A data communication method between a mobile radio communications equipment and a gateway connected to a network, the data being organized in the form of packets comprising at least one first internal header and a second external header, comprises: an initial information exchange phase comprising: transmission by the radio communications equipment to the gateway of at least one predictable field out of the fields of the external and internal headers, reception by the radio communications equipment from the gateway of at least one predictable field of the external header, a phase of transmission of at least one data packet comprising: the deletion of the external and internal headers of at least one data packet, the generation, in at least one data packet, of a header of level lower than a network layer comprising at least one non-predictable field of the internal header, the transmission of at least one data packet.

FIG. 1 represents an example of a communication system in which a mobile carrier P, for example an aircraft, communicates with a network of fixed infrastructure R. Such a system is for example adapted to implement the ATN (Aeronautical Telecommunication Network) standard specified by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
The mobile carrier P comprises at least one onboard embedded radio communications equipment item 101 which enables it to be connected to an onboard local area network 102.
The mobile carrier P connects to the fixed infrastructure network R through an access gateway 103, 104, 105. This gateway establishes a radio link with the airborne communications equipment item 101 according to a radio communication technology, for example a satellite communication link. The mobile carrier P connects to an access gateway 103, 104, 105 which is within its radio range. Thus, the access to the network R can be made via different access gateways 103, 104, 105. Each access gateway is connected to a home agent 106, 107, which is an entity of the network R whose role is to manage the mobility of the equipment items that want to connect to the network via the access gateways. Each radio communications equipment item 101 is associated with a home agent 106, 107. A home agent 106 can be implemented in an equipment item distinct from the access gateway 103 while being linked to this gateway or be implemented in the same equipment item as the access gateway 103. One and the same home agent 106 can be linked to a plurality of access gateways 103, 104, 105.
In the example of FIG. 1, a communication link between the embedded equipment item 101 and a remote terminal 108 connected to the network R is considered by way of illustration. The mobile carrier P moves from a first zone within radio range of a first gateway 105 to a second zone within radio range of a second gateway 103.
To establish and maintain the communication between the embedded equipment item 101 and the remote terminal 108 regardless of the position of the mobile carrier P, two network links are established.
A first network link is established between the embedded equipment item 101 and the remote terminal 108. The link is established from a permanent network address of the embedded equipment item 101 and a permanent network address of the remote terminal 108.
In order to manage the mobility of the carrier P, a second network link is established in tunnel mode between a temporary network address of the embedded equipment item 101, which belongs to the same network as the access gateway, and the network address of the home agent 106 responsible for the mobility management. The temporary network address is allocated by the network access gateway.
This mobility management mechanism makes it possible to avoid the implementation of complex routing mechanisms when the carrier P changes access gateway during its movement.
However, the use of two network links, including one through a tunnel, for the same point-to-point communication, leads to drawbacks. A transmitted data packet comprises two network headers of significant size, in particular for networks that use the IPv6 protocol. An IPv6 header has a size of 40 octets. Now, the radio link between the mobile carrier P and the network access gateway is more often than not a link with low available bandwidth, in particular for the case of an aeronautical communication link. The use of two IPv6 headers to establish a communication link leads to a non-optimal use of the resources available on the radio channel because the introduction of two network headers in each transmitted packet accordingly reduces the bandwidth available for the useful data transmitted.
One known solution which makes it possible to optimize the radio resources in the case of transmissions based on the IP network protocol consists in using a network header compression mechanism, such as the RoHC (Robust Header Compression) mechanism standardized by the IETF organization under the reference RFC3095.
This mechanism makes it possible to reduce the size of the network header but does present other drawbacks. It requires an initial phase of preliminary connection of the hosts for each interchange session and is complex to implement. Furthermore, it also requires the synchronization to be maintained between the contexts saved by each host to be able to correctly operate the decompression of the headers and is therefore sensitive to any desynchronization phenomenon.

Data communication method between a roaming radio equipment item and a network access gateway


A liquid ejection head is operable to eject a liquid droplet toward a medium at a liquid ejection point A first roller transports the medium toward the liquid ejection point. A second roller ejects the medium transported from the liquid ejection point to the outside of the apparatus. At least one detection roller is directly brought into contact with the medium and is rotated in accordance with the transportation of the medium, the at least one detection roller being disposed in the vicinity of at least one of the first roller and the second roller. A detector detects a rotation amount of the detection roller. A controller controls the transportation of the medium in accordance with the rotation amount.

The present invention relates to a medium transporting device that transports a medium and a recording apparatus incorporating the medium transporting device.
A printer, one type of recording apparatus, is equipped with a medium transporting device including a drive roller and a follower roller that together pinch and transport a sheet of paper used as a recording medium to a recording section, and a ejection roller and a spur that together pinch and transport the sheet of paper to a discharge portion. The medium transporting device is provided with a detector to detect a quantity of rotations of the drive roller, and a quantity of rotations of the drive roller is controlled by feeding back a detection signal from the detector (see Japanese Patent Publication No. 7-304222A). Another medium transporting device is provided with a reader to optically read a test pattern that has been provided previously on a sheet of paper, and transportation of a sheet of paper is controlled by calculating a correction value for a quantity of transportation of the sheet of paper on the basis of a read signal from the reader (see Japanese Patent Publication No. 2002-273956A).
The former medium transporting device, however, is not able to control transportation errors occurring beyond the detector, that is, eccentric errors of the drive roller, errors of the diameter of the drive roller, slipping errors between the drive roller and a sheet of paper, etc. In addition, once the trailing end of a sheet of paper is released from pinching between the drive roller and the follower roller, the sheet of paper is transported by being pinched between the ejection roller and the spur alone. Transportation control by the detector is thus no longer performed, which may possibly deteriorate transportation accuracy of a sheet of paper. Further, a detection roller, serving as the detector, is supported by radial bearings provided with circular holes, and is therefore not able to suppress torsional vibrations, which may possibly adversely affect transportation of a sheet of paper. Meanwhile, the latter medium transporting device is able to calculate a correction value only when a sheet of paper provided with the test pattern is transported, and this value is effective in a short region for merely a limited kind of sheet of paper.

Medium transporting device and recording apparatus incorporating with the same


A junction box is affixed to, and electrically coupled with, a solar panel. The junction box is configured to releasably engage and disengage accessory modules, thereby allowing accessory modules to be replaced or exchanged easily. Accessory modules are electrically coupled with other accessory modules in the solar panel string. The furthest downstream accessory module is connected to a wire harness, which is connected to a central combiner box.

(1) Field
The present invention relates generally to electrical control systems for use in the solar industry and, more particularly, to junction boxes that facilitate "plug and play" functionality of solar energy accessory modules.
(2) Related Art
The invention discussed herein can be used with connectors disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/502,395, pertaining to "Low Leakage Electrical Joints and Wire Harnesses, and Method of Making the Same", that was filed on Jul. 14, 2009, and issued on Dec. 10, 2013 as U.S. Pat. No. 8,604,342 B2, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
Due to technological advances, increased costs of non-renewable resources, and governmental incentives, solar energy can now be an economically advantageous endeavor. Accordingly, interest in solar energy has surged, and innovators are constantly developing new systems and components to optimize energy collection because variables such as inconsistent sunlight, breakage and malfunction outages in the solar field, and other fluctuations greatly affect the operating environment.
Considerable progress in optimization has been achieved by the development and refinement of various "accessory modules". In short, accessory modules are electrical components added onto conventional junction boxes to perform functions such as lessening peaks and valleys in energy generation, Maximum Power Point Tracking ("MPPT"), and to allow for direct AC conversion, including that achieved by micro-inverters. To achieve this, one junction box is outfitted with one accessory module, so the solar panels associated with that specific junction box are mediated by that specific accessory module.
While employing accessory modules is definitely an improvement over not using accessory modules, the one-module-per-group-of-panels arrangement does not permit optimization of the individual panels. This is undesirable because individual panels in a group may exist in different microenvironments. For example, one panel might be partially shaded while another panel is not. Accordingly, the optimization of individual panels would be most beneficial.
Optimizing individual panels, however, has been impractical or undesirable up until now. Specifically, coupling a panel to an accessory module requires affixing and hard wiring them together. As a result, when a panel or accessory module is damaged, destroyed, or otherwise quits working properly, the panel and accessory module are more-or-less permanently stuck together, and the entire assembly must be replaced. Alternatively, extensive time and labor is expended to separate the good hardware from the bad. Moreover, if it is desirable to swap out one accessory module for another (for example due to seasonal sunlight changes) one must swap the entire panel. This makes the optimization of individual panels impractical.
In view of the aforementioned limitations, it is desirable to have a device that allows an individual solar panel to be easily, expeditiously and reversibly outfitted with an accessory module.
Thus, there remains a need for a new and improved solar panel junction box capable of integrating with a variety of accessory modules, and the method of using this junction box.

Solar panel junction box capable of integrating with a variety of accessory modules, and method of use


An account management system receives, from a user computing device, a request for a virtual access card and a user account identifier associated with an account hub system account. The system receives, from the account hub computing system, account hub system account metadata associated with the user account hub system account. The system transmits, to the account hub computing system, a request for an access card identifier and a virtual access payload. The system receives, from the account hub computing system, the access card identifier and the virtual access payload. The system provides, to the user computing device, the access card identifier and the virtual access payload, the user computing device communicating the access card identifier and the virtual access payload to a reader computing device via a wireless communication channel.

Account-based access systems may store user account information and access permission information in the cloud and use a presentment mechanism, such as a mobile device, to present an account identifier of a user account. Conventional systems are moving service request technology from a stored value model to an account/cloud-based model. More specifically, instead of embedding a balance into a physical card or device used by users to process service requests, access systems are moving such balance to the cloud and using cards to convey an account identifier related to the user's balance on the cloud. Conventional account management systems may support stored value schemes on mobile devices. However, conventional access and account management systems do not allow a mobile devices to present information to process access requests to access reader devices associated with multiple access systems that use varying communication protocols in a secure manner.

Secure communication of access information via mobile devices


A mechanism is provided for increasing the efficiency of block-level processes. Responsive to detecting an I/O write to a storage volume, a determination is made as to whether the I/O write matches one or more suspicious I/O reads in a plurality of suspicious I/O reads previously recorded in a memory. Responsive to the I/O write matching one or more suspicious I/O reads in the plurality of suspicious I/O reads, an identification is made that there is a data relocation associated with the sector associated with the I/O write. A data relocation application is informed of the data relocation of the sector associated with the one or more suspicious I/O reads associated with the sector indicated by the I/O write. Each sector associated with the one or more suspicious I/O reads is then released in a file system for reuse.

The present application relates generally to an improved data processing apparatus and method and more specifically to mechanisms for increasing the efficiency of block-level processes using data relocation awareness.
During a data relocation process on a storage volume, despite the fact that no new data is written to the storage volume, block-level processes are unable to distinguish between a relocation of data and a new data receipt. Thus, there is a considerable consumption of resources during the block-level processes such as: additional network transportation, additional backup storage space, additional central processing unit (CPU) resources and computation time, higher I/O consumption, etc.

Increasing efficiency of block-level processes using data relocation awareness

International Business Machines Corporation


Prosthetic heart valve devices for percutaneous replacement of native heart valves and associated systems and method are disclosed herein. A prosthetic heart valve device configured in accordance with a particular embodiment of the present technology can include an expandable support having an outer surface and configured for placement between leaflets of the native valve. The device can also include a plurality of asymmetrically arranged arms coupled to the expandable support and configured to receive the leaflets of the native valve between the arms and the outer surface. In some embodiments, the arms can include tip portions for engaging a subannular surface of the native valve.

The present technology is generally directed to treatment of heart disease related to valves of the heart such as percutaneous replacement of the mitral valve. Although specific reference is made to percutaneous replacement of the mitral valve, embodiments of the present technology can provide percutaneous or other treatment of other valves such as the aortic valve.
During a normal cycle of heart contraction (systole), when the left ventricle contracts, the mitral valve acts as a check valve to prevent flow of oxygenated blood back into the left atrium. In this way, the oxygenated blood is pumped into the aorta through the aortic valve. Regurgitation of the mitral valve can significantly decrease the pumping efficiency of the heart, placing the patient at risk of severe, progressive heart failure in at least some instances. The mitral valve regurgitation can be characterized by retrograde flow from the left ventricle of a heart through an incompetent mitral valve into the left atrium.
Mitral valve regurgitation can result from a number of mechanical defects of the mitral valve. The mitral valve includes leaflets and chordae tendineae coupled to the leaflets. One or more of the leaflets, the chordae tendineae, or the papillary muscles may be damaged or otherwise dysfunctional. In at least some instances, the valve annulus may be damaged, dilated, or weakened, thereby limiting the ability of the mitral valve to close adequately against the high pressures of the left ventricle.
The prior methods and apparatuses to treat valves of the heart can be less than ideal in at least some instances. Although open heart surgery can be used to repair valves of the heart, such surgery can be more invasive than would be ideal. For example, suturing opposed valve leaflets together, referred to as the "bow-tie" or "edge-to-edge" technique, can result in improved heart function. However, with open heart surgery the patient's chest is opened, typically via a sternotomy, and the patient placed on cardiopulmonary bypass. The need to open the chest and place the patient on bypass can be traumatic and may have associated morbidity.
Although recent advances in percutaneous technologies have resulted in valve therapies that can be less invasive, such percutaneous therapies can be less than ideal and may have less than ideal outcomes in at least some instances. Although clips may be delivered percutaneously to connect leaflets of the mitral valve to perform an edge-to-edge repair, placement of these clips on the mitral valve can be difficult. For example, the mitral valve leaflets can move and change shape with blood flow and contractions of the heart, such that alignment and placement of a clip on the valve can be more difficult than would be ideal in at least some instances. Further, many patients suffer from mitral valve disease which is not treatable with such clips or other percutaneous therapies so are left with no options other than open surgical repair or replacement.
Percutaneous treatment of the mitral valve can present additional challenges as compared with other valves such as the aortic valve. The methods and apparatus appropriate for the aortic valve may not be well suited for use with the mitral valve in at least some instances. The mitral valve includes clusters of chordae tendineae extending from the valve leaflets to the walls of the ventricle that may interfere with placement of the prosthesis. The shape of the mitral valve, rather than being circular and uniform like the aortic valve, can be an oval or kidney-like shape that may not be well suited for supporting conventional stents of cylindrical configuration. The mitral valve annulus can be distorted and may have an unpredictable and non-uniform geometry, as compared to the aortic valve annulus. Further, whereas the aortic valve annulus is often entirely surrounded by muscular tissue, the mitral valve annulus may be bounded by muscular tissue on the outer wall only. The anterior side of the mitral valve annulus is bounded by a thin vessel wall. The thin vessel wall separates the mitral valve annulus and the left ventricular outflow tract ("LVOT"), which must remain open to allow blood to pass into the aorta. As a result, the stent-type fixation upon which prior transcatheter prostheses rely may not be suitable for the mitral valve because the anterior side of the valve has insufficient radial strength and can distort under the radial force of such a stent, risking occlusion of the left ventricular outflow tract. Moreover, mitral valve disease often is accompanied by (or caused by) gradual enlargement of the native annulus and/or the left ventricle. Thus, treatment approaches which rely upon radial engagement with or outward compression against the native annulus are subject to failure as the size and shape of the annulus changes.
In light of the above, it would be desirable to provide improved treatments for heart valves, such as mitral valve replacement. Ideally, these treatments would decrease at least some of the deficiencies of the prior art, and provide improved percutaneous valve prostheses with greater ease of alignment and improved coupling of the prostheses to tissues of the heart.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Prosthetic heart valve devices and associated systems and methods


An information processing device includes a first unit which predicts use data used in the future on the basis of action plan information resulting from prediction of an action of a user, and outputs use data identification information; a second unit which predicts a communication state in a situation indicated by the action plan information on the basis of the action plan information and communication environment information regarding a communication environment of the terminal, and outputs information regarding the predicted communication state; and a third unit which calculates a prefetch necessary degree regarding each of the use data on the basis of the use data identification information and the information regarding the predicted communication state.

In systems which allow mobile terminals to provide services by communicating with servers via wireless communication, in zones where radio waves do not reach such mobile terminals sufficiently (i.e., in so-called blind zones), the communication becomes unstable or is sometimes interrupted, so that a situation in which it is difficult to continue the provision of the services sometimes occurs. As one of methods to deal with such a situation, there has been a method in which data assumed to be used by a certain mobile terminal is transferred from a relevant server to the mobile terminal in advance of the time when relevant communication is interrupted (i.e., a prefetched operation is performed).
In Patent Document 1 below, an example of data prefetch systems related to such methods is described. This data prefetch system operates as follows.
First, a use state prediction unit predicts pieces of data which are assumed to be used by a terminal (assumed to be used by a user thereof) in the future on the basis of histories of user actions, a schedule of the day and the like. Next, an allocation method control unit executes scheduling of data prefetch processes on the basis of the prediction result, and costs incurred by cache processes, such as communication charges. Next, the allocation method control unit acquires the pieces of data stored in relevant servers and performs caching into the mobile terminal on the basis of the scheduling result.
Further, in Patent Document 2 below, another example of the related data prefetch systems is described. In this data prefetch system, the increase of entire data-transfer amount is restrained by sorting out and prefetching only pieces of data each having a high possibility of being used (i.e., pieces of data each having a high degree of importance).

Information processing device, terminal, server, and method for data transfer


Image completion using scene geometry is described, for example, to remove marks from digital photographs or complete regions which are blank due to editing. In an embodiment an image depicting, from a viewpoint, a scene of textured objects has regions to be completed. In an example, geometry of the scene is estimated from a depth map and the geometry used to warp the image so that at least some surfaces depicted in the image are fronto-parallel to the viewpoint. An image completion process is guided using distortion applied during the warping. For example, patches used to fill the regions are selected on the basis of distortion introduced by the warping. In examples where the scene comprises regions having only planar surfaces the warping process comprises rotating the image. Where the scene comprises non-planar surfaces, geodesic distances between image elements may be scaled to flatten the non-planar surfaces.

Image completion is used in many situations such as to edit digital photographs, to improve the quality of medical images, satellite images, images from security cameras and other types of images including image sequences. For example, a tear or stain on a photograph may be digitally repaired using image completion. In another example, an object in a foreground of a digital image may have been removed and the resulting hole is then completed.
Many existing approaches to image completion are manual and involve a user copying and pasting backgrounds to fill holes in a digital image. This is time consuming, error prone and complex.
There is an ongoing need to improve the quality of results of automated approaches whilst enabling image completion to be achieved in practical time scales in a cost effective manner.
The embodiments described below are not limited to implementations which solve any or all of the disadvantages of known image completion systems.


The present invention provides FOXM1-derived epitope peptides having the ability to induce cytotoxic T cells. The present invention further provides polynucleotides encoding the peptides, antigen-presenting cells presenting the peptides, and cytotoxic T cells targeting the peptides, as well as methods of inducing the antigen-presenting cells or CTLs. The present invention also provides compositions and pharmaceutical compositions containing them as an active ingredient. Further, the present invention provides methods of treating and/or preventing cancer, and/or preventing postoperative recurrence thereof, using the peptides, polynucleotides, antigen-presenting cells, cytotoxic T cells or pharmaceutical compositions of the present invention. Methods of inducing an immune response against cancer are also provided.

CD8-positive cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) have been known to recognize epitope peptides derived from the tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) presented on the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecule expressed on cell surface, and then kill the tumor cells. Since the discovery of the melanoma antigen (MAGE) family, many TAAs have been discovered through immunological approaches (NPL1: Boon T, Int J Cancer 1993, 54(2): 177-80; NPL2: Boon T & van der Bruggen P, J Exp Med 1996, 183(3): 725-9). Some of these TAAs are currently undergoing clinical development as immunotherapeutic targets.
In several of these TAAs, epitope peptides that can be recognized by CTLs are identified and their application in immunotherapy for various types of cancer is anticipated (NPL3: Harris C C, J Natl Cancer Inst 1996, 88(20): 1442-55; NPL4: Butterfield L H et al., Cancer Res 1999, 59(13): 3134-42; NPL5: Vissers J L et al., Cancer Res 1999, 59(21): 5554-9; NPL6: van der Burg S H et al., J Immunol 1996, 156(9): 3308-14; NPL7: Tanaka F et al., Cancer Res 1997, 57(20): 4465-8; NPL8: Fujie T et al., Int J Cancer 1999, 80(2): 169-72; NPL9: Kikuchi M et al., Int J Cancer 1999, 81(3): 459-66; NPL10: Oiso M et al., Int J Cancer 1999, 81(3): 387-94). Until now, several clinical trials using these TAA-derived epitope peptides have been reported. However, unfortunately, the response rate is not high in many clinical trials (NPL11: Belli F et al., J Clin Oncol 2002, 20(20): 4169-80; NPL12: Coulie P G et al., Immunol Rev 2002, 188: 33-42; NPL13: Rosenberg S A et al., Nat Med 2004, 10(9): 909-15). Therefore, there is still demand for identification of novel CTL epitope peptides that can be applied to cancer immunotherapy.
FOXM1 (GenBank accession Number: NM_202003; Forkhead box M1) is identified and reported as a gene whose expression is upregulated in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, non-small cell lung cancer and esophageal cancer tissues from the result of genome wide gene expression profile by a cDNA microarray targeting 27,648 genes (NPL14: Obama K et al., Hepatology 2005, 41(6): 1339-48; NPL15: Yokomine K et al., Int J Cancer 2010, 126(9): 2153-63; PTL1: WO2005/090603). On the other hand, FOXM1 expression level in normal tissue is very low compared to these cancer tissues. Furthermore, when FOXM1 expression was inhibited, proliferation of medulloblastoma cells was suppressed (NPL16: Priller M et al., Clin Cancer Res 2011, 17(21): 6791-801), FOXM1 is suggested to be a gene involved in the regulation of cancer cell proliferation. More specifically, FOXM1 is a TAA for many cancers repeating proliferation and thus epitope peptides derived from FOXM1 are considered to be applicable to immunotherapy targeting cancer patients.
Recently, FOXM1-derived HLA-A02-restricted epitope peptides (PTL2: WO2009/025196) and HLA-A24-restricted epitope peptides (PTL3: WO2010/095428) have been identified. Therapeutic effects by these peptides can be expected in cancer patients having the HLA-A02 type or HLA-A24 type, but cannot be expected on other cancer patients.

FOXM1-derived peptide, and vaccine including same


A circuit arrangement for commutating a reluctance motor including a current generator which produces first and second cyclic sequences of current pulses. In response to the first cyclic sequence applied to the stator windings of the motor, a rotor travels a predetermined distance along a motion coordinate path. Application of the second sequence to the stator windings results in the rotor traveling at least twice the predetermined distance along the motion coordinate path. The second sequence, which is applied when rotor speed exceeds a predetermined level, is formed by omitting predetermined current pulses from the first cyclic sequence.

The invention relates to a circuit arrangement for commutating a reluctance motor having a rotor rotatable relative to a stator. The stator has a number of windings to which current pulses of predeterminable length and phase relative to the motion coordinate of the rotor are fed based on the position and speed of the rotor.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,739,240 discloses a conventional circuit arrangement for commutating a reluctance motion. The commutator for a microcomputer based switched reluctance drive includes a memory, for example, a ROM, for storing stator phase firing patterns. This commutator enables selective adjustment of the turn-on angle and pulse length of phase switching current pulses. Firing patterns differing only in pulse length of their respective pulses can be stored in the memory. The adjustment of pulse phase and pulse duration allows torque control of the motor over a wide range.
A conventional converter circuit is also disclosed in a book entitled "Brushless Permanent-Magnet and Reluctance Motor Drives" by T. J. E. Miller, Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1989, pp. 177 to 180. More specifically, FIG. 7.16(b) with attendant description on page 178. last paragraph, page 179 as well as page 180, first paragraph, a converter circuit for an n-phase motor in which only n+1 transistors are necessary. For controlling the current amplitude, high-frequency "current chopping" is performed in one "top" transistor of that common circuit to all phases, i.e. windings of the motor. The "bottom" transistors commutate the chopped voltage or chopped current in a precisely predetermined order to the phases of the motor, controlled by a sensing means for determining the position of the motor shaft and by a gate logic. As will be explained hereinafter, this simplified switching circuit will practically not lose on "functionality" compared with a "complete" switching circuit comprising two transistors per phase. However, it should be observed that at high speeds the phases cannot be turned off sufficiently fast by the simplified commutator so that a braking torque occurs as a result of which the difference between driving torque and braking torque--referenced nett torque--diminishes very fast with higher speeds and the motor losses are augmented.
Furthermore, it has appeared that also the measures described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,739,240 are not suitable for remedying the abovedescribed disadvantages at higher speeds of the reluctance motor.
It is an object of the invention to provide a simple circuit arrangement for commutating a reluctance motor, which arrangement ensures even with very high speeds a perfect commutation and thus a high torque and low losses.
This object is achieved by means of a circuit arrangement in which after each supplied current pulse at least the next current pulse in the cyclic train, predetermined for low speeds, is omitted. The next current pulse is omitted when speeds exceed a predeterminable value.
The circuit arrangement according to the invention can be used for operating both rotary and linear motor configurations. With the conventional rotary motor in which the stator and rotor are arranged in a rotationally symmetrical manner, the windings on the stator have been provided in a specific: angle division and order along the circumference and thus the motion coordinates of the rotor have specific, preferably uniform angular spacings. The order of the windings along the motion coordinates represents a first cyclic arrangement in which a cycle is formed by an angle of 360.degree., i.e. one rotation of the rotor. The first cyclic arrangement of the windings is passed after each complete rotation of the rotor.
However, a cycle for a linear motor can also be determined such that it comprises the path or section respectively, of the stator on which the described windings are arranged in a predetermined order. A longer stator would then accordingly be formed by linking a plurality of such cycles.
When the rotor moves relative to the stator along the motion coordinate, the spatial distances covered by the rotor from the beginning of a current pulse to the next current pulse remain constant according to the state of the art. The associated time intervals, however, are shortened when higher speeds are desired. Because the switch-on and off operations of the current pulses in the windings depend on the inductance of the windings and on the available voltages, the time intervals necessary for this switching will essentially remain unchanged even with higher speeds, whereas the time distances between the beginnings of two current pulses become ever shorter with increasing speeds. When a specific speed determined by the structure of the reluctance motor concerned is exceeded, the time-distance between two successive current pulses will fall short of a value below which it is no longer possible to provide current pulses having switch-on and off operations in the required form. In particular successive current pulses start to overlap so that the aforementioned braking torques and stator losses occur.
The invention now eliminates this detrimental effect in a simple manner in that specific sequential current pulses are omitted which are otherwise present in the sequence of current for individual windings provided for at low speeds, i.e. in the cyclic sequence of the windings, that is to say, the windings concerned at this point of the motion coordinates of the rotor are not supplied with current when speeds exceed a predeterminable value that can be determined based on the motor configuration for each case. For example, every second current pulse may be omitted. It is also possible to form only every third current pulse and omit two current pulses between each pair of current pulses formed, etc. In this manner each single current pulse has the disposal of a larger section of the motion coordinate when the time duration is unchanged, without the possibility of two successive current pulses overlapping. Thus it is possible to avoid the damaging braking torque and reach higher speeds with the rotor.
Preferably, the supplied current pulses in excess of the predeterminable speed are lengthened by a predeterminable value relative to the motion coordinate of the rotor such that their final positions remain unchanged relative to the motion coordinate. Consequently, larger time intervals are available for the supplied current. By maintaining the final positions of the current pulses while lengthening the current pulses damaging braking torque is avoided. The sufficient time duration of the current pulses then makes faultless speed and power controls of the reluctance motor possible even at high speeds.
A circuit arrangement according to the invention devised for feeding the reluctance motor from adc voltage source advantageously comprises an asymmetrical H circuit for each winding of the reluctance motor with a first longitudinal branch, common to all the H circuits, and a second longitudinal branch arranged between terminals of the dc voltage source. Each of the second longitudinal branches include a switch element in series combination with a rectifier element. The rectifier element is reversely poled relative to the dc voltage source. In each H circuit the switch element of one longitudinal branch and the rectifier element of the other longitudinal branch are connected to the same terminal of the dc voltage source, and the associated winding in the transverse branch of the H circuit is arranged between the junctions of the switch element and rectifier element of each longitudinal branch.
The circuit arrangement in accordance with the invention is of simple construction and operation even at very high speeds.
Application of the above-described circuit arrangement for purposes of speed or power control, which includes a current control scheme, can be easily achieved by having associated switch elements of the second longitudinal branches coupled through a common measuring element to the dc voltage source terminal of the second longitudinal branches coupled through.
Further to the disclosure of the above-described embodiments of the circuit arrangement according to the invention, reference is expressly made to the contents of DE-OS 38 19 097.
In accordance with a feature of the invention, a position signal generator generates a position signal that represents the position of the rotor along the motion coordinate. The circuit arrangement can also include a speed signal representing the speed of the rotor which is derived from the time-dependent changes of the position signal. A separate sensor for sensing the speed of the rotor will then not be necessary.
The circuit arrangement in accordance with the invention involves relatively little circuitry little circuitry at low cost by requiring that the rotor be subdivided in to a second cyclic arrangement. The position signal generator preferably comprises a motion coordinate generator connected to the rotor, subdivided in accordance with the second cyclic arrangement having a number of sensing elements. The number of sensing elements corresponds to the second cyclic arrangement. The sensing elements are interspaced along the motion coordinate of the rotor by a unit of length that forms a part of a complete cycle of the stator arrangement determined by the least common multiple of the first and second cyclic arrangements. The motion coordinate generator has a cyclic arrangement such that the sensing elements produce a first signal value over a first section of two units of length and a second signal value over a contiguous second section of four units of length.
A conventional signal generator such as described in British Patent Specification 1 572 586 includes a disk drive system having a brushless dc motor. The motor has a floppy disk rotatable by a rotor. The disk has a circular array of transparent slots or apertures distributed around its periphery forming a tachometer track. This tachometer track is scanned with an optical sensing assembly which produces a train of timing signals when the floppy disk is rotating. These timing signals are processed as speed signals in a speed control network. The floppy disk also has a pair of diametrically opposite radial extensions or paddles which are opaque and occupy a 90.degree. sector on the disk perimeter. Opposite these paddles are three optical sensing assemblies evenly distributed over a 60.degree. sector of the disk interspaced by 30.degree.. Each of these sensing assemblies produces an output signal only if neither paddle is positioned opposite that assembly. When the floppy disk rotates, three square-wave position signals are produced, with the pulses in the signals being displaced in phase by an angle of 30.degree..
In contrast thereto, the position signal generator in accordance with the invention is used for forming both the position signal and the speed signal which leads to aforementioned simplification in construction and operation of circuitry for commutating a reluctance motor.
A highly cost-effective and compact structure, adaptable to different commutating reluctance motor structures, the circuit arrangement according to the invention further includes a control array responsive to the position signal and speed signal, for switching the current pulses applied to the windings. The control array preferably comprises a memory arrangement for storing switch information signals corresponding to the various combinations of position and speed signals. The memory arrangement can include different types of ROM configurations.
Unlike the control system of the present invention, conventional control systems for a brushless dc motor such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,479, 078 include ROM configurations for controlling the corn mutated energy supplied to the windings arrangements. Also for the reluctance motor and the operational mode according to the present invention a simplification and price reduction are provided.
Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are claimed in the dependent claims.

Circuit arrangement for commutating a reluctance motor


By using a non-linear guided wave optical time domain reflectometry (OTDR) technique, specific features of an optoelectronic integrated device may be probed by detecting the reflections and back-scattering of a short light pulse along a waveguide interconnect. An integrated optical correlator in the form of a second harmonic generation (SHG) waveguide and a photodetector array detects and measures ultra-short pulses for optical ranging. Used with a standard CCD camera, the direct images of the autocorrelation of compressed Nd-Yag pulses (FWHM of 5 ps) have been monitored at video rates. Used with a cooled CCD camera for OTDR, reflections from samples have been observed with an interfeature resolution of about 0.15 mm in GaAs, limited by the FWHM of the laser pulses. Appropriate signal processing can increase the positioning resolution to better than 50 .mu.m. Additional applications are demonstrated, including the monitoring of fiber lengths (to within 30 .mu.m in real time) and temperature sensing.

The precise measurement of optical waveguides, such as optical fiber, integrated devices, and waveguides within opto-electronic devices, is an area of critical interest in telecommunications, transmission, opto-electronic device testing, aeronautics, and many other fields utilizing optical waveguides. Non-real time methods of Optical Time Domain Reflectometry (OTDR) widely used to determine measurement, tend to be slow and often produce results which are less than desirable. Standard scanning wavelength Fourier transform OTDR methods are time consuming and unable to extract real time or near real time reflectivity data from working components such as fast modulators. As well, these standard methods require a computer to perform the Fourier transform to obtain the spatial resolution. Similarly, interferometric methods require holographic stability during the measurement and most demonstrations have been restricted to laboratory settings.
In Optics Letters, Vol. 4 No. 2 February 1979, pp. 58-59, R. Normandin (the present inventor) et al, reported the non-linear mixing of oppositely propagating guided waves. The resultant field was coupled to radiation modes and propagated in a direction perpendicular to the waveguide surface, in the case of equal frequency fundamentals. In subsequent articles, its application to picosecond signal processing, the creation of all optical transient digitizers and spectrometers demonstrated the potential usefulness of this work. (See Appl. Phys. Lett. 36 (4), Feb. 15, 1980, pp. 253-255 by R. Normandin et al; 40 (9), 1982, pp. 759-761 by R. Normandin et al, and "Integrated Optical Circuits and Components" edited by L. D. Hutcheson, Dekker Inc., New York, U.S.A., Chapter 9, by G. I. Stegeman et at.). The overlap of two oppositely propagating fields will give rise to a non-linear polarization source at the sum frequency. In bulk media such a process is nonradiative due to the simultaneous requirement of energy and momentum conservation in all directions. This is not the case in a waveguide geometry.
Unfortunately, since the waves do not grow with distance, (no phase matching) the resultant fields are much weaker than that obtained in a traditional second harmonic generation device. Therefore, this non-linear interaction has remained largely a laboratory curiosity. However in U.S. Pat. No. 5,051,617, entitled Multilayer Semiconductor Waveguide Device for Sum Frequency Generation From Contra-Propagating Beams, the present inventor has increased this interaction by factors of 10.sup.7 to obtain efficient conversion in the visible region. Thus, with the invention disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,051,617, ultra fast subpicosecond samplers and monolithic high resolution spectrometers are possible in the context of fiber optic communication systems and optoelectronic integrated circuitry.
When two guided fundamental wavelengths are identical, oppositely propagating and traveling in the same collinear and one dimensional path, a radiated harmonic signal is observed in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the waveguide.
It is an object of the invention to utilize this property of a non-linear waveguide to provide means of measuring short pulses without the need for fast electronic circuitry.
It is a further object of the invention to utilize this property of a non-linear waveguide to determine a variance of length of a coupled waveguide to within small increment.
It is a further object of the invention, to provide a reliable, accurate system for monitoring a change in length of an optical waveguide.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a non-linear OTDR system for use with a monolithically integrated device without any moving parts, to remotely probe the time varying features of opto-electronic integrated circuits in a working environment.
In accordance with the invention, there is provided, a method of detecting the location or profile and time duration of a collision of two light pulses within a nonlinear waveguide, comprising the steps of: providing first and second oppositely propagating pulses into the non-linear waveguide, and detecting the location along a surface of the waveguide of sum frequency light radiated from the surface, that detected location being indicative of the location of the collision of the two light pulses within the nonlinear waveguide or being indicative of the spatial envelope related to the time profile of the tow light pulses.
In accordance with the invention, there is further provided a system for detecting the location of a collision of two light pulses comprising: a nonlinear waveguide; means for providing a first and a second oppositely propagating pulse into the nonlinear waveguide; and, means detecting the location along the waveguide surface of sum frequency light radiated from the surface, the location of the radiated sum frequency light being indicative of the location of the collision within the waveguide.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided, an optical device for obtaining the temporal convolution of a first and second input pulse comprising: a non-linear waveguide; a first waveguide for being coupled to an end of the nonlinear waveguide; a second waveguide for being coupled to an other end of the nonlinear waveguide; and, variable delay means positioned in series with the second waveguide for delaying an optical signal; means for launching into the first and second waveguides, first and second light pulses; means for coupling a device to be tested in series with the first waveguide, and, detector means for detecting at the position at the surface of the nonlinear waveguide of sum frequency light radiated from the nonlinear waveguide, the detected position relating to the location of a collision of the first and second light pulses within the nonlinear waveguide.

Non-linear, real-time, micrometer resolution optical time domain reflectometers for optoelectronic circuits diagnostic and sensing applications


A receiving apparatus includes: an antenna configured to receive, by a radio wave, an image signal acquired by a capsule-type endoscope; a memory configured to store a determination table or a determination function, each being used for determining an interference level of the radio wave; and a processor comprising hardware, the processor is configured to: acquire a received signal strength of the image signal received by the antenna; generate determination information used for determining the interference level of the radio wave based on one or more synchronization signals included in the image signal; determine the interference level of the radio wave based on the received signal strength and the determination information by using the determination table or the determination function; and control to output information indicating that electromagnetic interference occurs, when the determined interference level of the radio wave is greater than a preset interference level.

The present disclosure relates to: a receiving apparatus that receives a radio signal transmitted from a capsule-type endoscope introduced into a subject; and a radio wave interference determination method for determination of an interference level of a radio wave between a capsule-type endoscope and a receiving device.
Endoscopes have been in widespread use as medical observation devices, which are introduced into bodies of subjects, such as patients, and which are for observation of the interiors of the subjects. Further, a capsule-type endoscope has been developed recently, which is a swallowing-type image acquisition device including, inside a capsule casing: an imaging device; and a communication device that wirelessly transmits, to the outside of a body, an image signal captured by the imaging device. The capsule-type endoscope has a function of moving inside organs, such as, for example, the esophagus, the stomach, and the small intestine, according to peristaltic movement of the organs, and sequentially capturing images therein, after being swallowed from the mouth of the patient for observation of the interior of the subject, until the capsule-type endoscope is naturally excreted from the subject.
Image signals captured by the capsule-type endoscope while the capsule-type endoscope is moving inside the subject are sequentially transmitted to the outside of the body by radio communication, and are accumulated in a memory provided inside or outside a receiving device that is outside the body, or are displayed as images on a display provided in the receiving device. A doctor or a nurse is able to: fetch the image signals accumulated in the memory, into an information processing apparatus via a cradle having the receiving device inserted therein; and make diagnoses based on images displayed on a display of this information processing apparatus.
A technique has been known, in which the number of synchronization signals in one frame is detected, and when the detected number is greater than a predetermined value, the image of that frame is deleted (as seen in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2007-075161). According to this technique, by acquisition of only images with less noise, quality of images captured by a capsule-type endoscope is able to be maintained.

Receiving apparatus and radio wave interference determination method


Differential assembly and a method of operating the same. The assembly includes a differential case and a pinion housing including a first pinion gear and a second pinion gear positioned substantially therein. A first side gear and a second side gear are operably coupled to the first pinion gear and the second pinion gear. A sliding collar selectively engages at least one of the differential case, the pinion housing, and the first and second side gears. The sliding collar provides at least three engagement modes. The method includes providing a differential case and a pinion housing including a first pinion gear and a second pinion gear positioned substantially therein. A first side gear and a second side gear are provided. At least one of the differential case, the pinion housing, and the first and second side gears are selectively engaged in one of at least three engagement modes.

Differential gear assemblies are utilized in vehicles to translate drive (pinion) shaft rotation into left and right axle shaft rotation, which in turn provides drive force at the wheels. Conventional vehicle differential assemblies allow the wheels to rotate at different rates. This is necessary during vehicle turning when the outside wheel will rotate faster than the inside wheel. This is commonly accomplished through the use of differential side gears and pinion gears located inside the differential case. The differential side gears, each splined to an axle shaft, rotate relative to the differential case and relative to each other. This process is called differentiation, and allows the vehicle to be turned without causing the tires to slip along the road.
One form of differential assembly is commonly known as "open" differential. An "open" differential is a differential assembly without a torque biasing mechanism. In such a system, when the vehicle is driving straight, and a difference in road friction, or traction, exists between the right and left tires, the rotational motion of the differential is transmitted mostly to the wheel with the least grip/lower friction. It is further known that in such "open" differentials, the maximum torque delivered to both wheels is twice the torque delivered to the wheel with less traction. This means that if one tire is placed on a low friction surface, it receives almost zero driveline torque. In addition, the other tire also receives almost zero torque, regardless of the traction available at that tire. To further exacerbate these characteristics, if the torque delivered to the wheel with the less traction exceeds the friction torque acting on the tire-road interface, the wheel may slip. Since the coefficient of dynamic/sliding friction is commonly less than the static/non-sliding friction, a slipping wheel has even less traction than when it is not slipping. Thus, the torque delivered to both wheels is further reduced.
It is known that if the relative motion between the two side gears can be stopped or limited, then both wheels will be forced to rotate at the same speed as the differential, regardless of any difference in traction between the differentiated wheels. By reducing the relative motion, differentiation can be essentially stopped. Unequal amounts of torque can be sent to each wheel, proportional to the difference in traction between the two wheels. This allows the torque to be delivered where it can best be utilized. The mechanism which applies more torque to the wheel with higher traction, yet still allows differentiation, is called a limited slip differential (LSD), a torque-biasing differential, positraction, etc. There are several different types of LSDs including clutch-type LSDs, viscous couplings, "locked" differentials, and Torsion® differentials. Known torque biasing differentials often rely on a friction interface between one of the differential gears (side gear, pinion gear, or reasonable facsimile) in the differential case (the differential gear container which is attached to the ring/driven gear and receives torque from the pinion/driving gear).
Yet another mode known for the operation of a differential includes a so-called "disconnected" mode. In this mode, the "disconnected" wheels are free to rotate independently from each other. This mode is desirable, for example, in a two wheel drive vehicle when two wheels of a non-driving axle are allowed to spin independently from the two wheels of a driving axle. As such, the non-driving axle wheels are "disconnected" from each other and from the driving axle wheels. This mode may be desirable, for example, to improve fuel economy during highway driving situations (i.e., by reducing overall friction forces associated with operating the differential).

Three stages differential assembly and method of operating the same


Compositions comprising therapeutic polynucleic acids and methods of use. The compositions comprise one or more polynucleic acids sequences having two or more features useful for treating diseases associated with cellular proliferation or growth.

A major focus of pharmaceutical research has concentrated on developing molecular entities to regulate gene expression. It is believed that modulation of specific genes will alter or circumvent molecular mechanisms underlying acute and chronic disease.
Many approved antineoplastic agents demonstrate significant adverse effects. Newer therapies seek to avoid non-specific toxicities by selectively targeting cell and disease-specific pathways associated with growth, senescence and cellular transformation.
Highly proliferating cells and groups thereof are often the product of multiple events. With time and unchecked by normal processes maintaining homeostasis, proliferating cells expand in number where some may become genetically unstable and diverse. With continued growth, probabilities increase that cells within these groups acquire and express traits enabling escape from or adaptation to therapy. These cells and groups thereof with time will not possess a single target or Achilles' heel through which a mono-functional entity or "magic bullet" could achieve complete therapeutic success. When complex intracellular networks, crosstalk and cellular redundancies that maintain hyperproliferative states are considered, the discovery and development of mono-functional agents may not represent the best or only therapeutic option.
Polynucleic acid-based structures when designed to mimic and interact with two or more cellular features will be effective therapeutic agents. Reflecting on progress and development of antineoplastic therapeutics over the past decades, there remains a need in the art for multifunctional therapeutics. The characterization and design of such structures is provided herein with evidence that these agents are of enhanced utility.
Factors Modulating Genetic Expression
Decoys in context of the invention are polynucleic acid mimetics capable of diverting transcription factors and other proteins from endogenous targets to modulate expression and alter cellular biochemistry. Mimicry is essential to decoys, where cellular aspects, elements or features are resembled, copied closely or imitated accurately.
Nucleic acid structures functioning as transcription factor decoys have been described by Chu and Orgel in U.S. Pat. No. 5,683,985. In this fashion, transcription factors are attractive targets for therapeutic intervention (Mann, M J, et al., 2000, J. Clin. Invest 106, 1071-1075; Morishita, R2003, Curr. Drug Targets. 4, 2-). Bielinska and coworkers described the use of such decoys as tools to alter transcription activity in vitro (Bielinska, A, et al., 1990, Science 250, 997-1000).
Transcription factor decoys show promise in the treatment of neoplastic disease. U.S. Pat. No. 6,060,310 describes CRE-elements with utility in models of tumor cell growth in vitro and in xenograft models. E2F-elements in U.S. Pat. No. 6,774,118 and US Patent Publication Nos. 20020052333, 20030186922, 20030022870 suggest decoys may have utility in models of cardiovascular disease. However, recent human clinical trial data suggests E2F decoys may not be effective as single agents for some cardiovascular indications. U.S. Pat. No. 6,034,234 describes basic E2F-elements 5′-TTTSSCGS-3′ (where S═C or G) that inhibit expression of growth-related genes with broad indications.
GC-rich elements capable of binding SP-factors can act as angiogenesis inhibitors and provide potential therapy in tumor models. Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 6,262,033 and U.S. Patent Publication Nos. 20020098162 and 20040109843 describe NFKB-elements with utility in diseases associated with cellular proliferation. U.S. Patent Publication No. 20050037494 suggests STAT1 may bind specifically to unique sequences. As constructed and in conjunction with some STAT-elements, ETS-elements may play important roles in angiogenesis, matrix remodeling, and cancer progression.
Decoy approaches to EGR1 will be beneficial as overexpression of EGR1 and target genes have been shown as factors contributing to prostate cell proliferation. Decoys with E-box-elements may also be beneficial as associated with genetic regulation through the binding HIF1A, TFE3, USF1 and other proteins. Of particular importance are MXD1(MAD), and MXI1 as MAX-interacting proteins where deregulation of MYC has been implicated in the development of several human cancers (Hermeking, H2003, Curr. Cancer Drug Targets. 3, 163-175).
Transcription factors and other DNA associating factors as overexpressed in disease states suggest that the use of DNA mimicry will have utility. E-Box-, NFKB-, CRE/ATF- and E2F-related transcription factors are disproportionately overexpressed in specific cancers (Rhodes, D R, et al., 2005, Nat. Genet. 37, 579-583). Particularly attractive towards development of polynucleic acids containing E2F-, SP-, NFKB-, EGR-, E-box-, ETS-, and CRE/ATF-related elements will be activity as angiogenesis inhibitors. Those familiar with current therapeutic strategies for cancers recognize that targeting either active proliferating cells or the neovascularization required for sustaining and facilitating tumor growth as important and desirable characteristics.
Hybridization with cellular polynucleic acids may also be a form of polynucleic acid therapy. 'Antisense agents' represent a class of therapeutics designed to inhibit the expression of genes in a selective and sequence specific manner. U.S. Pat. No. 6,015,892 describes the antineoplastic potential of a number of 20 base pair sequences. Antisense methods for PRKCA continues in clinical trials with specific applications in oncology although single agent trials have been discouraging. This provides additional evidence that composite therapeutics or uses in combination with existing chemotherapy are necessary for clinical utility in humans. RAD51C is one homolog of the RAD-family of proteins that have a role in homologous recombination, DNA repair, and cellular proliferation or growth. Increased sensitivity to radiation can also be achieved by antisense methods and amplification of the chromosomal region 17q22-q24 associated with RAD51C/RAD51L3(RAD51D) and RPS6KB1 are common findings in breast cancer that may contribute to an aggressive clinical course.
In mammalian genomic DNA, 5-methylcytosine is the only known modified base where DNA methyltransferases and methylated-DNA-binding proteins are thought to play important biological roles in development and pathological processes. DNMTs may be important targets for therapy (Szyf, M2001, Front Biosci. 6, D599-D609). One attractive therapeutic aspect of DNA methyltransferase inhibitors are that they appear to inhibit DNA replication. U.S. Pat. No. 6,268,137 describes specific DNA hairpin inhibitors of DNA methyltransferase that form stable noncovalent complexes in a manner independent of S-adenosylmethionine. U.S. Pat. No. 5,503,975 describes additional self-associating artificial polynucleic acids that included 5-fluorocytosine (5FC) at positions corresponding to methylation sites. 5-methylcytosine and other modified bases as present in specific CpG containing sequences will also have potential to interact with methylated-DNA-binding proteins.
Characterized with polynucleic acid therapies are additional phenomena associated with immune system modulation. This occurs to varying degrees in response to polynucleotides where 5′-CpG-3′ pairs are present in specific sequence contexts. While there is a great deal of research in attempting to understand CpG molecular effects, a fair generalization is that these represent innate host defense responses to the presence of foreign DNA that can occur with prokaryotic or viral infections. U.S. Pat. No. 6,207,646 is one of many related patents describing these effects. How CpGs present may or may not show immunomodulatory activity, directly or indirectly in concordance with elements for CRE/ATF-, SP-, EGR-, STAT-, E-box-, ETS-, NFKB-elements is unknown as these responses require many of these transcription factors and associated pathways.
Factors Associated with Genetic Integrity
Specific sequences may interfere with proteins associated with telomere maintenance. Inhibitors may be molecular entities that simply resemble 'telomeres' or otherwise associate with proteins or polynucleic acid components of proteins involved in telomere maintenance. The human telomeric protein POT1 is known to bind single-stranded DNA and may participate as a regulator of telomere length in association with factors such as TERT and TERC. Treatment with polynucleotides homologous to telomere overhangs may induce senescence with benefits in neoplastic disease (Li, G Z, et al., 2004, Exp. Cell Res. 301, 189-200; Li, GZ, et al., 2003, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A 100, 527-531). However 'T-oligo' treatment alone may not be clinically useful in patients with late stage melanomas again suggesting mono-functional therapies may not be the best clinical approach.
Structures that mimic DNA damage such as gaps, nicks, breaks, or that use non-standard bases and spacers may inhibit cellular growth through multiple pathways associated with DNA repair and genetic integrity that can trigger cellular senescence (e.g., programmed cell death or apoptosis). DNA damage is known to activate checkpoint pathways and halt cell cycle progression. For example, 9-1-1 complexes can be associated with early checkpoint signaling, whereas CDC25A, ATR, CHEK1, and polymerases such as POLB are important for cell cycle progression. DEK may bind more complex polynucleic acid structures independent of sequence. Chromatin-associated poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases (PARPs) may also increase cellular sensitivity to DNA-damaging agents, topoisomerases, and ionizing radiation (Virag, L, et al., 2002, Pharmacol. Rev. 54, 375-429).
Overall, composite agents integrating two or more features inhibiting cellular growth by interfering with genetic expression and triggering pathways related to programmed cell death is intended to create therapeutics of greater efficacy.
Although combinations of polynucleic acid therapies with other small molecules are well known, inter- and intra-associating polynucleic acids integrating two or more features for therapeutic benefit are unrealized or less common. U.S. Patent Publication No. 20040109843 describes the use of a single polynucleic acid targeting NFKB- and ETS-related factors. However, the current invention employs several additional factors without use of intervening sequences. Furthermore, the current invention positions described elements deliberately to impart competitive aspects to binding. Considering the juxtaposition of auxiliary elements, binding of factors as associated with the regulation of genetic expression can be considered 'either A or B' not 'A and B' characteristic of simple combinations.
The use of a single polynucleic acid sequence complementary to two cellular mRNAs acting as a 'bispecific antisense agent' is known. U.S. Patent Publication No. 20030158143 describes the administration of such a bispecific antisense oligonucleotide in amounts effective to reduce IGFBP-2 and/or IGFBP-5 in cells associated with endocrine-regulated tumor cells. Additional bispecific agents are known, however use of one, two or more base or nucleobase sequences that in single stranded form may inhibit cellular growth through complementary hybridization to mRNAs via antisense mechanisms (i.e., PRKCA and RAD51C), that in combination or when used with appropriate complement sequences forms duplexes containing two or more binding sequences for two or more transcription factors is unknown.
Additional multifunctional approaches using polynucleic acid based therapeutics are known. U.S. Patent Publication No. 20050064407 describes a DNAzyme that specifically cleaves up to seven BCL2-related mRNA transcripts with potential utility in the treatment of tumors. This is related to the current invention as an example or therapeutic approach using a multitasking or promiscuous agent (Arteaga, CL2003, Clin. Cancer Res. 9, 1231-1232).
The invention can be further distinguished from prior art in numerous ways. Use of polynucleic acids designed to contain transcription factor binding sites also containing 3′ tailing sequences intended to interact with additional proteins appears unknown. The addition of one or more 3′ overhanging sequences to any duplex-forming sequence capable of functioning as two or more transcription factor decoy(s) for the purpose of also targeting, engaging or interacting with DNA repair proteins or proteins associated with telomere maintenance is unknown.
The use of a sequence with decoy functionality containing CpG dinucleotides wherein cytosines are differentially modified or replaced by 5-methylcytosine or other pyrimides known in that art to cause a more potent inhibition of DNA methyltransferases is unknown. U.S. Pat. No. 5,503,975 describes the use of modified bases or nucleobases, however integration of such sequences with additional sequence elements capable of binding two or more transcription factors is unknown. The use of sequences capable of binding and or inhibiting methylated-DNA-binding proteins and or DNA methyltransferases as also integrating overhanging sequences capable of binding proteins associated with telomere maintenance is unknown. Additionally, use of polynucleic acids containing CpG dinucleotide pairs and their modification by methylation or hemimethylation within auxiliary elements as competitively capable of modulating the binding of transcription factors, serving as substrates, inhibitors, or 'decoys' for DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) and or methylated-DNA-binding proteins, and eliciting host innate immune responses to exposure to foreign polynucleic acids is unrealized or unknown.
The use of two or more auxiliary sequences binding transcription factors and combinations thereof as described and selected from the group of CRE/ATF-, E2F-, SP-, NFKB-, STAT-, EGR-, E-Box-elements collectively for the purposes of inhibiting cellular growth is unknown. Understanding polynucleic acid biotransformation and metabolites, use of backbone modifications in auxiliary sequences of a larger composite structures to facilitate differential persistence of such sequences for hybridization-based activities is also unknown.
To conclude, numerous events and biological activities occur upon contacting cells with polynucleic acids. Primary sequence information and structures formed by inter- and intramolecular associations are primary determinates of these biologic activities. Polynucleic acids described herein represent deliberate designs to achieve unrecognized opportunities in combining two or more polynucleic acid elements and modes of action toward enhancements of biologic activity for therapeutic benefit. In particular, this is where a multi-targeted approach will show improved efficacy and provide persistent therapy for diseases associated with cellular growth.


A method for generation of an augmented point cloud with point features from aggregated 3D coordinate data and related device. The method comprises receiving a current point cloud in the form of 3D coordinate data in ego coordinates from one or more detection and ranging (DAR) devices of a vehicle. Features are extracted from the current point cloud. A previous point cloud is transformed into ego coordinates using a current location of the vehicle. Each point in the previous point cloud is transformed to align with a corresponding point in the current point cloud to generate a transformed point cloud. The current point cloud is aggregated with the transformed point cloud to generate an aggregated point cloud. The current point features are aggregated with the point features of the transformed point cloud to generate aggregated point features.

Detection and ranging (DAR) devices such as LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) and radar are used to generate point clouds which may be used for a variety of purposes, for example, by a computer vision and perception systems. A point cloud is a set of data points in a coordinate system, typically a three-dimensional (3D) coordinate system. Each data point in the point cloud has three (3) coordinates, namely x, y, and z coordinates, which determine where the data point is located along x, y, and z axes of the 3D coordinate system respectively. Computer perception systems typically process 3D coordinate data a single frame at a time. A typical perception pipeline consists of a DAR device performing a single sweep (or scan) of the environment to generate a 3D coordinate data representing the environment at that point in time. The 3D coordinate data is then passed to various modules of the computer perception system such as tracking, motion prediction, and planning modules.

Method for generation of an augmented point cloud with point features from aggregated temporal 3D coordinate data, and related device


Apparatus for comminution of dried tea leaves, herbs and other dried plants and their component parts. The apparatus facilitates gentle comminution of the comminuted commodity. The apparatus includes arrangements of driven comminuting rollers and housing (1) with an overhead inlet (6) and a bottom outlet (7) for ground commodity, and may include at least two or more rotatably driven comminuting rollers (2, 3) arranged in at least two or more levels (4, 5) one above the other. The rollers (2, 3) are studded with cams (24) for a comminution operation. Combs (15) may interface with the comminuting rollers. Comb adjusters (23) facilitate adjustment of combs that are adjustable.

The present disclosure pertains to apparatus for comminution/crushing of dried plants, in particular for comminution of dried tea leaves, herbs, and other dried plants and their component parts.
Generic apparatus for comminuting or cutting tea leaves are already known from the prior art. Here, in a housing, there are used rotatably arranged rollers that are studded with cams, cutting edges, or similar other elements. A further such roller or a comb-shaped element may be matched as a counterpart, wherein the tea leaves are ground or cut in the hollow spaces or gaps between roller and counterpart. The tea leaves are delivered out of a bin arranged above the roller. The comminuted tea leaves are detected and removed below the roller, for example in a collection and discharge arrangement.
Commonly there are multiple gaps arranged in the vertical direction, wherein the comminution from large to fine takes place. The rollers and combs therefore have diverse geometries and/or will be driven with different parameters, as this is disclosed, for example, in foreign patent publications GB2158338A, GB132765A, GB282147A or EP2660161A1. As a consequence of the intensive comminution, cell structures of tea leaves are destroyed, and constituents or aromas get lost. Furthermore, flavor-diminishing particulates or others can accumulate.
Also known is a comminution of tea leaves in the roller clearance between rollers of a roller pair with cutting rollers, among others according to GB820726A, GB559937A, SU454020A1 or SU400305A1.
Another such device is disclosed in EP2660161A1. Here, there are three rollers in a housing stacked one upon the other, and, respectively, one below the other. Above the uppermost roller, a supply hopper for the supply of tea leaves is arranged, and below the lowermost roller is a funnel-shaped discharge device for the crushed tea leaves. Via employed V-shaped oblique guide plates which, at their to-roller facing frontal area, merge into a comb, the tea leaves are directed to the rollers, where they are reduced to small pieces between the roller's cutting cams and the comb's cutting elements.
The crushed tea leaves fall in direction of the underlying roller or, after the third roller, into the discharge unit, wherein the comminution again from large to fine occurs. The comminution takes place in a protective gas atmosphere, as nitrogen is supplied into the housing. As in the rest of the prior art, an adjustment of the comminuting parameters takes place horizontally from the side and in particular from the front, through adjusting mechanisms arranged on the housing.

Apparatus for comminution of dried plants


This invention relates to a method for producing a self-supporting ceramic structure comprising an oxidation reaction product of a parent metal and a vapor-phase oxidant characterized by an altered microstructure attributable to the addition of one or more process modifiers relative to substantially the same oxidation reaction product produced without a process modifier.

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in the use of ceramics for structural applications historically served by metals. The impetus for this interest has been the superiority of ceramics with respect to certain properties, such as corrosion resistance, hardness, modulus of elasticity, and refractory capabilities, when compared with metals.
Current efforts at producing higher strength, more reliable, and tougher ceramic articles are largely focused upon (1) the development of improved processing methods for monolithic ceramics and (2) the development of new material compositions, notably ceramic matrix composites. A composite structure is one which comprises a heterogeneous material, body or article made of two or more different materials which are intimately combined in order to attain desired properties of the composite. For example, two different materials may be intimately combined by embedding one in a matrix of the other. A ceramic matrix composite structure typically comprises a ceramic matrix which incorporates one or more diverse kinds of filler materials such as particulates, fibers, rods, and the like.
There are several patent), limitations or difficulties in substituting ceramics for metals, such as scaling versatility, capability to produce complex shapes, satisfying the properties required for the end use application, and costs. Several copending patent applications and one Patent, all assigned to the same owner as this application (hereinafter referred to as commonly owned patent and Patent), overcome these limitations or difficulties and provide novel methods for reliably producing ceramic materials, including composites. The method is disclosed generically in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 4,713,360, which issued on Dec. 15, 1987 from U.S. application Ser. No. 818,943, filed Jan. 15, 1986, which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 776,964, filed Sept. 17, 1985, which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 705,787, filed Feb. 26, 1985 which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 591.392, filed Mar. 16, 1984, all in the names of Marc S. Newkirk et al. and entitled "Novel Ceramic Materials and Methods for Making the Same". These applications disclose the method of producing self-supporting ceramic bodies grown as the oxidation reaction product from a parent metal. Molten metal is reacted with a vapor-phase oxidant to form an oxidation reaction product, and the metal migrates through the oxidation reaction product toward the oxidant thereby continuously developing a ceramic polycrystalline body which can be produced having an interconnected metallic component. The process may be enhanced by the use of an alloyed dopant, such as is used in the case of oxidizing aluminum doped with magnesium and silicon in air to form alpha-alumina ceramic structures. This method was improved upon by the application of dopant materials to the surface of the precursor metal, as described in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 4,853,352, which issued Aug. 1, 1989, from U.S. application Ser. No. 220,935, filed June 23, 1988, and entitled "Method of Making Self-Supporting Ceramic Materials and Materials made Thereby", in the names of Newkirk et al., which was a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 822,999, filed Jan. 27, 1986, which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 778,985, filed Sept. 17, 1985, which is a continuation in-part of Ser. No. 747,788, filed June 25, 1985, which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 632,636, filed July 20, 1984, all in the names of Marc S. Newkirk et al. and entitled "Methods of Making Self Supporting Ceramic Materials".
This oxidation phenomenon was utilized in producing ceramic composite bodies as described in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 4,851,375, which issued July 25, 1989, as "Methods of Making Composite Ceramic Articles Having Embedded Filler", in the names of Marc S. Newkirk et al., which issued from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 819,397, filed Jan. 17, 1986 which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 697,876, filed Feb. 4, 1985, both in the names of Marc S. Newkirk el at and entitled "Composite Ceramic Articles and Methods of Making Same". This Patent discloses novel methods for producing a self-supporting ceramic composite by growing an oxidation reaction product from a parent metal into a permeable mass of filler, thereby infiltrating the filler with a ceramic matrix. The resulting composite, however, has no defined predetermined geometry, shape, or configuration.
A method for producing ceramic composite bodies having a predetermined geometry or shape is disclosed in the commonly owned and copending U.S. application Ser. No. 338,471, filed Apr. 14, 1989, which is a continuation application of U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 861,025, filed May 8, 1986, both in the names of Marc S. Newkirk et al and entitled "Shaped Ceramic Composites and Methods of Making the same". In accordance with the method in these U.S. patent applications, the developing oxidation reaction product infiltrates a permeable preform in the direction towards a defined surface boundary. It was discovered that high fidelity is more readily achieved by providing the preform with a barrier means, as disclosed in commonly owned and copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 861,024, now allowed filed May 8, 1986, in the names of Marc S. Newkirk et al and entitled "Method of Making Shaped Ceramic Composites With the Use of a Barrier". This method produces shaped self-supporting ceramic bodies, including shaped ceramic composites, by growing the oxidation reaction product of a parent metal to a barrier means spaced from the metal for establishing a boundary or surface ceramic composites having a cavity with an interior geometry inversely replicating the shape of a positive mold or pattern is disclosed in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 4,828,785, which issued on May 9, 1989, from U.S. patent application Ser. No 823,542, filed Jan. 27, 1986, in the names of Marc S. Newkirk et at and entitled "inverse Shape Replication Method of Making Ceramic Article and Articles Obtained Thereby", and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,859,640, which issued Aug. 22, 1989, from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 896,157, filed Aug. 13, 1986 in the name of Marc S. Newkirk and entitled "Method of Making Ceramic Composite Articles With Shape Replicated Surfaces and Articles Obtained Thereby".
The aforementioned Commonly Owned Patent Applications and Patents, incorporated herein by reference, disclose methods for producing ceramic articles which overcome some of the traditional limitations or difficulties in producing ceramic articles as substitutes for metals in end-use applications.
Common to each of these Commonly Owned Patent Applications and Patents is the disclosure of embodiments of a ceramic body comprising an oxidation reaction product interconnected in one or more dimensions (usually in three dimensions) and one or more metallic constituents or components. The volume of metal, which typically includes non-oxidized constituents of the parent metal and/or metal reduced from an oxidant, dopant or filler, depends on such factors as the temperature at which the oxidation reaction product is formed, the length of time at which the oxidation reaction is allowed to proceed, the composition of the parent metal, the presence of dopant materials, the presence of reduced constituents of any oxidant or fitter materials, etc. Although some of the metallic components may be isolated or enclosed, it is frequently the case that a substantial volume percent of metal will be interconnected and accessible from an external surface of the ceramic body. It has been observed for these ceramic bodies that this interconnected metal-containing component or constituent can range from about 1 to about 40 percent by volume, and sometimes higher. Such a metallic component can impart certain favorable properties to, or improve the performance of, the ceramic articles in many product applications. For example, the presence of metal in the ceramic structure may have a substantial benefit with respect to imparting fracture toughness, thermal conductivity, or electrical conductivity to the ceramic body.
The present invention discloses a method for fabricating a ceramic or ceramic composite body, with the addition of a process modifier, exhibiting a microstructural alteration as compared to substantially the same ceramic or ceramic composite body fabricated without a modifier. An altered microstructure may improve or contribute to one or more properties of the resulting ceramic product.
The entire disclosures of all of the foregoing Commonly Owned Patent Applications and Patents are expressly incorporated herein by reference.

Method for producing self-supporting ceramic bodies with altered microstructures


A recorded medium comprises a FLASH program module including FLASH program module graphic data and action scripts associated with the FLASH program module graphic data. The FLASH program module analyzes the FLASH program module graphic data and the action scripts. A platform program installed on a client transmits the functionality necessary for game processing through communication with a game server. When a user requests information which requires communication with the game server, the FLASH program module provides a parameter associated with the user request to the platform program. The platform program analyzes the parameter, requests the information from the game server and provides the information to the FLASH program module.

Along with the development of the Internet, on-line games (which are different from a package format game) are becoming increasingly popular. On-line games include many kinds of games such as RPGs (Role playing game), shooting games, board games and so on. On-line games are popular because competition with other on-line users is possible unlike in package format games.
A service provider may provide various kinds of games such as go-stop, porer, baduk, block games and so on, where users select a game to play from a web page of the game site.
When a user selects a game, channel information is transmitted. The user then selects a game room among the game rooms generated in the selected channel to play the game.
When a user selects a game, an application corresponding to the selected game is executed by the control of web page script or ActiveX Control. The application provides a menu screen by which users can select a channel and a game room.
Conventionally, a menu screen by which users select a channel and a game room is provided by an application. A programmer programs the menu screen using a graphic display interface (GDI) and other tools, which requires much design time.
Graphics implemented by the application are in a fixed form. Thus, a screen with having an improved design can not be provided.
Although tools including a FLASH program module can provide improved graphics, a FLASH program module can transmit and receive only text data in a socket communication. Thus, a FLASH program module has many disadvantages in server communication. Therefore, when FLASH program module data is used for an on-line game menu screen, a full FLASH program module menu screen cannot be implemented using conventional methods.

Displaying a game menu screen by flash program module in an on-line game application


Tissue severing devices and methods as provided in embodiments herein are operable to be inserted through small surgical openings and advanced to tissue to be severed. A support ribbon is provided to allow a user to present a cutting element at various angles to an axis of the tissue severing device. The cutting element is exposed by withdrawing a tube member from over the cutting element.

During surgical procedures and, more particularly, tissue removal procedures, it is desirable to limit the size of the entry incision to minimize the trauma experienced by the patient. In the past, efforts to minimize entry incision size have generally been limited due to the size of the tissue to be removed and the need for access to the tissue.
However, in modern surgery access to the tissue cite is provided by inserting one or more trocar and cannula. Thereafter, one or more laparoscopes are used to view the tissue to be removed, and additional port sites are used to gain access to the tissue to sever it from tissue which is to remain. However, the entry incision must still be sized to allow removal of the severed tissue and, therefore, the reduction in entry incision size is rather limited even in more modern or recently developed surgical procedures.
Morcellators are devices that morcellate or cut tissue into smaller pieces to allow for easier removal through small surgical access sites. Morcellators that require a pushing or downward traction operation to cut the tissue present a danger of over extension into tissue that is not to be injured. By way of example, but not limited thereto, in a laparoscopic subtotal hysterectomy, one way of minimizing the danger of this over extension is to amputate the body of the uterus from the cervix prior to morcellation. The amputation of the uterus presents an added risk of injury to other organs, such as the rectum and bowel, as they lie behind the uterus and are difficult to see during uterus amputation. Also, amputation is commonly performed using electrocautery or harmonic scalpel which may cause lateral spread of heat or other energy and can inadvertently cause a burn to the bowel or bladder that may not be realized until days after surgery. Further, amputation of the uterus requires the use of one surgical instrument to amputate the uterus and another surgical instrument to morcellate the uterus with their associated cost and complexity of use.
Some known laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy instruments utilize graspers that pull tissue into a spinning tubular blade or the spinning blade is pushed into the tissue. These types of instruments have their limitations and dangers associated with their use, such as, but not limited to, the exposed sharp blade possibly injuring surrounding tissue not intended to be morcellated, discharge of the tissue in a spinning tool, and the difficulty and dangers of placing downward traction into the target tissue.
There exists a need in the art for surgical devices and methods that allow for more effective tissue severing and morcellating and which allow for morcellation without the need to first amputate the tissue.