Disclosed are a GPU video data preprocessor, a computer device, an apparatus and a method for facilitating expeditious video transfer to graphics memory for enhancing display and video capture applications, among other things. In one embodiment, a graphics preprocessor is used to preprocess video for transit via a graphics processing unit (“GPU”) directly to graphics memory without invoking a graphics driver. The graphics preprocessor includes an input configured to receive video data. It also includes a native data formatter coupled to the input and configured to format the video data as GPU data to conform with the architecture of the GPU. In at least one embodiment, the graphics preprocessor also includes a command execution unit, which can be configured to transmit an instruction executable by the GPU as a transmitted instruction to perform a graphics pipeline operation on the GPU data.

Video creators are increasingly using graphics processing units ("GPUs") and their graphics memory (e.g., frame buffers) to facilitate streaming of video from an external video source to the graphics memory. GPUs are high-performance three-dimensional ("3D) processors that include 3D graphics pipelines to perform graphics operations, such as transformations, lighting, setup, rendering and the like. An example of one type of external source of video generates video compatible with the Standard Definition Serial Digital Interface ("SD-SDI") and/or High Definition Serial Digital Interface ("HD-SDI") standards, as maintained by the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers ("SMPTE"). Professional video creators and the television broadcasters use these standards, such as SMPTE 259M, to create high-quality video images. The video is loaded into graphics memory so that it can be either scanned out to a display or captured (i.e., video captured) into a storage medium, such as a disk. Traditionally, video input cards convert the input video stream into a format useable by a central processing unit ("CPU"). While functional, conventional video input cards have several drawbacks in using graphics memory to display and capture the video.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram representative of traditional techniques for both storing video into graphics memory and performing graphics-related operations on the video data to modify the video image. As shown, computing device 100 includes graphics memory 102, a graphics processing unit ("GPU") 104, a central processing unit ("CPU"), and system memory 120. In operation, video input card 106 receives digitized video ("video in") 107, such as in SDI format. Converter logic 108 of video input card 106 then converts the SDI format into a format that is suitable for use by CPU 110 and system memory 120. For instance, converter logic 108 converts digitized video 107 from one color space (e.g., YCrCb) to another (e.g., RGB) and converts interlaced video into non-interlaced video.
The traditional technique of storing video in graphics memory includes sending digitized video 107 over a path that includes numerous devices and/or processing steps, each of which adds delay to the transference of video. Sending digitized video 107 over a path having numerous delays requires complex coordination of the video transfer, especially for real-time video. As shown, computing device 100 requires digitized video 107 to traverse path 144 to system memory 120, which includes a number of various layers 150. CPU 110 executes instructions from an application program in application layer 130 to initiate the video transfer to the lower layers. Next, an applications program interface ("API") layer 132 translates the instructions for transferring digitized video 107 down through the operating system ("O/S") 134 to a graphics driver 136. To do so, APIs in the API layer 132 communicate with a library 160, which contains precompiled routines for translating commands from the application program and GPU-specific instructions. Note that accessing library 160 adds delay. Graphics driver 136 then provides abstract commands for one or more push buffers 138, each of which provides an interface between software and hardware. As such, graphics driver 136 typically inserts GPU commands and data into push buffer 138 and then initiates transportation of the GPU commands and data via path 142 to graphics memory 102.
There are several drawbacks to transferring data to graphics memory 102 over paths 142 and 144. First, graphics driver 136 inserts digitized video 107 into data frames in a format that is generally not compatible with the native data format associated with the architecture of GPU 104. Incompatibilities with the native data format generally results in inefficiencies since suboptimal amounts of digitized video 107 are usually transferred with the format set by push buffer 138. This decreases throughput and exacerbates delays. Second, computational resources of computing device 100, such as CPU 110 and system memory 120, are integral in facilitating the data transfer. As such, CPU 110 and system memory 120 therefore must allocate their resources to perform the data transfer via layers 150 rather than other tasks. This hinders performance of computing device 100 when performing those other tasks. Third, the translation of video data from application layer 130 to push buffer 138 injects spurious delays that require precise synchronization of the data transfer, especially when digitized video 107 is real-time high-definition video. Moreover, the translation is also dependent on CPU 110 having CPU cycles to devote to the video transfer.
Responsive to execution of an applications program, CPU 110 interacts via path 140 with GPU 104 to access graphics memory 102 when performing a graphics-related operation on the video data. Examples of such graphics operations include color corrections, color conversions (e.g., expand or reduce the color depth), color space conversions, bit reordering (e.g., reordering RGB into BGRA, where "A" indicate "alpha"), alpha filtering, and any other graphics-related operation. One drawback to performing graphics-related operations on digitized video 107 is that computational resources of computing device 100, including CPU 110, are again tasked, in whole or in part, with modifying video images. So if CPU 110 is being tasked to perform a higher priority task, then the graphics-related operation may be delayed. Another drawback is that the performance capabilities of CPU 110 (e.g., operational speed) and/or system memory 120 (e.g., access times) govern the rate at which graphics-related operations occur as well as the rate at which digitized video 107 is transferred. Consequently, other higher priority tasks and the suboptimal capabilities of the hardware can detrimentally influence video being loaded into graphics memory 102.
In view of the foregoing, it would be desirable to provide a GPU video data preprocessor, a computer device, an apparatus and a method that minimizes the above-mentioned drawbacks, thereby facilitating expeditious video transfer to graphics memory for enhancing display and video capture applications, among others.

Preprocessor for formatting video into graphics processing unit (“GPU”)-formatted data for transit directly to a graphics memory


System and method to configure switch systems are disclosed. A switch system includes leaf modules with internal ports and spine modules with ports. A midplane includes first layers closer to a first side, second layers closer to a second side and third layers between the first layers and the second layers. The midplane receives the leaf modules and the spine modules about both the first side and the second side. Conductors of the third layers couple internal ports of the leaf modules about one side to a port of spine modules about the other side. Conductors of the first layers couple internal ports of the leaf modules with ports of the spine modules about the first side. Conductors of the second layers couple internal ports of the leaf modules with ports of the spine modules about the second side.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to networks, and more particularly, to networks with plurality of switches.
2. Related Art
Network systems are commonly used to move network information (may also be referred to interchangeably, as frames, packets or commands) between computing systems (for example, servers) or between computing systems and network devices (for example, storage systems). Various hardware and software components are used to implement network communication, including network switches.
A network switch is typically a multi-port device where each port manages a point-to-point connection between itself and a port of another system. Each port can be attached to a port of another server, peripheral, input/output subsystem, bridge, hub, router, or another switch. The term network switch as used herein includes a multi-level switch that uses plural switching elements within a single switch chassis to route data packets.
Clusters of systems are built by using multiple switches in one or more chassis. A multi-level switch that uses plural switching elements within a single switch chassis may be used as a building block to build a cluster. Multiple systems are interconnected, by connecting ports of a system with ports of other systems in the clusters through for example, one or more multi-level switches.
Initially, a cluster may include a minimal number of systems coupled through one or more multi-level switches, with each multi-level switch providing a certain level of expandability. As computing needs increase, additional systems may be added to expand the cluster. As the cluster grows, there may be a need to add additional multi-level switches or add additional ports to couple additional systems or additional switches.
In a multi-level switch that uses plural switching elements within a single switch chassis, there is a need to couple plural switching elements, within the chassis. The coupling between switching elements is typically accomplished using a backplane. As the number of switching elements and the number of ports in a switching element increase, the coupling between plural switching elements becomes complex.
For example, a port of each switching element needs to be coupled to a port of other switching elements. The switching elements are coupled to the signal lines of the backplane using a plurality of connectors with pins. A plurality of conductors are used to couple the pins in the backplane. As the number of ports increases, there is a need to come up with better way of coupling ports of switching elements.
It is with one or more of these needs in mind that the current disclosure arises.

Method and system for multi-level switch configuration


A system for providing a textual record of spoken words. The textual record having reference markings selectively provided by a plurality of system users. Keystrokes are inputed under the control of a first user which are representative of spoken words, thereby providing a plurality of stroke signals. Substantially simultaneous input of responses to the spoken words from at least a second user independant of the control of the first user, thereby providing a plurality of reference signals corresponding to the stroke signals.

The present invention generally relates to stenographic transcribers and computer-aided transcription (CAT) systems of the type used by court reporters. More particularly, the present invention is an improved CAT system which provides a method and means for facilitating the marking of reference characters on a stenographic transcript by persons other than the stenographic reporter.
For many years, stenography has been widely used for making a written transcript of the verbally-conducted proceedings in court rooms, depositions, and business meetings. Basically, a stenographic writing machine, which is similar to a typewriter, is used for making a phonetic record of the spoken communications heard by the stenographic machine operator during the proceedings. These stenographic reporters, such as court reporters, are trained and certified to capture a verbatim record of all testimony at such proceedings. The stenographic writer is usually equipped with a continuous paper tape printing device, which prints the phonetic representation, i.e., "strokes," of what was recorded during the proceedings. The stenographic reporter is then responsible for transcription of the paper tape record from its phonetic form into a human-readable printed transcript in the appropriate language.
The advent of microcomputers and inexpensive personal computers (PC's) has greatly expanded the capability of stenographic machines and, accordingly, has significantly enhanced the productivity of stenographic reporters. In addition to performing the functions of capturing and printing a phonetic record of the proceedings, modern stenographic machines are equipped with electronic storage capabilities, such as tape drives, disk drives, and random-access-memory (RAM). In some cases, the stenographic writer may also include direct electronic communications capability, such as serial or parallel communication ports.
After the proceedings are over, the stenographic reporter who is equipped with computer-aided transcription software running on a dedicated or personal computer, can transfer the phonetic information to the computer by tape, disk, or direct electronic communication. By using a personalized dictionary of phonetic translations, the stenographic reporter can then translate the phonetic information into a textual record in document form. The textual record is then input into a word processor program for editing. Printed transcripts, which are the end product of the stenographic reporter's work, are then made available upon request at a price to individuals. The basic functions of the typical CAT system, namely, the inputting, printing, and storing of phonetic strokes entered by a stenographic reporter, the translation of the phonetic strokes into textual form, and the editing and printing of the transcripts, are readily understood by those skilled in the art of CAT systems.
Stenographic reporters frequently desire to mark the paper tape produced by the stenographic writer to indicate a portion of the testimony for later reference. In the past, this procedure has been accomplished by merely marking the paper tape with a pen or pencil, or by slightly tearing the paper at its margin. In the alternative, several prior art devices have been made available for marking the paper tape. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,363,557 issued to Fowler et al. describes a paper tape marking device for a shorthand machine, wherein the activating keys for the marking device are located in close proximity to the shorthand machine keyboard such that the machine operator may activate the device with minimal interruption of the recording process. Another prior art device has addressed the problem of identifying for future reference a portion of an electronic data record as it is being recorded by the stenographic machine. U.S. Pat. No. 4,439,798 issued to Chvojcsek describes a referencing device for a shorthand machine, wherein a magnetically-influenced reed switch provides an electrical output signal for encoding a referencing bit into a recording medium at an identifiable memory address.
However, the prior art apparently does not address the corresponding problem encountered by other parties at the proceedings such as attorneys and paralegal professionals--that of marking the transcript for purposes of their own reference. For example, an attorney may wish to highlight particular issues raised during a deposition, or an executive may need to note special topics discussed during a business meeting which must be addressed at a later date, or a paralegal may desire to keep track how each piece of evidence is handled during a trial. In order for these parties, other than the stenographic reporter, to reference a particular portion of the transcript, they must utilize handwritten notes taken during the proceedings. Then their handwritten notes must be correlated with the final printed transcript provided by the stenographic reporter. Countless hours are spent pouring over printed transcripts searching for the particular topics or issues of interest.
A need, therefore, exists for a method and means for facilitating the referencing of stenographic transcripts by persons present at the proceedings other than the stenographic reporter.

Computer-aided transcription system providing individualized electonic marking of stenographic records


An apparatus and a method for selectively etching an encapsulant forming a package of resinous material around an electronic device includes an electronic device package mountable on the etch head; a conductive electrode in electrical contact with package leads of the electronic device package to apply a first voltage to the package leads of the electronic device; a first pump configured to pump a first quantity of the etchant solution from the source into the etch head where the etchant solution is electrically biased to a second voltage different from the first voltage and is cooled to a temperature below the ambient temperature. An etch cavity is formed on an exterior surface of the electronic device package. When the etchant solution has etched through an exterior surface of the electronic device package, the conductive bond wires of the electronic device is prevented from being etched by the applied first voltage.

Electronic devices with integrated circuit chips encapsulated in plastic packaging have been employed for some years. Typically, an epoxy resin is molded around the chip, a central portion of a lead frame and bonding wires or other connections between contact pads on the chip to inner lead fingers on the lead frame. It is sometimes necessary to decapsulate such as plastic-encapsulated package at least in part to allow for inspection, test and repair of the chip or the wire bonds to the chip, or the inner lead fingers, after the epoxy covering these elements is safely and effectively removed. In general, concentrated acids such as sulfuric and nitric acids or other solvents for the resin have been used in a decapsulation system for removing plastic material to expose the encapsulated chip or package elements.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,766,496 describes a decapsulation system for selectively etching an encapsulant of a plastic-encapsulated package. U.S. Pat. No. 6,350,110 B1 describes a multi-port metering pump which can be incorporated in a decapsulation system to deliver a very small volume of liquid to the etch head. A suitable decapsulation system should be capable of providing control of the amount of etching, preventing damage to the chip or package elements, and providing safety of use.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Decapsulator with applied voltage and etchant cooling system for etching plastic-encapsulated devices


The disclosure concerns a peripherally-toothed cutting wheel for parallel series of intermeshed cutting wheels, such as employed for the shredding of tires. Each cutting wheel comprises three congruent disks axially bolted together in which the two outer disks have hardened rectangular teeth radially bolted thereon. The inner sides of these teeth abut the opposite surfaces of the intermediate or third spacer disk peripherally congruent with the two outer teeth-mounting disks. Each rectangular tooth comprises a block of hardened material, such as steel, and may be backed up by a second congruent rectangular block providing an outer wearing surface in addition to the outer side surface of the tooth itself.

Shredders comprising parallel intermeshing, rotating, toothed cutting wheels with replaceable teeth are well known, including even series of cutting wheels with spacer disks between them to prevent shredded material from jamming in these spaces. Furthermore, cutting wheels with additional abrading-resisting surfaces on the outer sides of each wheel are also known. However, all of such known cutting wheels with teeth radially bolted thereto soon have these teeth wobble and/or shear the bolts that radially hold the teeth to the periphery of their toothed wheels.


The present invention is directed to RNA monomers comprising O-acetal levulinyl protecting groups at the 2′ and/or the 5′-hydroxy functionalities of the ribose moiety. Said monomers may be incorporated into oligoribonucleotides or RNA polynucleotides. Furthermore, the invention is directed to methods for the synthesis of said RNA monomers, oligoribonucleotides and RNA polynucleotides, as well as methods for their deprotection and methods for the use of said compounds and compositions comprising said compounds. In particular, such compounds and compositions comprising them are used in methods for light-directed synthesis of RNA microarrays.

Microarray technology is readily used in biological research as it provides unprecedented information on nucleic acids in a wide range of applications such as gene expression and genotyping (Ramsay, 1998, Nature Biotechnology 16: 40-44; U.S. Pat. No. 5,837,832). Like DNA, RNA microarrays have also emerged as combinatorial tools as a result of the increasing interest in the use of RNAi and RNA aptamers. The fabrication of such microarrays has evolved from spotting cDNA onto filter paper to more advanced methods such as photolithography with masks or micromirror arrays. While microarrays may be fabricated through immobilization or spotting of pre-synthesized oligonucleotides, the in situ synthesis of DNA microarrays has become the preferred technique as it provides unparalleled chip complexity in an efficient and cost effective manner. However, unlike DNA, the construction of RNA microarrays is limited to spotting as they are far more challenging to synthesize in situ. In addition RNA is more susceptible to enzymatic and chemical hydrolysis.
In general, unlike DNA, there are challenges associated with synthesizing RNA oligonucleotides as a result of the distinct 2′-hydroxyl group present in RNA. The 2′-hydroxyl must be appropriately protected in order to prevent phosphodiester bond isomerization or degradation and to allow for efficient monomer coupling during oligonucleotide synthesis (Reese, 2005, Org. Biomol. Chem. 3: 3851-3868). To date, there have been many attempts to design protecting groups that embody the conditions required for the construction of high quality oligoribonucleotides. The most widely used 2′-protecting group is the 2′-O-t-butyldimethylsilyl (TBDMS) group, introduced in the oligonucleotide area by Ogilvie et at., 1974, Tetrahedron Lett. 15: 2861-2867. This protecting group is removed at the end of RNA chain assembly by fluoride ions. Other silyl protecting groups such as 2′-O-TOM (2′-O-triisopropylsilyloxymethyl) have been used in the synthesis of RNA (Pitsch et al., 1999, Helv. Chim. Acta 82: 1753-1761). Alternate protecting groups are the photolabile group 2′-(2-nitrophenyl)ethoxycarbonyl, 2′-(2-nitrophenyl)ethylsulfonyl and 2′O-(O-nitrobenzyl) substituents and the acid labile acetals such as the 2′-tetrahydropyranyl, 2′-O-Fpmp (1-(2-fluorophenyl)-4-methoxypiperidin-4-yl), 2′-O-Cpep (1-(4-chlorophenyl)-4-ethoxypiperidin-4-yl), 2′-O-4-MABOM (2′-O-[4-(N-methylamino)benzyloxy]methyl, and 2′-ACE (2′-O-bis(2-acetoxyethoxy)methyl). Synthesis of 3′- and 5′-O-levulinyl-2′-deoxy- and 2′-O-alkylribonucleosides has been described by Javier et al., 2003, Tetrahedron 14: 3533-3540. The levulinyl group has been employed for protection of the 5′-hydroxyl group in the synthesis of oligoribonucleotides by the phosphoramidite approach (Iwai and Ohtsuka, 1988, Nucleic Acids Res. 16: 9443-9456). In all cases the synthesis of oligoribonucleotides is an elaborate multistep process, which entails assembly of the oligonucleotide chain, deprotection of the base labile nucleobase protecting groups, cleavage from the support, followed by removal of the 2′-hydroxyl protecting group.
At present there is a dearth of reports on the fabrication of RNA microarrays in the literature. Generally RNA microarrays are synthesized through immobilization of a pre-synthesized RNA strand in its native form, which requires expensive synthesis and purification of modified RNA (i.e., thiol, biotin or amino terminated end), which subsequently limit chip complexity. In addition, such methods leave RNA oligonucleotides vulnerable to RNA degradation as they are in the deprotected form. An alternative strategy uses surface RNA-DNA ligation chemistry to create RNA microarrays from 5′-phosphate modified DNA microarrays. This strategy involves expensive and elaborate procedures that are limited by reliability and complexity. There are no examples in the literature of an in situ synthesis of RNA microarrays.
RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutics represents a fundamentally new way to treat human diseases (Manoharan, 2004, Curr. Opin. Chem. Biol. 8: 570-579). However, achieving targeted tissue and cellular delivery, stabilization in vivo, and cost effective large scale synthesis of RNA are significant bottlenecks in the development of RNAi technology.
There is a need to develop synthetic strategies that permits both the growth and deprotection of RNA chains that remain attached to a solid polymer support or to a glass or chip surface. The present invention addresses these and related needs.

RNA monomers containing O-acetal levulinyl ester groups and their use in RNA microarrays

The Royal Institute for the Advancement of Learning/McGill University


Various implementations described herein are directed to a device with a voltage-controlled oscillator that receives an enable signal, receives a reset signal, and provides internal pulse signals including one or more coarse internal pulse signals and multiple fine internal pulse signals. The device may have a coarse sampler that receives the one or more coarse internal pulse signal and provides a coarse sampled output signal. The device may have a fine sampler that receives the multiple fine internal pulse signals and provides a fine sampled output signal.

This section is intended to provide information relevant to understanding various technologies described herein. As the section's title implies, this is a discussion of related art that should in no way imply that it is prior art. Generally, related art may or may not be considered prior art. It should therefore be understood that any statement in this section should be read in this light, and not as any admission of prior art.
In conventional circuit designs, continuing process technology scaling can ensure sustained area and power efficiency improvements. However, increased integration suffers with the added cost of increasing peak current and current density. Also, combining rapidly increasing supply current with the trends of decreasing supply voltage can place stringent requirements on power supply impedance, which needs to be small enough to avoid the fast supply current induced voltage collapse. However, the stagnant package inductance scaling exacerbates problematic trends. In some cases, power supply impedance can be small at low frequencies and close to DC, which is necessary to minimize IR voltage drop and power loss. However, the low impedance environment is prone to resonance. Generally, there are typically three significant resonance frequencies, which correspond to various interactions of a printed circuit board (PCB), package and the silicon die. The most significant one of these refers to a 1st order resonance (FPDN), which can arise due to die capacitance and package inductance as related to voltage droop/spike. Unfortunately, these problems can give rise to integrating peripheral circuitry into the SoC so as to activate the function of real-time on-chip monitoring and/or characterization of voltage noise.


A transmissive diffraction grating includes a substrate and a plurality of ridges provided in a mutually parallel manner at constant periodicity p on the substrate. The ridges include a first layer, a second layer (refractive index n2: 2.0-2.5), and a third layer with non-continuous refractive indices, arranged in that order from the substrate outward. The first layer adjacent the substrate, in terms of its refractive index, exhibits a difference of 0.1 or less relative to the substrate. The second layer has a higher refractive index than the first layer and third layer and satisfies the following conditions. For a single ridge, the cross-sectional area S of a cross-section of the second layer perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of said ridge is in the range of 0.75p2k1θ2/(n2−1)<S<1.20p2k1θ2/(n2−1), were, θ is the angle of incidence onto the diffraction grating face, expressed in radian units, and the constant k1 is 1.1. The thickness d2 of the second layer is in the range of 0.70pk2θn2/(n2−1)<d2<1.30pk2θn2/(n2−1), where, the constant k2 is 0.69.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a transmissive diffraction grating, and to a spectral separation element and a spectroscope using the same.
2. Description of Related Art
Spectroscopes, which separate light of different wavelengths, are used widely in measuring equipment, including spectrometers, as well as in reading and writing heads of optical disk recording/reproducing devices, in optical communications, etc. In addition, various diffraction gratings are used as spectral separation elements in such spectroscopes.
Diffraction gratings used for spectroscopy preferably are characterized by a significant wavelength-dependent angular dispersion and a diffraction efficiency (the ratio of the intensities of diffracted light of a specific order and incident light) that is near 100%. Moreover, in applications where the direction of polarization of incident light is not specified, they are also required to have a small difference in diffraction efficiency between TE-polarized light and TM-polarized light, i.e. a small polarization dependent loss (PDL).
A diffraction grating with a multilayer structure, such as the one shown in FIG. 36, has been proposed as a diffraction grating satisfying the above-described conditions and having a structure that is easy to fabricate (for example, see Manabu Shiozaki, Masaichi Mobara "Polarization-independent design of multilayered diffraction gratings having large angular dispersion", SEI Technical Review, September 2004, No. 165, pp. 38-42). As shown in FIG. 36, in a diffraction grating 110, a glass substrate is used as a substrate 10 with a low refractive index, and ridges 21 including a high refractive index layer 12 and a low refractive index layer 13 are provided on the substrate 10. When light 50 is incident upon the diffraction grating 110 from the direction of the ridges 21 at a predetermined angle of incidence θ, normal to longitudinal direction of the ridges 21, first-order diffracted light 51 passes through, and is emitted from, the substrate 10. In such a case, providing the low refractive index layer 13 reduces reflectance, and, as a result, improves the efficiency of diffraction of the first-order diffracted light 51.
The diffraction grating 110 shown in FIG. 36 is commonly fabricated according to the following processes (1) to (4).
(1) First of all, the material of the high refractive index layer 12 and material of the low refractive index layer 13 are deposited successively on the substrate 10.
(2) Next, a mask pattern is formed on the surface of the material of the low refractive index layer 13.
(3) Then, portions other than the mask pattern are etched away.
(4) Finally, the mask pattern is removed.
However, if the depth of etching is insufficient during the fabrication of the diffraction grating 110 of FIG. 36, then, as shown in FIG. 37, the high refractive index layer 12 remains at the bottom of the grooves 30. The high refractive index layer 12 remaining at the bottom of the grooves 30 causes a significant deterioration in the characteristics of a diffraction grating 120. Accordingly, it was necessary to control the depth of etching stringently when fabricating the diffraction grating 110 of FIG. 36.
Moreover, while it is more advantageous to have a larger number of design parameters in order to improve diffraction efficiency and reduce PDL, in case of the diffraction grating 110 of FIG. 36, the relatively freely variable design parameters include three parameters, such as the thickness of the high refractive index layer 12, the thickness of the low refractive index layer 13, and the width W of the ridges 21, which cannot be considered a sufficient number of design parameters for improving diffraction efficiency and reducing PDL. Additionally, because refractive indices depend on the material used, it is difficult to freely select their values.
Accordingly, in order to eliminate such problems, a diffraction grating has been proposed that has a three-layer ridge structure including a first layer, a second layer, and a third layer with non-continuous refractive indices (e.g. see International Publication No. WO2004/074888).
Although the shape of the cross-section of the ridges perpendicular to their longitudinal direction in the diffraction grating disclosed in International Publication No. WO2004/074888 is rectangular (with a constant width), in some cases it is technically difficult to keep the width of the ridges constant. In other words, fabrication of the diffraction grating disclosed in International Publication No. WO2004/074888 is extremely difficult. Also, if the shape of the ridges deviates from the design values, diffraction efficiency, PDL, and other characteristics may deteriorate.

Transmissive diffraction grating, and spectral separation element and spectroscope using the same


A remote radio unit (RRU) in a radio base station system can include a cyclic prefix (CP) module having a CP adder for downlink channel processing includes a CP remover for uplink channel processing. The RRU can be configured to communicate with a base band unit (BBU) via a physical communication link and communicate with a wireless mobile device via an air interface. The BBU can be configured for media access control (MAC) layer processing.

Wireless mobile communication technology uses various standards and protocols to transmit data between a base transceiver station (BTS) and a wireless mobile device. Some wireless devices communicate using an orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) digital modulation scheme via a physical layer. OFDM standards and protocols can include the third generation partnership project (3GPP) long term evolution (LTE), the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.16 standard (e.g., 802.16e, 802.16m), which is commonly known to industry groups as WiMAX (Worldwide interoperability for Microwave Access), and the IEEE 802.11 standard, which is commonly known to industry groups as WiFi. In 3GPP radio access networks (RANs) in LTE systems, the BTS can be a combination of evolved Node Bs (also commonly denoted as enhanced Node Bs, eNodeBs, or eNBs) and Radio Network Controllers (RNCs) in a Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN), which communicates with the wireless mobile device, known as a user equipment (UE). A downlink (DL) transmission can be a communication from the BTS (or eNodeB) to the wireless mobile device (or UE), and an uplink (UL) transmission can be a communication from the wireless mobile device to the BTS.
In a centralized, cooperative, or cloud radio access network (C-RAN), the base transceiver station (or eNodeB) functionality can be subdivided between a base band unit (BBU) processing pool and a remote radio unit (RRU) or a remote radio head (RRH) with optical fiber connecting the BBU to the RRU. A common public radio interface (CPRI) can be used to define an interface between the BBU and the RRU.
Reference will now be made to the exemplary embodiments illustrated, and specific language will be used herein to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended.

Remote radio unit (RRU) and base band unit (BBU)


A method of controlling the movement of a processing head of a machine tool includes monitoring the position of the processing head along a first coordinate direction, monitoring the movement of the processing head along a second coordinate direction different from the first coordinate direction, and limiting the acceleration or the change in acceleration of the processing head along the second coordinate direction to a value below a predetermined maximum value, wherein the predetermined maximum value depends on the position of the processing head along the first coordinate direction.

The processing head of a machine tool often moves in two or three dimensions during operation. The acceleration and acceleration changes of a processing head are critical factors in the dynamic operation of a machine tool and can significantly influence the productivity of the machine tool. At the same time, the dynamics of the processing head have a significant influence on the productivity of the machine tool. The acceleration and acceleration changes of the processing head are conventionally adjusted in correspondence with the machine structure, amount of load on the processing head, characteristics of the motor driving the motion of the processing head, the curve followed by the processing head, and the process technology. However, the positioning accuracy of the processing head relative to one coordinate often depends on its position relative to another orthogonal coordinate.


A transaction card holder for holding a transaction card, such as a gift card, on or within an insert that may be withdrawn from an enclosing main body of the holder. The holder is shaped to associate a transaction card with a product related to the transaction card via marketing, subject matter, point of sale placement or the like. The holder includes a sleeve sized for receiving and holding a sliding insert, an outer surface or outer conformation shaped to evoke the related product and may include one or more enhancement elements such as graphics and text upon the holder surfaces.

This invention relates generally to gift card holders and more particularly to a device for holding a gift card while providing graphical and mechanical enhancements to entertain the gift card recipient and add value to the gift.
Transaction cards, stored value cards, or gift cards, as they are commonly called based upon their intended use, have become popular gifts. Gift cards typically comprise a stored value card whereby a certain cash equivalent value is encoded upon a magnet strip applied to the surface of the card. This stored value may be determined by the vendor prior to packaging and display for sale or, more commonly, is selected at the point of sale by the purchaser and loaded by the cashier using a magnet card reader/writer. While popular, gift cards are typically provided with a generic and impersonal design, typically identifying the associated merchant for which the card may be used to purchase merchandise, and therefore are not personalized in view of the intended recipient.
Gift cards are often presented for sale on display racks in stores, each card or packet of cards being hung upon a display stand peg. A given area of a store will only support a certain number and size of display stands, given store traffic and other considerations, which makes allocation of display space an important marketing decision that may require selecting only certain high selling cards for display. Display of other items in the same store area will typically reduce the substantially finite space available for displaying gift cards and gift card packets.
In addition to the above considerations, gift card packets must fit within a set, allocated space in pre-existing displays. A gift card packet must not exceed 5.25″ tall and 4″ wide. These dimensions are an industry standard and are typically non-negotiable. In order to properly hang each gift card packet, the packet typically includes a J-hook hole (sombrero cut) with the exact dimensions of 1.875″ wide by 0.5″ high and be placed 0.1875″ from the top of the packet. Presently, the above requirements pertain to approximately 95% of all gift cards and gift card packets that are sold at retail.
What is needed, therefore, is a device capable of readily holding a gift card and providing graphical and mechanical enhancements to entertain the gift card packet recipient and enhance the value of the gift card to the recipient.

Gift card holder shaped to associate customer with merchant product


A layered coil component includes a coil that is constructed by layering coil conductor patterns and ceramic sheets. The ceramic sheets include a first ceramic sheet and a third ceramic sheet having a permeability lower than the permeability of the first ceramic sheet. The third ceramic sheet has an arrangement that is astride at least two of the coil conductor patterns adjacent to each other in a layering direction, in a section including a coil axis of the coil. As a result, DC bias characteristics of the open magnetic circuit type layered coil component are improved.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a layered coil component. In particular, the present invention relates to a layered coil component including a coil formed by layering electrically conductive members and insulating layers and a method for manufacturing the layered coil component.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, a layered coil component to be used for a DC-DC converter is required to have good DC bias characteristics in order to prevent reduction in the conversion efficiency of current to magnetic energy due to reduction in inductance resulting from magnetic saturation.
An open magnetic circuit type layered coil component described in Japanese Examined Patent Application Publication No. 1-35483 has been known as a layered coil component that improves the DC bias characteristics. As shown in FIG. 14, the layered coil component 101 has a structure in which a nonmagnetic layer 104 is disposed between magnetic layers 102. Since the nonmagnetic layer 104 is disposed between the magnetic layers 102, the magnetic resistance of the magnetic paths φ′1 formed around a coil L is increased in the nonmagnetic layer 104, and a magnetic flux leaks from the nonmagnetic layer 104. As a result, the magnetic flux density is prevented from becoming excessively increased in the nonmagnetic layer 104, so that magnetic saturation becomes resistant to occurrence and sharp reduction in the inductance due to the magnetic saturation is suppressed. That is, the DC bias characteristics of the layered coil component 101 are improved.
However, with respect to the layered coil component 101 shown in FIG. 14, the DC bias characteristics cannot be improved satisfactorily. The reason will be described below.
As described above, the magnetic resistance of the magnetic path φ′1 is increased in the nonmagnetic layer 104. When the magnetic resistance is increased, as shown in FIG. 14, short magnetic paths φ′2 are generated so as to avoid the nonmagnetic layer 104. Since the magnetic paths φ′2 are closed magnetic circuits, a leakage of magnetic flux on the magnetic paths φ′2 is made difficult. Consequently, even when the DC bias current is relatively small, the magnetic density becomes excessively increased and the magnetic saturation may occur.

Layered coil component and method for manufacturing the layered coil component


An internal combustion engine and a method of reducing hydrocarbon emissions of an internal combustion engine during cold start conditions in disclosed. The engine has at least one cylinder provided with a piston which reciprocates between a top dead-center and a bottom dead-center, at least one intake valve through which intake air is provided, a fuel injector assembly arranged to inject atomised fuel particles directly into the cylinder and means for controlling the opening and closing of the intake valve. According to the invention, intake valve opening is adjusted to occur after top dead center of the piston. When the intake valve opens, a pressure differential exists across the valve. Fuel is injected directly into the cylinder during the time of the pressure differential.

Legislation relating to environmental protection puts an increasing restrictions on emissions from combustion engines. For this reason, modern vehicles are equipped with catalysts at which hydrocarbons are converted into water and carbon dioxide. A catalyst must have reached its operating temperature to operate efficiently. Many attempts have been made to reduce the time needed for catalysts to reach their light off temperature. Even though some of these attempts have been successful and the time needed to reach light off temperature has been reduced, starts and, in particular, cold starts are still responsible for a great proportion of total emissions of hydrocarbons from an engine. A significant reduction of emissions of hydrocarbons in the starting process of an engine would therefore generate a significant reduction of the total emissions of hydrocarbons from the engine.
Before the catalyst has reached its operating temperature, the catalyst will not convert hydrocarbons into water and carbon dioxide. It is therefore of fundamental interest to make sure that the amount of injected fuel is kept as low as possible during cold start conditions. However, it is difficult to maintain stable combustions at cold start conditions. To supply conditions that are necessary for stable combustions, normally a surplus amount of fuel is injected during cold start.
With in-cylinder (or direct) injection, an additional problem occurs during the start up phase of the engine. Direct injection engines include a high pressure pump, which operating pressure must be sufficient to atomize the injected fuel. To reach the operating pressure, the engine must run at a considerable speed. When the first injections take place, the engine speed has not been achieved yet. Therefore, the fuel is poorly atomized. To sustain stable combustion, excess fuel is injected. The operating pressure of the fuel pump during the pressure build-up phase during starting is impaired as a consequence of adding additional fuel. Reducing the amount of injected fuel, accelerates pressure build-up upon starting and reduces hydrocarbon emissions.

Method of reducing exhaust gas emissions during cold start conditions and an internal combustion engine in which the method is used


A method for operating a reagent metering system which meters a reagent into an exhaust duct of an internal combustion engine upstream of an SCR catalytic converter, in which, after the metering operation is ended, at least part of the reagent metering system is emptied by back-suction by means of a reciprocating pump. The procedure according to the invention is distinguished in that during the back-suction, a stop determination determines the flight time of a reciprocating piston of the reciprocating pump from a starting time as far as the stop time, in that a comparator compares the flight time determined with a flight time threshold value, and in that the activation power of the reciprocating pump is reduced if the flight time determined is less than the flight time threshold value.

The invention relates to a method for operating a reagent metering system which meters a reagent into the exhaust duct of an internal combustion engine upstream of an SCR catalytic converter, and to a device for carrying out the method.
The invention furthermore relates to a control device, with the aid of which the reagent metering system is operated, and to a control device program product with a program code stored on a machine-readable storage medium, for carrying out the method.
To aftertreat the exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine, use can be made of selective catalytic reduction (SCR), with the aim of reducing NOx in the exhaust gas. In this connection, a defined quantity of a selectively acting reagent is metered into the exhaust duct of the internal combustion engine. The reagent can be ammonia which is acquired, for example, from a precursor in the form of a urea-water solution in the exhaust duct by hydrolysis.
Such a reagent metering system is known, for example, from laid-open application DE 196 07 073 A1. The urea-water solution is conveyed here through a line from a tank to a metering valve and is metered into an exhaust duct of an internal combustion engine upstream of an SCR catalytic converter, wherein the metering rate is defined by means of the metering valve.
In current reagent metering systems, as are known under the applicant's designation DENOXTRONIC, a pump sucks the urea-water solution out of a reagent tank and compresses said solution to the system pressure required for atomizing, of, for example, 3 to 9 bar. The metering rate of the reagent is coordinated to the maximum possible NOx reduction by taking into consideration, for example, current internal combustion engine data and catalytic converter data.
The urea-water solution which is customarily used and is defined in DIN standards has the property of freezing at approximately −11° C. The volumetric expansion of the urea-water solution that is associated with the freezing may lead to damage to the lines and to further components, such as, for example, pump or metering valve. Therefore, it can be provided, after shutting down the internal combustion engine or after switching off the reagent metering system, to suck the urea-water solution back from the reagent metering system, in particular from the metering valve, into the tank. The effect is therefore achieved that the reagent metering system can freeze at temperatures of −11° C. or therebelow without there being any concern about damage due to the volumetric expansion of the freezing urea-water solution.
Laid-open application DE 10 2011 076 429 describes such a reagent metering system in which a pump can be switched over from a forwards operation to a reverse operation such that the pump, in addition to the building up of the predetermined system pressure, additionally permits the reagent to be sucked back.
Purely in principle, it is possible, instead of a pump driven by a rotating electric motor, to provide a solenoid actuator, specifically a reciprocating pump, in which an armature surrounded by a solenoid carries out a reciprocating movement. Such reciprocating pumps are activated, for example, by a periodically repeating squarewave signal. An activation duration is set here within a period in such a manner that a complete stroke of the plunger-type armature takes place.
A disadvantage of such solenoid actuators or reciprocating pumps is the high generation of noise at the armature stop. Patent DE 10 2007 028 059 B4 therefore describes a reciprocating pump for delivering a liquid, in which an impact damper made of elastomer is provided for reducing the noise. In addition, kinetic energy of the reciprocating piston is absorbed by a resetting spring and hydraulic damping. The mechanical design of the reciprocating pump is correspondingly complicated. The result is high manufacturing costs. Furthermore, the mechanically heavily loaded impact damper is exposed to increased wear which reduces the lifespan of the reciprocating pump.
Laid-open application DE 10 2011 088 701 A1 discloses a method for monitoring the armature movement of a reciprocating solenoid pump, in particular in the delivery module of a reagent metering system. For this purpose, a local minimum value in the current characteristic through the solenoid of the reciprocating solenoid pump is sought and identified as the time of the armature striking against an armature stop. In order to ascertain the local minimum value, use can be made of the passage through zero of the first time derivative of the current characteristic.
Laid-open application DE 197 19 602 A1 describes an activation of an electromagnetic valve having an armature. The armature is moved from a closed position of the valve into an open position and is kept in the latter. The activation is configured in such a way that it outputs a comparatively high voltage until the armature is released, outputs a smaller voltage during the flight phase of the armature and, after the open position is reached, again outputs a high retaining voltage to the solenoid of the valve. According to one embodiment, switching times for switching over between the voltages can be ascertained depending on the time characteristic of the current through the solenoid. The current curve here shows the known characteristic dependencies on the movement of the armature. The reduced voltage during the flight phase leads to a reduced acceleration of the armature. A speed is thereby set which is of a size sufficient in order to ensure secure closing of the valve, but is low enough for a generation of noise when the armature impacts against the end stop to be reduced.
It is the object of the invention to provide a method and a device with which a reduction in the generation of noise of a reciprocating pump is obtained.

Method for operating a reagent metering system, device for carrying out the method, computer program and computer program product


An apparatus and method for generating chlorine dioxide. Reagents are introduced into the lower end of a reaction column through "V" inlets. The reagent column surrounds a center column through which motive fluid moves upwardly into a nozzle and venturi throat to produce a zone of reduced pressure at the upper end of the reaction column. The reagents move upwardly through the column interacting throughout 360.degree.. Reaction product exits the generator through the venturi throat.

Chlorine dioxide is a very valuable reagent, bleaching agent and disinfectant and is being used more widely. However, chlorine dioxide is unstable when compressed and cannot be transported easily. Thus, the material is usually generated at the site where it is to be used. Several commercial generators have been disclosed to produce chlorine dioxide. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,247,531 and 4,590,057 to Hicks and U.S. Pat. No. 5,204,081 to Mason et al disclose apparatuses and methods which introduce reagents into a mix and dwell premix chamber, and are introduced transversely into a low pressure zone. That is, the vacuum which is formed in these generators pulls both the liquid phase and the gas phase into the side of the chamber in which the vacuum is formed. This causes fluctuations in the vacuum and inconsistencies in the operation of liquid control rotameters. The quantity of product is limited by the flow rate from the premix chamber. Santillie et al in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,451,444 and 4,618,479 disclose a method and apparatus which introduces reagents at the bottom of a column which is cooled by a surrounding jacket. Water flowing in the cooling jacket is used in conjunction with a pump to produce a vacuum for the system.
The efficiencies of existing generators require improvement. Also, in order to change the production rate/unit time, the size of the reaction column and the fittings must be changed because a single size unit of existing generators has limited capacity.


Untreated bosses are formed in advance in two directions on a cylinder mechanism. The bosses on one side are formed as mounts to attach a motor cylinder device to a vehicle body, and the other bosses are formed as ports to connect to the cylinder mechanism. The mount bosses are formed on the outside in the width direction of the vehicle, and the port bosses are formed on the inside in the width direction of the vehicle.

Conventionally, as brake systems for vehicle (automobile), systems provided with a servo unit, such as a negative pressure booster or a hydraulic booster, are known. Further, in recent years, electric servo units using an electric motor as a boosting source are known (for example, see Patent Document 1).
The electric servo unit disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a main piston that is moved forward and backward by operation of a brake pedal, a cylindrical booster piston that is fitted outside the main piston such as to be movable relative to the main piston, and a rotation-linear movement conversion mechanism, ball screws for example, for transmitting the rotational force of the electric motor to the booster piston as a booster thrust force.
By this electric servo unit, the main piston and the booster piston are used as pistons for a master cylinder, and the respective front ends are located in the pressure chamber of the master cylinder. Thus, an input thrust force applied to the main piston from a brake pedal by an operator and a booster thrust force applied from an electric motor to the booster piston can generate a hydraulic brake pressure in the master cylinder.

Vehicle-body attachment structure for electric brake actuator

Autoliv Nissin Brake Systems Japan Co., Ltd.


A self-cleaning litter box. The self-cleaning litter box includes a rake drive housing that is securable to and removable from a litter tray. The rake drive housing contains the rake drive control system. The rake drive control system automatically cleans the litter tray after each use and/or on a periodic basis by combing the litter with a sweeping rake. The sweeping rake is paired with a spade that loosens waste products that is stuck to the litter tray. At the disposal end of the self-cleaning litter box, a disposal rake cooperatively rotates with the sweeping rake to transfer waste products into a waste receptacle.

It is generally recognized that cats will not use a dirty litter box. Manual litter boxes require someone to regularly monitor their usage and periodically remove waste from the litter. Regularly removing waste from the litter box also helps to minimize unpleasant odors. Automated or self-cleaning litter boxes attempt to address both of these issues by collecting the waste after each use or, in some cases, on a schedule. Various designs of self-cleaning litter boxes are known in the art. For the most part, existing self-cleaning litter box designs adequately remove waste from the unused litter; however, each existing self-cleaning litter box design generally has one or more undesirable qualities that undermine its effectiveness.


The invention provides methods and kits for detecting conformationally altered proteins, such as prions or other proteins associated with disease states, in a sample. The methods comprise selectively capturing and separating complexes of peptide and conformationally altered protein from substances that interfere with detection of such complexes, and preferably amplification of the detection signal b addition of a second double-labeled peptide.

The invention relates to the field of detection of proteins in biological samples. More specifically, the invention relates to methods and kits for detecting proteins and prions in a sample containing biological substances, and compositions employed by those methods and kits.
Numerous diseases and disorders affecting humans and animals have been determined or postulated to involve misfolded cellular proteins. Misfolding of naturally occurring normal cellular proteins is thought to cause the protein to lose activity, or, in many cases, behave abnormally. Misfolding of normal cellular proteins often causes formation of high molecular weight deposits or plaques within affected cells. Diseases that are known or thought to be associated with such misfolding of normal cellular proteins include Alzheimer's disease (AD), in which the A beta (amyloid beta) protein is involved; cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA); Parkinson's Disease, in which α-synuclein deposits in Lewy bodies are involved; Pick's Disease and frontal temporal dementia, in which the tau protein is involved; Amylotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (AML), in which superoxide dismutase is involved; Huntington's Disease, in which the protein huntingtin is involved; and the numerous Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSE), such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD), Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE; Mad Cow Disease), in which prion proteins are involved.
Many of the diseases and disorders associated with misfolded proteins and the associated deposits and plaques of these proteins are diseases and disorders of the central nervous system. Indeed, most of the diseases and disorders are neurodegenerative in nature, causing diminished neural cell function or neural cell death. The mechanisms by which deposits or plaques are formed from the misfolded proteins, and the relationship of deposit or plaque formation to the disease-associated neurodegenerative processes are not well-defined.
A group of proteins that are among these plaque-forming proteins are the prion proteins. Currently, prion proteins are under intense investigation due to their association with neurodegenerative diseases in farm animals and the human population, and their apparent transmission through biological materials from one animal or human to another, including apparent cross-species transmission.
It is widely held that prions, which are the infections agents of neurodegenerative diseases, are, in fact, entirely proteinaceous, and it has been postulated that the prion protein is the entity known as a prion. The prion protein is a protein referred to as PrP 27-30 or PrPC. It is an approximately 28-kilodalton hydrophobic glycoprotein that, when misfolded, aggregates into rod-like filaments found as plaques or deposits in infected brains. Prions exist normally as innocuous cellular proteins. However, prions possess an innate capacity to convert their structure and cause several deadly brain diseases of the dementia type in humans and animals. The dominating hypothesis is that, unlike all other infectious pathogens, infection is caused by an abnormal conformation of the prion protein, which acts as a template and converts normal prion conformations into abnormal conformations.
Complete prion protein-encoding genes have been cloned, sequenced, and expressed in transgenic animals. PrPC is encoded by a single-copy cellular gene and is normally found at the outer surface of neurons, attached to the membrane by way of a glycolipid moiety at the C-terminal portion of the protein. Cycling of the protein from the surface to the interior is known to occur, but the function of this cycling is not yet elucidated. Through an as-yet unclear post-translational process, under certain circumstances, PrPSc is formed from the normal, cellular PrPC. Neurodegenerative disease then can develop, a process that can take as much as decades to become clinically evident in humans.
The delay between the time of infection and manifestation of clinical symptoms of neurodegenerative disease is cause for heightened concern because this delay can permit unknowing transmission of the disease from one individual to others. For example, it can permit an animal infected with a prion to be slaughtered, and the potentially infectious products from that animal to enter the animal or human food stream. Likewise, it can permit an infected human to transmit infectious material to others through blood or organ donation. Thus, it is of great interest to the health community, the farming industry, and the general public to monitor animals and animal products (such as meat), and to monitor medical samples derived from humans (such as blood donations and organ donations) to reduce or eliminate the likelihood of transmission of prion proteins from infected individuals to others.
The normal cellular protein (PrPC) can be differentiated from the misfolded, infective protein (PrPSc) by numerous methods, the most common of which being susceptibility or resistance to degradation by proteases, such as Proteinase K, and detection with antibodies raised against one form of the protein or the other, or prior to or after proteinase digestion.
Many of the current techniques used to detect the presence of prion-related infections rely on gross morphological changes in the brain, or immunochemical techniques that are generally applied only after clinical symptoms are manifest, and which require biopsy material or material taken post mortem. Of course, by the time gross morphological changes in the brain are evident, a human may have transmitted infections particles to others through blood donations or donation of organs or tissues. Similarly, by the time post mortem analysis of animal tissue has been completed, products from the animal may have already entered the food stream and potentially infected other animals or even humans.
Other techniques in development or use rely on catalytic propagation of the misfolded form of cellular proteins involved in neurodegenerative diseases, such as prion protein. For example, Published U.S. Patent Application 2005/0026165 A1, which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference, discloses the use of peptide probes to detect small amounts of misfolded protein in samples. In 2005/0026165 A1, peptides having sequences that bind to misfolded proteins are exposed to samples suspected of containing the misfolded protein. If misfolded protein is present, the probes bind to the misfolded protein. Binding causes a conformational change in the probe that permits it to bind to other probe molecules. Binding of other probe molecules to the misfolded protein-probe complex causes a conformational change in the newly bound probe, which converts it to a conformation that is capable of binding to yet another probe molecule in the mixture. The design of the probes permits a detectable signal to be generated when the target misfolded protein is present.
Although numerous techniques for detecting misfolded proteins, such as infectious prion proteins, exist in the art, there still exists a need for improved techniques that are rapid, inexpensive, reliable, reproducible, easy to use, and/or provide improved sensitivity. Improving the sensitivity relates to virtually all other needs. Furthermore, there exists a need for this technique to be convenient to carry out by means of a high-throughput kit.

Method for detecting misfolded proteins and prions


A breathing sensor comprising a thin flexible compliant film transducer exhibiting piezoelectric and pyroelectric properties. The transducer preferably comprises a thin film of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) having a pattern of metallization on the opposed surfaces thereof defining electrodes. The transducer is designed to be affixed proximate a person's airway such that the tidal flow of inspired and expired air will impinge upon the transducer. It is adapted to be coupled to electronic circuitry for indicating normal breathing, for providing an alarm in the event of sleep apnea and for providing an indication when sound related to respiratory distress is present.

I. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to monitoring devices for respiratory activity, and more particularly to a transducer which can be readily positioned relative to the respiratory passages of a subject for producing an electrical signal related to temperature changes due to impingement of inspired or expired air thereon and/or sound produced during breathing.
II. Discussion of the Prior Art
A variety of devices are described in the prior art for monitoring respiratory activity of a subject. For example, neonates who may have evidenced a propensity towards SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) are provided with a breathing monitor which will provide an alarm in the event of sleep apnea. In this regard, reference is made to the Pearce U.S. Pat. No. 4,971,065. There is described a transducer for detecting apnea which comprises a deformable pad having a serpentine pattern of an electrically resistive material adhered to that pad, the material exhibiting a resistance change when deformed. The transducer would typically be placed on the crib mattress to detect even subdued breathing movements of that infant. The transducer is coupled to electrical circuitry for producing an alarm if the rhythmic breathing pattern ceases for more than a predetermined time.
The Pennock U.S. Pat. No. 4,960,118 describes a transducer arrangement in which piezoelectric devices are mounted on belts extending around the abdomen and thorax in such a way that the strain on the transducers due to expansion and contraction of the abdomen and thorax during breathing produces a detectable variation in an output signal.
The EdenTec Corporation of Eden Prairie, Minn., manufactures and sells an air flow sensor designed to be adhesively attached to a patient's upper lip so as to be exposed to the tidal flow of respiratory gases during inspiration and expiration. It is more particularly described in the Bowman et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,161,541. The transducer comprises a substrate on which is deposited a thermistor, i.e., a material exhibiting a significant resistance change with changes in temperature. The device is adapted to be connected to a suitable electronics module for developing a detectable change in voltage as the resistance varies due to temperature changes occasioned by the impingement of respiratory gases onto the transducer during inspiration and expiration. Typically, resistive printed inks have a small temperature coefficient producing a very small change in resistance of about 0.05% with the typical 1.degree. to 2.degree. C. temperature change that occurs when breathing onto the sensor. This produces a very small signal voltage output of less than 100 microvolts with a typical adult patient. The signal is even less when the sensor is used with an infant because of the smaller volume of air exhaled.
The present invention overcomes this drawback by using a piezo material that has pyroelectric properties producing output voltages that are approximately 1,000 times greater than the resistive printed ink sensor. These larger signals make it easier to detect small changes of temperature.


The invention provides a speech coding apparatus wherein a perceptual weighting filter is realized with a comparatively small amount of calculation. The speech coding apparatus includes a weighting circuit which in turn includes a coefficient code book in which weighting coefficients are stored, a coefficient determination section which selects and outputs one of the weighting coefficients which corresponds to a short-term prediction code, and a weighting section for performing weighting calculation of a speech signal with the selected weighting coefficient.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a speech coding apparatus, and more particularly to a speech coding apparatus employing code-excited linear predictive coding (CELP) or a like system which codes a speech signal at a low bit rate with a high quality.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, application of digital systems to land mobile telephones and cordless telephones which employ radio waves as a medium has been and is proceeding rapidly. Since the frequency band which can be used for telephones of the type mentioned is limited in radio waves, in order to reduce an occupied band, it is important to develop a coding system for a speech signal of a low bit rate.
As one of coding systems of the type mentioned wherein the bit rate ranges approximately from 8 to 4 kb/s, a CELP system is known which is disclosed, for example, in M. R. Schroeder and B. S. Atal, "Code-excited linear prediction (CELP): High quality speech at low bit rates", ICASSP Proceedings 85, 1985, America, pp.937-940 (hereinafter referred to as document 1).
In the CELP system as a conventional speech coding apparatus disclosed in the document 1, coding processing is performed on the transmission side in the following procedure. First, for each frame (for example, 20 ms), a short-term predictive code representative of a frequency characteristic of speech, that is, a spectrum parameter, is extracted from a speech signal of an object of coding (short-term prediction). Then, each frame is divided into sub frames of a shorter period (for example, 5 ms). Then, for each sub frame, a pitch parameter representative of a long-term correlation (pitch correlation) is extracted from speech excitation signals in the past, and the speech signal of the sub frame is long-term predicted with the pitch parameter. The long-term prediction is performed by determining a delay code representative of a pitch correlation using an adaptive code book which includes speech excitation signals of a sub frame length, that is, adaptive code vectors, obtained by delaying speech excitation signals in the past by intervals corresponding to delay samples corresponding to delay codes of the speech excitation signals. The delay code is determined in the following procedure. In particular, a delay code is varied (attempted) by sizes of the adaptive code book to extract adaptive code vectors corresponding to the resulting delay codes. A synthesis signal is produced using the thus extracted adaptive code vectors, and an error power of the synthesis signal from the speech signal is calculated. An optimum delay code with which the thus calculated error power exhibits the lowest value, an adaptive code vector which corresponds to the optimum delay code and gains for them are determined.
Then, a speech excitation code vector with which the error power between a noise signal which is a quantization code of a kind prepared in advance, that is, a synthesis signal produced from an excitation code vector extracted from a speech excitation code book and a residual signal obtained by long-term prediction exhibits the lowest value and a gain for the speech excitation code vector are determined. This processing will be hereinafter referred to as speech excitation code book search.
Indices representative of the kinds of the adaptive code vector and the speech excitation code vector and the gains for the individual speech excitation signals determined in such a manner as described above as well as an index representative of the type of a spectral parameter are transmitted.
The search for a delay code of an adaptive code vector and a quantization code of an excitation code vector is specifically performed in the following procedure. First, in order to reduce quantization noises of filter coefficients of a synthesis filter formed from a spectrum parameter determined by a short-term predictive code and quantized/dequantized, a speech signal x[n] inputted is multiplied by a perceptual weighting filter W(z) defined by the following equation: EQU W(z)={A(z/.gamma.1)}/{A(z/.gamma.2)} (1)
where A(z) are filters representing the opposite characteristics to those of the synthesis filter described above, and .gamma.1 and .gamma.2 are weighting coefficients representing characteristics of the perceptual weighting filter.
Then, a weighting synthesis filter HV wherein the synthesis filter 1/A(z) and the perceptual weighting filter W(z) are connected in cascade connection is driven with a code vector ej[n] of a quantization code j to calculate a synthesis signal Hej[n]. Thereafter, the quantization code j with which the error power E between a signal z[n] and the signal Hej[n] exhibits the lowest value in the following equation is determined: ##EQU1## where Ns is a sub frame length, H is a matrix which realizes the synthesis filter, and g.sub.ej is a gain of the code vector ej.
Since the weighting coefficients .gamma.1 and .gamma.2 are usually set to .gamma.1=1.0 and .gamma.2=0.8, respectively, the characteristic of the weighting synthesis filter HV is given by the following equation: EQU HV=1/A(z/0.8)
A weighting synthesis filter having the characteristic is used commonly.
In this instance, since the weighting synthesis filter HV for a code book search is of the full pole type and one of two terms of an object of calculation is a constant, the calculation amount for the calculation (number of times of product-summing) is not very great. Where the calculation is performed with a common digital signal processor (DSP) which includes a RAM and a ROM and has a data point for each of the RAM and the ROM, constants of the data points are stored in the ROM while variables are stored in the RAM to perform a predetermined calculation.
FIG. 4 shows a conventional speech coding apparatus. Referring to FIG. 4, the speech coding apparatus shown includes a coding section 1 for coding a speech input signal, a decoding section 2 for decoding the coded signal, and a transmission line 3 for interconnecting the decoding section 2 and the coding section 1.
The coding section 1 includes a buffer circuit 11 for storing a speech signal SI inputted from an input terminal TI and outputting a speech signal S, a short-term prediction circuit 12 for extracting an LPC coefficient which is a spectrum parameter of speech, a parameter quantization circuit 13 for quantizing the LPC coefficient to produce a short-term predictive code CL, a weighting circuit 14 for perceptual weighting the speech signal S and outputting a weighted speech signal SW, an adaptive code book 15 for storing excitations in the past, a long-term prediction circuit 16 for searching for an adaptive code vector which is a delay code representative of a pitch correlation, an excitation code book 17 in which excitation code vectors of a sub frame length representative of a long-term predictive residual are stored, an excitation code book search circuit 18 for determining an optimum excitation code vector from the excitation code book 17, a gain code book 19 in which parameters representative of gain terms of an adaptive code vector and an excitation code vector are stored, a gain code book search circuit 40 for determining quantization gains of an adaptive code vector and an excitation code vector from the gain code book 19, and a multiplexer 41 for combining code trains and outputting the combination of code trains.
The decoding section 2 includes a demultiplexer 21 for decoding transmission codes supplied thereto into predetermined code trains, an adaptive code book 22 same as the adaptive code book 15, an excitation code book 23 same as the excitation code book 17, a gain code book 24 same as the gain code book 19, a synthesis filter 25 for regenerating a speech signal from an excitation produced and a speech synthesis filter, and an output terminal TO for outputting speech.
A flow of processes of the conventional speech coding circuit will be described with reference to FIG. 4. The coding section 1 receives a speech signal SI through the input terminal TI and stores the speech signal SI into the buffer circuit 11. Using the speech signal S of a fixed sample stored in the buffer circuit 11, the short-term prediction circuit 12 performs a short-term predictive analysis to calculate an LPC coefficient of the speech signal. The LPC coefficient thus calculated is quantized by the parameter quantization circuit 13, and the quantized code of the LPC coefficient, that is, a short-term predictive code CL, is sent to the multiplexer 41, and is dequantized so that it may be used for later coding processing.
Meanwhile, the speech signal S stored in the buffer circuit 11 is perceptual weighted by the weighting circuit 14 using a quantized/dequantized LPC coefficient CL and is thus supplied as a weighted speech signal SW to the long-term prediction circuit 16, the excitation code book search circuit 18 and the gain code book search circuit 40 so that it is used for a search of code books.
Then, using the adaptive code book 15, the excitation code book 17 and the gain code book 19, a search for code books of the signal SW is performed. First, long-term prediction is performed by the long-term prediction circuit 16 to determine an optimum delay code CD representative of a pitch correlation in such a manner as hereinafter described, and the delay code CD is transferred to the multiplexer 41. Further, the long-term prediction circuit 16 produces a corresponding adaptive code vector. Then, after subtraction of an influence of the adaptive code vector, the excitation code book search circuit 18 performs a search of the excitation code book 17 to determine a quantization code CS and produces an excitation code vector. The quantization code is transferred to the multiplexer 41. After the adaptive code vector and the excitation code vector are determined, the gain code book search circuit 40 refers to gain term data from the gain code book 19 to calculate the gains of the two excitations and transfers the code DG of them to the multiplexer 41. The multiplexer 41 combines the codes CL, CD, CS and CG into a transmission code CT and transfers the transmission code CT to the decoding section 2 through the transmission line 3.
In the decoding section 2, the demultiplexer 21 demultiplexes the transmission code CT inputted thereto from the transmission line 3 into codes CL, CD, CS and CG. The demultiplexer 21 decodes the short-term predictive code CL corresponding to an LPC coefficient into a filter coefficient and transfers the filter coefficient to the synthesis filter 25. From the delay code CD, an adaptive code vector is produced using the adaptive code book 22. From the quantization code CS corresponding to an excitation, an excitation code vector is produced using the excitation code book 23. From the code CG corresponding to gains, gains of the adaptive code vector and the excitation code vector are calculated referring to the gain code book 24, and the excitations are multiplied by the gain terms to produce an input signal to the synthesis filter 25. Finally, using the input signal, the synthesis filter 25 performs synthesis of a sound signal and outputs the sound signal from the output terminal T0.
Here, in order to realize the perceptual weighting filter W(z) by the weighting circuit 14, since the filter coefficient is variable, multiplication of variables is required as seen from the equation (1) given hereinabove. Consequently, a filter of the zero pole type is required. Accordingly, in order to perform the calculation with such a DSP as described above, two RAMs for storing the two variables must be used.
If it is assumed that the sample number n for short-term prediction in the equation (1) is 10 for the convenience of description, then A(z) and W(z) are represented by the following equations (3) and (4), respectively: EQU A(z)=1+a[1]z.sup.-1 +a[2]z.sup.-2 +. . . +a[10]z.sup.-10 (3) ##EQU2## where a[1] to a[10] are variables, and accordingly, also a[1].gamma.1.sup.1 to a[10].gamma.1.sup.10 and a[1].gamma.2.sup.1 to a[10].gamma.2.sup.10 are variables.
Where the perceptual weighted signal SW which is an output of the perceptual weighting filter is represented by y(n) and the input speech signal S is represented by x(n), the perceptual weighting filter W(z) is developed in the following manner: ##EQU3## The coefficients a[i].gamma.2.sup.i, y(n-i), a[j].gamma.1.sup.j and x(n-j) in the equation (5) are variables.
In an ordinary DSP which has one data point for a RAM, the number of processing steps, that is, the calculation time, is long because an operation for storing or saving variables into the RAM is required upon every calculation processed. In particular, multiplication of a RAM storage variable A and another RAM storage variable B, that is, A.times.B, requires totaling 6 steps including step 1 at which A is read into the data point, step 2 at which A is set to the multiplicand M and the address of A is updated, step 3 at which the address of A is saved temporarily, step 4 at which B is read into the data point, step 5 at which B is set to the multiplier N and the address of B is updated and step 6 at which M.times.N is executed and the address of B is saved temporarily.
In the conventional speech coding apparatus described above, when a perceptual weighting filter is realized, since the filter coefficient of the filter is variable, the filter must be a filter of the zero pole type for which multiplication between variables is required. Consequently, when calculation processing is performed by a DSP, two RAMs for storing the two variables corresponding to the individual data points are required. Thus, the conventional speech coding apparatus is disadvantageous in that it requires a comparatively great number of steps and hence a comparatively large calculation time because operations to store and save the variables into the RAMs are required each time calculation is performed for each of the data points.

Apparatus for transmitting synthesized speech with high quality at a low bit rate


Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for processing a user interaction with an application, such as a browser-based application. A user interaction with the browser-based application is detected at a software framework. The browser-based application is executing in a browser at a local computer system. The user interaction is processed at the software framework, where processing includes determining whether the user interaction can be handled locally or requires access to a resource at a remote computer system. The user interaction is processed based on a result of the determination. A data item representative of the user interaction can be created at the software framework and stored at a data store. The data item can later be retrieved and the user interaction represented by the data item reprocessed at the software framework to replay the user interaction.

This application relates to recording interactions with an application, for example, a browser-based application such as a search engine, a reservation system provided by an airline's website, or an e-commerce application provided by a vendor's website.
An interaction with a browser-based application executing on a browser at a client computer, typically requires transmissions to and from a server connected to the client computer, for example, by an Internet connection, dial-up connection or the like. A slow transmission rate can result in a slow and tedious interaction with the application. Reducing the number of transmissions required to interact with the application can therefore improve the user experience and potentially the performance of the application.
Recording a user's interaction with an application can be useful, for example, to test a system. Using test data as input, the interaction with an application can be recorded and reviewed to learn about the system's behavior in response to the test input. Recording tools typically require installation on the operating system of computer on which the application is executing. A recording tool may be application specific and dependent on proprietary technology used to create the application. A recording tool used in conjunction with a browser-based application may only capture the stream transmitted between the client computer and the server, thus, for example, not allowing for the system's behavior outside of this stream to be analyzed with test data.

Recording user interaction with an application


A method and apparatus for determining the orientation of an object relative to a coordinate system. The apparatus includes a body providing a reference for a local coordinate system. A rotatable sensor array is provided having more than one sensor and a rotational axis about which the rotatable sensor array rotates. A rotational drive system is provided for rotating the rotatable sensor array both to precise positions relative to the local coordinate system and at a precise rate relative to the local coordinate system. An angular position indicator to measure the angular position of the rotatable sensor array.

Any apparatus can be assigned a local three-dimensional coordinate system. For example, a rectangular brick can be assigned a local Cartesian coordinate system that describes its length, width and height relative to a specific corner of the brick. The rotational orientation of the apparatus' local coordinate system with respect to a geographical coordinate system is defined by a quaternion. The quaternion gives the direction of the rotation axis and the magnitude of the rotation.
This apparatus is used to determine this rotation quaternion. The apparatus requires that three conditions be satisfied: (1) a gravitational field must be present (2) the apparatus must be non-moving in the geographical coordinate system, and (3) the geographical coordinate system must be a non-inertial rotating coordinate system. An example satisfying all conditions would be determining the orientation of an apparatus placed stationary on or beneath the Earth's surface.
Applications for this apparatus include determining the orientation of instruments placed on the ocean floor by remotely-operated vehicles and determining the inclination and azimuth of instruments placed in boreholes that are drilled into the Earth's surface. Borehole inclinometers have applications in the mining, geotechnical, and petroleum industries to determine the trajectory of boreholes in the ground. They are also used to determine the orientation of various subsurface mechanisms such as directional drilling motors, kick-off wedges, and core orientation systems. Typically, such an instrument is moved through the borehole with centralizing mechanisms to keep its long axis aligned with the borehole; measurements of borehole orientation are made at depth intervals and then an interpolation scheme, of which many exist as prior art, is used to compute a trajectory for the borehole.
To compute the rotation quaternion, the apparatus must make measurements of two independent geographical reference vectors. Such vectors have a known magnitude and direction for any given location on the Earth's surface. The three available reference vectors are gravity, the Earth's magnetic field, and the Earth's axial spin.
Measuring the gravitational acceleration vector is straightforward using one or more accelerometers, and is prior art. Measuring the Earth's magnetic field is also straightforward using one or more magnetic sensors having directional sensitivity. A problem with using the magnetic field arises when the Earth's magnetic field is distorted by the presence of nearby magnetic material (e.g., magnetic rock or steel structures). These disturbances introduce errors in the computed apparatus orientation. Undisturbed measurements of the Earth's magnetic field together with measurements of the acceleration vector to determine relative orientation is prior art.
Measuring the Earth's rotation vector is not straightforward and is the subject of many patents. The signal is reliable, but small. The maximum signal strength is 15°/hour, or approximately 0.004°/s—an angular rate sensor must be able to resolve a small fraction of this maximum value in order to be useful. Historically, sensors capable of directly measuring the Earth rotation signal have been expensive, and some are sensitive to mechanical shock or vibration. In recent years, the development of FOG (fibre-optic gyros) and MEMS (micro-electrical machined structure) angular rate sensors has brought the promise of inexpensive, rugged sensors capable of measuring Earth rotation. Unfortunately, some of these sensors exhibit sensitivity to linear acceleration (e.g., gravity) so that for small signals, it may be difficult to discriminate between linear acceleration and angular rotation.
The use of accelerometers to measure the direction and magnitude of the Earth's gravitational field in the local coordinate system is well known, as is the use of magnetometers to measure the Earth's magnetic field. U.S. Pat. No. 5,194,872 teaches reversing the sensor package to remove sensor offset bias. U.S. Pat. No. 7,813,878 uses misalignment plus rotation about the Z-axis to determine tool face orientation. Similar teachings can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,347,282 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,529,834. U.S. Pat. No. 7,412,775 uses a rotating table, rotating on a vertical axis, and a single MEMS gyro to determine North by looking at phase relationship. Similar teachings can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,753,296. U.S. Pat. No. 4,433,491, U.S. Pat. No. 3,753,296, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,894,341—rotate mechanical gyros to find maximum signal strength, on the premise that at maximum signal strength the heading must be aligned with North (Earth rotation axis). U.S. Pat. No. 5,432,699 uses orthogonal sensors and two sets of measurements separated in time and position of the apparatus to compensate for motion of the apparatus. This is a patent discussing how to correct for unwanted, but unavoidable, motion of the apparatus. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,472,884, 4,471,533, 4,468,863, 4,559,713, 4,265,028, and 4,197,654 all use a canted gyro sensor together with rotation to permit measurement of rotation on a plurality of axes using only one sensor.

Method and apparatus for determining orientation using a plurality of angular rate sensors and accelerometers