Abstract: Disclosed is a transmitter which includes an encoder and a transmission interface circuit. The encoder receives data bits and generates conversion bits, a number of is the conversion bits being more than a number of the data bits, based on the number of the data bits. The encoder detects a risk pattern of the conversion bits to generate detection data and converts the risk pattern into a replacement pattern based on the detection data to generate code bits, a number of is the code bits being equal to the number of the conversion bits.

Abstract: There is provided a method of processing uplink Ethernet packets of an aggregation node included in a distributed antenna system, the method includes: receiving a plurality of uplink Ethernet packets; summing the plurality of received uplink Ethernet packets; and transmitting the summed uplink Ethernet packets in an uplink direction.

Abstract: A wireless device includes a receiver to receive a packet via one or more antennas. A frame synchronization detection circuit coupled to the receiver identifies a frame synchronization pattern within a portion of the packet. A correlation circuit coupled to the frame synchronization detection circuit computes, in response to the identifying of the frame synchronization pattern within the portion of the packet, a frequency offset using a correlation method. A frequency estimation correction circuit coupled to the correlation circuit determines, based on the frame synchronization pattern, a bias value, wherein the bias value corresponds to a data pattern within the frame synchronization pattern indicative of a frequency bias, and applies a correction to the frequency offset, wherein applying the correction to the frequency offset comprises modifying the frequency offset using the bias value.

Abstract: A communication method relates to a paging mechanism applied for a radio access network, including: a centralized unit sends a paging message to a distributed unit, where the paging message carries indication information indicates that the paging is paging originated from a core network or the paging is paging originated from a radio access network; and the distributed unit determines, according to the indication information, that the paging is paging originated from the core network or the paging is paging originated from the radio access network.

Abstract: A Node-B sends a polling message to a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU). The WTRU sends an uplink synchronization burst in response to the polling message without contention. The Node-B estimates an uplink timing shift based on the synchronization burst and sends an uplink timing adjustment command to the WTRU. The WTRU then adjusts uplink timing based on the uplink timing adjustment command. Alternatively, the Node-B may send a scheduling message for uplink synchronization to the WTRU. The WTRU may send a synchronization burst based on the scheduling message. Alternatively, the WTRU may perform contention-based uplink synchronization after receiving a synchronization request from the Node-B. The WTRU may enter an idle state instead of performing a handover to a new cell when the WTRU moves to the new cell. A discontinuous reception (DRX) interval for the WTRU may be set based on activity of the WTRU.

Abstract: A forward error correction (FEC) decoder is configured to find an alignment of a code block in a data stream by attempting to fully or partially decode one or more data windows of a predetermined size in the data stream. The predetermined size is a size of each codeword. The FEC decoder selects a first data window of the predetermined size, attempts to decode the first data window based on a particular error control coding method, and determines whether a valid codeword can be identified by attempting to decode the first data window. In response to determining that a valid codeword can be identified, the FEC decoder determines that an alignment of the codeword with the first data window is found. Otherwise, the FEC decoder selects a second data window of the predetermined size and attempts to decode the second data window.

Abstract: Disclosed is a transmitter which includes an encoder and a transmission interface circuit. The encoder receives data bits and generates conversion bits, a number of is the conversion bits being more than a number of the data bits, based on the number of the data bits. The encoder detects a risk pattern of the conversion bits to generate detection data and converts the risk pattern into a replacement pattern based on the detection data to generate code bits, a number of is the code bits being equal to the number of the conversion bits.

Abstract: A wireless device includes a radio transceiver, and a digital transmitter configured to transmit, via the radio transceiver, a first data symbol, and to transmit, via the radio transceiver, a repetition of the first data symbol immediately after the first data symbol, where the first data symbol forms a cyclic prefix for the repetition of the first data symbol.

Abstract: A packet detection method is disclosed. The packet detection method includes the following operations: receiving a wireless communication signal; calculating a delay correlation function of the wireless communication signal; calculating a delay related output value and a threshold value according to the delay correlation function; and determining whether the wireless communication signal satisfies a feature of a wireless network packet or not according to the delay related output value and the threshold value.

Abstract: A multiplexing device including a multistage slave configured to process control data transmitted from a master in an industrial network, a multiprocessing device configured to multiplex the control data transmitted from a first slave of the multistage slave, the first slave being disposed at an upstream side to the master of the multistage slave, and transmit the control data so multiplexed to a second slave of the multistage slave by way of a multiplex communication line, the second slave being situated at a downstream side of the multistage slave, and a control device configured to issue a disconnection command to disconnect a communication between the first slave and the multiprocessing device in response to a disconnection of the multiplex communication line.

Abstract: An automated multi-fabric link aggregation system includes leaf switch devices that have leaf switch device downlink ports, that are included in a first network fabric, and that are aggregated to provide a first aggregation fabric. Each leaf switch device generates discovery communications including a first network fabric identifier for the first network fabric, and a first aggregation fabric identifier for the first aggregation fabric. The leaf switch devices then transmit the discovery communications via the leaf switch device downlink ports. I/O modules that have I/O module uplink port are included in a second network fabric and are aggregated to provide a second aggregation fabric. The I/O modules receive the discovery communications via each of the I/O module uplink ports, determine that each received discovery communication includes the first network fabric identifier and the first aggregation fabric identifier and, in response, automatically configure the I/O module uplink ports in a LAG.

Abstract: Particular embodiments described herein provide for an electronic device that can be configured to determine that a packet needs a timestamp, determine an initial timestamp for a reference block, communicate the reference block to a monitor engine, receive an asynchronous pulse from the monitor engine after the monitor engine received the reference block, determine a synchronization timestamp for the asynchronous pulse, and determine the timestamp for the packet based on the initial timestamp for the reference block and the synchronization timestamp for the asynchronous pulse.

Abstract: Various example embodiments for supporting scheduling of deterministic flows in time synchronized networks are presented. Various example embodiments for supporting scheduling of deterministic flows in a time synchronized network may be configured to support scheduling of deterministic flows in the time synchronized network based on assignment of transmission start times to data flows of communication devices such that the communication devices may transmit data of the data flows at the transmission start times in a manner tending to reduce or eliminate collisions in the time synchronized network.

Abstract: A frequency divider circuit includes: a first frequency dividing circuit configured to divide a first clock signal to generate a first frequency-divided clock signal; a second frequency dividing circuit configured to divide a second clock signal having the same frequency as the first clock signal and having a first phase difference with respect to the first clock signal to generate a second frequency-divided clock signal; a detection circuit configured to detect a phase relationship between the first frequency-divided clock signal and the second frequency-divided clock signal; and a selection circuit configured to select and output one of the second frequency-divided clock signal and an inverted signal of the second frequency-divided clock signal which are generated by the second frequency dividing circuit, based on the phase relationship between the first frequency-divided clock signal and the second frequency-divided clock signal detected by the detection circuit.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media for improved data transmissions using puncturing and error correction encoding. A decoder receives an encoded data input that includes a set of individual values. The decoder performing a puncturing of the encoded data input, yielding a punctured encoded data input that includes a subset of the individual values from the set of individual values. The decoder determines whether the punctured encoded data input maps to any predetermined data outputs from a set of predetermined data outputs, and in response to determining that the punctured encoded data input maps to a predetermined data output from the set of predetermined data outputs, the decoder determines that the encoded data input corresponds to the predetermined data output.

Abstract: A set of encoders within a transmitter (TX) physical layer (PHY) encode incoming data using a predefined encoder scheme by translating multiple data segments into a set of balanced bit sequences. Each data segment comprises a first number of bits and each balanced bit sequence comprises a second number of bits. A data striping component distributes the set of balanced bit sequences to a set of serializers by routing bits from particular bit positions in each balanced bit sequence to a corresponding serializer. The set of serializers generates serialized data based on the set of balanced bit sequences.

Abstract: This application discloses a data packet transmission method, a receiving device, and a sending device. The method includes: receiving, by a receiving device, a data packet, where the data packet includes at least one pair of a delimiter and an information element; the delimiter is used to separate two adjacent information elements; the delimiter includes a cyclic redundancy code field and an information element type field; in each pair of a delimiter and an information element, the information element type field is used to indicate a type of the information element; and one type of information element is uniquely corresponding to one information element length; and parsing, by the receiving device, the information element based on the cyclic redundancy code field and the information element type field.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, a system for initiating, at a first start time, transmissions of first electromagnetic waves, ceasing transmission of the first electromagnetic waves after a first duration period that is less than a one-way travel time for signals to propagate between the first waveguide system and a second waveguide system via a physical transmission medium, and initiating, after the ceasing, reception of second electromagnetic waves from the second waveguide system that are initiated at a second start time and transmitted for a second duration period that is less than the one-way travel time. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A communications device includes aspects for improving reception of transmissions with first-adjacent co-channel interference signals corresponding to digitally-modulated side-bands of in-band on-channel (IBOC) broadcasted signals. The communications device may include a radio frequency (RF) signal-reception circuit including two RF-signal paths driven in response to signals received via at least two respective antennas, and configured to respond to signals carried in the respective RF-signal paths by providing pre-processed RF output signals. The communications device may further include a beam-forming circuit driven in response to signals received at the at least two respective antennas and configured and arranged to facilitate first-adjacent interference cancellation (FAC).

Abstract: A method in a node is disclosed. The method comprises receiving a signal, and obtaining a first oversampled received signal by sampling the received signal according to a symbol rate. The method further comprises estimating a first frequency offset based on the first oversampled received signal, the first frequency offset estimated using an estimation range limited to one of a bandwidth of the received signal or the symbol rate of the received signal, and obtaining a second oversampled received signal by sampling the received signal according to N times the symbol rate, wherein N is greater than 1. The method further comprises estimating a true frequency offset based on the first frequency offset estimate and the second oversampled received signal.

Abstract: An optical frame is received over an optical link within an optical network. The optical frame contains a payload of aggregated data, an alignment value, and a bit interleaved parity value. The content of the optical frame is aligned based on the alignment value. The bit interleaved parity value is monitored. In response to the monitoring, a transmission quality of the transmission link is determined.

Abstract: A wireless device detects a synchronization signal by obtaining (210), from a received signal, a sequence of samples, and calculating (220) a differentially decoded sequence from the obtained sequence of samples. The wireless device correlates (230) the calculated differentially decoded sequence with a first reference sequence corresponding to the synchronization signal, at each of a plurality of time offsets, and identifies which of the plurality of time offsets results in a largest correlation result. In response to determining (240) that the largest correlation result does not meet a predetermined reliability criterion, the wireless device correlates (250) the obtained sequence of samples with a second reference sequence, at each of a plurality of time and frequency offsets, and identifies which combination of time offset and frequency offset results in a largest correlation result. The first reference sequence comprises a differentially decoded version of the second reference sequence.

Abstract: An embodiment generates a composite high speed clock with embedded frame synchronization using simple digital encoding of a high speed reference clock. The high speed reference clock and self-aligned frame synchronization signal are recovered by standard logic gate circuitry. The encoding and decoding circuits are comprised of basic digital logic gates with low propagation delay skew and timing jitter. The encoded clock is easier to transmit from source unit to destination unit over common transmission media (i.e., digital transceivers, amplifiers, splitters, connectors and coaxial cable) because only a single interface is required and because the encoding scheme reduces the composite clock to a minimal transmission bandwidth with constrained waveform harmonic content, relative to a low frequency frame sync with fast rise time that requires a broadband transmission media.

Abstract: Systems and methods for interoperating between real time networks. Systems may include a plurality of ports and switch circuitry coupled to the plurality of ports. At least one port may be coupled to a first real time network carrying first traffic. One or more other ports may be coupled to a second real time network carrying second traffic. Switch circuitry may route packets between the first real time network and the one or more second real time networks based on a mapping. Routing information may be inserted in packets routed from the one or more second real time networks to the first real time network and routing information may be removed from the packets routed from the first real time network to the one or more second real time networks. Packets may be routed based on the mapping to distinct queues for the first and second traffic.

Abstract: Presented herein is a method and apparatus for enhanced power distribution to application specific integrated circuits (ASICs). The apparatus includes a substrate, an ASIC, and a voltage regulator module. The substrate includes a first side, a second side, and a vertical interconnect access (via) extending between the first side and the second side. The ASIC is mounted on the first side of the substrate in alignment with the via. The voltage regulator module is mounted on the second side of the substrate in alignment with the via so that the voltage regulator module is electrically coupled to the ASIC through the via.

Abstract: A method in a node is disclosed. The method comprises receiving a signal, and obtaining a first oversampled received signal by sampling the received signal according to a symbol rate. The method further comprises estimating a first frequency offset based on the first oversampled received signal, the first frequency offset estimated using an estimation range limited to one of a bandwidth of the received signal or the symbol rate of the received signal, and obtaining a second oversampled received signal by sampling the received signal according to N times the symbol rate, wherein N is greater than 1. The method further comprises estimating a true frequency offset based on the first frequency offset estimate and the second oversampled received signal.

Abstract: A system for compensating wire characteristics includes a transmission pre-emphasis module of a transmission transceiver that sends high level pre-emphasis training bits and low level pre-emphasis training bits along a wired connection, a reception pre-emphasis module of a receiver that receives the high level pre-emphasis training bits and low level pre-emphasis training bits along the wired connection, a pre-emphasis analysis module of the receiver that analyzes the high level pre-emphasis training bits and low level pre-emphasis training bits to determine a pre-emphasis level. The system further includes a controller that interfaces with the transmission transceiver and the receiver, the controller communicates the pre-emphasis level to the transmission transceiver.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a photonic oscillator circuit configured to generate optical signals that are separated by a uniform delay; radio frequency (RF) generating circuitry configured to receive the optical signals and produce a series of reference clock signals having a same clock signal frequency, wherein each reference clock signal in the series includes a uniform delay from a previous clock signal in the series; and a plurality of analog-to-digital converter (ADC) circuits, wherein an ADC circuit includes a signal input to directly receive an RF input signal that is continuous in time and amplitude, and a clock input to receive a reference clock signal of the repeating series of reference clock signals, wherein the ADC circuits are configured to sample a RF input signal at the frequency of the reference clock signal with the uniform delay to sample interleaved digital values representing the RF signal.

Abstract: A system that enables a person to monitor and/or control a device via a network, such as the Internet, via an interactive hardware module that interfaces with the device and communicates with a module server located locally or remotely from the placement of the module. The hardware module allows for the transmission and receipt of data between the device interfaced to the hardware module and the module server, thereby enabling the user manually or automatically to control or monitor the device via an access medium, such as an API.

Abstract: Methods (100) and apparatuses (12, 24, 38) taught herein advantageously facilitate use of timing measurements in wireless communication networks (10) where radio signal timing measurements involve signals at different carrier frequencies. The methods and apparatuses in particular compensate such timing measurements for expected discrepancies in the measurements that arise from frequency-dependent differences in the propagation behavior of the radio signals being measured. In a non-limiting example, measurements at two or more frequencies may be compensated for the frequency distance between those frequencies, or with respect to a reference frequency. In such cases, timing measurements determined for one or more other radio signals are compensated as a function of the frequency distance between the reference frequency and the frequencies of such other radio signals.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a system that identifies an even delimiter in a forward error correction (FEC)-coded Ethernet frame. The system receives an FEC-coded Ethernet frame that includes the even delimiter, which is a predetermined sequence that separates a conventional Ethernet frame and FEC parity bits in the FEC-coded Ethernet frame. Next, the system scans a bit stream of the FEC-coded Ethernet frame. Then, the system determines a first Hamming distance between a first consecutive set of frame bits in the bit stream and the even delimiter. The system also determines a second Hamming distance between a second consecutive set of frame bits in the bit stream and the even delimiter. Both the first and second Hamming distances are shorter than a predefined value. The system subsequently selects one of the first and second sets of frame bits having the shorter Hamming distance as the even delimiter.

Abstract: A method and system for synchronizing digital messages. A digital message includes a start-of-message indicator, followed by a key word, followed by the message payload. Before transmitting the digital message, the payload is combined in an exclusive-OR operation with the key word, which is chosen from a pre-designated pool of key words. Each pool represents a message of different type, which is type is related to word length. The key word and start-of-message indicator are appended to the resulting exclusive-OR digital message and transmitted. On receipt, the start-of-message indicator indicates the start of the message, and the key word determines the message word length and, after a second exclusive-OR operation with the key word, restores the original digital message. The start of the message is positively identified without additions to the message payload and without the key word ever appearing in the payload during transmission.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for scheduling requests for data transfers in a multi-device storage system. In some embodiments, a system includes at least one server coupled to a pool of storage devices to transfer data from the storage devices to client devices responsive to requests. A request scheduler is adapted to receive into a memory a plurality of requests each having a service identifier (ID) and a payload size, to set a deadline for each request responsive to the service ID and the payload size, to forward the requests to the server for processing in an order based on service ID and, responsive to the deadline being reached for a selected request, to advance the selected request for immediate processing by the server.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for tracking amplitude and phase of a received low frequency signal comprising a walking pilot signal is disclosed, wherein the pilot signal changes in frequency a number of times according to a sequence that repeats. The design includes initializing a FIFO buffer and summing estimated channel power over the sequence to determine an initial total power. The design also includes, for a new received symbol, determining an updated power estimate for the new received symbol, placing the updated power estimate in the FIFO buffer, and removing a least current value from the FIFO buffer, and estimating amplitude of the signal using a sum of all updated power estimates in the FIFO buffer divided by the initial total power. The design may further include determining a delta phase value using maximum ratio combining scaled with a scaling factor.

Abstract: A method of synchronizing a time division duplex (TDD) multi-line, multi-carrier data communication system is provided. Synchronization is established using unique pseudo-random bit sequences (PRBS) from a common generator polynomial having different seed values. Due to low correlation of PRBS generated with different seed values, a remote unit can only synchronize to its intended signal effectively mitigating far-end and near-end crosstalk impact of large bandwidth very high speed digital subscriber lines (VDSL).

Abstract: Various embodiments are described herein related to techniques for synchronizing a slave device to a master device that communicates using a unified bus communication protocol or some aspect thereof. In one example, the method may comprise assuming a first mode of operation for the unified bus communication protocol; searching for a synchronization pattern at one or more locations in transmitted data according to the first mode of operation; obtaining synchronization when the located synchronization pattern is verified according to at least one synchronization rule for the mode of operation; and if synchronization is not obtained based on the assumed first mode of operation, a second mode of operation for the unified bus communication protocol is assumed and the searching and obtaining acts are carried out on the transmitted data according to the second mode of operation.

Abstract: An information transmission method capable of reproducing the atmosphere of a concert hall or a live performance hall, wherein bio-information of a speaker, player, actor or conductor, who serves as a source of speech, sounds or music and/or bio-information of a performer included within an image are multiplexed with respect to information of speech or music and/or information of the image for transmission thereof. At the receiving side, sense stimulation based on the bio-information is provided to the viewer, or information of speech or music and/or information of the image are controlled on the basis of the bio-information to thereby reproduce presence or live appeal.

Abstract: A method of providing a high symbol rate communication system with reduced overhead bandwidth includes calculating a minimum feasible aperture length at a network operations center, setting a hub demodulator subsystem to use an aperture length calculated from the minimum feasible aperture length, broadcasting the aperture length to a VSAT, and receiving an inroute data stream from the VSAT utilizing the aperture length.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and a device for sending data in a passive optical network. A central office processing device records a downstream superframe number of a downstream data frame. A loop delay between the central office processing device and a terminal processing device is obtained according to the recorded downstream superframe number in combination with an upstream superframe number and an upstream frame synchronization sign in an upstream channel-associated data frame sent by the terminal processing device, so that the central office processing device may, after subtracting the loop delay, accurately determine, by using cached bandwidth map information and an obtained equalization delay of the terminal processing device, a start time point and an end time point for sending an upstream service data frame to an optical line terminal.

Abstract: A method performed by a device for performing synchronization between devices for a Device-to-Device (D2D) communication is provided. The method includes setting, according to a process of the device, the device to a group of devices for performing a dynamic switching; outputting a synchronization signal corresponding to the set group as a signal for setting synchronization in a physical layer; controlling, upon receiving another synchronization signal from another device, the outputting of the synchronization signal by applying a time offset according to a relation between the set group that includes the device and the group that includes the another device; and setting, if the synchronization signal and the another synchronization signal are converged, synchronization of the device based on a time point where the synchronization signal is output.

Abstract: The exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a method of synchronizing a femtocell base station securing time synchronization of a femtocell base station by allowing the femtocell base station to transmit a symbol to a terminal belonging to the femtocell by performing the time synchronization with a preamble signal when the femtocell base station receives the preamble signal from the macrocell base station in an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) communication system in which a femtocell is present in a macrocell.

Abstract: A receiver includes first, second, and third signal processors and a controller. The first signal processor provides a first signal in response to detecting a first attribute of a received signal. The second signal processor provides a second signal in response to detecting a second attribute of the received signal. The third signal processor provides a third signal in response to detecting a third attribute of the received signal and provides packet data. The controller enables the first signal processor in response to a receive enable signal, controls the third signal processor to provide the packet data in response to receiving the first signal and the third signal, and initializes the first signal processor and the third signal processor in response to receiving the first signal and the second signal.

Abstract: A multimedia data system comprising a synchronization unit. The synchronization unit receives a demodulated bitstream, checks whether a FAW pattern corresponding to a candidate of the bitstream exists, checks whether an additional information corresponding to the candidate of the bitstream is valid when the FAW pattern exists, determines a hit weighting corresponding to the candidate according to the checking result, determines whether the hit weighting meets a criterion and outputs a synchronization signal when the hit weighting meets the criterion.

Abstract: Under a wireless communication environment in which nodes sharing a time reference communicate information with a frame having a predetermined structure, when a node that has failed to acquire synchronization, a protocol in which neighboring nodes relays synchronization to the synchronization acquisition failed node by using a preamble defined in the frame is provided.

Abstract: A receiving-side chip is disclosed according to the present invention, which includes a processor, configured to acquire and execute following instructions: receiving link information sent by a sending-side chip, and enabling, according to the link information, a SerDes link to be added; receiving padding data from the added SerDes link according to a short unit frame period to acquire a synchronization word, and determining, according to the synchronization word, whether the added SerDes link has been synchronized; switching a read period of data in the added SerDes link from the short unit frame period into a long unit frame period, and aligning the data of the added SerDes link with the data of an original SerDes link; and receiving service data over the added SerDes link and the original SerDes link.

Abstract: A communication system includes a first communication device and a second communication device for performing power line communication using a power line as a transmission line with the first communication device, and in the communication system, the first communication device includes a detection mechanism for detecting a zero crossing timing of a commercial power supply and transmitting mechanism for transmitting a transmission signal modulated in OFDM mode at the zero crossing timing, the transmitting mechanism first transmits a header signal having a preamble as the transmission signal when the power line communication is started, and the transmitting mechanism transmits a data signal having no preamble as the transmission signal after the header signal is transmitted, and the second communication device includes a receiving mechanism for performing a demodulation process on the transmission signal which is received, to thereby obtain receiving data.

Abstract: A transmission apparatus includes a plurality of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) modulation signal generators, which generate a first OFDM modulation signal and a second OFDM modulation signal. The transmission apparatus also includes a transmitter that transmits the first OFDM modulation signal from a first antenna and the second OFDM modulation signal from a second antenna, in an identical frequency band.

Abstract: On the basis of single-ended signals based on logic levels, and of differential, in particular common-mode-based, signals, a circuit arrangement and a corresponding method are proposed, in which a serialized signal transmission is always performed in an error-free and stable manner.

Abstract: A mechanism for dynamic skew correction in a multi-lane communication link includes a receiver unit including, for each of the lanes, a first-in first-out (FIFO). The FIFO may store received symbols to locations pointed to by a write pointer and output to downstream logic, symbols stored at locations pointed to by a read pointer. The receiver may also include a symbol drop unit that disables the write pointer in response to receiving a start alignment symbol, and enables the write pointer in response to receiving an end alignment symbol. The receiver also includes an alignment unit that disables the read pointer in response to detecting that the end symbol has been received at least one lane but not all lanes. In addition, the alignment unit may enable the read pointer in response to a determination that the end symbol has been received on all lanes.

Abstract: Provided are a synchronization acquisition method and apparatus in a multi-carrier system. A terminal acquires the synchronization for a first downlink component carrier by detecting a primary synchronization signal (PSS) and a secondary synchronization signal (SSS) in the first downlink component carrier. The terminal acquires the synchronization for a second downlink component carrier by detecting a reference signal in the second downlink component carrier.