Improvements have been made for collection and focusing of ions generated from atmospheric pressure sources such as electrospray, atmospheric pressure chemical ionization, inductively coupled plasma, discharge, photoionization and atmospheric pressure matrix assisted laser desorption ionization. A high transmission electro-optical surface is placed between the source regions and the focusing regions to optimize the field geometries and strengths in each respective region. Compression ratios of greater than 5000 are capable of transferring virtually all ions from large volume dispersive ion regions into ion beam cross-sections of less than 1 mm. Embodiments of this invention are methods and devices for improving sensitivity of mass spectrometry when coupled to atmospheric pressure ionization sources.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to methods and devices for improved collection and focusing of ions generated at atmospheric pressure for introduction into the mass spectrometer and other particle detectors.
2. Description of Prior Art
The generation of ions at atmospheric pressure is accomplished by a variety of means; including, electrospray (ES), atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI), atmospheric pressure matrix assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI), discharge ionization, 63Ni sources, inductively coupled plasma ionization, and photoionization. A general characteristic of all atmospheric sources is the dispersive nature of the ions once produced. Needle sources such as electrospray and APCI disperse ions radially from the axis in high electric fields emanating from needle tips. Aerosol techniques disperse ions in the radial flow of gases emanating from tubes and nebulizers. Even desorption techniques such as atmospheric pressure MALDI will disperse ions in a solid angle from a surface. The radial cross-section of many dispersive sources can be as large as 5 or 10 centimeters in diameter. As a consequence of a wide variety of dispersive processes, efficient sampling of ions from atmospheric pressure sources to small cross-sectional targets or through small cross-sectional apertures and tubes (usually less than 1 mm) into a mass spectrometer becomes quite problematic. This is particularly amplified if the source on ions is removed from the regions directly adjacent to the aperture.
The simplest approach to sampling dispersive atmospheric sources is to position the source on axis with a sampling aperture or tube. The sampling efficiency of simple plate apertures is generally less than 1 ion in 104. Devices developed by Fite (U.S. Pat. No. 4,209,696) used pinhole apertures in plates with electrospray. Devices developed by Laiko and Burlingame (WO 99/63576) used aperture plates with atmospheric pressure MALDI. An atmospheric pressure source by Kazuaki et al (JP04215329) is also representative of this inefficient approach. This general approach in severely restricted by the need for precise aperture alignment and source positioning and very poor sampling efficiency.
A wide variety of source configurations utilize conical skimmer apertures in order to improve collection efficiency over planar devices. This approach to focusing ions from atmospheric sources is limited by the acceptance angle of the field generated by the cone. Generally, source position relative to the cone is also critical to performance, although somewhat better than planar apertures. Conical apertures are the primary inlet geometry for commercial ICP/MS with closely coupled and axially aligned torches. Examples of conical-shaped apertures are prevalent in ES and APCI (U.S. Pat. No. 5,756,994), and ICP (U.S. Pat. No. 4,999,492) inlets. As with planar apertures, source positioning relative to the aperture is critical to performance and collection efficiency is quite low.
One focusing alternative utilizes a plate lens with a large hole in front of an aperture plate or tube for transferring sample into the vacuum system. The aperture plate is generally held at a high potential difference relative to the plate lens. The configuration creates a potential well that penetrates into the source region and has a significant improvement in collection efficiency relative to the plate or cone apertures. This configuration has a clear disadvantage in that the potential well resulting from the field penetration is not independent of ion source position, or potential. High voltage needles can diminish this well. Off-axis sources can affect the shape and collection efficiency of the well. Optimal positions are highly dependent upon both flow (gas and liquid) and voltages. They are reasonable well suited for small volume sources such as nanospray. Larger flow sources become less efficient and problematic. Because this geometry is generally preferential over plates and cones, it is seen in most types of atmospheric source designs. We will call this approach the xe2x80x9cPlate-wellxe2x80x9d design which is reported with apertures by Labowsky et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,531,056), Covey et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,412,209) and Franzen (U.S. Pat. No. 5,747,799). There are also many Plate-well designs with tubes reported by Fenn et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,542,293), Goodley et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,559,326), and Whitehouse et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,060,705).
Several embodiments of atmospheric pressure sources have incorporated grids in order to control the sampling. Jarrell and Tomany (U.S. Pat. No. 5,436,446) utililized a grid that reflected lower mass ions into a collection cone and passed large particles through the grid. This modulated system was intended to allow grounded needles and float the grid at high alternating potentials. This device had limitations with duty cycle of ion collection in a modulating field (non-continuous sample introduction) and spacial and positioning restrictions relative to the sampling aperture. Andrien et al (U.S. Pat. No. 6,207,954 B1) used grids as counter electrodes for multiple corona discharge sources configured in geometries and at potentials to generated ions of opposite charge and monitor their interactions and reactions. This specialized reaction source was not configured with high field ratios across the grids and was not intended for high transmission and collection, rather for generation of very specific reactant ions. An alternative atmospheric pressure device by Yoshiaki (JP10088798) utilized hemispherical grids in the second stage of pressure reduction. Although the approach is similar to the present device in concept, it is severely limited by gas discharge that may occur at low pressures if higher voltages are applied to the electrodes and most of the ions are lost at the cone-aperture from atmospheric pressure into the first pumping stage.
Grids are also commonly utilized for sampling ions from atmospheric ion sources utilized in ion mobility spectrometry (IMS). Generally, for IMS analysis ions are pulsed through grids down a drift tube to a detector as shown in Kunz (U.S. Pat. No. 6,239,428B1). Great effort is made to create planar plug of ions in order to maximize resolution of components in the mobility spectrum. These devices generally are not continuous, nor do they require focusing at extremely high compression ratios.
A preferred embodiment of the invention is the configuration of a High Transmission Element (HTE) comprising a conducting meshed-surface in the shape of a partial hemisphere. The HTE is configured downstream from any of a variety of atmospheric pressure sources and upstream from an Inner Field-shaping Electrode and a conducting collector surface (aperture plate or tube). Ions generated in a relatively large volumetric area of an atmospheric pressure source are attracted toward the HTE by an attracting potential relative to the source region.
The field ratio, the field strength on the source side of the high transmission element relative to the collector side is maintained at a lower value (generally 2-10xc3x97less) than the field strength equidistant to the collector side of the HTE. In this operating condition, the field from the collector side of the HTE penetrates into the source side of the HTE and accelerates appreciably all of the ions through the openings in the HTE surface. Typically the field ratio value is calculated at a distance of several opening diameters away from the surface. A good value of a field ratio is greater than 10.
The HTE is typically manufactured so to allow ions to pass easily through the HTE surface. This entails having a HTE with a low depth aspect ratio, referring to the ratio of the dimension of the openings to the thickness of the HTE surface; where the thickness of the element is as thin as mechanically possible. In addition, the openness of the HTE is also important. Typically the openness, the ratio of the dimension of the opening to the entire surface area should be as large as possible to allow the field from the collector side to penetrate through the HTE into the source side several opening diameters away from the surface of HTE.
The HTE and the inner field-shaping electrode are held at approximately the same potential relative to the collector surface which is held at extremely high potential difference to attract virtually all ions that cross the HTE, through a relatively large aperture in the inner field-shaping electrode, onto the collector surface (or through an aperture into the vacuum). The combination of HTE shape, Inner Field-shaping Electrode aperture size, and potential difference (between the HTE and the collector) affect substantial compression of the dispersed ions into a small cross-sectional beam at the collector. When this beam is precisely aligned with a vacuum sampling aperture into a mass spectrometer, very high sensitivities are achieved.
The physical separation of ionization source region from the deep potential-well focusing region by the HTE solves many of the efficiency problems associated with conventional approaches to ion collection at atmospheric pressure. With the present invention, dispersed ions are not required to be focused to a small diameter in the ion source region, rather, they are required to drift toward a relatively large surface of the HTE. In this way all ions from a given source can be collected across an appropriately sized and shaped HTE surface, then focused in the high field of the focusing well.
One advantage of the present device is the independence of collection efficiency from source position. Multiple sources are able to be uniformly collected with this invention. Multiple focal points can also be configured if there is need to collect part of the sample and analyze another part.
A primary object of the invention is to collect all the ions, all the time.
One object of the present invention is to increase the collection efficiency of an ions and/or charged particles at a collector, or through an aperture or tube into a vacuum system, by creating a very small cross-sectional area beam of ions and/or charged particles from highly dispersed atmospheric pressure ion sources. Another object of the present invention is to increase the transmission efficiency of ions from atmospheric pressure ion sources to a target collector, or through an aperture or tube. The present invention has a significant advantage over prior art in that the use of a High Transmission Element to separate ion generation from ion focusing allows precise shaping of fields in both regions. Ions can be generated in large ion source regions without losses to walls. Droplets have longer time to evaporate and/or desorb ions without loss from the sampling stream. Source temperatures can be lower because rapid evaporation is not required. This can prevent thermal decomposition of some labile compounds. Counter electrodes for electrospray needles do not have to be the plate lens as practices with most convention sources or even the HTE. The aerosol can be generated remotely and ions can be allowed to drift toward the HTE.
Another object of the present invention is to have collection efficiency be independent of ion source position relative to the collection well. With the present invention there is no need for precise mechanical needle alignment or positioning relative to collectors, apertures, or tubes invention. Ions generated any at position in the ion source region are transmitted to the collector, aperture, or tube with similar efficiency. No existing technology has positional independence of the source. The precise and constant geometry, and alignment of the focusing well with sampling apertures will not change with needle placement. The fields inside (focusing side) the well will not change, even if they change outside (source side).
Another object of the present invention is the independence of ion source type. This device is capable of transmission and collection of ions from any atmospheric (or near atmospheric) source; including, electrospray, atmospheric pressure chemical ionization, atmospheric pressure MALDI (laser desorption), inductively coupled plasma, discharge sources, nickel 63 sources, spray ionization sources, induction ionization sources and photoionization sources. The device is also capable of sampling ions of only one polarity at a time, but with extremely high efficiency.
Another object of the present invention is to efficiently collect and/or divert a flow of ions from more than one source. This can be performed in a simultaneous fashion for introduction of mass calibrants from a separate source and analytes from a different source; conversely, it can be performed sequentially as is typical with multiplexing of multiple chromatographic streams introduced into one mass spectrometer.
Another object of the present invention is to efficiently transmit ions to more than one target position. This would have the utility of allowing part of the sample to be collected on a surface while another part of the sample is being introduced through an aperture into a mass spectrometer to be analyzed.
Another object of the present invention is to improve the efficiency of multiplexed inlets from both multiple macroscopic sources and micro-chip arrays, particularly those developed with multiple needle arrays for electrospray. Position independence of this invention make it compatible with a wide variety of needle array technologies and multi-well plates for surface desorption techniques.
Another object of the present invention is to remove larger droplets and particles from aerosol sources with a counter-flow of gas to prevent contamination of apertures, tubes, and vacuum components.

Apparatus and method for focusing ions and charged particles at atmospheric pressure


A table tennis table has a main panel defining a playing surface and a pair of opposing edges. A frame is connected to the playing surface for supporting the playing surface in a horizontal orientation, a pair of substantially rigid auxiliary panels, and adjustable mounting elements mounting the auxiliary panels to the frame along respective ones of the edges so that the auxiliary panels each have a first orientation extending substantially perpendicularly relative to the main panel and an alternate second orientation substantially coplanar with the main panel to extend the playing surface of the main panel. A table tennis net is connected perpendicular to the playing surface and extends transversely along a midline thereof.

This invention relates to a table tennis table. More particularly, this invention relates to a table tennis table capable of conversion to different forms to enable the playing of different table tennis games. This invention also relates to a kit for converting a table tennis table to enable the playing of different kinds of table tennis games. This invention additionally relates to a method for modifying a table tennis table to assume different forms for accommodating the playing of different table tennis type games.
Table tennis has long been popular in the game rooms of America and across the world, offering recreation for novice players and intense competition among the finest. The game, however, is limited in that only two players can participate at a time, and frequent interruptions in play result when a ball is bounced out of bounds and off the table. Furthermore, there is a natural desire to seek variety in recreation, whereas the standard table tennis table is useful only for the traditional game of table tennis.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a table tennis table.
More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide a table tennis table capable of selectively accommodating alternative games.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a retrofit assembly for use with standard table tennis tables, capable of selectively accommodating alternative games.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method of modifying a table tennis table to selectively accommodate alternative games.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a method of playing a table tennis game.
These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the drawings and descriptions herein.
A table tennis table comprises, in accordance with the present invention, a main panel defining a playing surface and having a pair of opposing edges, a frame connected to the playing surface for supporting the playing surface in a horizontal orientation, a pair of substantially rigid auxiliary panels, and adjustable mounting elements mounting the auxiliary panels to the frame along respective ones of the edges so that the auxiliary panels each have a first orientation extending substantially perpendicularly relative to the main panel and an alternate second orientation substantially coplanar with the main panel to extend the playing surface of the main panel. A table tennis net is connected perpendicular to the playing surface and extends transversely along a midline thereof.
Where the opposing edges are major edges of the main panel and extend parallel to a length dimension of the main panel, the auxiliary panels serve to laterally extend the playing surface when the auxiliary panels are disposed in the second orientation. In this case, the net can be adjusted to a first effective length to extend only across the playing surface when the auxiliary panels are in the first orientation and to a second effective length to extend across the playing surface and the auxiliary panels when the auxiliary panels are in the second orientation. Means are connected to the net for maintaining the net at the first effective length and alternately at the second effective length.
In accordance with another feature of the present invention, the adjustable mounting elements include means for mounting the auxiliary panels to the frame along respective ones of the edges so that the auxiliary panels have a third orientation extending substantially perpendicularly relative to the main panel and upwardly from the main panel. A bracket may be connected to the frame for attaching the auxiliary panels alternately in the second orientation and the third orientation. The bracket may include a pair of legs of different effective lengths, one length for supporting the auxiliary panels in the second orientation and another length in combination with the one length for supporting the auxiliary panels in the third orientation.
In accordance with a supplementary or alternative feature of the present invention, the adjustable mounting elements include a plurality of brackets each connected at one end thereof to the frame and at an opposite end thereof to one of the auxiliary panels. The brackets may each take the form of a slidable linkage. In that case, the adjustable mounting elements further include tension cords each extending between the frame and the linkage for drawing the linkage toward the frame.
Where the playing surface is provided with a downwardly depending skirt, the adjustable mounting elements may include a plurality of brackets removably connected to the skirt, the adjustable mounting elements further including means on the auxiliary panels for cooperating with the brackets to support the auxiliary panels on the brackets. The brackets each preferably includes an L-shaped portion, the means for cooperating being notches.
In accordance with another alternative feature of the present invention, the adjustable mounting elements include a plurality of double acting hinges each connected to the main panel and one of the auxiliary panels.
A kit in accordance with the present invention is provided for modifying a table tennis table including a main panel defining a playing surface and having a pair of opposing edges, the table further including a frame connected to the playing surface for supporting the playing surface in a horizontal orientation. The kit comprises a pair of substantially rigid auxiliary panels, adjustable mounting elements for attaching the auxiliary panels to the frame along respective ones of the opposing edges of the main panel so that the auxiliary panels have a first orientation extending substantially perpendicular to the playing surface and an alternate second orientation substantially coplanar with the playing surface to extend the playing surface. A net is connectable perpendicular to the playing surface and extends transversely along a midline thereof.
Where the opposing edges are major edges of the main panel and extend parallel to a length dimension of the main panel, the auxiliary panels serve to laterally extend the playing surface when the auxiliary panels are disposed in the second orientation. In this case, the net can be adjusted to a first effective length to extend only across the playing surface when the auxiliary panels are in the first orientation and to a second effective length to extend across the playing surface and the auxiliary panels when the auxiliary panels are in the second orientation. Means connected to the net for maintaining the net at the first effective length and alternately at the second effective length.
The present invention is also directed to a method for modifying a table tennis table to provide alternative games, where the table tennis table includes a main panel defining a playing surface and having a pair of opposing edges and further includes a frame connected to the playing surface for supporting the playing surface in a horizontal orientation. The method utilizes a pair of auxiliary panels and comprises mounting the auxiliary panels to the frame along respective ones of the opposing edges. Thereafter, the auxiliary panels are moved relative to the main panel so that the auxiliary panels are connected to the main panel and have a first orientation extending substantially perpendicularly relative to the playing surface. Subsequently, the auxiliary panels are moved relative to the main panel so that the auxiliary panels are connected to the main panel and have a second orientation substantially coplanar with the playing surface to extend the playing surface.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the first orientation extends downwardly from the main panel, while the method more further comprises moving the auxiliary panels relative to the main panel so that the auxiliary panels are connected to the main panel and have a third orientation extending substantially perpendicularly relative to the main panel and upwardly from the main panel to form rebound surfaces.
In another method for modifying a table tennis table to provide alternative games, where the table tennis table includes a main panel defining a playing surface having a pair of opposing edges and further includes a frame connected to the main panel for supporting the main panel in a horizontal orientation, a pair of auxiliary panels are mounted to the frame along respective ones of the opposing edges so that the auxiliary panels extend in a substantially coplanar configuration with the playing surface to form an extended playing surface. The extended playing surface is provided with a net extending perpendicular upward from and transversely across a midline of the extended playing surface. Subsequently, the auxiliary panels are moved out of the coplanar configuration so that the main panel forms a conventional playing surface. The table having the conventional playing surface is provided with a shorter net extending perpendicular upwards and transversely along the mid-line across the conventional playing surface.
A table tennis table, conversion kit, and associated method according to the present invention allows a player to play a variety of table-tennis games.
It is to be noted that the doubles game envisioned by the present invention allows a different mode of play as compared to conventional doubles games. In conventional double table tennis, the two players on either end of the table alternate with one another in fielding shots. During a volley, no player is permitted to strike the ball two times in a row; the other player on the same team must strike the ball before the first player may hit the ball again. In contrast, with a broadened table tennis table in accordance with the present invention, a doubles table tennis game can be played in a manner similar to doubles play in tennis: either player on one side of the net can strike the ball, regardless of who played the ball the last time the ball was on that side of the net. Whether one player or the other on a team strikes the ball is determined by the locations of the players relative to the ball and the direction, velocity, etc., of the ball as it arrives from the other side of the net.
Accordingly, a method for playing a table tennis game in accordance with the present invention utilizes a table tennis table having a width exceeding a standard table tennis table width. The game is played with a first paddle, a second paddle, a third paddle, a fourth paddle, and a table tennis ball. The first paddle and the second paddle are held by a first player and a second player who are located as a team at one end of the table during the game, while the third paddle and the fourth paddle are held by a third player and a fourth player who are located as a team at an opposite end of the table during the game. The method includes striking the ball with the first paddle held by the first player located at the one end of the table. The ball is thus propelled from the one end of the table towards the opposite end of the table. As the ball arrives at the opposite end of the table, either the third paddle or the fourth paddle may be used (by the third player or the fourth player, respectively) to strike the ball to propel the ball from the opposite end of the table towards the one end of the table. As the ball arrives at the one end of the table, it is struck with either the first paddle (by the first player) or the second paddle (by the second player), in accordance with a direction of motion of the ball and the positions of the first player and the second player relative to the ball upon arrival of the ball at the one end of the table.
It is to be noted that a doubles table tennis table as described herein may have a fixed doubles width, i.e., may be built solely for doubles play.

Table tennis table, conversion kit and associated method


An osteosynthetic pressure plate having several holes for bone screws positioned along its longitudinal axis and having an underside with curved recesses, designed for positioning on the bone so that immediately upon implantation there are spaces between the bone and the pressure plate.

Osteosynthetic pressure plates have been known for a long time, for example from Swiss Patent A5 462,375. Over the years, numerous improvements in pressure plates have been proposed. However, these improvements have been largely limited to the modification of individual construction features which have brought about gradual improvements but have not constituted any genuine innovative advance. Most pressure plates used in hospitals are therefore still of the conventional type.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,838,252, filed by one of us, K. Klaue, and assigned to the owner of the present invention, discloses osteosynthetic pressure plates having a reduced area of contact with the bone.
The pressure plate of the invention provides a significant advance through optimum selection of construction features which promote post-operative bone growth under the plate and guarantee a dynamic compression effect.

Osteosynthetic pressure plate osteosynthetic compression plate


An embodiment of a bone stabilization and distraction system of the present disclosure includes a light-sensitive liquid; a light source for providing light energy; a light-conducting fiber for delivering the light energy from the light source to cure the light-sensitive liquid; a delivery catheter having a proximal end in communication with the light-conducting fiber and the light-sensitive liquid, an inner lumen for passage of the light-conducting fiber, and an inner void for passage of the light-sensitive liquid; and an expandable body removably engaging a distal end of the delivery catheter, wherein the expandable body has a closed end, a sealable open end, an inner cavity for passage of the light-sensitive liquid, an external surface and an internal surface, and wherein the expandable body has an insertion depth with a fixed dimension, a width with a fixed dimension, and a thickness with a changeable dimension.

Bones form the skeleton of the body and allow the body to be supported against gravity and to move and function in the world. Bone fractures can occur, for example, from an outside force or from a controlled surgical cut (an osteotomy). A fracture's alignment is described as to whether the fracture fragments are displaced or in their normal anatomic position. In some instances, surgery may be required to re-align, stabilize and distract the fractured bone.

Devices and methods for bone alignment, stabilization and distraction


A wireless communications system may include wireless communications devices configured to communicate with one another on a given channel via a time division based communications protocol. A communication initiation wireless communications device configured to transmit data in an initiator time slot of the given channel. A repeater wireless communications device configured to receive the transmitted data from the communications initiation wireless communications device in the initiator time slot and retransmit the data in a repeater time slot of the given channel. A receiver wireless communications device configured to determine a respective quality metric for data from each of the initiator time slot and the repeater time slot, and use data from the initiator time slot or the repeater time slot based upon the respective quality metrics thereof.

It may be desirable to retransmit data, for example, voice data, in a wireless communications system. One approach to retransmitting data may include implementing a retransmission site or system using two wireless communications devices. A two device retransmission system typically operates using multiple frequencies and multiple antennas, for example, one for receiving data and another for retransmitting the data, to avoid a collision. Co-location interference mitigation techniques are typically used in such a two device approach. In some implementations, the two wireless communications devices may be configured to operate in a back-to-back configuration.
One example, of a two device retransmission system is the Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System (SINCGARS). SINCGARS uses multiple wireless communications devices at a given retransmission site and operates using multiple frequencies. One frequency is for a transmitting network. One frequency is for a repeater network. One radio receives data while one radio transmits. This may be accomplished via a back-to-back cable connection.
Another approach to retransmitting data may include implementing a retransmission site or system using a single wireless communications device. Similar to the two device approach described above, a single device retransmission system operates using multiple frequencies and multiple antennas. Operator coordination is also typically required for retransmission sequences. For example, operator coordination may be desired when the retransmission is directly performed. Furthermore, in a single device system retransmission of streaming data, such as, for example, streaming audio, may not be possible, as retransmission are performed in bursts rather than a synchronous data stream.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,513,412 to Cox discloses a time division adaptive retransmission technique for portable radio telephones. More particularly, Cox discloses a portable transceiver and a remote terminal station each using at least two antennas with different polarization transmission capabilities for an adaptive retransmission technique. The terminal station transmits the same preamble signal in at least two time slots of a frame period of a time division sequence using the antenna receiving the strongest signal from the transceiver in the immediately prior frame period followed by a binary message signal using the same antenna. The transceiver receives each of the preamble transmissions from the terminal station via a separate one of differently oriented antennas and determines which antenna received the strongest signal. The message signal from the terminal station is then received via the antenna of the transceiver having received the strongest signal and also sends its response message signal on that antenna during a separate time slot of a frame period.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,031,658 to Dibernardo discloses a single radio retransmission system using a half duplex radio. More particularly, Dibernardo discloses a transmitting terminal using only a transmit segment of a frame, and a receiving terminal using only the receive segment of each frame. A retransmission terminal receives data in its receive segment and transmits the data, buffered, in its transmit segment.

Wireless communications system including single channel retransmission and related methods


A data transmission device for generating a plurality of compressed/encoded data of different bit rates from a single video signal, whereby unevenness in the amount of generated data can be easily reduced. A synchronizing signal detection section detects a synchronizing signal from the input video signal and supplies the detected signal to a timing control section. Compressing/encoding sections compress/encode the same video signal input thereto to generate data streams of different bit rates. The timing control section controls the compressing/encoding sections in accordance with the synchronizing signal detected by the synchronizing signal detection section such that timings for starting compression/encoding processes in the compressing/encoding sections are offset in units of frame. A multiplexing section generates fragmented packets carrying the individual data streams in accordance of amounts of data generated per unit time by the respective compressing/encoding sections, and sequentially transmits the fragmented packets at equal intervals within the unit time.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data transmission device and method for generating a plurality of compressed/encoded data of different bit rates from a single video signal and simultaneously transmitting the generated data onto a network, and more particularly, to a data transmission device and method applicable to real-time transmission of such compressed/encoded data.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Recent image compression/encoding techniques such as MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) have made it easy to deliver moving picture data over networks. However, in the case of delivering such data through the Internet in particular, the delivered data may possibly be transferred via analog telephone lines or ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) lines, and broadband communication is not necessarily available to every recipient. Under the present circumstances, therefore, it is necessary that the resolution be lowered or the compression ratio be increased to permit data to be delivered at a relatively low bit rate.
In view of this, a moving picture data delivery scheme has been conceived wherein two types of data, that is, one for delivery to a relatively broadband network, such as an intranet in a corporation, and the other for delivery to a relatively narrowband network, such as the Internet, are generated from a single video source and are delivered simultaneously. For example, for a broadband network, a data stream compressed/encoded according to MPEG-2 is delivered at a bit rate of about 6 Mbps, and for a narrowband network, a data stream compressed/encoded according to MPEG-4 is delivered at a bit rate of about 100 kbps.
Heretofore, when generating a plurality of data streams for delivery at different bit rates from a single video source, encoders equal in number to the data streams to be generated are used to encode data distributed from the video source. Alternatively, a transcoder or the like is used to decode the data stream for broadband delivery and then to again encode the decoded data stream to obtain a data stream for narrowband delivery.
However, the delivery of moving picture data has now become so popularized that there is a strong demand for reduction in cost of deliverer-side systems as well as in size of such systems to save installation space. Also, in recent years, real-timeliness or simultaneity of delivered data is often given importance especially in cases where the water levels of rivers or dams, roads, etc. are monitored from a remote location or a conference or a concert is broadcast live. Accordingly, there has been proposed an idea of incorporating a plurality of encoder engines into a single encoder, to generate a plurality of data streams of different bit rates and deliver the generated data streams simultaneously.
Meanwhile, in the case of data which has been compressed/encoded by using inter-frame prediction as in MPEG, an appreciable difference often occurs between the data amount of a picture which can be decoded by its own data only and the data amount of a picture which has been generated using the inter-frame prediction. Accordingly, the processing load greatly varies during the image encoding/decoding process, and also when such data is transmitted over a network, an actual amount of transmitted data can momentarily rise well above the average bit rate.
As regards techniques for generating data by encoding individual objects of image and then multiplexing the encoded objects, there has been proposed a method in which the start timings for encoding objects are offset in accordance with the ranges of variations in the amount of code generated per frame for the individual objects, to smooth variation in the amount of generated code as well as in the processing load (e.g., Japanese Unexamined Patent Application No. H10-023427 (cf. Paragraph Nos. [0037] to [0051], FIG. 5)).
Thus, the compression/encoding techniques using the inter-frame prediction as in MPEG are associated with a problem that the amount of generated code varies over a wide range, as mentioned above. Especially in the case where a plurality of compressed/encoded data of different bit rates are generated from a single video source and are delivered simultaneously, the amount of generated code varies over an even wider range, giving rise to a problem that data cannot be received properly where the amount of data transmitted onto the network momentarily increased.
FIG. 9 illustrates variation in the amount of data observed when a plurality of compressed/encoded data of different bit rates are simultaneously delivered, wherein FIG. 9(A) shows exemplary arrangements of pictures in respective data streams generated according to MPEG-2, and FIG. 9(B) is a graph showing a total amount of data generated with respect to each picture.
In FIG. 9(A) is illustrated the case where two data streams A and B of different bit rates are generated from a single video source by two encoders. A data stream encoded according to MPEG-2 (or MPEG-1) comprises an I picture encoded in a closed manner within a frame, a P picture encoded using forward prediction, and a B picture encoded using bidirectional prediction. The data streams A and B shown in FIG. 9(A) have a general picture arrangement in which one I or P picture is preceded and followed by two B pictures. A GOP (Group Of Pictures) is a unit that allows playback of the data stream in the middle, and one GOP always includes one or more I pictures. In the illustrated example, a fixed number of pictures constitutes one GOP.
Since the I picture is generated by closed encoding within a frame, its data amount is noticeably large, compared especially with the B picture. In a data stream having a picture arrangement as shown in FIG. 9(A), the data amount of I pictures accounts for nearly 1/3 of the total amount of the data stream.
In the illustrated example, every twelve pictures include one I picture, and therefore, in terms of an average data delivery rate per second, half of the amount of data delivered during a period of 11/12 second is delivered within the remaining period of 1/12 second at a time. Where the data stream has an average bit rate of 6 Mbps, for example, there is a possibility that data is generated at an instantaneous rate of 24 Mbps when an I picture is generated. Further, since the bit rate of 24 Mbps is a value that applies to the case where data is delivered uniformly during a period of 1/12 second, data can possibly be transmitted at an even higher rate if the data is transmitted at a time as soon as it is generated.
Also, in the case where multiple data streams are encoded simultaneously by multiple encoder engines incorporated in a single encoder, the encoding processes are usually started at the same time and I, B and P pictures are generated at respective identical positions, as shown in FIG. 9(A). Consequently, at the timing when I pictures are generated for the respective data streams, the total amount of generated data sharply increases for a moment. For example, where the average bit rates of the data streams A and B are 6 Mbps and 3 Mbps, respectively, the data generation rate reaches 36 Mbps (=24 Mbps+12 Mbps) at its peak. Such extreme unevenness in the amount of generated data instantaneously increases the load on the network for transmitting data and causes packet loss etc.
It is possible to generate encoded data in such a manner as to reduce unevenness in the amount of generated data. In this case, however, it is necessary that the encoder be provided therein with a large-capacity buffer to encode data while temporarily storing a considerable amount of data. As a result, the transmission of data is delayed behind the original video, thus impairing the simultaneity. Also, complex control is required, which leads to an increase in cost of the device.


An air-permeable water non-permeable device includes a unit including a rubber outer case, a rubber inner case, and an air-permeable water non-permeable sheet sandwiched therebetween; and a housing. The inner case is fitted inside a cylindrical portion of the outer case, the air-permeable water non-permeable sheet being sandwiched between a through-holed base portion of the outer case and a through-holed cylindrical body of the inner case. The through-holed base portion of the outer case faces a mounting through-hole of the housing and the retainer flange portion is externally orientated. The outer case is provided with an insertion guidance small-diameter portion which is not compressed by the retainer inner cylindrical surface and is smaller in diameter than the retainer inner cylindrical surface, and a retainer large-diameter portion which is compressed by the retainer inner cylindrical surface and is larger in diameter than the retainer inner cylindrical surface.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air-permeable water non-permeable device, to which an air-permeable water non-permeable unit (assembly), which uses an air-permeable water non-permeable sheet (water-repellent microporous material), is mounted.
2. Description of Related Art
An air-permeable water non-permeable sheet (membrane member/film member), through which liquid is not allowed to pass and air (gas) is allowed to pass, is known in the art, for example, as a PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) microporous membrane. Such an air-permeable water non-permeable sheet can be provided, for example, to close up a through-hole in a housing, defining a space requiring ventilation (ventilation-requiring space), to be used for allowing gas to flow therethrough between this ventilation-requiring space and an external space while preventing liquid from permeating into the ventilation-requiring space (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2009-78866).
In Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2009-78866, a special structure is proposed in the case where an air-permeable water non-permeable sheet is fixed around the periphery of a housing through-hole. On the other hand, another type of air-permeable water non-permeable sheet is also known in the art in which the air-permeable water non-permeable sheet is retained by a unit that is separate from a housing and the unit is mounted (detachably attached) onto a housing through-hole, without directly fixing the air-permeable water non-permeable sheet onto the periphery of the housing through-hole.
However, in a type of air-permeable water non-permeable device of the related art in which an air-permeable water non-permeable sheet is retained by a unit that is separate from a housing and the unit is mounted onto a housing through-hole, the balance between the mounting operability and the stability (ability to prevent the unit from falling out) upon the unit (to which the air-permeable water non-permeable sheet is fixed) being mounted is poor, so that there is a problem with the unit easily falling out in the case where the unit can be easily mounted, and with the unit being difficult to mount in the case where the unit does not easily fall out.

Air-permeable water non-permeable device


A laser device, in particular a semiconductor laser, emitting optical radiation with a defined mode pattern can be produced from a standard Fabry-Perot (FP) laser by post-processing at the wafer level, i.e. before the wafer is separated into individual dies by cleaving/dicing. A sub-cavity is formed within the FP laser cavity. The sub-cavity has a predetermined length and is located between the FP facets. An aperiodic grating composed of a small number of contrast elements, typically less than 10, with predetermined inter-element separations and predetermined spacings relative to the sub-cavity is formed on or in the optical waveguide. The inter-element separations and the spacings relative to the sub-cavity produce a filtering function of the aperiodic grating for optical radiation propagating in the waveguide. The laser device is suitable for telecommunications applications due to its high side-mode-suppression ratio and narrow-linewidth.

The invention is directed to semiconductor lasers with a high side-mode-suppression ratio and narrow-linewidth for telecommunications applications, and more particularly to a Fabry-Perot semiconductor laser that can be post-processed into such a device at the wafer level, i.e. before the wafer is separated into individual dies by cleaving/dicing.
Fabry-Perot (FP) lasers have multiple lasing modes within the envelope of the gain spectrum, with the modes being separated by the Free Spectral Range (FSR), which is determined by the length of the laser cavity between facets and the effective refractive index and the dispersion of the active layer. FP lasers are used today in short-reach (typically Local Area or Wide Area Networks) applications, where their relatively large effective linewidth due to multiple lasing modes around the nominal emission wavelength can be tolerated. However, their large linewidth can cause intersymbol interference due to the cumulative effects with distance of the optical fiber""s chromatic dispersion, thus precluding their use over longer transmission distances, for example, in Metropolitan Area (MA) and Long Haul (LH) networks. A large linewidth can also cause crosstalk problems (or conversely, channel spacing limitations) when the channel spacing in DWDM networks is decreased. Typically, spans in MA and LH networks require the use of single-mode narrow-linewidth laser diodes such as Distributed Feedback (DFB) lasers. DFBs have a grating extending along or close to the active layer, and tend to lase in a single mode and have both a high side-mode-suppression ratio (SMSR) and a narrow linewidth. However, the complex etch and regrowth processes required to write the grating and passivate afterwards before continuing to lay down the upper device layers make DFBs very expensive to manufacture compared to FP lasers.
Attempts have been reported in the past for transforming a FP laser into a quasi-single-mode laser by post-growth processing.
WO 01/18924A1 discloses forming a two-dimensional pattern of etched recesses outside the waveguide region of a semiconductor laser, thereby changing the effective refractive index of the waveguide near the holes. However, the effective index contrast is low and, compared to the technique disclosed herein, the number of features has to be increased by about two orders of magnitude to stabilize single-mode operation.
Another approach for forcing a FP laser into single-mode operation is described by Kozlowski et al. in IEEE Photonics Technology Letters Vol. 8, No. 6, pp. 755-7, 1996. Recesses that extend as far down as the upper edge of the active layer of a FP laser are formed in order to suppress certain modes. However, the design of Kozlowski et al. requires that the recesses be located at an integer fraction of the laser length L, e.g. L/2, L/4 or L/8, from a laser facet. Because the recesses are preferably formed before the wafer is cleaved into laser dies and due to the uncertainty of several microns in the as-cleaved length of any given laser die, this technique can only be performed with accuracy on discrete, mounted laser devices, the lengths of which have been measured. The process is therefore difficult to realize in practical applications and expensive to implement.
Another approach has been proposed by DeChiaro in J. Lightwave Technol., Vol. 9, No. 8, pp. 975-986, August 1991, wherein absorbing regions are introduced at appropriate locations along the optical axis of the device. The absorption regions are also placed at sites that are predetermined integer fractions of the laser length which again requires that the length of the FP laser be accurately known.
It would therefore be desirable to produce a quasi-single-mode laser with a high SMSR from a conventional FP laser without prior definition of the cavity length of the FP laser. It would further be desirable to produce such lasers economically using standard laser processing tools at the wafer level, i.e., before dicing/cleaving the wafer into individual devices.
The systems and methods described herein include systems and methods that control the lasing modes of a Fabry-Perot (FP) laser, and more particularly to a semiconductor FP laser that can be post-processed into such device at the wafer level, i.e. before the wafer is separated into individual laser dies by cleaving/dicing.
According to one aspect of the invention, a laser device includes a laser cavity having an optical waveguide and facets defining first lasing modes and a sub-cavity formed within the laser cavity. The sub-cavity has a predetermined length and is located between the facets, wherein the predetermined sub-cavity length defines second lasing modes having a free spectral range (FSR) that is greater than a FSR of the first lasing modes. The device further includes a plurality of contrast elements having predetermined inter-element separations and predetermined spacings relative to the sub-cavity, wherein the contrast elements interact with the optical waveguide and form an aperiodic grating. The inter-element separations and the spacings produce a filtering function of the aperiodic grating for optical radiation propagating in the waveguide.
The small sub-cavity is designed to expand the mode spacing of the FP laser. In addition, an aperiodic grating filter in the form of contrast elements (typically fewer than 20) is applied along the waveguide, i.e., between the facets and inside and/or outside the sub-cavity, that has a transmission passband at the desired lasing wavelength and substantially a stop-band over a range of adjacent frequencies on both sides of the desired lasing wavelength. The contrast elements can be formed in or adjacent to the waveguide layer of the laser.
Embodiments of the invention can include one or more of the following features. The sub-cavity length can be defined by at least two discontinuities, such as trenches and/or cleaves, extending into the optical waveguide. The waveguide can include an upper cladding layer, wherein the contrast elements comprise regions having an index of refraction that is different from an index of refraction of the upper cladding layer and/or of the waveguide. The filtering function can cause the laser device to emit laser radiation with at least one defined mode. Preferably, the emitted laser radiation can be single-mode. A contact layer can be disposed at least over the length of the sub-cavity, but may also be disposed over the waveguide region located between the facets. The facets can be anti-reflection coated.
The laser device can also be implemented as a surface-emitting laser by forming at least one of the facets as an inclined facet that directs the optical radiation propagating in the waveguide in a direction substantially normal to the waveguide. Alternatively, at least one of the facets can be oriented perpendicular to the waveguide and located opposite to a reflecting facet that directs the optical radiation propagating in the waveguide in a direction substantially normal to the waveguide.
According to another aspect of the invention, a method for producing optical radiation with a desired mode structure includes producing an optical waveguide capable of propagating the optical radiation; forming in the optical waveguide a sub-cavity with a predetermined length, the sub-cavity producing a sub-cavity mode structure that overlaps with the desired mode structure; and forming along the optical waveguide an aperiodic filter having contrast elements, the aperiodic filter filtering the sub-cavity mode structure to generate the desired mode structure. The optical filter is generated by defining a cost function representing a goodness of fit between the desired mode structure and an actual spectral response of the filter; assigning to each contrast element of the aperiodic filter at least one characteristic attribute; generating an initial arrangement of the contrast elements along the optical waveguide; and iteratively modifying at least one characteristic attribute of at least one of the contrast elements and computing for each iteration a cost function. If the computed cost function for an iteration is less than a predetermined cost function value, a corresponding arrangement of the contrast elements is selected as an optimal arrangement of the contrast elements to provide the desired mode structure.
Embodiments can include one or more of the following features. The optimal arrangement of the contrast elements can define a spatial layout of the contrast elements relative to one another and relative to the sub-cavity. Facet locations can be defined along the optical waveguide, the facet locations defining Fabry-Perot modes, wherein the sub-cavity and the optimally arranged contrast elements are located between the facet locations. The distance between the facet locations, on one hand, and the sub-cavity and the optimally arranged contrast elements, on the other hand, need only be known approximately. The characteristic attributes of the contrast element can be a refractive index, a physical dimension, such as a width and/or height, or a spacing between adjacent contrast elements.
Further features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments and from the claims.

Fabry-Perot laser with wavelength control


The invention relates to a pressure boost for fluids, in particular hydraulic fluids, having a booster piston and a control piston unit, wherein a low-pressure side of the booster piston can be alternately connected by the control piston unit via a cylinder line to a low-pressure feed line and a discharge line, and a high-pressure side of the booster piston can be alternately connected to a high-pressure load line and a low-pressure feed line, wherein the control piston unit has two elements which are embodied as seat valves and which each interact with one valve seat and which are designed such that one of the elements intermittently seals off the low-pressure feed line, which can be connected to the low-pressure side of the booster piston, and the other element intermittently seals off the discharge line, which can be connected to the low-pressure side of the booster piston.

Such a pressure intensifier is known from European patent EP 0 825 348 B1 and from the associated German priority patent DE 196 33 258. In the assembly known from these patents, the working chamber on the low-pressure side of the booster piston is charged and discharged by means of a control piston reciprocated between two positions, a charging position in which it feeds the low-pressure working chamber with low-pressure fluid, and a corresponding discharge position.
However, the known pressure intensifier employs a control piston designed as a one-piece valve actuator. The valve actuator has some special constructional features in order to meet the stated objective of this assembly. According to said patents, the tendency of the valve actuator to vibrate at high frequencies is to be reduced and resonance to be avoided, that is, even at high working frequencies, the valve actuator is supposed to be propelled beyond the mouth of the cylinder line leading towards the low-pressure working chamber of the booster piston as quickly as possible and without being affected by possible impacts, from its charging position in which it connects the cylinder line with the low-pressure feed line, into its discharging position, where it connects the cylinder line with the pressureless tank line. This is supposed to reduce the time the valve actuator requires for a complete and clean reversal from the charging position into the discharging position (and vice versa). The aim is that at high working frequencies, the pressure intensifier piston need not wait unnecessarily long for the valve actuator to have reversed cleanly, and that the entire flow cross section of the valve is then available for charging or discharging the low-pressure working chamber.
Of course, this is a matter of milliseconds for each working cycle that can be gained or lost. However, even small gains in time at each working cycle add considerably if the pressure intensifier is operated at a high working frequency in order to deliver as large an amount as possible of oil under high pressure; the pressure intensifier known from said patents, according to their statements, achieves a respectable delivered quantity at the high-pressure side, i.e. more than 2.5 l/min at a working frequency of more than 30 Hz and a maximum supplied quantity of more than 10 l/min.
In order to achieve such a performance, this known assembly concerns itself with the design of the valve actuator.
One of the two complementary measures that are supposed to increase the oscillation frequency of the valve actuator is that the control line pressure is applied to the valve actuator on its one side and a constant pressure on its other side, that is, the pressure from the low-pressure supply line which is available as the maximum operating pressure. Thus, a constantly maximal force acts on this side. In the reversal phase, this forces the valve actuator to accelerate maximally. The shot from the charging position into the discharging position thus requires as little time as possible. As another indispensable measure, said patents additionally provide a special embodiment of the valve actuator designed as a slide valve. Because the valve actuator is supposed to be configured such that the control disk, whose circumference seals against the cylinder bore, need only be shot from the one side of the mouth of the cylinder line to the other side of the mouth of the cylinder line in order now to connect the cylinder line, instead of with the low-pressure feed line, with the pressureless tank line and vice versa. This control disk forms the actual slide valve, which is unaffected by impacts even at high piston speeds, operates in a short-stroke manner, and has very little mass. The two measures supplement each other.
This design of the valve actuator as a slide gate valve, which as such is rather advantageous, however has certain serious drawbacks. Fundamentally, the manufacture of a slide gate valve is exceptionally expensive. Because the control disk, which in such a valve actuator seals the two sections of the annular space with respect to each other and the cylinder wall, must travel in the cylinder bore it is assigned to at the lowest tolerance. This means that not only must the control disk be ground, but the cylinder bore must be honed above all. Such a honing of the cylinder bore is exceptionally expensive.
Also, such an assembly is very susceptible to wear. Because travel of the control disk must be maintained at the lowest tolerance over the entire life of the pressure booster. This is critical especially if the valve actuator is to travel at extremely high frequencies, thus covering extreme sliding distances during the course of its life. At the high frequencies intended here, small dirt particles having an abrasive effect already suffice to generate scores and the like in the control disk and/or the cylinder bore, thus reducing the quality of the sealing effect of the slide gate valve or disabling its sealing function to the point of unserviceability.
In addition, repair of such a slide gate valve is very complex. The cylinder bore must be rehoned for the repairs (as a rule, the alternative, possible use of a new casing is uneconomical because in most cases, the slide gate valve is accommodated together with the booster piston in a joint casing). It thus becomes oversized, i.e. its diameter becomes larger. Therefore, no series-produced slide gate valve can be inserted into the rehoned cylinder bore anymore. Instead, a slide gate valve has to be inserted which is produced as a special spare part, with the slide gate valve being correspondingly oversized at its outer circumference. This requires elaborate storage and the costly manufacture of special components.
The pressure boosters of the type addressed herein, as a matter of principle, can be fed with different amounts of pressure, therefore supplying high pressures without any reconfigurations or adjustments being necessary. Since such pressure booster are very often used in a mobile manner, for example on construction sites, this is a great advantage; to a large extent, a pressure booster makes do with the available feeding pressure. With regard to the pressure booster proposed in the patents mentioned in the introduction, which is actually being built, it is known that it is suitable for being fed with pressures from about 35 to about 300 bar. Given a pressure boosting ratio of, for example, 4:1, about 140 to 1200 bar are thus available on the high-pressure side. A feed at higher pressures, such as 350 bar, 500 bar or more, poses problems in this pressure booster due to the leakage flows which then occur to a very considerable extent at the control disk, unless a very expensive control disk with an extremely exact fit is used in a special case, which could possibly push the limit up slightly. If only higher feeding pressures are available (e.g., during mobile use), they must be reduced prior to being fed into the pressure booster, which is uneconomical.
In view of this, it is the object of the invention to avoid these drawbacks.


Systems and methods are disclosed that facilitate obtaining two dimensional (2D) ultrasound images, using two or more ultrasound imaging modes or modalities, to generate 2D multi-parametric ultrasound (mpUS) images and/or to generate a three-dimensional (3D) mpUS image. The different ultrasound imaging modes acquire images in a common frame of reference during a single procedure to facilitate their registration. The mpUS images (i.e., 2D or 3D) may be used for enhanced and/or automated detection of one or more suspicious regions. After identifying one or more suspicious regions, the mpUS images may be utilized with a real-time image to guide biopsy or therapy the region(s). All these processes may be performed in a single medical procedure.

Medical imaging, including X-ray, magnetic resonance (MR), computed tomography (CT), ultrasound, and various combinations of these techniques are utilized to provide images of internal patient structure for diagnostic purposes as well as for interventional procedures. One application of medical imaging (e.g., 3-D imaging) is in the detection and/or treatment of prostate cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), a man's chance of developing prostate cancer increases drastically from 1 in 10,000 before age 39 to 1 in 45 between 40 to 59 and 1 in 7 after age 60. The overall probability of developing prostate cancer from birth to death is close to 1 in 6.
Traditionally either elevated Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) level or Digital Rectal Examination (DRE) has been widely used as the standard for prostate cancer detection. For a physician to diagnose prostate cancer, a biopsy of the prostate must be performed. This is done on patients that have either high PSA levels or an irregular digital rectal exam (DRE), or on patients that have had previous negative biopsies but continue to have elevated PSA. Biopsy of the prostate requires that a number of tissue samples (i.e., cores) be obtained from various regions of the prostate. For instance, the prostate may be divided into six regions (i.e., sextant biopsy), apex, mid and base bilaterally, and one representative sample is randomly obtained from each sextant. Such random sampling continues to be the most commonly practiced method although it has received criticism in recent years on its inability to sample regions where there may be significant volumes of malignant tissues resulting in high false negative detection rates. Further using such random sampling it is estimated that the false negative rate is about 30% on the first biopsy. 3-D Transrectal Ultrasound (TRUS) guided prostate biopsy is a commonly used method to guide biopsy when testing for prostate cancer, mainly due to its ease of use and low cost.
Recently, it has been suggested that TRUS guidance may also be applicable for targeted focal therapy (TFT). In this regard, adoption of TFT for treatment of prostate cancer has been compared with the evolution of breast cancer treatment in women. Rather than perform a radical mastectomy, lumpectomy has become the treatment of choice for the majority of early-stage breast cancer cases. Likewise, some commentators believe that accurate targeting and ablation of cancerous prostate tissue (i.e., TFT) may eventually replace prostatectomy and/or whole gland treatment as the first choice for prostate treatment. Such targeted treatment has the potential to alleviate side effects of current treatment including, incontinence and/or impotence. Such commentators typically agree that the ability to visualize malignant or cancerous tissue during treatment will be of importance to achieve the accuracy of targeting necessary to achieve satisfactory results.
While TRUS provides a convenient platform for real-time guidance for either biopsy or therapy, it is believed that some malignant tissues can be isoechoic in TRUS. That is, differences between malignant cells and surrounding healthy tissue may not be discernable in a standard ultrasound image. Accordingly, using a standard TRUS image a sole means of guidance has not allowed for visually identifying potentially malignant tissue. Further, speckle and shadows make ultrasound images difficult to interpret, and many cancers are often undetected even after saturation biopsies that obtain several (>20) needle samples. To improve the identification of potentially cancerous regions for biopsy or therapy procedures, it has been proposed to combine different pre-acquired imaging modalities (e.g., MRI, CT etc.), which may provide improved tissue contrast, with a live TRUS image during biopsy or therapy.
Imaging modalities like computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can provide information that previously could not be derived from standard TRUS imaging alone. While CT lacks good soft tissue contrast to help detect abnormalities within the prostate, it can be helpful in finding extra-capsular extensions when soft tissue extends to the periprostatic fat and adjacent structures, and seminal vesicle invasions. MRI is generally considered to offer the best soft tissue contrast of all imaging modalities. Both anatomical (e.g., T1, T2) and functional MRI, e.g. dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE), magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) can help visualize and quantify regions of the prostate based on specific attributes. Stated otherwise, such different imaging modalities may allow for locating suspect regions or lesions within the prostate even when such regions/lesions are isoechoic.
Unfortunately, use of pre-acquired images, from different imaging modalities, with a live TRUS image provides a number of logistic problems. Specifically, use of other different imaging modalities such as MRI has required a patient to attend a separate procedure during which images of the other imaging modality are acquired. Once such images are acquired, (e.g., an MRI or CT image) such images must be registered with a live TRUS image acquired during a biopsy or therapy procedure. Registration of images obtained from different modalities creates a number of complications. This is especially true in soft tissue applications where the shape of an object in two images may change between acquisitions of each image. Further, in the case of prostate imaging the frame of reference (FOR) of the acquired images is typically different. That is, multiple MM volumes are obtained in high resolution transverse, coronal or sagittal planes respectively. These planes are usually in rough alignment with the patient's head-toe, anterior-posterior or left-right orientations. In contrast, TRUS images are often acquired while a patient lies on his side in a fetal position by reconstructing multiple rotated samples 2D frames to a 3D volume. The 2D image frames are obtained at various instances of rotation of the TRUS probe after insertion in to the rectal canal. The probe is inserted at an angle (approximately 30-45 degrees) to the patient's head-toe orientation. As a result the gland in MM and TRUS will need to be rigidly aligned because their relative orientations are unknown at scan time. Also the two glands would have to be compensated for the different gland shapes (non-rigid alignment) due to various factors like bladder filling, pressure of the ultrasound probe on the prostate, etc. It is against this background that the presented inventions have been developed.

System for 3D multi-parametric ultrasound imaging


The invention relates to the use of scaffold proteins, particularly green fluorescent protein (GFP), in fusion constructs with random and defined peptides and peptide libraries, to increase the cellular expression levels, decrease the cellular catabolism, increase the conformational stability relative to linear peptides, and to increase the steady state concentrations of the library peptides and peptide library members expressed in cells for the purpose of detecting the presence of the peptides and screening peptide libraries. N-terminal, C-terminal, dual N- and C-terminal and one or more internal fusions are all contemplated. Novel fusions utilizing self-binding peptides to create a conformationally stabilized fusion domain are also contemplated.

The field of biomolecule screening for biologically and therapeutically relevant compounds is rapidly growing. Relevant biomolecules that have been the focus of such screenings include chemical libraries, nucleic acid libraries, and peptide libraries in search for molecules that either inhibit or augment the biological activity of identified target molecules. With particular regard to peptide libraries, the isolation of peptide inhibitors of targets and the identification of formal binding partners of targets has been a key focus. However, one particular problem with peptide libraries is the difficulty of assessing whether any particular peptide has been expressed, and at what level, prior to determining whether the peptide has a biological effect.
The green fluorescent protein from Aequorea victoria is a 238 amino acid protein displaying autofluorescent properties. The crystal structure of the protein and several point mutants has been solved (Ormo, M. et al. (1996) Science 273: 1392-95; Yang. F. et al. (1996) Nature Biotechnol. 14: 1246-51). The fluorophore, consisting of a modified tripeptide, is buried inside a relatively rigid β-can structure, where it is almost completely protected from solvent access. The protein fluorescence is sensitive to a number of point mutations (Phillips, G. N. (1997) Curr. Opin. Struct. Biol. 7: 821-27). Since any disruption of the structure allowing solvent access to the fluorophoric tripeptide result in fluorescence quenching, the fluorescence appears to be a sensitive indication of the preservation of the native structure of the protein.
Green fluorescent proteins have been cloned from Renilla reniformis, Renilla muelleri, and Ptilosarcus gurneyi (see WO 99/49019, hereby expressly incorporated by reference). The core chromophore sequence of the Renilla reniformis GFP and Ptilosarcus GFPs is different from Aequorea Victoria GFP, and the Renilla forms have fluorescence characteristics with higher molar absorbance coefficient and narrower absorption/emission spectra as compared to Aequorea victoria GFP (Ward, W. W. et al. (1979) J. Biol. Chem. 254: 781-88). The lack of significant homology to Aequorea victoria GFP suggests that Renilla and Ptilosarcus forms provide important alternatives to the extensively exploited Aequorea victoria GFP.
Abedi et al (Nucleic Acids Res. 26, 623-30, 1998) have inserted peptides between residues contained in several GFP loops. Inserts of the short sequence LEEFGS (SEQ ID NO:1) between adjacent residues at 10 internal insertion sites were tried. Of these, inserts at three sites, between residues 157-158, 172-173 and 194-195 gave fluorescence of at least 1% of that of wild type GFP. Only inserts between residues 157-158 and 172-173 had fluorescence of at least 10% of wild type GFP. When-SAG-random 20mer-GAS-peptide sequences were inserted at different sites internal to GFP, only two sites gave mean fluorescence intensities of 2% or more of the GFP-random peptide sequences 10-fold above background fluorescence. These sites were insertions between residues 157-158 and 172-173.
It is an object of the invention to provide compositions of fusion constructs of library peptides with scaffold proteins, comprising for example detectable proteins such as GFP, and methods of using such constructs in screening of peptide libraries.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Structurally biased random peptide libraries based on different scaffolds


An asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) based very-high-bit-rate subscriber line (VDSL) communication system includes an optical ring having a plurality of multiplexers. An information provider is connected to the optical ring via a first one of the multiplexers. The information provider includes an ATM core switch operable with the first one of the multiplexers for transmitting data and video signals on to the optical ring and for receiving data signals from the optical ring. Each of a plurality of central offices is connected to the optical ring via a respective one of the multiplexers. Each of the central offices includes an ATM edge switch operable with the respective one of the multiplexers for receiving video and data signals from the information provider via the optical ring and for transmitting data signals to the information provider via the optical ring. The information provider communicates with the central offices through a single optical ring. The central offices are configured to transform single video and data signals from the information provider into multiple signals for use by host digital terminals. The central offices are also configured to statistically multiplex multiple data signals from the host digital terminals into a single data signal for transmission to the information provider via the optical ring. The central offices are further configured to integrate a local public, educational, and government video signal with a video signal received from the information provider for use by the host digital terminals.

In a very-high-bit-rate digital subscriber line (VDSL) communication system, an existing information provider, which may be a video information provider, a data information provider, or a video and data information provider, typically connects to a central office with a direct connection: Typically, a bidirectional connection is needed for the data traffic between the information provider and the central office and two unidirectional connections are needed for the video traffic from the information provider to the central office. For the information provider to provide services to multiple central offices, additional direct connections to the additional central offices must be provided.
Because each information provider, with existing techniques, must arrange to have their own physical connections to each central office that service is provided to, it becomes difficult and expensive for an information provider to serve a lot of different central offices over a wide area.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a VDSL communication system and associated method that overcomes the limitations of the prior art.

Asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) based very-high-bit-rate digital (VDSL) subscriber line communication system and method


A three dimensional photonic crystal and layer-by-layer processes of fabricating the photonic crystal. A templated substrate is exposed to a plurality of first microspheres made of a first material, the first material being of a type that will bond to the templated substrate and form a self-passivated layer of first microspheres to produce a first layer. The first layer is exposed to a plurality of second microspheres made of a second material, the second material being of a type that will bond to the first layer and form a self-passivated layer of second microspheres. This layering of alternating first and second microspheres can be repeated as desired to build a three dimensional photonic crystal of desired geometry.

This invention relates generally to the field of photonic crystals. More particularly, this invention relates to a photonic crystal structure and a method for layer-by-layer fabrication of such crystal structure.
Photonic crystals are being actively pursued as components in optical networks, such as wavelength-division multiplexing applications. Examples of potential applications are as filters, mirrors, waveguides, and prisms. Added functionality could allow the crystals to be used in other applications such as frequency-tunable filters, optical switches, chemical and biological recognition systems, as well as other potential applications.
Three dimensional (3-D) photonic crystals have been made using a number of approaches. One common approach uses a colloidal technique that allows a distribution of spheres (e.g. microspheresxe2x80x94typically spheres approximately in the range of 90 nm to several microns in diameter) to settle out of solution into a bulk 3-D crystal. A similar approach uses the surface tension of a moving liquid/gas interface, created by either by pulling a substrate out of a liquid or by evaporating the liquid, to create a 3-D crystal made of up microspheres. Both techniques result in a close-packed structure of identical spheres. More complex structures are possible if differently sized spheres are used, but there is very little external control over the crystallization process and the resulting structure. The spheres can be made with a number of different materials, with polystyrene a common example, and the components are uniform in size and composition. Crystals fabricated using this technique are mechanically unstable unless a matrix such as a polymer matrix is used between the spheres to mechanically reinforce the structure.
The present invention relates generally to photonic crystals. Objects, advantages and features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of the invention.
In general terms, without any intention of limiting the invention, the present invention, in certain embodiments, relates to a technique which can be used to fabricate photonic crystals in a controlled, layer-by-layer manner. This allows control over parameters not possible with traditional colloidal techniques and permits novel crystal structures to be created.
In one exemplary embodiment consistent with the present invention a three dimensional photonic crystal is fabricated starting with a templated substrate that is exposed to a plurality of first microspheres made of a first material, the first material being of a type that will bond to the templated substrate and form a self-passivated layer of first microspheres to produce a first layer. The first layer is exposed to a plurality of second microspheres made of a second material, the second material being of a type that will bond to the first layer and form a self-passivated layer of second microspheres. This layering of alternating first and second microspheres can be repeated as desired to build a three dimensional photonic crystal of desired geometry.
A method of fabricating a photonic crystal, consistent with certain embodiments of the present invention involves providing a templated substrate; and exposing the templated substrate to a plurality of first microspheres made of a first material, the first material being of a type that will bond to the templated substrate and form a self-passivated layer of first microspheres to produce a first layer. A second layer can be created by exposing the first layer to a plurality of second microspheres made of a second material, the second material being of a type that will bond to the first layer and form a self-passivated second layer of second microspheres.
Another method of fabricating a photonic crystal consistent with certain embodiments of the present invention involves providing a templated substrate; exposing the templated substrate to a plurality of first microspheres made of a first material, the first material being of a type that will bond to the templated substrate and form a self-passivated layer of first microspheres to produce a layer of microspheres; modifying the first layer of microspheres to permit the first layer of microspheres to bond with other microspheres to thereby produce a bondable layer; exposing the bondable layer to a plurality of second microspheres to form a second layer of microspheres. The second layer of microspheres can be made of the first material or of a second material.
A photonic crystalline structure consistent with certain embodiments of the present invention has a templated substrate processed to bond preferentially to a first material in selected areas. A first layer of first microspheres, the first layer being one microsphere deep, is made of a material that bonds to the selected areas of the templated substrate. A second and subsequent layers can be added wherein the second and subsequent layers of microspheres can be made of the first material or of a second material.
The above summaries are intended to illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention, which will be best understood in conjunction with the detailed description to follow, and are not intended to limit the scope of the appended claims.

Layer-by-layer assembly of photonic crystals


The overall performance of an ANC system may be improved by configuring the ANC system to perform adaption in the frequency domain. The ANC systems may be configured to update an algorithm of an adaptive filter based, at least in part, on the first input signal, the second input signal, and a feedback signal that is based on an output of the adaptive filter. Updating may include changing parameters of the algorithm based on a SDR based, at least in part, on the first input signal. Updating may also include normalizing a step size and processing at least full band information for the input signal in a frequency domain to generate coefficient values for the algorithm. Updating may also include applying a frequency domain magnitude constraint on adaptive filter coefficients.

Wireless telephones, such as mobile/cellular telephones and cordless telephones, and other consumer audio devices, such as mp3 players, are in widespread use. Performance of such devices with respect to audio intelligibility can be improved by providing noise canceling using a microphone. In noise cancellation the microphone measures ambient acoustic events and then inserts an anti-noise signal into the output of the device to cancel the ambient acoustic events measured by the microphone. Because the acoustic environment around personal audio devices can change dramatically, depending on the sources of noise that are present and the position of the device itself, an adaptive noise cancellation (ANC) system may be employed to adapt the noise canceling to take into account environmental changes. However, numerous drawbacks are associated with conventional time-domain implementations of ANC systems. In particular, conventional ANC systems can be complex, can consume significant power, and can generate undesirable results under certain circumstances.
Shortcomings mentioned here are only representative and are included simply to highlight that a need exists for improved electrical components, particularly for improved ANC systems. Embodiments described herein address certain shortcomings but not necessarily each and every one described here or known in the art.

SDR-based adaptive noise cancellation (ANC) system


A universal electrochemical micro-sensor can be used either as a biosensor or an environmental sensor. Because of its small size and flexibility, the micro-sensor is suitable for continuous use to monitor fluids within a live subject, or as an environmental monitor. The micro-sensor can be formed on a reusable glass carrier substrate. A flexible polymer backing, together with a set of electrodes, forms a reservoir that contains an electrolytic fluid chemical reagent. During fabrication, the glass carrier substrate protects the fluid chemical reagent from degradation. A conductive micromesh further contains the reagent while allowing partial exposure to the ambient biological or atmospheric environment. The micromesh density can be altered to accommodate fluid reagents having different viscosities. Flexibility is achieved by attaching a thick polymer tape and peeling away the micro-sensor from the glass carrier substrate. The final structure is thereby transferred to the polymer tape, providing a flexible product.

Technical Field
The present disclosure generally relates to microelectronic sensors, and in particular, to consumable biosensors that are flexible and can contain a fluid for electrochemical monitoring.
Description of the Related Art
Biosensor strips are used to monitor blood glucose levels by millions of patients who suffer from diabetes. With reference to FIG. 1, a typical home monitoring apparatus 80 includes a conventional disposable strip biosensor 82 and a portable electronic monitor 83. A blood sample is applied to the biosensor 82, and the strip is inserted into the portable electronic monitor 83. A conventional biosensor 82 is made of a semi-rigid backing material 84 approximately an inch long, impregnated with an electrolytic chemical reagent 86 at one end and printed with electrodes 88 at the other end. The patient pricks a fingertip, applies a drop of blood 89 to the reagent 86, and inserts the electrodes 88 into the portable electronic monitor 83. The electrolytic chemical reagent 86 conducts a current that is proportional to an amount of glucose in the blood. Current flow conducted via the electrodes 88 in the biosensor 82 closes a circuit when the biosensor 82 is inserted into the portable electronic monitor 83. The current in the circuit can then be measured by the portable electronic monitor 83. The portable electronic monitor 83 is configured with software that converts the current measurement into a numerical value that represents the blood glucose level. The portable electronic monitor 83 then provides a digital readout of the numerical value and stores the numerical value as blood glucose data in an electronic memory. By either recording or downloading the blood glucose data, the patient can track blood glucose values over time to adjust insulin dosage.
A drawback for manufacturers is that the chemical reagent, which is typically in liquid form, must be cross-linked into a solid form that is suitable for incorporation into the biosensor strip. Furthermore, techniques used to fabricate the electrodes, the chemical reagent, and the packaging are specific to three different industries, namely the semiconductor, bio-chemistry, and packaging industries, respectively. Thus, the current sensors and manufacturing process tend to be costly, overly complex, and disjointed, which results in a higher product cost to consumers.
In-situ monitoring systems offer many advantages over the patient-administered home monitoring system described above. In one type of in-situ monitoring system, a transdermal patch is used to secure a blood sampling needle and a drug delivery needle to a patient's skin. Blood glucose can be detected by a circuit within the patch, and the data can be wirelessly relayed by an antenna in the patch for remote processing and dose calculation. Likewise, a wireless signal containing the determined dosage information can be received by an antenna in the patch and used to electronically control insulin delivery. By automating the monitoring and dosing functions, such a system eliminates the need for patients to handle fluid chemical reagent strips or syringes of insulin. However, although the transdermal patch is generally more accurate and more convenient than the home monitoring system, it is still cumbersome. For example, the patient must apply the transdermal patch, wear the patch at all times, and periodically re-load the patch with insulin. Because it is not fully automated, the transdermal patch still incurs opportunities for error in dosing.
There also exist environmental micro-sensors, such as temperature and humidity sensors, that monitor environmental conditions by exposing dielectric films that are sensitive to ambient conditions. Embodiments of such sensors are described in U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 13/853,732 and 13/315,477, for example. Some environmental sensors are integrated with chemical sensors, as disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2012/0168882. However, existing micro-sensors are typically tailored for either a bio-medical or an environmental application, and are generally not interchangeable.


A cage well suited for confining and rearing mice, rats and like relatively small animals in a germ free, hygienic atmosphere for experimentation purposes. Included is a boxlike casing with its open top closed by a horizontal lid. There are provided an air supply conduit for supplying germ free air into the casing, and an exhaust conduit for drawing air from within the casing, both extending into the casing through a side wall of the casing. The air supply conduit extends in parallel relation to the inner or lower surface of the lid and is formed with a series of air supply holes directed upwardly, so that supplied air flows upwardly against the lower surface of the lid and is then turned downwardly, whereby the supplied air does not impinge directly upon the animals, thus providing conditions favorable for the rearing of the animals.

This invention relates to a cage for confining animals, particularly to a cage for experimental animals of smaller size such as mice and rats. More specifically, the invention deals with a hermetically sealed, ventilated cage suitable for confining and rearing relatively small experimental animals in a germ free, hygienically favorable environment. The cage in accordance with the invention may be used in such a manner that a multiplicity (e.g. tens or even hundreds) of such cages are arranged in columns and rows.
The laboratory animal cage has been known and used extensively which comprises a molded plastic casing or enclosure in the form of an open top box, with a wirework lid closing the open top of the casing for confining an experimental animal or animals. For feeding the confined animal, a water dispenser has been employed which has an elongated spout inserted in the casing through an opening formed in a side or end wall of the casing. U.S. Pat. No. 4,346,672 to Niki discloses an example of such water dispenser.
It has also been proposed to hermetically close the open top casing of the cage with a solid outer lid, which overlies a wirework inner lid, and to ventilate the interior of the casing with germ free air. The caged animals may be infected with germs. The air exhausted from within the cage may contain such germs. Should such air be allowed to fill the laboratory, the experimenters may be infected with the germs or may develop an allergy. It is therefore important that the cage be sealed hermetically and be ventilated so as not to contaminate the laboratory air.
Thus the ventilation system requires not only a conduit for supplying germ free air into the cage but also another conduit for exhausting the possibly contaminated air from within the cage. As these conduits are inserted in the cage through openings formed therein, the gaps between the conduits and the edges of the openings must be sealed against the escape of the contaminated cage air.
In a known ventilation system for the cage, an air supply conduit inserted into the cage is formed with a number of holes through which fresh air is supplied into the cage. In this type of ventilation system, fresh air supplied through the holes impinges directly upon small animals within the cage or causes relatively strong forced flows of air within the cage. This is not desirable for small animals raised in the cage for a long time.