Some embodiments relate to an electronic cryptographic device (100) arranged to determine a cryptographic key. The cryptographic device is arranged for an enrollment phase and a later reconstruction phase. The cryptographic device comprising a physically unclonable function (PUF) (110) and a processor circuit. The circuit being configured to determine during the enrollment phase debiasing data (142), first noise reduction data (131) and first noise reduction data. The circuit being configured to during the reconstruction phase compute at least one cryptographic key from first corrected bits and second corrected bits.

A physical unclonable function exploits manufacturing variations to derive a digital identifier. The digital identifier is thus tied to a physical medium. Because the physical unclonable function depends on random process variation, it is easy to create a PUF but it is very hard, if not downright impossible, to create a PUF which would give rise to a particular predetermined identifier. The manufacturing variations lead to different physical characteristics of the memory element. For example, the physical characteristics may include: doping concentrations, oxide thickness, channel lengths, structural width (e.g. of a metal layer), parasitics (e.g. resistance, capacitance). When a digital circuit design is manufactured multiple times, these physical characteristics will vary slightly and together they will cause the behavior of an IC element, e.g., a memory element, to behave differently in some situations. For example, the start-up behavior is determined by manufacturing variations in the physical characteristics.
The fact that PUFs produce device-intrinsic and unpredictable responses make them a very suitable candidate to generate cryptographic keys from. In contrast to traditional non-volatile key storages, a PUF-based key is not stored in digital format, but stems from small random deviations in the PUF's physical structure. Moreover, the generation of the key itself does not depend on externally provided randomness, which may be of low quality, but uses the high-entropy intrinsic randomness of the device itself. The combination of these factors can lead to highly secure solutions for cryptographic key storage.
Using a PUF, the need for secure memory to store a key may be circumvented. A PUF furthermore provides natural protection against malicious attempts to obtain the cryptographic key through reverse engineering, since damage which could be inflicted to the PUF during the attempt likely changes the digital identifier. Preferably, the digital identifier is unique for the electronic device wherein the physical unclonable function is embedded.
For example, it has been observed that the startup behavior of some memory elements, demonstrate PUF like behavior. When such memory is powered-up, it tends to contain content, i.e., comprise a sequence of data values, which depends on the at least partially random physical characteristics of the components, e.g., gates or transistors, which make up the memory, e.g., their physical arrangement relative to each other. If the memory is powered-up multiple times, it would contain, up to a large percentage, the same content.
A PUF provides unpredictable and device-unique responses, yet due to their physical origin, these may be subject to measurement noise, and environmental influences. Cryptographic keys on the other hand need to be reliable and of full entropy. To bridge this gap, some amount of post-processing on the PUF responses is required. One way to address noise is the use of so-called fuzzy extractors. A fuzzy extractor is able to transform a 'noisy' random value into a reliable key. An error correction procedure can be used in this process to correct for these fluctuations, and make sure an identical digital identifier is derived, each time the PUF is used. The error correction procedure uses so-called helper data. Helper data is also called noise reduction data.
A fuzzy extractor may comprise two stages. In an initial enrollment stage, a cryptographic key is derived from the PUF response. In the enrollment process, helper data or noise reduction data for the PUF response is produced. Later on, e.g., in the field, the reconstruction stage reevaluates the PUF response and uses the noise-reduction data from the enrollment stage to reconstruct the same key. The noise-reduction data hence needs to be stored in between the enrollment and reconstruction stages. The reconstruction stage is sometimes revered to as the use-phase.
A desirable property of a fuzzy extractor in this respect is that the noise-reduction data contains no information about the key which is derived. In other words, the noise-reduction data contains no sensitive information and cannot be used to attack the generated key. As a result, the noise-reduction data can be stored and communicated publicly and does not need shielding from adversaries as a direct storage of the key would need.
The operation of a fuzzy extractor may be based on the use of an error correcting code. Typically, the error correcting code is a block code and is linear, e.g., a linear error correcting block code. During enrollment, the fuzzy extractor calculates noise-reduction data for the PUF response, e.g., by calculating a number of parity relations on the PUF response bits and disclosing these relations in the noise-reduction data. Noise reduction data may be computed, e.g., by calculating the difference between one or more code words and the PUF response. This type of noise reduction data is sometimes referred to as a code word offset.
It was found by the applicant that the information leakage about the key through the noise-reduction data is non-zero if the PUF has a high bias. In fact, if the PUF has very high bias the noise-reduction data may even reveal sufficient information about the key to allow complete reconstruction of the key by an attacker.
Solutions to the problem of potential full entropy loss in situations of high bias are disclosed a publication "Secure key generation from biased PUFs" (See Cryptology ePrint Archive: Report 2015/583, included herein by reference). A shorter version of this paper was also accepted for publication at CHES-2015. According to this article, a solution may be obtained by debiasing a PUF. For example, during enrollment, bias may be reduced by marking bits in the first noisy bit string as retained or discarded. A key is then derived only from the retained bits. As the retained have a lower bias than the entire PUF response, the problem of entropy loss through PUF bias is reduced.
Unfortunately, the solutions presented in the above paper still have some drawbacks.
First of all, the solutions presented discard a large number of bits to obtain a less biased substring of a PUF response. In the straightforward approaches about 50% of the bits in a PUF response are discarded for an unbiased PUF. For a biased PUF the number of discarded bits would be even higher. Recursive application in some of the more refined approaches can reduce this number somewhat, at the costs of a more complicated system. Yet even in those cases, a larger number of bits remain unused. This is problematic, especially in low-resource systems where memory, e.g., SRAM based PUFs, is at a premium.
Second not all the known approaches can be enrolled multiple times. Repeated enrollment is a potential security risk in PUF based systems. If an attacker can force a system to return to an uninitialized state and repeat the enrollment procedure, he may obtain new noise reduction data. Combining the information from the original noise reduction data and the new noise reduction data may allow an attacker to learn more about the PUF response. It is therefore desirable that an enrollment procedure can withstand repeated enrolments. Unfortunately, the recursive approaches mentioned above cannot be combined with the schemes that can resist multiple enrollments.
In other words, traditional helper data uses all PUF entropy, but suffers from reduced entropy due to leakage and becomes insecure when the PUF is biased, up to the point that no entropy is remaining. Different forms of debiasing maintain entropy under bias, even full entropy, but require that a significant part of the PUF entropy is discarded: more than twice the PUF bits are needed. Both approaches have a big downside, one requires significantly more PUF resources, the other can be broken completely when enough bias is present.
There is therefore a desire for a PUF based system in which these and other problems are addressed. Reference is made to International Patent Application PCT/EP2015/078454, published with number WO2016102164 (included herein by reference) which also discloses cryptographic key production from biased PUFs.


A personal care composition includes a surfactant, a water soluble cationic polymer, a hydrophobic benefit agent, and a hydrophobic cationic polyethylene polymer.

Over time, skin cleansing has become part of a personal hygiene regimen. The cleansing of the skin allows for the removal of dirt, debris, bacteria, and a myriad of other things that can cause harm to the skin or the body. Cleansing is often done with the aid of a surfactant. The surfactant works to help remove deposited materials from the skin. Unfortunately, surfactants can also act to remove good things from the skin as well, like oil. The oil on the skin helps, for example, to protect the skin from losing too much moisture. Removal of too much oil can leave the skin vulnerable to becoming dry. One solution for this problem is to utilize a milder surfactant. Another solution is to replace what is removed by depositing a replacement material on the skin. Historically, however, there has been a struggle to effectively deposit these replacement materials on the skin, especially in rinse off products like cleansers. As such, there is a need for personal care compositions that provide enhanced deposition of materials on the skin.

Personal cleansing compositions and methods


A non-transitory computer readable storage medium has instructions executed by a processor to obtain the relative speed between a first traffic object and a second traffic object. The separation distance between the first traffic object and the second traffic object is received. The relative speed and the separation distance are combined to form a quantitative measure of hazard encountered by the first traffic object. The obtain, receive and combine operations are repeated to form cumulative measures of hazard associated with the first traffic object. The cumulative measures of hazard are analyzed to derive a first traffic object safety score for the first traffic object.

Safe transportation is a critical societal need. Traditionally, the field of transportation safety has focused on managing the dissipation of kinetic energy in collisions. As transport systems become increasingly automated, it is critical to establish leading indicators of the effectiveness and safety of sensing and decision-making, for human, automated, and human-assisted systems. Historical collision data has many disadvantages as an indicator of this type of safety, including its retrospective character, relative sparseness, and lack of linkage to causes. In contrast to collisions, near-misses (near-collisions) occur frequently at all levels of severity, from low-speed long-distance low severity to high-speed approaches at close proximity. Near-miss behaviors can be measured and can serve as leading indicators of the safety of vehicle sensing and decision-making.
There is an unmet need in the field of automotive safety to create a new and useful measure of near-misses to produce measures of hazards encountered by vehicles, and the safety of vehicle operations.
There is a need to provide a quantitative, repeatable, objective, independent, computable, nearly continuous measure of the safety and risk of the behavior of a subject vehicle. There is also a need to enable the analysis and comparison of the safety and risk of vehicles, vehicle systems, sensor configurations, decision-making, traffic, streets, intersections, and the like.
The current practice to measure the safety of the behavior and control of a vehicle is on the basis of the frequency of occurrence of collisions. In some cases, a measure of time-to-collision is used.
The number of disengagements of an onboard automated decision-making system per mile (where a disengagement is a manual override of the automated system, such as described in California, California Code of Regulations, Title 13, Div. 1, Ch. 1, Article 3.8, § 227.501) is also used as an indication of the performance and safety of the behavior of an automated or autonomous vehicle.
In the field of aviation, near-misses (defined as "loss of separation") are recorded and analyzed as leading indicators of possible or potential future accidents.
Collision occurrences are relatively infrequent, and many collisions occur as a result of multiple causes. As a result, collision occurrence data is not able to provide a repeatable, computable nearly continuous measure of the safety and risk of the behavior of a subject vehicle.
Time-to-collision is dependent on the street or road conditions and on the speed and maneuverability of each object in each traffic scenario. As a result, time-to-collision is not independent of road conditions nor speed nor capabilities of the subject vehicle and traffic objects, and as a result cannot be used as an independent, computable, nearly continuous measure of the safety and risk of the behavior of a subject vehicle.
The number of "disengagements" per mile is not a useful measure of the behavior or safety or risk of an automated vehicle. "Disengagements" can have many causes, which may not be related to the behavior or decision-making system of the vehicle. They are not repeatable, are subject to the judgment of the safety driver and therefore occur due to subjective considerations and as a result are not objective, and are influenced by the selection of the conditions and scenarios under which the vehicle is operated and the operational policy or policies under which the driver operates.
Loss of separation incorporates no information on the speeds (relative nor absolute) of the vehicle an object and therefore is not able to indicate important characteristics of the severity of a near-miss.
In sum, there is a need for improved processing of sensor signals to compute a behavioral hazard measure of the operation of vehicles.

Apparatus and method for processing vehicle signals to compute a behavioral hazard measure


Halogenated vinyl polymer compositions containing molybdenum smoke retardants and organotin compounds having an overall ratio of sulfur to tin of not more than 1.7 gram atoms of sulfur per gram atom of tin, typically from about 0.6 to about 1.7 and preferably from about 0.6 to about 0.9 gram atoms of sulfur per gram atom of tin.

This invention generally relates to the heat and light stabilization of halogenated vinyl polymer compositions containing a smoke retardant. More particularly, the present invention relates to the use of organotin stabilizers to provide improved heat and light stabilization of rigid halogenated vinyl polymer compositions containing molybdenum smoke retardants involving the use of mixtures of organotin compounds. In this regard, an important aspect of this invention concerns the use of mixtures of certain organotin compounds in halogen containing vinyl resin compositions which contain molybdenum smoke retardants to provide improved resistance of such polymer compositions to degradation caused by heat and light without incurring discoloration or staining of the polymer compositions.
In the absence of a smoke retardant, the burning of halogen containing vinyl polymers, particularly vinyl chloride polymers, causes the formation of large amounts of smoke. This smoke is extremely hazardous and its prevention is desirable to meet environmental standards and to prevent human injury caused by smoke inhalation.
Consequently smoke retardants are commonly added to halogenated vinyl polymers. Among often used smoke retardants are molybdenum compounds. Numerous molybdenum compounds are shown in the literature to be useful as smoke retardants in vinyl polymers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,053,455 to Kroenke discloses the use of amine molybdates as retardants for smoke formed by the burning of vinyl chloride and vinylidene chloride polymers. U.S. Pat. No. 4,161,466, also to Kroenke, identifies amine molybdates as retarding smoke formation during the burning of polyamides, polychloroprene, polymonoolefins and other polymers; U.S. Pat. No. 3,870,679 to Mitchell et. al. shows the use of molybdenum hexacarbonyl as a smoke retardant for polyvinyl halides: and dodecyl-1,2-diammonium dimolybdate is proposed by U.S. Pat. No. 4,234,473 to Kroenke as a smoke retardant additive for vinyl chloride and vinylidene chloride polymer compositions.
Also disclosed as being useful as flame retardants for vinyl chloride and vinylidene chloride polymers are ammelinium beta-octamobybdate (U.S. Pat. No. 4,235,770 to Kroenke) octadecylammonium alpha-octamolybdate (U.S. Pat. No. 4,240,955 to Kroenke); didecylammonium beta-octamolybdate (U.S. Pat. No. 4,248,766 to Kroenke); dodecylammonium alpha-octamolybdate (U.S. Pat. No. 4,248,767 to Kroenke); methyltricaprylammonium molybdates (U.S. Pat. No. 4,406,837 to Kroenke): trioctylammonium molybdates (U.S. Pat. No. 4,406,838 to Kroenke): tri (tridecyl) ammonium molybdates (U.S. Pat. No. 4,406,840 to Kroenke) and tridodecyl ammonium molybdates (U.S. Pat. No. 4,425,279 to Kroenke).
Also certain molybdenum compounds described in the literature are suitable smoke suppressants when used in combination with other compounds. U.S. Pat. No. 3,845,001 to Mitchell proposes a copper oxide-molybdenum oxide mixture; U.S. Pat. No. 3,821,151 to Mitchell suggests cast iron powder admixed with a molybdenum oxide; U.S. Pat. No. 4,053,452 to Kroenke proposes mixtures of melamine molybdate or substituted melamine molybdate with cobalt carbonate, cobalt oxide, colbalt acetylacetonate and hydrates thereof and U.S. Pat. No. 4,053,453 to McRowe et al. proposes combinations of copper oxalate and amine molybdates.
Also the literature contains numerous disclosures of organotin stabilizers for halogen containing vinyl polymer. H. Verify Smith in his 1959 compilation, The Development of The Organotin Stabilizers, discusses the early activity in the production of tin stabilizers and their function particularly in vinyl chloride homopolymers in preventing dehydrochlorination, oxidation, chain scission and cross-linkage.
One of the most preferred class of halogenated vinyl polymer stabilizers are the organotin mercapto carboxylic acid esters. These materials are discussed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,641,596 to Leistner et al. and 2,648,650 to Weinberg et al. Organotin sulfide-containing mercapto carboxylic acid esters are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,565,930 to Kauder et al., 3,565,931 to Brecker and 3,817,915, also to Kauder et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,769,263 to Mayo et al. describes stabilizer compositions containing alkyltin sulfides in admixture with alkytin mercaptocarboxylic acid esters. While U.S. Pat. No. 4,255,320 to Brecker et al. describes stabilizer compositions containing alkyltin sulfides in admixture with mono-and dialkyltin 2-acyloxyethylmercaptides.
Several types of sulfur-free organotin compounds have been suggested in which a hydrocarbon group is directly attached to tin through a carbon atom, and an oxygen-containing group, such as an ester group, is attached to tin through oxygen. Organotin compounds of this type, such as dibutyltin dilaurate, are excellent light stabilizers but are relatively poor heat stabilizers at the high temperatures, such as 350.degree. F. to 400.degree. F., commonly used today to process polyvinyl chloride compositions for siding, and window and door profiles.
A number of organotin stabilizers have been proposed that include a mercapto carboxylic acid ester moiety as well as a carboxylate moiety in a single compound or in a combination of two or more compounds. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,914,506 to Mack et al. discloses compounds broadly defined by the formula RR'Sn(SX)(Z) wherein R and R' may be the same or different monovalent hydrocarbon radicals, SX may be, among other things, an ester of a mercapto acid, and Z may be, among other things, a carboxylic acid linked through the oxygen of the carboxylic acid group to the tin atom.
According to U.S. Pat. No. 3,562,305 to Hoch the incorporation into an organotin mercapto acid ester of a small amount of organotin carboxylate yields products having a substantially reduced tendency to decompose on standing and are at least as effective as the untreated organotin mercapto acid esters as stabilizers for vinyl halide resin compositions.
United Kingdom Pat. No. 1,251,864 to M&T International N.V., discloses compositions for stabilizing halogen-containing resins against the deleterious effects of heat which compositions can comprise an organotin mercapto acid ester, such as dibutyltin bis (iso-octyl) mercaptoacetate, and an organotin carboxylate such as butyltin tris (laurate). Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,698,368 to Muller, discloses a stabilizer composition that can include an organotin mercaptopropionate and organotin carboxylate.
These patents as well as others, such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,810,868 to Weisfeld et al., provide sufficient information to those skill-in-the-art to produce these organotin mercapto acid esters and organotin carboxylates.
It is also well known to those skilled-in-the-art to incorporate additives such as phenolic antioxidants in the organotin stabilizer compositions for enhanced performance. The art is replete with example of such additives such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,398,114 to Pollock, 3,424,717 to Gottlieb et al and 4,418,169 to Gibbons et al.
Many of these stabilizers and additives have achieved some measure of success at stabilizing halogen-containing resins against the degradative action of heat and light, but there are many applications in which a greater degree of heat and light stability is desired than has heretofore been readily attainable. Additionally, not all of these stabilizers are homogeneous liquid at room temperatures. Such homogenity is a characteristic often desired by end users for handling and processing ease. Those skilled-in-the-art recognize that although certain organotin stabilizers exhibit different heat and light stability property there is no definitive predictive rule for providing a stabilizer composition that has all the features of liquid homogeneity, initial color control, processing heat stability, light stability, and overall processability.
Thus, an enormous array of organotin stabilizers have been shown and patented in attempts to resolve various problems encountered during the processing and use of the products encountered during the processing and use of the products made from the halogenated vinyl polymers. Some offer more effective protection from heat during the compounding of the vinyl polymer, while others afford protection against light during the use of the fabricated objects. Some prevent degradation during the early heating of the vinyl polymer while other stabilizers are more effective at higher temperatures.
Without the use of heat and light stabilizers, particularly organotin stabilizers the use of halogenated vinyl polymers would not be practical due to the degradation that would occur during processing and use of the halogenated vinyl polymers. For this purpose there is now available a wide variety of organotin stabilizers.
The selection of the proper organotin stabilizer is further complicated by the presence of other additives in the halogenated vinyl polymer. Thus, for example, the presence of a molybdenum containing smoke retardant in the halogenated vinyl polymer can cause difficulty with the use of organotin stabilizers due to the formation of molybdenum reaction products. These undesired by-products can cause discoloration and staining of the polymer.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method of stabilizing halogenated vinyl polymers containing smoke retardants.
Another object of the present invention is to provide stain-free halogenated vinyl polymers compositions that are stabilized against degradation by light and heat and also are capable of suppressing smoke formed by the burning of vinyl polymers.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide stable halogenated vinyl polymer compositions containing molybdenum smoke retardants.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide polymer compositions that are stain-free.
Other objects will become apparent from the ensuing description.

Halogenated vinyl polymer composition and method for stabilizing halogenated vinyl polymer composition containing smoke retardants


Systems and methods include one or more dwelling sensors configured to generate sensor data representative of characteristics of a dwelling; a telematics device configured to generate telematics data representative of operational characteristics of a vehicle; and an analysis server. The analysis server receives the sensor data; receives the telematics data; receives credit information regarding an insured; and determines one or more insurance policy decisions based upon the sensor data, the telematics data, and the credit information the one or more insurance policy decisions comprising: a premium amount, a deductible amount, a coverage amount, a coverage term, or any combination there of for the insured.

Smart home functionality is a maturing space, but the opportunity for insurance companies remains largely untapped. Currently, there are few useful early warning and loss mitigation systems that actually save costs and time for both the property owner and insurance company alike. For instance, currently, homeowners insurance claim events are detected by the homeowner, who contacts the insurance company to inform them that there has been a loss. However, the loss could be mitigated with automated warning and detection systems that interface with the insurance company systems. For example, homeowners may not become aware of minor to medium hail damage to their roofs until such time as that damage leads to water damage to the interior or exterior of the home. If they could be made aware of such loss events earlier and then take corrective actions, then the increased damage could have been mitigated or avoided.
Another maturing space concerns vehicle telematics in which the latest developments in automotive electronics are dealing with the automatic monitoring of the state of a vehicle. Such monitoring is based on the integration of numerous sensors into the vehicle such that important functional parts and components may be monitored. It is becoming of increasing interest to collect a variety of information, regarding different aspects of a vehicle, which may have different applications depending on their usage. The use of telematics in automobiles has become more common in recent years, particularly as implemented with in-car navigation systems.
Finally, another maturing area relates to the use of credit information, such as a credit score or credit history, in making underwriting, pricing or other decisions about the terms and conditions on which to offer or provide insurance coverage. Such use involves modeling and making determinations as to whether there is a correlation between a person's credit information and the person's risk profile (which may affects the person's insurance rates).
In this regard, there is utility and functionality to be provided by utilizing smart home and vehicle telematics data with credit information, as factors in formulating the terms of an insurance policy to be issued or offered.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Utilizing credit and informatic data for insurance underwriting purposes

United Services Automobile Association (USAA)


An optical transmitter provided with a supercontinuum light source 4 which is composed of an optical amplifier 2 made by using a polarization maintaining amplification fiber 1 and a polarization maintaining fiber 3 which has a length of at least a specified value, is connected to the output side of the optical amplifier 2 and emits light having a continuous wave and a stable plane of polarization, a polarization maintaining optical demultiplexer 5 which takes out a light with a desired wavelength from the continuous wave light, and an external modulator 6 which superposes desired information upon the light with the desired wavelength.

A prior art optical transmitter used for the wavelength-division multiplexed optical communication system has a construction as shown in FIG. 14, comprising a plurality of semiconductor lasers A of different oscillation wavelengths, the optical outputs of which are independently modulated either directly or externally for wavelength-multiplexed optical transmission. Up to date, an optical transmitter using a Fabry-Perot resonator or like optical resonator also has been developed. The optical resonator in this optical transmitter converts light from a light source to multiple mode light, which has a regular wavelength spacing and is modulated independently by a plurality of external modulators for the wavelength-multiplexed optical transmission.
In the wavelength-division multiplexed optical communication system, a bandwidth limitation to a range centered on the wavelength of 1,550 nm is imposed on an optical amplifier, which relays optical signal. For mass communication by providing a large number of optical signals in the limited range, it is necessary to prevent isolation deterioration of adjacent optical signal transmitted from the optical transmitter in long use by accurately controlling the optical signal wavelengths. However, in order to preclude wavelength variations due to the wavelength isolation deterioration and ensure stable oscillation wavelength of the light source semiconductor laser such as to meet the above requirements, highly advanced techniques are required, giving rise to an optical transmitter price increase. In the optical transmitter using the optical resonator, it is possible to use a semiconductor laser, which is subject to wavelength variations, as the light source without giving rise to the problem of the wavelength isolation deterioration. This is so because multiple mode light, which is free from wavelength variations and is modulated, can be obtained from the laser beam by a resonating action of an optical resonator. However, the multiple mode light generated by the optical resonator is peculiar thereto. This is undesired form that the standpoint of the free wavelength setting. For instance, it is difficult to set non-uniformly spaced-apart channels.


A data signal phase reversal correction method and system implementing the same are disclosed. In the present invention, a pilot signal of a satellite is checked to see if there is a phase reversal according to an accumulation of correction results of symbols of the received pilot signal with corresponding symbols of a known pilot sequence. It is determined whether a phase correction of a data signal of the satellite is to be executed or not by referencing the phase reversal determination result of the pilot signal.

For PSK (Phase Shift Keying) communication system, the carrier phase is modulated by the transmitted data. Taking BPSK (Binary PSK) for example, the carrier phase is reversed (added 180 degrees) when a data symbol 0 is transmitted. On the other hand, the carrier phase is not changed when a data symbol 1 is transmitted. In general, the carrier phase is changed according to the transmitted data symbol. For a MPSK (Multiple PSK) modulation, where M is equal to 2 (BPSK), 4(QPSK) and so on, the carrier phase will stay in one of the M states:
  0  ,      360    M    ,            360      ×      2        M    ,  …            ,            360      ×              (                  M          -          1                )              M  degrees, when a data symbol is transmitted. The received carrier phase is also changed due to the user motion, clock drift and so on. Therefore, the receiver must run a synchronization process to track the carrier phase before it can detect the transmitted data symbol. In the synchronization process, the receiver must eliminate the effect of the phase change due to the data symbol or bit transition. For example, a squaring method or Costas PLL (Phase Lock Loop) in a BPSK carrier tracking loop is usually used to track the carrier phase which removes the data bit transition in its phase error discriminator. When the carrier tracking loop of an MPSK receiver achieves its steady state (i.e. locking the signal), there exists a phase ambiguity. That is, it can track the carrier phase but with a possible error of
      360    M    ,            360      ×      2        M    ,  …            ,            360      ×              (                  M          -          1                )              M  degrees.
Taking BPSK PLL for example, the tracked carrier phase might be exact or has a phase reversal existing with an error of 180 degrees. After the PLL is locked, the transmitted data bit can be determined by detecting the phase transition. Then, the stream of transmitted data bits or symbols is checked to correct the phase ambiguity of PLL. In general, a preamble per data frame is used to synchronize the data frame boundary and correct the data symbol phase due to the phase synchronization ambiguity. The preamble is a fixed and known pattern of data symbols so that the receiver can check the received data phase by comparing the received preamble with the defined preamble. If a cycle slip occurs during the PLL operation, there might be a phase ambiguity error after the PLL locks the signal again. Then, we must use the content of the transmitted data to correct the phase ambiguity. Note that a transmitted data frame is corrupted when a phase ambiguity error (phase reversal in BPSK) occurs during its transmission. Therefore, the defined preamble pattern can always be used to correct the phase reversal error. However, the preamble appears once every data frame. Therefore, it can not correct the data phase reversal when the signal strength is so weak that the preamble length is not enough to detect the phase reversal. Moreover, a data frame is corrupted when a phase reversal occurs during its transmission. The following data frame is restored by checking the preamble. This means that it is often not possible to quickly correct the phase reversal error by using the preamble and therefore results in corrupted frames. Therefore, it will be highly desired if a technique for improving phase reversal correction speed can be provided.
In GNSS, the navigation data message is usually transmitted by BPSK or DPSK (Differential PSK) modulation. For GPS (Global Positioning System) where BPSK is used to transmit the navigation data message, one data frame consists of 10 words. One word is 30 bits and protected by a parity check code. Each data bit is 20 ms. The BPSK phase ambiguity is resolved in the parity check algorithm. Meanwhile, there is a preamble (a fixed bit pattern) in the first word (TLM word) of a frame. This preamble can be used to synchronize the data frame boundary and can also be used to correct the BPSK phase reversal. In order to successfully receive a word without corruption, there cannot be any phase reversal during the transmission of the data word, which is 600 ms. The SBAS (Satellite Based Augmentation System) also uses BPSK. A SBAS data frame consists of 500 symbols with each symbol of 2 ms. The data frame is protected by convolutional encoding and a preamble per frame is also used to correct the BPSK phase reversal. Accordingly, it is required that there is no phase reversal during the transmission of a data frame, which is 1 second. For Galileo E1B signal, a BPSK data frame consists of 250 symbols with each symbol being 4 ms. There is a preamble pattern per frame to correct the phase reversal. Therefore, the data phase is required to be stable during 1 second. As can be seen, using the preamble to correct the phase reversal error requires that there is no phase reversal error in one data frame which has a long time in GNSS signal. This might be a problem for high dynamic and weak signal. Therefore, we might need another technique to correct phase reversal error.
A GNSS receiver must measure the ranges to satellites to determine its position. The range between a receiver and a satellite is called PR (Pseudo-Range) and is measured by detecting the TOA (time of arrival) of the signal transmitted by the satellite. The broadcast satellite navigation data message carries the system time (TOW, time of week), which is required to determine the TOA. Moreover, it is required in the computation of satellite's position. Therefore, the data must be collected correctly so that the receiver can determine the user's position, velocity and system time (PVT). However, the carrier frequency and phase must be tracked stably before the receiver can detect the data bit, which modulates the carrier phase. If a PLL is used, both the frequency and phase of the carrier are locked. The receiver can detect the BPSK data bit by checking the locked carrier phase. On the other hand, only the carrier frequency is locked in a FLL and we must use DD (differential detection) technique to detect the data bit. That is, a different data bit from the last data bit is transmitted if there is a carrier phase transition. Note that there are possibly phase reversal errors in both PLL and FLL based data detection. In theory, the data detection performance, such as bit error rate, of PLL is better than FLL. However, the PLL tracking robustness is weaker than FLL. For example, FLL can lock the carrier for weaker signals and higher user dynamics. Therefore, it is preferred to use FLL and DD technique to detect the BPSK data so that the receiver can work well for weaker signals and higher dynamics.
As mentioned above, we can use DD technique in a FLL to detect the BPSK data bit. The DD method is to check if there is a phase transition between two adjacent carrier phases as estimated by the FLL. A current data symbol is determined based on the phase transition and the previous symbol phase. However, a DD error will propagate and cause phase reversal errors of all the following received symbols. This is equivalent to a burst error of data symbols. For example, if one DD error occurs in the detection of the third SBAS data symbol in a frame, all the phases of the following 247 data symbol in the same frame are reversed. In general, it is difficult to resolve a long burst error by using an error detection or correction code, such as a convolutional code used in the SBAS frame. A minor DD error rate results in a severe frame (or bit) error rate especially for a data frame which consists of many data bits, such as a SBAS data frame. Therefore, the FLL and DD method might be good for GPS but not suitable for SBAS and Galileo since the latter two systems require the carrier phase to be stable in a long period of data frame, which is 1 second. Therefore, the FLL is preferred for its robustness but it is desirable to provide a technique to correct the burst error of data symbol due to the DD error of FLL.
As discussed, there is phase ambiguity issue in both PLL and FLL and the receiver can check the preamble (or a sync word) to correct it. That is, the phase reversal can be corrected by checking a known sequence of a frame, for example, a SW (sync word) in the header of a frame. FIG. 1 schematically shows how a phase reversal corrupts a frame and the timing of phase correction in prior art. As shown, there is a phase reversal occurring during the first frame in the drawing. Therefore, this frame is a bad frame and must be discarded since the receiver fails to know when the phase reversal occurs in this frame. The receiver cannot get aware of the occurrence of the phase reversal until the SW of the next frame is received and checked. To check the SW of 40 ms (i.e. 10 symbols) in Galileo E1B, for example, a total correlation value (i.e. accumulation of correlation results of the received SW symbols with corresponding symbols of a known SW sequence), which is referred to as metricSW herein, of the received SW and the known SW sequence is calculated as follows:
                    metricSW        =                              ∑                          i              =              0                        9                                                        SW                                            (                i                )                                      ·                          symB                                            (                i                )                                                                        (        1        )            where SW(i) is a symbol of the received SW, and symB(i) is a corresponding symbol of the known SW sequence.
If there is no phase reversal, the value of metricSW in the case of Galileo E1B should be 10 in the best situation when hard decision of symB(i) is used, i.e., symB(i)=1 or −1. If CNR (carrier-to-noise ratio) is low, the metricSW value may be less than 10 because some errors of symB occur. If there has been a phase reversal before the SW is received, then the metricSW value should be negative. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a relationship between the metricSW value and CNR. As can be seen from this drawing, when CNR is low, a false alarm of phase reversal correction is easy to happen. That is, the receiver cannot determine the phase reversal correction when the CNR is weak.
As discussed above, it will be highly desirable if a technique for improving phase reversal correction sensitivity and speed can be provided.

Data signal phase reversal correction method and system implementing the same


A high-voltage NMOS transistor with low threshold voltage. The body doping that defines the channel region is in the form of a deep p-well. An additional shallow p-doping is arranged as a channel stopper on the transistor head. This additional shallow p-doping is produced in the semiconductor substrate at the end of the deep p-well that faces away from the channel region, and extends up to a location underneath a field oxide region that encloses the active window. The leakage current of the parasitic transistor at the transistor head is suppressed with the channel stopper.

In various electronic devices such as, for example, computers, telecommunication terminals and consumer electronics, different electronic components, and in particular, semiconductor components are required that respectively provide specific functions. Electronic devices also become increasingly multifunctional and the individual functions become increasingly complex. This results in a demand for semiconductor components suitable for use in such devices, that are multifunctional and much more complex than components available today.
The properties of semiconductor components are essentially defined by the processes of manufacturing these components. Because the semiconductor components have become increasingly complex, the processes for manufacturing such semiconductor components have also become more diverse. In order to manufacture different types of electronic components, particularly semiconductor components, using a common manufacturing process, it becomes necessary to increase the number of manufacturing steps. However, this has the disadvantage that manufacturing costs, as well as error rates, increase with the number of manufacturing steps. It is therefore advantageous to develop process steps that can be used in various ways and therefore can also be used in parallel in the manufacture of different components, if so required.
Transistors with different properties, and in particular, with different operating voltages are required in semiconductor components. In this respect, it is preferred to use transistors with a relatively low threshold voltage (VTH) referred to a maximum permissible gate voltage. In applications with signaling lines, it is possible to realize small component dimensions and a transistor driver arrangement with a small overall size.
Optimized transistors with different maximum gate voltages usually require different gate oxide thicknesses. However, the threshold voltage increases with the gate oxide thickness. In order to lower this threshold voltage, it is possible to reduce the net doping in the channel region directly beneath the gate oxide. In conventional manufacturing methods, this is realized by carrying out a so-called threshold-adjust-implant. This makes it possible to adapt the net concentration of the dopants to a desired value, wherein the net concentration can be increased as well as decreased with a threshold-adjust-implant.
However, such an implant requires additional adaptation steps that increase the costs for the manufacture of transistors, and in particular, high-voltage transistors with relatively large gate oxide thicknesses.
US2005/0194648A1 discloses a semiconductor component with different transistors that have different gate oxide thicknesses, with this semiconductor component having a relatively low threshold voltage.

High-voltage transistor and component containing the latter


A key type wiring connection switch includes an insulation main body, a plurality of spring elements, retaining terminals, conducting terminals and pressure buttons. In which a plurality of retaining spaces are formed in the interior of the insulation main body, The pressure buttons are positioned above each of the retaining terminals. Moreover, an upper end of each of the pressure buttons protrudes out the insulation main body. When using the present invention, the user presses downward on each of the pressure buttons to cause each of the lower ends of the pressure buttons to move downward and push open the retaining terminals, thereby enabling connecting wires of a host machine to be extended into the conducting terminals through side through holes of the insulation main body. Accordingly, when wiring an electrical appliance, there is no need for hand tools while still enabling wiring to be carried out.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a key type wiring connection switch, and more particularly to eliminating the need for a hand tool (such as a screw driver) when wiring an electrical appliance, while enabling wiring to be carried out using only the hands.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, depicting a traditional wiring connection switch, which, in general, comprises a wiring connector 10, with the wiring connector 10 fitted to an electrical appliance 1. The wiring connector 10 is used to provide a connector for connecting the electrical appliance 1 to connecting wires (not shown in the drawings) of the host machine.
The wiring connector 10 comprises an insulation main body 11, a plurality of electric conduction bases 12 and a plurality of screws 13. In which a plurality of retaining spaces 111 are formed in the interior of the insulation main body 11. Upper ends of the retaining spaces 111 are respectively provided with a through hole 112. Two sides of the insulation main body 11 are respectively provided with side through holes 113 which interconnect the retaining spaces 111. Each of the electric conduction bases 12 is fitted within the interior of each of the retaining spaces 111 of the insulation main body 11. The upper end of each of the electric conduction bases 12 is provided with a screw hole (not shown in the drawings), and each side is provided with an opening 121 which interconnects with the side through holes 113 of the insulation main body 11. Each of the screws 13 is respectively screwed into a screw hole in each of the electric conduction bases 12.
When using the wiring connection switch, the connecting wires 101 of the host machine are made to pass through the side through holes 113 of the insulation main body 11 and enter the openings 121 of the electric conduction base 12. A screw driver is used to screw down each of the screws 13 and fixedly lock the connecting wires 101 of the host machine to each of the electric conduction bases 12, thereby enabling electrical connection between the electrical appliance 1 and the host machine.
However, although the wiring connection switch of the prior art enables connecting the connecting wires of the host machine and thereby electrically connecting the electrical appliance 1 to the host machine, however, because use is made of the screws 13 to screw down and fixedly lock the connecting wires of the host machine. Thus, a screw driver is needed to fixedly lock each of the screws 13, causing difficulties in using the screw driver to screw down each of the screws 13 when installing the electrical appliance 1 in a cramped space (such as a ceiling). Accordingly, such a wiring connection switch is considerably inconvenient. Moreover, poor contact or the risk of electrical short circuit can easily result if the screws 13 are not screwed down tight enough.


Embodiments of the disclosed subject matter construct linear combinations of a set of defined “basic” features for each pair of sample and known media files. The linear combination of those features that give the optimal correlation coefficients (i.e., most-correlated) is then found. The highest correlation coefficients then indicate the “best” features to use in detecting a match of the sample file.

In various applications it may be desirable to find similarities between a new or sample media file and one or more other media files. For example, such a comparison may be useful in identifying copyrighted audio or video files, such as in the context of a website that allows users to upload such media files, to identify potential infringement. To do so, some techniques use hashes that characterize the media files or portions of the media files, for example at or near a given time point within the media file. Such techniques may be limited as the number of known media files grows, or as media files become larger. For example, as the number of media files grows, a high number of matching hashes may be retrieved for a given portion of a media file. However, many of the retrieved hashes may not represent true matches to the given media file segment. It may be difficult to identify desirable hashes to use for the comparison. For example, some media files may include segments that result in hashes that are often matched to new media files, but that do not necessarily indicate a good match between the content in those files.

Identifying features for media file comparison


Syncing two separate authentication channels to the same account or data using a token or the like is performed. Two authentication channels could be an online login and a mobile device login. Login for one channel creates a unique authentication code. When login from the second channel is desired, the login information is passed to the first channel device to obtain the appropriate authentication code. Then login at a service layer and data access are accomplished.

Financial institutions (including banks, credit unions and other institutions that hold or process money for customers, clients, account holders or members, hereinafter "customers") have recognized the desire of customers to access their accounts, view financial data, and perform transactions online from a remote location such as from a home or office rather than in-person in a physical bank, or credit union, stock brokerage, etc. Customers) often find online banking more convenient and efficient than having to visit a branch in person. Further, the number of customers that find online banking more convenient is increasing, and eventually online banking will handle the vast majority of customer transactions.
To facilitate online banking, financial institutions (hereinafter "FIs") establish their own online banking system or contract with an online banking provider (OLBP) which allows the FI's customers to access their accounts and perform transactions through a remote computer system rather than in-person at the FI's physical location. That remote location may be a desktop computer, or it may be a mobile electronic devices ("MED") such as a smart phone, tablet computer, notebook computer, laptop computers, or other portable or mobile electronic device capable of accepting instructions from a customer. However due to size constraints, device limitations, the strong preference for native apps, etc., the standard OLBP experience does not normally work well on these MEDs. Consequently, each MED typically has its own application or app, potentially with a reduced set of features, different features, or otherwise differing from the OLBP experience. Consequently, the customers who use a MED may not have the same banking experience as customers who use a traditional personal computer to perform online banking functions.
The OLBP will typically require a customer to log in before functionality is provided. Behind the OLBP login, optionally personal financial management ("PFM") software provider can provide personal financial management functionality. This can include displaying account information for a user, and providing financial functionality such as, budgeting, account aggregation, reporting functions, and other money management functionality to the user. The PFM functionality may be accessed directly by the user logging in to the OLBP. Alternatively, the PFM functionality may be accessed by a user of an MED logging in to the PFM functionality via an app on the the MED. In the latter case, a problem of syncing account authentication from the OLBP log in (first channel) to the MED's app directly log in to the PFM functionality (second channel) presents a problem that must be solved. To explain it slightly differently, a customer can reach PFM functionality (the PFM service layer) through multiple paths, such as through OLBP directly or through an MED app. A technique must be used to reconcile those access paths so that a customer's identity is properly verified regardless of the access path or channel used.


To increase the efficiency of a used vehicle data processing process while still tailoring to an individual user's unique specifications on a used vehicle, at least some pre-calculations are performed by a backend process before a request for data for a specified vehicle is received through a web site or a web server on the Internet. A user can be presented with an interface where the user can make a variety of determinations. After the user requests data on a specific vehicle configuration, a frontend process handles user-provided data in conjunction with the data calculated in the backend process to ensure that the results are better tailored to the user's specific vehicle attributes. The results can include pricing data such as a trade-in price, a list price, an expected sale price or range of sale prices, market low sale price, market average sale price, market high sale price, etc.

Sellers sometimes have a difficult time determining how they should price a used vehicle. This difficulty is exacerbated by the vagaries of used car transactions, especially in comparison with the sale or purchase of new cars.
For example, (a) condition is a critical factor to the value of a used car but it doesn't apply to new cars; (b) Mileage on a used car affects the value whereas it can be ignored on new cars; (c) In general, the older the vehicle, the less the price; age is not an issue with new cars; (d) Used car pricing has a much wider range of model years and many more vehicle models to work with; new cars only include at most vehicles in the most recent 2 or 3 model years; (e) Sales velocity drops dramatically for older vehicles, especially for those 10+ years old cars; thus, far fewer data points for analysis are available; In most cases, an adequate number of comparable new car transactions are available; (f) Options on a particular used car cannot be configured. For new cars, options can be customized with dealer-installed options or by direct order from manufacturers.
It is thus desirable to account for these various challenges and factors when providing a buyer or seller with pricing data associated with a specified used vehicle, including for example, historical transaction data, a trade-in price, a list price, an expected sale price or range of sale prices or an expected time to sale. It is also desired that certain of the pricing data be presented in conjunction with the transaction data associated with the specified used vehicle. It is further desired that this transaction data may be presented as a distribution of the transaction data and certain pricing data including such price points as market low sale price, market average sale price or market high sale price may be presented relative to the transaction data.

System and method for analysis and presentation of used vehicle pricing data


A computer-based method and system for classifying and locating media content is provided. In preferred embodiments, a dynamically modifiable, structured vocabulary system is used to drive a media classification and search system. An exemplary embodiment of the media classification and search system includes media content unit classification services, a media content unit search engine, and one or more data repositories, including typically a media content unit collection, metadata, the vocabulary, and a term-to-media content reverse index. The structured vocabulary provides a classification system, whose structure and relationships can be altered independently of the media content being classified, thus enabling tuning of the system without needing to reclassify data. The use of the structured vocabulary also increases the rate of success and efficiency in matching search requests to locate media content.

The present invention relates to classifying and locating media and, in particular, to computer software that classifies and locates media content units using a structured vocabulary.
With the advent of larger storage capacities, computer systems have become more frequently used for storing huge collections of data, such as collections of multimedia files stored, for example, on multi-gigabyte disk drives. The larger and more diverse the data collection, the more difficult it becomes to deterministically retrieve a particular requested item in an efficient manner. A user is typically presented with a search request dialog, which requests the user supply a search request containing one or more words, optionally connected by Boolean expressions. Sometimes, keyword-value pairs are used to further clarify the search. For example, a user might search a set of files for all files containing the words xe2x80x9cvideoxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cdevice driver,xe2x80x9d where the xe2x80x9cauthorxe2x80x9d field equals xe2x80x9cHemingway.xe2x80x9d
Various search and retrieval techniques have been employed to make the search and retrieval process more deterministic or efficient. For example, in the field of document retrieval, a vocabulary for describing documents has been employed, typically according to characteristics of the language itself. Such a system operates much like an index of a book. For example, a description language is derived based upon the frequency of occurrence of various words in the language and the juxtaposition statistics of these words (i.e., which words tend to appear together). This description language is then used to group various documents and to later retrieve them.
As another example, a system that maintains collections of clipart images may use an arbitrary set of words to characterize each image in the collection. When a user subsequently requests the retrieval of images, the user guesses at what terms were used in the classification process, or is instead presented with a fixed list, such as a list of categories. For example, a user might request the system to locate all images having to do with xe2x80x9cballoons.xe2x80x9d The success of the search is directly dependent upon how many and which images had been associated by the system with the word xe2x80x9cballoon.xe2x80x9d Since the choice of the words used by the system to characterize the images is arbitrary, the user""s rate of success at picking the same words to describe the same images is somewhat random.
Other variations include using a caption or English sentence to describe an image. These techniques handle images in a similar manner to the document retrieval mechanisms. One difficulty with these techniques is that the captions are rarely well-formed sentences, and document retrieval system techniques are typically based upon tuning parameters that apply to well-formed sentences (e.g., frequency and juxtaposition).
Several image evaluation systems have employed recognition-based techniques for describing or classifying images. Some of these systems have used computational analysis of the colors, edges, shapes, and textures of the stored images to derive the subject matter of the image. For example, from a description of the shape of an object, a xe2x80x9cstick-figurexe2x80x9d model is constructed, which is then compared to objects in target images. Because different objects may reduce to similar stick figures, e.g., a pile of sticks and an actual picture of a horse may result in similar stick figures, these systems are prone to error. Also, stick-figure models typically do not contain sufficient detail to distinguish between objects with slight variation, e.g., an oak tree versus an elm tree. In addition, these recognition-based systems are computationally intensive.
Embodiments of the present invention provide methods and systems for creating and maintaining a dynamically modifiable hierarchical vocabulary system that is used to classify and locate desired units of media content in a deterministic and efficient manner. Exemplary embodiments include a structured vocabulary-driven media classification and search system (an xe2x80x9cMCSSxe2x80x9d). The MCSS is connected through a communications medium to one or more computer systems that provide, locate, request, and/or receive media content units. The MCSS creates and maintains a structured vocabulary representation, associates media content units with terms from the structured vocabulary, stores data to maintain those associations, and locates media content units upon request when a term previously associated with the media content units is submitted as search criteria.
The media classification and search system includes media content unit classification services, a search engine, and several data repositories. The data repositories store the media content units, the structured vocabulary, metadata associated with the content, which includes terms from the structured vocabulary that are used to characterize each media content unit, and a reverse index from the characterization terms that are stored in the metadata to the media content units associated with those terms.
In one embodiment, the structured vocabulary is stored as a hierarchical data structure of vocabulary units, where each unit represents a term and its relationship to other terms. Each vocabulary unit preferably contains a term identifier, which is independent of the value of the term, which can be used to uniquely refer to that vocabulary unit. Preferably, a first term that is subordinate to a second term indicates that the first term is a more specific classification or characterization of the second term. In one embodiment, the first term is a species of the genus characterized by the second term.
In yet another embodiment, further classifications and alterations of the vocabulary preferably can be performed without effecting media content that has been already classified using vocabulary terms. This enables the vocabulary to be refined over time without reprocessing or reclassifying the media content.
In another embodiment, each vocabulary unit represents a term in a default language and equivalent terms in one or more other languages, whose meaning is similar to the term in the default language. In addition, each term in each language is further associated with a list of synonym terms which, for classification purposes, are considered to have similar or the same meaning. Synonym terms may also be used to handle input errors. That is, common typographical errors that might occur in generating search criteria for a particular vocabulary term can be stored in a synonym list of the vocabulary unit that corresponds to that term, thus allowing the search engine to xe2x80x9crecognizexe2x80x9d the misspelling.
In one embodiment, media content units can be located using terms from the structured vocabulary in a different language than the language originally used to classify those media content units.
In another embodiment, terms can be translated to different languages to enhance the structured vocabulary without effecting the media content units already classified using the structured vocabulary.
In one embodiment, the search engine aids in the process of disambiguating terms, where a particular term in a search request matches several different terms in the structured vocabulary. Typically, this situation occurs when a particular term has more than one meaning. In one embodiment, the search engine presents a set of options for the requester to choose between. In another embodiment, the search engine presents all of the possible meanings for the term. In yet another embodiment, the disambiguating process can be enabled and disabled.

Method and system for classifying and locating media content


There is provided a series of novel α-(N-sulfonamido)acetamide compounds of the Formula (I)

Alzheimer's Disease is a progressive, neurodegenerative disorder characterized by memory impairment and cognitive dysfunction. AD is characterized pathologically by the accumulation of senile (neuritic) plaques, neurofibrillary tangles, amyloid deposition in neural tissues and vessels, synaptic loss, and neuronal death. It is the most common form of dementia and it now represents the third leading cause of death after cardiovascular disorders and cancer. The cost of Alzheimer's Disease is enormous (in the U.S., greater than $100 billion annually) and includes the suffering of the patients, the suffering of families, and the lost productivity of patients and caregivers. As the longevity of society increases, the occurrence of AD will markedly increase. It is estimated that more than 10 million Americans will suffer from AD by the year 2020, if methods for prevention and treatment are not found. Currently, AD is estimated to afflict 10% of the population over age 65 and up to 50% of those over the age of 85. No treatment that effectively prevents AD or reverses the clinical symptoms and underlying pathophysiology is currently available (for review see Selkoe, D. J. Ann. Rev. Cell Biol., 1994, 10: 373-403).
There have been many theories relating to the etiology and pathogenesis of AD. These theories were either based on analogies with other diseases and conditions (e.g., slow virus and aluminum theories), or based on pathologic observations (e.g., cholinergic, amyloid, or tangle theories). Genetic analysis can potentially differentiate between competing theories. The identification of mutations in the β-amyloid precursor protein (β-APP) of individuals prone to early onset forms of AD and related disorders strongly supports the amyloidogenic theories.
Histopathological examination of brain tissue derived upon autopsy or from neurosurgical specimens in affected individuals reveals the occurrence of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillar tangles in the cerebral cortex of such patients. Similar alterations are observed in patients with Trisomy 21 (Down's syndrome). Biochemical and immunological studies reveal that the dominant proteinaceous component of the amyloid plaque is an approximately 4.2 kilodalton (kD) protein of about 39 to 43 amino acids. This protein is designated Aβ, β-amyloid peptide, and sometimes β/A4; referred to herein as Aβ. In addition to its deposition in amyloid plaques, Aβ is also found in the walls of meningeal and parenchymal arterioles, small arteries, capillaries, and sometimes, venules. Compelling evidence accumulated during the last decade reveals that Aβ is an internal polypeptide derived from a type 1 integral membrane protein, termed β-amyloid precursor protein (APP) (Selkoe, D. Physiol. Rev. 2001, 81, 741-766; Wolfe, M. J. Med. Chem. 2001, 44, 2039-2060). βAPP is normally produced by many cells both in vivo and in cultured cells, derived from various animals and humans. Several proteolytic fragments of APP are generated by proteinases referred to as secretases. A subset of these proteolytic fragments, designated β-amyloid peptide (Aβ), contains 39 to 43 amino acids and is generated by the combined action of β-secretase and γ-secretase. β-secretase is a membrane-bound, aspartyl protease that forms the N-terminus of the Aβ peptide. The C-terminus of the Aβ peptide is formed by γ-secretase, an apparently oligomeric complex that includes presenilin-1 and/or presenilin-2. Presenilin-1 and presenilin-2 are polytopic membrane-spanning proteins that may contain the catalytic components of γ-secretase (Seiffert, D.; Bradley, J. et al. J. Biol. Chem. 2000, 275, 34086-34091).
Multiple lines of evidence together strongly suggest that a reduction in brain Aβ levels will prevent the onset and progression of AD. First, Aβ is a major constituent of the parenchemyal plaques observed in all AD patients and the cerebral vasculature amyloid deposits observed in 90% AD patients (reviewed in Selkoe, D. Physiol. Rev. 2001, 81, 741-766; Wolfe, M. J. Med. Chem. 2001, 44, 2039-2060). These plaques are formed from the aggregation of soluble Aβ whose brain levels are highly correlated with the severity of AD neurodegeneration (McLean, C., Chemy, R. et al. Ann. Neurol. 1999, 46, 860-866). Second, mutations in three genes (APP, PS-1, or PS-2) that increase Aβ cause familial AD (FAD), where AD onset is accelerated by at least a decade. Included in the mutations that increase Aβ are chromosome 21 Trisomy that causes Down's syndrome. Third, transgenic mice that express one or more of the mutant FAD genes have increased Aβ levels, form parenchymal plaques and cerebral vascular deposits containing Aβ, exhibit memory deficits (Chapman, P.; White, G. et al. Nature Neurosci. 1999, 2, 271-276) and enhance neurofibrillary degeneration in mice that also overexpress mutant tau (Lewis, J.; Dickson, D. et al. Science 2001, 293, 1487-1491). Fourth, Aβ is toxic to cultured cells (Dahlgren, K.; Manelli, A. et al. J. Biol. Chem. 2002 277, 32046-32053), induces neurofibrillary tangles in mice with mutant tau (Gotz, J., Chen, F. et al. Science 2001, 293, 1491-1495) and interferes with long-term potentiation, a likely component of memory (Walsh, D., Klyubin, I. et al. Nature 2002, 416, 535-539 and references therein). Taken together, these data lead one skilled in the art to conclude that excess Aβ production and/or reduced Aβ clearance cause AD. From this it follows that reducing brain Aβ levels by inhibition of γ-secretase will prevent the onset and progression of AD.
In addition to AD, excess production and/or reduced clearance of Aβ causes cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) (reviewed in Thal, D., Gherbremedhin, E. et al. J. Neuropath. Exp. Neuro. 2002, 61, 282-293). In these patients, vascular amyloid deposits cause degeneration of vessel walls and aneurysms that may be responsible for 10-15% hemorrhagic strokes in elderly patients. As in AD, mutations in the gene encoding Aβ lead to an early onset form of CAA, referred to as cerebral hemorrhage with amyloidosis of the Dutch type, and mice expressing this mutant protein develop CAA that is similar to patients.
It is hypothesized that inhibiting the production of Aβ will prevent and reduce neurological degeneration, reducing neurotoxicity and, generally, mediating the pathology associated with Aβ production. Methods of treatment could target the formation of Aβ through the enzymes involved in the proteolytic processing of β-amyloid precursor protein. Compounds that inhibit β- or γ-secretase activity, either directly or indirectly, could control the production of Aβ. Advantageously, compounds that specifically target γ-secretases, could control the production of Aβ. Such inhibition of β- or γ-secretases could thereby reduce production of Aβ which, could reduce or prevent the neurological disorders associated with Aβ protein.
Smith, et al. in International Application WO 00/50391, published Aug. 31, 2000, disclose a series of sulfonamide compounds that can act to modulate production of amyloid β protein as a means of treating a variety of diseases, especially Alzheimer's Disease and other diseases relating to the deposition of amyloid. Japanese Patent No.11343279, published Dec. 14, 1999 discloses a series of sulfonamide derivatives which are TNF-alpha inhbitors useful for treating autoimmune diseases.
Nothing in these references can be construed to disclose or suggest the novel compounds of this invention and their use to inhibit β-AP production.

α-(N-sulfonamido)acetamide derivatives as β-amyloid inhibitors

Abstract: wherein R, R1, R2 and R3 are defined herein, which are inhibitors of β-amyloid peptide (β-AP) production and are useful in the treatment of Alzheimer's Disease and other conditions affected by anti-amyloid activity.


A padlock having a locking mechanism that can be unlocked using a thumbwheel, by a traveler, or by secured key, by a TSA or government agent. The Padlock has a timer that prevents the lock from unlocking for a set period of time. The padlock also has a switch that activates the activation of the timer. The activation of the timer activates the timer so that the lock cannot be unlocked until the following sequence is completed: first the padlock unlocking mechanism is activated by dialing the correct code on the thumbwheel of the padlock and thereby starting a set time period for the automatic release of the padlock and second by the lock automatically unlocking after the set period expiring. The padlock also has a bypass mechanism that bypasses the timer sequence and thereby unlocks the lock. The padlock may also have at least one light that notifies a handler of the padlock of the activation of the timer and/or the release of the padlock. The padlock may also have a stopwatch that displays the period of time left before the padlock is unlocked.

The present invention is directed to a padlock that is used to lock ammunition cases that will prevent and deter terrorist or criminal acts at airports of ports of entry.
In the United States, ammunition is prohibited in carry-on baggage, but may be transported in checked baggage. Firearm magazines and ammunition clips, whether loaded or empty, must be securely boxed or included within a hard-sided case containing an unloaded firearm. Read the requirements governing the transport of ammunition in checked baggage as defined by 49 CFR 175.10 (a)(8).
Recently, at a Florida Airport, a terrorist attack occurred wherein a traveler picked up his gun and ammunition case at a secured weapon baggage pickup, then he went into a bathroom, next he loaded the weapons he was carrying in the bathroom, and lastly, he opened fire at his fellow travelers.
The terrorist attack could have been prevented by having a lock on the ammunition carrying case that would have not been able to have been unlocked for a period of time after the case was delivered to the traveler.
The incident motivated the inventor of the present inventor to device a padlock that could have a timing device that would prevent the case from being opened after the delivery of the case to a traveler at an airport or port of entry.
The present invention provides a padlock, that will be used on ammunition carrying cases that are checked into an airports or ports of entry, that will be used to prevent or deter terrorism at airports or ports of entry.
For the foregoing reasons he designed a TSA improved padlock for carrying cases that will be used to prevent or deter terrorism or criminal acts at airports or ports of entry.

Padlock for ammunition cases and method of use


A vehicle is disclosed. A wall includes a first portion disposed adjacent to a first end, a second portion disposed adjacent to a second end and a middle portion disposed between the first and second portions. A panel includes a first panel portion disposed along the first portion, a second panel portion disposed along the second portion and a middle panel portion disposed along the middle portion. The panel extends outwardly away from the wall a distal surface to define a cavity. An airbag device is attached to the second portion and disposed inside the cavity. A beam is coupled to one of the first portion and the middle portion inside the cavity. The beam extends into the cavity from the first end of the wall along an axis such that the beam is spaced from the second panel portion and the second portion along the axis.

Many vehicles include a passenger compartment for receiving one or more passengers of the vehicle. Generally, these vehicles include an instrument panel and seats disposed inside the passenger compartment. In such vehicle architecture, a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) unit and other components are mounted behind the instrument panel or dashboard. A frame of such a vehicle includes a first side wall adjacent to the driver side door and a second side wall adjacent to the passenger side door. A cross-car beam is attached to the frame to support the HVAC unit and other components of the vehicle, such as a steering wheel. The cross-car beam extends the entire width of the passenger compartment from adjacent to the driver side door to the passenger side door.

Vehicle and an instrument panel for the vehicle


Operations, administration and management (OAM) functions in a passive optical network (PON) can be performed by providing a system of flow points (i.e., software entities), such as those along the lines of the Maintenance End Points (MEPs) and Maintenance Intermediate Points (MIPs) described in the IEEE 802.1ag specification, which communicate connectivity fault test messages with each other. The flow points can be provided in the Optical Line Terminal (OLT) and Optical Network Terminator (ONT). Alternatively or in addition, flow points can be provided in a subscriber gateway coupled to the ONT. The flow points issue test messages, to which other flow points can respond with information regarding the state of network connectivity.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to passive optical networks (PONs) and, more specifically, to OAM features in PON technology.
2. Description of the Related Art
OAM, which stands for "operations, administration and management," is a term commonly used to describe the instrumentation of telecommunications networks with tools to allow network operators to remotely install, monitor and troubleshoot elements of their networks. Early network management methodologies generally involved the exchange of messages directly between a central network management platform (e.g., a network server) and each of the other network nodes, so that each node could be monitored and controlled from the central network management system. With Ethernet developing into the dominant network technology for delivering broadband services, such as Internet access, digital telephony and television, a need became apparent for a methodology to aid network service providers in verifying end-to-end connectivity of Ethernet-based network service to their subscribers. Such a methodology has been referred to in the art as Connectivity Fault Management (CFM). Accordingly, an Ethernet OAM standard for CFM, known as IEEE 802.1ag, has been developed. End-to-end CFM refers to the ability of a network to monitor the "health" of a service delivered to end-users, as opposed to just links or individual bridges. Ethernet OAM has been used in networks that deliver services to subscribers via digital subscriber lines (DSL) and similar wire-based broadband connections.
The IEEE 802.1ag standard defines a "Maintenance Entity" domain hierarchy, with a customer-level domain at the highest level of the hierarchy, and one or more provider domains at intermediate levels, each of which in turn includes one or more operator domains disposed at a lower hierarchical level. A Maintenance Entity domain level is defined in terms of what are referred to as flow points. In the context of the IEEE 802.1ag specification, the flow points are (typically, software) entities that operate in the Media Access Control (MAC) "interfaces" and "ports" of switches, routers and other Ethernet devices. A port can implement multiple flow points of different types. A flow point at the edge of an OAM domain is called a "Maintenance End Point" or MEP. MEPs can, among other functions, initiate test messages. A flow point inside an OAM domain and visible to an MEP is called a "Maintenance Intermediate Point" or MIP. Whereas MEPs initiate test messages, either on an automatic basis or at the request of system administrators, MIPs passively receive and respond to OAM flows initiated by MEPs. The messages initiated by MEPs on a Maintenance Entity level are generally confined to that level and invisible to MEPs and MIPs on other levels.
Most Ethernet-based service provider networks comprise active components, such as switchers, routers, and other such devices that consume power, in the path between a central office (or exchange, as it is sometimes referred to) and a subscriber. In addition to requiring power, active components are subject to failure and performance degradation over time, and may require significant periodic maintenance. The passive optical network (PON) has been developed to overcome some of these deficiencies. The essence of a PON is that nothing but optical fiber and passive components are found in the path between the central office and subscribers. A single fiber can run from the central office to a passive splitter located near a group of subscribers, such as a neighborhood or office complex, and individual fibers can run from the splitter to individual subscribers or sub-groups of subscribers.
The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) are two standards-making bodies currently developing PON standards. The ITU has adopted recommendations of the Full Service Access Networks (FSAN) organization, including G983.x, a specification sometimes referred to as "broadband PON" (BPON), and G984.x, a specification sometimes referred to as "gigabit PON" (GPON). The IEEE has also adopted Ethernet-based (i.e., IEEE 802.3-based) PON standards referred to as "Ethernet PON" (EPON) and "gigabit EPON" (GEPON). These standards and recommendations are well known to persons skilled in the art to which the invention relates and are therefore not described in further detail in this patent specification. Although the term GPON may be used herein for convenience with regard to embodiments of the present invention described below, the invention can be applied to any suitable PON technology.
In accordance with these standards, a PON comprises an optical line terminal (OLT) (also known as optical line terminator), which is typically located at the central office, and a number of optical network terminators (ONTs) (also known as optical network terminals and optical network units), each located at the subscriber's premises (e.g., home, office building, etc.), with optical fiber and one or more splitters between the OLT and ONTs. In the downstream direction, i.e., data transmitted from the OLT (e.g., located at the central office) to an ONT (e.g., located at a subscriber's premises), the data units are broadcast from the OLT to all of the ONTs on the PON, and an ONT can select the data to receive by matching the address embedded in the data units to a previously provisioned or learned address. In other words, an ONT only "listens" to data units having a matching address. Thus, the OLT can transmit data "downstream" to a particular or selected ONT by addressing it to that ONT. In the "upstream" direction, i.e., data transmitted from an ONT to the OLT, the data units are time-domain multiplexed. In GPON, the downstream address typically comprises both a conventional Ethernet MAC address as well as a GPON Encapsulation Method (GEM) Port-ID. The GEM Port-ID can be used as a Quality-of-Service (QoS) designator to address a priority queue on a particular port on a subscriber ONT, a queue for high speed internet traffic, a queue for packet telephony, a queue for video traffic, etc. Quality of Service (QoS) is a term that refers to assigning data packets different priorities based upon the type of data. For example, real-time streaming video (i.e., digital television) service is generally assigned a higher priority than Internet Web browsing and e-mail. In this manner, demands placed upon the network by multiple subscribers simultaneously requesting different services are less likely to diminish any subscriber's perception of service quality. QoS differentiation is an important aspect of GPON systems.
Conventional OAM tools focus on individual network segments and are not well adapted for a view across an entire PON architecture. Conventional OAM tools are likewise not well adapted for correlating errors from individual PON segments. Furthermore, conventional OAM tools do not address the QoS features that are characteristic of PONs. It would be desirable to provide a method and apparatus that provides end-to-end OAM capability, such as that of the IEEE 802.1ag methodology, in a PON. The present invention addresses these problems and deficiencies and others in the manner described below.


A non-contact IC tag of the present invention includes a first member including an IC chip and a first antenna connected to the IC chip; a second member including a second antenna; and a movement restriction unit that, when the first member is moved to a predetermined position in the second member, restricts a movement of the first member from the predetermined position. The predetermined position is a position where the first antenna and the second antenna are electromagnetically coupled to each other or a position where the first antenna and the second antenna are electrically conducted to each other.

The present invention relates to a non-contact IC tag that communicates with a reader/writer using RFID technology.
An IC tag (also referred to as an RFID tag, an IC card, an RFID card, and the like) is utilized in various fields such as transportation, distribution, management of goods and baggage, credit cards, and ID cards. This is because the IC tag can store a large amount of information in an IC chip and has an excellent security function compared with a conventionally-used magnetic stripe card and the like.
Moreover, a non-contact IC tag that communicates wirelessly with a reader/writer is more convenient because such a non-contact IC tag is easy to handle and is not subject to wear from contact.
When using such a non-contact IC tag, sometimes it is desired to switch its function ON/OFF. For example, as described in FIG. 6 of Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2008-134867, a non-contact IC tag is attached to a shoe box at first, and when shoes are displayed in a store, a part of the non-contact IC tag is separated off and attached to the shoes to thereby disable the function, as a non-contact IC tag, of the non-contact IC tag attached on the shoe box.


A vehicle exhaust gas treatment apparatus includes a DPF with SCR coating. An inlet piping fluidly communicates with the DPF and is positioned generally parallel to the DPF. An outlet pipe fluidly communicates with the DPF and is positioned generally parallel to the DPF. The apparatus is arranged such that exhaust gas flows through the inlet pipe in a first direction from a first inlet pipe end to a second inlet pipe end. The exhaust gas flows through the DPF in a second direction, generally parallel to and opposite to the first direction. The gas flows through the outlet pipe generally in the first direction from a first outlet pipe end to a second outlet pipe end.

It is known to use treatment systems in order to reduce polluting vehicle emissions. Emission standards are set in many countries in order to limit the amount of pollutants released into the environment. At present, in order to fulfill the European and USA requirements, selective catalytic reduction and diesel particulate filters working in conjunction with one another are required. Both the selective catalytic reduction and diesel particulate filters take up valuable space in a vehicle.
Diesel particulate filters (DPFs) primarily filter soot, which can be burnt off the filter. However, they also filter ash from the emissions, dust from incoming air and fragments from the vehicle engine, which cannot be burnt off. It is therefore usually a requirement of a DPF in a commercial vehicle that it must have a removable cover so access for cleaning can be gained. In smaller, domestic vehicles, a DPF is designed to last the lifetime of the vehicle, so does not require a removable cover.
What is required is a method of treating exhaust emissions to the current standards that takes up a relatively small amount of space as possible in a vehicle. Access to filters may also be required.

Faurecia Emissions Control Technologies, USA, LLC


A neural related query generation approach in a search system uses a neural encoder that reads through a source query to build a query intent vector. The approach then processes the query intent vector through a neural decoder to emit a related query. By doing so, the approach gathers information from the entire source query before generating the related query. As a result, the neural encoder-decoder approach captures long-range dependencies in the source query such as, for example, structural ordering of query keywords. The approach can be used to generate related queries for long-tail source queries, including long-tail source queries never before or not recently submitted to the search system.

Computers are very powerful tools for performing a variety of information processing tasks. One information processing task computers are very useful for is searching for relevant information among a corpus of information. Inverted indexes are one common mechanism for efficiently identifying information of interest among a corpus using a computer. A typical inverted index is a mapping of keywords to the documents in the corpus that contain or are associated with the keywords.
As just one example, an inverted index of the world's publicly accessible web pages may map words in the web pages to the subset of the web pages that contain that word. An inverted index may index other types of information items such as, for example, job postings, online courses, social media posts, wiki articles, or other offline or online information items.
Between the actual physical inverted index itself (e.g., the index data as stored on one or more computers) and the users of the system, a search system or "engine" is typically provided as a software cushion or layer. In essence, the search system shields the user from knowing or even caring about underlying search system details. For example, documents relevant to a user's request for information may be identified by the search system using the inverted index, all without user knowledge of the underlying search system implementation. In this manner, the search system provides users access to relevant information without concern to how the information is indexed or accessed.
One function of the search system is to answer search queries (or just "queries" for short). A query may be defined as a logical expression including a set of one or more search keywords, and results in the identification of a subset of indexed documents. Consider, for instance, the handling of a request for information from the search engine for discovering employment opportunities. In operation, this request is typically issued by a client system as one or more secure Hyper Text Transfer Protocol or "HTTP/S" requests for retrieving particular search results (e.g., a list of job posting containing the words "software" and "developer") from indexes on server computers. In response to this request, the search system typically returns a web page containing hyperlinks to those job postings considered to be most relevant to the search terms "software" and "developer".
Sometimes the search results presented on the web page returned by the search engine in response to a search request do not meet the querying user's information need. The user may not realize this until after the user has scrolled through the search results starting from the top of the web page, where the most relevant search results are presented, to the bottom of the web page, where the less relevant search results are presented. If the user reaches the bottom of the search results without having found a result of interest, the user may then reformulate the search query and submit a new search request to obtain new search results from the search system that are, hopefully, more relevant to the user's information need.
The search system may offer a set of one or more related search queries in the search results web page, typically at the bottom of the web page where the user can find them after having scrolled through current search results and not found one of interest. The offered search queries are related to the current search query for which the current search results are provided. For example, at the bottom of the web page presenting search results for the current search query "software developer" may be a hyperlink to submit the related search query "software engineer" to the search system. Thus, instead of the user being burdened with the task of formulating a related search query by, the user can discover and accept a related search query that is offered by the search system.
The search system may use a simple frequency counting approach to determine related search queries. For example, query logs that record search queries submitted to the search system can be analyzed for query reformulation occurrences. According to the frequency counting approach, a query X may be related to query Y if more than a threshold frequency of query reformulation occurrences of original query Y as query X is found in the query logs. For example, a user may submit the search query "software developer," and then less than a minute later, the same user may submit the search query "software engineer." This might be counted as one query reformulation occurrence of the query "software developer" as the query "software engineer." If, according to the query logs, more than a threshold number of such user reformulation occurrences by the same or different users happened within a time period, then the query "software engineer" might be considered related to the query "software developer." After that, if a user submits the query "software developer," the user may be presented with the query "software engineer" as a related search option on the search results web page for the query "software developer."
A problem with the frequency counting approach for determining related queries is handling long-tail queries. Of all the distinct search queries that the search system receives during a time period there are typically a smaller number of them (e.g., 20% of all distinct queries) that are each submitted to the search system many times by users and a larger number of them (e.g., 80% of all distinct queries) that are submitted to the search system substantially fewer times each by users. A long tail query is so named because it is one of the larger numbers of distinct queries in the long tail end of a graph where the x-axis represents the set of distinct queries submitted to the search system in decreasing order of the number of submissions and the y-axis represents the number of submissions. Typically, such a graph drops off steeply, then heads rightward with a relatively flat long tail. The tail represents the distinct queries that individually are unpopular but that collectively represent a significant portion (e.g., 50%) of query submissions to the search system.
Due to the nature of long-tail queries, there may not be enough query reformulation occurrences in the query logs from which to determine related queries thereto using the frequency counting approach. As a result, the search system using the frequency counting approach may not be able to provide related search queries for some or all long-tail queries, including new queries never before submitted, or not recently submitted, to the search system. Further, since the frequency counting approach considers search queries with all query terms collectively, it may not be able to determine related queries for a search query that is only a slight variation of another search query for which it is able to determine related queries. For example, the query logs may have enough query reformulation occurrences involving the original query "software developer" but not have enough for the query "software developer person" or other slight variation. In this case, the frequency counting approach may not be able to determine a related search query for the query "software developer person" even though it can determine a related search query for the query "software developer."
The present invention addresses these and other issues.
The approaches described in this section are approaches that could be pursued, but not necessarily approaches that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated, it should not be assumed that any of the approaches described in this section qualify as prior art, or are well-understood, routine, or conventional, merely by virtue of their inclusion in this section.