A short message service (SMS) network allows more than one short message service center (SMSC) to service an individual subscriber with virtually no modification to the existing conventional network elements, e.g., the home location register (HLR) or the mobile switching center (MSC). In a disclosed embodiment, the HLR of the SMS network sends a notification, e.g., an SMS notification (SMSNOT) signal, to a predetermined one of the plurality of SMSCs in the SMS network when a subscriber becomes available to receive a pending short message from at least one of the plurality of SMSCs. Each of the plurality of SMSCs in turn delivers short messages to an intended subscriber, and then forwards the notification signal to another one of the SMSCs, until all of the SMSCs have delivered the respective pending short messages. The next SMSC to which the SMSNOT is forwarded may be fixedly determined, e.g., by network configuration. Moreover, the path for forwarding the SMSNOT signal may be reconfigured when one or more SMSCs are added to the SMS network. Alternatively, the forwarding path may be determined dynamically by the preceding SMSC in accordance with an intelligent rule based on parameters such as, for example, the type of short message(s) that was retained by the preceding SMSC, the address the intended subscriber, the type of intended subscriber, etc. The path may also be determined by a combination of fixed and dynamic selection. For instance, the selection of the next SMSC may normally be fixed, and upon an occurrence of a predetermined event, dynamic selection based on the intelligent rule(s) may be triggered.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to communications networks. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for delivering short message service (SMS) messages to a subscriber, particularly in a wireless communication network including a plurality of short message service centers (SMSC).
2. Background of Related Art
In order to accommodate a society which is becoming increasingly mobile, and to meet the ever-increasing need for communications, the telecommunication industry in particular has been providing wireless communication services.
The wireless communication services traditionally included voice cellular phone and paging services in which a user can make a telephone call or send/receive a page including a numeric message indicating a telephone number over a wireless network. More recently, paging services have been expanded to offer alphanumeric paging, which allows a short text based message to be sent to and displayed at a handheld pager.
However, voice cellular telephone and the paging services each require an intended subscriber to be on-line or active to receive a telephone call or transmitted paging message. In other words, these services do not typically offer the capability of storing the messages for a temporarily unavailable subscriber.
In the early 1990s, as a result of the growing popularity of digital wireless technology, a standard for digital wireless networks was introduced in Europe. That standard, now known as the global standard for mobiles (GSM), included a service called short messaging service (SMS). An SMS allows transmission of short messages, typically up to 160 characters, to and from communication devices, e.g., cellular telephone handsets, telephones or computers with appropriate modems. In North America, the SMS is currently implemented on digital wireless/mobile networks, such as a PCS network based on the GSM standard, code division multiple access (CDMA) and/or time division multiple access (TDMA) methods. Short message services are gaining in popularity, particularly in the United States.
Short message services are advantageous over text based paging services because of the capability of bi-directional communication. Such bi-directional communication allows, for example, notification to the originating device of the success or failure of the short message delivery.
Moreover, each SMS network typically includes a short message service center (SMSC) which acts as a store-and-forward mechanism providing guaranteed delivery of short messages to a subscriber, even if the subscriber is inactive when the message was transmitted, by delivering the short messages once the subscriber becomes active. Delivery of all short messages is guaranteed regardless of whether or not the intended subscriber is "on-line" because the transmitted short message is stored within the one SMSC assigned to each intended subscriber, and delivered to the intended subscriber from their assigned SMSC when the subscriber becomes available.
A variety of services have been introduced using SMS networks including, for example, integrated electronic mail and fax, integrated paging, interactive banking, and information services such as stock quotes and airline schedule delivery.
Unfortunately, conventional SMS networks have been somewhat limited in their utility because they are based on the concept of a single SMSC assigned to service any one particular subscriber. Thus, a particular subscriber is limited to a single message delivery channel between itself and the SMSC that services it. Moreover, because of the singular SMSC architecture of conventional SMS networks, it is difficult if not impossible to upgrade or perform maintenance on an SMS network without affecting and/or suspending the short message service at least with respect to the subscribers assigned to that SMSC.
In operation, an SMSC receives a short message from any source intended to be delivered to a particular subscriber. When the intended subscriber is not available because, for example, it is turned off or is outside of the service area of the SMS network, the attempt to deliver the short message at that time will fail. In this case, the short message will be retained in the SMSC assigned to that intended subscriber for a later delivery attempt. Thereafter, when the subscriber finally becomes available, e.g., is turned on or has moved into the service area of the SMS network, the relevant portions of the network (e.g., the mobile servicing center (MSC) and the home location register (HLR)) notify the SMSC to initiate delivery of the stored (i.e., previously failed) short messages.
A conventional SMS network notifies only the servicing SMSC that an intended subscriber can again receive short messages. Thus conventional SMS networks do not have more than one SMSC assigned to any one particular subscriber.
In order to fully appreciate the above shortcomings of a conventional SMS network, an exemplary conventional SMS network will now be described in detail. Although the following example is described using terms and protocols mainly as defined by the North American standard IS-41, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the example is applicable to any networks that offer store-and-forward type short message service.
FIG. 5 shows an exemplary structure of a SMS network 500. The SMS network 500 typically includes one short message service center (SMSC) 501. The SMSC 501 typically includes a storage subsystem to store short messages that had failed to be delivered. The SMSC 501 typically further includes various interfaces (not shown) to receive short messages originating from various sources and protocols, such as a Voice Mail System (VMS) 508, paging networks using, e.g., Telocator Numeric Paging Protocol (TNPP) 509, devices using the Short Message Peer-to-Peer (SMPP) protocol 510 via TCP/IP, e-mail systems using the Simple Mail Transport Protocol (SMTP) 511, and/or devices using the Telocator Alphanumeric Protocol (TAP) 512. Some of the various sources of the short messages may be gateways to other networks.
The SMSC 501 may further include a gateway/interworking block (not shown) that enables the SMSC 501 to communicate with the rest of the SMS network 500, such as a Home Location Register (HLR) 503 or a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) 505, using the Signaling System No. 7 (SS7) 502. The methods and mechanism of communication in the SMS network 500 are defined by the mobile application part (MAP) layer, which uses the services of the SS7 transaction capabilities application part (TCAP) as the signaling infrastructure of the SMS network 500. The protocol for the signaling is referred to as the IS-41 protocol under the American standard as published by the Telecommunication Industry Association (TIA) or as the GSM MAP under the European standard published by European Telecommunication Standards Institute (ETSI).
The Home Location Register (HLR) 503 includes a database that permanently stores and manages subscriptions and service profiles of users having a subscription to the SMS network 500. Although only one HLR 503 is shown, the SMS network 500 may include two or more HLRs. The SMS network 500 also typically includes several visitor location registers (VLR) 504. A VLR 504 is a database temporarily holding information about visiting subscribers who move into its service area. Thus, a VLR 504 contains information regarding routing information for all subscribers within its service area, and informs the relevant HLR 503 of the availability and routing information regarding its subscribers. The mobile switching center (MSC) 505 obtains subscriber information from the VLR 504 to service visiting subscribers.
The mobile switching center (MSC) 505 performs switching and call control functions, and receives short messages from the SMSC 501 for delivery to the appropriate mobile subscriber 507 (shown, e.g., as a cellular phone handset). It is to be understood that, although only one MSC 505 is shown, the wireless network 500 may include two or more MSCs. The base station subsystem (BSS) 506 handles the wireless communications, e.g., RF transmission and reception of voice and data traffic, to and from the mobile subscriber 507. The BSS 506 is typically composed mainly of two parts: the base transceiver station (BTS, not shown) which houses the radio transceivers that define a cell and handles the radio-link protocols with the mobile subscriber 507, and the base station controller (BSC, also not shown) which manages the radio resources, and handles radio channel set up, frequency hopping, and handoffs (or handovers as is sometimes referred as). The BSC is the interface between the MSC 505 and the subscriber 507. The subscriber 507, also sometimes referred to as a mobile station (MS), typically consists of mobile equipment (e.g., a cellular phone handset) preferably uniquely identifiable by an identifying number, e.g., mobile identification number (MIN), International mobile subscriber identification (IMSI) and/or electronic serial number (ESN), for the subscriber 507. The mobile equipment may include a storage area, e.g., a flash memory, a ROM, a RAM or the like to hold the unique identifying number within the mobile equipment. In GSM networks, a smart card, typically referred to as a subscriber identity module (SIM) is utilized to store a unique identifying number.
FIG. 6 shows an exemplary flow of a short message through a conventional SMS network. Although FIG. 6 shows only an example of short message delivery to a mobile subscriber, it is to be understood that a mobile subscriber or any other sources may originate a short message. The flow of a mobile subscriber originated short message would involve similar processes as the following mobile subscriber terminated short message example, and would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art.
The SMSC 601 receives a short message intended for a subscriber 604 from a source of short message 605 which may be any one or more of the aforementioned sources of short messages, e.g., 508-512 of FIG. 5. Upon receiving a short message, the SMSC 601 sends a request for routing information, i.e., an SMS request (SMSREQ), to the HLR 602. The HLR 602 maintains information regarding the availability of the intended subscriber 604 and the appropriate MSC 603 that services the intended subscriber, and sends the information as routing information 608 back to the SMSC 601. The SMSC 601 forwards the short message to the appropriate MSC 603 using the routing information 608 received from the HLR 602, for example, in accordance with the short message delivery point-to-point (SMDPP) mechanism of IS-41 standard. The MSC 603 queries the VLR (not shown) for subscriber information. The VLR may perform a paging and authentication process, and sends the subscriber information to the MSC 603. The MSC 603, using the information received from the VLR, delivers the short message to the intended subscriber 604, and sends a delivery report 612 to the SMSC 601. The SMSC 601 may send the result of the delivery, i.e., the status report 613, to the source of the short message 605 if requested.
When the attempted delivery of the short message has failed because, for instance, the intended user was out of the service area, or had his or her communication device turned off, the MSC 603 informs the HLR 602 of the failure. The HLR 602 then turns on an SMS notification indicator flag for the subscriber, and the SMSC 601 retains the failed message for a later delivery attempt.
FIG. 7 shows a pending short message delivery process in a conventional short message service network after the mobile subscriber becomes available for delivery of the retained messages. In particular, in FIG. 7, when the subscriber 704 turns his or her handset on or comes within the service area, the subscribers handset sends a registration signal 709 to the MSC 703. The registration signal 709 may or may not include authentication process.
Upon receiving the registration signal 709, the MSC 703 informs the HLR 702 (or the VLR 711) of the availability of the subscriber 704 by sending a subscriber available signal 708. Because the SMS notification flag for the subscriber is on, the HLR 702 or the VLR 703 sends an SMS notification (SMSNOT) message 705 in case of networks implementing IS-41 standard, or an equivalent notification alerting the fact that the subscriber has become available in networks implemented in accordance with other standards, to the SMSC 701 assigned to service that particular intended subscriber 704.
The SMSC 701 then sends a delivery request 706 to the MSC 703 via, for example, the SMDPP protocol in the IS-41 standard. The MSC 703 finally delivers the short message 710 to the subscriber 704, and sends a message delivered message 707 back to the SMSC 701 to confirm and finalize the delivery of the short message. The SMSC 701 may further send a delivery report to the source of the short message if it was requested.
As can be appreciated, the conventional SMS networks are implemented with only one SMSC in the network servicing any particular subscriber and thus provides the HLR 702 without the ability to alert more than one SMSC of the fact that the subscriber has become available. Thus, a particular subscriber is limited to having only one short message delivery channel, typically from a single provider.
More recently, systems have been developed that attempt to employ more than one SMSC assigned to a particular subscriber, and thus attempt to provide multiple short message delivery channels. However, these attempted systems require extensive modifications to the conventional SMS network, adding unnecessary complexity, incompatibility with an otherwise conventional SMS network, and typically require service outage to subscribers while additional short message channels are being added.
In particular, U.S Pat. Nos. 5,682,600 ("the '600 patent") and 5,787,357 ("the '357 patent"), both to Salin, describe known SMS networks having more than one SMSC. Both patents propose the use of a list (kept by the system, e.g., by the HLR) of addresses of SMSCs that have tried and failed to deliver short messages intended for a particular subscriber who is unavailable to receive the messages at the time. When the subscriber becomes available, the system notifies all such SMSCs on the list.
However, as described by the '600 patent and the '357 patent, when there is more than one SMSC retaining short messages intended for the same subscriber, each SMSC will try, nearly simultaneously to each other, to initiate the forwarding of respective short messages to the subscriber upon being notified of the availability of the subscriber. Because only one short message can be transmitted to a subscriber at any one time, a short message collision occurs causing the receipt of negative acknowledgements prompting further storing of the rejected short messages in their respective SMSCs for a later attempted delivery. The situation will continue as long as there are more than one SMSC attempting to send a short message to the same subscriber, and has the potential of delaying delivery of even the initial short message to the intended subscriber. These exchanges of repeated unsuccessful attempts and the negative acknowledgements can result in a significant amount of extra traffic that may tend to waste available bandwidth of the network. Moreover, this problem becomes exacerbated if the subscriber had been unavailable for a long period of time and/or the subscriber received messages from many different sources during his absence, both of which tends to cause the stored buildup of large number of short messages.
To cure the problem after the first collision (and delay) has occurred, the '600 patent and the '357 patent propose a delay mechanism in the system to add delays between notifications to each of the SMSCs to avoid a simultaneous transmission of messages by multiple SMSCs. The short messages are stored in the system queue and forwarded one short message at a time by monitoring the respective completion of delivery of each short message.
The '600 patent requires the home location register (HLR) of the system to keep track of the addresses of SMSCs with failed message deliveries, and added delays between the notifications to the SMSCs, both of which result in added complexity to a conventional HLR.
The '357 patent requires a list kept in the HLR, added memory to the mobile switching center (MSC) memories to store and queue the short messages, and a mechanism to monitor the delivery process, e.g., to detect the completion of delivery of one short message in order to start the delivery of the next short message. Thus, '357 patent also adds significant complexity and cost to a conventional SMS network.
Moreover, both the solutions proposed by the '600 patent and the '357 patent require the SMS network to create and maintain a list of addresses of SMSCs, and to determine which and when SMSCs are to be notified, based on the list. This adds a source of error that may result in a wrong SMSC receiving the notification, resulting in failure of pending message delivery.
Moreover, and very importantly, the '357 and '600 patents require extensive communication and monitoring of SMSCs, which are often manuafactured by different companies at different times, and may therefore be quite incompatible with one another.
The added complexity of the network must also be provided for by the appropriate standards and/or protocols in order for the system to be seamlessly compatible with other networks.
Furthermore, SMS networks such as those described in the '600 and '357 patents are difficult to upgrade, expand and/or reconfigure, i.e., by adding more SMSCs, without significantly affecting the remaining portions of the SMS network, i.e., requiring significant modifications to the HLR and/or the MSC.
There is thus a need for an architecture and method for a SMS network that allows inclusion of multiple SMSCs without requiring significant and complex modification to the remaining SMS network elements, that can be easily upgraded, expanded and/or reconfigured, and that does not require the error prone creation of and selection from a list of addresses of SMSCs. Thus, there is a need for a more reliable and robust method and apparatus for delivering pending short messages to a subscriber from a plurality of SMSCs.

Short message service notification forwarded between multiple short message service centers


The present invention is directed to a method of controlling a pest comprising applying an effective amount of one or more terpendoles to the pest or an area in need of pest control. The present invention is further directed to a method of controlling a pest comprising applying an effective amount of one or more compounds having the following chemical structure

Arthropod pests are one of the major threats to human welfare and exert continued stress on the food supply via herbivory, fouling and disease transmission. Synthetic insecticides played a significant role and, in many ways, ushered in modern agriculture and pest control. However, there is increasing pressure from the public and from regulatory agencies to reduce or eliminate the exclusive use of synthetic chemical in the control of agricultural arthropod pests. The widespread use of available insecticides has resulted in the development of resistant insect populations. Insecticide resistance is a complex phenomenon manifested in a diverse array of physiological and/or behavioral mechanisms. Major mechanisms that are responsible for the development of insecticide resistance are metabolic detoxification, target site mutation, reduced cuticular penetration and behavioral avoidance. Novel classes of natural insecticides are needed to combat the ever-increasing number of resistant insect species and populations.
Indole-diterpenes are a natural, structurally diverse group of secondary metabolites with a common cyclic diterpene backbone derived from geranylgeranyl diphosphate and an indole group derived from indole-3-glycerol phosphate. Terpendoles are a specific class of indole-diterpene alkaloids produced by fungi that were first discovered by Huang et al. when screening for acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase inhibitors. Huang et al. Terpendoles, Novel ACAT inhibitors produced by Albophoma yamanashiensis I. production, isolation and biological properties, J Antibiot (Tokyo). 1995 January, 48(1), 1-4. Specifically, Huang et al. discovered terpendoles A-D. Since that time, 10 additional terpendoles have been described in the literature and termed terpendoles E-M. To date, terpendoles have been further discovered to inhibit motor activation of mitotic kinesin Eg5. See, Nakazawa J. et al., A novel action of terpendole E on the motor activity of mitotic Kinesin Eg5, Chem Biol, 2003 February, 10(2), 131-137. Due to its role in inhibition mitotic kinesin, terpendole E is currently being researched as a possible anti-cancer drug. However, there is no known application of terpendoles that would benefit humans.
Given that there is currently no known use for terpendoles and also given that resistance is problematic for insect pest populations, we assert that there is a need in the art for novel uses of terpendoles as natural pesticides.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Methods of controlling pests using terpendoles


A medicament for use in treating cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, the medicament includes a marine algal glycoprotein.

Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease is a general term for diseases occurring in heart blood vessels and brain blood vessels, and are generally referred to as ischemic or hemorrhagic disease in heart, brain and systemic tissues caused by hyperlipidemia, blood viscosity, atherosclerosis, hypertension, etc. It is a common disease that seriously threatens the health of human beings, especially middle-aged and senile people aged above 50 years old. Even with the most advanced and improved treatment methods, more than 50% of survivors of cerebrovascular accidents cannot live completely on their own. The number of people that die from cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases every year all over the world is as high as 15 million, ranking first among all causes of death.
At present, the majority of medicaments commercially available for treating cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases are western medicines, they are compromised by certain deficiencies, such as proneness to generate medicament resistance. Although it is an anti-arrhythmic treating medicament, it can also cause arrhythmia itself, and these drugs have serious toxity.
Patent: a traditional Chinese medicine composition for treating cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, patent number is CN201310297384.3, it is disclosed that: a traditional Chinese medicine composition for treating cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, which belonging to the technical field of Chinese herbal medicine preparations, and the technical problem to be solved is to provide a kind of an easy-to-carry and easy-to-take traditional Chinese medicine composition for treating cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases; the technical solution adopted is: a traditional Chinese medicine composition for treating cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, comprising the following raw materials listed according to weight portions: 0.04-0.07 g of calculus bovis, 0.5-1.5 g of dried body of scorpion, 0.8-1.2 g of Notoginseng Radix Et Rhizoma, 0.05-0.15 g of cornu saigae tataricae powder, 1-4 g of ground beetle, 0.5-1.5 g of radix salviae miltiorrhizae and 0.8-1.6 g of lignum millettiae; the present invention related to a medicament is used for treating cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and characterized by small volume, low dose, few adverse effect, and being easy to carry and take.
Patent: salvianolic acid composite for treating cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and liver diseases, and application thereof, Patent No. CN200510094596.7, it is disclosed that: a composition composing of salvianolic acid and basic amino acid, or an alkaline glucose derivative, it has synergistic effects on the treatment of the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and the liver diseases; the alkaline amino acid is selected among arginine, lysine or histidine. The alkaline glucose derivative is selected from meglumine or glucosamine.
Patent: application of low molecular weight fucoidan in the preparation of medicaments for treating cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, paten No. CN200610140395.0, it is disclosed that: the application of low molecular weight fucoidan in the preparation of medicaments treating cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, especially the medicaments for treating ischemic cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. The low molecular weight fucoidan in the present invention may be obtained through the degradation of fucoidan extracted from kelp, Ascophyllum nodosum, sea tangle, kelp or chorda, preferably through the degradation of the fucoidan oextracted from kelp, with a molecular weight of 8,000 to 100,000.

Medicament for use in treating cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases

SHANDONG ZHONGHAI PHARMACEUTICAL CO. LTD


An interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) composition and a process for the manufacture of hydrogel contact lens using the invention material. The polymeric materials are formed by polymerization of: (1) an unsaturated alkyl(meth)acrylate or its derivatives such as 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate as the principle monomer; (2) optionally vinyl containing comonomer(s) to enhance the resulting hydrogel water absorbing capability; (3) polymerizable multi-functional crosslinking agent(s); (4) an irradiation initiator and/or thermal initiator; (5) optionally other additives to impart the resulting hydrogel specific properties such as ultra-violet blocking ability and handling colors; in the presence of a soluble, hydrophilic IPN agent such as polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) or poly-2-ethyl-2-oxazoline (PEOX) with a specific molecular weight range. The novel hydrophilic hydrogel material in the present invention can be used to produce a spherical contact lens, a toric contact lens, a multifocal contact lens, a toric-multifocal contact lens, and other medical devices. The inventive hydrogel material shows a low degree of surface friction, a low dehydration rate, and a high degree of biodeposit resistance.

1. Field of the Invention (Technical Field):
The present invention relates to an interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) composition, especially a hydrophilic hydrogel composition for contact lens. More particularly, the present invention relates to polymerization of monomers in the presence of water soluble polymers as the IPN agents miscible with the monomer mixture using conventional crosslinkers or polymeric crosslinkers under ultraviolet and/or thermal curing condition.
2. Background Art:
Interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) technology has been undergoing development over the past several decades. An IPN consists of at least two types of polymers wherein one polymer is synthesized in the presence of an already existing polymer, or both polymers are synthesized simultaneously.
From a chemical point of view, an IPN is a whole unit structure formed from at least two distinct polymers. An IPN thereby has the physical and chemical properties of the constituent polymers, and thus combines the advantages of the polymers.
Hydrophilic hydrogels prepared by an IPN process have gained a great deal of attention in a variety of fields. The following patents disclose IPN hydrogels. U.S. Pat. No. 4,575,539 entitled "Drug delivery systems including novel interpenetrating polymer networks and method," to DeCrosta, et al., issued Mar. 11, 1986, discloses an IPN employing hydrogel beads which is formed by swelling hydrogel beads with an acrylic type swelling agent and reacting the swelling agent with a crosslinking agent such as ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate. The system so produced has superior drug leading capacity and controlled release characteristics. U.S. Pat. No. 5,644,049, entitled "Biomaterial comprising hyaluronic acid and derivatives thereof in interpenetrating polymer networks (IPN)," to Giusti, et al., issued Jul. 1, 1997, discloses the use of hyaluronic acid and its derivatives in IPN to form a hydrogel. The IPN biomaterial so prepared is useful in many applications including dermatology, microsurgery, urology, and cardiovascular systems.
In the contact lens field, hydrogels are often formed by copolymerization of monomers with the appropriate crosslinkers. The following patents disclose hydrogels formed by copolymerization. U.S. Pat. No. 5,665,840, entitled "Polymeric Networks from Water-Soluble Prepolymers," to Pöhlmann et al., issued Sep. 9, 1997, discloses a water-soluble, crosslinkable prepolymer having monomeric structural units of a vinyl lactam, vinyl alcohol, alkanecarboxylic acid vinyl ester, vinylic crosslinking agent, and a vinylic photo initiator. The patent further discloses water-soluble crosslinkable prepolymer having a copolymer chain comprising 5 to 85% by weight of a vinyl lactam, for example, N-vinyl pyrrolidone. A variety of N-vinyl lactams are disclosed according to a structural formula presented within. The most preferred vinyl lactam is N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone. U.S. Pat. No. 4,430,458, entitled "Hydrogel-Forming Polymeric Materials," to Tighe, et al., issued Feb. 7, 1984, discloses polymeric materials suitable for making contact lenses formed by copolymerization and crosslinking of an amide of an unsaturated carboxylic acid, an N-vinyl lactam, an ester of an unsaturated carboxylic acid, an unsaturated carboxylic acid, and a polymerizable hydrophobic vinyl monomer. This patent claims a contact lens in the form of a hydrogel comprising a crosslinked polymeric material containing units derived either by simultaneous copolymerization and crosslinking or by co-polymerization and subsequent crosslinking of the following monomers: 20 to 40 mole percent of an amide of acrylic of methacrylic acid; 25 to 55 mole percent of an N-vinyl lactam of the N-vinyl pyrrolidone type; 5 to 20 mole percent of an hydroxy alkyl ester of acrylic or methacrylic acid; 1 to 10 mole percent of acrylic or methacrylic acid; and at least about 5 up to about 10 mole percent of a polymerizable hydrophobic vinyl monomer. U.S. Pat. No. 4,022,754, entitled "Novel copolymer having utility as contact lens," to Howes, et al., issued May 10, 1997, discloses a method to prepare terpolymers containing 3-methoxy-2-hydroxy-propyl methacrylate, N-vinylpyrrolidone, and methyl methacrylate, suitable for contact lens.
The use of an IPN hydrogel contact lens material has been found much less common, for instance, consider the following patents. U.S. Pat. No. 4,536,554, entitled "Hydrophilic polymers and contact lenses made therefrom," to Lim, et al., issued Aug. 20, 1985, discloses the preparation of soft contact lenses made from IPN obtained by the polymerization of a mixture containing a hydrophilic vinylpyrrolidone monomer and a hydrophobic acrylic ester monomer in the presence of multiple crosslinking agents. U.S. Pat. No. 5,674,942, entitled "Interpenetrating polymer networks for contact lens production," to Hill, et al., issued Oct. 7, 1997, discloses another IPN method using polyurea interlocked with polyacrylate; the former polymer is prepared from amines and isocyanates while the latter polymer is prepared from acrylic esters using a free radical initiator.
The following patents also disclose hydrogels:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,990,582, entitled "Fluorine-Containing Soft Contact Lens Hydrogels," to Salamone, issued Feb. 5, 1991, discloses a soft contact lens material that exists as a hydrogel and is formed by a polymer containing a fluorinated monomer, a hydroxy alkyl ester of acrylic or methacrylic acid, and an N-vinyl lactam. According to the disclosure, an N-vinyl lactam is present from 5 to 80% by weight. The addition of the N-vinyl lactam is critical in combination with the fluoromonomer and the hydroxy alkyl ester of acrylic or methacrylic acid, to obtain clear bulk copolymers without any haze or opacity. The preferred N-vinyl lactam is N-vinyl pyrrolidone in concentrations from 5 to 80% by weight and preferably from 40 to 60% by weight. In the claims, about 10 to about 50 parts by weight of N-vinyl lactam is present.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,829,126, entitled "High Water-Absorptive Soft Contact Lens," to Nakajima et al., issued May 9, 1989, discloses a highly water-absorptive soft contact lens made of a copolymer comprising 10 to 40 parts by weight of an acrylate or methacrylate polymer and 60 to 90 parts by weight of a hydrophilic monomer. To achieve a balance between structural integrity and water absorption, methacrylate monomers having a hydrophilic group are used, such as the N-vinyl lactam, N-vinyl pyrrolidone.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,620,954, entitled "Hydrogel from Ultraviolet-Initiated Copolymerization," to Singer, et al., issued Nov. 4, 1986, discloses a contact lens hydrogel prepared by copolymerizing 70 parts of N-vinyl pyrrolidone and 23 parts of phenyl ethyl methacrylate, together with allyl methacrylate as a crosslinker, T-butyl peroctoate as a thermal initiator and 2,2-dimethoxy-2-phenylacetophenone or benzoin methyl ether as a photo initiator. The patent discloses N-vinyl pyrrolidone as a preferred N-vinyl lactam monomer and phenylethyl methacrylate as a preferred hydrophobic acrylate.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,440,919, entitled "Low N-Vinyl Lactam Content Based Biomedical Devices," to Chromecek et al., issued Apr. 3, 1984, discloses N-vinyl lactam content copolymers that are crosslinked with resonance-free dye (alkine tertiary amine) cyclic compounds to obtain biomedical devices such as soft contact lenses. This patent also discloses the use of water-soluble diluents for use in the aforementioned polymer system to modify the physical properties of these properties. Such diluents are present, preferably, at not more than 30 weight percent. Diluents include low molecular weight, e.g., 500 to 10,000, linear poly (vinyl pyrrolidone).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,184,992, entitled "Cross-Linked Alkyl Methacrylate-N-Vinyl Lactam Polymer Composition for Use in Soft Contact Lenses," to Hosaka, issued Jan. 22, 1980, discloses a crosslinked polymer composition prepared by polymerizing, using a bulk polymerization procedure, a monomer mixture comprising an alkyl methacrylate and an N-vinyl lactam in the presence of a crosslinking agent such as vinyl acrylate, vinyl methacrylate, triallyl isocyanurate and vinyl carboxylates. This patent discloses 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate ("HEMA")/N-vinyl pyrrolidone copolymer gels. Such gels are prepared by copolymerizing HEMA with N-vinyl pyrrolidone or graft-copolymerizing HEMA onto poly-N-vinyl pyrrolidone. A main point of this particular patent resides in the crosslinking agent used in combination with the methacrylate/N-vinyl lactam copolymerized mixture.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,045,547, entitled "Fabrication of Soft Contact Lens and Composition Therefor," to Le Bouef et al., issued Aug. 30, 1977, discloses a contact lens composition comprising from 67.2% to 79.3% HEMA; from 14.25% to 35% PVP; from 0.1% to 4.04% EDMA; from 0.1% to 2.5% MA; from 0.1% to 5.0% water; from 0% to 4% PPMHQ inhibitor; and from 50 to 250 PPM MEHQ inhibitor.

CooperVision International Holding Company, LP


An end effector, coupleable to a robot, for delivering a material to a surface, comprises a material applicator assembly, comprising a central shaft and an applicator co-rotatably coupled to the central shaft and configured to apply the material to the surface. The end effector also comprises a material supply carrier, comprising a base and a supply of the material coupled to the base. The material from the supply is feedable to the applicator. The end effector further comprises an actuator that rotatably couples the material supply carrier with the material applicator assembly. The actuator is operable to rotate the material supply carrier relative to the material applicator assembly.

Some conventional end effectors are equipped with a material supply and an application tool for delivering the material supply. The end effector is coupled to a robot, which moves the end effector while the material is delivered by the application tool to form a part. Mounting the material supply onboard the end effector provides benefits over systems with the material supply grounded relative to the end effector. Such benefits include ease in maneuvering the application tool to form complex parts. Ideally, high quantities of material are included onboard the end effector to reduce the frequency of refilling the material supply. However, mounting high quantities of material onboard the end effector makes manufacturing of parts with complex surfaces difficult.

End effector for delivering material to a surface and associated system


A method of recording sound for reproduction by a plurality of loudspeakers, or for processing sound for reproduction by a plurality of loudspeakers, is described in which some of the reproduced sound appears to a listener to emmanate from a virtual source which is spaced from the loudspeakers. A filter means (H) is used either in creating the recording, or in processing the recorded signals for supply to loudspeakers, the filter means (H) being created in a filter design step in which: a) a technique is employed to minimise error between the signals (w) reproduced at the intended position of a listener on playing the recording through the loudspeakers, and desired signals (d) at the intended position, wherein: b) said desired signals (d) to be produced at the listener are defined by signals (or an estimate of the signals) that would be produced at the ears of (or in the region of) the listener in said intended position by a source at the desired position of the virtual source. A least squares technique may be employed to minimise the time averaged error between signal reproduced at the intended position of a listener and the desired signal, or it may be applied to the frequency domain.

This invention relates to sound recording and reproduction systems, and is particularly concerned with stereo sound reproduction systems wherein at least two loudspeakers are employed.
It is possible to give a listener the impression that there is a sound source, referred to as a virtual sound source, at a given position in space provided that the sound pressures that are reproduced at the listener""s ears are the same as the sound pressures that would have been produced at the listener""s ears by a real source at the desired position of the virtual source. This attempt to deceive the human hearing can be implemented by using either headphones or loudspeakers. Both methods have their advantages and drawbacks.
Using headphones, no processing of the desired signals is necessary irrespective of the acoustic environment in which they are used. However, headphone reproduction of binaural material often suffers from xe2x80x98in-the-headxe2x80x99 localisation of certain sound sources, and poor localisation of frontal and rear sources. It is generally very difficult to give the listener the impression that the virtual sound source is truly external, i.e. xe2x80x98outside the headxe2x80x99.
Using loudspeakers, it is not difficult to make the virtual sound source appear to be truly external. However, it is necessary to use relatively sophisticated digital signal processing in order to obtain the desired effect, and the perceived quality of the virtual source depends on both the properties (characteristics) of the loudspeakers and to some extent the acoustic environment.
Using two loudspeakers, two desired signals can be reproduced with great accuracy at two points in space. When these two points are chosen to coincide with the positions of the ears of a listener, it is possible to provide very convincing sound images for that listener. This method has been implemented by a number of different systems which have all used widely spaced loudspeaker arrangements spanning typically 60 degrees as seen by the listener. A fundamental problem that one faces when using such a loudspeaker arrangement is that convincing virtual images are only experienced within a very confined spatial region or xe2x80x98bubblexe2x80x99 surrounding the listener""s head. If the head moves more than a few centimetres to the side, the illusion created by the virtual source image breaks down completely. Thus, virtual source imaging using two widely spaced loudspeakers is not very robust with respect to head movement.
We have discovered, somewhat surprisingly, that a virtual sound source imaging form of sound reproduction system using two closely spaced loudspeakers can be extremely robust with respect to head movement. The size of the xe2x80x98bubblexe2x80x99 around the listener""s head is increased significantly without any noticeable reduction in performance. In addition, the close loudspeaker arrangement also makes it possible to include the two loudspeakers in a single cabinet.
From time to time herein, the present invention is conveniently referred to as a xe2x80x98stereo dipolexe2x80x99, although the sound field it produces is an approximation to the sound field that would be produced by a combination of point monopole and point dipole sources.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a sound reproduction system comprises loudspeaker means, and loudspeaker drive means for driving the loudspeaker means in response to signals from at least one sound channel, the loudspeaker means comprising a closely-spaced pair of loudspeakers, defining with the listener an included angle of between 6xc2x0 and 20xc2x0, inclusive, the loudspeaker drive means comprising filter means.
The included angle may be between 8xc2x0 and 12xc2x0 inclusive, but is preferably substantially 10xc2x0.
The filter means may comprise or incorporate one or more of cross-talk cancellation means, least mean squares approximation, virtual source imaging means, head related transfer means, frequency regularisation means and modelling delay means.
The loudspeaker pair may be contiguous, but preferably the spacing between the centres of the loudspeakers is no more than about 45 cms.
The system is preferably designed such that the optimal position for listening is at a head position between 0.2 meters and 4.0 meters from the loudspeakers, and preferably about 2.0 meters from said loudspeakers. Alternatively, at a head position between 0.2 meters and 1.0 meters from the loudspeakers.
The loudspeaker centres may be disposed substantially parallel to each other, or disposed so that the axes of their centres are inclined to each other, in a convergent manner.
The loudspeakers may be housed in a single cabinet.
The loudspeaker drive means preferably comprise digital filter means.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, a stereo sound reproduction system comprises a closely-spaced pair of loudspeakers, defining with a listener an included angle of between 6xc2x0 and 20xc2x0 inclusive, a single cabinet housing the two loudspeakers, loudspeaker drive means in the form of filter means designed using a representation of the HRTF (head related transfer function) of a listener, and means for inputting loudspeaker drive signals to said filter means.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, a stereo sound reproduction system comprises a closely-spaced pair of loudspeakers, defining with the listener an included angle of between 6xc2x0 and 20xc2x0 inclusive, and converging at a point between 0.2 meters and 4.0 meters from said loudspeakers, the loudspeakers being disposed within a single cabinet.
In accordance with a fourth aspect, the present invention may also be implemented by creating sound recordings that can be subsequently played through a closely-spaced pair of loudspeakers using xe2x80x98conventionalxe2x80x99 stereo amplifiers, filter means being employed in creating the sound recordings, thereby avoiding the need to provide a filter means at the input to the speakers.
The filter means that is used to create the recordings preferably have the same characteristics as the filter means employed in the systems in accordance with the first and second aspects of the invention.
The fourth aspect of the invention enables the production from conventional stereo recordings of further recordings, using said filter means as aforesaid, which further recordings can be used to provide loudspeaker inputs to a pair of closely-spaced loudspeakers, preferably disposed within a single cabinet.
Thus it will be appreciated that the filter means is used in creating the further recordings, and the user may use a substantially conventional amplifier system without needing himself to provide the filter means.
A sixth aspect of the invention is a recording of sound which has been created by subjecting a stereo or multi-channel recording signal to a filter means which is capable of being used in the system in accordance with the first or second aspects of the invention.

Sound recording and reproduction systems


Disclosed are methods, apparatuses and systems for CNN network adaption and object online tracking. The CNN network adaption method comprises: transforming a first feature map into a plurality of sub-feature maps, wherein the first feature map is generated by the pre-trained CNN according to a frame of the target video; convolving each of the sub-feature maps with one of a plurality of adaptive convolution kernels, respectively, to output a plurality of second feature maps with improved adaptability; training, frame by frame, the adaptive convolution kernels.

Visual tracking is a fundamental problem in computer vision that has been received a rapidly growing attention. For a model-free object tracking problem, a category agnostic target is indicated by a bounding box in the first frame, and the tracker aims at locating the target in each of the following frames. Due to significant target appearance changes caused by abrupt motion, deformation, occlusion and illumination variation, visual tracking is still a challenging problem. Prior approaches rely on hand-crafted features to describe the target and have addressed the above challenging factors to a certain extend.
Recently, deep CNNs trained on large scale image classification data sets have demonstrated great success. These semantic representations discovered by the learning process are shown to be very effective at distinguishing objects of various categories. However, supervised training of deep CNNs with millions of parameters entails a large number of annotated training samples. To apply deep CNNs for tasks with a limited amount of training samples, previous approaches adopt a transfer learning method by first pre-training a deep CNN on a source task with a large scale training data set and then fine-tuning the learned feature on the target task. Due to the good generalization capability of CNN features across different data sets, this transfer learning approach is effective and has shown state-of-the-art performance in many applications.
However, for online visual tracking, the lack of training samples becomes even more severe, since the only training sample with ground truth label is provided in the first frame, and the tracking results used for updating the tracker are also obtained in a sequential manner. Thus, directly fine-tuning a pre-trained deep CNN online is prone to over-fitting, which will degrade the tracker and gradually leads to tracking drift

Methods and systems for CNN network adaption and object online tracking

BEIJING SENSETIME TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CO., LTD


The invention relates to nitridoosmium complexes and methods of using these compounds as treatments for cancer.

Medicinal inorganic chemistry can exploit the unique properties of metal ions for the design of new drugs. The field of metal-based anticancer drugs was initiated by the platinum compound cisplatin, one of the leading agents in clinical use. Its importance is reflected by the fact that it is estimated that 50-70% of cancer patients are treated with metal-based drugs. However, cisplatin has some undesirable side effects and toxicities and, in addition, many solid tumors that initially respond to platinum-based therapy become resistant, and disease recurs. This has spurred chemists to employ different strategies in the development of new metal-based anticancer agents with different mechanisms of action.
Ruthenium compounds have been shown to have cytotoxic activity against human cancer cells. Some ruthenium complexes which have been shown to exhibit antitumor activity have been selected for clinical development as anticancer agents, specifically (H2im)[trans-RuCl4(imidazole)(DMSO)] (NAMI-A) and (H2ind)[trans-RuCl4(indazole)2] (KP1019). These compounds also seem to have anti-metastatic activity.
Certain nitridoosmium(VI) complexes are known.

Nitridoosmium(VI) complexes for treatment of cancer


A mounted electronics system is provided. The mounted electronics system comprises at least one sub-module, a chassis adapted to receive the at least one sub-module, and a mounting assembly coupled to the chassis and adapted to secure the at least one sub-module to the chassis such that substantially all of the interior width of the chassis is available for use by the at least one sub-module.

Various electronic modules are often mounted in a rack or cabinet. Some standard racks and cabinets include the 19-inch rack, the 23-inch rack and the 600 mm cabinet. In certain situations, smaller printed circuit boards and sub-modules need to be mounted in a rack or cabinet. Often it is not practical or even possible to mount multiple sub-modules individually to the rack or cabinet. In these circumstances, it is common to use a chassis instead. The sub-modules are mounted to the chassis and the chassis is mounted to the rack or cabinet.
However, the sub-modules often cannot simply be placed in the chassis but need to be mounted or secured. Securing the sub-modules to the chassis prevents the sub-modules from falling out of the chassis and provides pressure to help maintain connections in the back of the chassis. Hence, using a chassis adds a limitation to the amount of space available for sub-modules. This space limitation is caused by the need for space to mount the chassis to the rack or cabinet and the additional space needed to mount the sub-modules to the chassis. This space limitation can become a problem when designing modular equipment to fit in a rack or cabinet.
For the reasons stated above, and for other reasons stated below which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the present specification, there is a need in the art for a system to mount sub-modules in a chassis without the space limitations of a typical chassis.

System for mounting modules in a rack mounted chassis


This invention relates to phase transfer catalysis (PTC) using a composition of synthetic ultra-large pore crystalline material which contains a cation of an onium compound, e.g. cetyltrimethylammonium, within the pores of said material. The crystalline material has, after calcination, an X-ray diffraction pattern with at least one peak at a d-spacing greater than 18 Angstrom Units and a benzene adsorption capacity of greater than 15 grams benzene per 100 grams of said material at 6.7 kPa (50 torr) and 25.degree. C.

Phase-Transfer Catalysis
Phase-transfer catalysis (PTC) facilitates reactions between substances in different phases of a reaction medium. One or more of the reactants are organic liquids or solids dissolved in a water insoluble organic solvent and the coreactants are salts or alkali metal hydroxides in aqueous solution. In the absence of a phase-transfer catalyst the reactions are often slow or non-existent; in its presence the conversions occur rapidly and efficiently. Examples of such catalysts known in the art include onium compounds, e.g. quaternary ammonium or phosphonium salts, and crown ethers and cryptates. PTC is used for a wide variety of reactions including anion exchange; nucleophilic addition; nucleophilic substitution; reduction; alkylations of weak C-H acidic compounds up to a pK.sub.a limit of 22-25; alkylations of ambident anions; alkylations of OH, NH, and SH bonds; isomerizations and H-D-exchange; additions across C.dbd.C and C.dbd.O bonds; .beta.-eliminations; formation of carbenes by .alpha.-eliminations; hydrolysis and saponifications; Darzens reactions; Horner-Wittig reactions; oxidations, e.g. olefins to carboxylic acids; and reactions of sulfonium ylides.
Normally the above reactions are performed in homogenous media. However, the use of hydroxylic solvent alone results in the solvation of anion reactants which hinders the desired conversion reactions. Accordingly, expensive dipolar aprotic solvents are utilized to effect such reactions in a homogeneous environment. In contrast, carrying out these reactions by PTC avoids the need for such expensive solvents while simplifying workup, reducing reaction time and reaction temperatures. PTC is further advantageous in its use of aqueous alkali hydroxides as a substitute for more expensive bases. Additional information concerning PTC is found in Kirk-Othmer, Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, Vol. 5, pp. 62 to 69, John Wiley & Sons, New York (1979), the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Despite the advantages of PTC, common phase-transfer catalysts such as the onium compounds are soluble in water and thus difficult to reclaim from reaction media. To avoid such difficulties efforts have been made to provide phase transfer catalysts immobilized on a substrate. The use of such materials in PTC affords processing advantages such as simple filtration of the catalyst as well as its use in recycle and fixed bed applications. P. Tundo, et al., JCS Chem. Comm, p. 641 1977 discloses the immobilization of phase transfer catalysts on silica and alumina by reacting surface hydroxyls with .OMEGA.-bromoalkyltriethoxysilicates, e.g. Br(CH.sub.2).sub.3 SiOCH.sub.2 CH.sub.3, then quaternizing with either tertiary phosphine or amines. P. Tundo, et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1982 104, 6551 discloses a method which modifies silica and alumina by reacting surface hydroxyls with .OMEGA.-amino alkyltriethoxysilicates, e.g. H.sub.2 N(CH.sub.2).sub.3 Si(OCH.sub.2 CH.sub.3).sub.3, followed by amidation with .OMEGA.-bromoalkylacid chlorides, then quaternizing with either tertiary phosphine or amines.
PTC using cetyltrimethylammonium is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,992,432, the entire contents of which being incorporated herein by reference.
Synthetic ultra-large pore non-layered crystalline materials can be prepared from a reaction mixture which utilizes onium compounds, e.g., cetyltrimethylammonium hydroxide, as a directing agent.
Applicants know of no prior art teaching the presently claimed use of synthetic ultra-large pore non-layered crystalline materials in phase-transfer catalysis.

Phase-transfer catalysis with onium-containing synthetic mesoporous crystalline material


Switching power amplifier includes a first signal path having a pulse modulator for modulating an input signal, and a switching power unit for amplifying the modulated signal to generate an amplified output signal; a second signal path for generating a reference signal in response to the input signal; and a sigma delta feedback loop having a substractor for substracting the generated reference signal from the amplified input signal to generate an error signal, an analogue noise shaper for integrating the error signal to generate an integrated error signal, and a quantizer for converting the integrated error signal into a digital feedback signal which is fed back to the first signal path.

Power amplifiers are in particular used for amplifying electro-acoustic signals. A power amplifier has the task of amplifying an audio signal to a level that, combined with sufficient current to move the coil, produces the desired acoustic level from the loudspeaker. Power amplifiers are capable of delivering larger amounts of undistorted power to produce the subjective acoustic levels demanded by the consumer.
Audio amplifiers are electronic amplifiers that work with audio frequencies, i.e. in a frequency range up to approximately 20 KHz. Applications of power amplifiers are instrument amplifiers and sound systems for home, automotive and public use. The soundcard in a personal computer contains several audio amplifiers as does every stereo sound system.
Power amplifiers can be appropriately distinguished by their output power. Most devices include more than one type of audio power amplifier
The key design parameters of power amplifiers are frequency response, gain, noise and distortion. These design parameters are interdependent, wherein desirable higher gains of the frequency response often lead to undesirable increases in noise and distortion.
Early audio amplifiers were based on vacuum tubes. Audio amplifiers based on transistors became practical with the availability of cheap transistors. Operational amplifiers which include transistors, can also be used for audio amplification, for instance in pre-amplifier stages and tone control circuits.
Conventional analogue power amplifiers suffer from low efficiency. This is critical since power amplifiers handle considerable amounts of power. Accordingly, conventional analogue power amplifiers are in general provided with heat sinks of extruded aluminium to cope with the heat development. Negative side effects of inefficient power amplification includes high volume, weight, cost and reliability problems. Moreover, conventional analogue power amplifiers have lower energy utilization.
To increase efficiency of amplification switching power stages have been proposed which are well-known in the state of the art. A conventional switching power amplifier comprises a modulator, a switching power stage and a demodulation filter to reconstitute the modulated signal. Such a switching power amplifier is also called a class-D-amplifier. The non-linearity of the switching power stage within a class-D-amplifier presents a significant impediment to maintain the modulator performance throughout the subsequent power conversion by the switching power stage.
FIG. 1 shows a pulse modulation amplifier (PMA) having a class-D-power stage according to the state of the art. The PMA-power amplifier comprises a pulse modulator, a switching power stage, a demodulation filter and an error correction block. The pulse modulator is based on analogue or digital pulse modulation technique. The switching power stage connected to the output of the pulse modulator is supplied with DC power and converts the pulse modulated input signal to power level. Subsequently, the amplified pulse modulated signal is fed to a demodulation filter to reconstitute the modulated signal. The error correction control unit is provided for compensating any errors that are introduced during the pulse modulation, the power amplification or the demodulation.
The pulse modulator is the core element of the PMA power amplifier as shown in FIG. 1. The most common analogue pulse modulation methods for PMA-amplifiers are PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) and PDM (Pulse Density Modulation).
FIG. 2 shows four basic pulse modulation techniques according to the state of the art, i.e. pulse amplitude modulation (PAM), pulse width modulation (PWM), pulse position modulation (PPM) and pulse density modulation (PDM).
Pulse width modulation PWM is different from PAM in that it provides the information in time whereas PAM provides it in the amplitude. Consequently, the information is coded into the time position of the transition within each switching interval.
Pulse position modulation (PPM) differs from PWM in that the value of each instantaneous sample of a modulating wave causes the variation of the position in time of a pulse relative to its non-modulated time of occurrence. Each pulse has an identical shape independent of the modulation depths.
Pulse density modulation (PDM) as shown in FIG. 2d is based on a unity pulse width, height and a constant time of occurrence for the pulse width in the switching period. The modulated parameter is the presence of the pulse. For each sample interval it is determined, if the pulse should be present or not, i.e. the density of the pulses is modulated.
Most conventional PMA-amplifier according to the state of the art as shown in FIG. 1 employ a PWM pulse modulator. Pulse width modulation (PWM) can be categorized in to major classes by the sampling method, i.e. a natural sampling PWM (NPWM) and an uniform sampling PWM (UPWM). The cited sampling method PWM can also be differentiated by the edge. The edge modulation may be single-sided or double-sided. The modulation of both edges doubles the information contained in the resulting pulse train although the pulse train frequency is the same. PWM is used to vary the total amount of power delivered to a load such as a loudspeaker without the losses which normally occur when the power source drops its output voltage through resistive means. In theory, the power conversion within a switching power amplification stage has almost 100% efficiency. Furthermore, the power conversion is in general perfectly linear and does not contribute distortion or noise. A real power amplification stage has a limited efficiency and contributes some distortion and noise.
The error correction control unit within a conventional PMA-power amplifier as shown in FIG. 1 compensates errors. The output of the pulse modulator generally contains three distinct signal elements, i.e. the modulated output signal, distortion signal components related to the modulated signal and a high-frequency signal. The high-frequency signal output by the pulse modulator is composed of discrete components related to the signal carrier, intermodulations between carrier and signal, and a shaped noise signal.
To eliminate the error sources related to the switching power stage and the demodulation filter while maintaining the demodulator performance a digital PMA-power amplifier according to the state of the art as shown in FIG. 3 has been described in WO 98/44626. As can be seen from FIG. 3, an edge delay correction unit is provided between the pulse modulator and the switching power stage. The output signal of the pulse modulator is fed to the edge delay correction unit which corrects or "pre-distorts" the pulse modulated signal to generate a compensated pulse signal, such that the non-ideal behaviour within the subsequent power conversion and demodulation are eliminated. This is carried out by means of pulse edge delays on each of the pulse edges controlled by an input control signal generated by a error processing unit within the switching power stage which amplifies the pulses coming from the pulse modulator.
The errors caused by the switching power stage can be divided into pulse timing errors PTE and pulse amplitude errors PAE.
The pulse timing errors PTE arise because the delays from turn-on to turn-off to actual transition at the output of the switching power stage are different in the turn-on and turn-off phase. Furthermore, rising and falling edges of the signals are not infinitely fast.
The pulse amplitude errors PAE can arise from noise caused by the power supply that feeds the switching power stage. Any power supply ripple or noise intermodulates with the modulated audio signal. Furthermore, power switches within the switching power stage have a finite impedance. Additional errors are caused by non-ideal modulation and non-ideal demodulation.
The demodulation filter connected to the output of the switching power stage introduces further distortion and increases the total output impedance and consequently changes in the load impedance which changes the frequency response.
In the PMA-power amplifier according to the state of the art, the error sources, i.e. the pulse amplitude errors PAE and the pulse timing errors PTE are corrected by intelligent pulse retiming as explained with reference to FIG. 4.
The edge delay correction unit of the conventional PMA-power amplifier as shown in FIG. 3 comprises an integrated circuit limiter and a comparator. The modulated output signal is applied to the edge delay correction unit which provides compensation for the PAE-errors and PTE-errors by delaying the individual pulse edges in response to a control signal generated by the error processing unit. The pulse edge correction will be performed by delaying a leading edge of a pulse or a trailing edge of a pulse or both edges of a pulse. FIG. 4 illustrates the functionality of a linear double edge delay correction unit.
FIG. 3 shows an implementation of a double-sided edge delay correction unit within the conventional PMA-amplifier according to the state of the art as described in WO 98/44626.
The PMA-power amplifier according to the state of the art as described in WO 98/44626 and as shown in FIG. 3 comprises some severe draw-backs. A first disadvantage is that the edge delay correction unit according to the state of the art as shown in FIG. 3 does only work with a conventional pulse width modulated signal (PWM) as shown in FIG. 2b and not with other pulse width modulated signals.
Furthermore, the PMA-power amplifier as shown in FIG. 3 has a linear feedback in the analogue signal domain. The output of the demodulation filter is fed back to the error processing unit which outputs the control signal νe to the comparator. This analogue feedback signal can cause an overdrive of the edge delay correction unit, i.e. the analogue feedback loop causes stability problems and is inclined to oscillation. Furthermore, the control range is very limited. As can be seen from FIG. 4 the signal edge of an integrated νe has a predefined slope and lasts for a comparatively short time. The control range for adjusting the delay corresponds to the time period of the signal edges of the integrated signal νe. Consequently, the control range for performing a controlled edge delay is very small.
Accordingly, it is the object of the present invention to provide a switching power amplifier and a method for amplifying a digital input signal which compensates errors caused by a switching power stage and a demodulation filter with a stable feedback loop.

Switching power amplifier and method for amplifying a digital input signal

Cameo Produktions-und Vertriebs GmbH fuer Beschallungs und Beleuchtungsanlagen


A closed-circuit, self-contained hydraulic axis includes an electric motor, a hydraulic cylinder configured to be connected to a load and a main pump driven by the electric motor to pump hydraulic fluid through the circuit. Pressure connections of the pump are connected to the respective chambers of the cylinder such that the cylinder rod is configured to extend and retract depending on a direction of flow of the hydraulic fluid through the main pump. The hydraulic axis includes a main accumulator connected to the pump via first control valve, an energy storage accumulator connected to the pump via a second control valve, and a charge pump. The hydraulic axis is switchable between a first operating mode that is free of energy storage in the energy storage accumulator, and a second operating mode in which energy is stored in the energy storage accumulator.

A hydraulic axis is a hydraulic device that includes an actuator in the form of a hydraulic cylinder, and a hydraulic or electro-hydraulic control arrangement or circuit that actuates the actuator with hydraulic fluid. Such hydraulic axes are compact, powerful drives, and are ideally suited for applying large forces and energies over long periods of time or in applications where space is limited. A hydraulic axis can be used in a variety of industrial automation applications, for example in presses, plastic machinery, bending machines, etc. In many applications, a hydraulic axis is designed to realize at least two movements, namely a quick transfer movement as well as a force-applying work movement.

Hydraulic axis with energy storage feature


A method is provided for encoding a portion of a current image, including: an estimation of motion between the current image portion and a plurality of candidate image portions in order to form motion components, an evaluation of a performance criterion for each candidate image portion, and the selection of a reference image portion using said performance criteria. In the method, for at least one motion component, the motion estimation, the performance criteria evaluation and the reference image portion selection only use information considered to be available at the decoder and no motion information is inserted into an output flow intended for a decoder. A corresponding decoding method is also provided.

This invention relates to image encoding and decoding techniques and more particularly to motion encoding and decoding.
Several existing methods enable a portion of a current image to be encoded relative to other portions of previously decoded images, according to a so-called "INTER" encoding mode. The current image portion is represented by luminance and chrominance information and information relating to the motion between this current image portion and a reference image portion. This enables the temporal correlations between the images to be exploited.
The motion information includes one or more components, e.g., like a translational motion vector, rotation, a pixel component and a subpixel component. Encoding generally includes the determination of information for reconstructing the motion components. For example, a motion vector is predicted and the information for the reconstruction comprises the prediction function identifier used as well as a remainder corresponding to the difference between the prediction and the original motion vector.
The reconstruction information likewise includes other information of various types which enable the components of the motion to be obtained from the decoder. For example, this information is called related or "side information" and consolidates size parameters, function identifiers to be used or others.
This reconstruction information is transmitted to the decoder.
The decoder reconstructs the various components of the estimated motion, i.e., applies the reverse prediction, and combines the result with the remainder and the related information. The decoder next applies the motion components with the reference image portion and combines the result with the luminance and chrominance information in order to obtain the decoded image.
The motion components are information the size of which increases with the resolution of the images, and the information for reconstructing these components occupies a significant portion of the bandwidth.
This poses problems, particularly in environments where the bandwidth is limited, such as wireless environments.


A carrying case providing privacy and light shade for a screen of a laptop computer disposed therein. The carrying case includes top and bottom portions movable between closed and open positions, and panels disposed on the interior surface of the case top portion and pivotally movable from flush with the top portion interior surface to form an inverted u-shaped shroud resting on the interior surface of the case bottom portion. The case top and bottom portions, and panels form a five sided cavity, a sixth side being open to permit viewing of the screen of the computer by an operator.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to carrying cases for laptop computers and is directed more particularly to such a case having facility for providing privacy and light shade for the screen of the computer during use of the computer in the carrying case.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is customary for many travelers, particularly business travelers, to carry a laptop computer and to use the computer in the course of traveling by air, train, automobile or bus and while waiting to board the vehicle of choice. It often happens that travelers find themselves in close quarters with other travelers and do not wish to have onlookers reading their computer screen. Further, travelers often have no control over nearby windows and electric lights and suffer from glare on the computer screen.
Thus, there is a need for a privacy and light shade which would allow the traveler to use a laptop computer with sunshine or other light blocked from impinging on the computer screen, and with the screen removed from the sight of casual onlookers.
There is further a need for the aforementioned privacy and light shade which does not constitute a separate "carry on" article, but rather is integral with the carrying case in which the computer resides.

Carrying case providing privacy and light shade for a screen of a laptop computer


A computer-implemented method for generating a secured software application, involves receiving a source software application which has instructions for processing by a process virtual machine. The method involves generating a secured software application comprising a first set of bytecode instructions derived from the source software application, a second set of the bytecode instructions derived from the source software application, and a security component. The first set of bytecode instructions are for processing on a first process virtual machine, in a first process, on a target processing system. The security component comprises instructions which, when executed on the target processing system, will cause the target processing system to provide a second process virtual machine in a second process where it will process instructions from the second set of bytecode instructions.

This invention relates to methods, software and computing apparatus for improving the security of software applications developed for execution in virtual-machine environments.
Many popular computing devices support process virtual machines (sometimes called managed runtime environments) which can process software applications comprising bytecode instructions (e.g., Java™ bytecode). The process virtual machine typically runs in its own process (execution environment) and allows the same instructions to be executed on a variety of different hardware platforms by abstracting away details of the underlying hardware. The use of such virtual machines (VM) can therefore simplify software development and distribution, compared with developing applications in native object code, which will typically work only on a specific processor type.
Examples of process virtual machines include the Java™ virtual machine, which is supported by Android™ smartphones, and the .NET Framework Common Language Runtime virtual machine, provided on Microsoft™ Windows™ platforms. On recent Android™ operating systems, each Android™ Java™ app (in Dalvik™ bytecode) is processed by a respective Android™ Runtime (ART) virtual machine which executes within the runtime execution environment of a respective Linux™ process.
A virtual machine may interpret bytecode in real-time, or it may pre-compile the bytecode to platform-specific native code; such compiling may be performed when the app is installed (referred to as Ahead-of-Time (AOT) compilation) or shortly before execution (referred to as Just-in-Time (JIT) compilation).
The popularity of the Android environment has led to large numbers of applications ("apps") being developed for this platform, which provide a wide variety of functions. However, this increases the risk and potential impact of any security breaches, especially when applications are handling sensitive information and operations, such as processing financial transactions, medical records, etc.
While the use of process virtual machines can provide some inherent security due to the sand-boxing provided by each virtual machine, which may be sufficient for some apps such as computer games, other software developers and distributers, such as financial institutions, desire a higher level of security, to lessen the risk of their sensitive data, or their customers' sensitive data, being compromised.
The present invention provides a novel approach for improving the security of a software application that is intended to be executed on a process virtual machine.

Securing virtual-machine software applications


A sinker includes a sliding segment with a sliding portion slidably located in a sinker groove, a loop forming and loosening ancillary segment extended upwards from one side of the sliding portion and then extended outwards, a passive segment located above the sliding segment and driven by a cam, and an indented abrasion-reducing space located at a lateral side of the sliding portion and below the loop forming and loosening ancillary segment. Through the abrasion-reducing space, the loop forming and loosening ancillary segment can move directly and horizontally above a needle cylinder. The loop forming and loosening mechanism for circular knitting machines of the invention can simplify fabrication of the needle cylinder, reduce labor and material costs, improve quality and production yield of the needle cylinder, and also reduce abrasion of the sinker, thus can improve performance of the mechanism and enhance lifespan of the sinker.

A conventional loop forming and loosening mechanism 1a of a circular knitting machine, referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, includes a needle cylinder 4a to hold a plurality of needles 5a located vertically, a plurality of correcting troughs 41 above the needle cylinder 4a, a sinker tray 10a located at the circumference of the needle cylinder 4a with a plurality of horizontal sinker grooves 11a formed thereon each holding a sinker 3a, and a cam holder 2a located above the sinkers 3a to hold a plurality of cams 20a. The cams 20a aim to drive the sinkers 3a to move reciprocally and horizontally. Each sinker 3a includes a sliding segment 31a with a sliding portion 310a slidably located in one sinker groove 11a, a loop forming and loosening ancillary segment 32a extended upwards from one side of the sliding portion 310a and then extended outwards and including a horizontal and indented yarn pressing notch 320a to aid each needle 5a in loop forming and loosening, a passive segment 30a located above the sliding segment 31a and driven by the cam 20a with a protrusion 300a extended upwards from the sliding portion 310a, and a correcting segment 34 extended downwards from the loop forming and loosening ancillary segment 32a. The correcting segment 34 is inserted and confined in one correcting trough 41 to aid each needle 5a to accurately form or loosen a loop. Hence when the sinker 3a is moved reciprocally and horizontally the left and right lateral sides and bottom side of the correcting segment 34 generate contact friction due to confinement of the correcting trough 41.
In short, although the conventional technique can aid the needle to form or loosen loops, it still has drawbacks in practice, notably:
1. Each sinker 3a of the conventional loop forming and loosening mechanism 1a of the circular knitting machine has a correcting segment 34, hence the needle cylinder 4a has to form a plurality of correcting troughs 41 thereon during fabrication. This creates structural complexity of the needle cylinder 4a and makes fabrication more difficult. The quality and production yield of the needle cylinder 4a decrease, and material and labor costs increase.
2. When the sinker 3a moves reciprocally and horizontally the correcting segment 34 also moves reciprocally and constantly in the correcting trough 41 that produces a lot of contact friction. This generates high temperature on the sinker 3a during long time of operation, and significant wearing or deformation could happen that shortens the lifespan of the sinker 3a. Moreover, loading of electric power also increases and performance of the loop forming and loosening mechanism 1a suffers. The entire knitting environment also could be contaminated.

Loop forming and loosening mechanism and sinkers thereof for circular knitting machines


In one aspect the present invention is concerned with a method of cell culture, comprising the steps of (i) obtaining a stem or progenitor cell sample, (ii) culturing the stem or progenitor cell sample in media and under closed conditions appropriate to cause proliferation or differentiation of the stem or progenitor cells, wherein the media comprises a vEPO protein variant, (iii) purifying the stem or progenitor cells ex vivo. The invention relates to a method of increasing the number and survival of stem and progenitor cells in vitro and in vivo using a vEPO protein variant. The invention also relates to improved differentiation of stem and progenitor cells in vitro and in vivo using a vEPO protein variant.

Stem cells are primal cells that retain the ability to renew themselves through cell division and can differentiate into a wide range of specialized cell types. Research in the stem cell field grew out of findings by Canadian scientists Ernest A. McCulloch and James E. Till in the 1960s.
The two categories of stem cells include embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells and possibly a third, cord blood-derived embryonic-like stem cells (CBEs). In a blastocyst of a developing embryo, stem cells differentiate into all of the specialized embryonic tissues. In adult organisms, stem cells and progenitor cells act as a repair system for the body, replenishing specialized cells. This makes stem cells interesting for therapeutic applications.
Totipotent stem cells are produced from the fusion of an egg and sperm cell. Cells produced by the first few divisions of the fertilized egg cell are also totipotent. These cells can differentiate into embryonic and extraembryonic cell types.
Pluripotent stem cells are the descendants of totipotent cells and can differentiate into cells derived from the three germ layers.
Multipotent stem cells can produce only cells of a closely related family of cells (e.g. hematopoietic stem cells differentiate into red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, etc.).
Unipotent cells can produce only one cell type, but have the property of self-renewal which distinguishes them from non-stem cells.
The term progenitor cell is used in cell biology and developmental biology to refer to immature or undifferentiated cells. While progenitor cells share many common features with stem cells, the term is far less restrictive. The majority of progenitor cells lies dormant or possesses little activity in the tissue in which they reside. They exhibit slow growth and their main role is to replace cells lost by normal attrition.
Embryonic stem cells (ES cells) are stem cells derived from the inner cell mass of a blastocyst. ES cells are pluripotent, and give rise during development to all derivatives of the three primary germ layers: ectoderm, endoderm and mesoderm. In other words, they can develop into each of the more than 200 cell types of the adult body when given sufficient and necessary stimulation for a specific cell type. When given no stimuli for differentiation, ES cells will continue to divide in vitro and each daughter cell will remain pluripotent. The pluripotency of ES cells has been rigorously demonstrated in vitro and in vivo, thus they can be indeed classified as stem cells. Because of their unique combined abilities of unlimited expansion and pluripotency, embryonic stem cells are a potential source for regenerative medicine and tissue replacement after injury or disease. To date, no approved medical treatments have been derived from embryonic stem cell research,
ES cells were first derived from mouse embryos in 1981 by two independent research groups (Evans & Kaufman and Martin). A breakthrough in human embryonic stem cell research came in November 1998 when a group led by James Thomson at the University of Wisconsin-Madison first developed a technique to isolate and grow the cells when derived from human blastocysts.
Adult stem cells reside in nearly every tissue, including the brain, bone marrow, peripheral blood, kidney, epithelia of the digestive system, and also the skin, retina, muscles, pancreas and liver (Blau et al., 2001; Tarnowski and Sieron, 2006). They contribute to tissue homeostasis and regeneration after damage. However, their specific properties are often elusive because of their heterogeneity and technical difficulties in identifying these rare cells and their progeny. Hematopoietic stem cells are the best characterized adult stem cells. They are able to reconstitute all cells of the blood. Stem cells also exist in the adult brain (Gage, 2000). These so-called neural stem cells give rise to neurons and glial cells in tissue culture or following direct injection into brains. Neural stem cells can be obtained from adult brain tissue following proteolytic dissociation and density gradient centrifugation. They can be grown and expanded as 'neurospheres' in culture (Quesenberry et al., 1999). Mesenchymal (stromal) stem cells derived from bone marrow, umbilical cord, placenta or adipose tissue give rise to adipocytes, chondrocytes, tenocytes and osteocytes. However, they also possess a remarkable degree of plasticity when exposed to specific environmental factors (Grove at al., 2004). Multipotent adult progenitor cells are pluripotent cells obtained in culture from mesenchymal stem cells (Jiang of al., 2002). Recently, pluripotent spermatogonial stem cells were isolated from adult mouse testis (Gunn et al., 2006).
Pluripotent cells can also be obtained from somatic cells by nuclear reprogramming, including cloning, cell fusion and cytoplasmic mixing (Pomerantz and Blau, 2004).
The goal of regenerative medicine is to restore tissue function. Stem cells and progenitor cells offer the potential to replace lost or damaged cells and to create a milieu supportive of functional recovery. Clinical interventions can encompass stimulation of endogenous stem and progenitor cells populations. Unfortunately, most of the newly generated cells do not fully differentiate or die or fail to migrate to the sites of damage. These obstacles are exemplified in a study on neuronal replacement from endogenous neural precursors after cerebral ischemia (Arvidsson et al., 2002). Erythropoietin was recently shown to enhance and/or induce the migration of multipotent neural stem cells and their progeny (see patent WO 2004/011021). Administration of exogenous stem or progenitor cells is an equally appealing avenue for the treatment of diseases which are refractory to most other treatments. ES and ES-like cells would seem ideally suited for stem cell therapy due to their pluripotency and self-renewal capacity. However, the use of ES cells is ethically controversial. Moreover, challenges to overcome are making the stem cells differentiate into specific viable cells consistently, and controlling against unchecked cell division because undifferentiated embryonic stem cells can form teratomas after transplantation. Allogeneic transplantation of stem cells and progenitor cells also carries the likelihood of immune rejection. Transplantation of adult stem cells may overcome some of these obstacles, but the differentiative potential of these cells is limited and many cells die after transplantation. Thus, pre-differentiation of the stem cells ex vivo may be required for their functional integration into target tissue. Adult stem cells are difficult to expand or even to maintain in culture (e.g. expansion of naive hematopoietic stem cells is impossible ex vivo). In general, it is laborious to keep stem and progenitor cells growing, well-nourished and stable in the laboratory so they do not die or turn into a cell type with less potential. Further, purification of the stem or progenitor cells is required prior to transplantation because a mixed population of cells could cause the growth of unwanted tissues. The purification procedure is very strenuous on the cells and often associated with substantial cell loss.
The invention of methods of cell culture and treatment comprising a vEPO protein variant will help to overcome many of the difficulties associated with stem or progenitor cell therapy.

Method of cell culture and method of treatment comprising a vEPO protein variant


Coating compositions are disclosed that include corrosion resisting particles such that the coating composition can exhibit corrosion resistance properties. Also disclosed are substrates at least partially coated with a coating deposited from such a composition and multi-component composite coatings, wherein at least one coating later is deposited from such a coating composition. Methods and apparatus for making ultrafine solid particles are also disclosed.

Coating systems that are deposited onto a substrate and cured, such as "color-plus-clear" and "monocoat" coating systems, can be subject to damage from the environment. For example, corrosion of a coated metallic substrate can occur as the substrate is exposed to oxygen and water present in the atmosphere. As a result, a "primer" coating layer is often used to protect the substrate from corrosion. The primer layer is often applied directly to a bare or pretreated metallic substrate. In some cases, particularly where the primer layer is to be applied over a bare metallic substrate, the primer layer is deposited from a composition that includes a material, such as an acid, such as phosphoric acid, which enhances the adhesion of the primer layer to the substrate. Such primers are sometimes known as "etch primers".
As indicated, in some cases metallic substrates are "pretreated" before a primer coating layer is applied (if such a primer coating is used). Such "pretreatments" often involve the application of a phosphate conversion coating, followed by a rinse, prior to the application of a protective or decorative coating. The pretreatment often acts to passivate the metal substrate and promotes corrosion resistance.
Historically, corrosion resistant "primer" coatings and metal pretreatments have utilized chromium compounds and/or other heavy metals, such as lead, to achieve a desired level of corrosion resistance and adhesion to subsequently applied coatings. For example, metal pretreatments often utilize phosphate conversion coating compositions that contain heavy metals, such as nickel, and post-rinses that contain chrome. In addition, the compositions used to produce a corrosion resistant "primer" coating often contain chromium compounds. An example of such a primer composition is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,069,187. The use of chromium and/or other heavy metals, however, results in the production of waste streams that pose environmental concerns and disposal issues.
More recently, efforts have been made to reduce or eliminate the use of chromium and/or other heavy metals. As a result, coating compositions have been developed that contain other materials added to inhibit corrosion. These materials have included, for example, zinc phosphate, iron phosphate, zinc molybdate, and calcium molybdate particles, among others, and typically comprise particles having a particle size of approximately a micron or larger. The corrosion resistance capability of such compositions, however, has been inferior to their chrome containing counterparts.
As a result, it would be desirable to provide coating compositions that are substantially free of chromium and/or other heavy metals, wherein the compositions can, in at least some cases, exhibit corrosion resistance properties superior to a similar non-chrome containing composition. In addition, it would be desirable to provide methods for treating metal substrates, including bare metal substrates, to improve the corrosion resistance of such substrates, wherein the method does not involve the use of chromium and/or other heavy metals.

Coating compositions exhibiting corrosion resistance properties and related coated substrates