The communication apparatus includes a capacitive coupling electrode which is capacitively coupled with an adjacent conductor or an adjacent dielectric and which operates the conductor or the dielectric as an antenna element for electromagnetic waves of a predetermined frequency, and a matching circuit which is connected to the capacitive coupling electrode and which matches impedance of the conductor or the dielectric to be operated as the antenna element for the electromagnetic waves of the predetermined frequency when the conductor or the dielectric is adjacent and capacitively coupled therewith.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communication apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
An antenna which is used for radio communication radiates electromagnetic waves (radio waves) for radio communication after receiving input of a transmission signal (electric voltage or electric current) of a predetermined frequency. Conversely, the antenna also receives electromagnetic waves and converts into a reception signal (electric voltage or electric current). Here, when the antenna has a length corresponding to a wavelength which is used for the radio communication, receiving sensitivity and transmitting efficiency of electromagnetic waves can be improved.
Thus, the length of an antenna element (an antenna line) normally tends to be set at an approximate integral multiple of a quarter wavelength of the electromagnetic waves. In particular, the length of such an antenna element is an important factor for designing an antenna which is used for middle-range communication or long-range communication. It is similar to short-range communication as well. On the other hand, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-36439, a technology of human body communication which utilizes a human body as a transmission path has been recently developed as for short-range communication. However, since a human body is utilized as the transmission path, the communication distance is limited. Therefore, it is difficult to apply the human body communication technology to middle-range communication or long-range communication.


A container for the bulk packing and display of artificial firelogs comprising a generally rectangular base panel having a front side rear side and opposed ends, a generally rectangular rear panel extending generally perpendicularly upwardly from the rear side of said base panel to a rear top edge, opposed generally rectangular end panels extending generally perpendicularly upwardly from the opposed ends of base panel to a pair of generally parallel top edges, and a front panel extending generally perpendicularly from the front side of the rectangular base panel to a top front edge, wherein said front panel has at least one cut away section.

1. Technical Field
As an application generally relates to composite synthetic fuels, and more particularly to firelogs. Still more particularly, this application relates to containers for and methods of packaging, displaying and dispensing firelogs for retail sale.
2. Background Information
Various types of fuel bodies have been developed, most of which are formed of particulate flammable materials which are compressed into a predetermined shape. The particulate materials are combined with various wax binders and other binders to form maintain the desired shape of the final fuel body. These bodies also may contain various types of additives therein to enhance burning or to produce a colored flame.
Certain of these fuel bodies are of an elongated shape and are formed of compressed sawdust, coal particles, or other inflammable materials. These fuel bodies are typically referred to as firelogs and may be formed by a continuous extrusion process wherein the particulate inflammable materials and the appropriate binders and other materials are compressed within an extrusion bore, are cut to predetermined lengths, and are subsequently placed into a protective outer wrapper. The artificial firelog is then used by the consumer by placing it onto a fireplace grate and igniting the protective outer wrapper with a match or other flame source. The combustion of the protective outer wrapper burns in close proximity with the artificial firelog and ignites the firelog.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a means for packaging, displaying and dispensing firelogs which enables the retail buyer to buy one or a small number of firelogs.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a means for packaging, displaying and dispensing firelogs which presents economies in terms of both retail store space and store employee time which would be required for its use.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a means of packaging, displaying and dispensing firelogs which securely holds a relatively large number of firelogs as compared with the cost of the structure.
These and other objects and advantages will be apparent from the present invention which is a container for the bulk packing and display of artificial firelogs comprising a generally rectangular base panel having a front side rear side and opposed ends, a generally rectangular rear panel extending generally perpendicularly upwardly from the rear side of said base panel to a rear top edge, opposed generally rectangular end panels extending generally perpendicularly upwardly from the opposed ends of base panel to a pair of generally parallel top edges, and a front panel extending generally perpendicularly from the front side of the rectangular base panel to a top front edge, wherein the front panel has at least one cut away section.


A hub module includes an axle member, a hub shell mounted on the axle member, at least two sprocket carriers, and a pair of end caps respectively secured to opposite ends of the axle member. Each of the sprocket carriers includes a carrier body having an outer profile, and a bearing unit mounted in the carrier body. The outer profiles of the carrier bodies of the sprocket carriers are different from each other. The bearing units of the sprocket carriers are the same in total length and inner diameter. Any one of the sprocket carriers is able to be mounted on a carrier-mounting section of the axle member and cooperates with the axle member and the hub shell to serve as a hub assembly.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a hub assembly, more particularly to a hub module including a specific axle member and a plurality of sprocket carriers that have different outer profiles and that can be alternatively mounted on the specific axle member to serve as a hub assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
A hub assembly of a bicycle is mounted to a rear fork of the bicycle for being mounted with a rear wheel, and includes an axle, a hub shell, a sprocket carrier, a sprocket assembly, a ratchet mechanism, and a pair of end caps. The hub shell is mounted rotatably on the axle for being mounted with the rear wheel. The sprocket carrier is mounted rotatably on the axle. The sprocket assembly is mounted co-rotatably on the sprocket carrier. The ratchet mechanism is provided between the hub shell and the sprocket carrier. The end caps are secured on opposite ends of the axle, respectively.
There are three types of conventional hub assemblies, namely SHIMANO type, CAMPAGNOLO type and SRAM type. The sprocket assembly, the sprocket carrier and the axle of each of these conventional hub assemblies have particular specifications, and the components of these conventional hub assemblies lack universality.
Taiwanese Utility Model Patent No. M399087 discloses another conventional sprocket carrier that is engageable with both of the SHIMANO and CAMPAGNOLO sprocket assemblies. However, this conventional sprocket carrier has an inferior mechanical strength since it has more hollow portions compared with other conventional sprocket carriers, and is not designed to be engageable with the SRAM sprocket assembly.


A device and method for preventing and correcting abnormal shaping of an infant's cranium by applying external forces over time with the growth of an infant to achieve normal shaping of the infant's head. The device is a cranial orthosis having a depression with a contact surface in the shape of at least a portion of a normal infantile cranium. The orthosis further provides lateral support surfaces creating points of contact to restrict rotation of the infant's cranium and provide additional external forces for normal shaping of the infant's cranium. Because the present invention is non-conforming to the shape of an abnormal skull, the exerted forces cause accelerated expansion of the skull in less prominent areas coincident with brain and skull growth.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a craniocervical orthosis in which an infant's cranium is positioned while the infant is sleeping to prevent and correct cranial deformities. More specifically, the invention relates to a craniocervical orthosis and method for preventing and correcting any non-synostotic deformity of the side and posterior aspects of an infant's head.
2. Background of the Invention
At birth, the six cranial bones comprising an infant's skull are spaced far enough apart to allow the skull to rapidly grow during the first months of the infant's life. This spacing also allows the bones to overlap so the infant's head can pass through the birth canal without compressing, and thereby damaging, the infant's brain. Eventually—some time between three and six years of age—the cranial bones will fuse and remain fused for the rest of the child's life.
During an infant's normal growth, forces within the infant's skull are directed outward and are constant and equally distributed on the inner surface of the growing skull causing the skull to expand. Accordingly, a decrease of the intracranial pressure will cause a reduced head size. Similarly, an increase in intracranial pressure will cause an increased head size.
Fibrous bands of tissue, called cranial sutures, fill the space between the bones and connect the bones of the skull to each other. These cranial sutures are strong and elastic, providing a flexibility to the skull to allow rapid brain growth during the first months of life. Without the sutures, a child would suffer brain damage due to constriction of the brain during the period of normal growth.
During the first few months of an infants' life, however, the infant is most susceptible to the formation of synostotic or non-synostotic deformities in the cranium. Synostotic deformities are a result of craniosynostosis, which is a birth defect of the skull characterized by premature closure of one or more of the cranial sutures. Craniosynostosis can be hereditary or the result of a metabolic disease, and is characterized by an abnormally-shaped skull and potential for abnormal intracranial pressure, mental retardation, seizures, and blindness.
On the other hand, non-synostotic deformities, in which the cranial sutures remain open, are caused by environmental conditions, including premature birth, torticollis (twisting of the neck muscles beyond their normal position), or the preferred sleeping position of the child. In addition, neurological abnormalities, such as paralysis, cerebral palsy, or some sort of developmental delay, may predispose a child to cranial positioning problems. Non-synostotic deformities are also called positional deformities.
Synostotic and non-synostotic deformities manifest themselves in a variety of ways. Plagiocephaly, for example, is a cranial deformity resulting in an asymmetric head shape. Plagiocephaly consists of a focal area of flattening in the anterior or posterior aspect of one side of the head, which also commonly produces additional compensatory deformities in adjacent areas of the skull, skull base, and face, including the orbital (eye) and mandibular (jaw) structures. This deformity most commonly occurs in the posterior aspect of the head (posterior plagiocephaly), resulting in a focal area of flattening on that side and a compensatory prominence, or bulge, on the other side. In addition, the deformity produces anterior displacement of the ear, ear canal, temporomandibular (jaw) joint, forehead and orbital structures on the same side. Cranial deformities may also be classified, inter alia, as brachycephaly (a short, wide head shape), scaphocephaly (a long, narrow head shape), and turricephaly (a pointed head shape).
Non-synostotic posterior plagiocephaly is a very common problem for which parents seek evaluation and recommendations from their family physician or pediatrician. The incidence of this abnormality has increased significantly since publication of recommendations by the American Academy of Pediatrics that neonates (infants) should be put to sleep on their back rather than face down. These recommendations were made to reduce the incidence of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) by eliminating airway and respiratory compromise in the prone (face-down) position, which the Academy considered a possible contributor to the SIDS problem.
Brain growth is responsible for the growth and shaping of the skull, which results from slow, gradual separation of the bones at the cranial sutures. This separation allows for the addition of new bone onto the peripheral edges of the existing bone, producing gradual bone enlargement and reshaping of each bone. As the head enlarges, new bone is added to each bone in an inwardly directed fashion producing an inner surface concave shape to the overall bone. Any force or pressure applied to the exterior surface of the bone will re-direct the growth of bone added to the edges. New bone will be added in a more linear direction, thus reducing the inner surface concavity or producing "flattening" of the bone. Growth of bone does not stop; rather, it is redirected. Therefore, externally applied pressure (e.g., contact with an orthosis) reduces or stops outward growth or migration in that area, and redirects the growth to occur in a direction that is perpendicular to the applied force, which is tangential to the bone surface in that location. Uniform expansion of the remaining bones and sutures, which comprise the cranial vault, is rare. Instead, relative increased growth and expansion of the areas most adjacent to the "flattened" area tends to occur.
Treatment may come in the form of prevention or correction. Regarding prevention, the focus should be to reduce the duration that external pressure is applied to a localized area of the skull. This can be accomplished by moving the same external force to different areas of the skull. This is only achievable by re-positioning the patient's head, which is not possible in a large number of infants (e.g., those having immobility from torticollis). An alternative way to accomplish this is to enlarge the surface area of contact, which reduces the amount of pressure on the specific area, although it still typically results in at least some contact at the area of desired growth. It is also important to restrict the compensatory overgrowth that forms abnormal prominent areas in locations that are perpendicular and adjacent to the area of applied force. This allows for re-direction of growth and expansion in an appropriate normal direction. Devices used for prevention must maintain these properties, but still allow for expected progressive growth.
Prolonged immobility of the head will eventually lead to the development of a positional deformity. The etiology of the immobility may be neurologic/developmental, muscular, skeletal (vertebral) or simply from resting/sleeping preference in the absence of any known cause. Persistent immobility will allow for lateral and posterior deformities to develop.
Despite public knowledge and education regarding the development of these deformities and preventative measures, because infants are usually born with normal head shapes, it appears economically irrational to go through the expense and trouble of obtaining a preventative device if no deformity appears to be present. Development of these deformities is insidious, slowly occurring over weeks and easily overlooked. Frequently, only when the condition is obvious is intervention considered.
Treatment by "repositioning," also called "mobilization"—that is, the act of another person moving the infant's head from side to side at regular intervals—is ineffective for treating or preventing these deformities due to the inherent problems associated with such a method of treatment. Simply put, it is very difficult to keep the child's head in the same position for extended periods of time, as the natural inclination of the child is to revert to his or her preferred sleeping position. Moreover, because "mobilization" is ideally performed every two to three hours, the infant requires constant attention throughout the night, and it is therefore not a practical treatment option. Similarly, children with torticollis cannot be effectively "mobilized" due to the tendency of the head to rotate as a result of involuntary contraction of the neck muscles. In both of these cases, the resulting position of the head—whether by preference or immobility—is most likely not the desired position for correction of deformities and is, as noted above, the cause of deformity in the first place.
To the extent treatment by repositioning might be effective when the above-referenced parameters are satisfied—i.e., a child who does not tend to revert to a preferred sleeping position and is not immobilized due to torticollis, and who can be mobilized regularly every two to three hours—children treated with prevention in this manner still do not obtain a perfectly normal head shape, because the supporting apparatus remains in contact with the skin and conforms the head to an abnormal shape. As a result, forces still act on already-flattened regions of the cranium and inhibit growth at precisely the area of the cranium where growth should be promoted. Due to this ineffectiveness, a large number of these children require additional treatment from five to ten months of age to correct persistent or progressive deformities.
The most common adjuncts available to assist with repositioning are flat- and wedge-shaped foam pads. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,473,923 (filed Nov. 22, 2000) (issued Nov. 5, 2002) discloses a body pillow and head positioner attached to a mat. The device is intended to maintain the infant's supine position—i.e., lying on the back, face upward—while reducing the risk of positional plagiocephaly by causing the head to rotate to the side while maintaining the infant's supine position.
One goal for correction of an existing deformity is to eliminate the external forces acting on the flattened area. As with prevention, improved correction can be achieved by providing external forces acting on the compensatory prominent areas of the skull, thereby reducing growth that occurs in these areas and redirecting growth towards a more normal direction and shape. Allowances for growth are also required for correction, but cannot compromise the mechanical ability of a device to correct the existing deformity.
Corrective treatment most often is by application of a custom-made external orthosis, or helmet. See, e.g., Corrective Infant Helmet, U.S. Pat. No. 6,592,536 (filed Jan. 7, 2000) (issued Jul. 15, 2003); Therapeutic and Protective Infant Helmets, U.S. Pat. No. 4,776,324 (filed Apr. 17, 1998) (issued Oct. 11, 1998). Such devices provide an expanded area over the site of the deformity, thereby allowing for correction of the deformity over a three to six month period of time related to brain and skull growth and subsequent reshaping. This prolonged time of use is necessary because of the reduced rate of brain and skull growth during the six- to twelve-month time frame. Due to a decrease in the rate of brain and skull growth to approximately fifty percent of the rate from birth to six months and increased stiffness of bones and cranial sutures, the recommendation is to wear the helmet continuously for twenty-three hours each day for up to twelve months. But despite extended use of these helmets, deformities rarely return to a normal shape. In addition, many health insurance companies and programs refuse to pay for these devices, leaving a large number of infants with no available treatment because of the relatively high cost of the helmets.
Similar to the preventative approaches discussed supra, another proposed approach to correct existing cranial deformities is to soften the material on which the infant's head rests by using a foam pad or memory foam pillow. This method allows the redistribution of inwardly directed forces, but fails to adequately correct cranial deformities because the softened material conforms to the already-abnormal head shape. Specifically, the material still contacts, and therefore applies forces to, the already flattened areas of the head and reduces forces that should be applied at the abnormal cranial bulges. Preventing cranial deformities with this approach is also ineffective because forces continue to act directly on a focused area of the head rather than the entire cranial vault. Because these pads and pillows are not shaped like a normal infant cranium, but are generally flat, forces acting on the cranium from these devices result in cranial flattening, and therefore an abnormal head shape, because the head conforms to the shape of the material (i.e., flat) at the point of contact.
Still another approach is to suspend the infant's head on a flexible material, which, for example, may be a net with an open weave that keeps the infant's head slightly elevated over the resting surface. See Method and Apparatus to Prevent Positional Plagiocephaly in Infants, U.S. Pat. No. 6,052,849 (filed Mar. 18, 1999) (issued Apr. 25, 2000). Although the use of an elastic stretchable material or netting may be slightly better than regular foam for preventing the development of flattened areas, these devices also do not effectively promote normal shaping due to the continuous application of external forces directed at the posterior aspect of the infant's head. In the case of correction, the flexible material will still conform to the already-abnormal head shape and exert forces on the flattened areas. In the case of prevention, the weight of the cranium on the flexible material will tend to immobilize the cranium, which results in prolonged contact of non-uniform forces around the cranium and, again, is precisely the wrong methodology for maintaining an already normal cranial shape. As with the "softened material" approach previously described, forces acting on a smaller area of the head results in reduced cranial growth and expansion because the head conforms to the shape of the material, thus resulting in an abnormal head shape in which the frontal areas are wider than the posterior aspect of the head because the material is applied only to the posterior aspect of the cranium, with the application of constricting forces.
After ten to twelve months of age, little, if any, correction of a cranial deformity can be accomplished with non-operative treatment because of reduced velocity of brain and skull growth, increased thickness of bone, and reduced flexibility of the cranial sutures. Surgical intervention is typically the only effective treatment for moderate to severe deformities in children over twelve months of age.
Alternative methods for correcting this condition without the use of a helmet do not directly address the cause of the problem, and therefore do not effectively treat the condition. All other products and devices, including foam, elastic (and therefore flexible) material or netting, merely distribute or disperse forces over a focused area of the head Because these products and devices remain in continuous contact with the skin, they conform the cranium to the abnormal shape, including the abnormally flattened areas. Thus, the prior art does not remove or eliminate the external forces at flattened areas of the cranium, but rather maintains an abnormal cranial shape and promotes a static deformity.
Finally, attempts to prevent and correct such deformities with the use of headrests also exist. With the exception of the present invention and U.S. Pat. No. 4,825,487 (issued May 2, 1989) to Eberl (hereinafter "Eberl"), the existing headrests are "low profile" devices, which extend only a maximum of 35 mm anterior of the most posterior position of contact with the infant's skull (about 30% or less of the anterior-posterior distance) and only contact the very or most posterior area of the head. See, e.g., WO 2006/102407 (published Sep. 28, 2006); European Patent No. EP 1 665 958 (filed Aug. 25, 2004); New Zealand Patent No. 510,421 (filed Mar. 8, 2001). However, the low profile (i.e., posterior only) headrests are ineffective based on bio-mechanics of such devices, as lateral support is necessary in order to achieve effective prevention and treatment
These available and proposed low-profile devices provide insufficient support and positioning to overcome the problem of immobility leading to development and progression of positional deformities. These deformities develop despite any differences or modifications in shape, size, or consistency—that is, prevention or any level of correction with low profile devices will require turning of the head, and any prevention or correction achieved would be due to "repositioning" treatment as described supra, thus making the device unnecessary. The treatment provided in this situation is repositioning, not the low profile device. And as noted above, the ability to reposition or turn the head is a luxury and is not possible in a large number of instances. Lateral support, however, allows one to overcome the problem of immobility, which is not achievable with a low-profile device.
While Eberl would not be considered a "low profile device" as discussed supra, it also provides insufficient lateral support. As shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 of Eberl, the sidewalls are outwardly angled from the longitudinal axis of the device, which inherently means Eberl provides no immediately adjacent lateral support when the infant's cranium is rotated in either direction. In this manner, Eberl is effectively the same as the low-profile devices, but with an added disadvantage that the Eberl sidewalls are excessively high such that a very young infant placed on the Eberl invention is susceptible to the development of obstructive amblyopia due to the obstruction of the visual field/pathway. In addition, Eberl is made from soft, conforming material, which, as noted with respect to foam mattresses and pads, conforms to an abnormal head shape.
Currently there is no specific apparatus available to provide effective corrective and preventative treatment for non-synostotic cranial deformities in the age range of birth to five months. To avoid the difficulties and pitfalls associated with currently available devices aimed at treating non-synostotic cranial deformities, the present invention discloses a corrective headrest for use at the very first recognition of development of a deformity. The headrest and method allow effective treatment during the rapid period of brain and skull growth (birth to six months), thereby providing rapid correction of the deformity. Children with predisposing conditions may require prolonged treatment. Early effective treatment is the key to providing complete correction of these deformities.

Lateral support craniocervical orthosis and method


A device-implemented software system operates a detection window and adjusts PAV as needed after confirming the presence or detection of evidence of an arrhythmia. The detection window is monitored based on a preferred length. If the detection window is shorter than required, intervals are adjusted for a specific pacing rate. Further, the software system provides means for selecting detection over pacing based on an analysis of a preferred length in the presence of evidence of an arrhythmia.

The present invention relates generally to cardiac pacemakers. More particularly, the present invention relates to cardiac pacemakers having improved methods for detecting arrhythmias.
An arrhythmia is a heart rhythm disorder which interferes with the life sustaining blood pumping action of the heart. Examples of arrhythmias include ventricular tachycardia and atrial tachycardia. Ventricular tachycardia effects the lower chambers of the heart, the ventricles, and atrial tachycardia effects the upper chambers of the heart, the atria. Ventricular tachycardia is a rapid heart beat initiated within the ventricles, characterized by three or more consecutive premature ventricular beats. Ventricular tachycardia is a potentially lethal arrhythmia, as it may cause the heart to become unable to pump adequate blood through the body. Companies such as Medtronic, Inc., have developed implantable pacemakers which may be used to successfully treat ventricular tachycardia by delivering ventricular pacing pulses to the heart when ventricular tachycardia is detected.
Dual chamber pacing modes have been widely adopted for pacing therapy. Among the dual chamber operating modes is the xe2x80x9cDDDxe2x80x9d mode, which can pace an atrium and a ventricle, senses both the atrium and the ventricle, and can either inhibit or trigger pacing stimuli for both chambers. This mode has a sensor augmented variant mode called xe2x80x9cDDDRxe2x80x9d, where the xe2x80x9cRxe2x80x9d stands for rate-adaptive or rate modulation.
A DDD pacemaker includes an atrial sense amplifier to detect atrial depolarizations of the heart, and a ventricular sense amplifier to detect ventricular depolarizations of the heart. If the atrium of the heart fails to beat within a predefined time interval (atrial escape interval), the pacemaker supplies an atrial stimulus to the atrium through an appropriate lead system. Following an atrial event (either sensed or paced) and an atrioventricular (A-V or A2V) interval, the pacemaker supplies a ventricular pacing stimulus to the ventricle through an appropriate lead system, if the ventricle fails to depolarize on its own. Pacemakers which perform this function have the capability of tracking the patient""s natural sinus rhythm and preserving the hemodynamic contribution of the atrial contraction over a wide range of heart rates.
Various types of pacemakers are disclosed in the prior art, and are presently in widespread use. The pacing literature has documented the different types of pacemakers and their characteristics extensively. A summary of the evolution and characteristics of pacemaker types, and specifically different types of dual chamber pacemakers, is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,667, which is incorporated herein by reference.
Another and more recent advance in the field of cardiac pacing systems is that of the rate responsive pacemaker which increases cardiac output in response to exercise or other body demands. Such pacemakers may control pacing rate based upon sensing any one or a combination of different body parameters such as body activity, blood pH, respiratory rate, QT interval or historical atrial activity. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,428,378, (Anderson et al.), disclosing a pacemaker which varies pacing rate in response to sensed patient activity; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,228,308, (Rickards), which discloses controlling pacing rate in response to Q-T interval. Additionally, rate responsive control has been integrated into dual chamber pacing systems, e.g., DDDR and DDIR systems. See xe2x80x9cRate Responsive Dual Chamber Pacingxe2x80x9d in PACE, vol. 9, pp. 987-991;U.S. Pat. No. 4,467,807, Bornzin; and the above-noted U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,667.
Background information directly related to the present invention may be discussed in greater detail. The atrium may be paced with an A-pace. The energy from the A-pace may be sensed by the ventricle amplifier as a V-sense event. This is referred to as an over-sense or cross-chamber sensing. It is not really a contraction of the ventricle, but is rather the electrical activity of the atrium being detected by the sensor in the ventricle. In this situation, the ventricle may not have actually contracted. If the V-sense event is too close to the A-pace event, a ventricular safety pace (VSP) stimulation pulse is given to the ventricle, in case the V-sense was actually an indication of a premature ventricular contraction, which might continue as ventricular tachycardia.
In many patients, it would be desirable to wait until closer in time to the expected time of a natural ventricular contraction. However, waiting too long would put the VSP pulse at about the same point in time as the T-wave, which would be undesirable, as pacing in the middle of the T-wave may cause an arrhythmia. The VSP pulse is given because of a premature V-sense, which is believed to not be an indication of an actual ventricular contraction. If the V-sense reflected a real ventricular contraction, there would be nothing seen from the ventricle until the next natural event. Therefore, waiting a long period would gain nothing. If the V-sense was an over-sense, then waiting for the V-sense reflecting an actual ventricular contraction would require waiting too long, putting any required V-pace too close to the T-wave. Thus, in this situation, while it is not known that the V-sense reflected an actual premature ventricular contraction, it is desirable that the ventricle contract. Therefore the VSP pulse will be generated to ensure that the ventricle contracts.
When a pacemaker is operated in DDD mode, the atrium is paced in the absence of a sensed natural event. After the A-pace, there is a time period, a trigger window, within which a V-sense may be detected. If a V-sense is detected during this window, then a VSP pulse will be scheduled, at the end of the VSP timing window or interval.
In one example, where a desired pacing rate of about 120 beats per minute is desired, the VSP, if it is to occur at all, will be scheduled at about 60 milliseconds after the A-pace. In the example where a slower desired pacing rate of about 60 beats per minute is desired, the VSP, if it is to occur at all, is scheduled at about 110 milliseconds after the A-pace. The VSP is normally scheduled no longer than about 80 milliseconds after the V-sense, to avoid being too close to the T-wave. In the absence of any V-sense event within the trigger window after the A-pace, the next scheduled V-pace would not normally occur for a longer period, for example, about 150 milliseconds. This interval from the A-pace to the V-pace can be based on the PAV interval.
In a paced, cardiac cycle, there may be three blanking periods where the pacemaker is unable to sense arrhythmias. The first blanking period follows the A-pace. The second blanking period follows a V-sense, as it is undesirable for the pacing device to double count the V-sense event. The third blanking period follows the V-pace. Thus,, if there is a ventricular arrhythmia occurring at a fast rate, the pacing device may see only every other beat, resembling a normal heart beat.
It would be desirable to provide an algorithm that favors detection over pacing in a stronger way than is proposed in the previous disclosure. It is further desirable to provide a system in which the detection window is long enough contemporaneous with evidence of an arrhythmia. It would also be desirable to provide a long interval between a ventricular event and the next scheduled atrial pace such that the atrial pace does not interfere, with detection.
The present invention provides improved methods for cardiac pacing that may find particular use in pacing situations having high pacing rates that would otherwise have substantially shortened windows for detecting arrhythmias and/or pacing situations forced to accept slow pacing rates to maintain long windows for detecting arrhythmias.
In accordance with the improved aspect of the invention, in the event there is detection or an evidence of an arrhythmia, a device-implemented software system opens a detection window. Subsequently, the software system checks to see if there is a need to adjust PAV. If the detection window is not long enough, the software sets PAV to a minimum. Thereafter, the detection window is checked to see if it is long enough. If the detection window is found to be shorter than required, the TLRI (temporary lower rate interval) is changed to the temporary lower rate interval for the pacing rate.
Yet another aspect of the invention provides a preferential selection of detection over pacing. Specifically, where there is evidence of an arrhythmia, the detection window is checked to see if it is long enough. This is to ensure that the time between a ventricular event and the next scheduled atrial pace is kept long enough so that the atrial pace does not interfere with detection.

Pacemaker having adaptive arrhythmia detection windows


Signal wavelengths λ1, λ2, λ3 of signal light components multiplexed at signal multiplexing sections 31, 41, 51 of multiplexing stations 3, 4, 5 installed on the input end side of an EDFA 2 on an optical transmission line 1 are set such that the wavelength-dependent noise figure of EDFA 2 successively decreases from the signal wavelength λ1 multiplexed at the signal multiplexing section 31 closest to the input end of EDFA 2 to λ2 and λ3. On the other hand, the transmission length of individual signal light component before being fed into the EDFA 2 is the shortest in the signal light component at λ1 and successively increases at λ2 and λ3. Thus, the order of magnitude of input signal light power is the same as the order of highness of noise figure in EDFA 2, whereby fluctuations in S/N ratio in the resulting amplified light are reduced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wavelength division multiplexing optical transmission system, having an optical amplifier, for transmitting multiple-wavelength signal light.
2. Related Background Art
From social needs at the advent of highly information-oriented society, research and development related to large-capacity, high-speed communications such as image communications, and long-distance communications such as international communications, using optical fiber transmission systems, are in vogue. Here, wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) transmission systems, which carry out high-speed, large-capacity optical communications by transmitting multiple-wavelength signal light (a plurality of signal light components having wavelengths different from each other) through optical fiber lines, have been under research and development as those responding to the rapid increase in demands for communications due to the Internet and the like in recent years.
Such a wavelength division multiplexing transmission system uses an optical amplifier such as an erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) in order to compensate for the transmission loss incurred upon transmitting multiple-wavelength signal light over a long distance. In the optical amplifier, pumping light having a predetermined wavelength is supplied to a silica type optical waveguide doped with a rare-earth element such as Er mentioned above, Pr, or Nd (e.g., erbium-doped fiber; EDF), the signal light fed into this optical waveguide is optically amplified, and thus amplified signal light is outputted. Semiconductor optical amplifiers and the like are also employed as the optical amplifier.

Channel allocation method for multi-channel optical transmission and optical transmission system utilizing the method


A system, method, and computer program product for testing a software component by simulating a computing component interface using captured network packet information. A method may include receiving a service request comprised of one or more network packets from a software component to be tested. Responsive to receiving the service request, the method may access a data store of captured network packet information and determine that a matching service request is stored in the accessed data store. The matching service request may be comprised of one or more network packets that match the service request. The method may identify an associated response that is stored in the accessed data store. The associated response may be one or more network packets that are stored in association with the matching service request. The method then sends the associated response to the first software component.

In the field of software development, newly developed software components need to be tested on various hardware configurations before becoming generally available. Given the expense associated with purchasing and maintaining hardware for purposes of testing software components, prior art systems and methods exist for simulating a computing component for purposes of testing a software component. Such simulators, however, require a software development team to re-implement the application programming interfaces (API's)s and/or protocols used by the computing component to be simulated, which is time consuming and expensive. These APIs and/or protocols are then built so that they can return a known set of data to a calling software component that is being tested.
Additionally, prior art systems and methods allow for the capture and replay of network packet information sent by a software component to a computing component and received by the software component from the computing component. Such known "capture and replay" systems and methods, however, allow for replaying only the exact network packet sequence that was captured and does not permit asynchronous API access based on the captured network packet information. What is needed, therefore, is a system and method for simulating a computing component, such as a computing component of a converged infrastructure, for purposes of testing a software component that overcomes one or more of the disadvantages associated with known systems and method for doing so.

Computer implemented system and method and computer program product for testing a software component by simulating a computing component using captured network packet information


Provided is a location measurement method of a mobile node using a predictive filter is provided for improving the location measurement accuracy of the mobile node. The location measurement method of a mobile node detects change of movement pattern of the mobile node, corrects weights of a location measurement period and a predictive filter depending on the change of movement pattern, and compensates a location of the mobile node using the corrected weights of the location measurement period and predictive filter.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a location measurement method and, in particular, to a location measurement method of a mobile node using a predictive filter that is capable of improving the location measurement accuracy of the mobile node.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a method for calculating location measurement error of a mobile node, a predictive filter is used to predict its location using the past measurement information and environmental information.
In order to compensate location measurement error of a mobile node, a predictive filter based compensation method using past measurements and environmental information, or a finger printing method using previously recorded site-specific signal patterns are used.
The predictive filter allows estimation of a current location of the mobile node using the past location and state information and compensates for the offset between the measured and predicted locations by adopting weights depending on the reliability of the information. A Kalman filter is one of the well known predictive filters. The Kalman filter adjusts a weight applied to a estimated value of a covariance matrix and an actually measured value.
The Kalman filter-based location prediction method is briefly explained as follows. First, a mobile node acquires coordinates of at least three anchor nodes and measures periodically the distances from the anchor nodes and then determines coordinates that have the smallest errors from each anchor node through a least square method as the location of the mobile node. The acquired coordinates are input to the Kalman filter so as to be output as a compensated coordinates. This method is described in more detail as follows, with reference to FIGS. 1, 2A, and 2B.
FIG. 1 is a graph illustrating a simulated result of measurement error compensation using a conventional least square method and Kalman filter, and FIGS. 2a and 2b are conceptual diagrams illustrating exemples of movements of a mobile node in indoor environments.
In FIG. 1, the axes x and y denote distances in units of meters (m). The measurement period (Δt) is set to 2 seconds, and the mobile node moves at a speed of 0.6 m/s.
The solid line 110 denotes the movement line of the mobile node, and mark x 130 denotes a location value estimated by using the least square method, the bold solid line 150 denotes a movement line of the mobile node compensated for the location measurement errors using the Kalman filter.
Here, it is assumed that the weight of the Kalman filter, i.e. process covariance matrix, and the measurement covariance matrix are constant.
RMSE (LeastSquare) is a Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) obtained by applying the least square method. That is, the RMSE indicates the amount of mean error between the coordinates calculated by the least square method and the measured coordinates. RMSE (KalmanFilter) is the RMSE obtained by applying the Kalman filter. That is, the RMSE (KalmanFilter) indicates the size of a mean error between the coordinates obtained by applying the least square method and then the Kalman filter and the measured coordinates.
As shown in FIG. 1, when a constant covariance is used and the movement direction of the mobile node changes abruptly, the route obtained by applying the Kalman filter deviates from the actual movement route. This effect can occur when a movement direction of a mobile node previously moving straight along a corridor changes its movement direction at a corner of the corridor (see FIG. 2a), or when the mobile node enters a room positioned at one side of the corridor (see FIG. 2b).
In order to solve this problem, research has been focused on searching for ways to determine the weight of the predictive filter, adaptive to the situation of the mobile node. As a result, the most of the conventional techniques have been developed with a supplementary device such as an acceleration sensor and/or an initia sensor for acquiring information required for adjusting the weight of the predictive filter.
However, the conventional techniques are disadvantageous since additional physical elements, such as the acceleration sensor and initia sensor, increase the manufacturing cost and size of the mobile node. Furthermore, processing the information acquired by the additional elements increases the system complexity.

Location measurement method based on predictive filter

Information and Communication University


The present invention relates to beta-peptoids with antimicrobial activity. The present invention also relates to methods of producing β-peptoids. The antimicrobial β-peptoids of the invention are useful in pharmaceutical, healthcare, medical device, industrial, food, agricultural, and personal care applications.

Antimicrobial peptides are ubiquitous in nature and play an important role in the innate immune system of many species. Many antimicrobial peptides are cationic, amphiphilic compounds that are believed to act by inducing pore formation in cell membranes. Antimicrobial peptides exhibit a broad spectrum of activity against microbes, and are believed to be immune to the development of resistance due to their non-specific mode of action. Peptides, however, are subject to proteolytic degradation and thus considerable effort has been devoted to synthesizing peptide mimetics, such as peptides comprised of D-isomers of amino acids, β-peptides and α-peptoids, which would be more stable to enzymatic hydrolysis.
β-Peptoids are N-substituted oligo-β-alanines (N-substituted β-aminopropionic acids) that were first described by Hamper, et al. (J. Org. Chem. (1998) 63:708-718). β-Peptoids are known to form random structures with high conformational freedom due to the absence of backbone hydrogen bonding. In addition, the tertiary amides of β-peptoids provide a backbone structure that is expected to be more stable to chemical or enzymatic hydrolysis than peptides.
Hamper, et al. (supra) described a method for the solid-phase synthesis of β-peptoids from a two-step, iterative reaction of resin-bound acrylate or acrylamides with primary amines followed by acryloylation of the resultant secondary amine with an acrylic acid derivative to regenerate the acrylamide. This method of synthesis was used to prepare β-peptoids comprising one to three N-substituted β-alanine residues. The antimicrobial activity of the β-peptoids synthesized by Hamper, et al., however, or of β-peptoids in general, is not known. The present invention provides novel β-peptoid polymers having antimicrobial activity.


The format of attribute information is determined based on header information included in print data (S1102 to S1106), and image processing in accordance with the attribute information based on the decided format is performed for the result of rendering performed in accordance with print data (S1111).

Recently, there have been used image forming apparatuses employing an electrophotographic method, such as a laser beam printer, as an output apparatus to be connected to a computer. Such image forming apparatuses have a function of receiving an instruction from a host computer as image-source data and outputting it on paper as an image, or receiving an image inputted from an image input apparatus such as a scanner as image-source data and outputting it on paper as an image.
FIG. 18 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of a common image forming apparatus. Description will be made below on a process to be performed in the case of receiving an instruction from a host computer as image-source data and outputting it on paper as an image, with the use of FIG. 18.
Reference numeral 2201 denotes a host computer. A user operates the host computer 2201 to execute a printer driver and thereby generates image-source data. The print-source data generated here is commonly written in a printer control language for creating a page image, which is called PDL (Page Description Language). PDL data includes data such as characters, graphics and images.
The generated image-source data is transmitted to a printer controller 2202 of a printer connected via a network or the like. The printer controller 2202 is configured by a host instruction interpretation section 2203, an image generation instruction generation section 2204, an image generation section 2205, an image processing section 2206, a first storage device 2207 and a second storage device 2208.
Reference numeral 2209 denotes a printer engine connected to the printer controller 2202. The printer engine 2209 receives an image generated in a predetermined image format from the printer controller 2202 and outputs the received image on paper. In general, the image format inputted into a printer engine is a frame sequential image format for one-tone, two-tone or four-tone C (cyan), M (magenta), Y (yellow) and K (black) color printing.
The image-source data sent from the host computer 2201 is interpreted by the host instruction interpretation section 2203, and an instruction which can be interpreted by the image generation section 2205 is generated by the image generation instruction generation section 2204. The instruction generated by the image generation instruction generation section 2204 is stored in the first storage device 2207. The image generation section 2205 reads the instruction stored in the storage device 2207 and generates a bitmap image in the first storage device 2207. The generated bitmap image may be stored in the second storage device 2208 which has a larger capacity in comparison with the first storage device 2207. This is performed in order to reutilize the generated image, and, in general, image compression processing such as JPEG is performed for the bitmap image before it is stored. Generally, a hard disk is used as the second storage device 2208. The bitmap image stored in the first storage device 2207 may be compressed, for example, with the use of the JPEG coding method and then stored in the first storage device 2207.
Image processings such as color conversion and dithering are performed for the bitmap image generated in the first storage device 2207 by the image processing section 2206. When compressed data is stored in the first storage device 2207, the compressed data is decoded at this point, and then the above image processings are performed. This is because, if the image generation section 2205 generates an RGB image, conversion into an image format which can be transferred to the printer engine 2209 is required before transferring the image to the printer engine 2209. In this case, the RGB image stored in the first storage device 2207 is converted to a CMYK image with the use of a lookup table method or the like, and then further converted to a low-tone image by dithering processing. Processing such as smoothing may be performed by the image processing section 2206 to obtain a more desirable image.
By transferring the generated image data to the printer engine 2209, an image is outputted on paper. Through the processings described above, the process of outputting an instruction from the host computer on paper as image-source data has been completed.
Now, description will be made on a process to be performed when an image inputted from an image input apparatus such as a scanner and a digital camera is outputted on paper as image-source data.
Reference numeral 2210 denotes a scanner, which optically scans an image printed on paper or film, measures the intensity of reflected light and transmitted light of the image, performs A/D conversion, and transmits obtained digital image data to the printer controller 2202. Reference numeral 2220 denotes a digital camera, which changes light intensity into an electrical signal with a CCD configured by arrayed photodiodes and thereby transmits digital image data to the printer controller 2202. In this case, the digital image data generally becomes an RGB bitmap image.
The image data transmitted from the scanner 2210 or the digital camera 2220 is stored in the first storage device 2207. The data stored here also may be compressed and stored in the second storage device 2208. The image data is then converted to a low-tone CMYK image with the use of the method described above and transferred to the printer engine 2209 to output an image on paper. The process of outputting an image inputted from an image input apparatus such as a scanner on paper as image-source data now ends.
There is known a method of adding attribute information to image-source data inputted into a printer controller to switch image processing on a particular processing basis (for example, for each pixel or each object) in the image data generation process described above in order to output a more desirable image on paper.
For example, dither matrices used for dithering may be switched according to types of data included in PDL data transmitted to the printer controller, or lookup tables used for conversion from RGB to CMYK may be switched. In this case, the image generation section 2205 generates an attribute signal indicating which data type pixel belongs to, in addition to a bitmap image. The attribute signal and the bitmap image are coded with an image signal encoding method such as the JPEG and JBIG methods, then stored in the first storage device 2207, and transferred to the image processing section 2206. The image processing section 2206 decodes the encoded bitmap image and attribute signal, and determine which type each pixel constituting the decoded bitmap image belongs to by checking the decoded attribute signal. The image processing section 2206 then switches color conversion or a dither matrix to perform processing.
As described above, an attribute signal is generated by the image generation section 2205, and thereby it is possible to switch image processing for each data included in input data.
With regard to an image read from a scanner, there also may be a case where switching of image processing for each area is desired. In this case, for example, pattern matching is performed for an inputted bitmap image to determine the image included in the bitmap image, and an attribute signal is generated based on the result of the determination. Such an attribute signal is stored in the first storage device 2207, same as the case of PDL described above.
By generating an attribute signal from an inputted bitmap image as described above, it is possible to switch processing for each area in the bitmap image.
Conventional attribute information is in a format that can be appropriate for all image input apparatuses and all output modes in order to cope with various situations about what type of apparatus image-source data has been sent from, which print mode the image-source data is to be printed in, and the like.
However, the size of attribute information in a format that can be appropriate for all the situations is larger as the number of situations increases. Therefore, when such large-sized attribute information is held in the printer controller 2202, a large amount of the RAM capacity in the printer controller 2202 is occupied by the attribute information. In order to solve this problem, the bitmap resolution is lowered, or a part of attribute signals of the attribute information are deleted. This causes a problem of increase in frequency of causing degradation of the bitmap image quality.

Printing apparatus and control method therefor


A modular power drive scooter, including as modular components a seat, a seat post, a mainframe, a trailer and at least one battery, is built in a manner allowing quick and easy disassembly of the scooter for compact storage. In assembled form, the seat post supports the seat and also serves as a lock pin which prevents separation of the mainframe from the trailer. The mainframe includes a front wheel, a tiller assembly for steering the scooter, and recesses for accommodating one or more batteries. The trailer includes a pair of rear wheels coupled to a differential which is driven by an electric motor, and a removable storage tray that provides access to the motor. A stem member extending from the trailer engages the mainframe in an overlapping relation whereby apertures in the stem member align with ports in the mainframe. The seat post is inserted into a selected port to determine the spacing of the seat from the tiller assembly. Removal of the seat post from an aligned aperture and port enables the mainframe and the trailer to be separated by pulling a first handle located on the stem member to pivot the trailer relative to the mainframe, and then by lifting the mainframe by a second handle to disengage coupling hooks on the mainframe from a coupling rod of the trailer.

This invention relates generally to power drive scooters of the type having an on-board battery powered motor for driving one or more wheels. More particularly, this invention relates to an improved power drive scooter which is constructed to permit quick disassembly of the scooter into a small number of compact modules.
Power drive scooters commonly comprise a frame supported on wheels that are driven by a battery powered motor. Typically, a seat is attached to the frame in close proximity to handlebars or the like, for steering the scooter. Electronic control circuitry is included to regulate operation of the motor. The control circuitry enables a rider to select the speed and drive direction of the scooter.
Although power drive scooters of the general type described above provide an excellent means of transportation, especially for some physically disabled people, prior scooters usually were not designed for disassembly into compact components for easy storage and transport. Prior scooters are often too heavy or too large to be loaded into standard passenger automobiles. As a result, vehicle transportation of many previous power drive scooters has been limited to the use of vans or trucks. Sometimes in order to transport prior scooters, the use of specialized vehicles having power lift mechanisms for loading and unloading the scooter from the vehicle, has been required.
Such transportation and storage problems have led to the development of power drive scooters which may be disassembled into component subassemblies, such as the scooter disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,570,739, which is incorporated herein by reference. However, a number of drawbacks are associated with the disassembly of these prior modular scooters. For example, tools are often required for assembly/disassembly, and the disassembly procedure itself can be time consuming or prohibitively difficult for a physically handicapped person. Sometimes disassembly of the scooter results in an excessive number of separate component parts, some of which may be easily lost or misplaced. Moreover, in some cases storage and/or transportation of the scooter is hindered because the disassembled parts are difficult to handle or are too heavy to easily lift.
There exists, therefore, a significant need for an improved power drive scooter that is designed for easy assembly and rapid disassembly into a small number of modular components which fit within most standard passenger automobiles. Such an improved scooter should include a minimum number of component parts which interlock or separate in a quick and easy manner without requiring the use of tools. Moreover, such a scooter should utilize relatively light and compact component parts, be attractive in appearance, and be constructed for durable and safe operation. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages.


An apparatus and computer program product are provided for improving a high-speed adder for Floating-Point Units (FPU) in a given computer system. The improved adder utilizes a compound incrementer, a compound adder, a carry network, an adder control/selector, and series of multiplexers (muxes). The carry network performs the end-around-carry function simultaneously to and independent of other required functions optimizing the functioning of the adder. Also, the use of a minimum number of muxes is also utilized to reduce mux delays.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to a high-speed floating-point adder (adder) and, more particularly, to the improvement of some of the most time critical elements that exist in the adder, such as the end-around-carry-logic.
2. Description of the Related Art
Floating-Point Units (FPU) are well known, and have been an element of computer architecture for a number of years. However, such calculations, while useful, are intensive and require extensive computing power. Generally, a floating-point number consists of three components: a sign bit, exponent, and mantissa. Addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division operations occur through the manipulation of bits via the use of the bits and the bits' 1's and 2's complements. Here, the concern is more with the use of the End-Around-Carry Principle specifically regarding the operations of multiply-add and multiply-subtract.
A method, well-known in the art, is utilized to perform the multiply-add and multiply-subtract operations in a base 2 system. The addend is aligned so as to properly orient the digits of the fraction of product and addend to their corresponding order of magnitude or properly orient the bits to their corresponding weights. The process of alignment, thus, converts the fraction of the addend into a number that is 4n+2 bits long, where n bits are the addend and the remaining 3n+2 bits are 0. During the process of alignment, the addend is further subdivided into three constituent vectors, which correspond as follows: A corresponds to most significant n bits, B corresponds to the middle 2n+2 bits, and C corresponds to the least significant n bits. The variable for a floating point calculation are as follows: COUT is the carry-out bit, P is the product, A represents the most significant n bits of the addend, B represents the middle 2n+2 bits, and C represents the least significant n bits, which are compressed into sticky bit (sticky). The calculation is as follows:Addend D=(A*2(2n+2)+B+0.5*sticky)  (1)Let sum0+(2(2n+2))COUT=B+P  (2)Let A′=A+COUT  (3)For an effective addition (for example, a multiply-add where product and addend have like signs, or a multiply-subtract where product and addend have different signs)R=P+D=(2(2n+2))A′+sum0+0.5sticky  (4)For an effective subtractionR=abs(P−D)  (5)Let sum0′+2(2n+2)*cout′=(!B+P)  (6)Let A′=(!A+cout′)modulo 2n  (7)If in Equation 5, the product is larger than the addend, for example, P>D, thenR=P−D=(2(2n+2))A′+sum0′+!sticky*0.5+0.5  (8)If in Equation 5, the product is smaller than the addend, for example, P<D, thenR=−(P−D)=!A′*2(2n+2)+!sum0″+sticky*0.5
The end-around carry does not immediately follow from the above calculations. However, the above calculations illustrate the end-around-carry principle process. For computing abs(P−D), one computes R=P+!D and adds the carry-out to the result as carry-in R′=R+0.5*cout. Also, depending on the carry-out, R′ can be negated. The selection between the use of Equation 8 and Equation 9 is dependent on the value of the carry out bit (COUT) of Equation 6. If COUT=1, then Equation 8 applies. However, for COUT=0, Equation 9 applies. In other words, the calculation for the operation of subtraction hinges on the greater of the two terms. This calculation, though, can be cumbersome and difficult.
Therefore, there is a need for a method and/or apparatus to streamline each of the processes that make both evaluations and calculations that address at least some of the problems associated with conventional methods and apparatuses for floating point computations.

High speed adder design for a multiply-add based floating point unit

International Business Machines Corporation


An adjustable flight bar system (10) for advancing articles along a predetermined path includes a pair of conveyor chains (11) and a series of adjustable flight bars (13). Each flight bar has a support member (23) and an auxiliary member (24) coupled to the support member through cross links (25). The auxiliary member is movable between a retracted position adjacent the support member and an extended position away from the support member to accommodate articles of different sizes.

Today, flight bar systems are used for separating and advancing single articles or groups of articles in sequence along a predetermined path. These systems typically have an endless conveyor chain coupled to a series of flight bars which define an article space therebetween in which the article to be advanced is positioned. These flight bar systems are often used in conjunction with packaging machines for the advancement of both the articles to be packaged and the containers in which they are loaded. Oftentimes, the flight bar systems advance different size groups of articles, different articles or container of different sizes. Therefore, flight bar systems must be adaptable so that the spacing between adjacent flight bars can be varied.
Flight bar systems have been designed having flight bars which can be manually removed from the conveyor chain and remounted in another position along the chain to change the spacing between flight bars. The reconfiguration of the flight bars in this manner requires the number of flight bars to be increased or decreased in order to occupy the entire conveyor chain. Obviously, this method of reconfiguring the flight bar system is laborious and time consuming. Similarly, flight bar systems have also been designed having flight bars which are manually removed and replaced with other flight bars of a different width. However, again this method of reconfiguring the flight bar system is laborious and time consuming.
Flight bar systems have also been designed having flight bars to which spacer strips are manually mounted to increase the overall width of the flight bars in order to decrease the spacing between adjacent flight bars. However, once again this method is labor intensive and time consuming.
It thus is seen that a need remains for a flight bar system which can vary the spacing between adjacent flight bars in a more efficient manner. Accordingly, it is to the provision of such an improved system that the present invention is primarily directed.


A crystallizer copper plate and a continuous casting crystallizer. The crystallizer copper plate is provided with a metal continuous casting die surface and a rear-side cooling fixed surface. The fixed surface is provided with fixing screw holes in a vertical column connected to a fixed water tank or an adapter backplate and mesas forming the surrounding of the screw holes. Reinforced bars are connected between multiple mesas of each column. Cooling channels lower than the fixed surface are provided between any two adjacent two columns of fixing screw holes. Flow-diverting cooling bars are provided at the middle of meniscus regions of the cooling channels. Either the top end or the bottom end of the flow-diverting cooling bar is a cone used for altering the direction of movement of a cooling medium.

A crystallizer copper plate is usually provided with either of close-packed cooling grooves and a one-trough cooling groove. Among them, the close-packed cooling grooves have relatively narrow cooling medium grooves but relatively wide cooling ribs, so that an amount of cooling medium is in contact with a relatively small effective cooling surface, resulting in relatively weak cooling capacity and relatively low continuous casting speed. The one-trough cooling groove has a smaller total heat exchange area due to the lack of cooling ribs. Although the continuous casting speed is higher than that of the close-packed cooling grooves, it still does not meet the requirements of modern industrial production.
In view of this, the present disclosure is hereby proposed.

Crystallizer copper plate and continuous casting crystallizer

XIXIA LONGCHENG SPECIAL MATERIAL CO., LTD.


The present invention provides a search capability to allow a user to easily locate a menu command or other user interface element associated with a search result. In one embodiment, a user enters a search term (or a portion thereof) in a search field. A list of results is displayed, for example in a results menu. The user can select or highlight any of the listed results; in response, the corresponding command is brought into view in context within the user interface, and is highlighted. The user can activate the selected command directly from the search results menu.

As software applications and operating systems become increasingly complex, the number of commands, options, and dialog boxes grows. As a result, users (particularly novice users) have a difficult time finding a command or element they are looking for. A user may know the general nature of the command he or she is looking for, but may not know which menu or dialog box contains that command. Searching among various menus (including hierarchical menus) and/or consulting printed or electronic documentation can be frustrating and time-consuming. Customization of user interfaces can make the task of finding a desired command more difficult, as a particular command may be found in different locations in different variations of the software product.
In particular, when a new version of a software application or operating system is released, it is common for commands to be moved from one place to another; users who are used to the previous version of the software application or operating system may be unfamiliar with the new locations of commands.
Once a user has become familiar with the organizational scheme for the software application, he or she can more easily find a particular command when it is needed. Accordingly, it would be beneficial to have a mechanism for training the user as to the locations of various commands, without forcing the user to consult manuals or other documentation. It would further be beneficial to provide a mechanism that makes it unnecessary for users to memorize the location of commands.
In this context, what is needed is a system and method for assisting a user in locating and accessing commands such as those within a menu structure, even when the user is unfamiliar with the organizational scheme for the software application. What is further needed is a system and method for training the user so that, over time, he or she becomes more familiar with the locations of various elements of a user interface, including for example commands within a menu structure. What is further needed is a system and method for providing a convenient way for both novice and advanced users to navigate a user interface, and for providing a mechanism that avoids the need for users to memorize the location of commands in a user interface. What is further needed is a system and method for integrating search functionality for user interface elements with other search functionality of a software application and/or operating system.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Searching for commands and other elements of a user interface


The invention concerns a magnet configuration comprising a superconducting magnet coil (1) within which a gradient system is to be switched. All low temperature oscillation systems (R1) with a temperature T1<10K within the magnet coil (1) are produced from a material having good electrical conducting properties, and at least one warm oscillation system (R2) with a temperature T2>10K within the magnet coil (1) has worse electrical conducting properties and has a considerably different mechanical resonance frequency (separation approximately 500 Hz or more) than at least one of the low temperature oscillation systems (R1). This reduces the undesired heating power supplied to the low temperature oscillation systems due to mechanical oscillations and induced eddy currents.

The invention concerns a superconducting magnet configuration for a magnetic resonance apparatus, comprising:                a substantially cylindrical magnet coil with a magnet winding of superconducting wire for generating a magnetic field B in a working volume;        a room temperature bore which is coaxial to the magnet coil and contains the working volume; and        several electrically conducting oscillation systems (R1, R2, R2′) which are disposed radially inside the magnet winding of the magnet coil, wherein each oscillation system (R1, R2, R2′) has a uniform oscillation behavior and can oscillate relative to any other oscillation system, wherein each oscillation system (R1, R2, R2′) is substantially tubular and disposed coaxially to the room temperature bore, wherein each oscillation system (R1, R2, R2′) has an electrical conductivity value p=σ*d with p>1*102 1/Ohm at room temperature, with σ: electric conductivity of the oscillation system and d: minimum wall thickness of the oscillation system in the radial direction,
wherein each oscillation system (R1, R2, R2′) has a characteristic mechanical value q=E/ρ, with E: average modulus of elasticity of the oscillation system and ρ: average density of the oscillation system,                wherein a low temperature oscillation system (R1) or several low temperature oscillation systems are provided which have temperatures of T1<10K during operation,        and wherein a warm oscillation system (R2) or several warm oscillation systems (R2, R2′) are provided which have temperatures of T2>10K during operation.
A superconducting magnet configuration of this type is disclosed in DE 101 27 822 A1.
Superconducting magnet configurations are used to generate strong magnetic fields in a working volume. Strong magnetic fields are required, in particular, in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and NMR tomography (MRT) to perform high-quality measurements.
The strong magnetic fields are thereby generated by a magnet coil which is wound from superconducting wire. The magnet coil typically comprises several sections and portions of partially different superconducting materials. The superconducting materials used in the magnet coil are cooled below the transition temperature such that large electric currents and magnetic field strengths can be produced by the magnet coil in this superconducting state. It is cooled e.g. by surrounding liquid helium or by refrigerators which are in thermal contact with the magnet coil.
In NMR experiments, additional fields are added to the strong magnetic field of the magnet coil. These so-called gradient fields are used to encode signals (e.g. local encoding) and are generated by a gradient coil. The gradient coil is usually positioned in the room temperature bore of the superconducting magnet configuration close to the working volume. The current in a gradient coil is typically switched many hundreds of times per second.
Switching of the gradient coil and the associated magnetic field change induce electric currents in nearby electrically conducting, in particular, metallic bodies. When these bodies are simultaneously exposed to a strong magnetic field, which prevails radially inside the magnet winding of the magnet coil, these electric currents produce Lorentz forces which elastically deform the bodies. Due to repeated switching of the gradient coil, the electrically conducting bodies are caused to oscillate.
The oscillating motion of an electrically conducting body in a strong magnetic field, in turn, produces eddy currents in this body. These eddy currents produce heat due to the ohmic resistance in the body and also cause a magnetic field change in the surroundings which may, in turn, produce differing induced currents in neighboring electrically conducting bodies etc. In consequence thereof, all electrically conducting bodies within the magnet winding substantially oscillate with electromagnetic coupling and are heated.
A coil carrier of the magnet coil or an inner wall of a helium tank which contains the magnet coil are e.g. oscillating bodies in a superconducting magnet coil system, in which eddy currents can produce heat. For magnet coils which are in contact with liquid helium, this results in undesired evaporation of large amounts of expensive liquid helium. Moreover, the heat may be transferred to the superconducting wire of the magnet coil, and the superconducting wire could be heated beyond the transition temperature thereby bringing the magnet coil into the undesired, normally conducting state with associated complete decay of the magnetic field as well as strong heating. The magnet coil would then have to be recooled with liquid helium, which is expensive, and the magnetic resonance apparatus would be inoperative for several days.
Conventional gradient coils are actively shielded to reduce the eddy current effects and resulting heating of the magnet coil.
DE 101 27 822 A1 proposes providing a magnet system with an inner, a central, and an outer unit, wherein the units are nested within each other. The mechanical properties of the units are thereby matched, such that the central unit damps transfer of oscillations due to magnetic coupling from the outer to the inner unit. This also reduces heating of the magnet coil.
In a magnetic resonance apparatus comprising a magnet configuration with room temperature bores having large diameters of 40 cm and more, the heat input into the magnet coil is excessively large for permanent operation despite the conventional measures. For cooling the magnet coil with liquid helium, the overall typical supply of liquid helium would e.g. evaporate within a few hours.
In contrast thereto, it is the underlying purpose of the invention to provide a superconducting magnet configuration which further reduces the heat input into the magnet coil.

Superconducting magnet configuration with reduced heat input in the low temperature regions


Provided are a system for implementing multiple Radio Access Networks (RANs) convergence and a method thereof. The method includes: an anchor RAN establishes a connection with a User Equipment (UE); the anchor receives a RAB establishment request from a Core Network (CN); the anchor RAN selects an auxiliary RAN; the anchor RAN sends quality of service (QoS) parameters to the auxiliary RAN, so that the auxiliary RAN establishes a connection with the UE according to the QoS parameters, while the anchor RAN keep the connection with the UE. With the methods provided in embodiments for the present disclosure, multiple RANs convergence is implemented, and the UE establishes connections with the anchor RAN and the auxiliary RAN at the same time, so as to improve the peak rate of the UE.

The multi-carrier convergence technology is introduced in all of the universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS), 3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE) and code division multiple access (CDMA) 200 network to enhance the peak rate of a user equipment (UE). With the increase in number of carrier convergences, the peak rate of the UE will arrive at another bottleneck.
Accordingly, it is a problem urgently needed to be solved as how to further enhance the peak rate of the UE.

System for implementing multiple radio access networks (RANs) convergence and method thereof


An example method for chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of thin films includes providing a deposition zone in a reaction chamber having a fixed showerhead assembly that introduces CVD reactive gases under positive pressure into the deposition zone. The example method also includes moving a substrate carrier beneath the showerhead assembly in the reaction chamber, the substrate carrier supports and transports at least one substrate within the reaction chamber so as to be subjected to a CVD process by the CVD reactive gases. The example method also includes providing a liner assembly shrouding the deposition zone and including at least one partial enclosure around the deposition zone isolating the deposition zone and the substrate carrier, whereby solid reaction byproducts are plated onto material in the liner assembly and gaseous reaction byproducts flow radially outward, the liner assembly being mounted on the substrate carrier for motion with the substrate carrier.

Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) processes use induced chemical reactions of gaseous precursor molecules to deposit one or more thin-film layers onto the surface of a substrate. For example, a trimethylgallium and arsine reaction induced by a combination of elevated temperature and radio frequency energy can be used to produce a gallium arsenide film layer. A wide variety of CVD precursor substances are known.
Frequently encountered challenges involving CVD reactors include uniformity of deposition, contamination issues, and downtime for reactor maintenance affecting throughput. Uniformity of deposition requires a corresponding uniformity of reactor environment conditions in the vicinity of substrate surface being processed, including uniform reaction gas mixture and concentration and uniform temperature. Ideally, deposition will occur only on the surface of the substrate being processed, with such deposition being substantially uniform over that substrate. In practice, unwanted deposition (as well as precursor condensation) may occur also on some surfaces of the reactor itself that are exposed to the precursor molecules or intermediate reaction products under conditions that allow deposition. When surface deposits build up in the reactor, material can break off to introduce contaminant particles to the reactor environment. The surface build-up can also adversely affect processing conditions that may lead to decreased deposition rates onto the substrate or deposition non-uniformity. To handle these issues, the reactor must be periodically cleaned to remove any unwanted depositions from the reactor surfaces, which leads in turn to reactor downtime and reduced throughput.

Methods for chemical vapor deposition (CVD) in a movable liner assembly


This invention provides O-α-acyloxyalkyl ethers of the venlafaxine metabolite 4-[2-(Dimehtylamino-1-(1-hydroxycyclohexyl)ethyl]phenol, represented by Formula (I):

Various patents and literature references describe the biological activities of venlafaxine, and its salts and analogs. Venlafaxine hydrochloride tablets are marketed by Wyeth-Ayerst Laboratories as EFFEXOR.
The absolute configuration of the (+) enantiomer of venlafaxine was established as S by a single crystal X-ray analysis of the hydrobromide salt and the anomalous dispersion technique (Yardley et al., J. Med. Chem., 1990, 33, 2899).
(R/S)-1-[2-(dimethylamino)-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)ethyl]cyclohexanol and its metabolites 1-[2-(dimethylamino)-1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethyl]cyclohexanol and 1-[1-(4-methoxyphenyl)-2-(methylamino)ethyl]cyclohexanol are disclosed and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,535,186 (Husbands et al.). U.S. Pat. No. 5,530,013 (Husbands et al.) claims the use of venlafaxine in the inducement of cognition enhancement. U.S. Pat. No. 5,506,270 (Upton et al.) claims venlafaxine's use in methods of treating hypothalamic amenorrhea in non-depressed women.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,788,986 (Dodman) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,554,383 (Dodman) teaches and claims the use of serotonin reuptake inhibitors in modifying the behavior of dogs.

Abstract: wherein the variables R1 and R2 are defined herein, and where the configuration at the steriogenic center (*) may be R, S, or RS (the racemate).


A safety push tool for use with table mounted cutting tools. The push tool is of the type having a carrier guide body with an underside adapted to rest on a work piece to be moved along a cutting tool. The safety push tool has a handle portion and the improvement of the present invention is the construction of the back heel member which is held at the slot of the back of the tool. The back heel member is a U-shaped device which fits over a slot over the back of the tool. The back heel member is a U-shaped device which fits over a support arm and can be rotated from a first position where two separate arms depend downwardly from the underside. It also can be moved in a second position where a cross member headstock extends below the underside of the safety push tool.

The field of the invention is hand tools and the invention relates more particularly to a safety push tool with a table mounted saw or other cutting tool. Other cutting tools would include routers, jointers, planers, shapers, and sanders.
Applicant received U.S. Pat. No. 4,370,909 on an early version of the safety push tool of the present invention.
Applicant""s earlier tool had a heel portion which could be adjusted up and down by a combination of thumb screws and slots. This heel had a forward portion 32 which abutted the wooden board upon which it rested. The forward portion was a pair of downwardly extending arms which permitted a saw blade to pass between them.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved safety push tool which has the ability of reconfiguring the heel thereof so it is capable of pushing a work piece from the corner thereof. Furthermore, it readily can be converted from a first configuration to a second configuration by rotating the heel in a slot formed in the trailing end of the push carrier body.

Safety push tool for table mounted cutting tool having an adjustable heel


The present invention provides a simple high-throughput assay for detecting bcr/abl translocations. The method includes qualitative PCR methods for identifying the particular amplified translocation (e1a2 or b2a3/b3a2) and real time PCR for quantifying an amount of bcr/abl transcript (e1a2, b2a3 and b3a2). Quantitative measurement of bcr/abl transcript in accordance with the methods of the invention is useful for monitoring response to therapy.

The following description of the background of the invention is provided simply as an aid in understanding the invention and is not admitted to describe or constitute prior art to the invention.
The Philadelphia chromosome (Ph) is a translocation between chromosome 9 and 22 t(9; 22) (q34; q11) that is found in more than 90-95% of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), about 20-25% of adult, and 2-10% of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). See Rowley J O (1973), Nature 243: 290-293. Catovsk (1979) Br. J. Haematol. 42: 493-498; Prist, et al. (1980) Blood 56: 15-22. In CML, most of the translocation falls in the major breakpoint cluster region (M-bcr) of the bcr gene, and results in two bcr/abl mRNA molecules with a b2a2 or b3a2 junction which encode p210bcr/abl fusion protein. See Konopka, et al., (1984) Cell 37: 1035-1042. In ALL, about two thirds of the bcr breakpoint falls in the minor breakpoint cluster region (m-bcr), and the hybrid bcr/abl transcript contains an e1a2 junction and is translated as a p190bcr/abl fusion protein. See Clark, et al. (1987) Science 235: 85-88. Because CML is a clonal disease, detection of bcr/abl fusion transcripts should precisely reflect CML disease activity. bcr/abl mRNA can be specifically and efficiently detected by the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), because this fusion gene is leukemia specific and can be used as a marker to identify residual disease after therapy. Quantitative RT-PCR detection of bcr/abl fusion is well established in CML diagnostics, and PCR positivity is virtually diagnostic of this type of leukemia. Kawasaki, et al., (1988) Proc Natl Acad Sci (USA) 85: 5698-5702. Gibson, et al., (1996) Genomic Res 6:995-1001.
However, the present methods of CML or ALL diagnostics are lacking in that for the qualitative assay (that is indication of presence or absence of the disease and not a quantitative number of cells present or other quantitative information provided) uses hazardous radioactive isotopes, complex hybridizations and takes about five days. Further, the present methods do not provide for a single container method of assaying for all three translocation products and providing reproducible and easily and meaningfully interpretable results.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide assay methods for bcr/abl translocations that are convenient to carry out, provide highly reproducible qualitative and quantitative results and in which all three translocations may be assayed for at once in one container.

Quest Diagnostics Investments Incorporated


A scheduling request (SR) configuration method and sending method, and a corresponding apparatus are provided, to resolve a prior-art problem of a scheduling request configuration method and sending method, and a corresponding apparatus. The scheduling request configuration method includes: receiving, by a user equipment (UE), control signaling sent by a network device, where the control signaling is used to configure, for the UE, an SR configuration associated with at least one logical channel and at least two SR resource configurations associated with the SR configuration, and the SR resource configurations indicate physical resources used to signal an SR associated with the at least one logical channel; and signaling, by the UE based on a physical resource indicated by one of the at least two SR resource configurations, an SR associated with one of the at least one logical channel.

In a 5th generation (5G) mobile communications system, a user equipment (UE) may have a plurality of services at the same time. Services having a same quality of service (QoS) requirement may be mapped to a same logical channel for transmission. Services having different QoS requirements may be mapped to different logical channels for transmission. During transmission, the services having the same QoS requirement need to be transmitted by using an uplink grant (UL grant) of a physical transmission parameter set (which may include a subcarrier spacing, a cyclic prefix length, a transmission time length, and the like) that can support the QoS requirement.
However, in the prior art, when allocating an uplink grant to the UE, a network device does not distinguish between transmission requirements of logical channels of the UE, and there is a lack of a mechanism for allocating, to a logical channel of the UE, an uplink grant matching a QoS requirement of the logical channel.

Scheduling request configuration method and sending method, and corresponding apparatus


In a water driven down-the-hole rock drill, the rearward end of an associated hammer is provided with a drive piston reciprocable in a cylinder located adjacent the rear of the drill. The front end of the hammer is guided for reciprocation in a bearing located adjacent an anvil of a drill bit. Between the cylinder and the bearing the hammer is elongated and enlarged diametrically relative to the piston. The enlarged hammer portion reciprocates freely in a chamber formed by an outer casing of the drill. Drive water is expelled from the cylinder and flushes the hole drilled by the bit. An open ended tubular valve reciprocates to control a duct connecting the interior of the valve to coaxial through-flushing channels in the hammer and the drill bit.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to hydraulic down hole or down-the-hole drills.
The output power of down-the-hole drills and the penetration rate are usually low as compared with top-hammer drills. Still, such down hole drills are widely used because the overall cost per meter of drilling distance or depth is comparatively low for this kind of drilling and because the penetration rate is not substantial reduced as the hole becomes deeper.
Conventionally, the drive fluid is compressed air, but hydraulically operated down-the-hole drills are known at least in the patent literature. In practice, however, severe difficulties have been encountered when a hydraulic drive fluid is also used as a flushing fluid. Top hammer drills generally use a closed hydraulic circuit so that they can be operated by oil.
Most down-the-hole rock drills are generally pneumatic. In air operated hammers using open systems are usual because of the somewhat small outer diameter of a down-the-hole rock drill. The output of impact energy is hence rather small, as compared to a modern top hammer. An open hydraulic system for a down-the-hole hammer cannot usually use oil. Further, the lack of lubricant will often be a severe problem.
It has thus been proven difficult to combine high impact power, reliable operation and expected long life of drill components.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a down-the-hole drill which combines high output impact power, power economy, and long expected life of drill components.

Down hole drills using spent driving fluid for flushing purposes