Abstract: A sub-frame assembly for supporting a pair of wheels on a vehicle. The base may be an extrusion having a matrix of panels extending in a vertical direction. The sub-frame assembly has control arm brackets disposed on opposing ends of the base and attachment towers extending above the brackets providing attachment points to connect portions of an independent suspension to the vehicle and support a pair of wheels. The base, control brackets and attachment towers may be individual modular pieces. Left and right hand control brackets and attachment towers may be provided by respective unitary support pieces attached to opposing ends of the base. The unitary support pieces may be extrusions having panels extending in a transverse direction, nonaxial to the base. The base, control arm brackets and attachment towers, alternatively, may be provided by a single unitary extrusion having a matrix of panels extending in a transverse direction.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for encoding data as a two-dimensional array of pixels, as well as a method and an apparatus for decoding such data are described. Data bits for encoding are received via an input. An encoder determines blocks of pixels corresponding to the received data bits from an alphabet of allowed blocks of pixels. Each allowed block of pixels represents two or more data bits. Values of the pixels within each block of pixels in said alphabet are selected from three or more allowed values and increase continuously from a lowest value of a first pixel to a highest value of a last pixel when considering the pixels along a spiral or represent a plane having an orientation and an inclination. The blocks of pixels determined for the data bits are combined into a two-dimensional array of pixels. For decoding a pixel analyzer determines properties of pixel values of each retrieved block of pixels.

Abstract: Many watermarking detection algorithms are correlation based, whereby an input signal is correlated with reference signals. The correlation with the best match determines the bit value of the watermark information. Usually a watermarked signal undergoes distortion before being fed to a watermark detector. However, the modification is stronger in some frequency ranges than in others. According to the invention, the correlation result for a current input signal section is in addition used for estimating the optimal frequency range or ranges for the following section's correlation, using a cumulative correlation value curve.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to various vehicle frame assemblies and methods of manufacturing the same. The vehicle frame assemblies have rails composed of dissimilar materials.

Abstract: Audio watermarking is the process of embedding watermark information items into an audio signal in an in-audible manner. In a first embodiment, in case the original audio signal has parts of low signal energy, an alternative signal having a level or strength given by the psycho-acoustic model is combined with the original audio signal. The combined signal is watermarked with watermark data to be embedded. In a second embodiment, in case the original audio signal has parts of low signal energy, an alternative signal having a level or strength given by the psycho-acoustic model is watermarked with watermark data to be embedded, and the audio signal is watermarked with the watermark data to be embedded. The watermarked alternative signal is combined with the watermarked audio signal.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are presented for estimating environmental parameters from GNSS signals in real time. Some embodiments estimate a float solution using a federated ionospheric filter. Some embodiments fix ambiguities for improved estimates.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a vehicle frame, includes: forming compatible threads on a first rail composed of a first material and a second rail composed of a second material; forming a pair of locators on the first and second rails, said locators configured to indicate an alignment condition of the first rail and second rail when screwed together; and screwing together the first rail and second rail.

Abstract: Some novel features pertain to a first example provides a semiconductor device that includes a printed circuit board (PCB), asset of solder balls and a die. The PCB includes a first metal layer. The set of solder balls is coupled to the PCB. The die is coupled to the PCB through the set of solder balls. The die includes a second metal layer and a third metal layer. The first metal layer of the PCB, the set of solder balls, the second and third metal layers of the die are configured to operate as an inductor in the semiconductor device. In some implementations, the die further includes a passivation layer. The passivation layer is positioned between the second metal layer and the third metal layer. In some implementations, the second metal layer is positioned between the passivation layer and the set of solder balls.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for storing data as a coded two-dimensional pattern of pixels on a photographic medium are described. An image representative of the data to be stored is divided into a two-dimensional array of blocks. A representative color value is determined for each block to obtain a two-dimensional array of representative color values. At least part of the data to be stored is coded such that the resulting coded two-dimensional pattern of pixels resembles the two-dimensional array of representative color values. The coded two-dimensional pattern of pixels is printed onto the photographic medium.

Abstract: In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a method for measuring a quality parameter of an optical storage system comprising a non-diffraction-limited optical storage medium and a readout device, the method comprising the process of deriving an impulse response of the optical storage system, and the process of analyzing the impulse response to determine at least one of a width of the impulse response and a skewness of the impulse response as the quality parameter.

Abstract: A device for providing feedback to a user of a string instrument is described. The device comprises receiving circuitry operable in use to communicate with at least one finger sensor capable of detecting the force of a finger on a string, a camera operable in use to capture an image and a display operable in use to display data, wherein the receiving circuitry, camera and display are connected to processing circuitry which is operable to: detect, from the receiving circuitry, the force of a user's finger on at least one string at a given time; detect, from the camera, the position of the user's finger on the at least one string at the given time; compare the detected force of the user's finger and the position of the user's finger on the at least one string at the given time with a predetermined value of force and position at the given time; and generate, on the basis of the said comparison, feedback to display on the display.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods of manufacturing vehicle frame assemblies. Some of the disclosed methods include forming a key and receptor arrangement between an interconnecting member, having a first material composition, and a cross-member, having a second material composition; attaching the interconnecting member and cross-member via the key and receptor arrangement at one location; inserting the interconnecting member and cross-member in a side rail; and welding the interconnecting member to the side rail at another location.

Abstract: Accuracy information for an ionosphere model is generated. Phase residual information of a parameter estimation procedure is obtained and coordinates of pierce points are computed on a sphere around the earth. The coordinates indicate where signals pierce the sphere. Phase residual information is mapped for each pierce point. A grid of equidistant points is put on the sphere and the pierce points are identified. For each selected grid point, vertical accuracy information is computed based on vertical residual information, and a scale factor is computed based on the vertical accuracy information. The accuracy information for the ionosphere model is generated based on the vertical accuracy information computed for the selected grid points and an overall scale factor computed based on computed scale factors.

Abstract: Some implementations provide a semiconductor device that includes a first substrate, a die coupled to the first substrate, and a set of solder balls coupled to the first substrate. The set of solder balls is configured to provide an electrical connection between the die and a second substrate. The semiconductor device also includes at least one decoupling capacitor coupled to the die through the first substrate. The at least one decoupling capacitor is configured to provide an electrical connection between the die and the second substrate. The at least one decoupling capacitor is coupled to the first substrate such that the at least one decoupling capacitor is positioned between the first substrate and the second substrate. In some implementations, the second substrate is a printed circuit board (PCB). In some implementations, the first substrate is a first package substrate, and the second substrate is a second package substrate.

Abstract: Some novel features pertain to a first example provides a semiconductor device that includes a printed circuit board (PCB), asset of solder balls and a die. The PCB includes a first metal layer. The set of solder balls is coupled to the PCB. The die is coupled to the PCB through the set of solder balls. The die includes a second metal layer and a third metal layer. The first metal layer of the PCB, the set of solder balls, the second and third metal layers of the die are configured to operate as an inductor in the semiconductor device. In some implementations, the die further includes a passivation layer. The passivation layer is positioned between the second metal layer and the third metal layer. In some implementations, the second metal layer is positioned between the passivation layer and the set of solder balls.

Abstract: A rapid preparation method of high-quality hot water and a preparation device thereof include steps of: a) calculating a heating variable T according to T=Tcm?TR+x, wherein the TR and the x are predetermined constants, then determining a flow rate Lj according to a series of heating curves of a pipeline heater (4), wherein the Lj satisfies T?THj, the THj is a highest heating value when the flow rate is Lj; b) inputting water with the flow rate Lj into the pipeline heater (4), then obtaining the heating variable T according to a heating curve pair of the pipeline heater (4), wherein the heating curve pair is corresponding to the Lj, determining an adjacent heating power pair from heating curves of the pipeline heater (4), wherein the heating power pair is corresponding to one of time points in a slow nonlinear heating area K, then heating with one heating power of the heating power pair; and c) detecting a water temperature Tc in the step b) from a water outlet (GB) of the pipeline heater (4); calculating a te

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel proton-conducting polymer membrane based on polyazole polymers which, owing to their outstanding chemical and thermal properties, can be used widely and are suitable in particular as polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) for producing membrane electrode assemblies or so-called PEM fuel cells.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a vehicle frame assembly, includes: (i) receiving threshold temperature data for an adhesive; (ii) defining an adhesive zone wherein which adhesive will be applied with respect to a first and second vehicle structural member; and (iii) determining a minimum distance a weld can be applied on the first structural member with respect to the adhesive zone based on empirical data.

Abstract: For watermark embedding, without full Dolby AC-3 decoding, mantissa bits in the AC-3 bit stream are changed by exploiting the fact that during AC-3 encoding more bits than required by the perceptual masking curve are used for the quantization of the MDCT coefficient mantissa values. In addition to the bap values, truly required bap values are determined and the mantissa values are changed accordingly, controlled by the watermark information. The advantages are efficient watermark embedding, other bit stream parameters and values remain unchanged except for CRC checks, and the audio quality of the watermarked signal remains perceptually unchanged.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for processing of GNSS signals are presented. These include GNSS processing with predicted precise clocks, GNSS processing with mixed-quality data, GNSS processing with time-sequence maintenance, GNSS processing with reduction of position jumps in low-latency solutions, GNSS processing with position blending to bridge reference station changes, and GNSS processing with delta-phase correction for incorrect starting position.