A driving apparatus including: a stepping motor configuring a drive source; an operating portion configured to reciprocate corresponding to forward and reverse rotations of the stepping motor; a home position detecting unit configured to detect a home position which corresponds to an outward movement starting position and a homeward movement terminating position of the operating portion; a homeward movement detecting unit configured to detect the driving amount of the stepping motor in a homeward movement of the operating portion from a start of the homeward movement of the operating portion driven by the stepping motor until a detection of the home position by the home position detecting unit; and an operation determining unit configured to determine that the operating portion is not operated normally when the driving amount detected by the homeward movement detecting unit is smaller than a predetermined driving amount.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a driving apparatus provided with an operating portion configured to be reciprocated by a stepping motor which rotates in the forward and reverse directions, a printing apparatus having a driving apparatus, and a method of controlling the driving apparatus.
2. Related Art
In the related art, a configuration including a driving motor, a cutter blade (operating portion) configured to slide upward and downward using the driving motor as a drive source, a cutter activation mechanism having a rotating disk which constitutes a crank mechanism, and configured to convert a rotational power of the driving motor in one direction into a reciprocal motion and transmit the reciprocal motion to the cutter blade by a 360-degree rotation of the rotating disk when receiving an input of a rotational power of the driving motor, and a cutter home position detector configured to detect a cutting operation starting position (upward movement starting position) and a cutting operation ending position (downward movement ending position), which corresponds to a cutter home position, of the cutter blade, in which a cutting operation is determined to be abnormal when the end of the cutting operation of the cutter blade is not sensed by the detection of the cutter home position within a predetermined period after the start of the cutting operation of the cutter blade is known (see JP-A-2002-103711).
In other words, since the driving apparatus of the related art has a configuration in which the cutter blade slides upward and downward by the 360-degree rotation of the rotating disk, if the cutter blade stops in the course of the cutting operation because a object to be cut is an object which cannot be cut by the cutter blade or because a gear train which constitutes the cutter activation mechanism is abnormal, the rotating disk cannot rotate anymore correspondingly, and hence the cutter blade cannot return to the cutter home position. Consequently, whether or not the cutting operation is abnormal is determined by determining whether or not the cutter blade returns to the cutter home position within the predetermined period.
In such a driving apparatus, as a configuration to make the operating portion to reciprocate, a configuration in which a stepping motor is used as a drive source and the operating portion reciprocates corresponding to forward and reverse rotations of the stepping motor is contemplated. However, in this case, abnormality of operation of the operating portion may not be detected only by the determination of whether or not the operating portion has returned to the home position within the predetermined period like the related art described above.
In other words, even when the operating portion stops in the course of an outward movement and hence does not reach the outward movement ending position, the operating portion may be allowed to make a homeward movement when the stepping motor rotates in the reverse direction for the homeward movement. In such a case, the operating portion stops moving in the course of the outward movement, and the amount of movement (returning amount) in the homeward movement of the operating portion is reduced correspondingly. Therefore, the time required for the operating portion to return to the home position is shorter than the time required at the time of a normal operation, so that the operating portion is returned back to the home position within the predetermined period. Therefore, the abnormality of the operation cannot be detected even though the reciprocal motion of the operating portion is not performed normally.

Driving apparatus, printing apparatus having driving apparatus, and method of controlling driving apparatus


A microfluidic device adapted to perform many simultaneous binding assays including but not limited to immunological experiments, such as ELISA assays, with minimal cross-talk between primary and secondary antibodies.

A number of patents and published applications disclose microfluidic devices that may be used to perform various chemical and biochemical analyses and syntheses. These disclosures include the following publications, all of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety for all purposes: U.S. Pat. No. 6,767,706 ("Integrated Active Flux Microfluidic Devices and Methods"), US20020127736A1 ("Microfluidic Devices And Methods Of Use"), US20020109114A1 ("Electrostatic Valves For Microfluidic Devices"), US20050145496A1 ("Thermal Reaction Device And Method For Using The Same"), and U.S. Pat. No. 6,729,352 ("Microfluidic Synthesis Devices And Methods").
Additionally, the following applications and patents disclose relevant information pertinent to the present invention: U.S. non-provisional patent application Ser. No. 10/819,088, filed on Apr. 5, 2004 which claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/460,634, filed on Apr. 3, 2003, both of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety for all purposes; U.S. Non-Provisional application Ser. No. 10/306,798, filed on Nov. 27, 2002, which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/391,529, filed Jun. 24, 2002, and of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/335,292, filed Nov. 30, 2001, each of which is incorporated by reference in their entirety for all purposes.
The general benefits of using microfluidic systems include a substantial reduction in time, cost and the space requirements for the devices utilized to conduct the analysis or synthesis.
Immunological methods are well known, and are performed routinely for diagnostic and research purposes. The problems with immunological methods are also well known, and are generally focused around increasing sensitivity while maintaining a high degree of specificity. Increasing sensitivity may be done by increasing the concentration of binding or target species, but increased concentration of reagents leads to an increased amount of non-specific binding of cross-reactive antibodies, leading to false positives. So there is a constant tension between the requirements for specificity and sensitivity.
Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assays (ELISAs) combine the specificity of antibodies with the sensitivity of simple enzyme assays, by using antibodies or antigens coupled to an easily-assayed enzyme. ELISAs can provide a useful measurement of antigen or antibody concentration. There are two main variations on this method: The ELISA can be used to detect the presence of antigens that are recognized by an antibody or it can be used to test for antibodies that recognize an antigen. An ELISA is generally a five-step procedure: 1) coat the microtiter plate wells with antigen; 2) block all unbound sites to prevent false positive results; 3) add antibody to the wells; 4) add anti-mouse IgG conjugated to an enzyme; 5) reaction of a substrate with the enzyme to produce a colored product, thus indicating a positive reaction. There are many different types of ELISAs.
One of the most useful of the immunoassays is the two antibody "sandwich" ELISA. This assay is used to determine the antigen concentration in unknown samples. If a purified antigen standard is available, the assay can determine the absolute amount of antigen in an unknown sample. The sandwich ELISA requires two antibodies that bind to epitopes that do not overlap on the antigen. This can be accomplished with either two monoclonal antibodies that recognize discrete sites or one batch of affinity-purified polyclonal antibodies. One antibody (the "capture" antibody) is purified and bound to a solid phase typically attached to the bottom of a plate well. Antigen is then added and allowed to complex with the bound antibody. Unbound products are then removed with a wash, and a labeled second antibody (the "detection" antibody) is allowed to bind to the antigen, thus completing the "sandwich". The assay is then quantitated by measuring the amount of labeled second antibody bound to the matrix, through the use of a colorimetric substrate. Major advantages of this technique are that the antigen does not need to be purified prior to use, and that these assays are very specific. However, one disadvantage is that not all antibodies can be used. Monoclonal antibody combinations must be qualified as "matched pairs", meaning that they can recognize separate epitopes on the antigen so they do not hinder each other's binding.
Unlike Western blots, which use precipitating substrates, ELISA procedures utilize substrates that produce soluble products. Ideally the enzyme substrates should be stable, safe and inexpensive. Popular enzymes are those that convert a colorless substrate to a colored product, e.g., p-nitrophenylphosphate (pNPP), which is converted to the yellow p-nitrophenol by alkaline phosphatase. Substrates used with peroxidase include 2,2′-azo-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), o-phenylenediamine (OPD) and 3,3′5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine base (TMB), which yield green, orange and blue colors, respectively.
The sensitivity of the sandwich ELISA is dependent on four factors: (1) The number of molecules of the first antibody that are bound to the solid phase. (2) The avidity of the first antibody for the antigen. (3) The avidity of the second antibody for the antigen. (4) The specific activity of the second antibody.
When two "matched pair" antibodies are not available for a target, another option is the competitive ELISA. Another advantage to the competitive ELISA is that non-purified primary antibodies may be used. In order to utilize a competitive ELISA, one reagent must be conjugated to a detection enzyme, such as horseradish peroxidase. The enzyme may be linked to either the immunogen or the primary antibody. A labeled immunogen is commonly used as the competitor.
In use, an unlabeled purified primary antibody is coated onto the wells of a 96 well microtiter plate. This primary antibody is then incubated with unlabeled standards and unknowns. After this reaction is allowed to go to equilibrium, conjugated immunogen is added. This conjugate will bind to the primary antibody wherever its binding sites are not already occupied by unlabeled immunogen. Thus, the more immunogen in the sample or standard, the lower the amount of conjugated immunogen bound. The plate is then developed with substrate and color change is measured.
Conventional ELISAs generally provide a plate with a number of reaction wells onto which a number of primary antibodies have been pre-spotted. The wells are then flooded with the antigen to be detected which binds via a first epitope to the primary antibody. The secondary labeled antibody is then flooded onto the plate and binds specifically to a second epitope of the antigen. A signal is then produced and detected by use of a colorimetric substrate.
A major problem with current antibody systems is caused by cross-talk between the antibodies. This problem is inherent in a system that requires exposure of the primary antibody to a cocktail of polyclonal secondary antibodies, some of which may bind non-specifically not to the bound antigen, but to the primary antibody, creating false positives.


A rotor of a turbomachine includes a rotor drum located at a central axis and a plurality of buckets secured to the rotor drum. A rotor shell extends between axially adjacent buckets of the plurality of buckets and is secured to and supported by the plurality of buckets defining a cooling passage between the rotor drum and the rotor shell. A low pressure sink is located at an upstream end of the rotor receptive of a coolant flow through the cooling passage. A method of cooling a rotor of a steam turbine includes locating a rotor shell radially outboard of a rotor drum defining a cooling passage therebetween. A flow of steam is urged from a downstream portion of the steam turbine through the cooling passage toward a low pressure sink located at an upstream end of the steam turbine thereby cooling the rotor.

The subject matter disclosed herein generally relates to turbomachine rotors. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to cooling of steam turbine rotors.
As steam turbine systems rely on higher steam temperatures to increase efficiency, steam turbines, especially those utilizing drum rotor construction, must be able to withstand the higher steam temperatures so as not to compromise the useful life of the rotor. Materials that are more temperature-resistant may be used in the rotor construction, but use of such materials often substantially increases the cost of rotor components. High pressure, lower temperature steam may be used as a coolant for the rotor, but use of this coolant, from a source outside of the gas turbine, but this too can significantly increase cost of the rotor and degrades the rotor performance.
The art would well receive a lower cost solution for improving the high temperature resistance of the rotor while having a reduced negative impact on performance of the rotor.


A patient-support apparatus includes a deck, a headrail, and an entertainment system. The deck has a head end, a foot end spaced from the head end, a first side extending from the head end to the foot end, and a second side spaced from the first side and extending from the head end to the foot end. The headrail is coupled to the deck and extends along the first side of the deck near the head end of the deck. The entertainment system includes a user input and a projection device coupled to the headrail.

This disclosure relates generally to a system for providing entertainment in a room. More particularly, but not exclusively, this disclosure relates to an entertainment system used with a patient-support apparatus such as a hospital bed, a stretcher, a wheel chair, or the like.
Sometimes, a patient supported on a patient-support apparatus would like to read or be entertained by a piece of media. When a patient is lying down or sitting up, a book or other piece of media is often held above the patient or out away from the patient. Holding books or other pieces of media may be difficult for a patient on a patient-support apparatus.

Patient-support apparatus having patient entertainment projector


A semipermanent hair dye composition comprising (A) a direct dye, (B) a hydrocarbon oil and (C) polyoxyalkylene-modified dimethyl polysiloxane.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semipermanent hair dye composition which can uniformly dye hair without coloring the scalp and skin and gives the hair an excellent feel after hair coloring.
2. Description of the Background Art
Semipermanent hair dye compositions that a direct dye is caused to penetrate into hair to color the hair have been known as hair dye compositions. Since the direct dye is great in molecular size, it can not easily penetrate into hair, and so it has involved a problem that it takes a long time to color the hair with such a dye. However, the treatment time is greatly shortened at present with the development of the penetration-enhancing technique with solvents.
However, the skin is colored with more ease than the hair due to the difference in structure between them. Therefore, when a treatment is conducted with a hair dye composition using a direct dye, such a composition has involved a problem that it colors the surface of the scalp at the same time as hair coloring.
Therefore, there has been a demand for development of a semipermanent hair dye composition which can uniformly dye hair without coloring the scalp and skin and gives the hair an excellent feel after hair coloring.
The present inventors have found that a hydrocarbon oil and polyoxyalkylene-modified dimethyl polysiloxane are used in combination with a direct dye, the above problem can be solved.
According to the present invention, there is thus provided a semipermanent hair dye composition comprising the following components (A), (B) and (C):
(A) a direct dye;
(B) a hydrocarbon oil; and
(C) polyoxyalkylene-modified dimethyl polysiloxane.
The hair dye composition according to the present invention can uniformly dye hair without coloring the scalp and skin and gives the hair a moisturized and smooth feel after hair coloring.
Examples of the direct dye of the component (A) include nitro dyes, anthraquinone dyes and acid dyes, oil-soluble dyes and basic dyes.
Examples of the nitro dyes include 3,4-diaminonitrobenzene, 2,5-diaminonitrobenzene, 2-amino-5-N-xcex2-hydroxyethylaminonitrobenzene, 2-N-xcex2-hydroxyethylamino-5-N,N-bis-xcex2-hydroxyethylaminonitrobenzene, 2-N-methylamino-5-N,N-bis(xcex2-hydroxy-ethyl)aminonitrobenzene, 2-N-methylamino-5-N-methyl-xcex2-hydroxyethylaminonitrobenzene, 2-N-xcex2-hydroxy-ethylamino-5-hydroxynitrobenzene, 3-methoxy-4-N-xcex2-hydroxyethylaminonitrobenzene, 4-nitro-3-methylaminophenoxyethanol, 2-N-xcex2-hydroxyethylamino-5-aminonitrobenzene, 2-N-xcex2-hydroxyethylamino-nitrobenzene, 3-amino-4-N-xcex2-hydroxyethylaminonitrobenzene, 3-xcex2-hydroxyethoxy-4-N-xcex2-hydroxyethylaminonitrobenzene, 2-amino-5-N-methylaminonitrobenzene, 2-amino-3-methylnitrobenzene, 2-N-xcex2-hydroxyethylamino-5-xcex2,xcex3-dihydroxypropoxynitrobenzene, 3-hydroxy-4-N-xcex2-hydroxyethylaminonitrobenzene, 3-hydroxy-4-aminonitrobenzene, 2,5-N,Nxe2x80x2-xcex2-hydroxyethylaminonitrobenzene, 2-N-methylamino-4-o-xcex2,xcex3-dihydroxypropoxynitrobenzene, 2-N-xcex2-aminoethylamino-5-N,N-bis(xcex2-hydroxyethyl)aminonitrobenzene, 2-N-xcex2-aminoethylamino-4-methoxynitrobenzene and 2-N-xcex2-aminoethylamino-5-xcex2-hydroxyethoxynitrobenzene.
Examples of the anthraquinone dyes include 1-amino-4-methylaminoanthraquinone and 1,4-diaminoanthraquinone.
Examples of the acid dyes include Acid Red 27, Acid Red 51, Acid Red 18, Acid Red 92, Acid Red 94, Acid Red 52, Pigment Red 57-1, Acid Red 33, Acid Red 87, Acid Violet 9, Food Red 6, Acid Red 26, Food Red 1, Acid Red 88, Acid Orange 7, Acid Red 95, Acid Yellow 23, Food Yellow 3, Acid Yellow 73, Acid Yellow 3, Acid Yellow 40, Acid Yellow 1, Acid Yellow 36, Acid Yellow 11, Food Green 3, Acid Green 25, Solvent Green 7, Acid Green 5, Acid Green 1, Acid Green 3, Food Blue 2, Acid Blue 74, Acid Blue 5, Acid Blue 9, Acid Violet 43, Acid Black 1, Acid Blue 1, Acid Blue 3, Acid Blue 62, Acid Black 52, Acid Brown 13, Acid Green 50, Acid Orange 6, Acid Red 14, Acid Red 35, Acid Red 73, Acid Red 184 and Brilliant Black 1.
Examples of the oil-soluble dyes include Solvent Red 49, Solvent Red 48, Solvent Red 23, Solvent Red 72, Solvent Red 73, Acid yellow 33, Solvent Green 3, Solvent Violet 13, Solvent Red 24, Solvent Orange 7, Solvent Orange 2, Solvent Yellow 5, Solvent Yellow 6 and Solvent Blue 63.
Examples of the basic dyes include Basic Blue 6, Basic Blue 7, Basic Blue 9, Basic Blue 26, Basic Blue 41, Basic Blue 99, Basic Brown 4, Basic Brown 16, Basic Brown 17, Basic Green 1, Basic Red 2, Basic Red 12, Basic Red 22, Basic Red 51, Basic Red 76, Basic Violet 1, Basic Violet 3, Basic Violet 10, Basic Violet 14, Basic Violet 57, Basic Yellow 87 and Basic Orange 31.
Among these, the acid dyes are preferred, with Acid Yellow 23, Acid Yellow 1, Acid Orange 7, Food Green 3, Acid Green 25, Solvent Green 7, Acid Red 27, Acid Red 92, Acid Red 52, Pigment Red 57-1, Acid Red 33, Food Blue 2, Acid Blue 9, Acid Violet 43 and Acid Black 1 being particularly preferred.
The above-described direct dyes may also be used in any combination thereof, and the content thereof is preferably 0.005 to 5% by weight, particularly 0.01 to 2% by weight in the dye composition according to the present invention.
Examples of the hydrocarbon oil of the component (B) include liquid paraffin, liquid isoparaffin and squalane. The hydrocarbon oils may also be used in any combination thereof, and the content thereof is preferably 0.1 to 20% by weight, more preferably 0.5 to 10% by weight, particularly 1 to 5% by weight in the dye composition according to the present invention from the viewpoints of the inhibitory effect on coloring of the scalp and skin and giving no sticky feel.
The polyoxyalkylene-modified dimethyl polysiloxane of the component (C) is that with a polyoxyalkylene group, preferably a polyoxyethylene group bonded to a main chain of dimethyl polysiloxane, and those having HLB of 1 to 6, particularly 2 to 5 are preferred. Such a polysiloxane may have a polyoxypropylene group in addition to the polyoxyethylene group. Specific examples thereof include Silicone KF6015, KF6017, KF945A and KF353A, KF352A (all, products of Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.), SILWET L-720, L-7001 and L-7002 (all, products of Nippon Unicar Co., Ltd.), and Silicone SH-3775 (product of Toray Dow Corning Co., Ltd.). The polyoxyalkylene-modified dimethyl polysiloxanes may also be used in any combination thereof, and the content thereof is preferably 0.001 to 30% by weight, more preferably 0.01 to 10% by weight, particularly 0.1 to 5% by weight in the dye composition according to the present invention from the viewpoints of a feel upon application, stability of the system and rinsing out.
In order to facilitate penetration of a direct dye into hair to improve hair-dyeing ability, an organic solvent selected from a compound represented by the following general formula (1), a compound represented by the following general formula (2), an alkylene carbonate having 2 to 5 carbon atoms and a 5- or 6-membered cyclic lactone which may be substituted by an alkyl, alkenyl, alkoxy or acyl group is preferably contained as a component (D) in the hair dye compositions according to the present invention.
wherein R1 is a hydrogen atom, a low alkyl group or a group represented by the following formula:
in which R2 is a hydrogen atom, or a methyl or ethyl group, and R3 is a single bone or a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms,
Y and Z are, independently of each other, a hydrogen atom or a hydroxyl group, and
p, q and r are, independently of each other, an integer of 0 to 5, with the proviso that the cases where p and q are 0, and Z is a hydrogen atom, and where p and q are 0, R1 is a hydrogen atom, and Z is a hydroxyl group are excluded.
wherein R4 is a linear or branched alkyl group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms.
Specific examples of the organic solvent of the component (D) include ethanol, 1-propanol, 2-propanol, 1-butanol, isobutanol, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, benzyl alcohol, cinnamyl alcohol, phenethyl alcohol, p-anisyl alcohol, p-methylbenzyl alcohol, phenoxyethanol, 2-benzyloxyethanol, methylcarbitol, ethylcarbitol, propylcarbitol, butylcarbitol, triethylene glycol monoethyl ether, triethylene glycol monobutyl ether, glycerol, N-methylpyrrolidone, N-octylpyrrolidone, N-laurylpyrrolidone, ethylene carbonate, propylene carbonate, xcex3-butyrolactone, xcex3-pentanolactone, xcex4-pentanolactone, xcex3-hexanolactone, xcex4-hexanolactone, xcex3-heptanolactone, xcex4-heptanolactone, xcex3-octanoic lactone and xcex1-methyl-xcex3-butyrolactone.
These organic solvents of the component (D) may also be use in any combination thereof, and are preferably contained in a proportion of 0.1 to 50% by weight, more preferably 1 to 30% by weight, particularly 5 to 20% by weight in the dye composition according to the present invention.
In the dye compositions according to the present invention, an anionic or nonionic water-soluble polymer may preferably be incorporated as a component (E) for the purpose of improving stability and usability as a composition, such as easy spreading upon application. Examples of the anionic polymer include xanthan gum, hydroxypropyl xanthan gum, Welan gum, Gellan gum, carboxyvinyl polymer, guar gum, acrylic acid-methacrylic ester copolymers and partially crosslinked products of methyl vinyl ether-maleic anhydride copolymers with 1,9-decadiene. Examples of the nonionic polymer include polyethylene glycol, hydroxyethyl cellulose, polyvinyl pyrrolidone and polyvinyl pyrrolidone-vinyl acetate copolymers. Xanthan gum and hydroxypropyl xanthan gum are particularly preferred. These water-soluble polymers of the component (E) may be used in any combination thereof, and preferably contained in a proportion of 0.01 to 10% by weight, more preferably 0.1 to 5% by weight, particularly 0.5 to 3% by weight in the hair dye composition according to the present invention.
Taking the case where an acid dye is used as the direct dye of the component (A) as an example, the pH of the hair dye composition according to the present invention is preferably within a range of 2 to 5, more preferably 2 to 4.5, particularly 2.5 to 4 when it is diluted to {fraction (1/10)} with water from the viewpoints of even hair coloring and inhibition of irritation to the hand and skin. As a pH adjuster, may be used an organic acid, inorganic acid or a salt thereof, with an organic acid or a salt thereof being particularly preferred. Examples of the organic acid include citric acid, glycolic acid, succinic acid, tartaric acid, lactic acid, fumaric acid, malic acid, leveling acid, butyric acid and oxalic acid. Examples of the inorganic acid include phosphoric acid sulfuric acid and nitric acid. Examples of the salts thereof include sodium salts, potassium salts, ammonium salts and alkanolamine salts (for example, triethanolamine salts). The pH adjusters may also be used in any combination thereof and are preferably used in a proportion of 0.01 to 10% by weight, more preferably 0.1 to 7% by weight, particularly 1 to 5% by weight.
In order to enhance the conditioning effect on hair, an ester oil, another silicone derivative than the component (C), a higher alcohol, an fatty acid or the like may be contained in the hair dye compositions according to the present invention. Examples of the ester oil include isopropyl palmitate, isopropyl myristate and glyceryl laurate. Examples of the silicone derivative include dimethyl polysiloxane, methylphenyl polysiloxane, amino-modified silicones and alkyl-modified silicones. Examples of the higher alcohol include lauryl alcohol, myristyl alcohol, oleyl alcohol and behenyl alcohol. Examples of the fatty acid include lauric acid, stearic acid, oleic acid and behenic acid. These compounds may also be used in any combination thereof, and the content thereof is preferably 0.1 to 20% by weight, more preferably 0.5 to 10% by weight, particularly 1 to 5% by weight. The hair dye compositions according to the present invention are prepared by blending the above-described respective components with an aqueous medium.

Abstract: The semipermanent hair dye composition can uniformly dye hair without coloring the scalp and skin and gives the hair an excellent feel after hair coloring.


There is provided a technique capable of executing a predetermined processing while continuing a database processing. Firstly, the database to be operated is switched from the main database to a duplicate database. The predetermined processing is executed to the main database which becomes the non-operation mode by the switching. Next, a database access request is distributed to the duplicate database which becomes the operation mode by the switching, thereby performing the database processing. Update information indicating the content of the update processing performed to the duplicate database is output. The output update information is reflected on the main data base for which the predetermined processing has been executed. After this, the database to be operated is switched from the duplicate database to the main database.

The present invention relates to a database processing technique used in operation of a database.
The online business performing the conventional large amount of transaction processing requires daily, weekly, and monthly processing such as a large amount data calculation and batch registration or a periodical batch processing such as database backup and re-organization. Since these processes are accompanied by batch access of a database used by the online service, the online business is greatly affected by it and it disturbs provision of 24-hour continuous service (function realized by execution of a program and an object).
Recently, the SAN (Storage Area Network) configuration organically connecting a plurality of storage devices such as magnetic disc devices by a dedicated high-speed network is in widespread use. In this configuration, the storage device provides a function of high-speed copying of an arbitrary logical volume to a plurality of logical volumes, a function of data multiple writing by making an arbitrary logical volume a main volume and the other plurality of logical volumes sub-volumes, a function of disconnecting the logical volume in the multiple write mode at an arbitrary moment and accessing the main volume and the sub-volumes independently of each other, and a difference reflection function for making an arbitrary volume a main volume and another logical volume a sub-volume and resuming the multiple write so that only a difference between the data is reflected from the main volume to the sub-volume.
Moreover, a duplicate database access device has been suggested in U.S. patent application Publication No. 2002/0198899A1. When one of the database areas multiple-written or duplicated by the external storage device is disconnected and a physical duplicate database is created, it is possible to maintain consistency of the duplicate database while continuing the transaction processing and to access a plurality of physical databases without modifying the application program which has been accessing the duplicate origin database.

Method and data processing system with data replication


The present invention relates to modified G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). The modified GPCRs of the present invention include GPCRs that have been modified to have altered DRY motifs such that the modified GPCRs are constitutively desensitized. As such, the modified GPCRs of the present invention preferably localize to endocytic vesicles or endosomes in an agonist-independent manner. The invention also relates to methods of screening compounds and sample solutions for GPCR activity using the modified GPCRs.

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are cell surface proteins that translate hormone or ligand binding into intracellular signals. GPCRs have been found in all animals, insects, and plants studied to date. GPCR signaling plays a pivotal role in regulating various physiological functions including phototransduction, olfaction, neurotransmission, vascular tone, cardiac output, digestion, pain, and fluid and electrolyte balance. Although they are involved in various physiological functions, GPCRs share a number of common structural features. They contain seven membrane domains bridged by alternating intracellular and extracellular loops and an intracellular carboxyl-terminal tail of variable length.
The magnitude of the physiological responses controlled by GPCRs is linked to the balance between GPCR signaling and signal termination. The signaling of GPCRs is controlled by a family of intracellular proteins called arrestins. Arrestins bind activated GPCRs, including those that have been agonist-activated and especially those that have been phosphorylated by G protein-coupled receptor kinases (GRKs).
Receptors, including GPCRs, have historically been targets for drug discovery and therapeutic agents because they bind ligands, hormones, and drugs with high specificity. Approximately fifty percent of the therapeutic drugs in use today target or interact directly with GPCRs. See e.g., Jurgen Drews, (2000) "Drug Discovery: A Historical Perspective," Science 287:1960–1964.
Although only several hundred human GPCRs are known, it is estimated that upwards of a thousand GPCRs exist in the human genome. Of these known GPCRs, many are orphan receptors that have yet to be associated with a function or a ligand.
There is a need for accurate, easy to interpret methods of detecting G protein-coupled receptor activity and methods of assaying GPCR activity. One method, as disclosed in Barak et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,891,646 and 6,110,693, uses a cell expressing a GPCR and a conjugate of an arrestin and a detectable molecule, the contents of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety.
The majority of the existing methods for identifying GPCR antagonists are dependent on the presence of agonist. Assays for identifying compounds that prevent the activation of GPCRs typically require that the GPCR is first activated in order to identify interfering compounds. For receptors with known agonists, these agonists are currently used to activate these receptors. However, many GPCRs are orphan receptors with no known ligand or agonist.
One method, as disclosed in Pausch et al., WO 00/12704, uses GPCRs with constitutively activating mutations that permit detection of the receptors' functional activity in the absence of activating ligands. In Pausch et al. modifications are made to the GPCR that result in a constitutively active receptor. The constitutively active GPCR mutants of Pausch et al. have elevated intrinsic activity compared to wild type receptors and interact with and activate intracellular heterotrimeric G proteins in an agonist-independent manner. The method of Pausch et al., although agonist-independent, utilizes constitutively active GPCR mutants.
The agonist-dependence of GPCR assays continues to be a problem because antagonist discovery for orphan receptors is typically dependent on the prior discovery of agonist or ligand. Therefore, there is a need to provide additional methods of GPCR activation that are not dependent on agonist.

Nucleic acid encoding G-protein coupled receptor with modified DRY motif


A method for quickly removing pollutants adhered to a predetermined optical member in an optical system. To remove the pollutants adhered to a lens (32A) disposed at the upper end of a projection optical system (PL), a cylindrical protecting member (53) is disposed through the openings in a reticle stage (22) and a reticle base (23). The bottom surface of a support section (56) at the tip section of a rod section (58) is brought into contact with the surface of the lens (32A) through the inner surface of the protecting member (53). A wiping cloth soaked with a washing solution containing hydrofluoric acid is attached to the bottom surface of the support section (56). The support section (56) is reciprocated via the rod section (58) to remove the pollutants on the lens (32A) with the wiping cloth.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pollutant removal technique for removing pollutants adhered to a surface of an optical member. In particular, the present invention is preferably usable to remove pollutants adhered to a surface of an optical member included in an illumination optical system or a projection optical system of a projection exposure apparatus which uses, for example, an excimer laser light source as an exposure light source.
2. Description of the Related Art
In relation to members classified into optical members which are not limited to optical members for the projection exposure apparatus, the presence of foreign matters adhered to the surface causes, for example, the uneven illuminance and the decrease in the transmittance of the light beam, and the optical performance, which is to be originally possessed by the optical element, is not obtained. Therefore, various countermeasures have been made thereagainst.
The following methods have been adopted to avoid the water droplet adhesion on the members such as spectacle lenses and front glasses of automobiles which dislike the cloudiness principally caused by water droplets. That is, a cloudiness-preventive agent containing a surfactant is applied to the uppermost layer (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 56-90876). The surface roughness is made coarse to increase the surface area so that the wettability is increased thereby to avoid the cloudiness (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 55-154348). The coating is formed with a substance including fluorine or with a hydrophobic polymer (see, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 54-74291).
On the other hand, the pulse laser beam such as the excimer laser is used in some situations as the exposure light beam in the projection exposure apparatus which is employed to transfer a pattern of a reticle as a mask onto respective shot areas of a wafer (or a glass plate or the like) applied with a resist as a photosensitive substrate (sensitive object) during the lithography step to produce devices including, for example, semiconductor elements and liquid crystal display elements. However, for example, if any organic substance is present in a minute amount in the gas on the optical path for the pulse laser beam, a thin film-shaped pollutant is adhered to the surface of the optical member on the optical path due to a kind of the photo-CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) action. As a result, it is feared that the transmittance may be gradually decreased, and/or the uneven illuminance may appear.
In view of the above, it has been investigated that the following method (1) or (2), which has been hitherto used, for example, in the technique for the camera, is adapted to the projection exposure apparatus in order to avoid the adhesion of pollutants onto the surface of the optical member in the illumination optical system and/or the projection optical system.
(1) A titanium oxide film, which serves as a photocatalyst, is formed on the surface of the optical member corresponding to a portion to which the pollutant tends to adhere so that the organic pollutant is decomposed by the photocatalyst action (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 8-313705).
(2) A silicon oxide film is densely formed on the optical member to decrease the surface area of the optical member so that it is tried to decrease the amount of the pollutant. Alternatively, an organic film, which has the carbon fluoride group, is formed on the optical member to decrease the tight contact with respect to the pollutant so that the amount of adhesion of the organic pollutant is decreased (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 6-5324).
Conventionally, for example, the following countermeasure has been also adopted. That is, an optical member, to which the pollutant has been adhered, is detached from the illumination optical system or the projection optical system to exchange the optical member.
The following problems are pointed out for the conventional techniques as described above.
At first, in relation to the method for forming the titanium oxide film of (1), the titanium oxide film absorbs the short wavelength laser beam such as the KrF and ArF excimer lasers, although the titanium oxide film have a high transmittance with respect to the relatively long wavelength light beam such as the i-ray (365 nm). Therefore, the titanium oxide film exhibits a fairly low transmittance with respect to the laser beam having the short wavelength as described above. For this reason, the exposure time is prolonged to obtain an appropriate exposure amount, and the throughput is lowered in the projection exposure apparatus which uses the exposure light beam of the KrF or ArF excimer laser beam. Further, in the case of the use for a long period of time, the titanium oxide film begins to be destroyed, for example, due to the heat generated by the light absorption. Therefore, it is necessary to exchange the optical member.
On the other hand, the method for densely forming the silicon oxide film on the optical member of (2) is not preferred so much, because the method causes the change of the characteristics of, for example, the antireflection coating of the optical member. On the other hand, the organic film, which has the carbon fluoride group, absorbs the short wavelength laser beam such as KrF and ArF excimer lasers, although the transmittance is high with respect to the relatively long wavelength light beam such as the i-ray (365 nm) in the same manner as the titanium oxide film. Therefore, the transmittance is lowered. Further, the organic film having the carbon fluoride group itself is decomposed by the radiation of the short wavelength laser as described above.
If the optical member in the projection optical system is exchanged, the following problems arise as well. That is, the cost arises, which is required for the exchange. Further, it takes a certain period of time to adjust the projection optical system after the optical member is exchanged.
In particular, when the pulse laser beam is used, it is also conceived that the method for removing the pollutant such as organic matters adhered to the surface of the optical member is based on the use of the photo-washing in which the pollutant is evaporated by radiating the pulse laser beam. However, a problem arises such that the pollutant, which is formed by a kind of photo-CVD action by the pulse laser beam, is difficult to be removed by the photo-washing. Further, some types of pollutants cannot be removed even by the organic solvent washing with alcohol and/or ketone.

Pollutant removal method and apparatus, and exposure method and apparatus


A method of forming battery electrodes with high specific surface and thin layers of active material is disclosed. The method enables low series resistance and high battery power.

The electrodes of a battery are an electrically conductive anode and an electrically conductive cathode. Each has a layer of active material which can react with an electrolyte to either liberate or absorb electrons. When an electron is liberated at the interface of an active material and electrolyte it must travel through the active material and through the negative electrode, then through an external circuit to the positive electrode, and through another layer of active material where it is absorbed at the interface of the other active material with electrolyte. Each layer of material that electricity must travel through has a certain resistivity. The electrical resistance R of a layer is determined by equation 1.R=ρL/A  equation (1)
ρ is the resistivity of the material, L is the length electricity must travel through the material, and A is the cross section area of the path that electricity takes through the material. For a given material volume V the resistance is determined by equation 2.R=ρL2/V  equation (2)
Since the resistance of a given volume of material in a layer is proportional to the square of the electricity's path length through a material it is important to make the electrical path through the material with the highest resistivity as short as possible. Active materials often have a high resistivity and cause a high series resistance in a battery. [Lisjak et al., (1997), Megahed (1995), Samsonov (1982])
Prior art inventions use a paste to form a layer of active material between the metal electrode and the electrolyte [Bando et al. (1999), Bi et al. (1999), Nordlinder (2003) and Ghantous (2007)]. Typically, the layer of active material is between several hundred micrometers to over one millimeter thick and not fully dense. A battery with a thick layer of active material has a high electrical resistance through the active material and has low power. Some prior art batteries use fine powders or nano particles of active material to increase the surface area. However, if electrons or ions must travel through several particles of resistive material to reach the next layer of less resistive material the resistive path length is long and the resistance is high. A high-power battery must have a thin layer of active material and a high specific area to minimize the electrical path length and minimize the resistance. Thin film batteries have been used in prior art (Bates et al. (1994), Tipton et al. 1996) to obtain low series resistance; however, they have low cathode loadings (e.g., 0.013 mAh/cm2) or low energy per projected area. Prior art thin film batteries have not realized high volume fractions of active material and have low energy density. In practical non-thin-film batteries one desires much higher cathode loadings, e.g., one-thousand times larger.
For capacitive energy storage, electrodes have been developed with very high surface to volume ratio [Welsch and McGervey 2001 and 2002, G. P. Klein (1968), W. Mizushima et al. (1977), 1. Fife et al. (1993)] but such electrodes have not found use in batteries.
In the present invention we describe a new battery electrode that achieves the goal of lower series resistance and higher power than in prior art.


A laundry treating appliance has a rotatable drum at least partially defining a treating chamber for receiving a laundry load for treatment according to at least one cycle of operation and operated such that the extraction of liquid from the laundry load is controlled based on the inertia of the laundry load.

Laundry treating appliances, such as a washing machine, may include a drum defining a treating chamber for receiving and treating a laundry load according to a cycle of operation. The cycle of operation may include a phase during which liquid may be removed from the laundry load, such as an extraction phase during which a drum holding the laundry load rotates at speeds high enough to impart a sufficient centrifugal force on the laundry load to remove the liquid. Typically, the extraction phase comprises one or more speed ramps, where the speed is accelerated, and a speed plateau, which is a constant speed phase. Most acceleration phases comprise multiple repeats of a ramp followed by a speed plateau, which increase the speed of the drum up to a final speed plateau, which represents the highest rotational speed.
During the extraction phase, the laundry load may be satellized by centrifugal force to rotate with the drum. Extraction in this manner results in a decrease in the mass of the load as liquid is extracted during the final extraction plateau. The rate of decrease in the mass of the load slows over time as there is the amount of extractable liquid is reduced. Extraction cycles currently utilize time to determine when to terminate the final extraction plateau. On loads that are extracted quickly, remaining time, along with energy and cost, may be expended at this plateau with little or no return. For highly absorbent loads that release liquid slowly, insufficient time may be allotted, and the residual moisture content (RMC) of the load may not be as low as it should be.


A welding regime may implements cyclic short circuits under a closed loop voltage control approach. Upon clearing or imminent clearing of the short circuit, a current recess is implemented. The current recess reduces the current that would otherwise be applied to the weld, resulting in multiple benefits. The recess may be implemented by suspending voltage command signals. Following the current recess, normal control is resumed with the then-current voltage command.

The invention relates generally to welders, and more particularly to a welder configured to perform a welding operation in which a waveform is applied to welding wire as the wire is advanced from a welding torch.
A wide range of welding systems and welding control regimes have been implemented for various purposes. A number of continuous welding operations are known, such as gas metal arc welding (GMAW), flux cored arc welding (FCAW) and so forth. Certain of these are sometimes referred to as metal inert gas (MIG) techniques. In general, they allow for formation of a continuing weld bead by feeding welding wire to a welding torch where an arc is established between the welding wire and a workpiece to be welded. Electrical power is applied to the welding wire and a circuit is completed through the workpiece to sustain the arc that melts the wire and the workpiece to form the desired weld.
Advanced forms of MIG welding are based upon generation of power in the welding power supply. That is, various regimes may be carried out in which current and/or voltage waveforms are commanded by the power supply control circuitry to regulate the formation and deposition of metal droplets from the welding wire, to sustain a desired heating and cooling profile of the weld pool, to control shorting between the wire and the weld pool, and so forth.
While very effective in many applications, such regimes may be subject to drawbacks. For example, depending upon the transfer mode, the processes may either limit travel speed, create excessive spatter (requiring timely cleanup of welded workpieces), provide less than optimal penetration, or any combination of these and other effects. Moreover, certain processes, such as ones operating in a spray mode of material transfer, may run excessively hot for particular applications. Others, such as short circuit processes, may run cooler, but may again produce spatter and other unwanted weld effects.
Moreover, in certain welding situations and with certain welding electrodes, welding processes that are trained to implement cyclic short circuits between the electrode and the workpiece may add excessive energy to the weld. In short circuit processes, while short circuits are intended between the electrode and the workpiece, the behavior of the system during and following the short circuits may be key to ensuring a smooth process, improving weld characteristics, reducing energy input, and so forth.
There is a need, therefore, for improved welding strategies that allow for welding in waveform regimes while improving weld quality and system performance.

Reduced energy welding system and method


A folding container (3) comprises: an upper frame (31) including a pair of first and second opposite sides; a pair of side plates (35) being pivotally connected to a respective first side and movable relative to the upper frame; a pair of folding plates (37) positioned between the side plates, each of the folding plates including an upper plate (371) and a lower plate (373), each of the upper plate being pivotally connected to a respective second side; a bottom plate (33) including a pair of second opposite sides corresponding to the second sides of the upper frame, each lower plate being pivotally connected to the bottom plate, the side plates and folding plates and bottom plate cooperatively forming a receptacle; and a pair of slot plates (38) with a plurality of slots (381), each of the slot plates being adjacent to a respective one of the side plates.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a container, and especially to a folding container used for transporting or shipping Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) panels.
2. Description of Prior Art
The process of fabricating an LCD generally comprises forming an LCD panel (known as a "cell process"), and assembling the LCD panel with other parts such as a driving integrated circuit (IC), a printed circuit board (PCB), a backlight system, etc. (known as a "modular process"). The cell process and the modular process are usually performed at different factories in different districts of a country or even in different countries. This is because the modular process is generally labor-intensive. Therefore, after the cell process, the LCD panels are generally shipped or transported to another district or country where labor costs are most favorable.
A conventional container used to transport LCD panels is shown in FIG. 6. The container comprises a main body 11 having a parallelepiped configuration, and a cover (not shown). The main body 11 comprises a pair of opposite side plates 13, 15. Each side plate 13, 15 defines a plurality of vertical slots 131, 151. Each pair of corresponding opposite slots 131, 151 receives and holds an LCD panel 2. After all the LCD panels 2 are received in the main body 11, the cover is attached on the main body 11, thereby forming a protective receptacle for the LCD panels 2.
The container is made of expanded polypropylene (EPP), so that it has good shock-proof characteristics. In addition, a plurality of the containers is secured in a larger, strong receptacle (not shown), to protect the containers from being accidentally hit or squeezed during transportation. The larger receptacle is also parallelepiped-shaped, so that it can easily receive the containers and provide sufficient protection therefor.
However, once the LCD panels 2 are unloaded from the containers, the empty containers must be returned to the cell process factory from which they came. The empty containers take up a lot of space, which results in high freight costs.
An improved container that overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages is desired.


Disclosed is a local area information-providing system and method using real names. When an access word provided by an accessing client via a network is a real name, a local area information database is searched using the real name and the client's position information, and various kinds of information on the real name placed within an area corresponding to the client's position information are found and provided to the client. Together with this, an Internet address corresponding to the real name is provided to the client, and accordingly, the client accesses the web page corresponding to the input real name. Hence, the user can access desired web pages using not conventional English domain names but real names, and concurrently receive various kinds of local area information corresponding to the real name. Especially, the user can receive various kinds of local area information of the real names corresponding to predetermined positions without additional position assignment.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a local area information providing system and method using real names. More specifically, the present invention relates to a system and method for accessing users to predetermined network web pages using real names and concurrently providing local area information corresponding to the real names according to user's position information.
(b) Description of the Related Art
As network technologies have greatly developed, global people have come to share various kinds of information via the Internet.
The Internet is not simply a gathering of a plurality of computers, but rather it is a huge connection network of different computers, and computers connected to the Internet are respectively assigned an Internet protocol (IP) number for identification.
However, since the address includes four groups of numbers equal or below 255 (e.g., 188.8.131.52), it is difficult for a user to remember these number sequences, and it is inconvenient for the user to individually input the IP address each time the user desires to access a predetermined computer connected to the Internet.
Hence, the IP address is matched with a combination of letters for easily remembering the IP address one by one instead of directly accessing the computer by using the address, and when the user inputs a letter sequence, the user is automatically accessed to the computer having the corresponding IP address. The combination of the letter sequence is referred to as a domain name.
The domain name represents an Internet address of the computer connected to the Internet, and generally comprises an identifier for displaying corresponding computer characteristics or local area positions. In order to use the domain name instead of the computer's IP address, an additional device for matching the computer IP address with the domain name is required, and the respective computers connected to the Internet are related to a domain name server (DNS) according to the above-noted requirement.
Generally, when a client requests a confirmation of the domain name of the corresponding computer, for example, a confirmation of the IP address of "def.co.kr" to the DNS in order to access a predetermined computer on the Internet, the DNS requests an IP address corresponding to the input domain name to a registration agency server that controls the IP addresses, and returns the IP address provided by the registration agency to the client, and accordingly, the client accesses the computer having the corresponding IP address.
As described above, the user should know the corresponding domain name so as to access the predetermined computer on the Internet. However, since general domain names comprise a combination of English letters having a predetermined rule, it is relatively difficult for non-English speaking people such as Koreans, Japanese or Chinese to remember the domain names.
Also, when a directory or a file name storing information is required to access a predetermined web page, the directory and the file name for accessing the web page can be modified according to a computer manager, and the directory and the file name comprise a combination of English letters, like the domain names.
Therefore, it is difficult to memorize the domain names and the file names for accessing the web pages, and it takes much time to input the domain names and the file names.
When a user desires to search predetermined information on the Internet, the user inputs a domain name of a site that provides an information searching service via a browser to access the corresponding site, and inputs a search word of desired information. Further, when the user desires to selectively search information stored at a predetermined position, the user must establish the position, which creates complicated steps for finding desired information.

Local area information providing system and method using real name


An induction strip heating assembly is provided having multiple induction coils disposed in coaxial tandem and including at least two coil power sources for generation of first and second inducing currents in the coils for the induction heating of a workpiece, such as steel strip, passing therethrough. It is a feature of the invention that the assembly includes a closed loop of electrically conductive material coaxially interposed relative to the induction coils and disposed for induction therein of a circulating current opposite to a one of the inducing currents whereby a magnetic field of the circulating current in opposition to an inducing magnetic field of the inducing current causes a reduction in net magnetic field strength on a side of the loop opposite of the inducing current. Such an assembly provides suppression of intercoil magnetic coupling so that the coils may be spaced adjacent one another with less space between them than would be required if no loops were used.

This application pertains to the art of induction heating devices and, more particularly, to an induction strip heater having multiple induction coils arranged in tandem through which the strip being heated passes.
The invention is especially applicable to an induction strip heating line provided with multiple induction coils where two or more high frequency converters are employed as power sources to the coils and where the power sources may not run in synchronism with each other. However, it will be appreciated to those skilled in the art that the invention could be readily adapted to other uses and environments as, for example, where inter-power source energy coupling between adjacent coils is intended to be suppressed.
Induction strip heating lines having multiple induction coils arranged in tandem through which the strip being heated passes are well known in the art. Frequently, two or more high frequency converters are required as power sources. The output frequency of those converters depends upon the resonant frequency of a tank circuit comprised typically of a capacitor bank connected in parallel with the induction coil and its strip load. The firing of rectifier devices (SCRs) in the inverter section of the converters is timed by a feedback voltage from the tank circuit so that the inverter firing is caused to reinforce the natural frequency of the tank circuit. With the necessary physical arrangement of induction coils the currents in one coil will induce voltage in adjacent coils. Since the inverters of each converter are fired in harmony with its own tank circuit voltage, adjacent converters may not run in synchronism with each other. When an induced voltage from another converter circuit appears in the second tank circuit it distorts the wave shape being fed back to the firing control and may cause the inverters to fire at the wrong time creating an unstable condition which prohibits operation of the line. Where power supplies are operating at substantially the same operating frequency, they have a tendency to lock in synchronous operation and prevent independent control of the power supplies. The problem of independently and precisely controlling the power to the coil is the problem that the subject invention seeks primarily to correct.
Various forms and types of devices and assemblies have heretofore been suggested to reduce the power source energy coupling between adjacent coils. A first scheme comprises detuning the tank circuits so that each converter runs at a different frequency. In the heating of thin strips this is not always a commercially viable solution since it is highly desirable to keep the frequency as high as possible to avoid loss of heating efficiency. Another proposal comprises placing adjacent coils much farther apart. This is also not usually practical because a substantial space must be placed between the coils to avoid the coupling problem and this method would thereby disadvantageously increase the amount of space required for the induction heating installation.
The present invention contemplates a new and improved assembly which overcomes the above referred to problems and others to provide a new induction heating assembly which is simple in design, economical to manufacture, readily adaptable to a variety of dimensional characteristics, is rugged and reliable in operation, and which provides improved flexibility and operation in an induction strip heating line.

Induction heating assembly including an interposed closed conductive loop for suppression of intercoil coupling


A system for simplifying the programmable memory-to-logic interface in field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) is provided. An interface may be used to isolate the general purpose routing architecture for intra-programmable logic blocks (PLBs) from the random access memory (RAM) address lines, data lines, and control lines. The PLBs and the input-output resources of the FPGA access the embedded memory (or RAM) using dedicated direct interconnects. Certain of these direct interconnects may originate from PLBs in the vicinity of the RAM. The remainder run between the input-output (IO) pads/routing and the RAM blocks. A bus routing architecture is also provided to combine the memories to emulate larger RAM blocks. This bus routing provides interconnection among RAM blocks and is isolated from the PLB routing resources.

This invention relates to the field of memory devices, and, more particularly, to a system for simplifying the programmable memory-to-logic interface in field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs).
An FPGA is a semi-custom device including an array of generic cells or logic blocks each having a programmable function and which are surrounded by a programmable interconnect network. Inclusion of RAM blocks in the FPGA architecture saves valuable logic and routing resources. Memory intensive applications are accommodated within an FPGA with embedded RAM blocks. Also, many wide input/output functions may be handled by the RAM blocks, thus saving logic and interconnect resources.
Such RAM blocks are generally evenly distributed on the FPGA chip. An interconnect system is provided for the RAM to interface with other logic resources on chip. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,933,023 assigned to Xilinx, Inc., routing lines which access the logic blocks also access address, data, and control lines of the RAM blocks. This results in some routing flexibility between the RAM and other logic blocks, but at the same time offers a very complex model for the software tool. A number of constraints such as intra-bus net slack, general routing asymmetry, routing congestion, etc., may thus result.
The present invention provides a system for simplifying the interface between the embedded memory and the programmable logic blocks and input/output resources in an FPGA. The system may include an interface to isolate the general purpose routing architecture, or intra-programmable logic block (PLB) routing, from memory address lines, data lines, and control lines. Further, direct interconnects may be included for connecting the PLBs and input-output (IO) resources of the FPGA to the embedded memory or RAM.
The direct interconnects connect the input pins of the memory to outputs nearby of PLBs, and the output pins of the memory are directly connected to the inputs of PLBs in the vicinity thereof. The direct interconnects to/from the memory are not a part of the general routing resources of the FPGA. As such, they do not hamper the symmetric routing fabric or lines for the logic resources or the PLBs.
The memory may have a plurality of multiplexers and de-multiplexers connected to its input and output pins, respectively. The inputs to the multiplexers may be output from various PLBs, the same PLB, or from IO pads. Further, the outputs from the de-multiplexers are connected to the PLB inputs or IO resources. Further, the PLBs interact with the memory through programmable tappings or switches which provide the interface.
The above system may further include devoted bus-based routing for connecting data and address lines to combine the memory blocks and implement larger memories. This reduces configuration register/flip-flop count with respect to a net-to-net route. The registers internal to the memory blocks may be eliminated by utilizing the registers/flip-flops of the PLBs for latching signals sent to or received from the memory, thereby saving significant chip area.
The registers internal to the memory may include input registers, output registers, or both. The internal registers/flip-flops of the PLBs may also receive inputs from the general purpose routing. The internal elements of the PLBs may include a look up table (LUT), and an internal flip-flop may also be used for other functionality independent of the memory interface. The registers/flip-flops are selectively bypassed for the case when unregistered memory inputs and outputs are required. The memory may be ROM or RAM, for example.
The connectivity of the PLBs and IO resources with the general purpose routing architecture coexists with the interface to the embedded memory. The output registers internal to the memory blocks may be eliminated by utilizing the registers of the PLBs for latching the output data from the memory, thereby saving significant chip area.
The present invention further provides a method for simplifying the interface between the embedded memory and the programmable logic blocks and input output resources in an FPGA. The method may include isolating the general purpose routing architecture (or intra-PLB routing) from memory address lines, data lines, and control lines. The method may further include connecting the PLBs and IO resources of the FPGA to the embedded memory (or memories) using multiple dedicated direct interconnects.
More particularly, the method may also include connecting, via direct interconnects, the input pins of the memory to outputs of PLBs in the vicinity of the memory blocks. Further, output pins of the memory are directly connected to the inputs of PLBs in the vicinity thereof. It should be noted that the direct interconnects are not a part of the general routing resources of the FPGA and, thus, do not hamper the symmetric routing for the logic resources or the programmable logic blocks (PLBs).
The above method may be particularly applicable to a single port memory including a plurality of multiplexers and de-multiplexers connected to the input and output pins thereof, respectively. In such case, the method may include connecting inputs to the multiplexer to outputs from multiple PLBs, a same PLB, or input-output (IO) pads/routing. The method may further include connecting outputs from the de-multiplexer to PLB inputs or IO resources.
The above method thus allows for the restriction of interaction between the PLBs and memory through programmable devices. The above method may further include devoted bus-based routing for connecting data and address lines to combine the memory blocks and, thus, implement larger memories. Again, this reduces configuration register/flip-flop count with respect to a net-to-net route.
The registers internal to the memory blocks present in prior art devices may be eliminated by utilizing the registers/flip-flops of the PLBs for latching signals sent to or received from the memory, thus saving significant chip area. The registers internal to the memory may include input registers, output registers, or both. The internal registers/flip-flops of the PLBs may also receive inputs from the general purpose routing.
The internal elements of the PLBs including the LUT and the internal flip-flop may also be used for other functionality independently of the memory interface. The method may also include selectively bypassing the registers/flip-flops for the case when unregistered memory outputs are required. The memory may be ROM or RAM, for example.
The connection of the PLBs and IO resources to the general purpose routing architecture coexists with the interface to the embedded memory. The output registers internal to the memory blocks may be eliminated by utilizing the registers of the PLBs for latching the output data from the memory, thus saving significant chip area.

System for simplifying the programmable memory to logic interface in FPGA


The invention relates to apparatus with capacitive electrodes for electrical prospecting in a borehole, the apparatus comprising at least two injection electrodes (16, 18), at least two measurement electrodes (28, 34), and a current generator (22) for applying an electrical current between the two injection electrodes. The current generator (22) delivers alternating current at a frequency of 5 kHz to 100 kHz and at a voltage of less than 1000 volts. At least one of the measurement or injection electrodes (16, 28) is placed in a borehole (12, 14) and presents an outer surface that is cylindrical and electrically conductive. The apparatus further comprises means (24) for measuring the current flowing through said injection electrodes, means (36, 36b) for measuring the potential difference between the measurement electrodes, and means for processing the measured current and potential difference to deduce therefrom the characteristics of the subsoil in which the borehole is situated.

The present invention relates to apparatus having capacitive electrodes for measuring electrical characteristics in the subsoil.
DC electrical prospecting techniques have long shown their effectiveness in prospecting and surveying the subsoil. Those methods have been developed continuously for surveying from the surface of the ground. When implemented in boreholes, those techniques have become known as electrical logging, electrical tomography, electrical cylinder, . . . Whatever the particular technique that is in use, it is always based on using at least four electrodes: two xe2x80x9ccurrent injectionxe2x80x9d electrodes for injecting a current I into the ground, and two other electrodes (referred to as xe2x80x9cmeasurementxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cpotentialxe2x80x9d electrodes) between which the resulting potential difference is measured. It is the shape of the two-port network constituted by those four electrodes at their positions on the surface of the ground and/or in one or more boreholes that determine the particular name given to the technique.
In those electrical measurement techniques, it is desired to survey the subsoil over a thickness of several tens of meters at most; for that purpose, boreholes are drilled. The terrain is often heterogeneous, weathered, and the boreholes need to be cased. In addition, they are often above the level of the water table, at least in part, in which case they do not contain water. Furthermore, they do not always have a fluid that conducts electricity.
In other words, in such situations, it is not possible by conductive coupling to establish electrical circuit continuity between the various electrodes in use and the subsoil in which measurements are to be performed.
An object of the present invention is to provide apparatus for measuring the electrical characteristics of the subsoil from a borehole, which apparatus can be used in particular when no means are available for providing electrical continuity by conduction between the electrode(s) placed in the borehole(s) and the subsoil which is to be measured.
To achieve this object, the invention provides apparatus with capacitive electrodes for electrical prospection in a borehole, the apparatus comprising at least two injection electrodes and a current generator for injecting current into the ground via them, and also two measurement electrodes and means for measuring the potential difference between them, the apparatus being characterized in that:
said current generator delivers alternating current at a frequency preferably lying in the range 5 kHz to 100 kHz and at a voltage of less than 1000 volts;
at least one of the four electrodes is designed to be placed in a borehole and has an outer surface that is substantially cylindrical and electrically conductive;
xe2x80x83and in that it further comprises:
means for measuring the current flowing through said injection electrodes;
means for measuring the potential difference between said measurement electrodes; and
means for processing said current measurement and said potential difference measurement to deduce therefrom the characteristics of the subsoil in which the borehole is situated.
It will be understood that by means of the dispositions of the invention, resistive coupling is indeed established between the electrode(s) disposed in the borehole(s) and the subsoil in which measurement is to be performed, even though no means enable conduction to be provided by electrical continuity between the electrodes and the subsoil.
This coupling is of sufficiently good quality to enable the measurements taken to be usable for surveying the electrical characteristics of the subsoil that is to be prospected.
In a preferred embodiment, at least one of said injection electrodes is for placing in the borehole. It is then substantially cylindrical and has an electrically conductive outer surface.
In another preferred embodiment, the device for measuring the injected current and the injection electrode are mounted on a common component for placing in the borehole in the desired position(s), depending on the measurements that are to be performed.
It will be understood that by means of this disposition, the injected current can be measured with great accuracy, thereby facilitating interpretation of the results.
According to another preferred characteristic, at least one of said measurement electrodes is for placing in a borehole. It is then substantially cylindrical and has an electrically conductive outer surface, and it is secured to a portion of the device for measuring voltage.
This disposition makes it possible to improve the accuracy with which the potential difference between the measurement electrodes is measured.

Apparatus with capacitive electrodes for measuring subsurface electrical characteristics in the subsoil

Laboratoire Central des Ponts et Chaussees


A method for reducing inter-cell interference and a method for transmitting a signal by a collaborative MIMO scheme, in a communication system having a multi-cell environment are disclosed. An example of a method for transmitting, by a mobile station, precoding information in a collaborative MIMO communication system includes determining a precoding matrix set including precoding matrices of one more base stations including a serving base station, based on signal strength of the serving base station, and transmitting information about the precoding matrix set to the serving base station. A mobile station in an edge of a cell performs a collaborative MIMO mode or inter-cell interference mitigation mode using the information about the precoding matrix set collaboratively with neighboring base stations.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communication system of a multi-cell environment, and more particularly, to a method for reducing inter-cell interference in a multi-cell environment and a method for transmitting and receiving a signal by a collaborative multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) scheme.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
With the popularization of information communication services, the emergence of various multimedia services, and the provision of high-quality services, demand for a wireless communication service has rapidly increased. To actively cope with such demand, the capacity of a communication system should be increased and the reliability of data transmission should be improved.
To increase communication capacity in wireless communication environments, a method for newly searching available frequency bands and a method for increasing efficiency for limited resources may be considered. As to the latter method, a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) scheme has recently drawn attention and has been actively developed. The MIMO scheme obtains a diversity gain by equipping a transmitter and a receiver with a plurality of antennas to additionally ensure a spatial region for utilizing resources, or increases transmission capacity by transmitting data in parallel via the plurality of antennas.
Generally, the MIMO scheme is considered to raise the reliability of a communication system or to improve transmission efficiency and may be classified into beamforming, spatial diversity, and spatial multiplexing schemes.
The beamforming scheme and spatial diversity scheme, which use multiple transmit antennas to raise reliability, transmit a single data stream through multiple transmit antennas. The spatial multiplexing scheme, used to raise transmission efficiency, simultaneously transmits multiple data streams via multiple transmit antennas.
In the spatial multiplexing scheme, the number of simultaneously transmitted data streams is called a spatial multiplexing rate. The spatial multiplexing rate should be appropriately selected according to the number of transmit and receive antennas and to a channel state. Generally, the spatial multiplexing rate which can maximally be obtained is limited to a smaller value of the number of transmit antennas and the number of receive antennas. If correlation of a channel is increased, a low spatial multiplexing rate is used.
When employing the spatial multiplexing scheme, various gains can be obtained by applying a virtual antenna signaling scheme. For example, since channel environment of multiple data streams become the same by application of the virtual antenna signaling scheme, robust channel quality information (CQI) can be provided and the reliability of a data stream having a bad channel state can be increased.
Further, a transmit power of physical antennas to which a virtual antenna signaling scheme is applied can be nearly uniformly maintained. In more detail, sets of physical transmit antennas form a plurality of beams each corresponding to a virtual antenna. Different beams are generated not only to transmit the same power from all the physical antennas but also to reserve a channel characteristic.
The total number of virtual antennas determines an available spatial diversity or spatial multiplexing rate. Moreover, the total number of virtual antennas determines the amount of overhead required to measure space channels. Hereinbelow, the number of physical transmit antennas is denoted by Mr, the number of available virtual transmit antennas is denoted by Me, and the number of simultaneously transmitted layers is denoted by M. The layer indicates a transmission symbol which is independently coded and modulated for transmission.
Meanwhile, a precoding scheme refers to a spatial processing scheme to raise the reliability of a communication system and to improve transmission efficiency. The precoding scheme can be used irrespective of a spatial multiplexing rate in a multiple antenna system and increases a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of a channel. Generally, a transmitting side multiplies the most proper matrix or vector in a current channel environment by data for transmission. The multiplied matrix or vector is fed back from a receiving side. If the transmitting side can determine channel information of a downlink, a proper matrix or vector can be selectively used.

Method for reducing inter-cell interference


A medication administering device for automatically identifying a medication syringe and administering a correct medication. A microprocessor (20) of the medication administering device (1) identifies the color of a medication or a medication syringe on the basis of a reference value, determines the adequateness of the medication, and indicates the result of the determination by means of an LCD (10) or the like to the user. In step S4, the microprocessor (20) determines whether or not color data received from a color detecting unit (13) is within a reference value range. If the color data is within the reference value range, the microprocessor proceeds to step S5, otherwise proceeds to step S6. In step S6, the microprocessor (20) issues a message to the effect that the user needs to check the medication.

When administering drug solution from a formulation syringe to a test subject, the operator prepares a formulation syringe containing appropriate drug solution. A drug administration apparatus administers drug solution from a formulation syringe to a test subject by moving a piston member relative to a cylinder member by means of an injecting mechanism, in response to predetermined operation.
Conventionally, a drug injection system including a drug administration apparatus has come into practical use, in which a barcode reader provided in the drug administration apparatus reads the barcode printed on a formulation packing material, or the barcode affixed to a formulation syringe, and the result is displayed on a display section, so that the operator can easily and reliably check the formulation (e.g. Patent Literature 1).
FIGS. 1A and B each show a configuration of a conventional drug administration apparatus, and FIG. 2 shows a display example of the barcode label on the conventional drug administration apparatus.
As shown in FIGS. 1A and B and FIG. 2, a drug injection system has drug solution injecting device 100 and drug solution syringe 200.
Drug solution injecting device 100 is provided with touch panel 105, barcode reader 108 and injection head 110. Two concave parts 112, as a syringe holding mechanism, are formed in injection head 110, and cylinder members 201 in respective drug solution syringes 200 are removably held in these concave parts 112 separately.
Drug solution syringe 200 is composed of cylinder member 201 and piston member 202, and piston member 202 is slidably inserted in cylinder member 201. Cylinder member 201 is filled with drug solution and capped with sealing cap 203, and then sealed with packing material 204 wholly.
Identification data 205 on drug solution is recoded on at least one of the packing material, cylinder member and piston member in drug solution syringe 200, and the drug administration apparatus stores drug solution data per identification data 205. In the drug administration apparatus, barcode reader 108 retrieves read drug solution data, and display section 108 displays it, and therefore, the operator can easily and reliably check various data about drug solution to be injected into the test subject.


This invention relates to a portfolio having a detachable walled member and, more particularly, a wallet member containing an electronic computing device or radio slidably secured in a pocket in the portfolio such that the wallet member can be rotated to a position outside the perimeter of the portfolio or detached from the portfolio for use. The electronic computing device contained in the walled member is preferably a calculator.

This invention relates to a portfolio having a detachable wallet member and, more particularly, a wallet member containing an electronic computing device or radio slidably secured in a pocket in the portfolio such that the wallet member can be rotated to a position outside the perimeter of the portfolio or detached from the portfolio for use. The electronic computing device contained in the wallet member is preferably a calculator.
It is known in the art to provide a portfolio having a calculator associated therewith. However, previous calculator portfolios have not been convenient to use. If the calculator is mounted on the front cover of the portfolio, the portfolio must be closed to use the calculator. If the calculator is mounted on the inside back cover of the portfolio, it interferes with using the inside back cover as a writing surface. If the calculator is provided on the inside front cover, it may be covered by the pages which are turned toward the front cover as the portfolio is used. Thus, there is a need for an improved calculator-portfolio design.

Portfolio including detachable wallet member


Power semiconductor switching devices, power converters, integrated circuit assemblies, integrated circuitry, power current switching methods, methods of forming a power semiconductor switching device, power conversion methods, power semiconductor switching device packaging methods, and methods of forming a power transistor are described. One exemplary aspect provides a power semiconductor device including a semiconductive substrate having a surface; and a power transistor having a planar configuration and comprising a plurality of electrically coupled sources and a plurality of electrically coupled drains formed using the semiconductive substrate and adjacent the surface.

This invention relates to power semi conductor switching devices, power converters, integrated circuit assemblies, integrated circuitry, current switching methods, methods of forming a power semiconductor switching device, power conversion methods, power semiconductor switching device packaging methods, and methods of forming a power transistor.
Computational power of digital processing circuitry is related to the conversion of input DC power to waste heat. As digital computational powers increase, the associated power consumption and heat generated by processing devices also increase. Power supply voltages of logic circuits have been reduced from 5 Volts to 1.2 Volts or less to alleviate excessive generation of heat and power consumption. However, reduction of power supply voltages has complicated other issues of power supply and distribution to logic circuits. For example, electrical resistance between power supplies and logic circuits has a more significant impact upon efficiency as supply voltages continued to be reduced.
Some designs have provided power to PC boards at high voltages (e.g., 48 Volts) and then utilize on-board converters to convert the received high voltage energy to 1.2 Volt or other low voltage supply energy for application to logic circuits. To minimize the size of such converters, the stored energy requirements in the magnetics and capacitors can be reduced by increasing the switching frequency of the converter. However, conventional power semiconductor configurations utilized in converters and capable of handling relatively large currents can not typically switch efficiently at the desired switching speeds.
FIG. 1 depicts a conventional vertical geometry power MOSFET device having a plurality of n+ source contact regions 3 which lie within p (body) regions 3P (typically formed as hexagonal islands), where both the p (body) regions 3P and the n+ source contact regions 3 are electrically connected to the upper source contact metal 3M. The gate conductors 2 are insulated from source contact metal 3M under which they lie by the insulator 3I and from the silicon substrate by the thin gate insulator 2I. The gate conductors 2 cover the regions between the p (body) regions 3P, extending across the edge (surface channel) portion of the perimeter of the p (body) regions 3P to the n+ source regions 3. When the gate conductors 2 are biased more positively than the threshold voltage of this conventional n-channel power MOSFET, electron flow through these surface channel regions is induced which results in electron flow along indicated paths 4. Electron paths 4 are formed from the adjacent n+ source regions 3 horizontally through the surface channel, vertically through the nxe2x88x92 drain drift region 5N to the n+ drain region 5 to the bottom drain metallization contact 6 shown in FIG. 1. This current flow path leads to values of source-drain ON resistance that are higher than desired for efficient low voltage power conversion applications.
The equivalent circuit of a conventional power MOSFET illustrated in FIG. 1 is depicted in FIG. 2. A p-n body diode 7 is provided from the source 3 to the drain 6 and comprises the p body region 3P and the nxe2x88x92 and n+ drain regions 5N and 5 shown in FIG. 1. The body diode 7 is a relatively large pxe2x88x92nxe2x88x92xe2x88x92n+ diode with a very large diffusion charge storage capacity Qd. Accordingly, when the body diode 7 is first reversed biased after heavy forward conduction, a large transient reverse current ir flows for a substantial period of time tr=Qd/ir which can limit usable switching frequencies.
There exists needs for improved semiconductor devices and methodologies which overcome problems associated with conventional arrangements.

POWER SEMICONDUCTOR SWITCHING DEVICES, POWER CONVERTERS, INTEGRATED CIRCUIT ASSEMBLIES, INTEGRATED CIRCUITRY, POWER CURRENT SWITCHING METHODS, METHODS OF FORMING A POWER SEMICONDUCTOR SWITCHING DEVICE, POWER CONVERSION METHODS, POWER SEMICONDUCTOR SWITCHING DEVICE PACKAGING METHODS, AND METHODS OF FORMING A POWER TRANSISTOR


Systems, software, and methods are described herein dynamically generate traversal code for a graph analytics environment. In one example, a method of dynamically generating traversal code for a graph analytics environment includes, in one or more processing systems, identifying a query expression for a relational analytics environment. The method further includes generating the traversal code for the graph analytics environment based on the query expression, and executing the traversal code in the graph analytics environment on a graphical database. The method also provides communicating results of the traversal code to the relational analytics environment.

Database systems are typically used to store, manage, and retrieve various forms of data, along with relationships between the data. Various forms and types of databases have been employed across computer systems for the management of customer lists, inventory data, transactional information, web page management, among a host of other data. In a first database type, a relational database system is a collection of data items organized as a set of formally described tables of fields from which data can be stored and accessed. In a second database type, graphs may be generated to represent data sets, wherein data objects may be represented as nodes and relationships between the objects represented as interconnecting edges.
Databases can quickly become very large as the amount of data increases as well as the number of relationships between fields increases. Further, manipulation of relational databases can require large amounts of memory and processing power, especially when many fields and data entry relationships are maintained. The searching of these databases has been laborious, time consuming, and inordinately and exhaustively detailed, requiring the individual treatment and assessment of each of a multiplicity of nodes and edges. Further, separate and distinct processing languages may be required to process data in the relational database and graph systems. Thus, it may burdensome for programmers to generate data queries using each of the required languages.

Dynamic generation of traversal code for a graph analytics environment


The interactive video system and method (collectively the “system”) provides users with the ability to navigate and otherwise interact with a representation of physical space. Each representation can include a number of viewpoints and objects that can be selected by the user to provide interactive functionality. For example, a user can decide to examine the contents a bookshelf, tilt upwards to look at a chandelier, or zoom in on a tree visible from an exterior window. The motion of tilting, panning, or zooming is conveyed in the form of video clips that accurately resemble the way a human being would perceive such activities. The viewing of objects and viewpoints can be accompanied by the display of information relevant to the user. The various representations can be stored in highly compact files that allow even low-speed dial-up Internet users to effectively navigate a representation in a real-time manner.

The invention is a system or method for providing access to interactive video content (collectively, "video system" or simply the "system"). More specifically, the invention is a video system for interacting with a representation of physical space.
The use of digital media has increased significantly because the tools for capturing and transferring digital sounds, still images, and video clips have become increasingly advanced and inexpensive. However, the tools for transforming digital media content into interactive digital video content have not kept up with the advancements in digital media. Existing techniques fail to display representations of physical space in a photo-realistic manner as seen by the human eye. Two types of image distortion, bent edges and blurry digital zooms degrade the quality of the interactive video. Those distortions result in a display that is significantly different from how a human being would perceive the subject matter embodied in the digital media. In summary, the existing interactive video systems fail to accurately capture the human experience. It would be desirable for an interactive video system to incorporate true video processing in a photo-realistic manner. Instead of relying on stitched-together still pictures or image interpolation applications, it would be desirable to use actual video or film
Internet-based video systems typically require additional Java or other additional external applications in order to run. Such specific configurations preclude a universal approach to interactive media over the Internet. Different environments require different supporting software, and the resulting fragmentation precludes the market success required for a successful universal system. It would be desirable for an interactive video system to compatible across all major web browsers and platforms.
Existing interactive video systems also suffer from substantial performance problems. These problems are particularly acute in the context of invoking interactive video functionality from a web site or some other Internet-based mechanism. Although the use of high-speed connectivity mechanisms such as cable modems, DSL, satellite, and other mechanisms (collectively "high-speed connections"), most web surfers continue to rely on much slower dial-up connections (collectively "low-speed connections"). Existing interactive video systems involve large files that preclude meaningful real-time processing. It would be desirable for the media files of an interactive video system to be sufficiently compact as to allow real-time performance over a low-speed connection.

System or method for interacting with a representation of physical space