A control circuit for a switching voltage regulator is disclosed, having a charging circuit, a discharging circuit, and a charging-discharging control circuit. The charging circuit generates a charging current according to the input voltage and the output voltage of the switching voltage regulator for charging a capacitor. The discharging circuit generates a discharging current according to the output voltage of the switching voltage regulator for discharging the capacitor. The charging-discharging control circuit configures the charging circuit, the discharging circuit, and the switching voltage regulator according to the voltage of the capacitor for providing a control signal to configure the switching voltage regulator.

The present disclosure generally relates to switching voltage regulators and, more particularly, to the control circuit for the switching voltage regulator.
Voltage regulators are widely used in electronics devices. For example, a power supply may convert an input voltage to a stable output voltage through the voltage regulator for providing to the load.
Voltage regulators may be roughly categorized into two types, i.e., linear voltage regulators and switching voltage regulators. Although the switching voltage regulators are more complicated, the switching voltage regulators have better energy efficiency and do not require large-sized radiators compared with the linear voltage regulators. Therefore, the switching voltage regulator seems a better choice for utilizing in the portable devices.
There is, however, something to be considered when utilizing the switching voltage regulators. For example, in conventional designs, the amplitude of the ripple of the output current (and therefore the output voltage) of the switching voltage regulator is a function of the input voltage and/or the output voltage of the switching voltage regulator. When the input voltage and/or the output voltage of the switching voltage regulator vary, the amplitude of the ripple of the output voltage varies. Thus, the output voltage of the switching voltage regulator is not stable and results in the malfunction of the load. A good switching voltage regulator should have stable output voltage ripples independent of the input voltage and/or the output voltage of the switching voltage regulator. In other words, the amplitude of the ripple of the output voltage should remain fixed even when the input voltage and/or the output voltage of the switching voltage regulator varies.

Control circuit for switching voltage regulator


Apparatus and method of operating a crossbar switch (1) having a control logic, an output port scheduler (2), n input ports (i—0, . . . , i—31) and m output ports (o—0, . . . , o—31), wherein information packets are routed from said n input ports to said m output ports, and wherein said output port scheduler (2) controls the sequence of packets output at said output ports (o—0, . . . , o—31). To ensure fairness regarding packet transfer/routing and the packet sequence, an input port number corresponding to the input port a new information packet is arriving at is stored in round-robin mode in a port number buffer (pnb—0). For output, said input port number is retrieved from said port number buffer (pnb—0) in round robin mode, too, and with this port number, address information regarding the packet is obtained from a control logic buffer of the crossbar switch (1).

The present invention relates to a method of operating a crossbar switch having a control logic, an output port scheduler, n input ports and m output ports, wherein information packets are routed from said n input ports to said m output ports, and wherein said output port scheduler controls the sequence of packets output at said output ports.
The present invention further relates to a crossbar switch having a control logic, an output port scheduler, n input ports and m output ports, wherein information packets are routed from said n input ports to said m output ports, and wherein said output port scheduler controls the sequence of packets output at said output ports.
The present invention also relates to a networking system.
Crossbar switches are used in high performance computer systems and nodes of electronic networks such as communication networks to route an information packet arriving at an arbitrary input port to a specified output port.
A crossbar switch comprises n input crossbars each of which is assigned to one of said n input ports and m output crossbars each of which is assigned to one of said m output ports. An intersection of an input crossbar with an output crossbar is called crosspoint.
The routing of an information packet within a crossbar switch is controlled by a control logic that keeps track of incoming information packets. The control logic analyses header data of said information packets and stores address information related to said information packets in a buffer system whose buffer elements are most often assigned to a specific crosspoint. The payload of said information packets is stored in a buffer system, too.
Storing said address information and the corresponding payload avoids packet losses e.g. in case of multiple packets requiring to be routed to the same output port.
Advanced crossbar switches can handle information packages of different priorities. This feature ensures that packets with higher priority are routed to a specific output port first, even if packets with lower priority requiring the same output port have arrived at the crossbar switch earlier.
A further advanced feature, which is known as link paralleling, comprises temporarily building a logical input/output port out of several physical input/output ports. The bandwidth of such a logical port is increased by a factor corresponding to the number of physical ports used for link paralleling.
An output port scheduler controls the packet flow at the output ports of the crossbar switch, e.g. by choosing which packet to output next at a specific port. In most cases, there is more than one packet temporarily buffered within one of the buffers associated to an output crossbar. In this case, the output port scheduler has to determine the sequence in which said packets are output.
Important criteria for determining the packet sequence at an output port are fairness, maintaining a certain packet sequence in which distinct packets have arrived at an input port, and avoiding starvation.
Many state-of-the-art crossbar switches use output arbitration schemes based on linked lists, which is a very complex solution with various disadvantages. controlling the packet sequence at an output port using a linked list approach does not guarantee lowest possible latency because of the requirement of traversing linked lists for some operations.

International Business Machines Corporation


Communication methods between networked cable services system devices are provided. Two or more cable services system set-top boxes may be networked together in a house, business or other facility. Alternatively, two or more set-top boxes may be networked together where the two or more set-top boxes are located remotely from each other and are networked via a cable services system. A first set-top box may be designated and equipped as a proxy server for managing communications between networked set-top boxes and one or more other set-top boxes may be designated and equipped as client devices for communicating with other networked set-top boxes via the proxy server set-top box. One or more communication applications may be deployed on each of the networked set-top boxes for allowing user-to-user communications via the networked set-top boxes, as well as, user-to-set-top box communication via the networked set-top boxes. Communications between set-top boxes that may be enabled include, but are not limited to, text communications, voice communications, video communications, set-top box control communications, real time gaming, and the like.

With the advent of digital cable systems, homes, businesses and other facilities often have multiple television sets/systems and associated cable set-top boxes for allowing a variety of content to be distributed to the set-top boxes for presentation on the associated television sets/systems. Some digital communication between networked set-top boxes has been made possible. However, such communication between set-top boxes has been limited, and a need exists to allow user-to-user communication via separate set-top boxes, as well as, user-to-set-top box communication via separate set-top boxes.
It is with respect to these and other considerations that the present invention has been made.

Communications between networked cable services system devices


An endotracheal device includes a unit with a pair of tubes and a beveled distal end. One tube is used for jet ventilation, while a monitoring catheter is provided inside the second, larger tube. The device is useful for otherwise difficult intubations.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to endotracheal devices and the use of such devices in the intubation of a patient.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
During surgery and other medical procedures it is often necessary to insert an endotracheal tube ("ET") into the trachea of a patient for the purposes of ventilation assistance, or otherwise. It is sometimes necessary, such as in emergency situations of cardiac arrest, acute respiratory failure or airway obstruction etc, to position an ET rapidly. Failure to properly position an ET, or failure to insert an ET quickly, can result in severe medical complication or even death.
For example, in an emergency cesarean section occasioned by fetus distress or other reasons, emergency placement of an ET in a mother's trachea is often required for general anesthesia. Failure to perform a rapid intubation after induction of general anesthesia may lead to severe damage.
There are numerous ways to intubate a trachea, the choice of which depends on the preference of the medical personnel and the anatomy of the patient's airway. For a patient of an expected normal airway, most anesthesiologists chose to intubate a patient after induction of unconsciousness and use of muscle relaxants. The glottis of a patient can be viewed under the direct laryngoscopy. Four grades of view of the glottis have been classified (Cormack, R. S. and Lehane J., "Difficult tracheal intubation in obstetrics," Anesthesia 1984; 39: 1005-1111): Grade I, full view of the glottis; Grade II, posterior portion of the glottis is visible; Grade III, only tip of the epiglottis is visible; Grade IV, only soft palate is visible.
It is usually easy and possible to intubate a trachea with Grade I or II view, but it is often difficult or impossible to intubate trachea with Grade III or IV view rapidly when employing only direct laryngoscopy to assist in the intubation. It is not uncommon that an expected normal airway may turn out to be a Grade III or IV view of the glottis after paralyzing a patient and inspecting the airway using direct laryngoscopy. Furthermore, it is sometimes not possible to either ventilate a patient with a facial mask and or to intubate the patient (so called "non-intubation and non-ventilation airway emergency"). Therefore, in such situation it may prove lifesaving that proper oxygenation is maintained before intubation, and that intubation is accomplished as quickly as possible.
Compared to conventional mechanical ventilation ("CVM"), high frequency jet ventilation (HFJV) is characterized by its opening system, low tidal volume and low airway pressure. It is almost impossible to perform CMV before tracheal intubation in the situation described above, because it requires a close breathing circuit for positive pressure ventilation. However, it is possible to perform jet ventilation using a jet catheter before tracheal intubation, thus maintaining effective oxygenation and/or ventilation during intubation, which in turn, can prolong the time allotted for intubation in patients with Grade view III or IV and increase the safety of intubation.
In the case of an airway for which intubation is expected to be difficult, a fiber-optic guide device is frequently employed. However, such fiber-optic devices are usually used when the patient is awake, and not under general anesthesia. As currently practiced, fiber-optic assisted intubation does not provide sufficient oxygenation and/or ventilation before intubation. On the other hand, it is often difficult to intubate quickly enough a patient who is not breathing spontaneously using fiber-optic guided intubation to avoid worsening the patent's oxygenation, even at the hands of experienced medical personnel. Other shortcomings of fiber-optic assisted intubation include the fact that the glass fibers have a tendency to break after use, and the fiber optic lens can become dislocated and are expensive to replace. In addition, quite often secretions and blood in the airway can totally obscure the visual field. Therefore, in the situation of an unexpectedly difficult airway, it is impractical to do an emergency fiber-optic guided intubation.
Laryngeal mask airway ("LMA") is used as a back-up airway management technique for unexpectedly difficult airways in most situations. However, LMA can not be used for long-term positive pressure ventilation or to protect the airway from aspiration. These drawbacks will limit its use in many emergency situations, such as during cardiopulmonary resuscitation, in a patient with a full stomach, and in acute respiratory failure, etc. Ultimately, LMA has to be changed to a trachea intubation with an ET for effective positive pressure ventilation.
Transtracheal jet ventilation has been recommended by the American Society of Anesthesiologist (ASA) in emergency situations of "cannot intubate, cannot ventilate" as a rescue method. This requires a percutaneous puncture of large bore (>G14) catheter into trachea and is quite invasive to patient. Often, anesthesiologists are not well trained to use transtracheal jet ventilation because of lack of practice in non-emergency situations where the method is infrequently employed because of its invasiveness and possible complications. Meanwhile, the lack of expiratory pathway for the jet pulse in the obstructed upper airway may increase the likelihood of barotraumas.
An audio-guided intubation stylet has been designed to guide tracheal intubation (U.S. Pat. No. 6,164,277). However, spontaneous breathing must be maintained to guide the ET. In the most situations, medical personnel prefer to intubate a patient after induction of general anesthesia and muscle relaxation. Under these circumstances, patients do not experience the discomfort otherwise associated with intubation, and less time is required to accomplish the intubation than when the patient is awake.
Another endotracheal assembly (U.S. Pat. No. 4,488,548) has been designed to prevent the whip effect of an insufflation catheter inside endotracheal tube and/or trachea, and to maximize air entrance during jet ventilation. In this case, the ET has spacers adjacent the distal end to space the insufflation catheter from the inner side walls of the tube. However, the insufflation catheter is not designed as a guide for intubation, and the distal end of insufflation catheter is well positioned as a guide into trachea.
An endotracheal assembly has been designed with the jet nozzles inside the ET (U.S. Pat. No. 4,270,530) to reduce turbulent during HFJV at a frequency above 600/min. Two jet nozzles spaced from each other inside ET are connected to separate feed lines. Although this arrangement permits selective ventilation of the lungs by gas currents adapted to the existing resistance conditions, it is not suitable to be utilized as a guiding catheter for intubation.
Christopher (U.S. Pat. No. 6,568,388) discloses a method and apparatus for guiding insertion of an endotracheal tube into a patient's trachea while continuing to supply air/oxygen in the patient's airway and lungs. The shortcoming of this design is that the intubation guide has a fixed angle on the distal end, thus it is unable to be adapted to the different view of glottis efficiently and quickly (e.g. a throat of Grade III may be higher than in Grade II). This makes it difficult to view the glottis with the fiber-optic device quickly in emergency situation. In addition, it will be difficult for the distal end of oxygen supplying catheter directly facing the vocal cord opening to provide adequate oxygenation and ventilation, while at the same time to adjust the distal end of the fiber-optic device for a good view of the glottis.
Huang (U.S. Pat. No. 5,445,161) discloses an apparatus and method for accurately securing an airway for the purpose of endotracheal intubation of a patient using a computed capnogram. The major shortcoming of this design is that the patient must have spontaneous breathing in order to use the capnogram as a guiding device. Patients are usually paralyzed with muscle relaxant to achieve maximum exposure of the glottis for intubation, and thus such patients are likely to develop apnea, especially in situations of securing an airway in an emergency. No methods of oxygenation and ventilation were designed for this apparatus in case of a patient's apnea, and thus the device is impractical for use in emergency situations.
McGrail (U.S. Pat. No. 4,584,998) discloses a multi-purpose tracheal tube, which can be used for high frequency ventilation, irrigation of airway and monitoring, and having three lumens provided in the tracheal tube. A major shortcoming of this design is that the opening of "insufflation lumen" is more than 5 cm away from the distal tip of tracheal tube, and the opening face the lumen, instead of pointing to the front. Thus, it would be difficult to use this "insufflation lumen" for generating powerful forwarding jet pulses for efficient oxygenation and ventilation if patients have apnea after receiving muscle relaxants. No PetCO2 monitoring catheter or other kind catheters are provided to guide and assist tracheal inbutation blindly in a difficult airway. The device appears to be useful for cleaning airway secretion during mechanical ventilation without interruption of oxygenation and ventilation, but does not appear to be adequate for assisting intubation in paralyzing patients with difficult airway.
In sum, there is a continuing need for an intubation device and method that can be employed to intubate patients quickly and reliably, especially in unexpected emergency situations in which conventional intubation techniques cannot be employed. It is very important that some kind of oxygenation and/or ventilation be maintained during intubation so that the chance of hypoxia and hypercapnia is minimized and the allotted time for intubation be prolonged.

Jet endotracheal device and its use in intubation


A cyclical epitaxial deposition system and a gas distribution module are provided. The gas distribution module includes an inflow element having a plurality of inlet holes, a guide assembly, and an outflow element. The guide assembly disposed between the inflow and outflow elements includes a plurality of guide channels separate from one another and a plurality of temporary gas retention trenches respectively corresponding to the guide channels. Each of the guide channels is in fluid communication with the corresponding inlet hole. The outflow element has a plurality of diffusion regions respectively corresponding to the gas retention trenches, and a plurality of outlet channels respectively corresponding to the diffusion regions. Each of the diffusion regions has a plurality of diffusion apertures, and each of the temporary gas retention trenches is in fluid communication with the corresponding outlet channel through the diffusion apertures in the corresponding diffusion region.

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is a vapor phase technique used to grow high-quality thin films. Compared with a film layer formed by means of chemical vapor deposition or physical vapor deposition, a film layer formed by the atomic layer deposition has relatively high density, thickness uniformity, and step coverage. In addition, the thickness of the film layer can be precisely controlled by use of atomic layer deposition. Therefore, the atomic layer deposition technique has been applied in manufacturing of electronic elements.
During atomic layer deposition, in each deposition cycle, two different precursor gases are sequentially introduced into a deposition chamber at different time points, instead of at the same time. The precursor gas introduced each time reacts with the surface of a substrate in a self-limiting manner to form a monoatomic layer. A film layer having a particular thickness can be formed only after multiple deposition cycles.
Therefore, a fabrication process using atomic layer deposition takes a relatively long time as compared with chemical vapor deposition, and currently cannot be applied in continuous production, thus being inapplicable in manufacturing of elements or devices requiring mass production.

Cyclical epitaxial deposition system and gas distribution module thereof


A method for automatically changing a version of a client agent for a non-administrative user account without rebooting the user's machine uses a service having installation privileges. The service executes on the client and installs a client agent. The client agent communicates with a network appliance. The client agent detects a difference between its version and a version of the client agent identified by the network appliance. The agent signals the service that it has detected the difference and, in response, the service executes an installation program that installs, without rebooting the client, the version of the client agent identified by the appliance. A corresponding system is also described.

In some systems, an appliance provides a client computer with access to a network. In one kind of system, an appliance may provide the client computer with secure access to a private network via virtual private network (VPN) connection. The client computer may use a client agent to access the functionality or services provided by the appliance. For example, the client agent may establish a virtual private network connection to a network via the appliance. In some cases, the client agent may be installed under an administrative user or with administrative privileges. As such, any changes to the client agent may also require administrative privileges.
Typically, a network administrator may deploy an appliance to provide access to the network to a multitude of non-administrative users, such as remote or mobile users. In some cases, the administrator may install on the appliance software maintenance revisions, updates or upgrades to the appliance. In other cases, the administrator may replace an appliance with a newer version of hardware, such as another model. In one case, a newer version of the client agent is available. In another cases, the appliance may work with one or more versions of a client agent. As a result of any of these cases, the network administrator may want to deploy a different version of the client agent to the vast user community. However, the deployment and installation of the client agent to client computers of non-administrative users can be challenging as the non-administrative users do not have the required administrative privileges. Furthermore, users of the system may be frustrated with not having the most up-to-date client agent, an inappropriate version of the client agent, or having to spend the time to install or get installed the client agent.
It would, therefore, be desirable to provide systems and methods for efficiently allowing a client computer of a non-administrative user to automatically detect, install and use a changed version of a client agent.

Systems and methods of installing an application without rebooting


An apparatus (20) operable as both a vestment (22) and a litter (24) is provided. The apparatus (20) has a flexible back panel (26) serving as a back (28) for the vestment (22) and as a bed (30) for the litter (24). A front (40) of the vestment (22) is made up of a flexible left front panel (42), a flexible right front panel (44), and a fastener (46). The apparatus (20) includes a pair of sectioned support poles (54). When the apparatus (20) is configured as a litter (24), a cross member (58) is removably coupled between the support poles (54), and a support device (112) supports the bed (30) of the litter (24) from the support poles (54). A safety strap (60) secures a victim (124) to the bed (30) for transport.

Should an individual fall victim to illness or injury in the field, it is often necessary to transport the victim a considerable distance before treatment may be rendered. For example, if a hunter in a remote area were to be injured, it may be necessary to transport that hunter several miles over rough terrain before medical assistance, other than first aid, may be administered.
The need for such emergency medical transport requires that that transport be immediately provided. A delay or failure in providing transport may result in a worsening of the illness or injury. In extreme cases, this worsening may result in the death of the victim.
The need to provide immediate medical transport requires preplanning for such a medical emergency. This preplanning implies that a means for transport be present or produced at the scene of the emergency.
Typically, a litter, such as a stretcher, is used to transport a victim. Such a litter is normally made up of a canvas or other flexible material stretched over a frame consisting of two poles and two cross members. The carrier of such a litter is encumbered with a considerable burden. The overall mass of the litter adds significantly to the load of the carrier, and the length of the poles inhibit the activities in which the carrier may engage. Collapsing the litter, i.e., disengaging the cross members to allow the poles and flexible material to be wrapped into a tighter bundle, neither shortens the length of the poles nor ameliorates the mass of the litter.
As a result, informal field outings, such as for hunting, backpacking, etc., often omit the litter as too burdensome, thus increasing significantly the difficulty of providing immediate transport in the event of an emergency and significantly increasing the risk of complication and death to a potential victim.
What is needed, therefore, is a litter capable of being carried in the field in anticipation of a possible emergency with a minimum of difficulty and inconvenience to the individual doing the carrying. Such a litter should be lightweight, small in size, and carryable without interfering with the normal activities of the carrier.

Apparatus operable as vestment and litter


A method for analyzing punching activities of a boxer during a training session is implemented through a glove that is worn by the boxer. The glove includes a microprocessor, an inertial measurement unit, and other related electrical components so that the method of analyzing punching activities can be executed through a single punch analysis. The inertial measurement unit timestamps and collects raw orientation and spatial positioning data for the glove, and enables the microprocessor to execute the single punch analysis throughout the training session. The single punch analysis outputs and displays a forward glove speed, a forward glove force, a forward glove power, heart rate of the boxer, calories burned by the boxer, lag time between multiple punches, and total number of punches throughout the training session.

Since boxing oriented workout or training session involves forceful and repetitive punching, precautions must be taken to prevent damage to bones in the hand. Most trainers do not allow boxers to train and spar without wrist wrap and boxing gloves. The wrist wraps are used to secure the bones in the hand, and the boxing gloves are used to protect the hands from blunt injury, allowing boxers to throw punches with more force than if they did not utilize them. However, the existing wrist wraps and the boxing gloves do not tracking the number of punches thrown and any other types of endurance data during the workout or training session. The number of punches thrown and types of endurance data provide valuable information as to the quality of the workout so that the trainers are able to identify weakness and different training patterns of the boxers. These information can be helpful to the trainers so that the trainers can target the areas that need to be improved while monitoring the health of the boxer.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a method of analyzing punching activities of a boxer during a training session. The present invention is carried out through a pair of modified gloves that can provide statistical and endurance data. The pair of modified gloves includes multiple sensors and display screens to enable the user to track the number of punches thrown during a workout or training session, as well as the force at which these punches are thrown. The gloves would also indicate other related data analyses such as, the time elapsed in between punches, the number of calories burned from the workout session, and heart rate monitoring during the workout session.


Certain polymer materials, including perfluorosulfonic acid ionomers, have been found to be capable of being deformed from an initial permanent shape into three or more temporary shapes. An article thus formed from such a polymer material may be used initially in a final temporary shape. As the article is progressively heated, the polymer composition reverts successively from its final temporary shape through its intermediate temporary shapes. If a suitable temperature is reached, the original permanent shape is recovered. The article may be devised to serve successive functions in each of its several shapes.

Present shape memory polymers are materials that can memorize one or two temporary shapes and eventually revert to an original permanent shape upon exposure to an external microstructural-transforming stimulus such as heat. In some shape memory polymers the external stimulus for shape change may be an electric or magnetic field, light, or a change in pH.
A conventional shape memory polymer (SMP) is deformed at an elevated temperature (deformation temperature, Td) and the deformed temporary shape is fixed upon cooling. Often, this deformation temperature is above the glass transition temperature of the polymer composition. When heated to a recovery temperature (Tr), the temporary shape reverts to the original permanent shape. With a total of two shapes involved in each shape memory cycle, such an effect is called dual-shape memory effect (DSME) where the two shapes consist of the deformed temporary shape and the permanent shape. Quantitatively, this effect is evaluated based on the percentage of shape fixation of the temporary shape (shape fixity Rf, i.e. strain imposed compared to strain retained) and shape recovery of the permanent shape (shape recovery, Rr).
At the molecular level, materials displaying the DSME typically possess a polymer microstructural mechanism for setting the permanent shape and a reversible polymer phase transition for fixing the temporary shape. A prototype shape memory cycle occurs with both shape fixation and recovery above a reversible phase transition temperature (or the shape memory transition temperature, Ttrans).
In contrast to polymer materials displaying a dual-shape memory effect, a triple-shape memory effect has also been observed in some polymers. The triple-shape memory effect refers to the capability of some combinations of polymer materials to memorize a second temporary shape (three shapes are involved) using an additional reversible phase transition in the polymer composition. The fixation of two temporary shapes in a body of the polymer (and subsequent shape recovery) for a triple-shape memory polymer is achieved either above or between two transition temperatures existing in the mixed polymer composition.
Overall, various SMP systems have been adapted for use in a number of very useful applications including biomedical devices, self-healing surfaces, "smart" fasteners, and "smart" adhesives. In each of these applications the polymer may be placed in a temporary shape for initial placement. But upon heating (or other application of energy) the polymer self-transforms from its temporary shape to its permanent shape. It is apparent that the ultimate potential of this class of materials hinges heavily on tailoring (or tuning) their shape memory properties for the targeted applications. Due to the strong tie between Rf (and Rr) and Ttrans, tuning shape memory properties often involves adjustment in Ttrans, which requires material composition change via synthesis of new polymers or modification of existing polymers.
There remains a need for the adaptation of new polymer materials and new uses of polymer materials in SMP applications.

Smart devices based on a dynamic shape memory effect for polymers


In an embodiment, the invention provides a method and reagents for detection of γ-herpesvirus circRNA. In another embodiment, the invention provides a method and reagents for detection of EBV circRNA. In still another embodiment, the invention provides a method and reagents for detection of KSHV circRNA. The method can be expanded to other herpesviruses and even non-herpesviruses that generate circRNA upon cellular infection.

Circular RNAs (circRNA) originate from exonic backsplicing into an exon acceptor sequence, generating a highly stable, circular RNA. circRNAs may generate non-canonical protein, act as a scaffold for protein-protein interactions, modulate transcription and serve as RNA-binding protein or miRNA sponges and can be readily detected in fixed tissues. As of the priority date of the present patent application, it is believed that no circRNAs from DNA tumor viruses have been described, although certain plant viroids and hepatitis D virus are examples of circular single stranded RNA viruses.
EBV and KSHV are two prevalent members of the taxonomic group "Gammaherpesvirinae," or γ-herpesviruses. This taxa includes several human, but also non-human, viruses, generally classified into four genera: Percavirus, Macavirus, Lymphocryptovirus, and Rhadinovirus. Exemplary γ-herpesviruses are described in Escalera-Zamudio et al. 7(6):e01425-16. doi:10.1128/mBio.01425-16 (incorporated herein by reference), especially supplemental table S5. Exemplary γ-herpesviruses include, but are not limited to Alcelaphine herpesvirus 1, Apodemus sylvaticus rhadinovirus 1, Ateline herpesvirus 3, Babyrousa babyrussa rhadinovirus 1, Bandicota indica rhadinovirus 4, Bandicota savilei rhadinovirus 1, Bovine herpesvirus 4, Bovine herpesvirus 6, Bovine lymphotropic herpesvirus, Callitrichine herpesvirus 3, Caprine herpesvirus 2, Cercopithicine herpesvirus 15, Crocuta crocuta gammaherpesvirus 1, Cynopterus sphinx 13HN70, Cynopterus sphinx CS/12GZ1, Cynopterus sphinx CS/14GZ24, Diceros bicornis gammaherpesvirus, Diceros bicornis gammaherpesvirus 1, Elephas maximus gammaherpesvirus 1, Eptesicus serotinus rhadinovirus 1, Equid herpesvirus 2, Equid herpesvirus 5, Equus zebra gammaherpesvirus 1, Equus zebra gammaherpesvirus 1, Felis catus gammaherpesvirus 1, Gorilla gorilla lymphocryptovirus 1, Gorilla rhadinovirus 1, Hexaprotodon liberiensis gammaherpesvirus 1, Hipposideros diadema herpesvirus, Hipposideros larvatus HL/11HN1, Hipposideros pomona 211HN104, Hipposideros pomona HP/11HN104, Hipposideros pomona HP/11HN110, Human herpesvirus 4, Human herpesvirus 8, Lymphocryptovirus Macaca, Lynx rufus gammaherpesvirus 1, Macaca fascicularis lymphocryptovirus 1, Macaca fascicularis rhadinovirus 2, Macaca fuscata rhadinovirus, Miniopterus schreibersii 11HN110, Miniopterus schreibersii 211HN16, Miniopterus schreibersii MS/11HN95, Miniopterus schreibersii MS/12HN28, Murid herpesvirus 4, Mus cervicolor rhadinovirus 1, Mus musculus rhadinovirus 1, Mustelid herpesvirus 1, Myodes glareolus rhadinovirus 1, Myotis nattereri rhadinovirus 1, Myotis ricketti herpesvirus 1, Myotis ricketti herpesvirus 2, Myotis velifer gammaherpesvirus 8, Nyctalus noctula rhadinovirus 1, Nyctalus noctula rhadinovirus 2, Ovine herpesvirus 2, Pan troglodytes rhadinovirus 2, Pan troglodytes rhadinovirus 3, Panthera leo gammaherpesvirus 1, Papio hamadryas lymphocryptovirus 2, Pipistrellus nathusii rhadinovirus 1, Pipistrellus pipistrellus rhadinovirus 1, Plecotus auritus rhadinovirus 1, Porcine lymphotropic herpesvirus 2, Porcine lymphotropic herpesvirus 2, Porcine lymphotropic herpesvirus 3, Procavia capensis gammaherpesvirus 2, Ptenochirus jagori gammaherpesvirus, Pteropus giganteus herpesvirus 2, Pteropus giganteus herpesvirus 3, Pteropus giganteus herpesvirus 5, Pteropus giganteus herpesvirus 6, Puma concolor gammaherpesvirus 1, Rhinolophus blythi 13HN56, Rhinolophus blythi 13YF104, Rhinolophus blythi 13YF79, Rhinolophus blythi 13YF82, Rhinolophus blythi 13YF84, Rhinolophus blythi 13YF87, Rhinolophus blythi 13YF96, Rhinolophus blythi RB/13YF11, Rhinolophus blythi RB/13YF3, Rhinolophus blythi RB/13YF6, Rhinolophus blythi RB/13YF84, Rhinolophus blythi RB/13YF87, Rhinolophus blythi RB/13YF89, Rhinolophus blythi RB/13YF96, Rhinolophus blythi RB/13YF99, Rupicapra rupicapra gammaherpesvirus 1, Saimiri sciureus gammaherpesvirus 2, Saimiriine herpesvirus 2, Scotophilus kuhlii 11HZ76, Scotophilus kuhlii 13Y234, Scotophilus kuhlii 13YF106, Scotophilus kuhlii 13YF114, Scotophilus kuhlii 13YF15, Scotophilus kuhlii 13YF155, Scotophilus kuhlii 13YF160, Scotophilus kuhlii 13YF187, Scotophilus kuhlii 13YF206, Scotophilus kuhlii 13YF244, Scotophilus kuhlii SK/11HZ84, Scotophilus kuhlii SK/13YF121, Scotophilus kuhlii SK/13YF14, Scotophilus kuhlii SK/13YF146, Scotophilus kuhlii SK/13YF15, Scotophilus kuhlii SK/13YF16, Scotophilus kuhlii SK/13YF185, Scotophilus kuhlii SK/13YF239, Sorex araneus gammaherpesvirus 1, Sus barbatus rhadinovirus 1, Symphalangus syndactylus lymphocryptovirus 2, Tapirus terrestris gammaherpesvirus 1, Tupaia belangeri gammaherpesvirus 1, and Type 2 ruminant rhadinovirus of mule deer. γ-Herpesviruses are trophic for, and replicate within, lymphoid cells, but they are capable of undergoing lytic infection/replication in epithelial cells and fibroblasts.
Epstein-Barr Virus is one such DNA tumor virus. It is estimated that a large majority (perhaps 90% to 95%) of humans are infected with EBV. Although primary infection with EBV during early childhood is asymptomatic, delayed onsets can be associated with infectious mononucleosis, which rarely leads to severe complications. However, such individuals can pass EBV infection to another person, such as a person not infected with EBV. In a minority of EBV-infected people, however, the EBV infection becomes lytic, resulting in a much higher copy number of EBV viruses either in circulation or in a tumor. These individuals may develop certain cancers, such as lymphomas and nasopharyngeal cancer. As such, there remains a need for methods and reagents for identifying people experiencing lytic EBV infection or at risk of such.
Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus (KSHV) is also one such DNA tumor virus. The virus can cause Kaposi's sarcoma, a type of cancer not uncommon in HIV-infected individuals, organ transplant recipients, or other immunocompromised individuals, and older or elderly adults. KSHV also can cause certain types of lymphomas and other disorders. In the northern European and north American population, KSHV is a relatively rare infection (perhaps about 3% of the population being infected), but KSHV infection is more prevalent in African and Mediterranean countries. While blood tests assaying for the presence of anti-KSHV antibodies exist, there remains a need for methods and reagents for identifying people experiencing KSHV infection.
While blood tests assaying for the presence of some γ-herpesviruses exist, there remains a need for methods and reagents for identifying mammals infected with γ-herpesviruses.

University of Pittsburgh—Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education


A computer sets a process area based on an image obtained by observing a mask, and determines the positions of representative points that form a contour of the process area for each pixel with sub-pixel accuracy that is better than a pixel, the position of each of the representative points being able to be set to either the center position of the pixel or a position displaced therefrom. Furthermore, for the pixels within the process area, the computer sets the center positions of the pixels as the representative points and corrects the positions of the representative points of the pixels within the process area on a sub-pixel basis such that nonuniformity between the representative points is reduced. When the mask is processed, the charged particle beam is applied with sub-pixel accuracy to the positions of the representative points that form the contour for the pixels that includes the contour of the process area and to the positions of the corrected representative points for the pixels within the process area.

The present invention relates to a charged particle beam irradiation method and a charged particle beam apparatus.
Conventionally, when an insulator workpiece is observed or processed by a charged particle beam, such as an ion beam or electron beam, the irradiation beam is raster scanned and positioned on the workpiece. Raster scanning is how to sequentially irradiate an array of points.
FIG. 7 shows a raster scan-based processing of a workpiece. As shown in FIG. 7, when the workpiece is processed, the charged particle beam is applied to the center positions of the pixels that are on a contour line of a process area as well the pixels within the process area (the process area means the area which is to be processed from now on) that are not on the contour line. A pixel used herein is a minimum unit area for beam irradiation and an area divided in the horizontal (X) and vertical (Y) directions at an interval corresponding to a minimum unit of irradiation beam deflection. However, in general, since the process area is not always rectangular, especially when the contour line of the process area is a diagonal line that overlies pixels across two rows, a step is unfortunately formed halfway through the process pattern contour, which should be a straight line.
As a technology to solve the above problem, there has been proposed a beam irradiation method in which a process area is expressed as raster data by displacing the position of a specific contour line such that the contour line can be expressed as a straight line and the bit map is displaced by the same amount in the opposite direction (see, for example, JP-A-6-214376).
FIG. 8 shows a processing method using this technique. In the figure, the diagonal contour line is displaced such that the contour line will not included in pixels in the same row, thereby preventing step generation halfway through the process pattern contour.
When a process area has multiple contour lines for which step generation should be avoided, the method described in the patent document 1 has limited applications because the offset positions at which step generation can be avoided for the contour lines do not always coincide. This method is also problematic in that a contour line that should be diagonal becomes vertical or horizontal, and although a contour line for which a step has been eliminated becomes more accurate, other parts may become less accurate.
The invention has been made in view of such situations and aims to provide a charged particle beam irradiation method and a charged particle beam apparatus capable of improving accuracy of process pattern contour lines independent of the shape of a process area of a workpiece.

Charged particle beam irradiation method and charged particle beam apparatus


A control system for the hydraulic operating circuit associated with a vehicle lifting device in which the circuit is provided with pressure fluid control valves and flow sensors which are operative on the vehicle lowering cycle to establish substantial evenness of the lowering mechanism and protection against malfunction of an operating component to arrest the travel of the vehicle lifting device in its lowering cycle.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a control for the hydraulic system in vehicle lift racks in which the supporting runways are elevated by single action pressure fluid rams and are lowered by the weight of the vehicle on the runways or simply by gravity.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Applicant is aware of hydraulic automobile lift mechanisms having runways adapted to be elevated by mechanical interconnecting devices operated from a common hydraulic power source. The problem with such mechanisms is that they are required to have below-ground excavations for some of the operating devices. Examples of the foregoing prior art are 2,201,147 of May 21, 1940; 2,201,189 of May 21, 1940; 2,208,983 of July 23, 1940; and 2,201,147 of June 10, 1941.
In the field of above ground surface-mounted lifting mechanisms, applicant is aware of such art as 3,289,868 of Dec. 6, 1966; 4,706,458 of Nov. 17, 1987; and 4,724,930 of Feb. 16, 1988. Other examples of mechanisms having multiple lifting rams requiring synchronous operation are 3,494,259 of Feb. 10, 1970; 3,760,688 of Sept. 25, 1973; 4,403,680 of Sept. 13, 1983; and 4,526,346 of July 2, 1985.
The problems with the noted prior art examples are the complex construction devised to handle loads requiring elevation, leakage that can develop after a period of use, and lack of accuracy in obtaining simultaneous movement of the separate lifting runways to protect the load from tipping. That is especially important when the load is an automobile or truck. An additional problem in handling fluid displacement rams is how to maintain the volume of fluid substantially the same in each flow system.


A semiconductor memory apparatus includes a PLL selector that selectively activates a plurality of PLL enable signals by decoding pluralities of PLL selection signals, and a plurality of PLL circuits that connect to a plurality of PLL enable signals respectively, wherein when the one of a plurality of PLL enable signals is activated, the PLL circuit connected the activated PLL enable signal is operated to execute phase locking operations.

The present invention relates to semiconductor memory apparatuses and more particularly, to a semiconductor memory apparatus employing a phase locked loop (PLL) selectively operable in accordance with frequency band.
A known semiconductor apparatus includes a delay locked loop (DLL) circuit to provide an internal clock that precedes a reference clock in a phase by a predetermined amount of time, where the reference clock is obtained by transforming an external clock. The internal clock is usually generated to enable operations in sync with an external clock in a high-density semiconductor memory apparatus such as a synchronous DRAM.
With the trend toward high frequency operation for semiconductor memory apparatuses, the clock frequency of external clocks, as well as the corresponding internal clocks, increases. Thereby, a semiconductor memory apparatus using a conventional DLL circuit becomes unstable in operations of inputting and outputting data in sync with a clock. This is especially true for some semiconductor memory devices used in graphics processes, where data input/output operations become less reliable because of decreasing margins in operational timings between data strobe signals and data.
To alleviate this problem, a semiconductor memory apparatus operating at high frequency is usually associated with a PLL circuit for stabilizing its data input/output operations. A semiconductor memory apparatus employing a PLL circuit for data input does not need to conduct an operation for generating data strobe signals from a clock and latching data. Such a semiconductor memory apparatus including the PLL circuit is used to detect a phase difference between the operational timing of the clock and one of the data and then synchronize the clock and the data by controlling the phase of the data. Therefore, such a semiconductor memory apparatus including the PLL circuit enhances the reliability of the data input operation.
However, such a conventional PLL circuit is only operable in narrow frequency bandwidths. In practice, there is no limit as to the frequency bandwidth in a semiconductor memory apparatus and the signals internally operating therein are modifiable in frequency in accordance with variations of process, voltage, and temperature (PVT).
As such, a PLL circuit operable in only narrow frequency bandwidths is very restrictive and acts as a technical limitation to a semiconductor memory apparatus.

Semiconductor memory apparatus having phase locked loop


A compound of the formula: ##STR1## wherein A is ##STR2## in which X is .dbd.CH-- or .dbd.N--; R.sup.2 is hydrogen, alky, phenyl, benzyl or phenethyl; Y is --CH.sub.2 --, --NH-- or --O--; and Z is --H.sub.2 or .dbd.O; B is His, Leu, Ile, Nva, Nle, Ala or Val; and R.sup.1 is hydrogen, alkyl, phenyl or phenylalkyl; or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof are renin inhibitors.

The renin-angiotensin system plays a well-defined role in cardiovascular homeostasis. Renin is an aspartic protease which converts angiotensinogen to Angiotensin I, which is acted upon by angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) to form the vasoactive octapeptide, Angiotensin II. It is now well-known that inhibitors of renin will serve as antihypertensives in mammals. Since HIV protease is in the aspartyl protease class of enzymes (like renin), it is believed that inhibitors of renin will also be effective in the direct or adjunctive treatment of AIDS and other viral diseases.


An indication of a topic of interest is received. Multiple pieces of content are accessed, and the indication of the topic of interest is compared to the pieces of content. Based on comparing the indication of the topic of interest to the pieces of content, a piece of content is identified as being relevant to the topic of interest. An identifier is identified for an author of the piece of content. Contact information for each of multiple authors including identifiers therefor is accessed, and the identifier for the author is compared to the identifiers included in the contact information. Based on results of comparing the identifier for the author to the identifiers included in the contact information, contact information corresponding to the author is identified. Thereafter, an indication of the identity of the author and at least some of the identified contact information corresponding to the author is returned.

Media service companies maintain media contact databases ("MCDs") containing thousands of media sites in the US and Canada, including daily and weekly newspapers, magazines, radio stations, TV stations and internet sites, including blogs. The MCDs provide extensive contact information on each media site, such as address, telephone, fax, email, station format and call letters (e.g., for broadcast media) data.
In addition, MCDs contain data relating to many, if not all, journalists (approximating 250,000-350,000 journalists) at each of these media sites that has editorial responsibilities including the ability and responsibility to generate independent content. Thus, for example, advertising directors are typically not included in an MCD whereas reporters, newscasters and bloggers generally are included in the database. The MCD contains relevant contact information on each journalist and blogger, including address, telephone, fax and email, as well as the individual's preferred method of receiving press releases (mail, fax or email). Additionally, the MCD also may contain each journalist's or blogger's "beat," or the individual's subject/content area of responsibility. Beats include such titles as News, Features, Sports, Business, Entertainment, Technology, etc.
Public relations professionals use the MCD on behalf of their clients to identify individual journalists or bloggers that might be most receptive to writing an article on the client. A toy company, for example, might retain a public relations professional to promote the release of a new toy. Typically, the public relations professional would first draft a press release announcing the new toy. The public relations professional would then utilize the MCD to generate a list of journalists or bloggers who would be sent a press release, and maybe even a product sample.
The MCD contains a search facility that generates media contact lists according to defined search parameters, including media type, geography and beat. In the above example, the public relations professional might draft a release targeted to business editors and the trade press. The release would discuss the importance of this new toy to the company's product line and perhaps how this new toy extends the company's lead in a segment over its competitors. The public relations professional would then develop a media list of business editors at the major daily newspapers, trade magazines and the major broadcast business shows. Depending on the search criteria, this list might include between 10 to 10,000 journalists. The public relations professional would then try to refine the list by accessing "pitching tips," or notes that subjectively describe a journalist's primary area of interest. Pitching tips are available through commercial providers and many public relations professionals also maintain a proprietary compilation of pitching tips.
These pitching tips, however, are typically subjective, often out-of-date, and never available for more than a handful of journalists. Accordingly, refining the list generated through the MCD search is often subjective and tedious.
Systems widely available today allow the public relations professional to upload the press release into an online application, and an integrated distribution capability distributes the release to every member of the media list according to the preferred method of receipt.
The current methods of targeting journalists and/or bloggers utilizing beat or pitching tips are crude and tedious. Neither method works very well or efficiently. For example, many of the business reporters targeted above may be inappropriate recipients of the press release (and product sample). A journalist covering currency trading in Asia (obviously inappropriate) would be labeled a business reporter in the MCD, just as a journalist covering consumer product companies (more appropriate) would be labeled a business reporter in the MCD. Incorrect targeting entails substantial costs. Product samples sent awry are clearly a waste of money. But, time spent by public relations professionals pitching stories to journalists "off beat" wastes values time and effort. Moreover, bloggers often react adversely to misdirected press releases. In fact, at times bloggers have taken aim in their blogs at the public relations professional that sent the misdirected press release and have even unfairly criticized the company issuing the press release. Conversely, pitches that can be accurately targeted would be expected to produce a better result (more coverage in the press) at a lower cost.
Another problem encountered in the prior art is the time consuming and expensive problem of maintaining the currency and accuracy of the MCD. The MCD is a large, complex database typically including over 250,000-350,000 entries, and each entry may entail numerous data elements (name, address, etc.). The MCD, therefore, may include millions of data elements to be maintained and updated continuously.
The MCD may be updated frequently. Journalists are continuously switching jobs and beats. Media sites (especially magazines and blogs) are continuously launched and closed. And both media sites and journalists have proven unresponsive to potentially more economic, but impersonal, means (email, direct mail) of verifying relevant MCD data.
The currency and accuracy of the MCD has proven the key to customer satisfaction. Telemarketing often is the primary method of maintaining the currency of the MCD. Accordingly, companies that endeavor to maintain a media contact database expend significant sums on personally telephoning media sites and journalists in the MCD to verify database elements.
But, telemarketing entails practical limits on the quality of the MCD. For instance, it may not be possible to update the MCD daily. Even if it were possible to make 350,000 phone calls in one day, journalists might be extremely irritated after the first couple of days. MCD data, however, does change daily (on any given day, journalists change jobs, beats, or may die; media sites change addresses or close). The net result is that often the MCD may be out-of-date, and any updating effort is too little, too late.
One current industry approach is to segment media outlets. So-called "Tier I" sites and journalists are updated (personally contacted by telemarketers) more often than those in "Tier II or III." As an example, a Tier I journalist might be updated six times a year; a Tier II journalist might be updated several times a year. But the tiers are typically constructed based upon the prominence of the media site. The New York Times, and its journalists, are updated far more frequently than the Kenosha Express. This approach, however, makes no sense to the user that wishes to contact the Kenosha Express, and who wants accurate data today regardless of the relative prominence of the newspaper.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


This invention provides an image processing method which for noise reduction and sensitization for an ordinary video camera. The noise reduction processing locates a bright pixel and averages brightness by adding the pixel accumulated by ratio in accordance with the geometric series, and to a dark pixel, carrying out the processing of noise reduction which averages brightness by adding the pixel accumulated by ratio in accordance with the geometric series and the processing of sensitization in the condition that a magnification of intensification is greater than 1, determine that the pixel moves or not, if the pixel is moving, it is used to carry out processing of sensitization only, and if the pixel is still, choose it is used to carry out the processing of sensitization and noise reduction.

In the digital image processing of animation data photographed by a video camera, noise is also amplified when the brightness is enhanced by gain adjustment to dark data or when the detail of the animation data is highlighted by image processing such as a picture improvement filter. Therefore, some parts cannot be clearly seen due to noise interference even if the brightness is enhanced or detailed data is highlighted.
In general, this noise is random, so the noise can be removed by taking an average over a plurality of animation frames. A commercial video camera comprises a slow shutter mode as well as a gain adjustment for enhancing the brightness of dark data. The camera has problems set out below even if the brightness is enhanced and the noises are muted.
Problem 1
The shutter speed is slow and it cannot secure a reasonable frame rate. For example, the camera cannot clearly capture a moving target with a shutter speed of only 5 shutter closures per second.
Problem 2
The accumulation of a plurality of frames and a prolonged open shutter time causes blurring and a moving target is not recognized.
Problem 3
Under a situation of low/narrow dynamic range with bright conditions (such as fog), the camera cannot be used due to over exposure.
Problem 4
Even in a dark picture, over exposure in a bright part of the picture causes highlight clipping.
Problem 5
Thermal noise (dark noise) is conspicuous, it is amplified by the act of exposing the noise to too much light.
To solve these problems, an image processing system is considered that adds image data to a frame buffer at the same ratio to perform a processing of noise reduction and sensitization (for enhancing the brightness of dark data) simultaneously.
When a dark image is processed by the above methods, one plane of a frame buffer for image accumulation is prepared as an accumulation buffer, ratio R and pixel data of an image frame are multiplied and this multiplied value is added to the accumulation buffer and this process is repeated. In this method, by continuing to add the value of the image data in ratio R to a frame buffer, the brightness of the image becomes the infinite geometric series of ratio R. The sum of infinite geometric series is equal to A/(1−R). Therefore, when N is the objective magnification of brightness, R is equal to (N−1)/N. (First term is A, A is equal to 1 when N is greater than 1)
If the magnification of the brightness is greater than 1, overflow is caused. Therefore, when it is required to calculate an image of 8 bits for in magnification N, the bit of the accumulation buffer has to be 8+base-2 of logarithm. (8+log 2) As a result of the above, objective brightness can be obtained some frames later after accumulation.
For example, a value of objective magnification of the brightness is 8, R is ⅞. Therefore, the content of the frame buffer is ⅞, and a new frame is added to the frame buffer, and it is stored in the accumulation buffer. For example, after processing 30 frames using the above method, the brightness of the image becomes the value multiplied by 8 in comparison with the original image.
If an object is a bright image, it is set so that the sum of the first term A and the proportional value R become 1 (A+R=1). When R is greater than 0 and less than 1 (0<R<1), the sum converges to 1. This means that the brightness is not changed.
Using the above method, noise can be removed without a change in the brightness since a plurality of the image is accumulated. For example, in the situation with that R is equal to one over four and A(1) is equal to three over four (R=¼, A(1)=¾), frame buffer is set at three over four (¾). Also, a new frame with a size of one over four is added to the frame buffer and it is stored in accumulated frame buffer. Repeating this process makes a transformation of the size of data 25%→18%→14%→10%→8%→6%. Also, each value is added to the frame buffer. Therefore, after having repeated 12 frames, the brightness obtained for the accumulated image is the same as the brightness of the original image.
Applying the above method, removal of noise and sensitization handling of data by the accumulation method can be carried out simultaneously, and problems 1, 3 and 5 can be solved.
Regarding problem 1, since the shutter speed of the frame using the method is the same as the traditional speed and the image update is carried out by each frame unit, the problem regarding the chasing of the moving object is not generated. Also, the ratio of the last frame in the image is the largest, thus the picture can clearly be seen when the plurality of frame buffers are added.
Regarding problem 2, since accumulation is carried out by each frame unit, a blurring is not caused. However, an afterimage exists, and a moving object seems to leave a trail.
Regarding problem 3, because magnification of the brightness can accumulate with 1, no problem occurs with a bright image. Also, it is not necessary to increase or decrease a frame buffer because the stockpile can be adjusted by using a parameter. Regarding problem 4, if magnification of the brightness becomes greater than 1, the problem remains of a white area at the point of overflow by accumulation. Regarding problem 5, because the shutter speed is the same or slower than the traditional speed of frame, the problem of heat noise does not occur.
Therefore, in the method in which one piece of accumulation buffer is repeated so that the same ratio is multiplied to a new frame and added to the accumulation buffer is very effective in noise removal and sensitization. However, there still remain the problems of white clipping when magnification of the brightness is raised and of a moving object having an afterimage.
An image processing device for still images using the following means is disclosed in patent document 1. Means for deciding the quantity of revision; determine the quantity of revision of brightness of the image data and the quantity of contrast revision of the image data by using a brightness reference value and contrast reference value which is the base for adjustment of the brightness of the picture. Means for correcting a quantity of revision of brightness; this means decrease a quantity of brightness amendment as a quantity of an exposure amendment increase. Means for correcting a quantity of contrast amendment; when the exposure amendment quantity is positive amendment, this means reduce the quantity of contrast amendment as the exposure amendment quantity increases. Picture conditioning means; this means adjust the brightness of the image data by applying quantity of revision of the corrected brightness and adjust the contrast of the image data by applying the quantity of revision of the corrected contrast.
Also, a data processor is disclosed in Prior art 2, the data processor processes three-dimensional data by a neural network, the neural network processes the three-dimensional data as quaternion, the data processor processes photography data of night scope 50 including a very small amount of RGB ingredient, and it can obtain a color image equivalent to what was photographed in the daytime


A method of adaptively selecting an optimum data deduplication chunking method receives a request to deduplicate a file, wherein the file has a file type. The method searches a table of file types, wherein the table includes, for each file type, a chunking method, a deduplication ratio, and a depulication ratio threshold. The method selects a chunking method for the file according to the table. The method chunks the file using the selected chunking method. The method deduplicates the chunked file according to prior art deduplication methods. The method calculates a deduplication ratio for the file type and updates the table with the calculated deduplication ratio for the file type. If the calculated deduplication ratio for the file type is less than the deduplication ratio threshold for the file type, the method selects a new chunking method for the file type and updates the table of file types with the new chunking method for the file type.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to the field of data deduplication, and more particularly to a method of and system for adaptively selecting an optimum deduplication chunking method for files of a particular type.
2. Description of the Related Art
A goal in data storage is to reduce the amount of space required to store the data. One method of reducing required storage space is data deduplication. In data deduplication, a data object, which may be a file, a data stream, or some other form of data, is broken down into one or more chunks using a chunking method. A hash is calculated for each chunk using any of several known hashing techniques. The hashes of all chunks are compared for duplicates. Duplicate hashes mean either the data chunks are identical or there has been a hash collision. A hash collision occurs when different chunks produce the same hash. To prevent hash collisions, other techniques such as bit-by-bit comparison may be performed. After the comparison of hashes and proof of their uniqueness, unique chunks are stored. Chunks that are duplicates of already stored chunks are not stored; rather, such chunks are referenced by pointers to the already stored chunks.
Data deduplication can yield storage space reductions of 20:1 or more. However, the deduplication ratio is highly dependent upon the method used to chunks the data. Several chunking techniques have been developed. Each chunking method is thought to be optimum for a set of file types. However, a particular chunking method may not in fact be optimum for a particular file type.

Method of and system for adaptive selection of a deduplication chunking technique


A silver halide photographic emulsion comprising a substantially water-insoluble, spectral sensitizing dye and a styryl compound represented by the following formula, wherein the sensitizing dye is dispersed in an aqueous solution substantially free from an organic solvent and the thus-dispersed dye is introduced into the silver halide emulsion. ##STR1##

Light-sensitive silver halide photographic materials (hereinafter "light-sensitive material(s)") must have stability with time as one of important properties. In particular, the stability required after they has been exposed and until they are photographically processed, i.e., latent image stability, is an important factor.
Latent images formed as a result of exposure of silver halides are unstable, and may fade or intensify with time because of heat or the like, resulting in a decrease or increase in sensitivity in regard to photographic performance.
This latent image stability is greatly affected by the manner by which silver halides are produced, structured, surface-treated, chemically sensitized or spectrally sensitized, the properties of binders such as gelatin, the types of hardening agents, the pH of coating solutions, the concentration of silver ions and so forth.
In order to improve latent image stability, various methods have been proposed. For example, Japanese Patent Publication Open to Public Inspection (hereinafter referred to as Japanese Patent O.P.I. Publication) No. 291250/1989 discloses use of benzothiazolium; Japanese Patent O.P.I. Publication No. 17431/1983, use of pyrogallol derivatives; and Japanese Patent O.P.I. Publication No. 152235/1983, use of tetrazaindenes. Japanese Patent O.P.I. Publication No. 257947 also discloses controlling tabular grains and their surface pH.
Employment of these techniques, however, can not achieve a satisfactory improvement in latent image stability or may be accompanied by a lowering of sensitivity or an increase in fog, and hence it has been sought to make an advance of more improved techniques.


A composite video input signal is delayed by a delay element and the delayed composite signal is applied to luminance and chrominance inputs of a picture processor for received signals of an NTSC format. For received signals of a PAL format, the delayed composite signal is applied only to the luminance input of the picture processor and the chrominance component of the received signal is transcoded to the NTSC format and applied, without passing through the composite signal delay element, to the chrominance input of the picture processor. The delay of the delay element for the composite video signal is selected to be equal to the transcoding delay whereby luminance and chrominance components of received signals of either NTSC or PAL format are delay compensated. Advantageously, the delay applied to the luminance component is constant and of the same value for signals of either format and so there is no need for switching of delay elements in the luminance path when changing from one format to the other and so undesirable switching artifacts (e.g., DC offset or transient effects) are avoided.

Multi-mode television receivers capable of reception and display of television signals of different transmission standards are known. Hinn, for example, describes a two-mode receiver for signals of PAL or SECAM format in U.S. Pat. No. 4,309,719. An example of three mode receiver processing for NTSC, PAL-M and PAL-N is described by Lim in U.S. Pat. No. 5,119,177.
It is conventional practice in multi-standard receivers to alter the display scan rate to match that of the received signal and to transcode the received chrominance signal to a common color standard. Advantageously, this simplifies later color processing steps such as hue and saturation control, flesh-tone correction and the like.
The use of a chrominance signal transcoder for converting received color signals to a common standard may present a problem with regard to providing proper registration between the received luminance and chrominance components for different transmission standards. Specifically, transcoding of the chrominance signal introduces a processing delay. To maintain proper registration of the luminance and chrominance signals in different operating modes, it is desirable that additional delay be inserted in the luminance signal path when the received signal requires transcoding to compensate for the transcoding delay imparted to the chrominance signal by the transcoder. If some form of delay compensation is not provided, visual artifacts (e.g., color errors) may be produced when switching between video signals of different transmission standards.
The problem of delay compensation in multi-mode receivers is recognized in the above-mentioned Hinn patent where it is noted that one possible solution to the problem would be to provide a compensating delay of a fixed "compromise" value (e.g., lying midway between the delays required in each video transmission standard). Hinn points out, however, that in cases where the delay difference is relatively large (e.g., 500 nano-seconds) that reliance on a compensating delay of a fixed "compromise" value may provide unsatisfactory results.
A solution to the problem of color registration in multistandard receivers, proposed by Hinn, is to provide a switchable delay in the luminance signal channel. Advantageously, this completely avoids any potential errors due to the use of fixed "compromise" delay compensation values and provides exact delay compensation for any transmission format of the video signal. More specifically, in the Hinn system, a switch adds extra delay to the luminance signal path when receiving signals that require chrominance transcoding from one standard to another (e.g., SECAM to PAL in the Hinn system). For signals of a format that does not require transcoding (e.g.,
in the Hinn system), the delay is switched out of the luminance path. Advantageously, this method of delay compensation avoids the inaccuracies of "compromise" delays and ensures that the luminance and chrominance signals receive equal delays regardless of the format (PAL or SECAM) of the received signal.

Multi-standard TV receiver with luma/chroma delay compensation


A D/A converter with reduced power consumption is offered by reducing an amount of electric charges that is charged and discharged as D/A conversion is performed. A terminal of each of four capacitors C1, C2, C3 and C4 is connected to a common node. The capacitors C1, C2, C3 and C4 have capacitances C, C, 2C and 4C, respectively. A selection circuit SEL is provided with selection transistors ST1, ST2, ST3, ST4, ST5 and ST6, and selects and outputs either a first reference electric potential V1 or a second electric potential V2 according to a value of each bit of the digital signals D0, D1 and D2. Each of transfer transistors TT1, TT2 and TT3 transfers each of outputs of the selection circuit SEL to another terminal of corresponding each of the capacitors C2, C3 and C4, respectively, in response to a start pulse STP. Each of reset transistors RT1, RT2, RT3 and RT4 connects the terminal with the other terminal of corresponding each of the capacitors C1, C2, C3 and C4, and applies the first reference electric potential V1 to both the terminal and the other terminal in response to a reset pulse RST.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a D/A converter that converts a digital signal to an analog signal and a liquid crystal display device provided with the D/A converter.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an active matrix type liquid crystal display device, when a video signal from a video source is a digital signal, the video signal has been converted from digital to analog with a D/A converter and applied to pixels to perform multi-gray scale display that corresponds to the number of bits of the digital signal.
FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram showing a conventional D/A converter. The D/A converter converts three bits of digital signals D0, D1 and D2 into an analog signal. A terminal of each of four capacitors C1, C2, C3 and C4 is grounded. The capacitors C1, C2, C3 and C4 have capacitances C, C, 2C and 4C, respectively. That is, each of the three capacitors C2, C3 and C4 is weighted according to a weight of each bit of the digital signals D0, D1 and D2, respectively. A selection circuit SEL selects and outputs either a first reference electric potential V1 or a second electric potential V2, according to a value of each bit of the digital signals D0, D1 and D2.
In response to a transfer pulse TP, a transfer transistor TT1 transfers the first reference electric potential V1 to an other terminal of the capacitor C1, while each of three transfer transistors TT2, TT3 and TT4 transfers corresponding output of the selection circuit SEL to an other terminal of corresponding each of the capacitors C2, C3 and C4, respectively. In response to a charge pulse CP, charge transistors CT2, CT3 and CT4 connect the other terminals of the four capacitors C1, C2, C3 and C4 with each other, and an output transistor CT1 outputs an analog signal determined by electric charges shared among the other terminals of the four capacitors C1, C2, C3 and C4 that are connected together in response to the charge pulse CP.
FIG. 5 is an operational timing chart of the D/A converter. When the digital signals D0, D1 and D2 are established, either the first reference electric potential V1 or the second reference electric potential V2 (V2>V1) is selected for each bit by the selection circuit SEL. After that, when the transfer pulse TP turns to an H level, the four transfer transistors TT1, TT2, TT3 and TT4 are turned on to charge the capacitors C1, C2, C3 and C4. After that, when the transfer pulse TP falls to an L level and the charge pulse CP rises to the H level, the other terminals of the capacitors C1, C2, C3 and C4 are connected together by the charge transistors CT2, CT3 and CT4 and the electric charges stored in the capacitors C1, C2, C3 and C4 are equally shared by the capacitors C1, C2, C3 and C4 to thereby determine an electric potential of the analog signal Vout. The analog signal Vout is outputted through the output transistor CT1.
Here, the analog signal Vout can be expressed by the following equation 1, according to the law of conservation of electric charge.
                    Vout        =                                                                                4                                                                                C                                                                                (                                                                                V                                                                                1                                                                +                                                                                D                                    2                                                                                (                                                                                V                                                                                2                                                                            -                                                                              V                                                                                1                                                                                )                                                                                )                                                                                +                                                                                2                                                    C                                                                                (                                                                                V                                                                                1                                                            +                                                                                D                                  1                                                                                (                                                                                V                                                                                2                                                                        -                                                                          V                                                                                1                                                                                )                                                                                )                                                                          +                                                                                C                                                              (                                                                        V                                                                                1                                                +                                                                              D                            0                                                                                (                                                                                V                                                                                2                                                                                -                                                              V                                                                                1                                                                                )                                                                                )                                                        +                                      CV                                                                                1                                                                                8                        C                                              [                  Equation                                                              1                ]
A display device using this kind of D/A converter is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-122326.
With the D/A converter described above, however, there has been a problem that the power consumption is large because the capacitors C2, C3 and C4 must be charged and discharged to the reference voltage corresponding to the values of the digital signals D0, D1 and D2 every time the digital signals D0, D1 and D2 change their values.

D/A converter and liquid crystal display device


A backlight module (20) includes a light guide plate (200) and a light source (10). The light guide plate includes a light incident surface (220) opposite to the light source. The light source includes a plurality of multicolor based LEDs (120) and the LEDs each includes a plurality of LED chips (120A/B/C). The light source can achieve colored light beams with fewer LEDs, and no color filter is needed in the backlight module or a liquid crystal display using the light source. Thus, the cost of the backlight module can be reduced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light source, and especially to a light source used in a backlight module for a device such as a liquid crystal display.
2. General Background
Liquid crystal displays are commonly used as the display device for compact electronic apparatuses, because they not only display good quality images with little power but also are very thin. However, the liquid crystals in a liquid crystal display do not emit any light themselves. The liquid crystals have to be lit up by a light source so as to clearly and sharply display text and images. Typically, light emitting diodes (LED) are used as light sources because of their high luminance and low loss.
A typical backlight module 40 as shown of FIG. 4 includes a light guide plate 400. The light guide plate 400 has a surface 420 functioning as a light incident surface, and a surface 440 opposite to the light incident surface 420 functioning as a light emitting surface. A plurality of cold cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFLs) 422 are arranged parallel to each other on a substrate 410 so that they are opposite to the light incident surface 420. Light beams from the light source 422 enter the light guide plate 400 through the light incident surface 420, and finally emit out from the light guide plate 400 through the light emitting surface 440.
However, the high voltage and high current intensity of the CCFLs 422 lead to heavy power consumption, especially in notebook computer applications. In contrast, an LED light source has the advantage of low voltage and low current intensity, which provide low power consumption. Thus, replacing a CCFL light source with an LED light source can save a lot of power.
FIG. 5 is a schematic, side cross-sectional view of a conventional light source 50. The light source 50 includes a plurality of LED groups 520 arranged on a substrate 500.
FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the light source 50. Each LED group 520 includes three LEDs: a red LED 520A, a green LED 520B, and a blue LED 520C, which are arranged in a particular configuration relative to each other. Since all colors can originate from the three primary colors red, green and blue, each primary color LED 520A/B/C can emit from 32 to 256 gray levels. Thus, the combination of three primary color LEDs 520A/B/C can achieve from 32,768 to 16×106 gray levels. The light source 50 has the advantage of low power consumption, and different colors can be achieved by controlling respective outputs of the primary color LEDs 520A/B/C.
However, the LED light source 50 generally requires a large number of the primary color LEDs 520A/B/C. In addition, and the arrangement of the primary color LEDs 520A/B/C is fixed, and manufacturing of the fixed arrangement of the primary color LEDs 520A/B/C can be problematic.
What is needed, therefore, is a backlight module and a light source used therein which are relatively inexpensive.

Multicolor light source and backlight module using the same


A plug locking assembly for installation in an aircraft panel or the like. The plug assembly is coupled to a receptacle mounted in a recess in the panel. A spring biased detent locking mechanism is reciprocally mounted in the plug assembly movable from a first position wherein the detents of the detent locking mechanism are trapped in the plug assembly to a second position wherein the detents lock the plug assembly within a chamber in the receptacle. The upper surface of the plug assembly is flush with the upper surface of the panel and can be unlocked automatically therefrom.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to locking mechanisms; and, more particularly, to a plug locking mechanism for closing off an opening in an aircraft panel or the like.
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Various types of locking mechanisms for use on aircraft panels or the like are well known in the art. Prior locking mechanisms are described and illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,917,331 and 3,948,549. In these patents, detent locking means are used to lock an aircraft structural member into an opening in an aircraft panel or the like.
On aircraft panels in use today, it is quite often necessary to eliminate metal components from the panel surface. However, since mechanical fasteners are still required to ensure strength integrity, the manufacturers of such aircraft are designing special non-metallic panels where the metal fasteners are buried into a cavity formed in the panel. The cavity is then closed off or covered up with suitable material or assembly.
There is a need for a non-metallic plug for filling up or closing off such non-metallic cavities. Such a plug should remain trapped to the cavity and contamination should be eliminated between the exterior of the cavity and plug. The plug should also be perfectly flush with the area of the panel surrounding the cavity and should be able to be unlocked automatically by use of an installation tool.


Solid rocket motor propellant formulations are provided which are capable of burning at at least two selected burn rates. The burn rate is controlled by controlling the pressure at which the propellant burns. For example, it is possible to mechanically modify the container, such as a rocket motor casing, in which the propellant is held in order to modify the pressure under which the propellant burns. Alternatively, the propellant may be configured or molded such that the pressure changes at a chosen time due to the process of burning the propellant. The propellant is capable of burning at a relatively constant burn rate at a chosen pressure. Once the pressure changes within chosen limits, the burn rate of the propellant is rapidly modified to another relatively constant burn rate. The solid rocket motor propellant is formulated with the addition of from about 0.5% to about 4.0% TiO.sub.2. The specific operating pressures and burn rates can be selected by modifying the amount of TiO.sub.2 added, the modifying particle size of the various ingredients, and modifying the specific ingredients used.

1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to solid propellant compositions which are capable of burning at selected, and relatively constant, burn rates, including multiple burn rates. More particularly, the present invention is related to propellants which are formulated using one or more refractory oxides, such as TiO.sub.2, ZrO.sub.2, Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, and SiO.sub.2.
2. Technical Background
Solid propellants are used extensively in the aerospace industry. Solid propellants have developed as the preferred method of powering most missiles and rockets for military, commercial, and space applications. Solid rocket motor propellants have become widely accepted because of the fact that they are relatively simple to formulate and use, and they have excellent performance characteristics. Furthermore, solid propellant rocket motors are generally very simple when compared to liquid fuel rocket motors. For all of these reasons, it is found that solid rocket propellants are often preferred over other alternatives, such as liquid propellant rocket motors.
Typical solid rocket motor propellants are generally formulated having an oxidizing agent, a fuel, and a binder. At times, the binder and the fuel may be the same. In addition to the basic components set forth above, it is conventional to add various plasticizers, curing agents, cure catalysts, and other similar materials which aid in the processing and curing of the propellant. A significant body of technology has developed related solely to the processing and curing of solid propellants, and this technology is well known to those skilled in the art.
One type of propellant that is widely used incorporates ammonium perchlorate (AP) as the oxidizer. The AP oxidizer may then, for example, be incorporated into a propellant which is bound together by a hydroxy-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) binder. Such binders are widely used and commercially available. It has been found that such propellant compositions provide ease of manufacture, relative ease of handling, good performance characteristics; and are at the same time economical and reliable. In essence it can be said that AP composite propellants have been the backbone of the solid propulsion industry for approximately the past 40 years.
One of the problems encountered in the design of rocket motors is the control of the thrust output of the rocket motor. This is particularly true when it is desired to operate the motor in two or more different operational modes. For example, it is often necessary to provide a high level of thrust in order to "boost" the motor and its attached payload from a starting position, such as during launch of a rocket or missile. Once the launch phase has been completed, it may be desirable to provide a constant output from the rocket motor over an extended "sustain" operation. This may occur, for example, after the rocket has been placed in flight and while it is traveling to its intended destination.
In certain applications, it may be desired to provide more than one boost phase or more than one sustain phase. For example, it may be desired to boost the rocket motor into flight, then sustain flight at a particular speed and altitude, and then once again boost the rocket motor to a higher altitude or faster speed. Such operation will at times be referred to herein as "biplateau" operation, referring to providing two or more substantially level burn rates during operation of the motor.
Until now, the performance of such multi-phased or biplateau operations has been extremely difficult. It has been necessary to resort to complex mechanical arrangements in the rocket motors. Alternatively, less efficient and less desirable liquid rocket motors have been used to obtain multi-phase operation.
In some cases, multiple-phase or biplateau operation has been attempted by constructing very complex propellant grains, such as grains having multiple propellants. In any case, achievement of multiple-phase operation has been complex, time consuming, and costly.
Accordingly, it would be an advancement in the art to provide propellant formulations which overcame the limitations of the art as set forth above, and were capable of managed energy output. More particularly, it would be an advancement in the art to provide propellant formulations which were capable of operating at multiple stable outputs. Specifically, it would be an advancement in the art to provide propellant formulations which were "biplateau" in nature. Alternatively, it would be an advancement in the art to provide propellants which were capable of operating at a more precise and predictably controlled single plateau.
It would be a further advancement in the art to provide such propellant formulations in which the burn rate could be selected or changed during operation. Specifically, it would be a significant advancement in the art to provide such propellants which were capable of operating at more than one burn rate, depending on the pressure under which the propellant is burning. It would also be an advancement in the art to provide methods for using such propellants in the operation of a solid propellant rocket motor.
Such methods and compositions are disclosed and claimed herein.

Controlled burn rate, reduced smoke, solid propellant formulations


A power semiconductor device includes a power semiconductor element, a controlling element, a first lead frame and a second lead frame, respectively, a first metal wire electrically connecting the power semiconductor element and the first lead frame, and a sealing body covering these components. The first lead frame includes a first inner lead having a connecting surface to which one end of the first metal wire is connected. Among surfaces of the sealing body, in a side surface, a resin inlet mark is formed in a side surface portion from which the first lead frame and the second lead frame do not project, the resin inlet mark being greater in surface roughness than another area. The resin inlet mark is formed opposite to a side where the first metal wire is positioned on the connecting surface when seen in the direction along the mounting surface.

Among semiconductor devices, a power semiconductor device is used for controlling and rectifying relatively large electric power in a vehicle, such as a railroad vehicle, a hybrid car and an electric vehicle, a consumer electronic device, an industrial machine, and the like. High heat dissipation is required of a power semiconductor device since when in use a power semiconductor element generates heat. A high insulation property with respect to the outside is also required of a power semiconductor element since a high voltage more than several hundred volts is applied thereto.
Here, an IPM (Intelligent Power Module) is a module into which a power semiconductor element and a controlling semiconductor element (hereinafter briefly referred to as a controlling element) are integrated. When a lead frame is used as a wiring material in an IPM, the power semiconductor element and the controlling element are mounted on physically-separated two lead frames, respectively. Specifically, the power semiconductor element and the controlling element are mounted on die pads provided on the lead frames, respectively. The power semiconductor element is electrically connected to the lead frame via a power metal thin wire, and the controlling element is electrically connected to the lead frame via a metal wire. Such an IPM is in general resin-sealed by transfer molding to be formed into a sealing body.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2004-172239 describes a resin-sealed semiconductor device in which a controlling support plate is supported at a position higher than a heat sink, and a compressive force by ultrasonic thermocompression bonding is strongly applied to a connecting lead thin wire to firmly bond this connecting lead thin wire to each of a controlling element and a controlling lead terminal.

Power semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same