an air damper assembly for an air duct having an interior wall and an exterior wall. The method includes providing an air damper assembly that includes a damper plate having a periphery and multiple teeth spaced at least partially around and extending from the periphery. The multiple teeth vary in length from a maximum to a minimum over a span of approximately 90 degrees around the periphery. The method further includes providing an axle assembly fixedly coupled to the damper plate and rotatably coupled to the air duct. Rotation of the axle assembly causes the damper plate to rotate within the air duct between a fully open position and a fully closed position to increase or decrease a flow of fluid through the air duct.

11230733

BACKGROUND The present disclosure relates generally to a system and apparatus for automated heating and/or cooling of samples. BACKGROUND INFORMATION Automated molecular assay instrumentation offers numerous advantages, however most automated instruments suffer from a limited set of assay capabilities. These limited capabilities complicate or inhibit parallel processing of multiple assays and, as a result, reduce sample throughput and flexibility in assay choices. This is particularly true for assays requiring incubation of some sort, such as the temperature cycling necessary for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based assays. In PCR instruments a thermocycler is included that is capable of cycling the temperature of many samples, such as a batch of samples held within a 96-well microtiter plate. This assay format requires the preparation of the entire batch of samples prior to subjecting them to an initial temperature cycle. For example, the first sample that is fully prepared for temperature cycling must wait until the last sample is prepared prior to temperature cycling. In the case of a 96-well plate, this wait time can be substantial, thus slowing the throughput of the instrument. In addition, since all samples are subject to the same temperature profile and cycling parameters, the types of assays that can be run in parallel are limited. Different assays often must be run in completely different thermocycler units or await availability of the thermocycler from a prior batch of samples. This too inhibits the ability to provide rapid assay results. The present disclosure addresses these and other needs in the art. All documents referred to herein, or the indicated portions, are hereby incorporated by reference herein. No document, however, is admitted to be prior art to the claimed subject matter. SUMMARY The present disclosure relates to a system and apparatus for altering the temperature of at least one receptacle holder that is adapted for use in an automated instrument capable of performing biochemical assays. In an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an apparatus that includes one or more receptacle holders made of a heat-conducting material. Each receptacle holder includes a plurality of receptacle wells, each receptacle well being configured to receive a receptacle therein; a plurality of through-holes, each through-hole extending from an inner surface of one of the receptacle wells to an outer surface of the receptacle holder; a plurality of optical fibers, each optical fiber having first and second ends, wherein the first end is in optical communication with one of the receptacle wells, and the second end is in optical communication with at least one of an excitation signal source and an emission signal detector, the first end of each optical fiber being disposed outside, within, or extending through, a corresponding through-hole in each receptacle well, and wherein the first end of each optical fiber is moveable or fixedly disposed within one of the through-holes relative to the surface of the receptacle well; and one or more thermal elements positioned proximal to the receptacle holder for altering a temperature or temperatures of the receptacle holder. In certain embodiments, the apparatus includes a cover movable between an opened position and a closed position relative to the receptacle holder, wherein one or more receptacles disposed within one or more of the receptacle wells are seated or secured into the receptacle well by the cover when the cover is moved into the closed position. In an exemplary embodiment, the first end of each optical fiber moves within its corresponding through-hole when (1) the cover is moved to the closed and/or opened position, or (2) a receptacle is present in the receptacle well and the cover is moved to the closed and/or open position. In a variety of these embodiments, the apparatus does not include a cover. Also, in a variety of these embodiments, when these apparatuses are comprised in a system, one or more of these apparatuses do/does not include a cover. One or more receptacle transport mechanism(s) are often included in such systems to transport receptacles to the receptacles wells, deposit the receptacles in the receptacles wells, optionally ensure each receptacle is securely seated in its respective receptacle well by using, for example, physical contact, and removing each receptacle from its respective receptacle well. More than one receptacle transport mechanism may be utilized in such embodiments to effect one or more of these steps. In various embodiments, the thermal element is positioned proximal to a side surface of the receptacle holder and provides thermal energy through the receptacle holder to each of the plurality of receptacle wells. The thermal energy may be uniform. In frequent embodiments, the apparatus further includes one or more support(s), each positioned proximal to a side surface of one or more of the receptacle holders, and the thermal element is positioned between the support and the receptacle holder. One or more thermistors may be disposed in contact with the receptacle holder. In a variety of embodiments, the one or more thermistors and/or associated wiring thereof are disposed within a channel formed in the receptacle holder. In certain embodiments, the apparatus further includes one or more closed-ended channels formed on opposing sides of a receptacle well of the receptacle holder, each having one of the thermistors disposed therein. In certain embodiments the apparatus further includes one or more cross-braces positioned to provide compressive force between the receptacle holder and the support. In other embodiments, the apparatus further includes one or more bodies having a low thermal conductivity, each connected directly or indirectly with a linker, positioned to provide compressive force between the receptacle holder and the support. In various embodiments, the support of the apparatus is a heat sink or the support is provided in thermal communication with a heat sink. The apparatus may include a first controller electrically connected to the thermal element to cycle the temperature of the thermal element and may include one or more motors electrically connected to the first controller disposed in moveable communication with the cover, if present. In various embodiments, if present, the cover may include a rigid element and one or more flexible extensions, wherein the flexible extensions are attached to, and extend laterally away from, the rigid element to apply a force when the cover is in the closed position to at least a portion of one or more receptacles when present within the receptacle wells. In exemplary embodiments, the apparatus further includes a stripper plate in movable association with the receptacle holder for removing a receptacle from a receptacle transport mechanism that delivers a receptacle to the receptacle holder. The stripper plate may be moveable relative to the receptacle well into unlocked and locked positions, wherein the unlocked position permits access of a receptacle to the receptacle well, and wherein the locked position inhibits removal of the receptacle from the receptacle well without inhibiting access to the receptacle by the receptacle transport mechanism. In another aspect, the disclosure provides a system that includes one or more apparatus of the present disclosure. In various embodiments, each of the one or more apparatus is in independent thermal communication with a single heat sink. The thermal element corresponding to each receptacle holder within the system may be independently controllable to only alter the temperature of its corresponding receptacle holder. In frequent embodiments, the system includes one or more controllers electrically connected to the thermal elements, and to one or more motors disposed in moveable communication with a cover corresponding to each receptacle holder. In various embodiments, the system does not include a cover. The system may include at least ten receptacle wells and at least ten corresponding optical fibers, wherein the second ends of all of the optical fibers are in optical communication with one or more excitation signal sources and/or one or more emission signal detectors. In frequent embodiments, the system is disposed in a single housing. In another aspect, the disclosure provides a method of conducting an automated, random-access incubation process. In one exemplary embodiment, the method includes the automated steps of transferring a first set of receptacles to a first receptacle holder and subjecting the contents of the first set of receptacles to a first incubation process, and during the first incubation process, transferring a second set of receptacles to a second receptacle holder and subjecting the contents of the second set of receptacles to a second incubation process. In another exemplary embodiment, he first and second receptacle holders are components of the apparatus as disclosed herein. Each of the first and second set of receptacles may be sealed to prevent contamination and/or evaporation. In various exemplary embodiments, the first and second receptacle holders are each in thermal communication with a single temperature cycling apparatus, as described herein. In frequent embodiments, the method further includes, during the second incubation process, beginning a third of three or more independent processes comprising: transferring a third or higher set of receptacles to a third or higher receptacle holder and subjecting the contents of the third or higher set of receptacles to a third or higher incubation process, wherein the transfer of each successive set of receptacles is begun prior to completion of the incubation process for each immediately preceding set of receptacles. The transfer of the first and second set of receptacles may be effected by a receptacle transport mechanism. As described herein, each set of receptacles may be removed from its respective receptacle holder prior to completion of the next successive incubation process. In another aspect, the disclosure provides a method or establishing optical communication between a receptacle and an excitation signal source and/or an emission signal detector within a housing of an apparatus. The method includes the automated steps of providing a receptacle to a well of a receptacle holder comprised of a heat-conducting material, applying a first force to the receptacle, thereby seating the receptacle within the well, and either of (1) while the force is being applied to the receptacle, effecting movement of an end of an optical fiber toward and into contact with the seated receptacle, or (2) while the force is being applied to the receptacle, the receptacle applies a second force to an end of an optical fiber disposed within the well such that the end of the optical fiber moves within the well in a direction opposite from the direction of the applied second force. In various embodiments, the receptacle is in contact with the optical fiber during or after step (a), and while the force is being applied to the receptacle, the receptacle contacts and applies force to the end of the optical fiber disposed within the well such that the end of the optical fiber moves within the well in a direction opposite from the direction of the applied force. The end of or an area proximal to the end of the optical fiber may be connected, directly or indirectly, with a resilient element to the receptacle holder such that the resilient element compresses when force is applied to the receptacle. In yet another exemplary aspect, the disclosure provides an apparatus that includes a housing, a plurality of receptacle holders contained within the housing, each comprised of a heat-conducting material, wherein each receptacle holder comprises a plurality of receptacle wells, one or more thermal elements positioned proximal to each receptacle holder for altering a temperature or temperatures of the plurality of receptacle wells. In various embodiments, the apparatus further includes a plurality of covers, each disposed in moveable association with a receptacle holder, wherein a first controller controls movement of each cover between an opened and a closed position. When at least one receptacle is present in the plurality of receptacle wells it is secured within the receptacle wells by the cover when in the closed position. When the cover is in the opened position, a receptacle transport mechanism can access the plurality of receptacle wells to introduce or remove a receptacle. In addition, each cover can move between the opened and closed positions together with, or independently of, one or more other covers. In other various embodiments, the apparatus does not include a cover. In various embodiments, the apparatus further includes an optical fiber associated with each receptacle well such that optical communication is established between an interior of each receptacle well and an excitation signal source and/or an emission signal detector. The apparatus may further include one or more receptacles in the plurality of receptacle wells, and optical communication is established between each receptacle and the excitation signal source and/or the emission signal detector by the optical fibers. In frequent embodiments, the apparatus further includes a stripper plate in moveable association with each receptacle holder for removing a receptacle from the receptacle transport mechanism. In various embodiments, the support of the apparatus is a heat sink or the support is provided in thermal communication with a heat sink. The apparatus may include a first controller electrically connected to the thermal element to cycle the temperature of the thermal element and may include one or more motors electrically connected to the first controller disposed in moveable communication with the cover, if present. In various embodiments, if present, the cover may include a rigid element and one or more flexible extensions, wherein the flexible extensions are attached to, and extend laterally away from, the rigid element to apply a force when the cover is in the closed position to at least a portion of one or more receptacles when present within the receptacle wells. In yet another exemplary aspect, the disclosure provides an apparatus that includes a housing, a plurality of receptacle holders contained within the housing, each comprised of a heat-conducting material, wherein each receptacle holder comprising a plurality of receptacle wells, and one or more thermal elements electrically connected to a first controller, and positioned proximal to each receptacle holder for altering a temperature or temperatures of the plurality of receptacle wells. In various embodiments, the apparatus may further include a plurality of covers, each being movable between a first non-engagement position and a second engagement position with respect to a receptacle holder, wherein each cover comprises a series of flexible extensions, wherein each individual flexible extension is associated with a single receptacle well within the receptacle holder, and wherein the movement of each cover between the first non-engagement position and second engagement position is controlled by a second controller. When at least one receptacle is present in the plurality of receptacle wells it is secured within the receptacle well by the cover when in the second position. When the cover is in the first position, a receptacle transport mechanism can access the plurality of receptacle wells to introduce or remove a receptacle. In addition, each cover can move between the first and second positions together with, or independently of, one or more other covers. The first controller and the second controller may be the same unit. In other various embodiments, the apparatus does not include a cover or a plurality of covers. In various embodiments, the support of the apparatus is a heat sink or the support is provided in thermal communication with a heat sink. The apparatus may include a first controller electrically connected to the thermal element to cycle the temperature of the thermal element and may include one or more motors electrically connected to the first controller disposed in moveable communication with the cover, if present. In various embodiments, if present, the cover may include a rigid element and one or more flexible extensions, wherein the flexible extensions are attached to, and extend laterally away from, the rigid element to apply a force when the cover is in the closed position to at least a portion of one or more receptacles when present within the receptacle wells. In yet another exemplary aspect, the disclosure provides an apparatus that includes one or more receptacle holders made of a heat-conducting material. Each receptacle holder includes a plurality of receptacle wells, each receptacle well being configured to receive a receptacle therein; a plurality of through-holes, each through-hole extending from an inner surface of one of the receptacle wells to an outer surface of the receptacle holder; and a plurality of optical fibers, each optical fiber having first and second ends, wherein the first end is in optical communication with one of the receptacle wells, and the second end is in optical communication with at least one of an excitation signal source and/or an emission signal detector, the first end of each optical fiber being disposed outside, within, or extending through, a corresponding through-hole in each receptacle well, one or more thermal elements positioned proximal to the receptacle holder for altering a temperature or temperatures of the receptacle holder. In various embodiments, the apparatus does not have a cover. In various embodiments, the apparatus further includes a primary cover fixedly positioned over the receptacle holder and having one or more securing arms in alignment with and disposed in a surrounding arrangement with each receptacle well of the receptacle holder, wherein one or more receptacles disposed within one or more of the receptacle wells are seated or secured into the receptacle well by the securing arms; and a secondary cover fixedly positioned over the primary cover and having one or more releasing arms in alignment with and in sliding contact with the securing arms of the primary cover. In an exemplary embodiment, application of a force onto the releasing arms urges the securing arms to flex in a radial outward direction relative to an axial center of the receptacle well, thereby releasing the receptacle disposed within the receptacle well. One, two, three, four, or more securing arms are contemplated. In other various embodiments, the apparatus does not include a primary or secondary cover. In a variety of embodiments, the one or more thermistors and/or associated wiring thereof are disposed within a channel formed in the receptacle holder. In certain embodiments, the apparatus further includes one or more closed-ended channels formed on opposing sides of a receptacle well of the receptacle holder, each having one of the thermistors disposed therein. In yet another exemplary aspect, the disclosure provides an apparatus that includes one or more receptacle holders made of a heat-conducting material. Each receptacle holder includes a plurality of receptacle wells, each receptacle well being configured to receive a receptacle therein; a plurality of through-holes, each through-hole extending from an inner surface of one of the receptacle wells to an outer surface of the receptacle holder; a plurality of optical fibers, each optical fiber having first and second ends, wherein the first end is in optical communication with one of the receptacle wells, and the second end is in optical communication with at least one of an excitation signal source and an emission signal detector, the first end of each optical fiber being disposed outside, within, or extending through, a corresponding through-hole in each receptacle well, and wherein the first end of each optical fiber is moveable within one of the through-holes relative to the surface of the receptacle well; and one or more thermal elements positioned proximal to the receptacle holder for altering a temperature or temperatures of the receptacle holder. In various embodiments, the apparatus may further include a cover movable between an opened position and a closed position relative to the receptacle holder. When present, one or more receptacles disposed within one or more of the receptacle wells are securely seated to maximize contact with the inner surfaces of the receptacle wells without the need for contact with the cover. In certain embodiments, the apparatus may not include a cover. In a variety of embodiments, the one or more thermistors and/or associated wiring thereof are disposed within a channel formed in the receptacle holder. In certain embodiments, the apparatus further includes one or more closed-ended channels formed on opposing sides of a receptacle well of the receptacle holder, each having one of the thermistors disposed therein. In other embodiments, the present disclosure provides methods of introducing and removing a receptacle from a receptacle holder utilizing a fluid transfer apparatus, wherein the fluid transfer apparatus is configured to fixedly introduce the receptacle to the receptacle holder and to release the receptacle from a securing mechanism disposed within the receptacle holder that fixedly holds the receptacle within the receptacle holder. In yet another exemplary aspect, the disclosure provides a system that includes one or more apparatus of the present disclosure. In various embodiments, the system also includes a receptacle transport mechanism, which may be a modified pipettor. The receptacle transport mechanism includes a body having a plunger slidingly disposed therein, and one or more limbs hingedly attached to the body and positioned in sliding communication with a knob fixedly attached to the plunger. When the plunger is in a first position, a lower portion of the one or more limbs are proximal to the body, and when the plunger is in a second position, the lower portion of the one or more limbs are extended in a radial outward direction relative to the body.

11297423

TECHNICAL FIELD This application generally relates to an array microphone. In particular, this application relates to an endfire linear array microphone with consistent directionality and performance at different frequency ranges through the use of a delay and sum beamformer and a differential beamformer. BACKGROUND Conferencing environments, such as conference rooms, boardrooms, video conferencing applications, and the like, can involve the use of microphones for capturing sound from various audio sources active in such environments. Such audio sources may include humans speaking, for example. The captured sound may be disseminated to a local audience in the environment through amplified speakers (for sound reinforcement), and/or to others remote from the environment (such as via a telecast and/or a webcast). The types of microphones and their placement in a particular environment may depend on the locations of the audio sources, physical space requirements, aesthetics, room layout, and/or other considerations. For example, in some environments, the microphones may be placed on a table or lectern near the audio sources. In other environments, the microphones may be mounted overhead to capture the sound from the entire room, for example. Accordingly, microphones are available in a variety of sizes, form factors, mounting options, and wiring options to suit the needs of particular environments. Traditional microphones typically have fixed polar patterns and few manually selectable settings. To capture sound in a conferencing environment, many traditional microphones can be used at once to capture the audio sources within the environment. However, traditional microphones tend to capture unwanted audio as well, such as room noise, echoes, and other undesirable audio elements. The capturing of these unwanted noises is exacerbated by the use of many microphones. Array microphones having multiple microphone elements can provide benefits such as steerable coverage or pick up patterns, which allow the microphones to focus on the desired audio sources and reject unwanted sounds such as room noise. The ability to steer audio pick up patterns provides the benefit of being able to be less precise in microphone placement, and in this way, array microphones are more forgiving. Moreover, array microphones provide the ability to pick up multiple audio sources with one array microphone or unit, again due to the ability to steer the pickup patterns. However, array microphones may have certain shortcomings, including the fact that they are typically relatively larger than traditional microphones, and their fixed size often limits where they can be placed in an environment. In particular, the microphone elements in a linear array microphone may be situated relatively close together so that the linear array microphone can be placed in space-limited locations, such as podiums or desktops. The microphone elements in the linear array microphone may be paired together and be spaced certain distances apart. A delay and sum beamformer may be used to combine the signals from the microphone elements in order to achieve a certain pickup pattern. However, due to the relatively small distances between microphone elements, the performance of the linear array microphone at low frequencies may be limited. For example, the distance between a pair of microphone elements may be much smaller than a wavelength at a particular low frequency, which can cause the resulting pickup pattern of the linear array microphone at that low frequency to have less directionality and be more omnidirectional (instead of the desired pickup pattern). As such, at low frequencies, short linear array microphones may not consistently exhibit acceptable directionality. Accordingly, there is an opportunity for an array microphone that addresses these concerns. More particularly, there is an opportunity for a linear array microphone that provides improved directionality and performance at different frequency ranges through the use of a delay and sum beamformer and a differential beamformer. SUMMARY The invention is intended to solve the above-noted problems by providing array microphone systems and methods that are designed to, among other things: (1) provide a delay and sum beamformer for use with a first frequency range; (2) provide a differential beamformer for use with a second frequency range that is lower than the first frequency range; (3) output a beamformed output signal based on beamformed signals generated by the delay and sum beamformer and the differential beamformer; and (4) have a more consistent directionality and performance at different frequency ranges. In an embodiment, an array microphone includes a plurality of microphones arranged in a plurality of groups, a delay and sum beamformer, a differential beamformer, and an output generation unit. Each of the plurality of microphones may be configured to detect sound and output an audio signal, and each group of the plurality of groups may include two of the plurality of microphones and may be configured to cover a different frequency range. The delay and sum beamformer may be in communication with the plurality of microphones, and be configured to generate a first beamformed signal based on the audio signals of the plurality of microphones when a frequency of the detected sound is within a first frequency range. The differential beamformer may be in communication with the plurality of microphones, and be configured to generate a second beamformed signal based on the audio signals of the plurality of microphones when the frequency of the detected sound is within a second frequency range lower than the first frequency range. The output generation unit may be in communication with the delay and sum beamformer and the differential beamformer, and be configured to generate a beamformed output signal based on the first and second beamformed signals. The beamformed output signal may correspond to a pickup pattern and include the first beamformed signal when a frequency of the detected sound is within a first frequency range and the second beamformed signal when the frequency of the detected sound is within a second frequency range. In another embodiment, a method of beamforming audio signal of a plurality of microphones in an array microphone may include outputting an audio signal from each of the plurality of microphones based on detected sound; receiving the audio signals from the plurality of microphones at a delay and sum beamformer and a differential beamformer that are both in communication with the plurality of microphones; generating a first beamformed signal using the delay and sum beamformer when a frequency of the detected sound is within a first frequency range, based on the audio signals of the plurality of microphones; generating a second beamformed signal using the differential beamformer when the frequency of the detected sound is within a second frequency range lower than the first frequency range, based on the audio signals of the plurality of microphones; and generating a beamformed output signal with an output generation unit, based on the first and second beamformed signals. The beamformed output signal may correspond to a pickup pattern and include the first beamformed signal when a frequency of the detected sound is within a first frequency range and the second beamformed signal when the frequency of the detected sound is within a second frequency range. The plurality of microphones may be arranged in a plurality of groups. Each group of the plurality of groups may include two of the plurality of microphones and may be configured to cover a different frequency range. In a further embodiment, an array microphone may include a plurality of microphones arranged in a plurality of groups and disposed along a common axis of the array microphone; a delay and sum beamformer; a differential beamformer; and an output generation unit. Each of the plurality of microphones may be configured to detect sound and output an audio signal, and each group of the plurality of groups may include two of the plurality of microphones and be configured to cover a different frequency range. The delay and sum beamformer may be in communication with the plurality of microphones and be configured to generate a first beamformed signal based on the audio signals of the plurality of microphones when a frequency of the detected sound is within a first frequency range. The differential beamformer may be communication with the plurality of microphones and be configured to generate a second beamformed signal based on the audio signals of the plurality of microphones when the frequency of the detected sound is within a second frequency range lower than the first frequency range. The output generation unit may be in communication with the delay and sum beamformer and the differential beamformer, and be configured to generate a beamformed output signal based on the first and second beamformed signals, where the beamformed output signal corresponds to a pickup pattern. These and other embodiments, and various permutations and aspects, will become apparent and be more fully understood from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, which set forth illustrative embodiments that are indicative of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed.

11279610

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to Korean Application No. 10-2019-0021253 filed on Feb. 22, 2019, whose entire disclosure is hereby incorporated by reference. This application is also related to U.S. application Ser. No. 16/796,014 filed Feb. 20, 2020, and U.S. application Ser. No. 16/796,090 filed Feb. 20, 2020, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. Further, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that features disclosed in these above-noted applications may be combined in any combination with features disclosed herein. BACKGROUND 1. Field The present disclosure relates to a liquid (e.g., water) dispensing device. 2. Background In general, liquid dispensing devices are devices for supplying water or other liquids, for example, devices for dispensing various amounts of water through user's manipulation. In such a liquid dispensing device, when the user normally operates a lever, a button, or other input device, stored liquid is dispensed through a nozzle. In detail, in the liquid dispensing device, while the user manipulates the lever or the button, the nozzle is opened to dispense liquid. Then, the user stops the manipulation of the lever or the button while the user confirms an amount of liquid filled into a cup or a container. The liquid dispensing device may be applied to various fields. For example, the liquid dispensing device may be applied to a refrigerator and a liquid purifier. For example, the liquid dispensing device provided in the refrigerator and the liquid purifier may have a function of supplying an amount of liquid, which is automatically set by the user's manipulation. In recent years, liquid dispensing devices capable of supplying not only purified liquid but also cold liquid and hot liquid have been developed. An ‘under sink type drinking water supply device’ is disclosed in Korean Patent Registration No. 1884736. This document has a feature of a discharge part provided with a main body installed below a sink and a nozzle part installed outside the sink to discharge water. Also, a manipulation panel for function selection is separably provided at an upper side of the nozzle part, a container support part foldably or rotatably connected to a display part is additionally provided, and remaining water within a tube is automatically drained. In this device, although purified water, cold water, and hot water are supplied through the nozzle part exposed to the outside of the sink, there is a disadvantage in that this device does not supply sterilized water for cleaning. In addition, a specific coupling structure between the discharge part and the body part is not disclosed in the document. A purified water and sterilized water supply device is disclosed in Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2014-0033772. This document discusses a supply part which supplies purified water and sterilized water generated by a purified water generation part and sterilized water generation part to the outside. Also, the supply part includes a supply cock that supplies purified or sterilized water to the sink and a manipulation part installed on cock. As the sterilized water and the purified water are discharged through one cock, when the purified water is discharged, the sterilized water remaining in the tube and the cock is mixed with the purified water and then discharged. For reference, since the sterilized water may contain hypochlorous acid (HCIO) and the like, the sterilized water is not suitable for the drinking water. Therefore, it is necessary to discharge the purified water and the sterilized water through separate cocks. ‘A coupling device of a water tube for a sink’ is disclosed in Korean Utility Model Registration No. 20-0276610. This document discusses a feature in which a coupling tube extending under a main body of a faucet so as to pass through a through-hole defined in an upper plate of a sink and a coupling tube fastening part for firmly coupling and fixing the faucet to the upper plate so as to be screw-coupled to a screw part disposed on an outer circumference of the coupling tube while an inner diameter decreases due to rotation force that pushes a lower end from a lower side to an upper side in a state in which an upper end surface contacts a bottom surface of the upper plate by being covered from a lower portion of the coupling tube by the inner diameter greater than an outer diameter of the coupling tube are provided. It is difficult to couple the coupling tube fastening part without seeing with the naked eye when working a lower portion of the sink, and thus, the worker has to go directly to the inside of the sink so as to perform the working. In addition, when the water discharge part is fixed to the sink at the lower portion of the sink, and various pipes are connected to the water discharge part, a work space is insufficient, workability decreases, and a working time increases. In summary, according to the related art, a device configured to be able to discharge water through the water discharge nozzle exposed to the outside of the sink is not provided. Also, when the sterilized water remains in the tube, the valve, and the cock, precipitation occurs in the tube, the valve, and the cock, such that erosion of the tube, the valve, and the cock may occur. In addition, when the cold water or hot water are discharged, a temperature of the hot water or cold water flowing to the water discharge nozzle is changed by an influence of remaining water filled in the tube, and thus, it is difficult to discharge the hot water or cold water at a desired temperature. Also, when the tube replacement by a user or a professional, the tube replacement is cumbersome. Also, as the work to install the water discharge part in the sink is performed in a narrow space, the workability is significantly lowered, and it is difficult to firmly couple the water discharge part to the sink. The above references are incorporated by reference herein where appropriate for appropriate teachings of additional or alternative details, features and/or technical background.

11374459

CROSS-REFERENCE OF RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is the U.S. National Phase under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Patent Application No. PCT/JP2019/014650, filed on Apr. 2, 2019, which in turn claims the benefit of Japanese Application No. 2018-084017, filed on Apr. 25, 2018, the entire disclosures of which Applications are incorporated by reference herein. TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a motor, and more particularly to a motor for driving an air compressor. BACKGROUND ART Small motors have been used to drive hydraulic units, such as anti-lock brake systems (ABSs), for motor vehicles. As an example of such a motor, for example. Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose a motor including a rotor including a rotary shaft. The rotor is housed in a yoke that is a frame in the shape of a bottomed cylinder including permanent magnets arranged on the inner surface. CITATION LIST Patent Documents Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H11(1999)-018352 Patent Document 2: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No, 2002-204548 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Technical Problem In recent years, downsizing of air compressors mounted on motor vehicles, for example, has been developed. Accordingly, further reduction in the sizes and weights of air compressor driving motors is demanded. In an air compressor driving motors, pressure fluctuations occur in a frame at the drive of a compression mechanism. In accordance with the pressure fluctuations, the bottom of the frame is displaced along the rotary shaft. The frame itself thus needs to have a predetermined strength or more. However, in the motors according to the background art disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2, stress tends to be concentrated at the corners between the bottom and circumferential wall of the frame, With repetition of the displacement described above over a long time, fatigue fracture tends to occur at the corners. In addition, the frame has a relatively flat bottom, the bottom of the frame vibrates at the drive of the motor itself and the pressure fluctuations inside the frame, which causes noise. Such problems can be solved by increasing the rigidity of the frame. However, for example, with an increase in the thickness of the frame, the weight of the motor itself and the costs increase, which are problems. The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a motor including a frame with a greater rigidity and causing less noise at vibration. Solution to the Problem In order to achieve the object, a motor according to the present invention includes at least: a frame in a shape of a bottomed cylinder with an open end; a stator housed in, and fixed to, the frame; a rotor facing the stator at a predetermined distance; an end plate having, at a center thereof, a through-hole through which a rotary shaft of the rotor is inserted, and closing an opening of the frame; and a bearing rotatably supporting the rotary shaft. The frame has, on a bottom thereof, a bearing holder holding the bearing at a center thereof, and ribs extending like rays from the bearing holder radially outward and protruding to an inside of the frame. The ribs are arranged at a predetermined interval. Each rib has a radially outer end reaching a circumferential wall of the frame. This configuration can increase the rigidity of the bottom of the frame and reduce the displacement of the bottom of the frame in the axial direction. This can reduce fatigue failure of the frame. In addition, noise generation from the frame can be reduced. Advantages of the Invention The motor according to the present invention can increase the rigidity of the bottom of the frame and reduce the fatigue failure of the frame. In addition, noise generation from the frame can be reduced.