A method for operating a driven output device provided in an articulated head, mobile prop, or other object worn by a performer. The method includes providing a wearable control system, the control system including a driver for the output device, a control module, a wireless receiver, and memory. The method includes storing a set of show control commands for the output device in the memory, and receiving a show control signal with the wireless receiver from a wayside controller. The method includes operating the control module to process the show control signal, to retrieve the show control commands, and to signal the driver to drive the output device based on the commands. The commands are selected based on a character identifier stored in memory associated with the output device such as in a character head junction box, and this memory stores tuning or configuration data for the output device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to costumes with portions that can be animated or articulated while worn such as character heads with a mouth and eyes that can be articulated or moved by a person wearing the head, and, more particularly, to systems and methods for providing more effective and interactive control over portions of a worn costume that can be articulated with local control by the person wearing the costume and with remote control by wayside or offstage controllers or control systems or a combination thereof.
2. Relevant Background
Actors, performers, or puppeteers wear costumes when they perform as a character such as in a live show, in a parade, in interactive entertainment settings, and in venues that call for a character to walk among and nearby audience members or guests. For example, costumes may include character heads that a performer wears on top of or covering their own head, and such character heads have been designed to allow motion of costume features such as to allow moving the mouth to move in synchronization to an audio output or the performer's voice. In other cases, the eyes may be moved or articulated and/or the eyelids may be opened and closed, and other features may also be moved such as expressive eyebrow movement. Such animation of the costume features and, particularly, of the head or face has been well received by audiences as the articulation or movement helps to bring the character to life and enhances the entertainment experience of the audience members or guests.
In a typical articulated character head, the mouth and eye motions may be provided with motorized motions. A performer may wear sensors on their fingers and their finger movements provide inputs or control signals (e.g., analog input signals) that cause a radio or remote controlled (RC) servo to move the portions of the costume such as to open and close a character's mouth or eyes when the performer moves their fingers. Generally, RC servos are battery powered and each RC servo includes a proportional servo amplifier, a DC motor, and feedback potentiometer within a single case, and a character head will include an RC servo and battery for each feature that can be articulated (e.g., two to five when the mouth, eyes, and eyebrows all move). In addition to control by the performer, RC controllers with joysticks, switches, and knobs similar or equivalent to the controllers used to control hobby cars and planes may be used to remotely control or operate the RC servos so as to allow someone offstage or "Wayside" to wirelessly control facial movements or move other costume features by providing real time or live control signals.
Existing techniques for articulating character head and other costume features have proven the creative and technical feasibility and desirability of animating facial and other functions on a wearable costume. Unfortunately, there are a number of drawbacks to the existing costumes that has hindered or slowed their adoption by the entertainment industry. Existing technology is heavily reliant upon the skill and training of the performer wearing the costume or a wayside performer. The performer needs to be a puppeteer as they move their fingers of one hand (such as their dominant hand) to move the mouth in time with an audio track or their own speech and move fingers of their other hand to move the eyes or other features, and, while they are doing such articulation they may also need to be moving their body in a normal manner or even to provide a performance (e.g., puppet the head features while dancing). Such skills may only be found in a small fraction of performers and/or may require significant training, which can increase costs and limit widespread implementation of such costumes. Furthermore, existing wayside control techniques, such as wireless hobby RC transmitters and receivers operate via radio frequency (RF) transmission, which is prone to wireless transmission failure that may result in an unexpected character movement or lack of an expected movement causing a bad show.
Another limitation is that the character heads can become heavy as more RC servos are placed within the head. The use of RC servos may provide significant motor noise that limits use of such costumes to settings where the character will not be close to audience members who may hear and be distracted by the noises. The motors used now may also generate heat within the head, which can be an issue for worn costumes. The RC servos are often hobby grade devices, and there are concerns regarding the life and reliability of these devices. Further, the existing controller of the RC servos are typically analog and provide only a proportional rotary motion, which may not be precise or exact enough to replicate mouth or eye movements of a character. Existing costumes with articulated features also often require significant amounts of technician set up prior to each show that further limits adoption of such costumes.
Hence, there remains a need for improved methods and systems for worn costumes with features or portions that can be articulated or moved by a performer wearing the costume and in response to remote control signals or inputs. Preferably, such methods and systems would provide a more reliable and versatile costume with reduced noise, long life, and fidelity of motion.

Method and system for articulated character head actuation and control


An engine drive torque is distributed to an extra wheel at a predetermined distribution ratio. When the vehicle makes a turn at low speed and when the torque distribution ratio to the extra drive wheel is high, a torsion is produced in the vehicle body, suspension and tires, etc., due to a rotation radius difference between the main and extra drive wheels. After the vehicle has stopped, and the engine is stopped, torque is no longer distributed to the extra drive wheel, the torsion is suddenly released and the vehicle vibrates. According to this invention, the release of torsion is performed gradually by decreasing the torque distribution ratio when the vehicle has stopped, with the engine still running in order to prevent this vibration.

A device which varies the distribution ratio of a drive torque between the main drive wheels and extra drive wheels of a four-wheel drive vehicle is disclosed for example in Tokkai Hei 2-270641 published in 1990 by Japanese Patent Office.
In this device, the main drive wheels are directly driven, while the extra drive wheels and engine drive shaft are connected via a wet type multi-plate friction clutch.
The torque distribution ratio to the extra drive wheels is varied by varying the grip force of the clutch according to a control signal. The grip force of the clutch is increased the larger the difference between the rotation speeds of the front and rear wheels, i.e. the larger the slip of the rear wheels which are the main drive wheels. As a result, the distribution ratio of the drive force to the front wheels, which are the extra drive wheels, is increased, and the slip of the rear wheels is promptly terminated.
In such a four-wheel drive vehicle, when the vehicle makes a turn during four-wheel drive, the difference in the rotation radius of the front and rear wheels causes a torsion in the suspension, tires and vehicle body.
If the driver stops the vehicle in the turn and turns off the engine, the grip force of the clutch falls to zero because the clutch grip force comes from an oil pump driven by the engine, and as the front wheels suddenly become free, the torsion in the suspension, tyres and vehicle body is immediately released. The release of this torsion causes the vehicle body to vibrate and oscillate in a top/bottom and front/back direction, and this gives an uncomfortable feeling to the driver and passengers of the vehicle.

Vehicle drive torque distribution control system


A method of operation of an electronic reader system includes: identifying a first feature point on a first multimedia book when a behavior pattern matches or exceeds a threshold pattern; generating a first bookmark corresponding to the first feature point; ranking a mark importance priority of the first bookmark based on the behavior pattern; rendering the first bookmark for displaying on a display; and updating the display based on the mark importance priority.

Modern portable consumer and industrial electronics, especially client devices such as electronic reader systems, cellular phones, portable digital assistants, and combination devices, are providing increasing levels of functionality to support modern life including distributing and displaying multimedia books. Research and development in the existing technologies can take a myriad of different directions.
One resulting technology can provide multiple multimedia applications with multiple multimedia files, such as electronic books or electronic videos readable on an electronic reader (e-reader). As users become more empowered with the growth of e-reader devices, new and old paradigms begin to take advantage of this new device space. There are many technological solutions to take advantage of this new portable reader device opportunity. However, the tools available are often not efficient in properly bookmarking these multimedia files.
Thus, a need still remains for an electronic reader system with bookmarking to provide users records of stored locations in a multimedia book. In view of the ever-increasing commercial competitive pressures, along with growing consumer expectations and the diminishing opportunities for meaningful product differentiation in the marketplace, it is increasingly critical that answers be found to these problems. Additionally, the need to reduce costs, improve efficiencies and performance, and meet competitive pressures adds an even greater urgency to the critical necessity for finding answers to these problems.
Solutions to these problems have been long sought but prior developments have not taught or suggested any solutions and, thus, solutions to these problems have long eluded those skilled in the art.

Electronic reader system with bookmarking and method of operation thereof


An optical coupling apparatus comprising a substrate having a trench formed therein, the trench having a width measured between two opposing walls that define a portion of the trench; and a waveguide disposed on or in the substrate, the waveguide having a width that tapers along an axis of light propagation.

Integrated optical devices (e.g., photonic integrated circuits) are well suited to applications in various technologies such as telecommunications, instrumentation, signal processing and sensors. In operation, photonic integrated circuits use optical waveguides to implement devices, such as optical switches, optical couplers and wavelength multiplexers/demultiplexers, for example. Such waveguides, when integrated with a photonic integrated circuit, are typically implemented as solid dielectric light conductors, which are fabricated on a substrate in a very similar fashion as semiconductor integrated circuits are manufactured. Waveguides transmit light around optical circuits and also connect to external optical waveguides, such as optical fibers, typically by direct physical abutment of the fiber with the waveguide. However, in such a configuration, a mode mismatch results between the integrated waveguide and the optical fiber.
As such, improvements are needed.

Fiber-to-waveguide coupling with high alignment tolerance

The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York


A system and a method on an integrated circuit are provided herein. The system may include: a plurality of defined data processing dedicated areas to perform computational functions relating to a corresponding plurality of natural user interface features, to obtain the plurality of user interface features based on scene features detected by a plurality of sensors within a defined period of time; a central processing unit configured to carry out software instructions to support the computational functions of the dedicated areas; and at least one defined area for synchronized data management, to receive signals corresponding to detected scene features from the plurality of sensors and to route the signals to suitable dedicated areas of the plurality of dedicated areas to provide real-time acquiring of user interface features.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to signal processing systems, and more particularly, to signal processing systems that process signals from a plurality of sensors for user interface purposes.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Natural user interface (NUI) has become very popular in recent years with the introduction of true experience computer games and sophisticated consumer electronic goods. Most NUI-based products provide some or all of the following NUI functionalities: gesture recognition, gaze detection, face recognition, expression recognition, speech detection, speech recognition, and depth map generation. Some of the current NUI solutions are based on the generation of a depth map of the scene which is later enhanced with optical/visible light data of the scene.
Some of the disadvantages of the currently available NUI solutions are their dependency upon the accuracy of the depth map and the data derived therefrom. It would be therefore advantageous to provide a NUI processing system that provides a holistic, multi sense solution that encompasses a broader spectrum of NUI applications.
Some of the disadvantages of currently available NUI solutions are their dependency on a single modality of information. For example one system is doing gaze tracking and one system is doing gesture recognition. Thus on certain devices you will find multiple separate systems for gaze tracking, gesture recognition, face recognition, speech recognition, etc. This leads to several problems: (1) the combined CPU requirements of all systems exceeds the device CPU power; (2) electrical power over usage; (3) each sub-system works in its own time frame and they are not synchronized, therefore they fail to interpret the true intention of the user; (4) the combined processing time of the system is too long and causes a long delay (latency) between the user action and system response. In some systems the distance between the sensor and the processing unit also induce even more latency.

Multiple sensors processing system for natural user interface applications


A disk drive data storage system, comprising a magnetic disk a head for writing data to the disk, and circuitry for providing a first voltage (HWX) to a first node (N1) and a second voltage (HWY) to a second node (N2). The first and second voltage circuitry comprises a first transistor (421P2) of a first type and coupled to the first node, a first transistor (422N2) of a second type and coupled to the second node, a second transistor (441P2) of the first type and coupled to the second node, and a second transistor (442N2) of the second type and coupled to the node. The system also comprises circuitry for providing, during a first time period, a first biasing signal (VNDY) and a second biasing signal (VPDY) and circuitry for providing, during a second time period, a third biasing signal (VNDX) and a fourth biasing signal (VPDX).

The present embodiments relate to hard disk drives and are more particularly directed to a disk drive control circuit, such as may be included within a disk drive pre-amplifier, for providing voltage waveforms to drive the disk drive write mechanism.
Computer use is extremely prevalent and beneficial in today's society and has fueled ongoing efforts at improving all aspects of computer technology and design. Computers take various forms, such as the examples of desktops, workstations, or portable devices. Many of these computers include various types of storage devices, and in connection with the preferred embodiments described later, one of these devices is the hard disk drive. A hard disk drive or "hard drive" is characterized in that its read/write magnetic medium is typically not removable from the location of the read/write heads, although in some instances there may be some aspect of removability. In any event, in response to factors such as demand and competition, technology continues to strive to increase the performance of hard disk drives, such as by increasing the speed at which the drive reads and writes data relative to its magnetic disk medium. Such advancements include matters of various complexity, particularly with speeds now in the range of four gigabits per second ("Gps"). Further, various approaches of the prior art that may have proven workable in slower hard disk drives are now becoming limitations at advanced read/write speeds.
By way of further background, the disk drive write head may be electrically understood as in effect an inductor that is proximate the disk medium. Two different voltages are applied, respectively, to the two terminals of the inductor so as to generate a current through it. A generated current in a first direction writes a first binary state to the nearby disk medium, while a current generated in a second, and opposite, direction writes a second binary state to the disk medium. In generating the above-described voltages, it is known to be desirable to generate either directional current waveform to include an overshoot that is then followed by a DC component. In other words, the current waveform settles to an absolute value that is less than that of the overshoot, where that value is desired to write a corresponding binary state. Only by way of example, an overshoot of 120 mA may be generated and followed by a DC current of 40 mA to write a binary 1, while an overshoot of −120 mA may be generated and followed by a DC current of −40 mA to write a binary 0.
In connection with the preferred embodiments described later, the present inventor recognizes a limitation of prior art disk drives with respect to the waveforms that are generated to drive the drive's write head. Specifically, as drive speeds have increased, then there is a corresponding shorter period of time for the drive currents to change between writing different binary states. For example, for a 4 Gps write, each write must occur in 250 picoseconds. Thus, if a write of a binary 1 occurs in one cycle followed by a write of a binary 0 in the next successive cycle, then the voltage waveforms used to drive the head (i.e., as an inductor) must switch state in 250 picoseconds. While generating waveforms to accomplish this may be feasible in the prior art, the present inventor has observed that the change in magnetic field that occurs as a result of this fast switching of voltages may have a negative effect on the drive's nearby read head. More particularly, typically the tracer for the read head is close to the tracer for the write head. Thus, there is a coupling, or cross-talk, of the magnetic field generated by the write head tracer to the nearby read head tracer. Further, in contemporary drives the physical components of the read head may be very sensitive, and the large energy imposed on the device by the cross-talk may physically damage the read head. This cross-talk problem will likely become worse as disk drive write speeds continue to increase.
As a result of the preceding, there arises a need to address the drawbacks of the prior art as is achieved by the preferred embodiments described below.

High speed hard disk drive with symmetric writer


A gate driving apparatus for a liquid crystal display includes a shift register which is provided with first and second half-period clock signals having phases inverted with respect to each other and each having a pulse width of a half-period, first to fourth one-period clock signals having phases shifted sequentially and each having a pulse width of one period, a start pulse, a high-level supply voltage and a low-level supply voltage. The shift register generates a half-period output in response to the start pulse and the first and second half-period clock signals. The shift register also generates a one-period output at a half-period delay from an end time of the half-period output in response to any one of the first to fourth one-period clock signals.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display, and more particularly to a gate driving apparatus and a gate driving method in a liquid crystal display.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
In general, a liquid crystal display (LCD) controls a light transmittance of a liquid crystal using an electric field to thereby display a picture.
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a configuration of a an active matrix liquid crystal display device in accordance with the related art. Referring to FIG. 1, the active matrix LCD includes a liquid crystal display panel 13. The LCD panel 13 comprises (m×n) liquid crystal cells Clc in a matrix arrangement, m data lines D1 to Dm and n gate lines G1 to Gn intersecting each other. TFT's are provided at the intersections thereof of the data lines and the gate lines. The LCD panel includes a data driving circuit 11 for applying data to the data lines D1 to Dm of the liquid crystal display panel 13. The LCD panel 13 also includes a gate driving circuit 12 for applying a scanning pulse to the gate lines G1 to Gn.
The liquid crystal display panel has liquid crystal molecules injected between two glass substrates. The data lines D1 to Dm and the gate lines G1 to Gn, which cross each other perpendicularly, are provided at the lower glass substrate of the liquid crystal display panel 13. The TFT provided at each intersection between the data lines D1 to Dm and the gate lines G1 to Gn applies a data voltage supplied via the data line D1 to Dn to the liquid crystal cell Clc in response to a scanning pulse from the gate line G1 to Gn. To this end, the gate electrode of the TFT is connected to the gate line G1 to Gn while the drain electrode thereof is connected to the data line D1 to Dm. Further, the source electrode of the TFT is connected to a pixel electrode of the liquid crystal cell Clc.
The upper glass substrate of the liquid crystal display panel 13 is provided with black matrix, color filters and common electrode (not shown). Polarizers having a perpendicular light axis are attached onto the upper and lower glass substrates of the liquid crystal display panel 13, and an alignment film for establishing a free-tilt angle of the liquid crystal is provided at the inner side thereof tangent to the liquid crystal.
The liquid crystal cell Clc of the liquid crystal display panel 13 is provided with a storage capacitor Cst. The storage capacitor Cst is provided between the pixel electrode of the liquid crystal cell Clc and the pre-stage gate line or between the pixel electrode of the liquid crystal cell Clc and a common electrode line (not shown), thereby constantly keeping a voltage of the liquid crystal cell Clc.
The data driving circuit 1 comprises a plurality of data driving integrated circuits. Each of the data driving integrated circuits includes a shift register, a latch, a digital to analog converter and an output buffer. The data driving circuit 11 latches a digital video data, and converts the digital video data to an analog gamma compensation voltage to thereby apply it to the data lines D1 to Dm.
The gate driving circuit 12 comprises a plurality of gate driving integrated circuits. Each of the gate driving integrated circuits includes a shift register for sequentially shifting a start pulse every one horizontal period to generate a scanning pulse, a level shifter for converting an output signal of the shift register to a swing width suitable for a driving of the liquid crystal cell Clc, and an output buffer connected between the level shifter and the gate line G1 to Gn. The gate driving circuit 12 sequentially applies the scanning pulse to the gate lines G1 to Gn to select a horizontal line of the liquid crystal display panel 13 supplied with a data.
FIG. 2 is a waveform diagram of driving signals and data voltages applied to the liquid crystal cells of the liquid crystal display panel in accordance with the related art. In FIG. 2, 'Vd' represents a data voltage outputted by the data driving circuit 11 and applied to the data lines D1 to Dm. 'Vlc' represents a data voltage charged and discharged in and from the liquid crystal cell Clc. Further, 'Scp' represents a scanning pulse generated in one horizontal period. 'Vcom' represents a common voltage applied to the common electrode of the liquid crystal cell Clc.
FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of a shift register of a gate driving circuit in accordance with the related art. In FIG. 3, the shift register comprises n stages 31 to 3n connected in cascade. A level shifter and an output buffer (not shown) are provided between the stages 31 to 3n and the gate lines G1 to Gn.
In the shift register depicted in FIG. 3, a start pulse SP is inputted to the first stage 21. Output signals g1 to gn−1 from stages 1 to n−1 are inputted as start pulses to the second to nth stages 22 to 2n, respectively. Further, each stage 21 to 2n has the same circuit configuration, and shifts the start pulse SP or the output signals g1 to gn−1 of the previous stage in response to two clock signals of four clock signals C1 to C4, thereby generating a scanning pulse. The generated scanning pulse has a pulse width of one horizontal period.
FIG. 4 is a detailed circuit diagram of a stage circuit configuration of the shift register in accordance with the related art. FIG. 4 depicts a detailed circuit configuration of i-th stage 2i (wherein i is an integer ranging from 1 to n) in the shift register shown in FIG. 3. Stage 2i includes a fifth NMOS transistor T5 for applying a high logical voltage signal to an output node 3i, and a sixth NMOS transistor T6 for applying a low logical voltage signal to an output node 4i.
FIG. 5 is a waveform diagram of input signals of the stage circuit and signals at a control node and an output node in accordance with the related art. An operation of stage 2i will be described in reference to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5.
During a time interval t1, the first and second clock signals C1 and C2 remain at a low logical voltage. The start pulse SP or the output signal gi−1 of the previous stage having a high logical voltage is applied to the gate electrodes of the first and fourth NMOS transistors T1 and T4 to thereby turn on the first and fourth NMOS transistors T1 and T4. A voltage VP1 at a first node P1 is raised to a middle voltage to turn on the fifth NMOS transistor T5, but a voltage Vouti at the output node 3i remains at a low logical voltage because the first clock signal C1 remains at a low logical voltage. A turning-on of the fourth NMOS transistor T4 lowers a voltage at a second node P2 to turn off the second and sixth NMOS transistors T2 and T6, thereby shutting off a discharge path of the first node P1.
During a time interval t2, the first clock signal C1 is inverted to a high logical voltage while the start pulse SP and the output signal gi−1 of the previous stage are inverted to a low logical voltage. The first and fourth NMOS transistors T1 and T4 are turned off. The voltage VP1 at the first node P1 is increased by a voltage charged in a parasitic capacitor between the drain electrode and the gate electrode of the fifth NMOS transistor supplied with a high logical voltage of the first clock signal C1. Thereby, the voltage VP1 is raised beyond a threshold voltage of the fifth NMOS transistor T5. In other words, the voltage VP1 at the first node P1 becomes higher during time interval t2 than during than time interval t1 due to a bootstrapping effect. Thus, during time interval t2, the fifth NMOS transistor T5 is turned on. The voltage Vouti at the output node 3i is driven by a voltage of the first clock signal C1 supplied by a conduction of the fifth NMOS transistor T3. Consequently, voltage Vouti is inverted to a high logical voltage.
During a time interval t3 interval, the first clock signal C1 is inverted to a low logical voltage. The fifth NMOS transistor T5 remains in an on-state. A voltage Vout at the output node 4i is inverted to a low logic voltage while being discharged via the fifth NMOS transistor T5. Concurrently, a voltage VP1 at the first node P1 is lowered to a middle voltage.
During a time interval t4, the third clock signal C3 is inverted to a high logical voltage. The third NMOS transistor T3 is turned on in response to the third clock signal C3, and a high-level supply voltage VDD is applied, via the third NMOS transistor T3, to the second node P2 to thereby raises a voltage VP2 at the second node P2. The rising voltage VP2 at the second node P2 turns on the sixth NMOS transistor T6 to discharge a voltage Vouti at the output node 3i to a ground voltage VSS. Concurrently, the voltage VP2 turns on the second NMOS transistor T2 to discharge the voltage VP1 at the first node P1 to the ground voltage VSS.
However, the related art LCD has a problem in that it has a high manufacturing cost caused by the multitude of data lines D1 to Dm provided at the liquid crystal display panel 13 and the multitude of driving integrated circuits of the data driving circuit 11 for supplying a data voltage to the data lines D1 to Dm. Such a problem becomes more serious as a resolution goes higher and the liquid crystal display panel 13 has a larger dimension.

Gate driving apparatus and method for liquid crystal display


An animal entrance to be installed in a window, made up of an elongated enclosure with a front entrance door, a rear exit door and a swinging door between the front entrance door and the rear exit door. In a second embodiment of the invention, two enclosures, each having an open end and a closed end, are telescoped together to adjust to the window size. Each enclosure has a door adjacent its closed end and a swinging door in one of the enclosures adjacent its opened end is provided, whereby an animal can enter one door, pass through the swinging door and exit the other door thereby going from outside the house to the inside and visa versa.

This invention relates to animal passageways and more particularly to an entrance for animals to be placed in openings in walls of buildings wherein small animals can pass through the opening, yet larger animals, winds and air drafts are restricted.
This passageway is especially suited for pet cats. It is made in two parts so that one side telescopes into the other as a sleeve, making it adjustable to fit most windows. It is fitted into a window much the same way as an air conditioner. It has an entry in one side adjacent one end, a flap in the middle and an exit in the other side adjacent the other end. This enables a cat or cats to come indoors and go outdoors when the owner is at work or otherwise away from home. This eliminates the need for a bothersome litterbox and allows the cat or cats to get exercise. It is made to have the appearance of a house having a roof, windows and doors.
It is an object of the invention to provide an animal entrance that may be placed in a window or other opening of a house or the like, so that an animal, for example a cat or cats, can enter or exit the house yet weather and large animals are excluded.
Another object is to provide an animal entrance that is simple in construction, economical to manufacture and simple and efficient to use.
Another object is to provide an improved animal entrance.
With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists of the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportions and minor details of construction without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.
Applicant is aware of the following patents. It is believed that none of patents discloses her invention:
3,985,174 Bricker et al. PA0 4,224,899 Cruchelow et al. PA0 4,291,645 Cruchelow et al. PA0 4,445,459 Julie et al. PA0 4,754,797 Sronce et al. PA0 4,760,872 Hale, Jr. et al. PA0 4,827,872 Sommers et al. PA0 4,829,700 Ha et al.


Disclosed is a method for treating heap leach stacks by applying an insoluble polyimide composition, such as polysuccinimide, to the surface of an ore stack and/or incorporating the insoluble polyimide composition throughout the ore stack. The insoluble polyimide composition is then exposed to an aqueous solution to initiate hydrolysis and produce one or more water soluble products, such as hydrolyzed polyimides, polycarboxylates, polycarboxylic acids and mixtures thereof that will permeate the ore stack at a concentration sufficient to suppress scale formation within the leach stack. The water soluble products may also act to suppress scale formation in piping and channels peripheral to the leach stack, thereby reducing maintenance expenses.

One technique for extracting metal from ores and other mineral material is to heap leach the material. Lixiviation is the process for effecting contact between the ore and the leaching solution. The process is normally accomplished by circulating the solution through the stationary ore mass, a technique commonly known as "percolation." The rate of percolation will depend on a number of factors including, for example, the particle size distribution of the ore, the depth of the leach pad, the composition of the heap, scale formation within the heap, the strength of the leaching solution (e.g., conventional leach heaps use one to four pounds of sodium cyanide per ton of water for recovering gold), the quantity of leaching solution per unit area or mass and the manner in which the leaching solution is distributed over the bed of crushed ore.
An engineered pile, or heap, of particulate material is typically constructed over an engineered liner and liquid collection system. Leach solution is then applied to the upper surface of the heap and allowed to percolate through the heap where it contacts the material and dissolves one or more metal of interest or a compound thereof into the leach solution to form a pregnant solution. The pregnant leach solution is then recovered through a solution collection system and processed to separate the dissolved metal(s).
A common problem with heap leaching is the non-uniform leaching of metals from the heap. Even after extensive leaching, some portions of the heap often remain under-leached or even substantially un-leached. For example, it is often difficult to ensure that the applied leach solution will contact all portions of the heap uniformly because of permeability variations that exist within the heap. Such permeability variations may result in preferential flow of leach solution through higher permeability portions of the heap, leaving lower permeability portions under-leached or un-leached. Differences in the physical and/or chemical properties in the ore found in some portions of the heap may be less conductive to dissolution of the metal into the leach solution and may also result in less uniform leaching.
Metals remaining in under-leached and un-leached portions of a heap following heap leach operations often represent a significant loss. Some heaps are difficult to percolate because their high clay content results in leachate pooling on the surface of the heap and/or presents a barrier between to the target particle and the leachate. For these reasons, higher clay ores may be deemed uneconomical to leach or may require alternate milling extraction technologies which are energy intensive and may be substantially more expensive per unit of metal recovered.
Some ores include calcium and iron deposits distributed through the heap that incorporate valuable metal content but which are more resistant to conventional leach solutions than other ore components and tend, therefore, to suppress metal recovery percentages. Improved dissolution of these calcium and iron ore phases can result in increased liberation of metal.
Leach solutions are typically applied to heaps through a series of emitter lines which drip leach solution on an upper surface of the heap. Because these emitter lines are subject to scale formation, polymers such as polyacrylate and phosphonates are typically added to the leach solution to suppress scale formation in the emitter lines as well as within the heap itself and the solution collection system. A leaching solution, or lixiviant, used for reclaiming gold and/or silver from a bed of low-grade ore generally constitutes aqueous solutions of sodium cyanide mixed with oxygen (air) to convert the noble metal (M) to a soluble compound NaM(CN), from which M can subsequently be recovered either by precipitation with zinc dust or aluminum powder, carbon absorption, or by electrowinning. Electrowinning, also called electroextraction, is the electrodeposition of metals from their ores that have been put in solution or liquefied to form a leach solution. A current is then passed from an inert anode through the leach solution so that the metal is deposited (electroplated) onto a cathode and thereby removed from the solution with the resulting metals being referred to as electrowon. Sulfuric acid or sulfuric acid-ferric sulfate is the principle practical copper mineral lixiviant.
After the metal ore has been pre-crushed to sufficiently small size, thereby increasing its surface area and enabling the leaching solution to reach more of the metallic-mineral particles within the ore, the crushed ore is typically heaped onto an impervious pad to a depth of ten to thirty feet (3 to 10 meters). Gold and silver ores, for example, are run-of-mine or more commonly crushed to 40-200 mesh size with the metal recovery increasing as the ore particle size is reduced. Metal ore particles that are too fine, however, have a tendency to pack together and suppress percolation through the crushed ore. The underlying pad is usually sloped with the pregnant solution being recovered for subsequent processing by perforated drain pipes or channels positioned on the impervious base, typically at the lower "toe" portion of the pad.

Anti-scale composition and method of use for leach fields


The movement guidance device includes a first unit which calculates at least one of an error range of a first arrival time and an error range of a first movement time in a first route to the destination, a second unit which calculates at least one of an error range of a second arrival time and an error range of a second movement time in a second route, which is a route to the destination and is different from the first route, at a point where the second route is branched from the first route, and an output unit which outputs at least one of the error range of the second arrival time and the error range of the second movement time calculated by the second unit based on whether the error range calculated by the second unit is smaller than the error range calculated by the first unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a movement guidance device and a movement guidance method which are usefully applied to guidance relating to movement of a mobile object to a destination.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, an information terminal, such as a navigation system for a vehicle, is provided with a function of guiding a route from a present place to a destination. This type of information terminal guides a driver with the route to the destination to a driver and with a predicted arrival time, which is the time at which the vehicle arrives at the destination or the time necessary until the arrival. The predicted arrival time calculated in an undifferentiated manner based on a traveling distance from a departure place to the destination changes every time depending on a road situation or the like, and thus there is often a difference between an actual arrival time and the predicted arrival time. Accordingly, for example, a device described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2008-96445 (JP 2008-96445 A) is configured to calculate an error in predicted arrival time based on the degree of variation of traffic information for use in calculating the predicted arrival time. The device described in JP 2008-96445 A is configured to display the calculated error along with the predicted arrival time.
On the other hand, for example, if the predicted arrival time and a range of error of several minutes to tens of minutes before and after the predicted arrival time are guided, the driver has to recognize the predicted arrival time at a wide time width including an error. Then, for example, while the driver determines that the vehicle arrives at the earliest time out of the predicted arrival time including an error, when an actual arrival time is the latest time out of the predicted arrival time including an error, there is a significant difference between the predicted arrival time including an error expected by the driver and the actual arrival time. For this reason, even though an error in predicted arrival time is displayed, the driver is likely to feel unease.

Movement guidance device and movement guidance method


A method of controlling a port in an apparatus includes receiving an instruction for execution by a processor. The method further includes executing the instruction, by writing a value to a storage location corresponding to the port, and by initializing a count operation. The method further includes proceeding with the count operation until a final count value is reached, and providing to the port the value written to the storage location.

Electronic systems, products, and devices often include circuitry or devices for processing information and data. The inclusion of processing capability has been in part in response to the relatively large increase in the amount of information or data generally.
Processors, such as microprocessors or microcontrollers are commonly used to process data or information. Typical microprocessors or microcontrollers include a number of ports for receiving or transmitting information, such as data, address, status, control signals, and the like. In some situations, a program running on the processor may interact with one or more ports.

Port control apparatus and associated methods


A transport refrigeration unit (TRU) is provided and includes a power generation unit, a catalytic element, a tubular element fluidly interposed between the power generation unit and the catalytic element and a control System. The control System is disposed and configured to control operations of the power generation unit in accordance with readings of sensed characteristics of fluid flows between the power generation unit and the catalytic element.

The following description relates to transport refrigeration units (TRUs) and, more specifically, to TRUs that monitor exhaust back pressures and temperatures.
Engines that are installed inside TRUs must comply with engine manufacturer specifications. These specifications include exhaust back pressure specifications. An exhaust back pressure that is within an expected or predictable range leads to correct or proper engine running operations. On the other hand, a broken or damaged exhaust system may generate back pressures that are outside of expected ranges and could lead to faulty engine operations, such as those where exhaust gas temperatures are indicative of an overheating instance and a potential a thermal event inside the TRU.

Exhaust back pressure and temperature monitoring transport refrigiration unit


The apparatus is designed to dispense an aerosol product from a pressurized cylindrical cannister having a depressible nozzle at one end. The dispenser is pistol-shaped, formed of a generally cylindrical body and a downwardly extending handle with a trigger. The body defines an elongated recess adapted to receive and engage the cannister, with the nozzle situated substantially along the axis of the body. The dispenser body has a nose part moveably mounted in the front end. Means are provided for connecting the trigger to move the nose part relative to the body to depress the canister nozzle such that the product is released through an opening in the nose part.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to dispensers for spraying aerosol products supplied in pressurized canisters and more particularly to a pistol-shaped dispenser that receives the canister and is trigger actuated to release the product spray in a direction along the axis of the canister.
2. Description of Prior Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
Many types of dispensers are known for dispensing aerosol products from pressurized canisters that have a top mounted axial stem which is depressible to release the product spray. For example: U.S. Pat. No. 4,805,812, issued Feb. 21, 1989 to Brody; U.S. Pat. No. 5,086,954, issued Feb. 11, 1992 to Brody; U.S. Pat. No. 5,819,985, issued Oct. 13, 1998 to Brody; U.S. Pat. No. 5,323,937, issued Jun. 28, 1994 to Brody; U.S. Pat. No. 4,432,474, issued Feb. 21, 1984 to Hutchinson et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,992,707, issued Nov. 30, 1999 to Galchuk; Pat. No. Des. 283,801, issued May 13, 1986 to Brown; Pat. No. Des. 287,394, issued Dec. 23, 1986 to Yamamoto U.S. Pat. No. 6,402,058, issued Jun. 11, 2002 to Kaneko and U.S. Pat. No. 4,742,963, issued May 10, 1988 to Marvaldi.
All of those dispensers are designed to release the product in a direction that is perpendicular to the axis of the canister. Since the stem is axially extending from the top of the canister, either a nozzle mounted on the stem or the dispenser itself must contain structure that redirects the product spray 90 degrees from the stem. Redirecting the spray in that manner diminishes the energy of the spray and hence the distance and spread of the spray.
Dispensers of that type are cumbersome because the canister is not received within the body of the dispenser but instead hangs down from the bottom of the dispenser. The dispensers are therefore not properly balanced, making them difficult to manipulate. They may require both hands to operate. Further, those dispensers tend not to be aesthetically pleasing in appearance.
Since the canister hangs down from the dispenser, it is necessary to have the dispenser engage the top of the canister securely to avoid having the canister accidentally dislodge from the dispenser. That requires a mechanical canister engagement mechanism which is capable of releasing the canister such that it can be removed from the dispenser when necessary for replacement or storage. However, given the need to securely engage the canister to retain the canister when fully loaded, the canister engagement mechanisms of the prior art dispensers are often difficult to release to permit the canister to be disengaged.
Those disadvantages are overcome by the structure of the present invention.


A disk device includes a top cover and a disk medium with a recording surface. The top cover includes a center horizontal portion having a surface which extends from a center point of the disk medium along the recording surface to an outer peripheral portion, a curved portion having a surface which extends from the outer peripheral portion of the center horizontal portion in a direction away from the recording surface, and an outer horizontal portion having a surface which extends from the curved portion in a direction away from the center point and along the recording surface. The recording surface includes a first zone in which data is set to be written, and a second zone in which data is set not to be written, the second zone being disposed adjacent to the first zone on an outer edge side of the disk medium from the first zone.

A disk device includes a head held directly above a rotating disk medium with a minute gap, and data is written to or read from the disk medium through the head. Since data is written and read in this way, the disk medium is generally configured to be covered by a housing or the like so as to be protected from impact. However, depending on the situation at the time of impact and the degree of impact, the written data may not be appropriately protected.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

TOSHIBA ELECTRONIC DEVICES & STORAGE CORPORATION


A method and system is provided for communicating encrypted user passwords from a client to a server. During new environment negotiations, the server communicates to the client a server random seed value. The client then generates a client random seed value and, using the client random seed value, the server random seed value, and the user variable name, an encrypted user password. The client then communicates to the server the client random seed, the user variable name and the encrypted user password. Then the server validates the encrypted user password using the server random seed, the client random seed and the user variable name.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
This invention relates access authorization in a network. More particularly, it relates to building and exchanging encrypted passwords between a client and a server.
2. Background Art
TCP/IP Telnet is an application that presents a terminal to a user. Normally, a user is required to sign-on to the Telnet application with a user name and a password. The sign-on will only proceed if a valid password has been received. Thus, the password is critical to gaining access to system functions and objects.
Many Telnet clients connect to a Telnet server and send both user name and password information in clear-text form. This means system security can be compromised by any tool that can read TCP/IP traffic which allows someone to detect the user name and password. Clear text passwords can be used by unscrupulous hackers to sign-on to a system to which they would not normally have access.
On the other hand, if the password were encrypted, then the Telnet server could use system functions to validate an encrypted password. An encrypted password is no good to a hacker, because an encrypted password is built dynamically using seeds and the real password. The real password is never sent over the TCP/IP network by the client. The real password is never seen by a hacker, and by the time a hacker sees the encrypted password it is no longer valid inasmuch as the real client will have already signed-on and subsequently invalidated the encrypted password.
Current Telnet design for TCP/IP networks is based upon the Internet standard RFC 854 Telnet Protocol Specification, among many others. Few of these RFCs provide a method to allow secure exchange of password information between client and server. With the explosion in Internet usage and associated privacy issues, a secure method to protect the user password from being sent across the Internet in unencrypted form is a critical issue for many businesses.
It is an object of the invention to provide an improved system and method for building and exchanging encrypted passwords.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a system and method usable within a TCP/IP Telnet application for building and exchanging encrypted passwords.
It is a further object of the invention to enable encryption by way of RFC 1572 negotiations.

System and method for building and exchanging encrypted passwords between a client and server

International Business Machines Corporation


A real-time message allocation computer in a messaging gateway system may determine the maximum amount of message traffic for each of a plurality of message provider systems based on information indicative of the magnitude of message traffic that is received by the messaging gateway system from each of the message provider systems.

1. Technical Field
This disclosure relates to messaging gateway systems that may be used as gateways between computer network communication systems and mobile communication systems.
2. Description of Related Art
Mobile communication devices, such as cell phones, are often configured to receive electronic messages. These messages may be sent from a variety of sources and may be delivered to the mobile communication devices through a messaging gateway system.
The messaging gateway system may receive electronic messages from a variety of sources, such as from a variety of message provider systems. The messaging gateway system, however, may be limited in the amount of message traffic from the message provider systems which the messaging gateway system can receive and process.
To prevent an overload, the messaging gateway system may be configured to limit the amount of message traffic which each message provider system may send to the messaging gateway system. These limits may be fixed and may add up to the message traffic capacity of the messaging gateway system.
This configuration can suffer from inefficiencies and delays. For example, a message provider system may be receiving message traffic in an amount which is greater than the maximum amount of message traffic which has been allocated to it by the messaging gateway system. When this occurs, the message provider system may queue the messages, delaying their receipt by the mobile communication devices to whom the messages are addressed. While messages are being delayed by one message provider system, moreover, another message provider system may be delivering message traffic to the messaging gateway system at substantially below its allocated amount, thus wasting capacity in the messaging gateway system.

Messaging gateway system with real-time message allocation computer

Abstract: A message delivery controller in a message provider system may throttle the messages from the message provider system to a messaging gateway system so that the message traffic does not exceed information indicative of a maximum amount of message traffic which is received from the messaging gateway system.


In general, in one aspect, the invention relates to a computer readable medium including software instructions which, when executed by a processor, perform a method, the method including receiving a first method call from an application, wherein the first method call is associated with a first application component; obtaining a first application component error tolerance (ACET) value associated with the first method call; determining, using the first ACET value and a first inexact amount value (IAV) of a first inexact computing architecture (ICA) processor, that the first ICA processor is available to execute the first method call; and processing the first method call using the first ICA processor.

A modern computer system may be divided roughly into three conceptual elements: the hardware, the operating system, and the application programs. The hardware, e.g., the processor, the memory, the persistent storage devices, and the input/output devices, provides the basic computing resources. The application programs, such as compilers, database systems, software, and business programs, define the ways in which these resources are used to solve the computing problems of the users. The users may include people, machines, and other computers that use the application programs, which in turn employ the hardware to solve numerous types of problems.
An operating system ("OS") is a program that acts as an intermediary between a user of a computer system and the computer hardware. The purpose of an operating system is to provide an environment in which a user can execute application programs in a convenient and efficient manner. A computer system has many resources (hardware and software) that may be required to solve a problem, e.g., central processing unit ("CPU") time, memory space, file storage space, input/output ("I/O") devices, etc. The operating system acts as a manager of these resources and allocates them to specific programs and users as necessary. Because there may be many, possibly conflicting, requests for resources, the operating system must decide which requests are allocated resources to operate the computer system efficiently and fairly.
The fundamental goal of a computer system is to execute user programs and make solving user problems easier. Toward this goal, computer hardware is constructed. Because bare hardware alone is not particularly easy to use, application programs are developed. These various programs require certain common operations, such as those controlling the I/O operations. The common functions of controlling and allocating resources are then brought together into one piece of software: the operating system.
In order to conserve energy, some computer systems incorporate power control mechanisms. For example, Energy Star ("E*") power requirements require system power consumption to be lowered to 15% of the normal operating power consumption level when the system is idle. In order to conserve power, the operating system turns off (or lowers the operating frequencies of) inactive devices, such as hard disks and monitors (Energy Star® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Government).

Computing device using inexact computing architecture processor


A method for detecting lysosomal storage diseases including the steps of performing an assay for a single species of glycosaminoglycan contained in a specimen and correlating results of the assay with lysosomal storage diseases. A body fluid such as urine or blood can be employed as a specimen. The assay can be performed by use of a polypeptide that is capable of specifically binding to a glycosaminoglycan-containing molecule. The polypeptide may be an antibody, or a polypeptide having an antigen-binding site of an antibody.

The following abbreviations are used throughout the present specification:                GAG: glycosaminoglycan        KS: keratan sulfate        HS: heparan sulfate        CS: chondroitin sulfate        CS-4S: chondroitin-4-sulfate        CS-6S: chondroitin-6-sulfate        DS: dermatan sulfate (also called chondroitin sulfate B)        GSD I: glycogen storage disease type 1        GSD II: glycogen storage disease type 2 (Pompe disease)        Hep: heparin        HA: hyaluronic acid        LIPO: lipofuscinoses        MPS: mucopolysaochaxidoses        ML: mucolipidoses        MLD: metachromatic leukodystropy        NP: Niemann-Pick diseases        TS: Tay-Sachs disease
Lysosomal storage diseases are diseases caused by abnormality of enzymes present in lysosomes.
Mucopolysaccharidoses are kinds of lysosomal storage diseases and form a class of hereditary diseases caused by deficiency of enzymes (lowered activity of enzymes) involved in degradation metabolism of GAGs. In accordance with the species of the defective enzyme, GAG of a specific species is known to be accumulated in tissues and excreted into body fluids. Clinical manifestations of mucopolysaccharidoses are diversified, but most cases involve coarse facial expression, dysostosis multiplex, and visceromegaly. In same oases, hypacusia, cardiovascular disorders, and mental retardation are also observed.
Table 1-1 shows the known relations between types of mucopolysaccharidoses and corresponding GAGs that are accumulated (see, for example, "The Metabolic and Molecular Bases of Inherited Disease", 7th edn., Scriver C R, Beaudet A L, Sly W S, Valle D (eds.), 1995, McGraw-Hill, New York).
TABLE 1-1mucopolysaccharidosesSubstanceTypeDisease NameEnzyme DeficiencyStoredI HHurlerα-L-iduronidaseHS, DSSyndromeI SScheiesame as aboveHS, DSSyndromeI H/SHurler-Scheiesame as aboveHS, DSComplexII AHunteriduronate sulfataseHS, DSSyndrome(Severe)II BHuntersame as aboveHS, DSSyndrome(Mild)III ASanfilippoheparan N-sulfataseHSSyndrome AIII BSanfilippoα-N-acetylglucosaminidaseHSSyndrome BIII CSanfilippoacetyl CoA: α-glucosaminide N-HSSyndrome CacetyltransferaseIII DSanfilippoN-acetylglucosamine-6-sulfataseHSSyndrome DIV AMorquiogalactosamine-6-sulfataseKSSyndrome AIV BMorquioβ-galactosidaseKSSyndrome BVI AMaroteaux-arylsulfatase BDSLamySyndrome(Severe)VI BMaroteaux-same as aboveDSLamySyndrome(Mild)VIIβ-β-glucuronidaseHS, DS,glucuronidaseCS-4S,deficiencyCS-6S
TABLE 1-2mucolipidosesTypeDisease NameEnzyme DeficiencySubstance StoredIII-Cell diseaseN-acetylglucosamine-1-Inclusion bodyphosphotransferaseIIIPseudo-Huriersame as above (Mild)Inclusion bodyPolydystrophy
However, until the present invention, it has remained unknown that each case of the mentioned mucopolysaccharidoses not only involves excretion in body fluids of the GAG species shown in Table 1-1, but also involves excretion in body fluids of large amounts of other species of GAGs.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) No. 10-153600 discloses an assay method in which a solid phase to which a first receptor (anti-GAG antibodies such as anti-KS antibody, anti-CS antibody, anti-HS antibody or the like) is immobilized is brought into contact with a specimen containing a first ligand (GAG such as KS, CS, HS or the like), and formation of a complex between the first receptor and the first ligand is detected by a first-labeling-substance-labeled first receptor, to thereby assay the first ligand contained in the specimen. This publication also discloses that the method facilitates primary screening of GAG-related diseases (including mucopolysaccharidoses such as Morquio's syndrome and Hurler's syndrome).
However, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) No. 10-153600 neither discloses nor suggests that each case of the aforementioned mucopolysaccharidoses involves, in addition to the GAG species shown in Table 1-1 being excreted, excretion into body fluid of large amounts of other species of GAGs. Moreover, this publication neither discloses nor suggests whether measurement of GAG of a single species enables detection of all types of mucopolysaccharidoses, regardless of the classification (type) of mucopolysaccharidoses.
Mucolipidoses are also kinds of lysosomal storage diseases and are diseases that show similar clinical symptoms to those of mucopolysaccharidoses. It is known that types of the mucolipidoses are as shown in Table 1-2.
Also, GM1 gangliosidoses and fucosidoses are also kinds of lysosomal storage diseases. GM1 gangliosidoses are diseases in which GM1 ganglioside and β-galactose residue-containing oligosaccharides and glycoproteins are accumulated due to impediment in β-galactosidase, and fucosidoses are diseases in which oligosaccharides and glycoproteins having α-fucose residues are accumulated due to impediment in α-fucosidase.
In addition, galactosialidoses are also kinds of lysosomal storage diseases and are diseases in which sialyloligosaccharides and substances similar to the case of GM1 gangliosidoses are accumulated due to impediment in β-galactosidase and α-neuraminidase, and impediment in cathepsin A which is involved in the stabilization of these enzymes.
Furthermore, the following diseases are also kinds of lysosomal storage diseases.
Metachromatic leukodystrophy is a disease in which sulphatides are accumulated due to impediment in arylsulfatase A.
Niemann-Pick diseases are diseases in which sphingomyelin is accumulated. Niemann-Pick type B is due to impediment in acid sphingomyelinase, and Niemann-Pick type C is due to cholesterol esterification defect.
Tay-Sachs disease is disease in which GM2 ganglioside is accumulated due to impediment in α-subunit of N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase A.
Sandhoff disease is disease in which GM2 ganglioside is accumulated due to impediment in β-subunit of N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase A and B.
GM2 gangliosidoses are diseases in which GM2 ganglioside is accumulated due to impediment in GM2 activator protein.
Krabbe disease is disease in which galactocerebroside is accumulated due to impediment in β-D-galactocerebrosidase.
Fabry disease is disease in which globosides are accumulated due to impediment in α-D-galactosidase.
Gaucher diseases are diseases in which glucosylceramide is accumulated due to impediment in β-D-glucocerebrosidase.
Glycogen storage disease type 1 is disease in which glycogen is accumulated due to impediment in glucose-6-phosphatase.
Glycogen storage disease type 2 (also called Pompe disease) is disease in which glycogen is accumulated due to impediment in α-D-glucosidase.
Lipofuscinoses are caused by impediment in palmitoyl-protein thioesterase or tripeptidyl amino peptidase-I.
It has not been known that GAG is also discharged in a large amount into body fluids in these diseases.
Hereinafter, mucopolysaccharidoses, mucolipidoses, GM1 gangliosidoses, fucosidoses, galactosialidoses, metachromatic_leukodystropy, Niemann-Pick diseases, Tay-Sachs disease, Sandhoff disease, GM2 gangliosidoses, Krabbe disease, Fabry disease, Gaucher diseases, glycogen storage diseases and lipofuscinoses are referred to as "mucopolysaccharidoses, etc."
In general, mucopolysaccharidoses, etc. are asymptomatic in newborns, but onset thereof becomes clear by manifestations including arrested height gain, abnormal development of bones, and growth of shaggy hair during infancy or childhood. In some cases, although subjects are normal during neonatal periods, mental retardation gradually progresses over years. Therefore, diagnosis of mucopolysaccharidoses, etc. in an early newborn stage during which no clinical syndromes are manifested may possibly prevent mental retardation, etc., through early enzyme replacement therapy, genetic treatment, or bone marrow transplantation. Therefore, diagnosis of mucopolysaccharidoses, etc. is desirably performed for all newborns.
However, in Japan, for example, the number of newborns per year exceeds 1,000,000, and the frequency of onset of mucopolysaccharidoses, etc. is as low as one per 40,000 to 50,000, and since current diagnosis therefor, which detects deficiency or abnormality of enzymes, is cumbersome and expensive, demand exists for an accurate screening method to be performed before such an expensive diagnosis. In other words, if there can be provided a method for detecting patients suffering mucopolysaccharidoses, etc. with high accuracy, with high sensitivity, conveniently, quickly, and at low cost, without overlooking any patients of mucopolysaccharidoses, etc., presence or absence of mucopolysaccharidoses, etc. can be detected in all newborns, and thus precise, definite diagnosis of every patient of mucopolysaccharidoses, etc. can be attained at an early stage of the disease.

Method for detecting lysosomal storage diseases