An apparatus and method for converting information from a text format to an audio format using distributed processing. A first set of computer readable program instructions receive information from a data source, convert the information from the text format to an intermediate format, and transmit the information in the intermediate format to a second data processor. A second set of program instructions, executable on the second data processor, are also included to convert the information from the intermediate format to the audio format. The first set of program instructions are executed on a remote, or server side, data processor, while the second set of program instructions are executed on a client side data processor. The first set of program instructions expand the information in the text format into phonemes using a grapheme to phoneme dictionary. The second set of program instructions convert the phonemes to audio output signals.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to devices for browsing information on an information network. More specifically, this invention relates to an apparatus and system for receiving personalized information from an information network in audio format using distributed text-to-speech processing.
2. Description of the Related Art
A number of different information networks are available that allow access to information contained on their computers, with the Internet being one that is generally known to the public. The capabilities, usefulness, and amount of information available from information networks are ever-increasing. Further, users often subscribe to one or more information services that are accessible via an information network. Currently, a user must browse the information network for information that is of interest to them. Oftentimes, a user must interrupt their use of an application program, such as spreadsheets or word processing programs, to browse the information network. Even messages sent from information networks to users via e-mail or instant messaging facilities require the user to take specific action to learn the content of the messages. Additionally, while some subscription services and portal services allow a user to customize the format and, to a certain extent, the content, of the information provided, a user must still manually navigate to the various sources of information to see if there is anything of interest to them. Still further, a user often has to sift through a lot of information that is of no interest to them, thereby consuming more time than necessary. Another drawback to current capabilities is that the user typically is not informed immediately when information of interest becomes available, but rather, must enter commands to browse the information sources, and therefore may not receive information of interest as soon as it is available.
In the prior art, systems are available to provide information requested from an information network in aural format, however, these systems require interaction with the user and do not provide the information that the user has indicated an interest in automatically as the information becomes available.
It is therefore desirable to provide users with the ability to prescreen information from various, selected sources, to reduce the amount of time required to find items of interest to the user.
It is also desirable to provide users with relevant information as soon as possible after the news becomes available.
It is also desirable to provide a summary of news items of interest to the user, and to allow the user to access more in-depth information regarding a particular summary.
It is further desirable to receive the information aurally, thereby allowing the user to receive information of interest without being required to interrupt their activity to manipulate or view the information.
There are several known methods for converting information from text format to audio format for output to an audio output device such as an audio speaker system. The information is typically in conventional orthography and the output is synthetic speech. The input is provided in the form of a digital signal which represents the characters of conventional orthography. The primary output is also a digital signal representing an acoustic waveform corresponding to the synthetic speech. Digital-to-analog conversion is a well known technique for producing analog signals which can drive audio speakers. The signal may have any convenient implementation, e.g. electrical, magnetic, electromagnetic or optical.
Speech converters usually include two major sub-units namely an analyzer and a synthesizer. The analyzer divides the original input signal into small textual elements. The synthesizer converts each of these small elements into a short segment of digital waveform and it also joins these together to produce the output.
It will be appreciated that the linguistic analysis of a sentence is exceedingly complicated since it involves many different linguistic tasks, and a wide variety of linguistic processors are commercially available, each of which is capable of doing at least one of the tasks. Further, different portions of the linguistic analysis can be distributed among at least two different data processors.
One category of linguistic processors is designated as "converters" in that they change the nature of the symbols utilized. For example a "converter" alters a signal representing a word or other linguistic element in graphemes into a signal representing the same element in phomenes using a grapheme to phoneme dictionary. This dictionary requires a large amount of storage space, and it is therefore preferable to store and maintain one dictionary in a central location, such as a network server, so that it may be accessed by several users, instead of storing and maintaining separate copies of the dictionary on each user's workstation. The benefits of maintaining large resources on servers arc both ease of maintenance and reduced client system resource requirements. Further, converting the phonemes to an audio signal generates a large amount of data, and transferring the data in audio format requires a large amount of bandwidth.
The invention disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/409,000, filed Sep. 29, 1999, entitled "System and Apparatus For Dynamically Generating Audible Notices From An Information Network" discloses a text-to-speech (TTS) engine that resides either in a client-side processor, in a server-side processor, or which is distributed among data processors in the system. TTS processing functions are computationally intensive and some tasks require a large amount of storage space and bandwidth for data transfer. Therefore, it is further desirable to distribute the TTS engine between at least two data processors in a manner which optimizes processing time, data transfer, and storage space efficiency.
In addition to grapheme to phoneme TTS converters, there are other TTS engines that use different algorithms for transforming text data to audio data. Typically, these other TTS engines also involve converting text data to an intermediate format that requires less storage than the data in audio format. Therefore, it is also desirable to distribute other types of TTS engines between at least two data processors in a manner which optimizes processing time, data transfer, and storage space efficiency.

System and apparatus for dynamically generating audible notices from an information network


Method and apparatus for providing an internal combustion engine which for each cylinder, with the associated piston, has at least one inlet valve and at least one exhaust valve (10) for controlling the connection between the combustion chamber in the cylinder and an intake system and an exhaust system, respectively. A rotatable camshaft (18) with a cam (22) is designed to interact with a first cam follower (17) and a second cam follower (20) in order to switch between two different operating modes. The cam followers are mounted on a pivotal rocker arm (13), the second cam follower (20) being hydraulically adjustable between two positions by means of a piston (21) located in a hydraulic cylinder. The hydraulic cylinder is connected to a hydraulic fluid source via a hydraulic fluid duct and the piston can be moved from one position to the other by the action of a quantity of hydraulic fluid delivered to the hydraulic cylinder.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an apparatus for an internal combustion engine and which for each cylinder, with the associated piston, has at least one inlet valve and at least one exhaust valve for controlling the connection between the combustion chamber in the cylinder and an intake system and an exhaust system, respectively. A rotatable camshaft, with a cam, is utilized and which is designed (configured) to interact with a first cam follower and a second cam follower in order to switch between two different operating modes.
2. Background
There are numerous examples of the need to be able to adjust the valve lift in inlet and/or exhaust valves of an internal combustion engine. Such examples include the activation/deactivation of a compression brake system on an internal combustion engine for heavy road vehicles; that is, providing additional valve movement that is only operative during engine braking. Another example includes the generation of valve lift curves of differing width of the Miller-cycle type, for example, for use at different operating points in the engine working range. Another example is for utilization in the complete deactivation of valve movement when isolating certain cylinders at partial load and the like. Still a further example includes utilization to institute internal exhaust gas recirculation via the exhaust valve or via the inlet valve.
When the facility is required for fixing a rocker arm part in relation to another part, for example, an actuator is required that can overcome the forces occurring between the various parts without any impact occurring when the movement of the rocker arm parts in relation to one another approaches the limit positions. The movement of the rocker arm is controlled by a cam that defines the movements and accelerations that constituent parts must perform in order to achieve the required lifting movement, thus giving rise to forces and torque in the mechanism. These accelerations must be multiplied by the masses and mass moment of inertia, and any spring forces acting on the mechanism must be added in order to obtain the total forces in the system.
It is desirable that apparatuses for producing additional openings of valves should not extend significantly in a longitudinal direction in the space available for the engine valve mechanism. For example, the high compression ratios that occur in modern diesel engines mean that the valve mechanism must be designed for very high contact pressures. Furthermore, this type of engine may be fitted with some form of compression brake system, which requires space for actuating members. Consequently no apparatuses for switching between two valve operating modes should encroach on the existing compression brake system. It is also desirable to be able to perform this switch from one mode to another in a simple way.

Apparatus for an internal combustion engine


A healthcare administration system integrates the entry of an order for a medical service for a patient with the scheduling of an appointment for performing the service. The system incorporates receiving service order information for a medical service for a patient from a user; generating an order for the medical service based upon the service order information; and enabling the user to perform one or more tasks selected from the group consisting of (a) scheduling an appointment with a provider of the medical service, (b) storing the order information in a queued waitlist, and (c) automatically rescheduling the appointment based upon the queued waitlist.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related to a heathcare administration system having an integrated order and scheduling system. Particularly, the invention is directed to an integrated order and scheduling system that allows an order to be scheduled quickly and efficiently from within the order placing workflow. In addition, the invention allows appointments to be placed on a waitlist and rescheduled directly therefrom.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Order processing products currently available in healthcare administration systems for placement of orders for patient services do not support an easy, efficient mechanism for authorized users to also schedule an appointment for service delivery from within the order placing workflow. This results in fragmentation of the service delivery process for schedulable services, requiring the user to enter a separate scheduling workflow to obtain an appointment for service delivery.
In the best-case scenario, the user performs several additional, redundant steps to obtain an appointment for service delivery. The most common scenario is that the process is split between two users: one who enters orders and another who schedules appointments. Typically, this 'division of labor' results in significant delays to the appointment making process. Consequently, available appointment times are pushed further into the future, delaying patient care.
Existing products on the market also do not provide integrated support for placing appointments on a waitlist, so that appointments can potentially be re-scheduled at an earlier time, for example in the event of a cancellation. In commercially available systems, appointments are typically manually placed on a waitlist for later scheduling. However, manual attempts to manage waitlists for scarce resources are usually ineffective and inconsistently implemented, resulting in failure to equitably address patients' requests. In the absence of an automated, integrated system for placing an order and scheduling or waitlisting an appointment, most scheduling operations are unable to accommodate a patient's request for more desirable appointment times. Consequently, appointment cancellations are more likely to result in failure to re-book the time slot on short notice, reducing resource utilization rates.
It is desirable when placing and scheduling an order for a patient service to ensure that scarce resources are managed in a fair and equitable manner. Efficiently accommodating a patient's request for a more preferable appointment time will increase patient satisfaction by enhancing patient convenience. At the same time, efficiently re-booking a cancelled appointment improves resource productivity through increased resource utilization.
Accordingly, a healthcare administration system is needed that streamlines the order process and the appointment scheduling process, transforming a fragmented workflow into a single, continuous workflow, so that a user who enters a schedulable order may easily and efficiently make an appointment for delivery of that service. A system is further needed that enables the scheduler to place an entry on a waitlist as an integral part of the appointment searching and appointment booking process, so that existing entries on the waitlist may be easily converted to booked appointments through a simple, direct process and waitlist entries may be surveyed as part of the appointment cancellation workflow to expedite processing of the entries.

Integrated order and scheduling in a healthcare administration system

Siemens Medical Solutions Health Services Corporation


An anisotropic conductive film is provided which can provide high bonding strength and good conduction reliability when anisotropic conductive bonding is made under the compression bonding conditions of a compression bonding temperature of at most 130° C. for a compression bonding time of at most 3 seconds. The anisotropic conductive film contains a polymerizable acrylic compound, a film-forming rein, conductive particles, and a polymerization initiator. The polymerization initiator contains two types of organic peroxides that do not produce oxygen gas resulting from the decomposition thereof and have different one-minute half-life temperatures. Of the two types of organic peroxides, one organic peroxide that has a higher one-minute half-life temperature produces benzoic acid or a derivative thereof when it decomposes.

Generally, to connect an ITO electrode formed on a glass substrate of a liquid crystal panel with a TAB having a driving IC mounted thereon, or to connect a flexible wiring board of a liquid crystal display device with a printed wiring board, an anisotropic conductive film has been widely used which is produced by forming into a film shape a thermosetting resin composition containing a thermosetting epoxy resin, a polymerization initiator, and conductive particles. Normally, in such a case, the temperature for compression bonding is approximately 180° C. to 250° C., and the time for compression bonding is approximately 5 seconds to 10 seconds.
In recent years, in order to reduce thermal stress on an electrode portion of a flexible board or on an ITO electrode on a glass substrate of a liquid crystal panel, a reduction in compression bonding temperature during thermo-compression bonding using an anisotropic conductive film is required. Moreover, in order not only to reduce the thermal stress but also to improve production efficiency, a reduction in compression bonding time is required. To meet these requirements, an attempt has been made to use, instead of the thermosetting epoxy resin constituting the anisotropic conductive film, a polymerizable acrylic compound together with a film-forming resin, the polymerizable acrylic compound being capable of curing at a lower temperature in a shorter time than the thermosetting epoxy resin. In such a case, it has been proposed to use as a polymerization initiator an organic peroxide that does not produce gas as the self decomposition thereof proceeds (Patent Document 1). Specifically, an organic peroxide having a relatively low one-minute half-life temperature of approximately 100° C. to 130° C. is used. (Examples thereof include dibenzoyl peroxide (one-minute half-life temperature: 130° C.), dilauroyl peroxide (one-minute half-life temperature: 116.4° C.), and di-(3,5,5,-trimethylhexanoyl) peroxide (one-minute half-life temperature: 112.6° C.).)    [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-199825.

Sony Chemical & Information Device Corporation


Described is a rotating electrical machine integrating an electronic module comprising a printed circuit, a plurality of electronic power and signal components positioned on the components side of the printed circuit, a plurality of conductor tracks, positioned on the welding side opposite the components side of the printed circuit, which implement the direct electrical connections between the electronic power components; the electronic power and signal components are in contact through a filler with the cap of the electrical machine for allowing an optimum dispersal of the heat generated by them, the contact being guaranteed by elastic elements which press on a support in which the electronic module is housed.

In general, a rotating electrical machine comprises a casing having inside a stator, rigidly connected to the casing, and a rotor, for example with permanent magnets, rotatably connected to it.
An electronic module or electronic control module, connected to the stator, comprises a plurality of active and passive electronic components forming a power section, and a plurality of electronic signal components, forming a control section.
The electrical machines referred to in this description are of the closed type, in particular the so-called "sealed" type, that is, sealed electrical machines, and having the relative electronic control module inside. The casing and a cap form a closed container from which protrude connection terminals provided for the power supply of the control electronics.
A prior art rotating electrical machine equipped inside with an electronic control module is described in application WO2009/066248 the name of the same Applicant.
In that solution, the electronic module comprises a plurality of copper conductor tracks on which the electronic power components are mounted and a printed circuit on which only signal components are mounted, welded to the conductor tracks.
The conductor tracks are "embedded" in a supporting element made of plastic material by overmolding.
The electronic module is cooled by placing in contact the conductor tracks with a dissipating element formed by the cap of the motor, using "pads" with high thermal conductivity.
A limit of reliability of the solution is due to the possibility of occurrence, in the presence of more or less sudden temperature variations, of breakages of the welds between the printed circuit and the conductor tracks on account of the difference between the thermal expansion coefficients of the printed circuit and of the plastic material in which the above-mentioned conductor tracks are "embedded".
Another prior art solution is schematically shown in FIG. 1 and relates to a rotating electrical machine 100 comprising an electronic circuit 101 having all the power components 102 positioned on the same side of the printed circuit 103. Some tracks of the printed circuit 103 implement the direct connections between the power components 102. In this case, the heat generated by the power components 102 is dissipated by placing in contact with a dissipator 104 the side of the printed circuit opposite the one on which the power components 102 are located, by interposing an electrical insulating layer 105.
This solution also presents a limit in terms of reliability since the heat generated by the power components 102 flowing through the printed circuit 103 may adversely affect the condition of both the printed circuit and the connections of the power components 102.

Rotating electric machine and related packaging method


A seal system for a geothermal power plant of the type having a steam turbine operating on high pressure steam produced from geothermal fluid includes a high pressure seal housing associated with the high pressure stage of the turbine. The housing has a first internal chamber for receiving geothermal steam that leaks from the high pressure stage, and a further internal chamber for receiving geothermal steam leaking from the first internal chamber. A condenser/vaporizer is provided for condensing steam from the further internal chamber using an organic fluid and producing condensate that can be disposed of in a re-injection well. Leakage of high pressure geothermal steam through the seal is suppressed because most of the leakage with be shunted to the condenser/vaporizer, which preferably is associated with a module that includes a steam turbine and an organic turbine coupled to a generator.

Many geothermal sources currently under investigation or exploitation produce large quantities of hot brine at moderate pressures, typically about 150 psia. Some sources, however, produce fluid mixtures of steam and brine at much higher pressures, for example, 800 psia., or higher. In the latter cases, the brine is usually very corrosive giving rise to problems in its use and disposal. Recently, geothermal wells, e.g., in Hawaii, have been drilled producing high pressure geothermal fluid that is about 80% steam and 20% brine. The steam is usually only saturated, and there is some question as to whether these wells will maintain their present pressure in the face of continuous use over the years.
To take this uncertainty to account, it has been conventional to install pressure reducing valves into the flow from the well so that a low pressure steam system can be used in the expectation that the high pressure eventually will fall. However, this is a conservative design, and it is costly over the life of the plant, because a considerable amount of potential power will have been lost.
A back pressure steam turbine driving a generator would seem to be an alternative approach in that the high pressure steam from the well could be converted to lower pressure steam by the turbine and applied in parallel to a plurality of modules that can operate on low pressure steam. Each module may utilize a low pressure steam turbo-generator, and a condenser that acts as a vaporizer for an organic vapor turbo-generator. When the geothermal fluid produces high pressure, saturated steam, expansion of the steam in a turbine can take place in the wet region of the temperature-entropy diagram, producing exhaust steam that contains water droplets and is thus not suitable for application to the inlet stages of low pressure steam turbines in the various modules.
An improved approach is disclosed in copending patent application Ser. No. 07/955,454 filed Oct. 2, 1992 (the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference). In this approach, a geothermal power plant operating on high pressure geothermal fluid includes a primary separator for separating the geothermal fluid into two channels, one containing high pressure steam and the other containing high pressure liquid. The high pressure steam expands in a primary steam turbine (called a back pressure steam turbine) for generating electricity and producing expanded high pressure steam. A secondary separator separates the expanded high pressure steam into an expanded steam component and a liquid component. A primary heat exchanger is responsive to the high pressure liquid for transferring heat to the expanded steam component thereby producing low pressure steam and cooled high pressure liquid.
At least one power plant module is provided which includes a low pressure steam turbine responsive to the low pressure steam for producing electricity and expanded low pressure steam; a condenser/vaporizer containing an organic fluid for receiving the expanded low pressure steam and converting it into condensate, and for vaporizing the organic fluid; an organic vapor turbine responsive to vaporized organic fluid produced by the condenser/vaporizer for generating electricity and for producing expanded organic fluid; a condenser for condensing the heat depleted organic vapor into a liquid; a preheater for heating said liquid; a pump for returning heated liquid from said preheater to said condenser/vaporizer; and a conduit for directing condensate from said condenser to said preheater.
While this approach precludes the application of wet steam to the steam turbines in the various modules of the power plant downstream of the back pressure turbine, it does not address another serious problem that arises because of the high pressure of the geothermal steam. This problem is leakage of geothermal steam through the seals of the back pressure steam turbine. Ordinarily, steam leakage is not a serious environmental problem; but geothermal steam, and particularly high pressure geothermal steam, usually contains a sizable percentage of noxious non-condensable gases such as hydrogen sulfide, and carbon dioxide, whose release into the ambient atmosphere causes serious environmental problems. As the steam pressure increases, the problem of seal leakage increases, and becomes so serious that continued plant operation can be jeopardized.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved method of and apparatus for generating power from high pressure gases, and fluids as well, and capable of operating on high pressure geothermal fluid without substantially any significant release of noxious gases into the atmosphere.

Seal system for geothermal power plant operating on high pressure geothermal steam


The present invention relates to a control device for an impulse-generating device for inducing a shock wave in a tool, in which said impulse-generating device comprises an impact element for transmitting said shock wave to said tool, a counter pressure chamber acting against the impact element and a device for reducing a pressure in the counter-pressure chamber. The control device comprises control means for regulating the reduction of the pressure in said computer-pressure chamber. The invention also relates to an impulse-generating device.

In rock drilling, a drilling tool is used that is connected to a rock-drilling device via one or more drill string components. The drilling can be carried out in several ways, a common method being percussive drilling where an impulse-generating device, a striking tool, is used to generate impacts by means of an impact piston that moves forward and backward. The impact piston strikes the drill string, usually via a drill shank, in order to transfer impact pulses to the drilling tool via the drill string, and then on to the rock to deliver the energy of the shock wave. The impact piston is typically driven hydraulically or pneumatically, but can also be driven by other means, such as by electricity or some form of combustion.
Impulse-generating devices in which the shock wave is generated by an impact piston have the problem that the forward and backward movement of the impact piston results in dynamic acceleration forces that have an adverse effect on the impulse-generating device (the striking tool), and thereby the whole rock-drilling device. In percussive drilling, a feed force is used to press the rock-drilling device, and thereby the drill string and drilling tool, against the rock in front of it, in order to avoid the harmful reflections that can arise if the drilling tool is not in contact with the rock at the time of the impact. An impact piston that is accelerated in the direction of the impact gives rise, however, to counter forces in the opposite direction that act to move the rock-drilling equipment in a backward direction, away from the rock. These opposing forces mean that an increased feed pressure is required and that the drilling equipment must therefore be dimensioned for these larger forces, with the result that equipment is obtained that is larger and more expensive overall than is required by the actual shock wave energy.
In an attempt to reduce the problem of the acceleration forces of the impact piston, impulse-generating devices have been produced in which the shock wave energy is not transferred by a piston that moves forward and backward, but instead by pre-loading an impact element by means of a counter-pressure chamber, whereby pressure impulses are transferred to the drill string by means of the impact element by a sudden reduction in the pressure in the counter-pressure chamber.
According to the currently known technology, this solution generates shock waves with lower energy, and, in order to maintain the efficiency of the drilling, the lower energy in each shock wave is compensated for by the shock waves being generated at a higher frequency.
A remaining problem with the abovementioned striking tool that does not have an impact piston is, however, that a part of the impact energy is reflected and returned to the impulse-generating device as harmful energy.


The invention can be summarized as follows. There is provided a method for amplifying hypomethylated genomic nucleotide sequences and/or hypermethylated genomic nucleotide sequences and comparing the methylation state between different samples, for example control and test samples. Also disclosed is a microarray based method for analyzing hypo and/or hypermethylated genomic nucleotide sequence. Further, kits comprising reagents for practicing the method are provided.

Many lines of evidence have shown that modification of cytosine bases residing in the dinucleotide sequence CpG in vertebrate genomes plays an essential role in regulating a variety of genome functions such as X chromosome inactivation, parental imprinting, inactivation of genomic retroelements, and differential gene expression. Across the human genome, about 80% of the CpG dinucleotides are heavily methylated, but some areas remain unmethylated, preferentially in the GC rich CpG islands [Bird, A. P., CpG-rich islands and the function of DNA methylation. Nature, 1986. 321(6067): p. 209-13.]. DNA methylation can perform its regulatory function through the differential marking of genes. Cytosine methylation is a stable but potentially reversible process that allows for the temporal and spatial-specific regulation of gene in higher organisms.
Several different strategies have been applied to detect methylated CpG dinucleotides in eukaryotic genomes (reviewed in [van Steensel, B. and S. Henikoff, Epigenomic profiling using microarrays. Biotechniques, 2003. 35(2): p. 346-50, 352-4, 356-7]). The most frequently used method is the bisulfite modification-based strategy, developed by Frommer et al. [ Frommer, M., et al., A genomic sequencing protocol that yields a positive display of 5-methylcytosine residues in individual DNA strands. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 1992. 89(5): p. 1827-31.]. In this method, bisulfite converts unmethylated cytosine bases to uracil, whereas methylated cytosines remain unaltered. Such sequences can be directly sequenced using the Sanger sequencing method or can be interrogated using microarrays. In such microarrays, oligonucleotide pairs that differ by having either a cytosine or a thymine at a methylatable position of a cytosine can discriminate the two nucleotides by incubating at a temperature that allows only exact matches between the probe and the oligonucleotide Adorjan, P., et al., Tumour class prediction and discovery by microarray-based DNA methylation analysis. Nucleic Acids Res, 2002. 30(5): p. e21; Gitan, R. S., et al., Methylation-specific oligonucleotide microarray: a new potential for high-throughput methylation analysis. Genome Res, 2002. 12(1): p. 158-64; Balog, R. P., et al., Parallel assessment of CpG methylation by two-color hybridization with oligonucleotide arrays. Anal Biochem, 2002. 309(2): p. 301-10; Hou, P., et al., A microarray to analyze methylation patterns of p16(Ink4a) gene 5′-CpG islands. Clin Biochem, 2003. 36(3): p. 197-202.
Several other methods of providing methylation status on a global scale including microarray experiments have been published. In a method called differential methylation hybridization (DMH) [Huang, T. H., U.S. Pat. No. 6,605,432 B1 issued Aug. 12, 2003.], genomic DNA (gDNA) from breast cancer cells were treated with the four-base cutter MseI that restricts gDNA into small fragments of 100-200 bp. This enzyme rarely cuts in CpG-rich regions, leaving many CpG islands intact. MseI cleavage is followed by ligation of end adaptors specific for MseI sticky-ends, cleavage with the methylation-sensitive enzyme BstUI, and subsequent PCR amplification. This method results in amplification of the hypermethylated fraction of gDNA, and ignores the hypomethylated or unmethylated fraction.
Microarrays in this study contains DNA fragments representing various CpG islands. Several other publications used the step of enrichment for the hypermethylated fraction of a given genome [Yan, P. S., et al., Applications of CpG island microarrays for high-throughput analysis of DNA methylation. J Nutr, 2002. 132(8 Suppl): p. 2430S-2434S;. Yan, P. S., et al., Use of CpG island microarrays to identify colorectal tumors with a high degree of concurrent methylation. Methods, 2002. 27(2): p. 162-9; Shi, H., et al., Triple analysis of the cancer epigenome: an integrated microarray system for assessing gene expression, DNA methylation, and histone acetylation. Cancer Res, 2003. 63(9): p. 2164-71; Toyota, M., et al., Identification of differentially methylated sequences in colorectal cancer by methylated CpG island amplification. Cancer Res, 1999. 59(10): p. 2307-12; Yan, P. S., et al., Dissecting complex epigenetic alterations in breast cancer using CpG island microarrays. Cancer Res, 2001. 61(23): p. 8375-80]. Amplification of non-methylated sequences is suppressed by the digestion of the template DNA before PCR with the restriction enzymes BstUI and HpaII, which are blocked by methylation of their target sequence [Yan, P. S., et al., Dissecting complex epigenetic alterations in breast cancer using CpG island microarrays. Cancer Res, 2001. 61(23): p. 8375-80.]. The resulting hypermethylated DNA fraction was used to compare the methylation patterns from tumor and control tissues by hybridizing to microarrays containing randomly cloned genomic fragments that were enriched in CpG islands
A related method uses a digestion step with SmaI, followed by digestion with XmaI, which is a methyl-insensitive isoschizomer of SmaU [Hatada, I., et al., A Microarray-based method for detecting methylated loci. J Hum Genet, 2002. 47(8): p. 448-51.]. The cleavage with SmaI produces blunt end DNA fragment, whereas the cleavage products of XmaI contains protruding ends, which are ligated to specific XmaI-adaptors. After a PCR that uses primers specific for these adaptors, the resulting amplification products, which consist mainly of methylated 5′-CCCGGG-3′ sequences, are hybridized to microarrays.
Another method that uses methylation-sensitive restriction enzymes for fractionating DNA was presented by Tompa et al. [Tompa, R., et al., Genome-wide profiling of DNA methylation reveals transposon targets of CHROMOMETHYLASE3. Curr Biol, 2002. 12(1): p. 65-8.]. This strategy used the methylation sensitive enzyme MspI, which cleaves 5′CCGG-3′ but is blocked by methylation of the outer cytosine (m5′-CCGG-3′). Digested DNA samples were size-fractionated on sucrose gradients (5%-30%) by ultracentrifugation as previously described [van Steensel, B., J. Delrow, and S. Henikoff, Chromatin profiling using targeted DNA adenine methyltransferase. Nat Genet, 2001. 27(3): p. 304-8.]. Gradient fraction containing plant DNA fragments smaller than 2.5 kb, as determined by gel-electrophoresis, were pooled and concentrated by isopropanol precipitation. Tester and control samples were then labeled with Cy3- or Cy5-dCTP by random priming and co-hybridized to microarrays that contained spotted PCR amplification products that primarily represented randomly chosen locations from the Arabidopsis genome [Tompa, R., et al., Genome-wide profiling of DNA methylation reveals transposon targets of CHROMOMETHYLASE3. Curr Biol, 2002. 12(1): p. 65-8].
Wang (WO 03/027259, published Apr. 3, 2003) discloses cleavage of mouse genomic DNA with the methyl-sensitive enzyme HpaII, ligation of adaptors specific for HpaII sticky-ends, and PCR using Cy-3 or Cy-5 labeled primers. The amplicons produced by this method may retain methylated sequences that are in between the cleaved HpaII restriction sites.
Martienssen et al. (US 2004/0132048, published Jul. 8, 2004) suggest methods to obtain methylated or unmethylated fractions of genomic DNA obtained by cleavage with methyl-dependent enzymes such as McrBC that specifically cleave methylated sequences, or by cleavage with, for example, HpaII which does not cleave methylated sequences. Similar to Wang, the Martienssen et al. methods may be complicated by retention of methylated sequences between unmethylated restriction sites. Furthermore, there may be retention of unmethylated sequences between the methylated restriction sites. Another drawback of these methods is a step of physically separating the cleaved methylated or unmethylated fractions from the rest of the genomic DNA by gel electrophoresis, size exclusion chromatography and size differential centrifugation in a sucrose gradient. Methods using a physical separation step require relatively large amounts of starting material due to inefficiencies of DNA recovery inherent in the separation step.
There is a need in the art to develop new methods and systems for epigenetic profiling. Further there is a need in the art for new methods and systems for epigenetic profiling of chromosomes and genomes. Further still, there is a need in the art to develop methods and systems to assess methylation levels of probed loci such as repetitive elements, genes, imprinting elements, promoters, enhancer elements, intron sequences and whole genomes.


Disclosed is an absorbent article having a liquid acquisition layer between a topsheet and a liquid absorbent layer. The liquid acquisition layer is an absorbent sheet that is three-dimensionally deformed to include: longitudinal ribs projecting toward the topsheet and extending parallel with each other in a longitudinal direction of the article; and transverse ribs projecting toward the topsheet and extending in a transverse direction of the article. The transverse ribs are arranged at intervals in the longitudinal direction and connect adjacent longitudinal ribs, thereby providing a plurality of recesses surrounded by the longitudinal ribs and the transverse ribs. At least the longitudinal ribs are in contact with an overlying component, whereas bottoms of the recesses are in contact with the liquid absorbent layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an absorbent article suitable for absorbing menstrual blood and so on discharged from a woman's genital organ, more particularly, relates to an absorbent article having a liquid acquisition layer between a topsheet and a liquid absorbent layer so as to absorb liquid and introduce it into the liquid absorbent layer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Absorbent articles intended to absorb menstrual blood discharged from a woman's genital organ are typically constructed to include a liquid-permeable topsheet appearing on its skin surface, a liquid-impermeable backsheet appearing on its garment surface and a liquid absorbent layer disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet, and generally, they are worn with the backsheet adhered to an inner side of a groin piece of an undergarment through a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer.
In such an absorbent article, if a large amount of menstrual blood is given to the topsheet at a time, menstrual blood remains in the topsheet for a long time, making a wearer uncomfortable due to wet feeling in the crotch. Therefore, there have been known absorbent articles devised to diffuse or retain liquid beneath the topsheet when a large amount of liquid is given thereto at a time.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 6-38998 (Patent Publication 1) discloses a sanitary napkin in which a liquid transferring band is disposed between the topsheet and the liquid absorbent layer.
The liquid transferring band is nonwoven fabric formed with a screen pattern of a large number of recesses. The screen pattern is composed of an embossed pattern, in which high fiber density portions are formed by compressing a given thickness of nonwoven fabric from one side, and an embossed pattern, in which membrane portions are formed by compressing the nonwoven fabric from both sides, wherein both embossed patterns are arranged in a longitudinal (lengthwise) direction of the sanitary napkin. In the liquid transferring band, movement of menstrual blood having passed through the topsheet is restricted by the membrane portions so that the menstrual blood can be diverted and introduced into the high fiber density portions, thereby diffusing menstrual blood in the longitudinal direction so as to prevent liquid from being left in the topsheet.
On the other hand, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-140015 (Patent Publication 2) discloses a disposable diaper in which a liquid permeable sheet is disposed between the topsheet and the liquid absorbent layer.
This liquid permeable sheet is nonwoven fabric or paper that is three-dimensionally deformed to have a large number of recesses defined by projections extending in a net-like pattern. This disposable diaper is intended to prevent liquid from flowing along a surface of the diaper by temporarily retaining liquid in the recesses formed in the liquid permeable sheet even when a large amount of liquid is applied at a time.
In the liquid transferring belt disclosed in Patent Publication 1, liquid having passed through the topsheet can be diffused in the longitudinal direction, but because the liquid transferring belt itself is inferior in both liquid retention ability and liquid permeability, the liquid transferring belt will be immediately saturated if a large amount of menstrual blood is applied thereto, easily causing the problem of liquid residue. In detail, the liquid transferring belt is meltblown nonwoven fabric formed with an embossed pattern, wherein since the meltblown nonwoven fabric remains relatively flat even after embossing, a large amount of liquid locally applied thereto cannot be retained. Furthermore, since recesses forming the embossed pattern in the nonwoven fabric are of an extremely small space volume, little liquid will be retained in the recesses. Rather, the meltblown nonwoven fabric is inferior in liquid permeability not only because such meltblown nonwoven fabric itself is of a high density but also because the membrane portions block liquid permeation.
On the other hand, the liquid permeable sheet disclosed in Patent Publication 2 is intended to retain urine in triangular recesses so as to prevent diffusion along the sheet. However, since liquid diffusion is inhibited by the net-like projections, the recesses will be saturated with urine in a short period of time. Accordingly, if the liquid permeable sheet is adopted for sanitary napkins, menstrual blood that is thicker than urine will be easily left in the recesses. Moreover, Patent Publication 2 teaches that the liquid permeable sheet is preferably formed of paper, but if such a liquid permeable sheet formed of paper is adopted for sanitary napkins, the recesses will be immediately crushed by a pressure applied from the wearer's crotch and the liquid permeable sheet will be easily broken when an offset force acts on the sanitary napkin.

Absorbent article with liquid acquisition layer


A non metallic flow through electrodeless conductivity sensor is provided with a conduit having primary and secondary process fluid flowpaths to form a fluid loop. At least one drive and one sense toroid surround the conduit on the fluid loop. Voltage supplied to the drive toroid induces a current in the sense toroid via the fluid loop to eliminate any need for metallic electrodes in contact with the process fluid. At least one additional drive and/or sense toroid is disposed on the fluid loop to enhance induction. Optionally one or more sense coils are disposed about the conduit outside of the fluid loop to cancel out stray electrical noise. An optional conductor disposed along the conduit detects any fluid leakage through changes in resistance thereof.

Throughout this application, various publications, patents and published patent applications are referred to by an identifying citation. The disclosures of the publications, patents and published patent applications referenced in this application are hereby incorporated by reference into the present disclosure.
Conductivity measurements of a chemical solution may be made by applying a voltage across a pair of electrodes and immersing them in the solution. The electric current passing through the system is proportional to the conductivity of the solution. This technique, however, is not optimal if the solution to be measured is chemically incompatible with the metallic electrodes, e.g., resulting in chemical attack or contamination of the solution and/or electrodes.
Another approach involves an electrodeless toroidal conductivity measurement. In this approach, an electric transformer is effectively created through the use of driver and sensor toroidal coils surrounding a 'core' formed at least partially by the solution under test. The toroids are typically disposed within an electrically insulative, magnetically transparent housing having a fluid flow path which passes axially therethrough. The driver is supplied with a voltage which induces an electromagnetic field in the solution passing through the flow path, which then induces a current in the sense coil. The induced current is proportional to the conductivity of the solution being measured.
An example of such a toroidal conductivity sensor is disclosed in Reese, U.S. Pat. No. 5,157,332. A commercial example of a similar sensor is known as the 871EC™ invasive conductivity sensor available from Invensys Systems, Inc. (Foxboro, Mass.). As shown in FIG. 1, a section of such an electrodeless conductivity sensor 20 includes toroidal coils 11, 12, 13 encased in a housing 21, which may be immersed in the fluid to be measured. The housing 21 defines a central bore 19 which allows fluid to pass axially through the toroids 11, 12, 13, without contacting them. The induction loop of the 'core' is completed by the process solution within which the sensor is immersed.
Where a fluid to be measured is flowing through a conduit, it may not be possible or desirable to immerse a sensor in the fluid. In this event, driver and sensor toroidal coils may surround a pipe carrying the liquid. A commercial example of such a sensor is known as the 871FT™ (Invensys Systems, Inc.). However, in order for induction to occur, an electrical loop must be completed outside the coils, typically by clamping a metallic strap to metallic portions of the pipe upstream and downstream of the toroids. A drawback of this approach, however, is that metallic pipe portions cannot be used when the process fluid attacks or is otherwise incompatible with metals.
In an alternate approach, the induction loop may be completed by the fluid itself, by providing a secondary flow path that bypasses one or more of the toroids. An example of such a fluid loop is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,709,785 to Fielden. A drawback of this approach is that the limited cross section, relatively long length and high resistance of the fluid itself, adds a net resistance to the induced current which tends to adversely affect the sensitivity of conductivity measurement. Approaches intended to enhance the sensitivity of conductivity sensors include that disclosed by Ogawa, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,740,755. Ogawa discloses toroids on a fluid loop with dimensions calculated to "provide a low value for the ratio of the length of fluid flow loop . . . to the cross sectional area of the flow path, which in turn provides good sensitivity." (Ogawa col. 2 lines 42-47). A drawback to this approach is that Ogawa's toroids are taught to be coplanar and physically separated in order to reduce leakage coupling between the transformers. (Ogawa at col. 1, lines 34-38, col. 2 lines 47-52, col. 4, lines 49-55).
A need therefore exists for an electrodeless conductivity measurement system that addresses one or more of the aforementioned drawbacks.

Non-metallic flow-through electrodeless conductivity sensor and leak detector


A plurality of excitation elements are disposed on two facing sides of a quadrilateral detection range in a non-piezoelectric substrate, and a plurality of receiving elements are disposed on the other two sides of the detection range so as to face the excitation elements respectively. Surface acoustic waves are transmitted from the respective plurality of excitation elements in two diagonal directions of the detection range respectively, and the surface acoustic waves from the two diagonal directions are received by the respective receiving elements, so that a position of an object in contact with the substrate is detected based on received results in the receiving elements.

With the spread of computer systems, mainly personal computers, there has been used a device for inputting new information or giving various instructions to a computer system by pointing at a position on a display screen of a display device on which information is displayed by the computer system, with an object such as a finger or a pointer. In order to perform an input operation with respect to the information displayed on the display screen of the display device of a personal computer or the like by a touching method, it is necessary to detect the contact position (indicated position) on the display screen with high accuracy.
As the touch panel devices for detecting the contact position of an object, a device using a resistance film and a device using ultrasonic waves have been well known. The former device using a resistance film detects a change in the resistance of the resistance film caused by the contact of the object with the resistance film. This device has the advantage of low power consumption, but has problems in the response time, detection performance and durability.
The latter device using ultrasonic waves propagates surface acoustic waves (SAWs) across a non-piezoelectric substrate and detects attenuation of the surface acoustic waves which is caused by contact of an object with the non-piezoelectric substrate. There has been proposed a touch panel device using an element composed of an IDT (Inter Digital Transducer) and a piezoelectric thin film as an excitation element for exciting a surface acoustic wave and a receiving element for receiving the propagated surface acoustic wave.
In this touch panel device, a plurality of excitation elements, each composed of the IDT and the piezoelectric thin film, are disposed on one end of the non-piezoelectric substrate and a plurality of receiving elements, each composed of the IDT and the piezoelectric thin film, are disposed on the other end of the non-piezoelectric substrate to face the excitation elements, respectively. An electric signal is inputted to each excitation element to excite a surface acoustic wave and propagate the surface acoustic wave across the non-piezoelectric substrate, and the propagated surface acoustic wave is received by the receiving element. Then, when an object comes into contact with the propagation paths of surface acoustic waves on the non-piezoelectric substrate, the surface acoustic waves attenuate. Accordingly, by detecting whether or not there is attenuation in the level of the received signals of the receiving elements, it is possible to detect whether or not contact was made.
In a conventional touch device, the IDTs of all the excitation elements and receiving elements have the same center frequency, and therefore contact of an object with the propagation path between a receiving element and the facing excitation element is detected by switching the IDTs to be connected to excitation/receiving circuits and detecting which receiving element's received signal attenuated.


When recording an image sequence, it is possible to deviate from passing through a perfect curve path. There is described how an alternative curve path can be determined. An envelope is determined, a point is determined, which is the center point of the region of interest and then the detector is moved such that it is at right angles in each instance to a line which emanates from the point and simultaneously touches the envelope tangentially. As a result, the region of interest is mapped as optimally as possible in the image sequence so that as good a 3D reconstruction as possible can be obtained.

A 3D reconstruction of a mapped region of an object, in particular of a patient, can then be derived if mappings are recorded from different directions. The 3D reconstruction in turn allows cross-sectional images to be calculated. To record the object from different directions, an x-ray C-arm is conventionally moved at equal angular distances through an angle of 180°. With the positions defined by the angular distances, an x-ray image (a so-called projection) is recorded in each instance.
To ensure that a region of interest of the object can actually be reconstructed, it is necessary for this region to be completely mapped in each of the recorded x-ray images. This is then problematical if the region of interest is located beyond the center point of the object, which usually forms the rotation center. This is the case for instance if the liver of a patient is to be mapped. The region of interest, which lies outside the center point of the patient, can not define a new center point for a circular movement, because otherwise the x-ray source or the x-ray detector would knock against the patient.

Method for generating an image sequence for a 3D reconstruction


Methods and apparatus for the flexible provision of control data within large data structures. In one exemplary embodiment, DisplayPort is modified from its existing 8B/10B line coding to 128B/130B (or 128B/132B). In one embodiment, the 128B/130B (or 128B/132B) block includes: sixteen (16) eight (8) bit command or data symbols and a two (2) bit (or four (4) bit) synchronization header. The synchronization header may provide a fixed reference to the next command symbol (for example, the symbol immediately following the synchronization header). In one variant, each command symbol is split into a first and a second portion, where the first portion identifies a control function (control symbol), and the second portion provides a reference to the next command symbol.

1. Technical Field
The disclosure relates generally to the field of electronics devices, and networks thereof. More particularly, portions of the disclosure are directed to, inter alia, methods and apparatus for flexibly providing control data within large data structures.
2. Description of Related Technology
DisplayPort (see, inter alia, www.DisplayPort.org) is an exemplary digital display interface technology specified by the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA). Extant DisplayPort technology is an extensible digital interface solution that is designed for a wide variety of performance requirements, and broadly supports devices such as PCs, monitors, panels, projectors, and high definition (HD) content applications. Current incarnations of the standard specify support for simple networking of digital audio/visual (A/V) interconnects, intended to be used primarily between an arbitrary assembly of multimedia "sources" (e.g., computers or CPUs) and "sinks" (e.g. display monitors, home-theater system, etc.).
DisplayPort provides, inter alia, unidirectional transmission of audio and video data from source nodes to sink nodes, and an auxiliary channel (back-channel) for capability and status information to be sent from the sink(s) to the source. The primary and auxiliary channels operate in "master/slave" mode under control of the master node. The master node controls both the low level transmission of data between source and sink, and the higher level management of the display and networking. Generally, the source node is the master node; however, it is appreciated that these functions (data source and network master) are logically separate and other network configurations may have different configurations, e.g., a sink node could be a master node.
The typical DisplayPort connection includes multiple data lanes (e.g. 1, 2, or 4 data pairs), and an embedded clock. Unlike other standards (e.g., HDMI, DVI), DisplayPort embeds the clock in the data signal transmission, and requires clock regeneration at the receiver. Audio signals may be optionally included, but are not required. The bi-directional auxiliary channel carries management and device control data. The data transmission protocol in DisplayPort is based on micro-packets which may be transmitted isochronously.
Existing DisplayPort symbols are based on 8B/10B encoding (i.e., ten (10) bits are used to represent an eight (8) bit data or control symbol). This represents a signaling overhead of approximately twenty percent (20%) (i.e., the number of information bits conveyed divided by the number of bits actually transmitted). For reasons explained in greater detail herein, other bus technologies provide much lower signaling overhead (e.g., 128B/130B, 128B/132B, etc.), but cannot support isochronous data applications (e.g., streaming video and audio, etc.). Ideally, improvements to the DisplayPort encoding scheme should seek to improve signaling overhead, while still supporting isochronous data applications. More generally, improved methods are needed for enabling flexible provision of control data within large data structures.

Apparatus and methods for flexible provision of control data in large data structures


An X-ray tube with an anode assembly and specially designed heat transfer element is described. The anode assembly includes an X-ray producing target and a substantially cylindrical electrode that stops or inhibits electrons that may back-scatter from the target. At least one heat transfer element is positioned proximate the anode assembly and in the region between a conducting enclosure and a non-conducting hollow housing or tube. The heat transfer element is positioned to thermally couple the hot anode assembly to an air-cooled conducting enclosure while maintaining an electric isolation.

X-ray tubes typically include a cathode for emitting a stream of electrons and an anode which provides a metal target upon which the stream of electrons impinge thereby producing X-rays. For both low power modes and bipolar modes (where the cathode and anode are operated at different voltages), the anode is typically operated at high voltage, ranging between 60 and 90 kV. The bombardment of the electrons on the anode and the operation of the anode at such high voltages generate heat, and in an example, at least 5 Watts.
An X-ray tube is typically enclosed in a conductive enclosure and, in some cases, the region between the X-ray tube and the enclosure is filled with a thermally conductive cooling liquid (such as a cooling oil) to dissipate the heat while electrically isolating the X-ray tube from the enclosure. However, the convective heat transfer process of the oil may not be efficient enough to cool the X-ray tube down in cases where the X-ray tube is used frequently or for long periods of time. In some cases, the region between the X-ray tube and the enclosure is filled with at least one solid electrically insulating material like silicone or a mixture. Insulating materials allow improving radiation shielding and/or thermal conductivity without losing the critical electrically insulating property of the material. However, at least one common electrically insulating material has poor thermal conductivity (<1 W/(m·K)).
Accordingly, there is need for a device that improves heat dissipation from the X-ray tube. There is also a need for positioning the device such that it provides a thermal coupling between a hot anode of the X-ray tube and the enclosure containing the X-ray tube.

Devices and methods for dissipating heat from an anode of an x-ray tube assembly


A device for supplying power to an inductive load includes a switching structure designed to control a current in the load, and elements for detecting anomalies designed to generate information on detection or information on non-detection of an anomaly of the short-circuit type able to occur in the cabling toward the load, in combination with information on validity of the information on non-detection of anomalies. The information on anomaly non-detection is delivered without setting the validity information if the measured current at the end of an appropriate time window is less than a given value of current.

The invention has applications, in particular, in the automobile field. It can be implemented, for example, in an electronic circuit incorporating a switching structure such as a transistor H-bridge.
In the automobile industry, such integrated circuits are used for controlling the direction and/or the intensity of the electrical current in inductive loads such as for example electric motors.
These motors may be used in electronic control systems for an actuator. This could for example be a device for controlling a throttle valve (or ETC device, for "Electronic Throttle Control"), or the exhaust gas recirculation valve (or EGR device), or any other valve used in the engine or other control. More generally, it could be any other equipment actuated by electric motor, such as an electric window, for example.
The power supply for such inductive loads generally uses a switching structure such as a switching H-bridge. An H-bridge comprises four power switches, namely two "high" switches on the side of a positive power supply, for example a battery producing a positive power supply voltage, and two "low" switches on the side of a negative power supply or ground. Each switch generally comprises a MOS (Metal Oxide Semiconductor) power transistor.
A sequence of analog control signals for the four transistors is produced based on a setpoint control signal. The setpoint signal and the analog control signals are in general pulse-width modulated signals, or PWM signals. Their duty cycle allows the quantity of current injected into the inductive load to be controlled and hence, on average, the intensity of the current in this load.
One example of a functional breakdown of an electronic control system according to a layered architecture is illustrated in FIG. 2. A layer 21, hierarchically the highest, named "application" layer, allows a set of parameters to be chosen (initialization). The setpoint signal is generated within a layer 22 referred to as "control" layer of the system, coming above a layer 23, or "command" layer, itself above a layer 24, or "hardware" layer, composed of the electronic elements of the H-bridge. With regard to the hardware and/or software implementation, the "command" layer 23 and "hardware" layer 24 can be formed within the same integrated circuit. The "application" layer 21 and "control" layer 22 can be implemented in the microprocessor of a automobile's computer.
One given strategy causes the control of the H-bridge in certain given configurations, at the frequency of the setpoint signal. Other configurations are on the contrary prohibited, such as for example a configuration where a high switch and a low switch are closed together creating a short-circuit between the battery and ground.
Short-circuits may occur within the cabling between the outputs of the H-bridge, or between each of the outputs and ground, or between each of the outputs and the positive voltage of the battery. The H-bridge protects itself by disconnecting itself from the power in a case of short-circuit, and thus avoids its own destruction.
The existence of a potential short-circuit can be verified by a measurement of the current flowing through the power transistors. This measurement must be carried out during one period of the control signals, inside of a time window entirely included within a fraction of said period of the control signals where the latter do not change electrical state, which clearly depends on the duty cycle. If the current measured during this reference time window exceeds a given threshold, called short-circuit current, an anomaly is declared in the "command" layer 23 of the system.
However, in the "control" layer 22, the general strategy is to filter rare fault occurrences, which occurrences would not in any case be confirmed during diagnostic testing in a repair shop. In order to overcome the problem of a detection that is too sensitive, a confirmation mechanism can be implemented over several successive verifications. This mechanism may be based on an anomaly counter respectively associated with each of the anomalies being considered. This anomaly counter may for example be kept updated in the "application" layer 21 of the system, depending on information relating to the presence or to the absence of the anomaly which is fed back from the "hardware" layer 24, via the "control" layer 22 and "command" layer 23, when each of the verifications is carried out. Thus, the anomaly counter is incremented if a verification yields a positive result with respect to the presence of an anomaly, and can be decremented in the opposite case.
However, it may potentially happen that verifications do not enable the detection of an anomaly that is nevertheless actually present. Such situations comprise for example the following non-limiting cases:                impossibility of detection of a short-circuit in the configuration of the H-bridge at the time of the verification (for example if the short-circuit sought is in parallel with a switch which is in the closed state in said configuration);        insufficiency of the time available for the verification, with respect to the time needed to observe the abnormal rise in the current in the load allowing the detection of the short-circuit (in view of the frequency and the duty cycle of the setpoint signal, and/or owing potentially to the inductance of the short-circuit);        insufficiency of the short-circuit current (in view of the voltage of the battery, and/or owing potentially to the resistance of the short-circuit).
It is for this reason that the confirmation mechanism may furthermore generate validity information associated with the information on the absence of an anomaly, in order to discriminate a situation of real absence of an anomaly from a situation of non-detection of the anomaly having nevertheless an uncertainty with regard to the existence or the absence of this anomaly. Indeed, the fact that an anomaly was not able to be detected during a given verification does not necessarily indicate the absence of said anomaly.
Thus, when an information relating to the absence of an anomaly is fed back to the "control" layer 22, the anomaly counter is only decremented if, in addition, a validity bit is set. If the validity bit is not set, the counter is left in its current state (neither incremented, nor decremented).
The anomaly detection devices which operate according to the principle hereinabove are relatively slow as regards the validity bit. Indeed, the current anomaly detection devices carry out the current measurement inside of a time window with a fixed duration. In the absence of a short-circuit, this duration can be in the range between 30 and 55 μs. If a short-circuit is detected, the validity bit is set upon detection, which is very probably made in a time well below 30 μs. Given that the period during which the H-bridge remains in a given configuration depends on the duty cycle, and in view of the range of duty cycle to be covered (ideally from 10% to 90% of the period of the setpoint signal, and generally as a minimum from 20% to 80% of this range), it turns out that the use of an anomaly bit in the known devices is not satisfactory, in this example, for frequencies higher than 3.6 kHz. Beyond such a frequency, the detection of anomalies is not optimal, because the system is frequently in one of the above-mentioned cases, so much so that many consecutive verifications give rise to a situation of uncertainty resulting in the impossibility of taking into account the validity bit.
Under these conditions, the use of the validity bit for the management of the anomaly counter, as presented hereinabove, in fact degrades the performance of the anomaly detection. It is for this reason that, currently, the systems that have to operate at a frequency higher than around 3.6 kHz do not use the validity bit. Consequently, all the situations of uncertainty with regard to the existence or the absence of an anomaly are handled by the upfeed of the information relating to the non-detection of anomalies, without any other possible discrimination. This type of detection is likely to generate delays in the response provided to the "application" level 21 in the case of the presence of a real anomaly. In certain cases, the known devices do not allow the detection of the presence of an anomaly.

Detection of a short-circuit in a switching structure


Systems and processes for communication of messages between one or more networked objects on circuit and packet data networks are described. Specifically, means for representation of various communication types, including content description and disposition rules, delivery and routing descriptions and rules, conversion and translation descriptions and rules, and methods for interactions and for administration over one or more network types, through one or more communication protocol types, to one or more destination types are described. The delivery of messages and other communication over various communication protocols in addition to email is described. Methods for administering and managing rules for directing and transforming said messages and communications for purposes of routing or delivery to one or more specific destinations are also presented.

1. Field of the Invention
The various embodiments of the invention relate to the field of unified messaging through circuit and packet data networks.
2. Description of Related Art
Unified messaging has emerged to address the need for combining the delivery of different types of messages using a single interface. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,208,638, Rieley et. al., describes a method and apparatus for transmission and retrieval of information such as facsimile and audio messages over circuit and packet switched networks, specifically via the use of electronic mail. An incoming message (voice or fax) sent over a circuit switched network is transmitted over a packet switched network, by receiving an incoming call signal along with an inbound address, determining a user account and a final address on the packet network that are associated with the inbound address, and sending a processed form of the incoming message to an email box of the user. Another reference is U.S. Pat. No. 6,073,165, Narasimhan, et. al. which describes the use of filtering methods for processing electronic messages based on pre-defined filtering rules, and forwarding filtered messages to a receiving destination. Although the above described, patented techniques are quite effective in supporting a message delivery service, improvements are needed to provide a wider range of services.

Method and process for signaling, communication and administration of networked objects


A touch panel system 1 includes: a bag-shaped touch panel body part V having a flexible touch face 11 and a visible light transmittable opposite face 12, wherein a colored fluid 20 is contained in a space between the touch face and the opposite face; a camera 50 for taking an image of the opposite face; and an image analysis part 100 for analyzing RGB values of pixels in the image captured by the camera, wherein the camera captures a change in color of the opposite face resulting from an external force applied to the touch face and making the opposite face closer in distance, moving the fluid from the location 14; and the image analysis part calculates at least coordinates of the location or shape of the location based on the RGB value analysis results, and reflects the result in an image on an image display device.

Computers, mobile information terminals and other electronic information devices incorporate touch panel systems that each combine an input device and a display device (display).
Touch panel systems of various methods are available, such as the capacitance type, resistive membrane type, ultrasonic surface acoustic wave type, and optical type (infrared optical imaging type).
For example, the capacitance type (refer to Patent Literature 1) works in such a way that a matrix electrode pattern is arranged inside a panel and when the user touches the panel with a finger, etc., the coordinates are detected based on the resulting change in capacitance.
Also, the resistive membrane type (refer to Patent Literature 2) works in such a way that voltage is constantly applied to both ends of two membranes arranged in a manner facing each other, and upon the user's touch, the coordinates are detected based on the resulting change in voltage at the position where the membranes have contacted each other.
Also, the inventor of the invention under the present application for patent had developed a touch panel system comprising a bag-shaped touch panel body containing a liquid, wherein an infrared thermography camera is used to sense the heat at the location touched by the user with a finger, etc., to identify the applicable coordinates (refer to Patent Literature 3).


Diene polymers or copolymers having improved raw polymer viscosity and reduced hysteresis in the cured and carbon black reinforced state are provided. These diene polymers or copolymers are prepared by a method which involves first terminating substantially all of the living diene polymer or copolymer chains obtained by anionic polymerization with a compound having multiple-bonded nitrogen atoms selected from the group consisting of aromatic nitriles and substituted imines having the formula ##STR1## and then coupling a portion of the resultant terminated polymer chains with a polyfunctional reagent selected from the groups consisting of silicon polyhalides, polyisocyanates, phosphoryl halides and polycarboxylic acid halides.

The invention relates to diene polymers or copolymers having improved raw polymer viscosity which are adapted to form elastomer compositions having reduced hysteresis properties and tire treads having reduced rolling resistance. More particularly, the invention relates to a method for preparing such diene polymers or copolymers which involves terminating the polymer chains with a compound having multiple-bonded nitrogen atoms and partially crosslinking the polymer chains with a polyfunctional reagent.
In recent years, those active in the tire industry have greatly increased their emphasis on the development of tires having both reduced rolling resistance and good wet traction properties. As is well known, that portion of the tire which exerts the greatest influence on rolling resistance and traction is the tread or tread rubber portion Low rolling resistance is desirable from a fuel consumption standpoint while good wet traction is desirable from a safety standpoint. However, as a general rule, these properties have been found to conflict with each other. Thus, a reduction in rolling resistance generally leads to an almost directionally proportional reduction in wet traction while an increase in wet traction generally leads to an almost directionally proportional increase in rolling resistance.
The prior art has proposed a number of approaches to the solution of this problem. Such approaches have generally involved modifying the properties of the elastomer or elastomer composition utilized to form the tire tread in order to achieve the best possible balance between rolling resistance and traction The approaches involving modification of the elastomer have generally been based on improving the interaction between the elastomer and the carbon black used in compounding the elastomer to prepare the tire tread composition in order to improve the dispersion of the carbon black into the elastomer. This has the effect of reducing the hysteresis of the elastomer composition which in turn results in lower rolling resistance of the treads formed therefrom.
One known approach to modifying the diene polymer or copolymer elastomer to reduce the hysteresis of elastomer compositions formed therefrom involves coupling the living diene polymer or copolymer chains with metal halides Thus, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,383,085 and 4,515,922 describe the coupling of living diene polymer or copolymer chains obtained by anionic polymerization using an organolithium initiator with metal halides such as tin halides, silicon halides and the like. These patents indicate that tire treads formed from rubber compositions containing the coupled polymers have reduced hysteresis along with reduced rolling resistance and improved wet skid resistance.
Another known approach to modifying the diene polymer or copolymer elastomer to reduce the hysteresis of the elastomer compositions involves terminating the living diene polymer or copolymer chains with various compounds containing functional groups which are reactive with the lithium terminals of the living polymer including compounds containing multiple-bonded nitrogen atoms as illustrated by the following patents:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,178,398 relates to a method of preparing polymers including diene polymers and copolymers having terminal groups containing reactive nitrogen and to the curing of the resultant polymers with polyhalogen-containing compounds. The patent discloses that diene polymers or copolymers containing such terminal groups can be prepared by reacting the living diene polymer or copolymer with a non-polymerizable compound containing the structure ##STR2## Compounds containing the foregoing structure which are disclosed in the reference include heterocyclic nitrogen compounds, substituted imines and carbodiimides. Substituted imines which are specifically disclosed include N-ethylethylidenimine, N-methylbenzylidenimine, N-hexylcinnamyl idenimine, N-decyl-2-ethyl-1,2-diphenylbutylidenimine, N-phenylbenzylidenimine, N-dodecylcyclohexanimine, N-propyl-2, 5-cyclohexadienimine, N- methyl-1-naphthalenimine, N-N,-dimethylbutanediimine, N,N'-dipentyl-2 -pentene-1,5-diimine, N-nonyl- 1,4-naphthoquinonimine, N,N'-diphenyl-1, 4-quinonediimine and N,N'-diphenyl-1,3-indandiimine. The patent indicates that when such polymers are compounded and cured the resultant product has a good balance of physical properties. However, no mention is made of any effect on the hysteresis of the product.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,677,153 relates to a method for modifying a rubber having unsaturated carbon-to-carbon bonds (i.e. double bonds) with (a) an organic compound having a group represented by the formula --CH.dbd.N--and (b) an organic acid halide having a group represented by the formula --COX wherein X is a halogen atom, in the presence of a Lewis acid. Organic compounds having the group represented by the formula --CH.dbd.N--which are disclosed include substituted imines such as, for example, benzylidene methylamine, benzylidene aniline, dimethylaminobenzylidene butylaniline, etc. However, a careful reading of the reference indicates that the unsaturated rubber which is reacted with the (a) and (b) compounds is not a living polymer rubber but rather a previously terminated or "dead" polymer rubber. Thus, it appears clearly evident that the reaction between the unsaturated rubber and these compounds is not at the terminals of the polymer chains of the rubber. The reference teaches that the modified rubber has improved green strength and when vulcanized has improved tensile and rebound resiliency.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,816,520 relates to terminally functionalized polymers, including diene polymers and copolymers, and a process for their preparation. The reference discloses that the terminally functionalized polymers are prepared from living polymers obtained by anionic polymerization of olefinically unsaturated monomers by first reacting the living polymers with the capping reagents comprising various nitrogen compounds including substituted imines (Schiff bases) and diaziridines and then reacting the capped polymer with a terminating agent which contains halogen or acid anhydride groups. Capping reagents which are disclosed include among others a compound of the formula: ##STR3## wherein R.sub.1 is H, alkyl, cycloalkyl or aryl and R.sub.2 and R are each alkyl, cycloalkyl or aryl. Terminating agents which are disclosed include halogen compounds such as chloromethylstyrenes, acryloyl chloride, methacryloyl chloride, epichlorohydrin, etc. and acid anhydride compounds such as acrylic anhydride, methacrylic anhydride, maleic anhydride, etc. The reference discloses that the resultant terminally functionalized polymer contains polymerizible end groups which allows for the preparation of graft copolymers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,835,209 discloses the termination of living diene polymer or copolymer chains with carbodiimides. The patent discloses that rubber compositions containing such polymers have excellent performance characteristics with respect to tensile strength, impact resistance, low heat-generating properties and wear resistance without impairing wet skid properties.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,935,471 discloses a process for preparing a polydiene having a high level of affinity for carbon black which comprises reacting a metal terminated polydiene with a capping agent selected from the group consisting of (a) halogenated nitriles having the structural formula X--A--C.tbd.N wherein X represents a halogen atom and wherein A represents an alkylene group containing from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, (b) heterocyclic aromatic nitrogen containing compounds and (c) alkyl benzoates. The patent discloses that compositions containing such polymers have reduced hysteresis and that tire treads made from such compositions have lower rolling resistance and better traction characteristics.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,109,907 to Mark L. Stayer et al which is commonly assigned to the same assignee herein discloses diene polymers and copolymers terminated by reaction with the same substituted imines utilized in the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,153,271 to David F. Lawson et al, the same inventors herein, and which is commonly assigned to the same assignee herein, discloses diene polymers and copolymers terminated by reaction with the same aromatic nitriles utilized in the present invention.
Diene polymer or copolymer elastomers containing a mixture of coupled polymer chains and certain terminally functionalized polymer chains and a method for their preparation are also known in the art. Thus, U.S. Pat. No. 4,616,069 discloses a process for making a diene polymer rubber which comprises reacting an active diene polymer rubber having alkali metal and/or alkaline earth metal terminals, with: (1)a tin compound expressed by the general formula R.sub.a SnX.sub.b (in which R stands for an alkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkyl or aromatic hydrocarbon group; X is a halogen atom, a is an integer of 0-2, and b is an integer of 2-4), and (2) at least one organic compound selected from the group consisting of aminoaldehydes, aminoketones, aminothioaldehydes, aminothioketones and the organic compounds having in their molecules ##STR4## linkages in which A stands for an oxygen or sulfur atom.
Organic compounds containing such linkages which are disclosed include various amide compounds, imide compounds, lactam compounds, urea compounds, carbamic acid derivatives and the corresponding sulfur-containing compounds.
The patent discloses that the order of the reaction with the tin compounds (1) and organic compounds (2) is optional, i.e. they may be performed sequentially by optional order or they may be performed simultaneously. The reference further discloses that the rubber material of the invention shows well-balanced rolling resistance (rebound) and wet skid resistance and also good processability and storage stability.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,227,431, which is commonly assigned to the same assignee herein discloses diene polymers and copolymers containing a mixture of specified proportions of diene polymer or copolymer chains coupled with tin polyhalides and diene polymer or copolymer chains terminated with substituted imines of the type utilized in the present invention. The diene polymers or copolymers are prepared by a method referred to by the inventors as "primary partial coupling" which involves first preparing a living diene polymer or copolymer containing organoalkali or organo alkaline earth metal terminals by anionic polymerization of a conjugated diene monomer or a mixture of a conjugated diene monomer and a vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon monomer; then coupling a portion of the living diene polymer or copolymer chains by reacting the active terminals thereof with a tin polyhalide and then terminating the remaining portion of the living diene polymer or copolymer chains by reacting the active terminals thereof with a substituted imine. The resultant diene polymers or copolymers have good raw polymer viscosity, good compound viscosity and reduced hysteresis in the cured and carbon black reinforced state and can be used to form elastomer compositions for the treads having reduced rolling resistance.
U.S. application Ser. No. 794,105 of the same inventors herein filed Nov. 18, 1991 discloses diene polymers and copolymers containing a mixture of specified proportions of diene polymer or copolymer chains coupled with tin polyhalides and diene polymer or copolymer chains terminated with aromatic nitriles of the type utilized in the present invention. The diene polymers or copolymers are prepared by a method referred to as "primary partial coupling" which involves first preparing a living diene polymer or copolymer containing active organoalkali or organoalkaline earth metal terminals by anionic polymerization of a conjugated diene monomer or a mixture of a conjugated diene monomer and a vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon monomer; coupling a portion of the living diene polymer or copolymer chains by reacting the active terminals thereof with a tin polyhalide and then terminating the remaining portion of the living diene polymer or copolymer chains by reacting the active terminals thereof with an aromatic nitrile compound selected from the group consisting of unsubstituted and substituted benzonitriles. The resultant diene polymers or copolymers can be used to form elastomer compositions for tire treads having reduced rolling resistance.
Diene polymer and copolymer elastomers described in the aforementioned patents possess certain advantages in important properties such as reduced hysteresis (i.e. lower rolling resistance) and good traction and, in certain instances, good processability. However, those skilled in the rubber and tire art continue to seek polymers and rubber compositions having an excellent balance of such properties.

Diene polymers and copolymers terminated with compounds having multiple-bonded nitrogen atoms and partially crosslinked with polyfunctional reagents


Disclosed herein are embodiments of sliders in which the length of the slider is less than or equal to its width. Also disclosed are data storage devices (e.g., hard disk drives) comprising such sliders. The sliders may include one or more air-bearing surface features to compensate for the lower aspect ratio and to meet performance targets (fly height, roll stiffness, etc.). Such features may include, for example, a trailing-edge pad (which may include an efficiency-flattening hole), a first cavity between a first side of the trailing-edge pad and a first side edge, and a non-intersecting second cavity between a second side of the trailing-edge pad and a second side edge. A slider may also or alternatively include a leading pad and, in some embodiments, a particle trapping structure between the leading pad and the slider's leading edge.

Magnetic storage systems, such as hard disk drives, are used to store large amounts of information. A magnetic head in a magnetic storage system typically includes a read/write transducer for retrieving and storing magnetically encoded information on a magnetic recording medium, such as a disk. A suspended slider supports the magnetic head. The slider provides mechanical support for the magnetic head and the electrical connections between the magnetic head and the rest of the magnetic storage system.
During operation, the slider floats a small distance above the magnetic recording medium (e.g., a hard disk), which rotates at high speeds. Components of a disk drive move the slider and, therefore, the magnetic head to a desired radial position over the surface of the rotating disk, and the magnetic head reads or writes information. The slider rides on a cushion or bearing of air created above the surface of the disk as the disk rotates at its operating speed. The slider has an air-bearing surface (ABS) that faces the disk. The ABS is designed to generate an air-bearing force that counteracts a preload bias that pushes the slider toward the disk. The ABS causes the slider to fly above and out of contact with the disk.
Increasing areal density (a measure of the quantity of information bits that can be stored on a given area of disk surface) is one of the ever-present goals of hard disk drive design evolution, and it has led to the development and implementation of various approaches to reduce the disk area needed to record a bit of information. An important factor affecting areal density is the distance between the read/write transducer and the recording surface, referred to as the fly height. It is desirable to fly the transducer very close to the medium to enhance transition detection. Some level of fly height stability can be achieved with proper suspension loading and by shaping the ABS so that it has desirable aerodynamic characteristics.
Another important factor affecting fly height is the slider's resistance to changing conditions, such as a change in the relative air speed and direction, and variations in temperature. If the read/write transducer's fly height does not stay nearly constant during changing conditions, data transfer between the read/write transducer and the recording medium may be adversely affected. Fly height is further affected by the physical characteristics of the slider such as the shape of the ABS.
Some sliders today have trailing air-bearing pads with small widths in part to attempt to minimize variations in fly height. Unfortunately, however, narrow trailing air-bearing pads can cause the slider to roll from side to side as it flies, which degrades the minimum fly height sigma (variance).
Prior approaches to achieve a slider with a stiffer air bearing and roll include increasing the dimensions of the side pads, particularly in the direction of the slider's width. This approach, however, is limited by the IDEMA (International Disk Drive Equipment and Materials Association) standards (e.g., μFemto, μFemto-L, etc.). Another approach is to create a negative-pressure ABS feature by, for example, second-layer etching. As suggested by its name, however, this approach requires an additional etching step during the manufacturing process and is therefore undesirable from efficiency and cost perspectives.
High-volume magnetic thin film head slider fabrication typically involves high precision subtractive machining performed in discrete material removal steps. Slider processing starts with a completed thin film head wafer consisting of tens of thousands of devices, and is completed when all the devices are individuated and meet numerous and stringent specifications. Each individual device ultimately becomes a slider.
Precise control of the critical dimensions of the read/write transducer's read head element and write head element can be achieved via machining and lapping performed during the manufacturing process. It is desirable from a performance perspective to able to control the alignment/positions of the read and write portions of the head relative to each other (e.g., to control the writer's position while leaving the reader at a particular stripe height). For optimum yield, performance, and stability, it is desirable to have precise dimensional control over both the reader and writer elements.
Manufacturing improvements affecting the magnetic core width (MCW) (as well as the magnetic erase width (MEW), magnetic write width (MWW), magnetic interference width (MIW), and other related magnetic core measures) would benefit areal density because the MCW effectively determines the width of a magnetic bit recorded by the write head. Furthermore, the single largest contributor to the overall MCW sigma is typically the "within row-bar" sigma. Even though manufacturing processes are developed to produce read-write heads having an MCW as close as possible to a desired MCW for the system, some thin-film and other manufacturing processes (e.g., lithography, etching, rough lapping, material elasticity, etc.) experience inherent variations that make it challenging to achieve the desired MCW for every read-write head manufactured.
Furthermore, prior approaches achieving machining efficiencies include using lapping processes to scale the size of the polishing media, and using grinding processes to scale the abrasive size and the binder material (e.g., using smaller abrasive sizes and improved binder materials). Both of these approaches increase manufacturing time and cost, and they also reduce the expected lifespan of the slider.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide a slider design that both improves air bearing roll sigma and can also be manufactured using more efficient manufacturing processes that allow for better dimensional control over both the reader and writer elements.