Apparatus, system and method for medical analysis of a seated individual, includes determining the aortic valve opening; the PTT; and calculating the PWV. Determining the aortic valve opening includes collecting BCG data while sitting on a seat and determining the timing of the aortic valve opening, taking into account posture. Measuring the aortic pulse wave transit time includes collecting BCG data while sitting on a seat capable of measuring changes in apparent weight; determining the timing of the aortic valve opening; detecting the arrival of the pulse wave at the end point; and measuring the relative timings of the two events. Calculating the PWV includes determining a length of the arterial segment through which a pulse wave is to be measured between a start point and an end point; and dividing the determined length of the arterial segment by the PTT.

Existing methods for tracking an individual's vital signs involves either taking time out of their day to use medical devices, or wearing portable ambulatory devices. These methods are intrusive to one's daily life, requiring one to change their lifestyle and habits in order to consistently acquire their medical state.
Historically, there are four measurement techniques that are used for estimation of a pulse wave velocity. First, the clinical gold standard uses tonometry where a transducer is held against the carotid artery (neck) and a thigh pressure cuff is used to measure when the pulse wave reaches the femoral artery. The distance between the two measurement points, coupled with the pulse transit time (PTT) is used to determine an aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) and estimate aortic compliance. This method requires assistance from medically trained personnel to provide and properly attach the equipment to the patient.
In a second technique, two points on the same artery are used to measure an arterial PTT, with the distance between measurement points determining PWV. This is often done using two photoplethysmography (PPG) sensors with known separation between the two positioned on the radial artery of the arm, or in the finger (using the foot to foot measurement of the two PPG waveforms). However, this technique estimates the PWV in the measured peripheral artery, not in the aorta, and is therefore not useful for determining aortic compliance, but is often used to estimate blood pressure.
In a third technique, the R-wave peak of the ECG is used as the starting point, with a peripheral PPG measurement (often finger, toe, or ear) used as the distal point. This measurement is called the pulse arrival time (PAT) and is often used as a surrogate for PTT (and PWV) in estimating blood pressure. However, as this measurement technique includes the PEP it has no basis in physiology and fundamental pulse wave velocity/blood pressure theory.
In a fourth technique, the BCG is used as the starting point (estimating aortic ejection) and PPG at the periphery (toe) is used as the distal point for estimation of a PWV. This approach measures an averaged PWV of the aorta and femoral artery. It has been used for aortic compliance estimation. However, it is not an accurate measurement of the true aorta PWV due to the contribution of the femoral artery distance from the end of the aorta to the toe.
Chair-based approaches for recording BCG are known to produce waveforms for the same person that are significantly different for various segments of the same recording, severely reducing the diagnostic value of the measurement. Body movements are known to generate stronger signal values than normal cardiac activities during recording causing loss of information and destroying individual BCG cycles.
Currently, the art lacks integration of physiological monitoring into an individual's everyday life without causing them to change their habits or perform any specific task. The art further lacks health condition monitoring techniques that provide a robust measure of aortic PWV without the aid of medical personnel for collection of data. The art lacks the ability for the daily non-invasive medical analysis of the cardiac and vascular functions of an individual.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Apparatus, system and method for medical analyses of seated individual


An encryption method and device employing a modified low-resource AES algorithm. The algorithm in one embodiment has a 128-bit key and a 16-bit data type, along with optimization functions including function inlining, memory move reduction via multiple transformations on a given state during a given iteration of a main loop of the algorithm, pointer-based accessing of the state from a transformation function, and a global key schedule. Another embodiment of the invention is a low-power secure communication device comprising a ZigBee-compliant transceiver having a maximum over-the-air data rate of 250 kbps, and a 16-bit RISC encryption processor configured to implement an AES algorithm adapted to encrypt data at a faster rate than 250 kbps. The AES algorithm only requires about 5000 bytes of ROM and about 250 bytes of RAM. The disclosed implementation of AES in a high-level language (C in this case) is believed to be the first software-based solution for 16-bit microcontrollers capable of matching the communication rate of 250 kbps specified by the Zigbee protocol, while also minimizing RAM and ROM usage.

This invention relates to secure communication methods and devices, and more particularly to methods and devices for encryption of data in communication systems.
The proliferation of wireless sensor networks (WSN) in recent years has prompted increased interest in secure communications for embedded devices. Wireless sensor nodes are inherently resource-constrained in terms of processor speed, bandwidth, energy usage, code space, and RAM size. Therefore, there is a need for secure encryption/decryption implementations that can accommodate such constraints, preferably with a small footprint while performing at speeds comparable to the radio transmission bit rate on a low-speed processor.
The Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) became the standard for encryption to protect sensitive information by all U.S. government organizations on May 26, 2002 [4]. Its inclusion in the IEEE 802.15.4 [5] standard as the standard encryption protocol for the ZigBee wireless communication protocol makes AES ideal for use in WSNs. According to the IEEE 802.15.4 specification, Low Rate—Wireless Personal Area Networks (LR-WPAN) have a maximum over the-air data rate of 250 kbps. No known software scheme is able to encrypt data using AES at a rate of 250 kbps or higher. Thus, the maximum data rate cannot be achieved with AES encrypted communication. Moreover, there has been considerable disagreement among various research groups about the performance and memory footprint of AES implementations. The memory footprint consists of RAM usage and ROM usage. RAM is often a highly constrained resource on embedded platforms (e.g., the Crossbow Mica2 mote has 4 KB and the Texas Instruments MSP430 chip has up to 10 KB). The ROM memory is used to hold the program and therefore it is desirable to limit its usage by the cryptographic functions.
Attempts have been made to produce fast implementations of AES. For example, in reference [12] cited in the list of references included herewith, Y. W. Law et al. benchmarked various block ciphers including Rijndael (AES) on a 16-bit MSP430 microcontroller. Their implementation is based on code from the open source OpenSSL library. It is heavily modified and compiled with the commercial IAR Workbench compiler. They have speed-optimized and size-optimized versions of each implementation running in Cipher-Block ChainingMode (CBC), Cipher Feedback Mode (CFB), Output Feedback Mode (OFB) and Counter Mode (CTR). Their estimate shows that AES performs best in OFB mode taking 3127 clock cycles to encrypt a 128-bit block of plaintext while taking up 12860 bytes of code memory (ROM) and 70 bytes of data memory (RAM). Their size-optimized AES implementation takes 4231 clock cycles to encrypt a 128-bit block of plaintext taking up 12616 bytes of ROM and 70 bytes of RAM.
In [14], A. Vitaletti et al. focus on the need for a compact implementation. Their implementation requires 3322 bytes in ROM and 177 bytes in RAM. However, to achieve low code size they have sacrificed performance. Their implementation takes 3.75 ms to encrypt a 128-bit block of plaintext on a 16-Bit MSP430 microcontroller running at 4 MHz.
In [6], D. R. Duh et al. implement AES on a sensor node based on the 8-bit Atmel ATmega 128L microcontroller running at 8 MHz. They based their implementation on Brian Gladman's code that was cited in the AES proposal. Their implementation can reportedly encrypt a 128-bit block of plaintext in 0.857 ms.
Texas Instruments has made available a Zigbee Stack for boards using the MSP430 with a Chipcon CC2420 transceiver chip. Even though the CC2420 has hardware support for AES, the stack includes a software implementation of the AES-128 encryption algorithm.
FIG. 7 and Table 5 herein summarize the published results of each of these implementations and the results obtained during testing by the present inventors.
Advanced Encryption Standard
Rijndael Cipher, developed by Joan Daemen and Vincent Rijmen, was accepted as the Advanced Encryption Standard on Nov. 26, 2001. It is a symmetric-key block cipher with a block length of 128-bits and a flexible key length of 128, 192 or 256 bits. This section gives an overview of how AES works.
Encryption/Decryption Algorithm
A series of permutations and substitutions are applied to the plaintext for encryption. FIG. 1 illustrates the overall structure of the algorithm [13]. There are 4 main transformations used in this process. Each transformation is applied to a 4×4 byte matrix called the State. These transformations are described below:
SubBytes: Each byte in the state is substituted by a byte from a 256-byte look-up table called the s-box.
ShiftRows: The bytes in each of the 4 rows in the state are rotated by (n−1) where n represents the row number from 1 to 4.
MixColumns: The state can be considered to be a 4×4 matrix and this transformation can be achieved by multiplying this matrix by:
         [                            02                          03                          01                          01                                      01                          02                          03                          01                                      01                          01                          02                          03                                      03                          01                          01                          02                      ]
This multiplication is done in GF (28).1 1All arithmetic in Rijndael is done in a Galois Field with 256 elements.
AddRoundKey: In this transformation, the round key is simply added to the state. In GF (28), adding is equivalent to a bitwise exclusive-or operation.
The encryption process consists of initially applying AddRoundKey and 10, 12 or 14 rounds depending on the length of the key. Each round except the last one consists of applying the 4 transformations to the state. In the last round, only the SubBytes, ShiftRows and AddRoundKey transformations are applied.
The Key Expansion
The cipher key is expanded to generate a different key for each round. Similar to the State, the key is also considered to be a two-dimensional matrix consisting of 4 rows. Each column is considered to be a 4-byte word. The expansion is achieved by applying SubWord and RotWord transformations and addition in GF (28) of RCon[ ], a constant word array. These operations are described below:
SubWord: Similar to the SubBytes transformation, this is done by substituting each byte in the word with a byte from a 256-byte substitution box.
RotWord: This transformation cyclically shifts the bytes of a word one place upwards.
The key expansion differs slightly for 128-, 192- and 256-bit keys, but for AES-128, discussed further herein, the expanded key consists of 176-bytes (44 words). The first 4 words of the expanded key consist of the original cipher key. Every word after that is equal to the sum of the previous word and the word 4 positions earlier. For words in positions that are multiples of 4, the SubWord and RotWord transformations are applied before applying the above described exclusive-or. After the exclusive-or, another exclusive-or with the RCon[ ] associated with the round is applied.
Profiling
Table 1 below is a frequency distribution table of the different transformations in the encryption process. This serves as a good starting point in the analysis of the algorithm for optimization.
TABLE 1Frequency of transformations in applying AES-128 to a single data blockProcedure Times CalledKeyExpand1SubBytes9ShiftRows9MixColumns8AddRoundKey10Brian Gladman's Low-Resource ImplementationUse of Look-Up Tables
Gladman's implementation had three 256-byte look-up tables used for encryption and five 256-byte look-up tables for decryption.
Combination of Transformations
Gladman combined the MixColumns and SubBytes transformations as well as the ShiftRows and SubBytes transformations into two functions. These combinations are possible because the shifting of rows and mixing of columns are always the same and are independent of the contents of the state. A large number of memory moves are eliminated by combining these transformations with the SubBytes transformation.
Tuning Options
Gladman's code has 3 options which can be changed prior to compiling the code. These options are made possible using conditional preprocessor directives and modify the code considerably before compilation. These options can be activated/deactivated by using the #define preprocessor directive. These are briefly described below:
HAVE_MEMCPY: Defining this directs the compiler to take advantage of the memcpy function in the compiler's standard library.
HAVE_UINT32: Defining this directs the compiler to take advantage of 32-bit data types if available on the target platform.
VERSION—1: Defining this makes extensive use of local buffers within functions instead of accessing data through pointers.
IEEE 802.15.4 Security Specification
The IEEE 802.15.4 standard was first released in 2003 and revised in 2006. It includes Wireless Medium Access Control (MAC) as well as Physical layer specifications. Security is specified as part of the MAC sublayer. Since most WSNs fall within the category of LR-WPANs, compliance with this standard ensures reliability, compatibility and scalability of the network. There are a total of 8 security modes of which 4 ensure data confidentiality. These modes are listed in Table 2:
TABLE 2Security modes specified in IEEE 802.15.4LevelAttribute ConfidentialityDescription0x00NoneNONo security0x01MIC-32NOAuth (CBC-MAC) 32 bit MIC0x02MIC-64NOAuth (CBC-MAC) 64 bit MIC0x03MIC-128NOAuth (CBC-MAC) 128 bit MIC0x04ENCYESEnc (Counter mode AES)0x05ENC-MIC-32YESEnc + Auth (CCM-Mode) 32 bit MIC0x06ENC-MIC-64YESEnc + Auth (CCM-Mode) 64 bit MIC0x07ENC-MIC-128YESEnc + Auth (CCM-Mode) 128 bit MIC
All four modes that ensure data confidentiality use AES as the underlying block cipher function. Level 0x04 uses AES in counter mode whereas levels 0x05 through 0x07 use AES in CCM mode. Moreover, CBC-MAC is a cipher-based authentication scheme that in this case, once again, uses AES as the block cipher. For more information on AES modes of operation, refer to [7].
Therefore all security modes (except 0x00) rely on AES as the block cipher with a block length of 128 bits.

Communication encryption method and device


Methods of extracting recycling carbon fibers are provided. Method of extracting and recycling carbon fibers with furan-2-carbaldehyde are provided and systems for performing the same are also provided. Compositions comprising resin composites, carbon fibers, and/or furan-2-carbaldehyde are also provided.

Carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRPs) are increasingly used in consumer and enterprise applications. Effective and efficient recycling methods are needed, especially to reclaim the carbon fibers (CFs)—the most expensive component of CFRPs. Ideally the CFs are recovered intact and cleaned so they can be re-used in remanufacturing.
Therefore, there is a need to develop improved methods of recycling carbon fibers. The embodiments provided herein satisfy this need as well as others.

Recycling carbon fibers from epoxy using solvent cracking


An objective is to enable calculation of a distribution of a physical property such as a density inside a measurement object, even when the distribution of the physical property value is non-uniform, within a feasible period of time without causing image deterioration due to phenomena such as refraction and multiple-reflections caused by the non-uniformity. To this end, the physical property value that makes an evaluation quantity be an extremum is outputted, where the evaluation quantity is a liner sum or a product of exponential function of: an equation residual quantity that is a residual being a difference between an operator term and an external force term of an equation of motion; a non-uniformity detection equation residual quantity that is a residual of an equation of detecting the non-uniformity of the physical property value from a matching degree of solutions of the equation of motion under two types of boundary conditions; and a conditional equation residual quantity that is a residual of a constraint condition.

A measuring apparatus is an apparatus to form an image of the interior of a measurement object in non-invasive manner. The measuring apparatus transmits a measurement signal (for example, ultrasonic waves) to the interior of the measurement object from the boundary of the measurement object, and converts a measurement value measured at the boundary into a distribution of physical property value of the interior in accordance with an algorithm based on a physical equation which expresses a propagation phenomenon of the measurement signal. The measurement signal serves as a variable of the physical equation, the physical property values serve as a coefficient and an external force term of the physical equation, and the physical equation is used as an equation expressing a relationship between the measurement signal and the physical property values.
Algorithms for converting a measurement signal into physical property values based on physical equations have been studied as a coefficient identification problem and a boundary value problem in the field of scientific computing. Algorithms actually installed in devices are configured with their conversion accuracy reduced by applying approximation to equations in order to reduce the computation amount to an implementable level. An algorithm in a currently-commercialized product is a method of synthesizing directivities on the basis of an antenna technology, and makes such an approximation that each kind of physical property values of the interior of a measurement object is regarded as uniform. A breast-dedicated system, which is an advanced prototype equipped with a projection mapping algorithm similar to that for CT, also makes such an approximation that the physical property value is regarded as uniform, which means to assume the linearity of a measurement signal.
Moreover, as described in Patent Literature 1, a receive waveform is computed from a transmitted waveform in consideration of the non-uniformity of in-vivo physical property value and in consideration of wave propagation defined by the Helmholtz equation or the like. There is also a method of estimating an in-vivo physical property value by iterating a step of correcting the in-vivo physical property value so that a difference between the measured receive waveform and the calculated receive waveform can be made small.


A rocker mill includes a pair of roll dies rotatably mounted in a structure and having tapered circumferential grooves for receiving a workpiece. A support is provided for supporting the structure so that it is longitudinally movable relative to the support. The support is rotatably mounted on a frame. A reciprocating driving apparatus is provided for reciprocating the roll dies longitudinally relative to the support through a reduction stroke and a smoothing stroke. A rotating driving apparatus is provided for rotating the roll dies around a longitudinal axis of a workpiece. A method of forming reduced diameter tubing is also described.

The present invention relates to precision rocker mills and, more particularly, to precision rocker mills of the type which produce tubes from hollow metal workpieces.
Rocker mills of the type known in the art are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,562,713 to Kondoh and 4,930,328 to Duerring et al. Such mills typically include a movable rollstand which is longitudinally reciprocated along a hollow workpiece. The rollstand includes a pair of grooved roll dies which define a nip through which the workpiece is passed so as to be radially compressed. A mandrel is disposed within the workpiece to radially support the inside of the workpiece. The workpiece is progressively advanced and rotated at selected times.
The grooves of the roll dies are of progressively narrowing width in the circumferential direction. The grooves typically extend around the entire circumference of the roll die. A relief pocket is formed in the grooves and defines a transition from a smaller portion to a larger portion. The relief pocket is provided to facilitate reversing the direction of rotation of the roll dies and advancing and rotating the workpiece. Thus, by rotating the roll dies so that points on the periphery of the dies are displaced through the angle defined by the groove as the rollstand moves longitudinally along the workpiece, the workpiece is subjected to a progressively increasing radial compression in the nip between the dies and the diameter of the workpiece is progressively reduced.
During a workpiece reduction stroke of each cycle of the rolling operation, the roll dies are rotated such that the narrowest portion of the grooves define the nip. At the final portion of the reduction stroke, the workpiece is usually positioned between the dies in a nip defined by the relief pocket. After the roll dies reach the end of the reduction stroke, the roll dies are rotated in an opposite direction in a smoothing stroke of the cycle of the rolling operation. During the smoothing stroke, the nip defined by the grooves becomes larger and the surfaces of the grooves are moved away from the reduced diameter workpiece. At the end of the smoothing stroke, the workpiece is again usually positioned between the dies in a nip defined by the relief portion and the workpiece is advanced a predetermined distance and is rotated axially through a predetermined angle.
During the reduction stroke, the workpiece tends to be deformed by the roll dies into the shape of an ellipse having a major axis along the nip between the roll dies. The workpiece is rotated prior to the smoothing stroke so that the cumulative effect of numerous deformations of the workpiece is to form a substantially circular workpiece. If the workpiece is not rotated, the effect of the rolling operation is typically to form a finned tubular product. It is preferred that the angle of rotation of the workpiece not be divisible into 360.degree. without a remainder, and the angle of rotation is generally between 35.degree. and 70.degree..
Rotation of the workpiece is typically accomplished by one or more workpiece turners. Turners generally include a clamp which grips the exterior of the workpiece at some point before or after the path of travel of the roll dies. Types of turners typically used in conventional rocker mills include feed carriage turners and inlet turners for turning the workpiece as it is fed between the rollers. An exit turner is generally provided for turning the workpiece after it has been reduced in diameter and its trailing end has come out of contact with the inlet turner. A mandrel turner is provided for turning the mandrel that is disposed inside the workpiece when the workpiece is turned.
When rocker mills are operating on tubing such as thin-walled tubing and small diameter tubing, the use of turners often causes damage to the tubing, such as where the tubing is gripped too tightly and the tubing walls are bent far punctured or the tube is twisted. Conventional rocker mills using one or more workpiece turners have various disadvantages. For example, complex equipment is necessary to synchronize multiple turners. Further, when it is desired to change the size of the workpiece and the product, it is necessary to change the jaw size on all of the turners. Further still, the need to turn the workpiece at the end of the reduction or smoothing stroke slows down the operation of the rocker mill, as it generally takes substantially longer to turn the workpiece than it does to incrementally advance it. Other disadvantages in the use of a rocker mill in which a workpiece is turned arise during the use of the rocker mill in association with other workpiece handling equipment, such as product coilers. For example, if it is desired to coil a product, the coiler must be rotated as the workpiece is rotated so that the product does not become twisted.
It is desirable, therefore, to provide a rocker mill in which the need for turners is obviated while still producing a substantially circular reduced product.
The present invention, generally speaking, obviates the need for workpiece and mandrel turners in an apparatus and method for reducing the diameter of a cylindrical workpiece.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a rocker mill for reducing the diameter of a cylindrical workpiece is provided. The rocker mill includes a frame and an assembly including means for supporting a pair of roll dies rotatably about their axes. The roll dies have tapered circumferential grooves defining a nip for receiving a workpiece. Means for supporting the assembly relative to the frame are provided. The assembly supporting means permit the assembly to rotate about the longitudinal axis of the workpiece and permit the assembly to move longitudinally relative to the frame. Means are provided for longitudinally reciprocating the assembly including the roll dies relative to the frame through a predetermined distance through a reduction stroke and a smoothing stroke. Intermittent rotating means are provided for rotating the roll dies around the longitudinal axis of the workpiece such that rotation occurs through a predetermined angle.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a method for reducing the diameter of a cylindrical workpiece is described. In the method, a workpiece is fed between a pair of roll dies having tapered circumferential grooves defining a nip for receiving the workpiece. The roll dies are longitudinally reciprocated relative to the workpiece through a predetermined longitudinal distance through a reduction stroke and a smoothing stroke such that the roll dies rotate about roll die axes. The roll dies are intermittently rotated around the longitudinal axis of the workpiece such that rotation occurs through a predetermined angle.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, a rotatable rollstand assembly for a rocker mill is described. The rotatable rollstand assembly includes a die assembly including axle means for rotatably supporting a pair of roll dies having tapered circumferential grooves defining a nip for receiving a workpiece and a pair of gears. Means, including a rack assembly, are provided for supporting the die assembly relative to a pair of racks for engaging with the pair of gears such that longitudinal movement of the die assembly relative to the racks causes the roll dies to rotate in opposite directions. At least portions of the supporting means are adapted to be rotatably mounted such that rotation of the supporting means causes rotation of the roll dies about a longitudinal axis passing through the nip.

Apparatus and method for reducing the diameter of a cylindrical workpiece


In an arrangement structure for an air-conditioning compressor in a hybrid electric vehicle, an engine, a power generating motor, a driving motor, and an air-conditioning compressor are disposed in an engine room, the engine and the power generating motor being arranged in series, in which the air-conditioning compressor is arranged on a side portion of the power generating motor. The power generating motor and the driving motor are provided in parallel with each other in a vehicle longitudinal direction and are accommodated respectively in separate motor cases, and one of the motor cases on which the air-conditioning compressor is fixed is arranged at a position behind and higher than another one of the motor cases.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show a layout example of various equipments or devices within an engine room of a conventional vehicle that runs by using only power of a vehicle engine as a driving force.
FIG. 5 is a partial plan view illustrating a layout example of various devices within an engine room of a conventional vehicle. FIG. 6 is a partial side view thereof. As shown in these figures, in the conventional vehicle, an engine 102 is arranged on a right side of the vehicle with respect to a vehicle widthwise center line CL of an engine room 101. A transmission 106 is arranged continuously from the engine 102 on a left side of the vehicle. A battery 120 (12 volt) is arranged above the transmission 106. An air-conditioning compressor 113 and an alternator 121, which are accessories, are respectively mounted to a front portion and a rear portion of the engine 102.
When the vehicle employs a layout in which an exhaust pipe 104 extends from a front side of the engine 102, a radiator 105 is arranged toward the left side so as not to be affected by heat from the exhaust pipe 104. In FIGS. 5 and 6, reference characters S1 to S3 denote engine mounts, and reference numeral 110 denotes a brake fluid pressure generating device such as a brake master cylinder and a brake booster. In FIG. 6, reference character Cc denotes a crank center (a center of a crankshaft) of the engine, and reference character Tc denotes a center of an output shaft of the transmission.
In recent years, a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) equipped with an engine and an electric motor so as to reduce emissions and improve fuel economy has been provided. The hybrid electric vehicles are driven by using various systems such as a series system, a parallel system, a motor-assisted system, and a series/parallel system (switchover system). In the series system in which an engine and a power generating motor are arranged in series, the power generating motor is driven by the engine, electric power generated thereby is charged into a battery, and a driving motor is driven by using the electric power charged in the battery to rotate wheels.
In the conventional vehicle using only the power of the engine 102 as the driving force as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the air-conditioning compressor 113 is driven by the engine 102. In the hybrid electric vehicle, however, the engine is sometimes stopped. It is thus necessary to drive an air-conditioning compressor by an electric motor (e.g., see Patent Document 1). In actual cases, an electric compressor driven by an electric motor incorporated therein is used as the air-conditioning compressor.
With regard to an arrangement structure for the air-conditioning compressor, Patent Document 2 proposes a configuration in which an electric motor section of an air-conditioning compressor is arranged closer to a center of gravity of an engine with smaller vibration, thereby suppressing a vibrating force on the electric motor section to be small and preventing damage to the electric motor.
Furthermore, Patent Document 3 proposes a configuration in which a projection portion is provided on a compressor housing, and a rear surface of the projection portion on a driving engine side is arranged closer to the engine than an end surface of an inverter housing on the engine side. Accordingly, even when a mounting leg portion is broken with an electric compressor receiving a load from a side member in a vehicle crash, the projection portion comes into interference with the engine before an inverter device to stop movement of the electric compressor. Interference between the inverter device and the engine is thereby avoided to prevent damage to the inverter device.

Arrangement structure for air-conditioning compressor in hybrid electric vehicle


An alignment apparatus for use with the assembly of tubular segments with a tubular string in a well bore is disclosed. The alignment apparatus includes an actuator assembly functionally associated with an engagement assembly. Upon actuation of the actuator assembly, the engagement assembly engages the segment. The alignment apparatus is then lowered such that the segment contacts the string, and a connection may be made. A method of improving the alignment of the segment with the tubular string in the well bore is also is also disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the drilling and completion of well bores in the field of oil and gas recovery. More particularly, this invention relates to an apparatus adapted to improve the alignment of a tubular segments, such as a casing joint or production tubing segment, e.g.) with the tubular string below (e.g. casing string, production string, and the like) extending within a well bore.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the oil and gas industry, well bores are typically drilled by rotating a drill string comprising a plurality of drill pipe segments serially connected and rotating a drill bit thereby creating the well bore. Once the well bore is drilled, tubular casing may be placed in the well bore to protect the well bore from damage over time. The well may then be cemented as desired. Once the casing is in place, production pipe or tubing may also be run within the casing string in the well bore. Such systems may be utilized on land or off-shore.
To assemble the casing string in prior art systems, a derrick or rig is constructed above the well bore. A top drive assembly or drive block may be provided, which may be used to hoist the individual segments above surface. These tubular segments typically are threaded on each end.
An upper portion of the string is extended out of the well bore (i.e. above surface) by a spider having slips on the rig or derrick floor, for example. The slips are adapted to selectively engage the tubular string to prevent the string from falling into the well bore. The tubular string may plurality of segments serially connected end-to-end, described above. The tubular string is located within the well bore W. The upper end of the tubular string is connectable to the lower end of the next segment to be connected. The top drive selectively lowers the segments into contact with the string in the well bore.
In some prior art methods, an operator (a "stabber") stands on a stabbing board located on the rig above surface. A segment is hoisted off surface via the top drive assembly, and the stabber attempts to align the lower end of the tubular segment extending vertically from the rig or derrick with the string in the well bore below. This may prove to be difficult, as the segments tend to sway, being typically approximately 40 feet long and four to twenty inches in diameter hanging from the top drive assembly.
Once stabber has substantially aligned the tubular segment to be run with the string in the well bore, the segment may be connected to the string. For example, each end of the segments may be threaded. Thus, once the threads of the tubular segment to be run substantially align with the threads on the segment extending above surface from the drill sting, the segment may be rotated utilizing hydraulic tongs. Or the top drive assembly used to rotate the drill string may be utilized to rotate the segment until it is connected to the string. Other conventional connection methods known to one of ordinary skill in the art may further be utilized, such a snap fit, etc.
Alignment of each tubular segment (casing segment or production pipe segment, e.g.) is important for numerous reasons. The tubular segments typically may be forty feet in length, and from two inches to four and a half inches in diameter. Slight misalignment of the segment and the string may weaken the resulting casing string, for example. Greater misalignment of the tubular segment being run and the string in the well bore may compromise the seal between casing segments. If misalignment is significant, cross-threading may occur. The misalignment problem is exacerbated in relatively deep wells, in which the tubing will experience excessive pounds pressure and excessive heat, thus further acting to weaken the seal.
Numerous attempts to improve the alignment of the tubular segments with the string in the well bore during assembly are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,681,158 to Pennison, incorporated by reference in its entirety herein, for background material, describes the PenniYoke system that includes a casing alignment tool having arms with rollers which selectively clamp end of the casing segment near the well bore (i.e. the lower end of the segment). Once clamped, the hydraulic tongs rotate the segment, the rollers allowing the segment to rotate within the arms. Once the connection is made, the yoke is pivoted away from the string, while another section or segment is hoisted. Similar systems are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,756 to McArthur and U.S. Pat. No. 5,609,457 to Burns.
It has been determined that the use of relatively-complicated systems overhead of workers at surface may be undesirable in some circumstances. Relatively-complicated machinery may increase the cost of the alignment of the tubular segment, and may lead to additional downtime due to the malfunction of complex equipment, increases in the time and cost of transporting the complex equipment to the well site, etc.
Thus, there is a need for an apparatus for improving the alignment of tubular segments with a tubular string in the well bore. It is desirable to provide an alignment tool, which is relatively simple and inexpensive, compared to alternative systems. It is desirable that such a tool substantially align a tubular segment with a string in the well bore with minimal manual intervention. Preferably, the system is simple and easy to operate, and less expensive than present systems. Such a system advantageously would similarly improved ether safety of the alignment operation. Further, the tool would preferably be useable with prior art hydraulic tong systems.
Embodiments of the present invention are directed at overcoming, or reducing and minimizing the effects of, any shortcomings associated with the prior art.


A Byzantine filter tester including a feedback loop, a pseudo random waveform generator and an output tester. The feedback loop is coupled between an output of a device under test and an input of the device under test. The feedback loop includes an odd number of inversions that create oscillations and an integrator with a very large time constant for filtering the oscillations to determine an input threshold of the device under test. The pseudo random waveform generator provides waveforms to the input of the device under test to cover test points in a logic grid defined in part by the determined input threshold of the device under test. Finally, the output tester monitors a plurality of redundant outputs of the device under test to verify the proof coverage of the device under test.

Fault tolerant systems must provide a specified level of service after a fault has occurred. High criticality systems require that faults be tolerated that have a probability of occurrence between 10−9 to 10−6 for a one hour exposure. Typically the desired level of fault tolerances must be proven to be met by a combination of analysis and testing. The ability to detect and mitigate a fault is called coverage. The overall system failure probability includes the combination of component fault probability and coverage percentage. For electronic components (typically integrated circuits) used in the environment where highly dependable electronic systems are acquired, one assumes a component failure probability of 10−6 for a one hour exposure. Moreover, with multiple components in a system, one can assume an overall failure rate in the range of 10−4 to 10−5 for a one hour exposure.
Byzantine faults comprise a class of faults that are particularly difficult cover. A Byzantine fault is a fault that presents different outputs to multiple observers. For example, in a logic circuit having an input and multiple redundant outputs, if different observers of the outputs observe different outputs in response to an input, a Byzantine fault is present. Even if the logic circuit has only a single output with multiple observers, each observer can view the output signal differently due to the behavior of a Byzantine fault. Byzantine faults occur in two dimensions, amplitude and time. Regarding amplitude, a Byzantine fault can cause signals traveling through elements in the logic circuit to not be clearly defined as a "logic 1" or a "logic 0." These signals fall somewhere in between the signal level defined as logic 1 and logic 0. These so called "½ logic signals" or "indeterminate logic signals" can be interpreted by different elements in the logic circuits as either a logic 1 or a logic 0. However, not every element in the logic circuit will make the same determination. This is due to manufacturing variances in the logic devices or to such environmental factors as voltage variances and temperature variances. In the time dimension, Byzantine faults can occur in the micro and macro scale. In the micro scale, the faults occur at the bit level wherein the bits are formed too narrow or too wide. At the macro scale, Byzantine faults typically occur due to missing communication signal deadlines. Moreover, Byzantine faults occur more often in the time domain than in the amplitude domain.
For highly critical applications that require system failure probabilities in the neighborhood of 10−9 for a one hour exposure, methods have to be developed to handle the ½ logic signals. One method of dealing with Byzantine faults is with a filtering device that reshapes ½ logic signals to valid logic signals before the logic signal is observed by the observers. Once the Byzantine faults have been dealt within a filter circuit design, proof of the design's fault coverage is required. Commonly assigned patent application Ser. No. 10/993,398, filed on Nov. 19, 2004 provided a method to prove a design's fault coverage. Reducing the voltage range that needs to be tested would improve the efficiency in providing design fault coverage.
For the reasons stated above and for other reasons stated below which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon observing and understanding the present specification, there is a need in the art for a method of improving the efficiency of proving a design's fault coverage.

Method for testing the sensitive input range of Byzantine filters


A system includes a base band unit pooling component that determines, via a base band unit pool of base station devices, respective uplink channel estimates of an uplink channel wirelessly coupling, using frequency division duplexing via respective modular antenna elements, a user equipment to the base band unit pool. A downlink channel estimation component of the system derives, based on the respective uplink channel estimates, a downlink channel estimate of a downlink channel wirelessly coupling, using the frequency division duplexing via a portion of the respective modular antenna elements corresponding to a base station device of the base band unit pool, the base station device to the user equipment. In turn, the system generates, using the downlink channel estimate, a group of downlink sector beams to be transmitted to the user equipment using the downlink channel via the portion of the respective modular antenna elements.

Conventional cellular, e.g., multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO), M-MIMO, etc. technologies integrate control circuitry within and/or attached to a cellular tower, cellular antenna, etc.—such control circuitry including a remote radio head (RRH) that includes radio frequency (RF) circuitry, digital-to-analog (D/A) circuitry, analog-to-digital (A/D) circuitry, power components, etc. used to control, broadcast, receive, etc. signals via the cellular tower.
As the number of cellular bands, ports, antenna elements, etc. that have been included within or attached to cellular towers has increased, e.g., to accommodate the demand for increased communication capacity, the deployment of larger, heavier, etc. cellular towers has been limited due to antenna size restrictions, weight restrictions, etc., e.g., corresponding to rooftop placement, wind loading, etc.
Consequently, conventional cellular technologies have had some drawbacks with respect to accommodating the demand for increased communication capacity, some of which are noted with reference to the various embodiments described herein below.

Generating downlink sector beams based on uplink channel estimates utilizing a base band unit pool for modular massive multiple-input multiple-output arrays


The present invention provides a magnetic recording medium that has sufficient recording/reproducing characteristics and good write characteristics and can correspond to high recording density, and a method of manufacturing the same. A magnetic recording medium 1 includes a plurality of magnetic recording patterns 2 that is magnetically separated from each other. Each of the magnetic recording patterns 2 includes a low-coercivity region 2a and a high-coercivity region 2b having a coercivity higher than the low-coercivity region, and the high-coercivity region 2b is arranged at the center of the low-coercivity region 2a in a plan view.

The present invention relates to a magnetic recording medium used for, for example, a hard disk device, a method of manufacturing a magnetic recording medium, and a magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus.
Priority is claimed on Japanese Patent Application No. 2008-235395, filed Sep. 12, 2008, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

Magnetic recording medium, method of manufacturing magnetic recording medium, and magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus


A material inspection system, such as a baggage insepction system, uses x-ray imaging to identify organic materials such as drugs and explosives. The articles being inspected are transirradiated with x-rays having different radiation energies. From detected radiation, attenuated by the article under inspection, a materials information signal and a luminance signal are formed. The color of the monitor image is controlled by the materials information signal, and the image brightness, color saturation and white content of the image are controlled by the luminance signal. A color portrayal occurs only when the materials information signal has a sufficiently high signal-to-noise ratio.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a materials inspection system using x-ray imaging, such as a baggage inspection system wherein articles being inspected are moved on a conveyor system through an x-ray beam. The system disclosed herein is particular suited for identifying organic material, such as drugs or explosives, in the inspected articles.
2. Description of Prior Art
Baggage inspection systems are known which generally include a conveyor for moving the articles to be inspected through a beam of x-rays. The x-ray beam is emitted on one side of the articles from an x-ray source, and a radiation detector is disposed on the opposite of the moving articles. The radiation detector is formed by a row of individual detector elements. A signal processing circuit is connected to the outputs of each of the individual detector elements, from which a visual reproduction of the contents of the inspected articles can be obtained and displayed.
It is known in medical radiology to use x-rays of different energies to conduct a radiological examination. The radiation energies are selected based on the mass attenuation coefficient and ordering number of of the chemical elements which are expected to be present in the examination subject.
By comparing at least two congruent x-ray images at different energy levels, it is possible, for example, to distinguish soft tissue (elements having a lower ordering number) from bones (elements having a higher ordering number).

Materials inspection system using x-ray imaging


There is disclosed a head driving device which drives a plurality of pressure generating elements for generating pressure fluctuation in a jetted object contained in each of associated pressure chambers formed in a jetting head of a jetting apparatus to eject the jetted object from each of nozzles communicated with the associated pressure chambers. In the device, a head driver generates a drive signal which is selectively applied to at least one of the pressure generating elements to be driven. A bias potential provider selectively applies a bias potential to at least one of the pressure generating elements not to be driven.

The invention relates to a jetting head capable of ejecting various kinds of liquid in the form of droplets for use in an ink jet printer, a display manufacturing apparatus, an electrode forming apparatus, a biochip manufacturing apparatus, etc., and more particularly, to a jetting apparatus having a plurality of flexible flat cables to be used for supplying drive signals from a head driver to a jetting head.
As a jetting apparatus having a jetting head capable of ejecting liquid in the form of a liquid droplet, for example, there has been proposed an ink jet printer in which ink droplets are ejected to record an image or the like on recording paper, an electrode forming apparatus in which an electrode material in a liquid form is ejected onto a substrate to thereby form electrodes, a biochip manufacturing apparatus in which biological samples are ejected to manufacture biochips, or a micropipette for ejecting a predetermined amount of a sample into a vessel.
For instance, in an ink jet printer employing piezoelectric elements as drive elements for ejecting ink, a plurality of piezoelectric elements, which are provided so as to correspond to a plurality of nozzles of a print head, are selectively activated, whereby ink droplets are ejected from the nozzles in accordance with the dynamic pressure generated by the respective piezoelectric elements. Dots are formed on recording paper by causing the ink droplets to adhere to the recording paper, thus effecting printing operation.
Here, the piezoelectric elements are provided so as to correspond to nozzles to be used for ejecting ink droplets. The piezoelectric elements are actuated by a drive signal supplied from a head driver mounted in the print head, thereby ejecting ink droplets.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a device and a method for driving a jetting head designed to readily retain predetermined bias voltages of respective piezoelectric elements through use of a simple, compact configuration and at low cost.
In order to achieve the above object, according to the invention, there is provided a head driving device, which drives a plurality of pressure generating elements for generating pressure fluctuation in a jetted object contained in each of associated pressure chambers formed in a jetting head of a jetting apparatus to eject the jetted object from each of nozzles communicated with the associated pressure chambers, the head driving device comprising:
a head driver, which generates a drive signal which is selectively applied to at least one of the pressure generating elements to be driven; and
a bias potential provider, which selectively applies a bias potential to at least one of the pressure generating elements not to be driven.
In such a configuration, the non-actuated pressure generating elements are held at the bias potential. Accordingly, the voltage applied to both electrodes of the non-actuated pressure generating elements becomes substantially zero. Hence, power draw is reduced, and a voltage drop stemming from spontaneous discharge of the pressure generating elements becomes smaller. Hence, a power loss is diminished.
Further, occurrence of discharge due to a potential difference between pressure generating elements to be driven and pressure generating elements not to be driven is also reduced. In addition, a further increase in arrangement density of a head can be attained without involvement of an operation for providing insulation between the electrodes of the pressure generating elements.
Preferably, the bias potential is a reference potential of the drive signal.
Preferably, the bias potential provider includes a potential applier which applies the bias potential, and a charger which charges the potential applier with a drive potential of the drive signal.
Here, it is preferable that the charger includes a transistor which applies the drive potential to the potential applier, and a switcher which supplies the drive signal to a base terminal of the transistor during a time period in which the drive signal deactivates the pressure generating elements.
In such a configuration, the transistor is turned on by the supplied drive signal to charge the potential applier with the bias potential.
Here, it is further preferable that the switcher continuously supplies the drive signal before and after a jetting operation is performed.
Specifically, the drive signal is supplied to discharge the potential applier after the jetting operation is performed.
Before the jetting operation, since the potential applier is gradually charged to reach the bias potential by the continuous supply of the drive signal, there is prevented occurrence of faulty operations of respective pressure generating elements, which would otherwise be caused by a sudden increase in the potential of the ground-side electrodes before commencement of the jetting operation.
After the jetting operation, since the potential applier is gradually discharged by the continuous supply of the drive signal, there is prevented occurrence of faulty operations of the respective pressure generating elements, which would otherwise be caused by a sudden drop in the voltage of the ground-side electrodes after completion of the jetting operation.
Further, it is preferable that: the head driver is mounted on the jetting head, and the switcher is embodied by a part of a switching circuit included in the head driver which selectively applies the drive signal to the at least one pressure generating elements to be driven.
In such a configuration, the switcher is provided by utilizing a surplus unused section of an existing switching circuit of the head driver mounted on a jetting head, thereby curtailing the cost of parts. Further, a space to be used for mounting the switcher is not particularly required, thus rendering the apparatus compact.
According to the invention, there is also provided a method of driving a jetting head provided with pressure generating elements, the method comprising steps of:
generating a drive signal selectively applied to at least one of the pressure generating elements to be driven to eject jetted objects; and
applying a bias potential from a potential applier to at least one of the pressure generating elements not to be driven.
Preferably, the driving method further comprises a step of charging the potential applier with a drive potential of the drive signal.
Here, it is preferable that the charging step is performed during a time period in which the drive signal deactivates the pressure generating elements.
It is further preferable that the charging step is performed during a time period in which the drive signal deactivates the pressure generating elements.
According to the invention, there is also provided a head driving device, which drives a plurality of pressure generating elements for generating pressure fluctuation in a jetted object contained in each of associated pressure chambers formed in a jetting head of a jetting apparatus to eject the jetted object from each of nozzles communicated with the associated pressure chambers, the head driving device comprising:
a head driver, which generates a drive signal which is selectively applied to at least one of the pressure generating elements to be driven;
a bias potential provider, which applies a bias potential to respective ground-side electrodes of the pressure generating elements; and
an IC package, in which the head driver and the bias potential provider are provided.
In such a configuration, the ground-side electrodes of the pressure generating elements are held at the bias potential.
Accordingly, the voltage to be applied across both electrodes of the pressure generating elements is reduced. Therefore, power consumption is diminished, and a voltage drop stemming from spontaneous discharge of the pressure generating elements is small, thereby reducing a power loss.
Further, since the voltage to be applied to the pressure generating elements becomes relatively low, electric discharge stemming from a voltage difference between pressure generating elements to be driven and pressure generating elements not to be driven is also reduced. In addition, a further increase in arrangement density of the pressure generating elements can be attained without involvement of an operation for providing insulation between the electrodes of the pressure generating elements, even when pressure generating elements eventually assume a lower withstand voltage.
Since the head driver and the bias potential provider are provided integrally within an IC package, a reduction in packing, wiring, and connection space can be attained.
Preferably, the bias potential is a reference potential of the drive signal.
In such a configuration, the voltage applied to across electrodes of the pressure generating elements becomes substantially zero. Hence, a voltage drop stemming from spontaneous discharge of the pressure generating elements becomes smaller, thereby reducing a power loss.
Preferably, the head driving device further comprising:
a capacitor, having a capacitance which is sufficiently greater than a total electrostatic capacitance of the pressure generating elements, the capacitor provided with a first terminal which is electrically connected to the ground-side electrodes and a second terminal which is grounded; and
a control resistor, which electrically connects the first terminal of the capacitor and the bias potential provider.
In such a configuration, the capacitor is charged with a bias potential output from the bias potential provider by way of the control resistor. In a case where an amplifier is provided in the bias potential provider, since the charging voltage of the capacitor is applied to the pressure generating elements, it is not necessary to provide an amplifier of a high speed operable type. A low-speed, small-capacity amplifier can be used, thereby curtailing cost of such an amplifier.
Due to the existence of the control resistor, the charging and discharged currents substantially do not flow into the amplifier of the bias potential provider, but flow into the condenser. Hence, the amount of heat dissipated by the amplifier is reduced.
Here, it is preferable that the bias potential provider charges the capacitor with a potential according to a data signal inputted to the bias potential provider, so that the charged potential is applied to the ground-side electrodes of the pressure generating elements as the bias potential.
Further, it is preferable that the bias potential provider discharges the capacitor according to a data signal inputted to the bias potential provider, so that the ground-side electrodes of the pressure generating elements are discharged.
In such a configuration, due to the existence of the control resistor, a large discharged electric current does not flow into the bias potential provider, thereby lowering the amount of heat dissipated by e.g., an amplifier of the bias potential provider.
Further, it is preferable that the data signal is inputted to the head driver to generate the drive signal.
In such a configuration, a data signal can be input from a common connection terminal of an IC package constituting the head driver and the bias potential provider. Accordingly, inputting a data signal individually to the head driver and to the bias potential provider is not required, thereby reducing the wiring and connection space.
Further, it is preferable that the head driving device further comprises a temperature detector, which detects a temperature of the jetting head. The data signal corresponds to the bias potential which is determined by the detected temperature.
Alternatively, it is preferable that the number of bits forming the data signal is less than the number of a signal inputted to the head driver to generate the drive signal.
The setting accuracy of the bias potential output from the bias potential provider may be lower than the drive signal of the head driver. In such a case, a D/A converter to be incorporated in the bias potential provider can be embodied by a more compact and less-expensive D/A converter.

Device and method for driving jetting head


A method for communication includes detecting, at a first station in a wireless network, a beacon transmitted over the wireless network by a second station having multiple antennas. In response to the beacon, a request-to-send (RTS) frame is transmitted over the wireless network using a multi-carrier modulation scheme from the first station to the second station. The first station receives a clear-to-send (CTS) frame transmitted over the wireless network, in response to the RTS frame, by the second station via the multiple antennas using the multi-carrier modulation scheme, and estimates an angle of transmission from the second station to the first station based on the received CTS frame.

Various techniques are known in the art for finding the location of a mobile wireless transceiver, such as a cellular telephone. For example, nearly all cellular telephones now have a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, which derives location coordinates from signals received from geostationary satellites. Because of its dependence on weak satellite signals, however, GPS works poorly, if at all, indoors and in crowded urban environments. Cellular networks are also capable of triangulating telephone location based on signals received or transmitted between the cellular telephone and multiple cellular antennas, but this technique is inaccurate and unreliable.
A number of methods have been proposed for indoor localization based on an existing wireless local area network (WLAN) infrastructure. One such approach is described, for example, by Kotaru et al., in "SpotFi: Decimeter Level Localization using WiFi," published in SIGCOMM '15 (London, UK, Aug. 17-21, 2015). According to the authors, SpotFi computes the angle of arrival (AoA) of multipath components received from access points, and uses filtering and estimation techniques to identify the AoA of a direct path between the localization target and the access point.
As another example, U.S. Patent Application Publication 2009/0243932 describes a method for determining the location of a mobile device. The method comprises transmitting a signal between a plurality of known locations and receiving the signal at a device of unknown location, such as a mobile device. The signal may include multiple tones having different frequencies and resulting in sets of residual phase differences. The location of the mobile device may be determined using the known locations and the frequency and phase differences between the transmitted tones. In one embodiment, orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) signals may be used between an access point and mobile device to determine the location of the mobile device.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,814,051, whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference, describes a method for signal processing, which includes receiving at a given location at least first and second signals transmitted respectively from at least first and second antennas of a wireless transmitter. The at least first and second signals encode identical data using a multi-carrier encoding scheme with a predefined cyclic delay between the transmitted signals. The received first and second signals are processed, using the cyclic delay, in order to derive a measure of a phase delay between the first and second signals. Based on the measure of the phase delay, an angle of departure of the first and second signals from the wireless access point to the given location is estimated.
The RTS/CTS (request to send/clear to send) mechanism is used in WLANs for the purpose of carrier sensing and collision avoidance, in accordance with the IEEE 802.11 medium access control (MAC) standard. Stations in a WLAN maintain a network allocation vector (NAV) to indicate the time during which the wireless medium is considered to be busy, and update the NAV using the RTS/CTS mechanism, as described, for example, in section 220.127.116.11 of the IEEE 802.11-2012 standard. An originating station transmits an RTS frame over the WLAN, with a receiver address (RA) indicating the MAC address of the station to which the frame is directed and a transmitter address (TA) indicating the MAC address of the station transmitting the frame. Upon receiving the RTS frame, the receiving station transmits a CTS frame, in which the RA is set to the TA value of the RTS frame. Stations that receive the RTS or CTS frame update their NAV settings and refrain from transmission for a period indicated by the NAV value. During this period, the originating station is able to transmit one or more data frames over the WLAN without contention.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,504,063 describes a method and system in which a first device may directionally transmit signals to a second device utilizing beamforming operations on multiple antennas. The first device may receive signals from the second device to establish an anonymous directional peer-to-peer wireless communication link with the second device. The transmitted signals may comprise a request-to-send (RTS) signal and the received signals may comprise a clear-to-send (CTS) signal. The transmitted signals may comprise an association identification (ID) corresponding to the first device, which may be embedded in a preamble or other portion of a frame structure. When the link is established, user information, such as profile information, for example, and/or messages may be sent from one device to the other.

Anonymous collection of directional transmissions


The present application relates to a-substituted amino acid compounds of the Formula (I), compositions comprising these compounds and their use, in particular for the treatment of diseases, disorders or conditions characterized by or associated with the hypercitrullination of proteins by peptidyl arginine deiminase (PAD) enzymes.

Demyelination and Multiple Sclerosis.
Demyelination is a neuropathological state where the insulating myelin sheath on the axons of the neurons is degraded, the pathogenesis of which could be due to a variety of causes.1 Multiple sclerosis (MS), one such clinical condition, is a chronic and most common demyelinating disease, affecting about 2.2 million people worldwide.2 It is characterized by a patchy degradation of myelin on the axons, known as demyelinated lesions, and the healing of these patches occurs via scar formation called plaques.
A variety of causes such as genetic, immunological and environmental factors are suggested to play a role leading to this condition.3 The most common theory is the autoimmune theory which postulates that sensitization of T cells in the periphery leads to their travel through a disrupted blood brain barrier to attack and destroy myelin.4 Several CNS proteins have been shown to induce this condition, including myelin proteolipid protein (PLP),5 myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG),6 myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG),7 transaldolase and S100.6 Genetic studies indicate the involvement of about 30 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), although it remains to be seen as to the relevance of these SNPs for MS therapeutics development.8
Current MS therapies reduce the frequency of relapses but do not delay the progression of the disease nor do they reverse the destruction of myelin.9,10,11 The most popular treatment is Copaxone™ (also known as Copolymer-1, Cop-1, or Glatiramer acetate), marketed by Teva Pharmaceuticals. This is an immunomodulator drug and is a random polymer of four amino acids-glutamic acid, lysine, alanine and tyrosine—in the same proportion found in myelin basic protein (MBP).
Currently, there is a need for novel mechanisms of preventing and potentially reversing demyelination, such that the treatment options for demyelinating diseases such as multiple sclerosis can be conceived with better safety profiles and with clear molecular mechanisms of action.
Citrullination and Demyelination.
In general, immunological self-tolerance is an important defense against many autoimmune diseases and its breakdown in the body leads to various autoimmune diseases. This primarily arises from the immune recognition of self-proteins that have undergone post-translational modifications under pathophysiological conditions that would not happen under normal circumstances.
Citrullination, a post-translational event, in general is involved in many cellular processes such as gene regulation, embryonic development and differentiation.12,13 Lately, the abnormal role of (hyper)citrullination in a variety of diseases has been uncovered, including in MS, rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer's, scrapie, psoriasis and Creutzfeld-Jacob disease.14,15
In MS, extensive studies of hypercitrullinated MBP indicated that MBP, a key component of the myelin sheath and critical for the maintenance of myelin compaction, contained the non-coded amino acid citrulline in abnormal proportions. In normal brain, the "citrullinated MBP" accounts for 20% of the total MBP, whereas in chronic MS it accounts for 45%16 and in fulminating MS it is 90% of the MBP.17 In a number of studies using a variety of biophysical techniques,18,19,20,21,22 it was demonstrated that citrullinated MBP prevented compaction of the bilayer, resulting in destabilization of the membrane and subsequent degradation leading to demyelination, and an irreversible damage to the axons.23,24
Thus, hypercitrullination is at the root of neuropathogenesis due to demyelination. In the central nervous system, peptidyl arginine deiminases (specifically PAD2 and PAD4) are responsible for the citrullination.
PAD Enzymes and Citrullination.
Peptidyl arginine deiminase (PAD) catalyzes the post-translational citrullination of proteins.25,26,27 Citrullination is the process of deimination of Arg residues on select proteins, or in other words, transformation of Arg into citrulline via deimination (Scheme 1). There are five isozymes of PAD that exist in humans: PAD-1, -2, -3, -4 and -6. Their expression in tissues varies significantly, regulated by transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms. PAD2 and PAD4 are specifically implied in MS, as enhanced levels of these two isoforms are observed in CNS under inflamed conditions.28,29

There is convincing evidence in vivo that higher levels of PAD activities and hypercitrullination are observed in MS.30 For example, a routinely used MOG-EAE model for MS, which is a CD4(+) T cell-driven model, induced with the immunodominant 35-55 peptide of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (pMOG35-55) was used to test whether citrullination of a T cell epitope can contribute to disease etiopathology.23,31 In this experimental model, the PAD2 and PAD4 enzymes were significantly upregulated in the inflamed CNS of the animals. T cells that responded specifically to the citrullinated pMOG could not initiate the EAE lesion, but these cells could provoke exacerbation of pathology if transferred into mice with an ongoing EAE. This experiment strongly suggested that once inflammation in MS is established, citrullination of target autoantigens can allow an expanded repertoire of T cells to contribute to CNS pathology, and enhanced levels of PAD enzymes are observed in these tissues.31 A similar study using the peptides from myelin basic protein (MBP) epitopes indicated that self-antigens could potentially trigger the disease in susceptible individuals carrying citrullinated peptide epitopes.32,33
Inhibitors of PAD Enzymes:
A non-specific, active site PAD inhibitor, 2-chloroacetamidine (2CA), attenuated MS disease, decreased the amount of citrullinated protein and decreased PAD activity in the brain in four animal models of MS: two neurodegenerative and two autoimmune disease models.34
2CA is a covalent inhibitor of PAD4 (FIG. 2).
A non-specific, active site PAD inhibitor, 2-chloroacetamidine (2CA), was previously shown to attenuate MS disease, decrease the amount of citrullinated protein and decrease PAD activity in the brain in four different animal models of MS.35 In one of these murine models, early and prolonged 2CA administration essentially prevented the disease. However, fully progressive clinical disease re-emerged promptly after therapy cessation at 6 months.34 Thus, there remains a need to identify improved therapeutics for inhibiting disease-related hypercitrullination.
Structures of PAD Enzymes.
Structurally, PAD enzymes are Ca2+-dependent enzymes that catalyze the conversion of arginine residues in proteins to citrulline via the deimination of the guanidinium moiety in the side chain of Arg residues.36,37 The structure consists of the N-terminal domain predominately folded into β-sheets, and the C-terminal domain where the catalytic site is located. The catalytic site, where the substrate binds, has two Asp residues, one His residue and a Cys residue that are involved in the deimination reaction. Acidic amino acids, Asp350 and Asp473, function as general base residues during the hydrolysis of the amine in the guanidinium moiety of the peptidyl arginines. These two Asp residues are located in the bottom of the substrate-binding pocket (FIG. 2). 2CA, due to its acetamidine structure carrying a positive charge, binds at this anionic pocket and modifies the Cys residue that is in close proximity (FIG. 1). 2CA does not carry any additional structural features that provide it with specificity to inhibit PAD enzymes only, and not any other similar enzymes.
Over the past decade, there have been only a handful of efforts focused on understanding various ligands, their interactions and the inhibitors targeting PAD enzymes, and most notably, various peptide derivatives to understand the substrate and inhibitor properties targeting PAD enzymes.33,38,39,40 The most potent non-peptidic compounds from these investigations are chlortetracycline, a tetracycline derivative with an IC50 of 100+10 μM as a competitive inhibitor and a substrate analog, F-amidine with an IC50 of 21±2.1 μM as an irreversible inactivator.
Non-immune small molecule therapies targeting specific neurological mechanisms are much needed for neurodegenerative diseases because immune-based therapies are not effective. PAD enzymes hypercitrullinate proteins in the brain leading to the pathology and neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease (AD).41 This mechanism has been shown to operate in other neurodegenerative diseases such as MS, Parkinson's disease, amyotropic lateral sclerosis (ALS), multiple systems atrophy (MSA) and prion diseases such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease where hypercitrullination of myelin, higher expression of PAD2 and PAD4, and associated neurodegeneration are also observed.58,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,49,67 PAD2 and PAD4 are shown to cause the pathology in brain regions such as hippocampus and cerebral cortex, ultimately leading to neurodegeneration and cell death. In MS and Alzheimer's disease, enhanced levels and activities of PAD, hypercitrullinated proteins, and ultimately neurodegeneration have been correlated with disease in patients' brain samples. In MS animal models, inhibition of PAD activities by treatment with small molecule inhibitors leads to the prevention and reversal of neurodegeneration and/or highly reduced inflammatory response in the brain.50,51
PAD enzymes and their catalytic activities leading to higher levels of citrullinated proteins in brain regions such as hippocampus, cerebral cortex and myelin are correlated to neurodegenerative changes typical for AD.52 Throughout the process of neurodegeneration process, PAD2 and PAD4 specifically are abundantly expressed in brain.69,53 Collectively evidence suggests that an abnormal activation of PAD2 and PAD4 in hippocampi of patients with AD finally leading to neurodegeneration.70 Similar observations have been made in the mouse and rat models of AD.54 Observations described here in the area of protein citrullination, inhibition of PAD enzymes and the development of novel inhibitors of PAD to prevent and/or reverse neurodegeneration and associated inflammation67,68 will have applications as novel therapeutics targeting neurodegenerative diseases such as AD, MS, ALS, MSA, CJD etc.
Though current literature suggests the mammalian enzyme peptidylarginine deiminase type II (PAD2) does not use free arginine as a substrate55 the enzyme is responsible for the conversion of peptide-bound positive arginine to neutral citrulline by means of a calcium (Ca2+)-induced deimination reaction.55,56 This deimination affects the behaviour of proteins in the cellular environment since it induces proteins to unfold, which could subsequently act as a catalyst for the aggregation of susceptible proteins.57 The reaction catalyzed by PAD2 is localized to peptides in the astrocytes in the cerebral tissue that, as mentioned above, are reservoirs of arginine storage within the brain.58

Inhibitors of peptidyl arginine deiminase (PAD) enzymes and uses thereof


SERS-active materials are delivered to a remote zone, then optically interrogated to detect and analyze from a safe distance the presence of explosives or other materials which may or may not be hazardous. Delivery methods include deploying projectiles comprising SERS-active material(s) which distribute their contents upon deployment to a target zone.

Low concentrations of chemical species (analytes) targeted for detection and analysis pose unique technical challenges. Because low-concentration detection and analysis of some chemical compounds necessitate large and heavy lab apparatus, field deployment is often rendered difficult or impossible. In addition, the targeted analytes may be hazardous (e.g., toxic, explosive, or the like).
There is a need for apparatus and processes that are both field portable and accurate, offering accurate and repeatable detection/analysis of the targeted analyte(s) from a safe distance. Applications include chemical detectors (e.g., hand-held chemical detectors or automated chemical detectors) for low-concentration analytes such as drugs, explosives, chemical and/or biological agents and weapons used in terrorist activities, and biological metabolites.

SERS devices for the remote analysis of analytes


A system is disclosed for materializing in space a point whose coordinates in a system of reference axes are known, comprising:. an optical aiming apparatus, occupying a pre-determined position with respect to said system of axes and making it possible to determine, in said system of axes, the coordinates of any point aimed at, and. a tooling assembly comprising a stand, one part at least of which is movable with respect to said system of axes and a hemispherical ball joint mounted in a spherical concave seat fixed to said movable part of the stand, the center of said ball joint being marked so as to be visible by said aiming apparatus.

The present invention relates to a system for materializing points in space, as well as applications thereof, particularly the placing of positioning references or workpieces, on mechanical assembly frames. It also relates to the tooling assemblies for said system.
In complex mechanical assemblies, for example in aeronautic equipment construction, for precisely positioning a structural assembly with respect to another, it is necessary to bring into alignment or coincidence reference points related to said structural assemblies.
Furthermore, in order to facilitate positioning of said structural assemblies with respect to each other, it is usual to materialize said reference points by positioning reference marks. Of course, it is then necessary to accurately adjust the position of said positioning reference marks on said reference points. Up to now, the adjustment of the reference points of the manufacturing or assembly frames in workshops has been carried out by positioning templates and standard gauges on said frames for accurately materializing these reference points.
Thus, on new frames, these templates and standard gauges make it possible to fix the position of each of these reference points at the beginning of manufacture and, on the frames in service, they make it possible to check periodically the positioning fidelity of these reference points and, if required, re-align them on their original position.
This method of adjustment involves manufacturing numerous and cumbersome templates or standard gauges and requires awkward and costly management of all these tooling assemblies for periodically checking the frames.

System for materializing a point in space, applications thereof and a tooling assembly for said system

Aerospatiale Societe Nationale Industrielle


A boom mounting assembly for attachment to an agricultural application machine is provided. The assembly includes a boom support frame which is suspended from a primary frame mounted to a chassis. The boom support frame comprises a transverse beam for supporting an intermediate section of a fluid application boom. The suspension mechanism allows both yaw and pitch of boom support frame relative to the primary frame resulting from fore and aft forces on the boom. Dampers are each connected between the primary frame and the boom support frame at a position spaced from the transverse center of the assembly. Damping of pitch and asymmetrical yaw movement of the transverse beam away from a neutral position is controlled by the first and second dampers.

Field of Invention
The invention relates to a boom mounting assembly for attachment to an agricultural application machine.
Description of Related Art
Agricultural application machines such as crop sprayers comprise a large volume tank carried on a chassis. Such machines can be trailed behind a tractor or provided as a self-propelled unit having an integral cab and engine. The machine further comprises an extending boom which provides a transverse line of uniformly spaced spray nozzles connected by pipes to the tank. During operation the application machine is moved across fields of crops such as cereals and maize to apply liquid fertilizer or chemical treatment such as herbicides, fungicides and pesticides to the crop in a controlled manner.
The boom typically ranges from 10 to 40 meters in length when fully extended and is supported at an intermediate section of around 4 meters in length by a boom mounting assembly. This leaves a significant portion of the boom unsupported when fully extended and relying on only the rigidity of the boom structure to remain in position. The effects of forces applied to the extremities of the boom are exacerbated due to the moment of the unsupported portion.
Movement of the boom is known to include yaw, pitch and roll. 'Yaw' is pivoting movement of the boom around a central vertical axis. In other words, the left-hand side of the boom moves forwards whilst the right-hand side moves rearwards. Excessive yaw movement can result in uneven application of the spray to areas of the field. 'Pitch' is movement of the entire boom about a transverse axis and typically results from acceleration or deceleration of the vehicle. Excessive yaw movement can also result in uneven spray application. 'Roll' is movement of the boom around a longitudinal axis and typically results from the vehicle being driven over uneven terrain. Left uncontrolled, excessive roll can result in the extremities of the boom striking the ground thus risking damage to both the boom and the crop.
Oscillations in any direction can increase in amplitude to the extent where the machine must be stopped and restarted leading to inconvenience for the operator and an inefficient working approach.
To control the oscillations and movement of the boom extremities damping means are often provided to damp movement of the boom mounting assembly relative to the machine. Attempts have been made to control the various oscillations in a boom resulting in rather complex suspension and damping systems. Although capable of controlling movements of the boom, known systems comprise many components adding to the overall weight and complexity of the assembly.

Boom mounting assembly for an agricultural application machine


Disclosed are a switch frame, a method of transmitting the same at a mobile station, and a quality indicator channel structure including the same. The frame for switching a cell/sector has at least one first slot at a beginning portion of the frame, the at least one first slot having a channel quality indicating information, and at least one second slot at an end portion of the frame, the at least one second slot having cell/sector switching information.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to communications, and more particularly, to a switch frame, a method of transmitting the same at a mobile station, and a quality indicator channel structure including the same.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
In a 1×EV-DV (1× EV-Data & Voice) system, a reverse-channel quality indicator channel (hereinafter referred to as R-CQICH) has been defined in order to support a high-rate packet data channel.
Briefly, the above-described R-CQICH transmission plays two roles. First, the R-CQICH physical channel is used to report channel quality information that is represented as a power ratio of a carrier-to-interference (hereinafter referred to as C/I) signal of a carrier of the best serving cell/sector for every 1.25 ms. Based on this channel information, a corresponding base transceiver subsystem (base station) varies transmission power levels of a packet data channel, and data transmission rates (for example, encoder packet data sizes and transmission slot durations, when to schedule a particular mobile station on the packet data channel, and when to handoff transmission on the packet data channel from one pilot (e.g., sector or base station (e.g., cell)) to another sector or base station (e.g., cell)).
Second, the CQICH may be used to point the best serving cell/sector among cells/sectors that belong to an active set. That is, since the whole or a portion of the CQICH is transmitted, being covered with a Walsh code of the best cell/sector, the corresponding base station can recognize the best serving cell/sector by decovering the CQICH. This coverage area represents a cell or any one of sectors included in the cell.
In case that no cell/sector switching exists, a transmission protocol of the CQICH is briefly divided into a normal mode and a reduced rate mode. Also, two kinds of transmission modes, that is, a full C/I feedback mode (hereinafter full reporting mode) and a differential C/I (modulation) feedback mode (hereinafter referred to as DM mode) exist with respect to the normal mode and the reduced rate mode, respectively. Further, the full and DM reporting mode are modified by pilot gating (hereinafter as control hold mode).
FIGS. 1A and 1B are diagrams explaining a related art method of transmitting channel information in a normal mode of an active state. FIGS. 2A and 2B are diagrams explaining a related art method of transmitting channel information in a ½ reduced rate mode of an active state. FIGS. 3A and 3B and 4A and 4B show a CQICH transmission mode in the control hold mode.
FIGS. 1A and 1B and FIGS. 2A and 2B are for explaining four kinds of transmission modes in case that no cell/sector switching exists in the transmission protocol of the CQICH, and they show the construction of frames for transmitting channel information (for instance, carrier-to-interference ratio).
The first transmission mode is a DM transmission mode in the normal mode as illustrated in FIG. 1A. In the DM mode of the normal mode, a mobile station quantizes forward full carrier-to-interference (C/I) information of the present serving cell/sector, i.e., the best serving cell/sector measured at a first slot of 1.25 ms for every frame of 20 ms by a predetermined number of bits, applies a [12, 4]-block coding to the quantized full C/I information, and performs a 8-ary Walsh covering with respect to the block-coded C/I information to transmit the Walsh-covered C/I information to at least one base station (BS) in an active set including the BTSs of the best serving cell/sector.
During the 15 remaining slots of 1.25 ms, the mobile station judges whether a C/I quality (e.g., forward link quality) measured at the present slot has been changed to a good quality or a bad quality in comparison to the full C/I information measured at the previous slot, and transmits a quality up/down command (or differential modulation symbol with at least one bit) to the base stations accordingly. This quality up/down command is repeated 15 times, and the 8-ary Walsh covering that corresponds to the best serving cell/sector is applied thereto for its transmission.
The full C/I information and the up/down command can be detected and used only by the base stations that can perform a Walsh decovering of the full C/I information and the up/down command. In the DM mode of the normal mode, which is different from the full reporting mode of the normal mode, the transmission power can be greatly reduced if the number of bits of information to be transmitted for 1.25 ms is one. That is, by using the DM mode of the normal mode, the load of the reverse link can be greatly reduced in comparison to the full reporting mode of the normal mode.
However, the DM mode of the normal mode has the disadvantages that if the corresponding base station cannot detect the full C/I information of the best serving cell/sector received during the first slot period of the 20 ms frame or receives the full C/I information with an error rate of more than a target frame error rate, the base station can suffer an error propagation due to the 15-times DM symbols received after the full C/I information is transmitted. Accordingly, the 4-bit full C/I information, which is transmitted during the first slot period of each 20 ms frame, is transmitted with a sufficient transmission power so that the corresponding base station can accurately receive the information.
The second transmission mode is the full reporting mode in the normal mode as illustrated in FIG. 1B. In the full reporting mode of the normal mode, the mobile station measures the forward full C/I information of the best serving cell/sector for each 1.25 ms, quantizes the measured information by a predetermined number of bits, and applies a [12, 4]-block coding to the quantized information. Then, the mobile station performs a 8-ary Walsh covering of the best serving cell/sector with respect to the block-coded quantized information, and transmits the Walsh-covered information to at least one base station in an active set including the base stations of the best serving cell/sector.
The full C/I information can be detected and used only by the base stations that can perform a Walsh decovering of the full C/I information. In the full reporting mode of the normal mode, the corresponding base station can detect the quality information of the forward link relatively accurately, but it requires a large amount of transmission power. Thus, it has the disadvantages that it occupies a large capacity of the reverse link. As a result, the full reporting mode of the normal mode will be an improper transmission mode in case that many users exist on the reverse link, and thus it can be used only in case that the reverse load is small.
The third transmission mode is a DM transmission mode in the reduced rate mode as illustrated in FIG. 2A. In the DM mode of the reduced rate mode, the basic operation is the same as that of the DM mode of the first normal mode, but it has the following differences. That is, the number of repetition of the 4-bit full C/I information of the best serving cell/sector transmitted on the first slot for each 20 ms is determined according to a predetermined repetition rate.
For instance, if the repetition rate is 2, the same 4-bit full C/I information is transmitted during the period of the first and second slots. Then, all the DM information is transmitted in the same manner as the DM mode of the normal mode during the period of the third to 16th slots. The full C/I information and the quality up/down command can be detected and used only by the base stations that can perform a Walsh decovering of the full C/I information and the quality up/down command. In the DM mode of the reduced rate mode, which is similar to the full reporting mode of the reduced rate mode, the corresponding base station can accurately receive the 4-bit full C/I information even if a link imbalance occurs in the quality of the reverse link and the forward link.
The fourth transmission mode is the full reporting mode in the reduced rate mode as illustrated in FIG. 2B. In the full reporting mode of the reduced rate mode, the 4-bit full C/I information of the best serving cell/sector is transmitted for each slot in the same manner as the full reporting mode of the normal mode. However, the same 4-bit full C/I information is repeatedly transmitted according to a repetition rate that has been prescribed differently from the DM mode of the reduced rate mode.
If the repetition rate is 2, the 4-bit full C/I information transmitted on the first slot is the same as that transmitted on the second slot. In the same manner, the 4-bit full C/I information transmitted on the third slot is the same as that transmitted on the fourth slot. If the repetition rate is 4, the same 4-bit full C/I information is transmitted on the first, second, third and fourth slots, respectively. The full C/I information can be detected and used only by the base stations that can perform a Walsh decovering of the full C/I information.
If the 4-bit full C/I information is repeatedly transmitted in the above-described manner, the probability that the corresponding base station accurately receives the 4-bit full C/I information can be increased. Accordingly, in the full reporting transmission mode in the reduced rate mode, the corresponding base station can receive the 4-bit full C/I information with an error rate below a target error rate, even in case that the link imbalance occurs between the reverse link and the forward link and the quality of the reverse link deteriorates although the quality of the forward link is good.
A mode to be considered in addition to the above-described four transmission modes is a control hold mode as illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B and FIGS. 4A and 4B. This mode is for limiting transmission of a pilot channel and transmission of an CQICH by slots in order to prevent waste of power in case that data to be transmitted on the reverse or forward link does not exist.
It is required that the channel quality information and change information (switching information) on the best serving cell/sector on the Channel Quality Indicator Channel (CQICH) varies depending on the above-described transmission modes on the CQICH. Also, a frame structure of the CQICH should be defined so that the base station may efficiently receive and use the channel quality information and the switching information. For example, as the channel quality information should be continuously updated by the base station and the base station also should schedule mobile stations on the CQICH based on the switching information, the base station should receive the channel quality information without an error or a time delay.

Switch frame, method of transmitting the switch frame and a quality indicator channel structure including the switch frame