A touch panel comprises a first substrate (1), a second substrate (2) opposite to the first substrate (1), and spacers (5) between the first substrate (1) and the second substrate (2). At least one of the spacers (5) comprises a piezoelectric material. The piezoelectric material is a graphene-polyborosiloxane composite.

The present touch technology can be divided into two kinds: One is to attach a display panel to a touch cover to achieve a touch function. The other is to integrate the touch function into the display panel. The latter integrated touch technology is further divided into an on-cell scheme and an in-cell scheme. The on-cell scheme is to form a touch circuit on a surface of a display panel to achieve the touch function. The in-cell scheme is to form a touch circuit between the display panels, for example, between an array substrate and a color film substrate, thereby further reducing a thickness of the display panel. However, the present touch technology can only achieve touch function at a two dimensional (2D) plane. The present touch technology can only calculate X and Y coordinates of a user's finger contacting the display panel, but cannot detect pressing stress of the user's finger. The latest three dimensional (3D) touch technology is to use additional deformation sensors to detect deformation of a protection glass by a user to realize operations with different pressures.

Touch panel and fabrication method thereof and touch display device

HEFEI BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


An arrangement for clamping a flat plate to a flat surface includes juxtaposing the plate to the flat surface. An axially-movable wedging element defining a surface fitted with wedges is fixed against motion in other than a direction of elongation, and is forced to move in the direction of elongation. The wedges are forced against a first spring beam to impart forces thereto. The forces are coupled from the first spring beam to a second spring beam by intermediary supports. The second spring beam bears against a surface of the flat plate to force the plate against the flat surface.

Temperature is a well-known cause of degraded performance and/or failure in electronic devices. When vacuum tubes were in widespread use, the heat generate by such devices as color television receivers tended to raise internal temperatures to the point that various electronic elements such as resistors would "cook" and change value, and sockets for the vacuum tubes, if made from organic material such as phenolic, would char and in some cases disintegrate.
With the advent of semiconductors and other solid-state devices, the amount of heat produced by an electronic device tended to be less than in vacuum-tube equipment. However, while the amount of heat produced by a solid-state apparatus may be less per device than in a vacuum-tube apparatus, the number of solid-state devices, and their packing density, can be so great that temperature-related problems are exacerbated.
Various methods have been used to control the temperature of solid-state devices. In any situation in which undesired heat is produced by a device, the heat must be taken away by a low-thermal-resistance path. Since heat flows from a region at a given temperature only to a region at a lower temperature, the number of options for temperature abatement are limited. When discrete packaged semiconductors were in widespread use, a thermally conductive, large-surface-area "heat sink" could be attached to the case of the semiconductor to increase the effective surface area of the case in order to provide a low-thermal-resistance path from the high temperature semiconductor to lower-temperature ambient air. The art of "heat sinks" became elaborate, especially as applied to cased microcircuits such as microprocessors.
Another technique for helping to control the maximum temperature of semiconductors in a heat-producing circuit is to connect a flat portion of the case of the circuit by means of a thermally conductive path to a thermally conductive "cold plate." Those skilled in the art know that a "cold plate" is not necessarily cold to the touch, and needs only to be cold relative to the item to be cooled. One such arrangement with a cold plate is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,316,719, issued Nov. 13, 2001 in the name of Pluymers et al. Ideally, a single such circuit is to be temperature controlled, and the broad side of the circuit plate can be affixed to the cold plate, as by screws or adhesive.
In some cases, it is necessary to provide a relatively large number of heat-producing circuits within a defined region. Such a situation occurs in the case of active array antennas, where the operating frequency and antenna beam characteristics tend to determine the inter-circuit spacing of the associated active circuits. In some cases, the active circuits may be only low-noise amplifiers. In such cases, the heat density of the array of active elements may be relatively low. When, however, the active circuits include transmitter functions, as in the case of an active array antenna for a radar system, a large amount of heat may be generated within each active circuit, and the active circuits may be in close proximity. Perfect solutions to temperature control of the active circuits under such conditions have not been found.
One solution to the problems of temperature control in the high packing density, radar active array context is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,469,671, issued Oct. 22, 2002 in the name of Pluymers et al. In this arrangement, a plurality of transmit-receive modules are arrayed on each of a plurality of generally planar heat-conducting baseplates of a line-replaceable unit. The heat-producing modules are mounted along an edge of the baseplates facing the antenna array. This arrangement is effective, but may be costly, and some embodiments may undesirably not have all the electronic devices on the line-replaceable unit, but on the underlying frame.
Another way to cool solid-state devices is by use of a coolant fluid which transfers heat by convection to a heat sink. Such a scheme is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,013,997, issued May 7, 1991 in the name of Reese. This arrangement has the advantage of reducing stress on the heated element, but may not be useful in the case of line replaceable units. Another scheme for the use of a coolant fluid is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,459,474, issued Oct. 17, 1995 in the name of Mattioli et al. In this arrangement, the electronic modules associated with the elements of an array antenna are mounted behind the array on slide-in carriers, so the electronic modules can be exposed. The electronic modules transfer heat by a thermally conductive path to a cold plate, and a flow of coolant fluid transfers heat away from a cold plate. This arrangement is effective in maintaining the cold plate temperature, but does not improve the transfer of heat from the heat-producing modules to the cold plate. The fluid connections may be difficult to connect and disconnect, and may leak under some conditions. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/640,445, filed Aug. 13, 2003 in the name of Pluymers which is still pending, describes a coolant fluid quick-connect arrangement which tends to reduce spillage under certain conditions.
An arrangement is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,388,317, issued May 14, 2002 in the name of Reese, in which a flow of coolant is provided to support elements immediately underlying the solid-state chip which is the source of heat. This arrangement is very effective in heat transfer, but requires a fluid path for each chip, which in turn requires plumbing for each chip, and may be expensive. The fluid paths, if numerous, provide many locations at which leakage can occur.
Improved or alternative temperature control arrangements are desired.


Biologically active compounds that can be used as photosensitizers for diagnostic and therapeutic applications, particularly for PDT of cancer, infections and other hyperproliferative diseases, fluorescence diagnosis and PDT treatment of a non-tumorous indication such as arthritis, inflammatory diseases, viral or bacterial infections, dermatological, ophthalmological or urological disorders are provided as well as providing methods to obtain them in pharmaceutical quality. In addition, conjugates are provided in which these photosensitizers are attached to water-soluble polymers via cleavable linkers that can be cleaved in the body under specific conditions. Another embodiment consists of formulating the desired tetrapyrrole photosensitizer into a pharmaceutical formulation to be injected into the body avoiding undesirable effects like solubility problems or delayed pharmacokinetics of the tetrapyrrole systems.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the chemistry of biologically active compounds. More particularly to porphyrin and chlorin derivatives in combination with polymers that can be used as photosensitizers for a wide range of light irradiation treatments such as photodynamic therapy of cancer, infections and other diseases. The porphyrin and chlorin derivatives of the present invention may be attached to the polymer but may also be released upon certain triggers.
2. Invention Disclosure Statement
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is one of the most promising techniques being explored for use in a variety of medical applications [1], [2] and particularly is a well-recognized treatment for the destruction of tumors [3]. Photodynamic therapy uses light and a photosensitizer (a dye) to achieve its desired medical effect. A large number of naturally occurring and synthetic dyes have been evaluated as potential photosensitizers for photodynamic therapy. Perhaps the most widely studied photosensitizers are the tetrapyrrolic macrocyclic compounds. Among them, especially porphyrins and chlorins have been tested for their PDT efficacy. Porphyrins are macrocyclic compounds with bridges of one carbon atom joining pyrroles to form a characteristic tetrapyrrole ring structure. There are many different classes of porphyrin derivatives including those containing dihydro-pyrrole units. Chlorins, as referred to in the present invention, are porphyrin derivatives containing one dihydro-pyrrole unit whereas bacteriochlorins are characterized by two dihydro-pyrrole units (in general in chlorins one double bond of the aromatic system in β-position is absent and in bacteriochlorins two opposite double bonds are absent compared to the porphyrin). As examples of tetrapyrrolic macrocyclic compounds used as photosensitizers, US Publication No. 2012/0,263,625A1 from Aicher et al. discloses glyco-substituted dihydroxy-chlorins for antibacterial PDT, U.S. Pat. No. 7,022,843B1 from MacAlpine et al. provides)β,β′-dihydroxy meso-substituted chlorins as photosensitizers, and U.S. Pat. No. 7,166,719B2 from Pandey et al. discloses tetrapyrrole compounds containing a fluorinated substituent where the compound is a chlorin or a bacteriochlorin for PDT diagnostic and therapeutic application.
There are several properties that an effective photosensitizer should accomplish. Among them, a desirable characteristic in order to efficiently destroy deep target tissues is a strong absorption at long wavelength. Many current photosensitizers are not efficient enough as they have low absorption in the red region of the spectrum. Chlorins have the advantage that they possess an intense absorption in the red and near-infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum. As light of longer wavelength penetrates deeper into the tissue, it is thus possible to treat e.g. more expanded tumors, if the PDT is employed for tumor therapy. Chlorins possessing potential for PDT can either be derived from natural sources or from total synthesis. Another issue for PDT is the non-specific accumulation of the photosensitizer in undesired tissues (e.g. the skin) which leads to—in the case of skin accumulation—prolonged photosensitivity of the patient which is unpleasant for the patient and can lead to severe burns and scarring.
Thus, there is a need to enhance the effectiveness of prior art biologically active compounds used as photosensitizers in order to successfully perform a wide range of light irradiation treatments such as photodynamic therapy of cancer, infections and other diseases. Moreover, it is necessary to provide novel methods of preparation and improved photosensitizer formulations more potent than those available up to date.
Photosensitzers for anti-tumor PDT are highly lipophilic compounds with a low or no water solubility [4]. So, for the administration of photosensitizers suitable pharmaceutical formulations are needed. In this respect, International Publication No. WO2011071970 by Langer et al. discloses suitable photosensitizer formulations based on poly-lactic-co-glycolic-acid (PLGA) whereas International Publication No. WO2011071968 by Langer et al. discloses formulations based on human serum albumin (HSA) nanoparticles. International Publication No. WO2005023220 by Albrecht et al. discloses suitable liposomal formulations for the photosensitizers that are subject of the present invention. Possible oral formulations for such photosensitizers are described in International Publication No. WO2010129337 by Graefe et al. and in International Publication No. WO2010129340 by Farmer et al.
Nanoparticle formulations of photosensitizers for tumor treatment can benefit from the EPR effect (enhanced permeability and retention effect) of malign tissue where particles of a certain size can more easily leave the blood stream due to the specific structure of tumor tissue and where they are retained for longer periods due to the underdeveloped lymphatic system [5], [6]. In the art, a number of methods are described to connect photosensitizer molecules to macromolecular or nanoparticle carriers [7]. One example for possible carrier systems are polymers. International Publication No. WO2008130181A1 by Kwon et al. discloses polymers as carrier systems for pharmaceuticals. However, specifically for photosensitizers there is a need to release the photosensitizer molecule from the nanoparticle or the macromolecular carrier, given that the close proximity of the photosensitizer molecules to the carrier system changes their photophysical behavior and may lead to a suppression of the desired action, i.e. the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) on illumination.

Conjugates of porphyrinoid photosensitizers and glycerol-based polymers for photodynamic therapy


A test module for biochemical processing and analysis, the test module having an outer casing dimensioned for hand-held portability, the outer casing having a receptacle for receiving biochemical liquid, and, a reagent reservoir containing a reagent for addition to the biochemical liquid for use in chemical analysis of the biochemical liquid, wherein, the reagent reservoir has a volume less than 1000,000,000 cubic microns.

Molecular diagnostics has emerged as a field that offers the promise of early disease detection, potentially before symptoms have manifested. Molecular diagnostic testing is used to detect:                Inherited disorders        Acquired disorders        Infectious diseases        Genetic predisposition to health-related conditions.
With high accuracy and fast turnaround times, molecular diagnostic tests have the potential to reduce the occurrence of ineffective health care services, enhance patient outcomes, improve disease management and individualize patient care. Many of the techniques in molecular diagnostics are based on the detection and identification of specific nucleic acids, both deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA), extracted and amplified from a biological specimen (such as blood or saliva). The complementary nature of the nucleic acid bases allows short sequences of synthesized DNA (oligonucleotides) to bond (hybridize) to specific nucleic acid sequences for use in nucleic acid tests. If hybridization occurs, then the complementary sequence is present in the sample. This makes it possible, for example, to predict the disease a person will contract in the future, determine the identity and virulence of an infectious pathogen, or determine the response a person will have to a drug.
Nucleic Acid Based Molecular Diagnostic Test
A nucleic acid based test has four distinct steps:
1. Sample preparation
2. Nucleic acid extraction
3. Nucleic acid amplification (optional)
4. Detection
Many sample types are used for genetic analysis, such as blood, urine, sputum and tissue samples. The diagnostic test determines the type of sample required as not all samples are representative of the disease process. These samples have a variety of constituents, but usually only one of these is of interest. For example, in blood, high concentrations of erythrocytes can inhibit the detection of a pathogenic organism. Therefore a purification and/or concentration step at the beginning of the nucleic acid test is often required.
Blood is one of the more commonly sought sample types. It has three major constituents: leukocytes (white blood cells), erythrocytes (red blood cells) and thrombocytes (platelets). The thrombocytes facilitate clotting and remain active in vitro. To inhibit coagulation, the specimen is mixed with an agent such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) prior to purification and concentration. Erythrocytes are usually removed from the sample in order to concentrate the target cells. In humans, erythrocytes account for approximately 99% of the cellular material but do not carry DNA as they have no nucleus. Furthermore, erythrocytes contain components such as haemoglobin that can interfere with the downstream nucleic acid amplification process (described below). Removal of erythrocytes can be achieved by differentially lysing the erythrocytes in a lysis solution, leaving remaining cellular material intact which can then be separated from the sample using centrifugation. This provides a concentration of the target cells from which the nucleic acids are extracted.
The exact protocol used to extract nucleic acids depends on the sample and the diagnostic assay to be performed. For example, the protocol for extracting viral RNA will vary considerably from the protocol to extract genomic DNA. However, extracting nucleic acids from target cells usually involves a cell lysis step followed by nucleic acid purification. The cell lysis step disrupts the cell and nuclear membranes, releasing the genetic material. This is often accomplished using a lysis detergent, such as sodium dodecyl sulfate, which also denatures the large amount of proteins present in the cells.
The nucleic acids are then purified with an alcohol precipitation step, usually ice-cold ethanol or isopropanol, or via a solid phase purification step, typically on a silica matrix in a column, resin or on paramagnetic beads in the presence of high concentrations of a chaotropic salt, prior to washing and then elution in a low ionic strength buffer. An optional step prior to nucleic acid precipitation is the addition of a protease which digests the proteins in order to further purify the sample.
Other lysis methods include mechanical lysis via ultrasonic vibration and thermal lysis where the sample is heated to 94° C. to disrupt cell membranes.
The target DNA or RNA may be present in the extracted material in very small amounts, particularly if the target is of pathogenic origin. Nucleic acid amplification provides the ability to selectively amplify (that is, replicate) specific targets present in low concentrations to detectable levels.
The most commonly used nucleic acid amplification technique is the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). PCR is well known in this field and comprehensive description of this type of reaction is provided in E. van Pelt-Verkuil et al., Principles and Technical Aspects of PCR Amplification, Springer, 2008.
PCR is a powerful technique that amplifies a target DNA sequence against a background of complex DNA. If RNA is to be amplified (by PCR), it must be first transcribed into cDNA (complementary DNA) using an enzyme called reverse transcriptase. Afterwards, the resulting cDNA is amplified by PCR.
PCR is an exponential process that proceeds as long as the conditions for sustaining the reaction are acceptable. The components of the reaction are:
1. pair of primers—short single strands of DNA with around 10-30 nucleotides complementary to the regions flanking the target sequence
2. DNA polymerase—a thermostable enzyme that synthesizes DNA
3. deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates (dNTPs)—provide the nucleotides that are incorporated into the newly synthesized DNA strand
4. buffer—to provide the optimal chemical environment for DNA synthesis
PCR typically involves placing these reactants in a small tube (˜10-50 microliters) containing the extracted nucleic acids. The tube is placed in a thermal cycler; an instrument that subjects the reaction to a series of different temperatures for varying amounts of time. The standard protocol for each thermal cycle involves a denaturation phase, an annealing phase, and an extension phase. The extension phase is sometimes referred to as the primer extension phase. In addition to such three-step protocols, two-step thermal protocols can be employed, in which the annealing and extension phases are combined. The denaturation phase typically involves raising the temperature of the reaction to 90-95° C. to denature the DNA strands; in the annealing phase, the temperature is lowered to ˜50-60° C. for the primers to anneal; and then in the extension phase the temperature is raised to the optimal DNA polymerase activity temperature of 60-72° C. for primer extension. This process is repeated cyclically around 20-40 times, the end result being the creation of millions of copies of the target sequence between the primers.
There are a number of variants to the standard PCR protocol such as multiplex PCR, linker-primed PCR, direct PCR, tandem PCR, real-time PCR and reverse-transcriptase PCR, amongst others, which have been developed for molecular diagnostics.
Multiplex PCR uses multiple primer sets within a single PCR mixture to produce amplicons of varying sizes that are specific to different DNA sequences. By targeting multiple genes at once, additional information may be gained from a single test-run that otherwise would require several experiments. Optimization of multiplex PCR is more difficult though and requires selecting primers with similar annealing temperatures, and amplicons with similar lengths and base composition to ensure the amplification efficiency of each amplicon is equivalent.
Linker-primed PCR, also known as ligation adaptor PCR, is a method used to enable nucleic acid amplification of essentially all DNA sequences in a complex DNA mixture without the need for target-specific primers. The method firstly involves digesting the target DNA population with a suitable restriction endonuclease (enzyme). Double-stranded oligonucleotide linkers (also called adaptors) with a suitable overhanging end are then ligated to the ends of target DNA fragments using a ligase enzyme. Nucleic acid amplification is subsequently performed using oligonucleotide primers which are specific for the linker sequences. In this way, all fragments of the DNA source which are flanked by linker oligonucleotides can be amplified.
Direct PCR describes a system whereby PCR is performed directly on a sample without any, or with minimal, nucleic acid extraction. It has long been accepted that PCR reactions are inhibited by the presence of many components of unpurified biological samples, such as the haem component in blood. Traditionally, PCR has required extensive purification of the target nucleic acid prior to preparation of the reaction mixture. With appropriate changes to the chemistry and sample concentration, however, it is possible to perform PCR with minimal DNA purification, or direct PCR. Adjustments to the PCR chemistry for direct PCR include increased buffer strength, the use of polymerases which have high activity and processivity, and additives which chelate with potential polymerase inhibitors.
Tandem PCR utilises two distinct rounds of nucleic acid amplification to increase the probability that the correct amplicon is amplified. One form of tandem PCR is nested PCR in which two pairs of PCR primers are used to amplify a single locus in separate rounds of nucleic acid amplification. The first pair of primers hybridize to the nucleic acid sequence at regions external to the target nucleic acid sequence. The second pair of primers (nested primers) used in the second round of amplification bind within the first PCR product and produce a second PCR product containing the target nucleic acid, that will be shorter than the first one. The logic behind this strategy is that if the wrong locus were amplified by mistake during the first round of nucleic acid amplification, the probability is very low that it would also be amplified a second time by a second pair of primers and thus ensures specificity.
Real-time PCR, or quantitative PCR, is used to measure the quantity of a PCR product in real time. By using a fluorophore-containing probe or fluorescent dyes along with a set of standards in the reaction, it is possible to quantitate the starting amount of nucleic acid in the sample. This is particularly useful in molecular diagnostics where treatment options may differ depending on the pathogen load in the sample.
Reverse-transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) is used to amplify DNA from RNA. Reverse transcriptase is an enzyme that reverse transcribes RNA into complementary DNA (cDNA), which is then amplified by PCR. RT-PCR is widely used in expression profiling, to determine the expression of a gene or to identify the sequence of an RNA transcript, including transcription start and termination sites. It is also used to amplify RNA viruses such as human immunodeficiency virus or hepatitis C virus.
Isothermal amplification is another form of nucleic acid amplification which does not rely on the thermal denaturation of the target DNA during the amplification reaction and hence does not require sophisticated machinery. Isothermal nucleic acid amplification methods can therefore be carried out in primitive sites or operated easily outside of a laboratory environment. A number of isothermal nucleic acid amplification methods have been described, including Strand Displacement Amplification, Transcription Mediated Amplification, Nucleic Acid Sequence Based Amplification, Recombinase Polymerase Amplification, Rolling Circle Amplification, Ramification Amplification, Helicase-Dependent Isothermal DNA Amplification and Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification.
Isothermal nucleic acid amplification methods do not rely on the continuing heat denaturation of the template DNA to produce single stranded molecules to serve as templates for further amplification, but instead rely on alternative methods such as enzymatic nicking of DNA molecules by specific restriction endonucleases, or the use of an enzyme to separate the DNA strands, at a constant temperature.
Strand Displacement Amplification (SDA) relies on the ability of certain restriction enzymes to nick the unmodified strand of hemi-modified DNA and the ability of a 5′-3′ exonuclease-deficient polymerase to extend and displace the downstream strand. Exponential nucleic acid amplification is then achieved by coupling sense and antisense reactions in which strand displacement from the sense reaction serves as a template for the antisense reaction. The use of nickase enzymes which do not cut DNA in the traditional manner but produce a nick on one of the DNA strands, such as N. Alw1, N. BstNB1 and Mly1, are useful in this reaction. SDA has been improved by the use of a combination of a heat-stable restriction enzyme (Ava1) and heat-stable Exo-polymerase (Bst polymerase). This combination has been shown to increase amplification efficiency of the reaction from 108 fold amplification to 1010 fold amplification so that it is possible using this technique to amplify unique single copy molecules.
Transcription Mediated Amplification (TMA) and Nucleic Acid Sequence Based Amplification (NASBA) use an RNA polymerase to copy RNA sequences but not corresponding genomic DNA. The technology uses two primers and two or three enzymes, RNA polymerase, reverse transcriptase and optionally RNase H (if the reverse transcriptase does not have RNase activity). One primer contains a promoter sequence for RNA polymerase. In the first step of nucleic acid amplification, this primer hybridizes to the target ribosomal RNA (rRNA) at a defined site. Reverse transcriptase creates a DNA copy of the target rRNA by extension from the 3′ end of the promoter primer. The RNA in the resulting RNA:DNA duplex is degraded by the RNase activity of the reverse transcriptase if present or the additional RNase H. Next, a second primer binds to the DNA copy. A new strand of DNA is synthesized from the end of this primer by reverse transcriptase, creating a double-stranded DNA molecule. RNA polymerase recognizes the promoter sequence in the DNA template and initiates transcription. Each of the newly synthesized RNA amplicons re-enters the process and serves as a template for a new round of replication.
In Recombinase Polymerase Amplification (RPA), the isothermal amplification of specific DNA fragments is achieved by the binding of opposing oligonucleotide primers to template DNA and their extension by a DNA polymerase. Heat is not required to denature the double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) template. Instead, RPA employs recombinase-primer complexes to scan dsDNA and facilitate strand exchange at cognate sites. The resulting structures are stabilised by single-stranded DNA binding proteins interacting with the displaced template strand, thus preventing the ejection of the primer by branch migration. Recombinase disassembly leaves the 3′ end of the oligonucleotide accessible to a strand displacing DNA polymerase, such as the large fragment of Bacillus subtilis Pol I (Bsu), and primer extension ensues. Exponential nucleic acid amplification is accomplished by the cyclic repetition of this process.
Helicase-dependent amplification (HDA) mimics the in vivo system in that it uses a DNA helicase enzyme to generate single-stranded templates for primer hybridization and subsequent primer extension by a DNA polymerase. In the first step of the HDA reaction, the helicase enzyme traverses along the target DNA, disrupting the hydrogen bonds linking the two strands which are then bound by single-stranded binding proteins. Exposure of the single-stranded target region by the helicase allows primers to anneal. The DNA polymerase then extends the 3′ ends of each primer using free deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates (dNTPs) to produce two DNA replicates. The two replicated dsDNA strands independently enter the next cycle of HDA, resulting in exponential nucleic acid amplification of the target sequence.
Other DNA-based isothermal techniques include Rolling Circle Amplification (RCA) in which a DNA polymerase extends a primer continuously around a circular DNA template, generating a long DNA product that consists of many repeated copies of the circle. By the end of the reaction, the polymerase generates many thousands of copies of the circular template, with the chain of copies tethered to the original target DNA. This allows for spatial resolution of target and rapid nucleic acid amplification of the signal. Up to 1012 copies of template can be generated in 1 hour. Ramification amplification is a variation of RCA and utilizes a closed circular probe (C-probe) or padlock probe and a DNA polymerase with a high processivity to exponentially amplify the C-probe under isothermal conditions.
Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), offers high selectivity and employs a DNA polymerase and a set of four specially designed primers that recognize a total of six distinct sequences on the target DNA. An inner primer containing sequences of the sense and antisense strands of the target DNA initiates LAMP. The following strand displacement DNA synthesis primed by an outer primer releases a single-stranded DNA. This serves as template for DNA synthesis primed by the second inner and outer primers that hybridize to the other end of the target, which produces a stem-loop DNA structure. In subsequent LAMP cycling one inner primer hybridizes to the loop on the product and initiates displacement DNA synthesis, yielding the original stem-loop DNA and a new stem-loop DNA with a stem twice as long. The cycling reaction continues with accumulation of 109 copies of target in less than an hour. The final products are stem-loop DNAs with several inverted repeats of the target and cauliflower-like structures with multiple loops formed by annealing between alternately inverted repeats of the target in the same strand.
After completion of the nucleic acid amplification, the amplified product must be analysed to determine whether the anticipated amplicon (the amplified quantity of target nucleic acids) was generated. The methods of analyzing the product range from simply determining the size of the amplicon through gel electrophoresis, to identifying the nucleotide composition of the amplicon using DNA hybridization.
Gel electrophoresis is one of the simplest ways to check whether the nucleic acid amplification process generated the anticipated amplicon. Gel electrophoresis uses an electric field applied to a gel matrix to separate DNA fragments. The negatively charged DNA fragments will move through the matrix at different rates, determined largely by their size. After the electrophoresis is complete, the fragments in the gel can be stained to make them visible. Ethidium bromide is a commonly used stain which fluoresces under UV light.
The size of the fragments is determined by comparison with a DNA size marker (a DNA ladder), which contains DNA fragments of known sizes, run on the gel alongside the amplicon. Because the oligonucleotide primers bind to specific sites flanking the target DNA, the size of the amplified product can be anticipated and detected as a band of known size on the gel. To be certain of the identity of the amplicon, or if several amplicons have been generated, DNA probe hybridization to the amplicon is commonly employed.
DNA hybridization refers to the formation of double-stranded DNA by complementary base pairing. DNA hybridization for positive identification of a specific amplification product requires the use of a DNA probe around 20 nucleotides in length. If the probe has a sequence that is complementary to the amplicon (target) DNA sequence, hybridization will occur under favourable conditions of temperature, pH and ionic concentration. If hybridization occurs, then the gene or DNA sequence of interest was present in the original sample.
Optical detection is the most common method to detect hybridization. Either the amplicons or the probes are labelled to emit light through fluorescence or electrochemiluminescence. These processes differ in the means of producing excited states of the light-producing moieties, but both enable covalent labelling of nucleotide strands. In electrochemiluminescence (ECL), light is produced by luminophore molecules or complexes upon stimulation with an electric current. In fluorescence, it is illumination with excitation light which leads to emission.
Fluorescence is detected using an illumination source which provides excitation light at a wavelength absorbed by the fluorescent molecule, and a detection unit. The detection unit comprises a photosensor (such as a photomultiplier tube or charge-coupled device (CCD) array) to detect the emitted signal, and a mechanism (such as a wavelength-selective filter) to prevent the excitation light from being included in the photosensor output. The fluorescent molecules emit Stokes-shifted light in response to the excitation light, and this emitted light is collected by the detection unit. Stokes shift is the frequency difference or wavelength difference between emitted light and absorbed excitation light.
ECL emission is detected using a photosensor which is sensitive to the emission wavelength of the ECL species being employed. For example, transition metal-ligand complexes emit light at visible wavelengths, so conventional photodiodes and CCDs are employed as photosensors. An advantage of ECL is that, if ambient light is excluded, the ECL emission can be the only light present in the detection system, which improves sensitivity.
Microarrays allow for hundreds of thousands of DNA hybridization experiments to be performed simultaneously. Microarrays are powerful tools for molecular diagnostics with the potential to screen for thousands of genetic diseases or detect the presence of numerous infectious pathogens in a single test. A microarray consists of many different DNA probes immobilized as spots on a substrate. The target DNA (amplicon) is first labelled with a fluorescent or luminescent molecule (either during or after nucleic acid amplification) and then applied to the array of probes. The microarray is incubated in a temperature controlled, humid environment for a number of hours or days while hybridization between the probe and amplicon takes place. Following incubation, the microarray must be washed in a series of buffers to remove unbound strands. Once washed, the microarray surface is dried using a stream of air (often nitrogen). The stringency of the hybridization and washes is critical. Insufficient stringency can result in a high degree of nonspecific binding. Excessive stringency can lead to a failure of appropriate binding, which results in diminished sensitivity. Hybridization is recognized by detecting light emission from the labelled amplicons which have formed a hybrid with complementary probes.
Fluorescence from microarrays is detected using a microarray scanner which is generally a computer controlled inverted scanning fluorescence confocal microscope which typically uses a laser for excitation of the fluorescent dye and a photosensor (such as a photomultiplier tube or CCD) to detect the emitted signal. The fluorescent molecules emit Stokes-shifted light (described above) which is collected by the detection unit.
The emitted fluorescence must be collected, separated from the unabsorbed excitation wavelength, and transported to the detector. In microarray scanners, a confocal arrangement is commonly used to eliminate out-of-focus information by means of a confocal pinhole situated at an image plane. This allows only the in-focus portion of the light to be detected. Light from above and below the plane of focus of the object is prevented from entering the detector, thereby increasing the signal to noise ratio. The detected fluorescent photons are converted into electrical energy by the detector which is subsequently converted to a digital signal. This digital signal translates to a number representing the intensity of fluorescence from a given pixel. Each feature of the array is made up of one or more such pixels. The final result of a scan is an image of the array surface. The exact sequence and position of every probe on the microarray is known, and so the hybridized target sequences can be identified and analysed simultaneously.
More information regarding fluorescent probes can be found at: http://www.premierbiosoft.com/tech_notes/FRET_probe.html and http://www.invitrogen.com/site/us/en/home/References/Molecular-Probes-The-Handbook/Technical-Notes-and-Product-Highlights/Fluorescence-Resonance-Energy-Transfer-FRET.html
Point-Of-Care Molecular Diagnostics
Despite the advantages that molecular diagnostic tests offer, the growth of this type of testing in the clinical laboratory has been slower than expected and remains a minor part of the practice of laboratory medicine. This is primarily due to the complexity and costs associated with nucleic acid testing compared with tests based on methods not involving nucleic acids. The widespread adaptation of molecular diagnostics testing to the clinical setting is intimately tied to the development of instrumentation that significantly reduces the cost, provides a rapid and automated assay from start (specimen processing) to finish (generating a result) and operates without major intervention by personnel.
A point-of-care technology serving the physician's office, the hospital bedside or even consumer-based, at home, would offer many advantages including:                rapid availability of results enabling immediate facilitation of treatment and improved quality of care.        ability to obtain laboratory values from testing very small samples.        reduced clinical workload.        reduced laboratory workload and improved office efficiency by reducing administrative work.        improved cost per patient through reduced length of stay of hospitalization, conclusion of outpatient consultation at the first visit, and reduced handling, storing and shipping of specimens.        facilitation of clinical management decisions such as infection control and antibiotic use.Lab-On-A-Chip (LOC) Based Molecular Diagnostics
Molecular diagnostic systems based on microfluidic technologies provide the means to automate and speed up molecular diagnostic assays. The quicker detection times are primarily due to the extremely low volumes involved, automation, and the low-overhead inbuilt cascading of the diagnostic process steps within a microfluidic device. Volumes in the nanoliter and microliter scale also reduce reagent consumption and cost. Lab-on-a-chip (LOC) devices are a common form of microfluidic device. LOC devices have MST structures within a MST layer for fluid processing integrated onto a single supporting substrate (usually silicon). Fabrication using the VLSI (very large scale integrated) lithographic techniques of the semiconductor industry keeps the unit cost of each LOC device very low. However, controlling fluid flow through the LOC device, adding reagents, controlling reaction conditions and so on necessitate bulky external plumbing and electronics. Connecting a LOC device to these external devices effectively restricts the use of LOC devices for molecular diagnostics to the laboratory setting. The cost of the external equipment and complexity of its operation precludes LOC-based molecular diagnostics as a practical option for point-of-care settings.
In view of the above, there is a need for a molecular diagnostic system based on a LOC device for use at point-of-care.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Test module with low-volume reagent reservoir


A bunkering marine vessel has an elongated, multi-deck accommodation structure extending along a portion of the length of one hull side and spaced apart from a centerline extending from bow to stern. Positioned within the vessel hull is at least one LNG pressure vessel filling at least 50% of the hull volume and extending from adjacent a lowermost deck to adjacent the main deck. At least one marine gasoil tank is positioned along an opposing hull side to counter the weight of the accommodation structure. The bow and stern ends of the vessel are substantially the same in shape, and each end includes a marine propulsion system.

In the maritime industry, it may be necessary to deliver fuel between ships. Often, this may be at sea or in waters that are turbulent. As the fuel delivery ship is moored to the ship to which fuel is being transferred, fenders are deployed between the ships to absorb kinetic energy of the two ships resulting from relative movement of the ships, thereby preventing damage to the moored ships. In many cases, the fuel delivery ship is significantly smaller than the recipient ship. More specifically, the recipient ship may be many decks taller and significantly longer than the fuel delivery ship. For example, larger cruise ships or cargo ships may be 70 meters above the water line or 6 or more decks taller than the adjacent fuel delivery ship. Thus, while the larger recipient ship may remain stable in turbulent water, the smaller fuel delivery ship may rock significantly. This rocking can result in a portion of the vertical profile of the fuel delivery ship colliding with the larger ship as the smaller ship rolls and pitches alongside the larger ship. This concern becomes even more acute when the lager ship has equipment overhanging the side of the larger ship, such as life boats. In many cases, the vertical profile of a ship above the main deck consists of the accommodation block or superstructure of the vessel, which is an enclosed structure that typically includes the bridge (or wheelhouse), the crew quarters (such as crew cabins, dining facilities and medical facilities) and machinery related to the bridge and crew quarters, such as heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment and storage. Traditionally, the accommodation block is positioned on the main or top deck and extends symmetrically between port and starboard sides of the vessel, either at the bow or the stern of the vessel so as to be spaced apart from amidships. To reduce the likelihood of contact between a high profile of a fuel delivery ship and the larger ship to which it is delivering fuel, a low-profile barge is often moored between the fender and the fuel delivery ship, so the fuel delivery ship "stands off" from the larger ship.


The present invention provides a sheet feeding apparatus including a sheet supporting device for supporting sheets, more than one rotary sheet supply device for feeding out the sheets from the sheet supporting device, a separating device for separating the sheets by regulating a front corner of a sheet to be fed out by the rotary sheet supply device, wherein the rotary sheet supply device closest to the separating device as a greater sheet feeding force than the other rotary sheet supply device.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet feeding apparatus for automatically feeding sheets one by one.
2. Related Background Art
Recording systems such as printers, copying machines, facsimiles and the like are so designed that an image comprised of a dot pattern is formed on a recording sheet such as a paper sheet, plastic film and the like by energizing an energy generating means of a recording head in response to inputted image information.
Such recording systems can be grouped into an ink jet recording system, a wire dot recording system, a thermal recording system, an electrophotographic recording system or the like in accordance with recording types. Further, a recording sheet used with the recording system may be a thicker sheet such as a post card, an envelope and the like, a special sheet such as a plastic film or the like, as well as a plain paper sheet. The sheets may be manually inserted one by one or may be automatically and continuously supplied by a sheet feeding apparatus.
FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a conventional recording system B incorporating a sheet feeding apparatus A therein, and FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a construction of the sheet feeding apparatus A. As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the sheet feeding apparatus A generally comprises a sheet supply drive portion constituted by left (L) and right (R) sheet supply rollers 101, 102, a sheet supply roller shaft 106, a drive gear 107 and the like, and a sheet supply cassette portion constituted by left (L) and right (R) side guides 103, 104, a pressure plate 105 and the like and stacking sheets therein. The sheet feeding apparatus is so designed that the sheets are separated and supplied one by one via left (L) and right (R) separating claws 109, 110 by driving the sheet supply rollers 101, 102 by transmitting a driving force from the recording system B to the drive gear 107.
However, in the above-mentioned conventional case, since the sheets were separated by the left and right separating claws, the following drawbacks arose.
(1) To cope with various widths of plural kinds of sheets, since not only the guides but also the separating claws and the sheet supply rollers must be slid bodily on the sheet supply roller shaft, the number of parts is increased, and the apparatus itself is made expensive.
(2) Since the number of parts is increased, it is difficult to save the space effectively, thus making the compactness of the apparatus difficult.
(3) Since the number of parts is increased and the construction becomes complex, is hard to ensure the reliability.

Sheet feeding apparatus having sheet separating means with adjustable feeding force


A method for preventing and/or treating fibrosis associated with an eye-related disease or disorder includes administering an effective amount of a multikinase inhibitor to a subject in need thereof. The multikinase inhibitor is nintedanib, lenvatinib, a combination thereof, or a salt thereof. The eye-related disease or disorder is corneal transparency, corneal scar formation, secondary cataract formation, glaucoma filtration surgery, ocular surgical procedures and implants, photorefractive keratectomy, laser in situ keratomileusis, formation and contraction of pre- and epiretinal membranes, proliferative vitreoretinopathy, subretinal fibrosis/scarring, retinal gliosis, or formation of choroidal membranes.

Ocular fibrosis leads to significant visual impairment and blindness in millions of people throughout the world (Friedlander M, J. Clin. Invest. 117: 576-586, 2007; Yu-Wai-Man C and Tee Khaw P, Expert Rev. Ophthalmol. 10: 65-76, 2014). It is involved in the pathogenesis, or failure of treatment, of all the major blinding diseases. Fibrosis is the formation of excess extracellular matrix in an organ or tissue as the result of a reparative or reactive process. The complexity of these responses has resulted in significant challenges in developing anti-fibrotic therapeutics and, therefore, a huge unmet medical need in this patient population.
In these disease states, there are a myriad of endogenous factors regulating cell proliferation, cell migration and transformation, and extracellular matrix deposition and remodeling. These factors include FGF, VEGF, PDGF, etc. Each of these factors has served as targets for the prevention and/or treatment of ocular disease. For example, inhibition of a single growth factor signaling pathway, e.g. VEGF, has led to improvement in patients with ocular diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. However, targeting one factor alone has not resulted in satisfactory long-term outcomes (Ebenezer D et al., Ophthalmology 121: 656-666, 2014; Maguire M G et al., Ophthalmology 123: 1751-1761, 2016).
Inhibition of multiple growth factor signaling pathways at various stages in the fibrotic response may be a significantly better strategy. The use of multikinase inhibitors may lead to improved long-term outcomes. However, several multikinase inhibitors and/or combination treatments have not shown efficacy in fibrosis diseases, including macular degenerative diseases (Kudelka M et al., Expert Rev Ophthalmol. 8: 475-484, 2013) and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (Grimminger F et al., Eur. Respir. J. ERJ Express, Mar. 5, 2015; Richeldi L et al., The Lancet, Mar. 29, 2017).
While prior art kinase inhibitors show some success in treating some ocular diseases, there is still a need for therapeutic agents for treating ocular fibrosis.

Multikinase inhibitors and uses in ocular fibrosis


Novel, selectively hyrogenated block compolymers, which compolymers comprise at least one block of polymerized alkyl methacrylate and one block of polymerized conjugated alkadiene, provide improved dispersant properties and viscosity index improvement to hydrocarbon lubricating oils.

It is known that the addition of certain polymeric additives to hydrocarbon lubricating oils serves to enhance the performance of such oils as lubricants in internal combustion engines. One such polymeric material of acknowledged utility is a poly(methacrylate ester) which is added to engine oils to serve as a dispersant. A second type of polymeric additive is a selectively hydrogenated two-block or diblock polymer having one block of at least predominantly polymerized vinyl aromatic compound, e.g., styrene, and one block of at least predominantly polymerized conjugated alkadiene, e.g., butadiene or isoprene. The diblock polymer is selectively hydrogenated to reduce the residual unsaturation of the aliphatic (polyalkadiene) portion while not hydrogentating the aromatic unsaturation. Such selectively hydrogenated diblock polymers are employed as viscosity index improvers in lubricating oils. A number of these polymers are commercial, being marketed under the SHELLVIS.RTM. trademark by Shell Oil Company. It would be advantageous to provide to a lubricating oil a polymethacrylate polymer and also the selectively hydrogenated diblock polymer in order to obtain the advantages of both types of additive in a lubricating oil composition.
In practice, however, such addition of both types of additive is not always feasible. The practice of most commercial engine oil formulators is to start with an oil concentrate of about 6% to about 12% by weight of polymeric additive and dilute the concentrate with an oil of selected properties to obtain the final formulated engine oil. At these concentrations, in engine oil, physical mixtures of polymethacrylate esters and the selectively hydrogenated diblock polymers are immiscible and separate into two distinct phases with one polymeric additive in each phase. Engine oil formulators are not able to handle, and do not handle, such unstable systems.
Attempts have been made to chemically combine the polymethacrylate ester function and a polyalkadiene function in a single polymeric molecule and thereby avoid such compatibility problems. Bollinger, U.S. Pat. No. 4,533,482, describes random copolymers of alkyl acrylate or methacrylate and a conjugated diene wherein the aliphatic unsaturation has been hydrogenated. Such polymers are relatively high molecular weight materials having a molecular weight from about 80,000 to about 1,000,000. The polymers are said to be viscosity improvers for lubricating oils but do not provide dispersant properties. In order to gain such dispersant properties, a nitrogen-containing monomer is grafted onto the hydrogenated polymethacrylate-polyalkadiene block polymer.
A European Patent Application No. 298,667, published Jan. 11, 1989 by McGrath et al, describes block copolymers in which one block is selected from hydrolyzable C.sub.2 -C.sub.5 alkyl methacrylates, methacrylic acid or ionomers thereof, and at least one other block is a block of an anionically polymerized monomer other than methyl methacrylate. Illustrative of such monomers are butadiene and isoprene. The European Patent Application speaks about hydrogenation of the polymethacrylate-polyalkadiene block copolymer but the hydrogenation is not exemplified and the use of either type of block copolymer in engine oils is not suggested.
A Ph.D. dissertation submitted by Long to the faculty of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute, apparently accepted for publication in 1987, pages 53-63, also describes block copolymers having at least one polymethacrylate ester block and at least one polyalkadiene block. Selectively hydrogenated block copolymers and utilities for the non-hydrogenated block copolymers are not disclosed.


A finger hole insert for a bowling ball which is formed of a resilient tubular body and is adapted to be inserted into a finger hole. The insert has a generally cylindrical inner wall surface defining first and second finger openings at opposite terminal ends of the insert which are sized to permit insertion of a bowler's finger therein. The first finger opening has a thickened arcuate finger pad therein adapted for cushioning the bowler's finger. The second finger opening has a plurality of ribs extending in longitudinal spaced relationship around its inner periphery adapted to augment the spin and lift applied during delivery of the bowling ball. In this manner, the bowler has a preferential choice between the function provided by each finger opening of the insert. In another embodiment, the first opening may include a textured gripping surface.

The present invention relates generally to tubular inserts for a bowling ball and, more particularly, to an improved finger grip insert adapted to be inserted into a finger hole of a bowling ball to enhance a bowler's grip of the ball during delivery.
In bowling, it is the object of the bowler to knock down as many pins as possible. Many successful bowlers throw a ball which has a pronounced hook since, historically, this type of delivery generates the most pin action. To make a ball hook, it is necessary to maintain contact between the fingers and the ball during delivery to impart a "lifting" action on the ball.
Finger hole inserts are used by bowlers to augment the lift and spin imparted to the ball during release. Likewise, some finger hole inserts are designed to provide the bowler with greater control (i.e. "feel") of the ball. In general, finger inserts allow the bowler's fingertips to stay in contact with the ball while providing a desired function such as enhancing the "feel" or adding "lift" to the bowler's delivery.
Various tubular finger inserts are known in the art. However, conventional finger inserts typically provide a single function (i.e. extra "lift") and are generally configured to have only one open end.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a "dual function" reversible finger insert which offers the bowler a choice between two distinct functional characteristics. The improved finger grip insert of the present invention has first and second finger openings provided at opposite ends thereof.
According to one embodiment, the first finger opening has at least one ridge-like projection which enables the bowler to add "lift" and "spin" to his delivery of the bowling ball. The second finger opening has a thickened finger pad to permit the bowler to enjoy improved "feel" of the bowling ball by increasing the contact area between the bowler's finger and the insert. The thickened finger pad is configured either as a planar surface or a concave arcuate surface. In this manner, depending on the bowler's preference the insert is reversible so that either one of the two ends may be used by the bowler.
In accordance with another embodiment, the improved "dual function" finger grip insert has an inner wall surface which is substantially coaxial with the outer wall surface and which defines generally circular first and second finger openings. The inner wall surface is textured to enhance the frictional "grip" during delivery of the ball. The first finger opening has at least one ridge-like projection for providing additional "lift" and "spin" during delivery. The second finger opening is free of any ridge-like projections and is adapted to enhance the bowler's "grip" through increased surface friction provided by the textured inner wall surface.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a injection molded finger hole insert which is economical to manufacture and is simple in construction. The aforementioned invention may be permanently or removably secured within a finger hole of a bowling ball so as to permit preferential use of either "functional" end of the insert. The resilient finger insert is adapted for securement within a finger hole with either finger opening of the insert being substantially flush with the exterior bowling ball surface.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description to one skilled in the art upon reading the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment of the present invention.


An apparatus for making and/or breaking a threaded connection between a first tubular and a second tubular includes a spinner operable to spin the first tubular relative to the second tubular; a zero-side-load (“ZSL”) device operable to relieve the transverse force induced on the threaded connection in response to the spinner spinning the first tubular; a torque wrench operable to rotate the first tubular relative to the second tubular; and a back-up wrench operable to grip the second tubular.

The speed of connecting and disconnecting hundreds of wellbore tubulars makes a great difference in the time required to drill and bring a well onto production. For instance, it is normally necessary to insert and remove the drill string several times during the drilling process wherein numerous threaded connections of the wellbore tubulars (e.g., drilling pipe) have to be made or broken. Due to the high cost of drilling (e.g., rig time), it is desirable to make or break a connection as quickly as possible.
One style of devices for making and breaking wellbore tubulars includes a frame that supports up to three power wrenches and a power spinner each aligned vertically with respect to each other. Examples of such devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,722,231; 6,634,259; 5,386,746; and 5,060,542 which are incorporated herein by reference. Additional examples described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,455,128; 7,114,235; and 6,776,070 are also incorporated herein by reference. These devices spin one tubular with the power spinner at a relatively high speed but at a relatively low torque while holding another tubular fixed with one of the power wrenches. Traditionally, when making tubulars, the spin process continues until the two threaded tubulars shoulder up, e.g. until a pin shoulder engages the box shoulder. After shouldering up, the power spinner is stopped and two of the power wrenches are used to apply high torque to the connection or joint so that the joint is securely fastened and sealed. The application of high torque rotates the tubulars with respect to each other but at a very low speed of rotation. Once the tubulars are shouldered it is only necessary to rotate a relatively small amount so the low speed of rotation does not slow the process down. Likewise when breaking tubular connections (e.g., pipe joints), two power wrenches apply a high torque to initially break the connection. Then the power spinner spins the top tubular with respect to the lower tubular held by a power wrench until the threaded connection is completely disconnected. In this manner, the connectors can be quickly made or broken to save considerable time and money while drilling a well.
Traditional drill pipe threaded connections facilitated shouldering the pin and the box utilizing the high rotation and low-torque spinners. However, current wellbore tubular threaded connections and wedge thread designs require increasing torque as the pin advances into the box to shoulder the connection. Examples of newer wedge thread connections are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,527,304 and 6,682,101. The result is that the high-speed spinner cannot fully advance the pin into the box requiring additional rotation of the tubular in the torque cycle with the power wrench. For example, a torque cycle for a historically utilized drill pipe may require rotation of the tubular of approximately 20 to 45 degrees, wherein the newer tapered thread connections may require rotation in the torque cycle of about one-hundred and fifty degrees to about two-hundred degrees or more to achieve the proper torque utilizing the prior make and break devices. The increased rotation required in the torque-cycle often requires multiple grip and release operations to achieve the total rotation required. Gripping the tubular, rotating, releasing the grip, repositioning the tong and repeating the process is not only a time-consuming and expensive process but it also can damage the tubular and/or result in an insufficient connection that may result in a string failure and or galling of the threads.
During assembly (e.g., make-up) and disassembly (e.g., break-out) of the threaded connection there is no requirement for lateral (e.g., side, transverse, normal to the tubular axis) forces to be applied to the connection and, in fact such forces can have serious detrimental effects. Frictional forces due to lateral forces cause false torque readings and can cause premature thread galling. The lateral forces can actually bend the tubular. Application of lateral forces during tightening can also cause the connection to tighten off center, which can result in loss of the connection's fluid seal. The prior art tubular joining devices impose linear, lateral (e.g., side-load) forces on the threaded connection.
There is a continuing desire to provide a tubular make and break device that promotes tubular connection efficiency. It is a desire to promote higher torque spinning cycles. It is a further desire to minimize side loading on the threaded connection during the spinning cycle and/or the torque cycle. It is a still further desire to minimize box distortion while spinning up the tubular connection. It is a further desire to provide continuous rotation during the torque-cycle.

Frank's Casing Crew and Rental Tools, Inc.


An apparatus for retransmitting data at a retransmission request from a receiver by a transmitter in a CDMA mobile communication system including a turbo encoder with a given coding rate and initially transmitting systematic bits and parity bits obtained by encoding the data by the turbo encoder using one modulation mode among a plurality of modulation modes. A controller determines a modulation mode to be used between the transmitter and the receiver in response to the retransmission request. A distributor distributes coded bits obtained by encoding the data at the coding rate into systematic bits and parity bits. A selector selects coded bits transmittable by the determined modulation mode among the systematic bits and the parity bits at the initial transmission, if the determined modulation mode is different from the modulation mode used at initial transmission. A modulator modulates the transmittable coded bits into modulated symbols according to the determined modulation mode.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a data transmission/reception apparatus and method in a CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) mobile communication system, and in particular, to an apparatus and method for transmitting/receiving data using a variable modulation mode at retransmission.
2. Description of the Related Art
Currently, the mobile communication system has evolved from an early voice-based communication system into a high-speed, high-quality radio data packet communication system for providing a data service and a multimedia service. In addition, a 3rd generation mobile communication system, divided into an asynchronous 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) system and a synchronous 3GPP2 (3rd Generation Partnership Project 2) system, is being standardized for a high-speed, high quality radio data packet service. For example, standardization on HSDPA (High-Speed Downlink Packet Access) is performed by the 3GPP, while standardization on 1xEV-DV is performed by the 3GPP2. Such standardizations are carried out to find out a solution for a high-speed, high-quality radio data packet transmission service of 2 Mbps or over in the 3rd generation mobile communication system. A 4th generation mobile communication system is proposed to provide a high-speed, high-quality multimedia service superior to that of the 3rd generation mobile communication system.
A principal factor of impeding the high-speed, high-quality radio data service lies in the radio channel environment. The radio channel environment is frequently changed due to a variation in signal power caused by white nose and fading, shadowing, Doppler effect caused by a movement of and a frequent change in speed of a UE (User Equipment), and interference caused by other users and a multipath signal. Therefore, in order to provide the high-speed radio data packet service, there is a need for an improved technology capable of increasing adaptability to the variation in the channel environment in addition to the general technology provided for the existing 2nd or 3rd generation mobile communication system. A high-speed power control method used in the existing system also increases adaptability to the variation in the channel environment. However, both the 3GPP and the 3GPP2, carrying out standardization on the high-speed data packet transmission, make reference to AMCS (Adaptive Modulation/Coding Scheme) and HARQ (Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request).
The AMCS is a technique for adaptively changing a modulation mode and a coding rate of a channel encoder according to a variation in the downlink channel environment. Commonly, to detect the downlink channel environment, a UE measures a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and transmits the SNR information to a Node B over an uplink. The Node B predicts the downlink channel environment based on the SNR information, and designates proper modulation mode and coding rate according to the predicted value. The modulations available for the AMCS include QPSK (Quadrature Phase Shift Keying), 8PSK (8-ary Phase Shift Keying), 16 QAM (16-ary Quadrature Amplitude Modulation) and 64 QAM (64-ary Quadrature Amplitude Modulation), and the coding rates available for the AMCS include 1/2 and 3/4. Therefore, an AMCS system applies the high-order modulations (16 QAM and 64 QAM) and the high coding rate 3/4 to the UE located in the vicinity of the Node B, having a good channel environment, and applies the low-order modulations (QPSK and 8 PSK) and the low coding rate 1/2 to the UE located in a cell boundary. In addition, compared with the existing high-speed power control method, the AMCS decreases an interference signal, thereby improving the average system performance.
The HARQ is a link control technique for correcting an error by retransmitting the transmitted data upon occurrence of a packet error at initial transmission. Generally, the HARQ is classified into Chase Combining (CC), Full Incremental Redundancy (FIR), and Partial Incremental Redundancy (PIR).
The CC is a technique for transmitting a packet such that the whole packet transmitted at retransmission is equal to the packet transmitted at initial transmission. In this technique, a receiver combines the retransmitted packet with the initially transmitted packet previously stored in a buffer thereof by a predetermined method. By doing so, it is possible to increase reliability of coded bits input to a decoder, thus resulting in an increase in the system performance. Combining the two same packets is similar to repeated coding in terms of effects, so it is possible to increase a performance gain by about 3 dB on the average.
The FIR is a technique for transmitting a packet comprised of only the redundant bits generated from the channel encoder instead of the same packet, thus to improve performance of a decoder in the receiver. That is, the FIR uses the new redundant bits as well as the initially transmitted information resulting in a decrease in the coding rate, thereby improving performance of the decoder. It is well known in coding theory that a performance gain by a low coding rate is higher than a performance gain by repeated coding. Therefore, the FIR is superior to the CC in terms of only the coding gain.
Unlike the FIR, the PIR is a technique for transmitting a combined data packet of the information bits and the new redundant bits at retransmission. Therefore, the PIR can obtain the similar effect to the CC by combining the retransmitted information bits with the initially transmitted information bits during decoding, and also obtain the similar effect to the FIR by performing the decoding using the redundant bits. The PIR has a coding rate slightly higher than that of the FIR, showing average performance between the FIR and the CC. However, the HARQ should be considered in the light of not only the performance but also the system complexity, such as a buffer size and signaling of the receiver, so it is not easy to determine only one of them.
The AMCS and the HARQ are separate techniques for increasing adaptability to the variation in the link environment. Preferably, it is possible to remarkably improve the system performance by combining the two techniques. That is, the transmitter determines a modulation mode and a coding rate that is proper for a downlink channel condition by the AMCS, and then transmits packet data according to the determined modulation mode and coding rate, and the receiver sends a retransmission request upon failure to decode the data packet transmitted by the transmitter. Upon receipt of the retransmission request from the receiver, the Node B retransmits the data packet by the HARQ.
FIG. 1 illustrates an existing transmitter for high-speed packet data transmission, wherein it is possible to realize various AMCSs and HARQs by controlling a channel encoder 112. Referring to FIG. 1, the channel encoder 112 is comprised of an encoder and a puncturer. When input data that is proper to a data rate is applied to an input terminal of the channel encoder 112, the encoder performs encoding in order to decrease a transmission error rate. Further, the puncturer punctures an output of the encoder according to a coding rate and an HARQ type previously determined by a controller 120, and provides its output to a channel interleaver 114. Since the future mobile communication system needs a powerful channel coding technique in order to reliably transmit high-speed multimedia data, the channel encoder of FIG. 1 is realized by a turbo encoder 200 with a mother coding rate R=⅙ and a puncturer 216, as illustrated in FIG. 2. It is known that channel coding by the turbo encoder 200 shows performance closest to the Shannon limit in terms of a bit error rate (BER) even at a low SNR. The channel coding by the turbo encoder 200 is also adopted for the HSDPA and 1xEV-DV standardization by the 3GPP and the 3GPP2. The output of the turbo encoder 200 can be divided into systematic bits and parity bits. The "systematic bits" refer to actual information bits to be transmitted, while the "parity bits" refer to bits used to help a receiver correct a possible transmission error. The puncturer 216 selectively punctures the systematic bits or the parity bits output from the encoder 200, thus to satisfy a determined coding rate.
Referring to FIG. 2, upon receiving one transmission frame, the channel encoder outputs the intact transmission frame as a systematic bit frame X. The transmission frame is also provided to a first channel encoder 210, and the first channel encoder 210 performs coding on the transmission frame and outputs two different parity bit frames Y1 and Y2. In addition, the transmission frame is also provided to an interleaver 212, and the interleaver 212 interleaves the transmission frame. The intact interleaved transmission frame is transmitted as an interleaved systematic bit frame X′. The interleaved transmission frame is provided to a second channel encoder 214, and the second channel encoder 214 performs coding on the interleaved transmission frame and outputs two different parity bit frames Z1 and Z2. The systematic bit frames X and X′ and the parity bit frames Y1, Y2, Z1 and Z2 are provided to the puncturer 216 in a transmission unit of 1, 2, . . . , N. The puncturer 216 determines a puncturing pattern according to a control signal provided from the controller 120 of FIG. 1, and performs puncturing on the systematic bit frame X, the interleaved systematic bit frame X′, and the four different parity bit frames Y1, Y2, Z1 and Z2 using the determined puncturing pattern, thus outputting desired systematic bits S and parity bits P.
As described above, the puncturing pattern used to puncture the coded bits by the puncturer 216 depends upon the coding rate and the HARQ type. That is, in the case of the CC, it is possible to transmit the same packet at each transmission by puncturing the coded bits such that the puncturer 216 has a fixed combination of the systematic bits and the parity bits according to a given coding rate. For the FIR and PIR, the puncturer 216 punctures the coded bits in a combination of the systematic bits and the parity bits according to the given coding rate at initial transmission, and punctures the coded symbols in a combination of various parity bits at each retransmission, thus resulting in a decrease in the overall coding rate. For example, in the case of the CC with the coding rate 1/2, the puncturer 216 can continuously output the same bits X and Y1 for one input bit at initial transmission and retransmission, by fixedly using [1 1 0 0 0 0] in the order of the coded bits [X Y1 Y2 X′ Z1 Z2] as the puncturing pattern. In the case of the IR, the puncturer 216 outputs the coded bits in the order of [X1 Y11 X2 Z21] at initial transmission and in the order of [Y21 Z21 Y12 Z12] at retransmission for two input bits, by using [1 1 0 0 0 0; 1 0 0 0 0 1] and [0 0 1 0 0 1; 0 1 0 0 1 0] as the puncturing patterns at initial transmission and retransmission, respectively. Meanwhile, though not separately illustrated, an R=⅓ turbo encoder adopted by the 3GPP2 can be realized by the first channel encoder 210 and the puncturer 216 of FIG. 2.
A packet data transmission operation by the AMCS system and the HARQ system realized by FIG. 1 will be described herein below. Before transmission of a new packet, the controller 120 of the transmitter determines a proper modulation mode and data rate based on the downlink channel condition information provided from the receiver. The controller 120 provides information on the determined modulation mode and coding rate to the channel encoder 112, a modulator 116 and a frequency spreader 118. A data rate in a physical layer depends upon the determined modulation mode and coding rate. The channel encoder 112 performs bit puncturing according to a given puncturing pattern after performing the encoding by the determined modulation mode and coding rate. The coded bits output from the channel encoder 112 are provided to the channel interleaver 114, in which they are subject to interleaving. The interleaving is a technique for preventing a burst error by randomizing the input bits to disperse data symbols into several places instead of concentrating the data symbols in the same place in a fading environment. For ease of explanation, the size of the channel interleaver 114 is assumed to be larger than or equal to the total number of the coded bits. The modulator 116 symbol-maps the interleaved coded bits according to the determined modulation mode, and outputs modulated symbols. If the modulation mode is represented by M, the number of coded bits constituting one symbol is log2 M. The frequency spreader 118 assigns multiple Walsh codes for transmitting the modulated symbols at the determined data rate, and spreads the modulated symbols with the assigned Walsh codes. When a fixed chip rate and a fixed spreading factor (SF) are used, a rate of symbols transmitted with one Walsh code is constant. Therefore, in order to use the determined data rate, it is necessary to use multiple Walsh codes. For example, when a system using a chip rate of 3.84 Mcps and an SF of 16 chips/symbol uses 16 QAM and a channel coding rate 3/4, a data rate that can be provided with one Walsh code becomes 1.08 Mbps. Therefore, when 10 Walsh codes are used, it is possible to transmit at a data rate of a maximum of 10.8 Mbps.
It is assumed in the transmitter of the high-speed packet transmission system of FIG. 1 that the modulation mode and coding rate determined by the AMCS at initial transmission are used even at retransmission. However, as described before, the high-speed data transmission channel is subject to a change in its channel condition, even in a retransmission period by the HARQ, due to the change in the number of UEs in a cell and the Doppler shift. Therefore, maintaining the modulation mode and the coding rate used at initial transmission results in a reduction in the system performance.
For this reason, the ongoing HSDPA and 1xEV-DV standardizations consider an improved method for changing the modulation mode and the coding rate even in the retransmission period. For example, in a system using the CC as the HARQ, when the HARQ type is changed, a transmitter retransmits a part or the whole of the initially transmitted data packet, and a receiver partially combines the partially retransmitted packet with the whole of the initially transmitted packet, resulting in a reduction in the entire bit error rate of a decoder. Structures of the transmitter and the receiver are illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, respectively.
As illustrated in FIG. 3, the transmitter for the improved method further includes a partial Chase encoder 316 in addition to the transmitter of FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 3, coded bits generated by encoding input data according to a given modulation mode and coding rate by a channel encoder 312 are provided to the partial chase encoder 316 after being interleaved by an interleaver 314. The partial Chase encoder 316 controls an amount of data (or the number of data bits) to be transmitted at retransmission among the interleaved coded bits based on information on a modulation mode used at initial transmission, a current modulation mode, and the number of Walsh codes to be used, provided from the controller 322. A modulator 318 performs symbol-mapping on the coded bits output from the partial Chase encoder 316 according to a given modulation mode, and provides its output to a spreader 320. The spreader 320 assigns a needed number of Walsh codes among the available Walsh codes, and frequency-spreads the data symbols received from the modulator 318 with the assigned Walsh codes. Here, the channel coding rate at retransmission is identical to the channel coding rate at initial transmission, and the number of the Walsh codes to be used at retransmission may be different from the number of the Walsh codes used at initial transmission. However, it will be assumed herein that the number of Walsh codes to be used at retransmission is identical to the number of Walsh codes used at initial transmission. Therefore, a symbol rate for the retransmission is identical to a symbol rate for the initial transmission, so it is necessary to adjust the number of the retransmitted coded bits.
FIG. 4 illustrates a structure of a receiver corresponding to the transmitter of FIG. 3. The receiver further includes a partial Chase combiner 416 corresponding to the partial Chase encoder 316 of FIG. 3, in addition to the existing receiver. A despreader 412 despreads the data symbols from the transmitter with the same Walsh codes as used by the transmitter, and provides its output to a demodulator 414. The demodulator 414 demodulates the data symbols from the despreader 412 by a demodulation mode corresponding to the modulation mode used by the transmitter, and outputs a corresponding LLR (Log Likelihood Ratio) value to the partial Chase combiner 416. The LLR value is a value determined by performing soft decision on the demodulated coded bits. The partial Chase combiner 416 substitutes for the soft combiner in the existing receiver. This is because when the modulation used at initial transmission is different from the modulation used at retransmission, the packet combining is partially performed since an amount of the retransmitted data is different from an amount of the initially transmitted data. If the high-order modulation is used at retransmission, the partial Chase combiner 416 performs combining on the whole packet. However, if the low-order modulation is used at retransmission, the partial Chase combiner 416 performs partial combining. A deinterleaver 418 deinterleaves the data from the partial Chase combiner 416 and provides the deinterleaved data to a channel decoder 420. The channel decoder 420 decodes the deinterleaved coded bits into information bits. Though not illustrated in FIG. 4, the receiver performs CRC (Cyclic Redundancy Check) checking on the information bits, and transmits an ACK (Acknowledge) or a NACK (Negative Acknowledge) signal as a confirmation signal to the transmitter according to the CRC checking results, thus to request transmission of new data or retransmission of the errored packet.
FIGS. 5A and 5C illustrate a change in the size of the packet encoded by the partial Chase encoder 316 according to a change in the modulation mode at initial transmission and retransmission.
First, if a modulation rate (or modulation order) at retransmission is lower than a modulation rate at initial transmission, the coded bits output from the partial Chase encoder 316 are less in number at retransmission compared with initial transmission, as illustrated in FIG. 5A. It is assumed in FIG. 5A that 16 QAM is used at initial transmission and QPSK is used at retransmission. Therefore, at retransmission, the transmitter transmits only half of the data packet transmitted at initial transmission.
Next, if a modulation rate at retransmission is higher than a modulation rate at initial transmission, the coded bits output from the partial Chase encoder 316 are larger in number at retransmission compared with initial transmission, as illustrated in FIG. 5C. It is assumed in FIG. 5C that QPSK is used at initial transmission and 16 QAM is used at retransmission. Therefore, at retransmission, the transmitter repeats twice the data packet transmitted at initial transmission.
FIGS. 5B and 5D illustrate a received packet combined by the partial Chase combiner 416 according to a change in the modulation mode at initial transmission and retransmission.
First, if a modulation rate at retransmission is lower than a modulation rate at initial transmission, i.e., if 16 QAM is used at initial transmission and QPSK is used at retransmission, then the receiver additionally receives, at retransmission, only half of the data packet transmitted at initial transmission, as illustrated in FIG. 5B. Therefore, the partial Chase combiner 416 combines the packet received at initial transmission with the half packet received at retransmission, thus to increase reliability of the received signal.
Next, if a modulation rate at retransmission is higher than a modulation rate at initial transmission, i.e., if QPSK is used at initial transmission and 16 QAM is used at retransmission, then the receiver repeatedly receives, at retransmission, the packet transmitted at initial transmission twice, as illustrated in FIG. 5D. Therefore, the partial Chase combiner 416 combines the same packets received three times through initial transmission and retransmission, thus to increase reliability of the received signal.
The high-speed packet transmission system using the CC as the HARQ uses the partial Chase encoder 316 and the partial Chase combiner 416 illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, so it can more actively adapt to a change in the channel environment by changing the modulation mode even at retransmission, resulting in an improvement in the system performance. The partial combining on the whole transmission packet contributes to a decrease in the bit error rate, but fails to satisfactorily contribute to a reduction in the frame error rate. This is because the output of the channel interleaver 314 of FIG. 3 is a random combination of the systematic bits and the parity bits from the channel encoder 312. That is, if the packet size at retransmission is smaller than the packet size at initial transmission, the combining cannot be performed on all of the information bits, so the combining effect occurs randomly in a bit unit. In particular, there is a demand for a new method for remarkably reducing a frame error rate by compensating the whole information bits using the feature that the turbo code should be transmitted in combination of the systematic bits and the parity bits even when the system using the CC is required to transmit a smaller packet at retransmission than at initial transmission.

Apparatus and method for retransmitting high-speed data in a CDMA mobile communication system


A multiplier has a pair of charge reservoirs. The pair of charge reservoirs are connected in series. A first charge movement device induces charge movement to or from the pair of charge reservoirs at a same rate. A second charge movement device induces charge movement to or from one of the pair of reservoirs, the rate of charge movement programmed to one of add or remove charges at a rate proportional to the first charge movement device. The first charge movement device loads a first charge into a first of the pair of charge reservoirs during a first cycle. The first charge movement device and the second charge movement device remove charges at a proportional rate from the pair of charge reservoirs during a second cycle until the first of the pair of charge reservoirs is depleted of the first charge. The second charge reservoir thereafter holding the multiplied result.

In silicon imaging it is common to rely on the integration or movement of charge using charge domain structures such as spill and fill circuits, CCD registers, photodetectors, correlated double sampling circuits, and similar devices. Spill and fill circuits may rely upon the concept of a buried pinned photodiode, FIG. 1 shows a cross-section view of a buried pin diode structure 10 showing active doping profiles. The buried pinned photodiode 10 may integrate electrons created when light is collected by the buried pinned photodiode 10 into a storage well SW region. A second charge reservoir, the floating diffusion FD, is created on the far side of a transfer gate labelled TG.
Referring to FIG. 2A, a spill and fill circuit 20 may be seen. The spill and fill circuit 20 uses the concept of a pinned photodiode (PPD) charge receptacle holding electrons in front of a transfer gate TG. The transfer gate TG is lowered and raised in conformance with required electron flow. At some point the transfer gate TG lowers the potential barrier and the electrons spill from the storage well SW charge reservoir into the floating diffusion FD charge reservoir. The devices are created so as to ensure that all electrons move from the storage well SW charge reservoir into the floating diffusion FD charge reservoir. FIG. 2B shows the energy diagram from the storage well SW charge reservoir into the floating diffusion FD charge reservoir.
Referring to FIG. 3, a spill and fill circuit 30 may be seen. The fill and spill circuit 30 uses the uses the spill and fill circuit 20 of FIG. 2A but includes the concept of a reset device 32 coupled to the transfer gate TG and a source follower SF which converts the charge on the floating diffusion FD charge reservoir to a voltage which may then be read by other circuitry. Typically, correlated double sampling (CDS) may be used to sample the noise and offset on the output of the floating diffusion PD charge reservoir after reset, and then read again after the spill (charge transfer) such that only the difference attributed to the latest integrated charge stored on the storage well SW remains. By doing this any offset charge and certain noise is removed.
Instead of two charge reservoirs a single charge reservoir might, be used to produce a weighted input and sum result or a weighted summer. Initially said reservoir would be reset to a known charge level. Thereafter during a first cycle a plurality of input current movement means would couple charge from the charge reservoir with each of said current movement means removing charge at a rate individually proportional (in conformance with desired weight values) to an output current movement means to be used in a second cycle but off during said first cycle. Additionally, each of said plurality of input current movement means would be further gated in time, or allowed to move charge only during a time, conforming to individual input magnitudes. The resulting input charge movement magnitude for a gated period of time would remove a charge conforming to the weighted input magnitude from said charge reservoir. At the end of first cycle, once all input movement means have removed their charges, a second cycle would cause the output charge movement means to return the charge in the charge reservoir to its original level. The time it would take to do so would be proportional to the weighted sum of the inputs. The resulting weighted summer thereby accepting inputs as time, weights are charge movement rate magnitude, and producing an output as a time.
Once the charge is transferred to the floating diffusion FD charge reservoir there are a number of other circuits which may be used in place of the source follower SF to convert the charge into a voltage or current and thereafter into a digital value. For example, a row of an imager may rely on a counter which is compared to each pixel follower value and the digital words associated with each specific pixel recorded. There are many circuits which attempt to optimize the speed and power efficiency of the conversion from the charge domain to a digital word.
Machine vision is a common application of artificial intelligence (AI) or machine learning. Autonomous or machine vision augmented vehicles, handset security such as fingerprints or facial recognition, smart city sensors, security cameras, x-ray, ultrasound and medical diagnosis, robotics, drones, wearable heart rate monitors, behavioral analysis and monitoring and many other applications are relying upon the analysis of images for a variety of tasks, many of them time and power critical.
Presently, machine learning systems require that the input be a digital word or at the very least a voltage, current or spiking waveform (which is also a voltage or current waveform). The conversion of charge relies upon a coupling circuit such as the source follower SF shown in FIG. 3 all of which are known to be associated with three undesirable side effects. The first is a loss of image quality due to introduction of noise by the coupling circuit. It is well known by those skilled in the art that any circuit which converts charges maintained in reservoirs such as the storage well SW or floating diffusion FD regions described in FIGS. 1-3 to a voltage or current will necessarily introduce noise. This noise for example could degrade an image with 14 bit pixel accuracy to 12 bit equivalent accuracy. In medical or time critical life safety applications this could obscure key information. A second side effect of conversion to the current or voltage domain is the time associated with the conversion. The digitization of the voltage or current on the output of the coupling circuit takes time. In an augmented vehicle, life safety application or high-speed imaging application this latency could literally mean the difference between a desirable result or a very undesirable result such as a death or fatality. Finally, the conversion of the information from the charge domain to the voltage or current domain and finally digital domain further requires additional energy. This energy is associated with the coupling circuit itself, as well, as the circuitry related to digitization or creating the desired waveforms such as a neuromorphic spiking waveform.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a system and method that overcome the above problems. The system and, method would couple the charge stored in reservoirs directly to multipliers of a machine learning input layer or weighted summer.

Charge domain mathematical engine and method


This invention relates to an apparatus emitting electromagnetic radiation, particularly infrared, which comprises a cylindrical source of rays and a reflector. In order to avoid the problem due to captive rays and to multiple reflections, the cross section of a half-reflector comprises, starting from the plane of symmetry, a first curved part constituted by an arc of involute to a circle extending from the plane of symmetry to an end located on a first extreme ray tangential to the source and passing through a first end of the target and a second curved part joined tangentially to the first curved part and of such shape that all the tangential rays emitted from the cylindrical source and falling on this second curved part are reflected towards the first end of the target located on the other side of the plane of symmetry.

In an apparatus emitting electromagnetic radiation, particularly infrared, the reflector must be shaped and mounted with respect to the source of rays so that there are no rays captive between the source of the rays and the reflector. In fact, these captive rays are the cause of a loss of yield and local overheating. In addition, the shape and arrangement of the reflector must enable it to eliminate the multiple reflections between source and reflector which are naturally detrimental to the yield obtained with the apparatus.
An infrared radiation emitter apparatus is already known, as described in Pat. GB-A-1 110 073. This Patent relates more particularly to a reflector for a rectilinear infrared ray source, this reflector presenting a cross section symmetrical with respect to a plane and which is constituted, on each side of the plane of symmetry, by two arcs of parabola joined together by an intermediate curve constituting an arc of circle centered on the cylindrical source of infrared rays. In such an infrared radiation emitter apparatus, the particular shape of the cross section of its reflector does not make it possible to avoid rays captive between the source and the reflector, or to eliminate multiple reflections.
On the contrary, the present invention relates to an apparatus which makes it possible to satisfy these conditions and to obtain a particularly high yield with a remarkably simple structure.

Apparatus emitting an electromagnetic radiation