97results about How to "Quality" patented technology

A transformable implantable device is disclosed comprising primary and secondary phases or materials. The secondary phase or material is relatively rigid compared to the primary phase or material and also renders the transformable implantable device relatively rigid compared to the primary phase or material. The secondary phase or material, upon implantation, becomes more flexible, thereby rendering the transformable implantable device more flexible also.

A system, device, and method of using a power line communication device that is communicatively connected to a low voltage power line to establish communications with one or more electronic utility meters is provided. In one embodiment the method includes setting an encryption key parameter to a first encryption key used by the one or more electronic utility meters, establishing communications via one or more low voltage power lines with at least some of the utility meters using the first encryption key, assessing the quality of communications with at least some of the utility meters, transmitting communications quality data to a remote computer system; receiving information of one or more assigned meters from the remote computer system; and storing information of the assigned meters in memory.

A device and method for gait training, such as for rehabilitation of a person after a stroke is provided. In some embodiments, the device comprises a stimulator, preferably electric stimulator, for provoking a spinal cord withdrawal reflex in the person by stimulation on the person's foot in response to a control signal. Hereby, the person's leg will move and initiate a gait swing. A sensor is placed to sense movement of the leg and provide a feedback signal accordingly. A processor unit with a processor runs a control algorithm which calculates the control signal in response to the feedback signal. Thus, the method is based on a closed-loop design, and the control signal is preferably calculated for each walking step, and it is preferably based on the feedback signal obtained from the preceding walking step. Hereby reflex habituation can be accounted for. Preferably, the stimulator has a plurality of stimulator channels with electrodes placed on different sites distributed on the sole of the foot and on the heel. The feedback signal may be based on accelerometer(s), and / or gyroscope(s), and / or goinometer(s) positioned on the leg and / or foot, e.g. partly or fully integrated in an in-sole for a shoe etc.

The present invention relates to a method for predicting an optimum transmission frame size in a wireless computer network. The method comprises assessing transmission channel quality in the network, calculating an optimum length for the transmission frame, adjusting the length of the transmission frame to the predicted optimum length, transmitting the frame at its adjusted length and assessing the quality of the transmission of the frame. Prediction of the optimum frame size employs a Kalman filter which employs the parameters of bit error rate and random processing noise in the calculation of the predicted optimum frame length.

A de-interlacing architecture is taught. The de-interlacing architecture adopts a perceptual model to measure membership probabilities for a collection of image samples of an interlaced video source with respect to extracted static, motion, and texture image components of the same collection. The probabilities are used to prioritize contributions from the three image components and produce a progressive video sequence which is a summation of the portions of the aforementioned components. The perceptual model uses a dual-stage motion-based image difficulty measuring scheme to equalize contributions from the three image components in a manner that video artifacts in the output signal are least perceptive. A parameter mapping technique composed of several logic units, a decision function, a weight assignment block, and a look-up table, will be presented to derive the final component weights. The mapping technique contains a multitude of thresholds and decisions which aid in interpolating the missing lines of the progressive frame.

An apparatus and a method for providing call continuity to a VoIP terminal user responsive to degrading call quality. The quality of a VoIP call is assesses by monitoring the quality of the corresponding IP packet traffic using conventional IP packet quality measures such as, for example, jitter, packet loss and packet delay. When a quality trend indicator crosses a predetermined threshold, a continuity call is originated to the user from a mechanism connected to the IP network. The continuity call uses a connection infrastructure different from the one used by the VoIP terminal such as, for example, a mobility infrastructure (cellular), a wireline infrastructure, a wireless data protocol infrastructure or other similar infrastructure. The continuity call is connected to the user, the original call is bridged with the continuity call and the leg of the original call to the user is dropped.

Generation of an index database that is customized for a specific responder device using device parameters of the responder device is provided. The index database is generated on a device other than the responder device. In accordance with one method, an indication of a selection of objects is received. Device parameters of the responder device are also accessed. An index database is generated for the selection of objects using the device parameters of the responder device. The index database may then be transferred to the responder device.

Some embodiments of the present invention provide a system that measures the quality of a software system. During operation, the system performs a series of stress tests on the software system and determines a set of failure rates for the software system from the stress tests. Next, the system obtains a failure distribution from the failure rates. Finally, the system assesses the quality of the software system based on characteristics of the failure distribution.

Methods and systems are provided for improving engine restart operations responsive to a heavy operator pedal tip-in. Engine torque and disconnect clutch capacity are controlled during cranking and engine speed run-up so as to provide excess torque to accelerate the engine to the motor speed and prepare the engine for elevated torque delivery after the engine connects to the driveline. At a time of connecting the engine to the driveline, the engine torque is transiently reduced to avert NVH issues related to engine speed overshooting or undershooting the target speed.

A method of evenly using a plurality of blocks of a Flash memory comprises: providing at least one threshold value, which is utilized for sieving out blocks suitable for use from the plurality of blocks according to erase counts of the plurality of blocks; and by comparing erase counts of at least a portion of the plurality of blocks with the threshold value, sieving out a specific block for use from the plurality of blocks according to a purpose of use. An associated memory device and a controller thereof are also provided, where the controller comprises: a ROM arranged to store a program code, wherein the controller is provided with the at least one threshold value through the program code; and a microprocessor arranged to execute the program code to control the access to the Flash memory. The controller sieves out the specific block according to the purpose of use.

The present invention relates to the problem of estimating the effect of packet transmission impairments, including packet loss, on the subjective quality of a video transmission where frames of data relating to the same video frame or field are permitted to span more than one packet. The invention provides a method of assessing quality of a video signal comprising a sequence of video frames received via a packet switched network using a parameter which is a weighted sum of two counters where the first counter is incremented in dependence of the total number of packets in frames determined to have been received with one or more lost packets and the second counter is incremented in dependence of the number of packets following the first lost packet in each frame and the lost packet itself.

A device and method for gait training, such as for rehabilitation of a person after a stroke is provided. In some embodiments, the device comprises a stimulator, preferably electric stimulator, for provoking a spinal cord withdrawal reflex in the person by stimulation on the person's foot in response to a control signal. Hereby, the person's leg will move and initiate a gait swing. A sensor is placed to sense movement of the leg and provide a feedback signal accordingly. A processor unit with a processor runs a control algorithm which calculates the control signal in response to the feedback signal. Thus, the method is based on a closed-loop design, and the control signal is preferably calculated for each walking step, and it is preferably based on the feedback signal obtained from the preceding walking step. Hereby reflex habituation can be accounted for. Preferably, the stimulator has a plurality of stimulator channels with electrodes placed on different sites distributed on the sole of the foot and on the heel. The feedback signal may be based on accelerometer(s), and / or gyroscope(s), and / or goinometer(s) positioned on the leg and / or foot, e.g. partly or fully integrated in an in-sole for a shoe etc.

The invention relates to the breeding of cucumbers, and especially to a new cucumber plant with a valuable new characteristic. This new characteristic leads to an improvement in the growth properties and so to a simplification and improvement of cucumber cultivation. Seeds according to the invention and methods for introducing the new characteristic into other cucumber plants are also covered. Self-pollination and cross-pollination of the plants according to the invention are described, as well as the production of doubled haploids from these plants.

By previously press-fitting a ring (40) into one end portion (12) of a tube (11), the one end portion (12) is held in the flared state. With an inner cylindrical portion (22) of the joint main body (20) having been inserted into this ring (40) while the one end portion (12) having been press-fitted into a recessed groove (21) to the innermost recess portion, a greatest wall thickness portion (41) of the ring is covered. In this state, with a cap nut (30) being screwed with the joint main body (20), the greatest wall thickness portion (41) of the ring is pressed against the inner cylindrical portion (22) together with the one end portion (12) through an outer cylindrical portion (23), and a hole peripheral edge (34a) of an insertion hole (34) of the cap nut is pressure-contacted with a bent portion (12c) of the tube by the ring (40).

In a method for recording radiological projection data sets of an object under examination, a number of two-dimensional projection data sets of the object under examination being recorded, which are characterized by an axis of rotation having a spatial position, with a projection data set being obtained from an x-ray beam penetrating the object under examination, which essentially diffuses at a right angle to the axis of rotation. By changing the spatial position of the axis of rotation between the recording of two successive projection data sets, increases the versatility of the x-ray device increased, in particular for a movable x-ray device, and the image quality of the spatial representations that are reconstructed from the projection data sets is improved.

The present invention is a cardboard sheet batch division device for dividing batches, disposed on the downstream side of a batch-forming device for separating loaded cardboard sheets and forming batches of a predetermined sheet count. The cardboard sheet batch division device for dividing batches comprises: a transfer conveyor for transferring batches formed by the batch-forming device in a predetermined transfer direction; and batch division means furnished with two separating members respectively contacting the leading edge portion and the trailing edge portion of a batch on the transfer conveyor, for dividing the batch into two sub-batches, upper and lower, by moving the two separating members relative to one another in a direction parallel to the predetermined transfer direction.

An object is to obtain a dielectric layer constituting material, a capacitor circuit forming piece, etc. in which unnecessary dielectric layer is removed except capacitor circuit parts that improve accuracy of position of an embedded capacitor circuit in a multi-layer printed wiring board. For the purpose of achieving the object, “a method for manufacturing a dielectric layer constituting material characterized in that step a is a step for forming a first electrode circuit by etching a conductor layer on one side of a metal clad dielectric comprising a conductor layer on each side of a dielectric layer; step b is a step for removing the dielectric layer that is exposed between the first electrode circuits to manufacture the dielectric layer constituting material; and the step a is conducted and then the step b is conducted” is adopted. Then as a process for manufacturing a capacitor circuit forming piece, the dielectric layer constituting material obtained above is used and a process for forming a second electrode at a position facing the first electrode is conducted.

Methods and systems are provided for improving engine restart operations occurring during a transmission shift in a hybrid vehicle. Engine speed is controller during cranking and run-up to approach a transmission input shaft speed that is based on the future gear of the transmission shift. Engine speed is controlled via adjustments to spark, throttle, and / or fuel, to expedite engine speed reaching the synchronous speed.

The invention relates to a scan detection device for a motor stator, which uses a working motor to drive a detecting magnet to rotate and scan along the near surface of the motor stator being detected, and the magnetic flux variety of the detected motor stator generated by the rotation and canning makes the detected motor stator to generate induced electromotive force, and the quality of the detected stator can be determined through detecting the circumferential induced electromotive force distribution curve of the detected stator by a measurement control unit and comparing with the circumferential induced electromotive force distribution curve of the qualified stator with the same size. A realization method of the invention is as follows: the device is composed of a working motor, a fixing bracket, a position sensor, a coupling spindle, a gyrator body, the detecting magnet and the measurement control unit. The position sensor is divided into two parts of a moving component and a position detecting component, and two components are respectively fixed on a rotating shaft or the coupling spindle of the working motor and on the fixing bracket. The gyrator body is fixed on the rotating shaft or the coupling spindle of the working motor, and the detecting magnet is fixed on the gyrator body and near the surface of the detected motor stator. The detecting device not only can detect the malfunction of the stator, but also can indicate which position or azimuth has quality problem around the circumference of the stator.

To provide a process for coding the moving picture with higher speed and enhanced efficiency. The present invention provides a moving picture coding method for coding a moving picture of processing object through a predetermined process including a motion estimating process, determining whether or not the predetermined process (e.g., DCT process and quantization process) for a block of processing object can be omitted on the basis of the information regarding a difference between the block and a reference block of a frame to be referenced in coding (i.e., a frame to be referenced in making the motion vector detection), and a quantization parameter for use in a quantization process of the moving picture, performing the predetermined process if it is determined that the predetermined process can not be omitted, and omitting the predetermined process if it is determined that the predetermined process can be omitted and making a set defined value the result of the predetermined process for the block.

An ultrasonographic apparatus includes: an ultrasonic probe 1 for transmitting / receiving an ultrasonic wave to / from a patient, means 2 for generating an ultrasonic transmission signal and transmitting it to the ultrasonic probe, means 3 for receiving a reflection echo signal received by the ultrasonic probe; means 4 for re-constructing a form image according to the reception signal processed by the reception processing means; means 5 for re-constructing an elasticity image according to the reception signal processed by the reception processing means; means 7 for displaying the form image and the elasticity image; means 8 for switching between the form image mode and elasticity image mode; and means 9 for performing control so as to selectively acquire the form image and the elasticity image in the measurement period of the elasticity image mode switched by the mode switching means. Thus, it is possible to perform measurement associated with acquisition of both the form image and the elasticity image of the biological tissue and improve the image quality of the form image such as a B mode image and the image quality of the elasticity image such as elasticity ratio and elasticity distortion.

The invention provides a method and a system for displaying pictures and a terminal. The method comprises the following steps of acquiring a plurality of graded pictures which are required to be displayed; according to the attribute information and the grading information of each picture in the graded pictures, dividing a displaying area for displaying the graded pictures into a plurality of sub areas; according to the attribute information of each sub area, the attribute information of each picture and the grading information of each picture in the multiple sub areas, displaying each picture in the corresponding sub area in the sub areas. By the technical scheme provided by the invention, the pictures to be displayed can be displayed in different areas, the displaying effect of good pictures is enhanced, the displaying effect of bad pictures is weakened, the time for a user to browse the pictures is shortened, the visual fatigue of the user is relieved, meanwhile, deformation is not caused in a picture displaying process, the displaying effect of the pictures is enhanced, and the experience of browsing the pictures by the user is promoted.

A derivation unit derives SNRs corresponding respectively to two repeated OFDM symbols having the same content. The derivation unit generates, from the derived SNRs, a control signal necessary for deriving weighting factors and then outputs this control signal as a combined control signal. An FFT unit performs FFT on a signal combined by a delay symbol synthesizing unit. An equalization unit performs equalization processing on subcarrier signals inputted from the FFT unit. While associating two weighting factors with OFDM symbols of the same content, a synthesis unit weights the OFDM symbols of the same content with the weighting factors and then combines the OFDM symbols of the same content among equalization data.

A mobile communication system controls switching a transmission diversity system for each channel, and improves the quality of the channel. When the channel type in an uplink is a channel for transmitting voice, open loop transmission diversity is used (steps S1→S3). When the channel type in an uplink is a channel for transmitting a packet, closed loop transmission diversity is used (steps S1→S2). Since the open loop transmission diversity or the closed loop transmission diversity whichever is more appropriate can be used, a transmission diversity system can be appropriately switched for each channel, thereby improving the quality of the channel.

A process for the transformation of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to nanoribbons composed of a few layers of graphene by a two-step electrochemical approach is disclosed in this invention. This consists of the oxidation of CNTs at controlled potential, followed by reduction to form graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) having smooth edges and fewer defects, as evidenced by multiple characterization techniques, including Raman spectroscopy, atomic force micro-scopy, and transmission electron microscopy. This type of ‘unzipping” of CNTs (single-walled, multi-walled) in the presence of an interfacial electric field provides unique advantages with respect to the orientation of CNTs, which might make possible the production of GNRs with controlled widths and fewer defects. The extent of oxidation was confirmed by various characterization techniques like XRD, XPS and Raman spectroscopy. In the second step of experiments, the CNT oxide were reduced for different periods such as 4, 8, 12 hours at fixed negative potentials of −0.5 V, so as to get layers of graphene ribbons as tabulated herein.

The present invention is directed to systems and methods in which, for a given amount of data required to represent a compressed video signal, the quality of the uncompressed displayed real-time video, as perceived by a typical human viewer, is improved. Systems and methods herein achieve this improvement by attenuating the appearance of blocks without necessarily having a priori knowledge of their locations. The methods described herein attenuate the appearance of these blocks such that the quality of the resultant real-time video, as perceived by the HVS, is improved.

A method of providing file data for a media file from a file system, where the format of the file requires that the file comprise a plurality of segments of file data located at pre-declared locations within the file. The file data making up the file is based upon derived file data. After receiving a request to open the file, a maximum segment length for the file is determined based on the desired properties of the file. In response to a request for the location of a segment within the file, a location calculated by considering each segment of the file to have the maximum segment length is returned. In response to a request for file data from a segment of the file, generated file data for the segment is returned, where the generated file data comprises the derived file data and padding data to give the generated file data the maximum segment length.

An original-document illumination apparatus includes an illuminated face on which an original-document is placed. The original-document illumination apparatus also includes a light-source unit having a plurality of light-emitting elements which are arranged along the main-scanning direction of the original-document and which illuminate the original-document. The light source unit is movable in a sub-scanning direction that is orthogonal to the main-scanning direction. In addition, the original-document illumination apparatus includes a lens array disposed between the illuminated face and the light-source unit, and having a plurality of convergent lenses. A luminous flux from each of the light-emitting elements of the light-source unit is radiated onto the illuminated face through each of the lenses of the lens array.