Printed products arriving in an imbricated formation are wound on a hollow cylindrical winding core together with a winding band in a wind-up station. A magazine or storage unit for the finished wound product packages is arranged in the vicinity of the wind-up station. After a wound product package has been fully wound up, it is rolled out of the wind-up station into the magazine or storage unit. A pallet is located in this magazine or storage unit onto which the finished wound product package is rolled. This pallet is displaced substantially perpendicular to the rolling direction of the finished wound product package. In this way, a plurality of wound product packages are arranged adjacent one another, typically in side by side relationship on one pallet. Blocking elements prevent the finished wound product packages from rolling off the pallet. By rolling the finished wound product packages out of the wind-up station to the adjacent magazine or storage unit there is afforded the possibility of emptying the wind-up station in a very short period of time without considerable effort and to prepare the wind-up station for receiving a new winding core.

The present invention relates to a new and improved method of, and apparatus for, processing printed products, especially newspapers, periodicals and the like.
In its more particular aspects, the present invention concerns a new and improved method of processing printed products, especially newspapers, periodicals and the like, arriving or delivered in an imbricated formation, wherein the imbricated product formation is wound onto a hollow substantially cylindrical winding core together with a tensioned winding band or strap. During the winding or wind-up operation each product is wound with one of the flat sides thereof in confronting relation to and upon the hollow substantially cylindrical winding core which rotates about an essentially horizontal axis and wherein the full or finished wound product packages are subsequently rolled away.
According to the present invention there is also taught a new and improved method of processing imbricated printed products, especially newspapers, periodicals and the like, which have been wound together with a winding band or strap onto a hollow substantially cylindrical winding core to form a wound product package and from which the printed products are unwound together with the winding strap.
The invention also is concerned in its more specific aspects with an apparatus for processing printed products, such as newspapers, periodicals and the like arriving in an imbricated formation, wherein there is provided a drive unit defining a product wind-up station or location and serving for the mounting and driving of a hollow substantially cylindrical winding core having a lengthwise axis which extends essentially in horizontal direction. There is also provided an infeed device or infeed means for the infeed or delivery of the imbricated product formation to the wind-up station or location and which is to be wound up upon the hollow substantially cylindrical winding core. There is further provided a support or mounting device for a supply spool or reel containing a winding band or strap which can be connected with the winding core as well as a roll track or travel surface means for the rolling away or outfeed of the finished wound product package.
As a further apparatus aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus for processing printed products, such as newspapers, periodicals and the like wound in an imbricated formation and together with a winding band onto a hollow substantially cylindrical winding core. There is provided a support or mounting unit which defines a wind-off or unwinding station or location for the mounting or support of the wound product package with its lengthwise axis extending substantially horizontally. There is also provided a drive unit for mounting and driving a take-up or receiving spool for the winding band or strap which is unwound from the product package as well as an outfeed or delivery device for the outfeed of the imbricated product formation which has been wound-off of the wound product package in conjunction with the winding band.
It is known to the art to wind as many printed products as possible onto a winding core in order to avoid too frequent exchange of a full or finished wound product package against an empty winding core or, conversely, an empty winding core for a new wound product package in consideration of the present day conventional high operating speeds of modern rotary printing presses and their subsequently arranged processing equipment. Significant in this regard are Swiss Patent No. 559,691, granted Jan. 31, 1975 and Swiss Patent No. 642,602 and its cognate U.S. Pat. No. 4,438,618, granted Mar. 27, 1984. Wound product packages of this type have a considerable weight and volume and cannot, therefore, be easily manipulated.
In the aforementioned Swiss Patent No. 559,691 it has been proposed to provide the hollow cylindrical winding core with disk-shaped lateral plates or cheek plates, the diameter of which is greater than the diameter of the wound product package formed by the printed products. These lateral plates or cheek plates are designed as rolling rims or rings which enables the winding core to be rolled together with the printed products wound thereon. The fully wound winding cores are conveyed from the wind-up station directly to an intermediate storage, and these fully wound winding cores are rolled over at least a portion of their path along inclined surfaces or planes.
Because of the appreciable volume or size and the weight of the wound product packages removal thereof from the wind-up station requires a relatively considerable amount of time and work. Thus, after the completion of a fully wound product package there is required a certain amount of time to again prepare the wind-up station for accomplishing a subsequent product winding or wind-up operation by mounting an empty winding core. However, this time span is readily available since there is likewise required a certain time until a fully wound product package has been completed at a second wind-up station and it is necessary to again place into operation the first wind-up station.
Similar problems also prevail when unwinding the printed products from their wound product packages, in that a certain amount of time is required for inserting or setting-up a heavy fully or finished wound product package into the wind-off or unwinding station.

Method of, and apparatus for, processing printed products, periodicals and the like


According to color measuring apparatus and method and a liquid crystal display system S of the present invention, intensity signals obtained by receiving radiant light from a liquid crystal color display 3 at a first viewing angle and corresponding to at least three mutually different spectral responsivities are converted into information on a plurality of primary color intensities of the liquid crystal color display 3, and the intensity signals by the first viewing angle are corrected to signal intensities by a second viewing angle. Thus, these color measuring apparatus and method are capable of a more accurate measurement even at a dark gradation. The liquid crystal display system can more accurately calibrate a display surface 3a of the liquid crystal color display 3 even at a dark gradation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to color measuring apparatus and method capable of suitably measuring color, for example, on a display surface of a liquid crystal display device.
The present invention also relates to a liquid crystal display system capable of color calibration on a display surface of a liquid crystal display device based on the color measured by the color measuring apparatus.
2. Description of the Background Art
Conventionally, CRT displays have been a mainstream of display devices, but devices adopting various methods such as liquid crystal displays (LCDs), plasma displays (PDPs) and organic EL displays have been developed in recent years and are spreading. Such a display device is required to be of a relatively high quality due to its intended use, for example, in applications such as printing application and medical application and a calibration process for calibrating luminance and chromaticity deviations is performed to satisfy this requirement.
Upon this calibration, luminance and chromaticity need to be measured and a luminance meter is used to measure luminance. Known luminance meters include telescopic luminance meters and contact luminance meters. A telescopic luminance meter is an apparatus for measuring the luminance of a display device from a position at a specified distance from the display device and includes an optical system inside. Since light in a limited range is condensed by this optical system, a measurement field is narrow. On the other hand, a contact luminance meter is an apparatus for performing a measurement while being held in contact with a display surface of a display device, and is so structured as to be usable while being attached to the display surface of the display device by means of a sucking disk or the like. A distance from the display surface of the display device to a light receiving sensor is short, no such optical system as to narrow a light receiving angle is provided in many cases for cost reduction and a measurement field is relatively wide.
A color sensor called a CRT calibrator produced by Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc is, for example, known as such a contact luminance meter. This CRT calibrator is roughly such that incident light is received by silicon photodiodes arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with color filters of X, Y and Z in the so-called CIE color systems via the respective color filters, light receiving outputs of the respective silicon photodiodes are converted by a current-to-voltage conversion circuit and an analog-to-digital conversion circuit, digital values corresponding to the respective silicon photodiodes are taken into a built-in microcomputer, a colorimetric value as a final output value is calculated based on these respective digital values while calibration is performed by this microcomputer and the colorimetric value is output.
In the case of measuring luminance on a display surface of a CRT display by such a luminance meter, substantially the same value is obtained regardless of whether the measurement is conducted by a telescopic luminance meter or by a contact luminance meter and an accurate measurement is possible since a luminance variation according to a viewing angle is relatively small and the viewing angle dependence of the luminance is small in the CRT display. However, the luminance largely varies according to the viewing angle and the viewing angle dependence of the luminance is large at gradations in a dark part of the liquid crystal display, wherefore no accurate measurement can be conducted by the contact luminance meter.
In order to accurately measure luminance on a display surface of a liquid crystal display using this contact luminance meter, there is a luminance measuring apparatus for liquid crystal display, for example, disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2003-294528 (U.S. Pat. No. 6,657,712, D1). The luminance measuring apparatus for liquid crystal display disclosed in this document D1 is provided with a contact luminance meter, a light blocking cushion member surrounding a light receiver of the contact luminance meter, a light meter including a fixture for moderately pressing the light blocking cushion member against a display surface of the display and fixing the contact luminance meter to the liquid crystal display so that a facing direction of the light receiver of the contact luminance meter and that of the display have a fixed relationship, a converter for converting a luminance measurement result by the contact luminance meter into the one corresponding to a telescopic luminance meter based on the luminance measurement result by the contact luminance meter and that by the telescopic luminance meter, and a processor for converting the luminance measurement result by the light meter using the converter. The document D1 discloses that, by the above construction, the display luminance of the liquid crystal display can be accurately measured by the contact luminance meter as if it were measured by the telescopic luminance meter.
In the case of measuring the liquid crystal display, the above apparatus can measure bright gradations with relatively high accuracy, but cannot properly correct in the measurement at a dark gradation and it is difficult to measure with high accuracy since the viewing angle dependence of the liquid crystal display is large.

Color measuring apparatus and method and liquid crystal display system


A method of forming the device, includes selective area deposition of a ferromagnetic material on a substrate. The substrate surface is partially covered with material having a crystal structure having at least one symmetry relation with the crystal structure of the ferromagnetic material.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a method for depositing a ferromagnetic compound, such as chromium dioxide (CrO.sub.2), in thin film form in a selective fashion over a substrate, such that the growth occurs only above specific regions of the substrate that have been appropriately modified.
More specifically, the invention relates to a method for depositing such a ferromagnetic compound in a selective growth process for a plurality of applications including magnetic memory and storage-based devices, as well as other devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional systems utilize chromium dioxide (CrO.sub.2) as an important ferromagnetic material which is used, for example, as a particulate magnetic recording media. Chromium dioxide has the rutile crystal structure which is tetragonal with lattice parameters of a=4.423 .ANG. and c=2.917 .ANG.. The chromium ions are in the Cr.sup.+4 state with the electronic configuration [Ar]3d.sup.2 with a magnetic moment of 2 .mu..sub.B per ion.
Because of its half-metallic nature, where the majority spin electrons have a metallic character and the minority spin electrons have a semiconducting character (e.g., see K. Schwarz, J. Phys. F 16, 211 (1986)), chromium dioxide also is ideally suited for use in magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) devices. Suitable applications for CrO.sub.2 include, as a media for magnetic storage, and as a component in magnetic tunnel junction devices.
Recently, there have been attempts to deposit CrO.sub.2 in the form of thin films (though not in a selective area fashion), as described, for example, in R. C. DeVries, "Epitaxial Growth of CrO.sub.2 ", Mat. Res. Bull. 1, 83 (1966); S. Ishibashi, T. Namikawa, and M. Satou, "Epitaxial Growth of CrO.sub.2 in Air", Japan J. Appl. Phys. 17, 249 (1978); S. Ishibashi, T. Namikawa, and M. Satou, "Epitaxial Growth of Ferromagnetic CrO.sub.2 Films in Air", Mat. Res. Bull. 14, 51 (1979); and K. P. Kamper, W. Schmitt, G. Guntherodt, R. J. Gambino, and R. Ruff, "CrO.sub.2 --A New Half-Metallic Ferromagnet?", Phys. Rev. Lett. 59, 2788 (1987).
However, these studies have been confined to the uniform deposition of CrO.sub.2 that covered the entire substrate (e.g., a substantially continuous deposition). Further, selective area growth of CrO.sub.2 has not been attempted on predetermined locations (e.g., those that could be patterned) on the substrate surface with arbitrary size dimensions. Thus, control in the deposition of such films has been limited, and thus the applications of such films have been limited.
Selective area growth, which consists of depositing a material over a substrate in such a fashion that material is deposited only on specific regions of substrate that have been appropriately modified, is an established technique in the field of compound semiconductors and metal deposition.
In the area of semiconductor deposition, selective growth has been used for the production of higher quality thin film optoelectronic devices for making better light emitters, and in the case of metals, selective growth has been used for different applications such as plugs for hole filling in Si technology. The particular technical details for selective area growth of various systems are quite diverse due to the different chemistries involved.
Thus, as noted above, selective area growth has not been used for applications in ferromagnetic thin films or in forming any substrates used in magnetic memory applications, for example.
The conventional method of patterning blanket thin films using photolithography and etching is difficult in the case of CrO.sub.2 since it is not readily etched in a reactive plasma or with wet chemicals. Hence, selective area growth would be a preferred approach since it requires no subsequent patterning steps.

International Business Machines Corporation


A method implemented in a mobile device includes identifying a target wireless network for a handover, where the target wireless network uses a different access technology than an existing wireless network being used by the mobile device. The mobile device determines that a signal for the existing wireless network meets an early registration trigger threshold and initiates, based on the determining, an early registration of the mobile device with the target wireless network, where an early registration is performed at a sufficient time prior to the actual handover to preclude a registration delay associated with the handover to the different access technology.

Handover is the basic means of providing mobility in cellular network architectures. Handover occurs when a call has to be handed off from one cell to another, as the user moves between cells. For a user having an ongoing communication and crossing a cell edge, it is necessary to use radio resources in the "new" cell, also called the target cell, because the signal strength from the "old" cell deteriorates as the user moves closer to the target cell. The whole process of tearing down an existing connection in the old or current cell and establishing a new connection in the target cell may be referred to as handover. Handover between base stations from the same access network technology is well defined. However, when handover is taking place between different technologies, it may take several seconds to register with the target network. In a particular example, when a mobile device moves from a 4th Generation (4G) or Long Term Evolution (LTE) network to an Evolution-Data Optimized (EVDO) network, the registration to EVDO can take up to five seconds. This long handover delay can cause a significant interruption in service, resulting in poor user experiences. Since mobile devices are typically required to register with a base station of any new cell, delays associated with registration can be a frequent occurrence for mobile device users roaming between networks.
There are generally two types of handover, hard handover and soft handover. In a traditional "hard" handover, the connection to the current cell is broken, and then the connection to the new cell is made. This is known as a "break-before-make" handoff. Hard handovers are used mainly in Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) cellular systems, where each cell was assigned a different frequency band. In such systems, a user entering a new cell tears down the existing connection before setting up a new connection at a different frequency in the target cell. The mobile terminal performs a handover, when a signal strength of a neighboring cell exceeds a signal strength of the current cell within a given threshold. In a typical hard handover, users may experience a "click" sound when speech transmissions are stopped momentarily during handovers.
Code division multiple access (CDMA) cellular systems use identical frequencies in each cell. Hence, it is possible to make a connection with a new cell before leaving an old cell. This technique is known as a "make-before-break" or "soft" handover, where a mobile terminal in proximity to a cell boundary can communicate with two or more base stations. Soft handover has been used in CDMA networks, and later in 3G or Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) networks. Soft handover maintains two thresholds for its handover decision making. When a pilot signal strength from a base station exceeds a first threshold, the base station (or an identifier associated with the base station) is put into the candidate set. The candidate set may contain more than one base station (or base station identifier) at any time. Depending on changes in the pilot signal strength from the two or more base stations involved, a hard decision will eventually made to communicate with only one base station. This will occur when the signal from one base station is considerably stronger than signals from other base stations, or the signal from one base station exceeds a second threshold. In an interim period (e.g., between two thresholds), the user may have simultaneous communication with all base stations in the candidate set.
Compared to hard handover, soft handover is more complex, requiring additional network resources. On the other hand, soft handover offers the advantage of smoother communications, without a "click" sound typically found in hard handover during speech communications. Soft handover also reduces a "ping-pong" effect of a pilot signal that is continuously added and deleted, which is common in hard handovers. Reducing or eliminating the ping-pong effect reduces traffic load on networks by limiting handover signaling and overhead.


Pumping units are known to have an inlet channel, opening out into a pumping channel and tapering from an inlet cross section to an outlet into the pumping channel with an outlet cross-section. The flow is deflected through ninety degrees on entry to the pumping channel which induces strong swirling. The transition from the inlet channel into the pumping channel is not optimal for flow. This effect reduces the efficiency of the pumping unit. The inlet flow into the pumping channel is improved in the pumping unit according to the invention and hence efficiency is improved. According to the invention, the outlet is essentially provided in a first quadrant with relation to the inlet cross section and the tapering of the inlet channel essentially occurs in the other three quadrants. The tapering wall of the inlet channel is formed by a plane-generating shape which goes around from one side of the outlet to the other side of the outlet and is shaped to be increasingly flat relative to a plane of the outlet.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention is based on a pumping unit.
2. Description of the Prior Art
DE 43 00 845 A1 has already disclosed a pumping unit having an inlet conduit that is connected to a pump chamber containing a rotor and to a pumping conduit and narrows from an inlet cross section to an outlet cross section at an outlet into the pumping conduit. The flow is deflected by 90 degrees as it flows into the pumping conduit, inducing a comparatively powerful turbulence in it. The transition from the inlet conduit into the pumping conduit is not optimal for flow. This effect reduces the efficiency of the pumping unit.


A regulator unit for regulating a flap opening of a flap arranged in a mass flow line includes: an analyzer unit which is designed for providing an analysis signal on the basis of a predefined desired pressure difference and a difference between pressures upstream and downstream from the flap; a regulator which is designed for determining a trigger signal from the analysis signal according to a regulating characteristic; and a control element-regulating unit which is designed for regulating the flap opening of the flap in the mass flow line in response to the trigger signal.

Flaps are often provided in the inlet and outlet air lines for the internal combustion engine for controlling an internal combustion engine. These flaps may be opened or closed to permit regulation of a mass flow of a fluid (e.g., air, a fuel-air mixture, exhaust gas or a liquid fuel). The flap (in the form of a throttle member) which is often attached on one side is moved slightly to open a variable line cross section of the line for the flow of the fluid.
If a device which may be used to throttle the mass flow is introduced into a line carrying the fluid, design features may result in the flow having an influence on the regulating behavior of this throttle member. Such a case occurs, for example, when a flap attached on one side is used in a line carrying exhaust gas to regulate the exhaust mass flow through the line and this is operated by an actuator, which in turn exerts a force on the throttle member. Such devices are used, for example, on a wastegate of a turbocharger or an exhaust gas regulating flap for two-step charging using a pneumatic actuator.
A model with the help of which the torques acting on the flap may be calculated and thus the triggering may be corrected is described in DE 10 2004 048 860.
In most cases, however, due to interference variables in the real surroundings, an additional regulator is needed to compensate for deviations that occur. The optimal regulator gain is a function of the system gain around the operating point of the machine to be regulated. This may in turn be influenced to a great extent by the forces acting on the throttle member.

Regulator unit and method for regulating a flap opening of a flap situated in a mass flow line


Methods, program products, and vehicles are provided for classifying movement of target vehicles in proximity to a host vehicle and taking appropriate action based on the classification. An active safety system is coupled to a drive system, and is configured to provide an action during a drive cycle of the vehicle. The active safety system comprises a detection unit and a processor. The detection unit is configured to measure movement of a target vehicle in proximity to a host vehicle. The processor is coupled to the detection unit, and is configured to assess a pattern of the movement of the target vehicle relative to the host vehicle or a third vehicle, classify the movement of the target vehicle based on the pattern to generate a classification, the classification pertaining to a deviation from a typical vehicle movement, and take action based on the classification.

Many vehicles today have active safety systems, such as a forward collision alert (FCA) system, collision imminent braking system (CIB), collision preparation system (CPS), and/or enhanced collision avoidance (ECA) system. Such active safety functionality supplements traditional driver control of the vehicle with one or more warnings or automated actions, such as automatic braking and/or steering, in appropriate conditions, such as when another target vehicle is detected in proximity to the vehicle. While active safety functionality serves valuable purposes, it may be desirable to tailor the active safety actions to particular types of detected target vehicles, and/or to classify different types of detected target vehicles.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide improved methods for classifying movement of target vehicles in proximity to a host vehicle and taking appropriate action based on the classification. It is also desirable to provide improved program products and systems for such classification of movement of target vehicles in proximity to a host vehicle and taking of appropriate action based on the classification. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will be apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.


A coordinate input display apparatus is provided in which a reference output of a pressure detection sensor under a non-pressed state is adjusted so as to fall within a predetermined range, and pressed position detection accuracy is improved. The coordinate input display apparatus that includes a plurality of pressure detection sensors and detects a pressed position on a front surface of the apparatus on the basis of a pressure applied to the pressure detection sensors includes: a pressure detection panel in which the pressure detection sensor is disposed; a pressing force transmission unit that is in contact with the pressure detection sensor; and an adjusting screw that adjusts a pressure applied between the pressure detection panel and the pressing force transfer unit.

In computers or data processing apparatuses, in order to realize a simple and intuitive operation, an input device that identifies a coordinate position that is pressed on a touch panel and inputs data has been used. A user presses a position corresponding to a button or an icon displayed on a screen so as to input operation information, and then enables to operate intuitively. Furthermore, a designer of the device is able to freely arrange buttons and icons on the screen.
In order to identify a pressed position on a touch panel, devices that detect the pressed position on the basis of a change in a resistance over a resistance film, a change in the electrostatic capacitance, and the like, have been used. However, in these methods, it is necessary to arrange a conductive material, such as a resistance film, on the front of a screen in order to detect the pressed position. For this reason, problems arise in that optical transmission is restricted, and the ease of viewing becomes poor.
On the other hand, there is a method in which a special material is not arranged on the screen, and a pressure detection sensor, such as a distortion gauge, is disposed so as to directly detect a pressure caused by pressing. Since a material that restricts the optical transmission is not arranged, there is a feature that ease of viewing is not decreased.
In such a method in which a pressure is detected to detect a pressed position, a detection value (reference output) output from a pressure detection sensor under a non-pressed state is stored as a reference level, and the actual pressure at the time of pressing is obtained on the basis of the difference between the reference level and the detection value at the time of pressing. Therefore, when the reference output is changed due to mechanical distortion, deterioration with age of a pressure sensor, and the like, there is a problem in that the pressed position cannot be correctly obtained. Accordingly, there is proposed, for example, "a touch position identification method for identifying a touch position of a touch on a touch screen, including a step of obtaining a plurality of reference levels for a force response touch signal; a step of selecting one or more reference levels from among the plurality of reference levels on the basis of the information obtained from the touch signal; and a step of identifying a touch position by using the selected one or more reference levels" (see, for example, Patent Literature 1). In this Patent Literature 1, one or more reference levels are used to compensate for a state that exerts an influence on a touch signal.


The invention relates to an oil-in-water emulsion obtained by mixing (a) a polymer compound having, in a side chain, a group represented by formula (1):-OX)n-E2-R  (1)wherein X represents a C1 to C6 divalent saturated hydrocarbon group, n is a number of 5 to 300, E2 is an ether linkage or an ester linkage, and R represents a C4 to C30 hydrocarbon group, (b) a water-soluble polyol, (c) a nonionic surfactant, (d) a hydrophobic compound, and water and diluting the resulting mixture with water and a process for producing the same.

To blend a hydrophobic compound such as oil stably as an emulsion is an important technique in products such as cosmetics and perfumes. Generally, emulsified particles in an emulsion using a low-molecular surfactant are small and relatively stable, but in a solution system in the presence of a large amount of a surfactant such as detergent, their stability is lost and emulsification is destroyed. Accordingly, even if a hydrophobic compound useful for the surface of skin and hair to be washed is blended as an emulsion, the hydrophobic compound is emulsified with a surfactant used as a detergent, thus deteriorating foaming of the detergent. In this case, the intentionally blended hydrophobic compound is also emulsified with a surfactant used as the detergent, and thus almost all of the blended hydrophobic compound is washed away, so there is a problem that after use, the hydrophobic compound rarely remains on the washed surface.
Accordingly, JP-A 2003-226612 discloses an oil-in-water emulsion which is stable in a system in the presence of a large amount of a surfactant such as a detergent, that is, excellent in resistance to a surfactant solution, can be compounded with a detergent without deteriorating fundamental performance such as foaming, and is excellent in feel upon application onto the skin, as well as a process for producing the same.

Oil-in-water emulsion and process for producing the same


A system and method for intra-operatively providing a surgeon with visual evaluations of possible surgical outcomes ahead of time, and generating simulated data, includes a medical imaging camera, a registration device for registering data to a physical space, and to the medical imaging camera, and a fusion mechanism for fusing the data and the images to generate simulated data, without correcting for distortion. The simulated data (e.g., such as augmented X-ray images) is natural and easy for a surgeon to interpret. In an exemplary implementation, the system preferably includes a data processor which receives a three-dimensional surgical plan or three-dimensional plan of therapy delivery, one or a plurality of two-dimensional intra-operative images, a three-dimensional model of pre-operative data, registration data, and image calibration data. The data processor produces one or a plurality of simulated post-operative images, without correcting for distortion, by integrating a projection of a three-dimensional model of pre-operative data onto one or a plurality of two-dimensional intra-operative images.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to robotics and medical imaging techniques and, more particularly to robotically-assisted surgical systems and other devices incorporating methods for registering image data (both pre-operative and intra-operative) to physical space and for providing feedback, and in particular visual feedback, to the clinician.
2. Description of the Related Art
Computers are increasingly used to plan complex surgeries by analyzing pre-operative Computed Tomography (CT) or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans of a patient.
To execute the surgical plan, it is important to accurately align or register the three-dimensional pre-operative and intra-operative data to an actual location of the patient""s anatomical features of interest during surgery.
One conventional technique for performing this type of registration is to attach a stereo-tactic frame or fiducial markers to the patient, and to precisely locate the frame or markers prior to and during surgery.
For example, in the case of a surgery involving a patient""s femur, a conventional registration protocol includes implanting three metallic markers or pins in the patient""s femur (e.g., one proximally in the trochanter and two distally in the condyles, near the knee). However, the insertion of the pins requires minor surgery. A CT-scan image of the patient is subsequently acquired. By analyzing the CT data, the surgeon decides upon the size and location of the implant that best fits the patient""s anatomy. During surgery, the metallic pins are exposed at the hip and knee. The patient""s leg is attached to a surgical robot device that then must locate the exposed pins. A registration, or coordinate transformation from CT space to robot space, is computed using the locations of the three pins as a Cartesian frame. The accuracy of this registration has been measured to be better than one millimeter. This conventional registration protocol is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,299,288 entitled xe2x80x9cIMAGE-DIRECTED ROBOTIC SYSTEM FOR PRECISE ROBOTIC SURGERY INCLUDING REDUNDANT CONSISTENCY CHECKINGxe2x80x9d by Glassman et al., and incorporated herein by reference.
However, using such pins as markers is not always desirable, as they may cause significant patient discomfort, and the required surgical procedure to insert and subsequently remove the pins is inconvenient and costly to the patient.
An alternative registration technique is to perform anatomy-based registration that uses anatomical features of the patient (e.g., generally bone features), as markers for registration. Conventional methods for performing anatomy-based registration are described in xe2x80x9cRegistration of Head CT Images to Physical Space Using a Weighted Combination of Points and Surfacesxe2x80x9d by Herring et al., in IEEE Transactions on Medical Imaging, Vol. 17, No 5, pages 753-761, 1998 and in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/936,935 (YO997-322) entitled xe2x80x9cMETHODS AND APPARATUS FOR REGISTERING CT-SCAN DATA TO MULTIPLE FLUOROSCOPIC IMAGESxe2x80x9d, filed on Sep. 27, 1997 by A Gueziec et al., each of which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Once the registration has been performed, it is important to provide the clinician with means to assess the registration, allowing him or her to validate, reject or improve the registration (and the surgical plan). A system and method for advising a surgeon is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,445,166, entitled xe2x80x9cSYSTEM FOR ADVISING A SURGEONxe2x80x9d, by Taylor, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. Taylor describes a system for guiding the motions of a robot, or of a positioning device controlled by motors, and teaches how audio feedback and force feedback can be provided to a surgeon. Taylor also describes a visual adviser allowing comparison of the surgical plan with its execution. The system taught by Taylor optionally uses a camera at the end of a surgical instrument that sends an image to the graphics adapter, optionally mixed with graphics output of the computer.
A conventional technique for simulating a post-operative X-ray image is described in xe2x80x9cAn Overview of Computer-Integrated Surgery at the IBM T. J. Watson Research Centerxe2x80x9d by Taylor et al., in IBM Journal of Research, 1996, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Thus, conventional techniques are useful for registering three-dimensional pre-operative and intra-operative data to an actual location of anatomical features of interest during surgery, and to provide advice to the surgeon. However, none of the conventional techniques teaches how to simulate a post-operative condition depending upon the registration of image data to physical space, by fusing intra-operative images with registered pre-operative data, and generating new images.
In Taylor et al., the simulated post-operative X-ray image is generated using only pre-operative CT (Computed Tomography) data. Herring et al. do not teach how to evaluate the registration accuracy intra-operatively.
Although Glassman et al.""s and Taylor""s systems compare a surgical plan and its execution, neither Glassman et al. nor Taylor teaches how to simulate the outcome of a surgical plan prior to the actual execution of the plan. With Taylor""s system, a surgeon can take corrective measures to minimize the effects of a wrongful execution of the plan, but cannot make a decision before any execution of the plan and therefore cannot prevent all errors before they occur.
Further, the information produced by Taylor""s system for advising a surgeon is not represented in the form of conventional medical media (e.g., such as X-ray images) and requires an extra burden on the surgeon in order to interpret and evaluate this information.
Thus, it is believed that conventional techniques do not exist (or at the very least are inadequate) for (a) providing the surgeon with post-operative evaluations prior to surgery, that are obtained by merging intra-operative image data and pre-operative data, and (b) presenting such evaluations in a standard clinical fashion (e.g., such as augmented X-ray images) that is natural for a surgeon to interpret.
Other problems of the conventional systems and methods include the limited availability of 2-D/3-D registration methods in conventional art systems for advising a surgeon.
In another conventional system, as described in the above-mentioned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/299,643, the geometric distortion of an X-ray image is always corrected. This is problematic because a clinician or surgeon is used to seeing the unmodified image (e.g., an image with distortion). That is, as a practical matter, surgeons generally are not familiar with seeing the modified image. Surgeons are used to interpreting the unmodified images. Further, such a correction may cause image degradation or blurring due to the reformatting of the image. Additionally, slower and more complex processing results from the image correction process.
In view of the foregoing and other problems of the conventional methods and structures, an object of the present invention is to provide a method and structure for intra-operatively providing the surgeon with visual evaluations of possible surgical outcomes ahead of time, the evaluations being obtained by merging intra-operative image data and pre-operative data, and presented in a standard clinical fashion (e.g., such as augmented X-ray images) that is natural and easy for a surgeon to interpret.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a system and method for fusing three-dimensional shape data on distorted images without correcting for distortion.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a system and method for assisting the surgeon in improving an inaccurate registration of a pre-operative surgical plan to a physical space of an operating room.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved robotically assisted surgical system that also provides visual post-operative evaluations.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved robotically-assisted surgical system that includes a system for assisting the surgeon in improving a registration.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved robotically assisted surgical system that includes a system for preventing surgical errors caused by internal failure of the robot""s calibration system.
In a first aspect of the present invention, a system is provided for fusing three-dimensional shape data on distorted images without correcting for distortion.
The inventive system preferably includes a data processor. The data processor takes as inputs a three-dimensional surgical plan or three-dimensional plan of therapy delivery, one or a plurality of two-dimensional intra-operative images, a three-dimensional model of pre-operative data, registration data, and image calibration data.
The data processor produces one or a plurality of simulated post-operative images, by integrating a projection of a three-dimensional model of pre-operative data onto one or a plurality of two-dimensional intra-operative images, without correcting for any distortion in the images.
The data processor optionally receives an input from a surgeon or a clinician. The input preferably includes a set of constraints on the surgical plan or plan of therapy delivery. The data processor preferably optimizes the surgical plan or plan of therapy delivery using the constraints.
In another aspect of the present invention, a system (and method) for generating simulated data, includes a medical imaging camera for generating images, a registration device for registering data to a physical space, and to the medical imaging camera, and a fusion (integration) mechanism for fusing (integrating) the data and the images, without correcting for distortion to generate simulated data.
In yet another aspect of the invention, a method of fusing three-dimensional image data on distorted images, includes receiving a potentially distorted image, calibrating the potentially distorted image, based on the calibration, computing an apparent contour of the three-dimensional shape of the potentially distorted image, for each pixel of the image, determining a ray in 3-dimensional space and computing a distance from the ray to the apparent contour, and selectively adjusting a pixel value of the potentially distorted image based on the distance.
In yet another aspect of the invention, a signal-bearing medium is provided for storing a program for performing the method of the invention. Other aspects of the invention are also set forth below.
With the invention, the surgeon is provided with intra-operative visual evaluations of possible surgical outcomes in advance, with the evaluations being obtained by merging intra-operative image data and pre-operative data. Such evaluations are presented in a standard clinical fashion that is natural and easy for a surgeon to interpret. Further, the inventive system compares several registration methods of pre-operative data to the physical space of the operating room.
Moreover, the invention assists the surgeon in improving an inaccurate registration of a pre-operative surgical plan to the physical space. Additionally, the system can be robotically-assisted and can provide visual post-operative evaluations.
Additionally, in the robotically-assisted implementation of the inventive system, surgical errors, caused by internal failure of the robot""s calibration system, can be prevented.
Further, with the invention, a clinician or surgeon can view images in the manner that they are accustomed. That is, the clinician or surgeon can view the unmodified image (e.g., an image with distortion), in the manner with which they are familiar. Thus, the surgeons can continue to interpret the unmodified images, as is customary. Further, since no correction is performed as in the conventional system and methods, no image degradation or blurring results from such image correction and reformatting of the image. Additionally, processing speed is not decreased, and similarly processing resources are not increased since the processing of the method of the present invention is less complex than that of the conventional systems and methods.

System and method for fusing three-dimensional shape data on distorted images without correcting for distortion

International Business Machines Corporation


Methods and systems for automated identification of celebrity face images are provided that generate a name list of prominent celebrities, obtain a set of images and corresponding feature vectors for each name, detect faces within the set of images, and remove non-face images. An analysis of the images is performed using an intra-model analysis, an inter-model analysis, and a spectral analysis to return highly accurate biometric models for each of the individuals present in the name list. Recognition is then performed based on precision and recall to identify the face images as belonging to a celebrity or indicate that the face is unknown.

1. Field
Embodiments of this invention relate to recognizing persons in visual content.
2. Background Art
The Internet hosts vast amounts of content of different types including text, images, and video. Leveraging this content requires the content to be searchable and organized. Images are generally searched and organized based on identifiers that are manually assigned by users.
In particular, when an image is that of a person's face, the recognition of that face by a person can be done with extremely high accuracy despite large variations in appearance, lighting, and expressions. Computer vision systems, on the other hand, have had a difficult time in performing recognition at the level of accuracy of a human being. Although face recognition has been a long standing problem in computer vision and other domains, the main focus of the industry has been the recognition of faces in controlled environments with fairly small datasets. As the datasets increase into the thousands, each with appearance variations due to illumination, pose, and expression, the task of successful verification and recognition has been lacking.
As small datasets of famous people have become available, an effort to recognize celebrities in the news has also occurred. Algorithms for face identification, verification, and recognition have been developed that typically contain datasets constrained to news pictures that are usually of high quality, taken in controlled environments, and in controlled poses. In contrast, generic images of people of interest in uncontrolled environments lack the ability to be automatically recognized and verified.
Therefore, what are needed are methods and systems to automatically mine person models of celebrities for visual search applications.

Automatically mining person models of celebrities for visual search applications


A computer bus structure is provided which permits replacement of removable modules during operation of a computer wherein means are provided to precharge signal output lines to within a predetermined range prior to the usage of the signal output lines to carry signals, and further, wherein means are provided to minimize arcing to pins designed to carry the power and signals of a connector. In a specific embodiment, pin length, i.e., separation between male and female components of the connector, are subdivided into long pin length and short pin length. Ground connections and power connections for each voltage level are assigned to the long pin lengths. Signal connections and a second power connection for each voltage level is assigned to the short pin lengths. The precharge/prebias circuit comprises a resistor divider coupled between a power source and ground with a high impedance tap coupled to a designated signal pin, across which is coupled a charging capacitor or equivalent representing the capacitance of the signal line. Bias is applied to the precharge/prebias circuit for a sufficient length of time to precharge the signal line to a desired neutral signal level between expected high and low signal values prior to connection of the short pin to its mate.

This invention relates to structures of computer buses and the like which permit insertion and withdrawal of connectors for modules such as printed circuit boards during powered operation.
It is frequently desirable for electronic systems, and in particular computer systems to operate continuously. Computer systems typically comprise modules interconnected through a bus structure in a backplane. The modules or subsystems are generally separately addressable under control of operating systems software.
Insertion and withdrawal of a module from a backplane through a module connector and the backplane connector during operation of the backplane where there is application of power through the backplane presents numerous problems. Undesired transient signals can be created during the insertion or removal process which disturb backplane logic signals. Arcing between contacts occurs whenever power is instantaneously applied or removed from a contact if there is a significant capacitive or inductive component in the power source or the load.
What is needed is a mechanism for addressing the problem of undesired transients in signals and power which would permit online withdrawal and insertion of modules, as part of a scheme for online replacement or repair by module exchange in an operating computer system.

Computer bus structure permitting replacement of modules during operation


A device and a method for handling and withstanding electromagnetic fields, specifically such fields as occur in magnetic resonance tomography examinations (i.e., MRT or MRI). This refers in particular to an IMD that can transmit data and/or parameters to an MRT device.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention relate to a device and a method for handling electromagnetic fields, specifically, such fields as occur in devices for magnetic resonance tomography. ("MRT" or "MRI" stand for magnetic resonance tomography and magnetic resonance imaging respectively, wherein these two acronyms are used interchangeably herein).
2. Description of the Related Art
Although MRI examinations are becoming increasingly important in diagnostic medicine, a certain fraction of patients is contraindicated for MRI examinations. This type of contraindication can be caused by an at least partially implanted medical device (hereafter also: implant or IMD).
In order to be able to effect MRI examinations despite this fact, various approaches are known that relate either to the implementation of the MRI examination or to the implantable medical device.
US 2005/0070787 A1 thus discloses an approach whereby communication is established between an MRI device and an implant, thereby enabling the implant with information from the MRI device to deactivate one or more components of the implant during the delivery of RF pulses by the MRI device. To this end, as is described, it is necessary for communication to take place between implant and MRI device, which action requires a common communications protocol and compatible communications capabilities on each side. Aside from the thus necessary compatibility requirements and additionally necessary communications units, specifically on the side of the MRI devices, a further disadvantage is the long transitional period involved until a significant fraction of the MRI devices allow for safe MRI examinations of implant patients to occur.
A similar approach is pursued by EP 2 062 525. This describes an RFID system on electrode leads belonging to an implant that allows for a flow of information from the RFID tag to an MRI device. This system thus requires MRI devices that have a unit to read the RFID tags. Aside from the thus necessary compatibility requirements and additionally necessary RFID units, specifically on the side of the MRI devices, a further disadvantage is the long transitional period involved until a significant fraction of the MRI devices allow for safe MRI examinations of implant patients to occur through existing RFID read units.
In addition, both prior-art systems require the given MRI device to be equipped with updated information about the specific implant.

Apparatus and method for communication between MRI system and implantable medical devices


According to certain embodiments, a method for use in a network node comprises broadcasting a synchronization signal (SS) to one or more wireless devices. The SS comprises basic information about the network node. The method further comprises receiving a preamble from one of the wireless devices via a random access channel and determining a reference signal (RS) sequence based at least in part on the preamble received via the random access channel and/or the SS that was broadcast to the one or more wireless devices. The method further comprises transmitting a random access response comprising the RS sequence.

A random-access (RA) procedure is a key function in a cellular system. For example, in Long Term Evolution (LTE), a user equipment (UE) (which may be referred to interchangeably as a mobile terminal or wireless device) may access the network by participating in a random-access procedure with a transmission and reception point (TRP), such as a base station, access node, or access point. The UE that would like to access the network initiates the random-access procedure by transmitting a preamble (Msg1) in the uplink on the Physical Random-Access Channel (PRACH). The TRP receiving the preamble and detecting the random-access attempt will respond in the downlink by transmitting a random-access response (RAR, Msg2). The RAR carries an uplink scheduling grant for the UE to continue the procedure by transmitting a following subsequent message in the uplink (Msg3) for terminal identification. A similar procedure is envisioned for NR, see an illustration in FIG. 1 (i.e., FIG. 1A-1B).
In LTE, the RAR is transmitted over Physical Downlink Control CHannel (PDCCH)/Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH), similar to normal data transmission. More specifically, the RAR is sent on the Downlink Shared CHannel (DL-SCH, such as PDSCH) and indicated on the PDCCH using an identity reserved for RAR, the Random Access Radio-Network Temporary Identifier (RA-RNTI) (instead of a Cell Radio-Network Temporary Identifier (C-RNTI) as used for already connected UEs). The RAR message contains, among other items, the detected PRACH preamble index as well as a temporary UE identity, Temporary C-RNTI (TC-RNTI), to be used for further communication between the UE and the network, until a C-RNTI has been assigned to the UE. RAR messages to multiple UEs can be combined into a single transmission over DL-SCH. See e.g., Dahlman et al., "3G evolution: HSPA and LTE for mobile broadband" for more information.
In LTE, the UE receiving the RAR can assume that the RAR is well synchronized with the LTE synchronization signal (called primary synchronization signal (PSS)/secondary synchronization signal (SSS)) and the receiver can hence base its time and frequency synchronization on PSS/SSS and only use the cell-specific reference signals (CRS) in the RAR transmission for the detailed channel estimate (phase estimate), similar to the case of normal data transmission.
In contrast, in NR, a UE might have to be able to receive RAR in a somewhat large timing uncertainty interval relative to the synchronization signal (SS). Reasons for large timing offset between received SS and RAR (using UE perspective) may be e.g., [R1-167060, R1-1609673]:
1. Narrowband and Low Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) for SS                only enough downlink timing accuracy for small broadcast        Without beamforming of SS, it might be received with low SNR
2. Different Nodes for SS and RAR                Propagation: 1 km corresponds to a round trip time of 3.3 μs. This should be compared to a cyclic prefix of approximately 4 μs
3. Non-Synchronized Nodes                Or "loosely" synchronized nodes        With SFN (Single Frequency Network) type of SS transmission
For these reason, it is proposed to have a self-contained RAR in NR [R1-167060, R1-1609673], i.e., the RAR contains its own dedicated synchronization signal as illustrated in FIG. 2. Each box would typically represent one Orthogonal Frequency Domain Multiplexing (OFDM) symbol (or similar, depending on modulation scheme used), and the dashed boxes are optional symbols if needed to encompass the RAR payload.
If there is only one data signal (DS) symbol (which may often be enough), the synchronization signal reference signal (RS) can likely be used also as a phase reference for channel estimation. If there are multiple DS symbols, there may be a need for additional dedicated reference symbols (DMRS) in the DS part, but those would then typically need to occupy just a subset of the subcarriers.
If the RAR signal, as received at the UE location, is not sufficiently closely aligned with the current downlink (DL) time reference of the UE, the DS field cannot be reliably demodulated and decoded. The aim of the RS field is then to allow establishing an improved time reference, as well as a frequency reference, for placing the fast Fourier transform (FFT) window for DS symbol demodulation. Synchronization search is typically implemented as time-domain correlation of the received sample sequence with reference sequences representing the transmitted RS signal. The reference timing is inferred when a sufficiently high correlation peak is detected. The time-domain correlation is a relatively expensive operation and needs to be carried out individually for each possible RS sequence, so RAR search complexity is proportional to the number of possible RS sequences the UE needs to account for. For the UE, the best configuration is therefore a single RS that applies to any RAR transmission.
The random-access procedure (Msg1-3) employing the RAR design from FIG. 2 is illustrated along with timings in FIG. 3.

Radio (NR) random access response (RAR) synchronization sequence selection


A pulse multiplexed output subsystem is disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the output subsystem may comprise a plurality of pulse generators, a first pair of transistors, and a second pair of transistors, wherein each of the first pair of transistors is coupled to a respective one of a first pair of the plurality of pulse generators, and wherein each of the second pair of transistors is coupled to a respective one of a second pair of the plurality of pulse generators. The output subsystem may also comprise a first pair of resistive loads, wherein each of the first pair of resistive loads is coupled to a respective one of the first pair of transistors and a respective one of the second pair of transistors, and a first current source coupled to the first pair of transistors and the second pair of transistors.

Low core data path operating frequencies can provide significant power reduction as well as relaxed circuit design requirements for power critical dynamic random access memory (DRAM) systems. However, it is difficult to maintain a low latency high performance output channel data rate since several slower data streams must be multiplexed and level shifted into the output channel in as few stages as possible. Therefore, a practical architecture for a multi-data stream environment is desirable.
Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a conventional output subsystem 100 comprising a plurality of preconditioning driver circuits 102, a plurality of cross-coupled transistor stacks 104, a first current source 106, a first pair of resistive loads 108, a pair of transistors 110 forming a differential output driver, a second pair of resistive loads 112, and a second current source 114. Each of the plurality of preconditioning driver circuits 102 receives an input data signal (e.g., D1) and quadrature clock signals (i.e., CLKI, /CLKI, CLKQ, and /CLKQ), and generates a pair of output data signals that are phase shifted 90° based thereon.
Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown a preconditioning driver circuit 200 that may be used as one or more of the plurality of preconditioning driver circuits 102 shown in FIG. 1. The preconditioning driver circuit 200 comprises a plurality of inverter devices 202, as well as a plurality of transmission gates each comprising an NMOS transistor 204 and a PMOS transistor 206. As described above with reference to FIG. 1, the preconditioning driver circuit 200 receives an input data signal (e.g., D1) and quadrature clock signals (i.e., CLKI, /CLKI, CLKQ, and /CLKQ), and generates a pair of output data signals (D1A and D1B) that are phase shifted 90° based thereon.
Referring again to FIG. 1, each pair of 90° phase shifted output data signals that are generated by a respective one of the plurality of preconditioning driver circuits 102 are provided to a respective one of the plurality of cross-coupled transistor stacks 104. Each of the plurality of cross-coupled transistor stacks 104 receives a pair of 90° phase shifted output data signals from a respective one of the plurality of preconditioning driver circuits 102, and generates an output driver control signal via current paths formed with the first current source 106 and one of the first pair of resistive loads 108. A complement of each output driver control signal is also generated by a corresponding one of the plurality of cross-coupled transistor stacks 104 such that four pairs of complementary output driver control signals are generated by the entire plurality of cross-coupled transistor stacks 104.
Referring to FIG. 3, there is shown a cross-coupled transistor stack 300 that may be used as one or more of the plurality of cross-coupled transistor stacks 104 shown in FIG. 1. The cross-coupled transistor stack 300 comprises a plurality of NMOS transistors 302 electrically connected in a cross-coupled manner. As described above with reference to FIG. 1, the cross-coupled transistor stack 300 receives a pair of 90° phase shifted output data signals (DA and DB) from a respective one of the plurality of preconditioning driver circuits 102, and generates an output driver control signal via current paths formed with the first current source 106 and one of the first pair of resistive loads 108.
Referring again to FIG. 1, each pair of complementary output driver control signals generated by a corresponding pair of cross-coupled transistor stacks 104 is provided as inputs to the pair of transistors 110 forming the differential output driver. The pair of transistors 110 forming the differential output driver receive each pair of complementary output driver control signals generated by a corresponding pair of cross-coupled transistor stacks 104, and generate a pair of differential output signals (DQ and DQN) via current paths formed with the second current source 114 and the second pair of resistive loads 112.
The conventional output subsystem 100 is typically designed with a logic process where threshold voltages for NMOS transistors are relatively low and thus multiple transistor stacks are allowed. However, larger threshold voltages for NMOS transistors in other logic processes may make saturation margins difficult to meet. In addition, larger current draws required to drive larger differential output driver transistors would cause transistor sizes in the cross-coupled transistor stacks to grow, due to poor IDS characteristics. This would result in excessive drain-bulk parasitic capacitance values which would preclude the use of a similar architecture. Increasing transistor sizes in the cross-coupled transistor stacks to compensate for a larger capacitive load would simply increase the drain-bulk capacitance load, thus essentially resulting in a zero-sum gain.
Referring to FIG. 4, there is shown an alternative output subsystem 400, which is essentially identical to the conventional output subsystem 100 of FIG. 1 except for the connection of the first pair of resistive loads 108 to VDD instead of VDDIO and the addition of a pair of common-source amplifiers 402. The connection of the first pair of resistive loads 108 to VDD instead of VDDIO allows the plurality of cross-coupled transistor stacks 104 to have a larger overhead voltage and makes it easier to keep the transistors in the plurality of cross-coupled transistor stacks 104 in saturation. A level shift towards VDDIO is accomplished through the pair of common-source amplifiers 402. For example, referring to FIG. 5, there is shown a common-source amplifier 500 comprising a PMOS transistor 502 and an NMOS transistor 504. However, the power consumption of such a common-source amplifier 500 would cause the output subsystem 500 to reach approximately 60 milliwatt (mW) stand-by power, which is not acceptable in many applications.
In view of the foregoing, it would be desirable to provide an output subsystem which overcomes the above-described inadequacies and shortcomings.


The invention concerns the geNo.mic sequence and cDNA sequences of the PCTA-1 gene. The invention also concerns biallelic markers of the PCTA-1 gene and the association established between these markers and prostate cancer. The invention provides means to determine the predisposition of individuals to prostate cancer as well as means for the diagNo.sis of prostate cancer and for the progNo.sis/detection of an eventual treatment response to agents acting against prostate cancer.

The invention concerns the genomic and cDNA sequences of the PCTA-1 gene, biallelic markers of the PCTA-1 gene and the association established between these markers and prostate cancer. The invention provides means to determine the predisposition of individuals to prostate cancer as well as means for the diagnosis of this cancer and for the prognosis/detection of an eventual treatment response to therapeutic agents acting against prostate cancer.
The incidence of prostate cancer has dramatically increased over the last decades. It averages 30-50/100,000 males in Western European countries as well as within the US White male population. In these countries, it has recently become the most commonly diagnosed malignancy, being one of every four cancers diagnosed in American males. Prostate cancer""s incidence is very much population specific, since it varies from 2/100,000 in China, to over 80/100,000 among African-American males.
In France, the incidence of prostate cancer is 35/100,000 males and it is increasing by 10/100,000 per decade. Mortality due to prostate cancer is also growing accordingly. It is the second cause of cancer death among French males, and the first one among French males aged over 70. This makes prostate cancer a serious burden in terms of public health.
Prostate cancer is a latent disease. Many men carry prostate cancer cells without overt signs of disease. Autopsies of individuals dying of other causes show prostate cancer cells in 30% of men at age 50 and in 60% of men at age 80. Furthermore, prostate cancer can take up to 10 years to kill a patient after the initial diagnosis.
The progression of the disease usually goes from a well-defined mass within the prostate to a breakdown and invasion of the lateral margins of the prostate, followed by metastasis to regional lymph nodes, and metastasis to the bone marrow. Cancer metastasis to bone is common and often associated with uncontrollable pain.
Unfortunately, in 80% of cases, diagnosis of prostate cancer is established when the disease has already metastasized to the bones. Of special interest is the observation that prostate cancers frequently grow more rapidly in sites of metastasis than within the prostate itself.
Early-stage diagnosis of prostate cancer mainly relies today on Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) dosage, and allows the detection of prostate cancer seven years before clinical symptoms become apparent. The effectiveness of PSA dosage diagnosis is however limited, due to its inability to discriminate between malignant and non-malignant affections of the organ and because not all prostate cancers give rise to an elevated serum PSA concentration. Furthermore, PSA dosage and other currently available approaches such as physical examination, tissue biopsy and bone scans are of limited value in predicting disease progression.
Therefore, there is a strong need for a reliable diagnostic procedure which would enable a more systematic early-stage prostate cancer prognosis.
Although an early-stage prostate cancer prognosis is important, the possibility of measuring the period of time during which treatment can be deferred is also interesting as currently available medicaments are expensive and generate important adverse effects. However, the aggressiveness of prostate tumors varies widely. Some tumors are relatively aggressive, doubling every six months whereas others are slow-growing, doubling once every five years. In fact, the majority of prostate cancers grow relatively slowly and never becomes clinically manifest. Very often, affected patients are among the elderly and die from another disease before prostate cancer actually develops. Thus, a significant question in treating prostate carcinoma is how to discriminate between tumors that will progress and those that will not progress during the expected lifetime of the patient.
Hence, there is also a strong need for detection means which may be used to evaluate the aggressiveness or the development potential of prostate cancer tumors once diagnosed.
Furthermore, at the present time, there is no means to predict prostate cancer susceptibility. It would also be very beneficial to detect individual susceptibility to prostate cancer. This could allow preventive treatment and a careful follow up of the development of the tumor.
A further consequence of the slow growth rate of prostate cancer is that few cancer cells are actively dividing at any one time, rendering prostate cancer generally resistant to radiation and chemotherapy. Surgery is the mainstay of treatment but it is largely ineffective and removes the ejaculatory ducts, resulting in impotence. Oral oestrogens and luteinizing releasing hormone analogs are also used for treatment of prostate cancer. These hormonal treatments provide marked improvement for many patients, but they only provide temporary relief. Indeed, most of these cancers soon relapse with the development of hormone-resistant tumor cells and the oestrogen treatment can lead to serious cardiovascular complications. Consequently, there is a strong need for preventive and curative treatment of prostate cancer.
Efficacy/tolerance prognosis could be precious in prostate cancer therapy. Indeed, hormonal therapy, the main treatment currently available, presents important side effects. The use of chemotherapy is limited because of the small number of patients with chemosensitive tumors. Furthermore the age profile of the prostate cancer patient and intolerance to chemotherapy make the systematic use of this treatment very difficult.
Therefore, a valuable assessment of the eventual efficacy of a medicament to be administered to a prostate cancer patient as well as the patient""s eventual tolerance to it may allow the benefit/risk ratio of prostate cancer treatment to be enhanced.
WO 96/21671 describes a new protein, named PCTA-1. The document describes the cloning and sequencing of a cDNA encoding PCTA-1 (GenBank L78132). This cDNA has 3.85 kb in length and presents about 80% sequence homology with rat galectin-8.
WO 96/21671 mentions that the PCTA-1 protein retains a number of conserved structural motifs that are found in most members of the galectin gene family. On the basis of its predicted amino acid sequence, PCTA-1 is said to appear to be a human homologue of rat galectin-8. The galectins display wide tissue distribution, clear developmental regulation, and differential levels in specific tissues, supporting the hypothesis that they contribute to many physiologically important processes in mammalian cells. Of direct relevance to cancer is the finding that the galectins can mediate both cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions.
The inventors have characterized the genomic sequence of the PCTA-1 gene, including its regulatory regions, and, through an association study, have shown that alleles of some biallelic markers of PCTA-1 are associated with prostate cancer.
Therefore, the present invention concerns the identification and characterization of the genomic sequence of the PCTA-1 gene, of new cDNA sequences and the proteins encoded by these cDNAs. The invention also concerns biallelic markers located in such sequences, as well as the selection of significant polymorphisms associated with prostate cancer.
Oligonucleotide probes and primers hybridizing specifically with a genomic sequence of PCTA-1 are also part of the invention. A further object of the invention consists of recombinant vectors comprising any of the nucleic acid sequences described in the present invention, and in particular of recombinant vectors comprising the regulatory region of PCTA-1 or a sequence encoding a PCTA-1 protein, as well as cell hosts comprising said nucleic acid sequences or recombinant vectors.
The selected polymorphisms are used in the design of assays for the reliable detection of genetic susceptibility to prostate cancer, of an early onset of prostate cancer, of the aggressiveness of prostate cancer tumors, of a modified or forthcoming expression of the PCTA-1 gene, of a modified or forthcoming production of the PCTA-1 protein, or of the production of a modified PCTA-1 protein. They can be used for diagnosis, staging, prognosis, and monitoring of such a disease, which processes can be further included within treatment approaches. The selected polymorphisms can also be used in the design of drug screening protocols to provide an accurate and efficient evaluation of the therapeutic and side-effect potential of new or already existing medicaments.
The invention also encompasses methods of screening of molecules which modulate or inhibit the expression of the PCTA-1 gene and more preferably of agent acting against prostate cancer.

Polymorphic markers of prostate carcinoma tumor antigen-1(PCTA-1)


When a preview image is displayed, an area on which a certain finishing process is executed is automatically enlarged and displayed. A control method for controlling an image forming apparatus including a display unit for previewing print results obtained by printing print information to be printed, the control method comprising: determining a preview position and a preview magnification rate of the print results to be displayed on the display unit, based on a post-processing setting for the print information; and controlling a preview of the print results to be displayed on the display unit, based on the determined preview position and preview magnification rate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus displaying a preview image, a control method for the image forming apparatus, and a storage medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
Image forming apparatuses such as multifunction peripherals have a preview function to display a preview image of printing results on a display device such as a display. The user can refer to a preview image to check the layout and color of the output image as well as the sharpness of the text in the output image. Thus, the user can reduce failures such as misprints.
Further, conventionally, apparatuses capable of executing a finishing process during a copy operation are available. Examples of the finishing process include a process of punching holes in a document (punching process) and a process of stapling a document (stapling process). When set in such a finishing process, these apparatuses can generate an image of the document on which the finishing process such as a punching process or a stapling process is executed and display the image as a preview image.
Additionally, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-63155 discusses a technique to create digital data having a pixel number corresponding to physical resolution at the time of printing and to display the data when a user selects an enlargement mode to check the details of a print image while using a preview function. While viewing a preview image, the user manually sets which part of the print image to enlarge and display so that the user can determine in detail whether punch holes or staples overlap the image and whether any missing part is present in an image.
However, according to the conventional techniques, when a user executes a finishing process based on a print setting and enlarges a preview image to check whether any missing part is present in the print image, the user needs to manually set an enlargement position and an enlargement rate repeatedly.

Image forming apparatus, control method therefor, and storage medium


This invention discloses a method and an apparatus for winding a cord continuously. A rotation of a winding bobbin around which a cord to be a tension member of a belt, is detected directly or indirectly. A cord is forwarded in an axial direction of a winding bobbin at a pitch, which corresponds to a diameter of the cord, in relation to a rotation of a winding bobbin. The bobbin axis of the winding bobbin is rotated at a constant speed by rotation driving means so that the cord is wound around the winding bobbin. The rotation of the bobbin axis is detected by rotation detection means directly or indirectly. The cord is forwarded in the axial direction of the winding bobbin in relation to the rotation of the winding bobbin at a pitch which corresponds to the diameter of the cord by receiving signals from the rotation detection means.

This invention relates to a method and an apparatus for winding a cord continuously in dip treating apparatus.
In order to improve adhesiveness of a cord to be used as a tension member of a belt and so on, a dip treating apparatus for sticking adhesives to the surface of the cord has been known.
The diameter of a cord, to be used as a tension member of a power transmission belt and so on, varies according to the type of a belt. In order to obtain a neat roll, an automatic cord winder needs to wind a cord around a winding bobbin correspondingly to the diameter of the cord.
Therefore, a winding pitch to wind a cord to a winding bobbin is adjusted by changing a cord forward speed of forwarding means (for example, a traverse pulley) for forwarding a cord in an axial direction of the bobbin, or by changing a pulley ratio by taking out a torque from driving system for rotation of a bobbin.
In the former example, the cord forward speed should be changed correspondingly not only to the diameter of the cord but also to a coming speed of the cord to the automatic winder. Thus, control of cord forward speed becomes complicated. In the latter example, since the pulley ratio is changed, pulleys should be changed by stopping the operation of the automatic winder every time the cord is changed. Thus, extra work is required to change pulleys and the overall mechanism becomes complicated.
In the dip treating apparatus, in order to obtain higher winding efficiency, dip treatment may be processed continuously between two cheeses around which untreated cord is wound.
However, in the above case, it is required to wind the cord finished dip treatment to one bobbin for one cheese around which the untreated cord is wound. To satisfy that request, a cord is wound continuously around the first and the second bobbins provided coaxially in a row at a specified intervals. However, the bobbin which winds the cord first should be appointed by, for example, a select switch. If the first bobbin is appointed by the select switch at starting, the cord is wound to one bobbin after the another bobbin winds the cord by a control part.
However, for example, if a first bobbin starts winding the cord and the operation for that day is finished in the middle of the second bobbin, the control part is cleared by turning the power source OFF. As a result, it is cleared that the bobbin was winding the cord. In this situation, if an operator forget to select the second bobbin by a select switch in the following day, winding mistake may occur since the select switch stays in the same situation as the day before, which means that the first switch is selected.

Method and apparatus for winding a cord continuously in dip treating apparatus


In a vehicle subframe, one of a pair of cross members includes a lower member open to a lower side of a vehicle, with an upper wall thereof having an upper wall recess depressed downward, an upper member arranged so as to cover the upper wall recess from above the vehicle and connected to the lower member, an inside space defined by the lower member and the upper member in cooperation, and a holding member connected to the lower member and the upper member in a mode in which the holding member is sandwiched between the lower member and the upper member, while penetrating the inside space in a longitudinal direction, to hold a component to be mounted.

The present invention relates to a vehicle subframe, and more particularly relates to a vehicle subframe that supports a suspension arm, a differential device (an actuator), and the like and is mounted on a vehicle such as an automobile.
In recent years, the subframe mounted on a vehicle such as an automobile receives a large input load such as a tensile load and a compressive load from respective arms particularly generated at the time of turning or braking, due to improvement of turning performance and braking performance of the vehicle.
Therefore, with respect to such a subframe, it has been required to further increase the strength and stiffness of the subframe, while maintaining productivity thereof.
Under such circumstances, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-272535 relates to a vehicle subframe structure and discloses a configuration including a vehicle width-direction extending member and a reinforcing plate member, in order to maintain an aligned condition of wheels appropriately, ensure steering stability, and prevent a decrease in durability, while suppressing deformation of an inclined portion formed with a spring receiving portion at an upper end thereof toward a vehicle body center. The vehicle width-direction extending member includes right and left spring receiving portions respectively bonded and fixed to right and left side members provided in an extended manner in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle to receive a road surface reaction force from a rear wheel via a coil spring, right and left inclined portions extending downward on the vehicle body center side from the both spring receiving portions, right and left bent portions formed respectively at a lower end of the both inclined portions and coupled with a lower arm, and a linear central portion provided in an extended manner from the both bent portions to the vehicle body center side. The reinforcing plate member has a vertical plate portion with an edge being bonded and fixed to the both inclined portions and the linear central portion of the vehicle width-direction extending member, to which a rear end of a differential device is attached.


Compositions and methods are provided for the enhanced in vitro synthesis of protein molecules, by optimizing the metabolism of amino acids present in the reaction mix, preferably all amino acids in the reaction mixture. By performing synthesis with extracts from genetically modified microbial strains that are deficient in multiple amino acid metabolizing enzymes reduces the enzymatic activities responsible for catalyzing these reactions and improves the overall yield of synthesis.

Protein synthesis is a fundamental biological process, which underlies the development of polypeptide therapeutics, diagnostics, and catalysts. With the advent of recombinant DNA (rDNA) technology, it has become possible to harness the catalytic machinery of the cell to produce a desired protein. This can be achieved within the cellular environment or in vitro using extracts derived from cells.
Over the past decade, the productivity of cell-free systems has improved two orders of magnitude, from about 5 μg/ml-hr to about 500 μg/ml-hr. This accomplishment has made in vitro protein synthesis a practical technique for laboratory-scale research and provides a platform technology for high-throughput protein expression. It also begins to suggest the feasibility of using cell-free technologies as an alternative means to the in vivo large-scale production of protein pharmaceuticals.
Cell-free protein synthesis offers several advantages over conventional, in vivo, protein expression methods. Cell-free systems can direct most, if not all, of the metabolic resources of the cell towards the exclusive production of one protein. Moreover, the lack of a cell wall in vitro is advantageous since it allows for better control of the synthesis environment. For example, tRNA levels can be changed to reflect the codon usage of genes being expressed. Also, the redox potential, pH, or ionic strength can be altered with greater flexibility than in vivo since we are not concerned about cell growth or viability. Furthermore, direct recovery of purified, properly folded protein products can be easily achieved.
In vitro translation is also recognized for its ability to incorporate unnatural and isotope-labeled amino acids as well as its capability to produce proteins that are unstable, insoluble, or cytotoxic in vivo. In addition, cell-free protein synthesis may play a role in revolutionizing protein engineering and proteomic screening technologies. The cell-free method bypasses the laborious processes required for cloning and transforming cells for the expression of new gene products in vivo and is becoming a platform technology for this field.
Despite all of the promising features of cell-free protein synthesis, its practical use and large-scale implementation has been limited by several obstacles. Paramount among these are short reaction times and low protein production rates, which lead to poor yields of protein synthesis and excessive reagent cost. One of the factors limiting production is the degradation of amino acids. The present invention addresses these issues.
Relevant Literature
Patent documents relating to in vitro protein synthesis include U.S. Pat. No. 6,337,191 B1; U.S. Patent Published Application 20020081660; U.S. Patent Published Application 20040209321; and International Applications WO2004/016778; WO 2005/010155; WO 00/55353; and WO 00/55353.

Total amino acid stabilization during cell-free protein synthesis

The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University


A mixture of boiling water and a gelling agent, such as the polysaccharide agar, are mixed and poured into a mold and allowed to cool and gel. The gelled mixture is then removed from the mold and frozen, after which it is placed in a freeze drier where it is completely sublimated to remove therefrom all moisture. The resultant freeze dried material is extremely light in weight, is biodegradable, and exhibits favorable fire retardant properties.

This invention relates to packaging materials, and more particularly to an improved packaging material which, upon being disposed, will degrade over a relatively brief period of time upon being exposed to the elements--i.e., water, insects, fungi, etc. More particularly this invention relates to a novel process for producing such packaging material.
The extensive use of synthetic plastics for packaging and wrapping materials has caused a proliferation of the environment with refuse which defies disposal short of incineration. Even then, incineration of disposed plastic items tends simply to redistribute the pollution from the earth to the atmosphere. Waste disposal, therefore, has become a national crisis, particularly in the larger metropolitan areas. Unfortunately, the populated areas often seek to solve the waste problem by transporting their waste to the more rural areas, thus generating also social-political problems.
Numerous efforts have been made to combat this problem by developing biodegradable materials which can be substituted in place of the heretofore non-biodegradable plastics so often employed for packaging materials such as wrapping films, shipping boxes, containers, and the like. U.S. Pat. No. 3,921,333, for example, suggests that the problem can be at least partially solved by using synthetic plastic materials which are biodegradable--i.e., thermoplastic polymers which can be degraded by living organisms, usually microorganisms.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,312,979 discloses various methods for preparing polysaccharides by extracellular cultivation from the genus Pseudonomas in a nutrient medium. Although the patent does not disclose or teach the production of a packaging or wrapping material, it does suggest that polysaccharides can be used as moldable materials for biodegradable films, as well as for other purposes.
Accordingly, one object of this invention is to provide a novel method of producing a biodegradable packaging material from a gellable plant extract, such as for example from a polysaccharide such as agar-agar.
Still a more specific object of this invention is to provide a novel method of producing a biodegradable packaging material by freeze drying a liquid mixture containing a polysaccharide gelling agent.
Other objects of the invention will be apparent hereinafter from the specification and from the recital of the appended claims.

Method for producing biodegradable packaging material


Earth-boring tools may include a body, blades extending outward from the body, and cutting elements secured to the blades. An entirety of a first blade may exhibit a first, constant or continuously variable radius of curvature different from a second, constant or continuously variable radius of curvature of at least another portion of a second blade. Methods of making earth-boring tools may involve forming at least a portion of a first blade extending outward from a body to exhibit a first radius of curvature. An entirety of a second blade extending outward from the body may be formed to exhibit a second, different, constant or continuously variable radius of curvature. Cutting elements may be secured to the first and second blades.

Earth-boring tools, such as, for example, fixed-cutter drill bits, hybrid bits, and reamers, may include a body having blades extending outward from the body. Cutting elements may be secured to the blades and positioned to engage with and remove an underlying earth formation in response to rotation of the earth-boring tools. When such earth-boring tools are used to drill in a borehole, the earth-boring tools and drill string to which they are attached may vibrate responsive to engagement with the formation under applied weight on bit (WOB) and torque applied through a drills string including, in some instances, a multi-component bottom hole assembly.

Earth-boring tools with reduced vibrational response and related methods