(I) Disclosed herein are compounds of formula I, and/or a stereoisomer, a stable isotope, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof; and therapeutic uses of these compounds, which are kinase inhibitors potentially useful in the treatment of diseases treatable, such as cancers, as well as pharmaceutical compositions, comprising a compound of formula I, and/or a stereoisomer, a stable isotope, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

Disclosed herein are novel heterocyclic compounds that can serve as extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK or Erk) inhibitors. Further disclosed herein are pharmaceutical compositions, comprising at least one of such compounds, as well as methods of using at least one of such compounds in treatment of diseases modulated by ERK, such as cancers.
The Ras-Raf-Mek-Erk intracellular signaling cascade is known as a central signaling module that transmits proliferation, survival, growth and differentiation signals into the cell interior from activated receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) such as ErbB family, PDGF, FGF, and VEGF (Sebolt-Leopold, J. S. and Herrera, R., Nat. Rev. Cancer, 41:937-947, 2004; Kolch, W., Nat. Rev. Mol. Cell Biol., 61:827-837, 2005). This signaling axis includes Ras, Raf, Mek (mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase), and Erk (extracellular signal-regulated kinases) proteins all occurring in highly homologous isoforms. Ras proteins (e.g, H-Ras, N-Ras, and K-Ras) are 21 kDa GTPases that are activated at the proximity sites of the intracellular kinase domains of RTKs. Raf kinases (e.g, RafA, RafB, and RafC) are intermediate downstream effectors of Ras, and activated by binding to GTP-loaded Ras. Raf kinases phosphorylate Meks (Mek1 and Mek2) are on two closely adjacent serine residues, S218 and S222 in the case of Mek1. Meks are dual specificity theroine/tyrosine kinases that phosphorylate threonine and tyrosine residues within the TXY motif of Erks, where T represents threonine, Y represents tyrosine, and X represents any amino acid. Erk proteins (Erk1 and Erk2), also known as MAPKs (mitogen-activated protein kinases), are serine/threonine kinases that phosphorylate more than 100 downstream cytosolic and nuclear target proteins that participate in cellular processes such as division, proliferation, migration, and apoptosis (Yoon, S. and Seger, R., Growth Factors, 24:21-44, 2006). These phosphorylations substantially modulate, generally stimulate, the activity of the target proteins and can profoundly alter the physiological status of the cells.
Pathological activation of Ras-Raf-Mek-Erk cascade signaling pathway is known to account for the mechanistic aspects of most human cancers, immune dysfunction, and hyper-inflammatory conditions. Activation of the signaling pathway can occur as the result of autocrine or paracrine production of excessive RTK ligands, or constitutive activation of cell surface receptors by mutation or overexpression, or more commonly through gain-of-function mutations of B-Raf and Ras family members. Oncogenic forms of Ras are reported to be associated with 30% of all human cancers. Mutations in K-Ras occur in 90% of pancreatic cancers and in 25% to 50% of colorectal, mucinous ovarian, and non-small cell lung cancers, whereas mutations in H-Ras are common in bladder, kidney, and thyroid cancers and N-Ras mutations are found in melanoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, and hematologic malignancies (Adjei, A., J. Natl. Cancer Inst., 93:1062-74, 2001; Aviel-Ronen, S., et al, Clin Lung Cancer, 8:30-8, 2006). B-Raf mutations occur in 66% to 70% of malignant melanomas, 70% of nonpapillary thyroid cancers, 35% of low-grade ovarian serous tumors as well as a wide range of other cancers including, for example, colorectal, thyroid, lung, breast, and ovarian cancers (Thomas, N., Melanoma Res, 16:97-103, 2006; Singer, G., et al, J. Natl. Cancer Inst., 95:484-6, 2003; Brose, M., et al, Cancer Res., 62:6997-7000, 2002).
Inhibition of the activity of Ras-Raf-Mek-Erk signaling pathway has been the focus of drug discovery, particularly for cancer treatment (Sebolt-Leopold, J., Oncogene, 19:16564-6599, 2000). Small-molecule inhibitors of B-Raf and Mek have been shown to effectively inhibit Ras and Raf mediated cell transformation, Erk activation and dependent processes, cell proliferation in vitro, and tumor growth in vivo (Mallon, R., et al., Mol. Cancer Ther., 31:755-762, 2004; Sebolt-Leopold, J., Curr. Pharm. Des., 101:1907-1914, 2004; Sebolt-Leopold J. and Herrera, R., Nat. Rev. Cancer, 41:937-947, 2004). The demonstration of the clinical efficacy of multiple Raf and Mek small-molecule inhibitors in various types of cancers has provided an ultimate validation of targeting this signaling pathway for cancer treatment (Crane, E. and Wang, K., Topics Anti-Cancer Res., 2:63-94, 2013).
Given Erk proteins' downstream position in the Ras-Raf-Mek-Erk signaling cascade, inhibition of Erks can provide an alternative strategy to modulate down the activity of the pathway. As such, there is a strong rationale to develop Erk small-molecule inhibitors as novel therapeutic agents for a broad spectrum of human cancers originated, for example, from brain, lung, colon, breast, gastric, pancreatic, head and neck, esophageal, renal, kidney, ovarian, skin, prostate, testicular, gynecological or thyroid. In addition, the Erk inhibitors may also be used to treat, for example, non-cancerous hyper-proliferative disorders (e.g., benign hyperplasia of the skin, restenosis, benign prostatic hypertrophy), pancreatitis, kidney disease, pain, diseases related to vasculogenesis or angiogenesis, acute and chronic inflammatory diseases (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, athero sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease), skin diseases (e.g., psoriasis, eczema, and scleroderma), diabetes, diabetic retinopathy, retinopathy of prematurity, age-related macular degeneration, asthma, septic shock, T-cell mediated diseases, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Heterocyclic compounds as kinase inhibitors, compositions comprising the heterocyclic compound, and methods of use thereof


A method of controlling arc welding, which method shifting the speed of welding operation continuously and mildly. By so doing, a sharp change in the speed of weld wire supply, which is caused as the result of efforts to try to comply with an abrupt change in operation speed, can be moderated. This helps keeping a welding operation under a stable control.

At the welding lines in manufacturing firms, efforts are being made to improve the total operating efficiency by increasing the speed of welding operation. An increasing number of firms are trying to introduce a high-speed welding. Aiming to secure molten weld metals for enough volume in high-speed welding, some wire feeders capable of supplying weld wire for a sufficient amount are already made available.
Meanwhile, a tandem arc welding process has also been introduced as a means of increasing the speed of welding taking advantage of the technology of the above high-capacity wire feeders. In a tandem arc welding system, an integrated 2-electrode welding torch or two single-electrode welding torches disposed separated to each other by a certain specific distance is provided at the tip end part of a welding robot or the like device. A certain specific action is performed at a certain specific speed under a certain control in accordance with a certain operation program for carrying out a welding operation. The operation program is provided based on an assumption that in a welding section the two electrodes each including its weld wire disposed penetrating through the electrode are orientated substantially on a welding line, in front and the rear arrangement.
Now, a tandem arc welding system is described in its outline formation and operation referring to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 shows the outline of mechanical structure of a tandem arc welding system having an integrated 2-electrode welding torch. Integrated 2-electrode welding torch 150 is mounted on a welding robot manipulator or the like working gear, which is not shown. The torch travels on the surface of welding object 160 along a certain specified line for welding. A device which puts the robot manipulator, etc. into operation is connected with control unit 120. Control unit 120 is connected with two welders, 130 and 140. Respective welders, 130 and 140, are provided with a weld wire feeder, which is not shown. Each weld wire feeder feeds a weld wire, not shown, to welding torch 150, viz. two weld wires are delivered to the torch. Within welding torch 150, each of the two weld wires is transferred penetrating through an electrode tip, not shown, respectively. The electrode tips are connected to output terminals of welder 130 and welder 140 via power cable 131 and power cable 142, respectively. Electric powers from welder 130 and welder 140 are supplied to the weld wires, respectively. Welding object 160 is connected to the ground terminals of welder 130 and welder 140 by way of grounding cable 132 and grounding cable 141. The arcs generated between the weld wires and welding object 160 form welding current circuits.
Control unit 120 houses in it an operation program and welding conditions. Control unit 120 controls action of the welding robot manipulator, etc. in accordance with the operation program. Furthermore, control unit 120 transfers, corresponding to the action, those instructions and parameters to welder 130 and welder 140 via control line 133 and control line 143. Welder 130 and welder 140 control their own weld wire feeders so that the weld wires are supplied for specified amount in accordance with the parameters received from control unit 120.
In this way, a tandem arc welding system provides a certain specific welding on a welding object 160 at a certain specific place.
Now in the following, description is made on how the tandem arc welding is carried out referring to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 illustrates a scene where a tandem arc welding is being carried out with an integrated 2-electrode welding torch, in the direction from the right to the left. As to the terminologies regarding the direction of welding, "fore-going" means that which is going in the front, while "hind-going" means that which is going in chase of the "fore-going". In the inside of nozzle 210 of integrated 2-electrode welding torch 150 (ref. FIG. 1), there are two electrode tips, fore-going electrode tip 201 and hind-going electrode tip 202, disposed at a certain specific electrode-to-electrode distance. Fore-going electrode tip 201 is supplied with fore-going weld wire 203, whereas hind-going electrode tip 202 is supplied with hind-going weld wire 204.
Fore-going weld wire 203 gets the power from welder 130 (ref. FIG. 1) which is equipped with a welding power supply, not shown, dedicated to the fore-going electrode via fore-going electrode tip 201, and generates fore-going arc 205 between fore-going wire 203 and welding object 160. The heat of arcing melts fore-going wire 203 and welding object 160 to supply molten pool 207 with the molten metals. At the same time, hind-going weld wire 204 gets the power from welder 140 (ref. FIG. 1) which is equipped with a welding power supply, not shown, dedicated to the hind-going electrode via hind-going electrode tip 202, and generates hind-going arc 206 between hind-going weld wire 204 and welding object 160. The heat of arcing melts hind-going wire 204 and welding object 160 to supply molten pool 207 with molten metals. Fore-going wire 203 and hind-going wire 204 are supplied continuously while integrated 2-electrode welding torch 150 (ref. FIG. 1) is traveling at a certain specified speed. Thus, molten metal pool 207 moves ahead and welding bead 270 is formed behind it. A welding operation is conducted in this way.
In the tandem arc welding, where two arcs are generated in proximity, one arc can not help giving influence to the other arc. At the welding start section and at the welding end section, among other sections, the arcs are in transient stage and cause interference to each other. This readily brings the arcs into a state of instability, which calls for an appropriate control on them.
At the welding start section, there is a risk of poor welding, a damage on the tip due to interruption or turbulence of arching, a sputtering, etc. Whereas, at the welding end section, there is an esthetic risk of poor appearance of welding bead 270, in addition to the above-described risk items. Aiming to avoid these risks, new proposals have been made; which include, for example, a control sequence for the welding start and welding end. Patent Document 1 is an example of such proposals.
However, the conventional methods of preventing mutual interference between the two arcs do not function satisfactorily for stabilizing the arcs in the high-speed welding. Molten metal pool 207 constitutes a key factor of the arc instability. For example; since hind-going arc 206 is positioned to generate its arc towards molten metal pool 207, the arc is easily influenced by a disorder in molten metal pool 207. Molten metal pool 207 tends to flow behind under the influence of arcing power of fore-going arc 205 generated by fore-going weld wire 203. Arcing power of hind-going arc 206 generated by hind-going weld wire 204, however, tries to push it back towards the front. So, in order to provide a stabilized molten metal pool 207, a certain balance needs to be established between the two. Molten metal pool 207 and the arcs are in the mutually influential relationship.
Furthermore, in a high-speed welding, a change of welding speed brings the state of molten metal pool 207 into instability. As the results, the arc becomes to be instable, which quite often makes it difficult to accomplish a consistent welding. This phenomenon becomes significant especially at the starting and ending of a high-speed welding. At the welding start, molten metal pool 207 is pulled at high speed when the welding speed is raised sharply. This causes the drawback. In the high-speed operation, the weld wire supply needs to be increased accordingly; abrupt increase of the supply ill-affects a balance established between the supply and the melting. This can be another cause of the inconvenience. On the other hand, when ending a high-speed welding, the molten metal pool is disturbed by a sudden braking. In order to have a high-speed welding introduced successfully in normal production, these problems need to be solved.

Method of controlling arc welding in a tandem arc welding system


A muffler assembly for a pneumatic power tool includes a tube member defining an interior volume. The tube member includes an upper segment and a lower segment. The upper segment defines a first diameter and includes a closed upper end to inhibit fluid communication with the interior volume therethrough, a lower end, a first portion defining a plurality of vents to enable fluid communication with the interior volume therethrough, and a second portion defining a continuous surface to inhibit fluid communication with the interior volume therethrough. The lower segment defines a second diameter greater than the first diameter and includes an upper end in fluid communication with the lower end of the upper segment, a lower end, a first portion defining a plurality of vents to enable fluid communication with the interior volume therethrough, and a second portion defining a continuous surface to inhibit fluid communication with the interior volume therethrough.

Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to power tools and, more particularly, to a muffler for a pneumatic power tool.
Background of Related Art
Pneumatic power tools, e.g., ratchets, drills, wrenches, grinders, sanders, and the like, are commonly used in industrial and residential settings. Such tools typically include a hollow handle defining a chamber that provides an inlet and exit conduit for the high pressure air that powers the tool motor. The chamber includes an air intake passage and an air exhaust passage. Each passage extends between the motor and an opening in or near the bottom surface of the handle. The portion of the intake passage located near the handle opening typically includes a standard air coupler or the like. The coupler is adapted to connect to a pressurized air source. The exhaust passage typically opens to the atmosphere. When exhaust air is vented from the power tool, a considerable amount of noise and particulate debris are generated, potentially causing auditory and/or respiratory damage to the operator and others located nearby.
Although earplugs and facemasks are often available, they are not always used. Numerous attempts have been made by power tool manufacturers to therefore reduce the amount of noise and particles generated by the power tool itself. These attempts include designing quieter and cleaner motors and designing power tool components that suppress noise and trap waste prior to expulsion from the power tool. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,418,339, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference, describes a pneumatic power tool having an exhaust port filled with a web of nonwoven fibers coated with a binder resin. Other mufflers for pneumatic power tools are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,216,739; 6,926,117; 6,668,971; 6,209,678; and 5,909,016, all of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Despite advances in muffling technology, such as those detailed in the above-noted U.S. Patents, a continuing need exists for improvements in noise muffling systems that can reduce sound levels and remove entrained contaminates from exhausted air while eliminating or limiting negative effects on performance of the pneumatic tool.

Muffler for pneumatic power tool and pneumatic power tool incorporating the same


Cationic steroidal antimicrobials (“CSAs” or “ceragenins”) and methods of making and using the same. Particularly advantageous uses include treating infections in patient and sub-patient populations, especially those having a bone disease, a broken bone, a bone infection, or a bone implant.

1. Field of the Invention
The present application relates to pharmaceutical chemistry, biochemistry, and medicine, more particularly, cationic steroidal antimicrobial ("CSA") compounds (or "ceragenins") and CSA compositions.
2. Description of the Related Art
Endogenous antimicrobial peptides, such as the human cathelicidin LL-37, play key roles in innate immunity. LL-37 is found in airway mucus and is believed to be important in controlling bacterial growth in the lung. Antimicrobial peptides are found in organisms ranging from mammals to amphibians to insects to plants. The ubiquity of antimicrobial peptides has been used as evidence that these compounds do not readily engender bacterial resistance. In addition, considering the varied sequences of antimicrobial peptides among diverse organisms, it is apparent that they have evolved independently multiple times. Thus, antimicrobial peptides appear to be one of "Nature's" primary means of controlling bacterial growth. However, clinical use of antimicrobial peptides presents significant issues, including the relatively high cost of producing peptide-based therapeutics, the susceptibility of peptides to proteases generated by the host and by bacterial pathogens, and deactivation of antimicrobial peptides by proteins and DNA in lung mucosa.
An attractive means of harnessing the antibacterial activities of antimicrobial peptides without the issues delineated above is to develop non-peptide mimics of antimicrobial peptides that display the same broad-spectrum antibacterial activity utilizing the same mechanism of action. Non-peptide mimics would offer lower-cost synthesis and potentially increased stability to proteolytic degradation. In addition, control of water solubility and charge density may be used to control association with proteins and DNA in lung mucosa.
With over 1,600 examples of antimicrobial peptides known, it is possible to categorize the structural features common to them. While the primary sequences of these peptides vary substantially, morphologies adopted by a vast majority are similar. Those that adopt alpha helix conformations juxtapose hydrophobic side chains on one face of the helix with cationic (positively charged) side chains on the opposite side. Similar morphology is found in antimicrobial peptides that form beta sheet structures: hydrophobic side chains on one face of the sheet and cationic side chains on the other.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Anti-infective and osteogenic compositions and methods of use


The image forming method including steps of forming a clear toner layer on a photoreceptor, transferring the clear toner layer onto a transfer member, transferring the clear toner layer on the transfer member onto an image support, heating the image support having the clear toner layer, bringing the clear toner layer into close contact with a belt to cool the image support, and separating the image support from the belt are provided, in this order; and the clear toner layer is formed with a plurality of independent linear protrusion portions and the independent linear protrusion portions are formed parallel or diagonally to the conveyance direction of an image support.

Over recent years, with the development of digital processing technology, print images represented by photographic images and posters have been also able to be produced using an ink-jet apparatus or an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, in addition to the conventional silver halide photographic method and the conventional printing method such as gravure printing. In printed matter such as photographic images and posters produced using such an image forming apparatus, those finished by forming a uniform glossy surface over the entire image support area are demanded in some cases.
As a technique to form a uniform glossy surface over the entire image support area, there is a technique to form a glossy surface using, for example, a toner having no colorant component referred to as a clear toner or a transparent toner. Specifically, a clear toner is fed in a layered manner onto an image support in which image formation has been carried out using a toner or an ink-jet printer, followed by heating and cooling to form a glossy surface having uniform glossiness over the entire image support area (for example, refer to Patent Document 1). In this manner, formation of a uniform glossy surface over the entire image support area has become one of the effective methods to enhance the added value of printed matter.
In the above technique to form a uniform glossy surface (hereinafter referred to also as a clear toner layer) on an image support using a clear toner, a device referred to as a glossy surface forming device is used. In this device, an image is formed using an image forming apparatus such as a printer and then an image support to which a clear toner has been fed is heated to melt the clear toner. Then, via the melted clear toner, the image support is brought into close contact with a belt member. Subsequently, the image support is cooled in the state of being in close contact with the belt member to cure the clear toner. The thus-cured clear toner is peeled from the belt member to form a glossy surface on the image support (for example, refer to Patent Documents 2 and 3).
Incidentally, when a glossy surface is formed on an image support using a clear toner, air bubbles are occasionally accumulated in the interior of the glossy surface, whereby cloudiness of the glossy surface due to air bubble generation and occurrence of non-uniformity have become the causes of the decrease of image quality of formed printed matter. It has been thought that air bubble accumulation occurs since air present among toner particles or between an image support and a clear toner layer cannot be moved in the nip portion during fixing and then compressed. Therefor, a technique has been investigated in which on a clear toner, a member enabling to move air is provided and thereby air having been accumulated in the nip portion during fixing is moved to the outside to avoid occurrence of air bubble accumulation (for example, refer to Patent Document 4). This technique has been one to transfer a clear toner layer onto a fixing belt, in which such a transferred clear toner layer is provided with linear grooves in the direction parallel to or diagonally backward to the conveyance direction of the image support and then air having been accumulated the nip portion is discharged via the grooves.

Image forming method and image forming apparatus

Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.


Embodiments of user equipment (UE) and methods for application-agnostic discontinuous reception (DRX) triggering are generally described herein. In some embodiments, a UE is configured to monitor buffer status history and traffic activity history, and trigger DRX mode activation based on the buffer status and the traffic activity history. In some embodiments, the UE may determine a probability, based on the buffer status history and the traffic activity history, that a level of traffic activity that cannot be handled during DRX mode would occur. In these embodiments, the UE may trigger DRX mode activation when the probability is below a threshold.

One issue with mobile and portable wireless communication devices, such as user equipment (UE), is power savings since most of these devices utilize a battery that has a limited energy storage capacity. Some mobile devices may enter an idle mode to save energy and may enter an active mode for communications to take place. During idle mode or active mode, a mobile device may enter a discontinuous reception (DRX) mode in order to reduce power consumption. During idle mode DRX, the mobile station may listen to a control channel only during certain intervals to reduce power consumption.
Conventionally, DRX mode activation is triggered by when an inactivity timer expires. This conventional technique for DRX mode triggering does not take into account traffic activity or device status resulting in less-than optimum power savings.
Thus, there are general needs for UE and methods for DRX mode triggering that can achieve improved power savings over conventional techniques.

User equipment and method for application agnostic discontinuous reception (DRX) triggering


A control system for a vehicle includes an electric drive system, a drive system control unit, and a friction brake system. The electric drive system is associated with a first set of wheels of the vehicle. The drive system control unit is configured to control the electric drive system to selectively provide electric motive power to the first set of wheels to propel the vehicle and electric retarding to slow the vehicle. The friction brake system includes first and second friction brake units associated with the first and second sets of wheels, respectively. The drive system control unit is further configured to determine a functionality of the second friction brake unit, for a friction brake application to the second set of wheels, independent of operation of the first friction brake unit, and to control at least one vehicle system based on the determined functionality of the second friction brake unit.

Large off-highway vehicles ("OHVs"), such as mining vehicles used to haul heavy payloads excavated from open pit mines, are well known and typically employ motorized wheels for propelling or retarding the vehicle in an energy efficient manner. This efficiency is typically accomplished by employing a large horsepower diesel engine in conjunction with an alternator, a main traction inverter, and a pair of wheel drive assemblies housed within the rear tires of the vehicle. The diesel engine is directly associated with the alternator such that the diesel engine drives the alternator. The alternator powers the main traction inverter, which supplies electrical power having a controlled voltage and frequency to electric drive motors of the two wheel drive assemblies. Each wheel drive assembly houses a planetary gear transmission that converts the rotation of the associated drive motor energy into a high torque low speed rotational energy output which is supplied to the rear wheels.
Operating loads in an OHV may exceed one hundred tons, while the gross weight of the vehicle and load may be several hundred tons. Operating these vehicles on grade and in wet conditions, therefore, can present several challenges, especially for inexperienced operators. In addition, operating such heavy vehicles in challenging conditions necessitates that braking system operate efficiently and reliably to prevent rollbacks when starting and stopping on grade. Accordingly, it may be desirable to provide systems and methods for verifying brake system operability, which differ from existing systems and methods.

System and method for brake system verification


A tablet holder with an alert system for reminding individuals to take their medications featuring a base with seven compartments. Each compartment has a separate lid, and a base lid covers all the compartment lids. Compartment LEDs are disposed in each compartment lid. A touch screen display, a speaker, a vibrating component, and a microprocessor are each disposed in the base. The microprocessor is connected to a time keeping system that keeps the date and time. The microprocessor can be programmed to be activated at various dates and times. When the microprocessor is activated, the microprocessor activates the LEDs, the speaker, and the vibrating component to alert the user to take his/her medicine.

Many individuals forget to take their medications or vitamins on schedule. The present invention features a tablet holder with an alert system that provides a sound alert, a light alert, and a vibration alert. The multiple means of alerting uses can help ensure that individuals take their medications on time. The sound and light alerts can help those who are visibly or audibly impaired.
Any feature or combination of features described herein are included within the scope of the present invention provided that the features included in any such combination are not mutually inconsistent as will be apparent from the context, this specification, and the knowledge of one of ordinary skill in the art. Additional advantages and aspects of the present invention are apparent in the following detailed description and claims.


Method of obtaining N-terminal methionine-free proteins are described. The methods employ a novel enzyme, E. coli methionine aminopeptidase either in vitro or in vivo. For in vivo application, plasmid-borne DNA encoding the peptidase is transformed into a bacterial host which produces the desired protein.

Production of foreign proteins in bacterial hosts is now well established. In relatively standard procedures, the gene sequence encoding the desired protein is placed under the control of regulatory sequences indigenous to or compatible with the host and transformed into the host bacterium. In general, there are three major ways in which this can be accomplished: (1) the DNA encoding the desired protein can e fused in reading frame with a bacterial gene already under the control of the bacterial regulatory sequences to obtain a "fusion protein"; (2) the desired coding sequences can be fused in reading frame with an operable leader sequence resulting in a secreted protein; or (3) the desired coding sequence is placed immediately downstream from an ATG start codon which results in "direct" expression to obtain the "mature" protein. In this last instance, the mature protein is not secreted but is found in an intracellular location, often as a refractile or inclusion body.
It is often left unstated, but well recognized by practitioners in the art, that the mature protein formed by the direct expression of ATG-preceded coding sequences frequently bears an N-terminal methionine which is the translation product of the ATG. Depending on the particular recombinant protein, and on the circumstances of its production, more or less of it may be processed in the cell to remove this N-terminal Met residue, but, in general, at least some, and usually a substantial portion of the recombinant protein produced does bear this unwanted foreign residue. Its presence is not completely harmless. When the resulting proteins are used therapeutically, what would ordinarily be an autologous protein to the recipient (for example, human growth hormone (hGH) as administered to humans) now contains a peptide sequence which is unfamiliar to the recipient. The result is predictable. An immune response may be mounted to the unfamiliar sequence and a therapeutically important peptide now becomes an immunogen.
In addition to foreign proteins, mature native proteins and bacterial proteins from other genera or species are also often incompletely processed. Examples of this phenomenon include E. coli aspartate transcarbamylase (R-chain), E. coli tryptophan synthestase A protein, and E. coli bacteriophage T4 lysozyme. (Fasman, G.O., Ed., CRC Handbook of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, III:308-313.)
Others have attempted to resolve the N-terminal methionine problem and to produce N-terminal "Met-less" peptides or proteins in various ways. Baxter (U.S. 4,350,764) uses in vitro treatment with the protease trypsin to cleave a precursor protein after protecting alternate cleavage sites. Fusion proteins have also been synthesized where the desired coding sequence is preceded by ATG, thus providing an "internal" methionine in the fusion cleavable by CNBr. Not only does this involve an extra preparation step, but has the more serious defect that the protein or peptide is also cleaved at any methionine residues in the remaining sequence. EPO publication 127,305, published Dec. 5, 1984, to Genentech discloses the production of Met-less hGH by employing a coding sequence which includes the native hGH leader peptide which apparently is workable in certain bacterial hosts to effect secretion of the resulting hGH. Gilbert (U.S. 4,338,397) has employed the penicillinase leader sequence to effect the secretion of presumably N-terminal Melt-less .beta.-globin. U.S. Ser. No. 715,653, filed Mar. 25, 1985, assigned to the same assignee and incorporated herein by reference, discloses the use of the leader sequence for bacterial phospholipase A (phoA) to effect secretion of certain, but not all, recombinant peptides.
None of the foregoing approaches provides a universal solution to the problem. Faced with the necessity to produce any particular recombinant protein in N-terminal Met-less form, the practitioner needs to select from a repertoire of possibilities a procedure suitable for the particular peptide to be produced. The method of the invention described below expands this repertoire to provide still another pattern of applicability.

Bacterial methionine n-terminal peptidase


A process of laminating textiles for producing air-permeable or moisture-permeable laminated textile materials involves generating a discontinuous layer of adhesive with a precise pattern of voids by means of temporarily introducing sets of parallel yarns or, alternatively, mesh-like webs in contact with an initially uniform layer of adhesive temporarily carried on a release-coated carrier. After the adhesive layer and the mesh-like web have been pushed into contact with a first fabric layer, the release-coated carrier is stripped away, along with the mesh-like web, from the first fabric layer. The adhesive layer remaining on the first fabric layer will exhibit a discontinuous pattern that is complementary to the mesh-like web pattern. Subsequently, a second fabric, or film, is bonded to the exposed adhesive surface on the first fabric to create a laminated material exhibiting air permeability or moisture permeability. The laminating process according to the present invention significantly increases the ability to control the extent and pattern of voids in the adhesive layer of a laminated fabric material without incurring significantly added cost or time for manufacturing. The increased ability to control the extent and pattern of voids results in several benefits. When two fabric layers are laminated using the process according to the present invention, the process enables accurate control of the resulting laminate's wind resistance to specific target values. Furthermore, the process enhances control over the resulting laminate's handle and drape. When a fabric is laminated to a barrier film, the process according to the present invention enables accurate control of adhesive coverage/pattern to easily balance the bond strength against the following conflicting properties: a) moisture-vapor permeability, when a moisture vapor permeable film is used as one of the laminate layers; and b) soft handle and drape.

In producing a "breathable" textile material, it is known in the art to laminate a substrate fabric to a second layer of material by means of an adhesive layer. In order to impart certain permeability characteristics to the resulting laminates, e.g., air permeability or moisture permeability, it is also known in the art to apply the adhesive discontinuously, i.e., leave certain areas of the laminates unbonded. A variety of bonding methods have been utilized in the past to achieve the aforementioned discontinuous adhesive layer, but these methods suffer from significant disadvantages.
One method disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,342,469 and 5,705,011 involves introduction of a discontinuous adhesive in the form of linear filaments between the fabric layers to be laminated. An obvious drawback of this method is that there is no way to control the number and locations of the voids in the adhesive layer. Another method disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,560,974 involves applying an adhesive layer at discrete, spaced-apart locations, which adhesive layer may form a series of spots or a lined pattern. Other techniques which have been utilized in attempts to create a discontinuous adhesive layer between laminate layers include controlled extrusion through a die applicator, rotogravure, dot gravure, flexographic, screen printing, melt-blowing and ink-jet printing. An exemplary technique, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,761,324, involves the use of a printing roll that has a void pattern. In this known technique, the printing roll transfers the adhesive to the fabric only where the roll contacts the fabric. In screen printing, selected sections of the screen are blocked off and adhesive is applied through the remaining portions of the screen.
The above-mentioned prior art techniques have some significant cost and technical disadvantages. Regarding the printing-roll adhesive application method and the screen-print adhesive application method, engraving new or modified patterns into metal/ceramic rolls or screens is costly. Furthermore, roll changes required between successive adhesive-application jobs are very time consuming, requiring adhesive cleanups. In addition, fine, adhesive void patterns are difficult to achieve, especially when a thick adhesive layer is desired. Regarding the process for controlled extrusion of adhesive through a die applicator, the initial capital investment for the necessary equipment is relatively high. Furthermore, fine adhesive void patterns are difficult to achieve with this method.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a method for applying a discontinuous layer of adhesive for textile lamination, which method eliminates the disadvantages associated with previously known techniques.


The present invention provides an adaptive infotainment device, comprising a display unit, a processing module, and a network module. The processing module is coupled to the display unit to decrypt and process the multi-media content. The network module is coupled to the processing module to receive the multi-media content and selecting paths and accessing nodes. The network module collects the usage log to be processed by the processing module to generate an accumulated user profile to be fused with user default information in a user default unit coupled to the processing module to generate at least one threshold value so that the display unit is capable of displaying the processed multi-media content according to the threshold value. Hence, the user's network behavior can be learned by combining the pre-determined preferences and the past usage preferences so as to generate the most favorable displaying means to enhance the convenience for browsing information.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an adaptive infotainment device and, more particularly, to an adaptive infotainment device that is capable of learning user network behaviors and adapting preference settings according thereto.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Internet-linked display systems, purely accessing data using the Internet or providing videos on-demand from network service providers, merely allow the user to make selections by directly inputting the uniform resource locator (URL) or (the program title of) the program channel. Since the Internet data or the programs provided from the network service providers are diverse and the users often have preferences for specific programs, it is important to allow the user to acquire information by pre-setting his/her preferred timings and program contents. However, the pre-set preference settings are not unalterable. Instead, the pre-set preference settings can be changed at anytime according to some specific occasions. For example, an information exhibition can be one specific occasion. The user thus can purchase new products according to the recently updated information. As a matter of fact, the technology-based information would be much more preferred than the pre-set entertainment news. Therefore, the pre-set preference settings have to be randomly adapted according to specific occasions to meet the user's demands at anytime.
In view of the above, the user conventionally accesses such information transmitted from the network service provider's server through the Internet corresponding to the player software or programs installed in the computer according to the user preference settings. However, it requires some steps such as boosting up the computer, verifying the ID and password, linking to the Internet, starting up the browser and browsing the pages before accessing the information or services. Such the foregoing approaches are not convenient for the user, and it fails to provide the user with real-time updated preference settings.
Therefore, there is need in providing an adaptive infotainment device capable of learning user's network behaviors and adapting preference settings according thereto so as to make it more convenient for the user to browse the data on the Internet.


A copy sheet stack apparatus stacks copy sheets discharged from an image-forming device and binds them be means of a staple. The apparatus comprises a first accommodating device for accommodating copy sheets discharged from the image-forming device, a staple device for binding by way of the staple the copy sheets accommodated into the first accommodating device, a second accommodating device disposed below the first accommodating device to accommodate a bundle of the copy sheets bound be means of the staple, a fall device for making the bundle of the copy sheets bound by way of the staple fall from the first accommodating device to accommodate into the second accommodating device by its own weight, and a guide device disposed between the first accommodating device and the second accommodating device to guide the bundle of the copy sheets fallen from the first accommodating device to the second accommodating device. The guide device has a curl device for curling each bundle of the copy sheets in a direction intersecting perpendicularly to a bundle discharging direction so as to make each bundle thereof get rigid to smooth discharge it.

The present invention generally relates to a copy sheet stack apparatus in which copy paper sheets discharged from an image-forming device such as copying apparatus are accommodated, stacked and bound by a stapler.
Commonly, as examples of a copy sheet stack apparatus for accommodating copy sheets, there have been proposed, for example, in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication Nos. 59-43765 and 60-183461, an apparatus which is generally called as finisher and is constructed so that copy sheets are stacked onto a tray to be arranged and bound by means of a staple and thus are moved therefrom to a stack unit to be stacked and accommodated thereinto. Then, in these constructions, the apparatus include a movable member for moving bundles of the copy sheets to the stack unit. That is, the apparatus in 60-183461 includes a belt for driving to swing and rotate, the belt serving as the tray and the apparatus in 59-43765 includes a pinch roller and a discharging roller, each member being driven for rotation thereof.
In the above apparatus, however, there have been some problems. That is, in the apparatus having the rollers, there has been such a problem that since the rollers are disposed to be capable of advancing and retreating so as to be driven only when the copy sheets are discharged, the apparatus is complex in mechanism. In the apparatus having the belt, there has been such a problems that since the belt is disposed to be capable of swinging, the apparatus is complex in mechanism and is required to form a very large dead space for swinging the belt.
Meanwhile, there has been proposed another kind of apparatus to be simple in mechanism in which each bundle of the copy sheets is fallen by its own weight from the tray while sliding. However, in the another apparatus, it is because each copy sheet passed through a fixing device intends to curl that it is difficult to make the copy sheets arrange and stack into the stack unit only by free falling of the copy sheets.


A dispensing method and dispenser that dispenses a measured amount of a substance from a container are provided. The dispenser includes a measuring chamber having an adjustable volume, and a conduit section that adjusts the volume of the measuring chamber by moving a plunger that forms a wall of the measuring chamber. The substance is poured into the measuring chamber from the container through a valve, and the valve closes to seal the substance within the measuring chamber. The plunger may include a spout through which the substance is dispensed when the plunger is driven by the conduit section into the measuring chamber to reduce the volume of the measuring chamber.

1. Field of the Invention
Apparatuses and methods consistent with the present invention relate to a metered dispenser and a method of dispensing a measured amount of a substance, and more particularly, to a dispenser having a measuring chamber that collects a desired amount of a substance prior to dispensing, and a method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many different types of substances on the market today are dispensed from a bottle or container. When dispensed, one usually has to unscrew or remove a cap of the bottle or container and pour out a desired amount.
However, the quantity that is actually poured from the bottle or container can only be estimated and is very inexact, and there is needed a more precise way of measuring and dispensing a specifically desired quantity.

Metered dispenser and method of dispensing a measured amount of a substance


Disclosed is a semiconductor device, including an organic material-based substrate; a semiconductor chip, flip-chip connected to substantially a center of one surface side of the organic material-based substrate; a resin disposed to fill a space between the semiconductor chip and the organic material-based substrate; a lid member fixed to an outer peripheral region of a region the semiconductor chip is positioned at, on the one surface side of the organic material-based substrate to which the semiconductor chip is flip-chip connected and also fixed to the semiconductor chip in a side opposite to a flip-chip connected side of the flip-chip connected semiconductor chip; and a substrate support member disposed to extend from a vicinity of a portion of the lid member, the portion being fixed to the organic material-based substrate, and to protrude beyond a thickness of the organic material-based substrate in a thickness direction of the organic material-based substrate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device having a semiconductor chip, and more particularly to a semiconductor device having a flip-chip connected semiconductor chip.
2. Description of the Related Art
With progress in complication of the structure and high performance of the semiconductor device (semiconductor package), a phenomenon that reliability of a connected portion lowers because of a warp of the package, a deformation in the solder ball-connected portion at the time of connection due to a weight of the package, or the like cannot be overlooked. The semiconductor devices having the flip-chip connected semiconductor chip include a type that an external connection terminal for connection to another wiring substrate is disposed on a surface opposite to the surface of the resin substrate to which the semiconductor chip is connected. The external connection terminal accompanies solder balls, and the semiconductor device is mounted and connected to another wiring substrate through the solder balls.
This type of semiconductor device has generally a large stress in the solder balls of the external connection terminal at the corner portions of the package or on just the back surface of the connection position of the semiconductor chip. The stress becomes large at the corner portions of the package because a distance from the center is large, and distortion (generally, distortion in vertical and lateral directions) becomes large accordingly. It is assumed that the stress becomes large just on the back of the semiconductor chip because a thermal expansion coefficient is largely different between the resin substrate and the semiconductor chip, only the deformation of the resin substrate of the package side is restricted to be small by the deformation of the semiconductor chip, another wiring substrate is not restricted, and the solder balls are positioned in a state held between these substrates. Thus, the phenomenon that the deformation of the resin substrate of the package side is restricted to be small by the deformation of the semiconductor chip is more conspicuous in the embodiment that a resin is filled in the space between the resin substrate and the semiconductor chip.
In a case, for example, where a large heat sink is integrally disposed with a package, a deformation of the solder ball connected portions at the time of connection tends to occur due to the weight of the package. The deformation of the solder balls due to the weight occurs to decrease the size in the vertical direction, so that the occurrence of the stress in a shear direction exerts large distortion per unit length accordingly and affects on the reliability. The structures of similar semiconductor devices are disclosed in the following Patent Documents 1 and 2 though the devices are not directly related to the contents of the present application.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Laid-Open Application No. 2001-35960 (FIG. 4)
[Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Laid-Open Application No. 2001-156246 (FIG. 16)


An image pickup apparatus includes an image sensor including a color filter having pixels of different colors arranged in a predetermined order and a demosaic processor. The image sensor receives a subject image and outputs an image signal including color signals of the different colors. The demosaic processor generates color signals of the different colors for each of pixels of the image from the image signal. The demosaic processor includes a generation unit and a noise reduction unit. The generation unit performs computation using a target color signal representing a predetermined target color signal included in the image signal and a predetermined different color signal so as to generate a color-related signal that associates the target color signal with the predetermined different color signal for a pixel of the target color signal. The noise reduction unit performs a noise reduction process on the color-related signal generated by the generation unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and a program for reducing color noise in an image signal captured by a so-called single-panel image pickup apparatus including one solid-state image sensing device, such as a charged coupled device (CCD) or one complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) device.
2. Description of the Related Art
So-called single-panel image pickup apparatuses, such as single-panel digital still cameras and single-panel digital video cameras, include one solid-state image sensing device, such as a CCD or a CMOS device. The CCD or CMOS device includes a color filter having pixels of a plurality of colors arranged in a predetermined order. In general, the image pickup apparatuses perform a plurality of processes on an image signal input from the solid-state image sensing device so as to generate an image.
For example, when the color coding of a color filter of the solid-state image sensing device is defined as a Bayer arrangement, each of the pixels has information of only one color: R (red), G (green), or B (blue). That is, the Bayer arrangement includes lines each including alternately appearing R's and G's in the horizontal direction (i.e., RGRG . . . ) and lines each including alternately appearing G's and B's in the horizontal direction (i.e., GBGB . . . ). These two types of line are alternately arranged in the vertical direction, and the numbers of G pixels, B pixels, and R pixels are in a ratio of 2:1:1.
Three signals for the primary colors R, G, and B are necessary for each of the pixels of an image. Accordingly, missing color information (missing color signals) for each pixel is generated by interpolating pixels surrounding the pixel and generates the color information for the R, G, and B colors for each pixel. Such a process for generating three R, G, and B color information items (three primary color signals) for each pixel using raw image data (original data acquired from the image sensing device) having information for only one color is referred to as a "demosaic process (synchronization process)".
After a demosaic process is performed, an R signal, a G signal, and a B signal for each of the pixels are Y/C-converted into a luminance signal (Y) and a color difference signals (Cb/Cr). Thereafter, an image to be displayed is generated from an image signal including a luminance signal (Y) and a color difference signals (Cb/Cr). Alternatively, an image signal including a luminance signal (Y) and a color difference signals (Cb/Cr) is record on a recording medium.
In recent years, the pixel size of solid-state image sensing devices has been reduced. Accordingly, the S/N ratio (a signal to noise ratio) has been degraded, and therefore, noise in an image has become more of a problem. Noise in a color image includes luminance noise, which is noise on a luminance signal component, and color noise, which is noise on a color difference signal component. By reducing color noise, the quality of an image can be increased.
For example, for digital still cameras, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-311455 describes a technique for efficiently removing noise from a raw image data by selecting a pixel area appropriate for a noise reduction process and performing the noise reduction process using the selected surrounding pixels.
In addition, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-221838 describes a technique for accurately reconstructing an edge in a demosaic process by interpolating the pixel value of a pixel of interest using the pixel values of pixels in a predetermined area extending along a direction in which the edge extends.
However, if color noise is removed from raw image data, a luminance signal component is affected, and therefore, the luminance value of each color signal may be changed. As a result, an edge portion may be displayed with a false color, and the quality of the image may be significantly deteriorated.
Therefore, since a color difference signal for representing a color is generated after Y (luminance)/C (color) conversion is performed, a color noise reduction process is performed after the Y/C conversion is performed, in general. However, although color noise has an impulse shape before a demosaic process is performed, the characteristic of the noise is changed after the demosaic process is performed (i.e., the shape of the noise is changed to a shape other than an impulse shape). This is because the color noise signal passes through complicated filters for an interpolation sub-process and an aperture correction sub-process of the demosaic process. If the characteristic of the noise signal is changed, it is difficult to separate a noise signal component from a picture signal component. Accordingly, it is difficult to completely remove the color noise.

Image pickup apparatus, color noise reduction method, and color noise reduction program


Disclosed are a backlight module, a display panel, and a display device. The backlight module includes a module frame and at least one first conductive tip structure disposed inside the module frame, the first conductive tip structure includes a first conductive tip, the first conductive tip being in an exposed state of being exposed out from the module frame. The backlight module, according to a point discharge principle, preferentially performs discharging on static electricity through the conductive tip structure, to provide a novel antistatic backlight module.

A backlight module is one of key components in a liquid crystal display panel. In general, the backlight module comprises a light source, a backplane, a module frame disposed on the backplane and surrounding the periphery of the backplane, as well as a reflecting sheet, a light guide plate, an optical diaphragm, etc. disposed on the backplane, and on an inner side of the module frame. The inner side of the module frame of the backlight module may be disposed with a liquid crystal cell composed of an array substrate, an opposed substrate, and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the array substrate and the opposed substrate. Thus, the backlight module can provide backlight with sufficient brightness and uniform distribution for the liquid crystal cell.
In a production process of the array substrate, after a thin film transistor (TFT) array is fabricated, a test line will be formed on the array substrate, for detecting various types of incidence of defects of the thin film transistor array. Since the test line is specifically used for testing the thin film transistor array, in a subsequent cutting process, a portion of the test line designed outside a cutting line will be cut off, and a portion within the cutting line will be reserved. Thus, a fracture of the cut test line will be formed at an edge of the array substrate.
Since the fracture of the cut test line is in an exposed state, it is impossible to completely seal and insulate, static electricity may enter into an internal circuit of the array substrate from the cut test line, resulting in occurrence of electro-static discharge (ESD), which destroys the internal circuit of the array substrate, and further leads to abnormal display.

Backlight module, display panel and display device

Beijing BOE Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd.


A kind of germanate luminescence material and its preparation. The germanate luminescence material is a compound of following formula: (Y1-xLnx)2GeO5, or Y in the said formula is partly or entirely substituted by at least one of Gd, Lu, Sc and La, and x is 0<x≦0.3, and Ln is one of Ce, Tm, Ho, Sm, Tb, Eu and Dy. The preparation is grinding the raw material, and then sintering at 1300-1500° C. for 6-24 h, and cooling the sintered product to room temperature, and obtaining the germanate luminescence material.

With the development of semiconductor lighting technology (LED), such revolutionary new lighting resource has been gradually come into our daily life. When the third generation semiconductor material gallium nitride is applied as the semiconductor lighting source, its power consumption is just 1/10 of that of a common incandescent lamp under an equal brightness and its lifetime can reach more than one million hours. As a new-type lighting technology, LED possesses many advantages such as energy saving, green environment-friendly and flexible application etc. and can be applied in fields of direction, display, decoration, backlight and general lighting widely, which is going to bring about a revolution in the lighting field. Therefore, efficient fluorescent materials which are capable of converting the blue violet light emitted by a lighting component (including LED) into a visible light thus realizing applications in the white and multicolor lighting devices, are in an urgent need.
In the present technical field, the main approach for achieving a LED white light emission is through the coordination of a blue light LED chip and Ce-activated rare earth garnet yellow fluorescent powder (such as YAG:Ce3+ or TAG:Ce3+), i.e. a white light emission is achieved through the complexing of the yellow light emitted by fluorescent material excited by the blue light chip and partial blue light of the blue chip. However, for such method, the used fluorescent material has tremendous limitations in application in white light LED and properties for that there are two obvious shortages namely low color rendering and high color temperature, and will be replaced by "UV-LED+tricolor fluorescent powder of red, green and blue" in future. Thus, the exploitation on a tricolor fluorescent powder suitable for UV-LED is very important.

Germanate luminescence material and its preparation

Ocean's King Lighting Science & Technology Co., Ltd.


A radio receiver and method is provided that effectively compensates for an undesirable DC offset in a digital section of the radio receiver by preloading a filter with an average DC offset before filtering a signal within the filter. More specifically, the radio receiver includes an antenna for receiving a radio signal, and an analog section for demodulating the received radio signal into at least one baseband signal. The radio receiver also includes an analog-to-digital section for converting the at least one baseband signal into at least one digital baseband signal. The radio receiver further includes a preloading system for calculating an average DC offset using a predetermined number of symbols from the at least one digital baseband signal and for preloading a filter with the calculated average DC offset prior to filtering the at least one digital baseband signal in the filter.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the wireless telecommunications field and, in particular, to a radio receiver and method for preloading a channel filter with an average DC offset before filtering a signal within the channel filter.
2. Description of Related Art
A mobile phone incorporates many components which can include a radio receiver configured as a homodyne receiver or heterodyne receiver. Unfortunately, the above-mentioned radio receivers generate an undesirable DC offset that adversely affects or increases a transient settling time in time division multiple access (TDMA) based communication systems. Transient settling time or start-up time is the length of time required within a filter to reduce the undesirable DC offset to an acceptable level before being able to output a desired signal from the radio receiver. The traditional solution used to reduce the transient settling time within the filter is to compensate for the undesirable DC offset by adding complex DC offset compensation circuitry to an analog section of the radio receiver.
An example of the traditional radio receiver incorporating the complex analog DC offset compensation circuitry is briefly discussed below and disclosed in Baker et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,724,653.
Referring to FIG. 1 (PRIOR ART), there is illustrated a block diagram of the traditional radio receiver 100 incorporating complex analog DC offset compensation circuitry 102 described in the ""653 patent. The general architecture of the radio receiver 100 (e.g., heterodyne receiver) is well known in the industry and as such is not described in great detail herein.
Basically, the traditional radio receiver 100 includes an antenna 104 for receiving an input radio signal from a transmitter 106. The received input radio signal is amplified through a low noise amplifier 108 and coupled to a first mixer 110, via a first switch 112. The first mixer 110 connects to a first local oscillator 114 by way of a second switch 116 and outputs an intermediate frequency (IF) signal 117 related to the received input radio signal. The first switch 112 and the second switch 116 include some of the components associated with the DC offset compensation circuitry 102.
The IF signal 117 is filtered by a bandpass filter 118 coupled to the first mixer 110, and amplified by a variable gain amplifier 120 coupled in series with the bandpass filter. A capacitor 122 couples the variable gain amplifier 120 to a demodulation circuit configured to demodulate the IF signal 117 into a baseband inphase (I) signal 124 and a baseband quadrature (Q) signal 126. More specifically, the demodulation circuit includes a second local oscillator 128 connected to a second mixer 130, third mixer 132 and phase shifter 133 that collectively operate to convert the IF signal 117 into the baseband I signal 124 and the baseband Q signal 126, reactively.
The demodulation circuit further includes a first DC correction circuit 134 and a second DC correction circuit 136 representing the remaining components of -the DC offset compensation circuitry 102. The first and second DC correction circuits 134 and 136 each include a low pass filter 138 for reducing noise bandwidth and filtering erroneous samples associated with the baseband I signal 124 and the baseband Q signal 126.
The DC offset compensation circuitry 102 is configured such that each of the first and second DC correction circuits 134 and 136 are adapted to store a DC offset prior to the received input radio signal being coupled into the first mixer 110. In other words, the first and second switches 112 and 116 are opened to prevent the received input radio signal from entering the first mixer 110 when the DC offsets are being stored in the first and second DC correction circuits 134 and 136.
Thereafter, each of the first and second DC correction circuits 134 and 136 operate to subtract the stored DC offset from the corresponding baseband I signal 124 and baseband Q signal 126 received upon closing the first and second switches 112 and 116. The baseband I signal 124 and baseband Q signal 126 are then amplified by respective amplifiers 140 and converted to digital baseband signals by respective analog-to-digital (A/D) convertors 142. The digital baseband signals are filtered by digital filters 144 and then digitally demodulated by a digital demodulator 146 to output a desired signal 148. of course, the timing required to open and close the first and second switches 112 and 116 combined with the operations of storing and subtracting of the DC offsets by the first and second DC correction circuits 134 and 136 of the traditional radio receiver 100 is a complex way to compensate for DC offsets. Accordingly, there is a need for a radio receiver and method that effectively compensates for undesirable DC offsets in a less complex manner.
The present invention is A method and radio receiver that effectively compensates for an undesirable DC offset in a digital section of the radio receiver by preloading a filter with an average DC offset before routing a signal through the filter. More specifically, the radio receiver includes an antenna for receiving a radio signal, and an analog section for demodulating the received radio signal into at least one baseband signal. The radio receiver also includes an analog-to-digital section for converting the at least one baseband signal into at least one digital baseband signal. The radio receiver further, includes a preloading system for calculating an average DC offset using a predetermined number of symbols from the at least one digital baseband signals and for preloading a filter with the calculated average DC offset prior to filtering the at least one digital baseband signal in the filter.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a method and radio receiver that reduces the current consumption of the radio receiver.
Also in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a method and radio receiver that reduces a transient settling time in a filter.
Further in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a method and radio receiver that effectively suppresses interference attributable to a filter in an adjacent timeslot.

Radio receiver and method for preloading an average DC-offset into a channel filter


A method of beamforming a transmission from an antenna array having rows of antenna elements and columns of antenna elements may include determining a first precoding matrix associated with a first orientation. The method may further include determining a second precoding matrix associated with a second orientation. The method may further include transmitting a transmission having beamforming based at least in part on the first precoding matrix and based at least in part on the second precoding matrix.

Telecommunication systems may include base stations having one or more array antennas. The phase and relative amplitude of a transmission may be manipulated at the individual antenna elements of the array antennas to change the directionality of the transmission.
The subject matter claimed herein is not limited to embodiments that solve any disadvantages or that operate only in environments such as those described above. Rather, this background is only provided to illustrate one example technology area where some embodiments described herein may be practiced.


The invention relates to a projection system using multiple light sources (1) at the same time. The projection system (100) comprises multiple light sources (1), a lens array system for each of the light sources (1), a condenser lens (2), an aperture means (3), a light valve assembly and a projection lens (5) to project an image. The light sources are adapted to each simultaneously illuminate the whole light valve assembly. In one aspect, the invention relates to a system and methods for allowing separately control of brightness, contrast, dichroic color shift or beam uniformity. This controlling or adjustment is performed by controlling and/or adjusting the cross-section of the illumination beam of each of the multiple light sources near the aperture of the aperture means.

Large-screen, high-brightness electronic projection display apparatuses serve different broad areas of application such as e.g. electronic presentations for business, education, advertising, entertainment, simulation and status and information.
In order to fulfil the high brightness requirements of the present projection systems, a light source with a high level of power is needed. This often prevents formation of a compact projection display apparatus.
In projection systems, typically lamps having a power of 250 W are used. Increase of the luminous flux can either be performed by raising the power level of the lamp without changing the internal structure of the lamp, which leads to fast deterioration of the lamp such that the lifetime of the lamp is significantly shortened, or by changing the internal structure of the lamp, i.e. increasing the length of the luminous element, which leads to a significant increase of the size of the lamp, thereby limiting the compactness of the projection system. None of these solutions allows to obtain a compact and durable projection system.
In European Patent Application EP0683425 A1, a multiple lamp solution for projection systems is described. In the application, a projection system is described having two or more lamps, a light transmitting optical system, a light valve and a projection lens. The lamps are arranged side by side and allow a more compact system. In a specific embodiment, the light transmitting optical system comprises multiple sets of lens arrays as optical integrators. The image from the lens arrays is focused on the light valve by way of an additional lens. Adjacent to the lamps, UV/IR filters are positioned to remove ultraviolet (UV) and/or infrared (IR) radiation out of the light path. Nevertheless, reflection of IR radiation back into the lamps leads to an increased deterioration of the lamps.
Furthermore, today's projection systems also suffer from lack of compactness of the projection systems as a whole. They also still do not allow an optimal illumination of the light valve, i.e. combining an optimum light output of the light sources onto the light valve with a reduction of the heat load of the light valve.

Compact projection systems using multiple light sources


A method for forming a self-aligned horizontal transistor includes the step of first defining a narrow base contact on an isolated N-tank (10) to define a first reference edge (41). A layer of sidewall oxide (40) is then disposed on the vertical wall of the base contact (34) to define a second reference edge (42). An emitter well (44) and a collector well (46) are then defined on either side of the contact with the vertical wall of the emitter well (44) aligned with the reference edge (42). A dopant material is then disposed adjacent the reference edge (42) and the dopant diffused into the substrate from a lateral direction to form a P-type base region (58) with a graded impurity profile. N-doped regions (64) and (66) are then formed in the emitter and collector wells to form the emitter and collector of the transistor.

Lateral self-aligned transistors have been utilized in the semiconductor industry to provide improved bipolar integrated circuits. This type of structure allows for a more densely packed circuit without resorting to a vertically fabricated device utilizing, for example, the conventional buried collector. One disadvantage to the fabrication of lateral bipolar devices, has been the inability to utilize a top side base contact and also the doping profile of the base, collector and emitter of the transistor.
In prior art lateral NPN transistors, a uniform base doping profile has typically been utilized. This is to be compared with the graded base dopant profile for a vertical transistor. The graded base dopant profile has operational advantages over the uniform base in that it allows for an optimized design with enhanced carrier velocity. The uniform base of prior art lateral devices results from the construction method which normally requires the emitter and the collector to be diffused or implanted into a previously formed epitaxial base layer, which has a uniform dopant distribution.
An additional disadvantage with respect to previously fabricated lateral NPN transistors is the use of a buried conductor. Typically, a lateral transistor utilizes a buried P+ layer extending under the transistor to provide the base contact, with an external contact point provided on the periphery of the transistor. In addition to the fabrication problems associated with this type of structure, there is also an associated vertical parasitic transistor. Additionally, the contact is made underneath the transistor to the buried contact as opposed to a top side contact. It is more desirable to have a top side contact.
In view of the above disadvantages, there exists a need for a lateral NPN transistor which has both a graded junction and a top side base contact in addition to increased isolation to prevent the existence of parasitic transistors.

Method for forming a horizontal self-aligned transistor


A device for detecting pulsations or heartbeats of a person using cycles in general and movable and training implements, includes a plurality of detecting electrodes operating to contact the hands of the person and operatively coupled to at least a cardiac frequency meter, the electrodes being arranged on a cycle or training implement steering control element.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for detecting heartbeats of a person using cycles and training implements in general.
2. Description of Related Art
As is known, in practicing sports, the heart rate is very important for training quality and is indicative parameter of the training quality.
In fact, any sports activities would benefically affect cardiovascular blood circulation, only with a heart rate of proper value while it would be very dangerous if an excessively high heart rate was reached.
Thus, any physical training exercises must provide a well defined frequency range, with minimum and maximum frequency values depending on user parameters, such as age and an already achieved training level.
Also known is the fact that one of the most important aims of physical sports activities is the loss of weight or, in other words, consumption of excess calories.
Thus, it would also be very advantageous to hold heart rate at a proper level, to achieve the desired results.
In particular, it is important to perform any physical activities for a time sufficient to allow a person under training to only burn body fats and an amount of useful sugars as small as possible.
Accordingly, heart rate and duration of the exercise effort represent two parameters which must be accurately controlled.
At present, for measuring heart rate in sports exercises, heart rate monitoring devices including a resilient band to be worn on the thorax, and supporting two electrodes and a heartbeat detecting meter and an electronic amplifier which amplifies signals generated by the cardiac pulsating muscular mass are conventionally used, said prior devices further comprising a peak detector designed to detect a heart rate maximum for each training cycle, thereby allowing to determine single beat times, while a short range radiotransmitter emits, for each heartbeat, a corresponding pulse to a corresponding receiving device, arranged at a small distance, corresponding to a maximum of 1 m, from said transmitter and counting timeslots between two adjoining heartbeats to determine heart rate.
Such an approach, however, requires to accurately apply and locate said resilient band to correspondingly properly arrange said electrodes in a user precordial region, to in turn properly detect measurement signals, by allowing said electrodes to properly contact the user skin.
To the above the fact should be added that sweat, hairs, skin unevenness, undesired displacements of the resilient band due to user movements, and interferences of user garments against the band represent negative elements preventing an accurate measurement from being made.
Moreover, the resilient band is rather annoying and irritating for the user, thereby said band in actual practice has a very limited application.
In fact, large-breasted women generally tend not to use said resilient band since it would be very annoying.

Device for detecting heartbeats of a person using cycles and training implements


A controller is provided and may monitor a pressure of brake fluid and a state of a transmission of a vehicle. The controller may maintain predetermined brake pressure below a threshold pressure required to prevent movement of the vehicle in response to movement of the transmission into a park state and in response to a drop in brake pressure below the threshold pressure to permit the vehicle to roll with resistance for a predetermined time following the drop of brake pressure below the threshold pressure.

Modern vehicles are typically equipped with an automatic transmission that automatically selects an appropriate combination of gears when a vehicle is in use. Such modern transmissions are typically in communication with a gear-shift unit that permits a user to control operation of the vehicle by manipulating the transmission into a variety of states. For example, a gear-shift unit may provide a user with the ability to place the transmission in one of at least two drive states, a neutral state, a reverse state, and a park state.
When the transmission is moved into a drive state, a neutral state, or a reverse state, a series of mechanical elements within the transmission are typically employed to provide a desired rotational output of a shaft of the transmission and, thus, a desired operation of the vehicle. For example, if a drive state is selected by a user by placing the gear-shift unit in a drive state, the transmission employs a series of internal clutches and gears to provide the output shaft with a desired rotational speed and. Similarly, when a user places the transmission in a park state, a parking sprag of the transmission is typically engaged to prevent rotation of the output shaft of the transmission and, thus, rotation of the wheels of the vehicle.
When a gear-shift unit is placed in a park state, the parking sprag may not be lined up with a mating recess or slot of an internal gear of the transmission. As such, the vehicle may be permitted to move slightly upon movement of the gear-shift unit into the park state until the parking sprag is received within the recess or slot of the internal gear. While such movement of the vehicle is typically minimal (i.e., an inch or two), following such movement, the sprag drops into the recess or slot of the internal gear and causes the vehicle to come to an abrupt stop.
Causing the vehicle to come to an abrupt stop following movement of the parking sprag into the recess or slot of the internal gear creates an undesirable situation for the user due to the jerking motion of the vehicle typically associated with stopping the vehicle abruptly. Further, while movement of the vehicle is minimal following movement of the gear-shift unit into the parked state, such movement typically creates an unsettled feeling for the user, as the user does not expect movement of the vehicle following movement of the gear-select unit into the park state.


In a behavior identification method, surrounding sound is acquired, a feature value that is specified by a spectrum pattern included in spectrum information generated from sound made by a person performing a predetermined behavior is extracted from the sound acquired, the predetermined behavior is identified by the feature value, and information indicating the predetermined behavior identified is output.

There has been conventionally proposed an identification device that identifies a behavior of a person by sound. The identification device causes a behavior identifier to learn in advance using the sound of an identification target behavior and thus is capable of estimating a behavior of a person in a target space only from the sound.
For example, "A Neural Network Approach for Sound Event Detection in Real Life Audio" (M. Valenti, D. Tonelli, F. Vesperini, E. Principi, and S. Squartini, 2017 25th European Signal Processing Conference (EUSIPCO), issued on August 2017, p. 2754-2758) (hereinafter, referred to as "Non-Patent Literature 1") discloses a method of estimating a daily life behavior from sound using deep learning.
However, the conventional identification device can identify the identification target behavior but may malfunction when a behavior other than the identification target behavior is performed.
Even with the technology disclosed in Non-Patent Literature 1, the conventional identification device is difficult to prevent malfunctions in response to a behavior other than the identification target behavior and identify the identification target behavior. That is to say, Non-Patent Literature 1 describes a method of accurately identifying sound made by the identification target behavior but does not describe a method of preventing malfunctions in response to sound made by a behavior other than the identification target behavior.

Behavior identification method, behavior identification device, non-transitory computer-readable recording medium recording therein behavior identification program, machine learning method, machine learning device, and non-transitory computer-readable recording medium recording therein machine learning program

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA


Disclosed are a light guide plate for a non-contact type coordinate input system, a system including the same, and a non-contact type coordinate input method using the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a light guide plate for a non-contact type coordinate input system, which eliminates inconvenience of a conventional contact-type coordinate input system inputting coordinates through direct contact, and which can reduce use of sensors and optical loss as much as possible. The present invention also relates to a system including the same, and a non-contact type coordinate input method using the same.

Conventionally, display devices such as televisions, computer monitors, etc. receive and process an input of desired information through a processing unit, which is embedded therein or connected thereto, via a button or a mouse directly connected to the computer or the monitor.
In recent years, a variety of primary or assistant input techniques have been newly developed to substitute such a conventional input technique, and a touch screen type technique is one of such newly developed useful input techniques.
In the touch screen type technique, a display screen is provided with a resistance film or an ultrasonic wave generating means. Thus, when a user touches the screen with a finger or other input devices, there is variation in resistance or generation of surface acoustic wave on the screen, which is used to detect coordinates at a point on the screen touched by the user so as to input information and execute instructions thereby.
When using such a touch screen type input device, it is advantageous in inputting desired information with convenience.
However, with recent size-increasing trends of the display device employing such an input device, a distance between a user and the display device increases to an extent over the length of the user's arm, thereby providing a more frequent inconvenience of causing the user to move when touching the surface of the screen, as compared with a conventional condition where the user can touch the display device merely by stretching out their arm.
Further, a contact-type coordinate input system such as the touch screen type input system tends to experience not only screen contamination resulting from contact, but also deterioration in durability of a display panel resulting from repetitious application of load to the screen.
A non-contact type coordinate input system is developed to solve such problems. Unlike the contact type coordinate input system, the non-contact type coordinate input system does not require a physical contact between input means (finger, pen, etc.) and the screen. Instead, it employs other types of input means and detection means (sensor).
Specifically, the non-contact type coordinate input system typically uses light for inputting coordinates in such a way that light is illuminated to a desired location of the screen, and a coordinate set of the location is inputted to the display device, thereby performing the same function as that of the touch screen type input system. Although laser beam is generally used as light for this purpose, light is not specifically limited to the laser beam. Instead, the term "light" is used herein as a concept including electromagnetic waves in all ranges, such as infrared rays, ultraviolet rays, etc.
One example of the non-contact type coordinate input system is a photo-based direct pointing system disclosed in Korean Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2001-0026856. This system is conceived to achieve easy selection of a desired menu by direct pointing without troublesome manipulation of a remote controller. The system includes a pointer to select a menu by emitting light such as laser beam in a target direction, a detection unit having a light detection pad attached to the surface of the screen to detect a location on the screen where light emitted from the pointer enters, a location calculating unit to calculate the location on the screen based on a detection signal from the detection unit, a central processing unit (CPU) to control a cursor to be displayed on a calculated location and to control an associated operation of a menu corresponding to a location of the cursor to be performed by operation of a selection switch of the pointer, and a cursor generating unit to generate and display the cursor under control of the CPU.
Such a direct pointing system has merits in that a user does not require troublesome operation of the remote controller and can easily select a menu displayed on the screen by directly pointing at the menu with light.
Another example of the non-contact type coordinate input system is an input-output device disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. H11-119910.
The input-output device of this disclosure detects a certain location on a display screen of the input-output device, and allows input of data corresponding to the detected location to be performed in a non-contact type manner. Specifically, the input-output device operates the certain location to detect the location on the display screen, and performs input and output corresponding to the detected location. In the input-output device, the certain location on the display screen is illuminated with light from a write pen for input of light. Then, one of plural photoelectric conversion elements provided integral with the display unit and arranged in a matrix receives the light at the light irradiated location, so the location corresponding to an output state of the photoelectric conversion element is detected.
Such an input-output device is also a useful device for inputting information to the screen in a non-contact type manner.
As can be appreciated from FIGS. 1 and 2, the techniques disclosed in Korean Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2001-0026856 and Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. H11-119910 adopt a method of inputting coordinates based on information obtained when light from the pointer and the like reaches respective sensors for detecting light, which are located at lattice points (for example, 1aa in FIG. 2a) corresponding to the respective coordinates.
However, such a coordinate input method may have problems when applied to large display devices or in the case of requiring more detailed classification of input coordinates. In other words, since the above coordinate input method requires the sensors such as optical sensors corresponding to the respective coordinates, it is necessary to provide a number of sensors corresponding to the number of coordinates for input. Further, when the sensors are arranged at constant intervals, the screen of the display device increases in size, so that the number of sensors for the display device also increases in proportion to a square value of an increased size (width or length) of the screen, thereby making it further difficult to arrange the sensors in the enlarged input device in practice.
Therefore, when making the display device large, such a great number of sensors can become a great burden to a manufacturer. This problem also occurs in the case of classifying the coordinates in more detail. When resolution of the coordinates increases, it is necessary to provide additional sensors so as to correspond to an increasing amount of resolution, and the number of sensors also increases in proportion to a square value of the resolution of the coordinates.
Further, when the sensors are provided to the respective coordinates, it is necessary to set some region as a sensor section 1aa and other regions as a pixel region 1ba independent of the sensor section 1aa, as shown in FIG. 2. Thus, to secure a sufficient surface area for the pixel region, the sensor must have a very small size, and, if not, deterioration in image quality inevitably occurs.

Light guide plate for system inputting coordinate contactlessly, a system comprising the same and a method for inputting coordinate contactlessly using the same


A system, method and computer program product are provided for sending information extracted from a potentially unwanted data sample to generate a signature. In use, information is extracted from a portion of a sample of potentially unwanted data. Further, the information is sent to generate a signature.

Traditionally, security systems have been utilized for identifying unwanted data (e.g. malware, etc.). Oftentimes, the security systems utilize signatures of known unwanted data for identifying instances of unwanted data (e.g. unwanted data structures, unwanted programs, etc.), such as, for example, by matching the signature to an instance of unwanted data. However, conventional techniques for generating signatures utilized by such security systems have exhibited various limitations.
For example, signatures of known unwanted data have customarily been generated based on a full sample of data that has been detected and determined to be at least potentially unwanted. Unfortunately, receiving full samples of potentially unwanted data at a system for generating such signatures has resulted in excessive bandwidth and resource consumption, particularly when the number and/or size of samples being received is large. There is thus a need for addressing these and/or other issues associated with the prior art.

System, method and computer program product for sending information extracted from a potentially unwanted data sample to generate a signature


An adaptation hardware accelerator comprises a calculation unit to receive inputs at predefined time interval(s) that correspond to a calculation iteration, the inputs associated with adaptive filters having taps, and determine correlation and cross-correlation data based thereon for a given iteration. The correlation data comprises a correlation matrix. Determining the matrix comprises determining submatrices in an upper triangular portion and a diagonal portion of the matrix. The accelerator comprises an adaptation core unit to determine adaptive weights associated with the adaptive filters, respectively, based on an adaptive algorithm, utilizing the correlation and cross correlation data. The accelerator unit comprises a convergence detector unit to determine a convergence parameter; and a controller to generate an iteration signal for each time interval based on the parameter. The iteration signal communicates to continue or conclude; the conclusion indicates determination of a final value of adaptive weights by the core unit.

Interference cancellation is a key enabler of full-duplex radio communication. One particular type of interference is known as 'self-interference' which refers to interference from the transmit signal on to the receive path in the transceiver. The transmit power is high compared to the receive power, hence transmit signals at high power can dominate received signals in full-duplex radio communications. Self-interference cancellation enables lower cost components in the transceiver by relaxing the requirements on other cancellation components in full-duplex systems, thereby saving billions of dollars in mass produced transceivers for full-duplex radios. Self-interference cancellation techniques that are implemented in the digital domain can potentially cancel 20-25 dB or more of interference (originating from the transmit path) in the receive path.
An adaptive filter is a filter that self-adjusts the filter coefficients/weights according to a recursive algorithm, which enables the filter to perform satisfactorily in an environment where the statistics of the input signals are not available or are time-varying. An adaptive filter in the receive path of a full-duplex communication system cancels nonlinear interference arising from nonlinear components in the transmitter implementation. Recursive Least Squares (RLS) based algorithms attract a lot of interest in adaptive filtering applications due to its fast convergence speed. Recursive Least Squares (RLS) based algorithms recursively find filter coefficients that minimize the weighted linear least squares cost function relating to the input signals. However, the RLS algorithm offers extremely fast convergence at a cost of large area and power in its hardware implementation.

RLS-DCD adaptation hardware accelerator for interference cancellation in full-duplex wireless systems